Nora was breathing hard and sweat was running all down her neck and chest. Her hair was damp, she was down to simply her a sports bra and skirt, and she was exhausted… but she couldn't stop. The small hammer in her hand felt weighty and burdernsome, and she had only made about half as much progress as she had wanted to. It was upsetting. It was much harder than she'd anticipated. It was pathetic.
"…please take a break?" Ren tried again as he gently laid a hand upon Nora's shoulder. "This is going to take days at a bare minimum, even with both of us working together."
"We're not letting it take days," Nora said with a huff. "I need Magnhild ready at a moment's notice, and I owe this to Ruby. I need this for myself…"
"I understand that, but… think of why this is necessary at all," Ren advised as he sat upon the worktable to put himself in Nora's line of sight. "Ruby was slavishly dedicated to forcing things to happen regardless of advice. She pushed and pushed and tried to get things to go her way, and… look at where we are because of it. Doing this, forcing this at the expense of your own health, can only end th-"
Nora's hammer dropped to the table with a jarring clatter, and she leaned forward to place her palms upon the surface as she focused on just breathing. The huntress closed her eyes as she felt a bead of sweat trail from her hairline down into them, leaving a lingering sting.
"Yeah. I know. But I can't do nothing. I can't just 'relax', Ren, and you know that. Even when I'm in a good mood, I'm not the type to sit still. I don't know how to cope with any of this. I don't know what I need, or wh-"
Ren slipped off the table and scooped Nora up into a tight hug, pressing her cheek against his chest.
"…I might know," Ren said softly. "After Kuroyuri, you were there for me in ways I didn't know I needed. I'll be here for you in the same way."
"I don't know if several hours of intermittent sex and cuddling would really help right now," Nora said with a sad smirk.
"That isn't what I was referring to and you know it," Ren said flatly. "The other way you comforted me. You need at least a day, just in bed with me, to talk through all of this. Stop running. Do it for me."
A knock on the doorframe of the weapons lab drew the attention of both hunters, and Nora pressed harder into Ren's chest as she saw who was responsible for the interruption. Roman stood in the doorway, leaning against it and looking unamused.
"Am I interrupting something?"
"Somewhat," Ren admitted. "What news? Where is Mercury?"
"Glynda's dealing with him," Roman shrugged as he pushed off the doorframe and began to slowly walk into the room. "Yatsuhashi and Velvet were already sent out to the frontlines to hold a position a few miles west of Beacon. Glynda wanted you two to go, but I, uh… convinced her to reconsider, given the situation."
"…why?" Nora asked, finally separating herself from Ren and retrieving her jacket from the table. "You don't owe us anything."
Roman let out a sigh and blew his fringe out of his face as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"I'm not a monster, you know. An idiot, sure, but… I give a shit in my own way. I didn't want Ruby dead, regardless of how often we ended up on opposite sides."
"That isn't how she told the story of the fall of Beacon," Ren cautioned as he stood between Roman and Nora. "We heard about your fight atop the aircraft."
"…like you two've never said some shit you didn't mean in the middle of a fight," Roman spat. "I was angry that everything was falling apart. Neo was in danger, I figured out I was being played… I took it out on the wrong person, alright? I'm trying to make up for being a dickhead."
"You're better at it than some," Nora replied as she turned back around and moved to stand beside Ren, her jacket back on and zipped. "You're really in this for the long haul?"
"Salem dies for what she did, or I do," Roman answered. "I owe the bitch, and I want Neo to have a shot at a somewhat normal life after all of this is over."
"Alright, who is she really?" Nora asked. "Your relationship with her is so weird and we've heard nothing but rumors so far…"
Roman was quiet for a moment and cracked his neck to the side. With a shake of his head, he shifted through several facial expressions in short order.
"… best friend's daughter. Friend and his partner got killed running a job, I was the godfather. I didn't know until she showed up at my door with some cops. Took her in and practically raised her. I don't want to talk about it more than that."
Ren turned as Roman walked past him on the way to the table.
"I'm… sorry to h-"
"Save it," Roman ordered as he began to examine Nora's handiwork. "What's goin' on here, exactly?"
Upon the table was the discarded hammer, as well as the cooling, curved fragment of blade from Ruby's scythe. The warped steel had been slightly carved down and hammered mostly flat, though quite a bit of work still needed to be done to return the weapon to fighting shape. From tip to base, the crescent measured only about a foot long, and much of the initial shard had been damaged beyond repair and discarded. Beside the implement was a mounting bracket that Ren had been working on, measured to fit the blade to the back of Magnhild's head. Though it wasn't quite ready either, the project was coming along smoothly and seemed closer to completion than the blade itself.
"That's… Crescent Rose," Nora said solemnly as she looked at the components once again.
Roman paused for a moment, eyeing up the steel as he thought something over.
"…what the fuck is 'Crescent Rose'?"
"…Ruby's weapon," Nora answered as she gave the man an incredulous look. "Her scythe?"
"Why the hell would I know that?" Roman asked, equally confused. "You people name your weapons?"
"I… suppose you would have no real reason to already be aware of such a thing," Ren considered. "There is much we don't know about each other."
"Well, if we're gonna be a so-called team from here on out, let's fix that," Roman suggested as he picked up a wrapped piece of discarded metal from the pile next to the main blade. "And I can help out with this. I'm guessing the plan is to fuse it to your weapon as some kind of tribute?"
"Something like that," Nora confirmed.
"Then don't let these smaller pieces go to waste," Roman suggested. "Let me help, and let's make something badass."
"Right, yeah, we're all just… tired," Blake said into the scroll before letting out a sigh. "Not your fault, or anyone's really. But I do think we should stop making any kind of important plans without having a third, unrelated party check them over."
"Not a bad idea," General Ironwood agreed. "Still, we should be able to stick to a similar timetable. Just make sure you have an aircraft capable of accommodating Raven when she arrives with the replacement arm. Opening a portal into the cockpit of a fighter plane, for example, would likely end… badly."
"We're… actually planning on staying here until we get the arm," Blake said hesitantly. "A lot of us are pretty banged up and exhausted. Rushing to Vacuo just to be useless on the front lines wouldn't really help anyone, provided they can hold out until we get there. Could you contact the headmaster and check in, before giving us his info? We'd also like to speak to him."
"I could do that, yes," the man on the other end of the line confirmed. "And… rest while you have the opportunity to do so. I only ask one thing in return."
"What's that?" Blake asked, bristling slightly.
"…please ask Harriet to call me," General Ironwood requested. "I know she's feeling… a lot, but I want to help her through this as best I can. If she won't talk to me, at least suggest that she talk to Marrow. He seems to have gotten through her walls, somehow."
"…sure," Blake replied as a scraping sound emanated from the front door. "I can try to do that for you. Sorry, but I've gotta run."
"By all means. Stay safe."
Blake plucked Gambol Shroud from the cushion next to her and stood up while depositing Harriet's scroll back onto the coffee table before her. The faunus did a quick check of the magazine within the weapon as the door opened to reveal another of her kind, his chest re-bandaged with much cleaner looking gauze than what he had previously.
"It's just me," Corsac said softly as he entered the home and locked the door behind himself. He had a paper bag from a local pharmacy and another, larger cloth one in his hands as he offered Blake a nod. "Is everything well?"
"Well enough," Blake answered. "We're hanging out here for a few days until Yang can have a new arm teleported in from Atlas, so rest up."
"Teleported…?" Corsac questioned as someone began coming down the stairs.
"Long story," Blake answered as Sun came into view from an adjacent hallway. "Hey. I called Ironwood. Raven's just gonna warp the arm to us instead of our original, stupid plan."
"…oh," Sun said, blinking a few times as he realized the possibility. "Yeah, that's… a way better idea. What's up, Corsac? You got all checked out and everything?"
"I did indeed, yes," Corsac confirmed as he slowly made his way into the kitchen and set the bag down atop the countertop. "A member of the White Fang still works as a physician in the central hospital here, and I was able to be seen by him. He gave me more painkillers and medical supplies than would be necessary for one person, as a favor. We should be stocked for our stay here and journey to Vacuo, at least. There are some things in here for you, as well."
"My man," Sun praised as he followed the older faunus into the kitchen and began to help unpack. "I owe you, big time."
"Think nothing of it," Corsac said dismissively as he pulled something from the pharmacy bag and offered it to Sun below the counter.
Sun's blush was immediate, and he pocketed the offering while giving the other man a grin.
"Uh… thanks. Now I really owe you."
Blake watched the exchange with a raised brow, and her interest only deepened as Corsac visibly handed Sun a bottle of headache medicine afterward.
"So, what's your prognosis?"
"It seems that whatever wounds Salem inflicted upon me will cause a bit of tissue necrosis," Corsac said with a grimace. "I was told to expect aching and peeling skin for an indeterminate period of time, and to avoid straining or reaching as much as possible. There are drugs that can slow the process and dull the pain, but it seems I'll be in a fair bit of it for however long. I will manage."
"Dude, that sucks…" Sun offered as he continued to help Corsac unpack the rest of the medical supplies. "You can leave the rest of this to me and go lie down, if it would help?"
"Honestly, it might," Corsac considered. "I suppose I should head upstairs and just try to get some sleep. I am feeling rather spent after so much walking and waiting around."
"Yeah, just… uh… avoid the master bedroom. Go for the guest one across from it," Sun suggested. "Jaune and Yang are… you know. Yeah…"
Corsac gave Sun an unreadable stare, followed by a slow nod.
"…my thanks…"
"Sure thing," Sun offered with a grin as his blush intensified. "Just… lookin' out for ya. Feel better."
"You as well," Corsac replied before exiting the kitchen and heading for the stairs.
Blake watched the man go before entering the kitchen to take his place unpacking at Sun's side. The two worked in tandem without saying a word for a while as Blake stole a few glances at Sun's face. His uncomfortable, somewhat amused expression never left, and he jumped a bit as Blake spoke up.
"So… what exactly did he give you just now?" Blake asked, keeping her voice as neutral as possible.
"Migraine pills," Sun answered as he pulled a plastic-wrapped roll of gauze from the medical bag. "Should be pretty useful a-"
"The other thing," Blake interrupted. "I saw it happen. You two aren't as smooth as you think you are."
Sun let out a nervous laugh as he reached into his pocket and produced a box of condoms, showing it off to Blake.
"…I mean, I think he's just really looking out for us, you know? Corsac… I-I think he really cares, a-"
"Do I look like I'm mad?" Blake asked rhetorically. "That's what I thought it was. How fast do those migraine pills work."
"…fast enough," Sun answered without bothering to check the label. "I hope. It's been months, if you're, uh… trying to…"
"Are you up for it?" Blake asked as she seized the box and tore open the top of it. "Because you've been on my mind that entire time. All of you."
Sun's throbbing head suggested that it might not be such a good idea, medicine or no.
His other throbbing head silenced that notion and drove him to pull Blake into a kiss as she reached for his zipper.
Author's Note:
Early update for the week of 12/18.
-RD