#flourpower

They stood and approached her tentatively, the thought of her battle wrath looming in their subconscious. She could handle some gentle criticism, right?

“Hello, Nora,” said Pyrrha, wearing her camera-ready smile.

Nora’s eyes sparkled with their approach and she sprung up. “Hey guys! How’s study going?”

“Very well. Thank-you for asking,” said Pyrrha. “You?”

“Well, I’ve almost finished memorising all the important dates for the Great War. Still got a lot of work to do though.”

Maybe you’d be done if you didn’t play on your scroll all the time, thought Jaune.

Pyrrha’s smile never faltered. “And how is Ren’s study?”

“Oh, he’s already memorised everything,” said Nora. “And his essay is almost done too. Though he’s stuck on the third body paragraph, so he decided to do some background reading while he thinks about it, but he also doesn’t really understand the causes of the Great War that well, and I was gonna explain it to him, but he hasn’t told me when he’d like me to do it yet, and-”

“Sounds like he’s still got a lot to do then,” said Jaune.

Nora shrugged. “Maybe. He said that once I proofread his draft we can watch a movie together. Haven’t decided which one yet though. Something with superheroes. X-ray and Vav, or The Huntsman, or-”

“That’s nice,” said Pyrrha, “but how are you going?”

Nora, a little dejected from being cut off a second time, said, “I already told you.”

“Yes, but I mean…”

She hesitated and looked to Jaune for help. He cleared his throat. “Is there a reason why you’re still hungry, Nora?”

She shrugged. “No. Eating just helps me concentrate better.”

“We’ve noticed you’ve asked Ren to make you food a lot lately,” said Jaune.

Nora tilted her head. “Yeah?”

“We’re worried you might be asking too much of him,” said Pyrrha.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you always ask when he’s studying, or cleaning, sometimes meditating.”

Nora’s face reddened. “I guess… He doesn’t mind though.”

Jaune sighed. “Are you sure?”

Nora’s head sunk into her shoulders as she stared down at her clasped hands. “He’d tell me if I was bothering him. At least, I think he would.” She looked back up at her teammates, tears forming in her eyes. “Did he tell you something about me?”

“No, no, of course not,” assured Pyrrha. “We’re just worried that maybe you’re… taking his good nature for granted?”

Nora stood suddenly, glaring at the both of them. “Yeah? Well you’re not the first to think that.” She stormed out of the dorm room and slammed the dorm behind her. Her sobs faded into the distance.

Pyrrha stared at the door, stunned. “Did we do something wrong?”

“As the leader, I don’t wanna bad mouth my teammate,” said Jaune dejectedly, “But it’s her problem if she won’t accept criticism.”

Pyrrha frowned. “It does seem like she’s had this conversation before.”

Jaune groaned. “I’m sure Nora has a lot of great qualities, but she’s acting so self-centred right now.”

Pyrrha sighed and nodded. “I hate to say it, but I can see your point. Ren deserves better.”

“Do I?”

Pyrrha yelped as she and Jaune whipped around to face Ren, who was holding a plate with a bahn mi sandwich. His expression was blank for the most part, but his gaze was hard and cold, striking anxiety into the hearts of his teammates.

“Ren!” squeaked Pyrrha. “I see that you’ve made Nora’s snack. How lovely!”

“What happened here?” Ren asked sternly as he put the plate on Nora’s cluttered bedside table.

“We were only trying to help you,” Jaune stuttered. Pyrrha nodded vigorously with everything Jaune said. “We’ve noticed that Nora tends to ask a lot of unnecessary favours of you when you’re busy.”

Ren plopped onto the nearest bed and pinched the bridge of his nose with both hands. His eyes were scrunched tightly shut, as if he was holding back an unspeakable rage. The silence hung thick and heavy in the air, paralysing Jaune and Pyrrha. A beige hue washed over Ren’s figure and faded away. Finally, he spoke.

“Have you ever watched someone starve?”

They tentatively shook their heads.

“I have,” said Ren, as his hands fell from his face. He stared at the bahn mi, cut down the middle and spread apart to reveal a carefully crafted intersection. “I watched as my best friend refused scrap after scrap, insisting that I needed it more. She was used to the pain, she said. I watched her become skin and bone, faint on a daily basis, become too weak to move.”

Pyrrha’s hands were clasped over her mouth, and Jaune ran his hands nervously through his hair.

“That is why I will always cook for her whenever she asks,” he said. “Even if I’m cramming for finals. Even if both my arms are broken.” The two responded with looks of concern. “Nora will never ask anything of me then, but that doesn’t change a thing.”

“We had no idea how much she means to you,” said Pyrrha.

“We’re so sorry, Ren,” said Jaune. “I-”

Ren raised a palm to silence him. “I know you both meant well, and I appreciate it, but I’m not the one you should be apologising to.” He stood, took the sandwich plate, and left the dorm.

A few minutes later, he and Nora returned. She clutched her sandwich close to her face, slowly chewing instead of wolfing it down like she usually would. Ren expertly caught all falling pieces with the plate so their carpet wouldn’t be ruined.

Nora swallowed and placed the half-eaten bahn mi on the plate. “I’m not hungry anymore.” Ren raised an eyebrow at her, as if asking if she was sure. “I’m fine, Ren. Really.”

Ren nodded and looked to Pyrrha and Jaune. “I’ll take this,” he raised the plate, “back to the kitchen.” He left without another word.

Nora stood in the middle of the room, huddled to herself. She tapped her index fingers together nervously. “I’m sorry,” she whimpered, a few tears dripping from her eyes.

“No.” Pyrrha rushed forward, taking her hands. “I’m sorry.”

“We’re sorry.” Jaune stepped forward and placed a hand on Nora’s shoulder, causing it to relax. “We had no right to assume.”

“Well,” said Nora with a chuckle, “You’re not the first. And you won’t be the last. No one really understands ‘us’.”

“But we want to,” said Pyrrha, eyes bright with happiness. “You, Jaune, and Ren are the closest I’ve had to friends in a long time.” She shrunk back to rub the back of her neck. “Forgive me. I’m a little rusty.”

“Ditto,” said Jaune. “Not much room for friends when you have seven sisters.”

Nora giggled as she wiped away her tears. “I’m not good at friendship either,” she confessed. “I only ever had Ren.”

“And I only had you.” Ren leaned against the door frame, smiling at the trio. “Until now.”

“Oh Ren, you sap,” teased Nora, jogging over to Ren. “Get in here.” She seized his wrist and dragged him towards Pyrrha and Jaune. Somehow, her tiny frame trapped them in a crushing group hug, causing her teammates to wince in pain. 

“Thank-you so much!”

“Yes yes,” said Ren, voice strained. “Don’t you have an essay to help with?”

Nora’s eye’s snapped open. “That’s right!” She released them, and they all took great gulps of air. “Where’s your scroll?”

Ren pointed at the bedside draw it was hidden in. Nora fetched it and punched in his passcode, causing Jaune and Pyrrha to share a glance. Nora patted the bed beside her. “C’mon. Let’s go through it together this time.” Ren shrugged and joined her.

Their teammates watched as the two argued over seemingly insignificant things, like the Oxford comma, but this time, they saw the hidden mirth in their faces, heard the teasing undertones, and saw the playful swats and gestures between them.

Pyrrha sighed contentedly. “Beautiful couple, aren’t they?”

Jaune nodded, a familiar warmth in his chest. “Yeah.”

Author’s note: And there you have it! Two years in the making 😂This oneshot shares continuity with Conditions Apply which I promise I’m working on, okay?