This might sound like heresy, but I think COVID-19 might be one of Papa Nurgle's blessings.
Seriously, though, I know I said I was going to get a chapter out two weeks ago, but then I forgot about a whole fucking paper I needed to write. So, I had to put aside my writing and switch to writing.
From now on, just don't take my proposed chapter release dates as something set in stone. I don't have my shit together in the very least.
But for this chapter, something fun between two characters I've never really written about and Jaune!
I used to ship Coco x Jaune back in the day along with Bunny Knight, but since Coco is canonically a lesbian now I've switched over to Chocolate Rabbit. I personally think Coco x Velvet is a great pairing because of the two's difference in personalities. They would balance each other out perfectly in my opinion. (Note: I haven't read the RWBY Before the Dawn or whatever the fuck that book about team CFVY is. I just know it from some friends.)
Jaune turned his gaze below, observing the court gathered before him. Only the crowd upon this occasion consisted of soldiers—none of those ghouls from the night of his awakening. The horde once residing within Methuselah given a proper form. His sons pouring forth onto the new world with Leonhardt's decree.
They represented a chaotic mass mingling amongst each other with little regards as to their prior state. Whether they had been enemies or allies mattered little. These men took part in boasting their valour to one another as warriors. Their tales filling the air alongside their laughter, and most intriguing, joy. No apathy could be found. Only unadulterated emotion surging from their lifelong passion.
In this setting, all were equal. None in this hall stood above the other. They each showed their strength with no boundaries placed upon them, painting upon a canvas fit for their eye.
Such was the world created at this moment. The beauty within the ephemeral had its own charm to those clawing onto to every second. It did not matter how many years passed by, one would still relish that passing instance with all their heart.
Jaune found himself here every night. Repeating the same, yet, distinctive dream each time. The walls of this monastery became familiar to him in a way he never thought possible. To him, it was oddly calming. This place removed from the world and its struggles—a chance to feast upon experience until beckoned unto the real world once more.
On a whim, Jaune stood and began descending from his throne. The sounds of his boots clicking against the marble silencing the men, and garnering their attention. They each removed their expressions, growing solemn with his passing. Had Jaune felt the need, he would have ordered them to continue. Yet, they had their reasoning. Why was it Jaune's place to question that? He had no right to demand anything of these men.
Without a spoken word, the doors to the chamber crept open. The cry of their hinges signalling the men to continue with their trade. Jaune allowed an inaudible snort to escape him witnessing this.
He glanced down the two paths outside the throne room. Each presenting infinite opportunities to escape to. Their endless expanses running on no matter how far Jaune decided to tread. However, another thought came to mind.
"Is she going to appear again?"
For the past three nights, the Ghost had not made herself known. Jaune hoped that she might accompany him to the ballroom, but she neglected to show. The Vampire may have been concerned had she been corporeal and not a spirit; however, his understanding of the fundamental principles of this place was lacking.
He did not have to move, and the ground quaked in his pass. A thought altered the room subtly, pleasing his eye just the way he desired. Those men had never spoken to him, yet, they acted as though he were their commander.
If this place wasn't so far removed from reality, Jaune might have been terrified. Indeed, a few days ago, being dragged into this castle without warning would have done so. Embracing his bestial nature hardened his heart in more ways than Jaune could have anticipated. Finding himself here every night almost seemed preferable to what he needed to face daily.
"What about this room?"
Jaune rested his hand on the golden doorways blocking his path. Pressing gently against the skull of a lion caused the door to fling open violently. The skeleton crushed underneath a light shove. More forcefully, and the door would have flown off its hinges.
Before Jaune was the nave of a cathedral. He walked in, glancing about at the masterfully crafted stain glass windows and the paintings lining every inch of the ceiling. Indeed, a beautiful place if there was ever one. The cathedral in Vale was justly put to shame by this room alone.
Ignoring the altar and treading right past it, Jaune found the keyboard to an organ. Without a thought, he pressed a finger onto a key somewhere in the centre of the console. The gentle middling note it released filled his chest with a sense of warmth unexpectedly.
"Weird..."
Jaune had listened to organ music on occasion; however, this felt different. Not just by playing it, the instrument spoke to Jaune indescribably. It presented something created solely for the boy. To another, this would sound like any ordinary pipe organ if not more magnificent.
"I wonder if Weiss enjoys this kind of music?"
...
"Thanks for helping me, guys," Velvet said, trying her best to unlock the front door. "Just... need... to get this... to turn!"
As she attempted to turn the key, the entire thing fell into the shop, shattering the glass lite into a million pieces. Velvet's ears folded forwards, shielding themselves from the loud crash, but it was far too late. The pained expression on her face told Jaune pretty much everything he needed to know.
"You okay, Vel," Coco asked with concern painted all over her face.
"Yep, I'm fine," she answered through her teeth. "Just very loud..."
We could have gone through the window.
Without another word, they stepped over the broken door and into the building. The entire shop lay in ruins before the trio. The windows were blown out, covering every inch of the cafe in glass. Tables were flipped over and stacked in the back half of the main seating area. The ceiling was starting to fall in on itself with a piece barely hanging by a thread. Several ceiling fans had unceremoniously bored holes into the hardwood floor.
"Looks like a huge pile of shit," Coco said unsarcastically.
That's one way to put it.
"Yeah, the police finally let my parents in here last night," Velvet explained. "They haven't had the chance to clean up at all."
"I can't imagine why," Jaune mumbled, taking in the sight of the damage.
One of the giant's attacks hit a skyscraper nearby, completely wrecking several streets at its base. The debris crashed through some buildings, but many were spared from total destruction. Though, more did not come out of this unscathed. Several businesses had large I-beams sticking out of the front of their buildings, or had their windows shattered due to the shockwave.
The coffee shop got lucky, but clearly needed some major restoration work before it was back to full operation.
Coco hopped behind the counter and began rummaging through some of the ingredients kept back there. The sounds of pots and pans filled the air alongside the soft breathing coming from the Fashionista. Jaune did not pay any mind to it, turning over a table and sweeping some of the dust off.
"How about some coffee," Coco suggested, tossing some beans onto the counter. She went to the sink to get some hot water going, but nothing was coming out. Even flicking the lightswitch yielded no results. "Shit, the power's out!"
"I got it," Jaune announced, ducking into the back room where everything was kept.
Jaune's vampiric sight allowed him to get past the issue of light. Yet, even without that, he would not have hesitated to step into the void. The fear of the dark long since vanished from the boy's mind. Replaced by only greater concerns.
For a moment, Jaune wished someone leapt out to attack him. His body craved the excitement and the chance to show his mettle. It came on despite his better judgement, which forced him to further suppress his nature.
Guess, I'm just antsy today...
Weiss caught me off-guard.
One of the few things he had not expected was for Weiss to show up in that castle. Jaune had been under the impression it belonged solely to him and his creations. That not a single person on this world could manifest within. Then again, with how the structure moved with a mind of its own, Jaune's will could have summoned a facsimile to observe his performance.
It's better not to dwell on it...
What's the point of thinking about her? Live your life without any concern.
What was a stone to the raging torrent of a river? It did not care for anything blocking its path to the ocean. No matter what, that stone became degraded by an indomitable force battering down without mercy.
I'm just here to enjoy my time with Velvet and Coco. Weiss can't take that from me.
Coming to where the fuse box was, Jaune found a large steel cabinet had been knocked over. The crate rested against the wall, blocking the path by leaning diagonally across it. Given the rest of the boxes lining the hall, there was no way to climb around and do this the easy way. The bad thing about it was how heavy the cabinet was. Having installed it there, Jaune figured the thing weighed some three-hundred pounds empty. Fully stocked, it was more like five hundred.
Jaune decided to go through it, lifting the cabinet up like it was nothing. The box creaked and moaned as the metal stressed with the weight shift. A loud crash followed as Jaune stood it upright, allowing the back to slam into the wall. Any goods housed inside were rustled, knocking against the hull uncontrollably.
The fuse box was intact. Jaune expected to find it burnt due to a power surge or something breaking inside, causing a short circuit. Opening the panel, the breaker was thrown, but everything else seemed to be in working order. So Jaune flipped it, resulting in several alarms ringing alongside the lights flickering.
"No, the alarm," Velvet shouted in a panic, running towards the alarm panel behind the counter—her footsteps echoing three rooms away for Jaune to hear.
"Velvet, I don't think the cops are gonna be pulling up here anytime soon," Coco expressed, leaned against the counter. "They probably got another eighty places to check out before they show up."
"Coco, my parents, have enough to deal with right now," Velvet countered between breaths, visibly stressing out. "I really don't want to put any more on them if I don't have to!"
"It's cool, Vel," Coco placated, hugging Velvet from behind. "Just take it easy, you're stressing me out." She kissed the faunus on the cheek, eliciting a massive blush from the girl.
Feeling like the third wheel over here...
Too bad Ruby had other plans today.
"T-Thanks," she squeaked, feeling embarrassed at the overly generous amount of affection she was receiving. Velvet shook off her girlfriend and forced down the cherry red blush taking over her face. "And thanks again for helping me, guys!"
"No problem," Coco chirped, getting a grinder ready for the coffee. Once she noticed Jaune walking back into the room, her attention fixated on him. "So, Blondie, how did our bun con you into walking in on this mess?"
"Nothing," Jaune replied curtly, shrugging his shoulders. "It's all pro bono."
He had a reason, but it could hardly be considered something grounded. Jaune did not feel guilty over the fight with the Killer. He couldn't have relished in that battle any more than he had already. So, there was no sense of debt owed to his friend.
Jaune simply offered his services to Velvet because she brought it up. There did not have to be any elaborate reasoning behind assisting another person, especially for someone valuable to the man. Jaune did not care for the societal pressure behind it. He did so because he wanted to—nothing more, nothing less.
"Good boy," Coco said encouragingly, genuinely appreciating his reason. "I like that!" Her eyes did a once over on the room. "But I don't think you'll be enough to fix all of this..." She turned over to Velvet. "You guys have insurance, right?"
"Ummm, we should," Velvet answered hesitantly, clearly unsure of whether or not they did. "I don't know if they cover giant monsters and supermen fighting in the middle of Vale..."
"Oh come on, Vel," Coco reassured humorously. "Home, auto, and giant skeleton monsters! You guys didn't get that bundle?!"
"Yeah, along with alien abduction protections, and health insurance for chemtrails," Velvet played along, using enough sarcasm it became palatable. The snapback prompted Coco to burst out into full-on laughter.
"But seriously, what's the plan here," the Fashionista asked, dropping her playful banter without warning. "How long do you guys have left on the lease?"
"A year... I think."
"Shit..." Coco cursed, cupping her chin while rethinking her plans. "There goes that idea..." Jaune and Velvet looked to her, silently begging to hear the idea. "I was thinking about having my dad hook you guys up with something at one of our stores."
"Like what?"
"Oh, I don't know, a coffee shop inside where you guys can pretty much do whatever," she explained, sliding the coffee beans and grinder down to Jaune. The boy gave her an inquiring look, but Coco kept her eye on him. "Come on, dude, you're shit's the best!"
"Fine..." Jaune grabbed the materials and went to work.
"I think a cafe would spice things up a bit, and since Anteiku's going to be closed for who knows how long, it lets you guys have some business going," Coco continued.
Doesn't sound like a bad idea.
Velvet's family wasn't wealthy by any means. They had some money, but not much more than Jaune's family did. So, this disruption to one of their few sources of income would be a killer financially.
Coco, on the other hand, was stupidly rich. Her family had a bunch of high-class fashion boutiques that catered to pretty much everyone from the also stupidly rich to the lower middle class. They weren't Schnee family wealthy, but their coffers went fairly deep.
"You can do that," Velvet asked, cocking her head to the side. Her tone sounded almost excited. "Is that even legal?"
"I don't know," Coco expressed, shrugging her shoulders. "I got lawyers for that kind of stuff... But hey, when's a little nepotism hurt anybody?"
Most of the time.
"Every African dictatorship," Jaune stated dryly. He finished grinding up the beans into fine granules, before starting to heat up some water. "I think their citizens would probably disagree with you."
That sort of corruption wasn't just limited to that continent but happened in most places on the planet. Really, any dictatorship fell victim to that sort of thing when leaders had too much power and no accountability. Frankly, it was a sad thing in Jaune's opinion. They had so much potential and wasted it on themselves instead of uplifting their populace.
"You callin' me a dictator, Blondie," Coco asked annoyedly, turning down her shades to glare at Jaune. Her demeanour was trying to throw off this air to intimidate him but wasn't proving useful. The boy only wore a shit-eating grin on his face as he stared right back at her.
"No..."
"Good," she chirped, beaming confidently before turning back to her girlfriend. "Besides, what's wrong with a little eye-candy hanging around..." She gave a wink-wink, nudge-nudge to both of them. "Having some good looking guys and gals working in the store will draw some customers in..., and I don't think you'll mind, Jaune. You were enjoying having all those girls flirt with you back in Beacon."
Oh, that...
Jaune wasn't oblivious to his looks but didn't expect such a response to come from Beacon's student body. Girls slipping him their phone numbers became a common thing only an hour into the day. Some were far bolder, directly asking if he wanted to hang out later. Those events did not compare to the hundreds of eyes gawking at him like he were a piece of meat.
He didn't care to pay attention to most of it, however. Jaune politely declined advances and went on his way. A part of him appreciated their own desires, but he did not share the feeling. Days ago, Jaune would have been ecstatic just having a single girl at Beacon show interest. Now, he supposed it was primarily his other concerns keeping him from jumping for joy at it. With all of his emotions thrown into disarray, Jaune's drive for romance was mostly subdued.
Seeing Weiss didn't help...
The image of her small figure in his mind played over and over again. The way she looked so downtrodden in that cathedral made his heart ache. Worse, her soft pearl-white skin gracing his fingers shocked his nerves, setting them all alight. Jaune admitted to himself that when he lost his composure in front of the facsimile, he was too embarrassed to remain there.
He was afraid she'd say something.
"Ehhh, I don't know, feels kinda shallow to me," he expressed, pouring some water through a filter containing the ground coffee. "There were a lot of girls who wouldn't give me the time of day trying to ask me out. But I guess since a lot of them didn't recognise me, it's not their fault."
He turned around, grabbed some cups hidden on a shelf. A lot of glassware had fallen onto the floor and broke, but a few things were intact. Jaune placed three-down onto the counter and began gently filling them three-quarters of the way. Steam rose from each of the mugs as Jaune pulled back the pot and moved onto the next.
Taking her coffee, Coco added some sugar and creamer. Once it was to her liking, she took a sip from the mug and savoured it. The expression on her face was one of delight at the taste. Indeed, a connoisseur for all things related to coffee.
"Dude, I seriously wouldn't worry about it," Coco expressed, leaning back in one of the stools. "A lot of guys and girls have to deal with that kind of thing..." Remembering something, Coco let out a snort. "Hell, I had to beat guys off with a stick after puberty hit me like a gat damn truck!" Without warning, she thrust her pointer finger in Jaune's direction. "And don't think about it in that way, Blondie!"
Both Jaune and Velvet blushed hard at the order. The brunette immediately knew what Coco's words may have implied, however, the Vampire was relatively slow to clue in. His reaction caused more by the sudden outburst than any errant thoughts.
Oh...
Jaune held his hands up in mock surrender. "Think about it in what way," he asked rhetorically, playing along with her act.
"Me clubbing some asshole with a tree branch," Coco followed up.
Sounds like fun...
"Yeah," Velvet said with a laugh, looking to change the subject quickly. "I guess a lot of us were confused because you look completely different, Jaune. If you didn't just show up with a new look suddenly, I don't think everyone would have such a hard time recognising you."
"Kinda hit us like a punch in the face," Coco jumped in. "Everyone thought you were some new guy that just moved in, so they wanted to stake their claim while they could."
I see...
Jaune's lack of control over how his appearance changed undoubtedly wasn't helping him any. It made things stupidly hard to blend in when he needed it the most. The only recourse he had that morning was to just play it off.
"Besides that, why did you choose those coloured contacts," Coco asked, staring him right in the eyes. "A bit of an odd choice. Most people go with something like blue or green."
Both Velvet and Coco stared at him, waiting for an answer. Jaune paused, trying to collect something resembling a response instead of just dodging the question. Nobody else had chosen to bring the subject up to his face directly, however, which made Jaune want to punch himself in the back of the head for not coming up with an excuse.
Inhaling deeply, Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, glancing away from the girls. He felt nervous bringing this subject up. This feeling made his hands shake and sent chills down his spine. Jaune's entire body was slowly entering the flight or flight response.
A part of him knew he could just avoid the subject, but that wouldn't do anything to benefit himself. Jaune wasn't backed into a corner, only pushed on his heel slightly. He had all the advantages here.
"They're not contacts," he answered truthfully, shrugging his shoulders.
Coco nearly spat out her coffee. Velvet's expression morphed into something resembling sheer confusion.
"WHAT," Coco shouted, planting her hands on the table and leaning forward. Her eyes scanned his once more, trying to discern whether or not that was the truth. "How the fuck?!"
Jaune let out a hearty laugh at her reaction. Despite the fact he may have outed himself, he simply could not contain it. Seeing her face like that triggered some childish reflex inside of him.
"Yeah, I kinda had the same reaction when I woke up that morning," Jaune explained, now telling a half-truth instead of a lie. "Didn't really know what to do about it, so I'm just going with it for now."
"Your eyes don't hurt or anything, right," Velvet asked with concern.
"No, just a different colour..."
"That's so weird," Coco expressed, clearly in awe over the change in Jaune's eyes. "Does anybody else know about that?"
Jaune shook his head. "Haven't told Ruby or any of my sisters yet," he replied, taking a sip of his own coffee. The bitterness was a little much for him, so he broke out some sugar and creamer, adding them in. "I didn't want them to worry about it. After fighting Cardin and his friends, it was a little too much for me to deal with on top of getting stuck outside when that fight on the bridge was going down."
"I feel you," Coco agreed, taking a swig of her drink. "It's still crazy how that whole thing went down. How the hell does something like that giant exist? Its bones should be too weak to even hold itself up, but that thing's walking around and annihilating bridges!"
"My current headcanon is that it's magic..."
"Hell, I believe it," Coco expressed, throwing up her hands. "You think your eyes had anything to do with being next to that fight? They were putting off some bad juju, so something might have gotten broken."
"I hope not," Jaune replied with a chuckle. "Felt like a bunch of static electricity was in the air though. Made my hair stand on end."
"Me too," Velvet expressed partially concerned. "Nobody else has said anything about weird mutations or modifications to their bodies, so maybe it was just coincidence?"
"Or a gubment conspiracy," Coco joked, taking in a deep southern accent. "He's been replaced by a lizardman!"
The three laughed out at the insinuation. More at how Coco played off the joke than anything else. It served to even out the mood temporarily after Jaune's reveal.
"But seriously, guys," Jaune broke the laughter. His tone remained casual, be was solemn simultaneously. "Can you two keep this to yourselves? I'm trying to figure things out and really don't want to deal with the attention."
"Dude, you probably have a lot more than your fair share of attention right now, so I'm not sure it will hurt too much, but..." Coco paused for a moment, giving an appropriate level of suspense to her pledge. "...I'll keep it on the DL for you." She let out a snort. "If you're gonna turn into some monster, though, do it in a classroom with Cardin's ass in there. Preferably away from me."
"Yeah, don't worry, Jaune," Velvet reassured him with confidence. "We won't tell anybody until you do. Just keep in touch in case you need help!"
"Thanks, guys..."
Some pressure off me, at least.
Frankly, the only reason Jaune told them any of this was because he trusted the couple. Coco may have been a gossip, but she knew when to keep her mouth shut. Velvet was different since she wasn't into that sort of thing, preferring to be the unlicensed therapist of the coffee shop: doctor-patient privilege and all that.
Jaune had no reason to be afraid. What the hell was anybody going to do about it? He nearly killed a couple magically-powered soldiers with a half-hearted punch and had an army of legionaries at his disposal. Regardless, he would never harm the girls unless it was to protect them from themselves.
"Come on, Ren," someone outside beckoned. It was clearly a girl's voice. Too light to be a guy's, and had this constant bubbly tone.
The trio turned just as the pair passed by the broken windows. Nora came into view first, dragging Ren along just behind her. Their right and left arms locked at the elbow. Despite what seemed to be a loose grip, Ren was having to struggle just to keep himself standing up. The bubbly girl's short stature not betraying what amounted to a powerhouse of a woman.
"What are they doing out here," Jaune thought out loud.
There's nothing going on here... Everything's closed.
Coco gasped and started snickering. "Oh my god," she exclaimed excitedly. "They're on a date!"
A date?
To Jaune, the couple-not couple were just walking around checking things out. The way Nora was holding Ren didn't give off the same vibe to Jaune that Coco was getting. Ruby did the same thing with Jaune, dragging him hopelessly behind her like dead weight whenever they went out for fun.
Just as these thoughts crossed Jaune's mind, he got a good look at Ren's face. He was smiling softly. Not as in he was laughing and the smile clung to his lips. It was that stupid grin you had on your face when looking at your crush. Something Jaune knew well.
Which, made Jaune realise that the couple-not couple was on what amounted to a date. Maybe the two didn't call it that, but it looked pretty suspicious to everyone else.
As Nora reached the centre of the window, she panned her head, looking at the buildings around her. It just so happened that when she looked to her right, the girl locked eyes with those in the coffee shop. Nora stopped dead in her tracks and stared at them like a deer in headlights. Ren did the same. The girl's expression told Jaune she was starting to get this sinking feeling.
"Shit..."
Suddenly, Nora practically materialised a foot away from Ren and started waving at Jaune like nothing was going on here. A nervous smile on her face and one hand rubbing the back of her head. Ren did his best to appear casual, nodding his head to Jaune.
"Hey, guys," Coco greeted in her usual confident voice. The knowledge just dropped on her, holding no sway currently. "So, you two snuck out of Beacon?"
Nora was about to say something but froze. Her mind must have clicked and known the jig was up. A blush crept onto her cheeks, turning them slightly rosy. Ren was stone cold in contrast to his companion, not betraying himself in the slightest.
"Please don't tell Goodwitch," Nora practically confessed, knowing the two would be in trouble if they were caught. "It was sooooooo booooring!"
The trio looked to Ren who shrugged his shoulders.
"Nobody was watching us," he explained plainly. "We snuck out of a window and climbed down from a roof."
"I see," Velvet said, cocking her head to the side. "Do you guys want some coffee?" Her tone perked up with the question. "We made a fresh pot."
Nora and Ren looked at each other, and some consensus was reached without words. The bubbly Valkyrie led her friend inside, stepping carefully over the broken door. Crunching glass filled the air as they crushed the debris beneath their shoes.
"This is where you guys work," Nora asked in an almost disappointed tone.
"Was," Jaune corrected, gesturing to the destruction all around him. "Kinda closed for business now..."
"Awwwwww," Nora whined. More discouraged by that prospect than the appearance. "Didn't even get to try this place out!"
"Probably for the best, Nora," Ren countered with a smirk. "We all know what happened the last time you had coffee."
Velvet and Coco felt a shiver run up their spines. Jaune read the room and understood there was some missing piece of information he was not filled in on. Something his friends had long since buried to cover up the damages. Knowing Nora, it was probably some catastrophe that resulted in getting detention from Goodwitch for several weeks. That sentence would not have covered the property damage most likely.
"Hey," Nora barked in feigned indignance, pushing a finger into his chest. "You should have warned me about those three shots of espresso! I didn't know how my body was gonna handle it!"
Does she want a heart attack?
"I take it she'll be having soda?"
Ren nodded really quickly, trying to get himself out of Nora's focus. Jaune tossed a can of lemon-lime soda out, distracting the Valkyrie who had to direct herself to catch it before it bonked her on the head. Her partner had already fled to one of the tables which Coco had turned back over. She and Velvet had taken their coffee and sat down across from Ren.
As Velvet went to pour him a cup of coffee, Ren began pulling out his wallet with a few bills in hand to pay for it.
"Don't worry about it, guys," Velvet said, topping off Ren's cup and setting the pot back on a heating coil. "Everything's going to have to be thrown out, so it's on the house."
"How 'bout some muffins too," Coco suggested to Jaune.
Jaune threw some plastic-wrapped goods out from behind the counter. Ren took the banana-flavoured, while Nora took a blueberry one. Coco and Velvet indulged in some chocolate pastries.
Unwrapping the treat, Coco turned her attention to Ren and Nora. "What were you guys up to," she asked, tearing off a piece and eating it. "Most of the good spots are closed."
Nora laughed nervously, going to rub the back of her neck. Before she could condemn them to some misunderstanding, Ren spoke. "We just wanted to get out and stretch our legs," he explained, taking a sip of his coffee. "With the dorms getting locked down, a bunch of the other kids are leaving and going home..."
"Oh really," Coco said, obviously not buying the excuse. She tipped her shades down just enough to expose her eyes. "Sounds like an excuse to go on a date."
The tide could no longer be held back as Nora let loose a slew of reasons why it wasn't a date. Her entire face burned a bright red similar to Ruby's hoodie. Ren looked anywhere but Coco's eyes as he waited for the storm to pass. Velvet even joined in on the teasing, asking them what their plans were.
Jaune sat off on the side, watching the group battle it out with a grin on his lips. He couldn't help but indulge himself with their banter. Especially when he was able to see through the story Nora and Ren had concocted. They tried so hard to deny it but only made themselves look more suspicious.
[Several Hours Later]
Time had gone by faster than expected. Ren and Nora had managed to get over much of the teasing and even volunteered to help as the conversation turned civil. Everyone had enjoyed their day together, cleaning up most of the store to the sounds of Coco's playlist. Nora dancing to the beat made her seem like such a dork even compared to Ruby or Jaune himself.
Yet, nobody had dared to clean out the fridge. Everyone came to the conclusion it was going to be left alone—nearly four days without power and containing all manner of dairy products and perishable foods. Jaune could smell the overbearing stench of curdling milk even in the other room. Velvet decided to write it off as a total loss for now.
"Okay, that door's not going to stay up," Coco pointed out the obvious as she took a sip from an iced coffee.
"Maybe if we jam some pieces of wood between the frame and the door, it will hold up," Ren proposed, grabbing some debris to make it happen. As Jaune held the door, Ren stuffed whatever he could to force the board to stay still. Once he lined the base with those spacers, everyone took a step back.
"It works..."
"You didn't leave any money in there, did you," Nora asked, packing the last of her stuff back into her purse. Her tone gave the impression she didn't trust the makeshift barricade.
"Nope," Velvet answered, shaking her head. "My dad is going to come back with some plywood tomorrow, so we can shut it." The girl's body language didn't tell Jaune she was worried about any theft either.
"Eh, what are they gonna do, steal the stove," Coco expressed jokingly.
Everyone turned around to face the street at once. It was dark now, as the Sun just dipped below the horizon a few minutes ago. The towering buildings of Vale's skyline paired with the scarcity of streetlamps offered only to darken the setting further. The only reason the group was able to see was a single lamp just outside the coffee shop.
Before the group was going to disperse, a vehicle drove by. It was a black sedan with tinted windows, ensuring the drivers were invisible to any pedestrians. Their pace remained at a crawl, especially as they passed right by the front of the store—a deliberate act, which hardly had benevolent reasoning to their knowledge.
"Hey, fuck you, assholes," Coco yelled, cocking back her arm and launching the iced coffee right at the passenger window.
The plastic cup split apart as it slammed into the glass, spraying coffee and ice cubes all over the place. This act not going unnoticed, scaring whoever was in the car away. They hit the gas pedal and peeled down the street. The squeal of their tires dimming as they turned a corner.
"Coco, what was that about," Velvet demanded angrily.
"Come on," Coco shouted, grabbing the faunus' arm. "Those assholes were staking the shop out! We need to go!" The pair hurried themselves over to the Fashionista's car, getting in and quickly fleeing the area.
Nora crept up next to Ren, feeling insecure about the whole situation. Jaune could feel the unease radiating off her. It made him feel annoyed, just allowing her to feel that way any longer. Ren seemed to share this sentiment, comforting her with an arm on her shoulder.
"I think we should get out of here, Ren," Nora suggested. Her tone was devoid of that bubbly mood, which she was notable for.
"Yeah," he agreed, turning to Jaune as they started heading to the Academy. "You gonna be all right by yourself?"
"Don't worry," Jaune said, flipping up his hood. "Tonight's a beautiful night..."
Now for Coco and Velvet's responses to Jaune telling them about his eyes. How would you react with no outside information whatsoever? You don't know that Jaune can change his eye colour or is supernatural in any way. He's been that same doofus you've known for a couple months now that's gotten a makeover recently. You might not think a whole lot about it. Sure, it's weird, but nothing to suspect especially if you're not an expert.
Also, I think Coco is the sort of lovey-dovey type person in a relationship. She would totally be that kind of person.
I want to write Ren and Nora into the story more often, though. I find them difficult to write about because we don't get a whole lot of their interactions with other characters in the first three volumes. I actually had an easier time writing them in The Lengths We Must Go To. So, for now, just a little teaser of the sacred Renora on a date in Vale.
As for the next chapter, we'll hopefully be picking up next week with Jaune. I decided to cut off what was going to be at the end of this chapter and tack it onto the beginning of the next one.
Encyclopedia of MAJMLYAI.
Vampires:
Jaune
Aliases: Leonhardt, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown
Familiars: Crocea Mors, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown
People Consumed: 31
Major Arcana: The Emperor
Pasty
Aliases: Element Unknown
Methuselah
(He ded.)
Friends/Allies:
Ruby
Aliases: Element Unknown
Yang
Aliases: Element Unknown
Pyrrha
Aliases: Element Unknown
Weiss
Aliases: Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown, Element Unknown
Blake
Aliases: Element Unknown