#Roman 'The last thing he wanted was to be responsible for some kid' Torchwick

[wildtornado-o]

Marked down a lot of Roman Holiday scenes during my reread, I love this book so much.. (all ones that just made me smile asdhfksd) and I wanted to share them <3 (under a read more)

"Roman squeezed Melanie's hand reassuringly. He needed her and her sister to remain calm"

"She held up her screen to show him a drawing of an evil, grinning face, carved into a pumpkin 'I like his attitude, you can do that?'"

"No one had ever given him a gift before, either. What were you supposed to say when someone did something nice for you? 'Well. Thanks.'"

"She made a finger gun with her free hand and pointed it at him. He laughed. 'You got me!'"

Asking about Neo's school lol "'So, how was school?' He asked. 'Learn anything?'"

"'More specifically, this this for you,' he said. Neo took the box delicately from him. She weighed it in her hands. She shook it. She pressed her ear against it. 'Don't worry, it isn't flowers.' She stuck her tongue out at him. 'Go ahead. Open it.' He sat on a stool by the counter and watched as she untied the string and peeled off the brown paper. Inside was a pink cardboard box. She shot him another glance. He spun his seat around 'It's really not flowers.' She lifted the lid off the box and rummaged around in the pink and white tissue paper before she found what was inside. Her eyes went round like saucers and she hopped up and down. Then she pulled out a parasol."

"She slashed it back and forth in the air, with a rapturous expression on her face. 'i can tell you hate it,' Roman said. Neo sheathed her weapon and leaned on it with her hand, placing the other over her heart. 'Don't get mushy on me,' he said gruffly."

"'These aren't mine, officer. I've never seen them before in my life!' She pulled a hanger off the rack and held it out to him. It was a long white suit jacket with red lining and gold buttons. It was just his style and just his size. She held up another hanger with a black shirt and pants and a gray scarf.- 'You made me a new outfit?' he asked. She nodded."

"'It looks good,' Roman said. Neo pouted. 'Great actually. Really nice work. We look like quite a team. She snapped her fingers, skipped away and returned with his bowler hat. She reached into a pouch and drew out a red feather, which she stuck in the brim. 'Just a regular feather this time, yeah?' he asked. (he def knew that she put a tracker in it again sdhfs) She smiled innocently, then rose on her tiptoes and placed it on his head. He sighed. 'Your talents are being wasted with me. I might just regret leading you down a path of crime.' Her look said Don't flatter yourself. "

The Doom Cannon.

Her throwing away all the one person jobs <3

"He was basically the only thing that mattered to her in the world right now, and she wasn't going to lose him, too"

"Neo blinked back tears and hugged Roman. 'Hey. Don't wrinkle the suit.' But he put a hand on her head and over her shoulder, and that felt more like home than that house and her parents had in a long time."

"Neo put a hand on Roman's arm and shook her head. He's not a criminal; he's my friend. Well, I guess he's both."

"Her father threw up his hands. 'Do you know what she wants to say?' he asked Roman. 'I do, actually.' Roman looked at her fondly. 'I'm surprised you don't.'"

"He's my friend. A real friend."

"'You were a cute kid. What happened to you?' Neo sighed. 'I'm kidding. Come on, you're usually the fun one. Being back here really bothers you, huh?'" He's so good at reading her

"From this angle, she saw that Roman was similarly paralyzed on the couch, a look of concern frozen on his face. Concern for her."

"Neo looked back at him and cracked a smile. He caught a lock of her hair and showed it to her. It was white. 'This is new. It suits you.'"

"-I mean, I'm still not interested in having a sidekick--' she glowered. 'But I couldn't ask for a better partner' Neo leaned over and kissed Roman on the cheek. His face went red. It was fun to mess with him sometimes. She tousled his hair for good measure. He needed a new hat. 'Stooop,' he said, pulling away."

[astoria00]

Retribution tastes so Sweet

Retribution tastes so Sweet

Neo was more than relieved when they finally reached the outskirts of Wind Path.

Jumping swiftly from the sleigh that carried Cinder and her, she smiled a fake smile to the driver.

It had been pure luck that they had found a lumberjack deep in the forest they had traveled into to get away from the Brunswick farms.

‘…Brunswick…’

She knew that name…

Where had she heard it before?

Since escaping those nightmarish Grimm Neo had been a little bit more on edge than usual.

‘Apathy.’

That’s what Cinder called them.

The shorter girl wasn’t as knowledgeable about the different kinds of grimm as her companion was, but for all the monsters, faunus and humans she had fought, nothing had felt as horrible as these Apathy.

The moment all of her fight and willpower had left her, this awful feeling of being abandoned…all alone in the world.

Just like the time she had realized Roman was dead…

And not only that…

Side-eying Cinder from her spot, as she paid the lumberjack some lien to help him forget he ever encountered them, she had to suppress a shudder.

Neo couldn’t help but remember how terrifying the maiden had appeared, how dangerous the golden like aura around her had sparked menacingly all over her body…even her left arm.

And shouldn’t that have been impossible?

Was Cinder now more grimm than human?

Had these horrible powers slumbered inside her all along or were they a recent addition?

She should probably leave.

Who knew what else would happen if she stuck around with the maiden…

This Salem was no one to be trifled with. Of course she had already known that, but this exceeded everything she could have imagined.

Being able to sway and control another being was beyond frightening and furthermore she probably wouldn’t stop. Traveling with Cinder was bound to be even more dangerous now.

By all means, she should get the hell out of here…

And yet…

Thank you!

She had never seen her companion this…broken before.

And hadn’t that been the reason she even hugged her in the first place?

To get her back?

‘I…don’t want to be alone…’

Was that truly the only reason?

Neo wasn’t so sure anymore, to be honest, she wasn’t sure about anything right now, but seeing Cinder like that made her afraid…afraid of losing her altogether.

Even now, watching her worried, almost vulnerable expression filled the short girl with determination.

A yearning to eradicate the maiden’s fears.

As Cinder’s gaze met her stare, Neo had to push down the urge to look away. The maiden looked...tired.

“Can we go now?”

Her voice sounded anything but energetic and she turned away before Neo had the chance to respond. She seemed to be just as unsure after this whole ordeal as Neo.

Neo was still cold, the weather in Wind Path only a fraction more bearable than the farms or Argus.

…well, at least it wasn’t as freezing here.

Suppressing a shudder, she nodded to Cinder’s back, startled as she realized her companion was already on the move. Not for the first time in her life she cursed her inability to talk.

With a scowl the shorter girl followed after her.

They decided to stay at an inn this time around. Dealing with thugs, bandits…or the authorities was far more bearable than another run in with some spooky life draining Grimm.

It didn’t do anything to lift Cinder’s mood though. The whole time she didn’t look anything but miserable, her eye always flitting around from one source to another, judging and gauging possible threats.

It pained Neo to admit it, but she would give anything to get her over the top drama queen back.

But...what could she do?

They decided to get something to eat in one of the shadier looking restaurants. The underground was known to both of them...it felt more secure...in a weird way. In her paranoia, Cinder had them wear some rags over their usual clothes. She couldn’t fault the maiden for being careful, but it did nothing to ease Neo’s own uneasiness. They needed to do something.

Something that would feel normal and fun to both of them…

Lie, steal, cheat and survive.

Roman‘s slogan if you wanted to call it that. Maybe...she could use some of his old advice.

What would he do in her place right now?

‘Do what you do best.‘

Neo hoped Cinder wouldn‘t recognize how nervous she actually felt when she brought up her idea, trying for a nonchalant grin, as she relayed it.

“A robbery?”

Her companion appeared positively flabbergasted, causing Neo‘s grin to widen.

With shining eyes she immediately signed her answer:

/Yes/

Cinder’s eye narrowed in disbelief.

“You do realize that we are wanted criminals, right?”

/Why Cinder, are you afraid of getting caught?/

It felt so easy to sign along now. The maiden for all her huffing and moaning about having to appease her, was quite a fast learner. Neo could practically feel how her nerves calmed with each new sign that greeted her sight.

Cinder was simple enough to rattle if you knew which buttons to push, as she crossed her arms defensively, raising to the bait.

“Not at all, I was just making sure you know what you are getting into.

And where do you propose we strike?”

The short girl tipped her head mysteriously. Reaching over the table she corrected her comapnion‘s signs, her smile softening.

She was definitely a fast learner.

After a dramatic pause that had Cinder glaring daggers at her, Neo leaned closer, forming her next sentence with the maiden‘s very own hands:

[“Have you ever robbed a candy store?”]

She had followed the bowler wearing redhead for quite some time now, still not sure if she should trust him to return her home safely…but the direction they moved into seemed to be accurate for now.

His sudden question threw her for a loop.

Was he trying to see if she was a criminal like him?

Did he want to send her stealing?

Was she supposed to be a decoy of sorts?

Shaking her head she awaited his response with baited breath.

“A pity, it can be rather fun, you know?”

Rummaging inside his pocket, he pulled some orange, sugary sweet out of it and handed it to her.

The girl looked at the candy suspiciously.

Her father never told her anything of the sort, but apparently, it was a dangerous idea for kids to take sweets from strangers.

She had heard the neighbors’ gossip about this from time to time. Always warning their children about the consequences of not obeying them and listening to their rules.

And yet she frankly couldn’t care less.

This…strange boy, this Roman as she recalled, had been the nicest person to her since her mother had ‘left’.

Still…it was better to stay on guard…just to be on the safe side.

Shaking her head once more, she pointed to the rundown houses a few meters away from them.

This was it.

Her home…

Of course her neighborhood wasn‘t the best. People said the higher up you lived the better off you were, so they truly had to be the lowest of the low.

Roman however didn‘t seem deterred in the slightest, striding towards her building as if he owned the place…

Come to think of it…

‘How does he know where I live?‘

She may have pointed him in the right direction, but not to which exact house he would need to go. And still...he found it no problem.

“Are you coming, or what?“

His voice startled her. She hadn‘t realized she had stopped in front of her door with no intention of going in.

She didn‘t want to see her father.

She didn‘t want to cower in a corner tonight, begging for forgiveness.

But stalling the inevitable wouldn‘t protect her for long.

“I hope you fixed what you broke, ya little fre-“

Her father‘s voice, brash and loud greeted them as soon as they opened the door. Roman didn't seem taken aback though, to the contrary, he did something she had never seen anyone dare before. He interrupted him.

“Ah ah ah, you really shouldn‘t send a little girl out to clean up your messes now, should you?“

Hesitantly she followed after the redhead into the living room. She was even more surprised when her father just laughed his rude words off, gesturing to a chair across from him for the boy to sit on.

“If it isn‘t Roman Brunswick. To what do I owe the pleasure?

Has Koel come around?“

She had no idea what he was talking about.

Who was Koel?

The only thing she understood was that he apparently knew that Roman.

“It‘s Torchwick now“, the boy replied pleasantly, sitting on the offered chair with a smug expression on his face,“I am here to tell you your debt has been taken care of and no...she sadly wasn‘t swayed by my words whatsoever.“

At his last words he waved his arms theatrically, causing her father to chuckle once more. It send shivers down her spine.

So...she hadn‘t actually done something wrong?

She should have known.

“A bloody shame…

I thought sending that kid would help. Koel always has a use for fresh meat, no matter how defected...but I guess I‘ll have to send her to a brothel one of these days.

She may be mute, but somewhat pleasing to look at. No backtalk.

Think I should charge double for that?“

‘...huh?‘

He...he couldn‘t mean the houses the men always visited...right?

The ones you never openly talked about?

The forbidden houses for adults?

If he really did that...then her life was as good as over. Girls never left there alive.

And yet...she couldn‘t even feel shock at this revelation.

Just...numbness...endlessly spreading through her body.

“I think you shouldn‘t advertise her too much or else someone might just decide to steal her away. Gods know I could need a partner like her.“

“That was a good one, Brunswick. Anyways, thanks for the help. Tell me if that stuck up bitch changes her mind, will ya?“

“Of course. It has been a pleasure doing business with you.

Now, if you‘ll excuse me.“

The remaining conversation had been like a blur to her. She cast her eyes down quickly, as the redhead stood from his chair, passing her without a second glance or a goodbye. It was stupid, but it left her disappointed. Against all odds she had hoped that maybe...maybe someone would save her.

In the background she could hear her father barking at her to clean the house and take out the trash, while he made some phone calls regarding her future.

Dejected she returned to her little niche where she normally slept. So this would be the last time she could snuggle up to her hidden stuffed teddy bear.

Tears burned in her eyes, threatening to spill, but she couldn’t risk it.

Her father hated it when she cried.

Quickly her hands rummaged through her pockets to find a handkerchief, but...instead her fingers connected with something that seemed like paper. Curiously she pulled it out.

It was a card, a weird pumpkin like logo pranked on its front and underneath it, there seemed to be a scratchy written message.

/Wanna run away together?/

‘Run...away?‘

As soon as the words registered with her brain she tugged her bear close and ran to the door.

‘Please...still be there.‘

Breathing heavily she looked left, then right, trying to spot the redhead somewhere.

“Took you long enough sunshine.“

Whirling around she saw him, Roman, leaning right next to their door with a grin.

“Well…?“, he asked with a drawl in his voice,“What do you think of my proposition?“

She didn‘t know why she thought it would be a good idea. For all intents and purposes he could be just as bad as her father.

And yet...there was something about him, something familiar.

Looking up at the boy she managed a quick nod, before looking down again.

Everything would be better than what her father had in store for her.

She almost flinched when a hand was placed on her shoulder. Peering up once more Roman smiled at her, offering his hand for her to take.

“Alright then, little Neopolitan, first we‘ve got to steal you some clothes and after that...let‘s rob a candy store. I am in the need of something sweet to get this foul smell out of my mouth.“

‘Neo...politan…‘

She couldn‘t help but crack a smile. She had never met such a silly person before.

‘What a dum dum.‘

She wasn‘t afraid anymore when she finally took his hand.

Of course it had been way too easy to break into the shop at night. She had to hand it to Cinder, for all her dramatic flare, she knew how to plan and strategize. Neo swept through the store, all the cameras having long been dealt with and, nipping at some pink cotton candy on the way. Her companion seemed a little...at a loss on what to do after the hard part of their operation.

That just wouldn’t do.

This was to take their minds off of...everything.

Picking up a chocolate covered apple, the short girl held it out to the maiden.

/There./

With how baffled Cinder looked Neo truly wondered if she had never gotten sweets before.

‘...oh…‘

Maybe...she hadn’t?

Sometimes it was easy to forget where they both came from. Neo would never ask of course, but she had the distinct feeling Cinder‘s childhood hadn‘t been any better than hers.

Still...why pity Cinder if she could use that to her advantage?

Although her eyes had softened, her grin was still there.

She pointedly looked at the maiden and then at the apple, tapping her right index finger innocently against her chin.

/I see...you probably don‘t know how to eat an apple./

Cinder‘s gaze switched from bewildered to embarrassed in a matter of seconds, her face flushing slightly, as she ripped the chocolate covered apple from Neo‘s hand.

“Of course I know how to eat an apple!

You are ridiculous!“

Hesitantly she bit into the fruit, the fingers of her right hand digging a little harsher into it than they needed, but Neo decided the sight was worth it,

She had never seen anyone biting into an apple with such fierceness and determination.

She also had never witnessed someone‘s eye lighting up in childish wonder and happiness before.

The short girl‘s grin faded to a genuine smile, as she watched Cinder devour her apple treat. She had never thought they both would one day end up standing in a candy store together, but here they were. And for the first time in ages...she didn‘t feel as sad about Roman‘s absence anymore.

Not with Cinder present…

All her fears seemed so far away right now. She just knew she wanted the maiden to stay with her.

A warm feeling settled in her stomach.

“And what are you so happy about?“

Cinder‘s expression had soured after having finished eating her treat...though it would probably be more fitting to describe it as something akin to a pout.

Neo‘s eyes fell towards the maiden‘s chocolate covered right hand. Without giving her companion an answer, her grin returned to her face once more. Stepping closer into the dark haired girl‘s personal space she grasped her right hand pulling it towards her mouth.

Feeling no resistance whatsoever Neo decided to push her luck and gave one finger an experimental lick…

“What the hell are you doing?“, the maiden almost yelped, drawing her hand back at the speed of light, wiping it clean against a rug on the counter.

The short girl couldn‘t help but chuckle silently at Cinder‘s flabbergasted face.

/Are you feeling better, grumpy cat?/

“I...what?“

To her surprise Cinder hadn‘t really jumped away from her when she had retracted her hand.

A good sign?

‘I sure hope so.‘

There was a storm of emotions visible on the maiden‘s face, her voice softening in a way that had always been so rare to hear.

“All of this...this...hairbrained idea of yours to rob this stupid store...all of this...was to make me feel better?“

Rolling her eyes, Neo huffed in annoyance. Leave it to Cinder to ruin her goodhearted intentions.

‘Goddamm drama queen!‘

Crossing her arms defiantly, the short girl stared up at her companion in a way that almost screamed: /Yeah, what are you gonna do about it?/

She didn‘t see it coming.

From one moment to another Neo felt soft lips pressed against hers, rendering her completely motionless. It was as if an electric strike had just jolted down her spine. So very much like her companion, just sweeping her off her feet.

Before she was able to reciprocate the kiss, Cinder pulled away in a hurry, stumbling a few steps backwards in panic, her eye wide with...

Fear!

Fear that practically radiated from her in spades.

“I…“

The maiden never finished her sentence.

Neo had seen it in her eye. The need to flee, to hide.

She was done hiding. They both were.

She wouldn‘t let Cinder run away from this...from her...from...them?

Her lips connected with the dark haired girl‘s almost a little too forceful, her arms pulling her companion closer. She could taste a hint of apple and chocolate that Cinder had eaten before, making it all the more sweeter. Closing her eyes she deepened the kiss and the tension inside the maiden‘s body seemed to melt away.

Arms began to circle around Neo hesitantly, causing her heart to skip a beat. Her face felt warm, growing hotter with each pounding her heart emitted, echoing all the way to her throat.

Her nose bumped softly against the maiden‘s, as she sank a little bit deeper into her arms, her hands almost hesitantly reaching out to caress her companion‘s cheek.

She wanted Cinder...she liked Cinder. No matter how dangerous she wound up to be. Somehow somewhere, the dark haired girl had become important to her.

And by the gods, she wouldn‘t give her up, even if it cost her her own safety. She wouldn‘t let her become like Roman.

Neo hadn‘t felt this warm...this secure in a long time.

She couldn‘t say when they finally parted again, but it left them both breathless.

Mismatched eyes met gold.

Confusion, fear, need, want.

A silent storm that swirled in both their gazes.

This would change things between them...but Neo found it hard to care any longer.

/Alright...let‘s talk./

“...yes.“

AN: Yep, still doing this and one day I will finish it...hopefully ^^‘

Credit for the awesome cover goes to @ hoepunkausta =)

[wu-sisyphus-gang]

Motion Sickness Chapter 38

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"How long are you going to follow me, you mute bitch?" With her teleportation and illusions there wasn't much I could do about it. We both knew if it came down to it I'd win, though. I'd shown that earlier. But she could escape anytime she wanted so I couldn't chase after her and end it. I could activate my semblance and smash her around with my strength or speed and win by standing still.

But only by standing still.

I walked past a billboard proclaiming Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai, Cinder Fall, Hazel Rainart, and the Scorpion as wanted. My friends lived. I'd go spy on them later, when Neapolitan wasn't watching. Just to check up on them. Then I'd head my separate way.

She rapidly poked one finger through a loop in the other hand. "Fuck," I interpreted. She pointed at me. "Myself."

She clapped her hands giddily in her approval and her eyes switched colors.

"I need money," I muttered. "And a new scroll. I don't suppose you have any ideas."

She reached out into an illusion and retrieved a red brimmed hat.

"Ones that don't involve Ruby. I really seriously don't know where she is."

She looked like she didn't believe me, eyebrows furrowed.

"Well tough shit. Unless you want to go another round." She rubbed her chest where I hit her. "I'd be all for that."

She just frowned.

"Fair enough," I said. "Why do you even want to find Ruby?"

She drew a line over her throat and fondled the red and black hat.

"You want revenge for Roman Torchwick."

She nodded.

"Ruby didn't kill your boss." I dropped the harsh news on her.

She cocked her head sideways at me as we walked together through Mistral. It was… it was actually nice to have someone to talk to. Talk at, even. Otherwise I'd be alone with my thoughts and that just wouldn't be good for me. I was still wishy-washy on ending my own life.

I deserved it too. I wanted to die for what I'd done to my friends. I was the culprit, the thief in the night who robbed them of the opportunity of ever being 'together, together.'

At least they were together in death, now.

"A Grimm got him," she frowned up at me at that. "You can't even get revenge." I laughed. "You poor bitch. Not that I'm any better." Who was I supposed to kill in my hunt for vengeance now? Me. And believe me I was thinking of ways of getting to that son of a bitch. Unfortunately he was running out of friends.

An alien goddess had control over my mind. I was little more than a puppet under the right circumstances. I suppose if I had been like a puppet, all uncoordinated, Ren and Nora might have had a chance at subduing me. Instead I'd acted more or less fluid. That was a little scarier. Or a lot.

She smashed one fist into the other.

"If you were going to kill me you would have done it back at the bar. Don't act. You can't pull it off. Not while I'm awake and I assure you I'll be on my guard while sleeping. You won't get it done then either, not with my aura level."

She gave me an adorable pout. Her pink lips pressed together and out. Her pink and brown hair flowing over her shoulders.

"I know how you feel. I need revenge against Cinder. You know her? Cinder Fall?"

Her grin stretched.

"Don't tell me you want to kill her too? Did she get your boss killed? Set him up?"

She nodded.

"That's as good as killing him, I suppose. I think we may be able to help each other. Ruby really didn't kill him. Ruby doesn't have it in her to kill somebody. She always goes out of her way to avoid it."

She frowned and pointed at me.

"She's not like me. I'm a murderous asshole."

She shook her head indicating I'd guessed wrong and pointed at me again.

"What about me?"

She rotated one finger next to her head.

"I am crazy. Don't even get me started. If nothing else I'm suicidally insane. And that doesn't even get to these bugs in my eyes."

She pantomimed doing a line of hyper. Pinching one side of her nose and breathing in.

"I'm not on anything. I'm just fucked up."

She touched the tips of opposite forefingers together.

"What's that mean? It's not the same thing."

We walked in two-sided silence for a few minutes down a rainy street.

"You know where somebody with a loose moral compass can make some money around here relatively fast?"

She pointed a thumb over her shoulder back at Malachite's bar.

"Yeah, I sorta burned that bridge. And it can't involve Don Corneo. I had him tortured. Killed a bunch of his men, too."

Her smile widened looking up at me.

"Oh is that how you get your jollies?"

She just grinned up at me.

"Well I suppose we could just do official huntsman work. That's always lucrative."

She pointed a finger between us.

"Yeah I thought you were following me. That makes it an us. Keep up. Plus I just might be your best shot at murdering Fall. I almost fuckin' had her. And I might know where she's headed next."

She looked at me in surprise.

"Yep. Her and Black, too. Fought them relatively recently."

She put a hand to her mouth and silently laughed at me.

"Yeah they lived. Go ahead and giggle. Next time I'll get one of them. At least one of them. Well, Cinder has the powers of the spring maiden now. It might be even harder than before."

She gave me a confused look. Hell, who was she going to tell? She was… easy to talk to besides. I wasn't sure if it was the muteness but it might be.

"It's a whole thing. Ancient powers passed along person to person. Myths and legends. It's fucking bullshit is what it is. Girls only club. So maybe you could get in on that action."

She silently snorted, full of doubt. A little air escaping her nose.

"It's true. You can be the one to fight her and find out the hard way or you can take my word for it. She's even more dangerous now. And she was already a heaping pile of it before. I surprised her yesterday and I'm only getting stronger from what I've seen but she just added a big helping of power to herself."

She pointed at herself then smashed one fist into her open palm to indicate violence.

"Could you beat her?"

She nodded. Letting me know I'd guessed right.

"Maybe. Maybe before but probably not now. You'd be in serious trouble. I'd be in serious trouble." I let that sink in, I was able to beat this ice-cream girl and if I was not able to beat Cinder that only meant she wouldn't be able to either.  

She made a complicated series of gestures.

"I didn't get that. But it doesn't matter, does it?"

She just frowned at me and I strode forward. She was practically jogging to keep up and I had no intention of slowing down.

The relic jingled by my side as I walked.

"You know maybe it can involve Don Corneo. You up for stealing from a mob boss? It might involve torture and death. I could use someone with your talents."

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Some broken limbs and I learned the news (Neapolitan had clapped at that). Don Corneo was holed up in his mansion with a whole lot of guards and probably a whole lot of money. Evidently he hadn't taken being tortured very well.

Go figure.

Neapolitan or just Neo was working beside me and honestly it felt good to have somebody watching my back, even if they were criminal scum. Which, I mean, beggars couldn't be choosers from their glass houses.

I needed a pseudonym. I could hardly keep calling myself Jaune Arc even though my weapon and face would be recognizable. I needed a haircut and makeover and a new name. I had to hide from my friends as much as it bit at me.

I was lucky they hadn't reported me to the police. The wounds on Nora and Ren's bodies would be unmistakable as coming from my weapon.

More importantly I needed the money to do all that. I was a long ways away from hopping on a horse and riding out to Merlot's laboratory, as much as I may want to. Instead I needed to stay in the city for a while.

That meant laying low and coming up with a heist. I needed money. Enough that I didn't have to worry about it for a long time.

I was struggling to come up with a new name for myself. That was always the hardest part. Names. I thought that as I broke one of Don Corneo's lackeys' fingers.

Neo and I had him tied down in a hotel room on the lower levels. It was dirt cheap and nobody would ask any questions. Especially if we left no body behind.

He screamed into a gag and it came out muffled. Nickel was the name we managed to get out of him.

"Shshsh." I told him. "You're going to tell me the security details on Don Corneo's mansion or I'm going to break every last bone in your body. If you scream I'll hurt you even more than that. Are we clear? Everything goes well and you get to walk on out of here. You might have to find a new boss but that doesn't really matter compared to your life, does it?"

He seemed to realize I was actually waiting for a response and gave a slow shake of his head. I nodded at Neo and she pulled out the gag.

"Now, what's the security look like?"

"He's going to kill you for this, he's going to-"

Neo gave a lecherous grin and stabbed him through the foot. Who was this guy fooling? He didn't even have aura. There was no way the Don cared about him a Lien. Not that we cared considering we were planning to rob him blind. She covered his mouth with the other hand, not that we really needed to down here per se, and looked him in the eye.

Her gaze flickered out like a hungry lizard's tongue to meet his eyes and devour all of the pain therein.

"Boy you don't even have aura. I can fix that for you. Unlock your aura and make it all go away." He was older than me, probably by a few years. Might be twenty-one, twenty-two. I watched him consider it. Aura was a game changer. A kid like him had to know what it meant, what it could mean. It'd mean a pay raise if nothing else. It meant increased survivability. It meant the power to fight back against those dastardly huntsmen.

"I can make the pain go away too. It'll heal you right up, even your broken fingers." They were tied behind his back. Nice and easy within snapping distance. "What's it going to be, my man."

"Fuck you, I ain't your man."

I broke another one of his fingers. Neo stuffed the gag back in his mouth while he screamed.

"We're not making much headway with this one. Might have to kill him and grab a fresh one. Start over." I said it clinically to Neo. Her eyes went wide at the thought of the violence. I even thought maybe the tips of her breasts were protruding more than before from the excitement. She gave a silent laugh and I hoped it was just my imagination. For my part I didn't have a carnage boner.

A murder erection I distinctly did not have. I wasn't a sadist. Just a pragmatist.

I had to admit there was a bit of an endorphin rush at the thought of snapping this guy's neck, though. With Neo's semblance we'd just walked up and grabbed him from the mansion and we'd walked away, under the cover of an illusion.

Suddenly I had some symptoms come at me and I blinked hard at the tactile sensation of bugs in my eyes until they stopped. Nerves firing which shouldn't have been.

"I'm thinking maybe we just hammer the place. Go all in and kill everyone in our way," I said. "Your thoughts, Neapolitan?"

She stamped a foot.

"Beg your pardon, I meant Neo." I hadn't but she seemed content to insist on it now that I'd figured it out. I took it as a good sign.

"M-m-m. M-m-m." Came from under the gag.

"Sorry, do you have friends in there? Some buddies perhaps?"

Neo pulled the gag out of his mouth. Nickel spat on the floor, very much not in our directions. He didn't want another broken finger was what that told me.

"You'll never make it like that. The Don has a safe room. A panic vault. You'll never get in and get what you want that way."

"And you've telling us this now because…"

"I want a cut. He's got millions stashed away. A-and I want my aura unlocked... And I walk free."

So that's how it is. Money talks, money talks. Apparently louder than broken bones could.

"Tell me about this panic room."

"It's got Titania walls and big electric locks."

"What kind?"

"The fuck should I know? It's like you see in bank vaults though. His office is in there. Or at least it is now they moved it from the second floor. He's been paranoid. There's been talk."

"Talk about how somebody got to him." I nodded. I put my face in his. "Somebody did. I'm going to do it again."

"It was you. It was you at the Honey Bee Inn." His brown eyes went wide.

"Maybe. Tell me about the mansion."

"It's built with choke points in mind. And places we're supposed to go to to lay down fire if there's an assault. It's all built around this central courtyard, too. It has mines in the walls, explosives at every corridor. They can be remotely activated by the Don. The whole place is booby-trapped. It’s supposed to be huntsman proof.”

“Nothing is actually huntsman proof."

He shrugged but the fact he was panting hard ruined the illusion of calm. "Couldn't say."

"Talk to me about the patrols you were on.”

“They’re fairly strict about it. Somebody will have noticed I’m gone, even. Every hour on the hour and through the center courtyard. Around the building, too.”

“How many?”

“A hundred of us at a given time, maybe."

A hundred could be a problem. Especially if they had proper choke points and the right hardware. Hard light weapons or magnetically accelerated rifles were huntsman level. There were also electric weapons which I was sure could find Neo, invisible or not. I'd seen Neptune use one. An explosion could also take me down. Limit was good but I wasn't invincible.

"Aura?"

"Some of us have it, some of us don't. The Don hasn't been in a position to be picky about his men. Not with his empire crumbling under pressure to the Malachites."

I leaned back and folded my arms. I exchanged looks with Neo. She flickered in and out of the visible spectrum and warbled a hand.

"Might be too many to just walk in to. Plus the explosives. They gonna be a problem for you?"

She waved her hand again.

"Samesies," I grunted.

I had him walk me through the layout of the place in enough detail that I was able to draw a map of the first and second floor. The panic office was on the bottom floor. A big, heavy thing like that couldn't be above ground.

Neo gave me a pleading look and I nodded. She walked behind Nickel and she bent down like she was going to untie him. Giving him one last shred of hope before she snapped up and slit his throat. I watched her take extreme pleasure in doing it.

She shuddered with the living corpse as his lifeblood drained soundlessly onto the floor. She looked ecstatic in the company of death. A low narrow smile on her lips.

It was clear to me. I just needed to give her lots of targets. It seemed like it had been a long time since she was able to indulge in such things. Heists. Murder. All of it. Money must trickle. The blood must flow.

Most importantly I needed to keep her focused on Cinder rather than Ruby. I think the message was starting to sink in but she could relapse. Besides, I wanted Cinder to die and another body wouldn't hurt.

I just needed to make sure she didn't run out of her little pleasures and it seemed to me like I'd have a loyal ally. Underneath it all it seemed like she was just lonely and scared. Especially without her boss. I think there was a part of her that liked taking orders.

And weren't we all like all that? I was like that without Ruby for one. I wasn't sure she would approve of this but she probably didn't approve of me murdering our friends either so there was that.

Neo didn't seem so bad. A bit of a sadist but hey, me too. There was a part of me that took sick pleasure in bringing ruin to my enemies. There was a sideways joy in delivering a boot to their faces.  

And my friends… if I ever saw them again they'd have to understand. I did what I had to to find out about Merlot… this… my father. I had so many memories. Like visiting Shion. We're they all fake? I had to learn more about myself.  If I had to shake hands with a few demons to make it happen then big fucking whoop.

Neo looked at the blood on her stiletto and wiped it off on the Nickel's clothes.

I could work with this. I could live with this. I just needed to throw away my pride.

pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq

-WG

[vengfulfate]

Both of Them, and Only Them, Final Chapter

Story Summary -   Melanie and Miltiades Malachite have trouble with love. They share everything, and this has either scared people away or made them think their relationship was more open than the twins would wish. Then along came Ruby Rose… could she be the one the sisters have searched for?

Chapters: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven

---

The Malachite twins couldn’t believe their eyes. First Yang breaks some kid’s leg, swearing up and down that he attacked her. And now Penny… one of Ruby’s closest friends lay in literal pieces on the arena floor. They could only stare along with everyone else as the horror filled the arena. The screens turned bright red with the image of a black queen chess piece.

“This was not an accident…”

As the speech droned on, the twins didn’t know what to think. The words made sense, but… they knew Yang. And Penny. And Pyrrha too, to some extent. Something was just off about all of this.

“Ruby.”

Neither twin knew who spoke first, but the one word grounded them both. Ruby had left before the match about wanting to ‘check something out’. Now Penny was gone, and the voice on the screen was inciting people’s fear and anger. As the Grimm began to attack, Melanie and Miltiades bolted from their seats to begin a frantic search for their girlfriend.

---

A lot had happened in what felt like a very short amount of time. Since Penny’s…. Since… Penny’s…

Ruby chocked back another sob at the thoughts she didn’t want or need right now.

Since Penny, Grimm had invaded the school, a giant nevermore had been destroyed, and Ruby had launched herself onto Ironwood’s flagship, sent Neopolitan flying, and watched Roman Torchwick get eaten alive by a Griffon. She dispatched the Griffon quickly, accidently sending it through the airship’s drive core. The warship began to fall from the sky, and Ruby had to escape the wreck quickly. Using Crescent Rose’s intense recoil, it was easy to safely fall to the ground.

Ruby may have escaped the crashing warship, but it seemed she didn’t escape her own bad luck. She finally landed on the fairground right in the middle of a pack of Beowolves. The dark beasts all turned to look at the human that had appeared between them. Ruby readied herself for combat. The three weakest – and most impatient – lashed out immediately. Ruby was ready, swinging her scythe in wide, powerful arcs, slicing clean through each beast and destroying them in single strikes.

The next few Beowolves were older and subsequently stronger. One charged forward, and Ruby dealt two heavy cleaves across its chest. It swung it’s claw in retaliation. Ruby anticipated this and fired Crescent Rose to empower her counter, severing the attacking claw. The red reaper spun her scythe around her to bring the blade quickly around the Beowolf’s neck, aimed at another Beowolf behind them. With a single pull of the trigger, she decapitated the first while blowing a hole in the second’s head.

One Beowolf was left, the oldest of the bunch. Not quite an Alpha, but certainly no slouch. Ruby prepared for its charge. She began swinging her scythe as it neared, pulling the trigger halfway through the swing. The tip of her scythe embedded itself in the monster’s side… and stuck there. Ruby panicked, realizing quickly why Crescent Rose didn’t slice right through. Her scythe didn’t get its extra propulsion because her magazine had already been spent. She had forgotten about the bullets she spent slowing her descent from Ironwood’s warship.

She was out of ammo.

She tried to wrench her weapon free, but the beast was faster. The back of its hand came down and knocked Crescent Rose away. The same claw used that motion to rear back and attack Ruby, sending the girl across the field. Ruby found she could only watch as the Beowolf charged her one last time…

Shlick

Shinnk

Thud

Two blurs of color and a flash of silver, and suddenly the beast was bisected at Ruby’s feet. The Beowolf dissolved away, and Ruby turned her eyes to her saviors. “Girls?”

“Ruby!” Miltiades rushed forward, throwing herself down and wrapping her arms tightly around the redhead. “We’ve been looking all over for you! Ever since Penny… Ever since Pyrrha…”

“Ever since the match ended,” Melanie took over tactfully. She kneeled down next to her sister, drawing them both into her own arms. “Are you okay?”

At those simple words, Ruby wanted nothing more than to break down and weep into her girlfriends’ arms. Instead she steeled herself, pushing them away so she could stand. “I’m not okay. But I can’t be not okay here, or it will just draw more Grimm,” she explained. “We need to get to the airship pads.”

“We’re with you, Gem.”

“Always.”

“Thank you, girls…” Ruby wiped the small hint of tears from her eyes before she could break. “Let’s go.”

It didn’t take long for the trio to reach the airship pads. Zwei saw them first, his barking inciting Weiss to turn. “Ruby! Melanie, Miltia!” the heiress ran forward to meet them. “Are you all okay?”

“We’re fine,” Ruby told her. She didn’t miss the look of sorrow in her partner’s eyes. “What is it? What’s going on?”

Rather than answer with words, Weiss simply stepped to the sided. Behind her Ruby saw Blake sprawled out with heavy bandages around her gut. She also saw Yang, unconscious and missing an arm. “Yang…” Ruby reached out feebly, not knowing what to do.

Sun stepped forward to assure them, “hey, she's gonna be okay. The soldiers have a ship ready to take you guys to Vale.”

“But Jaune and Pyrrha are still missing!” Nora argued.

Ruby’s attention snapped away from her sister’s injury. “What!?”

“Look, guys, that giant Grimm is circling the school!” Sun shouted. “Even the White Fang are pulling out! We all have to go, now!”

“We're not leaving!” Ren tried to stand valiantly but succumbed to his own injury and collapsed.

Ruby’s scan told her one thing above all. No one was in a position to go running off after the missing pair. No one… except her. “I'll find them. I'll find them, and I'll bring them back.”

“No,” Weiss stood at her partner’s side, “we will find them.” She turned to the larger group, “look after each other. We’ll be back.”

Ruby and Weiss started to run back toward Beacon. They were interrupted when a hand gripped Ruby’s wrist. The redhead looked back, right into worries emerald eyes. “Take us with you,” Miltiades insisted.

Ruby frowned, “I can’t.”

“We’re not just letting you go!” Melanie argued.

Ruby took a deep breath, placing her free hand over the hand grabbing her. “I love you girls. And I appreciate you coming to help earlier. But right now, you’re civilians and I’m a huntress in training. You don’t have the training I do for this, and I will have my partner. I won’t be going alone. You two need to evacuate into Vale. Please.”

As hard as it was to accept, the pair knew Ruby was right. Melanie looked to Weiss. “You better keep her safe.”

“If you think I’ll be keeping her safe, you really don’t know how strong she is,” Weiss smirked. Her teasing smile fell as the moment passed, “regardless, I’ll do my best.”

Letting go of Ruby’s wrist was the hardest thing Miltiades had ever done. The huntresses-in-training ran into the fray and were quickly swallowed by the chaos. The twins filed into line for the airships, taking several minutes to reach the front. As they were about to step on, they took one last look toward Beacon tower. Just in time to see a massive silver light explode across the sky…

---

Two weeks later

Ruby stood shaking across the street from Junior’s Club. Her fingers gripped the straps of her backpack tightly. She was nervous about what was next.

Jaune stepped up beside her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Are you sure about this?”

Ruby took a deep breath a relaxed her grip. She was nervous about what was next. But she knew it had to be done. “Yeah.”

“Alright,” Jaune accepted, retreated back to Ren and Nora’s side behind her.

Ruby took those tentative steps across the street, approaching the man guarding the door. “Lil’ Red! You’re awake!”

“Hey, Javier,” Ruby smiled. “Are the girls in?”

“Yeah, I’ll go get them,” the bouncer offered. “They’ll be happy to see you. They’ve been worried sick.”

“Yeah…” Ruby muttered to herself, her hands fidgeting. “I’ll bet they have…”

She was nervous about what was next. She knew it had to be done. But that didn’t make it any easier to do.

“Ruby!” The twins called in unison. Before the redhead could respond, she was cocooned by four arms wrapping themselves tightly around her. “We were so worried! We kept every ear out for news of you!” Miltiades explained.

“We even visited Patch after you were recovered,” Melanie informed her. “You were still asleep, though, and we could only stay so long…” The white-dressed twin finally spotted Ruby’s friends across the street, along with the bags they all wore. “What’s going on?”

Ruby lightly pushed the girl’s off, avoiding their eyes while she explained. “Atlas didn’t attack Beacon. We all know that, but the rest of the world doesn’t and they’re not looking for other assailants. I do know who attacked Beacon, though… and their trail leads to Haven. I think they want to do to Haven what they did to Beacon. And no one else is trying to stop them. No one else even knows…”

“You’re going to Mistral, then?” Melanie crossed her arms. “And this… is a goodbye?”

“I’m sorry,” Ruby pleaded. “But I have to do this. Not just as a huntress, but as Ruby Rose. What happened on top of Beacon Tower… my eyes did something. I’m not sure what it is, but I know I can help. So, I have to go help. Whatever is going on… it’s bigger than all of us.”

“So… there’s no way we can talk you out of this?” Miltiades asked.

Ruby’s only response was to repeat, “I’m sorry.”

Melanie and Miltiades looked to each other, having another of their legendary silent conversations. Ruby had seen enough that sometimes she could follow along. This, however, was not one of those times. Miltiades turned around without a word and nearly ran back into the Club.

“Miltia!” Ruby cried out, not wanting to see the girl in pain.

“Don’t worry about her,” Melanie told Ruby.

Ruby frowned at the implication.

“She’ll be right back down with our bags.”

Ruby blinked. “Uhh… What?”

Melanie turned up her smirk, aiming it right at the young leader. “You didn’t really think we were just going to let you go, do you?”

“But… it’ll be dangerous,” Ruby reminded them.

“Exactly,” Melanie shrugged. “And with Cross-Continental Communication down, you can’t call us. How are we supposed to know you’re okay if we don’t come with?”

“You guys don’t have the training we do to last in the wilds,” Ruby argued.

“So teach us,” Melanie countered easily.

“T-teach you?” Ruby’s confusion climbed ever higher. “I-I don’t…”

“Ruby,” Melanie captured her girlfriend’s attention with a genuine smile. “We love you. You are the best thing that has ever happened to us. And because of that, we refuse to let you leave without us. We’re not just going to sit back and worry about you while you go to war half a world away.”

Ruby didn’t know what to think. “If you come with us, there might not be any turning back.”

“We’ll follow you to the end of the world,” Melanie assured. “We love you, and we’re not letting you go.”

Miltiades emerged from the club with two backpacks and a large envelope in her hand. She approached her sister and her girlfriend with a serious look on her face. “What’s the verdict?”

“I think she’s coming to terms with it,” Melanie answered her sister.

“Good,” Miltiades turned to Ruby with a smirk, “because you don’t get a choice this time, Gem.”

As her mind came around to the twins thinking, Ruby couldn’t help but chuckle. “I love you two so much.”

“We love you, too, Gem,” the twins replied in unison. The trio walked across the street to the others waiting for them. Nora’s smile was getting bigger and bigger.

“I TOLD YOU!” She suddenly cried once they were all grouped up. “I knew they would come with! Pay up, Ren!”

“Nora, no one took that bet,” Ren reminded her.

Nora huffed. “Well, I should get something for calling it!”

“How about new gear?” Miltiades offered. She held up the envelope, “Junior gave us our final pay along with what he called a ‘good-fucking-luck bonus’. We’ll all need traveling clothes at the very least.”

Nora’s eyes went wide. “I knew I liked you two for a reason! Let’s go!”

“Nora!” Ren tried calling after the hyper girl, but she was already halfway down the street. He turned to the twins, “I apologize pre-emptively for whatever Nora may do. Welcome aboard.”

“Yeah,” Jaune smiled, “we’re all glad to have you. Maybe not as much as Ruby, but glad nonetheless.”

“Jaune!” Ruby blushed. The twins laughed.

The group made their way to Vale’s market for their new gear, with Ruby, Melanie, and Miltiades trailing slightly behind. “As worried as I am, I’m glad you two are coming,” Ruby spoke up. “Thank you.”

The twins smiled.

“Thank you, Ruby,”

“For everything you’ve done for us.”

None of them knew what the future held. But all of them were all the more confident now that they would be facing that future together.

---

The main reason this is ending now is because anything beyond this would just be a re-telling of canon with the twins shoehorned in at every opportunity. There may still be unique scenes worth exploring in this world, but if I do so they will be self-contained one-shots. This is the official end of Both of Them, and Only Them as a story.

I would like to take this moment to shout out @malachite-isms. While I never had a conscious thought to drop this story, I almost never finished chapter three because I thought no one was reading it. Malachite-isms started a swell of support, and their love for my story has been one of my main motivations to keep writing it. Just wanted to let them know I appreciate their support.

I hope you all have enjoyed this work, and I hope you consider checking out my other stories on Fanficiton and Archive of Our Own!

- Vengfulfate