Alright, here we go, this will be a series it seems.
Thank you all for the amazing response to this. It genuinely floored me how many people liked and read this.
Now for the bad news. While this will indeed be continued, it will not have a regular update schedule. Nor do I see myself updating this soon. I'm dealing with a final year in university, a thesis and a job. My free time is split between writing and gaming and I gotta be honest, after an exhaustive day, not much in the mood to write. But I really wanna continue and eventually finish this story. So, I'll do my best, and again, thank you all for the amazing response!
Oh, also. A concern/comment a lot of you had was that the humour tag was misplaced and based on just the first chapter, yeah, you're right. I'll try to rectify that, as I think some humour is needed, however if I see that it doesn't fit after a few chapters I'll go about changing it.
Anyway, have fun with this one!
With practiced ease, he blindly slid his hand to his nightstand and turned on his scroll, checking the time. Way too early. He hadn't slept more than 5 hours. Still, it'd have to suffice.
Ever since Weiss' accident, the ensuing nerve-wrecking wait and finally, the horrible realization she has forgotten everything about him and their relationship, he found he would get less and less sleep.
Jaune wiped his eyes, got up and stretched, grabbing his stuff and heading for the bathroom.
Standing under the hot jet, his mind started wandering to the previous night's events.
After the past few months at Beacon, he had formed a routine. He would get through the day, classes and all, then he would practice with his team or do the homework assigned. After that, he and Pyrrha would usually go to the roof to train more. By the end of that, he would be too exhausted to do anything other than crash in his bed.
However, yesterday had been important. It was the anniversary of when he and Weiss had first met. That was 2 years ago. 2 years in which he had met and lost the love of his life. 2 years, which she didn't remember.
He had taken his guitar yesterday and went to mourn. He didn't admit it to Pyrrha, but he was starting to lose hope. So, he played the song he wrote for her, for them, when he first learned she had lost her memory.
Pyrrha running into him had been… It had not been what he wanted.
He chose that corner because the dorms underneath were empty, though that would change with the people coming to Beacon for the Vytal festival. He had wanted to be alone.
But, talking to her about everything helped him. It gave him an outside perspective and just saying the whole story to someone was cathartic.
She promised to keep his secret, until he was ready to reveal it. She even promised to help him. He had no idea what that would entail, but just the offer made him feel a bit more confident.
He was gonna win Weiss over. He wasn't going to win her back, as the Weiss who fell in love with him was gone.
He still loved her though. There was nothing he could do about that. He couldn't imagine life without her, so he wouldn't.
He wouldn't approach her yet though. Her most recent rejection still hurt. Plus, after yesterday's events, he needed time to get accustomed to thinking of Weiss as a new person, and not the one he had all those memories with.
"Eyes forward Jaune, have confidence. All it takes is a little confidence"
With his thoughts in order and his shower done, he dried off and checked his scroll for the time. Surprisingly, not much time had passed and he still had almost 2 hours until classes. Checking on his teammates, he quietly woke up Ren and, after a few brief comments, he went to the cafeteria to get breakfast.
/-/-/
"Fuck"
He had just entered the cafeteria.
At this hour, it was usually empty. Sometimes, you could see people with long shadows under their eyes grabbing something to eat and drink, their need to re-energize after a night of cramming evident in their eyes, or, more specifically, the long shadows under their eyes.
Other times, Pyrrha or Ren would join him. Some other times, he would even run across Velvet of team CFVY, with which he would exchange casual talk or pleasant silence as they are.
None of those were here today however. Instead, sitting at his usual table, was Weiss, having just arrived probably, judging by her lack of food tray.
"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck"
He managed to get his brain out of the loop it had been stuck on and thought about turning around to leave. Alas, the whole thing took him just a few too many moments he realized, as her eyes met his.
She started and waved him over.
'Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck '
His brain got stuck in the loop again, as he mechanically walked over.
Mentally slapping himself, he plastered a sleepy smile on his face and greeted the girl.
"Good morning Jaune, can I spe-"
"Hey Weiss, good morning! I'm going to pick up something to eat, want me to get you something?"
The heiress blinked as she was interrupted, thought for a second and decided.
"Just a coffee will be alright, thank you very much. I take it black wi-"
Jaune cut her off again.
"Alright, be right back"
Leaving the poor girl in the dust, he managed to calm himself, walking over to the food bar instead of sprinting there. Taking a plate, he started filling it as his mind raced.
'Okay Jaune, gotta relax, gotta calm down. It's early, I know, but you gotta face this calmly. She just came down to grab breakfast. You can do with exchanging a few words with her over food. It's not the end of the world. You can do it. All it takes is a little confidence. Deep breaths, come on. '
As Jaune managed to avoid a mental breakdown and got out of his head, he found he had already filled his tray with everything he would eat and then some, ending up with two plates and two cups of coffee, one for him and one for Weiss. Sighing, he made his way back to the table.
"There you go."
Placing Weiss' cup in front of her, he sat down and started picking his way through the plate, hoping his stomach would eventually unknot.
The heiress cleared her throat, took a sip of the coffee and started speaking.
"Thank you for the coffee. As I tried to say, I came here to-"
Stopping abruptly, the heiress blinked once, twice, took another sip of her coffee and clocked her head to the side.
"That's not how I usually take my coffee, but the taste is nice. What did you put inside?"
Jaune, having missed about half of what the girl had said, snapped his eyes up from the plate he had been staring at and looked at the cup tightly clutched between the girl's fingers.
"Um, I'm sorry, I'm still a bit sleepy and must have made it identical to mine by accident, sorry. This is a cream and a spoon of sugar. I can go replace it if you want?"
Weiss' fingers reflexively tightened around the cup as she stared at his, the drink inside significantly darker then her own.
"No, no need. As I said, the taste is unexpected but quite enjoyable. No need to apologize. Now, back to the matter at hand, I wanted to talk to you, and asked Pyrrha where I could find you to speak alone. She told me you take your breakfast early, though I have to admit I didn't expect to find you here quite this early."
Jaune's mind went into overdrive, as he looked for reasons she might have wanted to apologize. The girl across him must have taken his silence as evidence that he was listening, for she continued on.
"I…"
She took a deep breath.
"I actually wanted to apologize. Despite your repeated and quite insistent asks for the dance, and how annoying they are, my reactions and behaviour towards you had been unacceptable. Therefore, I apologize for my harshness, but please, for the love of the gods, please stop trying to ask me to the dance. I ha-"
Jaune, before he could catch himself, chuckled.
"Hehehe, yeah, it's okay. You've nothing to apologize for. I failed to realize how my behaviour towards you would affect you, so I am the one who has to apologize. You have my word that I'll never ask you to the dance. And you should know, an Arc never goes back on their word."
Weiss stared. Apparently, this whole thing would be easier than she thought. Coming here, she thought the boy would deny her and keep pestering her, perhaps even take the opportunity of them being alone to ask her out again. Instead she found a person who was almost completely different to the image of him she had in her head.
'Ruby was right. He's not just a babbling buffoon. Maybe there is some sense in the way what she says about him after all. '
"If you put it like that, I'm glad we could come to an understanding. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm actually a bit hungry, I'll go pick up some food and let you eat in peace."
The heiress made to stand up, but Jaune quickly interjected.
"You know, I won't eat this much. Again, I was sleepy and filled two plates. Do you want to have this one? I haven't touched it"
Inspecting the plate, Weiss found the things in it to her satisfaction.
"Are you certain? I wouldn't want to impose. Also, if you're waking up this early, you must need the energy. Or, you might sleep through Port. Gods know my entire team does."
"Yes, that is absolutely okay, don't worry. I catch a nap after classes end and before we get to practice. It's why our team mostly reserves the training arenas later in the day. They mostly sleep through Port as well, though. I can't fathom how they can't see the lessons hidden inside his stories. I swear, the man is a genius."
Weiss stopped eating and stared, surprised by the young man sitting across from her once more in the span of a few minutes.
"Wait, you understand the lessons as well?"
"Yes. They've helped me tremendously up until now. Plus, I think his is the most important lesson in the entire curriculum. We're training to be Huntsmen and Huntresses. He's doing Grimm studies. Why in all the gods would such a prestigious academy like Beacon not have the best of the best teaching it?"
"Yes, thank you! That's what I tried to explain to my team as well, but they won't get it. Honestly, why can't they see it?"
"I mean, to be fair, he can be long winded. He really knows his stuff, but when he gets to talking, he doesn't stop. I'm confident that if the bell didn't stop him, he would continue on literally forever!"
Weiss giggled.
"Ok yeah, I can see that happening. Same goes for Oobleck. Even though he speaks so fast, he can continue on and on and on. Even if you have a question, he just rushes on by so quick, by the time you actually ask the question he's there eras ahead. Let him talk without the bell interrupting him, and he'll finish the entire curriculum in a day. Honestly, his classes are the worst! I always end up with a migraine after them!"
"Nah, he's cool. He's fast, but the trick is to note down all your questions and ask him after class. He can give you as many details as you want then, and answers absolutely any and all questions you may have. He's probably my favourite."
The heiress stared at the blonde as if he grew a second, third and fourth head.
"Okay, if he's your favourite, who's your least favourite? Peach?"
"Nope. Goodwitch. You've seen how bad I am at actual combat. Don't get me wrong, she's helped me immensely and she has my utmost respect for her patience, but, of all the classes her's is my least favourite."
Weiss cocked her head to the side, then nodded.
"Valid. I think she's pushing us extra hard for the Vytal festival. You think one of our teams will actually win it?"
/-/-/
By the time both of them had finished their meal, a full hour had passed in animated, pleasant conversation and more and more people were beginning to flow into the cafeteria.
Weiss had found speaking with the boy much easier than she expected, again giving credence to Ruby's opinion of the boy.
"Welp, this seems like my que to go. I have to make sure my team is awake. You'd be surprised how hard it is to wake them up."
"Even Pyrrha?"
"Especially Pyrrha. One time, it took all three of us to wake her up! It was chaos."
The girl giggled again.
Jaune smiled at the sound. He got up, placing both plates onto his tray to go and set them to their returnal place.
She spoke up before he could go, surprising even herself.
"Jaune. I- I really misjudged you. I would really like it if we could start over, as friends. My name is Weiss Schnee, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Extending her hand forward, she looked at him in the eye, anticipating his answer.
Jaune's smile got a bit wider and he grasped her hand.
"The pleasure is all mine. I'm Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls of the tongue. The ladies love it! Or, at least that's what my mom says. Have a good day Weiss!"
He left the smiling girl behind and headed for his dorm.
And scene.
Hope you enjoyed this one. Also, if you have any feedback, leave it in a review.
Have a good one!