#||and I immediately doubt everything about my Jaune||

[kitkatopinions]

I kind of feel like it's really funny when people are like "Ironwood was always set up to be a villain from V2-" which it's true that there were indications that he might fall to villainy but that absolutely does not mean that the actual fall was written well. Or people say "Ironwood actually was evil from his first appearance in V2" and then like...

The reasons they give for why they think Ironwood is evil or could've been evil are things like:

"He was put in charge of security during a sporting event!!!"

"He told the Vale Council about how Ozpin's choice in sending a group of teenagers without a full year of training to Mountain Glenn didn't work out that well!"

"He responded to a potential threat to a city by bringing extra soldiers to help with every indication that it was cleared by and even wanted by the Vale Council, and he didn't read the show script enough to anticipate that someone who was supposed to be dead would hack the non-sentient robots he brought in to try to make less human lives at risk!"

"He didn't immediately succumb to everything Ozpin wanted without even considering that Ozpin might be wrong, and instead he had to think about it and get advice from Glynda before he decided for himself whether or not he thought Ozpin's idea of getting Pyrrha to be the next Fall Maiden was a good idea!"

"He said 'if you were one of my men, I would have you shot' to Qrow! What's that? The mains are physically aggressive with themselves and others up to pointing their weapons threateningly at Qrow for stepping forward and saying hey and Weiss pointed what was essentially a loaded gun in the face of an unarmed underage teenage civilian for the crime of not immediately springing to the side to let her into his house and therefore threats of physical violence within the context of RWBY can't be used as proof of anything unless we assume that all the main RWBY girls minus Ruby herself are destined to be evil villains? And also Ironwood later proves that he wouldn't try to hurt Qrow even if he was well justified when during the Fall of Beacon he wouldn't go all out against Qrow in a fight despite the fact that Qrow was acting like he was fully going to attack him? None of that matters!"

"He wouldn't let Yang continue to compete in the Vytal Tournament and doubt the evidence of his eyes and the eyes of everyone else and the on screen evidence of Yang attacking Mercury and he didn't just assume that Yang was manipulated by the semblance of a secret Salem agent into thinking something that wasn't true, and he empathized with her instead of just letting her do whatever she wanted!"

It's like.... What do you mean? Ironwood is no more 'always destined to be a villain' or 'already evil' than like the majority of the good RWBY characters, including Weiss, Jaune, and Yang specifically. He's no more 'always destined to be a villain' than Qrow or Winter. And again, whether or not he was set up to potentially become a villain in the future, that doesn't mean anything about whether or not his fall to villainy was well done. This is literally the most common thing people do when people complain about Ironwood's fall to villainy being badly done, is insist that Ironwood was always set up to be evil and listing these stupid ass reasons as 'proof' when it actually doesn't even apply to the conversation at hand anyway. He could have the world's best villain set up, but it wouldn't make the actual fall to villainy good or convincing when they rushed it and fumbled it.

[ironwoodprotectionsquad]

RWDE thoughts below the cut. Don’t like don’t click.

In the last episode we had what is supposed to be this powerful look at what Huntress’s are 

(Full disclosure this was the last gif I attempted to make but I was having a lot of struggles so that’s why its a screenshot. Also I had to add my own subtitles to everything myself)

Followed by a declaration from WBY that they are in fact huntresses, with the implication that they protect those who can’t protect themselves.

It is trying to sell the idea that they during humanities darkest hours, are the ones who stand up and fight. This should be a very powerful scene that further builds up the girls not only as being confident in themselves and their abilities and who they are, but also that they are Remnant’s heroes who will somehow save Remnant from Salem. However, this idea is contradicted immediately in the next episode. They run away. They don’t even hesitate to turn tail and run. 

They leave civilians to fight for them as they flee the scene, one of whom seems to be implied to have been forced to fight so they could flee. Who from what we can tell may likely ascend after this because of what we know about ascension from this very episode. 

Weiss stops in horror to watch the remaining civilians leave as they scream and cry in terror. 

They walk away from a crying shopkeeper lamenting about leaving places in ashes while doing nothing to help her. 

These people are those who clearly cannot defend themselves. They are people who in that moment needed Huntress’s to help them. But they did nothing. They ran away from people who needed them immediately after declaring their purpose is to fight for people who need them. If this makes them second guess themselves and wonder if the herbalist was right to question if they are good huntresses my opinion might change depending on how that is handled but as of right now I fear all of this is getting overshadowed completely by meeting the rusted night and finding out that it’s Jaune. And ignoring this and not addressing it would be a horrible disservice to what this volume was supposed to be for the characters, a chance to grow because the writers said the girls where sent here and the main plot paused to allow them to have some much needed development but given how the volume has refused to let those moments happen uninterrupted I am honestly not holding my breath on that happening with this just like every other moment so far this volume. 

So assuming that it doesn’t like I fear....why should we believe in this girls? Why should we be rooting for or believe in them to save all of Remnant when they can’t even fight a handful of monsters similar to the ones they fought in Remnant or the larger one they fought seconds earlier. The only thing it does is serves to make the audience wonder if they can stop Salem while also refusing to acknowledge that or struggle narratively with this. The show will more then likely just push on and pretend this isn’t an issue or something to be grappled with and it is so damn frustrating. This moment has the potential to help the girls learn and grow but based on how this volume has gone so far....I really doubt it will.

[razorblade180]

Twin Snowflakes 45: A Book by its Cover

TFS 44 <-

“Hmm, this might be my best work yet.” Penny said, admiring the pink and blue caste she made for Valerie. “I don’t have to tell you not to do anything straining, do I?”

“This isn’t my first rodeo, but this was indeed the roughest.” Val flexed her arm. The feeling of her muscles were like pins and needles that went to the bone. The cold didn’t help either. “Two months is a long time though. I feel like I should be helping.”

Ren sat next to her. “Telling us what you saw was helpful. Not to mention…you’re the one who found Nick.”

“Yeah but…” it was hard to feel positive about that, or anything involving Nick and Summer at the moment.

Nora rubbed her daughter’s head to soothe her mind. Penny held up a small brown bag to give them that held simple painkillers.

“This, your aura, rest, and Jaune. Those easy tasks should get you back on your feet just fine. And with that, your hospital visit comes to an end. I’d love to have familiar faces around but I’m gonna get busy and we never know when people might need a hospital bed.”

Nora nodded, “Thanks for your help. We’ll stay at Schnee manor. It’s basically always been a second home. That and…I know Weiss would like some more people in there.”

Whitley stood up and gathered his things. “I’ll get the car ready. To think the streets could get any more dangerous in the winter? At least Atlas was built for snow. Hate to see this play out in a place like Vacou.”

“We could use their climate right about now.” Penny sighed. As soon as Nick was out of danger she was going to shift her focus to heating before anything could get worse. “Well I should get go-”

Penny’s scroll went off with blinking red lights. “Winter?” She answered.

“How many things in your laboratory are irreplaceable!?”

“Ummm, data wise, I have everything backed up. Equipment wise, I need everything. Why?”

xxxxx

“Then you better fly over to the base and start grabbing all the essentials ASAP. Things are getting dicey.” She looked down at the hoard of beowulves in the street.

A streak of red slashed, split, and severed countless limbs before swirling up a skyscraper to flagpole. Ruby looked around with her scope as she caught her breath. A pack of ten were headed deeper into town.

“Yang.”

“I see em coming.” She jumped down from her rooftop to the streets towards someone’s motorcycle. “I’m sorry about this.”

Yang let out a loud whistle to get the grimm to spot her. She placed a bombs all over the beautiful bike before lifting it above her head and throwing it to blow up the pack.

Her scroll buzzed in Winter. “Keep in mind nobody is rich enough to rebuild the city from scratch.”

“As much as I would love to be more intimate with these assholes, their claws and teeth are Diamond Dust.”

“Penny is on her way to grab anything she needs. Let’s up Shiva doesn’t notice. Keep her focused,”

“Well that’s easy.”

Two more came around the corner but were immediately headshotted by Ruby.

“Thanks sis.”

“Yep.” A glimmer off in the distance caught Ruby’s attention. “Crap.” She dashed off the pole where chunks of ice came crashing through glass windows. “Guys, I know I’m wearing red in the pure white snow, but isn’t Shiva’s aim a little to spot on?”

Blake swung around through the city with a pack on her heels. “It’s not just her aim.” She flipped around midair and threw her gun up to Winter’s post. “Now!”

Winter made a flame glyph under the pack and raised a pillar of flames. “Her summons are finding us regularly as well. Penny?”

“Do you know what entropy is? That would be my guess. To put it simply, everything is so cold that your body heat sticks out. Think of it like Shiva can tell one spot is not as cold as the others because the air around you…well, it has you.”

“What’s that mean for you?”

“Me? Well I’m not a warm body and I doubt she can tell the difference between a thruster and any other running machine as long as I stay close to one. Shiva shouldn’t be telling the difference between any of you either. Well, except maybe Yang.”

The blonde bruiser groaned over the scroll. “So we’re not hiding from her and we have to stall without being overwhelmed. Should I turn up the heat then and slug out everything my way? Bet she won’t ignore it.”

“Actually…” Blake looked at her gun. “I have a better idea.”

xxxxxx

Shiva’s running through the streets came to a screeching halt. “Huh!?” The four main warmths began to spread out again, then, a fifth was sensed. Shiva looked to the sky to see a big fireball split into multiple around the area.

“Hmm, cute.” Shiva walked slowly, sending out her grimm to investigate. “Talk about a candle trick. Flames are hotter than body heat though!” Their warmth fled to heat sources, hiding their movements more. “Okay, that’s pretty clever. Even so.”

Shiva closed her eyes to concentrate. The chill of the air, the cold concrete, the feeling of her grimm vanishing, she took it all in. A heat that felt like a bonfire remained on the ground level that unleashed smaller volleys of heat.

“Yang…”

Two instances of heat circled around rooftops. One of them gave off faint heat that went out as fast as they arrived. “Ruby.” The other was pretty easy considering more fire manifested near it before moving. “Winter.”

That was three, but was number four? Hiding among the flames? Shiva wouldn’t put it past her. Stealth was Blake’s forte. Shiva opened her eyes and looked towards Ruby’s little sniper post. Time to deal with the obvious problem. Shiva made a glyph under her feet then leapt off it like a spring board, cutting through the sky.

“She’s coming.” Blake said.

“Yeah I see her.” Ruby stood up.

Shiva was ready to block any rounds or for Ruby to flee. What she didn’t see coming was for the gun Ruby to be holding was Gambol Shroud. Ruby pointed it right at Shiva and smiled.

“Ladybug.”

Blake cocked Crescent Rose and shot Shiva in the back from Winter’s platform; using the woman’s body heat to mask her own. Ruby dashed off the skyscraper with dual blades cross cutting against Shiva’s stomach, knocking her downwards. She hit the ground hard but immediately bounced back to her feet. The sound of another sniper round made her look behind her to see Blake rushing towards her while Ruby came from the other direction. Shiva shot a blast at both but the girls were too agile.

A shadowy clone of Black swung her out harm's way and back on track while Ruby bursted into petals around the attack then back together. The weapons slashed Shiva from both sides as the duo swapped sides. Blake stabbed it into the ground to slow down and kept firing to keep the pressure on as her feet slid back against the ground, while Ruby got up close and personal. The sheath met Shiva’s blade while the blade met Shiva’s ribs, earning a grunt.

Shiva tried to backstep but Ruby wasn’t letting her go anywhere, swinging wildly. She was much faster without her scythe! A few flame rounds hit her in the back, only stoking her anger. Ruby tried going for another cross cut but Shiva blocked both swords with her own, freeing her left hand to aim back at black. Ruby immediately backed off by lunging back and throwing Gambol Shroud with her hand tightly holding the sash.

The gun flew past Shiva’s head and wrapped around the body of Crescent Rose. Blake let go for Ruby to yank the scythe forward, causing it to spin like a saw which hit Shiva on the way to Ruby’s hand. She spun Blake’s gun by the sash before launching it at Shiva again.

“Gah! Stupid lil-” Shiva was prepared to shatter that gun into pieces as she reached for it, but Blake and Ruby were not about to let that happen.

Freed from the heavy scythe, she ran forward with all her speed and Ruby pulled the gun back short of reaching Shiva, before throwing it to curve around Shiva. Blake caught it and started blasting round after round while Ruby dashed back to pull Blake. Shiva tried to grab the faunus to freeze her on the spot but Blake used her semblance again that left a fire version of herself that exploded right in Shiva’s face. By the time the smoke cleared, all that was left was more fire clones and vanishing rose petals. Shiva could feel her blood start to boil. Not only were hidden again, but she had gotten distracted from her grimm. She couldn’t feel any left.

Winter’s flame began moving towards her, practically lining up to be extinguished. They were keeping her from summoning freely.

“Tsk, this all you got!?” Shiva cut through flames and blew them out like candles with a breath that could rival the harshest winds. Not that it mattered with Ruby taking Blake everywhere to leave flame clones. “Damn you!” Shiva huffed, stomping her foot. This should be easy for her but they keep running away!

Shiva undid Summer’s ponytail for the first time and let her hair fall. “Okay…calm down.” She inhaled slowly, then exhaled even slower. Nothing in their favor has changed. Her body was unharmed and she’s still getting used to the ins and outs of what was possible. Though she had memories of her opponents fighting, neither Shiva or Summer had witnessed teamwork like that. Shiva was getting a first class lesson in why her enemies are the heroes of Remnant. Not to worry however. Atlas was still getting colder. It wasn’t even night. She was only going to get stronger.

“I can do this. I can show them all what I’m made of. All I gotta do is take my time. I’ve waited this long.” Playing to their tempo was a bad move. Shiva had to play to her strengths, but it’s not as if they don’t know her favorite tricks. That’s when it hit her, a devious simple trick that made her eyes light up with excitement. Maybe power and memory weren’t the only things going for her?

xxxxxx

Far off back at the manor, their front doors open to welcome Valerie while her parents went out to keep an eye on things. Only Whitley and Weiss remained by her side.

“Are you sure neither of you wanted to stay at the hospital?”

Whitley carried her things inside. “Staying there won’t change anything. I’m no doctor. Better to stay out of the way and let our money help when it’s asked for.”

Weiss dragged her feet up the stairs one step at a time. Strange, the sound of the carpet under her heels did nothing to replace the echoing steps of feet on hospital tile. “I’m gonna go lie down. Please, take whatever room you want.”

Valerie couldn’t see her face but she knew Weiss’s eyes must’ve been lifeless right now, the exhaustion eating away at her soul.

“I’m sorry about her.”

“No, I get it. Even though things seem not as bleak as before, all of this is just one huge gamble on what ifs and hypotheticals. Hate to admit it but…I’m not allowing myself much room for hope right now either.

“Then what good are you?” Veronica called out from the kitchen. She walked out wearing an apron and a face that didn’t hide her displeasure. “You’re the one who helped get this ball rolling with the info you provided. Weren’t you the one spouting about miracles? The least you could do is hope or else why try and spread it in the first place?”

“That’s enough.” Whitley spoke firmly. “We are all spent. Veronica, thank you for getting dinner started. I will take it from here. Why don’t the two of you find a way to stay warm and rest, okay?”

“Tsk. I’ll be in the east wing.” Veronica removed the apron and headed upstairs.

West was now immediately the best option. However, “Isn’t her room in the west? It was across from Summer’s wasn’t it?”

“Said she didn’t want to be there for a while.”

Figuring out what Veronica could be thinking was a task Valerie wasn’t even going to attempt. “Fair enough.” She took her bag and went off.

“Need help with the door?”

“Heh, I know I have a broken arm but I can handle doors. Thank you though.” Valerie continued her short journey down a long hall.

It didn’t take long to understand why people wanted her here. Only the creaking walls and the subtle draft whispered in the halls. No more piano or guitar; the ridiculous sounds of bickering or frustrated grunts from not understanding a math problem. The hall was…empty.

Her feet stopped in front of Summer’s door. Valerie could still remember their last conversation. The anger and pain in Summer’s eyes. Now there was a different anger. Any normal person would fear it more, but Valerie’s gut still twisted in knots from that day. Especially when Nick-

“Ugh.” She shook those thoughts away, pushing them down inside her heart. Right now she just wanted to help. She had to, somehow. Valerie opened the door and walked in. Without context of the outside world, anyone would think Summer is fine from looking at her room. Bed perfectly made, no clutter on the floor, her vanity mirror clean with all the makeup lined up to help hide her scars. It must’ve taken her hours. Summer was never an early riser or a fan of looking at her reflection for too long. The room itself still had a faint warmth from all the insulation. Valerie always felt like she’d burn up here under normal circumstances.

Valerie got closer to the mirror and looked at herself. It wasn’t pretty. Despite being out several days, Val could see the start of dark circles under her eyes. Her was a complete mess but that’s to be expected. It was much more manageable longer. Maybe now was a good time to let it grow? Her ears could use the warmth and having a broken arm during a crisis wasn’t all that inspiring for having a hair day. What was more ridiculous was having these thoughts right now.

“I really am slipping…” Valerie nearly left the vanity when she noticed a broken vial in the corner. She carefully lifted it up. Remaining residue clued her in on what must’ve been inside.

“What are you?” Just thinking about her made Val’s body ache. A pain stabbed her through her arm suddenly that made Valerie drop the glass on the carpet. “Damnit.” Thankfully it didn’t shatter even more. She bent down slowly to grab it; that’s when something in the reflection caught her attention. Valerie grabbed the glass and laid flat on her belly, head towards Summer’s bed.

“Hmm?” There was definitely something under there. Valerie didn’t even know there was space between the bedroom and floor until now. She got closer and stuck her good arm underneath. “Hell of a time to be handicapped.” Val grunted, struggling to pull out what felt to be cardboard. A box maybe?

Eventually Valerie wiggled it out enough to grip a corner and yank it out more once she stood. It really was a box. One that was mighty snug under there. A final tug from the strength of a Valkyrie was more than enough to free it from its hiding spot, and make Val fall on her butt. The sudden shock made her bones rattled and her jaw clenched as she winced.

“Keep this up…and I’m going right back to the doctor.” This box better be worth it. Valerie opened the flaps and looked inside to find an unusual surprise. Inside were journals, nearly identical at that. Different colored spine to then be white and blue, like the one Summer had at times. Thinking about it, Summer did write a lot. Of course she’d have a small library by now. Valerie could count ten from the top stack easily. All of them were dated too.

“You really didn’t take singing lightly, did you?” Valerie mumbled, assuming their contents. She couldn’t find the most recent one, meaning it was likely Summer took it to school that day. If left undisturbed, it would still be in the council room. A pity. Valerie would’ve liked to know what lyrics came to her mind after the tournament. Summer was always so protective of these. Even Nick knew better than to touch them. Valerie couldn’t help but feel gross finding this forbidden treasure, yet…to write so much over what looked to be years. Valerie doubted any of them would lead to answers about Shiva, but it would be nice to connect with Summer now of all times. A book was chosen at random and Valerie opened it. Her ear for music was splendid but maybe the lyrics themselves would be enough?

One page in and Valerie was surprised with small doodles and shading. Second page was normal. Several lines of lyrics with no lead up of proper end, more scribbles, crossed out words. Third page however, it had more surprises in the form of a subheading titled “Mental Check-in.” Valerie flipped through quickly to get a glimpse of the other pages. It became clear immediately that these weren’t full of the half written songs Valerie assumed. These were therapy journals. Valerie looked at the box again, taking in the immense volume of what was inside.

“…..” Valerie turned back to page three, Mentle Check-in

“Another rough day…”

Halfway across the city, Blake hid inside a company building to catch her breath. She stood on the first floor with Ruby and Yang, their bodies close to flame clones.

“You okay?” Yang asked.

“Oh you know me. When I get my second wind I go for hours.” She smiled, earning a playful eye roll from her wife.

“Be serious.” Yang stifled a laugh. “Do any real harm to her?”

Ruby crouched down and sighed, “Only to her ego. We’re basically fighting a being with two means of healing. It’s more annoying than Hazel.”

“Better than an immortal. Plus holding back isn’t a worry.”

“Still…” Ruby crossed her arms. That fight was brief but telling of where her own mindset was at. “I don’t like stabbing her, but we don’t have the luxury of holding back.”

They all frowned. It was the sad truth. Even so, Yang cracked her knuckles and readied herself.

“Want me to go a few rounds?

Blake shook her head no. “Hate to tell you this but Shiva doesn’t feel all too bothered by flames like before. If she touches you, things could get bad.”

“Blake is right, Yang. Just leave it to us. We’ve always been hard to pin down. You and Winter are the muscle. Blockades, grimm, and any other thing that has to be removed or melted.”

“And so I’m a lighter? Hmph, I always knew being too hot would bite me in the butt.”

Their scrolls chirped as Winter called in. “Shiva is leaving.”

Ruby hopped to her feet. “Back to the base?”

“No, I…don’t know where.”

Winter watched from the sky on her Nevermore as Shiva walked the empty streets, ignoring the clones. Her head tilted up and left. Their eyes met for a second before Shiva went back to walking.

“What are we doing girls? Shiva having to do as she pleases isn’t good for any of us.” Winter continued watching. Shiva eventually made her way to the coffee shop Summer and Nick frequently visited. “She wants…a drink?”

“What was that?” Ruby radioed in.

“Shiva’s in a coffee shop. Can’t say why.” Winter was about to descend when Penny called everyone again.

“I got everything! The soldiers seem well too. I think all of you should consider retreating now.”

“You make it sound like Shiva won’t find another place to terrorize the moment we’re long gone. Right now I believe she’s baiting me.”

“Well your alternative is fighting, and you can’t do that indefinitely. We didn’t evacuate so many people to rush solving this.”

“….”

“Are you really gonna make me say it? Huh, Winter?”

Winter gripped the feathers between her fingers. “I am thinking of Nick, of Summer. I just…” her eyes watered, her tears becoming the only sense of warmth. “I’m tired of not being there when it matters. None of this should be happening.”

Yang launched herself up a building and onto the Nevermore. She sat down and looked over the city, looking at the shop. “From one big sister to another, younger siblings can tell when we’re acting tough instead of being it. Did you know most of the time they don’t even want us to fix the problem like some hero? Crazy, right? I’m certain Weiss just wants you around. Whitley too. He probably wants to work this situation out with you for Weiss’s sake, so don’t rush this okay? No one is looking for you to be a hero, but you have siblings wanting their big sister.”

“…When did you learn to give a speech?”

“I am married to a civil rights activist. Somebody has to be Blake’s test audience.”

Winter cracked the tiniest of smiles as she took a breath. “Hmm, fine. You win. Leaving her alone still feels concerning. Why go here?

“You heard her ramble on about her memories compared to Summer. Maybe Shiva is…I don’t know. Making up for lost time? Not like she’s ever had coffee personally.”

“Let’s pray that’s all there is. Everyone, let’s go.”

The summon took off into the storm with business left unfinished. Minutes later Shiva emerged with a hot brew in hand, mindful of her touch. Just what were her new limits? She should’ve tested more thoroughly. Better late than never. Only one way to find out. She took a sip. It kinda burned and yet…

“Tastes like she remembers.” Shiva smiled genuinely, intrigued and pleasantly surprised. “Good to know.” She took another sip.

xxxxxx

The sun was setting once again on another rough day. Not that Nick could tell in the operating room. He could ask his dad for the time but didn’t bother. If the chill inside his body was anything to go on, things had to have been getting colder. All he knew was that his family wished him well, writing a heartfelt letter when he was resting. It should’ve been touching but Nick had a feeling part of the reason it was written was because of how hard it was for them, his mother, to be here. If it weren’t for Jaune’s semblance, he might’ve left too. Nick didn’t blame them however. He couldn’t stand being here either. This family has seen the inside of a hospital enough to last a lifetime. Nick only wished this didn’t break anyone.

“I’m sorry.” He said calmly.

Jaune’s head perked up. “For?”

“You’re stuck here.”

“Nick…” Jaune walked over and smiled. “Don’t apologize for this. I’m not stuck anywhere. I’m nothing but grateful that I can still do something to help a person who means the world to me.”

“Is that why…mom had to leave? She felt helpless?” His father’s eyes told Nick he was right. “Tell her I love her.”

“You can tell her your-”

“Dad.” Nick gripped Jaune’s hand. “I’ll give everything my all, but I can’t pretend this works out for the best. You know me. I try to see all the angles; it’s why I’m an awesome fighter.” Nick could feel his hand trembling. “There’s a lot of bad angles on this one.”

“I know.” Jaune couldn’t help but buckle a bit, letting his voice crack. “I know… I’ll tell her.”

The door opened and Penny came in with a couple of nurses, machinery, and enough Diamond Dust to make Nick want to vomit. To think more of that was going into him made him uneasy to say the least.

“This is sooner than expected.” Jaune said.

Penny nodded sadly, looking at Nick’s vitals and factoring everything else the day brought. She kinda felt like a hypocrite thinking of how she talked to Winter. “I’m afraid…he could get worse at any moment. I would’ve liked it if you could rest more, but so many things are time sensitive at this point.” Penny thought it best to not bring up Shiva. No need for unnecessary stress.

“An extra minute wouldn’t hurt though, if you need it to call or anything.”

Nick smiled, “I trust you. I can say things after.”

Jaune felt Nick’s grip tighten. How long have things been like this? Even while this weak Nick could manage that practiced smile of his for Penny’s sake. Perhaps he told Jaune his true feelings so he’d have fewer regrets; to have at least one person be able to tell those feelings. As Nick’s father, Jaune accepted that weight wholeheartedly.

A nurse placed the oxygen mask over Nick, giving him anesthesia. Jaune looked into his child’s eye and said the only thing he could. “Good night.”

“Night…” Nicholas’s grip finally relaxed.

xxxxxxx

With a day of raging winds nearing its end, brief rest from the weather was found for Ren and Nora as they marched back to the mansion. Nora held her hand out to greet gentle snowfall on numb fingertips.

“This would be beautiful under different circumstances.” She said looking around at the fields of white. “I’m shocked the weather is calming.”

“Perhaps it’s reflecting Shiva’s mood?”

“Think that’s possible?”

“We’ve both seen enough to know anything is possible.”

“Heh, can’t argue with ya there.” Nora rested her hammer on her shoulders and walked a bit more casually. Outside of a few bozos trying to building hop, nothing dire happened on their end. “Speaking of mood, you ever see anything on Shiva?”

“Not anything that I don’t see anyone else have, if that’s what you mean.”

“I don’t know. She has a pretty one track mind for pettiness, murder, and that’s about it.”

“You described Neo.” Ren said bluntly.

Now that was a blast from the past. “Oof, haven’t thought about her in awhile. Wonder if Yang still does.”

“Ruby still mentions Cinder ever so often. It wouldn’t surprise me if Yang did the same for Neo. They’re not the type to forget taking a life, no matter the circumstances. None of us are…”

Nora sighed, watching her breath float up. “Ain’t that the truth. Anyways, I am just saying Shiva feels very focused yet scatterbrained. Unpredictable I guess.”

“Think of it this way. Summer is fifteen, and Shiva isn’t acting any different from someone that age; or if you look at it from either the incident or when she first manifested, the. Shiva is very much a child. Who can say?”

That perspective gave Nora an icky and annoyed feeling. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say it’s possible we’re getting our ass handed to us by what, a potential eight year old or something?”

“Like I said, anything is possible. That’s what’s made this hard to begin with.”

A gust of wind followed by a huge shadow came over them. The duo looked up to see Winter’s Nevermore land in front of them. Blake and Ruby looked visibly tired while Yang looked fine and Winter was…Winter.

“Yo.” Yang waved. “Need a lift?”

“Hell yeah.” Nora was already halfway up the wing. “Glad everyone looks alive, though to varying degrees.”

Blake wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. “Roles were assigned…”

“And we got shit done.” Ruby added, nudging her cat-eared friend. “Too bad I can’t say the problem is over.”

“Nothing is ever that easy.” Ren said as the summon took off once he sat down. “How strong is she?”

“I never envied Cinder’s powers until today.” Ruby said bitterly, not noticing the look Ren gave Nora. “It’s not like Shiva is a master class fighter like us. The problem is the same as it’s been but much worse. We aren’t inflicting substantial damage, meanwhile everything she does is potentially fatal.”

Blake leaned against Yang to rest. “Essentially, we have to be perfect. Immense power, lasting endurance, and don’t get hit; or at the very least don’t take a lethal blow.”

“And to top it off, Shiva’s learning.” Winter added. “I could tell from watching when Blake and Ruby attacked that Shiva isn’t trying to muscle her way through this. She knows us and we know her, but nobody knows all the ins and outs. It might be a waiting game for now until a decisive blow can be made.”

Winter saw Yang tuck her lips in and hide a smile. Winter looked her dead in the eye, only confirming her suspicion as Yang tried to remain silent. “Yes Yang, you could call this a Cold War.”

“You said it, not me. I’m just gonna keep being a heater.”

“No need. We’ve arrived.”

The bird landed right at the bottom of the stairs. Its body slowly began to fade, prompting all aboard to hope off before their trip could have an unpleasant end. Yang was kind enough to take the lead up the stars in order to melt any ice that could be forming.

“Huh, that’s a little odd.” She spoke.

Nora looked at her and asked, “Oh boy, what is it now? I can only take so much Shiva info.”

“No, it’s nothing like that. I just expected to hear the front doors open. I doubt Veronica would go to sleep with all of us away.” Yang opened up the doors to finally escape the cold. “Wooo! We’re ba-”

Her hardy greeting was short lived as they all walked into the dim main hall. Right in the middle, Weiss and Whitley stood, seemingly breaking out of whatever trance they were in thanks to their friends' entrance. Surrounding them were dozens of papers and journals on the floor, as well as in their hands. Winter noticed their puffy eyes and ran to them.

“What happened!? What is all this?” She picked up a page. Winter could tell it was Summer’s handwriting immediately and read aloud, “Maybe…I should let it happen.” Her eyes widened. “What?”

“Their journal entries. Val found them…” Weiss said solemnly, handing over a journal to Winter with trembling hands. “C..Could you read to everyone?”

Winter’s eyes glanced over the page that was open briefly, yet it was enough to make her heart falter. She had to reread it to herself in fear she’d made a mistake while everyone slowly approached.

“Winter?” Ruby said cautiously.”

“…I did it again today.” Winter read from the book. “This time with my own blade. Though the pain was immense, I healed all the same, leaving not even a scar of my own behind.”

Suddenly, everyone else felt a pit in their stomach as Winter read on.

“At this point it would have to be something quick, instant even, to do me in. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if she has a solution for that. Logically I know my nerves can’t take it. She comes out with my fear and takes the choice from me if I were to give it my all. Even when a mind is willing, it won’t change my body’s reaction. It’s not fair. It’s not fair. It’s not fair. Can’t beat her, can’t hide, and I know I can’t run. Shiva runs my life, controls even my death. Still, the feeling of getting close, I’ll hold onto that.”

Winter slowly lowers the book in distraught. Her eyes can’t help but look around at the floor covered with pages. It couldn’t be. All of them? Were they all like this single page? “H…How long.”

“Like we could know?” Weiss said in disbelief as she grabbed several papers and cycled through them. “Pills, poison, reckless sport attempts, the list, it just…it just doesn’t stop!” Weiss threw the papers in anger and grief as she tried not to scream.

“Shiva…she really got to Summer; more than we ever knew.” Nora said, trying to remain composed, but her thoughts ran wild with unpleasant imagery.

Ren had picked up a journal to see for himself the pain Summer kept inside. “It wasn’t just Shiva.” He told everyone as he began reading. “Ditched school again. I wish I felt bad about it but the gazes at my scars were too much. I’ll try again tomorrow when I don’t have gym.” He skipped to another entry. “Nick took notes for me without asking. Kinda wish he’d just let me fail.”

Whitley read a passage in his to add to that tangent. “I fucked up again. Thought I could pull my weight but only got Nick hurt. Why does he even bother with me? No matter what I try, he just keeps getting further away. If twins are alike, then why am I struggling? Sometimes…” Whitley hesitated, “Sometimes, I wish our roles were reversed.”

Yang frowned. She could understand being hurt and feeling angry but… “You don’t think she means that, do you? I mean…Summer knows Nick blames himself.”

“That’s why it’s in a journal.” Whitley said deflated. “Even when you know all the circumstances at play, it doesn’t mean you feel any better getting the short end of the stick. Just look at me. Father was to blame for our mother's physical and mental state, yet that doesn’t change how bitter I am about her drinking. A couple of choices that uproot your entire life. It’s hard not to hold resentment.”

“Summer talks about all our promises too. We’ll find a cure, hold on, this is manageable, we’ll always be there.” Weiss knelt down to the floor and looked at the thousands of words that swarmed her. “Let’s face it, we weren’t there. Not really. I…I failed my daughter for years. To the point I didn’t even realize the only reason why she’s still around is because the thing we’re trying to beat refuses to let her die in peace. I can’t even cry about all this anymore! It’s just…too much. She put a hand over one eye as her breath became heavy. “I don’t know how much more of this I can handle. She wrote about how the scar she gave me wracks her with guilt. SUMMER CAN’T EVEN LOOK AT ME.”

Winter reached out but Weiss stepped back, taking a breath. She just needed a minute to calm herself. The room became silent again before a loud crash coming from the garden put everyone on alert.

Blake’s ears twitched as they heard a low growl. “Did the kids find these!?” Blake putting together neither Weiss or Whitley would just throw this all out in such a manner.

Whitley clenched his jaw in annoyance. “Of course Val couldn’t let it go. Are they fighting!?”

Nora, Ren, Blake, and Yang immediately started moving. Valerie was in no condition to be fighting and who knows what Veronica was thinking.

“Why would they be fighting at a time like this!?” Blake said overwhelmed.

Nick looked around for the journal that started this mess on the ground.It was the only Valerie had been holding when she called everyone. “Wait!” He called out as he found it, tossing them the journal. “If I had to guess, that.”

Yang caught it and looked at the cover. No one had to turn a page before feeling uneasy. Veronica’s name was on it.

xxxxxx

“HEY!” Valerie yelled several minutes earlier. Her feet carried her through the hall swiftly, but not as swift as her fleeing target. “VERONICA!”

“FUCK OFF, VAL.” She refused to look at Valerie. Veronica was seething that she even acknowledged her. “Listen to Whitley and go away!”

“Hell no! You don’t get to run from this!”

“It has nothing to do with me!”

Valerie felt her face grow hot while her tears stung. “IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH YOU. IT’S YOUR FAULT!”

Bad move. Veronica stopped like Valerie wanted, but to turn around and give the girl a right hook that held nothing back. Valerie’s vision blurred for a moment before focusing on furious eyes and ears folded down.

“You self righteous bitch.” Veronica said, cold and sharply through her teeth. “DON’T YOU DARE PIN THIS ON ME, YOU HYPOCRITE!”

Veronica tackled Valerie, not giving a damn about the girl’s injuries. Not that Valerie cared that much about them either. She was being just as aggressive, tossing one another into walls and rolling along the floor as they fought for leverage. Veronica managed to gain the upper hand, pinning Valerie to the floor.

“Quit pretending you’re this noble person. You’re not!”

Valerie grunted, “Let me go! What gives you the right to call me a hypocrite, huh!?”

“Oh get over yourself! You're as good as a friend to Summer as you are to Nick; just as honest too. It must be really easy to feel important and of value when you hang around the problem child. Can’t be surpassed when Summer always uses you as a crutch.”

“You’re full of shit! I help Summer because she’s my best friend!”

“A best friend you try to convince everyone you’re into? A friend you call Princess despite how much she hates that nickname but you never seem to notice because all you want to be is the knight in shining armor. It’s pathetic!

“Shut up…”

“You can’t cope with the fact you’re not special like them. They want you but they’ll never need you and that burns you up inside because you need them and all their imperfections front and center to feel good about yourself. She’s not your friend, but your ego boost!”

“I said shut up!” Valerie headbutted Veronica right in her nose and got her to stumble off. Valerie used all her strength to tackle Veronica again. Fists flew and voices yelled in anger.

The fighting made its way towards a balcony overlooking the garden. Veronica landed another punch to the face while dodging Valerie’s. The icy floor did nothing to slow Valerie and she was heading right for the guard rail at alarming speed. Call it a moment of clarity or the product of blind fury, but Veronica reached out to grab Valerie. Both girls' feet found no traction and as Valerie flipped over the rails, Veronica fell with her down into the garden.

Their fall was loud and hard with Valerie landing on top of Veronica. Veronica felt the wind knock out her briefly while being pinned by the crying girl.

“You’re the one with an ego! Little Ms. Perfect finding fault in everyone but herself!” Valerie gripped Veronica’s collar. “It pisses me off!”

“Let go of me!”

“No! How dare you think this has nothing to do with you. The pain you inflict, the way you break Summer down, it all adds up and you never let up!”

“It’s not my fault!”

“Summer wanted to kill herself!!! Do you have any idea what that must feel like?!”

“Of course I do! I JUMPED OFF A CLIFF!”

A deafening silence went over the garden as Valerie’s eyes went wide and her grip loosened. Neither of them realized they weren’t alone anymore.

“You what?” Blake said, Yang standing beside her as the others weren’t far behind.

Terror filled Veronica before an overwhelming anger that finally erupted in full. She pushed Valerie off and stood up quickly while the girl sat there stunned.

“You think you got it all figured out huh? I’m not perfect! You don’t even know a thing about me!!” Her body trembled violently, “News flash Valerie, being mixed doesn’t make you bridge between races. It just means both sides hate you! While others talk, you have to scream to get your point across. Humans see you as another animal while your own kind sees your existence as traitorous; a spit in the face of all their struggles but it doesn’t stop there. They’re too cowardly to say it directly but they know you can hear it no matter where you go. Their insults and slander; the way they taught their kids to despise you and ignore your existence because nobody dares challenge your parents directly. So you just take it and take it and take it like a good little girl who knows the teachers will find anything to lower your grade and the couches will use your genetic mishap as an excuse to remove you from sports under the pretense of keeping things fair! But you know what? It’s fine! You’ll find a new passion. One that isn’t a physical contest, design, and you learn that you’re really good at it. Too bad that doesn’t stop the judges from Atlas and your own island from scoring you low enough so you’ll never know what victory is. Your own contestants could ruin your designs but nobody would give a fuck! So now you’re just praying that one day things might change for the better until one day, you think they do. Finally someone takes an interest in you and treats you kindly but not because they care. No, but because puberty hits you and they think you’re easy! I mean why wouldn’t you be!? Nobody’s ever given you the time of day but when you reject them you realize nothing was better at all. Now all those whispers talk about how desperate and slutty you must be, or how you only look so good because you’re a glorified test tube baby and boy do they love bringing that up! Day in and day out you get the same shit so often for years that it drives you right towards the cliff on your property overlooking the waves and shallow reef one night, and you jump. You jump and barely think twice about it, until that hearing you’ve cursed forever lets you hear your parents call you for dinner. I…I phased through the rocks and landed in the water, my blood boiling that I let all those voices get to me! How dare they define my worth! I know my worth, so yeah I’ll scream! I will pick a fight with those who see me as weak when I’m strong! I will boast my intelligence, show off my skills, and let everyone know I feel beautiful because left up to them I’ll always be ugly!”

Veronica wavered on that final word. Her chest rose and fell greatly with her breath as tears ran down her red face. She looked down at her hands, fresh with blood as her nails dug into her palms.

“Why…WHY AM I SO UGLY TO THEM!” She asked the world. Then, she asked herself, “Why was I so ugly towards her? I didn’t mean for her to feel so…” Veronica could no longer hide her guilt or true feelings of guilt and sorrow, dropping to her knees as she cried into her hands. Finally, she admitted her truest feeling she tried to bury but could never escape.

“I hate this body. I hate these ears, tail, eyes, mouth, I hate it all! I hate myself.” She sobbed uncontrollably.

Valerie could not speak, watching the girl she never got along with breakdown before her feet in brutal honesty and pain. This grand revelation shook everyone to their core. All remained still, as if moving meant death.

Silent tears ran down Blake’s face, never realizing how great the toll of the world had been on her own child. All because of who her parents were. How could she console a pain like that? Her body wanted to move and yet…

Yang grabbed Blake’s hand and finally moved, stumbling forward one inch at a time before falling to her before her weeping daughter. Yang reached out to touch her, but her hand went right through her.

“V..Veronica?” Yang’s voice cracked. “Please let me touch you. I wanna touch my daughter.” Tears fell immediately. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“How could I!?” Veronica hugged herself tightly. “How could I tell you I hate myself, when you’re so proud of how much of you there is every time you look at me?! I thought you’d hate me.”

“I COULD NEVER HATE YOU.” Yang hit the floor. “Blake and I love you, and it has nothing to do with anything like features. We love you because you’re ours, and I am sorry if that was never clear. Even if you say you hate yourself, that’s not gonna change our love or stop us from trying to make you think otherwise. You could decide to look like a completely different person and we’d be okay as long as you were.”

“That’s not the point. I just…I don’t know, okay!?” Veronica finally looks up to see her parents crying in front of her. “I’m so tired feeling this way. I’m tired of screaming to be heard. I just want to feel okay. That’s all I’ve ever wanted!”

Veronica lunged forward into Yang and Blake’s arms for them to hold her tightly, as if she might slip away.

Valerie remained frozen in place, only looking up as her parents finally rushed over to her side. Their look was filled with concern and yet Valerie felt as if she didn’t deserve it. Not their sympathy or the right to have any attention at this moment. That’s what she told herself, yet that didn’t stop her eyes from flooding with tears as everything sunk in. Valerie truly never understood any of the people around her. From enemies, to so called friends.

Her voice came out dry and weak. “I’m sorry.” Words for Veronica, Nick, Summer, everyone. Valerie could not deny her actions any longer, forced to realize she had her own part to play in this colossal failure. “I’m sorry…”

[arc-misadventures]

Friends au: what is jaune relationships with penny they honestly never met save for her being called to battle pyrrha and "dying".

Friends XXI

Penny: Salutations, Friend Jaune! It is a pleasure to see you again!

Jaune: …

Penny: …?

Jaune: …

Penny: Friend Jaune, is something the matter?

Jaune: Friend…? What makes you think were friends?

Penny: You are, Ruby’s, therefore you are my friend too!

Jaune: I see…

Ruby: Penny! Since you have a new body, can you eat this cake?! It’s delicious!

Penny: Hello, Ruby! With this new body I can try all sorts of new things! Even cake! Would you like to join us, Friend Jaune?

Ruby: Yeah, Jaune! Do you want some cake?

Jaune: …

Ruby: J-Jaune? Are you alright…?

Jaune: Haa… I’m heading to bed…

Ruby: What?! But, the party’s only just started?!

Jaune: I’m tired, Ruby. I’ll see you later…

Ruby: But, the party…?

Penny: …

Penny: Did I do something wrong?

Ruby: I… I don’t think so…?

Penny: Then why did, Friend Jaune seem so sad?

Ruby: Oh… that’s what you said wrong…

Penny: What do you mean?

Ruby: Haa… It’s a long story…

~~~

Jaune: ‘You’re, Ruby’s friend so your my friend too?!’ What bullshit…

Pyrrha: She see’s you as a friend, what’s wrong with that?

Jaune: Aww hell, your back… I thought I was done with you…

Pyrrha: What’s wrong with me? I thought you like seeing me?

Jaune: No, no I don’t. I don’t like talking with the mental personification of all my sorrows, and greatest regrets.

Pyrrha: I thought you were over that, over my death?

Jaune: The wound may have healed, but the scar remains, and it will take years to fade away.

Pyrrha: It still hurts… But, I don’t see what this has to do with you being upset about, Penny?

Jaune: She sees me as her friend, because I am, Ruby’s friend. And, because of that, we’re not friends…

Pyrrha: Oh, your logic of, ‘Has friends, or Has no friends.’ Penny thinks you’re a friend because of your relationship with, Ruby. That’s why your so upset…

Jaune: Among other things…

Pyrrha: Such as?

Jaune: Such as she was dead; Penny died, and Ruby is acting like she was never gone, and everything is alright again in, Ruby’s world. For a second I thought we would have a moment to bound over mutual grief… I doubt she’ll understand that now, or anything for that matter.

Pyrrha: What does that mean?

Jaune: I lost you, and Ruby lost, Penny! Now, Penny is back, and she acts like nothing has changed, like she didn’t watch her get ripped to shreds! And, now I’ve got less than nothing, again!

Pyrrha: You don’t! You still have…?!

Jaune: Nothing! You’re gone! And, they’ve got each other again! And, they’re all acting like, The Fall never happened! Gods I hate my life…

Pyrrha: Do you really feel that way about your life?

Jaune: Would saying I wish I was dead clarify your question?

Pyrrha: Jaune?! Don’t say such things!

Jaune: Too late, I’ve already said it, Pyr…?!

Winter: Who are you talking to, Mr. Arc?

Jaune: Oh, Winter, I didn’t see you there.

Winter: Indeed you did. No doubt because you were inthralled with your conversation with… yourself?

Jaune: Yeah, so?

Winter: Is… Is everything alright, Mr. Arc?

Jaune: Nope.

Winter: Do you wish to talk about it?

Jaune: Nope.

Winter: Are you sure?

Jaune: Yes, yes I am sure that I don’t want to talk about it. Now if you don’t mind; I’m tired, and I want to get some rest. So may I leave now?

Winter: …

Winter: Very well, Mr. Arc. Rest well.

Jaune: Thanks…

Winter: …

Winter: I believe you misunderstood, Mr. Arc’s feelings sister… Misunderstood them gravely… I must report this immediately. Otherwise something terrible may happen…

[pilot-boi]

Ozpin, you gonna hate me for this but I figured you could use the extra help, I pulled Glynda into this mess. She’s just rocked up. I’ve asked her to help organise people since you seem to have your hands full, and this night is gonna wight heavy on everyone. Once this zombie is taken care of we can take Jaune down the hill and start sending people to the hospital or to help others. Glynda came with her car and her partner works at the hospital so we have another set of hands there to help.

Ozpin groans. “Glynda is going to be so mad at me,” he sighs, beckoning over Nora. “I doubt she’ll believe me when I tell her the children came here of their own accord.”

“What do you need me to do?” Nora asks immediately, crouching down beside the two of them. She looks down and Jaune and blanches. “What the fuck happened to him?!” she yelps, hands fluttering over the boy’s cracked and charred skin. Suddenly she looks sheepish. “Oh, sorry for swearing professor-”

“I feel quite the same, my dear girl,” he reassures her. He sighs and frowns. “As for what happened to him, I don’t know,” Ozpin admits, and chuckles when Nora looks shocked. “I am a mere man, I don’t know everything. No, all I know is that when I got up here he was… burning.”

Her ears flatten against her head and she growls protectively. “If I get my hands on the person who… who burned Jaune I’ll-” Nora mimes wringing someone’s neck, and Ozpin is suddenly supremely grateful to not be at fault.

He places a gentle hand on hers, and lowers them. She’s shaking, poor girl. He can’t imagine how terrifying this must have been for all of them.

“What I need you to do…” Ozpin says gently. Nora tears her eyes away from Jaune’s face and looks up at him. “…is make sure that Jaune is still breathing and that his heart is still beating.”

She chokes and stares at him, horrified. He grimaces and squeezes her hand. “I hate to have to ask this of you,” Ozpin says sincerely. He truly does, none of the children should have to be dealing with this. “I need to let Professor Goodwitch know where we are so we can get Jaune to the hospital.”

“Professor Goodwitch is here?” Nora asks, sounding surprised. He can’t say he blames her. How you managed to convince his straight-laced coworker to come to this fiasco he’ll never know.

“Yes, her fiancé is the doctor who treated you all at the hospital. And while I’m doing that, I need you to watch Jaune.” Ozpin glances over to the crest of the hill, where he can hear the battle raging. “Cinder should keep Salem’s weapon away from you, so all you need to do is keep an eye on him.”

“And alert me if anything changes.” He turns back to Nora, looking her straight in the eye. Do you think you can do that?”

Nora’s face hardens and she nods. “I can do that. If it’ll help, I can do that,” she says without a hint of hesitation.

Ozpin stands, hand on her shoulder. The depth of these children’s bravery astounds him at every turn. “Thank you, Miss Valkyrie. Truly.”

As he turns to signal Glynda, he sees Nora’s hand reach for Jaune’s wrist, searching for his pulse. She seems thankful for something to do, something to take her mind off things. Perhaps someone told her about her father’s injury. The dirt on her face is streaked with tears, and her eyes have dark shadows under them.

Ozpin sighs. He’ll be happier when all of the children are safe in the walls of a hospital and getting the healing they deserve.

He reaches the crest of the hill, about to wave down at Glynda when he spots them.

A group of dust covered, bloody, exhausted children. One with blonde hair carrying a dark haired girl. A woman with long black hair supporting another.

And a boy with short dark hair, in a three colored sweater that Ozpin nearly sobs when he sees.

“Oscar…” the man whispers.

[peterneptune16]

Why I love RoseGarden (Full Essay[?, Idk what to call it])

Reason 1: How They Support Each Other

Okay so this is probably the biggest part of this all but I really wanted to talk about this because- Oscar and Ruby have supported each other A LOT, so of course this gonna be the 1st reason I discuss, but enough of my rambling, onto the reasoning:

Let’s take a look at the past 4 Volumes real quick and do an alaysis of 7 scenes in particular

-Volume 5-

Scene 1: Dojo Scene (V5 Ep5)

In the scene that all RoseGarden fans, including myself, love so much. We have Ruby comforting Oscar and being there by his side to give him support and encouragement to keep pressing onwards, to keep going on cause he will get stronger and that just by being there, it already says alot about him. This shows that Ruby does believe in Oscar and knows he can do this, he just needs a little help along the way. A little push.

Scene 2: Ruby is Hurt Scene (V5 Ep12)

In this scene that all RoseGarden fans ALSO love, Oscar immediately rushes to Ruby’s side whenever she is hurt by Emerald and knocked down. Kneeling down and encouraging her to get back up and keep fighting, telling her that they need her. This shows that Oscar has already developed pretty strong feelings for Ruby atleast as a friend by this point in time, despite them not knowing each other for very long.

-Volume 6-

Scene 1: Ruby reassuring Oscar (V6 Ep4)

In this fairly short scene, we see Ruby return Oscar’s cane back to him and comfort him after what just happened with Jinn. When Oscar asks her if he is just another one of Ozma’s lives, Ruby is quick to reply saying that he isn’t, that he is his own person. Even putting her other hand ontop of his, showing that she does genuinely care for Oscar and doesn’t want him thinking that he doesn’t matter, that he’s not just another Ozma, that he’s Oscar Pine and that wasn’t changing.

Scene 2: Oscar reassuring Ruby (V6 Ep10)

In this also fairly short scene, we see Ruby looking doubtful about the whole plan she has involving Cordovin’s Mech. Obviously having a hard time believing that it’ll work out, to which Oscar steps in and reassures her that it will work. His confident smile during this all, shows that he does believe in the plan and isnt just saying he does for Ruby too feel better, but that he trusts her and knows that it’ll all work under her leadership.

-Volume 7-

Scene 1: Ruby trusts Oscar to keep the lamp safe (V7 Ep3)

In this scene, which is somewhat short, Ruby hands the lamp off to Oscar, cause she is going down to the Tundra. She knows that Oscar will keep the lamp safe and out of the wrong hands while in Atlas, which he does, all the way until he ends up getting ambushed by Neo and the lamp is stolen. (Not focusing on the Oscar side of this scene here, but we will discuss that in the next scene analysis) The fact Ruby shows no restraint when handing the lamp off to Oscar, despite the fact Ozpin is in his head and could return any minute for all they know, shows that she really does trust Oscar as Oscar. She knows that he knows the right thing to do and isn’t worried about what choices he’ll make.

Scene 2: Oscar takes the burden off Ruby’s shoulders (V7 Ep9)

In this scene, which gets build up in the previous scene with Oscar asking Ruby if hiding Oz’s secrets from Ironwood was a good move or not, we see Ruby and Oscar, very nervously, talking about how they feel about telling Ironwood. In which they both reveal that they both think they should tell Ironwood. Which I think is all well and good, and really cute, but I’m more focused on what comes after. Ruby says that she’ll tell Ironwood what Jinn told them, but upon seeing she is needed elsewhere, Oscar immediately steps up to take on the burden of telling Ironwood what Oz was hiding, no matter what Ironwood’s reaction would be. He is willing to take this huge burden off of Ruby’s shoulders because she needs to do something even more important at the moment, and he doesn’t wanna hold her back from doing it. Despite how Ironwood may react, Oscar shows no fear or hesitation and is more than willing to do this for Ruby, in place of her.

-Volume 8-

Scene 1: Ruby going to find Oscar (V8 Ep1)

In this scene, which is an absolute gold mine for all us RoseGarden shippers, a good amount goes on. First off, Ruby goes out to find Oscar, though she likely is unsure if he is even alive, and eventually does find him. When she does, she is visibly very happy too see him again, alive and somewhat well. Oscar and Ruby are then seemingly talking about what happened in Atlas, with Oscar claiming that every choice he made was the wrong one. She then reassures him that he just did what he thought was right, that they all did, and that she is just glad to see him alright. Too which he blushes upon being touched by her and told that (Boy definitely crushing but more on that later). This whole scene was just really cute and wholesome too see how Ruby does care about Oscar alot, and that she is happy too see him alright. Which is really just- pure. While also reassuring him that he isn’t too blame for all that happened, that he can’t be beating himself up over this all and it isn’t his fault.

So basically, I just like too see these scenes because they show that the two have alot of trust in each other, and are always there to reassure each other through anything, that they’re there for each other, and are always a support for one another. That one can always lean on the other for support if needed, they’ll be their rock. Also if the pattern keeps up, possibly another Oscar supporting Ruby scene coming this volume! Cause those are always in the later half of the volumes, while the Ruby ones are always in the earlier halves.

Reason 2: How They Inspire Each Other

How Oscar inspires Ruby: While he may not inspire her as much as she inspires him, Oscar still does inspire Ruby in a few ways. She seems to be genuinely impressed with how he handles things despite being so young. Like when he successfully lands the airship despite being just a fourteen year old farm hand. She seemed geniunely surprised and impressed, and this probably isn’t the only time he has made her feel that way, so it seems safe to say that Oscar in some way does inspire Ruby.

How Ruby inspires Oscar: Ruby inspires Oscar in a whole multitude of ways. Ruby is the inspiration that gave Oscar a reason to keep pressing on and keep fighting despite everything, despite how scared he was. She made him realize his true inner strength and bravery, made him realize that he can do this. After that talk she had with him in Volume 5, he seemed much more confident and ready for the road ahead. She also inspired him to see himself as more than just the next Ozpin in Volume 6, or atleast, tried too. It was hard with how much others were kind of holding him back from doing so due to their frustrations with Ozpin at the moment, but It seems Ruby was in some way able to help Oscar realize that he is more than just Ozpin part 2.

Reason 3: Oscar’s (Hinted at) True Feelings

Something that was pretty much confirmed this volume is that Oscar does have some deeper feelings towards Ruby, most likely a crush, whenever he blushes at her just putting her hand on his shoulder and saying that she is glad too see him alright.

But this was not the first hint that Oscar may have some feelings towards Ruby, as there have been a few sprinkled throughout the series if you look close enough. Which is something that I really like about this ship, there have been small subtle hints too it for a while now, in reality, since the very beginning. When Oscar first even meets Ruby, the first thing he seems to notice about her is her eyes, and says the quote “You have silver eyes” but the way he says it and the look on his face, gives more the impression of him finding them unique and beautiful, rather than a source of power like most other people would. (A girls eyes are also often one of the first few things a guy notices about her and finds attractive, which seems to be the case here for the young pine tree)

There was another moment when they first met that also gives the impression Oscar may have started having some sort of feelings for her right off the bat, keep in mind though, I’m not saying this was a crush just yet, rather he just found her pretty and/or attractive in some way. This was that whenever the two first met and Oscar saw Ruby smile and giggle, he immediately blushed and became a little bit nervous around her in an adorkable way. (A smile is often another thing a guy first notices about a girl he finds attractive, as is her laugh)

Another thing I wanna mention is that he almost always looks at Ruby whenever the two of them are in a room together, she doesn’t even have to be saying or doing anything and his eyes will still drift towards Ruby without fail. Which could just be a cute subtle way of showing his growing emotions towards Ruby as the series progresses. And if he ever sees her in any sign of danger he is always quick to call out her name and usually reach out towards her.

Aswell, the next point I’d like to mention in this segment, is how Oscar changed up his outfit to have bits of red in it. But, this red doesn’t really make much sense at first glance if you look at it, as it seems to just be there cause it looks kind of cool on his outfit, but this is RWBY and almost everything has some kind of significance too it, especially colors, so this could be one of those cases where a character adds a color to their outfit too show a fondness or closeness for another character. To show a closer attraction towards them, as it was confirmed people in Remnant do that. But who could this red be for- none other, than Ruby Rose herself. The only one with red as their main color and the one Oscar has grown the closest too across the course of the series. Like how Jaune has red in the form of Pyrrha’s sash, to show he still has a close bond with her, even after her untimely death. Or how Ren and Nora both wear pink, idk if that counts, but I think it does dang it. Anyhow, I think this is possibly a cute little way of showing how Oscar has grown stronger feelings for Ruby, add onto it she was the first one too comment positively on his new combat gear, saying it looks good. Aswell it looks like the exact same shade of Red as her combat gear.

For the final point I’d like to mention this segment, is one that I will spoiler warning the whole post for because of the fact that it just really does mean alot for Oscar’s character. It’s that Oscar was the one to offer a hug to Ruby, not the other way around, when they met up again in Atlas. Ruby has been the one too offer a hug to everyone else but never really the one to get offered a hug, and Oscar has always been the one to recieve hugs from others but not offer them himself. So seeing Oscar offer a hug to Ruby and seeing his smile just seeing her again- my fucking heart y’all-

So I think CRWBY has been dropping small hints all along that Oscar would grow feelings for Ruby somewhere along the way. And he just now is starting to see those feelings as more than just close friends, but rather that he has a developing crush on Ruby.

Reason 4: It Isn’t Really One Sided

Though Ruby may not exactly feel the same way about Oscar that he does her and we don’t have as much evidence for her as we do for Oscar, we do have some small pieces of evidence here and there that suggest Ruby could possibly start feeling similar feelings for Oscar that he does for her.

The first thing I would like to point out is that Ruby seems to look out for Oscar in alot of ways, and she seems to keep an eye on him whenever they’re in a fight or whenever he is in any sort of danger. The first time this happened was during their sparring match where she was quick to call back to Oscar after she knocked him down, like she was asking if he was alright, and then again in the same sparring match when she rushed too his side when Ozpin handed back the controls and he seemed hurt and exhuasted, a clear look of worry across her face. She also kept her eye out for Oscar whenever Hazel went after him during the Volume 5 fight and was quick to let the others know that he needed help, which shows that she was worried for him during this fight despite the fact Ozpin was also there, she was worried for Oscar nonetheless. She was also the first one to ask Oscar if he was okay in Volume 6 when they saw him again, which was honestly adorable. She also kept her eye out for him during the Volume 7 Mantle fight, whenever he killed that sabyr and didn’t notice another jumping up to strike him from behind, she was quick to be the one to respond by shooting it and giving a nod and smile to Oscar, almost as if showing she was proud of Oscar in some ways for how far he’s come as a fighter over such a short time actually fighting, and also reassuring him that she had his back in this. It was also cute how in the first episode of this volume, she was the one who went out to go find Oscar, she was the one who reached out too him when they saw each other again, and she was clearly happy too even just see him again, she likely didn’t even know he was alive or even down in Mantle, but she was still going to go look for him. Then of course there was this past episode, where she noticed that Oscar was right beside Emerald and she immediately went to draw her weapon before Oscar stepped in to stop her, showing pretty much an identical expression and reaction to the one Oscar had whenever he noticed her get knocked down during the fight at Haven. Which, these just seem like really cute and sweet moments on Ruby’s part, how she kind of is always there looking out for Oscar whenever he is possibly in any sort of danger or is hurt in any way and she is actually there to help prevent it, like she’s protective of her farm hand Cinnamon Roll.

Another thing I’d like to mention is that she is a bit awkward around Oscar at times, sort of like he is around her. She seems to hug herself a bit whenever she is around him and it’s just the two of them together, as she did this both in Volume 5 and Volume 7, like she is a little bit nervous, and she gets a little gigglgy and awkward, making it seem like she has some part of her that does have some kind of awkward dorkish feelings toward Oscar, similar to how he can get kind of awkward and nervously flustered around her aswell, she’s just better at not showing it.

Like I said, there are less pieces of evidence for Ruby’s side of things than there are for Oscar, but she does seem to have a few hints here and there that she may at some point reciprocate the feelings he feels for her, just towards him.

Reason 5: Extra Little Details

These are just small things here and there honestly, just cute things about these two that could possibly hint at them being a possible thing in the future. Or maybe they’re just purely coincidental, who knows? I still pretty much just find them cute regardless, needless to say, this is my weakest of the five points. But I still wanted to mention these things cause they do contribute a little bit.

Oscar and Ruby’s main colors are complementary. This is a point that is extremely obvious to anyone who just knows well- anything about colors. Red and Green are complementary colors, and these two have the main colors of Red and Green. This is a bit of a weak point, but it’s still cute none the less and given how important colors are in RWBY, ya never know.

This next point is really pretty weak and honestly just for fun, but, their eyes do complement each other a bit. Light Green and Light Yellow are colors that complement Silver. Though this is probably unintentional, It’s just something cute I wanted to note.

There are other things that could be considered cute small pieces of evidence, like how Oscar has an Aunt and Ruby has an Uncle, or that Miles has defended RoseGarden saying that the ship is fine with the age difference stuff. But those things are pretty much well known by anyone else who ships RoseGarden and more than likely just to RWBY fans in General, so I’d feel a bit wrong putting them here and giving them too much attention. I did want to mention them but that’s about it. Anyways, onto the conclusion.

Conclusion

So in Conclusion, There are quite a few reasons that I ship RoseGarden, but hey, this is just my personal opinion. Honestly I’d love too hear anyone else’s opinions on the ship aswell! And if there are any reasons that you ship these two that I didn’t list here, feel free to tell me, I’d love too hear them! Just please be respectful in replies, after all, these are just ships. We all ship for fun so may aswell just keep discussions about ships fun. But that’s all for now and hope others like this post and like the ship for these reasons aswell! Hope everyone has an amazing day ^^

[godofsexdrugsandrocknroll]

Soul: Power Trip

Yang: *Stretches arms above head, draws classmates attention* So...anybody know why tall, blonde and goofy looks so chill up there?

Pyrrha: *Crosses arms* I'm...uncertain. Jaune was quite instrumental in our takedown of the Grimm at initiation and I have no doubt he'll impress us here as well, but...well perhaps--

Weiss: *Scoffs* Well if he 'flirts' *sarcastic airquotes* as well as he does fight then at least we won't have to wait long for that Winchester oaf to end this.

Pyrrha: *Glares but says nothing*

Ruby: I-I don't really wanna agree with Weiss on this one, but she might be right. Jaune doesn't even carry a weapon.

*Weiss throws up her hands and scowls*

Pyrrha: *Trying to defend Jaune* Even still, Jaune showed a good grasp of group tactics. *Uncertain* Maybe he fights differently than us?

Yang: *Immediately bored* Oh yay. So he's gonna talk his way to a win.

Blake: *Eyes on the stage as Glynda explains* There is more than one way to win a battle, Yang. And to be fair, he doesn't look like he's even remotely worried. *Eyes narrow* He almost looks bored. *To Nora and Ren* Did you two see how he fought in initiation?

Nora: *Grins* Nope! Way too busy crushing Grimm into paste and flyin' around!

Weiss: *Looking really grouchy* Lovely. How interesting--

Ren: *Quietly* He's fast.

Weiss: *Snaps at him* What?

Ren: Jaune. He was fast. Not as fast as Ruby but when the Deathstalker tried to get him with its stinger, Jaune only saw it about two seconds before it would have killed him and he dodged it and directed Pyrrha towards the stinger. *Looks back at the stage* The reflexes, reaction time and speed to pull that off is a bit unnerving, even for a future Huntsman, but it also suggests Jaune knows how to fight.

*The two teams are now quiet, even Weiss who is now actually looking at Jaune*

Cardin: *Sneers* Don't worry too much, Jauney boy. I can't make this painless but it'll definitely be quick. *RDL laughs nearby*

Jaune: *Says nothing, just stands there in his jeans and his bunny hoodie with a long sleeved orange shirt beneath it and white surgical gloves covering his hands, a white surgical mask over his face*

Glynda: --with that said, are there any questions from our combatants?

Jaune: *When Cardin remains silent* Is this an assessment of our skill or a display?

Glynda: *A bit taken aback at the blunt tone* Excuse me?

Jaune: *Sighs tiredly, puts dull blue eyes on Glynda* This fight.

Glynda: *Perturbed* Both, Mr. Arc. But we do not expect to see the full scope of your capabilities as a Huntsman in just one fight, if that's what you're asking.

Jaune: *Just looks back at Cardin, removes his right glove and holds it it in his other hand*

Glynda: If that is all *steps back* then begin!

Cardin: *Shoots forward* Don't worry, bunny boy, I'm sure next fight you'll get to show off all that 'skill' of yours!

*Despite being only a foot away and about to bring his mace down, Cardin isn't fast enough*

Jaune: *Inside only a second or two, Jaune crouches down and moves forward in the same instant and places two fingers on Cardin's neck*

Cardin: The fuck was tha--GGGKKKKKKKKKK!!!!! *Trails off into a scream as his flesh seems to suddenly grow large goosebumps, which rapidly become large bubbles*

*Shocked screams from the audience*

Cardin: *Explodes into a massive shower of gore, his upper half missing and leaving only his legs*

Glynda: *So shocked that she just stares in horror as the students start panicking*

Random Student: Oh gods, h-he killed him!

Random Student #2: Somebody call the headmaster, no the police!

Jaune: *Deeply irritated* Calm down. *People gape and Jaune sighs, leans forward and touches Cardin's blood*

*Instead of frantic screams of terror, disgust and anger there is now dead silence as Cardin brutally reforms and gasps, pales and falls on his ass, crabwalking backwards and beginning to hyperventilate while staring at Jaune*

Jaune: *Melancholy* Still so disgusting. *Puts on glove, to Glynda* That's my win. *Walks off*

Cardin: *Scampers closer to Glynda who's staring at her scroll and then at Cardin, Cardin is suddenly almost polite* T-the hell was that, Arc?

Jaune: *Shoulders slumped* My semblance. It's matter manipulation. Anything I touch I can disassemble or reassemble into anything I want. If I want to destroy, I destroy. If I want to create, I create. If I want to reshape matter into something else, the sky's the limit. *Stops before a pale Pyrrha, a solemn looking Ren with widened eyes and a fidgeting, nervous Nora* Or if I want to revive the dead, I revive the dead. *Shrugs* Family was attacked when I was young. I was hurt. Mother unlocked my aura just in time for me to see some White Fang asshole pulp her skull with his mace. When you're 6 years old and just watched your mother die, the only thing your soul wants is to save her.

*Blake shifts uneasily, looking away while Yang has an arm around a stunned, terrified Ruby's shoulders with a complicated look on her face and Weiss can't stop staring at the boy she dismissed, a hand over her mouth since she was close to vomiting*

Jaune: *Sighs again* Do whatever you want with that information. It makes no difference to me. I'm used to Overhaul.

Weiss: *Shakily* O-Overhaul?

Jaune: *Slouches into a seat* My semblance. It's called Overhaul.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One final post for the day. I like the idea of different semblances and the impact they would have on a character. For those unaware, this is a quirk from My Hero Academia called Overhaul, used by a character of the same name.

I'm well aware it doesn't really work as a semblance since semblances don't really work the same way as quirks; but this is just for fun.

And in this case, I think if Jaune had Overhaul as his semblance, his behavior makes sense. This would be a Jaune who's seen his mother die at a young age, revived her and then since his semblance is tied to his soul and his emotions can effect that (Yang getting angry and activating Burn), he's probably accidentally killed a lot of people, possibly including his family (hence the gloves). So he's just kind of depressed, a bit done with everything, has never really faced any challenges and is a little bit adverse to the messes he makes (I can't imagine getting blood in your mouth being a pleasant experience).

He's no Overhaul, but he's not a fan of the germs. He's also flippant, cold and aloof not to mention big with the reflexes/RT/speed and would be hard to get along with, I think, even if he's the same lovable goof he is in canon beneath layers of trauma.

I could picture either either Nora or Ruby really being the one to help Jaune the most, although I think Yang could be a good enough of a friend after a time to do the same.

[howlingday]

nora the arc au) nora finds out that blake was essentually a child soldier and blake admits she's afraid that she doesn't know how to be a good person nora sugests she find someone she trusts to be a good person and then just follow their orders. then study them to find out how to be a good person yourself.

she was expecting blake to follow her own team leader ruby. instead now she's got a cat constantly watching her and jaune trying to get intimate. SHE CAN'T HOLD HANDS IN FRONT OF SOMEONE IT'S TOO LEWD! she can kiss her husband tho so consolation prize

Ceiling Cat!

Blake heard everything. Blake saw everything. If it happens in Beacon, sooner or later, she would learn about it. So when she learned about her neighbors across the hall being both the most trusting people and the most loving couple, she needed to learn more, firsthand.

Her years in the White Fang taught her many skills, including infiltration. She knocked on the door, no doubt drawing the attention of the dwellers inside. The door opens.

"Hm?" Jaune peered out through the door. "Oh, hey, Blake! What's up?"

She needed to gain their trust if she was taking this route. Failure to do so could end in total mission failure. She needed to give them a reason to let her in.

"Hey, Jaune. Do you mind if we talk in your room?"

"Uh, sure!" Jaune opened the door wide and stepped aside. "Come on in!"

"Thank you." The door shut behind her. Mission accomplished.

"What are you doing by the peephole, Yang?" Damn! I've been spotted! It's all on you, Blake! Your partner's been captured by the ice queen! "Hey!"

Blake sat quietly across the tea table Jaune unfolded for their discussion. She was told it was an idea Ren had to help bond the team together. It was small, square, and only had enough room for one person at each end. Thankfully, however, it was tall enough to have tea on. She was served a cup pre-made by Ren for sudden guests.

"So what's on your mind?" Jaune asked.

"I'm told you're the most trusting man at Beacon."

"Wow, really?" Jaune blushed. "I had no idea!"

Blake nodded. "I wanted to get to know you a little better, and hopefully you can get to know me as well."

"Yeah, that'd be great!" Jaune beamed. "What do you want to know?"

"First, I'd like to know about your family." Blake began. "You were born to the Arc family, correct?"

Jaune nodded. "I take you've heard of them."

"Only a few times. My father used to praise your family for being kind." Jaune grinned. "But he also criticized their recklessness." He frowned. "He said your family made a habit of sticking their nose where it didn't belong. The Faunus Wars, for example."

"Oh, yeah. You mean Abigail Arc, right?" Blake nodded. "Honestly, I don't know a lot about her, except that she broke Faunus from slavery during the early settling of Vacuo."

Blake nodded. "Yes, and at the time, she was my favorite human from history."

"Really? Who was your favorite Faunus?"

"I would say Ghira Belladonna, one of the early founders of the White Fang."

"The terrorist group?" Blake flinched, but Jaune didn't seem to notice. "Kind of weird, but I guess it makes sense if you cared a lot about Faunus rights."

Blake nodded. "Yes, and I do. Jaune, do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"And can I trust you?"

"You can." Blake removed the string from her ribbon, causing it to fall and reveal her small cat ears. Jaune blinked and gasped. Blake blushed as she revealed her secret.

"Kitty!"

"What?" Blake whirled around to find Nora standing behind her, gawking at Blake's ears. She had stars in her eyes, like a child watching a butterfly for the first time.

"Can I touch them?" Nora gave a pouty face. "Pleeeeeeeease?"

"Nora," Jaune warned, "mind your manners."

Blake giggled. "Are you sure you're a couple? You seem more like a parent and child relationship."

Nora scoffed. "It's just a gag we run with each other. Right, Jauney?"

Jaune chuckled. "Yes, honey, it is." Jaune then looked Blake dead in the eyes and shook his head, mouthing 'No!' Nora pulled up a chair and sat between them. "So, you're a cat faunus? I take it that's why you're so curious about my thoughts on Abigail Arc."

"Partially." Blake admitted. "Moreover, I was curious on your thoughts on human/faunus relations."

"What relations?" Nora asked.

Blake nodded. "Exactly. Humans and Faunus have had a strained connection between them since the end of the Faunus Wars. Some people have held onto their grudges from then, even when the war ended before their parents were born."

Nora nodded along. "Mhm, I see."

"It's a shame when people can't see past a set of ears or a tail to have a normal conversation." Jaune replied.

"Yes, a darn shame." Nora nodded again.

"Cardin is one example." Blake offered. "His great grandfather fought against the Faunus, and he still holds a grudge against us, even though we never harmed him."

"True, true."

"Nora," Jaune looked in his fiance's direction, "when did the Faunus Wars end?"

"Uh," Nora blushed, "sixty-three years ago starting at noon tomorrow?"

Blake and Jaune shared a look, then looked back in Nora's direction. "Lucky guess."

"Look, I don't really get it, but I still think it's ridiculous." Nora started listing things on her fingers, "The Faunus Wars, the White Fang, the Menagerie Outcastings, the SDC embargoes," Nora waved her hands in the air. "It's all ridiculous! At the end of the day, we're all the same squishy people with breakable body parts."

"A bit morbid, but I understand." Blake was surprised to hear Nora make an argument against not just Faunus discrimination, but discrimination as a whole. She smiled as she stood up. "I should be going." She tied the bow around her ears. "But before I go, I have one more question to ask you."

Jaune and Nora watched carefully. "Yes?" Jaune answered.

"I used to be a member of the White Fang. I used to hurt people for a living. For ten years, every day, I fought against violence with violence. Knowing this," Blake turned to face them, their visibly pale faces watching her every move, "will you treat me any differently?"

"Yes," Jaune answered immediately, standing up and approaching her. She watched as he closed the gap between them, unflinching, expecting the worst. "I'm sorry."

Blake couldn't move. She was trapped in his grip, and he refused to let go. Worse yet, it felt... nice.

Jaune hugged her, resting his head on her shoulder, one hand rubbing her back. "I'm sorry you had to go through that?"

"Jeez, Jauney," Nora teased, "now who's being rude, hugging a girl without her permission?"

"It's fine, it's..." Blake leaned into the hug, "nice."

Blake had left, and Jaune was currently putting the tea table away. He folded it and slipped it into the closet space. As he shut the door, he was hugged from behind by Nora. "You really do have a big heart," Nora said, "you know that?"

"Yeah, I know." Jaune answered. "What I didn't know was how much you knew about Faunus history."

Nora giggled. "Just because I don't talk about it, it doesn't mean I don't know anything about it."

"Fair point." Jaune admitted. "So, here we are again."

"All alone." Nora added.

"Ren and Pyrrha won't be back for a while. Do you wanna..." Jaune trailed off.

"Right now? In the middle of the day?" Nora asked.

Jaune turned around to face Nora. He draped his arms over her shoulders. "Why not? No one's watching."

Nora gulped. "O-Okay."

Jaune and Nora held their hands up, touching palms together. Jaune shifted his hand clockwise and began by wrapping her hand with his pinkie. Nora followed suit with her pinkie, nestling it between his Pinkie and ring finger. Jaune then lowered his ring finger down, followed by Nora, though her finger's ring cause Jaune to flinch from how cold it was. "Are you okay?" Nora asked. Jaune nodded, and continued with his middle finger. Then came the index fingers, leaving only the thumbs extended. Jaune wrapped his thumb around Nora's hand, with the girl looking up with a dreamy sigh.

"BLAKE?!" Nora shrieked. Nora leapt away and looked away with a blush. Jaune looked up, and indeed saw the Faunus girl above with cat eyes wide with pupils round.

"Should you be doing such lewd things without wedding rings on?" Blake asked.

Jaune grabbed his boot from the closet, hefting it up. "GET OUT OF HERE, CEILING CAT!" Jaune tossed his boot into the ceiling, forcing Blake to scurry away.

"What happened?!" Ruby asked, static covering her speech.

"Mission failed," Blake reported, "we'll get 'em next time."

[itsclydebitches]

So I was going over some V8 videos on my way home from work earlier when I had a thought: What if the only reason that Emerald got a redemption was because CRWBY is going to make her the new Summer Maiden when they introduce and kill whoever has the powers in Vacuo?

It's certainly a possibility, just based on RWBY's writing choices up until now. Emerald would fit that niche between not being a main group member, but also being a well established character. While the show doesn't seem to want Team RWBY or Team JNOR to be candidates (ignoring that Jaune, Oscar, and Ren currently can't be), it also isn't interested in developing new characters. Amber, Vernal, and Fria were just placeholders with almost no personality, no development, no goals or motivation outside of holding the powers because that's all the show needed them for: to keep them until they could get to the "real" Maiden in the story. Raven, Penny, and Winter all fit that pattern of not being one of the main eight, but also being a well-established character. We knew them before they were Maidens or, in Raven's case, we thought we knew her before the revelation that she'd been a Maiden this whole time. Emerald would fit that too and her status as a former villain certainly wouldn't preclude her. With Cinder as the longest running Maiden and Raven as an antagonist, RWBY has a fairly even-ish split between the powers getting in the hands of both the good guys and bad.

Whether an upcoming transfer is the only reason she got a redemption... I want to say no, simply because the show has done a little work throughout the series to set up her discomfort with Salem's actions. I don't think her redemption as a whole exists solely to get the powers, simply because I don't think the writers were planning that far ahead back when we got moments like her "It's almost sad" rooftop comment. But on the flipside, we might have only gotten that redemption now because of an upcoming transfer. Certainly the fandom has discussed how quick Emerald's turn around was, how much faster the group's acceptance was, and how both sides failed to develop motivations: why she's finally leaving Cinder after non-stop devotion; why such a large group unanimously trusted someone who'd done them such harm (especially in an arc all about how "trust is a risk"). The way it was written, Emerald randomly walked in on an escape plan, decided—for whatever reason—that being on the winning side was now more important than her previously near blind devotion to Cinder, bypassed any real need to prove herself because Oscar (also for whatever reason) vouched for her, and we got a few quippy lines about her being a good guy now to try and distract from the flaws in all that. In terms of entertainment and fulfillment for the audience, it's a hot mess, but in terms of being a fast track to prep her for a potential Maiden arc... it does get the job done. However badly.

And that would also, frankly, fit RWBY's current black and white thinking. Meaning, if Emerald had gotten the powers while still siding with the baddies—while existing in that moral in-between place of wanting to escape Salem, but not wanting to abandon Cinder—we would have gotten the exact kind of complex writing that RWBY has unanimously rejected lately. Ironwood isn't allowed to be a good man making ethically hard choices, he has to turn into that cartoon villain. Penny isn't allowed to push back against the group deciding things for her (even though that's supposed to be a part of her growth, based on her end speech to Jaune), she immediately drops her connections to Winter, Ironwood, and the Ace Ops to be fully Team Heroes. Ren isn't allowed to disagree with what they're doing, he's ignored and criticized until he falls back in line. Hazel likewise makes that 180 switch from torturing Oscar to giving his life for him, all in the span of, like, half an hour. Characters are no longer allowed to embody the complexity of the situations RWBY is tossing out, especially not if they're going to take a prominent spot in the plot. So yeah, based on what we've seen the last couple of volumes if Emerald did become a Maiden... she'd either need to be an eager killer like Cinder, or one of the unquestionable Good Guys. Problem is, Emerald's entire run doesn't lend itself to unquestionable characterization, hence that fast tracking, outright ignoring everything she's done, and the story beating the audience over the head with, "She's good now, don't question it, don't doubt it, everyone laughed at a stupid joke she made about not killing them anymore so it's fine."

[dragynkeep]

Hi there, ironpines! (Love the name btw, I read a really good fic about ironwood being a father-figure to Oscar when RWBY and co. get to Atlas).

So this is probably going to be very long but I’ve really gotta vent about some stuff.

(Also, first ask. I honestly didn’t know how to do this for the longest time. Just got back into tumblr a bit ago).

1. I hate Jaune Arc (a lot of people do), but I want to know why. Do you think/believe he’s an author’s pet? Also, why the HELL did he kill Penny in the first place?!? Why not Winter, Nora, or Ruby? Why did he have to go to the island? Just- WHY?

2. In the first three volumes I really liked Team RWBY, but now….how did they get so skewed? What went wrong? How can Ruby be THAT arrogant that she point-blank says to Qrow: “we never needed an adult’s help.” Like- yes you did! If not for Qrow killing the Grimm in v4 they would have been continuously fighting Grimm. I’m the fight against Tyrian (one of my favorite characters and favorite fights) if not for Ruby getting in the way Qrow wouldn’t have been POISONED!

3. (This is the one I’m going to get cyber-ly killed for). (I also had just started RWBY when volume 5 was airing weekly.) The beginning of Volume 5, in my opinion was good. I liked the first five-six chapters, but when AU watched ‘Rest and Resolutions’ V5C7, I was so angry! Everything about the conversation between Ruby, Weiss, and Yang felt so out of character and out of place. It was so bad and the next episodes following that were not good either (only the raven v cinder fight was any good). The battle of Haven was a train wreck that I honestly have no idea how I even retained braincells after that. Like- why KEEP teasing Weiss v emerald if you aren’t going to do anything with it. Why tease Mercury v Yang if you’re not going to do anything new and interesting with the two (Mercury isn’t even a character anymore!)

4. I wish we got good rep. I really wish we didn’t get confirmation on LGBTQ+ characters from supplemental material (that’s not even canon). And I’ve gotta ask, why do you consider cannon? Cuz for me, the only things I consider actually CANNON to the storyline are the Red, White, Black, Yellow Trailers and the show itself (Grimm Eclipse just for the sake of more cool lore about Mountain Glenn and the fact of mutant Grimm). That’s it. I don’t consider the World of Remnants, manga (DC or otherwise, those were HORRIBLE!), anthologies, and the DISGUSTING novels.

(This is the last thing, I promise!)

5. I’m working on a quasi-rewrite RWBY fic and I didn’t know whether or not I should post the first chapter on my page or not. I just really don’t want the simps to come for my head (though it might happen anyway). But I’ve been writing this for about a year and a half now and I really want to post it but I’m so nervous about the reception and backlash. What do you think?

Thanks for answering me and indulging the fact that it’s okay to like something and still want it to be better (critics/the Rwde tag is my favorite because I can read opinions that I mused share but are too scared to put as a post).

Thanks, we picked Ironpines because we loved Ironwood and Oscar, and then our friends, being the good friends they are, immediately told us it was the ship name for them so now we can't have anything nice.

1) First off, yes, we absolutely think Jaune is an author's pet. We don't really go for self-insert anymore since everyone in RWBY was a self-insert, Monty clearly based them off his friends. But now, Jaune is absolutely an author's pet and has been since the start of the show.

Just look at Volume 1. Jaune literally had more of a storyline than Yang, one of the girls in the title. He then went on to have a dumb love triangle in V2, only to resolve it with Neptune without any input from Weiss, because why not, and then V3 was Jaune finally taking more of a step back for Pyrrha, who was long over due some character.

Until V4 where, rather than everyone mourning Pyrrha, we focused on Jaune mourning her instead. Nevermind that Pyrrha was Ren and Nora's teammate too, probably their only family since they're orphans, or how Ruby literally watched Pyrrha die in front of her. Nope, gotta focus on Jaune. Add that it stretches into V5 also, adding another storyline about his Semblance while Ren, Nora, and Ruby have to stand in the background and wait their turn, while Weiss literally loses all her braincells so she's injured for Jaune's development, how the confrontation with Cinder doesn't go to Ruby, the main protagonist, but Jaune.

Then we get that stupid statue scene in V6 that took over Oscar finally getting some development of his own. It's not even the whole team, because it's only Jaune that gets to meet the lady who totally isn't Pyrrha's mother, it's Jaune that gets the big teary moment, and how Ren and Nora have to stop and comfort Jaune because of course they have to.

I was glad that Jaune finally took a backseat in V7. I actually started to like him again, because he wasn't sucking screentime away from those who need it. But then V8 happened and now I want him dead.

I've said it countless times before so I don't wanna repeat myself, but Jaune is one of the last people that should've killed Penny. He shouldn't have killed her, he shouldn't have had the big tearful scene because another redhead died, he shouldn't have fallen into the void to join Team RWBY, but he did. Now there's no doubt in my mind that Jaune is a fucking author's pet, because the writers won't let him go into the background where he belongs.

2) There's not much to say about Team RWBY. They just suck now.

3) After watching V8, V5 is no longer my least favourite volume. That's how bad it was.

4) Yeah, RWBY's rep is absolute trash and it's because they keep putting it in supplemental material, and also because they look at the LGBT and only see L. The only MLM we have is Scarlet, and he's a catty fae gay stereotype that is so unlikeable and voiced by a creep. Nevermind the whole Fairgame queerbait controversy because this company can't stop themselves for five minutes.

5) I always say that, when you post work on the internet, whether its art of writing, you have to understand that you will get criticism back. It'll suck, especially when you've put so much time and effort into something, but that's the risk you have to take as a content creator.

The good thing is that AO3 has features that let you manage what you see properly. If people just want to hate without giving proper criticism, you can always remove it and ignore it, but I personally believe that people aren't entitled to criticism when it's only said nicely. Sometimes, people will get annoyed and say it in a meaner way, but that doesn't make the criticism any less valid.

Either way, decide based on how you think you'll react to it. If you don't want the stress of criticism, be careful, but if you think you can handle it? Then go for it, the world's your oyster.

[the-hate-keeps-me-warm]

weed garden

now I know this joke is dead but I ended up over writing this so some of it got cut this is my first real fic vie published i hope you like it if not feel free to make fun of me  It was ruby's idea she was stressed about well everything and she knew yang and Blake had a lot of it, it was legal in atlas after all she only took a little they probably wouldn't even notice she had it for a week just to make sure they didn't

They were sitting alone after training oscar was sweaty and looked tired she leaned over "So Oscar uh what do you think of smoking"  He raised an eyebrow "well my aunt smoked cigarettes  and a bit of weed during the winter" he said putting long memory on his hip "Uh why the winter," she asked meeting his raised brow "Well there's not as much work to do in the winter so you can slack off a lot more" he responded "Well uh what about you have you ever smoked" she tried not to seem too obvious but she started to nervously fidget with her hands “Uh well my aunt let me smoke a cigarette once when I was 12, but I think that was to make me hate them she bought the most bitter horrible tasting ones she could," he said a faint look of annoyance at his aunt going across his face She giggled and said "from what you tell me that sounds very like her but like uh would you smoke weed like now I mean" He rubbed the back of his neck his eyes darted to her "well uh maybe with someone I trust" She bit her lip and said "well do you trust me" His ears got a little red "well of course I trust you, id smoke with you if you asked" 

"Well I'm asking Weiss is going to one of those art show thingies blake and yang are going to uh do whatever it is they do so I'll have the  room all to myself so I  thought that maybe we could do it together smoking I mean" her cheeks grew red to match his ears He nodded his head just slightly "I uh sure do you want me to bring cookies my aunt would always ask me to bake for her after she smoked" She smiles wide "yeees please the Peanut butter chocolate chip ones or the strawberry ones there the best" His face started to get flushed too "I uh I can make you both I’m assuming you're supplying the, uh you know weed" "Well yeah but that's gonna take a while won’t it, you don't have to make both," she said trying to hide the fact that she wanted both of them "No no I'll make them ironwood gave me access to the cafeteria kitchen so it won't take very long at all" he fiddled with his hands "and besides I know you like my baking and I like doing it for you" She smiled "he likes baking for me," she thought while trying not to giggle "well then I won't stop you I'll bring those pretzels you like" He smiled a little "I won't tell anyone were doing this" he stood up and said "I’ll see you tomorrow I got to get baking I might make some other things" 

She nodded her head and they split up when she got back to her room she was practically bouncing with excitement yang was sitting on her bed "why aren't you tired you and Oscar were training all day" her face flushed a little "Well I’m just kinda excited  I’m gonna have the room all to myself" she says trying not to be super obvious "I saw you and oscar talking after you trained did you invite him over," blake says hidden in her bunk “damn you blake” she thought  Yang beams excitedly "is it a date!" "What no I just invited him over to eat junk food and play video games" she waved her hands around frantically not helping her case 

 Yang deadpans "you asked him to come to your dorm room alone he might be oscar but he's still a teenage boy ruby he’s gonna think it’s a date" Ruby crossed her arms and grumbled "Look if you don't like him that's ok but it's obvious to everyone how much he likes you so if you don’t like him don't lead him on make sure he understands how you feel" Blake chimed in peeking out from her bunk 

"I uh I think I like him but I don't know if I want things to change yet and I'm not even sure if he likes  me " she sits down on her bed 

Yang hops down from her bed and sits next to ruby throwing an arm around her shoulder "that's perfectly ok if you feel that way but oscar likes you the way he stares at you the way he talks about you it's obvious" she smiles at ruby's red cheeks and tries to finish  her speech with "but if you do decide you like him to make sure to practice safe-uhg" ruby ends it with a punch to the gut "Yaaang shut up even if i do like him I'm not talking about that" she squeaks and reals back for another punch yang puts her hands up in surrender "Alright Oscar would probably have a heart attack anyway I’m just saying" yang kisses ruby on the forehead like she always did "you should try to talk to him about it ok" Ruby grumbles a simple "I’ll try" 

Oscar is having a similar time 

Nora hugs him tightly "ooo my baby's going on a date" oscar blushes as ren pulls Nora off of him "It’s not a date she just invited me over to play video games and stuff" he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly Jaune sitting at the small table "Oscar you know she's into you and isn't it weird that she waited till everyone would be gone to invite you over" Oscars face flushed an even deeper red than it had been before and he frowns  "well I don't think she is I’m sure she has lots of better  people to choose from" Ren put his hand on Oscar’s shoulder "Oscar please do not doubt yourself you’re great" 

"Yeah you’re a total catch Oscar your smart cute strong brave you have freckles and your cool with the headmaster of atlas" Nora chimed in counting his positive traits on her fingers "Thanks" is the only response Oscar can think of his embarrassment only growing "Now you need to pick out what your gonna wear and what your gonna say," Nora says standing quickly "Nora he doesn't need us to meddle with it if you need to advise Oscar you just have to ask I would recommend wearing something casual," ren said "Alright I will" 

They both went to bed thinking about their little 'date' in the morning oscar started baking and when he has a lot on his mind he tends to overdo it so he ended up making both batches of cookies a mini strawberry cake a dish of brownies and french toast casserole for breakfast 

After wby left ruby spent the morning gathering snacks and making the room as comfy as possible as well as gathering Oscars and her favorite games she remembered yang saying that her first time smoking sucked so she wanted to make sure she and Oscars  first time was fun 

Oscar had gone back to the dorm with all the food packed carefully to get ready Ren was the only one in the room he was sitting on Nora’s bed reading “oscar before you go I need to talk to you please sit” ren sounded serious and not in his normal way so he sat across from him “now Jaune and I didn’t bring this up earlier but we decided it was important to talk to you about because your 15 and we both know what it was like being that age and we know you like ruby a lot” he talked like how oscar imagined his father would “Uh yeah so what is this about” oscar had a vague idea in his head of what it was “I’m going to give you the talk I know your aunt gave you one but I think it’s a good idea for another man to talk to you as well,” ren said closing his book and leaning forward So then began  5 minutes of surprisingly not awkward conversation ren was very easy to talk to ren finished the conversation with handing oscar a condom “now I know you probably won’t use this but I want you to be safe ok and please don’t do anything you don’t think you’re ready for” Oscars’ face was pretty red after that but he put the condom in his back  pocket and thanked ren before taking everything he needed to Ruby's room She opened the door right as he was about to knock “oscar I was just about to come to get you” She said trying to act casual “Oh uh am I late,” he asked he would look at his watch but his hands were very full she takes the containers from his arms and sets them with ease on the little table next to the window

“Nope I was just getting impatient,” she says spinning back around to face him she was in her pajamas he thought she looked really cute he was just wearing his old pants and a comfy sweater he had bought in argus “Well do you want to uh you know smoke” he tried to not sound awkward but the boy can only do so much “Yeah sure let me get it” she was excited to finally be able to relax with him she lifted her mattress and pulled out the joint it was in a plastic bag with the lighter she had picked up in atlas she sits down on her bed which she had piled blankets and pillows on she beckons him to sit with her and he does leave space between them 

“Alright so I guess I’ll go first,” she says lighting the joint then inhaling and immediately coughing 

Oscar leans closer “are you ok” the actual worry in his voice makes rubies heart squeeze a little but she tries to play it cool “yeah yeah it’s just rough do you want to try,” she says holding it out to him he gently takes is and holds it up to his lips slowly inhaling then coughing himself covering his mouth and holding it back out to her “your right that’s rough” 

Ruby laughs “I told you” they pass it back and forth for a little bit they had both begun to feel it then oscar giggles 

“What’s so funny,” she says nudging him with her shoulders he giggles again and says “your name is ruby carmine  rose all your names are words for red” ruby laughs “ha your right wait what’s your middle name is it funny” oscar leans back onto a pillow “no its magus it means uh sorcerer oh I don’t like that I just put that together” oscar starts to laugh and in between laughs says  “ha that makes way too much sense man maybe destiny exist it was my great grandfather’s name, oh god” Oscars laugh becomes Weezy and ruby leans on him “well I think its a cool name” oscar stops laughing and says “well I guess it is its fitting at least right” he inhales again and passes it back to ruby it’s over halfway burned out she's been asking it in an old red solo cup “you know what about we bust out those snacks I don’t know about you but I’m really hungry” she sits up oscar does right after he stands and gets the cookies before she does he hands her the tupperware box of the strawberry chocolate chip she smiles and giggles “thanks cookie” she says bursting into laughter after 

Oscar cocks his head to the side “cookie?” rubies laughter grows more intense “it’s my nickname for you in my head it’s so dumb it’s because your sweet and your freckles look like chocolate chips” oscar started to laugh as well “that’s adorable ruby” he says as her face gets red they both sit back down this time oscar leaning on ruby and then their silent ruby thought maybe oscar had fallen asleep “You know ruby you are like the coolest person I’ve ever met like your the youngest person to get to beacon a silver-eyed warrior and your the leader of your team that’s  all amazing,” he said still leaned against her she smiled and her face got hot 

“Well I think you’re cool to oscar,” she said munching on a strawberry chocolate chip cookie 

 He looks up with the biggest smile she’s ever seen him wear “thanks that means a lot” he bites his lip “do you wanna play some video games” he said with a mischievous grin 

“Yes I was looking forward to kicking your ass,” she said as they pull their scrolls out and start playing Grimm beat down Vl a game ruby rocked at and oscar had never managed to beat her at when they started to play and oscar was doing way too well he was doing combos and not just button mashing he was blocking and dodging ruby was getting frustrated she leaned forward preparing to up her game and up her game she did but it wasn’t enough oscar took the first round than the second even ending it with a fatality 

Ruby groaned in frustration taking another drag of the joint then passing it to oscar “how did you get so good is it the weed do you have weed powers”

Oscar laughed and said “I don’t know I just feel super relaxed and your moving slower” She crosses her arms with a fake pout “were gonna say weed powers hm what do you wanna do now I am tired but a nap seems like a waste" There's a sparkle in Oscars eye "a nap sounds awesome" Well uh wanna take a nap I thought you were  asleep earlier" he lays his head back down on her shoulder "You know usually id be nervous about being so close to you but this is nice you smell like metal" "Hm really? I thought I’d smell like weed or I don't know rose petals," she says "Well you do smell like weed but mostly metal When you use your semblance you do smell like roses but when you work with crescent rose a bunch you smell like metal oh wow that probably sounded creepy" She shakes her head "no its kinda sweet you smell like weed and cookies my favorite smell" 

"Thanks, I guess," oscar says then goes silent his breathing slows down after a while she looks at him and he looks like he’s asleep she needs to grab another cookie so she carefully lays him down and grabs another cookie trying to quietly eat it revealing in its deliciousness after finishing it she lays down beside him resting her head on his chest "he's really warm," she thinks and then drifts off to the most peaceful sleep she's had in a long time

___________________________________

sorry if this was formatted badly or its just bad i liked making it tho 

[jauneda1]

RWBY Resident Evil AU

Company Report

"It's been 3 years since the isolated Outbreaks/Trials of Racoons city, The Island city of Patch, and Menagerie the home of the Faunus people. All incidents where delt with and most of the information about what happened was shrouded in secret. Menagerie being the most successful. Tyrant's completed their missions with only minor interference. The higher ups here in the Umbrella corporation weren't aware that the Faunus had a resistance to the Tyrant/T-Virus with a 30% infection rate. The Golgotha/G-Virus still has a 100% infection rate. With the exception of the survivors of The city of Patch survivor's, while Jaune Miles-Arc who are completely immune to both Viruses.

The company has taken quite the interest in Mr. Arc. along with Leon Scott Kennedy. Who had fought and killed G5 Birkin it was also documented that Leon had came into contact with Birkin back in G3 and G4 where he was injured and had some of Birkin's bio mass spew and drip onto his open wounds. We've marked these two young men down for immediate capture or termination due to the secrets they know and the immunity they have.

We at the cooperation are uncertain on what secrets and or files Mr. Arc possesses. It is clear that whatever it was that he discovered was undeniable evidence of our involvement with all three trials. This has left us with very little hope of recovery but we have completed our mission it is now in The Organizations hands."

"This is Cinder Fall I will be working along side Ada Wong, Raven Branwen, Albert Wesker, Agent Hunk, and Dr. Arthur Watts at The Organizations. Following this report I hope this sums up everything." Regards Cinder and The Organizations.

Year: 2009

"My name is Jaune Miles-Arc. I work as a field agent for the BSAA Counter Bio Terrorist Unit. I go by the nickname Azrael while on mission. I fight off the bad people who are trying to do bad things to the world." The several kids in the class all let out there oooo's and ahhhh's when they heard what Yin's father Jaune does for a living. "I actually used to be a UBCS recruit I was stationed on the Island City of patch." One of the students raised their hand. Jaune knew this little boy was his daughter closets friend Connor.

"Sir I mean Mr. Arc does that mean you where-"Jaune answered before the kid could ask his question fully already knowing what the kid was gonna ask. "Yes. I was one of the 40 some odd people who survived the Outbreak in Patch. I rather not go into to much detail but I'll tell you what Connor when you get older if you have any questions I'll be happy to answer them." Connor looked so happy and Jaune could tell he just couldn't wait to get a older he was always so fascinated with the stories of survivor's. If only he knew the horrors we faced back then. The horrors people face everytime someone uses those Bio-weapons. I did everything I could to help bury Umbrella for there atrocities but in the end it didn't matter at all the world governments are using these weapons world-wide.

When I met Chris Redfield and he asked me to join the BSAA. I thought it was a bad idea I had been on the run and Umbrella was on my ass trying to kill me after they found out I was immune due to they're own creation. I've loved every moment of being a field Agent the only doubts I have are orders from command but since I work primarily with Chris and Jill I don't need to worry about that. If only me and Yang didn't breakup I would be living the good life. Even now though I'm living my best life.

Year: March 12th 2012

" UGH I HATE MY LIFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IM THE ONE GETTING SHOT AT." Jaune said this while on a solo cover ops mission for the Umbrella. Or Blue Umbrella is what they call it now "I can't believe I joined up with the very same corporation that ended my life all those years ago."

Authors Note: Hello and Yes Jaune is the agent from Umbrella Corps. To be honest I don't even know at this point but I'm gonna write it anyway.

[razorblade180]

Thin Divide: Among Us

Eight people, two imposters. Snuff them out or complete the required tasks. Good luck!

Nora:I call it now, it’s definitely Jaune.

Jaune:You see that make you look suspicious Nora, but that’s so in character of you that I’m pretty sure you’re just a crew mate.

Nora:Maybe that’s the plan? Hehehe.

Weiss:Are you blaming Jaune or incriminating yourself?

Ren:Don’t even. Just don’t, she’s gonna do this the entire game.

Ruby:Alrighty! Let’s do this guys. We have our tasks, just keep an eye out for anything suspicious....

Nora:I’ll be watching Jaune like a hawk! I’ll catch him in the act!

Jaune:This is going to be a long game....

Pyrrha:Or a really short one.

xxxxx

Several minutes pass. Everything seems fine and people are on task. Yet things are a little tense. No one is talking. They’re all learning the rules and being cautious. Nora casually follows Jaune to do wiring and go just about everywhere. She can feel it in her gut. “I’m onto you.” She thinks as he suddenly sprints around a corner out of sight. Suddenly, lights shut off. Things suddenly feel like a bad idea.

Nora:What the!? That’s cheap. Maybe stalking someone alone was a bad idea. Oh! I’ll get Ren t-

xxxxx

Emergency Meeting!

RWBY JPR:Huh?

📢Yang: Oh, so that’s what that button- oh geez, Nora’s dead!

Ren:Wait, what!?

Everyone looks at the character icons to see Nora’s crossed out. Ren goes pale.

Ren:Nora! Who’s responsible for this!? Where was the body found!?

Blake:Nowhere, Yang pressed the button. However....*looks at Jaune* I did see her following you.

Jaune:You know why! I didn’t do it! Ren I did not do it.

Ren:I’ll vote you out right now. Jaune I swear-

Jaune:I just finished doing wires! I’ve been focusing on task and nothing else. Yeah I saw her spy on me, then lights went out. Now we’re here.

Blake:I’m just saying you had all the opportunities to do it. The fact that you’re so offended isn’t helping.

Jaune:We have no proof and you’re suspecting me!

Weiss:You were the one with her.

Pyrrha let’s not jump to conclusions. Someone could be framing him.

Ruby:Where was everyone? I was doing trash.

Blake and Yang:Med bay.

Weiss:This map is confusing. Communications, maybe?

Jaune:No, I was there. Unless there’s another one.

Ren:A room with a tree.

Yang:It’s totally Jaune. He’s alone and already knows the map.

Ruby:I know the map. Weiss is just bad. You’re bad if you don’t know the map!

Yang:I know it.

RWPJ:THEN YOUR POINT MAKES NO SENSE!

Times up. No one voted. Two imposters remain.

Jaune walked back two wards communications. The group had gotten pretty familiar with all the cool things possible. Cameras, vents, everything. This time two people followed Jaune. Yang and Blake. He started sweating.

Yang:Why are universe lady killer? Running out of luck?

Jaune:It’s possible. You two could possibly kill me then cover it up. Do your tasks!

Yang:We were together all the time last round. We’re in the clear.

Blake:It’s you that’s in the hot seat.

xxxxx

Ren:*getting oxygen* Who do you think did it?

Ruby:I don’t wanna point fingers, but Yang would totally thrive in this game. But Weiss is possible too. Stay focused. Killing Nora was to make you stirred up. Keep a cool-

Reactor Meltdown

Ren:That’s not good.

Ruby:You go left, I’ll go right! Be safe!

xxxx

Jaune:I’m going to stop the-

Blake:It’s taking you awhile on that panel Jaune. Don’t tell me you’re stalling?

Jaune:No, I’m just bad! Let me go the reactor or we lose!

Yang:Ooorrr I go. If Blake dies then you’re dead! If you don’t finish that panel-

Jaune:You have 30 seconds!

Yang goes sprinting out of the room. Blake goes to do her task across the room. She’s definitely sure it’s Jaune. This plan is full proof. Yeah if she dies then that would suck but-

Jaune:Ummm why hasn’t anyone stopped the reactor yet?

The counter was already at ten. What was taking Yang so long!? Both ran to the door in a panic to reach the reactor but then-

Report!

Everyone spawned back at the button. Well not everyone. Yang’s named was crossed out, and Ruby had teary eyes with a finger pointed at Weiss.

Ruby:MURDERER!!!

📢Weiss:Ruby it’s not what you think! I-

Ruby:Oh I saw! I saw perfectly! Right on the bridge leading to the reactor panel on the right. You were right over her corpse!

Blake:What!?

Weiss:I know it looks bad, but I found her like this! I run because I saw 1 out of 2 on the panels-

Ren:Me. I was on the other panel. Ruby was with getting oxygen and chose to get the other one.

Ruby:Yeah I wasn’t expecting to walk in on a crime scene.

Weiss:Wait! I was all the way at the bottom of the map. You should’ve gotten there before me.

Blake:Oh now you can read a map!?

Weiss:It takes time! It has to be Ruby.

Ruby:WHAT!?

Pyrrha:I was in electrical by the way. I know nobody was with me but I promise I’m innocent.

RWBR:We know Pyrrha.

Jaune:I don’t think it’s you but the fact you’ve been alone twice now.

Blake:Oh no, you’re definitely still an imposter Jaune.

Ruby:NONE OF THAT MATTERS! I want Weiss out right now!

The reaper puts her vote in.

Weiss:Ruby!

Ruby:Sister killer! You were by yourself too. I know you Weiss, always plotting. I came across a locked door while heading there that slowed me down. Nobody can confirm where you were, and you could���ve easily vented to get where you needed to be. You’re just mad I caught you so you self reported.

Weiss:That’s- I....don’t be a dolt. You all can’t be serious, right?

Pyrrha hugs a crying Ruby while the others have their heart ache at the sight. They all look at Weiss suspiciously, taking the risk to vote. It was unanimous. Weiss was immediately escorted to the air lock, struggling the whole way.

Weiss:You’re being tricked! I’m innocent!!

Ruby:Tell it to the souls you’ve taken.

She was shot into space. All of them watching her drift away. Ruby rubbed her eyes, then gasped.

Weiss was not an imposter. 2 imposters remain.

Ruby slowly backed away towards Ren. Right now, he was the only trustworthy one. Someone’s playing mind games and it’s working two well. Nobody had the chance to get anything done before Jaune presser the emergency button.

Jaune:Okay, we obviously need a minute to reevaluate-

Blake:You’re an imposter!

Jaune:We were in a room together! Why wouldn’t I kill you and vent away. At that point I could’ve made up a story! But no, I just wanna shoot asteroids!

Pyrrha:Fair point, it would’ve been a double kill.

Ruby:All of you look suspicious except for Ren! *votes Jaune*

Pyrrha:Ruby! He only pressed the button to clear the air!

Ren:He did just come up with a good argument.

Blake:I’m voting for Jaune.

Jaune:Well I’m skipping! Pyrrha please skip two before there’s two imposters and two crew mates. This is very bad time to throw caution to the wind.

Pyrrha:I agree. *skips*

Ren:....*skips* If someone dies next round and it isn’t Jaune then it’s definitely Jaune. You’re on thin ice, so are you Pyrrha. You agree with him easily.

Pyrrha:Ren, that’s not suspicious. I do that in real life.

Blake:And he’s using it to his advantage.

Jaune:You’ve been gunning for me since the start basically, even though you were with me. That’s pretty suspicious.

They all went their separate ways except for Ren and Ruby. This was dire. Everyone sounded sketch and friendships were crumbling. Next time for sure, a vote needed to happen. Pyrrha found herself going back near the button whe Jaune came out of a room to the right, alone. Both of them looked at each nervously.

Pyrrha:What are your tasks? I’ve already seen two other people enter that room before?

Jaune:I was checking vitals. We’re all alive and my tasks are done. What are you doing?

Pyrrha:I was gonna call another meeting. Say, are you saying I’ll go in that room right now and we’re fine?

Jaune:There is no body in there. Check for yourself. If I was an imposter then I’d be on cool down. Plus you could report and I’d feel the vaccum of space.

Pyrrha nodded and peeked in. No blood or anything. She went to the vitals to confirm that everyone actually was alive. The imposters must’ve known how risky things are now. It was fine. Tasks were almost done. Jaune was finally looking normal. She breathed a sigh or relief.

Jaune:Don’t tell me you were expecting a body?

Pyrrha:*red* I’m sorry!

Jaune:It happens. Honestly I thought you were about to stab me.

Pyrrha:I don’t like this game. It’s stressful. Doubting my friends isn’t exactly fun.

Jaune:What we need is a trap. A play that leaves Blake and Ruby red handed.

Pyrrha:You think it’s them?

Jaune:It has to be, and I know just the way to check one of them and keep us in the game. Pyrrha, I have a plan....

xxxx

Ruby and Ren watched the cameras in silence. Blake was at the trash while Pyrrha and Jaune were near the button. Ruby looked at Ren and smiled.

Ruby:It’s Blake and Jaune.

Ren:How can you tell?

Ruby:Unless Blake has a similar task, I did trash already. Shall we question her, or wait for actual proof.

Ren:Tasks are almost done. We might be able t-

Reactor Meltdown

Ren:Shit, Pyrrha can’t press the button now.

Ruby:But this also gives us a chance! Imma about to catch them red handed! Ren, stay on cameras and watch me go to the left. That way you can report my body if get killed, or out them if they self report. Jaune’s not dumb. He has to go right in order to act innocent and cancel the meltdown. Pyrrha would catch on otherwise. Especially if Blake goes right and nothing is fixed or they’re both alive. Meaning...

Ren:Blake has to go left or stay where she is.

Ruby and Ren high-five and get to work. Ruby starts sprinting as fast as she can. Ren checks the right side and sure enough, Jaune has a hand on the panel. Blake comes up from the bottom to where Pyrrha is. It would be dangerous if Blake killed her, but then she would definitely get voted out. The faunus slowly gets closer to the red head when suddenly, the cameras get jacked.

Ren:What!?

xxxxx

Pyrrha:Go left!

Blake:Gotcha!

Blake runs to the left to get the other panel. So far so good. Let’s see how right Jaune is. Pyrrha stared at the camera. Strange, she was certain it was on earlier. Now it was off, then flicked back on briefly. Seconds later, the meltdown ended but she didn’t press the button. Not yet. She was told to wait five seconds. In that amount of time, Blake might-

Report!

📢Blake:Guys, Ren is-

RJP:You killed him.

Blake:Wh-What? No, I found him on the ground in the camera room!

Ruby:Yeah, where you killed him. I thought you’d go after me. Sloppy mistake, Blake. Now we caught you.

Jaune:I cut off the meltdown, and Ruby had to get the other one. I found it funny how eager you were to get rid of me by vote. You killed Nora to add to the suspicions. You couldn’t kill me directly because of Yang. She wasn’t an imposter but stuck to you like glue.

Pyrrha:So you had your partner kill her because you couldn’t do it without outing yourself. But if Jaune died alone with you after all that blame then you’d be caught! If you payed attention then you would’ve saw the cameras were on this round. You killed Ren without him noticing then checked them yourself.

Jaune:You soon realized you could only self report because the meltdown ended. No way you could get to the panel that fast unless you vented. Now the real question is how committed are you two bluffing, Ruby Rose? If you don’t vote Blake....

Pyrrha:Then you’re definitely the second imposter.

Blake:Ruby don’t believe them! We know Jaune is definitely-

Ruby:*votes Blake* You betrayed my sister and made me accidentally vote for Weiss because I swept up in emotions. Just like how you got Ren to look at Jaune after Nora died. I’m done with you.

The others voted for Blake. The girl could say nothing. She was at a loss for words. The trap was perfect, calculated to a the last detail. Blake took a deep sigh and walked to the airlock, giving Jaune one final look.

Blake:Well played...

The airlock opened and the three watched their friend get launched into space.

Pyrrha:Jaune that idea was amaz-

Blake was not an imposter.

Pyrrha felt her blood go cold. Those were not the words she wanted to see. She didn’t even turn around to look her “friends” and chose to stare out the window. She felt both of them pat her back. 2 imposters still remained. A problem for her, the remaining crew mate. The sight of Ruby holding a gun and Jaune with a knife was visible in the window reflection.

Ruby:Knife or bullet. You deserve the choice.

Pyrrha:Jaune’s stabbed me in back metaphorically already. Might as well do it physically.

Jaune:That’s fair.

Imposters Win

[post game]

Jaune and Ruby:Oh yeah!!!! That’s why we’re leaders!

Weiss:You can’t say that after killing your teammates!

Nora:I demand an explanation!

Jaune:Ren is too smart and figures things out fast. Had to kill you first anyways. You saying I was an imposter was just an unfortunate coincidence. But let’s talk about how you were my only kill.

Pyrrha:Ruby, you killed everyone else!?

Yang:I walked halfway up that bridge thing to the panel and then she comes running down it and kills me. Now I’m watching as ghost as she jumps into a vent and waits for Weiss to find me to put on the most believable performance of her life. You killed me, then cried about it!

Weiss:I was pleading to a murderer! You put blame on Jaune so he could do it to you and throw the trail off!

Ruby:I also told Ren that it was either you or Yang, that way he’d vote the way I wanted. I think Blake was the real crown of the plan.

Jaune:This is why you don’t blame people so fast. You had to go.

Blake:Ren, what happened to you?

Ren:*face palming*So I was watching everyone until the cameras went out, which I now know was Ruby’s doing, because she had the nerve to kill her camera last. She looked right into it as she jumped into a vent back to me.

Ruby:If you were watching then I knew you were still there and alone. I killed him, took a vent back to where I was supposed to be, stopped the meltdown, and pinned the death of Blake. All with the simple lie about me taking out the trash and not killing Ren earlier.

Jaune:And I used Pyrrha’s trust. Thank you.

Pyrrha:Don’t talk to me! You got me to skip a vote and vote Blake off! Ruby, you cried in my arms! How could you use me like that!?

Jaune and Ruby:Because you’re so helpful! Thanks Pyrrha!

WBYNR:Yeah, thanks Pyrrha.

Pyrrha:*red* I’m sorry!!!

[spahhzy]

Promise.

No Fall AU. Fourth year.

*Dimension 52*

.

.

"I promise Ruby on my name and life as an Arc you'll get that dance!

Ruby sighed for the umpteenth time as the music blared in the background students all around her were dancing and having a good time.

"He'll be here Rubes" Ruby looked up and saw her sister Yang, and the rest of her team along with Team JNPR minus its leader.

"Yeah ruby Jaune-Jaune will be here he promised!" Said Nora handing Ruby some punch.

Blake put a hand on her shoulder.

"Has he ever broken a promise too you?" She said and Ruby shook her head and looked at the clock and looked down at her red dress and evil lady stil-heels.

9:00pm

The dance was almost over.

Where is he?

Yang watched her sister sit in her chair away from the crowd upset.

"Where the hell is vomit boy?!" She said and Weiss nodded while looking at her scroll trying to get ahold of junipers leader. They all did Jaune had said he was going into Vale to get nice suit for his date/dance.

"It shouldn't have taken long...you don't think he is standing her up do you?" Blake asked

"Jaune isn't like that he made a promise...and you know how he is on promises especially ones to Ruby" Weiss said defending the knight. Over the course of the school years Jaune had earned her respect for all his hard work he put on at Beacon.

"Then where is he!?" Yang said eyes going red and kicked the railing as silence fell amongst the group.

-

From another side of the auditorium Glynda and Ozpin looked on seeing everyone having a good time well...not everyone.

"It would seem that...not everyone is enjoying themselves" said Ozpin as he eyed the Rose girl sitting in her chair, the red dress clashing with the white seats.

"Ah yes...miss Rose...apparently Jaune Arc was her date no?" Glynda asked to which Ozpin nodded.

"Perhaps Mr. Arc had second doubts?" She asked and Ozpin sighed.

"I don't think he would be the type...we've seen how far he'd go for people" Ozpin said as he recalled moments over of all Jaune's deeds he's ever done for him and many of the faculty members.

Suddenly a buzzing sound came from his scroll.

Pulling it out he looks to find an incoming call from...

"The Vale General Hospital?"

-

It was now 10:30.

The dance was 30 mins from being over and still no Jaune Arc.

No calls or texts.

No one could get ahold of the arc knight.

"I'm so sorry Ruby" came the voice of her sister as she came to comfort her.

"Sigh it's alright...I...I didn't expect him to break his promise though...sure we had a fight a few weeks back" Ruby said tears pooling in her eyes.

" I love him...I really love Jaune and he said he loved me...so why isn't he here" to which Yang just hugged her sister tightly as the DJ announced it was now time for the last slow songs of the night.

-

"This isn't like our fearless leader Ren!" Nora said as she took a sip of her drink.

Weiss was still working on trying to get ahold of the dolt but still so far nothing. No one had been able to get ahold of Jaune.

Suddenly Weiss scroll beeped and her screen came to life with 'Breaking News'

"Guys come look" She said to Ren, Nora, Pyrrha and Blake as they all gathered around to see a special news report.

"This is Lisa Lavender coming with you live on the scene from downtown vale where a explosion had just taken place just a few minutes ago" said the reporter as fire and smoke were present in the background as fire fighters came storming by.

"The explosion came during a conflict with a hostage situation involving 3 armed suspects in this building or what is left of the building before it toppled down"

"The three suspects before detonating the explosion were confronted by one individual but we are getting reports that he was a Beacon student" The moment she uttered those words everyone began to have a sinking feeling in the pit of their stomachs.

"We do have video footage of the matter just before the building collapse from a near by cctv camera" she said before cutting to the video and their everyone's heart sank.

Their was Jaune, shield up and sword in hand dressed in his unbuttoned dress shirt and tux as the three individuals just looked on before pressing what looks like a button suddenly an explosion happened which showed Jaune was only knocked backwards a few feet before getting up, he looked to his right for some reason.

The camera picked up on his body glowing before the camera angle changed as suddenly a young woman was shown in the wreckage of the explosion crying out for help.

Every one was silent fear in the pit of their stomachs as they saw Jaune come to the ladies rescue able to get all the rock and debris out of the way before trying to get her somewhat stable to remove her from the situation.

Suddenly he looked up behind him as his body glowed again and he raised his shield up before suddenly mountains of rubble came crashing the CCTV cut off.

"We have reports that the lady in question after the rubble was cleared is okay! Though we do not know the status of the Beacon student in question as he neglected treatment before leaving..."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, Jaune was alive but they also realized that was why Jaune was late it was because-

"Renny look! Fearless leader!" Nora shouted in excitement as she took off with Ren and Pyrrha in tow.

Weiss immediately ran to the railing as their at the entrance was a clean, safe and alive Jaune Arc..

She looked on as Jaune rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment before Pyrrha pointed to all the way to the dance floor where the lonesome Ruby awaited.

Weiss sighed before sitting back down.

All would be well after, Arc kept his word.

-

10:45pm

He really wasn't gonna come was he...

He really was gonna break his promise....

He -

"At the special request we are now going to play a special song before tonight's end"

*play whatever special slow song you'd think Ruby and Jaune would dance to*

Ruby's eyes widened that was her's and Jaune's song but wait...

"Hey craterface..." She heard his voice as suddenly the dancefloor that had many people dancing started to thin out before finally only one person was standing their.

Jaune Arc looked at her as she stood up from her chair.

Jaune looked to his right to see Yang giving him a thumbs up of approval, he nodded before wincing a bit as he walked forward.

Ruby started walking towards him...meeting him halfway before finally they were feet apart.

"Hey..."

"Hey..."

"I'm sorry I'm late...I didn't mean to make you think I was gonna stand you up...something happened in vale took longer then I expected" Jaune said to which Ruby shook her head before reaching in and giving him a hug.

"Your here...thats what matters...its our final Beacon dance and I wanted it to be with you" She said nuzzling into his chest as Jaune chuckled.

"Then would this lovely rose accompany me to our final dance of the night?" He asked to which he felt Ruby nod as they began to sway to the sound of music.

-

Weiss joined the others as they stared at the last two on the dance floor.

"So vomit boy tanked a building falling on him while saving someone...to think I couldn't get more impressed" Yang said as she was caught up to speed on why Jaune was late.

"That's our fearless leader alright a true knight in shining armour!" Nora said happily as Ren hugged Nora as Pyrrha and Blake all looked on in happiness.

Weiss scroll rang again and she pulled it out.

It was a call from the headmaster? That got everyone's attention.

"Hello? Headmaster how can I help you?"

Before she could get an answer a scream rang out and everyone turned back to the dance floor.

-

"Glynda we must getJaune Arc immediately!"

Ozpin put away his scroll as Glynda looked at him confused.

"That boy was in a serious situation and no doubt its on the news by now but he refused help" He said as Glynda got up from her seat.

"His aura probably healed whatever damages he sustained" She tried to deduced as Ozpin shook his head.

"The young women he saved came in on the call from the General Hospital explained that he shielded her from the debris using his aura" his voice grim as he tried began scrolling in his contacts for Weiss Schnee.

"So then he is fine right? His aura saved her and him" to which Ozpin shook his head.

"His aura didn't stop everything...when the women came too she saw Jaune with a piece of-"

"Hello? Headmaster how may I help you?"

"Weiss it's of the utmost urgency yiu get to Jaune Arc and get Aura into his system now-"

But was cut off as a screamed pierced the auditorium.

-

The song played as they continued dancing.

Ruby was happy...it was everything she wanted she looked up and saw Jaune smiling down at her with tear blue eyes. It wasn't long before Jaune tilted his head down to her and she met him halfway before their lips met in a electric kiss.

Euphoria was all Ruby felt as she finally separated from the kiss and continued their dance.

"So how was that Vomit boy"

"Heh...it was...to die for" he said to her as he kept dancing as once again they tuned the world out.

Unbeknownst to Ruby...Jaune glowed brightly before his aura slowly started to shimmer away.

It wasn't a few more minutes before the song came to an end and they both stopped but continued hugging each other.

"I love you Jaune Arc...thank you for keeping your promise" Ruby said her arms still wrapped around his chest.

But Jaune said nothing.

"Hey...how about we go back to your room hmm cuddles and such?"

Jaune still said nothing and suddenly Jaune decided to lean against her becoming surprisingly heavier.

"Hey Vomitboy your too heavy for these lady stilt" She laughed but still Jaune was unresponsive and her hand started to get wet.

"Jeez Jaune were you sweating this dance your whole back is all...wet?" She looked at her right hand from behind him to find it was not sweat...but blood.

"Jaune..." she pulled her head back to look at his face and all she saw was lifeless blue eyes looking at her in a sad smile as he finally got to heavy and they both fell to the ground.

Ruby looked at him frightful as his he was facedown as blood began to pool out, soaking his tux and the dance floor.

Ruby began hyperventilating and the world seemed to slow down as she looked on at the love of her life laying down in his blood.

It was too much.

Ruby screamed.

"I promise Ruby on my name and life as an Arc you'll get that dance!"

For the 9 days of Lancaster.

Enjoy.

[redmaneroster]

Our Home Away From Home, Away From Home

[1] [2] [3] [x-x] [6] [7] [8-9] [10]

PART 4 – Coping

Qrow isn't exactly the intimidating uncle so much as he is the nervous older friend. Sure, he comes in with cheek and swagger, but he hesitates sometimes and watches what he says. Things are uncomfortable for a while.

Jaune and Qrow are sitting alone on the sofa, eyes passed the TV and out the window. Jaune breaks the silence and asks him how he knew. Qrow, surprisingly, explains that he turned into a bird and followed them home. He fully intended to leave when they got into the door but then he overheard the bit about Ruby going missing so he sat by the window and waited for updates.

He fell asleep on the windowsill.

Yang's moaning woke him up.

Both men don't even dare look each other in the eye. They both agree not to bring that up with her for as long as they live.

It's minutes later after they've both taken a swig from their flasks that Qrow asks, "So what are you two?"

"I don't know," he answers; almost apologetic. Almost fearful, but not of Qrow. "We're close and trying to… forget things."

"Yeah, I can see that." Qrow takes another swig. "Tell me, is this about Tai and Rae?"

"More than a little, yeah."

"Those two idiots aren't the least bit careful anymore… I'm sorry she's lumping it onto you. If I'd done better, none of this would have happened."

"I don't mind just listening to her."

"I know. It's the fact that she has to go through it at all… She's still in school. Distractions are dangerous when you're still fresh on the hunt."

Jaune laughs. "She's been doing this for years. If anything, I'm the one that's still green."

"You runts don't get to be proper huntsmen unless you've faced a real, proper threat or graduated. To a licensed huntsman, there's a reason why you're all still in-training. All the glory and shit is the stuff you gotta revel in while you're still in the safety of these halls instead of roughing it in the wilds day after day, facing odds stacked against you."

Qrow is amicable, asking only that he doesn't also seduce Ruby. Jaune's confusion is answer enough. He's no Casanova. He isn't Taiyang. Qrow has it that he believes men like him are unprepared as partners and fathers. Jaune disagrees, saying that his own father was like Tai. To him, any man can work their way into being a proper partner.

They talk about it for long enough that Yang stumbles back into the apartment. She hopes Qrow hasn't spilled any embarrassing stories about her.

They're deftly quiet at that.

-0-

Yang doesn't stay long (it isn't like she spends every weekend with him after all), but she lingers at the door. She hears their muffled voices through the gaps but she doesn't strain her ears to decipher them. She isn't here to eavesdrop.

She hears them laugh. Briefly, she wonders if even Qrow knows Jaune more than she does.

Breathing evenly, she calms the fiery doubts and walks off.

-0-

"What are your intentions?" Qrow asks an hour later, once he's sure Yang is long gone because of course he knows when she's there.

"We didn't sleep together."

Qrow winces at the thought of them. Then it's so deeply uncomfortable that his whole body shudders. "Ah, god, fuck! Damn it, kid, I don't want to think about you two naked! How would you feel if I shared my stories with you!"

Jaune, similarly, melts down at the thought.

Yang actually comes back because she forgot Ember Celica. She hears them freaking out through the door and pivots into the other direction. Blake asks about her bracelets. Yang says it isn't important right now.

-0-

Jaune and Qrow sip their flasks at the same time. They joke about it.

When it's quieter, Qrow can see in his eyes that he wants to ask something so he encourages him to.

Jaune, with an uneasy breath, asks what Qrow is always drinking to forget.

Turns out, he doesn't drink to forget. Drinking is when he does the most thinking, actually.

Drinking is a hobby. Less a recreational drug and more a medicinal one. "Confused? Let me explain…" He doesn't recommend it but he's built up such a tolerance for it before he even went to be Beacon as a kid that it's all basically like water to him. Alcohol isn't his coping mechanism, but he confesses that he does technically have one if it can be called that.

He lost an old friend a long time ago and he isn't sure if his semblance is to blame. The thought has haunted him since. Grief mixed so deeply with poisoned guilt has made him obsessed with loneliness.

He enjoys the quiet nights sitting alone at home, eying the moon, dreaming of what ifs. He enjoys sitting in meadows, letting Summer heat hold him like a familiar embrace. He enjoys hunting solo and coming out on top, all in her name. It's proof that, even in death, she's still the best partner he ever had.

Alcohol is normalcy. It's where he thinks the most clearly, acts the most boldly, acts like himself. Being sober unsettles his mind, makes him act irrationally.

Somehow it makes sense. He always did seem the more sober man when he's got a flask in his hand. Even subconsciously, Jaune realizes that he's made that his gospel.

Qrow warns that it certainly isn't the same way with Jaune. (Jaune knows, of course. His tolerance is likely as weak Ruby's might be.) But Qrow confesses to being more worried about what he might do if he drinks too much. He saw all the whiskey in the fridge.

"I'm not going to hurt Yang. I stop myself from going too far."

"I don't mean Yang. She can handle herself around you, I'm sure." Qrow shows him a photo on his scroll. "This is what I'm worried about."

Jaune reels. He feels a few things. Mostly anguish, discomfort. Saphron and Terra are in Vale.

"When was this?"

"This morning. I thought they'd show up today and that I could be your convenient alibi for having an occupied guest room once they dropped in, but it looks they're busy doing whatever it is they're actually supposed to be doing in the city."

"They're going to come by eventually. Even if not today then…"

"I can't stay, kid," Qrow says, cautiously, quietly. "You facing them is just as inevitable as their visit. I'm no good at this stuff but... my advice: Don't run."

-0-

Yang comes back to Jaune sat at the sofa, staring at a movie he isn't watching. Yang turns it off and when the screen buzzes into silence, Jaune finally realizes she's in the room.

He doesn't notice the many bags she brought with her.

When she asks what's going on, he tells her that Terra is in town.

Yang asks if Saphron is with her.

He realizes that he forgot to mention his own sister.

Yang takes his hand and leans into his side. "It's that bad, huh?"

His free hand pulls out the now empty flask. "I might need more than the watered down whiskey."

She sits on his lap and pushes his flask away. "Get drunk on me." Her eyes are half-lidded and pleading, a promise etched into the wetness of her lips and heat rolling off her breath.

He does what she asks.

They press together so closely that he feels another one of inhibitions snap.

That night he decides – without really thinking about why – to steal a kiss while she sleeps. He realizes that the gesture is far too affectionate than it should be but can't bring himself to regret it.

She was awake the whole time.

-0-

PART 5 – Accommodation

Yang fixates on the kiss. Not that it's changed how she feels or how she's going to feel, only that she wonders what's changed for him with her. She finds herself lingering on his silhouette in bed, paying attention to subtleties in his tone, the way he moves around her or if he catches himself saying anything he wants to say but can't.

And all she's found in mapping him out is that he's no different from before.

Blake tells her that it could mean any number of things. Weiss maintains that it has to be burgeoning love. Ruby, much to their surprise, tells them that it was probably a moment of weakness and that he probably still doesn't know what it means.

The girls – Pyrrha included – suggest that Ruby is probably right. But Yang finds herself unwilling to accept it. She isn't one for sitting still. So instead of deferring to their wisdom… she hatches a plan.

It falls apart immediately.

-0-

Lingerie is her first idea, a vibrant red with thin enough material to tear off with ease. Scented candles to fill the spaces, lighting the bed and the nightstands while drowning the rest in dark. A nice ambient drone off the speakers in another room just to fill any silence. And makeup, the kind that layers thick and she feels physically on her face but comes recommended from Coco's article on a magazine.

She calls up Pyrrha to coach her on it, but the girl only blinks at her beyond the digital lense and asks, "Do you want him to sleep with you or fall in love?"

At first, Yang is confused until she takes a good hard look at herself in the mirror and… doesn't recognize who's looking back at her.

"I don't know," she says honestly. She smiles placatively and hangs up. Pyrrha knows she'll figure it out, but Yang has to first get rid of the mess she's made in his bedroom. Everything else will follow after.

She tosses the heels in the bin (they were cheap anyway), rips off her stockings, and covers up the rest in a bath robe. She tries to wash off the makeup but it smears and will take longer than she has time for. She tries too frantically to get the candles out and accidentally sets fire to one of his chairs – she ends up violently launching it into the tiled shower wall and leaves the shower running.

Finally was the music wafting in from the living room, playing off her scroll. She's already halfway into the living room when the front door opens. She freezes in place just as Jaune is letting in his guests, Saphron and Terra.

Yang doesn't know Saphron, not really, but there's a mutual trust between them when the older girl runs over to her, takes her by the wrist, and drags her back into Jaune's room.

Minutes later, Saphron is dabbing some solution on her cheeks. The makeup comes off in clumps – some semblance of relief comes with them.

"I'm Yang," she says suddenly.

Saphron's bemused smile banishes any tension she has left. Yang already embarrassed herself and not much could make it worse at this point when your first impression is half naked in the living room. She'd also spied the lingerie but she'd thankfully neglected to mention the familiar strap peeking off her shoulder.

"Saphron," she says but says no more. She focuses on the task at hand and Yang quiets with her. Then Saphron starts humming. It's familiar, as if carved out of a chapter in her life that she can hardly remember. Suddenly it's clear that this woman is a mother.

"My brother mention me a lot?" Saphron asks.

"He tries not to but can't help it. You always manage to come up in his stories to curb his nonsense. You'd be a punchline if the stories were supposed to be funny."

"Tends to happen." Saphron winks. "Us older sisters have to butt in all the time."

"He told you about me and Ruby?" She wasn't expecting to come up in conversation.

"No… I can just tell." Another smile. More secretly knowing. And she is briefly afraid that all her secrets have already been laid bare. "He told me you were his roommate."

"Ah." A safe descriptor. She'd been expecting a cover story like being his live-in girlfriend. She'd even prepared the lines and a backstory. It's a small a comfort that doesn't have to go through that.

Saphron pouts for a moment before her eyes turn devilish. "He also mentioned that you two share a bed and make out." Yang blinks at her. Her confusion also confuses Saphron. Isn't that supposed to be embarrassing? "Is… was he wrong?"

"Uh… no. That's exactly it. I guess I just wasn't expecting the truth."

"And you really aren't sleeping together?" Saphron peels the gown off her shoulder and tugs at the bra strap. Yang yelps when it snaps back into place. "With an outfit like this?"

"It was a lapse in judgement." She gestures to herself. "I swear this isn't how I normally am. I don't think I'll ever put on something like this ever again."

"Hm… a honeymoon might change your mind, but let's not dwell on that. You've got scented candles in the corner and I can smell…" – she sniffs the air – "burnt wood from the bathroom? What led to all this?"

"I'm… not sure I should say."

Saphron takes Yang's hands in hers. "You don't have to tell me, but it feels like you're struggling with something all on your own."

"I'm not, actually," she admits sheepishly. "I just didn't take anyone's advice. I don't like the idea of waiting for something to happen when I can already do something about it."

"There is value in patience."

"I don't think waiting is my problem. I think I'm just too proactive to do nothing."

"My brother leave you hanging or something?"

"Kind of? … I've said too much already."

"Or not enough." She smiles in that way again. As if knowing. "But I won't pry. I know that sometimes it's better to wait and come to your own conclusions. Right or wrong, a decision you make yourself stays with you and sometimes that's more valuable than being handed the keys to the castle."

"You really think highly of Jaune, don't you?"

"Hm? What makes you say that?"

"I've never heard someone describe the way to someone's heart as 'keys to a castle'."

Saphron gives her a catty cheek. "Oh, so you are in love with him." But she is surprised again when Yang doesn't blush.

She shrugs instead, looking away. Not out of embarrassment but to eye her own fragmentary reflection on the corner of the vanity's mirror. "I wouldn't know. I've never been in love before."

"But… you're so pretty."

"So is Jaune. So is my sister. And all but one of my roommates have never even kissed anyone before coming to Beacon. It isn't like we don't have time to fall in love, it's just not always our biggest concern. They drill it in you early that staying alive out there should be your priority." She eyes the bra strap on her shoulder in the mirror, hates what it represents, what it almost made her do. She pulls up the sleeve again, hiding it away, and she almost looks like herself. "I think that's why I like being around him. He doesn't pass judgement on whether not my problems are big or small. He just knows they're important to me and lets me be heard."

"Is being a good listener what you look for in a partner?"

"It might." She laughs. "It's hardly an extensive list, though, isn't it?"

Saphron huffs, settling herself comfortably beside her and dusting off her skirt. "Lists are overrated. Not that you shouldn't have standards, but if you want to extensively checklist every potential partner, you'll end up with a growing criteria less and less people will be able to fill. And trust me, I've lived a storied life – been dating people since I was fifteen – and I've found that it's easier to talk to people and let things click. Hell, I wasn't even trying to flirt with Terra when we first met. She was the wingwoman to the girl I was actually trying to get with and we just happened to get along better."

"Sounds like quite the story."

"Why don't I tell you over dinner? It'd be a nice little preamble to me and Terra. I suspect we'll be meeting quite often in the near future."

"I guess I will be tagging along with Jaune if you really want me to."

"If I really want you to? You sound a little meek there," Saphron teases. "Jaune described you as the kind of girl with confidence to rival a peacock. Was my brother wrong or are you just starting to sound like him?"

"Hey, I don't…! Oh shit, you're right."

"Fair tradeoff, I suppose. Jaune's got peacock confidence now and I guess you're to blame."

"Ha! No, I can't take credit for that. Pyrrha – his ex – I'm sure she's your culprit."

"We've met. Jaune brought her over last year before they started dating. Wasn't even going to take her to the dance, the little dunce."

"Oh, but they hooked up that night! After they both showed up stag and he tore up the dance floor in a dress."

"A DRESS!?" Saphron screamed, her eyes lighting up with mischief Yang realizes she's just armed her with.

A knock at the door. "Everything alright in there?" Jaune asks, muffled through the mahogany.

"We're fine!" Yang says.

"Peachy, little brother," Saphron adds with a flare of sarcasm, "but you're going to regret keeping secrets from me."

"Yang!" Jaune screeches, panicked. "What did you tell her?"

Yang laughs, hearty and comfortable with Saphron snickering beside her. It almost feels right, like it's something that always should have been, and she wonders why she was ever so afraid. "What you should have told her! You know you can't keep secrets from big sisters!"

"Oh really? I can promise you that there are secrets Ruby hasn't told you."

Yang shot up from her seat. "What!?"

Saphron sits back. "Aren't you two lively…" she whispers.

"I'm no snitch, Xiao Long!" Jaune shouts, snark clear in his voice.

"You'll fess up one way or another!" Yang, in her excitement, marches to the door.

Saphron bolts out of her place and grabs her arm. "You're still underdressed," she says calmly, belying the panic quickened in her chest.

Yang looks down at herself. She's showing a little cleavage too with the loosened bath robe. She takes an extra step back for good measure and clutches the lapels closed.

"C'mon. You're looking a little too comfortable now. Let's find you something modest." Saphron tugs her towards the closet.

"Backing down already?" Jaune said in what – to him – was a moment of silence.

"I'll get you yet, Vomit Boy!" Yang jeers.

Saphron perks up. "Vomit Boy?"

Jaune groans behind the door. "Yang!"

Yang, despite the grin tugging at her cheeks, silently promises to make it up to him later.

-0-

Jaune stands in the center of his living room, staring at his shut door. Saphron has just dragged Yang into it, and his mind has been reeling with what he'd seen. Barely dressed, slow music off her scroll, and with smeared makeup on? He doesn't want to come to any conclusions, not without talking to her first, but the obvious ones come to mind.

He isn't certain he can reckon with the inevitable outcome.

Behind him, Terra sensibly cuts off Yang's music playing off her scroll. Jaune nearly jumps when he's brought out of his stupor and into her beautiful, suffocating presence. Terra is still as captivating as he remembers, tinted with the gloss of a boyhood crush that refuses to die. At least with Saphron around he could suffuse it, but not alone in the heavy quiet of his apartment.

Terra gives him a bemused smile. Ever sympathetic. She pats the seat cushion beside her and Jaune joins her, plopping on the cushion with a held breath he eases out of himself.

"You seem surprised," Terra says. "And here I thought you'd already seen her in less."

"I did say we've only made out… and snuggled." He can't decide which one is more scandalous. Perhaps neither. Or both, given that they aren't even dating.

"Yeah, despite that being unusual enough to be true, I still had my doubts."

"Have any still?"

"No. You definitely don't look like the kind of couple that's seen each other naked."

Jaune's eyes narrow. "We're not a couple."

"I believe you," she says with a smile. She's so dangerously close to him that he can smell her perfume. A glance shows him that she's eying him expectantly. He's tense, uncertain, and it's clear that she can see that. She pulls away, giving him room to breathe. "Guessing you've still got a crush on me then?"

His spine gets stiffer, spotting her at the corner of his eye because he refuses to look directly at her. She's smiling still. Being cheeky. "Terra…" he groans.

She scooches a little closer again (taking a chance that his nerves might not erupt), and lets his heat wash over her and lets him feel hers. The affection is platonic, he knows that. He and his sisters huddle together for comfort often, and Terra has just learned to follow suit. But he can't help but revel in it, letting it sink into his pores till it leaves a familiar tingle.

A small part of him hates it but mostly hates himself for indulging.

"If I asked you why, would you tell me?" Her tone is quiet, almost a whisper. She's trying to ease him.

"Because you cared about me."

She chuckles because it's naïve and honest and oh so very like him that it's almost nostalgic. "Was that really all?"

"When you're young and naïve, that's all it takes."

"I didn't know you were lonely."

It was his turn to chuckle. "I wasn't. I was never some lonely little kid who didn't have any friends. I had enough love from my sisters alone to fill my heart a hundred times over."

"Then why?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. Do I need to have been missing something in my life to want to fall in love?"

Her feet shuffles in place. "I guess I haven't seen it that way. After I was old enough to date, I'd not gone a year without someone I wanted to be with or was already with. I always felt like love completed me, like it does now with Saph… Is that not how you feel?"

"I'm… I'm not saying love doesn't make me happy or anything. It's just that I don't feel like I need it to feel whole. I don't think it'd complete me, just that it might be nice to have too. Is that not how you feel?"

She chuckles again, a nervous uncertainty tinting her quiet, teahouse melody. "I don't know. Never been without it, really. At least not for long."

He looks at her – examines her, really – because her cheek is gone, as is her confidence, and it feels like she's revealing her artifice in a vulnerable moment. She's digging gaps into her own thoughts and he can see her pick apart her own internal logic and she seems more and less somehow. Like she's less the perfect cut gem he thought she was and sees the girl underneath it.

He's less tense all of a sudden.

And for a moment he feels like he can come to grips with everything that she is. Who she was to him, who she wasn't, and who she's become. A boyhood crush, flightful fantasy, and… he can't bring himself to think of the last. Fist clenching and unclenching, a slow motion that tries to hide the trembling in his digits.

He swallows and he worries if she can hear it. She doesn't, but she can see something's troubling him.

"How's Adrian?" he asks.

"Oh, he's –"

"A DRESS!?" Saphron screams from beyond the locked bedroom door.

Jaune jolts up from his seat and nearly bumps into Terra who'd stood along with him. She steps aside and he hurries to the door, asking after them. Terra tries not to pay attention (she can barely hear what they say beyond the door anyhow) but then he mentions Yang's sister, Ruby – the girl Terra thought he actually has a crush on – and Yang audibly shouts, "What!?" passed the door at him.

"Aren't you two lively…" Terra whispers.

-0-

Dinner is a largely pleasant affair until the alcohol gets introduced. The hills of drink they stack onto the table to peruse intimidates Jaune and he cautions that he cannot – will not – drink anything that isn't at least on the rocks. He'll shoulder tomorrow's regret but he doesn't want to sleep through the sun burning through the morning and afternoon.

Saphron and Terra share a glance before pulling something out of Terra's bag. Diadem, a vintage Vacuan drink stronger than everything else on the table. They only ask that he a takes a shot. It'll buzz him through the evening.

It's too strong and he nearly hurls.

Yang half remembers all the stories they tell. Saphron regales them with tales of how she met Terra, the proposal, the wedding, and even the honeymoon off the coast of Menagerie. Jaune spouts on about his team and a misadventure with his twin on an old farm and a horse, and Yang, somehow, talks about a food fight twice. It's funnier the second time around.

There's a gap in her memory of whatever story Terra was telling because she fixates on one part and can't focus on anything else. "…she's little Adrian's babysitter," she mentions briefly but doesn't have the faculties to ask about.

When Saph and Terra leave for their hotel, things wind down and Yang's sitting on the sofa in Jaune's hoodie. Yang returns the shirt and shorts she borrowed but she feels like wearing something that's his might help with tonight.

Jaune joins her, easing down slowly as his head rides the waves of a dying Vacuan storm.

"Who's Adrian?" she asks.

He's quiet for a moment, perhaps from the drink. "He's Terra's son."

Yang can see it. Saphron isn't mentioned deliberately. He doesn't just forget this time. "Oh! From a previous marriage?"

He shakes his head. "No, nothing like that," he says, sobering up.

"A previous partner then?"

Jaune says nothing. He's sitting upright. Rigid and awake. There's something there. Maybe Terra had a previous partner he didn't like, but then things click into place. Realization sets in like headlights through the fog, suddenly and violently.

"Oh my god…" she whispers, "…he's yours."

He doesn't answer. Doesn't need to. She grabs onto his arm and pulls him into a hug. She's hit a nail on the head and panic sets in when she thinks she's opened up an old wound. It's precisely the kind of thing they're supposed to help each other forget. Only, Yang doesn't realize that Jaune is so caught off-guard by her sudden burst of affection that he's at first startled and – when she goes in for a kiss and ends up headbutting him instead – he ends up laughing it off.

His mirth is almost strange until it makes complete sense somehow. She's done her job, kept her end of the bargain, and now she's laughing with him too.

When he's calmed down, he lies back on the sofa when she goes to get a drink. She comes back to find him lying across the sofa and she makes the executive decision to just fall on top of him. She crashes into his stomach with a hefty oof from him and she makes no apologies for retaliating.

"Sofa hog," she jeers from her perch on his chest, chin resting on her arms.

"I bought it," he shoots back playfully, eying her down from the arm rest.

"Still pay half the rent. And I never asked you to pay me back when I foot the bill for refurbishing them."

"Wouldn't have needed to if Zwei didn't tear them up."

"It was a joint decision that we took him in for the week. You're as much to blame."

He sighs. "I guess I am."

It isn't actually an issue. They've basically already had this discussion and Yang had insisted on covering for it at the time. They're only stalling. Even Yang isn't quite sure she wants to go on.

She doesn't know how long it takes her to summon the courage to speak again. All she knows is that he's willing to answer, even if it would be easier for both of them to stay ignorant. To let these problems solve themselves and never to bear your heart until it is absolutely necessary.

But she speaks anyway. "I thought it was the wedding that got to you."

And so does he. "No, it… it just happened at the wedding. Saph had to go talk to an old classmate and so she left Terra with me. I was already holding Adrian and with Joan running off somewhere, we were alone. Just me, Terra… and our son. It hit me then. Slowly, like when you stare at yourself in the mirror at the night of a recital. You think, 'This is it. This is where things fall apart… or meet in the middle.' I knew I had to make peace with it before it got worse."

"And your answer was watered-down whiskey the minute you got back home?"

He shrugs. "Qrow gives good advice."

"Hm… maybe. I still think mine is better."

"Oh? And what's that?"

She pushes herself up over him, arms at either side of his head till her silhouette is against the dim glow of the incandescent bulb, warm light pooling through her hair till it looks like it's on fire. "Get drunk on me," she says, her breath tickling his nose and burning his lips.

But he doesn't kiss her. She sees the way his lips quiver, almost wanting to, but he doesn't even try.

She retreats instead, nestling back onto his chest but his cheeks are still burning and she swears hers are too. The room feels like it's boiling.

"When we kiss, do you think of her?"

"Never," he says honestly, and that seems to be the part that stings the most to him. "That's the most dangerous thing about you. You don't taste, feel, or smell like anyone else." He looks at her and only her, and she shrinks away as she gets up and off of him because she feels like a moon in a sea of stars, and as he straightens up and sits parallel to her, his eyes never leave, like a captive witness.

He leans in, and she doesn't know if it's to kiss her or just her sheer pull on him. She ultimately doesn't decide. Their foreheads meet – her eyes are downward but locked to his lips – and she breathes quietly as she asks, "Jaune? Are you in love with me?"

"Yang, are you even sure you are?"

"I… don't know yet."

He pulls away just an inch as something unsettling furrows his brow.

He gets up. "Gimme a minute," he says, and he's gone for just long enough for her to notice that the familiar heat she had pressed against her is missing.

She doesn't know what to expect when he comes back with his hand clutching a small object, but she would have never guessed a ring. It's nestled in a velvety box that he sits on the coffee table and he leaves it open as he sits down and watches it with her like it's some alien thing. He doesn't speak but he gives her a glance and…

It's then that she realizes that she's afraid. The look on her is uncertain – she can feel it, and she feels it freeze on her features.

"Did you pick this out for me?"

He shakes his head. "It was supposed to be Pyrrha's."

She blinks. "Is… is this what scared Pyrrha off?"

"No… it's what scared me off." He leans back against the sofa and she takes that as an invitation to do the same. They're huddled close, shoulder-to-shoulder. "Our breakup was only supposed to be temporary. Some tournament rival tried to pin her to a scandal when they found out she slept with me."

"What? Why would that be a problem?"

He snorts. "I was too young." Out loud, it sounds absurd.

"You were seventeen," she reasons.

"And Pyrrha was eighteen. As far as the law is concerned, Pyrrha slept with a minor."

Yang can feel herself coil up like a loaded spring. "Well, that's fucked! You're barely three months apart!"

"Didn't matter to them. Tabloids would have pinned it on her for the rest of her career. The context doesn't matter to the public."

"Okay…" she says slowly, stifling her frustrations for later. "So, what changed then? Why did you set her up with Sun?"

"Because I went to the wedding and found myself thinking about Terra again. It gave me some unhealthy doubts. I loved Pyrrha, I really did, but it felt wrong when I danced with Terra that night, holding our son in our arms… It felt like I'd betrayed Pyrrha somehow, even in my own mind, by feeling those things. It didn't matter that I didn't actually do anything about it."

"That's not how feelings work though," she says. "You're supposed to have doubts sometimes because people aren't perfect or consistent. Life isn't fiction, Jaune."

"I know that now." He shrugs, resigned in a way. "I found out a little too late though."

"How did you even get Pyrrha to agree to this?"

"She's not very honest about her feelings. Doesn't have the courage to be. When she heard that I'd pushed Sun to ask her out because Nora can't keep a secret, she thought that I might have given up on her. By the time we got the chance to be honest about it, she'd already gotten to know Sun enough to start taking him seriously."

Yang glances back at the ring. Not quite as alien as it was earlier. It just seems strange now, like it's out of place. There's a small comfort in that. "So where does the ring come in?"

"I got it as a sort of celebration when would get back together, but then people started asking about what it meant and… it felt like I'd stumbled onto some finality between us. Like I'd somehow found 'the one' over a year of friendship, a few dates, and showing up to the dance in a dress."

Yang smiles. Not because he seemed silly at the time, but because he's smiling. Because, in spite of his somber reflections, he can't help but feel like what he'd done turned out to be a triumph.

Her arm loops into his and his head leans on hers in response. "Doesn't sound like a bad set up to me," Yang says, shrugging against his arm. "If anything, it sounds like the stars aligned for you two." She speaks honestly. Forgets herself and sees him as Pyrrha's too-perfect other half to a too-perfect couple. If things hadn't turned out the way they did, she might have cheered them on for the rest of their lives. But that isn't how it turned out.

"That's what everyone was saying. It's like we'd ripped ourselves out of a fairytale, only I was a dense, blind princess and she was some stoic, stubborn prince. But it put a lot of pressure on us, living up to that story, and it felt like I wasn't as ready as I should have been. I came to Beacon unprepared for a lot of things. Might have hurt the people depending on me by not being ready. I was lucky my shield arm was always sturdy, but my heart wasn't. I naively worried that my inexperience would hurt us irreversibly." He rolls a hand over his knuckles. Contemplatively, regretfully. "I thought I was leaving her in good hands, but even if that's true, should I still have stayed instead? Did I have any right to decide if we should have stayed together or not?"

Her fingers slide off his arm and weave into his. She's huddling closer now, feet off the ground and knees tucked up to her chest. "I think, when we fall in love, we have to decide for ourselves if we want to keep going. We don't choose for the other in that. We choose for ourselves cause we are who we're supposed to look out for. You have to protect yourself first." Yang clutches tighter, and somehow Jaune can tell that her mother is involved. "That's the beautiful thing about a love that works. We decide for ourselves and it all just happens to fall into place with someone else. It doesn't always magically align – sometimes you don't agree with what they want or how they take it – but real love compromises just as much as it just… clicks." Like her and her dad. And Ruby. And maybe – if things turn out alright – her mom.

He wants to believe her. Even if he and Pyrrha didn't pan out, they still love each other as friends and things ultimately haven't changed between them. They were always bound to work out their issues and it's clear now that they've compromised without needing to sacrifice the friendship they'd fostered together.

He wants to thank her, but her eyes are away and she's chewing her lip. Yang is thinking of something else. Her sigh cuts through the silence and she's too shy to look at him.

"Jaune, why did you kiss me?"

He blinks. "What?"

"Last night. In bed. While I was sleeping."

His eyes widen. He's been caught. "Is it really so unusual?"

"It is when you aren't thinking of Terra or Adrian. When you do it just because you wanted to."

"How… how could you tell?"

She can hear the panic in his voice. Caught and cornered, it makes her a little happy to know he's unable to hide it. But it's the speed of which he accepts his fate that gets her grinning, because it's as if a part of him is tired of hiding it. "Because you weren't trying to forget something. You weren't trying to tease me and I certainly can't flirt back when I'm asleep…" She shoots him a knowing look and he gulps through a feeble foundation of defiance. "It was none of that. You did it hoping I wouldn't notice. You did it because you were hiding something you wanted."

He crumbles under her teasing. "Y-Yang, I… I can't –"

"Shh, it's okay," she says evenly, defusing his tension and giving him a moment to breathe and look into her eyes. "Don't jump to a conclusion you aren't ready to make." Her tone is slow and deliberate, fingers gliding along the skin of his arm like a soothing, gentle caress. "I get it, Jaune. Like me, you're still trying to figure it out."

He pulls away but fixes her with a stern, serious look. She doesn't realize he's holding her hand till he's squeezing it. He's composed, certain, and so deftly drunk on her that Yang remembers Jaune telling her that drowning in drink gives him clarity. "That's just it, Yang. I know I feel something. I've been feeling a lot of things when I'm with you…" His confidence wanes before he admits that, "It's just that I haven't figured out what I'm supposed to do about it."

Yang blinks twice and tries to speak but can't. And suddenly she can't stop the curl of her cheeks when she feels a growing smile coming.

He's almost afraid. "Yang?"

"Sorry. I'm still… you know you just confessed, right?"

"Ha!" he laughs, heart squeezing his chest. Relief in many ways settling into his skin. "Were you expecting me to say 'I love you'?"

"…"

He chuckles. "Oh my god, Yang."

"Is it weird that I'm a little giddy about that total cliché? Say it again."

He thinks it a little much but the words are easy, flowing freely from his lips. "I love you."

"Agh! You're a serious cheat. Why is it so easy for you to say?'

"Cause I already made peace with it. You stood there in a white dress and I could see you tearing Terra out of that place in my mind and putting yourself there in her stead. I already knew. You've been nothing but a tidal wave to my emotions, just swallowing everything up and leaving little traces of yourself everywhere."

He settles back into the cushions, sinking comfortably into it. "I used to sit on this couch and scream curses at the moon through the window," he says. "Nowadays my eyes are glued to the screen watching a movie with you. I used to be careful about what I threw into the sink because I was afraid I'd have to call in a mechanic to fix the shredder again, and now I don't even give it a second thought."

"And you used to lie in bed thinking about her…" Yang teases.

"Actually, no. I was at peace when I went to bed. Pyrrha trained me to shut down once I got under the sheets. Nowadays it feels like the sandman keeps missing my eyes with the way you move me around in bed."

"I don't think your tongue's been doing much complaining."

"Seems you were willing to use more than just your tongue earlier," he says, teasing her. She shrinks a little, embarrassed. "What were you doing anyway?"

"I was, uh, trying to seduce you."

"Oh… What changed?"

She groans. "I guess my wires got crossed. I thought that if I got you to sleep with me, this" – she gestures between them – "would suddenly clear up. But I'm not that kind of girl. I don't put on lingerie all the time expecting you to see it. Not even sure I'm the kind of girl who wants her clothes ripped off when I get you riled up."

"Yeah, your outfits look expensive. Custom fit and embroidered."

"I wouldn't hit you if you tried, FYI. I'd maybe cry or get upset."

"I'll try not to ravage you through your clothes if that ever happens."

"If? Still don't think we're gonna end up doing the dirty tango after all we've been through? Seems inevitable at this point."

"I think we'll either do it when it makes sense or decide we aren't meant for each other."

"I don't know. I'm pretty snug right where I am." She gives him cheek, brimming with certainty. Confidence. "Still," she says more seriously, "are you really so ready to give up what we have? I don't see it happening, but it looks like you think we're just as likely to stay together as splitting up."

He looks away. Yang is surprised to find him embarrassed, not concerned.

"You don't actually feel that way," Yang says gleefully. "You're as sure as I am."

"I'm not ready to take that risk just yet," he confesses.

She moves to straddle him and loops her arms around his neck. "I can wait."

His hands grip her waist through the thickness of the hoodie. "I can't ask you to do that."

"I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. I told you that love was about deciding for yourself and settling into compromises if our choices don't align. I'm choosing to stay. And – I hope – we agree to compromise."

He takes a moment to look away before locking eyes with her. He leans in and pecks her lips so briefly that she doesn't get the chance to kiss back.

"Wh-what?"

"It's how I'm supposed to say yes, aren't I?"

She laughs and so does he. Yang was expecting to cap off the night with a kiss, pressing bodily into the sheets as their hands roam their bodies, but none of that happens. They clean the dinner the table, take separate baths, and settle into bed together.

She does kiss him on the neck for good measure but he realizes that he can still feel the kiss and it isn't because there's a tingle there. Cracking an eye open, he notices the gloss on her lips. "Are you wearing lipstick?"

"The light kind," she says. "Told myself I'd leave a mark on you during my little lapse earlier. I've decided not to give you a hickey. Consider it an act of mercy."

He shuts his eyes and tries to ignore it but can't. He's painfully aware of it and he just knows he's gonna smudge that on something. It'd be funny if it's Yang's face but he'd hate to get it on his sheets. He sits up. "Yeah, nope. I'm washing this off."

"What? C'mon!" She grabs onto him, anchoring him back into bed.

"Nope. Not doing it," he says defiantly.

"Have it your way, Arc. Hickey it is!"

"Wait, Yang! Yang!"

-0-

Jaune is reminded everyday that he showed up to brunch that following morning with a hickey his scarf couldn't hide. Yang makes it up to him by buying dessert.

The get-togethers go on and Yang is less and less embarrassed about openly teasing Jaune and showing her affections publicly. Jaune retaliates, of course, and they even get hot and bothered in the hallway of a movie theater. They spend the rest of the movie in a stall. Terra finds them and is honestly just surprised they haven't taken each other's clothes off… ever.

Jaune and Yang don't tell them that neither of them and ready to go that far yet. Jaune takes the brunt of the blame and says that if he doesn't hold back, they'll end up doing something stupid. Saphron slips Jaune a condom and he regrets everything for the rest of the night.

Two weeks pass with much the same. Sometimes they introduce Saphron and Terra to some of their other friends, and they even manage a weekend together in a cottage near the coast. They're excited about reuniting with Pyrrha and they even meet Sun on her scroll.

Yang finds out that Saphron is every bit a mother as she is a big sister, and Jaune reminds her that she is practically no different herself.

Jaune learns that Qrow and Terra are old classmates and that they had more in common than they thought.

And after Joan is caught scheming with Nora and getting her and Ren back together, after Blake engorges the shrimp platter on a Schnee-sponsored dinner, after Weiss tames a friendly rivalry between Winter and Saphron about who has the cuter sibling, after Ruby gets her cheeks pinched till they go red cause she lost a bet and showed up in an adorable beowulf costume, and after Penny freaks out and her head pops off at dinner (her severed head still tries to chew on a salad)… their two weeks together are up and they're standing at the train station, ready to see them off.

It's been raining for the last few days and everything is damp and cold. Even the air is still thick with the smell of misty rain water and the sky hasn't seen the sun even peek through the cloud cover. It's almost a somber way to say goodbye.

Saphron is introducing Yang to her babysitter and little Adrian over a video call. Jaune stands aside, unwilling to let the last few weeks burn away at the sight of his biological son gurgling through the screen.

Terra nudges into his side. "Can we talk?"

He nods and she pulls them away beside a pillar. Saphron notices and winks at her wife.

"Is there something wrong?" Jaune asks.

"Nothing, actually. I might even say our impromptu vacation here might as well have been perfect."

"Impromptu?"

"I guess it never came up but… we were only supposed to be here for a few days."

"Why did you stick around then? Wouldn't that have been imposing on your babysitter?"

"Oh, Taffy was plenty happy to be at the house with Adrian. She's an orphan and she takes every excuse to come over." She leans in to whisper. "We might even adopt her once I get a raise at the office so look forward to a niece! And, really, is it such a surprise that we enjoy spending time with you and your friends?"

"After the bonfire? I guess not."

"Good. Now that isn't why I needed to talk."

"Oh…" He glances at Yang a few feet away. He can barely hear her and Saphron through the rancor of the station.

"I know you've been holding back."

"Did Yang tell you that?"

"Call it a big sister's intuition."

"You're an only child."

"Not anymore, I'm not. Now I've got six little sisters and a not-so-little brother." She pats his chest then busies her hands with straightening his collar. "A little brother who is too afraid to take a chance and would much rather play it safe than play at all."

"Terra…"

"I know you're afraid that you aren't ready. I wasn't either. Hell, sometimes I worry I'll mess up and ruin a perfectly good marriage. These are all normal things to be afraid of, and for some people, these fears don't go away. We just learn to live with them."

She slides her hands to his arms and down to fingers till she's holding them softly and looking up at him. There's a quiet concern in her sad little smile that he isn't sure how to respond to.

"I think you've driven yourself to be so careful with your feelings that you've forgotten to just take things as they come," she says. "I know you have to be careful with your heart but the thing isn't made of glass. Even if it hurts, even if it hurts easily, the fact that you're still in one piece should be more than enough proof that you aren't as fragile as you think you are. Maybe take a risk. Maybe love will hurt, but so few of us get better at it without giving it a shot first. Like a lot of things, Jaune, it takes a lot of trial and error."

"I've been down this road before already…"

She squeezes his hands. "And you'll go down it again and again. Sometimes people find love once and that's all it takes. But for the rest of us? For most of us? We gotta keep trying."

With a kiss on the cheek and a whispered 'good luck', Saphron and Terra disappear into accelerating train until even it vanishes into the horizon.

Jaune stares into the middle distance and Yang, much like Terra, nudges into his side. "What did you talk about?" she asks.

He shrugs. "Stuff."

"Oh, well that's lame. Should've had more to say to someone you really care about." It's clear she doesn't buy it.

He knows she doesn't. "Yeah, real shame I wasn't more profound and emotional."

She rolls her eyes because she'll let it be and won't pry for his sake. "C'mon, it's getting chilly out here and it might rain again with the wind picking up." She makes to walk off.

"Hey, Yang?"

She stops. "Yeah?"

For a moment he doesn't speak, his eyes are uncertain and elsewhere but then his fists clench as if he's just convinced himself to do something. "Wanna get dinner?" he asks, reaching out to take her by the hand. "We can put on something nice and there's a real fancy place with the best lobster in town."

Yang isn't sure how to take it. She doesn't resist when his thumb brushes over her knuckles, but she summons a bit of bravery herself, stepping closer and resting a fist against her beating chest. "Is… this a date?"

She yelps when he pulls her in. He kisses her, drowns her tongue and melts their bodies together till she's flush against him and tugging at his hair. There's still fear in his eyes when they pull away, but there's a determination in there she's happy to see. "Is that answer enough?"

She giggles through the haze of her burning cheeks. "Plenty."

Then she's on him this time and tilting him backwards with her lips alone until he's just as hazy. Still, he doesn't expect it when she clambers onto his back and slips into a piggyback ride before she starts laughing uncontrollably.

"Hiya, noble steed! To the bike!" she cheers from her perch atop his head.

He's laughing too, even if he's huffing a little from the jog to Bumblebee. "What's gotten into you?"

"I can't help it…" she whispers into his hair, excitement mixing into a bubbling cocktail with a giddiness she can't stop. "I'm happy."

[ask-rwby-multishipper]

Everyone must participate in a competition (up to you what that might be) and the two people who come in last place must get legally married!

Yang: Pffff what???

Weiss: So, literally get married. Courthouse, marriage license, everything?

Blake: Seems like it.

Yang: So this is legit? Whatever this competition will be ends with two of us getting married?

Nora: But what should the competition actually be?

Everyone: ...

Ruby: Art contest!

Yang: Art contest?

Ruby: Yeah! And we could get the boys to judge.

Blake: That might actually be fun.

Yang: Of course you’d say that, I’ve seen your sketchbook.

Blake, shrugging: Guess I’m not getting married then.

Pyrrha: How long do we have to create our pieces?

Ruby: Until this time tomorrow I guess? *stands up and poses dramatically* You have 24 hours to create your masterpieces! Go!

Everyone: *stays in place*

Nora: I have no idea what to do.

Ruby, still posing: Just...think of something, this is getting awkward.

May, glancing at Fiona: Uhh.

Fiona: Indeed.

The next day, in the Beacon courtyard with everyone’s art pieces on display...

Jaune: Okay, fellow judges, how are we going to figure out who wins this?

Mercury: Just...write down your own rankings from worst to best and then we’ll compare?

Sun: How long is this going to take?

Neptune: What, do you have somewhere to be?

Sun: It’s the weekend, I want to do weekend things.

Neptune: Like sit around and do nothing.

Sun: Yes!

Neptune: That’s what you always do.

Ren: Does anyone know what this competition actually entails?

Jaune: Ruby said it was a secret. Maybe the winner gets a date with whoever they choose?

Ren: Something tells me it’s worse than that.

May: *taps Jaune’s shoulder*

Jaune: Hm? Oh, hi, uhh...

May: May.

Jaune: Right.

Sun: What’s up?

May: Okay, so, you guys are judging this art competition, right?

Jaune: Yeah?

May: Could you give me and Fiona a break here? Neither of us have a single artistic bone in our body.

Fiona, nodding: We tried. Really tried. But...it’s not pretty.

Sun: Wait, so hold up, you’re asking us to skew the results to your advantage? Not cool.

Fiona: C’mon, just a little bit? Just to, like, keep us out of last place?

Ren: What’s the concern about last place?

May: If you come in last place, you have to—

Ruby, appearing next to them: Heyyyyy guys, we’re almost ready to start! *looks toward May and Fiona* What are you two doing? *points at them* Talkin’ up the judges, hmm? Trying to get an unfair advantage?

Fiona, blushing: Uhhh no? Just...meeting new people!

Ruby: I’ve got my eye on you two. *chuckles* I’m just joking. Ready, boys?

Jaune: I think so. Though we do have a question: What does the winner of this competition even get?

Ruby, looking to the side: Uhh...they get an immunity for a future truth or dare.

Jaune: Oh. Okay, makes sense.

Mercury, snickering: You sure the prize isn’t a date with Jaune?

Jaune: What??

Neptune, laughing: Pretty sure that’s for whoever comes in last place.

Jaune: What????

Fiona, murmuring to May: Oh gods, that would be even worse...

Sun: You’re not allowed to put Pyrrha in last place, Jaune.

Jaune: A date with me isn’t an actual consolation prize! Like half of them are lesbians anyway, quit being weirdos! *crosses his arms and pouts*

Ren: I’ll go on a date with you, Jaune.

Jaune, grinning: Aww, really??

Ruby, snapping her fingers: Snap out of it, you’ve got art to judge. *waving for them to follow her* Look at mine first!

Timeskip timeskip wheeee....

Ren, holding a clipboard: Okay, we’ve put together a final ranking of everyone’s pieces into tiers, because Sun says tier lists are fun.

Sun: They are!

Ren: Sooooo S-tier, the winner is Blake’s drawing of their team. Very detailed, lovely colors, all-around beautiful.

Yang: Wooo go Blake!

Ruby, hugging Blake: I knew it!

Blake, bowing: Thank you thank you.

Ren: Next, A-tier, Ruby’s painting of Zwei, Penny’s glass sculpture of a bird, Yang’s spray paint mural tribute to her bike, and Nora’s wood burning drawing of a thunderstorm.

Nora, high-fiving Yang: Nice!

Penny, hugging Ruby: Yay!

Ren: B-tier, Pyrrha’s origami swan made of metal, Ciel’s photo collage of sunsets, Ilia’s watercolor painting, and Elm’s wood carving of an Ursa.

Elm, pouting: Aww...and I broke out my good chainsaw for this.

Ilia: Wait. Your what?

Elm, chuckling: Just kidding, I just have the one.

Nora: Wait, Pyrrha only got B-tier? *points at her metal origami swan* But that’s so good though?!

Ren, shrugging: To be fair, with her semblance, she can fold metal as easily as anyone can fold paper, so...it’s a paper swan on steroids, as Mercury put it.

Nora: Hmph...

Jaune, whispering to Pyrrha: I tried to vouch for you, I really did.

Pyrrha, turning to him, grinning: Are you kidding? This is the first time in a long time that I lost at something. I feel liberated!

Jaune: Wow, really? Well, awesome!

Ren: C-tier, Neon’s glowstick sculpture, Harriet’s digital drawing of a rabbit, and Cinder, Emerald, and Neo’s...“dress”?

Emerald: It started as a dress, but then it kinda became overalls, and then a dress again, and then...I don’t know.

Cinder: It has fire dust infused with it, so there’s that.

Neo, wearing said monstrosity: I want to change.

Ren: D-tier, Weiss’ melted ice sculpture. We gave her the benefit of the doubt that it was as magnificent as she described.

Weiss: It was! It’s just...sunny outside...

Ren: However, bottom tier, May and Fiona for their...paper mache...pyramids?

May, sighing: It was supposed to be a model of Beacon.

Yang, chuckling: So, when’s the wedding?

Fiona, blushing, deliberately avoiding eye contact with May: Uhhh we can’t get married, though! We’re legal residents of Atlas, so we can’t get married in Vale, oh well!

Blake: But marriages are recognized everywhere no matter where they’re performed.

Fiona: But...we can’t tho.

May, sighing and putting a hand on Fiona’s shoulder: There’s nothing we can do, fiancée.

Fiona: Wait, you’re cool with this?

May, shrugging: I mean, we could get an annulment immediately after.

Fiona, sighing: Okay, I guess you’re right.

Ruby, throwing rose petals over them both: 🎵 May and Fiona sitting in a tree, M-A-R-I-A-G-E~ 🎵

May: When is this actually happening?

Yang: Uhh, today? Go get married!

May: Sure, let’s elope.

Fiona: How are you so unbothered?!

Later, outside a courthouse...

Fiona: Well, we’re legally married now.

May: Should we call Robyn and Joanna and tell them the good news?

Fiona, sweating: I think it would be totally fine if we didn’t mention it to them.

May: Whatever you say, wife.

Fiona: Don’t call me that!

May: But you are my wife, legally speaking.

Fiona: Stahhhp!

May: Why??

Fiona, blushing: You know...gay thoughts...

May: What, the thought of being married to me is embarrassing?

Fiona: No! It’s just...I dunno...

May, turning and kissing her forehead: Chill out, Fiona, it’ll be just fine.

Fiona, blushing even more: Ohhh...

May, smirking at her: What?

Fiona: Nothing! Uhh...wanna get that annulment taken care of?

May: Eh, I’m sick of paperwork at this point. Let’s do it tomorrow.