"GRR! Crazy fleabag! In what world does a sprained wrist need to be treated with strapping someone down and filling them with needles! Why I oughta-"

Cardin was walking back to his dorm from the medical office with agitation clearly present on his face. Well, today had been just as bad as any and he felt like today would probably be just as bad.

Reaching his dorm, Cardin opened and slammed the door shut. He walked over to his drawer and, after rifling through a cluttered mess of clothes, pulled out a white shirt and grey boxers.

"Uhhhh who the- could you be any louder Cardin? I literally have seen explosions in Dust Fundamentals that were quieter than you." Sky looked exhausted and began to stretch out his limbs. With a yawn, he sat up while rubbing his eyes.

"Shut up, Sky. Who the hell goes to bed by 7:30 pm anyways? Past your bedtime?" Cardin angrily grabbed his clothes and began to walk towards the shower.

Sky blinked and leaned back on his arms. "Geez, dude chill. Today has just been rough okay. I failed one of Peach's quizzes, and now I have to go to remedial lessons for the next two Saturdays. Oh and I got chased around by some other students, so It's been a fun day. "

Cardin looked over and the twigs were still present in Sky's hair. Looking at the bruise, he gave a flat look and exasperatedly stated, "I am guessing they gave you that love tap too. Tell me you at least put up some sort of fight this time."

Sky sat up straight. "Of course! There were five of them at least. All 4th years! If you think I look rough, you should see the other guys! But don't look them up or anything."

Cardin gave Sky an unimpressed glare. "You ran into a pole again didn't you."

"... no… maybe…..b-but I was being chased!"

"You're an idiot," sighed Cardin as he walked towards the bathroom. "I am gonna take a shower. Try to clean yourself up. You look like shit."

"I don't want to hear that from someone who lost a fight with a dumbbell."

Cardin whipped around and glared. Letting out a strong breath through his nose, Cardin growled, "Shut. It." He began to step forward and Sky threw up his hands.

"Hey, hey! My bad man, geez. Just go take a shower or whatever."

"That's what I thought." With those final words. Cardin stomped into the bathroom and shut the door.

Sky waited until he heard the shower start and mumbled under his breath. "Muscle-headed moron."

Pulling the twigs out of his hair and shooting - and missing- them into the trash can, Sky laid back into his bed.

"A shower doesn't sound too bad. Sleep sounds better."

As Sky began to drift back off to sleep, the door opened again. Dove came inside with his shoulder slumped forward and clearly upset about something. He walked over and sat down at the desk in the room. Pulling out his History book and notebook, Dove began to do some school work. After a few minutes, it was clear to Sky that Dove wasn't really working.

"Everything okay, dude? You seem kind of out of it."

"... Yeah. Everything is cool I guess. It is just the same old, same old. Same thing everyday." With a sigh, Dove set his arms on top of the desk and put his head down. "Today just sucks and tomorrow is going to be terrible. I couldn't get my weapon fixed, so that means I have to fight Pyhrra without my weapon tomorrow."

"Holy shit, bro. I mean you can try talking to Goodwitch. She's gotta have a heart….or at least she might be willing to change your sparring partner."

With his head still in his arms, Dove dejectedly said, "You know Goodwitch, she will just explain the importance of not relying on your weapon and to treat this situation as a learning experience."

Sky frowned and got out of bed to put his hand on Dove's shoulder. "Well, everyone knows Goodwitch is a sadist. Maybe she'll focus on Jaune tomorrow instead."

"Yeah, hopefully."

"Hey, I know just the thing to put you in a good mood. Let me just grab my scroll and show-" His scroll was still dead. "Let me put it on the charger, but I have to show you this video."

After a few awkward minutes of silence, Sky was able to charge his scroll and find the video of Cardin that was edited to have his roar of anguish into some acapella song.

With a smirk, Dove did at least sit up at the desk. "Does he know about that yet?"

"Not if I can help i-"

A roar came from behind Sky."SKY!"

"Well , shit." That was the last thing Sky was able to say before being put in a headlock by Cardin. The loss of air was bad enough but Cardin being only wrapped in a towel made it much much worse.

"L-Let go, dude! You are literally half-naked!"

"DELETE the video, idiot! I don't want that shit spreading around."

Sky gasped for air and tried to push Cardin off. This resulted in Cardin pinning Sky to the bed and shoving Sky's face into the sheets.

"Dude! Stop! OW! Let go!"

With a sinister smile, Cardin snarled, "Delete the video, and I'll think about it." As he was talking, Cardin used his left arm to keep Sky pinned down and began to use his other arm to put Sky's right arm in a painful armlock.

"OKAY! OKAY! Just hit the red trash can in the bottom right. OUCH! Stop twisting my arm!"

"Okay, now say "Uncle", " stated Cardin as he smirked and continued to twist Sky's arm.

Sky continued to flail around. Cardin continued to hold Sky down until Sky found an opening and elbowed Cardin in the ribs with his free arm. The hit did little damage and only led Cardin to start growling.

"... Uncle?"

The fire in Cardin's eyes seems to die down, and he lets Sky go. Cardin then goes to grab his clothes and go back to the bathroom. "Was that so hard?"

"Yeah, yeah. Fuck you dude."

"Sorry, I don't play for the other team, bro."

"With how much you obsessed over Jaune, I would bet otherwise."

"... Are you trying to die? All I heard was "Cardin please smash my face and throw me to the Grimm in Forever Fall". I'd be ecstatic to help you."

Sky jumps on to his bed and prepares to start running from Cardin again while Cardin moves towards the door to block off Sky's escape.

"Pffft…..pfftt….hahaha!". Dove tried - and failed - to hold in his laughter. Both Sky and Cardin looked to Dove and after a moment past began to laugh at themselves.

After Dove was able to calm himself down, he looked towards his friends. "I really needed that. Thanks, guys. Everything has just been a lot lately."

Sky gets down from standing on his bed and sits on the desk in front of Dove. "Listen man, it's alright. It's been stressful for everyone. We just have to take it one day at a time. Right, Cardin?"

"... yeah. As much as I hate to admit it, the last couple of months have been shit. Make fun of a couple of animals and no one seems to let it go." Cardin shrugged and went to the bathroom to put his clothes on.

Sky sighed at Cardin's response and looked over to Dove. Normally, Dove would look passive but Dove seemed angry at what Cardin said. Dove's hands were gripping his desk but he quickly changed his demeanor as Cardin returned.

Cardin walks over and falls into his bed. After a few bounces, Cardin asked, "What's the plan, boys?"

Sky follows Cardin's lead and goes to his own bed. "Sleep sounds like it's the move."

"Now that is something I can agree with. Night, dickwads."

Dove gave both Sky and Dove a surprised look. "You both already finished the history project for Dr. Olbeck?"

Sky and Cardin's trains of thought came to a screeching halt, and they both jumped out of bed screaming.

"THE WHAT?!" / "I THOUGHT THAT WAS DUE NEXT WEEK!"

Sigh "I should have known better. Come on, we can work together. It is over the Faunus rights revolution in the outer villages. If we start now, we can finish," stated Dove as he looked over at the clock, "... about 5:00 am."

After 7 hours of excruciating work, the projects were complete. Dove and Sky slinked to their beds but Cardin asked them a question with the exhaustion clear in his voice. "Have either of you talked to Russel?"

Sky isn't able to give Cardin an answer before falling asleep. Dove looks at Cardin and with a sigh says, "Not for two days."

"It's safe to say he hasn't done the project, huh?"

"... probably."

Cardin looks at Dove and then his own bed. "... Go to bed, Dove. I've got something to do."

"Cardin, you don't have to-"

"Go to bed, Dove. I'll do whatever the fuck I want. I am the leader. That means you do what I say without fucking questions."

"... Okay, Cardin. Don't say I didn't tell you."

"Whatever. Hey, Idiot." Cardin throws a wad of paper at Sky.

"Wuh? Whatcha want, dude. I am trying.. ."

"Well, just listen for a damn second….. It hasn't been good for me either. I shouldn't- You know what I am tring to say" says Cardin with frustration.

"I know, man. It's alright. Just let me sleep." A few seconds later, Sky is off to sleep.

"Dove-". All Cardin hears is snoring for both his teammates. He looks at his two sleeping teammates and the empty bed of his third. Cardin's tired eyes shine with determination as he begins to start on his partners project. Using his own rushed project and subpar notes, he should be able to make something passable, hopefully.

3 hours later and two bottles of preworkout. Cardin had finished Russel's project. Just in time to hear his alarm for Dr. Obleck's class.

As his two present teammates began to stir, Cardin looked like death. Dark bags where under his eyes and his hair was a mess. Cardin stares absentmindedly at his alarm before throwing back a third bottle of preworkout and getting out of his chair. Turning off his alarm, Cardin began to get ready for his day.