It was a friday night, and Cardin was sitting on his bed reading his history book so he could do the blasted weekend assignment from Oobleck. The hyperactive teacher had seen fit to give them a three page paper over some battle in Anima. CRDL could hardly be accused of being great students, but if they wanted to be Huntsmen then they'd just have to focus up and do the work.
The pleasant breeze from the nearby window was the only bit of happiness Cardin felt as Russell sat at the desk scribbling away. Sky and Dove were gone, probably in the library. The sun was in the middle of setting, and not feeling up to continuing his reading Cardin opted to let go of the book and stare outside.
Idly, he processed the sound of a metal door from outside opening up, making him chuckle. Jauney Boy and his partner would once again be training on top of the roof, and while he always felt some annoyance at the disturbance, he knew better than anyone he'd lost the right to complain once JB saved his ass when he panicked in Forever Fall a year ago.
"Alright Jaune, tonight will be just a fundamentals review since you worked so hard earlier in the gym. There's no need to push too much."
"Right." Jaune sounded strangely tense, or at least that's how Cardin interpreted it without a visual on the scene. "When we're done, can we talk a little bit before we go back to our room?"
"Certainly. Arms up."
"You know," Russell said from the desk without looking up. "He really has gotten better. Nowhere as good as Pyrrha, but still."
"Yeah, I know. I'm still mad that he and I are tied in Goodbitches class right now. Double knock-out my ass."
Cardin had managed to force Jaune out of the ring, but JB had opted to throw his sword at him as he fell backwards. It'd connected, bringing him past the Aura threshold. It was dumb; they both knew it, Goodwitch knew it, but it was still a tie.
Good on the guy for pulling it off.
"Strike! Strike! Strike!" Cardin grabbed the book once more and resumed reading. Better to just get this part out of the way, he figured.
Thirty minutes passed by in such a manner, Pyrrha's drills serving as background noise while they did their work. Cardin was just getting ready to close the book and go take a shower when-
"Step! Stri- AH?!"
His attention snapped to the window as he heard what sounded like both of them falling down on the roof. A moment of silence passed, but then Pyrrha started laughing, so she must not have been hurt. "And what, dear leader, was that move?"
"You always tell me to take advantage of my opponent's openings, and you were open!" Jaune was laughing, too. "Besides, Nora told me a secret about you."
"That being?"
"That you're ticklish!"
"No-ahahahaha! Stop, pleasehehehe!"
Oh geez, how old were these two again? Cardin shook his head as he imagined the blonde attacking his partner with old-fashioned side tickles. While her giggling continued, Cardin tilted his head and asked Russell, "Hey, do you think those rumors of her liking him are true?"
Russell snorted. "What, are you kidding? I'd be shocked if someone told me they weren't already dating, because she one hundred percent gives him the sultry side-eye in class. Maybe they're keeping the relationship secret? The press can be a killer for a superstar like her."
Very true. While Cardin had an ego, the last thing he'd want would be paparazzi following his every move out in public. Nah, Pyrrha could keep the fame. "My bet is Jauney Boy hasn't had the balls to ask her out."
"Oh I'll take that bet, twenty Lien."
"Easy money for me." The tickling must've stopped, because all he could hear now was Pyrrha gasping a little for air.
"Jaune? Are you okay?"
"Pyrrha, I… Can we have that talk now?"
"Of course."
Russell set his pen down and turned to the window, and Cardin certainly didn't pretend to be reading as he listened in. "Pyrrha, you've been an amazing partner for me. I know you say that my growth is from my effort-"
"Because it is."
"It is, yeah, but you've been just… perfect. As a teacher, friend, everything." Cardin tried to visualize it, imagining Jaune sitting close to Pyrrha as he started laying his heart out for her.
And for them as well, he supposed. "It goes both ways, Jaune. I couldn't have asked for a better leader or friend from all of Beacon's students. Thank you."
"No, thank you. I wanted to show you my appreciation, so I got team RWBY to go with me to Vale last week so I could get you something."
"So that's why I couldn't find you. Well, I'm positive I'll enjoy whatever you got for me. Do you have it here, or is it-"
"I've got it all right here. I actually got you two things, so here's the first."
Damn, Jaune was laying it on thick, wasn't he? Russell quietly applauded from his seat. "Oh Jaune, this is a lovely bracelet! Are these gems what I think they are?"
"Yep, one color for each of JNPR." So yellow, pink, red, and green? Cardin could only guess. He was curious, so he'd have to take a good look at the girl's wrist if she wore it out in public.
"I love it, Jaune. I think I'll put it on right now."
"I'm glad. Hopefully, though, you'll like this next gift even more."
"Jaune, you really didn't have to…" The words hung in the air as she stopped talking. Oh boy, did JB mess up with the second thing? That would suck something fierce.
Jaune was the one who spoke to break the silence. "I have the other half of it on me."
Half?
Her response was soft. "Jaune, this is a couple's necklace."
Oh. Oh damn, Jaune was coming out swinging. "Yeah, it is. Pyrrha, please go out with me. Tell me to back off if I'm coming on too strong, but you need to know that I want you to be my girlfriend. Probably my wife in the future, assuming I don't mess it up‐"
There was a rustle of clothing and another thump on the roof. Cardin's guess? Pyrrha kissed him. Smirking, Cardin held out his hand to Russell. "They weren't dating yet. Pay up."
"Damnit." Russell practically threw the Lien cards at him, which he caught and slid into his pocket. Easy money, indeed. "I'd been so sure of it. Still, proud of him for pulling it off."
After a moment, Cardin could hear them both panting for air. "I have been waiting for so long Jaune. I was starting to give up hope that you'd see me this way."
"Sorry, Pyrrha, I just didn't want to mess things up. You matter too much to me."
"I love you, you big goof."
The L word already? Impressive, but that also means that Jauney Boy had been making her wait for just that long. "I love you, too. Can I make it up to you for making you wait?"
"A hundred different ways, but let's start with-" Silence again, so another make out session was starting. After a moment of soft shuffling and heavy breathing, Cardin decided he didn't need to hear anymore and got up to close the window.
"Jaune~ You are mine."
The sheer huskiness in Pyrrha's voice made Cardin freeze. Just how hot and heavy were they planning on getting up there? A glance at Russell revealed that his teammate clearly heard the same thing, so against his better judgment he planted a foot on the windowsill and stood on it so he could see over the roof's edge.
He was given a view of the show from the side, and if either noticed him they gave no indication of it. Pyrrha was straddling Jaune and while both of the teens were in Beacon's uniforms, you wouldn't know it from how Pyrrha was rubbing her hands along his back and arms. Jaune for his part had one face cupping her jaw while the other started to run through her vividly red hair.
The tonsil hockey was aggressive, mostly from Pyrrha's side. She attacked his face like a woman gone mad, a desert dweller who found her oasis. After a couple moments she began to buck, and Jaune seemed to stifle a gasp. "Pyrrha, are you-"
"Kiss me." It was as firm a demand as Cardin had ever heard, leaving no room to mistake what Pyrrha wanted. Obeying, Jaune latched his lips onto her neck while the bucking continued.
Oh shit, Cardin realized. They were about to do it right here and now. He wasn't immediately sure what he wanted to do about it, but that was rectified as soon as Pyrrha started to reach for Jaune's belt buckle. Bringing his right hand all the way up, he brought it down on the roof with a slam and barked, "Hey! None of that!"
Startled, the new couple whipped their heads around to see the source of the interruption, with Jaune letting out, "C-Cardin?!"
"Jaune, you-" Cardin slapped a hand to his face. "Both of you seriously forgot that my team's room is right here, didn't you?"
Both of their skins went tomato red with embarrassment. Before they could begin giving out excuses, Cardin continued. "Look, I'm happy for you both. You're good for each other, and if your relationship lasts I want to see wedding photos. But!"
He pointed towards the door access to the roof. "If you don't find a new place to practice your training, I will shove my mace through your ears so help me gods."
Immediate movement from both teens, still cherry colored. "Right, we're just gonna-"
"Mhm!"
"Sorry about that-"
"Don't leave the necklace."
"Oh, sorry, I'll just-"
Cardin rolled his eyes as he slid back into his room, closing the window firmly to punctuate how done he was with that moment. Grabbing the history book, he set it on the desk next to Russell. "Hopefully this means they're done using our roof, now."
"Probably are," agreed Russell with a chuckle. "Hey Cardin, double or nothing on that bet?"
He blinked. "What now?"
"I bet their teammates, pink and green, are already dating."
"Ha. Okay, sure, I'll take more of your money for no effort. I'll even ask Jauney Boy about it tomorrow." That way, he might be able to get a proper glimpse of the bracelet and the couple's necklace. He could admit that he was curious about them.
Plus, now he could forever rib them about catching them pre-fucking. That'd be worth it even if Pyrrha decided to thrash them in class again.