𝐈𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 (English)

Chapter 4

His team were naturally worried about his wellbeing when Jaune arrived at breakfast to see them and Team RWBY sat together. It wasn't unexpected, and he was quick to assure them he was fine. "They ran some tests on me and found my aura hadn't recovered properly. It should be fixed now, but they think I might have been sick. I've got to keep an eye on it and take breaks if my aura stays low."

He expected it to stay at that, but obviously his team were more concerned and pried into what exactly had been said. Keeping the ruse up wasn't easy, though he could luckily invoke Oobleck's name and the sick letter he'd been given as proof. It was only when he fully convinced them it might just be a bug or virus that they let it go. Aura helped protect and heal the body, and it could be used to bolster the immune system as well. That was normally something that happened in the background, or so Oobleck had said, but there were cases where it could leave an obvious dip in someone's aura.

It wasn't until combat class with Miss Goodwitch that it was brought up again. Instead of fighting one bout at a time for her to critique, they'd been assigned partners and left to spar against one another while the teacher came around and offered individual advice. Jaune's partner for the day turned out to be Yang, who grinned menacingly at him when they were selected, and then preceded to treat him with kiddie gloves for the first time in... well, forever. Yang loved a good fight and regularly trounced whoever she was put up against, but after ten minutes he was still on his feet, and she'd barely chipped his aura.

"You're going easy on me."

Yang didn't deny it. "Noticed, did you?"

"I mean, I'm still standing. That's not normal."

"That's not true. You've been getting a whole lot better since Pyrrha started teaching you."

It was kind of her to say – uncharacteristically kind. Yang wasn't cruel by any means, but she'd always saw him as a friend of her sister more than a friend of her own, and that meant he got winks and waves in public, but that they didn't interact all that much. Occasionally, she would tease him over Weiss, but this was the first time she'd ever complimented him.

"You're acting... different... Yang."

"Yeah?" Yang looked away, thumbed her nose and laughed awkwardly. There was the faintest dusting of pink on her cheeks, though he figured she was more embarrassed to have been called out than by anything else. "You ever think I didn't want the fact I beat up a sick guy weighing on my mind?"

"I was under the weather, Yang. I'm not on my deathbed."

"I still don't think you should be training today then." Yang suddenly dropped her stance and raised her hand. "Miss G!"

Jaune winced. "Yang, what are you-?"

"How many times do I have to remind you my name is Goodwitch, not Miss G or G-to-the-G, or whatever other idiotic moniker you try to fit me with?" The teacher sighed dramatically. "What is the issue, Miss Xiao-Long?"

"Nothing," tried Jaune.

"Jaune was sick yesterday and spent the night in the infirmary because his aura hadn't recovered properly." Yang, of all people, was tattling on him. Jaune could hardly believe it.

Miss Goodwitch faced him down. "Is this true, Mr Arc?"

"I... uh... well..." He winced. "It was actually the day before, and my aura was so low I had trouble staying awake yesterday. Doctor Oobleck said it was fine today, so I shouldn't-"

"Yesterday." Glynda's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying you passed out in my lesson?"

"Kind of?"