Regarding Ren I

Ren held a bit of trepidation when he and Nora applied to Beacon Academy. He did not worry whether or not he or Nora had the skills to attend. Nor was he concerned that they would not keep up with the rigid curriculum that a premier academy would no doubt have. Ren had nothing but confidence and certainty that not only would he and his best friend survive in a new environment but that they would thrive.

No, his reservation stemmed from something more personal: Nora.

Across the many group of acquaintances they have met in their lives, all of them claim that it would be Nora that would be unable to live without him. They would joke that the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night that Nora thinks about is him. So often they saw him appear fatigued from always minding her. They were wrong. If tragedy ever befell him, Ren knew Nora would be able to live on. Her eccentricities would no doubt turn others away, but he was confident that she would find someone that saw the kind and gentle heart she wore on her sleeves.

It was he, Lie Ren, that would not live on if Nora…

"Ren! You have got to come see this!" Nora shouted from up ahead. They were nearing the edge of the forest into a nearby clearing. From the reconnaissance she provided, it was no doubt the site where the relics were being held.

Ren hurried his gait, jogging up to his best friend whose eyes were wide and her smile even wider. He traced her gaze out into the field and his eyes opened in surprise. Lying in the middle of the field was the decapitated remains of a Nevermore. Sitting atop it was the girl with the scythe who got into a fight with her sister yesterday. The girl in white who he presumed was the scythe girl's partner sat beside her, her face in her palm.

Nora could not contain her excitement. "Can you believe it? They took out a Nevermore! It looks even bigger than your usual ones!"

"Yes. I am just as surprised as you are," he replied, still stunned from the sight. He was curious.

Nora took him by the hand and ran towards the red and white pair. Ren struggled to keep pace as her shorter gait interfered with his. The girl in the red hood took notice them and waved one free arm with wild abandon.

"Hey, guys! Here for the relics too?" she asked.

"Who cares about relics? How were you able to take down that?" Nora asked, pointing accusingly at the Nevermore. Glee marked her eyes.

Surprisingly, it was the white-haired girl that replied in her partner's stead, "I've yet to figure that out myself." She let out a small groan. "My head hurts just thinking about it."

Ren commiserated with the feeling. Nora always seemed to surprise him.

"I is awesome," the scythe wielder boasted. She was about to say something when she blinked and looked at he and Nora with an odd fixation. Ren would have felt more uncomfortable if not for the warm smile the girl chose to give them. "I'm Ruby Rose, by the way."

Ruby's partner gasped, looking up, horrified. "Where are my manners? I'm Weiss Schnee."

"Nora Valkyrie!" Nora shouted with all the enthusiasm she could muster.

He nodded at them in acknowledgement. "Lie Ren."

Not a moment sooner, Nora instantly almost tackled the skilled Ruby Rose and began interrogating the poor girl. He recalled Nora going on about the fight yesterday and asked him a bunch of questions that he would have no knowledge of. Ren suggested she asked Ruby herself. Nora, as it turned out, did not forget his sleepy suggestion.

As Nora bombarded question after personal question at Ruby, he expected the younger girl to be getting redder and redder. Ironically, it would appear that it would be her partner, Weiss, who would invoke that reaction. Better anyone than him.

He stalked off to the ruins to pick up the relics while the rest were distracted. It would do good to have Nora make some friends. Once more, he felt unease gnaw at his heart at the thought of that. It was where his trepidation in attending Beacon centered.

Ren acknowledged that he was not the most social individual. He was taciturn, slow to open up to others. People thought him aloof. He (and Nora) knew the truth. Ren was just bad at dealing with people and social contact often tired him out more than Nora ever could. He could scarcely believe that Nora still remained by his side; he would never doubt her conviction to do so.

However, they were in Beacon now. There was bound to be others who would understand Nora like he or have eccentricities that allow her to bond with them better than he ever could. Ren was afraid that he would be left behind by his best friend—that she would no longer grab him by the hand to take him wherever it was she was going.

Yesterday proved that there existed people as crazy as Nora that she could form friendships with. It frightened him. It excited him. If it made her happy… Well, he was more than willing to step back.

"Got us a relic yet, Renny?"

Ren jumped, nearly dropping the two rooks he chose. He noticed earlier two knights were missing. "I have it," he answered her, tossing one of the rooks over to her.

"Yes! I'm queen of the cast—hey, what's wrong, Ren?" Nora cut off her singing midway as she stared at him.

What gave it away?

He sighed. "It's… nothing." Nora's smile faded. "I'll tell you after this?"

"Are you sure?"

Ren nodded. "It's… just the usual. You know how I get when we go somewhere new."

A smile returned, this time sympathetic. It was not the first time he had this conversation with Nora. He doubted it would be the last. Nora then proceeded to show her how much she cared, how much she understood, by one simple action. She booped him on the nose.

"Boop."

Other words needn't be said.