Here's a little breather from the glum previous chapters. Hope you enjoy! Tell me what you think!
A gust of wind took Jaune's breath away the moment he inched the terrace door open. It took a fair bit of shoving to fight against the wind, but he managed to slip through before the heavy metal slab slammed shut behind him. Bright sunlight scrunched his eyes, forcing his putrid-smelling hand up to shield it. Not even an entire bottle of body wash and half a bar of soap could get it off completely. It was almost impressive just how much a smell could stick to someone, if not annoying.
It was funny, just existing without a thought in the world. Jaune felt like a passenger in his own body, limply shuffling across the rooftop, eyes half-lidded and leaning against the guard railings on the edge of the roof. The cold air blasting in his face suddenly snapped him out of it, and he remembered where he was, and more importantly, why he was there.
Jaune sat down on the edge, staring at what seemed like the other side of the world. Beacon had to be one of the tallest places he'd ever been in, as typical of a home-grown country bumpkin. Seeing the forest teeming with life, the mountains, the waterfall, and the ruins, you could see the entire world from here. He looked down, over the edge, where he could barely make out the courtyard on the ground floor. It was just barely a blur. The people down below look like ants scrambling around a patch of grass. Could they see him up there? Would they even care?
Being alone wasn't the best thing for him, and he knew it. It brought up those oh so special 'what-ifs', the great 'why's', and let's not forget the 'what's wrong with me'. All those little prodding questions that reminded him he didn't belong here. Or from how his father put it, anywhere for that matter.
He took a deep breath, shaking himself out of that headspace and hugging the railing. What would it take for someone to notice? Maybe a good drop? He pressed his forehead harder against the bars for even thinking that.
But what if…
"Stop it…" Jaune growled at his invasive thoughts.
Drastic, that's all it was, just like the doctors told him. This isn't anything rash- nothing dangerous. Just another stroll away from it all. Don't turn it into something it's not.
Even so, his heart was in his throat. His mind was on auto-pilot, poking every single demon in his head with a stick. "What am I even doing here?" He groaned to himself.
Why did he sign up for a hunter's academy when he had never fought a day in his life beforehand? These were heroes in the making, champions, heirs, and people of importance that would one day make a huge impact. Jaune was the lost child in the back, carrying everyone else's bags. He was a living participation trophy. What would he have anyone, let alone a team of the worlds finest? This was a mistake. Just one big mistake.
Creak! Jaune all but jumped out of his skin, and nearly slapped himself at the same time. The roof garden is a student's regular hang-out, of course, he wouldn't be alone for too long. He pulled himself to his feet. Maybe if he started walking now, he could slip by before the smell gave him away.
Unexpectedly, a hand tapped his shoulder. Instantly, his shoulders slumped, weighed down by dread. "Please don't comment, I'll get out of your hair- Oh, hey Ren." He stood up straighter, seeing his quiet, sleepy friend standing next to him.
"Why would I want that? It's nice to have company with a view like this," Ren said, sitting down on the benches, and gesturing for Jaune to follow. "Take a seat."
Contemplating the meaning of life with company? Why not. Jaune sat next to his friend, letting his head hang back, staring up at the cloudless skies. "Hey, you ever wanted to just be a cloud?"
Ren stifled a laugh. "That's one of the more interesting ice breakers I've ever heard. Bravo."
"I'm serious, man. It's like you just don't have to worry about anything or try to make anyone happy or impress anyone. You just exist and you're happy," Jaune managed, resting back with his hands behind his head. "And maybe just rain down on jerks from time to time."
"Frankly, that sounds horrifying, but then again, I could actually rest for longer than an hour," Ren pointed out. "As it turns out, being Nora's keeper doesn't warrant any bit of rest"
"Mm-hm, I bet." Silence. Jaune drummed his fingers anxiously on his kneecap. Ren scratched the back of his head, finding the shed near the guard railing a bit too interesting. Jaune bit his lip, just praying for him to say something, but this was Ren he was talking to. Cool as a cucumber didn't cut it. He may as well be frozen. "Hey, sorry. That was a really weird way to start a break the ice."
"It's alright, it's alright, I wouldn't have been able to do it anyway," Ren managed, fiddling with his cuffs. "I would give you points for the effort." Again, the pair sat in silence, though it didn't feel as awkward this time. Not nearly as tense. To Jaune's surprise though, it was Ren who broke it this time. "What're you doing up here? I didn't take you for the scenic type."
"Its just a little change of pace, I guess," Jaune shrugged. "It's a nice day, so I figured why not."
Ren gave him a sideways look, propping his chin on his hand. That look in his sleepy eyes were downright piercing. "I'm not going to get a straight answer out of you, I take it?" He inquired.
Jaune could only let out a feeble grunt in response. Couldn't he just stop? Jaune was in no mood for an intervention and felt his guard being raised already. "You know, I think Pyrrha wanted me to do some training in a few, I should go find her before she starts pacing holes in our floor," He mumbled hastily, standing up.
"Wait, Jaune," Ren sucked in a deep breath. "I'm sorry."
The knight skidded to a halt, nearly tripping. Did he just hear him right? "Sorry? For what?"
"Because, well, how do I put this…" Ren tapped his foot on the ground. "You've been going through a lot. In all honesty, I don't know how much. I haven't been paying it attention, and that's on me, but I know it's a lot. We… I haven't been trying to help you, and I'm sorry."
"Ren…" It's been a long time since Jaune felt legitimately touched. The man was pouring his heart out and Jaune once again fought off the urge to slap himself for standing there, slack-jawed. "You really don't have to apologize. I kinda deserve whatever comes to me."
"You deserve to be unhappy? That's the dumbest thing I've heard all morning."
Jaune sat back down in the chair, rearing his head back to stare at the sky, as if waiting for its approval to continue. "I didn't legitimately get in Beacon," He sucked in some air. "I forged my documents to get into this place. Cardin found out, and he's been on my case about it ever since. Not even saving him in the Emerald Forest did anything to stop it. Too much power to let go of, I guess."
That was that. All of the chips were on the table. He thought he'd feel like his heart was trying to out of his throat, but in truth, a million tons of weight were just relieved off of his shoulders. There was no need to lie anymore. Ren gawked for a bit, looking awfully conflicted. He leaned forward, "That's a lot to take in."
Jaune's shoulders slumped. "I can tell," He croaked.
"Do you want my honest opinion?"
"Sure thing. Get it out in the open."
"I don't care."
"What- ow!" Jaune's neck popped gruesomely with how fast he turned his head. He rubbed it tenderly, hissing in pain. "Would you mind running that by me again?"
"We've all gone through our fair share of troubles, Jaune. I know I've done plenty of things to survive that aren't exactly savory," He explained with a rather distant look on his face. "Don't ask me to approve of your actions, but what matters is that you're here, and you helped us through a lot of difficult days. I'm proud of the man you are now, and that's what matters."
"Ren…" Jaune was at a loss for words. Every wall in his head had just been demolished by a sledgehammer. The corners of his mouth curled into a small smile. "Thanks. I really needed to hear that. And uh… don't worry. I wasn't gonna do anything drastic."
Ren exhaled hard enough that he doubled over. "Thank the gods."
"Was I worrying you that much?"
"Of course you were. Suicide rates in this school are high enough as is. I didn't want my brother-in-arms among their ranks Now let's get you off this rooftop and into a shower. I could smell you from Vale. I might have a few natural remedies for that."
Oh God.
/
The theater was one of the more typical places to take a date, especially for someone as fresh and raw in the game as Weiss. This was, after all, her first boyfriend after enough suitors forced on her by her father to fill a phone book. The heiress' normally icy gaze was replaced with bright, wide eyes, and a near ear-to-ear smile that gave the sun a run for its money, that mood carrying her through the entire date.
The movie wasn't very important. Another run-of-the-mill superhero flick about a crippled scientist looking up and down for a cure to his affliction, only to be turned into some supernatural demon knock-off. She could tune it out quite easily while she hugged Neptune's arm, nuzzling his strong, broad shoulder with her cheek. The dim lights ironically set the mood. The theater was nearly empty, meaning they could get away with a lot under the cover of darkness. The thought brought a bit of red to her pale cheeks and a rather impish giggle.
Still, it would be better if her boyfriend would pay her any attention.
The dimwit had his nose deep in his scroll with his free hand, often chuckling to himself on occasion. It took a few tugs and even a hushed gripe to be his attention sometimes, and often times she would get only so much as a grunt. She adored this man dearly, but gods, his attention span would put a dog to shame. What she wouldn't give to just twist that neck around and kisses him with the same passion they had since the night of the dance.
"This movie's rather subpar, don't you think?" She offered, crossing her legs and tugging a little at his arm to get his attention, but that nose was practically glued to his scroll. Weiss frowned, tugging a little harder. "Perhaps the mist effects are a tad much?"
That earned a grunt from him at least. She considered herself lucky. Anymore tugs and she would resort to yanking his arm off. Weiss heaved a sigh and snatched the scroll out of his hand. "Oh for goodness sake, put that away. You aren't even supposed to have this blasted thing out here in the theater-"
"Weiss, hey!" Neptune suddenly lunged and yanked his scroll back out of her hands, eyes a little too wide for her liking. He quickly shoved it back in his pocket and cleared his throat, sitting up straighter in his chair. "Sorry, babe, had something from work to deal with."
Oh, of course. That lousy job that Neptune decided to take up with Sun. The details were a little vague- Weiss hadn't seen a need to press for questions. It was important enough work that he had to leave from time to time, so she could only assume that it was additional huntsman duties. Nevertheless, this was their time now, and she would be damned if he spent all of that practically locking lips with a screen.
"If you wouldn't mind paying attention to me for the very little time I get to spend with you a week, that would be fantastic." She chastised sternly.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry, what were you saying?" Neptune asked, almost in a dismissive tone.
"Oh never mind. Let's just finish this damn movie."
Said movie was already nearing the end credits. It was a tad disappointing, really. Then again, it was supposed to be background noise for a loving couple to make out too. Instead, Weiss left the theater feeling a tad put out. The scroll wasn't plastered to his hand on the way out at least. He held her hand, no matter how limp the grip was, it counted for something.
"Neptune, do you love that scroll more than me?" Weiss inquired, twirling a finger through her hair.
"What? Of course not, babe," Neptune answered. Oh, that smile was radiant and so handsome. Weiss felt weak at the knees for a bit, fighting off the urge to just ravage those lips right there. "I wasn't ignoring you, baby. Just trying to tell my loudmouth partner to leave me alone, since someone's a tad bit more important right now." He leaned over and pecked her cheek, much to her delight.
"I'll forgive you for now." She said, or more squealed, but we shan't say that, now should we? "Now we have some time before lunch. Why not visit the park-"
To her chagrin, his scroll rang. Not missing a beat, he picked it out of his pocket and ducked back a bit, speaking in a hushed tone. "Hey, this isn't really the best time for- huh? No way, you're in town? Right now? Well, if I have to." He hung up, wincing at her as she felt a bit of dread creeping up her chest. "Sorry."
Weiss's shoulders sagged. "But what about our lunch?"
"I've got a few things that I gotta take care of, I'm really sorry babe," He faltered, running his fingers through his turquoise hair. "I'll make it up to you next time though, alright?" He lurched forward and pecked Weiss' lips. She eagerly leaned in for a second, perhaps more passionate kiss, but he was already halfway down the street, clearly in a rush.
The traffic and ambient noise of the street suddenly became just that bit louder in the awkward silence. For a while, she didn't know what else to do aside from standing awkwardly in place. After a good minute of processing, she broke out of her frozen stupor and walked back to the airport, boarding an airship quickly inbound for Beacon. If she was to be alone for the day, as depressing as that sounds, she may as well spend it working her brain to the bone in a few textbooks.
Disappointed and dejected, she walked through the halls in Beacon, scanning her scroll on the scanner, but the scanner beeped loudly, with what Yang affectionately called the 'Red Screen of Death', flashing in her eyes.
"Oh for goodness sake!" Weiss growled, about ready to kick the door down. To her surprise, she could hear voices on the other side. One that definitely sounded male. Instantly, her blood ran to a boil. A pervert on campus? Let's see just how horny that man could be frozen to the wall until the next summer came. Before she pulled Myrtenaster out, she happened to glance at the room number and wished those extra neurons in her mind fired to search rather than destroy.
It wasn't her room. It was JNPR's room, no less. She sighed, pressing her forehead against the door, feeling a weight already growing on her shoulders. Forget the books, now she just wanted a nap.
"I'm really sorry I lied to you, Nora."
Weiss blinked, cocking a brow. Wasn't that Jaune's voice? Now Weiss wasn't above a little bit of gossip. Drama was a decent stimulant when there wasn't anything else to focus on.
"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" The hyper girl squeaked. "C'mon, you're our fearless leader! We wouldn't have cared!"
She could just make out a sigh behind the closed door. "You try telling your closest friends that you forged your way into a prestigious school."
… He what?