YESSIRR ANOTHER CHAPTER ON MY DAY OFF

I'm having so much fun with this story LMAO--

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(Y/N) climbs down the side of the tower using the vines and the dagger Faunus had hesitantly returned to her, (Y/N) promising in exasperation she wouldn't cut his hair or use it against him. Her cloak was back over her shoulders, swaying a bit with her movement as she descends.

She looks down for a moment, sighing before glancing up. "Are you coming or what, sunshine?"

Faunus stands on his window sill, his hair hooked overhead as he clasps it nervously and his frying pan tucked under his arm. He peers down at the ground below, (Y/N) still climbing down carefully as she focuses on her footing.

"Look at the world, so close, and I'm halfway to it..." Faunus leans out a bit, his eyes trailing along the flowers littering the meadow below before he looks to the high cliffs. "Look at it all so big... Do I even dare?"

Faunus looks back at his painting, his eyes lingering on the floating lights before flicking down to him sitting on the tree.

"Look at me, there at last! I just have to do it."

He hesitates, "Should I..."

Quickly shaking his head, his expression becomes firm. "No. Here I go!"

Pascal croaks happily as he climbs onto Faunus' shoulder, tying some hair around his waist and giving Faunus a thumbs up. Faunus chuckles, nodding as he grins.

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(Y/N) looks up in surprise when Faunus throws his hair out, her eyes following it down to the ground in awe as she blinks rapidly with confusion.

"What are you--" she starts, looking back up before exclaiming as she presses herself to the tower, avoiding Faunus as he slides down his hair like a pole.

Faunus laughs with glee as he spins around a bit, though his joy comes to a screeching halt when he notices how close he was to the ground. He stops himself from falling all the way, eyes wide as he stares at the grass below.

He slowly lowers his foot down, surprised at how soft the grass was beneath it as he lowers his other with awe.

He giddily laughs as he bounces his feet on the ground, taking a deep breath as he lowers himself onto his knees while setting the frying pan down.

"Just smell the grass! The dirt," he runs his hands through the grass, eyes shining with fascination. "Just like I dreamed they'd be!"

Faunus lays down with a smile, looking up and noticing a white dandelion as the wind gently flutters through the area.

"Just feel that summer breeze," he sighs out as he watches the white puffs of the dandelion flow away with the breeze. "The way it's calling me!"

He rises and runs after them, reaching for them before gasping in surprise when he feels a cold splash against his feet.

Faunus looks down, his feet submerged in the shallow pond as he grins.

"For the first time ever, I'm completely free!" he gathers some water in his hand, throwing it over him as a bird chirps and flies around him.

Faunus watches in with a soft gasp of awe, the bird chirping once more before flying up towards the sky.

"I... could go running," Faunus starts in a light jog towards the tunnel leading out. "And racing, and dancing, and chasing!"

He picks up speed, running in a full-on sprint now as he runs to the tunnel.

"And leaping and bounding! Hair flying, heart pounding!"

Faunus bursts through the wall of vines, "And splashing, and reeling, and finally feeling!"

He runs a few feet forward, looking around the forrest with admiration as he slowly spins around to take in all the views.

"That's when my life... begins!"

A small flock of blue birds flies overhead, disappearing into the tall tree leaves above as the sun shines down onto Faunus.

"I... can't believe I did this!" Faunus exclaims with a laugh, pressing a hand to his forehead as he staggers back.

His smile drops, face paling as he presses his fingers to his temple. "I can't believe I did this," he says with dread.

Faunus' expression brightens once more as he looks around, laughing as he yells, "I can't believe I did this!!"

His laughter ceases as he curls up a bit, frowning deeply. "Father would be so furious."

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(Y/N) leans against a nearby tree, watching Faunus with a blank expression, hood over her head.

"It's okay!" Faunus sighs with a laugh, holding a water lily in his hands as he sits on a rock in a small pond. "What he doesn't know won't kill him. Right?"

He looks back to (Y/N) for reassurance.

"Uh--" (Y/N) blinks quickly, caught off guard. "Right?"

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"Oh, my gosh," Faunus' voice breaks as he sits alone in a dark cave, rocking a bit with his hands pressed against the sides of his head. "This would kill him."

(Y/N) watches from the cave entrance, heavy confusion evident on her face as her brows furrow.

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(Y/N) sits on a tree stump with her cloak removed, dagger in hand as she whittles a small, thick log that was roughly the size of her hand.

"This is so fun!" Faunus screams, voice filled with laughter as he runs by, kicking a pile of leaves as she jumps in surprise.

She flinches as leaves fall in her hair and around her, her knife pausing on the wood.

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"I... am a horrible son."

Faunus stands on a tree, his forehead pressed against the trunk and his arms hanging beneath him, frying pan in hand. (Y/N) watches him from the ground with a raised brow of disbelief, shaking her head as she continues to whittle.

"I'm going back."

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"I am never going back!" Faunus laughs as he performs a cartwheel down a hill, losing his balance and landing on his back softly on the grass.

He rolls down the hill, rolling himself into his hair as he grins happily.

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(Y/N) sits next to Faunus, her eyes focused on her nearly finished wood carving as Faunus wallows next to her, face planted in the thick brush of weeds and flowers.

"I am a despicable human being!" his muffled voice shouts in a sob.

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Faunus whoops cheerfully, swinging in circles around the tree (Y/N) was leaning against, her expression focused as she shaves off some more wood.

"Best. Day. Ever!"

(Y/N) rolls her eyes in amusement, glancing down. She sets her carving down before grabbing a stick, setting it over a portion of the tree. Rubbing her hands quickly together, some smoke hisses from under the stick, making her quickly pull it away.

She smiles as she looks at the now blackened end of the stick, grabbing a thinner one and using it to scoop some of the charcoal off.

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Faunus lightly sobs into his hands, his hair draped behind him over the tree's thick roots. His back was leaning against the small boulder in front of the tree as he sits with one leg bent and the other out in front of him, his frying pan on the ground beside him and Pascal sitting on a rock to his left, watching him with a sad frown.

(Y/N) approaches with blank expression, her eyebrows furrowed a bit as she clears her throat. "Hey there."

She slowly sits criss cross next to him, keeping a good space between her and him as she looks around awkwardly.

"Uh... here."

Faunus lifts his face from his hands, eyes a bit red and tear stains on his cheeks. He looks to his right to her, surprised to see she was offering a small, cute wooden figure of a bird.

She had used the charcoal from the stick she had burned to mark the eye and some of its wing and tail, the bird figure fitting in the palm of her hand. Holding it towards him, (Y/N) remains facing forward with a small, bashful frown on her face.

Faunus looks from the bird to (Y/N), clear confusion and some apprehension on his face.

"What's this?" he questions as he sniffles a bit, reaching out and taking the bird tentatively.

"It's a bird," (Y/N) responds in a blunt tone, lowering her hand to rest on her knee. "Just thought you could use some cheering up. You've been beating yourself up since we've left that tower."

Faunus looks to Pascal, who croaks as he looks at the bird figure in Faunus' hand.

"Now, I'm only getting small bits of information from you in between bursts of agonizing despair, but..." (Y/N) rises with a sigh, lowering her hood and dusting off some of her cloak. "So far, I've gathered you've got an overprotective father, and we're on a journey he clearly forbade you to go on."

Faunus winces guiltily, another tear falling from his eye as (Y/N) watches with a raised brow, tilting her head.

"But! Okay, this," she gestures around the woods before motioning between her and Faunus. "Is not that serious. I mean, the kingdom's not that far away, and... you said your father would be back in what, three days?"

Faunus nods silently.

"Okay..." (Y/N) looks up in thought, humming. "Floating lanterns are tomorrow night, so... assuming it takes the whole day for him to travel..."

Faunus watches her as he wipes at his tears, Pascal climbing up onto (Y/N)'s shoulder and giving her a suspicious glare.

"We should be back before he even knows you're gone," she determines, nodding as she peers down at him. "Come on, I mean... what's life without some adventure in it? It'll be fine, sunshine."

Her eyes dart to the chameleon on her shoulder, making her lean her head away a bit with apprehension before she looks back down to Faunus.

"It will?" Faunus questions, voice a bit hoarse from crying.

"Yes!" (Y/N) sighs dramatically, raising a reassuring hand. "Trust me. You're way over-thinking this. But..."

She squats down to his eye level, eyes squinting as she leans closer while observing his face. Faunus' eyes widen as he blinks rapidly while leaning away a bit, cheeks heating up.

"If this whole thing's going to continue to emotionally wreck you, I really don't think it's a good idea for us to keep going."

(Y/N) takes hold of his forearm, rising and tugging him to do the same.

"W--What?" he stammers out, safely tucking the carved bird away.

"Sorry, but," (Y/N) walks over to the frying pan, scooping it up before grabbing Pascal off her shoulder. "If we keep going at this rate, we'll never get there, and right now you're in an emotional turmoil over this, so maybe we should just get you back home."

She turns and approaches Faunus, holding out his pan to him and setting Pascal on his shoulder.

"Here, pan and your lizard," she says, turning around and beckoning him to follow. "I'll get you back home, you'll give me my satchel, and we part ways and pretend like none of this ever happened."

"H--Hey, wait!" Faunus stammers, staggering after her and quickly grabbing her shoulder. "No, I'm fine!"

(Y/N) glances down at his hand on her shoulder, arching a brow as he pulls his hand away swiftly to his chest with flushed cheeks.

"I need to see those lanterns," he speaks with determination, expression hardened. "I can do this. Please-- just give me a chance."

She gives him a somewhat doubtful look, sighing through her nose as she fully turns to face him. "If you're sure--"

A twig snaps in the brush nearby, Pascal squealing in alarm and Faunus gasping as he looks towards the bush. (Y/N)'s expression hardens as she reaches for her dagger, the wind rustling in the trees above.

(Y/N)'s eyes widen in surprise when Faunus reaches towards her, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her against his side. She looks up at him in disbelief as her cheek was squished against his chest, the rustling of the bush gaining her attention once more.

"It's thugs!" Faunus fearfully says, wielding his frying pan in front of him as Pascal stares at the bush with wide eyes on his shoulder. "Or-- Or ruffians! They've come for us-- we should run. Should we run?!"

Before (Y/N) could speak, a bunny hops out of the bush, looking up at Faunus and (Y/N) with a soft chitter as its nose twitches.

(Y/N)'s eyes flick down to the bunny, her expression becoming blank at the sight. "Ooh-- watch out, I know a killer bunny when I see one."

The bunny tilts its head, nose still twitching.

Faunus lets out a breathless laugh, lowering his frying pan as he sighs in relief while shaking his head at himself. (Y/N) glances up at him, attempting to remove herself from his grip to no avail.

"Uh..." she drags the word out, gaining his attention.

Faunus looks down at (Y/N) speaks, jumping in realization as he quickly removes his arm from her and steps to the side away a few paces as he turns away with bright red cheeks.

"Sorry! I, uh..." He rubs the back of his neck, turning to her with a sheepish smile. "I... guess I'm a little jumpy."

"A little?" (Y/N) chuckles with amusement, shaking her head. "More like a lot jumpy. You're giving me whiplash with all your mood changes."

She rubs her temple, side eyeing Faunus for a moment with a hint of embarrassment. "And... I can handle myself you know? You... didn't need to, uh, do that..."

Faunus flushes with embarrassment, looking down a bit dejectedly. (Y/N) notices, frowning as she sighs quietly through her nose and approaches him.

"But... I do appreciate you feeling the need to protect me from the savage creature," (Y/N) jokes, bumping her shoulder against his as she passes him. "So, thanks."

Faunus visibly perks up at her words and chuckles a bit self-consciously, rubbing his arm that she had bumped into sheepishly. "No... problem."

"Come on, sunshine!" (Y/N) calls as she continues walking, not looking back.

Faunus watches her walk away few moments with wonderment, Pascal croaking on his shoulder getting his attention. He snaps out of his daze, quickly following after her with a wide grin on his face as Pascal eyes him oddly.

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We're already 32 mins into this movie what the hECKKKK—

We are BLASTINGGG through this owo