Hello everyone again. I am really happy to get this out. As always I will talk more down below so for now I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 14 Hot Water and Bookworm Cat
No one said a word as Yang laid on top of Jaune. Her face against his chest she slowly taps his skin feeling hard muscle instead of soft fat. Jaune's blush moved to cover his whole face while he sees Yang raise her head looking at him. Her shocked expression changes to that of anger as red covers her face most notable for Jaune her eyes.
All his instincts scream to move, the stone on his chest now cover by Yangs as well is Pulsing rapidly but she is holds him tight. She raise her fist to smash Jaune in his face, but he moves his head to the side. He hears the crack in the floor where his head was.
Pushing Yang up, he kicks of the wall sliding away from the enraged brawler. Grabbing a towel he covers himself and moves to the door already being blocked by Yang. He did not know how she beat him but she was pressing a towel over her body covering most of her front glaring Jaune down. She was about to charge but slipped on the wet floor failing to catch herself she falls on her butt.
Embarrassed further she gets up slowly rubbing her bottom as she walks over to the cornered Knight. Jaune was shocked she would be clumsy enough to fall, but what shocked Jaune more was that the girl's hair seemed to spark lighting a dim fire flowing from her hair over her body. To avoid a similar stunt he walked slowly trying to out maneuver Yang but she keep him from getting any closer to the door as she approached him. Backed into a corner Jaune tries to reason with her. "N-now Yang, I know you have every right to be mad at me." Yang takes a swing missing the knight as she only has one arm to attack while the other keeps her covered with the towel. Jaune is faring no better.
"I deserve some punishment…" Dodging another punch forcing him to lose his balance and fall to the floor. "Than stand still!" Yang retorts lifting her foot to pin him to the floor.
Sliding back, he only gets one word out per stomp as Yang was getting a little TOO close. "If. You. Would. Stop. And. Listen. For. One. Second!" His back hits the wall.
Yang places her free hand on the Jaune holding him in place while she straddles the knight and pins him. "YOU WALKED IN ON ME!" He shouts, Yang stops her fist an inch before his face. "What?"
"I was in the bath first, cleaning my face under the water. That's probably when you came in." Yang listened getting off the knight but her eyes were still red.
"I was about to leave not aware of you till you called me over. I panicked and did what you asked hoping to slip out. I'm sorry, but you're at fault too. Plus you're the one that tackled me." Jaune informs Yang waiting to see what she would do next.
Yang looks down at the clean knight, turns to see his dirty close on the ground before the bath and looks back. Her hand moves to her hair the touch reminds her what they just did. The red in her eyes is gone but her blush remains. "Whatever, I guess were both to blame here, but."
She looks down at his towel and Jaune gets a bad feeling. "Since you got to see me like that it's only fair if.." She moves down reaching for his towel.
"Yang! Yang!" They hear Ruby's voice calling for her. And Yang's hand stops.
"Really?" Yang lets out a sigh. "Great timing as always sis. Well guess it really is your lucky day. But (Her hand moves through her now clean hair) Expect to lend me a hand again next time I need help. And I will get you back for the embarrassment and it will be a real KICK." Striking his shin with her foot she walks away.
After the mess in the bath Jaune was more tired than relaxed. It was still in the afternoon so he deiced to check out the second floor of the house. Limping to the spiral stair case he climbed up wonder what he would see. It was a small hall with two doors and a window in the middle. "Right or Left." He thought before making up his mind.
Opening the door he say an indoor training room. In the middle was a ring with dirt covering it. Training dolls and target were on the side. But what interested Jaune was the various weapons hanging on the wall. Each under a color banner. A red, white, black, yellow, and bronze. Some of the weapons were broken, other in prime condition, he begain to walk over to inspect them better but a loud thump of objects hitting behind him caught his attention.
Wanting to investigate he left the weapons for another day.
Opening the second door he was greeted with rows upon rows of book shelves each labeled in the weird language again. Looking around some of the books were in this writing but most followed the main langue of the land. He stopped in what looked to be the fabled section. Seeing some of the old stories reminded him of his family and he wondered if they knew about him. Grabbing a few books he came to the center. And he stopped. On the back wall was a stained glass window. With the image of five maidens reaching to the moon. He studied the glass before he noticed movement. Below the glass he thought he saw a black bow twitch behind a piles of fallen books. Moving over to the side of the pile he looked over seeing the familiar bow on top of Blake. She was surrounded by piles books stacked around her height. Used candles sat on the table with plates of fish bones stacked almost as height as the books. A pile off to the side had fallen over, the sound he heard in the other room. But looking at Black she had hints of red on her checks she seemed to engrossed with her current book to notice him.
Looking at the piles she had were all different types of books from history and text of knowledge, to children stories of heroes and monsters. In her hand he thought it looked familiar. Alice had one similar under her pillow that she nearly attacked him for even seeing it. The black cover with red lettering was a giveaway even if it was in another langue.
Blake was too into her book to still notice Jaune standing next to her. In her state Jaune could easily tear the bow off her head but it would be a wasted effected since the challenge between them had yet to begin. His eyes moved down to her face, he never got a good look at her before, but now he was drawn to her yellow shifting eyes. He remembered all the times he felt them on him know relizon it was her and not his imagination.
Blake was currently reading one of her person favorite stories, she was in the middle of a heated chapter, accidently knock a pile over but the scene was too intense for her to look away. The noble hero had finally killed his loves father that had them locked away in the tower separating the two. The author made great detail depicting the hero form as they rushed up to the tower. With barley any strength they bashed the locked door in to see his love his prince. Reaching the climaxed she turned the page, and noticed someone was looking at her. Looking over the page she was surprised to see a pair of blue eyes looking at her. His face was close and he was looking intently at her.
Jaune froze as the yellow eyes looked backed at him. Blake's pupils shrank her blush gone replaced with a sickly expression. She snapped the book shut, jumping over the mounting of books around her in a bluer. Jaune had little time to react as she hopped back over her blush returned to her face. Jaune felt the tip of her sword press against his chest.
"I would have thought you be more aware of your surroundings." Jaune said trying to back away from Blake and her sword, but she followed keeping the blade on his chest. "That must be a good book to have you that oblivious, what's it called?" Jaune asked hoping to ease the tension.
Blake grew more flustered with the book being brought up. Sensing this Jaune quickly changed the subject. "T-thought I ask since I can't read the title, some of these books are in a langue I never seen before." Hearing Jaune not able to understand the langue Blake relaxed a bit but still had her weapon pointed at him.
"Why were you staring at me like that?" She asked coldly, glaring at him.
"Well I was exploring the house and hear a noise like something fell over. I wanted to check it out, and found this place. Really I'm impressed you have so many books. I even saw a few of my favorites. But the reason I was looking at you was your eyes."
"My eyes?" Blake questioned his answer. Lowering her weapon.
"While I was in the med bay this past week a few times I would notice a pair of yellow eyes peaking past the door or in the window. I turn to see them for a second then they would disappear into the shadows." Jaune stated moving closer to Blake.
Blake and Jaune were looking at each other, looking for any signs of weakness. With Jaune so close now she could smell a sweet scent coming off his body. "He probably just got out of the bath." Blake thought though question why she noticed this.
Jaune getting another close look saw the anger on her face, but remembered when she was peacefully reading, her features were much softer, and the small smirk was a little adorable. But quickly pushed the thought away.
"As much fun as this is, I think I'll read elsewhere." Jaune moved away grabbing the books he already picked out.
"If you damage them there will be hell to pay." Blake threatened returning to here reading spot.
"If you care so much about them, then don't leave old food lying next to… them." Jaune shot back pointing to the old plates she had on the table. He was about to leave but was looking at one of books on the pile.
"I thought you were leaving?" Blake asked annoyed Jaune was still there.
"Yea, I'm going." He said softly picking up the book and opening it. "Hun, thought I never see this one again. Beauty and the Beast."
Blake raised an eyebrow at the title. "So, it a pretty common book. Why you so interested in it?" Blake asked without the malice from before.
"Normally you be right, Beauty and the beast is a pretty common book, but the original is quite rare." Jaune opened to the first page showing the authors name. "This book was printed twice. the original was replaced after the cities thought the story was too harmful. But this is the original author. The true and better story."
Blake got a bit more curious when Jaune praised the original. "So you like the first version better, why?"
"Because the second one is trash compared to the first. The original story is a girl looking in the woods for herbs. When she gets attacked by Grimm. She fights off a few but there are too many and gets cornered. Ready to fight to the ends she is saved by a group of hooded people. After the fight she goes to thank them but they does not look at her. When they shows their faces she is taken aback by the animal traits they have on their bodies. Just simple features teeth, claws, tails and ears. They were called the Faunus" Blake stiffens at the munching of ears but continues to listen to Jaune.
"These people were a group of hero's given gifts by a god. While other people were afraid of them. The women was not and thanked them for their help. And then she gets to know them and she falls in love with one of them. They bridge the gap for the two people." Jaune quickly summarized the book. Blake was smiling a little happy the original story was still known.
"Unfortunately the nobles of the city did not like it and black listed the book. Replacing it with a horrible imitation of the story. The women is made to look weak, and instead of the Grimm attacking her they make the Faunus look evil and into monster with their appearance. She get captured and held by the guy she was supposed to fall in love with. But is saved by some random guy and she swoons as he kills the Faunus. Udder garbage." JAune finished. Looking at Blake. Who was not glaring at him or even looked annoyed. Her calm and relaxed state returned and she was just looking at Jaune.
Jaune felt a little embarrassed for getting so into the story. "Well anyway it was a great book my family used to read. Before it was replaced so I'm just happy copies are still around. Guess I'll read somewhere else."
"Wait." Jaune looked surprised hearing the word.
"Now that I know you have some taste in literature, you might as well stay." Jaune gave a confused look as she was very clear on him leaving before.
"Look the books will be safer in here than out there, plus it the quietest place you will find to read." Blake said before a small explosion rang followed by shouting.
"Point taken." Jaune agreed still wanting to give some time before interacting with the other girls again.
Jaune pull a seat close to the light before settling in. "Truce?" He asked before diving into to the book. "For now." Blake responded not taking her eyes off her book as she continued from before.
A few hours pass, and the sun had set. Blake lighted a candle to continue her reading. While Jaune thought it was time to leave since he did not feel comfortable sharing a light with her. He left without a word as she would probably not hear him anyway.
Leaving the room he heard the other girls shouting and fighting in the training room. "Best leave that one alone for now." He thought before heading down the stairs to the kitchen. He had grew hungry and had started making something when a knock came behind him.
Turning around Pyrrha was standing behind him but her helmet was gone. Instead she wore a bronze circlet around her head. Jaune was a little lost for words, first for not recognizing and being blown back by how beautiful he looked. "Well you do have a normal face under there, I thought you were hiding something under there." Jaune joked trying to ignore his thoughts.
"Who knows we all have are secretes now don't we." Pyrrha responded leaning on the table behind Jaune. She looked over his body seeing that he was moving it normally now, while her eyes looked a little closer at his rear from time to time.
"Anyway I hope the others and you got along, did anything happen." She asked interested.
At Mid day
"Well it seems you completed the trail of your gift. Congratulation, you unlocked it full potential. Guess that proves what you said before about the boy." A figure spoke to Pyrrha.
Lifting the circlet to her head a light shines over her eyes as the piece touches her skin. She goes to leave the darken room.
"Is it wise to not tell him, to not tell the other girls who he is and what he means to you all?" the figure asks taking a sip of their drink.
Pyrrha stops before turning back to the figure. "IF this is to work it must happen naturally. IF they were to know the truth then it would just be following the legend and not be their true feelings. This will only make us weak. Gods know I want to tell them, to tell him. But it is for the best." Pyrrha says before heading out.
The fingue stays quite sipping from their drink. as the doors close.
WOooooo. Chapter done. Alright, So Im written this really late and will stop here.
Tomorrow I will answer a lot a question you all asked or just talk to you all. It might be a chapter post or i might just message individuals I think about it. I want to thank you all for reading, and hope you leave a comment or review. as always I hope you enjoyed it!