I don't own anything.
"So… you and Nora, huh?"
Ren, sitting in Pyrrha's bed right in front of me looked up, his fingers idly working the laces on his fancy dress shoes.
"We are not 'together, together', if that's what you are thinking."
"You're not?"
"No." Ren said, and that was the end of it.
I looked down at my own shoes, my fingers tugging at the thin strings, so unlike the laces in the sneakers and boots I was partial to. I felt an uncomfortable clench in my gut, almost as if someone was attempting to make balloon animals out of my insides. I couldn't tell, though, if it was the awkward silence that now hung in the dorm, or my nerves for what was to come.
I stood, and for the fourth time tonight, walked into the bathroom to check my tie in the mirror. It was fine, and yet, I untied it and did it again. With practiced ease of wearing a tie in my uniform every day, I had the dark, purple tie perfectly centred around my neck again in no time.
"Think the girls are ready?"
Ren, leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom, wore his own suit well. It was a simple, black affair, the only splash of colour being the bright, orange tie he wore. What little fashion sense I had screamed at me that it clashed horribly with his eyes, but I kept quiet.
I suspected that he knew in any case, but did it anyways for Nora. Much as they both denied it, they cared about each other, more than most did.
"Maybe."
"We should go and see. It's almost time."
I nodded, giving my tie one last tug before I followed the other boy out of the dorm and into the hallway.
We weren't the first ones out. That honour went to Ruby, who was stood on the other side of the hall. She looked pretty, her red and black dress not a huge departure from her combat outfit, but it suited her. Even then, I suspected that Yang had all-but forced her into it.
The younger girl teetered from side to side, trying to steady herself on the wall as she did her best to balance on a pair of uncomfortable looking heels. Those, I knew for sure Yang had forced her little sister to wear. I walked over with a grin, held a hand out, and she took it gratefully.
"Thanks."
"Don't worry about it."
"How are the others doing?"
Ruby looked up at the question, giving me a small, teasing smile.
"Excited to see Blake?"
"Very." I said, my voice as dry as the Vacuan desert.
"Don't worry so much. She really likes you; you know?"
I knew, that. Or at least I thought I did, but I still couldn't help but be nervous. What if I messed things up tonight? What if my tie was the wrong colour? What if she-
"Stop it." Ruby slapped me on the arm, nearly toppling over as she did so. "Blake has been in there for almost three hours trying to look her best to go out with you. Does that sound like something she would do for just anyone?"
"No." I said, looking down at my shoes.
"Besides, you don't look too bad either, and I doubt she's going to kill you if you step on her toes once or twice."
Before I could thank her, Ren cut in, leaning against the wall outside of BASN's dorm. "She's right, you know." His eyes, serene pink orbs that even Nora couldn't phase, met my own. "I might not speak to you two as often as Ruby, or your own teammates do, but even I can tell that you care for each other." I felt heat rushing up to my cheeks, and I didn't need a mirror to know that my cheeks were flushed red.
"Thanks. Both of you."
For a while, silence hung in the hall as all three of us stood there, waiting. And then, VLYR's door burst open. Nora was first out, the boisterous girl, true to form, all but flew out of the room in a tackle-hug that almost sent Ren to the ground, despite the wall he was leaning on. Next was Yang, who wore a rather inconspicuous cream-coloured dress, though she made it look amazing.
"You're one lucky guy, Vomit Boy." Yang said, patting me on the shoulder as she made her way past.
Then, Blake walked out, and she took my breath away. She wore a long, strapless, purple dress that all but shimmered in the hall's light. Her hair fell down her back in gentle, wavy curls and her the bow that sat on her head was nowhere to be found. She was stunning.
"So, how do I look." She twirled in front of him, the dress flaring up to show the black heels that she wore under it all. I didn't, couldn't put what I was thinking into words. So, I didn't even try. Instead, I walked forward, my hands gently reaching out for her own, before I closed in for a short, gentle kiss.
Vanilla and wildflowers filled my nose, and I couldn't help but smile, even as my stomach tried its hardest to imitate a gymnast. I ignored Yang's whistling in the background as Blake pressed herself into me.
"That good?" She asked as we finally parted, her golden eyes smouldering as they looked into my own. I could do nothing but nod as my stomach had fled into my throat to attempt its most daring dive yet. But then, I noticed something was off.
"Where are the others?"
I looked around, all of VLYR was lined up in the hall now, Nora and Ren standing together, while Yang kept Ruby from falling. Weiss and Pyrrha, though, were nowhere to be found.
"Pyrrha lost track of time training, Weiss went to get her."
"Oh." Well, that wasn't good. Weiss loathed being late, and possibly being late for her date would only make that worse.
"Want to wait for them?" Blake asked, squeezing my hand gently as she did so. It wasn't an easy choice to make. On the one hand, possibly seeing Mt. Weiss explode wouldn't exactly be the best start to the evening. On the other, leaving them behind here wouldn't exactly be the best show of team spirit.
"Yeah…"
I looked over to team VLYR, all four of them lined up and chatting as we waited for the others. Nora and Ren were leaned on each other, and so were Ruby and Yang, though the latter for very different reasons. I almost laughed as Ruby once again almost twisted an ankle trying to keep her balance.
"Hey! You guys can go on ahead." I said, calling out to them. I ignored the way Yang wiggled her eyebrows at me from behind Ruby, who perked up.
"I can wait with you guys if you want!" She barely got the words out before Yang shut her down, her arms snaking around her little sister as she picked her up entirely and carried her off, Nora and Ren following.
"Nope! You're not getting out of going to the ball." She said, a bounce in her step, even as Ruby struggled against her. I gave my fellow blonde a nod and got a wink in return.
They walked off. And while Blake and I enjoyed a moment of quiet together, contrary to what Yang might have thought, we didn't spend it attached at the mouth. Instead, we stood and waited quietly for the rest of team Bastion to arrive. It didn't take long, in any case, before the doors to Valor's dorm opened again.
Out walked Weiss and Pyrrha, the former dressed in a pure white dressing gown, covered in silver and crystal accents. The dress probably cost more than the Arc family home in Ansel. Pyrrha, on the other hand, was wearing a beautiful red dress. It was wonderfully asymmetrical, having one strap on her left shoulder, while the dress went almost down to her golden heels on the right, her left leg bare from the knee and her right shoulder much the same.
"You two look great!" I said, and I meant it. Honestly, their dates were lucky to have them.
"Thanks, you don't clean up so bad either. Now let's hurry up, I don't want to be late." Weiss, walking on a pair of silver heels as if she'd been born in them, brushed past me without further ado, moving as fast as she could without being seen as impolite.
"You look great, Jaune." Pyrrha said, patting me on the shoulder as she, too, passed me. I looked over to Blake, who simply smiled and shook her head. So, I held out an arm that Blake put her hand through, and we moved to catch up to the rest of our team.
The door to the main hall, now being used as a ballroom, was flanked by tall, tan boy and a much shorter girl with pale skin and bunny ears sticking out of the top of her head. Yatsuhashi and Velvet. Since I had helped Velvet with Cardin, I had seen team CFVY in the forest a couple of times. It was there that I had realised that Velvet really hadn't needed my help there. Though she did say she appreciated it, so there was that.
"Go on in." She said, flashing me a smile as we walked past.
Inside, the hall had been transformed completely, and it looked great. The centre had become a large, circular dancefloor which already had quite a few people awkwardly dancing on it. The podium the headmaster had used for his speeches now had a DJ setup stood atop it as a short man wearing a baggy hoodie and jeans operated it all.
There were tables and chairs as well, lined against the edges of the room, littered with little party snacks and drinks that would surely be spiked before half the people even arrived. I saw Ruby and Yang by one of the tables, the younger of the pair was sat down, rubbing her ankles which were undoubtedly sore already while Yang drank a glass of punch.
"Where did you say your date was going to meet you?" I turned back to Weiss, who was looking all around the room with narrowed eyes.
"I didn't." Her voice was tight, evidently, this had not been the plan.
"You want us to help look for him?" I asked, though I doubted she would accept. And indeed, she waved me off, even as her eyes still panned over the crowd in search of her date.
"You go have fun, I'm sure he is just a little late."
"If you're sure." I said, looking to Blake. Amber met blue and my heartrate picked up even as I gestured towards the dancefloor. "Would you like to dance?"
"I'd love to."
I gave Pyrrha a wave, even as I walked to the dancefloor, Blake pressed to my arm. We avoided the flailing limbs of the other students, and then we danced. As much flack as I had given my sisters for their insistence in making me dance when I was younger, I was glad for it now.
Blake and I glided over the dancefloor, easily following the rhythm of whatever song came on. My moves were practiced, a hundred, a thousand times each. Meanwhile Blake was the epitome of grace as she followed my every step effortlessly, seemingly being as natural on the dancefloor as she was on the battlefield.
"You're good." She said, her face beginning to flush a pale pink, her breath coming a little heavier. She really was beautiful. I felt the heat start to creep over my own face as I smiled back.
"Thanks." I slipped my hand a little further around her waist, pulling her closer as a slower song came on. "My sisters made me practice."
"I'll have to thank them, then." Blake laughed, her hot breath tickling me on the neck as we slowly swayed from side to side. Maybe she hadn't meant it that way, but the mention of her wanting to meet my family made me feel warm inside.
After the slow song, we took a small break. Neither one of us was tired, so to speak, a Huntsman's endurance was something else, but we were getting a bit thirsty. Slowly, we pushed through the throngs of people on the dancefloor and made our way out to one of the tables on the edge, where Pyrrha, Ruby and Yang were stood together.
Well, Pyrrha and Yang were stood, drinking punch and talking idly while Ruby was still sat down.
I grabbed a couple of glasses, poured us some of the same punch Ruby was drinking. After all, Yang wouldn't have allowed anyone, not even one of the upper years, to spike that bowl. Blake and I, now with drinks in hand, sat down next to Ruby.
"Anyone seen Weiss?" I asked, taking a sip of my drink. It was nice, if a little sweeter than I would have liked.
"Nah, I figure Weiss-cream is off somewhere with her date." Yang said, pouring herself another glass of punch from a different bowl. As much as I trusted Weiss to take care of herself, I couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. I tuned out the idle chatter, and instead scanned the hall for any sign of my wayward teammate.
It didn't take long to find her, not with how flashy her dress was. Weiss was stood on the other side of the hall, alone. The boy she had planned to meet, a blue-haired student from Haven, was nowhere to be found. And judging by the look on Weiss' face, I wasn't the only one who had failed to find him.
I stood, though I paused a moment later. I looked to the side, where Blake sat, looking back at me in askance. I tilted my head to where Weiss was standing, and comprehension dawned on her in an instant. Blake, quiet as ever, simply smiled that little smile of hers and gave me a nod.
"Go."
I cut a path straight through the dancefloor, avoiding the clumsy moves of the other students as easily as I had while dancing myself, and found myself standing in front of my final teammate soon after.
Weiss, pretty as she looked in her dress, looked absolutely miserable. She had a glass of punch in hand, but it looked as if she hadn't taken a single sip. When she finally noticed me, she looked up, her eyes tightening as they met my own.
"What are you doing here?"
"Well, I thought I might come and steal a dance." Weiss took a sip of her drink, but even that couldn't hide the way the corners of her lips dipped.
"I don't need your pity."
I didn't rise to the bait, simply holding my hand out with a smile. I knew it was a token protest anyway. Seconds later, I was proven correct as she set her glass down on the table behind her and laid one hand in mine.
We didn't speak as we got onto the dancefloor, nor when we danced. The song was fast paced, Weiss and I matching one another's steps to the beat. She was a good dancer too, graceful and precise, never missing a step. It was fun.
"Thank you." She said, her voice low as the song came to an end. Her frown was gone, and while it wasn't quite a smile, it looked much better on her than the dejected look she'd had before.
"Don't mention it." I smiled right back, while I took her over to the other. Nora and Ren had reappeared as well, now talking and laughing at some joke Yang had made. Well, mostly Nora, though Ren did have an amused smile on his normally impassive face.
Weiss sat down and joined them, but I remained standing. I walked over to my final teammate and offered her a hand as well.
"Would you like to dance?"
"I think I'd like that." Pyrrha said, placing her hand in mine.
Our dance was different. Blake and I had slid around the dancefloor holding one another tight, too lost in one another to pay too much attention to anything else. With Weiss, the dance had been much more focused, almost as if we were competing or something. Pyrrha, though, danced like she fought.
We moved across the floor, our steps matched to the beat, each step mechanical, efficient in a way that resembled Pyrrha's style in the ring. It was… interesting, if only for the novelty of it. What was far more important, though, was the smile on Pyrrha's face. They had seemed to become rarer as the festival drew close, and I was glad that I could take her mind off it, at least for a little while.
I ended the night back with Blake, the two of us swaying on the dancefloor to a slow song.
"That was nice of you." She said, leaned back just far enough that she could look me in the eye.
"Thanks." I said, leaning in closer. Blake's eyes were half-lidded as she matched me, the two of us meeting in the middle for a kiss.
FINALLY THE END. I don't know why, but this chapter was inordinately difficult to write. Also, I want to add a small disclaimer that there will still be no Harem in this story. Dancing with friends at this kind of event is perfectly normal. Just wanted to clarify that before I get a bunch of people talking about it in the comments.
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Anyways, have a good one!