Disclaimer: RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum, not me. This is merely a fanwork meant for entertainment purposes only. Cover image courtesy of Jan Chrt (jeni-cek on deviantART). All rights reserved.
Cardin Winchester, son of Elijah Winchester, student of Beacon Academy and earthen protector to Bianca Schnee...was currently staring deep into a large, vinegar-soaked tomato. It was really large, actually, and while Cardin was no farm boy, he had a sneaking suspicion that tomatoes weren't supposed to grow to be the size of someone's hand. Was it safe to eat? Had covering it in vinegar angered it? Was this some divine punishment for his sins?
"Ahem. May I sit down?" a sharp female voice cut in, forcing Cardin to begrudgingly set his food thoughts aside so as to not appear a complete simpleton in front of the one and only Weiss Schnee. Focused as he was on fruit-based escapades, it wasn't all that surprising that she had managed not to draw his attention until that moment, but even then, Cardin had an odd feeling that she had deliberately avoided detection, perhaps to illicit some kind of surprise reaction from him.
No such luck there; like the earth itself, Cardin seemed positively unshakeable as of late, merely motioning for Weiss to take a seat before pushing his plain white plate off to one side.
"Morning, Weiss." Cardin greeted pleasantly, "Sleep well?"
"Well enough for a woman fearing for her life, I suppose." she responded bitterly, laying a delicate hand on the mess hall table, "How about you?"
"Not great. Kept waking up in the middle of the night for no particular reason. I'd say it was my boys playing pranks, but since they've all gone back home for the holidays, it was probably just something I ate."
"Is that why you're down here so early?"
"Partly. Other side of it is that I thought this would be a better place for you to let out your annoyance than in my room. Less soundproofing, you know."
"'Let out my annoyance'?"
"Well, you're going to ask me to do something and I'm going to say no. Then, when you've left, I'm going to continue…'eating' this tomato. Probably."
Weiss raised a dubious eyebrow.
"You're acting awfully smug for someone who's so perplexed by fruit."
"Blame it on the early-morning grump. Anyway, you gonna ask me your thing or not? The faster I turn you down, the faster I can get back to doing nothing in particular."
"You don't even know what I'm going to say!" Weiss exclaimed hotly.
"I'm not joining your business, I'm not being your bodyguard and I'm not venturing into the Emerald Forest to pick you plums. I reckon that's got all my bases covered."
"And why is it exactly that you would refuse to be my bodyguard?" Weiss asked, the frustration evident in her tone, "It's not like I'm asking you to do it for free, you know."
"Pay isn't the problem." Cardin stated bluntly, "The problem is having everyone in your little posse constantly giving me dirty looks when all I'm trying to do is protect you. Plus, unless you're suggesting I stay constantly in disguise, Jaune will figure out who the warrior from the mansion was pretty damned fast if I start using my semblance at all."
"You've thought about this already?"
"Mmhm. Planned to offer it myself before logic kicked in and put that particular idea in the trash heap."
Weiss pouted, crossing her arms.
"So there's nothing I could do to change your mind?"
"Not that I can-"
Suddenly, a burst of light began filtering through the mess hall's enormous windows, and, after his eyes had readjusted, Cardin found himself drawn to the weapon at Weiss' waist, now glittering in the sunlight.
"...actually, maybe there is something that might change my mind." he mused, memories of the manor flooding back to him.
"Oh?" Weiss responded, her eyes alight, "Do go on."
"Your weapon, Zinnia. Give it to me, and I will guard you for as long as you wish."
"You can't be serious! I'm not going to give up my weapon just so you can be my bodyguard! What would I do for the Beacon assignments where we have to slay Grimm? Are you going to do those for me, too?"
"Since when was Zinnia 'your weapon'? Last I checked, you were just using it while Myrtenaster was getting repairs, and if that's the case, what would the problem be with giving it to me?"
Without warning, Weiss grasped Cardin's hand, peering across the table with eyes that were not her own.
"But Spade, it is my weapon, don't you see?" 'Weiss' said smoothly, letting out a girlish giggle, "Now do be a dear and protect me, won't you?"
Even as Cardin reeled in shock, Weiss returned to her senses, immediately blushing and retracting her hand as she realised what had happened.
"I, um...did I do that?" she asked, putting a hand to her forehead, "I'm sorry, I think I was out of it for a minute there."
"...yeah, you could say that." Cardin mumbled, his eyes still fixed on Zinnia, "Anyway, you can forget what I said before. Consider me your bodyguard from now on."
Weiss blinked.
"Not that I'm complaining, but why the sudden change of heart? You seemed so dead set against it before."
"Forgive me, Weiss." Cardin replied softly, "That was before I realised what an excellent opportunity it would be to spend more time with such a lovely young lady."
Weiss turned bright red.
"A-are you making fun of me?"
"Not at all. Surely this isn't the first time a young man has commented on your beauty, hm?"
"That's none of your business!"
This time it was Cardin's turn to link hands, all the while delivering Weiss a sultry look.
"It could become my business, if you like."
Weiss bit her lip.
"And if I do like?"
"Then you're very much welcome to it."
The conversation paused.
"...I'll think about it." she said finally, standing up from the table, "But for now, our relationship is staying in the work-safe zone, if you please."
"If that's how you want it." Cardin replied, shrugging.
"And in the meantime, I'll be needing you in Vale every weekday from ten o'clock sharp, do you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, Weiss."
"Good. Now, if you don't mind, I've got some news to spill to my team members. Dust knows how they'll react to my near-assassination, considering they were nearly bouncing off the walls when I went off to the manor with Jaune."
"Who knows? Maybe you'll end up with four bodyguards by the end of this."
"It'd almost surprise me more if I didn't, to be honest. Talk to you later, Cardin."
"Mmhm."
As Weiss walked back to her dorm room, her head chock full of new ideas, Cardin instead elected to empty his mind, returning his focus back to the interestingly uninteresting tomato that still remained on his plate, possibly now more condiment than fruit.
It was easier to do that than to think too much on what he'd just discovered, after all. Especially since, if he thought about it hard enough, he might have had to question the morality of his current actions.
Ah well. Maybe next time.
Hey all, Soulwithlife here!
Bit of a short chapter this time, but it was the most I could cook up with a cracking headache bearing down on me. Still, if you see any mistakes/things that could use improving, please put something in the review section! Hell, put something in there anyway. I love hearing from you guys.
See ya on Thursday, dear readers!
Edit: Due to an unexpected event on New Year's Day, the next update will instead be moved to Friday. Sorry!