If one thing was clear it's that I'd made mistake. A goof if you I couldn't take back. You see all my life I'd avoided trouble despite my clumsy nature. That's was by design. I'm a bit careful. I liked my peaceful life. It was a good life; I bagged groceries and kept my head down. I slept wherever I could and ate regularly. It might not seem like much to a human, but to a Faunus it was paradise.
That brings us to the most important moment in my life to date. My terrible mistake. I'd just been leaving work. A few measly dollars richer and a whole lot more tired. Typical day for me. My stomach rumbled so I turned down a side street intent on filling my belly with some late night ramen, the cheap stuff.
I was maybe a block away from Fuji's Ramen house, a place run by Faunus for Faunus, when I noticed a pretty girl dressed in black. My cheeks flushed an embarrassing pink. She was tall and walked a rushed step. Her head was held high with the confidence born from knowing the effect she had. She'd caught me staring with the corner of her eye but didn't react. It probably wasn't anything new to her. I guess it wasn't anything new to me either. I'd not exactly been a lady killer. I carried on.
A few minutes later and I was happily slurping ramen. Making small talk with my fellow late night gluttons. Enjoying one of my precious few moments of lazy bliss. It was with a noodle still hanging from my lip that I happened to look out the window into the dark night. I saw the same girl dressed in black. She was being chased this time, a few ghoulish men after her. My heart raced in my chest and I stood without thinking.
The busy chatter in the restaurant stopped. I'd been dramatic in my reaction, not that I noticed or cared.
"Hey, is there a problem" someone asked.
Bang!
A gunshot. Like thunder from a clear sky it boomed in our eardrums. A women yelled and I rushed for the door. My mind was blank or perhaps too clouded with worry. I wasn't aware if I even had a plan or purpose. I rushed in the same direction I'd seen the pretty girl run in. A panicky mess of anxiety.
Then my heart stopped. My mind froze. At some point I stopped moving all together. The beautiful women I noticed earlier was indeed shot. A glancing shot on the arm. A trickle of steady blood went down her bare flesh.
That wasn't what made my chest clench and my breath raspy. No that was due to the 3 dead men at her feet. It looked like she'd beat them to death. There faces bruised and bones broken.
She had her back to me. I don't know if she noticed me. My only chance was to leave now. I promised myself, if I managed to leave peacefully I'd never speak on this. Horrible things happened to those with loose lips.
I scooted back an inch. My body was tense, I was a moment away from bolting in the opposite direction. Then that thrice damned gorgeous women collapsed and I sealed my fate. I should have run. Instead I rushed to her side.
Her breathing was ragged and her skin pale. I pushed her bangs out of her face. She was cold to the touch and currently resembled a porcelain doll. I needed to help.. wanted to really but I couldn't see any other injuries. I didn't know what was making her ill. I wasn't a Doctor. Nor could I get her to a hospital. She's just killed three men. Fuck. She'd just killed three men. People would be coming by to investigate the gun fire soon.
I picked her up bridal style careful not further injure her arm. I didn't know what I was doing or why I was doing it. I only knew I wanted to help.
I didn't have a home or a place to really call my own so I didn't know where I was heading. My first priority was simple to put distance between us and the bodies. Oh god! did this make me an accessory to murder?!
Why the fuck am I doing this again, I didn't have answer but my legs never stopped moving. As my mind cleared a little and I finally relaxed my shoulders. I came to realize there was a place I could go. An abandoned building at the center of the Faunus slums. A place crawling with druggies and local toughs. A place I tended to avoid. I'd seen far too many resort to crime to fill hungry bellies it never ended well for them.
I really hope you're worth it, stupid pretty girl. I stared down my nose to gaze at her dumb long eyelashes. I bet her eyes where gorgeous when she is awake. If I die tonight I have no one to blame but my dumb sexiest self. I scoffed at the ridiculous situation I put myself in.
I wasn't to far from the cesspool of Faunus misery. I need to figure out what to do after I got there. What my next move was.
As I saw it I only really had three options. I drop her right here right now and forget the whole thing. Which I wasn't gonna do. I was already involved and I couldn't not see it thru to the end. I take her to that shit hole and see if I can find someone to patch her up. Which really what a load of responsibility that would be. Or I turn her in… Yea fuck that. I don't wanna die. Snitches get stitches around here. Plus I didn't just help her get away to turn around and fuck her over . Really I only had one option from the beginning. Or so I thought.
A cold chill went down my spine. In my distracted state I didn't notice my dangerous passenger stir, thus I was completely unprepared for the cold knife at my throat .
A bit of sweat formed at my forehead. I was stuck.
" Put me down slowly" her voice was hoarse and though she tried to hide it, I could here the pain she was in.
"Yes" I couldn't ignore her request so I set her down on her feet. She swayed a little but bared thru it with thick headed determination. The knife never moved from my throat.
"Who are you" she sounded so meek and tiny. For a moment I forgot the position I was in.
"My names is Leo" the knife pressed closer to my neck. A trickle of blood escaped my vain. I'm excited. I shouldn't be but I was. I really didn't want to know what kind of messed up mind I had to enjoy this.
" I didn't ask for your name. I asked who you where. Why did I wake up in your arms!" A light flush graced her cheeks. I didn't know if it was from illness or embarrassment .
" I saw you collapse and then my body just moved to help. I realized I couldn't leave you there. You were hurt and vulnerable" I tried to keep the shiver from my spine. I've never been in a situation like this. Years of ducking my head and being careful had left me starving for excitement. I must be insane.
"Oh?! And you're some kind of saint who just helps people from the goodness of his heart?" Her eyes met mine and her glaze turned cold.
"No, I wouldn't have helped if it was anyone else. There was something special about you" my words seemed to catch her by surprise. It didn't last long however, because her mood suddenly went from suspicious to cold.
"You just helped me because I'm a girl."
"..." I couldn't dispute that. I'd always had a soft spot for pretty girls. Like I'd said I'm sexist. There was no use denying it.
"Your an idiot." Her gaze softened a bit. She seemed to relax a tiny bit.
"You need to leave. Go home. You don't have any clue what you just stepped into." Her words where kind but they held steel in them.
"What are you going to do? You can barely stand." She seemed to take offense to that.
"Pfff." What unladylike noise. She finally stepped back and removed the blade at my throat. I could till she was still weak. Her legs seemed stiff and her brow collected sweat.
"I just need to rest for a moment, my aura is slowly coming back." Ah! So she was a huntress or at least trained like one. Civilians weren't allowed to have there auras unlocked not that it stopped it from happening.
Criminals paid top dollar for any advantage they could get.
"I know a place you can rest. How long do you need.?" I still intended to help her. She seemed to be thinking my words over. There was clear conflict in here beautiful amber eyes.
"Fine. Lead the way Leo." She didn't seem very happy. To be fair she had just been shot a few minutes ago.
"What's your name by the way?" I asked.
"Are you dumb.? I'm not telling you." She seemed annoyed that I'd even asked. In retrospect I should have expected it.
"Sorry" I lead her to a nearby park. It wasn't frequented by a lot of people due to it being so close to the slums. At this time of night there would only be a few homeless Faunus turning in for the night.
"So what's your story?" She asked me as we approached the park.
"What do you mean"
"Yea, what's your story? What do you do? Besides help strange injured women?" She spoke with mirth as a tiny smile spread on her face.
"I bag groceries before that I panhandled. There isn't really much to tell." There really wasn't. I was born in an orphanage. I ran away when I was 12. I don't remember much of my time before running away, Just always being hungry but that never stopped, hunger had been my companion till just recently.
"No family?" She asked with eyes full of understanding. I'd guess hers was a similar beginning.
"None. I don't have much in the way of friends either." Friends just met more people to look out for. I didn't have that kind of strength or selflessness.
"That's pretty sad." She smiled.
We found an empty bench and sat close enough to each other that our knees touched. She seems to be regaining a bit of color. Still she let out a little sigh of relief. It must of been an uncomfortable walk.
"What's your story" I asked hoping to finally get a bit of insight on the women I'd helped.
"I grew up here in the slums, I have an older brother who pretty much raised me. It was just us two for sometime. Then… well things change" it seemed to be a painful subject so I didn't press for an explanation.
"Why did you really help me. There has to be more to it then helping a pretty face." She asked. I could tell that question had been bouncing around her head for a minute.I let a small silence linger in the air as I thought of what to say.
"All my life I've been a bystander. I've let things happen around me as I did nothing. Always playing it safe. I'm not satisfied with this life anymore." I could tell I'd said something right. Her face lit up and she smiled with her teeth. God she was pretty.
"Thank you." She seemed to want to say more but was hesitant. She gripped the hem of her shirt. I gave her the time she needed to make her mind up.
"I'm a part of the white fang." She gazed at my eyes searching for a reaction. I didn't have one. I never had a problem with the white fang. I honestly just admired that they had the guts to do something. Even if some methods where extreme.
"I kind of figured. You have your aura unlocked plus those cute little mouse ears on the top of your head give you away." She blushed again. I guess she was the bashful type.
"Don't make fun of my ears. Mister lion tail." She whined.
Yep that's me mister lion Faunus. The lazy chivalrous type.
"Careful cats tend to eat mice and I'm the baddest cat around." She laughed. It sounded like wind chimes. Well… till she snorted. Her face freezing in a mortified expression. I couldn't help it. I definitely had a crush on this girl.
"I'm glad I helped you." My voice was warm with genuine emotion. I meant what I said. My life had been calm and peaceful but it didn't feel like my own. I was tired of never taking a chance.
"Come with me." She gazed straight into my eyes. I flinched back a little. I wasn't ignorant of what joining the white fang would be like. It really wasn't that uncommon to see recruiters around these parts.
I shouldn't just join a terrorist group because a pretty face asked me too but oh was it fucking tempting. I've lived a very dull unfulfilled life till now. This I couldn't deny but part of me had grown very attached to it.
On the one hand.. I could die but on the other hand I could get laid.
"You're asking me to join the white fang." I stated simply.
"Yes." Her gaze met my eyes. They were filled with hope. I didn't want to turn her down.
"What would I have to do." I asked trying to keep my voice Neutral. I wanted to have the option to back out if I didn't like what I heard.
"At first nothing but train. Then a few easy thing like picking things up or grunt work. Chores mostly." She explained a small smile on her face.
"Can I change my mind after I join." He asked.
"No." Her voice turned cold. Yea I kind of figured.
"I'll think about it then." I smiled at her. I was honestly flattered she'd offered. I just couldn't make a commitment so easily.
"Okay well I'll be in contact with you." She she grabbed my shoulder as he pushed herself up to her feet.
"My aura is somewhat replenished so I'll take my leave." She did look a lot better now. Her color was back and she seemed to have her energy back at least enough to move again.
"How will you contact me.?" I asked.
"I'll find you in a week." She smiled and winked before she walked off into the night.
What a freakin day. I slumped tiredly ignoring how uncomfortable the bench I sat in was. One week to decide whether to join up with the white fang. Part of me just wanted to go back to my regular life and forget this whole thing but another part of me didn't. That part of me longed for the excitement.
It was that thrill seeking little voice in the back of my head that would eventually lead me astray.