THIS CHAPTER IRKS ME...

ALSO, I KINDA HAVE BEEN FORGETTING TO POST THIS FOR A WHILE...

APOLOGIES!

-Y.A.R.N.


The argument was pretty bad, Jaune knew it and tried to apologize, and so did Yang who was stubbornly refusing to accept it, (despite how badly she wanted to and apologize in turn).

To think it could have sprouted from just telling Jaune to be more careful.


Jaune had been injured (a few bruised ribs and bruises along with a leg sprain) in a battle against some bots when he had been training and was currently missing out on his spars due to some bed rest and relaxation. Yang was fine with that. He had done some light training, Yang griped a bit and threatened him to take it really easy.

He took a mission when he wasn't fully healed, and didn't tell Yang.

He had forgotten, not at all on purpose.

Yang got pissed.

Especially when he came back with a dislocated arm in a sling, gashes (not cuts) on his abdomen, and broken ribs. He had to spend time in the infirmary while his team was in much better shape, and Yang was NOT happy.


"Jaune! What the hell is wrong with you?! You weren't healed!"

Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora all winced as her shout reverberated through the wall; Ruby and Blake cringed and even Weiss flinched.

"Yang I know bu-" Jaune tried to interject.

"No, you shut up and listen! You were hurt and you still went a combat mission and you didn't even tell me? I could be a bit less pissed if you told me and still went, but you didn't even tell me?"

"I already said I am sorry! It slipped my mind! I didn't mean not to tell you! I had to go!" Jaune growled, "I already gave my word to Ozpin!"

"Oh well, that makes it all better, right? Dammit Jaune, you need to stop being so stupid all the time! Do you try to get yourself hurt or are you just that terrible?!" She yelled, "Are you trying to be a idiot or do you think it's proves something?! Why the hell are you being so damn moronic?! Did you think just because you cheated once and got away with it, you can do that multiple times?!"

Jaune's eyes widened in hurt before narrowing with anger, "Oh well, sorry for going on a mission! I thought hunters did that sort of thing! Or am I too stupid to remember that?!" He growled, "I don't need to justify where I am going and what I am doing to you! If I say I am going on a mission, I'll damn well do it! You have no right to tell me what I can and can't do! Besides, why do you even care? I am such a lousy cheat right, wouldn't it be great if I was gone?"

Yang winced at the thought.

Yang inwardly knew he was right, he was a hunter, he was supposed to go. She couldn't just tell Ozpin to go stuff it, every hunter had their own responsibilities, but dammit, this was Jaune and she refused to let him do this. She knew just as much as he did that he wouldn't back down because he said himself, 'An Arc never breaks his word.' But she can't just let him throw himself headlong into a fight because he felt he would be fine sooner or later, she preferred to have intact all the time.

Jaune knew she was right, he should have been more careful, and he could have given it to a less qualified team, it wasn't an overly hard mission. The results would have been more or less the same no matter who had been sent. But if he could shift the burden rather than let someone else, how could he choose to turn away?

Why couldn't Yang/Jaune just get that she/he DIDN'T like fighting with her because she/he was her/his rock.

They stormed off in opposite directions.


Something now hung in the air between them and kept them from talking. Jaune smiles seemed to stiffen and peter out whenever Yang was in the vicinity. Yang was stressed and quieter than usual, and while most people didn't notice, to her team it was clear as day. Jaune didn't linger in the same rooms and at times he would look pensive and went to take two steps in her direction before deflating and walking in the opposite direction. Yang would chew on her lip and glance around at times, looking troubled before shaking her head and looking solemn.

It wasn't at all a surprise that their partners shared a look and decided to act.


Jaune as practicing with Pyrrha on the rooftop when Jaune got his legs swept out from under him and he rolled with his landing on his back to launch forward and charge at Pyrrha once again. Pyrrha grounded herself more sternly as she blocked his heavy overhanded strike. She frowned as his strikes had lost their usual focus and finesse in favor of strength, they were still good, but not what he was usually capable of.

"Jaune, let's take a break." Pyrrha said as she bunted the blow away using her shield.

"Hm...Okay." He murmured quietly.

She flipped him a water bottle and his gaze seemed to firmly fixed on the rooftops of Beacon stretching out in front of him. Pyrrha looked at the sky as thought in thought before jumping right in.

"You know she'll come around." She said, "But you have to admit she had a point. You don't have to force yourself if you're already hurt Jaune."

Jaune's shoulder's slumped as he sighed, already having guessed why they stopped, "Yeah well... It's not like I enjoy arguing with her. I mean yeah, I was hurt and maybe going wasn't the best idea, but I already said we would handle it. I can't retract my word to someone when I promised I would help, they need me and I have to answer. Besides, I am back and okay, I just don't get why she is worried."

Pyrrha shook her head, of course he didn't.

How did Jaune manage to become so dense?

Probably a side-effect of his defensive aura.

She chuckled inwardly but shook off her amusement to continue speaking.

"Jaune, you two have been dating for a while, and I have seen Yang interact with other boys. She used to flirt a lot and mess with a lot of boys before you two started dating. Since that you two have been together, Yang has completely cut back on flirting. She changed because of you Jaune, and personally I think it's for the better." Pyrrha said, "But how do you think she feels when she sees you in pain? No single person would hurt more than her than when you are hurting. You really messed up when you told her it would better if you were gone."

"Do you honestly think I don't know that?" He said, hugging his knees to his chest, "How can I make this right?"

"She worries about you, as much as she loves how you never go back on your word, she can't accept that you throw yourself into dangerous situations like that." Pyrrha admonished, "Do you have any clue just how much she loves you?"

"She loves me?" Jaune inquired, somewhat surprised.

Pyrrha managed the curb the urge to facepalm, but did look pleadingly at the sky as if praying for patience.

"Do you really have to ask?" She replied.

Jaune stared out over Beacon, eyes shining and then something firm entered his expression, "Basically, I need to apologize, right?"

Pyrrha nodded giving him an encouraging pat on the back.


Yang grumbled at the stupid homework sheet she hadn't finished. Usually she studied with Jaune who was more than willing to help her out with some of the more confusing points of a concept (with the tutoring Pyrrha had been giving him, he was able to much better keep pace). She heaved a sigh and placed her head on the desk, cursing this stupid situation.

Stupid homework.

Stupid Jaune.

Stupid her.

"Yang." Blake said.

"What?"

"We need to talk."

"Can I finish this first?" Yang inquired, trying to stall what she knew would be an inquisition.

"No." Blake practically commanded.

Yang sighed and got to her feet.

"Walk with me." Blake said as she walked out the door.

Yang fell into step beside her partner as they walked down the halls.

Yang clearly wasn't going to talk of her own free will, so Blake decided to address the issue, besides the sooner this was over with the better.

"You were out of line with him."

"I know."

"Jaune isn't stupid, implying that and bringing up his transcripts when all he was doing was upholding his word nothing short of spiteful."Blake said without preamble

"I. Know." Yang grumbled.

"You had a point, but there were better ways of talking to him."

"I know, okay?!" Yang almost shouted, "I get that I was out of line!"

Blake lifted and unimpressed eyebrow.

Yang scrubbed a hand through her hair, "But he was injured, I love that he works so hard to keep his word, but he needs to understand I need him just as much as other people do and if not more than that. I just can't lose him." She shivered, thinking of what would happen if he was just gone, "I get that I need to apologize, I just... I really, really need him Blake."

Blake blinked.

She knew Yang very well, which wasn't all that surprising considering that they were on the same team (leaving alone the fact they were partners), so she could tell Yang was being dead serious. Of course Yang Xiao Long wasn't exactly someone who would really say something like that, much less admit it. Even though she hadn't ever seen Yang in a relationship, she could could make an accurate estimation as to how she would act. When she was around Jaune, however, she acted just a bit differently than her estimation. She smiled with just a touch more of affection. He actions with him were just a bit more gentle. There was just enough to make it look like there was MORE between her the blonde knight.

"Why can't he see that he's already become an amazing hunter? He doesn't need to keep running out on missions to prove something that's already there." Yang sighed and shook her head as Blake patted her shoulder, "I mean, he knows he doesn't have to show off."

"I think it has less to do with him showing off, and more to do with him trying to help everyone he can Yang." Blake said.

"I just wish that...I wished he knew that he can't keep doing this to me." Yang sighed.


Jaune took a deep breath and glanced at the small bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"Okay Jaune, you can do this. You messed up way worse and got through that too." He muttered to himself, "Just say you're sorry and that she's right."

Like receiving a punch to the gut that - if not for his large reserves of aura - should have collapse at least one or two of his internal organs.

He steeled himself and knocked on the door. His heart was pounding against his ribcage.

Yang opened the door, "Yes?... Oh. Hi, Jaune."

They both stood there for a moment, Jaune shifted awkwardly and decided to follow through.

Jaune paused for a moment to draw a deep breath before thrusting the bouquet he gathered at her, "I'm sorry!"

Yang blinked but grinned as she held the bouquet, "Thanks, Jaune,"

"No problem..."

She hesitated, "I'm sorry too."

Jaune smiled slightly in relief but shook his head, "You don't need to apologize, I shouldn't have gone, you were right."

Yang rolled her eyes, "That was obvious, but I shouldn't have called you stupid or moronic or brought up your... issue. That was just me losing my temper."

She placed the bouquet down and turned to face Jaune, her expression was serious and firm, "I need you Jaune, okay? A lot. I know we're hunters and there is always the chance that you not coming back could happen, I can accept that maybe one day something will happen to us. I pray everyday that it won't but I know that it could happen. It's what hunters do, what we sign up for when we decide to fight. What I can't accept is you making that chance grow by not thinking things through."

She placed her hands on his cheeks and pressed her forehead against his, "So I need you to promise me something. Give me your word, because an Arc never goes back on his word, right?"

He chuckled and gently gripped her wrists, "Of course."

"Promise me that when you are going to do something, you will do so when you're at your best, whether it is a mission or you just want to talk, just make sure you're at 100%. And I can understand if it's an emergency, but seriously I don't want to have to worry about you any more than I already do." She said, "You can't keep worrying me like this."

"I promise." He said, "I'm sorry Yang. I really am."

"It's okay, but I think I need a few things before I can really forgive you, you caused me a lot of stress you know." She said, poking Jaune in the chest, a playful air about her, "And if you don't remember, I said I would beat you up if you did cause me stress again."

Jaune groaned, but relief shined in his eyes, "I can feel my ribs aching already..."

Yang laughed, "Come on Vomit Boy, to the training room. You have a lot of penance coming your way."