Usually I don't put AN's at the beginning of my chapters but I believe this can be excused for once, lol. So, funny story. I have a amateur kickboxing competition in a couple months. I had some sparring yesterday, was fighting this pretty big dude, around my height. I raised my leg to do a push kick, and at the same time he spun around to do a spinning back kick. Normally this wouldn't be too bad, but because he started his kick before mine, he extended his leg around the same time I raised my knee. This meant that the ball of his foot struck the flat of my foot and pushed my foot back, nearly broke my foot right then and there, ouch. It got purple and swollen, had to take it to get checked out.
It's not broken but damn does it hurt, I can't walk on it for a few days unfortunately. Need medication and all that.
Anyway though, enough of my rambling. Enjoy the chapter !
The first thing Jaune felt when he awoke was… warmth. It wasn't the standard heat one felt from the sun's rays, nor the feeling of being wrapped up in a dozen blankets. It was more muted, and yet… just as comfortable, if not moreso. He felt like he was sleeping on a gentle cloud of heat. If he was being honest, he just wanted to close his eyes and go back to sleep, the feeling wasn't one he wanted to go away just yet…
And then, something shifted against his chest.
He thought it was a pillow, but it didn't take him long to realize that pillows don't move, nor were pillows this warm, or shapely.
His memory returned to him like a gunshot. Cinder's tears and confessions, the truth about what happened to her, her touch against his own, her lips…
Sapphire eyes shot open, blinking away the dark spots which congested at the corners of his gaze. From his peripheral vision he could make out soft rays of sunlight streaming through the curtains of his hotel room, but what was far more important was what laid in front of him. An endless wave of raven black locks filled his vision, pale skin barely noticeable past her dark hair. His arm was wrapped around her slim waist, holding her back firmly against his chest. He could feel her legs tangled together with his own, the feel of her smooth, soft legs enough to drive his mind wild. She felt surprisingly soft, and she was warm, like a furnace.
He wanted to close his eyes and allow sleep to consume him once more, it was impossible not to when he was holding her like this. It reminded him of the comfort before Beacon, lazing around on Sunday mornings without much worry for the day ahead. Except, well… better in just about every way.
And so he closed his eyes and buried his face within the back of her neck. Enjoying the feel of her dark locks brushing along his cheeks, her aroma consuming him whole. Darkness began to fill his vision once more.
But something kept him from going back to sleep.
It was subtle at first, small shifts of her body, the occasional huff of air past her nostrils, and faint mumbles. Soon enough, her movements became more noticeable; the tensing of her shoulders, small grunts of displeasure, and harsh turns with her hips. Uncertain of what to do, Jaune lifted his body and peered over Cinder's shoulder, using the higher elevation to gain a proper look at her.
Her face looked like a battlefield of emotions. Her eyebrows were knit together, nostrils flared, and her lips pursed in what might've been pain. She looked like she was enduring something harsh, and knowing what he knew now… he had a feeling he knew what it was.
Did she always have nightmares like this? Did her memories always haunt her, unwilling to give her an inkling of respite even when she should be at her most comfortable? The thought cut into his chest like a dagger, lodging directly into his heart. If that was the case… then he couldn't let her endure this anymore, he wouldn't allow it.
She wasn't given peace within her own mind, and if she wasn't given comfort even within her sleep… then he'd need to become that comfort. Like a fireplace at the heart of a snowstorm.
Gently, Jaune shook her shoulders with measured movements. When that didn't work, he tried again, harder this time, but retaining the same gentle nature. It took a while, but eventually he felt her body begin to relax, as his movements pulled her away from her unconscious state. He watched as amber eyes blinked open, dubious at first, before recognition slowly appeared across her face. Her once harsh features relaxed, and he could safely say… she looked beautiful, really beautiful.
"Good morning," He smiled down at her, lowering his body back to bed. "Sorry for waking you up. You just, uh… didn't look like you were having a nice dream."
She said something he couldn't underhand, likely still out of it. He was just glad she hadn't forgotten what happened the night before and attacked him out of surprise.
Silver linings…
Even still, he was worried about her. The only time he's seen her asleep prior to this was when they were on their way to Lungree- and if he remembered right, she was having a nightmare then too.
It sucked, knowing someone he lo-cared about- was going through something like this, and there was little he could do about it to help her. He desperately searched his mind for anything that could be done. He thought back to his own experiences, his own nightmares. He hasn't had a nightmare in a while… at least not one that would shake him like this. The earliest he could remember was when he was a kid, and his mother had comforted him out of it.
The memory brought an idea to his mind, a risky one maybe… but one he had to at least try out.
Tentatively, Jaune raised his hand and settled it against her arm. He felt her suddenly still at the contact, and for a moment he thought he might've upset her. But she seemed to slowly relax. He breathed out a sigh of relief, before slowly- he ran his hand along the surface of her arm, fingers gently swaying across her skin. He paused near the top, before dragging his hand across her arm in the opposite direction. He repeated the motion several times, and judging by the faintest sound of pleasure that left her, and the way she melted against his body… she was enjoying it.
He couldn't help but smile at that. Sure, they've kissed before, and even slept wrapped around each other on the same bed. But this was a little different, it was a form of physical comfort that he wasn't sure she'd accept. It was something husbands did to their wives- rubbing their arm to comfort them.
He was glad that she did.
As the time steadily ticked away, seconds would soon turn into minutes. With the only sound that filled the room being the friction of his hand rubbing along her arm, and their faint breaths.
The silence wasn't entirely unwelcome, it was comfortable even. But he couldn't help but ask the question that had remained on his mind since he woke up.
"Cinder?" He began, voice softer than cotton, as calm as a still pond. "Are you okay?"
The words he wished to use were left unsaid, but they both knew what he meant. He knew the truth now, and they both knew what haunted her mind within her rest.
"I'm fine," She finally responded. "Far better than usual."
That didn't make him feel any better, if anything it made him feel much worse.
"How… How long has this been going on?"
"Since I was a child," She sighed, and rolled onto her back, ending the massage of sorts that he was giving her. "It's happened for so long that I cannot remember the day I've not had nightmares. In truth; they have always been better than reality. "
It was a disturbing thought, that a child would grow so accustomed to being haunted within their dreams like that. The contrast between the childhood he was given and the one she had was… crazy, to say the least. They were like night and day.
"That's… not right." He said. "You shouldn't have gone through that."
"Maybe," She responded, voice giving little away as to what her actual thoughts on the matter were. "There's little that could be done about that now."
That was true. Whatever happened to her in her past was done, gone. Her childhood was taken away and there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it. Yet… that didn't mean the rest of her life had to be like that. It didn't matter if it's taken her this long to find any happiness, because he'd give her all the happiness he could.
"It won't be like that anymore." He promised, the conviction in his voice clear and thick. "I won't let that happen."
Cinder turned her head to look at him, and surprisingly enough… she smiled at him. It was a sad, almost fragile smile, as though she wasn't completely certain about how his words would hold up.
"I am not innocent, Jaune. I've hurt others." She said, shaking her head lightly. "My past may have resulted in what I am today, yes. However… I'm not just a woman with a sob story. I've… Killed people. There are many more wrongs that have been done by me, wrongs that you aren't aware of. Can you truly promise yourself to someone like that?"
He understood what she meant. No matter what happened last night… that was an emotional outburst of sorts, and now that the temporary euphoria had depleted… she wasn't sure just how his words would hold up in the long run. Was she testing him? Or was she simply worried about how serious he would be in the future?
He could understand her worry, but… that didn't mean that she was right.
"I don't care," He said once more. What did she expect him to think? It was obvious that someone who led a life like hers would've gotten involved in bad things. "What's important is the fact that you want to change. That you are. So don't tell me to give up, because, well… you already know I won't."
She didn't seem surprised by his words, nor shaken like she was last night. She simply smiled, wider this time, and he couldn't help but be stricken by just how… pretty she looked. He's seen her smile in the past; sometimes they were sly and playful, others seductive and sexy, and even the sadistic smiles of victory during their battles.
But this was a true, genuine smile. He's seen her smile like that in the past, but never in such a close vicinity. It wasn't wide, and she didn't show her teeth, but it was more subtle. From the slight curve of her perfectly plump lips, to the warmth within her molten amber gaze, it was like staring at the embers of a calm fire.
"I know," She accepted. "I simply wished to warn you one last time. I'm not strong enough to deny you any longer."
Cinder rarely said anything that could be considered lovey-dovey. The sudden uncharacteristic comment caught him off gaurd. His blue eyes widened, and heat blossomed across his cheeks, making even his ears red. He averted his eyes quickly. "W-we should probably go soon." He stammered. "I messaged my team last night, told them that I missed the bullhead flights back into Beacon. But I said that I'd be there for breakfast…"
"Oh?" She asked, raising a dark brow. "Did you tell them I was with you?"
"Uhm, yeah?"
She hummed, eyes sparkling with something he couldn't quite describe. "And pray tell… did you inform all of your team or just one person?"
"Uh, just one, Pyrrha."
"I see," She hummed, smiling just a little wider, though with an expression that seemed a little more sly- as though she was privy to something he wasn't aware of. "Then let's not keep them waiting."
That was… weird, but if Cinder wasn't upset then he'd take her acting a little weird any day of the week. Sighing, the blond sat up. He raised an arm into the air and hooked another arm behind his shoulder- letting out a groan as he pulled and allowed his muscles to stretch. Beside him, he heard Cinder let out a sigh of her own.
He lazily dropped his arms to his lap, and simply enjoyed the early morning for what it was. Bronze rays of sunlight streamed past the blinds, leaving the room in a soft, golden hue. He took note of how the soft, cotton-like covers felt against his skin, along with the warmth that seemed to radiate from Cinder's body. It was… cozy, comfortable even. To wake up with her like that, her body wrapped around him… It was almost oddly domestic. As a kid, he often dreamed about having that kind of a relationship with someone; the kind where he'd wake up to a woman snuggled at his chest, to then have breakfast at a small coffee table. Maybe it was an embarrassing thing to admit, but was there anything really wrong with it? He was sure plenty of guys wanted that kind of thing too…
Though, despite just how comfortable all of this was… he really did need to get up. With great reluctance, the blond pushed himself off the bed, standing tall with his arms raised to get rid of the last few knots which tied his muscles together. He turned to look back at Cinder- though the sight before him made him pause.
She laid on her back, one leg hooked over the other, arms pulled back over her head. She was stretching, and in doing so she inadvertently caused her shirt to hike up her slender stomach, just beneath her chest. Despite what his brain yelled at him to do- his eyes couldn't help but roam over the exposed skin.
Her entrancing hips swayed, producing a sharp curve towards her slim, seductive waist. Her midriff looked smooth to the touch; perfectly lithe and flat, with porcelain flesh taunting the growing heat at his core, imploring for his eyes to explore, daring him to beg for more.
She was like a growing flame, one which promised to burn him should he venture any closer, but he wasn't afraid of the fire, not hers. His eyes continued to raise, past her chest and up exposed flesh of her pale neck. He didn't stop until he finally reached her face.
Her lips were pulled into a devious, sadistic smile. Golden eyes twinkling with uncontained mirth. The look she wore made his heart leap at his throat.
"Well well…" She spoke, voice laced with a seductive purr. "And here I thought you wished to leave, are you this eager to ravish me? Or perhaps did you wish to be ravished?"
Heat blossomed across his face for the second time in the span of five minutes. He turned away from her before she could tease him again, embarrassment at getting caught clear as day.
"S-sorry.." He muttered beneath his breath. "I just… erm. I've never been like this with someone before…"
They hadn't done anything the night before, too exhausted to do anything but kiss, and allow their exhaustion to carry them off with their bodies wrapped together. But that was still far more than he's ever done with someone in the past.
"Neither have I."
Her response caused him to look over his shoulder, a hint of surprise within his features. "Really? Nobody?"
She narrowed her eyes at him sharply, a dark eyebrow raising in question. "I don't recall ever making a mention of anyone else, Jaune. Did you think that I would give myself out freely?"
"No! Of course not!" He responded, voice panicked. "I just… I thought maybe you've talked to someone before." He shrugged. "I don't know, I guess you just seem so confident."
Cinder scoffed. "Confidence is not connected to experience. Men are rather simple creatures; a sliver of confidence and a hint of attraction is enough to make most weak at their knees, all without so much as breathing in their direction."
That was… true. If a girl so much as teased him then he'd get flustered, but If said girl was as attractive as Cinder? She'd make him melt just by smiling. It kind of reminded him of Yang; she often playfully teased him for his 'luck' with women, but one day Ruby sneakily whispered into his ear that the blonde bombshell's never even kissed a boy.
"When would I even have the time?" She tutted. "Or care? I've not once felt any form of desire for anyone in the past. Far too concerned with other things."
That was… also true. Her flirting wasn't even something he's seen much of recently. It confirmed his suspicion that it was simply a brave face she put up to keep people away from who she really was.
Did the fact that she was flirting with him again mean that she was putting the mask on again? He didn't think so… maybe it was because she felt comfortable enough to do it? Enough for her to do whatever she wanted without caring about what he saw?
That made him a little happy, actually. Even if the embarrassment would one day kill him.
"I'm sorry," he sighed, and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I guess I was just nervous about my lack of… well, experience."
He was nearly eighteen, and didn't have much experience with women until Cinder came along. The fact that she wasn't all that experienced either gave him a little more confidence at the very least, but it didn't mean he wasn't nervous.
Were they even technically 'dating'? It sounded like a stupid question to ask- but it wasn't like anything that's happened to them was in any way 'normal.' What if she felt she wasn't ready yet?
Smooth, slender arms would hook over his shoulders before joining around his neck, snuffing out his thoughts like wind to a feeble candle. He felt her press against him, practically melting into his body. Her soft, and impossibly supple lips dragged across the expanse of his bare neck, sending a wave of shivers across his skin and through his body.
She'd be the death of him.
"There's nothing to be worried about," She whispered, voice surprisingly… genuine? A stark contrast to her actions. "I care not for any other man." She promised, words reverberating within his eardrums, promised like law. "And as for any experience… I prefer you the way you are."
He set aside his blossoming heat, just barely managing to speak. "R-really? Why?"
He could practically feel her smirk deepen.
"Because…" She purred, voice just below a whisper, yet audible enough for his straining ears. "I'm rather possessive of what's mine."
She bit down onto his earlobe, causing a shudder to leave him. She then dragged her teeth across the sensitive flesh- uncaring about the slightest tinge of pain nor the sounds he made. She pulled away soon after, tossing him the briefest smile before sauntering towards the bathroom, hips swaying with every step.
He watched her, red-faced and wide-eyed. Heart pounding like an endless drum within his ears.
He collapsed back into bed like a puppet with cut strings.
"At least I know if we're dating now…"
/-/
The flight to Beacon was thankfully uneventful. He'd been smart enough to pack pills for his motion sickness the night before, meaning he'd been spared from the embarrassment of throwing up on his now-girlfriend. Sure, she didn't seem as… intense as she was before, but that didn't mean he wanted to test her patience by giving her shoe's a new paint job.
He wasn't sure if Yang had even forgiven him for that…
A quick glance at his scroll told him it was ten, meaning his friends would probably still be at the cafeteria. They hadn't had the chance to eat anything themselves, being too pressed for time to grab a bite anywhere. At least now they'd get the chance, he just hoped his friends wouldn't be too overbearing on Cinder…
Ren would be fine, he could always count on him to be supportive but not pry too much. Despite the fact that he rarely showcased what he was thinking, he cared a lot more than he seemed to. Maybe he was being dramatic, but with the slew of women in his life, Jaune would say that Ren really was like the brother he never had.
Pyrrha would be pretty easy too, he could always count on his partner to be supportive no matter the situation. Even if she did baby him around a bit much.
Yang would tease him, but he's gotten used to her little jabs. Weiss and Blake wouldn't care, and Ruby would be a little excited but she knew not to go too far. He might even be spared some of the teasing from Yang because she knew how much this meant to him, she had given him advice after all.
But Nora…?
He internally sighed as they walked through the halls and towards the cafeteria, side by side and with their hands woven together.
Nora would be a bit of an issue…
Jaune pushed open the heavy glass door of the cafeteria, leading Cinder behind him. She'd been a little quiet since they left the hotel, maybe struggling with her own thoughts- or simply content.
He hoped it was the latter.
They approached his friends without a word. The first to see them was Blake, who briefly glanced up from her book to give them a quick look- before glancing back down like they hadn't been there at all. Then came Ren- who's eyes briefly widened, and everyone else realized soon after.
"Well well, lover boy," Yang's lively voice teased. "Finally hit the jackpot huh? Definitely a step up from Weiss-cream."
"Hey!" Weiss' shrill voice interjected. But all she got in turn was a wink from Yang.
"Hey, guys…" He started, surprised that he managed to keep his voice steady despite all the attention on him. "Sorry about getting here so late. The bullhead docks were closed and well…" He paused, aware that he was starting to ramble. "Anyway, enough about that. This is Cinder, she's…well, my girlfriend."
"Hey!" Ruby interjected, silver eyes wide with excitement. She looked like an overeager puppy. "I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose! It's nice to meet you! Well- we met before that one time- but we didn't really meet, you know?"
A hand pressing over her head interrupted the reaper, who made a noise somewhere between shout and a cry. "Jeez Rubes, give em some space will ya?" The blonde bombshell turned to face them, a broad grin spread wide across her lips. "Yang Xiao Long, I've seen you around. You're from Haven aren't you?"
…well, at least Ruby hadn't accidentally used her semblance. As far as first Introductions go that was probably her best..
Cinder seemed to take the attention in stride though, for she gave his friends a rather simple smile. One that wasn't quite as genuine as the smiles he's received, but not the same as the usual charismatic grin he's seen on her before.
"A pleasure," She said. "Jaune has told me much about all of you."
The rest of the introductions were far more subtle. Ren gave Cinder a simple nod, as did Blake. While Weiss gave her a simple introduction. A pretty decent first meeting all things considered, he was just glad that Weiss didn't decide to mention all of his embarrassing attempts at trying to get her to go out with him…
Though, he was a little confused at Pyrrha's reaction. Despite being the one to ask where he was the night before, she hadn't met his eyes once. Instead she was staring… forwards, directly at Cinder. Who met her gaze with the same oddly intense look. He gave Cinder a rather confused look, but she just ignored him. Seconds passed with neither speaking, it was like two beowolves sizing each other up, neither willing to give up and break composure first.
…it was starting to make him feel nervous.
Whatever it was that passed between them, Pyrrha was evidently the one who backed off first. For she broke eye contact with Cinder and simply smiled. "It's nice to meet you. Jaune has told us much about you, too. He's mentioned your rather… interesting training methods as well.
Had he been anyone else, he might've missed the subtle signs on Pyrrha's face which gave it all away. But he was her partner, and he knew her better than anyone else. The smile she wore was just a little too tight, a little too plastic. The way she spoke was a little too… formal. It was like watching the old post-fight interviews she had with reporters, or seeing her talk with Weiss when they first got off on shaky grounds. It was all fake, a mask.
But why use it with Cinder?
"Has he now?" Cinder finally responded, tilting her head curiously. "I suppose he would. My methods are far more… detailed than most. I'd rather he be sore for a day rather than die because I wished to take it easy on him."
"Okayyyy," Yang interrupted hurriedly, just before Pyrrha could respond. "Now that introductions are out of the way, you two should sit down! There's just a few questions I'm dying to know about."
He sent her a silent thank you for her help. Out of all the people he expected not to get along with Cinder, Pyrrha was at the bottom of the list. He could've seen Yang wanting to spar her, or maybe Cinder and Weiss not getting along because of their feelings on Atlas.
But Pyrrha? It didn't make sense to him. And he could tell that Cinder had slipped into her own well-crafted mask.
There was another question on his mind that he couldn't help but ponder though. What was up with Nora?
He was worried that he'd have to pry her off of Cinder. Heck, Nora was even the reason that they ended up dancing all those months ago in the first place.
Instead… the ginger girl sat with a downcast expression, silently eating away at her pancakes. It would've been a pretty funny thing to look at had it not been so… uncharacteristic. He couldn't remember the last time she was in a mood like this.
But he could ask her later, right now he had other things he needed to navigate.
"What kind of questions?" He finally asked Yang.
The mischievous fellow blonde hummed, stroking her chin in faux-thoughtfulness. Or maybe she was just trying to figure out which question would embarrass him the most.
"How did you two meet?" Interjected Ruby, causing their eyes to flicker in her direction. She blushed at the attention, but sat up straighter nonetheless. "I mean… if you want…"
"Jaune saved my life during 'The Breach.'" Cinder responded, earning her a few curious eyes from team RWBY- who didn't know. "An explosion went off, and I was caught within it. Jaune managed to aid me shortly after. I didn't wish to leave a debt unpaid, so I offered him additional training."
The memory of their first meeting felt old. Like it had happened ages ago, but it had only been a few months since they had actually first spoken.
"Wow… that's so cool! I knew you had it in you, Jaune!"
He flushed at the compliment, it was one thing to introduce his girlfriend to his friends, it was another thing for them to all gush about him. Even if Cinder was laying it on a little thick.
"You are the leader of team Crimson, are you not?" The next question, surprisingly enough, had come from Weiss of all people.
"I am."
Weiss nodded, glacial blue eyes staring into Cinders own. They looked analytical, like she was trying to solve a particularly difficult question. "Your team appears strong. One of your members; Mercury Black, briefly held his own against Pyrrha. Are you confident for the Vytal festival?"
"Weiss!" Ruby reprimanded. "Stop trying to size up your opponents! The Vytal Festival hasn't even started yet, you did the same thing to Sun!"
Weiss scoffed. "If we want to have any hope of winning, then we must be prepared. I won't allow us to lose due to a lack of preparation."
Before anyone could respond, a loud bang cut off the conversation. Yang sat with her fists pressed against the table, face clearly twisted in impatience.
"You all have such boring questions, let's get to the good stuff already! Have you kissed yet? How good is he in bed? How b-" Blake firmly planted her hand over Yang's mouth, not once looking up from her book.
That didn't mean that her words hadn't already done the damage that they needed to. Ruby was blushing a bright red, fitting for her namesake, while Pyrrha's face matched her hair.
"Of course you would ask such a thing, Xiao Long." Weiss scoffed. "Some things don't need to be asked in public."
"I-I agree…" Jaune stammered, face burning brightly. "C-can we talk about something else?"
The blonde brawler looked defeated, disappointed that her 'pressing' questions would go unanswered
But it seemed as though one person wasn't opposed to answering.
He felt a warm body press further against his side, embracing him like a coat of warmth. Cinder turned her head and allowed it to rest gently over his shoulder, her smiling lips pulled into a coy smile.
"Jaune is a very giving man," Cinder cooed, voice dripping with erotic mischief. "I've never felt anything like it all my life. So much so that I did not wish to get out of bed this morning. But I suppose he rewarded me well for my efforts."
Silence.
Every single person within both teams were of varying degrees of embarrassment. Yang amongst them, the self-acclaimed party girl sat with her lilac eyes wide and a subtle red sheen on her sun kissed cheeks. She probably expected Cinder to blush and stutter, but not… this.
He tried to stutter out a response, but nothing would come out that wasn't incoherent babbling.
Pyrrha didn't suffer from the same issue.
"And how long will this last for?"
He pushed away his embarrassment to toss her a confused look, but Cinder was faster to reply. "I'm not certain of what you're insinuating."
"You're a Haven student," Pyrrha pointed out. "Jaune is not. Once the Vytal Festival is over- you'll return to Mistral, and Jaune will still be here." She explained, expression tight, not giving anything away. "How are you both going to deal with this? A long distance relationship?"
That was… a fair question, one he never thought about, or maybe one he didn't want to think about. Once Vytal was over… Cinder might return to Mistral, and he wouldn't go with her. It sounded… weird, crazy almost. They'd only known one another for a few months, and yet what he felt for her was…
He wanted to call it something pretty heavy.
She changed who he was, for the better. She's made him stronger both physically and mentally. And in turn he's done everything he could to help her. She's revealed her deepest wounds to him, wounds which he would do anything to patch up.
He knew that no matter what, she wouldn't let that go. Not after everything that happened the night before. But could they handle the distance? Something which sounded so… trivial?
The others watched the scene play out. Most of team RWBY looked surprised, while Nora just looked… sad.
"It will last for as long as I draw breath." Cinder proclaimed, voice bold with its honesty, eyes hardened. "Something so simple as distance will not break us apart. We are not children, we'll deal with whichever issues that come once we reach them. Whatever- or whoever they may be."
Pyrrha looked… surprised. She averted her green eyes away, a guilty expression settling on her features.
"I… see. I'm sorry, I-"
"There's nothing to apologize for." Cinder responded, pushing herself into a standing position. "But I must be off. It was a pleasure meeting you all."
"You're leaving?" He asked, turning to her.
"My team, they're waiting for me." She leaned in to press a brief, burning kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you later, Jaune."
With that, she turned on her heel, leaving the cafeteria.
He watched her leave with a smile, unaware of the expression on his partner's features.
/-/
As a child, Cinder had very few possessions.
She slept within a cold storage room, on a worn mattress that had one blanket. She had two pairs of clothing, she needed to wash them every day. Along with worn slippers she wore which were old and had holes at the toes. All things that weren't truly hers, things which held very little value.
But there was one thing which was truly hers, for a time.
She found it while cleaning one of the hotel rooms. The guests had recently departed, meaning she needed to prep the room for whichever guests would inevitably use it.
That was when she found it.
A simple stuffed animal. A golden dog with worn, matted fur. Its eyes were made up of two, dark blue buttons, with one of them even being missing. It had a tear near its arm, one which stretched towards its shoulder, leaving it with white cotton spilling past the tear.
It was the first time she put her sewing skills to good use, or at least, the first time she enjoyed using them. She even found a button to replace it's lost 'eye' with. And used different products to clean the worn, dirtied thing.
The child of the room had likely been forced to leave it there by its mother after somehow breaking it. And in turn Cinder had found it. It was a possession which was left abandoned, it had little value… and yet it was hers. It didn't matter if it was someone else's, or if she had spent hours repairing it… because it belonged to her.
She would use it to give her comfort within the night. She could cry into it or pretend that it gave her a little more warmth during Atlas' harsh winters.
She managed to hide it from her mother for two years. She inevitably found it of course, and the punishment Cinder received for having that stuffed animal was harsh, even more so than normal. But every tear she spilled during her punishment was not due to the pain, but instead the sight of Madame grabbing him and throwing him away.
The memory caused a sting at her chest. How odd.
Now, many years later, she was still defensive over what was hers.
The Nikos girl liked Jaune, she wanted him. And now that he was taken away for what may have been the second time… she was desperately jealous. Perhaps it was more than just the fact that she was dating him, but now she was also training with him, taking away the time Pyrrha likely had with her partner. Jaune's feelings for Weiss were not reciprocated, meaning she likely never saw the Schnee heiress as any form of true opposition. But she had that now.
And she had lost.
Perhaps in another life, Cinder would have felt bad. But as it were, she would not apologize for what brought her happiness.
She pushed open the door of her shared dorm, pausing at the sight of Mercury, Emerald, and… Neo. It was the first time she'd seen her since their little mission within Lungree.
"Cinder," Emerald spoke up, standing from her bed like a dog welcoming their master.
The imagery wasn't one she liked anymore.
"Emerald," She greeted. "I was rather occupied last night. I trust you all received my message?"
"Yup," Mercury lazily confirmed, arms pulled behind his head as he lounged on his bed. "You were humouring that blond guy, getting information. Ended up having the bullheads locked before you could get here."
She nodded. "That is correct. In any case, we're closer to finally reaching our goal."
"Guess so, heh. It's kind of funny- I've almost gotten used to being a student. It's kind of fun."
"You only like sleeping around with the students," Emerald rebuked. "Do you have any idea how many girls I've had to deal with since we got here? They're all pissed because you leave in the middle of the night." She hissed, scarlet eyes glaring daggers into Mercury's side profile.
"Geez, didn't know you were so jealous, did you want to give me a spin too?"
"Children," Cinder interrupted, unwilling to sit through another argument. "Enough. Have you all done what I've asked?"
"We have." Emerald responded, bowing her head in apology. "We've spoken more to other teams, cemented ourselves within the students."
"Good, we all have a proper role to play." Cinder said, taking a few long strides towards her bed.
She couldn't allow them to know of her changed mind, at the very least… not yet. If she told them of her plans now, Mercury would likely jump ship as soon as he possibly could. Perhaps even reveal something to the authorities if he thought it would get him leeway. This would in turn mean that she couldn't accurately do what she was now planning.
Everything needed to be done at the right time.
"Heh, guess you're right. Cant say I'm a fan of what you need to deal with though."
Her amber eyes flickered towards Mercury. "What do you mean?"
"Oh c'mon, it's obvious that Arc dork likes you or whatever." Mercury said, absentmindedly waving his hand. "All I'm saying is putting up with that must be really annoying. Dunno if I'd be able to resist kicking the guys jaw off if I were you, sounds rough."
Cinder stilled.
A wave of fire briefly flickered within her core, like a concentrated inferno. She felt her blood boil like water, rising like a volcano ready to erupt.
Her fingers twitched, heat ready to be released with the slightest flick of her finger. Her heart practically begged her to release it.
She tightened her hand into a fist, and dug her nails into her palms.
"I will do what I must."
He didn't reply to her after that, simply returning to whatever grabbed his attention on his scroll. Perhaps that saved his life. Emerald didn't notice her temporary flash of anger either.
Yet, she could feel a stinging sensation piercing the side of her skull. She spun her head in its direction, golden eyes seeking out its origin.
Mismatched eyes stared back at her, pink and brown watching her with curiosity, and a hint of… mischief. She held her gaze, neither of the two backing down.
A grin would spread on Neo's face.
"Neo," she spoke up, causing the smile to drop from the mutes lips, and for a brow to be raised in question.
"Raise your illusion," she ordered. "We can't have anyone catching a glimpse of you in this form, someone may have seen you whilst I opened the door."
The two toned girl simply shrugged, a pink light briefly passing through her, raven hair and emerald eyes appearing soon after.
She may be a problem. While Mercury wasn't entirely loyal, he was at least predictable. Neopolitan was unpredictable with her decisions, especially if she doubted Cinder's own words.
No matter, she would be dealt with later.
Cinder's eyes flicker towards the windows, where far across the skies, deep into the horizon, a massive construct could be seen. Its presence held a finality to it, both to the students and to Cinder.
Amity Colosseum had arrived.
Students gathered at the courtyard to point and shout, their excitement palpable. Cinder did not share their excitement.
This would be where it all ends.
Foot is a little better, still can't walk on it though. Damn I hate when this happens…
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. In truth I really did feel like the meeting between Cinder and team RWBY/NPR could've been way better, but in truth this is my first time ever tackling a scene with this big of a group of characters- and I'm reallllly not used to or confident in it yet. Plus… i don't know, definitely not sure if it was boring or anything.
I really did enjoy writing the start and end of the fic though, and I do hope you all enjoyed it. This is more or less the transition period between the second arc to the third and final arc, or perhaps the first chapter of the new arc.
I also personally think the 'cinder is a seductress' mindset really makes no sense if you know anything about her character post volume 3. I don't think she would ever allow someone to touch her like that, plus a few other things I'm too tired to reiterate lol. She's confident and talks like some kind of seductress, but that really doesn't translate to anything more than that. People have a pretty odd view of her, or at least some people do.
Regardless I really hope you all enjoyed this. All your support means the world to me as always. Please tell me what you thought about the chapter in the reviews, and don't forget to follow and favourite if you enjoyed this chapter.
Have a good weekend, that's all folks.
