Jaune stayed up late, trying to finish Cardin's paper and his own. He really need to straighten things out with Cardin, before he started to fall behind, but he didn't know how. Carson was Jaune first bully and he didn't know how to tell him without getting beaten.
"What are you still doing up?" Pyrrah asked, staring at him from her bed.
"Just finishing up some homework," Jaune responded, looking back down at it.
"You need to sleep, or else you won't stay awake for your classes."
"I'll go to sleep as soon as I finish it," Jaune said, she did have a piont, as much as he hated to admit it.
Pyrrah signed and rolled over, away from the light. Jaune looked around the room. Ren and Nora were both sound asleep from the other side of the room. He briefly wondered what time it was. Jaune shook his head.
"Pay attention, Arc," he said quitly to himself. He needed to get Winchester's paper done.
Jaune, throughout the day, had trouble keeping his eyes open. Come on, arua, just keep me awake for this class. His arua, saddly, did not listen.
He plopped his head on the desk and blew out a stream of air, earning him a small kick on the foot by Pyrrah.
"Pay attention," she whiser, harshly. Yeah, easy for her to say.
He listened, kind of, for the rest of the class. As he left, he waited outside the hallway where he always met Cardin. Jaune wondered, for a brief moment, what would happen if he just left and didn't give Winchester his paper. No dobt Winchester would be pissed, but it would be sweet revenage.
No, he couldn't. He had to sit there like a good little boy.
"You have my paper, Jaune?" Cradin said, approuching from around a corner.
"Y-yeah," Jaune replied, holding out one of the two papers he spent all night writing. Winchester ripped it out of Jaune's hands and stuffed it into the back pocket of his uniform.
"I spent all night qorking on that, you know?"
"So?"
"So, I just thought you could, you know, try and keep it a little nicer," Jaune said, tilting his chin up. Mentaly, he was kicking himself. What was he thinking?
"What did you say? I'll treat this paper however I want!" Jaune shrake back, trying to fight the fear that was strating to form in his gut. Fear wasn't going to do him any good.
"Sorry," Jaune murmered.
"What was that?" Winchester said, enjoy the power he had over Jaune.
"I said sorry," Jaune said again, louder than the first. Winchester grinned.
"That's better," he said. "Come here next period, and I have a new job for you." With that, Cardin walked away, leaving Jaune standing in the hall.
It took Jaune a few minutes to shake the feeling. He should stand up to Winchester, but now he had two things that could kick Jaune out, him sneaking into Beacon and his special arua.
No, he could think like that. He just had to do what Winchester told him and hope he didn't open his big mouth.
Jaune walked to his next class like a zombie, not really taking in anything. He was dimly aware of himself sitting down in his chair next to Pyrrah and Ren. In front of Ruby. That was his favorite part about this class. Ruby. Sometimes she would hand him little notes when the professor wasn't looking.
Today was no different, a few minutes into class, a little white sheet of paper flew down onto Jaune's lap. He looked behind him to see Ruby smiling shyly at him.
Open it, she mouthed. He obeyed.
Inside was the quick, slopey writing that belonged to Ruby.
Dear Jaune,
You okay, 'cause you don't look okay. But if you don't want to talk about it's cool.
Ruby
Jaune signed. He didn't want to talk to Ruby about it, she would just say to hit the problem head on. But that could work. If something went wrong, he would pay the price, not to mention get Ruby in serious trouble. He had to haddle this all on his own.
He quickly worte out a reply.
Dear Ruby,
Whatever you think is going on, I can fix it myself. Serious, I have a special arua, there is nothing I can't do.
Jaune
He passed the note up and tried to ignore the look she was giving him for the rest of class.
Jaune waited like a good little servent for Cardin's appearence. That's how he started to think of himself, servent boy. His only reason to live was to obey his master's every will.
"Arc, nice to see you," Winchester said, approuching Jaune at a rapid place. Jaune found himself standing a little straighter.
"What do you need?" Jaune said,.trying to keep his voice strong and steady.
"What I need is for you to do my homework. Do you think you can do that?" Cardin dropped a small stack of papers into Jaune's hands. Jauen started at them with wide eyes. Did Winchester really expect him to do all of this and his own in one night? No he wasn't thinking about Jaune only of himself.
"No," Jaune whispered, as Winchester walked away. Cardin swung around.
"What was that?" Winchester asked carefully.
"I said no," Jaune said, a little louder this time.
"I'm sorry did you just say no? Did you just say no to me?" Winchester said, almost yelling. Jaune nodded.
"You h-heard me," Jaune kicked himself for stuttering, but it seemed to do the trick.
"Do you know I can turn you in when ever I want, right?" Jaune nodded, yeah he might have thought about it a few times.
"I don't care, maybe I deserve it, but I'm not going to spend my whole life here doing what you need me to do!"
"I'm sorry, I think we reach a misunderstanding. I'm the only reason your still in this school. Don't forget it!"
"How can I forget with you always reminding me!"
Before Jaune knew it, Winchester was running at him. He punched Jaune square in the gut, causing him to double over and cough. Winchester sneared.
"Had enough yet?" Jaune straighted and wiped his face.
"I'm just getting started." With that, Jauen threw a punch, trying to hit Cardin in his face. Cardin caught his fist and kicked him in the same place he punched, leaving the area more tender than it already was.
Jaune could feel his arua start to influnce his every move, sharpening his senses, but also his streath. Jaune was worried he might hurt Winchester to the piont of death. He didn't need to blame that on himself.
Time seemed to slow down as Cardin came at him again, ready to strike. Jaune moved out of the way just as Winchester was about to hit him, causing Winchester to stumble forward. While his back was turned, Jaune kicked him in the ass, sending him to fall onto the ground.
"Had enough yet?" Jaune asked, repeating Winchester's words from earlier. Winchester stood up and growled, ready to tackle Jaune to the ground.
Jaune quickly moved away, but instead of letting Winchester knock him down, he jumped onto Winchester's back. As they both fell onto the ground, Jaune put his knee on the bend of Winchester's spine, adding pressure.
"Ah, stop," Winchester said, pleading. Jaune quickly got up off the ground. Winchester followed, rubbing his back.
"You proved your point. I wouldn't turn you in if you don't tell anyone about… this," Winchester said, looking at the ground. Jaune started to almost feel bad for him, but then remember what Winchester put him through.
"I'll agree, but only because my secrets are worse than yours," Jaune said. Winchester narrowed his eyes.
"If you dare self pity me-"
"I'm not self-piting-"
"I don't think that's a word," Winchester said, pointing his finger at Jaune. Jaune threw his hands up into the air.
"Whatever!" Winchester rolled his eyes. Maybe there was a chance they could be friends.
"Don't forget, I own you, Arc," Winchester said, and left.
Or maybe not.
Good morning/evening/afternoon (is it afternoon anywhere in the world? It probably is) I hope you enjoy the newest chapter of Grimm May Cry. Don't forget to review.
