Epiphany - A Cardin x Velvet fic

Y'know what? Since Volume 5 is over, I have decided something. I want to go back to a simpler time.

So, I think I will, in a sense. I am going back to an old favorite of mine: the Cardin x Velvet fics!

Now, before we begin, I wanna preface, I might be re-using some ideas/OCs from 'Silent Pain', my original Cardin x Velvet fic. This is because I felt those concepts worked, but I bungled it up with my writing skills at the time. So, I kinda see this as a chance to do them right.

And lastly, this will take place after season 3, so that will explain why this is taking place at a place other than Beacon.

With all that out of the way, welcome to 'Epiphany'

Cardin Winchester awoke slowly, his eyes heavy and his body rattled by pain.

He glanced around, attempting to make sense of his surroundings. Instead of the lush forest he remembered being in previously, he was greeted by a wooden ceiling that was completely unfamiliar to him.

Any logical person could figure out that waking up in a different place meant they were taken there while unconscious, but even with that question answered, there was still a lot about the situation that didn't make much sense.

'What happened to me...? Where am I...? Why am I not dead...? Actually, I shouldn't be questioning that last one. Being dead would be the worst.'

Searching around the room for an answer, Cardin found nothing. He tried to call out for an answer, but before he finished his first word, it felt like a million tiny daggers in his throat. He could barely get out a syllable - much less a full sentence - if that was going to be the result.

"Don't talk, sweetie," he heard a soft voice tell him, "You wouldn't want to hurt your throat more, would you?"

Hearing this unfamiliar voice, Cardin turned his head to the left with a bit of effort, and saw a woman standing in the doorway. He was grateful for her help, and if he could have spoken, that would have been the first thing that he would have expressed.

But as he couldn't, he simply let her approach.

"You're rather lucky to have survived such a horde of Grimm." She told him as she approached, "The fact that you're still here is a miracle."

'Oh right... the Grimm horde.'

If there was ever a point that Cardin could classify as a 'disgraceful showing', it was during the battle to defend Vale. He had only been able to fight off a few Beowolves before being overwhelmed, and seeing no other option, he retreated.

But his retreat had not been a good option, because it ended up getting him nearly mauled to death.

'So this woman saved me? Is that it?'

He looked to the woman in question, and saw that she was approaching. With every inch that she got closer, Cardin was able to see more clearly what she looked like. She had brown hair, brown eyes, and...

'Rabbit ears...!?'

Indeed, the lady who had come had a pair of rabbit ears on her head. He let this fact sink in, and realized something that left him wanting to wretch. 'Does that mean I owe something to these freaks?'

"I suppose I should explain where you are," the woman told him, a soft smile adorning her face, "This is Scarlatina ranch. And as you can probably guess, I am Mrs. Scarlatina."

Cardin nodded to this, trying his hardest not to hint that he was unhappy even hearing her speak. If there was ever a time for him to not be an idiot, now was undoubtedly it. So, he simply smiled and nodded.

"Now, you've suffered some serious damage, but I'd like to ask you to try and stand up."

Cardin was going to ask why, but quickly remembered he couldn't. So, he complied wordlessly, attempting to get back to his feet of his own will. But the moment his feet hit the ground, they immediately gave out.

Mrs. Scarlatina tried to catch him, but it was clear that he was way too heavy for that, and ended up right on the floor. That combined with the pain that was running through him, he wanted to scream so hard, but was sure that would only make it worse.

"Ooh, this is worse than I thought!" Mrs. Scarlatina declared, slowly getting Cardin back up onto the bed of hay. "You wait here! I'll go get my daughter, and have her take a look at you."

The pitter patter of footsteps indicated to Cardin that he was alone once again, and that meant that he had a minute or two to think. He was going to need it to make sense of all of this.

The last thing Cardin remembered was leaving Beacon. He planned on going back home to Mistral, and luckily got onto one of the last airships heading that way. But the moment he landed, it was like the Grimm were attracted to him like a moth to a flame.

He remembered the pain of their claws, of the Ursa hitting him into the tree, of the Beowolves' bite. How he had even survived was beyond him.

'I guess I have Mrs. Scarlatina to thank for that.' He thought, more than a little relieved he hadn't died. 'Strange. She didn't really look like much of a Huntress. Hm... Scarlatina. Why does that name strike me as familiar?'

"There he is, Velvet."

Cardin was pulled out his mind at that declaration, and the audible gasp that came with it. Looking over, he saw the source of the gasp, and it all clicked in the back of his mind.

'You have got to be kidding me!' He internally screamed. 'I get saved by the little freak and her parents!? That's just cruel!'

"Do you know him, Velvet?" He heard Mrs. Scarlatina ask.

"He's a... friend from school," Velvet replied.

"I see." Mrs. Scarlatina said with a knowing smile, "Then I guess it's a good thing your father saved him."

"I guess so." She said, clearly faking a smile. "Um... mum? Do you think we could have a few minutes alone? I'm sure there is a lot I have to explain to him."

Mrs. Scarlatina nodded, and headed over to the door. "Be sure you give him a good Scarlatina welcome."

"Of course."

Mrs. Scarlatina left the room without another word, and it was just Cardin and Velvet. Alone...

'Okay, just relax, Cardin.' He tried to reassure himself. 'I doubt she is the type to hurt an injured man.' And even if she was, there wasn't much she could do to him that hurt more than getting mauled to near death.

"Well, how the mighty have fallen."

... Of course, he could be wrong about that.

Velvet walked over, a slight grin on her face as she looked to Cardin's weakened form. He couldn't really tell if there was any malice in her expression, but he didn't like it either way. He didn't like her looking at him with that smug grin.

"It's quite ironic, don't you think?" She continued, sitting on a hay bail, her smile never fading. "All this time you've talked down to Faunus, and now you need our help."

Cardin wanted to ask her what she was talking about, or tell her that he didn't need their help, but then he remembered a certain bit of damage that made that impossible right now. All he could really do was listen to her words.

"It's quite interesting the scenario we have here, Cardin." She continued, her tone almost teasing. "If word of what you did to me - or heck, to any Faunus at Beacon - got to my parents? Why, they'd probably kick you out faster than you could say 'freak'."

And in listening to her words, he noticed something very strange.

There was no malice in her tone. No arrogance, no spite, no hints of ill intent. In fact, she almost sounded... amused?

'What the hell is running through her mind?' He had to wonder. 'This is definitely not the Velvet I remember.'

"Of course, that info doesn't need to go anywhere, Cardin." She said, that smile on her face almost seeming to taunt him. "You just need to promise you won't be a jerk while recovering. Then you're free to leave us 'freaks' to our own business."

It was at this moment that Cardin truly began to wonder if death WOULD have been the better option. At least then, he wouldn't be stuck here having to meet demands.

'Oh well, no reason to go griping about it.' He reminded himself. 'I guess I really don't have a choice. I'm in no position to oppose anyone right now...'

"Wait here, and I'll get my dad to heal you as much as he can." She told him, standing back, "It won't be too much, but I'm sure he could get you to stand again."

Sucking it up and finally admitting he can't argue, he simply nodded, as she turned around and left him to his own devices.

'This is the worst!' he internally groaned, more than a little annoyed at the present situation, 'Oh, if my brother's were to find out, I'd never hear the end of it! Not only would I be the 'Runt', I'd be the 'Freak Lover'!'

And yet, he felt...

Honestly, he wasn't sure how he felt. Other than the worry about his brothers (and potentially his father) finding out, nothing about the situation really seemed too bad. He was getting free food and a place to crash until he was back on his feet. And he did tend to heal decently fast, so at best, he'd be here a week.

'I think I can survive a week of this crap. I just have to not piss off anyone. I can do that.'

But little did he know, that little mission was already a resounding failure.

'Ugh! I can't believe that bastard is here!' Velvet screamed internally, being sure not to say it aloud, lest she have her parents hear. 'Is this some kind of cruel joke!? Is the universe trying to play a prank on me!? Why does he have to be here!?'

The more she thought on it, the more it annoyed her. Sure, teasing him about it made her feel a little better, but that didn't quell her anger. To think she would have to share her house with someone like Cardin. Someone who bullied her, Jaune, and presumably a bunch of others...

'Okay, okay, just relax Vel.' she said suddenly, trying to compose herself before she went back inside. 'Maybe it won't be so bad. Maybe he'll heal up really quick and be out of our hair before I know it.'

It was when Velvet realized this, that she was able to calm down.

'Yeah, that probably is how this will turn out.' She reassured herself, 'He'll be a minor annoyance for a week or so, and then he'll be out of my hair forever. I can deal with that! And besides, I have something on him. If he tries anything funny, all I have to do is tell my parents, and he is out of here!'

She nodded upon this revelation, finally having a definitive answer on how to deal with this.

"This will be one hell of a week, but I can handle it."

She looked back to the barn where the bully resided. 'But even so, I shouldn't try to make his time here any rougher than it already is. That won't solve anything.'

Velvet knew this to be true, yet she was definitely sure that this would not be the easiest of weeks. But that doesn't change the fact that there is little she can do to change it. She'd just have to make the best of a bad situation.

"Well, if nothing else, I guess he'll remember I was a decent hostess." She joked. "And I'll remember him as that ungrateful jerk we took in for a while."

With nothing more to say, and her course of action set in her mind, Velvet walked back inside the house, and began looking for her father. Her family had noticed that she had a bit of impatience about her while searching, and it wasn't exactly like she was going to try to hide it.

She wanted this week to be over as soon as possible.

So? Like it? Hate it? Indifferent to it?

Me personally, I think it is certainly a step up from my last excursion in the 'Cardin Redemption' department, which I ended up deleting due to dissatisfaction with it. And I honestly hope you all will like it too, because the idea has been in my head for a while, and I've spent a good amount of time planning it.

But anyway, as always, read, review, all that other good stuff, and as always, I will see you next time.