Prompt 001: First Kiss

Nightshade

She'd gotten herself into a precarious position, yet again. Nightshade was good at that. Sometime during the firefight, she had gone off the edge of the ice bridge. Now eight Joe's gathered around the spot she had gone over, trying to figure out the best way to get her out of that position. Nightshade hung onto an outcropping of ice and snow; her eyes were closed tightly so she could concentrate on hanging on.

Frostbite had attempted to lower her down a rope, but when Nightshade had made a grab for it, the grip she kept on the ice had slipped. They lacked the equipment for this kind of rescue, having left the Snowcat's nearly ten miles back. In the end, it was Snake Eyes who came up with the solution. He wrapped the rope around himself, improvising with knots, and carabiners. The free end of the rope was given back to Frostbite, who did his best to anchor himself down. The six other Joe's all caught on, and grabbed part of the rope.

Carefully, Snake Eyes lowered himself over the edge of the ice bridge. As he dangled there, and touched Nightshade's taut back gently, he saw just how terrified she was. When she turned her head, and cracked open an eye, she attempted to put her brave face on. Holding an arm out, Snake Eyes asked her one more time to put her trust into him.

It was blind faith. He'd come through for her on so many other occasions, that there was no reason to believe this one. She let go of the ice-cropping and grabbed onto his arm, with both hands. The line jerked hard, and the two of them dropped about five feet. But slowly, they began to be pulled up. Nightshade practically climbed up Snake Eyes' arm, until she could put her arms about his neck. Resting her head against him, she fought to breathe. Above she could hear the sounds of synchronized pulling. It was time to act. No time like a brush with a deathly 100-foot drop.

Picking her head up, she held herself back slightly, just enough to study his visored, and masked face. Then without warning, her arms tightened around his neck, and she brushed her lips gently against the fabric of his mask.