All credit to respective owners!
Reviews are loved!
-Y.A.R.N.
Jaune was unwillingly dragged back to the land of the living by his alarm clock and barely resisted the urge to blast it with light. His rest hadn't been all that good with his late night of homework and what thoughts settled in the back of head that roamed free at night. He built his walls as hard and high as he could when it came to his family, but if the gate was ever opened, the fears he kept outside climbed in and chewed on the inside of his skull. It was painful, leaving and not heading straight for home, he had longed to see his sisters and it was thoughts of them that kept him sane. But the years spent in Curden Cay tore so much out of him that he wasn't sure he would stay alive if he found them.
Their visits had been one of the only bright points in his life, but over the last months of his incarceration, they just stopped.
Leaving him without any explanation.
If they had changed... he wouldn't be able to take it. What if his parents poisoned them to hate him? What if he was just not worth the time or effort anymore? What if they moved on and forgotten him altogether? The almost immediate move to Empire City had been impulsive but he was so hurt and bitter that he didn't care. The land had once been a wasteland and the birthplace of 'The Beast Conduit' as well as the former residence of 'The Patron Saint of New Marais'. But time had healed the damage and the government and people had finally finished building a city there pretty recently as far cities went, so what better place for a fresh start than a fresh city?
He shook of the thoughts, not wanting to let his mind stray once again down that road after already suffering a nightmare. He stretched the last of his sleep out and got ready for the day and packing his bag. He quickly tossed two toasts into the toaster in his meager kitchen and went to his desk. He wasn't taking too many classes, so he mostly spent his free time that wasn't at home in the math lab, food court, or library — depending on his mood at the time — to go over his assignments and get a jump on the next chapter.
But he also had a bit of a special project he was planning in a couple of days and he wanted some privacy and no one caring.
The Math Lab was just too exposed to be safe, Jaune's research getting seen there would raise uncomfortable questions. Plus, the people often gossiped and eavesdropped in the library, despite the whole silent thing libraries were famous for. It was a bit risky to have his notes and diagrams in there.
The food court was Cardin's stomping ground for downtime, and while Cardin spent as little time at school as humanely possible, but if Cardin caught was there and caught sight of him...
Blake was a bookworm and was probably in the library, but Jaune knew she valued his privacy so he never thought to intrude by sitting at her table; plus Blake preferred the solo booths some students used. Jaune could definitely sequester himself in a dusty corner and finish narrowing down the search grids he had finally put together. It had been slow but he was getting very close.
So that seemed to be the best choice, many of the people didn't care and saying a geography assignment wasn't odd. Plenty of people loved scouring the entirety of New Empire City for traces of the Beast and Patron Saint. Jaune had a bit more of a reason to look through the city, and it had to do with his powers.
Blast Shards.
He had seen in what media coverage of Delsin Rowe there was that he used a regular chain to great affect when he used his powers. Jaune wanted a weapon like that just in case and some of the tacky chains he bought would simply vaporize when he tried to channel his power through it. He could materialize a 'light sword' like when he was a kid, and had seen Delsin made a broadsword with his video powers, but was fascinated by The Amp that Cole MacGrath had used when he studied up on conduits who used his powers for good. Jaune was no scientist or creator like Zeke Dunbar had been for Cole macGrath, but he knew if he could find enough shards, he might be able to make a weapon he liked or even a storage capacitor like item to energize himself.
He nodded to himself, always good to have a backup.
Jaune took stock of the weather outside his window before smiling at the rays of the sun that were lighting the edge of the clouds silver as they fought to make a hole through the grey skies. It seems the storm had broken and the sun was willing to shine if the weather kept clear. Jaune grabbed and buttered his toast before he made sure his bag was ready and walked out the door of his apartment, locking it with a click. As he walked the sun seemed to finally break through and the rays of the sun light Jaune's path. He closed his eyes in bliss and paused for a heartbeat in each sun spot as his body drank in the energy from the biggest light source on the planet. If he had any less than an diamond-clad control over his powers, he would have begun to glow and light would swirl and pulse around him in response to his contentment.
Kinda a shame, while Jaune may have hated his powers, only when he let go of his control did he ever feel truly free.
Saphron Cotta (once Arc) turned on the water in her sink in the bathroom before splashing her face with water and enjoying the refreshing wave on her face. After she was done she grabbed a towel and pressed the fabric against her face and rubbed her face into the towel, drying herself. She placed the towel on the drying peg before exiting the bathroom of her bedroom and smiling at her own slumbering wife. Their was son curled up in a ball on her chest and sleeping as well. She couldn't help the giggle that slipped out as she kept watching her family.
It reminded her of when she had those dog-pile slumber parties with her sisters and brother.
Her heart twisted uncomfortably in her chest at the thought of her sweet little brother who vanished off the face of the earth. She and her sisters had visited him as much as they could, and it both hurt and made her happy to see the way his face would light up in joy that they came. The DUP incarceration in Curdan Cay was hardly a good place to meet their brother and seeing him chained and looking so tired made her heart feel like tearing. She wished her parents hadn't acted like nothing had changed or if not happier that Jaune was gone; they could've loved their son a bit more.
Then their parents found out where they went on vacation and told them they either forget their brother was alive or they get out.
They all moved out within the next few months, scraping together money and accounts before leaving, spending one moment in that house to curse out their father and mother before vanishing from their lives for good. The only problem was it had taken too long and when Delsin Rowe freed Seattle and the DUP was effectively done, they all rushed to Seattle, fully expecting to find Jaune waiting only to see that he had left. They knew with a sinking feeling that their unexplained absence for the past few months must have given the wrong impression and Jaune thought that they had all abandoned him.
They collectively cursed their parents out in public again for that.
After that, they settled in cities that were pro-conduit and when they could, made trips to find Jaune. It didn't matter if it took them years, they would find their little brother and weren't abandoning him ever again. Saphron met Terra — and took her last name to forget the stain of her parents — and they had a beautiful son named Adrian and while he didn't show any conduit tendencies, Saphron wouldn't have cared. She had vowed to be the parent that their parents never were to Jaune for all their blood ran in his veins. Saphron's sisters had come to visit and cooed over their nephew, who sunny disposition and beaming grin bore an almost disturbing resemblance to Jaune's smiles as a child.
God, how they wished he was there, he would've loved his nephew like a son.
Jaune rubbed a hand over his weary eyes, trying to making the blurry images focus, but the quadrants and markings remained scrambled and fuzzy, not piecing together. He reached for his bottle of water and drained what was left in a single guzzle. He sighed and clasped his bag closed in deliberate motions and stood up once he was packed. He squeezed his eyes shut as he just let the moment stretch before walking out of the booth. People barely spared him a glance as he made his way to the food court.
His toast for breakfast wasn't enough to keep him going so he planned to drop in and grab a sandwich and maybe a soda before he went to eat outside the Math Lab before returning to the Library. He walked in and cautiously looked around and he carefully made his way to the counter of the small eatery as he paid for his items and stuffed them in his bag.
"Leave me alone." A icy voice cut through the relatively quiet air.
"Aw, come on." A smarmy voice replied, "Don't you want to see what it's like to be with a real man than that punk Arc?"
Jaune stiffened as he recognized Blake and Cardin's voice.
His fists tightened and he was moving before he was conscious of it.
He found Blake cornered by Cardin who was standing in front of her with his arm outstretched an pressed against the wall to cut of her ability to walk away. She looked angry, but Jaune had been friends with her long enough to read the subtle way she radiated frustration and fear. Jaune teeth gritted and it took every ounce of his self control to contain his powers that were blazing within to be used in response to his anger. Cardin reached with his free hand and gripped Blake's free arm, Blake flinching at his touch.
"What?" Cardin laughed, "You think you're too good for me or something?"
"Definitely." Blake replied, voice impersonal.
Cardin looked taken aback before he sneered, "Fiery and Quiet? Oh I you are going to be so much —"
Jaune punched Cardin in the face and sent him sprawling onto his side, the barest hint of light rising from Jaune's fist before he locked his power back under control. Jaune grabbed Blake's arm and pulled the stunned girl towards him. Cardin had loud out the most hilarious squawk as he face-planted the ground and lay stunned with his eyes squeezed in pain, blood dripping from his split lip. Jaune began to drag Blake away as she tried to understand how Jaune did that, conduits were insanely durable.
"Let's go!" Jaune hissed, "Before he gets up."
Blake nodded dumbly and they both ran out of the room before Cardin shook the stars out of his vision and cleared his senses. They ran a good distance and stopped by the library, Blake panting as her stamina was not able to match Jaune's power-enhanced body. She huffed and rested her weight on her knees for a moment while Jaune waited, letting go of her hand and stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets. He wasn't a stranger to holding hands or anything, but he never actually had much contact with people that wasn't a precursor to a violent act and it made him a little off-kilter.
The fact it was a very pretty girl and he knew he as his best friend didn't help.
Blake straightened and let out a slow breath, "Did you just punch Cardin hard enough to knock him over?"
Jaune cheeks pinked, "Maybe?"
Blake hand covered her mouth as her shoulder shook in laughter, but she couldn't contain it and laughed. Jaune mouth dropped open as he saw the quiet girl he knew express emotions that she usually let out in soft chuckles and smiles (with the occasional giggle). Jaune waited for her small fit to end before he cracked a smile and joined in.
Cardin's face had been truly hilarious.
Blake and Jaune stopped and both took a moment to wipe their eyes and catch their breath before Blake's mirth faded and something like suspicion entered her eyes. She suddenly gripped Jaune's wrist and Jaune's sleeve before yanking it up. Jaune panicked and Blake's eyes widened as she saw how muscled and toned his arms were, she swiftly did the same to the other arm only to find that Jaune clothing hid just how strong he looked. Curdun Cay had been kind to Jaune in that aspect as he was used to working out and practicing his abilities only made him stronger and his body better. After his time in Curdun Cay, Jaune had fallen into the habit of working out and it was a wonderful way to distract himself when he felt anxious and full of energy. Jaune had no shame in how he looked, but wore baggy clothing that hid his body features, he had no inclination of garnering attention and he was smart enough to realized that showing his well-defined form might have that effect.
Blake, face pinking as she realized she had been admir — er staring a bit too long, dropped Jaune's sleeves, "What the hell Jaune? Why don't you fight back if you're that strong? Hell, why don't you even show your body? Cardin might just back off from that!"
Jaune blushed as he yanked his sleeves down to cover his arm, "It's not going to accomplish anything! I can take it because I'm strong, and if I look good, Cardin will just go farther to beat me down. He already hates me, if I one day look like this and anyone sees me, Cardin'll go ballistic and hurt anyone who shows any interest in... 'being friends'. Did you forget what just happened?"
"But he might leave you alone!"
"I can't let him pick on someone else who can't handle it Blake!"
Blake scowled, "I hate it when you do this! You always get hurt or in trouble and you smile and wave it away like it doesn't matter! It does matter Jaune! You matter! You're one of the few people I know who goes out of your way if you can help someone, you take everyone's problems without batting an eye! How do you think I feel when you get pushed around and do nothing to stop it?"
Jaune looked down, "Blake... I... I'm sorry, but that's just not who I am..."
Blake looked ready to snarl, but her face suddenly melted in fatigue, "Don't be sorry. I just... I hate it. You don't deserve any of this."
Jaune shook his head, a warm smile on his face, "Blake. You know why I think it's worth it all?"
Blake looked up at Jaune, her expression curious, "Why?"
"His bullying got me the chance to meet you." Jaune replied, smile wide, "I couldn't have asked for a better friend Blake, I've been here for so long and you've still stuck your neck out for me when you didn't have to. You even helped me get a job! Nobody else ever offer to lend me a hand. When you help me like that, how can I just stand by when you need help too?"
Blake blushed and looked hesitant before she suddenly hugged Jaune, much to the blonde's surprise.
"Thank you." She mumbled into his chest, "Thank you for helping me just now."
Jaune heart soared, "Whenever you need it Blake."
Yang grin stretched from ear to ear as Blake recounted her story, "You are crushing on him!"
When Jaune sneakily texted Yang about Cardin harassing Blake, Yang was read to bust out her powers and sear that concrete bastard to ash, but Jaune pleaded with her that it wasn't worth it. Yang was spitting mad, but eventually agreed that was no sense in borrowing trouble, even if it was from Cardin's hate boner for Jaune. Yang knew Cardin's dad was a rich prick — according to her own dad who frequented the same circles; despite Taiyang's modest life, he was very connected and wealthy as well — but Winchester senior was losing patience with his son. His father had been trying to do something to get his son to behave, but Cardin's entire childhood was gilded and carefree. He had been sent to the DUP in the hopes that a law enforcement would straighten him out, but Delsin Rowe's actions in Seattle had his son returning with an even bigger sense of entitlement and concrete powers to boot.
In a bout of vindictive anger when he tried to hook up with her (and Yang quickly rebuffed), Yang spread his entitlement issues and cocky belief in himself around and let the girls do the work.
And that backfired terribly.
Angered by the constant rejection and disgusted disdain, he had been leering over a girl who was scared when his hand began to generate concrete on the wall next to her to intimidate her when someone stepped in.
Jaune Arc — recognizing the signs of what was happening — distracted him and the girl ran away while Cardin punched and pummeled him, topping the beatdown off with an actual power attack. Leaving Jaune a beaten wreck and groaning in pain, Blake had stepped up and helped him, leading to a rumor of Jaune being stronger than anyone gave the blonde credit for and for Blake to be kinder than people knew. After he got a job at the Aura's Gift, people saw the goofy and kind kid in a man's body and how he got the greatest pleasure from helping in any way he could. It was something completely different from what the word was around school about the timid blond who got bullied.
Yang had Ruby as a tagalong when they heard the rumor about Blake helping a guy — and had come to tease her — when Jaune greeted her with a warm and welcoming smile. By the time Blake came down to see them, Jaune was laughing from one of Yang's 'amazing' puns (a definite positive in Yang's book) and easily teasing Ruby about her sister. The revelation that Jaune was that same guy Blake helped was the best gift that Yang could've gotten from her usually reserved friend. She constantly teased Blake about Jaune — especially since Jaune was usually seen and meek and quiet — that she could definitely date him and enjoy a good book while cuddled next to him. Blake had looked indignant and was about to object when Jaune had a hacking cough over his sip of water behind the counter, making Blake realized he could hear them.
Yang had laughed so hard she toppled the chair she was sitting on over.
Back to the present, Blake rubbed her forehead in an a exasperated manner, "Yang, he's just a good friend."
"The lady doth protest too much, methinks!" Yang sang.
Blake groaned, "Of all the people to quote literature at me, it had to be you..."
They both shared amusement at Yang's room in her house, away from other people who could overhear. Yang honestly loved her sister-in-all-but-blood and that came with responsibilities which she was willing to uphold with her powers. When Blake was told about Yang's powers, Yang was bracing herself to be called a terrorist or some other remark, but Blake bore it with the grace of someone who honestly didn't care. If nothing else, that cemented Yang's friendship and loyalty to the bookish girl forevermore.
Yang shifted into something more serious, "Blake... In all seriousness. Are you okay?"
Blake stiffened before heaving a frustrated sigh, "I... I'm... I'm worried."
"If Cardin tries anything..." Yang threatened.
Blake shook her head, "He won't. Rumors say he doesn't want some possessive psychopath attacking him for some bookworm chick."
Yang sputtered out a laugh, "He thinks Jaune is a psychopath?"
Blake smirked, "He punched Cardin hard enough to split his lip, Jaune's strength isn't something to scoff at. But I am worried about Jaune because he's right. If Cardin finds out Jaune could've fought back at any time, he'll double down on Jaune to try to break him completely."
"Jaune's too timid to do something like that for anyone else." Yang assured, "Besides, it's not like Jaune to pick fights for no reason."
Blake sighed, "I know he won't, but it's the fights that pick him. And I honestly don't know what it'll do to him to fight back when he has no choice. I know Jaune has more than what he said about fighting back than he told me; I just hope what it costs him when he has no choice is worth it."