Male Reader x RWBY: Volume 1 / Reader x Yang

Chapter VII: Bullies and Bonding

True to your word, following the end of second period, you made your way to the cafeteria to meet with your teammates. Grabbing the usual, instead of heading to the streams near the campus like normal, you instead look around the cafeteria in search of your team. Spotting them near the middle of the room, you start to make your way over to them.

"Ow, that hurts!" Someone cries out. Directing your attention towards the source of the commotion you see Cardin Winchester pulling on a rabbit Faunus' ears.

"See, told you they were real." He says laughing.

"What a freak." One of his friends chuckles.

Angered by their actions, you change directions and make your way over to them. "Cardin!" You say loudly. "Let her go."

"Oh, come one (F/N)! We're just messin' around." He says, standing to his feet and dragging the girl around by her ears. "Isn't that right guys?"

Setting your tray on the table, you turn to face Cardin. "Let. Her. Go." You say menacingly. "Now."

Releasing the girl, he turns and squares up to you. He's about a head taller and has a much more muscular build. Still, you're not exactly lacking in muscle yourself, your bulky robes hiding your toned body. "Think you're  tough, don't you?" The cafeteria is silent, everybody watching the events unfolding.

"More so than you." You respond coolly. You glance over at your teammates, seeing them all tensely watching the spectacle. Locking eyes with Yang, you give her a knowing wink just before Cardin pulls back ready to hit you.

Aiming a punch at your face, you do nothing to avoid Cardin's attack. Instead you activate your semblance, absorbing the force behind the punch and feeling nothing more than a light tap. Confused, Cardin throws another punch at your jaw. Again, you absorb the kinetic energy, giving Cardin a 'what are you waiting for look'. Enraged that you are so unphased by his attacks, Carding throws punch after punch at your face, stomach, and ribs. Once he's finished, he drops his hands and stares at you with a look of confused disbelief. Lazily raising your right hand in front of his face, you use the energy you absorbed from his attacks, and flick him in the face, sending him flying back ten feet.

The room bursts into appreciative laughter as Cardin's team rush over to him to help him to his feet. Knocking them away, he brushes himself off and shoots you one last glare before turning and leaving the cafeteria. You retrieve your food, the Faunus girl, Velvet, thanking you. Walking over to your teammates, you sit down at their table, Yang scooting over, making space between her and Weiss.

As the laughter dies down, Pyrrha turns to you. "It's good to see you (F/N)." Everyone nods in agreement. "What made you decide to join us?"

"Let's just say a certain dragon threatened to burn me if I didn't." You respond, glancing at Yang.

"Wow!" Nora says. "They got you to sit with us? That must be some dragon!"

"She sure is." You say. Yang turns her head away from you and tries (unsuccessfully) to hide the red tint to her cheeks.

Some time has passed since that day in the cafeteria. True to your word, you started socializing with your teammates, spending most afternoons with them when you were able. Although you had grown more comfortable around them and had even begun to create meaningful bonds with them, there were still times when things felt awkward. You didn't understand much about social cues or interactions, and whenever you opened your mouth, it was often followed by an uncomfortable silence and a quick change in topic. Still, you felt you were finally managing to break free of your old habits. You could undoubtedly say you were much happier nowadays.