"Stand down Mio... Don't make me pull rank—" A dark haired woman with an eye-patch gritted her teeth as she stared at the gun pointed at her face. She's not going to shoot me, is she?
"What? You're going to shoot your comrade, not to mention your best friend, aren't you?" The gun in the other woman's hand shifted. "You know I won't sit here and be useless! I can still fight and you know that!"
The other woman's voice was tense and was faltering but the grip on her gun did not waiver; she paused for a minute before speaking to her best friend again.
"You're right— but that was before I discovered that you can't put up a proper shield unlike before!" The eye-patched woman stepped closer despite the weapon that was almost in her face.
Minna added bitterly, "Who're you trying to fool, Mio?" Mio glared at the slightly younger woman who still had the determined look on her face. As if she can try to stop me. I'd like to see her try.
"You're not my baby-sitter Minna... so stop acting like one." Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke's grip slackened when the tip of her pistol touched her subordinate's chest.
"Wha— I'm not— I'm just looking out for the team's best interest!" Sakamoto Mio continued moving towards her friend, forcing the other woman to retreat, as she intensely glared at her. "Stop this nonsense right now, Mio!" Or I'll make you...
"You're the one who's not making sense, Minna... I can do it and you know it..." The eye-patched woman whispered to her commanding officer. "Can't you trust me?" The ginger haired woman shook her head as she readjusted her grip. She had stopped retreating since she had no more space to keep moving backwards.
"Please— I can't get you hurt..." The Commanding Officer shook her head. "...never again..." The black haired woman leant forward, pressing the gun deeper into her chest area again. She had the slightly younger woman trapped between herself and the wall.
Minna slightly lost her composure; The Major was getting irrational as always. "…You're too important—"
"Then prove it, Minna! Let me fight the Neuroi together with the team!" Wing Commander Wilcke knew they were on a different page. Minna knew that the fighter was pertaining to keeping herself as a valuable asset to the squad while she was actually voicing her fears and concern for the other.
She forced her expression to harden as her hold on the weapon tightened once more. Now was the time to exert authority. This is for the best after all.
"Major Sakamoto, if you won't listen to reason then I'll make you see reason." She heard her friend's voice dropped a few degrees. It was too late by the time Mio realized that her commanding officer was dead serious for once.
A single gunshot echoed throughout the night.
Over Sky by Magister of Discord
Quick and acute pain welcomed her as her eyes adjusted to the harsh light that was clawing at her magical and sensitive right eye. She weakly raised one of her hands to shield her face, wincing at the annoying ache that stemmed from her bandage-covered right shoulder. Damn that woman. I didn't know she had it in her! She went too far that time— Mio couldn't stop laughing despite her situation. And to think that their commander actually grew another backbone! Now, that was impressive.
The black haired samurai tried to sit up but discovered her room, along with the whole world, was slightly spinning out of control. Damn. That woman came prepared this time. She decided to just lie in bed and let the dizziness ebb while she hatched a plan to get back at her friend. But first, I need to block this annoying light.
Sakamoto Mio grimaced again as she tried to feel for her eye-patch on the side table. The brightness was starting to get on her nerves. Even for a battle-hardened warrior, Mio was vulnerable at the moment, so she really needed to protect herself.
A soft knock came from the door which caused her to drop the eye-patch she finally found after seven torturous minutes of blindly searching for it. Mio softly cursed at her ill-fortune and decided to face the wall instead, ignoring the roaring pain from her injury. "Come in..." she said in an irritated voice.
The door opened and closed soundlessly but the samurai still heard it, she had Doberman ears after all. Major Sakamoto held her breathe as the all-too-familiar figure entered her room and stopped by her bedside. "Are you awake, Mio...?" her friend's voice sounded worried but she didn't care.
"What do you want?" The samurai couldn't stop the venom from mixing with her words. You couldn't blame her. If her left shoulder was shot, no less by her best friend, she wouldn't mind it; but since it was her dominant appendage that was sabotaged, then it was an entirely different matter. How can she wield her katana with her left hand if she is right-handed?
"Mio… I came to apologize..." Minna knelt at the bedside and gently placed her hand on her friend's back. "I didn't know what came over me..."
Mio frowned and continued facing the wall, she held her breathe as she waited for the other woman to continue.
"I'm sorry okay? I was stupid. I didn't want you to get hurt again... I was scared..." Minna started rubbing her friend's back, hoping that the other woman would face her. "…I didn't want to lose anyone again… Please—"
"You knew how much I loved fighting against the Neuroi and protecting the innocent... and yet you shot me... as if I was one of them. You—" Mio made the mistake of rolling back to the other side to face the other woman; she wanted to see her best friend's face. Boiling rage evaporated as her sentence hung in midair upon seeing her commanding officer looking so weak and fragile, as if she was the one who got shot. No..
Wing Commander Minna-Dietlinde Wilcke was crying and it broke the Major's heart.
Sakamoto Mio ignored the throbbing pain and the spinning world. With a speed that could rival one of comrades, Shirley Yeager, she sprang out of bed and hugged the other woman, who was still begging for her forgiveness; for all that she was worth.
- Strike Witches –
"How can you keep putting up with me...? I'm a failure as a commanding officer... as a friend—you're best friend... Why—" Sakamoto pulled the other woman tighter to herself, defiantly ignoring the major discomfort that she was experiencing. "Mio... it's unfair…"
Mio frowned at her best friend whose crying still did not subside. "…Life's not fair… ow! Why did you hit me again?"
"…Idiot! That wasn't what I was talking about." Minna had hit the wounded soldier out of reflex. She smiled for a second despite the tears that fell from her eyes. Mio saw the sudden shift in her friend's mood and smiled as well after she had mumbled a soft apology.
"We're best friends and we look out for each other... I am and will always be..." Yours, the Major said in her mind. Suddenly, the ginger haired woman's sobs intensified as she released all the conflicting emotions that she was bottling inside. She wrapped her arms around her friend's waist. "So… stop crying, Minna…"
"Promise me... that you'll never go..." Mio exhaled carefully. Their added weight was too much for the Fusoan witch to maintain. They fell unceremoniously on the cold floor without care. Minna nestled her head in the crook of the other witches' neck, trying her hardest to avoid the injured shoulder. Mio laughed at her friend's antics, pausing briefly every now and then to block the pain that she felt. "I need you Mio—"
"Shh... It's alright... I'm not going to leave you..." The eye-patched girl kissed her commanding officer's forehead before pulling her closer. "It's a promise..."
The slightly younger girl continued draining her all her sorrows and fears while her injured subordinate whispered sweet nothings in her ear. When she finally calmed down, Minna regained the common sense to detach herself from the floor and her best friend to allow the other soldier to go back to bed and rest. Her eyes were red from crying and her face was flushed with embarrassment. "I'm sorry—"
"You can stop apologizing now..." Mio chuckled as she saw her friend's face began to redden deeper. "Besides, I should thank you for reminding me about something important..."
Minna raised her eyebrow in confusion. "And what is that?" She was forcefully tugged by the Fusoan witch and ended half sprawled on top of her friend. Her blush increased tenfold at the close proximity that they shared. Should she tell her now?
The Major playfully winked at her commanding officer. "It's a secret..."
- Strike Witches –
"Hey, Minna… wake up…" The black haired samurai gently shook her friend's shoulder with her good arm. "The others might be looking for you..."
"Hmmm...?" The ginger haired woman was half-curled on top of the injured soldier. She was still groggy with sleep so she had to suppress another yawn before saying, "Why's that...?"
Mio chuckled lightly. "That's because you're not in your own quarters. You're in my room."
Minna blinked twice. Why was she in her best friend's room again? Last night's events were a blur to both of them.
"Hey, Minna?" Major Sakamoto poked her friend's cheek with her free hand since the other miraculously fell asleep again since the first wake-up call. Her commanding officer must've had more paperwork than usual.
"Mmm...?" Wing Commander Minna fisted her subordinate's shirt unconsciously. The other woman paused in her actions.
"Would you mind getting off of me now?" Mio sighed when the other still felt like dead weight that was half on top of her.
"Hmmm...? The ginger haired girl stirred and shifted in her position. This time, hear head snuggled comfortably under the crook of the other's neck. Mio sighed again and decided to try a different tactic. She whispered in her friend's ear using a fake pained tone.
"Ahh... Minna... I'm... Ahh… Help me..." Mio lightly chuckled again. "Um, it...hurts?"
That seemed to do the trick. The Karlslander witch all but flew out of bed and was frantically apologizing to her injured friend. She only stopped when she realized that her friend had tricked her into getting up and was laughing at her like a fool. Minna puffed her cheeks and started hitting the other with the closest pillow that her hand had found.
"Two can play at that game." Mio couldn't resist laughing harder. Her commander was really cute but she wouldn't admit it, not now at least.
- Strike Witches -
A/N: Mio/Minna slight fluff for the win; but they lack the proper attention! We should write more about them! Requests for other pairings are always welcome!
Magister of Discord out!
