Shadows: A Tauradonna Collection
Drabble: Runaway
Rating: M+ for mature themes
Summary: Young couple Adam and Blake run away from Menagerie, their home, to get a new life in the human cities. However, an unfortunate event makes them split their ways. What will happen when they don't have each other to keep them stable?
Author's Note: It's been a long time. Adam is completely gone and dead from Remnant's storyline since his death. Nevertheless, the hiatus and the expectation for Volume 9 made me return to old Tauradonna stories that I didn't get to publish. I know that I was a regular writer in the Shadows Tauradonna Collection, but let's not lie, since Adam died it all stopped. I hope there's still someone that is willing to read this. If I have the chance, I will keep on finishing the drafts and maybe writing something bigger with some Tauradonna implied at least.
I also changed my user name! I'm still Frozenheart7 but I decided to use my real name as it sounds better. Besides, I'm a grown-up now and I can do whatever I want with my identity. You can find my social media in my profile. I've uploaded Tauradonna art to my Deviantart and soon I will have a new cover for this Collection!
Stay tuned!
The young and inexperienced yet daring faunus sneaked his hand under his girlfriend's skirt. He made her lay down on the grass and kissed her neck as he climbed up her body. In response, she placed her hands on his back while gasping with each stroke on her skin under the skirt. Eventually, she explored his body too, each finger tracing his abdomen and demanding kisses. Taurus' fingertips reached the lace of her underwear and sensually brushed them against the warmest part, making the cat faunus moan.
Their picnic date in the Belladonna garden couldn't have started better. The young faunus were in mating season and their novice instincts were just starting to wake up with the arrival of spring on the island.
The bull faunus chuckled when heard his partner's soft whimpers as he stroked her sensitive center.
"A-Adam! My parents will see us!" She yelled, opening her eyes and realizing that they were still in her garden.
Taurus just growled and kept teasing her, not letting her lean forward and sit. Blake grabbed his wrist but in response he pinned her hands up her head, immobilizing her.
"Doesn't it make this more exciting, my love?" He growled and slowly kissed her neck up and down.
"Yes…" She confessed
Blake leaned her head back and let him have her, with a grin damning his charms. Adam just knew all her weak points and how to seduce her. He let go of her wrists and made her snuggle into his neck. He clutched her in his arms and kissed her forehead while stroking her raven mane.
"I love you, my darling." He whispered to her cat ear.
"You know I love you too but if you keep teasing me that way I will just make you mine." Replied Blake playfully.
"You marking me? I don't believe you, my love. You don't have the nerve to…" Before he could finish, Blake nailed her fangs on his neck and sucked his skin, creating a small hickey that would show the other female faunus that he was taken.
Taurus chuckled, seeing how his innocent and shy partner was always braver. Sometimes he didn't want to push her because she was younger but this time he had the permission to mark her as well.
"Where should I bite first?" He asked, leaving her neck exposed for him. "Not there, that's too risky and your parents could see it… How about there?" His hand was placed on her lap, one of his fingers sneaking between.
Blake blushed, thinking that he was joking. But then, he grabbed her ankles and put them on his shoulders and started a trace of kisses from the feet to the inner thigh. Blake giggled, feeling his tickly breath on her thighs and his tongue eventually licking the spot. It was then when the happy couple heard someone behind them clearing his throat.
The cat faunus sat on the grass as soon as Adam let go of her ankles, watching before them the Chieftain of the island, Blake's father. He was clearly angry and the cat faunus' face was red in shame.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Belladonna." Greeted Taurus politely.
"Having fun today, Mr. Taurus?" Ghira growled.
"Every second beside your daughter is pleasant." He replied back and Blake discreetly hit his back, silently advising him to choose his words carefully in front of her father.
"I couldn't help but notice how touchy you were. You two are in my house and I'd appreciate some respect while being here." Ghira insisted.
"Of course, dad. It won't happen again." Assured the daughter ashamed.
The chieftain of Menagerie nodded and left the garden, returning inside of the house but keeping an eye on them while reading the daily paper news. The couple sat on the grass and Blake gave Adam one of the sandwiches she had prepared for their romantic picnic in the garden. Outside, in the uncrowded areas such as the desert, it was too dangerous to go on their own so they had to stay in the big garden of the Belladonna manor.
Blake sighed, not hungry, and dropped the sandwich back inside the basket. She laid down on the grass and stared at the blue sky. Taurus observed her while eating.
"Are you alright, my love?" He asked, concerned.
"I'm tired of hiding, I want to live freely. I just wish to get out of here. Menagerie is like a jail for faunus, the human kingdoms see us like monsters and criminals and here we are doing nothing despite being on the White Fang branch of the island." She explained.
It wasn't the first time that Blake talked about equality between the humans and the faunus, expressing her wish to do more and end the injustices. The young cat faunus desired to leave Menagerie and start a fight on the human kingdoms by demanding respect. Adam felt the same, she told him all of her thoughts because knew that he was the only one that would understand her and would give her advice despite his own thoughts and wishes.
However, this time, Adam didn't tell her to think for a while and wait to be a legal adult. He was tired of being on the island too and wished to go to the big cities and enlist on the important branches of the outside world.
"We could leave if you wish. Tonight." He proposed.
Belladonna stared confused at her boyfriend and sat, facing him. He wasn't joking and she knew it because Adam had been planning for a while to leave the island but wanted to wait for Blake to be a legal adult and leave with her due that her parents didn't allow her to leave the island for now.
"I don't know, Adam…" The cat faunus replied. "Are you saying it for real?"
"Don't you want to fight for our rights, love each other freely, start a new life?" Adam tried to convince her as he knew he was close to a 'yes'.
"Of course I want to, but…" Belladonna couldn't stare at Taurus while denying his petition. "I want to be sure about everything, not going to the city and having to improvise. I'm scared of that…"
The bull faunus held both of Blake's hands and placed them on his shoulders. He pulled her closer and made her stare right into his eyes so his words were clear:
"You want me to promise you stability? Safety?" Blake nodded, not sure about what Adam was capable of in order to convince her to leave Menagerie. She was about to find out. "Would our wedding vows be enough assurance?"
The cat faunus stopped breathing, her heart skipped a beat and her eyes were open in surprise. Such an important proposal seemed to come out of Adam's mouth easily but his face showed her that he was taking each of his words seriously.
"You mean… Getting married." Belladonna said, assimilating what Adam just said before.
"If we marry in the human kingdoms we will be tied together. If something happened we would be sent back to Menagerie together." Adam assured, stroking in circles Blake's finger where a ring should be placed. "I promise that I'll take care of you. Nothing bad will happen."
Belladonna let go of Adam and tried to think for herself. She loved Adam and he loved her too. In Menagerie her parents were too busy making the island safe for every faunus that wanted to stay. But what about her? She wanted to explore every inch of Remnant and fight for freedom along with Adam and her brothers and sisters from the White Fang. In Menagerie she was useless. But was she willing to risk everything she had and her own safety to travel to the human kingdoms and fight for her species?
"Tonight wait for me under the tree palms near the docks. I'll try to collect money and wear light luggage." Belladonna sentenced.
"Is that a 'yes'? To everything?" Taurus said with a huge smile on his face.
"Yes. I want to stand by your side." The cat faunus said, mesmerized by the beauty of pure joy on Adam's face and eyes.
The bull faunus couldn't help but embrace his fiance with so much enthusiasm that they ended up lying on the grass. He kissed her face, ignoring Ghira's previous warning. He felt Blake's joy too in the way her fingers sank in his shoulders while kissing. They would be free together at last.
Nevertheless, the romantic moment didn't last long. The sprinkler suddenly started to water the plants of the garden and soon they were wet to the core. They had to interrupt the kissing and when Blake turned to see who had activated the sprinkler found her father with arms crossed over his chest and an unsatisfactory smile. Once Adam noticed him staring at both of them, leaned back and freed the cat faunus from his embrace. Only then did Ghira turn off the sprinkler.
Blake kept her promise and met her fiance in the moonlight past midnight when the last boat sailed to the human kingdoms. She had spent her last afternoon on the island having tea with homemade cookies with her mother. She also wrote an extensive letter to both of her parents explaining all her reasons to leave the island and the comfort of her house. She wore medium luggage with all the clothes she needed at least for a week and some photographs of her family. On a secret compartment of the bag she had hidden the money she had been saving during her life and some more liens she could find in her parents bedroom. As much as it hurt her they would need all that money to find somewhere to live in the human kingdoms. Luckily the White Fang would have quarters where trainees could stay or that's what Adam told her about how the other branches worked in human kingdoms.
Blake saw Adam returning from the dock office with two tickets to travel in his hands and their documentation. He kept all they needed safe in a backpack he was carrying and returned beside his fiance.
"Everything is in order. We can go aboard now." Taurus said, pointing at the big ship they would be traveling.
"Let's go then." Belladonna said with a mix of excitement and sadness on her stomach.
She stared at Menagerie lights while walking towards the ship. She would miss the wildness and the warm climate of the island. Her family and all of the comforts she had since she was a child would be left behind. Adam knew how it was to live in the human kingdoms but that would be a new experience for Blake.
Adam held Blake's hand as they stepped on the deck of the ship. She made the intention to want to stay there and look how the island disappeared in the horizon but. Nevertheless, Adam pulled her towards him to continue.
"What is it?" She asked, wondering why they couldn't stay on the deck admiring the landscape as the other passengers aboard.
"You'll miss my surprise if you want to stay here." Taurus said, the urge in his voice.
"A surprise?" Blake asked intrigued.
"You'll only know what it is if you come downstairs with me." Taurus teased.
Belladonna couldn't resist the temptation and followed Adam, leaving behind the sight of the island. As they went downstairs to their cabin the horn of the ship blared and the engines started. The ship was officially leaving Menagerie but the happiness was greater than the sadness of leaving her homeland. There was no turning back and she had to learn to live in the present.
The couple arrived at their cabin. Blake left her luggage on the floor and stared at the number in gold. That wasn't an ordinary cabin.
"You got us a honeymoon cabin?" Blake asked, amused by Taurus' surprise.
"That's not all. Wait here." He said, grabbing both of his bags, disappearing behind the door quickly to prevent Blake from seeing the inside.
Taurus left the bags inside the closet and admired the romantic ambiance of the cabin. His hand traveled to his pocket where he had been keeping something very special, part of the surprise. He didn't stay long inside the cabin and got out to not leave Belladonna alone for so long. Before she could pass inside their cabin Adam stopped her, getting on his knees and holding her hand.
"Adam?! What are you doing?" She said watching how he took out a small velvet box from his pocket. "You didn't have to buy me anything."
Taurus ignored her words and opened the small box for her. Inside there was a silver ring with a small pearl. It wasn't the most conventional ring but it had belonged to Adam's mother and he wanted Blake to have it. All he did was bring it to the jewelry store to clean the dirt and dust from all the years after his mother's death.
"I love you, Blake." He said, putting on her third finger the ring his mother once wore. "Be mine, please." The cat faunus couldn't breathe but nodded excited.
Taurus stood on his feet again and embraced his sweet fiance, who was speechless after everything. She didn't seem to believe everything that was happening. Her heart pounded hard while thinking about the future ahead beside Adam. It was like a dream come true.
"Can I enter now?" Belladonna asked, dying to see what else he had prepared for that night.
Adam bent down and placed his arm under Blake's knees and another on her back, lifting her bridal style. She let out a small scream of surprise but immediately held onto Adam. She closed the door behind them and observed the romantic atmosphere of the cabin. There were candles everywhere and some artificial rose petals on the bed, contrasting with the white bedsheets. It was the sweetest thing he had ever done.
"This is… magical." Blake sighed, mesmerized, having no words to describe the room.
The whole scenario was breathtaking. Taurus' proximity made Blake get dizzy, perceiving the male scent that she loved so much. Both knew it was time to consolidate their relationship as Adam advanced towards the bed. He searched for consent in his girlfriend's glance and made her sit on the bottom of the bed. Then, softly, he pushed her backwards, watching how her body sank between the bedsheets. He admired her beauty, making her blush because of the long staring and then he climbed on top of her, caressing the raven mane spread all over the couch.
"You have no idea for how long I've been waiting for this moment." Belladonna confessed, opening her arms for him to join her body and become one during a night of burning passion.
Those days aboard the ship flew quickly. The couple had all the time for themselves and only rarely Blake felt sadness for leaving behind her family. Adam really made her happy and she trusted him and his promise. He would never betray her, she was sure and believed that Taurus felt the same for her.
The routine on the ship was repetitive but both gladly enjoyed it. Waking up almost being midday, going upstairs to eat on the buffet, returning to the cabin to sleep some more, in the afternoon having a bath in the deck's jacuzzi, it was during those hours that was empty. And finally, getting ready to have dinner in the ship's buffet. Being all of that done and arriving at midnight, they both would return to the cabin and love each other for hours.
Almost a week passed by and from the deck Blake and Adam along with the other faunus passengers could see the first hints of land nearby. The sea was clean and wild, the waves being a silent cradle for the ship that continued advancing. It was a sunny day, perfect for a new beginning, a new lifestyle in another kingdom.
"This is it, Blake. Our life together begins today." Adam said, his hands on her hips, pulling her close to his body.
"So, what will be our first stop?" Belladonna asked, curious because Adam seemed to have a perfect scheme for their new life together.
"We will be visiting High Leader Khan." Taurus sentenced. That didn't seem too romantic so he continued: "She will give us support and someplace to live while we serve the faunus cause."
Belladonna nodded in agreement and stared at the horizon, the land coming closer and closer to them. However, it was them that were going to the land and not the other way.
"Let's go pack everything. We have to make sure we don't forget anything." Taurus convinced Blake, who was mesmerized by the sight of the land. He had to pull her waist to unchant her from the breathtaking sights and return to their cabin to prepare everything.
In a matter of an hour, the ship arrived at the docks. The land was soon filled with the faunus that had traveled from Menagerie. Blake and Adam descended from the ship and stepped on the land, trying to breathe between the busy crowd. The full amount of people squashed the petite cat faunus who tried to follow her boyfriend's steps. However, it was a difficult task as she was carrying her luggage and the people who moved forward to enter the ship hit her backward.
Suddenly, the luggage slipped away from her hands. Somebody had pulled it and her amber eyes saw the silhouette of a man stealing her purple bag. She hesitated for a few seconds about going after him or not. Inside her bag she had her passport and documents of vital importance. She couldn't let go of that thief freely.
"Hey! My bag!" The cat faunus yelled and ran between the crowd, trying to localize her stolen luggage.
Belladonna got out from the crowded area to another were only humans were waiting for their own ship. And in the middle of that human-exclusive zone, she saw her purple luggage. The cat faunus didn't care about breaking the rules. She avoided the security guards and entered the human perimeter to retrieve her strayed bag. Without hesitating, she pulled her luggage, ignoring some human screams about a faunus sneaking in their exclusive zone.
However, another hand got a grip on the purple bag. Blake's glance crossed with a human girl's. She seemed wealthy, hair perfectly combed, dressed in white clothes and wearing an expensive bracelet.
"That's my bag." Belladonna tried to explain but the human girl started to yell, calling the police and asking for help.
"Help! Somebody call the police!" And in a blink of an eye, Blake and the girl were surrounded by the dock's security guards.
Because of Belladonna's faunus traits, the men didn't even bother to hear her hurried explanations. Between three guards got a hold on the faunus as she tried to explain herself.
"My bag was stolen!" Blake yelled as the human girl made an offended tantrum.
"This is my luggage, sir." The blonde human explained, pointing at the purple bag that was identical to the cat faunus'. "You are free to check inside if it is necessary." She added in a polite accent.
The security guard carefully opened the bag with the human's authorization. Belladonna's eyes got open in fear as she witnessed how inside of it it was filled with expensive clothes similar to the ones the girl was wearing. It was obvious that the bag didn't belong to a faunus like herself. It all had been a confusion and Blake's luggage was nowhere to be seen.
"Somebody has stolen my bag. It looked just like hers." Belladonna complained at the two guards that were restraining her arms.
"Explain that to the police." One of the guards replied.
The cat faunus' mind traveled back to her love's words. They weren't officially married yet but if two faunus were together they had to stick together in these cases too. Adam had promised that he would protect her. However, during the search of her luggage, she had lost him as well.
"You can't just arrest me!" Blake complained as the guards started dragging her. She saw no solution, yelling and being criticized by others didn't have any effect, she was insignificant in that human world.
Her desperate yells didn't even have an opportunity to echo among the crowd so hopefully a pair of more sensitive faunus ears could hear her. However, she kept resisting and fighting like Adam would like her to do. Only time would tell her that all of that would be useless.
His arrival at Mistral's main White Fang headquarter was expected. However, everybody was surprised that Taurus had arrived late and alone. He refused to talk about it and asked High Leader Sienna to send him to duty as soon as possible. Loneliness had been tormenting him since Blake had disappeared, or left him, he didn't know what to think. And just for that, to avoid thinking of her, the bull faunus dedicated each inch of his body to the faunus cause. He trained and when he didn't, he was either at a rally or at a mission. His hard dedication made him be promoted soon, something that with Blake he wouldn't have achieved so quickly. But he drowned the pain at work and it marveled everyone. His passion and drive inspired others to follow the High Leader's path and join the White Fang.
Time after time, he ended up standing next to Sienna's throne as her lieutenant. He was where he was supposed to be, at first lines of the faunus fight. He was not afraid to shed blood and do what the others hesitated to. That was why the High Leader promoted him to be her right hand. The night after his official promoting act, Khan called him to her quarters. He did as she asked, another quality she liked of him was not questioning orders. Or making more questions than necessary. So, he showed up late at night.
"Adam." Sienna greeted him, opening her dorm door for him. She was dressed in an informal attire, a silky pajama that flowed with her silhouette. "Come in."
The bull faunus did so, and she locked the door. He followed her as she sat on the sofa of her room, more like a whole apartment in a single room. She served him a drink from her personal selection and both sat down on the velvety sofa.
"It was about time you took some time to relax." Sienna casually spoke as he accepted the glass of liquor and left his weapon, Wilt and Blush, to one side.
"Evil has no rest." Taurus joked, trying to figure out the tiger faunus intentions of her invitation. Sienna ignored his commentary.
"I wanted to discuss something with you." Khan started, sipping some liquor from her crystal glass. "Your excellent work deserves more than a silly promotion. I have been thinking about sending you to Vale, to command our branch there."
Sienna thought that new would give the bull faunus some happiness. Well' in fact, she expected every other reaction than the one he had: just stay quiet and nod, submissive to her wishes.
"If that's what you want, High Leader." Adam accepted her authority and would do whatever was commanded to him. He was completely devoted to the faunus organization.
"Actually, I don't want that." Sienna confessed, going faster than she would have liked. But seeing the bull faunus lack of enthusiasm… "You are perfect to be the leader there but I will be selfish for once and keep you by my side."
Adam snapped and noticed how Sienna was staring at him. She was trying to flirt with him and that was why he was there, in her dorm? The bull faunus felt her claws on his thigh as she spoke, and immediately identified that touch as a declaration of intentions.
"I won't be going anywhere, Sienna." Adam sentenced, glancing over the bed. "Unless you ask me to."
The tiger faunus smiled and held his hand in a firm grip. Taurus tried to relax, seeing how his body was aching for a female partner and her good company. It had been a while since he had last been with a woman, with Blake. Her name made his head ache, but luckily, Khan's words silenced the echo of his former fiance's name.
"Come with me to bed." She ordered him, lacking love, her mouth filled with lust and arousal for him.
The bull faunus was pulled up the sofa to kiss her. His hands wandered through her silky curves, caressing the stripes of her faunus skin, drowning on her scent. She was daring, kissed him without asking while traveling her hands to his coat, willing to undress him and claim his loyal lieutenant. Taurus let her control him as they both laid down on bed, undressing quickly to get into intense petting. She didn't allow him to take the initiative, sitting on his lap to undo his underwear. Adam just nailed his fingers on her buttocks while she started riding him.
His mind traveled to his beloved. Blake. Where was she? Why did she just disappear? Was he just her plan to escape Menagerie and then build a new life alone on the human kingdoms? Over time, he started to think so. That he had been just a way to get out from her parents' house. At the first chance she had on earth, left. And now Taurus was immersed in work, letting his leader make him forget his pain as his mond scratched to the surface to find Blake on that feminine touch. Blake.
"Blake…" He whispered low, but not enough to avoid the double hearing Sienna possessed as faunus.
The pleasing movements suddenly stopped and his cheek met pain as the tiger faunus slapped him. Adam opened his eyes and realized that Sienna was the one on top of him, not Blake. But not for long as the tiger faunus quickly got off his body and walked away to cover her body with a robe.
"Get out of here, Taurus." Khan ordered roughly.
As he got dressed, the bull faunus realized two things: the first one was that he had screwed up with letting his fantasies take control of his mind. The second one: he was still in love with his first love, Blake. His mind and heart hadn't forgotten her even if he swore he did get over her. It had been months since their arrival and farewell at Mistral and he still was trying to revive her memory. He wouldn't forget her until he found out what happened. He knew it would be that way the only one to make sure her name was erased from his heart.
"I'll be sending you to Vale. Next week." Sienna sentenced, crossing her arms over her chest as Adam put his black coat on. He thought she did say that she believed he was valuable but after such humiliation… He couldn't blame her decision. "Now go." She ordered with anger in her voice.
The bull faunus didn't question or say anything else to her and immediately obeyed her commands. He didn't care about leaving for Vale in one week. But he needed to find out what happened to Blake first or her memory would keep on haunting him night and day. So, he gave himself that one week to investigate and figure out where Belladonna might be.
"Taurus?" He heard someone calling him behind.
Adam turned to see Bane in his nocturne vigilant round. He was his only friend, the others were just known brothers of the organization. He walked towards him, leaving his gun aside.
"You exiting Khan's quarters after midnight can only mean one thing." Bane commented, imagining what was between them both.
"There won't be anything between us if I don't find Belladonna." Adam sentenced. "I need to know what happened to her. Even if I don't like the answer. I need to know."
Taurus suddenly felt as if he made a million steps backward. He was just like his first days in the headquarters. Obsessed with finding his lost love. The only difference was that this time he was openly talking about it. Sienna's ultimatum, that last week, made him open his eyes. Blake was a chapter of his life that he needed to close in order to move forward. Bane gave his partner a worrying glance, but understood his position.
"I'll help you. But it won't be easy tracking her if it has been so long." Bane finally sentenced. "We'll need to work hard and I don't assure you we'll find the answers you're looking for."
The two males stared at each other for a second. Yes, it would be intense research against the clock since Adam was being sent to Vale in a week. But what were the odds? It was his last opportunity. Only then his mind and heart could rest and even maybe close the chapter and move forward from the beautiful Belladonna that left him behind.
"How about we start after a drink? We'll need one." Taurus proposed and Bane accepted.
Blake wasn't given any of the rights that were promised to her. She was immediately brought to a dusty cell, locked in there, alone, confused, incommunicated. The policeman didn't even let her explain herself. Everything for a silly confusion over a bag with the same pattern. When they brought her a piece of bread and cherry jelly to eat, she took advantage of the opportunity. She had nothing left to lose.
"Let me call my husband, please!" She begged, showing the ring on her finger. Adam had told her that by being 'married' nothing could dare to separate him. But the policeman didn't even stare at her and slid the food under the cell. "He was at the docks too, he'll pay the bail."
She continued begging, talking even about money, something that used to move humans like the policeman that had locked her. However, he just laughed at her while staring at the ring Adam had given her. He observed the ring and in a rough pull took it off the cat faunus' finger.
"Give it back!" Blake yelled, this time more furious than desperate.
"Scum like you must remain behind bars." The policeman just replied, keeping the ring in one drawer of the desk. It needed a key to be opened. "This way we have less work out there on the streets." He spat out the truth, destroying all hopes for Blake to get out of there soon. Was there even a possibility of Adam finding her in such an enormous kingdom like Mistral?
The policeman left, leaving her alone in the dark, in that small cell. She sat down, embracing herself, feeling how her little heart ached. There was nothing out there that could get her out of that jail. She had been trapped and the decision of letting her go was only depending on the policeman's mood. The ring meant nothing, Adam's promise neither. It had been a stupid idea to run off her parent's home and Menagerie. They were right in everything, the island was the only safe haven for faunus. Taurus was the only one that knew the human kingdoms, promising her freedom eventually if she abandoned her comforts… She shouldn't have listened to him, she should have listened to her own heart and been less selfish, considering her parents' feelings when they found out she had run from home.
She deserved everything that was happening to her. For being too selfish and careless. For thinking with her heart instead of with her head. For leaving her family behind. For falling in love with the wrong man.
The two White Fang members walked under the rain. They had descended to the suburbs, where all the criminal activity, black market, smugglers and illegal immigrants were hidden. Adam just let Bane lead the way since he knew Mistral better than him. Nevertheless, he couldn't keep his head from thinking about where they were headed.
The lower ring of the city of Mistral was dark. Rats ray through the streets, there were several shops with illegal species, ingredients and dust. They sold whatever you searched, if it was difficult to find, the smugglers could find it. However, Adam had lost Blake and she was not an item that could be found in one of the shops. The people there were diverse, faunus, humans, poor, rich trafficators and merchants. But they all shared a trait: they were dark, lost, or mistreated.
"How much money are you carrying with you?" Bane suddenly asked, taking Taurus off his thoughts.
"I don't know." Adam said, taking out his wallet.
"Not here." Bane advised him, making his friend put the wallet back inside his pocket. Letting money out in the open was a call for a thief to steal it even if it was in strong hands. "There." He continued, pointing at an Inn.
Adam followed Bane through the crowd until they reached the building he had been pointing at. When they entered, their bodies were finally sheltered from the cold of the ambiance outside. The place was warm, made out of wood, with two floors and a lot of tables. The personnel working there were exclusively females, pretty ones that battered her eyes once a faunus male entered their Inn.
"If you're trying to cheer me up, it's not what I need." Taurus commented, examining each one of the pretty waitresses working there.
"We are not here for them." Bane corrected, dragging Adam's attention back to him. "We are here for her." He told him, looking at a middle-aged woman with blond hair and two guards that were in one of the corners of the Inn.
"Who is she?" Taurus asked.
"She owns the place and has a lot of contacts with eyes everywhere. People say she can find anyone… for a price." The lieutenant explained. "Now give me all the money you have and follow me."
Adam took out his wallet and passed it to Bane, trusting his idea. They walked towards the Miss, the bull faunus being told to be silent unless he was spoken to. The spider motif on the clothing of her and her men were telling Taurus that they were also a gang, more than the proprietary of that Inn it also was a cover for their business.
"Lil' Miss Malachite." Bane greeted, placing the lien on her table. Once the money was in her sight, her attention was drawn to the two faunus. "We're searching for someone. I hoped you could do the work for us."
"Sit, gentlemen." She ordered and gave the order to her men to retire and let them talk in calm. "Who are you looking for?"
Bane stared at Adam, who got the message and took out a picture of Blake from the internal pocket of his jacket. It was almost torn apart, but he had never gotten rid of that picture. It had been a romantic picnic of theirs. Blake was with her hair down and cat ears uncovered, smiling while blushing, her amber eyes shining with the sunlight. Despite the old photograph, her beauty was still remarkable. He handed the picture to Malachite, who stared at it for a moment and then handed it to her men to start the work.
"Can't I keep the photograph?" Adam asked, a beat piercing his heart when saw the image of her beloved go away. Even though Blake had hurt him, he still carried that with him. Always.
"We need it to find your little friend." Malachite replied, collecting the lien on her table and quickly saving it in her pocket. "Once we find her for you, you won't need it anymore." She sentenced.
"How many days do you need to find her?" Bane asked, returning to the important matter.
"One week more or less." She stared at the unconformity in the male's eyes. "Depending on how sneaky she is."
"We don't have that much time." Adam reminded Bane.
"Then come every night to see if I made any discoveries. Maybe I'll find where she is staying and you can go personally to talk to her." Malachite sentenced, getting up from the table to settle down their business. "I'll keep you informed."
Belladonna lost count of the days. She had been in jail for months, maybe even a year. Or more. When the policemen ordered her redistribution to Mistral's female prison she started drawing lines on its walls, knowing her stay would be too long. Finally, she had lost the count a while ago. In Mistral, people were cold. Nobody showed her a bit of empathy for being imprisoned without a reason or at least a trial. There was a much-needed fight for rights in its society, and not just for faunus. Locked in there, she had met people who were damaged and that society had brought them to a cell for being rejected. She didn't like Mistral, or at least its prison. She didn't fit among the other prisoners, it had been all a mistake and nobody even bothered to investigate the reason for her imprisonment.
So there she sat, dressed in orange, in a corner of her cell, at least it was individual. She borrowed books from the library, a very limited one. And all she could do was read and immerse her mind into the fantasy worlds or philosophical questions that kept her busy and distracted. Until one day.
"Get up, Belladonna." A male guard she had never seen ordered. He had a spider tattoo on his arm. Something strange about being a prison guard. "Someone paid for your freedom." He announced.
"What?! Who?!" The cat faunus immediately asked, closing the book and getting on her feet as the guard opened the door.
"Don't know, don't care." He replied, opening the cell for her to finally exit.
"I've been here for months and now somebody did-..." Belladonna started thinking out loud to be interrupted.
"Are you suggesting that there has been a mistake?" The guard suddenly asked her. "Because if you do and it is, you'll return to that cell. And you don't want that, right?"
Blake nodded, understanding that if she wanted to finally be free she would have to keep her mouth shut some more. She followed the guard and brought her to an office. There, an employee returned her personal belongings and clothes. They brought her to a changing room and she could finally take off the horrible orange reglementary uniform. Her old clothes were loose around her body since she hadn't been very well fed lately. But she didn't care, she was her old self. Now she could get out and live her life.
But what would she do out there? Belladonna hadn't thought of the possibility of getting out soon so the weight of decisions was now on her shoulders. She had her ring back, some money and her clothes. No bag. The thief was free at the moment. And she had been paying for it all this time.
"Are you done?" The guard asked from outside the changing room, ending her time to think.
Blake exited the changing room and was immediately brought to the exit of the prison, going through a very long hallway that led outside. There, she returned her orange uniform and in exchange, the doors were opened for her.
"Don't cause much trouble out there, lady." The guard said as a way of farewell.
The cat faunus stepped on the stones of the street. She was just in a parking lot but the flavor of freedom, of being somewhere other than locked in a cell was too pleasing for her to shut up. She opened her arms and let the rain and wind mark her body, stained her baggy clothes, and hugged her thin silhouette. She was finally free. Free to do whatever she wanted. Free to return home…
As she walked to enter the suburbs of the lower ring of Mistral, Belladonna thought about her possibilities. Going home was her only option. There she would have all the tools to be fine again. But what about Adam? He hadn't come for her in all that time. Had he forgotten her? Probably he did… He would be fine on his own. After all, she had been through all the mess on her own. She belonged to Menagerie, not that broken society.
So, having decided to return to Menagerie, the cat faunus followed the indications that led her to the exit of the ring's walls. She thought about what her parents would say to her, about if they would ever forgive her for leaving them and disappearing for so long. But she could worry about it once she stepped on Menagerie. First, she needed to get out of the human kingdoms. And there was a long queue for that, a long line of faunus like her that were waiting to exit the city. She waited some more, she had already lost more than a year in prison, and there was no worrying about a long queue to finally be able to run away.
When her turn arrived, she had already noticed that something was wrong. But she had nothing else to lose so she stood tall before the guards that allowed the people to enter and get out of the city's darkest and lowest ring.
"Documentation." The guard roughly told Blake, who was empty-handed.
"It was stolen." Blake simply replied with the truth.
"Then go to the police and press charges." The man didn't even bother to stare into her tired eyes.
There was no way she would return to a police officer. Not after everything that had happened. There, nobody gave a bow of thrust to her species. She would end up locked again and even more due to the strange nature of her freedom. Who could have paid for her to be free? She was alone in this world, after all.
"Next." The guard spat and with his words, Belladonna was pushed aside to lend her place to the next one in the queue.
Great. She was kicked out of there and the queue was longer than before. She couldn't wait for more to get another giant 'no'. It would be useless and a waste of time. Blake sat in a corner of the wall that separated her from the exterior. She needed to get new documentation. But where? And how? While being alone in the world, moneyless, and unemployed, she didn't even stand a chance. It was complicated as the human kingdoms had stricter security controls than Menagerie.
"I've been kicked out too." Suddenly a female faunus spoke, sitting next to her. "I come here every day to plan a possible escape route but there's no way to get out."
Belladonna stared at the person talking to her. She was also a faunus, a pretty one with a smooth tail, maybe a wolf faunus judging on its size and fur of it. However, a detail that seemed strangely familiar was a tattoo on her arm: a spider. Like the guard in prison. That gave her some hope. Could it be fate?
"Do you know any way to get new documentation?" Blake asked at the wolf faunus.
"I'm tired of doing things the 'legal' way. Humans make their own laws and exclude us." She replied. "But if you're interested, my sister has the same problem so she's been working with someone who knows how to pull the strings to get us out of here."
Did it have something to do with the spider tattoo? Was it some type of clan of faunus? Maybe a section different from the White Fang? No, the guard at the prison was a human, it had to be something bigger and more hidden. Whatever the answer was, curiosity was all over the cat faunus' face.
"Is there any way I can do the same?" Belladonna asked. She couldn't lose anything else now. It was all about the casual opportunities fate was giving her.
"Go to Lil' Miss Malachite's Inn and say you're searching for Viola, my sister." The wolf faunus replied. "I'm sure they'll have a spot for you too."
"What's it about? What does an Inn have to do with getting out of Mistral?" Belladonna asked, clueless.
"You work to pay for fake documentation that Malachite gets you." Blake understood everything now. It sounded fair. "You just have to walk two streets down and then turn left. The Inn will be right next to you." The wolf faunus sentenced and then got up to leave.
Belladonna didn't even get to say thanks but she was more than thankful. She got on her feet, ready to go and get the opportunity to return home. She did as the wolf faunus exactly told her. She walked through the crowd of all kinds, of shady people. That was probably why security was so strong to exit the wall. If she had to get to work to get those papers, she would. She didn't care anymore, after so much time in prison, she had learned to risk and fight for what she wanted.
The Inn was easy to identify. There was a spider design carved on the wood near the entrance door. It was the same sign that the guard back at prison and the wolf faunus at the border had. She guessed that Lil' Miss Malachite did good actions like that to earn a good salary at the end of the month. Everybody searched for a way to survive in the dark suburbs. Everyway had a few shady spots, but the Inn seemed a normal place. She entered and was stunned by the clean place. The entire structure was made of wood and the space was big. Two floors, a lot of full tables and pretty female waitresses, are probably the attraction of the place. Judging on the type of clients that were sitting on the tables…
"Would you like a table?" A friendly waitress asked. Also a faunus. Could it be the wolf faunus' sister?
"Actually, I'm searching for a job. Viola's sister told me that here I could get what I needed by working." Blake lowered her voice, being discreet to not drag unnecessary attention.
"Of course. Come inside, Lil' Miss Malachite will get you the uniform."
The waitress guided Blake towards the back of the Inn, where a curtain covered the inside of the room. Lil' Miss Malachite was there with two guards, working between papers. The guards and she also had the spider tattoo, but the waitress didn't. Belladonna was glad, she didn't want to get a new tattoo on her arm.
"Miss Malachite, this girl wants to be an employee." The waitress said to get their attention.
The blonde woman stared at the cat faunus as the waitress got out of there to return to her job. She motioned for Blake to sit on the pillow in front of her low table. Her sparkly eyes examined her facial expression and then a smile was drawn at her lips.
"What do you need, dear? Identification papers, a new passport…?" Miss Malachite asked, satisfied with her appearance or so it seemed. Blake nodded and guessed that she was interested in young female employees so the Inn's bar would be popular because of its pretty waitresses.
"Do you have a spot for me?" Belladonna shyly asked.
"Of course, dear. But you'll have to work hard to earn everything you need to leave." Lil' Miss Malachite warned.
"I don't care. I'll do it. When do I start?" Blake was ready, the sooner she began, the sooner she could get out of there.
With a motion, one of the guards the owner had behind her, lent Blake a uniform. It was clean and smelled good, it would fit her despite her weight loss after prison. Along with the uniform, she was also given a pair of keys, a room at the Inn, she guessed.
"You'll be staying here in one of our rooms. One week you'll do day turns and the other, nocturnal turns." Miss Malachite explained and relieved Blake, who hadn't even thought about where to stay. One less problem for her. "We'll keep your salary to pay for new documents and your room. You can keep the client's tips for yourself."
Belladonna didn't complain at the moment. She figured that by being cheerful and attending well, she would get nice tips. The woman slipped a contract on the table with a pen for Blake to sign it. It was a simple one, it included all the conditions Miss Malachite had just told her. So she signed and lent one of the guards the contract. She couldn't believe it had been so easy.
"Go to your room and get comfortable, dear. You'll start tonight." Miss Malachite sentenced, signaling for her to leave before whispering something to his guard. Blake didn't know why but a chill ran through her spine.
It was the eighteen time Adam had entered the Inn. Bane was accompanying him this time too. The bull faunus was frustrated. After asking for a few more days to stay in Mistral to finish his search for Blake, Sienna denied them. She was still angry about what had happened in her dorm and justified her answer by saying that the Vale branch needed a new leader in command the next day. So, being his last night in the city, Taurus was pretty pissed off. He had found nothing about Blake on his own. And Miss Malachite didn't seem to have better luck either.
"Taurus, calm down." Bane advised as he almost pushed the waitress that had come to greet them out of the way to talk to Miss Malachite.
"I have no more time to play around." Adam sentenced, standing before Lil' Miss Malachite's table with a demanding attitude. "Did you find her or not?"
"I may have found something." Lil' Miss Malachite spat, seeing that she was running out of time and that she couldn't get any extra money from the bull faunus anymore. She had been playing with his desperation to earn as much lien as she could but the burning anger under his mask was telling her that the game was over. She would have to give in if she didn't want a spectacle at her Inn. "Care to wait here until the nocturne turns? Drinks are on the house for you tonight."
That didn't seem to comfort Adam, not even the part when she said that she had a lead on Blake's trace. He had been getting tired of her games last week. So, now that he only had twelve hours left, he decided to ignore Bane's advice and show a more threatening image to make the woman move. And it worked.
"Come on, let's sit somewhere." Bane advised now that the bull faunus seemed to have spat his anger at the woman.
The two White Fang members walked towards the bar, where they sat. Lil' Miss Malachite motioned for the waitress there to pour them some drink and so she did. She served some good liquor in a crystal glass that Adam immediately swallowed down his throat, letting it burn his flesh. He was desperate. The search for the Belladonna girl had been driving him crazy. If Miss Malachite didn't have anything for Adam that same night, Bane feared he would lose control.
"She surely has something." Bane tried to comfort the bull faunus. "If not, she will lose the money. That's always the best incentive."
"She better have." Taurus replied, rubbing his forehead. He was tired and desperate. He was forced to leave when dawn rose. And he couldn't do that before knowing what happened to Blake. No other female could ever satisfy him, not if he didn't find an answer about her first and unique love in his life.
"Why don't you tell me everything from the beginning?" Bane proposed. Maybe keeping Adam busy by making him remember his past with his love would calm him down. Or not.
Taurus' angry expression disappeared. He cleared his throat and started playing with the liquid that lasted on the glass, making it spin with round movements of his hand. He had nothing else to do and despite the help Bane had given him, Adam still hadn't explained to him how he met Blake, how they fell in love and decided to run away and finally, how he lost her.
"It was impossible not to know the Belladonna family back at Menagerie. They made the island a habitable safe haven for faunus. The ones that searched for shelter were pretty thankful for that." Adam started talking, with every word, his desperation fading, earning a more calm state while waiting. "I met Belladonna's daughter one day after a White Fang meeting at their house. And I immediately fell for her looks. Afterward I'd get to know her better and end up mad for her."
"But you two were pretty young, right?" Bane guessed since when Adam arrived, he was a young adult. "What did her parents say about everything?"
"Her parents were too busy to lend her the attention she required. So I did it for them. And she quickly corresponded to my feelings too." Taurus replied, remembering how sweet had been the day they first kissed. The sky, the ocean, him and her. Alone but together.
"Menagerie was a good place to live. But Blake and I wanted to fight for freedom, leaving that passive role behind. I had been planning to leave to the human kingdoms since Menagerie didn't need any protection anymore. So I proposed to her to leave with me and get married." Adam continued. "Her parents were clueless and too busy. I guess she accepted because without me, she would have felt lonely."
Bane had figured on his own that Blake Belladonna had certainly been Adam's childhood love but while listening to his friend's story, he realized that she was much more than that. Childish love was usually based on a fantasy, something unreal, a game. Adam, instead, had maintained a stable relationship with Belladonna to the point he proposed to her. And she accepted. But it also carried the consequence of leaving together and escaping from the island: leaving her family behind.
"We had the best days of our life on the ship. Just the two of us, no rules, total freedom. When we arrived at Mistral, I thought everyday would be like that plus getting to work to earn our rights as citizens. But that wasn't what she thought. I believe…" He left that in the air.
"But I don't understand. How did she disappear?" Bane dared to ask since it seemed that the bull faunus had finished his storytelling.
"I don't know. When I turned she just wasn't behind me anymore. She disappeared. I searched for her until dusk fell but she was… gone." Adam sentenced with that last word. Gone was the best definition since the cause of her disappearance wasn't clear. Luckily, that night, somebody would have the appropriate answers.
Blake had found Viola after a long journey of work. She did the nocturne turns when Viola had the day ones and the other way. So they never met during work, but afterwards. She and the wolf faunus had grown a friendship. She listened with attention to Blake's story about how she was separated from her fiance. And Belladonna did the same with their story, the one that her sister and Viola had been through, being trapped on the lower ring as her as well. That seemed common since Lil' Miss Malachite seemed to have employees only in exchange for papers.
"Do you know where he is now?" Viola asked, referring to Adam.
"No. I'd have asked but the White Fang main headquarter isn't in this ring." The cat faunus replied, considering the actual possibility to go pay a visit to Sienna before leaving Mistral.
A growl in Blake's stomach broke the silence made after her reply. She was hungry, she could even say that she was thinner than when she exited prison. The truth was that the customers weren't generous with the tips. If Belladonna had enough money for one warm meal at the end of her journey, it was a lucky day.
"I'm so hungry." Blake complained, getting up from Viola's bed to observe her body in a large mirror the room had. She looked hungry. The cat faunus massaged her stomach to try and alleviate the hunger but it only made her stomach growl again.
"I have a solution for that." Viola said, appearing in the mirror behind Blake's thin silhouette. "But you won't like it."
"What is it?" Belladonna asked out of curiosity and maybe also out of need. She couldn't keep suffering so much.
"The truth is that the main attraction of the Inn is us. The waitresses." Viola hadn't said something that Blake didn't know. Customers came to drool over the waitresses like them. But it wasn't the whole truth. "If you do favors for the customers, you'll earn extra money."
"Favors?" The cat faunus asked, clueless about the strategy Viola used for extra tips.
"You know, offer them more than just a drink." Viola's glance was what made Belladonna understand what she really meant.
It took Blake a few seconds to chug that unknown information. Of course the sudden job offer in a shady Inn couldn't be as good as it seemed. That without mentioning that they were located in the lowest ring in Haven's society. In a few seconds, Belladonna managed to swallow the truth and realise that besides serving drinks, the Inn was a cover for other matters such as prostitution and ilegal affairs. Miss Malachite was the clearest example since she could get all the papers Blake needed without even asking how. Legally not, of course.
"Have you done it before?" The cat faunus asked with a slight tremble in her voice. "I mean, are we here just to please lustful customers? is that it?"
"If you are just a regular waitress, you'll never get out of here." Viola shook her head and sighed out loud. Then her glance met Blake's golden eyes, full of empathy. "I'm not telling you what to do, it's just a piece of advice after all. I don't think you need to hear lies anymore." Another sigh escaped her friend's lips. "That 's it. There's no other way I've seen girls like you managing to escape from this place."
Belladonna could only feel pity for Viola. She had obviously been using her charms to achieve extra money to exit the lowest ring of the city. But there she was, still right before her. Blake briefly wondered how much time would it take for her to leave and finally be free and return home, whatever home was. It was clear that just remaining a waitress wouldn't get her anywhere.
"Thank you for telling me the truth, Viola." The cat faunus finally muttered, her fingers tightly intertwined, a clear sign of inner struggle. Her friend held her hand to show support and took a long breath before asking the decisive cuestion:
"So, are you willing to do more than you've bargained for?"
Adam had been avoiding losing his mind by ordering rounds of shots, one after the other. Bane had already fallen asleep, drunk to the core, slightly snoring in the bar. A few hours had passed and they still hadn't got any news about Malachite's discoveries about Blake's whereabouts, but some more minutes were worth waiting after a year of questions surrounding the bull faunus and his lost beloved fiance. In fact, Adam was willing to wait until the last minute before his ship sailed. The drunk and perverted customers persuading the waitresses didn't matter, Miss Malachite's shady business didn't concern him as long as he could get some answers. Blake was worth the wait, the whole night waiting for a reply in a shady Inn in the lowest ring of the city.
So all he had to do was remain seated, circling his glass and playing with the beverage and its multiple colors whenever the light hit it. The colorful reflexes were his only company during those minutes of uneasiness.
"Do you need me to call a taxi for your friend?" The bartender asked, snapping Adam out of his own thoughts. He looked at the name tag, she was called Viola. Her expression showed concern towards Bane sleeping beside him even though she was busy washing the dishes and serving other customers.
"At this pace, I will need a hoist to bring him back home." Taurus spat out, not really caring at the moment. "I'm waiting for Miss Malachite."
"Alright, sir." Viola swiftly understood that Adam wanted to remain alone and in peace in the bar. She left to serve some more drinks on the upper floor.
The customer's drunk voices could be heard in the form of an echo from Adam's perspective. The liquor in his glass kept spinning along with his hand's movements and his impatient sighs kept coming out from time to time. Another hour slowly went by and there was no sign of Malachite's presence around. Maybe it had been all a scam. Being from the lowest ring it was the most common thing to think. Miss Malachite had managed to steal his money and he could do nothing about it. He would never get Blake nor his money back. It all was gone. She was a shadow in his past that he would never be able to ever see again. Eventually, pessimism took over Adam.
"May I have the check?" Taurus finally asked out loud, closing the opportunity to get some answers. The sun would be rising soon and his best friend was beside him still snoring loudly. So the bull faunus got up to try and wake Bane up to no avail. He was completely passed out. But they needed to get out of there or Adam would miss his trip to Vale.
The door behind the bar opened. The loud noise of the 'staff only' sign made Bane wake up abruptly. Adam also couldn't help and look at a drunk and semi-naked customer that was buckling his belt up. There were traces of sweat all over his skin and he had a devilish grin that made the bull faunus wonder what the man had been doing all that time in the backroom. A weird feeling triggered his faunus senses in noticing a familiar scent all over that client`s clothes.
"Naughty slut…." The drunk customer snickered to himself. Adam frowned in concern and looked deeply in the room's darkness, where he could see the slim silhouette of a petite brunette panting heavily. It took Adam a few more seconds to realize that the customer had been taking advantage of one of the waitresses there.
"Bane, check on her." Taurus ordered and motioned for his sleepy friend to go behind the bar and go see if the poor girl was alright. In the meantime, Adam got in the customer's way with a threatening stance.
"Oh, don't get cocky, pal. She is just a cheap whore. Go on, I don't mind sharing her. Next round is on me-..." Adam didn't need to hear more of his bullshit. His fist clenched and inevitably punched the man's face, releasing all of his frustration on the bully.
The customer was too drunk to defend himself and the simple impact made him fall to the ground. Adam let go of all his anger and leaned over him to continue punching his face with furious rage. The crowd around them cheered and clapped at the one-sided fight. The pain on Adam's fists made him feel something besides numbness. He had nothing to lose. Beating an abuser was his last good action in Mistral before leaving the city behind.
"Adam!" Bane shouted out loud from behind the bar. Adam ignored him and continued beating the drunk man. But Bane wasn't trying to stop his irrational tantrum, there was something else. "Adam, the girl-..."
Honestly, Adam didn't care about the poor waitress at a personal level. He just needed to release all of his frustration and that abuser had been a perfect choice. An abuser, whether racist or not, that got the advantage of weaker ones deserved nothing. Bane's grip on Adam's shoulders made him calm down and start thinking with his head again. The customer was lying unconscious on the floor, nose broken and whole face bleeding. A last breath managed to calm down Taurus' nerves and allowed him to listen to his friend.
"Adam, you need to go check on the girl." Bane insisted once more. Something in his glance told him that there was a good reason for him to attend personally to the abused waitress. "Come, quick."
Taurus briefly glanced one last time at the beaten abuser and finally got up to find out the reason why Bane was so concerned about the girl. He ignored the burning tingling on his fists that probably would turn black and blue in a few minutes. A trace of scattered coins led the bull faunus behind the bar right in front of the dark room where the girl was sobbing, still kneeling on the floor, hair covering all of her features. Adam had never been good at comforting other people, even inside the White Fang whenever they rescued mine workers from their exploitative jobs. He glanced at Bane with a confused expression. What was he supposed to do with the crying waitress?
Bane sighed out loud and as if he suddenly snapped out of his drunkenness, kneeled down to grab the waitress's arm to try and make her stand. Bane also wasn't the soft type to comfort the abused ones and the action was too rough so she resisted his grip.
"Leave me alone!" She spat in an angry yell, finally raising her face and showing her factions.
Adam's heart skipped a beat. Cat ears covered by a black bow, a wild dark mane, fierce amber eyes, pale abused lips… It was her.
"Blake?"
The cat faunus felt a chill running down her spine. However, it was out of surprise and not fear like before. By the corner of her eye, Blake distinguished Adam's firm figure despite wearing a Grimm mask and wearing a distinct red and black attire with Belladonna flowers embroidered. A sigh escaped her parted lips as she slowly let go of the lieutenant's grip, slowly but in a secure motion.
"Adam?" A spark of fear could be perceived in her voice. She looked obviously worried before him. What had happened during all that time they spent apart? Did he ever try to find her? Did he still love her? What did the White Fang do to make him wear a distinctive uniform?
Blake noticed how his bruised fists released all of the previous tension. Blood still dripped from the tip of his callous fingers. The mere sight of him was terrifying. But, somehow, Belladonna had never felt scared beside him until then.
"Adam…" She repeated, now insisting to try and make him react after their reencounter.
As if he had been defeated in battle, Adam fell to his knees with a loud thud. The sudden reaction made Blake flinch. Bane, on the other side, had his eyes open wide, not knowing what to expect next. After all, Miss Malachite had managed to find Adam's lost long lover. Even though the encounter wasn't as they expected.
Face to face and on the floor, the former lovers stared at each other. Their absence had made them a totally different person from what they were. Blake, on one hand, was malnourished, had dark circles under her eyes and was still trembling from her abusive job. Adam was soulless, bruised and masked, hiding his hurt glance behind a monstrous mask. But even though they had changed to worse, Blake still had his ring on and Adam had her floral motif embroidered in his long jacket.
Adam finally reached for her and pressed the back of her head against his beating chest. Blake immediately allowed his embrace and drowned in his burning warmth, arms gripped as if her life depended on his grasp. His palms eventually managed to calm her shaking body.
"Finally, I found you."
The rest of the story is up to your imagination. Sweet rencounter due to endless love? Or anger because of how hurt both became after being separated?
Until next time,
Stella