"I don't get it! I just don't get it!" The little boy curses, running his fingers through his raven hair. "I had more pieces on the board, and I still lost. Adam, how do you win all the time?" He frowns, grabbing the white chess pieces scattered on and around the board and placing them in their starting positions.

The red-head smirks, resetting the black pieces to their original locations. "Quality over quantity, Noctis. You can't just rush in and snatch every piece you see." He glances up, observing the drooping wolf ears of the boy in front of him before crossing his arms.

"What are the winning conditions of this game?" Adam questions rhetorically, still expecting an answer.

Noctis raises an eyebrow, taking the black beanie he had stored in his pocket and placing it over his canine ears. "When the King's captured."

"Exactly." Shifting his attention to the board, Adam explains further. "Besides the skills of one hundred soldiers, an experienced strategist is needed. An adept tactician considers the strengths and weaknesses of his soldiers, the surroundings and advantages of the combat area, as well as the winning conditions, fixing the battle to favor his team."

"This is chess, not some war. So, what's your point?"

"If all you do is rush your soldiers into war, you're a bad strategist; if you still don't understand what I'm saying, you're as moronic as you are a fool." The red-head chuckles to himself. "Now, you have the first move."


Noctis sighs, staring at the dark liquid contained in his coffee mug and trying desperately to stop his body from moving toward the terrace, where the Schnee heiress stands idly. Obsidian eyes observe the frowning lips of the white-haired huntress, the slouched posture degrading her elegant dignity, and the distant expression in her eyes diminishing her usual grace and tenacity. His heart falls to his knees, pacing its rhythm to match the broken cadence of her shallow breathing, endeavoring to quell the fragments cracking across the feeble armor of her soul. He swallows the lump in his throat, offering his coffee mug to her and averting her gaze.

"I was planning to drink it, but-" He glances toward her, quickly regretting the action and turning to face the sunset in slight panic. "But you look like you could use some coffee right now."

"I don't need your pity." Weiss scowls, following his stare toward the sun. "Besides, I only drink coffee black."

"And I don't need your sass." He resists the urge to chuckle and manages to maintain his stoic expression. "Anyways, the coffee is black. I wouldn't drink it any other way either."

To his surprise and satisfaction, she accepts the mug, taking a small sip before voicing her inquiry. "So what do want? Or are you here to reprimand me too?"

Her lips curve downward, and he notes the slight poison in her voice. "I guess… I just wanna talk to you." He says slowly, scratching the side of his cheek with his index finger.

Orbs of pale blue hide behind eyelids, and she sighs before acknowledging the boy beside her. Words jumble in phrases too clustered to form sentences; she opens her mouth to speak, but her voice breaks inside her dry throat, opting her to take another sip of coffee. A shiver runs down her spine, urging her body to move toward the huntsman, but she forces her feet to stay stationary. "When your team was decided, have you ever thought that you should be leader?"

He shakes his head, needing no time to answer her. "I'm sure Ozpin's too experienced to make the mistake of assigning the wrong person 'leader'. Besides," Team TNBR (Tenebrae), he muses, is best left as it is. "Teresa's best fitted to be leader. Brielle's too kind, and Rowen's just plain reckless."

"What if you didn't trust anyone's judgement? Would you still believe you shouldn't be leader?"

"Yea, I'm a soldier, not a strategist. I'm not fit to be leader."

"And why not? Back in Emerald Forest, you-"

"I know; I caught you after you jumped off that Nevermore." He raised his voice in shallow irritation but calmed it upon noticing that Weiss had taken a small step away from him. "I abandoned my partner in a forest full of Grimm. I mean, he didn't mind; he wasn't really bothered by it or anything, but-" He pauses to catch his breath, realizing the quickened pace of his thudding heartbeat contributing to his shortage of air. "But, a good leader would've never just run off like that."

Slowly swallowing more coffee, she savors the bitter taste of the natural brew, while he quietly revels in the scent of a sweet, sharp pungency.

"Ruby did that, and she almost got herself killed." She deadpans.

"She's gutsy; that's for sure." He chuckles airily, turning to walk away. "Anyways, I gotta go." He takes a step before a voice causes him to hesitate, heading towards his team room after waving 'good-bye.' Her words ring in his ears, echoing throughout the entirety of his mind and eardrums, and his lips curve upward at the thought. Next time, I'll bring you coffee.


A/N: I don't own anything.

Anyways, I know this isn't really an actual date, but I hope it was still, to some extent, enjoyable. :3