Ch. 15 Morning Breeze

Alabast wakes up from his dream. He feels uncomfortable in a certain place and his back is killing him. He also can feel pins and needles in his arms. He lifts his head to see everyone sleeping and felt something fall from his head onto his arm. It was Pyrrhas hand and he felt something wrapped around his tail. He looks over and sees a blondie hugging his tail while her tank top goes up to reveal her muscular and slim abdomen. She did snore, but it didn't seem too bad.

When he tried to move his back and waist he felt something light on his back. When he looked over his shoulder to see his back he saw black hair with slight red highlights. Ruby has made her way onto his back somehow.

The others are sleeping separately. Although it seems Nora has been cocooned into her blanket and tied. She probably tried to do something to Ren.

After some time everyone woke up. Ren left Nora in her cocoon and she started rolling around on the floor. She was having fun and Ruby ended up joining her.

Nora did have Ren take a photo of Alabast's situation with her scroll. Ruby didn't know how she got on his back. Weiss reprimanded her for her actions and Blake was still curled up like a cat. She had an arm over her eyes to block the light.

Yang didn't let go of his tail. She just sat up and fixed her tank top and continued running her fingers through the fur. When Pyrrha woke up she quickly took her hand back and apologized to Alabast who replied with "Whatever". Ruby hadn't gotten off his back and was sitting on her legs while still on his back while Weiss was telling her off.

Ren was walking around as Nora trued to trip him playfully. Ren was doing fine walking around until Nora suddenly changed directions. Ren tripped and landed hard on top of Nora.

Alabast saw the chance and used his semblance to take a photo with his scroll. Ren was on top of Nora while she was in the cocoon. Her head was poking out along with her feet. Ren's face was hovering over Noras. Nora was wide eyed as Ren closed his eyes anticipating a much harder fall.

Everyone looked over at the commotion. Blake looked with one eye beneath her arm. Nora was blushing hard and Ruby had sparkles in her eyes. She whispered "It's just like in those shows that Yang used to watch"

Yang looked confused. She didn't watch any shows. She was mostly training or watching…..romance…videos. She wondered how Ruby knew about it. But it seemed Ruby had t seen the other kind of romance videos she's watched or else her sister wouldn't be so naive. It seem Yang dodged a bullet.

Ren opened his eyes and saw turquoise eyes looking into his magenta eyes. He froze for a second and then got up after gaining his neutral expression back. He untied Nora and went to sit down on a chair. The furniture had been pushed against the walls to make room in the center.

Alabast used his darkness to get out from beneath Ruby. As he sank into the darkness Ruby was lowered to the floor. He had his tail held by Yang so he reappeared sitting next to her.

"Hey" Yang said as she saw Alabast disappear and reappear next to her.

"Woah!" Ruby is still fascinated that Alabast can do that. She remembers when he was hugging her and she was covered in darkness and moved with Alabast to the tree branch. It also felt weird that Alabast was sinking into the floor below her.

Pyrrha gets up and stretches. She then walks over to check on Nora who is still laying face up on the floor. Pyrrha sits next to her and talks with her. Ren is sitting on the chair and has his eyes closed. He could be meditating, or sleeping. It's hard to tell.

"Do you understand Ruby?!" It seems Weiss finished her lecture after she saw Alabast move.

"Y-yeah" Ruby scratches her cheek and looks to the side.

"So you don't" Weiss sighs.

"Don't get jealous since you weren't able to do it Weiss-cream" Yang puns as she smugly holds Alabast's tail.

"I'm not jealous!" Weiss says a little too loudly and a little too quickly in response.

"Sure" Yang says as she sarcastically nods.

"It's ok Weiss. We can share his back next time!" Ruby appears next to Weiss as she puts a hand on Weiss' shoulder.

"Why would I…." She looks over to Alabast who is just sitting there watching their skit. He was sitting tall and was stretching his back. This showed off his muscles beneath his compression shirt that left nothing to the imagination. Except his scars. A few of the really bad scars were barely visible.

"Is your back ok?" Ruby asked.

"It's fine. You weighed next to nothing, it's just my back isn't used to laying on my stomach for so long. I usually sleep on my sides"

Weiss is doesn't like big bulky guys, which Alabast isn't. But his muscles are definitely bigger than your average huntsman. Weiss definitely enjoyed the view. Yang and Ruby also were admiring the view.

"Yang, can you let go. I'm gonna step out onto the balcony to get some fresh air" Alabast finished his stretching.

"I'll join you!" Yang stood up letting go of his tail and stretches her legs and back.

Alabast wasn't expecting a show right in front of his face so he stood up and flicked Yangs forehead before going to balcony.

"Why?!" Yang didn't know why she was flicked as she put a hand over her forehead. She follows Alabast out onto the Balcony. Ruby tries to tag along but Weiss grabs her shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going?" Weiss stares at Ruby who turns around.

"Getting some air!" She states like it's obvious.

"We'll team leader, we have a mess to clean. And those two need to resolve their little conversation from yesterday"

Ruby looks at the mess they made on the floor. "Oh"

"Yeah" Weiss puts a broom in her hand.

Ren gets up along with the others to help clean. Blake gets up and also helps. She had to resist the urge to take her ribbon off her head.

After Yang shut the door she turned around to see Alabast leaning against the balcony railing. The wind blows his hair to the side. She watches his tail moving slowly behind him. His ears atop his head seem extra cute in the rising light of the sun. She goes and joins Alabast in looking at the area around as she leans on the balcony.

"Anything interesting" Yang asks as she just sees the usual buildings and trees around.

"Not really. Just enjoying the breeze"

"Ah…..So, about last night"

Alabast moves his head to face Yang. She's nearly a foot shorter than him. He sees her hair move with the wind like his. But hers definitely looks nicer. He can tell she spend a lot of time and attention to it.

"What about it?"

"It's…I'm…." Yang sighs and lowers her head to look directly at the ground below. "Haaaaahhh. It's hard for me to say this…"

"Take your time. We have all day" Alabast keeps looking at her. Yang isn't always serious so he's interested what she wants to talk about.

"Thanks. It's about why I got upset last night"

Yang grabs her arms tightly sh she continues.

"Ruby and I are only half-sisters"

Alabast doesn't say anything. He sort of remembered something like that from the show.

"My mom….left me and my dad…..when I was born" She looks up at Alabast. "She just left us. I don't even know why. I didn't even get to meet her. I only have her picture"

"Damn" Alabast says.

Yang looks at the ground again. "Yeah, but I was fine for a while because Ruby's mom, my step-mom, took her place. And I loved her just the same as I would have my actual mom. Because she was. She was great and amazing. I didn't even know she wasn't my biological mother until later. When I was 2 Ruby was born and we were a big happy family for some years. But when I was 6 she went on a mission like she usually does, but it was different this time because she never came back. I was 6 and lost two mothers. Ruby was only 4 when she died. She barely remembers her. But I remember her more. It was great having a mom. I was just like the other kids that had a family. But afterwards I struggled a lot. I didn't want anyone else to leave me. I had Ruby and my dad. But my dad was in a lot of pain. He tried to hide it from me and Ruby, but it took years. I started training when I was young to become strong enough to not let others leave me anymore. I-"

Alabast grabs her hand and takes it away from her arm. She had been digging her nails into her skin. He holds her hand as he rests his on the railing. "Take your time"

Yang looks up at Alabast to see his expression. It's the same usual expressionless face. His red eye looking down at her.

"Thank you" she holds his hand tightly.

"I've recently been trying to track my birth mother down. But it seems she doesn't want to be found. I've gotten very little information about her and it's frustrating! But I know if I didn't try I would regret it"

"Yeah. That's basically the way I feel about my dad. Apparently we're trying to chase ghosts down. But I'm sure you'll find your birth-mother"

"How can you be sure?!" She squeezes his hand harder.

He sees the desperation in her eyes. Maybe even a little bit of tears she's fighting back.

"If you really want to find her. You will. And it will probably be her that will find you when you least expect it"

"Is that what you tell yourself about your dad?" She asks innocently, not meaning to be rude.

"No, I don't especially care about my dad. The only reason I even tried to find him was so that I can say I tried. I actually wouldn't be happy to find him honestly. I don't need him and he hasn't done anything for me except for abandoning me and my mom. And with her gone for so long, I'm just used to being alone. I've grown up without them and I'm still alive and kicking. So if my dad ever crawls back to me I'll be sure to kick him"

"That's…..sad" Yang looks back to the ground. She wonders what would have happened if she never had her dad or sister in her life. Would she have been able to stand in Alabast's place. Probably not. But she knows that Alabast couldn't fully feel like that, not completely.

"Gee, thanks" Alabast knows that he sounded stupid but didn't care.

"That's not what I meant. I meant that it's sad you are used to being alone. No person is supposed to be alone. Faunus or Human"

"Yeah well, I don't know what I am" He looks over at the horizon

"What's that supposed to mean?" She looks to Alabasts face.

"Im not sure myself. I'm clearly a Faunus, but I have multiple traits. Not the usual one"

"So?! That doesn't make you less of a person Alabast! You deserve relationships just as much as anybody else! If anything, the extra traits are a bonus!" It frustrates her that Alabast has to worry about being who he is just because he was born differently

"Bonus to what?" Alabast knows the benefits he has because of them. His tail is a good distraction in a fight when used properly. Heightened senses, not just one but all. His canine teeth as well.

"It's what makes you, well….you!" Yang backs away from the railing and faces Alabast.

"I am me" Alabast looks at the trees nearby before continuing. "I've been thinking about relationships lately, and I think I'm close to finding my answer"

"I hope you make the right decision, Alabast. I think I'm close to my answer as well" She taps his hand and he lets her hand go.

She turns around and goes back inside while he watches from the corner of his eye. After a few minutes of enjoying the breeze he goes inside.

He sees everyone inside has already cleaned up and moved the furniture to its original spot. Everyone is sitting down and talking. He goes over towards Pyrrha who is sitting on the couch and sits next to her. He sits down next to her he has his tail go across his lap and onto Pyrrhas. She sets her hands on top of it and smiles at Alabast who is looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"Hi Alabast" She greets him and then goes back to the conversation. It was about the upcoming classes for the week. It was mostly complaining from Ruby and Nora. Alabast had to agree with them since he also didn't like the classes.

Then it moved to talking about Cardin Winchester. They don't think he will be a problem anymore. Alabast knew that they could try something but who knows.

Before lunch team ANVL went back to their own dorm room and changed out of their pjs. They planned on going to lunch and then walk around campus afterwards.

They had a relaxing rest of the day and went to sleep early since combat class would be longer the next day.

And as Alabast was going to sleep with music in his ears he realizes he forgot to ask Ruby for her playlist.