A/N: There are mentions of brushed hair in here. Those cutesy oneshots are coming, I swear. They've been on my mind since pre-Breach in LoA.

Let me know what you think! Reviews are so dearly appreciated- although I wish I could reply to guest reviews, too :(

What We Call Home

The sky completely cleared of the smog which had polluted it by the end of April. By early May, the people had learned to breathe again, and the children were allowed onto the streets of Vale once more. By mid-May, the shopping centres downtown reopened, and the trade with other Kingdoms had resumed. Farmers were able to begin preparing for the harvest before the storm season right on time, and life had gone back to normal. Although a huge chunk of the work was thanks to Professor Goodwitch's Semblance, the woman's telekinesis enough to rebuild half the city as the days wore on, Nora was proud to have pitched in as much as she did.

They even managed to try holding one noodle night once their old favourite shopkeep reopened A Simple Wok. The food was delicious, but they all found themselves leaving fairly early- with only Nora, Ren and Jaune, along with a surprise appearance from Team CFVY, it didn't feel right to continue their Sunday night tradition back when they were in Beacon. Now that Team SSSN had gone back to Haven with the other exchange students, and Team RWBY had completely disappeared, as Weiss had gotten shipped back to Atlas only a few days after the Fall, their original crew had fallen to less than half the usual numbers. The effort was worth something, though.

It was near early June when the realization struck Nora one day. Jaune hadn't cried in weeks. Ren hadn't been needed to manage the civilians' emotions in nearly as long. She was no longer as empty. While Beacon's skies were still darkened above the Cliffs, and the onslaught of Grimm homing in on the Grimm Dragon's presence never ceased, and the school remained inaccessible- meaning, all of their personal effects, identification, and extra weaponry were all lost- they were rebuilding a new home for themselves in Vale.

It was a terrifying thing to realize, that they were slowly moving on. The thought of Pyrrha no longer sent a wave of silent grief over the trio, although they still didn't bring her up very often. It was just a bit too soon to say anything about the girl. Still, the fact that they were able to show up to their assigned workstations and carry out their duties with a smile on their faces meant a lot.

"Do you think we'd ever get paid for this?" Nora murmured absently one day. It was their lunch break, and the entire construction crew who worked to restore old apartment buildings for civilian housing were enjoying a meal together.

Ren shrugged. "I think the free food and board will have to be our payment. It's not like we need much else."

Jaune mumbled around a mouthful of bread, "Yeah, and what would we need the money for anyways?"

Nora rolled her eyes. "I dunno. Buying clothes? We've been in nothing but these for months!" She gestured at her tattered skirt, which had definitely seen better days.

The dark-haired boy sighed, gazing mournfully at his own stained green jacket. "I suppose having some new wardrobes would be nice. Everything we owned is still at Beacon, after all."

The moment he mentioned their school, however, Nora and Ren immediately glanced over to Jaune. The blond hadn't reacted, still chewing contemplatively. After a few moments, he swallowed, then added, "Yeah. I think I need new jeans."

Nora leaned over to look at the boys legs, a chortle slipping past her lips on instinct. "It's not a think situation anymore, Jaune. Uh, you need them, like now."

The boy stretched his legs, smoothing his jeans as much as he could. Clearly, he had grown a surprising amount even in the short while they had been working in Vale- the hems of his jeans ended woefully short above his ankles. The blond gazed mournfully at a ragged hole he had torn in the inner thigh of his pant leg. "I grew a little."

Ren reached over and patted him on the shoulder supportively. "You've grown. That's good for your age."

The blond waved away the hand dismissively. "I'm not a kid," he whined, but a smile appeared on his face good-naturedly only a moment later, and Nora couldn't help but beam.

A wry chuckle from behind them caught their attention. Nora swivelled in her seat, waving cheerfully at an amused Professor Goodwitch who watched them from the doorway. The Huntress shook her head ruefully, approaching them with a kind smile. She paused once she stood behind Jaune, just close enough to see just how painfully short his pants had become. "Miss Valkyrie is right, Mr. Arc," she chuckled, amused. "Please buy some new clothes. All of you could use them."

Ren smiled, although his brow was furrowed. "We don't exactly have the means right now," he admitted.

"Yes," the Huntress acknowledged, "you two were scholarship students to Beacon, after all. And Mr. Arc, I'm familiar with your family situation- how many siblings? Seven?" When the boy nodded, she continued, "However, we finally have received the full response of support from the Schnee Dust Company, so I'd say you are now more than capable of purchasing a few simple outfits."

Nora exchanged looks with her team. Everyone seemed equally confused. "What the hecky does Weiss' dad have to do with us?"

Professor Goodwitch pointed with her riding crop at the nearby bulletin board. "Haven't you read?" When they all shook their heads slowly, she rolled her eyes. "Honestly, students. I'd have hoped you would keep up with what was going on around us, even if we are no longer explicitly testing you on the material."

The orange-haired girl chewed her lip, eyes darting quickly over to Jaune. Just as she would have expected, the blond stared at his exposed ankles numbly. They often avoided the bulletin boards. Although they had healed a lot since the news first struck, it still hurt to see that the pages of obituaries never ceased.

The woman's eyes softened, and she leaned against a corner of their table. "To honour the work that all of you students put into defending Beacon during the Fall," she explained, "the Schnee Dust Company is providing all of you with some bursaries. It likely won't be enough to cover the loss of your belongings, but it should be enough to help restock your closets, at least. It will most certainly be enough to help you buy some new pants, Mr. Arc." Her last phrase was mildly teasing, and the blond blushed.

"That's… how will we collect it?" Ren asked. Quickly, the dark-haired boy launched into a full discussion about the specifics with the Huntress. Nora tuned it out, focusing on poking Jaune's bare ankles with a mocking grin. The blond groaned and protested every time, but he didn't pull away, long having become accustomed to her antics.

The orange-haired girl only tuned back in when she heard a number fly through the Huntress' lips. "I'm sorry, how much are we getting?!" she gasped incredulously.

The woman raised her brow and repeated the number. Nora nearly fainted. "Oh. So I wasn't mishearing it." She spun around to Ren, grabbing the boy's collar. "Ren, we're going to be rich."

Although he had nowhere near as volatile a reaction as her, his eyes gleamed in surprise and excitement as well. "Have we ever had that much…?" he pondered quietly.

"No! The answer's no!" She jumped up onto her seat, propping one foot against the back of her chair. Her gestures drew the attention of the other workers briefly, but soon, everyone went back to their own meals. They had all long grown used to her silliness. "Do you know what this means?"

"New clothes?" Professor Goodwitch laughed quietly.

"New armour?" Ren asked curiously.

"New pants, okay, lay off it," Jaune pouted.

"No, sillies!" She jumped off the chair, looking excitedly up at the window of their barracks down the street- still broken, sadly, but home nonetheless. She wiggled her eyebrows wickedly. "I'm gonna upgrade Magnhild." It had been so long since she had gotten enough money to spend on improving her hammer. This is gonna be awesome.

Their old professor laughed aloud at that. "Good to see you haven't changed, Miss Valkyrie," she said fondly. "If you'd like, I'll introduce you to a good smith. She can likely take care of what you need."

So, after their shift was done in the housing district that afternoon, the trio ambled over to the addresses Professor Goodwitch had provided them. The bank gave them all their bursaries from the SDC (as in, they gave Ren and Ren alone the funds for everyone, since he was the responsible one) and they made their way to the freshly-reopened smithy. The blacksmith they met upgraded Magnhild in a heartbeat, intrigued immediately by thoughts of how to incorporate Nora's Semblance into her weapon choice. They even took in Ren's twin StormFlower blades, ready to hone the edge and increase their firepower. While the woman worked on that, the trio then entered the new shopping centre for the first time. Soon, they were outfitted in new sets of armour, clothing, ammo, plus all the spares their hearts could ever desire.

"Are you sure you don't want to get anything new, Jaune?" Ren asked gently. Other than searching for essentials and then, of course, new pants, the blond had refrained from purchasing any new armour or weaponry.

The other boy shrugged. "I mean… I don't know. These were all family heirlooms from the Great War, right? I'd feel bad throwing them away."

"That hoodie isn't an heirloom, and that armour's getting pretty small on you, too, though," Nora laughed. "You're going to have to exchange it either way!"

Jaune rolled his eyes, pushing Nora away playfully. "We'll get there later, Nora. I got my jeans. Now leave my wardrobe alone!"

The orange-haired girl laughed, twirling around with shopping bags in hand and an ample supply of explosives for Magnhild on her back. The blacksmith would be done with the hammer soon, and then, she'd feel completely ready to take on the world again. As it was, she felt light and free, now that she finally wasn't stuck wearing the same tattered clothes over and over- the tailor had taken one look at Nora's bubblegum-pink aesthetic and decided to hand-stitch a silhouette of Nora's hammer onto the back of her spiffy new black jacket. Combining that with the most comfortable, fluffy socks she had ever worn, cozy lace-up white knee-high boots, and a pink (battle) skirt that would make Weiss and Ruby proud, she felt like a new person.

What made her even happier, though, was Ren. Although the colours were the same as before, now, he looked so much older- so much more mature. The boy ditched his old wardrobe completely, instead adopting a green vest with a long tailcoat trailing behind him on top of a black sleeveless turtleneck. Long fingerless gloves were secured by bracers above his elbows, and the boy's white pants were tucked into tall, open-toed boots. How he had somehow managed to retain the aesthetic of his family's culture in clothing he found in the middle of Vale, of all places, she didn't know. It didn't matter, though. It suited him perfectly. In her eyes, he looked wonderful.

As they stepped out into the waning sunlight, however, the boy sighed. "I feel like there's something missing," Ren mumbled, staring at his reflection in the centre's window.

"There's one other thing you can do right away!" the orange-haired girl giggled. When he gave her a confused look, she pointed at her own head.

The boy understood instantly, nodding. With hesitant fingers, he reached back and tugged on the tie holding his hair back. Somewhere along the way, however, his hair became tangled and stuck.

"Do you need help?" she quipped cheerfully, looking up into his face.

He stepped back, then relaxed. "Okay," he murmured, a small smile on his face. Nora's heart blossomed, and she quickly ran behind the taller boy, reaching up to undo the hair tie she had watched him do and undo every day for the past ten years. With tender fingers, she untangled the long, thick black strands, running her dainty fingers through them as she extricated the red hair tie. Finally, it was free, and she stepped back, allowing the boy enough space to shake out his hair.

Now, his long hair cascaded freely down his broad shoulders, all the way down to the small of his back. It was thick and lustrous, shining ethereally in the sunset light. Her heart melted, and she longed to reach out and touch it, run her fingers down from his head to the tips of each strand. She longed to bury her face in the crook of his neck, feel his hair falling against her skin-

But that wasn't to be. He wasn't ready for that.

Instead, she booped him on the nose. "C'mon, guys, we gotta go pick up our weapons!" she cheered excitedly. Ren nodded and began to walk over, but Jaune didn't follow for a moment. She spun around, ready to drag him over if he was still fixating on the length of his new pants.

He wasn't, though. Instead, the blond was wearing a wistful, longing expression as he watched Nora, as he watched Ren walk away.

Nora's heart plummeted into her new boots. She could instantly visualize what he was imagining- she could still remember how often Jaune would help Pyrrha brush her hair. He really did love her, didn't he?

But now, he couldn't be affectionate with Pyrrha.

If you only had realized how you felt earlier, Jaune. I would've loved to watch you two be cute, too. I would've never you guys live it down, but… It… it would've been perfect.

But the 'if only's wouldn't help anyone. So, she gently grabbed his elbow, and with a light-hearted tone, she teased him about his old, greying hoodie he refused to get rid of until the boy snapped out of it.

After retrieving her hammer and Ren's blades from the smithy, they finally returned home to put away their new haul. However, there was still daylight remaining, and nothing to do.

"How much do we have left?" Jaune asked, opening his little wallet.

Ren pulled out his own wallet and removed the remaining Lien from their combined funds. Splitting it into three portions, he pushed the largest pile to Jaune. "You need to save more than us for when you finally buy new armour," he explained dryly.

The blond made a move to protest, but Nora silenced him with a quick clap on his shoulder. She quickly picked up one of the smaller piles and pocketed the Lien, jogging to the door. "I'm gonna go out, and no one can follow me!" she shrieked, darting down the hall as quickly as she could. There was no way the boys could catch up with her, which was ideal.

Nora was a girl of few wants. That made the current situation ideal- she already knew where she wanted to spend her extra remaining Lien. The family-sized box of Pumpkin Pete's was easy to find, along with a few freshly-printed copies of the newest issues in Jaune's favourite superhero comic series. On the complete opposite end of town, the traditional Mistralian patissier tucked into the corner of the market was fairly surprised to see someone of her colouring so knowledgeable about his desserts, but he was more than happy to hand off some of his recommendations.

Giggling with her haul stowed carefully away in her bag, she skipped home just as the evening lights finally flickered on, illuminating the streets. She left the cereal and comics on Jaune's cot and the nicely-wrapped box on Ren's, then left to wash her face. She got ready for bed in record time, slipping on her headphones and listening to music for a bit on her Scroll before Ren finally entered their room again.

"Gee, I wonder- what's that on your bed?" she said aloud, grinning coyly. The boy rolled his eyes, but sat down on his cot and pulled open the box anyways. His eyes widened, darting back and forth between the box's contents and Nora's face, searching for answers in her smug smile.

Finally, he whispered, "…how did you find it?"

"You just need to learn what's in the shopping district, Ren! They opened tons of things before the Vytal Festival, and some stuff is still around!" She giggled as he picked up one delicate, lotus-shaped dessert, the pounded rice cake bending slightly even in his cautious grip. He placed the piece carefully onto his palm, face unreadable.

Well, unreadable to most. Nora had long memorized exactly what every twitch of his brow, every blink of his eye, every tremble in his lips, all meant. She knew he was mesmerized with the traditional sweets of his native village. They had been hard to come by outside of Mistral, and she had been meaning to pick them up in Vale before the tournament when she first realized that a traditional confectioner had appeared for the Festival- unfortunately, she had never found the time, and things had lead them to their current state.

It was alright, though. He put the dessert back in the box where the three other pieces sat, then left the room. In five minutes, he returned with a tray of two teacups, filled with the most authentic Mistralian tea he could find in the Huntsman barracks' shared kitchen. Handing her one cup, he knelt on the floor in the teeny space between their beds, pulling the same treat out- then, he took a small bite of the sweet, chewing slowly, savouring the mild flavour.

She knew that these desserts always reminded him of more innocent days.

He blushed, then beckoned her over wordlessly. She grinned wider, obediently taking a seat by his side in the tiny space. When he held out the rest of the dessert between slender fingers, she ate the rest appreciatively, but she remained quiet rather than loudly enjoying the dessert- it wasn't respectful to the patissier to be overdramatic. Instead, she quietly chewed, drank her tea, and swallowed. She wasn't the biggest fan of rice and sweet bean cakes such as these, but sharing anything with Ren made it taste sweeter than usual.

The boy continued in that way- he would eat half, then feed her the rest. The movement was so automatic. Nora marvelled at their closeness, and how calm Ren was- despite the fact that her heart was racing a mile a minute, the boy was moving so naturally that it was as if he barely even noticed her presence.

She didn't mind. She was a constant in his life, and he in hers. If this sort of closeness was alright with him, that was all she could ever ask for.

Soon, the tea was finished, and it was time for bed. Jaune still wasn't back, but they didn't question it- now that the skies had cleared of smog, the boy spent a lot of time on the roof of the barracks at night. They knew that he just wanted to be closer to Pyrrha. He had spent so much time with her on the roof of their dormitory throughout the school year, training and stargazing and chatting, so it just made sense. They wouldn't ever disturb that moment for the blond.

However, as Nora was about to go to bed, she found a little box stashed under her own pillow. Lifting it up, she gasped. It was one of the same brands of chocolate that Nora used to always buy at Beacon- she would buy tons of varieties with whatever leftover spending money she had, stashing boxes and boxes all around their room. Ren always scolded her when he found them- the sugar wasn't good for her, he had always griped- but she had always managed to keep a special, assorted box hidden away in the boys' closet, right under their noses.

Her heart wilted momentarily. She had always shared that particular secret stash with Pyrrha.

Glumly, she opened up the box. The coconut flavour caught her eye instantly.

Ren murmured, "Was that one Pyrrha's favourite, or yours?"

She lifted her head, surprised to see the boy watching her as he tied up his hair for the night.

He continued, "The coconut and the almond ones were always missing. I'm assuming Jaune didn't take them- he… can't find his own socks half the time." Those last words were said with a dry, but affectionate chuckle, having shared most of his living space with the blond for nearly a year now.

"Wait…" The gears in her brain slowly turned, then reach the solution. She jumped up in her bed, crawling to her knees. "You knew about that box?!"

He laughed. "I figured I should let you keep one, at least. You didn't touch that one very often, so I thought it was okay."

Her stomach warmed instantly. He bought me these with his share of the Lien. Before she could outwardly pout and gripe, Jaune burst into their room. His hair was a mess, his eyes wide and frenzied… but there was a spark in them, too. There was life. He was genuinely excited.

"Guys, Ruby just called," he cried. "I have no idea how she got through, but- but- but Patch's winter is almost up, and she wants to go to Haven."

Nora and Ren traded confused looks. "Okay, first off- how the heck is it so hot here and yet still snowing there?"

Ren immediately replied, "Because Vale gets rainstorms after early summers due to our more temperate location yet proximity to the tropic lines, and Patch is farther north, next to glaciers of ice- and ice-Dust- deposits. Their cold seasons last longer, in exchange for fairly stable springs and summers."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, nerd." Turning her attention back to Jaune, she pressed, "But, Haven. Why would she want that?" the orange-haired girl laughed. "Does she… want to go to school there?"

He shook his head frantically. "It's… she thinks that something big is happening, and she thinks that if we want our answers, we're gonna have to go there." His gaze jumped back and forth between his two teammates, growing more and more resolute.

"It… it would make sense, in a way," Ren murmured thoughtfully, running his fingers through his ponytail. "They attacked Beacon and destroyed the CCT. If they're aiming to truly cut off international communications for good, Haven would be the next best target."

"It's not like anything can get into Atlas right now," Nora scoffed. The borders were growing tighter and tighter around the northern Kingdom, ever since the Fall of Beacon. "And Vacuo… well…"

In unison, they all shrugged and mumbled in exasperation, "It's Vacuo."

"So… Haven makes sense, I suppose," Ren mused.

They were all quiet until Jaune finally announced, "I don't want her to go alone."

Nora glanced between the two boys- Jaune, determined and stubborn, and Ren, calm and understanding. Neither of them would speak, eyes locked in an odd stalemate. Therefore, it was up to her.

She slapped her thighs, drawing their attention with the harsh sound. Giggling, she raised her hand. "Well, Ren and I need to hunt some people down in Anima, too. Someone needs to start picking up our phone calls again!" She winked at the dark-haired boy, reaching out and tugging on the magenta streak in his hair mischievously. "So, looks like our team is going to Haven! When do we leave?"

The two boys' expressions melted as they looked at her- Jaune, with relief and gratitude, and Ren, with joy and resolution. Jaune murmured, "Well, they have enough Huntsmen here to keep Vale safe. And we've been here for almost three whole months- why not hitch a ride into Patch tomorrow?"

"We've just restocked, so this would be the perfect time," Ren agreed solemnly.

Nora fell back onto her bed, kicking the mattress excitedly. "We're taking a road trip! Let's do it!"

Jaune's eyes softened, and he smiled at the duo. "Thanks, guys. I've been… I've been getting pretty sick of sitting here, doing nothing." He stared out the window wearily. "I just want some answers."

"And we'll get them, don't you worry!" she quipped, and that was that. Before Jaune could grow despondent and lost in his thoughts once more, she leaned over to his cot, picked up his pillow, and tossed it at the boy. While he spluttered, she crawled under her covers, pulling out her Scroll. Quickly, she jotted down all the last-minute errands she'd have to do the next morning- talking to the professors, getting them all off construction duty, letting the kitchen know that they'd no longer need to make her extra-big portions. It was such a short list, but it came together naturally.

We'll take it from here, she thought, satisfied with the result. She dozed off sometime while listening to Jaune and Ren get ready for bed, and by the time they turned off the light, she was fast asleep.

She wasn't usually the type to dream- perhaps it was due to the taste of Mistralian sweets on her tongue, but she reawakened outside of a lovely Vale-style pastry shop. In the back of her mind, she instantly wanted to walk in and find whatever it was that was making that heavenly smell waft out through opened windows- yet, her feet stayed still. She glanced down. Her bare knees were blue and swollen and bruised and scratched. She looked back up. The window ledge was barely at her eye level.

Oh.

She knew where she was.

She ran around the back, and this time, her feet complied, tiny body moving lithely towards the dumpsters behind the store. Glancing around, the coast was clear- so, she swiftly darted towards the small trash bin on the side of the back door to the kitchen. There were always unsold loaves left in there.

They would have thrown everything out two days ago. I wish I could've come here then.

But she had been incapacitated back then. Everything had hurt too much- so, it was either bread sitting in a dumpster for two days, or it was nothing. She squeeze her arms around her ribs momentarily, feeling bones through thin, pale skin. She could no longer afford nothing.

Her search proved meager. There was only two loaves in the small bin, and one of them was completely green- so, she picked up the other one, dusting it off. The smell of mold clung to it like a second skin, but underneath it, she could sense faint traces of stale, yeasty goodness, and that was enough for her. She held it tight to her chest and scurried away.

In the back of her mind, she knew that looping around the back alleys would only result in getting caught. Unfortunately, she wasn't in a dream- she was in a memory. All she could do was wait helplessly until she ran straight into the chest of a tall boy, falling backwards.

Three boys stared down at her. She tried sprinting away, but they blocked all routes of egress, meaning that she was forced to watch as they closed in on her. They snickered, taking in her beaten-up body, her starving face, her wary, fearful eyes.

The tallest one swiped for her bread, and she scuttled back, clutching the loaf tight.

"Where'd you get that bread? I didn't see you pay for it, thief!" he jeered, laughing with his friends.

The shortest one giggled, "No, look, it's all moldy!"

The first boy chuckled, "I think she got it from the trash!"

Their third companion cried, "Lemme see!"

All she could see were their eyes. They were staring at her, eyes glowing with a mocking hatred that burned her, terrified her. Why were they so mean? Why wouldn't they just leave her alone? All she wanted was some bread. Her tummy rumbled again, the scent of the stale bread still utterly appetizing. It had been so long since she had eaten…

The third boy reached out with a wicked grin, his hand growing closer and closer to her face. She shrank back, but he didn't move away. On instinct, she leaned up and bit his longest finger, eliciting a yelp from the boy. "Ah- she bit me!" he squealed, recoiling instantly.

Next thing she knew, the boy had pushed her backwards, and she stumbled onto the ground painfully. Her old bruises ached, but her mind raced, focusing on the loaf which flew out of her hand upon impact- if she didn't hurry up, if she didn't bring back some bread, there would be new bruises awaiting her, and no meal in sight. I don't want this, leave me alone, go away…

As quickly as she could, she crawled back to her feet, hugging the bread to her chest. She cowered, shutting her eyes tight. Please leave me alone…

But the boys wouldn't quit. "Where'd she come from?" the short one mocked. "She's dressed all weird!"

The tallest one guffawed. "I bet she's abandoned! Like a dog or something!"

She opened her eyes wide, pleading with them silently to just go away. They paid her no mind, so wrapped up in their own cruel words.

The third boy pouted incredulously, "Does that mean I have rabies?"

All three boys chuckled, but Nora's eyes honed in on a new, fourth boy standing behind the menacing trio.

Unlike the first three, who were clearly the children of the working class, this newcomer was distinctly part of the upper-class in the village. His clothes were neat-pressed and clean, his black hair pinned up primly in the back. He was smaller than the boys, but his face was open and honest and innocent, displaying all of his horror front and center when he realized what was going on.

She nodded towards him, begging for help with her eyes. Please, please do something.

But the boy just stood and stared. Quickly, the bullies saw her gaze resting behind them, and they spun around, catching sight of the wealthy boy. Once they set their eyes on him, though, the newcomer yelped, panicking, and turned around- running right into the legs of one of the strongest warriors of Kuroyuri, Li Ren.

Nora blinked slowly at the boy. The resemblance between man and boy was clear. Is that… his dad?

"Father?" he murmured in shock, voice high and nervous and accented like all the other upper-class families of the town.

The man looked away from his son, glaring at the three boys. Then, he turned his eyes onto Nora, and she cowered. She knew those eyes. Those eyes didn't want her there. Those eyes belonged to every single adult who had ever seen her this side of Anima. People who looked like her… they belonged far, far away, in the northern reaches of Atlas. Not here.

I don't want to be here, please let me go-

"What is happening here?" the man boomed. Nora took her cue- while the boys stood still, unsure of where to go or what to say, she grabbed the bread tight and scurried down the steps behind them. The steps led to the canals, which would lead to the irrigation streams, which would bypass the sewers. Then she'd find her destination.

But before she could set foot on the ground after leaping down the last five stairs, the world warped around her and was suddenly dark. Flames burned the sky, filling the air with ash and smoke, the cinders catching light upon entire buildings. The screeches and howls of Nevermores and Beowolves echoed through the air, and she shuddered, crawling underneath the nearest cover- the porch of a nearby building.

In the back of her mind, she knew what was going on. This was the end. But in the moment, her dream-self was still naught but a little girl, wrapping thin, frail arms around her own malnourished torso, biting back the fearful screams.

Suddenly, another horrifying screech erupted from above her, and she shuddered, sobbing quietly. It's the Grimm, it's above me, it's right above- it's going to eat me, save me, someone, please-

And then, out of the blue, a light touch on her shoulder stole her attention. She gasped, but her eyes were met with a warm, caring smile. "Hey!" the son of Li Ren murmured. In his magenta eyes, there was a sense of peace, of comfort, burning deep within.

He didn't intend her any harm. "We have to be brave," he calmly explained.

The Nevermore cawed again, and she heard sharp talons dragging down the shingles of the roof. It was going to find them any minute now.

She whimpered, then looked back at the boy. His clothes were still fairly pristine, and his hair was still unruffled- but there was a maturity to him now which had been missing earlier that day. And she knew in that moment, from the very depths of her soul, that those eyes would never again fail to stand up for her. They'd protect her until the end.

Okay.

She threw her arms around him on instinct. She just wanted to be safe. After a moment, he reciprocated, and she was drawn into the most comforting embrace she had ever experienced. Strangely enough, the sensation of fear slowly ebbed away, numbing. It was replaced by peace, by restful thoughts.

We'll be okay.

The giant, bird-like Grimm stalking them from above let out another cry, albeit softer. Nora clutched the boy's jacket tight, awaiting their demise. Yet, after a few thoughtful pauses, they heard an annoyed screech and the powerful flapping of demonic wings as the creature took flight.

They had made it.

The two children had scant time to celebrate. She had barely dislodged herself from the boy's arms when she saw the most terrifying image she had ever seen. With her limited vision, all she could take in were four massive hooves, clopping slowly down the road beside the porch they hid underneath. On either side of the equestrian-like figure were two long, trailing hands, clawed fingers twitching as they dragged against the cobblestone road.

As the creature moved on, Nora locked eyes with the little boy. "I'm scared..." she whispered, desperately fighting back the urge to sob once more. It was all too much.

With a gentle, saddened expression, the boy replied, "Me too." Out of nowhere, he made a move to leave their covered porch, and she grabbed his arm, whining in protest.

Please don't go.

"It's okay," he soothed, all confidence and determination.

She gasped and panted for breath, the exhaustion from the night's events quickly settling in. All she could do was furrow her brow and watch him crawl out from their hiding spot, crying softly.

Thankfully, he only went a few feet away, coming back quickly. He knelt before her, presenting what he had gone to retrieve- a small, wooden hammer. Holding it out to her with both hands, he smiled. "We'll keep each other safe."

We'll keep each other safe. Her eyes widened, and she looked down at the innocuous item. It could've been mistaken for a children's toy, it was so small.

Yet, it was something for her. No one had ever given her anything of her own before. And this strange boy now wanted to stay with her? He wanted to protect her? She looked down, noticing a large hunting knife tucked into his sash. It clearly didn't belong to him, but he followed her gaze to the weapon, then gave her a sad smile.

He's serious. We'll protect each other with this. With trembling fingers, she took the mallet from him, holding it against her chest lovingly.

"What's your name?"

This hammer is mine. He gave it to me. We'll take care of each other. The thought brought happy tears into her eyes. For the first time… maybe there was something in this world that cared for her, after all.

She looked back up to him, a foreign sensation pulling her lips. She… she was smiling. How long had it been? But looking at this sweet little boy, with his little purple streak matching the sweetest pink eyes she had ever seen, it felt natural. It felt right.

"Nora," she whispered at last.

With a little laugh and a nod of the head, he replied, "My name's Lie Ren. We'll protect each other from now on, okay?"

She nodded back, slow but sure. "Always."

That word brought mirth to his eyes, those magenta hues disappearing behind happy crescent moons. "Always," he agreed.

And then, her eyes opened again. The ceiling above her head belonged to her barracks. She rolled her head over to her right. And, just as she had suspected, she felt Ren's fingertips brushing against her hair with the movement- she could see his pink Aura swelling up his arm from where it hung awkwardly off of his cot, barely reaching hers, casting his Semblance into her being.

No wonder all the fear in her dream had dissipated so naturally. Ren had sensed her discomfort, even in his dreams, and he had cast his Semblance over her, keeping her safe and warm.

Her heart surged with warmth for the boy. Carefully so as to not wake him, she grabbed his hand, pressed a gentle kiss to his fingertips, and whispered, "I'm okay, Ren."

He must have heard her subconsciously, as the pink Aura began to recede, and her emotions were fully hers once more. The warmth didn't fade, though. So, she fell back asleep, holding onto his hand contentedly. It was a little selfish of her to continue the contact, but he wouldn't mind.

When she awoke early the next morning, though, she regretted not tucking the boy's arm back into his cot. Ren was still sleeping when she opened her eyes and sat up, still holding onto Ren's hand- but Jaune was already sitting upright, eyes glassy and broken as he watched her and Ren's easy intimacy. She suddenly felt ashamed.

If you only had realized how you felt earlier, Jaune.

She swallowed.

If only I had forced Pyrrha to tell you earlier.

Jaune made no move to get up, frozen solid. She glanced back down at Ren's sleeping face.

…Will I one day run out of time with you, too?

The warmth from the dream faded in her gut. She didn't want to think about running out of time. Not with Ren. Never with Ren.