Day 4
Ruby had been patient.
She had tested boundaries, pushing them little by little.
Onyx hadn't stopped her. Hadn't pushed her away.
But he still hadn't cracked.
Today, that was going to change.
Because today, she was playing dirty.
---
Phase One: Invade His Space
It started at lunch.
Team RWBY and JNPR were gathered around their usual table, chatting and eating. Onyx sat at the edge, as he always did, quietly observing while drinking his coffee.
Ruby, ever so casually, took her seat next to him.
Nothing unusual.
Then she shifted closer.
Not too close. Just enough that their legs were touching under the table.
Onyx didn't react.
Ruby took a bite of her food, waited a few moments—then leaned in slightly, her shoulder pressing against his.
Still nothing.
Fine.
She turned her head, tilting slightly toward him. "Hey, Onyx."
His amethyst eyes flicked toward her. "What?"
She grinned. "I like sitting next to you."
A pause. A flicker of amusement in his gaze. "...Okay."
That was it.
That was all she got.
But Ruby wasn't done yet.
---
Phase Two: The "Accidental" Lean
Later that day, the teams found themselves lounging in the common room.
Onyx had taken his usual spot on the couch, book in hand, while the others relaxed around him.
Ruby saw her opportunity.
She walked over—innocently—then plopped down right beside him.
Close.
Really close.
Onyx raised an eyebrow but said nothing, simply adjusting his book.
Ruby smirked internally.
Slowly—casually—she let herself lean against him, just enough that her head rested against his shoulder.
The reaction was instant.
Onyx stiffened.
Ever so slightly.
Barely noticeable.
But she noticed.
The others did too.
Yang's eyes gleamed.
Weiss coughed.
Nora was shaking Pyrrha by the shoulders. "LOOK. LOOK AT THIS."
Jaune was frozen mid-drink, staring in shock.
Hemera, curled up in Onyx's lap, just giggled. "Papa, your face is funny."
Onyx exhaled slowly. "Ruby."
"Mm?" She feigned innocence, tilting her head to look up at him. "Something wrong?"
He met her gaze. Calm. Stoic. But there was something behind his eyes. A flicker of uncertainty.
"…You're being clingy."
Ruby grinned. "Yeah. And?"
Onyx stared at her.
Held her gaze.
Then—
"…Hn."
He didn't move.
Didn't push her away.
Ruby won.
Yang practically vibrated in her seat. "Ohhh, this is good."
Blake, turning a page in her book, simply muttered, "Interesting."
Weiss groaned. "This is getting out of hand."
Ruby?
Ruby just smirked, snuggling closer.
"Comfy."
Onyx sighed. "You're impossible."
And yet—
He still didn't move.
Day 5
Ruby had been playing the long game.
Subtle touches. Lingering gazes. Wearing his coat like a trophy.
She had pushed boundaries—and while Onyx hadn't rejected her advances, he still remained unshakable.
That was about to change.
Because today, she was going after his weakness.
His wolf traits.
Beacon Cafeteria
The cafeteria was its usual lively chaos. Teams RWBY and JNPR sat together, eating and chatting—
Well, most of them were chatting.
Onyx, as usual, sat in calm silence, casually sipping his morning coffee.
Ruby, however, was focused on her next move.
She had seen the way Onyx's wolf ears twitched when he was irritated.
She had noticed how his tail subtly wagged when he was pleased, only for him to stop it the moment he noticed.
Most importantly—
She had heard from Hemera that Onyx's ears and tail were sensitive.
It was over.
Ruby carefully set her spoon down and stretched, oh-so-casually scooting closer to Onyx.
He glanced at her but said nothing.
Then—
She struck.
Her fingers grazed the base of his wolf ears.
Onyx froze.
His entire body locked up, shoulders tensing. His grip on his coffee cup tightened.
Ruby bit back a grin.
She started rubbing gently, scratching behind his ears like he was some kind of oversized wolf pup.
His ears flicked, almost betraying a shiver.
He was trying so hard to act normal.
Everyone at the table noticed immediately.
Weiss nearly dropped her fork. "Ruby—what are you doing?"
Yang's eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas. "Oh my god, is this happening?!"
Jaune was frozen mid-bite, staring in shock.
Blake, the only other Faunus present, looked far too amused.
Hemera just giggled, swinging her feet. "Papa likes it when you do that!"
Onyx closed his eyes briefly, exhaling through his nose. "Hemera…"
Ruby was thriving.
"Wow, your ears are really soft, Onyx," she mused, voice far too innocent. "I could do this all day."
Onyx twitched. "You will not."
But he didn't stop her.
In fact—
His tail flicked.
Ruby's eyes sparkled.
Yang noticed, too. "Ohhh, I knew it! His tail wags when he's happy!"
Onyx's grip tightened around his coffee cup. "…I will end you."
Ruby giggled and switched targets, moving her hand downward—
And started stroking his tail.
Onyx jerked.
He almost spilled his coffee.
A sharp breath escaped him, his tail bristling under her touch.
Ruby swore she felt the faintest shudder roll through him.
The entire table erupted.
Yang howled with laughter. "OH, HE LIKES IT!"
Nora nearly fell off her chair. "THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!"
Jaune was having a crisis. "Should we be watching this?! This feels—intimate!"
Pyrrha was bright red, but totally watching.
Ren just took a sip of his tea. "Fascinating."
Onyx, looking like he was using every ounce of his willpower to remain composed, finally grabbed Ruby's wrist.
"That," he said slowly, voice low and dangerously calm, "is off-limits."
Ruby just grinned up at him. "Oh? So your tail is your weak spot?"
Onyx's amethyst eyes narrowed.
Yang looked like she was about to explode with excitement. "Oh, this is power! Ruby, you have power over him!"
Ruby just smirked, wiggling her fingers in his grip. "Noted."
Onyx sighed, rubbing his temple. "…I should've stayed in bed."
Ruby giggled. Victory.
Day 6
The battle had been long.
The war of affection between Ruby and Onyx raged on.
She had stolen his coat. She had cuddled his wolf plush. She had exploited his wolf ears and tail.
But today… today she would strike the final blow.
And it would be swift.
---
The team lounge was quiet for once.
RWBY and JNPR were lounging after morning training. Yang was flipping through her Scroll, Blake was reading, Weiss was drinking tea, and JNPR was scattered about, half-asleep from exhaustion.
Onyx, ever the stoic warrior, sat comfortably on the couch, reading a book with Hemera curled up beside him.
Ruby?
Ruby had a mission.
She casually strolled over, standing right in front of him.
Onyx didn't look up. "What."
Ruby just smiled.
Then, without hesitation—
She booped his nose.
Right on the tip.
Softly.
Gently.
With the purest of boops.
Onyx froze.
His book snapped shut.
His ears twitched.
His amethyst eyes widened—just slightly.
The entire room went silent.
Yang's Scroll slipped from her hands. THUD.
Weiss's tea cup clinked against the saucer as her grip loosened.
Blake's book lowered half an inch, golden eyes peering over the top.
Jaune's jaw dropped.
Nora looked offended she hadn't thought of it first.
Ren blinked. "Huh."
Pyrrha? Pyrrha was in absolute shock.
Hemera? She was just giggling into her hands.
Ruby, still far too close, beamed up at Onyx.
"Boop."
Onyx just stared at her.
For a solid five seconds.
Then—
He exhaled sharply, closing his eyes.
"…You are insufferable."
Ruby grinned. "And yet… you let me do it."
Yang erupted. "OH MY OUM, SHE BOOPED HIM! SHE LITERALLY JUST BOOPED HIM!"
Nora jumped up. "I DIDN'T KNOW WE COULD DO THAT?!"
Jaune still looked like he was processing reality. "Is… Is Onyx okay?"
Blake just went back to reading. "New territory has been conquered."
Weiss rubbed her temples. "I give up."
Onyx, still composed but clearly unamused, pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Ruby."
"Yes?"
His eyes opened, meeting hers with a sharp warning glare.
"…Don't do it again."
Ruby?
Ruby just booped him again.
Boop.
Onyx sighed.
The room exploded into chaos.
Day 7
The Vale Festival was in full swing.
Lights shimmered across the streets, laughter filled the air, and the scent of festival treats drifted through the evening breeze.
Teams RWBY and JNPR wandered through the lively stalls, playing games, eating snacks, and enjoying the rare moment of peace.
Yet, for Onyx and Ruby, there was a different kind of tension.
A lingering feeling.
An unspoken truth waiting to be acknowledged.
Ruby dragged Onyx toward a shooting game booth, determination flashing in her silver eyes.
"C'mon! I wanna see if I can beat you!" she declared, crossing her arms with a playful smirk.
Onyx raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Hn. You wish."
The stall owner chuckled. "Alright, lovebirds, take your positions."
Ruby froze, her face heating up. "W-We're not—!"
Onyx, as always, remained unaffected. "Start the game."
The game began—targets popped up, moving rapidly.
Ruby fired shot after shot, her accuracy nearly perfect.
But Onyx?
He didn't miss. Not even once.
When the timer ran out, the results flashed:
Ruby: 97 points.
Onyx: 100 points.
Ruby gawked. "No way!"
The stall owner chuckled. "Impressive! You get the grand prize—pick any plush you want!"
Onyx turned to Ruby. "You choose."
Her eyes lit up before she grabbed a large black wolf plush.
"There! It reminds me of you!" she grinned, hugging it close.
Onyx rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the small smirk forming on his lips.
Weiss groaned. "Ugh, could you two be any more obvious?"
Yang nudged her. "Give 'em time."
---
As the night wore on, the festival began its main event—the lantern release.
People gathered in the town square, preparing to send glowing lanterns into the sky.
It was breathtaking.
The golden light of thousands of floating lanterns reflected in Ruby's silver eyes as she watched in awe.
Onyx, standing beside her, found himself watching her instead.
Her soft smile. The way her red hood framed her face.
And the warmth she always carried with her.
Something inside him stirred.
A realization he could no longer ignore.
He cared about her. Deeply.
And Ruby…
She felt the same.
The past few days had only made it clearer.
This wasn't just a crush.
This was something real.
Ruby turned to him, clutching the black wolf plush against her chest.
"Onyx…" she started softly.
He looked at her. "Hn?"
She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "I… I've been trying to tell you this for a while. And after… you know… that night at the sleepover, I realized I can't keep avoiding it."
Onyx stayed silent, waiting.
Ruby's grip on the plush tightened.
"I like you, Onyx. No—scratch that. I love you."
Her cheeks flushed, but she stood her ground, silver eyes meeting amethyst.
"You're always there for me. You make me feel safe. And even though you act all stoic and mysterious, I know you care. Not just about Hemera, or the people you protect, but… about me."
She let out a nervous laugh. "And I know I can be… kinda dorky. But I don't care anymore. Because I love you, Onyx. And I don't want to keep pretending I don't."
Silence.
Ruby's heart pounded as she waited for a response.
Then—
"Ruby."
She blinked.
Onyx's voice was softer than usual.
His amethyst eyes held an emotion she had never seen before.
He stepped closer.
"You're not dorky. You're… you." His voice was low but firm. "And I admire that. Your determination, your kindness, your light."
His gaze softened. "I didn't think I would ever find someone like you. I thought… love was something I wasn't meant to have."
Ruby's breath hitched.
Onyx reached out, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"But I was wrong."
Her eyes widened.
"Because I love you too."
Her heart soared.
Then—before she could even react—
He leaned in.
Their lips met in a soft, tender kiss.
It wasn't rushed. It wasn't desperate.
It was real.
When they pulled away, Ruby smiled, eyes glistening.
"Say it again."
Onyx exhaled, then smirked just slightly.
"I love you."
She giggled. "One more time."
He rolled his eyes but relented.
"I love you, Ruby."
And under the glow of the lanterns, they stood together—
hearts finally connected.