Hello All, as promised- I've made a little treat for you all just before Christmas. Please note that this little omake is NOT canon to the 'In His Kindness' universe (as I don't think Christmas exists on remnant.) instead it's a little story that takes into account the first 8 chapters of IHS and goes off on its own after. (meaning chapters 9 and so on don't apply to this fic.)
If you'd like, see this as a stand-alone fluffy one shot that's loosely connected to in his kindness, but once again, that event will NOT be canon towards 'in his kindness.', it's just a fluffy omake.
Anywho- I present to you…
The Knightfall Before Christmas
Cinder did not know what Christmas was.
Okay, maybe that wasn't entirely true. He knew that she knew of the holiday, and that it existed, but she didn't know anything about Christmas. It was like how he knew of Blake's books, but had absolutely no clue what was inside of them, though… judging by Yang's teasing, it was nothing good.
Even still, he had not been able to keep his surprise hidden when he initially asked her about Christmas, and her response was to look at him like he was an idiot. Christmas was…amazing. The cheerful songs that were sung, the days spent with family, the decorations around the house, the hot chocolate, the presents… it was all just so…
Awesome.
His team shared similar sentiments; Ren believed it to be an excellent way of lessening negativity, Nora used it as a good way to force Ren into gifting her pancakes, and Pyrrha said that Mistral was very big on family, and because of that Christmas was highly celebrated within Mistral.
Team RWBY had a rather mixed batch of reactions when he had asked them during their lunch break. Ruby immediately squealed and went on a ten minute rant about Christmas cookies, Yang seemed to really like the holiday as well.
Blake… ignored him.
Weiss, well Weiss was channeling her inner Jrinch. She immediately reprimanded Ruby about being so childish and sent him a cold glare more frosty than an Atlas winter. However, Ruby later approached him and told him that it was because Weiss had to perform a special Christmas song every year in Atlas, and apparently singing the same song over and over again got really annoying.
Even still, they at least understood Christmas to some extent. While Cinder? She didn't know anything about it at all. He knew she had a rather… hard life, even if it wasn't something she enjoyed talking about- He could read between the lines whenever she talked about her past.
It was a stark contrast when compared to his own experiences; every year his family always went out into the city where it snowed, playing games with one another, snowball fighting, and even some dancing. The house was always decorated, and they always had a huge Christmas tree that his dad had cut down from the woods.
Cinder never had that luxury.
He didn't know what her past was, or what had happened to her, but whatever it was… it wasn't good. She's never experienced a single holiday where she could just… enjoy herself.
That is… until now.
He could change things, he could make this year special to her, make her feel special this time around. Why would he squander it all by letting every year be the same for her? He couldn't, he wouldn't.
What kind of boyfriend would he be if he didn't help her enjoy herself during Christmas?
The thought caused heat to rise along his cheeks and tinge his neck with a rosey shade. Boyfriend...was that what he was? After the fall festival he had been quick to ask her out, and to his surprise… she had accepted.
They had gone on several dates since then, and kissed… many more times. He supposed that did mean they were together, even if they hadn't exactly discussed a label.
Well… not like he was complaining at any rate…
Sure, she could be hot-headed and vain, as well as possessive, and really aggressive during kissing…
He still liked her all the same. She was kind when she wanted to be, and in her own way she was supportive, she helped him be the best person he could be, and she was someone he enjoyed spending his time with. She's helped him so much… So for once, he should help her too.
It was December twenty fourth, and with classes out… Well, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get her to enjoy Christmas.
As if he hadn't been trying for the past week.
/-/
The dark nights of Atlas were always particularly shadowed, yet during the winters the frozen nation would establish a white glow, in which soft fluffy snow would obscure the ground and cause a shine to contrast with the darkness of the night.
Amongst the darkness of the night, a towering building stood like a beaming light cut through the blackness of the sky. Bright lights of emerald, white, and scarlet would lay incandescent in a spiral across the entirety of the beaming structure, all the while music would radiate from the interior, echoing within the emptiness of the night.
The interior was no different, chandeliers beamed with shining light, all the while the railings within the hotel were decorated with the same shining lights used in the exterior. Within the middle of it all, a tall, emerald tree with a glowing white star shined at the epicenter of the hotel.
The Madame had decorated… a lot. Even the massive glass Grimm that she had grown so accustomed to dusting was instead replaced with a large deer, one that she still needed to clean. Then again, she did clean everything.
At the time, she didn't understand why the Madame had gone through such an effort, yet Cinder would not dare ask… she knew not to be so foolish.
They had experienced an immense surge in guests as of late, though she didn't understand the purpose, no matter how much she tried everything still seemed so… bizarre, in a way. She did not understand why couples hugged their children extra tight, or why gifts were pleasantly exchanged between family members. Did not know why the hotel experienced a sudden surge in food costs, or why the madame was immensely more harsh with her punishments when she messed up.
Children would hug their families, and her 'sisters' would gain additional pins, lavish clothes and jewels. From red dresses and pearls, to golden bracelets and necklaces. They gazed at her with smug satisfaction whenever they noticed her looking.
Why?
Why did they gain such gifts, why did they gain such affections, and why did she receive none? Why was she made to watch it all, alone in rags and alone from day till night?
She mopped the floors as children walked within the arms of their fathers, she carried food as lovers kissed in secluded areas, and she dusted as friends thanked one another.
She did not know why.
She would never understand why.
/-/
Jaune...really liked Christmas.
For the past week he has been taking her out to Christmas-themed…everything. Restaurants, parks, and even a movie that was set during Christmas. It became…exhausting. She only allowed him to because the experience was far better than sitting through Emerald and Mercury's constant chatter.
It became a routine. They trained, he tried to get her to like Christmas, repeat.
It would be dull… had it been anyone else.
She did not care for the holiday. It was of no importance to her, and the mere thought of such a wasteful experience distracted her from her true goals.
Her true goals...what were they again…? Ah, yes. Destroy Beacon and acquire the full maiden powers, her lifelong dream and only reason for being at Beacon. While Adam was becoming more and more annoyed with her due to her delaying the attack for the fifth time in a row… she's reassured him plenty of times that she's simply biding her time, making sure to analyze the opponents carefully… if they had failed all because of a miscalculation then it would all be for naught.
Perhaps they could simply initiate the attack next year… and if that didn't work, then the year after that… Yes, that sounded about right.
She had quickly taken the forefront in analyzing the students, particularly team JNPR's leader; Jaune Arc. While it may have been more logical for her to instead investigate Ruby Rose, she had decided against it. Emerald could more than handle herself with the little creature, a good leader knew to trust their minions after all.
Besides, Jaune was clearly of a greater importance to investigate, closely… very closely. If he should develop some feelings for her in the process… Well then so be it. She'll just need to kiss him frequently to keep him appeased… and glare at any bitch who dares take what she's claimed.
'Oh no Jaune, I didn't send pictures of us kissing to Pyrrha on purpose, that was an accident, my apologies.'
It was a very taxing role.
Even more so when one took into account his love for the holiday. A sigh escaped her lips as she read the text message he had sent her, one that asked her if she'd like to go out with him into Vale for the afternoon. She was not so foolish that she wouldn't realize he would simply attempt to make her enjoy the holiday once more, no matter how many times she's tried to tell him differently. She accepted nonetheless, she wouldn't be antisocial during a time she was expected to socialize.
She wordlessly changed her clothing into comfortable yet appealing wear, dark pants which hugged her lithe legs, a scarlet, long-sleeved shirt which fit well on her curvaceous waist, and finally a simple black jacket which would keep her decently warm. Even though Vale did not snow, the weather did become noticeably more chilly within the Winters. She… did not enjoy the winter. It was cold and coarse, she much preferred heat, one which felt warm to her flesh but not so much so that she'd be sweating bullets.
The knock at her dorm's door alerted her to the presence of Jaune. She was still getting used to this strange aspect of her life. Being in… a relationship with someone. She had not expected him to ask her out to dinner the day after their night at the fall festival, yet she could admire the boldness. Accepting it had come as a surprise to her, as did the several follow up days spent together which weren't done within training.
She stood from her bed after she slipped on her footwear, stalking towards the door with a hunter's gate. She slowly pulled the door open, the sight of Jaune standing at her doorway would claim her vision a moment later. He wore the same simple pair of jeans as he always did, although this time he opted to wear a white hoodie with a red interior, his smiling face looking much too proud of himself for the cheesy clothing. Even worse once she realized they were inadvertently matching…
His blond locks had steadily grown over the past few months. After he had told her he was curious about cutting his hair in what appeared to be a literal banana slice, she bluntly told him that the haircut looked stupid, and that he looked far better with longer hair.
He hadn't cut his hair once since.
Instead the back of his hair was tied into a loose ponytail like style- which he liked to call a warrior's wolf tail. Despite the childish name she did admit… he looked good in it. Really good even.
"Cinder," He beamed with a shining smile that looked far too happy. He stepped forward, wrapping both arms around her waist as he leaned his head down to place an affectionate kiss upon her lips.
She allowed it.
"What's the occasion?" She smirked as he pulled back, standing within his arms, arms that had gotten… thicker as of late. Despite being much more lean when she first met him, he had been rather well built, now though? His form really was looking progressively huntsman-like. Not that she was complaining of course.
"Do I need an occasion to kiss you?" He asked sheepishly, while a gentle pink shade crawled along his neck and dusted his cheeks with red. While he had grown more…some things still remained the same, and making these comments or even complimenting her still made the blond knight feel a slight sense of embarrassment. Perhaps it was the way that she looked at him whenever he complimented her… like she wasn't used to it.
Truthfully, she wasn't.
Cinder knew she was a gorgeous woman, that much was blatant. She had compliments thrown at her constantly through her life, at least once she left the glass unicorn. The difference between the compliments she received from Jaune and the compliments she received from others was their nature. Other men and even some women would deliver compliments of her appearance while their eyes hungrily ran up her body or gazed into her eyes with a different inclination. Some even said those comments because they wished to use or manipulate her to advance themselves in some way. She had never once given them anything of course- they did not deserve a woman such as her, but Jaune though…
He said it with a genuineness that others lacked. He told her that her eyes were beautiful while he stared into them as a genuine smile split across his face. He gazed at her figure with an appreciative longing before his eyes quickly darted away once he realized he had been caught.
She would begrudgingly agree that he looked quite cute in those moments.
"No… I suppose not." She smirked, separating away from him to shut the door behind her. "So what's the reason for us to go out into Vale?"
The blond became sheepish as they walked through the halls of Beacon, eyes gazing towards the wall opposite from her. "Well, I found something pretty cool there, figured we could check it out, you know?"
Another useless attempt to make her 'appreciate' the holidays within Vale. She had made herself clear that she did not care for such things. She didn't know why she bothered to explain things to him if he wouldn't listen, nor did she understand why she even bothered with this faux relationship in the first place.
It was all a means to the end after all, she wouldn't need to place such energy in something so temporary.
She ignored the sudden fluttering of her heart as he took her smaller hand within his own.
/-/
The streets of vale were bustling with crowds and businesses. Coffee shops held large signs signifying special deals, and toy stores presented large sales for their items. Traffic was much more dense than normal- making him thankful that they were on foot, and in a less crowded area. The pair walked together, hands firmly linked as Jaune's eyes flickered happily along the streets of Vale like a child in a candy store. Maybe some would call it immature but… well he couldn't handle it. This was his first Christmas within the city of Vale, and already it looked like it was shaping up to be more than special.
Well, first Christmas while he lived in Vale.
"My family and I would sometimes leave my home village during holidays, we came to Vale once. It looked… really awesome." He paused as the memories would reemerge, his sisters causing his parents all sorts of hassle… all the while he stared at the massive buildings with child-like wonder.
"I didn't live in the city as a child." Cinder suddenly spoke up, causing his eyes to snap towards her.
"Oh really? So a Mistralian village?"
She shook her head. "No, I lived in Atlas."
This took him by surprise, not only was it the first time she ever really told him anything about her childhood- but it was the first time he heard her ever mention being within Atlas.
"Atlas? That's really interesting! What was it like?"
She didn't reply for several moments, and that caused him to note that her face was… unreadable. Her gaze was pressed firmly forwards, lips pressed within a thin line, her brow ever so slightly pinched together.
"Cold. It was cold."
The words were delivered with stoic detachment, every syllable holding a minuscule pause, with the tone being as cold as how she described the foreign nation. He did not reply right away- instead, he tore his gaze away from her beautiful profile to instead gaze at the buildings away from her.
Silence would stretch on between them, the sounds of their feet meeting rough asphalt and rambunctious chattering filled in their bubble in the place of what was their conversation. He hated it… but he knew better than to ask for more detail. She was secretive about her past, but she had a reason for it. It wouldn't be good to make her feel bad about what once was.
Instead, he'd make her feel good about what was now.
The brick stone building which ran parallel to the sidewalk they walked along would soon be replaced by the sight of clear glass. An orange transparent coffee emblem placed at the middle of the window. Jaune curiously peered inside- now gazing into the interior of what looked to be a rather warm looking cafe. He could make out all sorts of deserts near the front of the cashier, along with several large black coffee machines which the workers moved diligently around.
Jaune suddenly paused in his steps, his gaze shifting towards Cinder, who now glanced at him with an expectant look.
"You uh….you said you didn't like the cold, right?"
/-/
The scent of bread and caffeine assaulted her senses upon entering the secluded cafe. It was… warm, a welcome change in comparison to the chilly winds from the outside, even if she had Jaune's body heat to help with the temperature. Yes, body heat, that was the only reason she stood so close to him.
The place overall was simply… cozy. Not extravagant by any means, although not at all sloppy or badly managed. It was a normal, medium sized coffee shop. With clean ebony flooring, brick walls, and smooth wooden tables with two to four wooden chairs for each table. Cream coloured couches sat near the corner of the shop, an artificial fireplace directly near them. The flames themselves danced flamboyantly, with colors of red, green, and white, it was of the many decorations which were placed around the shop, snow globes were plentiful, and Christmas lights even moreso.
While the decorations were a bit too numerous for her, the quiet atmosphere was… welcomed. She had spent far too much time with loud fools of all ages; Adam, the students of Beacon, Emerald and Mercury, Roman..
Professor Port.
Perhaps it was immature of her, but that fat buffoon sat at the top of her list of people that needed to die once Beacon was attacked. Actually, he ranked amongst one of the best reasons as to why it should be attacked.
Their feet padded across the wooden floorboards, him with his casual boots and her with her modestly sized heels. He pulled a seat for her, which she soon took. It was chivalrous, and uncommon in the current times, yet it was so very Jaune Arc. He was traditional, though thankfully not in an irritating manner. Though it made sense, he was from a big family in a frontier village, and with so many sisters… well it was a miracle that he was so useless with women.
She chose to ignore the fact that she was dating him.
He took the seat in front of her a moment later, pushing the single menu towards her as she accepted it with thanks. Minutes would pass as her eyes scanned the menu, which was divided into three separate categories; pastries, cakes, and drinks.
"See anything you like?" He asked curiously, peering up from his menu.
"Nothing as of yet." She replied.
The menu itself looked… decent. Perhaps she was hard to please but it seemed satisfactory. Glancing up at Jaune she noticed that he seemed to have already secured his eyes on a particular item- and was now waiting for her to decide.
She sighed, coffee was decent but nothing that she wanted right now, and she didn't exactly feel like having most of the things within the menu. Seeming to sense her conflict- Jaune leaned forward, pressing his finger below a particular order near the bottom. She glanced up at him in question, but merely received an innocent smirk.
She rolled her eyes, shooting her amber gaze down towards the item he had gestured towards. It was dramatically called 'The Mistraliani Express'; a burning choco beverage with thick, delicious cream and added, mind boggling flavor.
Her gaze shot towards Jaune with a raised brow, in response he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Heh...it's ah… hot chocolate with cream and peppermint canes… but I promise you'll really like it! Have I ever been wrong about that before?"
She sighed, it was true, he was good when it came to food. Reading the name of the item once more, she rolled her eyes at the grandiose name, although the drink itself sounded… pleasant enough. "Fine." She relented, ignoring the almost too pleased expression that crossed by his face. He stood up in a hurry to get their orders, and she simply watched him go, debating what the point was of this.
It wasn't like she hated the whole thing, she simply… didn't care. What did he get by trying to make her enjoy this?
The blond returned soon after, a happy grin on his lips as he deposited her steaming cup in front of her. The drink itself… looked good. Within a dark green cup, the hot chocolate possessed plentiful amounts of thick white cream in a spiral at the top, several velvet cravings dusted along the cream, with an added candy cane deposited within the corner.
She didn't even glance at what Jaune bought himself.
She raised the cup to her lips, allowing the hot liquid to warm her throat and send a shuddering warmth through her once cold body. The taste of thick chocolate and rich vanilla cream only added to her pleasure. Try as she might; she was utterly unable to suppress the moan that escaped her lips.
"See! I told you!" He exclaimed proudly, prompting her to narrow her eyes in irritation.
"Is that so? Perhaps I should go harder on you in training next time." She drawled. "Since you are so knowledgeable."
"N-no!" He declined, waving his hands rapidly in front of him. "That's totally okay! I've still got a lot to learn!"
She smirked, turning back to her mug before taking another drink. She did appreciate that he was doing this even if she thought it unnecessary. Though even if she did tell him that, she was certain he'd simply ignore it. At times he was far more stubborn than she.
"Hey, Cinder?"
She raised her eyes to meet his gaze, humming in question.
"Why is it that you… I don't know, really don't like Christmas? Does it just… bring up bad memories?"
She paused, allowing her gaze to lower as she searched her mind. It wasn't quite something that she hated, instead it was simply a less than pleasant memory. Memories when she still wanted something more from others, something… good. Seeing it be given so frequently at the hotel when she was barred from it was simply added salt to her raw wound.
"You don't need to answer that, I… I didn't mean to bring up things, I'm sorry." He quickly apologized, seeming to have sensed her conflictive thoughts.
"No. No, it's fine." She managed, shaking her head. "I don't hate Christmas. I simply… I do not like it. Nor did I ever see the appeal in it."
In response, the blond tilted his head her way. "What do you mean? I mean… The superficial stuff can be a little annoying but what about the other things?" He asked. "Getting to spend time with people you care about, a time to loosen up after months of labor, getting some time with family, time that may not be common for a lot of people."
For several seconds she was simply silent. She could understand why such a thing would be… attractive to some, or those who had such things. Perhaps it was because he had softened her up, but instead she knew that she was simply thinking about things from a logical point of view.
Eventually, she hummed. "That is understandable, I suppose. For people who have families, that is."
The words caused Jaune to be silenced, and Cinder simply raised the mug back to her lips, allowing the sweet taste to distract her mind as his affectionate sapphire orbs burned into her.
She hated it.
She was not one to be stared at with pity, she was not weak, she was not a frail child to be looked down upon. She was powerful, she could decide the fate of those around her, she could protect herself.
She would never be looked down upon or made to be pathetic again.
She is power.
She wouldn't be looked at like that.
Especially not by him, she couldn't be looked at like that by him.
A warm, large hand settled over her knuckles, fingers gently treading over her fingers. Amber eyes would widen, easing towards adoring blue. His gaze was soft, almost gentle in its warmth. He smiled at her softly, squeezing her hand with the slightest of grips.
No… he would never look at her like that. No matter the situation, he wouldn't.
"I have something else planned for us. It's… not like this. I think you'll actually like it this time!"
She appreciated the change of topic, but doubted that he was right. Even still… she could humor him, what was the worst that could happen?"
/-/
"No."
Jaune blinked at her, turning his head to look at the ice rink, before then turning back towards Cinder.
"Huh?"
"No." She repeated, crossing her arms and turning away stubbornly. "I'm not going."
"Why not? It's just ice skating! It's fun! Everyone likes ice skating, It's like-the one thing nobody can complain about."
They stood near the center of Vale, filled with hurrying crowds and constant honking of cars bursting from all around them. Just up ahead a massive ice rink sat, easily fifteen meters in sheer size and seemingly powered by ice dust to work. There were roughly fifteen or so people already, though the size was more than enough for all of them. He didn't understand what the problem was. Cinder liked fighting and she liked dancing. She was graceful. Something like this should be right up her alley if anything.
The woman in question simply averted her gaze, keeping her amber eyes from meeting his own curious sapphire. Her arms were crossed stubbornly beneath her chest, head turned away. If he didn't know any better, he'd say she almost looked embarrassed about something.
unless it was for a different reason...
"Cinder?" He persisted, taking a step towards her. "Do you just not know how to ice skate?"
She didn't respond, and that was enough of an answer for the blond knight. He smiled softly, taking a step towards her as he placed a comforting hand upon the small of her back. "You know that you don't have to know everything, right? Loads of people don't know how to ice skate." He reassured, cupping her hand within his own. "C'mon, because you're in luck, you happen to have a boyfriend who's a master at this. Prepare to be amazed."
The words were just for show, but they had their desired effect. She snorted, flickering mischief-filled amber eyes towards his own gaze. "Is that so? Then for every time I fall under your teaching, is one additional fall in training."
...on second thought, maybe it wasn't the best idea.
Ignoring his fear-stricken look, the dark-haired woman pulled him along towards the rink, where he insisted that he paid, before they were then given the appropriate shoes to wear, and gestured towards the entrance. Soon enough; he was pushing off the floor, allowing the sudden feeling of frictionless ground to push him forwards and steer him across the ice fluidly. He grinned, steering around towards Cinder- who seemed unwilling to step towards the ice.
"C'mon Cinder, has a little ice ever scared you? Just trust me here, you can do this."
"I am not a child!" She hissed, hesitantly allowing her hand to weave within his own. Slowly she stepped onto the ice, keeping her body firm and unmoving as he pulled her forwards and used his body to move them both along the ice. She was stiff, really stiff. It would be an issue, but he needed her to get used to this before he helped her with the general movements.
Huh...guess that's how it feels to be a teacher.
"See? It's not so bad is it?"
"Shut up." She snapped, fingers clenching around his own in a death grip. It didn't really seem like she was… afraid per say. Maybe she just really didn't want to embarrass herself? It was wrong to think that way though, especially in a learning process.
"Try to see this like fighting, your figure is a bit too stiff, try loosening up a little...following my movements."
She listened and nodded her head, allowing her grip to loosen somewhat. Part of him was disappointed, seeing her like this was… kind of cute. Especially when her smaller hands were gripping his own so tightly. Their bodies would part away… and Jaune grinned at the sight of her gliding across the ice. It felt good to be able to actually teach her something, even if it was something so… mundane.
He pushed forwards, sliding in a circle around her with a bright grin on his face. "See? You got it. Now try sliding both your feet forward, one at a time." He stated, gesturing to his feet as repeated his actions. She narrowed her gaze in rapt attention, allowing her feet to slide seamlessly forwards…
And crash face first into the cold ice.
He winced, he remembered the first time he crashed. He didn't think something could ever reach the levels of being crossdressed by your sister in the embarrassment factor, but face planting into ice a dozen or so times in front of your crush and another dozen or so people… well it certainly was high up there. His mom tried to make him feel better with some hot chocolate, and to her credit… well it did work.
Sliding towards her, he lowered his body towards the *fuming* Cinder, who slapped away his hand and pushed herself into a kneeling position. "Get off!" She sneered, pushing herself onto her feet before falling back, butt first onto the ice.
Well… it was a good thing she had aura.
"C'mon Cinder, just let me help, it's a learning experience. You're honestly much better than I ever was when I first started, honestly!"
He was merely given a piercing amber glare, if looks could kill- he'd be six feet under.
Well… practice makes perfect… right?
/-/
This was pointless.
She had done many stupid things in her lifetime, requesting the work of Roman, meeting with a fanatic terrorist obsessed with his ex girlfriend, not killing Tyrian in his sleep.
How foolish was she?
Yet this was one of the worst. Attempting such a stupid activity while making a fool out of herself in front of dozens, and in front of Jaune.
And For what? To make him happy?
She snarled, finally gaining enough balance to settle upon her feet- only to slide back and fall upon her side once more. The cold feeling of ice like needles piercing into her flesh, the cold radiating across her palm.
She briefly met the eyes of Jaune, only to pause…
He was surrounded by women.
Four to be exact. They were… older, of the mature type. She believed Mercury once referred to them as 'MILFS'. Whatever that meant. Yet whatever they were, they were soon to be dead. One of them had her hands upon Jaune's chest, while another sent a wink his way.
Incinerating a civilian in broad daylight wouldn't be acceptable, she'd blow her cover and Jaune may get upset due to the murder. Perhaps she could kill them in their sleep? Slowly… her fingers around their throat, while her hands would gradually pick up in heat…
One of the women suddenly wrapped an arm around his bicep, and that was the final straw. She hefted herself up.
...and fell once again.
She wanted to scream in frustration, this forsaken floor couldn't even give her the pleasure of removing the eyes of her enemies, condemning her to wallow on the floor like some peasant.
The sudden hissing of metal across ice would reach her senses, as Jaune slipped away from the women and lowered himself towards her, a somewhat sheepish look on his face.
"Cinder… sorry about that. One of those ladies was trying to offer me some kind of… casserole or something. I would've gotten to you sooner but they were… really persistent, said they wanted me to try their special sauces or something."
She ground her teeth together, shutting both her eyes while forcing the immense bloodlust to lessen. At the very least she knew Jaune was loyal, he wouldn't give himself away to hags.
Not that she cared of course… she simply didn't want it to look like her pretend boyfriend was more interested in those hags over herself, that would look awful.
"It's fine." She managed, pushing herself up as Jaune smiled softly at her.
"What?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing. You just look really cute. Your cheeks are all red and it's adorable."
Adorable? She was not adorable. Beautiful, gorgeous, sensual, perhaps… But adorable? That was a word reserved for a child, not herself.
She allowed him to say it, and blamed the reddening of her cheeks on the cold weather.
He took her hand a moment later, tugging her along the ice while maintaining the hold. "Hey don't worry, just keep your balance and I'll skate for the both of us, okay?"
That was not okay, such a thing made her look and feel like a child, one that had to be led away by their parent because they couldn't manage to skate by themselves. Even still- she couldn't pull away from him because the sudden loss of his hold would make her fall, and that embarrassment was far worse than letting him lead her across the ice. So she simply bit her tongue and accepted it, accepted his touch, and accepted his guiding arm. Though she maintained her irritated state.
Something Jaune didn't seem to like.
"You're tense." He noted, turning his head towards her with a soft smile. "This doesn't have to be like this, you know. Just… try to forget the people around us, try to forget everything… and just focus on this. Take a deep breath and close your eyes, focus on the air hitting your cheeks, the lack of weight around you, the ice sliding beneath you."
She didn't, and when he held her gaze she would sigh. He would just persist if she refused… closing her eyes, she did as he asked. The frictionless ice still gave her a feeling of no control, something she did not like.
Yet, Jaune's guiding hand felt warm around her palm, his strong fingers weaved around her hand, holding onto her. He wouldn't let her fall, she could trust him to do that.
The wind felt cold against her cheeks, yet his close proximity seemed to practically radiate the warmth she sought. He was like a furnace, or a gentle flame swishing within a fireplace.
She did not like the sight of all these crowded, chattering people all around her.
Yet Jaune's loving smile and eyes like gentian flowers made it all the better.
This continued for a few minutes, and she found herself progressively enjoying her time, even if she wouldn't admit such a thing.
For a moment, she felt the corner of her lip threatening to curl…
The loss of heat struck her like cold water bathing her in an invidious chill. Jaune released her hand and slowed down, allowing her to pass right by him.
"There you go Cinder! You're doing it!"
Jaune probably thought that this was a good idea. That letting go of her hand ten meters ahead of a railing would mean she could simply stay still and slowly reach the railing safely. This would be true, had it been anyone else. The moment he let go of her, her surprise and distaste towards the lack of heat meant that she had attempted to suddenly come to a halt.
Which meant that she instead crashed into the ground once again, five meters away from the railing.
"Cinder!" She heard him shout as she ragefully pushed herself up into a crouched position. Meeting his worried eyes, just as those hags returned to his side, grabbing onto him like lustful leeches.
Her hands struck the ground in anger. At that moment, her anger erupted. All of her agitation would replace her once growing good mood. At that moment, every ounce of blazing hate would boil to the surface, threatening to suffocate her in anger.
Her eyes would glow brightly, like melted liquids of gold.
/-/
Jaune groaned as he collapsed onto the hotel room's couch, tossing his soaked sweater into the corner.
"How… how did that even happen?"
One moment he was being hugged by those women, and the next- the entire ice rink had nearly been entirely turned into water.
"Who's to say?" Cinder asked, coiling her fingers around her black locks while getting out more water. "It could've been anything."
It was weird, really weird. Not like there was anything they could do about it now though, even worse that yet another activity hadn't gone as planned. The two had decided to grab a hotel room to freshen up, as getting on a bulkhead while soaked didn't sound like the best idea.
"I'm going to use the bathroom first, I won't take long." She stated, and he nodded his head as she walked across the room, shutting the door behind her.
He pushed himself into a standing position, walking across the hotel room as he reached the glass doors, which would slide sideways to reveal a small balcony. The size itself wasn't really anything to be impressed about, instead… it was the view.
He had a perfect view of Vale, and a massive, glowing Christmas tree that shined with colors of vermillion, emerald, and gold. The top of the tree had a burning golden star, and it seemed to illuminate like a shining beacon within the city.
It looked beautiful.
He sighed as he leaned against the railing, alone with his thoughts. Was she angry at him? This was probably the fourth or fifth activity he had talked her into, and none had worked to alleviate her mood.
Was he really doing the right thing here? Was he wrong for doing this? It was just a holiday, after all.
No. It wasn't just a holiday. Christmas was… something special. It represented what he loved most in the world, it represented all the warmth and love that people could give to people. It represented what he considered a large part of his childhood, and it represented what Cinder had missed out on for so long, something he had tried desperately to make her experience.
And he failed, fantastically.
The sound of the creaking door alerted him to her presence as she stepped outside the bathroom. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her, always taken aback by just how lucky he was.
"Hey."
"Hello."
A beat of silence passed, soon turning awkward as she raised a brow in question at his conflicted stare. He sighed, pushing off of the railing as he stepped inside of the room.
"Hey, I'm… really sorry about all of this."
"Sorry? What for?" She asked curiously.
"Sorry for… getting you into all these activities you didn't want. Getting you to go out into Vale for nearly the whole week, for… pestering you about the holiday so much." He spoke sheepishly, giving her what was at best a nervous smile before dropping his head. "Just… I'm sorry."
For several moments, there was no response. He nervously raised his head, meeting her thoughtful stare.
"I'm not upset Jaune, I just don't understand."
"Don't understand what?"
"Why you'd go through the trouble." She stated, walking around the couch and towards the blond. "There was no need to. I don't hate it, I just don't care about it. It's any other day for me."
He held her stare as he tried to think about the best way to formulate his words. On one hand she was right, some people just didn't care about some things, it wasn't like she needed to.
But that wasn't the point, it was never the point.
"I didn't do it to make you like it."
"What do you mean?"
"People with no one to care for them have no reason to care for Christmas." He stated, seemingly recalling her words at the coffee shop. "But people with families, with people who love and care for them… have more time with them, have more time to spend together, have better things to cherish with them." He paused, releasing an almost shy laugh. "I care about you Cinder, a lot. I guess… I just wanted to make you know what it felt like… to be loved on Christmas."
It was cheesy, and probably corny, and he didn't even want to look at her after the words left his mouth. She didn't reply, instead… she simply stared at him with slightly widened eyes.
"I know it's not that different." He began, turning away from her as his speech would descend into nervous rambling. "B-but I… Uhm. Well it's different! The holiday season makes everything feel like it's enhanced and-"
The feeling of burning lips would overwhelm him as her mouth slammed with his own, catching his words at his throat, and turning his ramblings into appreciative moans. She stroked his cheek almost gently- a contrast to how her mouth battled his own in dominance.
They pulled away- and he felt like he had lost all of his equilibrium in an instant. She held him against her, their heated breaths mingling together as the bridge of her nose pressed against his own.
"Did you get me a present?"
"I-it's Uhm, at Beacon."
"I have yours with me."
His eyes would widen; he didn't think she would do that, much less bring it with her all the way here.
"Really?"
"Yes. Turn around."
She released him, and he stepped away from her and did as she commanded. Thoughts ran wild within his mind… Could it be a new guitar? A comic book? Dust?
Sound would boom across their rather small room, one that was reminiscent of burning fires or perhaps… energy?
"You can turn around now."
He did as commanded.
"O-oh gods…"
His body instantly went stiff. The once dark red clothing that she wore was replaced by red Christmas ribbons.
Only red ribbons.
They crisscrossed along her entire body, only hiding the most intimate areas. Showing much, yet promising more, promising everything. All the while beautiful fair skin and lithe, shapely curves filled up his mind, threatening to make him overheat on the spot.
"C-cinder…."
"Mmm, yes Jaune?" She purred coyly, sauntering towards him with swinging bare hips. The flat of her palm met the middle of his chest, and with a slight push, he collapsed onto the couch.
"I...I….I...Uhm-"
He was silenced by a finger to his lips, and the sight of her crawling onto his lap.
"I've waited to do this for far too long. And after tonight… I refuse to wait another minute."
It was safe to say, that was the best Christmas present he had ever gotten.
Hello everyone, I must say that this fic is massively delayed. I went through a lot of issues in the process of writing this, for one I got sick, then my docs stopped working, and then stopped working. I almost had to get a friend to update my fic for me because I couldn't access . Ultimately though, my access returned and I'm updating now.
The first chapter of my Lancaster fic (which was going to be from 10-15k words) was supposed to be posted with this omake, but unfortunately I just didn't have time to do so. I apologize.
It shall be posted eventually though, hopefully in January.
For now though, I hope you all enjoyed this. And I sincerely hope every one of you has an excellent Christmas, thank you for reading my story.
That's all folks, happy holidays.