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

Part 8

In the dorm room at Beacon, (Y/N) was readying himself for the next few weeks - or months he was going to spend watching the Spring Maiden. He packed all the ammunition he could while still being light enough as to not get slowed down while running, extra blades for his wrist blades, rations, and pee bottles. He stuffed all the things he couldn't carry into a duffle bag. Just in case he ran out of food, he made arraignments where the Branwen tribe would send him a supply of food.

"(Y/N)?" He heard from behind him. He turned around to see Summer standing in the doorway. "Are you leaving again?" She asks, seeing the bag behind him.

"Yes." (Y/N) says. He turns around and continues packing. He paid little attention to Summer peeking from behind him.

"What's all this for?" Summer asked.

"That's classified."

This confused Summer. She and (Y/N) didn't talk too much back on the mission, but now he's talking a lot less than he was.

"Is something wrong, (Y/N)?" She asked, worried for her brother.

"No." He continues to pack.

"That's not true." (Y/N) doesn't even look at her. "How long are you going to be gone?"

"I don't know."

Summer walks up to (Y/N) and grabs his arm, but that doesn't stop him. "Why are you leaving again?" He doesn't answer. "Answer me, (Y/N). Why are you leaving us?" Again, he stays silent. "Please, answer me." Summer begs with tears threatening to spill from her eyes. (Y/N) slowly moves his arm away from Summer and goes over to his bag, putting it on his back along with his rifle. He walks to the door, only to have Summer run in front of him and hug him. "You can't leave again, not after we finally got you back." She softly cries into his chest. "Please, don't leave us." (Y/N) gently, but firmly, pulls Summer off him and moves her to the side. "Tell me why you're leaving." Summer begs. "We can help you, (Y/N). You're just tormenting yourself by doing this."

(Y/N) turned towards Summer. What he said next, Summer will remember for the rest of her life. "I don't think it's me who's tormenting myself."

(Y/N) set himself at a cliff side overlooking a small town where the Spring Maiden was located. His clothing consisted of the color green and a camouflage blanket laid over him. Through the scope of his rifle, he could see into the Spring Maiden's room. It had bright, colorful walls with toys scattered on the floor. A small table with a plastic tea set was outside and the young girl was talking to imaginary friends. Her parents sat on the porch, talking to each other. Both would constantly glance over at their daughter.

It seemed like an almost perfect family. Almost. The parents barely checked on their daughter when she was inside the house. The daughter spent most of her time in her room, not by choice. It took a few days for (Y/N) to realize that the windows in the girl's room where bulletproof, therefore, they didn't open. None of the other windows were like that. He also noticed that her door had a metal frame and a deadbolt that could only be unlocked with a key on both sides. It became clear that the girl had the maiden powers for a while, and her parents adapted to the lifestyle. One night, while the little girl was asleep, her mother walked in with a kitchen knife in her hand and stood beside the child's bed. (Y/N) couldn't tell what the look on her face meant. Either she wanted to put her daughter out of her misery, and/or rid her and her husband of their burden, or take the maiden powers for herself. He didn't sleep on his next sleep cycle after that. Throughout the over watch, a bird kept watching him. He acted like he didn't know it was there, and he knew exactly who it was.

As (Y/N) was about to go to seep in a nearby cave he found, he saw the bird out of the corner of his eye. Shortly after, he heard footsteps. "What are you doing here, Rav- Qrow?" Qrow walked up to him with an angry expression on his face, one that (Y/N) hadn't seen before. "What do you want?"