Chapter: Cinder
"Are you really leaving?"
Cinder pauses halfway into her room, coming back from a bathroom break. The sixteen year old slowly looks from the paused movie to the eight year old girl not meeting her eyes. Something inside her twists at the kicked-puppy expression on the girl. As the silence stretches, the younger girl hiccups and ducks her head.
"What do you mean?" Cinder finally says, closing the door to her room to give herself some time. She walks over to her still-warm place beside the girl, careful not to glance at the crying child.
Neither is ready for this conversation.
"I can feel it," the girl says, bringing her fists to her chest. She finally looks up; face begging Cinder to tell her she's wrong. "I'm not an idiot. You barely look at me. You rarely have time to yourself outside of classes. You've been training with Auntie more and more. Uncle Qrow doesn't glare at you anymore. They did the same thing before Perry left. And to Seraph and Mal when they were going on their worst mission. And when Professor Sparrow showed up. Are you leaving?"
Cinder finally looks into the younger girl's silver eyes.
"Yes, Ruby," the teenager says calmly, her voice steady even as her friend's face falls. "I leave in a week."
"No!" Ruby cries in earnest, throwing her arms around the teenager as if she can ground her to this place. "You can't just leave! I feel like we'll never see each other again!"
Carefully, Cinder pulls the girl's deadlocked hands apart. Her heart keeps twisting and all of the feelings she doesn't want run in circles in her stomach. Ruby whines in the back of her throat and latches both hands around an arm. Cinder takes to cuddling the girl to her chest. She closes her eyes, blocking out the glow of the television.
"We will see each other again," Cinder mutters into Ruby's hair. "You'll have to pretend you don't know me. We'll have to stay strangers. I don't want you dragged into this huge mess, and you won't if I leave."
"I don't care," Ruby sobs, nuzzling the older girl's chest. "I don't want to lose you. Whatever it is, let Auntie and Uncle handle it. Don't leave. Please."
Cinder sighs softly, taking time to calm her emotions to the smell of strawberry shampoo. "I'm sorry, Ruby. What I'm going to do is important to everyone. Everyone in the World of Remnant." She calmly rubs circles on the girl's back with her free hand. "All those friends you dream about, you won't meet them if I fail."
"I don't care," Ruby sniffles. "You're my best friend. You can't leave."
Cinder smiles into the young girl's hair. A tear falls down the teenager's cheek. It's the only one Cinder allows herself. "I can, and I will." Ruby chokes on a sob and Cinder lengthens the circles she rubs. She waits until Ruby cries herself to sleep. The girl's hands go limp, and Cinder takes the chance to hug the girl closer while she can.
When pins and needles start in her feet, Cinder stands. She carries Ruby over to the air mattress beside the bed. Tucking the girl in and brushing the tears and hair off her face, Cinder sighs.
"I will be here when you wake up," the teenager promises quietly. "I won't let you go before I have to."
Footsteps pass by her door.
Only one person is ever up this late.
Cinder looks over as the sound fades. She turns the television off and then goes towards the door. She pauses, hand over handle, and glances back at Ruby.
Her only soulmate doesn't look peaceful; face twisted as she sleeps.
She feels her resolve weakening.
Cinder walks towards the kitchen, hands shaking.
She pauses at the threshold, sounds of cups clanging. She coughs.
"Oh," Danny turns around, blinking haggardly at her student. "Hi, Cinder. How's the sleepover?"
A ragged breath says all.
Danny nods sadly, knowingly. "Tea?"
"Please," Cinder answers, walking towards the counter.
Danny moves to get another cup out, water slowly boiling in the background.
Cinder stares down at the counter. Slowly, she raises her hands. Her emotions turmoil and make it harder than it normally is, but she flexes her fingers and focuses. Sharp pains stab in the area where she has no aura, but she keeps going. Her breathing gets more ragged as her broken semblance works overtime.
Her teacher makes no move to interrupt, watching silently.
The glass shards start to form from thin air. Slowly, oh so slowly, do they come together. Cinder grits her teeth together, slams her emotions behind a lock, and growls silently for it to happen already.
Her semblance works faster. In a few seconds, a bow of glass lays on the table. An arrow lies between the bowstring and face.
The weapon made solely by her semblance.
She quietly names it; the same name every time.
Cinder stares at the arrow shaft.
She stops using her semblance.
For a split second, there is a sentence on the arrow.
'Auntie's teaching you?'
Then, there are only glass slinters on the table, slowly dissolving away.
The kettle finishes boiling.
Cinder replays the words over and over in her head. A short picture on repeat. This will be one of the last few times she'll allow herself to see the mark.
The mug of tea is slipped in front of her.
"Tell me again," Cinder says, staring at the liquid, "what she'll do if she finds out about Ruby."
Solemn understanding cloys the room.
Her mentor doesn't flinch every time a snap is heard while she talks.
From Cinder's fear, the kitchen's windows crack like a spider's web.
From her anger, the glass dishes shatter.
Her resolve doesn't waver again.