Late evening.
A spark ignited.
"So this is the room they picked for you?" Jaune nonchalantly commented about the guest room they entered.
"Actually, Ozpin himself showed me to it," She said, her tone carrying scarce hints of admiration.
"He did?"
"Yes, and also mentioned how proud he'd be to have me as one of the future students here." She started rather brusquely, but ended on a quieter note.
"Of course he would," He said, his hand caressing her head. "Any headmaster would, really." He voiced his belief, both of them getting comfortable on the single bed the room had.
"Yea." She nodded, her fake smile quite convincing. At the very least, he didn't seem to know it was or at least pretended he didn't. Instead, he took some time to allow his blue roam around the place. Take in the very few interesting things about it. Like a coffee table which had some unique, intricate carvings engraved into it, or just had a peculiar shape overall; edges completely rounded while the surface itself had a hole in the very center of it.
"Maybe it's not even a coffee table at all." He guessed with mild interest.
"It is, just from a time long before ours." She let him know. "Ozpin told me."
"I see," He said, both of them falling quiet thereafter. He continued to let his gaze wander about the place while she crossed her fingers over the lap, and observed him instead.
He looked peaceful, if slightly bored perhaps, and hence, such could have been the reason why he so quickly noticed her attentive gaze.
"…"
They didn't utter a word, just shared a brief smile and looked elsewhere instead.
Perhaps the quicker the better. He thought to himself quite certain that prolonging the process with casual talk would eventually lead to the same. Better get over it then.
"…There's something I wanted to ask you," He said calmly, yet the air in the room felt tenser still.
"What?" Her voice was calm too, their eyes locked together.
He observed her crystal blue a little bit more, took some steady breaths and then started. "Are you having second thoughts about becoming a huntress?"
Just from the way she pursed her lips at him, he already could tell her answer would not be so easy to stomach.
"…Something like that, similar, yes." She gave ground to his fear and a silence which certainly was not comfortable, fell upon them.
"Brother Jaune," She was the first one to break it, her fingers clutching around his, her tone soft but with a certain edge which demanded his full attention. "it's not your fault, at all." She let him know, and his fingers clutched around hers.
"I didn't say I thought it was." He tried, but just the way her eyebrows curved was enough to tell him she knew better. Scratching the back of his head, a sheepish expression fell upon his face and he let out something between a hum and chuckle.
"Okay. Why, then?"
"…Would it be alright if I didn't tell you? I mean not now." She asked, looking pleadingly. "I promise, my reasons aren't something to…well, worry about."
He let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "I'm not really sure how that works. Any reason you trying to quit being a huntress is worrisome for me so…"
Her eyes narrowed anxiously.
"Could you wait anyway…please?"
A simple plead, making him think for a moment. A few options shuffling about in his mind, yet unfortunately, none seemed pleasing. No, not even pleasing, they all simply seemed wrong.
"I'm not saying I absolutely want to quit trying to become a huntress, but…well," She tried to break the spell, tried to find the right words but it proved to be a hefty endeavor. Jaune of course, noticed her struggle and shifted his thoughts once again.
"It's okay…Well, it's not but I'll try to understand." He tried to reassure her, but realized he did a lousy job at it. Instead of fretting about it though, he continued. "Obviously, it is worrying me and will continue to do so until you'll tell me the truth but…you know, I want to respect your feelings so there's that," He said with a smile.
"I'm sorry." She apologized sincerely, a guilt washing over her already troubled visage.
"Don't be." He brushed it off, lifting his hand up and over her head. Shuffling her beautiful, straight hair all about.
She endured it a few moments, but eventually ducked under and away. "Stop that." She demanded half-seriously, her voice livelier than before.
"Then," He started and gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry about me so much. I'll do just fine, you know. I'll simply have faith in you, like you always have faith in me, alright?" He said soothingly, lifting his hand up and over her head. This time around, just rubbing it.
I'm sorry. She apologized again, without letting him know though. She guessed he simply was putting on a brave face or so at least she thought, even if his demeanor and face seemed quite genuine.
"I suppose I'll be leaving then. It's late, after all," He said, planting his feet on the floor.
She waited a moment, then replied.
"Good night then."
"Good night, precious one," He said, rose to his feet and went for the exit. When close to it, he suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" He asked as he heard her call his name.
"I just," She started shyly, timidly but managed to gain confidence and firmly set her eyes into his. "Yang, she's…she's a really cool person, I think. I like her."
He looked slightly surprised for a moment, but it wore off quickly.
"Definitely," He said without a single doubt, thought it was it but she continued. Her eyes shimmering with light as she did so.
"That's why; I wish you both luck and eternal happiness."
Her smile bright and meaningful.
"Estelle, you…" He started, not missing the obvious meaning behind her words.
Oh well…He found himself chuckling about it, imagined such possibility happening and full out laughed.
"Thanks," He only said so little in the end. She grinned, he grinned back and turned around to exit the room.
That little one. He thought to himself, but then wondered why he didn't admit her the truth. Thinking about it some more, he fished out his scroll and quickly found her contact. Pressing on it, he typed down a message, wishing her good night and waited. To his mild surprise, she replied quickly.
'You already wished me good night as we parted in front of my room, Blondey.'
She wrote back, making him realize his clumsiness.
"She's right," He quietly said to himself, his blue noting another message popped up.
'But thanks, anyways. You have a good night as well. I'll see you tomorrow.'
He read, felt a tiny bubble of excitement forming inside of himself and quickly typed down a few words.
'I'll see you tomorrow, Yang Xiao Awesome.'
She read his message and almost burst into laughter as she rolled over in her bed.
That Blondey…If he wants to ask me out on a date or something, he should just do it. She thought to herself, quietly giggling about it. Waiting a few seconds, she concluded he wouldn't send any new message to her anymore and put away her scroll. As she did, a sudden realization hit her. Oh wait…he's all lovely dovely about Pyrrha, isn't he? She remembered, though couldn't deny that their bond had become much stronger in such a short time as well. Because of it, or just for the heck of it, Yang did allow herself to wonder what kind of date her Blondey would even take her to. A complete cheese fest. She chuckled at the most likely option. Humoring herself a little bit more, her eyelids grew heavier, and eventually she closed them.
She did, her lips embellished with a minuscule grin all the way through.
Much like him.