Beta Read by: Crescent Sunrise

Recommended story: "Spoon Equality" by Jefardi - RWBY

~MZ~

May wakes up quickly. After two days of being stuck in her bed under threat of a trip to the academy infirmary, she's ready to move. Her Scroll forming a long list of messages sent back and forth between herself and Yang, including a few pictures of the brawler's sister and comments teasing the steel eyed sniper. All offers to visit May however were summarily waved off. The last thing May wanted was to get anyone else sick. While she might be tempted to make an exception to that rule for her team, she really doesn't want them getting her cold either. Roy would never stop whining.

But now she's gotten over it. And up she goes, pulling her sheets and bedding to be washed later before grabbing her clothing and darting for the bathroom. If she's quick enough maybe she can get away before Nolan gets back with another of his morning immune booster drinks. It makes her shudder. Still she doesn't have to feel bad if she's not around when he gets back. That thought in mind she dives into the shower and makes it out in record time.

With a grin on her face she opens the door leading back into the guest room... only for her smile to die a cold, screaming death in the face of her partner tapping his foot, looking unamused and holding the damned drink.

She glares at it before sighing in defeat and plugging her nose again. Dropping it back and giving him the cup, empty once more. She shudders again, the aftertaste is terrible. But at least she doesn't have to taste the rest of it this way. She's certain he wouldn't appreciate her trying to force her way past the flavor and the texture at the same time. Probably because she wouldn't be able to keep it down.

"You're feeling better and you've got color in your skin again. You don't look flushed either. Good. Its breakfast then classes." He commands before a grin crosses his lips. "Then you can start telling us about... What did you call her? Oh yeah, Little Red." His smile grows as his eyes narrow. She can already feel that he won't let it go as easily as she had their first encounter.

"Don't try to bull shit us May. We saw you at your competition. You might have been teasing her before signing up, but that was definitely flirting. Guess you really are over Nebula then huh?" He tacks on getting a wince from the sniper herself after the name is mentioned.

Nebula Violet. Leader of Team NDGO, and May Zedong's ex-girlfriend. Still a bit of a sore spot for May she's mostly gotten over the breakup. Not that the relationship had the best of starts either. May had a crush, one she certainly hadn't acted on for two reasons. A lack of experience, and the certainty that the violet haired team leader was undeniably straight.

She had a boyfriend after all, not that the detail managed to dissuade the snipers infatuation much to May's own chagrin.

But when the two had broken up. May saw a tearful Nebula alone. After some cheering up and listening to her crush declare she was giving up on men entirely. The naive sniper took her shot with a stolen kiss and a confession. May knew all about what people say about rebounds. She was warned after too. She didn't listen, she didn't care. She had her crush.

It was fun for a few months into their first year as trainees. But then it passed. Little things came up as Nebula pulled more and more away from the confident sniper. It frustrated her and lead to fights until finally Nebula came clean. May was a rebound, she's not really into girls. She argued it was a phase they would both get over. For Nebula it was, for May it wasn't.

They try to keep friendly. But it's strained and forced. The smiles awkward when required to be near each other and they both tend to simply avoid the other as if pretending the months together didn't exist. It's worked so far and it's gotten easier as time has passed.

The question now is, would it be wrong to mess with him for saying her name? After the breakup she was particularly sensitive to reminders about it, especially her ex's name. Now the feeling is more or less ambivalent. She had a crush, she got her shot, and it didn't work out. She cried, now she's moving on. Is she interested in Ruby romantically? Well, she certainly wouldn't say no if the opportunity presented itself.

On the problem at hand however. 'Ah, who am I trying to fool. Of course it would be wrong to mess with him. But that doesn't mean I won't anyway.' She concludes as her eyes narrow on her partner. Instead of snarling at him however, she smiles. A bright cheery smile that does not at all match the angle of her brows in any comfortable way.

He twitches, realizing that he just spoken of the Forbidden One and starts to back pedal, verbally and physically. Some amount of fear on his expression. At least until she starts laughing at him. Then he just grimaces and shakes his head.

"Hey, you earned that. I told you guys I was over it, but if you think I'm just going to let you tease me about Little Red. Well, you know me better than that Nolan. Tell you what, you lay off on that for now and I won't pretend to be upset around Brawnz and Roy about you mentioning my ex. Deal?" She offers grinning as she pulls her beanie into place. The morning exercise surrendered at the moment in favor of the training room this evening.

"You know, pretty soon that won't work on them. Especially when they are positive you aren't just teasing cloak girl. They already suspect." He replies shifting his arms behind his head as they walk.

"I know, but it buys time for me to figure out how much I really want to pursue her. Besides, I would love to see the look on their faces if I do start dating Little Red while they think I'm not finished pining after Neb." She replies. And a very small part of her is curious to see Nebula's reaction as well if she's being honest with herself.

~RR~

It's an aggravated Ruby that leaves her classes the same afternoon. Her hands tugging her hood down over her face as her eyes focus on her feet to watch the floor pass under her as she makes her way back to her dorm room.

She had bumped into Cardin earlier but used her Semblance to dart around him before he could really do anything about it. Very much not in the mood to deal with him at the moment. And in the classroom corridors it's unlikely he would try to do anything.

The source of her aggravation is none other than, one Miss Zedong. The Shade snipers' little smirks and winks. Her suggestive comments and teasing remarks, added to her curves and the way she intentionally moves at times, knowing Ruby is looking has truly driven the young girl to distraction.

'The confusing mixed messages aren't helping either. One moment she's all flirty and sexy and the next she's teasing me for my height or the size of my weapon or my aim. I can't tell if she's serious or just joking around! Maybe I should just ask her?' The short girl thinks to herself with a little growl of irritation after entering her dorm room getting out her combat outfit.

'If I'm being honest I know she's not as bad as I thought at first. Yang is friends with her after all and my sister is a decent judge of character. Better not tell her that.' Ruby admits to herself as she leaves the room having gotten there before the rest of her team, already heading towards her weapon locker.

She wasn't avoiding them really. Just wanted a little time in the training room alone against the simulators. Hard light projectors forming opponents both Man and Grimm of varying difficulty and quantity. In order to get to the next difficulty however, you have to clear the previous difficulty of your current setting.

Ruby looks at the room and sighs after opening the door hearing the sound of someone else having beaten her here. She'll just have to wait. Maybe they'll have an interesting weapon!

Her mood improved, she slips in and quietly shuts the door before moving up to the observation area. Her eyes moving down to the ring before widening in surprise. Of course it would be her.

She watches, failing to notice her open mouth as May swings her rifle like a club. The stock having an axe blade protruding now as it cuts through the light frames. Clearing the last opponent May calls out a pause and pants lightly. Her grey tank top clinging to her body and darkened by sweat. Her jacket and hat folded neatly alongside a towel and bottle of water, her hair tied back behind her head. She looks like she did coming out of the gym with Yang only now her track pants aren't rolled up. Her legs completely covered with her feet covered by simple flat shoes.

The sniper shifts, standing up straight again and heading for her towel. Her hand manually pulling the blade back into the stock by a tiny handle that folds back into the rifle after the blade is secured again. Odd, it seems May doesn't use a fully automated mecha-shift.

The silver eyed girl doesn't say anything as she watches May tilt her head back, sipping at her water. Setting the water back down, she moved back out to the center of the room. Her head tilting to crack her neck as she takes a stance pressing a button that causes the axe blade to shoot out again before she hefts the weapon. She calls out for the program to resume, her aura level displayed above. It's half depleted. Ruby wonders how long May has been using the room now.

An Ursa is formed first, flanked by four Beowolves. The hard light Grimm spreading out to try and surround her. The tactics shown indicate she has at least bested the first difficulty. Ruby watches the older girl take careful steps backwards her eyes sharp as they track her opponents.

Looking on, Ruby stared intently as the Ursa and Beowolf constructs closed in and tried to surround the sniper. May simply waited though as the Ursa charged from the front and took a swipe. May moved in and buried her axe into the constructs stomach as one of the Beowolves came from the sniper completely exposed side. She leapt into the air straight as a board to avoid the Beowolf.

Wide-eyed, Ruby watched as May somehow moved with a burst of speed tearing her axe around the Ursa's stomach, avoiding another strike from the Ursa and kicked a Beowolf in the face, staggering it. Axe torn form the Ursa, she takes the chance to decapitate one of the other Beowolves.

The large bear Grimm comes down after its failed swipe as she turns around. The Ursa is moving more carefully now as the remaining Beowolves charge. Ruby watches, her eyes narrowing trying to figure out what's going on as May removes a leg from the next Beowolf to get in her range. The second swiping as the sniper ducks, her axe turning in her hands to point upwards. She makes a short hop from her hunched position before suddenly shooting upwards her axe passing through the hard light and letting her spin for the moment in another impossible motion.

She made a mistake however. The Ursa closed the gap as she fought the Wolves and smacks her spinning form with a heavy back hand sending her across the training zone to hit a wall roughly. Costing her a solid chunk of her Aura. She groans for a moment and Ruby is certain she's looking at the end as the last Beowolf and Ursa move in on her form. The program will call stop when her aura hits the red for safety.

Ruby moves to get up in case May needs a hand standing after the match, only to blink as the sniper leaves the axe blade extended as she shoulders the rifle and fires blowing the wolf's head off as the Ursa reaches her. It rears up to stomp down on her before she goes from sitting with her back to the wall to sliding under it with barely a motion in between. Her hand dragging her to a stop against the floor as she turns around and leaps sinking her axe into the constructs head.

As the Ursa collapses she calls for a stop as she lays herself on the floor breathing hard. Her hands retracting the blade again before falling beside her.

'Impossible. That must have been something to do with her Semblance. She couldn't have slid from a sitting position like that otherwise. And shooting forward like that while floating? Some kind of instant momentum shift? But no, she didn't have any momentum when she was sitting.'

As Ruby puzzles over what she saw she doesn't notice May has gotten up and noticed her. Staring hard at the shorter girl. A flash of embarrassment crossing the snipers face before an easy grin replaces it. The sultry sway of her hips drags Ruby from her thoughts and lets her know she's been seen.

"Hello Little Red, hoping to see how a better shot fights up close?" May asks, the barrel of the rifle in the ground as she leans forward, her arms folded over the butt of the rifle. Her rear swinging behind her as sweat pools in her cleavage. Not seeming to notice the show she's made of the latter leaning forward as she is.

The joke makes Ruby twitch irritably while the movements draw a heavy blush. The effort it takes her to limit herself to drawing a calming breath only serves to visibly amuse May as it gives the taller girl evidence she got under the little leaders skin. Her twinkling eyes infuriating Ruby all over as May stands drawing her rifle across her shoulders making her chest bounce getting the blush to return full force.

The sniper moves to her stuff and takes one last sip from her bottle before tossing the half full container up to Ruby in the stands. Setting her rifle against the wall as she starts to towel herself off. Her back turned to the shorter girl as she brushes sweat from her chest, neck, stomach and back. Stretching her hands high above her head and tilting left and right as a small sound escapes Ruby. Eye's firmly planted on May's bottom as it swayed with the stretching.

It seems the sound wasn't muffled enough though. As May's head turns to fix her with a smirk, eyes narrowed. She then tosses her towel up to the thus far silent girl. Grabbing the rest of her things and walking out with a sultry sway.

"If you need pointers Little Red I'm in the guest rooms! Also, might want to wipe off the drool!" She adds, her derriere bouncing a bit with each overemphasized step.

"It's Ruby! And I wasn't drooling!" She shouts as the door closes behind the retreating sniper. Leaving Ruby to growl and sit with a huff.

'I hate her.'

AN:

The longer gaps have certainly been helping me keep a healthy mind about this. And it gives me time to split my focus a bit. All in all I'm pleased. This chapter is an idea I knew I would include somewhere and sets up something else.

Special thanks to my wonderful reviewers of course! Crescent Sunrise, AntonSlavik020, RatedRSuperstar87, GeneralPerv, Inkboy, and CinderBurn. Once again I appreciate spending the time to give me your thoughts.

That's all for now! I love you, and I'll see you next time!