Chapter Seven.
Today was honestly not a bad day. There's not many times that you can say that, but today is one of them. None of your appointments at work have been too awful. There's always a few customers that are upset or yelling, but that's just how it is. So at 6:15 you sit down with your last customer of the day and begin making the usual idle chit chat while you start a software update on their Scrollbook. You have a remote radio piece in your ear in case the managers call for a technician, and you hear a call come through about a technician having issues with a customer. But it's technically not your job and you're already assisting someone so you let it go.
A few minutes pass and another call comes through and you hear Weiss' voice, saying that she is on her way to help. You can always hear the clicking of whatever shoes she has on before you see her. White hair wisps against your shoulder as she power walks by the table you are sitting at. Something inside you wants to follow her where ever she is going, but you stay with your customer.
After the software update is complete, you check and make sure all the issues your customer had are resolved and thank him for his patience. He shakes your hand and you turn to head home for the day. But a sound perks your Faunus ears and makes you return back where you came from. The customer that Weiss went to deal with is still in the store, and screaming at the technician and Weiss. Since the repair technicians and their work are part of your mentoring responsibility and not Weiss,' you feel like you need to go see what's going on. That, and you don't like that man yelling at Weiss.
By the time you get over to the situation, Weiss looks relieved to see you but there is also a hesitant look on her face. Velvet is standing slightly behind Weiss, she must've been the technician assigned to help the man. Not being one for confrontation, Velvet has recessed into herself and is doing her best to pretend like she's not even there.
"Hey Weiss, what is going on? There anything I can help you guys with?" You try to keep your body language as open as you can, addressing all three of them.
"This gentleman is just having an issue with a cracked screen on his scroll. And he doesn't believe that he should have to pay the 150 lien for a repair to get his issue resolved. So we are working on a solution." Weiss' lips are tight. You can tell that she's angry.
"Oh, don't tell me the only people this place employs are low life ruffians and animals." Now you see the true issue. The dude hates Faunus. One of those. Poor Velvet. She has always been sensitive about her ears, which you have always found to be awesome. They have such character, unlike your own minimal Faunus ears.
"Sir, Scroll is an equal opportunity employer, we hire human and Faunus alike. There is no need for such behavior." That wasn't the right thing for Weiss to say, because the dude loses his mind.
"EXCUSE ME? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY MY BEHAVIOR?" He takes a large step forward, nearly closing the gap between himself and Weiss. Velvet takes the opportunity to vacate the situation and hurries away.
At this point you feel like it may be time for you to step in. And you really don't like the way he's speaking to Weiss.
"Sir, please do not raise your voice in the store. Raising your voice doesn't make it any easier for anyone to get to a solution for this issue."
The gentleman in question choses to simply ignore what you just said to him and solely address Weiss.
"Are you going to allow her to speak to me, a loyal and paying customer in such a manner?"
"Sir, in what way are you referring? Blake is speaking to you in a calm and respectful way."
You can tell that this is going no where. This guy is clearly an entitled and racist jackass that is only looking to cause trouble because he isn't getting what he wants for free. But you know Weiss is doing her best to diffuse the situation, so you hang in there.
"I'm telling you right now that I'm not speaking to any more of these," he points directly at you as his voice begins to escalate in volume once again "these ANIMALS. I spend thousands of lien with this company every year and I refuse to be treated like one of the second rate citizens that you unfortunately choose to employee here. It's sickening how you just let them waltz around a place of business, with ears like the rats you find in the sewer."
Your ears lay flat against your head. Yes, you are upset that this guy is basically calling you an animal to your face. But the way Weiss looks so helpless to defend either one of you, and the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes is what breaks your professional resolve.
"How about this, sir." There is a definite bite to your tone, maybe it's from gritting your teeth so hard while you talk. "You can either pay the 150 lien to get the screen on your scroll fixed, you can leave on your own free will without getting it fixed or you can do neither and continue to act like a child and have security escort you to the door. Because the only one of us acting like a lesser human being here is you, and the employees here don't need to be subjected to such mistreatment."
He scoffs at you as he takes a step back. Clearly not getting the reaction he was expecting he turns to Weiss, who offers no additional comment.
"Fine." He clears his throat and snatches the broken scroll from the table and points his finger in Weiss' face. "You have lost a customer today. Myself and my family will never shop in your stores ever again."
You step closer, coming between the two of them. "I'm sure Scroll with be just fine without your business. Make sure you enjoy the rest of your day. I'm sure you don't need any assistance in locating the exit right behind you."
He curses you and the store as he makes his way to the front and out the door. You stand still and watch him as he goes, ears still flat. Your heart is racing in your chest, not used to being very confrontational with customers you exhale deeply and turn to Weiss. She's not there. So you turn farther, seeing white hair fly past you and out the door in the direction of the cafe down the street. Grabbing your ScrollTab and cables off the table where you took your last appointment, you rush to the back so that you can clock out and end this day. So much for that easy going day.
Before you can go to your car you wander off towards the cafe. Only you aren't in search of tea, you're looking for something more important.
You find her window shopping a few stores down from the cafe. Tears still hanging on for dear life in the corners of her eyes. As you watch her looking at the clothes in the window you can't help but notice how beautiful she is. Her hair is always perfect. Flowing and falling immaculately every day. Her skin is the closest thing to flawless you've ever seen. You don't know how you've wasted all this time around her and never acknowledged or appreciated it before. Oh yeah, because it's Weiss. You shake your head to drag yourself from your thoughts and back into the present moment. Beginning the final few steps towards her you decide that this may not be the moment to scare her or give her a hard time, so you walk up next to her and let your eyes follow her sightline to the article of clothing in the window.
"That looks like something I would wear while I'm cleaning the bathroom. And bleach was involved." A futile attempt to make her smile.
She turns away from the window and looks you in the eyes. You can see the sadness in them. The blue that usually has a crystal glow to it seems darkened and deeper. Releasing a heavy sigh, she starts walking over towards a seating area in the middle of an open section filled with a large tree and a fire pit. Finding one of the cushioned benches she sits down, you follow suit and sit beside her.
The silence drills through your ears in the few short moments on the bench. The worry becomes unbearable so you breach the quiet.
"Are you okay? That guy was pretty rough. But you handled him pretty well. One of the managers should've come to help." Trying to reassure her that she did her best, you perk your ears and give her a small grin.
"I never should've let him talk to you like that. It was awful. It was terrible of me to let him say those things, and do nothing about it." She wipes at the corner of her left eye, the one with the scar under it.
"Well he's just an awful person. There isn't much to do about that." You shrug it off.
"How can you be so calm about it? I could never imagine someone talking to me like that to my face. When he was speaking I just filled with rage. It was so overwhelming and I had to keep it in or else I could lose my job. I can't believe anyone would talk to you in such a manner. It's truly shameful. And even more shameful that I did nothing about it." You can hear the distress in her voice. She is really upset, hurting. "I don't understand how you aren't furious right now. At him. At me." You never thought to be mad at her. Why would you? It wasn't her fault.
"Do you care that I have these?" Waiting until she looks up at your ears, you wiggle them. She shakes her head to say no. "Does it bother you to be seen walking down this street, or sitting here with me on this bench knowing about my ears?"
"No, absolutely not. I'm actually rather fond of them." Is she blushing a little bit? Nah, probably just from the stress of the whole situation.
"Well, your opinion is vastly more important to me than the one of an ignorant ass of a man. One that's willing to display said ignorance in front of countless strangers in public over a repair that would've cost him 150 lien. To me, you matter. He does not."
Finally, a smile spreads across her face. She links her arm with yours at the elbow. You typically aren't one for physical contact of any kind, but you can allow it… just this once. You sit on the bench with her for a few more minutes before she says that her break was probably over a while ago and she needs to get back to the store. Feeling content enough with how today turned out, you watch as Weiss leaves you to walk back to Scroll. Once she steps through the huge glass doors you make your way towards the parking deck and eventually to your apartment.
