(SLOW UPDATES) The Best of Atlas (Male Reader x Rwby Harem)

S2 Ch.4: A Shadow (Vote Closed)

(Y/N)'s pov

Salem: "And there are many lives that need saving." She gently stroked my cheek, wiping the tears from them as she spoke. "Take some time to compose yourself then meet me back in your room, I have a surprise." 

With that said she stood up and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sat on the floor, eyes still blurry from tears as my mind wandered to the words Salem said. 'Value the lives saved more than those taken'. I had heard those words before, long ago...

before Beacon... 

before any of this mess.

(Y/N) pov -Years Ago- 

I stepped off the bullhead, no one would be able to tell my armor was white as snow as it was now covered in different shades of red. It had become impossible to tell where my own injuries were as my own blood had dried by this point as well. With a deep breathe I felt a wave of relief wash over my body as my lungs were cooled by the nightly Atlesian air. 

My body threatened to collapse right there on the spot since I had spent the last 4 days and night sleeplessly tracking members of a bandit group back to their leader. But I kept moving, knowing that there was just one thing standing between me and a clean bed. 

Winter: "Specialist (L/N). Do you need to see a medic?" I fixed my posture before responding.

(Y/N): "That won't be necessary ma'am." I said while trying desperately to not let my fatigue take hold of me. "I'm ready to debrief." Winter visibly looked my up and down with a unconvinced look on her face. 

Winter: "You're as stubborn as ever I see. Let's make this quick then so you can get some sleep." She pulled out a large tablet, tapping a few things before looking back to me. "Go ahead." 

(Y/N): "After 4 days of tracking I was able to successfully locate the leader of the bandit group known as the Yetis." I paused for a moment allowing Winter time to type everything. "After that I managed to eliminate 100% of their forces." 

I was getting better at being more human and less stealth-killing machine, but I still said things like that far too casually for my liking. Winter typed a few more things before tucking the tablet under her arm. 

Winter: "Another job well done specialist, get yourself some sleep and a medical check up in the morning." She went to walk off and normally that would've been the end of our conversation but something was different today. 

(Y/N): "Some of the people were just teenagers Winter." I immediately recognized my error. Either from a lack of sleep or just being a fool I called a superior by her first name. "I don't think some of them even realized the danger they were in." For some reason I decided to continue but to my surprise and gratitude she didn't seem to care. 

Winter: "27 people." I looked at her with a very clear expression of confusion on my face, well it's not like she could tell when I had my helmet on anyways. 

(Y/N): "Excuse me." 

Winter: "In the last year those assholes have killed 27 people. Men, women, children, armed, unarmed. None of it mattered to them." I had no idea they had caused that much pain for others, I thought they were just petty thugs. "27 people in one year, how many people would've died next year? Just imagine how many lives you saved by getting rid of them." 

(Y/N): "I hadn't thought of it like that." 

Winter: "It helps if you count the lives you've saved, and trust me you've saved a lot."