A/N: This pairing is one of my fave ships in all of RWBY. I find their potential to be fascinating. Yes, it's a crackship. Yes, there's no way they're canon. I'm having fun, so let me be. I will block you if you comment with angry Arkos comments. I've written over 400k of Arkos, so go read that if you want it.
quicksilver
When he first notices little Pyrrha Nikos waving goodbye to the insipid other girl on her team, Mercury pays it no mind. It is not his job to bother with his 'classmates' during his months at Beacon. Besides, Cinder has already identified Pyrrha as a potential threat; anyone known as the 'Invincible Girl' could pose an obstacle in their overall plan, so Mercury knows better than to let his guard down around her.
And yet, as he watches her walk down the hall, her strong, proud shoulders straight and confident as long legs clad in dark tights stride towards a fire escape (why a fire escape, of all things?) Mercury cannot help but allow his eyes to linger upon long red strands shimmering even underneath the dull, sickly-yellow fluorescent glow of the ceiling lights.
The redness of her hair is almost jarring, he thinks. It is so different from the burning crimson of Cinder's fire. That brightness which Pyrrha carries within herself- that ease and earnestness- it makes his stomach twist a little. He does not know why.
He does not have long to ponder, though, for Emerald comes and places a hand on his shoulder, a slight jerk of her head to the side indicating that they have a meeting, and they must be off. So, he leaves, squashing down his absent curiosity. Pyrrha Nikos is just another threat to be mowed down one day, after all-
At least, he wishes he could say that.
The second time he really notices her, it is not her shocking ponytail of hair that catches his eye, although he cannot help but register the long ribbon of crimson strands as uniquely mimicking Pyrrha Nikos' every movement; instead, it is her gait that takes him by surprise. Although it is the end of a long day, she walks with a slight bounce her step, a pleased smile as she makes her way to the same fire escape after class, waving goodbye to the other girl on her team as if this routine is completely normal. Mercury wracks his brain for the schematic of Beacon's layout which he had been forced to memorize before their infiltration; the staircase which she is taking leads nowhere but to a small rooftop above Beacon's dormitory. There should not be anything there.
Still, he has things to do and training of his own to complete. Thanks to the image he has cultivated for himself in Beacon's unsuspecting territory, Mercury needs to continue playing his part as the fool of Emerald's team, accomplishing just enough to be deemed as a good fighter, but never showcasing his true strength. Unfortunately, that air of feigned idiocy means that he can only complete his own training after hours, a fact which he loathes more than anything.
He wants to fight. This comfortable lifestyle in Beacon Academy is making him slow, complacent; he cannot afford to lose the edge his skills barely grant him.
Without a Semblance, there is no room for error. He must be strong enough to survive; otherwise, he shall be devoured.
He has not lived this long to be consumed now.
And yet- and yet (there really shouldn't be an 'and yet' and it nags at him incessantly that he is wavering so) he finds that a few days later, as he follows Emerald out of the classroom at the end of the school day, he spots that same long ponytail swaying as Pyrrha walks away, a bounce in her step as she makes her way down the hall. Mercury's steps slow to a gradual halt as he watches that little orange-haired girl from Pyrrha's team jump onto the redhead's back, cheerfully chirping something into Pyrrha's ear. The taller girl nods and laughs, her face shining as a blush spreads across her cheeks.
Mercury is dumbstruck with that smile. There is something so strange about that flustered expression upon her face; Pyrrha Nikos is always cool and poised in class or during combat, so to see her actually become embarrassed intrigues him to no end. Does Nora know a weakness of hers? Is there something he can use?
He needs to know.
He does not tell Emerald that he is leaving her behind. She won't worry about him- she never does. On her end, Pyrrha does not notice his footsteps, even though his metal boots clink lightly against the concrete steps. The redhead appears far more focused on whatever her destination may be, the girl's steps light and airy as she nearly skips up the last few.
He does not make it out of the fire escape to see what in the world has entranced her so; however, as he lingers upon the upper landing from which Pyrrha has made her exit, he does manage to hear thundering, clumsy footsteps rushing up the staircase from the bottom floor, the familiar, bumbling voice of Jaune Arc echoing as the blond leader of Pyrrha's team scurries up. Mercury quickly tucks himself into the corner of the landing. Thankfully, Jaune is too busy focusing on gasping for air as he finally drags himself to the top of the staircase to realize that Mercury is even there, leaving Mercury behind without so much as a glance.
Before the door can close behind Jaune completely, Mercury catches the handle. As gingerly as he can, he slides between the door and the frame, listening in on the conversation, curiosity burning a hole in his gut.
"Sorry I'm late, Pyrrha!" Jaune cries, gasping for air. "Professor Oobleck-"
"Wanted you to look over your mistakes on the exam, I know," Pyrrha chuckles, her voice smooth and welcoming and warm. "I'm glad you're here, though. Ready to train?"
"Of course!" the blond chirps, the echoing of metal slipping out of sheaths ringing in the air.
Mercury quietly slips back into the stairwell, careful to keep the clicking of the door as minimal as possible behind him. She's training Blondie there? What's the point? He's no good anyways- isn't that a waste of time? he wonders, silently making his way back down the stairwell.
A part of him is contented with this discovery. No matter how much she trains Jaune Arc, he likely will always be a liability; if Pyrrha is busy training him, she won't be able to really improve herself, either. There's no losing on either end in regards to Cinder's faction.
Mercury's eyes linger upon the rooftop as he exits the building anyways. He cannot see her, but he can imagine that long red hair dancing in the wind, contrasting starkly with the navy backdrop of the early evening sky. It is this image which replays over and over again in his mind that night as he recalls the sheer tenderness of her voice, the excitement and earnest, open joy in her eyes.
Flushing suits her, he thinks. He barely notices this thought, but it wedges itself in his brain, tattooing itself under his skin. Pyrrha Nikos may be the 'Invincible Girl', but there is an innocence in her actions, and for some reason, the image of her smile refuses to go away.