What had started as a sip soon turned into chugging, until the remainder of Cerise's beer can was gone. She could tell that they were all staring at her- some harder than others- and all for the same reason. Whatever that symbol was they were concerned about was clearly a big deal, though she wasn't about to give it the gravity it deserved after how she had been treated. Instead, she lowered the can and let out a loud belch. The face that Willow made in response was exactly what Cerise had wanted, and she found herself smirking at the sight.
"…what do you mean you see that symbol at the tavern?" Qrow asked as Cerise picked up a second can and opened it. "That's not a common symbol…"
"Yeah? Then what is it?" Cerise asked before taking a long drink. "Of course, if you choose not to tell me, I see no reason to tell you where it is on the premises. What a shame that would be."
"…don't play games with us, Cerise…" Sage warned.
"Games?" the young woman repeated, her tone full of venom. "No, see, games would be something like using portals to hop around Vacuo while leaving me behind. This is tactical. Intentional. Retaliatory."
"And this mark is personal," Raven insisted as she fully turned around on the couch to face the other girl. "This has nothing to do with Professor Gumo, the portals, or why we're here. This is something about Qrow and I that we need to know for our own sake. It's a separate issue, and I'm asking you- begging you to help us."
"A separate issue, is it? Totally unrelated?" Cerise asked, locking eyes with Raven. Knowing that there was little chance of the huntress breaking, she turned her gaze instead to Qrow. "That's not true, is it?"
Qrow tried- really tried to remain neutral, but he couldn't bring himself to do it, much to Raven's chagrin. The moment he made an uncomfortable noise and looked away, Raven shot him a glare that he promptly ignored as he stood up from the couch and threw up his hands.
"This is wrong. I can't do it, alright? I'm not about to just use someone like Arowana used us…"
"Qrow…" Raven said icily, only to be cut off immediately.
"No, I'm not keeping my mouth shut," Qrow denied. "I'm not participating in this. If you want someone to lie to her more, then don't look at me. She put her life on the line for us and we barely know her!"
"So, there is more to it," Cerise said confidently as she walked back around toward the living room with her beer. "Until I find out what- you get nothing from me. Unless you're going to come around right now, then I think I'll take my leave. This party sucks, anyway."
"Wait," Willow tried, getting in front of Cerise and holding out a hand as the woman headed for the door. "Just… hold a moment. Please? Give us some time to discuss this and reach a reasonable compromise. Sage wasn't exaggerating when he said that this information was life-changing, and it's not going to change your life for the better. There are secrets here that were meant to only be known by four of us, which quickly became nine despite their efforts, and then thirteen… this is all spreading far too quickly for comfort, and I would be telling that to anyone. Not just you."
"Well, if it's spreading so quickly, good luck keeping it contained at all," Cerise said with a shrug. "Sounds like something that needs to get out, if you find yourselves breaking the rules so often. Then again, this is just typical Atlesian behavior, thinking you know what's best for the world…"
Willow huffed and shook her head, refusing to engage with the insult as she dropped her hand.
"Just… stay the night. Take up residence in the lookout tower, if you don't want to be around us. We need to have a long, unpleasant conversation about what to do with the situation before any move is made, and it's likely going to get ugly."
"I'll keep you company," Fox offered. "Once Ghira gets back and this situation is sorted out, I'll come join you up there and tell you… whatever I'm allowed to. We're… still cool, right?"
"I don't know, and I never said I was taking this offer," Cerise said as she put her hands on her hips. With a sigh, she turned her attention back to Willow. "But fine. I'll stay the night. If you burn me again, though, I'll make sure none of you set foot in the tavern after tonight, and that includes Team BASS. Getting jerked around already sucks when I'm being paid to do it. I'm not about to make a habit of doing it off the clock."
Bartholomew cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the group as he offered Cerise a nod.
"…you have my sincerest apologies for all of this. One way or another, we'll figure out what you should know. We'll tell you everything we can."
"Right. Sure," Cerise replied, her voice flat and disbelief clear as she headed for the door. The barmaid caught the set of keys that Willow tossed her way and gave the heiress a mock salute. "Just call me before you join me in the tower. I want to be good and pissed off, just in case there's yelling to be done."
Cerise exited the beach house without another word, letting out a weary huff as she stomped across the gravel. The short walk to the lookout tower was mostly uneventful… until she reached the door and began to put the keys in the lock. There was a sound of boots on pavement behind her, and she looked over her shoulder to see who it was on their way over. Her frown deepened the second she saw the answer.
"What the hell do you want?"
"To keep an eye on you," Sage answered gruffly. The man had his ever-present sword upon his back, and a determined look in his eyes. "There's monitoring equipment in that tower, and you might be able to listen in down in the house. I'm here to keep you honest."
"Oh, of course you are," Cerise seethed as she wrenched the key sideways, finally managing to get the door open with a bit more force than necessary. "Fucking liars, sending someone to surveil me…"
"This is all me," Sage corrected as he arrived at the door and held it open while Cerise tried to slam it in his face. "I came of my own accord. No one told me to."
"Well, then fuck you even more," Cerise called as she started up the spiral staircase. "I'm not going to spy on them! I'll just wait like a good little girl, up in my tower all alone, stewing in anger the entire time over this bullshit!"
"Since when have you ever been a good little girl?" Sage asked rhetorically. "You're a thief. A con artist. Self-serving to the extreme."
"And you're a sanctimonious prick," Cerise accused as Sage followed her upward. "I'm a Vacuan. I'm surviving as best I can- alone, without the lien to go to some fancy fucking academy, and doing what I can just to make ends meet. I don't need your shit."
"There are Vacuans who don't act like you do," Sage countered. "People who value doing things the honest way. People who take pride in helping others along, a-"
"How many times have I helped you people!?" Cerise asked, resisting the urge to look behind herself as she sped up toward the top of the tower. "Cerise, we need a diversion. Cerise, can you get us this keycard? Cerise, we're exhausted, could you deliver some food after your shift and then crash in our dorm? And do I ever say no? Do I ever leave you people hanging?"
Sage let out a ragged sigh, shaking his head as he kept his slower, measured pace.
"…I will grant you that. You have done us many favors and usually done them with a smile…"
"Yeah, no shit," Cerise snapped as she reached the upper landing and threw the door to the comms station open.
"But all the same, I am never the one making those requests," Sage reminded. "I'm not the one calling on you and asking for favors. The most I ask of you is from a menu."
"And that gives you the right to shit all over me?" Cerise asked as Sage entered the small room and closed the door behind himself. "You know what? Maybe it's a good thing you followed me. Fox isn't here to stop us. Let's have this out, here and now. What the fuck is your problem, Sage? Why do you hate me so much?"
"I do not hate you," Sage answered immediately. "But I do not like you. I acknowledge that you're useful, and that Fox, Velvet, and Ghira seem to enjoy your company."
"Then why don't you?" Cerise asked. "I've been nothing but nice to you for most of our encounters, despite your scowling and posturing. You really just think you're better than me, is that it? Because I steal? Because I try to make up for the fact that I don't have what you have?"
"I worked for what I have," Sage said, beginning to get a bit heated.
"Oh yeah?" Cerise asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "You worked to be born to your parents? You worked for the fee for Shade that they covered? A team to go on hunts with? I don't have those opportunities! They were given to you, you asshole!"
"There are ways t-"
"Yeah, and my way is one of them!" Cerise insisted, pointing at her chest. "I'm making it work, and I don't need you stepping on my neck because you don't like it! Yeah, I steal! Yes, I occasionally whore myself out when money gets tight! I have to, so that one day, I might be able to afford half the shit you have! Got anything else to say from up there on your high horse?"
Sage paused, trying to figure out what to say first as Cerise glared at him.
"…earlier, you were about to say something. About why you wouldn't simply leave us to what we're dealing with as revenge for keeping information from you. Why not?"
Cerise continued to stare at Sage, her expression stony and defiant as she folded her arms over her chest. Eventually, she inhaled deeply through her nose and let out an equally drawn-out breath.
"…because I fucking care about you people," Cerise grumbled. "Even you. I've gotten used to having you around, and I thought we were friends. All of us. Yeah, you're usually a stoic, stubborn ass and you're annoying as hell, but you've never just told me to fuck off before. I don't have family. I don't have a little club like you do. I have you guys, and that's basically it. I want to try to help where and when I can, but you're just… you're getting in the way of that and acting like I'm some kind of leper!"
"I'm just trying to keep the group honest," Sage explained, shaking his head. "And I don't think we need your help, especially with the current situation."
"Because BASS is just too good to associate with me," Cerise pressed, looking livid. "Because you're just so much better than this barmaid whore, despite some of the shit you people do for pay. You know what I think? I think you're jealous that I don't flirt with you like I do with Ghira and especially Fox, due to the fact that you're usually just quietly judging me whenever I show up!"
"What?" Sage sputtered, taken aback by the accusation. "I am not jealous! I wouldn't be caught dead with you, even if you made an offer!"
"Yeah?" Cerise asked, approaching. "And you just feel nothing but hatred for me and what I do, then?"
"I never said that!" Sage denied, growing angry. "I just disapprove of your methods, and your w-"
"I don't need your approval, you condescending ass!"
"And I don't need your comments and accusations, you venomous bitch!"
"You're an emotionally stunted, cowardly bastard!" Cerise accused, jabbing a finger into Sage's chest.
"And you're a selfish, conniving little parasite!" Sage returned.
"Hypocritical lapdog!"
"Street urchin slut!"
The two locked eyes with each other for all of a moment, sizing each other up. Both of them were furious and tense, daring the other to make a move. Cerise moved her finger off of Sage's chest after a pause, looking ready to lay throw a punch. Instead, she shoved the taller backward into the metal door with a heavy clang as his sword hit the surface. Before he could react, she pressed her lips to Sage's and began to hastily unbutton her shirt. Sage's hands found the curves of her ass but a moment later as he leaned into the kiss, the contact growing more passionate by the second as Cerise began to grind up against him.
Author's Note:
HATE-FUCKING IS A GO!
For those of you reading What You Stole, you all know what happened with the companion story Smut You Stole. This story will be getting a similar smut-focused sidestory at some point, maybe soonish, and Sage x Cerise will kick it off…
-RD