Raven was vaguely aware that someone was following her back to the Team STRQ dorm room, but she was keenly certain that she didn't want to stop and confirm her suspicions as to who it could be. Several minutes passed as she simply tried to block out the sound of footfalls on tile behind her, to little success. As she finally reached the door to the stairwell that would carry her home, she paused and hung her head while holding it open for the one behind herself. Raven spared a glance back to watch Taiyang take the door in hand by the edge of it, and he met her eyes with a sad smirk, saying nothing. Raven merely nodded before turning and beginning to make her way up the stairs, her friend in tow.
Neither of the teens said anything as they ascended, and Raven was incredibly grateful for the silence. Despite the myriad thoughts buzzing through her mind, she found herself completely unable to focus on any of them or make sense of her feelings. She hurriedly unlocked the door to the dormitory upon reaching it and strode inside, only to sit heavily upon her bed as Taiyang closed the door behind himself and headed off to the kitchenette. The sound of the refrigerator door opening echoed throughout the otherwise noiseless living space, and then Taiyang's footsteps rang out again as the door closed. Seconds later, he was beside her upon the bed, and offered a glass of water. Raven accepted it without a word and began to slowly drink.
It wasn't until the glass was empty that Raven finally sighed and looked over at Taiyang, who was busy flicking through his scroll. The pallor of his cheeks caused Raven to sit up a bit straighter, and she furrowed her brows in sudden concern.
"…why do you look sick?"
Taiyang slowly slipped his scroll back into his pocket and gave Raven his full attention before clearing his throat.
"…semblance. Can't really help it."
"…what I'm feeling right now is enough to make you physically ill, all on its own?" Raven asked, her voice quiet and detached.
"Yeah," Taiyang confirmed. "But I'm not going anywhere. Even if you don't want to talk about it, I'm here for you."
"It's not about losing to Qrow," Raven said quickly as she set her glass upon the nightstand and bent to put her head in her hands. "That barely even matters."
The girl bristled slightly as she felt a warm, comforting hand begin to massage the small of her back. Slowly, her physical tension began to ease, and she closed her eyes.
"I know it's not," Taiyang replied. "You're not that petty, and even if you did lose, you looked pretty badass out there. People were still impressed with you, so far as I can tell. Qrow just… got his moment in the sun, for a change. That's all."
"And I'm glad he did," Raven said. "I'm just… it's everything, Tai. I know you already know, but I can't really get into specifics about my home life, and the secrecy and guilt are making me feel even worse. Then, there's school. Midterm exams coming up, our team, OKRA, and Willow being associated with the Winchesters, the fact that I'm fairly certain Professor Calavera can't stand me for some reason... and other things. And Jacques."
"What's wrong with Jacques?" Taiyang inquired as he added his other hand to the slow, circular tracing around Raven's shoulder blades. "I know you didn't trust him at first, but I thought you were starting to like those outings. You've kinda become his star mercenary, at this point."
"I generally do, but I… think I may have made a mistake," Raven admitted. "I'm bringing Adam with me this weekend, and it's just the two of us."
Taiyang paused his rubbing upon Raven's back, and let his hands linger in place for a moment.
"…you don't think he's ready for field experience? You've been helping him out for months, now," Taiyang pointed out.
"I have, yes, and… I think he'll be fine. It isn't just that," Raven replied as she shook her head. "Tai, this has to stay between us."
"You know it will," Taiyang reassured. "You know I'll always be in your corner, no matter what."
"I do know, but…" Raven paused, and made a noise of discomfort. "…Qrow told me about a little gathering that took place a long time ago, during the first few weeks of school. One where it was just you two, Barty, and Adam."
Taiyang tilted his head and raised a brow as he resumed his massage.
"You're… going to have to refresh my memory. We hang out every so often and talk about a lot of things, Raves. Guy stuff. Usually stupid guy stuff, though that's… honestly more just Roman being filthy and insane with a captive audience, than anything. Sometimes Qrow joins in. And… I might have said a thing or two, you know, just to… be one of the guys. I'm not proud. Anything Qrow told you about my preferences, take it with a grain of salt…"
Raven rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"No, not… like that. I honestly couldn't care less what you guys talk about behind closed doors… most of the time. This was a discussion about crushes, and the like. Apparently… Adam has been pining after me for quite a while, though he feels like it's pointless because you exist. I've seen the signs and would have figured it out on my own, but knowing it for a fact is making this awkward. I hadn't even considered how tense things could get when it's just him and I on this hunt."
"…oh," Taiyang said simply as his cheeks turned whiter. "Yeah, that was… that was a really awkward conversation. Qrow told you about that?"
"We're family, and he truly believes that means something," Raven said icily. "Please don't go after him over it- he only told me because it directly affects me, and he hasn't bothered mentioning anything else that's gone on when you guys were alone."
"Well… yeah, family should mean something," Taiyang pointed out as he removed his hands from Raven's back. "But still… that doesn't sit right with me. I mean, I get it, but that doesn't seem fair to Adam."
"Maybe it isn't, but I honestly don't really care. I'm not here for cute little school crushes, or drama, or to tiptoe around feelings and step on hearts," Raven seethed. "I've thought about saying something to him, but he hasn't made a move, apparently because he thinks he stands no chance."
Taiyang shifted awkwardly upon the bed and gave Raven a sidelong look.
"Well, I mean… are you interested in Adam, at a-"
"Tai," Raven snapped as she gave him a serious glare. "What do you think? We've already discussed the reason you and I aren't 'together' right now, and that is the only reason. I didn't come to Beacon to find love. I honestly didn't even come here to make friends, either- it just happened, over time. It's not as if I'm worried that I'll suddenly see something romantic in Adam- it's that I don't want to be forced into a corner while we're alone, disappoint him, and potentially lose a friend because I was shortsighted. That is all."
"Right," Taiyang replied with a sheepish grin. "Yeah, I… sorry. It's just insecurity talking, you know? Imagination running wild, and worrying. My bad."
Raven sighed and shook her head as she returned it to her hands.
"…you don't need to apologize. I get it, and it's not exactly like I've been fair to you with all of this. I'm a mess, Tai, and I can see how you could be worried that I might jump on Adam after leaving you hanging all this time. I've never bothered with this sort of thing, and I know I'm going about it all wrong. I should be apologizing, if anything," Raven admitted.
"No, no, it's… let's just drop it, and focus on the problem at hand?" Taiyang suggested. "I'm assuming you're unwilling to cancel on him, both for your rep with Jacques, and because it's Adam's first real outing?"
"Pretty much," Raven admitted. "If I could, though, I would. At this point, it's more about not disappointing Adam or toying with him. If I sent someone else in my place, neither of them would be happy. Apparently, the guy posting the job specifically requested me."
Taiyang sat in silence for a moment before he snapped his fingers and stood up from the bed, all smiles.
"I've got an idea."
"You do?" Raven asked as she looked up. "Why am I getting the feeling that this is something I'm not going to want to hear?"
Taiyang merely chuckled and folded his arms over his chest.
"Oh. I think you'll find it's quite the opposite."
"Once again, I don't like the sound of this," Raven insisted, "but hit me."
"So, finally ready for the big leagues, are you?" Jacques asked. The man sat at a table on the outdoor patio of his usual café on the streets of Vale, swirling a tiny paper umbrella in a glass of neon blue alcohol. His legs were crossed, his elbow was atop the table's surface, and his eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. He had topped off the look with a rather gaudy emerald suit, and polished black shoes.
"…I think so, yes," Adam replied as he shifted slightly in his own seat. "Raven's been training me personally for months, now, and I trust her judgment. She made the suggestion for me to come along, and I agreed to it."
"Raven's a smart girl," Jacques replied with a nod. "And a skilled fighter, so far as I can tell. Quite a looker, too, between you and me."
Adam immediately looked away from Jacques and took a long sip from his glass of water, before setting it back onto the table and repositioning himself in his seat. He gave the other man a smirk and nodded quickly.
"…she is, yes." Adam paused, and tilted his head as he did his best to keep his expression unreadable. "You do contract her quite often. Are you… interested in her? Like that?"
Jacques' expression immediately turned into a wide smile, and he chased the display with a bout of laughter.
"No, no, not at all!" Jacques let on as he leaned back in his chair. "Take it from me, Adam- never mix business with pleasure. I dated a huntress once, after she ran a few jobs for me. Biggest mistake of my life."
"What happened?" Adam asked, suddenly unable to contain his curiosity as he leaned forward slightly over the table.
"That… is a very long story, and one that I'm not too keen on sharing, actually," Jacques warned as he tilted his sunglasses down to give Adam a serious look. The man's eyes were an icy, unfamiliar blue, and the sight caught Adam off guard. "Let's just say that it cost me both in lien, and other areas. Rest assured that none of your number- Raven, Kali, Willow, or Summer- are even on my radar… despite Kali's many attempts."
"I see," Adam replied with a nod. "I… there wouldn't be any problem if they were, I was just… curious."
"Curiosity is a wonderful and dangerous thing, my friend," Jacques said cryptically as he pulled his shades back up to cover his eyes. "But now that you've thrown a question out there… let me ask one of my own. Why do this?"
"Why do what?" Adam asked as he tilted his head.
"This," Jacques replied as he swept his hand outward. "The job, Adam. Why risk your life running backdoor deals, transports, and risky things? You've got a career as a huntsman all lined up, and ready to go. Raven and Qrow do it for the practice, the thrill, and because they're far too good to be cooped up at Beacon without getting any fighting experience. Summer ran a job for me to help her friends. Kali… I'm not entirely convinced that Kali isn't just a ball of chaotic energy that enjoys throwing herself at anything remotely dangerous or interesting. So, what about you? What's your primary motivating factor?"
Adam furrowed his brows as he looked down at the table for a moment. The answer came to him immediately, though his mind immediately screamed at him to come up with an alternative. After several seconds of coming up short, he heaved a sigh, and looked upward to Jacque's sunglasses.
"…lien," Adam said simply. "If I'm being honest, the number one thing is… it's money."
"Money?" Jacques repeated as he raised a brow of his own. "Really? Risks like this when you're so inexperienced, for cash alone? I've got to say, I like your style, but I'm curious as to why. It must be something important."
"I've… actually never really owned anything, besides my sword," Adam answered as he lifted the bulky black scabbard containing his blade onto the table. "And even that is only because of the generosity of a professor at Beacon. Even these clothes… they're Roman's," he continued as he gestured down at his deep red dress shirt and blue jeans. "I've been living out of his closet all semester. I want to start finally making money of my own and know what it feels like to be independent. This job… this job is honestly for clothes. The first thing I'll do afterwards is go out and buy myself a wardrobe."
"Hm," Jacques answered hesitantly. "I won't ask more, but I will at least say that it's a noble goal, regardless of the means by which you attain it. I am very much an 'ends justify the means' sort of man."
"I've noticed," Adam commented. "And so am I."
"Good to know," Jacques acknowledged before turning his head and looking down the sidewalk. Slowly, he removed his sunglasses and his mouth pulled into a thin line as he sat up a bit straighter. "Oh… well, this is going to be interesting…"
"Huh?" Adam asked, before following Jacques' gaze.
Raven Branwen was making her way down the street, Omen at her side, and Taiyang Xiao Long on the other. The boy was keeping both pace and an arm around her shoulder as he offered Jacques a wave, which the man didn't return as the apparent couple approached.
"Hey there!" Taiyang said enthusiastically as he and Raven reached the table. "I'm sure you didn't expect to see me here, but I've got an offer."
"Do you?" Jacques said coldly. "While I am interested in working with you in the future, Mr. Xiao Long, this is a two-man job, I'm afraid."
"Which is why Tai isn't coming. Not officially," Raven insisted as she sat down next to Adam. "He wants to tag along and help out, without being listed. He'll stay in the van while we deal with the business side of things, and just be there to ride with us and get his feet wet in combat… if that's alright with you and Adam. I'm willing to split my pay with him once we get back, since I'm not in this for the lien, anyway… and Leo doesn't need to know. He won't even know that Tai exists."
Adam stiffened as Raven turned to face him, and he immediately cleared his throat.
"I… I have no problem with it," the faunus said quickly before looking off to the side.
Jacques steepled his fingers and pressed them to his lips briefly, before offering a halfhearted shrug.
"…it makes no difference to me, honestly, and you have been quite a lucrative client, Raven. All that I ask is that you do keep his presence unknown to Leonardo. For some reason, he was very insistent about this being a two-man gig. I'd like to keep him as a contact, and avoid pissing him off."
"Consider it done," Taiyang reassured as he unfolded Reel Talk from his back and stood the trident upright beside himself. "And hey- thanks! I've got nothing to do all weekend, and this sounded fun."
"Glad I could be of entertainment to you," Jacques said flippantly as he watched Adam stand from the table rather quickly.
"Let's get going," the faunus said tersely. Without bothering to look at his friends, he turned and began to make his way down the sidewalk alone.
Raven gave Taiyang a nervous look before she accepted an envelope from Jacques. As she went to pull her hand back, he kept his fingers grasped firmly upon the paper, effectively keeping it from her.
"…be careful, Raven," Jacques warned.
"I always am. I get results," Raven replied as she narrowed her eyes.
"Not with this job. With him," Jacques insisted as he let the envelope go. "I can read people rather well, and I can already tell that the three of you all have different stakes in this. When I'm the one preaching honesty, perhaps it's worth listening to."
Raven felt the weight of Taiyang's eyes on the side of her head, and she shivered as she stuffed the envelope into her pocket.
"…I'll keep that in mind. We'll talk in the van," she replied before turning and making her way down the sidewalk with Taiyang in tow.
Author's Note:
So, the obvious here is that this chapter is much shorter than all of the previous ones, and that wasn't my original intent at all. The truth of the matter is that there's so much going on outside of writing at the moment, on top of the pressure of keeping up this story, What You Stole, and planning out two others, that I need to cut back on the length of Arboretum chapters now instead of waiting until the end of Volume 1. I've been back and forth with just doing it for a long time now, but guilt has kept me from making the change. That being said, I'm now at the point of stress where I just can't bring myself to do it consistently at 5,000+ words per week with the other things going on, and for that, I'm sorry.
This story will still update weekly, but may actually see more than one update per week between now and the end of Volume 1. It's all going to depend on how I'm feeling at any given moment, so I make no promises, but it's certainly possible. I also want to throw out there that once the hiatus happens, Arboretum Volume 2 will begin on Wednesday, August 5th. I know that's a huge gap considering I plan on trying to end Volume 1 before the beginning of May, but I seriously need a break with everything going on and the other stories starting up soon. I know this is all a massive dump of bad news, but trust me- the end of Volume 1 and what I've good planned for Volume 2 should be worth the cutbacks and hiatus.
-RD