Whoops, looks like I burnt myself out.

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Jaune realized that Weiss was a far better instructor of Dust Theory than Professor Peach. He hadn't expected to learn more from her in an impromptu two-hour dust counseling session than eight months with their professor.

Maybe it's because he doesn't listen to his professor's class.

Jaune admires his shield while dusting off the signs of hard work in his hands. Seeing grime and soot, although disgusting, made him feel fulfilled for he had poured much of his time and effort into finally incorporating dust into his arsenal. He snaked his arms through the straps and immediately noticed the weight change. It felt heavier, but it wasn't something that he couldn't handle.

He mused that a lighter dust dispenser would prove beneficial later down the road.

The blonde pressed his thumb on a red button by the handle and a quick hissing sound came from the shield. A series of cyan pentagons protruded from the sides, forming an extension of his shield that curved slightly toward the wielder. The wall of energy felt hot to the touch yet didn't burn.

If he could whistle, then Jaune already would've. For a first-time blacksmith, this was a work of art.

Jaune retracts his shield into its sheath form and slides the sword back inside. He'll leave Crocea Mors in the forge for the actual smiths to polish and come back for it the next day.

Exiting the forge was always accompanied by a long breath of fresh air; he still hadn't gotten used to the smell of sweat and smoke inside. The afternoon sun coats his skin with warm light. Jaune smiles, today is a good day after all.

He had begun the morning with some great productivity. He had learned to keep up with his green-haired History professor who, before today, spoke too quickly for him to understand. He figured out that what he was speaking in front of the class was exactly written in their textbook— word for word, too. Jaune was astonished by Professor Oobleck's ability to maintain such a clear memory of what was written. Maybe Oobleck didn't have to memorize, he was the author of the book.

Combat class went by a blur as he wasn't picked for today's sparring matches, and since it was a Thursday, he had nothing extra-curricular going on.

This was why he had more time to work on the upgrades of his shield, and the idea of it being complete is something that still brings a huge smile to his face. He, Jaune Arc, is now a certified weapons expert. He had just conducted a very intricate weaponsmith process without any prior knowledge. Well, all except for the impromptu tutoring session that he had with Weiss about dust. Honestly, she did most of the work that day, but no one needs to know the finer details.

That meant gratitude was in order. Jaune couldn't believe that after everything that had happened between them, Weiss had done so many great things for him in a month. He found a great friend in Weiss Schnee— a better one than he was for sure, and he tried to let his feelings for her get in the way of that.

Soon enough, he'll make it up to her. He doesn't know how, but he knows he will. It's what friends do, right? One does something for the other, then they do something for them. Make things even, as they say.

Speaking of the heiress, he couldn't mistake the white figure that was walking some paces in front of him.

Jaune runs up to her and matches her steps, "Hey, Weiss."

"Jaune," she acknowledges him.

"Are you on the way to the library?"

She nods, "It's best to get some early readings before we start. It will make conceptualizing more efficient," he finally feels the weight of her eyes as she gazes at him, and Jaune freezes. His eyes shied away from her.

"So…" Jaune trails off.

"Walk with me."

Jaune silently took a breath. Working with the heiress was still an apprehensive matter for him. He fears that she still wouldn't accept his company when it comes to academic affairs, and why would she? Jaune hasn't shown many signs of excellence that could be up to par with both of his group mates. While Pyrrha may be considerate, he still understands that Weiss has expectations for the people she works with. To her, perfection was key, and anything less than that was unacceptable.

So as they enter and walk through the halls of the library, Jaune stacks every textbook he could find that sounded the most intellectual and/or thickest. He had no idea what he was holding besides one graphic novel.

Eventually, Weiss urges them to sit at a table that is devoid of any immediate people. Jaune drops the books on top. He let out a relieved sigh as the tension on his shoulders eased.

"A romantic novel, Jaune…?" She grabs the book. Idly skimming over its pages with a raised eyebrow.

Whoops.

"Oh that, uh— uhm," Jaune panics. There was no way he was gonna tell Weiss that he enjoys reading these, he'd look like a fool if he did. "It's for Ruby! Yeah, I got it for Ruby..."

"Ruby reads these things?"

"Yeah?" He winces, mentally berating himself for sounding so unsure. This was a novel that he picked up from his sisters, and it was known as the romance novel for women. A heart-swooning, tear-jerking, and critically acclaimed epic of a couple separated by nations, but united by love. It was Jaune's guilty pleasure.

Now Weiss was gonna see right through him, she's going to find out.

"Huh. Well, that explains why she was asking us about love." Weiss places the book and slides it to the side.

Jaune sits down, "She did?"

"Yeah, she asked if we've ever been in love before. Then she went on about this idealistic take on romance. It was hard to listen to. But knowing her, I gave her the pass."

Jaune lets out a hum. He figures it would be time for the reaper to suddenly get interested in the topic of romance.

Then a question hung inside his head, one that as the seconds passed by inched itself on the cusp of being spoken. Jaune wasn't sure if he should ask, but he so desperately wanted to know.

"Have you ever been in love, Weiss?"

She looks back up at him. Jaune was surprised to see that she had already taken out her notebook and was writing ideas down, "Me? Oh, no. Not yet."

Jaune paused and an internal debate formed inside his mind. He had a question that he wanted to know the answer to, "then what about Neptune?"

Jaune feels a twinge in his heart, a feeling, he tells himself, that he has no right to experience.

She looks at him incredulously. Jaune suddenly felt small under her gaze, beating himself up for asking.

Weiss scoffs, "Him? You're right about one thing: my taste did worsen," she jokes, "It was just mere infatuation, one that I'm not too fond of remembering."

Jaune simply nods as he is unable to find any words to say. If Neptune, one who is easily better than him in every aspect— except dancing — is not up to Weiss' standards, then how is he going to match up? It was a reminder of his much-needed reality check, no matter how painful.

"But, hey, c'mon I don't think he's that bad."

"What makes you say that?"

"I mean," Jaune leans forward, his forearms planted on the table, "you haven't even been out with him once. It was just a dance— it doesn't count."

"If I remember correctly, he ditched me during the dance." She crosses her arms, clearly unamused, "and anyone who doesn't even have the decency to stay true to their word is not worth my time."

"Because he was nervous— anyone would be if we're honest. He was probably intimidated by how amazing you are," Jaune berates himself internally, these aren't things that he's supposed to say, "I mean, he probably already knows what you do, who you are, and whatever."

Weiss didn't look convinced.

"Look, you probably still like him, right?" She nods in reply, "Then the best thing you could do is to see if something can come out of it. If it does, great, but if not then that's fine too. At least you don't have to worry about what-ifs."

"I'll see what I can do," Weiss sighs as she reclines back to her chair, a momentary pause, and it feels like a lifetime. "Thank you, by the way."

"You're thanking me?"

"I know, has the Ice Queen's icy heart finally been thawed?"

The two laugh, and Jaune looks back at her, "what for?"

"For setting him straight back at the dance. It means a lot, Jaune."

Right, he did that. He had set up Weiss and Neptune because, at that point, he realized he never stood a chance. Call him the most attractive man or the most suitable bachelor, but all of that falters at the face of someone whom Weiss is really attracted to. So, his first step towards moving on from his silly crush on Weiss Schnee was to give up and give way. He gave up on the woman who he found the most beautiful in Remnant, and every time he would see her, he knew he had it bad.

Tongue-tied, Jaune could do nothing but stare at Weiss. Her soft skin and fair complexion, that faint red dusting on her cheeks, her mesmerizing pale blue eyes, and that scar on her left eye— the one she desperately wishes to hide. She mentioned how her scar made her imperfect, that it was a blemish that tarnished her whole being. But Jaune regards it with deep admiration. It was a sign of a great struggle, and her being in Beacon meant she came out triumphant. It made her stronger, wiser, and better.

For someone who lacked the color yellow, Weiss sure radiated just like the sun. Everything about her, he mused, was one of a kind; a jewel like no other, one that was out of his reach.

Maybe he could start looking at her differently if he really tried.

But at the back of his mind, he tells himself that it would be futile for he knew, in the deepest parts of his heart that Weiss was still the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes upon.

The blonde smiles, and as he opens his mouth, he thinks of allowing himself to be true and to hold onto his feelings one last time.

One last time, he promises.

For all of his denials and elaborate charades, Jaune let his beating heart speak, "I'd do anything for you," he says.

Jaune and Pyrrha walked side by side in Beacon's courtyard on the way to their dorm. The latter seemingly content over the amount of progress that they had done with their project, while the former was fuming. He could not believe the words that had come out of his mouth.

I'd do anything for you.

What?!

Of all the things that he could've said to ensure that he did not convey any feelings toward the heiress, he does the complete opposite by saying the most incriminating sentence imaginable. He might as well have confessed his undying love for her!

Not that he still had feelings, of course…

But that's beside the point, if he ever wanted to get over her then it's best to get rid of anything that would imply he does!

What was wrong with him? How could he have let this happen? A moment of weakness, one that would surely cost him his head the moment it happened again.

In frustration, Jaune smacked his face with his palm. Twice. Thrice. He then gave himself a mean hook to the face.

"Jaune! Stop that!" As Pyrrha holds onto his arm, keeping it in place.

"I know… I'm sorry" Jaune grumbled, face red from the self-inflicted beatdown.

"Jaune, come on, it'll be alright," said Pyrrha, her hand caressing the blonde's shoulder in comfort.

"No… no it won't be…" Jaune grumbled,

"Are you worried about the presentation? We have enough time to work on it."

"No, it's not that…" Jaune sighs, remembering everything that had happened so far this week, "I just don't want to do this to myself anymore… I can't take it."

Jaune trailed off, and he meekly looked at the pavement as he walked, eyes now downcast. Upon seeing this, Pyrrha couldn't help but frown. Ren had organized an impromptu meeting with the team sans Jaune yesterday. He laid out the issue, that their leader was questioning his ability to fulfill the role and is beginning to mull with the idea of stepping down. To her, Ren, and Nora, this cannot be. Jaune was their leader, and the role was rightfully his.

"Jaune, don't worry," Pyrrha says, "you're doing great."

The blonde stares at his partner, confused, "But I'm not doing anything to make it better…"

"And that's enough," she stands in front of him, stopping the duo in their tracks, "we don't always have to be the best all the time, sometimes what we can give, even if it's small, is enough."

Jaune is all the more confused, where was this coming from?

"And failure does not mean the end, Jaune." Pyrrha smiles.

He averts his gaze from her, repulsed by the words coming from her mouth. She's giving him hope and he hates it. This is not what he needs, not when he has to move on and let go.

Jaune was unable to hide what he felt, brows furrowed and lips pursed. Pyrrha became more worried about his reaction. He exhales out of exasperation.

"Don't. Pyrrha, I— I don't need this." He walks past her.

"But—"

"No," he sighs, lowering his voice to a whisper. "I'm sorry, I don't want to hear this right now, please."

"If that's what you want," Pyrrha resigns, rubbing her arm as the friction between her and her partner is now suffocating.

Jaune appreciates that Pyrrha did not press it further. This feeling that he harbors— this crush that he has for Weiss Schnee has to stop. It must not continue lest he makes an absolute fool of himself, lest he continues to hurt himself over it.

It was undeniable that the lack of reciprocation ached, but Jaune understood that he wasn't owed anything, much less the feelings of the woman he adores. Such is love, for it does not always go how you want it to be.

So, to protect himself, things have to change. But it really doesn't feel great when his team keeps pushing him to pursue her. Jaune sighed, he still couldn't blame them, not one bit. Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha are simply supportive– a gesture of good faith.

Jaune's shoulders slacked, the day had exhausted him. Some early sleep is all he needs right now.

The blonde opens the door to his team's room and finds Nora and Ren dressed in their casual wear. She is jumping on top of her bed, while the other idly sits on his. He enters, along with Pyrrha, gaining their attention.

"Guys!" She hops to the floor, "Ren and I are planning to eat downtown, you should come with us!"

She sounds ecstatic, even more so than usual. Nora waits for his answer with a smile so wide that his jaw hurts from seeing it. She giggles in anticipation.

"She's been wanting to eat at this restaurant she found online," Ren said.

"Alright," Jaune smiles back at Nora, albeit weaker. He turns around, "Pyrrha, you wanna come with us?"

"I would love to."

"THIS," she punches the air in celebration, "IS IT! Hurry, you gotta change!"

Nora pushes the protesting Jaune into the bathroom. She rummages through whatever clothes she finds in his drawer and throws them at him.

"Quickly, quickly, quickly!" She closes the door.

As their leader remained in their bathroom until he changed, Nora put down her facade and turned to her team, concern marring her face.

"It's bad, guys," Pyrrha says in a hushed tone.

"He's been brushing aside my counsel more frequently," Ren said, "it is not like him to do that. Not since Forever Fall and Cardin."

"Does he have anything to do with it?" Nora asks.

It had been weeks since they'd last heard of Cardin, much less any attempt of him to bully their leader. The boy's disciplinary intervention seemed to have set him straight.

"No, I don't think so," Pyrrha said. "Whatever it may be, we can't let Jaune step down. We have to help him believe in himself, again."

The two nodded, eager to ensure that the rock that held Team Juniper remained solid. When it comes to his self-esteem, Jaune often spirals into a series of bad decisions to match the situation with how low he thinks of himself. If they allow him to step down, what could stop him from dropping out of Beacon altogether? This issue with his self-image had been a focal point in the development of their relationship as a team, and it was something that they all put behind them. But, the three were aware of the chance that it would rear its ugly head back into their dynamic.

Then, the bathroom door opens, "Hey, uh— I just remembered…" Jaune looks to Pyrrha but is perplexed by them huddling so close together. He raises an eyebrow, "uhm, what are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing, Jaune! Just…" Pyrrha trailed off, unable to form a lie. Give her thirty combatants to fight against and she will wipe the floor with them, but give her a situation wherein she has to lie? The Invincible Girl would be helpless, defeat would be nothing but imminent.

"Just figuring out our team attack!" Thankfully Nora came to her aid.

"You guys are planning a team attack without me?" Jaune frowns.

All three's eyes went wide, this wasn't what they wanted to convey to Jaune. They must not propagate the idea that they do not need his input in forming a cohesive strategy, and essentially tell him that they do not need his leadership.

"No, no! Ren and I tried out this move… that uhm… uh…" Now it was Nora's turn to be at a loss for words.

"It's a work-in-progress, Jaune," Ren clears his throat. "It's a tactic that we're having difficulty describing with such few words. But, we would like to know your thoughts on it."

"Huh, got it. We can talk about it later," Jaune exits the bathroom, dressed in his oversized shirt, cargo shorts, and sneakers, "Anyways, I wanted to ask: Pyrrha, was I holding a book on our way here? I think I left it in the library."

"Not that I recall, no."

Jaune walks to his bed as Pyrrha takes her turn to change in their bathroom, "Shoot, I'll have to go back for it."

"Ruby," Weiss enters her team's dorm, "I got you something from Jaune."

The redhead peers over her comic book while she lies on the top bunk. She hops down. "What is it?"

Weiss brings out a book— a thick one with a red cover and hands it over to her leader. It was a foreign series for Ruby, and she wondered why Jaune would give her a boring novel to read.

"But I don't read this," Ruby clarified.

"Really? But Jaune said he got it for you."

Novels never had been Ruby's favorite type of literature, and she does not expect it to be anytime soon. It wasn't something she enjoyed for it contained too many words to read. She checked the back and doubled down on her thoughts when she found out it was a romance novel of all things. Why couldn't it be about dragons and mythical beings of great power as they duke it out to the death?

"I don't find it interesting, but don't tell Jaune." Ruby gives the book back and climbs over to her bed, "I don't want to hurt his feelings."

"What do you mean?"

"He reads that, I think. We do this thing where we occasionally give each other comic books to read as a way of suggesting. So it was probably like that with the book."

"I see," Weiss sits on her desk and places the book on the table, "and you wouldn't mind it if I read it, right?"

"Nope, all yours."

It was bizarre to hear earlier that Ruby reads novels like these, but even more so that it was, in truth, Jaune who consumes this type of literature. Perhaps it was its outlandishness that prompted Jaune to lie about it. She never saw him as the type to enjoy novels aimed at women.

There was nothing wrong about it, of course as it was quite a nice read.

"Say, speaking of Jaune," Ruby breaks the silence as she flips a page of her comic book, "you guys have been hanging out more often. What gives?"

Weiss flips hers. "Can't I have the liberty to spend time with whoever I please? Besides, I haven't been around him that much."

"Yeah, but it's more than you ever had."

That much was true. His advances towards her practically pushed Weiss to outright avoid the blonde, for it was the only way she could be away from his flirting. He was insistent, and Weiss wished that her no's would get through to his thick skull.

Yet, she realized that she was also needlessly rude towards him. She hasn't held Jaune much in high regard, even dismissing him as being akin to those Atlesian scoundrels who are out for her family's fame and fortune, which led her to respond more harshly than she would've liked.

But the dance gave her a different perspective on Jaune. If he were truly like the men in Atlas, then he would not have pushed Neptune to talk to her and accompany her to the dance. If he were as vile as them, then he would have pulled every competition out of the way.

But he gave way.

"I didn't have many friends, Ruby," Weiss gently fidgets with the folded corner of one of her book's pages, "being part of such a high-profile family, there were barely any people you could trust. Or people your father would let you trust."

Weiss turns from her chair and looks at Ruby, "Which is why I'm thankful for you, Blake and Yang. You three have been the greatest friends I've ever had. The only friends I have."

Ruby now had her comic book down, a solemn look on her face, "Weiss…"

"And I like having friends, it would be nice to have more," she looks at her dorm's door. "The people on the other side, those are people that I know I could trust too. Pyrrha, Nora, Ren, and yes, Jaune, outside of his flirtations, can be my friends too."

A friendship with Jaune would be nice. With the way Ruby describes him, it would seem like he can be a great friend. Still, she couldn't see him in the way he did, but she could at least offer him a friendship.

They were finally able to hold a proper conversation together, and Weiss found out that he was actually a fun person to talk to. Which would have been unfortunately buried under his elaborate schemes and horrid songs had he stayed the same.

But she swears if he insists on going back to asking her out, then the offer would be null and void.

Ruby moves towards her partner and wraps her into a hug. The heiress squeaks, surprised by the sudden display of affection. But she didn't mind, she hugged her back.

The two broke away, and Ruby spoke, "Did you just call me your bestie?"

"Hush you, dolt." Despite the remark, Weiss couldn't help but smile, "I called you one of my greatest friends, isn't that enough?"

"So… grestie?"

"What does that even mean?"

The two share in laughter, an experience that Weiss will forever hold close to her heart. It was moments like these that warmed the heart of the Ice Queen.

Hope ya' liked it. I apologize for the delay. But I'm here now, hoping that I can finally finish this.

See you all next time.