Persistent (Rosewick)

The Waiting Game

Roman's POV

I stared at my mirror opposite in fear for moment before my fear quickly turned to rage. "What the hell, I thought you were gone for good!" I shouted,"Bastard, you've caused me enough trouble to last a lifetime!" 

"You know, that soulmate of yours really is a pest," he grumbled, ignoring my outburst,"I don't know what you see in her."

I growled at him,"Don't even dare think about hurting Ruby. I will kill you slowly and painfully if even a hair on her head is harmed." 

He spluttered in laughter and wiped an imaginary tear away,"Oh my Oum, you've really gone soft haven't you Roman?" "

Bullshit," I replied,"I've just decided to stop putting effort into crime. People like Ozpin don't come around every day handing out second chances."

"I was hoping our first meeting in several years wouldn't be so hostile," the man gave me an amused smirk.

"You disappeared like smoke last time. Why did you come out now? Why did you decide to fuck everything up again just when my life was starting to go in the right direction?!" I spat.

"I told you already. Cinder wanted you back. And even though Cinder is a bitch, I hate your goody two-shoes turnaround even more. So I forcibly threw you out of the driver's seat, so to speak, and went back to Cinder's little hidey hole. Of course, ice cream followed me when I left the staff building at Beacon," he waved his hand dismissively.

"You mean I don't have control of my body?!" I screeched in aggravation.

He winced, sticking a finger in his ear,"Wow Roman why don't you yell even louder."

"You need to get the fuck out," I snarled.

"Not something that I can do Torchy," he shrugged. My lips curled back in a snarl, and he held his hands up.

"We're mirror opposites. Like it or not, we're sharing the same mind. I didn't come out when you were still living a glamorous life of crime, but to hell if I'm going to be stuck at Beacon with you for the rest of my existence," he glared at me. My hands shook in anger, and my fist closed around something familiar. Glancing down, I saw that my cane was in my hand. A small smirk crossed my face and I looked up at the man across from me.

"How about if you didn't have to?" I grinned at him, cocking my cane at his face.

I woke up with a start, body coated in sweat. I sat up and looked around at my surroundings in bewilderment, wondering where in Remnant I was. I calmed down slightly when I recognized that I was once again in Beacon's infirmary. I went to wipe away the sweat on my forehead when I realized I couldn't move my arm. Glancing at my left arm, I saw that it had been handcuffed to the bed. Sighing profusely, I sank into my pillow once more.

~~~

Ruby's POV

"Ruby? Are you alright?" Yang sat down next to me.

"I don't want to move," I groaned, wrapping myself into my blanket even more. My side was burning even more than hell, and I wanted nothing more than to just get out of my body until it stopped.

"Is it Roman again?"

"I don't know what's going on with him. All I know is my mark hurts and I can't even see him because of stupid rules!"

"Ozpin has his reasons for keeping us apart from our soulmates for now," Weiss walked into the room, dark circles under her eyes, "I don't like it either Ruby, but we're stuck like this until further notice." She dropped a stack of papers down on the desk along with a few textbooks.

"What's all that?" Ruby sat up with a wince.

"We're still in school. Our teachers are already cutting us some slack by extending due dates, but we still need to study. I gathered both of our assignments," Weiss waved a hand before going over to Ruby's bed and collapsing onto it with her face in a pillow.

"I don't wanna do any of it though..."

"Me neither," came the muffled reply.

The door opened once more, Blake coming in with three trays of food haphazardly balanced in her arms. She set them down on the bookshelf before turning to the rest of the team. "None of you have eaten yet today. Here's food. Eat."

Yang practically attacked her tray of food, but Ruby and Weiss could only manage a few bites.

"I'm scared... What's going to happen to Roman and Neo?" Ruby pushed around some mashed potatoes on her plate.

"I don't know. Ironwood's all for throwing them back into jail, but... Professor Ozpin wouldn't that heartless, would he?" Yang replied before burping.

"General Ironwood doesn't have any power here in Vale, he's headmaster of Atlas, not Beacon. It's up to Professor Ozpin and possibly the Vale Council," Weiss replied.

Ruby groaned and dragged herself out of bed, grabbing the stack of papers and books. "Let's just get this stack over with..." She passed Weiss' half over before uncapping a pen and getting to work.

"...Yikes this is bad, since when did you ever do homework as a distraction?" Yang shook her head before gathering the dirty dishes. She and Blake left to return the pile to the cafeteria, leaving Weiss and Ruby alone in the dorms.

After the door closed and the pair were gone, Ruby let out a little screech of frustration, tossing her pillow against the opposing wall. Weiss just awkwardly patted her partner's shoulder, not quite knowing how to comfort the other. Ruby seemed to deflate slightly, looking at Weiss with unshed tears.

"It'll be okay Ruby," Weiss handed her partner a tissue. It has to be okay...

~~~

Roman's POV

The door to my room opened, Ozpin stepping in along with Goodwitch and another man I didn't recognize.

"We need to talk."

~~~

Hi everyone! Sorry this is a shorter update. It's been so long since I wrote about this plot that I have to do some planning and figure out where I want this story to go next. Hope you enjoy this small update and thanks for sticking around everyone!

Nonnie

Published February 03, 2020; 4:41PM