A/N: Alright, so here we go, chapter 2! I'm honestly at that stage where I've been working on/reading over this so much, I can't tell if it's good or not any more. So I was kind of reluctant post it initially.

I'm glad to hear that most of you guys were interesting in hearing more from this story, though, and hopefully this ties up some of the loose ends left from the first chapter. I appreciate all the feedback and suggestions you guys left me as well! Thanks! I decided I didn't want to completely rewrite the entire story from Pyrrha's perspective, but focus instead on the events leading up to it and the aftermath. This chapter also turned out to be pretty inner-monologue heavy. Sorry. At least there was more actual dialogue though. Also, anything that is written in italics is meant to be a flash back.

Anyway, enough of that, here we go.

Dreamscape

Chapter 2

It was late when Pyrrha finally decided to retire to her dorm for the night. The broken shards of moon above remained her only source of light as she strolled idly down the darkened hallway, most other students having already gone to sleep. Her training session with Jaune had already run overtime, yet she had stayed out longer, despite her leader's protests. Despite her success in tournaments and being, arguably, one Beacon's most talented first years, Pyrrha continued to train hard. She wanted to always be at her best. So, she remained outside, alone, lost in thoughts of her partner, as she carried on through her forms.

After the dance, after everything that had come between them in their time Beacon, she was unsure where exactly their relationship stood. Earlier in the semester, when they were first partnered up, Jaune had pushed her away, ashamed of his shortcomings and not wanting to drag her into his situation with Cardin. Over time, however, he had come to confide in her, speaking of his fears and insecurities, vulnerabilities he might have been anxious about exposing before. They had grown closer, not just emotionally, but in the physical contact they shared together. She had become bolder, showing her encouragement and support through restrained gestures; warm smiles, the grasp of her hand upon his shoulder, while Jaune had begun to show his appreciation and his gratitude for her help through acts of affection, surrendering impulsively to the excitement he felt at the signs of his improvement.

Pyrrha could recall one such instance, in which an ecstatic Jaune embraced her tightly during combat class, finally having won a match. There were was a thin sheen of sweat staining his clothes and skin, his chest plate was digging into her chest, and she was fairly certain she could make out their friends wolf whistling obnoxiously in the background, yet she paid that no mind. With the way his hand gently caressed her hair and the soft words of thanks he whispered against her ear, she was overjoyed. Her happiness stemming not only from the intimacy and closeness to Jaune she had longer for, but the pride she felt for him and his accomplishment.

Their friendship, along with the ones she'd forged with Nora, Ren and Team RWBY were amongst the things most precious to her, far more valuable than any physical reward she had attained in her years as a Huntress. Yet, Pyrrha couldn't help but entertain the helpless desire that there was now something stronger between Jaune and herself. Something that she wanted more than anything to acknowledge, to act upon, but she did not know how.

Pyrrha, for one of the first times in her life, was frozen by trepidation, unsure of how to act.

Retrieving her scroll and unlocking the door to JNPR's dorm, Pyrrha stepped inside carefully, not wanting to disturb her sleeping teammates. The room was perfectly silent, blanketed almost entirely by darkness, excluding one lone light by the door. Knowing Pyrrha wouldn't be back until later, her team had apparently kept it on for her, saving her from having to stumble around blindly in the dark. Pyrrha smiled softly, a warmth flooding through her at the simple gesture. Having spent much of her adolescence lonely and isolated, Pyrrha took comfort in having friends who cared for and looked after her with small, often unconscious acts of kindness.

Setting down her sword and shield Pyrrha began to methodically strip away the heavy, armoured plates of her combat gear, as she walked towards her bed. Pyrrha sat down upon her matress with a slow, steady exhale, her muscles relaxed as the weight bearing down on them was removed. Despite beginning to settle down for the evening, Pyrrha's mind seemed to remain active, as she couldn't seem to steer her thoughts away from Jaune.

All she knew for certain was that she really cared about Jaune. Perhaps more so than she had cared about anyone who wasn't related to her by blood. The thing she struggle to work out, however, was whether or not these were feelings of love. Was that even an emotion she would be able to identify, or was she too socially naive? It was, after all, the first time in years that she'd been able to forge a genuine relationship with someone else. It's not like this an area she was particularly knowledgeable in. In the past, it was only a word and emotion she'd reserved for her family. Maybe she was blowing things out of proportion? Perhaps she had misunderstood the feelings she held for Jaune, and they weren't what she thought they were? Something intimate, certainly, but not necessarily romantic.

But surely, that could not be the case, Pyrrha dismissed. The feelings she harboured were too intense in the grip they had over her heart, the sway of emotions they had pulled her mercilessly through. The happiness and pride that overwhelmed Pyrrha when Jaune made new progress in improving upon himself, the frustration and dejection when she failed to communicate how she felt about him; or he failed to pick up on her hints. Though, perhaps the hardest to endure of all was the jealously that bit at her when he spoke so fondly of Weiss. It was a part of herself that Pyrrha had never been exposed to before; a petty, ugly side that she felt shame in stumbling upon. Something she wasn't entirely comfortable with, but one that she was slowly learning to stomach; unaware in her naivety, that the emotion was a perfectly human one, and not at all something to feel ashamed about. Pyrrha couldn't believe she would have such undeservedly horrible thoughts about Weiss. Weiss wasn't a bad person. Perhaps, a little cold initially, but she had come to show that she was kind and loyal, particularly to her team mates and her friends. She was beautiful and talented. It only made sense that Jaune would fall for someone like her.

Besides, Pyrrha had no claim to Jaune. He wasn't obligated to be anything more than her friend just because she had feelings for him. He was his own person, with hopes and needs and desires. She especially wouldn't want him to compromise his own feelings just for the sake of pleasing her. More than anything, she wanted him to be happy. It was why she was helping him train, and why she had encouraged him to pursue Weiss.

Pyrrha knew that she was important to Jaune. After his actions on the night of the dance and the lengths he had gone to out of concern for her, it was made perfectly clear. He had stuck to his word, and set his own ego aside just to cheer her up. The loyalty and care he had shown here then was more than enough. She was happy with being his friend.

Pyrrha smiled as she noticed Jaune sprawled out on his bed across from her, asleep and breathing softly. She was happy to see him like this, his face relaxed and at peace. He must have have really been tired, she thought. Considering how he hadn't bothered to even change from his combat gear and how deeply he appeared to be sleeping.

Noting this, Pyrrha couldn't help but feel slightly guilty, knowing that their training sessions were, more than likely, building on his exhaustion. Yet, she knew Jaune would be upset with her if she didn't push him to his limits. He had asked for her help, determined to learn and to improve himself. Which, over the past few months, he had done. Quite significantly. It was just a shame that he couldn't realise it himself.

She just wished that for once he could find happiness in his own achievement. She certainly was proud of him! For someone constantly doubting their own abilities and place in a prestigious academy, she felt Jaune was doing a capable job of leading their team. He always looked out for each of them and could formulate a plan that greatly utilised each of their unique fighting styles and abilities.

While a part of her couldn't help but find the sight endearing, Pyrrha knew that it couldn't be comfortable for Jaune to sleep like that. After their training tonight, he needed to best rest possible. With the tournament starting up soon, he couldn't afford to get any kind of aches or strains. She should wake him up, Pyrrha decided, at least long enough for him to change into his pyjamas. She moved closer towards his bed, uttering his name softly as she reached out to gently touch his shoulder.

As Jaune turned, waking from his slumber, his tired, misty eyes caught her own. Pyrrha froze, the intensity of his gaze scorching her. He watched her in confusion, his hazy consciousness trying to process what was before him. Pyrrha's suddenly fell silent, her mind blank. There was something in his gaze that was so intimate, so enchanting to her, that all she could do was watch in awe. Perhaps, in that moment, that rift between dream and reality, he was exposed completely to her. He was unguarded, his shield stripped away and sword out of reach.

Everything that had seemed ambiguous to her before was now suddenly, perfectly clear. Swallowing, as he looked up at her, Pyrrha felt her body moving involuntarily, uninhibited, acting solely upon her desire.

An overwhelming longing to venture forward.

.

Pyrrha shivered, her arms wrapping instinctively around her middle as goose bumps prickled against her bare skin. It seemed to be unusually cold in her bed that morning. After moving to Vale, Pyrrha had found the climate to be much cooler than what she was used to in her native Mistral. Thankfully, as a Huntress in training, her body usually warmed up quickly as a result of her active lifestyle. That didn't make the cold mornings any easier, however.

Her bed wasn't particularly large; more than big enough for one person; yet she was rolled over to one side of it, leaving the other half completely empty. When she woke, her arms had been spread out towards that open space, as if reaching and searching for something. It was almost as if a significant source of warmth had been ripped away from her during the night. A chilling wind traced its fingers down the side of Pyrrha's arm and she pulled it reflexively back under the covers with a jerk. Had someone left the window open overnight? She was certain that it had been closed when she had come into the dorm last night after training with Jaune. Lifting her head from the pillow wearily, she decided to check.

Pyrrha's nose wrinkled, as she glanced over her right shoulder, expecting to see the window, only to come face to face directly with the bare wall of their room. Shrugging, she glanced over her other shoulder and noticed that their room's window, to her left, was in fact closed. Tangling herself up amongst the sheets on her bed and wrapping her limbs around her own body, Pyrrha attempted to cocoon herself warmly amongst the fabric, deciding to allow herself a few more moments of rest.

Pyrrha lay still for a moment, before her eyes suddenly burst open once more. They were alert and clear as realisation struck her. The window wasn't supposed to be on the left side of her bed, it was on the right. She had looked out of it that way every other morning. This wasn't her bed. She was in the bed furthest on the left of the room. Jaune's bed. Furthermore, she noticed that the room was completely empty. She had assumed, initially, that the silence had meant it was early and she was the first one awake, something that was more than often the case. It appeared, however, that Pyrrha had overslept and her teammates had already left for breakfast without her.

Sitting up, Pyrrha glanced around the empty room, trying to make sense of what she had woken up to. What had happened last night? For what possible be reason had she been sleeping in Jaune's bed? Suddenly, Pyrrha froze, her heart lurching in her chest as the fatigue clouding her brain gradually dissipated, and memories of the night before came flooding back. She hadn't gone straight to her own bed.

Images from the deepest recess of her mind flooded back to her, vividly. Images similar to the ones that had plagued her conscious on several nights before, leaving her to wake, sweating, aching with need. This time, however, when she woke, she was naked, lying to one side of Jaune's bed... No, it couldn't be possible, Pyrrha thought, as her mind began to piece the information together. Surely, it was all just a coincidence.

Certainly, she and Jaune had gotten closer, but there was no way their relationship had progressed to that point yet. She was far too nervous and confused about her feelings to act in such a decisive manner, and Jaune, well... He simply did not view her in that light. Surely what she'd seen last night had been nothing more than her mind entertaining a fantasy.

Maybe she hadn't made it to bed last night like she thought she had and Jaune, like a gentleman, had let her sleep in his own. No, that didn't make sense. Why would Jaune put her in his own bed?

Yet, there was a part of her, a part she was achingly conscious of, that swelled with happiness, at the feeling that dream awoke inside of her. It had seemed so real.

The way he held her, the way he had looked at her with such devotion and desire, in its purest, most sincere form. Not for her fame, or her abilities, but for her. All of it had felt so real, a stark contrast to the adulation, the idol worship, she had been surrounded by for most of her life. The aching, pleasurable torture her body had endured the night before, at the hands of the first man she had felt genuine affection for. The man who allowed her to be seen as something more than a cereal mascot or a tournament record. She couldn't stand for that to be ripped away.

Collecting her scroll from beside her own bed, Pyrrha's eyes widened as she noticed the time. It was later than she realised. She needed to head downstairs for breakfast, otherwise she may be late for her first class.

Tossing the sheets aside, she rose from the bed and quickly retrieved her clothes, finding them strewn haphazardly beside the bed. That was unusual. Pyrrha was by no means the most orderly person in the world, but she at least made sure her clothes were hung up and ready for the next morning. Deciding not to dwell on it too much longer, she retrieved them and began to dress, preparing to head downstairs.

.

Jaune was not eager to head to the cafeteria that morning.

Sure, he was hungry, just like any other morning, but he would be willing to skip breakfast on this one occasion. Especially if it meant not having to see his friends, or having to explain certain things that may or not have gone on between he and Pyrrha the night before.

He swore he could feel their eyes on him the moment he entered the room. Usually, his teammates and RWBY were too engrossed in their own thing to pay too much attention to each other. Blake, and often Ren, would be reading, Weiss preening herself, Ruby scarfing down cookies, Nora chattering. Jaune, however, wasn't used to being such a focal point of attention, it was unnerving.

Weiss didn't regard him with the same thinly veiled disdain, but appeared far more composed and... almost accepting of his presence. As if he'd somehow earned a modicum of her respect. That was weird. Creepy, even. Maybe she wasn't feeling well? Beside her, Blake studied him quietly. Her eyes, bright and mysterious as ever, were tinged with curiosity. Jaune raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what had caught her attention. Colour flooded her cheeks and she quickly hid her face away behind a hardback cover. It was probably the most expressive he'd seen her before. Ruby, thankfully, seemed normal, if a little apprehensive; almost as if she suspected something was amiss. He really didn't like the look on Yang's face most of all, though. That mischievous grin of hers that looked eerily similar to the one she got whenever she was about to make a shitty pun. That rarely meant good news.

Pyrrha's seat beside him remained empty, the sight eating away at him a little bit.

He pictured her bright smile across from him, as they listened to Nora chat animatedly. He could still feel the soft grasp of her hand across his shoulder and the look in her eyes when she'd been trying to comfort him, trying to help him through the trouble he was having with Cardin. He could recall vividly how much harder it had been the night before, her strong grip bruising the skin at his collarbone. He could still see how much darker her eyes had been, clouded and wanton. How her hair, usually tied back so neatly, was loose and spilling over her naked shoulders. Jaune shook his head wildly, trying to fight off the images plaguing his mind. He could already feel the blood engorging his lower anatomy.

Jaune strategically positioned his tray of food over his lap.

"Where's Pyrrha?" Ruby asked.

Jaune immediately felt his muscles lock up at the question, his stomach churning. He wasn't sure why the question worried him so much. Their team mate was missing, therefore it was a perfectly innocent, reasonable thing for Ruby to ask. There was no accusation in her tone, nor any hint of sarcasm.

"She'll be down later," Ren offered calmly. "She was still in bed when we left."

I mean, it technically wasn't a lie.

"That's not like her," Ruby continued, concerned. "Is she feeling okay?"

"She's fine. She just been working herself hard lately and we felt she needed some extra to rest. We decided no to wake her just yet."

Thank you Ren Jaune thought, exhaling softly in relief, hoping that he didn't draw attention to himself. Trust Ren to remain calm and calculating in a situation like this. He might not have spoken often, but when he did, his words were always concise and to the point.

"Man, I sure am starving after last night," Jaune said, hoping to move the subject away from Pyrrha.

"I'll bet you are," Yang smirked, only for Blake to thump her deftly across the arm without even looking up from her book. "Hey!"

"What are you guys getting?" Jaune asked, ignoring Yang's jab as he looked over to Nora and Ren.

"How about some Pumpkin Pete's?" Yang continued, her voice slightly strained. He was pretty sure he could hear Blake kicking her underneath the table.

"What? Don't you know remember the last time we tried to have some and Pyrrha lectured us about how unhealthy they are?"

"Hey," Yang shrugged dismissively. "I figured you liked them. After all, you were the one ravishing their model last nigh- mmph!"

"What I think Yang is trying to say," Blake began, after pulling her partner in a headlock and lodging a fist into her mouth. "is that we've all been working hard and should all be allowed to treat ourselves once in awhile."

Jaune sighed, raking his fingers through his hair. Despite Blake's best attempts at covering, it was apparent that news of last night had spread quickly. He glanced over at Nora, his expression apparently reflecting his frustration. She laughed awkwardly in response, her cheeks flushed.

"I'm sorry, Jaune, really," Nora said. "I was trying to keep it a secret, honest, but they could tell something was up."

Jaune supposed that made sense. While he had no doubt that Nora was trustworthy, from what he knew of her, she was very open with her emotions. And for some reason, unknown to him, she was particularly excited about the recent developments in his relationship with Pyrrha.

"No, I'm sorry Nora." Jaune answered, making sure to keep his voice at a low murmur. He motioned with his open hand for Nora to move closer. She grabbed Ren's hand and huddled up to Jaune, happy that her team was having their own secret meeting. "I don't mean to be such a jerk. I'm just a little on edge. I'm really worried that I've done something stupid and fucked everything up... Again."

"What are you talking about?" Nora interjected, her volume several decibels higher than what the average person would consider appropriate for such close proximity. "I don't think you've done anything wrong. After all, you both seemed pretty happy snuggled up this morning-"

"Nora." Ren said, an uncharacteristic blush returning to his cheeks once again as he held a finger to his lips.

"Oh. Right." Nora answered, lowering her voice to match Jaune's. "How do you know Pyrrha will be upset at you for this? It's not like you were taking advantage of her or anything, right? Wasn't she just as much a part of it as you were?"

"Yeah, I guess that's- Wait, how do you even know that?!" Jaune sputtered.

"We share a room, don't we?" Ren dead-panned.

"Wait, what?!" Jaune's voice rose and cracked, catching the attention of Team RWBY from the other side of the table... Along as a number of other students sitting near them. Jaune covered his mouth with his hands.

"Anyway," Nora continued knowingly. "Maybe you should actually talk with Pyrrha before you decide to cut yourself off from human contact for the rest of your life. You might be pleasantly surprised. At the very least, even if somehow you didn't something to upset her, I can't imagine that she doesn't want to be your friend or in your team anymore."

"You're probably right. Thanks Nora, Ren, good talk." Jaune said, pulling his team mates in closer for a group hug. As they moved apart, Jaune stood from his seat and began to make his way out of the cafeteria. "Save me some pancakes, I'll be back later."

Seeing their friend off with a wave, Ren glanced over at Nora.

"Wouldn't it have been easier to tell just Jaune how Pyrrha feels about him?"

"Maybe, but there are some things those two need to work out on their own."

.

So this wasn't difficult. Sure, it could potentially affect the nature of his entire team, but it wouldn't do any good to stress out over it. He was their leader, he had to deal with it in a calm, sensible manner.

No rash decisions, he just had to make it through his last few years at Beacon without seeing anyone again. Ever. Especially not anyone who knew him.

Yes, completely avoiding any kind of human contact, that was the best solution. No more going to class, or out on campus, anywhere he might run into a member of staff, or one of his friends. He was just going to stay here, hidden under his bedsheets, until all of this blew over... Or he died. Probably from embarrassment. Whichever came first.

"So, uh... You want to talk at all about what happened last night, buddy?"

Jaune flinched at the sound of Nora's voice. Neither of team mates had said much after finding Pyrrha and him.

In all honestly, he did want to talk about it. Jaune really wasn't sure what to do. He was worried that he had messed up, and badly. Last night, he had acted completely on impulse, convinced what he was experiencing was a dream; one that he'd had several times before, at that.

He didn't want to cause a rift between him and his friends, his team-mates. He owed them an explanation, almost as much as he did Pyrrha.

All he could do was shake his head in response, not able to harness the courage to actually speak. He didn't feel the need to elaborate. Given how long she had known Ren, he had no doubts that Nora was more than capable of holding one way conversations and interpreting silent gestures. His movement was apparently vivid enough to rustle the fortress of sheets he was currently hiding beneath.

"Okay, that's fine. We'll give you some time alone. Ren and I will just head down to the cafeteria for breakfast. You might want to come soon after us if you don't want to raise too much suspicion though."

Jaune sighed as he heard their footsteps growing distant and the door to their dorm eventually clicking shut. He slipped his head out from underneath his hiding place, double-checking that the coast was clear.

Well, almost alone.

Thankfully though, she was still asleep.

It was unusual for Jaune to see Pyrrha like this. She was by no means a bundle of energy like Nora, but she normally rose early, with the sun, eager to make the most out of the day.

Even though Jaune was the leader, he often felt like Pyrrha spent a lot of team carrying their team. She was so selfless, always doting over and looking out for them, that Jaune couldn't help but wonder if, at times, it was detrimental to her. Was the time she spent training with him cutting into her own schedule? Was it talking a toll on her physically?

There was also something about last night that his brain hadn't yet taken the time to completely register. Pyrrha had sought him out. She had woken him and kissed him, without a word. At the time, he hadn't thought anything unusual of it, simply because he assumed he was dreaming. He had written it off as a product of his imagination and desire. What did that mean?

Pyrrha was clearly not the type to throw herself at a guy, not unless they she felt something for them...

Last night was the first time he had seen her go after something she wanted, for lack of a better term, selfishly. She had acted solely on her own desire. It was cowardly of him, but he knew he couldn't brave facing her yet, let alone explain why he had acted the way he did last night. There was just no way of phrasing it that wasn't inappropriate or creepy.

"Sorry about that, Pyrrha. See, I've been having pretty vivid, erotic dreams about you over the past couple of weeks and I just figured last night was one of them. My bad."

He was going to need a moment. This was something he needed to handle delicately, for the sake of his team and his relationship with Pyrrha.

For the time being, however, he was content to drag out this moment as long as possible, prolonging the time before he had to go downstairs and face his friends. He watched his teammate in silence, calming his nerves with the sight of Pyrrha lying asleep, and at peace, something he had not had the opportunity to bask in moments ago.

.

"Jaune!"

Jaune froze in the middle of the corridor, Pyrrha's voice startling him back to attention. He had just been making his way back to their dorm, hoping to find her there still asleep, as he mulled over exactly what he should say to her. Now, as he turned, Jaune could see Pyrrha closing the distance between them with a light jog. He could feel the vibration of his heartbeat as he swallowed. It was just his luck that she would catch him by surprise like this, completely unprepared.

"P-Pyrrha!" He answered, cursing himself for stumbling. "You're up! How uh... How are you feeling?"

"I... I feel fine," she answered, slanting her head slightly in confusion. "Why didn't any of you wake me when you left this morning?"

"Sorry, we didn't meant for to feel left out." Jaune said, tousling his hair sheepishly. "We just don't have classes until later today, so Ren, Nora and I all thought you could have used the extra rest. Y'know, someone needs to take care of you for a change." He added with a nervous, rather forced chuckle.

"Oh, right. Thank you, Jaune. That was most kind of you."

"Hey, don't worry about it. Always happy to help out of a frien-"

Jaune caught himself before the word could properly form on his lips. He trailed off, awkwardly, not entirely sure if the word he had been meaning to use applied to them anymore.

The silence pierced through the two, sharper and more painful than any fall, any shot they had taken fighting against Grimm, or in combat training. The words they exchanged had been civil, friendly enough, but removed of a certain ease they possessed before. The politeness of two passing strangers, two friends who hadn't met yet. They were not entirely comfortable in their conversation. Though neither would mention it, they could not erase the very subject, the very thoughts they wanted to avoid, from their minds.

Pyrrha smiled at Jaune, normally a soft, genuine gesture. Now, however, it just seemed awkward and forced, lacking the usual light that alleviated his doubt.

Jaune grit his teeth, feeling as though he was suffocating under the sheer discomfort that lingered between them. He couldn't stand that the interaction between Pyrrha and himself had been reduced to this. Pyrrha was someone he could speak to openly and freely, without feeling self-conscious or doubting himself. Now, it seemed like what had happened between them last night had ruined it.

He really hoped that wasn't the case.

Scratching the back of his head, he glanced at Pyrrha again, her eyes piercing him expectantly, as if silently pleading for him to break the silence. It was something he wanted more than anything to do.

He wanted the reassurance, the clarification from Pyrrha that things were okay between them. He wanted to hear from her, to know that somehow, by some miracle, Nora was right, and in spite of his mistakes, he had managed to avoid disaster. But he was frozen. He just couldn't find the words.

"Jaune," Pyrrha began, her arms wrapping around her stomach, tentatively. "About last night... I- I'm sorry, alright?"

Jaune looked up at her, puzzled. His confusion must have been apparent in his expression as Pyrrha continued, words spilling out in a frantic hurry, unlike the manner in which she usually spoke.

"I don't know what came over me, or why I kissed you. I just... I understand that what I did last night was inappropriate and that I may have upset you, but maybe I haven't been clear enough. I've certainly tried to be, but-"

"I don't have a lot of experience with this, so I'm not entirely sure what my feelings mean exactly. All I know for certain is that I haven't felt about anyone else this way before."

"Whoa Pyrrha, hold on... Please, what are you trying to say?" Jaune said eventually.

"I'm very attracted to you, Jaune."

She held her breath, her posture uncharacteristically tense as her eyes caught on her shoes. There it was. Pyrrha almost sighed in relief. She had finally said it. Considering how many times this scenario how played out in her head before, and the sheer amount of time she had spent contemplating the significance of her feelings for Jaune, Pyrrha supposed she shouldn't have been surprised by how easily the words rolled off of her tongue.

Confessing her feelings out loud, however, was child's play, compared to the enduring the torturous seconds that followed. The anticipation clawed at her as she waited in silence. She still wasn't looking up at Jaune, but she could picture the expression on his face. Naturally, he would be completely taken aback; his mouth hanging slack, and eyes bugging out; having been completely unaware that she had any modicum of romantic feelings for him. In any other situation, she might have laughed at the outlandish image her mind had conjured up.

Eventually, with an audible swallow, Jaune found his voice.

"Y- you're kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not." Pyrrha answered resolutely. "What happened between us last night meant the world to me. I wouldn't change it for anything."

"How- how long have you..." Jaune trailed off, struggling to find his words.

"I'm not exactly sure." She admitted, suddenly feeling bashful, yet still not allowing herself to falter. Now that she had found her voice, she didn't want to hesitate. "I know that from the moment we meet there was always something about you that I was drawn to. You were the only one who treated me like a regular person. I've never been in love before, but I feel like this is it."

Allowing her words to wash over him, Jaune could feel an impulsive pull at his lips, as they broke into a smile. Despite her hesitant body language and reluctance to maintain eye contact, he could tell from the clarity in her voice, the sincerity in her tone that every word she spoke was the truth. He could barely contain his grin, his heart brimming with happiness. He couldn't believe his good fortune. In spite of being cold to her initially, of unknowingly overlooking her affections, she had remained steadfast in her belief and love for him. Somehow, he shouldn't be surprised. It was just in Pyrrha's nature. Patience, kindness, loyalty; in knowing her, as a teacher and and as a friend, these were traits he had come to associate with her unequivocally.

Pyrrha, eyes still downcast, mistook Jaune's silence for rejection. Sighing, almost shakily, Pyrrha steeled herself, clenching her fists at her sides. She refused to be upset. Even if this wasn't the outcome she had hoped for, she knew confessing her feelings was for the best. She had grown tired of hoping and wishing, wanting instead to take action, to rid herself of the burden. She would rather have that definitive answer than never act and torture herself wondering about may have happened. Now she knew.

Pyrrha realised her friendship was important to Jaune, and assumed, in his silence, he was trying to think of a way to turn her down gently, without hurting her feelings or damaging their relationship. While Pyrrha appreciated the sentiment, she didn't feel it was necessary.

"Jaune, I don't want you to feel like I'm pressuring you into anything here." She began. "I don't want you to feel obligated to return my feelings. I know how you feel for Weiss, and I don't expect you to put all of that behind you for my sake. I just wanted to get this off of my chest. I'm happy to be your team mate and your friend-"

The words died on her lips, as she felt Jaune's arms surround her, crushing her tightly against him in an embrace. Pyrrha stumbled at the sudden movement, steading herself against his chest. Jaune's arms caught her, his fingers caressing the soft hair curling at the nape of her neck. Pyrrha gasped, taken aback not only by Jaune's sudden gesture, but the obvious heated, desperation that was behind it. It was as if there was more he wanted to convey, but couldn't trust himself to do so with words. Slowly, tentatively, she moved her own arms to surround his waist, sinking into the comfort it brought her.

She shivered as she felt his breath tattooing a single word against her skin in a whisper. A word that, in Jaune's mind, was one with warmth and strength and selflessness, the closest thing he had felt to home since leaving his own for Beacon.

Pyrrha.

Pyrrha; whose fame and abilities had left her elevated on a lonely pedestal, unable to forge a genuine relationship for most of her life; who, in his eyes, was good enough to be with any person she desired; had only ever wanted to be with him. Yet he had been oblivious, too smitten with Weiss to notice, too inexperienced himself to pick up on the hints that Pyrrha had been leaving him. He didn't want to reject her affection, albeit inadvertently, any more. He didn't want to be the cause of her sadness.

"Pyrrha, you have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that." Jaune began. "Last night, I- I thought I screwed up. Last night, was something that I wanted with you for a long time, but… I didn't know how you felt. I was scared. I thought I had taken things too far and ruined everything between us."

Pyrrha rested her against Jaune's chest, moving, begrudgingly from his embrace, to stare into his eyes. There was strength in her gaze, a warmth and reassurance she radiated that always seemed to ease his doubts.

"No Jaune, you didn't do anything wrong. You did everything I could have ever asked for. Last night, you made me feel loved."

Jaune smiled shyly back at her, his gaze lowering subconsciously to her soft, pink lips. Despite learning how Pyrrha felt for him, and having kissed her several times already, he was hesitant and self-conscious, no longer fuelled by the courage he possessed in his dreams. There was a light flush painting Pyrrha's cheeks as she gazed back at him, already sensing what he was doing. Her eyes fluttered closed slowly, her lips pursing. Swallowing, Jaune began to lower his head to meet her own.

"Will you two just hurry up and kiss already!"

Jumping, Pyrrha and Jaune immediately moved out of each other's arms, their faces searing with embarrassment. Glancing wildly around the hall, they saw Nora, eyes wide and hands clasped over her mouth. Apparently, it hadn't been something she'd meant to say aloud. Ren stood beside her, his hand slapping against his forehead with a sigh.

"Nora!" Pyrrha and Jaune admonished their friend in unison.

"What happened to letting them work things out on their own?" Ren said from behind her dryly.

Balling her hands into fists, Nora looked over her shoulder at Ren indignantly.

"Well, I'm sorry, but there's only so much I can take. Honestly, those two are so hopeless sometimes, it's infuriating. It's obvious they've wanted to jump each other's bones for the longest time, now they've finally done it and somehow they're still tip-toeing indecisively around each other! It's so simple! Pyrrha, you like Jaune. Jaune, you like Pyrrha. Why do you have to complicate and overthink everything?!"

Jaune's gaze lowered to his feet self-consciously. From the corner of his eye, he could make out Pyrrha standing in a similar fashion, her cheeks flushed.

"Also, I've got fifty lien from Team RWBY riding on this." Nora added, not as loudly.

"Wait, run that last part by me again."

"We had a pot going. They didn't think you two were going to hook up before graduation, if at all." Nora said, shaking her head in disbelief. "I mean, I know you guys aren't the most socially capable people in the world, but that's just plain cynical."

"You were betting on whether or not Pyrrha and I would get together?!" Jaune's voice now rising in frustration. "You couldn't just let us know that we had feelings for each other?!"

Nora gave a forced laugh, her hand rubbing at the back of her neck sheepishly. "Well, uh- It wouldn't be a fair bet if we were influencing the outcome like that."

"That's not what I meant!"

"Jaune, calm down." Pyrrha said, placing her hands on Jaune's arms soothingly. He turned to look at her, his anger suddenly dissipating underneath her glance. "There's no need to be so upset. I'm grateful that Nora didn't say anything to you about my feelings. They were something very close and important to me, something that I wanted to confess on my own. I think Nora understood that and didn't want to encroach upon something that was personal between us."

"I guess you're right." Jaune admitted. "I'm sorry, Nora. I didn't meant to overreact like that."

"It's alright, Jaune. I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to lash out at you guys like that."

"Sooooo," Nora drawled, a teasing smile on her lips. "Are you two like 'together together' now?"

"Well…" Pyrrha begun, before looking over to Jaune in uncertainty. They hadn't exactly clarified where their relationship stood yet.

Smiling softly, Jaune took her hand nodding in encouragement. Pyrrha blushed, at the silent confirmation. Their fingers laced together.

"Yes, I suppose that we are." Pyrrha answered bashfully.

"Oh my gosh," Nora squealed, running over and engulfing her two friends in a tight hug. "That's so great! I'm so happy for you two!"

"T- thank you, Nora." Pyrrha responded, returning her hug.

"Nora please," Jaune winced. "Not so hard."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Alright Nora," Ren said, placing his hand on her shoulder and gently prying her away. "Why don't we head back to the cafeteria? Haven't you got some winnings to collect from RWBY?"

"Ohhhh, you're right. C'mon Ren," Nora said, hooking her arm with Ren's and walking him with her down the hall.

"We'll be down with you guys in a minute," Jaune called after them, rolling his eyes half-heartedly at his teammate's antics.

Beside him, Pyrrha did her best to muffle the laughter that spilled freely from her mouth. Jaune glanced over at her with a smile. He hadn't really noticed until now, but he loved the sound of her laughter.

"So, uh…" Jaune began, smiling teasingly. "Shall we carry on from where we left of?"

"I don't see why not." Pyrrha answered, returning the grin, slyly.

A/N: That's it for now. If you wanted to check out more Arkos I've written, I posted a oneshot called Cast of Characters earlier this year you might be interested in checking out, if you haven't already. Otherwise, I have another idea for an AU Arkos oneshot currently in the works. Too early to tell when it'll be finished yet, though.

Anyway, thanks again for reading!