Jaune wasn't sure how long it had been since he started staring at his reflection, but he couldn't shake that sinking feeling that weighed on his chest. Maybe he'd caught a cold or something? Or maybe his shower did more bad than good?
Either way, he couldn't help but blankly stare at his reflection, meticulously picking apart his own appearance. He was going to an island just off the coast of Vale, trying out a diner with a pretty blonde girl that had been helping him train for the last week. So why was it that he was trying to go dressed in nothing more than a hoodie, generic t-shirt, and jeans?
Groaning, he pressed his palms against his face. "Come on, we can do better, right?" He muttered, asking no one in particular. "I've totally got more than just a hoodie and jeans, right?" He did, but the only other outfit worth thinking about was the one he put on for their practice date. The last thing he wanted to do was look like he had no other outfits.
After all, the last time he went out with Yang, she admitted that she was grading him. Was it so wrong to presume that she'd be grading him again? He thought not.
So, that begged the question?
"What am I gonna do?" He whined, letting his forehead rest against the cold mirror in front of him. If only he had someone he could turn to in times of stress. Someone who would give him the straightforward answers he needed when he had nowhere else to go. Someone who could- A light bulb flickered. "I've got it!"
As he pushed himself away from the mirror, Jaune rushed for the door, all but yanking it from its hinges as he stumbled into his dorm. It was mostly vacant, sans the only other occupant, a certain redheaded Spartan typing at her scroll as she lounged on her bed.
"Pyrrha!" Jaune yelled out, surprised by the shriek she let out as she tumbled from her bedside. "Uh, are you okay?"
Awkwardly laughing as she rested her arms on her mattress, a wide smile plastered itself onto her face. "Never better!" She sang out. Well, at least falling off her bed didn't do any damage. "Did you… need something?"
The blond swordsman chuckled as he brought a hand to his head. "Uh, yeah." He started, an equally tacked-on smile on his face. "I was actually hoping to ask someone about fashion sense, right? Figured it'd be good to talk to someone with a good sense for that kind of thing."
Pyrrha's green eyes blinked as a tint of pink dusted her cheeks, a quiet giggle leaving her as she waved him off. "Oh, well, I'm not sure if I can-"
"Oh, no, I get it." He interrupted, laughing. "I'm not good at fashion either, so I figured I'd go to Ren about this sort of thing. I don't know why, but I feel like he'd be pretty good with that sort of thing." Then again, Jaune felt like his mostly silent teammate was good at a lot of things.
Emerald eyes dimmed as Pyrrha's smile dipped, but by sheer force of will, she kept it in place. "Um, that's a little rude to imply, Jaune." She shot back monotonously. He probably meant nothing by it, but it still hurt. "Besides, I'm pretty good with fashion. When I was still entering tournaments, I had to wear disguises everywhere."
The blond boy tilted his head as he curled a brow. "I didn't mean to imply that you- you already know, don't you?" He asked, not surprised to see his partner, bless her soul, nodded at him. "And, uh, how is having experience with disguises going to help me with my fashion troubles?"
Pyrrha sighed as she picked herself up from the floor, pocketing her scroll. "To make a good disguise, you need an understanding of the current year's fashion." To blend in, she had to know what was as inconspicuous as possible. "I've done a lot of research over the years, noticing trends as they come. I could help you with getting some outfits together, if you like?"
Jaune let out a deep sigh as he pressed a hand to his chest. "Honestly, that would be amazing right about now." He said, a wide smile nearly tearing his jaw in half. "Because I've got this thing I need to go to in about an hour, and I just don't have anything ready. Unless you count a baggy hoodie and some jeans?"
He watched as Pyrrha curled a brow. "There's nothing wrong with how you're dressing now. As a matter of fact, I find it rather charming." She said, a small smile on her face. "It may be simple, but much like yourself, it tells everyone everything about you!"
Jaune's face fell as his eyes shifted at his feet. "That I'm totally ordinary and underperforming?" He asked, shuffling his feet.
"No!" She yelled out, panic on her face. "That you're easy going and that you wear your heart on your sleeve! You're not subpar, you're just… improving at a different rate!" She tried her hardest to save her comment, but she knew the pause wasn't working in her favor.
A smile climbed Jaune's face. "I know what you mean." He still wasn't learning fast enough, and he wasn't going to for a while. "I know I'm not going to be perfect right now. But I'm trying to do better. That's what counts, right?" He asked, not entirely believing himself.
It didn't take a genius for Pyrrha to know when Jaune was troubling himself. So, she did the only thing she could. Slowly walking over to her partner, she placed her hands on his shoulders before pulling him close, wrapping her arms around him. Pyrrha felt his frame stiffen against her embrace, but she paid it no mind.
"There will always be critics who will berate you for not performing." She started, letting the weight of her words roll off her tongue. "But there are few that are more brave than the man in the arena. There is no effort without error and shortcoming." Even she knew that. Despite her nickname, Pyrrha Nikos was not invincible.
Jaune paused, letting his hand rest against her back. "Not even for you?" He mumbled.
Pyrrha smiled as she slowly pulled away from the hug, leaving her hands on his shoulders. "Of course not." She said, as though it was the most obvious thing on Remnant. "I've had years to hammer out the impurities. You haven't. But with time, you'll be a champion of your own making." A real champion, not like her. He would have no crutch, no ability to purely rely on for victory.
The blond boy felt a warmth spread across his chest, his hollow smile growing into something more genuine. "A real champ, huh?" He asked, chuckling. "And you're saying it took a few years, right?"
He watched as she nodded. "That's right."
A smirk tugged at his lips as he thumbed his chest. "Think I can shave a year or two down from that if I work hard enough?" He joked.
Pyrrha snorted as she rolled her eyes, patting her leader on the shoulder before stepping away. "That's all dependent on you, Jaune." She said, running a hand through her ponytail. "But knowing you, you'll end up overdoing it."
She listened as her leader laughed, the feeling of blood rushing to her face overtaking her for a moment as he stared down at her. "Catch me when I fall?" He asked.
"What else are partners for?" Pyrhha asked, her face lightly flush. "Oh, um, I nearly forgot. You need a new outfit and need it ready within the hour. So, let's see what you have in your wardrobe and work from there." She offered, hoping to hide the little twinge of embarrassment that so blatantly showed on her face.
Jaune only used his hand to gesture to the end table at his bedside, along with then gesturing to the shared closet the team used. "Well, it shouldn't be too hard to pick everything apart. Hey, maybe there's some real gold in my wardrobe?" He asked, smiling as his brows rose high.
He watched as Pyrrha jumped between his end table, the closet, and his bed, laying out several pairs of shirts, pants, and even a few jackets that he forgot he still had. By the end of it, Pyrrha assembled three outfits that… looked way better than he figured they would.
The redheaded spartan wiped her brow as she stared down at her leader's bed, the spare clothes that she couldn't pair neatly folded and piled. "As I thought, your wardrobe didn't need as much work as you implied." A grin stretching across her face. "The outfits themselves aren't flashy, but they don't need to be. If you have an appointment that needs you to look presentable, these should get you through it."
Jaune finally took a moment to inspect the outfits in detail. One was simple in its design, a dark t-shirt, black slacks, and an equally dark jacket to go with it. Yeah, he'd pass on that one. Dark and broody wasn't his look.
The next was less dark, making use of a blue hoodie he forgot he even owned, a white shirt, finally paired with khaki slacks that- since when did he even own khakis? It was far from bad, but he failed to see how it looked any different from his usual outfit.
But the last one was different. It was made up of a white button-up shirt, his uniform blazer, and a pair of jeans. The outfit meshed between trying to look casual and looking like he was a student, which he was. But out of all the outfits, it looked the least terrible to him.
Pyrrha watched as her blond partner smirked, staring at her from his peripherals. "Pyr, I know this is going to sound a little mean, but how do you know that these will even look good on me?" He asked.
She hummed, her brows rising in surprise. "Well, I just imagined how you'd look if you wore them. I'm sure you'd look handsome in any of them, honestly." But wait, couldn't that imply that she thought he didn't already look good? "N-not to say that you don't already look good! Because you do!" Saved it.
Jaune's shoulders shook uncontrollably as he laughed. "Of course I do." Mock bravado filling his voice as he puffed out his chest. "I'm an Arc, we're genetically gifted like that." He said, snickering as he smiled.
The green-eyed girl sighed, her shoulders slumping forward as relief washed over her. "Either way, these outfits should get you through just about anything. Unless it's a funeral, then the black one is the only choice." There was a joke in there somewhere, but Pyrrha wasn't going to be the one to make it.
Jaune rolled his eyes as he walked over to his partner's side, staring down at his bed. "Hey, if I don't score high enough, it could very well be my funeral." He snipped, nudging his partner's side with his elbow. "But dark and broody isn't really my thing, so I think I'll pass on it for now."
The blond boy watched as a crease formed between his partner's brows. "Why would it be your funeral?" She asked, concern lacing her voice. "Are you in trouble? Is there anything you need me to help with?" Her questions firing off like a machine gun as what little distance between them was closed.
His hands quicking shot up as he leaned away from the mother hen. "Woah, no, I'm fine. There's no trouble here, just going out to get some breakfast with Yang, that's all." And here he thought everyone was over his problems with Cardin.
Her green eyes glued themselves to his as seconds ticked by, only breaking away when Pyrrha let out a sigh. "Well, that's a relief." Her hand pressed itself to her chest as her beating heart came to a slow, steady rhythm. "Wait, you're getting breakfast with Yang?"
Jaune could only chuckle as he brought a hand to the back of his head. "Yeah, well, I figured I'd take her to get some breakfast. Just wanted to show my thanks is all." A hint of heat dusting his cheeks. "Besides, she did all of that without really asking for much. Feels like I owe her something, you know?"
Pyrrha turned away as she bit onto her knuckles. There was no doubt about it, Yang was competing with her. What other explanation could there be? After all, she was doing just about everything that Pyrrha was doing, but somehow managed to get more results-
"Why haven't you ever taken me to breakfast?" She asked, her brows tilting upwards as she turned back to face her leader.
Jaune's mouth moved, but sound failed to come out. That… was a good question. "I mean, we do get breakfast everyday together. Granted, it's cafeteria food, but still." He figured that she didn't really care to get breakfast with him. "Besides, I've seen your schedule, it wouldn't be right for me to impose. If anything, it'd be selfish."
"I can make time!" She exclaimed, her eyes widening as she stared up at him. "That is, if you want to go do something sometime?" Her voice quieted as her gaze slowly slinked towards the floor. All she did now was make herself look like a love sick, desperate teenager!
Pyrrha wanted to curl up into a ball and cry.
"Hey, that's not a half bad idea." She heard her partner say. But just before she could let her smile spread, he continued. "Maybe we can get Ren and Nora to come with us? Something like a little team bonding exercise?"
The redhead felt something wither in her chest, but her grin remained. At least it was progress, she supposed. "That sounds… wonderful." She said, bringing her hands behind her back. "While we're at it, we could go and get you some new clothes to add to your wardrobe."
Jaune winked as he clicked his teeth, smiling at his partner. "Did anyone ever tell you how good you are at coming up with ideas?" He asked, tilting his head. "Because you've been on a bit of a roll recently."
Pyrrha only let her smile fall. "Don't you have a date to get to?" She asked, fatigue leaking into her voice. "I wouldn't want to see you be late." Was it wrong of her to be a little jealous?
She watched as his brows rose, his hand being shoved into his pocket before digging out his scroll. "Oh shoot, you're right- it's not a date!" He shot back, shoving his scroll back into his pocket. "Okay, uh. Eeny, meeny, miny, you." He muttered, pointing at the outfit with his blazer. "That'll work for me."
Jaune scrambled to get the outfit together, getting it into a nice little pile before throwing it onto his shoulder. "Alright, I'm gonna go get dressed. Thanks again, Pyr, seriously."
The redhead watched as he scrambled back into the bathroom, a wide smile on his face before the door clicked shut behind him. All she could do was sigh, trudging over to her mattress before flopping over. Staring up at the roof, she felt a hollow feeling tear at her chest.
"Why can't I be more assertive?" She asked, a frown marring her face. Every time she was sure she was getting somewhere, it felt like she was just tripping over herself. "Why can't I ever seem to get him to look at me like that?"
A second ticked by, then another, then a third, and that hollow feeling only sunk deeper. So, Pyrrha did what she always did whenever she felt bad. She got up from her bed, changed into her combat equipment, and made for the door.
Once Jaune finished changing, he stepped out of the bathroom, letting the door swing widely open. "Hey, how do I…" He started, only to realize the room was empty. "...look?" Huh, that was weird, she was just here a minute ago.
Letting out a breath, Jaune shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well, it's not exactly like I can go and look for a second opinion now." He mumbled, smiling to himself. "I guess I'll just have to trust her on this one."
Making his way over to his door, he let his hand rest on the door knob, taking a breath before pulling it open. Directly across him was the door that hid the subject of his morning. All he had to do now was walk over and knock.
Closing the door behind him, Jaune took two long strides forward, bringing his hand to hover next to the door, and just as he went to knock… he stopped. Scratching at the back of his head, he started to pace at the door.
Just what's a guy supposed to do in a case like this? How should he even open up? Was it just as easy as saying good morning? Should he be casual? Formal?
"Oh God, I feel like I'm gonna hurl." He mumbled, pacing faster than before. "No, no. Just need to slow down, take a deep breath, and relax." If there was anything being around Yang's training taught him, it was that panicking didn't make anything better.
So, he took a long, slow breath, and let it out. His heart rate slowed, the jitters that danced on his chest subsided, and despite his anxiety still lingering somewhere in his mind, he breathed a little easier. He brought his hand up to the door one more time.
Only for it to swing open before he could even knock.
On the other side of the door, he watched as a young woman dressed in what he saw as a bathrobe peeked around the corner, a bow gently resting on her ears. "Uh, what are you doing?" Blake asked, her head tilted to the side as a deadpan expression took to her face.
Jaune's mouth unhinged itself as he blankly stared at the moody member of team RWBY. "I, uh, came to get Yang. We had plans for breakfast." The words awkwardly fumbled out of his mouth as he watched a pair of amber eyes narrow at him.
Blake's eyes trailed up and down his figure for a moment, only to then come back to maintaining eye contact. "Just knock next time." She started, her eyes softening as she rubbed the back of her neck. "You've got no idea how uncomfortable it is to wake up hearing a voice on the other side of your door."
The blond boy blinked, swallowing. "Sorry." He said, chuckling as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I was just struggling with-"
"No, I know." Blake interrupted. "Like I said, I heard you through the door. My advice? Don't think too hard about it, it'll just make things harder."
Before he could answer, the door clicked shut, the sound of shuffling coming from behind it. Sighing, Jaune shrugged his shoulders. "Thanks for the advice." He mumbled, shaking his head. "But I'm sure you heard that too, right?"
The sound of feet stomping behind the door, the vibrations carrying past the door and up his legs, was enough for Jaune to take a long step backwards. Are they disarming a bomb in there or something? He thought, curling a brow.
The vibrations only ended as the door carefully creaked open, revealing a blonde girl dressed in an orange crop top and black short shorts. If he wasn't feeling so anxious, he was sure his jaw would have dropped. Even with her hair a mess, her clothes wrinkled and hardly presentable, Yang Xiao Long still proved to be a very pretty girl.
"Hey, Champ." She started, a brush in her hand as she leaned against her door frame, a plastered smile on her face. "So… I may have overslept a little."
A laugh left Jaune's mouth as he took a step back, leaning against his dorm's door. "Really? I couldn't tell." He snipped, smiling at his fellow blonde. "But seriously, it's no big deal. If anything, I'm a little relieved."
Yang curled a brow at that, a hand resting on her quirked hip. "Oh really? What's so relieving about it?" So she was a little curious, sue her.
"It just means I'm not the only screw up today." He easily shot back, shrugging his shoulders as his smile widened.
Yang paused as she stared at her champion in the making, blinking. Her eyes trailed up and down his figure, taking in every little detail. His blazer and the way it hugged his shoulders, the way his pants were kind of baggy, but not so baggy as to be trashy, or the way his outfit was so simple, yet so endearing.
It was actually fashionable.
"Who'd you get to help you with that?" She interrogated, furrowing her brows as she stepped out of her doorway, closing the distance to pull at his blazer. "It actually makes you look like you're not an awkward dork."
Ah, busted. Jaune laughed again. "W-well, let's just say my partner has more skills than she lets on." Not to say that he thought she had bad fashion sense, but… a combat corset? There's no way it was comfortable, right? "Either way, what do you think? Not half bad, right?"
Yang rolled her eyes, dusting off his blazer as she looked up at him. "What, is this the part where you want me to call you handsome? Where I'm surprised that my 'date' for the morning is swanky?" She asked, a heavy hint of sarcasm bleeding into her voice as she leaned forward.
Jaune, being the gentleman that he was, paid no attention to the way her crop top revealed her skin. No, instead, he focussed on her eyes. "Well, it'd be one heck of an ego boost." He joked, crossing his arms.
Letting out a breath, Yang closed her eyes, only to open them again. "Well, Handsome, I've got to say that you're looking fresh." She snipped, a playful hand patting at his chest. "It really makes a girl feel special. Eight out of ten."
The blond boy snickered, his brows rising at the obvious joke. "You could've just said no." He said, laughing. "Anyway, do you want me to just come back later? Give you a bit of time to get ready? If you still want to go, that is." It was still pretty early in the day, so he'd get it if she didn't want to go.
Yang only jabbed his shoulder, snickering to herself. "And miss out on your heartfelt thank you? Not a chance, Champ." There was no way that she was missing out on some Patch-made waffles! "Just give me a second to get dressed and a quick shower, I'll be out in five."
Jaune watched as his latest trainer rushed back into her room, trying to not notice her charms as the door clicked shut. Sighing, Jaune let the back of his head rest against his own door. His sense of touch felt heightened, his hands twitchy and restless. It took just about every ounce of self-control he had to not bounce in place.
Groaning, he dragged a hand down his face. "I'm such a weirdo." He muttered, rubbing his hand against his cheek. "What kind of idiot gets antsy over just taking a friend out for breakfast?" That was all it was, just two friends going out to get some breakfast. As thanks for Yang getting him into a half-decent routine.
That's right, it was just two friends getting breakfast. He didn't even have to see it as some kind of practice date or anything, right? Besides, this was just him being nice to a friend, so there was nothing to worry about.
A laugh slipped from his mouth as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yup, nothing to worry about. Just a couple of training buddies getting breakfast." He mumbled, a half-smile on his face. "After all, it's not like this is some kind of real date or anything. We already talked about that yesterday anyway." Rolling his eyes at his own anxiety.
Time went by like a bit of a blur for a while, with Jaune focussing on his scroll as he mindlessly stared at the time, leaning against his door. Five minutes passed, then ten, only for the wait to end after fifteen minutes, the sound of the door knob across his jiggling lightly.
As the door swung open, he watched as Yang stepped through, dressed in a plaid button-up shirt, short jean shorts with frayed edges, and dark boots to match. But what made his own smile stumble and fall was just how happy she looked. Her vibrant smile was positively glowing.
She brought a hand up to her hair, bundling it up for a moment. "What do you think? Ponytail, or let it down? I tried to ask Blakey, but she got all catty with me." She said, shrugging her shoulders. "Go ask Jaune, she said, he's supposed to be your date or something. Can you believe her?"
Yang let her eyes trail over Jaune's face, but there wasn't any movement to be seen, only slow blinking.
"Uh, Champ?" She asked, tilting her head as she let her hair fall, waving a hand in front of him. "You alright there, buddy?"
Jaune quickly blinked, bringing a hand to the back of his head as he flinched. "Oh, sorry." He said, chuckling to himself. "You caught me off guard, that's all. You, um… well, you look good."
Blinking, Yang let her smile grow wider. "Course I do." She said, walking over to softly nudge his shoulder. "And you already know what I think of you. So, I'll ask again, hair down or ponytail?"
Jaune hummed as he stared at her, letting his mouth curl to the side. "Well, I've seen you do both, and you look good regardless. Meh, just let it down." He shrugged, feeling an arm come around his shoulders, a familiar weight leaning against him.
The blonde girl snickered as she dragged him along, leading him through the hallway. "Really laying it on thick today, Champ." She snipped, trying to ignore the tightness in her chest. "What's with that, anyway?"
Jaune curled a brow as he tilted his head, staring at Yang from the corner of his eye. "Not sure what you mean." He shot back, shrugging his shoulders. "I think you look nice, so I said it. Why? Should I not have?"
Sighing, Yang led him through the hallway, bringing a hand to rub the back of her neck. "No, it's fine. Just… I dunno, it makes me feel funny. Was never really good at those kinds of personal compliments." She explained, keeping her eyes on the floor beneath her. "But hey, if you can use something nice and personal with Weiss, I'm sure she'd like it too."
The boy's brows shot up, his lips forming a thin line. "You really think so?" He asked, standing a little taller. "I mean, I don't really know a whole lot about Weiss, honestly. So I don't know what'd work."
Yang snickered, pushing aside the funny feeling in her chest. "Then it's lucky you got me to come help you, right? In case you forgot, I'm her teammate, so I can figure that out for you." It wouldn't be hard either, just a bit of casual observation in her free time.
The twisting hallways of the Beacon's dormitories eventually led to the exit to the building, making way for Beacon's campus. Gone were the red carpets and nice walls, replaced by the open air and greenery, something infinitely better than those stuffy dorms. At least, Yang thought so.
The rest of the trip went fairly typical for their usual outings. A short walk into Vale, take in the sights, enjoy the smells, that sort of thing. The only difference, neither of them had Vale on their minds.
No, instead the pair of blonds traveled through all of Vale proper, rushing across the pier to catch the ferry. The only difference for Yang was having to help her fellow blond deal with his motion sickness. On the bright side, he could always just puke over the edge.
Yeah, Jaune didn't find that as funny as she did.
But the end of the ferry ride was something that Yang always looked forward to. She reveled in the feeling of solid ground beneath her feet, the crisp smell of the ocean finding its place on the sand. The only thing she hated about stepping foot on the pier was the odd flying rat.
She was not a fan of seagulls.
As she took in a nice, long, deep breath, she could hear the sound of Jaune panting as he stood next to her. Standing being a relative term, anyhow. His hands were on his knees, his face was scrunched up, and he was groaning.
Yang couldn't help but laugh as she rubbed a hand along his back, rubbing circles into it. "Aw, is poor Vomit Boy not a fan of the ferry?" She asked, as if she was talking to a toddler. "Does the baby need his pacifier?"
Jaune shoved her hand away with the little strength he could muster, a familiar feeling of his stomach churning. "Hey, how about you deal with your stomach doing acrobatics for half an hour- oh no…" He mumbled, an indistinguishable acidic heat resting on his chest.
The blonde girl curled a brow, wrapping an arm around his as she led him along. "Hey, how about we find you a seat for a minute?" She asked, watching as his head silently nodded. "Okay, sweet, just hang on for a second."
Even if leading Jaune off the pier was a struggle, the relief on his face made it all worthwhile. As Yang found a bench for them to sit on, she heard him let out a deep breath, his arms and legs going limp as his chest rose and fell.
Taking a seat next to him, she watched as he head flung back, his eyes peacefully shut. "Better?" She asked, curling a brow as a small smile tugged at her lips.
Jaune only sighed again, a grin spreading across his face. "Definitely." He mumbled, letting the fresh air fill his lungs. "Have I ever told you how much I hate motion sickness?" He asked, chuckling as he slowly opened his eyes.
Yang couldn't keep the smile from her face as she looked over at him, watching as he brushed the hair away from his forehead. "Nope, but I can tell that you're not a fan." Elbowing his shoulder as she spoke. "Need me to get you a water or something?"
He shrugged his shoulders, sitting up in his seat. "Nah, I'll be fine. Just need a minute to catch my breath." He mumbled, rubbing a hand against the side of his face. Focusing on taking long, slow breaths, he made sure to keep his eyes shut. Just because the world stopped spinning didn't make it any less blurry.
The blonde boxer quietly watched as his chest slowly rose and fell, placing her chin on her hand as she tilted her head. An overwhelming peace took to his face, his muscles relaxing as the seconds passed. She wasn't sure what it was, but seeing him look so calm made her heart rate come to a slow.
"How'd you do that?" She asked, a single brow rising on her face.
Jaune let out a hum as his eyes shot open, turning his head to look back at her. "What do you mean?" Did he do something weird?
He watched as his trainer let out a laugh, looking at the dirt beneath her boot. "How'd you just… cool off like that?" She said, elaborating as she gestured to his face. "I figured it'd be good to ask, being hot headed and all."
A laugh slipped from Jaune's lips as he slumped against the bench. "Oh, that? That's pretty easy, honestly." He started, smiling as he stared up at the cloudless blue sky. "When I get really sick like that, I try to think of home in little ways. Thinking about how I used to help my Mom cook. How I used to help Dad skin some game he'd bring home. Thinking about all my sisters, and the pests they were."
Yang snickered as she leaned against his shoulder, wrapping an arm around him. "Does it ever help when you're angry?" Sarcasm leaking from her voice as her brows shot up. "Well, once every blue moon when you're mad, I mean."
She watched as his brows shot up, his blue eyes owlishly blinking at him. "Uh… you know, that's a really good question." He muttered, bringing a hand to his chin as he leaned forward. "I mean, I try not to stay too mad, you know? Bad for the soul."
Yang only raised a brow, smiling slightly.
Jaune was quick to raise his hands. "N-not you, though. You seem to be making it work just fine." He quickly followed up, awkwardly chuckling. "But to be fair, your way of venting anger - at least, from what I've seen - is more productive than mine."
The blonde girl tilted her head, her brows furrowing as she watched Jaune's eyes trail away. "What do you mean?" She asked, all amusement leaving her voice.
A moment passed, and all Jaune could do was sigh, bringing a hand to the back of his neck. "Well… okay, promise not to laugh too much?" A brow curling on Jaune's face before seeing Yang nod. "When you get angry, I've noticed that you tend to just leave it in the ring. But when I'm angry, I just… I dunno, I take it out on myself. Is that weird?"
Yang patted her fellow blond's back, playfully smirked as she caught his eyes. "Not weird, but definitely not healthy. But hey, the first step to fixing a problem is recognizing it's a problem. That's gotta count for something, right?" She asked, jostling his shoulder as she smiled.
She could go on and on about how blaming himself was a waste of time, but she knew it wouldn't work. Not because Jaune wouldn't believe her, but because it wouldn't matter if it came from anyone else. The only person who could convince him otherwise was him.
Jaune let out a hum as the corners of his mouth dipped downward. "I guess so." He mumbled. "It's just… you know what, no. I brought you out here so we could have a good time, not so that you could listen to me be a buzzkill." He said, quietly laughing as an awkward smile pulled his lips back up. "Just tell me to shut up the next I get like that."
Yang shrugged her shoulders, her brows shooting upward for a moment. "Hey, I don't mind. Besides, even if I'm a little hungry, other things have to take precedence." She shot back. "At least you can talk about your issues. Not a lot of people feel confident enough to do that."
She heard Jaune let out a snicker as a wide grin pulled at his face. "Hey, look at you, using words like precedence. I didn't know you could use words that big." He joked, showing off his pearly whites.
Jaune watched as Yang blinked, a look of confusion coming over her face as he smiled at her. "Uh, did I do something weird?" He asked, tilting his head as his brows scrunched up.
The blonde girl blinked, letting out a hum. "Oh, no! It's just that… Well, you've got a really nice smile." She mumbled, running a hand through her hair. "If you were to give Weiss a couple of those, it'd probably give her something to think about." Yang knew she was thinking about it. Some part of that bugged her.
A laugh slipped from Jaune's lips as his eyes screwed themselves shut, the sound of his voice making Yang smile, if only a little. His laugh was infectious, what could she say?
Trying to shrug off the embarrassment, Yang coughed into her fist, standing up from her seat. "Okay, you're clearly feeling better now, so how about we go find us that diner? I'm starving right now." Her arm wrapping around his as she hoisted him to his feet.
Jaune's eyes went wide as he was abruptly brought to his feet, his stomach tumbling for a moment. "Woah-kay, sure, just don't do that again." He snipped, forcing down the acidic bile that threatened to rise again. "My gut's still not all there yet, but I think I'm good to walk around."
An apologetic look spread across Yang's face, an awkward laugh slipping out. "My bad." Mumbling as she brought him a little closer, keeping her arm around his. "Here, I'll lead the way."
And lead the way she did, pulling him away from the pier and onto one of the many dirt roads of Patch proper. At a glance, Patch wasn't too dissimilar to his home on the frontier. Every building was made of the same wooden material, all of them followed a similar style of architecture, and there was a surprising lack of concrete; The only difference came in the way of lights.
Where Jaune was from, they didn't have dust-powered lights. Sure, they had street lights, but those ran off of animal oil and not a solid crystal worth a few families' bi-weekly income. Even the signs on Patch were powered, every building with something to sell using bright lights and pretty colors to catch the eyes. He would have thought it was really neat had he not been so horrendously jealous.
Dragging Jaune through the street, Yang heard him let out his typical confused sound. You know, the kind where he went 'uh.' "So, weird question, right?" He started, staring at her from the corner of his eye. "Just how does Patch have enough power to, well, power all of this?"
The blonde girl snorted, smiling as she led him along the trail. "I'll get back to you on that when I figure it out." Said Yang, nudging him with her elbow for a moment. "I'm sure it's got to do with how close we are to Vale. Easy to get dust when we've got the ferry, you know?"
A pout came over Jaune's face as he stared at the passing signs, sighing. "Must be nice." He mumbled, walking step in step with Yang. "You get the small community feel with the added bonus of a big city nearby. If I wasn't so jealous, I'd call you lucky."
Before Yang could so much as curl a brow, she watched as the local diner came into view, smiling wider as she pulled Jaune along. "Yeah, well make sure to check that jealousy at the door because we're getting waffles. Trust me, you'll forget all about it in a minute." Excitement leaked into her voice as she picked up her pace.
As Jaune was dragged towards the door, he heard a little bell chime as Yang swung the door open. He nearly stumbled over himself as he followed behind her, trying to keep up with her long strides. Soon enough, he was pulled into a booth, sitting directly across from his excited trainer.
An old waitress swung by to take their orders, but that was cut short by a long-winded - yet simultaneously short - conversation with Yang. He could barely keep up with the pair as they rambled excitedly at each other, but he caught a few words in the maelstrom. Words like: grown, Beacon, leaving, coming back, that sort of thing.
The blond boy blinked as he watched the waitress smile softly, her gray hair carefully done into a bun her notepad sat in her apron. "Yang, darling, you really should have called if you were coming! I'd have set aside your usual for you." Her voice was smooth like honey, but also aged, kind of like a fine wine.
Yang snorted as she waved her off. "Aw, you don't have to do anything like that, Mrs. Amos. Besides, I brought a friend! It wouldn't be very fair to have him wait while I'm eating, right?" She shot back, curling a brow.
Mrs. Amos, as she was called, looked over to Jaune, a knowing smile on her face. "And a boy at that." She snipped back, letting out a hum as her brows rose. "Oh, there's going to be a lot of heartache when word gets out."
Jaune felt a twinge of heat touch at his face as he rubbed his neck. "Oh, no, it's nothing like that. Yang's been helping me train my footwork and hand to hand combat, so I figured I'd take her out to breakfast. Show her my thanks, you know?" He asked, watching as the smile grew on the waitress' face.
"You best keep this one, girly." She said, laughing to herself. "You may have snagged yourself a gentleman."
Yang wasn't sure how her face looked, but her cheeks felt like they were on fire. "...Anyway, can we just get some menus to start?" She asked, forcing a smile as she clasped her hands together, twiddling her thumbs.
The blonde boxer watched as Mrs. Amos brought an old hand to her mouth, standing up a little straighter. "Oh, sure, I'll go and get your friend a menu. I'll be sure to jot down your usual." As much of an old gremlin as she was, it bugged her that Mrs. Amos knew her tastes that well.
Slipping a single menu onto the table, the old waitress walked away, off to the next table. But even with her having left, there was a heavy silence over the table, neither Jaune nor Yang being able to speak.
Jaune's shoulders felt stiff as he stared down at the table, and Yang stuffed her cheek against her palm, staring out the window next to them.
After a moment's pause, Jaune coughed into his fist, forcing a smile. "So… I take it you're a local?" He asked, trying not to let his awkwardness slip. It did, of course; It always did.
Yang slowly nodded, letting out a tense laugh as her eyes flicked to his for just a moment. "Yup, known Mrs. Amos my whole life. She's the closest Rubes and I have to a Nana, free sweets and all. Then again, she was everyone's Nana." She mumbled as she went back to twiddling her thumbs. "All the good and bad that comes with it."
A hum buzzed against Jaune's mouth as he nodded. "Even the embarrassing parts, huh?" He said, laughing as a more genuine smile tugged at his lips. "Now it makes sense why she said what she did. Was she just trying to mess with you?"
The blonde girl shrugged, smiling slightly as she stared back at Jaune. "Probably, knowing her. I've got so many stories about her trying to embarrass me, but I think this one takes the cake." A laugh slipped from her own mouth as she placed her chin against her hand. "But hey, at least you'll have built a tolerance for if people ask that sort of thing about you and Weiss, right?"
Jaune only shrugged, leaning deeper against the booth behind him. "I guess so." He mumbled non-committedly. "But let's move past that for a second. Were there any places you had fun at? When you were growing up, I mean." He said, leaning forward as he smiled brightly.
"Oh man, I've got a couple." Yang shot back, resting her arm along the top of the booth as she smirked. "There's always fun to be had in the woods, but Dad would always get worried. Oh, the beach was always good too!" She yelled out, leaning forward as her smile mimicked his own. "And don't tell anyone I said this, but the beach here blows Vale's beaches out of the water." She followed up in a whisper, hiding her mouth with her hand.
Rolling his eyes, Jaune laughed. "What's so much better about the beach here?" He asked, curling a brow.
Yang looked from side to side, checking to see if anyone else was paying her any mind. Once the coast was clear, Yang leaned forward again, a smirk on her lips. "The beach here on Patch is a lot less crowded, so when you come out with friends, it tends to be pretty private. That, and with less people, less guys to ogle at you, y'know?"
Jaune assertively nodded, a look of understanding taking to his face. "I've never been to the beach, but I've gone swimming with my sisters in pools before." He stated, smiling slightly.
Yang blinked as her smirk fell from sight, her brows furrowing. "Hold on, backtrack a second. You've never been to the beach before?" She asked, gripping the edge of the table. "Like, never once?"
"Uh, no?" He said, staring back in confusion. "Hard to go to the beach when you live in the middle of nowhere. Well, that, and it's kind of hard to get from point A to point B without it being dangerous." There was the other bit that he got jealous about. Being close to Vale meant being close to safety, so they probably never had to worry about long travels.
The blonde girl let out a breath as her eyes went wide, resting a hand against her cheek. "Dude, we've got to get you to this beach some time soon. I'm telling you, it's an experience." The warm sand beneath her feet, the cool waves against her ankles, the ocean breeze, it was all so vivid to her.
Snickering, Jaune rolled his eyes. "I'm sure it is." He said, letting the sarcasm roll off his tongue. "But I should really get to reading this menu."
Yang blew raspberries as she waved him off. "As if, I can just order for you! Besides, I know the menu like the back of my hand, and I doubt the prices have changed. Just let me handle that part." She said, smirking as she leaned against the booth, crossing her arms.
A moment ticked by, and all Jaune could was let out a breath. "Alright," he started, holding his hands up. "I'll let you pick for me. Just don't go feeding me rat poison, alright?" He joked, chuckling to himself.
Mrs. Amos eventually came back, taking their orders along with serving them whatever drinks they wanted, though they both just settled with milk. After all, what goes better with waffles than milk, right? Not long after, the pair was busy munching on their breakfast, having trouble keeping the noises of euphoria that slipped from their mouths to themselves.
For Jaune, it was because he hadn't had waffles in ages. In a dorm room with Nora, anything other than pancakes for breakfast was tantamount to heresy. As for the Patch native, Yang was just happy to be tasting the familiar sweetness of home, savoring its every sweet second.
Their plates didn't last long, both of them having been far more occupied with their sugary foods to even bother thinking about conversation. By the end of breakfast, all they had left was their plates, silverware, and the syrup stuck to the plate.
Jaune let out a sigh as he sank deeper into his seat, a serene smile on his face. "Oh man, this was such a good idea." He mumbled, his dopey grin stretching from ear to ear. "Can you imagine eating like this every day? That'd be… heavenly. There's just no other word for it."
Yang snickered as she rested her head against the window next to her, resting her hands against her stomach. "Yup, nothing beats Mr. Amos' cooking. Unless you throw my Dad in the mix, then it's complicated." A laugh slipped from her lips as she ran her hands through her hair. "Thanks for letting me choose the place."
Shrugging, the blond boy waved her off. "Thanking you would defeat the purpose if I couldn't do something in return, you know?" After all, she was training him and helping him improve as a person. What kind of guy would he be if he didn't return the favor? "Have I shown my thanks enough, or do you want me to throw a shoulder massage into the mix too?" He joked.
A single brow rose on Yang's face as she smirked. "If that's something you could do, that'd be awesome." She snipped back, bobbing her eyebrows. "Can you actually do that, though?"
Jaune nodded, blinking all the while. "Well, yeah. I think you forget, I've got seven sisters. When you're one of two guys at the house, you learn to just help where you can." Besides, it helped get rid of their bad moods when they came around, so he didn't mind.
Yang stared at the blond boy across from her, only to sigh as she scratched the sides of her head. "Remind me why you haven't gotten a girlfriend yet?" She asked.
She watched as he put a hand to the back of his head, awkwardly laughing. "It's really not that special." He mumbled, smiling to himself. "And can we please not talk about why I haven't gotten a girlfriend?"
Yang ran a hand down her face, shaking her head as she stared back at Jaune. "Well, either way, neither of us have classes, and I haven't got anything else to do. Are you in a rush to get back to Vale?" Because if he was, she could always put what she had in mind on hold.
A hum left Jaune's mouth as he tilted his head. "Uh, not really?" Sure, he could always go and study for the next exam, but he was sure he'd be fine. "Why do you ask?"
Yang felt a wide smile spread across her face. "How's about you and me go and take a nice, long walk through the forest?" She asked, leaning forward as she clasped her hands together, resting her chin on them. "Figured a little hike after breakfast would be fun. How about it?"
A second ticked by, then another, then a third, and all Jaune could do was nod. "So long as we take it slow for a bit, I'm game." The last thing he wanted to do was lose his lunch, er, breakfast. Whatever.
Before Yang could respond, she heard the sound of shoes clacking against the tile floor growing closer with every step. Turning her head over her shoulder, she watched as Mrs. Amos walked towards them with a smirk. Yeah, she felt that growing excitement in her chest shrink a bit.
As Mrs. Amos stopped at their table, she let out a giggle. "How was breakfast, children? Did my hubby do right by you?" She asked, a playful smile tugging at her lips.
Jaune only slumped in his seat, quietly laughing as his hands rested on his stomach. "Oh, absolutely." Mumbled Jaune, the slow fatigue of having eaten a meal setting in. "I can see why Yang would want to come here."
Yang could only laugh, pushing her empty plate away as she leaned back. "Glad to know you see it my way now." She snipped, smiling as she watched Jaune slink further down his seat. "But yeah, thanks for actually feeding us, Mrs. Amos. What do we owe you?"
The lovely old lady rolled her eyes, squinting as she smiled wider. "For today? Nothing." She said, dusting her hands off her apron before going to pick up their plates. "I got my money's worth just from teasing. I'm sure my hubby won't mind none, so long as you make sure to come back again. The both of you, hear?"
Before Yang could shoot the older woman a look, she heard Jaune let out a laugh of his own. "Just so long as we can actually pay for the meal next time." A sigh left his lips as he sat up. "Wouldn't want to take advantage of anyone's hospitality."
Mrs. Amos shot Yang a smug look, her brows bobbing all the while. "My, my, Miss Xiao Long, not only is he a gentleman, he's polite too." She teased, turning away for a moment. "Does your old man know about him? Because if not, I'll keep my mouth shut."
"There's nothing to know." Yang snipped, crossing her arms as turned to look out the window, if only to hide her discomfort. "I'm not some little girl who can't take care of herself. Besides, Champ's good people, so there's no harm in it." Why was she even humoring that? It's not like her Dad would care about the friends she made now.
But Yang's words had no effect, leaving Mrs. Amos to only smile wider. "That's what I said about my hubby too. When my Pa got to asking questions, I mean. Don't worry, you won't hear me going around and blabbing about it." She said, walking away with the dirty plates as her shoes clacked against the tile floor.
A heavy silence hung over the table for a brief moment, Jaune being too busy staring at his lap while Yang looked out the window. What was there for him to say? It felt like the more they hung out, the more chances there were for people to confuse just what they were. Was it so strange for a guy and a girl to just… be friends?
If it was, then he must have been a weirdo his entire life.
Yang let out a sigh as she ran a hand down her face. "Okay, I guess we should just be happy we didn't have to split a bill today, huh?" She asked, smiling at Jaune as a hint of pink lingered on her cheeks. "So, how's about that hike?"
Jaune patted the table twice, letting out a breath. "Yeah, this place is starting to feel a little suffocating." He shot back, awkwardly laughing as he pushed himself to his feet, shuffling out of the booth.
Yang followed him out of the booth, leaving a space between her and her fellow blond as she made for the door. There it was again, that weird uncomfortable feeling. It felt heavy, like she couldn't breathe as she marched towards the door, the sound of her heart beating against her ears. Teasing from Mrs. Amos never felt so heavy in all of her life.
As the blonde boxer swung the door open, a bell chimed, making way for the fresh air outside of the diner. With the door closed behind her, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes. In through the nose, out through the mouth. It didn't help, but she figured it wouldn't hurt to try.
Jaune, for his part, only stuffed his hands in his pockets, standing next to her at the door. "You uh, you doing okay?" He asked, curling a brow. "You're looking a little green there."
Pushing out a breath, Yang opened her eyes, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Whether it was for stability or for the sake of just being close, she didn't know. "Just a little… uncomfortable, I guess. I'll be fine though." She mumbled, pulling him along as she started to walk down the dirt path. "You don't mind that I just wrap my arm around you, do you?"
Jaune hummed as his brows shot up, shrugging. "I dunno, I'm used to it at this rate. My sisters were never too big on emotional affection, so they just did this sort of thing instead." It was a lot easier to think about Yang that way. "So in a twisted kind of way, it feels like I never left home. Get what I mean?"
Blinking, Yang couldn't help but snicker, shaking Jaune's shoulders. "I figured a guy like you would have wanted to get away from home, having that much family." She said, curling a brow as she smirked at him.
She watched as a smile crawled onto Jaune's face. "Oh, don't get me wrong, I miss my family every day that I'm gone." He said, the sudden feeling of Jaune's hand resting on her shoulder. "But with friends this good, it's easy to remember that they're fine without me. That, and even with them saying that they wouldn't mind me coming home, I'm not in a rush."
Her shoulders tensed as she felt his hand properly settle on her, but after a moment, she relaxed. There was something to it that she couldn't quite explain. It felt weird. She was so used to giving it out, but receiving it felt so different. Just a simple gesture, knowing that someone else was there.
The dirt paths gave way for the forest, eventually losing itself beneath the weight of the greenery. But even still, Yang knew exactly where she was going, her eyes searching for marks along every tree as leaves crunched beneath her boots. The familiar fresh air, the gentle breeze, the quiet that only the forest could provide, it was all too comfortable.
But whereas Yang felt at home, Jaune felt… he wasn't sure how to describe it. It was familiar in the way that all forests are, tall trees and comfortable shade covering them from the sky above. But all the same, it wasn't a forest he was familiar with, and that only made him feel weird. It was a forest, and a beautiful one at that, but it wasn't his forest.
Soon enough, Yang had led them to a creek nearby, the sound of the running water filling their ears as they walked alongside it, following it up-stream.
"So, uh," Jaune started, chuckling. "You do know how to get back to town, right?" He asked. Granted, she probably did, but he didn't want to be surprised if she didn't.
Snickering, Yang only shook her fellow blond's shoulders. "Of course I do." She said, nodding her head as she pulled him along the creek. "I wouldn't just drag you out here without any way of getting back, you know?" Besides, it wouldn't have been productive. Just her and Jaune, alone in the middle of the forest.
No, she had a destination in mind.
Soon enough, the creek led them towards a more open area within the forest, wide open space in another cramped place. But the glade itself was hardly worth noting alone. No, instead, Yang let her vision focus purely on a shed in the shade of a massive tree.
It was rickety, old, and poorly constructed, but it held up over the years. Sure, the first few attempts were rough, but she wasn't about to let it teeter over without her having a say in it. So, she always put it back together, making it a little more stable as time went on.
She heard a laugh slip from Jaune's lips. "Well, that's a funny looking shed, for sure." He mumbled, smiling as he stared at her from the corner of his eye. "Don't suppose this is what you dragged me out here for, is it?"
Yang, for her part, only shrugged as she pulled her arm away from his shoulder. "Who's to say?" She shot back, smirking as she made her way towards the old shed. "Not exactly like I had a plan to come here, but some things just work out like that." Yang was never big on plans, honestly. They either got her hopes up too high, or disappointed her too much when they failed.
Stepping towards the shack, brought a hand to rest on the small door knob, its previous shine now dulled with age. Giving it a twist, Yang pulled it open to reveal its insides, makeshift shelves and bookcases lining the walls as a pair of bean bag chairs sat together. It smelled of aged dust and dirt, and as she stepped through the door, she ran a hand along the wall, the dust sticking to her fingertips.
She could only sigh, rubbing her fingers together as she stepped towards one of the bean bag chairs, flopping onto it without an ounce of grace. Yang watched as Jaune followed soon after, taking a seat in his own bean bag seat.
"Gotta say, it's far from pretty." He started, looking around the small shed. "But it's homely for sure. Did you and your Dad build it?" He asked, curling a brow as he turned to look at Yang.
Yang snickered, slinking deeper into her seat as she crossed her arms. "Nah, it was just me." She said, a level of calm that she didn't know she could possess taking to her voice. "I must have built it when I was… eight or nine, maybe? Used to come here to store all of my favorite goodies." Comics, toys, accessories, they were all in some box stuffed away in some corner of the shed. One of them, anyway.
Whistling, Jaune stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Must've taken you a while to put it together. I've had to put my hand into a fair couple of building projects back home, and those weren't easy either." He said, staring up at the roof, noticing a couple of cracks between the boards. "Must've been just as hard to keep the roof from leaking."
A laugh slipped from Yang's lips as she shoved his shoulder. "Hey, I was, like, nine. Cut some slack, alright?" She said, smiling wider as she watched Jaune smile back. "So, you worked construction for a bit?"
Jaune only shrugged. "Hard to call it working when you do it for family. I wasn't exactly paid, but it helps to have skills in that field, I guess." He mumbled, indifferent to the whole thing. "But man, I would have killed to have my own shed in the middle of nowhere."
"What, so you could hide your nudie mags growing up?" Yang joked, smirking as her brows shot up. "Don't worry, I don't judge. Every growing boy has his moments."
Jaune rolled his eyes, pushing her shoulder before falling deeper into his bean bag chair. "Shut up." He muttered, a tinge of pink dusting his cheeks. "Besides, I never had any of those; Was never really my thing. If anything, I'd have liked to just have somewhere to hide from family for a few hours. Somewhere with a door lock, preferably."
One of Yang's brows fell, confusion taking hold of her face. "You never had a lock on your door growing up?"
"Oh, definitely not." He shot back, chuckling to himself. "I hardly ever had privacy, and it wasn't like I could hide in my room all day, so I'd always get dragged around. Whether it was my sisters, my Mom, or Dad, it was always something."
The blonde girl let out a breath as her brows curled upwards. "I'd say it sounds rough, but it's honestly not that bad compared to the Huntsman training, right?" The grueling hours of studying, training, and fighting, plus all the stuff that Jaune had to deal with back home? "No wonder you've got it rough. It sounds like you barely had any time to train."
Jaune awkwardly laughed as he brought a hand to the back of his neck. "Yeah, well… you know how that goes." He mumbled, shrugging his shoulders. "Always had to skirt by the skin of my teeth. But hey, I made it! It's gotta count for something, right?" The guilt building up in his chest as he spoke.
Yang felt her mouth pull into a smile. "Ain't that the truth." She shot back, crossing one leg over the other as she brought her hands to rest against the back of her head, laying against her bean bag. "So… weird question, right? But what did you do during your free time? You know, hobbies and stuff."
Blinking, Jaune slumped deeper into his own seat. "A whole lot of nothing, really." He started, shrugging his shoulders. "I really didn't get a whole lot of me-time, and the time that I did get was spent on sleep. Helping around the house, taking care of my youngest sisters, going out and helping my Dad work while he was in town, then helping my Mom with dinner- work piled up, is what I'm saying."
The blonde girl nodded, her smile dipping for a moment. "Well, at least you're at Beacon now. And with all that free time, you can actually pick up a hobby." She said, nudging him lightly with her elbow. "So, c'mon, you've gotta have something in mind, right?"
Something in mind?
Bringing a hand to his chin, Jaune hummed to himself. "I mean, I always wanted to try my hand at an instrument, you know?" He said, rolling his wrist. "My Uncle on my Mom's side, he used to be really good at guitar, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever."
Yang snickered as she curled a brow. "You wanted to be a rockstar, Champ?" She asked. "I never took you for someone with that kind of ambition."
A laugh left Jaune's lips as he scratched the back of his head. "Nah, nothing like that. Just wanted to be as good as my Uncle, if only so that I could have something that I was good at." He shot back, shrugging his shoulders. "I figured, maybe if there was something I was good at, people would like me for being good at it. That people wouldn't just look at me as my Dad's son, you know?"
Humming, Yang's brows furrowed slightly, a frown taking to her face. "There's not really any need for something like that, Champ. People already like you enough as you are." She said, staring at him as his eyes flicked towards the ground. "At least, I like you as you are. You don't need to be special just to be special to someone else, you know?"
Jaune awkwardly laughed as he ran a hand through his blond hair. "And I know that, I do. I'm blessed to have the friends that I've got, but I was talking more in the way of… women, you know?" From what he understood, women liked it when a man had many talents. At least, that's what Dad always told him.
Yang paused, staring at Jaune for a moment as she snickered. But her snickering didn't stop, breaking out into full laughter. "Aw, you mean you're doing it for girls? What, have you not had your first kiss or something? No village girls you were sweet on?"
His brows furrowed as his lips curled to the side, staring at the dusty floorboards. "None that ever liked me back." He said gracelessly, shrugging. "But I'll be honest, there weren't many girls that I liked at that point. Most of the women I talked to growing up were friends of my sisters, and they were always older than me by a few years."
Yang's lilac eyes blinked with curiosity as she tilted her head. "Uh, weird question, but did they happen to be the sort of tall and graceful beauty types?" She asked, curling a brow. "Pretty words, long strides, nice face, that sort of thing."
Jaune shot a confused look towards Yang, his eyes squinting as he tilted his head back. "Y-yeah, actually. Uh, why do you ask?"
A smirk pulled itself across her face as she pulled one of her legs to her chest, resting her head on her knee. "Oh, so kinda like Weiss?" She asked, bobbing her brows. "Did your taste for graceful women come from your older sister's friends? Maybe got hooked after a quick kiss and a few glances?" She joked, bobbing her brows faster.
Scoffing, Jaune rolled his eyes. "Hardly. If anything, they ended up treating me like I was just some younger cousin, which is fine. I mean, I was maybe fourteen at the time, and they were punching up around twenty-something, so it'd be weird otherwise." He shot back, shrugging his shoulders.
But Yang's smug expression stayed its course. "I dunno," She started, tilting her head as her eyes squinted further. "That sort of thing could awaken something in a growing boy. You sure that's not the reason you like the quiet and graceful type?"
Memories briefly flashed through Jaune's mind for a moment, his face quickly changing shades as he ran a hand down his face. "It better not be." He mumbled, his brows knitting themselves together. "Can we please move on from this?"
Yang laughed as she placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him lightly. "What, why?" She asked, smiling as she watched his head shake from side to side. "Does thinking about pretty women hurt your head or something?"
Brushing her hand off his shoulder, Jaune's mouth curled inwards as he stared at the floor. "A little, yeah. And being around them isn't any easier." He said, his shoulders tensing up. "In case you couldn't tell, I haven't exactly gotten far with any of the women in my life. It's a little embarrassing, actually. You've got everyone around you developing relationships, and then there's me."
The blonde girl blinked, staring at the side of his head as Jaune slumped deeper into his bean bag chair. "Wait, seriously? You've never kissed a girl or anything like that?" She asked, leaning forward as she clasped her hands together. "Not even once?"
Jaune shot her a sidelong look. "What do you think?" He snipped, his mouth curling into a frown. "I mean, it doesn't really bother me or anything. It kinda sucks being the odd one out, but it's not like it'll kill me or anything." He mumbled. Relationships were a weird thing to him, because he never really saw himself as good enough for them. Hard to like someone else when he could hardly like himself.
Some part of Yang felt a little surprised. Jaune was someone with incredible potential, sure, but he was still someone worth noting beyond just his potential. He had his charm, dorkish as it was, a nice smile, and simply being around him was fun. Besides, he was a Huntsman-in-training, and those were pretty popular around normal girls. Just how could Jaune have not had any relationships before Beacon?
"Are you sure it doesn't bother you? Not even a little?" She asked, curling a brow as she watched his head turn to face her. "Because, you know, we can talk about it a little if you want."
Jaune sighed, his eyes closing for a moment. "It does, but it's not like I can't learn on the go. Besides, I'm quick on the uptake, so I'll be fine." So what if he was a kissless virgin? That didn't stop him from trying! Yeah, who cares about that sort of thing anyway? Not him, that's for sure.
Yang's eyes trailed over his face, not failing to notice how he shoved his hands into his pockets, a faint smile on his face. "Have you ever wanted to try?" She asked, shifting her body to face him properly. "Kissing, I mean."
His eyes quickly flicked towards her, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Uh, I mean, maybe? I think about it, sometimes, but it's not something I consciously think about trying, you know?" He awkwardly fumbled, failing to find the concise words he was looking for. "What I'm trying to say is… I guess?"
It was only now that Jaune was actually conscious of how close to her he was. She was shoulder to shoulder with him, her face was less than a few feet away, and her lilac eyes felt like they were piercing into his soul. His mouth felt dry as he stared back, watching as her eyes traced over his face.
Yang's mind felt like it was buzzing with a million thoughts. What was she doing? What was she about to say? Would it even matter? Should she even say anything? It all felt so confusing, like she was lost in a sea of her own thoughts.
So, she opted to speak without thinking instead.
"Do you want to try?" She asked, her face blank of all expression. Her question didn't mean anything, really. After all, she was curious.
Jaune paused to look at Yang from the corner of his eye. The way she blinked, the way her head tilted to the side in curiosity, the sheer innocence of the question, something about it made him feel weird.
So he tried to laugh it off. "I've thought about it, sure." He said, rubbing the back of his head. "Why? Don't tell me you're offering?" He joked, leaning very heavily on the sarcasm. After all, he didn't want her to think he was serious or anything.
Yang let out a hum as she brought a hand to her chin, a familiar tightness in her chest. Okay, when she accepted to help Jaune get together with Weiss, she figured that he might have already had a little bit of experience, right? But if he hasn't even so much as kissed a girl, how would he do if he had to kiss Weiss?
Then again, Yang couldn't imagine her prissy teammate kissing anyone, but it was a thought all the same.
"Well…" She started, her leg bobbing as she thought to herself. "You do plan to date Weiss, don't you?"
She watched as Jaune blinked back at her, curling a brow. "That is the plan, yeah." He said, nodding to her.
Yang pushed out a breath, hoping to ignore the way her heart pumped against her chest. "Then doesn't that mean that you plan to kiss her at some point?" She already knew where she was going with her question, but that didn't make it any easier to ask.
Jaune felt his heart rate pick up for a moment, but he tried to laugh it off again. "Well, yeah, I guess." He mumbled, a lingering warmth touching his face. "But I figured I'd take my time with that sort of thing. No point in rushing it, right?"
The blonde boxer sighed, a twinge of relief washing over her for the moment. "Well, I'm glad to hear that you're not anxious about it or anything." She mumbled, smiling as she ran a hand through her long hair. "If you were, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. It would've been weird."
Thank God she didn't have to offer to help him practice, you know, kissing. That was something that she was sure she'd fumble at.
An awkward laugh left Jaune's lips as his heart thumped against his chest. "Y-yeah, it probably would have. I mean, could you imagine that, you trying to help me with that sort of thing? " He asked, shoving his hands into his pockets as he focused staring at the closest wall. "It'd be weird, right?"
Some part of Yang agreed, of that she had no doubt. But another part of her spoke without thinking. "A little, yeah. But if it helped you with Weiss, then it wouldn't be too weird." Why did she say that? "Besides, friends help friends all the time. What's so different about kissing?" Better question, why was she still talking?
"It's way more intimate?" Jaune shot back, curling a single brow as he looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Don't get the wrong idea, Yang, but I don't want to… you know, make things awkward. You're already helping me train, plus the mock dates, and if you throw that on there? Well, things might get iffy."
Yang quickly nodded, crossing her arms as she tried her best to shrink in on herself. "Oh yeah, for sure, I get that." She started, staring at the floorboards beneath her. "But you did ask me to get you ready for going out with Weiss, and that's one of those things that you do. If you don't want to, then it's fine. I just want you to be ready, you know?"
The blond boy turned his head to properly look at Yang. The way she sat in her bean bag chair, her long legs crossed over one another, the way her shirt rode just high enough to give him a peek of her midriff, or how her golden hair contrasted so wonderfully with the chair itself, it nearly made him question his sanity.
Because he had to be crazy to say no to such a generous offer.
He watched as her eyes quickly caught his, peering into his soul. Whatever words he wanted to use failed to find his tongue, his mind far too occupied with exploring her features. Even if he wanted to look away from her, he was sure he couldn't.
Yang was hardly any better, her heart loudly pounding against her ears. Oh man, she'd really done it out. Why did she have to be so stupid? Now Jaune probably thought she was easy or something. It probably didn't help that she already had a reputation, despite its lack of truth.
But even so, she wasn't sure if she could just back off now. Sure, it'd be a first for her, but Jaune was in the same boat. It's not like he would be able to notice it, right? Besides, she promised that she'd help Jaune with getting ready to date Weiss, so it wasn't like she was going to back out now.
So why was it so hard for her to move?
Slowly, ever slowly, Yang brought her hand up, if only to brush his cheek. She half expected him to pull away, but as she pressed it against his warm skin, he stayed where he was. Did that mean that she could go ahead? Was she making a mistake?
Leaning forward in her seat, she shuffled over to face him properly.
Jaune slowly blinked as he stared at the blonde beauty, feeling her hand press against him. It was calloused, rough even, but he supposed that was to be expected. Even still, he couldn't bring himself to pull away.
Just what was wrong with him? This was his friend and hand-to-hand trainer! He couldn't just take advantage of her kindness like this, right? Even if she was the one offering, it felt… disingenuous of him to accept. Like he was just using her to feel a little better about himself.
So why was it that he couldn't just say no? Why was it that he found himself shifting slightly to face her properly? Why was his heart pumping so fast? Just what was it that made him lean into the warmth of her breath as it tickled at his face? What was it that made him sit dangerously still as he felt the tip of her nose bump into his?
The sudden sound of a scroll obnoxiously ringing filled the silence, the pair of them blinking as Yang patted at her pockets. "Uh, hang on, lemme get this." She said, awkwardly laughing as she pulled away. As she flicked her scroll open, her sister's face took up a fair portion of her screen, sighing as she accepted the call. "Hello?"
"Hey, Yang!" Ruby's voice came over her scroll. "I managed to get Blake and Weiss together for some team training! You wanna come?" She asked, oblivious to the fact that her sister had nearly done something crazy.
"Uh… sure. Yeah, I can make some time." Yang mumbled, her thoughts jumbled up as she came down from whatever it was she was doing. "I'm gonna be honest with you, Rubes, you caught me at a weird time."
A brief silence came over the line. "Oh, my bad. Did I catch you doing anything important?" Ruby asked, and Yang was sure that her sister was tilting her head.
Yang sighed as she shrugged her shoulders. "Listen, can I call you back a little later?"
"Yeah, sure! That's cool with me." Her sister said, her words rapidly leaving her mouth. "Alright, well, I'll let you get back to your thing then. Talk to you later!"
The line soon went dead, leaving Yang holding her scroll to her ear before flicking it shut. Her eyes flicked towards Jaune, her shoulders stiffening as she gave him an awkward grin. "I, uh… sorry. I got a little lost in the moment." She mumbled, scratching the back of her head. "But yeah, when it comes to kissing and stuff, I guess that's the closest I can get to giving you an example."
After a moment of silence, Jaune let out a deep sigh of relief. "Oh, so that's what that was." He said, chuckling to himself. "You know, I'm gonna be honest, you really got me there for a second." And here he thought that she was actually going to kiss him! Then again, Yang was a known tease.
Yang awkwardly chuckled as she brushed off her shorts, smiling all the same. "Well, I had to make it seem real for you, you know?" Yang lied. "Either way, my sister reserved a training room for the team, so I've got to go handle that." An apologetic tone filling her voice.
Jaune blinked, only to smile back. "Hey, that works just fine for me. I've probably got to get back to my own team anyway." He awkwardly stumbled through his sentence, trying to ignore the heavy thumping of his heart. "But hey, it was fun to just hang out for a change."
Snickering, the blonde boxer shoved his shoulder. "You act as if we don't already hang out. Training counts as hanging out, you know." She said, wagging a finger at him. At least, she thought it counted. "Today was definitely great though." Her words came off much softer than before.
Before Jaune could get a word out, he watched as Yang pushed herself to her feet, wrapping an arm under his before pulling him up. It was long before either of them were walking out of the shed, through the woods, and back through Patch. It was a quiet walk back, mildly uncomfortable for no other reason than because neither of them knew what to do.
And it was on the ferry that Yang had a lot of time to think. To think about why her chest felt so tight, or why she felt so nauseous. Or maybe even why she felt so dissatisfied.
Just what was wrong with her?
Okay, that's gonna do it for now. I'd say I'm sorry for being gone for five months, but I'm gonna be frank, you should've seen it coming. I did say I was going to update and post at my own rate and all. At least, I'm pretty sure I did? Meh, I'm too lazy to check anyway. Either way, all you guys have gotta know is that this chapter and the next chapter are already done and ready.
So yeah, feel free to follow, favorite, review, whatever really tickles your fancy, really.
Either way, a new chapter should be out next week, on April 16th. Hope you guys enjoy that one too, because things pick up a little faster from there on.
Anyway, that's all for now. Ciao, y buenas noches.
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