The morning after was a bit of an awkward affair, with both Jaune and Yang having to untangle themselves from one another. It was a silent act, really. But the rest of the morning was fairly average, with the both of them getting started on their day, being the same as it was the week before.
They slowly dragged themselves off the couch, stretched, and flipped a coin to figure out who'd be making breakfast that morning. Truth be told, it hardly mattered considering the winner of the flip tended to help, regardless of the result. After breakfast, the pair brushed their teeth and took their showers; Separately, of course.
Honestly, the strangest thing about the day was the fact that they were packing their things away, getting ready for the long, loud ride back to Vale. But they couldn't just leave in the morning, because that would be too easy. They still had to clean up the house, then make sure that the car was actually going to survive the trip across the frontier, only to then finally get started with the drive.
That meant even more final checks. Jaune already hated them, and even if Yang didn't, she was starting to.
It took them well into the afternoon before they started moving. Honestly, Yang was just happy to be in the car and on the road again, even if it was deafening. But she tried to make conversation, if only to remind herself that things were still good.
So, the two talked for hours. They talked about the car, about the future, what Jaune would like to replace next, what Yang would want to do when she graduated, things like that. It didn't really have to mean anything to either of them, just so long as they were talking. There was an odd comfort in that, knowing that they could just talk about nothing.
Those hours passed like a blur, bringing them before the massive city of Vale. It was dark enough that the cracked moon was visible, but not so dark that they couldn't see the road ahead without headlights.
Yang stretched her hands above her head as she yawned. "Oh thank God, it's finally over." Yang mumbled, quietly whining as she slumped further into her seat. "If I have to take another trip like that within the next few years, it'll be too soon."
Jaune couldn't help but laugh, cruising towards Vale proper. "I told you we should've thrown on a muffler, but no. We had to go as soon as possible." He could barely hear his own thoughts over the sound of the rumbling engine. "Either way, I'm just glad to be close to safety."
Yang barked out a laugh as her hand jostled his shoulder. "Blondie, you forget, I'm a Huntress. When you're with me, you'll always be safe!" She yelled out, sitting up in her seat as she crossed her arms. "I may not look it, but I was one of the best fighters in Signal."
Yang watched as his mouth curled sideways, his brows furrowing as he shrugged. "Not to say that I don't believe you or anything, but I find it a little hard to believe." He shot back, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. "You just don't strike me as the kind of girl to be… violent, I guess. Sure, anger issues and all that, but you don't seem like you'd go out on a limb to hurt someone."
Blinking, Yang brought a hand to her neck, quietly chuckling. "Well, I'm glad to know that I can at least come off as normal." She mumbled, her voice masked by the rumbling engine. "Either way, I'm not exactly training to fight people. Grimm are a lot easier to just let loose on, you know?"
Soon, the dirt path made way for asphalt, the tires of the pre-war car leading them through the streets of Vale. It was late enough for the street lights to be on, neon signs and flashing lights lighting up the dark asphalt in a variety of colors.
Before the driver could open his mouth, he heard the sound of a scroll chiming, barely coming out over the rumbling engine. From his peripheral vision, he watched as Yang dug through her pocket, pulling her scroll. "Oh, it's my Dad!" She yelled, a half-smile on her face. "Mind if we pull over for a sec? Need to take this."
Jaune only shrugged, easing his foot onto the brake as he looked for a decent spot to park. He was just thankful that the frontier roads fed into Central, so it wasn't too hard to find a spot. Easing into a parking space along the curb, Jaune brought Old Grumpy to a complete stop, pulling the handbrake as he turned off the ignition.
Yang answered her call as soon as the engine shut off, bringing her scroll to her ear. "Y'ello?" She asked, her smile leaking into the tone of her voice.
"Hey, sweetheart." Her Dad's voice came over the scroll, an exacerbated tone lingering in his voice. "How was your trip to the Frontier? You're not coming back home with more people than you left, are you?" Of course she wasn't! Why would she ever bring Jaune's granddad with them?
Rolling her eyes, Yang let out a sigh. "The trip went well, thanks for asking. We mostly spent all of our free time fixing up Jaune's beater of a car, but hey, at least it runs!" She exclaimed, throwing a hand up. "Though, uh, we couldn't get everything done. There's still little things that need doing."
"You mean like my muffler?" Jaune asked, curling a brow as he chuckled.
Yang sent a pointed glare at him as she held a hand over the input of her scroll. "Yes, like your stupid muffler." She snipped, only making him laugh harder. "We had to drive back to Vale without a muffler, so you can imagine just how loud that was."
A sigh came over her scroll. "Sorry to hear that, but… you didn't happen to get into any legal trouble while you were out on the Frontier, did you?" His voice carried a twinge of concern as her brows furrowed.
"No?" She asked, her eyes widening despite the crease between her brows. "At least, I don't think I did. Jaune, did we break any laws while we were on the Frontier?"
Jaune only shot her a deadpan look, a single brow rising on his face. "It's the frontier. Hard to enforce Kingdom-wide laws when we're so far away." He shot back. "But if we did, it's not like anyone was there to know about it."
Yang heard a groan leave her Dad's lips, a loud smack following soon after. "Then it sounds like the wrong daughter's in jail." He said- wait, what?
"What do you mean wrong dau- Ruby's in jail?!" Yang shouted, holding her scroll in front of her. "I was gone for a week!"
Blinking, Jaune felt his jaw fall as he stared at Yang. "Ruby's in what now?"
"Not important!" Her Dad yelled out, his voice coming clearly through her scroll. "I'm still on Patch, and I honestly don't think I'll be able to pick your sister up and make it back to the ferry. Can you and… the boy go pick up your sister?" He asked, speaking through gritted teeth.
Running a hand down her face, she looked at Jaune from the corner of her eye, bringing her scroll down for a moment. "Do you think we could go pick up-" She started, only to see him bring a hand to his keys.
Jaune only stared back at her, a serious expression taking to his face like a moth to a flame. "Just tell me where I'm going and we'll get your sister to the ferry." He cut her off, turning the key in the ignition as the engine rumbled back to life.
Nodding, Yang brought her scroll back to her ear. "Jaune and I'll go pick Ruby up. This is just- ugh!" She yelled out, thumbing the end call button on her scroll as she shut it and stuffed it back into her pocket. "Head straight and take the third left up ahead."
The drive to the police station was silent and tense, a complete opposite to their drive to Vale. But what else was Yang supposed to do? Her sister was in jail for crying out loud! And worst of all, she didn't even know why!
But she kept it to herself, her leg bobbing as she directed Jaune through the streets of Vale. Yang was okay if she landed herself in jail, but Ruby? That sort of thing was like asking for trouble, and she would know. Trouble was something that Yang was good at getting herself into.
Soon enough, the police station came into view, the low rumbling of the engine cutting off as Jaune found a parking spot on the curb.
Without a word, Yang pushed open her door, standing up from her seat as she marched towards the door of the police station, leaving the door wide open. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't the slightest bit concerned. But what could he do in a situation like this?
So, Jaune did the only thing he could, leaning over and closing the passenger side door before going back to twiddling his thumbs. But that didn't mean that he didn't stare at the door of the police station, his foot tapping against the floor of his Celica.
He was just thankful that the wait didn't last, watching as Yang dragged Ruby out by the forearm, pulling her towards his car. Jaune could see that they were exchanging words, but he couldn't exactly hear them. All he knew was that Yang's hair looked like it was steaming.
As Yang pulled the door open, Ruby's loud complaining bled into his ears. "I didn't do anything wrong though! I was just-" She started, only to be completely cut off.
"Just get in the car." Yang said, her voice carrying a heavy, even tone. It was almost monotonous. "We'll talk about it on the way home, just get in for now."
With a sigh, Ruby stepped into the back seat, plopping down as she let her head fling back. Yang, for her part, only folded the passenger seat back into place, taking her seat and slamming the door closed.
"Hey, easy." Jaune chided, shooting her a pointed look. "You'll end up tearing off the door doing that." He said, but whatever other complaints he had died as he watched Yang's eyes turn red. As in, literally red.
Huffing, Yang pulled her seatbelt on, hearing it click into place. "Just drive, Blondie." She said, her words carrying a weight that made him uncomfortable.
So, Jaune did as he was told, slowly pulling away from the station and following the road ahead. He knew where he was, and he knew where he was going, just not the fastest way to the ferry. Suppose the road will decide for me. He thought.
As the police station disappeared from his rearview mirror, Jaune let out a sigh. "Well, glad that's done with." He mumbled, looking at Yang from the corner of his eye. "You okay? You look a little…" There wasn't a word to describe it.
Yang's normally blonde hair looked like it was seconds from catching fire, judging from the small trails of steam that stemmed from her hair. Her typically pretty lilac eyes were replaced by a dark red color, her lip twitching as she stared at the road ahead.
"I'm fine." She mumbled, letting out a deep breath as she clasped her hands together. "Just- Ruby, how did you land yourself in jail? Should I not have taken you to the car meet?" Her words carried a certain sting as she looked over her shoulder, watching as Ruby shrunk in her seat.
"No! I didn't go to jail, I was taken in for questioning!" She yelled out as she crossed her arms. "I was at a robbery with this weird ginger guy and a bunch of guys in suits. Figured I'd visit this dust store in Central before going home." Her words growing quiet with each passing second, shoulders tensing as she tried to hide herself with her hood.
Yang paused for a moment, turning her seat to look Ruby in the eyes. "Wait, guys in suits? Were they using red swords? Red shades and ties, shit like that?" She interrogated, her glare growing more intense as the seconds passed. "And what were you doing in Central this late? You know you're not supposed to-"
As a stop sign came into view, Jaune eased his foot on the brake. Coming to a complete stop, he put a hand to Yang's shoulder, shaking her lightly. "Hey, easy. Ruby's had a stressful night from the looks of things, no need to make things tougher than they already are. Better to just be happy that she's safe, right?" He asked, curling a brow as he watched her red eyes look towards him.
Even with her wrathful gaze resting on him, he kept eye contact, not letting a sliver of emotion touch at his face.
A sigh left Yang's mouth as her shoulders slumped forward, her pupils returning to their previous lilac color. "I… You're right, as much as I hate to admit it." She mumbled, sitting back in her seat as she ran a hand along the back of her neck. "Sorry, Rubes, didn't mean to give you the third degree there."
Ruby hummed as she nodded, bringing her knees to her chest. "It's fine, I get it." She said, the full weight of her fatigue coming to rest on her shoulders. "But uh, something neat did happen while I had to deal with all of… that."
Chuckling, Jaune slowly put his foot on the gas, bringing the forward. "Oh yeah? Something more neat than surviving a robbery, huh?" He asked, curling a brow. "Do tell."
The redheaded girl shuffled in her seat as she looked to her sister, curling a brow. When she got a nod back, Ruby couldn't stop herself from laughing. "So I may or may not have run into the Deputy Headmistress of Beacon while I was getting robbed." She said, an awkward smile on her face. "Oh, she was so cool, too! She was using this weird whip thing, and there was rubble going everywhere, and it was- It was just like magic!"
Blinking, Jaune failed to find the words for what he heard. The Deputy Headmistress of Beacon, huh? Must've been nice to be saved by someone that prestigious, he supposed.
But Yang? She had no trouble openly laughing about it. "No way! You're pulling my leg!" Yang yelled, a smile crawling onto her face as she looked back at her sister. "Next thing you're going to tell me is that you met Headmaster Ozpin."
Ruby only giggled, a smug look of satisfaction on her face as she stared back at her sister.
"No." Yang muttered, her brows returning to a neutral state as stared at her little sister. "You did not meet Headmaster Ozpin, I refuse to believe that."
"Uh huh!" Ruby yelled out, leaning forward in her seat to show off her scroll. "And even better? I got to sign some documents with him to get into Bea… Uh, Beatle academy..?" She stumbled over her words, staring at Jaune as if she was going to faint.
But Jaune's face was deadpan, focusing entirely on the road ahead. "You're going to Beacon too then, huh?" He asked, turning at the next corner as he slowly drove towards the pier. "Well, I'm happy for you. That makes two people in my life that are going now."
The young redhead's eyes flicked between the two blondes, letting out an 'uh' all the while. "So… you already told him about that?" She asked, curling a brow as a smug smile pulled at her lips. "Just what were you two up to on the Frontier?"
In a moment of pure patience, Yang settled for simply pushing Ruby back into her seat, scoffing. "We fixed the car up and did a lot of talking, that's all." Yang snipped back, shrugging her shoulders. "Eventually, Beacon came up in conversation, and I couldn't keep my mouth shut. It's as simple as that."
Ruby blinked as she sat back in her seat, staring at the back of her sister's head. "She didn't do anything to you, did she?" Ruby asked, looking at Jaune's eyes through the rearview mirror. "Because if so, I can tattle on her to Dad."
A laugh left Jaune's lips as he watched Yang's brows scrunch together, a hint of red coloration on her cheeks. "No, nothing like that. We got to talking about the future, and she ended up asking why I moved to Vale. I said I wanted to try my hand at Beacon, and they never sent me a letter back. So, here I am, working minimum wage in the big city, living the dream." Sarcasm bled into his voice, but that didn't affect the smile on his face.
Driving through the relatively empty streets of Vale, he watched as Ruby sucked air in through her teeth. "Oh. Uh, I'm sorry." She mumbled, curling in on herself. "I figured maybe you were here for work, you know? Like a normal person typically is."
Jaune only shrugged, taking another turn as the asphalt road made way for cobbled brick, cruising into West Bank. "Well, I am now. Just because I couldn't make it to Beacon doesn't mean I can't wish you both the best." He said, watching as the light from the shattered moon danced along the ocean's surface. "I mean, I'm jealous, sure, but not nearly enough to throw away a relationship this good. This is something that you stumble upon once in a lifetime, you know?"
Ruby leaned forward in her seat as a hum left her lips, grinning widely. "A relationship, huh?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. "Not a friendship? Not a companionship, even? Just… a relationship?" Her words carried a hint of curiosity, but it was buried beneath a dozen different layers of smugness.
In response, Jaune could only turn to his fellow blonde, silently pleading for help.
Yang rolled her eyes, smiling to herself. "Like I said, Ruby has no friends, so she's got no idea what a real friendship looks like." She joked, turning to look back at her sister, only to watch as her silver eyes deadened. "Don't worry, though, I'm sure she'll make some friends when we get into Beacon. Probably."
"Don't say probably!" Ruby yelled out, her face matching her namesake as she glared at her sister. "I'll… I'll definitely make friends, you know? I mean, I might not have my friends from Signal, but that doesn't mean I'll be friendless!"
As the ferry came into view, Jaune let out a quiet laugh. "I'm sure you won't be, Ruby." He said, smiling genuinely as he closed the distance between them and the ferry. "With a girl like you going to Beacon? I'm sure you'll be the talk of the campus."
Ruby's face contorted as she felt the car come to a complete stop, staring out her window to see the ferry. "Ugh, don't remind me." She mumbled, gripping the hem of her skirt. "The last thing I need is for everyone to treat me like I'm a kid while I'm at Beacon."
Yang laughed as she let her door swing wide open. "Yeah, that's what I'm for." She snipped, smirking as she stepped out of the car, pulling a lever on her seat to make it swing forward. "Come on, let's get you back to Patch before Dad has a heart attack."
Jaune watched as the younger sister piled out of the back of his car, a red block-like apparatus strapped to the back of her waist that he hadn't noticed before. "Yeah, your old man sounded kinda stressed when he called your sister." The driver cut in, laughing all the while. "But seriously, you guys stay safe, y'hear?"
The sisters nodded, giving him a smile back. But as Yang closed the passenger door, she leaned against his car, gesturing for him to roll down the glass. So, he did. "So… There's still a few days left before your big race. Think you're still going to need extra hands?"
"Are you offering?" Jaune asked, curling a brow as he stared back at her. "Because I'm going to be honest with you, if you want to come work on it with me, I'm always up for extra help. Just, you know, give me a call ahead of time."
Yang positively beamed at the statement, her eyes dancing mischievously as she stood up straight, crossing her arms. "It's a date, then." She joked, laughing as she wrapped an arm over her sister's shoulders. "Just make sure you don't wreck on the way home, okay? I'd hate to do all those repairs any time soon."
Before he could so much as get a word in, he watched as Yang led her sister towards the ferry, her long strides making it hard not to stare. That was one of the things that really bugged him about Yang, honestly. She was pretty enough to be distracting, but not so pretty as for him to only think of her as pretty. She was still drop dead gorgeous, but his mind more than did enough rationalizing for him to look past it.
So why was it that as he rolled up his windows, watching the ferry leave, he felt himself let go of a breath he didn't know he held. "A date, huh?" He asked, sarcasm filling his voice as he laughed. "I really don't like it when she says stuff like that." A smile on his face as he kept laughing.
All that remained was a loud ride home, thanks to his lack of a muffler. But even with all the sound, it still felt quiet. Being alone with his thoughts was both a silent, yet very loud affair. He was only glad that he didn't have to bear with it for long, pulling into his apartment complex, coming to a complete stop, and pulling his handbrake.
As soon as he found his way into his apartment, he flopped onto his mattress without a care in the world, rough as it may have felt. Even sleeping on the couch back home was better than his mattress, but he hardly cared at this point. Because for the life of him, he couldn't get rid of that bubbly feeling in his chest.
His last week had been more than great, it was fantastic! His car was better than ever, he caught up on some socializing, and… well, his friendship with Yang felt better. If that made any sense, anyhow. All he had to do now was wait for the race with Denver and see where things went from there.
But as he laid against his mattress, a white-sheathed blade in the corner of his room caught his eyes. It didn't get rid of his bubbly feeling, but it conflicted with it. He wouldn't be a Hunter, that much was obvious to him. But just because he wasn't a Hunter didn't mean he brought shame to his family or its legacy.
It just meant that there was something else for him, right?
A smile touched his lips as he let his eyes flit shut. "I'm sure I'll figure something out." He mumbled, getting as comfortable as he could, using his arm as an impromptu pillow. "I have to. Things are too good now to just let it all go to waste."
Sleep came easy to the young Arc that night.
The next four days went as quickly as they came, like the blink of an eye. But just because they went quickly didn't mean that they were boring or eventless. No, because Jaune found himself doing what he spent the last week doing.
Working on his car.
Of course, he wasn't alone in that. Some part of him was thankful about that, honestly. Truth of the matter was that Jaune couldn't remember the last time that he honestly felt alone. The last few days were marked by some visit or another from Yang and her sister, should Ruby have felt like going.
There wasn't much to really say when it came to working on his car though. He managed to go out and buy a muffler and some new tires, and with Yang's help, he got them on his car with little effort. If anything, Jaune was just glad to not have his car blowing his eardrums out.
And every day, just after he finished working on his car with Yang, they always went somewhere to grab a bite. After all, it wasn't like he could just invite her in. His apartment was messy and slobbish, his fridge was empty, and… well, he was embarrassed. Embarrassed that he was barely making it through life alone. He didn't want her to see that part of him.
So, they went and got food, talking and joking regardless of where they went. It was never really meaningful conversation, but it didn't have to be. Just so much as being around her and talking about nothing was infinitely better than sitting around his dark apartment. Was that wrong of him to say? That Yang and her presence brightened his days?
Maybe. Either way, those days ended the way they started, always at the ferry, exchanging brief goodbyes until the next visit. A part of him wanted to offer to help pay for her tickets on the ferry, but he had the feeling that she wouldn't care for that very much. So, he said nothing, watching as Yang took the ferry every night before he took his slow drive home.
Yang was a huntress in training. He had to remind himself of that every night that he watched her walk away. She was a young woman who dedicated herself to fighting monsters, and here he was, some random nobody with a car that she thought was neat. Yang could be doing anything else, and instead, she chose to be around him.
He knew why she did, because how could he forget? But all the same, he felt like he wasn't… wasn't worthy of her friendship. All she'd ever done for him was bring him up, elevate him beyond a position that he deserved to be in. Shoot, even thinking about his last race, she shared betting money that she rightfully won with him. The same money that he used to pay for all of his parts, to pay for his food, and to pay for his rent.
What had he done for her? Was there anything that Jaune could think about?
And every time he thought about it, he came up blank. The only thing he had to offer was his friendship, and despite knowing that she took it, he felt like he could still do more. There had to be something else, right? Some way for him to pay her back tenfold!
If there was, he didn't know it.
Soon enough, the day of the race came by, and all Jaune could do was step into his car, take a deep breath, and start driving. He picked Yang up at the ferry, watched as she sat next to him, and felt a familiar warmth spread across his chest as he watched her beam at him.
As he traveled through the streets of Central, slowly inching towards the rolling hills of Northern Vale, he heard Yang laugh as she kicked her feet. "Oh man, this is going to be great!" She yelled out, throwing her arms up as she smiled brightly. "I'll get to watch you beat Denver twice, and I'll hopefully get even more betting money from it!"
Jaune laughed as his hands tightly gripped at the wheel, traveling along the streetlight-lined roads. "Careful with saying things like that." He snipped, curling a brow as he watched the road. "Saying I'll win before I start the race is bad luck. Besides, I'm not even sure if my old beater can outpace his Horch."
Yang blew raspberries as she crossed her arms, but her smile remained. "Please, as if Denver's girly car is going to beat Old Grumpy." She said, emphasizing her point by thumping the door next to her with her fist. "Grumpy looks like he's been through a million different battles. Your race with Denver's just going to be another notch to mark down on the victory board."
The blond driver could only roll his eyes. "And just like that, I think you've doomed us." He mumbled, chuckling as he drove towards Northern Vale, the rolling hills being dotted by houses that he could never dream of affording. "Are all huntresses in training as overconfident as you, or are you just a special case?"
The young huntress only shrugged her shoulders. "You know, I'm not really sure." She shot back, a brow curled on her face. "I mean, a lot of the girls I knew from Signal were pretty confident in their looks, but beyond that? Nah, not really."
"Just you then, huh?" Jaune snipped, snickering to himself.
A fist collided with his shoulder, but it was hardly hard enough for it to hurt. Yang made sure of it. "Shut up, Blondie." Yang chided, crossing her arms as she huffed. "Besides, can you really call it overconfidence if I believe in you that much?" He'd done more than prove to her that he can race, so why should she stop believing in him now?
His smile faded away, making way for his confusion. "I'm not sure if I've ever given you that much reason to believe in me though." His words quietly left him as he turned at the next corner. "I haven't given anyone much of a reason, honestly."
The only sound that could be heard in the car was the sound of the engine rumbling, slowly climbing through the hills of North End. The houses were beyond luxurious, they were downright wasteful. He couldn't imagine ever living in a house that big, honestly. Just what would a guy be able to do with that much room anyhow?
But the silence didn't last for long.
Yang sighed, shaking her head. "Then don't ask me for a reason, just know that I believe in you. You're going to beat Denver so hard that he's going to have to throw in the towel for good, you'll see." She said, a smile tugging at her lips as she briefly jostled his shoulder.
Watching the smile climb Yang's face made it hard for Jaune to not return one in kind. So, he did so in earnest, letting his heart pound against his chest as he slowly closed in on the arranged meeting place. He still wasn't sure what he did for Yang to believe in him so much, but he supposed it didn't matter now.
He didn't care about winning, honestly. But seeing Yang get so excited, knowing that she wanted him to win right now? It was infectious. If he won, he might be able to go back home with a pocket full of lien and a bit of an ego boost. If he lost, oh well, it wasn't like he was really losing anything, right?
Yang leaned forward in her seat as she pointed a finger at an upcoming corner. "Take a right up here and we should be at the spot." She said, an easygoing tone filling her voice.
Taking one final turn at the corner, Jaune found himself staring at dozens of cars parked parallel to the sidewalks, a small crowd formed along said sidewalks. Slowly gliding down the streets, he couldn't help but feel an innumerable amount of eyes following his car. He watched as a trio of figures stopped out into the street, all of them more than a little well dressed. Cole Denver, flanked by both Meridian brothers, Henry and Braun.
With a sigh, Jaune brought his Celica to a slow stop, pulling the handbrake and sticking it in first gear. "Well," he started, a grim expression on his face. "You hear the music. Time to dance." Bringing a hand to the door handle before popping it open, stepping out.
Standing to his full height, Jaune heard the passenger door open, watching as Yang followed soon after him. Gone was her usual smile, replaced by an unnatural calmness. At least, to him. Stepping towards the trio, Jaune stuck his hands into his pockets, trying to ignore the feeling of his heart rapidly pounding against his chest.
It didn't help that he could feel nearly a hundred eyes follow his every movement.
As he got closer to the trio, he watched as Denver crossed his arms, brows high as a smirk crawled across his face. "You know, I'm actually surprised you bothered showing up tonight." Denver snipped, a toothy grin spreading his lips wide. "Even more surprising is the fact that you managed to drive it here at all, don't you think?"
Shrugging, Jaune didn't bother showing any emotion. "What can I say? It took a lot of work to get it to work as it does." And it was true. All those countless hours of scavenging parts, fixing them up, working with Gramps, it was a lot of work. But working with Yang? It made that work mean something more. "Have you ever felt that feeling? Working on your car with your own two hands? It's therapeutic, honestly."
From where Jaune was standing, he could see Denver roll his eyes. "Something like that." He shot back, shrugging his shoulders. "I pick the parts, others make it work. The engine, the transmission, even the seats, I picked all of them for the sole purpose of being the best. And I'm not going to have that taken from me by some lousy street rate." An obvious heat in his voice as he glared daggers at the blond boy.
The blond driver snorted, his brows shooting up as a smile tugged at his lips. "The more things change, the more they stay the same." He mumbled, shaking his head. It felt like no matter what, everyone wanted to be the best on the track. "I don't care about being the best or whatever, so keep your dumb title. But I'm just here to give you a chance to let us bury this and walk away."
Yang's brows furrowed as she turned to look at Jaune, confusion more than a little apparent on her face. "Wait, what?" She whispered, leaning close to his ear. "I thought we were here to beat this asshole?"
But Jaune shrugged off her comment, watching as Denver went silent, staring at him with a tilted head. A chuckle slipped from his mouth, but it soon turned to a laugh. "Oh, I see how this is." He started, raising a finger as he began to pace, keeping eye contact all the while. "You- you think you're going to just embarrass me and walk away? That I'll just let you back out now that you've got to use your own car?"
The blond boy blinked as he felt a crease form between his brows. He didn't even know who Denver was until a week ago! Why would he care to embarrass him now?
Before Jaune could speak, he felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder. Turning his head, he watched Yang take a step forward, glaring at the trio ahead. "He's giving you an out, Denver." She started, crossing her arms as she looked down her nose at him. "This isn't a fair race and you know it. Save what little pride you've got left and walk away."
Disbelief covered Denver's face for a moment, but a smile quickly replaced it. "I suppose you're right. This race really isn't all that fair, is it?" He asked, stretching his arms out to his sides. "I mean, that old Pre-War's got nothing on a top-of-the-line Horch when it's stock. But I'm feeling generous, so I'll just mark it as my win and we'll call it even."
Yang watched as her fellow blond deadpanned, to which she could only shake her head. "Must be nice, being able to spend Daddy's money on a whole bunch of parts like that." Yang snipped, rolling her eyes. "But for all the parts you've got, there's one thing you'll never buy."
"And what's that?" Denver shot back.
"Driver mods." Yang explained, a smirk tugging at her lips. "The only nuts that matter are the ones between the seat and the wheel. Talent's well and good, but Jaune's been racing the Frontier Rallies." She said, jostling the aforementioned driver's shoulder as she bragged for him. "So yeah, go ahead, hop in your car and lose this race. But remember that Jaune gave you an out."
Clicking his teeth, Denver grimaced, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Whatever you say, tits-for-brains. Braun, I'm going to need your help doing some last minute checks, would you mind?" He asked, turning to the taller of the two Meridian brothers.
The pair of blonds watched as the trio walked away, marching down the street and towards their equally auspicious cars.
Sighing, Jaune ran a hand through his hair. "You know you didn't need to go out and do all of that, right?" He asked, curling a brow as he stared at Yang from the corner of his eye. "Last thing I need is to be picking fights right now."
But Yang only shrugged, smiling as she stared back at him. "Oh relax, Denver's all hot air. Besides, he was clearly asking for it, and I just told him the facts as I knew it." Denver was talented, of that there wasn't much doubt, but Jaune had skill. "Even with his fancy princess car, I think Old Grumpy will pull through."
Some part of him wanted to be a little more annoyed, but when Yang smiled at him like that, he couldn't keep himself from smiling back. "I don't doubt that, but I'm still worried about the rear-diff. Uphill won't be so bad, but the downhill's going to be tricky." He mumbled, scratching his chin. "Man, I really miss driving on dirt. Things were just so much more simple back then."
"Relax, Blondie." Yang said, shaking his shoulder as she laughed. "Just keep a level head behind the wheel, and you'll be fine. Besides, you've already beaten him once! A second time should be no sweat." Of course, this race and the last were a little different, but the fundamentals were the same. Two drivers get on the track, and one of them wins.
Before Jaune could arch a brow in response, he heard the sound of loafers clacking against the asphalt beneath. Turning to search for the source, Jaune watched as a man in a maroon suit and dark slacks stepped towards them.
"I wouldn't be too sure." Raz cut in, shaking his head as he stopped by the hood of the Celica. "The last time Jauney here was on the track, it was flat ground with sharp turns. But this time, things are a little different. You're not just fighting angles, you're fighting gravity." He said, shoving his hands into his suit pockets.
Chuckling, Jaune raised a hand to wave at the red-headed man. "Hey, Raz. Didn't think I'd be seeing you today." The blond boy snipped. "Did your wife tear into you for being out too late last time?"
Yang watched as the redhead rolled his eyes. "You're a comedy genius, kid. Just don't go thinking you should quit your day job." Sarcasm oozed from his voice as he stared back at them, obviously unamused. "And as a matter of fact, she did. Quite a lot, actually. But I love her to bits, so I bear with it."
Snickering, Yang brought a hand to her mouth. "Aw, that's cute. Does she also set your bed times?" She joked, a smirk riding her face as her brows shot upwards. "Because if she does, you might be getting yelled at again."
Raz smiled, his own brows rising in response. "Well, she does tend to call me to bed every once and a while, but that's a healthy thing for a relationship." He snipped back, chuckling to himself. "Vacuan women have an interesting way of showing love, let me tell you."
Watching Yang gag, Jaune rolled his eyes as he laughed. "Well, be sure to spare us the stories of your love life. Considering that Yang picked a fight for me," he started, fully aware of the glare she shot him. "I think it'll be best if I just focus on the race for now."
The red-headed man nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "Oh, I'd hardly go out of my way to talk about that. That's something you kids will find out about when you're older." Raz sarcastically quipped, smirking to the pair of blonds. "Either way, I figured I'd come out and wish you both a little luck. Besides, I've got a pretty little lien riding on this one. Here's hoping it pays out, huh?"
"Ooh, that reminds me!" Yang cut in, slamming a fist into her open palm. "I've got to go make myself a little bet. You want in on this, Blondie?" She asked, thumbing towards the crowd, a sharp dressed man with a clipboard standing out among them.
Jaune only shook his head. "I'll pass. Gambling was never really my thing anyway." He said, laughing all the while. "Besides, Gramps would tan my hide if he found out that I was gambling on my own races." And he wasn't just saying that as a hypothetical.
The buxom blonde only shrugged her shoulders, smiling. "Okay, suit yourself. You boys stay out of trouble until I'm back." She said, walking away with a wave as she made her way to the crowd. Yeah, Jaune would be lying if he said his eyes didn't follow the light sway of her hips.
Jaune felt an elbow nudge against his side as he heard Raz laugh. "So, what's the story between you and the biker queen?" His voice carried a teasing tone as his brows rose. "Did you sweep her off her feet the night of the meet or what? I didn't exactly get a whole bunch of details."
He couldn't help but frown, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Nothing like that, honestly. Yang helped me out when I was in a bad spot, and we've been friends ever since." Jaune explained, his shoulders tensing slightly. "Besides, as great as she is, I don't think she likes me that way. There's a whole world of difference between us, and I'm not sure if crossing it would do either of us any good."
Raz's amused expression faded, replaced by something more solemn. Resting a hand on Jaune's shoulder, he lightly shook him. "Hey kid, sometimes what's bad for the moment is good for the future. How long have you been friends with the girl anyway?" Now, maybe he was just being nosy, but it was better than letting things get awkwardly quiet.
Smiling, the blond boy chuckled. "It has to have been a little more than a month now, but I'm not really sure. All I know is that she's made my life a lot less lonely." He mumbled, staring towards the crowd as he watched Yang speak with the betting organizer. "Besides, whatever it is you're thinking about us just wouldn't work. I'm some broke nobody from the middle of South End, and she's… she's amazing."
Jaune heard the older man snort, pulling his hand away as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a green pack of cigarettes. "You know, I'm not sure how much I've spoken to you about my wife, but I've said some very similar things about her." Raz said, popping a cigarette into his mouth as he pulled out a lighter. "Do you, uh..?" He flicked an extra cigarette out of the pack and held it out to him.
Jaune stared at it for a moment, only to let out a sigh. "I shouldn't. Gramps always said that I'd be better off not picking up such a nasty habit." He said, only to then blink as he watched a brow rise on Raz's face. "No offense, of course."
Chuckling, Raz pulled a lighter from his coat pocket, sparking the end of the cigarette. "None taken, kid. Besides, your old man is certainly right about it being nasty." The end of his cigarette burned brighter for a moment as Raz took a slow drag, pushing out a breath of smoke. "But it helps take the edge off when things are tense. Anyway, would you mind me imparting a little wisdom before I leave you both to your business?"
Jaune's brows shot up as he tilted his head. "Hey, I'll take what I can get. It's hard to come across free help." Jaune joked, chuckling to himself.
The smile on Raz's face fell as he took another drag from his cigarette. "...This whole thing between you and Denver, it's not a first for him. You might have your rally experience, but Denver's been on asphalt for longer. In a case like this, gravity will be both your best friend and your worst enemy." Raz grimly said, pulling the cigarette from his mouth to flick away the piling ash. "Be careful, watch for over and understeer, and most of all, stay safe. The last time Denver and I got into an ego race like that, I- well, it wasn't pretty."
The blond boy swallowed the growing knot in his throat, nodding. "I'll try and keep all that in mind, thanks." He mumbled, staring down at the asphalt beneath his feet. "It's funny, though. It still hasn't really settled in that I'm in another ego race now. Then again, it's hard when I haven't really got any stakes in it."
Raz laughed, clapping the young man on the back. "Then race for money, race for attention, race for something! Just make sure that whatever you're racing for, it matters." Race for what mattered? How could he race if he didn't know what mattered? "Hell, you can even race for the thrill of going fast. No one would judge you for that."
Humming, Jaune's brows knitted together as he glared at the ground. "I'm not much of a racer, honestly. This whole thing, it's not something I ever wanted." He said, surprised by how much spite filled his voice. His face softened as he sighed. "It's just hard to build that motivation when there's nothing there for me."
Jaune could feel Raz's eyes staring at the side of his head. But that feeling faded as the red headed man flicked his cigarette away, crushing it beneath his shoe. "Then don't race for yourself." Raz shot back, shrugging his shoulders. "That blonde girl, Yang, she seemed more than happy to see you race Denver again. She's even betting on you."
Jaune's blue eyes flicked up to catch Raz's, a smirk on the older man's face. "Are you trying to imply something?"
Raz only raised his hands in surrender, an easygoing smile on his face. "Hey, all I'm saying is that it'd probably mean a lot to her if you won. Financially and otherwise." He said, laughing as he scratched the back of his head. "That, and someone needs to show Denver that he can still lose. It'd mean a lot to me, too."
Before Jaune could so much as curl a brow, his eyes caught the sight of Yang walking back towards them.
Sighing, Raz pushed himself away from the old Celica. "Welp, I think I should go get comfortable for a bit. You kids don't do anything I wouldn't do." Sarcasm filled his voice as he walked past Yang, not noticing how she curled a brow. Before long, he disappeared into the crowd, probably hiding behind the betting organizer.
Yang thumbed over her shoulder, confusion evident on her face. "What's his deal?"
Jaune groaned as he dragged a hand down his face. "Let's just say that Raz sat me down for a little talk about my life." He mumbled, trying to ignore the heat in his face. "But he mostly kept asking about how you and I met, stuff like that."
Snickering, Yang found a spot to lean against Old Grumpy, standing shoulder to shoulder with her fellow blond. "Was it the same drill that Ruby kept pushing, or was he just being nosy for fun?" She asked, staring at him from the corner of her eye.
She watched as Jaune shrugged, shaking his head. "No clue, honestly. But he kept making all sorts of insinuations." He said, sighing to himself. "I guess it's just impossible for people to believe that we're friends, huh?"
Humming, Yang's mouth curled to the side as she stared down at the ground. "You know, it's kind of getting annoying. Hearing people say that we look like we're, you know, dating and stuff. Like, do they know something that we don't?" She asked, curling a brow as she huffed, running a hand through her golden mane. "It's just embarrassing."
Jaune let out a breath of relief, slouching a little as a smile climbed his face. "Well, I'm glad to know I'm not exactly alone in that. And here I thought I was being a weirdo." He jokingly snipped, nudging Yang with his elbow. "Either way, how much did you go and put down with the betting organizer?"
A look of surprise came over Yang's face, only for a sheepish grin to take its place. "Let's not worry about how much money I put down, okay? I don't want to put any pressure on you." She said, crossing her arms as her shoulders tensed. "Just make sure you win and everything should be fine."
Scoffing, Jaune rolled his eyes. "Yeah, no pressure." He mumbled, stuffing his hands back into his pockets. "So, just what am I supposed to expect out of this? I know his angles are pretty whatever on flat tracks, but how does he do on the decline?"
Yang sighed, releasing the tension in her shoulders. "Much as I hate to admit it, Denver's no slouch on the down hill. He's got some neat tricks, and I was there for a lot of them. But so long as you can keep up with him on the uphill, I'm sure you'll pass him." She knew he could.
"You put too much faith in me." Jaune shot back, his eyes trailing over towards Denver, silently watching as he popped the hood on his Horch. "There's a lot of things that can go wrong, and I'm not sure just how much of it is preventable. So keep an open mind, okay?"
Jaune felt an arm sling around his shoulders, listening as a giggle left Yang's lips. "Not gonna happen, sorry, Blondie. If you're going to be so negative about it all, then I'm just going to have to be the positive one." She snipped, smirking up at him. "Besides, a bad attitude is just as bad as losing a race. If you start the race feeling like you'll lose, it's all you're ever going to do."
Yang watched as the blond driver smiled, snickering to himself. "What's the deal with everyone trying to drop wisdom bombs on me today?" He mumbled, shaking his head all the while. "It's not like this is some major part of my life or anything. Actually, where was all this advice when I was a kid? I really could have used it back then."
Yang shrugged, chuckling to herself. "If I could have been there, I think I would have liked to hand it out. Means we would have been friends for longer." She said, her words barely loud enough to reach his ears. "Just… you don't even have to believe in yourself. Leave that part to me, okay?"
Jaune blinked as he stared down at the blonde girl, his brows shooting up. Well, he already didn't have much stock in himself, truth be told, so that wasn't too hard. But leaving it all to Yang?
Did he really feel like he could stand to let her down?
Groaning, dragged a hand up his face, swiping back his hair for a moment. "Okay, fine. I'll try my best." He reluctantly muttered. "But don't go thinking that I'll just win. I'm hardly even the best guy back home, and now I'm fighting on uneven terrain. Besides, I don't even know the track!" How was he expected to beat Cole Denver in an ego race when he hardly knew where he was going?
Gears slowly began to turn in Yang's head as she stared back at Jaune. Her eyes widened as a smile spread from ear to ear. "You might not, but a certain someone here does." She shot back, her brows bobbing. "Who'd have thought that riding along with Denver would pay off someday, huh?"
Biting the inside of his cheek, Jaune hummed. Having Yang in the car seemed like a no-brainer at first, but it complicated a few things. He'd have to quickly get accustomed to the slight shift in weight, not to mention the extra work he'd be putting into the tires. Was he really confident enough to say yes?
"I don't know." He started, bringing a hand to the back of his head. "I mean, don't get me wrong, this sounds great, but I'm just not sure if the wei-" A brow slowly rose on Yang's face, her smile dipping. "Uh… you know what? Yeah, sure, let's do it." Jaune may not have been confident with her in the passenger seat, but he sure wasn't confident enough to open up that can of worms either.
"Sweet!" Yang exclaimed, punching a fist in the air as she smiled. "Alright, then if I'm going to be in the passenger seat, we're going to have to go over some pretty important part of the track. There are some pretty risky turns, and I'd like to fill you in on them before-"
Her words were cut off by the sound of a car horn going off. As the pair of blonds looked over, the watched as Cole Denver stepped out of his Horch, waving a hand as if to hurry them.
Yang returned the gesture with her favorite finger before looking back at Jaune. "Welp, looks like I'll have to explain as we go. Time's up." She said, glaring at the silver Horch. "But that's fine. If anything, I think I'll actually feel better telling you as we go. Just listen to my calls and we should be fine."
Jaune snickered, trying his best to ignore the anxiety slowly building in his chest. "As if I'd ever have the heart to ignore you. I know better than to do that." He joked, weakly laughing to himself.
Pushing himself away from his car, Jaune stepped around the hood before finding his seat, wrapping his hands around the wheel. Hearing the sound of the passenger door swing open, he watched as Yang took her seat next to him. Was it bad for him to say that he'd gotten used to it? It was almost comforting, really, seeing her sat next to him.
With a turn of the key, the Celica roared back to life. It didn't take long for Jaune to pull alongside Denver's Horch TT, watching as a sharply dressed man stepped out between both cars. All that came now was a few final checks, being handed off a scroll, and a nod.
Yang, taking the scroll with the map into her hand, stared at it intently. "Well, it's not the worst it could've been." She mumbled, slightly smiling to herself. "Alright, I think we've got this one."
Chuckling, Jaune flexed his hands against the steering wheel. "Glad to know that optimism never fades." He shot back, a shaky smile touching his lips. "But seriously though, thanks for being here. I don't think I'd be able to stay calm if I was by myself."
The blonde girl rolled her eyes, gently slugging his shoulder. "Hey, don't get all mushy on me now." Yang snipped, smirking at him. "Besides, if I want any chance of winning my betting money back, I need you to win this race. What better way to do that than keeping your head in the game?"
Jaune paused, staring at Yang from the corner of his eye. You know, some part of him felt a little more at ease, knowing that the reason she was in the car with him was for money. If Yang was allowed to be a little selfish for the race, then he supposed he could be too. But just why was he here in the first place?
The sharply dressed man raised an arm, a flashlight in his hand. He looked towards Denver's car, nodding, only to then look towards Celica. Jaune waited for a moment, nodding at the organizer as he brought his foot to hover over the clutch.
A second past, then another, followed by a third. The only thing Jaune could hear was the sound of his Celica's rumbling engine, this one more powerful than the last. And as the flashlight flicked on, the sound of tires screeching filled the air as both vehicles lurched forward.
Before long, the pair of cars were charging from their flat starting point towards the uphill, the track illuminated by the orange hues of street lights. Second gear, third gear, they both went by in a blur as Jaune chased after the Horch TT. The Celica's engine roared as he pressed deeper against the accelerator, following Denver through the countless uphill curves.
But after every turn, every corner, Jaune was barely able to keep up. It wasn't much of a surprise, honestly. Even with all of his Celica's new parts, it was still old. Its body could only handle so much, and the suspension was pushing itself as Jaune slammed on the gas to just keep the distance.
After every turn, Jaune could physically feel the shift in gravity, his body working against him. With every press of the pedal, his back pressed deeper against the seat behind him. His mouth felt dry as he stared at the tail lights of the silver TT, his heart pumping loudly in his ears as sweat lined his forehead.
Just a little longer. He just had to get to the crest of the hill.
But even with that knowledge, it felt like Denver was gaining on him after every corner. Every time he checked for the Silver TT, it felt like it was further and smaller than before. Jaune's grip tightened on the wheel as he desperately clawed for every inch of ground, shifting gears as he heard the sound of the RPM peaking.
It felt hard to breathe, like an invisible hand was grasping at his throat. Why was he even here, racing in the middle of North End? He didn't care for pride or ego, and he was sitting on enough Lien for a few months. So why bother? He could just let off the accelerator and let the Silver TT disappear into the night.
For a moment, he lost himself, nearly missing an upcoming corner. His tires screeched as he swerved into the corner, physically feeling the grip on his tires slip. It was only through a bit of luck that managed to even out, but Denver was all but gone.
The Silver Horch was still within view, but Jaune had no chance of catching up on the uphill. He'd be a fool to think otherwise. After all, the old Celica was just that; Old. Even with the new engine, he didn't stand much of a chance. Something about that lit a fire in him. Jaune spent more than a week rushing to change everything out in his car, and all he had to show for it was second place.
But before he could sigh and let off the accelerator, Jaune felt a hand grasp at his shoulder. He didn't dare look over, but he just knew that Yang was disappointed in him. How could she not be?
"Come on, Blondie." She said, her voice cutting out over the rumbling engine. "The only nuts that matter are the ones behind the wheel. The crest is just up ahead."
"So what if it is?" Jaune snapped, his brows knitting together as he stared at the Silver TT crest the hill, disappearing behind it. "He's too far gone now! I don't even know what I'm doing!"
"You're not supposed to!" Yang yelled, her head snapping to look at him. Even from the corner of his eyes, he could see a look of determination on her face, clear as day. "Racing is something to get away from it all! To cut loose and have fun! Just let go!"
And as they crested the hill, it felt like time came to a pause. For one brief instance, Jaune could see the whole city, thousands of lights shining in the distance. It was the first time that Jaune felt like he could actually breathe since the race started. Even with Denver so far ahead, it didn't feel like it mattered. Denver may have had horsepower, but horsepower didn't matter here.
Because the only thing that mattered was gravity.
Then came the drop, the sudden shift in speed and gravity pushing Jaune all the way against his seat. His heartbeat wasn't nearly as loud as before, feeling the stress roll off of him as the first corner closed in. All it took was a slight adjustment of his wheel, shifting down a gear before tapping at the gas as he glided through the turn.
Even the way that his tires screamed felt quieter, more controlled. It took less effort to build up speed, letting the world around him do most of the work. Turning his wheel took less work too, only making slight corrections as he bobbed and weaved through the bends.
The lights of the city around him felt like thin, blurry lines as he barreled down the hills, every corner bringing him closer and closer to the silver TT. Going downhill didn't feel like driving. It felt weightless, yet heavy all in the same sense. Like he was flying.
After one last corner, the Celica's headlights began to burn a hole into the rear of the TT. This went on for longer than an eternity, yet shorter than the blink of an eye. Denver's tires lost grip at the corner, bringing him on the outside of the turn. All it took to fill the gap was a little extra acceleration and a bit of luck.
Jaune wasn't sure where he found the courage to stomp the accelerator to the floor, but he knew it put the Horch behind him. All there was left was to ride the track until it was over. So, he did just that, letting the world around him blur as he felt the vibrations of the road travel up his arm.
He could hear Yang speak, but the words felt like jumbled gibberish. Jaune could only hear the sound of the ancient Mistrali muscle car screaming its heart out. Something about that just made him want to go faster.
Jaune tackled every corner as quickly and as closely as he could, if only so that he could be just that slight bit faster. A bad twitch was the only thing between crashing and winning. There was something so funny about that, knowing that he could wreck and die.
He knew it shouldn't have been. After all, it was his life he was thinking about, barreling down the slopes as his tires screeched. The headlights from Denver's TT were brightly illuminating his back, but he didn't care. It felt so weird, knowing that at a speeding that he was going, nothing else mattered.
"We're coming up on the last two corners!" Yang's voice yelled out, barely able to come out over the Celica's rumbling engine. "Just focus on the road and keep your foot on the pedal!" Well, he didn't need her to tell him that.
Without answering, Jaune let go of the accelerator, kicking in the clutch and shifting down a gear before getting back to the gas. Sliding through an oncoming corner, the blond driver could hear the RPM spiking clear as the broken moon. And as he cleared the corner, he shifted back up a gear, riding the last straightaway.
Against his will, the driver felt his right eye squeeze shut as a blinding light shined along the side of his car. Looking over, he watched as Denver's TT pulled alongside him. What an interesting position to be in, a guard rail on his left and Denver on his right.
"All or nothing, then." Jaune mumbled, pushing the pedal to the floor as he dashed for the corner. But even with all of the power of his new engine, the Celica couldn't put any distance between it at the TT. It kept even, but that was all.
Then came the corner.
Gritting his teeth, the blond driver threw everything he could into the corner, tires screeching as he felt gravity push him further against the seat behind him. Even from the corner of his eye, he could see Denver trying to do the same, but he was on the outside. An unfamiliar, unstable vibration crawled up his back, coming from the rear end of his car. No, no, not now!
From his rearview mirror, Jaune watched as the Silver TT's front tires jutted back and forth for a brief moment, but that was all it took. Understeer took its course and paid its dues, slamming the Horch into the wall it rode alongside. A loud scraping sound came out over the sound of roaring engines as the TT bounced away from the wall and spun out.
Jaune let out a sigh of relief as he came out of the corner. He made it out unscathed. All he had to do now was slow down and ease onto the brake and he'd be home free- As he tried to even out the wheel and come to a slow, the rear end of the Celica snapped, skidding through the corner and onto the open road.
The driver could hear a loud clicking sound fill his ears as the rear tires still spun, coming to a full stop before pulling on the handbrake. For a moment, all he could do was sit in silence, his knuckles turning white from how tightly he gripped the wheel. He could still feel his heart loudly thumping against his chest, his body felt like it was shaking, and he felt short of breath.
Taking a few more breaths, Jaune turned to look at Yang. Her eyes were wide as she gripped at the door next to her, but a wide smile never left her face. "Are you okay?" He asked, curling a brow as he forced his hands to relax, peeling them from the wheel.
Yang nodded, pulling her hands from the door before running them through her hair. "That was awesome." She mumbled, laughing to herself as she leaned deeper into her seat. "I don't think the adrenaline kick of a good chase can be topped by anything else. You're pretty good on the downhill, Blondie."
Jaune couldn't help but laugh as he felt Yang's fist tap his shoulder. "Are you kidding me? I didn't hold a candle to Denver's racing for a while. I just got lucky, that's all." After all, going downhill was new. "I think my hands are still shaking after that." He said, holding his hands out in front of him. Lo and behold, they were still shaking.
Yang smirked as she stared at him. "What ever happened to not being a racer? Did you just so happen to get a taste for it?" She hoped so, honestly. Not because the betting money was nice, or because she liked to see him go fast. Nothing so selfish. "You look like you had fun."
Resting his head against his seat, Jaune let out a sigh. "Just a little." He mumbled, chuckling to himself. "I didn't know it was possible to actually go that fast. Well, maybe saying that we were fast isn't doing it justice. Felt more like the world around us was just that much slower." Everything felt so much heavier now. Slower, even.
Jaune reached for the keys in the ignition, turning the key before pulling it from its slot. Silence filled the car for the first time since the race started. It felt strange, hearing only the sound of his own breathing, along with Yang's. The shaking in his hands slowly faded, replaced by a sudden fatigue.
Looking into his rearview mirror, Jaune stared at the wrecked form of the TT. There wasn't any smoke or broken glass that he could see, but he knew more than enough about cars to know that there was damage.
Unbuckling his seatbelt, Jaune swung open the driver side door. "I'm going to go see if Cole's okay. That wreck didn't look too bad, but it's better to be safe." He said, watching as Yang nodded before stepping out.
But before he could so much as step away from the old Celica, Yang followed him out from the passenger side. So, the two of them jogged over to the Silver TT, its windows still fully intact. Well, that's a good sign. Jaune thought. Another positive sign was that the engine was off.
Knocking at the driver side window, Jaune patiently waited. Before long, the window rolled down, but Cole's head remained resting against the steering wheel. "What a mess." Cole mumbled, sighing as he brought his forehead away from the wheel. "I'm surprised you were able to keep up with me on the uphill." Despite the sadness behind his eyes, Cole smiled.
Jaune chuckled, patting the door with a closed fist. "You didn't make it easy, honestly. You okay? Any broken bits?" Jaune asked, curling a brow as he looked him up and down. "If you need, I can call you an ambulance."
The rich kid smacked his lips, waving him off. "Unless they give medicine for a bruised pride, I'll be fine." He snipped, his eyes locked onto the wheel in front of him. "Fucking understeer, man. I knew I should have done something about the ABS. But I guess that's it, then." His voice was full of resignation, almost as though he'd let the world around him take the wheel.
"What's it?" Jaune shot back, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
The blond driver watched as Cole peeled his hands away from the steering wheel, letting them fall onto his lap. "I'm done, I mean. My car's trashed, my first place record is ruined, and I've got nothing to show for it." Cole mumbled, rubbing the bridge of his nose as his brows curled upwards. "The one thing I had talent for, and I'm shown up by some frontier rally racer. Might as well hang up the keys."
Yang huffed, glaring as she stared down at Cole. "I think that's the thing I hate the most about you, Denver. You've got the amazing talent of managing to make yourself sound pathetic." She snipped, not ignoring the look of surprise that Jaune shot her. "After a double digit record of winning, you're sulking about one loss and some scrapes on your passenger side door."
She watched as Cole's face twisted for a moment, but he couldn't even make a scowl down. Instead, he frowned. "You think I don't know that?" He muttered, running a hand down his face. "I'm more than fully aware of what everyone thinks of me, Xiao Long. But I've put everything in my life into this machine, every scrap of Lien that I can scalp from 'dearest father's' account all going into this car."
"Oh, you're sad about your car being a little scratched up?" Yang asked, sarcasm filling her voice as she crossed her arms. "I seem to remember a certain R34 that you made ram into a wall. And you laughed about it." Her voice filled with heat as her brows furrowed, an ugly frown taking to her face.
"I was happy to have not gone into the wall myself, Reddick was just in the wrong place at the worst time. But not all of us can have a certain force field, can we?" He snapped back, glaring back at her with just as much intensity. "Or did you forget that us peons don't have the same super powers as you do?"
Before Yang could retort, she felt a hand jostle her shoulder. Looking over, she watched as Jaune shook his head, closing his eyes. Sighing, she looked away from the rich kid. "You're lucky that Jaune's here." She said, her mouth curling to the side. "He wanted to come see if you were okay, he's a good person like that. You should try it sometime."
Jaune nudged her side with his elbow, digging it deeply. Hearing her hiss, he laughed. "What she's trying to say is that we're glad no one got hurt today." He said, smiling. Jaune had heard all of these horrible things about Cole Denver, but racing him not once, but twice gave him a bit more perspective. "You really like running the track, don't you?"
Cole's angry expression dissipated, replaced by an obvious fatigue. "More than anything." He mumbled, a tired smile tugging at his lips. "The lights turning to blurs, the feeling of gravity pushing me back into my seat, the thrill of going downhill. Nothing else is quite like it."
The blond boy chuckled, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, no kidding." Jaune shot back, taking a moment to look at his Celica. He could easily tell that his rear tires were out of alignment with one another, but beyond that, it was fine. "Pretty sure my rear diff snapped while I hit that last corner. I can still feel it in my teeth."
Yang only sighed, shaking her head as she dragged a hand down her face. "And here we spent a whole week working on Old Grumpy." Yang snipped. "But I'll say this much, you were right about the rear diff. Ugh, that felt gross to say."
Jaune's shoulders slumped forward as his grin fell. "You saying that takes the fun out of me saying I was right." He mumbled, bringing a hand to rub his neck. "Either way, there's no way I'm driving home tonight."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yang brought her hands to pull at her hair. "Aw man, I'm gonna miss the ferry tonight, aren't I?"
The blond boy only rolled his eyes. "I'll call you a cab after I call the tow. Besides, it's not exactly like I can let you bunk with me." His apartment was still way too much of a mess. That, and it was pretty pathetic looking. "That, and I'm pretty sure your Dad would kill me if you did."
Before the two of them could go any further, Cole coughed into a closed fist. "Either way, I think I'll be fine for the night. I wouldn't doubt if my car has some body warping going, but that's a worst case scenario." He said, curling a brow as he stared between the two blonds. "But still, I… appreciate the thought that you came to check."
Snickering, Jaune shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, the track is where people go to solve their problems, not start them. At least, where I'm from." He explained, smiling at his fellow driver. "But yeah, I should probably get to calling that tow now."
Cole nodded, humming. "Right, right." He started, letting out a breath as he looked towards the steering wheel. "I, uh, I hope your car gets back on the street soon. I think it'd be fun to race again." He said, turning the keys in the ignition before rolling up his window.
Before long, the silver TT pulled away, disappearing down the street and into the night. All there was left to do was hunker down and call a tow. But as Jaune made his way back over to his Celica, pulling his scroll from his pocket, he felt like he should be upset. He spent an entire week and a half working on his car, all for this race. Now his rear differential was fragged and he had nothing to show for it.
So why was he smiling so much?
Okay, I'm gonna be frank, I forgot if I edited this last week or not, but I'm pretty sure I did. All the same, I don't care because I have other things to do.
Anyway, that's gonna be it for this chapter. Some stuff happened, and that's all I can say about it. In truth, I'm only posting this shit now so that I can get back to working on Chapter 11, but after that, I'm gonna go disappear again for the sake of working on my novel. It just matters to me more than writing fanfiction does, honestly, but I'm sure you guys will understand. At least, I hope so. Oh, and I'll be updating the earlier chapters so that they're much more legible.
Either way, have a lovely day, make sure you tell your loved ones that you love them, and drink water. Ciao, y buenas noches.
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