Chapter 22: Side Story II- Romance and Friendship; The Matchmakers Tale

"You know," Lailah said, leaning against Qrow with a reminiscent smile, "plotting to get these two together actually led to some of our own best moments."

"Like Operation Midnight Library?" Qrow grinned, wrapping an arm around his wife. "When we spent so long setting up the 'accidental' late-night study session for them that we ended up having our own moonlit discussion about dark elven marriage customs?"

Lailah's orange eyes softened at the memory. "That was the first time you asked me about elven handfasting ceremonies. Though I believe your exact words were 'asking for a friend.'"

"To be fair," Taiyang interjected, "we all spent so much time researching romantic traditions from both cultures to set these two up that we became experts. Remember the Great Festival Setup?"

Raven nodded, a rare gentle expression crossing her features. "Operation Starlight Dance. We spent weeks choreographing the perfect scenario."

"Which involved," Summer counted on her fingers, her silver eyes twinkling, "mysteriously missing dance partners..."

"Carefully timed musical selections," Raptaryn added, catching on to what had happened.

"And somehow every other potential partner being otherwise occupied," Lailah finished. "Though what we didn't expect was how it would affect all of us."

The scene unfolded in their shared memory: Raven and Taiyang practicing the dark elven partner dances in secret to ensure they could guide others correctly, only to find themselves lost in the intimacy of the ancient steps. Lailah teaching Qrow the proper ceremonial gestures, their hands lingering together longer than necessary. And at the center of it all, Summer and Raptaryn, supposedly the targets of the scheme, finally drawing close under the starlight.

"Don't forget Operation Ancestral Archives," Taiyang added, drawing Raven closer. "When we convinced them they needed to document their shared cultural heritage."

"Ah yes," Raven smirked. "Which required multiple couples demonstrating traditional courtship rituals from both cultures. For academic purposes, of course."

"Very academic," Qrow drawled. "Especially when you and Tai got caught up demonstrating that harvest festival dance. Seven times."

"We needed to ensure accuracy," Taiyang defended, though his cheeks reddened. "Just like you and Lailah with the elven blessing ceremony demonstrations."

"Which somehow always needed just one more practice run," Summer teased, emerging from her hood's shelter. "Though not as many times as Raven and Tai's 'combat practice sessions' that always seemed to end in romantic picnics."

"Those picnics were vital mission planning meetings," Raven insisted, though she couldn't quite hide her smile. "Just like Lailah and Qrow's 'cultural exchange briefings' in the garden."

"All for the greater good of Operation Silver Scholar," Lailah laughed. "Though I still maintain Operation Grimm Studies was our finest collaborative work."

Raptaryn groaned. "The missing textbooks incident?"

"When every single copy of 'Advanced Grimm Studies' vanished," Summer recalled. "Except for the ones in..."

"The private study room," they all finished in unison.

"Which just happened to have enough space for all of us to 'help search,'" Taiyang grinned. "While conveniently pairing off into different sections."

"The amount of planning that went into that one was impressive," Raven admitted. "Each couple taking shifts to keep the ruse going, coordinating search patterns..."

"Finding excuses to send you two off together while we had our own moments," Lailah added. "It was like a complicated dance."

"Speaking of dances," Qrow mused, "remember Operation Winter Waltz?"

Summer buried her face in her hands. "The mysterious formal dance invitation?"

"Complete with traditional dark elven formal wear that just happened to be Summer's size," Raptaryn remembered, realization dawning. "And ceremonial scholar's robes that matched perfectly."

"That took all of us working together," Lailah revealed. "Raven and I handled the clothing traditions..."

"While Tai and I coordinated with the music masters," Qrow added. "Though we got a bit distracted practicing our own dance moves."

"The amount of time we spent in each other's company, plotting and planning," Taiyang reflected, "it really brought us all closer together."

"Every scheme meant more time spending evening planning sessions together," Raven agreed softly. "More shared moments, more understanding of each other's cultures and traditions."

"Like the time we all ended up camping in the Emerald Forest," Lailah remembered fondly. "When we were supposedly setting up the perfect spot for Summer and Raptaryn to 'accidentally' stargaze..."

"But ended up having our own magical evening sharing stories and traditions," Qrow finished. "That was when I knew I wanted to propose to you, actually."

"Really?" Lailah turned to him in surprise. "That night?"

"Watching you explain the significance of the constellations to everyone, seeing how our different worlds could come together so beautifully..." Qrow's silver eyes met her orange ones with tender affection.

"Just like when you taught me that old Valean prayer for protection," Raven said to Taiyang. "During Operation Sacred Texts."

"When we planted all those ancient love poems for these two to 'discover,'" Taiyang nodded. "But ended up reading them to each other instead."

Summer and Raptaryn exchanged glances, finally understanding just how much their friends' matchmaking schemes had enriched everyone's relationships.

"So while you were all trying to push us together..." Summer began.

"You were falling deeper in love yourselves," Raptaryn finished, his scholarly tone warming with affection.

"Every scheme brought us all closer," Lailah confirmed, her hand finding Qrow's. "Every plot to get you two to realize your feelings..."

"Helped us understand our own," Raven completed the thought, allowing herself to lean into Taiyang's embrace.

"Though we still maintain," Qrow added with a grin, "that Operation Silver Scholar was a complete success."

"Even if it had some unexpected bonus results," Taiyang agreed, looking at each of the couples with warmth.

The three pairs stood together, their relationships strengthened not just by their matchmaking schemes, but by the shared moments, cultural exchanges, and deeper understanding that had grown from their plotting and planning. What had started as a mission to bring two oblivious souls together had ended up enriching all their lives in ways none of them had expected.

To be continued in Chapter 23: Matchmakers Tale part II