Emma's PoV
Taking a bite out of a stolen pancake, I scrolled through my scroll, looking at memes, occasionally saving one to my meme folder. Hearing foot steps I see that it was Emily and Alex. Emily looked worried about something, and Alex looked as if he had a nasty nightmare.
I set my scroll down as Alex and Emily approached our table, my eyes darting between the two of them. Emily's brow was furrowed with that telltale worry she always got when Alex was having a rough go of it. And Alex? Well, he looked like he'd been through the wringer, dark circles under his eyes and that thousand-yard stare I'd come to recognize all too well.
"Oi, look what the cat dragged in," I called out, trying to inject some levity into the situation. "You look like you've been wrestling Grimm all night, mate."
Alex managed a weak smile as he slid into the seat across from me. "Something like that," he muttered, reaching for a stack of pancakes.
Emily sat down next to him, her hand briefly squeezing his shoulder. "Alex had a bit of a rough night," she explained, her voice low.
I nodded, understanding immediately. "Ah, the old nightmares again, eh? Bloody nuisance, those are."
Alex looked up at me, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "How did you-"
"Please," I scoffed, waving a syrup-covered fork in his direction. "I may act the fool, but I'm not blind. You've got that look about you, like you've seen things that'd make a grown man weep."
He chuckled, the sound a bit hollow. "You're more perceptive than you let on, Emma."
I grinned, tapping the side of my nose. "That's the trick, innit? Let 'em think you're just here for the laughs, and they never see you coming."
Emily shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. "You're impossible, Emma."
"Impossibly charming, you mean," I quipped, stealing another pancake from the communal plate.
As we settled into our breakfast, I kept a watchful eye on Alex. He was trying to put on a brave face, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes would occasionally dart around the room as if searching for unseen threats.
"So," I said, leaning in conspiratorially, "any chance these nightmares of yours involve giant robots or perhaps a dashing sidekick?"
Alex nearly choked on his coffee, coughing as Emily patted his back. "What?" he managed to sputter.
I shrugged, keeping my tone light. "Well, if you're going to have nightmares, they might as well be interesting ones, right? Maybe throw in a few explosions, a car chase or two. Spice things up a bit."
For a moment, Alex just stared at me. Then, unexpectedly, he burst out laughing. It was a genuine laugh, one that seemed to chase away some of the shadows in his eyes.
"Oh, Emma," he said, wiping a tear from his eye, "never change."
I beamed, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "Not planning on it, luv. Someone's got to keep things lively around here."
As our laughter subsided, I noticed the rest of our team filing into the dining hall. Jaune, looking as sleep-tussled as ever, made a beeline for the coffee pot. Pyrrha, ever the early riser, was already dressed in her combat gear. And Ruby... well, she had that gleam in her eye that usually meant she was plotting something.
"Incoming," I muttered, nodding towards our approaching teammates.
Alex straightened up, his demeanor shifting almost imperceptibly. It was fascinating to watch, really. One moment he was just Alex, our friend dealing with his own demons. The next, he was back to being our leader, ready to face whatever challenges the day might bring.
