amanda and warren

[x-angel.livejournal.com]

Warren and Amanda go for a flight. Backdated to last week or so (sorry x_wytchbrat!).


A cool May breeze tousled Warren's hair and ruffled the pages of his book. He tilted his head up and smiled, enjoying the weather. Spring was his favorite time of year; always had been. Going back to his book, Warren turned the page to start a new chapter.

With the weather improving, Amanda was coming up to the flying platform for a smoke more and more often. She smiled as she saw Warren sitting there already - he'd been keeping himself scarce lately. "Hey playboy," she said, sitting down beside him.

Warren closed his book and put it aside. "Well, look who it is," he smiled. He knew Amanda had been in the medlab, and he'd gone to see her once, but aside from that, he'd been keeping to himself these days. "How've you been, witch woman?"

"Good. No, great. All the better for being out of the medlab an' gettin' me strength back." Amanda tipped her head back, letting the sun fall on her face. "Of course, now I've said that I'll probably fall down the stairs an' break me neck or somethin'." She grinned and glanced over at him. "You? How's tricks?"

Warren watched her soaking in the sun and smiled to himself. Amanda had been through a lot in the last few months, he knew, and if anyone deserved to be enjoying life right now, it was her. "Oh, you know me. Boring, stuffy old Warren. Same old. Grading econ problem sets, pining after Piotr, jetting off to New York City."

"For a playboy yer life sure is dull. You need t' get out more." Amanda's tone was teasing as she pulled her cigarettes out of her jacket pocket and offered him one. "We could always have a torrid affair, make that Ruskie of yers come racin' home t' beat the shite out of me."

Warren dug his Zippo out of his pocket. "It's hard being a playboy and having torrid affairs when one has a steady boyfriend," he mumbled, cigarette still in his mouth. He exhaled and held the lighter on for Amanda. "But you know, for you, I think I may just have to make an exception." He winked and pocketed the lighter.

Amanda chuckled. "Think I could fit you into me busy schedule." She took a long drag on her cigarette, her grin impish. "'S nice up here. Makes me wish I had the power for that flyin' spell."

After a long, silent drag on his cigarette, Warren responded carefully. "You know... I did make you an offer once." He didn't look at her, lest he embarrass her, and kept his eyes fixed firmly on the oak tree below them. The only time he'd ever flown her was when she'd tried to off herself, and he didn't want to bring back bad memories.

"Well, it's a bit breezy up here, but we could always go back to yer room..." Amanda laughed at the expression on his face. "Just jokin'. Not that kind of offer, I know. An' yeah, that'd be great. I wasn't really in good enough shape t' appreciate the last one, so it don't count."

Warren smiled, relieved. Brushing himself off, he stood up and tossed the paperback onto the platform. He held out his hand to help her stand. "You sure you won't suddenly discover that you're scared of heights or otherwise freak out on me?"

"Never." Amanda took the offered hand and pulled herself up. "Bit of a adrenaline junkie, me. An' flyin's somethin' I've always wanted t' do since I was a kid an' I first found that spell. How do you want me?"

Warren raised his eyebrows mischeviously. "Never say 'How do you want me' to a man unless you mean it." He looked her up and down. "Well, let's see. How are you most comfortable being carried? Superman-style is probably easiest..."

"How d'you I didn't?" she replied, still with that mischievous grin. "Um, 's long as I ain't too heavy for you, that's probably best. Ain't like you can sling me over yer shoulder."

Sizing her up, Warren nodded before suddenly swinging her into his arms. She let out a yelp of surprise. "Scare you?"

"Startled me, more like," Amanda said, putting her arm around his neck automatically. She looked over his shoulder at the wide spread of white wings, a look of awe on her face. "Wow."

"Hold tight," Warren said. He pushed off of the platform, beating his wings and letting the wind catch under them. He soared higher until they were well above the roof of the mansion, and then slowed down. "Doing all right?" he asked the head resting against his chest, wings flapping powerfully behind him.

"Doin' fuckin' brilliant," came the reply. Amanda looked up, her eyes shining and a broad smile on her face. "If I could do this I'd never stop."

"I don't want to either. But I get tired." The smile Warren flashed at her seemed to contain just a hint of shyness. He hadn't taken many people up here-- in fact, other than in team-related activities, he could count the number of times he'd flown people up here on one hand. His family was too weirded out at the concept, as were many of his friends, and Piotr he'd only brought once, because he was too heavy for Warren to carry comfortably.

"Pity. Still, when I could do the spell, I gave meself a migraine doin' it, so I s'pose it's the same thing." Amanda caught the shyness and gave his neck a brief squeeze. "Thanks so much for doin' this."

Warren flushed, almost imperceptibly, and not because of the physical exertion. "You're welcome. Anywhere in particular you'd like me to take you?"

"Nowhere I can think of - how 'bout you take me on one of yer usual runs?"

Warren circled the mansion a little while longer before flying her the two miles down to town. They soared over schools and churches and busy streets, being careful to keep near the trees to avoid being hidden. He pointed things out to her, and finally came to a gentle landing atop a tall office building in the center of town. "Highest structure in Westchester," he said, setting her down. He pulled out his Marlboros and held them out to her. "And the best place to smoke. You can see /everything/ from up here."

Amanda took a cigarette and let Warren light it. "Yer right," she said, looking out over the town. Her cheeks were flushed with wind and the thrill of flying. "Everythin' looks so different from up here. You don't realise how small the town is til you see it from high up."

Warren laughed. "Westchester's not New York City and it's not Brighton," he agreed. "But from up here, looks kind of nice, doesn't it? All quaint and idyllic-like."

"Too bad some of the people in it are fuckwits, ain't it?" Amanda pulled a wry face. "Never would have thought I'd end up somewhere like here - I would've laughed in yer face if yer'd suggested it even six months ago."

Warren rolled his eyes, nodding. "Couldn't agree more. I'm a city boy, through and through. I love Mutant Manor, but I would never even consider settling here. I'm headed back for the city eventually." He paused to take a drag. "How /did/ you end up here, anyhow?"

"Now there's a story. You want the long or the short version?" Amanda sat on the building's edge, seemingly not bothered by the drop below. She blew cigarette smoke into the wind and grinned. "Short version's quick, but it's borin'."

Warren leaned over the ledge, looking out. "It's almost sunset now, so how about you tell me the short version now and save the long version for later?"

"Yeah, can't have yer flyin' int' things on the way home, can we?" Amanda said with a chuckle. "Pete's sister Rom, she came across me in Brighton. I was doin' lightshows, entertainin' the tourists, such as there was that time of year. She's a witch herself, knew straight away what I was doin' an' whisked me off. She knew the bloke who brought me up, realised it was me, an' did all she could t' find somewhere for me t' be. The school turned out t' be it."

"Wow," replied Warren, impressed. "Sounds nothing like the way I ended up here." He approached her, his arms held out. "Ready? Sunset looks pretty incredible when you're in flight."

"Whenever you are," Amanda stubbed out her cigarette and got up. "A sunet, an' a handsome playboy t' carry me off, what more could a girl want?"

"I /am/ every girl's dream," Warren said, letting his cigarette drop. "Every boy's as well. They all want me, even if they don't know it yet." He scooped up Amanda and jumped off the ledge into the air.