Here we go. Before we start, lemon incoming in the second scene! This is your only warning.
To the guest reviewer- it was mentioned that Qrow and Summer gave Ruby and Weiss a list of "activities" to try out. The list Weiss handed over, as the mention of the harness needing to be measured for her suggests, is a list of things for Ruby and Weiss to try using. Fun times ahead for them.
muhammad avdul- this story could, conceivably, go on for at least 60-70 more chapters at the minimum. I considered splitting it into individual stories for each major arc, but that thought crossed my mind after we passed the point where we could easily split it into a second story, so I didn't feel like it'd be fair for me to remove chapters from this to start it as a sequel.
GrnDrgnzrd- Aurelius' immortality is more a unique twist on a trait the rest of his kind have: while all of them are immune to aging and disease and can, in theory, regrow lost limbs, they can still be killed in battle, as Aurelius' status as the last of his kind shows. Aurelius' immortality prevents him from staying dead so long as there's sapient life (human, faunus, or fellow Stalwart/Doom Driven) alive on Remnant or until the gods decide to return and get rid of him. To him, his own immortality is a burden he can't get rid of and each death of a loved one makes his suffering even worse.
Chapter 61: Winter's Rose
Ancient Draconys
"Why must you suffer so?" Isolda heard a familiar voice ask, laced with sadness. She took a quiet step around a bend in the path, blinking in surprise as she saw Marcus knelt down facing away from her. She glanced over his shoulder to see a young wolf, mangled and clearly unable to move. A nearby tree branch told the tale of what happened. "Were you made to be frail? A cruel twist by a sadistic creator?" Isolda went wide-eyed and was about to scold him when he continued. "Or are you like me? Flawed, wanting, created wrong by gods that couldn't be bothered to fix the mistake?" The woman paused, taking this information in.
"Is that why you're forced to live out here alone? Because the gods made some mistake when they created you and didn't want to fix it?" she thought, a feeling of sorrow filling her. She didn't know much about Marcus, but she could tell he was a compassionate soul. The thought that there could be something so wrong with him that neither of the gods could even be concerned by his absence left a bitter taste in her mouth. She silently swore that, no matter what, she would never forget the scene in front of her.
Marcus let out a sigh as his hand started to glow, gently placing it on the young pup's side. Isolda watched in amazement as broken bones, torn muscles, and crushed organs were reshaped and mended. "I suppose the reason doesn't matter. You will live through this," he said, a bit of cheer entering his voice as he finished, the wolf pup slowly standing up and walking around. It looked over his shoulder at Isolda, causing the white-cloaked man to glance backwards. "Isolda?" Isolda let out a squeak at the realization that she'd been caught and took a step back.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude, I just…" Whatever she was going to say died in her throat at the gentle smile on his face.
"I… I honestly wasn't expecting to see you again. How are you?" Marcus asked happily as he stood up, the wolf sitting down next to him.
"I am… well, I suppose," Isolda answered. "I apologize that I wasn't able to find time to meet with you earlier." She had honestly felt bad since this was the first chance she'd had to meet with him since first finding him a week ago.
"It's fine… You're the first one to willingly speak to me more than once, so I'm thankful for that," Marcus said.
Isolda bit her lip. While the rest of their kind seemed to only be interested in pleasantries that they could benefit from, such as Julius losing interest in a conversation he couldn't be in charge of or where he wasn't shown a certain amount of respect, Marcus was clearly content to simply have someone to talk to and wanted to talk to her. "It's a shame that you have to live out here alone," she said, trying to focus on something different.
He shrugged. "Technically I'm not alone. They might not talk, but…" he knelt down to scratch behind the wolf's ears. "The various creatures here in the forest keep me company. I try my best to take care of them when they need it in turn, so they've come to feel safe in the area around the clearing I live in. But yes, I do get lonely with nobody to talk to."
Isolda smiled gently. "Perhaps you could show me this clearing?" she asked, getting a smile from Marcus.
"Of course. I'd be happy to show you my home," he said as he turned around, walking down the small trail.
Isolda smiled as she watched the wolf pup follow him. "I can see what you mean about them feeling safe around you," she said, causing Marcus to glance at her with a smile.
"I'm glad he's sticking around. I like wolves personally. Whenever one gets isolated from their pack, they usually end up spending time with me until they find it again."
"I can understand why, they probably prefer companionship over being on their own," Isolda said, wincing at the frown that crossed Marcus' face.
"Yeah, I guess that's what I am, isn't it? I'm just a wolf without a pack…" he said sadly.
Isolda frowned, a strange feeling in her chest. "Nonsense. You have a pack… even if it's just me," she said with a meek smile.
Marcus smiled at her as he continued walking. "Two people don't make a pack…" he said before looking at her. "But it's definitely good company."
"I agree, it's much more enjoyable than spending time with the others," Isolda said with a calm nod.
Marcus shifted slightly. "What are they like? I've only spoken with maybe three of them besides you," he asked.
She let out a sigh. "They're… difficult to deal with. Julius seems to enjoy having all attention on himself and prefers when the person he's talking to spends their time admiring him and won't talk to anyone else otherwise unless he has to. He always tries to make himself look better than he is as well."
Marcus sighed. "Sounds about right. I swear if I ever have to deal with anyone else like him I'll probably go insane."
"It would be disappointing if that were the case," Isolda said, a hint of amusement in her voice.
"I guess so… Just don't expect me to go anywhere near them," Marcus muttered before stepping into a clearing.
Isolda looked around in surprise at the small glade. Unlike the clearing the rest of their number resided in, Marcus' looked more natural. The grass was longer, brushing past her ankles, while the small single-room shack rested near a large oak tree that stood in the center of the clearing like a silent protector. A few deer glanced up briefly before approaching, quietly inspecting the newcomer. Isolda smiled. "This is beautiful," she muttered as she noticed the small garden. She knelt down to pet a small fox that had wandered over.
"I'm glad you feel that way. It's not as impressive as what I expect to be in the larger clearing, but it's served me well," Marcus said, bringing a subtle frown to her face. It was true, after all. Everyone had a house of their own, the grass was short, evenly cut, and the trees were cleared to make sure nothing got too close to the houses. Much like their personalities, their homes were unapologetically artificial.
"I suppose so… But it's much more appealing, I believe," she said. She went to sit under the tree and took a deep breath, admiring the scenery as the fox curled up in her lap before Marcus sat next to her. After a moment, the two started talking quietly about anything. Isolda noticed the warm smile on his face and felt her heart skip a beat. She made him happy… and, for some reason, this made her feel amazing.
Modern Day, Bastion, Rose Quarter, with Aurelius and Winter
Aurelius let out a sigh as he walked down the street, Winter following behind. "Something's been bothering you. What's the matter?" he asked, glancing at the white-haired woman.
She let out a sigh. "They way you talk, the way you look at things… you act as if you're cursed," she said sadly.
He hummed before shrugging his shoulders. "I suppose in a way I am. There's always bad memories that spring up when I think about those I cared for. I've come to expect that whenever I try to get close to someone, I'm more likely to be left with bad memories than good."
Winter frowned before taking a breath. "Perhaps we should try to make a few good memories, then," she said with a subtle blush, causing the Blue Rose to glance at her with a chuckle.
"Are you honestly asking to spend the night with me, Winter?" he asked, grinning as her blush flared up. He stopped at one of the residences, opening the door and gesturing inside.
Winter walked in nervously, glancing around the room. Unlike his office, it was sparsely decorated, containing a table, a couch, a few chairs, and a few landscape paintings. As she looked around, she couldn't help but feel that the simpler layout suited him. She looked at the staircase, blushing when she realized Aurelius was watching her. She took a deep breath before walking over, planting a kiss on his lips. The wolf smiled before gently leading the woman upstairs, opening the door to a simple bedroom, the large window overlooking a small glade. "You like forests, don't you?" she muttered to herself.
"I suppose… are you sure you want to do this?" Aurelius asked as he stepped behind her.
She took a deep breath before turning around, answering by locking her lips with his. After a moment she pulled away, a blush on her cheeks. "I'm certain… I think we'd both prefer if we enjoyed ourselves for once…"
Aurelius let out a sigh as he removed his cloak, carefully folding it up and putting it to the side. After this, he stepped forward, quickly undoing Winter's coat and gently pulling it off her before removing his own, looking at her as she blushed. She stepped forward and gave him a kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She let out a gasp as his hands went to her rear and broke away. She bit her lip as she slid her pants down, Aurelius following suit before removing his shirt. She recaptured his lips as he pulled her over to the bed, gently removing their underwear before laying her on the bed. He gently removed her bra and panties before gently squeezing her breast.
Winter let out a squeak at the unexpected contact, blushing as he brought his mouth to the other mound, sucking on the nub while pinching its counterpart. He smirked as the woman squealed under him, squirming at his touch. She jumped slightly as his other hand landed on her thigh, slowly inching its way up her leg. She felt her breath hitch as it brushed against her core. He pulled away from her to remove his boxers, causing her to blush brightly. "T-that's going inside me?" she asked meekly, looking at his length.
He leaned forward, giving her a gentle kiss. "Only if you want to do this, and I promise I'll be gentle," he muttered quietly.
She closed her eyes for a moment, steeling her nerves before nodding meekly. "A-alright…" she muttered before taking a deep breath and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Aurelius lined himself up and slowly pushed into the white-haired woman, eliciting a gasp from her as she closed her eyes. He pushed in deeper before he came to a barrier. "Are you certain about this?" he asked, getting a nod before he gave her a quick kiss, pushing through.
Winter let out a pained cry as she felt the barrier tear, fingers clawing at his back. He winced slightly but didn't otherwise show any pain as the torn skin healed. He placed a hand on her stomach, channeling his aura into her body to soothe her pain as her trembling died down. After a moment she looked up at him in confusion. "W-what did you…"
"I don't want you to suffer from this," he muttered quietly. "Let me know when you're ready." Winter squirmed under him briefly, attempting to become accustomed to the sensation before nodding nervously. She sucked in a lungful of air as Aurelius pushed in more, face red in embarrassment. Once he was in all the way, he started moving as his lips found their way to the woman's neck. Winter let out a quiet, meek moan at the feeling, knowing that at any other time she would be mortified by the sounds she was starting to make but not able to find it in herself to care at this moment.
They continued at a steady pace, Aurelius taking his time to let Winter get used to it. Her breath hitched as he gently bit the skin on her neck, moaning out slightly as she started to find it enjoyable. "You can move faster…" she mutter meekly before he started moving faster, causing her to moan louder. After a few minutes she let out a whimper. "A-Aurelius, I'm…"
The wolf smiled gently. "Go ahead, Winter. Let it out," he said before he thrust into her one last time, shooting his load into her with a grunt. Winter went wide-eyed as she moaned loudly, cumming hard.
Winter panted beneath him for a moment before her eyes widened. "He just…" "Aurelius, what if I-"
"You won't get pregnant, Winter. Not if we both don't want it," he muttered as he rested his forehead against hers. "One of the perks of being able to change forms is being able to decide if you're actually able to impregnate someone." Winter blushed as he pulled out, laying next to her.
After a moment, she moved over, resting her head on his chest. "I see… Do you mind if I stay here tonight?"
Aurelius smiled, giving her a gentle kiss on the head. "Of course. My home is always open to you," he muttered before pulling the covers over them and wrapping his arms around the woman. She let out a content sigh, smiling as her eyes closed.
"I don't know why, but now I feel… complete."
Bastion Commercial District, with Weiss
"Okay, we've got it finished for you!" the woman said cheerfully, placing the small box on the counter. Weiss opened it with a smile, admiring the ring. She'd decided to have it made out of gold, with emeralds wrapping around it like vines toward the main attraction, a collection of rubies in various settings, all arranged in the shape of the Rose family crest. "I'm surprised rubies were your first choice and not diamonds."
Weiss looked up. "Clear diamonds wouldn't work for this. I wanted the gemstones to be red and, well…" Weiss winced. "Red diamonds aren't exactly in my price range." "If I was still heiress, maybe, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to be heiress again. I'd have to give up everything I cared about and even then I might not get the title back… No, I'm glad I gave up my old life. I have Ruby and that's all that matters." She quickly closed the box and pulled out her bank card. "Here you go," she said, handing it to the woman. Once she received it, the fox quickly put her card away before putting the box in her pocket. With a happy sigh, she grabbed her bags and started home.
I have no idea why, but this chapter was trickier to write than I expected it to be. The next chapter, however, will hopefully be a special Christmas chapter since it's the Winter Festival.
