A Hero's Dilemma

Chapter 18

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Cover art by: Notgustiarp

Chapter 18

"—Sun, help!"

Hot, burning sand flaked at his exposed skin as screams and bullets streaked through the air. His breath came out in harsh rasps like glass shards through his throat as his muscles screamed as he ran for his life.

Yet It was the ruthless laughter that followed far too close for comfort, that stained his mind to where his dreams were always followed just as closely—impossibly so.

"—Get back here! Don't run from your duty, brother!"

By the gods, how he tried.

/-/

"So, if you're okay with me asking. What happened to him?" Waiting respectfully as Sun retreated mentally inwards.

He was silent at first till Jaune forced them to lock tear-pricked eye to eye, yet it was the fear he'd sensed earlier that actually met him. All that progress in getting him to open up was seemingly made away with as Sun reburied his head and was once again swarmed with negative emotions.

"Kidnapped."

Ah, and wasn't that a coincidence, he thought idly, his body going slack.

"...Kidnapped?" He mumbled back out in hoarse disbelief.

It was only when his back hit the chilled wall that he realized his legs had given out. Sliding down from his panicked retreat, he let the tingling surprise slowly subside from his body like raindrops off his skin. It was such a shock that his reaction even caught the eyes of the huddled boy, a curious air shining through before it was snubbed out.

"L-Like I said, you never asked why I was here. That same family that took me in lost others who were precious—ones who I have to find. You're here looking for your friend, too then?" He had to be. Why else come all the way to Vale from Vacou?

Yet his silence made him start to consider what those other options could be when a deep remorse pang through their connection.

"...Sun?"

He just kept staring off into the distance, red eyes gazing at the distant skyline.

"I knew it..." Sun mumbled, "I knew you were strong."

"W-What? How am I—"

He was cut off by the intensity of the stare Sun gave and the emotions traveling through. How?

How can you feel so in awe of someone like me...

He just kept staring. Even when Jaune broke eye contact, he could still tell Sun was staring at him—not to mention the awe felt washing over him.

"Because you're here. Because you chose to be here." Emphasizing the difference between them, "You said so yourself that you're trying to make up for something you did, right? Yeah, you're definitely strong."

"N-No, like I said I'm probably just running away." The possibility is just way too high to ignore. "No matter what I think all I'm probably doing is using them as an excuse. You have no idea how terrified I am that I'm using this as...as a way to run away."

"...But you are here. That has to count for something, right? Just cause you might be a little selfish in your reasoning doesn't mean the good you're trying to do is meaningless."

Jaune didn't answer him—and that was probably for the best. This was a question only he could truly answer himself.

But there was one question they could answer now.