Stranded [ 7 ]

 >You awoke with a pounding headache and a feeling of weakness throughout your body.
>What... happened?
>There was a wound on your shoulder that had a burning pain running through it.
>You sat up and looked around.
>Someone was sleeping in your recliner.
>You had been laying on the couch, covered with a blanket.
>Everything was soaked with sweat.
>So was your clothing.

>You stood up and balanced yourself against the armrest of the couch.
>Why were you so fucking dizzy?
>That, and many other questions crossed your mind.
>You felt some details come back to you.

>The person sleeping was a friend of yours.
>You had been shot with a poisoned bullet.
>The clothes you were wearing were wet and rather uncomfortable.
>You had to use the restroom.
>You would take care of those in reverse order.

>You took a shit, washed your hands, then stopped for a moment to look in the mirror.
>You looked pale.
>Also, the wound on your shoulder had new dressings.
>Huh.
>Well, you still needed to change your clothes.

>Now in a pair of sweatpants and a white t-shirt, you walked back out to the living room.
>It was a woman sleeping in the recliner.
>Well, they weren`t human.
>Oh, right... that was Jennette.
>She looked cute in the pajamas she was wearing.
>They were navy blue and adorned with stars of various sizes and colors.
>She was curled up in the quilt that you had let her use.
>Sound asleep.

>You sat down for a moment.
>How were you still alive?
>Weren`t you poisoned?
>If so, then Jennette must have somehow provided an antidote.
>How would she know what to do though?
>You heard her stirring.

>She sat up, untangling herself from the quilt.
>You weren`t prepared for her leaping forwards and hugging you.
>Tears ran through her eyes ( and soaked her hands ), and she looked so relieved.
>"A-Anon... I thought you had died..."
>She buried her head in your chest and you held her close, careful to avoid her horns.
>Then, you felt a chill run up your spine and her arms stiffened.
>"Who... who poisoned you?"
>Wait, how did she know?

"Someone shot me. An assassin."
>Her voice`s trembling ceased, sharpened by what seemed to be anger.
>"They almost killed you. You see this?"
>She pulled her arms out from around you and dug around in an unseen pocket.
>She lifted a vial of some substance, only containing a drop`s worth.
>"I drew this out of you. I`m glad you got home when you did, because this was setting in."

"Drew it out... wait, you took the poison out of me?"
>She nodded.
>"I can weakly control corrosive and poisonous stuff. It took an hour to get that out of you... I thought I didn`t do it in time."
>She had saved your life.
>Then, she asked the question that you`d been dreading.
>"What is all of this about assassins? You know how to work those 'guns' really well, your plans always get taken off track by something, and now you come home with a big wound and a dose of poison."
>You couldn`t hide it any longer.
>It had to be said.

"I`m... an assassin as well. I didn`t want to tell you because I was afraid. Afraid that it would distance us. I`m sorry."
>She looked confused for a moment.
>"You`re an assassin? Like, killing people and stuff?"
>It was obvious that she didn`t know whether to believe you or not.
>Last chance to deny it?
>No.

"Yeah. It`s true. And someone out there wants me dead."
>Jennette looked at you, eyes carrying a feeling of fear.
>"You`re a... a murderer..?"
>She began to shake as tears slowly trailed down her cheeks.
>"Why? Why would you do that? Not even us monsters harm each other!"
>The words struck true in your mind, and with them came your worst fear.
>The thought of being alone again.

"You... okay, maybe you do understand. There are already bad, evil people out there without me being involved. And... I only kill the worst."
>"What is that supposed to mean?"
>She glared at you, anger and distrust rolled into one expression.

"There are those out there that kill innocent people. I am not one of them. I only take contracts for people I know that have done wrong."
>You looked her dead in the eye.

"I may be a murderer... I may be a monster... But I am not without my reasons."
>She averted her gaze.
>"I guess I-I have no choice but to hear you out."
>You saw a single tear fall from her face.
>She was afraid of you, angry about you lying, sad about being trapped and helpless, and confused about why you seemed to care about her.
>All of these emotions were on full display in her eyes.
>No more lies, and no more secrets.
>You decided to tell her about your past.

>As you detailed what had set you on this path, she started to look a bit less angry.
>And she cried when you brought up the deaths of your family.
>"I`m sorry. I... had no idea."
>She hung her head.
>You pulled her close and she leaned on your shoulder.
>You held her hand and looked down.

"It`s okay. It is a lot to take in, but please know that I would never hurt an innocent person. Hell, I feel guilty for shooting you even though you tried to attack me."
>You somehow managed to crack a smile.
>"I know. I get it. You want to find the person who killed your family. We... we`re both looking for someone."
>She looked back up at you.
>There was a new expression on her face.
>"I will find Loka. I will find some way home. And-"
>It was a look of solemn determination.
>"I will help you find the person you are looking for."
>Wait.
>What.

"I don`t know if that`s a good idea. It`s dangerous."
>Her brow furrowed.
>"I`m already in danger every moment I spend in this place. And they might just find where we live..."
>Shit, she was right.
>"I think it would be safer if I stuck with you.  We`ll have each other`s backs."
>Was she serious?

"Are you sure about this? There`s a lot of risk here, including the chance that you might be discovered."
>"If I do attract attention, maybe the guys other side will notice. It`s a win-win."

"Only if you don`t get killed. If you`re going to come with me, you`re going to learn to shoot."
>She gave you an odd look.
>"I have to learn to use a gun?"
>Her eyes darted to the pistol on the coffee table.

"You`re going to be up against other, well-armed people. Without a gun, you`re going to die."
>She got really pale for a moment.
>"Right... I guess I have to."
>You gently patted her shoulder.

"Don`t worry. I`ll teach you. It`ll be easy."
>She nodded her head.
>"O-okay. Where are we going to do it though?"
>Well, it was time to show her the rest of your things.
>You stood up and headed upstairs, Jennette following close behind.
>In the closet in your bedroom was a small switch.
>She watched with interest as you flipped it.
>A large click sounded from behind the wall.
>You pushed against the wall and forced it to the side, and it slid to the right.

"Well, this is where everything is. Pick something and I`ll show you how to use it well."
>She looked at the variety of guns.
>There were quite a few choices.

"I think you should start with a pistol or something small."
>She nodded.
>"Okay... hmm. How about that one?"
>She pointed at an old USP 45.
>Well, it would work for her, being small and easy to handle.

"Good pick. It`s called a USP 45. Handy little thing."
>She picked it up and held it awkwardly.
>"This is... cool. It`s kinda heavy for its size though."
>You walked around behind her.

"Well, you need to learn to hold it right. Put your hand here, and the other one beneath that..."
>Eventually, you taught her how to hold the pistol correctly.
>You had some targets set up outside in a barn, so she would learn to shoot in there.
>First, you had to take her there.
>After walking down a path on your property, you arrived at the barn.

"Here we are. This is where I will teach you to that weapon in your hand."
>Jennette lifted the pistol and pointed it around.
>"So, where are these targets?"
>You pointed her to a set of basic, circular metal targets.
>"Oh."
>And so her training began.

>Over the next few days, you learned some things about Jennette.
>First, is that she learned quickly.
>Second: She could fly with those wings.
>Third: Her wound had healed after only four days.
>Fourth...

>Jennette might be attracted to you.

>Every day she seemed to be laughing more at the jokes you made, smiling more at the things you did, and getting better with firearms.
>Hell, she cooked you breakfast yesterday morning.
>Though it was just eggs and smoked sausage.
>You did like a woman that could cook and shoot.
>But this wasn`t what you had in mind.
>A few days later, she came up to you with two sets of clothes asking what outfit you liked better.
>This was getting out of hand, and you weren`t ready for it.
>You had to stop this before it got too far.

"Jennette?"
>"Yeah?"
"I have a question."
>"Well? Spit it out!"
"Are you..."
>You had to do this.
"Attracted to me?"

>Jennette blushed.
>You don`t know how, but her scaly skin got even redder.
>"Uh..."
>She looked down with her hands held behind her back.
>"..."
>Her face had an expression that contained a mix of nervousness, embarassment, and happiness.
>"...yeah. I... I uh..."
>Goddamnit.

"Jennette. Are you... are you sure?"
>She looked up at you, eyes filled to the brim with resolve.
>"Yes!"
>She was shouting quite loudly.
>"I`m sorry, okay! It`s just that I`ve been here, with you, and you`ve done nothing but treat me with kindness."
>Her eyes were tearing up yet again.
>"I can`t help it. You`re my friend, you`ve been such a good person to me. Even if I`m a monster, so different from what you know."
>She paused.
>It was now or never.
>Do you love this woman?
>Is she worth losing everything for yet again?
>Are you willing to take that risk?
>To have the world taken out from under you, to have everything you know and love be razed yet again, to...
To risk letting someone inside of the walls you`ve put up around yourself?

>You...
>You felt like you could do that for her.
>You were ready.

>You pulled her into a hug.
"You`re right about one thing."
>She looked up at you.
>"About what?"
>You smiled at her.

"Us monsters have to stick together."