Chapter Four: Kindness
Team RWBY had decided to take the weekend for some team bonding, heading out on the town. JNPR (more specifically Nora) hadn't invited themselves along, with Ren suggesting they find time for their own vocations. While Ren might've intended to stay at Beacon for the weekend and meditate or read or train, Nora nonetheless insisted on dragging him outside. Pyrrha left the two to their own devices, as she'd often felt like a third wheel when spending time alongside them during the brief period of Jaune's absence when he was being bullied by Cardin. It also gave her the necessary excuse to spend some time alone with her partner, without the onus of training to eat up all their time together.
Jaune had been feeling down after his umpteenth attempt to woo Weiss blew up in his face. For a long time he just lay in bed playing with his Scroll while Pyrrha pretended to read at her desk. She thought of various activities they might engage in together: a trip into the city themselves, perhaps? Or maybe a trip to the lounge to watch a movie? Even studying sounded appealing so long as it was time alone with Jaune, but Port hadn't finished his bombastic tale in time to assign them homework. Pyrrha never thought she'd curse being caught up.
At this stage, it shouldn't have been so difficult to ask. Jaune never had any trouble talking to her, and yet Pyrrha constantly flubbed everything she tried to tell her partner, intentionally bottling many of her thoughts so as not to overplay her feelings in a way that might make him uncomfortable. She was used to being polite and formal and keeping even friends at an arm's length, and in many ways she was still doing that –even to those close to her like Ren and Nora- but Jaune didn't keep anyone at a distance. And happy as it made Pyrrha that he treated her so informally and without the need to trip over himself in the presence of 'the invincible girl', the problem Pyrrha had was he treated everyone this way. On the one hand, it was wonderful to have someone like her for her and not just the public persona the world knew. On the other, it meant Pyrrha was (or at least Jaune perceived her to be) the same as everyone else.
Pyrrha wanted friendships and bonds that were normal, not dictated by the extraordinary circumstances of her talent or her chosen profession. But from Jaune… Jaune was special to her and thus Pyrrha wanted to be special to him. Unhealthy though it may have been to measure her self-worth by another person's opinion, Pyrrha couldn't deny that Jaune's opinion of her mattered a great deal. She was happy to be his friend, but the longer she remained so, the more distant seemed the prospect of ever being more than that.
And now other girls were taking notice of him. It was fortunate Jaune was so head-over-heels for Weiss, or he might recognize that subtle moment when an eye followed him or a head turned ever so slightly… movements Pyrrha had started to become very practiced at observing.
And it really did vex her to feel any animosity towards Jaune's friends, some of whom were –at least theoretically- Pyrrha's friends too. It was petty, it was unbecoming, it was childish. But what was she supposed to feel? Happiness? Acceptance? Those were logical conclusions to draw: to be happy for her friend and accepting of his feelings. But she just couldn't give up on him. He was the only person in the world she felt this way about. How was she to know she'd ever recapture that feeling? And even if she could, did Pyrrha ever want to feel the same about someone else if it meant Jaune Arc would never fill that role?
Pyrrha had been so deep in thought that she barely noticed Jaune climb out of bed and look for his coat. Pyrrha tried not to be too quick –or too awkward- in asking him: "Are you going out?"
"I got in touch with my new friend, Neo," Jaune explained. "I asked her if she wanted to hang out for a bit and she suggested we get some food."
Pyrrha started screaming internally. She really hoped her face didn't convey it to Jaune. "That's great! Where are you going?"
"That little ice cream parlor in Vale over by the café," Jaune explained, pulling off his dress shirt and adorning himself in his hoodie instead. Pyrrha was momentarily distracted when Jaune pulled his shirt a little too far and exposed his back. This wasn't the first time, but it always reminded Pyrrha how much she enjoyed sharing a dorm with him.
And how she really did want to maintain the privilege of having Jaune around as much as possible. "How long will you be gone?" she asked, trying to very slowly reach the point of persuading him to invite her along.
"Oh, just an hour or two," Jaune assured her. "She's busy with something tonight so we're just going to have an early dinner and catch up."
Pyrrha composed herself. It'd be rude of her to press the matter. And agonizing as it was to picture Jaune having a meal with a girl (would that make it a date?) Pyrrha rationalized that he'd still be returning to her not long after, and could still make the most of what time they had available.
She hid every last trace of doubt behind a smile, albeit a relatively weak one. "Have fun."
Jaune gently gripped her shoulder for a moment and smiled back before heading out of the dorm, resuming his exchange of texts with this Neo girl. Pyrrha barely saw him depart, as her focus was –however briefly- on his touch and his warmth. How she coveted the feeling, even in the smallest of gestures.
She tried to be content with these little acts, but the affection was too small. Too... detached. If this was all Pyrrha would ever receive from him, she would eventually be more frustrated than grateful by his gestures of kindness and affection. And she never wanted to reach that state. She never wanted to be ungrateful for his friendship. She never wanted to be frustrated that friendship was all Jaune could offer her.
So once again, she bit her tongue and waited… waited for him to finally see just how hard it was for her to smile.
Blake hadn't intended to have company in going to the rally. She was honestly quite looking forward to some alone time before things started up, to enjoy a few moments of blissful quiet before she gathered her intel. With Sun, there wasn't much opportunity for quiet. If he wasn't talking, it was only because he was patiently waiting for Blake to speak. And then Blake felt bad for making him wait on her and she responded with inelegant, half-formed thoughts. Sun didn't seem to mind, though he was also remarkably blunt with his every statement and never spared her feelings when she said something dumb.
Still, at least his efforts were entirely sincere. And while Blake strongly suspected that Sun might be… interested in her, he wasn't pushing matters too hard. He was being kind and helpful, and she really couldn't begrudge him that, even if he might've eventually wanted to know if Blake returned any of that interest.
It was a strange thought to imagine liking someone that way. The last time Blake had played that part, she'd been a lot like Sun, eagerly trying to help and following after the object of her affection with unmatched devotion and loyalty. She looked up to him, admired him, and eventually loved him. What had started as a close friendship deepened into something more, and seeing Sun with the same aspiration reminded her of that feeling.
And Blake badly wished not to be reminded. She tried not to find fault in Sun himself, because he wasn't forcing the issue to the forefront, just poking around the edges to see if there was anything more to Blake below the surface. He wasn't chasing after her, just along for the ride. Blake tried to characterize her feelings of discomfort as her own flaw, rather than any fault on Sun's part.
But she'd seen this play out before. Even if Sun was a better man than Adam –and she had no reason to think he wasn't- Blake had been fooled before. Her love was so powerful it blinded her to Adam's faults. Her love was so deep she'd chosen Adam over her own family. Her love was so great that it still kept her up at nights, and she felt the weight of Adam's loneliness as well as her own.
So she was taking everything slower, not rushing headlong into it. Just because Jaune had been kind to her a few times-
Sun. Sun had been kind to her. Sun at the least was genuinely and sincerely interested in her, or at least Blake was pretty sure of that. Jaune had asked Weiss out a few hours ago.
Maybe that was why his kindness was on her mind and not Sun's efforts. Because unlike Sun, Blake didn't think Jaune was interested in her. There was no other motive to his kindness. He was blunt and direct like Sun, but not motivated by any attraction or interest. And for some reason that appealed more to Blake than Sun's equally sincere efforts.
Maybe she was just so unused to kindness without expectation it could still startle her and dominate her thoughts. She'd gotten better about it after reconciling with Weiss and spending time with the rest of her teammates, but it still surprised Blake to witness others giving without any thought of compensation. Adam was still at the forefront of her mind, and she'd picked up some of his worst habits… including low expectations.
Sun snapped her from her thoughts to point out a pair of Faunus teenagers acting a bit sketchy and glancing around in all directions before disappearing down an alley. Blake nodded and discreetly moved to follow, taking the lead and keeping Sun and herself in obscuring shadows.
Back in her element. Back where silence would play a pivotal role.
Neo rarely struggled over deciding what to wear. She liked to wear white and brown, like Roman. But she'd also worn the same coat and slacks both prior times she'd met Jaune and wondered if he'd think she always wore the same clothes. She had multiple copies of the outfit, sure, but maybe she should try something more casual. Or more formal.
But Roman would be expecting her at the rally, and she had to convey to the White Fang she was on his side. So Neo resigned herself to her usual attire, hoping that Jaune would be too kind to remark or too dense to notice. Either would be endearing, coming from him.
She waited outside the parlor for nearly twenty minutes, arriving well ahead of time. Neo knew he was flying in from Beacon on a bullhead then making his way on foot, but she was still nervous with anticipation. And it wasn't often Neo felt nervous. She tried to convince herself it was only because she was on the clock, and trying to squeeze in a bit of personal time on a day when her attention needed to be elsewhere. She tried to assure herself it was because she had to be responsible later on, and not because she was concerned about what Jaune would think.
When he came into view he waved to her and smiled. Neo felt her heart lift a bit. In a way it didn't for anyone but Roman. Until now.
Neo wasn't sure how to react when he drew near. Was she supposed to shake his hand again? Or press against his arm as she had before?
Was she supposed to hug him? Did she know him well enough for that?
So many social graces were lost on her because of how small her social circle was. She knew a great many people, but before Jaune only had one friend, and after living with him for a time she'd eventually been able to show him such affection. Perhaps she could follow the same model with Jaune.
Almost immediately she quashed that idea. When Neo was taken in by Roman she spent weeks distrusting him, waiting for him to turn on her or reveal some more unsavory intention towards her. And when the vicious criminal turned out to be entirely genuine in his offer of friendship, she'd felt guilty for not realizing sooner that some people could simply be kind, even to her.
She very awkwardly returned his wave and smiled back, before inviting him inside to a table. Jaune was slow to make conversation, taking in the sight of the parlor. The silence made Neo uncomfortable, because it didn't suit Jaune at all to be quiet. He was so vibrant and energetic, and Neo had been eager to hear the sound of his voice.
Eventually, however, Jaune did speak again, filling Neo in about his first week back at Beacon. Apparently he'd been involved in some sort of epic battle at the start of the semester, where his contribution had consisted of being thrown into a wall and chucking a watermelon. Neo was quite curious about the context of all that, but for the moment she was content simply to listen. She was glad he was back to form.
Still, she had to eat something before business resumed in the evening. Neo's first instinct was to order a massive sundae, but for the first time she could recall reined in her hunger for ice cream and thought about what the man sharing her meal might think. Roman had seen Neo devour more than a gallon. Now she felt surprisingly timid about Jaune seeing her eat a few scoops.
She had to believe he wouldn't think any differently of her just because she could eat… he wasn't so shallow as to be offended by her appetite. Not if he could look her in the eye.
Neo compromised and ordered six scoops instead of a dozen. Jaune, apparently feeling the need to match her, ordered seven. Then he went to pay with a Lien card at the same time Neo did, albeit with much less of a cash limit on his'.
He was a poor student with no discernible source of income and he was still trying to pay for Neo's meal? She pressed her own card ahead, and Jaune simply told their server to take both. Neo wasn't sure if that was just pride or if he was making a compromise like she had. She'd have gladly paid for him… it was a pittance compared to what she and Roman would be raking in.
Still, it was a little annoyance, and more a point of miscommunication than anything else. Jaune didn't know what she did. And for the first time Neo didn't want someone to know. She didn't want him to think she was dangerous. She didn't want Jaune to know she was a criminal.
She'd been honest before, but everyone else she knew was in the same line of work. They were all muddied by the same darkness she was.
Everyone but Jaune.
While they waited for their ice cream, Jaune resumed telling her tales of Beacon. And when he got to recounting Friday's events…
It didn't suit him to be quiet. It suited him even less to be sad. Seeing his eyes point to the surface of the table made Neo frown, entirely without her own input. Not looking him in the eye was difficult enough, yet somehow it seemed harder to meet his eye when he wore such a look. His sadness made Neo feel sad.
She typed into her Scroll and slid it over to him. What's wrong?
"There's… this girl in my year that I really like," Jaune explained. "I've been trying to let her know how I feel for a while. I even tried asking her out today. All she ever does is shoot me down."
Neo's misplaced sorrow was suddenly replaced by quiet, seething anger. There was some other girl who caught Jaune's eye?
And more importantly, she was his second choice?
And to think a few moments ago she'd been appreciative of his honesty…
"I know it's really starting to bother her," Jaune continued, "and I don't ever want to upset her or screw up things between us, because her team's been friends with mine ever since we all started at Beacon together. But I really can't help it; she's just so…"
Neo really didn't want to hear him talk about another girl. But she had to hear it now. She had to know what it was that ensnared him. If only so she could understand some of what turned his eye away from her.
No doubt she was pretty. And in closer proximity to him than Neo was. And he'd known her longer. And that was just to start. Her mind raced with so many reasons he might be drawn away… why he might choose this other girl over her.
"She's kind of like you, actually," Jaune explained, managing to look at Neo again. "She's very graceful and elegant… and just a tiny bit taller," he added, regaining the faintest hint of a smile, "and so smart and so kind, even if it isn't really clear at first, because she takes a while to warm up to."
Well, it was encouraging that the object of his affection reminded him of Neo. That reassured her ever so slightly. Neo carefully concealed any distaste she may have had and wore an expression she hoped showed concern, rather than any jealousy towards this girl she didn't know.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to put this on you," Jaune went on. "I just feel like you're easy to talk to. Like maybe you understand, you know?"
Well, she couldn't help but be a good listener. But understanding? For this teenage crush?
Neo wondered what was wrong with this other girl to be so dismissive of Jaune's sincere affection. Was anyone truly so blind as to not see that this boy –dense as he may have been- was special? How many people, let alone teenage boys, were so honest and sincere?
"I'm glad I met you, Neo," Jaune added. "I probably never would've brought this up to my teammates… I'd have just let it eat at me all weekend."
He couldn't share his burden with anyone else. That Neo recognized. Roman had been the same at first, slow to put any of his responsibilities on her. Not because he didn't trust her, not because he was proud… because of what he wanted for her, and not himself.
Neo wouldn't wait on this one. She didn't want to make him wait because Neo hadn't been able to understand the efforts. She meant to learn from history. Neo dragged her chair closer to him, sitting adjacent to him rather than across. Before he could inquire, she leaned in close and pressed her head to his shoulder, wrapping herself around his arm.
During their last meeting, Jaune hadn't returned the affection shown him to Neo's satisfaction. This time, he did pull her in a little closer, reaching his free hand up to her shoulder and pulling her in. Maybe he'd just needed a reason to, even if it was so as not to feel so lonely. At least Neo understood that motivation.
The ice cream arrived, Neo's sundae looking lovely with its three flavors under its arrangement of fruit and nuts and syrup. Normally, she'd have pounced… but for a change she found it difficult to extricate herself from the arm she now clung to.
Jaune, however, seemed a bit more willing to break off, though he very pointedly ate from his mountain of scoops with only a single hand, moving gingerly so as not to disturb Neo on his other arm. Though boyish in the way he chased after dessert, he hadn't allowed his pursuit to bother her.
She heard Roman remind her: never believe, never trust, never hope. There had to be something about Jaune below the surface that would bother her. There had to be secrets he was keeping, maybe worse than the fact some other girl interested him.
Yet all Neo could think was how much she liked being there on his arm… and that she wanted to do so again.
But eventually she did manage to let go, and despite Jaune's head start, Neo made quick work of her meal. Jaune saw her rapid devouring and tried his best to keep pace. Adorable as it was, Jaune was out of his league, and he reluctantly conceded defeat with three scoops left… after Neo deliberately held off on finishing the last bit of strawberry.
Normally people's failures irritated her. Instead Neo found herself appreciative of Jaune simply for trying. Normally Neo didn't care for people trying to challenge her, but instead she was glad to have a shared experience with him.
While Jaune lamented his defeat, Neo noticed a text from Roman on her Scroll, still pressed nearby. When she saw the time notification above the little Roman icon, Neo knew she'd pushed her luck too far. She'd known she'd have to wrap up quickly, but somewhere between Jaune sharing stories and Neo holding on to him their server apparently opted to give them time alone before dropping off dessert, and now Neo was overdue.
She reached over for her Scroll as discreetly as she could but once she held it in hand she couldn't think of what to tell Jaune. That she had to leave? What would he think if she left before he'd finished eating? Would he think her rude? Would he think she was mocking him for his failure?
Why was she even pondering any of this? Why did she wonder if Jaune would think less of her when she knew that he knew Neo had another appointment? What had come over her?
Neo did have to leave, however, and meekly slid her Scroll over to Jaune, carefully concealing the image of Roman. She was slow to write it out, but eventually she typed: I'm sorry, but I- and that was as far as she got before she stopped herself, paralyzed once more by indecision.
To her surprise, Jaune smiled at her. "You have to go, I remember. It's okay. Thanks for taking the time."
Why did he have to smile so much? It would've been so much easier for her to go if he hadn't. Neo tried to smile back, to match his intensity, but the best she could manage was a bit more akin to a smirk. A bit too coy.
"When will I see you again?" Jaune asked.
Neo's eyes raced back and forth as she thought. Part of her wanted to say 'tomorrow', or even 'whenever you can', but she managed to suppress that particular bout of madness. Instead Neo leaned down to type something non-committal, knowing Roman was waiting on her… and the best she could come up with was 'Soon.'
Jaune nodded. "Okay. Text me when you can."
Neo headed for the exit, turning her back to him, if only briefly. Before she could take more than a single step she wondered how Jaune might take her response, or interpret her hesitation. She couldn't help but waffle like this, but Neo still wanted Jaune to know he'd see her again. She didn't want him to think this meeting –whatever it was- had been a bust, or that he'd bored her or turned her away.
More than anything, she didn't want him to doubt.
Neo turned right back around. She leaned closer to him, and Jaune looked up and met her eye.
She had to be quick. Roman might need her. But she had time for one more indulgence.
Neo smiled as best she could. This time she managed to keep herself from being so smug. She wasn't sure how he'd take this, so her upturned lips were a bit more shy… a bit uncertain, but not enough to hold her back for long.
Neo found his cheek and kissed it.
A small affection. Not too committal, not too personal. That at least was a social grace she understood. That it was more than a hug, more than a nuzzle… but less than a certainty. A sign of her interest without being too bold.
Jaune's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't seem upset. He just looked on, as Neo reverted to old habits, giving him a wink before dashing away.
Blake hadn't expected Torchwick to show up at the rally… she really expected it'd take a lot more digging to find him. And then he let slip there were big plans going on in the south, and then he revealed a stolen piece of Atlas tech. Things had already escalated, but when she and Sun were herded towards the stage with the rest of the new White Fang recruits, and Blake felt Torchwick's eyes on her…
She shot out the fusebox and turned out the lights in his warehouse. Then she and Sun led him out into Vale, calling for backup. Yang and Neptune joined in the fight, and Sun and Neptune were very abruptly thrown out of it after taking a bad hit from the Paladin Roman was piloting.
Still, when Team RWBY regrouped they managed to take the fight to Roman, eventually knocking him right out of the mech. Cornered and unarmed, Roman still faced them down, only complaining about the state of his suit once he'd picked himself off the ground.
Yang decided to shut him up with a burst from Ember Celica, only for a new fighter to enter the fray, allowing the heat to disperse along the surface of her umbrella. Though RWBY still had an enormous advantage, no one was eager to rush forward and see what this new player brought to the table.
"Ladies," Roman waved, "Ice queen." Weiss protested this, but Roman ignored her and turned his attention to his cohort. "Always a pleasure. Neo, if you would?"
'Neo' -as Torchwick called her- swept into a bow, casting a cocky smile their way. Yang finally broke ranks and rushed at the duo, taking a wild swing… and then watched both of them shatter to pieces.
An illusion? Blake searched frantically for them, before her ears picked up the sound of a roaring engine. Blake caught a brief glimpse of the two standing in the cargo bay of a bullhead racing up into the night sky.
"I guess he got a new henchman," Yang bitterly mused.
Neo expected Roman to be angry with her. She'd revealed her Semblance, at least in part. He'd been displeased she was late in joining him after insisting he allow her to participate, and surely he'd be upset she'd defied his orders, even if it had been to save his life.
Instead, once the cargo bay sealed shut and he no longer had to put on a show, Roman broke character, nearly falling into his seat. She immediately rushed over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. There wasn't anyone back there with them, but their pilot was White Fang. They couldn't show any weakness in front of a stranger.
"I'm sorry," Roman whispered, speaking very quietly, his voice so low even Neo could barely hear him. "This thing I've dragged us into…"
Neo shook her head. There'd be time for him to explain himself to her, but this wasn't the time. They had to keep up appearances in front of their 'allies'.
Roman met her eye and eventually nodded. He composed himself and pulled Neo into a tight hug. "Thank you," he whispered. "For saving my life tonight."
Normally Neo lived for the feel of Roman's embrace. Him initiating the affection was so rare Neo coveted every moment of it when it did occur.
Yet now… now she was wondering if they were too deep to extricate themselves. If maybe there was a way out of this life.
She never thought she'd wish for that. Ever since she met Roman, Neo never thought she'd ever have reason to doubt her course. But now…
What were they even fighting for? A payday? Protection? Certainly not for the White Fang and their ideology…
Before tonight, she'd never thought Roman embracing her might make her feel afraid.
Jaune took a long and circuitous path back to the bullhead landing platforms. Apparently something had really bottled up traffic and there were a number of displaced cars that had fallen from the highway. And on his way towards said highway to see what had happened…
"Sun? Neptune?" Jaune inquired, recognizing a monkey tail sticking out of a ramen shop.
"Sup," Neptune greeted with his trademark inflection. "You hear about the fun?"
"What happened?" Jaune wondered, pointing at an upside down automobile crashed in the street nearby… hundreds of feet below the suspended highway.
"Oh, we found that Torchwick guy," Sun dismissively explained, still moving noodles about in his bowl. "Blake and the others were still fighting him when he knocked us off the bridge."
"Wait, what?!" Jaune immediately reached for his Scroll. "What happened? Are you sure they're okay?"
"They can take care of themselves," Neptune tried to reassure him, but to no avail. Jaune scrolled through his list of contacts, Blake Belladonna right near the top.
Her phone rang a few times before she answered. "Hello?"
"Blake, wow, I'm glad to hear from you!" Jaune breathlessly exclaimed. "I just heard what happened; are you guys okay?"
Again Blake was slow to reply, leaving Jaune with a maddening silent gap before she answered him. "Yes, Jaune, we're all okay. But Torchwick escaped again."
That was unfortunate, but far less important than the knowledge his friends were safe. Jaune finally breathed again. "Okay. I'm in Vale and near where you were fighting. You guys need anything?"
"I… think we're fine, Jaune," Blake replied, sounding quite distant. Jaune suspected she was simply trying to humor him now and he might've been bothering her.
His curiosity was satisfied. He had what he'd needed. "Okay, great. I'll… uh… yeah…" He then very awkwardly hung up.
"Smooth," Neptune observed.
"Hey, give him a break," Sun interjected. "Looks like our boy Jaune had an adventure of his own."
Jaune had been prepared to comment on Neptune's remark but was caught off guard by Sun's before he had a comeback ready. "What do you mean?"
Sun stood up from his bowl and tapped Jaune's cheek. "Make a new friend, ladykiller?"
Jaune was long overdue, and Pyrrha was pacing back and forth in the dorm, trying to burn off some of the nervous energy running through her. Team RWBY actually got back before Jaune, and Pyrrha had to summon considerable strength not to ask if they'd seen him. She was halfway through opening her door to welcome them back when she heard:
"What'd Torchwick say that girl's name was?" Ruby asked.
"Neo," Blake answered.
Pyrrha's hand tightened around the doorknob. Her grip was so firm she felt the metal pull through the wood and dislodge itself into her hand.
It wasn't possible. It was a coincidence. It was…
Just because Pyrrha wanted to believe it didn't mean it was true.
And if it had been… if Jaune was…
First priority was to find Jaune and make sure he was okay. Then she'd worry about whether the new friend he'd met was-
Her Scroll started ringing. Pyrrha dove to answer it. "Jaune?"
"Sorry I'm so late, Pyr. I ran into Sun and Neptune on my way back," Jaune explained. "That Torchwick guy caused a real mess. Did Ruby and the others get back okay?"
Pyrrha breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, just a moment ago."
"Great!" Jaune sounded just as relieved as Pyrrha. "I'm heading back soon. I'm going to make sure Nora and Ren aren't getting bottled up by this too."
Pyrrha very much wanted to ask about his friend with the conspicuous name. But he had important matters to attend to. There'd be a better time. "Okay. I'm glad you're all right."
"Lot of that going around," Jaune observed. "It's been a weird night."
It wasn't over. At least, not for him.
Pyrrha still needed to know more about this Neo. It wouldn't surprise her at all if Jaune had made friends with a criminal, albeit inadvertently, and she was taking advantage of his kindness.
All the more reason for her to invite herself along on the next excursion…