Hot.
That was the one word Yang would use to describe the weather. Hot.
It was simple and to the point. But at the same time. It wasn't just hot, it was hot , and everyone felt it.
The tired, sweat stained faces around her and in front of her told her that.
Thanks to it's positioning and architecture, Beacon's cafeteria was the hottest room on the campus. It was also where they were all currently stuck, on account of it being lunch and all, thought it wasn't much of a lunch since everyone was too tired to eat, the heat having kept them all awake last night.
"Boy." Yang grinned, licking her dry lips as a joke came to mind. "Is it hot in here or is it just me?"
A collection of tired groans sounded from around her. Ruby, whose head was resting against her shoulder, nudged her arm against Yang's side in what she could only guess was the laziest elbow to the gut she'd ever been given.
Weiss didn't move from where she was resting face first against the table and Blake managed to at least give her a tired glare. Team JNPR across from them didn't do much better. Ren was slumped over, Nora had collapsed on the floor some time ago and Pyrrha had hidden her face in her hands. Only Jaune managed to at least look at her, his tired eyes looking up from where his head rested on his folded arms.
"It's just you." He said, and Yang blinked before grinning. Looks like she'd at least have some fun today.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"What did you just say?"
"It's just you."
"Really know? And what would you say is the hottest part of me, Lady Killer?" Yang teased, hearing Ruby groan before slumping away from her. Seriously, did no-one she knew have a sense of-
"Your smile." Jaune answered, tired eyes staring off to the side with a distant look in them. "Or your smirk. Don't really know which."
"W-What?" Yang repeated, frowning at the severe lack of response. This…wasn't anything like what she'd expected. Blushing? Yes. Flusteredness? Yes. Denial? Maybe-Yes!
This was like he'd been drugged with truth serum or something, and it made her feel more uncomfortable than the heat did.
"Your smile is really pretty. It reaches your eyes so its obvious you aren't faking it. Plus there's a little twinkle you get in your eyes before you tell a really bad pun that's beautiful." Jaune ranted, unaware of how Yang shifted uncomfortably at the weirdly honest statement. "Your smirk is hot though. It's just like you in a way. Full of confidence and daring you to do something. Plus you get a really challenging look in your eyes that's all like 'Back down or I'll make you' that's super hot."
"Gee." Yang replied awkwardly, eyes darting around at the rest of her catatonic friend group for any modicum of support. "That's really nice of you to say Jaune."
"And your hair's really pretty." Jaune continued, the same blank look on his face as he did so. "It's obvious you put a lot of attention and care into it. That says a lot about your character too. Your eyes are amazing though. They seem like just an ordinary blue at first glance, but up close it's obvious they're this really unique shade, kinda like a lilac colour. Could just get lost in them…"
He drifted off as his eyes closed before he started snoring. Yang just swallowed, her throat drier than before, and part of her was glad that the rest of their friends had fallen asleep before him, if only to spare the both of them the embarrassment of their little heart-to-heart being common knowledge.
"And that's when I started falling in love with your father."
"That's a lie."
"Oh really? Because you know more about my feelings and history than I do eh mister?" Yang retorted, booping her little munchkins nose. He frowned and wriggled in her lap for a minute before pouting up at her.
"Yeah! You said you and dad start dating after a fight against the Grimm!"
Yang felt her smile become more brittle, and the distant stench of death and bloodshed and smoke wafted up her nose like it wasn't her memories haunting her but rather reality, that another attack was happening, Vale was falling and a horde of Grimm was battering at the doors of her home and…
"Mom?"
Yang blinked then cursed herself, booping her son again on the nose to dispel the look of worry. She was safe, so was Vale and the people behind what happened at Vytal were long since dead.
"That's true." Yang conceded. "I did start dating your dad after the Vytal terrorist attack. But that was when I started falling in love with him."
"Really?" Came her son's almost disgusted reply. "That sounds stupid."
"Why is that?"
"All he did was say nice things. Would you love Lilac's dad is he said nice things to you?"
"No." Yang replied bluntly, trying her best to keep the revulsion she felt for that pig out of her tone. Her son and his friend didn't need to get dragged into adult drama. "It was just what started making me see your father in a romantic sense. It was his actions that solidified what I felt for him."
"What did he do?"
"Lots of things."
"What was the biggest one?"
"Let me think…" Yang thought, voice trailing off as she thought. Then she smiled. "Well, there was this one thing…"
Cold.
That was what she felt, despite the warm layers covering. Despite the heated house and wall of old teddy bears her dad had brought from the basement to try and cheer her up.
The stump on her arm was cold. Her skin felt cold, her core felt cold, her everything felt cold.
Blake had abandoned them. Beacon had been overrun by Grimm. She'd lost her arm to a terrorist trying to protect someone who had abandoned her just like her mother had.
The skies outside her window were dark and gloomy. Her mind was empty and her few thoughts were ones of depression, regret, anger and confusion.
She could remember, vividly, the sight of mutilated students. People like her, who were training to try and protect the world from monsters, only to be gunned down and stabbed in the back by cowards wearing masks whilst they fought off literal monsters who wanted to destroy humanity.
She could remember shocked looks, pained ones. Spilled guts and broken bodies.
Smoke from flame and gunfire, screams from wounded and dying, the indescribable smell of dead and dying mixing all together at once.
A gentle knock managed to distract her long enough so that she felt like she was not at Beacon anymore. She blinked idly as the landscape of flame and death turned into one of wood and comfort. Of home. Her home. Her room.
"Come in." Yang called out, wondering who it was. Ruby had gone already on her trip to Mistral, Qrow had left long before that. Her dad was the only one still left with her, and he was more of a 'ratta-tap-tap' kind of knocker.
The door clicked and eased open. A mop of blonde hair peeked in, followed by a pale, tired face and a hint of a hoodie. Jaune.
"Jaune?" She asked, half wondering if she'd finally gone mad. He was supposed to be with Ruby, travelling the world on an adventure and leaving her behind.
"The one and only." Jaune replied, smiling weakly. "How are you?"
"I've seen better days." She retorted dryly. Was he saying goodbye? That was nice, but it was weird he was being so odd about it.
"Yeah…"Jaune said, trailing off awkwardly. Silence followed, and Yang couldn't help but feel annoyed as he said and did nothing. She did not like quiet, not when her mind and thoughts were haunted by what had happened at Beacon, but for all the pain quiet brought it also brought peace with it. She accepted what had happened, even if it tormented her every waking and non-waking moment.
Instead of peace all she had was pain, especially when confronted with the clearly just as sleep deprived and tormented Jaune.
"What do you want Jaune?" She demanded, glaring at him and expecting him to do something. "Shouldn't you be gallivanting around the world with Ruby?"
For a while he just said nothing, giving her blank look that made her bristle with anger. She felt like she was being judged by him, and at the same time part of her was regretting being so harsh. Why couldn't he just leave so she could have some peace?!
"She doesn't need my help." Jaune said, and she interrupted him before he could continue.
"And I do?" She snapped bitterly, and again he said nothing for a few moments before he spoke.
"You don't. The refugees flooding into Patch do." Jaune replied calmly, makin her look away as shame overan her anger. "I just figured I'd stick around and see you when I can. We're friends aren't we?"
"We are." Yang mumbled quietly, staring at her bedsheets.
"Well that's a relief." Jaune said, the weak joke falling flat for the both of them. "I'll be around, so call me if you wanna hang out. When you're better we can catch up to Ruby. Considering you have Bumblebee it's a good thing we're giving her this head start."
She heard him move and the door start to close. It paused for a moment, and she turned to see him staring at her.
"You will get better Yang." He said sincerely. "If there's one thing I know, it's that you're the strongest person I know. You'll be fine."
With that he gave her a small but honest, caring smile and left, the door clicking shut behind him.
Yang frowned at the door and then the bedsheets, but she couldn't deny how it felt like the cold the permeated her being had faded somewhat.
Yang glanced at her son, before shaking her head. Too young, too dark. Thing happy thoughts damnit!
"Your dad jumped into a lake in the middle of winter to save a puppy he thought was drowning." Yang said finally, smile growing as she remembered the funny memory. "Turns out the puppy was actually a Grimm that tried drowning your dad."
"Really?!" Her son giggled, and her smile grew at the sound and she nodded emphatically.
"Really." She stated, a small laugh erupting from her. "He won obviously, but he came back pouting and looking like an actual drowned puppy."
Her son laughed at the whatever imagine he conjured at her words, and she smiled at his joy until she heard the rumbling of a car outside.
"Ready?"
"Ready!" Her son cheered, scampering off for the door just as it clicked open.
"Guys? I'm ho-oof!" Jaune grunted as he son did his level best to spear him like in the wrestling he liked to watch. "Well hello there kiddo. Have a good day?"
"Uh-huh!" Their son replied, yelling with glee as Jaune lifted him up so that he dangled from his arm. "Pizza?"
"Obviously." Jaune said, raising the steaming box he had in his other hand. "Go wash your hands."
With that her son jumped off his lowered arm and ran towards the bathroom. Jaune walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek.
"Everything okay?" He asked, and she smiled at him and nodded.
"Always when you're around." She grinned, enjoying the flustered look on his face. It was just too easy.
"Gotta sort out the pizza." Jaune coughed, cheeks just a hint of rosy. "Wanna slice?"
"Obviously." Yang replied with a roll of her eyes, and he gave another sweet, soft kiss before heading off to the kitchen to plate up the food.
Yang sighed contentedly, leaning back and closing her eyes. It was remarkable how just a few moments with him and it seemed like the distant memories that still haunted her was just that, distant memories.
All because he'd spilled his guts out to her in a sleepless state induced by a heatwave. Just goes to show that honesty really is the best policy.
