Second to last chapter, the final one is tomorrow

So yeah, people have noticed I'm trying to stick this to the 7 beats, which is pretty tough given the unusual nature of it. But ah well. I'm also going to double-beat this, which is a little unusual, but ah well.

Experiments!

Professor Arc on Monday, and damn I'm busy doing a lot of writing right now, sheesh!

Cover Art: Coeur al'Aran

Day 6 – Departures

Jaune wasn't sure who got to the alarm first. When that incessant buzzing cut into their rest, all he could think was that he was too warm and far too comfortable to care about things like that. One arm sketched about wildly, fumbling across hard wood for the device. Cool glass bumped against his hand, before rolling off the side and smashing.

The warmth against his chest shifted, something rubbing against his pecs as he sighed and tried once more. When, after another minute of ringing, he still hadn't stopped it however. The warm body against his chest appeared to have had enough.

A warm leg pushed over his hips, rolling him onto his back as pink and brown hair cascaded against his lips. Neo's forehead pressed against his own, tired eyes looking into his even as her own hand joined his on the bedside cabinet.

After a few seconds the buzzing died, though for the life of him he couldn't say which of them had managed it. Too focused was he on the way Neo slumped down atop him, her cheek pressed against his own as her eyes closed.

"Morning," one brown eye creeped open, mere centre metres from his own as she looked at him, "my flight comes at four in the afternoon you know?" A quick glance at the clock on the wall showed it was already noon. They'd slept most of their last day away just recovering from last night's binging. "Don't you want to do something important on our last day?"

"…" A short exhalation of breath, her breasts pushing against his chest as she let out a long sigh, before collapsing back on top of him. The look in her single open eye warned him against suggesting something like that again.

"Well, I guess this is alright too."

Especially when she let him slowly wrap his hands around her waist, legs moulding between his as she spread out beneath the covers. Body warm against his own, he could feel every beat of her heart, the sound lulling him back to sleep.

Vacuo could wait. Everything he needed was right here.

"Will Mr Arc please make his way to the Bullhead zone – this is a final warning."

"You'll be okay to get back on your own?" Neo nodded, letting out a short sigh as she looked away. The two of them stood at the end of the stone pier, the same one they'd spent the previous night at – even as the Bullhead hovered impatiently at the end. The two of them had spent the entire day in bed. Laying in silence, not a single word passing between them as they appreciated the simplicity of the day.

Which had quickly faded away… now all that remained was the promise of a return to normality. Of lessons, lies and criminal activity. She would go back to Roman, to Cinder and whatever their plan was. He? He would struggle on as he always had.

With nothing having changed.

It felt… shit, to be honest. Like he'd wasted an opportunity. Missed out.

Another call came out for him, the people on the gangway looking less than impressed with the delay he was causing. Neo poked him once, cocking her head in question.

"No, I'd best go with this," he sighed, "you know I'd rather go home with you, but someone might say something if I'm crossing boarders like that. No one knows you're here, so it doesn't really matter if you teleport back."

She nodded. Looking away once more as he let out a tired sigh. Uncertainty warred with something foul within him, stomach doing nauseating flips even before he'd set foot on the cursed airship. He didn't want to leave. Not like this. Not without doing something.

"Ne-" another sigh, "I ju-" words didn't come. They never did. Despite his mother's words of encouragement, despite his father's advice. Talking to girls had never been something he could manage. "I'll see you back there?"

Another nod, as he reluctantly let go of her, the small girl stepping back and turning away.

No.

He wouldn't let her just walk away like that. Perhaps it was stupid, considering they were both going to the same location. Maybe it was just the scene, her walking away that made him forget that fact – like she was walking out of his life forever.

Either way, his hand lanced out to catch her shoulder, turning her back around even as her eyes widened in question. He didn't answer though.

Not with words.

Pink and brown orbs, opposite his own, wide in surprise and something else. Even as his own slowly closed, one hand coming to rest on her cheek, as the other settled against her hip. She tasted like strawberry ice-cream… so fitting. But while the taste was innocent, very little else was. Her lips warm and soft, so inviting that he couldn't resist tracing his tongue along them. And when she gasped, lips parting?

No man could resist that. Jaune Arc didn't even try.

When he pulled away, it was in time to see the shock still on her face. Before her eyes narrowed and a finger poked against his chest. The small girl huffed and looked away, her lips twisted in a pout even as they glistened.

She… didn't look pleased…

His heart felt about ready to shatter, even as he coughed and released her. Not once did she meet his eyes as he backed away, nor when he turned towards the Bullhead. And once inside, sat beside the window, as the craft slowly took off?

He didn't dare look back towards her either.

"Hey mister," the familiar child sat beside him poked him in the ribs, "you look sad, do you not like flying?"

Jaune turned to answer… content to lose himself in the welcome distraction. But as his mouth opened and the Bullhead hit a rough patch of turbulence. His answer came not in words… but in chunks.

On the bright side, the screaming was very distracting.

Beacon…

In some ways he was glad to be back. There was a certain nostalgia, a sense of returning home. And it was nice to see everyone too. From the Headmaster who raised a mug across the staffroom in greeting, through to Glynda's slightly tired expression – even as she managed a smile just for him.

Even to Peter and Bart with their tall tales over what they'd achieved over the holidays.

Not Cinder though… he could have handled her having an unfortunate accident and failing to come back.

Still… there was the undeniable sense of disquiet that permeated through him. A bitter-sweet feeling of having missed out… and he knew full well what it was about.

He paid only half attention as they discussed the return of the students. As lesson plans were drawn up, and even more ideas for the Festival were put together. His mind wasn't in the right place, nor was his heart.

Maybe it was the jetlag, or the time differences sapping at his energy…

It was a weak excuse, even to him.

"You look tired lad," Peter spoke up on his behalf, as the man often did. A braggart he might be, Jaune always knew the man saw more than he let on. "We don't need Jaune for any of this do we Oz? Why not let the lad get an early night, heavens know he'll need it for tomorrow."

"I suppose this can all wait," the Headmaster agreed, looking down at the work before them. "At the very least we know what's happening this week, we could all use the sleep I'm sure." The six of them rose as one, stretching sore muscles. Not a one of them looked truly ready to return to work, even Cinder Fall looked frustrated to be back. "Welcome back ladies and gentlemen, I will see you all on the morrow."

"Night," Jaune said to each of them as they filed from the room, keeping his face fixed in a neutral smile as he excused himself to his rooms.

They were cold.

Cold with that sense of lifelessness, of not having been used for over a week. As Beacon itself was, when devoid of its students. The vast hallways felt dark and cavernous. That would fix itself soon enough, and he could imagine in a few days' time he'd long for this peace once more.

Not now, though. Not as he pushed through his dark office, dusty surfaces that would need wiping down, a suitcase that still lay beside his bed. Filled with clothes he might never use again.

Even the sheets were like ice, the mattress having lost the indent he'd spent months putting into it. It now felt foreign and uncomfortable beneath him.

Damn it… damn, damn it, damn it!

It was late at night when something woke him... a faint sound that reached his ears, even as he kept his eyes firmly shut.

Shuffling...

Light footsteps, the sound of floorboards creaking.

And then… warmth, settling beside him.

"Welcome home," he whispered, reaching one arm beneath her even as she turned into his side. Soft hair tickled the side of his face, breath ghosting against his neck. The hand on his chest touched against his own, fingers winding their way into his.

A soft rustle of cloth, and something lightly brushing against his lips. Just a hint of a touch, soft and sweet. It was enough for him to recognise that faint taste of strawberry, however. For he could never forget it.

And suddenly, he thought to himself, as a smile slipped across his face.

Beacon didn't feel so cold anymore.

Mixed messages, thy name is Neo. She strikes me as the kind of girl to not want that kind of thing in public to be honest… almost tsundere in some ways.

Hmmm… went for something a little tamer (but no less sweet) for the ending. This is more a fluff than anything else, though those who read stress relief doubtless know I can go for raunchier romances. And btw, that lost about 100 followers after last episode xD – Definitely a risky time to be writing a Cinder x Jaune romance, lol!

Hoo boy xD

As for my work, since people asked. I'm the Managing Director (And Editor) of a magazine group, so I write for seven different magazines spanning various industries from lifestyle to weddings to business, to food manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and renewables.

That's kind of what writing is in the professional world, you're given things you have no idea how to do – and told to write articles on them FOR professionals who know more than you do. It is all very Professor Arc, in that it involves a lot of bluffing and last minute research. After all, it makes sense if you think about it… take a magazine on Pharmaceuticals for instance. How many people go get a degree in writing – and then go work in the pharma industry? Similarly, how many people work in pharmaceuticals, then decide to become writers (or even have the skills to be)?

Pretty much no writer actually knows much about what they write on – at least not on technical magazines. Someone who is a pro in something like accounting, or wedding design… they go work IN accounting or wedding design, not become writers about it. Not to mention without training, they wouldn't even get any well paid jobs in writing at all.

So yeah, I spend a lot of my time moonlighting as Professor Arc in written word. Hell, you should have seen my golf article, it was a treatise on the health benefits of golf, and how it can help prevent heart disease. Full of super-obvious things like – it reduces calories – walking is GOOD for you! All surrounded by statistics and quotes from professional doctors to make it sound epic. I mean come on, I once wrote a diet article on how to lose weight by eating less - and it went into FHM! I'm not even joking, the crux of it was a psychological study on the completion syndrome, how many of us overeat because we feel we need to "finish" our plate. And how smaller portion sizes and smaller utensils can lead to weight loss.

I literally wrote how to lose weight... by eating less.

The customer LOVED it – even though I did it in like… 30 minutes, using the power of Wikipedia, basic math and common sense. All I do is write it in a way that sounds new, exciting and interesting. And then go home sans morals xD

. com (slash) Coeur