One or two have wondered or commented whether my writing this and changing Jaune's past means I don't believe he could attract Yang's attention as he is in canon. Obviously that is not the case. I've written a host of stories where Jaune's past is canon and he gets with various women. This is just me wanting to write something different, where his past is the changed aspect and the only changes to Beacon are what is caused by that past. (All my current stories have canon Jaune face diverging events. This is a divergent Jaune facing canon events, if you get my drift.)

There is no other reason. Not that I hate Jaune, his past or think he would have no chance with Yang. It's just me wanting to write something a little different. Jaune is one of my favourite characters.

Beta: College Fool

Chapter 3

Jaune was very fond of Ruby. It was something he'd realised early on, when he'd helped her up outside the school, but that notion had only been reinforced after she'd spent an entire night chatting to him about Signal, her friends and how much she wanted to be a Huntress. Eventually they'd all fallen asleep for the night, leading to where they were now, as Jaune waved Ruby and her sister off as they went to get changed for the day ahead. Liking the young girl shouldn't have been a big deal, and probably wasn't for most people.

For him it was huge.

Jaune liked women, he knew women. He had spent much of his life around women, been taught by a woman, trained by another and made his living off of women. He knew how to talk to them, how to listen and how to make himself attractive in their eyes.

But Ruby wasn't a woman. She was a girl – with all that entailed. Even at fifteen, most girls were becoming women, fuelled by hormones and the pressures of friends or society. Ruby wasn't like that, however. At fifteen years of age, she was still what most would have called painfully naïve and idealistic, thinking that she could change the world, that she could be the hero and make friends with everyone and anyone. She was wrong. The world was neither so kind nor insular enough that one person could change that much.

But that was why he found himself feeling so relaxed around her. She looked at him and saw a potential friend, a guy she could talk to who would be willing to put up with her obsession with weapons and being a hero. He looked at her and saw a girl who was never going to be interested in him in any other way. She just didn't seem interested in guys at all, which made her not only a joy to talk to, but safe. She was young enough that he didn't even feel the intrinsic instinct to flirt or charm her. It would have felt creepy. But she was also focused enough on her dream that he could have started stripping next to her and she'd have just asked what he was doing.

Finding someone like that… how lucky could he get? Well, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, sadly. There was still her older sister to contend with, who not only was the girl's exact opposite – but also seemed to have an issue with him already.

And the feeling was so very mutual. Where Ruby represented childlike innocence, he knew from personal experience that her sister wasn't the same. She not only visited the club, but came to a show on the first night. That means she's definitely interested in guys, at least. She had that confidence too, the demeanour of a girl used to dealing with guys, which he supposed he'd known from how she turned down that guy at the club. She hadn't flushed and stammered in surprise at being chatted up. Yang had looked bored, like she'd seen it all before.

Maybe it was hypocritical of him, in fact he was fairly sure it was, but that didn't make him feel any less nervous around her. The only saving grace was that while she was definitely more sexually aware than Ruby, it would have been laughable to suggest that it was being aimed at him. The way she kept glaring at me pretty much makes that clear. Weird… she seemed alright with me when I served her at the club. But then she hadn't really talked much to him then, accepting a drink from him and then otherwise chatting with Reg. The other times she had seen him; she'd had no idea who he was.

"That's another issue." Jaune whispered to himself, reaching for his equipment in the locker and pulling on his breastplate. With Nina's semblance helping him along, Yang shouldn't have had any idea who he was. That didn't mean he wanted to push it, though. He doubted she was an idiot.

What a complicated situation he'd gotten himself into. He should have been pleased to find another person who clearly had no interest in him in that manner. It was exactly what he wanted, a break from a world where he had to live on the tentative interest of women. That she had also trashed Junior's club was a bonus, one that Yang didn't even realise the implications of. The Bloody Cleaver Gang had been making moves lately, taking action into their own hands and even assaulting some of the workers. First there'd been Gracie, who even after recovering had a sharp scar down her face – devastating in their line of work. Then there'd been one of the chefs, old man Richie, who'd had his arm and shoulder broken.

Jaune and a few others had taken matters into their own hands, getting some payback on the next set of mooks that dared try to trouble them, but there had still been a sense of fear in the club. Then she'd come along and basically fixed it all for them. Little wonder Reg had been so thrilled… little wonder he felt it worth giving her the complete freedom of the club.

Jaune had been grateful too, grateful enough that when he'd seen her in the lounge, he had made sure to focus his attention solely on her. Dancing for her and only her, making sure to watch her eyes, read her attention and tailor his dance to what she seemed to like. Despite all the people watching, it had been a private dance.

Just the two of them…

And then she'd run away. His brow crinkled, a brief sensation of confusion running through him before he shook his head and buckled his sword to his waist. It didn't matter. Yang was suspicious of him, that much was true. That was also the most worrying thing, because unlike most other people at Beacon he did have something to hide, something that he was terrified to let other people find out. The stigma that followed those who did what he did, the way most of society looked at them… Beacon would be torture if he had to put up with that.

That was the real reason he felt so nervous around her, not for her sexuality, not for her confidence or clear interest in his dance. It was because she might find out the truth. He disliked her for purely selfish reasons… he was nothing but a hypocrite.

Yet he still wanted to spend more time around Ruby.

You never do things the easy way, do you?

"You there!" Jaune nearly jumped as he heard an authoritative voice behind him, just catching himself at the last second. If he hadn't been so distracted he might have recognised it, but instead he turned around with wide eyes, just to see the white-haired girl from the day before, the Schnee. Stood beside her was another woman, Pyrrha Nikos. He would have recognised her anywhere.

"Oh Miss Schnee," Jaune nodded with a polite smile. She had been a complete terror to Ruby the day before, but since his friend wasn't here now and didn't need looking after, he didn't see the point in antagonising Weiss. You didn't do that to a customer. "I hope you're well this morning. I didn't interrupt your conversation did I?"

"You did not, no," the girl returned his nod. "I actually wished to apologise for the previous night and how I acted towards you."

"Really?" Had he pegged her wrong? Jaune was usually fairly confident on his first impressions of women, particularly since in his line of work you often didn't have more than that to go on. You had once chance to impress a customer. If you lost that, then you lost your potential earnings.

"Yes. I reacted harshly towards you, when now I realise you were not personally at fault for the actions of that silly child."

Or… she could be just as arrogant as he'd first thought.

"I thought to clear the air between us," she went on, "and let you know that I meant no criticism towards you for what took place."

"That's kind of you," he said. And then, because he felt a little bit defensive still, "Ruby didn't mean her actions either. She was just excited and nervous. Could you maybe forgive her for that?"

"No." Her expression was flat. Ouch. "Regardless, I wanted to introduce you to someone. This is Pyrrha Nikos, graduate from Sanctum and Grand Champion of the Mistral under-seventeen tournaments. I'm sure you've heard of her."

He had. His mentor had often highlighted her as one of the best upcoming huntresses of this generation, while also making him watch many of her fights for inspiration. More than that, she had enough sponsorship deals that he'd have had to be dense not to recognise that pretty face.

Right now, however, that face was twisted. The smile was plastic, the crease of her lips forced and awkward. He knew that look, having attracted it quite a few times when he'd gotten started… when he had been inexperienced and still practicing to be what he was now. It was the look of a woman politely putting up with something she really didn't want to. You learned to spot that quickly, and adapt your strategy immediately.

"I'm afraid I don't," Jaune lied, extending a hand towards her. "I don't mean any offence though; I guess I was the kind of guy who watched too many cartoons instead."

"Wha-?"

"No, that's fine!" His hand was taken quickly, the girl across from him shaking it with a more natural smile. The difference was so subtle that he doubted Weiss picked it up. From what he could see Pyrrha was better at hiding her emotions than most women twice her age, likely something she'd had to learn in show business. Maybe in a way, it wasn't too different from what he did. They both put on an act because their roles demanded it - they both also used their bodies to woo the audience. "Too much television is bad for you, and the tournaments… well, there will always be a winner. I was simply fortunate to have a good teacher."

"I'm sure your own drive had a part to play as well," Jaune said with a little grin. "But I guess we're all in the same boat now. Go easy on me if we end up facing one another?"

"Wouldn't that only impede your training?" the redhead asked, the smile even wider now.

"Ugh… fine…" Jaune sighed dramatically, one arm across his eyes. "Then kick my butt. But do it with love, I beg of you."

Pyrrha giggled at his theatrics, one hand covering her mouth. Weiss looked between them with an open mouth, but Jaune found himself relaxing once more. Crisis averted and she was happier to boot, that was territory he was used to.

"W-Well it's good to see the two of you getting along," Weiss valiantly fought to bring herself back into the conversation. Jaune let her, keeping an eye on Pyrrha as he did. The redhead looked towards Weiss, still a little hesitant but more relaxed than she had been before. That was all it took sometimes, a boost of confidence and breaking the ice. Not all women came to the Golden Oyster with carnal desires on their minds. Some had just been through difficult times and needed cheering up, some had suffered blows to their self-esteem… they just wanted to feel special, desired. It was his job to be whatever it was they wanted him to be, whether that was lover, charming stranger or a shoulder to lean on. "I was thinking that perhaps we could attempt to be on a team together, with myself as leader, naturally."

"Naturally," Jaune nodded, meeting Pyrrha's eyes over Weiss' head. The girl's eyes widened, her hand quickly covering her lips once more as she noticed the subtle sarcasm. "There is one problem though," he added, "I'm not sure how teams are made… or if we even get to choose."

If they did, then he would be choosing Ruby anyway. Weiss was rich, that much was obvious. She would have found herself the centre of attention had this been the Golden Oyster, but here and now he wasn't a Dancer.

"The same here," Pyrrha joined in. "I was thinking of letting the chips fall where they may."

Weiss looked scandalised at the mere idea of it. For someone of her heritage, growing up in a famous business family, the idea of letting fate takes its course without a clear plan was probably insane. He might have sympathised with her, if it wasn't for the loyalty he still held towards Ruby, not to mention the irritation he'd felt at how Weiss treated her.

"I'll probably do the same," he said instead, delighting in the way Weiss' face snapped to his. "I'm claiming it as my idea though. If anyone asks, I totally didn't copy it off of you."

"That's fine," she giggled again, "Oh, I didn't catch your name?"

Weiss started, pale eyes going wide as she no doubt realised she hadn't properly introduced them.

"A-Ah… this is Jaune…" she paused, heat creeping up her cheeks, "I-I forgot to ask your full name…"

"White," Jaune said. "Jaune White."

"Isn't that-" Weiss trailed off, while he could only grimace slightly. "I'm sorry!" The heiress bowed her head. "That was insensitive, please forgive me."

"It's fine." Teasing her because she had belittled Ruby was one thing. Letting her feel terrible because she thought she had insulted him was another. He wasn't that kind of person. "I've had a long time to get used to it."

"That does not excuse me," Weiss shook her head. "I'm so-"

"Will all Beacon students make their way to the cliffs immediately," a feminine voice came out over the announcement systems, cutting Weiss' apology off and also saving him from Pyrrha's sympathetic looks. It wasn't anything new, but it was something he didn't like putting up with. "I repeat…"

"Well good luck both of you," Jaune clapped them each on the shoulder, taking his chance to escape while he could. "Bye Weiss, bye Pyrrha!"

/-/

Yang only listened with half an ear as the headmaster explained how they would be partnered. Eye contact, first person they saw, find something and return it – that was all the information she needed. At any other time she might have been more interested, but right now she had to deal with the guy hovering far too close to her little sister.

"Hi Jaune." Yang greeted as she walked up to them, happily pushing into the conversation and also coincidentally onto the launch pad between Ruby and him. Ruby shouted a greeting but Yang didn't hear it, too busy watching him watch her little sister.

"Yang," he nodded back. She could hear the frustration in his voice.

"Jaune was just talking about the teams," Ruby chirped. "How we should try and team up so we're not with people we don't know."

"Did he now?" Yang fixed a look on him, and to his credit he met it, staring back without any hint of apology or fear. Normally she'd have liked that in a man, but right now that man was trying to get unusually close to her sister. Yang was used to guys trying that in order to get close to her, in which case she'd sent them packing for daring to try and take advantage of Ruby's friendship. But it was clear he wasn't interested in his fellow blonde.

He was interested in Ruby, and that was even more worrying. Maybe it wasn't something to worry about, maybe it was normal. But if this was going to determine who her little sister would be partnered with for the next few years, then Yang wasn't going to take that risk. I'll have to make sure I end up as Ruby's partner, she realised. Yang almost felt she could see the same thoughts behind his blue eyes.

A race then, with Ruby as both finish line and prize.

Yang drew a pair of aviator's, slipping them onto her face and flashing a grin to Ruby. Her little sister giggled back, while he faked a smile that didn't reach his eyes. They both knew what the stakes were, even without saying them. The only one who didn't was Ruby, ironically. That was normal, however. Ruby was so innocent, so naïve and slow to notice things that weren't obvious.

That was why Yang had to protect her.

/-/

Jaune felt the plate beneath him vibrate before it launched. Fear lanced through him for a moment, just a second during which he could have leapt off and avoided this altogether, before it was too late and vertigo took him.

He wanted Ruby, or failing that, any random guy. That would make it easier… so that he wouldn't need to keep struggling to avoid falling into old habits. Partnering with a woman was a risk he didn't need. In time he'd get used to being a normal guy, but right now he was still too stuck in his work mentality. If he slipped for even a moment, then he might trick some unsuspecting girl into thinking he was interested… into developing feelings for him. The last thing he needed was for that to tear apart a partnership that was supposed to last for four years. Maybe even longer… most teams stayed close friends forever.

The wind buffeted and stung his eyes, making him squint them while trying to keep an eye on where the red shape ahead was travelling. Ruby was propelling herself a little further, using her powerful rifle to halt her fall. Yang was falling further to the left, but he knew she would be moving in the direction of his new friend the instant she landed. The race was on.

I'll have to catch up on foot, he realised, as gravity took hold of him and decided it was about time for him to meet the floor once more. He didn't have any way of artificially extending his flight. No explosives, no guns and certainly nothing he could use to glide with. As the green canopy of the forest rushed up to meet him, Jaune could only bring his legs before him, take a deep breath – and hope to hell his aura would help protect him.

"Why did no one teach me a landing strategy!?" He yelled. Before the branches finally reached him and shouting became impossible.

Green and brown covered his vision, branches scraped and scratched against him while leaves and foliage slapped his face and obscured his eyes. He spat out leaves only to cry out as his feet landed not on solid ground, but rather some sloped ledge. Downward momentum became diagonal, his body falling over and back scraping against moss, rock and soil as he skidded, feet kicking up leaf litter before him.

One hand grabbed the hilt of his sword, a vague idea to use it to halt his slide, before his feet hit a rock and flipped him forwards, sending his face into some bushes before his back struck a tree. The trunk was not an immovable object, but neither was Jaune an irresistible one, and so the result was pain and groaning. The tree probably came out better, he felt, as his legs fell down over his head.

"Landing…" he coughed, "strategy… acquired…"

If Nina were there she would have burst out laughing. If she were here, however, then he would have also stabbed her in the face. Had she forgotten to teach him how he was supposed to land safely? Or had it just never crossed her mind?

With a grunt, he climbed to his feet, staggering away from the tree and picking up his sword from where it had fell nearby. The strap had snapped, so now he was stuck carrying it in one hand. Wonderful. That was just what he got for buying mass-produced crap. With the solid canopy above his head it was hard to tell where exactly he was, but he could just about remember the direction Ruby's flight had taken her.

He still had to beat Yang there, a tough task since he'd seen the blonde controlling her flight with those shotgun gauntlets of hers. Pushing through bushes and waist-high plants, he made his way deeper into the forest. A good fifteen or so minutes passed without incident, though in the distance he could occasionally hear a gunshot, explosion or some other sign of combat. None sounded like Ruby, however, and so he'd ignored his initial instinct to seek them out.

His good luck didn't hold. Only a few minutes later he heard it, the snuffling and growling of a wild animal, which being so close to Beacon he could only assume was a Grimm of some kind. I could avoid it… but if it then comes up behind me I'd be in trouble. Plus, he had no idea if the teachers were watching and would judge them on their ability to fight. In the end the decision was taken out of his hands entirely, a Beowolf head appearing above the bushes before it snarled and lumbered towards him.

"Alright then," Jaune leapt back, hold the sheathe up before him as he tore the steel blade free. "Time to see if Nina's training was really worth the lien."

The Grimm rushed him mindlessly, as she'd told him they would. He waited until the last second, stepping to the side as it passed and slashing down on its left side. The blade scored a deep wound but was nearly torn from his grip entirely. Their hide was a log tougher than he'd expected. She'd always said to strike as hard as he could, but Jaune hadn't thought she had meant it quite so literally. It landed solidly enough, even with the wound, spinning and howling in rage as it charged towards him once more. Beowolves were the weakest of Grimm, relying on speed and numbers more than anything. One on its own wouldn't have been a problem for a real Hunter. "So it shouldn't be for me, either. Rargh!"

Another strike, another howl – this one more pained than the last, as the creature collapsed onto its knees with his sword lodged in its neck. He kept a stronger grip on it this time, with himself being pulled off his feet instead, to stand atop its back. The sword slipped free of its flesh before he struck down again, severing the head in one brutal swing.

"That… wasn't so hard," he panted. "Maybe I can do this after all…"

"Bravo." Someone clapped from nearby.

Jaune realised his mistake even as he made it. It was a female voice, and had he thought about it further he realised he could have refused to look at it, but instinct and surprise had him looking for the source of that voice before he could think. Stood before him, politely clapping and with a smile on her face, the green eyes of Pyrrha Nikos, championship fighter of mistral.

"I was ready to step in if needs be, but it looked like you had that handled."

"Yeah, I-" damn it, eye contact. Jaune paused to swallow. "So… partners?"

"I think so, yes," Pyrrha smiled. She seemed pleased, even if he wasn't. That thought then made him wince, realising how cruel it sounded, even in his own head. There wasn't anything wrong with her, per se. Other than that she was neither a guy nor Ruby. "I just let the chips fall and this was how they turned out."

There was a brief flash of colour as she said that, nothing more than a red tinge to her neck. She didn't meet his eyes, either, glancing away and towards the sky. She was lying, he realised with a little surprise. So she had sought him out specifically?

That was bad…

Did I make an impression on her already? He hadn't meant to flirt during their first meeting, but now that he thought about it he had teased Weiss while being a little too friendly with Pyrrha. He remembered briefly the thoughts he'd had when he first saw her on that Bullhead, of how her strength would make her a good friend to make, and how he could have appealed to her loneliness to make sure she considered him as such.

It made him feel sick.

But I didn't target her, he cried within his mind. I didn't do this on purpose. She chose me! But had she chosen him because he had made her? The questions spun around his mind, leaving him standing in place with wide eyes.

"Is something wrong, Jaune?"

"No, no!" He waved his arms, smiling to ease the worry he heard in her voice. It wasn't her fault and he couldn't her think that. Maybe he was over-analysing it, maybe it wasn't as bad as he feared. "Just thinking how lucky I am to get a partner like you. Not every man is fortunate enough to stumble across a beautiful woman while killing Grimm."

Pyrrha went bright red, glancing down to the floor as she shuffled her feet and whispered an embarrassed "thank you". Damn it – stop speaking on instinct! He'd been prepared to have a partner at Beacon, but he'd always thought it would be another man. Now he had to adapt. Could he pretend she was male and treat her like that, or would that be unfair to her?

All I have to do is remember that she's a friend, not someone who could be a customer. That was easier said than done, but he'd have to learn. That meant not trying to read her emotions and not trying to subtly lead conversations or take control of a situation. And definitely, absolutely not tricking her into thinking he was interested when he wasn't!

Customers expected that, they were prepared and accepted that it was because they were paying him or the others at the Golden Oyster. But Pyrrha was neither a customer nor a woman who was ready to have her heart played with. Doing so would be beyond cruel… it would be a betrayal of trust, and something they might never recover from. And here she was, already red in the cheek and not quite meeting his eyes.

"Shall we go get a relic then?" Jaune asked, standing up and wiping some leaves off his hoodie. "The sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can get all these twigs out of my hair."

Pyrrha laughed, finally looking back to him.

"Sounds good to me partner."

And that was but the start of their adventure, which would soon lead to an encounter with a monstrous Grimm they might never forget.

/-/

"So what happened next?" Nina leaned forward, "You're just going to end it like that?"

Jaune paused to take a drink of beer, letting the familiar bitter taste wash over his tongue. Brian sat across the table from him, nursing his own along with a cigarette, while Nina lounged on a chair opposite. There was a haze of smoke between them, the familiar scent of ash and nicotine that pervaded the backstage rooms of the Oyster. Jaune didn't smoke himself, but the scent of it had become almost comforting.

"From there we met up with Ruby and Yang." Jaune recounted. "Turns out neither me nor Yang got to partner with Ruby, but Weiss Schnee of all people. We fought a Nevermore, then a Deathstalker, before heading back to Beacon and being assigned our teams."

"Weiss is the one who hates Ruby, right?" Nina laughed.

"The same. Yang got a black-haired girl called Blake, while the other two are Nora and Ren, partners and now my teammates as well."

"And you're the Team Leader," Nina snorted.

"You don't have to make it sound like such an appalling idea." It totally was, but that wasn't the issue. The moment his name had been called out there had been a stunned silence among the crowd too, one that Jaune doubted any of his teammates had missed.

"What are your other two teammates like?" Brian asked as he pushed his cigarette down into the ash tray, a glass of gin and tonic in his other hand.

"They're nice. I get a weird maybe together, maybe not vibe from them, but I think we can get along. Nora's excitable and a little loud, but definitely not into me. Ren's quiet and a little serious, but even during the fight with the Deathstalker, the two of us seemed to click."

"I notice you didn't say this Ren character definitely isn't in to you," Nina leered. "If that happens then we could make a show of it. Damn that would be hot."

"Sounds like you got a good team then," Brian said, thankfully saving Jaune as the two of them ignored the creepy giggles of the woman beside them. "Even if you didn't end up with that Ruby girl."

"Except for Pyrrha," Jaune reminded them. "I'm not saying that she's fallen for me, but I can definitely feel her being interested." It was in the way she looked at him, the way she paid attention when he spoke. It wasn't fully fledged yet, more of a minor interest or of someone whose attention had been sparked. Even so, it had the potential to grow into something far worse.

"And would that be such a bad thing?" Nina sighed. Jaune gave her a wide-eyed look. "Hear me out Jaune. You said you wanted to go to Beacon to become a Hunter. That means you're going to have to learn to adapt to being normal out there, right?"

"I get that, bu-" A smooth finger pressed against his lips, Nina leaning forward provocatively, pushing her breasts together between her arms to better show them off. Any other man might have paid attention to it, but neither he nor Brian even looked.

"The point I'm making, dear student, is that you're not going to improve as a person unless you face your fears. This Ruby girl sounds very sweet, and I agree that you should continue that friendship, but she's too safe an option for you. If you hide amongst men and women who aren't interested, then you're just avoiding the problem."

Jaune stared at the grain on the table, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"I think you're correct to worry about treating your partner as a customer, of misleading her by accident. That shows you care, which is a good first step to a healthy friendship. But you shouldn't protect the poor girl by alienating her."

"And if she develops feelings for me?" Jaune's voice felt very small indeed.

"Then would it be such a problem? Teenagers date all the time, so maybe it would be a good experience for you. It's only an issue if you purposefully make her, with only the intent of taking advantage – which I know you won't," Nina added quickly as he opened his mouth. Jaune let his lips close, drawing his drink up once more. "You are doing it with the other girl too, the one you don't like."

"Yang?" Jaune sighed, already feeling his headache coming on. She had won the race, it seemed, even if she hadn't partnered with Ruby. They were on the same team at least. The consolation prize was that Ruby had clapped happily for him still, and that their rooms were opposite one another. They were close enough that Jaune could still be her friend.

"From what I understand," Nina continued, "Your issues with her seem to be born from the fear that she might find out about your work here and reveal you. Whether or not that happens should be your concern, Jaune. Not hers. It's a little unfair to judge her so critically based on that." Nina paused to take a puff from her cigarette, handing it over to Brian who shared of it. "And so she visits clubs and saw your strip tease. She's a growing girl. It's not a crime for her to have hormones."

"I guess I'm being childish?" Jaune asked, feeling about two feet tall. A warm hand touched his cheek, lifting his head up to look into soft, green eyes.

"You are afraid. You are afraid of failing in this new chance of yours, and of hurting these new people you've met. There's no shame to be had in that." Her hand caressed his skin, one holding him there as the other traced under his chin, tickling against the skin of his neck. The gesture might have shocked others, but in a job where intimate contact meant little, it might have been nothing more than a friendly slap on the arm. "It will only be a shame if you let that fear prevent you from making friends. Remember that even with this Yang person, you might drive Ruby away if you do not at least try to build some bridges."

Jaune sighed. She was right, of course.

She usually was. That was why even at her age, she was one of the most popular female entertainers at the club. Nina might have claimed her age as close to twenty-seven, but as far back as he could remember, she had said that. Whatever her true age, her smooth skin and beautiful complexion was more than enough to leave most men witless.

And in a way, she was doing what she did to those men to him, even now. Much like with him, sometimes it wasn't all about carnal desires. Some men desired advice, comfort or just to be made to feel special.

"I'll fix things," Jaune sighed, leaning back so that her hands fell from his face. "Can you pass my time table onto the boss? Tell him to message me what shifts he wants me to pull. I'm willing to work Friday and Saturday nights too. I could use the lien."

Nina nodded, putting her cigarette away as she stretched her arms over her head, leaning back with a sigh. That did interesting things to her bare breasts, which she had yet to cover after her recent dance. No one was bothered with the nakedness, certainly not Jaune as he leaned down to give her a quick hug, feeling her hug him back before he left.

It was just the way things were.

/-/

"You're back?" Pyrrha was still awake when he returned, despite that it was at least ten at night and they had lessons the next day. From the snoring he could tell that Nora was already asleep, perhaps Ren too. "Did everything go okay?"

"It went fine," Jaune stepped into the room, shrugging off his backpack. "I just had to let my employer know what days I had free so he can decide when my shifts are. There was never any need to worry."

Pyrrha glanced away, her outline seeming to shimmer in the light from the window. She was dressed in a long, white tee with pyjama bottoms a faint peach in colour. She was quite the beautiful woman, though physical appearances meant little to him. It was her face, however, which made him pause. Because of the way she didn't quite look at him… or how anxious she appeared.

"Where do you work?" she asked softly. "Is it something you'll be able to do alongside Beacon?"

"I work in a night club in Vale," he sat down as he answered, pulling one boot off and then the other. "I serve drinks and wash glasses and the shifts are always late at night, so lessons won't be a problem. I might come back a little late sometimes, but I'll always let the team know in advance, and be as quiet as possible."

Nina's words had continued to haunt him all the way back to Beacon. Was he really pushing Pyrrha away, without ever giving her a chance? Just deciding that she was a problem because she was interested in him… even assuming that, just because he spent most of his time in a business where women usually were? Pyrrha wasn't a customer, he'd decided that before when he had made his promise not to mislead her. But that went both ways, didn't it? It also meant that she wasn't after him either, that she hadn't come to a strip club with the clear intention of seeing him take his clothes off.

And he had just judged her, without even trying to get to know her.

"Are you…" she paused for a moment, "satisfied with the teams?"

Was he satisfied? Or did she mean was he dissatisfied. She phrased it nicely, but he knew her real concern. No doubt she'd seen the way he had reacted to her at first, and then to seeing Ruby paired with Weiss.

"I wasn't at first." Pyrrha's head snapped up. "I wanted to be paired with Ruby since she was my friend. I was pretty bummed about that."

"I'm sorry."

"But I think I'm feeling better now," he pushed on, ignoring Pyrrha's apology. "I'll be honest Pyrrha, yeah I was a little upset at first, but it was never about you." He knew that now. That in truth the problem had been not with her, but with him. "I'm…" The truth was always the best option, or as little of it as he could give, "-I'm not very good at making friends. I'm not shy or nervous, but I find it hard to click with people and it's more my fault than anyone else's. I made such easy friends with Ruby that I guess I just fixated on being her partner and not having to make any more. That's why I was awkward at first, and for that I'm sorry."

"I think I understand. I'll admit I didn't even imagine you might have had trouble," Pyrrha glanced away. "When you first talked to me you seemed so confident."

"You're not wrong Pyrrha. I can talk fairly easily, not to mention hold a conversation. But I learned how to do that working behind a bar. You're meant to be chatty if that's what the customer wants." Pyrrha let off a wry smile, as though remembering something.

"But you're only doing it because you're expected to." She said. "I think I know that feeling… perhaps better than you realise."

"I have a small circle of friends at work," Jaune went on, "People who I've grown to know and care for… I actually went to talk with them and tell them what was going on at Beacon." He didn't lie to her, not once, but if she assumed those co-workers were also bar staff, then he wouldn't dissuade her. "I was telling them about my team, about how I didn't end up with Ruby."

"And what did they say?" Pyrrha asked, and he could tell she felt nervous. Jaune laughed awkwardly, looking down at the floor.

"They said I was being stupid."

Pyrrha's eyes widened.

"They said I was so scared of failing to make a friend that I wasn't willing to try. That I was desperate to be with Ruby because she was safe and easy, and that I needed to break out of my shell more." Jaune paused to meet Pyrrha's eyes. "They also said I wasn't being fair to you."

"It's fine," Pyrrha shook her head. "I stopped you being with your friend, I-"

"I'm going to make mistakes," he cut into her monologue before it could ever begin. "I'm probably going to say the wrong thing and mess up at times, maybe even keep things to myself when I should be sharing them with the team. But my friends were right and I've had the entire journey back to think about it."

Jaune held his arm out, palm towards the ceiling.

"So if you'd be willing to give me another chance… I was upset about the teams at first but now I'm not and I want to try and be a better friend. A better partner too. If I do something wrong I want to ask you to tell me, or knock some sense into me, whichever comes first. Deal?"

Pyrrha looked at his hand, then up to his eyes. She was smiling now, brighter and somehow more alive than she had been earlier. Jaune pretended not to notice the moisture in her eyes, the sheer relief she exuded.

A hand slapped against his, the grip strong. So he hadn't gotten Ruby. That was a shame. But he had instead gotten Pyrrha, Ren and Nora… and perhaps in time he could make that work too. He would just have to stop thinking of her as just another woman, just a customer, and start thinking of her for what she was.

A friend.

Chapter done. Initiation was something that could not be avoided, but you'll notice I skipped over a lot of it because in all honesty the important differences are the first impressions. I never wanted this to be a "change the past" story in which the changes start to make immediate differences. The alterations are subtle, in that the same events happen (for now), but Jaune has totally different reasons for them happening.

Like in canon where he doesn't know Pyrrha, compared to here when he does know her, but makes the decision to lie because he can tell she doesn't want him to. Different reasoning, same ultimate result.

Naturally events will change. This isn't to be a hand holding of canon and much of the Yang and Jaune elements will be brought in from next chapter onwards. I'm also naturally trying to avoid making Jaune seem too OoC, but rather "in-character for Jaune in the new past that was made for him."

I actually like "altered past Jaune" stories, but I tend to feel disappointed when the altered past is just there as an excuse to have a different Jaune (i.e. more badass, more harem) and that past doesn't ever get explored or given the detail it deserves. I'll be trying to avoid that. He is more suave with the ladies, but also finds it harder to connect with people. Everything he gains in one area, comes with a change in another.

Next Chapter: 24th October

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur