Prologue
There's an aura around Coco that makes Velvet feel surprisingly calm. For a usually nervous and jittery Faunus, Coco makes Velvet feel like the world is less chaotic.
But Velvet is a daisy and Coco is a rose, and her beauty overshadows the rabbit's. Coco is too bright for Velvet's world and so all they do is exchange pleasantries. They never talk for too long (Velvet has a short attention span but she could listen to Coco for hours) because of Coco's popularity and clingy friends. They are books from two different genres, only existing in the same universe.
Coco is the sun and Velvet is only one of the many moons that revolve around her.
Until Coco's world comes crashing down, and Velvet is the only who tries to save her.
It's halfway through their senior year when it happens.
One day Coco Adel is the queen of Beacon High and the next her "loyal" followers mutiny and treat her like dust. Velvet notices something is different in the air when she enters school and the halls are filled with whispers. Velvet usually arrives pretty close to the morning bell, so she's surprised when she doesn't see Coco and her gang at the front entrance.
"Blake?" Velvet asks one of the only friends she has, "do you know where Coco is? Where are all of her friends?"
"You didn't hear?" Blake's ears twitch in shock, "what happened last night?"
"No? What did I miss?" Velvet tilts her head.
"Coco's nudes got leaked and were sent to almost every scroll, poor girl," Blake shakes her head, "her idiot friends don't even seem to care."
Immediately a wave of nausea washes over Velvet and she doesn't say anything as she scurries away. Her first thought is their first class together, but she checks the classroom and it's completely empty. Her next idea is the bathrooms, but there are so many that it would be impossible to find the fashionista. So, she hurries to the girls' locker room and hopes the team manager would be there.
Slowly, Velvet creaks the door open and cranes her ears for any type of noise. Soft, choked sobs are barely audible to her, even with her advanced hearing. With her ears drooping, she enters the locker room and goes toward the crying. Her ears lead her to the handicapped stall and she gently raps her knuckles against the door.
"Coco? It's me, Velvet," she whispers.
"What? You gonna berate me about those photos? Gonna talk about how small my boobs are or the scars I have?" Coco snarls.
Velvet takes a step back at her harsh words and wraps her arms around herself, "No. I didn't even know what happened until now. I just wanted to see if you were alright."
"Alright? Well, I'm just fucking peachy, hon," Coco spits.
"I can hear you crying," Velvet says softly, "I'm not leaving until you open this door. I know you're not okay."
A sniffle is the only response.
"I'll wait here all day if need be," Velvet tells her.
"Why?" Coco asks.
"I care about you," Velvet says.
"Funny how the girl I barely talk to cares more about me than my own supposed friends," Coco scoffs.
Velvet bites her lip and shifts her weight from foot to foot and doesn't respond.
"Alright, hunny bunny, I'll come out," Coco sighs after a moment of silence and unlocks the door.
As soon as she leaves the stall, Velvet does not hesitate to engulf Coco in a warm hug. For a second, the taller girl freezes before she wraps her arms back around the Faunus and rests her head on the area between her ears.
"You're not alone anymore, we're going to get through this, Coco," Velvet tells her.
And for some reason unbeknownst to her, the pessimistic fashionista believes her.