Another night under the sheets, Sam felt the arms of his loving wife wrap around his chest once more.
"Sam?" Carla whispered in her husband's ear.
"Yes, my dear?"
"You saw how Hawkins killed that Beowolf, right?" Carla's finger's tensed.
Sam opened his eyes and rolled to face his wife. Planting a kiss on her forehead, he gave a short smile.
"He was pretty impressive wasn't he? I didn't expect him to have aura and a semblance to boot."
"Yes, but..." The cow Faunus' eyes closed shut. "The expression Hawkins wore when he thrust his assault in the Grimm's throat... it held no emotion whatsoever, nor disdain or sympathy on his features, he resembled a machine whose only function was to kill."
Sam nodded. "I got that impression as well. But you've seen how Hawkins interacts with those around him, he doesn't care who you are, he'll speak his mind or lie when he wants to."
"Is that the kind of person we want Jaune taking after?" Ah, so this was the question Carla wanted to propose all along.
"I can't say I approve of Hawkins' attitude, but he's his own man, Carla. We can't just take Jaune and raise him as our own, his father is alive and well after all."
"Can you say that for certain?" Carla nuzzled her face in her husband's bare chest.
"I'm always the one who changes Jaune's diapers, and we both feed and bathe him. Has that blonde man offered any assistance in regards to his son?"
Sam sighed, the lids of his eyes heavy, he rested his chin atop his quivering wife's head. "Let's not forget about Hawkins' deceased lover. Perhaps, though it's unfair to Jaune, whenever Hawkins looks at his child he's reminded of his terrible loss? Think of it as unintentional blame."
"That's... plausible." Carla pouted.
The old farmer chuckled. "Give our stoic friend some time, Carla. Tomorrow is Sunday, why don't we bring him to see the commercial district, there's bound to be a store that'll pique his interest there. Maybe we'll learn more about him on the way too."
"...If you say so." His wife conceded and closed her eyes. However, the embrace shared between the couple held firm until morning.
/-/
The birds greeted the sun and frosted dew with their songs, the stoic tarot reader found himself on the patio outside his temporary home with a giddy Carla and baby Jaune in tow.
"Say good morning to your father, Jaune." Carla whistled as she raised the child up to Hawkins' face.
"Ababam!~"
The magician turned his head to the side which earned a pout from the cow Faunus.
"Come now, Hawkins, this is your child. You'll need to spend quality time with him or else he'll become distant from you when he grows older. You don't want that do you?"
The magician opened his mouth but quickly shut it closed. If he detached himself from the trivial matters of parenthood, then Carla and Sam would surely take it upon themselves to raise the boy. Faust would probably be happier knowing the baby grew up to be a goody-two-shoes with strong morals instead of a fickle pirate-like Hawkins.
"Hawkins?" Carla nudged the silent man's arm with a curved brow.
"Hm?"
The old Faunus sighed. "There you go again, letting your mind wander without a care in the world."
The blonde shrugged. "You told me to get dressed this morning and I have, what do you have planned for me? If it's manual labor then I'm not interested."
Carla narrowed her eyes and puffed her cheeks.
"Well, I'll get straight to the point then. Today is Sunday, Hawkins, and the majority of the farmers have the day off. So, I thought it would be nice to stroll around the commercial district with Jaune."
"Commercial district?" Hawkins frowned.
"Please, be honest, Hawkins. Do you know any location on this planet?" Carla snapped.
"...No"
The cow Faunus blinked, her visage full of disbelief, she cleared her throat and apologized. Hawkins rolled his eyes and paid the woman's antics no mind.
"So, are we all set?" Sam barged through the front door. Instead of his overalls and muddy boots, he adorned a plain white shirt, black shorts with a set of leather slippers, and his trademark straw hat and toothpick.
"As ready as we'll ever be." Carla muttered. She too had slipped from her work gown and traded it for a long olive sundress with a matching white handbag, a pair of yellow slippers, and a blue feathered cap that covered her cow ears. Even Jaune was well dressed, wearing a fresh set of overalls with silver buttons.
"Alright, you and Hawkins can get a head start, I need to give a few papers to Max and the boys before I leave. I'll meet you at the northern bridge once I'm finished." Sam tipped his hat and hurried down the western road.
"That husband of mine, he's going to work himself to death if he keeps up those habits." Carla groaned and began her walk with Jaune cradled in her arms and Hawkins beside her.
"Hey, Larry, it's that damn human again." Grunted a Faunus with sheep horns.
A tall Faunus with moose antlers narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. His dark skin contrasting his bright yellow eyes and black overalls, the tall man stepped in front of Hawkins, blocking his path.
"The name's Larry, I don't think you introduced yourself the last time we met." The moose Faunus grunted.
Carla opened her mouth to settle the matter, but a stern glare from Hawkins clamped her lips shut.
The magician turned to meet the rude Faunus before him and curled a brow. "I believe Sam did that for me. Or are you deaf?"
A few snickers behind his back, Larry shot his fellow farmers a glare before cracking his neck.
"I saw you sitting like a lazy bum on the street when my friends here were getting harassed. A decent man would side with the people under scrutiny, but you didn't do a damn thing. I think that already tells me all that I need to know about you, Hawkins." The Faunus sneered out the magician's surname with a smirk.
"Your issues had nothing to do with me. If I did intervene, those men who threatened you would see it as a fellow man standing up for an inferior race. Thus painting me in the light of a hero, while the Faunus farmers would continue to wallow under prejudice." Hawkins rolled his eyes at the silent group before him.
"In that specific scenario, there was only a 34% chance that my actions would be rewarded."
His piece said, the blonde moved past the moose Faunus, but he underestimated his adversary's resolve.
"You just don't get it, do you?" Larry shoved Hawkins back with a calloused palm and almost knocked him into Carla.
"Your kind isn't welcome here, your brat included." The dark-skinned individual pointed an accusing finger at Jaune, and the baby shivered and nuzzled his head against Carla's chest in response.
"It must be nice, watching people you assume to be below at work, tending to the fields, and getting their clothes covered in dirt. Why that dainty cloak you got on probably cost Carla a pretty petty, or did you threaten her to make it for you instead? With your kind of attitude, I wouldn't put the act of threatening a poor woman past you."
Again, Carla stepped forward to protest, but Hawkins wasn't having any of it. He put a hand on her shoulder then moved her aside with an assertive, but gentle grip.
"My current attire is a gift, given out of 100% generosity. If your main goal is to amplify the downtrodden state of your wallet, then all you have to do is look around you."
"What?" Larry snarled.
"You think I'm blind? It's obvious the Faunus here are in a state of poverty. I've seen the splintered wood and rusted steel the farmers used to construct your homes. The only good structures around here are the windmills and silos, but that's probably due to the kingdom's council desiring a steady bounty of food." Hawkins' pale face steadied in intensity, and even Larry gulped at his ghost-like expression.
"Whatever faults you are putting on me, are meant for the actual people who wronged you. In this case, am I really the lower being here? Or is it you who has come at me with an angry mob?"
Larry curled his fingers and landed a swift punch to the magician's left cheek.
His boots dug into the ground, but the pale man held firm. His crimson eyes flaring with disgust and rage. Hawkins reached for his sword, but the sound of slapped flesh caused him to waver. It wasn't the magician's face that was assaulted, but that of Larry who stumbled back with a slacked jaw and reddened cheek.
"That's enough you idiotic bloke. Hawkins hasn't done any harm, in fact, he saved Sam from Beowolf not too long ago, and I'm not going to let him sully the positive image he's building either." Carla's voice dripped with venom, and despite being bigger and more muscular, Larry and his cohorts pulled back.
"Waba! Waba!" Jaune bawled, writhing in Carla's arms with flushed cheeks drenched in salty tears. The old woman gasped and silently scolded herself for allowing the innocent child to witness such a scene.
"There, there, Jaune. Everything's fine, Carla just lost her temper for a second that's all." With one last death-inducing stare directed at Larry, the cow Faunus shook her head and told Hawkins she'd be at home for the rest of the day.
"Don't do anything stupid," Carla said firmly and strutted down the path from which she came.
/-/
"Well, it looks like it's just you and me, Hawkins." Sam shrugged as the two men entered the bustling commercial district.
The magician immediately took note of the contrasting environment that surrounded him. Tall buildings made with clean brick and polished lumber, the wide roads leading to them were smooth and well defined. Not to mention the dense population that occupied them.
Contraptions Hawkins had never seen before, honking their horns and revving their engines, the metallic contraptions had people behind some sort of wheel similar to the stern of a ship, that turned the humming metal box in their desired direction.
"So, what are your first impressions?" Sam whistled as he and his blonde friend passed by a clothing store.
"It's a lot livelier than the agricultural district," Hawkins mumbled.
The old farmer chuckled. "Yep, it's a Sunday so a lot of the students get the day off. If you're hoping to visit on a more tranquil time, I'd recommend a Monday or Tuesday."
"There's an institution nearby?" The magician followed Sam's extended finger to a towering structure that dwarfed even the biggest of stores in the commercial district. Pointed roofs and elongated pillars, a light concrete pathway lined with street lights that adorned the academy symbol.
"I'm not familiar with how the school works, but it's not what you expect. The kids who go there don't just read books and learn business, they learn how to kill the dastardly Grimm."
"Grimm? Is that what you call those obsidian-colored monstrosities?" Hawkins asked.
Sam nodded. "It's said the Grimm have been around since the beginning of time. They don't care whether you're a human or a Faunus, but for some reason, they prioritize us over animals and sea life. Though, the Grimm get around to murdering them all the same. If you want to learn more about them, there's a bookstore not too far from here, and I'm sure a man such as yourself can appreciate the values of literature."
The magician dragged his feet as he strolled behind Sam. The deer Faunus leading him to a humble store hidden on the outskirts of the city.
Broad planes of tinted glass fastened by wooden outlines, the initials TBT were boldly imprinted in gold paint with the title Tukson's Book Trade written above on them. A ding of the doorbell, and the magician and his Faunus cohort entered.
"Ah, it's been a while since I've seen a familiar face. How's it going, Sam?" A muscular man with slick ebony hair and hazel pupils called from behind the countertop.
His skin fair and shoulders broad, a burgundy jacket, white undershirt, and black jeans adorned his figure as he offered a gentle smile at the pair who walked in.
"Evening, Tukson. Business is well I hope?" Sam shook hands with the gentleman.
Tukson sighed. "Unfortunately, it's been a headache trying to drum up potential sales. Another store opened up a few weeks ago, and they've held the spotlight ever since."
"That is unfortunate, but no need to lower your head, I'm sure there's a spark just waiting to ignite and put your store back on the map!" Sam beamed a toothy smile and turned to Hawkins for support, only to find him missing from the conversation.
Tukson curled a brow. "If you're wondering where you're friend went, he's in the history section."
"There's nothing here in regards to the grande-line or new world." The blonde frowned as he put back a thick leather novel.
Whatever world the magician had gotten himself into, it was far from his range of familiarity. The novels depicted Remnant as a place that depended on the elements of dust that was mined and purified to suit the everyday needs of society.
Not only that, Hawkins deduced his earlier theory of Faunus racism. The titles in this store were not afraid to explain the strife of the mistreated and fallen, and even had pictures of Faunus running for their lives while humans mocked them and hunted them like game.
"0% I'm in the grande-line or new world," Hawkins said glumly. He'd done a tarot reading regarding the matter before, but it never hurts to double-check.
His crimson eyes glancing at another section of books, Hawkins moved away from the history lessons and diverted his attention to a comic stand. Drawings of heroes with their extravagant capes fluttering in the wind, Hawkins felt his heart twitch when he found the title of his favorite series amiss.
"Where is Sora, the warrior of the sea?" The blonde muttered and picked through the muddled stacks of paper, but his efforts bore no fruit.
"This is a crime." Hawkins frowned but snagged the sight of a peculiar poster taped to a wall.
'Writing competition for ages 16 and up! The story must be at least 25,000 words and labeled for all audiences. The due date is the 31st of May at twelve o'clock sharp! The winner will also receive a free one-hundred copy publishing for customer purchase!
The stoic man browsed through every novel regarding fantasy, adventure, and crime, but nothing could contend with the legendary tales of Sora. It would be a sin not to share the amazing exploits of the justice hero with the world would it not? Peeling the poster off, Hawkins folded it neatly and placed it in his pant pocket.
"Do you sell writing supplies here?" Hawkins asked, startling both Tukson and Sam as they snapped their heads toward him.
"Yes I do," Tukson puffed out his chest and gestured to an elaborate display of pencils, lead, and anything a writer could ask for besides the main counter.
The magician nodded and left as quickly as he came, but not before adding, "I also need five hundred pages of blank paper."
He returned with a refillable pen, four bottles of black ink, and a small box of notepads.
"Here we are." The store owner placed a thick stack of paper on the counter then tapped the keys of the cash register. The total sum of Hawkins' items came to 15 lien on the dot.
The blonde's lips veered downward but retrieved the meager sum of gold coins he'd managed to save before his ship was swallowed by the sea. With the glimmering change clinking against the counter, Tukson scratched his head and gave Hawkins a questioning look.
"I'm sorry, but we don't deal in this currency."
Sam picked up a coin and squinted at the odd inscription. "Um, Hawkins, are you sure this is real gold? I'm no money expert, but I've never seen this kind of emblem."
Hawkins mentally facepalmed. Of course, his wealth meant nothing here, this wasn't the grande-line.
Without a word, the magician gathered his coins and shoved them in his pocket.
"No need to worry, Hawkins." Sam pat his stoic friend on the shoulder and withdrew his wallet.
"I don't enjoy being indebted to others." Hawkins shook his head and moved his hand to put back the items.
"Please, you saved my life, a few papers and ink are an unworthy trade in my opinion." The deer Faunus chortled and paid Tukson the required sum.
At the bell of the cash register, Sam and Hawkins bid Tukson adieu and rejoined the bustling populace on the streets. A tad peckish, the magician peered over the crowding heads to see what delicacies Vale had to offer. A pizza shop here, a sandwich stall there, the majority of the dishes that nourished the civilians were designed to be devoured in a hurry. Nothing like Carla's cooking to be sure.
"Get away from my stall you brat! You're attracting unwanted attention!" The cry of a slim man garnering the attention of many, most folks looked away with their eyes toward the sky. Few offered their condolences, but they too fastened their steps leaving a teary child at the mercy of a rude sandwich seller.
The little girl, about five years old, prostrated at the uniformed man with her hands clasped on the ground. A pathetic display of begging, Hawkins surmised. His time as a pirate instilling within him that poverty and grief wed hand in hand in the places where the government lacked influence.
Ironically, there were many instances where the world government would invoke acts of brutality and greedy plunder all for the sake of a petty world noble or self-gain.
"I won't say it again, get out of my sight!" Snarled the sandwich vendor and stomped on the poor infant's hand.
With a loud shriek, followed by a salty torrent that drenched her cheeks, the little girl scrambled off the road and into a secluded alleyway. Though any potential customers chose to avoid the sandwich stand as they wore faces of disdain.
"That son of a bitch." Sam's toothpick snapped under his clenched teeth.
"I'll be right back, Hawkins. I'm used to seeing the Faunus shunned upon, but this crosses the line. I'm going to look for the kid and tend to her wounds."
The blonde's crimson gaze trailed the footsteps of the old farmer, and once he was out of sight, Hawkins made his way to the nearest bench. Withdrawing his tarot deck, the blonde did some readings to pass the time.
"...17% chance the girl's hand is broken," Hawkins muttered under his breath. Content with his shuffling for the day, the magician pocketed his cards and shook his head.
Sam had taken longer than expected, and the once bright sun had dimmed to a mellow orange. Not a cloud in sight, the magician leaned back till his neck arched over the backrest. A cool breeze nipping his golden locks, Hawkins slowly closed his eyes and sighed.
"Captain! The admiral is right behind us!" His arms crossed, Hawkins' nails dug through his black gloves and nicked his biceps.
"...kins." Whispered a voice, though it was muted by a sudden rush of emotion.
"Flee, Captain! Save yourself!" His pale chest rising and falling in unsteady beats, a bead of sweat rolled down his chin.
"No! Faust!" A blinding line of light pierced the abdomen of his right hand, the despairing screams of his crewmates followed suit, a tremendous explosion shot Hawkins back to the world of the living.
"Hawkins!" Sam's voice rung his ears, and the magician lurched forward and coiled his fingers around the deer Faunus' neck.
"O-Oi, it's me Hawkin-rgh! please let go!" The farmer flailed and latched his hands-on Hawkins' extended limb.
A rapid blink, the fire in the magician's glare fizzled to a feeble ember. His collar drenched in sweat, the veins atop his forehead bulged as he took ragged breaths and released his iron grip.
A couple of pedestrians witnessed the sudden outburst, and a few moved to support Sam, but the old farmer waved them off, in fear of what Hawkins would do when startled.
"...Let's get you back home, alright?" Sam didn't wait for a reply and wrapped Hawkins' left arm around his shoulder. Lucky for the old farmer that his height stood at six feet on the dot, so the returning walk wasn't as awkward.
"Aba!~" Jaune parted his lips as Carla plopped a spoonful of mashed peas in his mouth.
"There you are, a nice dinner to make up for a rotten morning." The cow Faunus sighed as the last portion of peas went into Jaune's stomach.
Her ears twitched at the creaking hinges of the front door.
"Hm, those two took long enough, I wonder what they've been up to?"
The other two occupants of the household stumbled through the hallway. Carla curled a brow at the disheveled state of Hawkins but put her thoughts on hold as she still had Jaune to tend to.
"Easy, Hawkins. I'll bring you some food and water, so just sit tight and try not to pass out." Sam guided his staggering friend with a firm grip. He opened the door to the magician's room then walked him to his bed.
Wiping the sweat off his brows, Sam closed the door and made his way to the kitchen, but a glare from Carla froze him in place.
"Sam, what happened? Why does Hawkins look like he's been kicked by a horse?"
Her husband cleared his throat and adjusted his hat. "Dear, we need to talk, it's about Hawkins."
"Hmph, it's about time."
"I am not in the mood for this, Carliana." Sam's stern tone and use of his wife's true name put an end to whatever snarky insult she had for him or Hawkins.
"Alright, Samuel, I know that face. Whatever it is you want to talk about, go ahead and say it."
A flickering candle between the two, the Faunus couple sat across from each other, Sam in his rocking chair, and Carla on the living room couch. Both adorned their sleepwear, the man of the house in a simple set of gray pajamas, and his wife in a violet nightgown.
"So, what are we going to do with Hawkins?" Sam rubbed his chin with a furrowed brow.
"I don't consider him a worthy man to uphold the title of father," Carla said with a hint of venom.
The deer Faunus chuckled. "I knew you'd say something like that. In fact, I expected it."
Carla puffed her cheeks but allowed the man to continue.
"I don't think Hawkins is right in the mind, honey, earlier in the commercial district I saw him sitting on a bench."
"And what's so strange about that?" Carla quipped.
Sam rolled his eyes. "To keep a long story short, he and I witnessed an act of racism. I left to comfort the poor girl on the receiving end of prejudice, but I failed to find her in the alleyways. So, after giving a fair amount of effort, I returned to find Hawkins mumbling something in his sleep."
The old farmer took a deep breath.
"I don't know what kind of past Hawkins had, but the sorrows he spat out were a mix of hate and self-loathing. He kept bringing up someone by the name of Faust, at least that's the only name I could make out."
"Do you think this Faust person was Hawkins' late wife?" Carla asked.
Sam shook his head. "If I were to flip a coin, I'd bet on tails. Faust doesn't sound like a girl's name does it?"
His wife reluctantly nodded and sighed. "Sam, it's getting late, where are you going with this?"
The deer Faunus swallowed a lump and gripped the armrests of his chair. "I don't know what life Hawkins lived, but I can tell you that it wasn't a peaceful one. We both saw how he killed that Beowolf, and now that I think about it, the way the blonde nonchalantly killed that monster without mercy or emotion does bother me."
Carla patted the cushion next to her, and Sam skipped off his chair and sat down next to his beloved.
"However, despite his strong exterior, there's a subtle weakness that's haunting his conscience. I had Max and the others search the vessel that crashed into the bridge today, and from the wreckage, they found this."
From his pocket, a small golden locket with two crescent moons, their tips downward, was inscribed in the front.
"Does that belong to Hawkins? You should return it to him." Carla peered over her husband's shoulder with narrowed eyes.
Sam pressed his thumb against the locket's hinge, and the lid popped open to reveal a small portrait. Within it, a tall, muscular man with blonde hair adorned white armor with bronze lining, and a longsword strapped to his hip. At first, Carla assumed this man to be Hawkins, but there were too many differences to match.
The man in the picture had short moppy blonde hair that was a tint lighter than the magician's dark golden locks. His face round with gentle eyes that mirrored the ocean, his lips spread to a pearly smile as he cradled a young baby in his arms, a baby who looked exactly like Jaune.
"Sam, who is this?" The cow Faunus whispered.
"I don't know, but I don't think Hawkins is telling us the truth about him being a parent." Sam closed the locket and rubbed his temples.
Carla jumped from her seat, and Sam almost collapsed to the floor at the abrupt action.
"C-Carla? Where are you going?" The old farmer hurried after his wife as she stomped down the hallway.
In front of Hawkins' bedroom door, the Faunus couple shared a glance and nodded. Though Sam did so hesitantly.
"Hawkins, are you awake?" Carla pushed the door open, only to find the room... empty?
/-/
On the southern edges of the agricultural district, a former pirate sighed with chapped lips.
"Why am I here?" Hawkins pondered under the night sky.
Sitting cross-legged on the edge of the river, the magician narrowed his eyes at the shattered moon. Its complexion similar to a polished diamond, the blonde cast his gaze to the water as the twinkling lights brought forth terrible memories.
Faust, and everyone under his banner, were now six feet under in the land of the dead. The subtle waves knocking the riverbank, Hawkins blinked at the shimmering water as if it were an invitation. He was a devil fruit user, and if he stayed too long in its depths he'd find himself a one-way ticket to the afterlife...
Slowly rising, the magician faltered, putting a hand on his knee for support.
"Captain, watch out!" The mainmast fell, missing Hawkins by a few hairs before splintering the main decks.
"Congratulations on making it this far, Hawkins, but you'll be the first to leave." Sighed a well-dressed admiral with short, rounded black hair and amber sunglasses.
"You are no longer needed here." Hummed a daunting warlord that stood above the common man like a mountain.
His heart hammering against his chest, the magician stepped forward the heel of his boot over the river as his crimson eyes blanched.
"Hawkins!" A firm hold snagged him by the collar.
The magician's shoulders slumped, and his advance came to a stop. His gaze drifting to the owner of the hand, Hawkins said nothing as Carla's brown eyes bore into his.
"What are you doing out here? Sam and I have been looking for you for hours!" Slick moisture dampened her fingers, Carla meekly tilted her head and balked at the somber visage of the weary blonde man.
Were those... tears?
"H-Hawkins?"
His teeth grit and his skin absurdly pale, Hawkins' demeanor was the epitome of desperate dread.
"Why am I still alive...?" The magician trembled.
Shook to her core, Carla's muscles fell limp, and her eyes darted to the deep river where Hawins' feet were pointed to.
"Hawkins..." She slowly shook her head and wrapped her arms around his wet and wrinkled cloak. Oddly enough, the blonde didn't reject the action, but he didn't really accept it either. He simply let it happen as if to say he didn't care.
With the warmth of her embrace enveloping the weakened man, Carla stiffly lifted her head to meet the magician's hollow eyes.
"Let's... go home... okay?"
/-/
The night passed its youth, Carla and Sam shared the living room couch once more in deep contemplation.
"So... are we still going to kick Hawkins out?" Sam clasped his teacup with an iron grip. The warm water seeping into his clammy palms.
Carla rested her head on her husband's shoulder.
"I... Hawkins tried to commit suicide, Sam! I-I don't think I could live with myself if I abandoned him now!" The cow Faunus wept.
Sam put his cup on the coffee table then wrapped his arms around his wife. He weaved his quivering fingers through her white locks as she buried herself in his chest.
"It seems Hawkins' spirit is hurting a lot more than we anticipated." The deer Faunus hummed as Carla continued to sob.
"I-I've never been so scared in my life!" Carla practically shouted and furiously shook her head.
"I-If I hadn't found him when I did, Hawkins would have been a corpse carried down the river, never to be seen again! H-How would I explain all of this to Jaune?! Oum, to lose his true and adoptive father at such a young age, I can't imagine such a thing!"
The corners of Sam's eyes grew moist.
"Easy there, Carliana. We shouldn't jump to conclusions just yet. Hawkins probably isn't Jaune's father by blood, but perhaps an honorary uncle? The man in the locket and our stoic man both have blonde hair, though I admit that's a bit of a stretch."
The ticking clock setting an uncomfortable pace, Sam let out a long sigh.
"How about you and I take a few weeks off the farms? Get to know Hawkins more, and see if we should notify the authorities of his whereabouts?"
"...Hawkins doesn't seem like a cruel man he did save you after all... but he isn't afraid of using violence that's for sure." His wife muttered, the vivid memory of Hawkins's face when he stabbed a Beowolf flashing before her eyes.
Carla blinked, lifting her head from the confines of Sam's embrace to wipe away her tears. "But we can't abandon our duties, Samuel, the summer harvest is coming and we'll need every hand available to fulfill this year's demands."
"I'm sure the boys and gals can manage without us, besides, we can't let Hawkins do as he pleases, or else he might try something again."
"O-Okay..." Carla said through hitched breaths.
/-/
The door to the magician's room creaked open, and a hesitant foot passed through.
"H-Hawkins?" Carla whispered, so softly she assumed her words were merely a thought.
Heavy breaths filled the room, and the Faunus' eyes veered toward the source. Carla sighed and gave a short smile at the sight of Hawkins.
His golden locks splayed around him in an unruly manner, Hawkins' chest rose and fell, but did so at a controlled pace. However, his nose scrunched and eyes forced shut, the magician's hand gripped his bedsheets with an iron grip.
Carla pulled a chair from the desk by the window and sat down near the bedside. Both Sam and Jaune had called it a night, but the old woman had her own vendetta that she needed to fulfill. She rose a shaky hand and rested her palm atop that of Hawkins.
"I'm... sorry for the things I may have said or done." Carla tapped her fingers and loosened the blonde man's hold.
Their hands now entwined, Hawkins' mournful expression softened and a fraction of his stoic demeanor returned. Carla curled a brow but continued to massage the magician's hand.
"I know you're hurting, but I don't know why. Maybe, if you'd be willing to give me another chance, we could get to know each other?"
"Basil... Hawkins..."
Carla blinked, her fingers loosening around the magician's clammy palm.
"P-Pardon?" She stammered.
The heavy lids over his crimson pupil's lifting, Hawkins turned on his pillow and stared Carla face to face.
"Sam told me I needed to give you my full name to stay here." He wheezed.
A soft chuckle that quickly shifted to rambunctious laughter, Carla clutched her stomach and tightened her grip around Hawkins' hand.
"You know, while your tongue is less than desirable, the blunt delivery of your honesty surprised me. Alright, Basil Hawkins, welcome to the agricultural district of Vale. Your new home..."
*Farmland Arc. End.*