Professor Arc

Chapter 53

The morning dawned bright, hot and filled with guilt. Jaune groaned from the confines of his sheet and wished he could have a few more hours. There hadn't been much sleep, not on account of nightmares, but rather his own thoughts keeping him awake. Over and over, he replayed the argument with Glynda in his mind, and it got worse every time. Now, a little before eight in the morning on the start of the one versus one stages of the tournament, his eyes were bloodshot and his skin pale.

Neo poked his cheek, the small girl knelt on the bed beside him in an over-long shirt and nothing else. One of his, he assumed, and wouldn't that have looked romantic were the situation different. She tilted her head to the side, a rare note of concern in her expression. He must have looked rough for even her to worry.

"I'm fine," he said, "or as fine as I can be."

His roommate flopped down onto her stomach, bare legs kicked up behind her as she rested her elbows on his chest and looked into his eyes. One eyebrow rose, and her hair tickled his cheek as she watched him. He sighed and closed his eyes, for all the good it did him. Instantly, his eyes were assailed with an image of her, expression twisted in anger and pain, but also betrayal. Glynda turned and stormed away. Her tears glimmered in the air.

"Damn it all..."

What had he been thinking? Pyrrha was upset, true, but all he'd really managed to do was upset someone else as well. Glynda invited him to that event because she trusted him, because she was looking forward to spending time with him and they hadn't had much time together recently. What must she have thought when he used that to lash into her, to insult and belittle her – to not give her a single moment to speak or explain herself?

He'd been angry, he knew. Still was, really, over the whole maiden nonsense and Pyrrha being put through it, but was that really Glynda's fault? Ozpin was the one to pose the offer to his student, along with Ironwood by the sounds of it. Sure, she'd gone along with it, but it was clear she didn't want to. She'd said as much, of how she would have done it herself if it were possible... how she would have to live with the guilt of not being able to. She'd said all of that – but he hadn't listened. He'd been too angry. He'd wanted someone to blame, someone to hurt.

Instead, he'd gotten a slap around the face, and then another... and he knew he deserved it. Of all the things he could have said, accusing her of being willing to sacrifice a student was going over the line.

If someone said that about him, he'd have punched them.

Maybe it would have ended differently if he'd given her a chance to speak, but he could remember cutting her off each time. He hadn't wanted to hear her words, her excuses. He's just wanted to vent. Damn it, I'm such an idiot. I'm no closer to helping Pyrrha, or finding out more about these maidens. All I've managed to do is hurt Glynda – and myself – and pretty much kill our relationship stone dead.

Ironic, really, since he'd always imagined it would be his lies which did that.

Neo rolled back when he sat up. She plopped herself down on the warm patch he'd left behind and snuggled into the blankets while he wandered off to take a shower and try to wake up. It didn't do as much as he would have liked, the hot water and steam did loosen his stiff muscles a little. In the mirror opposite, he could see his cheek. There was no sign of her slap. Really, with aura, and compared to the training a huntsman usually went through, it didn't do anything other than sting. He still wished there was a bruise, however. He felt he deserved the shame.

Ten minutes later, and looking physically refreshed, if not mentally, Jaune stood at the counter of his new room and cut into an onion for his sandwich. Neo had gotten dressed as well, now in her strange black clothing, but with her normal hair. It was an odd combination and he wasn't sure he really liked it. Still, he disliked it less than she did having her hair in pigtails. She'd been glaring at the bobbles for the last few minutes.