"Gah sorry!" Jaune apologized as he stumbled into someone, grabbing the books that fell down and returning to its owner.
"There's nothing to apologize. I wasn't looking where I was going, considering it's my first time in Beacon."
He finally took a look at the gorgeous brunette he was talking to and gulped hard. She had a killer body like Yang, but while the blonde brawler was full of jovial energy, the one he was talking with was composed like Weiss (when she wasn't yelling in anger) and carried herself with confidence. Her amber eyes were different from Blake's, not having any of the curiosity and cautiousness the Faunus girl had, but it had a predatory quality on it that made the knight shiver slightly.
"My name is Cinder and I'm here for the festival, but I got lost in this big school. I'm trying to reach combat class." She affirmed in an annoyed but suggestive and inviting tone.
"Well… uh… Cinder… I'm going there myself so… uhm…" She smiled and wrapped an arm on his, making sure to press her chest on it. Jaune almost fainted at the bold gesture, considering they just met.
"Please, lead the way then. I don't think I heard your name…" The boy gulped once again and started walking with her.
"J-Jaune. Jaune Arc." He said and tried to give a confident smile, and she returned a curious one that made him avoid her gaze.
"Arc… It's a famous surname." She added with a smile and he felt a cold sweat running on his neck.
"And quite common too! My ancestors had a tendency of having many children… I actually have seven sisters…" He tried to avoid the issue, considering he didn't want a fuzz being made right now.
"Ah, I see…"
"Oh, here we are." He said in front of the double doors, and opened it for Cinder.
"What a rarity nowadays, a gentleman. Thank you, Jaune. We'll see each other some other time." She affirmed as a certainty and walked towards two other students in the back of the bleachers. Jaune walked towards his friends. All of them staring at him and the girl he came with.
"Hey everyone." He said as he sat by Pyrrha's side, who avoided his gaze.
"Hey Jaune. Who's the girl?" Ruby asked as she stared at the girl in a different uniform that sat with a green haired girl and a silver hired boy. Something on her felt familiar, but the reaper couldn't point where she saw the girl before.
"Oh, she said her name is Cinder. I just met her in the corridors and showed her the way." Jaune explained plainly, not putting much weight on it.
"Oh really? Aren't you a nice guy!" Yang said between her teeth, kicking the back of Jaune's seat and almost making him fall.
"Well, Jaune is always ready to help." Pyrrha said without staring at him, frowning hard on the fact another beautiful woman was close to her knight.
"Isn't that nice, meeting a beautiful woman like this." Blake deadpanned, but her grip on her book tightened.
"Am I missing something?" Jaune asked the others.
"As always, Arc, you're missing everything." Weiss answered him and he was about to make more questions but Chifuyu appeared on the arena.
"Good morning. As many of you know already I'm Orimura Chifuyu, and I'll be your new combat instructor from now on. Of course, this doesn't mean you get a good deal. I'm as strict and demanding as Ms. Goodwitch before me. Many of you probably are proud of your current combat skills, but I assure you none of you are in your top condition and all of you can and WILL get better, or I'll make sure you leave this academy." She stated without opening much space to questionings. "To prove my point, I'll do something different. Pyrrha Nikos!"
"Yes, Orimura-sensei!" She promptly stood up.
"Ah, I see you already learned how all of you must address me while in class. You're the top student of this class, never defeated, which I remind you it is both a good and a bad thing." Pyrrha just nodded towards the teacher. "I know you're aware that being on top might make a fall harder to you than to most of your fellow students. Be aware of this. Now, for your opponent… team CRDL."
"Uh, teach…" Cardin started but was hit in the head by Chifuyu's pad, once again she proving she could move as fast as Ruby if she wanted.
"Orimura-sensei, Mr. Winchester." She said angrily as the tall boy hold his head and winced.
"OK, OK… I just want to know which member of my team will fight the Invincible Girl." He said dismissively of Pyrrha.
"As I said, Mr. Winchester, it will be your team, all of you. So stop wasting time and go get ready." She ordered in an annoying tone.
"What? All of us against her? This isn't fair!" Dove protested.
"I do think your team has a chance." Chifuyu said in a very serious tone, prompting Cardin to stood up and tower over her. Jaune was about to warn him, but remembered what they did to Ruby and decided to shut up.
"I can take her alone! Don't look down on us you old hag!" The next thing Cardin knew he was with his back on the ground and with her heel on his neck, easily holding him down despite his attempts to escape.
"You'll respect me, Winchester. I didn't win the Vytal Tournament two times in a roll at your age by chance. And I didn't used any fancy shifting weapons or my Semblance, just a common sword. So you better obey my orders from now, or next time you'll end in the infirmary. Now get your team and go get ready!" She growled at him before letting go and turning at Pyrrha. "Will this arrangement be troublesome to you, Nikos?"
"No, Orimura-sensei. Actually, I hope to have a good fight." Pyrrha said with a gentle smile, hiding a lot of hurting intent from her part.
"Don't get cocky, cereal girl! I'll defeat you myself!" Cardin growled as he walked with his team to get ready. Pyrrha only smiled back at him.
…
"And with this the victory goes to Nikos. As you can see some of you are slacking off, thinking the Grimm you slay at Emerald forest and Forever Fall are… easy to deal with. Don't take them as a standard; both those places are thinned of those monsters due to the constants incursions of teachers and students alike, so most of them are weak and young. Deeper within wild lands you will find older, deadlier, powerful Grimm. Over estimating your abilities will get you all killed. Now, is there anyone who believes you can take Ms. Nikos in battle?"
Chifuyu stared at the faces of the students in disappointment, as it was clear no one considered them good enough to fight the champion. She also noticed that Pyrrha felt the exact same way and was frowning a little. She was about to call someone to fight her one on one when someone from the back manifested.
"I want to try it out." The silver haired boy with Cinder declared.
"Oh." Chifuyu said unimpressed. She checked her pad for the student that so boldly declared his intention to challenge the champion. "Mercury Black from Haven… Very well, if Nikos have no objections…" The champion just agreed with a motion of head. "Go get ready."
It took just a few minutes before Mercury returned and the fight started. He was being very aggressive in his attacks, but Pyrrha was holding up easily. From the stands a few murmurs of excitement, since the boy wasn't being beaten as team CRDL had. But as the battle was getting more heated…
"I give up!" He said with his hands in front of him and walking away from a surprised Pyrrha, considering he was doing better than she expected and she was finally feeling happy with the fight. "You're really a champion. OUCH!"
"And you're really making me angry!" Chifuyu stated with a displease face after punching Mercury's head and making him flinch down. "If you was going to give up at the first sign of trouble I'd rather have fought you myself to show what a hard fight is. Ms. Nikos isn't the Goddess of Victory or Invincible Girl. But if any of you don't give your all, you'll be defeated anyway. Even team CRDL didn't gave up until the bitter end, and believe me, when fighting Grimm they won't stop until you're dead. If you ever waste my time again, Mr. Black, I'll make sure to teach you this lesson the hard way. Now back to your seat."
Mercury returned while muttering something under his breath, while his green haired friend couldn't help but laugh of his bad luck. Cinder just observed intently at Chifuyu and smiled slightly. Pyrrha sat by Jaune's side and he offered her a bottle of water and a smile, and she ended up accepting both, as it was hard for her to stay mad at her partner.
"Next fight… oh, how about two blondes? Jaune Arc and Yang Xiao Long." Chifuyu said and Yang didn't waste her time in dragging Jaune by his hood to get ready for the fight, not speaking a single word towards him.
…
"Yang, can we talk before you try to make a peanut butter and Jaune sandwich with me?" He asked as he got his sword ready, and it took Yang all her willpower to not laugh at his pun.
"Don't worry Jauney; I'll be sure to finish it quickly." She answered as she readied her gauntlets. The sound of the cartridges being loaded made Jaune groan as he wondered exactly what he did to infuriate his childhood friend.
"You two can start." Chifuyu said suddenly and Jaune barely had the time to block the first punch, the sheer force making him slid a few meters away.
Yang was fighting with a ferocity very few of them ever saw, usually reserved to people that damaged her hair or made her little sister cry. Jaune was thankful for large reserves of Aura as he kept defending himself, while trying to counter the best he could. His long sword was being useful to make the brawler keep a distance, but she was as agile as she was strong, blocking the sword with her gauntlets.
"Come on, sunshine! We can ah!" Jaune had his legs swept by her and rolled as she punched the ground into a fine powder, her eyes glowing red as she moved to attack.
The knight got on his feet and once again his shield saved him, but he used the opening he got to hit Yang's sides a few times before she retreated. The two now circled each other, waiting for the best chance to attack, the boy circling his sword a few times. The people in the seats waited in anticipation, seeing the second best fighter in their year fighting one of the most annoying opponents ever. While Jaune was considered a mid-tier fighter, he was hard to get knocked out, and many students lost simple because his Aura outlasted theirs.
"You know, I never saw Jaune using his Semblance…" Weiss commented as she waited for one of them to do the first move.
"Maybe his Semblance is not very combat-focused?" Blake wondered as she saw the two blondes still circling each other, creating a big tension in the air.
They stopped talking as Jaune, surprisingly, took the initiative, getting Yang unprepared as he rammed her with his shield. She pushed him away of her with certain easy, but he was once again on her, slashing his sword against her body, forcing her to defend herself, a position she didn't like to be.
"On the other hand Yang won't hesitate to use hers." Ruby said with worry in her voice.
Yang suddenly explode, her hair flowing up and involved in flames, and she started to punch Jaune's shield and armor, two things he was glad he had. The powerful punches suddenly threw his shield away, and she punched his chest sending him to the opposite side. The boy fell on his back and she stared at him, closing her eyes believing she won. Then she opened them again to see him getting up, holding his sword with both hands and getting ready to charge at her.
"You can't win, Jaune." She said as she readied her gauntlets again.
"I won't know if I don't try. Besides… I'll always give my everything." He answered and then both rushed against each other.
There was a deafening silence from the bleachers, as the two blondes rushed towards each others, and finally they attacked at the same time, fists against sword. A blinding white flash surprised them all, and when they finally could see again, they saw both blondes on the ground a few meters away from each other, panting hard.
"And this is a good fight." Chifuyu said while clapping towards the duo. "You all gave everything against each other, and gave us on hell of a show. Xiao Long, you could've won if you didn't let your temper affect you from the very start. A calm head steady your fist. Arc, you let your friendship get in the way. If you attacked her head, the victory could've been yours. Now we got one interesting result I don't see often." She concluded pointing up.
Everyone stared at the digital panel overhead, and saw the result being declared as a draw, with both teens running out of Aura at the same time. There was a long silence before several whispers could be heard. Draws were incredible rare in combat.
"You two can go now. Next fight will be Nora Valkyrie and Weiss Schnee." Chifuyu declared as the blondes got up. Weiss groaned in annoyance as fighting Nora was always a pain, literally most of the times. Winning always felt like a defeat after being hammered down by the energetic girl a few times.
…
"Yang, wait!" Jaune shouted as they walked to their lockers.
She didn't want to talk with him. That draw felt like a defeat to her, as she didn't felt like she let the steam out of her system. And now she was angry at herself for using Jaune as a way to relieve her tension. It wasn't his fault she was feeling jealous…. Well, alright, it was a bit his fault, but he wasn't doing it on purpose. He was a nice guy after all and she wouldn't want him to be different, after all it was one of the reasons she liked him…
I like him?
"Finally. Yang, did I said or did something wrong? You're angry at me and I want to fix it." He said, and she slowly turned towards him. Looking at his pleading face she felt even guiltier of lashing out on him like she did. She then tried to get away again, but this time he gently grabbed her arm, and as they spun she felt her back against a wall. She would usually punch anyone trying to do that, but the way he stared at her eyes… "Please, talk to me…"
"Jaune…" She started speaking while looking down. He gently held her chin up, making her blush as red as Ruby's cape.
"You can tell me any problem you have, you know." He affirmed with honest eyes and she smiled at him, gently holding his hands close to her chest.
"I was being silly. I'm worried about Blake too. She's way too much into searching the White Fang. I think I'm just stressed and discounted it on you." She affirmed and saw he was smiling at her.
"Just that?" He chuckled and she sighed. "Look, you can count on me for everything, including talking with Blake."
"I'll talk with her myself." Yang said, knowing that while Jaune meant well, she understood Blake more than him at the moment. "Thanks…"
"Anytime." He answered.
His eyes are so gentle… his hands are surprisingly soft too… And his lips…
Yang didn't know what came over her, but she closed her eyes and approached him.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The loud laugh and the shaking meant Nora fight has started, and they both stared at each other, faces flustered bright red. Yang noticed his eyes on her lips and smiled a little.
"M-maybe we should hurry. Chifuyu-nee would get angry…" He said as he stumbled on his feet and fell down, making yang laugh at his misfortune. She helped him up and got to her locker, while Jaune kept stumbling to the point he hit his face with the door.
I can't believe but… I really like him…
…
"That teacher… She's different…" Mercury said as his team sat around their room once again. "I didn't saw her coming when she hit me…"
"You're just not as a big shot you think you are."
"Shut it, Emerald." He growled at the green haired girl and she just giggled at him.
"Now, now, children, behave or I'll have to put you two in the corner." Cinder half-joked at them and grabbed her scroll. "The fact she is here confirm my suspicions. That boy, Jaune Arc, is more important than he looks."
"Really? Like everyone else I don't think he's a big deal. Only the champion is worth of attention in my opinion." Mercury said in a dismissive tone.
"That's why I didn't ask for it, my dear Mercury. There's a third player in the game now, one I'd rather have playing to our advantage, and that boy might be the key. But for now, we observe him a little more."
…
"I swear I'll have revenge on you Valkyrie!" Weiss threatened as they sat on the shadow of an oak tree on Beacons gardens. Everyone but Blake and Yang were there, so there was a certain happy mood around.
"Come on, it wasn't that bad." Nora defended herself.
"You throw me against the force field! I broke a nail!" Weiss protested as she showed the broken nail on her pink finger.
"Hey, Jauney, what's your Semblance?" Ruby asked as she rested her head on his legs. The boy stared at her, then at his friends, all curious to know that. None of them really had saw him using it, or at least not openly. Pyrrha certainly never noticed something akin to one all the time they trained together.
"Actually, I don't know." He said and they were a bit shocked about it. "Since Yang unlocked my Aura that time, I never really realized it. Chifuyu-nee says it's alright, that I might become a better Huntsman by not relying on one, but I really wonder about that."
"Sometimes people can take years to discover it." Pyrrha said in a comforting tone before resting a hand on his shoulder. "Besides, you have time to discover it."
"Some people inherit their semblances from their parents." Weiss chimed in, since that was her case.
"My father and Chifuyu-nee have the same Semblance, and one of my sisters has something similar…" Jaune wondered for a moment, staring at the sky. "Mom's Semblance is that she can use her Aura to power machines. She even made a power armor that doesn't need any power source except her. We tried it during training, but my aunt said I'm different from them and since Aura and Semblances are manifestations of one's soul…"
"Oh, we could use the 'almost killing you so you show your true power' method!"Nora declared excitedly. "We might have to break your legses though."
"No one is breaking Jaune's legs!" Pyrrha immediately declared while subconsciously hugging his sides in a protective manner, making him blush madly.
"Yeah, Nora. They're too comfy as a pillow." Ruby added with a giggle.
"Hey guys!" Sun came with Neptune, Sun carrying a bag while the other boy carried a big bouquet of white roses. "Glad we found you here, we decided we needed to apologize for the giant robot thing."
"Here, for you, snow angel." The blue haired boy said with a smile and Weiss' expression softened as she accepted the bouquet.
"Well, I think I can forgive you." She said as he sat by her side.
"So, for the rest of you. Here, small stuff." He tossed a bag of cookies towards Ruby, who catch it without leaving her comfy leg pillow.
"Call me small stuff again and no cookies in the world will protect you of my wrath!" She declared as she checked the bag. "Good stuff, you're forgiven this time."
"So, where are Blake and the blondie?" Sun asked as he wanted to apologize to them too.
…
Yang walked back in an attempt to find her friends, smiling over a job well done. She was sure now that Blake would take her worlds to heart and that they would all go to the dance, and after that everything would return to as normal as possible. She actually skipped a bit and some students found odd seeing her in such mood. As she walked along she saw an odd scene.
"That's what she said?" Glynda asked Chifuyu as both walked side by side towards Yang.
"Ah. Can't blame her, she's a protective mother. Of course, not as protective as my brother, but still…" The other teacher answered and a rare smile graced Glynda's face. That was when they noticed Yang.
"Ms. Xiao Long. You look happy." Glynda affirmed and the brawler smiled and nodded.
"Did a good deed. Feeling like I deserve a reward." The young girl affirmed. "Maybe I should just make Jaune cook something for me."
"He was always the cook in the family. I might use my authority as his aunt and order him to cook for us too." Chifuyu said with a smile of her own. "By the way, Xiao Long, do you still like him?"
"What?!" Yang asked in surprise, blushing a little.
"You really had a soft spot for him back then…" Chifuyu reminisced with a satisfied smile. "His sisters even decided you were going to be his bride. Charlotte didn't like the idea too much, saying he was too young to get married."
"I…" Yang blushed madly at the teachers, something unusual for her.
"Well, you both aren't children anymore, so I won't be meddling in your issues. By the way, I feel like tasting Jaune's cooking tonight." Chifuyu grabbed a piece of paper and gave it to Yang, who took it and saw a list of dishes. "Tell him he's cooking for me, Ozpin and Glynda tonight when you find him. We have some issues we need to discuss with him."
"Oh, er, sure? I don't think I can get a preview to pass on him?" She asked now curious.
"Private matters, Xiao Long. Now go play with your friends." Chifuyu dismissed her and after a brief hesitation the blonde girl walked away.
"You take great pleasure with this, don't you?" Glynda asked as the two teachers started walking again.
"It's not as entertaining as seeing Ichika dealing with it back then, but it's entertaining." Chifuyu confessed while Glynda rolled her eyes.
…
"Seven sisters?" Sun exclaimed as Jaune was telling a tale of his youth. "Dude, you're a hero for having survived that!"
"My sisters aren't that bad! I mean, sure they can be a bit over, but whose sister isn't a time or another?" Jaune defended himself before being put in a headlock by Yang.
"Really now, Jauney? Do I ever go over?" She said in a fake sweet tone, while the boy started to become purple.
"Do I really have to say it to you?" Ruby said with crossed arms. "Like that time you waited outside my friend's house the whole night when we were having a sleep over? Some people called the police because of a stalker!"
"Hey, I was just worried!" Yang defended herself.
"I think Jaune's dead…" Ren deadpanned as Jaune wasn't moving. Yang just dropped him as he immediately gasped for air.
"Sweet, sweet oxygen, I'll never take you for granted anymore." He said as he recovered.
"So, Jauney…" Yang grabbed him and made him stood up. "Your favorite teachers asked me to give you the menu for tonight."
"Menu?" Jaune wondered as he grabbed the piece of paper. He groaned immediately as he saw what they wanted him to do. "Great… I wonder if the cafeteria even has all the ingredients. You'd think a teacher wouldn't use a student as a private cook…"
"What they want to talk with you?" Pyrrha asked as she gave the paper a glance.
"Who knows? I'm going to the mess hall; some of this stuff will take forever to cook properly." He said with a resigned sigh.
"I'm going to help." Pyrrha offered and Jaune smiled at her.
"I'm going too." Yang offered herself.
"No you won't. We have to coordinate the ballroom decoration for the dance." Weiss affirmed as she grabbed Yang by her arm and dragged her.
"Noooo!"
…
"Pass me the onions, please." Jaune asked as he was busy cutting and preparing food for the night's dinner with the teachers. Pyrrha smiled and observed how skilled he was in the kitchen, reminding her of fine Mistralian chiefs that cooked in front of the clients.
"So, you cook a lot?"
"All the time. Dad is the cook in the family, and he always said a man should be prepared for everything, including house chores, so despite having employees for such, he always tried to teach my sisters and I how to make all this. Aaaannnd only I had talent for this. My sisters are good mostly just to eat." He smiled and she laughed at it.
"I really want to meet them…"
"Well, we have the dance, than that mission trailing a professional Hunter, and then we have a week break. Which I already told you I want to take all my friends with me to meet the family."
"I just don't want to intrude. I'm sure they miss you a lot."
"Pyrrha… you won't ever be intruding. We're friends, partners." Jaune said with a big smile.
"Thanks…" She said with a faint blush as Jaune resumed cooking.
"So, since we're talking about the dance, I bet there's a long line of people wanting to take you there." He joked, but Pyrrha frowned a little.
"You would be surprised…" She answered and he stared at her for a moment.
"Are they annoying you? Because I can ask Nora to scare them."
"You do that and it'll be Ren that will have to contain her." Pyrrha answered and both laughed briefly at the fact. "Besides, she wouldn't find anyone…"
"What do you mean?" Jaune asked concerned now. The champion stared at him briefly and sighed.
"I don't think I'll be invited to the dance…"
"What? That's preposterous! You're Pyrrha Nikos! You're intelligent, funny, kindhearted and don't get me started on your beauty!" Jaune's words made her blush darkly but smile tenderly back at him.
"Maybe… maybe that's the problem. I've been blessed with great opportunities and talents, surrounded by love and praise… But I got put in a pedestal by people, and now these same people believe they can't reach me. That I'm in a level they can't attain… Some call me the Invincible Girl, even Goddess of Victory… And then they treat me as such, as someone that isn't like them. To most I'm not Pyrrha, seventeen years old student at Beacon, but THE Pyrrha Nikos, top of her class, four times champion, cereal mascot… People first approach me due to my fame, not for who I am… and that's what I like about you… You had no idea who I was yet you just saw me as any other girl… And through you, I made friends that will be with me for the rest of my life…" She confessed, and then she was surprised as Jaune's hand rested on hers.
"Well… To me you will always be Pyr first, THE Pyrrha Nikos last." He said with a smile that she couldn't help but smile back. "And if people are too scare to really get to know Pyr, the girl who hums when happy, that always ask for five more minutes to sleep in the morning and whose favorite food is chocolate cake…" Pyrrha blushed madly again. "Their loss. So, how about we go together?"
"What?" She asked in disbelief.
"I promise I won't stomp your feet." He added and she smiled brightly, suddenly putting him into a hug, making both blush.
"I'd love to go to the dance with you, Jaune!" She said and he hugged her back for a while.
"Pyr?"
"Yes, Jaune?"
"Something is burning…"
"I'm sorry!" She apologized as he rushed to salvage whatever it was burning, while Pyrrha had the biggest smile she ever got while at Beacon. "So, can you dance?"
"A little bit, but have being a while. Maybe we should practice a little."
"I'd like that."
…
"And I think we should hire those two helmet guys." Yang defended her choice of music against the heiress. "This is not a fancy high society ball, Weissy, it's a party for the students, so we need upbeat dancing music."
"Besides, an orchestra won't fit in our budget." Coco added, as she was also helping with the party. "Unless we can get a jazz band and do it a retro party. That would be fun."
"Maybe next time, I think for the first big party we need to make people as relaxed as possible." Yang added.
"Fine. We will hire the Djs. But I do want formal attire. There will be important guests that day and I want to cause a good impression. I also think we should mix the playlist with some slow dancing music and not just this… whoop-whoop thing you call music." Weiss determined.
"I can live with that. I do rock a dress… or a tuxedo. I'm still deciding which one I will sport." Coco smiled while Yang gave her thumbs up and Weiss rolled her eyes.
"As long as its formal attire, I don't care." The heiress stated simple. "And no alcohol in the party!"
"What? Come on, Weissy, we are mostly adults here!"
"Ruby will be on the party."
"No alcohol by any means and if someone gives some to my little sister…" Yang growled with red eyes while Weiss smiled in victory.
"Well, I think that's it for today. So, Coco, who you invited to the dance?" Weiss asked as the girls got up and walked to the corridors.
"My teammate, Velvet. She's really shy, and I'm sure she would hide in a corner if I don't take her with me. How about you, Weiss? I bet a lot of people already invited you."
"You tell me. And most didn't put any effort in the invitation. But I do have a boy I'm interested in going with." Weiss said proudly. "How about you Xiao Long? I bet you also received lots of invites."
"I think my chest received a lot of invites considering where everyone was staring till now." Yang joked to hide she hated that. "So of course I didn't accept any yet, but I have my first dance on reservation for a special person. Aside that, I'm thinking of just inviting Jauney. I bet no one invited him, and he's too awkward to invite someone."
"Arc? Really? I mean, he's not bad, but you can do better."
"Weiss, Weiss, Weiss… I'll let you know that my Jauney is more than meet the eyes. Sure, he can be silly, awkward and not the poster boy for coolness, but he's a sweetheart and cute." The blonde defended her crush with a soft smile. "I bet he'll be happy because a gorgeous babe like me is inviting him."
"You should hurry them." coco commented and Yang stared in surprise at her.
"Why? It's not like there's any girl interested in him…"
"Oh, that's because you don't hang around the fourth years. Some of the older girls are really into him, said he's the cute type you want to cuddle and protect. Damn, seeing how he behaves with Vel already got him some points with me, if he's not taken." Coco said the last part while looking over her sunglasses at Yang.
"Dibs, girl." Yang affirmed promptly, causing Coco to laugh and Weiss to groan.
…
It was late at night when Jaune finally returned from his dinner with the headmaster, and he came back a little worried about what was talked about. Of course he sensed they weren't telling him everything, including his aunt, but then again she wasn't telling Ozpin everything from their side. At least the next break was just a few weeks away and he could talk with his mother about such issues. Soon he found in the corridor towards his room and saw a usual scene where both his team's room door and RWBY's were open as the group talked with each other through it.
"Hey GAHH!" He was hit by a flying pillow.
"Oh, hey bro." Ruby said as she retrieved her corgi pillow from him. "Ho was dinner?"
"Awkward and humiliating for me. Chifuyu-nee kept telling Ozpin of childhood stories." He affirmed and the little girl giggled.
"What, no dog bag for us? I'm disappointed!" Yang mocked being hurt.
"I didn't cook a lot, and no, Nora, we aren't getting a dog." Jaune affirmed towards the bubbly girl.
"Awww… How about a sloth! Do restaurants make sloth bags?" Nora asked and Ren now had the long and unrewarding task of explaining common sense to her.
"Anyway, Jauney!" Yang shouted to his surprise. "I was thinking we should go to the dance together! You're a nice enough guy and I bet you still don't have a pair."
"Oh, thanks… err…" he chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head.
"Jaune just invited me to go with him early this morning." Pyrrha affirmed as she came out of the room.
"He did?!" Yang asked in genuine surprise, considering the boy was usually too shy to do something like that.
"He did." Pyrrha affirmed with a nice smile towards him, making Yang feel jealousy trying to take over.
"Oh… well… That means we all will have fun at the dance!" Yang smiled and patted Jaune's shoulder maybe a little too hard. "Well, it's late and we all should go to sleep before Ms. Goodwitch decides to come over and pay another visit to us. Nighty!"
She and Ruby returned to their room, where the brawler smiled as she saw Blake was finally taking a rest and sleeping at her bed. Weiss took the chance and entered the bathroom to get ready to sleep, what gave Ruby the perfect opportunity to question her sister.
"You're sad because Jaune invited Pyrrha." Ruby affirmed promptly.
"What? No, of course not! I'm happy he's going out with a girl like Pyrrha!" Yang tried to defend herself.
"Sis, I know you for all my life. I know when you're trying to hide your feelings. You like him!" Ruby pointed an accusatory finger at her sister, and Yang for a moment wanted to deny it, but she couldn't.
"I like him…"
"Don't try to… oh… that was easier than I thought…"
"I like that dumbass, and I think I always did…"
"Well, you did give him your first kiss." Yang smiled at the memory, something she knew no one could take from her. "So… what you want to do?"
"I… I don't know… If he and P-money are becoming a thing, I don't want to be the one ruining it…"
"Yang… Don't do this. If you do like Jaune, you owe to yourself and him to be honest with your feelings. Besides, I don't think you lost your chance yet."
"You're an optimistic…"
"Yep."
"And you always expect things turn for the best…"
"Yep."
"Sometimes things aren't so simple, Rubes…"
"Nope."
"Nope as I they are or they aren't?"
"Nope as in things are only as difficult as you make them be. Look, Jaune is probably the nicest guy this side of dad I ever met. He's really the brother I never had, and he won't do anything on purpose to hurt others. If he does like Pyrrha he will say it honestly to you. And if he likes you he also will say. Maybe he will be confused for a moment but he will work this out. The only way I see this situation will go to worse is if you don't be honest with yourself and him."
"Since when my little sister become so sagely?" Yang joked making Ruby roll her eyes, before getting hugged.
"Air!" she begged and Yang let go of the small girl.
"I'll talk with him, but not right now… We have the party to plan, the mission to go. But I promise I'll talk with him." Yang said and Ruby smiled.
"Nice. By the way, what did you say to Blake? She came back and just dropped into the bed."
"You're not the only one who can talk to people about their feelings, Rubes." Yang stated proudly. "You know… times like this are when I miss mom… I mean, Summer…"
"I miss her too… I think I'll always miss her…" Ruby agreed. "But I'm glad I'm surrounded by people I care about. It's like having one big family."
"Sure, and when we go visit Aunt Charlotte we will have the biggest family!" Yang celebrated and Ruby smiled brightly with her.
"Oh, I hope all the girls will be there!"
…
"Stop staring at the calendar." Charlotte chastised her daughters, the seven of them staring at the same big calendar in the wall. "He'll be here soon."
"Can we keep him here this time?" One of the youngest asked.
"He's free to decide his future." Charlotte said as she crossed a day off the calendar with a red pen.
"Hmph, he would be better here."
"He's doing what he needs to assure our future." The eldest sister said towards the rest. "I'm sure he's well. Chifuyu-nee is there too."
"Hm! There's nothing to worry about. I'm sure Ozpin is making sure our Jaune is safe… for his own good." Charlotte concluded with a devilish smile.
Somewhere at Beacon, Ozpin felt his life was in the edge of a knife.