It wasn't often that Jaune wanted to bash someone's skull in. OK, that was a lie. Well, it's a lie if A and B count as parts of his consciousness. What was true that it wasn't often that jaune wanted to give into B's brutalist solution to most social situations. But man did Jaune really, really despise preparing for this trip.

Not that it was going badly. All things considered. Securing provisions was relatively easy once Abkir introduced him to his suppliers.

God bless the strange reverence that man treats us with. Jaune smiled internally as he scowled at the spreadsheet in front of him. But may whatever can be called a god damn whoever let the state of sea fare get this bad. I don't remember it being this bad in Vale. Maybe it's mistrals mercantile penchant for bureaucracy getting in the way of common sense. He was bemused as he made his mental calculations. Right, assuming it's a can per day per person-

There was a shuffling sound behind him as someone approached him. He pondered for a moment who it was, until they touched him. Nadir didn't touch people, and no one else would probably dare to do so, lest they suddenly had their hand blasted away from some unstable reaction.

There is only one person that does that. Jaune groaned, not sure if he really wanted to talk to her. It had been an awkward morning as Arslan gave him an icy aura. Please not another chew out not another chew out. Jaune muttered in his mind. A seemed to have a different idea.

I don't know about you, but if it means we get mounted like that again I would love to get chewed on-I mean chewed out.

Jaune and B both looked at A with concern. You're a fucking freak. B said, and A just giggled.

"Ms. Altan." Jaune said as neutrally as he could, not looking away from his spreadsheet. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Arslan chewed on the inner bit of her lip. "I feel we need to have a… lets go with conversation."

Jaune winced. Ohh, that sounds like I am getting chewed out. "Yes?" he said tentatively, closing his eyes with a tilt.

Arslan took the seat next to him, looking intently at the blonde haired man. She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. It went out in a smooth, cool blow. "Who is the leader of this team, Jaune?"

"I was led to believe that you are, Ms. Altan." Jaune responded as he filled out another row.

"yes. Then why don't you act like it?"

Jaune tilted his head at that. "I was unaware of any particular orders I have ignored."

Arslan gave him a flat look. "But you do not act like you are not in charge. You don't work with us, you do whatever you want. You can't disobey orders when you're not there I guess." She sighed, shaking her head. "I don't really know how your team operated in Beacon, but however it was it does not apply here. I refuse to have another Bolin situation."

Jaune nodded, turning in his chair to look at his leader. "Is that so?"

Arslan snapped up, looking at him with an exasperated glare. "Yes!" She breathed out, before recomposing herself. "Yes, I do. You do, whatever. Just… Look, I know you are strong enough to back up whatever decision you decide to make." She stated, her forearm flexing as she gripped and released the chair. "But when you are going to do something that effects all of us, like charting a boat or…. Something else, run it by me first. Or at least let me know beforehand."

Jaune nodded, turning back to his computer screen. "I will keep that in mind. While I have you here, can you look something over for me?"

Arslan blinked, as though she was expecting something else. "That's it?" She asked, her head tilting. "Just "alright"? No grumbling, no grouching, no "that's not fair"?" it was a shocker to her, as almost every time she tried to "parent" her team, as Rheese called it, she got some pushback. Rheese if she disliked it would complain. Bolin would fight endlessly, and Nadir would bring up counterpoints and arguments in good faith but still endlessly frustrating.

Jaune shrugged, turning the computer to her. "Why? You're the leader of team AACS. If you want me to be more open, it's behooved of me at least try. Anyway, I was thinking about dinner over the trip. How do you feel about tomato soup?"

Arslan blinked at him, her head tilting to the side. She just gave him a thumbs up, before shaking her head again.

"Right, another thing I wanted to bring up" Arslan moved on, squaring up her shoulders. "Necromancy, seriously? Necromancy? Of all the messed up, absolutely fucked things-" The lioness stopped for a moment, thinking. "You probably don't have the same morals as I do, don't you?" On account of the brain damage Went unspoken. "Do you have any respect for dead? Or is it a Cortez "if they didn't want to be used as fuel, they shouldn't have died"? kind of thing."

Jaune shrugged nonchalantly as he typed up several figures into the spreadsheet, letting it's automatic algebraic equations do the heavy lifting in figuring out the costs he would need to cover. Or get Lionheart to cover. Surely there was something for students and alternative transportation somewhere. He would have to ask Dr. Cortez about it post festival. "As far as I am concerned, my respect for their corpses is outweighed by my need for a crew." He paused for a moment after that, realizing just exactly how bad it sounded in the real world. "In my defense, I treat my corpses with more respect than Dr. Cortez." He added as a defensive addendum.

"Because we all know forced slave labor is so respectful." Was her sarcastic reply before giving up on it. Arslan slumped over. "Right. Ok. Fine, can't win them all I guess. Just- Next time you are going to do something particularly messed up, let me know before hand, alright? Just in case I need to stop you."

The lioness could see Jaune's chest tighten up as he withheld a snort. "right. Right. Of course. So I am assuming you're good with Tomato Soup?"

"Yes, I am fine with the tomato soup."

"That be the last o'em, sir." Hathway called from the bottom of the deck. Jaune nodded, checking off the box on his clipboard.

"Right. Excellent. Well that should be the last of it." He said, checking his list again. Pulling out his scroll, he sent Arslan a quick text. Boats ready. Come post lunch, 1?

There was a series of dots as Arslan typed something on the other side.

Sure. I'll let the rest of us know. I will see you at one.

Jaune nodded, closing his scroll. Well, if he was going to have one last meal that wasn't going to be out of a can for a week, he was going to enjoy it. So Abkir's it was.

Abkir's was a busy place, which was good. Amanda, one of the newer staff, gave him a cursory glance as the little bell above rung.

"I'll be with you in a moment!" She called, hustling through the resturant. Jaune waited patiently for a minute, maybe two, before she managed to get to the kiosk. "Ah, Mr. Arcana." She sighed, surpressing a shiver. Amanda really didn't know why Mr. Abkir adored the strange, gaunt man that stunk of death and alcohol and a scent that she couldn't quite place, and frankly she would be fine if she never had to find out. It wasn't the stinky, damp kind of death, like road kill or the things that she and her siblings rolled in when they were tiny tiny pups. It was the old kind of death. The clean kind. The kind that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end. The kind that she thought the grimm smelled like, if they didn't smell wet and tar like. Which was a shame, because he tipped so well and never caused a fuss. She led him to the usual spot he sat in, one tucked away in the corner with a great view of the entire restaurant.

"so, what will it be today Mr. Arcana?" she asked, pulling out her notepad. He gave the menu a quick once over.

"Sobe Salaman, medium spice. And a…." he paused, thinking for a moment. "Cherry Soda. Diet if you can make it." He smiled, handing her the menu. She nodded, moving in a hurry to deliver the order.

Sobe Salaman was not his favorite thing on the menu. A deep, flavorful and admittedly spicy tomato bisque kind of soup with chunks of battered fish and topped with ground tree nuts. By no means it was bad, but Jaune felt that there were better items on the menu. He was particuarly inclined to Obbatan if he had to be honest.

So he sat there, in his little quiet corner as the world turned around him. People talked, as they oft do. Considering the time of day, it was mostly Faunus on their lunch breaks. People chatting about inconsequential things. People complaining about John or Cherryl or Amanda or Hekob in Accounting or Engineering or Advertising or Management being a bitch. Some of it was about people talking about their children and their newest obessions, some of it was wondering if there would be a raise for once this quarter. There wouldn't be, just as there hadn't been for the last eighty or so. It was insignificant. Yet they were content, for the moment. Content with their little insignificant lives.

The Sobe Salaman came with a diet Cherry Soda, as it would every other time. Taking a spoonful, Jaune blew on it to cool down the steaming soup before popping it in his mouth. It was exactly as he expected it to be.

Not perfect, not even his favorite. Warm and tingling and a sweet sort of burning. It tasted much the same way the feeling of content might. Not that Jaune was overly familier with the feeling of course.

Regardless, the world kept turning, content. Jaune sipped at his soda as the moments filtered by, flickering away into little bits of ash and time. Eventually the moments flickered away to the point where Jaune must finish his meal. It was getting cold after all. Standing up, leaving several hard plastic cards on the table, he left an empty bowl and a glass of ice. He meandered back to the MSS Amanda Fitzhoray, moseying along at a leisurely pace.

Ahh, would you look at that. The gaunt man mused to himself, peering across the street at a pair of familiar silhouette. He checked the time. 1:05. Right on time, as always.

Technically they are late.

Sush you.

"greeting and hello!" Jaune called out, strolling towards his two teammates. "A fine day to be wandering around, wouldn't it?"

The blonde lioness smiled, shouldering her large duffle bag into a more comfortable position. "Jaune. You couldn't have picked a finer day to set out on." It was a good day. Lots of sunshine and just a small scattering of clouds.

Jaune looked over the two of them and their luggage. "where's Rheese?"

Arslan shrugged. "She left early. I think she was excited to see the ship and claim her room first." Was the explanation. Jaune nodded as he lead the two down to the docks.

Captain Hathway greeted them as, walking down the plank onto the stones. He had covered his face since his resurrection, a large thick scarf wrapping around his neck and a cloth under his captain's hat to cover the sides of his head. "Sir! We'va gottom your friends on board and settled awah." He said in his incomprehensibly thick accent. The ranger raised an eyebrow.

"Friends? As in multiple? I thought it was only Rheese that came early?" He asked, turning to make sure that Arslan and Nadir were still there. The captain nodded.

"Ye, all five o'eum. Said it was real nice o you to take em ocross." The captain said as two shambling crewmates descended upon his teammates luggage, picking them up and taking them aboard. Jaune gave his leader a curious look, walking on board.

Arslan just looked at the shuffling crewmates, each with copious amounts of cloth covering their face and extremities, with a mixed level of pity and discuss.

The ship itself was… almost a normal experience to walk in. it was a normal ship until one looked at it closer. Some areas were designed in a manner that would never be seen on an actual ship. The hallway where the luggage was being taken looked like it was out of some very cozy british children's book, and the kitchen was not the usual galley one might find on a ship, but seemingly closely modeled after that of a small restaurant. That was just the obvious, as upon closer inpsection there were stranger artifacting in the ships construction. Pieces of wood fused into metal into plaster into wood again.

"Eyyy, Jaune man!" A boisterous, monkey tailed blonde greeted the rest of team AACS. Jaune raised an eyebrow at him, and the temperature dropped suddenly.

"Mr. Wukong." The ranger said, his piercing blue eyes so intense that if you told Sun Wukong they were shooting laser beams at him he would believe you. "I do not recall you being a guest aboard my ship."

That drained the color out of Sun's Sunkissed face. "uhhh… Rheese said it was ok?" he offered meekly.

"Did she now? How…. Peculiar. I do not remember being told that such an offer was on the table." Jaune said as his brow furrowed. There was a shining in his blue eyes. No, not a shining, but a glow. A glow that shot through the smoked hallway with a terrible sheen. "I suppose you have managed to drag the rest of your team onto my ship as well?"

Sun gulped, nodding. Did he think that Jaune was going to kill him over this? Logically, no, he wouldn't. But there was always his little edge in his brain, the little bite at the edge of his thoughts.

Gods are not logical.

Jaune let out a sigh, shaking his head. On one hand he should have expected this, should have planned for it. Well, he had in a sense. It just meant that their course was altered, stopping by Eurveyun or somewhere near there, should they stay. Now he had to deal with figuring out what to do with the scoundabond-

We don't have to. B offered slyly, crouching over like Gollum. We could let… her do it.

Her? Jaune thought for a moment, trying to figure out who Her was. He was assuming there wasn't a giant spider on the ship, or that B was suggesting that Jaune kill team SSSN. They were good friends at best and useful meat shields at worst. Oh, you mean Arslan. Well, she did want to feel like a leader more. I guess I can punt it to her.

"You round up your team, put them up on the deck. I will discuss with this the ships… official commander." He said, turning on his heel. He went off looking for his leader, who he suspected was down below. Probably hiding away from the crew.

And indeed she was. As a matter the fact, she was standing in the cabin's hallway, hand on her hips as she stared at one of the doors. "You know, it will never open if you just look at it. Unless you have gained Laser eyes recently and declined to tell me."

Arslan startled, turning to look at her second most managable teammate. God that was a sad statement. She mused to herself as she grabbed her bag.

"no, I'm just trying to figure out which room is mine." She said, pursing her lips. Jaune nodded.

"About that, question for you Commander Supreme." The taller blonde started, but was cut off.

"Commander?"

The ranger shrugged. "I was called "Fearless leader" when I was at Beacon. Figured it was just… a thing." There was an addendum silence between them for a moment. There were a lot of those between them, not all of them uncomfortable. "Anyway, we have interlopers on the ship."

Arslan looked at one of the open doors, where some members of team Sun had made their home in already. "I assumed. And I don't suppose you mean the walking corpses that are said interlopers?"

"The crew?" Jaune sounded indignant. "Of course not. It's team sun. SSSN. Whichever."

The lioness nodded. "yes. And?"

Jaune leaned up against one of the walls, just out of her arms reach. "If we let them stay, we will need to rearrange the sleeping arrangements and make a pitstop somewhere along the coast."

Arslan's hips cocked as she leaned on one leg in a way that Jaune probably shouldn't have found as tempting as it should have been. "Or?"

"We throw them overboard." He responded flatly, shrugging.

"JAUNE!" Arslan yelled, slugging him in the arm. He chuckled, the action only noticeable by the movement in his chest.

"I jest, I jest. We would leave them on the docks. I don't think poor Neptune would survive being thrown overboard." He said as he looked at her expectantly. Arslan deliberated on it for a moment.

"I would not find their presence too… aggravating for the trip." She admitted after a moment. "take us north, Captian."

Jaune responded with a bow. "I am not the captain, but I will inform Captain Hathway of our new heading." He headed up to the main deck, passing team SSSN on the way. "Good news chaps, you can stay. We'll discuss the particulars later." He said as he surged towards Captain Hathway. "We have a new heading."

"ah, do weh noa?" the waterlogged zombie said as he took the helm. "where do we be headen?"

Jaune had to think on that for a moment, trying to recall what port cities were nearby, or at least they could reach in a comfortable manner.

"Take us to Bedrouxuban." Jaune decided. He could the creak as the seaman raised an eyebrow. "is there and issue with that, Captain?"

The accented man shrugged. "I jus didn't think thada be a port open at thi' time o year." He mused as he leaned on the wheel, balancing carefully. The ranger tilted his head, curious.

"oh? What makes you say that?"

The captain nodded up at the sky, towards the shattered moon that hung low in the pale blue sky. It's shattered figure an eerie sight. "Those ports beh frozen over this time of year, with teh low waters an all."

Jaune raised his own eyebrow at that. "I know it's cold, but I thought Bedrouxuban was a deep water port. Shouldn't it have ice breakers? Or something?" The captain shook his head.

"Not how the tides work, laddie. See how the broken side o the moon faces frontside?" Henry Hathway said. "It has a bit less pull on o seas here, at this time o year. So lowaer tides, more frost, the whole shaboozy."

The ranger hummed, disappointed in knowing the answer to his next question. "And the next closest port?"

"Orleans, unless it's changed in the last fourtay years." Hathaway mused. Jaune slumped, internally cursing.

"Set us off. I'm to attend to our guests." Jaune waved him off, striding back downstairs. Someone, he suspected Arslan, had gathered the living residents of the Amanda Fitzhoray into the hallway, where they had gathered their personal effects as well. He strode up to them, standing behind his leader as a show of support. Remember, She's your leader. It needs to appear like it. He reminded himself.

"We are on our way, Madam." Jaune whispered into Arslan's ear, an action that made her shudder. Right, I forgot that I tend to surprize her. The ranger mentally cursed. She leaned up to look at him, and Jaune swore it was the light but she looked rather rosy in the cheeks. It was a curseably attractive look on her.

He knows what that does to me, right? Arslan cursed mentally as she felt Jaunes gravelled voice ran through her soul like a strong spirit. He has to, considering how often he does it. He has to know what it does to me. She tensed her thighs, the force in her muscles refocusing her off of her more primal mind. It did not go silently, demanding action.

Today. Arslan compromised with it. Tonight. Later. On this trip. She offered. There was a disgruntled kind of disappointment. She knew she was avoiding the question. You are Arslan Altan. You take things head on. You do not hide from anything, much less yourself.

"thank you Jaune, we were waiting for you to show up." She grinned as she bumped him with her hip. "We are arranging sleeping quarters. Since you were so kind as to arrange the trip, I figured you should get to pick your room and roommate first."

There are far worse people I could settle for than him. She thought to herself as she watched him closely. You're right, me. No more of… this half dancing. Today.

The ranger nodded, pretending to think for a moment. "I do not have a preference toward which room I have nor my roommate. I trust everyone here enough to be wise enough to not try something…. Incredibly stupid." He said, in a way that came off as far more ominous than the average person would have intended. Arslan sighed, wishing he would be a little more proactive regarding himself. Always jumping through hoops for others… Although this adventure was probably a little bit of selfishness on his side.

While Arslan thought wistfully on Jaune's kindness, everyone else gave each other a concerned glance at the ominous aura that poured off them.

"Well, if you insist, I'm calling dibs." Arslan nudged him with her elbow. "I recommend we split up by teams, but do as you wish."

Sun nodded, looking at Neptune. Dutifully, the ranger followed his leader into a room of her choosing. She had good taste, as this room, much like the others, looked more like a themed hotel from a cozy life simulation videogame than anything else. Several sea glass spheres in netted rope hung from the ceiling, oil wicks hanging inside them to give light to the room. A generous bed for a ship rested tucked along the exterior wall, and there was a set of drawers perpendicular to the bed. A desk, or perhaps a table, was seated catty corner to the drawers, closer to the door than anything else. Arslan looked around, nodding.

"only one bed." She noted slyly, giving jaune a teasing look. Jaune blinked, looking at the room. "you know, when I thought about it, I was assuming that everyone was going to get their own room." He offered as a kind of peace treaty. Arslan tossed her luggage under the desk. Jaune put his quiver leaning against a corner.

Arslan let out a deep breath as she flopped onto the bed, looking up at the wooden ceiling. Now there was nothing but time to kill, at least for a while. She supposed that she could stand above deck, enjoy looking out at the sea. The bed compressed next to her as the ranger sat down, pensively looking at the door.

The lioness, in a manner not too unlike a cat, shifted to look at him. "You know, if you wanted to join me in bed you only had to ask. You didn't need to trap all of us on a ship with one bed~" she teased, grinning. Her fellow blonde stiffened at that, his head turning owlishly to look at her.

Bring, bring, bring! Red alert, Red alert! A sounded off, the red flashing klaxon alarm going off in his head. Pretty girl is being pretty! Red Alert, Red Alert!

B groaned, smacking him upside the head. You stop that. We have made it this far without looking like an ass as we will not start now! He hissed, doing his best to get the heat that was rising to Jaune's face under control. He was failing, as even Arslan could see his ears start to turn red. "You know that was not the intention-" he started, before stopping as a thought occurred to him. "is this flirting?"

A groaned, trying to strangle Jaune. No, no! Not smooth, not suitable mate material! What kind of dumbass question was that! Of course she is. There was a pause of self doubt. Or at least I hope she is.

His bluntness made Arslan guffaw. "I don't know. You want me to be?" She smirked, nudging him again in the thigh. His wide eyed look reminded her of an owl before he fell down next to her.

"Why?" He asked, still looking at her. Arslan huffed again.

"Why not?" She counter offered. "we don't have to go anywhere with this. If you don't want to, not here, not now, nothing has to change. We can go back to our little sidestepping around each other." The lioness nodded, backtracking the boldness into something a little more honest. "Go back to being just me and you. Teammates. Friends. Whatever."

Arslan was looking back up at the ceiling now, not wanting to trust looking at Jaune. Then something warm wrapped around her hand, rough scarred fingers that burned too hot and the blood in them ran too fast laced around her own.

Jaune was breathing in a forceful manner with closed eyes. "I am not pretty." He finally said. The way he said it made Arslan's heart break. It was like watching him play that guitar all over again, but with no pretty metaphor to hide behind. "I am scarred and broken and I am not sure if I can be fixed." Jaune turned to look at her, his grip on her hand tight, almost desperatly so. "I don't think I've ever been loved in the way you are offering. I don't think I can feel for you in the way you want"

Arslan's eyes softened as she started to mentally chant to herself. This sounds like a rejection. Please don't be a rejection please don't be a rejection please don't be a rejection-

"But there is a first time for everything." Jaune smiled. A genuine, honest smile. "And for that I think I am willing to stumble and fall. For you." He added hastily. Arslan grinned, giving his hand a squeeze before letting go. She shuffled up onto her knees, leaning forward.

"I… suppose we kiss now?" She offered when her… paramour? Let's go with that. Too soon to call jaune a boyfriend, she felt. When her paramour made no motion to join her on a higher vertical axis. "You know, like in all those children's tales."

That made Jaune laugh. It started with a small suppressed chuckle, but apparently as whatever thought that Jaune was simulating in his head made it's way through, it became more amusing. So amusing that it made the stoic man actually laugh out loud, curling in on himself for a moment as he struggled to regain composure. "Arslan, my armor is not shining and you, mon lion, are no damsel." He said with mirth. Arslan blinked for a moment.

"I don't get it." She said flatly, still absolutely bamboozled at jaune's seemingly insane reaction. "Seriously, what's so funny about it?"

END CHAP

The seas had not changed since Jaune had ridden them last. Wow, that was forever ago. He mused to himself as the sun set on the waves, little crossing squares flickering from orange and pink to a deep blue green as the soft waves shifted slowly. The boat still rocked in the same way, and the salt breeze that drifted over his face tasted as it had those months before. Months? Was it truly months since he left for Jor's boat? All he knew is that he did not have any Sick Ass Hawiaan shirts with him at the time.

Jor, now that is a name we have not thought of in a long time. Jaune smiled, leaning on the boats wooden rails.

I think we should be more worried about that atrocity of a shirt. B groaned, squinting as though it was giving him a headache. The purple and bright blue shirt was attention drawing.

There was a sound of feet tripping over themselves and mild cursing in feral.

"Takash" Arslan muttered as she made her way to Jaune. "Are you not to come down? Would seem a shame to not join us for a meal you made." She sauntered up to her blonde, nestling up beside him.

Wow, it's weird to think of Jaune has "My" blonde

His breathing stopped for a moment, puffing up like some wild animal that was suddenly approached. The moment he realized who it was, he deflated.

"Ms. Altan-" He started, only for Arslan to give him one of the most withering looks. "Arslan." He corrected himself. "Arslan. I suppose I could."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "And why then won't you?"

The only thing she got in response was a shrug. Arslan shook her head, looking out at the sunset. "it's pretty, isn't it?" She mused. The blonde next to her hummed.

"It is not a view I get to see often." He said, still looking out to the water, like some vigilant watcher. The lioness tilted her head to look at him. She knew that was a lie or at least it should be. She could hear the times he came into his room at, and it was far past any time the sun set. But there was something in his voice that was just far too sincere.

"How often do you see a view like this?" She asked him. Jaune hummed again, gazing out into the sea.

"I don't know. It always seems so long between them."

Arslan sighed, leaning forward. "You are devilishly hard to keep a conversation with, you know?" She grumbled good naturedly. Jaune gave her a coy smile.

"What? Is it not enough that I get to sit here, deranged in my Hawaiian shirt?" He grinned wolfishly, looking down at his newly minted girlfriend. Her emerald green eyes rolled as she looked at his choice attire.

"Speaking of which, when in the gods name did you get this? You look like someone's dad." She chortled, before pausing for a moment. "I forbid you from pulling out a fanny pack from… somewhere." She gestured at him. His brow furrowed with a look of mock indignation.

"Hey! Fanny packs are cool." He paused. "I think. I'm sure they're making a comeback." Arslan laughed, shaking her head.

"You know, I don't think I've ever heard you tell a joke before." Arslan smiled at him, turning to look at the setting sun. "It's a good look on you."

Jaune let out his breath, still looking at her. "Dr. Cayton did say I've been improving my outlook on things."

Arslan smiled brightly at that. "Have you now? That's good." Her grin was wide and cherishing, her head nodding to the bobbing of the waves before falling apart.

Jaune raised an eyebrow at her. "You're worried about something." He said, leaving the opportunity for his partner to speak.

Arslan waved him off. "It's nothing. Nothing I can fix anyway." She said, stretching. "We should retire soon. The light will be gone soon, I know for a fact that Sun brought a deck of cards. I suspect he is very interested in wrangling you into a game of poker."

She's lying. B noted, categorizing and mapping out the way her face twitched. I'm not sure what about, but there is something bothering her, something that has to do with us.

Jaune mentally hummed in agreement. There was a sudden tenseness in his soul, the kind that started by pulling your gut by your ribs and laddered its way up into the throat. Was she regretting their relationship already? Had he done something wrong? Was he really going to be turned down again, just at the precipice of having just a little bit of light back?

No. No, no, no no and no. Jaune quelled the notion, killing the idea. Arslan is a sureset woman. I am sure she is fine with this, and if she wasn't I know she would tell me such. He reaffirmed himself, steadying his faith.

She should know we are there for her, whatever it is. A reminded his host. He turned, grabbing her wrist as she walked away. The surprise contact made her stiffen, jumping as she turned to look at him with an expression of unexpectedness on her face. "Whatever it is, you can tell me. You do not have to, but I will linger here a little longer. Just in case." He offered. Arslan smiled, this one thinner and far less joyous than her last. It was a bittersweet kind of smile; one laced in the bitter taste of assuring someone with no chance that they were going to make it and the acidic bile of looking into the eyes of a god and daring to tell them you're alright.

"You and she are similar, you know?" She said, nodding at the dark ocean. "You appear so calm and flat at times, it's hard to remember that you are not shallow sometimes."

Jaune blinked as she walked away, not sure how to tell that. Was… Was she insulting me? Or was that a compliment?

I suspect, now here me out here, A said, rubbing his temples as another set of hands accordioned back and forth infront of him. That it was a metaphor. For what? No clue. But I think it's a good thing?

Jaune went down under to find team SSSN wrapped around a table, splitting up a deck of cards between them.

Arslan slid into Rheese and Nadir's room, letting out a deep breath. She could feel her heart beating, and she couldn't tell why. Well, she could. She knew why, she knew very well why and it fully depended on whether or not she was a good person.

Rheese looked up from her scroll as the door shut, a flustering Arslan Altan standing there. "Ars, you good? You look a little tense there."

"Me and Jaune are dating." The lioness blurted out, the words tumbling out of her mouth like a waterfall, almost tripping over themselves.

Rheese blinked at her. "Oh. Congratulations? We kind of already knew that, but more power too you." She shrugged, before coming to a realization. "Wait, is this a "Please forgive me for dating someone on the team when I gave Bolin and everyone else so much shit when we were assigned to a team?" speech?" She grinned coyly, despite internally cringing that Arslan had managed to score a boyfriend with what looked like long term prospects before she got a semi-permanent girlfriend.

Arslan shook her head, moving to sit down next to Rheese. "No. It's worse. I-" She paused, stomping over to sit down next to her green haired teammate. "How do you love someone who terrifies you?" She breathed out, her body slumping as the air rattled out of her.

Nadir blinked at her. "Why would you enter a relationship with Jaune if you have concerns about its safety? Jaune does not strike me as someone who would pose a source of physical or emotional abuse to his partner." He said flatly, not looking up from his scroll.

Arslan turned to look at him. "No. It's not like that. I don't think Jaune is going to abuse me or anything. I'm more worried about being suddenly atomized because he is literally a Biblically Accurate Angel with brain damage." She said with a sharp edge in her voice. "It's just… I don't know." She collapsed back down. "Me and my stupid heart, falling in love with a man held together by a thread."

Rheese patted her on her shoulder with a small smile. "Arslan. I have never known you to be stupid. You have always been smart. The woman with a plan, the disciplined dame. You've never been dumb, and frankly I've never known you to make a bad decision." She reassured the lioness, who looked up at her from under her arm.

"Yeah, but I've never done the whole love thing before." Arslan retorted, her heart not really in the words.

"So?" Rheese shrugged, as though it didn't matter. "First time for everything. Besides, you're a calm, collected responsible adult and as Cortez says "You can make your own dumbass decisions now."" The skater said to her leader. She smiled, returning the comforting pat that Rheese had given her earlier.

"Thanks. Jaune told me I could go at the pace I wanted, so I guess I'm taking it slow for now."

Rheese smiled softly. "that's my girl." She hummed, before a cheshire grin spread across her face. "Does this mean I get to give Jaune the shovel talk if he hurts you?"

Arslan huffed, shaking her head. "Somehow I think my father has dibs." Her face fell as realization struck her, turning into a groan. "ohhhh, nooo, I'm going to have to tell my parents about this, aren't I?"

Nadir shrugged. "Why bother? If you're unsure about the relationship and don't necessarily want their advice, what they won't know won't hurt them." He said, adding something to some kind of spreadsheet. "it's what I do with you."

Arslan blinked, crunching up to look at her pink haired teammate. "Wait, Nadir what haven't you told me?"

"nothing!" Nadir squeaked, quickly closing whatever spreadsheet he was working on.

So, I owe everyone an apology: there has been a mix up in the story/ continuity. In the last chapter I had Arslan get kind of miffed about Jaune jumping ahead of her when in an earlier chapter they had already spoken about the mode of transportation. I also had Arslan mention her stress over the Vytal festival (and that they were selected) when she had already come to the conclusion they were going. These are excellent arguments as to why I shouldn't take long breaks inbetween chapters and that I should probably reread my work every once in a blue moon. So whoops, my apologies. I also had Arslan and Jaune make their thing official, and while I was heavy handed at the zoo they never confirmed it (Take it as Arslan assumed they had the one actual date and Jaune taking arslans "not yet" as Oh, we're just friends now and not as I'm not emotionally ready to kiss you). As the author, take the more recent stuff (Arslan being stressed over being selected and arslan quarreling with jaune) as the intended story because it presents them with more flaws and much more human. While I do like that I have a healthier road of communication between the two, communication is often not perfect.

Anyway, the story now finally earns those brackets around Jaune and Arslan's tags. I really wish I had more time to have Arslan be a crushing schoolgirl/ denying her own feelings over it, but for a less bloated story I guess. Next stop, the Citadel of White Wax, and maybe orleans!