Something About a Good Mark

A/N: Written for RWBY Relationship Week V3, which uses a random generator to decide what pairing I'll write each day. As always, if you like my writing, please consider backing my and commissioning me, as every dollar helps a young gay find a new home... which coincidentally, is what this fic is about. Enjoy!

In Pyrrha's opinion, the worst part about sponsorship deals, aside from being expected to endorse things that she had no intention of using, was being pulled out of her home on her rest days (because she refused to miss training for this) to go off to whatever kingdom the company was based out of and pretend to listen to their offer while waiting for finalization to begin.

Her agent, a deceitful and greedy, but very, very talented little man by the name of Leblanc Slate had gotten into the habit of sending her out to explore the city during the finalization process, as it tended to take several hours.

And he liked to negotiate a large signing bonus for himself, but at that point she was usually past the point of caring about that.

And so here she was, wandering about a city whose name she'd already forgotten, hearing the whispers of the people tossing her second looks, and searching for a quiet place to eat a healthy lunch.

She was in the mood for a nice salad alongside a large, well done steak, and maybe some dess-

Her hand shot out to grab the wrist snaking it's way into her pocket, and she turned on her heel, yanking them in front of her as she freed her weapon, in case they had a knife or something.

All it took was one look into frightened red eyes for her to relax her stance.

The girl couldn't have been much older than her, but her sunken cheeks and practically concavent belly told of a much harder life than she'd ever led, and Pyrrha makes her decision.

"You're coming to lunch with me." She informs the girl, and she nods vacantly, biting her lip.

"What, uh... do you expect?" She asks, in a surprisingly smooth voice.

A shiver travels down Pyrrha's spine, and she resolves to buy her would-be thief a coat, if only to block out whatever cold wind must have caused it.

"Um..." The girl says again. "Ma'am? What do you expect as payment?"

Pyrrha shook her head. "I'm buying, you don't have to pay."

Red eyes rolled. "No, I meant..." She shook her head. "Y'know what? Whatever. As long as you don't expect to fuck me, we're good. I'm starving, this is no time to be picky."

Pyrrha took a step back, her eyes widening. "I... er..." Sh shook her head. "I was just going to buy you lunch, I don't want anything." She blinked. "Erm, not that you're not beautiful!" She said, the words spilling out of her in a rush. "You are, and under other circumstances I would be thrilled to, er, have relations with anyone who looked as good as you, but, uhm, not that I have relations with strangers, not that there's anything wrong with it if you do, it's just not my style and so I'd probably take you out to lunch before- I mean, not like I'm doing now, obviously, but..."

She took a deep breath. "I'd just like to buy you lunch because you seem like you haven't eaten well recently."

The other girl stood there in a sort of stunned silence for a moment before chuckling and shaking her head. "Yeah, okay. I believe you." She put her hand out. "I'm Emerald. Emerald Sustrai."

Pyrrha shook it, smiling. "I'm Pyrrha Nikos."

Emerald nodded. "By the way... I don't usually put out on the first date, but if you play your cards right..."

Pyrrha started sputtering again, and Emerald laughed.

/

She greedily tore into the steak, ignoring all that she'd ever known about table manners in favor of eliminating her hunger pains as fast as she could.

Once the gnawing aches had finally lessened, she looked up at her would-be victim, and was shocked to see her grinning gently at her over a cleared plate.

"I was thinking of a second course." She said, as if she hadn't made a steak disappear in seconds. "But I'll wait for you to finish first."

Emerald grinned, and really set into her meal.

/

Pyrrha pushed away her plate, sighing contentedly. "Ah, that was satisfying... did you get enough to eat?"

Emerald nodded. "I'm full for the first time in..." She broke off, and shook her head. "Too long. Thank you, Pyrrha." She graced her with a small smile.

Pyrrha smiled back. "Think nothing of it, I'm happy to help... After all, I was born lucky, I should help those who weren't."

Emerald nodded. "So, uh... Do you want-"

Pyrrha's scroll began belting out a rather peppy tune, and Emerald raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry..." Pyrrha said, smiling sheepishly. "I need to take this."

Emerald nodded, and tried to invest her attention elsewhere, to give the redhead privacy... though it was still easy to hear her side of the conversation.

"Already? Hm. Alright, I'll meet you at the Bul- a private Bulkhead? Why? Ugh, Mr. Slate... What am I even going to do with a lifetime's supply? No, I can't eat it, that would completely- okay, yes, donating it would be a good idea..."

She tapped Emerald's hand and mouthed 'Sorry' when she looked over.

"Yes, yes, okay, I'll meet you there. And I might have found a room- And I told you, I've never lived alone before, and it's incredibly lonely in that apartment, so I will- no, it's not a guy, you don't have to worry about my reputation or about the tabloids- Or about me getting pregnant, thank you Mr. Slate. Will that be all?"

She hung up with a huff. "The nerve of that man..."

Emerald blinked. "Your, uh... butler?"

Pyrrha grinned, but shook her head. "No, my agent. "

Emerald tilted her head. "Are you in movies, or something?"

Pyrrha shook her head. "Don't worry about it... Emerald, how would you like a place to live?"

She flinched back. "Excuse me?"

Pyrrha bit her lip for a moment. "Well, you see... I had to move away from home recently, and it's hard for me to advertise that I'm looking for a roommate without crazed fans showing up."

Emerald nodded slowly.

"And so, well... you're easy to get along with, and it'd almost certainly be better than your current situation. My sponsors pay all the bills, so if you'd be willing to do housework..." She smiled.

Emerald blinked again. "Well..."

"And the job market is very good, so you could find work and get your own place as soon as you'd like."

Emerald bit her lip. "I... I guess? It can't be worse than living on the street. But, uh... y'know, most people wait until they've been dating for a long time before they ask someone to mo-"

Pyrrha threw a napkin at her, and Emerald retaliated, and soon they were giggling like children as they threw plastic spoons at one another.

It was the most fun either of them had been able to have in months... and they each silently thanked the other for it.

And, years later, when Emerald taunts Pyrrha about asking her to move in on their first date, Pyrrha responds with a barb about Emerald asking for her hand in marriage on the fifth.

Emerald responds with a muttered 'You married me, asshole.', and it devolves into yet another silverware fight, as their arguments tend to do.

By the end, they're gasping and laughing like schoolgirls again, holding the woman they love and thanking whatever gods there were for Pyrrha's reflexes, and Emeralds choice in targets.