Vacuo Desert – Present Day
The Vacuo desert region is well known for its inhospitable weather and terrain. Harsh heat during the day with an unforgiving freezing cold at night make it a living hell for any travelers unprepared to face its innumerable challenges. Those who manage to overcome these obstacles have find themselves greatly rewarded for their efforts, often in ways they could not have foreseen. However, just as the spoils go to the victor, to the loser there is only death. This in turn leads to a free meal for any scavenging animals that may come across their corpse.
Such was the case for the flock of carrion birds that circled overhead. Down below their shadows danced across the desert sands, passing over the mounds of bones that had been recently unearthed. While the desert was quick to reclaim the remains of its victims, the sheer amount of unearthed corpses was of such a scale that it would be weeks before the sands had retaken them all.
This, of course, caught the attention of the scavengers. Drawn by the stench of death and decay they wasted little time in pinpointing the exact source of the alluring smell. They were soon disappointed as the banquet they had thought awaited them had been picked clean decades ago, leaving nothing more than a vast stretch of useless bones. While most had moved on a handful had stayed behind, hopeful that they might find something fit to eat.
As the buzzards picked at the bones a low rumbling caught their attention. Flecks of sand bounced and danced around the bones before falling silent and motionless once more. Thinking it was the wind they returned to their hunt before another rumbling, more pronounced than before, followed.
The ground shook, the vibrations becoming more and more violent. A few of the birds took flight, too startled to dare stick around and discover the source of the tremors. All at once, though, the rumbling stopped and a small hole in the sand opened up. Curiosity getting the better of them, some of the birds ventured forward, wondering what could be snaking its way out of the sand after making such a racket. They soon found out.
Without warning an eruption of fire and earth spewed upwards into the air. The buzzards too slow to put some distance between them and the phenomenon were engulfed in the flames, their feathers and bodies charred beyond recognition. The flames continued to spew fourth, causing the sand around it to heat up to unimaginable degrees before it stopped and cooled into a sea of glass.
The few surviving birds circled overhead, glaring down at their reflections as they gazed upon the cause of such an eruption. From the dark depths of the pit a grimm arm shot out and latched onto the glass, its claws digging deeply into it. Anyone watching the spectacle would have thought Hell itself had opened up and now its legions were making their way to the surface.
However, a lone figure clawed her way out, panting as she struggled to pull herself onto solid ground. Despite having her hair and clothes matted with sand and dirt the figure of Cinder Fall was an unmistakable sight. Forcing herself to her feet she glanced around, taking in the sight of a sea of sand and glass. For a moment she was silent but all too soon she began to laugh.
"I'm alive," she whispered as she chuckled. "I'M ALIVE!"
Whatever scavengers had stayed behind now fled, smartly putting a great deal of distance between themselves and the mad woman below.
"Jack Brisbane," she hissed, "Wherever you are, I will find and I will make you suffer. YOU HEAR ME! YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE, JACK BRISBANE! YOU WILL SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF THE FALL MAIDEN!"
Present Day – Xio Long Residence – Weiss
It was early morning when Weiss roused from her sleep. Outside the sun shone bright and clear, another warm sunny day on the island of Patch. She stretched, working the tiredness out of her muscles, and glanced around the room. She'd been staying at the Xio Long residence for nearly a month now and, in all that time, nothing about her surroundings felt at all familiar. It may have been the log cabin style architecture of the home compared to the white marble used in the construction of the Schnee mansion or the humble furnishings of a small family such as Yang's and Ruby's in contrast to the lavish ones of her own family. In truth, though, she knew the reason why.
She was lonely. Not in the sense one might have should they be isolated from others or ostracized from society. No, she was lonely for an entirely different reason. Ever since waking up from his near death experience, her boyfriend Jack had begun isolating himself from the rest of the household. She knew his reasons why. His actions leading up to his near death experience had caused many of them, herself especially, to question his loyalties. In the end he'd lost their trust and was only just beginning the difficult task of regaining it.
While some of her teammates, such as her leader Ruby, had quickly forgiven Jack of his trespasses, others had taken the betrayal much more personally. The most notable was Yang who did nothing to hide her distain and mistrust whenever he was present. As a result, Jack had taken to avoiding the household as a whole, hardly ever being seen in person. If he was ever seen during meals he'd usually offer a simple greeting before taking something simple and easy to carry before retreating from the house.
Ruby, of course, never wasted the chance to invite him to join in. However, Jack was always quick to excuse himself. One one occasion Weiss was able to catch the look in his eyes after hearing Ruby's invitation. The guilt she saw in them was enough to let her know how he truly felt and made her feel more sympathetic towards him. Her trust in him may be wavering but she couldn't deny that he was doing his best to earn it back.
After dressing in her signature sky blue skirt and fixing her hair in a side ponytail, Weiss descended the stairs to the kitchen. The smell of breakfast greeted her as she walked in. Unsurprisingly, nearly every member of the two teams were present, including her daughter Demi. The only person missing was Jack, a detail that was painfully obvious to her.
"Coffee?" Demi asked, holding out a steaming hot mug for her to take.
"Thank you," she said, taking the cup in hand. She took a sip, the boiling liquid barely registering as it scalded her throat.
"Morning Weiss, how did you sleep?" Ruby asked cheerfully.
"Fine, I guess."
"That bad, huh? You feeling homesick?" Yang asked.
"Not really," Weiss replied. In truth, ever since it was revealed that they would be returning to Atlas, she had felt apprehensive about seeing home again. She knew that, once she returned home, her father would do everything in his power to keep her there. "Has anyone seen Jack."
Nope," Yang replied flatly. Her sunny disposition quickly darkened at the mere mention of Jack.
"I saw him briefly this morning," Ren said. "He was on his way out."
"Do you know where he was headed?"
"The cemetery, I think," Ren replied.
"Creepy," Yang mumbled.
"Yang," Ruby chided her, hearing her comment.
"What? It's true. Bad enough that he can raise the dead but now he's starting to hang out with them too."
"I don't blame him. He doesn't exactly receive a warm reception here," Demi shot back.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yang snapped.
"Demi, don't," Weiss tried to stop her daughter before she said something she'd regret but she was too late.
"Everyone else here has shown my father at lest some level of decency, even if they may not trust him the same way as before. You, on the other hand, seem to almost go out of your way to ostracize him from the group."
"Well, in case you forgot, he used and betrayed us. That's not a lot of reason for me to him some tolerance."
"And in case you forgot, he purposely put his life on the line to insure his betrayal didn't come at the cost of our lives. He may have been under Salom's control but he didn't allow her to dictate all of his actions."
"So, what, I'm supposed to forget all that happened and move on?" Yang asked, rising from her seat.
"It's certainly not an excuse for you to make him feel more like an outsider than he already does. He's already walking on eggshells; the least you could do is not remind him of his mistakes every damn minute!" Demi shot back, rising to meet her.
"Enough!" Weiss yelled, causing every eye in the room to turn on her. "All you two have done is bicker like immature children. In case you've forgotten we have a bigger mission to worry about and if we're at each other's throats all the time it's just going to give our enemies that much more power over us. Now, I'm going to go find Jack and I don't want to hear another word from either of you."
Shooting both girls an icy glare that left frozen in place, Weiss stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind her as she headed towards her destination.
The morning was warm and crisp, casting a pleasant light over the cemetery. Jack walked the rows of graves, glancing over the names that adorned each one. The sight was an old one, with most of the graves having been moved to a much larger and well-kept sight. The graves that remained had been there for decades, the names and inscriptions on the gravestones having been eroded away by weather and the passage of time. The grass that had once been trimmed now encroached on the graves, retaking their territory, while dead leaves crunched underfoot. Despite the morning light it was a depressing sight to see and was no doubt even more creepy and foreboding at night.
As he walked down the aisles Jack could sense the numerous occupants that lay beneath the earth. As usual he was able to sense their various states of decay but now he was attempting to do something more. Reflecting on the conversations he'd had with his sister Jack attempted to reach out to them, calling out in the hopes that one of them would respond. It didn't take long before he sensed something and Jack stopped before a grave.
He knelt down, gazing at the faded words. At best he could tell that the occupant had been buried some decades before, probably towards the ending of the Great War. He placed his hands on the ground, reaching down through the earth to the person below. He concentrated, inviting them to speak with him, to share their story.
Bit by bit the images came. Slowly, at first, then faster and more pronounced. Flashes of memory flooded his mind. A young woman, beautiful and fair. A young man, dressed in a military uniform. The feeling of love and warmth followed by the pain of his absence. The passing of time as one-day bleed into another, waiting, hoping, praying for his safe return. The inevitable end of conflict and the renewed hope of his presence once more. Days passing, wishing, waiting, until reality finally set in. The sadness of loss followed by many lonely years before death.
Jack retracted his hand and wiped away a tear that was tumbling down his face. On his first successful communication he'd found that the emotions tied to the memories that the dead shared with him were quite powerful. The one oddity among them was that he'd only ever been able to view their memories and only those they permitted him to see. None had ever held a conversation with him, at least not in the manner that he and his sister had communicated. He found this puzzling as, somehow, he knew it was possible but he wasn't certain of the circumstances that would allow this to take place.
"I'm sorry," he said in response to the woman's memories.
"For what?" he heard someone say.
Jack nearly jumped out of his skin. With his concentration focused on testing the new limits of his semblance he was completely unaware of anyone around him. He found it a terrible irony that he could sense the dead a mile away but not the living only a few feet from him. Weiss gazed back at him with a mixture of startled confusion in reaction to his response.
"Weiss, please don't sneak up on me like that."
"Sorry, I thought you heard me coming," she said, motioning to the leaves she'd trampled underfoot.
"Not really, I was a little preoccupied."
"Preoccupied with what?"
"I was, uh, communing with the dead," he answered.
"Communing with the dead?" she asked with a curious though cautious expression.
Jack took a moment to explain what he had been doing. With the events of his battle with Cinder still fresh in the memories, as well as the conflict that had ensued while visiting his home village, a great many questions had arisen after experiencing some of his close brushes with death. He told her of how his conversation with his sister had alluded to the possibility of his semblance having evolved and how he'd subsequently began spending time here testing it out. All of his experiments had been proven a success, though not to the extent that he'd wanted. He'd been unable to duplicate the experiences he'd had when speaking with his sister.
"I keep trying but something feels off. It's like there's a critical piece of the puzzle I'm still missing."
"Have you thought of speaking with your sister again?" Weiss suggested.
"The thought has occurred to me but I don't think it would be possible under the current circumstances."
"How do you mean?"
"The last two times I communed with her I was in a state of near death and I think we can both agree that recreating those circumstances is out of the question."
"Absolutely," Weiss said immediately.
"The only other option I can think of is returning to her grave and communing with her there but that's not something I'm eager to do."
"It would mean returning to your home," Weiss concluded, recalling the "warm" reception he'd received from the villagers once they'd learned of his identity as Jack Brisbane.
"Indeed," he said in a grave tone.
"So, what have you been able to learn," Weiss asked, attempting to steer the conversation in a more positive direction.
"A great deal to be honest," said in an eager tone. "As far as I can tell my communication with the dearly departed isn't inhibited by the passing of time. I've met quite a few occupants who were alive during the Great War and even a few who existed a few decades prior. Interestingly enough, I can only view the memories of those who willingly allow me to. In other words, I can't force myself into their minds."
"You mean you need their permission?" Weiss inquired.
"As far as I can tell, yes," Jack said with a smile. "Some people aren't kidding when they say they'll take their secrets to the grave. By the way, what brings you out here? I never expected you to come visit me out here, especially considering the scenery," Jack said jokingly.
"True but at least it's quiet," she pointed out. "I mostly came out here to get away from the pointless bickering."
"They were fighting?" Jack asked, surprised.
"Yang and Demi, mostly. Yang made a comment about you that Demi took offense to and it all just crumbled after that."
"Yang has a right to her opinion," Jack pointed out.
"That's not an excuse for her to act like an immature brat," Weiss snapped.
Jack retracted from her aggressive remark, surprised by how forceful it had been. Weiss took notice and immediately sank back into her depressing mood as a result.
"I'm sorry, I'm just," she took a moment to asses her words, "I've been feeling lonely as of late."
"Whatever for?"
"Because you haven't been at the house," she replied. "For the past month you've gone out of your way to make yourself scarce. I understand that you're isolating yourself in an effort to put everyone at ease but you've also been isolating me as a result. I get up in the morning and you're not around and when you do return it's usually after everyone has fallen asleep. I understand you're trying to regain our trust but that doesn't mean you have to be treated as an outcast as a result. Please, don't close yourself off to us."
Listening to her words, Jack couldn't help but feel guilty for the way he'd been acting. He drew Weiss towards him, embracing her in a warm hug as he stroked her hair. Feeling her wrap her arms around him he became keenly aware of just how lonely he'd been feeling as well. It wasn't a foreign feeling to him by any means but it was certainly something that had left him oblivious to how his actions had been affecting those close to him.
"Why don't we head back to the house and have lunch. I'm starting to get hungry."
"Yes, lets," Weiss agreed, taking his hand in hers as they walked back.
The atmosphere at lunch was tense, to say the least. The moment Jack walked in through the door the conversation that had been taking place was immediately put on hold. Yang fixed him with a sharp glare that came as no surprise to Jack but an icy glare from Weiss had the blond brawler backing off for the moment. The one positive aspect came from their daughter Demi. The moment they walked in she was ecstatic to see them, together no less, and brought a much needed lighthearted feel to the room.
Their lunch consisted mostly of leftovers and a conversation that Jack participated in solely through short, simple answers. While Weiss sat next to him, holding his hand and squeezing it softly for reassurance, as well as his daughter Demi on his other side for added support, Jack still took cautious steps. Though Yang never hide her true feelings from him he wasn't as certain about the others. They smiled and spoke politely to him but he knew they didn't fully accept him. It wasn't their fault and he completely deserved it but it still stung to be reminded of this fact.
What had him even more on edge was his daughter Demi. While she'd been a great pillar of support over the course of the past month, he was still unsure about he felt about her. Ever since he'd come back from his near death experience, the revelation that Demi was his child from a time that was yet to come had him reeling from the absurdity of it. However, after thinking it over, several moments in their journey together had made more sense, especially with how much she'd known of him and how unsurprised she was to learn certain details of his character.
In short Jack found himself eager to leave and begin their mission to Atlas. While he wasn't at all looking forward to revisiting the frozen tundra he hoped the change of scenery would at least lighten the mood, if only a little. Of course, returning to Atlas would also mean going with Weiss to see her father. That thought alone sent a cold shiver down his spine. While Weiss was never secretive about her opinion of her father, Jack's own impression of the man was much more aggressive. In truth, he wondered if he's be able to keep his emotions and mouth in check around him.
"So, Jack, what have you been doing? Demi mentioned you were visiting the cemetery," Ruby said, attempting to strike up a conversation.
"I've testing out the newly discovered limits of my semblance," he said.
"What do you mean?"
"Due to recent events I've come to the conclusion that my semblance may have evolved."
"It's evolved? You realize how absurd that sounds?" Yang pointed out.
"It's not as unusual as you might think," Ren piped in. "There are some scholars who believe that our semblances evolve and change through a combination of time, training, and outside influences. While it hasn't been proven, it's theorized that one's semblance can be made stronger through certain forms of training just as our muscles grow stronger through consistent use and exercise."
"It makes sense, considering everything we've been through," Ruby pointed out.
"So, what, does that mean you can raise yourself from the dead now?" Yang asked jokingly.
"I'm not sure though I'm not at all eager to find that out. What I have discovered, however, has certainly expanded upon my previous abilities." When Yang gazed back at him with a quizzical look he responded, "I can commune with the dead."
"Say what now?" Jaune asked.
"I can reach out to the deceased and relive some of their memories. It allows me to see past events through their eyes, though, what I've been able to do during my visits to the cemetery compared to past experiences has been lacking."
"You can communicate with the dead?" Jaune asked, still bewildered by his explanation. "How did you find this out?"
"My sister told me."
"Your sister?" Ruby asked.
Jack took a moment to explain his reasoning. He recalled the events following his battle against the army of Grimm as well as Cinder and how his near death experience had allowed him to commune with Elizabeth. He told them how he had been able to speak to her as if she were present in the room and how that experience had led him to the conclusion that his semblance was now able to connect him more intimately with the dead. Needless to say, everyone's opinions of Jack prior to this revelation became very questionable as they were at a loss of what to make of this new variable.
What struck a chord with Yang was the reminder that Elizabeth had essentially acted as a sudo-mother to Jack growing up. Much in the way she had helped to raise Ruby when she was little, Elizabeth had done the same for Jack. What really irked her was the fact that, while she had raised Ruby out of necessity, Elizabeth had done so due to their mother's absence in their lives. It was almost as if she had chosen to abandon them despite being a constant presence.
"I've been attempting to recreate the events that allowed me to speak with my sister but so far the best I've managed to accomplish is flashes of memory."
"Were you close to you sister?" Ren inquired.
"She was like a mother to me," Jack replied.
"Perhaps it's that bond, that connection that has allowed you to communicate with her," he suggested.
"How so?"
"You've told us that you've spoken to your sister twice and both times you two were able to hold a conversation. However, while attempting it multiple times with the locally deceased you've only managed to gain bits and pieces. Perhaps it's that deep bond you share with your sister that has allowed you to do more."
"I hadn't thought of that," Jack mussed, leaning back in his chair as he contemplated what he'd been told. "It would certainly explain a few things. On more than one occasion I've sensed a sort of barrier, almost as if something was preventing from establishing a deeper connection."
"Perhaps with more time and training you'll figure out what it is you're missing," Ren suggested.
The remainder of the day passed with little incident. Not long after their talk at lunch the group's atmosphere seemed to lighten. Even Yang's mood had taken on a notable change as she was more civil with Jack. While this didn't mean that all had been forgiven it was a step in the right direction, at the very least, and something he greatly appreciated.
Now feeling more welcome at the house, Jack took the opportunity to break down their plan of attack. With their trip to Atlas on the horizon a great deal of preparation was required. For the most part, their briefing entailed the necessity of warmer clothing as well as passports and identification. In regards to travel, Qrow took the liberty of contacting Winter. While Jack would have done it he still felt apprehensive of seeing the specialist again. Before long they had the details hammered out, which included the use of one of Jack's homes in the area being used as their base of operations.
Before long night had overtaken them and, after a hearty supper, everyone began making their way to their bedrooms. Jack had retired early, using the time to assess his wardrobe as well as his supplies. If he recalled correctly, the cold weather had an unsavory effect on some of his neurotoxins. He'd need to seal them in nonfreezing containers to insure they weren't compromised. As he worked he heard a soft knock at his door. Not expecting visitors, he curiously went to the door to see who it was.
"Evening," Weiss said.
"Evening," he responded, surprised to see her at this hour.
"I noticed your light was still on and came to see what you were up to."
"Just taking an inventory. It's been a while since I've been to Atlas. I just needed to make sure I was fully prepared. The harsh weather never did agree with me."
"I can see why," she said with a giggle as she looked over his pale, lanky frame.
"Hardy, har, har," he said in a sarcastic tone, "not all of us were lucky enough to be born and raised in that frozen tundra."
"It doesn't snow all year round. The summers are quite beautiful."
"You have summer?" he joked.
Weiss gave him a look that had him giving her a sly smile as a result. "I take it you didn't come here to make small talk."
"No, actually, there was something I wanted to ask you," she said. "How have you been sleeping as of late?"
"As well as can be expected. The unfamiliar setting takes some getting used to."
"Have you been using the bed to sleep in?" she asked.
Jack looked slowly towards the bed before meeting her gaze and looking away in the same manner a child with a guilty conscience might when confronted by their parents. "I haven't been sleeping in the bathtub, if that's what you're asking," he said.
"Where have you been sleeping then?"
"The floor," he answered in a matter of fact tone.
"Well, I suppose that is better than the tub," she conceded.
"I take it you're leading up to something? Your question seems a little out of place."
"Yes, well, there was more to it," she said, attempting to hide her embarrassment. "I was wondering," she began, trailing off towards the end.
"You were wondering?" he said, nudging the conversation forward.
"I was wondering if-if I could sleep with you tonight?" she asked.
"Oh," Jack answered, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"By which I don't mean- "she began, scrambling to explain herself.
Before she could finish Jack placed a finger over her lips, giving her a kindly smile as he did so. "I know what you meant," he said, "I may be a man, and like all men that was the first conclusion my mind came to, but I know what you meant. Go get ready for bed, I'll be here waiting," he said.
It was a while before Weiss finally crept back into Jack's room. Despite most of the house's occupants being already asleep, she was still paranoid about someone, most likely Ruby, catching her in the act. She was thankful that the room was dark, ensuring no one could see her face turning red from embarrassment. As she crept into Jack's room she took note of the fact that he was already in bed. She dashed across the room, doing her best not to make a sound, before slipping into bed with him.
"Hey," she heard him say softly.
"Hi," she said, too embarrassed to say anything else.
While they'd been in bed like this before on one prior occasion, Weiss still felt nervous. She kept a considerable distance between them, unsure of how she should feel or act. She had originally suggested this as a means of abating her feelings of loneliness. The time she had spent with Jack that morning had been a great help to her and, somehow, she had thought it a good idea to try something more.
"Something wrong?" Jack asked, almost as if he could sense how nervous she was.
"No, I'm just a bit cold," she lied. She was an Atlas girl, the cold never bothered her anyway.
Without a word, Jack responded by wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close until her body was pressed against his.
"Better?" he asked.
Weiss could only nod, her face turning an even deeper shade of red. Being this close to him she could feel the heat of his body radiating off of him. It would have been nice had it not been for one tiny detail. He wasn't wearing a shirt. Due to the dark room she hadn't noticed it before and the few moments she found him sleeping in the bath had always included him either fully dressed or wrapped in the comforter from the bed.
Being just inches from his chest she could smell his subtle scent, hear his heart beating rhythmically and feel his hand gently stroking her hair. Focusing on this her nerves began to calm as she noticed how his hand never ventured far enough to elicit an unwanted response. Taking in the warm feelings of simply being near the man she loved she wrapped her arm around him, no longer bothered by the feel of his naked skin, and felt the odd ridges running along his back.
Curious, she began tracing them, feeling the smooth ridges and patterns that they made. It was a long moment before she remembered what they were and she stopped, painfully aware of the scars that littered his back. She retracted her hand, feeling a little ashamed by her uninvited act.
"There's quite a few of them, I know," Jack said.
"I noticed," she responded, her voice a barely audible whisper.
"I used to really hate the cold. It seemed whenever there was a chilling rain or a brisk wind they'd respond in kind, sending an aching feeling that reminded me of where they'd come from."
Weiss didn't answer. She was too ashamed to say anything. Just trying to imagine the pain he'd been put through and what he'd had to endure to receive so many scars was something she didn't want to reflect on.
"They don't hurt as much now, though," he said.
"Why not," she found herself saying.
In response Jack's hand, which had been stroking her hair, moved up before tracing the faint scar that ran across her eye. With her sight having adjusted to the dim light of the room she was able to see Jack smiling warmly at her as his finger ran across it.
"I've met someone who's helped me to rise above the pain," he said. "Overtime the aching sensation dulled until I hardly even noticed it. I'm grateful for that. Grateful for having met someone who's seen me for who I am and not turned away in disgust."
"That's not entirely true," Weiss admitted. "In the beginning, I thought of you as little more than one of the pigs who used to flirt with me in an attempt to gain favor and possibly marry into my family's money."
"Well, if we're being honest, I didn't provide you with much reason to think of me otherwise," he said. "I didn't shy away from acting like an asshole for the first couple of weeks."
"I can agree with that," she said.
They started quietly laughing, recalling bumps and hurtles they'd encountered early on in their relationship.
"I love you Weiss," Jack said, "I love you with all my heart. I know it may sound flat, considering everything that's happened, but I want you to know I will never stop trying to be someone you can trust without fail."
He took her hand in his, tracing her fingers over the scars on his chest engraved into his skin by various Grimm and humans alike.
"I want to be able to show you each and every one of my scars, those on the surface and the ones buried beneath. More than that, I want to know yours and to be able to understand the significance they hold to you."
"You sure about that? I have more scars than I've never allowed people to become aware of," she said.
"I'll take as much time as is needed and overcome whatever obstacles I have to. I'll learn them all, I'll see them for what they are and appreciate them for the badges of honor you've undoubtedly turned them into."
Weiss couldn't help but smile at this declaration. She knew she could trust him, if only a little, to keep this promise. She'd heard similar things from other boys, all of them speaking sweet words drenched in honey in a vain effort to win over her trust and admiration. She had seen through them all, the masks they wore fragile and easily broken when given even the slightest resistance. Jack, on the other hand, was different.
From the very beginning he'd been open and forward on his opinion. He'd done little to hide his feelings in regards to people, politics, and unsavory opinions forced upon him by the powerful. That wasn't to say he hadn't kept his fair share of secrets but his open, albeit blunt, honesty had been refreshing compared to the men from Atlas.
She snuggled closer to him, feeling his warmth and taking in his calming scent. Jack reacted in kind, wrapping his arm tenderly around her as he gently kissed her hair. For the rest of the night they were silent but the rhythmic sound of their hearts beating together was all they needed to hear. Before long Weiss fell asleep in the arms of her lover, the feelings of loneliness drifting further and further from her mind.
We're back, baby!
Hopefully you all enjoyed the opening chapter to "The Rusted Tin Soldier." I knew that, after I wrote out Cinder Fall, she'd need an entrance that did her character justice. It seemed quite appropriate that she should break herself out of her imprisonment in a very flashy manner.
As you may have seen much of this story is going to revolve around the damaged relationship Jack has with not only Weiss but the other members of his team. I'll be working one scenes that puts their in him to the test as they have to rebuild the faith they had in him. Some of the scenes involving him and Weiss will be on a more personal level, especially due to how close they are becoming.
As a side note, just to be clear, any scenes that involve the having sex will be few and far between in this story. Will they have sex? Yes, but not immediately. A great deal of the scenes where they "sleep together" will be devoted to them finding solace in the other as they show a more vulnerable side of themselves. It'll basically be them working on building a deeper and stronger relationship.
Also, I'm sure some of you noticed the little "Frozen" shout out I put in. Honestly, I debated for a while whether I wanted it in there or not and finally came to the conclusion that "I'm the author and can do whatever I want" so it's there.
Hopefully you all enjoyed this chapter. I'm really excited to begin working on this and I appreciate all the support you've shown me. I look forward to reading your reviews and hearing your suggestions on how I can improve up my previous iteration.
Until next time RWBY fans.