Drip... drip... drip...
Slowly Y/N's eyes opened, unadjusted to the darkness. He felt like he had been hit by a car. Groaning, he tried to stand up - only to find himself tied down to a chair.
"U-uhn... what...?"
"So you're finally awake..."
Y/N looked next to him to see Blake tied to her own chair. And when his eyes finally adjusted, he saw everyone with him. Sasha was the only one who wasn't tied with a rope - she was chained. Y/N assumed she kept breaking the ropes. The giant struggled, her enraged shouts muffled by the duct tape that had been stuck to her mouth. Weiss was muttering to herself.
"I swear, when I get my damned hands on him... I don't even know what I'll do..."
Yang was nearby, seated next to Blake. The blonde was quiet, horror in her lilac eyes. "Vao... Why would he do this...?"
No one had an answer. Y/N had thought he knew his brother. But now he felt like he knew nothing. This was completely unsuspected, a terrifying shock.
Light filled the basement as the door opened, three shadows filling the stairwell. And as they descended, Y/N saw his face for the first time since he woke up. Only this time, Vao didn't look like his usual self. He wasn't smiling, and his crimson eyes held no laughter, no jokes, and no stupidity. He was wearing a suit, the jacket unbuttoned to reveal a white collared shirt with a crimson tie.
"Ah... Finally awake..."
"Let. Us. Go." Weiss wasn't asking. She was demanding him. But Vao only shook his head, stepping into the room completely. Y/N looked at his two allies, unable to recognize their faces from anywhere. Both of them wore a similar suit to Vao, but with the jacket buttoned. They were wearing red sunglasses that reflected Y/N's face back at him, their short blonde hair covered by black fedoras.
Vao shrugged his shoulders. "I want to, I really do. But I can't. My orders were to keep you here until the Boss gets back."
Y/N looked around, trying to find anything, anything at all that he could use to escape. But there was nothing. Only leaking pipes and a cold overhead light. Vao sighed, pulling up an empty chair and sitting down. His flask was in his hand. He held out his arms, as if showing off the basement. "Welcome to where I work."
Cardin was trembling in his chair. He looked like he shit himself. "W-what is this place!?" He shrieked. He had just woken up.
"Work," Vao repeated. "Sorry about drugging you, bruv. But I couldn't risk getting the boss in trouble if someone snitched." He looked at Weiss when he said that last word. The heiress growled angrily, but didn't say anything. Y/N looked down at his bound ankles, his eyes growing wet. He felt like Vao had betrayed him. He wondered if Vao had been working for Ruby the entire time.
"... Who... are you, Vao...?" He croaked.
Vao frowned, a sympathetic expression crossing his girly face. "Wot do you mean? I'm the same old Vao. The same old, illiterate, amputee Vao." He smirked lightly, trying to ease the tension. "But you aren't asking about that, are ya mate?"
"Just answer the damned question," Weiss hissed. Vao looked annoyed before standing up, dusting off his jacket.
"... Don't have to be a cunt about it," he grumbled. With his hands in his pockets, Vao stopped smiling. "Look at wot I'm wearing here. Look at wot my pals are wearing. What do you think?"
Y/N didn't want to say it. But in a shaky voice, he answered. "Y-you're a criminal... An actual criminal..."
Vao clicked his tongue, pointing a finger gun at him. "Actually, I'm a mobster. Right hand man to the Boss."
"You think that makes it better?" Blake hissed. Vao shrugged.
"Not really. All I know is they watch my back, I watch theirs. It's just one big family, if you think about it."
"I-If I think about it, I worry you'll kill us..." Cardin stammered. But Vao just laughed.
"Nah mate, I'm not a hitman." He took a sip from his flask, sitting back down and crossing his legs. "So. Any questions? Willing to bet you've got loads of rubbish on your minds."
"You don't kill people... Then what the hell do you do?" Yang growled lowly. Vao scratched his girly chin.
"... Not a whole lot. I mainly sell drugs, fuck up someone's store when they don't pay what they owe, or just beat them up. On the rare occasion, I have to kidnap people. Which is what I did with you guys. But this was the first time I had to kidnap people I care about..."
"You just said you didn't kill people!"
Vao held his hands up defensively. "I don't! We always let them go! We take them to the basement, rough 'em up a bit, and send them home. That's all, bruv."
"How long have you been doing this?" Blake asked. She was the calmest of the group. Vao shrugged.
"Since I was like, sixteen?"
"How?" Y/N asked. Vao turned to him, shrugging his shoulders again.
"My mum knew the Boss from her bandit days. She told me about him because I wanted to drink, but I was underaged. I was like... fourteen back then? Maybe fifteen...?" He shook his head. "Whatever. I became an associate to the mafia shortly after that. It worked out great: I go out and beat a few people up, I get free drinks. On my sixteenth birthday, I was offered an invitation. I was given a lot of money, and it seemed like a good idea. But I've-"
Sasha kicked her legs out, catching his attention. Vao snapped his fingers, one of the goons peeling the duct tape from her lips. The giant snarled.
"You... I'm going to beat you to a pulp, you hear me!? I won't forgive you, you rotten gangster! Once I get free, I'll fucking KILL you!" She screamed. Her eyes were growing wet, hot tears streaking down her cheeks. Y/N was taken aback. He hadn't expected Sasha, of all people, to be this angry over their situation.
Click.
They screamed in horror the moment the goons drew their pistols, aiming right for Sasha's skull. The giant stopped, her eyes widening. Vao was the only one who remained calm.
"... Lower your weapons."
"But she-"
Vao turned a glare towards him. "That's an order. Lower your gun. Now."
Y/N hadn't seen this side of Vao before. For the first time, the usually laid-back, lazy alcoholic was acting responsible, assuming leadership. The henchmen slowly moved their pistols back into their pockets, but kept their hands on them. Vao turned back to Y/N. "See? I'm not here to have anybody killed."
"H-how can we trust you?" Y/N whimpered. "Vao... I never thought you'd be a... a criminal... You've done terrible things, but this... This completely blows everything else out of the water..."
Vao looked at Y/N like he just said something incredibly stupid. The gangsters behind him snickered, wearing matching smirks. Vao leaned forward, as if in a business meeting. "... Mate, I steal literally every day. I have enough money to buy expensive clothes and feed my crippling alcohol addiction, I'm persuasive enough to get on the General's good side, my car has bullet holes in it, and I still have a driver's license despite drinking behind the wheel. How did you not think even once that I might have connections?"
When he worded it like that, Y/N felt like a jackass. Vao sighed, leaning back. His voice lowered, a calm and relaxed tone taking the place of his sarcasm. "I get it. It's not a good idea to trust someone in a mob." Yang silenced Weiss with a glare, while Sasha didn't dare speak after having a gun drawn on her five minutes ago. Vao continued.
"As I was saying earlier, I've actually been wanting to leave the mafia. I know it doesn't look like it, but I really do want to be a Huntsman. I just don't have the chance right now."
"And why's that, exactly? You'd better have a good reason, Branwen," Weiss snarled. Vao sighed, slouching in his chair.
"It's Ruby. When she started puking up that black stuff, I took it here to have some of the smarter mates check it out. They're still trying to figure it out. I've tried taking it to teachers instead, but something always stops me. I get all shaky, my mouth goes dry, and... Well, I get scared, okay?" He sighed, running a hand through his long hair. "That shite... It feels... Familiar? I think that's the right word. Like I know what it is, but don't at the same time... Am I making sense...?"
Y/N knew what Vao was talking about. The feeling that history was repeating itself. His older brother took a small sip from his flask, a glum look on his face. "... You guys were out for three days. Ruby's been missing ever since."
That caught everyone's attention. They all looked at him curiously, interested in what he had to say. Vao subconsciously continued. "... Dad and Auntie are worried sick, 'cause they don't know. They've sent police, Hunters, everything to find her. But it's like she just vanished. The mafia said they'll help with the search. Which is why I can't leave. Verde understood - since she drank the soda that was meant for Y/N, the dose wasn't very much and she woke up a lot sooner. Y'know, since your Semblance makes you weak to drugs."
"Wait... Verde?" Y/N echoed. Vao nodded.
"Yeah... I told her all about me being a mobster after we left the dance. I thought for a minute that she'd leave me right away."
"She should have," Weiss growled. Vao ignored her. Or didn't hear her. Weiss didn't say it very loud.
"I promised her that once this was all done, I'd leave the mafia. I'm a kleptomaniac and all, but I hate breaking promises. And I wanted to leave anyways, so it all works out, I suppose."
"Works out? Vao, you're looking at decades of jail time!" Yang shouted at him. Vao's goons reached for their guns again, but a quick glare from their boss stopped them. The femboy turned back to his sister, an exhausted look on his face. For once, he looked serious.
"I... I know..." His voice dropped, and he set his flask down. "I'm... A real bad guy, aren't I?"
No one had a response for that. What were they going to say, that he was wrong? He was literally a part of a mafia. Vao leaned back, slouching even further. "... I wouldn't hurt you guys. I know I'm mean sometimes, but I really do care about you. I really want to be a Huntsman. And given how lenient Ozpin is, it might just work. I mean, my mum and Uncle Qrow are former bandits, Blake used to be a terrorist-"
"How the hell do you know that?" Blake asked. "I never told you."
Vao shrugged. "A few guys at work were talking about how Adam's girlfriend ditched him because he started killing humans. It wasn't very hard to connect the dots after they mentioned your name."
Blake looked down at the ground, thinking hard to herself. And after a moment, she looked back up.
"... I think... We can trust Vao."
"WHAT!?" Weiss screamed. Y/N and the others were taken aback just as much as the heiress. They were just nonverbal about it. Blake sighed sadly.
"It's true... I used to be in the White Fang... So I know first hand that even if somebody doesn't look good, they just might be. So if Vao isn't lying, then... I think we should give him a chance..."
Y/N thought hard. It would explain why Verde didn't leave his brother. And it made him feel like he at least knew a little about the criminal. But Weiss wasn't listening anymore.
"You weren't in the White Fang when you came to Beacon! Vao's been at school for over six months, and he's still in a mafia! He deserves to be locked away! I highly doubt he managed to score any sort of leadership position without killing anyone! So tell us, Vao! How many bodies do you have in your count!?"
"Just one: your mother," Vao joked. Yang snorted, but was quickly silenced when Weiss glared at her.
"You're not funny! How many people have you killed!? That includes by sending here!"
"Zero."
Y/N stared hard into his brother's face. From how confident Vao looked, he knew the delinquent wasn't lying. But that didn't excuse him being involved with organized crime. Vao noticed his brother staring. Yet before he could say anything, the sound of the basement door opening caught his attention. Footsteps down the stairs, and finally two new figures were standing in the room with them. Verde was one of them, the artist stepping to Vao's side with her usual blank look on her face. Weiss was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
"You! You'd better start explaining, and fast!" She screeched.
"I joined a mafia," Verde said blankly. Weiss looked like she had heard the dumbest response in her life.
"Oh wow! I couldn't tell!"
"I recommend an optometrist."
Vao and the goons snickered, knowing full well that Verde was completely serious and hadn't meant to be rude. The second newcomer was a large, bearded man who wore a vest with a white undershirt. His hair was black, combed neatly. He looked like the exact image of a mafia boss. He cleared his throat.
"... So, I take it Vao already explained why he's here, yeah?" No one answered. The boss turned to Vao, who just nodded.
"... Very well. I'm here to offer you guys a little something."
Y/N wasn't looking at them, but he was listening. Next to him, he could hear Cardin muttering to himself about wanting to be anywhere else. The boss clapped his hands together. "I want all of you to join the mafia."
Silence. And then finally, Weiss laughing.
"You're joking, right? And here I thought Vao was the worst comedian!"
Vao glared at her but didn't say anything. Weiss continued. "None of us would ever be criminals! And once we get out of here, we'll report every last one of you! I swear it! You'll all be thrown in-"
Weiss's angry rant quickly turned to muffled screams of rage as Vao duct taped her mouth shut, sighing in relief. "Holy fucking shit mate, your voice was like nails on a chalkboard."
As Weiss struggled to get the tape off, Vao just laughed at her like the asshole he is. The boss continued. "You don't have to if you don't want. But we'll have to keep you down here for a long time, at least until this whole Ruby business is done and over with. You'll be fed and watered, daily needs taken care of and all that."
"What do you think we are, pets!?" Cardin groaned. The boss shrugged.
"It's up to you, really. You can join, or Vao bathes you."
Cardin shuddered in terror. "I-I'll join!"
"CARDIN!" Y/N shouted in shock. "Now is not the time to be confused about your sexuality!" Vao snickered.
"Cardin thinks I'm hot..." He giggled. Verde looked up at him blankly, standing on her toes to whisper into his ear. "Vao, that's because Cardin's attracted to your mother, and you look like her. He talks about her when you aren't around."
"OI YOU FOCKING WOT MATE!? YOU WANNA BLODDY BRAWL DO YA, YOU FOCKING DIRTY WANKER!?"
The boss nodded. "Okay. Anyone else?"
Blake spoke up. "If... Verde joined, then it can't be all bad, right...?" Next to her, Yang nodded.
"Y-yeah... And I don't think Vao would stoop as low as murder..."
Y/N felt like he was in a room of psychopaths. And it certainly didn't help when Sasha opened her mouth.
"... Fine... I'm not... Hurting anyone, though..."
The boss nodded. "I already know about your case, Steel. This isn't some shitty desert gang, it's a Family. We take care of our own, here."
Y/N looked at Weiss, who had a similar, albeit more furious look on her face. She was trying to scream through the duct tape to no avail. Vao looked at his brother curiously. "Wot about you, bruv? You gonna decide or wot?"
Weiss was begging Y/N with her eyes. Begging him to make a sensible choice. But Y/N was in a mental disarray. If he didn't join, he wouldn't be able to help find Ruby. He'd be left in the basement. He let out a shaky sigh, finally asking a question he had been holding back. "... What exactly do you do here, Vao? How did you manage to become the right hand of your boss?"
"I sell things that make people feel good. Beat up problems, mess up stores, and plan the parties here."
The boss snickered. "Yeah, if there's one thing Vao can do right, it's throw a party." He sighed, still chuckling. "Do you want some time to think about it? Verde said you tend to sleep on things."
Y/N looked down at the ground. He thought back. Sleeping on Ruby's problem had only brought them more trouble. If he hadn't been so nervous, he could have stopped her sooner. He looked back up at his captors. They were smiling at him. Not maliciously. But rather kindly.
"I... Okay... I'll join..."
Weiss screamed at him through the duct tape, rocking in her chair until it tipped over backwards. The boss nodded. "... Are you sure? I'm not going to force you."
"I... I'm sure... But only until we find Ruby..."
Of course. You can leave after that, and we won't do anything. As long as you don't tattle, that is." The boss snapped his fingers. "Vao, cut them loose."
"Sure thing, boss." As Vao moved around, he used a knife to snap the ropes, and a key to unlock Sasha's chains. As Y/N stood up and rubbed his chafed wrists, the drunk held out his hand.
"Welcome to the mafia, bruv!"
Y/N felt like he would regret this decision. But now wasn't the time to think about that. Accepting his brother's gesture, he shook his hand firmly.
...
Y/N had to squint his eyes as they led him out of the dark basement. He was in the main room of the club. With soft lights, he could see men and women sharply dressed, sitting at booths and the bar. They were all doing something; some were playing cards, others were drinking, and the rest were chatting casually. But all of them were relaxing. The boss nudged Y/N's shoulder, taking his attention from the mafia. He was offering a handshake.
"My name is Hei Xiong Jr. Everyone just calls me Junior, though. Good to meet you."
Y/N sullenly shook his hand, watching as Junior gestured to the two women who had approached. He recognized them as the twins Vao took to the dance.
"These are my bodyguards, Melanie and Milita Malachite."
"Yo," they greeted in unison. Junior motioned towards Vao.
"And he's my right hand." Vao snickered, his mouth beginning to open. But Junior was quick. "Vao, if you make that dirty joke I'll ban you from drinking at the bar for a month."
Vao promptly shut his mouth. Yang looked around, her eyes going wide. "Wait a minute, I know this place!" She exclaimed. She pointed at Vao curiously. "So why haven't I seen you here!?"
"He's usually working when you show up," Melanie replied. "A few times he came to talk to you, but you're usually hammered by then and don't remember."
"Oh..."
Cardin looked at Yang and Vao suspiciously. "Does alcoholism run in your family?"
"Yes."
Vao's answer was completely serious. Cardin didn't reply. He just stared at Vao like an idiot. Sasha stood next to Y/N, shifting uncomfortably. She leaned down to whisper into his ear. "... C-can I hold your hand...?"
The katana-wielder glanced at her worriedly. "Are you okay, Sasha? Usually you're the brave one..."
Sasha shook her head warily. "I don't want to talk about it... It's just gangs make me nervous..."
Y/N nodded, allowing Sasha to take his hand into her own. Of course, it made him feel like a little kid with their parent. Sasha was by no means a small person. Her hand made his look like a toy. Blake was talking with the twins.
"So how exactly does this work? Do we have to be respectful to senior members?"
The Malachites shook their head. "That's not what we do around here. You just act normal. The only ones you gotta respect is Junior and Vao. That's about it, really."
Blake nodded thoughtfully before wandering off, introducing herself to the mafia members. They seemed friendly, from what Y/N saw. But he still wasn't ready to be acquainted with the thugs just yet. He didn't trust them. Hell, he didn't even trust Vao anymore. He never could have imagined he would be involved with something as big as a mafia. He looked at the femboy, his head hung low. Vao was chatting with Verde at the bar, a glass of water in his hand. Verde had apple juice. It was odd seeing Vao without alcohol, but he figured it had something to do with Verde. After all, the artist made it clear she didn't like alcohol.
Crack.
Y/N winced as Sasha squeezed his hand tighter, popping every single one of his fingers. The giant was sweating, her gaze shifting nervously.
"Are you sure you're okay?" He whispered up to her.
"I'm... Fine. Just leave it at that."
He didn't want to risk pissing off Sasha. He kept quiet, looking to Cardin - only to find the ginger not there. He had joined Blake, the pair playing poker with some other members. And Yang had started a conversation with the Malachites, sitting at their own booth.
Everyone aside from Y/N and Sasha were already getting to know their new peers. But Y/N didn't want to. He just wanted to find Ruby and get it over with. As for Sasha, he couldn't really figure out why she was about to break every bone in his hand.
He looked towards Verde. His team leader was seated at the bar next to Vao, sipping from her juice as she read a book quietly. With a sigh, he pulled Sasha along with him.
"Hey, Verde."
The expressionless woman looked up from the pages, giving him a small wave.
"Hello."
Y/N didn't really know how to word it, so he figured he'd just say what was on his mind. "Why would you agree to doing something like this?" He asked. "I mean, you're the general's freaking daughter. On top of that, you didn't leave Vao when you found out he does... Whatever it is he does here?"
"I'm a drug dealer!" Vao exclaimed cheerily.
"That is not something to be proud of buddy," Junior muttered from where he stood behind the counter. Vao looked confused.
"But you always tell me I'm doing a good job! Not even my mum says that to me!"
Melanie looked at him from her conversation with Milita. "Dude... That is sad."
Vao nodded. "Yeah, whenever I have a cool new trick, she just ignores me! Like when my pee finally turned the same color as apple cider!"
Verde stopped drinking her apple juice, spitting out was in her mouth and back into the glass before pushing it away slowly. Junior looked worried, staring at Vao's bottle of water. "... Until today, when was the last time you drank water?"
"Like, three months ago. I usually drink alcohol or soda. Why?"
"Go to a freaking hospital!"
"I concur. Seek medical attention" Verde added. She looked down thoughtfully before glancing back up at him. "And please never say something like that when I am enjoying my apple juice."
Vao looked worried. "... I'll go visit the clinic..." He stood up rather quickly, sprinting out the door. Sasha looked out the door that he left open, seeing Vao climb into his vehicle - and almost immediately crash it. Y/N sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Freaking idiot..." He muttered. He turned back to Verde, who was hesitantly drinking her juice again. "So why did you join?"
The artist shrugged. "Vao asked me to."
"That's... That's it? That's all it took?"
"No," Verde answered, returning to her book. "I joined on the condition he would leave the mafia after Ruby's taken care of. He really does want to be a Huntsman like us, Y/N. Once the dust has settled, we'll be finishing school in Beacon, and all will be back to normal."
"Normal aside from the fact that my brother is a drug lord?"
Junior wiped down Vao's abandoned glass, soap washing over the glass. "He's the lord of nothin'. Most of the time, he's just hired muscle. Even though he's a scrawny bastard, lifting that axe made him strong. Wish his brain could be a bit stronger..."
Y/N ignored Junior, turning his attention back to his team leader. "Nothing is going back to normal. Vao still joined a mafia! That's not like Blake's situation, where the White Fang was once a peaceful organization. A mafia has literally always been violent and dirty!"
Verde sighed, closing her book. "... It's not like that, Y/N. Vao's been wanting to leave the mafia ever since he learned he was going to Beacon."
"Then why didn't he?"
"Because of Ruby," Junior answered. "... Honestly, I don't think I had ever seen him so scared. He admits it himself - he's too stupid to get scared. That day... He came in shaking, like he saw a ghost. You know how he is. All prideful, and all that. And there he was, on his hands and knees in front of everybody, begging us to help him."
Melanie and Milita had ceased their conversation, listening quietly. It was Milita who spoke next. "... It was... Well, jarring. It was as if he was a different person. He showed us this weird... Goo."
For the first time in his life, Y/N hoped it was something dirty. But he knew better. They were talking about the black slime that Ruby would puke out often. The foul sludge that filled him with worry, concern, and fear. An unnatural, yet very natural thing. He sat down with Sasha, who tightened her grip on his hand. Junior sighed, taking a long drag off his cigar. He flicked the ash into Vao's old mug, despite having just cleaned it.
"... We left it in his room, after what it did to one of our guys."
Verde's head perked up. She hadn't heard this story. Melanie's hands were shaking, but her face held firm. "... When Vao first brought that shit in, he spilled it like an idiot when he started waving it around. It was only a drop or two, but it landed in Russet's drink. When he came back for it, he took a sip and... Became something else."
Junior nodded. "All crazy, things like that. It started with a headache. He complained about his head feeling like he got bricked, even to the point he could barely stand. He gripped his head, pulled out his hair, and just started screaming these awful things at Vao. Saying he was nothing more than a "traitor to the goddess", a "nasty, broken puppet," an "irredeemable, cannibalistic maniac", crap like that. He tried to kill Vao with a knife while screaming your name, saying you'd be next. We... Had to put him to sleep, if you catch my meaning."
This man Y/N hadn't met before had gone crazy just from one drop. He hadn't even realized he had been sweating. He looked back up at Junior, who didn't look like he wanted to talk about it anymore. But Y/N still had one more question.
"... What did you do with it?"
Junior shook his head slowly, pointing at Milita. "She's the only one Vao told. After what it did to Russet, he said only someone he could trust would know where he put it."
All eyes were on Milita. The women bowed her head, staring at her interlocked fingers. "... Vao and I are best friends... I'm... Not supposed to say where he hid the thing, but... Well, it's you guys. And he clearly trusts you if he brought you here. So... Check his room. I won't tell you where it is exactly, but it's somewhere in his room. I'd... Rather forget that stuff even exists."
Junior nodded, fishing into his pocket and tossing a key on the counter. Y/N grabbed it as it slid across the glass towards him. "He always locks his room before he leaves. Worried someone will rob him, or find that sludge," the crime boss whispered quietly. "That's the spare key I always kept. If you really want to see it, go upstairs, second to the last door on the left. I'd recommended you hurry, though. I doubt he'd be happy with people going through his room when he's not there."
Y/N looked to Sasha and Verde. They were quiet. The giantess was staring at the ceiling thoughtfully, while Verde flipped through the pages of her book, as if trying to find something specific. Wordlessly, the katana-wielder stood up, staring at the dark stairwell.
Stairs had never been so daunting, before. His legs shook as he trembled up the steps, his teammates following close behind. And at the top, the hallway was even darker. His hand reached towards the wall, guiding him as he walked to the end. And finally, he stopped at the wooden door.
'Vao's Room.'
At least, that's what Y/N assumed the sign said. Vao had clearly written it himself. The handwriting was horrible, and he misspelled even his own name. As Y/N slid the key into the lock, Verde gently reached out and twisted the doorknob, pushing it open as they stepped inside.
Sasha fumbled for the light switch, flicking it on the moment she found it. Y/N was taken aback. The room was surprisingly clean. Given that it was Vao's room, he expected there to be dirty clothes strewn all over the place, empty vodka bottles, and that sort of thing. A violin leaned against the wall next to his bed - none of them would have expected Vao to play something like the violin. Maybe electric guitar, or the drums, but nothing as peaceful as a violin. Verde looked to her teammates, her friends. Her face was emptier than usual, and her voice had lowered.
"... Start searching. In his desk, under his pillow, wherever he could hide something."
Neither Y/N nor Sasha were about to disobey their leader. As Sasha made her way to his closet, Y/N began digging through Vao's desk. His hand grazed something leathery, and his curiosity spiked. He pulled out what his fingers had grazed upon, immediately dropping it on the ground in disgust. "E-ew!"
Sasha and Verde looked up at him. "D-did you find something?" The tall woman asked worriedly. But as she stepped forward, she saw what Y/N had dropped. Her nose scrunched up in disgust. "Yuck..."
Verde bent down, scooping it up. It was some sort of magazine with a Faunus woman on the cover, striking a pose. "Oh, is this a fashion magazine?" She asked quietly. Before Y/N or Sasha could stop the innocent artist, she had already opened it. A certain page unfolded, dropping down as Verde twisted the magazine sideways to see it. She stared at it for a moment before throwing it in the trash harshly. "... How many more are in there?" She asked calmly. Y/N looked back in the drawer, moving a few things around.
"U-uh... Three?"
Verde reached over his shoulder, plucking them all out and inspecting them. Every last one went in the garbage. She seemed frustrated, despite her face not showing any emotion. She walked away, her footsteps sounding heavier than usual. Y/N could kind of understand where she was coming from - it was likely jealousy over the fact Vao was staring at other women, photograph or not. Still, Y/N would rather have not touched his brother's special magazines. He returned to digging through the desk, eventually finding something else. Something genuinely wholesome.
It was a framed photo of himself and Vao when they were younger, standing in the forest. Vao had his right arm draped around Y/N's shoulders, flipping the camera off as his left extended to hold the device. Both were grinning happily, and in the background he could see Qrow with an airsoft rifle, aiming it at the back of Vao's head.
Sasha had returned to the closet, shifting through clothes. She had seen Vao crossdress before, and knew full well that he enjoyed it. But this was ridiculous. She found more dresses and skirts than jeans, and even a maid outfit. There was a tag on it, which she read. Vao's messy handwriting was difficult to translate, but she managed.
'cozplae purpus ownlee. Handz of.'
Sasha felt like she had a stroke trying to read that. Apparently Vao liked dressing up for fun. She scratched her head thoughtfully, wondering if she could use this against him, or just have him try out outfits with her and a few friends. Not that she'd ever invite Vao to hang out with her friends; he was embarrassing to be around with his severe case of sailor mouth. As she kept searching, she eventually found a box stowed away under a pile of weapon parts. Pushing everything off, she opened it.
It seemed like normal stuff. Just some extra uniforms, an old game console with a few cartridges, and some makeup. She closed the box again, leaning forward as she plunged into the depths of the closet.
Verde was checking out Vao's bed, searching under the covers, under the bed itself, even going as far as to lift the mattress. She was a upset about Y/N's discovery moments ago. She knew Vao had most likely bought - or stolen - the magazines before they began their relationship, but the thought of him looking at other women had her mind running wild. It made her worry that she wasn't good enough. If Vao met someone else, would he leave her? That thought scared her the most. She set the mattress back down, wiping at her eyes as she sat down on the bed.
She didn't know what she would do if Vao left her. So far, he was the only one she had met that she could express herself physically to. She didn't even do that for Ironwood, even after everything her adoptive father did for her. Even though Vao was an alcoholic, he still made her feel safe. Asked her how she was doing, actively took her to art museums because he knew she loved them. She didn't want that to end. With a trembling hand, she wiped at her eyes again before picking up his pillow and burying her face in its cool underside.
Crunch.
The artist pulled away, staring at the pillow in confusion. Something had been stuck inside the pillowcase, hidden from view. She reached her hand into the opening, until finally she found the source of the noise and pulled it out. It was a folded up piece of paper, with Vao's messy handwriting written all over it. The only reason it was even readable was because of Verde's lessons.
'In case of forget: ceiling'.
That was all that he wrote. The artist stared at the note for a few more seconds before looking at the ceiling tiles. One of them had scratches in the material, and was shifted out of place. Verde set the pillow down next to her before standing on the bed's backboard, reaching for the tile. Luckily, she was able to reach. Sliding the tile to the side, she pulled herself up.
Y/N turned around when he heard the noise. "What are you doing?" He asked. Verde didn't answer, kicking her feet as she climbed into the ceiling, her shoes disappearing from view. Y/N groaned. He knew she had said to search everything, but this was ridiculous. "Verde, you're going to get hurt. There could be venomous spiders up there, and Dust knows what else."
He could hear her digging around, and he could see the light of her scroll through the cracks. Sasha stepped next to him, her face filled with concern. "... Why's Verde in the ceiling?"
Y/N shrugged. "Verde, get down. I get that you don't weigh much, but you can still fall through you know."
But again Verde didn't say anything. A few second later, they heard her sneeze before continuing her search. Sasha reached up, effortlessly poking at the ceiling. "You should listen to Y/N. It's not safe," she called up to her. Verde stopped moving above the, the light fixated on one spot.
It stayed that way for a couple minutes. Y/N could feel himself growing worried. Had something happened? Sasha poked the ceiling again. Another minute. And finally, the light moved towards the open tile.
A box fell from the ceiling, landing on the bed with a soft thud. Verde's feet appeared first as she lowered herself, her shoes touching the bed frame. As the artist hopped down to the floor, she turned her attention to the box curiously.
"... I found something..." She whispered softly.
The box was made of solid iron, but when Y/N knocked on the surface he could tell it was hollow. But the lid wouldn't open. A hefty padlock kept it secured tightly, ensuring no one would ever see it's contents. Y/N groaned.
"I have a feeling only Vao knows about this box. Which means he's the only one who would have the key, or know where it is..."
Sasha pulled on the lock, but to no avail. With a sigh, she glanced at Y/N. "Say something to piss me off."
Y/N was bewildered. "Uh... What?"
"My Semblance kicks in when I'm angry," Sasha reminded him. "So say something that'll piss me off."
Y/N thought hard. "Um... You're too tall?"
"... That's your best?" Sasha asked. She sighed, wondering if Y/N even had it in him to intentionally anger someone. Verde tapped her hip, catching the giant's attention.
"I saw Cardin flirting with a woman downstairs."
Sasha's nostrils flared with rage, a vein popping from her forehead. "That little bastard!" She shrieked. With one pull, she snapped the padlock in two. Y/N leapt back in terror, making a thousand mental notes to never make Sasha angry. The giant began to make her way towards the door, but Verde stopped her.
"I lied, Sasha. Cardin kept looking at you because he was worried," the artist said quickly. Sasha's vein retreated back under her skin, a deep sigh of relief escaping into the air.
"Damn it, had me worried for a second..."
Y/N reached out and lifted the lid of the box, finally exposing it's secrets. The inside was padded with cotton and styrofoam, keeping whatever was inside safe. His hands pushed it all to the side, finally revealing it.
The vial glistened in the light, still filled with the sinister black slime. Y/N reached out to touch it, but quickly retracted his fingers. It felt... Wrong. Sasha stared at it uncomfortably.
"What even is..." Her voice trailed off before picking back up again. "Why does it feel... Alive?"
No one had an answer for that. Verde reached down, picking up the vial and holding it in front of her face. Her eyes were wide with curiosity, her lips parted slightly. "How... Fascinating..." She whispered. Her voice was barely audible.
And suddenly, to their sheer horror, the door slammed open.
...
Vao walked back into the club, his car a steaming mess in the parking lot. Junior was sitting alone in the near-empty club, sipping from a mug of whiskey. He didn't say anything as Vao approached.
"So as it turns out, they made me drink a lot of water," Vao chuckled. "I almost pissed myself on the way back."
"... I didn't want to hear that, Vao..."
The Branwen shrugged. "Well, I'm fine Boss." He looked around curiously, searching for any signs of fun. Or his friends. "... Where's everyone? I was only gone for a couple of hours."
"Doing jobs."
As Junior took another sip from his whiskey, Vao continued to look around, his smile falling. "Where's Y/N and Sasha? I was also really looking forward to seeing Verde. I passed by an art museum that she said she wanted to go to..."
A bad feeling was growing in his gut, and it only grew worse when Junior didn't say anything. Vao looked at his boss for a few moments before turning to the stairs.
"... Where is my team, Boss?"
But Junior remained silent. He wasn't going to crack, Vao knew. Slowly the femboy ascended the stairs, walking down the dark hallway.
His footsteps were dead silent as his shoes landed gently on the carpet, his gaze fixated on his room. The door was closed, but he could see the light underneath. Slowly he pushed his ear against the wood, straining his ears. He could hear voices on the other side, but couldn't make them out. He reached into his pocket, pulling out his key before pausing and slipping it back in. Quiet as an empty house, he twisted the knob. It was unlocked, just like he suspected. He wasted no time in entering.
SLAM!
His teammates leapt back as the door crashed into the wall, Vao standing in the frame. His face was blank, but his eyes gave away his anger.
"And just wot the bloody hell is all this?" He growled. He stepped towards them, his eyes resting on the iron box, and then around his messy room. "... I just cleaned this morning..."
Y/N held his hands up as he tried to make an excuse. "V-Vao, we, u-um..."
Vao sighed, slipping his hands into his pockets. "... You could have just asked me, you know. We're all in this together, after all."
"I... Wait, what?"
Vao shrugged his shoulders. "You could have asked me instead of making a mess of my fucking room, bruv. I'm not a slob, I like having everything clean!"
So that's what he was angry about. Not about them searching for the sludge, but the fact that they tore apart his room. Y/N looked around at the chaos, finally noticing what they had done to it. His desk was a mess with nearly everything pulled out of the drawers. His clothes had been thrown from his closet, and Verde's shoes left dirt on his bed.
"O-oh... Sorry, Vao..."
"Clean my fucking room, cunt."
Y/N looked at Vao in bewilderment. "Huh?"
The femboy growled, balling his fists up angrily. "Clean my bloody room! I swear, this is the one thing I genuinely try to take care of and you all piss on it! Clean my pissin' room! Clean it! Clean it!"
He was stomping his foot angrily, turning dark red. Y/N sighed, getting to work at the desk. Sasha scooped up her mess, setting everything back where she found it, while Verde remade the bed and dusted the dirt away. Vao helped Y/N drop everything back into the drawer, until finally the mess had been cleaned. With all of that done, Verde set the vial down on the desk, all of them staring at the sinister black fluid, a sense of dread beginning to etch it's way into their minds.
"... So what exactly is this stuff?" Sasha finally murmured quietly. Vao shook his head.
"We... Don't know, to be honest..." He answered quietly. "I've kind of kept in my room since... Since an incident, happened..."
"We heard," Y/N replied. "Some guy ate it and went crazy, right? Called you a cannibal?"
Vao nodded. "I swear, I've never hurt anyone. Well, not to the point they die, and I'd never think of eating someone else... He mentioned that Salem thing, too..."
As the trio began to discuss the vial, Verde flipped through the pages of her book again, occasionally glancing at the glass tube. Until finally, she closed the book and set it down on the desk. "Vao?"
"Wot is it, mate?"
Verde didn't look up at him. She couldn't take her eyes off the vial. "May I... Borrow your room? I would very much like to research this... Thing."
Vao shrugged. "I don't see why not. You need any help?"
Verde shook her head. "I would prefer to be alone, thank you."
Y/N looked up from his hushed conversation with Sasha. "That... Doesn't sound like a very good idea..." Next to him, Sasha nodded in agreement. "We should all stick together with this, shouldn't we?"
Verde didn't answer right away. She gently picked up the glass, feeling the slight warmth of the strange slime inside, her fingertips heating up. She quickly found herself fascinated by it, much like the books she had been reading. And finally, after a moment she spoke. Her voice had dropped to barely a whisper.
"... Please leave."
Y/N and Vao looked at each other. Verde was different from others, but this was getting into a different territory. But with a soft sigh, Y/N left the room with Sasha. Vao and Verde were all that remained.
"... Verde, are you alright, mate?"
"I am fine."
Vao nodded slowly, turning towards the door. But as he was about to leave, Verde called back to him. "Can I ask you something?"
The alcoholic nodded, even though her back was turned to him. "Wot is it?"
"... Can you... Pick me up a few more books from the Beacon library? In the restricted section."
The restricted section of the library, a place even Vao would think twice about breaking into. Without proper authority, he would be looking at expulsion. He shook his head. "I'm not going in there by myself."
"Then take Y/N and Sasha with you. This is... Very important..."
When Verde turned to Vao, he could see it in her eyes. She was becoming obsessed with the strange substance, bordering on madness. It startled him. But he wasn't about to deny it if she said it was important.
"O... Okay...?"
Verde stopped talking, sitting down on the chair and opening her book again. Vao was growing uncomfortable, quickly slipping out the door. Y/N and Sasha were waiting for him outside.
"What took you so long?" Y/N asked quietly. Vao looked at him, his face horribly pale. He didn't say anything, and it was beginning to worry Y/N. "... B-brother...?"
"I... Have a job for us..." He whispered shakily. "Let's... Just go. We can get Weiss, t-too..."
Y/N knew Vao wouldn't say anything else. With Sasha following behind, they stumbled down to the basement.
...
Weiss hadn't been exactly willing. But at the mention of the black substance, she very reluctantly agreed to go with them. She still refused to join the criminal organization, but agreed to help them with Ruby.
As they pushed through the basement door and into the main club room, Y/N took notice of his brother. He was oddly quiet, refusing to respond to Weiss's barrage of insults. Junior looked up from the counter.
"... Where are you off to?"
"Just some er... Work, I guess..." Y/N answered. He didn't really know where they were going. Vao never said. The crime boss nodded.
"Alright, text me if anything comes up. Vao has my number," he called to them. Y/N waved goodbye to his friends as the four left the building, climbing into Vao's car. Sasha was much too big, and ended up having to curl into a ball just to fit. Y/N felt a sense of unease wash over him. He hated getting into a vehicle with his drunk brother behind the wheel. But this time it was different.
Vao was driving safely, for once. He stopped at red lights, he drove on the correct side of the road, and he even made the effort to use his blinkers. Y/N looked at Vao worriedly, watching as the femboy took a small, nervous sip from his flask. "Vao... Are you alright...?"
Vao let out a nervous, shaky laugh. "I-I'm fine, b-bruv... Just... We might get expelled for this..."
"What!?" Weiss shrieked from the backseat. "What are we doing, assaulting a teacher!?" Vao shook his head.
"We're... Pickin' somethin' up... That's all..."
Y/N turned his gaze back onto the road ahead. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming sense of dread hanging over him, weighing his shoulders down. He felt like the were about to go searching for something they shouldn't; the feeling he got whenever he saw the vial. It was the same feeling Vao was feeling.
And soon, they left the city and began making their way down the highway, towards Beacon Academy.