Sitting on her bunk bed, Ruby made one last look at all the tests and Grimm exercises she had taken these past weeks, taking note of her answers and mistakes, and stared at her grade assessment of C. It was an average grade, but she could have easily gotten worse; Weiss's tutoring was key in helping her make it, just as she promised back when Ruby passed her first practical test. Not to mention that Blake and Yang gave their fair share of help too with long range and close quarter combat respectively, and Ruby was thankful for all the support she got from her friends. It was surprising how one month of being together could change things. Despite their rocky start and personality quirks, the four of them turned from strangers to friends without any further issues.

Ruby arranged all her work in her folder, set it aside, and lied down in her bed as she thought of what to do for the day. They had no classes for a reason, and not just because it was a weekend; the soft morning sun belied tomorrow's importance. In truth, the Hunter trials would begin tomorrow, and every student in the campus was surely busy preparing for it.

Ruby already had a general idea of how the trials would go. The final exam would be given early in the morning, then an hour later the students would face a grueling physical course that required them to hunt down as many Grimm as they could, with their performance graded accordingly. But as much as she had prepared for it, there was a part of her that still felt uneasy, despite the extra training she did these past few days. It was as if something would naturally go wrong, just like what happened in the past… Maybe she was just overthinking things, but she couldn't help herself.

I'll do the right thing this time, Cale. I won't repeat what happened before. And if she passed? Then she would become a Hunter, fulfill her promise, and… I'll protect the people for the rest of my days. Ruby was so single minded in her pursuit to pass that she didn't really care what the future held for her on a personal level, and two months had passed since she last thought about it. Glory and wealth meant nothing to her. And happiness? While being here was better than brooding in her room, moving on was like ripping off her own arm. I'll keep my promise, but I'd rather be back in my room again if it means I have to let you go.

"Ruby, is that you? Don't tell me you're already awake."

Weiss's voice snapped Ruby out of her thoughts. "…yeah, it's me. Did I wake you up? Sorry about that."

"No, it's ok. I felt you moving around in your bed, that's all. But it's only seven in the morning, you know. You can still go to sleep."

"Maybe later." Ruby wasn't feeling sleepy yet, so she decided to look down from her bed, and saw Weiss stretching her limbs. "Also, good morning to you, Weiss."

"Good morning to you too. You ate breakfast already?"

"Not yet, I'm not hungry. I've been awake for like an hour or so, and I was just checking on my stuff and test scores. Sorry if I woke you up because of that."

"Are you worrying about the Hunter trials again?"

Ruby went quiet for a moment as she sat up in her bed, her eyes briefly looking at the ceiling. "…a little bit."

"Don't overthink it," Weiss said. "Just remember that you've made it this far in Beacon. Killing Grimm, passing tests… This one won't be any different. You'll make it through this one too, I'm sure of it."

"That's easy for you to say. You're A+ on everything. It's not like you're flunking this one. Me, on the other hand… You even had to tutor me so that I could pass."

"The fruits of all those cramming sessions we did came from you, though. I helped open the door, but you were the one who went through it."

"But you still helped me for a month," Ruby said. "You, Blake, and Yang. I don't think I've thanked you enough for helping me with my studies."

"You've thanked us multiple times already."

"But still, thank you again. I appreciate everything you guys did, I mean it."

"You're welcome… Think nothing of it." Weiss paused for a few moments. "Anyways, try to look at the Hunter trials like any other exercise we do during class. That should help ease your mind. We did a lot of extra training as well, so you should take this time to relax. Case in point, like what Blake and Yang are doing right now."

Ruby looked at the two. Both Blake and Yang slept soundly, with the former using her pillows to form a wedge as she slept on her back, while the latter snored as she lied on her side, facing the wall. She understood Weiss's point, but those two could afford to doze off with their B+ assessments. As for her… Ruby lied down again, putting the back of her hand on her forehead.

"Don't even bother asking them to go out," Weiss continued. "It's best that we just rest the whole day. You know how Blake prefers to do things her own way. And don't forget that Yang has done the most training out of all of us. Even she's worn out."

"I guess you're right." Those two meant well, and their time as a group of four was fun when it did happen, but those times proved to be few and far between. Blake was set in her solitary ways, rarely joining them for lunch, and oftentimes only returning to their room after class to sleep, while Yang recently admitted to them that she spends almost all her free time in the training rooms, despite trying to find time to hang out. Ruby didn't take anything against either of them, having long accepted that Blake being a loner was just who she was, but she always found Yang a bit too eager to fight. Recalling her past outburst at the plaza, Ruby often wondered if Yang was just using combat as an outlet.

"You have to worry about them. You've seen how Blake fights. She'll do fine on her own, just as she prefers it. And do you really need more proof about Yang? She's very strong, I'll admit that much. Even if she does snore a lot, among other things."

That much was true. Whatever Yang's problems were, she proved to be an incredible fighter. She recalled the day when all four of them were at the training rooms; apparently Yang made a name for herself beating anyone who challenged her there. Blake could barely hold her own against Yang in hand to hand – Ruby and Weiss were simply helpless without their weapons – and the blonde was just something else on the battlefield once she wielded her weapon Embercleave. Only Weiss managed to draw in a timed sparring match, finally agreeing to continue their duel from before on friendlier terms, though Yang had Weiss completely in the defensive the whole fight.

Ruby reached for her pillow again to hug it. Resting the whole day wasn't a bad idea, but she still couldn't help but think about her chances, and her thoughts began to wander towards her friends. Weiss's ice was strong and had utility, while Blake's Semblance made her dangerous at long ranges. And Yang could always just brute force her way through, of course; the three of them shouldn't have any problems. But as for her… She had her quick attacks from her blitzes, just like how she fought the beowolves in the forest, but would that be enough?

"By the way, Ruby…"

"Yes, Weiss?"

"…Yang and I happened to talk to Blake a few days ago about where she goes after class, and along the way we talked about you. She told us that you were from Patch. I'm sorry about what happened."

So it was out at last. Ruby supposed it was just a matter of time before Blake mentioned it to them, and it seemed only right that Weiss was the one who brought this up to her. "…it's alright. I wasn't trying to keep it secret." She then found herself afraid of saying too much, so she carefully picked her words. "Blake just happened to guess right when we first met, and neither you nor Yang asked."

"I can only imagine what that incident did to you. I'm really sorry."

"It's ok. Vale managed to calm down the general populace, so it's not like everyone's living afraid or second guessing their safety, for better or worse. But for those like us in the village… Well, we've seen enough."

"I can see why becoming a Hunter means so much to you, and why you always try your hardest. You of all people wouldn't want any more Grimm to invade anyone's home ever again."

"But do you really think I'm doing well, even though I'm only C?" Ruby closed her eyes briefly, recalling every test and practical exam she took. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the help you guys gave me…"

"You're actually doing better than you thin. Besides, the score we're given is just a preliminary assessment. It doesn't mean that it's over for you, not at all, not by a long shot."

"It's over for many students though. We all heard Ozpin say in his opening speech that not everyone will make it to the end, and a lot have been dismissed already for failing." Ruby took a deep breath, remembering memories in Patch. "I know it's important to keep standards. We fight the Grimm at the end of the day, so we have to send our best. But I don't think I can take it if I failed a second time."

"Huh? Isn't this your first time being a Hunter trainee?"

Ruby then realized she didn't tell Blake about that. So much for being careful with her words. But now that Weiss knew, avoiding the topic didn't feel right; she didn't deserve that. "I failed the Hunter tests four months ago, and if that wasn't enough, Patch was destroyed too, and I…" Ruby paused, suppressing painful memories. "…I didn't tell this to Blake, but I still got into Beacon with Headmaster Ozpin's help, and I can't help but ask myself if I even deserved it. But at the same time, I don't want to waste the opportunity given to me, because It wouldn't be fair to those who couldn't make it here if I failed again, right?"

"I see…" Weiss said. "Don't feel bad for hiding this, or think that you're undeserving of being here. We know how it feels to fail, so we understand where you were coming from, even if we didn't know the details. You didn't hear any of us call you out on your worrying… Otherwise you would have heard something from Blake already. She never passes up a snide remark if she could help it."

As if on cue, Blake moved slightly in her sleep, followed by one of Yang's louder snores. "You're right about her on that one, I'll give you that."

"Besides, you must have impressed Ozpin with your skils to put you here to begin with, so it's not like he doesn't know what he's doing. To be honest, he helped me get in here too, and no one else in Beacon can pull strings like he can."

"Wait, he did?" Ruby was surprised by that. "But you're from Laran, right? And you have good grades too… You still had trouble getting here?"

"It's complicated, but yes, Ozpin got me here when I needed it most." Ruby picked up something strained in Weiss's tone, but it vanished as soon as she heard it. "Thanks for confirming what Blake said. You were in a bad spot, but what I can say is that you did what you could back then, that there's a reason why you were given a second chance, and that you deserve to be here. But don't just take it from me. You know that the other students have been saying that you're good at the support role, and even you would have to admit that."

"Yeah, I've been hearing that recently."

"You have the skills to make it," Weiss continued. "And I'm sure your parents feel the same way."

Ruby paused again, as the memory of her mother came to mind. It was something she long accepted and moved on from, but it was no less painful. "…my mom once did."

"What do you mean?"

"My parents both graduated here in Beacon as Hunters." Remembering Weiss's promise to tell her past, Ruby felt compelled to share more, so she did. "They both worked on Beacon's special projects. But my mom was killed in a mission against the Grimm at the border back in May, and I knew about it on the same day I failed the Hunter tests. My dad then went on a mission not long after, and he still hasn't returned."

"…I'm sorry."

"It's ok. I know my father's out there, just waiting for the right time to come back. And my mom died a hero… She knew the risks she took when she became a Hunter, and she saved many lives on her last mission." Ruby sighed. "…I'm proud of my mom, I just want to say that."

"And you want to honor her memory as much as you can…" Weiss's voice trailed off, but she spoke up quickly enough. "Now I know why you always worry, Ruby. I can't really tell you how to live with the pain, but what I can say is that you were given another chance to graduate, so make the most of it. You owe it to yourself and your mother to do just that."

"But it's so hard to–"

"I know," Weiss said. "And we're here for you, just like we know you're here for us." Then came a loud snore from Yang, and Blake moved again in her sleep; their actions interrupting an otherwise heavy conversation. "Well, not that there weren't speedbumps along the way, but you know what I'm getting at."

"Still not used to Yang's snoring?"

"Accepting her fashion sense is one thing, but this?" As if on cue, Yang snored again, and Ruby could hear Weiss scratch her head. "Nah, I've given up on that, I'm hopeless."

"You'll get used to it eventually. It's not really as depressing as you make it sound like…"

"You don't have to be depressed either." Weiss then tapped the bottom of Ruby's bed. "You know what I mean?" Ruby could only nod at that; Weiss caught her there. "And thanks for telling me this, Ruby. What happened to you isn't something easy to say, but I appreciate you being honest about it."

"You did promise to tell me your story after all," Ruby said, knowing about Weiss's promise. A train of thoughts came up in her mind about it, but she set them aside for now. "I brought up this topic anyway, so it's only right for me to tell you."

"Ah, so you remember that. Don't worry, I plan to keep it, and I'm glad it helped you talk about your past." Weiss cleared her throat. "I'm sure your mother's proud of you for getting this far. You just have to believe in yourself that you can pass the trials. I know you can do it, believe me. Just like how we believe in you."

"Thanks, Weiss."

"Just tell me if you need anything. We most likely won't be in the same team after the trials, but I'll make time for you." Weiss briefly went silent. "Which reminds me, before I forget. I'll forward you guys a catalogue for the graduation ball. Just send me what dress you want to wear so that I can order it for us once we pass. It's free shipping this way. You guys can just pay me later."

Ruby's phone beeped, and upon getting it, saw that Weiss had sent her a link. It was indeed a catalogue for dresses. She didn't really think it was right to look for dresses on the eve of the trials, but she valued Weiss's gesture more, and so she went ahead and searched for something that would look nice on her. But Ruby never wore anything beyond her usual clothes her whole life, and she was soon overwhelmed by the number of choices she had.

"Hey, no rush, you have plenty of time." Weiss yawned as she said that. "You can sleep on it for few hours… I know I will. I mean, we're still in our pajamas, and t's not like we're going anywhere today." Right on cue, there was another snore from Yang. "Because those two definitely aren't."

Ruby set her phone aside. She appreciated Weiss for going out of her way to save them money on dresses; it was just like her to think of something like this. These were their last days together, and Weiss surely wouldn't take no for an answer even if Ruby tried. "I'll think this over. Thanks for the link."

"No problem," Weiss said. "Also, one more thing. Once everything's done, let's meet up at the graduation ball. I'll tell you everything there, just like I promised."

"…alright, I'll be there." Ruby still didn't know where Weiss got her courage from to be so direct in saying this – it was something that nagged at her, ever since her promise – and now that she brought it up today… Ruby didn't want to dwell on it, but the thoughts she parked in her head now came back in full force.

Should she do the same? Should she go all in and tell her own story to Weiss?

Ruby hugged her pillow tighter, and closed her eyes. Sensing that Weiss was trying to go back to sleep, she decided to follow suit. Maybe some sleep would help clear her mind.

Ruby sat on a wooden bench as she waited at a bus stop, heavy rain falling down the glass awning. An unusual downpour for a late afternoon spring, but it seemed only appropriate, given today's events. She covered herself tighter in her cloak. As cold as she was, she would rather wait here outside rather than inside Beacon Academy, where too many people were sure to recognize her, and she didn't want give anyone there any opportunity to mock her again, especially in her state.

Ruby saw headlights from the corner of her eye, and already she could see a blue truck slowly approach her. That was none other than Cale giving her a ride home, just as they had talked about earlier. She had messaged him beforehand to meet her at the bus stop, not wanting him to wade through a crowd of students to find her. But despite having gone through that effort, she remained impassive from where she sat. She didn't even bother to get his attention.

The truck stopped upon reaching Ruby, and Cale quickly opened the passenger seat. "Looks like I arrived just in time. Come on in, it's raining hard!"

But Ruby could care less about the rain, or the Hunter test, or much of anything else, really. With her cloak on, she ignored the raindrops that fell down on her, and simply made her way to Cale's truck. She removed her wet cloak to throw it at the back seat along with her weapon, then slammed the door with a loud thud.

"How did your Hunter tests go?"

"…you aced yours?"

"You bet I did. Both Signal and Beacon. But I'm going for the latter, of course."

Ruby said nothing, even as Cale drove away from Beacon. She avoided making eye contact with him, choosing to look at the dark gray sky instead.

"Hey, you ok there?" he asked, but she kept quiet, refusing to look at him. "Did something happen?"

"…"

"…Ruby?"

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, did she finally decide to break the silence. "My mom…"

"...is something wrong?"

Ruby went quiet again. They have been a couple ever since that breakfast they had when her mother left, and their time together made him perceptive to a lot of things about her, among them being how she acted when stressed. Well, she was far more than stressed at this point, and it would break her heart to talk to him now, after all that had happened today. Recalling the last time she saw her mother, tears began falling down her cheeks, and she gnashed her teeth to prevent herself from breaking down into sobs.

"What's going on, Ruby?" She once again kept quiet, and she heard him sigh deeply, along with saying a few curses under his breath. Thunder boomed from the distance. "Ok, I know you want to stay quiet right now. But we'll talk about this later, ok? Let me just get us home first."

They remained quiet the entire way, right until they reached Cale's home – it was supposed to be a cheap but comfy ride home too despite the long travel time; so much for that – and he stopped the truck once he reached the covered parking spot of his house.

Ruby knew that Cale would want to talk things through, which they did without fail whenever they argued about something, but this time she didn't want to have any of it. She just wanted to end the day by sleeping in her bed. She left the truck as soon as Cale turned off the engine, and opened the rear seat doors to retrieve her items.

"Hey, now wait just a minute there! Can you please just tell me what's going on?"

Wiping her eyes, Ruby swiftly wore her wet cloak, and unsheathed Crescent Rose to embrace her Semblance. Rose petals began to form around her; she was ready to leave Cale right where he stood.

"Damn it, will you stop and just listen to me for a minute?!"

"No! I don't want to talk! Go away! Just leave me alone!"

A monstrous clawed hand suddenly grabbed Ruby firm, enough to keep her from moving, and looking back she saw that Cale had used his own avatar Semblance to hold her in place. Still gentle enough not to hurt her, it was nonetheless the first time he used it on her outside of sparring, and it knocked her out of her outburst. Unsheathed in Cale's right hand was his dustmetal greatsword Blaze Blue. The weapon's blade was as thick as his waist and had no gun mode, but his powers more than made up for it.

"…please don't run away."

Hearing that from Cale hurt, and Ruby had to look away. Immobile as she was, she couldn't bear to see him so worried, staring at her with his copper eyes. He had done so much for her already. Helping out however he could, even talking about how they built and used their weapons, among other things… She knew that he was only trying to help, so why was she pushing her own boyfriend away? She sobbed upon remembering what happened. Despite her wishes, the heavy rain could never wash away the truth.

"Please don't cry, Ruby. Please."

She was confused on what to do, but it really hurt to hear Cale beg like this, and he deserved far more than to be left in the dark. A growing shame crept up in Ruby's heart as she stifled her sobs. For all the promises of trust that she told him, here she was, being so stupid. She sheathed Crescent Rose and released her Semblance. Cale followed suit, and Ruby was freed from his avatar's grasp.

"Thank you. C'mon, let's go talk in the living room."

"…ok." Ruby soon felt Cale's loving embrace, and he got himself wet due to her cloak. But she knew that it meant nothing to him, and so she went on to return his hug. She didn't want to give him any more pain than she already had. Wiping away her tears, she tightly held Cale's hand, and allowed him to escort her inside his house.

"I'll just be in the kitchen for a bit, so please make yourself at home. It's not like it's your first time here anyways. I'll be right back."

Cale kissed Ruby on her forehead, helping her remove her wet cloak to put it on the coat rack before he left, and Ruby went to sit on his sofa. She had been to his house so many times now, and normally she would just fall asleep in his living room after a good practice session with him. But now those memories only deepened the pain in her heart. She resisted another urge to run away again, to just go to her room and lock herself in. As weird as it felt to be here in his house right now, she already gave him her word, and words had weight.

Cale returned from the kitchen with water and a big bowl of chicken soup. Ruby smiled briefly. He really took the time and effort to serve her one of her favorites, even if eating was just about the last thing on her mind. She left her hot soup as is on the table, though she drank some water to clear her throat.

"…you ok now?" Cale sat next to her, on her left side.

Ruby slowly nodded. "…I apologize for snapping at you earlier. I shouldn't have done that."

"It's fine, no harm done. And if shouting your frustrations help, then I'm ok with it."

"But I was ready to go to my house and leave you. I was ready to run away from you…"

"Then I would have just knocked on your door instead."

Ruby held Cale's hand. "I'm really sorry. I was angry and confused. I wasn't thinking at all."

"Then take all the time you need to think. I'll be here for you, I promise."

Ruby nodded again, and minutes passed with the two of them silent. The rain fell continuously outside without pause. She prepared herself to tell him. She was calmer now, but she was still dangling at the edge of a cliff, and it was a comfort that he was with her today to give her strength. "Thank you for putting up with me, Cale. Even when I'm like this, you always make sure that I'm ok."

"I'll do what needs to be done if it's about you. I love you, remember?"

"I love you too." Ruby smiled. "Nothing will ever change that, Cale. Even when you get angry and shout at me sometimes when we're sparring."

"Aw, c'mon Ruby. You know I mean well… I was just trying to make you pass the Hunter tests. I don't want you to waste your time on bad technique only to…" Cale's voice then trailed off, as if realizing something obvious in hindsight.

"I failed completely." Ruby said. "Both Signal and Beacon tests. After everything you did for me, I ended up the lowest in both groups. I was so bad that at the Beacon test I was laughed out of the arena… That's why I wanted you to meet me at the bus stop in the rain. I didn't want you to hear other applicants make fun of me, and I didn't want you to start a fight."

"…I'm sorry."

"Who would have thought, right? After all the training we did, just to fail and be a laughing stock. I know you have a lot of expectations about me, and I'm sorry that I couldn't make them happen today." It surprised her that she was able to say all that in one go, even as tears fell down her cheeks. "…and after that, my dad called to tell me that… My mom was killed last night by Grimm during a mission." More tears came out, and she was sobbing again, gasping in between words. "He didn't even stay on the line for a minute… I stayed and cried for more than an hour in a restroom, Cale… My dad later texted me… They couldn't even recover her body… and that he was just… I don't know, finishing up some goddamned paperwork or something… He'll be here tomorrow morning…"

Cale held her tight in another warm embrace, trying to help her stop crying, and Ruby felt his hands rub her back. There was another period of silence. The heavy rain seemed to fall harder than before. "…I'm really sorry about your mom. She was a great person." Ruby coughed as she tried to control herself, and Cale tapped her back to console her. "Please don't think about the Hunter tests anymore. It's ok, Ruby. I can never get angry at you for failing, no matter how bad it was, and this isn't the end of anything. There's always next year to try again."

"I'm sorry I failed. I let you down, even though you've done so much for me. I made some dumb decisions, had cold feet, and there were many instances where I was just being as stupid as I always am. I'm happy that you aced your Hunter tests, but since I failed…" Ruby struggled to talk, as more tears came out. "I can't be with you… I can't be with you anymore, and I'll be alone here again…"

"Your father will be with you. You'll need all the time to heal as a family."

"My dad, here? No! He won't stay, I'm sure of it!" There was a sudden burst of anger in Ruby's voice. Thoughts of inadequacy and loneliness gave way to rage over what had happened. "Damn it, why is it always like this?! My parents always promise to be with me but they never do! They give all their time for Vale… And now Mom's dead! And I'm sure Dad will leave in a few days because… Because the kingdom is more important! He's always been like that! And I'm just some dumb country girl who can't do anything right!"

Thunder boomed in the distance. Ruby coughed again, and she had to pull away from Cale's hug to wipe the tears and snot off her face.

She suddenly recalled how Cale's parents died. Should she even be complaining like this, as he had it worse? Why was she crying so hard, knowing that a Hunter could die anytime on the job? A moment of guilt soon started a vicious cycle that brought nothing but pain, and her tears began to flow again.

"I'm really sorry, Ruby."

"She promised me she'd come back. She said she'd come back! And for all the things I say about wanting to become a Hunter, I can't even honor my mom's death by passing some goddamned test!" Ruby couldn't take the pain anymore; Cale hugged her again as she cried hysterically on his chest. She held him tight, grasping for any form of comfort she could get. She never thought she could wail so loudly despite her parched throat.

"…I'm so sorry." Cale whispered, carefully rubbing Ruby's back; she could feel he was trying his best to console her as much as he possibly could. "I'm here, Ruby. I'm here." Thunder rumbled again, drowning out Ruby's cries. "…I know there's nothing I can say that will bring your mom back, and I know it hurts that you didn't pass the Hunter tests. But I promised you that I'll be here by your side, and I'll never break that promise. I'll always be with you."

She didn't care how long she cried in Cale's arms. She wished she could cry forever if it would bring her mother back, it if would make everything right. And there were moments when she thought she really could. But eventually her coughing outpaced her tears, and she was left breathing hard, her voice hoarse and weak. "…please be with me, Cale. Don't go."

"I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere."

"Maybe not today… But five months from now is nothing. It'll pass before we even know it." A painful thought came to mind, and Ruby couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. "By October you'll be a Hunter, and I'll be left behind…"

"Do you want me to drop Beacon altogether?"

"No, don't do that! Go make the most of it!" More tears fell from Ruby's cheeks. "Don't you dare back out now… Don't you dare waste the slot I couldn't get…"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. Then I'll visit as much as I can… I'll make time for you, I promise."

"…but how can you make time when my own parents couldn't? I don't want to be alone and lose you too…"

"Words have weight, Ruby. You know me better than anyone at this point."

Ruby nodded, remembering the first time they met. She stifled a sob. "…then always keep your promise, alright?"

"I will." Cale then went closer to Ruby, and kissed her softly on the lips, before wiping away the tears on her cheeks with his thumb. All within a brief period, but for such a short time, she already yearned for more. "I love you, Ruby."

He kissed her again, longer this time, and she kissed him back, caressing his face with her hands. To say that their kiss was wonderful was an understatement; her worries of him not being with her simply dissipated. But another coughing fit forced her to let go of their kiss, so Cale gave her the glass of water to drink; she finished it in a few gulps.

"I love you too, Cale… Thank you for being here and helping me."

"And thank you for believing in me, Ruby. I owe it to both of us to do my best. Heh, even your mom told me to do my best."

"My mom asked you to do that?"

"Yeah, she really did. She already suspected we had feelings for each other, and so she made me promise to take care of you before she left." Cale showed a pained smile. "But I don't think I'm doing a good job at it. Losing someone is always hard, and I'm sorry I don't have any easy answers to console you with. All I can really do to help is open my arms, and have you stay for as long as you like."

"Cale…" Ruby managed to smile back, before quickly burying her face on Cale's chest. Overcome by both love and sorrow, she cried once more, this time bawling her heart out as hard as she could.

The next thing she knew she was alone, with a soft pillow nestling her head, and she noticed that she was covered by a thick blanket. The loud sound of a raging thunderstorm outside was unmistakable. The living room was much darker than she remembered it, with only a few orange lights serving as illumination. She was also barefoot, surprisingly enough. She then realized that she had fallen asleep. She slowly sat up on the sofa, and as if on cue, Cale appeared from his kitchen with a bowl in hand.

"I had a feeling you'd be waking up soon, so I just reheated the chicken soup. There's more water on the table if you're thirsty, just in case you missed it."

Ruby promptly drank some. "…how long have I been asleep?"

"Around eight hours," Cale said. "It's already one in the morning, and the rain only got worse in the meantime. Don't ask me how there's a thunderstorm in spring, and I'm not letting you go out under this kind of weather, even with your Semblance." He sat beside her again, and put down the bowl of soup on the table. "I'm guessing you're still not hungry though."

"Thanks for the food. I'll eat it later, don't worry." She would have to eat eventually; she felt exhausted despite her long sleep. She also realized this would also be her first time in spending a whole night in Cale's house. "…I must have slept like a log. Did you get some rest too?"

"I stayed by your side to make sure you weren't getting any nightmares. But I managed to sleep a little bit, so I'm good." Looking at Cale's eyes, Ruby doubted that he even slept at all. Then again, he was a short sleeper, especially compared to her. "Feel free to eat whenever you feel like it. Make yourself comfortable at my place."

Ruby shook her head. "You went out of your way to make me comfortable already. You even went so far as to remove my boots and give me a blanket."

"It's the least I could do."

Ruby felt Cale hold her hand again; she held fast on instinct. "…I was inconsolable, wasn't I?"

"You were wailing very hard… But I held you close until you cried yourself to sleep."

"Thank you for bearing with that, Cale. I must have hurt your ears. But I felt I needed to get it out of me… Sorry for being such a handful."

"It's all good, Ruby. Don't worry about it. You don't have to apologize."

They went silent for a while. Hearing the constant rainfall outside helped calm her mind, but more important than that was his touch, which assured her that he was there for her, just as he promised so many times. It was a comfort that Ruby badly needed, now that her mind began thinking again of what happened. It made things just a bit easier to bear. She wondered how she would have fared if he wasn't there for her. She probably would have locked herself in a room, never to leave the house.

"…you feel any better now?"

"I'm tired, and the hurt's still there." Ruby was surprised that she shed a few tears. She thought she had run out of them. "…but you really helped a lot, Cale. Thank you for letting me vent out like that. My mom… It's still hard to accept it, but it's not like she hadn't been preparing me for something like this, if it were to happen… She always did make it a point to tell me the dangers of the job. Sounds morbid, huh? But she was always honest about everything. She took her Hunter job seriously and never glamorized it. As awful as all this is, I'd like to think she died a hero. I mean, she had to, right?"

"I'm sure she did, Ruby. I have no doubt about it. She protected everyone from the Grimm until the very end."

Ruby slowly nodded. Her mom truly wanted to be with her, and be a family again; she had to have died honorably. What else could it possibly be? She couldn't begin to imagine anything other than that. "I can only hope to honor her memory by becoming a Hunter someday. I just have to keep trying." Wiping her tears away, she smiled softly. "I think I have more control over myself now. Thank you for listening to me, and for letting me sleep in your arms. I'll tell you when the funeral service will be as soon as I can."

"I'll be there for you."

"Thank you so much," Ruby said. "…though to be honest, I'd want you to be with me in Patch all the time if I could help it."

"You have me now, and we still have five months to make the most of it." So saying, Cale squeezed Ruby's hand. "Besides, I promised that I'll make time during my stay at Beacon, didn't I? I'll call you every day. I wouldn't miss a chance to talk to the most important girl in the world to me. She's also the most beautiful in my eyes too, and I want to remind her of that."

Ruby smiled briefly; Cale had a habit of complimenting her looks, justified or not. "…even if she's just a tomboy in a dress?"

"Nah, you're nowhere close to being a tomboy… I mean, your hair isn't even that short. Now with that said, neck length hair suits you well, so keep it as it is." Cale showed a small smile. "…I guess you really are doing better if you're starting to say something like that. I know this isn't easy for you, but I'm glad I managed to help you out, even in some small way."

"Yeah, you really did." Ruby once again struggled to think how she would fare if he wasn't beside her. "Thanks again for your help. Don't worry, I'll keep what you said about my hair in mind, I promise."

Lightning crackled in the distance, and thunder followed; it was much louder than Ruby expected, and it gave her a start.

"That's been going on for a while now." Cale rubbed on Ruby's hand to comfort her. "It's part of why I had to make sure you slept well. Can't have you wake up in a shock over something like that."

"…I really can't thank you enough, Cale." Ruby most likely had slept through all of it, given her long sleep, but she still appreciated the fact that Cale watched over her nonetheless. He was always like this to her, taking note of things both big and small. She squeezed back on Cale's hand. "…it's funny, isn't it?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"You're always the one to take care of me, and not the other way around. Always looking after me when I sleep, and I'm sure I would have failed even harder without your training. And after two months of being together, I realize that I need you far more than you need me. It's not even that close. You give the better gifts, have the better answers, think of the better topics to talk about… All this actually makes me think that I'm bad at being your girlfriend too. My mom also told me to look after you before she left, to help you heal from what happened to your parents. I even readied myself for it, but it looks like it's just not going to happen. As much as you make me feel special, I don't think I have the same impact to you that I should." She then shook her head. "Sorry, I'm just rambling here…"

Cale kissed Ruby on the lips, and gave her another warm embrace, just as thunder rumbled once again outside.

"There's a lot I want to say about what you just told me, but at the same time I didn't think words would be enough. I thought that I had to do something to show you how much you really mean to me… Kissing you was what I thought would show it best." Cale breathed deep. "Don't compare what we do for each other. You don't need to think of this as some contest where you have to match me to prove your worth. Besides, I'm the guy here after all. I have to be the one strong for you. You just being yourself, and with us committing to this relationship, is more than enough for me…"

Ruby nodded. "I'll never leave your side, Cale. So please wait for me. I'll do better next time, and I'll be with you in Beacon next year, I promise."

"You'll be an amazing Hunter someday. I believe in you."

Ruby felt her heart skip a few beats, and soon after she kissed him again. Their kiss quickly became more heated this time, with Cale's hands carefully going to her sides, while hers went to his chest.

"Ruby, I…"

"…yes, Cale?" Ruby whispered, her heartbeat racing; she had never felt so warm before.

"…I know this has been a bad day for you, but I'm glad that you're not crying anymore. I'm happy that you know that you're not alone in this, and that you feel the same way I do about us. So for me to have helped you… I can't ask for anything more…" He looked as if he trying to find the right words to say; he began to pull away. "…by the way, I'm sure you're hungry, so you should eat…"

But Ruby stopped him before he could leave, holding his arm firm, making him know she wanted him right beside her, nowhere else. Cale of course insisted, saying that she really needed to eat, but she just shook her head. "It's alright, I understand. But you don't have to hold back for me anymore… Because I need you too." She smiled warmly as she said that; it was the truth, straight from her heart. She needed him because she truly loved him, and she knew he felt the exact same way.

Cale went closer to Ruby again, his eyes telling her that he understood, and he gently cupped her face. "I love you so much, Ruby."

"I love you too so much, Cale."

He kissed her once more – more intense, more passionate this time – and she responded in kind, feeling the warmth of his body as much as she could. Melting in his embrace, she let him take the lead.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well, well, well! Look who's finally up," Ren said. "Rise and shine, big guy. How was the family gathering?"

Jaune gave him a thumbs up in reply. Yawning due to lack of sleep, he looked at the clock; eight in the morning. His video call with his family last night went far longer than he expected.

Not that he could blame his family, of course. They all knew that the Hunter trials were tomorrow, and that he didn't have any classes on the eve of the event, so his sisters were more than happy to shower him with praises and words of encouragement. Not to be outdone, his parents gushed about him being an A student, bragging his accomplishments to his cousins. That aside, being with his family was a fun experience anyways, so he just brushed it off as something that couldn't be helped.

Jaune yawned again. He only got around three hours of sleep, and having already trained extensively yesterday, doing anything outside his room was just about the last thing on his mind.

Not in the mood to change out of his shirt and shorts, he went to prepare his morning coffee, not yet hungry for breakfast after eating a lot last night, and already he could hear Nora and Ren argue about something. Not a day went by without them competing for something, like who was leading in their duels, or who had the better test scores – they both ended up getting B+ in their assessments, actually – or who even chose the best tasting cafeteria food for lunch.

Sipping his morning coffee, Jaune looked at what his three roommates were doing. Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren were all huddled at the table playing a popular multiplayer card game that he was familiar with, and one he was quite good at. A quick assessment of their hands and board states revealed that Ren was clearly winning, with Nora doing her best to hold him off. Pyrrha was the one losing by far, though she looked like she was just happy to be playing with the others, as her cards were as casual as they could be. An angel army, really? Jaune couldn't help but smile. For all the time they spent living in the same room, he never realized that his roommates played this game; for one thing, he never would have thought that Pyrrha was into this.

"Good morning, Jaune."

"Good morning, Pyrrha."

"Looks like these two have been playing this game for a long time, and they've been playing at the training rooms behind our backs this whole time, can you believe that? Good thing I brought mine when I arrived here in Beacon. Ren has more cards for a fourth player, but we didn't think it would be right to wake you up, so we decided to play a free for all."

"It's fine, I'm just glad you guys are having fun." Jaune said, glacing at Pyrrha's eyes. He still found her very beautiful. Her red hair was tied in a ponytail as always, though still somewhat unkempt from just waking up, and wore a baggy shirt and pajama pants. He had seen her so many times already in that same outfit. But then he imagined how she would look like in a silk nightgown instead, her hair loose and straight, ready to go to bed… He quickly removed the thought from his mind. As stunning as she was, he had to remind himself that many men had surely courted her by now, and her remaining single was her choice. He wasn't about to think that he was the one person to sweep her off her feet. Just enjoy your time with her while it lasts.

"We ate breakfast already," Ren said. "Sorry we didn't include you, we felt that you needed the sleep."

"Nah, don't sweat it. I'm good." Jaune then looked at Ren's cards on the table. "You've got some strong cards. Nice board presence, too. You're pretty much going infinite next turn, aren't you?"

"Pretty much," Ren remarked. "It's kind of obvious at this point."

"It's not over yet," Nora shot back, just itching to play what was on her hand as her turn came next. "We're going back to the training room once I beat you here, and you'll regret tying me up again." She invoked a spell right after, planning to destroy Ren's impending win condition.

"But you've never beaten me in this game when it counts," Ren said nonchalantly as he responded to her spell, effectively neutralizing it. "Whose fault was it that we're even playing this? It's not my problem I won 3-2 fair and square last night. You should be happy I'm giving you this chance to get a rematch. By the way, thanks for the free food. Always happy to put your money to good use, Nora." He chuckled at the sight of Nora pouting. "…and now that I have my emperor on the field, I then invoke my spells. Any responses?"

"Are we dead already?" Pyrrha asked. "I don't think we have anything to stop you, so just make it quick, Ren. Just don't wipe out my angels while you're at it."

"Sure thing. Every bit of damage goes straight to your life totals." With neither Pyrrha nor Nora having anything to respond with, Ren simply went through the motions, and just like that, it was over.

"Well, I guess that's it for me, then." Pyrrha smiled softly as she looked at Jaune. "Well, at least I got my army out. Pretty cool, huh?"

Jaune just shrugged, and kept his face calm with some effort. He still hadn't gotten used to that modest smile of hers, even after seeing it so many times. "They definitely looked great on the battlefield, I'll give you that."

They shuffled their cards and cleaned up, though Nora's scowl didn't go away, and simply had her arms crossed, refusing to look at Ren with her narrowed eyes. It wasn't really any different from her other reactions in the past, though seeing Ren's face go from confident to apologetic was quite the surprise. "C'mon, don't be mad, Nora. It's only a game. You shocked me really hard in an earlier fight, you know? I was just returning the favor."

"Ugh… You know how I feel about being dangled up in the air, especially with Jaune and Pyrrha seeing me like that. And you haven't felt a real shock from me, Ren. I can tell you that right now."

Ren sighed. "…sorry, I keep forgetting that it's not just the two of us here anymore. It won't happen again." He sounded sincere as patted Nora on the head, and the girl was receptive to it, which was another surprise. "How about we hit the training rooms and challenge everyone that's there? If we're lucky, that crazy strong blonde girl with the greatsword might be there right now. That girl did beat us both, but who knows, maybe today will be different." Ren smiled. "And if she's not there, then we can have a new duel between us to settle the score. How does that sound? C'mon, Nora. What do you say? You know you want to."

There was a brief silence. And then, Nora finally smiled as well. "…I'll just go take a bath first. I'll beat you this time, just you wait." It was as if nothing happened; she stared at Ren with confident eyes before taking her leave.

Jaune gave Ren a look, and so did Pyrrha.

"…what?" Ren said to them, scratching his head and shrugging. "We're good, ok? She's just crazy like that sometimes. A guy has to know when to calm a girl down."

Pyrrha nodded. "That's an interesting way of putting it."

Jaune finished the rest of his coffee, hiding his faint smile behind his mug, and went to the sink to clean his mug along with the rest of the dishes his roommates used; today was his turn to wash the dishes. Ren tying Nora up a good height yesterday during their duel was a funny story and all, but he really should have known better if this was going to be her reaction. Ren appeared ready to make things right again though, so Jaune left it at that.

Regardless, it wasn't really out of the question why Ren won his duel with Nora; he was a great fighter in his own right. Wielding twin dustmetal submachine gun jians called Storm Flower, he had an unusual type of aura Semblance, wherein he could create weaves that served either as a barrier or as a trap that trigged a certain effect if crossed. It was a primarily defensive support skill, but it had tactical applications during an attack, the simplest of which was tying up a target during combat. Ren claimed that playing cat's cradle helped honed his skills, which only made sense. Jaune had seen him quickly form intricate shapes using only string, and his weaves in combat reflected that.

Soon enough Nora was in her usual attire, fresh and ready to go, and she gave Ren a tap on the shoulder. "I'm good. Go get dressed, it's your turn."

"Alright," Ren said, looking relieved that Nora didn't seem angry anymore, and went on his way without saying another word.

"You seem to put up with him a lot," Pyrrha said as Nora took a seat. "Are you still mad at him?"

Nora shook her head. "I'm fine, Pyrrha. We're still good, don't worry. He's just stupid like that sometimes… A girl has to know when to set a guy straight."

Pyrrha chuckled. "That last part does make a lot of sense."

Jaune recalled how Nora fought during training. She was no slouch in combat either, with her warhammer having so much force that even he had trouble taking it on, and her lightning attacks had the largest effect area of any elemental Semblance he faced. She was just stubborn and impulsive, lacking finesse in her moves; Jaune was sure those were the only reasons why Ren kept winning against her. But there was something to be said about Nora being so persistent nonetheless. Given how long they have known each other, he often wondered if that ever crossed either of their minds.

Jaune finished washing the dishes just in time to see Ren appear in his regular attire, and it was his turn to tap Nora on the shoulder. "Let's go, Nora. Better make it good this time, I won't hold back."

"Were you ever holding back?" Nora showed a small smile as she stood up, and made a slight bow to Jaune and Pyrrha. "You sure you guys don't want to come along? My goal to beat Ren here aside, it's good prep for the trials tomorrow."

"I'll pass, sorry." Jaune wanted nothing more than to rest for the day, and Pyrrha declined as well. "You guys go ahead. Make sure you tell us the score, ok? And remember to play nice, you two."

"Yes, dad… We'll be back later," Ren said, rolling his eyes as Nora giggled. "We'll just eat lunch outside, so don't wait up." They then picked up their dustmetal weapons, and were soon out the door, leaving only Jaune and Pyrrha in the room.

Jaune chuckled. "Who needs to watch drama when you have those two as roommates?"

"Told you they could be like children sometimes."

"I didn't think you meant it quite literally though," Jaune said. "But hey, at least they liven up this place."

"They're meant for each other," Pyrrha replied. "Perhaps as a punishment."

Both of them laughed, and Jaune decided to take a seat beside Pyrrha. "Tell me about it. Those two are just something else."

"Your family's something else too," Pyrrha added, then paused for a bit. "Sorry, I happened to overhear some of your conversations last night. Your sisters just don't let up, now do they? I don't think I'll forget their voices, at least not anytime soon."

"My sisters never stop, unfortunately. Remember that I have six of them, each one telling me how great I am. Now imagine me dealing with that everyday back home, along with their other hijinks." Jaune knew his siblings meant well, but they doted on him like no one's business. "I'm sorry if they kept you from sleeping. It's like they're my own fan club. I even heard one of them actually say that."

"It's ok, Jaune. It's just your sisters looking up to you, that's all. You're like a hero to them, and your parents must be pretty proud as well."

"Yeah, they all dote on me like crazy. That video call I had last night went way too long, let me tell you, and I'm beat from talking to everyone there, you know?" Jaune stretched his arms. "What about you? Still tired from the training yesterday?"

"Not really, but I prefer to relax before the big day, as it helps me prepare mentally for it. Besides, I have you around, so it's not like I'm lonely here." Pyrrha then took out her cards from its box. "Would you… I don't know, have any cards with you to pass the time? Ren isn't here, so I'm not comfortable using his…"

"Funny story, I actually brought mine too."

"No way, you too?" Pyrrha gave Jaune a look. "How come you never told us?"

"You guys never asked," Jaune said with a shrug, and Pyrrha just rolled her eyes. Never thought you'd play something like this either, sorry about that. He was so focused on maintaining boundaries and preserving what they had that this kind of conversation never popped up. But since the topic came up, he might as well make the most of it. "But yeah, let me go get them." And so Jaune went to his room to get his stuff, but he was careful not to let this get the better of him. This doesn't mean anything, though. She's kind and all, with a geeky hobby to match, but it's been a whole month of nothing happening, so stop imagining things.

"Go easy on me, ok?" Pyrrha said as she shuffled up her cards again. "I'm just a casual player."

"It's ok, all players start out as casuals, and I was once a filthy noob too." Jaune allowed Pyrrha to go first, of course. She led the offense, and he took down her attackers one by one to defend himself, before stabilizing his position by summoning two dragons.

"Dragons, hmm? Didn't think you'd play something like this, Jaune. You look like the type who would play knights instead."

"Still thinking about that, huh?" Jaune chuckled a bit. "I'm not some knight in shining armor, ok?"

"But it fits you like a glove."

"Look who's talking. Who would have thought that you would even play cards? I thought you'd be into something more girly instead."

"Well, most guys do." Pyrrha then invoked a spell to remove Jaune's dragons. "Now we're even. You got something better than that?"

"Now that you mentioned it…" Jaune chuckled again. "I have other cards with me, but they're more of Ren's level… I saw the cards he was using. It wouldn't be any fun if I just stomped, right? I have to make it fair for the both of us."

"Heh, I figured as much." Pyrrha watched as Jaune countered her move by deploying another dragon, and eliminating her remaining angel as it entered the field. "Thanks for not being like Ren… Not that I mind, of course, but that guy never holds back in games, just like Nora. You can't get a relaxed game with them even if their lives depended on it."

"They've been childhood friends for the longest time, so that's no surprise. And you did say they were meant for each other, so you know…" Jaune couldn't help but smile. "Want to make a bet that those two will–"

"Hard pass." Pyrrha smiled back. "I'm not about to gamble on that, Jaune. Stranger things have happened."

They played on. Their game was a constant back and forth, with no one really gaining the upper hand.

"Have you called your parents recently about how you're doing here?" Jaune asked. "It's funny that you brought up my parents gushing over my grades, but you have a lot more A+ scores than I do. You might even just be in the running for valedictorian if I'm not mistaken. I think it's either going to be you, or that Weiss girl."

"Thanks for the compliments, but Weiss has better grades than I do. She's always been like that, ever since I met her back in Atlas."

"Those picture frames you have on the wall say otherwise."

"Oh, you mean those things?" Pyrrha shook her head after glancing at the awards hung on the wall, all with her name on them. "Don't think too much about those. They're just awards I was given back in Solitas, nothing more than that. And before you say it, I know I haven't been winning any awards here in Beacon, but I find how I'm doing here to be much more fulfilling, let's put it that way."

That's weird for you to say. Why bother bringing those awards here, then? But Jaune didn't want to spoil the moment, so he simply nodded. "That's good to hear. Have you told your parents about it?"

"…yeah, I did." But Pyrrha took her time in saying that. She then summoned a mythical angel on the battlefield. "By the way, this is my strongest card. You got an answer for this?"

Jaune immediately recognized it. Her mythical angel was a casual favorite, simply for the art alone, with its history more important than its power level. It notably had creasing and border wear in contrast to the rest of her cards. The damage was so major that it was unsellable to more serious players, but Pyrrha might as well had been using a card fresh from the pack with how she played it.

"It's what my mother gave me when she found out I play this game," Pyrrha continued. "It's not even a birthday or Yuletide present, just something she thought I'd want, knowing that I played this. Luckily she got this on a discount, and since then I've never really bothered with how my cards look. Cards are meant to be played in a game after all, and I never really understood why other guys go out of their way to pay more for mint ones."

"You're right that it's a game, and I get your point. It's just that serious players pay good money in keeping up with the latest cards, so they really have no reason to settle for damaged ones. And playing with mint cards just look and feel good, so there's that as well."

"That makes sense," Pyrrha said, again with that soft smile of hers. "You're right. I should have thought of it that way."

"But this card means a lot to you, doesn't it? And it's not like you're trying to impress anyone either. At the end of the day, your enjoyment with your cards is all that really matters, doesn't it?"

"…you're right about that too." Despite a sigh, Pyrrha had a satisfied look to her, as if recalling a distant memory. "…this angel has initiative, and I'm going to attack. Do you have a response?"

"Nope, I've got nothing." Not really trying hard to win to begin with, the angel's attack went through, and Pyrrha won the game a few short turns later; as far as Jaune was concerned, seeing her happy made all this worth it.

"Nice game. We should play again sometime." Pyrrha said as she shuffled and cleaned up. "And you don't need to hold back anymore, ok?" she added with a wink.

"I really wasn't," Cleaning up his own cards, Jaune tried to cover up what he did with a smile. "Not up for another game? You have something else you want to do instead?"

"I've been thinking about that, actually." Pyrrha paused for a while. "Do you know this is the first time we're alone together in our room, without Nora and Ren?"

"…yeah, I guess you're right." Jaune hadn't realized that at all, now that he thought about it. "This is the first in a whole month, huh? I hadn't noticed."

"I didn't either, but I guess there's really a lot of things in life one doesn't really notice. Things hidden in plain sight, and things taken for granted… And yes, it's been a month. Time sure flies."

"Something on your mind?"

Pyrrha pointed at their mini sofa. "Can we hang out over there? There's something I want to talk about. It won't take long."

"…uh, sure." Talk about what, Pyrrha? Now this was something he didn't expect, and Pyrrha grabbing his hand to lead him to the mini sofa was something he also didn't expect. Soon both were seated, and Jaune realized that this would be the first time she was this close to him. He kept himself calm. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," There was a sudden pensive look on her face, though. "…you were great in our last training session, by the way. You took attacks head on with no fear, and you have the charisma too. Not sure if you've noticed, but Nora and Ren were responding well to your commands. You're sure to do well in the trials, and in your Hunter career."

"Thanks. Though a lot of it just comes with my Semblance. I can take a lot of hits, that's all, so it's easy for me to lead by example. But people should look at you more. You're the one with the awards and everything, and I'm sure you're the better tactician by far."

"Funny you should say that, Jaune." Pyrrha closed her eyes for a moment, as if readying herself for something. She then huddled closer to him, her pretty green eyes looking directly at his blue ones. "I've noticed that you've been looking at me a lot. Ever since we met, actually."

"So you saw me, huh?" Jaune said in what he imagined was a cool manner, though his heartbeat quickened. You weren't supposed to notice though. He then realized that he fell into a trap; Pyrrha was just setting it up to make him comfortable first. His heart sank, knowing what was about to happen. Bracing himself to be rejected, he shook his head. "…sorry about that. I couldn't help it."

"It's alright, no need to say sorry. But am I really that pretty for you to look at me like that?"

"You're beautiful, Pyrrha. I can't keep my eyes off you ever since we met."

Pyrrha smiled softly. "Jaune, about us…"

Jaune breathed deep. So it finally came down to this. Not exactly a scenario he wanted, but since he was surely going down, then he might as well just tell her how he really felt, and lay everything on the line. Everything he kept bottled up all this time was now begging to be released. "Remember when I said that one shouldn't rush into these things? I'm sorry if you felt like I lied to you about that. The truth is that I've fallen for you ever since we first met, and this past month convinced me that I got it right. You're kind, honest, funny, smart, and a great fighter… Any guy would fall for you, really." Jaune thought he was just rambling here, but he kept going. "You're probably wondering why I never made a move on you. To be honest I thought this was all too good to be true, given that I don't have a great record with girls. I figured I didn't want a repeat of the past, and that I'd just keep what we have. I didn't want you to look at me differently in case I wasn't your type. And I'm really not, right? It's ok. As long as we're friends, I'm good. Besides, it's not like you're going to run out of guys to go after you. I'm sure you'll find someone you like eventually."

Pyrrha was quiet, her green eyes looking directly at him.

"I also want to add, even if you were only half as pretty, I still would have fallen for you." Jaune then fell silent, suddenly wondering just how many guys approached Pyrrha this month; the ones he saw at least. They were all polite, with none of them the same as the first one he beat up, but there were at least five… He sighed at the thought. Pyrrha truly was a guy magnet. "I enjoyed the lunches we had together, and I counted myself lucky that I shared so many classes with you. Hey, remember that day when we were teamed up in Grimm 101 for a practice match? And that time we almost got dragged into some stupid fight at the cafeteria, and you had stop it with a baguette?"

"Yeah, I remember that. It was right after our report at World History class. Your threat to throw the calzone at that guy's face was very convincing, by the way."

"It would have sad if I had actually thrown it at him, though. I liked that calzone." Jaune couldn't resist a chuckle, and Pyrrha giggled as well. "Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, and my belly was all the better for it."

"You're really fun to be with, you know that? You're also kind and honest too… And that means a whole lot to me, more than you know." Pyrrha smiled softly again. "Thank you for being honest about how you feel about me. As hard to believe as this may sound, I don't get to hear this a lot. Not in this kind of way, at least. I really appreciate it." Having said that, she sighed and shook her head. "But if you only knew how much of better person you are than I am. I'm nowhere near the perfect girl you're dreaming of. I'll break your heart eventually. It might be even sooner than you think."

Then go ahead and just say it, Pyrrha. But deep down Jaune knew he didn't want to hear it. Recalling all the moments they shared, he didn't want them to end. Not only because it would hurt, but because it would change how she thought of him, and distance herself. He couldn't bear to imagine it. "It's fine, I know I'm just a friend. But I figured I might as well be honest to you since you brought it up, and get it over with. I guess I'm just hoping here that you don't avoid me like the plague–"

"Did I ever miss any moments with you?"

Jaune was taken aback. No, she never did; she was always with him whenever her time allowed it, whether with a group, or with just Nora and Ren, or just the two of them… the fact that this was his first time with her alone in their dorm spoke more about their roommates than about themselves. Would Pyrrha have acted differently if it was just the two of them here from the start?

Suddenly Pyrrha went much closer to him, and he felt her skin meet his. "In a relationship, the couple needs to know the other person well, right? Do you really want to know who I am, Jaune? Are you sure about that?"

"Of course I do." It was a question with an obvious answer, and so Jaune wasn't sure with what Pyrrha meant by this, but he trusted her judgment.

Pyrrha suddenly moved, taking Jaune by surprise, and the next thing he knew she was sitting on top of him, her hands caressing his neck and shoulders. She was close enough for Jaune to notice that she had nothing under her shirt, and she had no inhibitions about it.

"You're cute when you're flustered like this, Jaune."

"Well, I…"

"Shh…" Pyrrha gently placed a finger on Jaune's lips. "Just trust me, ok? I won't hurt you, I promise. Quite the opposite, in fact."

Jaune nodded, then felt something gentle and sweet touch his lips. Pyrrha was kissing him. Next thing he knew her hands guided his to her sides, just above her waist, as if she was teaching him how to hold a girl. Perhaps that was only apt. He had never done anything like this before. A wave of bliss rushed through him; his heart beating wildly upon realizing just how soft her skin was in his hands. Feeling his mind go hazy, Jaune could only think of how to return the favor… And so he did. He returned Pyrrha's kiss, following her lead, while he held her close and inhaled her scent.

"Looks like you enjoyed that." Pyrrha stroked Jaune's hair tenderly upon ending their kiss, and her whisper was soft and alluring to his ears. "See, I told you I wouldn't hurt you. Do you want more? You can be honest with me about this too, Jaune. It's alright…"

"Pyrrha…" A part of him wanted just that – a whole lot of him, actually – but at the same time, he wanted something else more. He wanted to know why she was suddenly doing this. But he wasn't sure how to say it, and words had completely failed him upon losing himself in her green eyes. He fell silent.

Pyrrha paused as if waiting for something, and when time passed without any words, her eyes began to glisten. But only for a moment. She smiled right after, and she had a beautiful look on her face. "You really do have a good heart in you, Jaune. It's the first thing I noticed about you back when we first met, and I'm happy I wasn't wrong about it. So if nothing else… Please promise me you'll never change that about you, no matter what. Stay the same as you've always been."

"…I promise." Jaune wanted to say more than just that, but Pyrrha once again put her finger gently on his lips.

"I know you have a lot in your mind right now. But can I ask you one last favor?" Pyrrha took out her phone. "Have you seen End of the Beginning, Jaune?"

Jaune shook his head. Was this a tv show or something? He never heard of it.

"It's my favorite movie ever since I was a kid, and since you haven't seen it yet, I want us to watch it together. I want to hear what you have to say about it. Just make sure you don't miss any scenes, because I'll know if you did. Watch it until the end, ok?"

"I will." Jaune decided to follow along with her request. It was true that he had a lot on his mind, and he still couldn't find the right words.

He held the phone while they watched the movie, and gave the movie his full attention just as Pyrrha asked him to, right until the credits. It was a love story despite the weird title. The notable thing about it being that the man forgave the woman in the end despite all her severe moral failings, though whether or not they were still together as a couple was left ambiguous. The film brought Jaune mixed feelings. He disliked unclear endings, much less unhappy ones, and he knew that he wouldn't want to watch this movie again. But he appreciated the story for what it was, strangely enough, and he felt oddly satisfied that he finished a movie like this to the end.

"Pyrrha, about this movie…" But to his surprise, Pyrrha was fast asleep, nestled on his shoulder. He hadn't even noticed that she had cuddled to him while watching.

That gave Jaune pause. So much had happened here. Why was she doing any of this? He could believe that Pyrrha had asked him to trust her just to kiss him on a whim, that she thanked him for his kindness for no reason, and that there was no connection between a romance movie and her cuddling to him and falling asleep. He could believe all of that if he hadn't fallen for Pyrrha to begin with. But did he dare hope that she felt something about him too?

His heart began to race wildly again, and so he calmed himself with some effort. He didn't want to think of anything else right now. Setting aside her phone, all he wanted to do was enjoy their moment together, just as he always did, and that was made all the more poignant given that tomorrow would most likely be the last time they would be roommates. Jaune smiled as he gently caressed Pyrrha's hand, feeling her breathe slowly beside him, not wanting to disturb her rest. Even while sleeping, she was still so beautiful in his eyes.

Jaune soon fell asleep on the sofa, with Pyrrha still cuddled beside him, his hand on top of hers.