Stardust

Chapter 12

Life Together and Apart

Thump!

Cerise and Titania watched as Citrine packed the last of his stuff into a suitcase.

A few months had passed since the incident with Team APPL and CCTS had gotten closer and stronger since then. But now it was time for the holidays and with it came a break and the slightly rare chance to go and visit their families in the four year journey Lighthouse would offer them. Mind you there were chances for them to see their family but then it would usually be their family visiting them as with a combat school opportunities are few and far between.

So Smoke and Citrine were off leaving Cerise and Titania here by themselves and the others staying at Lighthouse.

"You finished packing?" Cerise asked his partner.

Citrine nodded "I think so." He looked over at Smoke and asked "you ready?"

The faunas nodded and so the four of them walked down together. Cerise and Titania were feeling a little morose about the whole affair. I mean they still had each other but still this was rather depressing, going back with them wasn't really an option as it felt like intruding.

But still teach of there were happy for their respective partners so they didn't really voice their thoughts.

So after walking down to the airships and giving their respective partners and teammates a hug they watched as the airships they were on flew away.

Cerise sighed and turned to head back to the dorm when Titania grabbed his arm stopping him.

Looking at her she said "let's head into town, we are on break so we have free reign for the most part."

After looking at her for a second after she removed her hand and Cerise shrugged saying "sure why not?"

So away the two went.

As they walked through Harbor, the chill of the season very much in the air. Festive music played in the air but neither Cerise nor Titania were really feeling it.

After a few more moments of awkward silence Cerise while having a good idea of the answer already still asked "so no one to visit?"

Titania merely shook her head "no real home to go back to, I grew up in an orphanage for most of my life."

Though as she said she couldn't stop herself from thinking back to hazy memories of a golden afternoon spent on a swing set and someone reading her a book…

But she was broken from her musings when Cerise said "well… you know my story."

Titania nodded but a quick look sideways had her stopping short and a quick nudge got Cerise to stop half a step ahead of her and as he looked back she said "speaking of…"

Looking in the implied direction Cerise felt his jaw drop.

Standing there was a man wearing a solid black uniform with a silver pin on his shirt bearing a very familiar symbol. He had a lot of flyers under his arm as he called out "the day of judgement approaches! A fiery fate approaches the heretics of this kingdom! But the Absence is kind and just if you open your heart to its ways!"

Cerise blinked as he felt Titania close his mouth as he came out of his stupor. Looking at her and her amused grin, he couldn't keep the disbelief from his being as he said "tth-that's a member of the Crushed and yet.."

Looking at the speaker and how people were just ignoring him, flat out giving him disdain was very shocking after seeing the reverence people show growing up over the last few years.

Observing Cerise for a few more seconds as he looked on Titania felt her amusement fade and after a moment said "I know we've asked this before but are the Crushed really such a big deal that this" she gestured at the ranting speaker "is such a shock?"

Cerise said deadpan "yes."

Titania merely looked at him and the his serious face and felt something unpleasant begin to course through her and after a moment tugged him away. "C'mon let's look at some stuff."

Cerise allowed himself to be tugged away as he said "yeah…"

So the two began to just go browsing through the various local shops while Titania tried to distract herself and Cerise from an uncomfortable topic.

And it worked though Cerise still seemed to be reflecting on it then something happened that succeeded where she failed.

Walking into a simply general store Cerise stopped dead as his jaw dropped though this time from pleasant surprise as he recognized the face behind the counter as the dust merchant he met the day before he came to Lighthouse!

"Sir?!" He asked in slight delight.

The man turned and his eyes flashed at first in surprise that quickly became replaced by happiness. "Well if it isn't little Cerise, hello there!"

"Hello" Cerise said a smile coming to his face.

Titania looked at him in surprise and curiosity "you know him?"

Cerise tilted his head her way as he said "he's that one dust merchant I told you about on my birthday." Titania nodded in understanding.

The man turned to Titania and after a moment went back to Cerise asking "what are you doing here? Who's this?"

"I… have become a student at Lighthouse. This is my teammate."

The man grinned wolfishly at him "decided to get away from that uncle of yours?"

Cerise shrugged very much uncomfortable at the mention of his Uncle Silver but the man didn't really pay it much mind as he gave Titania a more appraising look.

"Where's the rest of your team?" He asked taking notte of the fact Cerise hadn't said partner.

"They're visiting their families for the school holiday."

The merchant gave them both sympathetic looks and after a moment to break the awkwardness said "well... My store is having a sale for the holidays so why don't you take a look around?"

Titania nodded her thanks and was off. Cerise lingered by the counter and once he figured Titania was out of listening range the man said to Cerise "she's a looker."

Cerise rolled his eyes at the implication "it isn't like that."

"Uhuh, so you wouldn't be interested in something I have for you to give her?"

Cerise looked at the merchant with one eyebrow raised his curiosity piqued.

(CCTS)

A short time later had the duo in the main plaza looking up the main festive display.

Titania sighed as she looked down. Cerise rubbed the back of his head.

"Here." Cerise thrust a small package in her face trying very hard not to blush.

Titania blinked and took the package as he said "I know it's early but… well happy holidays Titania."

Titania unwrapped it and gasped as as she said "Cerise I love it but… you shouldn't have."

Cerise merely shrugged as Titania looked at the simple pendant in the shape of a flower with a simple purple teardrop stone in the center.

After a moment Titania reached into a pocket as she said "well as it turns out… I have something for you too."

Cerise blinked at her as he said "when did you buy it?"

Titania merely raised a sly eyebrow at him before he said hurriedly "nevermind."

Finally pulling it out Titania hesitated before handing it to him and Cerise gave a small smile at the little pendant bearing a simple charm in the shape of a crescent moon.

"I know it's not much compared to what you got me_" Titania said before Cerise cut her off saying "I love it."

Titania looked at Cerise who simply twirled the necklace in his hand as he examined it with a smile.

"You really like it?" Titania asked.

Cerise nodded and a smile came to her face.

Turning to look at Titania and seeing the look on her face Cerise wrapped one arm around her beg and pulled into a hug saying "happy holidays Titania."

After freezing a split second in shock Titania returned the hug mumbling a little shyly "happy holidays Cerise."

The two stayed for a little while before Cerise said "we should probably get back to school."

Titania nodded.

And it was as the two rode the tram back to school that disaster struck. The two were knocked from their pleasant moods by a loud boom and the ground shaking that nearly knocked to two off their feet.

Righting themselves they looked towards Harbor and it wasn't too hard to see the fire that now raged nor the colorful flashes of dust that were going make things worse.

Cerise and Titania traded panicked, shocked looks.

Author's Note: surprise everyone! A new chapter here for you all. Sorry about the long wait for those of you not in the know a few months ago my old PC gave out on me. By sheer luck and the grace of the powers above I was able to save my files but my capabilities was cut down severely. But now I'm back in working order and after a brief burst of difficulty in writing (the release of RWBY vol 5 helped) I was able to make this. Now despite this being very much a holiday chapter I didn't want to post this in December due to the event which occurred at the end of the chapter. Now I could of separated it into the holiday chapter with Cerise and Titania bonding and the event to further the plot along into separate chapters but... such a chapter would have definitely been sheer filler and I wouldn't really have a plan for it but I did have everything for this chapter planned like that and with the time skip it's what I need for the story. So it's like this. I'm a little sad that I don't really see the fic ending by years end like I wanted (as one of my resolutions) but we're going again. Not much else to say really. I hope you like the chapter. I do not own RWBY in any way, shape, or form. My OC's are my own. Reviews welcome.