Deaged Oz AU - And The Truth... ?
"NO!" Oz yelled, panicked as Jinn, entirely ignoring him, started to tell her tale. Well, his tale. Sort of. He could see the looks on the other's faces as she continued, saying things he'd never actually even known himself. Surely, if he knew what Salem was... exactly what had happened to her, he would remember it? He was aware that Ozymandias was holding things back, shielding him from some of the worst memories, but this?
This changed things. He knew he needed to hear to the end of this, but all he wanted to do was run away. Maybe it would be better, for all of them, if he did just that? If the war couldn't be won, what was the point of trying?
He knew, deep down, that it was the remnants of the despair the Grimm in the well had caused, but still, for Ruby to ask Jinn what he was hiding felt like a betrayal. For Jinn to say what they were saying, revealing things he didn't even know? Maybe he should have asked the same question, long ago? If there were things even he didn't know, then what else was there that would change the war?
Oscar and the others were watching Jinn, but the look of shock and hatred on Qrow's face had paralysed Oz entirely. Of everybody there, he had been certain that Qrow, at least, wouldn't hate him. Apparently he was wrong. It had been so nice, to belong for awhile. Nobody would ever want anything to do with him again.
He was shaking again, not that it mattered now, of course, when as soon as this nightmare ended they'd kill him anyway. Or would they? Surely, he deserved anything they might do in revenge for the information being shared, but would they run the risk of his death being an escape? He didn't deserve to escape from the consequences of his own mistakes, after all.
"Child, NO!" Ozymandias roared in his mind, but Oz ignored him. Yes, he had not personally done any of what was being shown, but that didn't matter, did it? Not when it was Ozma, was the part of his soul that wasn't Tip, never had been, never could be? Brothers, but they'd hate him so much...
The vision ended, the eyes Qrow turned to him were flat with hatred and he lashed out. Oz let him, knowing that he deserved the punch, deserved the pain. Oscar made a noise of protest and tried to intervene, but the others wouldn't let him near enough to help. That was okay, too... Oscar didn't deserve to be hurt from this. He did, though.
"Meeting you was the worst luck of my life!" Qrow snarled. That broke something deep inside, Oz could feel a part of himself shatter and he started to run. Away from the accusing eyes, the hatred. The friendships he'd never truly deserved and would never have now. He tripped, stumbled over uneven ground as he scrambled to just get away from them. He didn't care where, he didn't care what happened to him. Nobody ever could, now, could they?
There was yelling in the distance and the sound of footfalls. So, they wanted to finish the job? Let them. His glasses had fallen off, hot tears streaming down his face but he didn't care. Behind him, the footsteps were catching up. He cursed the fact that he was this small, but he was in a bad enough mental state that he knew he wouldn't be able to use his semblance to get away.
Squaring his shoulders, he closed his eyes and waited for the blows to fall. Maybe they'd hand him over to Salem? That would be an ending, after all...
Gentle hands placed his glasses back on his nose, then without warning he was gathered into a hug. Ozymandias hummed, pleased, in the back of his head. By the size, it was Oscar, but...
"Why?" He whispered, voice cracked from weeping. "Why did you follow me? The others, they'll hate me, They might hurt you... why do you care?"
"You're my brother, Oz! Of course I care! It doesn't matter what the others say, none of that was you. Other versions, maybe, but... you are not responsible for everything bad that Ozma has ever done. He. Isn't. YOU."
"But he is, isn't he? Salem would say we're the same... so many people would say we're the same..."
"You're not. You never could be, not really. The others will see that too, it might just take some time?"
Behind them, there were more footsteps, followed by a cry of relief.
"You're alright! You're okay!" That sounded like Nora, but again... why did she care?
"Pocket sized?" Jaune sounded conflicted, but there was worry in his tone, too.
"Running away is not the answer." Ren said, quietly, no judgement in his tone. "Besides, we need to get to Atlas. The sooner we are all there, the sooner things will look brighter."
"They hate me, don't they? Why... why did you four follow me?"
"You're our friend, shortstuff." Jaune said, slowly. "Yeah, none of us are that happy, but..."
"Did you know? What she showed us?" Nora spoke up, gaze direct. Oz just shook his head, staring at the floor.
"If you didn't even know all of that, how could you have told us? Besides, at least we know she can't be defeated now?" Oscar sounded, if not hopeful then at least reasonable, tightening the hold he had on Oz, protective.
"We don't know that." Ren murmured. "The wording of her curse..."
"You should just have let me go. The others, they won't want me back. Not after this. Qrow..."
"You're pretty attached to the stupid bird, aint'cha?" Nora asked, well, stated really. "Don't let him get to you, if you two are really that good a friends he'll forgive you eventually. If he doesn't, that's on him. You have us!"
"Yeah, pocket sized. We'll make sure the others can't hurt you. If they try, we'll just remind them that you're ten years old."
"I still can't believe Qrow punched you into a tree! Oz, you're bruising already. That was..."
"I deserved it." Over Oz's bowed head, Oscar, Nora, Ren and Jaune exchanged glances. So, even worse than they'd thought, then.
"We'll protect you. But we do all need to go back, the sooner we're in the air, the sooner we'll be in Atlas, okay?"
The others surrounded him like a protective circle as they made their way back to camp. The general feeling of those that had stayed behind was chilly and distant, maybe, but that all four of those that had gone after him seemed protective might have made at least a few of them think. Qrow scowled and stalked off, his flask in one hand. Well, Oz had known that was likely to happen. Yang pointedly turned her back, dragging Blake and Ruby with her as she did so. Ruby had the lamp, but right now, Oz had no desire to reclaim it.
If he never saw Jinn again, it would be too soon.
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