(This is NOT canon to 'RWBY: Shadows'. This is a Fanfiction...of that Fanfiction...by the same Fanfiction writer...because WHY NOT!?)

Team SEA were enjoying a very rare day out in Vale together with Ozpin's consent. Emin insisted that they visit the general shops to buy keychains and other knickknacks, but Strawberry instead suggested they all visit a new café which had recently opened. It was a quaint little one which was mostly a bright sunshine yellow and a creamy white.

"Oh, look! It has one of those little bells in the door!" Strawberry observed as she opened the door, squealing as she heard the little bell chime.

Emin looked around as they entered. It was very simple with a selection of drinks and sugary confections out on display with little wooden tables. Naturally, he was interested in the sweets.

"Hey, look. It's Team CFVY." Azure pointed, and the other two members looked to indeed see the Team seated at a nearby table.

"Ah! Hey! Team SEA!" Coco waved at them when she noticed them, prompting the trio to walk over.

"Hey, Emin!" Velvet cheerfully greeted him.

"Hey, Velvet..." He waved timidly.

"What brings you here?" Yatsuhashi asked as Fox continued drinking.

"We heard this place just opened and came down to try it out." Strawberry said. "Mind if we join you?"

"Be our guest." Coco gestured, making them pull up some chairs as a waitress came over.

"What can I get you three?" She asked.

"I dunno..." Emin mumbled, looking at his Faunus friend. "Velvet?"

"Actually, the coffee here is very nice." Velvet said.

Strawberry snickered at that. "Oh gosh, that's so ironic its brilliant."

"Coffee huh? Gotcha." Azure nodded. "I'll take a black coffee then."

"I'll have a cappuccino." Strawberry said, before placing her hands on Emin's shoulders. "And for this young man, anything super sweet, with a chocolate wafer...and a strawberry jam bun...and-"

"Strawberry, you're pampering him again." Azure stopped her. "That'll be all."

"Great, wait here for just a moment then." The waitress nodded before walking away.

"So, how have missions been going?" Strawberry asked.

"Very well, actually. It's mainly Grimm elimination nowadays." Coco said.

"Giving you any trouble?" Azure asked.

"Not really, there's just so many of them it gets annoying at times." Coco sighed.

"Sorry..." Everyone looked at Emin as he mumbled.

"Hey, what's that for?" Yatsuhashi asked.

"Emin, not every Grimm is your fault." Velvet assured him. "N-Not that any of them are really you're fault! I-If anything you're actually helping us! I mean...! Ooooh..." She groaned in embarrassment.

"It's okay, Velvet. I get what you mean...thank you." He mumbled.

Eventually, their coffee arrived and the two Guardians drank quickly. Emin meanwhile recoiled at the taste and proceeded to dump several sugar cubes into it before drinking more and eating his snacks.

"Seriously Fox, why do you never talk that much?" The redhead gave Azure an unamused look. "...Point taken."

"It's just how he is, don't bother him about it." Yatsuhashi defended him.

"You might've sounded a little harsh there." Coco told him.

"Oh, did I? Sorry." He apologised.

"Nah, it's fine. That's just how you are as well." Strawberry waved it off.

"Yatsuhashi's our big cuddly shield of the group." Velvet said. "He's always there to protect us no matter what."

"Well, that's, just how I do things." He blushed slightly in embarrassment.

Upon the praise, Emin's lip trembled in a mix of dislike and sadness. "Hey, Velvet, do you remember that time when we tried to sneak out and do a mission together?"

"Oh wow! I actually do remember that!" Velvet gasped.

"Hey!" Both Strawberry and Coco cried, making the two of them flinch.

"E-Even so, it's kinda funny how we planned it so long only for us to fail..." Emin sweated.

"Yeah, our getaway wasn't much better admittedly..." Velvet mumbled.

"It's my fault, I got us stuck in the wall whilst teleporting." Emn said, making the both of them laugh lightly.

"The one time he was adventurous..." Strawberry remembered wistfully.

"I found it pretty hilarious." Azure admitted.

As Emin and Velvet talked, Coco looked at her teammates. "Right, I'm gonna pay for our drinks. Fox, Yatsuhashi, could you help me?"

"Hm? If, you say so." Yatsuhashi said as he stood up, with Fox just nodding.

Strawberry picked up on this. "Ah, I'd better pay for ours. C'mon, Azure."

"...Okay?" He complied.

"Why are they all going together?" Emin wondered aloud.

"I don't know." Velvet said.

So the five of them stood at the counter handing over money, as Strawberry turned to Coco. "You sure made an effort to leave those two alone."

"Anything wrong with that?" Coco asked.

"Just wanna know why." Strawberry responded.

"I figured they deserved some time to just talk." Coco shrugged. "Velvet is normally so quiet and reserved, but when she's around him, she won't stop talking. She seems much brighter."

"...Y'know, we owe a lot to your Team, and to Velvet." Strawberry responded. "Velvet was Emin's first friend after Viola died. She was the first person not to pick on him. She definitely helped heal Emin's mental wounds a whole ton. Thank you so much."

"Sheesh, you're thanking us when she did all the hard work." Coco chuckled.

Meanwhile, Emin and Velvet were still talking. "What types of missions will you all do once you're a second year?" She asked.

"Most likely Grimm extermination. At least I'll be useful for gathering them all in one place. " He said.

"Emin..." Velvet sighed sadly. "...You really shouldn't put yourself down so much. You're a lot greater then I think you realise."

"...Really?" He asked.

"Yes. And I know, because I've seen what you can do...you are really amazing, Emin." Velvet told him.

"Velvet..." He breathed.

The two of them looked at their Team members, who flinched before heading out the door.

"Where are they going?" Emin asked.

"Guess we're leaving." Velvet said, standing up. "'ll see you back at Beacon, Emin."

As she turned and began walking, Emin had a sudden urgent impulse. "Wait, Velvet!" He reached out and grabbed her hand, prompting her to stop and look at him.

"What is it, Emin?" She asked.

"I...I don't think I've ever told you...how much I'm thankful to you..." He mumbled, shaking. "You've been there for me ever since we met...and...I've loved that about you so much...and there's a lot of other things I like about you too! I just...just...th-thank you so much."

"Emin..." She turned to him and smiled. "Of course. And I didn't become friends with you just because you were lonely, it's because you're a kind and thoughtful person, who I'm really glad to have met. So, thank you, too, for meeting me."

She then leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, causing both of them to blush.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeee!" Strawberry screamed happily from outside the window.

"About time, too." Coco huffed.

"B-Bye, Emin." Velvet waved timidly before hurrying out.

"...Bye." Emin waved dumbly, even though Team CFVY had already left with a tomato red Velvet.

"That's our leader for you." Azure chuckled as Emin walked out with a crimson face.

"My little Emin has his first crush!" Strawberry beamed.

"Guysssss...don't..." Emin mumbled, even though he was smiling.

On that day, Emin learned something very important...he didn't like coffee.