Jaune's Escapades

Apathetic Empathy

'If I didn't know better…' started Blake as she watched him from above. 'I'd say he is purposely getting them to fall for him.' She continued as he passed the same tree for the forty second time.

'Like he's some evil mastermind bent on making himself some sort of harem with Team RWBY.' However, that thought was washed away as he passed the same tree for the forty third time.

'Luckily I do know better. He's just some loveable Goofball that knows exactly what to say at exactly the right time.' Blake was currently watching Jaune from the top branch of a tall tree. After whatever happened in Forever Fall, Cardin's personality changed abruptly to the joy of everyone. This was short-lived however as he went back to his bullying ways not too long after. This included sending Jaune off on another adventure in his Rocker(Rocket Locker), so he was now lost in the outskirts of the Emerald Forest.

Due to the forests size, one would think it easy to get lost in the woods. However, only a special kind of idiot could do so.

The forest has many different high grounds. While it would be a challenge to search for something in the forest. To get out, one would need only walk up a steady hill and look over the trees to Beacon Cliffs, the giant wall of a cliff face that harbors Beacon Academy. Jaunes destination.

Jaune however, was walking in circles, never going up hill, and simply walking passed the same tree she perched herself in for the forty fourth damn time.

What made it worse was that Blake was only observing as he passed the same tree for the forty fifth time.

She couldn't interact in any way without revealing herself to him, and having him find her perched in a tree staring directly at him might strain their relationship a little.

Therefore she could only watch as he circled the same tree for the forty sixth time.

She had been doing this for four hours.

Four hours of her life wasted as she watched the biggest fool she ever met pass the same tree for the forty seventh time

She was following Jaune to find out why both Ruby and Weiss had both fallen for him. Blake saw Jaune kiss Weiss on the forehead before leaving for his own room, although she did not see how he managed to get the 'Snow Angel' to allow it.

With so much time having passed with no progress, Blake was planning to leave very soon.

The guilt wouldn't let her though.

If she left, she would be leaving Jaune alone to fend for himself. If she helped him, he would both feel emasculated and know that she had been following him. His scroll broke upon impact to the ground, and she didn't bring hers. Too much of a distraction.

So that is why she sat there watching as he passed the same tree for the forty eighth time.

On the forty ninth however, he stopped and circled around the tree, slowly. As if he knew that by doing so he had just hit fifty. He seemed to show it as he simply sat down on the ground and sighed.

"I can't believe how pathetic I am. Just look at me, stuck in the forests right next to Beacon and I can't even find my way out."

'This is new.'

"I'm supposed to be the 'leader of a team'? Good joke. I'm the worst Huntsman at Beacon. I don't know what I was thinking when I snuck in here."

Blake crept closer so that she could hear Jaune's self-depreciating monologue better.

"Stupid ancestors. Why did they have to be such great heroes? Why do I have to live up to their names? I'm probably just gonna die at Beacon anyway." Tears started to flow as he continued.

"I bet the rest of my team would be better off."

Blake could only stare in bewilderment. 'So this is what makes him the person that he is. His strive to live up to the expectations of those who know his heritage. He knows how good he is, and knows it isn't enough.'

"If I just died here… would anyone even care? Would anyone even notice?"

Blake's resolve became unmatched upon hearing that and finally decided to intervene. Jumping down and landing on her feet with cat like reflexes, Blake startled Jaune way more than she expected to.

"IIIEEEEE!" Jaune screamed at a pitch no man should be capable of reaching. "Blake! You scared me half to death." Once he realized the state he was in, Jaune immediately wiped his tears and put on a fake smile. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

She could still see them though, the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes. She did not try to stop her own though. With tears cascading down her face Blake quickly closed the gap between them and enveloped Jaune into a comforting hug.

"You're not a burden, Jaune. You're not weak. We all care about you and things will start looking up eventually."

Jaune, having recovered from the shock of seeing Blake show any actual emotion had now wrapped his arms around her and stopped holding back his own tears as well. "But what if they don't Blake? What if I die before I become strong, or my friends turn and leave me behind? I don't know if I could handle that."

With Jaunes sobs now audible, Blake could only tighten her grip around him. "Then you'll just have to trust in your friends that we won't ever leave you behind. We'll make you stronger Jaune, just like you make us stronger. Know this Jaune, nothing will change unless you make it. Never forget that there are people who care about you, you said so yourself. Both Your own team and team RWBY care about you greatly, and trust me, I know all of this better than anyone."

They stayed in each others embrace for what felt like eternity, but was really only five minutes. Long enough for Jaunes tears to leave his system, when they finally did he brought Blake to arms length and gave her a compassionate smile. "You're a lot more caring than I had you pegged for Blake." He brought her in for one last hug, tighter this time and continued speaking. "You have no idea how much this means to me, thank you."

That was all it took for Blake to karate chop the back of his neck, rendering him unconscious and carry him back to Beacon. She wasn't used to so many emotions all at once and needed to stop him before he caused her any more confusion. The elated smile on her face didn't leave for quite a while though.

'He's going to get himself killed if he doesn't stop wearing his heart on his sleave so much.'

Blake's expression eventually returned to its stoic state as she re-entered Beacons grounds. The confused stares may have made her look annoyed on the outside, but they did not for one second change how she felt within.

'Jaune may not know it, but he's about to get a lot less time to mope around on his own.

And if he's going to be upset, he'll do so with his friends.'