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

Part 7

The grimm spot had made its way to the left of (Y/N)'s torso and was now creeping its way down to his waist. All he could do was watch his aura level slowly go down on his scroll. He still continued to go to classes every day except the weekends, but when he tried to listen to a lecture, he heard everything happening in the room. Every whisper, every pencil being dropped, every book being opened and closed, and his own heartbeat. He thought he was distant from the world around him before, but now he's in an entirely separate world. Once, he sat down his usual seat in the combat class like normal. The next second, the classroom was empty, and the day had already ended. Glynda Goodwitch tried to tell Ozpin to stop (Y/N) from entering classrooms during lectures because he was scaring the students, but he didn't have the heart. He couldn't risk pushing (Y/N) to do anything after what he told him.

"(Y/N), you in there?" Qrow asked from behind the door that led to (Y/N)'s dorm. He got no response. He didn't even hear movement in the room. Looking to his left then his right, he crouched down and lock picked the door open. Upon entering the room, Qrow saw (Y/N) lying in a bed watching something on his scroll. The room was tidy and had a fragrant that smells like it was sprayed not too long ago. The only piece that looked out of place was (Y/N). His hair was oily and had grown out a few inches, his face had grown a decent beard, and his eyes were completely bloodshot as if he hadn't slept in years. The sight took aback Qrow. He had always remembered his friend being in top shape and always looking his best, even when he met him at the bar, he was decent looking. Now, he only resembles a deadbeat. "Uh, (Y/N)?" Qrow said, trying to get his attention. "(Y/N)." Qrow said more firmly, shaking (Y/N)'s shoulder. This made (Y/N) jump a little. He looked over at Qrow, not realizing he was in the room.

"Q-Qrow?" (Y/N) asked, unsure. "When did... Never mind. Why are you here?"

"I was checking to see if you were still alive. No one's seen you in months." Qrow relpys. "You've been worrying everyone. This can't be healthy for you."

"What else can I do, Qrow? There's nothing that can fix this."

"Yes you can. The door's right there. You just need to do something besides sitting here."

"What? No. That's not what I mean." It then clicks in (Y/N)'s head. Maybe Qrow didn't know about him turning into a grimm. "I... I just don't see a point anymore. This world has no place for me. I might as well just be a walking corpes."

Qrow leans up agains the wall. "(Y/N), you can't keep being a slave to the past. Your team wouldn't want this. Are you going to throw away everything you all stood for? Nearly anyone else put in your position would've turned into a monster; something worse than your normal grimm. But you didn't. You need to make use of that." He tells him. "Anyway, the other reason I'm here is to tell you of a job." (Y/N) gave him a really? look. "I know your not in the best condition right now, but you're almost fully healed, and it's about time you got up and did something."

"What's the job?" (Y/N) asked.

"I don't know. I'm just the messanger." He tells him.

"Then who sent it?"

"They asked me not to tell you." (Y/N) stared at him, trying to get an answer. "That face isn't gonna get you anywhere." He starts walking to the door. "They say you'll need your streangth back before you can accept, but you'll have to do that part." with that, he leaves the room.

About a week has past and (Y/N) had been in Beacon's gym so much, he basically lived there. The staff were surprized about his sudden change in personality, but he still barely talked. At first he was using ten pound weights, by a week and a half he was doing over one hundred presses with sevendy pounds on each side. Of course, this wasn't the only workout he did. He was doing anything he could find. He had been sitting in that bed for so long, his abs were completly gone. He doesn't know where he got this burst of energy from, and he doesn't care. Once (Y/N) was sure he was ready, he called Qrow.

(Y/N) waited at the location he was told to be at. The sounds nature prodused did little to calm him. He never took a job were he had to meet the employer in person. His waiting ended when he heard his name.

"Hello, (Y/N)."

He looked behind him to see someone he wasn't expecting to see so soon, Raven Branwen.

"Raven?" He said as more of a question than a greeting.

"It's good to see you again." She said with a smile.

"Yeah, you too." He said.

"Why are you wearing the mask again?" She asked.

"Told you, it's a prostedic."

"Well, could you at least take it off for a minute?" Sighing, (Y/N) took his mask off and hooked it to his belt. "Good. You know, I don't see why you hide your face. It could be a lot worse." There was an akward silence.

"Are you the one who asked for me?" (Y/N) asked.

"Yes. I have everthing worked out." She handed him a folded picture of a young girl.

"What is this?" (Y/N) asked suspicously.

"That's the current Spring Maiden."

(Y/N) stared at her. Ozpin had told him of the maidens long ago, and he knew what they were capable of.

"I'm not going to hurt a little girl." he said with venom in his voice.

"That's not what I was going to ask." Raven retorted in a offended tone. (Y/N) breathed for a moment, calming down. "I need you to watch her. Make sure nobody tries to take the powers from her. If we know, it's likely that others do as well."

"Why do you want me to do this?"

"There's not many people I can trust. Hell, I trust you more than my brother."

"That's not my point." he said, glaring at her. "I bet there's someone in that tribe of yours you could've told. I'll ask again, why do you want me to do this."

Raven looked away from him, unable to meet his eyes. With a gulp, she spoke. "I've watched you since you fought that grimm. Everyday I would go to Beacon and look at you through the window to make sure you were okay. But you weren't. I couldn't stand to watch you waist away in a bed." Several thoughts entered (Y/N). Raven did care for him. "And I know about you turning into a grimm." (Y/N) froze for a moment.

"How?" He asked simply.

"I was in the window when Ozpin told you." She took a step towards him. "(Y/N)-"

"I don't need pity, Raven." He said, causing Raven to stop. "What I need is a distraction. So, I'm going to need the girl's location, and for a job like this, I'm need a down payment."

"I don't have anything I can give you. The money we have is for the tribe."

"It doesn't have to be money." He tells her.

"I said I don't have anything." Raven repeats.

(Y/N) sighs. "Raven, I appreciate you getting me out of Beacon, but I can't do this for free."

"I saved your life. Shouldn't that be enough
?"

"Saved my life?"

"I'm the one that saved you from the grimm. You passed out before I could say anything."

"No. That's not enough." (Y/N) says coldly.

"How is that not enough?" Raven responds aggressively.

(Y/N) looks Raven in the eyes. "Seven years ago, my entire world burned to the ground right in front of me. Everyone thought I was a coldblooded murderer, and what did you do? You sat by and watched as I fell apart."

Raven was taken aback. Waves of guilt washed over her. She looked away again, not able to meet his eyes.

"I won't take a down payment, but you better have something after this job's done. Just get my scroll number from Qrow and forward the information to me." He said and walked away, leaving Raven with a few tears streaming down her face.