Smile

Chapter 8

"Hrrgh..."

"... Weiss, you don't look so good."

"I don't feel good..."

Ruby gently rests the back of her hand against Weiss's forehead, jolting slightly when she notices how warm it feels. Weiss groans before pulling her blanket around herself, softly sniffling after doing so.

"You're burning up..." Ruby murmurs as a slight frown replaces what was a cheery smile, gaze drifting downwards momentarily. "I'm gonna let Winter know you're sick, you can't possibly go out on your mission today." Weiss's immediate response is to whine softly before nodding, Ruby's smile reforming before she steps out of the room. After what felt to her like forever but was only half an hour, three knocks ring out upon the door, drawing Weiss's attention as she rests her scroll atop her lap.

"R... Ruby, you know you don't need to knock to come in..." She calls out before coughing quite roughly, the door opening moments later to reveal not Ruby, as she had expected, but Oscar Pine instead, who is currently taking residence in Team JNR's dorm. Weiss quirks an eyebrow for a few moments, gaze remaining focused on him as he steps inside and closes the door.

"I, um... I'm sorry I'm not who you were expecting, Weiss. Ruby had to leave on a mission, so she sent me here in her place, I hope that's okay." Weiss's nod is all he needs before he approaches, a small bundle held in his grasp. While her gaze does fall onto it for a few moments, it eventually returns to his face, his smile proving oddly infectious.

"Ruby said to tell you she informed your sister already, and you've been excused from huntress duties for the day. She... Also said to tell you that while she's away, I'm going to help take care of you, I... If you don't mind, that is."

"... I... Don't suppose I do... It certainly beats being alone while sick..." Weiss quietly says before coughing hard, a tired groan escaping after she falls still. "Ghh... I hate being sick."

"I don't know anyone who doesn't, it's never fun. Back on the farm, being sick meant I couldn't help, which meant less got done, and we risked having a smaller season than usual." He says while smiling a little more, Weiss pulling Muffin in against her chest before nodding .

"When I was younger, being sick just meant I had to stay in my room, which... I did a lot of anyway, there wasn't terribly much to do growing up with the restrictions my father put on me and my siblings." Oscar nods along as Weiss speaks, the bundle being unraveled before he offers up a sweet bun to Weiss, who takes it with a softly muttered thanks. Before she takes a bite, she spends a few moments removing her headgear, then gently secures a rubber band onto her braces before nibbling on the sweet treat with a happy sigh.

"I never had any restrictions, but... As a farmer, there isn't all that much to do with your time, aside from farm work I didn't do all that much, at least until Ozpin appeared in my head." Pausing for a few moments, Oscar bites into the other sweet roll he had with him, sighing softly afterwards. "You know, I can't say I ever thought I would've not been a farmer, much less be doing huntsman stuff..."

"Do you regret leaving?" She asks after a few moments, Oscar looking towards her before shaking his head.

"I used to, but... Knowing I'm helping the world, even if it seems like an impossible task with what Jinn told us... It's worth doing, and I don't regret my choice any more." He says with a wider smile, Weiss giving one of her own that shows off the metal lining her teeth. "If you're still hungry, Weiss, I could go make you some soup, it might help you feel better."

"I am, please and thank you Oscar." She softly says before squeezing around Muffin, Oscar slipping out of the room after nodding. While waiting for him to return she brings up the news and begins sifting through articles, electing to ignore anything negative for more mood lifting stories. When he returns half an hour later she puts her scroll away, another rough cough leaving before she speaks.