Hold still, you're going to ruin it!" Luna scolded.
Cobalt tried his best to stay stiff among his ever-growing excitement. "Sorry!" He apologized. "Sorry, I'm just…really excited." He was set to go and meet Storm soon and he could barely contain his enthusiasm and nervousness. What if it went badly? What if it went really well, and then he'd have to prepare himself for a committed romantic relationship?
Luna ran the comb through the front of Cobalt's hair and laughed. "I can tell," She replied. "I haven't felt you this excited before, let alone seen it."
"Can you blame me?" Cobalt tried not to wiggle. "My first date since I was thirteen and it's with the coolest person at Beacon." His ears drooped slightly. "I just…really hope I don't screw things up."
Luna switched to a smaller comb for between his ears and ran it through his hair with the same gentleness as when they were kids. "You'll be fine," She assured him. "They already like you back and they'd be dumb not to."
Cobalt smiled. "Thanks, Lune." He could always count on her to calm his nerves.
"Besides," Luna grinned. "If almost decking them in the face wasn't enough to turn them off you, I don't think anything will."
Cobalt blushed and wanted to bury his face in his hands. "Please don't remind me…"
The dorm's bathroom door flung open as Astra burst it, a makeup bag in her arms!
"Hold up!" She announced. "Nothing else is happening until I can get his makeup done."
Luna turned to face her, hands on her hips. "I'm in the middle of doing his hair," She protested. "Besides, does he really need makeup?"
Astra dumped her bag beside this sink. "Not much," She responded. "Just enough to make him look nice."
Cobalt frowned at her in protest. "Hey, I look nice!"
"Of course you do!" Astra amended. "But you'll look even better with a little concealer and some eyeliner."
"Nope, no way," Luna shook her head. "He never looked good in eyeliner when I'd apply it to him."
Cobalt wanted to protest, but he knew she was right.
Astra pulled black eyeliner out of the bag with a flourish. "Well, you've never applied it like I do, then, because once I'm done here, Cobalt's gonna look stunning."
Cobalt peered at her closely. "Do you even wear makeup?" It certainly didn't look like it, from what he could tell.
Astra pulled the lid off the eyeliner. "I do, on special occasions. And I'm great at it," She leaned forward with the pen. "Now, stay still, unless you want ink in your eye."
Cobalt tried not to blink as Astra applied the makeup to his eyes. "I hope you're sure about this." Behind him, Luna stubbornly kept combing.
Astra's eyes were narrowed as she focused. "Trust me, my mom and her team are practically makeup experts. My Uncle Ivori's been showing me what to do from the moment I could hold a brush."
Cobalt wished he could remember what any of Team FNKI really looked like and failed to. He'd just have to trust his teammate, it seemed.
Grabbing a soft brush, Luna began to run it up his ears. It felt nice, though Cobalt was glad Astra hadn't jumped to do it. Outside of his family, Luna was the only person allowed to touch his ears; it was a deeply personal sentiment for him.
After his hair was brushed back and Astra had finished her makeup work, the girls finally let him free. Standing up from the chair he'd been seated in, he turned to look in the mirror.
"Woah," Cobalt stared at himself. Astra wasn't kidding; she'd done amazingly with the eyeliner. "You guys did great."
Astra looked smug. "See?" She poked her tongue out at Luna.
Luna grinned. "Yeah, okay, you win. You're better at it than I am."
"Don't worry," Astra assured her. "I'll do your makeup whenever you need it."
Luna blushed heavily. "Uh-I-I'll let you know. If you ever need to." She managed. Cobalt tried not to laugh at her.
Astra turned to Cobalt, oblivious to Luna's embarrassment. "Alrighty, well, you need to get going!"
Cobalt's excitement and anxiety flared back up. "Oh Gods, do you guys really think I'm ready?"
"Yes!" Luna encouraged. "Go on, get out there!" She and Astra ushered him out of the bathroom. Cobalt didn't bother telling Luna that he'd meant if he was ready mentally.
Lily lay on her bed and looked up at Cobalt as he entered the main room, Astra and Luna behind him.
"Hey, you look great!" She praised. "Those two did a great job on you."
Cobalt grinned. "They really did."
Lily sat up. "Are you nervous?"
"Extremely." Cobalt sighed.
Lily jumped off the bed and headed over to one of the several potted plants she had deposited around her bed, picking a white flower off one.
"Here," She handed it to him. "Give them this."
"No time for chitchat!" Astra interrupted before Cobalt could thank Lily. "You need to get going!" She shoved him into the hallway.
"Have fun!" Luna called after him. Astra closed the door, leaving Cobalt alone in the hallway.
Cobalt took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves.
"Oh hey, there you are!"
Cobalt jumped and turned to see Storm walking towards him. Horror shot through his body.
"Oh Gods, am I late?" He fretted. "I'm so sorry, I must have lost track of- "
Storm cut him off with a chuckle. "You're not late, don't worry," They assured him. "I just got bored and thought I'd come get you myself." Their gaze swept over him. "Wow, you look…really nice."
Cobalt blushed. "Ah, thanks," He replied, squealing on the inside. "My teammates helped me get ready." He gazed at Storm; they'd tied their silver hair back into a high ponytail and was wearing a neat black suit. "You look amazing too. Oh!" He added, remembering the flower. "Here."
A blush not unlike Cobalt's own swept across Storm's face as they gently took the flower from Cobalt's outstretched hand. "Thanks," They looked uncharacteristically awkward; it was adorable. "Do you uh…wanna get going?"
"Right, of course!" Cobalt nodded, falling into step beside Storm as they began walking up the hallway.
"So, uh…" Storm gazed up at Cobalt, standing a couple of inches shorter than him. "Have you ever been on a date before?"
"Yeah, once," Cobalt admitted. "It was years ago, though, back in combat school."
"I've never dated a guy before," Storm admitted. "Just a couple of girls, but they weren't very serious."
Is this serious? Cobalt wondered inwardly. Part of him hoped it was.
As the pair walked through the school, they continued to chat casually, and Cobalt felt himself easing up. Storm was as kind as they'd always been; they must have changed from their days in Atlas. Either that or Astra had perhaps just overreacted, as she often did. He was sure she'd never say anything against Storm just to be mean, but she was wrong in this case.
Their chat continued as they took a Bullhead into the city, talking about their taste in music and what their first dates had been like. The whole time, Storm gazed at Cobalt as if he was the only person on their world, and their laugh sent an intense joy into his heart.
"So, where are you taking me?" Cobalt asked as they stepped off the Bullhead and headed into the still-bustling city.
"It's a surprise." Storm replied, winking.
Cobalt's curiosity grew. "Come on, just tell me!" He begged. "Is it at least close?"
Storm laughed. "It's close, don't worry. But I'm not telling you anything else; you'll see soon enough."
Cobalt pouted jokingly. "Okay, but it had better be worth it." He chuckled.
Storm grabbed his hand. "It'll be great, trust me."
Cobalt stared at the hand clasped around his, his heart skipping a beat as he closed his fingers around Storm's and let them lead him through the city, rounding a few corners until the reached a two-story building away from the bustling crowds of people heading out for the weekend.
Storm pulled Cobalt over to a staircase than ran up the side of the building.
Cobalt blinked at the staircase. "We're going up there?" He enquired. "Are we…allowed to?"
Storm smiled. "Don't worry, this store closed down ages ago," They explained. "I found this place a week after moving to Vale."
Trusting them, Cobalt let them lead hi up the staircase, then up a second set until they reached the roof of the building.
The setting sun shone brightly in Cobalt's face as he stepped onto the roof and he shielded his eyes for a moment, before removing his arm again as his eyes adjusted. From up here, he could see almost the entire span of the city as the setting sun cast the buildings in shadow.
"Wow…"
"It's beautiful, right?" Storm asked, standing beside him eagerly.
"It is," Cobalt agreed. He smiled softly at Storm. "I'm glad you found it."
Squeezing his hand, Cobalt pulled him closer to the other side of the building and sat down, patting the space beside them. Cobalt sat, feeling a warmth that didn't just come from the sun.
For a moment, they sat in blissful silence. From up here, the traffic and noise of people seemed distant, and Cobalt could enjoy the moment in peace.
"I really am sorry about Rowan and Birch," Storm said softly after a while.
Cobalt turned to look at them. "You don't have to keep apologizing; it wasn't your fault." He assured them.
Storm sighed. "I know, but I still feel bad. I'm just glad Coco made them clean up the cafeteria afterwards."
Cobalt huffed. It was good to know they'd been properly punished, but it still didn't feel like enough. "Kind of wish they'd been suspended if I'm being honest." It would stop them from continuing to bother the team, for a while at least.
"That's a bit extreme, don't you think?"
Cobalt felt a cold prick in his gut. "…What do you mean by that?"
Storm shrugged. "I mean, they're jerks, but you don't really think they deserve suspension, do you?"
Cobalt slipped his hand from theirs and moved away slightly, staring at them as the cold prick grew heavier. "You know what they were saying, right? They called faunus freaks. You know that, right?" Please tell me you just didn't know…
Storm shifted, looking uncomfortable. "That's just their opinion, though."
Cobalt narrowed his eyes and stood up. "What are you talking about?" The prick was a cold weight now, settling in his belly. "Storm, they were racist."
Storm scrambled to their feet. "Don't mistake me, I don't think they were right or anything, I just think it's up to them what they say, that's all." He rubbed his neck. "And you guys weren't really nice to them, either."
Cobalt stepped back, despair and anger growing in his veins. This can't be happening…
"Do you really think that's even comparable?" He snapped.
Storm tried to look nonchalant. "I just think things wouldn't have gotten so bad if faunus didn't keep reacting to things the way they do…"
The anger grew to a cold fury. "Are you kidding me?" His ears turned back. "Do you have any idea what kind of hell the humans put us through?"
Storm stepped towards him, their eyes pleading. "Come on, don't be like this- "
"Like what?" Cobalt seethed. "You mean, I shouldn't defend myself?"
Storm's eyes widened. "No, no, I don't mean you! I just mean -"
"You just mean all the other faunus are the ones in the wrong?" Cobalt couldn't believe what he was hearing. He wanted to pinch himself in the hope that this was all a dream, hoping to wake up in his bed.
"Cobalt please, I really like you…" Storm's face was flushed with panic and confusion.
Cobalt felt as if his own dagger was being pushed through his heart. As Storm reached towards him, he flinched away. "Well, I'm having a damn hard time liking you right now." He snapped, the words killing him to say. "How can you say you 'really like me' when you stand against who I am?"
Storm looked away, rubbing their arm. "I…"
Cobalt bared his teeth. "Forget this," He spat. "I should have listened to Astra when she warned me what you were like in Atlas. You're the same as any stuck-up rich kid." He felt like crying. "You don't know anything about faunus or what we've been through." He turned away, his heart aching. "Do me a favour and don't ever talk to me again."
He strode back over to the staircase, refusing to look bad. Storm made no attempt to stop him.
As he climbed back down the staircase, his face and ears burned with shame and anger. He'd been stupid. Astra had tried to warn him, and he'd ignored her, in the naïve hope that nobody he crushed on could ever be like that. Every part of his body hurt.
It was only when he'd made his way back the ground to walk back to Beacon alone that he let the tears fall.
