Burning Bright

'Alright Jaune, you can do this. All that you need to do is have a conversation with her where she doesn't make fun of you. It shouldn't be that hard.'

Jaune was going over the details of the plan he formulated after Nora gave him the most challenging bet he ever dreamt of.

Talk to Yang without her teasing you.

It was truly a challenge fit for the heroes of old. And Jaune wouldn't rest until he had completed it.

The last few times he tried didn't exactly go as planned either.

"Hey Yang, can I talk to you, alone?" Eliminate all other chances of someone coming in and giving Yang opportunities.

"Oh, going to confess, huh? Didn't think you'd do it so soon."

Failed.

"Say Yang, have you seen Ruby around?" Eliminate both other people being around and chances of a confession.

"What do you need her for?" She asked with a mix of interest and anger. Always very concerned for her younger sister.

"Professor Ozpin asked me to talk to her. It's about stuff to do with leadership." Yang was getting suspicious.

"...What leadership stuff?"

Jaune was beginning to sweat. "Uhh, micromanaging your teams and all that. Y'know... Leadership stuff..." And three... two... one.

"You just want to be alone with Ruby, don't you?" Her eyes were a calm violet and she held no anger in her voice.

"You little perv!"

Jaune couldn't stop the sigh that escaped his lips. He was never going to win this.

"What can I say?" Jaune asked himself for what felt like the hundredth rime that day.

"How can I do this without ridicule?" Jaune was entering the cafeteria and noticed Yang was sitting at the usual table.

Now or never.

"Morning Guys." Jaune greeted coolly as he sat down across from her.

He only then noticed no one else was actually there. "Where is everybody?"

Yang looked up from her Scroll and immediately looked back down after recognizing the goofball. "Training."

Jaune was confused by this. "Okaaay... Then why are you here alone?" She didn't even look up this time.

"Didn't feel up to it today." Her answer only roused more questions.

"You? Yang Xiao Long didn't feel up to kicking people's heads in? The sky must be falling." She laughed.

It was a real laugh too, not one of those fake giggles.

He got an odd feeling because of this.

"I'm just a little under the weather is all. It's not Rapture yet." Jaune smiled. "I don't know... You could be missing a limb and you'd still never pass up an opportunity..."

He gave a fake look of thought, as if pondering a philosophical conundrum. "I'm seriously getting some Apocalypse vibes here."

She laughed again. That loud booming laugh that flipped his insides. What he wouldn't do to hear it again.

"I could probably say the same about you." She had by now put away her Scroll. "Ever since your training with Pyrrha started, you've been nonstop at the Gym and Training Grounds. You stay there longer than me."

Jaune blushed and smiled sheepishly. For some reason Yang enjoyed that look on Jaune more than anyone else. She could never peg as to why though.

"Well there's always room for improvement, especially for me." Yang couldn't help but smile at his modesty.

"I guess so, but anyway. As much as I'd love to continue this conversation. We've got class in like... thirty seconds, so we might want to hurry."

Jaune checked his Scroll and paled in fear. He didn't need to be late for Glynda's class, no one did. It was painful to remember last time.

"Let's go then." The two nodded to each other and bolted to the first class of the day. Jaune couldn't tell it himself. But Yang noticed that he had grown a lot faster since they met.

He could actually keep up with her now.

It wasn't until they arrived and separated to their individual teams that Jaune finally noticed what had happened.

"Hey Nora?" Jaune greeted as he sat down next to Pyrrha. "What is it Jauney?" She replied.

"Challenge completed."

She couldn't believe it. It simply wasn't possible.

No one talks to Yang and has a serious conversation, not even Ruby can.

Nora simply couldn't believe that he had beaten the challenge. It took her that much time just to think it up.

'How did he do it?' She wondered for what felt like hours, but no answers could come to mind.

Until...

'Wait, I make fun of everyone and the only person I can have a serious conversation with is Ren. Because he's...' It suddenly hit her.

"No way!" She yelled. "Yang has feelings for Jaune!" This was just too good; there was so much material to work with.

So many embarrassing challenges for Jaune. This would be the greatest conquest ever. Of all time.

'I need to find Jaune.'

He was elated, simply euphoric. Jaune had completed the hardest challenge ever given to him and he barely had to try.

'Life is good.' His thoughts soon turned sour when he saw Nora sprinting up to him.

"Nora, I just completed that challenge, at least give me a day before you make up another." He wasn't surprised when Nora didn't deter.

"Jaune, if you thought that was a hard challenge, wait till you hear this." Jaune was, admittedly, slightly intrigued by this.

"Okay... I'm listening." Nora smiled wide. "Alright Jaune, you need to give Yang... a hug." Jaune paled immediately.

"What? There's no way I can do that, she'd castrate me!" Nora's smile grew even bigger.

"Don't be too sure of that Jaune. I think you can pull it off, try to find her when she's upset and cheer her up. Or you can take her by surprise, either way you have to hug her."

Jaune was beginning to get suspicious. "What's with your sudden fascination with Yang?" Nora played it cool though.

"She's a wild card, the hardest person to work with when it comes to these little challenges." Jaune nodded in understanding.

"Alright, but I get one week away from these little games if I pull this off." Nora's smile never faulted. "Of course."

They clasped hands and nodded, a gentlemen's agreement. "It shall be done."

"Hey Yang?" Ruby asked from the top of her bunk. "Yeah, Rubes?" Yang replied.

"Have you noticed Jaune acting different recently?" Yang took a shot straight away.

"What's got you so interested in him, like him do you?" Ruby only sighed. "I'm serious Yang; he's been trying to get your attention a lot. He's been lying more often too."

Yang stopped messing around when she realized Ruby's implications. "There's no way that Vomit Boy has feelings for me, he knows what happens to guys that try the moves."

Ruby nodded. "I know he does, but I think that's why he's been trying to get closer to you. Build up a friendship first and all that." If Yang was shocked by Ruby's knowledge of social situations, she didn't show it.

"You may be right there..." Ruby decided that now was the best time to ask the question.

"Do you have feelings for him?" Ruby would never forget the look on Yang's face then; it was the first time she ever saw the boisterous blonde blushing.

"What?! I don't have feelings for him, he's goofy and he doesn't know how to talk to people!" Ruby wasn't impressed.

"If that's true then why are you blushing?" Ruby rarely got a chance to tease Yang; she wasn't going to pass this one up.

"I'm not blushing!" She obviously was. "Right, sure. You should talk to him; see if he does like you. I'm sure it will work out great."

Yang sighed. "Look, I don't have feelings for him. But if he does make what looks like a move on me, I'll consider it."

Ruby smiled. "I'd expect nothing less."

The sisters decided to head down to the cafeteria when Ruby's stomach started growling.

They left their dorm and were walking through the halls when suddenly a voice called out. "Hey Yang!"

Jaune

Turning around, Yang was about to formulate a sentence when suddenly, arms wrapped around her.

To say she was shocked would be the understatement of the century. Jaune was shocked even as well when he noticed he still had limbs.

Breaking apart, Jaune looked Yang directly in the eye. "Sorry I... Couldn't help myself."

He let go of her and continued down the hall into the cafeteria on his own.

Yang didn't want to turn around; she knew that the grinning face of her little sister would be all that she'd see.

"Not. One. Word." Yang turned around and found exactly what she was expecting. Ruby was grinning like a maniac.

"What words would I say? That you totally like him and he totally likes you? Noooo, of course not."

Yang would have been furious if she hadn't actually enjoyed the hug. "Let's just... get some food and put this behind us."

She began to walk but Ruby cut her off. "Uh uh uh. You said if he makes a move you'd consider it. I'd call that a move wouldn't you?"

Yang really was fed up with this. 'When did Ruby get so aggressive?'

"Cafeteria. Now."

Ruby kept on smiling when they entered the room. After they grabbed their food, Ruby led Yang to the usual table.

Jaune was smugly talking with Nora. "Hey guys." Ruby greeted. Jaune's head shot up and he immediately turned to Yang.

"H-hey guys." Nora looked incredulous. "Oh my God... You weren't kidding. You actually hugged Yang."

Yang sat down and tuned out the world around her. Jaune did the same.

Nora and Ruby turned to each other with the same look. They smiled to each other.

They knew.

"Nora, let's meet up after lunch, I think we need to talk." Nora grinned. "I couldn't agree more."

Both Jaune and Yang paled when they heard this.

It would clearly be a long week.