Well, the world didn't end yesterday via the medium of Nibiru. Go us. Such survivors we are.
Anyway, glad to see last chapter was liked even if Ozpin did go madly OOC and give away his mug. Don't worry everyone, he has many, many more – all saying #1 Headmaster, and none bought by his colleagues. He buys them himself and even has the store gift wrap them so that he can open them later, gasp, and say "Oh, for me?! I shouldn't have!"
A man can't live hundreds of years hopping between people's minds without getting a little confused along the way.
Cover Art: Jack Wayne
Chapter 19
There was something incredibly nerve-wracking about serving coffee to police officers who were there to see you, even if everyone you knew – Russel included – had said it would be okay. Jaune hadn't broken a law in his life, at least not intentionally, but just having them sat on his couch as he poured them some coffee was enough to make him feel he should confess.
To what, he wasn't sure. Maybe the ice-cream he stole from his little sister once. He'd even lied to his mom and said Amber dropped it. He was a terrible big brother and deserved to go to jail!
"Mr Arc?"
"It was just ice-cream!" he blurted out. The two officers, a man and a woman, stared at him bemusedly. Jaune coughed and sat down opposite them. "So, what were you asking?"
"About the damages, Mr Arc," the woman said. "We'll need to build a case file for what happened; we need it to press charges if we catch those responsible." If, not when. She didn't mince words or sugar-coat it. "Unfortunately, with your diner completely restored, it's difficult for us to do that. I was asking if you happened to have any security footage or pictures of the damage."
"Oh right, I may have some footage I can provide…"
"That would be appreciated."
The officers had been nothing less than kind, talking slowly and gently, as though afraid he might bolt. He supposed that was because they feared he might still be rattled after the attack – which he absolutely was.
"Thank you for your co-operation today, sir. We'll compile what we can and put word out looking for the perpetrators, but I want you to understand how difficult it will be for us to find them. There isn't much in the way of evidence, with your missing sword being the only lead we have."
"I-I understand." He didn't like it, but they were just trying to prepare him for reality.
"Now, if you ever feel at risk again or fear another attack, you can contact me directly." She pushed a card across the table. "We'll do what we can to provide police security, but please don't abuse this. Our resources are limited as it is."
"I doubt I'll need it, but thank you." He had Junior and the twins looking out for him after all, and there was no missing the sudden increase of black-suited figures in the neighbourhood, each with red glasses and ties. "Was that all you wanted to see me about?"
The two officers shared a quick look. "No, there was one other thing. I understand your aura unlocked due to the… stress of the situation."
Jaune didn't trust himself to lie, so nodded his head instead. The twins had impressed on him the importance of sticking to that story. "Is there a problem with that?" he asked.
"Yes and no. As an unregistered aura user, you do break some minor laws, but I can take your details before I leave and fix that." The woman smiled to show it wasn't something to be too concerned about. "The bigger problem is how you'll adapt to having your aura unlocked. I'm sure you know it is more commonly used by huntsmen and huntresses. Aura is, by its very nature, a tool for use in combat. Having yours unlocked when you aren't expected to face any might be an issue."
"An issue for me? Is it unhealthy?"
"Not as such. It's more an issue of restraint." The woman nodded to her companion, who reached into a pack he'd brought with him and laid several books and leaflets on his coffee table. They were brightly coloured in some cases and less so in others.
Jaune picked up one and inspected it. "Aura for dummies?" Another. "Aura and you; a child's guide."
"Not that we think you're a child, but the material might still be new to you. People with aura aren't necessarily stronger or faster, but they are hardier and that can lead to clashes of culture, especially around those who can't boast the same," she explained. "These informational guides should give you tips not only on how to adjust, but also how to monitor your aura and also the laws regarding it."
"Laws about aura?"
"They're all rather simple and the leaflets explain them well. Some are just to prevent accidents, but others are to reduce the chance of criminal elements gaining access to aura. It includes a caveat on not unlocking anyone else's aura."
Cinder's face appeared in his vision but he quickly dispelled it. He already knew she'd technically broken the law to help him, but he wouldn't land her in trouble for it. "Is it really that big of a deal? Are you saying if a huntsman's child is dying, he shouldn't unlock their aura to save them?"
"We're not saying that at all, Mr Arc. The law exists for everyday cases and more extreme examples are judged on their own merit. No one is going to arrest someone for saving a child, but we have to have some laws in place to prevent people using their aura to abuse or control others."
It made sense, even if he hadn't read through them all yet. The twins were probably good examples, though not in a way he liked to think about. As long as they weren't roughing anyone up in front of him, he didn't have to. That was part of the reason, other than his harsh work hours, that he wanted to avoid a night out with them. He was afraid he'd see something at Junior's that he couldn't ignore.
"Alright, I understand. Thank you for everything, officers."
"Not a problem, Mr Arc. I understand you have several students from Beacon working for you, so if you have any questions regarding your new aura, they will know better than we do. I'll just need you to fill in some forms so we can register you as an aura user please."
In the end it didn't take long to fill in the forms, those being fairly simple ones on where he lived, name, date of birth, next of kin, contact details and such. There was a disclaimer to sign saying he understood his aura did not exclude him from laws, nor give him any legal, societal or cultural standing over any others, and that he understood breaking any laws would result in his arrest and incarceration pending trial.
It sounded scary but it wasn't and Russel helped him through it, explaining away some of the scarier terms as things every huntsman or huntress had to agree to. Really, it was just Vale trying to keep track of everyone so that if a crime happened from a specific Semblance, they could track it. Of course, he didn't have one yet, but even knowing he had aura was worth noting.
"It also changes how the courts look at self-defence," Russel explained once he was done and the police had departed. "You know self-defence is where the force you use to protect yourself is necessary and reasonable, right? Well, you having aura pushes up the reasonable side of it a little more."
"How so?"
"Well, imagine that a man comes at you with a bat. He's desperate, drunk and obviously doesn't know how to fight, but he has a weapon. He could kill you with that if you were a normal person, so if you had a gun and used it, you would be able to claim self-defence. It's an extreme example and would only work if you could convince people you had no other option, but that's the point. If you have aura, that bat isn't nearly as dangerous anymore. It still is, but you can take a few hits, so drawing a gun straight away and shooting him is not as reasonable anymore."
Russel picked up one of the leaflets and flicked through it. "If he hit you and beat you up and your aura was low, it would be, but not straight out. The same applies for huntsmen and huntresses. We're stronger than average people, so we're expected to be capable of subduing someone without annihilating them."
"It sounds complicated…"
"It really isn't, since I doubt you'll be donning a mask and cape to fight crime." He gave Jaune an inquisitive look over the top of the leaflet.
"I hadn't planned to, but now that you mention it that's a good idea for a themed weekend."
"Oh goodie, spandex." Russel rolled his eyes when Jaune laughed. "Seriously though, most of these are for people intending to become huntsmen, so it won't apply to you. Some will, like the boy who thought he was invincible." He waved one before Jaune's face. "It's basically a story about a boy who unlocked his aura, felt invincible, and then died showing off to his friends."
"Gruesome…"
"It's a lesson that aura isn't everything, so don't rely on it and take stupid risks."
Again, common sense, though maybe that was only because he was seventeen and not seven. Even as Jaune looked down at his hand, opening and closing his fist, he could feel his aura humming beneath the surface. It felt invigorating in a way he couldn't recognise; like he'd been tired all his life without ever realising it, but now he'd finally gotten a full night's rest.
It felt good. And therein lay the problem. He already felt stronger than he had before, and it would be so easy to let that get to your head. In the end, it was no different than those billboards and adverts warning drunken people not to take any unnecessary risks. Just because they felt invincible, didn't mean they were.
Russel excused himself to go down and help Velvet with the store, leaving Jaune to inspect himself in the mirror and flick through one or two of the booklets left behind. They really were basic, and obviously meant for people much younger than he, but he forced himself to read a few and set some more aside for reading before bed. Before he went downstairs, he paused to test his shoulder, wincing at the pain still present, but marvelling at the fact he could move it at all.
It had only been two days since the attack and he was already further along in healing than he had been in weeks with a cast. He still needed the cast now, newly slung, but it felt like it would be healed before the week was over.
Originally, he'd intended to only keep Russel and Velvet until then, but now? Well, he wasn't so sure. With the lien lost, he'd have to tighten his belt somewhat, but they more than made up for their cost and it was nice to have people helping every now and then.
With a long sigh, Jaune tied on his apron one-handed, and went headed downstairs.
No rest for the wicked.
/-/
Pyrrha nodded as Russel put her mug down. No words passed between them, nor did they really make eye-contact, be he grunted something that might have been a greeting and she smiled whimsically at the table. He passed by soon after, leaving her alone. Honestly, it was a little sad that she considered that an improvement on both their parts. At least they could be in the same room without snapping at one another.
Her attention was naturally fixed on the door behind the counter, not that such was lost on Russel or Velvet, who she was fairly sure knew she harboured some kind of feelings for their employer. Pyrrha had tried to convince herself it was subtle, but it really wasn't. She might as well have carried a placard around.
Still, such thoughts didn't matter much compared to the concern she felt. The last time she'd seen him he'd been unconscious in his bed, battered and bruised. He hadn't woken up and eventually she'd been forced to leave, knowing Miss Goodwitch wouldn't be so forgiving if she missed another day of school.
Once the day ended, she'd rushed here – along with a suspicious amount of people, all of which had crammed into the Bullheads and marched down the streets like some kind of invading army. Pyrrha giggled at the thought. Jaune's was more popular than she'd ever realised, though maybe she shouldn't have been so surprised. The same things that had attracted her to him could no doubt work for others.
And wasn't that a concerning thought? She'd seen the two twins – pretty and confident in ways she wasn't – and she'd seen them cater to and move around Jaune's apartment like they were used to it. It was a strange thing to feel so threatened, and something Pyrrha Nikos wasn't used to. She couldn't say she liked it, either.
The one time I want something enough to fight for it, and it's not something I can have at the swing of a sword, she bemoaned. This wasn't a battlefield she was used to. The rules were different and she had no idea what the best strategy was.
When Jaune finally stepped out from behind the wall and into the diner, Pyrrha wasn't the only one who stared. She was just the least subtle about it. Everyone who had come today had done so with the express intent of seeing if he was okay, and there were more than a few sighs of relief. Fixing the diner was one thing, but fixing a person was much harder.
While most were content with a cursory glance, she looked deeper, noticing the way he gingerly moved around the new machinery and also how little work he did compared to usual. Part of that was thanks to Russel and Velvet taking things out of his hands every time he tried to help (and always managing to make it look like it was unintentional, much to Pyrrha's amusement), but more than that it was a sign of fatigue on his part.
Understandable, she supposed. His aura, so recently unlocked, must have been stretched to the max to try and heal his body. She was just glad he was on his feet. Pyrrha waved to try and catch his attention, but pouted when four others beat her to it, Team RWBY clustering around the counter to chat with him.
She tried not to be jealous, she really did.
It didn't quite hide the glares she shot into their backs, however.
You could go up and talk to him as well, her mind pointed out. Nothing is stopping you. Just stand up, walk over and act normally. They're not going to send you away.
True, but that would also require her to have something to say, and to be confident enough to say it in front of four other students. Pyrrha bit her lip and remained seated, sipping at her caramel mocha and using the mug to hide her displeasure. Was it really so hard to get him alone for a little bit? She knew Team RWBY were worried about their friend, but they could see he was fine, so now they could sit down and let Pyrrha have him for a few hours.
The unusual thoughts made her blink, and then sigh into the palm of one hand. Good lord, she sounded terrible. This whole `liking someone` thing was apparently much harder than it was advertised to be. Girl meets boy, girl likes boy, girl goes out with boy and lives happily ever after certainly seemed to be missing some rather integral steps!
"Hey Pyrrha."
Someone was talking to her. Pyrrha blinked and looked up, realising that someone was sat in the seat opposite her. Someone with blonde hair, blue eyes and a wide smile. She'd been so distracted she hadn't seen him approach, let alone sit down. She gasped, which proved to be a poor idea with her mocha held up to her lips.
On the bright side, no one seemed capable of recognising the famous Pyrrha Nikos when her face was splattered with whipped cream and froth. On the bad side, she'd just made a fool of herself in front of Jaune. Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
"H-Hey, are you okay?" he asked, quickly snatching a napkin and handing it to her. Pyrrha wiped her face clean, not quite meeting his eyes. "Did I interrupt your thoughts? I can go if you were thinking about something."
"Please don't," she replied, too embarrassed to feel embarrassed, which didn't make much sense but was about how she felt.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I just broke my ego." When he looked confused, she carried on. "Don't worry about it. Besides, I should be the one asking you if you're okay after what happened."
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine."
Pyrrha didn't miss the brief hesitation, nor the way Jaune's eyes flicked towards the front window. Any thoughts of her feelings vanished as concern washed over her. After being attacked so savagely, it made sense he'd be nervous, especially in the very place it happened. Her first instinct was to ask what was wrong, but she tempered it. No one would just admit to someone what they were feeling because they asked.
"The diner looks a lot nicer now with the new decorations," she said instead. She slapped the seat beneath her, the plush red leather. "These are wonderful."
"Ha, yeah. The twins for them, though I've no idea where from. I should thank them for that."
Pyrrha's eye twitched. That wasn't the subject she'd been looking for.
"Well, it's good that everyone chipped in to help repair the place. Even I was there." It was a little selfish of her to say it out loud, but hey, she didn't want her hard work to go unnoticed. "Things are back to normal, at least in terms of the diner."
"That's a miracle in itself," he said. "I thought for sure it was all over…"
By all rights it should have been, but Jaune had made some powerful friends, whether he realised it or not. Still, staying here when he was being reminded of what happened wasn't doing him any good. "Russel and Velvet wouldn't let that happen, and it looks like they're able to run the place without you."
"Hm, they were good finds for me."
"You're also still recovering today, so you shouldn't be working."
"I know, I know. Don't think I haven't noticed those two watching me to make sure I don't do anything. Russel even made it sound like I could help by talking to you, saying something about how only I could provide what you were looking for."
Pyrrha's face flared with colour, though thankfully Jaune didn't notice. She made a mental note to do something horrible to Russel, perhaps involving freezing cold metal sneaking under his blankets while he slept. How dare he say something like that!
No matter how true!
"W-Well, it's not quite like that. Anyway, the point I was trying to make was that you shouldn't be cooped up in here all day. You can't relax if you're at work and recovery is about more than just the body." Especially in his case, if he was showing signs of panic just being here. "You should go for a walk and get some fresh air. I'll come with you if you like," she added, quickly volunteering before anyone else could.
"Leave the diner…?" He didn't seem convinced.
Luckily, Pyrrha had support in the form of the waitress who had been serving the table behind Jaune. "I think that's a good idea," she said, smiling and nodding at Pyrrha to show she was on board. "Russel and I can look after things here and you should be avoiding stress."
"Velvet? But I don't want to leave you guys on your own…"
"It's what we're paid to do. We'll be fine."
Pyrrha nodded along, making a mental note to tip heavily, very heavily. "You can't hover over them all the time, Jaune. You need to trust your employees more."
"I do trust them."
"Then there's no reason not to, right?" Velvet asked, trapping him.
Jaune had no exit.
"W-Well, if Russel agrees as well."
"Oh he will, I'll go ask him now." Velvet rushed off to do so, obviously intent on getting Jaune out of the diner as soon as possible. On that, they were of a shared mind. He really shouldn't be stuck inside when he needed rest.
And hey, it wasn't like her motives were entirely selfish, either. She'd look after him and make sure he got plenty of rest and relaxation with just the two of them. It wasn't like she had any ulterior motives in mind, or at least any that would go against what was best for him.
Well…
Not much, anyway…
It was with such selfless thoughts in mind that Pyrrha was surprised as instead of Velvet returning, the four members of Team RWBY did instead. The leader, Ruby Rose, smiled happily. "Hey Jaune, Velvet said you were going for a walk to get some fresh air. Russel says he's cool with it but he wanted to come along, too. Is that okay?"
Pyrrha opened her mouth to politely insist she had it covered.
"That's fine with me," Jaune said. "The more the merrier."
"Great!"
Pyrrha looked beyond the four, to the faunus at the counter, who smiled back apologetically and shrugged. Velvet mouthed an apology, but made a sign to say it happened before she could stop it.
Pyrrha sighed.
Damn it…
/-/
Blake had to wonder if anyone else on her team had noticed the not-so-subtle looks Pyrrha Nikos was sending them as the group of six made their way through one of Vale's many parks, pausing by a fountain to sit down while Yang and Weiss went off to get them all some ice-creams. It wasn't an angry look by any means, more of a mournful one mixed with a little frustration. It was the look of someone who'd just been cock-blocked and didn't know how to say it, nor wanted to suggest such to someone as cute and friendly as Ruby.
It didn't look like Pyrrha was angry or upset enough to make an issue of it, more annoyed the opportunity had eluded her, but it was still a source of silent amusement for Blake; more because Jaune hadn't realised and likely wouldn't.
I could tell him, but that would make an enemy of Pyrrha. Hm, I suppose that in the end it's his life to live. I shouldn't try and interfere.
Not any more than she already had, anyway. In all truth, the only reason she was out here with him was because her team didn't like the idea of Jaune walking around alone, not out of fear of what Pyrrha might do – though that was an equally amusing thought – but because the ones who had hurt him the first time were still out there.
And call her paranoid, but her time with the White Fang had shown her that not all attacks were done spontaneously. Jaune had been targeted, and whether that was for his lien or something else, it didn't change the fact that he might become a target again. For helping her out with the White Fang, he'd earned what little protection she could give.
And it's still amusing to see Pyrrha try and get a word in edge-ways against Ruby, she thought, watching the redhead becoming increasingly upset that Ruby was monopolising the conversation. She was being beaten by a girl who wasn't even interested in Jaune that way.
"Hey," Yang said, returning and handing her a cone. "One tuna flavour ice-cream."
Blake scowled. "I asked for vanilla."
"I wanted to surprise you."
A tentative lick of the ice-cream revealed it was, in fact, vanilla. She scowled at Yang's satisfied smirk. "You're a real piece of work, Yang."
"I'm a masterpiece, you mean." Yang dropped onto the seat heavily, nudging Blake aside so they could share the same spot. It was an overly familiar and annoying thing to do, which meant it fit Yang to a tee. "So, how is our resident barista?"
"Distracted by Pyrrha and Ruby," she reported.
"Hm, not as much the former as Pyrrha would like, I'm sure."
Blake snorted. Poor Pyrrha.
"I can see what Russ meant, though. He's way more relaxed now that he's out of there. I can't believe I didn't see it before; he was like a spring coiled too tight."
"From his point of view, it's been less than twelve hours of consciousness since he was brutally attacked. He's going to be nervous for a while, especially in the exact place it happened. Give him time. He'll get over it."
"You think it's PTSD?"
"I think it's stress caused by trauma," Blake said cautiously, "but I don't think we can assume it's that bad yet, or that it'll ever become that bad. It all depends on him." There was often a tendency to leap too far with that, especially from someone as crazy as Yang, or concerned as Ruby. But it really was a little too much to assume that.
It was just as likely Jaune was just reliving the memories or hadn't had time to process them. It happened to the best of them and Blake had her own share of such encounters, not just from when she left the White Fang, but also the first time she'd gotten injured on a mission and nearly died. It was normal, though something a civilian shouldn't have to go through.
"We'll just have to offer what support we can," Blake said.
"Looks like Pyrrha is all for that, bow-chicka-wow-wow."
"Be nice…"
/-/
"Are you really okay?" Ruby asked, in a rare moment where she and Jaune were sat alone. They'd been surrounded by people for so long that they hadn't had much time to talk, at least not privately.
"Hm? I'm fine." He flashed her a smile, but Ruby's eyes didn't waver. She didn't believe him. "I'm okay," he pressed again. "Yeah, some bad stuff happened but it's over and done with now. There's nothing to worry about."
"Even if that's true, it must have had some effect on you."
He laughed it off. "Nah, I'm fine."
"Jaune…" Ruby tugged on his arm when he tried to look away, bringing him back to face her. She kept her voice low enough that no one could overhear. "I'm your friend, aren't I?"
"Of course you are."
"And if I was hurt, you'd be worried about me, wouldn't you?"
"Absolutely."
"If I was injured and you wanted to help me, wouldn't it hurt if I lied to your face and pretended everything was okay, even when it clearly isn't?"
"You… You sure know how to ask difficult questions, Ruby…"
She smiled and poked his arm. "Doesn't make them any less true."
"No, it doesn't." No less painful either, though not in the way that she'd hurt him. He wasn't a complete idiot and knew everyone was worried about him, Ruby and Pyrrha especially. It was just that he'd never been one to like discussing his problems.
That went back a long way, back to his sisters and growing up with so many older siblings, many of which could be quite defensive of him, violently defensive if the bullies at school got hold of him. He knew they meant well and loved him, but those same bullies would take it out on him twice as hard when his sisters weren't around, and the teasing – being known as the boy who relied on girls to fight for him – hurt.
It didn't hurt now, or at least not as much. Children could be fairly misogynistic, not knowing better, and it was hard to see girls as weak or cootie-ridden when you were seventeen and your female friends were all Grimm-slaying huntresses.
Still, it somehow felt unmanly to tell Ruby how he felt. Admitting it, or realising it, made him feel arrogant and foolish. Ruby was right. Had the situations been reversed, he would have pressed and pressed for an answer.
"I'm nervous," he admitted.
"Nervous?" Ruby cocked her head but waited patiently for him to continue. She smiled to tell him it was okay, their knees bumping together.
"Or maybe not nervous; I think I'm frightened. I'm scared of going home tonight and being alone – and I know that sounds stupid, but-"
"It doesn't," Ruby interrupted.
"Huh?"
"It doesn't sound stupid."
He sighed. "Ruby, I appreciate you being a friend and all, but me being afraid to stay in my own apartment isn't normal. I feel like a kid afraid of the dark."
"Except that you're not, silly. You're a man who was just assaulted afraid of being attacked again. That sounds pretty reasonable to me. I mean, if you're going to be in the samesituation, then yeah, it makes perfect sense you'd be nervous. And it's not childish," she added.
Ruby went on before he could speak. "See, I remember when I was young I had to go to the dentist. Yang and Dad told me it wouldn't hurt but it did! I had to have a tooth removed because I'd knocked it loose in a spar with Uncle Qrow." Her eyes darkened and she muttered something murderous under her breath. "I went to the dentist happy because I trusted them, but it hurt. It hurt a lot. Now, I'm afraid of them."
"That's…" He wasn't sure what it was, but it both somehow didn't feel the same as his, but also felt so very Ruby at the same time. He couldn't help but laugh, and when he saw her face a moment later he realised she'd done that on purpose, for she looked proud of her story.
"Hey, it makes sense," she defended. "Tell me a single time you went to the dentist and had a good time." He couldn't, of course, and shook his head. "See! Anyway, it applies to other stuff, too. If you go into a forest and get attacked by a Beowolf, you would feel afraid of going in again. That's not childish; it's common sense. Maybe here it's a little different," she said. "This is your home, so you don't want to be scared away, but that doesn't mean you should feel ashamed of being afraid in the first place."
She said it with such certainty, such confidence, and such a warm smile on her face, that he couldn't doubt her, even for a second. He glanced away, laughed softly, and then whispered, "Thanks, Ruby."
"Heh. You also helped me with my fear, you know?"
"Which, coffee?"
"No – well, yeah." The two of them laughed. "But also my fear of making friends at Beacon. I was able to talk to you normally, and that gave me the confidence I needed to talk to Weiss and Blake, too. Which… went terribly," she admitted, "on both accounts. But it all worked out in the end, so yeah."
"And you gave me the confidence I needed to wait on people," he said.
"We both helped each other, which is how you know we're friends. And you helped me when Blake went missing, remember? I already owe you one. Let me help here."
Here? With his doubt and his shame?
He laughed.
"You already have, Ruby. You already have."
/-/
"This somehow felt worse last time," Jaune said, laughing as he prepared the couch for Blake to sleep on. "I'm really sorry about this."
"Don't be," the faunus replied. "I'm happy to help and I can get back to Beacon in the morning without missing any lessons. Besides, you helped me find the White Fang, put me up for a weekend and reunited me with my team. I think a single night guarding your shop is a small price to pay."
He nodded gratefully, wondering if she knew the real reason why Ruby had asked one of her team to stay. In the end, he decided it didn't matter. If Blake knew, and she was smart enough to, then she wouldn't say it out loud and embarrass him.
"Thanks," he said, again. "I hope this isn't too uncomfortable for you."
"I've slept here before, and it's not all that worse than what I have in Beacon."
"My couch is as good as your beds?" he asked sceptically.
"You haven't seen what Yang and Ruby did to them." She sighed. "At least here I don't have to worry about Yang crushing me in my sleep. Don't ask," she said, noticing his raised eyebrow. "It's a mess. Just believe me when I say this isn't a bother. At least you don't snore like a Beowolf prowling through a forest."
"Yang?"
"Who else?"
Jaune laughed, feeling a little more relaxed with the easy conversation – and who would have guessed he'd ever find someone like Blake to be easy small-talk. In truth it was just having someone with him that helped keep his nerves down. If those people came back, Blake would destroy them. A part of him wished they would just to see it, but it was a tiny part crushed by every other piece of him hoping they never came anywhere near him again.
He sighed and locked up the diner for the evening, leaving Blake to have a moment alone upstairs to get changed and have a shower. Where before he might have felt humiliated to have had to ask someone to keep him company, he didn't feel it now. There's no shame in being nervous after what happened, he told himself, recalling Ruby's earnest words. Despite his doubt, he felt himself stand a little taller.
Ruby hadn't led him wrong yet.
Team RWBY and Pyrrha had kept him busy all day, distracting him with this and that and generally being amazing friends, one and all. While he wasn't sure he deserved it all, he was grateful nonetheless. As he was to Velvet and Russel for looking after the place while he was unable to.
He spared one final look for the window, freshly replaced after the last one had been smashed in, and let out a relieved laugh. He was still a little jumpy, but nothing had happened and chances were that nothing would.
Fear was just that, a human response to a stimulus, imagined or otherwise. He wouldn't let it control him.
"Maybe there was no need to worry after all…"
/-/
A figure stood in an alley opposite the dimly-lit window and stooped low. With a hoodie drawn up and a makeshift handkerchief tied about his mouth, he stooped down to pick up a large brick discarded next to an overflowing trash can. A brief glance back to the window served to judge the distance required to put it straight through the frosted coffee cup sign.
With a quick toss and catch to test the weight, the figure reared back with one hand and threw with all his might.
Nothing happened.
No crashing window, no alarm, no brick hurtling through the air. It was nowhere to be seen. The figure stared down at their hand in confusion, before they turned to see if they'd somehow dropped it and not realised.
A brick struck him in the face, dropping him instead.
Neo tossed it up and down in her hand, before letting it fall and crack down onto the tarmac. She'd have liked to drop it on his skull, perhaps fatally, but had better things in mind. With a wide grin that didn't quite hide her malice, she crouched down and took hold of the guy's shoulders, dragging him away.
Roman would want to have words with this one.
Someone goofed – and I suppose this confirms several things, not least of all that Pyrrha likes Jaune (WHO KNEW!?) but more importantly that there is more going on here than meets the eye. Dum, dum, dum!
And no one was surprised!
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