"I don't want help! I don't want to be the damsel in distress! I want to be the hero!"
Ruben leaned back in his seat, feeling his eyes drooping and his arms numb from the lack of sleep. He rubbed his eyelids, letting out a low yawn.
He reached for his screwdriver, instead grabbing his monkey wrench. He failed to notice after a minute and a half of trying to use it to unscrew the blade from it's lock.
He pressed the cold metal against his throbbing forehead, feeling that it's hair-raising freezing. He lets out a sigh, the jolt of shock lasting for a brief moment.
He began rubbing his eyelids, sitting up in his seat. He stretched out his arms, hearing the air popping in his joints and making him fragile. Like at any moment, he would crash into pieces like broken glass.
"I need to wake up." He mumbled to himself, tossing the tool away. He heard it crash against a desk before it hit the floor. He reached for his mug, lifting it up to take a sip of his now ice-cold coffee. He opened his mouth and tried to get a swig, only to find cold drips running down the inside of the cup into his dry mouth.
He groaned to himself, taking his mug and walking towards the door.
"Gotta...get...coffee." He yawned out, using his free hand to cover his mouth. He opened the door and stepped out, shutting the door softly behind him. That history class was bringing Winter and Blair home pretty late. Last thing he wanted was to deny them the few hours of sleep before morning class.
With Yin, the nights playing Hide and Seek with 'Borrowed' Security batons left him with bruises and several hours of lost sleep.
He turned around, tiptoeing until he came face to face with Jaune. He was standing in front of his door. His shoulders were slouched, his eyes were drooping. Ruben raised a brow, letting out a soft yawn. "Evening, Jaune."
"Oh," Jaune shot up, his back straight and arms at his sides. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Ruben in the hall. In his sweat drenched red undershirt, baggy gray sweats, and dried grease covering his hands and forearms. He wondered if Velvet liked the smell of grease and sweat?
Wait, when did Velvet factor into this?
That's right, Ruben 'accidentally' bumped into her one night when he went to get a cup of coffee. To say she blushed was an understatement. The moment she saw Ruben's nearly bare torso, the definition in his arms and sweat stained brow, she ran with a little blood trickling from her nose. Still hasn't made eye contact with him in the past week.
It was adorable.
"Good evening, Ruben." Jaune said, eyes glancing all around. As much as he's seen Ruben like this, it didn't really help his situation. Ruben was much more built than he was. Much bulkier and well defined. But no where near Yin's.
Yin was like a slim mountain. Him shirtless put most Remnant men to shame.
"Get locked out again?" Ruben asked, recalling waking up one morning and finding Jaune camping in the hallway. Onesie on and sucking on his thumb. Jaune let out a sigh, turning his back to the door. He laid his back against the door, his face in the palm of his hand.
"No...It's...not that." Jaune mumbled, sliding on the door onto the floor. He stared into the carpet, his heart visibly breaking. His face contorted, his breathing getting heavy, his eyes averting away from Ruben.
"Ruben?" He asked, turning up to look at him. Ruben nodded, crossing his arms as he let out a soft yawn.
"Yes Jaune?" He asked, stumbling over beside Jaune. Ruben stopped for a brief moment, steadying himself to catch his breath.
"What if..." Jaune leaned his head against the wall, letting out a sorrowful sigh. He tugged on the ends of his hair, before looking up at Ruben. "What if me coming here wasn't a good idea? I mean, Pyrrha won't talk to me. Cardin is breathing down my neck. It's just all..." He pressed his hands against his temples, grabbing tuffs of his hair and pulling slowly. He let out a groan, his hands falling to the floor.
Ruben nodded, glancing at the floor.
"Overwhelming." Ruben mumbled, rubbing the stubble on his chin. He recalled the anxiety building up with him with every passing day, with every click of the clock.
He could recall the noise in his mind when the stomping and pain filled tired hands met the body of his weapon. When he could no longer hear his fear, only the sound of cranking and tinkering.
That's when he didn't worry. He wasn't a leader. Wasn't a student. He wasn't Ruben. He was a man working on his weapon.
"Yeah..." Juane said, letting out another sigh. "I just feel...that I can't do this."
"No." Ruben stated, tightening his fist, barring his teeth. He let out a heavy breath through his nose, squinting his eyes. He shook his head, turning his eyes to Jaune.
"You, you can do this." He pointed his finger at him, grease dripping onto Jaune's boot as he let out a heavy breath. "You don't just lie down and try to give up. No, you get up and you fight back."
"But what if-"
"There are no what ifs!" Ruben shouted, stomping his foot. Jaune jumped back against the door, letting out a squeal. "You can't second guess yourself! You need to step up and be the leader you are suppose to be. Be the man you are told to become. You..."
Ruben felt his eyes get watery, his heart beating erratically. He felt shivers running down his spine, the hairs on his arms rising. "Can't fail...not anymore. If you fail..." Ruben took a step back, pressing his back against the wall as he slowly slide down.
"You aren't failing yourself anymore...you're failing your team..."
"Wow..." Jaune said, taken back from Ruben's little outburst. His little speech. Jaune stood up, walking away from his dorm. "Thank you, Ruben." He said, smiling a bit as he thought of Ruben's words. Ruben nodded, running his hand through his hair.
"I need some sleep." Ruben mumbled, letting out a sigh. "I don't even know who I was talking to..." He looked up, not finding Jaune. He then looked around. "Or who I am talking to now, actually..."
"The Forest of ForeverFall is indeed a beautiful place. But we are not here to sight see," Glynda explained, looking around the forest. The intensity of the red in the tree trunks, leaves, and grass would have overwhelmed any other student, sickening them.
Ruben, flourished in it. He found the forest to be relaxing, at most, almost intoxicatingly calm. It reminded him of the Autumn back at home. The cool days where Yin would take him out with him on his daily jogs. The warm coco made in the mornings.
Winter jotted down notes of ForeverFall, namely that Beowolves and Ursas tended to travel in packs and couples respectively. His little bout with a pack of Beowolves leaving a lasting impression on him. He glanced at his loaded revolver, keeping a hand close to the handle.
Blair stopped a few feet away, enjoying the silence as he sketched out the tree before him. Shading in the red and leaving the space between the leaves bare. He smiled under his scarf, etching out a little heart in the base of his tree. Then shading in a little 'B' before shutting his personal journal.
Yin, unlike his brother and Blair, was admiring a different sort of beauty.
"You all have been asked by Professor Peach to collect samples of trees deep in the forest. I am simply here to make sure none of you die while doing so."
"I don't mind." Yin murmured, his heart fluttering at the mere sight of Glynda. He's seen her before, but out in the forest, away from the school and civilization, made him see her in a way that he couldn't really describe.
The blood red leaves clashed against the golden glow of her locks. The vibrant stare of hers alway seemed to melt his heart. The cold, orderly demanding tone of her voice made his heart race. Then the way her slacks hugged her legs, the little coat she wore made him feel all gooey inside. Made his knees shake.
"I don't mi-"
"Mister Yin." Glynda announced, turning to face him. Her face stern and serious, which did nothing except make his heartthrob. She waved a finger in his face, eyes squinted. "Is there something you'd like to say to the class?"
"No!" Yin shouted in a midst of embarrassment, his voice cracking mildly as he smiled sheepishly. "None at all!"
"Good." Glynda said, taking point once more. "Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here by 4 o'clock. Have fun!"
"Fun." Winter mumbled, rubbing the cool of the glass against his chin. He smiled, nodding his head. "Out in the middle of no where, gathering buckets of tree sap."
"It could be worse." Ruben shrugged, looking about the area. He smiled when he saw a head of brown hair and a lovely pair of floppy ears. "We could be fighting another Bird."
"Anything would be better than this." Winter remarked smirking. He thought of the challenge the Bird put up, how dangerous the battle was. It was accelerating. It was fun.
"Keep your comments to yourself!" Yin stated, his finger pointed inches from Winter's nose. He towered over Winter, his tone of voice showing the upmost seriousness of the situation. "Don't you dare back sass this class! It's my favorite!"
"For more reasons than one." Winter said, his eyes glancing over at Glynda. He smirked, her heels and scholarly attitude was very attractive to him. "She sure is a pretty one, I'll admit."
"If you dare!" Yin said, waving his finger in his face. He felt his muscles tense, his cheeks paling as he let out a vicious growl. "Make even a single remark about Miss Glynda! I swear-"
"Ruben?" Winter sighed out, turning to his leader. for assistance. To put a leash on the wild hound known as Yin. "Would you kindly..." Ruben, however, was not beside his team. Winter raised a brow, pointing to where Ruben once stood. Yin looked over, his smile gone.
"That little..." Yin let out a vicious roar, walking over to where his brother once stood. "I see?! Not paying attention!? In my favorite class?!"
"Wow..." Ruben whispered, leaning against a nearby tree.
Granted, he wouldn't need to be whispering. Nora and Yin would already be in a scream match over which lucky charm was luckier by now. Yin said Rabbit's foot. Nora would say a clover.
Still, the silence was appreciated.
His eyes were on Velvet, as she hesitantly began scrapping layers of red sap into her jar. Her little hands doing their best to try and get as much as they could.
The rest of her team seemed oblivious to their little audience, as Ruben whistled. Velvet's ears peaked, turning to see Ruben beside a tree.
There he stood, shoulder against the trunk as his arms were crossed. A smirk gracing his lips as his eyes softened.
She blushed, bitting her bottom lip as she turned away. But then, she hesitantly turned back to face him. She smiled, giving Ruben a little wave. Ruben smiled back, waving for her to come towards him.
Velvet could have sworn her heart was about to jump out of her chest. She glanced all around, as if Ms. Goodwitch would punish her for even thinking about Ruben. As she pivoted her foot to start walking, Ruben heard something.
"Ruben!" Yin shouted, running around the forest. "Bro! Where are you!"
Ruben waved her off, eyes shooting to her teammates. She nodded, scurrying to their side. Her little shuffle was too cute for Ruben to handle. A few chuckles escaping his lips as he smiled like an idiot.
Ruben tried to move, only to find his jacket stuck to the tree trunk. The sap he was suppose to be gathering apparently were strong enough to hold his sleeve.
"No..." Ruben whispered, tugging hard on his sleeve. The sap giving slightly but not losing any of it's grip. With a foot against the trunk, he pulled with all his might. "No..."
"If you think I'll go against Miss Glynda's request to stay together, you have another thing coming!" Yin shouted, turning to see Ruben against the tree, seemingly relaxing. Yin narrowed his eyes, barring his teeth. "Resting on the job, eh? Not taking Miss Glynda's class seriously, eh?" Yin moved to Ruben, rolling up his arm's sleeve and squinting his eyes. "Ruben!"
"Yin!" Ruben said, placing his other foot against the tree trunk, pushing and pulling hard. "Help me out here! I'm kinda stu-" Yin walked behind Ruben, grabbing him by the collar and giving him a quick pull back.
Ruben landed against the woodland floor, his left arm feeling the cold dead leaves against his bare skin. Ruben looked at his now missing sleeve, still attached to the tree trunk.
"Listen hear Ru-" Yin saw the hair on Ruben's arm, the definition in his biceps and triceps, his eyes darting to the tree. There he saw the red sleeve. Yin's voice lost all 'anger' and urgency. "Well then. This...this is awkward."
"My jacket..." Ruben murmured, walking over to it. He grasped the fabric, rubbing it between his fingers as he let out a sigh. "Now I have to fix my jacket and my weapon. Excellent job."
"Ruben," Yin started, walking over to his brother and nodding. His hands on his hips, biting his bottom lip. "We can agree that mistakes were made. On both sides. How about we say, we forget this happened and just move on with our lives?"
Ruben turned to Yin, letting out a growl before he pounced upon him.