The time for combat class had arrived, and for that Jaune was glad. Not because he was eager to fight, but because he was happy the day was almost over. After this all that remained was Professor Port's class, and Jaune was feeling unusually tired. Maybe when the day was finished he would return to his dorm and take a nap.

Hopefully he wouldn't have to-

"Jaune Arc," Professor Goodwitch announced. "Will fight Yang Xiao Long."

Well, so much for that.

Pushing himself to his feet with a soft grunt of effort, Jaune began making his way down the staircase to the arena. A glance over to Yang showed the girl beaming with happiness as she began stretching out her arms.

"Aw yeah, time to get physical with Jaune," she said gleefully.

Yang was always one to appreciate a bit of combat, so this was no surprise to the boy. Jaune just hoped she wouldn't do too much damage to him in his less than ideal state.

"D-don't say it like that!" Weiss protested.

He saw how Yang glanced back to where Weiss was seated, a knowing smirk on her face. "Don't worry. I'll just have to… nurse him back to health if I end up being too rough with him."

At the very least Yang knew how to take responsibility. It made sense, being a caring older sister and all.

Standing in the classroom's open arena now, Jaune activated his Semblance, hoping that perhaps an Aura boost would give him more energy than he currently had. No such luck, but at the very least he knew he was going into this fight fully charged.

"Good luck, Jaune!" a girl from the elevated seats shouted.

He couldn't recognize the voice or place its origin, so the boy merely smiled and gave a small wave to the crowd.

"Hey," Yang called, earning Jaune's attention. He looked over to her, and found the blonde girl with her shotgun gauntlets deployed and ready for action. "Eyes on me, and only me."

Unsheathing Crocea Mors, Jaune deployed his shield and fell into a combat stance. "Right. You're my opponent right now."

"Not why I wanted your attention," Yang smiled mischievously. "But don't worry. By the time I'm done with you today I'll make sure you never want to look at another woman again."

Was Yang truly that dangerous? That after his fight with her that he'd never even consider another one of his classmates to be as big of a threat as her? Whatever the case, Jaune tightened his grip on his sword and readied his feet.

"I'm ready when you are," he told her.

Yang flashed her teeth as her grin deepened. "Trust me. There's no way you could ever be ready for what I've got."

Be that as it may, Jaune would fight her head on.

"Begin!" Miss Goodwitch shouted.

Knowing what he knew about Yang, Jaune decided to adopt a defensive posture first. He would let her unload with her fists, using his shield to tank the blows in order to study her fighting style. Once he was confident that he knew her moves he would go on the offensive in an attempt to end the match as quickly as possible.

Yang moved with unsurprising aggression, fists raised to cover both her face and chest as she quickly closed the distance between the two. Ranged weapons were prohibited in class, and so she would be relying entirely on her fists to win the day. Still, Ember Celica being deployed meant that her hands and wrists would be armored, and that would provide potential protection to block attacks from Jaune's sword.

She struck as fast as lightning, and the impacts on Jaune's shield shook him to his very bones. It took all he had in order to block Yang's attacks, and slowly but surely he found himself being pushed back by the blonde girl's intense strikes.

Without landing a blow in her initial offensive, Yang stepped back. Her arms were still raised, and she bounced lightly on her feet, switching between her left and right as she peered over her fists into Jaune's eyes.

"You can take a lot of punishment," she smiled. "I like that in a man."

Peeking over the top edge of his shield, Jaune offered Yang a small glimpse into his past to explain just why he had developed into the man he was. "Thanks. I got a lot of experience taking on my sisters."

Squeals erupted from certain portions of their audience, though Jaune couldn't explain why.

"I always knew he was experienced!" someone said.

"I wish I could be his sister!" another exclaimed.

"It being taboo is what makes it so hot!" a third declared.

Yang's grin only seemed to widen with the string of remarks. "How about I be your sister today then, big brother." She ran a hand through her golden hair, and gently shook her head to allow it to cascade down her shoulders. "I've already got the right hair color. I'd make a fine Arc, don't you agree?"

"Hey! Don't steal my gimmick!" Ruby screamed from the crowd.

Before Jaune could even ask when Yang's birthday was she was on him again, pummeling his shield as he desperately sought to block and deflect the punishing blows she was delivering. It was taking everything he had in order to prevent her from making contact with him, and if he was being honest with himself, he was beginning to feel physically exhausted.

"I think… I have… enough sisters…" he struggled to say between panting breaths.

"Maybe," Yang admitted. "But trust me. Despite what those idiots think, you've never had a sister like me." She raised her fists again, and Jaune saw how her feet subtly shifted beneath her. "So come on, big brother. Spoil your little sister by letting her get her hands all over you."

She didn't wait for his response before attacking him again.

His body was beginning to feel weak now despite not being hit once. He couldn't even activate his Semblance in order to attempt to recharge due to the constant pressure Yang was putting on him.

Taking a risk in order to get her to back off, Jaune swung Crocea Mors with all his might. The clumsy attack didn't connect, but it was enough to force his assailant to back off. Somehow even just a single swipe of his weapon had taken a lot out of him. He was breathing heavily now, and his grip on the weapon loosened as he stared at Yang's smiling face.

At least… she had been smiling. The expression slowly slipped from her face as she looked at him, and that amused look quickly changed to concern.

"Jaune?" she asked, the earlier playfulness in her tone gone.

His vision began to blur, and he blinked hard to try and clear it. No luck. Why did it suddenly seem like there were two Yangs?

"Hey… are you alright?" she asked, taking a cautious step forward with a hand extended toward him. This time, at least, not in an attacking gesture.

He never answered before he collapsed to the ground in an unconscious heap.


For the first time, perhaps ever, Yang felt awful after a fight.

How could she not? It had been during her match against Jaune that he'd collapsed. It was her fault. She'd gone too far. Too hard. All of that for what was just a friendly sparring match in class. All because she wanted to show off how strong she was. All because she wanted to show off for him.

Standing outside of Beacon's infirmary now, Yang waited. All she could do was wait. She hated that. She hated having to be like everyone else. She hated being helpless.

Yang was a girl who liked to take action. She was as proactive as they came, and standing still was not what would ever solve the problems in the world. Patience may have been a virtue, but it was not among the many which encapsulated her being. So to have to stand, and wait, and hope for the best, only made what was already an awful situation even worse for the young Huntress.

"What do you think happened?" Ruby asked, though it seemed more than she was simply wondering aloud rather than seeking a specific answer from any of them.

Yang dared not be the one to answer, lest she draw attention to herself. She already blamed herself for Jaune's condition. She didn't know if she would be able to bear anyone else accusing her of injuring Jaune to the point of hospitalization.

Stealing a glance over at the other girls, she half-expected Weiss to be the one to point an accusing finger at her. To her surprise and relief, Weiss remained silent and still. Her arms were wrapped around her torso, while her head was tilted downward with a sullen expression on her face.

"We won't know until they tell us," Blake offered. "All we can do now is wait."

And therein lay the problem for Yang. The waiting was the hardest part. Unfortunately for her, fists would not alleviate the situation. She couldn't bust down the door and beat up Jaune's problems like she would have in any other dire scenario.

"He was unconscious, but he wasn't ,like, bleeding or anything, right?" Ruby asked hopefully.

Blake nodded. "Yeah. At least not anywhere we could see."

Yang winced. She'd been punching him pretty hard, after all. Even though she hadn't made contact with his body, the force behind her blows was real. Despite the fact that she'd only managed to hit his shield, who knew what kind of damage had been done to him through those impactful hits?

The door to the infirmary opened, and the four members of Team RWBY, along with the two of Team MNNM who'd elected to tag along looked over to see Professor Goodwitch emerge. She wore the same stern and unfeeling expression on her face as she always did, and she strode over to stand before them before speaking.

"Mister Arc will be fine," she announced. Smiles emerged all around, and a wave of relief surged through Yang's body. "He is currently resting right now with a fever. The nurse reassured me that his current condition is not as a result of today's match, though intense physical activity did nothing to help it either. Rest and plenty of fluids are what he will need to recover from his cold, and that is what he will receive. I expect all of you not to interfere with his recovery. Am I understood?"

A chorus or murmured agreements sounded from the girls. There were happy expressions all around, and from Yang especially. It felt as though a great burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She couldn't have known that Jaune was sick when she'd been fighting him. She couldn't have known that going along with what was a mere school activity would make him worse. No, this had been an accident. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Now then," their teacher continued. "Your final class will be starting soon. Go and start preparing for that. You are dismissed."

With that Professor Goodwitch took her leave, strutting along the hard tile floor with clicks of her heeled boots. The gathered girls were slow to disperse, seemingly none of them wanting to be the first to leave.

"We should come see him later," Ruby suggested. "Once he's awake, that is. You know, to see how he's doing. And to make sure he's okay."

"That sounds like a lovely idea," Pyrrha agreed.

Ren nodded silently in approval. He must have been worried sick about the only other boy in the school. Yang wondered what it would be like for him if the worst had come to pass and he was left as the only male in the school?

Weiss, however… she seemed to be the odd one out among them who didn't appear to be overly-enthused. In fact, it appeared to Yang that her solemn expression had only seemed to deepen at the news of Jaune's illness.

The heiress' best friend and partner seemed to notice as well. Perhaps it was Weiss' rare and unusual lack of speaking which earned Ruby's attention.

"Weiss?" the younger girl asked. "What's wrong? You heard Miss Goodwitch say he'd be okay, right?"

Weiss' eyes were still locked on the floor, and she gave her head a slight shake before she spoke. "It's my fault…" she whispered.

Ruby's eyes narrowed as she leaned in closer to her friend. "Huh?"

"It's my fault!" Weiss shouted, her eyes finally locking onto Ruby's.

The sudden outburst directed at her sister spurred Yang to action, and she stepped forward to try and calm the tense situation down. "Hey, what's going on?" she asked gently. "How is any of this your fault?"

The anger drained from Weiss' face, and she glanced away from the two sisters as she spoke. "The… the other day, Jaune and I went out together. On a… on a…"

"Safari!" Nora interjected.

The attention of the girls was momentarily focused on Nora, at least until Pyrrha placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and gave a silent shake of her head. Nora's excitement and energy dissipated, and with an untold promise that she would remain quiet, all eyes returned to Weiss for her explanation.

"I took him to the aquarium," Weiss continued. "On a… well, what one might call a… a date."

The hallway outside the infirmary went as silent as a morgue. Suddenly a new emotion stirred in the pit of Yang's stomach. Already she'd experienced a wide range on the spectrum today. From anxiety and guilt, to relief and happiness. Now… now jealousy gnawed at Yang.

"I call shenanigans!" Ruby shouted. "Pics or it didn't happen!"

Weiss' own guilty expression shifted into what Yang could only describe as a happy, knowing smirk. Without hesitation she retrieved her scroll from her pocket, and opened it up to find said pictures for Ruby.

Sure enough, there were photos of both exhibits and the two of them. From sharks swimming in tanks to selfies of her and Jaune together, the fact that Weiss had in fact taken Jaune down to Vale by herself ate at Yang more than she would ever admit to.

"You sly little…" Yang whispered as Weiss flipped through the images on her scroll.

Weiss ignored the verbal jab, and her expression softened as she continued. "So you see, I believe it's my fault that Jaune is now ill. It's thanks to me that he got… wet."

A pang of envious anger poked at Yang's stomach. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Yeah," Nora agreed. "Guys don't get wet, Weiss." She glanced over to the only other boy present. "Um, right, Ren?"

Ren's gaze fell to the floor. Understandably so. Nora had no filter, and she'd just asked an awkward question to the poor boy who Yang, along with everyone else, knew Nora had the hots for.

"We do not?" he replied.

Somehow he sounded less convincing than Nora had.

"What do you mean you got him wet?" Yang pressed.

"And then he took his shirt off…" Weiss continued, ignoring Yang's question. Her dreamy tone, along with the fact that she was continuing to stare down at her scroll, annoyed Yang.

But then there was the last picture. The last horrifying, envy-inducing picture, of Jaune leaning his head against Weiss' shoulder, seemingly asleep, with the girl practically grinning into the camera.

"Oh, oops," Weiss said softly. Yang wasn't sure if her apology was entirely genuine. "That one was just for me."

Anger and resentment had long been allies of Yang, and here in this moment they got the better of her. "What's wrong with him? He's not even awake!"

Weiss' hand came up, a finger gently touching her lips as she glanced away. "Yes… to my pleasant surprise he did feel comfortable enough to fall asleep in my presence. It's like… we slept together."

"No," Yang argued, leveling a finger at Weiss. "You did not. That's semantics and you know it. Yeah, apparently he did pass out next to you. What, did you drug him or something?" she spat accusingly.

Weiss reacted as if she'd just been slapped, and in an instant the innocent and demure aura she'd been giving off shifted to defense mode. "Excuse me? I did no such thing!"

Jealousy took root in Yang, who only continued to press her attack. "This isn't fair. Some of us don't have daddy's money to blow taking Jaune on a date to Vale."

Weiss harrumphed, lifting her chin high not to be able to look Yang in the eye, but rather in arrogant defiance. "We must all play the hands we're dealt, Yang," she stated. "Please don't act like you've never used your unique assets to try and sway Jaune's attention in your direction."

Lilac eyes widened, and after a brief glance down at her chest, they turned red. "Excuse me?" she snapped. "What exactly are you trying to imply?"

Icy-blue eyes narrowed, and it was clear to Yang that Weiss was not intimidated by her shift in both eye color and mood. "Merely that you're not as innocent as you claim to be. I heard the kinds of things you were saying to Jaune during your match with him. If you could use your… physical features to earn his attention, you could and would. In fact, I'm sure you already have."

The bad thing was, Weiss wasn't entirely wrong. Yang couldn't deny that. However…

"Well at least they'd be my assets, and not my dad's!" she argued.

"If you're going to try and make me apologize for the circumstances of my birth, I refuse! You have no right to try to claim to know what I've gone-"

"Girls, hey," Blake interjected, stepping between the two of them. "Keep it down, will you? You don't want to wake Jaune up. He's supposed to be resting."

Those sage words immediately put a halt to the argument, and both Weiss and Yang quickly quieted down. She shouldn't have bothered attacking Weiss here and now either. That would resolve nothing. After all, the past was in the past. Nothing could undo the fact that she and Jaune had gone out on a date together. All Yang could do now was move forward and work toward a more positive future.

"Besides, we should hurry up if we want to get to Professor Port's class," she added. "We can come see Jaune again after school. Maybe he'll even be awake by then."

A general agreement echoed among the girls, and as one the group moved away from the infirmary so they could head outside and back to the classrooms. It was then that inspiration struck Yang. She wasn't one to exercise patience. She was a woman of action. She lived life on the edge.

She was a thrill seeker. And what bigger thrill was there than cutting class to have a little fun?

"Actually, you all go on ahead without me," Yang told them as she branched off of the group to head back toward the dormitory building.

"What?" Ruby asked. "Why? Where are you going?"

"I forgot my notebook in our dorm," she lied. Yang smiled, and gently tapped her skull with the knuckles of her closed fist. "I'm such a klutz sometimes, aren't I?"

Ruby smiled. "Okay. See you later."

"And don't be late," Weiss snapped. "You'll make our team look bad."

Yang flashed a smile of her own. "Don't worry. I won't be late. See you later!"

Peeling off from the rest of them, Yang hurried back toward the dormitory. She hadn't lied to them. Well, at least not to Weiss. She wouldn't, in fact, be late.

She wasn't going to show up at all.

Once out of sight of the rest of them, Yang deviated her route so that she could visit the cafeteria. It would be deserted at this time of day, but that was perfect. While it wouldn't take long to do what she planned on doing, she wanted to be alone for the process. The fact that she would have an entire class period to herself to do it was a boon that she simply couldn't pass by. And with any luck, the perpetually-chatty Petra Port wouldn't even notice she was missing.

Stepping into the empty cafeteria, Yang made her way to the kitchen itself. It was about time to put her motherly skills to good use. With plenty of practice in the past, she knew exactly what a sick boy like Jaune needed on his road to recovery.

Yang was about to show off her own natural talents, and ones that didn't just involve her body.


It hadn't taken Yang long at all for her preparations to come together. Right now her friends were still stuck listening to the dull and droning Professor Port recounting her adventures and experiences as a young Huntress. As such, Yang was in the perfect position to put her plan into action, and take the lead back from that sneaky Schnee heiress who'd been able to get one over on her over the weekend.

In her hands she held a hot, covered bowl, and it was thanks to the fingerless gloves she wore that she was able to hold it without burning.

Well, that, and the fact that she herself was far hotter than any meal could ever be. Perhaps she'd have to offer herself up for dessert, should Jaune feel physically up to it.

Yang cackled to herself at the thought of it. No, while she may make the comment in jest, she'd want her and Jaune's first time to be far more serious and romantic. She would also want him to be in peak physical condition rather than being sick, so that she would be able to go all out with him.

Knowing she was getting ahead of herself, Yang shook her head clear of the thoughts and shifted the bowl in her hands to be held in only her left. With her right she opened the infirmary door. Peeking her head inside, she saw no one who might question or stop her. No, rather she saw only a row of beds, each separated by a moveable curtain.

It didn't take long for Yang to find her target. A target who, thankfully, seemed to be awake and alert. The last thing she would have wanted was to wake the sick boy from his much needed sleep.

Sauntering in, Yang earned the attention of Jaune, who gazed up at her with a questioning look.

She spoke before he could, flashing a bright smile on her beautiful face. "Well good morning, sunshine," she greeted warmly. "You gave us all quite a scare back there."

Jaune smiled guiltily, reaching up with a hand to rub the back of his neck. "Yeah… sorry about that."

Moving to stand next to his bed, Yang took a seat at the foot of it, being careful to avoid his legs. Had he been lying flat his toes probably would have hung a few inches off the edge of it.

"You should have stayed in bed if you were sick. Dingus," she added playfully, smiling again to emphasize her jest.

"To be honest I didn't actually know I was sick," he admitted. "I don't get sick much. At least not once I got my Aura unlocked. Maybe it's because I have a lot of it. I don't know."

Yang hummed thoughtfully. Since she'd never actually landed a hit on Jaune during their spar, she had no idea how much Aura he actually possessed. However, being one of the few men in the world who possessed it, she didn't doubt that his Aura level could be absurdly high. She knew that plenty of women, herself included, would appreciate his… stamina.

"Well I'm glad to see you're doing better," she said honestly. "Seriously. I thought I'd actually hurt you during our match."

"Nah. Even if you had though, I know you'd never have done so intentionally. You're too nice to ever want to harm anyone."

The compliment from Jaune sent warmth coursing through Yang's body. It was hotter than the bowl which now rested on her lap.

"Hey," he continued. "It's not even four yet. Shouldn't you be in class?"

Yes. Yes she should have. However, then she wouldn't have been able to take advantage of some alone time with him.

"I had more important things to do. What's a day of Professor Port's stories versus making sure my close friend is feeling okay? I'm sure she won't even notice I'm not there."

Her answer earned a chuckle from Jaune, which in turn caused him to begin coughing. Yang stood up, placing the bowl on the table next to his bed.

"Jaune!" she exclaimed. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, reaching over for a water bottle before unscrewing the top and drinking from it. A few seconds later he set it back down. "Yeah, I'm good," he said. "It's just my throat's a little sore is all."

Yang nodded, and she moved closer toward him. With her hands free now she reached out, brushing the blond bangs from his forehead and leaned in with her own.

"Yang, what are-"

He was silenced when her forehead rested against his own. Despite her own natural body heat, and despite the fact that right now her blood was absolutely pumping through her body, Jaune's skin was still hotter than her own.

She closed her eyes and allowed her to linger leaning against him for long seconds as she drank in the feeling. "Miss Goodwitch said you had a fever," she told him. "And this confirms it. You're really hot, Jaune."

Little did he know, Yang wasn't just talking about his body temperature.

"Yeah," he agreed, oblivious to the double meaning of her words. "The nurse told me all I needed was rest and fluids and I'd be better in a few days."

"Rest, fluids," she echoed, standing up. She grabbed the bowl she'd brought from Beacon's kitchen and held it against her chest. "And this."

Jaune tilted his head questioningly. "What's that?"

She lifted the lid and set it aside. Steam rose from the meal she'd prepared, and Yang grabbed an unused spoon from Jaune's bedside table. "Rice porridge," she answered. "I thought it would help you feel better."

"Rice porridge?" he questioned. "It looks fresh. Where did you get that from?"

Yang smiled warmly as she sat back down beside his legs. "I made it myself."

His eyes widened in surprise. "Wow. Really?"

"Mmhmm," she confirmed. "A nice, home cooked meal courtesy of the one and only Yang Xiao Long." She dipped the spoon into it, scooping up a generous helping of the creamy rice and held it up. Steam still rose from it, and Yang gently blew on it to cool it before looking over to Jaune. "Now, say 'ah'."

He was confused momentarily, but Jaune ultimately complied. Yang happily and readily inserted the spoon into his mouth, and Jaune ate from it. He chewed for a few seconds before swallowing, and to Yang it appeared that a bit of color returned to his pale, sickly face.

"Wow," he said again. "This tastes amazing."

Yang beamed at the praise. "I'm glad you think so."

"I mean I knew you were a good cook from before," he continued, referencing the time they'd had a little picnic in Forever Fall. A picnic which had been rudely and disappointingly interrupted by the antics of Karen Winchester. "But this tastes extra amazing. And you did it all just before coming to see me? I'm really impressed, Yang. Thank you."

She dug out another spoonful and fed Jaune again. Her motherly instincts were kicking into full gear here, and she happily watched him eat the meal she'd prepared specially for him.

"It's the least I could do. You need your strength in order to recover from an illness. It's not…" she trailed off, averting her eyes from Jaune as he ate. "The first time I've done this."

Jaune hummed thoughtfully. "That's not surprising. You're really good at this, Yang. You'll make a great mom someday."

His compliment filled Yang with equal parts warmth and regret. Her smile softened, shifting from one of joy to one mixed with a hint of sorrow.

"Yang?" Jaune asked. He must have noticed her sudden shift in demeanor.

"Hey, Jaune," she said, returning her gaze to him. "Do you remember out in Forever Fall when we were eating… when I told you that I had to grow up faster than other girls?"

His eyes darted up in thought, though soon enough he nodded. "Yeah. I remember saying that's why you knew how to cook so well."

She nodded in turn. "Back then I didn't really want to go into it. But here, now…" she trailed off, spooning another helping of rice porridge into Jaune's mouth. "Seems like as good of a time as any."

When he swallowed he spoke again. "Only if you're comfortable. Only if you want to."

If only you knew what I really wanted… she thought. Smiling, she spoke her next thoughts. "I do. See, the reason I know how to make this, and why I know it'll help you feel better, is because this is what I used to make for Ruby whenever she got sick. And I'd sit with her in bed just like this, talking to her and feeding her when she was too weak to eat by herself."

Memories of her younger self flashed in Yang's mind. Memories from before she was even a teenager. Many girls that young played with dolls. They played the role of the dutiful mother. In Yang's case, Ruby was her living, breathing doll. And Yang, by default, was the only mother she, and they, had.

"That's sweet," Jaune said earnestly. "She's lucky to have a sister as great as you are."

Yang appreciated the compliment. It was thanks to comments like those that she knew her secrets, and her vulnerabilities, would be safe with him.

"I had to," she continued. "Because when we were both very little, our mother disappeared. She was a Huntress who went out on a mission one night, and never came back."

Jaune's mouth opened to speak, though in the end he could only inhale a soft breath. Moments later after he'd exhaled, he could only say two solemn words. "I'm sorry."

"It kind of broke our dad for a while," she continued. "Because it wasn't the first time something like that had happened. "Summer, our mom, was only Ruby's actual biological mom. My mom, Raven, she…" Yang's voice, as well as her expression, darkened. "She's still alive. She just left. By choice. And never wanted to come back."

Anger bubbled inside Yang, and not like the kind of immature jealousy she'd felt earlier with Weiss. This was real, heart-twisting anger. The kind which had driven her from a young age. The kind which had inspired her to be strong. The kind which forced her to be responsible. She'd had no other choice back then. Someone, anyone, needed to be strong. Her father had been faced with an impossible situation. Her Aunt Qrowe could only do so much. It had fallen to Yang to play the role of not just a big sister, but as a surrogate mother as well.

She'd done the best she could with what she'd been given. Her only solace was that Ruby had turned out to be a fine young woman and a great Huntress.

"And so…" she said, halting when her voice cracked. When the tears began to well up in her eyes. She blinked them away harshly. "I had to learn to be a mom at an age when I should have still been able to depend on mine. Not for my own sake, but for Ruby's. We'd both lost the only mom we'd ever known, and so… I… I had to…"

Her quivering voice made her sick. She was supposed to be strong. She was supposed to be dependable. And here she was now, about to start bawling and blubbering in front of this cute guy she liked. How utterly embarrassing. Maybe coming was a mistake. He'd never see her as the cool, confident badass that she presented herself as now. Not after such a moment of weakness. Not after…

The hand which came to rest on her shoulder jarred Yang from her thoughts, and her liquid eyes glanced over to see Jaune regarding her with an earnest smile on his lips.

"And you've done an amazing job of it," he told her. The genuine smile on his face and the warmth in his eyes told Yang that he spoke no lies.

Yang's jaw clenched momentarily. "Jaune…"

"I can't begin to imagine what you and Ruby have gone through," he said. "That kind of hardship and loss is something only you can truly understand. All I can see are the people you and Ruby have become, and let me tell you, I see a pair of really amazing people."

A smile curled Yang's lips upward, and she wiped the tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you."

"You're both so kind and thoughtful," he continued. "You're genuine. You're becoming Huntresses because you want to help others. You want to save other people so that they can live happy and peaceful lives. I'd say that despite everything that's been thrown at you, you've come out strong, Yang. You never gave up on yourself or your family. You persevered and have lived the best life possible."

Yang's face was feeling incredibly hot now, and if she didn't know better, she'd say that she was coming down with a fever now. Jaune must have been contagious. Not his illness, however. Merely the happiness and positivity he radiated.

"It means a lot to hear you say that," she told him. "Thank you, really."

"No, thank you," he said, motioning to the bowl of porridge. "You have such a good heart that you skipped class and made me a home cooked meal just to make me feel better. And let me tell you, I already do feel better, and it's all thanks to you."

She couldn't suppress the toothy grin from splitting her lips, and Yang looked away. "I suppose there's no better way to recover than being fed by a pretty girl…"

"Hmm?" he asked. "What did you say?"

Yang turned back to face up. "I said there's no better way to recover than finishing your food," she lied. Taking another spoonful, Yang held it up. By this point she no longer needed to blow on it, but she did so anyway. Just so that it would have the smallest hint of Yang essence in it when Jaune ate it. "Now say 'ah'."

Jaune readily complied, and Yang fed him another bite. Even with only half the bowl gone, he seemed a lot livelier than he had when she'd first arrived.

"I owe you big time for this," he told her. "If there's ever anything I can do for you, please let me know."

Ideas whirled in Yang's mind. Some were more realistic and reasonable than others.

She hummed thoughtfully, tapping a finger against her chin as the endless possibilities flowed through her. "I'll keep that in mind."

"An Arc never goes back on his word," he told her. "So don't hesitate to ask."

If there was one thing Yang was good at, it wasn't hesitating.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Mister Arc," she threatened playfully, giving his leg a little nudge. "You shouldn't dangle a piece of meat in front of a hungry lion."

"Oh, shoot," he suddenly said. "I didn't even consider that you might be hungry right now. I'd offer you some of the porridge, but I wouldn't want you to catch my germs."

Yang shrugged. "Trust me, if I wanted to catch your germs I could think of a much more fun way to do it."

His head tilted. "Huh? Like what?"

She grinned, shaking her head at his cluelessness. What an innocent boy he was. "Oh, nothing. Just a possibility of how you could pay me back someday."

"Oh. Well, I look forward to it then!"

Her tongue unconsciously darted out to wet her lips. "You and me both."

As the last spoonfuls were devoured by Jaune, Yang couldn't help but think that today had been a monumental success. Yes, it was unfortunate that such success came at the cost of Jaune's health, but it was as Weiss had said. One must play the hand they were dealt. Yang took the bad hand and bluffed it into a winning one.

Just in time too, as an unwelcome visitor soon made her presence found. Beacon's resident nurse stopped in her tracks, probably only expecting to find her solitary patient rather than him and a beautiful Huntress seated on his bed feeding him.

"Miss Xiao Long!" she exclaimed. "What do you think you're doing here? Why aren't you in class right now?"

"Um, playing doctor?" the blonde answered innocently.

"Go," she ordered, making shooing motions with her hands. "Get out. Now. I have to take Mister Arc's temperature, and I can't do that accurately if he'd just eaten hot food."

"Way ahead of you on that one," Yang quipped as she stood up and began to backpedal away. "And Doctor Yang has concluded that Jaune Arc is really hot."

"I said out!" the nurse shouted this time, clearly understanding the double meaning of her words in a way Jaune did not.

She grinned knowingly, and as she backed away offered a flirtatious wave to Jaune. "See you later, Jaune. Get better soon. We have a lot to catch up on later."

"Bye, Yang," he replied. "Thank you so much for everything. You really made my day a lot better."

She winked at him, snapping her fingers which then pointed at him in finger guns. Exiting from the infirmary, Yang breathed a heavy, dreamy sigh which she could only describe as pure elation.

As she strode through Beacon's courtyard she felt on top of the world. The sun shone down brightly on her, and she felt as warm on the outside as she did inside. Yes, what a beautiful, perfect day it had been. Skipping class always seemed like a good idea, but today it truly had been the best idea.

Pulling her scroll out she saw it was a little bit past four in the afternoon now. More than that, she saw she had a number of unanswered text messages from her teammates. She'd been so consumed first with cooking, and then spending time with Jaune, that she hadn't even noticed them. Even if she had, she wouldn't have bothered answering them.

Oh well. She would just deal with them sooner or later.

Well, maybe sooner rather than later.

Her three teammates, led by what she could only describe as a very agitated looking Weiss Schnee, were making a beeline straight for her. Smiling sheepishly, Yang waved to them, acting like nothing was wrong in the world at all.

"Hey, girls," she greeted.

"Don't 'hey girls' us," Weiss snapped, her hands resting on her hips. "Where were you? You said you wouldn't be late."

"And I wasn't," she quipped.

"Semantics!" Weiss snarled. "You didn't show up to class. You're coming from the direction of the infirmary. You were with Jaune, weren't you!"

It was less of a question and more of an accusation. One which Weiss already knew the answer to.

"And if I was?" Yang asked.

Icy eyes glowered in her direction. "Well then, I think it's time we all had a chance to visit him and see how he's doing."

Yang could tell her that the nurse had just kicked her out, and to not waste their time right now.

She could also not tell her, which would be way funnier.

Nodding her head, Yang made a grand sweep of her arms and gestured for Weiss to take the lead. "By all means."

Following behind the rest of the girls, Yang quickly found herself back outside the building she'd just come from. Weiss grabbed and opened the door, stepping inside along with Ruby and Blake.

That lasted all of about five seconds before pandemonium ensued.

"Get out!" the all too familiar voice of the nurse screamed. One who'd already been brought to the brink thanks to Yang's antics.

Her three teammates scrambled to exit the door, looking a bit frazzled at being yelled at for absolutely no reason in their eyes.

"Did… did we do something wrong?" Ruby asked innocently.

Yang placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, much as Jaune had with her earlier. "Nope. You didn't do anything, Ruby. This was Weiss' idea."

The expression the heiress gave her was murderous, though she said nothing.

Blake meanwhile shot her a knowing, side-eyed smirk. Her partner knew exactly why the nurse had reacted so forcefully, even if she didn't know the details.

Oh well, such a shame. The rest of her teammates would just need to wait for another time to see Jaune. What a pity. Not that Yang actually felt bad. She quite enjoyed being the only one to have been able to spend time with Jaune like this.

She had to make the most of her assets, just as she and Weiss had discussed earlier. Today she'd proven that her physical good looks weren't the only ones at her disposal. Those particular assets would be saved for another day.

The day when she called upon Jaune to return the favor, just as he'd promised he would.


What an exhausting day. Honestly, she didn't know how Jaune did it. How did he manage to deal with being the focus of attention so often?

For Lira Ren, it almost wasn't even worth keeping up the lie which was Lie Ren.

Jaune's absence alone was enough to make her worry. Not only was Jaune her sole confidant, he was her closest friend. She genuinely had been worried over his well-being until she'd found out that the reason for his collapse was a fever. However, in his absence, Ren had become the sole 'boy' on campus, at least in the eyes of some. As a result, an extraordinary amount of attention had been directed his way. Normally she only had to deal with Nora's affections, but it seemed that with Jaune gone, some of the female student body had turned their gazes in her direction.

Out of sight, out of mind, she supposed.

With dinner eaten she was ready to just curl up into a ball in bed and go to sleep. Hopefully by tomorrow Jaune would be feeling better enough to make a public appearance again. She hoped not only for his sake, but for her own as well. Ren didn't like being the center of attention. She didn't like being an anomaly.

How would Jaune have dealt with that burden had she not made an appearance as the second boy at Beacon who was able to harness his Aura?

Well, thankfully, neither of them had to worry about that. Jaune had her, and she had him. They were friends and roommates. In public they shared the same burden. In private they were able to confide in each other.

She liked that about Jaune. She liked a lot about him.

Opening the door to their dorm room, Ren unsurprisingly found the lights off. Maneuvering through the darkness, she reached the lamp which sat on the table next to her bed and turned it on. To her surprise, she found that Jaune lay in his bed asleep. When had he come back? Why had no one told him?

She instantly reached for the lamp to turn it back off, but her gaze lingered on Jaune for a few moments longer.

Long enough to find that even with the covers pulled up over him, Jaune was shivering.

Yang had made it sound like he was feeling a lot better thanks to the time she'd spent with him earlier, but maybe that had been merely in that moment. It was clear to Ren that the boy was still sick, and even though he was asleep, he was still showing clear discomfort.

Biting down on her lip, Ren switched the light back off. Nothing she needed to do right now required light. In fact, for his sake as well as her own, she would prefer for them to be off.

Unbuttoning her jacket, she took it off and threw it atop her bed. She wouldn't need it tonight anyway. Her shirt and pants came next, joining the remaining articles of her school uniform. Finally her socks, which she kicked away into some random corner of the room which would be able to be retrieved in the morning. Clad now in only her underwear, she reached behind herself to begin undoing the binding which constrained her chest and helped allow her to pose as a boy.

She felt… naughty doing this with Jaune present in the room. However, he was asleep. The lights were off. There was no reason for her to actually retreat to the bathroom in order to do this sort of thing, right? That would have been wasted effort, and Ren enjoyed cold, logical efficiency. That same line of thinking had also led her to the conclusion for how to resolve Jaune's plight. Giving him her blanket would only deprive her of her own, and would leave her lacking warmth at night. Additionally, making an effort to acquire an extra blanket from the staff for only a few nights would require a trip to get one, and another trip to return it. No, there was a far simpler solution to the problem which she could solve all on her own.

With her chest unbound, Ren slipped her sleeping attire on and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth, as well as to grab a washcloth and wet it with cold water. She looked into the mirror to see soft pink eyes staring back at her. With her hair loose and framing her face, she looked far more feminine than normal. When she stood up straight she could see her curves even underneath the loose sleeping clothes she wore. She was a girl. Even if only Jaune knew that, and even if he might not consider her to be one, she still was.

Maybe someday she'd make him see her as one.

For now, however, Jaune's comfort was the only concern on her mind. Stepping out of the bathroom, she walked silently over to Jaune's bed and stood above it. In time her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and she could see his sleeping form in the bed. Even if she hadn't been able to, she could hear his breathing below her. It was slightly more labored than usual. The poor thing. She hoped he would be better sooner rather than later. Even if that meant that she would only be able to do this for him the one night.

Holding the back of her hand against his forehead, she felt that it was quite hot. He was probably still running a fever. Hopefully whatever medicine they'd given him today would help to bring it down. Until then she would help in whatever small way she could. Ren placed the cold, damp washcloth against his forehead.

An unconscious hum sounded in the back of his throat. Ren smiled as she looked down on him.

"I hope that feels good," she whispered to him. "Even if you're not awake to feel it."

She watched for a few minutes, though there was no change in his demeanor or posture. His breathing did seem to soften, which made Ren smile. Maybe, just maybe, helping to cool his forehead had a positive effect on him.

Now if she could only do something about his shaking…

Removing the washcloth from his head, she placed it across the shower curtain rod for it to dry overnight. Ren switched the light off and came back into the dorm room, and, with a single flip of the covers, opened up a spot in Jaune's bed for her to fit into.

She slid in with as much silent grace as a ninja before covering herself with the same sheet and blanket that covered Jaune. Determined to do something about the cold which gripped him, Ren threw an arm across his body and pressed her chest into his.

Her head came to rest on him next, and she closed her eyes as she listened to the dull, rhythmic beat of his heart. "You need to get better, Jaune," she whispered. "I can't deal with this the way you can. I'm not strong enough to be the only boy at Beacon Academy."

Jaune didn't answer. Ren never expected him to. In fact, she was glad he was asleep like this. It was a lot easier to talk to someone who wouldn't hear a word you were saying.

"But you are," she continued. "Somehow you're strong enough not just for yourself, but for everyone else around you. You were strong enough for me. You listened to me when I needed someone to talk to. You held me when I needed someone to comfort me. Now… now it's my turn to hold you when you need someone too. When you're cold, the least I can do is to help make you warm."

Ren tightened her grip on Jaune, and her right leg moved to hook around his own. She burned her head in the crook between his arm and chest. It felt so right to hold onto him like this. Even if she hadn't been physically and mentally drained, this feeling here and now would have been enough to send Ren into a deep, peaceful slumber.

Just not yet. She wasn't ready to let go of this feeling quite yet.

"I'm glad the two of us met," she confessed. "I'm glad you found out that I was a girl too. Even if it was embarrassing at the time. Even if you did see me completely exposed. I'm glad you were the one to find out. I'm glad we have this secret between us. One that's just for you and me."

She couldn't help but find it all so amusing. Exposed. Yes, exposed. Not merely physically, where they'd seen each other's full bodies brought to bare, but emotionally as well. Ren had shown all of herself to Jaune, and he'd accepted her for everything she was and had been. Had she come to Beacon Academy as a mere ordinary girl, she was certain that she wouldn't have been able to find that kind of relationship with one of the other girls.

"And I'm so happy we're friends. You're the best friend I ever could have hoped for, Jaune. And maybe… in time… we could be more than just friends…"

Sleep was beginning to tug at Ren's mind. Jaune had stopped shivering, and for that Ren was thankful. As it turned out, all he needed was her warm embrace, just as he'd provided her with his own warm embrace all those nights ago. Ever since then sleep had seemed like a lonely, solitary affair, but not this night. Tonight Ren would once more get to experience the peaceful bliss of falling asleep next to another person. One who cared deeply for her. One she cared for deeply in return.

The last thing on her mind before sleep took her was Jaune's scent, and how she wouldn't have minded smelling it every night from now on while she was here at Beacon.


"Oh shit!"

The sudden noise stirred Ren from her slumber. Rolling over to face the source of the sound, pink eyes opened to the horrifying sight of other people in her room.

The four members of Team RWBY stood inside in front of the dorm room's door, each with a different expression on their faces. From bemusement, to horror, to downright lust, it seemed that every available emotion on the spectrum was etched onto the faces of the four girls.

"W-what?" was all Ren could utter as she made sure to pull the covers all the way up to her chin in order to conceal her feminine body.

"Are we doing here?" Yang asked, finishing Ren's unspoken, and honestly, unintended question. "Well, neither of you were answering your scrolls, and you both missed breakfast. So naturally we were kinda concerned when it turned out Jaune was released from the infirmary yesterday."

Blinking away the last vestiges of weariness from her eyes, Ren sat upright now, still clutching the covers against herself as she stared at the members of Team RWBY.

"Fun fact, Blake can pick locks," the blonde continued, gesturing to her partner. "Kiiiinda creepy, if I'm being honest, but damn useful right now."

Blake, meanwhile, had produced a notebook and was busy writing in it, taking turns between staring at it and up at the pair of students who were in bed together.

"So it's true, Jaune is the little spoon…" she whispered, drool threatening to spill from her lips.

"Whoa, down, girl," Yang ordered. "So, um, yeah. Nice to see you're doing alright. Is Jaune… okay?"

Ren looked back down at him. He was asleep, breathing peacefully, and didn't seem to be cold at all. Just so long as no one made any sudden loud outbursts, he would probably remain that way.

Honestly Ren just couldn't believe she'd overslept to this extent. She hadn't set an alarm, but still, normally her body would wake itself up on its own before it was too late in the morning. She must have really been enjoying her sleep. Not that she could blame her body for doing so, or anything, But still. It had led to this embarrassing moment now with the other girls in their social circle.

"He's fine," she confirmed. "Just don't-"

All plans were thrown out the window when Nora burst into the room, and after catching a glimpse of the two of them in bed, fell to her knees.

"Noooooooo!" she howled, throwing her arms up into the air. "It should've been me! Not him!"

That did it, and Ren felt a sudden stirring next to her. Jaune moved to sit up, his torso emerging from beneath the covers as he stretched his arms up above him. He held them there for a moment before realizing he wasn't alone, not just in the room, but in his own bed.

"Oh," he said softly as he looked at Ren. "Hi."

She blinked. "Hi…" she offered back bashfully.

"Um…" he said, looking past her now at the other girls in the room. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's purrrrfect…" Blake practically salivated.

"It is not perfect," Weiss argued. "If you… if you wanted to share a bed with someone, it should have been…"

"Ren should have come to me if he wanted to have a sleepover!" Nora wailed.

"You're not equipped to have a boy's sleepover," Blake shot back.

"I could show him a better way though!" Her focus shifted to Ren. "Ren, you should come hang out with me tonight. We could-"

Ren was never one to feel strongly one way or another. Usually she actively worked to repress emotions with her Semblance. Here and now, however, she felt an unfamiliar feeling deep in the pit of her stomach rising, and she did not feel at all like containing it.

She felt rage.

"Leave," she ordered the five girls. "All of you."

Momentary confusion shown on their faces. Ren though, with her anger overtaking her, did not back down.

"He's sick, you idiots!" she snapped. Ren stepped out of the bed, taking the blanket with her in order to cover her body. "You woke him up! Get out, or I'll make you get out!"

Perhaps it was because of her words alone. Perhaps it was because they'd never seen her upset before. Or maybe it was because they knew she was right. Whatever the case, the five girls retreated from the room without so much as a word of protest, and shut the door behind them.

She was breathing heavily, and now that they were gone, she closed her eyes and placed a hand against her cheek and activated her Semblance. The calming effects of its power drove all anger from her mind, and within seconds she was able to breathe a soothing sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, opening her eyes back up to look at Jaune. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that."

"Why?" he asked simply.

Ren didn't understand the question, though she would do her best to explain it. "Because… because it's not like me to be that way."

"It's not like you to be a girl either, but I get to see you that way all the time too."

She felt as though she'd been struck by a bolt of lightning. Ren had to activate her Semblance again in order to stave off the new emotions which were threatening to make her heart burst.

"W-what?" she whispered.

"Everyone else at school thinks you're a boy," he explained. "Only I ever get to see the real you here in private. So, you know. It's kind of like that. I don't mind getting to see you get emotional, because it's like me getting to see another side of you. I think it's pretty cool, don't you?"

Cool, that certainly was a word. Just not the one Ren would use.

To Ren, it was as close to a romantic confession that she'd ever heard. One which she was sure he didn't mean, and one she would need to force herself to repress. Just as she always did.

"I… I don't…"

A loud yawn distracted Ren from what she wasn't even sure she was saying. Jaune stretched once more, his golden-blond hair gleaming in the morning light. "Wow, I feel great," he said. "I slept so well last night. I think I even feel good enough to go to class today."

He hadn't been the only one who slept great. Ren felt fully refreshed and recharged, ready to take on the day even if she would be the only boy attending classes today. Thankfully it didn't seem like that would be the case.

And maybe, just maybe, her comforting presence had played a part in Jaune's recovery.

"That's good," she smiled. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Yeah, yesterday was nice," he said. "Yang cooked for me, and, maybe it was just my imagination, but it felt like someone was talking to me last night while I was asleep. Like they were telling me a bedtime story or singing a lullaby. I'm sure it was just a fever dream though. Either way, wow, I feel so good right now. We should go grab some breakfast really quick before class."

A bedtime story? No. A bedtime confession was more like it. Even if he hadn't comprehended the words, it appeared as though Jaune had heard them. They'd penetrated his sleeping mind, and she'd gotten through to him.

Returning the blanket to Jaune's bed, Ren moved over to her dresser in order to grab a clean set of her school uniform to wear today. Of course first she would need to rebind her chest. It was such a pain to hide who she was sometimes. Thankfully, just as he'd said, she never needed to do that around Jaune.

"Sounds good," she agreed.

"By the way," he said as he stood up from his bed. "Were you in bed with me this morning?"

Guilty as charged. How would she ever explain that to him?

"I… I was," she admitted.

He hummed. "Bad dream?"

Or he could just provide her an out. A little white lie like this wouldn't be so bad.

"Yeah," she agreed. "I had a bad dream."

"Well, I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to come to me like that," he told her. "I'll always be there to help you if you need it. Don't ever hesitate to come to me, even if I'm asleep."

Ren smiled. Little did he know, she'd been the one to come to him in his time of need. Oh well. He didn't need to know. Not yet at least. It was far more embarrassing to open up a new dynamic in their relationship than to continue an already established one.

Let Jaune think that he'd helped her last night, rather than the other way around. She was fine with that.

"Thanks," she smiled. "I will."

"Good to hear. Alright, let's get ready. I'll go get dressed in the bathroom while you do your thing."

Getting a fresh set of clothes for himself, Jaune closed the door behind him which allowed Ren to begin wrapping her chest. Maybe, one day, she would tell him he didn't need to leave the room while she did what she did. After all, she'd undressed in the same room as him last night.

What was a little bit of skin between friends who'd already shared so much together?


Author's Note: As some of you correctly called, Jaune was absolutely getting sick after the last chapter. It's a well known fact that romcom protags can't get wet without catching a fever the next chapter. And they always have a love interest or two to nurse them back to health. Today it was Yang and Ren's turn, and they really got to shine as a result. The number one rule in any trashy harem is that the best girl is the girl who has the most recent story arc.

Well, Ren might just be best girl regardless, but we'll see.

I hope you enjoyed your latest serving of slop. It's certainly not as good as Yang's anime rice porridge. More to come in the future. As always, thanks for reading.