The Flames of Betrayal (Male Reader x Harem)

Return to Normalcy

"That's all I wished to say...please forgive me." Y/N bowed his head deeply as he sat in the living room of a Faunus family. Their house was in the residential district of Kuo Kuana and Y/N decided to stop by while he was in the area. For the past three weeks, from dawn till dusk all Y/N did was go house to house with the dog tags and other signature items from each of the fallen Faunus and returned them to their families. He barely spoke to anyone but Arslan and Graham and kept his door locked at almost all times. He had dark circles under his eyes and his body felt sluggish, but his mind was in constant overdrive. Thinking about not only the war, but also about Salem and Sienna's group as well as their reason for being there. He hadn't been filled in on any of the others fights yet, but he made a mental note to get any information from them ASAP. "I only want you to know that I will never forget you or your fallen son. Without any of you, I would not be standing the victor from this war. His bravery, and yours, are the only reason we can move forward. You are the only reason our kind can finally achieve true equality and peace...I won't let your sons death be in vain. I'll make sure he can finally look down on a world that he'd be proud to have had a hand in making. I'm dying for our cause, he gave life to hundreds of thousands of Faunus all over the world. Never forget that fact. His love for you and our people...is stronger than anything in this world."

"King Y/N...." The father of the couple wiped his eyes as he looked at the bowing Y/N while the mother openly wept. The dog tags of their son and a chain with a locket on the end of it sat on their coffee table. Y/N grit his teeth at the grief he felt before hearing the father speak up. "Please, raise your head."

Y/N looked up and reluctantly met the eyes of the parents. His eyes widened as the couple were smiling at him even though they had tears in their eyes.

"Everything you said is very true and we won't forget that. We are the only ones who can give meaning to our boys life." The father spoke up as he reached an arm around his wife. "Our son...he looked up to you greatly. He was only a little younger than you were actually. When you served in the White Fang before you were captured by Atlas, there was nobody more he wanted to be like. He would regale the tales of you, Taurus, and Sienna like you guys were superheroes...I know he was proud serving for his people and under you. You saw him as an equal when the world couldn't, and that made him strive to be better. I'm torn apart by my sons passing, but I'm so god damn proud of him for fighting what he believed in until the very end. So please, don't be so hard on yourself King Y/N. It wasn't your fault our son perished. You did everything you could to stop the war and you did. For that, I'm eternally grateful."

They looked at him with soft eyes and smiles as Y/N felt his heart clench.

'Their son is dead and I commanded it...how can they say that and look at me like that?' Y/N looked to the side as his ears twitched.

"Your words help me greatly. I won't forget either of you, I promise. I'll do right by you and your son."
Y/N nodded as he stood up. The couple stood up as well as Y/N held out his hand. After a firm shake from the dad and a tearful hug from the wife, Y/N left the house. When he closed the front door behind him, he leaned back on it and sighed.

(Music: Persona 5 - Sunset Bridge)

"Rough day?" A voice called out from in front of him as he looked down to see Blake standing at the end of the sidewalk. Y/N looked up to see it was already sunset before he sighed and walked down to Blake. He was wearing a black suit with a regal design on it tailored to fit him. Elen made sure to make it look like he was the spitting image of a king.

"You could say that..." Y/N put his hands in his pockets and continued down the street with his shoulders slouched as Blake walked alongside him. "What are you doing down here?"