11 June 2017, Sunday
Solidification.
Admittedly, when she came over to him with a proposal to hit up the gym again, he, understandably so, was somewhat puzzled.
"Again?" He asked.
"Yea, don't you want to?"
His brows curved lopsidedly. "Not that I don't want to, I just figured yesterday's case was a sort of stress relief, for me at least." He explained. "And truth be told, it helped a bunch so; why again?"
She crossed her arms under her chest, one leg over the other. Her eyes not hiding a certain intent.
"First, you tell me; why are you here, today? Again, I mean."
He immediately knew what she was getting at.
"It's not because I'm frustrated or angry, Yang. I just like this spot. Good place to be alone and stuff," He said, his eyes quickly going about the place.
Just a little, deserted clearing with a lonesome bench in the very center of it. Trees proving a good cover from the rest of the world yet stars above could always watch over. The shattered moon aiding extra light with the single lamppost planted close to the bench. The combination, which gave the place a truly tranquil feel to it.
Perfect to be alone.
"Am I bothering you right now?"
"Would it bother you if you bothered me right now?" He opted to ask with a silly grin.
Her face showed amusement, but sparingly so.
"I don't know, really. Usually, I'm not the one to butt in other people's privacy or business. Unless, of course, I feel the need to," She said and adopted a pose similar to his.
"So then, is this such case?"
"I guess it is."
"Okay, but you still haven't answered me the initial question." He reminded her. "Why?"
"Just cause."
"Yang."
"Seriously!"
"…"
She snickered before answering. "Let's just say; I want to double check something."
He thought for a moment, then said with a barely visible smile. "Honestly, I always figured you the type to answer straightforwardly. Not vaguely or cryptically."
"And I am," She said, earning a 'When what's this all about?' look. "But let's just say that right now, I want to be absolutely sure before making it clear to you."
He, of course, still didn't get where she was coming from, but was sure she didn't mean ill either.
"Well…I guess I'm cool with that, then."
She rose to her feet, face showing excitement.
"Then let's get to my bike and go."
"…"
"What?"
"Yang."
"What?"
"Yang."
She chuckled nonchalantly. "Chill, I'll be easier on you."
His glare did not falter.
"I promise."
His glare remained for a second longer, then eased up.
"Fine, but I swear if you go nuts on me again, my helmet goes off before puking."
For a rather silly threat like that, she gulped quite heavily, audibly.
"No, thanks."
"Then deal it is!" He jumped to his feet, his tone triumphant.
She gave him an accusing look, which he ignored, then sighed in defeat and walked alongside him to her bike. Once they reached it, the pair seated themselves, she tested the gas just once and lazily drive away they did.
…
"We'll be using the mitts?" He asked, tad bit excited.
"Yea, I figured we could change things up a bit compared to yesterday."
"Don't mind if we do."
"Good. Then I suppose you're ready to start?" She inquired, noting he just put the gloves on.
"Just a sec," He said, giving himself one last stretch around the shoulders to give it a go. When done, he lowered his hips and knees, right glove close to the chin, left one further away and leveled around the chest. Not exactly a textbook stance, but still, a boxing one nonetheless.
Her lips curved into a smirk, eyes narrowed.
"Let's roll, shall we?"
His answer was a single nod.
"First, we'll start with a basic jab. Just give me a few, solid ones and we'll move to something more exciting."
"Got it." He uttered, drew in but a single breath and let his left go.
*Thud!*
A bullet hard jab echoed deeply, she felt the force travel all the way up to her shoulder.
"Not bad."
He smiled, slid his lead leg forward, dropped on his hips a bit more, torso followed through and shoulder got locked in.
*Thud!*
"Again."
*Thud!*
"Again."
*Thud!*
"Now double it!"
He did in a heartbeat; she approved what she saw, then asked him to triple it.
*Thud! Thud! Thud.*
"Your third one is lacking the power!"
He knew, hence tried to correct the mistake.
*Thud! Thud! Thud!*
"Alright, now do a one-two!" She exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise as she barely made it in time to correctly position her mitts; his left and right exploding almost simultaneously.
"Nice, but I want better." Because I know, you can.
He didn't utter a word, and let his hands go.
*Thud!*
Fluid, smooth in transition; so much so it was basically a single punch, she asked him a different combination. Again, again and again. In between, testing his other areas like footwork and defense as well.
…
An hour later.
"Sheesh…you could have been…a bit easier on me…don't you think?" He tiredly uttered through panting for breath, face drenched in sweat, shoulders burning as if on fire. His head hanging low, he picked up his look to gaze into her face. Doing so, he realized the answer before any words were said.
"Come on now, it wasn't that bad, was it?"
He didn't even bother to reply, just dropped his eyes back to the damp floor.
"Okay, maybe it was rough, but I couldn't have gone any easier. I really had to make sure, you know?"
Taking in a handful of deep breaths, he wiped his face clean from the fresh sweat and finally straightened his back. His look firmly set into her eyes.
"So? Are you gonna finally tell me what's this about?"
"Wanna know, eh?"
"I busted my ass of here, I think I deserve to."
She snickered. "Whoa, someone's awfully straightforward here."
He grinned, but otherwise said nothing.
"Okay, it's about time I tell you." She started, wiping away a few droplets of sweat from her own face. "Jaune, you've got a real knack for boxing."
He waited a moment, his face indifferent.
"And?"
"…"
"Yang?"
"…What do you mean, 'And?'"
"I'm talented in boxing, so?"
She stayed silent for a moment, her face devoid of any emotion.
"You mean…you knew?"
He burst into a laughter. "Of course I knew. How wouldn't I?"
She was utterly lost, her face now showing so too.
"We practiced all sorts of martial arts at combat school. Of course I'd notice at which I excelled at."
"But…" She started, but entirely unsure how to finish. So lost in her thoughts at one point she just started to feel stupid. "But…wait a sec." She raised her arm, other one indulged into her greasy hair. "So you seriously knew all along?"
He shrugged nonchalantly. "Yea."
"Okay, but…" She stopped herself short again.
"Why were you so sure I didn't?"
"I don't know, I just…I figured you'd boast about it from time to time. Or hell, be a boxer instead of a huntsman."
"Why would I? I've always dreamed to be a huntsman so why boast about being good in boxing? Or be a boxer?"
Well, when said like that, his words made sense. So much, in fact, she wasn't sure; why was she so convinced he didn't know?
"Now I just really feel stupid." Her shoulders slurped lower, face reflecting wry amusement.
He scratched his head, not quite sure how to react. "Sorry, I guess? I mean, you probably imagined this to be a huge eye-opener or something, but completely flopped instead."
"Tell me about it."
He thought for a moment, his lips curving into a little smile. "It's all cool, though. At least I got a kick-ass workout out of this so hey, the result is still good."
She contemplated his words for a sec, then smiled a bit herself.
"Suppose so. Not like I'll start mopping about it or anything."
"Exactly." His grimace brightened at the sight of her smile. "What's next, then?"
She shrugged. "Nothing on my end so unless you've got something, drive back to the dorm it is."
One hand over the hip, other his head, he contemplated.
"It is kinda late…"
"It is."
"And we have school tomorrow as well…"
She smiled lopsidedly, knowing already what he would say.
"Then drive back to the dorm it is," She said, but stayed in place at the sound of his voice.
"Well…if you're up for some stargazing, then maybe we could do just that. I noticed the sky was littered with them on our way here."
"Stargazing?"
"Yea…" He uttered in lower voice, his posture sheepish. "If you don't want to, it's cool."
"I wouldn't say I don't want to. More just like; why?"
He turned his look away from her face. "It's silly."
"And?"
"Seriously, it's silly."
"Jaune."
"For real!"
"And you think I care?"
"It's because I'm happy."
Her brows furrowed quizzically. "Huh?"
He looked back to her eyes. "I have this weird habit that whenever I'm happy; I want to look at the stars."
She thought for a moment, then simply shrugged. "It's a bit weird, I'll give you that, but if that's what you want, then sure, let's stargaze or whatever."
"Do you want to, though?"
She shrugged. "I wouldn't say I'm dying to do it, but have nothing against it either," She said, tapping his shoulder when passed him.
His lips curved to a little smile, and soon followed suit. Out of the gym, then further into the brilliant lights of City of Vale.
…
"Beautiful, don't you think?" He asked, his blue reflecting the shimmering lights above.
"It is." She answered rather truthfully, her posture laid back, much like his.
Taking her eyes off the sky, she looked at his face and noted right away; he really did look happy.
"You really do like the stars, don't you?"
"I do," He said, his blue still glued to the sky. After a while, he did turn to face her with a tug in his lips she noticed only after some time.
She found something more mesmerizing than, admittedly, beautiful night sky.
"You've got a gorgeous pair of eyes, Jaune," She said, then chuckled at the sight of him blushing just slightly.
"I don't know..."
"For real, they're pretty."
His blue shifted elsewhere for a sec, then back to her face.
"And I've always liked your hair. All wild and flashy and stuff, suits your personality as well."
"Thanks," She said with a smile, but it faded so quickly. Her look slightly changed, the focus in her eyes blocked by being in deep thought, or at least so he figured.
"I used to hate it, though."
"Why?" He asked with genuine interest.
"Because it resembles my mother's." Her tone harsher, colder. "The same'ol bitch who left me, Ruby and dad like it was no big of a deal at all."
"…"
"I know, I shouldn't call my own mother a bitch, but things like that happen when you have pent up feelings inside." She explained, and he was quick to notice the anger started to dissipate from her tone.
"When why are you so overprotective about it?"
"Cause I matured and realized my hair resembling hers has little to do with her. My hair is my own and I love it." She grinned. "Just like you said, all wild and flashy it is; two of the best words in the world."
He smiled lopsidedly. "Still, it's a bit questionable to go ballistic on everyone who as little as touches it."
Her grin disappeared.
…Oh, crap.
"My dad absolutely adores it," She said, her expression softening after she noticed the fright washing over his face. "Guess I don't need to tell you why?"
"…I see." Truthfully, she didn't.
But man...He always thought her overprotectiveness of her hair was nothing more than a quirk of hers. Just a silly, albeit crazy side to her.
"Quite a heavy answer for something so silly, right?"
His mouth went agape.
She giggled and helped his jaw shut. "Doesn't take a genius to guess what you were thinking about."
Contemplating her words just once, he realized she was correct.
"Yea, guess you're right."
"After all, not every day you'll meet someone having such complicated relationship with her own hair."
A chuckle slipped through his lips, he turned his gaze back to the night sky. "Yea." He murmured.
She observed him a moment, then looked up as well.
"…By the way…" He slowly, timidly started.
"Hmm?"
"Why?"
"What?"
"About your hair, I mean silliness and jokes aside, you told me something really personal and sensitive so…why?"
"Why, even though we're not close friends? Is that what you mean?" She asked flatly.
"Yea…only as of yet, though!" He chirped.
Before answering, her lips folded into a smile. His clumsy but friendly persona was actually charming in its own way.
"Because I know you can be trusted."
Just before asking why, he noticed that so familiar glint of fondness in her eyes.
"Because of Ruby?"
"Yea."
He still didn't quite get it.
"Her silly, stupid secrets. You know of them, don't you?"
"Yea, but…Oh, now I see."
"Exactly. No matter how stupid they are; like her obsession with chocolate chip cookies, which I can't believe she thinks others don't know."
He laughed. "Right? Or like her…oops, can't tell."
She smiled. "See, you just proved my point right. It's probably something I know, yet you still didn't tell me."
"Okay." He nodded. "Still, don't we usually trust those we're closest to, anyways? Meaning you've only half proven your point?"
She grabbed him by the cheek. "Getting all smarty pants on me, eh?"
"I'm sorry!" He cried out.
She released him, her thumb gently massaging the red spot on his face. "Because I know you're an alright person, Jaune. Not just from Ruby, but from our brief interactions as well," She said, her tone soft and gentle. Something, which wasn't completely alien to him, but wasn't used to it either. Hence, his heart beat just a bit harder, a tad bit more so when he laid his eyes on the bright smile he couldn't read nor recognize at all.
"Thanks, Yang." He mumbled, his lips showing a bright emotion as well. "You're an alright person as well." He added.
She removed her hand from his face. "I'm awesome, Blondey, get that right."
His smile deepened, he looked back to the night sky.
"Won't argue with that."
"You couldn't even if you tried."
His only response was to chuckle, she followed soon after. When it passed, their eyes met for a briefest of moment.
"..."
"..."
They looked back to the night sky. Smiling, as they did.