Hello, enjoy!
"I really should stop doing this…"
Raspy voice, dry throat, sore body, again, and this was the third time he woke up to this familiar roof.
But this time Jaune was alone, no white haired girl next to him, nor annoying doctor with a bad sense of humour.
Maybe that way he could quickly recollect his thoughts.
His last memory, fighting against Grimm, not surprising considering the small bruises and cuts across his body, but there was a moment he could clearly remember, it was like a nightmare but he knew it as real, because it had happened before, only that this time he could remember.
His body going berserk, slashing any threat in front of him. That explained why his left arm was covered in bandages, and felt something pressing against his left side of the forehead, probably another bandage.
The sound of people outside his room brought him out of his void of thoughts.
He got up from the bed and noticed how weak, strained and heavy his arms felt, but after all he did it was to be expected, he did slay a full pack of ursa and some beowolves like it was nothing.
Pushing through the door proved to be a tiring action.
At the other side of the door he could see injured people, at least two dozens of them, all cramped at the waiting room, getting attended by the nurse and doctor who repeatedly treated him, two men who he couldn't recognize, and Weiss. They were rushing from one side to another, with various supplies between their arms.
"Hey you should get to your bed, don't wanna get all my work undone"
Doctor Cryant quickly noticed him and came to his side, trying to make him enter the room again.
"You should give this room to someone who needs it, If I can't hold myself I'll find some spot on the floor to sit down"
The doctor seemed to hesitate for a finally gave a nod.
"Fine, but if you open your stitches, I'll redo them without anaesthetics"
So he got stitches on his left arm, another scar for the collection.
"You already did that once"
"True... just shut up and rest"
He called a small family, a woman and 2 kids. They all appeared to be hurt in different parts. Some marks of dry blood smeared over them. They all turned to him, gave a grateful nod and entered the room.
He made his way to a corner next to the entrance door, and threw himself there. He was tired, but not enough to sleep again apparently, or maybe he was afraid of closing his eyes without any way to avoid the images that would appear if he did. So he just waited there, drifting his head from side to side, it was long before someone came.
Weiss crouched next to him, with an awkward expression on her pale couldn't understand why she showed that kind of expression, until he recalled their last conversation, and the kind of ass he was.
"Hey Weiss…"
"Hey Jaune…"
They wouldn't meet each other´s eyes.
"How long was I asleep" Trying to talk about anything sounded like a good idea
"Just a few hours, surprisingly"
"Huh"
"How did you passed from sleeping full days, to sleeping less than six hours?"
"Hey I was the one unconscious don't ask me"
After a dry laugh and a long silence Weiss tried to restart the conversation.
"Did you...did you see her?"
"What?" He knew what she was talking about but he didn't wanted to touch that topic. ´Please Weiss, i just gave you an out, take it´
She seemed to hesitate for a few then tried again
"Did you see Pyrrha again?"
"Weiss…"
"Please Jaune, I'm just trying to help"
"I don't want to talk about it" He made his move and tried to get up, but a hand came pushing him down gently.
"Then just listen, please…"
He had already seen Weiss pleading to him with her eyes, but this was different, this time she had resolve.
"Five minutes, I'm hungry and I really want a bath right now"
XXXX
Ok Weiss, you've gained five minutes, now don't waste them.
"Look Jaune…"
"And why do you even care Weiss?"
Those word came back to her mind, trying to crush her resolve, but it only made it bigger.
"...I know we never had the best of the relationships, but I want you to know that after all that high school drama we had, I wanted to form a real friendship with you, because I judged you wrong and I regret that."
"All my life, I've been seen as an object by my own father, and as an stepping stone for the multiple man that tried to court me in order to get my family's company into their own hands, that's why when you came to me, I couldn't see you as nothing but one of those who wanted my money."
"And I'm sorry, I'm not saying this because of some sort of debt of pity you think I have towards you. I'm saying this because despite all the times i treated you more than poorly, at the end you still cared more for my own happiness than your own Jaune Arc"
"So please when I ask for you to give me your friendship and let me listen to you. It's not because of some selfless intention, it's because of my selfish desire of having you as a friend, and thats what friends do, help each other"
After a few moments of extrange and uncomfortable silence Jaune finally talked
"Thanks Weiss, I can't even start to comprehend how much effort you had to go through to open yourself like that to me… I'd also like to be able to call you a friend and I´ll also try to open myself to you, but there is just some stuff I'm not ready to face. So if you could give me some time I would really appreciate it"
He extended a hand towards her and offered a fresh smile
"Of course Jaune, I just want you to know Ill be there if you need me"
"Well with that said, I really want to eat something, killing Grimm takes a lot more effort one would think"
"Of course, I'll go back to the Inn first, I have some matters left to attend before I can call this a day, see you for dinner?"
"Sure"
They both said their goodbyes to the doctor picked their weapons and went their own ways, Jaune never dropping his smile.
´Maybe things will get better from now on´
XXXX
Thunk
Thunk
Thunk
Hitting a trunk after leaving a hospital was not the best idea, but it was cathartic. And that's what Jaune needed right now.
"She has been worried about you since the start of this, and what did you do? Indulge in self loathing and yell at her. Hurting her!"
He continued to hit the trunk over and over again, his aura decided this time it would work, that was good, he didn't wanted any more reasons to worry Weiss.
"What are you gonna do now?"
If he kept acting like this he would keep worrying her, then they would meet with Ruby, and she would definitely be less subtle with her helping him.
After hitting the trunk over and over again for almost an hour, he finally decided to sit himself in the ground.
He found a calm spot, a little park surrounded by some trees, in the middle of the village, it seemed quiet and desolated enough for him to vent his frustrations.
But now people were watching him, some with some kind of curiosity, and others with frustration and anger. He just had to shrug that off. Of course people would be angry with him, in their eyes he failed to kill some Grimm that took something of like he could change the opinion of everyone, sometimes you just were angry at someone because you want to. That's what he was doing with Weiss.
"What am I gonna do…"
"Hey mister!"
A kid no older than 12 approached him, he was dirty, missed a few front teeth and had some scratches around his arms and legs, just like a typical hyperactive kid.
"Yeah?"
"Are you...the roasted boy?"
Jumping from the spot in which he just was he looked to the sky and with an overdramatic expression and an equal overdramatic yell
"Why does everyone in this town knows me for that?!"
"... you mad?"
With an exasperated sigh he just shrugged it off "Not your fault, just wish the man who came with that nickname was not the same one who saved my life. So what did you wanted?"
"I wanted to give you this"
He produced a small pendant,a grayish blue rock, from his pocket and shoved it into Jaunes hands.
"Thanks for the… rock, but why would you give it to me?"
"Because you helped us" He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"I...helped you?"
"Yeah… this morning, I wasn't there but my dad said you saved his life and all of us taking out dozens of monsters!" His eyes shone like looking at a comic book hero
"So I did…"
But the truth was, he did it all for himself. The thought of saving people did cross his mind once or twice during the encounter, but it was overpowered by the rage and desire he felt for killing Grimm. He doesn't deserves this token of appreciation, people died under his watch. People he was supposed to protect. But he was focused being selfish and petty.
"Shouldn't you hate me like the rest? People died and I couldn't do anything about it."
"I know people died, people I know died. But what use is there on blaming the one who saved us. Bad emotions attract bad monsters so shouldn't we all be happy?"
That way of thinking was innocent, foolish, just like a kid who hasn't seen what he had, so why did Jaune found himself moved by those words, craving for the feeling of calmness or security those word gave. Why did he felt a drop of water sliding down his cheek.
"Hey uh…"
"I´m Jay Benthos sir" He was wearing the most proud smile in Remnant when saying that. Not that Jaune could see it with his head casted downwards.
"Is it raining?"
"No mister, but the sun is almost setting"
"Oh…"
´I'm crying because of some word a kid gave me, how pitiful is that?´
"Hey Jay, how important is this rock to you?"
"It's not just some rock! Its an ice dust crystal, my father found it some time ago, he gave it to me and told me that it could be my ´cool charm´, the joke was not so bad back then"
"So it's very important"
"Yup!"
"You know I don't feel good if I just receive stuff like this without giving anything back." He straightened himself with an audible grunt and popped his arms. "You know, a friend once told me that the best way to gift happiness, was with pancakes, so tell you what, how about I give you and your friends the best pancakes I can make, in exchange for the crystal?"
"Hmmmm, I don't know, are you pancakes good?"
"In my humble opinion the only one I've met that could defeat my pancakes, was a ninja"
"No one can hope to win to ninjas"
"Obviously"
"Then I'll trust you"
"And I won't let you down, come by the Golden Orange tomorrow morning ok?"
"Yes sir"
And with a hop the kid went running to wherever his destination was.
So he did the same and went directly to the Golden Orange, without getting lost this time.
After a quick bath, a lot of talking, some considerable amount of Lien, he managed to secure a spot in the kitchen and ingredients for pancakes. Hopefully the mix would be enough, he didn't knew how much people he would serve.
Then he decided to make himself comfortable waiting for Weiss in the same table they had had a fight in the morning. He was passing the Dust crystal Jay gave him through his hands, questioning if it would be safe to wear it in his neck daily.
Them said Heiress sat next to him, with a grin unproper of her covering her face.
"Hey Jaune you look...relaxed"
"Do I?"
It was true, he had a feeling neither alcohol nor fighting would give him. He knew it was only temporal and it would eventually wear down, but he would enjoy it while it lasted and deal with the rest later.
"Hey Weiss, I wanted to say thanks and sorry, I know I'm difficult to deal with, and I know I will keep being like that from now on, but thanks for not giving up on me"
"What are friends if not to help each other Jaune?"
"Yeah...and talking about help, I hoped you could give me some with two favors…"
A tired but not unpleasant sigh left Weiss lips "What is it Jaune?"
So many times he had heard the heiress say the same thing in an exasperated and tired tone. But now it was different, it was tired yes, but it also had a tinge of friendship.
"First i wanted you to check this Dust. Second, I kinda made a promise that could end up very difficult for me if I don't get some help."
"Let me see the crystal first"
He gave, or to be more exact, Weiss took the crystal from his hand,
"It's obviously Ice Dust, but it's strange, Its color is faded, this only happens when the Dust has been left almost empty, In the majority of cases it justs become literal and useless dust. But in extrange cases like this, it loses color and becomes a normal crystal. Where did you find it?"
"A kid gave it to me, which takes us to the second favor, I promised him I would make pancakes for him and his friends, but I don't know how many people will come, so just in case there's more than my self can handle, would you help me?"
"What would i have to do?"
"Just help me with the mix that's all?"
"...will I have to deal with eggs?"
"Pardon me?"
"Eggs. Will i have to cook them?"
"I don't know...why?"
"Schnees don't do eggs, that's all you need to know"
That sounded almost omnius.
"You would only crack them and mix them, is that ok?"
"No fire?"
"I'll be the one dealing with that?"
"Then yeah we are good"
"Ok then...I'll see you tomorrow"
Taking his new pendant back, he quickly went upstairs and set himself to sleep.
This time there were no nightmares creeping his sleep.
XXXX
"Don't set the eggs on fire, don't set the eggs on fire…"
Watching Weiss stress herself over cracking some eggs was honestly funny, at least the first few times, then it just became, scary and stressful.
They were currently preparing the third batch of pancakes, apparently Jay had a lot of friends, and all of them were gluttons, including the ones who sneaked at the mention of fee food, a lot of them grown ups.
But Jaune didn't minded, at least that way they would keep negativity away for a little bit.
"Hey mister, you didn't lied when you said this were good"
"See, an Arc always keeps his word"
They were both interrupted by the lous sound of a door kicked open.
"WHOMADEALLTHISPANCAKESANDDIDNTINVITEME?!"
"Wait,Is that.."
Jaune quickly made his way to the source of the ruckus, a very much familiar ruckus
"Nora please calm down, we're not here for pancakes"
"Tal for yourself mistah!"
"Guys?"
The duo quickly paid all their attention to the knight wearing an apron instead of armor.
"Jaune?"
Sorry for all the cliffhangers, but i have to do them (I really dont i just like them), so yeah, tell me what you think about this thx.
(By the way, maybe i won´t be able to upload next week, but ill repay you, promess)
(The ones who catched the hint to Mallobaude´s fic well, good because he writes good stuff)