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.)
Slater had heard of a lot of weird things this week, and done a lot of nightmarish things.
He had killed his father, depriving Salem of her technological control of the city and best hacker. He had helped drive off the Grimm and White Fang, stopping Salem's army from burning Solitas and driving Salem into a rage. He had finally helped kill Cinder, depriving Salem of one of her best assets and strongest enforcers.
Winter asking him on a date? That was… something he didn't understand or see coming.
Slater adjusted his black jacket; he also wore sliver jeans and a blue undershirt. He was a lot more used to his specialist gear.
He walked out of his room. His black eye was gone and he could feel his arm start to have feeling again. Cinder had wounded him and Winter, but they'd survive.
He was greeted by Winter who had been given privilege to get out of the hospital for a day.
She wore an Atlas Academy Jacket, though it was white like all her shirts it seemed. She also wore blue boots. Winter wore an eyepatch over her wounded eye, the rest of her face had healed. The doctor said by the end of the day that her Aura would have healed the wound.
Slater saw that her hair was down. She had taken her advice to try and wear it down instead of up.
Her arm also had bandages still. They were giving the Winter Maiden all the physical therapy and medicine they could spare to speed along the recovery.
She still needed time… And the rest of Atlas was still licking its wounds, every factory in Atlas was working to produce supplies, more soldiers, more ships and medicine… Atlas had been struck by Salem and she backed off when they showed their fangs were as dangerous as hers.
"You uh… Ready?" Slater asked. Winter noticed Slater look at the ground, he avoided direct eye contact, she saw his hands fidget, looking for something to tinker with.
Slater, the man who Winter saw only expression an emotion rather then joy and amusement was around Watts or fear around Cinder… Was nervous about cou… Dating her, she didn't know if that meant their date would be a disaster or if he was putting in as much effort as possible to make sure it went well.
"Yes, are you?" She asked. They walked towards the hanger where a Bullhead would bring them to Mantle.
Winter turned to Slater while he put his smaller Scroll into his pocket.
"Hows your arm and fingers?" He asked. Slater was well aware even with Winter's Aura at the time, frostbite could have taken her fingers. Her arm was also burned badly and could have tissue scaring.
"My fingers have feeling back in them… Thank you for continuing to warm them," Winter said. She looked away and Slater would have laughed if he knew things weren't nerve wracking for both of them.
"No problem. I heard your arm is going to need some physical therapy and a few more days of hospital time… Your ribs are going to be something you need to take it easy. I got a light few attacks and had Aura to heal most of them… You lost your Aura and Cinder tried to gut you for taking her power." They boarded the Bullhead.
The craft descended towards Mantle; both were nervous.
"You know everyone is worried about you, right? I'm worried, we just defeated Cinder and saved Mantle. You don't have to keep pushing yourself." Slater said. He put a hand to his wounded ribs and grunted.
"We're soldiers. I refuse to allow another Vale to happen. Salem won't stop with Atlas." Slater hummed with annoyance.
"You're not the only soldier fighting Salem, Win. Penny, RWBY, JNR, Oscar. The Happy Huntresses, Penny, General Ironwood and the entire world. You're going to run yourself into the ground at this rate. You need to stop acting like your carrying Atlas on your shoulders." Slater said. He was about to speak up again when the craft landed.
They walked into Mantle and saw that the Atlesian Military was helping civilians fix up the city. Buildings being boarded, holes being patched, lights being replaced.
"Slater… Why do you like my company so much besides my humor?" Winter looked at her nails while Slater folded his arms. He winced in pain before humming.
"Because your nice, your caring. You literally clawed your way from the bottom to the top. You don't let politics stop you from getting the job done and your proving to the world Schnees aren't just a bunch of rich brats who don't care about anyone. Win, like I said, your nice when you aren't trying to carry yourself as a prim and proper soldier. People can already tell you are serious and such." Slater said before looking at her again.
"You look nice without the hairclip." He looked away after that remark as did, she, both were soldiers, they acted very professional.
"What made you wish to ask me out?" He asked suddenly. Winter saw Slater continue to clench his fists. She noted the lack of his gloves, they were probably damaged and Slater was slowly fixing the technology within them.
"I feel like our connection has been becoming less platonic and more romantic." Slater looked at her. They walked into the restaurant that Ironwood had paid for them as part of their mandatory vacation.
"I felt jealous at the attention Penny had gotten from you at the dinner. I also disliked Robyn's attention on you, romantic or not. I asked my mother and others what my concern for you following your match with Watts and your decision to fight Cinder alone meant. Half described those feelings as platonic concern for a partner, the other half said they were romantic as I had been reluctant to part from your company and enjoyed it." Winter said before clearing her throat and continuing.
"Slater, I do care about you, not like a soldier, probably more than a friend. I am not good at romantic feelings." Winter said. Slater hummed.
"Really heartfelt way of saying you have a crush on me, deep and emotional." He said. Winter could see a smirk pulling at his lips.
"My crush on you won't stop me from putting you in the hospital again." Winter returned the gesture. Slater leaned back in his chair.
"That. You keep asking why I want you to relax? You right there are showing why I like being around you. Your one of the few people to not react to sarcasm and jokes with the military jargon. You went from being a billionaire heiress to being a general who isn't afraid to get dirty, kick some ass and take names. You carve your own path; you build your own legacy and you're doing something about the evils ravaging Remnant." He said, clearing his throat.
"You want to know one of the biggest reasons I like your company? You don't treat me like some glorified assistant. You take the time to ask questions, you enjoy my jokes as I said. you like playing my silly games even when you don't want to. You treat me like a partner, an equal. Not an asset. I hate people in the military trying to treat us like numbers." Slater said, Winter huffed.
"You know as very well as I do that to win a war, people have to die. No commander wants to see soldiers die and have to think about each and every life." Slater sighed. He and Winter had already ordered their food already digitally, neither had wanted to sit through waiting.
"What was your first friend inside the military? General Ironwood? No, you consider him a leader and you the subordinate. The Ace-Ops? No, you and I know they don't do friends outside of the same cordial professionalism. Penny? Maybe, but you consider her a fellow elite soldier and possible partner." He grabbed her left hand and she blinked before looking at Slater.
"Win, the fact that I'm the first person you seem to be able to regularly talk with bothers me… I doubt I need to tell you about the 'you need to discover what YOU want in a relationship…' but I'm sure you already know what…" Winter held up her other hand and pointed her other index finger.
"What you want… I believe that's a more private confrontation." Winter looked at their hands. She looked at Slater, dead in the eye.
She interlaced her fingers with Slater's. It was as much of a confession as possible.
"You read this from a magazine, hmm?" Slater asked. Winter hummed.
"You're as nervous as I am. You know couples hold hands, that's why you held my hand." Slater hummed and looked at their conjoined hands.
"I am. I like our friendship, if this date falls apart? We will ruin our friendship and partnership. I'd rather not go back and have us spend our partnership looking at each other trying to say something trying to work on saving Remnant with a Megoliath sized hole in the dynamic. You want the truth? I do like you, I just don't… Know what to say, ok? I'm not very good with words. Relationships aren't easy for me." He said and looked away.
"I could say the same. You didn't get much of a good relationship with your parents like I did. Right?" Winter lowered their arms till they rested on the table.
"My mom is the… She was the only person who ever truly cared for me. I don't remember our entire connection. You are always focused on your job, I'm concerned with such small details… Wow, it feels more like therapy then a date," Slater said. They got their food and both decided to do something else.
"Would it be ok if we get our food to go?" Slater asked, a nod. Slater pulled out a wad of Lien. It was about 2 times more than the food cost.
"Keep it. Mantle needs to heal. We get paid enough." Slater said. The waitress smiled.
"Thank you, Colonel. Enjoy your date." Slater nodded and turned to Winter.
"Thank you." Slater said.
"I think we do this like we usually do. We talk in our dorm and explain things. That's about as private as you can be when it comes to romantic talks." Slater said. Winter went to speak.
"Win, our date is already barely like a normal date and neither of us what the hell we're doing. I think we both go and do something we're used to." Slater stood up and Winter sighed and grabbed the bag. Slater sent a message for their Bullhead to return.
"Fria's funeral is tomorrow. Her family asked for you to say some words if your able to attend." Both walked outside, Slater looked down and saw that their hands were still interconnected.
He smiled at her and both walked towards the site of where the Bullhead would be.
"We aren't a normal pair, are we?" Slater asked, Winter hummed.
"No." Slater looked at a group of civilians and some soldiers fixing a store.
"That a problem with you?" Winter shook her head.
"No. I don't believe it is." Winter and him smiled. Both knew things would be different from now on.
"Hmm. THIS is the weirdest thing in my life, not to be rude. I'm just wondering what's going to happen next after this." Slater stated before the Bullhead landed.
Author Notes
Phew, another chapter done! I want to point out that the romance will be weird between Winter and Slater. I will be making my own storyline after this. next chapter will be on Saturday or so and will show Slater and Winter in their dorm and bonding along with introduce the villains for the story. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!