002

Day and Night

"Carry on my wayward son~." Jaune sang.

"Please stop, Jaune."

"There'll be peace when you are done~."

"I will give you any amount of money to stop right now."

"Lay your weary head to rest~."

"I swear to God i'll kill you in your sleep."

"Don't you cry no more~."

"Are you done?" Blake asked, looking up from her book by their campfire.

"At least till we get to Beacon." Jaune joked as he turned the kindling in the campfire with a stick.

Jaune and Blake's walk to Beacon had gone without incident...so far. After a day full of walking the two seventeen year old soon to be Huntsmen in training decided to camp out. Blake closed her book and looked at her friend from across the campfire, "You're insufferable."

"You've been saying that since we were thirteen. Jaune said as he turned the kindling and sticks in the fire.

"You haven't changed," Blake said, smiling at the lion faunus, "At all."

"Not true. I work out now," Jaune said as he stabbed the stick into the ground next to him, "I'm also sexier."

"I'm gonna have to go with no." Blake deadpanned.

"Ouch. My manly pride is hurt," Jaune said as he held a hand to his chest, "My friend isn't physically attracted to me. Ooooohhhhh noooooo."

"Your sarcasm is just coping for actual sadness that i'm not into you."

"Oh Blakey, we've known each other and know way too much about each other to ever be together." Jaune said and Blake's cat ears drooped, unseen by Jaune.

"I don't think so…" Blake muttered under her breath as Jaune stood up.

Jaune stretched out for a moment before walking towards their tent, "I'm heading to bed."

"Alright. I'll be right there." Blake said as Jaune climbed into their little two man tent.

Blake found herself staring at the fire. As much as she hated to admit it, when they ran from the White Fang one year ago Jaune took a really big risk because for her. Unlike Blake, Jaune had a family, a family that the White Fang could hurt. But Jaune assured her that his mom and sisters were fine but if something ever happened to them...Jaune would blame her. He would hate her with all his heart. He would probably kill her. Scratch that. He would tear her to little pieces.

Blake was slightly ashamed to admit that when she first met Jaune she had a small crush on him, but it quickly faded and was never mentioned to Jaune, not wanting to make their friendship to be awkward.

Blake stood up and stretched before walking to the tent and crawling into the tent and crawling into her sleeping bag, slowly drifting off to sleep next to her partner.

"Soft…"

Blake's eyes twitched up suddenly as a foreign feeling over came over her. Opening her eyes, Blake could see Jaune's arms firmly wrapped around her and his head buried in her breasts. Blake blushed a deep red as Jaune nuzzled deeper into her chest and pulled her closer against him.

"Jaune, get off." Blake exclaimed as she attempted to push Jaune away but gasped as Jaune pulled her closer. She wouldn't admit it to anyone but she liked the feeling of being held by Jaune. Adam was never the type to really show affection...ever...not at all. So Jaune holding her with such affection was...nice.

Blake could see the early morning sun pass through the tent and illuminate Jaune's hair. Blake smiled at her friend before running a hand through his hair but felt something press against her leg, Blake suddenly came to her senses and withdrew her hand before lightly hitting Jaune's head, "Wake up moron."

Jaune awoke and recoiled instantly, "Blake, what the fuuuuu...ck."

Blake blushed, realizing Jaune's head was still partially buried in her chest and his arms were still wrapped around her at her waist. Jaune blushed as he scooted away from the brunette, "Sorry."

"It's fine."

"Not my fault that even my subconscious thinks you're beautiful." Jaune said as he sat up.

"You think i'm beautiful?" Blake asked, genuinely surprised.

"Well yeah, you may be my best friend but that doesn't mean i'm going to ignore the obvious," Jaune said as he reached into a corner of the tent and pulled out a small bag of cooking supplies and another bag of food, "I'll make breakfast."

Blake followed her blonde friend and saw him building a fire in a small pit with a metal grate over the pit, the flames just barely flickering over the grate. Blake began packing up her and Jaune's sleeping bags and tore down the tent, while Jaune looked to be frying fish in one small pan while making bacon and eggs in another.

"So we're just going to ignore you groping me in my sleep?" Blake asked after she finished packing up and sat across from Jaune.

"As much as possible, yes," Jaune said into his frying panes, "In my defense, I was also asleep."

"Didn't stop you from copping a feel." Blake grumbled.

"Just wish I had been awake…" Jaune grumbled under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

"But I coulda swore you said-"

"Nothing~!" Jaune said as he handed Blake a small plate with a perfectly fried fish for the cat faunus.

Blake glared at Jaune as she devoured her fish happily while Jaune ate his bacon and eggs quickly. After they finished eating and Jaune stamped out the fire, the pair restarted their walk towards Vale and Beacon.

"I'm the world's best dragon slayer." Jaune said after a half an hour of walking.

"Dragons don't exist, Jaune."

"Yeah. Because I killed them all. You're welcome."

"Are you high or something?"

"Nooooope. I'm feeling...puckish."

"Your shamelessness and vocabulary are constantly increasing." Blake said, smiling at her partner.

"I dressed up as a priest for free pancakes...I forced Saxon to dress up in a basque and stockings after he lost a poker game. I've always been shameless Blakey." Jaune said.

"How do you even know what a basque is?" Blake asked, surprised, "Where did you even get a basque?"

"Saxon has no filter about Rio's wardrobe during sex when he's drunk...and he got them from Rio's wardrobe."

"Both of are so immature. He's twenty-three but he acts sixteen and you act twelve." Blake said, smirking at her remark.

"Correct me if i'm wrong, but, this twelve year old got to second base with you in his sleep." Jaune said, causing Blake's smirk to disappear and for the cat faunus to then realized that he may of just crossed a metaphorical line not ment to be crossed.

"Jaune…"

"Yes, Blake?" Jaune asked uncertainty.

"I'm going to kill you now."

"That's fair."

It wasn't until six hour later, on the airship from Vale to Beacon, that Blake talked to Jaune, "Head in the trash can, Jaune."

Jaune heaved as he puked up his eggs and bacon from that morning, spitting out some stomach acid as he heaving ended for the moment he looked to Blake, "First thing you say to me in six hours is 'head in the trash can'?"

Blake looked down at her book. She wasn't angry with Jaune per say, just very annoyed by his childishness and immaturity. Something that always confused Blake was his tendency to never take anything seriously, with a few exceptions. But apparently Jaune feeling her up while they slept was not one of those exceptions. Blake looked out of the corner of her eye as Jaune heaved and puked in the trash can, all the while complaining about the taste of stomach acid, she felt her annoyance with the blonde ebb away slightly and was slowly replaced by sympathy. Jaune could do almost anything she could but he couldn't conquer his motion sickness.

Blake knew her annoyance at Jaune was slightly unwarranted, this wasn't exactly the first time something like this had happened though this was the most extreme seeing as how it was usually one of them walking in on the other, seeing a gleam of skin they had never saw before, then back pedaling out of the room whist blushing. The most Blake had ever see was Jaune's ass and the most Jaune had ever see was almost all of Blake's thighs.

"Are you going to be okay?" Blake asked closed her book and rubbed Jaune's back.

"Probably." Jaune said as he spit into the trash can.

"We're almost there, so hold on a bit longer." Blake said as the airship began to descend.

"There is a god." Jaune rejoiced happily.

Blake rolled her eyes at Jaune before patting his back, "We'll be on land soon."

"Thank God." Jaune groaned, head still firmly buried in the garbage can.

"Don't be so over dramatic." Blake said as the airship docked and students began filtering off.

"We stopped? We stopped! Yes! Fuck you airship!" Jaune shouted happily as he sprinted out of the airship, his tail thrashing happily.

"What am I going to do with you?" Blake asked as she followed the blonde in a slow walk.

Blake stepped off the airship to see her partner laying on the ground, babbling happily, "Oh sweet sweet ground! I'll never leave you again!"

"Get up, you're embarrassing yourself...and me." Blake said before Jaune climbed to his feet.

"Motion sickness is more common than you realize Blakey." Jaune said, crossing his arms.

"Just like you acting like a moron." Blake groaned.

"That cuts deep Blake...really deep." Jaune muttered sarcastically.

"Can we please get to orientation without you annoying me or starting a mosh pit?" Blake asked as she crossed her arms.

"I can do one or the other Blake, i'm not god." Jaune said, his tail thrashing.

"Enjoy your mosh pit, don't kill anyone." Blake said as she began walking away.

"Blake? Blake?! Blake," Jaune shouted as the cat faunus disappeared into the crowd, "Oh no, don't leave me. What will I do without you being bitchy to me all the time?"

Jaune sighed, wondering how he'd find the auditorium. Jaune began walking towards the main building when an explosion shook the ground and Jaune whipped his head to the side to see a giant smoke cloud forming around two girls, one with black and red hair wearing a combat skirt and a red cape on the ground and one with white hair wearing a white dress and jacket, holding an open case of dust. Jaune watched as a small vial of dust rolled across the cobblestone and to his feet before bending over to pick it up.

Jaune instantly recognized the symbol on the vial and recognized the white haired girl. Weiss Schnee. Jaune strode over to the pair and heard the heiress shouting at the crimson clad girl, "Ugh, you complete dolt! What are you even doing here? Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?"

Jaune heard the crimson haired girl reply nervously, "Well, I-I..."

"This isn't your ordinary combat school. It's not just sparring and practice, you know! We're here to fight monsters, so... watch where you're going!"

The girl in red finally snapped, "Hey, I said I was sorry, princess!"

"It's actually heiress," Jaune said as he walked into the two girls line of sight, off to the side slightly, "Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest distributors of dust on Remnant."

"Finally! Some recognition!" The heiress said smugly as Jaune tossed the dust vial in his hands up and down.

"The same company known for it's borderline Faunus slave labor and the same Weiss Schnee who has a nickname to us in the Faunus community, Ice Bitch." Jaune said as he wiggled his tail at the shocked heiress and the redhead on the ground giggled.

"Wha- How dare you- The nerve of... Ugh!" Weiss shouted as she snatched the vial of dust from midair and stormed away, a servant pushing her cart of luggage.

"I promise I'll make this up to you," the girl on the ground shouted to the heiress before sighing and falling back onto the ground, "I guess I'm not the only one having a rough first day... So, what's…"

"Jaune." Jaune interrupted as he offered the girl a hand.

"Ruby...weren't you that guy who threw up on the ship?"

"Nope."

Jaune waited for the short girl to respond but watched as she stared at his tail, her hands playing with the end of her skirt. Jaune sighed as he turned his body slightly and moved his tail to face the redhead, "You can touch it."

"Thank you," Ruby shouted as she carefully stoked Jaune's tail, forcing him to bite his lip to suppress any and all moans and purrs,"It's sooooooo soft."

"Yeah," Jaune choked out, finding himself enjoying the tail rub too much, "Okay that's enough."

"Awww." Ruby complained as Jaune pulled his tail away from her grasp.

"Come on, we should try to find the auditorium." Jaune said as he and the redhead set out to attend orientation.

"I'll... keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

Jaune watched as Ozpin walked off the stage and was replaced by the platinum blonde known as Glynda Goodwitch, "You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

"That was about as depressing as my eighth birthday party." Jaune mused as he and Blake exited the auditorium and started making their way to the ballroom.

"I'm so glad I didn't know you before you hit puberty." Blake grumbled.

"This is exactly why no one but me hangs out with you, you're so angry and antisocial. Lock that shit down and you'd be a social butterfly." Jaune said.

"I don't need other friends...you're beyond good enough for me." Blake mumbled.

"You ever consider the option that neither of us will be on the same team? You're one of my best friends but you have to be ready for all options Bella." Jaune explained as the reached the ballroom where students were already in their pajamas and messing around or doing something before bed.

"I know Jaune." Blake said grumpily as she and Jaune threw their bags against a wall and dug out their pajamas.

Jaune silently made his way to the boys bathroom to change and when he came out he spotted Ruby, Weiss and a busty blonde, surrounding Blake who looked stoic as usual but Jaune could see right through her persona. She was genuinely nervous and anxious around the girls. Jaune could tell by ever so subtle movements of her hands and bow. Jaune channeled hours of stealth gaming and quietly snuck into his sleeping bag while at the same time, ignoring the girls to his left. Jaune could practically feel Blake's eyes baring into the his sleeping bag, into his back and into his very soul.

Jaune brushed the feeling off and sighed once the girls stopped arguing and the little section of the dance floor became bathed in darkness as Blake blew out her candle and sleep soon followed.

Jaune's eyes blinked open any he groggily sat up and saw nothing but darkness, after a moment his eyes began to adjust and sleeping forms began to appear on the ground. Without much balance, Jaune stood up, wanting to get some fresh air. Jaune exited the bathroom before pulling up a map of Beacon on his scroll, the roof would do fine. Jaune walked on unsteady feet and slowly made his way down the dark and empty hallways of Beacon. After a small flight of stairs, Jaune found himself standing on a small tier of Beacon's roof. Jaune walked to the edge and looked out at the moonlit campus and sighed, it was really beautiful.

The door slammed with a sharp metal thud and in the darkness of the roof, a small click rang and a small flame painted the rooftop orange and painted the face of the one in the shadows.

The boy was shorter than Jaune and had messy hair similar to his own but in a black with red tips similar to Ruby's, a black garrison jacket with red fur around the hood and the sleeves pulled up to halfway up his forearm covered a red V-neck that was pushed up by the black lion tail sprouting from the base of his spine, simple black pants that held a sheathed katana at the boy's left side were tucked into black and red combat boots. A cigarette hung from his mouth and a bone white Grimm mask with red flame designs covered the boy's eyes and Jaune knew who it was without a shadow of a doubt.

The lighter clicked shut and was shoved back into the boy's pocket when Jaune spoke, "Leo…"

Jaune sat in the nurse's office, holding a bag of ice over his eye while the principal called his parents...again. Jaune was all of about seven years old but he understood why he was constantly bullied, his tail. A tail like his father's that he tried to wear proudly but sometimes faltered. Jaune's short legs barely managed to touch the ground as he switched hands to hold the bag of ice on his black eye. So far, elementary school wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

"Put me down! They started it! I'm not going to just sit there and let them bully me!"

Jaune's head tilted up as the sound of a kid yelling and Jaune watched as the boy was tossed into the nurses office by a security guard, the boy scrambled to his feet instantly, "This is racial profiling!"

The boy's black and red hair was covered in mud and dirt along with all his clothes and his black lion tail, similar to Jaune's blonde one, the boy attempted to leave before the security guard pushed him back into the room and shut the door in his face.

The boy huffed as he sat on the other bed in the nurses office and cradled his right hand in his other. Jaune slowly took the bag of ice off his eye and held it out to the other lion faunus, "Here."

The black haired lion faunus looked up for the first time, "I think your eye needs it more."

"My mom will be here in a few minutes, I can get a new one when I get home." Jaune explained as he shook the bag of ice.

"Thanks," The boy said as he took the bag and held it against his bruised knuckles, "That's a nice shiner. Who gave it to you?"

"Trent. Nice bruised knuckles. Whose the reason you got those?" Jaune asked.

"Trent." The boy said with a small laugh.

"Wow. You fought back?" Jaune asked in amazement.

"Yeah. I'm not gonna let some jerk ruin my good time and if he wants to start something, i'm gonna end it."

"I'm Jaune by the way." Jaune said as he held his hand out.

"Leo," The boy said as he awkwardly shook with his left hand, "Jaune, I have the feeling this is the start of something cool."

"Me too Leo."

The cigarette glowed briefly before Leo blew smoke from the side of his mouth and removed the cigarette, "Jaune."

"It's been awhile." Jaune said, sadness filling his voice.

"One year, two months, thirteen days actually." Leo said as he flicked the cherry off his cigarette.

"Leo...i'm s-"

"I swear to God if you say 'i'm sorry' i'm going to make you swallow your teeth." Leo growled as he dropped the cigarette and snuffed out the flame with his boot.

"I'm so sorr-"

The punch came from nowhere, Leo covered the ten feet between them in a instant. Jaune fell to the rooftop, his hand's near the edge as his masked friend looked down on him. Leo reached up and gripped the mask before pulling it away, revealing his crimson eyes. His crimson eyes full of tears and pain. Jaune watched as Leo knelt in front of him, tears slowly streaming down his friend's face as he spoke softly, not wanting his voice to break, "How could you?"

"Leo…"

"Don't 'Leo' me you son of a bitch! Why?! Why would you run?! I joined the White Fang for you, because you wanted to! I killed for you, I was sickened by what I was forced to do but I stayed for you! Because you're not my best friend, you're my brother! We've known each other for ten years and what, that means nothing when you decide to up and leave!? Huh?! Say something!" Leo shouted as he grabbed the collar of Jaune's tank top, tears streaming down his face.

"I don't know Leo…" Jaune said quietly as his cobalt eyes filled with tears of his own.

Leo fell back and sat with one arm on his knee and one arm behind him, bracing himself up, "You're my brother."

"I know…"

"I would have left with you in a heartbeat."

"I know…"

"Then why?!"

"Because I was already so scared to run myself, I didn't want to put you through that…"

"You're so fucking stupid Arc." Leo said as tears continued to roll down his face.

"I know…" Jaune muttered as tears ran down his own face, "Please don't hate me…"

Leo looked up at his friend and gave him a small, sad smile, "I can't hate you...I tried, but I can't hate my family."

Jaune smiled at the fellow lion faunus, "I love you bro...no homo."

Leo laughed as he fell back and laid down, looking at the stars, "Love you too homie...no homo."

"So you're out?" Jaune asked, gazing at the stars.

"Gone like a freight train." Leo said simply as he set his mask on the rooftop.

"So how's Blake?"

"Blakey."

"Bitchy and sassy?"

"It's like you have a built in dictionary for me."

"We've known each other since we were seven, i'd be worried if I didn't." Leo said before he reached into one of the pockets of his garrison jacket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, then sat up, his legs dangling off the roofs edge.

Jaune sat up and scooted next to his friend as the black haired lion faunus stuck a cigarette in his mouth and lite it, "Gimme one."

"Figured you'd quit." Leo said as he removed a cigarette from the pack and handed it to Jaune.

"I have one every once in awhile," Jaune said as he put the cigarette between his lips, "Light?"

Leo reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his black lighter with a red lion emblem on it before flicking it open, Leo's eyes glowed orange-ish as the small flame became a small rope of flames that reached up to Jaune's cigarette, lighting it. Leo flicked the lighter shut causing the flame to disappear and Jaune to laugh, "Remember when you discovered your semblance and we thought it was the coolest thing?"

"Yeah, it was my tenth birthday and your mom decided that you should throw a party for me," Leo said before taking a drag of his cigarette, "After our moms and your sisters and you had sung Happy Birthday to me, I went to blow out the candles but instead the flames shot into the air and set off the fire alarm."

Jaune laughed at the memory, "Yeah and you almost burnt down my house."

"Yeah, probably shouldn't have done that but hey, hindsight is twenty-twenty."

"Yeah, and Rise kissed you then proceeded to blush and run to her room." Jaune laughed, after a drag of his cigarette, at the mention of his little sister by two years.

"Wonder how she's doin." Leo muttered before Jaune punched him in the shoulder.

"Touch her and i'll touch you...that came out wrong."

"Or did it?" Leo asked as he flicked the cherry off his cigarette.

"Get your mind out of the gutter!"

"You're the one who brought it up!"

"You're such an asshole." Jaune groaned before taking a drag.

"But i'm your asshole." Leo reasoned as he finished off his cigarette and flicked it over the edge, sending it plummeting in Beacon's courtyard.

"Let's keep it that way bro," Jaune said as a cool breeze ruffled his pajamas and blew the cherry of his cigarette, "So what are you gonna do now?"

Leo sighed as he leaned back onto the palms of his hands, "Dunno. Might take work on a whaling ship in Mistral, my cousin says it pays nicely."

"Leo...could I ask a favor?"

"What's up, Jay?" Leo asked as he leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"Could you go back to Villa?" Jaune asked.

"Home? Why would I go back home? It's safer without us there."

"I'm not too sure. The White Fang won't exactly be happy with three deserters so i'd feel better with you there for my sisters and our moms." Jaune explained to the other lion faunus.

Leo sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, "Guess my whaler will wait, but i'm staying hidden. It's better they don't know i'm there. I'll grab a job and apartment on the east side I guess."

"Thank you so much man."

"Don't mention it Arc," Leo said as he stood up, the toes of his boots hanging off the edge of the roof, "And what are you going to do, stay here and become some hero?"

"That's the plan. Aren't you the one who says 'you have to turn the bad into the good and the good into the fucking great'?" Jaune asked as Leo stuck another cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

Leo chuckled before he looked down at his friend, "This is good for you Jaune, the world could always use more heroes."

Jaune laughed for a moment before realising that he was laughing alone, Jaune looked at the edge and saw no one. Jaune's head whipped around the rooftop, searching for his friend to find no one. Jaune let out a small laugh, "Fake laugh...real pain…"

AN: Wow...one hundred and twenty two follows from the first chapter. That's crazy you guys and so amazing. This chapter seems kinda weird I know but it was more to hammer down Jaune's past and his feels to Blake at this current time and I also have most of the story planed out oddly enough, which is strange seeing as how i'm the king of doing things half cocked. So guys review telling me what you thought and make sure to follow and favorite to stay updated on the story. Stay cool everyone and live out loud.

EDIT: Just wanted to clarify that Leo is a minor character who will only show up every once in awhile.