Summary: Post Volume 3. Before he even knew it, Jaune Arc had thrown himself into the line of fire.

Cyclical

RWBY

"H-hey, take it easy…!"

"Shut up." Weiss Schnee's face was carved into a frown as she dragged the limping blonde through the dying leaves. "Knowing your luck, you've probably broken something."

"Well, that's extremely likely-" Jaune Arc paused to grimace in pain. "-and would explain why my ribs feel like they're on fire."

"I said to shut up."

"'Kay."

Much had changed in Vale. Whispers in its streets alluded towards White Fang activity in the nearby forest. Weiss, enjoying her newfound freedom from Atlas, had offered to scout alone. Jaune was against it. They argued. Ruby Rose made a call.

Which brings us to their present dilemma.

"Can we stop?" Jaune groaned. "I need to stop."

Weiss grimaced, feeling more and more of his weight on her shoulder. "Fine," she said, heaving him against a tree. "Take it slow."

"Ugh." Jaune slumped to the ground. "Darn, I thought this would feel better."

"Your injuries aren't that bad." Weiss took out her scroll, eyeing him up as she did. "Give me a moment."

Jaune nodded, closing his eyes.

"Weiss?" Ruby's voice crackled from the scroll. "What's up?"

"You were right." Weiss strode back and forth. "The White Fang are here. We had a little… skirmish with some of them."

"Oh! Are you guys okay?"

"I'm alright." Weiss paused. "But as for Jaune…"

"Tell Nora that gigantic war hammers are still in season!" Jaune called out.

"We might need a pick up."

"Ouch." Weiss could hear the wince in Ruby's voice. "Well, leave your GPS on, and we'll come and get you."

"Okay. Stay safe." After a click, Weiss stowed her scroll away with a sigh. Another pained groan reminded her that she had a companion.

Jaune struggled restlessly on the ground. "This kinda sucks," he gasped out.

"Your aura can't heal you properly if you keep moving." Weiss crouched beside him. "I told you I should have gone alone."

"If you had gone alone, it'd have been you smushed against a tree instead."

"I had it under control."

"Really?" Jaune turned his tired eyes towards her. "Then why are your hands still shaking?"

Weiss quickly crossed her arms. "I'm just a little cold," she said defensively.

"Uh huh." Jaune closed his eyes again. "We can go with that."

Weiss glared at him. "You just had to be a hero, didn't you?"

"I wasn't trying to be one."

"You ran in front of me and didn't even raise your shield."

"It's a heavy shield."

"But you didn't even try to protect yourself!" Weiss stood up. "You were only worried about protecting me!"

"And how is that a bad thing?"

"I'm not a little kid, Jaune. I could have taken that hit!"

"You would have been hurt," Jaune said, anger also rising in his voice.

"As opposed to you?"

"Yes. As opposed to me."

"You're an idiot."

Jaune laughed darkly. "So I'm just supposed to stand back and watch my friends get hurt?"

"I don't need your protection!"

"I CAN'T SIT BY AND DO NOTHING!"

Drip.

Weiss froze.

Drip.

Her eyes were wide as she watched hot tears streak down Jaune's face.

"I can't," he whispered. He looked so broken, so alone. "Not again. Never again."

A chill swept through the woods. Weiss could hear the scant sounds of a city at mercy in the distance. But that didn't matter. All that did matter was that she was alone with a boy who believed that the world had ended on top of that tower.

"Jaune," she said quietly, kneeling beside him. "Look at me."

Jaune kept his eyes to the ground, tears still freely dripping down his face.

"Jaune." Weiss winced. Comforting someone was one of the things she was never good at. "Listen," she said. "We're not going to die." She gripped his arm. "I'm not going to die."

There was a pause before his sad, dead eyes turned to meet hers.

He gave her a bitter smile.

"I bet she thought that too."

Cyclical Fin

- Narutochaos22