Work Text:
Jaune had been visiting the shorelines of the Ever After, waiting for a sign that the others were finally down there with him. It had only been a year since a Alex left... since Lewis had died because of the Cat.
Many would think Jaune had the paper pleasers memorized, all their little attempts to get into water, to get crushed, and all that other stuff. But it took him years, after he'd stopped their first attempt, they just kept trying to find other ways. It got easier when he and the twins stumbled into each other.
Ever since he finally understood the timing of the paper pleasers, he gave himself time to visit the shores again more frequently. He'd been there for almost 40 years, they're bound to be close to falling. They just had to.
As he and Juniper walked, he thought about Pyrrha. He thought about how she never got to live past 20, would she have been proud of who he became? Angry? Tears welled up in his eyes, he would never know. She was already dead.
Jaune was nudged forward by Juniper, who had her ears up and was facing forward. Jaune turned to see someone sprawled on the sand. Overwhelmed, he ran to it without thinking, Juniper close behind. As he got closer the more he felt hope.
He skid to a stop when he finally saw who it was. Jaune choked back his tears.
Because there she was.
Penny laid motionless, her eyes half-lidded looking up as if she could see the stars. Her blood staining the sand beneath her. Her clothes were damp from the crashing waves hitting her.
She looked almost exactly as he'd killed her all those years ago. He never thought he'd ever see her again. He should've though. Where else would a dead body go but down?