Hey everyone. I had this idea bouncing around inside my head for a while now, and I finally have some time to write it. I've always been intrigued by Blake/Jaune pairing, even though they have very little interaction in the show. They're complete opposites, yet I feel their personalities would complement each other.

The story takes place right after volume two. There will be some violence and gore in some chapters, hence the teen rating. I hope you like it.

I don't own anything.

Blake's POV

I'm floating. No, not floating. It's more painful than that. I'm hanging. My arms are chained above my head, my body swaying limply from the ceiling. My feet forever out of reach of the ground. My hands have gone numb from the strain. My mouth feels like sandpaper. The only thing I've had to drink in what feels like days, is my own blood as it poured from my nose and passed my lips. The taste of copper still lingers on my tongue. The smell of rotten flesh invades my nose.

I try to scream, but my voice is lost to me. I can no longer hear. I can't breathe. I can't see. The only thing convincing me that I'm not dead is the constant pain. My skin burns with fever, my broken bones ache. Nothing is untouched by the pure agony. And from the depths of my pain a single thought exists. A wish. And I wish for it over and over again in my head. I've never wanted something so desperately in my entire life.

I don't wish for escape. I don't want freedom. As I dangle in the darkness, the only thing I wish for is death. I don't want to survive this. Survival means I have to continue living with this pain, and pain like this can't possibly heal. No matter how much time passes. But death doesn't come. It abandons me, like everything and everyone else, and I'm left with nothing. I don't know how long I've been here, in this hell, but it doesn't really matter. Time means nothing, because this is my forever.

I wake up gasping as my mind pulls itself from the suffocating nightmare it was trapped in. I panic for a moment as I try to make sense of what's happening. I sit up quickly, my body shaking erratically. I look at my surroundings, my eyes adjusting instantly to the darkness. I'm sitting, safe in my bed, at Beacon. As safe as I can be with a bed balancing above me on only a few books.

I can hear the steady breathing of my three teammates as they sleep soundly in our dorm room, undisturbed by my dream. The scent of dust and sweat hangs in the air. We had been so tired after our mission at Mountain Glenn and the incident with the train, we collapsed onto our beds as soon as we reached our room. We didn't even bother to change our clothes. I still have flecks of blood on my shirt from a close call with a Grimm.

I close my eyes and focus on my breathing in an attempt to slow it. Similar to the breathing exercise that I use in my training. I gradually begin to calm down. I try to push all thoughts of the dream from my mind, but it refuses to leave me. Old memories I try to keep buried flash through my head, making me cringe. I haven't had that nightmare in months, why is it haunting me now?

"You're not there anymore. It's in the past." I whisper to myself, as if I need convincing. I open my eyes. I don't feel much better. My muscles are tense, and my senses are on high alert. Sleep is not even an option at this point. In fact, I feel like never sleeping again if it means avoiding that nightmare. I glance at the clock. Three in the morning. I sigh. It's going to be a long day.

I feel something wet hit my hand. I then feel the same dampness on my face. I'm crying. When did I start crying? I quickly wipe the tears away, but more take their place. My mind and body too exhausted to hide my long buried emotions.

I silently get out of bed and head for the door. I don't want to risk my teammates waking up and seeing me so…so weak. And I don't feel like explaining myself. Besides, I could really use some fresh air. The cool night air should help me ground myself back to reality, and remind me that I'm safe again, instead of trapped in the darkness.

Jaune's POV

I slip out of my dorm room as quietly as I can and step out into the hallway. I slowly close the door behind me. Its hinges groan and squeak as it snaps shut, making me wince. I stand quietly in the hall for a few seconds, listening for signs that I woke my teammates. As the silence stretches on and no one opens the door to follow me, I realize that managed to make it out undetected. I sigh in relief. I really need some time alone to think.

I start walking down the hall. I don't really have a destination in mind, but I was too restless to stay in bed any longer. The rest of my team passed out as soon as we got to our room, but I spent all night wide awake, despite being exhausted. My mind just wouldn't let me sleep. I keep thinking about what happened yesterday.

The battle against the Grimm was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Seeing those Grimm in the middle of the city, attacking all those helpless people. I rushed into the fight without a second thought. My only concern had been to save who ever I could, I wasn't even thinking about myself. In that moment, for the first time since I came to Beacon, I felt like I could actually do this. I could be a huntsman. I could be a hero.

Unfortunately, that hopeful feeling was crushed by another worry. When my team and I first show up to the fight, Pyrrha had taken the lead, commanding the team. And Ren and Nora followed her orders without a second thought. It made me realize that I wasn't really the leader of JNPR. Yes, I was the leader on paper, but in the eyes of my teammates, no.

They were fine with letting me lead in practice, but as soon as we were in a real fight, they turned to Pyrrha. I don't blame them. Pyrrha is amazing. And me, well compared to Pyrrha I'm a joke. Why would anyone one follow my lead when they could follow Pyrrhas'. I not mad about it or anything. It just hurts to know that Pyrrha doesn't trust me enough to lead, and Ren and Nora don't trust me enough to follow. And I have no idea how I can gain that trust.

I continue walking for a while before I decide that I could use some fresh air. I shuffle up the stairs and head to the roof. A cool breeze hits me as I open the door that leads to the roof. It's colder than I thought it would be, but I am only wearing a t-shirt and shorts. I rub my arms to keep warm and walk out to the railing, with only the broken moon above to guide my steps. I grab the railing and look over. It's a dizzyingly long way to the ground below. Just looking makes my head spin. I close my eyes and groan. No wonder my team doesn't trust me. I can't even stand on a stupid roof without nearly passing out. I'm such a loser, I'm nothing but a…a.

"Coward." I whisper out loud.

"Who?" a voice questions to my left. I jump about a foot into the air and release a girlish scream. I could have sworn I was alone. I quickly look to see who had snuck up on me. It takes my eyes a minute to focus on the figure through the darkness, but I relax after a moment when I see a pair of familiar yellow eyes looking at me. Blake.

She's sitting on the railing just a few feet away from me. Her ebony hair swirling softly around her face as the wind twirls it. She has an eyebrow raised and an almost undetectable smile pulls at her lips. Under the moonlight, her skin looks almost ghostly.

"Blake?!" I gasp, taking a deep breath to calm myself. "You shouldn't sneak up on a person like that!"

"I didn't." she say, turning her gaze away from me and back out into the darkness.

"Then why did I just have a heart attack?" I ask.

"Because you weren't paying attention." she answers.

"It's not my fault you're a ninja." I say. I wait for her to respond, but after a stretch of silence, it's clear she doesn't intend to. I sigh. "How'd you sneak passed without me noticing anyway?"

"I didn't." she says. I stare at her, waiting for her to elaborate. She glances at me and sighs. "I was already here when you walked up." She says. I gape at her.

"No way." I say. "I would have seen you."

"I've been sitting here for at least an hour." She says.

"But…how?" I stammer.

"It's dark, you're tired, and from the way you looked when you first walked up here, I'd say you've got something weighing on your mind." she says while looking straight ahead. I open my mouth to speak, but I'm at a loss for words. So instead I just turn and lean against the railing and join Black in looking out into the darkness.

"So umm… what about you?" I manage to ask after a few wordless minutes.

"What about me?"

"What are you doing out hear in the middle of the night?" I ask. She doesn't answer. I look at her out of the corner of my eye. Most of her face is shielded by her hair, but as the wind shifts it around, I notice how her eyes are shimmering in the moonlight, and I realize it's from tears. She's been crying. I can see the light dampness on her cheeks.

I've never seen Blake show much emotion before. However, this is the most time I've ever spent with Blake, despite being around her and her team so much. In fact, this is the most we've ever talked. I don't know her all that well, but something tells me she wouldn't want me to point out that I noticed she's been crying. And from the rigid way she's holding herself, it's clear she doesn't want me here.

"I should head back and try to get some sleep." I say. Blake gives a short nod in response. "Okay. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." I turn and start to walk away, but each step forward feels like more and more of a struggle. My head is telling me to just let Blake be, but my heart is telling me it's wrong to leave her alone and crying.

Half way to the door I spin around and march back up to Blake. I've never been one to listen to my head. If I had listened to my head, I would never have come to Beacon in the first place. And despite all the problems I face, I love it here.

"I was talking about me." I say without thinking.

"What?" she asks. Her brow raised again.

"When I first came up here. I said coward and you asked who. Well, I was talking about myself." I say. She doesn't answer right away, and I began to think that I'll be left with another silent response.

"Why would you call yourself a coward?" she asks softly. Her tone surprises me. It's full of sadness.

"Well…. Because I am." I say. "Everyone can see it."

"I can't." says Blake.

"Yeah right." I say bitterly. "Everyone has seen me scared and shaking at one time or another. And that was only when I forgot to hide it. If you knew how many times in a single day I got scared, you wouldn't be able to deny that I'm a coward. No wonder my team doesn't believe in me."

"A win without adversity, is not a win at all." Says Blake.

"Say what?" I asked confused.

"You can't win a fight without something to fight against." She says. "Just like you can't be courageous without first being scared."

"So you're saying that I'm not a coward because I'm scared." I say.

"Not exactly." She says. "Everyone feels fear Jaune. It's how you react to that fear that defines who you are. Do you run and hide? Or do you fight despite the fear you feel."

"I think I get it, but I'd much rather not be afraid at all."

"It's that fear that makes you truly impressive." Says Blake.

"H…How so?" I blush slightly at her compliment.

"If a person never feels fear, they can never really be brave. Bravery is born from fear. That's why you're not even close to being a coward. No matter how much fear you feel, you never hesitate. You risk everything to help others." She says. "So don't call yourself a coward, because it just isn't true."

I feel the weight on my shoulders lighten. I had never thought about myself in the way Blake had just describe. Does feeling fear really not make me a coward? Blake certainly seems to think so.

"Thanks." I say.

"I was only stating the facts." She say. I look at her. I no longer see tears in her eyes, and she seems less tense with my presence.

"Do you ever get scared?" I ask. She sighs and looks up at the sky.

"Yes."

"So you're brave too then?" I say with a smile.

"No. I'm not." She says. I frown.

"Why not?" I ask.

"Because I don't always stay and fight." She says. "Sometimes, I run and hide."

"I've never seen you run and hide. Not once since I've met you."

"You haven't known me that long." She whispers.

"You're right. I have no idea who you were in the past." I say. "But I know you now. And right now, you're brave."

"Thank you. For seeing me that way." She says.

"Just stating the facts." I say. She smiles and shakes her head. We sit quietly for a while. It's nice. I feel better, and I think maybe Blake does too.

"A nightmare." Blake says suddenly.

"What?" I ask.

"You asked me why I was out here in the middle of the night. It's because I had a nightmare."

"It must have been bad for you to come all the way up here." I say.

"Yeah, well, none of my dreams are that pleasant, but I usually don't let them get to Me." she says. "I don't know why I was so bothered by it tonight."

"Maybe it had something to do with crashing a train into the middle of the city yesterday."

"Yeah, maybe." She says. "But it's only a dream. Getting so upset over it. It makes me feel weak."

"Letting yourself feel something doesn't make you weak."

"I shouldn't let something that isn't really happening make me….. I shouldn't let things that don't matter affect me so much."

"Maybe you should." I say.

"What?"

"Maybe you should. I mean, is it so bad to just let yourself feel things everyone once in a while?"

"It is if those feelings are less then enjoyable." She say.

"Even if the feelings are negative ones, I think it's good just to let them take over now and then. If you just keep pushing them away and bottling them up, you'll explode and fall apart. Or worse, you'll stop feeling anything at all." I say.

"Sometime not feeling anything doesn't sound too bad." She say. I look at her and think of all the times she sat emotionless while everyone around her was expressing every emotion under the sun. Was she trying to stop herself from feeling anything at all, just so she wouldn't feel the bad?

"You have to take the bad with the good Blake. There are tons of negative feelings that we all could live without. But if we stopped feeling the bad stuff, then we'd stop feeling the good things too. A single moment of happiness or love is worth a hundred bad moments. Those times when we're overwhelmed with joy makes everything else worth it." I say.

"I didn't realize you were so philosophical Jaune." She says with a slight laugh.

"Oh I'm not. I was just…. You know."

"Stating the facts?" she says with a smile.

"Exactly." I say. We sit next to each other in a comfortable silence. I glance at Blake now and then. She has a gentle smile resting on her face. And as we watch the sun slowly work its way above the horizon, I can't help but to feel grateful that I never listen to my head.

So should I keep going? Leave a Review and tell me what you think.

-Echo Artemis