A/N: My knowledge of the DCU is about the same level as Pyrrha's, so… yeah, I feel you, girl. Also, Merc is Yu Narukami from Persona because in my heart, he's a big giant nerd like me (okay like I know he isn't but let me dream okay) And I know that because of the mallet, Harley Quinn might work for Nora, but I just thought of her zooming around in a little cape, and it was an adorable image so I changed it. Let Nora have a cape, dangit!

Let me know what you think!

Thrown to the Wind

Wistful

If it weren't for Nora's vice-like grip on her arm, Pyrrha would have turned tail the moment that they arrived on the block. Neon's house was… well, neon, lighting up an otherwise-peaceful, affluent street. People were cheering and hanging out on the front lawn, and they could see dozens of bodies behind large windows even from down the street.

Her first steps into the party were met by wolf-whistles and cheers from her friends, and immediately, she wanted to head home. "Pyrrha, you look amazing!" Neon gushed excitedly, ushering the two girls in while she balanced her Harley Quinn-style hammer over her shoulder. The redhead smiled weakly in response as she hung up her coat, feeling utterly exposed in her thin outfit. While the theme Neon had provided gave everyone more than enough leeway to find a unique costume, due to the recent release of a new Batman film, the majority of partygoers present were in related costumes- thus, Nora's costume for Pyrrha was Poison Ivy, complete with a short wrap skirt, vine-laced fishnets, tall velvet green boots, fingerless, elbow-length gloves, and a leafy green top.

She felt highly uncomfortable. Who was Poison Ivy, anyway?

Glancing around, numerous familiar faces popped out of the crowd. Nora immediately ran off to the kitchen, zooming through the crowd in her oddly-pink Batgirl costume to see what sort of snacks the hostess was offering. Seated by the comfortable lounge chairs was Blake, lying down languidly in a Catwoman costume, showing her wares to a group of delighted potential buyers. Just past the dark-haired girl, Weiss, Coco, Velvet, Fox and Yatsuhashi were playing pool, each dressed in costumes of characters Pyrrha would be hard-pressed to recognize.

Pyrrha sighed, wrapping an arm around herself as she stepped through the house. Yang was drawing eyes left and right with a yellow jumpsuit and katana from the Kill Bill franchise, but her sword was laid by the wayside as Sun, dressed in a bright orange gi as Goku, insisted on an arm-wrestling match. Neptune watched from the sidelines, hair slicked back and dressed primly in a James Bond-esque suit and tie. "This is why you don't get chicks, man!" Neptune kept slurring, shaking his cup at the blond, who paid him no mind.

On their other side, Roman stomped down the stairs, throwing his hands up exasperatedly. "Lookie here, Red," he hissed, pointing an accusatory finger up the stairs, "stop following me!"

Ruby skipped down, clearly dressed as Little Red Riding Hood with a basket of cookies on her arm. Munching down on one nonchalantly, she replied, "But you're not dressed as anything," she whined, dodging when the boy hurled a nearby cushion at her.

"It's called Clockwork Orange, you uncultured brat!" And he huffed and stamped his feet out towards the patio. Pyrrha raised a brow, catching Ruby's eye. The younger girl merely stuck her tongue out mischievously and jogged after the boy, continuing her façade of ignorance to annoy him.

Suddenly, a bang from behind caught everyone's attention, and the DJ in the corner paused the music. Neo strutted into the center of the living room, dressed suspiciously similar to Neon. Pyrrha leaned back against a wall near the drinks, picking out a can of cider for herself as she watched the hostess herself get up into the quiet girl's face. Neon cried, "Look, girl, one of us is going to have to change. And since my costume's way better, that'll be you."

But Neo simply grinned and shrugged, continuing on her merry way towards the patio and backyard pool. Flustered and enraged by getting ignored, Neon skittered after her, pouting and complaining at the top of her lungs.

Taking a sip of cider, she nearly choked when a voice murmured in her ear, "So, you came alone after all, Pyrrha?"

Coughing, she pivoted away from Mercury, who had snuck up next to her. She had no idea who he was supposed to be, although his costume seemed less like fantastical and more like some high school uniform- either way, though, she wanted him gone. She didn't have the energy to deal with him.

"Mercury, stop bothering me," she murmured, heading to the kitchen to find Nora.

Before she could leave, though, the boy grabbed her arm, pulling her in close. "Don't say that," he groaned, leaning towards her. She could smell the alcohol on his breath, so she rolled her eyes and pushed him away anyways. He pouted, but fell in step with her, asking, "Why do you always have to be so uptight? It's not like your little boyfriend is here-"

"Back off, Mercury," she finally commanded, spinning around. Drawing herself up to her full height in her heeled boots, she nearly towered over him. "I don't know what your issue is, or what you said to Jaune, but I'm not interested, okay? I never have been, so stop."

His face twisted into a light sneer. "I see how it is," he hissed. Stepping uncomfortably close, he muttered, "Little Miss Invincible Girl is too good for me, is that it?" For a moment, he glared at her, and in the back of her mind, all Pyrrha could think was Run. He's drunk. You don't trust him anyways- you can't let him take advantage of you. Get away.

Those thoughts had a chilling effect on her. She pushed him away suddenly, forcing the boy to stumble back onto the ground. Thankfully, he was disoriented enough that he wasn't able to recover quickly. He snarled, but she held firm. "Stop talking to me, Mercury."

"Fine. Be like that," he drawled, stumbling back to his feet. Grabbing a nearby bottle, he popped off the cap with one of his many rings, taking a swig of beer. "Don't come crying to me when you're lonely, Nikos."

Pyrrha didn't stay to give him an answer. Instead, she fled outside, only stopping to breathe once she was alone on a side porch. She slid to a seat on the steps, taking a swig of her drink tiredly. "What am I even doing here," she mumbled.

She wanted to go home. Sorry, Nora. I might head back after all.

Suddenly, a hand fell on her shoulder. She shrugged it off, glowering. "Mercury, I swear-"

"Um, I'm not Mercury," the boy replied. And he wasn't- instead, pulling off a mask covering his eyes and holding it in his hands sheepishly, was Jaune. "Is that okay?"

And her heart both broke and melted, because she had wanted to be there with him- but, with their distance, she didn't know if she ever could be.