{THIRD PERSON POV}
She didn't deserve a brother as good as Jaune; that was what Mordred thought to herself as she watched her brother try to act like everything was fine while they walked together, even though she knew his heart was still hurting.
"You sure you're okay now, Jaune?" Mordred asked her little brother as they walked through the forest.
It had been almost ten hours since they'd been at that spot. Most of the time had been spent with Jaune sleeping and Mordred taking care of him, getting him water and food. They had some snacks and drinks stored inside the cave, but sadly, nothing that could fill a stomach like a full meal.
She'd offered to go to town quickly and buy a meal or two, but Jaune refused, saying he wasn't that hungry. She knew deep down that Jaune just didn't want her to leave. He refused, didn't he? She would be a bad fucking sister if she left her little brother when he needed her the most, especially when he asked her not to leave him.
"Yeah... I'm fine now. It doesn't hurt that much anymore..." Jaune gave her his usual kind smile, but she wanted to punch him for it because she could see he was forcing it. It wasn't like his usual smile, and it meant he was still hurting. He was just saying it so she would feel better and wouldn't worry about him.
Fuck him. Fuck him for being the kindest little brother she could ever have. Fuck him. Why the fuck would he do this for her? He should be more selfish for once in his entire goddamned life.
"Okay... but... but I'll only believe you if you agree with me..." She was going to make sure Jaune would be fine tonight, because for all she knew, whatever happened this morning could happen again.
"Okay. I'll agree with whatever you want to say, Mordred." He nodded at her.
"Tonight... I'm sleeping in your room." She gave him her ultimatum.
Jaune raised an eyebrow. ".....Why?"
"Why? I know you're dumb, Jaune, but not this dumb." She let out a sigh. "Why? Because for all I know... you could have another heart attack, you stupid fuck...."
She couldn't believe the dumbassery of this brat. What did he mean, why? Was he dumb, or was he just plain stupid? Her hunch told her it was both, because fucking hell, was it that hard for him to understand she was worried?
"Oh... well, okay then..." Jaune scratched the back of his head, but to her it looked like he was agreeing for her sake rather than for his own health.
This kid would be the death of her, literally. Most likely from a heart attack of her own, or even more likely because of a brain aneurysm from how much stress he gave her.
But she wouldn't trade him for the world, because why would she? She loved him too much for that thought to ever cross her mind.
"Mordred... do you think Dad would be home by now?" Jaune asked, and it made Mordred start to think about it.
That was true. Mom said Dad would be home at noon, or at the latest sometime around then, which meant he could very well be home by now.
Deep in her heart, Mordred hoped their father wouldn't be home yet. Maybe tomorrow would be better, because their father wasn't good for Jaune's health, especially now.
She wasn't stupid. Jaune claimed his heart pain was because somebody died, and she believed him because he was the person she trusted most in the world. But deep down, she felt it had something to do with their father, because goddamn.
That morning, their father suddenly showed Jaune affection, affection he hadn't given Jaune in years. She wouldn't be fucking surprised if their father was the biggest reason Jaune had a literal heart attack. The shock would have been too much for him to handle. Fuck their father. If not for Jaune, she would have started an all-out brawl with him every day. How dare he hurt Jaune? How dare their bastard of a father hurt the little brother of Mordred Arc?
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Looking at his sister lost in thought, Jaune shook his head and sighed.
Sometimes his sister got stuck inside her own head, but he wasn't going to complain about it. As much as he loved her, he sometimes wished he didn't have to hear her shout insults at everyone.
He didn't mind her being loud or anything like that; he just wasn't fond of her creative use of words. It didn't hurt his feelings, because he knew that whenever she "insulted" him, she never meant it.
He just couldn't imagine himself throwing the same insults at her. He didn't think he had ever insulted anyone in his entire life. Compared to Mordred, it was completely different. By the time she was ten years old, every curse word was basically burned into her vocabulary. He couldn't imagine using the same vocabulary as her; it would be like Dad suddenly training him again, which would basically be the end of the world.
He guessed that what she was thinking about right now was probably how she'd beat up Dad. As for how he knew, they both knew each other better than anyone else.
As they walked, Jaune raised a hand and put it over his heart.
'Damn... it hurts...'
But compared to how bad it was this morning, this was manageable. He could handle it. Even if Dad was home, he could fake it. No, he had to fake it. If his father suspected something, it would be bad.
Ever since he unlocked his Aura, he hadn't needed his mother to use her Semblance on him. He didn't know what would happen if she used it on him now that he had his Aura.
If his mother's Semblance exposed the fact that Jaune had unlocked his Aura, it would be game over. He wouldn't be able to run away to Vacuo and join Shade Academy.
And Mordred would get blamed too, because everyone knew Mordred and him were as thick as thieves. If anyone found out about his Aura, they'd assume Mordred knew.
There was a reason their father and mother never unlocked all of their children's Auras. Aura made you a bigger target in the event of a Grimm attack. It was basically a shining beacon that said, "I'm here. Eat me," to the Grimm.
Grimm were creatures of darkness, and they hungered for light. Aura was a person's soul, and their soul was light. Even Atlas foot soldiers didn't have their Aura unlocked, and even if they did, it would be dangerous because none of them had gone to a Huntsman Academy.
And unlocking someone's Aura wasn't something you could do casually. It was a deeply intimate act. Jaune wouldn't be surprised if it was more intimate than-sorry for the language-sex. Unlocking a person's Aura with your own Aura was, in the simplest terms, reaching out to their soul with your own soul. That was why unlocking Aura usually happened between parents and children, or siblings, because you didn't want to bare your soul to a stranger, to somebody who didn't know you your whole life.
As for his heart, he'd used structural analysis on it multiple times already, just in case he missed something, but there was nothing wrong with it. Everything looked fine.
"You okay, Jaune? You're holding your chest." Mordred's words snapped him out of his thoughts before he smiled again and nodded.
"Yeah, I'm okay. It doesn't hurt as much as it used to." He was lying a little, because even though it didn't hurt as much as it had earlier, it still hurt badly. It hurt enough that he'd rather have the same injuries as when he unlocked his Aura than what he was experiencing right now.
It hurt like hell, but for his family, and for Mordred, he would push through it. If he didn't, what did his love for them even mean?
".....Do you want me to give you another piggyback ride? I don't mind..."
Jaune believed her. He knew she didn't mind, but he did. If he accepted, Mordred would know how much pain he was really in, and she'd get even more worried. He didn't want her to cry.
So instead, Jaune shook his head. "No, it's okay. How about this? We'll race back home."
Mordred looked at him in a way that only made it more painful. "Okay... you first. I'll give you a head start..."
'Okay, Jaune. You just have to push through this. It's just pain, and it won't stop you. For Mordred's sake, don't let it stop you.' "Okay... three... two... one..." After he counted down, Jaune started to run as fast as his heart would allow.
Mordred easily caught up to him. "What's the matter, Jaune? You tired?" Mordred tried to put bravado in her voice, but it cracked with emotion.
After a few minutes of running, Jaune started panting and slowed down. Mordred instantly grabbed his arm and slung it over her shoulder.
"Come on... just put all your weight on me...." Her eyes glistened with tears again, and Jaune felt like he had become the worst brother in the world. He had made Mordred cry again.
"I'm sorry..." he apologized as they walked through the forest.
"...Don't apologize to me, dumbass. You didn't ask for this..." Mordred told him.
He knew he didn't ask for any of this. He didn't expect to wake up to a heart attack. But it still made him feel guilty that Mordred had to take care of him. Usually they would train until they were both exhausted, or help around town and have some fun. Today, all he had given her was tears and stress.
"Come on, Jaune. Just hold on for a few more minutes. We'll be home in a few minutes. Can you do that for me?" She looked at him. "Please?"
Please. She said please. That hurt more than any stab ever could. His sister, who never said please to their parents, had just said it to him.
"I'm not dying, Mordred.... I'm not dying..." he pleaded, because he didn't want her to think he was dying. He would be okay by tomorrow. Tomorrow it would probably still hurt, but it would be at a level he could ignore.
"I know... I know, Jaune... but..." She sighed. "Don't keel over and die. It'll be a pain to drag your body back to the house."
Jaune felt relief at hearing her try to steady things with words he recognized from her.
"Well, I guess I should thank you in advance..."
"Hey, Mordred..."
"Yeah?"
".....Thank you for being the best sister I could ever hope for..."
Mordred let out a soft laugh as their home finally came into view. "Stop saying weird shit like that, Jaune..... and you're not that bad of a brother either."
[Author's Note: i'm kinda curious.. what is your guys opinion about how i characterized Mordred? And advice would be awesome tbh.. as long as its actual advice rather than anything toxic..]
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