Neither Marrow nor Weiss particularly felt like trying to get some sleep, despite General Ironwood's instructions and the clear need to do so. Both members of the couple were filled with adrenaline, their minds racing with possibilities pertaining to an entire spectrum of scenarios. The threat of potential invasion during evacuation. The public and private reaction to Robyn Hill's impending arrest and the cancelation of the election. The fact that Emerald had been kept in the cell alone with General Ironwood, who planned to remain with her to try to get information on Salem. Any and all of the scenarios could go very wrong very quickly, and none of them could simply be put out of mind for the faunus or former heiress. Even so, Marrow did his best to keep his head up and his fingers intertwined with Weiss' as they made their way out of the elevator and down the main hall of Atlas Academy.
"Well… that could have gone worse," Marrow said with an exasperated sigh. "I don't even know if it's possible for it to have gone better…"
"We're all still alive, and we have some semblance of a plan," Weiss agreed. "I'll take it. It's sad that that's the bar we need to clear at this point, but we both still have something to fight for. Several things, actually."
"Several things," Marrow agreed. "Is there any way we can get Whitley out of danger without alerting Jacques? General Ironwood said not to involve him at all, and I get that, but… Whitley wouldn't be going down to Mantle in the morning, would he?"
"…he'll absolutely be going down to Mantle to be paraded around as the heir to the company," Weiss replied with a sullen look. "I don't know if we can do anything. One more step outside of the boundaries, and I'm terrified that Ironwood might finally snap. You didn't see Sun almost get gunned down…"
"I want to believe he wouldn't have pulled the trigger," Marrow said cautiously. "But I don't know if I do."
"I don't know either," Weiss admitted. "I would give anything to just… go back to being a student at Beacon, complaining about Ruby's shenanigans. I guess the best we can do right now is live in the moment and pretend things are alright until dawn."
"I think the best we can do is just be honest with each other and talk through it all," Marrow suggested. "We'll head out, get some food and coffee out on the town to keep ourselves awake, and just… support each other. Just like we always have."
"And always will," Weiss added. "I'm… incredibly grateful that you want to return to Atlas after the evacuation. It's going to be hard to do, but if I'm honest… it really is the better way not just for us, but for Remnant as a whole. At least, that's what I'm telling myself to be able to cope with the idea of what it is that we're going to have to do."
"I'm doing my best not to think about it," Marrow replied. "And failing horribly. Hold on, I've got a call…"
"Your parents?" Weiss asked. "That would be preferable to almost literally anyone else right now."
Marrow did a quick check of his screen as he lifted his scroll and gave Weiss a quick nod before holding the device up to his ear.
"Mom?"
"We just landed," Medulla Amin replied over the line. "We're all outside the Academy, at landing pad C-3. Any suggestions as to where we should go from there?"
"Yeah, actually, thinking about what's about to happen… you'd be safer in the Academy. Weiss and I are coming to help you guys. You'll take over my suite."
"Are you sure?" the woman replied, sounding surprised. "Marrow, we can find a hotel room…"
"I don't know if you'll be able to keep one, actually," Marrow warned as he began to walk faster. Weiss matched his pace, looking at the scroll curiously. "It's no big deal, I just want you safe. See you soon."
"That's a smart move, honestly," Weiss offered as the two picked up into a jog. "The streets of Atlas might not be safe soon, and we've got the room here to keep your family protected. You're welcome to stay with me any time. Yang and Ilia are still sharing a bed; I don't see why we can't follow their example."
"If you don't mind, I'll take you up on that," Marrow accepted. "They'll be fine in my room, if a little cramped. Just have to move some things around when we have a spare minute so my siblings don't get into them. Looks like we're not getting any rest after all…"
Weiss raised a brow as the pair made their way into the main lobby of the Academy and toward the front door.
"…how many siblings did you say you had again? I know it was a lot, but I've forgotten with everything else going on…"
"Five."
"Five?" Weiss asked incredulously.
"Last I counted, yeah," Marrow confirmed. "Which was a few hours ago. Perri, Ozzy, Liam, Aditi, and Arya. They'll probably love you… except for Liam."
"What's wrong with Liam?" Weiss dared to ask.
"Late-stage puberty's wrong with Liam," Marrow answered as they made their way out of the building and into the crisp night air. "He's too cool for school. Or… anything else, really. You'll know which one he is immediately from that alone."
"I'll be completely honest with you, Marrow, I don't know if my brain can handle learning seven new people right now no matter how much he stands out," Weiss admitted. "Even so… give me a quick rundown so I have a fighting chance?"
"Can do," Marrow replied. He led Weiss out across a section of grass beside the building and toward one of several large landing zones about a quarter of a mile from the Academy. "Ozzy's the oldest, and in his last year of university. He's studying to be an engineer at the business school down in Mantle. Aditi and Arya are twins- they're both 13, and they both act like it. Don't be offended in they ask you anything awkward, and don't feel like you have to answer, either. Perri's the youngest, but she's incredibly smart for her age. She's probably smarter than me, to be honest… and extremely sweet."
"I am so not ready for this…" Weiss lamented. "In terms of memory, or anything else…"
Marrow slowed to a stop where the grass met asphalt and turned to face Weiss as she followed suit. With a quick dip, he planted his lips upon hers and gingerly rested his hands upon her shoulders.
"You're gonna do great. I won't make you spend the next several hours babysitting, either. We'll get them moved in, and then take some time for ourselves. They can get some time with you later, after we're safely out of Salem's reach."
"Marrow!"
The couple's attention was drawn to a small figure sprinting toward them through the darkness, her twin braids flailing wildly as she ran. A line of figures walked along a good distance behind the little faunus, though she demanded all of Marrow and Weiss' attention as she skidded to a stop and very nearly fell over from the effort. Perri windmilled her arms to stay upright, her short tail whipping frantically behind her. Standing at about half of Weiss' height, she adjusted her bulky glasses and stared up at the huntress with a wide smile.
"Wow, she is as pretty as you said she is! I'm Perri! Marrow's my big brother, and that's the rest of our family back there. Are you two like… serious-serious? Can I have a hug?"
"Perri…"
Marrow refused to look at Weiss, and she returned the favor as they both blushed furiously. Weiss squatted down and spread her arms, accepting the child into a tight embrace that Perri leapt into immediately.
"Of course you can," Weiss replied with a tight squeeze. "I'm Weiss, and… I… yes, we're serious-serious, if you mean what I think you mean. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Ugh," came the immediate response from the faunus who could only be Liam as he approached the pair, a suitcase held in his grip. The high school aged faunus wore a leather jacket and studded dog collar around his neck with matching wristlets and a pair of torn jeans. He had a silver septum piercing and closely-shorn hair that was dyed a deep red. Weiss quirked a brow as he looked down at her in obvious disgust before he turned his attention over to Marrow. "Seriously?"
"Yeah," Marrow replied, a bit of an edge in his voice. "And I don't want to hear it. Introduce yourself and be nice until she gives you a reason not to. That's all I ask."
The younger male rolled his eyes and then flicked them sideways to Weiss. "Liam," was all he said before walking between the couple and onto the grass, where he began making his way to the Academy.
"Don't mind him," Perri whispered into Weiss' ear. "He's a jerk sometimes."
"Everyone is, sometimes," Weiss replied as she released the little girl and stood up to brush off her skirt as a line of five other figures wheeling suitcases behind them approached. The two adults she recognized immediately, though she wasn't quite prepared for Akash's sheer size. "Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Amin…"
"Please- just Akash," the man insisted, standing taller than Marrow and almost twice as wide. The man was all muscle, and he extended a hand out toward Weiss. His arms were quite thick and hairy below his rolled-up sleeves, and his expression was friendly in spite of his intimidating size. "Nice to finally meet you."
Weiss accepted the hand that dwarfed her own, and she gave the man a polite bow of her head before offering one to Medulla as well. The faunus woman returned the gesture, the arrangement of golden jewelry around her neck, waist, and wrists jingling pleasantly as it rattled around her traditional sari.
"If you insist," Weiss replied as she watched Perri hop up into Marrow's arms and proceed to climb around to sling her arms around his neck. "I simply wish we could meet under better circumstances."
"Meeting you makes these dire circumstances better by default," Medulla said with a warm smile before turning her attention to Marrow. "It's been a while since I've seen you this happy. You did well, Marrow."
Marrow turned his waist to one side to try to hide his thrashing tail, though Weiss saw it anyway.
"Yeah, well, despite everything, this is a big deal for me. Weiss… makes me really happy. I hope you'll all give her a chance."
"I intend to," a faunus male slightly taller than Marrow with slicked-back hair said as he extended a slender hand to Weiss and used the other to adjust his glasses. "Ozzy."
"Weiss," she said again as she accepted the shake. "The engineer?"
"Mm-hmm," Ozzy replied in a soft voice. "I'll set Liam straight, don't you worry… and don't take it personally. It's a phase."
"Really, it's fine," Weiss insisted as she turned her eyes to the final pair of faunus holding both of Medulla's hands as they stood at the woman's sides. "And you two must be… Aditi and Arya?"
The twins, both of similar height about a foot taller than Perri, nodded in unison. They both had dark hair like their siblings and wore full-body pajamas. Their clothing choices along with their sleepy expressions suggested that they had been the only two freshly roused from bed to make the journey up to Atlas. Arya yawned wide and rubbed at his eyes, seemingly disinterested in the entire affair.
"Can we go inside? It's cold…"
"Can you be a little more friendly?" Akash asked as he rested a massive hand on his son's shoulder. "We'll go in, but try to look alive. Weiss is a part of the family, now."
"Fine," Arya groaned before letting out another massive yawn.
"…hi, Weiss," Aditi droned. "I'm… tired…"
"We all are," Weiss agreed as she moved next to Arya and summoned a small glyph with a dancing flame before the boy. "Better?"
Arya's eyes widened as he blinked awake, seemingly transfixed by the fire.
"Awesome…"
"Yeah, she is," Marrow said with a grin as he adjusted his grip on Perri and nodded toward the Academy. "Alright, people. Let's head on in, and I'll get you settled. It's gonna be a long night."
Weiss kept the glyph leveled at Arya's side as they all began to walk together, her chest filled with warmth that had nothing to do with the flame. She kept her eyes on Marrow as Perri climbed all over him, and she was unable to hide her smile.
"…I know that look," Medulla said as she gave Weiss a smirk.
"…I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Weiss lied as her blush returned.
Author's Note:
Next time- the continuation of Qrow's crew…
-RD