Sun looked away from the window as the door opened up. Neptune was coming back in, his arms filled with snacks. He tipped slightly as the train took a corner.
"Does Weiss even know we're coming in early?" Scarlet asked as Neptune sat back down.
"No, but Ruby does," he replied, handing Sage a bag of chips.
"So then how are they going to pick us up?" Sage said.
"They're out in the town doing some wedding stuff. They'll be by the train station and when we pull in, Ruby's going to bring Weiss to the train station."
"And how exactly is she going to manage that? Weiss isn't going to want to just go into a train station in the middle of doing wedding stuff," Sun said, grabbing the banana that Sage offered him.
"Ruby said she's got it all figured it out and not to worry," Neptune assured. He dropped the remaining snacks in the space between him and Scarlet and picked out a bag of chips.
"And what about when she flips because she doesn't have rooms ready for us back at their place?" Scarlet said.
"Yang's got that. Ruby told Yang what's going on and Yang said she'd have the rooms ready for us." Sun's tail flicked.
"Does Blake know we're coming in early?" he asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. He looked at Neptune, ignoring the looks he knew Sage and Scarlet were giving him.
"I don't know. I don't think Ruby told her and I'm not sure if Yang told her anything," Neptune finally answered. Sun nodded and looked away.
He hadn't voiced any issues when Neptune had announced they would be coming to Vale earlier than planned for his upcoming wedding to Weiss. But he knew that everyone knew he was concerned about how Blake would feel about this.
It had been four years since Sun had spoken to Blake, almost five since they had broken up. Despite giving her the same reason he always gave her, that he would do whatever it took to be with her, the black haired girl had broken up with him because she was tired of making him a target for the White Fang. And since it was what she wanted and he tried to put her wants first even if it killed him, Sun respected her wishes and they ended their relationship on the condition that they could remain friends.
They did for awhile. They would still talk, still video chat, and once Sun still took a trip out to Vale like he would every few months. But then her messages stopped. She stopped responding. She stopped answering his calls. Sun tried to keep reaching out to her, but when it was coming back with nothing, he stopped. He figured she had her reasons and she would come back to him if and when she was ready.
Sun knew that Blake was hyperaware that Neptune and Weiss' wedding meant having to see him again and to be around him. And if she was still the same girl he loved, he knew she was nervous and would be worrying about how seeing him would go up until the second she actually did see him. Now showing up a week early would completely throw her off. He didn't want their first meeting to be in front of everyone, where they would all be watching them, listening to them. But he didn't know if she would be willing to meet up with him somewhere, just the two of them.
Sun was jolted out of his thoughts as the train came to a stop. His heart started pounding when he realized this was it, they were in Vale. He swallowed down his nerves. He could do this. He's been doing dangerous and crazy things his entire life. He could come face to face with the girl he still loved.
The blond boy took his bag when Sage held it out to him.
"You okay?" Sage asked, noticing the anxious flick of Sun's tail. Sun nodded.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he assured before following Neptune out of the carriage.
"Why are we even here?" Sun heard Weiss asking as he and his friends finally got off the train.
"Because I wanted to come see the trains!" Ruby replied.
"But we have a lot of things to do! We don't-" Weiss started retorting but stopped when she spotted Neptune through the crowd. "Neptune!" she exclaimed. She dropped the bags in her hands and pushed her way through the crowd to the blue haired boy. Neptune laughed as she ran straight into his open arms. Sun smiled at the sight of them. Even if this trip was making him nervous, he was still glad to see his best friend so happy.
"What are you guys doing here? You're not supposed to come in for another week!" Weiss said after she kissed Neptune.
"I figured we'd make things a little easier for you and come in earlier to help out with the last minute things you need to do," he replied.
"He means he'll help with the last minute things," Sun said, grinning when Neptune tossed him a glare.
"Hey, guys!" Ruby greeted when she finally came over with the bags Weiss had dropped.
"Busy morning?" Scarlet chuckled as he took some of the bags from Ruby.
"Ugh, yes. She's been shopping all morning. There was still more errands she wanted to do, but I think I got out of it for now," she said, glancing at Weiss and Neptune. Weiss gasped and looked to the rest of the boys.
"You guys are here a week early. The rooms aren't ready for you guys!" she said.
"Don't worry. Yang was in on this too and she said she'd take care of that," Neptune told her.
"You really had all of this planned out, didn't you?" Neptune grinned and nodded. "Let's get you guys to the house then and all settled in."
"Hey, Nep?" Sun said as everyone started moving. Neptune looked back at him. He told Weiss he'd be right back when he saw Sun hadn't followed them.
"What's up?" he asked when he reached the blond boy.
"I'm gonna head down to the fountain in front of Beacon," Sun said. "Do you think you could tell Blake I'll be down there for a little while?" Neptune's eyebrows rose.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Sun smiled slightly. He understood his friend's concern. Neptune had been the only one to really understand how hard it hit Sun when Blake broke up with him. Sure Sage and Scarlet knew, but it had been Neptune that Sun stayed up late talking to, wondering where in the world this had come from and confessing in a quiet, broken voice that damn did it hurt.
"I think it'd be better for the both of us if we did." Neptune searched his face for a moment before holding out his hand.
"I'll take your bag and let her know as soon as I see her," he promised. Sun smiled gratefully as he handed Neptune his bag.
"I appreciate it," he said. Neptune returned his smile and nodded.
"It's what I'm here for. I'll see you later at the house." Sun nodded. He waited until Neptune disappeared into the crowd before he left the train station.
It was strange to be back in Vale. Ever since his relationship with Blake ended, he hadn't really been back save for a few hours if he was passing through for a mission. There had been some changes to the city, new shops, missing buildings. He wondered if the teashop he and Blake frequented was still around.
Sun looked around as he let his feet carry him down the familiar streets to Beacon. He tried to sort through his thoughts, trying to make any sort sense of the mess going through his head. He had no idea what he was going to say to Blake when if he saw her. If he was being honest, he didn't even know what he would feel when he saw her. Would he look at her and see he still loved her? Or would he look at her and realize she was no longer the stars and the moon?
He gave his head a shake. There was no point in over thinking this. Whatever happened would happen. He could hope for the best and he wouldn't be surprised if the worst happened.
Sun looked up as the sound of rushing water reached his ears.
Beacon.
The fountain.
It seemed like it was just yesterday that he had come here and seen Blake remove her bow.
He let out a quiet sigh as he walked the last few steps to the fountain. There were a few students milling about. Most of them would be inside having lunch right now.
Sun sat down on the edge, facing the main walkway.
All that was left to do now was wait and hope.