"Are you familiar with the word, hypocrite?"

"Yes, Saxon."

"Really? Cause you're being a huge one." Saxon growled through gritted teeth as their wooden practice swords locked together.

"I'm aware… Saxon!" Jaune shouted, breaking their stalemate by shoving Saxon back and somersaulting backwards.

Saxon immediately closed the distance, a practice blade in each hand as he let loose a flurry of blows that Jaune could only attempt to dodge. It wasn't an entirely fair fight, Saxon was a full fledged Huntsman while Jaune's status as a Huntsman in training was up in the air.

"Then why are you being one," Saxon asked, his assault continuing, "You chastise Blake for running off on her own then proceed to run off on your own for your semester break?"

"I'm aware of my hypocrisy, thanks."

Jaune yelped suddenly as his legs were swept out from under him and collided with the hard forest ground behind the Adventurer's Hall. Saxon crouched next to the lion Faunus, a sword over his shoulder and the other braced against his left leg, "Anytime, Jaune."

"I hate you…"

"Fine, you're paying for your room and board then."

"Oh look, my hate vanished." Jaune rubbed the back of his head as he sat up.

"Good financial decision, really," Saxon stood and grabbed Jaune's practice blade off the ground, "Come on, Jace is making lunch."

Jaune was soon inside the Adventurer's Hall and eating an incredible chicken noodle soup and some freshly baked bread at the inn's bar while Jace, the inn's cook and secondary bartender, cleaned some glasses.

"Getting ready for tonight?"

Jace looked up from the monotonous work, "Just in case we actually get any visitors."

Jaune winced as he looked around the inn, besides the one older man in the back corner, it had been empty all day, "You'd think it'd be busier during a semester break."

Jace ran a hand through black hair as he leaned against the bar, "People are getting weird about overland travel, the White Fang and bandits have been shaking people down on the roads more often."

Jaune pursed his lips "The Fang is running petty shakedowns on travelers now? What happened to it?"

"I don't know, you tell me, you're kinda our White Fang expert," Jace took a bite of his own soup, "How's the food by the way?"

"It's great as always, Jace," Jaune took a bite of soup soaked bread, "And Sienna Khan happened, she was the first to suggest we take violent action and it quickly spiraled out of her control as you can see."

"What kinda Faunus is she?"

"What's that gotta do with anything?"

"Personal curiosity."

"Tiger, I think. I only ever met her once or twice."

"Ohhhh...she hot?"

"Dude, she's a terrorist leader."

"Cut me some slack, I'm a curious person."

"Do you like a girl who could kick your ass and look good while doing it?"

"More than I'll ever verbally admit."

"Then yes, she's gorgeous." Jaune simply shook his head in amusement as clambered away from the bar, climbing the inn's stairs and quickly found himself in his and Blake's old room. Jaune flung himself onto the bed and closed his tired eyes, he'd hitchhiked a good portion of the way from Vale to the Adventurer's Hall but even then, he was still tired. Maybe a little sleep was due…

Blake was regretting bringing the rest of her team on this hunting mission. If she was hunting Grimm, they would've been a shoe in but she was hunting a different beast. Jaune Arc.

"Why are we walking?" Weiss complained.

"It's so pretty out here! It's almost like Patch!" Ruby squealed.

"I'm so bored. We've been walking for two days." Yang groaned

"None of really had to come." Blake groaned, leading the group of girls down the road toward where Blake suspected Jaune had gone after the run in with the White Fang and Roman Torchwick.

"We thought you'd want some company." Yang said, examining the beautiful reds and oranges of the fall leaves, thinking about how everything looked like Forever Fall forest.

"I would also like to apologize to Jaune, much like you, I didn't treat him the most fairly about that whole incident." Weiss admitted, ivory cheeks slightly pink from her embarrassment.

"I just thought it'd be fun." Ruby smiled, kicking a pile of fallen leaves.

"Just letting you all know, Jaune and I are most likely going to argue."

"At least you'll have awesome make up sex."

"Ew, Yang! Gross!" Ruby recoiled, taking three steps from her sister.

Blake blushed, "For the last time, we aren't together, Yang. Even if we were, Jaune is most likely still mad at me for running away without telling him."

"Didn't he do the same thing? By coming out here for break without even telling you?" Weiss' question made Blake hang her head slightly.

Why were she and Jaune being hypocrites lately? Was it some weird feline thing? Like how domesticated cats act like they don't love you but then hunt a rat and bring it to their owner as a gift. Were all felines secretly like the kind of person who would insist they didn't care about you but would bend over backwards to make someone happy?

"Yes, but, Jaune has never made a habit of it… I have."

"Fair." Weiss admitted. "So what's out here again?"

"The Adventurer's Hall, it's an inn for travelers through the forest. Me and Jaune stayed there and worked after we ran away from the White Fang. It's ran by this Hunter couple, Saxon and Rio." Blake explained as they crested over a small hill, dusk hitting its peak as a well kept, two story, wooden building came into view.

"It's nice?" Weiss offered as RWBY came to a halt at the top of the small hill.

"Better than a tent." Yang pointed out.

"Can't argue with that I suppose." Team RWBY continued their walk, their goal now in sight and approaching rapidly.

"So... what are you gonna say to him?"

Ruby's question made Blake have a small panic attack, how had she forgotten that? What was she going to say? She'd been walking for nearly two days and this had never occurred to her, "I figured… I'd just speak from the heart…?"

"She has no clue." Yang smirked.

"No clue at all." Weiss chimed.

"It'll be fine! We'll be fine! We fight and bicker constantly and we always make it out better than before, he's my best friend and no matter what I have to do, I won't lose him." Her entire team stared at her for a moment.

"You could just… say that…?" Yang offered.

Blake buried her head in her hands as they approached the inn, the old, rickety, wooden sign swinging in the wind, "No time to think now."

Ruby, fearless leader she was, opened the door and the smell of ale and meats wafting out and the sound of loud and rowdy conversation and light music streamed out, the small leader smiled, "Ooohhhh this place is so cool! It's like a place right out of the stories!"

The Adventurer's Hall did look like an old timey tavern from an old fairy tale, adventurers hunched over tables with large and hearty meals and tankards of ale, laugher and chatter throughout the how building and music streaming from the corner; albeit from a radio and not a bard. Blake wouldn't of been surprised to see a lone hooded figure in the corner smoking a pipe who was actually a decorated ranger. Her thoughts were pulled back to the now when she saw him. Jaune was in his usual jeans and a white shirt, a leather apron on as well. She knew he was in his usual role of cook/waiter tonight. He looked to be enjoying himself, smiling as he darted back and forth, arms and hands filled with tankards and plates of food in excess.

"Come on. Let's try and find a seat." Blake mumbled, not excited for the coming conversation as she led her team through the crowded tavern. She locked eyes with Saxon from behind the bar, his smug smirk he gave a small wave made her blood boil as she sat down with her team.

"Jaune! New patrons! Center right table!" Saxon's smugness was thick and blunt as a club.

"Gods dammit, I hate him." Blake set her head in her hand.

Jaune's head snapped toward team RWBY's table and his smile immediately faded slightly, his eyes seeing Ruby and Yang smiling and waving while Weiss examined a small menu and Blake tried her best to hide. The blonde approached, pulling out a notebook and a pen, "Welcome to The Adventurer's Hall. What can I get you?"

"How much for you, hot stuff?" Yang's coy smirk made Jaune roll his eyes.

"Two million lien."

"How about forty?"

"How about roasted turkey, vegetables and a nonalcoholic Strawberry Sunrise?"

"You know me so well, Vomit Boy."

"I try, and you, Weiss?"

"What's the Soup of the Day?"

"Chicken Noodle."

"That, bread and water will be fine."

"And cookies and milk for Ruby."

"I don't see that on here." Ruby flipped the menu over once or twice just to check.

"I got an in with the chef, no worries Rubes."

"Thanks, Jaune!"

"Course." Jaune clicked his pen shut and began to walk away.

"Wait! What about Blake?" Ruby called out.

"I know what she wants!" Jaune didn't even look back.

Within twenty minutes, even though the inn was packed, Jaune reapproached the table with four plates and glasses in his hands and balanced on his arms; tossing the plates in front of the girls. A simple, hearty meal for Yang and her nonalcoholic drink. A bowl of light soup with a small loaf of bread off to the side of the plate. A plate piled high with cookies and a tall glass of milk for Ruby. Blake was half expecting an empty bowl but she smiled as a bowl of shrimp stir fry and rice was set before her.

She'd kill for Jace's stir fries so this was a nice and unexpected treat seeing as how she hadn't had it in months, she had planned to dig in but as she grabbed her fork she saw Jaune lean down and whisper in her ear, "I'll be up in the room."

Blake stopped as Jaune began to sift through the crowd, taking his apron off and speaking to Saxon behind the bar before making his way upstairs.

Guess she'd have to eat fast.

Blake had been standing outside their old room for five minutes. Jaune didn't want to rush her, conflict through conversation had never been her thing but he'd been reading the same page of his book over and over the whole time, "Blake. Just come inside please."

The room door swung open and Blake stood there, head hung like an ashamed child awaiting punishment, "How did you know I as there?"

"We have the same training, Blake. Also, you're wearing heels… on wooden floor." Jaune breathed as Blake entered, the door clicking shut behind her.

"Right…" Blake trailed off, sitting on the bed as she looked across the room to Jaune, who had sat himself in the rooms sole chair, "We're bad at this."

"Yeah… why?"

"We didn't learn our to understand and process our emotions as children, so we bottle them up… or we're just dumb." Jaune offered the last bit with a small smile and chuckle.

"Yeah… yeah that sounds right…" Blake swallowed what little of her pride she had and looked into Jaune's cobalt eyes, "I'm sorry I put myself into danger like that, Jaune. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"I'm not mad because you put yourself in danger." Jaune stood, striding toward Blake before dropping to his knees right before her, "I'm mad that you went without me."

"... What?"

"Blake… you're reckless and crazy when it comes to your emotions, I highly doubt that anything could've stopped you from going to the docks that night," Blake shrunk as Jaune continued, taking Blake's hands in his own, "And I couldn't care less!"

Blake's back straightened slightly and she met Jaune's gaze, "Again… What?"

"Blake, I wanted you to have told me. To have brought me with you! So I could watch you back like I always have… since we were kids I've watched your back and I felt so powerless and useless when you just left and didn't even give me a chance to…"

"I'm sorry, Jaune." Blake's arms wrapped around his shoulders as she leaned down and pulled him into a hug, "I won't leave without you again."

"Good." Jaune squeezed her, "If you do, I'm gonna kick your ass."

"I know." Jaune felt Blake's chest rumble as she chuckled, "It won't happen, but thank you for the reminder."

"You guys gonna stay the night?"

"It's pretty late… no reason why not."

"Gonna crash in here?"

"Jaune Arc," Blake let Jaune go, leaving her hands linked behind his neck as she stared down at him, "Are you inviting a fair maiden such as I into your bed for the evening?"

"For old times sake?" Jaune smirked up at his best friend.

"We're not kids anymore, Jaune."

"Maybe I want to do some very unchildlike things." Jaune winked at the car Faunus and smiled when she giggled, Gods he loved her laugh and didn't hear it nearly enough.

"You're a dork." Blake hugged Jaune one more time before standing and padded towards the door, "Night, Jaune. Sweet dreams."

"Sweet dreams, Kitty Cat." Jaune said before the door shut with an audible click. Jaune threw himself onto the bed and shouted into his pillow.

Why were emotions so damn hard?!

AN: I feel like Jace's feelings toward Sienna is similar to most of the fandom. Hot tiger waifu got offed way to clearly.

"This is the leader of the entire White Fang."

…

"And now she's dead as fuck."

…

"Oh look… there goes any chance of Adam's redemption… Lit."

Shorter chapter but still a goodie because Knightshade and character resolution. Thanks for all the support you guys have thrown my way, it's awesome. Ive pimped it out on every other chapter I put out recently so i should here too, I recently dropped a new story called The Argonaut, if you like Forged Destiny then you might like this, I'm using a lotta of Cour's ideas and infusing a lot of my own ideas so go check it out. I'm gonna go to bed now, I'm tired as hell. Have a good one.