Vale - Afternoon
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the bustling streets of Vale. People moved about, merchants shouted their wares, and the scent of freshly baked goods drifted through the air.
Team RWBY and JNPR had been enjoying a casual day off, wandering the marketplace together-until Nora spotted something interesting.
"LOOK!" she whisper-shouted, pointing excitedly.
Everyone followed her gaze and saw Onyx and Hemera walking down the street together.
Onyx, as usual, moved with calm precision, his long coat flowing behind him. He had one hand in his pocket while the other rested protectively on Hemera's head. The little girl walked beside him, practically bouncing with every step, her silver eyes gleaming with excitement.
Ruby smiled. "Aww, that's adorable."
Weiss raised an eyebrow. "And?"
Nora grinned mischievously. "Let's follow them!"
A beat of silence.
Ren sighed. "Nora, we can't just stalk Onyx."
"Why not?"
Jaune scratched his head. "I mean... yeah, why not?"
Blake crossed her arms. "It's weird. And kind of creepy."
"Or..." Nora smirked. "It could be fun."
Pyrrha looked hesitant. "I don't know... if Onyx finds out, he probably won't like it."
Yang chuckled. "C'mon, don't you guys wanna see what Mr. Mysterious does in his free time?"
That made everyone pause.
Because actually... yeah.
Onyx was always composed, always working, always focused-but what did he actually do when he wasn't fighting, training, or teaching?
Ren exhaled slowly. "...I suppose if we're discreet."
Nora pumped her fist. "YES!"
And so, reluctantly, the rest of the group agreed, following at a distance as Onyx and Hemera continued down the street.
The group trailed them through Vale, carefully keeping to the side streets and blending in with the crowds.
They watched as Onyx bought Hemera a snack from a street vendor, casually handing the vendor some Lien without a second thought. Hemera happily munched on the treat while Onyx ruffled her hair.
Ruby softly smiled. He really was like a big brother-or, really, a father-to her.
They continued following as Onyx stopped by a florist, where Hemera picked out a small bouquet of white and purple flowers.
"Who do you think those are for?" Pyrrha whispered.
Weiss tapped her chin. "A romantic interest?"
Ruby nearly tripped over her own feet. "W-WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT?!"
Yang smirked. "Ooooh, getting jealous, Rubes?"
Ruby turned bright red. "I AM NOT."
Jaune chuckled. "I don't think it's for a date. If it was, wouldn't Onyx be picking them out instead of Hemera?"
Blake nodded. "That's a good point."
They watched as Onyx gently took Hemera's hand and led her further down the road.
Then, after a few more minutes of walking...
They stopped.
And Team RWBY and JNPR stared.
Because right in front of them was a large sign that read-
VALE ORPHANAGE.
Silence fell over the group.
Nora blinked. "...Huh?"
Ruby's eyes widened. "Why would Onyx go to an orphanage?"
Yang furrowed her brows. "Wait... isn't he an orphan?"
Pyrrha nodded slowly. "Yes... he is."
Weiss, usually quick with sarcastic remarks, was strangely quiet.
Blake exhaled. "So that's what he does in his free time."
They watched as Onyx and Hemera walked through the orphanage gates.
Onyx didn't hesitate. He moved like he had been here many times before.
A few children playing outside saw him and immediately lit up.
"ONYX!"
The moment the kids saw him, they ran straight toward him, laughing and cheering.
Onyx smirked faintly, kneeling down as the kids tackled him in a hug.
Hemera giggled. "Told you they'd miss you, Papa."
Onyx chuckled. "Yeah, yeah."
Team RWBY and JNPR watched in stunned silence.
Ruby felt her heart squeeze.
This... this was a side of Onyx she had never seen before.
Not the stoic warrior.
Not the fearsome fighter.
But the big brother to these children. The protector.
And suddenly...
She understood.
The courtyard of the Vale Orphanage was filled with laughter and joy as Onyx and Hemera played with the children.
Despite Onyx's usual stoic and composed demeanor, he moved with ease among the kids, engaging in their games without hesitation.
"Got you!" Hemera giggled as she tagged a boy and ran away.
The boy gasped dramatically. "Ahh! Not fair, Hemera! You're too fast!"
Onyx smirked. "No excuses. Keep up."
The children cheered as they continued their game of tag, Onyx playing along but intentionally slowing down so the younger kids could have fun.
Even with his wolf-like reflexes, he let the children "catch" him, laughing softly whenever they tackled him to the ground.
Ruby, Yang, Weiss, Blake, and the rest of the group watched from a distance, completely entranced by the sight.
"I never would have expected this." Blake murmured.
"Yeah..." Pyrrha whispered, her expression soft.
Ren folded his arms. "He's... good with kids."
Nora grinned. "Of course he is! He's basically a dad already!"
Ruby, still watching Onyx as he lifted a small girl onto his shoulders, felt her heart flutter.
He looks... happy.
Not just content. Not just at peace.
Truly happy.
And that realization made Ruby smile.
Inside the Orphanage
As the sky darkened and the moon began to rise, the matron of the orphanage, a kind elderly woman named Miss Elara, clapped her hands.
"Alright, little ones! It's time for our favorite part of the night-story time!"
The children cheered, quickly settling onto the floor in the orphanage's cozy common room.
Hemera tugged Onyx's sleeve. "Papa, you tell the best stories! You have to do it!"
The children all nodded excitedly, their eyes pleading.
Onyx exhaled, smirking slightly. "Fine. But only if you all sit still."
"YAY!"
Team RWBY and JNPR, who had quietly slipped inside the orphanage, stood at the back of the room, watching as Onyx took a seat in the storyteller's chair.
He leaned forward slightly, his amethyst eyes gleaming in the dim light.
And then...
He began.
"Once upon a time," Onyx's voice took on a deep, mysterious tone, "there was a little shadow that had no home."
The room fell silent, the children completely drawn in.
Then-slowly-shadows began to move along the walls.
Using his Semblance, Onyx created shadow puppets, forming the shape of a small, lonely creature wandering through the night.
Ruby gasped softly. "Whoa..."
"The shadow was different from all the others," Onyx continued, shifting his tone into something soft and longing. "While other shadows had places to belong, this one was... alone."
The shadow walked across the wall, passing by houses, forests, and distant lights-each time, the places pushed it away.
"The villages feared it. The towns turned it away. Even the stars in the sky refused to shine upon it."
The children leaned forward, eyes wide.
Hemera frowned. "That's so sad..."
Onyx's voice grew deeper, dramatic. "And so, the shadow wandered... and wandered... until one day, it found a tiny light."**
A small glowing figure appeared in the shadows. A little girl made of light.
"The little light did not fear the shadow," Onyx's voice softened. "Instead, she smiled and held out her hand."
The shadow puppet hesitated, then slowly reached out-
And the moment they touched, the two figures merged, forming a beautiful dance of light and shadow swirling together.
"For the first time, the shadow was no longer alone."
Onyx's voice dropped into a gentle whisper.
"Because sometimes... even shadows can find a home."
The shadows faded away, and the room remained silent for a long moment.
Then-
Clapping.
The children cheered, some even hugging each other as they celebrated the happy ending.
Hemera beamed. "That was the best one yet, Papa!"
Onyx smirked. "I aim to please."
At the back of the room, Ruby clutched her hands to her chest, her heart racing.
Onyx's story...
It wasn't just a story.
It was his story.
And Hemera...
She was the light that found him.
Ruby felt a warmth spread in her chest, and without realizing it-
She was falling for Onyx even more.
The excitement from Onyx's story was beginning to settle, and the younger children were starting to yawn, rubbing their sleepy eyes.
One little girl, barely five years old, clutched Onyx's sleeve. "Big Brother, can you sing for us?"
Onyx blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "...Sing?"
A chorus of small voices chimed in.
"Please, Big Brother!"
"We always sleep better when you sing!"
"We love your voice!"
From their spot in the back, Team RWBY and JNPR exchanged shocked glances.
"Did... did they just call him Big Brother?" Yang whispered.
Ren nodded slightly. "It seems like he's... part of their family."
Ruby felt her heart melt at the sight of Onyx, surrounded by so many little ones, their eyes full of admiration and love.
Onyx let out a small sigh but gave the children a gentle smirk. "Alright. Just one song."
The children all cheered softly, quickly curling up on the floor with pillows and blankets. Hemera climbed onto Onyx's lap, resting her head against his chest.
Onyx leaned back against the chair, his amethyst eyes soft, before he began to sing.
"Let's go in the garden
You'll find something waiting
Right there where you left it lying upside down..."
His voice was deep and smooth, carrying a soothing rhythm through the quiet orphanage.
The children listened, their little bodies relaxing as sleep began to pull at them.
"When you finally find it, you'll see how it's faded
The underside is lighter when you turn it around..."
Onyx's semblance flickered, casting small, gentle shadow shapes on the walls-glowing softly like fireflies.
Ruby's breath caught in her throat.
"Everything stays right where you left it
Everything stays
But it still changes
Ever so slightly, daily and nightly
In little ways, when everything stays..."
The melody was like a warm embrace, wrapping around everyone in the room.
Even Weiss, who had expected nothing of the night, found herself touched by the tenderness in Onyx's voice.
"Go down to the ocean
The crystal tide is raising
Waters' gotten higher as the shore washes out..."
As he sang, Hemera snuggled closer, sighing contentedly.
Onyx gently ran his fingers through her silver hair, his voice never faltering.
"Keep your eyes wide open, even when the sun is blazin'
The moon controls the tide, it can cause you to drown..."
By the time the song neared its end, the room had fallen into a peaceful silence.
"Everything stays, right where you've left it
Everything stays, but it still changes
Ever so slightly, daily and nightly
In little ways
When everything stays..."
The last note faded into the air.
Onyx looked down and saw that every single child had fallen asleep.
Hemera was breathing softly against his chest, completely relaxed.
He exhaled slowly, a rare look of gentle contentment on his face.
"...Goodnight."
Ruby, standing frozen at the back of the room, felt her chest aching in a way she couldn't explain.
Yang, usually one for teasing, whispered, "Damn... he's something else, huh?"
Pyrrha smiled warmly. "He has a beautiful voice."
Blake, ever observant, murmured, "...That song meant something to him."
Weiss, for once, didn't have a snarky remark. Instead, she was quiet, lost in thought.
Jaune exhaled, shaking his head. "I don't know what I expected... but I wasn't expecting that."
Ren simply nodded. "He cares for them. Deeply."
Ruby gripped her hands tightly, her heart pounding.
That song... that voice...
She knew, deep down, that Onyx wasn't just someone strong.
He was someone who loved.
And that made her fall for him even harder.
The warm glow of the orphanage lights cast a soft illumination over the sleeping children, their peaceful expressions reflecting the deep comfort they found in Onyx's presence. He gently shifted Hemera in his arms, adjusting her so she wouldn't wake.
After a moment, he sighed and leaned back against the chair, his amethyst eyes gazing over the room.
This was his sanctuary.
A place where he wasn't a Huntsman.
A place where he wasn't a warrior.
A place where he was simply Big Brother Onyx.
Outside the Orphanage
Yang let out a low whistle as they stepped out of the orphanage, glancing back through the window at Onyx and the sleeping children. "Well... I didn't see that coming."
Jaune nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I've never seen him like that before... He's always so- I dunno, serious?"
Weiss crossed her arms, still looking back at the orphanage. "It's strange. I always assumed Onyx was just... detached. But this?" She shook her head. "He's-"
"A softie," Nora finished with a grin. "A big, brooding softie!"
Blake, standing slightly apart from the others, watched quietly. "No," she murmured. "Not soft. Protective."
That caught their attention.
Ren nodded in agreement. "He's not someone who simply does things out of obligation. He chooses to be here, to care for these children."
Ruby had been quiet the entire time, her silver eyes locked on the scene inside.
She felt her chest tighten as she watched Onyx tuck Hemera in beside him, his fingers brushing over her silver hair with all the care of a loving parent.
There was no hesitation in his actions. No forced obligation.
He loved that little girl.
He loved those children.
And Ruby was beginning to realize just how much she loved him for it.
Back Inside
Once he was sure the children were settled, Onyx closed his eyes for a moment, his hand resting lightly on Hemera's back.
"...Sleep well, Little Light."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
The room was silent, save for the quiet breathing of the children and the distant sound of the city outside.
And for once, in this moment, Onyx felt at peace.
Outside the Orphanage
The group finally started walking back to Beacon, but Ruby lingered for a moment, glancing back one last time.
Yang noticed. "You coming, sis?"
Ruby hesitated, her hand gripping the strap of her cloak. Then, with a small smile, she nodded. "Yeah... I'm coming."
But as she turned away, she made a silent promise to herself.
One day... she wanted to be part of that world too.