Chapter Fourteen: Panic

Pyrrha was feeling happy with life.

It was true that the semester had started out with its… rough patches, the largest of which being Pyrrha's partner – and crush - asking Velvet Scarlatina out, notable for not being Pyrrha Nikos. That had been… difficult.

In fact, it had been downright soul crushing to Pyrrha. It had taken her a while to work past that; a little push from Ruby at the dance had helped Pyrrha to start mending her relationship with the boy, even giving Jaune advice at the dance. More recently, they had started to do more nightly training, something that had been infrequent ever since Jaune started to date Velvet. It had even started to feel like it had been before, when Jaune hadn't been going out with Velvet.

It was probably one of the reasons that Pyrrha had been getting closer to Ruby over the past semester. The younger redhead had been there for Pyrrha time after time, and they shared a number of memorable experiences together, like her first roller coaster ride or making all those paper cranes.

Is Ruby my best friend now?

A month or two ago, Pyrrha wouldn't have thought so. Her partner was Jaune, which naturally made him Pyrrha's closest friend. The countless nights spent helping him train on the rooftop or study in the library had formed a bond between the two. Despite him never returning my feelings…

However, now Pyrrha wasn't so sure. Is it weird that I'm closer to Ruby then I am to my own partner? Perhaps a little. In the end, it didn't really matter to Pyrrha. Ruby was a person Pyrrha could rely on, a person who was her friend and cared about her. Ruby was a person who Pyrrha could have fun with.

It was a far cry from Pyrrha's dynamic with Jaune. It wasn't to say it was bad, but their primary contact wasn't something fun or leisurely, but rather it was related to school or training. Outside of those activities, they had seen a few movies together, such as that Spruce Willis movie, but that was it. The blame for that partly lay on Pyrrha; she'd be the first to admit she did little outside of school or training, having very few hobbies of her own.

But with Ruby, things were different. Ruby would seek her out, wanting Pyrrha to play whatever new video game she had gotten with her. Sometimes, Pyrrha would end up doing zany things with her, like origami or eating deep fried pickles. I still have some regrets about that…

Shaking thoughts of how much her life expectancy dropped from fried food, Pyrrha could think of another big difference between her dynamic with Jaune versus Ruby's.

Pyrrha had far more fun.

A lot of Pyrrha's interactions with Jaune were to help him not fail out of Beacon Academy. While necessary and potentially fun, it just wasn't the same as the carefree time Pyrrha spent with Ruby.

While a portion of the time Pyrrha spent with Ruby was also devoted to helping her study, it didn't have the same tone as when she helped Jaune. Jaune was mostly quiet during their study sessions; Pyrrha felt as if she was his teacher not his friend, giving far more in the way of guidance then just as a fellow classmate. It was almost as if Jaune didn't view her on the same level as their classmates or teammates, but as if Pyrrha was a teacher. There was no casual banter like they normally have, no joking around or telling of stories, just 100% focus on the task at hand. It took Pyrrha while to realize why there was such a change; Jaune was there to study, to improve himself as a hunter and a student, not necessarily to spend time with Pyrrha.

Ruby, on the other hand, had created a far more interactive experience. The younger girl did ask for a bit of tutoring every so often, but unlike with Jaune, Pyrrha felt as if she was on far more even ground, not just the one-way interaction between Jaune and herself. While Pyrrha would have to prod Jaune when was unwilling to ask for help, Ruby was more than willing to ask for it. Pyrrha got the feeling that Ruby studied with her less for the help but more just for a friend to hang out with.

It was probably one of the reasons that Pyrrha and Ruby hung out on a daily basis outside of studying. Pyrrha genuinely enjoyed doing activities with her.

That did bring up a question in Pyrrha's mind: Does Ruby have fun with me too?

Pyrrha wasn't the most… entertaining of people. She could admit that herself. Other than a handful of books she read over the past few years, Pyrrha really didn't have any interests lying outside being a huntress. Well, I guess origami would count? But Ruby was the one who introduced me to it…

Origami was something that Pyrrha found herself doing more and more often, becoming her first real hobby. It was fun to create small, cute paper animals; her space in the team JNPR dorm room had become covered by a number of her creations. Pyrrha was even idly folding a paper rose as she waited Ruby in the library. Not that the loose leaf paper was being used in the first place, Pyrrha tried to justify to herself.

It was a different type of experience for Pyrrha; for the longest time she had rarely done something alone outside of her usual activities... something that wasn't related to being a huntress; an activity without a discernable way to help her progress as a huntress.

The last time I did something for fun by myself must have been… years ago? Pyrrha couldn't even remember, which was distressing in its own right. I really do need to get out mor-

"Um. H-hello."

For once, it wasn't Ruby or even Jaune. In fact, it was the one person Pyrrha had the least desire to speak with, possibly more so than even Cardin.

It was Velvet.

The Faunus girl was standing awkwardly, feet and shoulders slouched inwards. It was a far different posture than what most had in Beacon; to get into the school, an applicant had to be skilled and driven. In most cases, this meant the students carried themselves with a large degree of self-confidence - and rightly so - yet Velvet exhibited none of that.

Pyrrha surprisingly had little contact with the Faunus given that Velvet was dating Jaune. Outside a handful of times that Pyrrha had seen Velvet with Jaune, she hadn't even spoken with her. Not once had Velvet actually approached her, nor had Pyrrha had any reason to talk to her.

The fact that Velvet was approaching Pyrrha was causing her to feel… tense, as if her gut hurt and it wasn't that Pyrrha had eaten something bad. The longer that Pyrrha sat in her seat, as the seconds ticked by, the feeling grew and grew, almost like her body was becoming numb from that point. By pure instinct Pyrrha knew if she started to leave, that the feeling would diminish, that her gut would no longer feel like there was a chain connecting it to her chin.

While one instinct told Pyrrha to flee, another told her to stand her ground; the girl that had caused so many troubles and a lot of heartache for Pyrrha was standing right in front of her. Pyrrha would be lying if she said she did not feel at least some hostility towards Velvet…

Perhaps it was because both instincts were in conflict with each other that Pyrrha didn't act immediately on either one, allowing herself to let go of the tension and relax. It was only then that Pyrrha could put a name to what she had just felt:

Panic.

It alarmed Pyrrha that just having Velvet talk to her incited a jumbled panic of responses, it made her no longer feel in control.

Now that Pyrrha had fought down the panic so it no longer overwhelmed her, she weighed her options. I don't need to respond to her if it causes me this level of stress… but on the other hand, I suppose I have no reason to be unfriendly.

Putting down the piece of paper, Pyrrha turned towards the older girl. Giving a friendly face that might have been more than a little forced, Pyrrha addressed her. "Hello Velvet, how are you?"

"I'm… I'm okay." For someone who was usually timid, it was weird to have her approach someone that'd she never interacted with before. So what does she want to talk about? "Are you busy?" Velvet nervously fiddled with the hem of sleeve as she looked around. "I-if you are, I could come back later…."

Is she giving me an excuse to not talk to her? That seemed to be the case, since it was clear as day Pyrrha had not been doing anything. "I'm not busy…" Adopting a more gentle tone, Pyrrha tried a different approach. "Is something the matter?"

Velvet sullenly looked down at her feet before slowly nodding. "Yes… it's about Jaune."

For one brief moment, Pyrrha thought that something had happened to Jaune, that perhaps there had been an accident. The thought was squashed a moment later when Pyrrha asked herself, if that was the case, why would Velvet be here and not with him? Maybe I still feel panicked? Shaking the thought out of her head, Pyrrha looked at the soft-spoken Faunus, waiting for Velvet to continue. After a bit, Velvet continued. "I…um… I need advice."

"Advice?" Pyrrha repeated, dumbfounded. That had been the last thing Pyrrha had expected her to ask. What could she possibly want advice on? She's dating Jaune, that's farther than I ever got! Pyrrha's curiosity was piqued at what Velvet could be getting at.

"I-I asked Coco…" Velvet trailed off, her voice becoming quieter as she continued. "She told me to talk to you since you're Jaune's partner…" Velvet didn't look Pyrrha in the eye, her eyes drawn to the table in front of her, focusing on it as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Well, I can try and help…" At the very least Pyrrha felt worried; Velvet was acting nervous and more quiet than usual. All Pyrrha knew was that it concerned Jaune. Maybe if she was sitting, it'd help her explain better? Pyrrha gestured to an open chair at the table, hoping to make the clearly distressed girl more at ease. "What do you need advice on?"

After the older girl seated herself at the table, Pyrrha waited for Velvet to start. And waited. Is she going to say anything? Pyrrha knew that Velvet was a bit on the shy side, but the silence was slowly becoming awkward as she waited for her to say something. "Has he been acting any differently?" Velvet finally blurted out.

Tapping her chin, Pyrrha went over the last week. "He asked for some extra practice at night… but that's all I can recall, I'm afraid." Pyrrha's curiosity grew, doesn't Velvet see Jaune every day? "Does he seem any different to you? I think you see him about as often as I do."

"Oh." Velvet seemed to be only sadder at Pyrrha's response, her long ears drooping. "I…um… a-actually haven't…"

Is that why he asked for more training this week? Pyrrha was taken aback. The initial burst of panic that had filled her was almost gone as Pyrrha no longer felt like she was on the defensive – not that she was from the start – rather, she was starting to feel concerned. Trying to keep a gentler tone, Pyrrha spoke up. "Maybe he just doesn't wish to trouble you?"

Velvet shook her head, her long ears slowly swishing in the air. "I think." Velvet took a shaky deep breath before continuing in a childlike voice. "I-I think Jaune is… is g-gonna…" Tears started to come down from her eyes.

"B-break… up wi-i-ith m-m-me…"

The last word turning into a wail before Velvet's head sunk into her arms, sobbing onto the table.

Pyrrha blinked and froze for a moment before doing what any person would do. She got up and gave Velvet an awkward – but gentle - hug. Despite having her own issues with Velvet, Pyrrha could clearly see the reality of the situation. The girl in front of her looked - and sounded - like her heart had gotten broken. Velvet needed someone to comfort her.

Internally however…

What in the world? Not in a hundred years did Pyrrha suspect Jaune would be breaking up with Velvet. Although it made sense in a way, especially looking at what Velvet had said. If Jaune was distancing himself, he was trying to let Velvet gently.

That confused Pyrrha, though; I thought they were happy together? The few times Pyrrha had seen them together, they had seemed happy enough.

Moreover, this did not seem like a thing Jaune would do. Pyrrha had known him for nearly two full semesters now, and he did not seem to be the kind of person to just dump someone. Then again, I didn't think he had cheated his way into Beacon Academy…

Even more confusing was the fact that Velvet had gone to her of all people. I think we've said more to each other in the last five minutes then the last two semesters combined. Releasing Velvet from the awkward hug, Pyrrha squatted down to her level and ran a comforting hand along her back, waiting for her to say something.

Eventually, the sobs quieted down. "It... it was just a matter of time, wa-a-sn't it?" Pushing herself off the table, Velvet tried to rub the tears out of her eyes. "I was so happy too!" Fresh tears replaced them, as more rolled down her cheeks. "I-I-I thought he really l-l-liked me…"

A fresh bout of sobbing ensued as Pyrrha tried to comfort Velvet, running a soothing hand along her back. "Maybe he is just being busy?" Pyrrha helpfully suggested. "Jaune is probably just studying for finals is all?"

"H-he used to ask m-me for help, bu-u-ut he hasn't for w-w-weeks now." Velvet mournfully shook her head. "I know that h-he only asked me out because no one else was going to s-say yes."

Tears started to pool on the table as Velvet continued. "I know he wanted to get with Weiss and he just settled with me." Velvet gave Pyrrha a very wistful smile. "Even though I knew he was with me because of that I-I-I felt like the luckiest girl."

The luckiest girl… There had been a time when Pyrrha had thought Velvet was that. There had been a time when Pyrrha had never wanted to so much as look at her, yet here she was now, comforting Velvet. A couple of months ago the positions had been reversed, with Pyrrha needing comfort.

Giving a Pyrrha a pitiful look, Velvet had tears dripping off her chin. "I-I know I'm just a b-bu-u-urden to everyone…"

"Shhh" Pyrrha patted the sobbing girl, who only tried to bury her head back into her arms, further into the table, trying to give some measure of comfort. "You aren't a burden, and I don't think Jaune is going to break up with you."

"R-r-really?" Velvet sniffled, looking up at Pyrrha, her brown eyes full of hope.

Pyrrha mustered up the kindest smile she could. "Really. Jaune… Isn't the kind of person who'd just… break up with someone out of the blue?" Despite her reassuring words, the Faunus didn't seem to be holding up very well. "I could talk with him, if you want me to…"

Velvet shook her head vehemently. "No, no, no, I shouldn't drag other p-people in this…. I'm not w-worth it." Fighting back the tears, Velvet continued, bottom lip trembling. "I-if he doesn't wanna to see me a-a-anymore, it's no-"

"He does." Pyrrha interrupted softly. "I would know." Pyrrha gave a soft smile. "I am his partner after all."

Velvet had hesitantly agreed to have Pyrrha speak to Jaune about it.

Pyrrha felt like she had made the right choice; the girl was clearly in need of help, and I gave it. I can't imagine Velvet was lying, she seemed to be sincere. Plus, Pyrrha was more than a little curious as to what was going on with Jaune.

This really doesn't seem like Jaune, especially after how distraught he was about Velvet not being at the dance a few weeks ago… I can't imagine him breaking up with her. It was her duty as his partner - no, as a friend - to help Jaune. No matter how Pyrrha felt.

I just need to get a hold of Ruby and tell her that I can't study with her today. Pyrrha had tried to call her friend, but Ruby's scroll was turned off. She probably is sparring with Weiss. Pyrrha glanced at the wall clock. Worse case, she shows up and I tell her in person. Then I go straight to Jaune.

How should I clear this up anyway? Pyrrha pondered as she waited, I mean, this is a misunderstanding, right? Yet as Pyrrha tried to figure out how to approach Jaune about it, her mind started to wander. Eventually, an ugly, ugly thought occurred to Pyrrha.

If Jaune isn't with Velvet anymore, that means he's free again…

Editor: ASouthernRussian

AU: Well. Crap. Poor Pyrrha, shit just keeps pulling her back in.

The finale for today is done - three stories have updated here, one of them new. Author-san can finally rest!

I apologize in advance for the somewhat lengthy Author's note. I swear I used to be better about this.

As you can probably tell, I'm splitting this section up. It makes my life and my editor's life easier to be honest and I wouldn't be able to put out a chapter until something like October if I really did put it all together. I'm honestly glad I've finally started this... I've been putting this off since chapter five in all honesty.

I had this done and edited before September 1st... except the website went down. First the view counters stopped working then I couldn't log into my account... so... um. Yeah. That was a thing. My goal for the next release is September 18th, although I'm imagining that I probably won't quite finish by then, but I will try!

Important News #1: I've officially started paying my editor, ASouthernRussian for his help. He has put well over thirty or forty hours into this while sacrificing his own time, such as working on Feel the Burn, his own story. He DESERVES to get something out of this for all the hard-work he has put into this!

When I say I'm paying him... I'm not strictly paying him in the most standard sense, i.e. money... he is just going to slowly own everything involving his OTP of Freezerburn that the Roosterteeth store puts out. For those who are curious, he has received Yang and Weiss plushies, their decals and Yang's hat! The way I'm going to do this is every 100 follows he gets a new bit of merchandise. So when it gets to 500 follows, he gets a new shirt!

Important News #2: After the response from reviews last time, I will be leaving the occasional Omake after the author's note! I had to do this one first, and while I was planning on doing a second for this chapter time went by too fast and I couldn't get it out.

Important News #3: I'm assuming you, my dear readers, quite enjoy Pyrruby. I too enjoy the ship so I'm pleased to announce that I will be running a second Pyrruby story called "Spoon Equality". Its purely fluff and good feelings, and really REALLY cute! I intend to update it every Friday, so there will always be some new Pyrruby content out each week! First chapter is already out!

Important News #4: I'm gonna again run under the assumption that you all enjoy Pyrrha and Ruby interactions... so I'm gonna leave a bit of a hint for something coming out later this year.

I may of commissioned something... from a relatively famous RWBY author. You might say she is quite... prolific.

Yeah, okay, you can guess within a heart beat who this person is. Let it not be said I don't support my OTP!

Response to Guest Review: Sorry mate. I do intend to do fluff in this story, but some of the fluff I wanted to include was rather... well mindless. Not as in its bad but it just doesn't fit the overall tone of Acceptance. I'm not saying I'm going to exclude fluff from here, its just that it will be in both. I... I'm realizing I did everything against your wishes, I'm sorry D:

As always, thank you for reading, and the extremely kind words you dudes and dudettes leave in reviews. Seriously, thank you guys! :D

Thank you for reading and have a great day!

Omake I: The Dress

Jaune's night had become surprisingly better.

True, his girlfriend wasn't able to show up to the first dance where Jaune actually was dating someone. Equally as true Jaune had been wearing a dress far longer than he thought he'd be wearing one today.

It didn't change the fact he had ended up having fun.

Moreover, his girlfriend was on her way home. Which meant not only could he see her in the morning but that she had access to the Bullhead's wifi. That meant he could give her a video and voice call through the dustnet.

Putting on his headset, Jaune saw the unread message symbol. Clicking on it, showed Velvet was waiting for the call. Hitting the button, the call started.

As soon as he saw Velvet, Jaune breathed a sigh of relief. He knew his girlfriend was far more combat effective then he was - not that it meant much - but he HAD been worried about her; after all her team's mission had taken far longer than originally anticipated. While he had happiness emanating from him, Velvet's face went through a number of changes.

First it was happy, clearly elated at seeing him. Then it was confused, doing a double take. Finally a beat red blush spread across her cheeks.

"W-why are you wearing my dress?"

Jaune blinked as he realized he was STILL WEARING the dress. "I..um..I-I lost a-a bet and I said I'd wear a dress i-if Pyrrha didn-" Jaune stopped as he realized that Velvet was just STARING at him, not even listening.

"I'm really sorry! Please forgive me!" No response still, causing Jaune to start to panic. "Here I can take it off, s-"

"No!" Jaune stopped mid-motion as his normally soft-spoken girlfriend yelled, her face incredibly red from what must of been the biggest blush Jaune had seen. "N-n-n-no need to take it off..."

"You sure?" Jaune cocked his head. "I mean I know I shouldn't of taken it... heh heh heh." The blond embarrassed rubbed the back of his neck.

Woot Whoo~

A wolf whistle interrupted the embarrassed laughter as Coco Adel, Velvet's team leader walked into the view of the webcam. Pulling down her ever present sunglasses, the team leader viewed the boy over its rim.

"I see you've already whipped him, good job Velvet!"

To those who are curious they will mostly be Pyrrha and Ruby (for the omakes), I just had to get this one done first!