Unexpected Love

Chapter 5

By the time night fell, the group had set up camp, and Qrow managed to build a fire without the snow snuffing it out. Tents big enough to house four people at a time were pitched and sleeping bags set out in them. Qrow had gone hunting and came back with several rabbits, so once the fire was ready, he unpacked his knife, whittling at two forked sticks to form a spit. He then left Yang to keep the fire going as he went to prepare the rabbits for cooking. The others sat around the fire, bundled in warm clothes. "It's a good thing we all thought to purchase clothing for a situation like this, huh?" Oscar said, thinking aloud. The girls readily agreed, and Ruby smiled at him. Of course, this smile made his heart skip a beat. "Did your heart..... just skip a beat....?" Ozpin asked, clearly amused. Oscar blushed even more as he whispered, "N-no....." Ozpin chuckled, "Well, you do realize we share the same body. I can tell when you hold feelings for someone. Trust me when I say that these affections can both be a powerful motivation for you and an powerful downfall. It will motivate you to protect her at all costs, but if something happens to her, I can't guarantee that it won't break you, aiding Salem in capturing you.... However, it is your choice to act upon your affections." Oscar glared at the ground, wishing he could glare at Ozpin directly. "Oscar...? Are you alright..?" came Ruby's voice, clearly worried. He took a breath and smiled at her, "Yeah, I'm alright. I was just talking to Oz... He decided to tease me for some of my thoughts." "I was not teasing you, Oscar." Ruby nodded and smiled again, not surprised that Ozpin would find some humor in a fourteen year old boy's thoughts. Oscar's eyes softened at her smile, and it became evident to Ozpin that Oscar was forming more than a mere crush; with as long as he had this crush, Oscar was falling in love. And with Ozpin's student, too. Ozpin sighed and placed in Oscar's mind, "These affections you have for Miss Rose are pure, but do keep in mind that later on down the road, I do not wish to see my student through your eyes, as that will be a sight designated for you alone, and she is my student. To me, she will forever be the child to whom I allowed entry to my school." Oscar immediately turned red and jumped to his feet, "H-hey!!" Everyone froze and looked up at him, Qrow having returned and currently cooking the rabbits.

Oscar looked around and sat back down blushing from embarrassment. "Oscar, you know I do approve of who you fell in love with. Otherwise I would have steadily warned you to get over her. Therefore, if you need help, I have plenty of advice that will likely prove useful." Oscar, still blushing, whispered, "You really think I have a chance....? She's a powerful huntress.... And I'm--" "Going to be a powerful huntsman. You are no longer the farmhand you once were. You have already begun to become the greatness I told you about on the first day we met. And yes, I do believe you have a chance. A very good one at that. You're closer to her age than her teammates, and you are open with her. While she may have trust issues and difficulty making friends, she's opened up to you more than she would to just anyone new. I've seen that firsthand." Oscar looked down, nodding, "So what should I do to start.... ya know.... flirting I guess...?"
Ozpin chuckled, "Well, you could start by simply getting to know her better. Perhaps play a game with her. And let her get to know you better. Once you two are comfortable with each other, things will move along much more smoothly. Perhaps you can even talk to Yang about your affections, as well." Oscar nodded and looked up at the stars, immediately getting an idea when he saw Ruby admiring them as well. "Hey, Ruby," he said as he moved to sit beside her, "my parents always told me that the constellation Andromeda is part of a ancient story, along with Perseus right over here." Ruby looked at him, her eyes lighting up as she wanted to hear the story. "Well, Andromeda was a beautiful princess from a time when we weren't all people of Remnant but were separate nations like Greeks, Europeans, and all sorts of others. And Andromeda was.... I think she was either Greek or Roman.... I cant remember which one my mother told me..... but she was a beautiful princess who, sadly, was chosen to be sacrificed to a terrible dragon. They tied her to a stake and everything so she couldn't run away. But when all seemed lost and she was about to be eaten, Perseus swooped in riding on a horse with wings called Pegasus. He killed the dragon and saved the princess, who then became his bride and they lived happily ever after. Or at least, that's what my parents always told me" His gaze fell from the stars to see Ruby smiling in excitement, "That story was beautiful, Oscar!" She looked back up at the stars, admiring Perseus and Andromeda even more than before. Oscar smiled softly, falling in love with her smile more and more; he wanted to tell her how he felt, but he knew that he needed her comfortable with him first. And thus, for the next month of travel, the two began talking about themselves as they walked. By the end of the month, Oscar even began making jokes that made Ruby snicker, giggle, and laugh, her cheeks oftentimes turning rosy from the laughter. Of course, Ruby's laugh was contagious as he soon would laugh as well. He was finally making progress toward the day he would confess his feelings for her; following Ozpin's advice was working better than he could have hoped. However, he was not prepared for that night.