Oh my good god, this week… ugh. So two of the magazines went well and were finished, but the last ones are slaughtering me. It's just… people keep changing their minds on what they want, making me have to re-write them, and then the sales team are being really bad on getting in the art work for the studio – because they left it late and now half their customers are on holiday and not responding.
So suddenly we have to dig old stuff out and make it ourselves, which is in the contract they sign, but I just know it will lead to complaints next year while I'll have to handle. But come on… if you know you are going away and know you have PAID for an advert and need to get artwork through… why would you not do it!? That's like paying for a concert ticket fully knowing you are not going to attend!
Just throw the money away, why don't you. I love Christmas, but the xmas rush can go and drown itself! Totally drags into my writing too, damn it. I went home this weekend and just finished more work for clients who suddenly decided they had no time to write their own, but somehow feel they can demand I do it for free... and I kinda had to! Because if I didn't the magazine wouldn't go! Bastards...
Can't wait to break up on Wednesday and actually have free time to put into writing!
Beta: College Fool
Chapter 8
The moment Jaune entered the Golden Oyster his entire posture seemed to change. To Yang it was strange to see him straighten up, to go from a slightly nervous stance to something more comfortable, even as he nodded a familiar greeting to a bouncer who smiled back, or when someone behind the bar waved and called his name. He was always friendly back at Beacon, always willing to chat – albeit that he didn't socialise much, or even at all, outside of their two teams. Still, at Beacon there was always a sense of anxiety or worry holding him back… it seemed to not hold him at the club.
It was honestly like looking at a completely different person.
"It's pretty busy tonight," she said, nodding her head towards the dance floor, which was currently filled with people. The two of them were sat on a balcony above it, the glass floor muting the noise a little. When he'd told her about a quiet spot he knew she'd been worried he might have meant the VIP lounge. If the same person as before was handling the entrance he might have recognised her, which would have led to a difficult conversation with her drinking partner.
"It's payday for the locals," he said, "They tend to come out on force on days like this." He sipped some at some cocktail she wasn't familiar with, while she enjoyed the sunrise he'd made. His were always deliciously sweet. "No doubt Reg will be rubbing his hands together in glee."
"I'm surprise he could spare you the night off."
Jaune shrugged, "The club actually gets pretty flush with part-time work when the local schools start up. There's plenty of students looking to make some extra lien."
"I can believe it. I used to work in a little corner shop back in Patch." Not that she'd been old enough to work in one of the local pubs around there, but it was probably a similar deal. Pocket money only went so far. "The bouncer seemed to recognise you easily, not to mention the guys behind the bar. You must have been working here for a while."
"Eh, definitely for a while."
Yang rolled her eyes at the response, not to mention the lack of any details. Once more her purpose for being at the club with him came to mind. Sure guys, make me be the one to have to ask him about how he's being bullied at school, real fair. It wasn't that she didn't care, but if Pyrrha and Ruby couldn't get it out of him she had no idea what she was supposed to do. `So… that bullying, then`. Yeah, that would go down well…
In fact, despite her initial hopes, the entire evening felt awkward and stilted. She felt like she was there more on a mission than going drinking with a friend, while he seemed to recognise that, giving short answers and waiting for the next question before speaking. So much for my hopes for a casual night out with a friend, she sighed, running a finger around the top of her glass.
"You seem to be getting better in combat class." she said, just to have something she could say. Maybe she should call the night off early and make an excuse to go home?
"Getting better," he nodded, "But still not as good as you guys."
"Hey now, you can have dreams but you'll never be as good as me."
"So modest," his eyes were flat, earning a little laugh from her. Better - he seemed to be loosening up a little. Was it a case of knowing what to talk about? "You and Ruby though, you're both insane… how did you get so strong?"
Amusement suffused her for a moment as she gave him a quick grin. "Mostly just time," she said. "Our parents were both hunters so it made sense that we both got into it early. I must have started exercising heavily at like seven or eight, maybe? That means a good ten years prep for this point."
"And probably for everyone else too," he sighed.
"Not necessarily. Some people will only have the six from whatever starter school they went to. Signal takes you on at level but apart from a fitness and intelligence test, there's no official requirements." She'd aced the fitness and to be fair the mind tests had been mostly easy things that any self-respecting eleven-year-old should have been able to answer. "You didn't go to a school though, did you?"
Jaune looked a little awkward for a moment, and she wondered if that had come off sounding harsh. "I didn't go to a combat school," he said, "I had personal training, but it was only for the last two years."
"Just the two?" Compared to what most people had, that was pretty damn short. "You still got into Beacon though, so it must have been a good two years."
"It was," Jaune nodded, looking proud for the first time. "She's an amazing teacher and helped me out a lot. I was basically fresh when she took me on. It's still not enough to win any proper spars, but I'm just glad I managed to get into Beacon at all."
Yang felt the uncomfortable urge to reach over and rub his head Ruby style. It was the way he talked about his teacher, the cutesy way his pride wasn't aimed at himself – but towards her. Ruby had used to look at her like that too, back before such adulation had been considered uncool. Damn it, give me back my Rubaby. Still, he was willing to talk and she needed distracting from all the nightmarish thoughts about that guy. "You're lasting in fights against people," Yang said, "Your stamina and speed are there, it's just finishing the fight. You don't seem to be able to do much damage and eventually you get worn out and beaten yourself."
He nodded, looking like he was making a mental note of her words. "Nina was more focused on making sure I was able to stay alive than hit hard. I was able to kill the Grimm in initiation, but everyone else is a lot tougher than one of those."
That was true, she supposed. In a weird way the students were stronger than most Grimm, how otherwise would they have been able to face them? At least he was strong enough to go toe to toe with the enemies of mankind. I guess that's good enough proof he deserves his spot. It was also probably a kick in the teeth to the kind of people who had gone through all the prep schools and still failed to pass initiation. Frankly if someone could work their ass off for two years and manage it, then more power to them.
"You seem to be having trouble with Winchester the most."
She knew she'd pushed too hard when she said it. His shoulders locked up and his eyes flicked up to meets hers, narrowed. Maybe that had been a bit too obvious, but the quick response definitely suggested there was something going on there. "No more than anyone else," he said.
"You sure?" she asked, "He was pretty vocal insulting you the other day."
"He insults everyone."
True, but that didn't help her current situation. Why couldn't Pyrrha have dealt with this? He was her partner. "Look," Yang sighed, deciding to just bite the bullet and go for it, "Ruby's worried-"
He laughed, "About what?"
Yang's eyes narrowed, a frustrated sigh escaping her as she crossed her arms and stared at him, "About how you're being bullied," she said frankly, "And if you're about to tell me you're not then keep in mind I'm not nearly as easy to convince as Pyrrha or Ruby."
He sighed and rubbed his forehead, clearly struggling for an answer as he opened his mouth to speak – only to be cut off as the music below died. The silence it left behind was overpowering. He looked over the balcony to their left, "Not again…"
Yang growled and pushed herself up, glancing over with narrowed eyes, "What now?" She'd just been about to force the issue too. Someone better have a damn good reason for interrupting her.
Down below the dancers had given way as a group of people elbowed their way towards the main stage. The men, at least ten in total, wore black suits with red ties and glasses, a uniform she had seen before at Junior's club. Jaune cursed quietly.
She glanced towards him, nodding once to the guys on the dance floor. "I take it this isn't a social call."
"Hei Xiong's men… it's been so quiet lately too." He glanced at her, "We figured after you trashed their club that they would have been busy but it looks like they've come to even the score."
Yang's eyes widened, "They've come to attack the Oyster?" That seemed a dramatic response, especially considering it was her who had wrecked the club. "I didn't realise the entertainment industry was so cut-throat."
"It usually isn't… Hei likes to think he owns the neighbourhood though. We don't pay protection money and this is what happens." Jaune stood up, one hand on the railing as he bent his legs.
Something stirred in her stomach as her eyes widened. Her hand latched out, catching his wrist before he could vault over the side. "You're going down there?" she hissed. "You're going to fight all of them?"
"They're not hunters," he shot back, "Besides, someone has to. You can stay here if you want."
Stay here? Laughter bubbled from her lips as she grinned and stood up, patting him lightly on the head. "You must be joking," she said, "Your plan needs work if you think you're jumping down there though."
"Why?" he asked, clearly confused.
How adorable. That feeling in her stomach pooled hotter and hotter, not fear as one might have expected but rather a deep-seated excitement ingrained into her. Talking about bullying and school wasn't nearly as exciting as a good fight. "Because," she said, leaning close to press a finger to Jaune's lips. His eyes widened, but not as much as they did when she pushed him back. "Because that's my plan!"
The suited men turned to face her as she crashed down onto the dance floor with a loud crack. None of them seemed to recognise her, more the loss for them – as two drew forth black metal sticks and rushed towards her.
She laughed as she tilted her head to the side, letting one pass over her shoulder as she caught the second in the palm of her hand. A vicious twist and pull had the man disarmed and with that same hand she slammed the pommel of the stolen weapon into the other one's cheek, knocking him aside. "Hello boys," she shouted, "If you're looking for a fight all you had to do was ask. Careful though, if you play with fire," she grinned as her eyes flashed red, "You might get burned."
"Seriously?" Jaune panted, catching up with her after he'd dashed down the stairs. "That's your line? I see what Ruby meant when she said I should watch out for your sense of humour."
"And the moment is ruined," she sighed with a little smile, "We doing this?"
He touched a hand to her arm, shaking his head as he stepped in front of her. "Let me try reasoning with them first," he whispered before turning to the men. "If you want to talk with the owner then I'm afraid he's busy at the moment. I work here… you can talk to me."
"We're here to collect payment," one of the mooks said. Yang rolled her eyes, squaring off behind Jaune in case they made to attack.
"We don't pay Hei. You've come to the wrong place." They responded by drawing their weapons, a mixture of batons and cleavers which they brandished in front of them. On the outskirts bouncers and staff were ushering customers away, helping them escape out of the doors. "Reg is going to have my head," Jaune muttered.
Yang laughed as she sauntered up to stand beside him, falling into a stance, "Looks like negotiation failed. I liked the attempt though, it was very cute."
"Can we try to keep the damage to a minimum? I'll have to explain this to my boss later."
"Eh, I wasn't done with my drink anyway." She'd keep the place standing regardless, because right now she wasn't being attacked in a club owned by her opponents. These guys had come here looking for trouble and the last thing she wanted was for her new haunt to be put out of business for months on end.
But hey… at least the night wouldn't be as boring as she'd feared.
/-/
Jaune could guiltily admit to feeling a little relieved when the Red Axe Gang appeared. Reg would have his head if he ever found out, but the simple assault by Hei's men saved him from having to face the reality of Yang's interrogation. That it also let him work out a few of his frustrations was just a bonus.
One of the goons swung wildly towards his head, Jaune ducking underneath and letting the blade pass by with a whistle of air. His crappy sword was back at Beacon but that didn't stop him slugging the guy in the jaw, knocking him down. He shook his hand afterwards, wincing slightly at the impact. Hitting a man always hurt more than you thought it would.
"Get him!" It was one of the two who leaps over their friend's body who screamed it, but they both put action to words in running him down. A baton swung in from above, the other attacking towards his legs.
Jaune sighed as he pushed himself back, letting them both miss with loud curses. In Beacon he was weak, but that was compared to some of the best aspiring huntsman and huntresses in the entire Kingdom. Being weak at Beacon still put you above a good 99% of the population of Vale, rent-a-goons included. As the baton passed before his face Jaune darted in, landing an elbow into the eye socket of one of them before pushing him down and vaulting over his bag, landing a kick into the chest of the second. "You alright Yang?" he called.
"Pardon?" Yang turned to look at him, three men groaning on the floor and one hanging from her clenched fist.
Jaune chuckled and shook his head, remembering who he was dealing with. "Never mind…"
The last members of the party took one look at their downed comrades and fled, Yang seeing them on with a threatening step forwards. "Heh," she clapped her hands together, "Well that was easy."
Jaune's eyes narrowed. It had been easy… too easy. "Yang, move!" he called, throwing himself to the side as a red blur landed on his position. He hit the ground hard, rolling across the floor before coming back onto his feet.
Some ten paces away stood a familiar duo, one in red, the other white. "Hello Jaune," the girl in red crooned, running her claws before her face. "It's good to see you again. Did you miss us?"
"We missed you, didn't we Miltia?" Melanie asked. They shared a look before grinning towards him.
"Friends of yours?" Yang asked, side-stepping her way to stand next to him.
"Not as much as they seem to believe."
"Feh," Yang grinned, "I took 'em both on before. Might be a bit tougher if I don't want to cause any collateral damage… will you be okay without a weapon?"
She was looking at his empty hands, which he supposed he could understand. "I'll be fine," he assured. "I can defend myself at least." Not as good as he could with a sword, but enough to stall for time, which was all they really needed.
"You two finished with your little conference?" Melanie asked with one hand on her hip. "We're here with a message from Junior, but I suppose we could settle for borrowing a certain blonde for the night."
A lance of fear shot through him, instinctively forcing him to take a step back as he glared towards them. How they'd found out, he had no idea - even to this day. It had been the last time Hei and Reg met, if he recalled, in which the arrogant bastard had demanded Crimson in exchange for peaceful co-existence. When Reg had said he didn't know who that was, one of the Malachites had stepped forward and pointed straight at him. They knew exactly who he was... what he did.
"Someone's popular," Yang whistled, though thankfully she didn't seem to realise their meaning. "Sorry girls," she called to the two, "Tall and blonde is off the menu tonight. He's promised to show me a good time."
Gods but yang didn't even realise how wrong that sounded to people who knew what he was. True to his expectation, the Malachite sister's eyes darkened, sneers spreading across their faces. "He wouldn't be for our pleasure. Come work for us and we'll consider the Oyster's debt paid."
There wasn't a chance in hell of him agreeing to that… or of Hei honouring that deal. "Can you focus on Miltia?" he whispered to Yang. "The red one," he added when she shot him a confused look. Yang turned back to the duo and nodded.
"The white one focuses on kicks," she said, not that he didn't know already. "I'll finish up quick. Just hold her off." Heh… it was nice to have someone looking after him for a change.
The moment Yang moved forward the Malachites cut apart, dashing in opposite directions and forcing Yang to engage only one at a time. She cursed and shot after the red one, Melanie's smile growing as she took the chance to dance towards him, flicking her sharp heel towards his eyes.
He grunted as he fell back, blocking her kick with the back of his arm and feeling his aura dwindle just a little. He tried to catch her ankle before she could bring it down but she was too quick. While she was off-balance, however, he rushed in to throw a kick towards her knee.
Melanie giggled, hopping onto her back foot and blocking his kick by driving her heel into his shin.
Pain rocketed up his body, the damage dulled but the jarring sensation still present as he stumbled back. With grit teeth he forced himself to ignore it, hopping a little further so she couldn't follow-up. At least Yang seemed to be having a better time, her foe on the run.
"A girl could become jealous if you keep looking at another like that." Melanie winked flirtatiously as she danced into his guard, first one kick which he tried to block, only for her to feint and reverse – driving a heel straight up towards his jaw.
The sharp blade passed less than an inch before his face, his panicked dodge enough to send him tumbling to the floor. A bottle caught his eye, fingers curling around the neck a moment later before he smashed it into her other ankle.
Glass exploded as the girl cried out and backed away, holding her leg out and looking down on it. It hadn't broken skin but there was a yellow stain on her boots, the colour obvious against the white material. "Tch," she scoffed, "I see your customer service hasn't improved any."
"Maybe if you actually came here as customers I'd put in some effort." Jaune scrambled to his feet, putting a table between them. Mental note, put some thought into unarmed lessons… being stuck without a weapon sucks.
"What kind of skank do you think I am?" The table between them exploded as her heel slammed down onto it, glass shattering up and into the air. Her white form dashed through it, eyes flashing in delight as they registered the panic in his. She feinted high, drawing his hands up before slamming her shin into the side of his, forcing him to falter. With a victorious shout she jumped into the air, kicking out towards his chest.
A small grin flared across his face. He gasped in pain as her blow hit, but bit down on it – wrapping his hands around the foot pressed into his chest and twisting it violently to the side.
Melanie Malachite yelped, pulled out of the air and slammed down onto the hard floor.
Jaune dashed in, slamming a knee down into her back as he tried to reach for her hands, only to yelp when she kicked backwards, bending her body in an almost unnatural position to rap her foot against the back of his skull.
The brief moment's distraction was all she needed to turn over beneath him, a hand lashed up towards his face but he managed to block it. Her knee into his back, however, he had no recourse for. He took it with a pained grunt, trying to ignore it. So she drove it into his spine once, twice, three times more – and she didn't seem likely to stop.
A furious growl escaped him as he reared back a hand and threw it towards her face. She pulled up her arms, blocking it but obscuring her vision as he took hold of her skull and slammed it against the floor. "Go unconscious already!" he shouted, pulling back to do the same again.
Something soft and smooth wrapped around his neck. "You first," Melanie seethed through her fingers, having somehow pushed his body so that he was over her stomach and bending her body up enough that she could wrap a leg around his neck.
He gasped for breath as she straightened herself out, dragging him backwards so that it was his head which struck the floor.
With a growl she continued the momentum, flipping herself up so that it was her on top of him. Her hands grasped for the bottle he'd used on her, lifting it above her head.
"What do you know?" Jaune coughed a little blood as she hit him. "You ended up riding me after all."
Melanie Malachite's eyes flashed with pure murder. "Putting you out of commission will send a big enough message to dear Reginald," she snarled. "Maybe a few weeks in hospital will get rid of that snark!"
"Jaune!"
He heard Yang call his name, a note of panic in her voice as she tried to cover the distance between them. She wouldn't be fast enough, however, and his eyes clenched shut as he waited for Melanie's blow to land.
It didn't.
"Now, now," a soft voice whispered, "That's awfully rude."
/-/
Yang's frantic sprint slowed into a jog, and then came to a halt. The Malachite sister above Jaune had frozen, eyes wide as she sat atop his form, broken bottle in hand. Beneath her chin, two fingers propped her face up. Yang's eyes traced the bare, smooth arm up towards a beautiful face framed with rich, brown hair.
The woman smiled and tilted her head to the side, emerald eyes glinting as she looked down at the girl whose face she held. "No words?" she breathed, and even her voice sent shivers down Yang's spine. It was so soft, so sensual and –dare she say it – erotic. "Come now," she continued, slowly standing up and forcing the girl to do the same lest her head be snapped back.
Yang's eyes roved up and down the woman's form, noting the satin dress with a split leg, blood red in colour and glinting in the light. She knew the woman from somewhere… she just knew she did. Her eyes widened when Jaune coughed and rolled over, and all thought of the woman was lost as she rushed over to kneel beside him, "You okay?" she asked.
"I'm fine," he coughed, pushing himself up.
She ignored his words, looking over him herself. He had a split lip and what looked like a bruise forming on his neck, but nothing too bad.
"Next time you ask me out… I'm bringing my sword."
Yang giggled, "Next time, eh? You get me in a bar brawl on the first date and think I'm going to ask for another?" To be fair it wasn't a bad tactic, at least for her. She had a feeling any other woman might have been a little put out. She pulled him up and onto his feet, but he pushed off a second later, able to stand on his own. She noticed his eyes were on the other woman, however, and so she looked towards them too.
"You said you had a message from dear little Hei," the brunette purred, "Why not tell it to me, dear?"
Melanie Malachite's face twisted, "H-He says you haven't paid your due."
"My due?"
"The club's," she amended, "The Golden Oyster hasn't paid. If you don't then there might be more incidents like the las-" Her words cut off as the woman pushed a little higher, leaving the girl to stand on her tip-toes. "Beating me won't change anything," she hissed, "Hei will just strike when you're distracted."
"Like he did with poor Cynthia," the woman said, her face morphing into one of sorrow. Its power was so great that Yang felt an immediate urge to rush over and comfort her. "She was an innocent soul, yet your people left her afraid to return. That... put me in quite the bad mood."
"There will be mor-arghhh!"
Yang didn't even see it. One moment the woman was holding the girl up by two fingers beneath her chin, the next she had somehow ducked under her arm, grasped and pulled it back. The sound of the bone cracking echoed through the silent room.
"Oops," the woman pushed her fingers against her lips, as though horrified at what she had just done. "My hand slipped… it has a tendency to do that when I feel threatened."
"Melanie!" Yang's opponent gasped, covering the distance in a second and pulling her sister back. The woman could have followed, Yang knew that, and yet she let them go.
"Now that you've delivered your message, why don't you take mine back to little Hei. Tell him that the next time, it will be his."
"We'll pass on your message," Miltia spat, "But don't think it will be the end of this."
"It never is," the woman sighed as the two left.
Yang couldn't help but continue to watch her, eyes widening as she turned and sashayed towards them. It wasn't until she looked up and realised that those emerald eyes were on her, however, that she flushed and looked away. Holy hell, she was as straight as a board – or at least she thought so – but this woman… good god. Her body stiffened as the woman reached towards her, only to be left relieved, or maybe disappointed, when she touched Jaune's face instead.
"You're bleeding," she whispered, running a thumb against his lip.
"It's what happens when you're smacked in the face," he replied, his voice a little rough from the blood that bubbled there. "Also ow… can you please not poke it?"
"Would you like me to kiss it better?"
Yang swallowed, wondering at what she was about to see until, to her immense surprise, Jaune simply shook his head and laughed, pulling away. Any man would have killed to be in his situation… hell, they would have lined up to punch themselves in the faces and present their injuries to her.
"We shall have to work on your technique," the woman sighed, "I only caught the end of your fight but it was a little disappointing."
"I didn't have a weapon," he protested.
She raised a finely detailed eyebrow at him. "And whose fault is that?" Yang couldn't argue with that, and judging from the way Jaune didn't meet her eyes, neither could he. "Now then, why not introduce me to your new friend?"
"Ah," Jaune jumped. "This is Yang! She's a friend from Beacon and on a different team. Yang, this is Nina. She works here and is also the one who trained me."
"H-Hi!"
Yang had never hated herself more for stuttering right there. The woman laughed, ignoring the preferred hand entirely and instead placing her palms on Yang's cheeks. She could feel her skin heating up.
"A pleasure to meet you," Nina whispered, "Do take care of my student, won't you?"
"Nina!" Jaune pushed forward to pull the woman's hands away, something Yang wasn't sure if she was thankful for or not. "Sorry about her," he said, "She's very touchy."
I can tell, Yang thought, laughing it off. Still, I've definitely seen her somewhere… she looks so familia- The woman turned to her and winked, touching her fingers to her lips and placing them on Yang's cheek before walking away. It was as she did that Yang's mind kicked in, recalling her as the exact woman who had performed on stage just a few days ago. The same woman that Yang had seen strip naked an-
"Yang?" Jaune tapped her arm, "You okay?"
"Y-Yeah, sure," Yang laughed, "I am totally okay – absolutely."
She wasn't, like, panicking or anything. That woman was one of the strippers here… Jaune's teacher was one of the strippers – and more than that – someone who could have seen Yang watching her show! If she recognised her… if she told Jaune?
A hand tugged on her arm, pulling her towards the bar where even now staff members were starting to clean up the damage. There were no more customers now but Jaune sat her down at it, slipping behind to make her a drink. She accepted it mechanically, downing it in one and cringing at the sugary taste. It did help to bring her back to reality, however.
"That woman," Yang asked quickly, "She's your trainer, right?"
"Yeah," Jaune shrugged and sat back down next to her. "Nina's been a friend for a while but she took on my training two years ago. She's really great… I hope to be as strong as her one day."
"Is that all she does?" She had to know… did Jaune know what else Nina did for a living?
"She works here," he said carefully, "She… serves in the VIP lounges."
Serves… right… just normal bartending, sure. Yang relaxed as she felt the tension drain away. It was the last bit holding her up as the adrenaline from the fight seeped away, leaving her to laugh and fall forwards onto the bar. "Whew," she chuckled, "What a night…"
"Isn't this like the second time in as many months that you've caused a bar brawl?" he asked, leaning forward onto his arms as well. She stuck her tongue out at him, noticing his smile and the teasing tone to his voice. "Thanks for the help anyway, it didn't go all that good for me."
"They seemed to know you," Yang said, "Have you fought them before?"
"Once," he shrugged, "There was an incident last year where they started to target staff members on their way home. Me, Nina and a few of the others with training started to escort staff home at night… I ended up fighting against Miltia while Nina handled the rest." He shook his head with a sigh. "It was actually a pretty even fight when I had my sword. I'm not usually so easily beaten."
Yang hummed but didn't argue. It wasn't a new story, someone losing their weapon and then being stuck unable to defend themselves. Ruby was just as bad, perhaps even worse. At least he'd been able to knock his opponent down and do a little damage. "Would you be willing to learn if I offered to teach you a little?"
"Is this about the bullying again?" he sighed.
"It's got nothing to do with that," she said seriously. "Look, you're a friend, and Ruby would be crushed if something happened to you. I'm not offering you all my time like I know Pyrrha has, I'm offering the occasional spar and some pointers. I'll get a sparring partner, you'll get a little better and the next time those two show up you'll be able to handle them yourself."
He looked at her from the corner of one eye, his face impossible to read. Both Ruby and Pyrrha had offered already, yet both had been for different reasons. Pyrrha wanted to get close to him… Ruby wanted to protect him.
"I'm open on when and where," she said. "No rules, no promises… just a spar between two friends."
"I'd…" he chuckled as a small smile slipped across his face, "Just a spar," he nodded, "I'd not say no to that. Thanks Yang." It was as though the ice was broken between them, or maybe it was the fight that had done that, removing all uncertainty and awkwardness as a good fight tended to do. There was nothing better for building camaraderie than the slow release of adrenaline and tension.
"Heh, no probs." She flicked an ice-cube from her drink at the side of his head, giggling as he tried to catch it and missed, the cube splashing against his forehead and dripping down his nose. "Tell me more about this rivalry crap anyway," she said, more to keep the easy atmosphere going than anything else. "You seemed pretty into it if they knew you by name."
"It's been around for years now," Jaune rolled his eyes as he reached over and mixed them another round of drinks. "The Golden Oyster was here decades before the Club ever was, but Hei started to throw his weight around the moment he appeared. It must have been… eight, maybe ten years ago?"
"And it's still going on?" That was some pretty heavy dedication for a business rivalry.
"Most of the other businesses around here just give in and pay. Hei's an ass but he does have contacts and so can reduce crime figures if he has to. Reg is like a brick wall though, totally immovable and set in his ways. It doesn't help that, being a direct competitor to his club, Hei wants to charge us like ten times as much as he does everyone else." Jaune scowled. "He wants the Oyster either out of business or in his hands."
"Why doesn't Reg up and sell?" Yang asked.
Jaune laughed. "Don't let him hear you say that. This place was bought by him and his wife like thirty years ago."
"He has a wife!?" Yang's mouth fell open. She wasn't normally a rude person but Reg had a wife? The man's face seemed designed to prevent procreation – and yes, that sounded horrible but his face! It was like an amalgamation of various shapes tacked together by an amateur sculptor who had more enthusiasm and clay than skill. There were lumps that had lumps, and those lumps had probably married and had lumpy little children.
"He wasn't always that surly," Jaune laughed, before pausing, "Or so I'm told anyway… he's been that surly as far back as I can remember. A-Anyway, apparently him and his wife were a loving duo who opened the Oyster together and when she passed away fifteen years ago, he refused to give it up. The only way he's leaving this place is in a coffin."
"Damn…" Yang knew full well the power of a lost loved one. Her dad would never leave the house in Patch that he'd made with Summer either, not that she could blame him. "You said he's been like that as far back as you remember…" Yang's eyes narrowed, "Not to mention… you were pretty blunt with him before and everyone here knows you by face. How long have you worked here?"
It just didn't seem possible to explain away how everyone deferred to him with such ease, how he personally knew almost every single person – and how no one batted an eye when he walked in and served himself from the bar. Someone should have at least asked if he was going to pay.
Yang watched his face change, his expression becoming just a little more guarded. "You don't have to tell me," she said, "I was just curious."
"No, no," he shook his head, "It's fine. I'm acting like it's some big, bad secret when it really isn't." He laughed and took a drink, swallowing it straight and slamming the glass back down. "You know that my name's White, right? You know what that means?"
"That you're an unknown child without a family," she kept her voice neutral. He didn't seem like the kind to want pity or sympathy, no matter how much she felt the latter. "It's the surname they give for unknown orphans, right?"
"White for unclaimed or pure, a blank canvass ready for new colour, life and a family – or that's what everyone says anyway."
"I take it you didn't get that."
"I did," he quickly corrected, "In a sense… basically I've got no idea where I came from, like every kid called White. I didn't have the benefit of an orphanage though. The earliest thing I can remember is rummaging in the trash for things to eat."
Crap, Yang's face fell as she tried to cut him off, but he seemed to be in full flow now. She hadn't mean to bring back memories like that, nor had she expected he might have ever been homeless.
"It's fine," he grinned, and to her relief it looked honest. "I don't even remember most of it. All I remember is that I was rummaging around in some trash when this door opened and a huge man came out. He was the surliest and lumpiest person you've ever seen," Yang started to laugh, hiding her mirth in her arm. "And he just asked me what the hell I thought I was doing."
"What did you say?" she asked.
Jaune flushed and looked away, "I… uh… I told him `hell` was a naughty word and that if he wasn't careful someone might wash his mouth with soap."
Yang's lips puffed out as she tried to hold in her laughter, giving up a second later as she bent onto the bar, laughing into her arms. One hand slammed down on the counter, glasses rattling as she howled.
"I was a kid!" Jaune cried, throwing his arms into the air. "Not to mention starving and probably lacking sleep. Throw me a bone here."
"S-Sorry," she giggled, "Go on…"
"Right… so after Reg thoroughly scarred me for life by cursing ten times in as many words, he grabbed me by the arm and dragged me into the kitchens – forcing me down and stuffing some food into my mouth." Jaune sighed and leaned back, an almost whimsical smile on his face. "I remember being pretty afraid at the time… not that anyone would blame me. I cried a little, asked him not to hurt me and told him I'd be gone before he knew it. He didn't take that well… put down a mattress and a sleeping bag and told me I had to work off the food he'd given me, so I'd be working for him from then on."
"He employed a child?" Yang gasped. "Isn't that like slave labour?"
"He tricked a child. The job was to carry paper around his office… then, as I got older, to help organise things, then to clean dishes when I was eleven or twelve, then to set up chairs and tables." Jaune shrugged and ran his finger around the rim of his glass. "After a while I forgot all about leaving, but he always made sure I had food and a bed. Even had some of the other staff teach me how to read and write."
"Aww…" Yang cooed as she leaned her head on one hand. "I'm going to tell him how much of a softy he is the next time I see him." The thought seemed to horrify Jaune, which meant she'd have to make sure she did it when he was nearby. "So you've lived here pretty much all your life?"
"Pretty much," he nodded, "The Golden Oyster is my home and that's why just about everyone knows me. Some even raised or babysat for me."
"So that must mean you know everyone else here too," Yang whispered. Did that mean he… he had to know what else happened here, which meant he definitely knew about the strip club. He couldn't have known about her presence there, not since he hadn't worked those days… but the big question was… did he know who Crimson was?
"I know most people, yeah..."
Did she... did she dare ask?
She didn't… of course she didn't. It would have ruined the mood between them, not to mention led nowhere good. He would ask how she knew that name, she would have to tell him… what happened from there she had no idea, but even if she found out who he was – what could she do with that knowledge?
And what did it matter? She hadn't thought about him once since the night started, too engrossed in her fight and then their own conversation.
She would deal with the Crimson issue a later time…
"Have you ever wondered who your real parents are?"
"Once or twice," he admitted, "Or one or two hundred times, I guess. In the end there's just no way to find out. I just… as rude as it sounds, I would rather they were dead than people who had abandoned me. It sounds horrible but at least it means they loved me, you know?"
Yang's breath came out in a great sigh, eyes drifting shut as she thought of her own mother… her real mother and not the one she held dearly in her heart. "I know what you mean," she sighed. "One means you lost them because of events outside of their control... the other that they're the worst kind of parents imaginable."
"Did I say something wrong?"
He sounded so concerned that she couldn't help but smile and shake her head. "Nothing wrong," she said, "Just hit a little close to home."
"Forget I said anything," he waved a hand. "I'm sorry for bringing it up. You don't have to tell me and I won't ask."
She didn't, and she knew that. He didn't need to know, and hell, he pretty much said he wouldn't push. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe, just maybe, it was him… and how easy he was to talk to. "Screw it," she said, startling him. "You talked about your past and it's a damn sight crappier than mine."
"It's not a competition."
"It's not," she agreed, "But I kinda want to tell someone... if you'll listen."
Jaune smiled, refilling their drinks and handing one to her. She took a long sip, marvelling at the taste. "I'll listen," he said. She knew he would... because against all odds she felt like she could trust him.
"Ruby's mom was Summer... she was an awesome mom and I considered her mine too..."
She had no idea why she continued to tell him. No idea why she kept going or why he sat through it all. It was something she kept close to her heart, so close that even her father didn't know how she felt about the mother who hadn't cared enough to raise her.
But as one minute became ten, ten became thirty and thirty threatened to become two hours... she couldn't help but wonder why she'd ever hesitated.
She'd had a feeling he would understand...
Not hugely pleased with this one, mostly because of the fraction of time I had to put into it. Normally a chapter is crafted over a few days, but this one was written today – for today. December is a cruel, cruel month when you're writing magazines. Luckily this is the last Fanfiction of the year which will be affected by it. Breaking up from work on Wednesday then I'll be free over the Xmas break, and work will be back to normal in January. Blessed freedom.
But I'd like to apologise anyway if this doesn't feel up to the standard I normally provide and hell –demand of myself… I would rather produce an okay chapter than push back on the date, however, as that would just make writing every consecutive story harder.
Next Chapter: 2nd Jan
P a treon . com (slash) Coeur