A bead of chilling sweat rolled down the back of Qrow's neck and trailed into his collar. The boy swallowed hard as his mind raced, trying to come up with any excuse that could satisfy Professor Calavera's question without blowing his cover. Qrow looked over to Adam in desperation, and he was hit with inspiration- if the woman was capable of smelling a lie, then he would have to tell at least part of the truth. He took one last, uncomfortable swallow, and launched into an explanation.

"So… the short version is, growing up, my parents made everything a competition between my sister and I. Grades, training, sports, sparring… you name it, and there was a winner between us. The winner got showered with praise and affection, and the loser got either nothing, or a beating. When we left for Hearth, my parents gifted Raven her sword, and told me that I was on my own for weaponry. I spent most Weapon Crafting and Upkeep classes trying to figure out what I wanted to make for myself, and testing builds. I never did decide on anything concrete… mostly because I was too focused on Raven, and her weapon. Jealousy got the best of me, and I just sort of… stopped trying," Qrow finished. He'd done his best to sound convincing, and found that his story was closer to the truth than he liked.

Professor Calavera made a noise of contempt, and folded her arms. "So you constructed half-finished and shoddy work, dragging your feet all the while because your family decided to play favorites?"

"That's about the size of it," Qrow admitted. "And… that's why I'd rather you didn't call. What I did back at Hearth in the equivalent class was just… shameful, and a waste of time. I know I should've just gotten over it, but when competition is your entire childhood, and you end up last the majority of the time? It gets frustrating."

"I would imagine so," Professor Calavera replied as she circled around the table to stand at Qrow's side. "I'm going to guess that you assumed nothing you could make in class would be good enough to impress your family, when compared to your sister's gifted weaponry?"

"Yeah. That, too," Qrow agreed as he let his eyes wander to the professor's desk. Leaning up against the wall were a pair of short scythes, decorated with skull ornaments where the blades met the hafts. "So… I focused more on training with weapons, than making them."

"And of all the weapons you've tried, which class appeals to you most?" Professor Calavera asked, as she took Qrow's pencil and leaned over his notebook.

"Scythes," the boy replied without missing a beat. The professor's mouth tugged into a smirk, and Qrow did his best to keep his eyes off her own weapons to avoid raising suspicion.

"Is that so?" Professor Calavera asked as she began to sketch. The room fell silent as she dragged her pencil along the paper, making short, curved lines into the outline of a large scythe. "Why did you opt for a one-handed sword? Surely, you could have found a scythe, however low quality, somewhere in Vale."

"I'm better with the sword," Qrow said plainly. The statement was truth, and the professor kept her eyes on the paper as she continued to draw and listen. "But… if you wanted to know what I'd like to have, it'd be a scythe."

"Then you'll create both, with me. Your assignment for this year is going to be turning this pile of mass-produced parts into a collapsible scythe, according to this drawing. I will provide the means and the knowledge, and you will carry it out. Is that clear?" Professor Calavera asked as she finished the sketch. Upon the paper was a finished scythe with a segmented blade. Qrow merely blinked several times, and gave his teacher an unsure look.

"You really think I can turn this into that?"

"If you follow my instructions, you can," Professor Calavera replied coolly. "Keep the sketch, and bring it with you tomorrow. You and I will start planning while the other students go about their business. We're going to beat your sister at her own game- a gifted weapon will never outclass one made with the user in mind, no matter where it was purchased. So long as you put the effort in, we'll have something to show for it by the end of the year."

Qrow merely nodded, and finished his sandwich. "You'll get a chance to see her weapon later this afternoon, professor. It's an impressive piece of technology, made by our parents."

"Oh, I've no doubt that it's impressive… but it wasn't made by her, and so, she'll never have the connection that you will. Trust me," Professor Calavera insisted as she walked around Qrow's back, and began to head back to Adam's table. "I've been doing this for quite a while."

Qrow took a look at the clock and began to pack his notebook and sword away as Adam moved aside to show Professor Calavera his work. Upon the page was a simple drawing of a katana, with a shotgun built into the sheath. Adam cleared his throat, and flicked his eye between the page and the instructor nervously.

"I… have absolutely no idea how I would go about making something like this, but… I think it would suit me?"

"Hm," Professor Calavera considered as she rubbed her chin. "Then that's what we'll create," she finished with a tone of finality.

Adam nodded, and began to gather his supplies as Qrow waited by the door. "Is it… possible to come for more of your help, during lunch? I'm far behind, and I know it… but I'm willing to learn."

Professor Calavera furrowed her brows, and let out a breath through her nose before giving him a firm nod. "Every other day, at the most. You two need to bond with your teams over more than classes, especially early on. That being said, I'll keep my door open for you, and we'll work out a schedule, if you want to be consistent with your visits. That goes for you as well, Mr. Branwen, should you choose to accompany your friend."

Qrow blinked, and looked to Adam to try to gauge the other boy's reaction. The faunus seemed to be trying to fight back some sort of expression, though Qrow was unable to tell just what he wanted.

"…sure. I'll drop in, every so often. Might as well make up for all the time I wasted before."

"A wise decision," Professor Calavera praised as she returned to her desk and waved a dismissive hand. "Now, run along to your next class, both of you. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Adam nodded and approached Qrow, before the pair exited the room together. Professor Calavera watched them go and waited for the door to close, before she took out her scroll once again, and tapped at the keypad. The device rang several times, and the woman waited until the call connected and an automated voice came through the speaker.

"You have reached the general hotline for Hearth Academy. If you know the name of the department or professor you're trying to contact, please state their name now."

"Harold Mulberry," Professor Calavera said with a smirk.

Adam kept close to Qrow as they made their way through the empty hallways, slightly ahead of dismissal. He stayed on Qrow's left side to keep the other boy in view, and finally cleared his throat after a few moments of silence.

"Well… that could have gone worse, I suppose."

"Much worse," Qrow agreed as they rounded a corner. "I don't know how I feel about her wanting to know so much about us, though. There's some stuff I'd just rather not talk about. I get the feeling you get where I'm coming from."

Adam nodded, and grimaced. "I do… but at least she seems like she cares about us, on some level. Not every professor here does."

"You're probably right. Still… she's a little much, for day one. Hey, do me a favor, and keep everything that was just said back there to yourself? I'll do the same for you, of course," Qrow said as he stopped walking, and gave Adam his full attention. Adam slowed to a stop slightly ahead of Qrow, and turned to face him.

"…yeah. I think it's best if… yeah. I guess you can tell Raven, since she already has some idea, but… I don't want it to get out that I escaped a dust mine. I'm already getting enough flak from other students, and we're only halfway through the day," Adam lamented.

Qrow narrowed his eyes. "What? Who's giving you shit already? I'll f-" Qrow paused, and leaned slightly to look around Adam's shoulder and down the hall. "…we'll talk about that later, privately. Here comes my team."

Adam turned around and allowed himself a small smile as Kali offered him an enthusiastic wave from her place at the head of the pack. "Mine, too."

Qrow moved forward to stand beside Adam, and put his hands in his pockets as he watched Raven pick up her pace to match Kali's. The Branwen girl stopped mere feet from her brother, and looked him up and down with a worried expression.

"Are you alright?" Raven asked in a tense voice.

Qrow gave Adam a sidelong glance as Kali launched herself at him, and the faunus boy barely managed to stay standing as he tried to fight his way out of a bone-crushing hug. As the spectacle continued, Qrow chuckled softly and turned his eyes back to Raven with a shrug.

"Been better, been worse. Things are fine, now, but…" Qrow lowered his voice to avoid being heard as Summer and Tai approached. "Check your scroll, during our next class. There are some things you need to know."

Raven merely nodded, before stepping sideways to avoid being hit by Roman as he flung himself into the involuntary group hug. Bartholomew merely waited on the sidelines and adjusted his glasses, looking amused. Summer pulled Qrow into a far less violent hug, and looked up at him with sad eyes.

"Was she mean to you?"

Qrow returned the hug with one arm, and shook his head. "Nothing I didn't deserve. Are we all headed to Team Tactics and Synergy?"

Taiyang nodded as he offered Qrow a fist bump, which the other boy returned while rolling his eyes as Summer broke away.

"Yeah. This is Team OKRA, and they're with the guy you just had detention with."

Adam finally broke free of the dogpile that his team had enacted, and hastily worked to smooth out his rumpled vest and shirt. "That's me. Adam Taurus. Am I to assume you've all met the others?"

Raven nodded, and gestured to her team. "These two are the remainder of Team STRQ- Taiyang Xiao Long, and Summer Rose. We all… bonded over lunch. Hopefully you can join us tomorrow, and at dinner, tonight."

Adam tensed as he looked at Summer, who had her eyes fixed on the top of his head. "I certainly hope so. Is something wrong?"

"Those are so badass," Summer commented with a grin before locking eyes with the faunus. "Like, seriously cool, man."

Adam's cheeks flushed, and he turned his head slightly to block Summer from his view. "Thank you, I suppose?"

"Can we talk about faunus stuff at dinner? I mean, not if you don't want to, but I'm curious," Summer asked before approaching Adam. He tensed as he felt a hand interlace fingers with his own, and looked down to catch sight of Kali's black nails, before drawing his eyes up to her face. Kali gave Adam a subtle smile, and rested her head upon his shoulder.

"Summer's good people. I'm willing, if you are."

Adam returned his gaze to Summer, and found that the girl had her fists balled beneath her chin and an expression akin to a little girl awaiting birthday presents. The sight combined with Kali's words worked to sway his thoughts, and he found himself speaking a sentence he hadn't planned on uttering.

"…sure, why not?"

"Yes!" Summer exclaimed as she pumped a fist into the air. Taiyang gave her a nervous smile, and rubbed the back of his head.

"Calm down, alright? It's not a huge deal…"

"Speaking of huge deals," Bartholomew began as the noise level picked up down the hall. "We'd better get moving. It wouldn't be good to arrive late, especially to such an important class."

"This way," Raven said confidently as she began to walk at a brisk pace. The remaining seven students moved to follow, and Roman increased his pace to walk at Raven's side.

"Where are we headed, anyway? This seems like a pretty unique class."

"The gymnasium. Professor Port is running this class, as well," Raven replied. "Let's stick together, as best we can."

"Today, you'll be splitting up to work solely with your teams," Professor Port stated as he paced along the polished wooden floor of the gymnasium. "Given that the entire body of first year students has this class together, your assignment is going to be made incredibly difficult if we are all to remain here. Once you are given the go ahead, you will be allowed to go anywhere you'd like upon the grounds to complete your work. You may stay here, return to your dorms, or perhaps, even visit the gardens. I'm trusting you all to make the most of your time, while on your own."

Raven tried her best to focus on Professor Port's words as the side of her skirt continued to buzz with incoming texts. Qrow sat on the opposite side of their team upon the bleachers, subtly texting out of sight of Summer and Taiyang as he kept his eyes locked on the professor as well. After several minutes of intermittent vibrations, Kali leaned in to Raven's ear and spoke in a breathy whisper.

"…is that a scroll going off, or are you going to leave a puddle when you get up?"

Raven flushed with embarrassment, and spoke through the side of her mouth with a hiss. "It's a scroll, Kali. My brother's being dumb, and probably trying to get us in trouble or something. Is it that loud and obvious?"

"With these babies? Everything is," Kali replied as she twitched her cat ears. "Can I reply to his texts for ya?"

"No," Raven whispered emphatically. "Just… pay attention, this seems important."

"Today is rather simple- I'd like you to create an inventory of weaponry, semblances, field skills, and interests for your entire team. Compile the information into a document, and bring it with you to class tomorrow. This should be a rather basic, enjoyable experience for all of you, and a good opportunity to bond with your new friends. Go and claim a section of the gym, or head out to a place of your choosing. I will remain here, if you have any questions," Professor Port finished as he finally came to a stop and offered the students a nod.

Raven leaned slightly around her team to look at Qrow, and found that her brother shared her own nauseous look. She quickly leaned back and closed her eyes while cursing under her breath. While trying to clear her mind of the sudden rush of negative thoughts, she smoothed out her skirt as her hands began to shake slightly.

"Alright, team!" Summer began with a clap. "I'm liking that suggestion to visit the gardens, so let's get to it!"

Taiyang and Qrow stood up with their leader, while Raven remained seated for a moment as she looked over at Team OKRA's small huddle and listened in.

"Hm… our dorm seems practical," Bartholomew offered. Roman merely shrugged at the suggestion, and Kali gave a nod.

"Sounds good."

Adam remained silent as the four rose, and Raven found herself unable to tear her gaze away from the team as they made their way toward the exit of the gym. Suddenly, she felt a hand upon her shoulder, and tensed in surprise as she raised a threatening fist and whirled upon the one responsible.

"Whoa, whoa!" Taiyang called out as he pulled his hand back immediately and used it to protect his face. "Raven, chill out! Is something going on?"

Raven's scowl relaxed slightly as she lowered her hand, and made a show of standing up while turning away. "No. It's fine. Everything's fine, Tai."

Summer stood on her tip toes and leaned over Tai's shoulder as Raven began to walk down from the bleachers.

"Give her some space. I'll talk to her later, see if I can figure out what's up."

Taiyang sighed and ran a hand along his goatee as Qrow moved past to follow his sister toward the floor.

"Alright, but… I'm getting worried. About both of them, really," he finished in a whisper as he watched Qrow descend the steps and leave earshot. Raven stopped by the doorway as Qrow approached her, and the two began a private conversation.

"Yeah. So am I," Summer agreed. "Something's not right. They both seem so tense all the time, like they don't really want to be here, or something. We'll make it a point to get them to loosen up, okay? Maybe in the gardens, maybe tonight… maybe this weekend. I don't know. Just focus on what we have to do, for now, and don't think about it. Everything's gonna work out."

"I hope you're right… and I know you're right, about part of that," Taiyang offered as he began to slowly descend the bleachers.

"You know? What do you mean?" Summer asked as she remained at Taiyang's side.

"My semblance," Taiyang said with a smirk. "I can feel other peoples' emotions and moods, even when they're trying to hide it. It's a passive little general sensation for anyone in a certain radius around me, but if I focus in on someone and burn a little aura, I can pick it up from across a room. Raven's anxious as hell about something right now and a little embarrassed, Qrow's incredibly tense to the point of having a headache, and you're… you're… hungry? Summer, we just ate!"

"Guilty," Summer confessed as she put her hands up. "And I know, but I held back on food because we were running late. That's pretty amazing, Tai. Mine is… well. You'll see, once we get to the gardens," she teased as they approached Raven and Qrow.

"…sorry about that," Raven said to Taiyang as she folded her arms. "I crossed a line. I'm just… I'm on edge, right now."

"Hey, it's cool. It's a stressful day, I get it," Taiyang said. The boy spread his arms in an offered hug, only to lower them slightly as he mentally felt for Raven's mood with his semblance once again. His suspicions were confirmed as Raven shot him an annoyed glare, before whirling on her heel and leaving the gym without another word. Qrow frowned as he turned his head to watch his sister go, and then put a hand on Taiyang's shoulder.

"Don't take it personally. You'll find out what's up soon."

Summer coughed awkwardly, and began to wring her hands in worry. "Is it something to do with our assignment?"

"You could say that, yeah," Qrow offered as he turned his attention to Summer. "We shouldn't let her get too far ahead, but before we go… do either of you two know that girl?" he asked as he inclined his head behind the pair. Summer and Taiyang turned, and caught sight of Qrow's target with ease.

A girl in a Beacon uniform was sitting alone at the bottom of the bleachers, and speaking with Professor Port. She had a black notebook in her lap, and was gesturing softly with her hands as she explained something to the older man. Her hair was a snow white bob cut, and her skin was incredibly fair. A few glittering rings wrapped around her fingers, and she had a small, expensive-looking necklace featuring a sapphire on a silver chain dangling over her chest.

"I… don't think so. I've never seen her before now," Taiyang admitted. He closed his eyes and focused in on the girl from across the room, only for his features to slip into a heavy frown. "But whoever she is, she's absolutely heartbroken over something, or someone. It's a deep pain. The kind you feel when someone close to you… passes away."

"I… what?" Qrow asked as he snapped his attention to Taiyang.

"Semblance," Taiyang stated plainly. "I'll give you more detail when we find Raven outside. Let's get going."

"I feel bad just leaving her, if you're right," Summer said as she trailed behind the two boys. "But I guess Professor Port can handle it? I mean, bringing up feelings like that without being told would be pretty rude…"

"Yeah," Qrow replied uncomfortably. "I'm sure he can, and he's probably more qualified to deal with things like that than we are. If not, we'll figure out who she is and approach her later."

Qrow let his eyes linger upon the fair girl for a moment longer, before turning to follow his team as they exited the gym.

"I thought you didn't like repeating yourself," Adam said with a smug expression as he crossed his arms. He shifted slightly from his place upon the bed, and Kali giggled as she leaned deeper into his shoulder. Roman gave the faunus boy a venomous look, and grumbled something unflattering in a voice too quiet to hear.

"Yeah, yeah, hilarious. Looks like you're coming out of your shell," Roman spat.

"Could you do it again?" Bartholomew asked. "What are the time constraints on such a thing?"

Roman shrugged, and spun his cane around his hand in a vertical loop before catching it. "Sure, as long as the peanut gallery over there shuts up. It's a couple seconds at most, and I'm still getting the timing down. Hold the shirt up again."

Bartholomew raised his hand, which held Adam's old, torn shirt upon a hanger. Roman took a moment to collect himself before viciously swinging the white and black cane into the garment, and watching as the fabric took the impact and fluttered wildly. Moments later, an orange veil of energy flared around Roman's body, and another phantom hit seemed to impact the shirt in the same location out of nowhere.

Kali clapped and grinned widely, as Roman took a bow. "That's so cool. Can you do it with dust?"

"No, but maybe someday. For now, it's only repetition of simple forces. Pushes and pulls that come from me, or my weapon," Roman explained as he began to spin his cane again. After several loops, he thrust it into the ground, and rested his hands atop the curved head. "It's got several useful applications. I'll leave those to your imagination, for now."

Adam wrote down the details as Roman spoke, and nodded as he finished. "It's very…interesting, to say the least. I thought semblances couldn't do things like that… but I'm also in the dark on a lot of things, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised."

"A semblance can be almost anything," Kali explained as she pushed off of Adam and stood. Roman slipped past and took her seat as she moved to stand where he had before. Kali turned to face her team once again, and flashed a wicked grin. "When you unlock yours, it'll all make sense."

"It might be a while," Adam lamented as he turned to a new page in his notebook. "The SDC kept us aura-suppressed down in the mines, with some kind of collar. It was humiliating, and responsible for a lot of injuries."

Roman quirked a brow, and began to look uneasy. "You came from Atlas?"

Adam simply nodded, and avoided Roman's eyes. "I'll… tell you more, later. The others already know a little. Let's focus on our assignment, for now."

For once, Roman didn't bother to protest, and instead turned his attention to Kali. "Yeah. Let's just do that. Show us what you've got, kitten."

Kali offered Roman a wink, before extending her right hand in a slow, laborious motion. She held her thumb and middle finger together as she curled the rest into her palm, and paused for a moment to create tension. The boys all leaned forward slightly in the silence, and Kali broke it with a simple snap. As she did so, a pair of pale blue, ghostly arms erupted from the small of her back and curled out and around her torso, giving her an appearance similar to a spider.

"Holy shit," Roman said with wide eyes. "What in the… what can they do? Are those functional?"

Kali replied by balling the ethereal hands into fists and throwing a few punches with them as she extended her natural arms into a stretch above her head. "Very. They make showering a hell of a lot faster, and carrying things much easier. They can also pull some fun little tricks with concussive force, but… I don't think it's smart to show off in our dorm."

"Concussive force," Bartholomew repeated as he set Adam's shirt down upon the bed and began to circle Kali. "Explain, if you would."

In lieu of a reply, Kali swept her right semblance-arm out before herself. A series of three small, flickering pockets of energy manifested before her, and began to float throughout the room. Adam hesitated as one of the swirls neared him and he put a hand out, before giving Kali a quizzical look. She nodded, and he poked at the oddity, only for it to begin floating away in the opposite direction.

"The right arm can create little… clusters of aura, I guess you could call them," Kali said as the aforementioned anomalies continued to slowly move about the room. "The left can detonate them with a snap. The explosions are pretty violent. Violent enough that we'd be out of a place to sleep tonight, if I triggered them."

"Well, you just showed me right the hell up," Roman commented as he raised a brow and shook his head. "How did you even develop something like this? Did you manage all that on day one?"

"No, of course not," Kali replied as she dispelled the extra limbs. The flickering points of energy faded along with them, and she moved to sit down beside Roman. "I've done a lot of fighting, and a lot of practice. My semblance evolved over time, but it evolved pretty quickly, out of necessity. It's probably still growing, honestly."

Adam finished transcribing once again, and let out a nervous sigh. "This all seems like a lot to live up to."

"Don't worry," Bartholomew reassured as he made his way to stand where Roman and Kali had demonstrated their skills. "We'll support you along the way, and when your semblance shows itself, we'll find a way to make the most of it. Mine, I think you'll all find, is rather visually unexciting, compared to the rest of you… and yet, it's incredibly useful. I've an immunity to sickness."

The remainder of Team OKRA simply stared in disbelief. Adam moved to put his pencil to paper once again, before raising it, placing it against the sheet, and raising it once more as he tilted his head.

"…so you can't fall ill. Ever."

"Correct," Bartholomew affirmed with a nod. "It's been tested time and time again, to the point where I've been intentionally injected with a nonlethal virus merely to confirm my suspicions. It did nothing to me, so far as medical professionals can tell."

"That's insane," Kali stated, her tone full of awe. "So you could bathe in sludge all day long, or make out with someone who has a cold and suffer nothing?"

"Correct again," Bartholomew nodded. "I'm somewhat impressed that those two thoughts came out in the order that they did, but regardless, it's true. Rather unbelievable, I know, but it's simply my gift."

"How did you even figure that out?" Roman inquired. "It seems like something that would be hard to catch on to, at first."

"It was quite simple, really," Bartholomew offered as he began to pace. "My entire family once got rather sick with food poisoning from bad shellfish, while I was seemingly unaffected. We chalked it up to luck, at first, until about a week later, everyone at home contracted a common cold. Again, I was untouched. After that, I began keeping a log of similar incidents, and it all seemed to add up. To confirm the hypothesis, I once disengaged my aura completely whilst visiting a friend who had been suffering from pink eye, and I contracted it rather quickly. The symptoms persisted for quite some time in me, but once I recovered and re-engaged my aura, things were back to normal. That's the only time I've ever been sick, and also the last time I plan to let it happen."

Adam shook his head in disbelief once again, and began to write as he kept his eye on the page. "All three of you… you're incredible, in wildly different ways. I can't help but feel th-"

"You won't be a disappointment, Adam," Kali interrupted. The statement earned her Adam's full attention, and a melancholy look. "Even if your semblance is something comparatively unimpressive by your standards, we'll help you make use of it as best we can. I mean, yeah, Barty's is incredible, but it has almost no combat use. Mine can't be used to its full potential in closed areas, and Roman can very easily mess up the timing, or leave himself open while trying to focus on his during a fight, on top of it being very situational. They all come with drawbacks, and they're all special. Trust us."

Adam shifted uncomfortably, and set the notebook aside as he tried to find something to do with his hands. He settled on merely resting them in his lap as he kept his eye on the floor.

"Maybe you're right, but honestly… I don't feel very special. Never have, and it's going to take a lot for something like that to even become possible."

"Yeah, well, you're special to us, so get used to it," Roman stated matter-of-factly as he stood and whipped his neck to the side. His fringe bounced lightly as Adam gave him a surprised look, and he returned it with an annoyed one of his own. "What? Don't act so shocked. We're a team, and that means we take care of each other, regardless of hang-ups, quirks, semblances, or whatever other bullshit might get in the way. Or am I wrong?"

"No, you're quite right," Bartholomew agreed as he took a seat on the bed across from the trio. "I think… it's just that none of us were expecting you to say such a thing. You're quite an interesting one, Roman."

"And a smart one, too," Kali added as she rested her hand atop one of Adam's. "Let's take a break, before our next classes. We've got all night and tomorrow morning to fill out the rest of what Port wanted from us, right?"

"Right," Bartholomew replied. "Consider that an order. We have about twenty minutes to ourselves before the next period, and I think we could all benefit from an intermission. I'm going to take a short walk, if anyone would care to join me."

"I'll go," Kali said enthusiastically as she stood up alongside Bartholomew. "I could use a chance to stretch my legs."

Bartholomew offered her a hand, and the cat faunus took it as the two made for the door.

"I'll see you next period, Adam. Meet me by the stairwell," Bartholomew remarked as the pair slipped out into the hall, leaving Roman and Adam alone.

"Well. That was a trip," Roman offered as he made his way toward the kitchenette. "Think I'm gonna get some water, and then make a call home to talk to my asshole dad. You want anything?"

"No," Adam replied almost immediately. "No, thank you, I'm fine."

Roman shrugged and slipped into the other section of the room. Adam watched Roman at the fridge through the open wall above the breakfast counter, before getting up off the bed and following him. After a moment's hesitation, Adam cleared his throat, and Roman whirled with a start as he nearly dropped the pitcher of water and glass he was holding.

"Holy shit, don't do that, man! I scare easily!"

"Sorry," Adam offered quickly as he moved a bit closer. "I just… wanted to thank you, personally. Alone. Your words mean a lot to me."

Roman raised a brow, and slowly poured himself a glass of water before taking a long, awkward sip.

"Yeah, whatever, just don't make it weird. I mean what I say, and we're in this for the long haul, alright? Try not to look at everything so pessimistically, and just enjoy the ride."

"I'll try," Adam replied as he gave Roman a smile. "Just… thanks."

"Uh-huh," Roman stated before taking another drink. He watched as Adam moved back into the main room and gathered his notebook off the bed, before exiting the room in silence. Roman shivered slightly, and set his glass down before taking out his scroll and beginning to navigate through his contacts. "And now, for something even more uncomfortable and awkward…"

Author's Note:

I am so proud of this chapter title. Just let me have this one.

The next chapter is going to get a little… interesting. It's been an absolute nightmare to write for a multitude of reasons, one of the biggest being Summer's semblance. I'm somewhat expecting it to still be a bit unclear and convoluted despite multiple revisions to how it's explained, but we'll see what happens. Get ready for some craziness.

-RD