61

Chapter 61 – Jaunie Arko

"You can do it Blake. I believe in you!" Jaune laughed, enjoying the fact that Blake couldn't do or say anything in return, not surrounded by people as she was. When it came to celebrating their victory in the 2v2 rounds, it turned out that Team LVN had arranged for a little party in their room as celebration. Ruby had agreed before anyone could suggest otherwise, leaving Blake to flounder uselessly. And because it was a party, as Yang had gleefully pointed out, meant that party games had to be played.

It hadn't taken Nora and Ruby long to convince – or rather force – everyone into agreeing. Blake and games didn't mix.

"Hey," he called to his struggling partner, who seemed lost with the cards in her hands, "At least it isn't strip poker. Actually, why don't you suggest that?"

She glared once more but couldn't shout what was no doubt on her mind. A shame. Blake's reactions were great. He was sat in a corner, casually knocked aside when Nora had grabbed and dragged Blake into the room. That was fine, however, since it gave him a chance to not only watch the shenanigans taking place, but also to move a little on his own. Zwei was back in their room and everyone else was too engrossed in the card game.

Jaune's heart wasn't really into it, which didn't say much when he was dead and his heart really wasn't into anything, other than maybe the soil. Still… if he'd had his way, they'd be back reading the latest chapter of Blake's book. It had taken a turn for the shocking once it was revealed that the Queen of Pain was her best friend from when she was younger, one whom Mitsu had left behind on her quest to become a Kunoichi.

Also, absolutely got cut off on what looked to be the hottest lesbian scene I'm ever going to read.

As a ghost, you had to have your priorities straight! And, since it didn't look like his lovely partner was going to take his advice and turn their game into something more visually appealing any time soon, that left him feeling a little frustrated.

Naturally, Blake would have his ass if he tried to move and put himself at risk… but what she didn't know couldn't hurt her. And really, hadn't his father always said it was better to seek forgiveness than to ask permission? There'd been a caveat there, an `unless it's your mother because she would kill us both`, but other than that – what could Blake actually do to hurt him?

I've been some distance apart from her in bear form before. It was only Mountain Glenn that got us in real trouble. If I sneak back across the hallway to read? She probably won't even notice. He'd done as much before while she slept, back when she had him running back and forth to the library to research the White Fang. That had gotten him caught by Cardin, but even considering the fact that Cardin didn't dare come near Blake anymore, this was only across the hall. How bad could it be?

Did he call out to let Blake know? Eh, probably not. She'd just stress out and really it wasn't anything to worry too much about. Both doors were open anyway, mostly so that Zwei could let them know if he needed the bathroom. The ability to see his ghost form aside, the dog was still a dog – smart as it was. Thankfully it was house-trained to an almost obsessive degree, but no one wanted to wake up to find dog poo in the room.

Jaune didn't push himself up. A standing teddy might have been a little difficult to explain. Instead he fell to the side, laying still for a second as though some light breeze had shifted him. No one moved. Yang said something which made Nora laugh, but otherwise the game continued. One step at a time, Jaune thought, moving one arm slightly and dragging himself an inch or two across the carpet. Another pause, another quick look, followed by two more inches.

If he was caught, then Blake could play it off as wind. That or ghosts. Ironically both would work as an excuse without anyone actually believing he was one.

Sometimes he wondered why Blake even worried so much. Wasn't it human nature to refuse to believe something outside their comfort zone? How long had it taken for Blake to even acknowledge his existence?

Almost a hundredth of the time it took me to realise I loved her, he sighed. That had been quite the unfortunate surprise, especially given his current… disability. As much as it hurt to admit it, Blake would be better off with that Sun guy. Life was for the living.

His life was over.

But hey, he could live vicariously… hell, it was what he'd been doing for the last few months. It wasn't a lonely life either… what more could you ask for?

Jaune sighed as he reached the door. Looking back with a blank, teddy-bear expression. It would have been nice to join them… not as a stuffed animal, but a normal person. He could have sat down between Blake and Ruby, nudging the quiet girl on the arm – seeing her turn to shoot him a quick glare before focusing on her cards once more. He'd have leaned across and whispered some words of advice. She would ignore them, naturally.

They'd all laugh about it.

"Damn it," he whispered, "Stop thinking about it…"

Jaune pushed his way outside the door, only to freeze and go limp when someone else pulled it open. "Play the next round without me," Pyrrha called, "I'm just grabbing some fresh air." The others shouted back affirmatives, Yang crowing loudly as she played some card that had Weiss cursing. Pyrrha didn't even seem to notice him as she stepped out. As the door closed and she made to leave, however, her foot caught and launched him through the air – and promptly into the opposite wall.

"Ow…" Jaune groaned needlessly, sliding down the wall.

"I'm so sorry," Pyrrha gushed, rushing over to catch him. He was brought up to face her a second later, but now the girl's face was red. "I can't believe I just apologised to a bear… come on Pyrrha, what are you doing?"

"Don't worry about it," Jaune said, but didn't move. Pyrrha held him differently to how Blake did. Somehow gentler, with both hands, her fingers under his arms. Blake just gripped him like she would a weapon. Come to think of it, she probably hadn't had much chance to hold a teddy growing up. "If you can put me down and be on your way, I can go read some porn."

"This is… Blake's bear?" To his horror the redhead turned him upside down, reading the words callously stitched into his ass. "Property of Blake Belladonna."

"Oi, Oi! My eyes are up here. Also, I prefer the term `associate`, thank you very much."

"Should I return you to Blake?"

"After I just spent twenty minutes inching to the door?"

"Maybe…" Pyrrha pulled him into her breasts, "Maybe not for a moment."

"Goood choice," Jaune crooned, having a wonderful view down her school shirt. It would have been something he could enjoy too, were it not for the tear that fell onto his head a second later. The girl holding him sniffed loudly. "Oh crap… I just want it on record that I'm not good with cryi-"

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha whimpered, rubbing her eyes with her hands. Jaune instantly felt like crying too. It was one of the worst habits he'd had back when he was alive. If someone near him cried, he just started too – for no good reason. Not only was it a habit not at all manly, it was also super useless, since an upset person really didn't need someone to burst into tears next to them. Pyrrha blew her nose on the only thing to hand. "Oh dear, I'm sorry…"

"Okay, my sympathy just took a nose dive…"

The girl crouched down by the wall, holding him on her knees as she tried to smile. It was an ugly sight. Tears always were. Some people had weird ideas of people being cute and consolable, but in truth it was far worse. Her eyes were read and tracks ran down her cheeks. Her smile was water too, her nose runny. The poor girl looked like she needed a hug. In that, at least, he could help.

"I probably look like an idiot," she half-giggled, half-sobbed, "And now I'm talking to a teddy bear too."

"Hey," Jaune wished he could reach out to pat her cheek, "Don't worry. I get more conversation than you'd expect."

"It's just… everyone's so happy in there and I didn't want to ruin anything." She pulled him close once more, resting her chin atop his head as she rocked side to side. He hoped it helped, even if just a little. "I should be happy," Pyrrha breathed, "I should be okay… I have a team, I have friends… so what if I don't have a partner? What does the Invincible Girl need a partner for? She's strong enough for two… she doesn't need anyone to hold her back." Pyrrha's face pressed into his, eyes scrunched shut, "She'll be okay on her own. She always is."

So close… she wouldn't notice anything, right? Maybe she'd think it a trick of her imagination. Jaune held both arms out, hugging her cheeks. The girl seemed to cry louder.

"An-And I thought when I came to Beacon it would be different," she went on, the words occasionally failing her, "I thought I'd be able to make a partner and be a normal person for once. I even found someone I thought could be my partner. They didn't know me, didn't even know who I was or where I'd been. It was so perfect."

"I know that feeling," he whispered, "I thought I was going to be a hero… a hunter. Now I'm dead."

"All I had to do was make sure I landed near him… that I knew where he was going. I thought it would be easy, so I threw my javelin to stick him to a tree an… and…" she couldn't finish, shedding fresh tears once more. "I'm sorry Mr Bear."

"Call me Tiddles," Jaune whispered softly, "I mean Jaune… damn it, Blake."

"And now…" Pyrrha took a deep breath, "And now he's dead and I have no one."

"He die- wait…" It was a long time to think back on, but there had been an unusual object flying towards his face, hadn't there? So that hadn't been about to hit him – but instead to pin him against a tree so that he would be… safe?

…

"Fuuuuuuuuuckkkkkk..."

So, he and Pyrrha – partners, a team? Probably Ren and Nora too? So many possibilities, so many things… a future that could have been. But would it have involved Blake? Probably not… everything would have been different, from meeting her to being on a different team. Jaune could remember what he'd been like alive… shy, awkward and foolish. There was no way he'd have had the confidence to approach someone like Blake.

Which meant they'd likely have never become such friends. That hurt… that the only way he could be with her was like this. That even if he'd been alive, there was a good chance they'd be nothing more than strangers.

"It doesn't matter," he sighed, "I'm dead now… and maybe… I don't know." He regretted dying still, of course he did. But if he had a ticket back to life but it would cost him Blake? I'm not sure I would take that.

Thankfully Pyrrha offered a distraction, "Now the Headmaster wants me to be even more alone."

"Huh?"

"He wants me to just risk everything… maybe even losing who I am… to become some kind of protector? To have powers that others won't have?" Her nails dug into his sides. It didn't hurt him but he could feel it. "I know what it's like to have things others don't," Pyrrha whispered, "It's lonely."

"I'm sorry Pyrrha… I should have been there to help you."

"I don't know what to do Mr Bear…"

"Ti- Jaune."

"Ozpin wants me to become the Fall Maiden…"

"The what now?"

"Apparently it all started with a wizard," Pyrrha whispered into his fur.

"I've got a feeling this isn't going to be as fun as one of Blake's stories… nor as sexy."

It wasn't.

But he listened anyway.

Even if Pyrrha never knew.