Chapter 40

READ THIS.

First of all I'd like to explain why I haven't been posting recently. So I had an injury earlier this year that caused a lot of problems and ultimately needed surgery. Since the surgery was really last minute, plus a bunch of other stuff, I was unable to post for a really long time. The surgery affected my arms and I haven't been able to use one of my hands for a very long time. Now that I'm allowed to move my arm on its own, at least for short periods, I should be able to write to some degree.

Before this it was nearly impossible to write properly with one hand, and Word's dictation function is more infuriating that anything else.

This is a personal issue so I won't go too much into it, and I hope you guys still want to read my new content.

On another note, I have started writing my own fiction novel. It's surprisingly hard to come up with good content, mainly because I keep questioning what I decide to put down, like what's the point of this scene? What's the purpose of this character? Is there a purpose to this dialogue? What kind of character exposition is this giving. Why does my writing sound so juvenile?

I think too much about this I guess. At the moment I have written five chapters, but I've planned about 30 chapters ahead. I suddenly understand why it takes writers 2 years to make one damn book, and I will no longer complain when I finish one and the second book says summer 2020 or something.

On a separate note, I think I'll only write at best five chapters for their journey to Mistral. No need to drag things out, and season six is out already.

'Ow.' Jaye muttered; the water steaming as it poured over his head. He sighed, touching the scars on his legs and back. Most of his wounds from the Fall were already gone, but he'd gained two extra scars from that. He touched them, feeling the freshly scarred skin sting under the hot water. He turned down the temperature, grumbling to himself. He stepped out of the bathroom, tousling his hair dry.

'How's the leg?' Kamina asked, and Jaye shrugged.

'Pretty normal. Doesn't hurt anymore, but it's still a little weak.' He chucked the towel into the basket by the bathroom door. 'Where's Indigo?'

'Dunno, she said something about cosmetics and just ducked out.'

'Cosmetics?'

'Yeah man. You know, the shit they put on their faces.'

'Since when does Indigo wear cosmetics?'

'She's a girl you know. You've experienced that firsthand.'

'Dude, not appropriate. Are you sure she said cosmetics?'

'Yep, positive.' Kamina kicked his feet up on the table. Jaye scratched his head, grabbing his swords from by the door.

'I'm going to go check on her.' He said, yanking the door open. He glanced down the hallway, ensuring it was clear, before slipping quietly to the staircase. He paused at the head, checking the restaurant below. Not spotting any distinctive features, he slid out the front door, peering out onto the street. He swore audibly, grabbing the nearest ledge and pulling himself up. Climbing atop the roof, he ducked behind a nearby chimney, keeping out of sight. He scanned the town quickly, spotting a flash of purple down an alleyway. He leaped off the building, charging after it, and slowed to a halt as he heard soft voices from the other side.

'So, why's the biggest information broker in the Vale faction coming to little old me for?' A black-hooded man asked. 'Surely you've got plenty of people running information by you, why the sudden need to see me?'

'Because I don't have anything about Mistral. Or the other kingdoms. To each their own, remember?' The deep, electronic sound of Indigo's voice modulator sounded from the purple hood. Jaye hugged the wall, pressing his back into it. 'You're the biggest information broker in Mistral. I'd wager you're here to pick up some information regarding the recent attack on Beacon. And I can help with that.'

'I'm sure you can,' The man laughed devilishly. His voice suddenly cut low, and he crossed his arms. 'So, what're we talking here? I give you the information and what, your partner silences me so the Mistral Faction won't know you're coming?'

'You're assuming I'll be attacking, or be attacked by them?'

'Last I heard, you've been working with little old Jaye bird. If that doesn't put you on the Faction's shit list, I'd be very surprised.'

'Maybe. But that's my concern, not yours.'

'Of course, it is. Fine then, what's the deal?' He asked, and Indigo raised a small thumb drive in her hand.

'This is all the details of the attack on Beacon, including the people involved. And I mean everyone; the White Fang leaders behind it, the assailants, and even a large portion of the Faction leaders that either supported it or stood by and watched it happen.' She gripped the thumb drive in her fist. 'I know how valuable this is.'

'Well now!' The man laughed heartily, slapping at his thigh. 'You're willing to give all that up in trade. Now I can't possibly take as much valuable information as that, assuming it's legit, without giving back equal in return.' His eye twinkled. 'That means you're after something important I know. Bad choice sweetheart, you've played your card and I haven't even shown my hand. Now I know how bad you want what I have.'

'True.' Indigo wiggled the drive. 'But your bluff isn't going to drop the price. We both know that despite coming here, you've wound up with a whole lot of nothing. Anyone here that could have given you information is either dead or fled back to one of the other kingdoms. And civilian information can hardly make you a buck.' She pocketed the drive. 'I think that puts us on equal footing again.'

'Ahhh, you got me.' He said raising his hands into the air. 'Alright then, what do you need?'

'I need to know who in the Mistral Faction is siding with the White Fang and Cinder's group. I need to know how many of the leaders we can trust, and who might be possibly looking to take control of the Vale faction now that we're so broken up.' Indigo said, and he shrugged.

'That's an awful big request. It'll take me at least a day to get everything, and I might not even have confirmed info on all of it.'

'That's fine. I'll take what you have.'

Fine by me. We meet back here in two days, 8PM.'

'Deal.' Indigo pocketed the drive. 'I'm keeping this first. As insurance.'

'Wouldn't have it any other way.' He raised his hands, turning daintily on his heel and stalking down the alleyway. Indigo watched him until he rounded the corner, before turning and slipping out the opposite side.

'I know you're there Jaye, you might as well come out.' Jaye rolled his eyes, stepping out from behind a nearby dumpster. 'You suck at hiding.'

In The Room

'Why didn't you tell me you were doing this.' Jaye crossed his arms. Indigo shrugged, placing a small paper bag on the table.

'Because I didn't know I would either. I just so happened to spot him on my way back to the Tavern. I had no idea he was here.' She placed a hand on her hips. 'I'm honestly in the dark here.'

'Then what were you doing outside? Why would you lie to Kamina about buying cosmetics? We both know you don't use any.' He accused. Indigo raised an eyebrow, reaching into the paper bag and pulling out a case of foundation.

'Oh.' Jaye said, rocking on his heels. 'Sorry. But wait, why the sudden need for powder?'

'Whatever, I'm going to bed.' She turned and headed inside the bedroom. 'Kamina, join me once you're done.'

'Righto.' He called from the couch. He was currently eating popcorn, watching a movie on the tv, chewing the snack noisily.

'Where did you get that popcorn?' Jaye asked, raising an eyebrow. Kamina shrugged nonchalantly.

'Dunno.' He said. 'It just sorta happened.'

'Right.'

'Cool. Anyways, you can take the couch.'

'Oh thanks. Then where're you gonna sleep?'

'On the bed.'

'But there's only one bed, and Indigo's on it.'

'Yep.' Jaye opened his mouth, the words not coming out, and Kamina got up and stretched. He tossed the empty bag into the bin, grasping Jaye by the chin and pushing his mouth shut.

'Since when were you two a thing?' He said, finally, and Kamina shrugged.

'We're not. She just hates sleeping alone, and I needed a place to crash when I was hanging around Vale.' He patted the boy on the shoulder. 'Plus, she could use some company now, since you're such a daft idiot.

'What did I do?'

'Nothing. That's the problem.'

'That doesn't make any sense.'

'Sure it does. You're just too dumb to realize.' Kamina said crossing his arms. He lowered his voice to a whisper. 'Haven't you realized she's been crying herself to sleep at night?'

Jaye froze, the oblivious look stuck to his face, and Kamina raised a hand.

'Okay, yeah. I get it.' He sighed. 'Honestly you can be such an idiot at times. She's been buying foundation to mask the bags and puffiness.'

'I thought she was over it.' Jaye said, scratching his neck. 'She said she was fine.'

'And that is exactly the problem.' Kamina grabbed the boy by the shoulders. 'You are absolutely the WORST at reading emotions. And I mean seriously, the worst. Like, you are so bad at it, that you couldn't tell someone was sad until they completely broke down and killed themselves in front of you. And even then, you STILL wouldn't know why they did it.' He sighed, shaking the boy. 'The point is, if you'd bothered to pay attention, you'd have been able to tell over the past MONTH that she has not been okay. In fact, having you around probably made it worse. Why do you think when you were healing up, there were nights when she never came back?'

'I thought I didn't have the right to ask where she was going.' Jaye said sheepishly.

'Oh, but now you're asking her why she did that earlier without telling us?'

'Well, I mean, it's been a few months! I didn't think I had the right to do something like that when I was mooching off her hospitality.'

'You still are. She's paying for most of this you know.' Kamina slapped a hand into his face. 'Look either way, it's your fault, but at the same time it's not. Just be a little more considerate of her in the future.' He clapped the boy on the back. 'Look at it human. When you left the Faction, you left her by herself. I was dead, Damian is Damian, and you were being an asshat. She went through all of that alone. She's incredibly strong for making it this far by herself, but there's always a breaking point.'

'I know.' Jaye said, and Kamina shook his head.

'No. You don't. Imagine this, she lost me, then after that, had to spend ten months thinking you were dead. The moment you contact her, it turns out you've got another girl. How do you think that feels?'

Jaye slapped himself mentally. With all that had been going on, he'd never even thought to think about it that way. Kamina gave him a knowing look.

'She's not an easy girl you know.' He said. 'She didn't see a single other guy for those ten months you went missing. Now I can't blame you for falling in love with the blondie, things were always a little out of our hands. And she knows it too.' He wiggled his ears. 'But you're not making it any better by acting like you have.

'When I popped back into Vale what, some six months ago? We'd been staying together ever since you turned her down. Not once have we had sex. Not even comfort sex.' He winked at the boy. 'Think about that. I'm going to bed. Night.'

'Yeah. Night.' Jaye clenched his fists, standing stock still on the carpet. He watched the bedroom door close, kicking gently at the carpet. He dropped across the sofa, grabbing the blanket and pillow that had been placed there for him, and swore as he saw the popcorn crumbs dotting the casing.

Inside The Bedroom

'Hey, that hurts a little you know.' Kamina chuckled, stroking the auburn hair buried in his chest. Indigo rubbed her face into his shirt, squeezing him tighter around the waist. They were lying in the queen-sized bed, under the covers, and Indigo was crying into his chest.

'I'm sorry. I shouldn't be doing this.' She whispered, releasing the faunus boy. Kamina chuckled, placing a hand on her cheek. 'We've been friends for too long, I can't put you through this.'

'It's fine.' He said, stroking her hair. 'It's precisely because we've been friends for so long that I want to go through this for you.' He leaned down, wiggling his ears into her face. She laughed softly, placing her fingers on the furry appendages. 'You always were the more intimate type.'

'I'm sorry. I'm sure it's hard, being in such an intimate situation with someone like me.' She said, playing with his ears. 'You've been holding back a lot. I'm sorry.'

'Don't be.' He whispered, wiggling his ears in her hands. She giggled, and he smiled to himself. 'I'm more concerned about you.'

'I'm such a terrible person.' She whispered, letting go of his ears and rolling onto her back. Kamina looked up at her, and she covered her eyes with her arm.

'I told him I was over it, but here I am, crying myself to sleep, holding on to some semblance of hope that it'll somehow not work out for him. That I can be with him again.' She turned back to the faunus boy. 'I'm a terrible person, aren't I?'

'No, you're not. It's normal to feel jealous.' Kamina gathered her into his arms again. 'It's not easy to get through this. And I don't expect it to go away so fast. But you two will get through this. I know it.'

'Thank you.' Indigo whispered, closing her eyes and burying her face into his chest again. Kamina sighed, holding the girl close to him.

'You'll get over this. We'll all be fine again. You'll see.' He said, feeling her breathing slow beneath him, and he closed his eyes.

'You'll see.'

End. I hope the comforting scene didn't feel too sexual. Honestly, that was not what I was going for.