Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Cold Compassion. Enjoy the 1200-word chapter. I don't own RWBY, Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth do.
(Atlas, Alsius Academy.)
Slater looked at Winter, both had retreated to Atlas after the dinner party. Slater already had Marrow send them the video of the dinner.
"You know I'm not the only one who hates being at the manor. I know you don't have anything good to say about the manor. I'll spill my half if you spill yours." He said. Winter and he were once again in his bunk, it was becoming common to see the two sitting in their bunk.
"The Schnee Manor doesn't hold many good for me. I have been more or less unwilling to even stomach my father's behavior. It isn't something I enjoy doing," Winter stated. Slater hummed.
"Truth or Dare, Slater." Slater raised an eyebrow. He slowly cleared his throat.
"Truth." He said, Winter pushed her thumbs together and considered her retort.
"Do you despise the upper class? People like me?" Winter asked. Slater frowned at the question, pursing his lips.
"I hate people who can help others but choose to act above them because of financial status." Winter narrowed her eyes.
"That doesn't answer my question." Slater folded his hands.
"It isn't an easy question." Winter raised an eyebrow before Slater sighed.
"Yes. I hate some of the upper class. I don't hate you, your mother or Weiss. You and Weiss have effectively spit on your father by carving your own path. You gave up your title, your wealth, a possible future. You throw all that away to fight for Remnant and Atlas. Your sister spit on the upper class to carve her own legacy and make a name for herself and the Schnee family. That takes a lot of resolve and humility, I respect that." he said, Winter nodded and smiled.
"Truth or dare." Winter tapped the wall. She always liked to weigh her options.
"Truth." Slater hummed. He looked at the roof of the bunk before speaking.
"Do you regret having me as a partner? Even if I joke at times and act in ways you do not think follows protocol?" he asked, Winter shook her head.
"No. I have come to enjoy your chipper demeanor and such. I think your jokes at the manor prove you are capable of being funny, and your outburst, while crude? I do believe it showed you can be quite serious. I honestly was baffled at the fact that you exploded like that." Winter replied, Slater shrugged.
"Jacques was just trying to rattle cages and stir pots. The man might sit on the council, but I know he's just spinning anything he can to make himself the paragon. Also? Dare." He asked, Winter tried to fold her legs under her but did nothing and sighed before stretching them out again.
"I dare you to…" She hummed again before smirking.
"Try and sit closer to me without falling off the bunk." Slater hummed.
"Not good at dares, are you?" he asked, Winter rolled her eyes.
"You want one like massage my hurt feet or try and do a handstand while I summon glyphs under you?" She asked, Slater sighed and crawled to her side of the bunk.
"God, Atlas has terrible bunks. You know how many times I've almost had my head slam into the ceiling because of how low the ceiling it is." He said, he turned to look at Winter.
"Truth or dare? I'm 5'11 and this is already too short." He said, Winter looked to the side and already regretted from the fact that she and Slater had their arms brushing each other.
"Dare." She said, Slater hummed and tapped the wall.
"I dare you to do a handstand and land a fall off the bed." He said, Winter was silent a second.
Slater was about to tell her off from doing it before Winter backed off the bed before landing in a crouch. She then flipped into the air and landed on her arms.
"Uh… Winter, I didn't mean to literally do it…" He said, Winter glared at him before she flipped onto her feet and climbed back into the bunk.
Slater was sandwiched into the wall again as Winter smirked.
"You ever play this game with your family?" He asked, Winter shook her head.
"No, I cannot say I have." Winter said, Slater hummed and drummed on his legs like he usually did.
"Well, I haven't had anyone play it often and yet I think it's rather enjoyable. I think we've both needed some more time off to relax and cool our jets." Slater said. Winter looked at the wall.
"I should have kept my mouth shut when we were there. My father is just going to spin it as a topic of evidence." Winter said. Slater shook his head and smiled with amusement.
"You know anything we said would have stirred the pot? We were dealing with politicians, anything we say would be spun to benefit each other. He won't last for a week. We got bigger issues. Robyn and her group of vigilante hero warriors or such and such are coming up here to speak with General Ironwood. I don't like having them here within the heart of the Kingdom and the nerve center for the military. General Ironwood called for a Parley; they're be up here within 2 hours." He said. Winter nodded.
"It seems we have to get ready for them soon." Winter said, Slater grabbed his regular clothes.
"We're going to be off tomorrow. General Ironwood is regrouping troops to plan his next move currently. We're getting fresh troops from Atlas soon." Slater said
"Before we spend the next day waiting for laundry to be done and being holed up in our dorm to replan things? I think we should give the Happy Huntresses an Atlesian Welcome." He said. Winter nodded.
"Yes, we can sleep and strategize tomorrow, let's go and greet Robyn's group." Winter grabbed her own uniform. She had 3 copies of it and each was rotated in case hers got damaged or was dirtied.
She and Slater grabbed their weapons from their desks and walked out.
It took them 90 seconds to get changed. Slater turned to see Winter trying to do the ponytail for her head.
"I wish you didn't do the damn thing, you and the stupid thing." He muttered while fixing it. he hated Winter being 6'4, taller than him.
"You look better without it; you're not breaking any rules by not keeping it up." He said before the duo went to greet the others.
The Happy Huntresses wanted answers? They'd give answers at the cost of a partnership that ensure the Amity Project was ready to go.
The Amity Project was the only plan Atlas had to counter Salem.
Author Notes
Phew, another chapter done! I want to apologize if the story is shifting a bit. These non-story chapters are supposed to break up the story chapters and show Winter and Slater bonding more. Next chapter will be the last non story chapter in between 'Cordially Invited' and 'As Above, so below'. Next chapter will be tomorrow and show Robyn and Ironwood talking. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!