A/N: I just made enough chicken fajitas to feed like twenty people. I deleted the half a chapter I had written for Jaune. It was too tired into the bookstore arc, if you'll pardon the pun.
Jaune laid flat on his back, breathing heavily. Pyrrhas training video was tough physically, even more so emotionally. He wasn't strong enough to save her. His mind spiraled into the endless what if scenarios. The young knight shouts in frustration and sadness into the night. He allows himself to cry his inner loathing and doubt giving way to sheer grief. Several long minutes pass he calms himself taking a few shuttering breaths before heading back to the camp. He checks his scroll still two more hours of his shift remaining. He walks the camp and adds more wood to the fire.
His emotions are still running on high when Ruby whimpers in her sleep. Anger flashes hot and he feels his whole body burn. His anger is directed at himself and not the tiny girl a few feet away. His weakness caused her state. Those months ago when Qrow carried her unconscious from down from Beacon tower he knew. He knew that Ruby Rose, the person he saw as the most innocent and pure person he had ever met, had seen not one, but two senseless murders that day. Penny, everyone saw Penny, and even if his partner had unintentionally broken and killed the little cybernetic girl, Ruby had gaged the situation running to Pyrrhas side. He remembers the tiny girls firm assertation that it wasn't Pyrrhas fault. He was blown away then by the way she had tried to comfort the spartan girl hurting though she herself must have been.
He had been too weak to protect his own partner. His mind had raced and he called out to his sister team. He so very deeply regrets that call. He as much as sent his best friend to witness an execution. He hates himself for it, the impish girl was gone and it was his fault. Her eyes lacked their usual mirth. Her laughter, a core component of what he remembers when he thinks back, all but gone. Her smiles never really reach her eyes and the laughs that do come sound empty and hollow. She wears a mask of cheerfulness so they wont worry and it's all his fault. He is shaking in anger when a hand on his shoulder causes him to spin around. The look of raw hatred on his face softens at the familiar gleam of silver eyes
"Jaune, are you okay? You were shaking." She keeps her hand on his shoulder. He is grateful, the small weight grounding him bringing him back from the abyss.
"I'm okay.. I got a little lost in my own head, I'm sorry if I woke you." The concern on her face twists at his heart. The low light of the fire causing her hair to glow red, as if Pyrrhas hair was superimposing its self into the tiny girl in a cruel twist of fate.
Ruby sighs removing her hand from his shoulder. She draws her knees to her chest and wraps her cape around herself. Ruby shakes her head at the boy. "I…had another nightmare." She doesn't elaborate. The selfish part of Jaune wants to celebrate the girl letting down her guard and being fully honest, not hiding behind masks and empty "I'm okays". He will allow that small part of himself cheer the small win another time. The haunted look in her eyes was heartbreaking.
He settles fully sitting instead of crouching. He mirrors her action from earlier and places his hand on her shoulder. "Anything you want to talk about?"
She lets out a humorless chuckle. The sound so unlike her his skin prickles. "Do you want to talk about why you were shaking in anger?"
He returns her humorless chuckle. "Not really" He picks up a stick adjusting the logs in the fire.
She laughs, a small, tired yet genuine laugh. He meets her eyes raising his eyebrow confused.
"We're quite the socially awkward duo aren't we?" She smiles, a tiny real smile. It puts him at ease for now.
"To the socially awkward?" He asks raising his hand for a fistbump. She returns the bump and he smiles a tiny smile in return. They aren't sure why but the situation strikes them as funny. Ruby giggles causing Jaune to giggle. The gigglefest lasting a good long while.
The Guild Master watching them silently from his warm sleeping bag smiles. He was moments away from confronting the boy before the tiny reaper scuttled out of her sleeping bag as if sensing that he needed her. Theirs is a strong friendship, he can tell there are old wounds the two need to work out. They stand a better chance doing that together than trying to face their demons alone. He silently promises his sister he will do his best with this group the next two weeks.
A/N: I'm proud of myself, working up to what I have planned for Saturday! It'll probably be a long chapter too. I feel like I nailed Jaunes inner demons.