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Pearl
One thing they never tell you about hypothermia is how much it hurts. It's always described as being a little cold, then going to sleep, then passing away peacefully. It's never said how much it hurts.
This was a lesson Pearl learned quickly. She sat in the powdered snow, shaking like a leaf. Her entire body ached, rebelling against the self-inflicted agony.
However, despite the tears rolling down her face, she was smiling, for she knew the man who had abandoned her and labeled her insane was hurting too.
Cleo
Cleo walked along the bridge which led to her and Scott's base, Scott following close behind. Or at least, he was supposed to be.
"Goddamnit," they heard him mutter as his footsteps halted, "She's at it again."
"Again?" Cleo asked, turning around to face Scott, who had begun to shiver.
"Yeah, it feels like powdered snow or something," he responded, wrapping his arms around his chest.
"Devs, if she wasn't your soulmate I'd kill her," Cleo stated. Scott scoffed. He had started to shiver more violently.
"Shit, is she not stopping?" they asked, their tone shifting from annoyance to worry.
"N-no she's n-not," he stuttered.
"Stupid witch," Cleo grumbled, grabbing Scott and starting to pull him over to the house. His skin was icy cold, even compared to hers. "You need to get inside and under some blankets."
Scott nodded, allowing himself to be led inside and draped in blankets. He attempted to hold them and wrap them around himself, but they slipped through his shaking fingers, which were beginning to turn purple. Cleo reached over, tucking the blankets around him instead.
"Sh-she's st-still f-free-zing," he said through blue lips, "Sh-she's going t-to k-kill us."
Cleo stood up, rifling through some chests for something, anything, which could keep Scott alive. Finally, she found some bread and tossed it over to him. He fumbled it and extend an arm to pick it up, returning as quickly as he could to his blanket cocoon. He bit down, chewing slowly.
"It h-hurts, d-devs it h-hurts," he croaked. His eyes were starting to well up with tears as he continued to shiver violently.
The blankets didn't seem to do a thing. His fingers were now entirely blue. They were surprised he could even hold the bread. His breathing was staggering, stuttering as he tried to force air in.
"If she kills you, I'm going to kill her dog," Cleo threatened. Scott laughed just a little, trying his best to smile.
A few seconds of silence passed, then Scott said, "I-I think sh-she's stopping." Sure enough, Scott's shivering lessened. The color returned to his face and hands, and his teeth stopped chattering.
He stood up, still wrapped in blankets, and retrieved another slice of bread before sitting back down.
"Right then. If you're no longer on death's door, I'm going to go give that idiot a piece of my mind."
"Good."
Pearl
Pearl was sitting on the floor, letting Tilly warm her up, when she heard someone climbing the ladder. She looked over, seeing Cleo standing up at the top. Then, she saw their sword pointing right at her throat.
"Apologize," Cleo demanded.
"Oh, hello!" Pearl responded, grinning.
"Apologize!" she ordered again, placing the tip of the blade directly on her jugular.
"Or what? What are you going to do to me?" Pearl asked, not dropping her smile.
Cleo growled, "Or I'll kill you right here, right now."
"No you won't. You won't lay a finger on me, because it would hurt your precious Scott," she exclaimed, standing up. She let the sword cut her neck just a little, enough to let Cleo see. Upon noticing this, they pulled their sword back, still ready to fight but not threatening death. Pearl, however, grabbed it and pulled it back towards her neck, giggling, "You wouldn't want him to die now, would you?"
"Alright, I concede," Cleo said. Pearl let go of the sword, watching carefully as she sheathed it.
Pearl nodded, wiping the blood from her neck and licking it off her fingers. "So, what did you come here to do, besides threaten me?"
"Don't hurt Scott again," stated Cleo plainly.
"Why not? An eye for an eye, right? I think it's fair."
"You're insane," Cleo sneered.
"No, I'm lonely," she answered, "and besides, you started it. I think I'll continue this little game."
At this, Cleo pulled out her sword once more. However, instead of pointing it at her, they knelt down, grabbing Tilly's snout and putting the blade at her throat. "No, you won't."
Pearl's face fell. She ordered in a voice devoid of its previous playfulness, "Let Tilly go."
"First, promise to not intentionally hurt Scott again."
Pearl drew her sword, placing it at her own neck. She repeated, "Let Tilly go."
"You wouldn't, would you?" Cleo asked, their steeled demeanor buckling.
"Oh, I would. See, I don't really care if I live. I do, however, care if Tilly lives. So, I will not repeat this again: Let Tilly go."
Cleo stared at her, seeming to calculate whether or not she was serious.
Pearl began to drag the sword across her throat, letting some blood trickle out. Then again, like the bow of a violin. And again. Cleo's eyes widened. She dragged it across again, causing even more blood to flow.
As she was about to start the next pass, Cleo said, "Alright! I give in! You win." They sheathed their sword once more, standing up and backing away from Tilly.
"Good!" she answered, smiling once more and putting her sword away, "I think you should leave."
Eyes still wide, Cleo backed over to the ladder, saying, "Yeah, yeah I'm gonna go."
As they climbed, Pearl called down, "Good seeing you, Cleo! I hope you burn in hell!"
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