*A/N: This is a bit of a fluff piece that's been rattling around in my head alongside Dust to dust and I really wanted to get it down in words. This shouldn't slow down my turning out chapters of Dtd but is more to let me purify the tragedy by putting the excess fluff in here.*
Jaune wandered the piers of Vale's port, bereft of his gear and in only well-worn jeans and a thick black T-shirt, pondering a common thought for him these days, 'Why am I still single?'
He tapped his chin as he went over it again and again, 'I've put on the confidence and used the pick-up lines like dad said, I've got the muscles and leanness like my sisters said, and I keep clean and polite like mom said….why is none of it working?" His face curls in thought as he stares up at the sky, not paying attention to his surroundings. A shiver works up his spine in the chill morning sea air. "Maybe it's some combination of them? Maybe I nee-" His train of thought is broken as he bumps into something or someone and stumbles back, his eyes cast down to who or what he bumped into.
Knocked on her bum and a little rattled is a tiny, dual hue haired girl. Skittering away from her towards the edge of the wooden pier is her pink parasol, rolling for just a moment before falling off into the water with a small 'blip'. As the small woman regains her senses, her face changes from confusion to wide eyed horror as what just occurred sinks in.
Jaune's own eyes widen at the implication before he swears loudly, "Shit….I've got it!" and runs to the edge diving gracefully into the frigid water. The water is blurry with foam and sediment making it difficult to see where the parasol landed but Jaune is a man determined to right a mistake. With a few powerful strokes, his hand touches the silt covered bottom, shuffling blindly along the floor, grasping for the parasol and finding little but more sand.
The blonde knight feels his lungs beginning to burn as his exertions are exhausting the air in his lungs. His frustration from the dim water is not helping as he burbles exasperated, only making his chest burn more and his movements pick up frantically, until, at the limits of his body, his hand nudges something smooth and long which he clutches with a desperate strength before flipping and kicking skyward.
Above the water on the pier still, the small girl peers over the edge of the wood, still trying to comprehend what just happened:
1. Bumped into cute boy.
2. Dropped weapon.
3. Weapon fell into water.
4. Cute boy dives in after it.
But the cute boy still hasn't come back up after a few minutes, and that's a bit worrying.
The water bubbles a bit before emerging from the water like Excalibur, her precious parasol, followed closely by the blonde head of the boy, gasping for air.
He coughs as he treads water, the parasol still held overhead. "S-sorry about that." Finally above the water, his whole body shivers as he makes his way to an aged ladder and flops onto the wooden deck, taking deep gulps of air.
The small girl sidles up next to him, a thin blush coming to her porcelain skin as she notices the lean and toned body that the thin black shirt is now clinging so closely to. Jaune makes eye contact with her and holds up the parasol, "H-here you a-are ma'am" His whole body shakes violently as his teeth loudly chatter.
The girl's eyes blink to a milky white as she truly sees his state. Her brow furls in worry and she reaches down to pull him to his feet and pointing to a nearby hole in the wall building, squeezed between two larger shops, to which the chilled knight can only shakily nod and move alongside her.
As the pair enters the door with a chime, the first thing to assault their senses is the pleasant scent of cinnamon and bread, followed closely by the warmth of a fireplace set into the wall. An elderly sheep faunus woman is the only occupant of the small café like room, seated in a faded red rocking chair by the fire, reading from a novel by the flickering light.
The chime of the door makes her ears twitch and she turns to greet her customers, her soft smile growing wider as she sees who it is. "Oh, Neo, so good to see y- oh my!" Her eyes widen behind the thin frames of her glasses as she notices Jaune, wet, shivering, and leaning against the door frame. "Please, come in, get by the fire and warm up, I'll get you some tea. My goodness, what happened?" Neo holds up her parasol, also dripping slightly and the woman nods as Jaune sloshes towards the fire. "I see. Get him warmed up dear, I'll bring you both some tea." Neo smiles back at her as the elderly faunus moves into her kitchen behind a small display counter, before joining the soaked blonde boy still shivering by the fire.
Jaune, foregoing a chair due to his wetness, is seated in front of the low fire with his hands held out to the toasty glow. He tries to speak but his teeth chatter too loudly. Neo takes her own seat in one of the worn chairs, its red cushioning contrasting with her pale skin.
The elderly faunus returns in short order, holding two cups of steaming liquid, the light scent of jasmine floating with curling steam. Passing one to each of them, she takes her seat back, rocking lightly. "Come now boy, you can't warm up in all those soggy clothes; you need to take off your shirt and hang it."
Jaune's cheeks burst into a deeper red blush, "N-no, I c-couldn't do t-that!"
The elder arches a brow, "Now boy, are you going to do this yourself or am I going to have to undress you like I do my grandson?"
He looks down before reaching for the hem of the shirt and pulling it overhead, the sheep woman taking it and carefully folding it over the grate on the fireplace while Jaune clutches his chest, trying to make the blush go down.
Neo's face might as well be a tomato at this point, her eyes trailing up and down the lean curves of Jaune's frame.
There is a small hush over the three, broken only by the crackling of the flames and the tiny squeaking of the aged rocking chair. The elderly woman is the first to break the tension, "Neo, I hate to bother again but do you happen to have some more Red to spare? The flame is dying again and money is tight still."
The petite girl breaks from her reverie, a sad smile spreading across her face as she nods and pulls a vial from a hip pouch, filled with a small pile of red Dust. Taking a few grains and tossing them onto the fire, it roars for a moment before burning brighter and lighting the entire café in its warm glow. She hands the vial to the older sheep after resealing it along with a small box. "Thank you so much, you are a life saver my dear." Rising from her seat she goes once again into her kitchen and the sounds of impassioned cooking ring through.
Jaune's shivering has died down in the heat of the new fire and he finally turns to the Neo, able to speak clearly, "She seems very nice."
A soft smile crosses her lips as she nods, gazing at the kitchen, the clanging of bowls ringing out as the fresh scent of batter mingles in the air. "Sorry about bumping into you back there….and knocking your parasol into the water…and getting you wet." He drops his gaze to the floor, "I…I'm Jaune by the way." His bravado and lines lost to the cold and circumstance.
She pulls out her Scroll and types something very quickly, turning it around for him to see the screen. 'Pleasure to meet you Jaune, I'm Neo.'
He looks at the screen, reading the message before looking up at her, "Are you ok Neo?"
Again she types. 'My voice is….special.'
"Oh, okay…Are you like a singer or something and you just need to rest your voice a lot?"
'No.'
"Oh…um…sorry about all that out on the pier, had a lot on my mind and wasn't paying attention." He unfolds his arms, leaning back and letting the warmth roll over him, all the while exposing his muscular frame and making Neopolitan become a bit more strawberry.
'It's ok, accidents happen.'
"I know, wow this is a little weird, feels a little like a one sided conversation, but, well, is there anyway I could make it up to you a bit? Get some coffee, buy breakfast, help you with your shopping, anything like that? I mean, I've got the whole day free and my mom always said that strangers were friends you hadn't made yet."
Neo giggles a little at his last comment, her laughter flowing from her like a soft breeze across a tinkling crystal wind chime, her smile only growing more.
'With a offer like that, how could I not? I promise I won't make you pay for *everything*.'
"G-great" His voice cracking a little. "When did you plan on leaving here?"
'Maybe another half hour. I usually come here to visit Suzette and have breakfast; she's a talented baker who's fallen on some hard times, especially since she's a faunus.'
As if on cue, the kind sheep woman, a wide grin on her face, emerges from the back kitchen, adorned with a worn but still bright, red apron, covered in splotches of flour and holding a tray of thin biscuits with a jar of jam. "I'm sorry I couldn't have something big, made from scratch fresh for you Neo, but I did whip up some biscuit toast with some strawberry jam for you and your friend." Neo's face brightening and her mouth opening a little as she stares at the tray. "Did either of you need any more tea maybe?"
Both shake their heads, Neo's eyes never leaving the tray, especially as Ms. Suzette sets it down on a small table. "Eat up you two." She says with a wink as she practically skips back to the kitchen.
Jaune nods and looks to the petite girl beside him, "She seems so much more cheerful, she must really love her work."
Neo looks up sheepishly from the tray, having already devoured several of the biscuits, a smattering of jam on her cheek. She nods as she takes a frilled handkerchief from the open top of her shirt and dabs away the jam while typing on her scroll.
'Very much so, it's what she's done for the last 2 decades, oh the stories she can tell….' Her crystalline giggle rings again as a memory comes to her.
"Well then, it's quite heartwarming to see that sort of dedication and joy to your work." He makes biscuit and jam as he speaks. "I hope I can still hold that love for my job in 2 decades." Taking a bite, his eyes widen as he chews slowly. "Thish ish great!" and then covers his mouth after speaking with it full and taking a big swallow before continuing, "Wow, I guess homemade really does make a difference."
Neo nods and they enjoy their simple but delicious meal together in quiet, with only the crackling fire to break it.
With the meal polished off and the teas now just cool, loose leaves as well as Jaune's clothing being dry for the most part, the two clean up their mess, stacking their dishes on the tray and setting it on the counter.
"Is it alright to just leave it like that?"
Neo nods, 'Yes, Suzette trusts me to keep everything cleaned up.'
"Alright then." He turns to the kitchen and hollers out, "Thank you for a lovely meal Ms. Suzette!"
"Come back anytime!"
He looks at Neo with a smirk, "I definitely think I will." And extending an arm for her to take, "Shall we begin the day madam?"
Taking it, she types out, 'Of course good sir. Let us be off."
And out into the dim warmth of the rising sun over Vale, the two proceed into whatever this day has in store for them….
*A/N: A slow start for sure but huzzah for a new story right? I hope this was enjoyable and at least of a few of you with follow on this journey. I plan to continue updating one story or another at least once a week if my schedule holds. I am also looking for a Beta to help with the grammatical mistakes that I'm sure are rampant. PM me if anyone's willing and interested in volunteering. May the night see you safe and the dawn greet you kindly readers.*