Jaune's Resolve

8 - Recognized

'Oh no.'

She ducked faster than she meant to.

THUNK.

"OW-!" she hissed, smacking her forehead against the edge of the stone railing. "No no no-" She clutched her head and sank down behind the pillar, face flushed scarlet.

Dignity. Gone. Evaporated. Burned away like mist under the sun.

She peeked again,this time more carefully-watching as Jaune tilted his head curiously, shrugged and resumed his practice.

Weiss pulled back and slumped against the pillar, heart hammering.

'This is getting out of hand...'

These dreams. These strange, humiliating dreams. Now this?

Jaune Arc was not supposed to be competent. That was her role. She was the model student, the heir, the one with discipline and poise and scores to prove it.

But lately?

He was climbing. Not just getting better-surpassing expectations. He was placing higher in training drills. Closer to the top third in combat class. And, worst of all-

He beat her in a written tactics quiz the last day by two percent.

TWO.

PERCENT.

Weiss grit her teeth, straightened her back, and huffed in frustration.

This wasn't jealousy.

It was... accountability.

Yes. She was simply ensuring that Team JNPR's weakest link wasn't becoming a dangerously competent wild card.

Totally reasonable.

Completely professional.

Absolutely not personal.

She peeked down again.

And nearly choked as Jaune executed a clean vault-roll into a forward strike combo.

"...This can't be real."

Next Day - Beacon Cafeteria - Noon

The air was thick with the usual lunchtime buzz-clinking trays, low chatter, the occasional laugh echoing off the high ceilings. Steam curled from bowls of ramen and plates of steaming curry as students jostled for seats.

At a long table near the center, Team RWBY and Team JNPR were already settling in, their trays clattering down in practiced chaos.

"Ugh, finally!" Nora dropped into her seat, balancing a mountain of waffles and bacon. "If I had to listen to one more theorem, I was going to math myself into a coma."

Ren gave her a long-suffering look. "Math is not a verb."

Blake smirked into her tea.

Weiss, meanwhile, was scanning the benches.

Her eyes flicked over the arrangement-Ruby and Pyrrha seated together, talking shop. Nora on one end, Blake beside her. Ren next. Yang was enjoying her meal. Then-

Jaune.

She didn't even think about it, not really. Her feet just moved. She slid in beside him.

He looked up, surprised. "Uh... hey?"

"Hello." Weiss set her tray down with measured grace. A bowl of rice. Steamed vegetables. Miso soup. Balanced. Perfectly portioned.

Jaune blinked once. "Didn't expect you to sit here."