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It starts, as many things do, with a joke.
It is the night following the Brownie Incident, and Blue is embarrassed. There is still a light flush across his cheeks, and his eyes are brighter than usual.
“In hindsight, I was pretty stupid to eat all those brownies myself, even if they weren’t drugged.” He laughs, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
This is nothing new for Team NAVE, as they have several whole folders of paperwork on their combined — and admittedly, impressive — trail of property damage left in the wake of their escapades. If anything, this is simply another grey hair to add to the Headmaster’s once-tawny mane.
This is something new, in the way that Jasper, recently back from visiting their aunt and her partners, leans forward sharply, voice tight. Their grin has been distantly amused the entire time, but their grey wings still twitch every so often. Black material bunching, their fists clench.
“You’re not stupid, Blue. You’re anything but. It was a few brownies, and I should’ve labelled them properly. You’re incredibly smart, and we value you so, so much.”
Blue blinks, brown eyes warm. He smiles fondly at his teammate, who’s gold-flecked-green are still intensely focused on his own.
“I know, Jasper, but thanks,” he intones softly, “It’s nice to hear that once in a while.”
The vulture faunus nods once, and leans back against the sofa.
—
It happens again a few times, but most notably when Lori trips on a training mission, almost disembowelling Vidal with their axe.
All members are gathered around the small hospital cot, two of them close to tears. Lori has brushed straight past that threshold, and is crying softly, head safely burrowed in their taller teammate’s shoulder. Vidal is chuckling.
Lori gasps out another apology to Vidal’s sardonic reply of “I’m honestly surprised it didn’t happen sooner, with how we met, if that makes you feel any better.”
Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t.
Digging her fingers into the papery hospital gown, they whisper an almost inaudible comment on how they shouldn’t have been so dumb.
To the left of Blue, who’s gently rubbing between the fish faunus’ shoulder blades, murmuring soothing nonsense and generally being a good dad, Jasper frowns. And speaks.
“It was an accident, Lori, not your fault. And you aren’t dumb. Honestly, we’ve all seen your History grades.” they smirk, a little watery, twisting on their uncomfortable hospital chair. Seriously, would it be that hard to put stools in the rooms? “And that’s when you hate it! I’m pretty sure you’re a fucking genius.”
Lori lifts their head at this, pale eyes wide and wet. She sniffles, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, and gives a tiny twist of her lips, barely a smile. But it counts.
—
This time, Vidal is anxiously twisting their skirt in one of their hands, flicking glances to the door of the dorm, where their other teammates are due to return any second. Skittish as a Mistrali sparrow, they pace up-and-down, up-and-down, wearing a path into the carpet.
The other hand curls in their dyed hair, still smelling faintly of ammonia.
“What- what if what I’m feeling isn’t this?”
they whisper, volume locked by terror, “What if I got it wrong, and everyone’s gonna think I’m a fr—!”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence!” Jasper snarls, leaping to their feet, “You have been thinking about this for fucking months , and if either of them start shit, I’ll take their fucking kneecaps and drop kick them off the cliffs, got it? ”
At Vidal’s startled look, they inhale deeply, sitting back down.
“Vidal. Only you can say what you want, and if it really is this, then I will stand by you every step of the way. If it’s not? Sure, there are fucking plenty of options out there, and you have a lifetime to figure it out. Anyone who says otherwise is a wanker at best, and has a death wish at worst. Because I will kill any motherfucker who makes you doubt this.” The winged student pauses, curling their fingers around their staff, before continuing in a much softer voice, “We’re flock now, and flock supports each other through thick and thin. If they reject you, they’re not flock. Simple as that.”
A few hours later, when Blue and Lori are updated on Vidal’s pronouns, and all the relieved sobbing is over and done with, the tall human will mumble a thanks towards their feathered teammate, only to be met with an equally quiet “I meant every word”.
—
A few years later, after an old wizard has his secrets revealed, a little boy will be slammed into a wall. He will disappear into the city for a night, terrifying the house’s occupants into remorse. He will shake off their well-meant apologies with the grace of a trained dancer, and everyone will think it is resolved. Everyone but a few.
After dinner is served and the leftovers are put away, Jasper gently takes Oscar to sit on the sofa, fussing quietly. He almost shakes them off, but something in the gesture reminds him of the home he can’t return to; he can’t bring himself to do it, in the end.
Soothing him in a low voice that would not be out of place coming from one Blue Närhi, they smooth his hair back as carefully as they can, parting the black strands to hunt for any hint of split or bruised skin. Warm fingers dance over his scalp and shoulders, cooing noiselessly when he shifts, pain scrunching his features. Once they’re satisfied, they crouch in front of him, and say, in possibly the most tender tone yet:
“You know that wasn’t okay, right? There was nothing you could’ve done to deserve that, chick, no matter what.” For once, their sunglasses are folded on the coffee table behind them, leaf-green eyes kind and earnest. Concern is written into every one of their features - so much so, that Oscar has to look away.
His voice is timid when he responds, but no less certain.
“But they didn’t mean to. Jaune apologised, and it was an accident. ”
Somehow, his words just make them frown harder. Enclosing his gloved hands in their own, scarred ones, Jasper tugs him into an embrace under their wings.
“Chick,” they begin firmly, tilting his chin to look him in the eyes, “That does not make it alright. None of that was alright.”
At their next words, they smile shakily, muted like admitting the biggest of secrets.
“And they still hurt you, even if they didn’t mean to. They apologised, true, but you still got hurt, chick. You’re allowed to feel that.”
He crumbles into the secure embrace, and Jasper holds him tight until the sun peeks over the sea.