Broken - Raekkuno oneshots

Mafia - CO and H2SO4

Inhale.

Exhale. 

Several senses merged at once. The ear-penetrating alarm, the flashing crimson lights, the foreign smell of pure oxygen from his mask. The tough texture of her hand. The familiar thin outline of her lips. The familiar metallic taste of her blood. 

Inhale.
Exhale.

2 minutes. That's the golden time for carbon monoxide poisoning. Over 2, everything's done for.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

After a few seconds she could feel everything around her again. The noise and glowing light continued, but  she could now feel the familiar shape of  her buddy's lips, and the warm, huge hand inside of hers. His presence was enough to make her believe that she escaped death.

Once again.

She held on to the hand. Tightly.

*

"Sykkuno," Toast's voice broke through the silence and her flashback, "You know you've just risked your whole career and life on saving a temporary battle buddy?"

Nobody would consider 10 years as temporary, but he didn't argue back.

"Yes Sir."

"And you led them get away with the secret archive."

"Yes Sir."

"And you know what such a mistake would mean?"

"Yes Sir." 

"Good. Two bottles here. Concentrated sulphuric acid." Toast smirked.

The light brown eyes were staring into the dark brown ones. From associates to capos, from Thomas and Rachell to Sykkuno and Valkyrae, the years they've spent together led them to hide their fear from anyone but each other. Their eyes didn't widen a bit, but the sudden vanishing of the usual determination exposed themselves.

"However,"

The plot twist disgusted the duo, and Toast was satisfied with the effect.

(do you think I'll let them die in 200 words? naive)

"the Don kindly decided to give you two one more chance if you decide to..."

He laid a folder onto the table and took a piece of paper out of it.

Mission 20000623_04 

Obtain 100 Thieves Cartel's archive

Danger level: testament prepared

"Why was this mission created in 2000 –"

"Because no one would or could do it." 

"How do you know that we could come back alive –"

"We don't, and neither do we mind losing a couple of capos. Hundreds of soldiers are waiting for promotion."

"..."

Without looking down, Rae could visualise her knuckles turning white. Four cracks of clenching echoed around the office.

"Now go prepare your testaments. The mission starts tomorrow evening."

*

"24 seconds." Sykkuno beamed as he closed the handle behind him.

"What" Rae acted oblivious.

"24 seconds of artificial breathing before you regained consciousness. New record for me."

"Last time-"

"Last time during the attempted assassination it took me 32. "

"You know what takes less than 24 seconds?"

"Eh?"

"To suffocate you right here, right now. 10 seconds max."

"..."

The jokes failed to distract them from what's going on in both of their minds and the silence lasted throughout their way to the dormitory. 

They both knew too well that the mission was meant to sacrifice them to the wolves. 

Suddenly Sykkuno stopped as he was inserting the key into the keyhole of their door. Rae didn't ask him why.

"Rae," he leaned against the door, "tell me, we won't die, will we?"

She hesitated.

"Syk."

"You know that I've got your back"

He nodded in response, uncertainly, and started turning the keys. He was hoping for a more straightforward answer.

"And don't worry, I won't allow you to die." she gave a wry smile.

At the same time, the lock to the door was opened.