Curious Jealousy- a F!Shenko Fic

Chapter Sixty-One: Cold

She was cold.

How in the world had she gotten so cold?

At no point in her life could she ever remember being so cold.

It was difficult to breathe.

Surely ice crystals had formed in her veins and in her lungs…or were forming as she thought it.

If she were to move…surely she would fracture into little pieces.

Was there anything besides this unrelenting cold? she thought…or did she? Was she even capable of thought at that point?

Would she continue to live, or would she be released into the warm embrace of death?

Each breath ached as she inhaled and exhaled- no matter how shallow of breaths she took. It was similar to the rupture of her oxygen line…but it was different as well.

Was she even breathing air- or was it only ice?

Should she breathe at all?

….

It would be so much easier if she didn’t breathe at all.

“Breathe, Shepard!” a voice growled into her ear before it began forcing breaths down her throat. “You are not allowed to die- not here, not now.”

She whimpered after she dragged in a deep, painful breath.

God, she hated the meek, pathetic sound.

“Good, good,” the voice murmured as it wrapped something tight around her.

“C-c-c-c,” she tried to say as she unclenched her jaw.

She felt his hands on her- pulling at her. “I know,” he murmured, rubbing her covered arms. She could feel herself pressed against his body- his delectably warm body-, but something was vibrating…shaking…almost violently.

Oh, she thought, that must be me.

“K-K-K-“

“Shh…” She felt his lips press against her forehead. “I’m right here.”

If she could have forced herself to frown, she would have.

“Hy-hy-hyp-“

“You’re right,” he informed her. “You have moderate hypothermia. Just so you don’t bother asking, your temperature is 92.7°.”

They remained silent for a few minutes after that. She could feel warmth slowly spreading- but not enough that she could quit shivering.