Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Finals and Celebrations
The late afternoon sun streamed through the windows of Beacon Academy as students poured out of their final examination rooms, a mixture of relief and exhaustion etched on their faces. Team RWBY emerged from Professor Port's classroom, Ruby practically bouncing despite her fatigue.
"That's it! First semester finals are officially over!" Yang declared, throwing her arms up in victory. Her golden hair caught the sunlight as she grinned widely. "You know what this means, right?"
Weiss adjusted her pristine uniform and raised an eyebrow. "That we should return to our dormitory and prepare for next semester like responsible students?"
"Boooo!" Yang made an exaggerated thumbs down gesture. "Wrong answer, Ice Queen. It means we celebrate! There's this great place downtown that—"
"Absolutely not," Weiss cut her off sharply. "We are not going to some disreputable establishment to engage in... in whatever it is you're suggesting."
Blake looked up from her book with mild interest. "What kind of place are we talking about?"
"Nothing too crazy," Yang said with a mischievous grin. "Just a nice club where we can unwind, maybe dance a little, have a few drinks—"
"We're underage!" Weiss protested.
"Not all of us," Yang waggled her eyebrows. "Besides, they serve non-alcoholic stuff too. Come on, we've been studying for weeks!"
Down the hallway, Team JNPR was having a similar conversation, though with considerably less protest. Nora was already vibrating with excitement at the prospect of a night out, while Ren nodded his quiet approval. Jaune seemed uncertain, running a hand through his messy blonde hair.
"I don't know, guys. Maybe we should just order pizza and call it a night?"
"Jaune Arc," Nora pointed an accusatory finger at him, "you are not spending our celebration night moping in the dorm room. We're going out and we're having fun whether you like it or not!"
Pyrrha watched the exchange with a small smile, though her heart was racing for entirely different reasons. This could be it—the perfect opportunity. She'd been trying to work up the courage to tell Jaune how she felt for months now, but every time she got close, she'd chicken out or he'd miss the hint entirely. Maybe... maybe with a little liquid courage, she could finally say what needed to be said.
Yang's voice carried down the hallway as she continued her campaign. "Ruby, back me up here. Don't you want to celebrate?"
Ruby shifted uncomfortably, wrapping her arms around herself. "I mean, yeah, but... you know how I get around crowds of people I don't know."
Yang's expression immediately softened, and she wrapped an arm around her younger sister. "Hey, that's what big sisters are for, right? I'll stick right by your side the whole time. Anyone gives you trouble, they'll have to deal with these." She flexed her free arm dramatically.
"Yang..." Ruby started to protest.
"Nope! No arguments. Team RWBY sticks together, and that means making sure our fearless leader doesn't get hassled by any creeps." Yang's protective instincts were clearly kicking in. "Besides, you need to learn how to have fun outside of weapon maintenance."
Weiss threw her hands up in exasperation. "This is ridiculous. Blake, surely you can talk some sense into them?"
Blake closed her book with a soft snap and shrugged. "Actually, it might be nice to get out for a while. We have been cooped up studying."
"Et tu, Blake?" Weiss said dramatically, though there was a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
"Three against one, Weiss," Yang said smugly. "Democracy in action."
Pyrrha took a deep breath and made her decision. "I think it sounds lovely," she said, loud enough for both teams to hear. "We should celebrate our hard work."
Jaune looked surprised. "Really? I mean, if you're sure..."
"I'm sure," Pyrrha said with more confidence than she felt. "Besides, it'll be fun to do something together as friends."
Friends. The word tasted bitter in her mouth, but not for much longer if she had anything to say about it.
Nora clapped her hands together. "Yes! This is going to be amazing! Ren, we need to coordinate outfits!"
"I... don't think that's necessary, Nora," Ren replied patiently.
"Everything's necessary when it comes to celebrating!" Nora declared.
Yang overheard and grinned. "That's the spirit! Alright, everyone meet in the main lobby at eight. Dress nice, but not too nice—we're going dancing, not to a funeral."
As the groups began to disperse to prepare, Pyrrha lingered for a moment, watching Jaune as he chatted with Ren about what to wear. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Tonight was going to change everything—she could feel it.
Just a drink or two for courage, she told herself. Just enough to finally tell him the truth.
What could possibly go wrong?