Chapter Text
Next on her agenda was to try and free him from the suit's grasp. It was restrictive and parts were unavailable for use.
If he could stand it, she’d just want to lie beside him, skin to skin. She longed to just feel his warmth, his skin.
And his dick, she thought, if he still has one.
***
She first tried a flathead screwdriver. It was normal sized, aannnddd it broke in two after she had tried to pry the pseudo codpiece off of him.
Then she tried to wedge a chisel in between the metal plate and base, but all it did was indent the top piece, not pry it apart.
She had tried all different kinds of tools and pry bars to try and get it off for two weeks straight.
“Phoenix, it’s not coming off.” he told her after the last attempt that broke a curved, flat pry bar. “Give up, don’t worry about me.”
“At this point, I just want to see if I can get it off of you.” She was on her knees, face to face with what would have been his junk.
He sighed. “Fine. But after this attempt, just stop. This is futile.” He said to her, and she rolled her eyes.
“Alright then, fine. Last try, Tin man.”
She picked up a heavy crowbar, wedging it in between the plate and the mesh.
And with all of her strength, all of her might, the metal plate went flying! Unlucky for her though, it flew and hit her square in the forehead.
“Phoenix!” She could hear the worry in his voice.
She was knocked on her ass, stunned and laughing. He walked over to her, and offered his hand to her. She took it and pulled herself up.
“I think that’s going to bruise.” he said, frowning.
“But I got it off of you!” she said, proudly.
“Phoenix, this is ridiculous.”
Her face pouted. “I just want to hold you, Win.” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “Really hold you. Hold you. ”
“You don’t even know if you can get me out of this, do you?” he said flatly.
“You don’t want to try? What if we can get you out of there, Win?”
His eyes welled up, and he looked up at the ceiling, not letting her see. “ And what if it kills me, Phen? ”
The color drained from her face. He had a point. She’d rather have him in a suit of metal than to not have him at all.
She still had one arm around him, chewing on her thumb nail. “ We’ll solve it, babe. ” She was halfway saying it for herself. “Win, we’ve overcome every challenge life has thrown at us yet, haven’t we?”
He could tell she was trying to be positive, trying to look on the bright side, to see a silver lining. Knew she was trying to force herself positive, to keep the depression at bay. Sure, she was technically right. He survived being disfigured, shot, half drowned, and burnt to a crisp. But he had resigned himself, having hope and thinking too far ahead had only ever led to heartbreak and pain.
He was largely satisfied. He knew life wouldn’t get better than this. It was asking too much. He was breathing, not in constant pain. He had the T3NTO (pronounced ten-toe), The Third New Tribal Orchestra. He had the woman of his dreams, the love of his life. They had done away with Swan for Christ's sake.
“If I can find a way, and make sure you’re alright and safe, would you take it?” she asked him.
“Phoenix-”
“No! Answer me!” She shoved him sightly away from her, gently.
“Ugh! Phen, don’t start shit now, please. ”
“Winslow, I just want to hold you, to have you with me. ” Her eyes were welling with real tears. “The real you, Win.”
He sighed. She wasn’t going to let this go as easily as he had hoped. She had too much determination and hope in her. He knew better to get his hopes up, but she hadn’t gone through what he had.
He shook his head. “Alright then, sure, if you find some way to get me out of this, and nothing gets damaged, and you know that everything will be 100% fine, AND you know you can do this for certain,” he took another breath. “Then you have my permission to screw with this awful metal suit.”
She hugged him tight. God he loved her hugs. He couldn’t feel her heat, but her holding him tight and squeezing him, he could feel her pressure around him, pressing in on the metal plates.
She smiled slightly, realizing she had never actually said it before. “I love you, Win.”
He placed his lips upon her forehead, his nose in her hair, breathing her in. He chuckled.
“I know.”
She played offended. “Winslow!”
He chuckled. ”For you, there might be a brighter star,” he half way sung, ”But through my eyes, the light of you is all I see.” He was looking down on her, and he pushed a lock of dark, wavy hair behind her ear.
“For you,” he continued, “there may be another song, but in my heart, all I can hear is your mel-o-dy.” He had begun swaying back in fourth with her.
“So long ago, my heart, without demanding-,” the mechanical voice said, “-informed me that no other love could do.” He put his hands up to her face, stroking it with his real hand.
“But listen, did I not, through understanding, did fall in love with the one who would break my heart in two?” She could feel her face fluster.
“Oh, for you, love might bring a toast of wine, but each spark knows the best for you I pray.”
“Mmmn, For you, love might be for you to find. But I will celebrate our love of yesterday.” He started to spin them both around.
“So long ago my heart, without demanding, informed me that no other love could do! But listen did I not, through understanding, did I fall in love with one who could break my heart in two.” He grabbed her hand up into a waltz.
“For you there may be another star, but through my eyes the light of you is all I see. For you, there may be another song. But in my heart, your melody will stay with me.” He dipped her on the last line. She was star struck.
He kept her there for a bit, grinning, knowing that it was smooth. He had never done something so cleanly nor so brazen.
He finally raised her up, her mouth was slightly ajar and her eyes wide.
“Is that a good enough answer?” he asked her.
To reply, she grabbed and kissed him.