Beacon Academy - Team RWBY's Dorm Room
The dorm room was a mess of pillows, blankets, and snacks scattered across the floor. Laughter and chatter filled the space as Team RWBY and JNPR enjoyed their sleepover, a well-earned break from training and missions.
Yang was arm-wrestling Nora (again), Blake sat by the window reading, Ren calmly sipped his tea, and Jaune and Pyrrha were playing a board game that Jaune was definitely losing. Weiss sat beside Ruby, filing her nails while rolling her eyes at Yang and Nora's antics.
And right in the middle of it all was Hemera.
She sat cross-legged on a pillow, bundled in one of Onyx's coats like a tiny wolf pup in a den. It was far too big for her, but she refused to take it off because "it smells like Papa." Her silver eyes gleamed with mischief as she observed everyone with innocent curiosity.
"This is fun!" Hemera chirped, kicking her legs excitedly. "But where's Papa?"
Ruby chuckled, ruffling the girl's hair. "He's stuck doing paperwork, remember?"
Hemera pouted. "That's boring."
"Yeah, but someone's gotta do it," Yang said, leaning back on her hands. "And you know how Onyx is—he won't stop working until it's all done."
Hemera hummed in thought. Then, without warning—
"Ruby."
Ruby blinked at the sudden seriousness in Hemera's voice. "Uh… yeah?"
Hemera tilted her head, silver eyes filled with childlike curiosity.
"Do you like Papa?"
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Blake's book snapped shut. Pyrrha and Jaune's game pieces clattered onto the board. Ren actually paused mid-sip of his tea.
Ruby's entire brain crashed like a poorly coded Scroll application.
"W-WHAT?!"
Hemera blinked innocently. "Do you like him?"
Ruby's face exploded into a furious shade of red. "I-I—W-WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT?!"
Weiss smirked. "Oh, this just got interesting."
Yang grinned way too wide. "Oh-ho! Yeah, Rubes, do you like Onyx?"
Nora gasped dramatically. "WAIT. Does this mean Onyx is gonna be Papa Onyx for Ruby too?!"
Pyrrha giggled, covering her mouth. "It's a valid question."
Ruby flailed, face burning hotter than her cloak. "T-That's—I—We're just friends! Right?! We're just—"
Hemera tilted her head further, confused. "But Papa always looks at you like you're his favorite person."
Ruby choked on air.
Jaune blinked. "Huh. You know, now that I think about it, Onyx does act different around Ruby…"
Ren nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. He's normally calm and composed, but with Ruby, there's… a softness."
Blake, silent up until now, smirked. "His ears twitch when she's nearby."
Ruby whined into a pillow. "I hate you all."
Hemera, oblivious to Ruby's suffering, continued. "So do you like him?"
Ruby peeked out from the pillow, her face still pink. "W-Well… yeah, of course, I like Onyx! He's my friend."
Hemera frowned. "No, no, I mean do you like like him?"
Ruby squeaked. "THAT'S DIFFERENT."
Yang cackled. "Not an answer, Rubes~"
Weiss smirked. "You're avoiding the question, how very suspicious."
Ruby buried herself in blankets. "I hate this sleepover."
Pyrrha smiled sympathetically. "It's alright, Ruby. We're just teasing. But… I think Hemera's question does have some merit."
Ruby peeked out again, still blushing. "…What do you mean?"
Pyrrha hummed. "Well, Onyx is very protective of you, isn't he?"
"That's just how he is," Ruby mumbled, playing with the edge of her blanket. "He protects all of us."
Pyrrha nodded. "True. But… with you, it's different. He trusts you the most. He lets his guard down around you."
That part made Ruby pause.
Onyx did act differently around her.
With others, he was always calm, stoic, and tactical—always thinking ahead, always in control. But with her…
He laughed more.
He let himself relax.
She saw the softer side of him more than anyone else.
Ruby buried her burning face into the pillow. "Oh my gods."
Yang grinned. "Having an epiphany, little sis?"
Ruby whined. "I DON'T KNOW, OKAY?! I JUST—UGH!"
Hemera tilted her head, then smiled. "That's okay. You'll figure it out."
Ruby sighed, her face still hot. "Thanks, Hemera…"
Hemera beamed.
The teasing continued for a while longer, but eventually, the conversation shifted to other things, and the sleepover resumed as normal.
Well… mostly normal.
Ruby still couldn't stop thinking about Onyx.
---
Later That Night - Onyx's Office
Onyx sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the stack of paperwork on his desk.
Why was there so much?
Being a professor and a huntsman came with its perks, but paperwork? This was the true final boss.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. He could be spending time with Hemera right now… or relaxing with Ruby and the others.
His ears twitched. Ruby.
A small smirk tugged at his lips. She was probably stuffing her face with snacks right now.
He imagined the chaos of the sleepover—the laughter, the teasing, the ridiculous conversations. It was nice that Hemera got to spend time with them.
His little light deserved that.
A soft warmth filled his chest at the thought.
Then, for some reason, his mind drifted.
To Ruby.
To the way she smiled so brightly when she was excited.
To the way she pouted when Weiss teased her.
To the way she rambled when she got nervous.
To the way she always made him feel… lighter.
Onyx blinked.
Then frowned.
"…I need to finish this paperwork."
Shaking his head, he refocused on his work.
But for some reason…
His ears twitched again.
And his thoughts kept drifting back to a certain silver-eyed girl.