Idle worries.

Summary: But this moment of peace is all worth it.

Chapter 4: All worth it/Epilogue.

It was months before they next met, on a brief levity between missions and the Remnant 1st Corp reclaimation of the colony of Verges. Face to face, the uncomfortable divert of eyes and feigned comfortableness that hid not-so-subtle twitches of corner of mouths. Why did they know they'd meet eachother here.

"Hey." "Hey."

Winds blew, blades of grass swaying back and forth like a wave of green on brown dirt, crashing into the gray boulders of the tiled plaza. A smoky smell of incense lingered in the air along with that of fresh flowers, a prayer to the fallens in form of red tipped embers of burning candles and incenses. Mistrali, Vacuoean, Atlesian and Valean, joined together in life as in death.

They sat, side by side, before a wall of names and pictures. The bench was wide, according to design, but for them it couldn't be shorter. Mouths opened, air flowed in and out but the sounds coming out in dissonance with words said.

"How long have you been here?" Do you want to talk?

"A few hours. Been taking some time off; the last few weeks have been... calm." Yes, I do.

"Finally listen to my advice, huh. I'm sure they can handle a day without you." She slowly said. About what happened?

"Gonna be a pain in the ass to deal with piled up work afterward though." A shake of his head. Talk, just talk.

"Yup." A relieved laugh.

The silence resumed. The wind picked up again, gusts carrying waffs of smoke and shortening of ember tips.

"It's rather... serene, don't you think?"

"I do." A nod. "It's... fitting enough. I'm just sad I wasn't able to be here when they erected it." A place to rest at the base of Beacon Academy, for both those alive and dead. Full circle, return to where they all started.

"Me..." Her voice turned quiet. "I'm just glad that, I didn't have to put too many names up there."

Jaune stayed silent, his hands reaching inside his pocket for a handful of small emblems. Hands balled into fists on his lap, cold bronze bit into flesh, pressure increasing on white-clenched skin. Anger. Sadness. Shame. Guilt. All directed at himself.

Her hand placed over his hands. Their eyes briefly met. Sadness laid behind her silver eyes and behind his own, but also understanding and sympathy. The pressure lessened, before fading away along with the awkward mood before. A wordless gesture that meant more than anything that had transpired between them.

A gentle nudge. He followed her lead, standing onto his feet. Striding to the wall of names. She stood behind him as he put the emblems on. A small space in a corner, now adorned four bronze emblems.

Lightning crossed hammer.

Blooming lotus.

Shield and spear.

Blue eyes closed shut. His hand lingered on the last, hesitation and regrets again filling him.

Twinkling eyes and warm, friendly words. A gentle hand picking him up when he falls, a firm hand to guide him to the correct path. Someone always there for him. Gentle and bright smile and hair red like ros-

Roses.

"Thank you." And he finally set the emblem on. Eyes met again, silver and blue, before diverting. A weak smile on his face. The bronze metal seemed to twinkle in return as it was put to rest.

They stood there for a long moment. Waffs of incensed smoke drifted limply up the sky. Quiet prayers, some to the departed, some to those alive and a few to themselves. Red tipped embers burnt out, candles reached the end of their wick, ashes and wax falling to the ash tray. Electric light took place of natural, the sun setting on the horizon painting orange and red on the sky.

"It's getting late. Do you... want to come by for dinner again?" Smooth, real smooth, Ruby, she chided herself.

"How about better." He unconsciously replied. Why did he do it, knowing what was coming next? "There is this ramen place I know. Comm'on, my treat this time."

It didn't matter. For her honest, happy smile is worth all of it.

The End.

A/N: So... this is the end. A bit sudden. It was a fun experiment, a challenge, writing this. I'm sorry if it... is not to your expectations. To be honest, this was originally only a one-shot, then as I wrote one became two. And now this. I didn't exactly plan out everything, anthing - only writing it in class, in my spare time, listening to an unseen 'muse'. And unfortunately, my... muse is running out. Real life kinda gets in the way, a lot currently, so I kinda have to drop this story.

There are certain... possibilities in my mind, of course. Other ways this story could have went. A sappy love story. A tragic one. Angst ridden monologues. Break-ups, then make-ups. Arguements and agreements. Even this snip originally came out as part of chapter 03, after a particularly nasty arguement that they broke up over. But it didn't, I didn't (even when there are a few snips written out from my correspondence with Sandiiitos96 and poetrymagic12), for there was one thing I wanted, a core to this, something only reinforced by me staring all yesterday night at that blinking strip at the very end waiting for me to type out that scene... That at the very heart, first and foremost, this is a happy story. That this is how it should end, happy and hopeful. And if I have to end it now this is for the best.

So, this. I'm sorry if it was a bit sudden, but I hope I did alright.

My greatest thanks to you, readers, especially my friends Sandiiitos96 and poetrymagic12. Thanks, guys. Your confidence in me helped me finish this.

Cheerios! And see you in another story.

-P