Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Cold Compassion. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth do.
(Atlas, Alsius Academy.)
It was late at night when Slater returned to his room. Slater kicked off his shoes and changed from his Atlesian Clothes to his pajamas.
"I hate today." Slater muttered. He pulled up a report on his regular scroll, more murders and now….
Winter entered, having used another room to change into her night clothes and sitting in a chair across from Slater.
"Clover reported the Mantas we deployed exterminated any Manticores not killed by ground forces." Slater said, Winter looked at her bare hands and feet while she sighed.
"I don't want to talk about the Grimm attack now, Slater." The Brigadier General said, Slater hummed.
"I could talk about less important matter…" Winter cleared her throat.
"When did you join the military?" She asked, he blinked.
"Wha…?" Winter walked forward. Without heels, Slater never noted how quick she could be on her feet.
She stopped in front of them and climbed into his bunk bed. Slater moved back and leaned on the wall.
"When did you joined the military? You said yesterday if I wanted to talk, you'd be here. I'm choosing to pick the next day." Winter said, Slater nodded and hummed.
"Fair enough. I get to ask the same then, we talk? No military lingo and missions. I'm a soldier, that doesn't make me an unending military machine… It doesn't make you a tireless hunter either." Slater said, he set his scroll to the side and pulled his legs up to him.
"Deal, now your retort." Winter leaned back on the wall.
"I joined when I was 14. I left on a Mistral Airship. My mother was killed by Grimm 2 years ago. I didn't have any other family that I knew about. I already told you my father was a piece of garbage, I considered myself an orphan till I became part of the school." Slater said, Winter nodded.
"Your file mentioned you dislike your dad. I'm going to guess it's far in line with 'rip his head off and fed it to a Manticore'?" He asked, Winter hummed.
"My father married into the family for the benefits. Weiss told me he tried to use my mother's alcoholism to guilt her. I'm not surprised. Jacques doesn't want his children to be children, he wants a puppet he can mold so when he retires, he can still control the company. I left after more or less telling him to go screw himself to hell." Winter said, Slater chuckled.
"Oh, so the Snow Queen does have claws." He smirked; Winter rolled her eyes.
"I've forgotten you have such childish remarks… I would be lying if I said I haven't missed them." Slater rolled his eyes.
"Well I miss seeing you smirk. You are ALWAYS going 'we need to focus on the mission! Slater, the assignment!' You know the very reason I was assigned to you is to organize things for you, right? I can't do my job very well if you keep trying to do it for me." Slater said, he moved backwards before Winter stretched out her legs.
"I'm sure you wish you could do a better job than babysitting a general like me. I won't hold it against you… Just assign you to shine my boots. You keep looking at my legs, you unclothe…" Winter said with a smirk before Slater shook his head.
"Actually, this is the most enjoyable task I've gotten if you ask me. You're probably the first one besides the General to actually ask about my past. sides, I enjoy sparing with you." He said, Winter blinked.
"Winter, Ironwood told me he took you under his wing and trained you himself. He picked me because of my unshakeable confidence quick wit and brains. I was going to be put in some tech group for support before the general convinced my teacher to assign me to you. I get why you're so serious, you want to prove yourself and you have a lot riding on you. you should still take a breather when you're not on mission, your funny when you stop acting like you need to be directing people. Your enjoyable to work with because you ask me about my past…" Slater reclined his legs and Winter shifted slightly.
"And third? You kick ass, I saw the report of how you gained your Beowolf Summons, you butchered an entire pack of Beowolves solo with no Aura. I'm trying to be serious because I want to help you. I'm not trying to insult you; I'm trying to be your friend." He said, Winter blinked and looked at the ground.
"I… Thank you. you're probably the first friend besides Penny and the General I've had." Winter muttered. Slater chuckled.
"Oh, third place. I was kind of hoping for at least silver, not bronze." He said, Winter slugged him in the arm and smirked.
"You damn jackass… Ugh, fine. I suppose I can be a little too proper at times." Winter watched Slater raise an eyebrow, a smirk pulling at his lips.
"Say anything and I'll actually make you spit shine my boots." Winter said, Slater laughed.
"Yes General." He said, Winter hummed and ran a hand through her hair.
"I will make you a deal. I will permit you to stop being so high stung if you…" Winter tapped at the wall.
"Continue to spar with me to improve my skills… And yours. Tell me about your past more, AND you confide in me more as I will you… Oh and never attempt to keep secrets from me like you did with Weiss." Winter said. Slater blinked and Winter savored his eyes widening in horror.
"I… Damn it, now your abusing your rank." He said and looked to the side; Winter poked his nose playfully.
"Never assume I'm incapable of using immature methods to achieve results. Soldiers are taught to use any methods possible… Besides, you called me 'snow flurry', this is payback." She said. Slater waved his hands back and forth.
"Fine. I can't deny direct orders… But you have to stop trying the whole 'I'm trying to hold Atlas together!' attitude and let your hair down, Maybe literally… I'll stop keeping secrets out of fear of you disapproving, if you're willing to actually breath, make a damn curse, joke… And actually, have fun. General Ironwood is leading us, I'm supposed to relay your orders and attend to your schedule and such… Winter? It is LITERALLY my job to take care of anything you don't have the time to." He said with a smile.
"Fine, I will reduce the amount of time I try to restrain myself, now then, more about your history." She said, Slater looked at her and patted her foot which she nearly kicked him with.
"I graduated the top of my class for tactics. Umbra became something I made in my downtime and I applied for combat training. I unlocked my Semblance in that class actually… Not that I wish to reveal it so obviously." He said, he blinked at Winter.
"Ok, my turn. Why do you act like nobody wants to be your friend? You act on every order the general gives you without even trying to offer suggestions. Winter, even a Brigadier General is still a general." He said, Winter sighed and kicked her legs out before reclining on the wall.
"You think anyone besides Qrow or my sister really has the gall to walk up to me and talk so easily? I'm a Schnee, everyone in Atlas knows it. you think anyone isn't intimidated by me and my family?" Winter pointed out; Slater chuckled with amusement.
"Funny. I'm more scared of your sword and your combat skills. Like I said, you stop trying to prove yourself on EVERY SINGLE THING, people would open up to you. You're a General and the star Huntress to come from the school and you act like people still aren't taking you seriously. You want to remind me who out of the Ace Ops, Penny… No offence to her or them, Ciel… All the women in Atlas is going to be a MAIDEN? You act like you still have to prove your worthy of something. You think your let down the Schnee name just because you don't push yourself? Winter, I really don't think you have much left to prove…" He said, Winter hummed and Slater patted her leg.
"You enjoy talking, don't you?" She deadpanned, he shrugged.
"Friends talk to each other, Winter. You don't need to analyze everything, that's part of my job… Geez, do you just hate me getting paid?" He asked, she kicked him.
"This… is nice." Winter said, Slater smiled.
"This doesn't mean I won't stop pushing you in combat, friend or not… It just means I'll stop when your Aura breaks." Winter said, Slater put his hand to his face.
"You know we sleep in the same room, right?" Slater asked, Winter rolled her eyes.
"Slater, we're adults. We can sleep in the same damn room, your reminding me more of Qrow." Slater gave her a playful shove.
"Don't you dare compare me to the old man! I am a skilled, handsome, self-respecting Atlesian officer who demands the respect of his commanding officer who outranks him!" Slater said, both specialists looked out the window.
"General Ironwood wants us to report to him in 3 hours. He's talking to Robyn with the Ace Ops at the moment." Winter said, Slater hummed.
"I'll make sure the ship is ready. I think your scumbag dad being part of the council is worse." He cracked his arms while the Atlesian Specialists looked at their feet and rolled their eyes.
"My father wouldn't have won. Someone rigged the election, I ordered Ciel and team FNKY to make sure that things are ok." Winter said, Slater tapped his pillow and nodded.
"We deployed more troops to Mantle. I have reported the White Fang have been spotted in a few points of the city. I don't like having to lock down Mantle." He said, Winter hummed and started to close her eyes.
"I'm going to bed, wake me up in 2 and a half hours." Winter ordered, Slater nodded and set a timer on his scroll.
"I'm going to catch 2 and a half hours as well. my scroll will wake us up when its time… Ugh, I need to sleep anyway." He said before he climbed into another bunk to sleep.
Slater started to close his eyes and grunted.
"You know we're friends, right? And everything we just said is final. No take backs… Tomorrow, we train." Slater said, Winter said nothing and closed her eyes as the soldiers started to slumber.
Neither knew they'd be going to the manor soon or how Winter would gain feelings for Slater.
The next few days would change everything. Slater and Winter let sleep take them.
Slater's scroll buzzed gently, a message from Clover.
If he bothered to read it, they'd know that General Ironwood had personally spoken to Robyn and given the surplus supplies.
Robyn hadn't accepted them fully as allies, but it was a step forward. Ironwood also wished to speak to them and considered letting Robyn in on the loop.
Slater grunted and managed to pull his scroll to him before typing a response.
He also reset the timer to 8 hours. It seemed they had another day to rest and collect themselves at the moment.
Author Notes
Phew, another chapter done! I want to point out I'm putting Winter and Slater's role in Worst Case Scenario relegated to the next 2 chapters and next episode for the story is Cordially Invited. Next chapter will be on Saturday or so and will show Slater and Winter training and talking to Ironwood over scroll. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!
PS: Penny's story might be pushed to next week.