Chapter 10: FUBAR
Some sinister insinuations and such are made herein.
He sat down next to Summer, feeling the warmth of the sun radiate down on his legs. The woman was laid out, her dark hair looking like it required another brushing, the set of sunglasses that she had donned in the interim enough for her to gain some shade, her eyes looking at him with a devious glint in them, as her hand reached out and brushed over his side.
The touch wasn't unpleasant, but he remembered Blake. Blake had been... affectionate? But Yang had been sad and that was because of him. "Can I have a drink?" He asked, Summer getting up, her eyes behind the sunglasses focused on him.
"Of course, sweetheart... Soda?" He nodded, as she leaned to the cooler, giving him a wonderful side-along picture of her body, the muscles that moved below the skin like a beautiful concert. Not like the muscles that Yang had or Blake's athletic body, but a body that had been forged through service, her body shivering for a moment as she reached into the cool depths of the cooler.
"It's not the brand you like, but..." He smiled. She had tried at least to accommodate him. She knew what he liked and she made sure that she had some, the fizzy drink popped open, the fizz soothing to his ears as it popped and hissed. He drank some of it, feeling a new wave of energy fill him. He could see Ruby and Weiss play along, water droplets cascading off Ruby's form, Summer sitting down next to him again.
"Do you like Ruby?"
Her voice was soft, questioning. Since there was nobody else with them, he knew that she wouldn't judge, nor that there would be any issues from people getting sad. She got sad too.
"She's my best friend."
Her voice was absent, as he watched his friend play with her girlfriend, a look on Summer's face that was like the mask had slipped off.
"Just a... best friend?"
Her voice sounded hollow, as she took a deep breath. He laid a hand on her thigh, patting it to comfort her. She startled, but allowed it.
"And... And Yang?"
Yang was sad. Was he supposed to tell about how Yang's girlfriend made him feel good? He had a feeling that Summer would be upset, so he wasn't sure... This might be private stuff that Yang wouldn't want her mother to know.
"Meet Cinder, Jaune. She's going to be your friend."
He knew that some things were to be kept private. He remembered that meeting, the woman dressed in a simple set of fashionable clothing in a dark blue style, her golden eyes looking at him as if she was happy. Miss Salem had smiled and said that it would be okay.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jaune. You look... nice."
He'd worn his fancy clothing. He had wanted to make a good impression on the woman who was to be his buddy. Her eyes had shone with an interest, a like. She'd smiled really prettily at him, as she'd taken him in the car to a nice place.
"So... Tell me a little, Miss Salem didn't really... go in-depth. What's a handsome young man like you doing with a woman like me?"
It had been nice, to see someone look at him with an interest. She had been... pleasant, for the first three meetings. It had been pleasant. She had liked looking in his eyes and asking about his family.
"Yang is nice, but..."
She was sad. That wasn't a good thing, and he wouldn't shame her privacy by telling her mother about what she'd allowed her girlfriend to do. Summer didn't much like Blake, he thought.
"Listen up, retard... I don't care. You looked good, you looked... suitable, but all I get is a 'I don't understand'! Don't you know how blessed you are with your looks? How... Argh!"
Cinder had changed too, after six meetings. She had been more physical. He didn't mind the touches, she said that she had been friendly and that this was a thing that friends did.
An arm wrapped around his shoulder and he felt Summer's head lay against his shoulder, her expression looking forlornly at the water, where Ruby and Weiss were currently engaged in a battle of 'catch the beauty', if he'd remembered Saphron's words well enough.
"I'm..."
Summer spoke up, her voice heavy. "I'm not a good woman." An admission of guilt, where he saw none.
"I don't care."
The words came out suddenly. He knew that she would care, that she would...
No, she wasn't like Cinder. She cared differently. Cinder had told him of his place in the world, of what he was good for.
"Open your MOUTH, Jaune! There... There... This'll make you feel good for a bit... Now... hold still... Come on, stand up... That's it, look at the camera..."
He pulled Summer closer, smelling the scent of her hair. It was a light fragrance that let him worry less. It wasn't cigarette smoke. Cinder had always smoked. She had told him that it kept the smell of retard out of the room.
He was just bad. He was...
Yang stomped up to them, her face looking a little messy, as if she'd been crying. No doubt thanks to him. Something was wrong with him, that was why Blake had been doing those things. She'd commented about the... thing.
"There, there... Don't you CRY, Jaune... Come, now... That's a good little retard... You don't even understand, do you? Now... TAKE your PUNISHMENT! This is what we do to your kind."
He closed his eyes. He could still remember it. He wanted to curl in on himself, make himself small, like he should. She'd said that it would be punishment for his existence, for the sadness he caused his parents and sisters by living.
"Hey mom... Jaune."
He didn't notice Blake anywhere around, Yang's eyes a little restless, as they found him. "Can I get a hug, mom?" She looked a little less sad now, and Summer got up, the body of the woman in motion, hugging her daughter without a care about how she looked.
"What's the matter, sweetie?"
Summer asked, her voice soft and understanding. Miss Salem had understood, even if she had told him that things were going to be fine. Ren and Nora wouldn't understand, even Pyrrha wouldn't. Pyrrha hadn't liked Cinder much, probably due to the way that she smoked. He wasn't supposed to show the marks to them.
It had been punishment. He'd upset his family too. They hadn't been happy to see him. So many questions, so many questions, all the questions repeating and repeating, no matter what he said.
"I'm... I'm sort of mad at Blake."
Yang muttered. He could understand. Yang looked at him over her mother's shoulder, a look in her eyes that was... pitying? He didn't quite understand.
"We had a fight, she's..."
A deep sigh came from Yang, as she shrugged her shoulders, getting out of her mother's embrace and looking at him with a look, as if she was going to say something. "You're..." She sighed deeply.
"You're a good guy, Jaune."
He didn't think so. He'd hurt Yang and he'd made Blake hurt too. He was not a good guy, he was not even a good human. "Thank you." He wasn't too certain that he would need to say thank you, but it was something that people said to those that they were familiar with, after all. He was not going to be rude.
"Think we can... take a walk, Jaune?"
Summer looked a little happier, perking up a little, happy that Yang was showing an interest in her daughter, the pleasure inside her eyes something that made him wonder whether there was more to the request.
"I want to finish this drink. It'll lose the fizz if its left too long."
Yang laughed, smiling at him with a smile meant for humans. It seemed to be so normal, but he knew that she would just humour him. She was going to hurt him too. He could bear it. At most, he'd just limp a little more.
"Just like my little sis... Sure, finish your drink."
Her eyes were less guarded, less worried somehow, but he could see that she wasn't happy. Summer wasn't happy too, but she looked better when he did things with her, when she needed it.
As he walked along the shore with her, he caught the troubled expression on her face, the sand between his feet itchy, his eyes watching the expression carefully for any sign that she was going to be upset with him. He didn't want her to be upset, even as she moved with delicate steps.
"I'm not mad at you."
He heard her say, his eyes glancing at her. She smiled, or at least tried to smile. "You've... You've taken the edge off her. She's... she's different from us humans." He didn't show his inner thoughts on his face.
'I'm different from you humans too. I'm just someone who should've been drowned at birth.'
"But... Jaune... She told me that you have..." She looked away, her sentence halted. It took a moment for her to speak up again, more hesitantly.
"That you smell... good." Her voice cracked, and she looked messed up. "I'm doing something wrong... She doesn't like me, and she wants me to be her girlfriend, but... I love her."
It was understandable. He smiled. The truth always came out, Cinder said. The strong lived and the weak were ground below the boots of the strong. "I like her, but she isn't interested in me for me." He knew that much.
"You like too many people, Jaune."
Yang said, giving a smile that made her look really pretty, a hand brushing through her hair. "I'm... I'm not sure... I don't want to deny her, but... But what she did was shitty to you as well."
He laughed. It was a simple 'ha-hah' that was as he felt. "It's fine." He said, giving her his best smile, just like he'd practiced. It was the smile of someone who was happy, according to Miss Salem. "I'm... I'm fine."
He didn't feel fine. Yang grabbed his hand, and she pulled him closer to her. Her lilac eyes turned angrier and redder, something that some people seemed to have when they felt strong emotions.
"You're not. I know you've got a problem with processing stuff, and I'm..."
He looked her in the eyes. It wasn't supposed to be like that, but it stopped her short. She looked at him and suddenly seemed to realize something. "Oh... Jaune... Why... Why do you like us? We've been shitty to you, tolerating you more because of Ruby than..."
'Because you still see me as human, even though I'm not.'
The answer was something that he should never voice. Miss Salem had looked really sad for a moment. It had been a nice hug, as the woman had said that things would be okay, that she wasn't going to let anyone do anything to him again. Miss Salem understood too. She saw the void inside, that hopeless darkness that came ever closer.
Summer had that too, whenever he looked her in the eyes. That hopelessness, that bleakness and knowing that you were barely there, that understanding of that feeling and that moment when you were unable to do anything.
"Because you were nice to me. You're nice to Ruby and she's nice." Yang's eyes looked confused. "Cinder was right. I'm not like you." He voiced it, opposed to thinking it. Yang's eyes blazed with anger.
"That bitch has nothing to say about you. She might've... Alright, I would've thought worse of you if I didn't know..." She looked sad again. It was something that might be guilt, but Cinder had said that she was going to make sure that he'd be taken care of. That's what happened to defects.
"She didn't like Ruby much."
He said, as his gaze turned away. It'd been dislike at first sight.
"See? That's what you get when you breed retards together... Bad genes. You don't really think that she would keep you around for your 'friendship', right? Don't kid yourself, Jaune... I'm the friend you need... I know what's right for you..."
Ruby didn't know and she would never know. He wanted to make sure that she wouldn't know, because she was his friend. She didn't deserve to be spoiled by the reality of this world.
"No, that was fairly obvious, Jaune. I knew you were with us that night, so..."
He sighed. "Are you two breaking up?" He asked, her eyes difficult to glean information from as he changed the subject, not willing to go back to that dark place.
"No, we're... You're a really great guy, despite your handicap."
He smiled, though he didn't feel it one bit. She was the girl who had been more or less teased and stayed in the background with her girlfriend, not really someone who would do things with him. She was his best friend's sister, and she was... difficult to know.
"We'll get through this... And... And thank you for not being a horny boy who'd want to fuck my girlfriend." He smiled at her, more genuine.
'Nobody would want to have my children.'
It was what had been said, what had been whispered behind his back whenever he'd been with his mother at the appointments at the hospital. It wasn't said aloud, but there were worries that it had been because he had been born with autism. It didn't hurt him, but he saw his mother shudder under the weight. His father had just denied it. There was nothing wrong with him or his son, and Jaune knew that it was perhaps denial of reality or merely that his father saw something that he didn't...
"I'm not going to hurt you. I'd be sad if you were hurt."
The smile on Yang's face was sad too, as she wrapped an arm around him.
"That feeling's good... But I'm a taken girl, y'know."
Her words were strange, though it seemed more like a defensive manoeuvre than anything else for her, as her eyes widened and she took a step away. "I don't mean it like... that, I want my... I want her to be happy." He nodded in understanding.
"Weiss and Ruby are off in their little world, Blake's ran off to god knows where..." Yang sounded a little out of it, as she looked at him. "You're there, mom's there..." A deep sigh came from her lips, as she looked at the side. "Y'know, sometimes I just wonder if life's making any sense for you."
"It does."
He smiled at her. It was nice and structured, and he knew that Summer liked having him around. She was better than Cinder and she didn't smoke.
"If Blake tries to do something again and I'm not there..."
Her voice was hesitant, as she seemed to be sad. He pulled her in for a hug, to which she didn't resist. "Jaune, listen, I'm..."
He kissed her. Summer quietened down when she was kissed, so Yang would do so as well. She froze up, her lips like plump cherries against his own, a startled sound coming from her mouth, as he kissed her, breaking the kiss. She pushed him away, her eyes looking wild and confused.
"Do you feel better?"
She looked weirded out, touching her lips and looking at him, her eyes holding a strange mix of happiness and sadness. "That's... That's... No, I... Yes?" She sighed, his hand brushing over her shoulder, trying to offer what comfort he could.
"Stop it."
Her voice was weak, and he did. She had told him to, after all.
"I'm... I don't know what to feel. I feel worried for you, I feel worried for Blake, I..."
She looked lost and helpless, just like he had. He smiled. "Don't worry. All will be okay."
"How can you... You don't even know what it's like to love someone so much and- Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry." She looked sad, as she'd said the truth. He smiled. Just like he had to.
'No, you're right.'
"Cinder said that too. I was unworthy of love."
Yang's eyes widened, as he nodded. It made sense.
"She was wrong, Jaune. You're worthy of love, even if you're not... men-no, that's wrong, that's... I'm sorry." He nodded, understanding her placating words. They were always to placate and delay, to hide the truth.
"You're a wonderful girl. I'm happy we are... friends?"
He tilted his head, pursing his lips in thought. She was Yang, so she would know better than him.
"You're more than a friend, Jaune. You're..."
She sighed, turning away. "You should forget what that woman said. If I didn't have Blake..." There was a wistful tone in her voice. "You're dependable, a bit like my dad... And... And you're like Ruby."
He smiled. Yang was such a nice person. "I like you too." He knew that he was not worthy of such a wonderful girl, but Summer had said that she would gladly help him experience sex.
"What did Cinder say?"
His brow furrowed. He didn't like thinking about it, Yang's expression a little cool, as if she was thinking... or getting angry.
He mimicked her pronunciation of the word. The word Liebe meant love, right? It was German, since Cinder was from... Europe, thereabouts. She spoke German, French and English, having studied at the University of Vienna, if he remembered it correctly.
"That sounds... Hm."
Yang made a face. "I'll ask Weiss about it. She's the German of our little team, after all." He smiled, knowing that Yang was still okay with him.
"You were born with looks, with strength and yet weak in mind, Jaune. Why would I even care for you, huh? SIT. SPREAD. This is retribution for the mistake of you being born. I don't like touching retards."
She had been honest, at least. He punished himself a few times for his failure of being human, because he knew that it was right. Cinder had been right, as nobody looked at him fondly after... well... Things.
"Does that feel good? DOES THAT FEEL GOOD, HUH? How's that... A little... Oh, what do we have here? DID I TELL YOU TO FEEL GOOD?!"
It had been punishment. He didn't like when she did it, but it had been right. She had been his buddy and she had known the right things. She knew how to interact with people. Miss Salem had thought that he lied.
"Oh... that's just the weakness burning out of your system, Jaune... There, there... Big boys don't cry. Bite DOWN. SHUT UP. Oh... does that hurt? Here, let me finish it. Just a little more..."
He hated her smoking. She always smoked when she gave him his just punishment. Her name meant 'Like', at least, in the way that she had explained to him. Cinder hadn't lied to him.
"Jaune?" Yang sounded a little sad, as she looked at him. He noticed that his hand had dug another mark onto his thigh, as he turned away. He'd shown weakness.
"Are you alright?" Her voice sounded like the others. His mother had been concerned, after Cinder had done what she had done. It had been his problem, his mistakes. It was all true.
"I'm fine." He said, his smile on his face again. Yang looked a little sick, as her eyes looked into his.
"You don't just... You don't look like that when you're fine, Jaune."
He knew that he should probably keep his face neutral. It wasn't like someone would care. "You don't look so... sad." He smiled, more like the smile that he felt on the inside. She looked sadder.
"I'm not... I'm not good with dealing with things that I can't punch."
He smiled at her, more genuine than before. Cinder hadn't liked that. Yang had been popular, Cinder had seen as much. Ruby was just the cheap abortion that couldn't be erased, whilst Yang shone. He didn't think that it was true what Cinder had said. Ruby was nice. She was able to know the world as he knew it, but he was the one who had been born wrong. Ruby was able to love someone.
"It's okay. I need some time to think about things."
The simplest excuse. Nobody cared. Nobody would care. Summer, maybe. Summer cared, at least somewhat. Blake was... understanding, on some level. She had felt the same, maybe.
"Blake really loves you. I can see it in her eyes. She's... She's felt pain."
Yang's eyes looked at him, a sullen look, as her gaze slid away. "And she'll be good for you. Better than me. I don't need your pity."
He left her there, walking back along the beach, following the steps that he had made, the water having washed away several of them. He could see Ruby bouncing up to him, a smile on her lips that seemed to be indomitable.
"Hey Jaune! Want to play with me and Weiss?"
He could see the look in Weiss' eyes. It was just like Cinder's, disapproving and cold. He'd never put the two of them together, but he could understand where they were coming from. "No, I'm going to sit with your mom." Ruby smiled, as he felt the stare change somewhat.
"It IS your fault that she's sad, Jaune... Why would she ever be with some low-quality man like you, hmm? Oh... Did that hurt those non-existent feelings of yours? Does the little baby need a lollipop? You just don't LEARN, do you? SIT. SPREAD. Oh, that that hurt? Well, I better do it again!"
"Ah, okay! Enjoy! Mom's smiling more when you're around."
It was a thing that he'd live for... Someone who understood. Someone who could get him. It was all so hard some days.
He sat down next to Summer, the woman staring into the distance, her eyes light, her arm wrapping around him by her own volition.
"Are you okay?"
He wasn't sure who asked, as the question hung in the air. She didn't answer, and neither did he. He could feel something inside her, some sort of frenzied energy, as he laid his head against her shoulder, as she had done to him.
He saw Yang and Blake walk together, Yang gesturing, making a motion in his direction. He gave a little wave, even as Summer brushed a hand over his head. It was comforting. She never was someone who would do him ill.
On the trip back, he could feel nothing but the wind rushing through his hair, his eyes closed as he listened to the sound of the engine, the motor running like it should, his mind a hundred miles away, almost.
"And... almost done... Oh, are you crying? Big boys don't cry... But you're not a human, are you? There... All done, so that anyone who sees you knows what you are. They'll know that you're worthless. Nobody would ever love you... Aww, did that strike a nerve? Good retards are never seen..."
The shock of the brakes jolted him, the others getting out of the car, already talking about things. Weiss and Ruby were getting ready to go to the lake another time, the feeling of love between the two of them something that he could almost see. Ruby wanted him to stay around. She liked his presence.
Sometimes, one had to make a decision. He knew that he was bad, and that he wasn't much to look at. Cinder had said that his body was perhaps a decent thing, but that the mind was sick and twisted, like something that you found on the road.
"She... She did that? Oh... Oh... Please, please, I..."
He'd told his psychologist after the fuss had died down during their session. It had been mandatory. His mother had brought him to the place and had waited for him. That had been nice.
"No, that's... That's wrong, Jaune. You are worthy of..."
Miss Salem had looked disturbed, weak and tired. She'd actually cried. A woman who had been professional had actually cried, as he told her the words.
She'd grabbed a big bottle of an amber liquid and poured the drink into the mug, downing it in one go. She'd looked so sick and sad that he'd almost hugged her, because she'd hugged him.
"I'm... I'm legally obligated to tell the authorities, Jaune... I'm... Alright... I'll seal it in the file and we'll talk about it later."
He'd asked. She had looked really sad. More of the bottle was drunk and the woman had pulled out some papers. They'd been forms, important ones that his mother had to sign, as well as his father.
"I want to see you after the summer, Jaune. Please, do... Don't do what she said. It was a bad match and... And I'm here as your psychologist, not... But... Don't ever think..."
It had taken time, but he hadn't wanted to deal with it ever again. Mom had been really sad when she'd picked him up. It'd just be more embarrassment. Cinder had said that nobody would believe him. She'd always been right. They'd asked so many questions.
But it would've hurt Ruby too. He liked Ruby. He didn't want her to hurt.
He sat at the dinner table, looking at the food, his mind replaying a few of the conversations that he'd had today. Blake had been withdrawn, and he wondered if he'd upset her by enjoying her presence. She had been... open. But she had been nice. He just wanted to...
"It's easy. A simple step and then a rush before it ends with a crunch. It'd make everyone stop hurting and it'd make the hurt inside you disappear."
His mother had told him that it was a bad thing to do. If you hit a car, you'd make people sad.
"Trying to murder the meatball, Jaune?"
Summer's voice came from the opposite side of the table, her eyes light as he stabbed at the meatball with his fork again. He'd barely eaten anything off his plate, watching the meatball roll around.
"It's just trying to escape."
He said, trying to make light of it, even as he knew that Ruby was...
He looked in her direction. She was absorbed with Weiss, talking about some weird little thought she had in her mind. Weiss was humouring her, whilst Blake looked at him with a gaze that was saddened.
"Do finish your plate, sweetheart."
Summer said so, and so he ate it. It was cold spaghetti, but it didn't matter. It had been made with love, a dash of special spice and much... or so Summer had said when she'd served it, her eyes looking brightly at him and the others, like a mother should.
"Thank you, Summer."
Her voice made him cheer up slightly. He just felt so tired.
"You need your strength for tomorrow, honey. I'm going to wring you out."
Her lips smiled, as her eyes met his own with a glint of amusement in them. They were warm and friendly, looking into his own as he did, her body angling lightly to pat her daughter on the head, Ruby giving a happy smile.
"Thank you."
He said, as he finished the spaghetti, putting his fork and knife in the position where it should, Weiss giving him a look.
"Can we... talk for a bit, after the dishes are done?"
Blake's soft voice came from the side, Yang's hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. It was a sign that they'd probably made up again, which was good. Yang deserved someone who loved her.
He was guided into Yang's room, the pink stuff shoved aside and a seat set before the bed, as Blake took a seat on the bed, together with Yang. He was sure that they wouldn't want to do some sex stuff, because Yang and Blake were in love.
"Jaune... I was thinking about what you said and..."
Yang's voice was light, as she nudged Blake.
"I'm sorry. My hormones are telling me to find a strong man and..." It was not an apology. It was a lie. He wasn't a strong man. Strong men did not have that mental retardation that he had. "Well, have sex with them. My... My ex and I were..." It was a sad smile on her lips. "intimate too. He didn't like it that I wanted to do track and... We didn't part very well."
It was a sad smile on her face, as Yang looked at her girlfriend with a look of understanding. "You've told me this already and... I thought you were..." Blake winced, as she took a deep sigh.
"I'm sorry. I... I guess I need to tell you one of these days... But I wanted him to know that..."
Her voice sounded so weary and tired that it was good enough for him to know that Blake was sad that he existed too. "It's not something that I can change, I'll... It's like a craving, an instinct." Yang looked sad. He felt sad too.
"I guess it's true. You can't help how you feel and I can't feel."
He had heard it enough. He couldn't process emotions like normal people could. He couldn't empathize with people.
"it's not... I like you, and I love Yang but... I want us to..."
He got up. This conversation was over. Who would ever like him for who he was? Blake certainly didn't. Yang didn't. Ruby did, but she was with Weiss. Weiss and Cinder were just the same in their distaste...
"Have a good talk. I'll be downstairs."
He turned away. He was feeling a little weak.
"Crying again? Don't you KNOW? Oh... Head up straight, Jaune... That's it... Sniffle sniffle, like the little mindless beast that you are. We should have just ended that little strand of weakness... Smell the ashes? That's all of your hope, going up to the sky... leaving you with nothing."
He descended the stairs. His hand wiped at his cheeks, coming away wet. It was just weakness leaving the body. He did what should happen to weaklings. It hurt. Not so much, but it hurt less than when she did it.
Summer stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking at him. Her silver eyes just looked at him, before a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. "Don't hurt yourself, sweetie." Her voice was light, as she ascended the stairs, meeting him half-way.
"I don't want you to hurt."
He knew that he was safe, as she wrapped her arms around him, guiding him down the stairs, leading him towards the couch. He saw that nobody else was downstairs, the feeling of being alone with her increasing the comfort. It felt better, even though he knew that she felt what he felt on the inside. She pushed him down, straddling his lap, her eyes looking into his own with that hint of understanding.
"You'll be the best man for my little Ruby... She's... She's just a little confused. Yang and Blake are... together, yes. The cat will cheat on her sooner rather than later..."
Her hand brushed through his hair, as she pushed his head against her chest. It was a comfort that he felt, a lingering brush that made him feel so warm and safe.
"I'm not going to let you..."
Her words were soft, as her hand pushed his head up, her lips against his own. "do that to yourself again. Don't hurt yourself." Her lips moved, as she kissed him. She was nice. Her eyes were a deep silver colour, as she held him, her fingers stroking through his hair.
"No matter what..."
She exhaled, laying against him, keeping him aware. She was very similar to Ruby in stature, even as she pulled herself up, seating herself next to him.
"You're the best boy for my girls."
Her words seemed to be hollow... He could understand her better now. The best boy for her girls... but for her, there was nothing. There was nothing but the care for the smile of the girls, a feeling of being unworthy.
She turned the TV on, watching the news. It barely seemed to register in her eyes, as the newscaster spoke about a great tragedy that had happened in a shootout, her eyes merely gazing at the screen, her gaze never stopping, a look on her face, as the newscaster spoke of the injured and those who had left their lives.
It was silence between the two of them, as she guided him up to her bedroom once the clock had hit eleven. It was a moment of solace, a moment of care, a moment of standing there before that door, as she slowly clicked the door open, the key turning in the lock. She always locked the door.
"One moment. Go to the bathroom and freshen up a little, sweetie... I need to prepare."Her voice was soft, hushed, as she closed her eyes and then stepped through the portal, the door closing softly, leaving him standing there.
He did as she had suggested. He went to the bathroom, his body feeling some sort of excitement go through it. He washed his hands three times, as that was only proper...
He stood before that door again, the door opening a crack and seeing crimson eyes look at him. It was a look that was daring and bold, confident and perhaps a touch impish, as she pulled him in. A heavy perfume, as red eyes looked at him, a smile on her face. She looked more like Yang now, the age-lines on her face not as masked by makeup, as her eyes locked with his own. The door shut behind him, and her lips were on his.
He saw the bed, bold and broad in the room, the glints of light reflected against the small reflective surfaces, a large cloth draped over something that looked to have stripes, a singular frame set upon it, a side-table sat against the wall as some sort of bedside table, upon it a single LED clock blinking with the hour. Already, the bed had been opened, the side for them to enter.
She kissed him with a passion that he couldn't believe, her hands sliding up and down over his body, tracing over his groin with deft fingers, her gaze searing and heated. "A man..." Her voice was heavy with the thickness of emotion, as her lips found his again. The thin black night-gown that she wore outlined her breasts perfectly, the night-gown scanty and silk-like against her skin, a set of underwear that was almost see-through.
"Don't worry... I've got the place well enough set up..." Her voice was breathy, husky, as her hands groped over his groin.
It was pleasant. Her eyes saw him, red as they were, the brightness of that colour almost like blood. It was not like the false gold and promises of Cinder, nor was it the animalistic colour of Blake or the cold snowy blue of Weiss.
It saw who he was, and it was alright.
*Summer has sexy times here. Find it on Archive*
*Summer has been sexed. Censorship done.*
"Hush... Sleep... it'll... It'll be fine in the morning, sweetie."
He felt at peace as he turned around, hearing her move behind him. He was asleep, curling up in the bed, feeling a set of arms wrap around him and a head lay against his shoulder, a soft whisper in his ear of "I love you."
He woke to the fragments of a clearing sky peering through the window, stirring on his biological rhythm. He felt sore, as he realized that he had been sleeping on a different bed than his own, and that this wasn't the living room in the Rose household. He turned around, meeting stark silver eyes.
"Hey S-GLGK!"
She was on top of him now, a swift movement that he'd not expected, her smaller form on top of him, her arms in a vise-like grip, those eyes cold and merciless, just like the eyes of mister Frank, the fingers around his neck in a strong grip. He tried to say something, as his hands tried to pry at those hands that held his throat in the grip, Summer's face looking strange, as those eyes were so pained and lost and sad.
'This is what a failed product deserves.'
It was a realisation, even as he could hear her whisper something, a buzz in his ears, as he blacked out. He spluttered, as his face started to turn red, the grip that she had on his neck not slacking, before her eyes seemed to recognize him. Her hands were off his neck as if they'd been holding a hot iron, or a burning cigarette and she stumbled back, falling off the bed with a thumping sound, crawling away.
"No-no, no, no... I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Her voice whimpered, like he had once when Cinder had punished him. He'd learned to dull the pain. She always smoked.
"Summm-GHah..."
He coughed, feeling the air invade his oxygen-deprived lungs, taking deep breaths. She was hugging her knees, her eyes looking at him, silver and terrified.
"Arr yu al-igh?"
Her teeth chattered, her eyes were unfocused as she seemed to be off in a far-gone place, rocking in place as she looked at her hands, hands that'd been around his neck a moment before she'd come back to the world.
"I'm so sorry, Jaune, I'm so sorry... So sorry..."
He looked around the bedroom, aware that with the light of the morning, he'd have better clarity. A picture had fallen over on what seemed to be some sort of memorial, a wood carving of a raven half-tipped over, as Summer started to giggle, the tears streaking down her face.
He got up, aware that he was still naked. Things had to be straightened out. The picture was raised once more and he looked at the happily smiling face that beamed back at him. A card stood at the side, bold black letters speaking of the name of the woman.
Raven Xiao-Long-Branwen.
Loving wife to Taiyang Xiao-Long, mother of Yang Cockatiel Xiao-Long, sister to Qrow Branwen, best friend to Summer Rose, godmother to Ruby Rose.
May you rest in quiet repose after serving your country. You did your duty.
He wondered briefly whether Yang actually went by that second name or whether she was ignorant of it, as he moved closer to her. He just knelt next to her, wrapping her in a hug.
"It's okay."
It would be. She was just a little sad.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry..." She was still crying. He felt a little sad too.
The mystery of who's who is solved... And well, suffice to say that Cinder is a sadistic bitch who acts like an angel in front of others...
