Just A Shadow (RWBY male reader insert)

(small) V2 Ch8: Tapping the Brakes

(Tfw life is a fucking nightmare :D)

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3rd person Pov

Beacon Cafeteria

Jaune: "I still cant believe you managed to let slip your own birthday."

Y/n: "I still dont see why it's such a big deal...I was never one to celebrate it much anyway."

About half of teams RWBY and JNPR were gathered in the cafeteria over breakfast. Ruby and Yang sat on either side of Y/n, while Jaune and Pyrrha sat opposite him. Blake and Weiss were god knows where. Same can be said for Ren and Nora.

He picked at his food in slight exasperation at the conversation he found himself unable to escape for the last hour. Ruby and Pyrrha seemed to pick up on his hints of discomfort, but hadnt spoken out about it yet.

Yang: "Well, why not?"

Finally deciding he had lost his appetite, he dropped the fork onto his tray and propped his head in one hand as he responded.

Y/n: "I've just never seen it as a big deal. That and I've always hated asking people for shit, so it always bugged me every year when I'd get bombarded with 'What do you want for your birthday?'."

There was a pause for all of about a second. It wasnt exactly a look she enjoyed seeing on his face, but it always somewhat surprised her just how quickly Y/n manages to develop The Stare.

The Stare, was only known as The Stare by Ruby herself. She used it to describe how, when Y/n enters deeper thought, or spaces out, even reminisces on something (particularly something rather sensitive), he manages to sprout this gaze that she could only describe as long.

She definitely didnt like it.

It made his eyes seem so empty.

Y/n: "As far as I was concerned, it just meant I had been waiting around for another year."

And there it was.

Nobody needed to ask what he meant.

Realizing the tone he had set, he internally smacked himself, shaking away his clouded gaze as he tried to pick up the broken pieces of the previous conversation.

"Listen, its obviously different now that I'm here. With all of you. My birthday is just something I've never seen as a big deal. Emotional conflicts aside."

Also attempting to move away from the previous tone, the group jumped at the opportunity to change the subject a bit.

Yang: "I guess that makes sense."

Jaune: "Cant really say I get it but you do you I guess."

Pyrrha: "I suppose we all see things differently."

Ruby was the only one who didnt say anything. Seemingly in thought, a small smile crossing her face after a few seconds. Definitely not unnoticed by Y/n. He turned his head to her, a wary look crossing his face

Y/n: "Oh god. Somethings stirring around in your head. What are we in for?"

Her smile only grew, a smug and confident look in her eyes as she gave  Y/n a surprisingly hardy pat on the back.

Ruby: "Oh, dont worry about it. It's nothing big."

Unsure whether or not she was telling the full truth, Y/n opted to remain on his toes. Ruby was certainly capable of surprising him at times.

Y/n: "Sure...well, anybody got any plans for today?"

And so conversation continued to float around the table for about an hour. Or perhaps it was longer. They wouldnt know. Nobody bothered to check the time.