Chapter 3, Side Story:

The Vytal festival was almost everything Blake imagined it to be. There were stands with all sorts of deep-fried treats, ranging from bacon-wrapped donuts, some sort of Vacuan fried bread that was dumped in cinnamon and sugar, and her personal favorite, a fish on a skewer that had been healthily coated in a sweet yet tangy sauce. There were kids walking around, hand in hand with their parents, bright smiles all around. Even in the evening light, when the horizon started to take on those many hues of purple and orange, Blake felt like the day might never end.

The only thing that felt out of place was the lack of… well, tournament. But overall? She could live without a tournament for one year.

After all, there'd be another Vytal Tournament in two years anyway. That gave her plenty of time to enjoy the moment.

Speaking of the moment, she felt an arm slung over her shoulder, pulling her along and into another stall. "Ooh, check it out, they've got rifle games!" Blake smiled, feeling Jaune pull her along. "C'mon, let's go for a few rounds!"

This was game… thirteen? There was a backboard that was set up against the back of the stall, a series of multi-colored balloons speckling the board, like a clown just finished sneezing.

Blake watched the blond set a pair of Lien cards down, not that they sat there for very long. Calling the stall owner greedy wasn't nearly rude enough. "I think I'm good for now. But if you want, by all means."

Jaune looked as giddy as a kid on Christmas, and Blake had no doubt he felt it too. He shouldered the rifle, and in the blink of an eye, his expression fell away. She watched as pure concentration covered his face. He'd probably forgotten that he was hunting balloons and not wild game.

Still, Blake inched over to his side, watching as he lined up his sights. His brought his finger over the trigger-

Blake blew on his ear, and the mock-gun went off with a pop. The pellet hit the backboard, and little else. But watching Jaune's brow twitch as he shouldered his rifle again? Priceless. But the same trick wouldn't work twice.

Either way, she had her fun. And best of all, it was at darling Jaune's expense. She'd found that that was the best kind of fun. Well, second best. The best was just them on their own, enjoying the silence of one another's company, doing their own things as they went. Though these days, they didn't get to do their own things for too long. Distractions tended to pop up.

Mainly each other.

But at this moment? Hearing the sound of laughter and music permeating the air? The sweet aroma of food and sweets swirled into a mass that made her feel almost nose-blind. Jaune pulled the trigger, and a loud pop rang out. He racked the bolt, and pulled it again. Then a third, then a fourth.

She could have stared at the balloon popping, but honestly? Blake didn't care to. Why bother when she could watch Jaune actually focus for once? It was… kind of endearing, in a weird kind of way. By no means was he airheaded, but Jaune had the tendency to get lost in thoughts. But that sharp look in his eyes? A focused frown on his lips? She didn't hate it.

Eventually, his rifle clicked empty, and all he could do was set it down. "Well, I guess I'm not getting the girl the stuffed bear." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks for throwing me off my groove."

"It was funny," Blake shrugged, letting a sly smile across her lips. "Besides, you love it."

Jaune only threw his arms up, but his exasperated expression cracked under pressure. "...You're buying snacks next time."

"Then I'm picking what we eat."

"No more seafood, please…"

Blake rolled her eyes, linking arms with Jaune as she pulled him along. They left the stall behind with the same fanfare that they stepped in with. That was to say, none. But who needed fanfare when there was a whole festival ground to explore? It had gotten late enough in the evening that the strings of lights that went from stall to stall had begun to light up, coating the grounds in a warm orange glow.

She dragged her boyfriend along for a few more stalls - and that was something to still get used to. Months down the line, long after they'd started technically dating, it still felt weird to think of Jaune as her boyfriend. Then again, it sounded better than 'the guy she has sex with and loves.' Lover felt too formal, and partner felt like it wasn't accurate. So, boyfriend it was.

Blake walked until she found yet another set of wooden tables and benches set out, the stalls more than a few dozen feet away to give the dining area room. Dozens of plates lined the tables, and behind those plates were people, enjoying their meals. Thankfully, there was a spot open, away from the stalls, and subsequently, away from all the people.

"Hey," she looked up at Jaune, watching his eyebrows shoot high. "Do you mind saving us a seat somewhere quiet? I'm gonna grab us some pretzels."

Jaune's eyes lit up, his mouth pulling into a smile. "Yeah, no problem. Just, uh, can you get us one of those little cheese cups? I don't know if they do that here, but back home they used to-"

"I've got it." Blake did her best to not roll her eyes as she pushed him along. "I'll get you your cheese, just remember to get us a seat that's a little… private, I guess?" Not for any particular reason. But if she had to choose between being around a lot of people, and being around just Jaune, she'd always pick the latter.

"Alright, alright, I'll get us something quiet." Jaune didn't bother to conceal his eye roll. Not that it surprised her. Jaune was many things, but subtle was never one of them. He gave her a little wave as he turned away, stuffing his free hand into his hoodie pocket. "I'll see you in a bit. Just don't get lost, alright?"

Now Blake rolled her eyes, making her way to the food stalls as she struggled to keep her smile at least modest. Her cheeks hurt from how hard she'd been smiling. Any more, and she was afraid she'd be stuck with a dopey grin forever. Thankfully, it got easier as she put more distance between herself and Jaune.

Each stall had a different kind of food, representing each of the cultures across Remnant. Vale kept things simplest - if it was meat, they dumped it in batter and fried it. Or if they decided they wanted to be healthier, they'd take a fruit and cover it in caramel. Vacuo's stands were much the same, albeit with less grease, but more sugar. Sweet breadsticks doused in cinnamon and sugar, or a caramel pudding in the shape of cake. That sort of thing.

Mistral's were… interesting. Fried calamari on skewers, balls of fried dough with meat stuffed in them - the general rule of thumb was that it came in a ball of dough and could be served with beer. And frankly, as good as that sounded, Blake was more than willing to leave alcohol behind for a few years.

Atlas, however, kept things the cheapest, but never really sacrificed flavor. Sure, more fried dough and all that, but at least it was cheap. Then there were the more meat-oriented foods, but the one that took her attention came in a familiar shape. It was like a hotdog, sure, but… way bigger, honestly. Blake wasn't sure what the differences were, but she was sure they were there.

Either way, she'd spent far too much time browsing the food stalls, and not nearly enough time actually ordering. So she went and picked up a pair of pretzels, got a little cup with cheese, and turned to head back to the dining area.

It was easy enough to spot Jaune - there weren't exactly too many blond guys with moppy hair and bad fashion sense. But when her eyes landed on his form, she found him sitting across from another blond. Another guy.

A guy with a monkey tail, blue eyes, and a habit for stealing. Sun Wukong.

"Oh, great." She mumbled, making her way to the table. Great, a guy that was into her was talking to her boyfriend. If trashy rom-coms had anything to them, then this could only go swimmingly. Either way, she grit her teeth and got closer.

But as she closed in, she heard the two of them speaking together.

"Dude, I'm really sorry about all that, by the way." Sun brought a hand to the back of his head. "I mean, I hadn't seen her in a few months, so I figured… you know?"

Jaune only shrugged, chuckling quietly. It was only by the grace of her ears that she caught it. "You didn't know, so it's whatever, right? Besides, Blake can handle herself without me butting in. So it's water under the bridge."

She watched Sun deflate in his seat, deeply sighing. "Cool, man. Cool." A smile spread across his face. "Gotta say though, you're lucky. I mean, I couldn't really get her to talk to me all that much, but I thought I had a chance."

"There are days I can't get her to talk to me. But those days are good too." …Blake wasn't that averse to talking, was she? She didn't think she was. There were just days that she didn't have anything to say, that's all. "Some would call it luck, but I don't really believe in that. I think it was just a case of us hanging out a ton. That's all."

Sun slumped over the table, his cheek resting against the wooden surface. "If that's how it goes, then it probably wouldn't have played out anyway. It's not like I was gonna move schools to make that happen. Like, what would my team think?"

Blake watched as her boyfriend reached across the table, patting the monkey faunus on the shoulder. "The struggles of leadership, right?"

"Hooray…" You know, Blake had never actually seen Sun so mopey. She wouldn't call it sad, but there was certainly a whiplash to it. She never thought that someone so optimistic and energetic could feel so down.

Worse still was, when Sun's eyes came up from the table, they were in the right place to catch her own.

His face paled, an awkward smile pulling at his face as he shot up in his seat. "Well dude, it's been cool chatting, but I gotta make sure Neptune hasn't flubbed his date tonight, you know?" He held out a closed fist, and Blake wasn't in any way surprised to see Jaune bump knuckles with him. "I'll catch you later."

Blake sighed as she made her way to the bench across from Jaune, taking her seat. Jaune's expression was… tricky. Like he was somewhere caught between amusement and disappointment.

"You know, I kinda feel bad for the guy." He mumbled, frowning as he rested his chin in his palm. "I'd say I can't imagine what the feeling's like, but I do. Not a great feeling."

Blake held out a pretzel, holding it by a paper napkin that had been handed to her. "Would you rather we didn't end up together?"

Jaune snorted. "Hell no." Taking the pretzel, along with the little cup of cheese that came with it. "Is that mean of me to think? Like, I empathize with the guy and all, but…"

"You wouldn't give up what you have for him." Not something that Blake was unfamiliar with. Still, she smiled. "And you'd better not either. I'd never forgive you if your sense of morality made you give me up. Besides, Sun's… nice, I guess. But that's it."

His pretzel crunched between his teeth, humming as he swallowed the bite. "Man, that's brutal."

Blake shrugged. "I'm not in the market for any more blonds, honestly. I'm happy with the one I landed."

"I am quite the catch." He rubbed his chin as he chuckled. "But, uh, in spite of my sympathies and all that? Yeah, sorry, I'm not that sympathetic."

Blake wasn't surprised he felt that way. After all, she was the same way. Granted, her feelings on Sun were a little tricky. He was annoying, but he was sweet. Just… not in the 'I'd be down to date him' kind of way. More of a 'I can tolerate bumping into him in the cafeteria' way. Either way, the sentiment was mimicked, albeit for different people.

There were some days that Blake couldn't help but wonder, what would have happened if Jaune wound up with someone like Weiss? The thought never lasted, mostly because of how outside of reality it was. But thoughts like that were never grounded in logic and reasoning. They were irrational.

It wasn't a question that stemmed from jealousy or whatever. Weiss was her teammate. Her friend. There'd never be any betrayal from her, of that, Blake was sure. The question was more of a… what if, she supposed.

What if her life was so much worse? What if she didn't have that anchor at her side, keeping her grounded? What if Blake hadn't had such a guiding light through what could easily be called the hardest year of her life so far?

She'd have… probably done something stupid. Something like single handedly challenging the White Fang - again - but in some much more dangerous way. Not because she liked danger, but because, at the time, it was all Blake could really think about for a while. Her sins had caught up with her, and it was only a matter of time before they'd take away something near and dear. Her friends. Her team. Her school.

Jaune.

And then nothing happened. Each day that went by, the feelings of anxiety grew quieter. Paranoia was less of a weight on her mind, and more like a fading memory. She was cautious, sure, but not paranoid. Not anymore. It was strangely liberating, in a way. Not seeing threats where there were none, wondering if some angry fanatic would infiltrate her skill just to slide a knife between her ribs.

"Hey," Jaune's voice, like a warm campfire on a chilly autumn evening, pulled her from her thoughts. "I was wondering, right?"

Blake only hummed, taking another bite of her pretzel.

Jaune took it as his cue to continue. "We're still on for that thing we planned, right? For winter break?"

She paused her chewing, brows furrowing as she pushed down her salty bite. Funny, this one went down bitter. "My heart says yes, but my bank statement says otherwise." Hard to plan a trip to Menagerie - or anywhere else, for that matter - on hopes and dreams. "Unless either of us have been sitting on savings, then I think we're stuck."

"...Yeah." There was something about the way that he said it that nearly made Blake chuckle. Only nearly, though. "So… what's the plan?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Jaune scarfed down a bite, but he didn't pause for it. "Wha'dya fink we shuld do 'bout it?"

Blake rolled her eyes. "Were you raised in a barn?"

She watched Jaune slam a hand against his chest as he swallowed the bite, loudly coughing as he did so. "On a homestead, but we did some ranching. Some game hunting, too." A twinkle shined behind his eye, but he shook his head, focusing again. "Look, the point is, I still kinda want to go, you know? And unless we end up with a little extra cash, I don't see it happening. So, unless you have any idea..?"

Blake shrugged her shoulders, taking a bite of her own treat as she rested her chin in her palm. Except she had the common courtesy of finishing her bite before speaking. "Well, we can't do Huntsman work until our second year, so that's out the window." At least, it would be if either of them decided to do something… less than legal. "Unless you want to-"

Jaune curled a brow, and that was more than enough to kill her train of thought. "Blake, remember who you're talking to? You and Team RWBY get caught, it's whatever. But if I get caught, you know?" Yes, yes, his transcripts, she knew. But still, it was a thought. "You're making the face again."

"What face?"

He scoffed, shaking his head. "The face you get when you think I'm being dumb."

Blake felt her brows shoot high, a pang of guilt stabbing at her chest. "I don't… think you're being dumb. Just that maybe there's a way forward, and you're not considering it."

"I'm not going to poach Huntsman contracts under the table, Blake."

She sighed, slumping over the table and resting her cheek on her arm. The other arm still held her half-eaten pretzel. "Fine, then we won't do that." It wasn't like she wanted to do that or anything. It was… just an idea. Not like she was excited at the prospect. "And you're sure you won't-"

"I hear the job market's pretty good for part-timers?" Jaune cutting her off was the moment that she knew something was up. The smile on his face said everything. He already had something in mind.

Blake groaned now, stuffing her head into the crook of her elbow. "I… I guess?" Even if it'd be really embarrassing. What kind of Huntress-in-Training got work part-time? She was supposed to be learning a profession that was life or death, and it was already lucrative as it were! "Let's just- what did you find?"

He chuckled, and even if he hadn't meant for it, it came off insidiously. "A new burger joint opened up on the riverfront here recently, right? So I did some digging, and they need servers and cooks."

Blake blinked for a moment, ears flicking as she tilted her head. Yeah, no, she'd heard that right. "You want to work as a fry cook?"

"Or a server."

"...We're supposed to be Hunters."

Jaune only shrugged. "Then what's the harm in working at a burger joint? Can't be any scarier than hunting monsters with super powers."

"You know that's not what they are. And we don't just hunt monsters."

He waved her off, scoffing. "That's totally what we do. I mean, Ruby has her super speed, you've got your shadow clones-"

Blake cringed. "Do not call them that." The last thing she needed was people thinking of her semblance as 'ninja magic.' She got enough flak for that as a kid.

She watched his smile twitch up, but he continued regardless. "Weiss has glyphs, which might as well be magic, and Yang has super strength when angry. Those are totally comic book powers."

Blake tried to stomach another groan, but couldn't, letting it go with her breath. "But that's not just what they do! They do other things!"

"Like?"

"...Weiss's glyphs can slow down time?"

Jaune blinked, confusion evident on his face. "When did she ever do that? Did you make that up?"

"That's what the black glyphs are. They aren't just holding things in place, it's slowing down time. Or something." And that wasn't even getting into the other things that Weiss' semblance could do. It could also make objects move faster and- "You know what? Maybe you're right about her semblance. But just hers."

She almost regretted admitting that, seeing that smug smile cross his face. "My point is, if we've got all this special stuff going for us, I think we can do some part-time work. Besides, maybe it'll be good for… one of us."

Her eyes narrowed, watching as Jaune's shoulders tensed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that… you're not exactly a people person, you know? Maybe working in the service industry will do some good?"

Blake let his question hang in the air, though never quite letting it fade into the background chatter. People crowded around their own tables, eating their varieties of different junk food, and listening to the sounds of carnival games.

Only then did Blake speak up.

"You want me, a faunus, to work in the service industry?" Her ears twitched for added effect. And Jaune, like the love of her life that he was, looked just as confused as before. On one hand, it was sweet that he didn't seem to understand the issue. On the other hand, goddammit. "I know that Vale is a better place than most, but you think someone would be okay, knowing that I'm handling food with these on my head?" Again, she twitched her ears.

Jaune stared up at her ears, which were bare to the world. That was also something that took getting used to. But she managed. "...I mean, I don't see why not? If you wear a hair net, it's not like anyone will notice."

"Oh. Great." The thought of her ears resting flat against her head for hours on end just sounded marvelous. She could already imagine the discomfort now. "And you're happy just sitting around, being a cook all day?"

"Or a server."

Blake sighed. That answered that.

She watched as Jaune laughed her off, setting his pretzel down against his napkin. "Look, you're worrying too much. Just think of it as us putting in the hours to get a couple of tickets out of Vale for a few weeks. That, plus a little extra pocket change." Blake knew there was only so much they could do with the paltry sums that Beacon gave them every month. Leeching off of Weiss' credit card wasn't much better either. "Besides, if we save enough, we can go to that Mistrali place you've been wanting to-"

"The one with the conveyor belt with all the sushi?" Her eyes wide as she stood from her seat, leaning over the table. "Takashi's Fish Fortress?"

Jaune's face contorted for a moment. "Is that really what it's called?"

"Ah, ah, focus." She snapped her finger in front of him, his eyes meeting hers. "If we work this part-time job, you promise we'll go?"

A part of her felt warm and fuzzy on the inside as she watched him bring a hand to his chest. "Arc's honor."

Blake let her pretzel fall from her hand, bringing both of her palms to rest on his cheeks. Soon enough, she felt a burning heat on her lips, but one that she was more than happy to let sit. Not too long though. They were in public, after all.

Separating from the kiss, she let out a breath. "I love you so much."

Jaune looked stunned, slowly shaking his head. "...We have got to expand your palette. Like, what'll happen if a stranger randomly offers you a fish?"

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes, carefully taking her seat again. "It's not like I'll accept fish from anyone. It has to be someone worth talking to, for one. Or be a really good fish." And even then, it's not like she'd do anything for it.

Then again, really good fish was worth killing for. Hypothetically.

He sighed, slumping into his seat. "You worry me, sometimes."

"As if you're any better?"

"Uh, I know I'm better."

Blake felt her brows knit together. "Sure you are, mister staying up past midnight to train." She watched his lip twitch, and while Jaune may have gotten better at hiding certain ticks as she called them out, he couldn't quite get them all. "Huntsmen need their rest, you know."

Jaune scoffed, in spite of - or perhaps because of - the smile on his face. "Look who's talking, miss browsing library computers past three in the morning." Blake kept her face perfectly still, but her hands flexed atop the table. How did he knew about that-

"Yang told you?"

"You did, actually." Damn.

Blake sighed, feeling her muscles turn to jelly as her heart rate dropped. "That was… well, you know what that was."

He hummed, leaning forward in his seat as he reached across the table. "You know we can talk about that sort of thing, right? It's not like you haven't told me before." She'd come clean about her past months ago. It wasn't a surprise that he could call her out on it. Still, the White Fang just… dropping off the face of Remnant? Why?

"I don't want to bother you with stuff like that. It'll just drag you down."

"As if I haven't dragged you down before."

Blake knew what he was trying to say, but it only proved her point. "See? It would drag you down."

She watched Jaune pinch the bridge of his nose. "Look, I get what you're trying to say, but it just doesn't sit right with me that you're getting into mortal danger without-"

"Without you?" Blake interjected, if only to get him on the backfoot. Maybe he'd blurt something out that'd give her the upper hand again. But instead, Jaune only sat silently. "Wait, seriously?"

Something awful bubbled in her stomach when she watched an embarrassed expression cross his face. "I mean, I'm not the best fighter or anything, but I'm a good meat shield. Plus, if there's anything I can do, it's roll with the punches." The thought was sweet, but Blake was more than ready to shut it down. That was, until the expression fell away. "That, and I don't think I could live with myself if you got hurt and I wasn't there."

The butterflies in her stomach were hit with a healthy dose of pesticide. She hadn't even given that thought anymore. Her life wasn't hers to throw away. Not just because it belonged to her friends - though it certainly did - but it belonged to… well, to Jaune too. Blake never had to worry about him being in danger, because Jaune was averse to it. He played it safe, stuck to his team, and played by the rules. Mostly.

So to hear that the thought worried him at all?

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, feeling her ears falling flat against her head. "I didn't realize."

All Blake could hear was the ambience of the fairgrounds. Funny, in spite of all the happy chatter and sweet foods, Blake's tongue felt bitter.

Jaune smiled, and relief spread across her body, like a dam that had finally burst under decades of pressure and mismanagement. "I mean, I didn't think I'd have to say it. Then again, given our circumstances? Maybe some communication wouldn't hurt."

"You're not wrong." Though she really wished he was. "I guess that's another skill I'll have to learn."

He waved her off. "Don't sweat the small stuff, you're doing fine. Besides, if this was you from the beginning of the year, you'd have just clammed up on me and told me off."

"No I wouldn't."

"Oh, you would." She didn't think Jaune's smile could get any wider. And yet, there it was. "You'd tell me that I'm being dumb, or that I'm overthinking things, or that I need to shut up. That sort of thing. And now? You tell me I'm dumb, I'm overthinking things, and that you love me. A great change, honestly."

Blake couldn't keep herself from snorting. "You are all of those things."

"And you love me."

"Mostly." She watched Jaune crumpled against the table, as if she'd just cut the strings holding him up. "And that's why."

"You want me to be less silly?"

Blake rolled her eyes. "No, you idiot, it's why I love you. Mostly." The other part was because Jaune, like many of her friends, accepted her flaws. But he did more than just accept her. He forced her to improve. Do better, or die trying. "My life would be so much worse without you in it."

The look of faux-pain on his face trickled away, as if she'd thrown a bucket of water at an oil painting. "Well, gee Blake, you already know how I feel. I only tell you every day, right?" At least every day, he meant. Some days, he said it ten times - she counted. "But, uh, I'm really glad you feel that way."

A few months ago, she'd have thought of Jaune kind of like a warm fire on a chilly evening. But now, she thought differently. Jaune was a warm log cabin in the middle of a blizzard, a bubble bath waiting for her, a bear skin pelt in the living room, and the fireplace blazing with heat. Before, he was a simple comfort. Now, she couldn't imagine surviving without him.

She smiled - at the thought, and seeing Jaune so stunned. Random displays of affection weren't rare between them, no. But in public it was a different story.

Blake went to open her mouth, only to feel her scroll chime in her pocket. Huh, weird. As she went to reach for it, she heard Jaune's scroll chime from across the table. Very weird.

She unfurled her scroll, and tapped on the latest notification: a text from Yang.

Hey, it started, like most of her texts. Goodwitch is hosting exhibition matches since the tournament's not happening. Still want to impress the crowd?

Her eyes came up from her scroll, only to find Jaune peering back up at her. "What did yours say?"

"Exhibition match?" Pointing a finger at her as he curled a brow. So they got the same message.

"Nora?"

"Pyrrha, actually."

Blake tried to not let that sour her mood. That was a subject that she'd put behind her, and evidently, so had Jaune and Pyrrha. Both friends, and nothing but friends. At least, she didn't have anything to worry about regarding Jaune, that was.

She shook the thought away. "I don't suppose you want to go work off some steam?"

"...At the exhibition match, or?" Eyes narrowing as he turned his head to the side.

When she had initially spoken, she'd meant more in the sense of going out and fighting. But Jaune asking that question? Well, their teams were busy attending the exhibition, so no one was back at the dorm…

"Your dorm, or-"

"Yours, definitely yours." Jaune laid that one out flat, standing from his seat. "You wouldn't believe how much flak I got last time. I was stuck scrubbing the carpet for a week."

Blake snorted, jumping from her seat as she stepped around the table. "I mean, we shouldn't be long anyway, right? Just… something to kill time between matches, right?"

Jaune nodded. "Yeah, totally."

Though as they walked the fairgrounds on their way back to the dorm, the more Blake had time to simmer on the thought. There'd be plenty of matches over the course of the night, and probably more tomorrow. What's a couple matches missed?

Plus, who was to say how often they'd have some time to themselves again? An evening wouldn't hurt.

Yup, I'm ruined. There wasn't any doubt about it in her mind now. Stupid Jaune, and his stupid stamina.

Thankfully, there were ways of remedying that. Simple ways. Fun ways, even.

And fortunately, the hardest part of the night was getting to the dorm. Well, second hardest.

The Vytal festival came and went like the blink of an eye. Blake never did get to take part in any of the exhibitions, but oh well, right? She got plenty of exercise in other, more interesting ways. And time, like always, went on without a care in the world.

She did eventually get that job, if only because of Jaune's persistence. Blake found other places that she'd have rather gone to - a local book store was hiring, and it was set up in the same place as Tukson's old store. But she couldn't just let Jaune go and work on his own. He could handle himself, sure, but… well, she'd rather keep an eye on him.

And boy was that definitely the right thing to do.

He cooked in the back, and she served at the front over the course of a few months. It wasn't hard work, no. Definitely annoying though. Fake smiles, impolite customers, the overwhelming smell of grease, she could go on. But the worst of it came in the form of co-workers. Thankfully, that problem didn't last.

Still, finding one of the girls that worked in the back trying to hit on Jaune was something she didn't forget. Not that she got involved, because Jaune did the right thing. A good thing, too, given that she was ready to go back there and share her mind. Unfortunately, the only thing on her mind was violence.

But that was the only instance of it, and it was back to the regularly scheduled program. They worked part time, piled up the money, and let the clock run down. And between the two of them, they had enough Lien by the first month's end. She still kept going though, if only to keep an eye on Jaune. He only went because he needed something away from training. Courses were the same as always, and life was good. Peaceful, even.

And with finals having passed them by, and the autumn winds having made way for something chillier, Blake smiled.

The dorm room was empty, save for the sound of the showerhead running in the bathroom. It gave her time to rummage through her drawers, setting aside enough clothes to last her the weeks to come. Not that she planned anything out. Outfit managing wasn't really her thing.

And before long, her backpack was stuffed with clothes, tossed haphazardly onto her bed. All that was left was to lounge around and wait for the call.

Blake fell back onto her bed, her warm winter clothes hugging her body like a tucked-in blanket, staring up at Yang's bunk. "...It's nearly time."

She hadn't been home in years. More than half of her life, really. What was home, really? Could Menagerie even count as her home anymore? It felt more like a figment of her imagination, little more than a mirage that spawned in the hopes of a home. Beacon was more of a home to her than the island was.

But she couldn't back down now. Not because she owed it to Jaune, or because she worked all those months. She owed it to herself. Owed it to the people that had been her parents. Who were her parents, hopefully. It'd be nice to have those again. The little family that she had in Beacon was great, and that was something she'd never take for granted. But a blood family wouldn't hurt either.

The bathroom door knob jiggled, and Blake wasn't a stranger to Yang coming fresh out of the shower. None of the team was, honestly. Thankfully, this time Yang had the decency to come out clothed, rather than just in a towel.

As Yang trudged out of the bathroom, Blake watched as he raised a lazy hand. "Hey, Blakey…" She mumbled, her eyes baggy and with dark circles forming beneath them. Her hair was still wet, a small towel wrapped around the back of her neck. "Can I steal your bunk? I'm too tired to climb."

She rolled her eyes, sitting up as she watched her partner shimmy to her side. Yang sat on her bed with all of the elegance of a walrus, flopping back and her hair spreading behind her-

"I just cleaned those." Blake pinched her partner's exposed side, hearing her hiss.

Yang yelped, her tired eyes shooting wide as she smacked her hand away. "Gah, bitch! Have a little sympathy."

"It's your fault for cramming on the last few days of finals." 'Oh, no Blake, I don't need to study. I got this!' Yeah, Yang sure showed her. Late night cramming, anxiety, and sleep debt was her partner's reward. "At least there's winter break though."

"At least," Yang sighed, sinking deeper into the mattress, bringing her damp towel to rest over her eyes. "And you're sure I can't convince you and Vomit Boy to come hang out for a few days on Patch?"

Blake smiled. "It's going to take a few days to get to Menagerie first, and then we'll be there for a few days before setting sail again. So yeah, I'm sure."

"Winter break's two weeks long, and last I checked, that's only one week."

Blake pinched her side again, her smile widening as Yang yelped. "We're also going to see Jaune's family too. So yeah, two weeks."

Yang rubbed her slowly reddening side, glaring as she tore away her towel. "You could've just said no." Oh, she did. Multiple times, even. Still, Yang was persistent, and the only way to get through her was to be mean about it. "Still though, you're going to meet each others' parents? Why?"

"Actually, I'm… meeting my parents again." Blake watched as confusion spread across her partner's face. "I told you once that the White Fang was my life, right? Or, at least it used to be."

"Right..?"

Blake let her question hang in the air, but not just for the sake of dramatic effect. She wasn't sure how to phrase it. She wasn't stolen by them, per se. Just… she'd been influenced to believe a certain way, never quite having all of the information. It wasn't manipulation - at least, she didn't think it was. Manipulation was supposed to be skillful. Blake was just naive back then. That's all.

Yang blinked, a crease forming between her eyebrows. "Did they kidnap you as a baby or something-"

This time, Blake changed it up, jabbing a finger beneath her ribs. "No, I didn't get kidnapped." Well, not the legal definition, anyway. "I just… haven't seen my family since I was seven. That's all."

"That's all-" Yang shot upright, feet on the floor as she sat up straight. Her once tired eyes were now wide-awake, though the bags beneath definitely didn't recede. "Blake, being taken from your parents and being made a child soldier for a terror group isn't a 'that's all' thing. That's a pretty deal!"

Okay, so there was a lot wrong with the situation. It's not like Blake didn't know that. She lived it, after all. "...They weren't a terror group at the time?" Yang shot her a blank look - wow, maybe she'd actually rubbed off on her partner for a change? Blake had never seen her pull off such an effective resting-bitch face- not that Blake ever had resting-bitch face, of course. "Okay, so maybe I was kidnapped. No big deal."

Yang sighed, bringing a hand to the bridge of her nose. "You need a therapist."

"I've got Jaune." That's all the therapy she needed.

"That sounds totally healthy."

Blake shot her a look, frowning as she did so. "Hey, Jaune and I only got together because you thought it would be good for me to, and I quote, 'get some sunlight.'" She didn't need someone criticizing her methodology on her own mental health. "Besides, I… talk to him about this sort of thing. He listens. That's good enough."

Yang sat silently for a moment, but Blake wasn't blind to the look of concern she was getting. Eventually though, she sighed. "Okay, I guess. Did you guys already quit your jobs?"

"We put our two weeks in at the start of the month." A good thing, too. It gave everyone at the restaurant some time to come up with their replacements, while at the same time giving them the chance to cash out one last check. Everyone gained. Mostly. Okay, just them. "I think the only thing I'll miss about that place is the Lien."

"I'm gonna miss the free food you'd bring back." Yang snipped, a smirk dancing across her face. "I can't believe just how much of the stuff they're willing to just throw away."

Blake reached out to pinch Yang's side again, only for her hand to be smacked away. "You've put on nearly ten pounds since I started working at the restaurant."

"And it went to all the right places." Her arms crossed beneath her chest for extra emphasis. Personally, Blake didn't see it. "But still… I haven't gotten fat, right?"

"Bloated," Blake flatly mumbled.

She felt a fist tap against her shoulder, smiling as she heard Yang snort. "So, when are you and Vomit Boy heading out? Enough time for us to slug it out?"

"We should be leaving in-" She was going to say in about thirty minutes. Instead, her scroll chimed, cutting her off. Scrounging through her pocket, she pulled free her scroll - a message from Jaune. "I think that's my cue, actually."

Yang hummed, her smile dimming for a moment before she patted her on the back. "...Alright, I'll let you get going then. But still, I'm really proud of you, Blakey."

"Proud of me?" Blake curled a brow as she stood, hoisting her backpack over one shoulder. "Are you my partner or my Mom?"

"Hey, I'm being serious here." Yang's smile fell away. There was no played up confidence or jokes lined up - after all, Yang tended to have this twinkle in her eye when she planned to say something stupid. "At the start of the year, I couldn't get you to go outside during our off-hours. Now, I can't get you to sit still."

Oh, come on, she hadn't been that bad.

Blake slipped on the other strap of her backpack. "It was your idea, you know."

"And a good one too, so don't you forget it." She felt Yang's fist tap at her shoulder again. "Just don't forget about us while you're off on your honeymoon, okay?"

"How could I? You guys are all annoying enough to haunt my dreams." A dry smile pulled at her lips as she backpedaled away. A good thing too, given the lazy swipe that came chasing after her. It was enough to make her laugh. "I'll bring guys some trinkets from the road, okay?"

Yang waved her off. "Fuck that. When you get back, I wanna hear the juicy stories!"

Reaching for the door, Blake rolled her eyes. "Fat chance. You'd sooner tune out than listen to what I'd tell you." Besides, most of the best details were the ones she'd rather keep to herself. They were embarrassing most of the time. Other times, they were just inappropriate. "And on the topic of fat, lose some weigh-"

Blake barely had the time to dodge the incoming pillow, hearing it loudly thud against the wall next to her. "You are such a bitch."

She used that bit of time to laugh, slipping out of the room, but not without giving her a wave. Yang would be fine. Her team would be fine. Nothing bad would happen if she left them alone for a few weeks. It's not like they'd magically start to hate her, right?

Still, when the door clicked shut, and all she had to stare at was the pristine paint on said door, Blake felt… heavy. Not bad, but not good either. It was just the next step. That's all.

It was strangely hard to turn away from the door, if only to turn to Team JNPR's room. It was like leaving everything behind all over again. The difference this time was that she wasn't running away. She was just… running to something new. A bright light at the end of a dark tunnel. Hopefully whatever was on the other side was worth it.

So she walked, and walked, and walked some more. Her surroundings changed with each passing step, from the interiors of the dorm building opening wide as she stepped into the light of the morning sun. Blake let out a breath, watching as it fogged up from the condensation. The concrete paths that led through Beacon's campus had a light layer of fluffy white about it, feeling it crunch beneath her boots as she walked.

It was different to the campus that she first stepped foot on, yet at the same time, was also so familiar. One day, she was running through the campus, late for her first day of classes, and the spring air brushing through her hair. Now it was winter, and the year had passed her by. So much happened, and at the same time, she couldn't recall a thing.

It was life, and it was good. Hopefully next year will be the same.

When the gates to the campus came into view, Blake watched as a lone figure stood alone, his hands in his pockets, and a heavy pack slung across his back. Even if he had a wool hat covering his blond hair, Blake could spot her boyfriend from a mile out. Still, she wouldn't make her presence known.

No, not yet.

She stalked her way to the gate, watching as Jaune pulled free his scroll - probably checking the time, that dork. She inched closer and closer, making sure to keep her steps so light that the snow didn't crunch beneath her steps. If anything, it was almost like brushing her way along the ground, stopping just as she reached her mark.

In another time, she'd have drawn a knife. Now, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself against his back, and her cheek against his shoulder.

Blake felt him stiff for a moment, only to hear him laugh, feeling his hands rest atop hers. "Hey, Blake. That is you, right?"

"It better be," her smile widened as she pulled away. "Otherwise, I'm going to have to fight someone."

Jaune turned to look over his shoulder, that same boyish smile on his face that had dragged her into this whole mess. "Look, I promise you're never going to have to fight over me. I mean, look at me? I'm not something you have to worry about."

On the contrary. Blake knew better than anyone else just how much value Jaune had. Still, she'd let him believe that for now. "Were you waiting long?"

"Oh, for sure." Amusement leaking into his voice like the sweetest poison. "I've been just freezing here for hours."

Blake only nudged him with her shoulder as she stepped past him. "Oh, you poor baby. Let's get to the ship before you catch frostbite in these awful conditions." It was always easy to smile around him. And given just how often Jaune smiled, she guessed that he felt the same.

All that was left was the long walk through Vale. It wasn't the first time that they'd taken that walk, it'd be a long time before it would ever be the last. At least, she hoped so.

But as they walked shoulder to shoulder, Blake felt something nudge her side. "Hey, um… do you think you're ready?"

She chuckled. "Not in the slightest. Are you?"

"Nope," Blake watched his hand slide up and down the strap of his pack - nerves, no doubt. She felt them too. "Still, it'll be good to see the family again. If they haven't disowned me by now."

Blake leaned against his shoulder, if only to remind him that she was there. "I don't think it's you that has to worry about getting disowned."

She heard Jaune laugh beneath his breath. "And that's assuming we're not both getting disowned." And what a brave assumption that was. Frankly, she hadn't seen her family in so long, she wouldn't be surprised if her parents had more kids without her there. It made sense, after all. Cover up a mistake with a brand new kid who wouldn't mess up. "That's fine though. I mean, we can just keep making our own, right?"

Blake nearly tripped over her own feet as she looked up at him, brows furrowing deeply. "I- wha?"

Jaune only blinked at her, as if he didn't understand what he- "Ah, what I mean is that we've already got one here at Beacon, you know? Sure, it's not perfect, but it's not bad either, right?"

She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her aching heart beating loudly against her chest. "Oh, thank God." Blake didn't even want to imagine the idea.

After all, she knew that Jaune had seven sisters, so that had its own implications. One little screw up, and she was liable to carry a couple of blond hair, blue eyed kittens. Then again, it was entirely possible that they'd turn out like her. Maybe a mix of the two? Black hair with blue eyes wouldn't look bad. Would they look more like Jaune in terms of facial structure-

Blake shook her head, feeling her hair whip against her face. "You're such an idiot, Jaune."

"I know…" He mumbled, his face tinged a light red color, and it wasn't from the cold.

She needed a topic change, and fast. "...When we get Menagerie, I'd like to show you something. At the beach, I mean."

Jaune hummed. "I mean, sure, that sounds great."

That awkward silence came back over them, and that was that. A part of her was hoping that he'd pick up on the cue, maybe ask her why she wanted to show him something. But no, he walked silently next to her, his cheeks still a healthy shade of red. Not that she was any better off, her face feeling warmer than the Vacuo wastes.

It gave her time to think. Would her family welcome her back? Would they cast her out? Did it even matter? She didn't even know if they were still alive. Still, she wanted to hope. To hope that maybe, against all the odds, her parents were still safe on Menagerie. It would be nice to see her Mom again, or to feel her Dad's arms around her in a warm embrace. To relax on the golden shores, watching her Dad wind a fishing rod around him until it looked like he was dancing with the metal hook, casting it far into the ocean, all the while she and Mom cheered him on.

…But if nothing else, Jaune was right about one thing. At the end of it all, they had a family here, in Vale. It may have been dysfunctional, eccentric beyond compare, and generally annoying some days, but she'd rather have them than not.

And if nothing else, there was always the future to look towards. Regardless of where she went or what she did, she was, and forever would be, Blake Belladonna.

Nothing could take that from her.

Howdy.

Been a bit, I'll admit. But at the same time, it's also taken less time for me to update this since last time, so that's progress. If I'm being honest, I don't really have much of an excuse outside of feeling like my writing isn't worth it. You know, overwhelming self-loathing, that kind of thing. Lame shit.

Thankfully, I've got good people in my corner that are capable of telling me that I'm being lame, and that I should do the shit I enjoy doing. Unfortunately though, passion doesn't pay bills. Well, usually. I'd like to say that hopefully I'll be published soon, what with my stuff all done and ready for, well, the process. I won't get too into it, just because of how much rambling is involved. Just know that I'm anxious as all hell about it.

You won't believe me, but I wrote this whole chapter in a week and some change, so I guess I could've done this whenever. But at the same time, whatever's going on with me feels really debilitating. Waking up sucks some days. But I hear it gets better, so there's always that.

I don't know, man. I guess... thanks for reading. Thanks for all the support you guys have given me. Without it, I'd have never bothered to learn to be a better writer, and I wouldn't have a full book under my name. I wouldn't have such an important hobby that keeps me from the more drastic things in life. Some folks might say that you shouldn't outsource your enjoyment of a hobby to some greater collective, but frankly, without the support, I'd have given up years ago. Thank you.

I can't promise when the next chapter will be. My mental state has been fluctuating a lot lately, and my inability to focus has only gotten worse. Some days, I want to work on fanfiction, and other days, I want to work on one of the three other books that I'm already a third of the way through. And that's not talking about the ones I've yet to write for. There's a list of stories that I have priorities for, and believe me, that list is already in the tens category. Just know that I'll definitely keep posting. I don't know if I can even stop anyway.

Truth be told, I don't know if I'll even post today and you guys will remember me. But if nothing else, I hope you remember my stories. That'd be enough, I think. And sorry for such a long-winded author note. Just had a lot of shit I wanted to share.

Ciao, y buenas noches.

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