Crowning Glory (Complete)

[Pyry Ward]

Pyry had spent the better part of his morning gathering a bunch of flowers for his next adventure with Erin. She, like a lot of tough girls he knew, liked to pretend she was beyond feminine arts but he knew she'd have a lot of fun making crowns. Everyone liked making crowns. Boys included, they just needed a safe space to do so. Today he would be Erin's safe space. He'd even picked flowers he knew she'd like.

Statice. White and light purple, good filler flowers: full of texture and fullness.

Lisianthus. Darker purple with a hint of orange in the middle. Less texture which helped it stand out against the statice.

Red carnations. A break from all the purple. Petals that weren't too textured but not smooth either. She'd love them.

Maybe they weren't flowers that traditionally went together but he was going for aesthetic, not meaning, when he chose this batch. Erin didn't seem the type to care too much about meaning behind plants, but maybe he'd be surprised. There were more flowers of course but they were more suited to his tastes.

He scouted out an tree that let light filter through it's branches but didn't leave them burning in it's rays. Setting down the baskets of flowers, he laid out the same blanket he had had at their rooftop meeting.

Checking his scroll he smiled, she'd replied she was almost there. Adjusting his circlet and toga he sat down and tried to not look too excited.

[Erin Cherrywood]

Here she was again, off to meet one of the most annoying people she'd ever met in her life. ... She must like the attention or something. Maybe she was one of those girls who got high off compliments. She frowned. What girl didn't like compliments? There was something to be said about people saying something about you was cool. Well people her own age anyway. When old men were gross there was nothing nice about it.

Pyry had suggested they make flower crowns today and despite her efforts, she couldn't say no. It sounded like fun, she'd never seen a guy as muscled as Pyry making a flower crown. Plus, she liked flowers.

As she approached the gardens she sent a message telling him to be on the lookout. It was doubtful that she'd have a hard time spotting him, but better safe than sorry.

As she'd expected, no issues finding someone like him. He stood out even here. Scanning the area she had spotted him under a tree, on blanket, next to a few baskets of flowers. The guy literally brought baskets of flowers. She'd assumed they'd have to pick them so points for being prepared.

He had that ridiculous smile when she approached but she decided to be civil. Maybe he wouldn't sys anything stupid today.

She searched his face and stopped short. "Hey, you have horned eyebrows today."

[Pyry Ward]

Laughing he wagged his eyebrows as though it were a compliment. "Little princess, my eyebrows are always horned. You just can't usually tell because my damn hair is so shaggy." Taking off his circlet he smoothed back his hair then placed the circlet back like a hairband so it stayed off his face. "I think I'm a little hurt than you never noticed." Looking away he feigned offense before looking at her out of his peripherals with a sly grin. "Althoooough, I guess I can take that to mean you've been looking at other parts of my body." Flexing his pecs he winked at her.

"Enough of that though. I promised a flower crown and a flower crown you will get." He patted the spot next to him. "C'mere, you should probably sit close so I can show you how to tie the flowers, it can be pretty tricky."

[Erin Cherrywood]

He was still calling her little princess. What was that about? She didn't recall ever doing or saying anything that would make him think she was high maintenance... Odd.

He pulled his hair out of his face with a complaint that just did not sound genuine and she was surprised to see that he was quite good looking with his hair pulled off his face. Sure, he was attractive normally but, without the hair in the way, she could see his eyes and eyebrows better, but something else caught her attention: he had freckles.

A small, quiet, "Nnn." slid from between her lips and she immediately cleared her throat to cover it. What the heck was that? She hadn't made that noise before. It took a second to register that she was attracted to him and the noise was just a manifestation of that. Wrinkling her nose she shook her head at herself. She was acting like some school girl. Okay, okay, she technically was a school girl but she didn't need to act like some starry eyed, lovesick, puppy.

While he was chatting away about the delicacy of flower tying she reluctantly sat next to him. Or... Well maybe not so reluctantly. "Don't take this the wrong way but, well, you're pretty handsome." She could see his face brighten and she held up a hand. "I am not saying I like you or anything, you are just attractive - physically - and if I didn't tell you now you'd probably catch me staring or something and get the wrong idea." She picked up a red flower and eyed it for a second. "I have no issues admitting you are aesthetically pleasing but we're just friends."

[Pyry Ward]

Erin made an odd noise in her throat which she then cleared, and he glanced up at her with slight concern. Please tell me she isn’t allergic to any of these flowers. He thought to himself with an inward frown. That would be the worst, but wouldn’t she have told him if she were allergic to something? She wasn’t sneezing or anything and her eyes weren’t watering but he’d still keep an eye on her.

Pyry smiled when Erin sat next to him. That was a step forward, last time they'd hung out she’d sat rigidly across from him and never really seemed to be comfortable.

He was midway through a demonstration on how to gently tie the knots when she called him handsome, and he snapped the stems he was working on. Eyes widening, he turned his face away from the ruined flowers in his hand and towards her face as if her eyes would tell him he'd misheard. No, he'd heard her right, and she continued on about how it was a physical attraction, not emotional, finishing with the fact that they were just friends. Friends? She considered him a friend now? “Wow.” His pulse quickened and he couldn’t stop the goofy grin from taking control of his face. "If I’d have known that moving my hair out of my face would be what finally made you like me, I’d have done it forever ago.”

Dammit.

He wished he hadn’t gone straight for a joke. He wanted to be smooth and take it in stride, maybe pretend her opinion on his looks didn’t matter all that much, but no. He just had to show his cards. It wasn’t often that he was frustrated at his own straightforward, happy-go-lucky, flirty self but this was one of those times. Again, he wasn’t trying to marry the girl or anything, but he did genuinely like Erin’s sour attitude and wouldn't mind getting closer.

“If it makes you feel better, I think you are beautiful too little princess.” He said with a wink as he picked up two more flowers. “So beautiful in fact that you deserve a crown.”

[Erin Cherrywood]

It was clear that he wasn’t expecting her to call him attractive – the obvious look of shock, quickly replaced by disbelief, the way his eyes shined when he realized she was serious. Ugh! It was criminal how much she wanted to stare at his face, to see the different expressions. Would he stay handsome no matter the expression or would she inevitably find the one that did not make her knees weak?

She needed his hair back on his face. Something about those red eyes and freckles illuminated by the sun... What was her think with boys with red eyes?

Then he had to go and ruin the picture by speaking. Of course. Of course, he would come back at her with a line. At least she could always rely on his personality to pull her back to reality. So long as he kept coming at her with those lines, she was in no danger of falling for him. Gorgeous as he may be, that attitude of his would ensure he stayed safely tucked away in the friend-zone with Bartok. The last thing she needed was for boy drama to get in the way of her journey to becoming a huntress.

Rolling her eyes at his compliment she smirked. “Yet, somehow, I am not beautiful enough to get to wear your crown.” She teased as she grabbed flowers matching the ones he was holding to follow along with his demonstration, she'd never made a flower crown before and it genuinely seemed like a lot of fun. As she watched him slowly go through the demonstration again she decided to keep the conversation going. “I’ve been meaning to ask, what is with the ‘little princess’ thing? I don't feel like I am high maintenance, I certainly don't look the part, I don't speak hoity-toity... I just don't see it."

[Pyry Ward]

Pyry couldn't contain his laughter as she complained that she wasn't allowed to wear his crown - she was quite cheeky and he was into that. "I'll tell you what, you agree to go on a date with me and I will let you wear the crown the whole time." He hoped she'd cave and agree to go on a date with him, but he wasn't about to hold his breath.

She asked about his nickname and he smiled warmly at her. "Being a princess isn't necessarily a bad thing you know. It's not about having money or being the picture of sophisticated grace. You're a princess to me because you are a force to be reckoned with and that somehow drives me to want to protect you. I see your fierceness and drive to help others and it makes me want to fight to see that dream realized. You are a warrior who can protect herself but why should you have to?" Reaching over he held his hands above hers, a silent question asking for permission to correct her grasp on the flowers. "As for the 'little' part? Well, let's just face it, you are much much smaller than I am. I could probably bench you with one arm."

[Erin Cherrywood]

Erin hesitated when Pyry offered her a date in exchange for the chance to get her hands on his circlet. A date wasn't really anything special unless both parties decided it was but she wasn't about to lead someone on over a glittering trinket. The way he made the offer made her suspect he wasn't serious, or at the very least he was confident that she wouldn't accept. They were playing a weird game of cat and mouse and she wasn't sure who was who - though she was beginning to suspect she was mouse.

"I dunno, I feel like going on a date with you - even one rooted in a quid-pro-quo exchange - would somehow end in disaster and I am not interested in whatever chaos would ensue." She teased in what she hoped was a lighthearted manner. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, he was making a consistent effort to get to know her so the least she could do was try to be kind.

She'd expected his reasoning to be something stupid or shallow and was caught off guard by the sincerity in his voice. It sounded like he genuinely respected her. While he spoke she lost track of where they were in the flower tying and frowned when she realized her work was not anywhere as neat as his. She wasn't sure if she was going to ask him for help or not when he reached for her hands. Her tail began to bristle and she was about to yank her hands away when his stopped. Was he waiting for her to give him permission? Looking up from her flowers she searched his face, finding nothing concerning she eventually nodded slightly and waited to see what he'd do. She could always stop him if he did something she didn't like.

"I still feel like I'm no princess but, for the sake of the argument, what would that make you? Certainly not a prince." She joked.

[Pyry Ward]

Pyry's face fell a little and a sullen look crept into his features. Quid-pro-quo. What a nasty way to refer to his offer. On one hand her words stung, but on the other hand she was trying to be light hearted about it so it wasn't like she truly thought he was undateable. It was fine though. He wouldn't push it; he'd expected her to say no after all.

She nodded at his offer to help her with her flowers so he slowly adjusted her hands along the stems to help her tighten up her work, she wasn't too far off from what he'd shown her so it was quick work. He wanted to keep holding her hands, to feel them, but he let go. If he took his time he might be able to hold them whenever he wanted and not just because he was helping her with something.

"Why wouldn't I make a good prince?" He didn't think he was prince either, but he wanted to get her talking, and thinking, about him. "I agree though. I am more of a multi-talented butler or knight in tin foil armor than a prince. I don't lead, I just get things done."

[Erin Cherrywood]

His hands were as warm as she thought they would be; in her few interactions with him he gave off the air of someone who spent a lot of time in sun. She knew the area he was from was pretty much a labyrinth of perpetual night but he was here now and whenever she pictured him - oh no, he was in her mind - he was basking in the sun and smiling.

He seemed all business as he guided her fingers and adjusted the flowers in her hand. Peeking up at him through her bangs, she watched him carefully. He was focused and soon enough his hands were gone. A slight twinge of disappointment welled up in her and she inwardly frowned. Was she hoping he had held on longer? No. That couldn't be it. She was just way too used to Bartok and his clinginess - she must just be projecting missing him onto Pyry.

Wait. Now she was thinking of Bartok again? And she missed him? Coming to Beacon was really throwing her life out of balance.

He asked why he couldn't be a prince - pulling her from her thoughts - and she was about to explain why when he proposed alternative roles for himself. She couldn't stop the laugh at his suggestions. "A knight in tin foil armor?" Setting the flowers down she covered her face with her hands and laughed more. It was absolutely ridiculous but somehow it fit him perfectly. "I was going to say court jester but you somehow came up with something even more ridiculous that suits you perfectly."

[Pyry Ward]

He laughed with her, she had such a beautiful laugh, and picked up another flower to add to his crown. This was much more fun than the last few times they had hung out. She was relaxing and joking and not spitting venom at his every line. "It both suits my personality and my goals. See, you have this thing for shiny stuff and tin foil shines like nobody's business in the sun. You won't be able to take your eyes off me. Foil also won't get in the way of my fighting at all, it'll either crumple and bend or just tear off showing off the body of a god - again something you won't be able to take your eyes off of." He was laying it on pretty thick so he hoped she took the hint that it was said in good fun, but he was ready to beg forgiveness if need be.

Looking at the flowers in both their hands he raised his eyebrows. He knew they were using the same flowers but it just registered that that meant they would have the same crown at the end rather than the two distinct ones he had planned on. Handing over what he'd done so far he smiled. "Add this to yours, we can't have two matching crowns now can we?" Or maybe he did want to match. That would make them look like a couple. Maybe he'd spoken too soon...

[Erin Cherrywood]

Rolling her eyes dramatically she shook her head and sighed. "I worry about you sometimes. You have this weird idea of how to get my attention and I'm not sure it's even worth your time." Grabbing another flower, she continued to add to her crown. "Why go after someone who clearly isn't interested? Is it the thrill of the chase or something? Because there have got to people way more your style who are much easier to approach."

When he handed her his flowers she thought she'd gone too far, pushed hard enough that he finally realized he had better things to do than spend time with a cranky faunus and decided to move on, and panic started to rise. She wasn't ready for him to leave.

Then he smiled and said he wanted to use other types of flowers. She hadn't thought about matching. If she were being honest she hadn't even consider actually wearing the crowns, they were just fun to make.

Nodding she smiled back. "Good point. Besides I think I can handle the tying from here."

[Pyry Ward]

He considered her question about his pursuit of her affections. Why did he care so much about this particular girl? He'd thought he had already answered that question, he was thrilled by her eyes, but apparently that wasn't good enough for her - or himself now that he was thinking about it. Sure, she was sour, quick to anger, aggressive, blunt, pessimistic, and aloof but she was also kind, honest, quick-witted, and thoughtful. She wanted people to think she wasn't worth their time but that only made her even more appealing, she cared deeply about others. "No. It's not the chase." Grabbing a few blue flowers for his own crown he considered his words. "It's that you deserve to have someone dedicated to you. I don't mean you need a man or anything, I just want to be your friend," It would have been smart to leave the sentence there, but that was not his style. "For now anyway." He gave her a charming wink before continuing on. "I can tell you are someone who cares about others and will do anything for the ones you care about, I respect that. It's not something I would do. Other than my family, I would push anyone aside to achieve my goals and fighting dirty means nothing to me." He grabbed a large flower to add in. "I guess, while I am here at Beacon, I want to pretend I can be someone more like you. If you fall in love with me in the meantime, well that's just a bonus."

[Erin Cherrywood]

It was time to make a conscious effort to breath; she needed her breaths to come out steady, not too long, not too short, casual. Even with the lines thrown in, she could tell that Pyry was being genuine. She hated him. Or really she hated herself for letting him break down her barriers. She spent a lot of time and effort making people think she was a jerk, anti-social, and all around someone who didn't care about others and here was Pyry talking about how much she cared and how he respected her and wanted to be like her.

With Bartok it made sense. He'd known her forever. Pyry on the other hand had only known her for a few weeks. He shouldn't see through her like he did. Gritting her teeth she turned her eyes back to the flowers in her hand. This was exactly what she didn't want to happen; she didn't need herself getting involved with some playboy who had no intention of sticking around in the long run. He'd already told her he was just having fun and experiencing life before returning home, she knew he wasn't serious about her... yet, here she was, starting to believe he cared about her.

Letting out a long breath, she frowned. "I need you to stop doing that." She said with a half-hearted laugh. "It is cruel to toy with the feelings of someone you know you aren't serious about. That's what I hate most in a person." Grabbing a couple of the white and purple flowers she looked at him again. That stupid handsome face was starting to really irritate her. "The cruelest thing someone can do is pretend to like, or love, someone when in reality they don't or are only using them." She remembered how miserable Bartok was when Sparrow used him and tossed him aside. The pain, regret, anger, fear... all things she wanted to avoid. It took forever for Bartok to be himself again and, despite how he acted, she knew it was a wound he'd carry for life. "I am asking, as a friend, please stop pushing me. I am not interested in getting involved with someone who has no intention to stick around."

[Pyry Ward]

The cruelest thing...

As a friend...

Not interested in someone who has no intention of sticking around? The look on her face... it was almost soft, vulnerable, pleading... Her defenses were being raised and he could see her shutting herself away. But it was obvious now, she was starting to like him. His heart sped up. No, she liked him. And she was asking him to stop, to just be a friend.

He didn't want to stop though. He wanted her to be soft around him, to trust him. But he knew he was going back to Kuchinashi and he didn't want to have any more people to protect while he cleaned up the place. He would never bring someone there... the guilt would kill him if he brought someone in and they died. With someone like Erin there was a higher chance she'd die the same way Kirsi did - protecting him. Erin could and would fight, but there would inevitably be a day where one of them would fail. Logic, and Erin, both screamed for him to stop.

He decided to listen. He made the decision to stop.

Or he thought he did. But, immediately, there was the nagging regret that Erin was someone he'd never have a chance again. Bartok would almost certainly win her over by the end of their tenure at Beacon and he'd lose out. Her in Bartok's arms... Sitting with him on rainy days. Kissing him. Clenching his teeth he forced the images away. He didn't want to imagine her with someone else. He wanted her to be with him.

Something his dad said when Kirsi died came back to him. Losing someone is almost inevitable when you live in Kuchinashi, but that is not an excuse to push people away. Trust is hard to come by, love even harder, but that's why you don't throw away the people you love and trust. They are the ones who make life bearable, the sun in this city of perpetual night. Pyry had hated the world, himself, and his parents for Kirsi's death. Kirsi was gentle and kind, the last person who deserved to die. But she did and he had to carry the weight of the knowledge that she'd died for him. He spent a lot of time acting out and being a jerk, pushing away everyone he could to avoid the pain of someone else dying for him again. He wanted everyone to hate him, but he failed. His family loved him and he couldn't avoid loving them back, but he could avoid women. Play around, sure. Physical intimacy, even better. But emotional? No.

Erin was similar. She was avoiding people to avoid being hurt, or hurting others, and he had kept pushing. Maybe that's why he liked her so much? Because she would understand him.

"What if I don't want to stop? What if I am being genuine?" The words came out low and serious.

[Erin Cherrywood]

Erin could feel the anger rising at his words. Why? Why wouldn't he just let things go? He was going home after Beacon. She was going to travel all over. They didn't want the same things and neither should have to give up their dreams to please someone else. Why did he keep pressing for something that was doomed before they ever met?

"Okay, say you are genuine in your affections." Her words were laced with hostility as she grabbed more flowers, taking serious considerations to not crush the crown she had enjoyed working on. "Say you fall for me and don't cheat. That you stop flirting with every girl and have eyes only for me. Do you honestly expect me to believe either of us will change our plans for the future? We will graduate and go our own ways. You have a home to defend and I want to wander. Do you want to spend every day apart wondering if the other is dead yet? Never knowing what happened what if the other disappears?" She shook her head and added in a large flower. "That isn't my idea of a happy life. The alternative is breaking up at graduation and, honestly, why waste all the time working the field just to abandon it? And both of those are the good options. Who's to say you won't cheat? That I won't cheat? That we don't end up fighting and hating each other's guts?" Her words grew steadily louder and angry tears began to well up. She didn't want or need the drama of a boy in her life. "Why can't you just be happy that we are friends?"

[Pyry Ward]

He should have stopped. She was going to bolt any minute. Today was supposed to have been the day that they just hung out, enjoyed small talk, and made awesome flower crowns. Instead, she was on the verge of very angry, frustrated, tears and he was too stubborn to stop. He wasn't in love and he wouldn't lie and say he knew he'd never leave her - they were seventeen and eighteen, anything could happen - but he knew he couldn't not even try.

Finishing the crown of blue, purple, and white flowers he searched her face. She was flushed with anger, tears threatened to fall at any moment, and she was more than a little tense. Regret started to pick at the back of his mind but he pushed it away. Nothing to do about it now.

Why couldn't he just be her friend? The answer was simple. "Because I am not Bartok." He knew he'd lose points for that but it was true and when you have no honor you have no shame. He pushed her hair off her face and set the crown atop her head with a smile. "I know what I want and I would be willing to change a lot of things to get it." His words were serious but the edge of flirtation was back. After all, was he really him if he wasn't trying to flirt with her?

[Erin Cherrywood]

Erin burned a bright red though she wasn't sure if it was out of embarrassment or rage. Taking a sharp breath she struggled to think of anything to say in return but no words formed, just a strong feeling of indignation and the instinct to protect Bartok's name.

Her whole body was shaking when Pyry moved her hair and set the crown on her head. Another few moments of silence before she turned her gaze back on her flowers lest she use her semblance on him. "I am not willing to condone those changes." It was a weak argument, but it was all she had. She wouldn't engage in behavior doomed to end in emotional pain.

[Pyry Ward]

Ah, the age old moral dilemma. Should he press the woman who'd already told him no or respect her wishes. He was all too familiar with the concept of consent and that pushing after someone said no was generally a dick move, but if romance movies had taught him anything it was that persistence was the key. He just had to move slowly, let the barriers fall on their own. Become that annoying song that she couldn't get out of her head.

"Well, it's not really your choice what I do now is it?" He asked, more than a little smug. "If I happen to visit Bartok a lot after graduation and happen to run into you it would just be a happy coincidence." A half-grin spread while he looked at her, she was quite cute without all that hair in her face. "But I'll make you deal, from now on all my asking you out is a joke. When you are ready to admit you like me, just tell me it's time for our first date and I'll be ready."

[Erin Cherrywood]

He was insufferable. Right about now she really wanted to knock his block off. Where did he get off threatening to become buds with her best friend just to ensure they'd cross paths again?! What an arrogant prick.

It was becoming all too clear that she had a particular type when it came to the men she fancied: tall, red eyed, and arrogant beyond belief.

Tying off the crown, she clenched her teeth and plopped it down on his head with a huff before standing up. "Go ahead and hold your breath on that one. Hell would freeze over before I asked you out." It was time to get back to her room. She was tired of boys and their nonsense.

[Pyry Ward]

Erin had a habit of leaving flustered. He knew it was his fault but he really wanted at least one day where she gave him a quick hug or something before taking off. Maybe next time they'd do something that didn't require any talking and they'd have a great time from start to finish?

He shook his head and smiled as she disappeared. Who was he kidding? He loved watching her get embarrassed and run away. And now he knew he stood a chance. Best day so far.

Grabbing his scroll he took a quick selfie and sent it to her. Thanks for the crown darlin', I'll cherish it forever. Tucking away the scroll he gathered up the rest of the flowers and started a plan to get them in her room.