18th June, Sunday
Truth or not.
JNPR room.
"Hehe, so you kick ass in fighting games and real life alike." Nora praised her opponent in daring nature, her fingers mashing the controller's buttons frantically.
"I and brother Jaune used to play games quite a lot when we had the chance." Estelle replayed, her fingers quick too, but their movements calculated and exact. A combination, which helped her to maintain the upper hand for now.
"He taught you well, our leader." Nora remarked with a smirk. "But I'm no pushover as well!" She exclaimed with confidence, starting to mash buttons even fiercer.
"Just don't break the controller's, okay?" Pyrrha tapped her friends shoulder, a weary smile across her lips. "Remember, they're Jaune's." She added, and continued to watch the two compete with quite an interest. No small part because of Nora, she certainly knew how to make even the most ordinary things in life entertaining. That, and her exuberance intertwining with reserved persona of Estelle's was amusing in and on itself.
"Nani?!" Nora's eyes flared in surprise. The result of blonde girl countering hers, as she dubbed it herself 'Super ultra up and beyond most strongest move of all times.'
"Fine, then how about-" She didn't even get to finish the sentence as her pixelated fighter got ko'd then and there.
"Looks like I won." Estelle quietly said.
"Pf, I didn't like this game anyways," Nora claimed as she put down the controller.
"As long as you're winning though…" Pyrrha allowed a tease, earning a poke in her cheek from her friend.
"She's tough." Nora admitted as she moved aside, gesturing her friend to take her place.
"Oh, I'm not much of a gamer." She hesitated at first, but giving it a second thought, changed her mind quickly. "But oh well, giving it a try wouldn't really hurt anybody," She said as her fingers wrapped around the joystick.
"It's really not that difficult." Youngest Arc encouraged, making a mental note to herself to go easy on her.
"First, I have to choose my character, right?"
"Mhm." The youngest Arc hummed, her lips tightened and she felt as if at any given moment a bolt of lightning could strike her. Anxious and worried, she looked to her backside and-
"Whaa!" She jolted back, half of her face hidden behind a controller.
That intense glint in Nora's eyes was rather unsettling, her body right behind hers a mere moments ago, until Estelle jumped back.
"Oh, don't mind me. I'll simply absorb your knowledge and skill by watching you play."
"…"
The youngest Arc was utterly flustered for good, few seconds and in the end, only managed a weak, unsure nod as an understanding. Turning her body back to TV, she all too soon felt Nora's presence looming right behind her back. Her intense peering almost physically tangible.
"L-let's play." She stuttered, while the redhead beside her gave her a look full of sympathy.
…
Central part of city of Vale.
"Oh, Lord almighty," Jaune uttered ghastly, supporting his trembling frame by holding onto a side of a bench.
She's really quite something. He thought of his sister, his hearts pounding throbbing all the way down to his toes.
"You alive in there?" Yang asked mostly indifferent, though did offer his shoulder a squeeze.
"I think." He mumbled, his rapid heartbeats slowing down bit by bit.
She squeezed his shoulder for a few more moments, retreated her hand back and her brows arched puzzlingly.
"Why did you ask me to speed down the streets like I usually do? You should have known better by now what you were signing up for by asking me that."
"Well, I" He started, wiped clean the cold sweat from his face and continued. "I just wanted to see if I could enjoy the stuff I'm afraid of, just like my little sister can." He said and let out a defeated chuckle. "Didn't work out too well, did it?"
She thought for a moment, then started to laugh heartily. "Well, let's just say I heard you scream in spite of the wind and helmet. Go figure yourself what that means."
"Give me a break." He retorted back, but then managed a chuckle himself. His body soon resting on the bench he held onto a moment ago.
"Just grow another pair and you'll handle my rides just fine."
"No, thanks. I don't need whatever's hanging between your legs," He said, earning another laugh from her.
"Seriously, are you absolutely sure you're sane in that head of yours?"
"Dunno." She shrugged indifferently. "Wouldn't be surprised though if I had one or two screws loose a bit."
"Yea…" He gave her a wry look, wholeheartedly wondering if perhaps there was a sip of honesty to her words. Not that she cares. He chuckled inwardly, finding it increasingly difficult to care about it himself, since she didn't.
"Guess you're kind of amazing in that way as well," He said more so himself than her.
"Huh?"
"You're amazing, Yang Xiao Long," He said loud and clear.
She planted her hands right above the hips, cocking her head to the side.
Grinning as she did so.
"I thought it was Yang Xiao Awesome, no?"
"Please don't remind me." He begged in a tiny, pleading voice.
She laughed yet again. "Why? I think I kinda like it, the awesome me." She teased him, inching her face closer to his while he backed off instead.
"I wasn't thinking straight when I wrote that, okay?" He fended himself, wondering how close she'd move her face to his if he wouldn't move back.
"Relax, lover boy." She stopped and straightened her back. "For real, I had a good laugh about it, no hard feelings at all. Besides, since when did you learn to act so flustered about little things like that? I mean, remember the time you tried to woo Weiss by-"
"I was young and stupid!" He cried out, the aforementioned incident playing out before his eyes, making him shiver. "I've matured since then, I hope."
"Aww, come on now." Her expression soured, and he could swear she genuinely sounded disappointed. "You don't mean that, right? Cause I totally dig that side of yours," She said, and he looked stunned for a moment, his eyes widening.
"…"
He didn't say a thing for a while, his expression lacking any meaningful emotion.
"Did I…say something wrong?" She asked unsure, scratching her head.
"No, not at all." He shook his head, rubbing fingers together absent-mindedly. "I simply remembered: I always got the wrong looks from the girls because of stupid stuff like that, even back in school...There even was this one instance where I tried to impress a girl by randomly starting to breakdance during a middle of class," He barely managed to finish the sentence and buried his reddened face into his hands. "Just remembering it makes me want to crawl inside a cave and die." He brooded, not really noticing her earnest attempt to suppress a good laughter.
It is kinda an overkill. She had to admit, sincerely glad he wasn't aware of her struggle to not burst into a laughter.
It was easy to tell he was genuinely upset about such memories or those times altogether. She could understand, of course, but it also sparked her willingness to share her feelings about the matter all the more.
"Sure, your methods of wooing a girl or the way you act around them as a whole is quite something; something else entirely, but I genuinely find you funny. Right kind of funny."
"And what would this 'right' be?" He demanded desponded, not even caring enough to life his gaze off the ground.
"Well, to put it simply, it's interesting to be around you. I enjoy your company."
"…"
He thought for a moment, then lifted his gaze to set it into hers.
Those two, honest lilacs she had.
"And if I'd ever breakdance for you during a lecture?"
"I'd laugh my ass off, you bet!" She exclaimed, just a mere thought of it entertaining as hell.
"At least you're honest," He said, his smile miniscule at best.
"And would totally date you." She added with an ear-to-ear grin, yet her eyes were softer than that.
His smile immediately widened, his blue gleaming beautifully.
"I know you're badass and all, but on this one, you're definitely biting off more than you can chew…Yang Xiao Awesome."
"Is that a challenge?" She squinted her eyes at him, yet her tone was anything but intense or threatening.
"You think you wanna find out?" He intoned light-heartedly, almost like a joke, but then stopped and thought for a moment. The look on his face changing as he did.
She, on the other hand, was somehow taken off guard by his last few words, even feeling flustered for a briefest of moment. Short enough for him to miss it, but long enough for her not to.
"…That sort of reminds me."She started uncharacteristically slowly, remembering something she didn't quite get. "What's up between you and Pyrrha, anyways? Shouldn't you guys be, you know, dating by now?" She asked, crossing arms under her chest.
"Dating?...Not you too." His head dropped lower, grin lopsided. "First Nora, then Ren, Estel…Ruby and now you too. Seriously, why do you guys think there's something romantic between us?"
"Because of how damn close you two are?" She intoned as if that was the most obvious thing ever.
"So I am with Ruby too." He countered.
She allowed a brief moment to appreciate the fact.
"Fair point, but you and Pyrrha are…well, more intimate, I guess."
"Not by much, I don't think," He said dismissively, though wondered if perhaps there was a semblance of truth to her words. "Okay, kinda fair point, but here's the thing though, I and Pyr have actually talked about this ourselves, and the conclusion was always the same-we don't feel that way about each other. Sooo yea," He shrugged. "that's that."
"You absolutely sure?"
"Well, unless Pyrrha's the type of person to blatantly lie in someone's face then yea, I'm sure."
When put like that…
But still.
"So let me get this straight, Pyrrha's just your friend?"
"A special friend." He felt the need to correct her.
"A friend." She implied.
"…Yea, Pyrrha's my friend."
She paused for a moment, still unsure how much she actually believed him. Wait, no, that's not it. She did believe Jaune, rather, it was Pyrrha who she doubted, as unlikely as it was for her to lie about something so persistently.
"Why are you so interested about my relationship with Pyrrha, anyway? What? Scared that she or anyone else might steal me from you?" He half-joked.
"Of course." She answered so straightforwardly, he was momentarily speechless. That flash of a grin she had should have told him otherwise, but her criminally honest lilac was impossible to ignore.
"It's weird, though." She started, her words snapping him back to reality. "All things considered, isn't it odd you'd try to woo Weiss who, well, wasn't the kindest to you, let's just put it that way, but Pyrrha who showed you nothing but care and kindness you wouldn't?"
"To be fair…" He started sheepishly, perhaps embarrassed or even ashamed. "Looking back to it, I only fell for Weiss because of her looks. Once my hormones settled down a bit, and I realized that plenty of you girls were beautiful, my crush for her, it just wasn't there anymore."
"Makes sense." She agreed. "She can fancy herself with expensive dresses as much as she wants, but no amount of money can buy her a pair of tits like mine." She emphasized the point by lifting her bust and giving it a good squeeze. "And don't get me even started on boob jobs. Fake doesn't count, not in my book."
"…"
He stared at her in stunned silence, then realized just where exactly he was staring and looked away, blushing.
She does have the best bust of them all, even better than Nora's. He had to admit, but pushed the thought quickly aside. "Anyways!" He exclaimed, slapping his cheeks, and making a conscious effort to set his blue only into her lilac. "About Pyrrha…about her…aaahhh, yea, I don't think this will work." He suddenly seemed sheepish, unsure.
"Because?"
He gave her an incredulous look, then simply sighed and grinned lopsidedly. "Well, just before you started to praise your own breasts, I wanted to give you this long and heartfelt speech about my feelings towards Pyrrha, but now it just…yea, would feel out of place." He tried to explain the best he could, hoping she'd get the general gist at least.
"It…yea, I guess you're right." She figured eventually, though only because it did make sense. Personally though, she didn't care, really.
"But if you're really that curious, I guess I can summarize it in couple of sentences. Something I should have done right from the get go." He gave her a knowing look. "In short, Pyrrha's my dearest friend, but also a hero. I admire her from the bottom of my heart and honestly, have never seriously considered myself to become her boyfriend. I just don't see her that way," He said, his words ringing sincere.
"A hero." Yang repeated just that one word.
"Yea, she's my hero, and I do love her. Just not in a romantic sense, you know." He voiced his feelings, and even if words used were simple, his blue certainly bolstered the message behind each and every syllable.
"I see," She said only so little at first, her attention drawn to his kind and loving blue. "So that's how it is," She said, and decided she knew enough, even if still having some doubts linger.
"Yep, that's how it is."
"Anyhow, wanna go and have a drink? I'm sure you'll fancy one right now," She said with a smirk he didn't quite like.
"Huh?"
"What I'm saying is you've wetted yourself enough after our ride to fancy a glass of water or two." She replied teasingly; rubbing his head like a mother would her sons.
He gave her a half-hearted, mean glance, but shut his eyes closed and sighed afterwards. "Fine, fine, Yang Xiao Balsy."
She cocked her eyebrow.
"I'm just saying the pair hanging between your legs is of abnormal proportions. But hey, you're not complaining since it gives you courage second to none." He snickered, but moments later found himself in a tight headlock.
"Say again, Vomit boy." She dared him with a triumphant smirk, yet soon found herself being picked up bridal style as he ducked his left arm under her knees.
"Say again what?"
"Oh dear, youngsters these days sure are expressive." An elderly woman commented not so quietly as she and her husband passed by.
"…"
"…"
Both of them stared at each other for quite some time.
"So…are you going to put me down or what?"
After giving it some thought, he found himself grinning cheekily.
"No," He chirped uncaringly, and to his surprise, instead of trying to resist, she simply relaxed in his arms and pointed her thumb to the closest place where to get their drinks.
"I'm waiting, Blondey." She matched her grin with his.
At first, he found himself taken aback by how carefree she was, but the sight of her grin made him remember the wonderful words that she said. Because of it or maybe there was a reason beside that as well, he burst into a meaningful laughter.
Meanwhile, she simply waited until he would calm himself. Her lilac curious.
"No, it's just…man, why girls couldn't have been this cool back in the combat school?"
She chuckled. "I told you, didn't I? I find you and your antics funny."
"Yea," He said warmly, and started to move.
Earning more than just one curious pair of eyes staring at them.
…
JNPR room.
"Okay, now that the fun is over, let's get down to some serious business." Nora informed everyone in the room with a no-nonsense tone.
In response to that, she got them all looking at her with a curious eye.
Before speaking, she crossed her fingers under the chin. "From the intel I've gathered, Jaune and Yang have been spending awfully lot of time together, lately. Any thoughts about that?" She inquired, making two of her friends sigh.
"Could we please not delve in that?" Pyrrha asked almost apologetically with a raised hand, while Ren gave a voiceless nod in agreement.
"Sorry, but no." Nora declined very respectfully, her eyes set into his.
"Ren? How do you feel about it?"
He gazed back for just a second, and immediately knew better she wouldn't relent with-out an answer given to her.
"I'm okay with it." He said calmly like he always would, and noted her eyes tightening around the corners.
"So you believe that'd do great together-together?"
"I can't tell since I haven't seen them together."
"Ren."
"Yes."
"Even though they're so different?" She inquired, and could swear she saw a ghost of a smile in his lips. Her cheeks tinted red; she was thankful he didn't elaborate and turned to face Estelle.
"And how about you?" She asked softly, her features utterly laid back and painting a welcoming, secure feeling.
"I…I have seen them together." She admitted, then paused and gathered the courage to tell how she really felt. Something, which proved to be not too difficult from how innocent and kind the older girl opposite her looked. "From what I've seen, I'd say they'd do great as a…together-together thing."
"Alright," She said just that, then gazed at the last occupant of the room. "Pyrrha." She started, her demeanor back to dead serious. Something which given the right situation could have been down right hilarious, but in this one, simply wasn't. At the very least for troubled redhead it certainly was not.
"Your thoughts on the matter?"
"If both of them believe they'd do great as a couple, I'm all up for it."
Pyrrha! Nora with her intense glare alone chastised her friend and showed deep disapproval. She would have raised her voice too, but held back due to Jaune's sister being present here.
"If Jaune's happy with Yang, something which seems to be true from what Estelle said, when I'm happy for Jaune. Simple as that," She replayed utterly calmly, confidently with no hints she was lying.
Nora pouted. "You shouldn't just give him over like that," She said quietly, clearly upset.
"But that's not how I look at Jaune. I've told you before plenty of times."
"And I still don't believe you."
She sighed, many corners of her face changing in a troubled, tired manner. "Jaune is my friend. A close, precious friend. I love him…but not in a way you think I do. That's the truth, please, believe me. I'm certainly not a perfect person, but I'm also not the type to lie to my dearest friends," Pyrrha assured with a wishful look, reaching forward and giving her friends hand a gentle squeeze.
"Fine." Nora relented, but grumpily. She still believed otherwise, but realized there was no pressuring her into admitting the truth. Not with any conventional means at least, so she simply would let it be for now.
Coming over to her, Ren squeezed her shoulder. "I'll make some pancakes for your second stomach," He said as a way to cheer her up.
Her eyes lit up a bit, her lips a minuscule smile.
"Thanks."
He simply smiled back and exited the room.
I'll make them the best I can, you'll see.
His heart soured with determination, he'd bring an honest grin back to her face.
I promise.