Chapter 13: The short march
Well... Here's an update. Enjoy.
Waking up in the morning at seven, he slowly rolled out of his comfortable warm nest of sheets, getting up. He looked at himself in the small mirror that stood in the room, the one that on occasion was borrowed by his sisters when they needed to do makeup, even though it was more of a shaving mirror than anything else.
He walked to the bathroom, aware of the sounds around him, hearing the stirrings of several of his sisters. He entered the bathroom and then got the shaving cream out, opting for a shave. He'd not had the opportunity, the stubble already growing somewhat on his chin. It was a necessity, or so he'd been told. He didn't mind shaving.
As he got under the shower for a quick wash, the warmth brought him back to yesterday's events. It had been nice to be around Yang, and if she wanted him to be the man that she could introduce as her boyfriend, he would try to do his best. Ruby was his best friend and she was with Weiss, so perhaps he should just try to do as she did. Yang didn't really strike him as the type to enjoy romantic movies, but he'd have to ask her either way. That's what boyfriends and girlfriends did in the stories and movies.
He got himself dressed in the gear for exercising, looking at his reflection and then giving the smile that he'd practised. It looked professional. The marks on his throat had turned to bruises, purplish-blue in colour.
'Summer has a good grip.'
She was a nice woman. She cared and she understood. It wasn't that she was bad, it was that she'd had a bad moment. Nothing could be done about that. He had bad moments too. Moments when he didn't really like what was going on.
As he sat down at the breakfast table, his older sister Connie looked up from her phone, her eyes catching sight of him and gasping. "Jaune! What happened to your throat?!" Several of her sisters turned their attention to him in unison, the youngest just looking weirded out, as his father looked a little more seriously. He just started to butter the bread very lightly. He wanted a jam sandwich.
"Oh, there was an accident. I had to go to the bathroom."
That was the simplest explanation that he could give. It was the truth. It had been an accident. He had to go to the bathroom, as he'd just woken up. You always went to the bathroom after waking up, or you'd wet yourself.
"Who did that to you, son?" His father asked. Jaune didn't like to lie. He really didn't, but he'd been asked.
"Summer. She didn't recognize me. It was dark inside the house."
The man's face looked understanding, as he nodded lightly. He understood. It was just a mistake. Summer didn't recognize him and she'd hurt him.
"She apologized. She thought I was an intruder."
The looks were a little more dubious, as his sisters shared a look, though it wasn't sure to him why they would look at each other.
"Reasonable… She's not got a man around the house, so it'd be her who's tasked with defending the house. Is she coming to pick you up for more training? I'd like to have a chat with her."
His father asked and Jaune shook his head slowly. He didn't think Summer was coming back until the end of the week.
"No. She's gone for a week. Mister Xiao-Long, Yang and Ruby's father, is coming to house-sit with his wife."
That was nice. Mister Xiao-Long was a good man. Dad approved of him, probably.
"Ah, that's… good. Taking a break after something like that."
Jaune nodded. It made sense. Summer had been nice enough to keep him alive, although his throat still hurt a little.
"Mister Barracuda said that a good twist usually deals with those things. She didn't twist, so my neck just aches a bit. It hurt quite a bit though. She's a strong woman."
His youngest sister ran to the sink and got sick. Perhaps the yogurt had been bad? He'd have to avoid it. He didn't want to get sick. The others looked a little sick too, but kept their food inside. It wouldn't be nice to die, but if he died, not many would really care. He didn't quite get why they got sick. It was simple facts.
"Jaune, that wasn't eh… exactly what he was referring to."
His father said, as the ringing of a doorbell was heard. Jaune checked the clock. Ten minutes past eight. Yang wasn't as punctual as her mother. That wasn't too bad, he supposed. Summer was too strict, in her own words.
"I should go and exercise. Yang is taking over for her mom."
He was aware that she would probably not be like Summer, but it still was nice of her to offer. He smiled. He grabbed his bag and walked to the door. Yang probably was waiting for him.
Some conversation sprang up between his sisters and his father, but he opened the door. He didn't like the louder noises. He watched Yang stand there, the top that she wore a deep yellow colour that made her hair spring out.
"Hey there, loverboy… C'mere, get in the car, we're going on a drive and we're not going far."
The rhyme was nice, as he smiled at her. The smile she returned was lighter, friendlier and with that little hint of acceptance. She'd seen everything so she was good. Blake was a Faunus, so she was just a bit like him.
As he got into the car, he caught sight of one of the neighbours looking at him, or rather, at Yang, who gave a cheeky wave, the neighbour looking at him weirdly for a moment. "Jealousy for my good looks, undoubtedly." Yang said, as she squeezed his thigh in an affectionate manner that he just didn't get.
As she turned the key in the ignition, the car roared to life once more, her eyes on the road. "Thank you for wanting to go on a run with me." He said his thanks, as that was only polite for him to do. She was his friend's sister and she was nice to be around.
"These babies need to get their exercise, or they'll just be flab." She flexed her arm a little, looking at him with that bright spark in her eyes. She looked excited.
"But you're pretty anyways. You'd never get fat or look ugly."
He didn't get that about girls. They said something about being ugly, but then they just acted weird when you re-assured them. Girls liked confidence, but they didn't like him very much.
Yang's cheeks looked a little red, as she took a deep breath, focusing on the road once more as they moved. He knew that she must focus. Accidents happened if you didn't have the focus. He was an accident too, probably. Cinder had said as much. Retards were accidents of nature.
"A-Awfully charming, aren't you?"
She sounded a little uncertain. He didn't think he was that charming. He'd never really been called charming before, so it didn't really matter much to him whether she thought he was or he wasn't. The car stopped before the traffic lights, his eyes following a bright red car. Summer might like that make.
"I'm just saying it as I see it. Miss Salem said that people like me can't lie very well. Lying is bad."
Retards shouldn't lie either, but things between friends should be kept between friends. Cinder had said that.
Yang was really quiet for a few moments after that, her eyes looking a little like Summer's as she stared into the distance. He coughed a little, as the lights had turned green.
"The light turned green."
Yang snapped back to attention and she hit the gas pedal, the car moving with a jolt. She seemed to register the jolt faintly, her eyes looking at the road and not at him. She shouldn't look at him. She was driving, after all.
As she parked the car in a different stretch of the woods, she exited slowly, grabbing a stick of deodorant and applying it to the spots where she expected to be sweating. He didn't watch for more than a few seconds as he slowly started on the stretches, loosening himself up a little so there would be no pain in his muscles.
It was important to do, he knew. Summer had stressed it. He turned to look at Yang, who was going through her own routine, moving and twisting. Compared to Summer, there was a slower response, with the movements less practised and fluid.
She noticed him looking and then pushed her chest out. He felt himself react, seeing the flesh bounce a little. Yang had the biggest chest out of the entire household. Retards shouldn't feel happy, but-
"You don't DO that around a woman, Jaune… No, no… Retards aren't allowed to show a woman that… That's bad."
He felt someone touching him and he became aware that Yang was touching him. She looked into his eyes, having called his name. He'd remembered Cinder again. Cinder had hated it when he'd responded to her. Summer had been… she'd been familiar. She'd been known and she understood. She had been Summer.
"Bad memory, Jaune?"
He nodded. She rubbed over his shoulder, as she slid in for a hug. "It's okay. That woman won't hurt you." He hoped she didn't. It hurt to pee sometimes. Cinder had been really mad sometimes when he'd responded to her. It was a biological thing.
"Retards shouldn't be happy near women. We're not allowed."
He said softly, and Yang's hug was stronger, as she pulled him close. It was nice. She was like her mom. She cared. Ruby cared too, she just showed it differently. Weiss…
He'd liked her, once. She didn't smoke, she didn't do the bad things, but she sounded familiar. She'd been a beautiful voice, accented slightly but with her own voice. It'd made him happy to hear her sing, her voice radiant like an angel's.
Cinder's own voice had been beautiful once too, as she'd sang the song to the music player that she'd had in her sitting room. Her own voice had been clear, as she sang the words with reverence, the music having sounded faintly like a march. She'd made him sing with her, something that he'd tried, during the first time when she'd educated him on the importance of the song. Who cared about raising the flag? What was a Hakenkreuz?
He didn't like humming the song though. It'd been the 'song of a brave patriot who had died because of the communists', and he'd liked Wagner a lot better. She'd let him watch Wagner's opera, back when she'd been nicer. They'd driven for a while, gone to an opera house that played it. Miss Salem had signed off on it, saying that it would be nice for him to experience. Cinder had paid for it out of her own pocket.
"Do you hear those beautiful sounds? It's endearing, Jaune… Listening to this, being with you…"
She'd smiled. The nice white dress that she'd worn had been beautiful on her, and he'd said so. She'd blushed a deep crimson at that, a sign that she must like him. It'd been the first act, the moment when he'd seen the first performer on the stage.
She grabbed his hand, caressing over the back of his hand, her hand small and soft. It had been a nice touch, as her eyes looked at the performers from their seat. "I watched this performance a lot in Vienna…"
"Oh?"
He didn't get why you'd watch things again. It wasn't something that could be re-interpreted after the first sighting. She smiled at him, as her hand grabbed his own.
"It's an appreciation for the classics, Jaune. Oh… We're going to have fun together, won't we?"
Her eyes were soft and her dress was like a pale shadow as she gently brushed her lips against his ear.
"You and me, together at my place… Es ist das Schicksal fur mich."
It'd been German, he knew some phrases from dad's old collection of movies, and he watched as the woman on stage started to talk about the Brabant… whatever that was. It was in Europe, probably. Wagner was from Europe. Cinder was from Europe. He thought that Weiss was from Germany, but he didn't know for sure. She'd been assigned to Ruby last week.
"You're my friend, aren't you? We're going to have fun."
He'd noticed that her nipples had hardened, as she inhaled and exhaled deeply. That was a good thing, he supposed, as her fingers stroked over his own.
"Indeed…"
Her tongue slid over her lips as she closed her eyes, leaning back, her fingers starting to caress his hand.
"Watch the performance, Jaune."
Her voice was a throaty, deeper tone, as he did as she asked. Her breathing became a little lower, a soft tremor going through him, as she mumbled something about Gut, Perfekt and something else, as her fingers gripped his hand really tightly. He watched the performance, even as she leaned against him, her lips brushing against his ear. A hot, warm breath came from her, as she shivered, perhaps a little cold. He laid his arm around her shoulder. He was warm, usually.
She twitched and quivered, a deeper, guttural sound coming from her lips as she rocked, her breathing louder, as if she'd been running, which was silly, her lips seizing an earlobe and suckling on it. He kept watching the performance, even as her soft gasp was loud, like an explosion in his ear, her forehead brushing against his own.
She smelled a little differently, a little more sweaty, as she slowly got up.
"I need to go to the bathroom for a moment, Jaune… Do enjoy the play."
His eyes looked worried at her. She was a little flush in the dim lighting, her forehead beaded with sweat. He hoped that she was alright. She was a friend and she shouldn't feel bad.
She joined him after nearly ten minutes. She settled in her seat again, draping her arm around his waist and pulling him closer.
"You said you had sisters, yes?"
He whispered a soft yes, as the performance continued. He opened his phone, showing the picture of the family. Cinder's smile was really pretty as she looked at them.
"You've got good genes… Your sisters are beautiful. Strong characteristic traits, fertility..."
He smiled at that. She'd said what most people had. His sisters were beautiful, to people's eyes. Some people said that he was very handsome too. "Everyone says that. Dad says it's the special Arc charm."
"Hmmm… We're going to have fun next week, Jaune…" Her voice was light. "It is unfortunate that I am currently experiencing a womanly problem, otherwise…" The soft whisper in his ear, as her fingers brushed over his stomach. It tickled a little.
"I'd show you what a man of your stature deserves…"
Yang was holding him, and he noticed that time had passed. They'd been hugging for a while, even with the exercise still to be done. He slowly pulled away from her, her eyes looking at him with a look that was concerned.
"Jaune, listen to me. You are not retarded."
He was, Cinder had said so. They'd all hate him. He was a bad person, simply for being born this way.
"You're simply a little different."
Different people got destroyed. She'd blown the ashes in his face, the smoke in which he'd end up too when the pure people were in power. She'd been right. He shouldn't feel good because Yang was nice and pretty.
"It's okay. You got an erection, that's good. It's flattering for a girl."
Yang tried to smile, but she looked uncertain.
"So, don't worry about it. I'd never get mad at you."
He doubted that. She'd not been very happy with him whilst he'd been out on a date with Ruby. Ruby was more important than him. She was smart, she was able to talk to Weiss without Weiss looking at her like she was something dirty. "I'm dirty." He mumbled, as he looked at her.
He'd had pleasant thoughts about her. She was gorgeous and he'd touched himself to her more than once. Yang smiled at him, the smile making him smile too. It was such a sunny smile, as her eyes looked at him.
"If you're dirty, I'm dirty too! I eat pussy, and she's a Faunus!"
It was a joke, probably referring to Blake's Faunus trait, but he didn't really think he should laugh. Yang did, as she tried to make light of it.
"Come on, the least you could do is crack a smile, mister robot."
He smiled. Yang sighed at the smile. It hadn't been good, he supposed."Alright, tough crowd…"
"But I'm just me here." Yang sighed deeper, and he'd probably done something bad again.
"I'm sorry."
She nudged him with her knuckles, her eyes looking a bit brighter.
"Let's go for a run, shall we? You won't get to feel sorry when you're watching this hot babe in front of you!"
He nodded. That made sense. "You are warm, not hot. You don't have a fever, do you?" Yang's little toothy grin and the playful punch to his shoulder were just like his sisters' when they'd wanted to let him know that he was a goof. He didn't mind that. He could take the pain.
"Silly boy." She said with amusement in her voice, starting to slowly advance on the path, before picking up speed. He followed after her, watching her buttocks bounce with every step that she took, her body in motion something different than Summer's.
If he had to compare the two of them, Summer definitely made more sense than Yang. Summer was even, streamlined, a singular pace that had been able to keep her straight on the path without fault or change of her own pacing. Yang was wobbling, her body moving as she did. There was little rhyme to her pace, as she picked it up, allowing him to catch up, her pacing different. She'd be tired after a while, he guessed. She wasn't using her feet economically, as Summer had taught her.
"Your feet are off."
She looked at him, her breasts bouncing. He felt the tightness in his pants again, feeling a dash of guilt go through him. Retards weren't supposed to like the sight of normal people, after all. He was lucky that Yang didn't mind, or didn't seem to mind. Yang was different from Summer. Yang was brighter, more vibrant and with better energy. She didn't look so sad.
"Oh? You've been looking at my feet, have you?"
She stopped, the sweat sticking to her skin, her breathing a little heavier as his eyes looked at her. She looked at him with a smirk on her face, coming closer, laying her hands on me.
"And you've been sneaking looks at my tits, haven't you?"
He flinched. She had seen him look. He felt like punishing himself again. It'd been bad to look, but she'd been nice, but he'd-
She was shaking her head. "It's okay to look, Jaune. I don't mind, hell, I've seen what you're packing. Eh, not... y'know, hard. But that's okay! I'm okay, you don't have to show me!" He nodded, slowly pulling his hands up again from his shorts. The shorter blonde smiled at him, as she closed her eyes. "Just looking is okay. I'm not unaware that I'm a hot babe, after all."
"You're beautiful, just like your mother."
He put on his best smile. It was true. Just like Summer, Yang had that inherent beauty. Ruby herself was a looker as well, her smile as bright as the morning sun when she wanted to.
Yang quivered and trembled for a moment, as her head turned away. A smile on her face, he noticed with faint curiosity. "Y'know, you're going to make a girl really happy if you're keeping that up." He smiled at her. She didn't need to know that it'd be impossible for him. He was just someone who was defect, who probably would never find love. Retards didn't love, they just loved to hurt people. That was the truth.
"It's the truth. Summer just looks sad from time to time, but when she gets a hug, she's smiling and happy. Ruby noticed it as well."
Yang's face looked awkward, he guessed. He wasn't sure what expression it was on her face, as her lips pressed together tightly, her head shaking lightly.
"Just because I'm pretty, it doesn't mean that- Bah."
She was flushed red, no doubt from the exercise. He felt a little sticky as well. They'd been running at a pace that was a bit faster than Summer's regular pace.
"Beautiful. Not just pretty."
He corrected her there. She shouldn't put herself down like that, he had said that she was beautiful, so it was so, in his eyes. Her close proximity made him feel warm. It made him feel happier, just like with Summer.
"Damn, it's going to be hard to pretend to be your girlfriend, dude."
He knew that. She'd no doubt have to fight down the disgust too, for being close to a retard. It'd be hard for her to pretend indeed. He smiled at her, encouragingly, just like he'd been coached on. He'd do his best to be the normal boyfriend that she'd want. Anything to make sure that she was happy.
"It'll be okay. What does Blake want to do?"
Yang's features looked serious for a moment. She exhaled slowly.
"Dad's coming tonight with Sandy. We're going out for a date later… Just to make sure that we're having a moment of fun before we… well, we'd be dating, you big lunk." Yang loved Blake. Retards didn't love and Blake didn't really seem to know that. There was a tight feeling in his chest. It hurt a little. That just might be the exercise.
"Do you want to set ground rules? My older sisters said that it was pretty important."
He saw her think for a moment, taking a few steps away and looking up before she took a deep breath, running a hand through her hair.
"Let's continue our run for a bit first whilst I think, loverboy."
He could probably never be the man that someone would love. Weiss had been beautiful and he'd hoped that she'd be nice to him too, but Yang had always been distant, somewhat. The gaming was nice, when Ruby asked her to join them, but Yang had always been the presence in the background.
As they ran for another thirty minutes, Yang's pace moderating slowly, her face looking carefree and without worry, he let his mind roam a little. Living with Summer and Yang and Ruby was nice. They'd been a good family, he knew. Yang cared a lot for his best friend. Weiss was gay, but she was okay too. She'd said the bad word but he'd forgiven her already. She was someone he knew and she'd probably not been aware.
She didn't smoke, which helped too. Yang smoked. He wondered whether she'd continue smoking around him. He didn't much like people who smoked much. The car was still waiting for them, Yang's face heated. For a moment, he could see Summer on her knees, giving him that warm sensation. That'd felt really good and nice.
He felt the rush of shame go through him, as he wondered whether Summer was alright. She hadn't looked happy when he'd told her. Summer must be alright though, because she was Ruby's mom and she was super.
"My… That's a bit too early for that sort of stuff, buddy."
Yang's voice was teasing as she patted his butt, a startling feeling, as he felt the guilt go through him. He'd thought of Summer again, whilst with Yang. For a moment, he'd had a bad thought.
"But it's nice to see that I look good enough for you to get a stiffy. Makes a girl feel flattered."
She shouldn't be. He wasn't allowed to feel happy because he was a defected product. He tried to push it down, the touch enough. He hoped that it would, because it was annoying to walk with it.
"Sorry."
She patted his shoulder, winking at him, laying her hands on the car and then doing a slow stretch. Her rear pushed out, as the blonde hair fell down the side, a low groan coming from her. He stared, longer than he'd intended. Summer was nice, Yang was nice, both made him feel something.
"My, am I too beautiful for you?"
She said with a tone that definitely was a teasing one. He'd heard it often enough from his sisters, as they teased him with his bad social skills. Miss Salem had said that he'd just have to learn, that his parents and sisters didn't fully understand.
"Yes."
She blinked at the blunt answer and then smiled.
"Good. Now, do some stretches… I'll help if you need some."
He imitated her, feeling the muscles twitch a little, the warmth from the exercise making him feel a little fluttery. Her hands pressed on his back, the smell of her deodorant mixing with her sweat and that indecipherable feeling of being Yang giving him a tingling sensation.
"Good boy…"
Cinder had not praised him. Yang was nice, she wouldn't hurt him. She smoked, though.
"Are you going to smoke?"
He asked. Yang's eyes showed confusion.
"Well, n-" Her eyes went wide. "No, I'm not going to smoke. Don't ever think that I'd do something like that to you, Jaune."
Her voice sounded a little sad and disturbed. He smiled at her. She wasn't going to mark him as the retards should be marked. That made him happy.
"Thank you."
His simple expression of thanks made her look somewhat saddened, even as she turned her gaze away from him.
"We'll… We'll have to figure something out about Blake. I'm going to go out with her on a date today, we're… We've talked."
He knew that Blake was not going to be leaving him. She liked him for his eyes or something, he wasn't sure exactly why. She cared, in her own Faunus-ey way.
"And… Well." Yang swallowed, before she reached, touching his thigh. "She wants to-, b-but…"
Her hand stroked over his thigh, her eyes looking at him. There was something in those eyes that her mother also had. Care. She didn't seem to mind that he was different.
"I just want her to be happy."
He grabbed her hand and pulled it away. He shook his head. She was forcing herself to touch him. He understood. Nobody wanted to touch a retard there unless they had to. Cinder had said that and it had been true. She had disliked his grossness and his disgusting habits.
"I'll hug. We can kiss. Let's be friends."
She smiled in a manner that was like Ruby, warm and without concern. A weight seemed to fall off her shoulders, as her head turned away.
"Boys don't want me to…"
She didn't finish her sentence, as she looked at him with her lilac eyes dark.
"It's always 'these'."
She grabbed her breasts. He reacted, as she juggled them slowly in the top. His eyes followed the motions. He felt bad about it too, expecting the kick. Cinder had hated it when he reacted. She'd given him an even dirtier look.
"It's always 'I'll be your friend', but then they're just wanting more. It's always an 'oops, my hand slipped' but I've seen them look. I'm not... I'm not some easy girl." He could understand that.
"You are a beautiful girl. Strong. Weiss didn't get up after you hit her."
Yang grimaced at the mention of that. He hadn't caught what had happened to Weiss, as she'd been put in Ruby's room.
"I gave her a concussion. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bumblebee."
A morose look, as she looked down. "I was always taught that I should never hurt people, never hit someone with the full force, but I was just so angry that she'd said that about you, in front of Ruby. It's not okay, Jaune. You were with us."
He didn't understand why. They'd not believed him at the police station. His mother didn't believe him, fully. She'd asked many times if it'd been a mistake. He'd just said that there was no mistake. He hadn't done anything. He'd not made a mistake. He'd said that, to her. Summer had helped him and Ruby had been nice. Ruby didn't know, fully. She was his friend.
"It's okay. Retards aren't supposed to feel l-"
She silenced him by grabbing his mouth and closing it. "You listen to me right here and now, Jaune! You're human, just like me. You've got hot blood running through your veins and you've got a dick in your pants that's reacting to something you see that you like. Don't you ever say that you're not supposed to feel anything. You feel things."
He smiled at her. Hearing those words was nice, but he didn't believe her much. Cinder had said the truth was like that. She'd shown him some of the things that she'd collected over the years. He wasn't like that, but he was not pure. He was the defect out of eight children.
"Sometimes, I wonder."
He said. He did. Pyrrha always smiled at him when he hadn't fully understood something, well, she'd always smiled at him before the presentation. She'd been cooler to him afterwards, not smiling as much. He somewhat missed that. He just wanted to know what was wrong with his friend, but Nora had said to 'give it some time' and that she needed 'some time to put things back together'.
Nora was super. He hoped that Ren would ask her to marry her. That'd be nice, it'd be nice to see Nora smile again. He didn't really get why Nora had looked at him so weirdly for a moment when Ren had talked to her, but it'd all be okay. She'd apologized and everything had been fine. She'd never stopped being his friend. You didn't abandon friends.
"No, don't wonder about it. You're just like me. Just without the breasts."
He gave a soft laugh at that. He'd already imagined that image and it wouldn't look so nice. Yang's breasts were nice and round.
"They are nice. Cardin said that he'd like to grope them but that you'd been a 'cold bitch' to him."
Cardin wasn't a nice person, in his opinion. At least Cardin had left him alone after the presentation had been done. That had been nice, even though nobody really wanted to talk to him anymore.
"That jerk-off should've just tried to get his hands on Emma rather than to try to mess with the Xiao-Long!"
Yang looked fiercer, as she straightened her shoulders, her chest doing an interesting wobble.
"What I mean is… You're like Ruby."
He wasn't like Ruby. Ruby was a good girl, a smart girl. Much smarter than he was. He was stronger than she was, he was a brute. Good for labour, good for doing other stuff, but Ruby was smart.
"She's smarter."
Yang's eyes were a little distant, as she patted him on the shoulder.
"It's true. She's always scoring higher than me."
It was the truth. Retards weren't smart. Ruby wasn't retarded like he was. Cinder was sure of it, and she'd told him. It had been clear. Ruby was smarter and better than him. He was just a boy, just a retard. Everyone said it. Boys were bad.
He didn't like the word rapist. It'd been used too much, everyone whispered it. He didn't like it at all. No girl really wanted to talk to him voluntarily and even the teachers were a little hesitant, thinking the worst of him. He'd seen it in his Math teacher, her eyes never quite leaving him whenever he was around. She'd been one of the people who gave him that look that he deserved for existing as if he was nothing but filth. She'd heard what happened, of course. Nobody had believed him.
"You're silly, Jaune."
Yang said so and perhaps it was so. He wasn't going to comment on her. She wasn't broken like he was. She was a bright and sunny girl, whose smile made him smile too. She was the bright little sun in the sky. "And that's why people can't see you for what you really are."
"You're like the sun in the sky."
He said. She blinked at the sudden words from him.
"You're warm and you make people feel happy. Mom always says that the sun is what makes people come out."
"Silly." She shook her head, opening the door for him after turning the key.
"Get in, Mister Compliments… Time for the two of us to get back home and showered. Ruby wants to see you, or so I heard."
He hoped that Ruby was okay. She was his best friend after all.
He was greeted at the door by Ruby, whose blue summer dress looked nice on her. He smiled, hugging her.
"Ick! Sticky! Jaune, we've got to go and talk! Weiss isn't allowed here for a week!"
He winced. It'd been his fault. If he hadn't been there, Weiss would still be with her. "But that's okay! You go shower first! I'll distract Yang! Big sis!" Yang's smile was soft as Ruby started a barrage of questions, something that brought him some relief, as he walked up the stairs to the bathroom with the comfortable shower. The one on the lower level was often too cold. He didn't like that too much.
As he entered the bathroom and stripped, he became aware of the creak of a door and turned his head, seeing Blake stand there. Her golden eyes looked at him, a smile appearing on her face, her steps soft and elegant like a dancer's, something that he'd managed to get experienced at with his sister's fancy for dancing.
He stopped with the motion, standing there in his underwear. Her ears twitched, the shirt that she wore being enough, as her eyes looked at him, head turning slowly. His gaze met hers and he held his eyes pinned on her.
She shuddered, stepping closer, her fingers touching over his skin.
"Hmmm…"
A low moan came from her lips. He felt her fingers touch, a spike of discomfort coming from him, as her lips pressed against his collarbone, her Faunus trait brushing against his own.
"A good man."
He pushed her away and she stumbled, catching her balance. He was aware that he'd gripped his fist, as his heartbeat raced. Tremors started to go through him, as he felt the twitching come.
"Please, leave."
She looked at him. "But it'll feel good?" Her question was not good, as he remembered the smoke, the touches. She'd hated that, she'd always kicked him, it hurt. "I'm going to make you feel go-"
"Did I tell you to behave? Oh, yes I did… Why were you talking to her, hmm? Didn't I say that things would only get harder if you talk to better people than you?"
A stomp. She'd kicked him. Pain. She'd not been nice but she'd been a friend. She was supposed to help him.
"Good, good… Oh… Now that's not good. Good retards do NOT get good feelings from those who tolerate their existence. Repeat after me: Retards do not love. Retards do not like. Retards should die. I am not worthy of love."
He'd repeated after her. Every time, she hurt. He felt numb, but it was still okay. He'd felt worse pain. She kept on smoking, kept on telling him that he should die for the crime of being born broken.
"Please go."
The Faunus girl nodded, turning around. She didn't leave yet. Why didn't she leave yet? "Blake, please, just…" A sigh came from him, as he felt the pain again. She caught his wrist, her eyes meeting his. She smelled nice, as she shook her head slowly.
"No hitting the baby-maker. I'll go now. Come down for breakfast, Jaune."
She looked at him with strange eyes, and he nodded. She would go. That was good. He needed to be alone for a moment, get clean.
He hit himself three times. It wasn't right. It always hurt, but at least it wasn't a boot. Cinder hadn't been good at kicking.
He turned the shower on, the water hot and scalding. He felt like he had to get clean, like he had to wash it all off. He'd liked Yang. He'd reacted to her, even as Summer was someone who he'd reacted to as well. Blake had said the words, she'd said the words and he felt dirty for liking Blake's girlfriend. It wasn't allowed.
His skin was red as the water rained down on his back, the sponge rubbing over the skin, the heat barely phasing him, though the water definitely was hotter than he'd usually put it. He had to wash himself clean, he'd had to make sure that he wasn't dirty, Ruby had said that she'd like to talk to him, Blake had said that he was a good man and Cinder was going to come and make Ruby hate him. He didn't want her to hate him. That wasn't allowed.
He joined them at the table, the fresh shirt that he'd gotten from the bag worn. He had worn the loose shorts that made him feel comfy. It was easier to hide the evidence of being wrong. He looked at Blake, who gave him a little wave with the fingers, a little scratch-wiggle of the hand, as Yang sat at the head of the table, a fresh loaf of bread already half-sliced into pieces. They'd never really bought the pre-sliced bread, he'd noticed, as Yang sliced Ruby's bread for her, Ruby humming lightly to herself.
Ruby liked her bread with no crust and a lot of butter. He didn't really like much butter. It was sticky.
"Did you have a nice shower, Jaune?"
Yang asked and he nodded. He'd been clean. The water at 102 Fahrenheit always made the skin clean. Washing hurt a bit in the sensitive bits, but you never bothered. With flame, things were disinfected. The shower only went to 102, so it was a shame. He couldn't be fully clean. Cinder said he had to scrub till the skin was red to be clean.
"Yes."
He said, simply stating it. It hadn't been enough for him yet. He had to stop being dirty.
Blake gave him a look whilst Ruby noticed him. She had that too, sometimes. She was paying attention one moment and the next she was doing something entirely different. It was kind of cool, even though he at times didn't notice much either, missing parts of the sentences. He usually remembered the gist of it though.
"Sooooo… Weiss got concussed. That means she's not allowed around the house, which is sad. Mom was really upset about something. Why were you laughing?"
He thought for a moment. She didn't mind if he thought about it for a bit, because she let him think on things. She was the smart one, always coming up with her own explanations that made perfect sense.
"Was it funny? I don't think you're a rapist, you're just Jaune."
He noticed the sharp intake of breath from Yang, whilst Blake merely looked at him.
"It's not good to do, though. Mom said that it isn't a happy thing, so were you laughing because you were sad? Mom sometimes laughs but it's nicer, she's got a good laugh. She called Weiss Krauty though. I don't think she tastes like Sauerkraut though… She tastes more like strawberries, unless we're having sex. Then it's just a bit salty."
Yang's face looked uncomfortable, and Jaune wondered briefly what face Weiss would make if she was here. This was not a comfortable topic, but he mustered a smile. Ruby couldn't hate him, she shouldn't hate him or he'd lose his friend.
"I wasn't feeling very happy. The laughter was to make me feel happy again, so I went for a little walk."
She was smarter than he was, she always got better grades. She'd understand. The bright smile that blossomed on her face was happy, as she hugged him.
"You're my bestie! My male bestie and I love you."
He couldn't say the same. He was just a retard, born wrong. He liked her, she was his best friend, next to Ren and Nora and Pyrrha, but to the others, he was just a rapist. Weiss had said so. She'd said it just like Cinder had. She was disgusted with him too, but that might just be because she was gay. Blake sipped some of her drink, orange juice if he'd guessed it right, whilst Yang took a bite from her sandwich.
"Let's have sex tonight! Weiss said it's something you do with someone who's special to you!"
Yang choked on her food, coughing and choking, her eyes watering. She wasn't choking-choking, as the food was swallowed, though she took a very quick drink from the glass of water.
"Ruby, I don't think that's something that Weiss would like…"
Yang said, her voice cautioning. He had to agree. Weiss would probably spread the news on social media or something. Cinder had said that something like that might happen, though she wasn't on any official network.
"Oh. Can I see your penis?"
Yang looked scandalized, as Ruby looked at him with her silver eyes imploringly.
"Because Weiss and I were having a talk… Or is that Weiss and me? I always forget… But yes, I just heard how good sex with a boy feels. She's going to bring toys! She said that we shouldn't borrow Blake's toys, because they are too big for me."
He gave Blake a look, the flat golden stare looking at him with something in those eyes that he didn't really get.
"I'm not sure whether that's a good idea, Ruby. Weiss doesn't like it when you try to talk to me."
He tried to make sure that Ruby wouldn't pry too much, knowing that Weiss would explode if she'd heard that Ruby asked to see his manhood.
"Oh, yes, that's true. Do you think you can show me? I'll keep a secret. I'm just so curious!"
He looked at her and closed his eyes. If he showed her, she'd be silent for a bit, but…
"Your dad is coming tonight, isn't he?"
He changed the subject, deciding that it wouldn't be a good thing to talk about this. Ruby was a good girl, she was his best friend and she was together with Weiss.
"Oh, yes. Hmm…" She tilted her head slightly to the left.
"Perhaps I can just… I dunno, take a quick look? I'd always wanted to see one, and you're my best friend and-" She seemed not to let go of the subject.
'Is it really that important?'
He didn't think it was. Ruby was innocent and she was smarter than he was, so perhaps it would be alright. Blake looked at him, her lips stuck in a pout, Yang looking between him and Ruby, before she sighed deeply.
"Just… show her, Jaune. When we're gone. No sex, alright?"
He didn't think so. You didn't want to breed retards. Ruby was a good girl, she would be smart and loved. She wasn't like he was.
"Aww… But please? Can I see?"
He nodded, Yang giving a soft groan and a 'What a fucking mess' came from her lips, as she looked at Blake. He knew that Yang wanted to be with her girlfriend. He smiled at her, trying to offer her some support. People liked a smile, because you showed positivity.
"When Yang and Blake are gone."
He said. Summer wanted him to make her girls happy. He'd make Ruby happy and he'd make Yang happy. Ruby's beaming smile was like a ray of light through the dark clouds, her eyes twinkling softly with that happiness, her gaze direct at him with those silver eyes. Her mother's eyes were prettier. He'd have to admit that. He liked Summer when she looked at him as if he was someone worth looking at.
"Well, we're heading out… Do play safe and remember: No sex."
Yang looked at him and gave him a look that he recognized as 'Don't hurt my sister'. He wouldn't. Ruby was just curious.
He was in Ruby's room, standing in front of her bed, ten minutes later. She sat on her bed and her finger tapped against it, her giggles broader. It was for her that he did this. She was such a good friend that he'd not the heart to deny her. Blake and Yang were out, Ruby touching him slightly.
"Does it get bigger? The teacher in health class said that boys get bigger."
He closed his eyes. Thinking about Summer and her warmth, her understanding. Yang and the sight that she'd made this morning. The feeling of Blake's lips around his manhood, sucking and caressing. Delighted giggling came from her, as her hand touched it. He flinched.
It wasn't a sexual touch, not a bad one. Not like Cinder, who'd touched. He trusted Ruby.
"Big… So this is going inside someone like me?"
Her eyes looked up at him with a question. He'd nearly forgotten that she was two years younger than him.
"No, you're not allowed. Yang said that we shouldn't."
He knew that Ruby would be pressing at him to make sure that she got her way. Ruby had always been better received. She'd always been the smart one, because she was so happy.
He couldn't have made Ruby hate him. Ruby was a bright little spark in the dark, there to make him feel a shred of joy. She was the cute girl that smiled at him and wanted to game with him. She was fun.
"Make it hard again. It went soft. Does it always look so big or is it because of me?"
Her eyes looked at him imploringly, as she squeezed. He hissed in pain. It was always sensitive when someone squeezed really hard.
"Oh, sorry. Did that hurt? Do you want me to kiss it better?"
He shook his head, pulling his pants up. She'd seen enough. He didn't feel comfortable anymore. Ruby was a wonderful girl but at times, she could be too much.
"Aww… But I wanted to taste it, just like the girls in the books. Weiss said that it isn't nice to do to a boy, but you're my friend."
Summer didn't force herself on him. Summer understood and she wanted the best for her daughters.
"Your dad will be here soon, as well as your stepmother."
Ruby frowned, looking away. "She's nice. Dad likes me more though. He's okay with me and Weiss. Are you going to come around again tomorrow?" She was doubtful, as her eyes seemed to grow dull for an instant before they focused on him, a smile on her lips.
"Do you want to kiss for a bit?"
'No.'
He really didn't feel like that for her. She was his friend, yes, she was a wonderful girl that made him feel happy, but kissing her just felt wrong.
"No."
She pouted, her eyes looking at him. "You're no fun. Weiss should stop acting silly and just accept it. I love you both. She's just acting a little silly and she'll start to like you soon enough! I just know it." He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
"And we'll all be happy together when mom comes back. You, me, mom, Weiss, Blake and Yang."
He hoped that Summer would come back. She was nice and she understood. Ruby wasn't too bad, she just had some issues sometimes. He could accept that. He wasn't worthy of understanding, because he had been born the way he was.
"I wanted to… y'know, have sex. Do you think we can? I won't tell Yang, it's supposed to feel really good for guys and I like your thingy…"
If it'd been before, he might've considered it. Ruby was with Weiss and Weiss made him think of Cinder. Weiss would hate him if he did anything with Ruby. He'd probably hate himself too.
"No, Ruby."
She touched his groin, looking up at him, a stubborn expression on her face, her lip pouting a little.
"Yang said no sex, and there won't be sex."
A little huff, as she turned her head away. "Weiss never refuses me. She likes me and I like her back. Yang isn't very warm to her because Weiss was looking once and- Well, I guess that was not the strawberry themed underwear…"
He didn't really know what she was talking about, as the bright smile came to her face.
"How about a game of Kart Crushers? I call dibs on the first controller!"
Gaming was familiar and it was an excuse. Ruby sat herself down in his lap, letting her butt rest against his groin, the skirt that she'd opted to wear made of some soft fabric. It was about 5 hours later when he heard the door open up below. Because he was aware, he knew that it must be someone coming home.
"Kids! It's me, big ol' Dad!"
The voice of Mister Xiao-Long came from below, as Ruby got up, her butt smacking him in the face. She'd gotten very comfortable, wiggling her butt up and down a little at his groin, whether intentional or not being the question of the hour.
"Dad!"
She was downstairs in a flash, without even a hint of deliberation, burning with that bright energy that attracted him as well. He joined her at a slower pace, the man hugged by his daughter, the slight woman standing a few paces behind the man looking at him, a complicated expression on her face.
"Oh, it's you. How've you been doing?"
The man put Ruby down, who'd started to climb into the man's frame already, his eyes looking into his own. Jaune smelled Chinese food. Good Chinese food, it smelled like. Probably from the place in town. He liked their takeout. The dumplings were nice and spicy.
"I've been fine, Mister Xiao-Long."
He said. It was true. He felt fine. The man's eyes looked at his face, or rather his neck. The man made a motion to his neck, to which Jaune gave a little smile.
"Your ex-wife decided that I was an intruder. She wasn't too happy." The man nodded, brushing a finger over his own cheek.
"Yeah, Summer does that sometimes. Always before dawn, because that's when we were most active."
The man looked uncomfortable, if he'd gotten the right idea about the man's expression.
"Well, sport, time to go to the table. Is your sister home too?"
Ruby shook her head. "Nope! Yang and Blake have gone out for… I think they're to the movies. They'll fix their own dinner."
The confidence in Ruby's voice was infectious, as he smiled. Yang and Blake belonged together. Blake might like him for some weird Faunus reason, but that was biology. You couldn't help biology. Saphron had said that it'd been biology that had made her gay and that lesbians did not like men.
"More grub for us, kids. Sandy, do you think you can set the table? Ruby, go show your stepmom where the plates are kept, sweetheart."
The man looked at his wife and his daughter departing, the signs already there on the older woman's face. There wasn't much like for Ruby, and he remembered what Yang had said.
"Son, Jaune… I'm sorry for what Summer did to you."
The man sounded apologetic, as he looked at him with a look that looked sad to Jaune's eyes. "She's sick, ever since we came back from a really bad deployment."
"Is that why she wears the red contacts?" The man's face showed surprise for a moment, before there was something in those eyes that looked really sad. He didn't like making people sad. He shouldn't have mentioned it. He vowed not to mention it again. That way people wouldn't be sad.
"Oh, maybe. I haven't really spoken to her much after the divorce. I trust her with the kids, I know that it's been tough but… Tell me, how does she act when she wears the contacts?"
There was a note of worry in the man's voice. He sounded a bit like dad when he'd heard about that amendment legislation. He hoped that Ruby's dad would be angry.
Describing how she acted wasn't that hard. "Nice. She speaks with a bit of a southern tone, oh, and she's perhaps a bit like Yang. It's usually after she goes quiet for a bit." The man's expression looked sad, and the man looked like he was ready to say something, when Ruby came up.
"The plates are set! Sandy is putting the cutlery down! Come, bring the food! I'm hungry!"
The older man smiled at his daughter, handing her the bag with the Chinese food. He didn't really care what was for dinner, the man's hand on his shoulder.
"Did she ever hurt you, son? Anything at all, anything that's a little strange, perhaps a little scary?"
The man's tone was soft but his grip was rather painful. He shook his head, Summer hadn't hurt him. She'd been nice and gentle and he liked her kisses.
"She didn't recognize me when she did that. She apologized. Dad has that too sometimes when he wakes up at night."
The man closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and the grip relaxed.
"She never took the loss of my first wife, Raven, well. They were best friends and… well, we ended up in bed after some shared grief, my wife didn't really... eh, that's not important. Ruby was born nine months later and well… She's been a finicky sleeper ever since Raven died."
The man was telling from personal recollection, as his blue eyes looked sad.
"I've been where you've been at a few times, Jaune. Waking up, feeling her hands around my neck and her screaming at me to give her back. She must've forgotten to lock the door to her room, she hates disturbing the kids. She loves them a lot."
It was understandable, he supposed. He didn't like it much when one of his sisters brought home a boyfriend and it'd be thump thump thump through the night. The walls weren't that thick and some of the sounds they made weren't soft.
"It's okay. She said she was going to go out of the country because she had some bad news. She'll be back next week."
The man looked at him and nodded in understanding. The man knew where Summer had went, most likely. Jaune wondered whether he could ask.
"She's gone to visit her best friend. Sometimes, Summer has to go and drive to the cemetery, but since it's in another state, it's hard to get to. She'll be back. She owes Raven too much to quit. She's a Marine."
The man sounded just like his dad, as they walked towards the kitchen table. The food was already on display, the man's wife seated perfectly between him and Ruby, Taiyang taking the head of the table. It was a low rumble that said that his stomach was hungry, as Ruby hungrily dug into the food.
Watching the television with Ruby was nice, as Yang and Blake returned, Yang striding over to her father and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Missed ya, dad."
"Missed you too, firebomb. How's my oldest daughter today, huh? Been to the movies with your best friend?"
The man's eyes caught Blake's eyes for a moment, a mistrust in those eyes that he could see. When those gazes were looking at you all the time, you recognized it. The man was prejudiced, either because Blake was Yang's girlfriend, or otherwise.
"Yeah, we went to an action flick. Blake's got an appreciation for some movies that're a bit odd, but you know me…"
Her eyes met his and she smirked. He noticed that the wife of the man made a face as Yang sauntered up to him, planting herself in his lap.
"And how's my big strong Jaune today, huh? Enjoyed yourself with my little sis a bit, big boy?"
He wondered whether Yang was going to do something, as her face came closer. He kissed her on the nose, a sign of affection or so he'd gleaned from the romantic movies.
"It was nice. Do you want to go on a date sometime tomorrow?"
He wasn't sure whether the mall was open or not, but they could go. He'd have to act like a good boyfriend, so she would be happy. Boyfriends went on dates and acted clumsy, right?
"Would be lovely, Jaune. Dad? Mind if I borrow the car to bring Blake and Jaune home?"
The man's expression was a little more at ease, as Yang squeezed his side and started to tickle the older man. She was a little relieved, he noticed. It was more in the subtle way that she was breathing a little more restful than before, rather than the definite touch she was laying on him. The man pushed her away, a look that was good on his face. He thought that meant being fond of someone.
"Sure thing firebomb, take the car. Just remember to fill the gas tank up again before you get back. It's quite the drive from our neck of the woods to here, so just be aware…"
Yang grinned, getting up and then brushing her fingers over his neck, grabbing his cheeks and then pressing a kiss to his upper lip, almost like they were kissing.
Shame went through him. He reacted again. Lilac eyes looked into his own, as Yang's warm breath washed over his face.
"We need to get you some manly cologne, Jaune… You're smelling like my dad."
Her amused laugh was a little bit forced, in his opinion, but she was his friend.
"That's because I don't have my shampoo here. Ruby doesn't like it if I use hers." Her father laughed at the words, as his wife gave him a look.
"But I'll bring some next time." He was sure that there would be some time to shop.
"We'll go shopping for some nice things together, tomorrow! Better bring your wallet, because Yang's gonna make a bang! Dating can be done later, yep!"
She fist-pumped, as her father's new wife spoke up. The woman looked rather hawkish at Yang, it wasn't a nice look.
"Are you sure that it's a wise idea, Yang?" The woman said, looking at her husband.
"Tai, are you sure it's wise to let them go off unescorted? Should we take them and make it a double date?"
The man smiled at his wife. It wasn't a faked smile, but Jaune could feel Yang tensing up. "Perhaps… But who'd look after Ruby then, eh? Yang, if you'd not mind and take her with you two, it might be best for…" The man looked at him and then at her. Yang's smile was radiant as she nodded.
"It'll be great. Fun. Jaune can carry our bags, right?"
He wasn't sure whether he should agree. As Yang pulled him a little closer, she squeezed him a little tighter, her eyes looking a bit sad as she gazed into his own, before letting go and turning to Blake.
"Blake, get your pussycat butt to the car! C'mon, chop-chop!"
He moved after her, trying to suppress the feelings inside him, as he felt the sadness in her increase. He turned and waved goodbye at Ruby, saying so as well, just in case she didn't see. Her father was talking with his wife about something, clearly not too fussed, but Yang was upset. She looked like her mom now, with that look in her eyes.
When they reached the car, a nice Range Rover that'd been marked with a license plate from out of state and a few dents in the side and mud on the wheels, Yang sighed.
"I really hate her. I hate her so much I just wish that she'd die so Dad would be dad again."
Yang's voice sounded upset and sad, her pretty eyes looking a little empty and without happy feelings. He felt bad for her.
"It's okay, Yang. I didn't take her comments personally the last time I was at your father's place with you."
There was a story that wasn't told, as Yang groaned, opening the car door. A picture of her father was pinned to the rearview mirror in a dangling chain that'd been looped around it, the man and the stepmother to Yang and Ruby looking like she loved him.
"She'd got no right. You're my girlfriend, that doesn't make it right to call you an animal." Yang sounded sad. He gave her a hug either way. She was silent for a moment, as Blake joined in.
"You're not an animal. You're my friend, Blake."
He wanted her to not hurt. She was a Faunus, not an animal. Blake was a bit different, but she was Yang's girlfriend. He was just someone who didn't understand anything, too simple to really get those things like normal humans did.
"I'll be his animal." Blake smiled, looking at him. "I still want that threesome." Yang blushed red, as she looked away.
"He's good. He's nice. He's making you smile."
Yang sighed, as she got into the car, pulling herself free from their embrace. She seemed to be depressed for some reason, her eyes closed for the time being as she let a slow hiss of air escape her lips. It wasn't nice for her to feel like this, he figured. She was his friend too, even with Ruby being somewhat different.
"See? We can meet up in town in a few days… Mom might like to see him."
A smile on her lips. "I want him." Yang looked a little sad, but Blake seemed not to notice.
"He'll be good for us. Your mom sees it too."
He wondered what Summer might think of such a thing. Yang just looked conflicted, as she started the car, the headlights turning on with a slow rumbling of the car, a soft motion already starting, as the car started to move.
Blake had settled herself in his lap, her head turning around and golden eyes coming to rest on his own.
"I'm sorry. Yang tried to explain but I don't get it…"
He didn't know what she was talking about. He wondered whether it was about him being a bad person and liking Yang.
"Why would you not have me? You have cool tribals. You are fertile and a man. Why not take what you want?"
He looked at her with a look, which was returned in equal force. "I don't understand." He said, Blake smiling at him. She smiled even broader as she nosed against him.
"I want you. I want Yang. You smell good. You feel good. You taste good too, just like Yang. Mama said that happiness is when you are with people you love."
He wasn't sure how accurate that was. Love was for normal people, retards didn't get to have love.
"Oh. I don't think I can make you happy."
He doubted that he could make anyone happy. Yang sighed deeper, as she continued to drive, her eyes on the road. They looked a little wet, but Blake just continued to speak.
"You will. You are a good man." He felt the flicker of whatever it was that felt bad. Ashes and golden eyes drifted in his vision as he could smell the smoke again, as her golden eyes looked into his own.
"A good father. You will make us happy. Yang likes you too. She will see you as a good man too."
He wanted to get away from her. She was going to burn him again, kick him and tell him he was going to die alone. He wanted to get away but she was on top of him, his body pressed there, as the Faunus kept herself there in his lap. It was an awkward fit, but she was there, pressing him down. He whimpered.
"Blake, quit it. He's not comfortable."
Yang's voice was strict, as he turned his head, smiling at her. Yang was nice, she was caring. He reacted, as Blake gave a low hiss.
"A good father…"
Her hand brushed down, and he felt her fingers grip him. Embarrassment and shame flowed through him. "Wonderful children, strong and powerful like their father."
He looked at her, Blake giving him a smile that he'd seen rarely.
"You make me feel good. Thank you for existing."
It was a compliment, he guessed. He wasn't sure whether he should exist. Retards shouldn't be seen or heard. Cinder had shown him the movie about the place where they all ended up. It had been 'educational material'. She'd muted the sound. The people in the train cars hadn't looked very happy.
She just kept on smoking, blowing the smoke in his face, making him watch.
"Don't look away… Do you see them, walking into the showers… That's what will happen to the weak and the unsuited. See? Aww, that's a pity, it ran away… And there, the dog just snaps. Ooh, look at them cry, see? They aren't worthy of respect of anything resembling kindness. Just like a sickness to humanity, always forcing their way into the world and sickening the place. Europe is like this, and now America…"
She'd kicked him, and she'd said that it was his due as lebensunwertes leben. She always made him watch, she made him feel his punishment. She'd always got something new, even with the pictures. Pictures of people like him, strong and powerful, not defect in the mind. A glorious people, fit and pure and uncontaminated by the blight that was Judaism.
It was a religious group, not a species of people. That was just silly. She didn't really like many people, though she hid it well. They went to some places and she'd make nice with others. Her little duty to the community, she'd called it. She'd made him walk with her, before making him repeat the process. Back at her house, she'd go over who they had met.
"Half-breeds and bastards have no place in this world! If I had my say, they will never mix. Half-breed animals who defile our pure race with their vile spawn. You saw it look at me like I was something it liked. Disgusting. Whoever mixes with the lower creatures that came from their caves should be shot and the baby aborted. Filth has no place in this world. There will be one pure people and I will be with it!"
"Jaune…. Hey, Jaune?"
Yang was calling him. He hoped that he could leave. Blake was looking at him sadly, having pulled her hands up. "We're at your place. Do you need a moment?" Her voice was concerned. Why would she be concerned for someone who was broken? He wasn't human, right? Blake was a Faunus and even she was attracted to him, or perhaps that was just a wishful fancy of hers. Was it really like this? Was he just someone who was broken and busted like a car that'd been crashed on the edge of the road?
"It's okay." He said, and Yang leaned over, giving him a loose hug. Blake joined after a moment. "It's fine, Yang. I'm fine."
"Jaune, you were mumbling about how sorry you were for being born retarded. That isn't fine, Jaune. If you need to stay here for a bit… Blake, stop touching him, alright?" There was an edge to her voice as she looked at her girlfriend.
He wouldn't be her boyfriend. He was just the handy decoy that had to play the part until Summer returned. He was just the fake, the defect that could pass for the genuine thing. He didn't like it.
"Let's have a nice time out tomorrow… I'll call you when Sandy has made the decision about when we'll be going to have a nice stepmother and stepdaughter moment… Or whatever you call it." He looked at her with a sympathetic look. She was too nice to be saddled with such a burden.
"A funeral in the making?"
He tried to crack a joke, to which she smiled.
"Hush you, before you give me ideas… Go and get some sleep. My boyfriend must suffer through his girlfriend's shopping. We'll get you something nice too, Mister Fit and Faunus-approved." Blake kissed him on the cheek then.
"I am here. You are better than Adam. You're just as nature created you."
He didn't know what that meant, even as he got out of the car. He looked at Yang, whose face was half-illuminated by the light in the car, which slowly dimmed as she fastened her seatbelt once more.
"Goodnight, Jaune."
He smiled at Yang and said the same back to her. She was a nice girl. He felt bad for liking her. Summer was much like, but Yang was a lot of like too. Yang was nice and friendlier than he'd expected.
He opened the door to the household and saw his older sister in the process of getting her coat on. "Time for the job, Jaune. Go and have a good sleep, alright?" She pinched his cheek, though he didn't comment on it this time. "Goodnight."
He bid her a good night as well, though his tone was more sedate. It was her work, not his. He gave his mother a kiss and his father a hug before he crawled into bed again, trying to find time to sleep. He hoped that tomorrow would be better.
His dreams were of ashes and golden eyes, filled with mocking laughter.
"Do you see him? Just like you, blonde-haired and blue-eyed… Bang. All because he was a weak-minded retard, like you."
He hadn't liked to see that. She made him watch, because it was his fate in the end. Nobody would love a retard and a retard couldn't love. Ruby made it all worth it, even though she was smarter than he was. Ruby had to be kept safe.
"I'll die before I let that rapist kiss me!"
Weiss was there, telling him that he wasn't worth the air she breathed. She and Cinder were the same. They hated him for something that he couldn't change. He'd tried to be good, he'd tried to be better. He didn't want people to be angry at him, but they always were.
"Why do you like him so much, Ruby? He's such a boy."
Weiss always said those things. She said them to Ruby, who was his friend. The burning cigarette came and he saw the images again, saw people who looked just like him be pushed towards the waiting cell where they'd all go up in ashes after being choked by the poison. She'd made him watch the carts being driven towards where she said the cremations happened.
He awoke, wide-eyed and terrified, the flash of golden and blue eyes still on his mind. He was okay. He wasn't choking, he wasn't burning, he was okay. Probably.
He curled a little tighter into his little nest in the bedcovers as he tried to find a comfortable spot to sleep in. The clock read 1:25 in the morning. Weiss probably would look good in the uniform. She'd said that she would rather die before she'd touch him, just as Cinder had. Cinder hadn't touched him after she knew the truth of his sickness, except to administer his punishment.
They were just the same, now that he thought of it. Summer made him feel a strong like for her. Yang was someone who just lit the room up and he'd felt somewhat comfortable around her. Weiss had been cold and distant, as had Cinder once she'd found out the truth about his retardation.
'Would she hurt me too?'
Ruby might watch. Ruby would see how weak he was. How stupid he was. He couldn't have let Weiss touch Ruby like that… Ruby was his friend, but Weiss… Weiss was different. Weiss had fewer friends than him, at least originally. She'd always been cool, she was a singer. She'd wiped her hand before shaking Ruby's for the first time.
'She's just like Cinder. Part of the pure people. She's like an angel from heaven, cold as ice.'
It made sense. They were from around Germany, where the pure people came from.
They were the same, beautiful and scary.
He didn't want Ruby to watch him as he got what he deserved.
Well… That was a thing. We also delve into Cinder's second meeting, at the Opera house.
Now, back to being horribly sick. I still hope I'm doing a good job of portraying Autism well enough.
Next chapter... Date with Yang!
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