A Few Days Later...
Erik and Pyrrha officially begin dating after that night.
It does not take long for Erik to notice something new about Pyrrha-something no one ever talks about. Beneath her composed and graceful exterior, she is surprisingly possessive. Not in a loud or aggressive way, but in small, unmistakable gestures.
One of the first examples is her firm suggestion that their single beds be pushed together so they can sleep side by side.
Erik wakes up one morning and immediately realizes he cannot move.
Pyrrha is wrapped around him beneath the blanket, arms and legs clinging to him like a koala. Her face is pressed against his chest, her breathing slow and even. Every attempt to shift only tightens her hold.
So Erik gives up.
He gently runs his fingers through her hair and waits for her to wake. It is something he has been doing every morning for the past few days since they start dating.
After a few minutes, Pyrrha finally stirs. She blinks sleepily, rubs her eyes, and looks up at him.
"Good morning, Erik."
Erik smiles and presses a soft kiss to her forehead.
"Good morning, Pyrrha."
They go through their usual routine-showering, changing into their school uniforms, and leaving the dorm together. Everything feels familiar.
And yet, different.
Pyrrha walks beside him with a bright, almost bouncing energy, her fingers firmly interlaced with his. She makes no effort to hide it. Erik does not pull away.
When they arrive at Professor Oobleck's class, they sit next to each other as usual. Oobleck paces rapidly across the room, lecturing at full speed, while Erik focuses on writing down the key points.
Suddenly, Pyrrha taps the back of his hand.
Erik glances at her.
Without a word, Pyrrha opens her palm and subtly turns it toward him, clearly signaling what she wants. Her expression is calm-but expectant.
Erik pauses for a second, speechless at how natural this has become. He does not complain.
He simply slips his hand into hers beneath the desk, their fingers intertwining out of sight.
Pyrrha's shoulders relax immediately. A small, satisfied smile appears on her lips as she turns her attention back to the lecture.
Erik exhales softly and returns to his notes, one hand writing, the other held securely in hers.
He does not mind at all.
Professor Oobleck suddenly skids to a halt in the middle of the classroom, mug raised mid-sip, eyes sharp with enthusiasm.
"Ah! Miss Nikos!"
Pyrrha stiffens slightly.
She lifts her head, posture straightening instantly, even though her hand remains firmly intertwined with Erik's beneath the desk.
"Yes, Professor?" she answers calmly.
Oobleck grins, already pacing again.
"Given our discussion on the Faunus War, could you kindly explain the primary strategic mistake made during the early negotiations-specifically the one that escalated tensions rather than resolving them?"
The classroom goes quiet.
Several students glance toward Pyrrha, fully expecting a flawless answer.
Pyrrha inhales softly, collecting her thoughts. Despite the sudden attention, her voice remains steady.
"The mistake was treating the Faunus as a unified political problem rather than as a diverse population with differing needs," she explains. "The councils assumed forced centralization would simplify governance, but instead it erased individual identities and fueled resentment. That resentment later became the foundation for organized resistance."
Oobleck's eyes light up.
"Excellent! Simply excellent!" He spins on his heel and takes another loud sip from his mug. "A textbook-perfect analysis delivered with remarkable clarity!"
Professor Oobleck continues his lecture, launching back into rapid-fire history.
The lecture finally comes to an end, and the classroom slowly fills with the sound of chairs scraping against the floor. Students begin filing out in clusters, their conversations overlapping in the hallway.
Erik and Pyrrha leave together, walking side by side as usual.
After a few steps, Erik slows slightly, a thought crossing his mind. He turns his head toward her.
"Pyrrha," he says, "could you handle Jaune's training later?"
She looks at him, curious. "Why?"
"I need to go to Vale," he explains. "My Scroll near its end and the performance is already drop a lot. I fear it will fail in a critical moment so I need to go a buy a new one."
Pyrrha frowns a little, concern flickering across her face.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" she asks. "We could ask Jaune to reschedule. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."
Erik smiles softly and shakes his head.
"It's really fine. I'll just buy a new Scroll and head straight back. It shouldn't take long." He pauses, then adds lightly, "I'll try to return before Jaune even notices you're missing me."
Pyrrha exhales, half amused, half reluctant.
"...All right," she says at last. "But be careful."
"Of course," Erik replies.
Three Hour Pass...
The Bullhead that frequently transports Beacon students hums to life as it prepares to depart for Vale. Erik steps aboard and briefly scans the cabin.
That is when he spots a familiar group.
Team RWBY is already inside—Ruby lightly bouncing in her seat with barely contained energy, Weiss focused on her Scroll, Blake quietly reading a book, and Yang leaning back with her arms crossed, looking completely at ease.
The Bullhead's doors slide shut, and the engines roar as the aircraft lifts off, carrying them toward the glowing lights of Vale below.
Erik walks over to them with an easy, relaxed smile.
"Good evening, Team RWBY."
They all look up.
"Oh! Hey, Erik!" Ruby greets brightly, waving.
Yang tilts her head and grins. "Going on a shopping trip?"
"Something like that," Erik replies. "I need to buy a new Scroll."
Weiss raises an eyebrow. "Let me guess—you broke it during training."
Erik chuckles and shakes his head.
"No. I'm not that careless. My Scroll is just… old. I've been using it for almost five years now."
That gets Weiss's full attention. "Five years?"
He nods. "Yeah. I figured if I don't replace it soon, it might break at the worst possible moment. I'd rather not take that risk."
Weiss looks genuinely impressed. Most combat students replace their Scrolls every year or two at best.
"That's… actually impressive," she admits. "You really take good care of your equipment."
Blake lowers her book slightly, studying him. "So you're traveling alone?"
"For now," Erik answers. "I'm just picking up a Scroll and heading back."
Yang leans forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Wait—why didn't you bring Pyrrha with you? She is your girlfriend now."
Erik smiles faintly. "We have a training session with Jaune today. I asked her to handle it while I'm gone."
Almost on cue, his Scroll vibrates in his pocket.
Erik pauses, glancing at the screen before answering.
"Hey, Pyrrha. Everything okay?"
Ruby immediately perks up, clearly listening.
"Are you already on the Bullhead?" Pyrrha's voice asks.
"Yeah," Erik replies calmly. "We just took off."
"Oh… okay. Just—call me if anything happens, all right?"
"I will," he says gently. "Don't worry."
After the call ends, Erik slips his Scroll back into his pocket.
Yang smirks. "Let me guess—your girlfriend checking on you?"
"Yeah," Erik replies without hesitation. "That was the third call since our last class."
Weiss blinks. "Wait. Three calls… in three hours?"
"Pretty much," Erik says with a small shrug. "Surprising?"
Yang's grin fades into mild disbelief. "I didn't know Pyrrha had that side to her. Is she asking the same questions every time?"
Erik lets out a quiet laugh. "You nailed it."
Yang crosses her arms again. "Honestly? If I were you, I'd probably lose my temper by now. Are you sure you're okay with that?"
Weiss nods in agreement. "I don't mean to interfere, but Yang has a point. If it keeps going, it could become… more overwhelming as the goes on."
Blake closes her book completely this time.
"They're right, Erik. If something like this isn't addressed early, it can turn into something that damages the relationship."
Erik listens to all of them, then smiles—soft, sincere, and unbothered.
"I think it's okay," he says. "I don't really mind."
They wait for him to continue.
"…It actually feels nice," Erik adds quietly. "It's been a long time since someone cared about me this much."
For a moment, none of them speak.
Ruby's expression softens. Yang looks away, thoughtful. Weiss exhales slowly, and Blake simply nods in understanding.
To Be Continued...