Warning: Triggers for this chapter include: Children acting childishly, insecurity, and character conflict

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A Suitor Too Soon

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A new morning brings a new arc, without the time skip of season one and season two, as a new status quo is established.

As Jaune hinted, he's too battered and bruised to the bone from the tournament to train with Pyrrha right after the tourney. It's nothing aura and rest won't heal, but for a week or two Jaune is told to do only light exercise and no real training. In thetime after the tourney's drama, a new and mutually acceptable compromise is worked out for Jaune's time going forward. Training sessions in the evening with Pyrrha will be just with Pyrrha his partner, while the team leader meetings will exclusive to Jaune and Rub. Both girls accept that, and while things between the girls aren't what they were before Ruby's jealous snap, they are peaceful. Ruby is sincere in overcoming her insecurity, while Pyrrha is careful to build her partnership with Jaune in a way that doesn't exclude Ruby, and Jaune is just glad to no longer be balancing the two against the other. He has another girl in his head anyways.

Which Ruby asks about as they catch up, after talking about the tournament, the adventure to Blake, and even the strange encounter with Mordred and the Royal Police. The description of Mordred gives Jaune a bad impression, but he's willing to ignore it now that Team RWBY is safe and back in Beacon. It's only when Ruby and Jaune are really alone in the team leader lounge, however, that Ruby confronts him about his crush. Ruby really wants to hear about Jaune's feelings for Weiss, pestering Jaune into sharing. Jaune is reluctant at first, but does, and with Ruby's help is able to elaborate his feelings.

It's not so much love at first sight as the strength of first impression and her ability to change. -Jaune actually had a harder view of Weiss when she was being mean to Ruby at the start of Beacon and initiation- but it was Weiss's ability to change that first started to make him look closer, and that's thanks to Ruby. Becoming better friends with Ruby, making an effort to be nicer, and being, well- still a bit cold, like an Ice Queen, but also more than that. Trying to be fair. Trying to push people- and Ruby- into what was good for them, be it nagging about studying or anything else. Acerbic as she may be, she really does want to help people. Even Ruby's own account of Weiss stepping in to save Blake, and forgiving her, cinch it. Top it with that she is beautiful and strong…

It's a crush of attraction intertwined by admiration. Weiss told him at the start of Beacon that he'd have to earn her respect to be worth her time, and now that he's found his place in Beacon... he wants to. To be someone worth liking- to be someone she likes- as much as he's come to start liking her.

Ruby thinks it's romantic.

Ruby's actually more enthusiastic about it than Jaune is, urging Jaune on to believe in his feelings and act on them. For Jaune this would be the point in canon that he's just starting to feel attracted, but Ruby is committed to supporting it even before her own take. Ruby sees it as something out of her childhood stories, a romantic knight-and-princess fairy tale in which the impossible boundary of class must be breached. Weiss is the princess, Jaune could be her knight, and she even ships it as the White Knight romance. Jaune is a bit skeptical, especially at the depiction of him as the knight but Ruby encourages him to try for that rather than let him balk at her description or his growing feelings.

Ruby thinks he's likeable already, but Jaune knows he has a long ways to go to be worthy of an heiress in this metaphor. He also hasn't a clue of how to court her as Ruby envisions. After a practice flirt so bad even Ruby winces, and so does he when she plays it back to him, Jaune accepts he's out of his depth in romance. Fortunately, Love Doctor Ruby has just the cure.

Instead of just asking Weiss what her preferences are- though she 'subtly' try- Ruby tries to help Jaune by developing what she thinks Weiss will find romantic… which is to say, what Ruby thinks Weiss would find romantic if Weiss's tastes were like Ruby's. A girl's a girl a girl, right?

Having had no (successful) relationships of her own to fall back on, and not really thinking Yang's (possibly tall) tales applicable, what Ruby finds romantic comes straight out of the romantic fairy tales of youth. Namely the knightly ones- which not only fits the theme Ruby has for Jaune in her head, but gives him something respectable to work towards as she pushes him towards the concept of knights and courtly love, which mesh with Weiss's professed standards of a dignified gentleman of impeccable character. When Ruby asked Weiss what sort of person she'd like, Weiss said someone noble, honorable, and just- not a noble just out for her honor.

Courtly love is a complicated thing, but Ruby convinces a love-dumb Jaune that it's what girls want- a a dash of chivalry, constant respect, and a lot of self-restraint leading to a constant effort to prove sincerity and purity of desire. It applies on both ends, for both the knight and the noble lady, which Ruby spells out over a number of 'training' sessions cast as a training montage in which Ruby lectures Jaune about knightly values.

The Lady, Ruby explains, is the embodiment of purity and virtue that the knight should desire. She is not free with her affection, now will she make a claim herself, but she will be won by dedicated virtue. She is both the goal and the inspiration for the knight to adhere to the path of virtue. The Lady's power is of influence, not arms and armor. Social power, yes, but more importantly to keep the knight true and use his might in a proper way. The Lady recognizes the Knight for his meritorious service, but will also chastise and correct him when he goes astray. The Lady may not be free to express her love- she must always consider what is right and proper, and not just what she wants- but the tokens of her affection to one and one Knight alone are all the more important for her graceful restraint.

The Knight, by contrast, is a warrior of mighty passion constrained by honor. He is the actor and instigator, but always within the rules of chivalry and with a restraint that never presses the Lady unduly. His honor is of a more martial sort, but his virtue is both is greatest strength and the reason the Lady would love him. By channeling his efforts into heroics- by fighting for the weak, protecting the innocent, and bringing honor in his Lady's name by championing her causes- the Knight proves their passion to be nobler than mere base desire.

The Knight is a guardian for their Lady, but not a jailer. Rather than hide them from the world, they should lend their strength to enable their Lady to use her benevolent virtue for the good all. The Knight is always in service, never faltering so long as they have their Lady's favor, which is why they deserve and ultimately win the Lady's affection. Until they do, though, the knightly gestures of courting- of fighting for them, of striving to never dishonor them, and of restraining themselves to longing looks and love-sick sighs from a distance- are key. Jaune isn't eager about the prospect of unrequited love, but Ruby persuades him that True Love is as patient as it is sincere. If a Knight can not temper their love into something unbreakable and enduring, then what worth is it? If it's truly so fleeting, it's just a crush.

As Ruby explains what she sees as True Love, internally she's ashamed when she contrasts such virtues to her own past crush on Jaune. It was a shame born of shallow desire and little else, and compared to then she honestly prefers her current spot of nobly helping Jaune become someone who the Weiss would/should want. Even as she 'trains' Jaune into better speaking and gallant gestures, Ruby is happier as Jaune shifts in that more mature, more knightly direction. He has what she lacked, and is becoming what she had previously merely projected, and Ruby is fondly proud as both Jaune's feelings and behavior matures. Helping Jaune talk over what he likes in Weiss, and sharing what she likes about her partner as well, convinces them both Jaune's interest is real even as Ruby helps Jaune better express what he might fumble with otherwise. That this is sincere on Jaune's part, something good with better reasons than she ever had…

There's no space, or reason, for hesitance or reluctance. Ruby helps Jaune develop his thoughts and feelings in a way no one else did for her.

Come the end of the training 'montage'- of Jaune diligently listening, studying, and even practicing knightly gestures and public speaking with Ruby before accepting a get-well gift from Weiss without making a fool of himself- Jaune's articulation is up as his convalescence is over. Jaune returns to Pyrrha's training sessions a more noble, emotionally mature figure, confident in both his nascent but growing abilities and articulate in his own feelings for Weiss. When Ruby sees Jaune leave to go and train with Pyrrha without her, there's nothing bitter about it, and no jealousy to be had. Jaune is determined to grow and improve himself- and Ruby is eager to help him in the next stage, of actually courting of Weiss.

It doesn't go well.

It's not that Jaune makes a mess of it. In fact, Weiss doesn't even notice at first. At Ruby's advice Jaune keeps his interest a secret from the rest of the group at first. While the girls of RWBY know from Ruby's leak that Jaune has a crush- they catch him day dreaming or sighing- they don't know for who.

Instead, Ruby's lessons on restraint and distant love lead to guiding Jaune in things to let Weiss know she has a secret admirer. At first Weiss throws out the anonymous love letters Ruby helps Jaune write at one of their team leader meetings, dismissing it as a joke or prank. She turns down a chance to meet her secret admirer when Ruby and Jaune set up a potential meeting. But after Ruby helps Jaune write a tasteful poem of his love and admiration, and she helps him find an actual minstrel to sing it outside RWBY's window…

After every previous gesture, Ruby would ooh and awe, but also try and find out what Weiss didn't like about it so as to help Jaune next time. Weiss gets suspicious when the letters start coming with her favorite flowers- a White Rose- but the minstrel is different. Weiss put up with the private approaches before, but this time it's public. Weiss is publicly embarrassed, though far from humiliated, and vents to the teams that she wishes whoever it was would just stop. Ruby's efforts to appease her about how it's all romantic fail, but Weiss rejects it. She'd rather have an open admirer to a secret stalker. But when Weiss's venting turns to musings of using her family connections to investigate the minstrel and discover who paid him, and inflict great vengeance…

Even though it was Ruby who arranged it, it's Jaune who stands up and confesses it was him. Jaune puts a face to the secret admirer and at the same time that he apologizes. Jaune's confession is a surprise- even to Pyrrha- and that surprise turns to shock and then angry embarrassment for Weiss. Weiss's opinion of Jaune had slowly clawed up as he improved in school and training, particularly after the tournament, but this?

Weiss lashes out at Jaune for publicly embarrassing her, tries to demand he cease at once, and only becomes more incensed when Ruby comes to his defense. Ruby tries to deflect Weiss's anger away from Jaune by revealing that she not only knew, but that she was helping all along. Double surprise for the teams, but Ruby focuses on Weiss's demand. Ruby rejects that Jaune did anything wrong- that what he did was perfectly chivalrous and a correct way to express his feelings- and rejects that Jaune should have to bury his feelings like that. Jaune is uncomfortable, but it's Weiss and Ruby that are at odds as Weiss eventually storms out at Ruby's interference.

Thus begins a spat between Ruby and Weiss, with Jaune as the cause. Even though Jaune himself holds back from open or covert flirting with Weiss again- a relief for everyone even if Weiss catches him looking at her from time to time before he looks away and blushes at being caught- it's Ruby who's his open advocate. It's not that Jaune doesn't have interest, holding doors or offering help or being caught looking, but Jaune doesn't ask Weiss out or press her to react to his feelings. Though his now-known feelings hover over things, he never tries to isolate Weiss away from the group, and doesn't step outside of proper politeness. Despite her displeasure, Weiss… doesn't humor him, as much as try not to hold anything against him. Jaune's feelings are known, but he's not the one pestering her.

It's Ruby who's persistent, suggesting potential dates ('hang outs'), pointing out Jaune's successes and growth, and blatantly asking about Weiss's likes and dislikes. Weiss is willing to put a foot down with Ruby that she doesn't with the polite Jaune, and ultimately tries to demand that Ruby stop- and tries to pull a 'sisters before suitors' appeal to personal partner loyalty to make Ruby side with her and drop it. But Ruby won't- she swore that she'd help Jaune, and she intends to keep that promise, and she's also frustrated by Weiss's lack of reasons for rejecting Jaune. Weiss has been brushing off Jaune with polite no's or evasions, but never an explanation or even a firm request that he stop. Ruby doesn't understand why Weiss doesn't give a clear reason, something that Jaune might work around, and it's frustrating her. The more Weiss keeps Jaune away for bad reasons, or none at all, the more Ruby wants her to give Jaune a chance. Jaune is what Ruby thinks Weiss should want- just, honorable, and noble- and can't see why Weiss doesn't like who he is see what he's becoming. Ruby is convinced that if Weiss gave Jaune a chance, he'd end up making her happy.

Ruby expresses this with her friends, and with Pyrrha, who's in an ambiguous category still and not directly involving herself like Ruby has. Pyrrha was as surprised at Jaune's interest as anyone else, and the fact that Jaune told Ruby but not her means something. Maybe. But Pyrrha is also concerned that Weiss is feeling pressured, and questions Ruby's motives in pushing Jaune towards someone so… unobtainable. The specter of the past crush is there, and an underlying insinuation is that by supporting Jaune's interest in the impossible, Jaune on the rebound might me more open to… someone.

But Ruby is sincere that she's trying to help Jaune be happy with someone he wants, even if it's not her… or Pyrrha. It's an answer that Pyrrha has no choice but to accept or seem unsupportive of Jaune. Though Ruby and Pyrrha are back on better terms, there's a tension still that wasn't there before. Pyrrha leaves and wishes Ruby well- but gives a warning that if/when Ruby fails, Pyrrha would stand by ready to help her partner through the heartbreak.

Tensions are rising within Team RWBY, but ultimately Ruby's pestering of Weiss is enough to come to a climax when Weiss chooses to go to another desk in class rather than sit with Ruby… and ends up sitting next to Jaune waiting for his own team. Despite everything, Weiss would rather sit beside her unwanted admirer rather than keep distant and be with her parter. At least Jaune is more discrete, despite his un-renounced interest.

But rather than talk to her, Jaune is respectfully silent- and when a worn Weiss idly wonders why he's not taking the chance to talk to her, he answers that it's because he thinks she looks like she's the one who with something to say. As much as he'd love to talk, he'll listen if she wants, or say nothing at all if she just wants privacy. It's an invitation that Weiss takes after class, and when Ruby sees Jaune lead Weiss to the secluded Team Leader lounge after class, she eagerly follows hoping to eavesdrop of something juicy. Instead, Ruby spies on something sweet and sour when Weiss turns to Jaune to vent about Ruby, just as Jaune has done for Ruby about Weiss in the past.

Weiss clearly has things bottled up she wants to release, and with Jaune she strangely has an outlet, someone who clearly doesn't hold her acerbic tongue against her and who can weather the release. Weiss... doesn't like pushy people when it comes to her love life, and the way Ruby is trying to push her into a relationship she doesn't want is too much like what her father tried to do. Weiss confesses that, in the past, after becoming an Heiress her father introduced her to a litany of gentlemen and nots. Some were old, some were younger than her, and all were suspiciously interested in her despite their first meetings, constantly trying to impress her with sophisticated flatteries or insincere gestures.

That's what she doesn't want. Since then, she can't take such attempts seriously- only suspiciously- even if the better part of her knows there's no evidence of malice. That's why she only wants to be with someone she wants, or not at all. Anything else comes off to her as being pressured into a relationship she's not interested in for someone else's benefit. That's what Ruby is reminding her of, and even if Ruby has nothing else in common with her father it's coming between them. That... frustrates her, enough that Weiss has tears in her eyes, because even if she knows Ruby means well it's hurting a friendship she's not sure she has.

Ruby's her partner, but she's been so wrapped up with Jaune that she's never really taken the time to just be friends with her. That... hurts, especially given how Ruby chose helping Jaune over her.

So Jaune offers to stop- to make Ruby stop- if that's what it'd take to save it.

Jaune knows Ruby does like Weiss- that for all the venting she does, Weiss's opinion does matter to Ruby- and he doesn't want to be the reason their friendship sours. Especially since his newly resumed training with Pyrrha should open up more time for Ruby herself to be a better friend, and partner.

Jaune extends an offer and asks if Weiss could go back being friends with Ruby if he reigned her (and himself) in. Jaune isn't offering to renounce his interest, but he does promises more restraint- no more love letters, no more poems, no more minstrels, or anything else she dislikes. Going back to the way things were before, in exchange for the status quo ante.

Weiss gratefully accepts.

Thankful and relieved, a grateful Weiss gives Jaune the briefest of touches- as if impulsively about to embrace him- before drawing back, not wanting to encourage him. Even so, on her way to the door, Weiss stops at the end of the table to look back at him and give him the oddest of compliments, and a straighter answer than she'd given Ruby before.

Even if this mess has been a hassle... she doesn't dislike him.

Weiss doesn't like him, obviously, or else there would have been no problem. But she doesn't dislike him either, not like that old men or nasty nobles her father tried to introduce her to. She recognizes him as a young man who's interested in her for her own reasons, even if she isn't interested in him now. But it's that 'now' that's important- because he's changed already from that bafoon who got into Beacon before, and she's not sure how he- or she- will change in the future.

That's why she wouldn't give him a permanent 'no' or 'never.' Because she doesn't have reason to suspect his motives, it's not never, just not now. That's enough for her to refuse... and that's enough for Jaune to accept, gracefully backing away and heading towards the door. Ruby has to scurry away, but as she does- right as the door cracks open- she hears Weiss call out for him.

She wants him to know that even she doesn't like him enough to date right now, she does respect him a little better for what he's doing. For her, and Ruby.

Some time later Jaune finds Ruby, who's in the Beacon garden once more. Ruby's been here since her eavesdropping session, and isn't surprised when Jaune asks her to stop helping him with Weiss. She's not surprised... but she is guilty, fearing she might have screwed up his chances with Weiss. And guilty that she hasn't been a good friend or partner. That she made things worse once again.

Jaune doesn't sound hearbroken, though, as he laughs and tussles her hair and tells her not to worry.

Jaune isn't so fragile. Rather than fall into a depression or sulk, Jaune stands by his feelings and the path Ruby set him on. In her own way, Weiss's rejection was a sort of encouragement- a reminder that he has changed, and an encouragement for him to keep improving. After all, her not being interested today doesn't mean she might not be some day... and so until then he just needs to keep moving forward and improving himself, until he is at that point. Weiss is still his inspiration to improve. She's more than a girl, she's his Lady, just like Ruby described, isn't she? Ruby whispers she is, even as she feels guilty at how she's distressed Weiss.

Jaune encourages her to spend more time with her partner to get to know her better- suggesting the time that they'll no longer have when he trains with Pyrrha- but Jaune also tries to dissuade Ruby from any guilt. Maybe they both have a ways to go- maybe they both need to spend more time with their partners to grow- but this is a path Ruby started him on, and he has no regrets. Even if he must reign in their feelings for awhile longer, Jaune refuses any apologies, and even thanks Ruby for her lessons on courting and knightly love from a distance. Even if it's harder than he thought it'd be… Ruby was right.

If love could pass so easily, it wasn't love in the first place. It'll be worth it when he's worthy one day, he's sure.

Jaune leaves, willing to reign in his feelings so that he can improve while things can go back to the peaceful way they were. As she watches him leave, back straight and determined to grow worthy...

Ruby can't help but think he already is.

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End A Suitor Too Soon

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Author Note:

More wish-fulfillment in the making. Personally I found Jaune's 'flirting' (more like harassment) towards Weiss painful. I get that it was never intended to be a real thing, but I don't think the ultimate moral of the story really depended on (or benefited from) the cringe-inducing set-up. While I understand why Roosterteeth didn't spend time on Jaune building up to it, I'd a least like to think that if Jaune had confided in a friend they might have helped him be a bit less cringe-worthy.

Hopefully this a bit less so. It's definitely an important phase- and possibly the first positive depiction of love in the story- and some significant character growth, as Jaune embraces the ideal Ruby always had of him. Funny how that works at times.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts, speculation in review.