No.

No. This was wrong.

What had she done?

How could she have been so... so stupid?

"How could I have taken her for granted?"

Yang curled onto her side on the bed, it's soft surface felt like a mocking embrace and the sheets were cold and empty. The only thing she could think of was Mel, thoughts of her returning to Juniors club where Junior would sell her body, the heartbroken twin doing nothing to stop any of it. Yang rolled onto the floor and ran to the bathroom barely making it to the toilet in time to be violently ill, the thought of Mel doing something like that was too much, Yang had wanted to save her from that life, but had pushed her back deeper.

Yang coughed rolling onto the floor a cold sweat beading on her forehead.

She deserves better than that, she deserves better than me...

The brawler pulled herself to her feet leaning on the sink for support as she turned the water on, her shaking hands cupping water to splash her face with, she spit into the sink her mouth still tasting of bile.

I-I have to do something, I have to...

Yang fell to her knees, her own mind turning against her.

What can you do?

It's your fault this happened.

You'll just make things worse.

Yang clutched the sides of her head as her inner demons assaulted her. With a scream she threw her head back, her golden mane igniting and her eyes bleeding red as she rose to her feet, grief had turned to rage.

What are you angry at?

Myself.

Her anger burned away her grief and she moved out into the hallway her pace increasing slowly until she was sprinting through the halls of Beacon.

I don't cry.

I burn

I burn for her, for Mel,

I'll burn myself away to nothing for her if I have to.

Mel slumped into her seat on the bus, glad she was alone in this back corner. She felt empty, hollow, cold. She longed for a warmth that she could no longer burned in her eyes.

Mel and her sister had never really been "for sale" at the club, they were a bit more than just for show, but it had never gone that far, she had more self-respect than that. Or at least she used to, right now all she wanted was something to fill the void in her chest, although somewhere deep down she knew nothing would ever come close to suceeding. Yang had made a special connection to her, her soft murmurs while they cuddled, her protective hugs as though she were shielding Mel from the world, the look in her eyes when they were together. Nothing would replace that, another part of her also knew that nothing would ever come close to how good Yang was in bed, she remembered how Yang's essence would burn inside of her for hours after they had finished, she remembered the warmth and it only made her feel colder.

The club's lights washed over her, bathing her skin in the green neon, it welcomed her back with cancerous excitement. The thrumming bassline echoed through her skull even at this distance, her eyes barely registered the line of partygoers she strode past. The door was opened by Gerald, the gentle boucer - the one who would invite her to the movies.

Next week, she always assured him.

Another time Gerald.

Junior's got me working early tommorow.

He smiled warmly as he turned to the line, Melanie brushed his hand with hers briefly - a moment of intimacy that brought a blush to the huge bouncer's face even as it sent knives deep within her heart.

Moving on already Whore?

All you need is a cock.



Just roll over and submit to it.

What little light left behind her eyes faded, she walked the familiar route to the VIP rooms, a spectre among spectres as the older women appplied powdered youth and sprayed liquid lust onto themselves. She felt like spitting at them, telling them it was worthless; that deep down every woman in this club was just another whore. But she saw the acceptance in their eyes, she saw the emptiness in them that now resided within her. A mirror confirmed her suspcions, she really was just another one of Junior's whores.

The city was as busy as ever, forcing the girls even closer together form the sheer press of the crowd. Ruby hummed along to music from her headphones that were left around her neck, bliss radiating from her pores. It was kind of creepy how excited she was to go to the club, most would assume a girl as cheerful as Ruby would deplore violence, but Militia was reassured by her mistress' eagerness to fight. They'd need to be prepared if they expected to leave Junior's club in one piece.

Militia found herself staring into shop windows as she always did on Terracotta Boulevard, dreaming of the day she'd be able to wear dresses like those. Her gaze lingered on one particular dress, the crimson draped over a pale mannequin who giggled silently for every passerby to see. The dress would be longer than her usual taste, but something about the dark red rib lines always melted her heart.

Crimson on Scarlet; the day she wore that dress would be the day she had left life under Junior behind forever.

"So, this is a pretty far walk to work every morning." Ruby said breaking the trance of silence.

"You get used to it, how else do you think I kept so fit Mistress?" Miltia tried to shrug but couldn't move her shoulder from Ruby's iron grip. The hooded girl huffed,scratching her cheek with a frown. She looked so cute when she was unsure of herself, but in the end her question wasn't cute at all.

"Have you ever been with a boy Militia?"

Militia practically tripped over her own feet, stumbling into a suited man with all the grace of an elephant. She spluttered and stuttered so often that Ruby eventually guided her to a small statue. She hopped up on it, with her usual agility and invited the blushing teenager to join her.

When Militia joined her, Ruby took her hand in both of hers, "Mil, I wont be mad at you, I never could be mad at you." She hesitated and gave Milita's hand a squeeze, seeming to take strength from her. "I've never been with anyone before you. I just want to know what it's like."

Militia's breath caught in her throat, it was so easy to forget Ruby's hesitation and inexperience. She had matured so fast that sometimes Militia felt like a virgin, but here her mistress was - asking for tales of her conquests. "I'd rather not think of it Ruby." She whispered.

"C'mon Militia, please?" Ruby practically begged her, causing her heart to skip a beat.

"Well, you have to understand that my life hasn't exactly been great Ruby. I've gone hungry more times than I'd like to say…" She trailed off unsure how to say what she was going to say.

"You'll never have to go hungry again Mil, even if we have to become bandits; you'll have everything you want." Ruby smiled with mischief, but Militia got the sense their was less fantasy behind the girl's boasts than it seemed.

Militia exhaled, "Well, I work as a sort of model for Junior. He sends some customers to me for 'entertainment'. A few dances, a couple of times I stripped." She felt her hands shake, Ruby's touch the only thing helping her keep it together. She balled her other hand into a fist.

"When you're starving, you'll do anything. With anyone."

Her voice was barely audible.

"A couple of customers would offer me money, the kind of money that would feed us for weeks. To take me home. Junior didn't approve, I still haven't told Melanie. But I've been with four men, Ruby. Four times I gave up the only thing I have, to some of the worst men in the world. and -"

Ruby pulled her into a tight hug, she was tense and cold seemed to radiate from her. It was terrifying, seeing her transform from caring lover to a woman scorned. "Never again."

"I never want a man to touch me ever again. I never want to feel so empty." She wept.

Militia would always remember the words Ruby spoke that day; the two words that slammed the door to her past shut with incredible force.

Never Again

Ruby clutched her and stroked her hair. The music on Ruby's headphones filled her ears, the irl liked such somber music. Maybe one day she'd ask her mistress about it. It seemed like hours she wept int Ruby's cloak, but the huge clock on Vermillion house showed they'd only been sitting for five minutes. The sun sank below the buildings ahead, turning the sky red. Ruby strode towards King's Street with purpose and to Militia it seemed as if the sun itself fled before the wrath of Ruby Rose.