Tomorrow was a big word.

The whole morning Weiss had hard time even looking in Jaune's general direction. She had no idea on how to approach him on the subject. But what was worse was the blonde himself.

He acted like nothing happened. He was talking and joking as the breakfast was served and while it was a far cry from Beacon times he seemed perfectly fine.

But Weiss knew he wasn't. Yet it shook her to the very core how perfect his mask was. Not even one muscle betrayed him. If one told her a year earlier that Jaune Arc could hid his emotions so well she would laugh at the person.

'To think I am nervous because I want to speak with Jaune.' The irony was not lost on her. She stifled the yawn. She did not caught even a wink of sleep that night. The only thing that kept her awake was coffee.

Maybe she could catch a quick nap in the meantime before she approaches Jaune? She would need to be at 100% to deal with it.

She considered asking other but decided against it. It was a delicate matter and surely Jaune would not want for everyone to know about it.

Or at the least she would not want everyone knowing if she had a secret like that.

"Stop day dreaming Weiss we're going to town!" Ruby shook her out of her thoughts.

Literally.

"I think I'll pass, I could not sleep last night." Weiss replied." You two snore like trucks."

"Hey!" Ruby protested." I was tired that's all!"

"It will take some time before I get used to you all again..." Weiss sighed.

"Oh come on Weiss-cream we need to check Mistral out! Can you believe that they have been here for weeks and not even ONCE went to the city!?" Yang exclaimed embarrassing team RJNR." I mean how crazy that is to be in completely new place and stay in one location for the whole time, during your WHOLE stay!?"

"Now that you said that it was really kind of weird..."Jaune rubbed his next.

"Yeah Renny! How did it happen!?" Nora shook her now boyfriend-boyfriend that looked a bit...drained.

"Yes..."Came the hush reply from ghost-ghost Ren.

"Damn you look like someone sucked the life out of you Ren." Ruby commented innocently.

"Yeah I bet life wasn't the only thing that got sucked out of him." Yang butted in causing Nora to go beef red while Ren suddenly got bit more lively as his cheek colored. Weiss choke on her coffee while Jaune stared at Yang with shock and mouth hanging wide open. Ruby was just staring at at the rest not comprehending the situation.

As on cue Blake and Sun chose the moment to walking into the room and took in the scene.

"Yang...what did you say?" Blake asked slowly.

"Why is it always me being suspected?" The cat faunus blank stare told her everything." Geez I just made a little joke..."

"Yeaaahhhhhhh….so how bout that town trip?" Nora asked trying to break the awkward silence but the evil look from Yang told her that that was not the end of it.

Game on sister!

Nora's stare told her while she wrapped her arms protectively around Ren.

In about an hour the group was ready to go for the FIRST trip to Mistral town since they got there.

They left the rest behind including Oscar/Ozpin. They liked the boy but the man inside him was still an enigma.

"So guys how about we go eat then find somewhere to sit down and enjoy ourselves?" Yang suggested.

"You mean get hammerd? " Sun asked with shit eating grin." I know a place or two..."

"Ma man!" She patted his back.

"Is that a good idea?" Weiss started to feel worried when she saw the glimmer in Yang's eyes.

"Oh come on what's there worst that can happen?" Ruby asked with the ever so innocent smile.

"Don't jinx it Ruby." Ren nagged her feeling the disturbance in the force…

"I can show you few places." Sun offered."But it's still quite early and most of them are closed...so how bout we go to the market and see what is going on there?"

"I agree I need to buy few things." Blake said.

"And Eat! Don't forget about food!"

"Nora we just ate.."

"No matter! Food is always number one priority!"

"Ok so shopping, food and party I can get behind that!" Yang grinned." Let's go guys!"

The group moved and soon they found themselves on the large market of Mistral that seemed to hold everything from all around the world. From local spices to neat white tech of Atlas. The stalls filled the whole area turning the whole plaza into the sea of colors and scents.

After the news of the victory at the academy the place was bustling with life with people celebrating all over.

Since there was so much to see here and rather large conflict of interests the group decided to split and meet in the middle of the marked in about two hours.

The girls plus Sun which had no choice went to see the clothes while Nora dragged Ren towards the food stalls.

She made an attempt to take Jaune with her too but he managed to wiggle out of it. Of course he noticed the worried look she gave him but he assured her that everything was ok.

Nora was a perceptive beast, but she decided to not press the matter.

Thankfully.

He wasn't in the mood for arguing with her, which usually ended in his loss. With sigh of relief Jaune moved through the stalls not really looking for anything.

He wasn't filling good since the fight dark thought filling his head.

What if Cinder survived?

Yang said that her mother froze her and threw her into an abyss but...Cinder had mastery over flames and could fly so there was a possibility that he managed to free herself before she hit the ground,

Surprisingly Jaune...wasn't all that sad at the prospect of that. That gave him another shot at killing Cinder. But if his assumption was true he would have to keep level headed and exploit every opportunity given unlike last time.

As he passed through the crowded street he noticed a...bar. Looking at the watch he realized that he still had about hour and a half.

'Maybe that's what I need, seems to work for Qrow...' He thought before entering it. Since it was quite early the establishment was rather empty sans few stragglers from yesterday's celebrations that were here probably whole nigh.

It's not like Jaune never drank before but it was never on his own. He ordered few shots of Mistralian sake and took the table in the corner.

He took the cup in his hands looking at it. What he was doing was a bad idea…

In one swing the small cup was empties and Jaune almost choked as the liquor burned his throat.

'Definitely bad idea...' He withheld the bile rising in his throat. After the few seconds the foul taste left his mouth.

He sighed looking around the bar. While it wasn't the top of the top it was clean and well maintained. The wooden tables were old but it was obvious that the owner took care of his furniture. He looked up at the TV presenting the news about the recent battle of course, he doubted that anything else would get any screen time at all now.

Well he was wrong.

"After a long and hard day there is nothing better than Pumpkin's Pete energy drink P-POWER! It's the drink of champions!" Pyrrha's silhouette appeared on theTV. She was standing on the sandy arena holding holding Milo in one hand and a can of drink in other." Says me Pyrrha Nikos!"

Jaune got used to seeing Pyrrha's poster or commercial from time to time. After all she held celebrity status so he was bound to encounter image of her from time to time. It first month after the fall of Beacon he would fall into full blown depression, then burning rage after merely seeing a commercial with her.

Jaune closed his eyes taking a deep breath.

He took another cup and like last time he emptied it in one go.

He almost did not feel the burning sensation.


"Ok I'll bite what is going on Weiss-cream?" Yang spoke cornering the heiress. They went shopping yet Weiss out of all of them was the only one who did not bought anything and that was not due to the lack of cash.

Yang knew something was off since the very morning when Weiss kept staring blankly at walls, and instantly dismissed it as morning drowsiness when asked.

But now her suspicions that something was wrong were confirmed.

She did not buy anything.

"Everything is fine." Weiss sighed he had an idea what Yang was about to do when she dragged her on the side to watch this totally awesome heels.

"Bullshit, you know that I know that so spill what's bugging you?" Yang was unrelenting." You've been spacing out since the morning."

"You're not going to let that go are you?" Yang's energetic nod killed what little remained of her hope." Look, it's not about me or anything...it's just…what I have problem with is not my thing to say to anyone." Weiss explained." I surely would not like for someone to talk to other people about my problems with my consent."

"Sooo it's about some secret you saw?" Yang asked furrowing her eyebrows.

"You can say that, and right now I'm trying to find a solution to that, which results in me spacing out." Weiss folded her arms.

"Sooooo who is that that hold this terrible secret?" Yang tried but under Weiss frosty stare she relented." Ok ok, you won't tell I respect that but you know...if you don't find the answer maybe try reach out to someone else."

"Yeah I might do that. But I will first try on my own."

"Suit yourself, so how about we really check out those shoes?" Yang winked.

"Nah I'll pass I'm not in the mood..."

"Geez you're acting as if you have fallen in love..."

Weiss stared at her.

"You did not fall in love do you?" Yang blinked when Weiss remained silent giving her one of her infamous frosty stares.

"I will not dignify you with the response." She told her making the blonde burst out laughing.

"Ok who's the unfortunate guy?" Yang wrapped her robotic arm around Weiss shoulders." Is it Sun? I mean I get it he is swell, but no I don't think he's you're type so that leaves about 2 options unless you're a cradle robber and is into old men in boy's bodies..."

"YANG!"

"Since you're not suicidal Ren's probably out sooo Mr. Magic Hands finally melted your ice?." Yang started cackling." I mean yeah I would at the least smooch the guy who saved my life but damn Weiss-cream!"

"I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH JAUNE!" Weiss shouted at top of her lungs.

"YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH JAUNE!?" Suddenly Ruby jumped out of nowhere with horror written all over her face. " Blake, Sun did you heard that?!"

Obviously both faunus heard the whole sentence but the sly look on Sun's face and quick look to Blake side told the heiress that they won't clear the misunderstanding.

"We heard." Blake tried not to grin.

"I mean you did not like him in Beacon!?" Ruby exclaimed waving her hands.

"Ruby I-" Weiss began.

"Oh come on Rubes she just feel that way you know love sometimes comes in least expected moment." Yang snickered.

"How about we-" Weiss tried again but this time Sun butted in.

"Damn Neptune will be heart broken..."

"Don't drag him into-!"

"So Dorky is your type after all Weiss." Blake hammered in the final nail the coffin making the white haired girl growl at her.

"Ok let's clear a thing here! I am grateful for saving my life BUT!" She rose her hand to silence them." I'm NOT in love with Jaune Arc!"

"YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH JAUNE-JAUNE!?" By some evil machination Nora and Ren by pure accident stumbled on the group. Because how if not by accident they would find them between few hundreds shops and stalls during a massive celebrations.

After very unlady like phrase Weiss somehow managed to clear the misunderstanding again hoping that his time Jaune himself would not walk on her obviously missing the not part.

"Well since that is cleared how about we call the last missing person since we're all together now?" Weiss suggested trying to keep ther twitching eye lid under control.

"Awww she already miss him!" Yang had to dodge a vicious swipe coming from Weiss.

"Renny call our fearless leader! "Nora ordered." Such is my will!"

"Calling...calling...he's not picking up." Ren told them.

"Well it's a loud place he might have not heard that, let's go to meeting point and wait for him it shouldn't be long." Blake suggested as Jaune technically still had twenty minutes to meet with them.

Predictably Jaune was getting late. After five minutes they still waited after all anyone could get little late with that crowd, after twenty minutes they started to worry when Jaune still did not pick up the phone.

After an hour…

"What if...something happened to him?" Ruby suggested trying to stay calm." Like he hurt himself or something?"

"Or that some stragglers from White Fang..." Blake muttered sick with worry now. Adam was on the lose after all.

"I think we should look for him." Weiss calmly suggested." There's still an option that the dunce got lost and his scroll's battery went dead.

"Yeah we shouldn't jump to conclusions..."Yang said slowly looking at Weiss with a bit of anxiousness.

"Let's spread out and meet here in an hour, if someone finds him call the rest." Ren stated.

"Don't worry I'll find him in no time!" Sun promise and jumped on the nearest roof.

"Oh you're ON!" Nora roared and ran through the crows, getting a cries of outrage.

The teen quickly left leaving Yang and Weiss behind.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Yang folded her arms.

"Jaune's...he's in a really bad place right now. I hope that he just got lost and that fuss might be nothing but I have a bad feeling about it." Weiss told her.

"Bad how?"

"Pyrrha..."

"Shit..."Yang bit her lip.

"After the battle I saw him going alone to the woods..." Weiss told Yang everything she had seen yesterday." That was when I went back to our room."

"Monty above..." Yang mumbled feeling deep sympathy for her fellow blonde." I thought that he came to terms with her death...I mean yes he went nuts when he saw Cinder but that's understandable."

"I guess he just hide his pain well...I don't think that I should peep on him..."

"Now look how the roles reversed, now you're the some doing the stalking!" Yang tried to ease the atmosphere but it went flat even by her standards.

"Just keep it to yourself ok? I don't think he would want the rest to know." Weiss asked her.

"He needs help, he won't be able to deal with it on his own...I know something about that and I just lost an arm." She rose her hand to silence Weiss protest." Yeah I know it suck but he lost a woman he loved, there's no comparison here I would gladly sacrifice the rest of my limbs to keep you guys safe, but Jaune? Pyrrha can't be replaced and that will be with him till the end of his days..." Yang blinked surprised by the wetness in her eyes." Now look at that Vomit-boy made me tear up a bit..."

"Much have changed..."Weiss said in somber tone." Now I would give anything to hear his stupid serenade once more."

"Ha! I knew you liked it!" Yang laughed a bit." But jokes aside let's go look for the Fearless Leader maybe he's somewhere around..."


The search was fruitless. The teen tired over and over but after five hours of constant search they decided to go back to the academy and inform Professor Ozpin about it.

Imagine their surprise when they saw Jaune lying on the sofa…

Totally wasted.

To make matter worse Oscar, Qrow, Illia and Blake's parents were sitting in the same room…

"For the last time Oz I had nothing to do with that!" Qrow bellowed." It's not my fault! He learned that on his own! At the least he managed to come back on his own!"

" as a mother I can't stress enough on how irresponsible your behavior was." Kali Belladona gave Qrow her best ,,angry mother" stare." What if my sweet little Blake pick up on it!?"

"MOM!" The dark haired girl blushed fiercely drawing the attention of the adults.

"See!? He went with them and they're..."Qrow looked seeing...completely somber looking group of teenagers..." Madness maybe the kid is the only normal one around..."

"Maybe you can shed some on current state?" Ozpin asked after he got an explanation he fell silent." I guess it would be prudent for to wake up and tell us his part of the tale and see if Qrow had any involvement in that..."

"HEY!"

"Qrow please carry to his room so our other guests don't see him in this condition." Ozpin instructed. The man begrudgingly followed the order throwing Jaune over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes."

"Mistralian sake damn kid looks like you don't screw around." He grumbled when the stench of alcohol his his nostrils.

"Now if you excuse me I have few calls to make." Ozpin announced leaving the room.

"Blake we will be leaving soon, we don't to overstay our welcome." Ghira told them." How about you and your..." He coughed." Boyfriend join us?"

"Sure dad."

"Good we'll just settle few matters and give you a call ok?" He stood up moving out of his room with his wife. As soon as the doors closed Sun jumped up in joy.

"Yeah! Dad Ghria accepted me!"

"I DID NOT!" Came the muffled cry from behind the doors.

Sun undeterred Sun hugged Blake lifting her in the air.

"C-cut it out!" Blake shuttered beef red." Some help!?"

"Awww isn't it like in one of your book where big strong Shirtless man takes the maiden to-"

"YANG!" Blake hissed even more red if that was possible.

"Ok ok I know that you're going to yang tonight..." She shoot earning a round of gasps.

"YANG!" Ruby squeaked.

"Woah spicy!" Nora commented." But is no one going to complain that Jaune-Jaune went drinking without us?"

"Yeah that was a dick move on his part...but if Qrow was involved Jaune was most likely a victim..." Yang folded her arms." Still he's not going to avoid a punishment for not picking up and making us worry and look for him" She cracked her knuckles.

"I'll break his le- I'll give him a good spanking!" Nora exclaimed.

"Don't make Ren jealous Nora." Yang jeered.

"I am not thank you." Ren replied." I'll go prepare something that will ease Jaune's hangover after he awakes."

"You will make a great wife Ren." Nora chuckled.

"Guys before we all leave, Illia what exactly happened here?" Blake asked after she untangled herself from Sun.

"Well more or less what can you except the Blonde guy...Jaune? He stumbled here and fell as soon as your mother opened the doors...on her."

"What?! Jaune fell on my mother!?" Blake hid her face in her hands.

"Yeah that was awkward and your dad almost killed him...but luckily your mother stopped him as Jaune was out cold...then went for this little boy weird boy and the older drunk and started arguing, accusing that guy that it was his fault."

"I missed that..."Yang felt that the universe wasn't fair. At all.

"Is it normal for him to get like that?"

"No it's the first time something like that happened."Ruby said quickly." Jaune is a really nice guy..."

"Yeah..." The Chameleon Faunus replied making all of them fell into awkward silence.

"I'm actually quite beat after today I'm going to lay down for a bit." Weiss spoke for the first time since seeing Jaune in this state.

"I would actually go for some pancakes!" Nora started to shake Ren.

"Oh me too!" Yang joined in and the stars in Ruby's eyes told Ren that he would have to rob the schools food supply…


Few hours later…

Jaune awoke feeling miserable. Not the usual miserable but the I drank too much miserable and I don't know how I got here miserable. His head hurt like hell, his stomach was insisting that he was on the dust plane and his mouth was drier than Vacuo's desert.

'Shit...' He thought looking around wondering how he got back to the room. The last thing he remembered was stumbling of that bar…

Then the panic kicked.

The got hammered in the bar on his own while he was supposed to meet with his friends. He looked at his scroll that happened to lie on nightstand and in that very moment the panic turned into terror as he looked at the list of missed calls.

Ruby: 69

Weiss:20

Yang: 13

Blake: 10

Sun:8

Ren:7

Nora:1

Out of all of them he was most worried about the one he missed from Nora. He quickly learned that when Nora called you, regardless of the situation picked up that call.

Or else….

His thoughts were interrupted by the creek of slowly opening doors. Like in some horror movie...or terrifying reality a face started to slowly show itself in the ever widening gap.

First was a strand of red hair, then came face devoid of any human feeling filled with just pure insanity and desire to deliver brutal punishment.

"You're awake Jaune-Jaune." Nora chipped not one muscle straying from the mask she formed.

'Dear Monty not like that not like that!' Jaune started to feel even worse right now as Nora slowly crept towards him. He could not use a muscle paralyzed by fear as his doom approached. Her eyes glowed with power as the leaned over him...

"Here, drink that should make ya feel better, or at the least Renny told me so." Nora handed him a glass with some green substance." My arm is getting tired you know?" She told him after he kept staring at her with disbelief for few seconds.

He slowly took a cup from her hand and took a sip.

Not many people knew it but he and Ren shared a special bond. Or rather a secret.

Jaune actually liked Ren's organic cocktails. He did not know why literally everyone else despised them with such passion but he actually loved them.

It was their dirty little secret.

Jaune knew Ren took pleasure in watching him drinking his mixtures. He was always watching with pleased look in his eyes and Jaune could not deny that the...did not mind.

But in reality he had to pretend that he was utterly disgusted with his drink to not cause any suspicion.

"I'm not sure how it will help you but Renny vouched for that thing." Nora turned little green seeing as Jaune drank the whole thing in one go." Yuck..."

After he was done they fell into rather uncomfortable silence for few seconds until Nora at the opposite bed and stared at him.

"I don't know what came over me Nora..." Jaune started knowing it was a lie.

"Jaune-Jaune you still need to work on your BS mode" Nora shoot instantly." Now what happened?"

"I got drunk..." He replied lamely.

"Yeah we know you even fell on Momma Kali and Blake's dad almost killed you."

Jaune felt like puking. That large, extremely protective looking man was now his deadly enemy…

"But luckily for you she managed to convince him to not murder-murder you, so why you went to drink with Qrow?"

"Qrow? I went alone..." Jaune replied not sure what his drinking had to do with Qrow.

"So he was telling the truth..." Nora rubbed her chin."Still why did you go alone? You could invite us, we spent hours looking for you..."

"Sorry...I did not mean to get wasted...I should call you or something..."

"You're dodging the question Jaune."

"I really don't want to talk about it Nora...It won't happen again I promise." Jaune said looking at her, letting her know that he meant it.

She sighed.

"You know you can't keep going like that Jaune...we all know what happened yesterday." She noticed the flash of pain on his face." Nowadays you're always angry...you keep that calm exterior but I can see that you're just bottling it inside… and yesterday it all came out didn't it Jaune?"

"Yes..."He whispered gripping his sheets." I know I lost it Nora, I screwed up and risked everyone's safe-" He paused when Nora leaned and gently grabbed his armored hand.

"Did you notice that you don't take the armor off even when we're relaxing? Or when we're eating?"

"I..."Jaune actually did not notice. By now his armor seemed like second skin to him.

"You're talking even less than Renny now somehow, you almost don't smile anymore-" Gentle knock on the door made her pause as the raven haired boy peeked inside.

"I came to check on you." Ren told them looking at Jaune with concern.

"Great timing Ren, we're having a team meeting." She patted a space next to her. The boy sat there and exchanged the look with Nora." We care about you Jaune and it pains us to see you suffer all of that alone..."

"I'm not alone I have you guys..." Jaune instantly replied.

"But you're not letting us in Jaune." Red spoke calmly." You shoulder all this pain on your own and keep a straight face most of the time, feat in itself but the one that can be shared."

"You all have enough on your plate to deal with my problems too, I will manage." He tried to reassure them. But he saw that they were not buying it.

They exchanged the look again weighting on something. He could literally see the silent argument between them.

"What is it?" he finally asked.

"We know Jaune." Ren finally said.

"Know what..."He asked slowly.

"About your nightly...activities." Nora told him carefully." You're not that stealthy..."

The blonde knight felt like someone punched his gut. He was so sure that no one knew.

He felt sick to his very core. He was supposed to be the one to hold firm and never show weakness.

That was his role as a team leader god damn it!

"We're not condemning you for that we all miss her..."Ren added quickly." We just want you to know that we're here for you always and that you don't have to resort to...Qrow's way of dealing with problems."

"I know that we don't have the right to tell you how to grieve but what you're doing Jaune is not healthy." She squeezed his hand.

"Guys please...just let me rest." He pleaded quietly. Nora opened her mouth but Ren's hand at top of her stopped her.

"Very well, we'll also stop the rest from barging in here."

"You're a life saver Ren." Jaune said lifelessly. Still proceeding that his secret was out.

"So just you know we did not say a word...you're secret is safe with us." Nora added as she stood on the threshold. She opened her mouth to say more but decided against it. Jaune looked miserable enough.

After they left he fell on his pillow again feeling spent, drained of all enegry.

Words could not describe the shame he felt at the notion that his training, his punishment he bestowed on himself was discovered.

He wanted nothing more than to protect his friends that's why he drove himself to the ground every night.

He wanted nothing more than to kill all responsible, that's why he kept opening the wounds every night

But that was supposed to stay private…

'I even fail in that...guess Cinder was right..." Jaune started at the ceiling feeling the weight of everything crushing him." Failure with death wish"

He wanted a release from this torment as his life of constant defeats came crushing down on him.

He wanted a drink.


A/N

Welp Qrow as role model...Do you know what you're doing Jaune?