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

Part 14

Raven paced the room with several beads of sweat running down her face. Everything had happened so fast she couldn't process it. (Y/N) left only an hour ago, but that was one hour too many. A cry pulled her from her thoughts. Walking to the crib, she picks up Yang who is the only thing keeping from panicking. "Are you hungry?" She asked like she was expecting an answer. She breast feeds Yang with shaking hands. What am I going to do? I can't just sit here while (Y/N)'s out there looking for Laura. But I can't leave Yang alone either. She pulls out her scroll and calls her brother.

"Hello?"

"Where are you, Qrow?"

"What the... Raven?"

"I need you to tell me where you are."

"Why? What is-"

"Dammit, Qrow! Please, just answer me."

"Okay, okay. I'm at Summer and Tai's house."

Raven hung up and gathered anything Yang would need. Once she had everything ready, she used her sword and opened a portal to Qrow. When she stepped through, she saw Qrow sitting in a chair and Summer and Tai sat opposite of him on a couch.

"Raven?" Summer gasped in surprise. What's more surprising is the infant she cradled in her arms.

With a deep breath, Raven spoke. "Hey, guys." She said with an awkward voice.

"Hey..." Tai said with an equal amount of awkwardness.

"What are you doing here, and what's with the baby?" Qrow asked, annoyed.

Summer stood up and hugged her friend, being careful of the Yang. "It's good to see you."

Raven removes one arm from Yang and wraps it around Summer. "It's good to see you too." They separate. Raven notices the ring on Summer's finger. "You're married?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah. Me and Tai got married two months ago." She said with a smile. "And you're married too?" She asked, indicating to the ring on Raven's finger and Yang.

Raven gulped. "Yeah... to (Y/N)."

Everyone's eyes widen, especially Summer's. She tries to speak but only air came out.

"Well, that's great!" Tai exclaims. "How's he doing?"

"He's doing great." Raven lies.

"So, this is my..." Summer asks, looking at Yang.

"Yep. She's your niece." Raven confirms. She hands Yang to Summer who takes her without hesitation. "Her name's Yang. And yes, after you, Tai. It was (Y/N)'s idea." Both Qrow and Tai stood up and looked at Yang, who reached up to Summer.

"She's so precious." Summer whispered. "How old is she?"

"She's three months old."

All in one moment, Summer's regret came flooding her mind once again. She was happy for her older brother, but she missed a lot of his life. She should've been there for (Y/N) and Raven's marriage and the birth of her niece. If only I was a better sister, I could've been there to support him throughout his life, like family's supposed to do. She was so deep in thought, she didn't notice the tears burring her vision.

"I hate to ruin this moment," Raven said. "but I need a favor, and it's a big one."

"Of course." Tai assures.

"Could you guys watch Yang." She shrugs the backpack off her shoulders. "In here is everything you'll need, about a weeks worth."

"I have no problem with watching her, but is everything okay?" Summer asks.

"I'll tell you afterwords, I promise. Thank you."

Raven unsheathes her sword and made a portal to Laura, but nothing happens. What? Raven stood there for a moment before swinging again. She could feel her heart begin to pound faster and faster.

"Is everything okay, Raven?" Summer asks.

"I have to go." Was all she said before running out the front door and turning into her bird form and flying into the night sky.

It wasn't long before Raven saw a bright light on the horizon. One could easily mistake it for a sun if it wasn't midnight. Raven flew towards the light, discovering that it was a forest fire. She doesn't know why, but she had this feeling that Laura and (Y/N) were there. In the center of the fire, where it started, it had burned everything, leaving nothing but ashes. Landing and turning back into her human form, Raven saw mutilated courses. Most of their faces were gone, and several holes were in their chests. She had assumed grimm were responsible. She spotted only one corpse that was still intact, the only damage being a sword in its torso. But the body was small, like a child's. Raven saw her lifeless face. Her fear was confirmed. Her daughter was dead. She knew from the moment she realized she couldn't make a portal to her, but, naturally, she didn't want to believe it. Now, she could only assume the worst for (Y/N). He was probably one of the mutilated body's she saw. The only thing she could do was drop to her knees and hug Laura's lifeless body. Tears fell free from her eyes. Laura, one of the only good things in her life, was gone. She probably would've stayed there forever, if not for the footsteps that came from behind her. Wiping her eyes with her shirt's sleeve, she looked behind her to see the silhouette of a man with bright red eyes. Raven quickly got to her feet and drew her blade. The man walked slowly towards her, his right hand forming into a spike. As he stepped closer, the moonlight reveled to Raven the thing was like a grimm she fought a long time ago, the only difference being that this one had clothes that were stained in blood. The more closer it got, the more Raven recognized the clothes. This was no grimm, it was (Y/N). She dropped her sword and took a few steppes backwards. She had no idea what to do.

Is this really (Y/N), or just another monster the world can live without? Is there any way I can save him? Is he suffering, if so, the best thing I can do is to put him out of his misery, but then I'm still killing him.

In the end, Raven stumbled to the ground, staring at the grimm that was/is (Y/N). As it reached forward, it froze as if it had been frozen in ice.

No. Take me. She doesn't deserve this. She needs to stay here for Yang's sake. She lives.

(Y/N) takes a few steps back, but not normally, it's like he's fighting against someone invisible. He took the pistol from his right hip and put his under its chin.

"No!" Raven scrambled to her feet and rushed to the grimm, but she didn't make it. With a loud bang, (Y/N) fell to the ground. Raven fell next to him, she looked him over and noticed he was still breathing. She places his head in her lap and held his cheeks. "Please, get up." Raven whimpered. "Please. You have a daughter that needs you, and a sister." Tears fell from her cheeks and landed on (Y/N). "I need you." As she says this, (Y/N)'s breathing got weaker.

Well, he did it. He gave the ultimate sacrifice so Raven could live. If only I could've done the same for Laura. He thought. Raven started speaking to his dying body. Every word she said scratched at his soul, or what was left of it. He's leaving this world behind. He gave it his all, but in the end, he failed. He failed the parents who raised and nurtured him. He failed the sister that looked up to him. He failed the team who he should've lived for. He failed the wife that showed him the beauty that laid deep within him. And he failed the children he was supposed to raise and protect. But the more he thought, the more he saw. I tried. He thought. In the end, that's all I could've done. That's more than most would've done. He never held hope that he would go to heaven; he didn't much care, but now he was hoping he would meet all the people he'd lost. As he laid there, dying, only one thought ran through his head.

Breath In

Breath Out

And all at once, the noises faded away.