The grand ballroom of Beacon Academy was bathed in a warm, golden glow, the soft hum of music filling the air. Students twirled across the dance floor, laughter and excitement echoing through the hall.
It was a night meant for joy. A night meant for memories.
Onyx Thorn wasn't exactly the dancing type.
In fact, he would have gladly skipped the entire event… if not for one thing.
Or rather—one person.
Ruby Rose.
She had practically begged him to come.
And, as much as he liked to act stoic and indifferent…
—He could never really say no to Ruby.
When Onyx arrived at the ballroom, he immediately felt out of place.
He wasn't wearing anything overly flashy—just a black suit with amethyst accents, sleek and well-fitted, matching his usual color scheme. His raven-black hair was slightly more styled than usual, but otherwise, he was the same Onyx Thorn—calm, collected, and effortlessly cool.
But then—
The moment he saw Ruby, everything else faded away.
She was stunning.
She wore a beautiful red and black dress, elegant yet simple, flowing just enough to give her a fairytale-like charm. Her hair had been lightly styled, making her silver eyes shine even more.
For a second, Onyx actually forgot how to breathe.
Then, a small, excited voice snapped him out of his daze.
"Mama looks pretty!"
Onyx looked down to see Hemera, his five-year-old daughter, standing beside him in an adorable dark purple dress with tiny amethyst embellishments. She beamed up at him before turning back to Ruby, practically bouncing on her feet.
Ruby, caught off guard, turned redder than her cloak. "You really think so, sweetie?"
Hemera nodded vigorously. "Uh-huh! Right, Papa?"
Onyx, composing himself, gave a small smirk. "Yeah. She looks… amazing."
Ruby's face went even redder. "You think so?"
Onyx, in a rare moment of absolute honesty, nodded. "Yeah."
Before Ruby could explode from flustered excitement, Yang suddenly appeared, throwing an arm around Onyx.
"Alright, Loverboy, we get it—you think my sister's drop-dead gorgeous. Now, are you actually gonna dance with her, or just stare all night?"
Onyx shot Yang a flat look. "I was getting to that."
Yang just grinned. "Sure you were."
Nearby, Weiss and Blake were watching the whole scene unfold.
Weiss sighed, shaking her head. "Honestly, it's like watching a romance novel in real time."
Blake smirked, arms crossed. "I think it's cute."
Jaune, standing with Team JNPR, nudged Ren. "Think Onyx is gonna survive tonight?"
Ren took a sip of his drink. "Depends on how long he stares before actually dancing."
Nora grinned. "I say five more minutes before Ruby just drags him onto the floor!"
Pyrrha chuckled. "I'd say less."
Despite Onyx's natural grace in battle, he wasn't exactly experienced in ballroom dancing.
Ruby, however, was determined.
"Come on, Onyyyyx!" she whined, tugging at his arm. "Just one dance?"
Onyx sighed, reluctantly placing a hand on her waist while she took his other hand.
"Fine. But if I step on your foot, you can't blame me."
Ruby giggled. "Deal."
As the music started, the two began to move—slow, awkward at first, but gradually smoother.
And then—something clicked.
They weren't just dancing.
They were moving together.
Perfectly in sync.
The world around them blurred.
Onyx forgot about the crowd.
Forgot about the eyes watching.
All that mattered was Ruby.
And the way she smiled at him.
Weiss, watching from the sidelines, smirked. "I have to admit, they're surprisingly elegant together."
Blake nodded. "They look… happy."
Meanwhile, Hemera sat on Pyrrha's shoulders, giggling as she watched her parents dance.
"Papa and Mama are the best dancers!" she declared proudly.
Jaune chuckled. "He's better than I expected. I thought for sure he'd mess up."
Nora grinned. "Maybe love makes people more graceful!"
Ren simply nodded. "Or Ruby just brings out the best in him."
As the song came to an end, Onyx and Ruby remained close, neither willing to let go just yet.
It was then, as they stood there in the dim ballroom light, breathless and lost in each other's gaze, that Onyx realized something.
He was completely, utterly in love with her.
And he never wanted this moment to end.
As the dance continued, Ruby and Onyx eventually slipped away from the ballroom to catch a moment alone. The cool night air greeted them as they stood on one of Beacon's balconies, overlooking the academy and the glowing city of Vale.
The festival had brought life to the kingdom—lights twinkled, music played in the distance, and laughter filled the air.
Ruby sighed happily. "Tonight was perfect."
Onyx, standing beside her with his arms crossed, glanced at her with a small smirk. "Even after Yang nearly crushed me with a bear hug?"
Ruby giggled. "She was just excited! You know how she is."
Onyx shook his head. "Yeah. Unfortunately."
Ruby playfully nudged him, and he chuckled.
But then—
Something changed.
Onyx's relaxed expression hardened.
His amethyst eyes narrowed.
His sharp instincts—honed from years of survival—suddenly screamed danger.
Something was wrong.
Ruby noticed his shift immediately. "Onyx?"
His gaze snapped toward the distant rooftops near Beacon Tower.
A dark figure was moving swiftly—silent and calculated, slipping through the streets undetected.
Almost.
Onyx had seen them.
And whoever they were… they weren't normal.
Ruby followed his gaze and gasped. "Who…?"
Onyx's voice was low, serious. "I don't know. But I'm about to find out."
Without hesitation, he turned—his form already shifting into the shadows, ready to pursue.
Ruby grabbed his wrist. "Wait—let me come with you!"
Onyx met her eyes. He hesitated for a brief second—he didn't want to put her in danger.
But this was Ruby.
His partner. His light.
And she was strong.
Finally, he nodded. "Stay close."
Ruby grinned. "Always."
With that, the two vanished into the night, chasing the unknown figure heading toward Beacon Tower…