"… and then I jumped on this one Beowolf and rode it around until it smacked into this other and, I kind of fell off but then I pole-vaulted into this one thing and blasted it into space! It was so awesome." Sun was going on and on about the fight like he hadn't even been there. Mercury turned back to his work and tried to drown him out. The little table in Yang's kitchen had been completely taken over. Mercury was sitting down hard at work, his messed up leg propped up on the seat next to him. Every tool the two of them could find was piled on the table along with what used to be a toaster. A second battle, nearly as bad as the first had ensued over the toaster.
As soon as Yang and Mercury met up with Sun, the trio trekked back to her house to recuperate. He hopped over to the table to sit down and look at the damage, while the other two scrambled around trying to find things that would help. He couldn't help but notice the guilty looks from Yang and the curious ones from Sun. Mercury was used to the curiosity; not many people have legs like his. But the other look made him feel strange. Almost like he was guilty himself. He quickly ignored that feeling. After he got rid of all the worthless pieces in his knee, he had to find others to replace them. His first target was the refrigerator.
The fight lasted nearly an hour. Yang's eyes turned red twice. Sun hid in the other room with the dog. No matter what he said, Yang wouldn't let him anywhere near the fridge. Instead she dug an old toaster out of the cupboard and made him salvage what he could.
Mercury poked around the pieces on the table, most of the studier things already in use. It had been a long time since he had to scrounge around for parts like this. The past few years he had everything he needed for repairs, all at the nice price of free. A quick repair like this made him weirdly nostalgic. Maybe nostalgic wasn't the right word. It just made him feel like a kid again.
A door open down the hall and Yang came striding out, her scroll up to her ear. "… I'm sorry, but there wasn't time. Don't worry, dad were fine. I promise- huh? Oh! Okay- see you soon then. Yeah… love you too."
"What's up?" Sun sat at the counter, a bowl of cereal in front of him.
"Well my dad says: good job, call him next time and don't worry about the clean-up. Apparently this has happened before. Like loads of times. They're going to send worker drones from Atlas to help repair the town."
"Nice. I wonder just how many times this has happened. And why more Huntsmen and Huntresses aren't on the job."
"Who knows, but I'm sure my dad will give us the low down." Yang set her scroll down and leaned on the counter, facing Mercury. "So then, how's it going over there?"
"Alright. Could have been better…" he glanced at the fridge.
"Don't even go there, peg leg."
"You know thus would be a lot easier with sturdier stuff. You're fridge would still work… kind of."
Yang glared at him. "No deal."
Mercury frowned. He looked things over one last time. It was the best he could do given the circumstances. He rolled down his pant leg, but there still was a gaping hole. The twisted, make shift knee he was sporting stuck out horribly. He dug around Yang's tool box and found some yellowed rags at the bottom. He tied them together to hide the damage.
"All done?" Yang was trying and failing to look nonchalant. It took everything he had not to comment on it.
"Yeah. It isn't pretty but it'll get me back to Vale." Mercury began putting things back in the tool box.
"So you're leaving then?"
"Looks like it."
There was an awkward silence after that. The only sounds were Sun eating and the dog whining at his heels. Mercury didn't know what to do; if he should do anything. Whatever resolution they came to a few hours ago was still delicate. There was no telling what she'd do if she knew.
"Yang, your scroll is ringing." Sun held out the little device, its screen glowing.
"Huh? Right… hmmm?" she frowned.
"Who is it?"
"I don't know. It says unknown…" she hit the answer button. Mercury saw this as a perfect opportunity to slip away. He strode silently over to the door. "Ruby? Ruby is that you!?"
Mercury stopped; his hand inches from the door knob.
"Ruby? Is that really you?" Yang couldn't help but smile. It was so good to hear her little sister's voice again. Sun jumped up from his seat, leaning right up against Yang's side to try and listen in
"Hey sis! Sorry I haven't call earlier; things have been kind of crazy out here. Oh Jaune and the other say hi!" There was a loud squeal in the background that sounded kind of like Nora.
"Hi… Sun get off-" Yang elbowed him in the ribs. "Wait, where are you guys?"
"Were in Haven- well actually were just outside the city."
"Haven? What are you doing there?"
"Don't worry- were fine everything's going to be fine-"Static started filling up the line. Ruby's voice sounded farther and farther away.
"Ruby? What are you talking about?" Yang shouted.
"-Yang?"
"Ruby!?" the line went dead. Yang held in and listened for a few moments longer, just in case. But it was no use. Ruby was gone. She set down her scroll and tried to understand it all.
"Was that really Ruby?" Sun popped up by her side.
"Yeah… she's in Haven but the call dropped before she could say why."
"Haven…?" Sun crossed his arms and frowned. "That's a long way."
Yang nodded. She looked down at her scroll hoping that it would light up again. Hoping that her little sister would call back and tell her why. Why she left, and what was so important half way across the world? Without realizing it, Yang's hand clenched into fist around her scroll. She held on to it like it was the most precious thing she owned. Finally, she made a decision.
"Sun? You don't have to say yes but, how do you feel about taking a little trip up to Haven with me?"
Her friend grinned. "I thought you'd never ask."
"Really? Aw you're the best banana in the bunch!" Yang scooped him up in a bone crushing hug. One good arm or not, she was still incredibly strong.
"O-kay need to breathe here!" Sun wriggled out of her grasp and took a not so subtle step back. "Also, best banana in the bunch?"
"Come on, it was complement." Sun merely rolled his eyes at her. "Do you think Neptune would tag along?"
"Probably. It's not like he had much going on."
"Alright so well get some sleep, head out tomorrow before my dad gets back to tell us it's a bad idea, pick up Neptune and make our way to Haven. Sounds easy enough." Yang turned towards the table. "Hey Merc, don't suppose you've had a change of- huh? Where'd he go?"
The two of them looked around, but Mercury was nowhere. Everything on the table had been put away and lined up neatly. He'd slipped out without either of them noticing.
"He must've taken off." Sun shrugged. "I kinda wanted to thank him before he left. Oh well." He went back to his seat and poured himself another bowl of cereal.
"Yeah… thank him..." Yang stared at the door feeling a little snubbed. The least he could have done was say goodbye. Then again, the least she could have done was thank him for all his help. Both on the battlefield and off. It would take weeks before she ever process what happened those nights in the meadow. The conversations they had, the fights… everything.
The two of them turned in early that night, Sun sprawling out on the couch mere minutes after his last bowl of cereal. Yang sat in her room and watched the sun slowly set on the island. Big puffy clouds were rolling in from the north, creating a brilliant sunset. But Yang didn't feel like she could appreciate it. Something was off and she had a sneaking suspicion as to what it was. Yang tiptoed out of bed, throwing on jacket. She snuck past Sun snoring on the coach and headed outside.
She began walking without really knowing where to go. He feet lead her most of the way. Before she knew it, she had made it to the meadow. Just like she'd hoped, Mercury was already there. He was looking up at the sky, watching the clouds roll in. Yang stood by his side, not sure what to say or if she should say anything at all. There was still a piece of the puzzle missing. Why did Mercury come to Patch in the first place? He made it seem like he was leaving the first night they met, but then he turned up a few days later to warn them about the Grimm attack. Why did he stick around? She glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Trying and failing to understand him. Then an idea struck her.
"You came here looking for Ruby, didn't you?" she gaped at him, the truth hitting her like a gunshot. Mercury stayed silent. "When we came back from Vale, after everything; I heard my dad and Qrow talking about her. Ruby… did something. Something amazing on top of that tower. And Cinder saw, didn't she?"
Mercury's gaze waivered. She was right.
"And now you know where she is. Are you going to tell Cinder?" she asked. Her anxiety shot through the roof at this idea.
"I'll give you a head start." He grunted.
"Why don't you just not say anything at all?" her voice was getting louder; her temper rising. "Why not do the right thing for once?"
"Hey, just because something it bad to you doesn't mean it is to me."
"Hurting people, lying to them? How is that right?"
"Sorry my moral compass doesn't point the same way yours does. Not all of us grew up with that privilege."
Yang felt all her arguments shrivel up in her throat. Never in her life had someone called her privileged. Skilled: yes. Lucky: sometimes, but privileged? When she thought of that word she thought of Weiss. Growing up in what was basically a castle; able to get anything she wanted whenever she wanted. But that wasn't the kind of privilege Mercury was talking about. No… he was talking about something different entirely. It wasn't a far guess to say that she and Mercury grew up in very different worlds. Just by the one fact he gave her about his father, Yang could draw a million conclusions about the terrible things he could have been through. And then there was her. Sure she had some rough times, but at least she had a parent to count on and a whole group of friends to lean on. Friends she spent the better part of the year ignoring. Yang lifted up her arms, the difference between the two getting easier to look at. Did he have anyone to lean on when it happened?
Yang took a deep breath and quieted her ridiculous anger. "Mercury, I'm sorry."
"What?" he spun around to face her, looking almost shocked.
"I'm sorry. For everything. For yelling at you, for dragging you into a fight, and for breaking your leg again-"
"The first time, yeah that was all you. But the second time wasn't your fault."
"I'm the one who forced you to stay so technically-"
"Technically I choose to stay." He crossed his arms and looked down at her; his eyes soft for a moment. "And forced me? Please; you're feisty, but not much of a threat."
"Hey! I'm strong enough to beat you." She challenged. Mercury smirked.
"Yeah, that first time doesn't count. I still want a rematch."
"You're on, peg leg."
The two shook hands sealing the deal. Yang and Mercury watched the rest of the sunset together. The puffy clouds from earlier had completely covered the sky so no stargazing tonight. Not much moonlight either. Without the warmth of the sun, the air had gone from chilly to freezing in a matter of minutes. By the look of things her and Sun might wake up to snow tomorrow morning. Winter was finally here.
"Hey, Mercury?" Yang turned to him.
"Hmm?"
This next question was one she didn't really want to face. But she just had to ask. "What going to happen when we see each other again. Y'know, out there?"
Mercury sighed, his shoulders dropping ever so slightly. He stayed silent. Yang continued.
"I don't really know why you stayed, but I am glad that you did. It's just- I'm kind of scared. And not just about my lack of an arm, I'm doing okay with that right now, but I'm scared for all of us. I'm scared that all of this meant nothing." Yang didn't really know what she was saying. But regardless of how he was taking it, it had to be said. She turned away not wanting to see his reaction.
"It didn't mean nothing." His voice was quiet, almost like a whisper. "The problem is; we kind of have to treat it like nothing."
Yang frowned. Part of her was weirdly excited about that first half of that sentence. It was amazing to find out that maybe; just maybe he had more in him than that cocky grin. But then he had to go and ruin it by jumping to the truth too fast. What a jerk.
"Yeah, you're right. Why do you have to be right?" She groaned.
"Because I actually take the time to think things through."
"Not everything." She teased. He grinned. "So, how big of a head start do I get?"
"Three days."
"Aw c'mon, peg leg. Can't I get a week?" Yang winked. She could have sworn he was blushing, but it was a little too dark to tell.
"Three days. Don't get cute."
"Did you just call me cute?"
Mercury's cheeks definitely turned red this time. "That's not what I meant!"
Yang burst out laughing. She had no idea the calm, cool guy in front of her could look so flustered. It was hands down the best thing she'd ever seen. Her gut was hurting by the time she finally calmed down. Mercury was glaring at her, clearly annoyed at his slip up. Yang's smile faltered. A cold wind ruffled his grey hair.
"It's getting late." She tugged on a strand of her hair.
"Yeah." He nodded. "I should take off; find something to keep me busy for a few days"
"So… see you later, Mercury. And thanks for, y'know. Everything."
"Yeah. See you, Yang." He turned around quickly, but she was still able to see it. The hurt. It hurt her too. But they were on opposite sides of a war. A war that he had a hand in starting. And right now no matter what had happened in the past week, they couldn't change the paths they were on. Yang watched him disappear into the trees. She stood for a little while longer. All she wanted to do was hold on to that moment, that feeling for just a little bit longer. But that moment was already gone. Yang turned and headed back home. Her muscles were sore and she was in desperate need of some sleep after the day she had. Her and Sun had a lot of ground to cover in three days. Not to mention they had to go and pick up Neptune. Yang felt that familiar fire begin to stir in her belly. A new adventure was waiting for them in the morning; and she had a three day head start.
