RWBY Relationship Week Day 1: Roman/Pyrrha (False Appyrrhances)

Core Ship Trait: Temptation
Roman has spent his entire life letting temptation rule him. He lies, cheats and steals whenever he pleases. Pyrrha has never once given into any form of temptation, she has always been the perfect student, fighter, everything. Her wants were put second. When the two collide, Roman shows Pyrrha what comes when you allow temptation to have it's moments.

Tap, tap, tap

Her fingers rattled against the transport, her stomach twisting into knots.

It wasn't her first time doing this, far from it. When Ruby had asked for a favor, Pyrrha had readily agreed.

She wanted to help her friends.

She wanted to help her school.

She just wanted to help.

After he had been captured, Roman Torchwick had been interrogated by General Ironwood, Glynda Goodwitch, RWBY, anyone who they thought may be able to get information out of him was tried. But nothing, absolutely nothing.

That was when Ruby approached her.

It had caught Pyrrha off guard. She didn't see what she'd have to bring to the table having no personal interactions with Roman. But that's what Ruby argued made her perfect.

Nothing personal tied to this, Ruby said. He may know of you, but you won't go in with any preset idea. Please Pyrrha, we really need your help.

Pyrrha gave in. She said yes and met with Roman.

The tapping only got faster, her fingers unable to stop. Fortunately, it wasn't something that the guard appeared to take note of.

He wrote it off as normal, something maybe expected.

Pyrrha, however, didn't feel that way. She knew that it wasn't that way. She just hoped that nobody would smell the blood in the water.

The initial meeting hadn't gone very different from what was expected. Roman didn't crack, Pyrrha tried, he used a lot of sarcasm. That wasn't where things had started to change.

Ruby asked her for a second meeting, she didn't want to abandon hope that Pyrrha would turn it around. So Pyrrha agreed, she had agreed to a few meetings actually.

On the second meeting, Roman came more prepared.

Hello there Starlet, he opened with. Come back for more?

Starlet? Pyrrha asked. Why are you…

Do you think I wouldn't spend some time researching? Just because I'm locked in here doesn't mean I can't watch some things. I've learned a lot about you, Nikos. I like to pay proper attention.

That was when he flipped the script, he turned it around on her. It wasn't as though he was questioning her, but it was clear that he held the upper hand. He knew more about her then she knew about him, something Pyrrha sought to change.

On the third meeting, she learned more about him. She came preprepared with a list of things to learn about him, none of them intended to get her closer to the end goal of information.

Maybe they're going about it the wrong way, she thought. Maybe we can't lead with the information we want, maybe we have to build up to it.

The idea was sound, in fact it worked. For the first time, Roman had no problems sharing some information. It wasn't everything, but it was something. It was the most pleasant meeting that anyone had, it saw the most results.

The fourth meeting had gone similarly the third one, except now Roman struck a deal.

Question for question, he requested. I promise you, I won't ask for the launch codes. Just a simple information trade. If you decline, I'll just sit here.

Pyrrha agreed reluctantly, but found it pleasant. Sure, he was a complete jackass, but it was surprising that there was something there. There was a reason that people still associated with them, it was the presence, his aura, something there.

It made you hate him, above even his mouth, it made you feel as though you had to hate him. But yet, for whatever reason, it drew you towards him. It made you curious, it made you stay.

The fifth meeting was when Pyrrha realized something had gone wrong.

It wasn't as though she showed up there and Roman was gone, or there was suddenly people there to break him out, or that he had a weapon again, it was a shift in the aura.

Pyrrha sat across from him. Questions were prepped but few words were spoken.

What's wrong, Starlet? Roman asked. Out of things to ask? This paper's different from the last one, there's no way that you only have two questions.

I… Do have more, Pyrrha said. But I thought that I'd give… You a chance to lead this time.

That earned a wolfish grin from the criminal.

Hm, I really only have one. Why?

Pardon?

Why do you hide your semblance? It's not as though people don't have access, any competitor would be able to find out. But yet, you do everything you can to keep it under wraps. Why is that?

It's… It's so that they'll forget.

I'm sorry Starlet, I've been loving our talks and you seem like a nice girl. But I have to call it as I see it. What bullshit.

What?

You can say that to sponsors, you can say that to cameras, hell you can say it to your friends. But I know that's bullshit. I know you're lying. Tell me, how much do you enjoy being the "Invincible Girl?" How much do you love being the Starlet? How much are you enjoying your time in the spotlight? I'd say it's a lot.

At that point, Roman had done something he hadn't done before. He rose and approached her. Pyrrha felt herself freeze up, not get motivated into action. She froze up and looked away as he got right in front of her.

You love your accolades and titles, he breathed. You can't stand the thought that people think you may be sub-par. You have to be on top. A semblance that powerful? People wouldn't think you were on top anymore, would they? No, this is to protect your ego. You look invincible but you're not.

I have no idea what you're talking about, Pyrrha said, trying to sound confident. But her voice broke, leaving Roman to understand exactly what was happening.

He got right up next to her ear, breathing softly into it.

Got you, he whispered. He backed away from Pyrrha, returning to a seated position.

An ego is fine, Roman said. Protecting it even more so. You need to allow yourself to accept these things, it'll make you happier.

Like you are? Pyrrha countered. Are you happier?

Extremely. Granted the mood is slightly dampened by this locker I'm stuck in. But I am happier, happier then you can dream of. As long as you hold back and repress, you won't be this happy. Think on it.

He smiled, leaning back in the locker and gesturing for Pyrrha to ask a question.

But she didn't.

She bolted.

Pyrrha made it a priority to run.

The transport rocked to a stop as the guard put his hand on her shoulder. She looked at him as he nodded.

"Ride ends here," he said. "Good luck with him, you've done a good job so far but you never know when he'll shut off."

"Thank you," Pyrrha replied, her voice returning to it's normal cheer. "But I believe that I can handle him."

The guard shrugged and opened up the door to the transport. Pyrrha took in a deep breath and walked the straight shot to the prison cells.

She opened up the door and saw the guards depart. They often left Roman alone when someone was interrogating him. It wasn't as though he could've done much even if he managed to take down the one person. It gave the two some privacy.

She walked over to his cell and took a look at him. He was staring at her, but not with his normal cocky grin. It was a curious look. It looked as though he was studying her, trying to see something about her.

"Are you alright Pyrrha?" Roman asked. "Yesterday you left a little fast."

My name… She thought. He used… My name and not… Starlet… I'm sure it's nothing.

"I'm fine Roman," she replied, her normal cheer present. But it was forced, all of it was forced. Luckily it didn't appear as though he knew.

"Hm, if you say so. After you ran I-."

"I will only be with you until the end of the week," Pyrrha said, cutting him completely off. "I only have a few questions left, but if you don't answer them then things will get rather unpleasant for you."

"Oh no, they may kill me," Roman grumbled.

"Roman!" Pyrrha barked. Roman looked up and shrugged.

"Apologies, it's a force of habit. Since day one General Dickwad has been threatening my head, do excuse me if my natural instinct isn't to take it seriously."

Pyrrha ignored him and pulled out her list of questions and stared at them. There weren't that many, all of them alluding to the end goal that she had.

"You said that you only have till the end of the week," Roman suddenly started up. "Does that mean you're being put somewhere else?"

"It means that I only agreed to a week of meetings," Pyrrha replied. "So by the end of the week, I'll be gone."

"Hm, then I guess I'll be seeing more of you," Roman said. Pyrrha looked up at him with a frown on her face.

"I only have-."

"Yes but you'll be back," Roman said. "You've had the most success so far so they'll ask you to come back. Regardless of how clearly uncomfortable you are or if you even want to keep doing this, you'll be back. It'll reaffirm that you're the best, you've gotten the most results. It'll preserve your ego."

"I don't-."

"They're going to ask you," Roman continued. "You've gotten the most results. You're going to get asked to come back and you won't be able to say no. It's somebody else's needs and God Forbid you ever act on something that you want, even if that means not acting."

"Roman…" Pyrrha said, taking in a shaky breath.

"Don't you remember our chat yesterday?" Pyrrha felt the hairs on her neck stand up. She tried to forget, she tried so hard. It wasn't what she wanted to remember, his words had cut into her.

"You are the best," he continued. "You need to be the best. That's been your entire life."

"None of this is tr-," Pyrrha tried to cut in, raising her voice.

"ALL OF IT'S TRUE!" Roman yelled. He rose to his feet and did something he hadn't done prior, he walked right up to Pyrrha. She looked down, trying to avoid making any eye contact with him. He could feel her breath on him, her panicked, quick breathing.

"You're living to protect your ego," he continued, his voice dropping down to it's normal level. "You're living to please others, you're living to avoid temptations. Look at you right now. You may be happy because you're ego is satisfied, but you're not as happy as you can be."

"Look at me! I'm stuck in a locker dealing with assholes like you who don't believe me when I say I'm in charge of things, yet I'm happier then you are. I'm still happy because I let temptation run my decisions."

Pyrrha stepped away from him, trying to distance herself. But Roman followed her. There wasn't any malicious intent, he was just trying to maintain their proximity.

"Do it, just once," he continued, dropping his volume to a whisper. "Make a decision based on something you want. Not anything more. So something that you want to, just once. Give in-."

Pyrrha cut him off by grabbing the back of his neck and pulling his face down to hers so that she could stop his lips with hers. She held him in the kiss for what felt like an eternity, but was really only a few seconds, before pulling herself out of it.

She wasn't thinking about what she had just done.

Not how awful it was.

Not how many consequences could come from it.

She was just relishing in how good giving in to temptation was.

Roman stared at her, his own cocky composure temporarily broken.

"Well… I did not know that's where your temptations lay," Roman said, giving a weak laugh. "But… I can't complain." He took a step forward and put his hand on her cheek.

Her face didn't show a smile. Her eyes looked like fire, she was intense and focused.

"Just one of them," Pyrrha said. Her breath was heavy, the actions finally beginning to sink in with her.

Inside, she felt horror. He was a criminal. She just kissed a criminal. Worse off, one she was supposed to be interrogating.

But she didn't care. It felt too good to care.

"Hm…" He said. "Perhaps more of you wouldn't be quite that bad."

"Don't get cocky," Pyrrha said. She grabbed onto him one more time and pulled him right up against her.

"I thought you would've learned by now," Roman said, his grin returning to it's full standard. "I'm always cocky."

Pyrrha kissed him again, her body shaking from the excitement.

It felt so much better then anything she could've imagined.