Commissioned oneshot for WayWard Arc from Tumblr.
Qrow Branwen was one of Ozpin's most powerful and trusted allies. His methods were brutal and efficient, his alcoholism not hindering the raw power and skill the man had. Jaune would be lying if he said someone like this man could be a valuable asset to have around.
If only he weren't such a huge ass.
"You have no idea who you are working for, kid."
Jaune scoffed as he blocked the scythe's blade with his sword. He managed to separate the man from Goodwitch and Ironwood, but those two would catch up with them soon enough. He needed to end this as soon as possible.
"You are one to talk, Branwen," Jaune scoffs as he takes some distance away from the huntsman. Rounds fly, booming through the air as Dust-infused bullets rip streets and walls apart and into ashes. Qrow dodges expertly, but he is unfocused. Too concerned with whoever may fall in the crossfire. "You serve Ozpin yet know nothing about the man. You are just his attack dog, fighting on the wrong side of history."
Qrow uses an opening to attack. The opening Jaune left specifically for the man to see - a nice little trap. Channeling Aura through his muscles and joints, the blonde soldier crashed the butt of his rifle into the man's wrist. A momentary shock is enough to kick the weapon out of his hands and push the man away. He levels his weapon and gets ready to shoot.
When he feels the air fill with magic.
Not of the Maiden or the Relic, but something far more powerful. Something so much worse.
His eyes travel to the crumbling tower of Beacon. And sees two arcs of silver light.
They say that when you come back from Hell, you leave something behind. Some men left their souls on the battlefields. Some lost their wills to live. Jaune used to think that the war took away his ability to feel.
Turns out he wasn't as heartless as he thought.
"Cinder!" he feels his chest burn and his mind grow foggy with panic. That lasts for briefly a second before he forces himself to take control of his emotions. His eyes narrow behind the visor as he stared Qrow down, "You are in luck, Branwen. We'll finish it next time."
Having abandoned his fight against Qrow, he ran to the tower the moment he saw the silver light. He cursed Watts' incompetence as he climbed the tower. The man called himself the master of all spies. He prided himself on knowing every single detail of value to Salem's plans. So how did he miss the Silver Eyed Warrior amongst Ozpin's students?
If Cinder died because the damn scientist failed to check for Silver Eyed Warrior, not even Salem would be able to protect him.
The top of the tower was in ruins, two figures lying unconscious.
The Rose girl.
And Cinder.
A part of him - much colder and more rational part - told him to deal with the girl. To kill the girl now and eliminate a threat. Silver Eyed Warriors might have been powerful against the Grimm and the Maidens, but inexperienced ones were just as vulnerable to the bullet as anyone else. Just one shot and one less obstacle in Salem's way.
"J… Jaune…"
He recognizes the voice instantly, though it is merely a hoarse whisper. Cinder struggles to get on her feet, her left side burnt and bleeding, her entire left arm beneath the shoulder gone. The ravenhaired Maiden stands barely for a few seconds before collapsing onto the ground. He runs up to her and realizes instantly: Cinder Fall will not survive for long. Not if nothing is done shortly.
Down below, he can hear the voices of Rose's teammates. Out in the distance, he can hear the White Fang losing their battle.
Soon, they will be here. All of Ozpin's soldiers will gather in this place to save the Silver Eyed Warrior. He still can put a bullet into her head and run. For all their powers, the bearers of Silver Eyes were still human. It would take just one bullet and a few seconds.
But if he did shoot her, then he would only cause her friends to chase after them. Her uncle and sister would definitely not let go until they have avenged the girl. Shaking them off would take time. And with Cinder's condition, every second was of essence.
The cold and rational part was shoved further down into his mind. The Silver Eyed Warrior and her friends could wait. They would meet again soon and then be dealt with. Their numbers low and despair reigning across the whole school, they could end up food for the Grimm by the morning just as well. Yes, exterminating them could wait. The whole world could wait.
Cinder could not.
"What is going on?" Emerald screams over the sound of dying battle. Her eyes grow wide in fear as she sees the current state her savior is in. "W-What happened to her?"
"I will explain later. We need to her out of here. Now," he stressed his words, shaking the illusionist from her stupor. Her concern for Cinder is touching, but no when it might cost her life. "Where is the Bullhead?"
The roar of the engines cut Emerald off. Mercury doesn't greet them, busy at the wheel of the vehicle. And though no words are said now, Jaune promises himself to thank the silver-haired assassin properly.
As they get inside, Cinder passes in and out of consciousness. Her eye is dull and lifeless, her breathing heavy and torn. She reaches for his hand. Jaune grabs and holds onto it. In that moment, even before he starts to use his Semblance on her, he can see some color return to her skin.
Until they arrive back to the Grimmlands, both refuse to let go of each other's hand.
DKJ
In dreams, you had no control over what you would see. In dreams, all the power she so desperately fought for was gone and she was a victim to nothing but her own brain. Cinder Fall hated dreams.
If impotence and lack of control over her dreams wasn't bad enough, whenever she slept, she had nothing but nightmares to see. Her worst fears crawled out of the boxes she shoved them into and spread across her dreams like virus. She was powerless, helpless and defenseless in her dreams.
Now those dreams became her reality.
She finally had the power of a Maiden. She had finally transcended the limits of mere mortals. And now, with all that power in her blood and bones, her body was too weak to wield it. As strong as the world's sharpest blade in the hands of a novice.
She roars, fire escaping her fingertips. It breathes. It grows. It spreads. It dies. Not with the mighty roar it come alive with, but in a tiny pathetic whimper begging to be allowed a few moments more. And in that fire, she sees her own life flash past her.
Born out of and into nothing with a cry of triumph. Like the flames from her hands, she grew to hunger for all that she saw. And now, just as she was about to get even higher, she was dying. Slowly and pitifully.
She growls, much like a wounded animal she felt she was. The noisy thoughts and doubts are pushed aside as Cinder struggles to get back on her feet and resume training. Her body cries out in protest but she ignores its pleas. She had already lost a week lying around in her bed. She needed to recover as soon as possible.
Salem didn't tolerate failures or delays in her plans.
Cinder knew better than disappointing their Queen.
She forces her body to obey. She pushes the magic through her flesh and bones, gritting her teeth at the seering pain. No power comes without the cost. Without sacrifice, no victory was ever achieved. And so he sacrifices her health and her sanity as she trains, hours of pain numbing her body and mind to everything but her mission. Her sole purpose in life.
She huffs and pants as he body trembles with fatigue and pain. The room is cold yet she still can feel the burning on her flesh. The burning… The blinding light of silver…
"No…" Cinder whispers, trying to suppress the memories. But a momentary doubt is all that it takes for her body to freeze in horror and anguish. She remembers it all. Every single little detail of the girl's attack. She can feel every single cell of her flesh that has been burnt and eated away as if by acid. "Noooo!"
Fueled by hatred and rage, the fire emerges from her palm in a giant wave. The walls and the floor are scorched and smoking. The fire no longer dies pitifully. Yet something is still missing from it. As Cinder looks as her treambling hand, she instantly knows what it is.
Fear. Weakness. Doubt.
She almost forgot what those things were. Whenever she unleashed her flames, she had no doubt those who fell victim to those were gone. She carried the power with each step, confident in that her very presence instilled fear and respect in the hearts of those around her. But that damned huntress took it all away.
Without as much as lifting a finger, Ruby almost took her life. What's worse, from what she had heard, the girl had no control over that power in the slightest. Cinder, who has spent her entire life training and perfecting her skills, was almost killed by some inexperienced child!
She feels her breath hitch and grow ragged. The air in her lungs burns and her heart threatens to burst through her ribs and chest. She feels weak. What's worse, it is the weakness with all her power in hands. All those years of training… All the sacrifices she had made… And none of it was enough. She was nothing. She was not worthy. She was… She was…
"Cinder."
Cinder looks up and sees the face, full of grief and strange warmth. Jaune rarely removes his helmet, opting to be ready for battle at any moment. He always said that being battlready at any second saved his life. Him not wearing it by her side - thus exposing his vulnerability to her - has always been a sign of trust between them. A rare thing among their circle, where everything was built on respect for power and fear of retribution.
Though not unwelcome.
She tries to speak but her throat burns as if each brush of air tears her vocal cords into shreds. Traitor tears well up in the corner of her still healthy eye, only fuelling her rage further. Cinder Fall did not shed tears. Tears were the sign of weakness. So she never would-
Jaune's fingers brush away the tears before they fall. His hands wrap around her, pulling her into the embrace. How long has it been since someone held her like that? And for no reason other than make sure she was okay? How long has it been since she did the same to someone without any ulterior motive? Not to fool them into a trap or kill them at their weakest?
But just to feel that mysterious warmth not even her fires could compare to?
"Everything is going to be alright."
She knows that he cannot know that. Jaune is a genius when it comes to tactics but even he cannot predict the future. She has learned it from the past.
She knows that those promises are as sure as their fates. The promises are fickle and are easily broken. She has learned it through the pain.
Still, despite herself, Cinder believes Jaune's words. Not because she has any reason to. But simply because she wants to.
She struggles to remember the word for this feeling. The word 'Hope' has long since been erased from her mind as anything good or right. Hope was like water and light for despair to thrive. Hope's only purpose was to bring people higher before crushing them into dust. But with Jaune…
She could allow herself to hope.
That everything would be alright.
DKJ
Days pass as Cinder is slowly recovering.
They couldn't save her arm but she will get better. Even without her arm, she is one of the strongest people Jaune knows. And he has no doubt that, as always, this loss will only serve as a lesson in the long run. Cinder was a survivor, just like him. And whatever didn't kill a survivor would only make them stronger and more vicious.
For now, she needed to gather her strength.
"Breakfast in bed? Who says that chivalry is dead?"
Watts grins as Jaune stops in his tracks. The tray with fresh salad, beef stew and a few biscuits with black tea is laid carefully on the floor. "Did you want something, Arthur?" his voice dropped a few degrees in temperature. "Or are you here just to stand in the hallway and act like a tool?"
Watts continues to smirk, all but inviting Jaune to rearrange the man's face. As the man continues to stand silent, Jaune opts to focus on something that is actually important. He is ready to leave when Watts opens his mouth.
"Serving our little girl her last meal, perhaps?"
Jaune doesn't lose his cool. If you lost control over the snide remarks and petty insults, you didn't last long in the warfare. It doesn't stop Jaune from trying to put thr disgraced scientist through the wall, however. He just does it calmly, showing about as much care about it as one would show to a fly. "You better watch your tongue, Watts."
Jaune's tone is even and doesn't betray his emotions. Though the shit-eating grin on the disgraced scientist's face makes it much harder for Jaune not to ram his fist through it.
"And you better start thinking of your future here, boy," Watts chuckles, as arrogant and smug as ever. "Cinder's failures continue to mount. Her impulsiveness keeps bringing far more harm than she is worth. And with her current state of body and mind… Well, she is bound to make even more mistakes soon."
His eyes narrow as his smirk grows even wider.
"So you should choose your allies carefully, Jaune," Watts sounds almost sincere. Almost as if he can care for anyone but himself. "It would be a shame to see you dragged down by that impulsive girl."
Jaune looks Watts up and down, scooping out all that he knows about the former Atlas top scientist. He quickly remembers why the man like him was brought in the Salem's inner circle.
Watts is a powerful man. Not in terms of his skills and experience as a fighter, but moreso as a mastermind and information broker. He has spies all across Remnant. Every single rumor. Every single sighting. Every single piece of knowledge and information Salem might need. All of it and more is within Watts' reach. He could be useful as an ally and twice as vicious as an enemy. Getting on his bad side was a bad idea.
Too bad Jaune didn't give a rat's ass about any of it.
"Oof!" the man whizzes as the air is knocked out of his lungs. Watts might be strong. He might be even scary to all the people he has blackmail on. But Jaune knows better. The man who has to hide behind coercion and manipulation is hardly someone Jaune should fear. "Why you little-"
He doesn't give him the chance to get up. Jaune has no interest in prolonging this confrontation. All he wants right now is to make his position clear to that mustached manipulator and be done with him. He doesn't hide his disdain as he presses Watts' head against the cold floor, "We both know that Cinder is times the warrior you are or could ever be. That's why you are so desperate to undermine her at every opportunity."
Watts glares at him, silently commanding him to stop. The command he hardly cares to even acknowledge as he continues, "Sooner or later, you are going to lose whatever value Salem sees in you. And when she no longer needs you, we both know whom she will be sending for your head."
He knows that Watts glares at his back. He knows that the man thinks about shooting him in the back right now. He also knows that the man doesn't see it as worth the risk. Too afraid of what Cinder could do. Too afraid of consequences to act. So with a scoff, Jaune turns to pick up the tray and bring it to Cinder.
As he passes the halls, a rational part of his mind voices concerns. Back on the battlefield, they never relied on emotions. Not as much as Jaune has been doing lately. Each soldier had a mission. And the accomplishment of said mission was their top priority. He would burn the world black and bathe it in red of the blood as long as his task was complete.
So why had it become so much harder to disregard anything unrelated to his mission now? Could it be that Cinder was becoming a liability? Could his attachment to her be making him weaker?
His mind goes back to the Fall of Beacon. How he could end Qrow and eliminate one of Ozpin's most trusted agents. How he could kill that Rose girl and no longer worry about Silver Eyed Warriors. Both times, he was one round away from taking out a major player and advancing Salem's plans further.
And both times he let that chance go because he was too concerned with Cinder. Was he compromised as a soldier? Was his emotional attachment making him weaker?
"Jaune?" a quiet raspy voice asks. "Is that you?"
She is lying on the bed, her face covered with cold cloth. She had pushed herself too far. Her body, still weak and frail, couldn't take the stress. At the sight of Cinder - so vulnerable right now - those traitful thoughts are shoved deep into the corners of his mind. Without much said, Jaune changes the cloth for her and serves her breakfast.
As he takes care of the Fall Maiden, Jaune reminds the cold and rational part who Cinder is for them. She is not a liability. She is too strong and too ambitious to ever become one. Too much of a survivor herself to compromise their safety and mission. Yet she is no asset either. She is not someone to use and discard.
Then who is she?
That is the question Jaune still struggles to answer. His heart, blackened by the horrors witnessed in war, is still unsure of who Cinder Fall is for him. He knows he will die for her. He knows he will live for her. He knows that the world may burn for all he cares, as long as Cinder is safe and happy.
He just doesn't know what to call this feeling yet.
DKJ
Weeks passed since the Fall of Beacon.
While Watts, visibly humbled and only quietly resentful, regularly updated their group on the events across Remnant following the destruction, Jaune often found his mind wandering towards Cinder and her wellbeing. Only recently, the raven Maiden had Salem forge the Grimm flesh onto her. Despite even Salem's advice, Cinder started training with it right away.
Much to Jaune's chagrin.
"i think that's enough for today, Cinder."
Her breath is heavy and ragged. Her body is frail and trembling. though posessing the power of a Maiden, her injuries are still too fresh to be ingored. She needs her rest. She needs to recover.
Cinder doesn't listen.
Instead, with every time she is thrown onto the ground, the fire in her eyes grows. She refuses to ackowledge her weakness. She refuses to be seen as frail even when it is true.
"Cinder, I said that's enough."
He knows that it is the news of Ruby and her friends that angered her so much. Thye snide remarks by Tyrian and Watts hardly help. She is feeling inadequate. She feels as if she is falling behind.
All the progress they had achieved is destroyed by two petty and arrogant men under Salem's employ.
"You need to rest, Cinder."
She lunges at him, her Aura reserves exhausted and her magic unstable. Instead, she resorts to fists and silent screaming. It becomes clear to him. It's not just being seen as weak. It is being seen as weak by him that she despises the most. She hates being looked down. And sadly, she can't the difference between condescendence and genuine compassion that comes her way.
Jaune promises himself that he will teach her to tell the two apart.
The moment he wraps his hands around her, she falls quiet. She soon resumes the struggle against him but no longer as forceful or aggressive as she was a few minutes ago. He can feel her lean into his embrace. Her hands, trembling and hesitating, slowly return the embrace. They are sitting just like that, quietly holding each other as they allow their weaknesses come forth.
Cinder is still a human. She might be a Maiden. She might now be half-Grimm. But she is still a human. And no human ever chooses the life like hers for nothing. Her past is filled with bitter tragedy and burning hatred. Her desire for power only comes from living for years without it.
Jaune no longer sees himself as a human. He is a machine, built out of the corpse of a boy and forged in the fires of war. His hands are stained with blood - both innocent and guilty. What makes him feel the closest thing to fear is the realization how he cares less and less about taking lives. Not out of necessity, but rather out of convenience.
They are both damaged. Both are broken beyond repair and redemption. Neither Jaune nor Cinder will ever get to live normal lives. No, they had lost a shot at normal years ago. But… As long as they had each other, it hardly felt that bad. As long as they could embrace each other liks this, they could live.
Not a perfect simple little life. But the life they knew. The life where they were together.
And they wouldn't trade it for any second chances or retries.
DKJ
Cinder's gotten stronger, Salem observes. Not just in raw power or technique. No, her new strength is the different kind of power. One that you cannot train or steal. One that only someone else can give to you.
Her mind is clear. Her actions are precise and sharp. Yet she never falls for bait or trap set up by her adversaries. She no longer lets the pride cloud her judgement. As she observes the training, Salem sees their newest member show a bit more emotion than usual. A being as ancient as Salem doesn't take long to put two and two together.
"Your control is improving," Salem gave a light praise. Something people rarely earned, even in her circle. "Quite soon, you will be strong enough to go after the Spring Maiden."
She watches Cinder's reaction, prepared for the outburst and eagerness to come after her now.
But none comes. Instead, Cinder bows and thanks Salem for her compliment. The Queen of all Grimm is pleased with the new attitude. And as she observes her disciple, she sees who had brought such a change.
When she found Jaune, she saw something resembling Ozma in him. A strong and noble man, with so much to give to the world. But just like disease had claimed her lover, the war on another realm had stripped away his naivety and hope. He was, in many ways, the Ozma she wished to have. Someone who could see how rotten and ungrateful the world was and sought to change it for the better.
Salem had long since lost any semblance of humanity.
But every time she looked at Jaune and Cinder, a small bit of warmth found its way into her heart. She might not have gotten her happily ever after, but if Cinder was lucky to have one, then she would not interfere.
All as long as they didn't put their desires before hers.
DKJ
Raven Branwen was a woman Jaune might have admired at some point in life. She was strong. But she also knew her own limits. Even with Maiden by her side, Qrow's sister knew better than fighting against Salem. Unlike her daughter and niece with their colorful group of little heroes.
"Enjoying the view?" Cinder asks evenly, though he doesn't miss some edge to her tone. Neither does he miss the amused smirk Raven gives at Cinder stepping a bit closer to him. "Don't forget what purpose Raven has for us."
He remembers. Raven, just like her disciple Vernal, as useful as they could be, will serve only as the key to the Relic in Haven. It was a cruel truth, but no less real. As soon as they had their hands on the Relic of Knowledge, both huntresses would be taken care of.
As they are shown where they will sleep till the day of the attack, he notices how rigid Cinder is in her moves. They have beaten the bandits easily. But her recovery is still far from over. "How is your arm?"
Cinder turns away, refusing to give him a look at it. "It's fine."
He doesn't push further. Cinder hates admitting her weaknesses. And so, instead of prying and making her ask for help, Jaune simply gives it. His hands rests on her shoulder, their Auras linking together as he fills her with his power. The fatigue melts away. The aching in her bones and flesh grows faint before fading away entirely.
She sighs with relief, though not really showing it. Her gratitude is never open. Never with people watching. It is only natural for her to conceal and deny any weakness or flaw. She wants everyone to know that she neither wants nor accepts anyone's help, even his.
And Jaune understands it. He honestly does. He knows how hard she had worked to achieve it all. And he knows how hard Watts watched her for any sign of weakness. How, for all the bravado and prideful facade she had put forth, the scientist's snide remarks stung her. So Cinder has to be strong. She has to avoid admitting weakness or ackowledging the need for anyone.
So Jaune accepts it all with a smile.
He silently supports her at every step. He never mentions it and never lets anyone see him do it. As far as everyone is aware, Jaune is simply a silent attack dog, ready to jump at anyone his mistress tells him to. But he never feels unappreciated or unwanted. Because he sees it as his responsibility. Cinder doesn't just accept his help without any sort of reward, however.
And come the night, he feels her gratitude.
Both of them know how deadly exposing your weakness can be. They both have learnt it from getting burnt in the past. Both of them barely escaped with their lives, the lesson of always staying strong burnt into their hearts and minds. So they always live on the edge, forever careful. Always watching every step and gesture. But with each other, they can be free.
"Do not move," she whispers, her breath scorching his neck. "Just enjoy the moment, my little Guardian."
Cinder is fierce and dominant as she is set on proving something. To both him and herself. She wishes to drown him in passion and make him miss how insecure she has grown over her scars and burns. Her motions are seductive and filled with the burning passion, but they also are done to distract him from her scars and burns. A lesser man would ignore it, instead focusing on the pleasure the woman was giving to him.
But Jaune doesn't. He cares too much about her to let this go on as it is. As Cinder is set on proving her point - that she is just as powerful and beatiful despite her scars, Jaune sets out to prove his own point.
"W-What are you doing?" Cinder moans despite herself as Jaune returns her passion with his own, his hands roaming and exploring every inch of her flesh. He doesn't speak but lets his actions do the talking. The way he moves against her. The way he reaches for and embraces her gently.
His soft kisses and longing looks. All to remind her that she shall always remain the fairest of them all for him. He kisses her scars, gently making sure to shower each fiber of burnt flesh with his love.
"Stop it," she hisses through the moan. "You don't have to do this, Jaune."
She tries to pull away, embarassed and unsure. She thinks it is a joke and mockery of her injuries. His insistance to continue makes those thoughts perish.
Their bodies link and melt into each other, in the hungry feast of flesh and desire. Their touches burn the skin. Their eyes bear into the other's soul, wishing and begging for more.
There are no words or games or masks or power plays. Just two people who had spent their entire lives denying themselves such closeness to another person. Years spent fearing the dagger in the back were now being made up for as the two embraced their inner primal urges and desires.
Come the morning, it will be back to normal. Back to playing cold-hearted and power-hungry monsters in steel and silk. Back to the masks. Back to instilling fear and commanding respect from all those they come across.
But for now, they are just man and woman.
For the night, they are free.
DKJ
Raven is strong. Terrifyingly strong. Her mastery of Maiden powers is beyond Cinder's and it shows. As the two Maidens fight, Jaune can only provide the assistance from distance. His rounds do a good job distracting the bandit queen, but she still refuses to go down. As much as Jaune hates admitting, his best use right now is acting as the support for Cinder.
His Semblance had advanced past the need of physical touch. And he pushes it to its limits as he gives every bit of his Aura to give Cinder an edge over the Spring Maiden. As he links his Aura to hers, he can feel all that she feels. The rage against the woman who had fooled her. The frustration with how she has to fight for the power she deserves. The hunger for the Relic that Salem desires so much.
And fear.
The fear of failing Salem is everpresent and nothing new. But this fear is the one that Jaune had been working so hard to eradicate in Cinder's heart. It is the fear of death. Raven is strong, so much stronger than Cinder and Jaune combined right now. And all three know it. Cinder is afraid that she will die. And that fear makes the memories of the Rose girl crawl back to the surface.
He doesn't let her bear it alone.
Not again. Never again.
"What the-" Raven shields her eyes as two flashbangs explode in front of her. The momentary distraction is enough to give Cinder time to gather her bearings and remember who she was. She was Cinder Fall, the future Maiden of All Seasons. She was not a victim or prey. Not anymore. Not with Jaune watching her back. "Cheap tricks, Fall."
And yet they work. He strikes from shadows. Always moving. Never seen.
As the fight goes on, however, it becomes clear that they cannot win. Raven is far too strong for them for now. He pleads with Cinder to leave. But she doesn't listen. In the end, Raven proves him right. Her blade slashes both of them across their bodies before trapping them in ice with her Maiden powers.
As they fall into the abyss, their bodies growing colder with each second, their eyes meet. Cinder asks for forgiveness. She feels ashamed of letting her hunger for power be their downfall. Jaune, in return, promises to better help her next time.
'Next time?' Cinder asks silently. 'This is the end for us… There will be no next time…'
'There is. Always will be,' he reaches for and grabs her hand. 'As long as we are together… Not even death can claim us…'
The eye fully encloses them. Their hearts stop. Their breathing is gone at the exact same moment.
As they fall into the abyss, their hands are linked.
DKJ
In his dreams, Jaune always sees the same picture. A peaceful world without war. It is not an ideal world. No world without war can be created without sacrifices. He bears the scars of all the battles it took to bring around the change the humanity was screaming for.
But now, in his dreams, he is not alone.
Cinder is by his side, scars and all. Even in his own dreamlands, the world no other soul would ever see, he would never see Cinder other than what she was. Her scars would never be ugly to him. They were the proof of what she had gone through. The badges of honor that showed what she could survive through.
Their days are lazy nowadays. No more wars to fight. Only some petty bandits to chase whenever they feel they are getting rusty. The peace makes people complacent but Jaune is fine with that. As long as there are no wars, why spent time fighting?
As the evening comes, he cooks their dinner. Each ingredient cooked separately to its absolute perfection. It takes time and more effort than even some professionals give to their dishes. But for Cinder, there is no such thing as unnecessary work.
They speak of the old times. They laugh at the silliness of their past and talk of the days to come. The world is safe now. Cinder is content in his dreams. She is happy with her lot in life. And as long as she is happy, Jaune feels no anguish either.
But this is not Cinder he knows. Not the woman he loves.
"Please, stay."
This is the first time this Cinder shows anything but peace and tranquility. Jaune wonders why she is so desperate to keep him here. Is this the Death wishing to keep another one of the people she had claimed here? Or is it his own desire to remain here, where all is calm and well and no wars exist?
It doesn't really matter. In the end, Cinder needs him out in real world. And because she needs him, he will be there.
DKJ
Cinder hates feeling weak. More than that, she hates the feeling of powerlessness.
"Jaune, wake up!" she hisses as she uses her magic to keep him warm. She has melted the ice but his blood was frozen solid. She had survived it only thanks to being a Maiden herself, the advantage Jaune simply didn't have. And Gods only knew how long they had been frozen before she woke up. "I swear to Gods, Jaune, if you leave alone, I will…"
What would she do? And why would she want to do that?
Even if Jaune died, it wouldn't change much. She still would have to find the Relic and claim the Spring Maiden's powers for herself. And though Jaune's help would make things much easier, when it came to the big picture, his presence didn't change much for her. She had been alone before. Before recruiting Emerald and Mercury, she often worked on her own, not relying on anyone else.
So why was she so afraid of going back to that? Why was she so desperate to save him?
"C-Cinder…?"
In the end, it doesn't matter. She doesn't care why she wants to save him. She doesn't want to know what purpose he should serve. All that she cares for right now is making sure he stays alive. That he remains by her side through it all.
"Shhh, rest for now, Jaune," she whispers, trying to remember how he got her to calm down all those times before. Their roles are switched now, but the desire to protect each other remains all the same. "Don't you dare move. If you die on me, I swear I am going to kill you."
He chuckles at her, something she usually would punish for. But before she can think up any appropriate punishment, he coughs up blood, restarting the panic in her heart. Her powers may have saved him from freezing to death. But she couldn't thaw all his organs perfectly. And with his Aura this low, he wouldn't live to see tomorrow.
And he knows it. A small sad smile spreads across his lips, "I am sorry, Cinder. I wish I could have done more."
He sounds ready to go. Yet unwilling to do so. She curses and grabs his arm. He looks at it in confusion before his eyes widen in the genuine horror, "I am not doing this, Cinder!"
Her eyes narrow and she hisses, "Now is not the time to be stubborn, Jaune. You have to absorb my Aura."
His Semblance - the Flow of Soul - allows him to share his Aura with others. He could amplify Semblances or simply heal the injuries normal Auras couldn't heal fast enough. But the opposite was just as possible. He could drain those he touched of their Aura, healing himself.
But he had yet to do so without killing those people. In battle, he relied on this destructive aspect of his power to quickly dispatch those he had no interest in fighting. It made him deadly. Oh so deadly.
"Jaune, you have to do this."
Cinder's voice doesn't leave any room for argument, but he still refuses to accept her hand. Jaune turns away, refusing to meet her gaze. He is afraid. Jaune doesn't fear death. Instead he fears leaving her alone. But that fear is nothing compared to the idea of living without her. The idea of being the cause of her death.
"Jaune-"
"No!"
"Jaune, you have to-"
"I said, I won't do it, Cinder. I-"
The words die in his throat as he looks in Cinder's eyes. Always so sharp around the enemies. Always so full of power and allure when facing those beneath her. But now those amber orbs are filled with pleading tears. Cinder knows the risks. She knows that she may be throwing her life away. She knows it and doesn't care.
"Jaune," she grasps his hand and whispers, "Please, take my Aura. I promise you, everything will be alright."
The words echo in the back of his head as he recalls saying the same thing to her. She trusted him back then. It s only natural that he does the same now.
He summons forth his Semblance, letting the imaginary tendrils of his soul wrap around Cinder's hands. he keeps his breathing even and calm, keeping his emotions contained. He doesn't let his fear take control. He doesn't allow fear to command the life he is holding in his hand.
"I know you won't hurt me."
And by Gods, he doesn't. He feels his injuries fade and power return to his flesh. But he also feels something different. Something he had never experienced during past times he drained the power from others. He feels a small piece of Cinder's soul enter his own. Not the same way Aura courses through his veins, but something much stronger. Something much rarer.
Exhausted and spent, the two of them fall asleep, their souls now linked forever.
DKJ
The morning comes. And with the rising sun, the two are ready to set out on their mission. There is no doubt Salem knows they survived. But since neither Hazel nor Tyrian are waiting for them, it is clear the Queen of all Grimm doesn't plan on letting them back without the Relic in their hands. And with Cinder holding the Fall Maiden's powers, if they are not her allies, then they are targets.
Not that they planned to remain as such for long.
"Are we good to go?"
Jaune looks over their supplies. They have enough food and water to last them their trip from Haven to Argus. The money they had stolen from whatever bandits and huntsmen were unfortunate to comes their way would buy them the necessary information on where the Rose and her group had gone.
"Yes, we can go."
Cinder smiles, "Good."
She doesn't say much more. He doesn't either. And though to an outsider, the two would look as distant and cold as ever, those who knew them well would see the invisible bond between them - much stronger than it was before.
They had gone through so muc together and now they know that there is no force that could separate them. Whatever challenges the future holds, they will face those on and triumph.
Because Jaune would always be there for Cinder.
And Cinder will always be there for him.
And together, they would make the world whatever they wanted it to be.