Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Ever After wasn’t just a place for RWBY to fall into, there were others before them and even more before that. Others that traveled there on purpose to flee or live away from the rest of the world. Even more that fell there not on purpose but made the best of things. There were some who sought it out as a place to find power, and the last kind sought it out as a quiet place to lie down and die.

Inque as in Ink, was such a woman. Driven from her home, chased by hunters, mobs and worse calling her a terrible witch. She couldn’t ever find a place for long, something would always happen, an attack, grimm or otherwise always followed her. She would try to help. Each time she did, she revealed what she was capable of. She would end up saving them, those innocent people, but they would end up turning on her.

Every. Single. Time.

Inquie with hair the deepest blue it might as well be black walked Remnant she only found loneliness, hate, and fear of her. She couldn’t help what she was, and her powers made her, terrible if she ever turned them on the good people. She could turn grimm, forcing them to attack under her command. A handful she could manage but, more than that and she could lose control and even cause herself harm. Inque never knew why she was able to do such a thing, only remembering as a small child that grimm would always treat her as one of their own. Never attacking, never hurting her. Only those around her.

This woman, Inque was unassuming at five foot five, slight build, and nearly the picture of an ideal womanly figure. She could find most places hospitable for a while. No one would ever clock her as dangerous, and she liked it that way. The less they wondered about her the better. She always had to keep moving, always, no matter what. It came that she heard tale of a great man who could possibly help her.

Months searching for and asking about this man, she found him. In a great green tower she found him. Inque begged him for help, having heard stories about the things he could do. She pleaded to know why she was like the way she was, and why the grimm left her alone. Why did they follow her.

The Great Man listed to her pleas and cries all before doing anything. He took her hand and gave her a quick prick with his small knife. As she bled it wasn’t red like people’s blood. As single droplets of her blood hit the cold stone they wisped away, evaporating just like dead grimm would. Inque was horrified, she was a grim but, grimm couldn’t think… feel…

The Great Man in the tower of green consoled her, “You are part grimm my dear… it would seem half-grimm if I had to guess.” He spoke with a gentle canter. Taking her hand in his this Great Man would give her a tragic smile. “I do not know how you came to be, but the grimm follow you because you feel like one of their own. They are drawn to be around you my dear.” Letting her hand go he let out a sigh of regret “I am sorry, I cannot let you stay here. It would put all the innocent people at risk.” The Great man of the tower gave her what aid he could muster for her.

“Am I just supposed to live nowhere? Always running from people, from you?” Inque waited for the Great Man, but he had no answer for her.

“Please, I do not want to see you hurt here, I will if you do not leave of your own volition.

Inque ran, she ran from that tower of green. Hot tears falling from her ice blue eyes. She was part grimm, part monster. No wonder people couldn’t stand her all her life. He had been running like this, from place to place since she was small. Memories of a mother were blurry and dim in her mind. Barely able to recall the shining face of her only parent. The pain inflicted by the people of her village though, was still as sharp in her mind as they day they happened. They had set fire to their home, ran them out. The last thing she could recall was her mother’s screams being cut off as Inque ran as hard as her legs could carry her.

Years after all of that and she was still running, from place to place. Now she had her Aura unlocked and her semblance to keep her safe without having to use her grimm half. She could manipulate dust from the pages of her ‘spell book’ written with her self-made ink. The Sigils she created would operate in as many ways as she could write them. One of the few things she learned from her mother. The Sigils were the true names of everything. The names that held power over the world even now. Inque knew many, but she was always looking for more. Collecting them in some wayward quest to solve her own lifelong puzzle. How was she half-grimm. How did it happen?

The more she traveled the more she learned about her own semblance the more alone she felt. No one would share a life with her, not like how she was. The mobs, and horrible insults were easy enough to deal with. The sheer loneliness she had known festered in her heart. She hated herself, for being the way she was.

One day she couldn’t take it anymore. She had enough rope to do it. It was quick as the rope snapped taught around her neck. It all hung for a few seconds till the branch gave way. She fell, face first to meet the ground. To her frustration and sorrow she woke up looking to the sky.

She simply started to cry her heart out. Screaming to the sky cursing the gods, her mother, herself and anything else she could think to curse at. Her voice started to go horse as she cried coving her face still laying there in the soft grass and leaf litter. Exhausting herself she finally moved, got up, removed that noose from her own neck and packed it away.

As she moved she found she had company, a single beowulf stalked towards her. She wasn’t afraid as the grimm never did harm her, though they never really paid her much mind at all. This was new. It kept getting closer, and closer, and finally it was right up in face standing inches away. Inque reached out a hand to pet this grimm. It let her, leaning into the pets. To her the fur felt thick, course like a bristle brush. She even touched the creature’s ears. Leathery, scaly… but warm in her fingers.

Then this grimm, this monster pressed its head to her chest as she continued to pet it. She let them, using her other hand to scratch beneath their chin. Inque couldn’t believe what she was doing, let alone hearing. It was almost purring, letting out little growls as she kept scratching them. The idea came to her, if the grimm thought her one of them then maybe she might as well take advantage of it.

She climbed atop this beowulf’s back holding tight to its mane as she coaxed them forward. The grimm understood and took off at a brisk pace. Inque was laughing as it ran, moving so much faster than she could ever could alone. If the people of this world wanted to see her as a grimm witch then so be it. She would be a grimm witch… even better she would make her own name.

Inque the Grimm Sorceress. Taking what she wanted from those who hated her.

She even thought about going back to that Great Man in the Green Tower. Showing him what she could really do. For denying her any help. She would have to practice with the Grimm, she could control more if she knew what she was doing for sure. A real Grimm Sorceress must have an army, not just a wayward entourage of beasts.

“I’ll tear answers out of you old man… One way or another” Inque promised as she pet the head of her favorite beowulf, Cain. Her mind was awash in the darkest intentions, sickest thoughts. Her eyes on longer that ice blue but blood red, with only black as their background. She dismissed the cries of the people she met, only letting them live long enough to give her whatever it was she wanted. Then feeding them to her Grimm.

As she reached harder and further for more and more Grimm she caught a hunger, a thirst for something. It was a dark desire to sink her teeth into something wet. She caved to the craving and without warning sunk her teeth into the neck of one of her smaller beowulves. She drank the slick tar that poured into her mouth. It was sweet and tinged with hints of heat in it. She drank and drank until the beast collapsed and turned to dust.

Breathing hard and wiping her mouth she sighed in content relief. Afterwards reaching out and command Grimm was easier than ever before. She was a monster they were right, she needed Grimm, needed to feast on their blood to grant her power.

Inque knew what she had to do. Take the strongest Grimm and force the answers out of that man in the Green Tower. He would answer her once and for all.

“Ozma get your ass out here or I’m dragging you out!” Inque yelled to the gates of the green town from the back of her overgrown alpha beowulf, Cain. She shifted warily in her hand made saddle. The leather creaking subtly as she looked about trying to see if the old man in the tower had a response for her. The air hung silent say for growling and huffing of the lines of Grimm behind her.

“Ozma Im warning you one last time! Get out here and tell me what I want to know or Im tearing your tower down!” Inque yelled up to the tower once more, her lip curling into a sneer as she heard nothing. Utter silence from the tower. “Fine! Have it your way!”

 She held her army of Grimm in line with her growing control and concentration, waving her hand towards the great green tower the Grimm charged ahead. She had hundreds of Grimm in her control, all at her beck and call. She loved the feeling every time she forced her will upon them. It was exciting, intoxicating. She could have more if she wanted but, she was impatient, brash, wanting answers any way she could get them.

The Grimm attacked the tower, tearing at the stone with their claws, teeth and any other appendages they could. Flying Grimm took to tearing at any open window, ledge and anything else their talons could get a hold of. Inque smiled watching her well-tended Grimm tear into the structure, the stone gave way, bricks, shards and so much else was tossed aside as the assault continued.

“I gave you a chance Ozma! It didn’t have to be like this! You just had to give me what I wanted and none of this would have happened!” she continued to yell taunts and insults up at the great green tower. The tower was seeing real damage as the larger Grimm she had held back joined the assault. Chunks of stone and metal were torn free thrown aside like nothing. Inque was sure the old man would have to come out before his tower fell. He wouldn’t just let this go on.

She realized it far too late. Ozma would only let this go on if he had some kind of plan already expecting her or something of the like. It was an strange ringing, burning sound on the edge of her hearing that so slowly got louder and louder. Inque felt her control over the Grimm, HER Grimm being wrested from her mind. There was something else giving them orders, having them leave the tower and turn to her. As hard as she tried to regain her own control over the Grimm the louder and more painful that sound got. It burned inside of her skill, deep down it burned and tore at her as she kept trying to pull control back even as more and more Grimm were stolen away from her.

“Who is doing that! Show yourself!” Inque held her head with one hand as she could barely keep her eyes open. The pain and ringing were tremendous and painful. The rest of the Grimm all slipped her bonds and they went about turning to stare at her. Even Cain shook her from his back.

She fell with a cry holding her head with both hands as she tried to stand “How, how are you able to…” Inque was crying as her head felt like it was going to split in two.

The voice from the treeline was slow, methodical, feminine, strong “Stand up.”

Inque’s body moved without her say and brought her to her feet even as she felt like she was going to pass out at any second.

“Turn around” the slow voice ordered again.

Inque’s body moved without her action even as she tried to resist it, she turned around to see Ozma and a tall white skinned woman standing there. Inque tried to reach out and take control of Cain once again only to it beaten back.

“Ozma you are right, this is very interesting. In all the time I have been alive I have not seen something like this before.” The woman spoke with a cold intent.

“I would not have informed you unless it was gravely important. She is something that should’t be possible under, normal, circumstances.” Ozma went on as he walked towards Inque pulling out that small blade he kept. Nicking her slightly letting a few drops of her black blood fall to the grass where they turned to black smoke before disappearing. “You see?”

Inque tried to pull away, move, anything. She was trying to beat back this woman’s control in her head. Forcing as much as she could against her she was able to talk if not briefly “Who… are… you?” she got out as she started daggers at the woman with the fair white skin and deep red eyes… eyes like hers.

“Hm remarkable it can still talk under my control.” The woman reached a hand out and Inque stepped forward till her chin was in this woman’s hand. “How very interesting… very very interesting.” Her touch was cold, dead, like a corpse was handling her. She moved Inque’s face around this way and that looking her over. “Answer child, who made you?”

Inque struggled to smile at the hag, still staring daggers “My mother you bitch.”

The woman’s eyebrows rose as it seemed it wasn’t the answer she was expecting to hear come from the woman with hair so deep it might as well be black. “You were born this way.” The woman nodded this time moving her palm from Inque’s face over her neck, down to her chest where she stopped. “Hmmm how very interesting.”

She kept saying that word and Inque was getting tired of it.

Inque tried to wrest herself free from whatever kind of control the woman had on her. She pushed back fiercely, as hard as he could and with one hard snap of her own power she was free. She had fought back against this witch of a woman. Breaking free of her control so suddenly had this woman surprised as she pulled away Inque did the only thing she could think of, she bit the woman in the soft of the hand before falling backward.

“You insolent little worm!” The woman held her hand looking at the deep puncture holes before staring at Inque who was trying to scramble to her feet.

Ozma shook his head “Salem what did you expect? Treating her like some sort of specimen.” The man stepped forward attempting to offer his hand to Inque in some kind gesture. “You wanted answers… she may be the only one who can give them to you.”

Inque didn’t bother to take the offered hand choosing to stay on the ground keeping as much distance from Salem as she could “What… what are you!” Inque nearly shouted as she could still feel the edges of Salem’s control trying to worm back into her head. “Get out of my head! Stop it!”

Ozma looked to the woman with the fair white skin and crimson red eyes “I don’t think attempting to force her is going to accomplish very much.” He spoke with a tone drenched in discipline.

“It may not be, though in truth, I have never seen any human like this nor one I could control like the Grimm.” Salem was still nursing the wound on her hand that was quickly vanishing. Her expression was a cross between curiosity and concern. “Child, where is your mother… she needs to answer some questions.”

Inque froze up in that instant “You’re too late for that, they killed her.” She snapped at Salem clearly attempting to hold back more less than polite words. “They killed her because they thought I was a monster.” Inque spat.

Ozma shook his head woefully “I’m sorry that happened to you. I can-”

He was harshly cut off “Save it old man! I came to you for help and you threw me out!” Inque was still trying to keep Salem out of her head, struggling but able to command her own tongue in the very least. “No village, no settlement will take me in.” She bared her teeth fighting back that pain on the inside of her skull again “Even when I helped protect them! They ALL called me a monster!”

Salem held her hands together in front of herself listening to the girl’s lamentations. Blank faced as she waited. “You are a monster girl.” Salem spoke with a mean cruelty to her voice “Your Grimm here… they are all well tended to and well fed. There is only one thing Grimm feed on child.”

Ozma’s eyes went wide, his gaze darting to Inque “You didn’t!”

“They all called me a monster, so I made them honest men.” Inque sneered as she looked to Ozma. “It got your attention so I’d say it worked out well enough.”

Salem curled her lip at the girl “Disgusting.”

“Save it witch! You’re just like I am-” her words were struck short as Salem had forced control over her again. Her mouth snapped shut as Salem held a single finger out to her.

“We are not the same child. I am far older, and far more powerful than your simple tricks.” Salem turned to Ozma, all the while forcing Inque to her feet “What do you suppose we do with her?”

Ozma seemed almost shocked “You are asking me? What we should do with her?”

Salem slowly turned to the old man “I would say she is half Grimm and half human so it would only be appropriate if we came to an agreeable punishment, together.”

Salem moved her hand and Inque found her arms forced behind her back as she made vain attempts to free herself from Salem’s control.

“It would be a shame to simply execute her, perhaps I could use her for study. See exactly what made her.” Salem mused apathicly staring at the girl.

“Maybe something not as drastic. Perhaps, exile would fair better on her instead of, torturous experimentation?” Ozma started to make his own case

“And where do you think we could exile her to that wouldn’t cause any problems?” Salem shot back still forcing the girl into painful looking poses.

“There is one place that she could stay, and she could only leave if she proves herself better than when she got there.” Ozma chuckled stroking a nonexistent beard.

Salem actually smiled “Execution would be more humane than that but, it sounds quite the lovely idea.”

Inque looked between the couple in mild panic as they started something and before she could ask what it was or why the flash happened. She was in water, lots of water. Clambering for the surface she emerged sputtering looking for anything, anything at all. She wasn’t far off from a white sand beach.

Dragging her soaked form up the beach she collapsed down on the sand looking up to the sky. She had a million more questions now. What was Ozma, who was that woman? Why did they act like they knew each other? And how was she able to get into her mind and control her like a Grimm?

In any case they had decided to exile her. For what, the death of a few people. People kill each other more than she could ever. It hardly seemed fair.

“Exile huh? Wonder where they sent me…” She turned her head to look at the strange vegetation and colors of the island. “Okay… this can’t be Remnant…” she would just have to make the best of whatever this place was and hope she could survive long enough to figure out a way to leave. If that was even possible. She still had her ‘spell book’ Abyss so it was at least something.

Chapter Text

“For the last time! I said NO! Don’t you take a hint!” Inque slammed the door of her cottage shut in the man’s face for at least the tenth time in as many days. He was sickeningly persistent, and it was starting to fray at her last nerve. She even considered breaking Abyss out on him. “It would be too good of an end for him.” She rubbed her temples, ever since that knight or whatever he pretended to be had found her he was there just about every day asking for her help.

“Please! I know we can find a way out of here! We can work together!” The man at her door didn’t take the hint still calling for her.

Groaning at hearing his voice through her door she could barely control herself “For the love of-“ She cut herself off as she swung her door open stomping down the shallow hill that made up her front step “Do you really think there is a way out? Huh?” She prodded a finger to the tarnished metal of his chestplate “Ive been here a long time… and I’ve looked for a way out. And guess what I found after I looked over this entire island? Pain, pain and oh for some fun, torture!” She was seething as she glared at him.

His eyes were soft, a dazzling deep blue that she hated she liked. He was handsome but oh so utterly annoying. He had come to her after failing to do… something Inque really didn’t bother remembering. She just wanted to be left alone to waste away in that place. Nothing better to do, and he had broken that peace… him and those new monsters. Jabberwocky.

“I… I’m sorry… I didn’t know…” The blonde spoke with honesty. He looked and sounded like a knight. From the fairytales, the good ones. “I… why don’t you talk to me? Not about escaping… about you. How did you get down here?”

Inque stopped, her furious thoughts derailed completely by this man’s sudden kindness. “W-What?” She thought it was another trick of this place, there were so many.

“I asked if we could just talk… about you.” He smiled so softly.

“I… there’s not much to talk about me, you don’t want to know.” Inque snapped, turning back towards her cottage. Her only place of refuge in this hell.

“Well… maybe so, but, I can still sit and listen, and let me decide if I want to know or not.” The man had taken a few steps closer, his heavy plate boots make distinct sounds as they weighed on the soft ground.

Inque was caught, someone to just listen to her, she wanted to say yes, to beg him to just sit and listen to her. Her pride welled up to fight it, she didn’t need anyone, ever. She had always been alone, it was fine, everything was just fine.

“If… if you want to I wont stop you.” She relented as she walked the small hill up to her cottage.

She heard him follow. He was an idiot, once he heard what she was, what she could do… did he would leave her alone or maybe attempt to kill her. If he tried, she might just let him; knight slaying a monster was proper after all.

She led him into her small home and pointed to a chair near the fireplace. She started some hot water for tea, she needed after the headache he was giving her. “Tea?” She asked after waiting a little too long.

“Oh, yes, that would be nice.” The man was so polite and proper. Now that he wasn’t yelling to her window for aid.

Inque mixed up some herbs and spices, all she knew was safe. The tea they made was almost like cinnamon and lavender, but only a close mockery of the real thing, just like everything else there. “Here.” She handed him the crude mug of tea and started to blow on the top of her own.

“You want to listen? To why Im down here?” Inque sat on her bed across from the blonde knight. “Fine.” She breathed slow, the memories were seared into her mind as though it had happened just a day ago.

“I fed people to Grimm monsters.” She admitted flatly “And Im not sorry.” She looked to the man across from her in that small room. “That’s why I was sent here by a Grimm witch and an old man in green.”

The blonde knight listened and sipped his tea, blowing only gently to ensure it was cool enough. He didn’t say anything till she was finished.

“I see… why?”

“What?!” Inque was more confused than anything, he wasn’t disgusted? Not even a hint of an attempt on her life. She admitted to feeling people to monsters.

“Why did you do it?” He asked again with that even tone of his.

“Does it matter? I fed people to monsters its that simple” She huffed disappointed that he didn’t even have a hint of going for his weapon. “Shouldn’t you be mad? Trying to slay the evil witch that fed people to grimm?”

The blonde tilted is head from side to side a few times, then shrugged sadly “Im in no place to judge anyone. And it matters to me… what happened?” He asked her again still slowly sipping on that tea.

Inque shook her head, she couldn’t believe this man “It shouldn’t matter, it doesn’t matter, I fed people to grim so they could grow, to make them stronger! I wanted those hateful bastards to pay for everything they did to me… to my-” She cut herself off, she was ranting at this man, this blonde with the beautiful blue eyes that never faltered.

“No… no you don’t get that… they hurt me, just for what I was born as, they never even tried to understand. They were just afraid.” She could feel tears starting to well up in her eyes. It had been so long since she had actually let herself cry.

She cried so much when she was first thrown into this place. She cried and screamed at the sky. Every single horrible name, insult, swear she could utter. It only hurt every time. She would lay on the white sand beach and cry, just cry. She had been more alone than even being chased out of those villages. At least back there she had the grimm that treated her as one of them. She loved them, and they loved her.

“Im a monster…” she finally spat towards him, those tears burning as they finally fell. Tiny dots starting to cover her hand “I didn’t even get a chance… they took everything from me…I… You should be angry, want to slay me, its what you heroes do after all.” Wiping the hot tears from her face she caught that this man, didn’t even flinch. He didn’t say a single thing. What was wrong with him?

“Why are you a monster? You look perfectly fine to me… beautiful actually.” He said those words with such a sweet candor Inque could barely process it.

Beautiful

He had used that word towards her, no one had ever said anything like that, not once. She was not beautiful, she was terrible, dangerous, fierce.

“Fine! Ill show you!” She was fed up with this man, he was either insane or stupid, or both. He was probably both. She put the mug of tea down and stood, stalking over to the confused man. She drew a small blade out and turned it on herself, running it across her wrist in a single motion as the man made a move to stop her.

Black oozed from her wrist to the floor, the instant it hit the her blood would evaporate into that sickly black mist. The smell of rot, decay, and dead things wafted from her blood. “You see! See this! I’m a Grimm, Im a monster just like them okay!” Inque shouted though the pain in her wrist, and the hot tears still stinging her face.

“Now be a good hero, take that sword of yours and slay the monster!” She was screaming now. Years upon years in this place, it was painful, it was horrible, fit for her as a torturous cage.

The man did no such thing, he looked to her blood that was wisping away and he took a cloth to wrap her wrist with. He held her like that till he was sure the bleeding had stopped. “Im no hero… I just look like one.” This man shook his head “Im no more a hero than you are a monster.”

Inque had no words, this was the first time she had been held, touched by another person since she was small. She tried so often to make friends, even find love. It only ever ended horribly. Either for her or them. She let this blonde warrior hold her hand, he was so warm.

“There you should be okay, as long as you don’t go doing that again.” He said looking into her eyes still holding her hand gently.

“You’re… not disgusted?” She waited for him, she was sure now that he was just insane… mostly insane.

“Surprised, yes. Disgusted, no.” He spoke so calmly about her. This was kindness and Inque had no idea what to do with it. “Do you know how this happened?”

“I told you…I… I was born like this. I can feel Grimm, and control them to a degree. They saw me as on of their own and they protected me.” She was spilling everything to this man. He was so close to her, she could feel it. There was fear, but not of her… for her? This blonde, insane, man dressed in armor was concerned about her?

“I’m sorry… that must have been hard.”

“It, it hurt… it hurt being alone like that, grimm are, they live in such a strange way. I could feel them but talking was beyond them.” Inque remembered all the times she just wanted someone to tell her they loved her, that she would be okay. The bengals she would sleep next to so she could stay warm were the best she could find. There was feeling, a caring intention towards her but still only those growls, howls, and screams. No words.

“Well… maybe, if you are okay with having a failed hero as company, you don’t have to be alone anymore?” He danced around the suggestion his voice picking up a comical pitch.

Inque couldn’t help but laugh dryly “You would want to keep me company?”

“It wouldn’t be the worst idea Ive had.”

“If this isn’t your worst than I’d hate to see what that would look like.” She rolled her eyes a bit. Her hand was still being held by him, she liked it. The warmth was something else.

“Oh don’t worry Im sure there are far worse ones I can come up with before we leave this place.” He was joking with her, it was nice. He was warm, inside and out.

“I suppose you’ve convinced me, if you would like, you can keep me company. Though I suppose I should learn your name if you’re going to be around for a while.” She teased as gently as she could make it sound.

“Its Jaune, Jaune Arc. Short sweet and rolls of the tongue, ladies love it.” He repeated that little line of his with practiced peppiness.

Inque stared at him for just a little too long “Really? Please don’t tell me you actually introduce yourself to women like that?”

Jaune raised an eyebrow “Only to beautiful women.”

“Ah hah… you keep talking like that and I might think you’re not joking.” She rolled her eyes. “Im Inque.” She said flatly

“Inque what?”

She shook her head with an old sadness “Just Inque… I, never learned if there was anything else to it. So its just Inque.”

He nodded, before seeming to notice something. He released her hand in a quick realization “Im so sorry I didn’t mean to keep holding you like that!”

“Jaune its fine… don’t worry about it.” She wanted to admit that she liked his warmth. She wanted to, but she refused. He would leave her eventually. Just like everyone else. Right?

“So… what do I do to keep you company?” He was so clueless. It was endearing to her.

“Well Im tired from all of this, nonsense so Im going to try to get some sleep.” She stated as she finished her own mug of tea.

“Oh… do you want me to leave?” he asked still as clueless.

“How are you going to keep me company if you do that?” She was trying to tease him, almost hoping he would catch on. She would be sorely disappointed.

“Oh… right, so I guess Ill take the floor I suppose.” He started to undo his armor placing each piece near to the cottage’s door.

“I never said you had to take the floor…” just maybe she could get to enjoy his warmth one more time. It wasn’t wrong, she never had the chance before. Just once would be fine.

“O-oh… um… I, i-if you are okay with that.” He was cute when he tripped over his words like that. What was this man? He couldn’t be very old, though to be honest she never seemed to age in this place. Was it the same for him? She had no way of knowing.

“Do I have to spell it out to you?”

“Y-Yes?” Jaune had finished undoing all of his armor as he crossed to her.

“I would like you to keep me company tonight Jaune Arc. That is unless you really are afraid of this terrible monster?” She played making little claw gestures with both hands.

“No… its just, I don’t know you very well…”

“Are you thinking Im asking for you to, sleep with me?” She smiled trying to hide her terrible grin. He was clueless, cute, but insane and clueless.

“N-No! That’s not… I wasn’t meaning that, if… if its just to keep you company i-its fine.” Tripping over nearly all his words he was taken surprise by Inque taking hold of his wrist and pulling him along towards her bed.

She pointed to the bed “Now get cozy, Ill be right back.” She went further into her little cottage, into a small washroom-like area. Running water was not something she could manage but heating it with her semblance and some fire dust did the trick. She changed out of her corset and other clothing say for a long tunic that hung almost to her knees. Coming back to her bed she found Jaune doing just as she had asked. Comfy under the soft blankets she had managed to come by in strange ways, he held them open for her.

She happily climbed in turning so her back was too him he seemed to not know what to do with his hands.

“You’re supposed to hold me…”

“O-Oh okay.” He still tripped over his own words so much, even as he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her close.

She felt his warmth, all of him. It was everything she had ever wanted, everything she should have had from the start. Something as simple as the feeling of being held by another person. It was almost too much for her. She wouldn’t cry though as even with every new sensation she was indeed tired.

She fell asleep faster than any single day or night before. Is this what it was like to not be alone? It was so strange, but she liked it.