I just wanted to thank MechaG11 for the cover art check out his work on either the RWBY forum or on deviant art, his name is the same on both sites and he is downright excellent! This story will probably be rewritten when season 3 comes out to stop it from becoming an AU

Boozing not bruising.

Velvet had always found the gardens at Beacon peaceful, as had many other students, in her first year she and Yatsuhashi had meditated in the shade of a large magnolia when the stress of exams had become too much for her. Since then she'd meditated once or twice a week, just when she felt she needed to. Sometimes on her own and sometimes with her team members, although rarely with Coco since she liked to smoke when she meditated and gagging on the stench of her leader's cigarettes often disrupted Velvet's concentration. The dark branches of the trees rustled above her as they swayed in the slight breeze. Small birds with colourful plumage danced between the waxy leaves, their shimmering forms moving nimbly through the foliage with practiced ease as they eagerly gave chase to fat bodied winged insects.

Velvet knew Ren had often used the gardens as a place of meditation too and had often seen him sat crossed legged with his eyes closed by the tulips, though she suspected that he mainly meditated in order to get some space from his partner since Nora was known to dislike quiet and inactivity. It amused her that her meditation felt illicit since she was skipping a class by feigning illness, that such a peaceful activity felt rebellious and forbidden spoke volumes of Velvet's discipline.

Her reasons for coming to the gardens were similar, in a manner of speaking, to Ren's. She was trying to escape someone too...

Velvet rounded a corner in the path towards a small pond Fox was fond of skipping stones across, breathing in deeply to appreciate the scents of a multitude of flowers, but what she saw made her breath seize in her throat.

Cardin.

The very person she had tried to escape from, she had found in her enclave. He had his back to her, sat hunched over on a simple wooden bench overlooking the pond. He hasn't noticed me yet, Velvet thought as she back pedalled slowly and carefully while looking at her feet so as not to accidently make a sound. He's normally extremely hostile and that's when there are witnesses, just imagine what he will do now there's nobody around she thought, slightly panicked.

Her rabbit ears perked up, becoming hyper aware since Velvet felt threatened and picked up a barely audible noise. Behind the sound of leaves rustling on the breeze there was...sobbing... And it was coming from Cardin.

Velvet froze, every muscle tensed up, waiting for orders as her brain analysed the information. He's actually sobbing, quick, leave him and get away before he sees you her panicked mind suggested. No Velvet you're better than that, go make sure he's ok, it's what mum would have done, another part of her mind intoned wisely.

Velvet took a deep breath, steeling herself as she took a hesitant step forward, her foot snapped a twig, breaking the serenity of the gardens. Cardin whirled around so fast he nearly fell from his seat, gazing at her with wide eyes as his mind caught up with reality. Velvet gasped at the sight of him, his hair was unkempt, his uniform dirty and his eyes were bloodshot. They looked tired, angry, dazed, confused and scared all at once. An unlabelled glass bottle half full of clear liquid sloshed in his left hand as he turned.

Cardin emerged from his stupor, quickly wiping his eyes with his freehand. "What?" he croaked taking another pull from the bottle and clearing his throat "what do you want?" He slurred. Velvet smelled vodka as the light breeze changed direction. Great, he's drunk and angry, way to go Velvet! Her mind taunted.

"I was seeing if you were ok, I -I heard crying..." She stammered in reply, Why not just poke him with a stick while you're at it? Her mind squeaked sarcastically. Cardin stared at her for several long seconds. A still tense Velvet, ready to run at a moments notice, stared back.

"Oh," Cardin said before turning back towards the pond. He seemed different, somewhat defeated even, most importantly there was barely any hint of annoyance or aggression. He offered no further response and Velvet wondered if she should cut her losses and run. Her inner voice once again counselled her to stay and do what she could to comfort the drunken first year.

Velvet took a deep breath and then walked over, taking a seat next to him. Noticing for the first time a trio of empty bottles on the floor, identical to the one in Cardin's hands. "So are you ok then?" She asked with no small hint of trepidation.

"Why'd you even care?" Cardin countered with an exasperated sigh, catching Velvet off guard by offering her the bottle. She took it and sipped, not wanting to risk offending him. The liquid burned her throat and kindled a familiar and pleasing fire in her chest. She nodded her thanks before passing back the bottle.

"Shochu gold?" She questioned, naming the particular brand of rice based vodka.

Cardin raised his eyebrow before nodding. "Didn't take you for much of a drinker Velvet." He said before gulping down another mouthful. Holy crap did he just refer to me by name? This might actually not end with another bout of bullying. He wiped his sleeve on the top before handing her back the bottle.

"I drink every now and then," Velvet explained as she took a larger swig than before. "I knew it by the smell before I tasted it though" she admitted. "My dad used to drink the same stuff, its not a drink you drink to enjoy, its one you drink to drown sorrow and pain" she handed the bottle back which Cardin finished before adding it to the trio at his feet.

"You got that right." Cardin sighed as he retrieved another bottle from within his satchel.

"What pain are you trying to drown?" Quizzed the faunus genuinely interested.

"It's my birthday today" he replied, opening the bottle.

"Oh...did people forget...?" Velvet inquired.

"No. Well yeah... but that's not it, it's just not a happy affair," Cardin paused to hiccup, "like it is for most people." He answered before taking a few gulps and passed it to Velvet again.

"Why is that?"

"My father died in battle the day I was born, I never knew him." Cardin answered rather abruptly, the alcohol loosening his tongue significantly.

Velvet's eyes widened and she lowered the bottle from her lips. "I'm sorry Cardin, I didn't know."

"Yeah, well nobody does so keep it to yourself" Cardin said as Velvet returned the bottle to him.

"You have my word, I won't mention it to another soul. I genuinely had no idea though. So you were raised by your mother?" she quizzed, revelling in the opportunity to see the real Cardin, the one behind the boisterous bully façade.

"No, my father's death hit her hard, she tried to keep going but in the end the grief consumed her." Cardin replied, his voice now barely a hoarse and slurred whisper.

Velvet struggled to formulate a response, beneath the aggressive bully lay a deeply saddened boy. Despite everything she actually felt sympathy towards him. "It must have been tough growing up in an orphanage, even I had some decent birthdays despite my childhood."

"I wasn't raised in an orphanage, although most days I wish I had been. My uncles adopted me and raised me instead."

"Ah at least you had some family to fall back on" Velvet said optimistically. "Why do you wish you'd been put in an orphanage?" Velvet asked.

Cardin's hand unconsciously touched a narrow rectangular scar on the back of his hand. Velvet's eyes caught the motion and an unintentional sharp intake of breath made Cardin turn to frown at her. I suppose you can guess why now, cant you?" He sighed, Velvet slowly nodded, shrinking back under his somewhat withering stare.

"Why would they abuse you?"

"I ask myself that more often than I care to admit." Cardin sighed his morose expression returning with a vengeance as he turned his attention back to the ground between his feet. "Maybe because they got drunk trying to combat their emotions and couldn't stand the sight of me as I reminded them of the brother they lost, maybe they thought news of my birth distracted my father and got him killed." He paused to wipe his lips and swig from the bottle again. "Then the fucking faunus staff would beat me when my uncles had finished, since they were often beaten too as a result of my uncle's foul mood." He ranted sloshing a copious amount of the fluid from the bottle onto the ground.

"Is that why you have something against faunus?" Velvet asked, craving insight into why Cardin had mistreated her so much.

"No. My father died defending two faunus settlements. When they were not blaming me for his death, they were blaming the faunus. So I blame them, the same way my uncles blame me. I know I shouldn't but my uncles anti-faunus rhetoric sort of ingrained into me" he explained passing her the bottle.

Velvet drained a quarter of the bottle before speaking. "So your father died a hero." She said.

"No. He didn't, the squad he was part of were auxiliary scouts, the victory was credited entirely to the steel bearers 6th company. His squad aren't even mentioned in the textbooks that cover the battle, you have to look really hard online for even a mention of their sacrifice. No medals, no recognition, nothing." He replied bitterly.

"Doesn't make him any less of a hero Cardin. He saved thousands of people, that's what makes your father a hero, not strips of ribbon and metal pins." she soothed, then held the bottle back out to Cardin.

"Thanks Velvet, I just wish I could tell him that." He accepted the proffered bottle and took a swig before continuing. "So why did your father drink this stuff?"

"Huh?" Velvet said caught off guard.

"You said your father drank this stuff, what pain was he trying to drown?" Cardin asked.

"Oh, um, well he uh..." Don't you dare tell him, look how he treats you now, don't give him any more ammunition.

"You don't have to say if you don't want, I was just making conversation" Cardin slurred holding his hands up in mock defeat.

"It's fine, you trusted me with your past, I suppose its only fair I do the same." Velvet held out her hand for the bottle surprising herself with her boldness, Cardin handed it over, waiting politely for her to continue.

"My mum worked in a Schnee dust refinery, wages were low and the work was dangerous. A fire started in the burn dust department, they evacuated the whole factory but some people were trapped inside, mum and a few others broke through the safety cordon to save them. There were children in there, the Schnee dust company doesn't care where it gets its labour from." She paused to wipe her lips and hand Cardin back the bottle, surprised to see he was leaning forward and listening intently, despite his glazed over eyes betraying his drunken state.

"They broke into the sealed off section, saved around two hundred Faunus, there were more people trapped deeper in the facility, she tried to reach them but the heat was too intense, she suffered 70% burns to her body before a colleague dragged what was left of her out."

"She died a hero." Cardin offered, genuinely trying to comfort Velvet.

"She could have lived a hero." Velvet lamented. "The Schnees refused to pay for treatment since she wouldn't be able to work again. They covered up the whole incident." She wiped her eyes to stop the tears from falling.

"Three days she held on for, three days. Half her face was gone, her faunus ears burned off completely, as was one of her legs, her skin peeling off in blackened patches. Do you know what my mum said to me? She said 'forgive them', she said that it had to happen the way it did or more faunus would have died. She saved two hundred people and they wouldn't even provide her with pain killers." She choked back a sob as she finished her tale of woe. "Three days in agony and she said forgive them."

"How old were you when this happened?" Cardin asked handing her the bottle.

"Five." Velvet replied upturning the bottle and draining the last of its contents.

"When she died your father turned to drinking?" Cardin asked.

"Yeah, dad was never the same after she died, he quit his job and spent most of our meagre savings on alcohol. He beat me sometimes when he was drunk, probably because I reminded him too much of mum since I inherited her faunus traits" she slurred pointing to her ears, now herself becoming somewhat tipsy.

Cardin moved forward and gingerly embraced Velvet whose tears were now flowing freely. "I'm sorry Velvet I had no idea" Cardin said "but I don't understand one thing, how can you not hate humans, if it weren't for human's selfishness your mother could still be here." She broke away so she could speak.

"Because around two years later, dad left, he never came back, no goodbye or explanation apart from a note on the coffee table saying that he'd gone to join the white fang."

"You were left on your own? At seven years old?" Cardin asked incredulously "How did you survive?"

"I was pretty mature for a seven year old. I realised I had a choice, either join the Schnee's child labour force or run away. I chose the latter, stowed away on the first train to Vale and became homeless for almost a month."

"What was that like?" Cardin asked.

"Hard, I remember having to steal to survive, being chased away from affluent areas like a stray dog..." Velvet tailed off and her eyes took on a faraway look as she recollected her past struggles.

"Then what happened?" Cardin prompted.

She dried her eyes on her sleeve. "But then I was adopted by a young human couple, never officially mind you, but they saw me out in the rain huddled under a dust shop awning and they invited me back to their home. I was hesitant at first but I'm so glad I agreed, they accepted me into their family caring for me just as much as their biological human daughter. They paid for me to go to combat school and helped me achieve my dream of making it into Beacon."

Cardin nodded in understanding. "I think...I think I've been wrong this whole damn time."

"What do you mean?" Velvet asked.

"We're not all that different deep down."

Velvet nodded, "I wish more humans would realise that."

"I wish I'd realised it sooner."

"Well you're realising it now."

"Shouldn't you be in class?" Cardin asked, changing the subject.

"I could say the same to you." she said, smiling slightly.

"Ah" he said, returning the smile with one of his own, "but I'm a miscreant, I have a rebellious reputation to uphold."

Velvet laughed softly "well I suppose I should head back before Coco finds out I'm not really sick."

"Thanks for checking to see if I was ok Velvet, I'll see you around" he said as she stood.

"No problem Cardin, see you around." With her goodbyes said she walked away. Well that went way better than expected she thought. I wonder if he'll remember she mused. Probably not after that much rice vodka she concluded sadly.

Cardin watched the faunus till she disappeared from sight behind the trees, barely a trace of prejudice left in his heart.

Four hours later

Cardin sat a while longer savouring the sounds of the rustling leaves and drinking another two bottles before stumbling back to his dorm room. He passed by some second years in the corridor who snickered at his sorry state before clumsily unlocking his door. He brushed past his concerned team mates.

"Where have you been all day?" Russell questioned.

"What happened to your clothes?" Dove asked concerned.

"Why do you smell like vodka?" Sky quized.

Cardin waved off their questions as to his whereabouts all day. He clambered onto his bed and passed out fully clothed.

Across the corridor Coco returned to her room still snickering. "What's so funny?" Fox asked without looking up upon her entry.

"I was just coming back in from my smoke with Ember and some other second years, Cardin passed us" she said laughing aloud.

"Why is that funny?" Yatsuhashi asked perplexedly.

"He was drunk, I mean really drunk, could barely stand, I shit you not on three different occasions he walked into the walls, just walking down the corridor" she explained in a strained voice trying to contain her giggling. "Looked like he was trying to dodge a sniper, all serpentine movement patterns, but in slow motion with way more stumbling" Coco said, Fox snorted at his leader's crass but accurate description, his snort set off Coco again causing them both to start laughing loudly.

Yatsuhashi cleared his throat silencing them both, as he leaned forward on his bed. "It is unwise to laugh at another's discomfort, you gain nothing from their pain but you lose your dignity" he said in his often used 'mentor voice' (as Coco called it).

"Way to ruin the mood Yatsu" Coco countered. "Velvet come on, you must find that brat's stumbling at least mildly amusing, especially considering how he treats you?" She asked.

Velvet jumped at the mention of her name, nearly falling from the top bunk she was perched on the edge of. "Sorry I wasn't really paying attention" she said blushing "what were we talking about?".

"Never mind, anyways we should probably get some sleep soon, it's almost midnight. We have individual lectures to present to the first years tomorrow afternoon and I know only Yatsu has bothered to even start his" Coco said stripping down to her underwear unabashedly in front of her team mates and slipping into the bunk below Velvet.

"Sleep is but another enemy to bore to death with wise proverbs." Fox said mimicking Yatsuhashi's 'mentor voice'. The team laughed, even Yatsu, as Fox turned off the lights and leapt up into the bunk above Yatsuhashi.

The following morning.

It was going to be a long day, an early start of 7 am, the team taking it in turns to shower, Fox and Coco flicking through textbooks trying to pick battles to use for their presentations. They complained loudly from time to time, whining about how few of the battles were suitable for stretching out into fifteen minute presentations.

Yatsuhashi teased them with his mentor voice, "Professor Oobleck gave us three days to prepare for a reason."

"Yeah, well now we have one morning. So either come up with some suggestions or shut up" Coco grumbled.

"It is an individual project, honoured leader, not a team one." Yatsuhashi said, smiling.

"Not helping!" Fox exclaimed.

"I also can not help but notice that Velvet has yet to begin looking for a battle to teach to the first years." Yatsuhashi said.

"I've already chosen a battle." Velvet explained.

"Ah, in which case, would you mind assisting me in the procurement of our team's breakfasts?" Yatsuhashi asked.

"Sure thing Yatsu" Velvet said as she pulled on her jacket to combat the brisk morning air.

The duo walked down the corridor passing sleeply students meandering through the corridors, some heading the same way as them while others stumbling back laden with canvas bags filled with food wrapped in wax paper moved in the opposite direction.

Ruby and her sister moved past, each holding a bag. Yang talking animatedly while Ruby nodded in apparent agreement munching on a cookie. Nora skipped past them singing about Pumpkin Pete's cereal toward the canteen closely followed by a tired looking Ren along with Jaune and Pyrrah.

Entering the cafeteria, they exchanged greetings with a few teams who elected to eat in the dining hall at breakfast. Reaching the front of the queue, they grabbed a selection of food, wrapped it in wax paper to keep it warm and placed it in a pair of canvas bags. Velvet reached forward to grab one of the bags but Yatsuhashi got there first. "That won't be necessary Velvet" he said, hefting both bags.

"I thought you asked for my help?"

"You did help, you wrapped the food? Although I admit I have deceived you, I wished to talk to you away from our teammates" he said grinning sheepishly as they exited the dining hall.

"Really?" Velvet replied, "what about?"

"You" Yatsuhashi said simply.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"I'm worried about you Velvet, as your teammate and your friend I felt it wise to voice my concerns. You stated you were suffering an illness yesterday yet you showed no symptoms, when we returned to the dorm you smelled faintly of alcohol and seemed to be deep in thought. Is there something troubling you?"

What can I tell him, I can't lie to Yatsu when he's just worried about me. On the other hand how can I betray Cardin's trust in me by telling someone else something private he told me in the strictest confidence Velvet thought. In the end she resolved to tell a partial truth.

"I wasn't sick, I did lie... I wanted to meditate because I was stressed but I ended up drinking a little instead" there, not the whole truth but not a lie.

"I see, has the issue that troubled you been resolved?" Yatsu asked hesitantly, not wanting to invade his team mates privacy while also needing to ensure his teammate was ok.

"That remains to be seen..." Velvet trailed off at the sight of team CRDL. Unusually Russell was leading the pack, Dove and Sky followed close behind, last in line was Cardin. His face was pale and he was hunched over slightly, staring at the ground in a manner similar to Jaune when the leader of JNPR was suffering motion sickness. He took quick glances ahead to see where he was going so as not to walk into anyone or anything. Other than his paler than usual complexion he had regained his usual appearance, his hair was combed immaculately and his uniform was clean and without creases, he looked much less disheveled than the day before in the park.

During one of his occasional glances up the corridor he spotted Velvet walking beside Yatsuhashi. His eyes went wide and he stumbled slightly before regaining his composure and returning his gaze to the ground. He remembers Velvet thought excitedly. Ah, but does he remember his change of heart or does he remember you now know his secret her mind commented slyly. Velvet's hand trembled slightly as she and her teammate moved past team CRDL. She risked a quick glance at Cardin, he nodded at her almost imperceptibly without breaking stride.

The pair returned to their dorm room without further incident although when they arrived they walked in on Coco and Fox rolling around on the floor. Velvet gave a small yelp startling her two teammates before backpedaling into Yatsuhashi with a soft thud as she impacted the immovable swordsman.

"It's not what it looks like" Fox said angrily.

"We were wrestling, he tried to read my notes so we started fighting, I swear" Coco added breathlessly.

"Oh the joys of young love" Yatsuhashi said wistfully, stepping into the room behind Velvet.

"Sod off, we were fully clothed" Fox spat.

"Besides, you're one to talk Yatsu, how was your dinner date?" Coco mocked, gesturing to the food Velvet was laying out on one of the study tables.

"Firstly it's breakfast, not dinner-" Yatsu began.

"And secondly it was not a date" Velvet interjected. "Look I believe you guys, it just looked bad initially, sorry for overreacting" she added quietly.

The four ate breakfast in near silence before heading to the library at 9 AM to use the computers to makes slides for their presentations. Velvet took a seat to Fox's right while Yatsuhashi wisely sat between Coco and Fox to stop them disturbing the other library users with their accusations of copying. All four team members worked swiftly knowing they only had till lunch to complete their projects. Fox left once to retrieve coffee from the vending machines for his teammates while Coco went out to smoke twice.

While her team mates referred mostly to textbooks for their information, Velvet browsed the online archives. She found information on the battle itself and its aftermath, including Atlesian news articles about individuals key to the success of the battle, including Ironwood. One individuals name in particular caught her eye and she copied and pasted his name into the search bar of an ancestry website and she traced the line down to his living relatives. Shit.

"Velvet, are you ok?" Fox whispered, elbowing her lightly.

"Yeah, why?" Velvet replied.

"Its just one minute you were focussed on your work then you muttered 'shit' randomly, are you sure you're ok?" Fox pressed, fixing her with his blank pupiless stare, though he was seeing her, he used his aura like a form of echolocation, he could sense physical objects, he could perceive dark and light, heat and cold at great distances with his highly attuned senses.

Ah crap, I said shit aloud she thought. "Yeah, honestly I'm fine" she said.

Fox nodded before returning to his work.

Velvet and Yatsuhashi finished with half an hour till lunch, electing to wait for their teammates rather than risk being accused of dating again.

"You should have started this sooner" Yatsuhashi scolded Fox and Coco.

"Yeah well we didn't ask you to wait for us." Fox countered.

"I don't want the other students in the library being disturbed by the noises of you two making out" Yatsu replied smiling.

Velvet glanced at Coco, shocked to see her leader blushing. "Come on Yatsu, they said they were wrestling" Velvet said.

"Fine I'll stop... For now" Yatsuhashi said. Coco breathed a sigh of relief and nodded her thanks to Velvet before turning off her computer.

"Ok done, Fox?" Coco prompted.

"Done." Fox answered, uploading his presentation to his scroll.

"Lunch" Coco declared, heading for the exit. The trio followed her outside the library building, Coco reached under her berette for her smokes and lighter.

The team walked through the school grounds towards the cafeteria, Fox and Coco leading the way since only he didn't seem to mind the stench of Coco's favored brand of smokes, Yatsuhashi and Velvet followed a few paces behind.

They entered the dining hall, retrieved their food and sat down. Coco and Velvet on one side, opposite Velvet was Yatsuhashi and to his left sat Fox.

Coco leaned in discreetly to whisper in Velvets ear. "Thanks for what you said in the library earlier."

"No problem." Velvet said distractedly, her attention focussed on the team who had just entered the dining hall. She stared at Cardin and Cardin stared back.

"What're you looking at, freak" Russell growled as he sauntered past.

In the blink of an eye his legs had been kicked out from under him and his face impacted the table with a heavy thud, rattling the nearby cutlery. His head was still pressed firmly against the table when a fork appeared an inch from his eye.

"Say. Freak. Again" hissed Coco. Russell gulped, trying in vain to move his head away from the fork.

"Please let him go" Velvet pleaded timidly, very aware of the silence that now pervaded the dining hall as all the eyes in the room focussed on the confrontation.

"Use a spoon!" Yang yelled.

"Yeah! Break his legs" Nora concurred loudly.

Coco raised the fork suddenly, Russell flinched and everyone else gasped slightly. A moment later she slammed the fork down into the table, the handle vibrating slightly as she released it.

Coco grabbed Russel's Mohawk and threw him to the floor. "Do not insult my teammate again, now apologise to Velvet, or I will find a spoon, and I will use it" Coco growled.

Russell scrambled up and moved back to his team mates. "The apology?" Fox prompted bawling his fists, scraping back his chair and standing up. Yatsuhashi also stood up towering over all but Cardin.

Russell looked around, over his shoulder expectantly, hoping to see some support from his teammates. Cardin shrugged before speaking "do as she says Russell"

"But-"

"I said apologise." Cardin said calmly without raising his voice.

"Sorry." Russell mumbled before shouldering roughly past Cardin and getting in line for food.

Cardin nodded at Velvet before turning to Coco. "The matter is settled?" He asked.

"For now" Coco growled, removing her shades to glare at him.

Cardin nodded once more before beckoning Sky and Dove and joining Russell in the queue.

Sound returned to the cafeteria, conversations picked up were they left off or were left unspoken in order to gossip about the confrontation that had just unfolded. Team CFVY sat down again and resumed eating. Coco glanced at Velvet and noticed her teammate's discomfort. Velvet seemed troubled despite her teammates rushing to her defence.

"Cardin seemed somewhat more diplomatic than usual" Yatsuhashi mused.

"Maybe he knows that a second year student could take on a full first year team" Fox replied.

"It has been known for first years to beat second years in combat, Ruby Rose's mother, Summer Rose won the Vytal festival tournament as a first year and won the next three consecutive years also" Yatsuhashi said.

"So you think they could take us on? Are you for real Yatsu?" Fox asked incredulously.

"No, that's not what I said" Yatsukashi explained patiently "I was merely-"

"Come on Velvet, girl talk" Coco interrupted, dragging her team mate towards the girls restroom and leaving Yatsuhashi and Fox to their debate.

Across the hall Cardin watched them go and took another sip of his coffee. "Why'd you just let her do that me?" Russell asked.

Cardin savoured the coffee for a moment before speaking. "They're second years" Cardin answered calmly.

"So what! Why does that matter?" Russell spat.

Cardin slammed his mug down on the table and leaned forward "because you getting your ass handed to you loses us less face than all four of us getting our asses handed to us" he said. "And if you ever, I mean ever, try and shove me like that again I'll gouge your eyes out myself" he growled.

Sky and Dove looked at each other and nodded in agreement with their leader's logic. With Cardin's dominance of the pack restored Russell had to submit to his leader. "Fine" he muttered, grabbing another slice of toast.

Cardin stared into his coffee as his mind drifted back to thinking about the faunus girl, wondering if his teammate's rudeness would cause Velvet to tell people what she had seen the previous day.

The girls restroom.

"Right, so I'm gonna ask you something and you're going to tell me the truth" Coco said, removing her sunglasses to stare into her teammates eyes. Velvet nodded nervously, panicking slightly at all the potential questions her leader could be about to ask.

"Why won't you let me rip any of team CRDL a new one?"

"Violence isn't the answer, hate only leads to hate, look how innocent faunus are targeted by humans in retaliation to White fang attacks." Velvet answered.

"What, so the next time one of them decides to pull your ears I'm supposed to just let it happen?"Coco asked incredulously

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean Velvet? I'm your teammate, your leader and your friend, I will not stand idly by while some brat hurts you." Coco exploded.

"I'm not asking you to stand idly by, I'm asking you not to react unless it's absolutely neccessary. I understand it must be difficult but I'm used to the insults, unless they physically threaten me you shouldn't brandish cutlery in my defense" Coco smiled at that remark. "Remember how I told you my father left me to join the white fang, his hate swallowed all the love, I will not see the same happen to my teammates" Velvet said.

"I'm sorry Velvet, I didn't think it through"

"It's alright you protected me, that's nothing to apologise for" Velvet soothed "anyway it's my turn, I'm going to ask you something and you're going to tell me the truth."

"Fine" Coco said sighing.

"What's the deal with you and Fox?" Velvet asked meekly.

"We're not together, we're not even dating" Coco said.

"But I saw-"

"I know what you saw Velvet, yeah we were kissing, it started off as wrestling and then I had him pinned to the floor and I just leaned in and I kissed him. It's happened before, when the four of us went for a night out to juniors club and you passed out, Yatsuhashi carried you home."

"Yeah I remember that night, well some of it anyway..."

"Well me and Fox stayed a while longer, we kissed and danced and kissed again."

"So why aren't you dating?" Velvet pressed.

"Because I don't want to risk our friendship and the teams cohesion if we get together but end up splitting" Coco replied.

"I think you should give it a try, you're good friends, you have a lot in common and you shouldn't miss out on that opportunity just because you think it's risky, don't you think Fox is worth that risk?"

"I do, but until now all I've had is a few casual flings, boys who saw my style and my looks and wanted me just for that. Fox can't see me quite like everyone else sees me, he likes me for me, not for how I dress or how I look but for who I am. That scares me a little Velvet" Coco said.

"Don't you like him too?"

"Yeah, it just doesn't feel real right now, he's the first person I've become properly emotionally invested in and I want it to last, so I'm taking things slow" Coco explained.

"Does he know?" Velvet asked.

"We've never said 'I like you' to each other if that's what you mean, but we both know."

"You telling Yatsuhashi? Maybe he'll back off with the teasing and we could give you some space to...wrestle"

Coco blew a raspberry. "Tell Yatsu? Hell no! He may be quiet but he's almost as bad as Yang for teasing people."

"Come on, he's nowhere near Yang's level of impropriety" Velvet said.

"Fine, I'll tell him, he better not start spouting wise love quotes though" Coco said, replacing her sunglasses and flashing a white toothed smile at her teammate. "Come on let's get those two bickering boys or we'll be late for Oobleck's class."

Hey guys, thanks for reading, would you mind giving some feedback when you get the chance?

Anyway I hope you enjoyed chapter 1 and I promise there is more on the way soon