The moment his claws raked down your torso, was the moment you shot your weary hands out, grabbing his wrists at they tried to raise up for another slash.

Your writhed under the pressure of his push, fingers firmly clenched against his wrist's- so hard that your knuckles felt like they were splitting- so hard that the yelp that fell from the hunter's mouth formed into another deathly snarl of rage.

He slammed his hands down as far as he could, flattening your back as you weakly kept his biting mouth away from your skin.

Baited breath-

Wide eyes-

You stared, into the unknown, into the eyes of death itself, and refused to bow.

However much that hunter bent and twisted at you, your arms refused to fully meet the ground.

The only reason he hadn't already torn through you, or shook your arms off, was because of how injured he was.

His nose was leaking blood, which dribbled onto your neck. The liquid was grossly hot, sending a chill down your spine, as the next growl he released was garbled with a different blood.

His lungs were punctured. You realized that after hearing the heaving he did as he put in another forceful push against your arms.

He was dying.

And you were watching.

He writhed, getting as best he could to his feet, before dropping his weight back on you- trying everything to get you to release.

You were sicker then the infected themselves.

Feeling no remorse as he let out a distorted scream. The force of dropping on you only pushed one of his ribs further into his lungs.

However tired you were, a smirk couldn't help but lift against your face.

Maybe you still had a chance.

A ticking noise resounded from across the roof. A new set of claws pausing as though surprised at the scene.

Your eyes loosely drifted to the noises direction, shakily taking in the sight of a blue hood. The hair that peeked out, so dark it could almost be black- light enough just to let someone know it was brown made your eyes nearly water.

The force from above you finally prevailed, slamming your arms down onto the roof. But you didn't look at its bloody heaving, too focused on the blurry figure that set another uneasy and crouching step closer.

You barely got to mumble out his name before  he flung himself directly at you, barreling the other hunter off in one fell sweep- the sound uttering from his mouth the noise only seen in nightmares. Anger fiercely radiated off of him, dripping into the atmosphere out of the sheer heaviness.

The grey hooded hunter returned that growl, much weaker, much more gurgled.

Christian's body loomed over you, focused sheerly on the threat. His snarls vibrated the air around you, forcing you to shut your eyes. The size difference between the two was apparent, your companion an unshakable storm, and the stranger a lowly faucet.

Finally, the boiling tension between the two snapped, both flying at each other, a flurry of claws and teeth and screaming, that ended incredibly quickly.

The most his opponent got in on him was a kick in the abdomen, and a hefty claw down the face before he went motionless.

Christian held his crushed neck between his teeth, snarling through the other hunter's blood with a claw placed onto its chest.

It was brutal, but quick, and you stared at him as he let the tension in his jaw release the dead.

You attempted to sit up, wincing and laying back down as you felt your muscles seize up. It caught Christian's attention- as he finally turned his wayward and swirling green eyes in your direction.

You held a hand up at him, reaching for him as tears attempted to blur your vision.

His form froze. Watching your hands reach to him, eyeing the gap between your bodies.

Blood dripped off of him. Some from his enemy, and some from where the other hunter clawed into him.

Without much more thought, he glided over with a strut of his limbs, pressing his face against your outstretched hand. The blood didn't bother you.

He grew closer, your hand following his cheek as he kneeled beside you. Your other hand rose up, sliding against the other side of his wet face as you pulled his body farther down towards you.

It felt so whimsical- seeing him, feeling him.

You thought you'd never experience this again.

Your fingers reached behind his head, sorting through his scratchy hair and pushing the hood off of him. His eyes were so soft. so, so soft as he all but layed his forehead against your own. A twitch of his lips turned into the smallest smile possible on his face.

"Hey..." Your raspy voice spoke, finally pulling him entirely down into an awkwardly positioned hug. His arms didn't returned it at first, hesitantly gliding their way up your back after he realized what was happening.

The claws that clutched your shirt shook only lightly.

You didn't want to release him. Never again.

All you wanted was to hold him close to you in this warm and cautious embrace.

Finally, you loosened your hold on his head, letting you hands reposition themselves to his shoulder blades.

He took in a deep breath, pressing his bloody face against your neck with a rubbing motion. A happy rumble filled his chest, as he hugged you just a little bit closer.

You chuckled, limply letting him release you to look you in the eyes. That small smile was still there, and you attempted to sit up yet again, nearly giving up before your felt him cup your back into a sitting position.

He curled his hand around your waist, nearly closing his eyes in contentment. The warmth in you had yet to fade, as you reached up and pulled his head closer again. He curiously let you, watching as you pressed a soft kiss against his forehead.

You couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking- what and if any sort of coherent thoughts were remaining in him.

He looked at you, questioningly, raising a claw to feel his forehead before looking intently at your own forehead.

He leaned in, pausing and passing a look into your eyes, before pressing his lips gently across your head.

It wasn't a kiss in the most traditional sense, just a brush of his lips across your skin, feathery and soft and warm- but the feeling a happiness spread all the same.

He was here with you- alive and well- and it made you so so happy- nearly combusting at the seams with how warm and... loved, you felt.

Grabbing him into another hug, you nuzzled your face against the hoodie of his chest.

He huffed, not at all displeased, rumbling growing louder as he proceeded to reciprocate the hug. He pulled you closer, and closer, practically smothering you into his chest with his strength.

The message was there- the very same one you chanted to yourself, over and over-

'I don't want to leave.'

You gave another final squeeze, parting from the hug just enough to see the look on his face-

Nose scrunched up as his eyes squinted in a contented look. His smile had faded- only partially, getting softer as his eyes met your own.

'I don't want to leave you.'

You couldn't help but pull him into another hug.

And he couldn't help but return it.

You gave voice to the small yet endearing feeling that seeped through your bones, and surely through the hug that Christian was giving you, "I never want to leave you." Your voice had the raspiest sound you ever thought it had, quiet to a fault,  yet he listened as though it was the most important thing he'd ever heard.

The hug only grew stronger, in that little moment of silence.

A small pause in the ever continuing shit show that was your life.

The noise of a helicopter passing overhead- blaring out its message of safety, is what finally brought you to.

Your eyes, previously shut, opened, and your head, previously buried into his neck, lifted.

Your placement had changed, you practically being cradled in his lap.

And oh gosh.

His legs were much different then you remembered.

The bones were jutting out awkwardly, pants ripping at the knees and (strangely high) ankles.

It didn't look normal anymore.

More joints- more points of power that could lessen falling. They looked cat like, in a way.

His shoes were still in tact, but much more raggedy then before.

Taking in a long breath, you struggled to get off his lap, pausing when you watched him give you a strange facial expression.

"Oh shut up- I was just punched by a tank." You huffed at him, struggling even more as you wiggled off his lap.

He gave you another blank face before seeming to realize what you were doing.

Taking in a breath, he reached for you, wrapping his arms around you and standing straight up.

You were pulled up, limp in his grasp and all but boneless as you tried to touch your feet to the ground.

He gave you another look, sultry and happy at the same time as he shifted you even higher, a single arm on your back, and the other under your legs.

Another purr shook through his throat, and he persistently nuzzled in closer to you.

"Come ooon..." you pulled back to see his face, "We have to catch that helicopter..."

Despite saying that, you continued looking him in the eyes, pressing both your hands against his head and dropping your head against his own.

The flat look on his face spoke volumes- questioning your tone of urgency, yet not understanding how to remedy it.

Your voice fell to a whisper, "I missed you- but we have to keep moving."

His breath fanned across your face as he exhaled, before he took one last moment to bury his head against your shoulder. A low groan resounded in his throat- one that seemed begrudging. He didn't want to stop.

And rightly, neither did you.

But with your reason finally returning to you, you knew something needed to be done.

Slowly, he began lowering you to the ground, so, so careful with you.

Like you would break with the slightest force of strength.

All things considered, it did feel like you were going to break.

Being punched by a tank, and partially clawed by a hunter would do that to someone.

Even after your feet touched the ground, your companion kept a tight grip on you, forcefully making himself your crutch, no matter how much you kept trying to shrug him off. You wanted to insist that you were fine, but really you knew you couldn't walk without him.

Begrudgingly, you accepted that help, surrendering your attitude in favor of nuzzingly into his side.

You missed him.

Watching with the precision of a hawk, you watched as the helicopter began circling Mercy Hospital.

Did-

Did they call it?

Were they leaving?

Tensing, you didn't bother to figure out if it was or not- you needed to move- and now.

But you'd never make it in time.

No amount of slow paced limping and crutch walking would get you up that hospital building in time.

Instead you looked to your companion, watching as he eyed you, smile gone, and that neutral monotone face replacing it.

"Hey-" you started, desperation already setting into your voice, "Could you jump up there?"

He titled his head, blinked, and proceeded to just continue helping you limp in some random direction.

"No. Nonono- I'm done walking- we'd never make it."

Using your free hand you reached up to grab his jaw, feeling his muscles as he clenched his teeth together at your touch.

Forcefully, you turned him to look at mercy hospital, frowning when even though you turned his face away from you, he all but refused to glance his eyes  in any other direction then on you.

Squinting, you snapped your jaw at him in annoyance, seeing him frown at your distress.

Like the puppy he is, he just tried to pull you in for another hug- to which you immediately rejected, stumbling and hobbling closer to the edge of the roof without his help.

Not that hobbling could stop him from slinging his arm around you again, forcibly being your crutch- and allowing you to walk toward the edge without too much trouble.

With a pointing finger, you tried directing his attention toward the hospital again, seeing him take in your finger, then your face. One spare glance was given to the far off distance, but who knows if he even focused on what you were pointing at.

"Up!" You pointed, crouching and doing a weak jump upward. The tilt in his head only shifted farther, all but cranking his head sideways in confusion.

With a quick movement, he hoisted you up off the ground- holding you at arm length distance and tilting that puppy dog look at you.

"No." You flatly grumbled, feeling panic seep deep into your back. You both really needed to rush if you were ever going to ever have a chance of finding safety.

He slowly set you back down, still holding you arms length in order to observe what you were doing.

There wasn't anyway he could get the message could he?

No secrect hunter trick- or a command made from habit and nature. You felt a bit lost- not in an existential way, and more of a confounded sort of 'this is a hard question' sort of way. Not nearly as bad as when he went missing, but god- you really wanted to escape this hellscape of a city.

Maybe- do something he's done?

Ooor- gesture to his legs??

Would that even work?

Throwing a quick look into his questioning eyes, you pointed at his... oddly shaped legs- before making a jumping motion- to which he just let out a confused growl.

Aaahh- of course that wouldn't work.

But then he did something.

A small little hop, that jostled you where you stood-

He mimicked you.

You could work with that.

Smiling, you decided that giving him positive feedback for that would make him do it again, "YES. Uuuh- that's kinda what I want you to do-"

His lips twitched upwards, and his eyes were ticking and shining with all the cogs turning inside his head.

The helicopter was still circling- still wasn't landing- but still wasn't going out to try to alert more survivors of a potential rescue. Maybe you still had time.

Jumping, again more of a strange hobbled hop if anything, you watched as he mimicked again, "Yassss- Jump- Up-" You pointed to the helicopter, "We might be able to make it."

Reaching your arms out, you grabbed onto his hoodie, dragging it and forcing him down. As much as you could call it forcing. You knew if he could easily stand there, but he kneeled none the less at your touch.

So there you were. Crouched- face to face with a hunter.

How you ever had gotten to this point was a mystery- and that strange, nagging desire to press fleeting kisses all over his lovable, yet injured face was quickly suppressed as you wormed your way around him and onto his back.

You felt a shiver run down his spine, and he shifted, simultaneously trying to sneak a peak at you and grow accustomed to the pressure you place on his back.

Giving him a quick pat on the cheek, you turned him in the direction of mercy hospital, pointing a finger towards it and watching as he just barely took in the building.

This was a now or never situation, and you just hoped his picked some small clue of what you meant and wanted.

You waited, pointing a finger at his legs the best you could and said, "Can you jump?"

He didn't look at you this time. Simply staring at the direction you last pointed him in. He lifted a claw off the ground and softly brushed his jaw, which you had grabbed to direct his attention to the hospital.

Great- he's daydreaming.

Groaning, you layed your head against his shoulder.

You could feel his heart beat pick up as you did so, the hard muscles of his back tensing against your cheek. It took a few moments for him to loosen up, and by now- you could pretty much assume its useless trying to get him to do anything.

Taking in another deep breath, your sigh was long and shallow at the same time.

"Why can't you just take us up."

Almost as if a something clicked, he dropped his body, before launching himself up into the air.

Your body nearly rag dolled, just barely holding on- fingers digging into the fabric of his chest and legs haphazardly strewn over his hips.

Oh god oh god oh god-

You were going to fall right off of him-

Your whole body shook when he landed- the force of falling shaking your every bone. Without a doubt- if he wasn't adapted to falling harshly, the both of you would be dead.

Your teeth chattered out of pure excitement, chills and adrenaline forcing your arms into a deadlock around him. Your legs were in a similar position, so tightly wound against his abdomen, your not sure you yourself could release.

"...Uuh-.. okay-" You started, not even sure where you were trying to take that sentence. You could tell your hunter was listening, but you didn't bother to finish the thought.

You simply pressed your face into his back and mumble another, "Up."

And up he went- higher higher- clawing against the side of a building to switch directions and bound even farther farther up.

He didn't stop until he reached the top of a very high building.

Not nearly as high as Mercy Hospital, but high enough that the both of us could see unhindered by the surrounding environment.

The air was crisp- and cold- and it grated on your lungs. The wind was harsher then it was on the ground, and you couldn't help but shiver.

From here, you could see their faint silhouettes fighting across an infected covered roof- tank's charging from in the distance.

A breathy, "Up." came from your mouth, continuing to look forward even as your stomach dropped into your gut, and the wind feverishly whipped your eyes.

You could feel Christian's every move- feel the thrum of his power, his breath, the shifting of his lean back.

He landed onto another building top, and you barely paused before mumbling another, "Up."

The helicopter was leaving. You could see it, Zoey the last one in before it took off. Flying directly towards you- it would be a matter of moments before they were overhead.

Your arm acted accordingly.

One hand releasing your death grip, soothingly reaching to his chin and gently pushing upwards.

He saw the helicopter.

Just as it got close enough- just as the perfect chance arose.

"Up."

And up he went.

A spiraling jump, that was so far up that you weren't sure you would make it. You held on for dear life, as you could feel the momentum begin to die out. You thought you would fall- for a moment,before he landed his claws directly on the edge of the helicopter.

He slid, frantically flexing his legs for any sort of give with his claws, just barely managing to dig his fingers into the floor.

The group has seen you by now, Francis already standing- all but throwing his gun on his seat to instead throw a hand in your direction.

He braced himself against the frame of the helicopter, and you tried your best to reach for him.

Christian was still wiggling beneath you, trying and failing to gain any sort of leverage against the slick metal.

With a lunge, you grabbed Francis's hand, immediately after feeling the hands of the others grabbing your clothes to keep you from falling over.

You made it.

You were stable, and standing, and in that helicopter.

But at what cost.

With a glance back,