A/N Decided to write my first ever one-shot.
Contains Mercury/Emerald.
He ignored the hollow feeling in his chest as he faced his ex-partner in crime. Staring into those piercing red eyes of hers almost made him shudder, but he couldn't show any emotion. Not now.
If only it hadn't come down to this, him against her. Perhaps in another world, she was on his side, the side he now deemed as right. But he lived in this world, this world of unfairness.
He couldn't ask her to fight with him. He just couldn't. In his heart, he knew that she was just going to say no.
She said no.
His signature cockiness disappeared from his heart when his pleas for her were rejected, torn and burnt into ashes. She had always been so stubborn. Her stubbornness and her loyalty became her downfall, dragging her down into the deep dark void that he couldn't get her out of.
Maybe if he had been strong enough. Strong enough to pull her up, knock some sense into her. But of course, he couldn't. He never could. This was the world he lived in now.
Weiss dragged Emerald out of the metallic cage she was imprisoned in, the latter pushing her away with a scoff.
"I can walk for myself."
His shoulders tensed at the sound of her voice, dry and sarcastic, but musical to his ears.
He remembered how she had scoffed, shoving Mercury away as she backed further into the deep depths of Cinder's hand. He remembered how he had shot back angrily, only regretting them the moment they had escaped his mouth.
He remembered her look of betrayal, when he had chosen to fight for Vale. The second he saw her face, he knew she couldn't forgive him. He had tried to convince her again that day, but she obviously said no. He tried.
He just wasn't strong enough.
"Oh? It it's not the traitor."
Mercury's heart throbbed again, his heartbeat pounding loudly in his ears. Despite the hurt inside him, he smiled out to the hunters, throwing his arm as if to show her off to the world.
He didn't want to show her off. He wanted her all to himself.
"Hunters! I present you, Emerald Sustrai, Master Thief!"
He remembered how she had scowled at his teasing, except now there was no sign of distaste. That was her title now. That was what the hunters called her now.
The cheers of triumph was supposed to be uplifting, but Mercury only felt despair. Why did it have to be him? Why did it have to be her?
In another world, maybe.
"You know why you're here," he spoke between his teeth, the mask he wore for the years that had passed. Ever since that day.
"I do. But do you?"
He remembered the last time he had encountered her like this. She was always twisting his words, making him say something he didn't mean. That had cost him too much in the past. It cost him her.
If only…
He remembered the day he confessed to her, both sitting at the Beacon cliffs, away from Cinder and Torchwick.
It was their place, their place of silence. The place where Cinder's plans had been completely wiped from their minds. It was only them and no other.
He remembered how she smiled, a smile so kind and caring. It was strange to see it from her. It was stranger to hear her laugh, a beautiful sound that rang through the air.
How much would he give to hear that sound again? To watch her sitting quietly, her silky minty green hair moving softly in the wind? To kiss those soft lips again?
He wouldn't. He wouldn't give anything.
Because he wasn't strong enough.
He didn't deserve her, but he wanted her. It might seem selfish to others, but those thoughts somehow made sense in Mercury's mind.
"You can't trick me again, Emerald."
It hurt. It hurt to say her name. It hurt to resist to say her name over and over again, pronouncing each syllable like it was the name of a god.
In some ways, Emerald was a god.
"Can I?"
"No. You can't."
Emerald drew closer, almost bringing Mercury to his knees. She had always smelled like mint chocolate, and it seemed like she hadn't lost that. He wanted to drink it all in, and push away anyone who threatened to take it from him.
But once again, he wasn't strong enough.
"Remember when you said you loved me?"
Mercury swallowed, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead. She was breaking his mask, the glint of her eyes cracking his resolve.
He heard murmurs of doubt, discomfort perhaps.
"I still do," he whispered.
The murmurs grew louder, turning into shouts and yells of protest. She was drawing closer now. They were breathing the same air. The mask was well and truly broken now.
Then the sounds stopped. Everything stopped. His heart, his brain, his everything. Because she was kissing him.
He wanted her. He needed her.
Her hand drew up closer to his back. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.
This wasn't right. He didn't want whoever this thing was.
But it was too late, her blade plunged into his back. He choked, falling to his knees. Emerald knelt down with him.
He expected her to say something. Something like he was stupid to trust her again. But there was no sign of evil in her eyes. Only the look of wonder and wanting. An impossible wish.
And then she was gone, replaced by the hardened personality given to her by Cinder.
He would've gotten up after her, chasing after her to say that it wasn't impossible.
But of course,
He just wasn't strong enough.