Yang Xiao Long was a lot of things. She was smart, had a killer figure, was the most popular girl at Beacon High School, the life of any party, a kickass kickboxer, and an amazing older sister. She had been asked out multiple times, by many different types of guys. She had given a few of them different chances but quickly realized they only had one thing on their minds. And nothing else. She would have let the possible suitors down gently had not all of them treated Ruby like unwanted baggage or her annoying nerdy little sister who got pushed ahead 2 years and was in the same grade as them. She used her hard-earned muscles to show them that no one disrespected her little sister. In any case, she could have anyone she wanted. So, how could this happen? Why did she have to fall in love with him?

Yang sighed to herself as her gaze roamed across the classroom seeing the majority of the class was as bored as she was. There were a few diligently taking notes like Weiss and Pyrrha. But the one her eyes were drawn to was the other blonde sitting across the room.

Jaune Arc was one of the biggest geeks in Beacon that had unwittingly stolen her heart. And he didn't do anything special in doing it. He had just been his kind, caring, sweet self and had made her see that he is the person she wanted to be together with. It is not like she didn't know who he was, he has been in her class since kindergarten, and more than that they were friends for most of their childhood…until around middle school when they started separating as cliques started forming, and the extroverted social butterfly Yang climbed the social latter while the socially awkward geeky Jaune was left in the dust.

She didn't think about it much back then, she still saw him all the time but that was because he started gravitating towards her little sister Ruby who was of a similar personality to Jaune. Ruby soon took the spot by his side and Yang brushed it off as she had her circle and Jaune had his friends.

By the time they got to high school though they barely spoke two words to each other a day.

Yang quickly got rid of the undesirables around her who just wanted to sponge off her popularity. She gained a true group of friends, Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren were her five best friends. Ruby even got along with them as well so she would join them for group stuff often. But when that would happen Ruby would always feel guilty about leaving her "self-proclaimed" best friend Jaune. She was too shy to say anything though. The only reason Yang had found out about it was that she had overheard Ruby in tears apologizing to Jaune over and over on the phone one day about missing their scheduled video game night as she was swept away by the group. She was on speaker so Yang could hear Jaune coming from the phone comforting her and reassuring Ruby that he was ok and he was happy she had fun with her other friends.

Then Ruby asked quietly, "What about you though? You don't have other friends to do stuff with." That question made Yang feel like a punch to the gut. Did…did Jaune only have Ruby as a friend? Was she all Jaune had? When did that happen? This made Yang's heart ache slightly as she couldn't even remember the last time she even talked to him. Her oldest friend. What she heard next though made her feel even more guilty.

There had been a pause on the phone before Jaune responded, "It's okay Ruby, I'm used to it. I got you and that's all I need."

"You shouldn't be used to it," Ruby replied somberly. "But, it doesn't matter, want to come over tomorrow? I need to make up for today."

Yang heard Jaune reply with an affirmative before she slipped away. Her chest hurt and her head spun as she walked to her room and sat on her bed thinking over what she had just learned. She then looked around her room taking in how much it had changed since the last time she could remember Jaune ever being in it. She couldn't even see anything in there that would remind her of him. She tightened her hand into a fist and decided then and there that she would try to get her old friend back.

Yang's eyes were still on Jaune as she thought back to the incident that made her aware of him again a couple of months. It was currently the first week of their Senior year at Beacon. She had spent most of the summer getting her relationship with Jaune back and also accidentally falling in love with him as well.

She remembers the day after she heard the phone call, since subtly wasn't a strength of hers Yang just inserted herself with Ruby and Jaune when he came over that next day. Both Ruby and Jaune looked at her in shock and confusion when she strode into Ruby's room and asked what was the plan for the day. She had played it off that she was bored and wanted something to do. So she added herself to their video game tournament. She was a little rusty and was being demolished by both Ruby and Jaune whenever she played either. Even though she was losing she was having fun. Way more fun than she expected honestly, she had just assumed that it was going to be super awkward. And to be fair it started off that way as Jaune didn't know how to act in the situation and Ruby was just as clueless but soon after the first two rounds they got comfortable around each other and started chatting and talking trash during the rounds.

They had played for hours before Summer called them down for supper. All of them surprised by how much time had passed quickly moved to wash up. When they got downstairs Tai was in his chair while Summer was putting the last couple of things on the table. Once they got down they heard the front door open and a rushed Qrow quickly made his way into the room, he gave Ruby a kiss on the head causing the girl to give a whined "Daaaad," since Jaune was there even though the blond boy was chuckling. He then gave Yang a quick hug and soon Qrow made his way to Summer and gave her a loving kiss as she welcomed him home. Soon Raven made her way in at a more sedated pace. She gave Ruby a quick but warm hug, came to Yang and hugged her as well but gently ran her hand through her hair, and tapped her index finger lightly on the back of her head which is her non-verbal way of saying "I love you" or a kiss, depending on the context. She then moved to Tai and tried to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek when he shifted and caught her in a loving kiss making her smack him when he released her.

They had a weird family dynamic but she wouldn't change it for the world. While most people had one set of parents, she and Ruby had two. And while they were cousins they viewed each other as sisters. It was an energetic supper as they talked and laughed with one another, Jaune fitting himself perfectly at the family table.

Soon though dinner came to an end and both Yang and Ruby walked him out. He gave Ruby a quick hug and the girl looked at Yang before going back into the house. Jaune's attention turned to her, his eyes showing with curiosity and a single raised eyebrow. Yang wasn't known for being shy but right now it was like she couldn't figure out how to talk. So they just stared at each other for a couple of minutes. Jaune let out a sigh and gave her a gentle look when he calmly said, "Goodnight Yang." He then turned to leave and had taken only one step forward on the deck when she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around him when she buried her face in his back. He then froze standing up ramrod straight. They stood there silently for a moment before Jaune shifted his head turning it back slightly to look at her, "Yang?"

Finally, she blurted out the words that had been on her mind, "I'm sorry."

A couple of seconds of silence, "For what?" Jaune asked confusion in his tone.

"For leaving you behind, for stopping being friends with you, for forgetting you these last few years, for taking this long to realize what I had done." She vomited it all out in one breath as she waited nervously for his response praying it wouldn't be too angry or pained.

Jaune brought up a hand and laid it on top of the one that was currently on his chest making Yang's heart jump. "It's alright Yang, I forgave you for all that a long time ago," Jaune said quietly as he gently rubbed her hand. Yang sagged into him, in both relief and guilt. Relief that he forgave her but guilt in that he had felt the betrayal and had dealt with it so long ago.

"Can…can we be friends again?" she asked quietly scared he would reject her now not wanting to risk the pain again.

"Of course Yang," Jaune spoke. "Nothing will make me happier." With that, he pried her arms off of her and turned to face her with a warm smile. She looked up at him and then something clicked in her head. When had he gotten so tall? When had his shoulders gotten so wide? When did his blue eyes get so deep?

But before she could get any answers, "Goodnight Yang," he said with the same smile and warmth in his tone. He then turned and walked away from the home. Yang followed him with her eyes. She brought a hand to her chest and wondered what that was all about.

Yang's eyes were now off Jaune but she still wasn't paying attention as she thought about more and more instances that happened throughout the summer that caused Yang to fall in love with the blond-haired geek. After a couple of weeks, she even took him with her and Ruby to meet her friends. It took a little bit but they all got along swimmingly. And Jaune soon became a permanent member of the group. He joined them at school for lunch and free periods as well.

Yang finally shook her head free of those thoughts when the bell rang signaling the end of the day. She packed up her stuff and was quickly joined by Pyrrha and Weiss and made their way out the door. They all had lockers close to each other so they were heading to them when they heard a couple of shouts and a commotion.

They all looked at each other before making their way over to see what it was as a huge group of students started circling something. They pushed their way to the front of the group to see what was going on and what they saw angered all three. Typical arrogant school bully Cardin had a hand full of Jaune's sweatshirt and had him pushed up against some lockers.

"You think you are hot shit because you are sitting at the top table?" Cardin growled out to Jaune slamming him into the lockers again to make his point. Jaune didn't respond he just kept a firm gaze on Cardin and not breaking eye contact once. "What not going to say anything shitstain? Everyone knows what a pathetic loser you are. The only person you were seen with before was that weird advanced student."

"Leave Ruby out of this." Jaune bit out.

Cardin smirked at this, "That how you did it? Delt with her enough and Yang must have pitied you into letting hang with them. Just thank you for taking her off her hands. Because it can't be because you think you have a shot at being friends with them." Cardin leaned in close, "Because are nothing but a little bitch."

The next thing that happened was Jaune spitting in Cardin's eye making the bully rear back. "RAAA! That's it your dead!" Cardin yelled as he threw a hard straight right into Jaune's face.

*BANG*

"Fuck! My hand!" Cardin roared out as he let go of Jaune and used it to cradle his other hand. Yang couldn't believe what she just saw. At the last second Jaune had moved his head enough for the punch to completely miss and hit the metal lockers instead. What happened next shocked everyone. Jaune raised his arms and set them in a neutral guard as he spread his legs apart a bit and turned his body slightly to aim his profile at Cardin to minimize the target size on his body.

"I'm done being your punching bag Cardin," Jaune said in a neutral tone but the slight narrowing of his eyes showed his seriousness.

Cardin clenched his teeth as the vein on his head pumped. He shook out his hand and set his arms in a sloppy boxing stance as he and Jaune started circling each other. The group of students around them backed up slightly to give them some room many chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" as they watched the two young men. Yang wanted to step in to help Jaune but something inside her told her this was important to Jaune and she shouldn't step in.

Cardin ran out of patience first as he rushed toward Jaune throwing a haymaker, Jaune moved an arm slightly to block it. Taking the hit Jaune through his punch father then Cardin's, getting the bully right in the nose. His head whipped back as he staggered slightly Jaune followed up with a punch to the stomach making Cardin lean forward now Jaune threw a right hook right to Cardin's chin making him spin away. Cardin planted his feet and shook himself out he turned back to Jaune with murder in his eyes as he spit out some blood.

He rushed Jaune again aiming high again and when Jaune moved to block Cardin showed it was a feint by landing a clean body shot on Jaune. The blow hurt and Jaune winced a bit. Cardin didn't slow down his momentum as he got another body shot in and a hook of his own making Jaune stagger back.

"That all you got Jauney boy?" Cardin taunted as he smirked. Jaune just looked at him as he got back into his stance. He rushed in this time, pulling a few punches that Cardin simply took, but Jaune caught him and everyone else off guard as he pulled a hard-round kick. Striking Cardin in the side making him grunt heavily as Jaune followed it up with a low kick on the opposite knee making Cardin lose his balance. He started to fall forward right into Jaune's knee strike hitting Cardin right in the chin. Cardin's head whipped back as he flew onto his back. Jaune quickly move on top of him and started wailing on the downed boy.

"I'm sick of it Cardin!" Jaune roared out as he kept punching Cardin in the face. "I am sick of being treated like shit! Like I'm worthless! It ends today!" Cardin threw a wild punch which Jaune caught. He quickly wrapped his body around as he laid on his back fully extending the arm.

*CRACK*

"Ahhhhhh!" Cardin screamed as Jaune popped his arm out of its socket. Jaune got back on top of him and hit him several times. The crowd was silent now. They were shocked into silence by the brutality Jaune was showing the bully.

Jaune was panting at this point. He slowly got up to his feet as he glared down at Cardin who was staring back up in fear. "Your bullshit is over Cardin. Go after me or anyone else again and we pick this up right where we are leaving it off."

Before anyone could do anything.

"Well isn't this quite the commotion?" a voice spoke carrying itself through the hallway. Some of the students moved to show both the headmaster Ozpin and the Deputy headmistress Miss Goodwitch. "Well, Mr. Arc I hope I don't need to ask you to follow us do I?" Ozpin spoke as he took a sip of his mug. Jaune just shook his head as he started walking to the pair.

His eyes though were drawn to Yang as he walked past. They held each other's gazes for those few seconds as he went by. Her eyes screamed they would be discussing this later. Jaune's acceptance and mild amusement.

Yang's eyes then followed him and the pair as they walked away down the hall.

Yang was sitting on a tree branch at her and Jaune's secret base from back when they were kids. She checked her scroll and it was almost midnight she put it away as she leaned back onto the trunk of the tree and continued waiting. After Jaune was taken away after the fight she messaged him to meet her here at midnight. She didn't give him any details other than to meet at their old fort and be there at midnight. She had gotten there early so she could make sure she would get there before him.
She heard him before she saw him as his footsteps were pretty audible on the debris-covered forest floor. She turned her head in the direction of the sound and saw Jaune approaching the tree she was on. She could see him quite clearly as it was a full moon on a clear night. He was dressed in his casual clothes as walked forward. When he got about 10 meters from the tree he looked up and caught sight of her pretty quickly. He gained a small smile and gently waved. She matched the wave but quickly recrossed her arms. Seeing her posture Jaune visibly winced as he made it to the tree and quickly scaled it. He got to the branch Yang was on and sat down next to her giving them about a foot of space between them.

They sat silently for a few minutes after that, neither knowing what to say entirely. Finally, Yang decided to break the ice. "So, how much trouble are you in?"

In the bright moonlight, Yang could see him smirk slightly. "Not as much as you would expect. I got suspended for a week but Ozpin gave me a deal saying none of my schoolwork will be zeros if I do it. They are still gonna dock me hard on each assignment. But hey beats the alternative."

Yang nodded slightly, "And your parents?"

That made Jaune flinch slightly, "My Mom scolded me for like an hour. I'm pretty sure she repeated herself about 3 times during it. Finally, she finished and went to bed. My Dad just gave me a pat on the shoulder said 'Good Job.' and left. Confused the hell out of me but I think he was just glad I finally stood up for myself."

They sat quietly some more. Yang kept stealing glances at him. She just couldn't figure it out in her head. Jaune was never a violent person that had been her. They wrestled as kids but that was more playing and roughhousing than actual fighting. She didn't truly learn how to fight until they started drifting apart. Of course, when they were kids and someone tried to pick on Ruby or Jaune, Yang would make sure to teach them a lesson. But she had never seen Jaune do anything like what he had done today before. It confused her greatly.

"So what happened today?" Yang asked nothing but curiosity filling her tone as she looked into the eyes of her oldest friend.

Jaune turned to look up to the sky taking in a long deep breath and letting it go as he stared at the moon. Yang continued to look at him and for once in her life waited patiently for him to respond.

Jaune sighed as he brought his gaze back to Yang. "Yang, what did you use to do when kids tried to bully either me or Ruby?"

Yang furrowed her brows in confusion at the sudden question but decided to see where he was taking this. "Well, I would show them what it was like to be beaten up by a girl."

Jaune nodded as he turned his head away to look out over the area. "Exactly, you would take care of them. But what happens when you aren't around anymore? When my only friend and unofficial protector stops hanging around me? When Ruby still has your protection but I don't anymore?" Each question was a hammer striking Yang's heart as her chest clenched painfully. She understood pretty quickly what happened. But she didn't have the heart to interrupt him. "I got bullied… a lot. It started out small a bit of teasing here, taking my stuff there. But then they got bolder as time went on. Tripping me in the hallways, swirlies in the locker room after the gym, then they finally crossed the line of physical violence. I don't know how many times I had to hide my bruises. It's why I started wearing this hoodie, it covered me completely."

By this point, Yang was silently crying not that Jaune could see it as he was still looking away from her. She had no idea Jaune had been going through so much. He had to take so much abuse just because she wasn't there anymore and he was alone. The guilt was eating Yang alive, it was all her fault that Jaune had to face such abuse and pain.

"But one day," Jaune continued a dark edge cutting into his tone. One that caught Yang off guard. "One of the upperclassmen wanted me to give him a date with my sister. I of course told him no. He didn't take that well and wailed at me for a bit. Every time he asked if I had changed my mind I told him 'no'. After a bit of that, he said that he was just going to show her a nice time. But now he was going to make her give 'it' up to him." Jaune's fists clenched and he grit his teeth in visible anger. "Something in me snapped then, and before I knew it I was on top of him punching his face over and over again. It was actually Ren and Nora that pulled me off of him that day. After I told them what happened Nora had walked up to him and stomped on his knee. She told him if she caught him doing something like this again she would make him unable to do what he threatened." Jaune was smiling at that and Yang was as well knowing Nora well enough to know she would do something like that.
"It was that day that I decided to not be a victim anymore. I started working out, I begged my Dad to teach me how to fight. After I explained why I wanted to know so badly, he agreed in a heartbeat. And that was about a year ago." Jaune concluded.

Yang did the only thing she could think of at that moment. She shot her hands out and wrapped him in a hug and holding him tight. "I'm so sorry. God, I'm so sorry. Because of me, you had to go through something like that. I can't apologize enough for what you went through, but just know I care about you I will make sure you will never have to face something like that alone ever again." Yang poured out all her emotions to the man she loved. The one that she abandoned that one that had to suffer because of her.

Jaune brought his arms up and wrapped them around her returning the hug. "I won't lie Yang, I blamed you in the beginning." His words felt like a knife in Yang's heart. "But I don't anymore, I haven't in a long time. So don't you dare blame yourself, ok? Because you are one of the most important people in my life, and it would kill me if you were hurting like that."

Yang was so glad Jaune couldn't see her face. She was sure it matched the tips of her sister's hair. Why couldn't he be angry at her? Why couldn't he hate her? Why did he have to be so kind? So understanding? She didn't deserve him. She didn't deserve this amazing man. It hurt how much she loves him and how much she wish she could say it, but now, after hearing his story she knew she couldn't. He deserved someone just as great as him, not this shallow blonde who left him behind.

They stopped hugging but stayed close to each other as they looked up to the night sky and took in how beautiful it looked.

Jaune slowly turned his head to look at Yang, "Yang?"

"Yeah?" She responded as she looked at him.

"There is something I have been wanting to do for a long time now. For almost as long as I can remember. And after today I feel like I finally have the courage to do it."

"And what would that be Vomit boy?"

"Gah! Really that old nickname?"

Yang began to giggle, "Well, do something interesting enough for me to change it."

"Alright then, just don't punch me for doing this."

"What do y-"
Yang was cut off by Jaune grabbing her face and kissing her. Yang's eyes blew wide open as all the thoughts in her head went out the window. She could feel his slightly dry lips but that didn't bother her in the slightest. In fact, she was glad his lips weren't as soft as hers. But what had truly caught her attention was just how warm his lips felt.

But like all things the kiss came to an end. They both panted slightly as they looked into each other's eyes. Slowly their foreheads rested on each other.

"I love you, Yang. I've been in love with you for a long time. So please would you be my girlfriend?"

Yang just stared at him this is not how she planned this night going, she was so out of her depth. She could feel the sincerity in his heartfelt confession. She felt his love in the kiss they had just shared. This time it was Yang who kissed him. A chaste kiss but one full of love.

"I love you too you Lover Boy. So yes I'll be your girlfriend."

The thousand-watt smile Jaune gained was as bright as the sun as he threw up his arms and cheered.

And promptly fell out of the tree and onto the ground.

Between peels of laughter, Yang asked if he was ok.

"Better than ok I'm on top of the world! Well figuratively anyway."

"God you're such a geek."

"You're correct ma'am, but I'm your geek."

Yeah, he was. And Yang is going to make sure nothing is ever going to change that.

And seven years later when her 10-month-old baby boy took his first steps into her arms with her amazing husband recorded it while crying. She knew she made the best decision of her life.

AN:
Had the fluff bug and I need to put pen to paper. No other explanation. Have no idea what is next. Might be more fluff and might be continuing other stories. Eh, who knows.