Remaining Embers~Jaune x Cinder

You are One

Cinder wanted to remain in this embrace, but the longer she held onto it, the more aware she became of time moving. Jaune Arc was simply staying still: even with a beautiful woman pressed against him he took no action. What had begun as a blissful cessation was now becoming increasingly awkward and strained.

Had he rejected her? He hadn't rejected her when she kissed him at the base of the tower...

There were those conflicting memories again, contorting her thoughts. When away from him, Cinder could separate her own thoughts and memories from those of Pyrrha Nikos. When in his presence, it ran together in a chaotic stream. The past and the present kept intertwining.

When in the past, recalling Pyrrha's love for Jaune, the pain of her wounds dulled and the sheer passion of her feelings was the only thought that affected her. When in the present, Cinder was left unable to comprehend her behavior or her actions, and the pain sharpened. Hence she tried to subsume herself in the kiss and be lost in the moment, to forget doubt and pain.

Jaune pulled away from her, averting his gaze. He looked so distant, disappointed in himself. Why wouldn't he be? For a moment, he'd forgotten he was kissing the person who murdered the woman he loved. He must've been disgusted with himself for allowing the feeling, even for a moment.

There were no words he could offer, but the truth was unmistakable: the spark that drove Cinder to this act was not within Jaune Arc. He'd indulged her for a moment, and now he regretted taking the time to do so.

How could he accept her? How could he forgive her?

Cinder looked upon him for a moment. Seeing his face contort like that brought her down again, as the pain of her wounds stung her and the dull weight in her chest pulled her down like a millstone.

Cinder wanted to reassure him, to bring light and hope back to his eyes, but he'd withdrawn from her. And if he hated himself, there was no chance he'd be able to love her.

She ambled to her feet and dashed back into the forest, running as far as her feet would carry her. Jaune made no effort to stop her and did not call to her retreating back.

Somehow that made the pain worse.

"Good."

Cinder stopped. She knew that voice... but, how...?

She felt an entirely new pain, burning and searing like fire, running up through her uninjured right arm. Why? Why was she feeling pain there?

She remembered briefly, using a parasitic Grimm in her right hand to steal half of Amber's power... how it scratched and clawed under her skin. How the fire burned her as it poured in to her blood.

This felt even worse than that. The burn was only one sensation. Worse than scratching, she felt pulling and tearing, as darkness seeped from within her, pooling in her palm.

The darkness took form, rising up in her hand in a familiar shape.

"Cinder."

Salem, she mouthed.

"Good you got away from the boy. It gives us a chance to talk..."

Jaune had been left thunderstruck twice in a row by Cinder's actions, but the latter of the two had lasted long enough for him to regain his bearings and at least some of his composure. When he'd pulled out of her kiss to be alone with his thoughts, he'd briefly considered it an achievement to escape from Cinder and her attempt to seduce or deceive him.

But once he did, she had hesitated. She hadn't lashed out or cursed him, she'd just sat and stared before she ran away, leaving him completely unharmed... well, physically unharmed, at least. Emotionally, he wasn't sure how to describe. Or even where to begin.