Cuts of RWBY
A RWBY Fic Collection by AndrewJTalon
DISCLAIMER: This is a fan based work of prose. RWBY is the property of Rooster Teeth and WB Animation. Please support the official release.
Just a collection of plot bunnies and ideas for RWBY fics. Free for you to take and make use of.
For instance... What if Jaune's musical talent got him attention from someone unexpected?
The setting sun shown through the windows of the RWBY/JNPR common room. Jaune sat at the round dinner table, his fingers playing over his guitar's strings. He looked intently down at the sheet of music on the table before him, humming a bit here and there before scribbling down notation or lyrics. He tried a few bars, humming along. At the end, he scowled at the pages carrying his song, and let out a growl of frustration.
"URGH! 'Crazy and cool?" Weiss would kill me if she heard that!"
He sighed as he reread the lyrics.
"None of this really sounds like her," he muttered. "Not one bit."
He leaned back in his chair and began to strum mindlessly, letting the music drift with his thoughts. It had always been calming in the past.
"Hmhmhm... Hmhmhm... Can't find no heaven no matter where you go," he sang quietly.
Playing the guitar had helped him get to Beacon. Busking at every railway station to get money for food and the next trip. He'd always made just enough, and the music was reassuring in a strange way. Every song, every lyric, he had gotten closer to his goal.
"So why do I feel like I'm lost again?" He muttered.
"Hey!"
"GAH!"
Jaune jumped. He looked over to his right. Yang was smiling at him, leaning her face close to his right shoulder with her hands behind her back. She smirked like a schoolgirl caught peeking.
"Yang, don't do that!" Jaune gasped. "Seriously, trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Hey, I did try to get your attention. Which shouldn't be hard," Yang winked. She took the seat next to him and relaxed. "I just wanted to listen to your music. Ya know, like we usually do?"
"Er, uh, yeah, usually," Jaune agreed. Weiss may not have liked it, but his other friends enjoyed him just playing around on the guitar. He could even do some requests. Nora and Ruby's were often fast, loud and cheerful songs. Ren liked slow, melodic themes. Blake was surprisingly fond of romantic themes, though low and quiet so she could read. Pyrrha was fine with whatever, though she often requested sad songs. Yang's requests were all over the place, but she always sat and listened regardless of what he played.
No matter how tired he was, he tried to play for her. It always made her smile, and he had to admit, he liked her smile.
"So, new song for Weisscream?" Yang asked, looking over the notes. Jaune coughed.
"Uh, well... Yeah. I mean, I'm trying with this one," he explained. Yang reached over and took the pages. "Hey!"
"Whaddya got?" Yang asked, eyes sweeping the pages. She frowned thoughtfully.
"You are my star/You are the one/You make me smile when the world's come undone... Hey, this is pretty good!"
"R-Really?" Jaune asked, smiling shyly, "I mean, uh... It's not much but thanks. My mom taught me music, after all. I should use it and-and all..."
Yang flipped the pages and read the next lines of lyrics.
"You totally rock/You're crazy and... cool?" She paused, then read further down the page. "Are you sure this is about Weiss?"
Jaune shrugged, flushing a bit.
"Uh... Um... What do you mean?"
"What am I supposed to do/Just sit here and not fall in love with you?/Can I do anything to conceal it?/Can I lock up my heart and not feel it?"
Yang gave him a strange look.
"That doesn't sound anything like what you have with Weisscream. You're not exactly subtle, ya know."
Jaune began to sweat. His cheeks burned red. His strumming became a bit erratic.
"Uh, um... Eheh... Well... Wh-Who else would it be about? You know me... Trying for what I can't have... Not sure why I bother sometimes."
He looked down at his hands. He then felt Yang's hand on his shoulder. He looked up. She was smiling kindly, not even a little cocky.
"Gotta work on that confidence, VB. But honestly? You should probably give up on the Ice Queen."
"I should?" Jaune asked.
"I mean... If you're not sure this song is for her, then your feelings aren't that clear, right?" Yang asked, glancing to the side.
"I... I suppose not," Jaune agreed.
"Sides, One of these days, she's gonna tell you 'No' in a lot more permanent way. Maybe... Maybe you should try asking someone else?"
Jaune blinked. He had seven sisters. He'd seen them all go through crushes, romance, and heartbreak. The way Yang was looking away from him, almost shyly...
No... No way...
"I... Um... Like who?" Jaune managed, letting out a nervous little laugh. "Nora? I couldn't do that to Ren, even if she was interested. Pyrrha is..."
"Is?" Yang prompted softly.
"I mean... I care for her deeply, but she's... She's like a sister to me," Jaune admitted, "It would be weird. Blake and Sun have their thing... And Ruby? You'd kill me if I tried anything with Ruby."
He paused and shook his head.
"Scratch that. I'd kill me if I tried anything with Ruby."
Yang laughed quietly, looking back at him. She put her hands together, almost nervously.
"I'm glad you have some self preservation instincts... But you're forgetting one very important person."
She struck a silly pose with her fingers pointing at her smiling face.
"Ta da~!"
Jaune blinked. He blinked again.
"You?"
Yang's smile got a little brittle.
"Ya got something against blondes?" She asked flatly. Jaune shook his head frantically.
"No! Nonono! That's-That's not it at all!"
"Then what is it?" Yang asked very pointedly.
"It's just... You're... You're you and-"
"Yeah. I am me. And me is waiting for you to pull your foot out of your mouth," Yang stated firmly, eyes narrowed.
Jaune blinked rapidly.
"Wait... You... You like me?"
Yang slowly nodded.
"Like... Actually like me?"
"Yes, despite how you're acting," Yang snorted.
"But..." Jaune clutched at his guitar. "But... Why me? You-You could have literally any man you wanted, Yang! You're the most beautiful, amazing, powerful, funny and caring girl I know!"
Yang blushed deeply, and her grin widened.
"You know, if you'd actually led with that you might have actually gotten Weiss to take you seriously." She paused and smirked impishly. "Keep 'em coming."
"I'm serious!" Jaune insisted, "I-What would a girl like you want with a guy like me?! And don't tell me it's because I fixed Bumblebee that one time! It was a complete accident!"
Yang scooted up to Jaune, until their knees bumped together. She placed her hands on his guitar, and looked deeply into his eyes.
"Tell you what. I'm gonna sit here, right in front of you. You're gonna keep writing your song, play it... And we'll see what happens. Okay?"
Jaune turned bright red. He nodded.
"O-Okay."
Yang slid back, and smiled warmly. Jaune quickly wrote up some lyrics, barely even paying attention to the sheets. It all just came like someone was whispering it to him.
When he was finished, he cleared his throat and began to play. He couldn't quite look at Yang, but her golden hair gave him a focus as he played and sang the chorus, and the bridge.
"What am I supposed to do-
Just sit here and not fall in love with you?
Can I do anything to conceal it?
Can I lock up my heart and not feel it?
Try to hide from the fact
That theres no turning back
I'm in love~"
"And like the autumn leaves
I just can't help myself
I'm falling there's no doubt
It's you and no one else
Is there any chance
For this dream romance?
Should I just give up
What's a fool to do?
Could you fall for me
Like I fell for you?"
He stopped, and looked at Yang's face shyly.
"So uh... How was that?" He asked softly.
Yang, bright red, with stars in her eyes, reached over, grabbed Jaune by his collar, and kissed him.
Talking with Insomnius led us both to realize that the song "Not Fall in Love with You", which is ostensibly for Blake and Sun, actually might fit better with Jaune and Yang. The use of French in the lyrics, the low self esteem of the singer in the wording of the lyrics, and the description of the girl all fit Jaune and Yang a lot better than Sun and Blake. So, I decided to write this out.
Plus, Musician Jaune is always a lot of fun to write.