And, here we are at the epilogue of Mackenzie's OT5 beauty! I hope you enjoy the fluff after all the angst of the previous chapters.

Enjoy!

Emerald wasn't necessarily an expert on housing. She spent her early life on the streets, and her more recent life sleeping anywhere from the ground to a cramped hostel room to a luxurious tavern suite. She was honestly happy as long as she had a roof over her head, food in her stomach, and her four lovers nearby.

Still, despite her limited knowledge, she could tell that this most recent house they were viewing was a good one. She had known that just by looking at the email the real estate agent had sent them.

It was a nice cottage that looked rustic on the outside, bearing a cute little garden and a quaint picket fence. On the inside, however, it was very clearly a house meant for a large, modern-day family. The kitchen was newly-remodeled with laminate floors, a new stove and oven, and a stainless-steel fridge. There was central heating and air conditioning, a huge family room, a back porch and patio, two full bathrooms, and three bedrooms.

Emerald loved it immediately once she saw it in person. Judging by the excited whispers being exchanged, so did Team JNPR.

Nora was looking at the garden, already imagining what flowers they would plant once the house was theirs. "Hey, Ren? You think we'll have room for a food garden?"

"We'll have to check the back yard," Ren replied. "The front yard is a little small for what I have in mind."

Emerald walked to the front door, eying the locks. "Hm. Any amateur could pick these. We'll definitely need a quality alarm system."

"Wasn't that a given already?" Jaune asked, ruffling Emerald's hair as she moved away from the lock.

"Have we decided which company we're going with, yet?" Nora asked. "I'm still not sure."

"Hey, I still need to test those last two," Emerald protested. "If I can disarm it, it's no good."

"Em, you're an illusionist who grew up stealing to survive," Pyrrha pointed out. "I think you're a cut above the common thief."

"I'm sorry, did you guys only want protection from two-bit noob burglars? Because, if so, we can totally go with that last alarm system we looked at," Emerald said, rolling her eyes. "Or, any of them, really."

"Okay, okay," Jaune laughed, kissing Emerald's cheek. "We'll leave it to the expert."

Emerald's expression softened as she responded with a quick kiss to a jagged scar that stretched from Jaune's chin to his jawline. Even now, the easy affection that passed between the five of them sometimes felt like something Emerald was dreaming. There were times when she would stop and wonder if she had actually been put in a coma during one of the many battles they had fought during the war, and this was all a fever dream her wishful brain had concocted.

Her thoughts must have been noticed by Ren, who lightly touched her hand as they walked through the front door, gracing her with a quick side-smile. A warm flood of soothing feelings immediately washed over Emerald's mind, pushing her pessimistic theory away.

Ren was glad that Emerald's lingering self-doubt was getting easier and easier to banish. It had never fully healed since the Fall of Beacon, no matter how often the former thief proved herself, no matter how quickly she would throw herself into the line of fire for her friends.

Even when the romantic feelings that had started developing before the Fall started to deepen, Emerald had been distant for the longest time, doubting that she deserved to be part of what Team JNPR had, convinced that she should be alone forever. It had been a long, slow process getting her to where she was, and Ren hoped that she would only improve.

Finding a new home would be another step toward that goal, and this one was definitely promising. Ren could already feel the rightness of this place, and could tell that Emerald felt it too, despite her problems with the lock system. When the last of Emerald's doubt faded and she grinned at him, his smile widened and he gently stroked her wrist with his thumb.

Nora was zipping from room to room, gasping at each feature she discovered. "Guys, this carpet is so sooooft!" She said, stooping to feel the new carpeting in the family room. She practically leaped into Jaune's arms when she saw that the fireplace had a glass mosaic in front of it depicting a Huntsman fighting a Dragon. "Omigosh, it's so fancy!"

Jaune laughed, kissing Nora's cheek and continuing to carry her as they explored the rest of the house.

Emerald glanced at Pyrrha, who was examining the house silently. Over the course of the war, as the responsibilities of being the Fall Maiden pressed down on her, Pyrrha had become more and more withdrawn and quiet. There were lines on her face that were starting to age her prematurely, even though she wasn't even thirty yet. To an untrained eye, she now appeared to be a very stern, silent warrior who had little time for foolishness, as opposed to the open, friendly persona of her school days.

Those who knew her, however, could recognize her more subtle expressions. Right now, Pyrrha was happy. There was a faint smile on her face and a warm glimmer in her usually-troubled eyes.

Emerald knew that finding a place that felt like home to Pyrrha was important. Even after the war, the Maidens always had duties to fulfill, far beyond those of a Huntsman. Pyrrha needed a place to come home to. She needed a spot that was safe, comforting, and loving, without all of the expectations she had to deal with everywhere else.

She walked over to Pyrrha and touched her arm. "You like it?"

Pyrrha smiled down at her, the corners of her eyes crinkling a little. "I think it's grand."

That settled it for Emerald, though she did still check over the rest of the house with the others. It honestly seemed to be perfect for them. The three bedrooms would allow them to sleep separately, together, or in whatever combinations they needed, depending on the day. The kitchen received the Ren stamp of approval. The area was remote while still being within the safer boundaries of the kingdom.

They went into the yard, which smelled of cut grass and new wood. The porch had been a more recent addition to the already-new house, likely added to give the place more value for resale. There was plenty of space for a garden, and Ren was already mentally mapping out where all the different vegetables and herbs would go.

"So, should we make an offer and get the inspector in to fine-comb everything?" Jaune asked as they left.

The answer was a unanimous yes.

Emerald was relieved that they had finally found something. For all the previous houses, there had been some reason or other to pass on to the next one: The basement was unfinished (and smelly). There was only one bathroom. The yard was tiny. The house had been inhabited for the past ten years by an old couple with seven cats (and no litter box in sight).

To some, it may seem a bit silly to be so picky after literal years of sleeping on the ground, but they were choosing where they would be living for the foreseeable future, not a campsite for one night. For Emerald, it was a literal dream come true.

Jaune noticed how quiet she was on the way to the hotel room. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Emerald said. "Just thinking."

"What about?" Jaune asked in a tone that expressed interest without putting any pressure on Emerald to say anything she didn't want to.

Emerald took a moment to put her thoughts together. "When I was on the streets, I dreamed of having my own house and being able to do things like buy expensive decorations or cook fancy dinners for myself." She smiled a little wistfully. "One time, when I was really hungry, I had a super-vivid dream about sitting at a table full of food: roast turkey, crab legs, fancy cakes… And I ate everything."

She also remembered the morning after that particular dream. She remembered clutching her rumbling stomach, tears leaking onto the dirty ground, wishing she could just stay asleep forever.

"Now, I'm actually buying a house, and I'm not doing it alone." Emerald shook her head. "Just that feels too good to be true."

Jaune placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing comfortingly as he noticed the conflicting emotions playing across her face. "I think a fancy dinner would be a pretty nice way to celebrate when we move in."

"I do like crab legs," Ren mused. "If I get whole crabs, I could sauté the organs in butter and garlic… That would make a really nice side."

"You had me at roast turkey," Nora chirped.

Emerald smiled, a little embarrassed. "You guys don't have to go to all that trouble."

"Trouble?" Jaune let out a laugh. "Like you could stop us from eating a ton of food once we actually can cook it in a decent kitchen!"

With fresh visions of fancy food in their minds, they ended up splurging just a bit at a Mistral-style sushi restaurant that was near the hotel before turning in. They showered and went to bed, full and content. Emerald lay in one of the twin beds with Ren and Nora.

She had slept with Pyrrha the previous night, and had ended up with several bruised ribs due to the Fall Maiden's violent night terrors. No one ever brought it up when they were inadvertently injured. Pyrrha felt bad enough about several other post-war tendencies that weren't her fault. She didn't need another piece of unneeded guilt to burden her mind.

Emerald slept on the edge of the bed. Nora was in the middle, making happy noises as she slowly wound down enough to actually fall asleep. Ren's arm was laying overtop Emerald's as they held their excitable girlfriend between them.

Letting out a yawn, Emerald drifted off, musing that she was exactly where she had always wanted to be: somewhere safe and warm, with a full belly. Before, she had never even thought of the possibility of being with someone she loved and who loved her back, much less four someones!

She still didn't know if she deserved it, but she was happy.

As she fell fully asleep, she was aware of Ren working his Semblance on her once again. Yes, she corrected herself. Yes, she did deserve this.

…..

Emerald was lying on a cushy couch, hugging one of Nora's giant plush sloths against her chest. A symphony of aromas drifted from the kitchen, carrying notes of seafood and soy sauce, and a full measure of juicy turkey.

She had offered to help cook, of course, but Ren preferred to have the kitchen clear of people when he was working. One other individual at a time was his limit. Occasionally, Emerald or one of the others would peek in to watch him as he worked.

When cooking, Ren took on a look of intense concentration and passion. He hurried from place to place with practiced ease, displaying a grace that surpassed even his dancing and fighting. His hair was pinned back and his apron was pristine.

It was times like these when the "Please do nothing to the cook" message was a helpful reminder. All four of the other housemates found Ren ridiculously attractive while he was in the "sexy chef zone," as Nora called it.

Emerald scooted over as Nora skipped over to the couch, placing the sloth to the side so that she could hug her girlfriend. She laughed as Nora squirmed as close as she could, nuzzling and kissing her neck.

"Nora, you know that tickles!" she protested lightly.

"You love it," Nora giggled, nipping teasingly at Emerald's shoulder.

Emerald tilted her face toward hers. "Maybe a little," she conceded.

Nora didn't waste any time in pulling Emerald into a kiss. Once again, she marveled at how different kissing Emerald was from kissing any of the others. Ren's kisses were always soft and gentle. Jaune's were exuberant, joyful, and a little sloppy. Pyrrha kissed with a sort of thoughtful precision, a careful, calculated effort to make her partner feel as good as possible.

Kisses from Emerald were fierce and raw, and often tinged with desperation and fear. A kiss with Emerald felt like the last kiss before a battle, a snatched moment of happiness before everything fell apart.

Nora felt that fear now and found herself in an uncharacteristic attempt to slow the kiss down, to show Emerald without words that there was nothing to worry about. The war was over. They could allow themselves to be happy.

The kiss went on for several minutes, moseying along before coming to a gradual halt, leaving Emerald both breathless and incredibly relaxed. She drew back to look at Nora's face. In the light from the fireplace, she could see several fine lines crisscrossing on her girlfriend's cheeks, chin, and brow. There were more lines hidden by her clothes, and bigger ones. No one had escaped the war with Salem unscathed.

Pyrrha was curled up in Jaune's lap on the armchair, looking strangely tiny as her boyfriend held her, stroking her hair and talking quietly into her ear. It was rare to see the Fall Maiden looking so small and vulnerable, but it made sense. She rarely let down her guard, even during times of peace. That made the moments when she allowed herself to be protected even more special.

When Ren called for dinner, everyone got up, washed, and hurried to the long table. It was designed to fit several guests, but only five seats were needed that night.

Ren had gone all out, preparing turkey, crab legs, mashed potatoes, yams, cocktail shrimps, and warm, flaky crescent rolls. Emerald could only imagine what dessert would be like!

Before eating, they prayed. Team JNPR worshipped different gods, but the intent of their prayer was the same. Emerald didn't believe in any of the gods, but she said a silent word of thanks to whatever forces in the universe had allowed her and her lovers to be right here, right now.

As they sat, they remembered the people who hadn't made it through the war. Ozpin had died near the end, sacrificing himself to land that fateful final blow on Salem. The old man, who had turned out to be more ancient than anyone had thought, had seemed almost relieved as he lay on the hard, bloody ground in the aftermath. Life slipped from him easily, like a glove coming off an overheated hand, leaving coolness and relief in its wake.

Emerald privately mourned Mercury, who had remained in Cinder's service after the Fall. He had been one of the early casualties.

It was amazing what hindsight could do to a person. During her time with Cinder, Emerald had avoided Mercury whenever possible, hating his more bloodthirsty nature and the way he often tried to flirt with her.

Now, she couldn't help but wonder what he could have been. What if people like Team JNPR had reached out to him sooner? What if she had reached out to him? Would he be alive? Would he be sitting at a table somewhere, preparing to enjoy a meal with people who loved him?

There was little to be gained by asking such questions, but Emerald couldn't help but wonder.

The five then focused their attention on the dinner Ren had prepared. None of them could ever remember a better meal in their lives.

Emerald was cutting into a bit of turkey breast and was dipping it in some mashed yams. She glanced at Nora, who was easily cracking crab shells with her hands. Pyrrha was trying the cocktail shrimp while Jaune had a whole mountain of potatoes and gravy that he was attacking with single-minded gusto.

Ren, despite all the work he had done, was eating at a moderate pace, preferring to focus on the enjoyment of his partners as they devoured his food. This, more than anything, was his favorite thing about cooking.

Each of them ate enough for five people (six for Nora and Emerald), but there were still plenty of leftovers to pack away. They divided cleanup duties and hurried to clean the plates, table, and kitchen before the inevitable food coma set in.

Yawns were forcing their way out of unwilling throats by the time the last dishes were put away. Jaune suggested sleeping together in the biggest bedroom, and the others agreed.

This bedroom, which was the only one to sport a king-sized bed rather than twin cots or futons, was covered with blankets and pillows, making it look like there was little room for one, let alone five people. Somehow, everyone found their way into the depths of the cozy nest.

Emerald ended up on one side, as she preferred sleeping in a position that allowed her to easily get up if necessary. Also, it felt like an extra gesture of protection toward her beloved partners. Pyrrha usually took the other side, though this time, Nora had muscled her way to the other edge and was spooning her much-taller girlfriend. Ren was in the middle, barely visible under the blankets and his other partners. Jaune lay between him and Emerald, who he drew closer with one arm, making sure as he did so that the blankets were nicely tucked around her shoulders.

Ren was asleep almost immediately, followed by Nora. Pyrrha usually stayed awake a bit longer, but the steady sound and feeling of Ren and Nora breathing on either side of her lulled her into a doze.

Jaune remained awake for a little while, gazing at his three teammates before glancing over his shoulder at Emerald. "Hey," he whispered.

"Hi," she replied, kissing the scar on his chin again. It had come from a Beowolf, one that Emerald hadn't managed to kill quickly enough.

Jaune kissed her lips firmly, his eyes open and fixed on hers the whole time. "You're okay," he murmured against her mouth. "I promise. You can relax."

"I don't know if I ever can," Emerald admitted. "I try, but…"

"I know," Jaune said gently. "I know you have a lot to recover from. We all do. We just need to keep getting better and finding more ways to be happy." He touched her cheek. "We deserve it. You deserve it. So, stop punishing yourself and second-guessing us. We're not going anywhere. I can guarantee that."

Emerald smiled. "I know you're not," she said. That was one thing she was absolutely sure of. "I'll keep trying."

"Good," Jaune said, satisfied for the time being. "I love you."

Emerald snuggled close, blinking back tears. Those were three words she would never get used to hearing. "I love you too." They felt alien on her tongue, but in a good way.

Jaune's eyes closed. He remained facing Emerald the whole night, allowing her to listen to his heartbeat until morning, reminding herself with each pulse that she was, at last, where she had always wanted to be.

I'd like to thank everyone for your loyal readership over the years, and Mackenzie Buckle for this commission. My time in the RWBY fandom has been great because of people like you. I hope you'll be waiting for me when I come back with "Wings of Dust" and when I move on to my own works, which promise to be better than any of my fics.

Until then, peace out!