4 years later
Jaune gasped for air as he was knocked flat on his back. Around him, the Branwen Tribe jeered and laughed as he curled up and tried to force air back into his lungs. Slowly and unsteady, Jaune turned over and crawled up onto his knees in time to see the shadow of a person behind him raise their weapon high over their head. Reacting, he threw himself to the side and dug his fingers into the dirt and spun around to chuck it in his attacker's eyes.
The clump of earth broke apart in midair and hit no one but Jaune as the wind blew his desperate attack back into his own face. Again, the tribe roared with laughter as Jaune pulled a face and began to cough and spit. His attacker stood to the side and smirked at having successfully baited Jaune with his bluff.
"That's enough!" called the referee, "Winner: Capri!" The proclaimed winner puffed out his chest and slung his hatchet over his shoulder, smiles all around. Jaune was quickly forgotten as the ring of people shrunk to get a better listen as to who would be fighting next. Another loss for the record books, but it didn't make any difference to him. At least this way Vernal would quit hounding him about participating for a while thought Jaune as he collected his weapon.
Every few months or so the Tribe dedicated three days to battle where the newer recruits would have a chance to prove their worth. Jaune didn't usually care for the matches and opted to spend time elsewhere, but this year Vernal had been insistent. She felt Jaune had to set an example as a ward under Raven despite the fact she knew he wasn't interested in getting beaten up for the tribe's entertainment. What he was really looking forward to was the feast they held on the third night in celebration of the tribe's continued survival and strength.
It was a break from the death and misery the tribe wrought whenever it came time to replenish their supplies. All in all, it was great for morale and had the added bonus of encouraging the Grimm to go for targets that were in less high spirits. Now however, Jaune was more concerned with finding a certain someone who agreed to meet after the match. He felt a hand tap his shoulder and he spun around to meet pink eyes and matching curly hair.
Jaune grinned, "Heya!"
Rouge raised an eyebrow, "What's got you so chipper? You lost didn't you, that's why you were on the ground?"
"No way!" he said, scoffing. " I kicked butt! I just got a bit carried away celebrating. Didn't you see my convincing win?" Jaune struck a pose and ran a hand through his hair.
"No, actually," Rouge said as she held out her hand in front of her to inspect her nails. "Prep for tonight's feast is taking longer than I thought. I'll be going back to help out with the actual cooking later." She crossed her arms and shrugged, "Sorry."
Jaune's face fell, "Oh. Yeah. It's cool, we only hold the feast every few months after all. Gotta make sure everything's good to go…" he trailed off and looked away, bringing up his hand to scratch the back of his head.
"Yup."
"Yeah…" They stayed like that for a few awkward moments before Jaune grunted and stumbled back as a pink blur shot into his arms.
"You dummy!" Rouge laughed. "Lighten up! I got all my work done and rushed over first thing." Rouge squeezed with all her might which admittedly wasn't all that much.
"I-what!? But you just said-"
Rouge pulled back and rolled her eyes, "I was just messing with you, but you looked so sad thinking I blew off your match I couldn't take it anymore! Honestly, I thought you were gonna start crying."
Jaune's eyes narrowed at that, "Crying!? No way! Yeah, maybe, I was a little bummed out thinking you missed my match, but no one said anything about crying."
"'A little bummed out,'" she made air quotes with her fingers. "Yeah, right."
"No, seriously. It would have been totally fine," Jaune insisted.
Rouge smirked before lightly poking Jaune's cheek right under his eye, "Oh! I think I spotted a tear. Were you really so upset I'd miss out on you eating dirt?" Jaune's face burned red and he jerked his head away. "Ha! You're turning pink, trying to copy my style?" she mocked, poking his cheek again.
"Stop that!" he growled. He tried to swat her hands away, but every time he went for it Rouge pulled her hand back and kept on poking him.
"Hmm? You say something?" she asked, grinning.
Jaune huffed and moved past her and started making towards the tents. "Whatever!" he spat.
"Aw c'mon don't be like that, I was just kidding around!" Rouge walked behind Jaune and nudged his shoulder repeatedly. "Let's go out and get some berries or something. I saw a few bushes back near the river. What do you say?"
"..." Jaune kept his gaze straight ahead and ignored all her attempts to get through to him. He deliberately kept his pace just ahead of her so she couldn't see the smirk playing on his lips.
"Come on, I was joking! We're burning daylight so let's just go. You're being a baby." Jaune scoffed at that and quickened his pace. "You're seriously going to ignore me after I came all the way out here?" She put her hand on his shoulder, "Hey," she started to say but Jaune jerked his shoulder away and threw aside the flaps to his tent.
"Hmph!" Rouge crossed her arms and turned her nose up as they entered Jaune's tent. "Well fine then! If you're gonna be like that then I guess I'll just be on my way!" She spun on her heel and marched out.
He couldn't help the grin that split his face as he rummaged through a small knapsack from beside his cot. The flaps to his tent had just barely settled into place when Rouge bounded back in."I'm sorry, okay!? I guess the loss put you in a worse mood than I thought. I didn't mean to grill you so hard, forgive me?" Rouge tried leaning over his shoulder, but Jaune pointedly looked to the side every time. "Give me something, Jaune! Don't wall me out."
Jaune felt a pang of guilt hearing that so decided enough's enough, "I might consider letting you off the hook...for another hug."
"Is that it?"
"Well if not then would you mind leaving me alone?"
"Okay deal!"
Jaune turned and wrapped his arms around and held her for a second before he finally sprung his trap. He quickly shifted his arms towards the small of her back before squeezing and lifting her off feet. Immediately, Rouge started squirming and screeching as her feet left solid ground.
Jaune squeezed her harder, "Sorry are you saying something? I can't really make out what you're trying to tell me."
"I can't breath! I can't breath! Put me down or else!" she yelled between gasping breaths. "I hate it, Jaune! Put me down!" Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes as she struggled to breathe through her laughter.
"Yeah? Or else wha-!?" Right then he felt a tug on the back of his shirt and something cold and wet slid down the length of his back. With a yelp, he dropped Rouge who went on to laugh even harder as she waived a canteen in his face.
"You like that? I warned you!" she said, giggling behind her free hand. "I wasn't buying your crap for one second! 'Boo-hoo! Rouge hurty my feewings,'" she mocked.
"Ughh, it went down the back of my pants!"
"Refreshing isn't it? Just what you need after a day out in the sun." She offered him the container, "Still thirsty?"
"You're gonna get it!" His hand shot forwards to try and snatch the canteen back but Rouge was too quick.
"Ah. Ah. Ah. I've still got some in here," she shook the canteen and Jaune heard the water slosh around. "You sure you want your front soaked too?" she asked, smirking.
Jaune wasn't scared off that easily and tried again and again to snatch it from her hands, the two of them dancing around his tent. They started laughing and taunting each other and that's how Marron found them, Rouge menacing Jaune with a canteen.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Marron barked. The guilty party in question quickly turned to face him, standing shoulder to shoulder and looking down to avoid his glare. "I could hear you two well before I even got here. Running around and screaming your heads off," he spat on the ground, "makes me sick."
Rouge took a deep breath, "We were just-"
"Shut the fuck up!" Marron leaned over her, his staggering height making it all too easy to bare down on her. "Nobody told you to open your damn mouth! You speak when spoken to! Look at me when I'm talking to you!" he reached over and grabbed a fistful of her hair. For her part, Rouge didn't utter a sound even as he threatened to tear out a chunk of her hair.
Beside her, Jaune's nails dug into his palms, "Leave her alone, Marron! What crawled up your ass? Run out of booze already? You're not slurring your words as much as usual." Marron spared a glance at Jaune before sending him to floor with his fist.
"Watch yourself, boy." Marron said darkly. "You're lucky I'm in such a good mood. Tell you what, you apologize to me and I'll forget about your little outburst." He leaned down and pulled Jaune up by his hair, "So, you got something you wanna say?"
Jaune glared back despite the tightening hold on his hair, "Yeah, I got something to say." Past the hunky brewery in front of him he could see Rouge desperately shaking her head no but didn't budge. "The tribe should have the kegs set up by now, so do us a favor and go drink yourself to death already."
"You little shit," Marron hissed, veins began protruding from his forehead.
Jaune pressed on, a pained grin on his face, "Apparently bodies start to smell when they're left unburied, so be considerate and do it somewhere outside of camp. I can't imagine you smelling any worse but we shouldn't roll those dice." Sure it was the dumbest thing he could have done, but now Marron forgot all about Rouge. Plus, the look on his face was a nice bonus.
Marron changed his grip from Jaune's hair to his shirt and threw a vicious punch at his gut that would have made him double over if he wasn't being held in place. Jaune shut his eyes tight as Marron wound up another punch but it never came.
"That's enough!" a voice yelled out. Cracking one eye open, Jaune peeked out and saw his savior, Vernal, a fierce glare on her face. Confusion flashed across his features though as instead of looking over at them, Vernal was staring at Rouge who had turned and covered her face.
"Vernal," Marron spat out, "Don't you have better things to do than stick your nose in my business?"
Her eyes narrowed, "Of course I do, but I'm here on Raven's orders, Marron. She wants Jaune and Rouge to meet with her in her tent. I can't very well deliver them if Jaune is passed out on the floor beaten and bloody.
Reluctantly, Marron let go of his target before standing inches away from Vernal, "If I find you lied to save his skin I'll-"
"You'll do what, Marron? Come at me with an empty bottle? We hold matches well into the night as you well know, care to try your luck in the ring?" Vernal shot a challenging look up at him, being four years older than Jauen and Rouge the height difference wasn't as severe.
"Watch yourself, girl." he said, teeth bared, before he stormed out the tent.
Jaune and Rouge listened to the sound of Marron's stomping footsteps gradually fade away before finally relaxing. "Why did you do that!" Rouge shouted, immediately rounding on her blonde friend. Jaune winced at the volume but kept wisely kept silent. "If Vernal hadn't come by he might have actually killed you this time! You don't have aura like the rest of us, Jaune. You need to be more careful around what you say and how you act around the other's in camp. Especially that drunk old jerk."
"If I didn't do anything he would have beat you instead!" he defended. "I can't just stand here and watch it happen! Better he goes after me than you, you know?"
"No, I don't know! Sure it would have hurt, but I would have been fine in the end. I can take care of myself!" she chastised. "Honestly, sometimes I think you like getting knocked around." Rouge walked up to Jaune and touched a hand to his bruised cheek.
"Ow!" Jaune jerked his head away.
"Shut up!" she snapped. "You did this to yourself! I need to see the damage if I'm gonna treat it properly."
"Pretty sure it was Marron who did this," he muttered under his breath. "Can you at least be more gentle?" he asked more loudly. "I did just take a beating for you, you know?"
Rouge narrowed her eyes, "No one ask you to-"
"Enough!" Vernal yelled, having had enough of being ignored. "Did you morons already forget why I even came here in the first place? Raven is waiting to see you, the both of you." Her eyes shifted between the two who at least had the decency to look embarrassed.
"S-sorry, Sis." Jaune shifted awkwardly in place and Rouge bowed her head beside him.
"Don't call me that," Vernal said before throwing the tent flaps aside, "Let's go already." Jaune grinned sheepishly at Rouge before they followed her out, one walking at either side of her.
"What does Mo-uh Raven want with us?" Jaune asked. From Vernal's other side Rouge also leaned forward a bit and sent a curious glance her way.
"It's not my place to question our leader," she began. "But, I'm pretty sure she's interested to hear what went wrong in today's match," Vernal shot a sideways glare at him.
Jaune grimaced, "I did what you wanted! How are you gonna get mad at me when I did it to please you?"
Vernal clenched her jaw, "Yes. I pushed you into it, but if I knew you were gonna make a mockery of all the time and energy Raven's put into you I-" Her voice gradually grew louder with each word before she forcefully inhaled. "We're not like the rest of the tribe, Jaune. Raven took us in herself and has made sure we want for nothing. We have food, clothes, and a place to sleep. In return, we have to train our hardest and give everything we can back to the tribe."
Jaune rubbed the back of his head and looked away, "I get that, but-"
"Do you?" Vernal pressed. "It's survival of the fittest. If you don't bolster our strength, you add to our weaknesses. It's no wonder no one in the tribe takes you seriously." She turned to look past her other shoulder, "All that goes for you too. How's your semblance training been going?"
Rouge did everything she could to avoid Vernal's questioning gaze, "It's been fine. I'm gaining more control."
Jaune walked a bit closer, always keen to hear more about auras and semblances, before Vernal put a hand on his head and shoved him back. "Yes. I saw nothing but control back there."
"That's different! Marron was going to-"
"Well good then," Vernal interrupted. "If that was a fluke then I'm sure you won't mind giving Raven a demonstration."
"No!" Rogue's head snapped in her direction. "I've made progress sure, but I don't think it's enough to bother Raven with. Another month at least, then I'll have something to show her."
Vernal scowled, "It's already been two since your last demonstration. That isn't enough time to show off what you've been working on?" she questioned.
Rouge grabbed her forearm, "Well, um, uh…"
Seeing how uncomfortable she was, Jaune piped up in an instant, "Hey Sis, you gonna be joining us for the feast tonight?"
Vernal ignored him, "Raven isn't going to like that you've been shirking your responsibilities."
"I haven't been slacking!" Rouge insisted. "I practice as often as I can, believe me," she said quietly. "It's just that nothing clicks no matter how hard I try."
That made Vernal mad, "Well make it click then." she growled. "You have no idea how good you have it! The tribe will come to rely on your power. Raven will come to rely on your power. You can't carry on being a disappointment forever!"
Jaune frowned, "Take it easy on her. You know she's trying her best, lighten up. Making her feel bad won't make it any easier to learn."
"I'm doing you both a favor," Vernal shot back, stopping dead in her tracks. "In the four years it's been since we all got here I'm the only one who's got anything to show for it. I've thrived under Raven's teachings while you two just leech off of the tribe and give nothing back! You're going to have to have to explain yourselves to Raven so take this as a warning."
The rest of the walk towards Raven's tent was done in silence. When they reached the entrance Rouge suddenly stopped. Seeing this, Jaune took her and smiled reassuringly, before gently pulling her along. Vernal, arms crossed, just rolled her eyes before walking in.
"Vernal," greeted Raven as the trio shuffled their way in. Vernal bowed her head before taking a seat on the pillow beside Raven. Red eyes peered into pink and blue orbs, "You two. Sit." she ordered, gesturing to the pillows across from her separated by a small table. If she noticed the darkened blotch of skin on Jauen's face, she said nothing.
When everyone was settled Raven finally spoke, "Jaune, I hear you finally decided to participate in one of our tournaments. What brought this on?"
He swallowed nervously, "Uh, well, it wasn't really my idea exactly."
"Go on," she said, face betraying nothing.
"Uh w-well, Vernal thought it was about time I showed the tribe what I was made of. I hadn't participated before so now was as a good a time as any," Jaune stuttered out.
"And did you?" Raven pressed.
"Um…" Jaune looked around the room, not really knowing how to answer.
"Did you show everyone what you were made of?" Raven asked again. "From what I saw, you lost quite spectacularly mere minutes into your very first match. Your opponent disarmed you the second the round started and then you spent the rest of the time in the dirt. Mercifully, the one presiding over the match called the victor before you had the chance to embarrass me further."
Jaune rubbed the back of his head, "Y-yeah," he grinned, "that's pretty much how it all shook out. I did swing a few times at him before he knocked me down though.
"Wipe that smirk off your face." Jaune winced at her tone and quickly did as he was told. "What a pathetic sight you made, losing to an opponent who's only strength lay in his ability to swing a piece of metal and hope for the best."
"He was way older than me you know." That was undeniably the wrong thing to say.
"Silence! You have had the benefit of training given by the tribe's finest warriors and overseen by myself. Such a display is a mockery of the time and effort I've placed in you! Four years and you've yet to even unlock your aura though I daresay having it today would have done you no favors anyways."
Jaune withered under her glare and kept silent as her words sank in. Beside her, Vernal merely looked on as Raven tore into him, offering no pity. "You fail to unlock your aura and you neglect your training.
"I'm not shirking my training! It's just that if I don't have aura then what's the point of training if I won't survive long enough to use what you've been teaching me!"
"Then unlock it!" she bit back. "If you are a member of this tribe then you are a fighter. Aura or no you grow strong and add your strength to our own and together we survive. If you can't get over your hang ups and offer only weakness, what good are you to me, Jaune?"
"That's- I"m-" Jaune sighed. Rouge reached out to comfort him, but a quick glance from Vernal and she pulled back. It tore her up inside that all it took to make her back off was a mere look.
Raven seemed to see through him for the longest time before she finally spoke, "You may leave."
His eyes widened, "Wait, what-"
"She said you can go, Jaune," Vernal hissed, finally speaking up.
"I've made my disappointment in you very clear, there's nothing more to say. Now, I would talk to Rouge. " Raven waved him off, driving the point home to leave home.
Jaune looked from Vernal to Raven and finally Rouge who looked so nervous he thought she might have fit. He was one thing, but he couldn't let his friend suffer alone. Jaune swallowed, "Thanks, but I think I'll stay actually. Rouge and I had plans to go into the woods for a bit before the feast tonight so…"
"Jaune," Raven warned, "I am giving you an order."
It was just like before. Rouge looked at him pleadingly but Jaune persisted. "Look I think I know what you're gonna say. You're not happy about how Rouge's training is going either, right? It's just that maybe fighting isn't what she's cut to do you know? She helps maintain camp and she helps cook for the tribe pretty much every night, she does give back."
"Jaune, please don't." Rouge whispered to him, grabbing his arm. "It'll be fine. We'll just talk and tonight we'll have a great time at the feast. Just go and I'll see you in a bit."
"It's okay. Let me help you," he said, giving her hand a light squeeze.
Raven's voice was low, "This doesn't concern you, Jaune. Leave. Now. I won't repeat myself a third time."
"Look Mom I don't-" There was a resounding smack and Jaune's hand flew up to his mouth out of reflex before he stopped himself. Eyes wide, Jaune slowly turned to face Raven again as she slowly pulled her hand back, mouth hanging open slightly.
Red eyes bore into pained blue ones, "This is why the two of you will never amount to anything! You coddle one another instead of pushing yourselves to succeed. You're weak."
Her eyes snapped to Rouge, "Despite your exceptional abilities you are all but useless when it comes to harnessing your own power. Lesson and after lesson and you are not that much stronger than Jaune as he is now. In fact, using your power would only be to your detriment with how little control you exert over it."
Jaune and Rouge kept silent as Raven tore into them. Rouge bit her lip so hard the taste of copper coated her tongue. Jaune's fingers dug so forcefully into his palm blood welled up beneath his fingernails. Vernal crossed her arms and glared, but silent as before.
"I've only scratched the surface of your deficiencies," Raven continued. "I brought all three of you into the fold and yet only Vernal has shown any desire to be more than gutter trash. Your actions reflect on me and I will not suffer my ability to lead being called into question. You enable each other's weakness and it will not continue."
Jaune opened his mouth to speak, but then Rouge, still holding on, dug her nails painfully into his arm. "You will become strong because I command it, do you understand? The strong survive and the weak and we. Are not. Weak."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Yes, ma'am."
Jaune and Rouge didn't dare move a muscle and for a long time the only sound that could be heard was the clamor of the tribe as they went about preparing the night's feast. "Good," Raven finally spoke. "Rouge and I will meet alone, but at a later date. Tonight, I will be leaving and I have no further time to indulge you children. Make no mistake however, when I return I will enact changes."
Raven's words hung heavily in the air before she dismissed them. Rouge quickly made a dash for exit with Jaune following close behind. As he turned to look back, he saw Raven lean over and say something to Vernal who nodded. Then, gripping her sword, she stood and cut a whole in the air in front of her before disappearing into the void.
:x:
Their afternoon plans thoroughly ruined, the pair headed back to Jaune's tent. The trek was made in silence and in relative isolation seeing as it was only a matter of time before the night's feast began. Rouge took a seat on a pillow on the floor of Jaune's tent and shifted away from him as Jaune joined her.
"So...that could have gone better," Jaune grinned sheepishly. Rouge ignored and avoided looking at him. "Uh, well, my face got evened out at least. Won't have to walk around looking asymmetrical so silver lining?" He heard Rouge gasp and he turned to look at her.
Her shoulders heaved, "Don't say that!" she sobbed.
Jaune panicked, "H-hey don't cry! It was a dumb joke! I'm sorry!"
"Not that, you idiot! You got hurt because of me! I know what Raven expects of me, but no matter what I do or no matter how hard I try I can't give her the results she wants. If I wasn't useless you wouldn't have to stick up for me all the time and get hurt. If I could stand up to Marron he would have left us alone. If I could control my power you wouldn't have had any reason to provoke Raven like you did."
Jaune pulled her to his side so she was leaning against his shoulder. She stayed like crying into his sleeve until her throat was hoarse. Finally, her shaking stopped and Jaune offered her the canteen she used on him earlier, "I probably still would have talked back to Raven even if it wasn't about you."
Rouge took a sip, "Huh?"
"Mom can find plenty of other reasons to smack me around," he continued. "If she's focused on me I can keep her from giving you too hard a time, yeah? Besides, Marron's always been a jerk I would have given him a piece of my mind no matter what."
She rubbed her eyes, feeling the tears welling up again, "That doesn't make me feel better, Jaune. I know I should fight my own battles, but whenever something happens and you step in, my throat swells shut and I can't speak up. I-I can only h-help after you get hurt!" her voice started wavering and Jaune could feel her start to shake again.
Panicking, Jaune said the first thing that came to his mind, "I used to be jealous of you, you know!"
Rouge sniffled, "What?" She shifted to get a better look at Jaune, but he kept his face pointed away from her.
"Uhhh...You-you heard me!" he said, the energy from before suddenly gone. "I was jealous of you and Vernal! So, now you know!"
"Jaune, what are you-"
"I was with Mom before you and Vernal were ever there! Then all of sudden you show up and she gets you clothes, food, a tent, and she starts training you first thing!"
"That's-"
"And another thing!" he turned suddenly and grabbed Rouge by her shoulders making her squeek, his face bright red. "You and Vernal can do way cooler things than I ever could! Vernal started training and she unlocked her aura months after she got here. Then, Mom started training her personally and she's only gotten better and better since. Nobody ever picks a fight with her!
Rouge's mind was in tizzy as she struggled to keep up with Jaune's rapid verbal diarrhea.
"Then there's you!" he said, still grasping her shoulders and shaking her slightly as he talked.
"M-me?" she asked?
"Yes! You! I saw you! I saw what you can do!"
She gasped, "H-how? When?" Rouge was panicking, no one was ever supposed to know about her abilities. Those who did know all thought she had a regular semblance. That's why Raven had her practice outside of camp in secret. If anyone else knew what her real power was...
"I saw you practicing one day in a clearing," Jaune began. "It was maybe a year after Mom brought you to camp, you were facing away from me but your hair made it super obvious. I hadn't seen you that day so I went out to the woods to find something to do and I found you waving your arms around like a crazy person. Fire shot out of your hands all of a sudden and I ran when the bushes I was hiding started to burn too!
Rouge pressed her hands to his lips as her own cheeks burned red, "You can't tell anyone! Raven said no one can ever know! I don't know what she'd do if anyone else found out."
Jaune pulled his face back, "Hang on I'm not done!"
"You can't tell anyone about my power!" Rouge tried to cover his mouth again but Jaune leaned back further and turned his head to the side forcing Rouge to palm his cheek instead.
He jerked away with a yelp, "Ow! Watch the face!"
Rouge pulled back, horrified, "Oh no! I'm sorry! Let me try and help."
"It's okay. It's okay" he groaned. "Aw man that really hurt!" He took a deep breath, "But anyway yeah I used to be really jealous of you. And angry."
She felt something grip her heart and squeeze, "You...used to hate me?"
Jaune rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah. Kinda."
"Jaune-"
"I'm not done!" he said forcefully. "Just listen for a bit okay?"
Rouge sniffed and rubbed her eyes, but nodded all the same.
"A lot of the tribe members really didn't like me. Some would just ignore me but you could tell by looking at them they wished I wasn't around. After you two showed up and we got older they got a bit more hands on, but Vernal and I would just take it. Or, I would just take it, Vernal had other ideas," he smiled wryly.
Rouge couldn't help but giggle a bit at that. Vernal used to go around fighting whoever whenever, and she also used to be so loud too. Months went on and she gradually got quieter, but that was because she started letting her fists do the talking from the get go.
Jaune laughed quietly too, knowing what it was she was thinking about. Then, his face hardened and he went on, "But then I saw you out in the forest that day. I knew you had aura and a semblance but seeing them for myself was something else. You could take it after all, but there I was taking your lumps for you! It made me mad.
Rouge hung her head, "I'm sorry, Jaune. Believe me I wanted to help, but…"
"It's okay," he said. "I kept an eye for you after the forest and when you came back I saw you go in to talk to Mom. She yelled at you and said you had to get control no matter what. When you left, I followed you back to your tent to yell at you too but when I was outside your tent I heard you crying. I was super confused after that, you got to spend time with Mom, she gave you training, you had aura and semblance, but you were so sad.
Jaune picked at the lining of his pillow and Rouge looked on sadly. "You never rubbed it in my face that you had all those things and I didn't though. You always helped after I got my butt kick and after thinking it over I said 'well that's it' and called it a day."
She shook her head confused, "And what's it?"
"I would stop being jealous of you, and you would be my friend no matter what," he said simply, a wide smile on his face.
Rouge stared at him, dumbfounded before something dawned on her. "Wait, I think I remember that day in the forest."
"You forgot?" Jaune asked. "How!? There was fire everywhere! It was nuts!"
"Shhh! You're gonna make me forget!" she lightly slapped his shoulder.
Jaune fell onto his back clutching his shoulder, "I've been wounded!"
"I'm serious!" she laughed. "I think I got it! That day was miserable for me! Training all day with Raven and afterwards I had to stay in the woods to practice by myself until it got dark." Rouge's eyes widened, "Then, it was the day after that-"
"We started doing everything together." Jaune finished, grinning from ear to ear.
"You're the best."
He puffed up his chest, "Yup. Go on, say it again."
Rouge leaned on his shoulder, "You're really the best."
"Oh. Uh. It's kinda hard to joke around when you say it so seriously like that." Jaune could feel his face heating up.
"Sorry," she sat upright once more. "There's something else though."
"What's that?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Raven. She wants us to show progress in our training. She said that if we don't we'd regret it and when she comes back she's gonna make changes."
Jaune deflated, "Oh yeah. That's gonna suck, but it probably won't be anything too bad."
"Let's not risk it," Rouge said firmly. She stood and moved her pillow so it was directly across from Jaune.
"What do you mean?" he asked, sitting a bit more straight up.
"If one of us gives her what she wants maybe it'll be enough to get her to back off. Neither one of us is too good with weapons and we have trainers for that anyways. So for right now, I'll help you with your aura.
Jaune could only stare, "What!?
:x:
Chapter 2 is finally finished! I never thought I'd ever willingly write something with so many words, but once I got started it was hard to stop. In fact, this chapter was originally going to be a couple thousands words longer, but once I went back to check for mistakes I ended up changing a few things and it didn't quit mesh together anymore. Looking it over, I feel like this chapter has a bit too much dialogue, but I hope the situations and subject matter make up for it. I will say Chapter 3 is something to look forward to however. Also, the scrapped content for this chapter will definitely see some use meaning that the wait for the next installment won't be as long. Hopefully. Feedback is encouraged. Thank you for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy!
A/N: Revised 06/06/2024