Yikes, the weeks seem to be practically flying by at the moment. I'm not sure if it's my writing, life or something in between, but it feels like only yesterday I was in this same situation of thinking, "Right, need to write a chapter now, then move onto White Sheep this afternoon", yet here I am again.

First world problems.

Chapter 20

Yang wasn't sure if things were better or worse. She'd been able to hang around Jaune all day without feeling too awkward, which was great. He'd been quick to forgive her the cold shoulder she'd sent him, and mother of all mercies, he hadn't seen fit to mention the kiss either. That was just another example of why he was a great friend for a girl. She'd hung around with so many guys who seemed to need an answer, even if it was clear she didn't want to talk about it. They would have pressed and pushed until they drove her up the wall, then acted offended when she got angry and snapped at them to leave it alone. Did they not realise she didn't have an answer, that if she did, she might have shared it with them? Nope. They acted like they were the wounded party and gave her no time to think things through. More than a few friendships had ended that way. Not with a bang or a fight, but with a quiet whimper as she just started to feel awkward and unhappy when they were around.

Jaune wasn't like that, though. He took one look at her, realised something was wrong and then decided if she wanted to share it, she would. Maybe he knew why as well and didn't want to rock the boat, but whatever the case, she loved it. She'd been embarrassed, he'd probably been embarrassed… why focus on it if both could ignore it and pretend nothing happened?

That was where the bad came in, though, because try as she might, she wasn't quite able to fully ignore the development. It started with little things, like her body twitching when he brushed too close or her mind over-analysing every little word or action. She knew it was just herself being paranoid, so she didn't let it affect how she acted around him, but it was still there.

Case in point, in the afternoon with the two teams relaxing in the common room, there hadn't been enough seats, so she'd squashed herself on a couch with Ruby, Pyrrha and Jaune. It wasn't anything they hadn't done before, and when Jaune shifted so she was half on his lap, no one batted an eye. Not even Pyrrha, for crying out loud, whose feelings for the guy were legendary. They just all took it as a part of their weird relationship, a sort of touchy-feely friendship that didn't mean anything. It certainly hadn't to Jaune, who'd shown no real reaction to having her legs tangled with his. It shouldn't have to her, either.

But it did.

She felt him shift beneath her, just the slightest movement but enough to make his jeans brush against her bare leg. For the first time, she cursed her outfit as a myriad of sensations darted up her thigh. She instinctively tried to get away from it, only to end up nearly crushing Ruby.

"Yang," the girl complained. "There's no room here. Find your own seat."

"There's always been room before, sis. You might want to slow down on the cookies if you're putting on weight."

"I'm not the one with pointless fat," Ruby said, with a meaningful glower towards Yang's chest.

"Now, Ruby, there's no need to be jealous. Some people like girls with flat chests."

Her little sister didn't take that well, and Yang laughed as the younger girl flailed at her with tiny fists. It was enough to push her back, and honestly she didn't even think anything of it when her rear pushed up onto a set of legs behind her. It was normal… enough so that the others only rolled their eyes at the display. When a pair of hands wrapped around her waist to keep her still, however, the sudden realisation of where she was caused her entire body to freeze up.

"You'll crush us all if you keep fighting like that," Jaune laughed, securing her against him.

Yang's heart raced. It's nothing you're not used to, she told herself. You've sat in his lap before. You've hugged one another, hung off his back and even wrestled with him in training. This is nothing unusual. Hell, the only one who even seemed remotely interested was Blake, who knew her secret and watched with a concerned expression.

"Did you want to do some more training tonight, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked.

"I'm working tonight, Pyr. Sorry."

"You've been called in again? Don't you think they're working you a little too hard?"

Jaune laughed. It was something she felt through her back, and his breath whispered against her ear at the same time. She was acutely aware of both, mostly because her mind couldn't stop focusing on them and the hairs on her arm were standing on end. This was not good!

"The boss needs me to help organise a shipment of barrels from nearby. Mostly soda and soft drinks," he added with a shrug. "It's still going to be our stock for the month, though, and the person who normally deals with deliveries is on maternity leave."

Okay, so Jaune wouldn't be in the club tonight? That was good, because she desperately needed something to take her mind off what was pressed against her body. He smelled faintly of wood and sweat from working out. It shouldn't have been an attractive smell – it really shouldn't have been. Help me, she mouthed to Blake. Her partner looked back as though to ask how she was supposed to do that. Could she shift back over to sit by Ruby? No, her sister was taking up the space and chatting with Nora. Could she go the other way? No, there wasn't any room and Pyrrha would probably be a little put-off if she literally sat down in the middle of them mid-conversation.

If she stood up, though, then everyone would wonder why, when she was normally more than happy to lounge atop her friend if she had to.

"I guess it's a sign of how much they trust you," Pyrrha sighed. "It's a shame it cuts into our training though…"

"Well, how about tomorrow morning?" Jaune suggested. "There's no reason we can't wake up a little earlier and spar before class."

"Hm, that sounds like an idea." Pyrrha's smile grew. "You've gotten better since getting a weapon that suits you. I'm sure you'll be a match for me in no time."

Yang felt his hands clutch her stomach a little tighter, pulling her back into him. It was an unconscious action, something he did whenever Pyrrha started to be a little too obvious with her feelings. She'd always joked that it was her being a teddy-bear for him, that or a personal shield he could throw at his partner. Now, however, it didn't feel nearly as funny. He's got a surprisingly hard body. I can almost feel the muscles in his ches- no, no, no – bad mind! Bad!

"I wouldn't go that far," he laughed nervously, sending vibrations through her – possibly the last thing she needed. "Yang, are you okay?"

Yang flinched. "What?" she asked, gasped. "I'm fine!"

Every set of eyes in the room turned to her, as all conversation came to a close. She squirmed under their gaze, wishing a hole would open up underneath her as the blood crept up her cheeks. Oh yeah, that sounded convincing. Why didn't she add a nice, nervous titter on the end of it? Might as well complete the set, right!?

"You're just… you seem really quiet," Jaune said. His concern was obvious, if terribly timed, and it was reflected in Ruby's expression too.

"Are you okay, Yang?" her little sister asked. "Jaune's right. You've been weirdly quiet. Is something wrong?"

"No," she laughed and waved one hand, either to dismiss the issue or maybe distract them. "Pft, you guys are all being weird. I'm totally fine. You must be imagining it."

"You can talk to us if there's something bothering you," Pyrrha said with a little smile. "We're all friends here, after all."

Yeah, sure, yang thought. Let's see if you say the same once you know I'm lusting after the guy you've fallen in love with. Gods, Pyrrha could never find out. It would absolutely crush her. The thought of it was enough to make her feel nauseous, even before Jaune's arms gently rubbed her stomach in what he no doubt thought was a comforting manner.

It wasn't very comforting!

"Nothing's wrong and there's nothing up," Yang said. "You guys are all so dramatic. Love you all to bits, but I'm just thinking about stuff. That's all."

"What kind of stuff?" Ruby asked.

"Stuff like me going out tonight."

"You're going out again? Yang, dad would have a fit if he knew how many times you've gone out these last two weeks alone. What are you even doing out there?"

Well, that was a question she wasn't going to answer. If Ruby thought dad would be mad, she had no idea how furious he'd be if he knew what she was really getting up to. She needed it, though… as stupid as it sounded, as backwards as it was. "I just socialise," she said, "It's not like I get smashed and start bar fights, I don't even drink much when I go."

"It's true," Jaune said. "Apart from that one time, which was totally my fault, Yang doesn't exactly get drunk when she comes to the club."

"See, Rubes? I like to relax and chat."

"Can't you do that with us, though?" Ruby asked.

"It's not the same, sis. You'll understand when you're older. I'll even take you there in a couple of years."

"Ew, no – I hate the taste of that stuff."

Yang's eyes lit up as she recalled the first and only time Ruby ever tasted alcohol. She'd sworn off the stuff ever since, but honestly, she'd chosen the worst stuff to try. It served her right, though. Ruby really shouldn't have tried to steal uncle Qrow's hip flask to find out what `super-secret-adult-pop` it had hidden inside. The poor girl hadn't gotten drunk. Hell, she'd had half a mouthful, but the resultant screams about bitter tastes and fire had been hilarious.

"You're going to the Oyster tonight?" Jaune interrupted her thoughts.

She shifted nervously in his lap, and then winced when she felt his legs bunch up beneath hers. Next time, she was definitely wearing her uniform. The tights would have made this way easier. "I'm just off for a drink," she said. "You said you're working, right?"

"Not in the club, but yeah. I guess I won't see you."

"Ah well, we could always go out another night together."

"Sure," he smiled. "How about we go out for a drink this weekend?"

Say no, say no, say no. "Sounds great," Yang laughed. You had one job! Okay, it was fine. This wasn't the total disaster it totally was. She'd just talked herself into a corner and now had to find a way out. The last thing she needed was to get tipsy around the guy she'd started to develop feelings for. Just two people, drinking alone in a dark club while music pumped nearby. That was possibly the worst scenario right now.

Pyrrha fidgeted nearby. It was a small thing, subtle and hidden, and the faint look of hurt on the redhead's face was wiped away before Jaune could see it. Yang caught it, however. She caught it and clung onto it.

"Why don't we make a night of it?" she suggested. "Pyrrha could come along too."

"M-Me?" Pyrrha asked, eyes wide.

"The more the merrier! Show us some dance moves, relax, let the wild beast that's hiding inside out to play." Yang refused to give the girl an ounce as she stared at her. Please say yes, she begged. Think of the night. Think of how you can spent it closer to Jaune and maybe show him how fun you can be. Yang watched the girl's eyes slip over to the boy behind her for a moment. Yes, that's right… keep going.

"W-Well, I mean, I've never been to a nightclub before, but… if I wouldn't be in the way…?"

"You wouldn't be, right Jaune?"

"Not at all," Jaune said. She felt his hands tighten on her stomach, however.

Oh crap, had she just sold him out without realising it? Yang's eyes widened and she bit her lower lip. A third wheel scenario seemed like an even worse idea, especially if she was doing her best not to feel interested in him and he was doing his best not to encourage Pyrrha, who was doing her best to catch his attention. It sounded like the worst night ever.

"Blake," Yang gasped, more than aware she was throwing her partner under the bus. "You'll come too, right?"

Blake raised an eyebrow. Yang sent her a pleading look and mouthed the words `Please, I'll do anything`. The dark-haired faunus sighed. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to unwind a little. Someone has to chaperone you anyway, if only to make sure you don't cause any disasters."

`Thank you,` she mouthed. She'd definitely need to do something nice for the best partner in the world. Maybe porn, maybe tuna… hell, did she like catnip? "Anyone else want to come along?" Yang asked, "It'll be fun~"

"I shall pass," Weiss sniffed. "Someone has to keep Ruby company, and I very much doubt a place like that would appeal to me."

"I as well," Ren chipped in, before Nora could say anything.

"Oh, then I guess I'm staying here as well," Nora said.

Yang had the weirdest suspicion Ren did that on purpose. Then again, the thought of dealing with a drunken Nora was one that frightened her too. Ren wiped a hand across his brow, obviously relieved.

"We'll make our own night," Nora cheered. "We'll have just as much fun as them. We'll have games, and pop – and games, ooh, and movies."

"Yes!" Ruby cheered.

"Ugh…" Weiss un-cheered, head in hands.

Well, that was the weekend sorted. She'd only gone and somehow pulled the worst night-out-ever out of her ass, and now dragged Blake in for the ride. Yang forced a plastic smile onto her face as the conversation moved back into normal topics and everyone seemed to cheer up. The worst part was when Pyrrha caught her eye and sent her a smile filled with gratitude.

How did I mess this up so badly?

Yang's eye twitched as she felt Jaune shift underneath her once more. She swallowed as she felt something stir in her stomach. Her blood rushed south.

Oh right, now I remember… god damn it.

/-/

"Thanks Reg," Jaune said. "I appreciate it."

"Bah, not like you'd do any good work distracted," the abrasive man spat. "You'd just faff around and waste time, while that annoying girl of yours causes trouble. It's easier to take the work out of your hide later. Now get goin', I've got work to do."

Jaune chuckled and ducked his head to slip away and get changed. Saying he did bad work while distracted meant Reg was pleased with the work he did normally, as was his wanting to take it out of him later. Reg didn't offer compliments… not unless they were forced out of him. He hid them in brusque exchanges or angry rants. That was just how the old man worked.

One thing continued to trouble him, however. Namely, this night out he'd gone and gotten roped into. There was definitely something up with Yang. She's never suggested bringing other people before. Was she still bothered by the kiss? He thought of asking Nina but didn't want to trouble her again. Maybe he was over thinking it and Yang just fancied bringing others along for a change.

He hadn't been able to argue it, though, and therein laid the problem. It should be fine. Pyrrha knows I work in a club that has a stripper section and it's not like Yang would suggest we go there since no one knows she does. By the sounds of it, they'd be sat on the bottom floor having some drinks and chatting about Beacon and such. There might be a couple of dances too, but everyone who worked in those parts only knew him as Jaune the bartender and waiter. All in all, the night looked to be a smooth one. Blake knew the truth about him, of course, but since she didn't know Yang made use of the services of a stripper, there wouldn't be any reason for her to speak out. She'd promised to keep it a secret too, but the added logic helped.

That just left Pyrrha, who was still a bit of a sore point for him. It was enough to make him feel guilty even now. He shouldn't, he knew. He had the right not to feel the same and she'd understand that if he told her but… but she was his friend, his partner. He didn't want to hurt her like that.

"Look at me… I spend so long thinking what it'll be like to have proper friends, only to find myself locked in teenage drama."

It would help if he even knew why Pyrrha was interested in him. Sure, he'd pretended not to recognise her name because he figured she was hiding it for a reason, but surely that wasn't reason enough for her to be interested in him. That would be downright ridiculous. It doesn't matter why. All I need to do is avoid giving her the wrong idea when we go out. I'll just make sure we stick close to Yang and Blake. With the four of them together, it would stop anything happening. It might even help, especially if Pyrrha spent more time around him and started to realise he was just a normal, boring, guy. It would be like when his hormones had started to kick in, surrounded by beautiful women who took their clothes off for money. It was awkward at first, but repeated exposure had taken the mystery out of it and he'd just gotten used to the whole thing.

He wasn't sure if attraction worked in the same way, but it couldn't hurt to try. If push came to shove and she asked him, he would have to say no. If it came to that, he could only hope she didn't take it poorly.

He ran a hand through his Semblance-dyed hair and adjusted the black mask on his face. Even in the alcoves and back corridors it was a wise precaution, and Crimson had never been seen without it. Even the newest bartenders knew not to talk about the people who worked here, but there was a chance one could mention seeing Jaune, and if Yang was here tonight and heard that, it could lead to questions.

He sighed at the thought of her. She was better at Beacon, having recovered from their little incident after a single day, but he knew more about her than just what she did at Beacon. At least, he thought he did. Out of all her many good traits, one thing he'd clung onto was her innocence. It wasn't the same as Ruby's, of course, but she'd only ever talked with him in the night industry. Never once had she pushed for anything more and even his massage had been a gift she hadn't asked for. Things had changed, however.

Why had she asked him to strip for her?

I could always tell she liked the shows, but she clammed up whenever Nina or I came near. Even the other night when he'd started to dance for her, Yang's eyes hadn't carried the same emotions as most of his customers. Many of them stared hungrily at his body, while some liked to maintain eye contact – a power thing; they became aroused at the power they held over you, the way they could dominate someone so powerful and unrestrained.

Yang… she'd looked embarrassed and uncertain, a far cry from her usual attitude. Even when he'd first sat on that couch with her, she'd been embarrassed – but independent. She'd been a force of nature, someone who was out of her depth but prepared to fight it out anyway.

He respected that about her. It was one of the many things he admired. That unlike him, who felt terrified whenever he was out of his depth, she had the strength to fight on and take what she wanted with both hands. This Yang, or Clover… she didn't feel the same.

He couldn't quite explain why that distressed him so much.

/-/

Yang knew better than to look for love in a bar, but that was okay, she wasn't looking for love.

She was looking to be distracted.

It was a terrible plan, she knew that, but compared to the idea of losing her friend and causing problems between her team and Pyrrha, she was out of good plans. Blake suggested it, not that her partner realised, when she talked about finding something else to catch her attention. If she couldn't accept her feelings for Jaune, then the best bet was to aim them at someone else.

She'd chosen the only other guy to evoke that kind of response from her, who just so happened to be a stripper.

Not the best choice by far, and one her dad would go ape over if he ever found out, but it wasn't like the expected it to actually go anywhere. Girls had cruses on unattainable guys all the time, herself included when she'd been younger and into the Achieve Men a lot more than she was now. Curiously enough, despite his career, Crimson was a fairly safe option, or so she felt. He was a professional, which meant he would know when to back off and wouldn't let her go too far, and he was an unknown, which meant even if she did fall for him in more than just a hormonal or physical attraction way, she wouldn't be able to dwell on it or do anything stupid.

It was safe… which was possibly the last thing to attribute to what someone like her should have said about someone in the sex industry, but the situation was complicated. Ugh, I have no right to criticise Ruby on anything ever again. If she did this, I'd flip.

The main performance area was as dimly lit as it ever was, and the man at the curtain greeted her with far more familiarity than she was comfortable with. It only got worse when a Strawberry Sunrise was brought out without her having to ask for it. It wasn't one of Jaune's either, so she didn't even have that comfort. She was a well-known visitor to the VIP rooms, it seemed. The Yang of a couple of months ago would have been horrified.

Screw that Yang. She didn't know what kind of crap she would have to put up with.

A few more seats filled up in the room but it looked like a fairly quiet night. The first few acts were good, two with men that moved with sinuous grace and a third show with a woman capable of athleticism even Blake would have approved of. They didn't stir her passion, however, and she found herself idly wondering if that Nina woman would make an appearance. Either way, she hoped things improved soon, because the moment she thought about Nina, her mind flicked to Jaune, her huntsman student. No, damn it. I'm specifically here to not think of him.

The fourth show didn't do anything for her either. It felt strange, like she was being picky or something, but the admittedly handsome man with powerful yes and rough, black hair just didn't get her blood pumping. The other women in the crowd whispered appreciatively, and she even saw a few male visitors look impressed, in the same non-sexual way she could when she saw women on the stage.

He just didn't work for her… she preferred guys with different hair colours, like red or blo- Yang clenched her eyes shut and counted to ten. She got to around eight before she got distracted and wondered what Jaune was up to.

Am I obsessed or something? I've heard guys say they think about the girl they like all the time, but this is ridiculous. She couldn't get him out of her head, even at a strip club for crying out loud. There was a man teasing his boxers down his legs, and all she could think of was gangly Jaune Arc, who had surprisingly powerful muscles from what she'd felt through her back, legs and rear end earlier.

It took her another three seconds to realise what was wrong with that thought, and when she did, she wanted to pick up the table and crack it over her head.

She didn't. Instead, she stood and moved towards a different part of the VIP area, a vague sense of defeat settling over her shoulders. She wasn't made of lien. She couldn't afford to keep doing this. The only reason she could even be here was because of the VIP membership Reg gave her.

"That'll be five hundred lien," the bouncer told her.

She handed it over.

/-/

He wasn't sure whether he should have been surprised or not when Yang stepped into his booth, but he found he wasn't. She'd been on his mind, of course, and that might as well have guaranteed it would happen. "Clover," he greeted her with a smile and gestured for her to sit down. In a strange way, the use of that name irritated him. Clover didn't feel like Yang.

Less so when her cheeks flushed and she lowered herself down, eyes not meeting his. Yang always looked him in the eye.

"Hey Crimson," she said. "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm doing well. I must admit, I'm surprised to see you so soon." He watched the girl flinch. "Most people don't come and book a private show two nights in a row."

Most people couldn't afford to, he didn't add. That heaped a whole new level of negativity on the whole thing. It was bad enough that he took her money, worse that she apparently felt it necessary to spend this much. That was a thousand lien in two nights… the average wage was somewhere within the realm of six thousand a month. Yang was a student, though.

"Is there some special occasion?" he asked. He wished he could be more specific, but there was no way to ask why she wanted this without revealing himself.

"I… guess you could say that," Yang sighed.

"Care to share it with me?"

"Maybe I will another time. I uh…" Yang hesitated. She hid it behind taking a drink, but the break in conversation was sign enough.

"Is it advice you're here for?" he asked

Yang shook her head.

His smile cracked a little but didn't fall. "A dance, then?" he asked. "Do you want me to perform for you again?"

She nodded.

He felt a flash of annoyance. This demure, nervous girl didn't feel like his best friend. She didn't feel like the kind of person who would backhand an Ursa in the face, and that gnawed away at him. "Are you sure that's what you want?" he asked.

"O-Of course."

"Then you'll need to look at me." he said. "I'm not going to dance for you while you're staring at the floor."

Yang's head snapped up to meet his. She didn't sit naturally, however. It was more akin to someone being interrogated in a police station. A kind of blank-faced look with stiff shoulders that said they were guilty as anything, but would never admit it.

Jaune let out a long sigh and stepped back. His hands, which had hovered around his shirt buttons, fell back to his side and he instead leaned down to pour himself a drink.

"What… what are you doing?" Yang asked.

"You don't actually want this, Clover. If you did, you wouldn't look like you were afraid I've hidden a bomb under my shirt. You look terrified."

"What? No, I don't!"

"I've seen more confident people at the dentist. Something is bothering you, and I don't think a striptease is the solution."

"Nothing's bothering me!" Yang retorted. She pushed herself up and stood with arms planted on her hips.

Something in that stirred with him, even if only a little. Defiance… it felt a little bit more like her. "Then why do you look so afraid?" he asked. "You look like you're about to pass out."

"Afraid? Whoah, this girl isn't afraid of anything, buster."

Normally, he would have agreed – but that just wasn't the case here. There were signs, hidden beneath the surface, of the woman he called friend. They were buried, however. "Then ask me again," he said. "Tell me what you want me to do."

"I… I want you to strip."

"Do you?" he asked, and took a step towards her. "You don't sound very sure of that."

Yang took a step back, but then seemed to catch herself. Something flashed in her lilac eyes and she forced herself forward instead. She was around the same height as him, but it still had to tilt her head up a little to meet his eyes. "I'm sure," she said. "I'm not some coward." Her eyes flashed with emotion; anger, pride… determination.

That look fit her. She looked far more beautiful with it, enough so that it took his breath away for a brief instant. Her breath mingled with his, but he refused to back down. "Is that so?" he said. "You're sure of this, now? Is this what you really want?"

"I-It is."

The hesitation was back, even if she gritted her teeth together and pushed through it. It was still there, and it still made him want to challenge it. He wasn't sure why, only that it didn't feel like Yang if she acted the demure, nervous girl who barely spoke.

It irritated him… in a way he couldn't explain.

"Prove it."

She blinked. "Eh?"

"Prove it," he repeated. He reached out with both hands to take hers, and then placed them palm-down on either side of his chest. "You have me for the full hour," he went on. "If what you want is for me to take off this top-"

Jaune pushed her hands a little higher, so that her fingers brushed against the top button of his black shirt.

"-then prove it."

Wow, I initially made a pretty amusing spelling mistake at the end, wherein I missed the r out of shirt, and basically ended the chapter with Jaune pulling her hands to touch the top of his shit and then telling her to prove it.

I suppose that would be the critical fail of flirting rolls.

Next Chapter: 11th April

P a treon . com (slash) Coeur