A Slave to Better Days: Absolute Zero | Male Reader x Raven Branwen

Part 4

Summer told her parents about her encounter with (Y/N). They were sad to hear that he doesn't want to be around them, but relieved to hear that he was alive. They felt regret for how they alienated (Y/N) when he was accused of killing his team. They didn't believe he did it, but with the influence of the media they were slowly switching sides without realizing. Still, they still wanted to find him and apologize for everything they did. But it was going to be difficult now that they know he doesn't want to be around them.

(Y/N) was sitting in his apartment reflecting on the encounter with his sister. From the moment he saw her, he could see the hope in her eyes. He thought about how much it must have hurt Summer when he ran a few days ago. If he was younger, he would've just drank it away, even now he has a bottle in his hand, but it no longer gave him any relief. He would just have a headache the next day and he would still remember everything. He hadn't gone outside since then. The apartment wasn't in the best condition. (Y/N) usually kept it clean of rodents, but a few rats have made themselves at home in the walls and floors. This behavior would've continued, but (Y/N) had gotten another call on his scroll.

"Hello?" (Y/N) answers.

"Hello. Is this (Y/N) Rose (L/N)?" The voice asks. Like Qrow's phone call, (Y/N) recognized this voice immediately.

He releases a deep sigh. "Hello, Oz."

"(Y/N), my boy!" Ozpin exclaimed. "It's good to hear from you!"

"Yeah, you too." (Y/N) replied grimly.

"How have you been doing?"

(Y/N) didn't respond as a way of saying 'Really? I was incriminated of a something I didn't do, been away for seven years, and your asking how I've been doing?'

"I'm sorry. That was a stupid question." Ozpin apologizes.

"Why did you call me?"

"I have a job for you."

This caught (Y/N)'s interest. He would take anything after being in the apartment for almost a week.

"What is it?"

"There is a small village on the border of Vale, it's a farming town called Goldcrest. It's not that big. People have been disappearing night after night."

"Can't you just send some hunters to take care of the problem?"

"I did a week ago. They were declared K.I.A."

"Ozpin." (Y/N) replied solemnly. "This sounds a lot like my last mission. You know, the one that ruined my life."

"I know, and I hate to ask you this. But I've heard about what you do. And we've concluded that whatever is taking the people isn't any form of human."

"What do you think it is?"

"I don't know, maybe a wild animal. But I don't know of any animal that can unlock and open a door."

(Y/N) leaned forward in his seat. "It opened a  door without breaking it?"

"Yes. And the weird thing is the few people who claim to have seen it say its skin is completely pitch black."

"That sounds like a grimm. But what grimm can open doors?"

"That's what I want you to find out. Please, (Y/N). These people will lose everything if they leave their town. You know how that feels."

A wave of anger comes over (Y/N) when Ozpin says that. But he was right. If those people leave, they will lose all their crops and their homes along with it.

"Fine." He agrees reluctantly. "Will anyone be joining me?"

Ozpin sighs from the other side of the scroll. "Qrow, Tai, and Summer will join you."

"What? Why?"

"I wouldn't do this if I had other choices. They're the only ones willing to accept the job. They're going whether you agree or not."

Now (Y/N) was faced with the options of letting his sister and two good friends from Beacon go on a dangerous mission by themselves, or go with them and still possibly die, but help make sure nothing happens to them.

Two days later

The door to the bulkhead opens when it lands with (Y/N) already inside, bracing himself for what's about to happen. On the ground, Qrow was talking to Tai and Summer.

"Listen, I know this is hard to ask of you, but you need to be easy on (Y/N). Please don't get excited when you see him." They nod in agreement, but Summer was extremely reluctant to the idea.

When they got to the bullhead, it took Summer all the willpower she had to not run to (Y/N) and embrace him. (Y/N) looked in their direction for a second before going back to whatever he was looking at. The others walked in and sat down near him, but not too close. Tai and Summer found it weird that he was wearing a mask.

"Hey, (Y/N)." Tai tries to awkwardly make conversation. "It's, uh, good to see you again."

"You too." (Y/N) responds.

"Where have you been the past few years?"

"I have an apartment just outside of Vacuo. I've been staying there ever since I left."

The rest of the ride was (Y/N), Tai, and Qrow all catching up with what they've all been doing for the past seven years. Summer just sat in her seat, not saying a word. She's too scared of making her brother leave again.

About two hours later, they make it to the island. It's just about what you'd expect from a farming town, except the main road wasn't as lively as it should be. Most people were scared to step outside despite people only disappearing at night. They were told a man would meet them at the landing pad, but they waited for thirty minutes and nobody showed up, so they headed to the center of the island where the main town was.

"Did you guys here something?" (Y/N) blurted out.

"Hear what?" Qrow asked, confused.

"I don't know... Forget it." He shrugged it off, and they continued on the path.

When they get to the town, the only form of life is the birds that flew overhead. The buildings were abandoned, and the plants were overgrown more that they should be.

"We should split up." Everyone nodded. "Qrow and Tai, go east towards the other town. Summer, lets go search the houses."

"O-Okay." Summer stutter, surprised that (Y/N) picked her to go with him.

Summer and (Y/N) went from house to house, searching for any sign of life. The only thing they found was a starving cat that was too weak to stand. (Y/N) quickly put it out of his misery. When they finished searching the houses, (Y/N) breaks the silence that has been in the air since the team split up.

"Why are you so quiet Summer?" He asks.

Summer looks over to him, unsure of how to answer him. Her mouth opens to say something, but only air comes out.

"It's okay. I'm not going to run away like last time."

Summer turns her body to him with her hands together, fidgeting her thumbs. "I'm sorry." she said, looking down. Tears lined her eyelids, threatening to spill over any second. (Y/N) saw this, causing his soft side to comfort his little sister.

"Hey." Summer looked up at (Y/N) with his arms spread to his sides. "Come here." Summer immediately runs to him, wrapping her arms around him. He responded by doing the same, one hand slowly rubbing in a circular motion on her back. She softly cries into his shirt. She squeezed him with all the strength she had, like if she let go, he would disappear again.