Chapter Sixteen: A Little Off the Top
"Now, this…" Qrow grumbled, "...this is much closer to what I was expecting."
They'd barely set foot in Atlas, and they'd already been accosted: tossed in the back of a law enforcement truck with the lamp seized by a group Maria's friend Pietro had called "Ace Ops." Weiss went on to clarify that they were Ace Operatives, directly employed by General Ironwood. Though she also seemed to imply they weren't a big deal, something that an entirely different imprisoned person in the same lockup with them took exception to before launching into a rant about his being arrested either because of some righteous political cause or possibly because he threw a brick at someone important; the details were unclear.
Oscar was kind of tuning it all out. He didn't think any of it was particularly important compared to finding the whereabouts and status of the lamp. Was it something that General Ironwood would know how to use? Could he have summoned Jinn and asked her the last question before they even sorted out their legal troubles?
He hoped Ozpin was listening: there was no longer any indication he was there. He'd come out to help Oscar right the ship back at Argus then immediately disappeared again. Oscar assumed he was still paying attention, still listening to all this going on in the dark corner he'd taken refuge in…
If Ozpin wasn't concerned about the lamp ending up in the General's hands, it probably meant that he hadn't been told what to do. At the very least one of their resources wouldn't be lost after they'd already made the trip.
Though… that did raise another issue. Yet more evidence of how few people in his inner circle Ozpin had actually trusted.
Qrow didn't know. Ironwood didn't know. Glynda… based on the recollection Ozpin showed him, it seemed the wizard had valued Glynda's resemblance to his wife than anything else. They pledged themselves to him and they knew more of the world's secrets than most… but they were always at arm's length.
Would Ironwood be so happy to see them? Or would he resent the possibility of someone else reclaiming Ozpin's seat of power?
"Please, come in," General Ironwood bid, inviting Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaune, Ren, Nora, Oscar, and Qrow into his office. His adjutants -Weiss's elder sister Winter and a red-haired girl they called Penny- stood on either side of him. "It's so good to see all of you."
Yang massaged her wrist -recently released from stasis cuffs- and looked irritable. "Our reception didn't really convey that…"
Ironwood sighed. "I sincerely regret how you were treated by my team. When a rogue airship entered our airspace, it raised some… red flags. We assumed the ship was stolen."
"Stolen?" Ruby repeated, laughing awkwardly before she sheepishly admitted: "Okay, yeah, it was stolen."
"You stole an Atlas airship?" Winter Schnee frowned, moving particular ire to her younger sister. "What were you thinking? You might've been shot down! How unbelievably irresponsib-"
She was cut off when Weiss interjected with a firm hug. Winter said nothing, standing stiff in her sister's arms.
Oscar faintly recalled when Weiss arrived at the house in Mistral… how she held off on an embrace until Ruby and Yang invited her into one. Evidently she had no such hesitation with her sister, despite how standoffish Winter seemed on first impression.
"I'm sorry I worried you," Weiss apologized. "But we did what we had to do."
"I…" Winter sighed, finally raising her stiff arms to pat Weiss's back and return her embrace, "... I suppose I understand."
Oscar could see the resemblance now. The frosty exterior was shed quickly when around someone she trusted.
Though Winter then immediately turned her ire towards Qrow, and the two briefly argued, before Penny and Winter both revealed their awareness of the Maidens and the Relics: something General Ironwood had filled them in on, much to Oscar's surprise.
Evidently, the general trusted his inner circle more than Ozpin had. It seemed as though Ironwood had passed along to them everything Ozpin passed to him. He hadn't been selective in his revelations…
Ironwood briefly argued with Yang and Nora about the status of Mantle below; a city clearly suffering without Atlesian resources and living under the shadow of a massive air fleet. Ironwood didn't seem particularly bothered that it was making the citizenry "hate" him, as Yang put it.
"It's a price I am willing to pay," Ironwood explained. "Just as all of you have been entrusted with the knowledge of Salem's existence, I need you all to trust me: I have a plan."
Ironwood closed the shutters to his office windows and pulled up a holographic display. Oscar had seen it only briefly on TV: the colosseum that housed the last Vytal Festival tournament…
Apparently Ironwood meant to use it as a new CCT tower, posted at a high enough elevation to restore the signal to all the other functioning towers and reestablish global communications… but with the intent of revealing the existence of Salem to the rest of the world, something that received… mixed response.
"Oz spent his whole life -many lives- keeping this secret," Qrow pointed out.
"I know," Ironwood confirmed. "But since Beacon, things have changed. Without him here to guide us, all I can do is use my best judgment."
Gone…
Well, not quite.
Oscar shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't sure whether or not to volunteer the information, because how present Ozpin was would be its own subject of debate.
Ironwood noticed him before Oscar had the chance to decide whether or not to proceed. "What is it?"
Oscar took a deep breath. "Actually… Oz isn't completely gone."
Qrow chimed in on his behalf: "Uh, Oscar here is… the next Ozpin."
Ironwood's eyes fixated on Oscar as he tentatively inquired: "Oz…?"
Ironwood broke into a broad smile as he stepped out from behind his desk, reaching towards Oscar. "I'm so glad you're here. I didn't think you-"
Oscar put his hands up, shaking his head, trying to dispel that quickly. "Not quite. He's kind of -um- gone at the moment."
He wasn't sure how to put it more eloquently. He could've elaborated, but he wasn't sure how many details to go into about exactly how he'd managed to prevent a stolen airship from crashing.
The general's smile faded. "That's not normal. How did he-"
"We don't know," Ruby interjected, pulling Ironwood's attention away from Oscar. "We were in a train crash, and… ever since, well, suddenly Oz wasn't there anymore."
A lie. From Ruby of all people?
"That's the worst news yet," Ironwood murmured. "Did you learn anything from him about the relics before-?"
"He told us the lamp can answer three questions," Ruby replied. She paused briefly, before adding: "... but all the questions were used up already."
Ozpin had told her that, but they'd found out the truth shortly after. That Ruby Rose would lie twice in a single lifetime, let alone twice in the same day…
Oscar wasn't sure what to think. He knew Ruby didn't reveal every thought that passed her mind, but he hadn't really thought her capable of deception. He'd never for a moment considered she'd ever spoken anything but the truth.
Ironwood had shared his secrets with them, so why was Ruby the one putting up a wall?
Out of the corner of his eye, Oscar saw Blake and Yang exchange glances. Were they as surprised as he was? Or did they know her well enough to not be surprised?
"Right, right," Ironwood acknowledged, resigned to it. "Ozpin told us that too, once upon a time…"
He'd heard the same lie. Ruby had done the same thing Ozpin had, whether she realized it or not.
Ironwood turned his attention back to Oscar. "At least we have you, Oscar: you're safe here in Atlas. Maybe together we can figure out how to bring Ozpin back."
Oscar wasn't sure that was what he wanted to happen, but he could at least be grateful for Ironwood's offer of safe harbor. It wasn't quite so difficult to fake his grin.
"Thank you, sir," Oscar nodded, standing a little taller. "I mean, uh, General… uh, Ironwood?"
His faux confidence vanished quickly. Oscar tried to hide it all behind an awkward, muted smile.
Ironwood returned the smile before heading to his desk to retrieve the lamp, bringing it back to the group, offering it to Ruby. "You're… giving it back to me?" she asked, confused.
"After what happened with the Ace Ops, I don't want you to think I'm keeping anything from you," Ironwood explained. "Especially for something as important as this. For the time being, I think it's safest with the people who brought it here."
"Um, thank you," Ruby managed, accepting the lamp from him.
"We must work together if we're to fight Salem and win," Ironwood implored. "Now, if you're all on board…"
Ruby considered his offer for a few seconds before firmly nodding. "Tell us how we can help."
"So, that way's the cafeteria, and that way is the training room… and over there the classrooms…"
Penny had taken them to see the sights… and the trip had been arduous. Even Ruby -who seemed most capable of keeping up with Penny's boundless energy- stretched and yawned after their very thorough tour. "That all looks great, Penny… but where are we staying?"
"Remember, you're in Atlas now," Penny reminded her. "As the most well-funded school on Remnant, every team at Atlas gets their own room! And if that wasn't enough-"
"So, we're staying in the dorms?" Ren inquired.
"It'll be just like Beacon again!" Penny enthusiastically replied, with a little hop and twirl in between steps.
Nora fell onto her back, apparently having been worn down by Penny's exuberance. Even Nora couldn't outlast her…
Still, at least they had some understanding of their living quarters now. It'd be a step down from having so many rooms to themselves in Mistral, but their quarters sounded much better than the spare bedroom of a townhouse or the living room floor around a fireplace.
Though Oscar did wonder where he'd end up… technically, he wasn't assigned to a team. He was still the outlier, just as he'd been in all previous instances. Would he be given his own room? Or sent to join Jaune, Ren, and Nora to occupy the least amount of space?
Penny actually showed them to three rooms assigned to them, so maybe General Ironwood had already anticipated the possibility of an awkward living situation. Or maybe he'd wanted Ozpin -or the person he thought of us as Ozpin- to have separate quarters from the others.
But he also hadn't gone into detail about how the rooms were allocated. And Oscar might feel guilty having space entirely to himself while the others bunked together…
Then again, the others seemed fine to do just that. Team RWBY were content with their dorm -even with four beds carved right into the wall and with relatively little space to move- and Jaune could no more hope to detach himself from Ren and Nora than they could detach from each other. Oscar didn't weigh in; he was simply given privacy… and isolation.
That was okay. He did have some… matters to work out. And his room had its own bathroom and shower stall. That wasn't a luxury he'd ever been afforded in his life.
Penny took the time to program everyone's Scrolls to unlock the doors to their respective rooms. Oscar quietly went along, occasionally glancing at the others, searching for any sign of resentment.
No one ever seemed to be looking his way. He could understand that maybe they were focused on resettling, on becoming accustomed to new quarters… on the various revelations General Ironwood had dropped on all their heads.
Not for the first time in the course of their tour, Oscar's eye drifted back to Ruby. Someone he'd never once expected to craft a lie… had told two. And everyone had gone along -followed her lead- including himself.
He hadn't expected that to be how they were introduced to General Ironwood, who seemed to be providing for their every need and trusting them with his deepest secrets. He could understand caution after what happened with Lionheart at Haven, but if anything he'd expected someone like Qrow to be cagey. He supposed with Ruby taking the collective lead she may have tried to learn from the last time she put her faith in authority…
Including Ozpin.
Oscar didn't assume she blamed him, specifically. She tried to reach out to him after Jinn's various revelations, and had singled him out for praise as they left Argus. But if she still resented Ozpin in particular…
The way Yang did…
The way Qrow did…
Oscar felt a gentle sinking in his stomach. He moved to his assigned bathroom to throw water on his face, to dredge himself back to the present. He was in a comfortable, heated space now, with friends -mostly, he assumed- right next door. Just because Ruby had learned something from her time in Mistral -and perhaps simply matured as situations dictated she had to- did not mean she was going to keep surprising and disturbing him.
But Yang had.
Blake had, from the day they met.
Oscar kept splashing his face. He thought perhaps after some rest… it hadn't even been a day since he'd accepted what he'd lost. He didn't know exactly how long they'd stay in Atlas, but with enough time, enough distance from those painful memories…
Oscar looked up, examining his face in the mirror, watching a bead of water dribble down his cheek, passing a brown freckle. He moved his eyes left to right, searching for any sign… the first time Ozpin ever spoke to him, Oscar saw some glimpse of him in a mirror just like this one.
"Oz…?"
Nothing. Just the running water under his chin and the subtle dabbing of individual beads falling from his skin.
Oscar shook his head and turned off the faucet. Whatever was going on now, Ozpin didn't seem concerned about his self-preservation. But given how immediately Ozpin resurged before, Oscar did wonder if he was still conscious back there… watching, planning…
Oscar stepped back into the hall to look at the others, congregated outside their own dorms, conversing with each other, naturally gelling as they'd always seemed to…
He didn't interject himself. He didn't try to draw their attention his way. He just passively observed as the others spoke, his eyes occasionally moving to the far side, to Team RWBY, to Yang-
Oscar turned his attention to Nora, the closest one to him. She and Ruby had been the first ones to ever grab his attention, and unlike Ruby, Nora never seemed to change. Save a brief moment where she'd felt hurt and betrayed by Ozpin too, Nora had been… at least willing to acknowledge him as something other than just Ozpin's vessel. As far as he could tell, she'd never lied either: she was too blunt to ever do so.
He suspected that was where he'd try to reintegrate: with the first group of people he'd befriended in this strange group from Beacon academy. He may always have been the outsider, but he felt there were still some people he could look at and not dwell on confusing, painful memories.
It was a start. A brand new school in a whole other kingdom in a life he'd never expected to know… they were the only people he could turn to now. Just because his circle of friends seemed smaller than it had before didn't mean he had to constantly dwell on what he lost. He could be grateful for what he still had.
He settled in closer to Ren and Nora as the latter talked excitedly about upgrades Pietro Polendina -Penny's father- was working on for them…
"Your new weapons and armor should be as requested, but I also took the liberty of reviewing your combat footage from the Vytal Festival tournament," Pietro explained to Jaune. Nora giggled with excitement as she snatched up her case and eagerly started digging through it.
Jaune held his Scroll at arm's length, trying to keep an eye on Nora lest she find carefully-packed ordinance and get a bit too enthusiastic about extracting it. "And it's all… uh, safe, right?"
"There's some additional enhancements I'd like to suggest," Pietro added from the other side of the screen. "But for now, these should serve you well enough."
Ruby smiled when she opened her case; it was entirely possible she was an even bigger weapons nut than Nora, but she was much more restrained with her exuberance. Nora's eyes were practically gleaming when she revealed the contents of her case.
Though they hadn't been blown up yet, so Jaune… assumed she was going to be relatively safe with her new toys. He allowed himself to open his case and see what goodies he'd been given…
Some kind of grip attachment… something for his shield, maybe? His shield was a pre-Great War invention, so by necessity the modifications to it would either be attachments or radically reforge the components, as he'd asked a blacksmith to do in Mistral. Without Crocea Mors in hand, Pietro gave him something to snap in place on his shield.
Jaune saw the metal fit nicely into the grooves. It had some small blue Dust crystal serving as a power source, so it wasn't entirely analog… Jaune strapped his shield to his forearm and gave it a spin… watching as additional walls of blue energy extended from either side of the metal surface, creating a broader shield with two hard light panes.
Playing defense had served him better during the festival…
And he could remember to be grateful for Pietro making the effort. "Thanks. I like it."
Pietro smiled. "I thought you would. I've also put in a requisition for some existing Atlas field equipment to be sent to your dorm and give you something ranged to go with. If you need to be anchored down in one spot anyway we can have you set up multiple shields so your friends have a few more things to block enemy fire… not have so many people jumping up on you when they need a boost either!"
Pietro said he'd watched footage of the Vytal Festival in making this decision… when he'd needed Pyrrha to intercept a shot by using his shield as her launchpad.
Maybe having a wider shield might've made it easier to block Cinder's arrow, to prevent her from interfering…
No, that wouldn't have made any difference. He'd been the one foolish enough to turn, to take his eye off the entrance and given Cinder her opening in the first place.
Just a reminder he had to remember to be steady. All the more reason to find a place to hunker down and give his friends a shield to stand behind, rather than to chase after glory he wasn't meant for.
Pietro noticed Jaune's expression change at some point; he'd only known Jaune a day, but still offered him some measure of concern. "You alright there, son?"
"...oh, yeah, I'm… I'm just tired, Mr. Polendina," Jaune quickly reassured him. "Sorry, didn't mean to doze off on you - I really do like it a lot."
He wasn't sure if Pietro believed him or not, but Pietro did allow him to save face. "Well, that's always good to hear. I'm gonna patch in to talk to Penny about her friends from Team RWBY. You have any trouble with that shield enhancement, you give me a call, you hear?"
"Yes, sir," Jaune agreed. "Thanks again."
A bit more formal than he usually tried to be. He was even less convinced Pietro believed his claim, but at least the old man hadn't chosen to press him on the matter. Leaving Jaune alone with his thoughts, all sounds of Ruby and Nora gushing over their new toys drowned out by the familiar sounds of that night…
The chamber powering up, Pyrrha's cry causing him to turn around, to take his eye off the ball…
Jaune sat down on the nearest bunk, beside the case Pietro sent him. He rummaged briefly around under his pauldron, finding a scrap of red fabric he'd left sandwiched between his hoodie and his armor…
He saw a woman in Argus who'd looked very similar to Pyrrha, leaving flowers at her memorial. She vanished as quickly as she appeared; so quickly he didn't think Ren and Nora even noticed she was there… if she'd been there at all, if she hadn't just been some manifestation of his guilt… which didn't strike him as entirely out of the realm of possibility.
Jaune ran his thumb over the fabric. The way Pyrrha wore her sash… the statue didn't do it justice. The pleated stone couldn't hope to match the way the red flared at her back when she moved, or when the wind caught her just so.
His hair briefly clumped over his eye and Jaune angrily brushed the locks aside. He paused upon realizing how it all moved when he inclined his head, how it fell before his eyes and blocked his vision…
He really needed to be better about seeing what was right in front of him. He hadn't ever been good at it, but more than ever he felt his friends needed him to be. He was so tired of failure and now that they had at least a few moments of relative safety and security…
He wondered where he could go to get his haircut.
"Nora, no, that's too much-!"
Oscar was drawn by loud banging sounds from the dorm next door. He stepped out into the hall, hearing additional stumbling and distant, frayed buzzing.
"Just a little more off the top and we'll be done!" Oscar heard Nora promise him.
"A little more…?!" Jaune incredulously repeated. "The way you've styled it is just… it looks like a bunch of tiny bananas on my head!"
Oscar could no longer fight his curiosity. This had to be seen.
When he stepped over to the dorm, he very nearly had to dive out of the way when Jaune stormed out. Looking up, Oscar saw his hair was much shorter, and now much spikier, upswept ever so slightly, giving each lock a curvature… and with how very blonde Jaune's hair was… Oscar could see why Jaune might be upset at having a bunch of tiny yellow fruits where his hair used to be.
Peering inside, he spotted Nora standing beside a desk chair with clippers and an electric razor, looking crestfallen. He didn't know exactly how the two found themselves there, but could probably guess Nora was disappointed Jaune wasn't happy with her efforts…
Jaune wouldn't want anyone to look at his hair or stay with him -that'd only compound his embarrassment. Oscar let him storm off, instead stepping inside to see how Nora was handling the unexpectedly negative reaction.
"I was trying to make it look nice…" Nora lamented. "He let himself get all gangly…"
"Well, he's been that way as long as I've known him," Oscar pointed out. "Was it shorter when you guys were at Beacon or something?"
"No, it was always pretty long," Nora explained. "I just thought he'd look better with short hair… guess he disagreed."
She was being cordial, but seemed much less enthused than he'd ever expected Nora to be. Oscar stepped further in, thinking on what he could say to help assuage her concern.
It'd be pretty hard to honestly tell her he hadn't seen the same imperfection Jaune had, but it wasn't quite as noticeable when he was running through the hall. Maybe… it looked better in motion?
"I'm sure he'll get over it after the shock wears off," Oscar suggested. "Whatever he thinks now, he's glad you took the time to do this for him."
"...you think so?" Nora wondered, starting to perk up ever so slightly.
"Yeah, of course I do," Oscar earnestly replied. "Everybody is glad they have you around, Nora. We just don't always remember to tell you that."
Nora's hopeful expression turned to a broad smile. Oscar tried not to stare directly at it… the last time he'd been entranced by the sight of a smile… hadn't ended well for him.
But with Nora there was never any risk of things going anywhere: she and Ren were practically attached at the hip. Although…
"Where's Ren?" Oscar wondered.
"Taking a shower," Nora replied. "I cut his hair before Jaune's. I think that's why-" She paused mid-thought, peering past Oscar's hazel eyes and scaling upward, looking at the messy crop of brown atop his head.
"Uh, hey, now-" Oscar began, instantly sensing danger… but he couldn't retreat after he'd paid her the compliment. He didn't want her to think his sincere appreciation had been feigned, or that he didn't enjoy her company just because the result of her haircuts had been… mixed.
"Just a little off the top," Nora suggested. "Make you a little less scruffy."
"...scruffy?" Oscar repeated. "You don't like my hair?"
"Actually, I think it suits you nicely," Nora replied. "I'm just thinking I could even it out…"
"...and take a little off the top?" Oscar suggested, already dreading the possibility of multiple brown bananas where his messy locks used to be.
"Just a little," Nora assured him. "Come on, the barbershop's already set up!"
Oscar had never been good at refusing her anyway. And it seemed even Nora Valkyrie could need a boost to her confidence and self-esteem. Him refusing her now would shatter what confidence he had successfully helped her to rebuild.
"Okay," Oscar resigned himself, walking over. "Just a little."
Nora eagerly pounced when Oscar sat down, sliding behind him and patting his hair with the palms of her hands, getting a feel for the fullness of it… trailing her fingers down the back of his neck and brushing along the messy, uneven hairs on his nape.
Nora had hugged him frequently, and her hands did wander a bit. But she'd never touched the back of his neck or run her fingers through his hair like this…
It was actually… quite nice. But then, she hadn't started trying to cut anything off yet…
"So, uh, when did you start giving your teammates' haircuts?" Oscar asked.
"Teammates? Just today," Nora answered, starting the familiar snip of clippers behind his head. "Ren's hair I started cutting more than eight years ago. Honestly, I think he just let me that first time so I'd have something to do."
For Ren - of course it was for Ren. This generous, intimate touch was always going to be focused on him. The thought hardly surprised Oscar… though he resented it more than he expected to.
He knew what they had. That Nora shared any affection with others should've felt like more of a blessing. He shouldn't have been… bothered just because Nora wanted to focus her attention on the boy she was in love with.
"Do you like doing it?" Oscar wondered.
"Mm, it's a bit of a chore, but it's fun," Nora replied, setting the clippers aside and getting a smaller pair of scissors. "Ren's hair was getting really long and I've always liked him better with it shorter… I kept a nice braid in there in case I wanted to style it later."
"Nice of Ren to just let you play with his hair like that," Oscar mused.
"Hey, I'm glad somebody lets me!" Nora optimistically replied, before falling silent, concentrating on making more precise cuts with the scissors. Glancing back, he could see Nora concentrating intensely, her tongue poking out from the corner of her mouth.
Nora had a desire to play with others' hair… and Ren indulged her. Maybe it was a subtle indication she'd have wanted to pursue some other life instead of becoming a Huntress, or maybe she was lamenting how few others trusted her to run around with a pair of scissors…
Oscar had already expressed his confidence and was pretty much locked into that choice now. But he'd never been especially good at holding a conversation when he got a haircut: usually his aunt gave him the necessary trimming and he silently sat through it, waiting for things to be over so he could continue with his day. Every few months it was the same: his hair was too long, his aunt cut it, and life went on.
With Nora, this was a rare opportunity where the two of them were alone. He could learn something more about her than what she'd already babbled about before… something she could talk about without the constant, calming influence of Lie Ren at her back.
"How are you holding up?" Oscar asked her. "With this place so far, I mean…?"
Nora gently shrugged. "It's alright, I guess. I'm… you heard me arguing with the General-" a rare hint of sarcasm, "-for a minute there, but I'm glad we're mostly in agreement now. I'm glad everybody's willing to work together and nobody's trying to lock anybody up."
Nora had briefly sparred with General Ironwood about the condition of Mantle -compared to the wealth and opulence of the city above it- but Oscar had barely even registered her being there. His attention had been all for Yang, still unable to tear his eyes away from the back of her head.
"Why does what's happening in Mantle bug you?" Oscar wondered. "I mean, other than… other than the obvious."
Nora paused for a moment before trailing her fingers around Oscar's cheek, slowly trimming down a few locks from the right side of his head. Oscar's attention was drawn away from waiting for her answer… mostly his focus was on the warmth of her fingertips when they gently brushed along his cheek.
"I just remember seeing other places like it before," Nora replied. "When Ren and I traveled together, before we got to Beacon. Big holes in the wall that Grimm eventually found their way through… and people who could fix it finding better things to do and just ignoring people who were suffering… I really can't stand seeing things like that. Penny said Atlas was rich, but I guess they don't have the Lien to fix a wall…"
This was much more insight into Nora than Oscar had expected… ever, really. He hadn't realized how bothered she'd been…
But then, Nora was much quieter than many people realized. They saw her being bubbly and energetic and speaking her mind… and never wondered in the moments she wasn't if Nora had stopped to bite her tongue.
"Is that why you wanted to be a Huntress?" Oscar asked her. "To help people with the Grimm and… broken walls?"
"Big part of it, sure," Nora nodded, setting the scissors aside and getting the electric razor. "Bend a bit here; hold still."
Oscar complied, hearing the faint buzzing behind his head and feeling something press -however distantly- through his strands. But the silence from Nora was far more telling…
"And the other part?" Oscar wondered.
Nora continued the buzz a few more seconds. In between finding places to target, Nora finally added: "Lots of people to keep safe too."
"Well, you're good at that," Oscar agreed. "...you know, when you're not breaking their bones yourself."
He hadn't meant it as a dig. But Nora was still quiet: she hadn't matched his reparte. Unlike Yang, she wasn't so quick to meet a bad joke with one of her own.
"Sorry," Oscar quickly clarified. "I didn't mean I don't like… uh, it's just… you get… enthusiastic."
Nora chuckled. Much more subdued than he expected of her.
Something more serious was troubling her. Something even bigger than Jaune unintentionally hurting her feelings.
"I'm just saying, I'm glad you're there," Oscar continued, trying to find some praise that would actually stick. "Nobody I'd rather have… protecting me, I guess."
Not the entirety of the truth. But no longer a lie, either now that… now that he assumed the other girl in his thoughts was more interested in protecting someone else.
"Almost done here," Nora told him. "Little bit of this, little bit of that…"
Oscar hadn't quite managed to assuage her worries. He racked his brain thinking of something that he could say.
But Nora was not Yang, and it was becoming increasingly clear there was a lot about her he'd never thought to look for, things he hadn't seen when all his thoughts had been for… little moments like her hands on his skin.
He didn't know what to say. He didn't know what she needed to hear. He may have just gotten lucky in volunteering himself for this…
He could-
No, he didn't rely on the magic. He didn't need a crutch. She was his friend, and even if he couldn't find the right words to help her right then, just the effort made would matter to her… wouldn't it?
But was it so wrong to help her see how much he valued her? To help her… believe?
Nothing could ever change between her and Ren. This wasn't some selfish attempt to make her see him as more desirable than the man she'd loved for… well, at least eight years, it sounded like. He just wanted her to think Oscar was sincerely glad to be there, spending time with her.
It wasn't so wrong to put that suggestion in her head, he told himself. It wasn't so wrong to make her happy.
When Nora stepped away from him and appraised him, Oscar looked back around, peering up at her big blue eyes and gave her a broad smile. When her eyes met his'... he told her it was okay to believe what Oscar was saying, however inelegant he was in trying to get the point across.
She smiled right back. Oscar reached up with one hand to affectionately grip her shoulder, just to further emphasize the point.
"All done," Nora assured him, lifting him up with her free hand and directing him to a mirror. "Whatcha think?"
From Oscar's perspective, he looked… pretty much the same. Maybe a bit shorter… but definitely no weird fruit shapes. "It looks good."
When he said that, he meant it entirely. He tried to help Nora feel good about his answer.
Her smile turned a little softer. "I think so too."
Staring at the two of them in the mirror, Oscar noted she wasn't so much taller than he was… they were very nearly at eye level. He didn't always have to crane his head to look…
And feeling the strength of her arm under his fingers… knowing how the muscles contrasted with the softness of her hand when it pressed against his cheek…
He wondered what it'd feel like to hold that hand, just a few inches away… if she'd latch on as tightly as Yang had with her prosthetic, if she'd try to reach out each time they were alone to find her anchor…
If she'd run her hand over his cheek when they held each others' gaze, falling back onto a warm mattress…
Nora suddenly shook her head and slid her arm out from Oscar's loose grip. She stepped away from the mirror, gathering her little supply of haircutting tools together on a nearby counter.
Had she just- had he-
Was he still linked, and had he just made her think about-
He wasn't thinking about anything else now. It was a much more pleasant thought than dwelling on Yang and what they'd shared for such a short time… knowing how that'd all turn out. With Nora, he never expected things to happen… and thus, never expected things to be ruined…
"Uh, now that you've cut my hair, I think… I'll shower too, get… the loose hairs…" Oscar suggested.
Hairs Nora ran her fingers through, hairs Nora firmly gripped when Oscar moved their faces closer together…
"Yeah… sounds good," Nora agreed, uncharacteristically subdued once more.
"...right," Oscar agreed. "See you… later?"
"Right," Nora echoed. "Later."
Oscar had to get away. He didn't want to keep letting Nora think about… well, the places his thoughts could occasionally go when he thought about her.
He wondered if she remembered the house, when he'd compelled her to touch herself… thinking about him, finally taking Ren's place-
Oscar moved out of the dorm. Glancing back, he couldn't see Nora's face. He only heard a sharp intake of breath.
Away. Quickly. No more thoughts of Nora. Of him and Nora. Not until he got himself under control.
When Oscar made it back to his room, he locked the door as quickly as he could without making it obvious that he'd slammed it behind him. He darted over to the bathroom, splashing water on his face, drenching himself with something cold and jarring to knock him back to reality.
He'd screwed that up… trying to help Nora feel better and just jumping back into… thoughts like those…
Thoughts that would not leave him now. Thoughts that he needed to… dispel.
He'd told Nora he was going to take a shower.
He didn't think she'd notice if it happened to be a long one.
The bed space wasn't so bad: they'd had similar limited room at Beacon. But the roof was a little closer to them, so they couldn't lift their heads quite as high. The wall being to their left meant they couldn't lean too far away from the mattress. Having three walls around them made the whole thing feel claustrophobic… the rigid functionality of Atlas seemed designed to dampen the mood.
Still, Ruby and Weiss were eating, Nora had just left after cleaning her dorm, and Oscar was two big rooms away from them… they were about as private as they were going to have a chance to get.
Neither knew exactly where to start. They knew what they wanted to express and where they wanted it to lead, but how they went about it eluded them…
Yang started off, taking the lead. Blake could appreciate that and go along with it. Yang was always the one to drive her, to pull her in when she was emotional, to soothe her with a firm grip and a gentle tousle.
She gently pressed Blake down onto the mattress of the bottom bunk -neither wanted to waste time climbing up to the second level- and adjusted both their positions to leave them at eye level. For a long time, all they did was stare into each other's eyes.
There were… certain things they knew they wanted to do. Certain things they'd experienced with others and now wanted to share with each other…
Yang again took the lead, leaning down to find Blake's lips. Blake intercepted her before she could finish her descent, leaning up and pressing first.
They broke away almost as soon as they'd arrived. Just to taste one another, just to get a sense for what awaited…
Their first kiss, barely the blink of an eye. But it was an encouraging start: the second one -following almost immediately after when Yang hungrily dove in again- lasted much longer. Yang reached down with her left hand to run through Blake's long hair. Blake reached up with both hands to gently grip Yang's collar, anchoring her in place in case she thought of drawing back again.
They hadn't intended to go too far. Just to explore one another… just to let that emotion out while it was still at the forefront of their minds. The night after Argus they'd still been full of adrenaline. Today, they were a bit more muted… but still fumbling, still trying to grasp something new, to use experiences from a different source in a new way.
Yang enjoyed the softness of Blake's hair. It was something completely different from Oscar -long and wavy- and easier for her to firmly grip. Her skin felt softer too, when Yang's body brushed against it: not molded by labor and farmwork, but smooth to the touch. And when Yang's left hand finally left her grip on Blake's hair and slid down her neck, she made a point to examine all the exposed skin she could… something made far easier without that bulky white coat to get in the way.
Blake's hands eventually left Yang's collar and slid under her arms to her back, finding something familiar: strong muscles under her shoulders for Blake to grip and caress… that was a feeling not so alien to her, something that felt much more like she expected her lover to feel like when she touched them.
Yang's hand trailed past Blake's shoulder to the fabric of her top. When her fingers reached Blake's exposed midsection they slid under the black garb… and finally she paused, breaking their kiss, coming up for air.
Oscar had done this too -stopped and looked at her, waiting for her assent. Blake could be granted the same courtesy.
Blake did look up, then back down to Yang's hand, her face flushed and her breathing rapid. She gave a short nod, and Yang wasted no more time in gently rolling up Blake's shirt.
She'd placed her hands on Oscar's stomach too, rolled up his shirt just like this…
That thought drained her enthusiasm in an instant. Yang's fingers fell away, Blake's shirt awkwardly falling back, half crumpled against her skin. Blake looked up at her, hastily breathing: "...what's wrong?"
"I'm… not sure," Yang lied. "I'm… I was into it and just-"
She didn't want to say why she'd suddenly lost her hunger. She didn't want Blake to feel guilty for something that wasn't her fault.
She just slid away, falling uncharacteristically silent as she moved to the foot of the bed, gently moving Blake's legs aside and putting a bit more distance between them; no longer touching in any sense.
"Yang, what is it?" Blake asked, propping herself up on her elbows, moving up, closer to eye level.
Yang opened her mouth but didn't manage to say anything. Her mouth just hung open for a few seconds before she remembered to shut it, looking away from Blake and staring at the floor.
Blake didn't continue to inquire. She brought herself to a sitting position, keeping a few inches away from Yang, occasionally glancing her way, waiting for Yang to look back.
This was what she'd been waiting for, and it was over so quickly…? Before either of them really got the chance to try anything new?
"...I'm sorry," Yang mumbled.
No further explanation. Yang couldn't form the words.
Blake could hear them just the same: torturous, slinging guilt. Storming through Yang's blood with every rapid heartbeat.
When they kissed, for a few moments Yang had managed to bury that pain. Blake tried to encourage her to get further into it, but something dragged her back, some thought or recollection that just…
She'd hoped the second kiss would be better. But the ending left a sour taste.
"It's okay," Blake tried to assure her.
She didn't know exactly what Yang saw. Her scar on her midsection, reminding Yang of Adam and the harsh, cold memory of the fight?
No, Yang didn't feel guilty about defending herself. She didn't feel guilty about doing what she believed she'd had to.
In Argus, the day before they left, she'd planned to say those same two words to Oscar…
Blake cursed herself for rushing to this. She should've known Yang wouldn't simply be over her feelings in a matter of days: Yang Xiao Long cared too much -for everyone in her life- to just move on from them so quickly. She hadn't had Blake's fortune to spend several months away from her ex and find the strength to rebuild herself… after spending so long defining herself -at least in part- by her relationship with Adam. She had to take many steps away from him before she stopped hearing him cry after her on the train. She had to spend many nights waking up feeling cold before she got used to sleeping alone again.
Yang… hadn't had those benefits. She'd shared Oscar's bed less than a week ago, and Blake had hoped… hoped that she could help Yang forget and immerse her in the present.
It bothered her to see Yang being so quiet… and knowing she was anything but under the surface. Blake had been there, but been better able to guard. No one around her had the ears to listen to the storm underneath. No one had the knowledge of what Blake had left behind. Yang didn't have the luxury of secrecy.
But they did have the luxury of time. There wasn't any need to rush now… there would be some other opportunity to be alone, after they'd had a while longer for Yang to… adjust.
Blake self-consciously reached over to her hair. Yang had run her fingers through it for a while… but left it quickly to touch her bare skin instead. Was it not to her liking?
It was something preferable to think about. Preferable to thinking about just how long Yang might've needed to move on… and how much longer Blake still had to wait.