I do not own RWBY or any of the characters.
Honest
Fox sighed, leaning against the wall as his head throbbed.
"Boss, you okay? You look like you seen a ghost."
"Fox?" Blake's voice asked, thick with worry.
"I'm alright," Fox said. "Just tired."
"How many episodes have you had in the last week?" a familiar voice asked, Fox's head whipping around to see Wulfe and Ava walking over, both in Atlas uniforms.
"Too many," Blake said as Fox stared, wide-eyed into Ava's shockingly, almost glowing, blue eyes.
He had never noticed how blue her eyes were. Or, at least, not consciously. Suddenly, he was lying in a bed.
"Hey, watcha thinkin' about?" the entirely different woman with eyes like Ava's asked, this one a ginger with naturally tanned skin.
The sheets rustled as she moved to lay her nude form along his.
"Just about how beautiful your eyes are," he said. "They always make me feel right at home. They're so familiar. Funny, though. Originally I chose you as a one night stand, but I think I might just keep you now."
"Fox!" Blake snapped, jarring him out of his episodes, though his legs gave out and he fell to the ground, gasping for air, not having realized he had either been holding his breath or unable to.
Sweat rolled down his face.
"Have you two been fighting Grimm all night?" Ava asked.
"Yes," Blake nodded. "But his episodes have been getting worse lately. Being around me barely even helps anymore."
Ava nodded. "He needs rest."
"I'm fine," Fox said, forcing himself to his feet.
"Fox, you just had an episode while holding your anchor's hand," Ava said. "You need to rest. If you don't, you'll die."
Fox was silent for a long while before sighing and nodding. They headed back to their room and Blake gently pushed Fox down onto the bed, sitting in his lap facing him and cupping his face, making him look up at her.
"How long do you have?" Blake asked, eyes watering but filled with determination.
"A few days," Fox sighed. "At most."
Blake's tears began to fall, but she nodded. "Then we're going to spend it lying in bed and doing whatever we want."
Fox smiled, kissing her. She kissed him back happily just as pain lanced through his head. He ignored the memories, continuing to kiss her until the images had faded, then lay down with her, Blake snuggling into his chest and curled her fists in the front of his shirt. He smiled, tucking his face into her hair, allowing his tears to fall as he waited. Finally, her breathing evened out as she drifted off to sleep, her grip growing slack. He smiled, kissing her forehead gently before pushing himself up as pain lanced through his head. He looked out the window at the darkening sky.
"Please be patient," Fox mumbled. "I just need a little more time."
He pulled out a note pad and a pen, writing a letter to Blake, then ripped it off, writing a second letter. He put the note pad and pen away, glancing at Blake before placing the first letter in the pocket of her coat, which was hanging on one of the bedposts. Then, he glanced at her before slipping out of the room to deliver the second letter, taking care to not be seen, then returned before Blake knew he was gone. He walked over to her, staring out the window for a moment before sitting on the bed and leaning down, kissing Blake to wake her, Blake smiling and kissing him back. After a moment, he pulled back.
"We need to go," Fox said. "We need to help."
Blake sighed, nodding, and stood, pulling her jacket on. He slipped his hand into hers, keeping her from reaching into the pocket with the letter. They headed up to Ironwood's office.
"Blake, Fox," Ironwood said. "Are you feeling better?"
"Not really," Fox said. "Where do you need us?"
Ironwood thought for a moment. "Can you go with Yang to try and lure out Robyn?"
"Sure," Fox nodded. "Where to?"
"The vehicle bay," Ironwood said. "You'll be taking a truck as a decoy."
"Got it," Fox nodded, he and Blake leaving.
"Are you sure you want to be around Yang right now?" Blake asked.
"I told you I'm not mad," Fox smiled. "Besides, I don't want your friendship with her, or mine, to end over one mistake."
Blake opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself, reaching up and wiping her eyes. "Okay."
Fox nodded and they reached the vehicle bay just in time to climb into the vehicle with Yang.
"What are you doing here?" Yang asked. "You can't keep going! You're going to work yourself to death! Literally."
Fox smiled. "I'll be alright." He shut the doors and the truck pulled out, Blade cuddling into his side, tears spilling down his cheeks. Yang stared at the floor and Fox wrapped her arms around Blake, watching Yang carefully. She didn't look at Blake, this time. But he could see the guilt in her eyes still. Finally, she looked up at Fox.
"How long?" she asked, voice thick with emotion.
"Not long," Fox said, Blake struggling not to sob.
A face flashed through his mind. "Hang in there boss! These episodes ain't gonna get the best of you!" His face faded.
Another came. "Ash! Please! Don't leave me! Not yet! I want more time!" Her face faded too.
"Fox?" Blake asked. "Another one?"
Fox nodded.
"Why is this happening?" Yang asked. "I thought being around Blake was supposed to stop it."
"Delay it," Fox said. "It's happened before. Once it starts...it's only a matter of time."
Blake's eyes watered. "It's not fair!"
"No, it's not," Fox agreed. "But it's not something we can control anymore."
Just then, Yang's scroll beeped and she answered, Clover's face appearing on the holographic screen.
"Thanks again for the assist on this, you three," Clover said. "Now we may all be split between different trucks, but we need to be ready to act as one in case Robyn's team takes the bait. If your truck is hit, pursue immediately. Everyone else will be there as fast as possible. Going radio silent. Over."
He disconnected and Yang put her scroll away.
"Could Jinn save you?" Yang asked.
"I don't know," Fox said. "She said that one of the times this happened, the only other one she knows about, she showed me all of my memories at once, but I don't remember that one. I don't know if it would save me or not. And either way...It's not worth it. That last question is too important to waste on me."
Yang stood suddenly, tears leaking from her eyes. "But you're..." She sat back down, holding her hands to her face. "There has to be a way."
"Without Ozpin, there's nothing," Fox said. "And even then, it would basically just be kicking the can down the road, if I had to venture a guess." He sighed. "I'm not arresting Robyn. She wants to help, but doesn't know what we're really up against. If we tell her, she can work with us."
"I agree," Blake said.
"Same," Yang said. "How much should we tell her?"
"Enough," Fox said. "About Amity, at least.
The others nodded. Just then, the truck slowed to a stop. Fox sighed, wincing as his head began to throb, slowly getting worse. Finally, the doors opened, Robyn freezing as she saw the three of them, all with their hands raised.
"Scramble!" Robyn shouted, her team scattering instantly.
"No wait!" Blake shouted.
They ran after her, pursuing her down an alleyway as she ordered her team to split up and regroup at their hideout. Robyn spun, firing several crossbow bolts from her wrist launcher at them but Fox slashed them out of the air before taking off, speeding forward as his shirt glowed green wrapping his arms around Robyn and tackling her into an open area away from the street. He stood, releasing her and stepping back as Blake and Yang stepped up beside him.
"We only want to talk," Fox said, tossing his sword away. "There are things you need to know. You're trying to help, but you don't know what it is that we're really doing."
"Why should I believe you, Snow White?" Robyn asked. "You're just stalling until the Ace Ops get here."
"No," Fox said. "I'm trying to tell you as much as I can before we let you get away. Please."
Robyn glared at him suspiciously for a moment before holding out her hand. "Take my hand. If you don't, I won't believe a word out of your mouth."
Fox took her hand, her violet aura shining along both of their forearms.
"Tell me," Robyn said. "What is Ironwood building out in the Tundra?"
"He's building a-" he dropped, his free hand clutching at his head as a strangled cry of pain tore out of him, his other hand clenching Robyn's in pain.
"Let go of me!" Robyn said. "What the hell's wrong with you!?"
"Fox!" Blake panicked, dropping to her knees in front of him, tears coursing down her cheeks as she lifted his head. "Come back to me! Please!"
He didn't respond, so she tried kissing him. After a moment, he kissed her back tiredly before pulling back, panting heavily.
"Are you alright?" Blake asked worriedly.
"Yeah," Fox smiled, though the aura around his and Robyn's arms turning red told a different story. He smiled tiredly and sighed as Blake's tears began to fall again.
"What the hell was that?" Robyn asked as Blake helped Fox stand.
"Memories from my past lives," Fox said, the aura turning green.
"I have...so many questions," Robyn said, then sighed. "But that'll have to wait. What is Ironwood building."
"A communications tower that he plans to launch into the atmosphere where it can never be destroyed," Fox said, the aura again turning green.
"You're telling the truth," Robyn breathed, taking her hand back. "But it doesn't make any sense! Why keep that a secret!?"
"Because he doesn't know who he can trust," Blake said. "Atlas isn't out to get anybody. The people murdering civilians in Mantle are just trying to make it look that way."
"And if those same people learned about Amity, they'd do everything in their power to destroy it," Yang added.
"So who are they?" Robyn asked. "Who is actually behind this?"
"Yang, Blake, Fox?" Harriet's voice asked over their communicators suddenly. "Where are you?"
"Time's up," Fox said, sitting down, Blake kneeling behind him, allowing him to lay back and set his head in her lap. "You need to leave. We'll try to convince Ironwood to talk to you and the council and tell everyone everything. Please trust us."
Robyn was silent as she backed into the shadows. "I won't stop until I know the whole truth." Then, she turned and fled, Yang kneeling on Fox's other side.
"You three!" Clover said, running over to them. "What happened?"
"I had another episode," Fox said, allowing himself to sound as weak and tired as he really was. "Robyn got away. Sorry."
Clover sighed. "It's alright. We just...We're glad you're okay. Come on. Let's get back to Amity. Robyn won't steal anymore trucks tonight."
Fox nodded and forced himself up, Blake helping him support his weight as they headed back to the nearest truck.
Leave a review.