On-Screen Adventures (ch4)

2-DAY EARLY RELEASE FOR ALL MY PATRONS! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Yes, some people guessed correctly about Pyrrha's love interest in this little AU! There will be a wee bit of drama attached, but enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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												Chapter 4. Neo and Pyrrha

Working on-set to film a popular fantasy television series has plenty of perks and benefits. The actors typically develop strong, almost familial bonds with their fellows, and in some cases it even grows beyond that to the point of romance.

But there are of course downsides to the job as well, one of the most notable being when a beloved cast or crew member has to leave production. In Penny's case, it was to pursue an education in mechanics and engineering. In Roman's, it was to open up his own businesses. And for Pyrrha, it was to pursue a career in modeling.

Until now, that had been a part-time occupation of hers since a rather young age, and she'd also participated in other fields such as acting. But she had made her intentions clear to Ozpin and his crew when she'd first started acting for RWBY; that she didn't intend to stay past the second or third season.

And of course at the time everyone had agreed to and respected her wishes. But that still doesn't make it any easier for them all to consider saying goodbye at the present time.

Now, Pyrrha's final days of acting alongside them are upon the crew, and everyone is feeling it. They try to spend as much time with her as possible, both on and off the set, killing free time together playing games or going out to eat.

Everyone takes the blow of a friend leaving with different levels of sadness.

But there is one person who is perhaps a bit more disheartened than the rest.

Alongside Mercury and Emerald, Neo is one of the few teenagers on set to play a villain's roll, hence she spends a lot of her time with adults like Roman, Cinder, and Salem. It's been a bit difficult for her to get closer and bond with the actors her own age.

Of course she is always invited to their dinners and game nights, and often always attends, but that's when her muteness kicks in to set her back even further. They never see her signed or written jokes over the laughter induced by someone else's. Many of them know a bit of her language, but she simply never got ample time to bond with most of them as deeply as they bonded with each other.

There was only one other person her age on-set who was more mindful of Neo than anyone else.

Pyrrha was always polite to and considerate of her. On their first day of filming and shooting, when they'd gone around giving introductions, Pyrrha's brilliant smile and sing-songy voice had Neo's heart fluttering. And then there had been many times in between as well, when Pyrrha had come to her specifically asking her if she needed help with one thing or another, or even restating what Neo had signed to ensure everyone else was aware of what she wanted to get across.

Pyrrha had always been there helping her and supporting her since day one. Neo believed she did the same for all of their other friends as well, but whenever Pyrrha did it for her, it made her feel special.

Neo had really come to like her. A lot. But months upon months of shooting together had kept them on the same level of friendship as they'd started out on.

And before Neo knew it, Pyrrha's last day on-set was upon them, and she's still never told Pyrrha how she feels.

Neo wakes this morning with a horrible sense of dread filling her stomach. She staggers out of bed and just barely manages to freshen up and get dressed, but when she joins Emerald and Mercury at the breakfast table, she hardly eats a thing. Mercury is stuffing a forkful of pancakes into his face while Emerald eats much more slowly, glancing over at Neo worriedly. Neo just sighs and picks half-heartedly at her food.

Emerald has been with her since the beginning, and she's caught on about Neo's feeling for Pyrrha. But she isn't sure how to help her feel better now. She keeps her voice gentle as she moves her chair closer and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, Neo-"

"What's gotten into you?" Mercury butts in unceremoniously. "Not your breakfast, that's for sure. Better not let all that go to waste."

Emerald snarls and rounds on him.

"The only thing that'll be going to waste is you if you don't shut up, you idiot!"

"Wow, geez, okay! The hell's your problem..."

Emerald sends him a glare so intense it effectively chases him away, leaving the girls alone at the table. Emerald turns back to Neo and lowers her voice again.

"Don't mind that moron. What's the matter? Is it... Pyrrha...?"

Neo simply lifts her head and gives Emerald a drowning look. Emerald flinches.

"Yeah, I figured. Today's her last day. Once they film her character's death scene she's leaving. You never got to tell her how you feel, did you?"

Neo sighs and shakes her head. Emerald pats her shoulder.

"Well, you've still got time if that's something you wanna do. Just think about it."

And Neo thinks about it. She thinks about it all day long, so much that she considers herself lucky she doesn't have any scenes to film herself, because she knows she would've messed everything up with how distracted she is.

She thinks about telling Pyrrha how she feels, but in every scenario she considers, she just can't see it becoming a reality. She's too nervous, too uncertain. Telling Pyrrha her feelings might only weigh the other girl down, make her feel guilty for leaving the set, and that's the last thing Neo wants. She doesn't want her feelings to get in the way of Pyrrha's dreams.

But she also knows that if she doesn't tell Pyrrha how she feels, it's going to eat away at her and distract her for a long time to come.

She has to do it. She has to tell her. Today. Before it's too late.

Neo ponders all day on how she should do it; in sign, in writing, in actions...

Before she knows it, it's announced that Pyrrha's final scene will be filmed. Everyone who's free heads over to that set to observe, but Neo hesitates. Her stomach feels too knotted up, and she remains frozen where she stands for a moment.

Until she spots Emerald and Mercury heading over to where Pyrrha will be filming. Emerald catches Neo's eye with a compelling look and nods her head in that direction.

That's when Neo feels a hand on her head. She turns around to find Mr. Torchwick smiling sadly down at her.

"C'mon, kiddo. It's now or never."

She has no idea how he knows about her feelings toward Pyrrha, but seeing him now reminds her that she'll be losing him soon, too. He'll be leaving the set in only a few more days, and remembering that only makes Neo all the more miserable. She sniffles, though there are no tears, and follows alongside him to where the cameras are being set up.

Neo takes a seat on one of the benches, her eyes traveling around the dozens of people until she finds the one she's been thinking about all day.

Pyrrha looks as gallant as ever, and even more so in her costume that consists of armor and weaponry. She's beaming and smiling as she always is, even in knowing her beloved character is about to perish at Cinder's hands.

Neo curls her hands in her lap anxiously. She can't believe this is the last time she's going to see Pyrrha act.

Pyrrha sweeps her gaze around and eventually catches Neo's eye. She smiles and gives a wave. Neo jolts, scrambling to use her hands to sign out 'good luck.'

Ozpin calls for attention, and the filming begins.

Watching Pyrrha in her mock fights against Cinder, hearing her voice again now, knowing this will be the last time... It's all too heartbreaking for Neo. She's going to miss her so much. Too much. She has to tell her how she feels...

The scene consists of several cuts and do-overs, but not as many as most other actors need. Pyrrha is just about flawless on every delivery every time. Cinder contrasts her perfectly, ruthless and cunning in the face of Pyrrha's purity and righteousness.

Every moment that passes by is one that Neo is painfully aware as being one of the last she'll ever get to see of Pyrrha on this set. It's all so upsetting to her, and her mess of feelings aren't helping one bit.

By the time Cinder has brought Pyrrha to her knees to give her final speech, Neo has silent tears running down her face. Pyrrha slumps forward in her character's demise, and Ozpin calls it a wrap.

"Excellent job, ladies. Now then, everyone please get ready for Miss Niko's celebratory final supper with us this evening."

Everyone goes up to Pyrrha to congratulate her and give her words of encouragement for when she leaves. She sees all of the friends and people she's filmed and grown with over the years; from Jaune's group to Ruby's to Sun's, and everyone else in between.

All except for one person.

Pyrrha searches for her through the crowds, seeking out the telltale mixture of pink and brown and white. She searches and searches while still giving her attention to anyone else who comes up to her.

And she finds her at long last, hunched over herself on a bench, looking smaller than ever before. By the shaking of her shoulders, Pyrrha can tell she's crying.

Until now, Pyrrha has been overcome with a sense of accomplishment, bittersweet as it may have been. But now it's washed away for concern and dismay. She slips out of the crowds and hurries to her, dropping her props along the way before getting down on one knee in front of her, calling softly.

"Neo...?"

Neo jolts, lifting her tearstained face from where it had been in her hands, revealing the misery in her mis-matched gaze, misery that is instantly accompanied by shock. She bites her lip, and a tiny sob comes out. Pyrrha gently places both hands on the girl's knees, her green eyes imploring.

"Neo, what's the matter? Are you all right? I'm sorry it took me this long to find you."

Neo just shakes her head, and more tears fall onto Pyrrha's knuckles. She doesn't know what to convey, or how to convey it. Too many emotions are coming over her all at once. She just cries more, trying to move her hands to sign, but not much comes of it.

But Pyrrha can understand her nonetheless. She smiles sadly and reaches out, wrapping both arms around Neo's smaller frame.

"I'm going to miss you too."

Neo cries harder, and her lack of voice only makes it seem that much more painful for her to suffer in silence.

Pyrrha strokes through the girl's hair gently. Her farewell dinner isn't for another hour or so. So until then, she wants to spend time with Neo and talk with her a little.

Pyrrha turns around to give Neo her back, gently coaxing her forward. Neo hugs her neck and buries her face into Pyrrha's shoulder. Pyrrha secures her legs and stands with the crying girl on her back, piggybacking her quietly back to Neo's trailer.

Neo cries the whole way there, until Pyrrha pushes her way in, apologizes for intruding, and brings Neo all the way to her bed. Pyrrha helps her down, having her sit on the edge, while Pyrrha herself just kneels in front of her once again. She reaches up to wipe Neo's tears away, but more just keep coming.

It takes a while, but Neo eventually gets ahold of herself – as much as she possibly can, given the situation. Pyrrha catches a few more of her tears and holds her hands.

"I'm sorry. I know goodbyes are hard for everyone, but I didn't know it would be this difficult for you. I'll be back to visit plenty, just like Penny does. I promise. I'm going to miss all of my friends as much as they're going to miss me."

But Neo shakes her head. She slips her hands away from Pyrrha's to sign with trembling fingers:

'There's more to it than that.'

Pyrrha tilts her head.

"More to it? What do you mean?"

Neo doesn't know how she can convey it when she's already such a mess. Putting signed or written words to it would be too sloppy and take too long.

So she just acts. Leaning in, she presses a small kiss to Pyrrha's cheek. Pyrrha gasps.

"Oh! Oh, Neo..." She pulls her into another hug. Neo fits perfectly against her. Pyrrha sighs. "I'm sorry if it only makes you sadder to hear me say this, but that makes me so happy. I... I feel the same way about you... But I thought that telling you that before leaving would only hurt you more... I'm so sorry..."

Both girls bury themselves in each other's arms, regretting not conveying their feelings sooner, but relieved to have done it at all.

They stay that way until it's nearly time for the farewell dinner. Neo doesn't want to let Pyrrha go, as if keeping her here will extend the time they have together.

But she can't keep Pyrrha from her dream job. Neo would never forgive herself if she was so selfish. So she lets Pyrrha go, but not without one more kiss to her cheek. Pyrrha wipes her eyes and then Neo's, kissing her forehead.

"Thank you, Neo. Perhaps we won't get to see each other every day anymore, but we'll still se each other plenty. I can promise you that."

Neo nods, but sniffles some more. Pyrrha smiles.

"You silly girl. Don't you realize what this means? Yes, I may be leaving the set, but... you've won, Neo! You've got me now! We can be together in a way we've never been together before, even if we're apart!"

Neo's eyes widen a little bit. She swallows, fingers shaking as she signs back.

'You mean we can be-?'

"Yes!" Pyrrha beams. "We're girlfriends now!" Pyrrha hugs her again in her glee, giggling in delight.

Neo had been so focused on her sadness of Pyrrha leaving that she didn't even fully realize the brighter side of things until now. She'd gotten her feelings across. And even better, Pyrrha had reciprocated.

Finally, for the first time in days since Pyrrha's departure had been weighing on her mind, Neo smiles. She smiles and hugs Pyrrha – her girlfriend – as tightly as she can. Her tears of sadness become tears of joy. She kisses Pyrrha's cheek once again, and Pyrrha kisses hers.

Though Pyrrha's acting career is coming to an end for now, her new relationship with Neo is only just beginning.

By the time the dinner is coming around, both girls compose and clean themselves up. They head to the restaurant together, hand-in-hand, earning many surprised gasps and words of congratulations from their peers once they arrive.

Four tables are filled with the members of their group as food and drinks are ordered, and everyone goes around to give a small speech for Pyrrha. They thank her for her time and talents and wish her well in her new field. And at the end of it all, Pyrrha stands up to speak.

"I cannot possibly express how grateful I am to have gotten the stupendous opportunity to work with all of you. I've learned so much and met so many amazing people. But this certainly isn't goodbye! I'll be back as often as I can. It'll almost feel like I never left at all! And with that, if you would, Mr. Torchwick."

Everyone holds their applause, puzzled at her invitation. Neo tilts her head, as confused as everyone else as Roman stands up beside Pyrrha.

"Thank you." He clears his throat and addresses the room. "Now, as you all know, I myself will be leaving the set soon as well. But what Miss Nikos and I haven't revealed until now is that our lines of work will be coinciding.

"As it turns out, some of my people know some of her people. As such, she's going to be modeling and working for my very own business! Commercials, ads, posters – the works! So don't you worry your pretty little heads! You won't be getting rid of us that easily! We'll be around all the time to check up on production and make sure old Ozpin here is doing his job right!"

Everyone cries out in shock and delight, applauding the announcement and relieved to hear the news. Knowing that even the people who are leaving aren't going far is a massive relief to everyone.

But especially Neo. She jumps up from her seat and throws her arms around both Roman and Pyrrha. The redheads both laugh as more cheers erupt. Roman ruffles Neo's hair.

"Don't you worry, missy. I'll be bringing you back the best designer pieces I come up with. Once Miss Nikos here models the best products and makes us rich, I'll have plenty of outfits comin' your way, free of charge! That goes for all of you! We'll be working closely with Ozpin's costume department in the future!"

Neo smiles up at him, and Roman grins back. Then, he nudges her toward Pyrrha, who scoops Neo up and kisses her full on the lips.

The room erupts in more applause, and the lively evening continues. Neo and Pyrrha stay close together, holding hands throughout the night.

Tonight might mark the last chapter of one book, but tomorrow will start a brand new story.

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A/N: The cheesiest cutest little cliche I could come up with! You're welcome!

More to come...? Probably! Might be a break in between updates though.