I looked at how messy Dan's grandma's place was. “I can…. See where this place is lived in.”

“Yeah, she couldn't bring herself to clean.” Dan stood behind me. “She hasn't been able to bring herself to clean this place since my Grandpa passed.” He took out a small flask from around his neck.

“Are those…” I didn't finish since the smell of rotting trash got to me. I made it look like I was respecting his loss.

“Yeah, his ashes.” Dan puts away the urn he wears around his neck.

I tried to keep my expression neutral, but the smell was starting to get to me. The place was cluttered, piles of old papers, random trinkets, and—yeah, definitely rotting trash—littered the floor. I glanced at Dan, who was still holding onto the flask with his grandfather’s ashes, and I wondered how he managed to deal with this.

Dan gave me a half-smile. “It’s not so bad once you get used to it. She’s just… stuck in her ways.”

I nodded, but I could tell that there was more going on. The loss of his grandpa seemed to have hit his grandma harder than I’d expected. The house was a reflection of it—a place that hadn’t moved on.

We walked further into the house, trying to avoid stepping on any questionable piles of debris. His grandma shuffled ahead of us, muttering about “ungrateful youths” and how “nobody appreciates the old ways anymore.” She shot me a look every few minutes as if waiting for me to do something she wouldn’t approve of.

“So, Grandma,” Dan said, trying to ease the tension. “Corey’s here because we’re getting him a new cloak.”

She raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with disinterest. “A new cloak? What’s wrong with the one he’s wearing?”

Dan hesitated, then glanced at me. “He, uh… ruined it with some cleaning chemicals.”

I could see her eyes narrow, and I knew exactly what she was thinking. “Cleaning chemicals? What’s wrong with you kids these days? You don’t know how to take care of good material.” She waved a dismissive hand in the air. “Back in my day, we didn’t need fancy cleaners. We used good old-fashioned water.”

I clenched my jaw but stayed quiet. Dan gave me another warning look, and I bit my tongue, reminding myself that I was here for the cloak and nothing more.

“Anyway, Grandma,” Dan said, steering the conversation back, “is there anything you need help with? Maybe cleaning up around here?”

She scoffed. “I don’t need help from some kid who wears his grandfather’s ashes around his neck like some trophy.” Her eyes darted to me. “And I certainly don’t need help from some stranger.”

Dan stiffened slightly but didn’t argue. “Alright. But we’re here if you change your mind.”

She just grumbled something under her breath and shuffled into another room, leaving the two of us standing in the middle of the mess. Dan looked over at me, his face apologetic.

“I’m sorry about her,” he said quietly. “She’s not always like this.”

I shrugged, trying to brush it off. “It’s fine. Let’s just get through this, get me a new cloak, and get out of here.”

Dan nodded, pulling out a folded piece of cloth from his bag. “Actually… I brought you something.”

I raised an eyebrow as he handed it to me. It was a black jacket, with a white long-sleeve shirt underneath. It wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, but it looked sturdy and well-made.

“I figured, you know… something different this time. Plus, it’s already broken in. Might be more practical.”

I looked at the jacket, then back at him. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

Dan gave me a small smile. “Let’s get out of here before she finds something else to complain about.”

As we made our way toward the door, I couldn’t help but feel a little more at ease. Even if Dan’s grandma wasn’t the most welcoming, at least I had a friend who had my back. And that was more important than any old cloak.

“What's your family like?” Dan sits down on the step.

“My dad wasn't home really. He was fighting in the war.” I looked at him. “My mom was a model. They met during the War as my Dad always said.”

Dan looked at me. “My dad was a General. He was strict with me and my five sisters. I was always beaten for not… living up to expectations.” I never knew that about him.

I didn't say anything.

Dan sighed, rubbing his hands together. “He always expected perfection. Anything less was considered a failure. It wasn’t just about being the best; it was about never making mistakes. I was always in trouble for the smallest things.”

I looked at Dan, seeing the frustration and sadness in his eyes. “That sounds rough. I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

He shrugged, trying to mask the pain with a grin. “It’s in the past. I’m used to it now. Just sometimes it hits harder than other days.”

I nodded, understanding more about Dan’s struggles. “It’s tough when you can’t live up to expectations, especially when they come from someone you’re supposed to look up to.”

Dan chuckled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, but hey, at least I’m not fighting over a cloak anymore.”

I smiled, despite the heavy mood. “True. I guess we both have our battles.”

We sat in silence for a moment, both lost in our thoughts. The rain had finally stopped, and the clouds were parting, letting a little bit of sunshine through. It felt like a small reprieve from the emotional storms we’d been weathering.

Dan eventually stood up, brushing off his pants. “Let’s head out. We’ve got a new jacket to break in and a semester break to enjoy.”

I stood up with him, feeling a bit lighter. “Sounds like a plan. And thanks for the jacket, Dan. I appreciate it.”

He grinned, a bit more genuine this time. “No problem. Let’s make sure we both get a good break. We’ve earned it.”

With that, we headed out, ready to leave the past behind and look forward to what the future might hold. I took off the jacket. “One week of relaxing?” I looked at him. “So you're no longer pissed at me being a Faunus.”

“I wasn't pissed about that. It's the fact that you hid it.” Dan looked at me. “I guess when your people are trying to get equal rights you do face prejudice.”

“Why is your grandma hating humans?” I asked him. My cat ears are down.

“Simple, my mom married a human after the war.” Dan looked solemnly as he began to open up. “My dad beats me for taking after her.”

“Wait, are you… a Faunus?” My ears twitched as he reached for them. “Don’t touch.”

Dan chuckled, though there was a hint of sadness behind it. "Nah, I'm not a Faunus. But my mom was. She passed down a lot of her traits to my sisters, but I just got her temper, I guess." He sighed, his gaze distant for a moment. "My dad hated it. Hated her. He wanted nothing to do with the Faunus side of the family. When she left him, he took it out on me."

I stayed silent for a moment, letting his words sink in. It wasn’t easy hearing that someone I considered a friend had to endure something like that. “I didn’t know, man. I’m sorry.”

Dan shrugged, trying to play it off like it didn’t bother him as much as it did. "It is what it is. But that’s why my grandma’s the way she is—stuck in the past, hating anyone that reminds her of what my mom did." He gave a small smirk, trying to lighten the mood. "Guess it runs in the family."

I nodded, understanding him a little more now. “Well, for what it’s worth, you’ve got a pretty messed-up family, but… you’re not alone, Dan.”

He looked at me, his expression softening. “Yeah, thanks. Same to you. We’ve all got our baggage. Just gotta deal with it, right?”

"Right," I replied. "Now let’s get going before your grandma finds another reason to complain."

We walked on, leaving the tension behind, our steps a little lighter, both knowing we had each other’s backs in more ways than one.

So that is how he got his semblance of Stubborn. I guess for me, I'm always running, I'm just passing through as I see it. “Well, what are you thinking Cat?” Dan looked at me.

“Well, you told me about your family life. My mom and siblings. My brother is always high and his semblance lets people feel what he's feeling. You met him when we went to Junior's. My sister Amber, she's human. I haven't seen her since I joined the White Fang.” I didn't like talking about my family.

“Cool.” Dan crossed his arms.