BRFs

Chapter 8

Yang was bored out of her mind. Currently sprawled out on the couch. She had an arm and a leg dangling off the side. Her head lying on the armrest, she stared aimlessly at the ceiling, occasionally blowing out hot air. Zwei was lying flat on the floor, enjoying a nice nap, basking in the sunlight coming through the window. Neither she nor Jaune had work, so their schedule was free until they hit the gym together later. Maybe she'd just go for a ride on Bumblebee to pass the time. The fact that riding her motorcycle around wasn't exciting said a lot. She heard the familiar sound of Jaune's bedroom door opening up and tilted her head backward, catching her blonde roommate stepping out, albeit upside down from her perspective. He was dressed already, looking like he was ready to go out.

"Hey Yang, you made Ember Celica yourself, right?"

It was not a question Yang was expecting, but okay. Yang propped herself up and said, "Yup! It's a requirement of all combat schools to take weapon-smithing classes and create our own; why?"

"I was thinking of upgrading Crocea Mors and was wondering if you could help out."

Huh, Jaune always seemed content with his sword; she wondered where this was coming from. "I thought Crocea Mors was a family heirloom? Why the sudden interest in upgrading?"

"That's just it, a family heirloom that was mounted on our living room wall. I don't even know the last time it was used. My dad sure didn't use it; he had his own sword. I've just been thinking a lot about something Qrow told me a while ago. My weapon, my armor, even most of my clothes were all hand-me-downs." That explained why Jaune's clothes were so baggy on him. They probably belonged to his father. "I was thinking; maybe it's time I make Crocea Mors my own."

"Hmm... Sounds to me, you wanna reinvent yourself?" Yang couldn't help but think that was a really good idea. For a weapon used during the Great War, the fact that Crocea Mors was still sharp and effective in combat was a testament to the blade's craftmanship, but times were changing. New types of stronger Grimm were popping up, and advances in weapons and dust brought all new types of challenges.

"Pretty much."

"Well, what you need is a forge, and I highly doubt Signal will let us use their facilities." Yang started thinking. "It'd take too long to teach you myself, so you'll need to go to a professional blacksmith. Lucky for you, I know one in Vale," Yang said before squinting her eyes and looking Jaune up and down.

Jaune got a little self-conscious at her gazing and asked, "What?"

"Thinking... Why stop at just your weapon? I say, go for the complete makeover! Upgrade your armor, your wardrobe, get yourself a haircut."

Jaune ran his hand through his hair protectively and said, "But I like my hair."

"And I love mine, but even I go to the salon every now and then and get it maintained. When was the last time you got a haircut?"

"Ummm..." Jaune had to think back to remember.

"I thought so. I'm not saying you have to cut everything off, but maybe just trim the edges and shape it up a bit. Trust me, Jaune, I know what I'm talking about."

Jaune was inclined to believe her. The number of hair products and appliances had quadrupled since Yang had moved in and was slowly overtaking the bathroom. Finding hair ties scattered throughout the apartment was something he found strung about at first annoying, but with time, he had gotten used to it. It gave him a good laugh now, especially if he found one in a completely random place, like when he found one cleaning out the lamp and wondered how it got there.

"Okay, okay. I trust you."

"That's the spirit! Get your gear and meet me downstairs. We're going shopping!" Jumping up from the couch, Yang booked it to her room. Grabbing her huntress gear she hastily put it on and grabbed her pocketbook. She returned to the living room, grabbed her keys, and kneeled down next to Zwei. "Be a good boy for Momma while we're gone, okay?" Yang said, scratching behind Zwei's head.

Zwei responded by barking once and then returning to his prior resting position.

Heading out their door, Yang slid down the railing of the staircase, ready for Jaune and her to hit the streets. Maybe today wouldn't be so boring after all.

...

Forgoing Bumblebee, Jaune and Yang took a bus to the eastern side of Vale. Jaune carried his armor in a large duffle bag while they walked side by side along the streets. Soon, they approached Valeo Boulevard, a mile-long strip dedicated to boutiques and small-time shops.

"So, where should we start?" Jaune asked.

"Probably best to start with your gear. We don't know how long it'll take, so the sooner, the better. We're also really close. After that, while you're getting your haircut, I'll be doing some clothes shopping of my own. You can meet me there after you're done."

The plan was set and agreed upon. Jaune followed Yang side by side, window-browsing the many shops they passed by till they reached a small building.

There was nothing very eye-catching about the front besides the sign that rested on top of the building that read, 'We Bear Arms.' To its right was a small armored bear for a logo. He turned to Yang and raised his eyebrow, clearly thinking they were here because of the store's use of a pun for a name.

"Don't give me that look." Yang knew exactly where his head was at. "I happen to know the owners. This place is perfect for what you need."

Jaune's brow dropped. He had no reason to doubt her, and Yang wouldn't have taken him to a place if she hadn't believed in it.

As they both entered, a bell chimed, similar to the one Tukson had in the bookstore. The shop was warm. Though Jaune couldn't see the forge, he felt its heat from the entrance. On the right, adorned on the walls, was an array of various weapons, from spears to swords, guns, and axes. To the left was a couple of mannequins, each wearing armor of different materials. Some leather, others metal. Behind the counter, A burly man stood, a bear Faunus if Jaune went off the ears. which would make sense, given the store's name. The man had turned around at the bell chime. He had a very grizzled face with a scruffy beard. He was wearing a plain short-sleeved black shirt under a blacksmith's apron; his large muscular arms were covered in fur. As his eyes rested on Yang he openly smiled and shouted, "Honey! Come check out the front!"

"Coming, Papa Bear." What could only be described as a very motherly voice came through as a rather plump woman, also a bear Faunus, dressed similarly to the man behind the counter, entered from the back door beside him. She adorned a pleasantly surprised face on seeing Yang. "Ah, Yang sweetie! Xiao Long has it been?" The two ladies shared a laugh before the older woman looked around the shop. "No, Ruby?"

"Nah, she's at Beacon, learning to be a kickass Huntress. I brought my roommate with me." Yang gestured towards Jaune. "He's looking to upgrade his equipment. Jaune, these are the Barrera's."

"I'm Arthur Barrera."

"And I'm Martha Barrera."

"Jaune Arc."

"Jaune, we might be a small shop, but we pride ourselves on the quality we bring. Whether it's armor, weapons, or field supplies, it doesn't matter if you're too big or too small; we'll make sure your gear comes out juuuust right." That had to be the blacksmith's motto, given the way he delivered it. "Now, how can I help you today?"

"I was hoping to reforge my armor and possibly upgrade my sword." Jaune had brought the duffel bag forward, taken out his gear, and placed it on the counter, displaying it for the blacksmith.

"Wow." Arthur brought a hand to his beard, stroking it as he inspected Jaune's gear. "The quality is amazing. This had to have been made during the Great War."

"It belonged to my great-grandparents. I was hoping to increase the plating on the chest piece and maybe reforge the pauldrons completely. I don't want to change the sword too much, but I did have an idea for a specific kind of upgrade."

"Let me guess, you want to turn it into a gun?" Mecha-shift was quite the rage nowadays. Everyone wanted a weapon that could transform. Arthur had received some rather interesting requests over the past year, like a briefcase that could turn into a motorized saw blade or a guitar axe that not only doubled as an actual axe but would shoot electricity when playing the guitar strings.

Jaune chuckled, "Nothing like that."

"Then why don't you and I step into the back? I can take your measurements, and we can talk by the forge and go over the finer details." As Jaune followed Arthur to the back, the blacksmith shouted out, "Jack! Come out here and help your mother watch the store." A low rumble could be heard from the back before a young, bear Faunus boy, no older than 8 or 9, rushed past Arthur and Jaune as they entered the back room and approached the counter, jumping on top of a stool specifically placed for him.

"Hey, Goldilocks."

"Sup squirt. Staying out of trouble?" Yang asked.

"Of course," he lied. "You?"

"Trying to." Yang did speak the truth. After the club incident Yang was doing her best to watch her actions, not wanting to get into trouble again and risk another delay of getting into Beacon.

"Who's the guy? Your Boyfriend?"

"Jaune's my roommate." Her and Jaune dating? That was just... ridiculous. That was not the first word that came to Yang's mind, though. Yang couldn't feel it because of the forge, but her cheeks had heated up.

"Then, why are you blushing?" She might not have felt it, but Jack sure noticed it.

Was she? Yang took out her scroll and opened up the camera in selfie mode. True to Jack's word, her face was tinted pink.

"Don't tease her, Jack." She placed a hand on her son before offering Yang a sympathetic smile.

"We're really just roommates," Yang said, though her words came out unsure.

"You don't need to explain, dear." The once sympathetic smile quickly morphed into a wry one, making Yang's blush stronger—so much so that she even felt it now. She wasn't used to being the target of teasing. She was usually the one dishing it out. Yang told herself they were just really good roommates—nothing more. Right? Yang was spared any more teasing as Jaune walked back in.

"I don't have any current orders, so I can get started immediately. Why don't you two come back in a few hours? I should be done by then."

"Sounds good. Thank you, Mr. Barrera," Jaune extended his hand for a handshake.

Arthur laughed, took Jaune's hand in his and said, "Please, call me Arthur. Any friend of the Xiao Long family is a friend of ours."

The two shared a firm handshake before Jaune rejoined with Yang and asked, "Ready for the next stop?"

Yang nodded her head and wasted no time heading out of the store, though not without missing the way Ms. Barrera giggled.

Outside the shop, Yang got better control of herself and her emotions. She was just caught off guard.

"How'd you come to know the Barrera's?" Jaune had asked.

Clearing her throat Yang answered, "Friends of the family. Mom and Dad knew Mr. B back in Beacon before he dropped out to focus on being a blacksmith. When Mom was still alive, we used to visit Vale a lot actually." Happy memories of a tiny Ruby sitting on Dad's shoulders while she walked aside mom as they all walked together along the streets checking out the stores floored Yang's mind. "We still came to visit the shop even after. Not a lot of metal shops on Patch either, so when Ruby and I needed parts or metals for our weapons, We Bear Arms was our go-to!" It was hard to come by good materials when you lived on a small island; thankfully, Mr. and Mrs. Barrera always came through.

Changing the subject Yang pointed down the block and said. "The salon I go to is just over there, called Sally's. I'll be at Venieto's." Yang pointed back across the street to a clothing boutique. "Text me when you're done."

Jaune nodded, and the two made their separate ways.

...

Venieto's was a clothing boutique that specialized in both field and casual gear for huntresses and huntsman. Yang spent the better half of an hour perusing through different clothing racks, picking out a few items that she wanted to try on and see if she could have some extra huntress outfits. Feeling her scroll vibrate in her jacket pocket, Yang took it out and saw a text from Jaune saying he was done. She replied, telling him she was going to be trying on a few things and that he should come and pick out his own clothes and meet her by the changing room. Before she put her scroll away she added that she would be judging him and added a little devil face emoji. Pocketing the scroll she made her way to the changing room at the back of the store.

The first outfit consisted of a deep-collared cream-colored vest worn over a low-cut black shirt. Both shirt and vest were covered by a dark gray shrug jacket with a raised collar and three-quarter sleeves. With it, she wore a black mini skirt that had a pair of crooked black belts with gold accents slung around her hip. A purple piece of fabric was attached to the left-rear section of the lower belt. She also wore thigh-high stockings attached to her miniskirt by garter belts on the front and back of each thigh and black ankle boots with multiple buckles and white ribbons on the back tied in a bow.

Yang liked the way it looked. She felt it would work as a nice club outfit as well.

The second outfit she wore sported a tan jacket with orange lining and gold edging, unzipped halfway to show the usual orange crop top she normally wore. The coat had darker brown short sleeves, a thick collar that completely encircled her neck, and two long gold-trimmed rectangular coattails. This outfit had knee-high brown boots with gold caps on the heel and toe, with the heel cap attached to a gold strap across the front of her ankle and a gold zipper on the upper half of the front of the boots. She had tied and a purple bandanna tied around her left knee. On her hands, a pair of black fingerless gloves with long brown cuffs reaching mid-forearm completed the outfit.

This outfit felt like an upgraded version of her current huntress attire.

The last outfit she tried on consisted of khaki overalls; the gold zipper they had was unzipped just below her breasts to reveal a white low-cut cropped tube top. She wore her favorite orange scarf around her neck and her purple scarf around her right leg, just like she did with her regular outfit. Around the thighs of the overalls was a gold zipper and buckled strap that allowed for the pants leg to be detached. She had left the right leg unzipped but still strapped to the overalls, leaving the lower part partially folded over. Over the top of the overalls, she had a dark brown crop aviator-styled jacket with fur trim around the neck and black-and-orange straps along the sleeves. Around her waist was a black-and-orange belt with black-and-yellow folded fabric on the sides. The belt ran behind her with a pouch attached to it ans lastly she wore dark brown knee-high boots with black laces.

Not a bad outfit, perhaps something she could wear when it was colder out.

Yang stepped out of the changing booth and went on her scroll while she patiently waited for Jaune. Going shopping was perfect; she had completely forgotten about getting flushed back at We Bear Arms. Jack had just caught her off guard.

"Hey Yang." Yang lifted her head when she heard Jaune call out to her, and her eyes widened. She expected a little off the top, maybe clean off the ends, and shape up his hair a bit; what she didn't expect was for Jaune to chop off a significant portion of his hair. His moppy blonde head of hair had been cut short and styled so that it was upswept and somewhat spiky.

"Woah! What happened to now wanting to cut much off?" Yang asked as she continued to stare at his hair.

"Well, that was the plan, but the lady who was doing my hair suggested I cut more off. I was going to tell her no, but she insisted it'd be a good look for me." Jaune left out the part that the lady had told him this look would attract the ladies. Even though Jaune only had one in mind.

"No! No. It's good. Great, even! The new do suits you." Yang made a mental note to go to the salon and thank whoever did Jaune's hair. The new look, while still keeping a youthful appearance, made Jaune look more mature. He had a nice, strong jaw, which would pair nicely with a beard. Yang was picturing it now.

The mental image in her head evaporated as Jaune held up the clothes he had gathered and said, "So I got these." Yang noticed there was an awful number of hoodies in his hand but decided she'd give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Well get on in there! I'll be waiting."

Jaune stepped in, and after a few minutes of some shuffling noises, he stepped out of the changing booth. He was sporting an unbuttoned vest over a long-sleeved buttoned white shirt. Around his neck was a ridiculously large orange scarf that looked out of place. He had forgone his orange sleeves and just had a pair of brown leather gloves. To complete the look, he wore these light green cargo pants that clashed with the entire outfit.

Yang wasted no time exclaiming, "Hard pass! You look like a farm boy like that." Yang made her displeasure known visually with a thumbs-down gesture.

Jaune stepped out again, this time sporting the same brown vest, this time closed and over a grey hoodie. His regular jeans were swapped with ripped, lighter blue jeans. He had elbow pads and different brown gloves on his arms. Jaune looked at Yang, who had pursed her lips before, again, gesturing her thumb downwards.

"Too Boring! It's basically just your regular outfit with a vest and a different hoodie." She caught Jaune wincing before looking back to the booth. "The rest are just more hoodies, aren't they?" She asked.

The silence was deafening.

Yang pinched the bridge of her nose. "No worries; I planned for this." Digging through her pile of clothes, she fished out an ensemble and a pair of boots and pushed them into Jaune's hands. "Try this on."

He stepped back in and closed the door behind him. After a few minutes, this time, when Jaune stepped out, he wore a high-collared black shirt with a small buckle at the top of the collar. His baggy blue jeans were swapped for dark navy jeans that fit him properly, and a singular belt with a pouch was attached. He kept his signature orange sleeve wraps but ditched the wrist-length gloves for a pair of black gloves that had gold-colored metal plates over the fingers. Lastly, he swapped out the black high tops for a pair of dark brown boots.

Jaune waited with anticipation for Yang's judgment as she looked him up and down. Yang brought her hand forward slowly, this time gesturing her thumbs up and said, "Perfect! I knew it'd look good." Yang said, satisfied with herself.

Jaune had to admit. He liked how it looked on him, and the material was comfy, too! He appreciated that it wasn't too complex, either. Jaune liked to keep it simple. It was more his style.

"Good thing I took the liberty and picked out some other stuff, too." Yang showcased a few other articles of clothing, some regular shirts and even some gym clothes. "Up to you if you want 'em or not, but take it from a girl who knows fashion; you'll be thanking me if you dooo."

Both Yang and Jaune had checked out from Venitos, exiting the shop with a few bags each in their hands. They still had some time, so the blondes stopped for lunch before returning to We Bear Arms.

Stepping back into the shop, they saw all the Barreras gathered in the front. Jack had been attending the register, Martha was polishing some swords, and Arthur was folding his apron.

"Ah, perfect timing!" Your gear finished just a while ago. Come! It's in the back. I got a room you can put the armor on."

Jaune stepped into the back with Mr. Barrera while Yang stayed out front and chatted with Martha about Ruby. After a few minutes, they heard the clinking of armor and turned their heads towards the door leading to the forge. Mr. Barrera stepped out first, followed shortly by Jaune, who was not only wearing the new outfit Yang picked out but also a new set of armor.

Jaune's chest plate had been modified to cover a lot more of his abdomen. His pauldrons had been completely reforged and were scaled down to the size of shoulder pads. To compensate for the change, Arthur had crafted a pair of bracers for Jaune to wear over the orange sleeves covering his arms. All pieces of armor retained the pure white color but were trimmed with matching gold linings.

Jaune had Crocea Mors attached to his left bracer. He pulled out the sword and expanded the sheathe into his shield, striking a pose in the shop. The cross-guard and hilt looked heavier and had a much more elaborate design. The shield was slightly larger and, like his armor, was also accented with gold around the edges.

"He cleans up nice, doesn't he?" Arthur asked.

"Yeah." Yang smiled. "He does." Jaune looked like a proper huntsman.

Martha had leaned in towards Yang and whispered in her ear, "He's a keeper."

Damn her! Why did they keep teasing her? They're just roommates! Yang was doing such a good job, too. She had completely forgotten about earlier, and now it was rushing back instantly. At least they were working out later. Yang could easily distract herself from all of this.

...

"Three," Jaune grunted out as he lowered himself for another squat.

Yang was behind Jaune, struggling to keep her eyes off him, while she was supposed to spot him while he performed some weighted squats with a barbell.

Why was she struggling? There was no use in denying the obvious answer, so Yang let her brain win this time. Jaune was fucking hot.

It was her own fault really. She just had to go and pick out clothes that she liked and thought would look good on a guy, and low and behold, she was right. No longer wearing baggy clothes, Jaune wore much more form-fitting attire that showcased just how good of a job Yang had done with him. Jaune was wearing a tank top that offered a good view of the man's chest, back, and arms. She remembered catching a glimpse of a six-pack when he aired out his shirt after their pre-workout jog on the treadmills upstairs. She had morphed his body into the ideal physique with her guidance and workout regime. He was not so bulky that he looked like some roided-out gym head. His body was toned, and the muscles he had earned were well-defined.

This was a terrible idea—the worst she had ever had, in fact. She was an idiot for thinking working out with Jaune would help distract her.

Her eyes slipped back to Jaune as he lowered himself to a squatting position. Yang got an eyeful of Jaune's sweaty back muscles contracting. Her eyes, now with a mind of their own, lowered and stared at his surprisingly firm butt in the blue shorts she picked out for him.

She was a genius. Truly, this was a great idea. Just some innocent, respectful staring, making sure she spotted Jaune so he wouldn't get hurt.

Yang was brought out of her gawking by the sound of feint giggling behind her. Turning her head; it looked like she wasn't the only one enjoying the view. Two girls, a brunette and a redhead, were on the other side of the room. Yang found herself involuntarily frowning. Just who did these bitches think they were. Yang was respectfully looking, spotting her partner as he asked; that was the defense Yang claimed while these two were practically undressing Jaune with their eyes. The brunette was even biting the bottom of her lip.

Nuh-uh, Yang wasn't having any of it. She moved her body to the right, completely blocking their view. She smirked at seeing them pout. But Wait? Why did she even care if those girls were looking? Why did she get angry when that brunette bit her lip? Was She? NO! No that couldn't be. Yang Xiao Long did not get jealous.

"Yang?" She was stirred from her thoughts by a snapping motion in front of her face as Jaune again called out, "Yang?"

"Huh?"

"I finished my set, and I was calling out to you. It looked like you were spacing out there for a bit. Is everything good?"

"Oh, yeah! Totally," She lied.

"Cool, so should we move on?"

"Yeah, let me grab some dumbbells, and we'll take turns." Yang walked away, heading past a pillar, taking a turn to the left, and continuing to the other end of the room where the weight rack was. Picking up a pair of 70lb weights she made her way back. As she reached the pillar, she heard talking. She slowed her pace and peaked around the pillar. Jaune had his back to her and he was talking to that brunette from earlier. Curious about what they were talking about, Yang waited behind the pillar and listened in.

"Hey there! Do you know where the weight rack is?" She heard the brunette ask.

"Yeah! It's right around that corner." She heard Jaune answer.

"Thank you! I'm new to the gym. Still learning where everything is."

What bullshit was this? She was definitely the same girl with that redhead earlier, and now that Yang thought about it, she swore she had seen her before.

"Gus' is a great place to work out. You'll like it here. I'm Jaune Arc." Jaune, the friendly, innocent guy that he was, answered causing Yang to groan internally.

"I'm liking it already!" Yang wanted to throw up when she heard the girl force out a giggle. "That's a nice name you got there, by the way. Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. I'm sure the ladies love it. I'm-."

Yang didn't hear a name; she heard skank and some other derogatory names. She could hear Jaune chuckle nervously and say, "Thanks?" While she couldn't see it, she just knew he was rubbing the back of his head while he said it.

"Would you want to work out together? We could take turns spotting each other." She heard the girl ask.

Yang wanted to storm in, say Jaune already had a workout partner, but held herself back. What if Jaune was interested? She didn't have a right to cock block him. She wasn't even sure she had a reason to clam jam the bitch. They weren't dating. They were just roommates...

"I'm actually here with someone already." She heard Jaune's response, and a celebratory air horn went off in her head.

"Oh, I'm sure they won't mind."

Nope! Jaune voiced his disinterest. Yang had no qualms about interfering now. She was doing it for him, obviously. Yang placed the weights down and came around the pillar, walking right up to Jaune and shouting, "Hey, Jaune!"

Yang wrapped her arm around Jaune's shoulder and pressed her body nice and tight next to him.

H-Heh Yang... Uh. Where are the weights." Jaune had looked down, trying not to stare down Yang's tank top, and noticed she had not brought back any dumbbells.

"This your workout partner?" The brunette asked.

"Thi-"

"I'm Yang." Yang cut in and stared down the brunette.

"Nice to meet you I'm-" Yang still didn't hear a name. Not that she cared to learn the girl's name, anyway.

"Well, we'd love to stay and chat, but we're going to go upstairs and spar in the combat room." Jaune looked at her, confused. They had their gear with them, but weren't they supposed to be doing weight training right now?

Before he could comment, Yang forcibly pushed Jaune to the staircase with her as the blonde then gave a rushed wave for a bye to the brunette.

"Yang, you okay?" Jaune asked as they walked up the stairs.

"Never better!"

"You sure? Your eyes are red."

"Don't worry about it, Jaune."

The two blondes gathered their gear from the lockers before meeting up in the designated sparring room that Yang had secured at the last second with Gus.

Jaune, in his brand new armor, held Crocea Mors tight while his shield laid firm on his bracer.

Yang, standing opposite of him, slammed Ember Celica together, cooking the gauntlets. The days of holding herself back in their spars were long over.

BZZT

The buzzer they had set had gone off, and like always, Yang charged forward, her right fist aimed directly at Jaune. He had seen this coming, but instead of moving, Jaune stood his ground, held his shield forward, and bided his time.

1,2,3 Jaune remained unwavering and unflinching against Yang's assault. As the fourth punch came, Jaune smirked. He had been hit by this too many times, that he knew this would be Yang's final hit and his moment to counter.

Angling his shield Jaune deflected the punch, swung his sword, and landed the first direct hit of their spar.

As he swung again for another, Yang ducked and rolled under the swing. Using her gauntlets, she shot herself backward, slamming into Jaune's back and pushing him forward. Using the blast from her gauntlets again, she rocketed herself around for a deadly punch only to meet Jaune's shield. Thus began a dance between the two as Yang juked and jived to land some hits, Jaune kept up the defense he had been honing for months now and countered when he saw an opportunity.

Training with both her and Qrow was proving time well spent. Jaune was a far cry from when he first started. He was doing better, landing hits, and he looked comfortable.
Too comfortable... Perhaps she needed to change things up and get Jaune up against other fighting styles. Maybe she could ask Ruby and see if her team would help out during their break.

Putting more focus back on the fight, Yang decided she had had enough of their little tango and launched herself backward. Cocking her gauntlets once more, Yang let out volley after volley of shots at Jaune. She had the advantage of distance and could keep Jaune at bay till he tired out. A cloud of smoke had formed after enough shots. Yang wasn't worried as she paused to reload. Jaune wouldn't be able to close the distance and strike, not without getting hit, at least. So color Yang surprised from out of the cloud, Jaune came charging at her, covering as much of his body as he could with his shield, which had his sword sheathed in it strangely enough.

Firing three more shots, Yang expected him to falter, but Jaune kept charging in till he got up real close and, using all the force he had, slammed into Yang, knocking her back and down to the floor.

The attack surprised Yang as she propped herself up sideways. Looking up, Jaune had his hand on the hilt of his sword, which had been buried in the sheathe. As he raised it above him, the shield had remained sheathed before it closed and transformed with the blade, creating a great sword out of the two.

So, this was the real upgrade Jaune had designed. If she weren't sparring with him right now, she'd have been impressed, but she needed to dodge fast! Rolling to the side, she nearly missed as the sword slammed into the ground.

Jaune lifted the great sword back up and prepared for another swing, but it was clear he was still getting used to the added weight. He was moving slowly, which gave Yang more than enough time to prepare herself, get into a kneeled position, and catch the blade sideways. She took a bit of a hit in Aura, but with her semblance, it only made her stronger. Using that extra boost in strength she pulled the sword from Jaune's grasp and discarded it to the side.

With Jaune weaponless, he was open to a close and blast from Ember Celica that sent him backward.

The buzzer hadn't gone off, so Jaune's Aura was still going strong. As Yang stood back up, so did Jaune. She wondered what he'd do. With no weapon, the safe option would be to concede. Surprising Yang yet again, Jaune stood his ground, raised his fist, and adopted an all-too-familiar boxing stance. "Match isn't over yet," Jaune declared.

Yang smirked. So that's how he's going to play this? Well, then she'd play ball too. "Okay, Jauney Boy." Yang deactivated her gauntlets and cracked her knuckles before adopting the same stance.

As Jaune circled right, Yang circled left, and they slowly inched toward one another. Close enough to each other, Yang threw the first punch, which Jaune blocked with his forearm. He tried hitting her with a left hook but was too slow. Yang easily ducked under and followed through with a solid punch to Jaune's chest. It was terribly one-sided. She gave Jaune credit; he was good, but this was a craft she had been honing for years.

Ready to end the match, Yang pulled back her fist and sent forward a powerful blow.

Using a similar defense against Cardin back at Beacon, Jaune pumped as much Aura as he could and caught the punch. Yang was proud. She taught him well, but she taught him that move and knew exactly how to counter it. Twisting his arm before he could hers, Yang used her free arm to pull him in and grab him into a grapple hold.

She locked Jaune in her grasp, nice and tight. All that was left was for him to submit, and then they could call the match. She never taught him submission holds or how to get out of them.

Apparently, Qrow had thought... She felt his legs wrap around hers and bend as he purposely tried to trip her up. She wasn't ready for the counter and had no response. She held onto his armor; before she knew it, they had become a pile of limbs falling to the floor.

Yang had closed her eyes during the tumble. She expected her head or body to hurt, but she was fine. She was on something that wasn't the ground, and her mouth was pressed up against something warm and soft. Slowly blinking, she opened her eyes. She was eye to eye with Jaune, who was blinking as well. She was on top of him, their faces so close together that it only took them a fraction of a second to realize their lips were pressed together.

Yang shot off of Jaune while he scooted back. They were both as red as Ruby's signature cape.

"Yang, sorry... I- uh... the fall.. I." He was sputtering gibberish.

"Hey, it's okay." Yang waved her hands. That was a good maneuver. Let's call it there!" Yang stood up quickly. "I'm gonna go to the locker room. I'll see ya outside!" She didn't wait for a response before she stepped out of the sparring room, leaving Jaune by himself.

...

Inside the women's locker room, Yang stood in front of a sink, splashing her face with water once before staring at her reflection.

"Well, that was a thing."

She noticed the return of the pink tint to her face and got frustrated. "Ugh, that's it!" If she didn't love her hair so much, she'd be pulling it out right now. She never got flustered like this before; she caused guys and girls to get flustered. It was barely even a kiss. Their lips were pressed together forcefully after they tumbled onto each other. What was this? Some Mistralian Manga!? And yet, it felt nice. Yang could still faintly pick out the feeling of Jaune's lips on hers, and for a moment, her heart fluttered at the idea of doing it again.

That was the final straw for Yang. It was time to settle this.

Starting with the facts. Yes, she found Jaune physically attractive now. That's not to say he was ugly before. His looks had a certain charm, but he now fit more into what she liked.

Yang liked Jaune. Obviously, she did, or this whole roommate shit wouldn't be working out. They had basically reached the middle of the year living together. But did she like Jaune as more than a friend, or was this just because she had been caught off guard by the teasing or a little crush cause Jaune looked good?

To answer that, Yang wondered if she could see herself dating Jaune.

Well, they went out for food together, watched movies and television together, went food shopping together, cooked for each other, worked out together, spent almost all of their free time together, and took turns cleaning, she had cute nicknames for him... Oh, Gods! They were practically married without the fun parts. Yang didn't acknowledge that she was thinking of that and instead asked herself whether it was Jaune she really liked or that Jaune was a good roommate.

Jaune was dense, dorky, and a bit clumsy, and at first, she thought he was a bit of a pushover. He was the ultimate good guy, the kind you'd bring to meet your parents. He was everything Yang thought she didn't like in a guy.

But he was also kind, brave, caring, and more confident in himself; he laughed at her jokes and made her smile. Jaune had a drive to succeed that made Yang want to improve on herself. Everyday wasn't a toe-curling, nail biting adventure, and Yang was happy with that.

Yang took a deep breath, closing and opening her eyes to stare at herself in the mirror once again. She was no longer blushing. There was no confusion, only realization and acceptance. She was falling for Jaune.

Now, with that information. What the fuck does she do now.

Omake: Lessons with Ms. Xiao Long

The whiteboard had returned to the living room. Where had Yang been keeping the whiteboard? Jaune still had no idea. On the whiteboard, written in bold black erasable marker, were the words, Landing Strategy!

Jaune was sitting on the couch across from the board, legs crossed, when Yang walked in, tapped the board, and said, "Landing Strategies! A necessity of any Huntress or Hunter while on a mission." Yang saw Jaune raise his hands. "Yes, Mr. Arc?" Yang asked playfully, enjoying her role as a teacher.

"Why are they necessary?

"Let's say your bullhead is attacked by Lancers, and you need to make an emergency exit. What if the area you're heading into has no safe landing spot? What if you're hiking up the high mountains of Mistral and you lose your footing? What will you do then?"

Jaune had raised a finger, opening his mouth, but closed it when he didn't have a response.

"Exactly! So Jaune, you're launched into the air. What do you do?" Yang asked.

"I guess... Channel my aura to protect me from the fall." Jaune responded.

"Errr." Yang made a buzzer sound effect. "Nope! While your Aura would protect you, you'd lose a lot of it from taking the hit to the ground, leaving you with less Aura that might be vital while in the field." Yang grabbed the marker and wrote the word, No, and underlined it. Under that she wrote the words, tank fall with Aura.

"Umm. Use my shield and break the fall?"

Yang squinted at him and said, "You took that from that one movie." Jaune tubbed the back of his head, telling Yang she was right. "But! You're getting the right idea." Yang grabbed the marker and drew a line for a new column, this one labeled, Maybe, underlined it, and under that, wrote the words, use shield! "Again!"

Jaune pondered for a bit before exclaiming. "I got it! I could try and aim for a tree to catch myself. Maybe even use Crocea Mors and try and lodge it into something so I'm secure." Jaune was sure of himself that that was a good strategy.

"Ding! Ding! Ding! Not bad, not bad at all. Solid strategy; you could even try and land on a Grimm, try and impale it with your sword." Yang suggested before she grabbed the marker and made one more final column labeled, Yes, and wrote underneath, aim for a tree.

Yang turned back to Jaune and said, "Maybe we should go to Patch one day. We can throw you off a cliff and practice!"

"Heh, good one Yang." On not hearing any response, Jaune looked to Yang, and his once happy demeanor was gone. No longer happy he came up with a good strategy, he now looked in horror at Yang, realizing she was not joking.

"Huh."

Author's Notes: So this Omake was actually supposed to come out a while ago but was lost in a draft and I just never got around to adding it back. For the timeline, it would have taken place very early on when Jaune moved in after the first Omake. I wrote a few other Lessons with Ms. Xiao Long, and those will be coming out as Omakes, just for fun. Now for the chapter itself. This chapter changed a lot from the initial first draft. I was originally going to have Ruby meet up with Jaune and Yang to talk about upgrades, and when Yang would take Ruby back to the bullhead, Ruby would say how she likes Jaune and that he and Yang make a good couple, but I just had a lot of fun working in the Barreras and the Goldilocks and the Three Bears aspect and with the idea that it's so obvious about Yang and Jaune even to outsiders. Also, yes, Jaune has the Vol. 7 haircut and updated armor/weapon minus the influence from Pyrrha, obviously. Crocea also doesn't have the dust upgrade yet, but maybe that'll happen at some point. I know a lot of people don't like the haircut, but I personally don't mind Jaune's shorter hair. I actually think it looks a lot better in art than it looks in the show. I think it was just the animation engine Rooster Teeth used. Yang, on the other hand, has a lot to think about. I wonder what she'll do next! As always I hope you enjoy!