Neither boy moved nor made a sound within the otherwise unoccupied dorm, though their backs were up against each other as they sat upon the floor. Bartholomew Oobleck had one leg bent upward with an elbow resting upon his thigh as he held a book of historical fiction, while Adam Taurus was busy annotating the history textbook laying within his lap. As the bull faunus' highlighter reached the end of the page, he looked upward briefly to fix his eye upon the digital clock of the microwave resting within the kitchen.
"…is this not the most relaxing evening we've had since arriving at Beacon?" Adam asked, his voice low.
The corner of Bartholomew's mouth turned upward as he flipped the page of his novel, unblinking.
"As much as I enjoy time with the rest of our team, I will admit… this is something I could get used to, on occasion. Few people our age appreciate quietude, it would seem," Bartholomew mused.
"Or personal space," Adam added. "At least Roman won't be begging me to try on shirts all night."
"Or a lack of dirty laundry hanging off of doorknobs and stuffed into odd places."
"…or a night without objects, including said laundry, being thrown across the room."
"…or conversations without a hundred sexual innuendos."
Adam paused for a moment, a series of memories of recent events playing through his mind at seemingly instant speed. He shook his head, closed his book, and stood into an overhead stretch, smirking all the while.
"…I miss them already," the faunus admitted.
"I do, as well," Bartholomew agreed as he dog-eared his page and stood with a grin. "Terribly so, I might add."
"I'm planning on calling Kali tomorrow morning. See if she needs to vent before the big party," Adam said as he made his way over to sit upon the bed. "I know she's got the others there with her, but… being a faunus comes with a lot of baggage. I know you know, but you don't really know."
"No, I suppose I don't," Bartholomew agreed as he sat upon his own bed, facing Adam. "Is it something you're willing to elaborate upon, while we're alone?"
Adam met Bartholomew's eyes with his own; his uncovered, sightless one blank and scarred as ever. The human boy didn't look away from the grisly sight, and instead held his friend's gaze.
"…before coming to Beacon and being lucky enough to find refuge… the concept of being content, even temporarily, wasn't something I was familiar with," Adam explained. "Every day was just anger, endurance, and plotting against my captors and employers. I wasn't the only one who felt that way- we were the majority, down in the mines. Acting upon those thoughts too early just led to being killed off and disposed of, in order to crush dissent beneath an iron heel. Even after I cut my way out, I didn't feel any lasting satisfaction. I didn't know what to do with freedom, and I just remained angry. It was anger that I took out on all of you, unfairly, for quite a while."
"And it is quite obvious that over the past several weeks, you have changed significantly," Bartholomew offered. "It is plain as day, and every other member of OKRA, STRQ, and Willow have mentioned it to me in passing… or at length. You seem much more stable, centered, and able to function within polite society, now."
"I owe that exclusively to all of you, and Professor Calavera," Adam replied. "Still, though… the situation isn't perfect. I'm well aware that nothing ever is, but more and more, lately, I'm running into situations where I continue to see disconnects and irreparable rifts in the priorities of humans and faunus. Our divide is something that I'm continually being reminded of, and it isn't something I can brush off so easily as most humans can. I'm simply… holding my anger in, rather than letting it be known."
Bartholomew leaned forward and held his book out to Adam across the gap between the beds. The faunus accepted it and scanned over the cover with his eye. The novel was leather-bound, and the title of Wanderers of the Dunes was inlaid into the red surface in gold lettering, above a golden silhouette of a dog-eared faunus carrying a bag tied to a stick over his shoulder. Adam looked back up at his companion and raised a brow.
"…I'm not sure I understand."
"People- all people, humans and faunus, are actually quite simple creatures," Bartholomew began as he stood from the bed and clasped his hands behind his back. "At a base level, we function only to survive. Most desire to reproduce, and 'survive' as a legacy, even beyond their years. Food, water, shelter, and meaningful companionship, at least for the vast majority, are considered the essentials. Though most wouldn't admit it, so long as those needs are attended to, I would put down good lien to say that a good three quarters of the populace would grow used to their unique situations over time, regardless of other specifics. Now, obviously, the quality of those things in one's life do matter, and those at either end of the spectrum are far more likely to ignore the needs of others, let alone their wants- the incredibly rich and the incredibly poor are both self-absorbed and ignorant to the common denominator, for entirely different reasons."
Adam paused to consider the words, and finally shook his head.
"That's all likely true, yes, but again- I'm not entirely sure what you're getting at," Adam confessed as he idly turned the book over within his hands.
"I thought you might not, as I tend to ramble and indulge in my own circular thinking quite often. I'm sure you've noticed," Bartholomew added with a smirk, only for it to grow wider as Adam nodded.
"…it's a little annoying," Adam grumbled.
"Annoyance is part of my charm," Bartholomew countered. "Be that as it may- the poor are easy enough to sway into listening- feed them, clothe them, give them opportunity, and they will not only listen to you, but fight for you. The rich, and those just well-off enough to indulge in luxuries regularly? Those people, myself included, are a different beast, incapable of real empathy for their lessers unless they're given a reason to care. That reason is usually self-congratulation through charity, chance-borne friendship, or by making the targets of their empathy into part of their leisure to feel more learned via reading texts. I read historical fiction not just because I enjoy history, but because otherwise, I can't quite understand the perspectives of those less fortunate than I. Not really."
Adam looked up from the book, his jaw set and eye narrowed.
"I am right here and can give you a firsthand account of what my 'perspective' is like," Adam seethed.
"And yet, even if you do, there are parts I will miss. Subtleties I won't pick up on, phrasings that mean something different to the two of us," Bartholomew countered as he began to pace. "Far more effective is putting your passion and the essence of your experience into a scenario tailor-made to catch the attentions of those who are unable, unwilling, or a combination of the two. A book allows one to engage with it at their leisure. To go back and reread, to discuss with others their interpretations of a concrete, unchanging source. A single conversation has subtext that can be forever missed, and lead to an even wider divide."
"So you think bullshit stories based in half-truths have more power for change and acceptance than people speaking from the heart," Adam replied as he set the book down beside himself.
"No, no, perhaps I'm not being clear- it doesn't have to be fiction, Adam," Bartholomew insisted. "I believe in the power of written word- of the manifesto, the transcript, the concrete. I believe in making intentions known and crystal clear, so that the other side can't simply run from the truth by spinning an interpretation of a conversation that can't be refuted by those who weren't present. I'm not telling you that your word isn't valuable- I'm telling you that when it's written down, it's more likely to reach those who would otherwise ignore it. Were I most other men, and this was our first encounter, I'd have written off your protests about societal imbalance on your attitude alone, right now."
Adam drew in a deep breath, and let it out in a rattling, shaky exhale.
"Then I guess I'd better start writing down my thoughts. Maybe you're right. Saying how I feel hasn't really stuck, for some people here," Adam recalled as he offered the book back to his friend. "The Winchesters among them, despite the supposed new leaf they've been trying to turn."
"No, no- keep it. Read it, and see if you understand what I mean," Bartholomew insisted with a wave of his hand. "You've never been to Vacuo, though I'm sure you've heard it described. See if you can put yourself in the life of the character there, and if it deepens your understanding of the Vacuan faunus population."
Adam turned the book over once again and eyed the cover suspiciously before looking back up at Bartholomew.
"…did it do that for you?"
"I'd like to think it did," Bartholomew confirmed. "There's precious little I can do to enact social change or spread awareness now, and I'm not about to march out to Vacuo and lend a hand with my current combat skills and worldly knowledge. That's why I'm here, Adam- to learn, to grow, and eventually, to educate others and venture out to make meaningful change by providing support to those who need and truly deserve it. The unfortunate, the downtrodden, and those who champion a worthy cause. Yours could be among them."
"…you'll find none more worthy, if you're true to your word," Adam replied as he stood. "I'll start recording what I want to say to the world. I may need your help doing so, since… I'm not much of a writer."
"And you'll have it. Just keep one thing in mind, as you move forward on this path," Bartholomew suggested.
"What's that?" Adam asked.
"Never settle for anything less than what you know you deserve," Bartholomew said with a sharp nod.
"I won't," Adam agreed as he made his way out of the dorm.
Kali tried to keep her attention on Weiland's back as she and her friends meandered through the halls of the Schnee manor, their shoes echoing off of the immaculately polished floor. Despite her efforts, she found her eyes drawn first to the stunningly clear reflections that they all cast into the tile, and then practically everything else around her. The giant statue of the Schnee snowflake in the central hall was the first culprit, followed by an even larger sculpture of black and white dueling snakes in the adjacent room that seemed to be some sort of art gallery or ancillary room to entertain guests. No matter where they walked, Kali found some new painting, suit of armor, or mounted weapon to admire as she walked along, until Jacques' low voice caused her right feline ear to flick to the side in response.
"Incredible, isn't it?" the man asked as he matched Kali's pace, the pair trailing behind the butler and the heiress. "A little sickening, as well, if I'm honest. No one family really needs all of this money…"
"No, they don't," Kali agreed in an equally hushed tone. "I'm both surprised with just how rich the Schnee family seems to be, and also… not surprised at all. The more important thing to take from all of this is that Willow's a treasure- I'd expect someone raised here to be chugging caviar and looking down her nose at us like it's her job."
"Indeed she is," Jacques agreed as a suited attendant carrying a silver platter aloft passed by. "Therefore, it's our job to ensure that she remains protected and out of reach of undesirables at all times, while we're here."
"…what if some of those undesirables end up being blood related?" Kali questioned as the party turned a corner, where the floor shifted from polished stone to plush red carpet. "Not much we can do then."
"Then? Our job becomes less protection, and more recovery," Jacques admitted as he shook his head. "Fortunately, Arcturus was at least welcoming, thus far."
"If you call that a welcome, then sure," Kali mumbled. She very nearly ran into Willow as the procession stopped, and Weiland stepped to the side to stand with his back mere inches from the wall of the corridor.
"…Your Grace," the man said softly as he bowed his head, his hands clasped behind his back as ever.
"…you look thin," came the harsh reply from an unseen figure, though Kali got the distinct impression that the speaker wasn't talking to Weiland. The faunus girl craned her neck around Willow only to see a slender woman of average height sneering at her friend through narrowed eyes. The stranger's hair was a dangling, chest-length mess of wispy, fading blonde strands in the front, and a tight bun in the back. Her expression seemed to be one of both scrutiny and annoyance.
"…Mother," Willow replied softly as she dipped her head into a quick nod. "I see that you're well."
"Well?" Camilla Schnee questioned, before letting out a snort. "You stole Myrtenaster, threw yourself into danger without finishing your training- training that we didn't approve of, by the way- and now, we must play host to an entire cadre of money-grubbing bastards, cheats, swindlers, and painted whores once again, against my wishes. I am not well."
Kali tried and failed to fight back her grin at the words, while Jacques raised a hand to simultaneously rub at his chin and cover his amused expression. Even Willow had to take a breath to compose herself at her mother's callous words, though she quickly regained her perfect posture and simply nodded again.
"Mother, you know that Daddy wouldn't simply stand up business partners, especially when there's an event to celebrate," Willow pointed out.
"Business partners," Camilla spat as she looked first to Kali, and then Jacques. Her gaze lingered upon the male as her eyes narrowed, and Jacques remained very still. "If you ask me, the only ones who should be coming here for any sort of celebration tomorrow morning are members of the Ironwood family."
"Unfortunately, that isn't quite the way it works. Besides- I've brought some friends for you to meet," Willow lamented as she stepped to the side and gestured a calm, gentle hand outward toward her faunus friend. "This is Kali Moonglove, from Beacon Academy. She's a member of Team OKRA, and has become something like a sister to me over the past month and a half."
Kali made an attempt at a curtsey, only to stumble slightly and lurch forward in a most unladylike motion to save herself from faceplanting into the carpet. Willow slowly wiped her hand down her face, looking to be in absolute agony as Camilla finally smirked.
"…you. I like you," the matriarch said with a series of small nods. "Do us both a favor, and don't try to perfect that, or any other custom that you see people performing tomorrow. Bumble your way through it and irritate as many of these stuck-up assholes as you can. They don't deserve a proper curtsey."
"Yes, ma'am," Kali replied with a wide grin. She offered a sloppy salute, only for Willow to shake her head as she rubbed at her temples.
"…Mother, please don't encourage her. Kali is rather… free spirited," Willow pleaded.
"Just like you, it would seem," Camilla commented as she turned to face Jacques. A bit of venom seeped into her tone as she upturned her nose once again, her attentions fixated upon the man before her. "And you are?"
"Jacques Soleil. A friend," the man said proudly as brought a fist across his chest. Camilla merely stared in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time, before tilting her head ever so slightly.
"…I see," she offered, before turning her attentions back to her daughter. "You know, your father and I tried to prevent you from enrolling in a hunter's curriculum to protect you from many things, but with your friends here, and the others you must have… perhaps this will work out, after all. Just make sure you keep your guard up, and your wits about you. Sometimes, those you grow closest to are sharpening their knives all the while."
"I think you'll find that Willow's been sharpening her own, ma'am," Jacques replied, only to earn another harsh look from the older woman. "I've heard that she's been negotiating the mire of those who would seek to gain favor with her quite well."
"…and who are you exactly, Mr. Soleil?" Camilla questioned.
"Merely an entrepreneur who had the pleasure of meeting your daughter," Jacques reassured. "She brought me along to show me what the 'real' arena for business is like, in the economic arena of Atlas."
"Hell," Camilla answered immediately. "Don't go down that road, if you have any sense. Get out while you can, before it renders you a husk."
Another uncomfortable silence filled the hall as Camilla stared through Jacques, before finally tearing her eyes from him in a torturously slow gesture.
"Weiland, show them to their rooms. I need to speak to Arcturus," Camilla said flippantly before waving a hand and beginning to make her way down the hall.
"Of course," the butler replied with a deep bow, before resuming his march with the teenagers in tow.
"…why do I get the feeling she dislikes me?" Jacques asked as he and Kali walked at Willow's sides.
"Mother is… abrasive, at first," Willow explained. "Though she did seem to take to you rather well, Kali. I suppose it's just a part of your inherent charm."
"I have a lot to spare," Kali commented as the group began to ascend a wide marble staircase. The structure seemed to loop back upon itself several times as it ascended through the floors of the manor, to the point that the faunus was unable to see the ceiling.
"Perhaps you could teach me, in that case," Jacques offered as they rounded the first turn upon the staircase.
"…perhaps you could teach all of Atlas, if this goes well," Willow said softly. "Mother appreciates people who are genuine, which may be why she took to you so quickly. So many others here are obnoxiously pretentious and hiding their intentions."
Jacques made a noise of discomfort as Weiland led the group up to the third floor and began down the hallway at a brisk pace.
"Not much farther, ladies," the man said to Willow and Kali as he remained facing forward. "Mr. Soleil, I'll be taking you one floor up from here."
"Not a problem," Jacques offered with a nod as Weiland stopped before a large blue door. Jacques came to a stop alongside his companions and offered Willow his hand. "Really, I must thank you again for allowing me to tag along. This has already been eye-opening, to say the least."
Willow took the hand in her own, only for Jacques to raise the pair and kiss the back of her hand. The heiress offered him a polite smile in return and tucked an errant strand of hair back behind her ear.
"Of course. Anything at all for a friend, Jacques. We'll see each other again tomorrow, hopefully before the party."
"I'm looking forward to it. Kali," Jacques added with a nod as he let go of Willow's hand. The faunus returned the gesture and followed it up with an enthusiastic wave.
"Seeya! And thanks, Weiland!"
The older man merely grunted as he made a beckoning motion with his hand and turned on his heel. Jacques lingered for a moment before beginning to follow along, and Kali leaned in close to Willow's ear with a filthy grin plastered upon her face.
"…no, Kali, I am not going to spread my legs for Jacques," Willow said flatly as she kept a hand upon the doorknob.
Kali recoiled with wide eyes, and then burst into a fit of giggles.
"What!? No! I was going to say that Weiland is hot!" the faunus admitted as her friend turned red in the face. "Though, now that you mention it…"
"No," Willow insisted as she opened the door to her bedroom and stepped inside. "No more of this. I'm not seeking affections from Jacques, and I… don't have my eye on anyone in particular, at the moment."
"You hesitated," Kali pointed out as she followed Willow into the massive bedroom. "And this is an apartment, not a single room."
"I did," Willow agreed as she walked over to the massive four-poster bed enveloped by a hanging blue veil. "And maybe that's for good reason. Leave it, Kali, at least until we get back home. I have a lot on my mind, between my family and the events of tomorrow."
Kali froze mid-step and tilted her head in curiosity.
"…you think of Beacon as back home, now?"
Willow turned to face Kali, though she quickly cast her eyes down to the snow-white carpet. She could feel her cheeks blanche despite her best efforts to come up with a quick answer, and instead shook her head to buy time within the silence.
"…I misspoke. Come, let us go about preparations for tomorrow and then get some sleep."
Without another word, Willow walked toward the attached bathroom as Kali simply watched her back, unsure of what to say.
Raven groaned softly as sunlight from the window on the other side of the room crept across her face, and she turned away instinctively to mash her cheek deeper into the mattress. Suddenly, the thought occurred to her that the mattress in question was far too warm to be natural, and she opened an eye only to find a few wiry strands of chest hair just before her. Raven raised her head and blinked rapidly, feeling much more awake as she looked down into Taiyang's open mouth and the drool trailing from the corner of his lip.
A furious blush washed across her like tidal wave, and Raven froze in place as she began to take in the visuals around her while simultaneously piecing together the events of the previous night. She was laying atop Taiyang, who was laying upon one of the couches of the living room of Willow's penthouse with a hand braced over his stomach. A warm, dark blue blanket was draped over her back and trailing down to surround both her body and Taiyang's. Across the room, the television was displaying a muted movie that Raven had never seen before, and the apartment was totally silent save for the softly ticking wall clock.
Raven slowly looked down into her blanket to find that she was wearing one of Willow's silken white bathrobes, and that the garment was failing to maintain coverage of one of her breasts. She quickly fixed the wardrobe malfunction while keeping an eye on Taiyang and wracking her brain for the most recent memories she could muster.
She knew that they had started out sitting up next to each other on the couch, the blanket wrapped around them both. She knew that they had talked long into the night, mostly about nothing, and she remembered laughing harder than she ever had before. She could remember the beginnings of another movie and resting her head on Taiyang's bare shoulder. The rest was all a blur.
Panic began to set in as Raven realized that she was more or less straddling her unconscious friend. Suddenly, she leaned in closer and held the back of her hand a few inches over the boy's mouth to check whether or not he was breathing. As she realized just how irrational and odd the gesture would seem to anyone else, she pulled back and allowed herself a sigh of relief.
"…Taiyang," Raven said insistently as she maintained her position with her legs on either side of his thighs. "Taiyang."
The boy snorted and brought a hand up to rub at his face as he blinked awake, before letting out a massive yawn.
"…Raves…?" he called, clearly only semi-coherent. "What's going on? Is somethin' wrong?"
Raven immediately looked away from his deep blue eyes as they locked on to her crimson pair. Instead, she fixed them to the wall clock, and imagined using them to bore a hole through the point at which the hour and minute hand met in the center.
"…we need to get up," Raven said insistently as she kept the blanket closed around her chest.
"…do we?" Taiyang questioned as he scratched at the back of his head, and then his scraggly goatee.
"Yes," Raven said emphatically. "It's nine."
A period of silence passed, until Raven had to look down at her companion to make sure he hadn't fallen back asleep. Instead of the drooling teen she expected to see, she instead found herself lost in his eyes once again.
"…yeah, so?"
Raven blinked only once, and then spoke as though the answer was the most obvious thing in the world.
"So… we should have been up hours ago. We have to train. We're behind on breakfast, we have studying to do, we h-"
"Are you hungry?" Taiyang interrupted as he folded his arms behind his head.
"I… no, not yet," Raven admitted. "Strangely."
"You've been keeping up with homework, probably better than any of us," Taiyang added. "As for training, that can happen any time of day. Didn't you tell Summer you'd be gone all weekend, taking a mental health break?"
"I did," Raven agreed. A feeling of dread as to where the conversation could have been going rushed through Raven's heart, and Taiyang seemed to react to it immediately as he reached a hand up to her shoulder.
"Then take a break. You look exhausted, even after getting some sleep. We were up until three, you know," Taiyang pointed out.
"We were?" Raven questioned, only for the faintest image of the clock reading 2:36 registering within her mind. "What did we… I know we were talking, and just watching… something…"
"We were," Taiyang agreed as he let his hand slip back down to his chest. "But it doesn't really matter, does it? We've got all of today to do whatever we want. If you want to do it alone, that's fine. If you want me here, then my schedule's open. What do you really want to do, right now?"
The answer floated through Raven's mind immediately, though her initial instinct was to fight it back with all her might. After a moment of consideration, she closed her eyes, hung her head, and decided to speak her mind.
"…sleep."
"Then we sleep," Taiyang declared simply. Without warning, the boy shifted a bit upon the couch, and Raven felt something rigid brush against her inner thigh as she slowly transitioned to sit near the front of the cushions. After the awkward transition, Taiyang tugged at the blanket and looped it around his back before raising half of it and opening his arms in a gesture of invitation. Raven merely stared from her position half-sitting at the edge of the couch, while holding the front of her robe closed with one hand.
"…how can everything just be so simple for you?" Raven asked earnestly.
"Funny you should ask. From my perspective, it seems like you find some things to be incredibly simple, too," Taiyang offered. "Now, c'mere. Let's get warm and drift off for a few more hours."
Raven frowned slightly as she transitioned to lie down once again and scooted back into Taiyang's waiting arms. He closed the blanket around them to offer warmth, and then suddenly tried to move backward as well when he accidentally poked Raven's hip. The girl rotated slightly to try to ease the tension of the situation, only for the sensation to occur again as Taiyang let out a nervous laugh, his cheeks burning.
"I, um, I'm really sorry, it's… maybe we should wait unt-"
"It's just a penis, Taiyang," Raven deadpanned as she heaved a sigh and pulled the blankets in a bit closer to her chest. "They harden, they soften, and it isn't your fault. It's just biology, and we're both well aware of it. I'm not about to get angry with you over something you can't control. Just wait it out, and we'll both be comfortable. It's not world-ending."
Taiyang coughed to break the deafening silence, before clearing his throat.
"…you're not wrong. But see, that's what I mean. Most other people would've… made some kind of issue, or made an excuse to get up for a bit, but you? You just made it simple," Taiyang said. "And honestly? After the initial shock, it makes things a lot less awkward, overall."
"…maybe I did," Raven agreed hesitantly. "But then why do I feel like I overcomplicate everything, and end up making a mess where others see obvious solutions?"
"Because that's exactly what you do when it's something about yourself," Taiyang replied. "You tense, you worry, you overanalyze, and you approach your limit over even little things that have to do with holding yourself to any sort of standard, or any personal decision. It's time to start letting that go. You'll snap if you don't start to learn to bend. I think part of that process is going to be starting to be brutally honest about what you're feeling, even if it's just with me, at first. After all, it's not like you can really hide it…"
Raven's face scrunched as she stared out at the muted television, the only sound the ticking of the wall clock for several minutes. She somewhat hoped that Taiyang had simply fallen asleep as she began to speak, and closed her eyes to try to force herself to believe the scenario that she knew likely wasn't true.
"…I feel like you and I should be romantic partners, but I won't let myself lower the barrier preventing it because I feel like I don't deserve someone like you," Raven said slowly. "I feel like hurting you would tear me apart in ways I can't even imagine right now, and the thought of pain like that is what's stopping me from turning around and making you mine. I also feel like every time the others hint at what they think is an obvious pairing between us, it makes me want to step farther back."
Raven focused on her breathing as the ticking seemed to intensify in volume. She wasn't sure how long it took for Taiyang to wrap an arm gently around her midsection, but she was sure that it felt like far too long for her liking. The boy's other hand gently tangled into her hair and massaged the side of her scalp as he spoke in a near whisper.
"…yeah. That's… about what I figured, based on the emotions I sense from you. And you know what? That's okay. If you and I never become 'a thing', it's cool. I'll still be here f-"
Taiyang's words were cut off by Raven's lips as she suddenly turned to face him. He kept his hand planted firmly against the side of her scalp as the kiss intensified for all of a few seconds, before Raven pulled away and nestled her head beneath his chin, eyes closed and a hand on his chest.
"…I don't know why," Raven explained before Taiyang could say anything. "And maybe it isn't fair to you, but I wanted to make you feel as comfortable and appreciated as you make me feel, for once."
Taiyang shifted his grip to encircle Raven's back as he held her to his chest beneath the blanket.
"You always make me feel comfortable and appreciated. Even if that was a one-time thing, it was pretty awesome," Taiyang offered with a smirk as he closed his eyes.
"It might be," Raven replied coldly. "And I'm sorry for that. I don't know… anything about when I'll be ready, or how I feel. For now, I still just want to be… friends. Close friends. I'm sorry if it comes off as leading you on, but that's not what I'm trying to do. I just wanted to kiss you, in that moment."
"…how about we sleep on it?" Taiyang suggested with a wide yawn.
"…yes. Sleep sounds good," Raven agreed. "See you soon."
Taiyang raised a brow as he rubbed at Raven's shoulder blade through the silk of her bathrobe. It wasn't long before his hand stopped circling, and he fell asleep.
Author's Note:
Alternative chapter title- Boner Patrol.
-RD
