Nice to see the interest in this fic. For those who asked, yes, it is based on the fifteen-minute skit I did for the Writer Games, but it has been changed a lot. There's a huge difference between a story made in fifteen minutes and one where each chapter takes hours.

Beta: College Fool

Chapter 2

Jaune could admit to feeling more nervous than he had any right to. As the Bullhead shook and vibrated around them and students his own age crowded at windows to watch the forest below, he sat on his seat, hands held together between his knees. He shouldn't have been so anxious. There wasn't a person on the craft who wasn't in the same situation as he, about to pit their future on some unknown initiation into Beacon. He had training, as expensive as that had been, perhaps not as mainstream as the people who attended dedicated schools, but his had been more personal, one to one training with a Huntress.

A redhead caught his attention from across the bay, green eyes meeting his own. He recognised her almost immediately, how could he not? Almost on instinct he smiled back, tilting his head in a manner he knew accentuated his best features. She flushed and looked away, no doubt embarrassed to have been caught looking. Jaune winced as he clamped down on that, eyes fixed firmly on the floor once more. That was how he knew he was nervous, because he was reverting to familiar and comfortable motions that weren't necessary anymore. This wasn't the Oyster, he wasn't on stage and he didn't need to win over a crowd, nor put women on the back foot so that he could fleece them for lien.

Old habits die hard, he thought with a rueful sigh. It would be a tough transition, he could only hope it got easier with time, when he started to relax and get into the life of a student. Nina assured him it would, that she'd taken time to get used to being married when she'd finally tied the knot a year or so ago. Compared to that, this should be a breeze.

A screen nearby flickered, the news report about some White Fang protest being replaced with a stern looking woman. Jaune recognised her, more from rumour than anything else. When you lived in Vale, the Professors of Beacon were almost legendary in their reputation.

"You will soon be approaching Beacon Academy," Miss Glynda Goodwitch said. "Upon landing you will make your way to the large building before you which houses the Auditorium. There you will gather for the opening assembly…" She went on, detailing sleeping arrangements and where they could store their gear and weapons. Jaune glanced down to his own, the simple and crude sword that hung at his waist. It was a far cry from the exotic and multifunctional weapons he could see others wielding, but his tutor had assured him that it would more than do the job. People with mecha-shift weaponry had to learn more than one style of fighting, which he hadn't had the time for.

His fingers started to fiddle once more, breath coming out in deep gulps as he tried to calm himself down. This was nothing compared to his usual job, there was no reason to panic and yet he couldn't stop himself. What if he didn't fit in with the people around him, what if he messed it up and caused a scene – what if they found out what he was?

They won't! He clenched his eyes shut, trying to convince himself. Just act natural, avoid flirting or putting on an act. Everyone here's probably as nervous as I am anyway.

In time the people around him might become as Nina, Brian and the others at the Oyster were… family. It had just been so long that he'd forgotten how it felt to start afresh, to be at square one with no friends and no idea how to make any. His training told him to go over and talk to the lonely redhead, to smile and ask her why her face held such a long frown. He would touch her cheek, run a finger down her hair and ask if the seat beside her was free. She would either flush and stammer, in which he would sit down. Or she would laugh and welcome him, to which he'd do the same. She didn't look the type to say no; too polite and shy. Someone like her, as famous as Pyrrha Nikos, she would certainly be a wealthy enough patron. He could take advantage of that to create an opening, to work his magic on her-

No! He shook his head. That wouldn't make her a friend… she would be nothing more than a customer and that wasn't who or what he wanted to be. I'm Jaune now, just Jaune the regular guy. He'd even dressed down; in an outfit he wouldn't have been caught dead wearing in any other situation. The blue jeans were tattered and plain, with a navy hoodie that offered little contrast or focal point, all the better to let him blend into the crowd. He didn't want to flirt and he didn't want to attract any girls and he certainly didn't want to be the kind of guy to take advantage of someone for what material wealth they had.

Something lurched within him, a grimace twisting across his features as a hand clapped onto his mouth. He could taste his dinner all over again.

Well that would be one way to avoid picking any girls up. Staggering to his feet, he pushed his way past a few students, trying to make his way towards the toilets he'd seen upon entering. From the `oohs` and `ahhs` he could guess that Beacon was approaching, something he'd have liked to see with his own eyes. If things went well, he'd get plenty of opportunities.

Someone bumped into him, silvery armour and a mumbled apology as a burly guy walked past. Jaune stumbled a little, bouncing off a wall before knocking into two girls stood by a window. Thankfully he managed to avoid bowling them over, but the smaller one yelped as she was pushed into the other.

"S-Sorry," Jaune gasped, the sudden lurch and momentum doing wonders for his stomach, just not in a good way. "I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay." Silver eyes, a small face and an awkward expression. The tiny girl shrugged her shoulders but didn't seem hurt or angry, just uncertain. "I'm okay… er… it's fine!"

"Geez, sis," the taller girl sighed and turned towards him, the initial surprise at the fact they were sisters quickly blown away as he got a look at her. What were the odds, really? Blonde hair, lilac eyes and an almost instinctual smirk. It was the girl from the Oyster just a few nights ago, though looking far less beat up than she had before. He hadn't thought she was going to Beacon… honestly he'd thought she might have already been a student or something. "You can stand to sound a little more…" the blonde trailed off, eyes narrowing as she looked at him. "Do I know you?"

That was a loaded question and a half. She knew him, but not him. The initial flash of panic was quickly washed away as he remembered that his disguise was nothing short of perfect. When she said she recalled him it was as the bartender, a job any other guy might have had. He couldn't begrudge her for not remembering him, either, since they hadn't really spoken and she looked like she had other things on her mind.

From how she'd acted during his performance, she definitely remembered that, however.

"You look a little familiar…"

Jaune opened his mouth to explain. To tell her that they'd met for a brief moment when she'd visited the club he worked at, that he'd made her a drink and they'd exchanged maybe a word or two before he left for the night. It would be his first introduction to someone at Beacon, his first chance to make good, normal, friends. He just had to make the right introduction.

Which was why when someone slammed into his back and sent him stumbling forward, Jaune made sure to steady himself by grabbing onto the blonde girl's large, soft breasts.

As opening lines went, it wasn't his best.

Yang growled as she stalked into the main hall of Beacon Academy. What a day… no, what a week! Ruby had assured her it wasn't the guy's fault and that he hadn't meant to, scant comfort when she not only had he groped her but she'd also punched the guy in the face. Really, it had been more of an automatic thing, a response to what she had thought was him copping a feel.

But decking a guy wasn't the only thing weighing on her mind. Yang felt like the worst sister ever for what she'd done to Ruby… basically abandoning her on the first day, right when Ruby had said something about being able to rely on her. It's for the best, she tried to convince herself, as she had when she first came up with the idea.

Ruby was not good at making friends. Or rather, she wasn't bad at making friends – but catastrophically bad at making the first move of introducing herself. Hence the plan had been to put her on the spot and force the issue. Ruby could make friends if she had to, she was better at it than she realised, but that meant she needed to stretch her wings and make her own, not whomever Yang introduced to her.

Still felt like a bitch, though…

I'll make it up to her later. It was only going to be the first bit of the day, before the speech or whatever it was they had to do. If Ruby could make a friend on her own in that time, then Yang would be able to sleep easier. The first day of any new school was the most important. Ruby had to make a friend, or it would be Signal all over again, with her bright and beautiful sister stuck in Yang's shadow.

Yang pushed her way through the crowds, keeping an eye out for her sister and frowning when she didn't see her. Part of her wanted to write it off. Ruby was small, of course she wouldn't be easily seen above the crowd. But the other part of her, the part used to Ruby, was less sure. Her little sister had messed something up. It didn't seem possible, but Ruby had a knack for making the impossible possible, especially when it came to screwing up something as simple as following the huge crowd of people.

Sis… Yang groaned in her own head. She was just about to rush out the door and look for her, even if it meant ruining her plan entirely, when said door opened and the girl in question strolled in. Yang sighed in relief, before her eyes widened at seeing someone beside her. Better still, Ruby laughed and said something to the person. Ruby was smiling. She was genuinely happy and relaxed. Yang's spirits soared.

Before she realised who it was.

Of all the people she could have chosen, she had to pick him. The blond guy was taller than her sister, which hadn't been immediately apparent with how hunched he'd been on the Bullhead. He carried himself with the confident air of a guy who knew what he was doing, which made Yang's eyes narrow a little. She'd met and dealt with a lot of guys, enough to know that most at Signal had been hormonal, little idiots. The way they'd stared, the way they'd clearly lusted over her. It was actually quite sickening at times, especially when they leered. This guy didn't act like that, which was either a good thing or a bad thing.

She wasn't against Ruby making a male friend, it could be good experience for her. But at the same time, Yang was more than familiar with your best male friends developing feelings for you, and just how that could break your heart when it happened. When your best friend said he loved you, the look of betrayal and pain on his face when you couldn't say the same thing was horrifying.

Yang's friendships hadn't survived that. In fact, they'd acted like she was at fault – like she had somehow led them on all along. She didn't want that for Ruby. He was grinning, however, an almost childish expression as he said something to her sister which had them both laughing.

Yang's shoulders relaxed a little, even if she wasn't completely sure. She would need to keep an eye on them, to make sure he wasn't trying to take advantage of her little sister. But other than that… Yang sighed… if this was the guy Ruby wanted to go and befriend, that meant she would need to give him the benefit of the doubt. She couldn't afford to scare off Ruby's first friend, even if it was someone who'd made such a poor first impression on her.

"I'll give you a chance bucko," Yang whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "But only for my sister. For your sake, I hope you're not trying anything with her."

Something just rubbed her the wrong way about him, even from such a distance… the way he walked, the casual manner in which he spoke to Ruby. Ruby was a bit of a geek and a nerd, which meant she was likely to make friends with the same kinds of people. There was no awkwardness, no uncertainty or shyness to this man though. Instead, he felt like someone who was used to talking with girls, used to making people like him. It could be that he was just naturally like that, but Yang wasn't willing to bet her little sister on the fact. Well she wasn't going to get an idea of what he was like watching from a distance.

"Ruby!" Yang waved an arm over her head, signalling them both over. "Over here!"

The short girl spotted her and waved, before turning to her new friend and saying something. He nodded and waved as Ruby dashed towards her. Yang's arm fell, eyes rolling as she let out a quiet groan.

"Yang!" Ruby gasped, prodding her side angrily. "You left me. How could you?"

"Ruby…" Yang rubbed her face, feeling like she was talking to an idiot. "When I shouted you over, you were supposed to bring your new friend with you." Really… she could be so dense sometimes. And now the guy had turned and walked away, ruining Yang's chance to salvage the situation.

"How was I supposed to know that!? I couldn't just bring him over to talk to you, you'd scare him off again!"

"Well you weren't meant to abandon him either."

"Like how you abandoned me?" Ruby poked Yang's chest, trying to push her back only to frown when the finger got lost in her cleavage. "I can't believe you. I was lost, then I got distracted, then I bumped into some crabby girl and there was a huge explosion and she would have kept shouting at me if it wasn't for-"

"You!"

"Oh god, not again!"

Yang caught her sister as she leapt into her arms, tuning out of the conversation between the two as she sighed. That was her sister all over again, leave her alone for all of two minutes and she could already make an enemy. Really sis, I have no idea how you manage this.

"Okay, okay," Yang put Ruby down and stepped between the two. "There's no need to cause a scene, I'm sure it was an accident. It's clear you two got off on the wrong foot. Why don't you start afresh?"

For a moment it looked like the white-haired girl might agree, but then Ruby had to misinterpret what she'd meant and push forward.

"Okay! Why don't we be friends. Want to hang out? We can go shopping for school supplies."

Damn it Ruby… when I said starting over again, I sort of meant as perfect strangers. Why is it you refuse to talk to people except when I don't want you to? Naturally, the snobby girl came back with a sarcastic reply, one which Ruby didn't catch in the slightest. Yang was about to step between and separate them once more, this time with a warning that if the girl didn't make herself scarce Yang would do it for her, when a new voice interrupted.

"Hello again." Yang recognised the voice even before she saw him, and it seemed the white-haired girl did too, since her mouth snapped shut. Ruby's new friend, the pervert, walking up to them. "There's no problems again, are there?"

"None at all," the Schnee backed up immediately, making Yang's mouth almost fall open. "I was simply delivering informational material that might help avoid accidents like before."

"That's kind of you," he said, nodding his head. "It's great to see Ruby and you getting on."

Was he blind, dumb or just taking the mess? Yang couldn't tell, but it seemed to be having the desired effect on the arrogant snit, since she no longer focused on Ruby, but instead on what Yang had to assume was an effort to maintain her image.

"Hi Jaune!" Ruby waved happily. "Weiss gave me this."

Yang almost laughed when her sister proudly waved the insulting booklet, more so when the other girl coughed and tried to look away.

"Thank you Weiss," the guy turned to the third girl, bowing with a wide smile on his face. "It says so much about you that you would be willing to help your peers like that. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for looking out for Ruby."

"E-Eh… I…" Yang wanted to burst out laughing at the colour on the girl's cheeks. "Y-Yes well, I'm only doing what is expected of me as the Schnee heiress."

"Truly, you're an inspiration to us all. I can see the SDC will be in good hands with you at the helm." He smiled, expression so honest that it made Yang's teeth ache. It almost seemed impossible that the heiress wouldn't notice the sarcasm in it, but with his eyes locked onto hers, it seemed she could only preen under his praise. He was killing her with kindness, or rather killing her anger with it. The positive attention sapped away the girl's temper, leaving her likely feeling more than a little stupid to have been shouting so much.

"Y-Yes well, there's no need to go that far… I shall leave you to your reading. Have a pleasant night all of you."

Yang couldn't believe it. With just a few words and a kind smile, he'd managed to drive the girl away – saving her sister in the process. Before she could even think to say anything, however, he had already bid Ruby a good night and wandered away, just in time for the headmaster to walk onto the stage and begin his speech.

Yang wasn't sure what to make of the headmaster's words and so she didn't dwell on it. Some might have called her simple but she preferred the term direct. If Ozpin thought she didn't have what it took then she'd find out what that was later and work to gain it. Instead she'd secured a roomy bit of space for her the two of them to bunk on, laying out their sleeping bags before Ruby inevitably tried to and got tangled in them. By the time her sister came back out after getting changed, everything was ready for a good night's sleep.

Except for the ruckus going on all around them, that was.

"It's just like a slumber party," Yang chuckled as she watched people tripping over one another in attempts to find their stuff. She half-wondered how the spoiled girl from earlier would handle the horror of having to sleep with peasants. Ruby sighed as she slumped down beside Yang, digging in her bag with one hand.

"Not sure dad would appreciate all the boys here though," the younger girl griped.

"I know I do."

Ruby rolled her eyes but didn't comment as Yang let her eyes stray over to a bunch of hormonal idiots trying to get her (or anyone's) attention. Naked from the waist up, bunching their muscles and homo-erotically wrestling with one another. They were idiots through and through, but normally she'd have at least admired from a distance.

I've seen better, she thought instead – though that memory had her cheeks flushing before she could stop it. Ruby groaned and rolled over, thankfully mistaking it as Yang having seen something she liked. Fat chance of that here, especially after the events just a few nights ago… these muscle-bound morons paled in comparison to the men she'd seen on that stage. The bald guy had carried himself better, even if he probably hadn't been as strong as half of the guys here. It was the way he moved, the smile and look in his eyes, that hidden confidence that said he didn't need to act out like this, he didn't need to shout to make you look and appreciate what he had. It was understated, subtle and powerful – while this reminded her of a bunch of animals braying for attention.

And her masked dancer… he put them all to shame without so much as speaking a word.

Whoah, whoah, he's not `my` masked dancer… Yang buried her head in the pillow for a moment, wishing she could scream into it. The darkness only made her envision it more, however, his sapphire eyes, the way his red hair swayed as he moved – the rippling sensation of his abdominal muscles, buttons popping as he strokes his hand down his toned, smooth chest. The scene had featured in her dreams since, no matter how much she wished it wouldn't.

"So what are you doing?" Yang grasped for anything that might distract her, Ruby being a reliable choice.

"Just writing a letter to the gang back at Signal. Not like I got to come here with my friends." Yang felt like pointing out Ruby hadn't been forced to accept Ozpin's offer, but that would have been cruel.

"What about Jaune?" she asked instead. "He's a friend."

"Except that you don't like him."

"What!?" Yang flinched, even though Ruby said it without any accusation, with not a hint of bitterness. Ruby sighed and put the letter down, looking towards her.

"Well you don't like him, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You keep giving him weird looks," Ruby said, "Like you don't trust him."

"I don't know him," Yang said. "You can't trust someone you don't know. That doesn't mean I dislike him or that you can't be friends with him." And there was no way she was going to let her own bad feeling get in the way of Ruby making her first friend at Beacon. She wasn't going to be responsible for getting in the way here. Yang perked her head up, looking over the crowd. "Look, he's over there."

"Hm?" Ruby sat up and followed her gaze, to where the blond was sitting down in a corner, still in the clothes he'd come in with. "Why isn't he in his pyjamas?"

"You can ask him." Yang stood up and grabbed Ruby's arm.

"Yang!" Ruby struggled, not that it did anything to stop Yang dragging her alone. "I'm in my pyjamas. It's late. He probably just wants to sleep!" Yang ignored it. She'd heard it all before, Ruby's usual excuses for being too shy to go up and speak with someone. As always, the best result was to force the issue.

He looked up as they approached, no doubt hearing Ruby's loud protests. "Helloooo!" Yang crowed, waving one arm in the air. For a second his eyes seemed to narrow, as though he was uncertain of her motives. "I brought you someone," she said instead, urging Ruby before her.

"H-Hey Jaune," Ruby waved awkwardly. Yang watched the man's blue eyes soften, the suspicious edge faded.

"Hello Ruby." A soft smile slipped across his features. It actually surprised her for a moment, not only because it was a strange reaction to have to seeing Ruby, but also because of how different it made him look. Less guarded, more open. In fact, that strange feeling that she should have recognised him was coming back with a vengeance. "No more explosions?"

"No more explosions!" Ruby nodded happily. "But uh… why aren't you in your pyjamas?"

Jaune grimaced and glanced over to his bags. "My workmates may have played a bit of a practical joke on me. I think I'd rather sleep in this than wear the monstrosity they switched my sleepwear with."

"It can't be that bad!" Ruby didn't even stop to think if it might have been rude, her kneeling down to dig through his bag. Yang spared him an apologetic look in her sister's place, but he didn't seem to mind. "Uh… well… it's not too bad."

It was furry and coloured a baby blue, and the colour was apt since it looked like something a baby might have worn, albeit a six-foot-tall baby. The thing even had feet, little bunny-eared slippers sewn into the bottom of the leg. Yang couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"Your friend says it best," he pulled it out of Ruby's hands and stuffed it back into the rucksack. "I'll be fine like this. Don't worry."

"Oh right - introductions!" Ruby stood up and clapped her hands together. "This is my sister Yang, and this is Jaune – my friend."

"Nice to meet you," he smiled and held a hand out for her to shake. "Sorry about before. It was an accident, I assure you."

"No problem…" Yang took his hand and gave it a quick shake. There was something she couldn't place, something that was just a little off about the guy. Like he wasn't quite all there. "Sorry for hitting you too," she grimaced. "It was an automatic reaction. I didn't really mean to."

"Don't worry about it. It wouldn't be the first time a beautiful girl's hit on me."

Yang laughed and let it go, but there was still something that made her eyes narrow. Too polite, too friendly, too nice. In a strange way it felt like he was talking to her like he had the Schnee girl earlier. Maybe he was as unsure of her as she was of him, but it said something about how he could be so relaxed around Ruby. Yang just wasn't sure whether that was a good or a bad thing.

Ruby was too young to be drawing the attention of guys… It could have been nothing and maybe she was being unfair and judging him from how they'd first met. This would have been much easier if he'd been as nervous and shy as Ruby… she could have trusted her awkward sister with an equally awkward guy. But she got the feeling this one knew how to talk to girls, if only because he didn't stutter at all when he'd called her beautiful. Most guys his age wouldn't have had that kind of experience, since you tended to pick it up in bars and clubs. Wait…

"I remember you now!" Yang's epiphany drew his attention, though for a second he looked panicked, but it was gone before she could really focus on it. "You were working the bar at the Oyster."

"Guilty as charged. Did you enjoy your drink?"

"It was good. You make a decent sunrise."

"Glad to hear it. Was the rest of your night interesting?"

"It was okay," Yang said quickly. "Nothing special happened." Certainly not anything she was going to admit out loud, since this guy surely knew what else went on in the Golden Oyster. It had just been a silly mistake, the result of her not knowing what she'd been about to walk into. There was no way she was ever going to mention that to anyone. She thought she caught a little smile on his face, but when she looked again it was gone.

Was he suggesting that he knew where she'd gone and what she had seen? Yang's eyes narrowed once more.

"You know each other?" Ruby looked between them both, eyes slowly growing wider. "Oh my god, Yang destroyed your nightclub, didn't she? Yaaaang!"

Eh!? Wait, Ruby thought- "No, no, no," Yang waved her hands back and forth. "I didn't destroy his bar. Tell her!"

"It's fine Ruby," he burst out laughing, stretching one hand out to rub the top of Ruby's head. The gesture was so natural, so easy, that Ruby didn't even get embarrassed by it. "Your sister didn't do anything wrong at our place. She actually made a really good impression on my boss." Jaune spared her a quick smile as he said that, earning a grateful nod in return. The less said about how she'd earned it, the better.

"So you two don't hate each other?"

It was said with such tenuous disbelief that Yang nearly melted. Like Ruby didn't quite dare to hope, but a small glimmer had broken through. She knew in an instant that if she said no, it would mean the end of this friendship. Ruby would always choose her first… it was how it had always been. She wasn't sure how much she liked the idea of a guy who worked in a bar, or worse, someone who was willing to work in a bar at a strip club, hanging around her innocent sister.

And Ruby would side with her if she chose to end it here, such was the high opinion Ruby held.

"Of course we don't hate each other," Yang sat down and gave the guy a light punch on the arm. "Hard to hate a man that makes a drink as good as that. You can pay me back with a couple next time I'm there."

"What's a little accident between friends?" he asked in return, smiling as well – though she felt it didn't seem to reach his eyes either. "You've got your badge so I'll make as many as you want." As she looked at him, and he returned her gaze, it felt like the two of them shared a little message that went above the younger girl's head. That they'd each try for now, that they would put aside whatever held them back, so long as it kept Ruby happy.

Nothing more than a tenuous agreement.

She would watch him… if only to make sure he didn't try anything. He hadn't done anything wrong yet, but there was still something that made her nervous. The way he looked at her didn't help, it wasn't the look of a guy interested in her – but rather one of distrust and suspicion. He was as wary around her as she was him.

That didn't matter though. She would give him a chance, even if it made her feel uncomfortable.

For Ruby.

What I like about Yang is that we never see much of her thoughts or opinion in this early stage of the show. We always see what Ruby acts like and what she does, with very little insight into Yang. She drags Ruby over to see Blake and also abandons Ruby at the start, which I like to see as desperate attempts to force her into socialising.

But the question in my mind was always, why not ever with Jaune? She lists him as Ruby's friend, yet despite seeing him, makes no attempt to invite him over or suggest Ruby chat with him.

Either way, Yang's first meeting with Jaune here is very different, and many of the intrinsic things Yang picks up on are… different from what Jaune has in canon, due to his differing past here. I've tried to make it clear in the text, but because some may cry "ooc, she didn't act like that in the show" I feel the need to mention that she is acting differently. And it's because Jaune is acting differently. Why? Well, that comes later.

Next Chapter: 10th October

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur