Chapter 34

…

Same night. Her room.

Oddly enough, she really wanted to wear his hoodie this night. She wasn't even sure why, but the most plausible reason seemed to be because of how adorable it was. Of course, why she wanted it so much on this particular night was a mystery to her, but nevertheless, she did. And she knew she'd get it, and it turned out to be just a matter of asking him. In fact, he seemed more than welcome to share his hoodie with her.

And he was, because he figured she'd look really cute in it, which turned out to be true. Although, he also guessed that with long sleeves she'd look even cuter, but he was plenty satisfied as is.

She was satisfied as well, and even wanted to give a small token of appreciation. Hence, she left, and then minutes later returned to her room with two, steaming mugs of coffee.

He gladly accepted his, and after giving it a careful, slurping sip, he noted his coffee was made perfect down to a t.

She was satisfied with hers as well, and the two of them stood next a window. Their mugs in their hands, and exchanging some small talk. Just a few words here and there. Also, some smiles, smaller and wider, and a chuckle, perhaps even a laughter was shared seldom. Of course, there were moments of silence, when both of them looked outside, and let their minds wander for a bit. Before they looked at each other, and exchanged a few words again. Maybe a smile or two, and he then sipped on his coffee, and glanced outside.

She had a sip of hers too, but then, instead of glancing outside, she looked down at her steel arm.

He was quick to notice.

"Have you gotten used to it? At all, I mean."

"I have, somewhat. I mean, it really is an impressive piece of hi-tech, I'll give it that. Appearance aside, it functions almost the same as a real, organic arm which ironically enough, is the most jarring part about it," She said, and giving him a quick look, she could see he was struggling to find any words to say, hence she continued. "But…there is one thing, however. I guess I could call it a short-coming, but anyways, I can't feel neither cold or heat with this prosthetic arm," She said, and as a form of a quick demonstration, she dipped one finger into the still hot coffee. "Nothing. I don't feel any heat or even the slightest bit of warmth. I can only feel it's a liquid." She explained, and then pulled out her steel finger.

He noticed she looked…almost sad, really. Or perhaps she really was, he just wasn't sure at the moment. What he did know, however, was that he still lacked any words to say, and it slowly but surely started to frustrate him. But frustration didn't help, and it only continued to sour his mood. Before she took his hand into hers, and then squeezed it.

"What is it, blondie? You seem troubled for some reason," She said, but she actually had a pretty good guess what it could be.

"I just…I don't know what to say, really. I really want to, but I have no clue, what."

Her guess was right.

"It's alright, don't worry about it."

"But," He started, and then squeezed her hand back. His blue firmly fixed into her lilac now. "it's really bothering you, isn't it? I mean that thing which you mentioned about your prosthetic arm."

"The fact that I can't feel neither cold or heat with it?"

"Yea."

She went silent for a moment. And then looked down to their still linked hands. Some moments later, her lilac peering at her prosthetic arm, and she then placed the mug she was holding with it down on the window-sill. Did the same with his one, and then got hold of his other hand with her steel one.

"Yang?"

"It really does bother me, it's true. But do you know why?"

"Well, obviously because it's…" He started, but his confidence quickly faded.

Somehow, that sadness he saw in her eyes, even if he didn't know what exactly it was, he was certain it meant a different answer than what he imagined.

"Well?"

"I don't know."

She looked down to their linked hands, and then back to his eyes. "It bothers me because I can't feel the warmth of your hand. Even right now, when I know that I'm holding your hand, I don't feel any warmth at all. I just can't with this prosthetic arm, and I hate that. I really do." She voiced that sorrow he saw in her eyes, and for a moment, he was stunned speechless. Before he found his voice, but didn't a sound, coherent thought to go along with it.

"So that is what…wait, seriously? That's it? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a trivial thing, I just…you know, gah! I'm not even sure myself what I'm trying to say!" He sounded almost frantic, and he then heard her letting out a genuine chuckle.

"It's alright. I think I kinda get it. You just probably didn't expect me saying something so corny."

"Yea, probably," He started, but then, as he thought a bit more about it, he realized something else. "Actually, I was more surprised that, well, something like feeling the warmth of my hand mattered that much to you."

She cracked a smile, and it seemed that the sadness in her eyes started to slowly, but surely fade. "Yea, saying it aloud, it actually did sound kinda awkward and jarring, but…that's the truth. I mean, the only other way I can put it, is that feeling the warmth of your hand is the most endearing way I can be sure that you're close to me," She said, and then briefly let her gaze go astray, and quietly hummed. "Okay, now that definitely sounded corny," She said, and soon after, her lilac was back to his blue. "But then again, that's the truth, Jaune. And honestly, there are other things about you which might seem trivial, or even insignificant, but to me, to me those things matter."

He cracked a good smile. "Well, you did say I was a bundle of tiny, good things you absolutely adored about me."

"I did. But I never asked if you were fine with that."

"You kidding? That's like the best thing in the world."

"What about being a hero? That was really important to you, wasn't it?"

"Yea, but it'll take me at least a couple, or even dozens of years to achieve."

"Regardless, it means that you haven't given up on being a hero someday, right?"

"I guess no. No, I haven't."

"You're actually quite stubborn, it seems," She said, and she then let her lilac down to the floor. Her lips tightly pursed, and her shoulders seemed to visibly tense up.

He could feel she was squeezing his hands harder than she did before.

"Jaune."

"Yea?"

"You can be a hero, a huntsman, or whatever else you could eventually want to be, but…just promise me that you'll never have to leave me. That you'll always be close to me, okay?"

He pulled her into his chest, his arms wrapping around her waist and her shoulders.

"You try and name me even one good reason why I should ever leave you, Yang."

"Well, something unexpected could always happen, and you'd have to-"

"Shut up, and you're wrong."

She quietly hummed to herself, and then momentarily closed her eyes, and simply indulged herself into the proximity they shared.

"I mean, good things started to happen because we were together. That alone is good enough a reason why I would never want to leave you," He said, paused for a moment, and then continued. "Besides, I want to be together with you. Today, tomorrow, and all the days after tomorrow," He said with a tiny, wonderful smile, and a moment later, she opened her eyes to look into his.

"You sure about that? That's a lot of tomorrows you'll have to spend together with me, you know."

"I'm pretty damn sure, yes."

She heard him say, and even though there was a lick of humor to his voice, the sincerity in his blue was absolutely real. And she loved it, and she...

"Jaune?"

"Yea?"

"Hopefully, this is the right thing to do."

"What is?" He asked just before she pressed her lips to his. And as quickly as it happened, she slowly inched back to have a look at his eyes, and she noticed; yes, this was the right thing to do.

"Jaune?"

"...Yea?"

"I-" She started, but then hesitated for a moment.

"Yang?"

"Y-yea?"

And he smiled to her. Just that. A little, honest curve in his lips, but that was plenty enough she could voice that precious, endearing warmth in her chest. And do so with a smile which made him absolutely sure that he felt the same way she did.

"I love you," She said, and could see the same truth in his blue before he even uttered a sound.

"I love you too."

But even so, hearing him actually say those words to her was...it was...she kissed him again. And he then kissed her back.

The night was quiet and peaceful, as well as lovely through and through.