A/N: Scratch Monday uploads, Sunday is so much better for my schedule.

Also, finally, we've dropped in the line from the summary. We've come full circle. There's so much Jaune and Pyrrha in this, so enjoy!

Let me know what you think! Hearing from y'all gives me so much motivation.

Laws of Attraction

On Friday, their classes ended fairly early once more, thanks to yet another faculty meeting amongst headmasters and professors. The students were nowhere close to complaining- however, there was one person who, instead of being excited for the free afternoon ahead, dreaded it.

It was the day of the exhibition matches amongst combat school students, along with her interview and photoshoot. The whole affair was to take place in Beacon, thankfully, and all the communications were occurring in the CCTS Tower at the heart of the campus grounds. While that did alleviate one headache, as she didn't have to bother transiting anywhere the moment her lectures had finished for the day, it certainly did give her much more time to be stressed out about the entire affair.

After polishing her armour till it gleamed, brushing out her hair till it was smooth and supple, and reapplying her makeup to the standard she always wore for such interviews, Pyrrha let out a heavy sigh. She always looked the same during these events- too perfect and smooth and fake. Her eyeliner was pristine, her lashes full and dark, her cheekbones contoured and highlighted, her normal lip balm replaced with a soft, sultry gloss. It felt gross- her metaphor of 'masks' was no longer a metaphor in this state, she couldn't help but realize- but this was her routine. She had to look like this, after all. Her mother had drilled it into her head years earlier, when she had first entered Sanctum.

"They are looking at a product, Pyrrha," the woman had explained frankly. "Entering competitions means that you are competing with a product, and they want results from it. Once they know who you are, they'll be expecting the same results every time. Make sure they get it, and that they can trust you to always deliver."

There was something that was so artificial about this whole affair, and she was not looking forward to being paraded. The very idea sent chills down her spine, the little black box creaking open ever so slightly.

This time, it whispered insidiously, your friends won't be here to catch you.

She gulped. I don't need anyone to catch me. I'm Pyrrha Nikos. But after her conversation with her mother earlier that week, the thought of her name felt dirty, and she felt just as vulnerable as before.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, Pyrrha sighed and slipped on her most pleasant mask. "It's lovely to meet you," she intoned lightly to practice, but the words felt empty. Suddenly, she thought of an idea. Reaching into her dresser, she pulled out a small earring box. Gingerly removing one of her current studs, she slipped in the emerald piece that Jaune had given her for the winter solstice. Seeing it glimmering in her ear instantly sent a wave of relief crashing through her, as if her teammates were holding onto her right at that moment.

With that, she wouldn't be alone. If nothing else, Jaune would be with her, giving her strength. The thought warmed her heart.

Walking into the CCTS Tower, however, Pyrrha was more than relieved to see a familiar face hanging out amongst the crowd. "Hey, Pyrrha!" Coco Adel called, looking just as cool and collected as usual. She stood in front of one of the refreshment tables laid out for the headmasters and teachers of the various attending combat schools, holding a glass of wine Pyrrha was certain she was not legal to be consuming. Behind her, Velvet was holding a little plate of fruits and vegetables, smiling warmly at the younger girl. The two of them beckoned her over familiarly.

"I thought you two were still on a mission?" Pyrrha commented, taking a small carrot when offered by the Faunus girl. "Weren't you going to be away for a while longer?"

"We were," Coco drawled, the epitome of haughty elegance, "but the Grimm in the area proved to be no match. Yatsuhashi and Fox are still in the area, but Goodwitch wanted us here for this publicity stunt to be the token 'sweet-seniors-who'll-become-Huntresses-soon' for the papers, so we'll be heading back after."

"Um, Pyrrha?" Velvet asked meekly, interjecting. "I'm glad we made it back here in time, and that you're here too. I wanted to talk to you."

Turning to the smaller girl, Pyrrha smiled kindly. "What is it?"

Velvet blushed lightly, although the smattering of freckles on her button nose masked it somewhat. "Well… it's just…"

Before she could trail off completely, Coco placed a firm hand on her teammate's back, pushing her forward. "Velvet, we talked about this," said Coco sternly.

Velvet sighed, then raised her eyes to meet Pyrrha's. The redhead was taken aback by just how much warmth and gratitude shone in her gaze. "I know you and your team were being bothered by those obnoxious first year boys, too. And I heard you stood up for me." The girl blushed deeper, but she didn't look away, resolving herself. "Thanks a lot. It was sweet."

Coco clapped a hand on Pyrrha's shoulder, the strength of it almost knocking Pyrrha off balance. "We really appreciate it, kid," Coco agreed proudly. "If you ever need anything, we've got your back."

"Oh, no, it wasn't just me!" Pyrrha backpedalled, embarrassed. "Really. I wasn't really that involved."

Coco and Velvet shared a knowing look, but the two older girls eventually just rolled their eyes and nodded. "Alright, whatever you say, Miss 'Invincible Girl'," Coco teased, slinging an arm around the redhead's shoulders. "Now, are you ready to play nice for the camera?"

At the reminder of what they were there for, Pyrrha deflated. "Sure," she replied glumly.

Velvet giggled, beckoning the two of them towards the audience. "Let's worry about that afterwards. The matches are starting! Let's sign Pyrrha in, then head to the amphitheatre."

"Sounds good," Coco affirmed. The girl readjusted her beret, picked up her impossibly heavy purse, and pulled Pyrrha towards the check-in table.

The matches they watched weren't anything too exciting. It was always nice to be able to be nothing but a member of the audience, but a part of her enjoyment was crushed when she saw a few of the fighters from Sanctum Academy pointing at her as she sat in the stands. Some of the faces were familiar, even, but no one had ever spoken to her- they had only ever watched her from afar.

There was no anonymity to be found here. Tiredly, Pyrrha reached up and fiddled with the green gem sitting in her lobe, and another wave of comfort washed over her. I'm halfway done. I'll go home soon, and everyone will be happy.

Eventually, they were led back to the CCTS Tower for the interview portion. Pyrrha was going to be used in an advertisement aimed at Mistralian fighters, recruiting them to join Beacon Academy. What better way to show Mistral's successful presence in Beacon than by showing Pyrrha Nikos herself?

At least the questions were generic enough. Nothing was new, nothing was personal. It was all focused on general answers- ones such as what the classes were like, what her schedule was, how she felt about the structure of Beacon's four-man teams. Those questions were safe, and she was able to run through them on autopilot. Nothing they asked would trigger any questions or concerns from her mother, either, and the photographs taken would turn out well.

Eventually, she was released from her torment, and she found herself trudging into the dormitories without much thought. After saying goodbye to Coco and Velvet, who were already heading back to the airship dock to support their team, she entered the first-year students' wing and slipped into JNPR's room. It was dark and silent, so she presumed it was empty and flipped on a light without giving it much thought.

"Pyrrha?" Jaune's voice instantly brought her back to Remnant. She jumped backwards, eyes snapping up to his form, lying down on his bed.

"Jaune?" she breathed, heart pounding in her chest. Slowly, incredulous chuckles spilled past her lips. "You terrified me. Why were you sitting in the dark?"

Jaune shrugged, a little downcast. "It's… nothing, Pyrrha. Just thinking." Standing up and stretching, he walked up to her and grabbed her purse, setting it down on her chair. "More importantly, how was the big event?"

She looked away, embarrassed. "Nothing special," she explained. "The matches were fun to watch. We'll probably have some nice freshmen here next year."

Jaune crossed his arms, staring at the ceiling thoughtfully. "We're already almost done our first year, huh?" he murmured, disbelief seeping into his voice.

Pyrrha laughed again, but this time, it was much more honest. "We are. After the Vytal Festival, we have only a little bit of time before finals, then-"

"Lalalalala," Jaune sang, covering his ears instantly. "I refuse to think about finals. We haven't even had our midterms yet!"

The laugh became full-blown, the girl almost doubling over. Of course Jaune would react in such an over-the-top fashion. All of the discomfort from the event was wiped away, leaving her warm and contented. "You're right," she giggled, finally calming down.

Wiping a tear from her eye, she looked back up at Jaune, only to find bright blue eyes staring at her, mouth hanging open, the boy taken aback. "Jaune?" she pressed, confused. "What is it?"

Jaune caught himself and shook his head, blushing fiercely. "No, nothing," he hastily murmured, turning away from her.

She pouted, leaning around him. "What's that supposed to mean?" she pressed playfully, suddenly in a much better mood than earlier that day. "You can tell me."

He shook his head, more hesitant this time. "No- it's just… your face."

The redhead paused, even more disgruntled. "Um… Jaune, what about it?" Then, she realized what he meant. "Oh- oh! Yeah, I had to dress up a little for the interview, since there were pictures…" She took a moment to think, concern flaring up slightly again. "Does it… look bad?"

"No!" the boy immediately replied, eyes frantic. "No, of course not! You look wonderful!" He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed, immediately pulling his eyes away. "I just… wasn't expecting you to get all fancy for the event, y'know. It's really pretty."

The heat which rose up to her cheeks was going to be the death of her. Thank goodness Jaune had looked away- Pyrrha could see herself in the small mirror Nora kept on her desk, and the redhead couldn't tell which was more crimson: her face or her hair.

Jaune thinks that I look wonderful today. Closing her eyes, she instantly replayed the moment in her mind, carving the earnestness in his eyes and the sound of his voice into her memory. He thinks I look pretty. Maybe… I do have a chance after all.

Before she could say anything else, however, she felt a hand brush her bangs back. Surprised, she stilled, opening her eyes again to see Jaune examining her left ear. "You're wearing it," he breathed, happiness slowly bubbling over his expression.

She nodded, holding her breath at their proximity. Jaune was right in front of her. "I am," she breathed. "It's silly. I've attended events like this so many times, but... for some reason, I was really nervous this time. So… I wanted to take you with me."

Jaune's gaze melted, and before Pyrrha knew it, he had wrapped her in a quick hug. "I'm always here, silly," he replied tenderly. "We're all here for you."

The moment Jaune said 'we' the spell was broken. Pyrrha backpedaled away from the boy, stepping around him. "Are we still on for training tonight?" she asked, cursing that her voice was higher pitched than usual. "I need to clean up a bit, but I'm happy to spar today."

She heard the blond slap his chest excitedly. "Of course! Wouldn't be a Friday without it," he replied. "Since you're already in armour, I'm gonna run to the locker room. Meet you on the roof!" And with that, the girl was left alone in their room, torn between the elation she had felt and the cold understanding seeping into her bones.

Grabbing her toiletry bag, she wandered to the washroom, pulling out some makeup remover. Staring into her reflection, she couldn't help but sigh. Jaune had thought that this dolled-up version of her was 'wonderful'. With an angry swipe to one cheek, she sighed again, seeing the angry black lines left from her mascara, trailing down the side of her face. He's never said that to me normally.

With a little more force than what was probably necessary, she removed the rest of her makeup and washed her face, returning to her room only to put her stuff away. Jaune was already on the roof by the time she arrived, and soon, they were back in the heat of their normal sparring sessions.

It began with the usual stretches, exercises and strike-defense patterns, but eventually she opened it up to a more natural match-style bout. As they traded blows, Pyrrha kept her strength in check, letting Jaune push against each parry as much as he could. When he actually managed to move her blade back despite her guard being up, she started back in surprise. He narrowed his eyes, grinning confidently at her without a trace of his usual silliness. He really has improved, she marvelled, smirking back at him. Time to make it more complicated, then.

Instead of continuing to spar, she stepped back and let herself drop to the ground, satisfaction blossoming inside as she saw panic spike through his expression. He hadn't been expecting it, but until then, he had held his ground.

She swept his legs out from under him and righted herself, watching him flounder and fall to the ground haphazardly. Instead of immediately helping him up, however, she couldn't help but laugh as she put Miló away. The sound of her peals of laughter rang brightly through the clear night air. Proudly, she conceded, "Well done! Your swordplay's improved immensely."

As she helped him to his feet, the boy replied humbly, "I couldn't have done it without you."

The girl was excited now, possibilities for growth racing through her mind. "So, are you ready to move on to Aura?"

In contrast to her enthusiasm, Jaune withdrew, turning away from her and running his hands through sweat-streaked hair wryly. "I'm actually thinking maybe we just skip Aura for tonight? Might go on a jog or something."

Pyrrha rolled her eyes, pressing, "Come on, I know you get frustrated, but you must keep trying. I'm sure you'll discover your Semblance any day now." She just knew it.

To her surprise, Jaune didn't budge like normal. "That's not it. It's just..." he hesitated, a light dusting of pink covering his cheeks. Quietly, he added, "It's dumb."

She smiled ruefully, still high on pride from seeing his improved skills. "What is it?" Placing a hand on his shoulder amiably, she insisted, "Jaune, you know you can tell me."

The boy searched for something in Pyrrha's eyes for a moment before hunching over, eyes downcast. "It's... Weiss."

The mention of Jaune's crush sent a pang of regret through Pyrrha's heart, and she couldn't slip her mask on in time to stop the disappointed lilt in her voice. "Oh. What about her?"

Ignoring her suddenly downtrodden expression, Jaune explained, "I asked her to the dance and she shot me down." He giggled half-heartedly, frown showing his frustration. "Big surprise, right?"

I'm still here for you, Jaune, her mind provided, but she clamped down that thought. It wasn't appropriate- not now. That must be why he was staring at the ceiling in the dark like that. Hesitantly, she chirped, "Well, I believe the saying goes: There's... plenty of fish in the sea."

Immediately, Jaune scoffed. "That's easy for you to say. You've probably got guys clamoring over each other just to ask you out."

Pyrrha chuckled on reflex, but her heart wasn't in it- she felt more confused than anything. Is that really how Jaune saw her? No, Jaune. That's the opposite of what actually happens in my life. No one has ever bothered approaching me, not really. "You'd be surprised," she finally admitted, unable to hide the shaking of her voice. She didn't like dances and formals- she always ended up being alone at the end of the day. No one felt comfortable dancing with someone like her, after all.

Jaune, still wrapped up in his own thoughts, waved his hand dismissively. "Oh please. If you don't get a date to the dance, I'll wear a dress. Heh."

As he walked away, amused by the thought, Pyrrha slowly felt her smile slip from her face, expression morphing into a frown.

"Hey, are you coming?" Jaune asked, still chuckling from the mental image he had provided for himself of wearing a dress.

"I… I think I'm going to stay out here for a bit. I'll be back soon," called the girl, turning away from the door. She had some thoughts to work through.

She heard Jaune hum noncommittally before closing the door to the rooftop behind him. Without even realizing it, her feet brought her to the edge of the roof, and she dangled her legs off the side, lying back to look at the stars.

Clearly, Jaune thought she was attractive. He had said so himself- both earlier that day after she came home, and just then. He thought guys should be 'clamoring over each other' to talk to her. She knew that she wasn't an unattractive girl. While she knew it wasn't traditional beauty, she had heard enough gossip to know that her looks were a part of her success and fame, whether she felt comfortable with that fact or not.

So why wasn't it enough to attract Jaune?

Attract. The word triggered a chuckle from deep within her throat, tired and wistful and empty. She held out a hand high above her head, reaching up towards the stars, summoning her Aura to her fingertips. It always manifested darkly outside of her body, the shadowy magnetism blending into the backdrop of the night sky above. Even with the small amount she exuded from her fingertips, because the energy wasn't directed through anything in particular, she could feel the pull on every piece of armour she wore upon her body- her bracers, her circlet, her breastplate and greaves and boots, Miló and Akoúo upon her back-

Her earring.

Her polarity was so strong, and yet, ironically enough, she couldn't pull the one person she wanted in her life closer. The realization was a hollow one, and she soon headed back indoors. She was preoccupied, too busy banishing the sensation of her polarity tugging her earring from her mind. It was naught but a constant reminder of how close, yet far Jaune would always be.