Stranded [ 14 ] [A-2]

	That promise was going to be hard to keep. That was one of the few statements that you could rely on to be true with everything else happening around you.
	Even so, you held it tightly, close to yourself. There was a feeling in the back of your mind that everything would be alright if you did this, but it was just as likely to be true as it was you just trying to make yourself feel better by setting a goal to keep your mind from drowning in the near-literal sea of doubt you had about your situation.
	That was difficult when there was an actual monster walking next to you, by your side, relying on you like the other one in the cabin. Fuck if you knew you had an actual, concrete reason for helping them at all.
	Yet, you marched forwards, putting one foot in front of the other, feeling the satisfying crunch of ice, snow, and frozen or dead plants beneath your feet. Looking over at Loka, you noticed that she was not wearing shoes, instead opting to go barefoot. For the first time, you noticed the three relatively large talons on each foot, and suddenly you were thankful for yet another one of the monsters' natural weapons that had not ended up being used to tear you apart. It was an odd feeling, knowing that these two creatures were capable of turning your insides into an unappetizing mockery of your favorite meat dish, but they don't.
	Yeah, that was a whirlwind of confused emotions for sure. Especially towards Jennette.
	She would find someone else to be with, someone of her own sort, in her own world. Where everyone would be safe.
	"You've been really quiet, ya know," Loka looked at you with an inquisitive expression. "If you don't mind me askin', what's all that about? Lookin' all sad and tired and all that."
	"Hey, this has been a lot to take in, you know," you looked up at the sky once again, avoiding her gaze.
	"You think it's been any easier for us? My friend and I've been holed up here for a month waiting for something to happen..." Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed her staring at the ground, keeping a strong eye on her own steps. "She finally decided to head out there to see what the hell you were up to. Lo and behold, you were in trouble."
	"I can't help the fact that some people just can't leave me-"
	"You're an assassin. Jennette's made this clear to me. You kill people for a living, and somehow think that everythin' should be fine and fucking dandy?"
	You sighed. Of course you didn't think that, but you wished that they would've not come into your damned hospital room with the intent to leave it ready to be declared freshly vacant. "You've got a point, I get that. I don't know what I was all tangled up in before, but don't you think whoever was responsible for me being attacked in the first place would leave me be after they got wind that I have fucking amnesia?"
	"You can't be that naive." She shrugged and shook her head.
	"It's a bit of a stretch to expect that. I know... but, fuck, it'd be so much easier to take care of the both of you if I still understood half of what the hell was going on here." You realized that there was still a frown across her face.
	"The world doesn't work that way. At least, this one doesn't."
	You did not reply after that. The conversation was going nowhere anyways.
	After a long period of walking quietly back towards the cabin, the forest opened up into the familiar clearing where it sat. Jennette stood on the porch of the place, taking in the surrounding area and whatever appealing detail it held. Due to the cold, she was wearing a hoodie and dark jeans. The look suited her.
	"You okay?" she had an expression of concern as she walked out towards you and Loka.
	"Yeah, we went out for a walk," you pointed towards the area that you had just arrived from.
	"In this weather?" Her eyes darted about once again, and she gestured to the snow that was still piling up. "Isn't it a little cold for that?"
	"Surprisingly, no. It was kinda nice." Though that was true, you did regret not wearing something heavier out there. At this point, it felt as if your very bones had been chilled, though the sensation was not too terrible.
	"Let's go inside," Loka grabbed your forearm and began pulling you towards the front door. The monster was shivering, which was a detail that you had not picked up on.
	"I think there's some chocolate stuff in the kitchen that we can make some hot cocoa with," Jennette suggested. The idea was alright with you, and Loka's ears perked up at the mention of the stuff.
	Not a minute later, you were sitting on the couch in the living room, underneath a woolen blanket. You sighed and sunk into the plush furniture, having finally obtained some relief from the cold.
	You could hear sounds coming from down the hall, the buzzing of a microwave and the tinkling of a metal utensil against ceramic material. After another few minute's wait, Jennette came walking out with a tray that held three mugs of hot chocolate, each one placed on a saucer with a spoon next to it.
	"I think I made this right. It needed a bit of sugar, so I added a bit more until it tasted good," she said as she handed you and Loka your mugs.
	You nodded your thanks and immediately took a sip of the stuff. You regretted this, because it must have been near-boiling. There was only a small portion of your tongue that got absolutely scalded, because of which you were torn between being angry at yourself for screwing up the most basic of actions and being grateful that you didn't just burn your entire fucking tongue off.
	"Careful, it's probably hot," Jennette warned, though she was a bit late with that.
	Loka was already taking large sips. You deduced that she was just capable of handling more heat than what could be considered, by any means, normal.
	Jennette placed the tray down on the table and took a seat next to you, then she proceeded to curl up underneath your blanket. "Is it good?" she asked, looking at you with wide, bright eyes.
	"Yeah, it is," you said, though your first taste removed the possibility of enjoying the stuff to the fullest, and you'd not taken another drink after that. It would be a good idea to wait for it to cool down, just a little.
	When you looked up from your mug, Loka had already downed the entirety of her hot cocoa, and it looked like she was getting rather close to dozing off. The both of these women, they were quite adorable at the moment, as they seemed to lack any of the threatening demeanor that they possessed before.
	You finally managed to take an actual sip of your drink that did not result in intense burning of your insides. It was really, really sweet.
	"Do... do you not like it?" Jennette must have noticed the look of surprise on your face, and her own expression was one of slight disappointment in herself.
	"It's good. Definitely good," you reassured her, much to her obvious relief.
	You were taking another drink when you felt one of her arms go around your back.
	Jennette pulled you close, lowered her voice, and began to speak in your ear. "Is Loka asleep?"
	A quick glance was all it took to see that she was out cold, and you weren't sure why Jennette was concerned about this. You nodded and looked back at her. "Is there some reason that she needs to be?"
	"Not really. It just makes this sort of thing more awkward than it should when she's staring at us," she answered.
	You were about to ask what she meant by 'this sort of thing', then you realized the meaning behind the phrase.
	"I don't mind either way." You pulled her closer. With the both of you having finished your hot chocolate, the threat of spilling it and staining everything between the cup and the ground brown didn't exist anymore.
	Her petite body was curled up against your own, close enough to feel the gentle motions of her breathing. A scent lingered in the air, comparable to strawberries and other fruity aromas typically found in shampoos. She pressed her head in the space between your neck and shoulder, leaving your vulnerable neck dangerously close to one of her horns.
	"Hey, watch the horns," you warned.
	She began to cry again.