Ears bouncing up and down, arms swaying by her sides, feet moving forward like it's nobody's business, Velvet Scarlatina was feeling great today.
How could I not after passing the final test in history this semester? She pleasantly mused as her lips folded into a quick grin, her face expression of satisfaction, relief and proudness. Humming a random tune to herself, Velvet continued to stride down the hallways, turning corner after a corner until she stopped next to big double-doors. Big, bold letters above it read as 'Dining hall.' Stretching her hand, Velvet reached for a handle, but someone else pushed the door from the other side.
Posture slightly stifled, her expression dropped to a blank, if slightly alerted face and she quickly stepped aside to let the person pass her. After he didn't, but instead seemed to wait for something, she spared him a quick, cautious glance. He offered her a simple one back as he remained where he was, one hand keeping the door open.
"You'll go in or what?" Cardin asked blandly after he yawned.
She stared at his face a little bit longer, then nodded.
"Yea…right, sorry."
"Don't apologize; just go in, will ya?"
She nodded again and did as he said. After Velvet was in, Cardin closed the door after himself, his steps feebly echoing as he went someplace else. She looked at the door for a little while, then brushed the feeling off and moved to the table she knew she was welcome.
"Hey, Velvet!" Ruby exclaimed over the commotion and everyone's chatter. Faunus girl greeted her back, as well as the rest of the team and even JNPR gang. After exchanging a few sentences, Velvet marched further and found just the right table.
"There you are." Coco gave her an unimpressed look. "I was beginning to wonder if maybe I'll have to form a search party for you."
Faunus girl smiled wryly. "Now you're just grossly over exaggerating. I'm not that late."
"Maybe, but your carrot cake sure won't wait for you so hurry up."
Velvet rolled her eyes. "You know that besides me, no one else is buying it. And by the way," She shifted her attention away from her leader just briefly. "Hi Yatsu, Fox."
"Hi." Yatsu greeted her back while Fox acknowledged her with a nod. Thereafter, Velvet turned on her heels and did order a meal and her favorite sweet-
"A slice of carrot cake." Cafeteria lady smiled knowingly.
"Yes, thank you." Velvet offered, feeling just a tad bit embarrassed from how predictable she was. Nevertheless, when she saw her beloved item being neatly placed on the plate, then on her tray, her expression brightened. Saying her thanks again, she returned to the table. Placing her tray down, she seated herself next to Yatsu. Then, as her attention was momentarily occupied by Coco's remark on her risking to get fat if she'll continue to devour those cakes like that, Yatsu seized the opportunity and took a bite.
"Yatsu!" She exclaimed, her eyes darting from the offender to her violated item.
He swallowed so quietly; even Coco found it impressive, somehow.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." His visage was criminally perfect.
"And now you're lying!" She exclaimed heartily, then proceeded to quickly, rapidly poke his sides.
More like tried to though as the big guy defended like a champ, most of her strikes being deflected by his guard. Some did manage to slip through his defenses, but it was clear Velvet was on the losing end.
"Fox, she needs some assistance." Coco ordered, pointing her two fingers to the ongoing battle. Taciturn teammate took a moment before nodding a yes. Lifting himself to his feet, he flanked Yatsu and wrapped his arms around the big guy's, pulling them back.
Velvet's eyes sparkled. "Prepare yourself tough guy! Here's the special move right from the arsenal of our badass leader!"
If he was even remotely worried about it, he hid it perfectly.
"Rrrrrratatatatatatatata!" Her index fingers moved like a hail fire from a rattling gun at full throttle. Even Yatsuhashi' composed grimace started to crumble, suppressed notes of laughter escaping as his frame started to jiggle. Velvet showed no mercy until he couldn't contain his laughter at all, and she could see he started to resist Fox' grip.
"Phew." She took a breath and then chuckled. "Let this be a lesson to you." She squinted her eyes, imitating a threatening look. "Don't you ever again try to steal a carrot from a bunny. We're maybe soft and plushy from the outside, but we're real, vicious predators when left no other option. "
"…"
After a brief moment of silence, Velvet herself was the first one to laugh and she did so the loudest. Coco wasn't falling back too much while Yatsu himself was a little bit more modest. Fox joined in his own way, a tug in his lips visible. After they calmed themselves down, the gang decided to enjoy their meals with an exception of Yatsu who had already finished his. Instead, he decided to have a moment of solitude.
"Give me a prayer as well," Coco said as he rose to his feet.
He looked unamused as he gave her a simple glance. "I'll give you two."
Coco smirked. "Then I guess you'll give Velvet three."
His face still unfazed, he shared a look with aforementioned teammate. She gazed at him with that quirky smile he knew very well. He offered her a simple one back. "It will be four, Coco. Get that right," He said and then proceeded to go.
Team leader whistled, giving Velvet a sly look. "You heard that Velv? He'll give you twice as much as me."
Velvet sighed knowingly. "Please, don't go there?"
"Come on, Playboy girl, Yatsu' a good guy. I'm sure you two could make-ouch!" She suddenly yelped as she felt how someone stepped on her toes. Her look immediately shifted to the offender as there could only be one.
"Fox." She pronounced his name pointedly.
He didn't flinch one bit. Only stared back at her.
Coco accepted the challenge right away and drilled her eyes into his, determined to win this time.
Velvet giggled and shook her head. "Just don't be late for the class, kay?"
Coco thumbed up while Fox nodded.
Velvet, she knew this would be a lengthy battle which Coco would lose anyways. Hence, after finishing her meal, the faunus girl said her good-bye's and went for the dorm-room.
"Never underestimate me, Fluffy ears." However, little could Velvet know she would hear when the whole team would meet in a class. How she managed to win Fox in a staring contest, Velvet could never phantom. Nevertheless, seeing her leader lit about such a trivial thing was well worth an amusing smile.
…
After the classes. CRDL dorm-room.
"Wanna hang out?" Cardin asked Dove who was inspecting his weapon tentatively. Team leader noted right away the pause before his friend would say a word and knew what it meant.
"Sorry, I want to do some training today. Russell agreed to help so there's that as well."
Cardin turned to Sky. "And you?"
"I'll give my family a visit. Mom especially wants to see my face and be sure I'm doing alright."
Cardin smirked. "Sending her messages and video's just isn't enough, right?"
Sky smirked back. "Not for my mom, at least."
"Then say hi from me as well."
"Sure." He assured and soon was done packing his stuff. Thereafter, he waved the gang a good-bye and parted his ways from them. Cardin idled around a bit longer, asked Dove if he would do his training right away and got a negative.
"I'll do some checking on Backlace for now," He said with-out partying his eyes from the weapon.
Cardin showed a quick grin, but it faded away just as fast. His remark he wanted to jab wasn't voiced either. Instead, he simply marched to the closet, found the right clothing, put it on and left.
He did gaze at his two teammates just one more time before closing the door behind him. It seemed they were sharing a grin about something he didn't hear.
…
Today's decent. Cardin figured as he aimlessly wandered around the city of Vale. Well, it was boring, but rather that than having a terrible day. Of course, it was a bummer his gang couldn't hang out with him, but it wasn't surprising in the least they had their own plans. It was Friday, after all. As well as upcoming week being the last one in this semester, the Winter holidays not far away as a result.
For me it means something else, though. Cardin contemplated, his tired eyes taking notice of the tiny, shimmering particles falling down from the sky. A nasty wind blew by and some of its icy whips even got through his trusty winter jacket. Shivering ever so slightly, Cardin found himself smiling for some odd reason. However, when he felt his lips moving, he understood the reason. "Cold never bothered me anyway." He sang quietly under the nose, then snickered to himself. I guess I'll have to come up with something new this winter. He figured as he continued to stroll down the rather lively streets of Vale.
Of course, they did enjoy doing something more than just once, but Cardin knew better excitement was palpable when something new was invented. Or if not completely new, then at least creative. Which actually reminds me that…He fished out his scroll to check the time, yet the moment his eyes hovered over the screen, a new message popped up. After he read the name of the sender, he couldn't help the tiny tug in his lips. Pressing the glowing number, it revealed a picture with five figures in it, 5 smiling faces yet each one was slightly different from the last one. Bigger, smaller, timid, exuberant and everything in between.
'We're preparing an awesome party to celebrate the end of the first semester.
We need your help!
And we miss you:)
P.S. June asked if your useless ass has finally decided how to apologize to her properly.(His words, not mine! LOL)
Was the text below the picture.
After reading it twice, Cardin snickered, his eyes slightly livelier now.
"Fucking kids." He cussed, yet his grimace showed no malice, rather than that, gentleness. He looked at the picture some more, then wanted to put his scroll away yet another message popped up. After reading the name of the sender, he ignored it and put it away, anyway. Well, I had to visit those little bastards anyway. He mused and no longer marched aimlessly, but with a clear destination in mind.
He knew his day would soon stop to be so boring.