Spring Hunt updates Mondays
Burn_It_totheground wrote:
I look forward to this story every Monday. Keep up the good work.
Bookah replies:
Thank you for reading! It amazes me that so many of you are enjoying this story. I never expected to have so many follows on it!
GrimmKaiju wrote:
Neo continues to surprise Fox with her spying which is an interesting detail although she probably doesn't have much else to do when she is on top of the truck. As she gets more comfortable with talking to Fox I wonder if the rest of CFVY is getting suspicious of Fox. My guess is Yatsuhashi suspects something but I don't know if he would tell Coco or Velvet just yet.
Bookah replies:
I admit, having Neo get away with hiding on a small, moving vehicle has been interesting. Honestly, it was starting to push even my own suspension of disbelief, which is why I went ahead and "let" her move into the truck with Fox. Not that I am really "letting" everyone do anything. They've taken on a life of their own, and I'm really not sure who is really in control anymore, me or them. I never had originally intended to have Neo and Fox form this... whatever it is they have going. But Neo insisted, and Fox' own background kind of ran with it.
It'll be interesting to see how it further develops, though I already have an idea where this is probably headed. I usually don't give "spoilers" to thinks, but in this case, I'll drop a small one. Fox may be asexual, but he's not aromantic...
SWTOR_Queen wrote:
Unsurprisingly another good chapter, Fox is a bit fucked up, and YAY CROSSHARES IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMING BACK! CAN'T WAIT!
Bookah replies:
"Fucked up" is pretty much the defining characteristic of this story. I'm a bad, bad girl. But when you look at it, these characters are all people with some seriously screwed up personalities. Coco is a frank hedonist who makes bad choices whenever she is feeling down, trying to perk herself up with alcohol and one night stands, and has enough self doubts about her own leadership for this problem to come up often. Yatsuhashi managed to develop a serious Modanna-Whore complex as a teen and has a serious over-protective vibe to him. Velvet fingers herself to images of two of her best friends having sex and hates herself for it, which only complicates the fact that she has serious rage issues stemming from her childhood. Add in the fact that she has one hell of a guilt complex and she is one fucked up bunny. Is it any wonder Fox is also pretty screwy?
In some ways, he's the most fun of all of them to write. He is just as screwball as the other three, but being asexual allows him to "divorce" himself from some of the hangups everyone else suffers from. It gives him a unique perspective on the relationship woes of the other three members of CFVY and allows him to cut the Gordian Knot of social "rules" and "expectations". He also happens to be a big time shipper-on-deck.
And then there's Neo. Oh god... Neo...
As to Crosshares... Hold on to your butt. Things are going to be "a little on the crazy side", as the song goes...
Incursio5991 wrote:
Loved this chapter,I love how you write for all of team cfvy but the way you write for fox with him having no dialogue in the show and not a lot of screen time is just really the fox and Neo interactions,always really interesting seeing their conversations,really interested to see what happens in the love triangle,can't wait for more of the story
Bookah replies:
It has been interesting developing all of these characters. Fox may have the least screen time and not a word to be found in cannon, but the truth is we have little chance to learn about the rest of CFVY as well. Neo is the character we've seen the most of, and even she is pretty much a cipher. This is both a problem and an opportunity.
The problem is that I am attempting to write something meant to be cannon compliant as of Season 5, with very little to go on. Trying to keep them believable within the framework of Monty's vision can be pretty tricky when there is so little of their personality, background, motivation, and dynamic to work with. Given my own somewhat grimm... er... grim style of story telling I often fear that the result has been to plunge them into a somewhat darker story than RWBY itself. I comfort myself with the thought that, if you read between the lines, RWBY itself is just as dark, it's just more subtle about it than I am.
The opportunity is the flip side of that same coin. Because there is so little known about these characters it leaves a lot of room for interpretation and development. In fact, this story started out specifically because I wanted to know so much more about CFVY than RWBY tells us. It's gratifying to see that so many other people want that same thing and are happy to let me indulge myself with it. I know not everyone has been fully happy with where things have gone, but enough have to keep me going even during weeks I haven't felt very confident in my ability to tell this story.
Oak Harbor Highway
"Is everything alright?" Coco watched as Yatsuhashi climbed back into the truck, sliding up alongside of her on the bench seat.
"Yeah," he responded, though his voice was clearly full of some degree of distraction. "Just Neo."
On her other side, Velvet twitched a bit. "Oh." The Faunus woman started the engine and put the truck into gear. "She was back there with Fox?"
"According to him, yes."
Coco shook her head. "I'm really not sure what to make of his getting cozy with her."
"Not that cozy," Yatsuhashi grunted. "He seems to think getting cozy is our job," the giant rumbled.
Coco arched an eyebrow and shot Yatsuhashi a sharp look. Velvet hadn't seemed particularly jealous or angry about their relationship, but it still seemed a bit wrong to refer to it while she was there. "Yatsu…"
He shook his head. "Later."
Beside them, Velvet snorted. "I'm right here you know. It's quite alright to talk about the Goliath in the room."
Yatsuhashi gave Coco a serious look, silently mouthing the word "later". She gave him a quick nod and changed the subject.
"Well, at least we know she's taken the bait and gone the wrong way."
"There is that," Yatsuhashi grunted. He shrugged, then frowned, his eyes glancing down at his shoulders. His hand came up and ran across the top of his head, spraying Coco with water.
"Yatsu!" she shrieked, elbowing him. "Stop that!"
The man beside her grunted, a wicked twinkle in his eye. "Aw, don't be like that, Coco!" He twisted, grabbing her with both arms and dragging her into his soaking wet chest.
"ACK! YATSU!" She pulled away, pushing at his sodden chest. "You're getting me wet!"
Behind her Velvet gave a snort. Coco rounded on her. "Don't encourage him!"
Velvet half-turned her head towards her, one eye on the road, and one on CFVY's now dampened leader. "Why not? I thought you liked it when he…" She trailed off, her ears erect, and both eyes now turned toward the man behind Coco.
"What are you…" Coco spun around. Her face smacked into dangling, very wet green cloth, damping her face and almost literally choking out her question. The cloth quickly retreated, to reveal the now bare skin of Yatsuhashi's chest and side.
"Warmer this way," he grunted, draping the sodden shirt across the dash.
Coco gaped at Yatsuhashi for a moment, her mind completely off track from any path it had previously been traveling down, and then she jerked her head back around to catch Velvet still staring. "Eyes on the road, rabbit!"
Velvet's head jerked back to the front, the girl clearly intent on focusing on the road, and only the road, her legs fidgeting against one another.
Nodding in approval, she rounded back on Yatsuhashi. "Please stop stripping in front of the driver. You are very distracting."
Behind her, Velvet audibly swallowed. "Yup."
Coco couldn't help but giggle, though she wasn't sure why Velvet's obvious fretting amused her so much. Yatsuhashi, however, merely shrugged. "Fine. I'll leave my pants on," he deadpanned.
"Oh thank Oum," Velvet breathed, and Coco fought very hard to keep from laughing. The Faunus' girl's voice clearly had some of the humor in it that had been rare of late. There was something else as well, however. Coco's mind began to pick at that extra bit, but then she forced it away. Velvet was doing something besides moping for once, and that was not something she was going to put a stop to by worrying.
She leaned over and poked Yatsuhashi's shoulder. "Good. Any further, and I'd have to break up with you and find a new lover." She turned and threw her shoulder over Velvet, feeling the girl twitch hard with shock. "You're still single, aren't you honeybunny?"
"Coco!" Yatsuhashi wailed, though there was laughter in his voice. "No! I've already started picking out the china!"
"Fiiiiiiiine," Coco groaned, though she was smiling. "You're off the hook, bubba." She turned and gave Velvet a small kiss on the cheek. "Sorry, kiddo. I guess he wins this round."
Beneath her arm, she felt Velvet shiver. The hare Faunus' skin turned red, and she quietly muttered, "Golliath in the room," her expression something Coco couldn't quite figure out. Still, the girl leaned ever so slightly inward, and Coco left her arm in place.
Oak Harbor
She darted through the still heavy downpour, carrying her bag into the hotel they had located in the depths of Oak Harbor. Rushing in through the doors, she dumped the bag, then proceeded to try to wipe as much of the water off of her clothes as she good before proceeding further inside, eventually reaching the room she was sharing with Yatsuhashi.
The moment the door closed she began shucking layers. "I really hate spring storms. They're too cold to enjoy."
From the bathroom, Yatsuhashi grunted. "Yeah." He sounded slightly down.
"Something wrong, Yatsu?"
"I'm wondering if we made a mistake."
Concerned, Coco walked over to the bathroom door wearing nothing but her pants. She peered around it, watching as Yatsuhashi began filling the tub with steaming hot water. "What do you mean?"
"Horsing around like that with Velvet."
Sighing, Coco padded into the bathroom, then leaned against the countertop and began removing her pants and underwear. "What's wrong, big guy?"
Yatsuhashi rose, turning to face her as he began removing his own clothes. "It's something Fox said earlier today."
Coco paused, one leg still half in a pant leg, the other in the air and cloth free. She made a go on gesture, then shifted legs so she could finish removing her pants.
"He thinks she's still crushing on us."
Coco fixed Yatsuhashi with a look. "Crushing." He had the good grace to squirm a bit under the influence of her expression. "You actually said 'crushing'."
He fidgeted. "Well, I mean…"
"I know what you mean, Yatsu." Coco sighed and balanced her weight on both feet, unembarrassed by her now fully nude state. "She's still interested in us. Romantically and physically."
"Well, he seems to think so."
Taking a step, Coco began helping Yatsuhashi out of his own clothes, focusing her eyes on buckles and buttons so she didn't have to look him in the eyes. "He's probably right. She talks to him. We all do."
"He also thinks we still feel the same way about her. Both of us."
Coco fumbled the belt she was working on, her brain suddenly distracted by a million thoughts she couldn't sort out. She forced her brain to stillness and returned to working on the buckle. "Does he?"
Yatsuhashi shrugged out of his shirt, leaving a green and black pile on the floor by his ankles. "I bet he told Velvet the same thing. Then we went and…"
Coco's head jerked up, her eyes locking on Yatsuhashi's face. "I was just joking around. She knows that! It was giving her a laugh that she really needed!"
"Was it just a joke, Coco?"
"Yatsu…" She stopped fumbling with his clothes and stepped in closer, resting her hands on his bare chest. "We're together now. You know I would never…"
His arms came around her as he cut her off. "I had feelings for her, too." He looked to the side, as though seeking wisdom in the rising steam coming from the tub as it filled.
Coco felt a small hitch in her breath, then leaned against him, resting her head against his chest. "I know." She sighed. "I guess I did too." She gave a small, rueful laugh. "No, that's not true. I definitely did. I told myself to never lie to you."
His arms tightened around her. "I know I'm not supposed to. We're together now, and I should only feel like that about you. But I think… I may still have feelings for her. Shouldn't they go away? I don't want to… hurt you like that. Or her."
Coco lifted her eyes upward to see Yatsuhashi's face, still staring into the steam, his face red, his expression ashamed. She gently patted one hand against his chest. "You won't hurt me, big guy. I trust you." She pressed a kiss over his heart.
She felt his arms squeeze her, tight enough for the affection to get across without causing discomfort. But then the pressure eased. "Do you feel like that?"
Coco sighed, examining her feelings, and finding them to be a mess she couldn't sort out immediately. "I really don't know. I… might." She pressed her face against his chest.
It was Yatsuhashi's turn to sigh. His face finally turned downward, and she felt his lips on the crown of her head. "So, what do we do about this?" he asked.
"Raid the bar and get roaring drunk?"
Yatsuhashi stepped back, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Coco…"
"I know, I know. It's what I would have done. So it's a good thing you're here to keep me from doing something stupid." She sighed, and pulled the last belt free, lowering his pants to the join the rest of the clothing on the floor. "For now, just… put me in the bath and join me. I just want to feel you hold me for a while."
Yatsuhashi nodded. "Alright." Strong hands slipped around her, scooping her off her feet like she was a child. He turned and lowered her into the water, eliciting an almost pained gasp as the hot water touched her ass. He paused. "Too hot?"
She drew a deep breath, then shook her head. "Almost, but no. Go ahead and put me in, then get in here." She tensed as he lowered her the rest of the way, then slowly let her muscles unknot as the heat began feeling comforting rather than painful. A moment later Yatsuhashi put a foot in by her hip, then slipped the other in, lowering himself behind her. A small grunt escaped him as his hips entered the water, clearly feeling the heat in a sensitive place.
Sighing, Coco lay back against him, reaching for his arms as they came around her waist and pressing them against her with her own.
"Coco?"
"Just… let me feel small for now. Okay?"
"Sure, Coco. Sure."
That night she lay in bed, the little spoon to Yatsuhashi's big spoon, nestling in his arms. She could feel his deep, contented breathing, the big man sleeping comfortably as he sheltered her.
It was a wonderful feeling. He was about the only person she could feel small around. Could feel weak and protected with. She could just relax, and let herself stop being a stoic, strong badass woman and just be a frightened little girl. It was, frankly, a relief.
Only, tonight there was no relief. Coco's brain kept spinning in circles, unable to let go of the unfortunate topic that Yatsuhashi had brought up. Velvet was still in love with Yatsuhashi. And Coco as well. Yatsuhashi still had feelings for Velvet. And if Coco were being honest, so did she. Reciprocal feelings.
Yatsuhashi's question resonated in her mind. What were they to do about that? Fox clearly had an opinion. He didn't seem shy at all about expressing it. He made it pretty obvious he thought she should become their… what? Their girlfriend? Lover? Can someone even be two people's girlfriends? How do you balance the time? How do you make sure that no one gets jealous? Can you even prevent jealousy?
Her mind cruely presented her with an image of Yatsuhashi and Velvet, the faunus girl writhing in pleasure as she was pinned beneath Yatsuhashi's gigantic weight. Immediately she cast the image aside, knowing Yatsuhashi wouldn't cheat on her like that, not wanting to face what that might mean, not…
Not sure how she felt about it. Even if it was just in her head, shouldn't that thought have provoked some sort of anger? The jealousy that she had just been worrying about? Yet those feelings seemed to be somehow absent. Instead, all she felt was…
Affection? For Velvet?
Disgusted with how little sense her brain was making she started to wiggle out of Yatsuhashi's arms. The big man woke, his arms tightening around her. "Where you goin," he muttered, still half asleep.
"I can't sleep. I really need a drink."
"Nope." He pulled her back against himself.
"Yatsu, I just want to take the edge off. I promise I won't go on a bender."
"Nope."
"Yatsu…"
"Nope. I got a better idea." She felt him shift, heard the lilt of mischief in his voice. Fingers climbed her side before finding her breast, and she gasped instinctively as her nipple was pinched and pulled just enough to sting without really hurting. Behind her, he wiggled, and she felt something hard poke against her thigh.
She giggled. "Well… If you insist I suppose we could try something else."
Yatsuhashi laughed, now fully awake, and seconds later she found herself in much the position she had just pictured Velvet trapped in. Coco forced the image aside again and made herself focus on what Yatsuhashi's hands were doing to her breasts.
It wasn't hard to do.