{Jaune's POV}
I am currently in the bathroom, taking a quick shower while scrubbing as hard as I can without hurting my ribs even more.
Why has no one ever told me that blood is really hard to clean? The front of my shirt had blood on it. How am I even supposed to clean that? I start scrubbing my hair too, trying to remove all the dried blood and dirt.
I need to wash my sheets and everything, or Mom is going to find out. Thank Oum that Mom trusts me with the chores to the point that she never has to clean my room... wait, that's a good thing, right? Wait... am I too independent? It's good that I am, but I'm only nine years old... even Saphron needs Mom to clean her room. Well, she needs Mom because she's too busy studying. Oum bless her soul.
I let out a chuckle and look down at the floor, where the water is slightly red.
'Hopefully my Aura is good enough to heal me, because if not... I really need Mom's Semblance to heal me...'
I let out a sigh before I continue washing myself.
'After breakfast, I need to take Modred to the usual place... I really need to ask her about the circuit thingy...' I ponder to myself as I keep cleaning until the water flowing off me is clear.
After I grab a towel and dry myself, I look in the mirror and see that my face only has some scratches. 'Probably from my Aura healing me...'
I look down to examine the rest of my body, and lo and behold... I look like a road roller was dropped on me.
My left arm is obviously broken, and it's slightly crooked. I need to either put a sling on it or do something to heal it fast.
My torso isn't any better either, with my ribs obviously broken in. Hell, it looks like I have a dent in my left ribs... and the bruises. God damn, the bruises... it's almost black with how purple it is.
I try to poke my ribs, but it stings a lot. "Ouch.... I don't know if I'm the luckiest boy alive or the stupidest boy alive... hahaha...." I let out a tired chuckle before I go to my bedroom, silently thanking Oum for having my own bathroom connected to my room. I guess that's the privilege of being the only boy in a house filled with seven girls... wait, is it eight now if I include Olivia? But she's a baby...
When I open my closet, I start to hum and look at all of my clothes. "Which one... which... which one..." I start grabbing shirts and testing them in the mirror.
"Long enough, but too thin... they could see my left arm..."
"Not long enough, but really thick."
"Not good enough."
After five minutes of trying on clothes, I finally walk out of my room wearing a thick, knitted Christmas sweater that was made by Mrs. Nina.
Thank Oum for Mrs. Nina, because this sweater is the only one that can hide injuries without looking too stupid... and it's close to Christmas now, so it isn't that weird. Well, as close as a couple weeks before winter. But hey, if Mariah Carey can play her song two months before Christmas, why can't I wear a Christmas sweater a couple weeks before winter?
'As much as I love Mrs. Nina for this sweater... it's really itchy. Like, really, really itchy...' I think to myself as I reach the top of the stairs.
"Okay, Jaune... here goes nothing..." I steel myself before I walk as casually as I can downstairs, trying to hide the pain in my ribs and arm when they jolt with each step.
'Ugh... this hurts... I really want to use my Aura, but none of them can know about it...'
After a couple of minutes, I finally arrive at the dining table, where the rest of the family is eating.
"Good morning!" I greet them, and the first to reply is Noir, who launches herself at me and gives me a tight hug.
"Ugh! Noir... don't hug me too tight." I grit my teeth in pain because she is pinning my arms to my sides and burying her face against my ribs.
"Jaune! Why weren't you here when I came downstairs? I wanted to eat your pancakes!" She hugs me tighter and starts jumping up and down.
"Noir... let go of your brother. Jaune maybe slept a bit late last night. You all did play a lot yesterday," Mom tells Noir. Noir pouts, then hugs me tighter.
"No! I like hugging Jaune!"
Oh, Oum... why did you forsake me like this... please save your devoted child... and, as if Oum himself heard my prayers, Modred comes to the rescue by prying Noir off me.
"Let go of him, you little brat!"
"Modred!" Artoria yells at Modred. "Don't call Noir that!"
"Fuck off, bitch! Why don't you mind your own business!" Modred shouts back as she grabs my right shoulder and guides me to the table, to the seat where I usually sit, which is beside her.
"Modred... please mind your language. Your sisters are too young to hear that kind of language. And don't say that to Artoria; she's your sister," Dad tries to interject before Modred and Artoria start a full-blown fight again for the thirteenth time this week.
"Oh, you little bas-" Modred is about to shout back at Dad, but I put a hand on her shoulder.
"Modred... Olivia is here..." I motion toward Olivia, who is being carried by Mom.
Modred opens her mouth, then closes it and sighs. "Okay..." We sit down, and she leans in to whisper so only I can hear her.
"It's just that... Jaune... you're hurt..."
I nod, then whisper back, "I know... and that's why I love you... because I know you'll always have my back..." She blinks, then smiles and chuckles.
"You betcha."
I hum and look at the table while I try to put food on my plate with one arm, but Modred stops me and serves me before I can even lift my hand.
"So, Jaune... it's weird that you woke up pretty late. Usually, you're the one who wakes up first, especially in the past year, with, you know... Mom being pregnant and all... and you basically making us breakfast," Saphron asks while she eats with one hand and flips through books with the other.
"Well, I guess I'm just that tired. I did help around town even before we went out to the mall..." I answer before I start eating. "Thank you," I say to Modred, and she nods and continues eating.
"So, Dad... what are you planning to do today?" I look at Dad, hoping he'll at least look me in the eyes, but he doesn't.
"Well, I plan to grab a couple of Huntsmen and try to track down the Grimm that escaped. Oum knows what kind of mayhem that Grimm will bring if it encounters a group of civilians," he answers while looking at his food. "You kids don't go into the woods, okay?"
"Wait, there's a wild Grimm that you and your friends lost?" Jeanne says worriedly. "May Oum help you track down the Grimm."
'Well... I guess that's too late. I need more info, because what if Dad finds my spot? There's evidence a Grimm fought something there... I could find another spot and lay low for a few days while I heal up... but that place is special to me...' I think to myself before I sigh. 'Well, I guess it's not that big a deal if Dad finds my spot. Only Modred and I know about it...'
Dad looks at Artoria. "Artoria... do you want to come with me? I can teach you how to track a Grimm," he asks.
Artoria continues eating elegantly. "I would be happy to, Dad..."
"Can I join?" Jeanne asks, and the table gets louder immediately.
"Me too! Me too! I wanna see!" Noir starts bouncing up and down on her seat.
"Noir! Don't jump on the seat! You'll fall and hurt yourself," Saphron yells, setting her book down.
"Noir! Listen to your sister. And don't be so loud, Olivia will wake up!" Mom scolds both Noir and Saphron.
"Aaaaaa... it's so loud..." Blancheur covers her ears, her eyes starting to water. "Please don't fight..."
I look at Olivia and see her face start to wrinkle.
'Well... that's bad...'
"UUUUUUUUUWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHH!" Olivia screams and starts to cry.
The whole dining table starts to turn into chaos, but I look at Modred and tap her leg to get her attention.
"Modred... after we eat, can you come to my room? I have something to show you... about my Aura, and the circuit thing I talked about..." I whisper to her, and she nods.
"How about at ten? After Dad, Artoria, and the two little brats leave to track that 'Grimm,'" she says, smirking at me like she already knows the hunt is going to be pointless.
I smile, thinking about how lucky I am to have a family like this.
[You could read up to 10 chapter ahead if you support me on patr30n. At patreon.com/Zaneninjacat]
Also, because i just love all of you guys.. i'm giving a rare bonus, a 5 chapter upload!