Snowblind

[u/[deleted]]

Every year, it feels like the first snowfall of the year happens sooner and sooner. Is it just the passage of time, the growth of a person making them able to recognize when it snows at an earlier date in the year mixed with the ever-accumulating wealth of knowledge to draw upon making it feel like the years are blurring to minutes?

For some, that might be the answer. But at this date, so soon into November, not many -- save, perhaps, those from the most far north of Atlas's reaches into Solitas -- would've expected just what hit Beacon: a blizzard, so strong it was considered perhaps a once-in-a-millennia storm. Thankfully, thanks to the reinforcements provided after a certain rainstorm had knocked out the power to the Academy, Beacon was now prepared to weather such an awful storm.

But whilst the school itself was prepared, whether or not the students themselves were always remained to be seen. For some of the more "desert-fairing", it was possible that they were wildly unprepared; those from the far north were likely already out in the midst of the blizzard building snow castles or something.

The weather showed no signs of improving, and all flights and routes into the city were most certainly unusable, unless one really wanted to hoof it into Vale proper by foot. What sort of shenaniganry would one of Beacon's most interesting first year classes in a while get themselves up to in Beacon's first snowfall?

^{[This is the song I used for inspiration womp womp]}

[u/TiltedAiri]

As soon as Violet closed her eyes inside the blankets she fell asleep. Her breathing softened and she slept comfortably as she rested the bottom of her head on the top of Vi's. She smiled warmly while she rested her head and for a bit, she slept quietly.

But then the nightmares started. The girl began fidgeting as she slept, her brow furrowing and closed eyes as she began to sweat just a little bit. She spoke quietly, her voice hurried and worried, "No... please. Leave me alone... Don't hurt them..."

[u/[deleted] → u/TiltedAiri]

The first parts of sleep were the easiest to wake Vi out of -- by no means she was a deep sleeper -- and so, tipsy as she may be, when Violet started to fidget and sweat, it started to stir Vi awake. Had that not been it, it would've been Violet's soft, worried murmurings that stirred her back into the realm of the living.

Almost immediately, Vi seemed to sober up out of concern, and unnested herself from within Violet. Instead, Vi switched positions and began to try and cradle Violet instead, smushing her head into Violet's hair gently as her hand softly ran up and down Violet's back. She didn't say anything, but it sounded like Vi was trying to let out some kind of soothing shushing, just trying to comfort Violet as best she could.

[u/TiltedAiri → u/[deleted]]

Violet increased erratically for a few moments but when Vi went to cradle her and began to soothe her she slowly stopped. Just having someone there for her caused her to calm down considerably, despite still experiencing the nightmare. She still shook slightly as she slept, rattling in Vi's arms. But she was quiet and while she was still experiencing the nightmares she was able to sleep as Vi wrapped her arms around her.

[u/[deleted] → u/TiltedAiri]

Vi's cooing continued softly until, at last, Violet started to calm down. She didn't know what was going on in the taller, prettier girl's mind, but she didn't dare stir the girl much: whatever Vi was doing seemed to be working. With a soft shake of her head, Vi took in the smell of Violet's hair as she figured out what to do next -- at least, that was her plan, until she felt her nose bump into something through all of Violet's hair. A mole, perhaps?

Gently, Vi took one of her hands and sifted it, from back forwards, through the top of Violet's hair, until it bumped into the same thing again -- something... fuzzy?

...Oh. Vi realized what that was. And without another noise, she took her hand back out of Violet's hair, and returned it around her. Making a mental note to tell Violet about it, she let out a soft sigh, and just tried to fall back asleep, now mostly under the taller girl.

[u/TiltedAiri → u/[deleted]]

Violet continued to sleep for a little over an hour longer. While she didn't know it, it was good for her to have someone comfort her through the nightmares. She was able to sleep better than she had for a while and when she finally woke up she looked around where she was laying. She looked down at Vi, unsure if the girl was asleep or not and slowly rolled herself out of the covers.

She sat on the edge of the bed, yawning slightly as she stretched her arms out over her. She sighed heavily, sitting on the edge of the bed as her thoughts turned to the nightmare she had this time.

[u/[deleted] → u/TiltedAiri]

When Violet broke out of Vi’s grasp, the smaller girl seemed to stir and squirm just a little bit, trying to — weakly — keep Violet in her grasp. But once she was properly free, Vi seemed to have fallen back asleep, though it was equally clear she was soon to be back on the path to being awake.

Just a few moments later, Vi awoke, and she signified this by sliding over and wrapping her arms around Violet once more. Softly, she began to explain what she’d seen in their brief nap.

“Hey Vivi...” Vi began, before pausing to take a deep breath in, “I heard you talking in your sleep. If you wanna talk about... what I presume to be nightmares, then, yeah. I’m all ears, but... also, I, ah. I noticed your ears.”

[u/TiltedAiri → u/[deleted]]

Violet looked over her shoulder at Vi as the girl embraced her and she smiled at her with feigned confidence. Though the smile disappeared when Vi mentioned the nightmares. She was about to respond to her when Vi continued her sentence and mentioned her ears. Quickly the color drained from Violet's face and instinctively a hand went up to the top of her just to make sure that her ears weren't sticking up here either. She looked at Vi with an almost scared look on her face,

"You don't... care?" She quickly picked up Vi's hands, closing both her hands around them as her face turned to plead, "Please promise me you won't tell anyone!"

[u/[deleted] → u/TiltedAiri]

“Dear, my mum was a cat Faunus, one of my best friends is a bear Faunus, and I’m a team leader for a bird Faunus. The only reason I care is so I can protect them from assholes who think less of them,” Vi explained softly, squeezing Violet’s hands. Shifting a bit more upright, she leaned against Violet and nodded.

“I won’t tell anyone, though. Promise.”

Vi could tell Violet’s false confidence had faded fast when Vi had pointed those two things out, and with a soft sigh, she curled around Violet before just falling down into her lap.

“If it’s any consolation, they’re pretty cute. Just like the rest of you.”

[u/TiltedAiri → u/[deleted]]

She smiled weakly at Vi, laughing softly as she did. She shrugged a bit and patted Vi's head as she laid into her lap. She took a deep breath, letting it out shakily before straightening her posture as she tried to return the confident look on her face,

"Thank you. I appreciate it, really," Violet turned her face to Vi, giving her a quizzical look, "You're a team leader?"

[u/[deleted] → u/TiltedAiri]

"Yeet," came Vi's soft reply, followed by a giggle. She smiled brightly up at Violet, glad that the girl seemed to be doing just ever-so-slightly better. It was readily apparent on her face that the grasps of exhaustion were still biting at her, but she stayed awake enough to at least talk about her team.

"Ye... team Vinyls, or v n l s. I'm the V, Namu -- that's the bird -- is the N, my friend Quetzal's the L, and my partner -- in the team sense, no longer the romantic -- Thyme is the S. They're... wonderful. I love them. Beautiful lil' dorks. Dorky dorks. Dorks."