Author's Note & Rant: I had to write this thing three times! since the site keeps glitching (other authors, I know you konw what I'm talking about). To make this quick . . . WOOHHOOOO! 10K views baby! Thank you to ll my readers for making that possible and for sticking through so far (you shall not be disappointed!) Hope everyone enjoys the early release chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY

Betas: yuvinile and noobalisious

"I wonder where he is?"

"Maybe he slept in?"

"I don't think so Coco, I doubt the Slayers are the types to sleep in."

"You think so Yatsu?"

"Well, he was seriously injured so I think he can be entitled to some extra sleep," added Fox.

"There he is now," Coco said making the team look to the cafeteria doors.

Velvet had to hold back her desire to run up to the injured Slayer and hug him. She watched as he walked in, dressed in a full school uniform along with his right arm tied up in a sling, with his hands bandaged up to his fingers.

It had been two days since he recovered from his coma and was discharged from the hospital wing. He had managed to revert his claws but his knuckle and fingers remained armored so he resorted to keeping them hidden until he regained full control of his arm. The doctors had said that his arm was recovering but at a rate similar to humans so it would take up to a week before the nerves and aura channels fully healed up.

Since he had asked Port if he could skip the lectures to spend more time resting, Velvet had offered for him to join her and her team for breakfast since they didn't have any morning classes till later in the day.

The Slayer gave them a friendly wave as he approached, Velvet returning the wave eagerly as he drew closer. He stopped beside the group before speaking, "Hey guys. Sorry I'm late, I slept in a little."

"Oh, no worries. You need to rest after all," Velvet replied.

Dante softly nodded at her statement though he didn't look particularly pleased.

"True enough . . . well, I'll go get my food and be back in a moment," he said as he turned towards the line.

"I'll join you," Velvet said as she quickly joined his side. Dante only sighed as he started to walk.

'What's up with him?' Velvet wondered as she walked quietly beside him until they got into the line, some of the other students getting noticeably quiet at the Slayer's presence. After a minute or so Velvet decided to break the silence.

"Hey Dante, is something bothering you?"

He gave her a side glance before beginning to grab some plates while answering.

"It's not really a big deal, it's just . . . kind of odd being the one looked after. I'm used to getting back on my feet almost immediately but now it feels like I'm being treated as frail."

"Why would you say that?"

"Because I can't train in peace or even go off on my own without someone reprimanding me for 'pushing too hard' or 'being oblivious to my own needs'. I'll be fine . . . I always have been."

Velvet looked silently at him as he finished gathering his plate before the two walked back to her group's table. As Dante set his tray down and was about to sit Velvet reached out and grabbed his hand. He looked at her with a mix of surprise and curiosity but she didn't say anything as she pulled him along, away from the table and leaving a very confused team behind.

They walked silently together out of the cafeteria and into a large courtyard built adjacently to the cafeteria. She looked around to see if there was any particularly unoccupied area to sit at. She spotted a little bench off to her left, resting under the tree shade. She led Dante there and gestured for him to sit down while she remained standing in front of him. He still looked more curious than anything as he waited for her to speak while she collected her thoughts.

She took a deep breath before beginning, "You are pushing yourself too hard."

He looked like he was about to say something but she raised hand for him to wait.

"Do you understand just how worried we were about you? Every time I saw you in that hospital bed, I felt like my heart was in a vice grip. We didn't know if you would ever wake up . . ."

She stopped as she took another quick breath, her hands clenched at her sides as she continued.

"I don't think I've ever been so worried about someone else in my life . . . I thought I could lose the first real family I had ever had . . . that I would be alone again . . ."

She felt tears sting at the back of her eyes as the memories of those nights spent crying came back but she did her best to hold them back.

"You are strong, there is no doubt about that . . . Hell, I'm almost certain that you are the strongest person I've ever met, period . . . but that doesn't mean that you always have to be. I know that you are used to bearing all the weight alone, that you learned to only rely on yourself, even if at times it felt like you might just fall apart but I'm telling you that you don't have to anymore."

Her breath hitched, the tears finally breaking through but she continued regardless.

"It might be a tough pill to swallow but the truth is that you were seriously hurt and you need to take time to recover. You aren't alone anymore and you don't have to bare all the responsibilities alone either, so let us help you. We are just trying to look after you and make sure that you get to a full recovery . . . that's all . . ." she finished as she looked down, her frame trembling as she continued to lightly sob.

She kept her face trained down as she heard Dante stand up and step closer to her before he softly pulled her into a one armed hug, her face gently resting against his chest with his chin over her head. After a few seconds she brought her arms up and slowly draped them around him, pulling him closer as she continued to softly cry while he began to hum.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, Dante's warm embrace bringing her comfort until she finally relaxed enough to stop crying. Then he released the hug and leaned back while placing a finger under her chin and tilting it up to look at him. He looked sad but his eyes conveyed a gentleness and care that seemed to fill her with warmth.

"I'm sorry Velvet . . . I didn't think you were all so worried about my health. I see now that I should be more grateful towards everyone . . . it's just hard sometimes. Even with everything that has happened in the last few months I sometimes still feel like I should be the one handling everything but then I forget that there are people worried about me."

He shifted his hand to cup her cheek, his thumb wiping away the last of her tears before he leaned forward and surprised her with a kiss on the forehead. She couldn't help but blush at the tender display of affection, her lips shifting into a small smile.

"I'll take it easy for a few more days while my arm recovers, ok? And if you want, you can tag along for some of my lighter training to make sure I don't get myself in any more trouble."

She nodded as she took a step back before speaking, "As long as you don't overstrain yourself I'll happily join you."

Dante finally smiled as well, seemingly more relaxed then when he first arrived in the cafeteria. Velvet grabbed Dante's hand again, the two beginning to walk back to the cafeteria.

As they walked Dante chuckled earning a confused look from Velvet.

"Aren't you being very affectionate lately, going as far as holding my hand in public," he said while stifling another chuckle.

"And what's wrong with it? Are you worried someone might get jealous?" she teased with a wink.

Dante stopped walking as he looked at her in surprise, apparently thinking that his and Athena's getting together was still secret.

"I'm sorry but it was pretty obvious the minute you got out of the hospital. You two are nearly inseparable and frequently have each other's scents on you. I'm almost certain that the only people who haven't noticed are Weiss, Ruby, Jaune, and Nora," she continued.

"Wait, but if you knew then why not say anything?" he asked with a faint blush.

"Because it would be rude unless you two openly say it."

"Huh . . . and here I thought that we were being discreet," he muttered before looking at her with a mischievous grin. "And even then you still go wanting to hold my hand like this?"

"So? Can't a girl hold her big brother's hand every once in a while? After all, it's not like you are being held against your will" she said with an innocent face.

"Sure, I'm just wondering if said girl might happen to have a big brother complex," he teased back with a wiggle of the eyebrows.

"Hey!" she replied with a pout. "I do not have a big brother complex!"

"Yeah . . . sure," he retorted sarcastically which made her pout even more. "Oh don't go making faces. It's true that I don't mind at all, I just couldn't resist teasing you is all."

"Meanie," she mumbled as she gave him a soft tap on his good shoulder with her free hand making him chuckle even more.

"Ok, let's get back to the cafeteria and eat, I'm starved," he said as he resumed walking, giving her a big smile which she immediately returned.

The room was dark and silent, her bed feeling cozy and soft as she snuggled further into her sheets. She was peacefully slumbering until a soft gasp caught her attention. She didn't move as she waited to see if she would hear it again. It sounded again, slightly muffled but definitely a gasp coming from the bed opposite hers. She opened her eyes as she sat up, waiting for her vision to adjust to the low light.

She looked to her right at her partner's bed, the sheets moving back and forth randomly as the occupant fidgeted. 'He is having nightmares again' she thought as she slid of her bed and moved closer. She could see him now, his face contorted into a grimace as he clenched at the sheets around him.

"Dante . . . Dante, calm down. It isn't real, open your eyes," she whispered while gently reaching for his face.

At the touch he jerked up with another gasp, his eyes wide as he looked at her with their draconic form, some sweat trailing off his brow. She didn't even need to say anything as she gently pulled his head to her chest.

"It's ok . . . I'm here . . ." she whispered soothingly as he hugged her with both arms, his face hidden just above her bosom.

She knew what he had dreamed about. Even though it had been nearly a week since he left the hospital, by the second night he had been unable to sleep since he kept remembering the illusion Alluria had tormented him with. She had tried her best to sooth him, finally getting him to at least rest by laying his head on her lap while she ran her hand through his hair. It made her heart ache seeing him struggle against his worst fears brought into cruel clarity by that bat's semblance but there was little she could do. It was a fear that Dante would have to learn to control while all she could do was hold him close and hope for the best.

So far she was the only one that knew about the illusion and his nightmares. He still wasn't sure if he could handle retelling the experience so he kept it secret, only allowing her to see him at his most vulnerable.

After some time, he slowly started to calm down. He leaned back, looking at her face with a sad smile.

"Thank you," he whispered earnestly.

She gave him a sweet smile before gently cupping his cheek and saying, "Always."

They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before she leaned in and gave him a tender kiss, willing all her love and support into it, letting him know that she was there for him. They held the kiss for a few minutes before she broke it before she glanced at his bed, an idea coming to mind.

"W-want me to stay with you tonight?" she asked shyly as a faint blush marked her cheeks.

He looked at her in surprise before smiling happily as he moved back while lifting the sheets. She eagerly took the invitation as she got into his bed and snuggled up against him, using his left arm as a pillow while he wrapped his right arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She looked at him for a moment before looking down at his exposed chest, the silver crystal faintly glowing in the darkness. She gently placed her hand on it, the crystal responding by glowing brighter with a blueish hue as heat radiated from it into her hand.

"It's funny . . . it's almost like it has a mind of its own," Dante whispered as he looked at her.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it only glows like that when I focus my aura or you touch it," he explained.

"Really?"

"Mhmm. I know because some of the others touched it but it didn't start to glow like it does with you."

"So you think it has to do with your new sensing ability?"

She recalled how Dante explained that he could mentally visualize as well as sense and pinpoint other aura sources, even being able to judge the level of strength each user had without them needing to actually flare it. He had told her that for some reason he could actually visualize her complete body, even her facial expressions but he couldn't for others.

"No . . . I think it reflects how I feel," he answered making her look at him in pleasant surprise.

"And how did you guess that?" she asked happily.

"Like this . . . I . . . love . . . you." As he spoke each word the crystal's glow momentarily glowed brighter before returning to the soft glow it held when she touched it.

She felt her heart do a somersault as he said that, her entire body burning up with desire to hug him, kiss him, among many other things . . .

She pinched her own cheeks to keep the heated thoughts at bay all the while he looked at her slightly confused as to why she did that.

She gave him a silly smile before grabbing the back of his head and pulling him into another kiss, this time deeper and more passionate. Dante seemed surprised by the sudden kiss but soon reciprocated, occasionally nibbling her bottom lip in a way he knew would get a reaction out of her. She could feel his skin heat up as they pulled their bodies closer. Soon she touched his lip with her tongue, wanting more of him with every passing moment.

He immediately complied, his tongue this time putting up much more of a fight but she prevailed in the end. He didn't seem to mind one bit, simply going for another love bite, this time eliciting a small moan from her. They continued their make out session as their bodies moved and wriggled around until she was straddling him, his left hand trailing down her back while his right held her waist. She then felt his hand give her rear a quick squeeze, making her yelp in surprise as she broke the kiss and sat up.

"Is someone getting a little handsy?" she teased with a wink.

"Can you blame me?" he replied with a cheeky grin while repeating the squeeze, this time a little harder which made her gasp.

"Oh I see how it is . . ." she said before grabbing both his hands and holding them down at his sides. "But being naughty will only get you punished," she purred in his ear.

"How so?" he asked, looking very interested in what kind of punishment he would receive.

"Who knows?" she said in a low, sensual voice as she started to slowly grind on his lap.

She kept their eyes locked as she moved with deliberately slow movements, occasionally biting her own lip while having her face hover inches above his. She could see how he looked at her hungrily, wanting to pull her in to taste her lips again but she kept his hands down at his sides. She leaned down until their noses touched, just out of reach for him to kiss. He tried to close the distance but she pulled back, all the while biting her own lips.

He growled in response, a primal yet arousing sound that sent vibrations through his frame into hers. Listening to it sent shivers down her spine, desire building within her as she looked into his draconic eyes. She could feel him heat even more, a certain nudge letting her know that he really wanted her. Her own excitement grew as well, her body itching and thirsting for his touch yet she continued on as both started to pant and occasionally moan.

"So . . . this . . . is . . . punishment?" he asked through heavy breaths.

"Mm . . . hmm . . ." was all she could manage to reply as she sped up her movement, her grip on his hands becoming loose.

Suddenly she felt his hands escape her grip as he sat up, pushing up her shirt to hug her around the waist before pulling her into a deep kiss. He kissed her even more aggressively before trailing down her chin and neck, sometimes giving her a bite to make her moan in pleasure, all the while as she continued to grind on him. She then felt one of his hands trailing up, feeling along her smooth stomach making her skin burn at the touch. He soon reached her breasts, slowly and gently massaging them as she did her best to stifle large moans and gasps.

"No bra huh," he whispered in her ear before he nibbled on it, making her grasp the back of his neck.

"Are you going to complain?" she teased back before putting her hand on his chest and pushing him back until he was laying down flat while she sat on top of him. "Now sit still for a moment," she whispered as she looked at him with a lusty gaze.

As he stared at her she slowly began to run her hands down over her own body, deliberately taking her time as she passed over her breasts until she reached the bottom of her shirt. She then licked her lips as she slowly lifted it, still grinding on him. She kept raising it until the very bottom of her breasts were visible. She locked eyes with him for a moment before she gave him a devilish grin and dropped her shirt back down.

"It's a punishment, remember," she said coyly while Dante stared at her, his mind apparently trying to understand what the hell just happened.

"Now that just isn't fair," he said after finally rebooting.

"Hmm . . . maybe but that's what you get," she chirped.

Dante gave her a sour face but that only served to make her giggle before laying down beside him, their legs remaining interlaced with his right arm around her waist. She then placed one hand on his cheek.

"And one more thing . . . I love you too," she said sweetly before kissing him again.

As she broke the kiss and looked at him, she could see the love he had for her, unwavering and undying, as his irises almost seemed to glow with silver and blue. She then rested her head on his chest, listening to the soothing rhythm of his heart beat lulling her to sleep. He sighed in content as well, the pair slowing falling into a peaceful slumber, without any nightmares to disturb them for the night.

"I don't believe my eyes, are you slowing down?" he asked mockingly.

" . . ." No reply aside from the occasional pant complimented with a steely glare.

"Come on, where's that unrelenting demon I've heard so much about?" he continued, unfazed by the look.

"Umm Havasu, maybe you're being too forceful . . ." commented Blake as she looked on, concern trailing in her voice.

"Nonsense! Come on Dante, let's see what you got. Yang can't be that heavy."

"Hey!" Yang snapped from her seat on Dante's shoulders.

"Hehe," he chuckled at the blonde's expense.

He glanced at his scroll, checking the timer. 'A little over an hour and a half, 30 minutes of it with Yang on his shoulders. Not bad considering he is only using his right arm and just recovered full control of it,' he thought as he looked back at his draconic pseudo-leader.

Havasu had gotten up early that morning and had invited Dante to tag along for some training, after hacking into his dorm and knocking on his room door for thirty minutes until he finally answered, of course. Dante had looked rather well rested though it took some convincing to get him to go. He had heard Athena lightly groan from inside the room and mumble something about him getting back to bed.

Havasu had grinned wickedly at him and tried to see into the dark room but Dante kept his vision blocked, quickly shutting the door in his face before changing clothes and then coming out, all the while without letting Havasu see inside. He dropped it after some teasing as the two got a quick breakfast before heading to the gym.

Once there, the duo warmed up with light sparring, mostly testing each other's reflexes and movement speed. Havasu was pleasantly surprised to see that Dante had recovered most of his ability prior to be hospitalized though his right arm seemed to tire quicker than the rest of his body so they decided to switch to endurance training. Dante had positioned himself to do one-armed push-ups with his feet elevated by a small stool while Havasu kept time. After 50 minutes or so Yang and Blake had arrived and joined them as soon as they spotted them, both dressed in jogging shorts and sweaty tank tops since they had just returned from a morning run.

After some light chatter, Havasu got the bright idea of having one of the girls sit on Dante's shoulder while also having him push off the ground and tap his shoulder to make the workout tougher. Yang had instantly agreed to it and hopped on before Dante could voice any protest. Now he seemed to be ever so slightly slowing down, a light coat of sweat covering his shoulders and face.

"Come on Dante, just another 30 minutes and we can switch to another exercise," he said with a grin.

"You mean this isn't all you're going to make him do?" Blake asked incredulously. She and Velvet had been policing Dante's workouts lately, making sure to keep him from overexerting until he fully recovered from his injuries.

"Of course not! If it wasn't for his arm being a little behind, this would only be a warm up," he retorted.

"Kinda ridiculous, don't you think?" Yang commented as she glanced down at Dante, his head dropping down slightly so that his eyes were obscured by his hair.

"You guys haven't seen anything yet," he replied with an evil glint in his eyes, both girls shuddering as if a cold breeze hit them.

"You guys are scary," Yang muttered back.

"He's right though," Dante said as he looked up for a moment, more sweat trailing off his brow. "I need to push myself harder now that I recovered full control of my arm . . . otherwise I'll just get beaten again."

Blake didn't look too convinced but didn't object as she looked on. Yang also stayed quiet, patiently waiting as Dante dropped his head back down and continued. After a few minutes Havasu got curious about what he heard that morning, a mischievous grin plastering itself on his face.

"So Dante, what happened last night?" he asked.

" . . . What do you mean?" he returned after a brief pause.

"You know exactly what I mean. What happened with Athena?" he persisted as Blake leaned closer, her own curiosity peaked.

"Why do you think something happened?" Dante asked cautiously.

"I don't know, I just heard her mumble about you getting back to bed. Now how would she know that you got up if you move almost soundlessly and I know she sleeps in on Saturday mornings, so there is no way that she was already up?"

"Your knocking woke her up," he answered before remaining silent, his push-up pace evening out while Yang and Blake looked at him expectantly.

'Getting tightlipped are we? I got something that'll corner you.' He thought slyly.

"Then why didn't you even let me see inside your room? Did something inappropriate happen between you two?" he purred as both Yang and Blake lightly blushed, their minds already jumping around with the details he had supplied.

After a moment or so Havasu noticed something fall from Dante's face. He looked down curiously to see a red liquid. Then Dante looked up at him with a cold glare but all Havasu could do was stifle his desire to laugh. 'Oh my Oum! He's having a nosebleed! If Kiara saw this she would bust a gut!' he thought with glee as he watched a few more drops trail down to his chin and it was all that funnier because Dante didn't stop doing his push-ups.

"Dante!" Blake squeaked while her cheeks darkened even more, Yang not far behind.

Havasu couldn't take it anymore, his laughter finally bursting out as he rolled on his back, tears of mirth breaking loose as well.

"Jealous are we?"

Havasu's laughter stopped abruptly as he sat up to look at Dante, the dragon smirking back as the nosebleed stopped.

"Me? Jealous? No, just glad you finally got it over with," he responded nonchalantly.

"If by 'got it over with' you mean getting together, then yes, otherwise we haven't done anything else," Dante defended.

"Really? I thought with that tension between you two, the moment you got together we would need to soundproof your room," he said shamelessly.

"Stop it, there are minors present," Dante deadpanned as he glanced at Blake.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure they are the least of your worries," he continued as he looked at the two girls. Blake was as red as a cherry, avoiding either of their gazes while Yang looked like she was in the middle of some very lewd thoughts judging by the small drop of drool.

"I hope it isn't too late for the rest of them," Dante commented as he looked back at Havasu, Blake and Yang both glaring at him from the comment. "And you better not be getting any ideas."

"What? I'm innocent I tell you," he defended in mock hurt.

"Sure, and I'm a vegetarian," Dante retorted.

"Oh come on, what have I done to earn such a rep?"

"I just get a feeling."

"Hey! The girls around here are cute, don't get me wrong but I'm more interested in women, if you get my drift," he replied with a not too subtle wink.

"Aha . . . sure, like a 19 year old is so much more mature than the students currently here," Dante added sarcastically.

"I've seen more combat and horrors than half of the professors here," he retorted somewhat darkly.

"Like what?" the girls asked in unison, their interests now diverted from the previously perverted trail they had taken.

Havasu glanced at them briefly before he sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Another time maybe," he said, silencing the girls even as they gave him disappointed looks. 'Don't really want to go around giving them nightmares' he thought as he looked to Dante, the dragon looking back solemnly as he nodded in understanding.

"True enough . . . but that doesn't necessarily mean that you are beyond trying to relate and have fun with someone around here," Dante continued, his eyes softening with sympathy. "It can be nice having someone to talk to . . . and to hold close from time to time."

" . . . Maybe but not right now," he answered as he stood up. "Come on, I think that's enough for today."

Dante gave him a quizzical look before grunting and standing up, Yang hopping off and standing beside him, Blake joining her side once she stood up as well.

"So what are you two going to do now?" asked Blake as she looked Dante up and down, his tank shirt sticking to his sweaty body allowing for a clear view of his chest and abs.

"Well, I guess we can go and take a break in one of the courtyards, maybe meet up with the others and head to Vale for some fun later," he suggested.

"Doesn't look like we'll get the chance," Dante muttered as he pointed to something behind Havasu.

He turned around to see Professor Ozpin walking towards them, his usual mug nowhere in sight and an almost cold look on his regularly neutral face. 'Oh great, what happened now?'

"We'll catch you girls later," Dante said to Blake and Yang, the two waving their goodbyes as they left the gym.

Once Ozpin stood before them he spoke, "Dante and Havasu, just the two I needed to see."

"What can we do for you professor?" he asked politely.

Ozpin looked them both over before responding, "I believe it is time that we begin organizing your next mission. Follow me to my office." Without another word Ozpin turned on his heel and began to walk away.

Havasu gave a quick glance to Dante, the two probably having the same thought 'More fun' before they started to follow.

Author's Rant part 2: Hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, teasing included. (I'm sorry but I still can't decide if the story will have full on lemons or not yet) and time to get that plot moving!

Comments~Feedback~Reviews greatly appreciated and openly recieved (seriously, I look like a 7 year old boy that got his favorite action figure for christmas whenever I answer feedback)