I finished the second bingo square (like two weeks ago) for @badthingshappenbingo
Once again this features characters from my original story, The Covenant that Fell. This time it features Rei Sasaki, a half-orc mercenary who has a penchant for mischief (always of her own doing) and Jo Mori, a Lycan mercenary who is always pulling Rei out of that mischief.
Jo belongs to @snakesonawave
It needed to be done, there was no other way across except by the ice. Rei locked her eyes onto Jo, who shook her head. She knew if she vocalized the idea, Jo would shoot it down. She knew if she attempted the plan, Jo would stop her. She knew a lot of things, all hypothetical things, but it did keep her from talking to Jo. Didn’t stop Jo from talking to her though.
“Don’t do it.” Jo mumbled as she stared down at Rei. “We can spend the time going around.”
“Yeah and find ourselves behind.”
“When did you hold yourself to a schedule?”
“When it pertains to a job that’s time sensitive?” Rei placed her hands on her hips and glanced at the ice. “I bet you it’s thick enough if we run across.”
“I don’t think that’s how ice works.”
“If you move fast enough--”
“It will still break beneath your feet.” Jo finished the sentence for Rei and placed her hand on her shoulder. “It’s a raging river beneath. It’s not a good idea.” Jo tugged on Rei’s shoulder, the smaller woman huffing.
“Fair enough.” she walked next to Jo, back hunched. “It’s just gonna take longer and we’re gonna get less money.” her tone was full of melancholy and disappointment. Jo wrapped her arm around Rei’s shoulder and gave a squeeze.
“We’ve got plenty of money right now. At least we’ll be doing the job regardless.” the comment didn’t manage to life Rei’s mood, but it did manage to get her to trod along with Jo for a bit. However, that moment was just a moment and Rei ducked under Jo’s arm. She sprinted for the ice, as quickly as she could. She knew it was a possibility Jo might catch her, there was no way she was faster than her, but she did have the element of surprise on her side. She felt Jo’s hand grasp at her jacket, but by the time she’d have had a grip Rei was already on the ice.
She slid a little and laughed while she did. Jo stopped on the edge of the ice, nearly tipping forward. She threw herself back and stared at Rei. Rei smiled, hands on her hips triumphantly.
“Okay… okay.” Jo’s voice was nervous. “Ha ha you made your point.” she gestured with her hands, directing Rei to come back towards her. “Get off the ice now.”
“Um, absolutely not. I think I’ve found a way across.” Rei took a step, her eyes wide as she did so. “Uh oh. Doesn’t look like there’s any cracks here.” she took another step and jokingly gasped. She repeated this practice of proving Jo wrong across half of the river. Jo didn’t look too pleased, in fast she grew increasingly annoyed.
“Okay, okay, you proved me wrong Rei. Now you’re just being an ass.” Jo crossed her arms and glanced around. Rei held out her hands and shrugged. She laughed and took another step.
“Jo, you should just come across. I haven’t heard a single crack or anything!” she bounced up and down on her toes, as if to prove a point. “For real Jo, I’m already halfway. Just--” as if the ice was proving a point to Rei, the first crack formed. Her bouncing stopped immediately. Jo paled.
Nothing could be said before the ice broke beneath Rei’s feet. She reached out for the ice around her and managed to stay afloat for a moment, just a moment for Rei’s eyes to lock with Jo, then the current of the river pulled her under. She was met with a brilliant deep blue and an icy feeling so intense her bones felt the pain of it. She hit the bottom of the river first, various rocks slamming against her body. The shock forced air from her lungs, what little she had to begin with. She clawed at them but found herself pulled away.
She hit the ice next found herself dragged along that. She tried, as best she could, to find a grip, but there was nothing. Black dots were already beginning to pull at the edges of her vision, so Rei pounded. The force she used was hindered by the water and did little to nothing. Her body began to slow and whether it was from the cold or the lack of air she didn’t know. All she knew was the little black dots began to loom large.
In a final attempt, she reached for the blade on her hip. Just as she was about to pull it out and bury it on the ice, another current grabbed her legs. The blade tumbled out of her hands, though it was grasped for desperately. She was pulled back down to the bottom of the lake and Rei fruitlessly clawed for the rocks. Her movements were weak now, little to no energy in any of them. While being pulled, Rei’s head hit the ground. She wished she’d have been able to feel the pain of it, it would’ve meant she was closer to life than death.
As darkness began to overtake her vision, Rei heard something crash through ice. She felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull upward, but she lost consciousness.
She woke to being shaken, aggressively and desperately. She felt a pounding on her chest and the muffled pleas of someone. She felt air flood into her lungs and her eyes flew open. Water was rushed out of her body, Rei coughing to oblige. Someone helped her up, so she could let it out. Rei dug her hands into the snow beneath as the water left her gasping for air. She coughed and wiped her mouth and noticed the snow stuck to her nearly purple fingers. Before a comment could be made, the person who saved her grabbed her hands and yanked her close.
“You really are an idiot, Rei.” It was Jo. Rei would know her voice anywhere and, Goddess, was she thankful to be hearing it now. “Do you always have to put yourself in danger to prove a point?”
“H-h-how else wou-w-would you t-t-t-take me seriou-seriously?” Despite her intense shaking, Rei still managed to be a brat. She heard the smile in Jo’s voice though, and it brought one to her own lips. Jo pulled her into her chest, strong and warm arms wrapped tightly around her body. The cold had settled in once again and Rei wouldn’t dare find herself speaking anytime soon. With the chattering of her teeth and the constant shivering, she was sure to bite her tongue.
“Glad to hear the cold is what will get you to shut up.” Jo reached around Rei, rustling with something before she pulled out a blanket. She wrapped it around Rei and began to rub her arms with her hands. “We’ve gotta head back to town.” Rei leaned back and stared at Jo. Jo scoffed, already aware of what she was thinking. “Forget the job, you’ll die from hypothermia. It’s not that important.” she scooped Rei up and began to carry her back to town. She leaned her cheek against Rei’s forehead and sighed.
Rei clung to Jo, and to consciousness. Her body still shook violently, but the warmth emanating off of Jo did help. Jo continuously glanced down at Rei and shook her whenever her eyes began to droop. Despite both of the friends best efforts, Rei found herself drifting off. Sleep sounded so good right now. She felt Jo break into a sprint and heard her name called multiple times. She tried so hard to hold onto the words but it felt like ice was spreading into her veins. Maybe if she closed her eyes it would go away.
But she found the ice eventually melted when there was no longer a sky overhead, but wooden beams. When sound grew more vibrant, she could hear the a roaring fire and the crackling of its wood. Feeling returned and she found herself under a warm, but scratchy, blanket. When she moved around, something incredibly soft brushed her skin. She rolled over, now faced with a shifted Jo. She was now a seven foot lycan, wrapped completely around Rei.
“Good morning to you, too.” Rei mumbled. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. Jo rumbled awake and pulled Rei even closer.
“It’s midnight. You were basically almost dead for half a day.” she didn’t sound too happy and Rei’s stomach fell to her ass.
“Oh shit, no way. I took your job?” Rei approached the subject with comedy, partly because she didn’t want a lecture or hear how concerned she’d caused Jo to become. But the main reason was because Death had knocked on her door, and Rei nearly answered. The thought chilled her. “Sorry.” Rei fiddled with the blanket. “I’m an asshole.”
“Don’t do that again. I might not… I got lucky this time.” which meant Jo gave it everything she had in spite of whatever panic there was. Rei didn’t respond, only stared at the blanket. Her stomach was in knots, she felt positively awful she put Jo through this.
“Sorry.” she huffed, a signal tears were being held in. “I really…” she didn’t finish her sentence and turned her face away. There was silence for a moment, but then Jo spoke again.
“You are an asshole. A really big one, but you have to promise me you won’t put your life in danger through stupid shit like that.” Jo squeezed Rei’s hand. “You can’t have my job, okay? You gotta promise.” Jo prodded, and Rei turned back to her with a small smile.
Listen I have spidersona disease and Of Course I had to make one for Jo XD
Meet WolfSpider! Jo probably got spider powers volunteering in a program to grow her arm back or something like that
Doing an October challenge casually this year! First prompt was favorite OC which is basically impossible lol, but I did Jo and Rae because they're my main ocs. So it still counts I say!
