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Sever Anti-hero

There were some rumbling above him that he could make out as he came to. His head hurt, almost as if it had been pressed in between two rocks for a long time. Opening his eyes, he tried to think of why it would hurt so bad.

He found himself in complete darkness.

The building had collapsed during their fight. The explosion wasn't far off but they didn't expect the grimm to pass through the walls like they weighed nothing. He managed to push Ren and Oscar out of the way before the ceiling fell. He was fine but a few seconds later the floor gave way to an unexpected shift. Out of his peripheral, he saw someone falling beside him. He drew the other close and he tried to extent his aura and shield them both.

At least, he remembers trying to reach for them, with that intent.

There was some shuffling and scrapping nearby and he tried to look through the darkness to see who it was. Jaune could barely make out the figure in front of him. He remembered his scroll then. If it wasn't completely broken, he could use it as a light source.

He hissed in pain as he reached for his pocket. Thankful the light still worked at least, he looked around himself. He seemed to fall into a cavern of sorts. Broken rocks were scattered everywhere but he could make out some bricks and wood. When he tilted his light, he could catch glimmers of glass as well. The ceiling however was filled with the building he was in previously. It was a huge hole he dropped into, it extended down towards the floor a bit as well. His ears picked up the shuffling from before and he held his light out to the sound.

"Hello?"

He was met with a scorpion tail and purple highlighted eyes.

Shocked, he tried to stand up only to flop against the wall behind himself. Looking down, he saw his arm in an unnatural state, drifting off to the side.

He sighed, "Great"

Taking a breath he tried to call his semblance, only to have it give out in response. He took in some labored breaths and felt exhaustion take over.

He looked up and saw Tyrian staring back at him.

"Guess this is your chance to kill me" He said in between breaths. The faunus in question stepped closer and kneeled.

"It is tempting" He grabbed Jaune's hand with his scroll and held it up, illuminating Jaune's torso more.

"Keep it there"

"What for?"

"Just do it"

He glared at the scorpion, who grinned as he replied.

"Do you want this to hurt?"

The thought of Tyrian making this a quick end for him felt out of place.

"Just get on with it"

Tyrian haphazardly brought his other arm up to inspect it. The movement causing pain.

"Ow! What ar-! Aaaahhh!" With a sharp twist, Jaune's shoulder was popped back in place.

"There." Tyrian ignored the stifled groans as if he heard nothing at all. "No more complaints until we get out of this cave in." He stood up and walked to the debris filled wall and started to look for a way out. Jaune shifted on the ground in residual pain before his brain caught up with what he heard.

"We?" Jaune said through pained breath.

"Why else would I set your dislocated arm?" The Faunus moved to the next section of the wall. "Even with your aura, it'll take time to heal."

Jaune pondered about that. Even so he starred at his trapped companion, not trusting his intentions.

"Best to start searching for a hole in the wall instead of staring at me, dearie."

Jaune huffed but stood a bit shakily as he started to feel against the walls.

They stayed in relative silence as they walked. They continued for a while before the pain in his arm became intolerable. He racked his brain about what he could use as a sling. He looked down and saw Pyrrha's band.

Still helping me after you're gone huh?

He began to untie it from his waist and put it over his shoulder. His shaky hand prevented him from tying it correctly. The third attempt was abruptly stopped when the fabric was taken away forcefully.

In less than a minute his arm was held in a neatly tied sling. Looked up but Tyrian turned too quickly for him to see his face and continued down the path.

Why is he helping me?

This behavior is the furthest thing that he'd ever expect out of the zealot. Especially while there is a battle for Atlas itself going on however meters or miles above them.

He had to ask.

"What's your game? What do you want?"

Tyrian kept going as if he hadn't said anything, again. He knows that he heard him though. It's just them in an echoing cave. He wasn't going to repeat himself though.

Almost ten minutes went by without a response. He wasn't sure if he'd ever hear a reply. It annoyed him but maybe it was better that he didn't answer. Whatever Tyrian wanted or would ever want in life, from him, would never be a good thing.

"I want you to kill me"

Jaune stopped walking out of shock and confusion. He couldn't have heard that right. The quietness of the cavern must have been playing a trick on him.

"I'm… I think I misheard you…"

"I won't repeat myself"

Jaune's entire being froze trying to understand, let alone comprehend, what he heard.

"You… want to die?"

Tyrian laughed as he also stopped walking.

"No child"

Walked back towards Jaune and into his space, looking straight into his eyes as he continued.

"I want you to TRY"

Jaune took a moment to take in the implication. Instead, he became more puzzled.

"If you just want a fight, then why me? I'm sure there are plenty of others"

"I don't want them. I want you." Jaune glared before sighing. Pushing off from the wall he didn't realized he'd back into.

"Long walk just for this" he muttered to himself.

Getting into stance, he readied his weapon the best he could. Tyrian just chuckled.

"Not yet"

Jaune was getting fed up with his washy attitude.

"What do you mean? You just said you wanted to fight me. I'm already wounded, this should be up your alley"

"I want our fight to be glorious. Fighting to the death while we are both at our best. There is no greater rush." He touched his face in a way that implied he could hardly contain himself. Jaune shook his head with a hand on his temple.

"Let me get this straight. You saved me today, so you can fight me, to the death, in the future?" The zealot had an unrecognizable look dawn his features before it was just as quickly washed away.

"Don't think of it as 'saving' so much as prolonging." His shoulders shook with his laughter.

"Right…" Jaune muttered as he sheathed his sword.

They continued to walk down the dark tunnel. Jaune couldn't help but stare at the back in front of him.

"What if I refuse?"

Tyrian stopped. His tail flicked.

Eyes closed, he turned to face him with a conflicting expression. His arm supporting the other as he touched his chin with his forefinger and thumb. As though he was struggling to come up with an idea that's on the tip of his tongue.

"Then I shall kill everyone you hold dear." Jaune felt his blood run cold despite the casual tone of the scorpion. Tyrian took slow, deliberate steps toward him as he continued.

"One at a time. Slowly. Until you come to me out of your own volition." They now starred at each other.

One saw the panic.

One saw the promise.

Yellow eyes a stinging, stark contrast in the darkness.

After a moment, Jaune nodded.

"I'll fight you" Tyrian smiled as he clasped his hands together.

"I'm so happy to hear that-"

"I need to kill Cinder first."

Intrigued, Tyrian seemed to consider it.

"You know she has maiden powers and yet you still want to kill her?" He tilted his head.

"I have a promise to keep" Just remembering the smug look on Cinder's face the last time they met angered him greatly. Tyrian must have seen something in his eyes because he started to smile before laughing.

"Good"

"'Good'? You aren't going to persuade me not to?"

"I care not for the power hungry whore." Tyrian turned tail, hand waving it off, as he faced forward to continue. "Do what you like before we fight."

Tyrian licked his lips.

"I know I will"

His body slumped forward with an audible thud as he fell into the pool of blood under him.

Jaune rushed towards him. He heard the calls from behind him as he rolled Tyrian over onto his back. His tail had been cut off midway, his shoulder ripped from its socket when his arm was torn off. You could see the bones from his ribs through the nasty gash along his torso.

Jaune had no idea how much of his semblance would help keep him stable but he had to try.

"What are you doing child? Leave me be"

"You'll die if I do that"

"If it is her lady's request, I will die."

"I can't stand by and do nothing."

"Yes you can. It's easy-"

"You saved me" He interrupted, "Let me save you."

Tyrian looked on questioningly before responding, "Do not pity me. I live to serve her"

"How can you serve someone if your dead?"

"I love her. I will do anything for her."

"What do you get in return?"

"She loves me." Jaune couldn't help the chortle escape as he heard this.

"What kind of twisted love does she have for you if she wants you dead?"

"She does this because she loves me"

"No she doesn't"

"You wouldn't understand-"

"That isn't love!" he shouted.

"…"

Repeating himself quieter, "That isn't love"

It was a long moment of silence. Jaune tried his best to amplify Tyrian's aura. There was a lot of damage though, he wasn't sure if he would last long enough for him to help. The faunus spoke up quietly.

"I know"

Jaune looked up to golden eyes, only to see them turned toward the clouding sky.

"But it's the only form of love I have ever received."

Thunder sounded in the distance and the lightning followed soon after. "Jaune… Arc, was it?" Jaune froze before nodding slowly. "You have friends, family. A lover as well I expect."

Jaune didn't confirm, only turned his attention back to healing him.

"You already have so much more than what I ever did. What I ever wanted."

Jaune could feel himself shiver from the rain that started coming down upon them both.

"I have never known a parents love. I was left to die in the outskirts of Vacuo. I taught myself how to steal the food that sustained me. The clothes that would shield me from the weather. I taught myself how to read and write. How to kill the grimm that swept over the lands. To survive.

"It wasn't until I was much older that I decided it might not have been worth this existence. Maybe in my next life I could have a family that would love me. If that was true, why should I keep trying to survive in a world that clearly does not want me around?"

Jaune was having trouble focusing, his aura seemed spent and he tried to call forth more.

"It wasn't until I met her that my life had meaning again. She would love me if I did her errands. If I was at her beck and call. Whatever that might entail."

Jaune could feel the tears threatened to escape his eyes as he tried again to call his semblance. He couldn't give up. A bloodied hand went over his own, startling him.

"So please" Voice sounded weak and strained. Jaune looked at his face then. Yellow eyes already focused on him. "Let me receive this love."

Jaune couldn't speak.

What do you say to that?

The grip on his hand tightened barely, "Please, Jaune"

His breathe caught in his throat from hearing his name called so softly.

"It's not fair" he caught the puzzled look before repeating himself. "It's not fair, to you" the tears started to flow freely then. Tyrian looked on with sudden shock. It was gone as quickly as it came.

With a bloodied, haggard breath, he chuckled before giving a small smile, "I was right. You are very interesting"

Jaune could only look on. Tyrian brought his hand to his left ear and took his top left earring out. Placing it in his palm, closing his hand around it.

"I pray I meet you in my next life."

And with a smile, his eyes lost their shine.

He was gone.

END

Thanks for reading!

TDA