The wolf's bloody path

chapter 29

Hans felt a weight pressed against his chest. It was Neo's head, she was tip toeing just to reach that height.

Hans placed his hand on her head, running his fingers through her hair. It was messy, he felt his fingers get caught in several knots.

He'd brush her hair after this. Just like he did...

The door opened again, and a young teenager walked in. Grey hair, grey vest and black pants. He cockily strolled in, as if he owned the entire city.

"So the guy who killed cinder is alive? I gotta thank ya buddy. That woman was insufferably hard to work around. Though, as much as I loved her dying, I still gotta kill you. The big witch is a scary woman after all!" Roman remembered that voice.

Mercury Black. The boy who followed cinder.

He stared at Hans, it wasn't all too different to a look of camaraderie.

Hans was puzzled. He did not know this boy, so why did he look at him with respect. The boy was only a teenager... and yet his eyes spoke of vast combat experience.

"Well, out of respect for you, I'll ask you to fight me outside. I thank you for killing the uppity bitch." Mercury walked outside and Hans knew, he needed to die.

As he attempted to follow, Neo pulled his coat. Hans could tell what she was thinking.

'Please, don't leave me again...'

He wanted to say so much, but he couldn't.

"I won't leave you again. It's been a while since I've felt important to someone. It's been a while since I've been happy. That's what he's thinking." Hans looked to Merlin who had just read out his thoughts.

Merlin sighed at him, Neo stared up at him with hopeful eyes. As frustrated Hans was at having Merlin reveal his thoughts, he understood her intent. So he nodded his head.

With that, Neo let go.

In a relationship, one of the most vital things, is trust. If Hans says he isn't going to leave her again, Neo would trust him.

And so she watched, as he walked to confront Mercury.

Roman, Merlin and Neo all followed him out. The people in the bar were baffled, they felt as if they watched some cliché romance show.

Though, a few of them intended to watch the fight.

Hans stood opposite Mercury, sleeve limp. He made several blades in his remaining hand, ice daggers. Before anyone could understand his mind, they were lobbed in the air and there was a single thought in the minds of everyone present.

What in oum's name was he doing?!
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"You ready, Ruby?" His daughter didn't respond. Qrow hesitantly rushed, fists at the ready.

As he went to punch Ruby in the sternum, his fist went through and a flurry of petals blinded him. What... what just happened?

Qrow quickly found himself in a sleeper hold, completely baffled by what had happened. It didn't take much to understand.

At its core, Ruby's semblance transforms her body into petals. Typically, she uses it to travel at high speed. But right now, with everything that's going on...

Her mother's coma

Her sisters alcoholism

Her father's death

Hans' death

Ruby, just wanted to take it slow.

And so, instead of speeding towards Qrow, she waited for him to attack, and turned a section of her body to petals. Then, she maneuvered behind Qrow and threw him into a sleeper hold.