[RWBY] RWBY Shorts

[Balorak146]

LoL poor sod. He's never getting that Hoodie back

Click to shrink...

Right?

My ex posted a pic a few weeks ago wearing the exact same hoodie that I let her 'borrow' almost ten years ago.

 

[LordofBones]

Crack idea: Weiss is tremendously sheltered, enough that she's been led to believe that the issues with the SDC have nothing to do with faunus and everything to do with 'the poors'. Why else would Blake's top be so ill-fitting that it doesn't cover up her stomach? She's so destitute that she has to wear hand-me-downs and recycle clothes from when she was 10!

Yang: *grinning* "You hear that, Blakey? You're one of the poors now."
Weiss: *happily* "You don't need to hide it, Blake! You may not be a penniless pauper like Yang, but I'm rich enough to support you both until you get jobs and become productive members of society!"

 

[AndrewJTalon]

What Kind of Person

---

Yang had been digging for months. Years, really.

Old mission reports at Beacon, quiet questions asked in the wrong parts of Vale, snippets from a drunk Qrow. Every lead on Raven Branwen ended the same way: smoke, dead ends, and the same bitter taste in her mouth.

Jaune found out the way he always did—by blundering into it by accident when he asked what she was looking for in the archives of the library. Out of... She didn't know, exhaustion maybe? She told him.

He didn't say much after. He just sat with her in the archives, his own errand forgotten, and said, simply:

"My family knows how to find people who don't want to be found. If you want… I can ask."

Yang had been skeptical. The Arc name was respected, sure, but Raven was a phantom. Still, she nodded once.

She shouldn't have underestimated them.

Aunt Irene (the one with the quiet eyes and the even quieter reputation) and Uncle Brand (financial genius and bruiser) made a few calls, pulled a few old favors, and three days later the Branwen camp was surrounded before the sentries even finished their morning coffee. The rest of the Arc Clan—Nick with that easy smile that never reached his eyes when family was threatened, Isabel with her doctor's calm, even Nana Arturia standing like a queen who had once commanded battlefields with her husband Shirou, he of Unlimited Blade Works —took Raven without a single shot fired.

They brought her to Radian, and Yang and Jaune traveled there. They landed at the airship port, and made it to the Arc Farms.

They held her in the yard behind the farmhouse, not roughly, but firmly enough that the message was clear: she wasn't leaving until Yang said so.

Raven's red eyes burned when Yang finally stepped forward.

"... Mom?" She whispered.

"You wanted to see me," Raven deadpanned. "What do you want?"

Yang hesitated. She felt Jaune at her back. She sucked in a breath.

"... Why? Just... Why did you leave us?"

Raven snorted.

"You and your father were weak," Raven said, voice sharp as her blade. "The only way to get strength is to take it. Join the tribe. Take what you want. We had a great empire once—until Vale crushed us with their logistics and their self-righteousness. Our path is the only way to survive in this dark world. There is no hope of victory... Not against the darkness. Just survival. That's all. If you wouldn't join me... I had to let you go."

The words hung in the air.

Yang stood there for a long moment, golden hair stirring in the breeze. Jaune's hand settled gently on her shoulder—not holding her back, just reminding her she wasn't alone. She sucked in a slow breath.

She clenched her fists, tensed as though for a fight.

Then she looked her mother in the eye and said:

"You know what? Thank you."

Raven blinked. "What?"

"Thank you." Yang's voice was steady. "I know exactly what kind of person you are now. And if you weren't that kind of person, you never would have left. Mom never would have met Dad. I never would have gotten Ruby." Her throat tightened, but she kept going. "And I love her. I love my mom. So… thank you."

Raven's face became unreadable.

Yang lifted her chin.

"Now do what you do best," she said quietly. "And leave."

The Arc family members released her. Raven stood free, staring at her daughter for a long, silent beat. Something complicated flickered behind her eyes—anger, calculation, maybe the faintest trace of something else. Then she drew her sword, carved a swirling red portal into the air, and stepped through without another word.

The portal snapped shut.

The yard was very quiet.

---

Later, after the family had given her space, Yang sat alone beneath the big oak at the edge of the property, knees pulled to her chest. The tears came quietly, the kind that had been waiting years for permission.

Soft footsteps approached. Jaune hesitated a few feet away.

"Hey… are you okay?"

He immediately grimaced and dragged a hand down his face. "That was stupid. Of course you're not—"

Yang shook her head. A small, watery smile pulled at her mouth. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and looked up at him.

"You asked your whole family to drop everything and hunt down my mess of a mother," she said. "You stood there the entire time and didn't try to fight my battle for me. You just… stayed."

Jaune opened his mouth, closed it, and settled for a helpless little shrug.

Yang stood. The distance between them felt smaller than it ever had.

"I appreciate everything you've done for me, Jaune. More than I know how to say." She took a breath. "So… would you want to go on a date with me? A real one. No competitions, no family conspiracies, no crisis. Just us."

Jaune's eyes went wide. Then the brightest, most disbelieving smile spread across his face.

"Yeah," he said, voice soft. "I'd like that. A lot."

Yang's smile steadied. She reached out and bumped her fist lightly against his chest.

"Good. Because I'm done waiting for the universe to hand me good things. I'm taking this one myself."

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Sindri Industries Data Sheet
Designation: Sindri Industries ASF-29 "Cavalier" Multirole Strike Fighter
Classification: Lightweight Multirole Strike Fighter / Carrier-Based Air Superiority & Precision Strike Platform
Role: Fleet defense, carrier air wing strike, interception, close air support, deep interdiction, and unmanned wingman coordination.
Manufacturer: Sindri Industries (primary airframe and systems integration)
Origin: Atlas

Physical Specifications

• Length: 15.8 m
• Wingspan: 10.9 m (folding outer panels for stowage)
• Height: 4.9 m
• Mass: 13.2 metric tons (empty) / 21.5 metric tons (combat loaded)
• Configuration: Twin-engine, single- or tandem two-seat, mid-wing multirole fighter with blended wing-body and reinforced carrier landing gear. Compact, high-agility design optimized for rapid cycling on carrier or air base.
• Armor: Lightweight titanium-ceramic composite with selective Hardlight Dust reactive plating over cockpit, engines, and vital systems. Emphasizes speed and energy retention over heavy protection.
• Powerplant: 2 × Sindri S-190 Dust afterburning turbofans + 2 x Nachfolger GM-142 Gravity Dust assist thrusters for STOL/VTOL landing.

Mobility & Performance

• Maximum Speed: Mach 1.9 (high altitude) / Mach 1.15 (sea level)
• Service Ceiling: 58,000 ft (17,700 m)
• Combat Radius: 1,100 km (internal fuel + standard ordnance); extendable with conformal tanks
• Maneuverability: Excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rates. High thrust-to-weight ratio and relaxed static stability give it strong dogfight performance against peer fighters while remaining stable as a weapons platform for precision strike.

Armament

• Primary Gun: 1 × Kuznets Ordnance "Charger" 25 mm autocannon (internally mounted, 480 rounds)
• Air-to-Air Missiles:– Wolpertinger Rocketry WR-33 "Gungnir" radar-guided medium/long-range AAM, Kudesnik & Käsityöläinen (K&K) IRM-4 "Yellowfin" infrared-guided short-range AAM
• Air-to-Ground:– K&K "Crocus" GR-18 short range AGM, Wolpertinger KhM-99 "Piledriver" Long range cluster munition AGM, up to 6 × Wolpertinger Rocketry UR-44 "Hive" 68mm rocket pods (19 rockets each; 114 rockets maximum), 1 x Pod Mounted Nachfolger Mk. IV 30 mm Autocannons (externally mounted, 605 rounds), up to 8,000 kg mixed ordnance: laser-guided, glide, and unguided bombs in various combinations.
• Optional Special Weapon: 1 × Odin Electronics LBH-2 "Odin Eye" Hardlight Dust Beam Cannon (external pod; high-energy precision anti-armor / anti-structure / anti-Grimm weapon, limited shots per sortie)
• Hardpoints: 9 external (wing and fuselage) + limited internal conformal capacity for low-observable loadouts when required.

Sensors & Avionics

• Radar: Heimdall IV AESA (look-down/shoot-down, simultaneous air and ground track, high resistance to jamming)
• Electro-Optical / Targeting: Yggdrasil Sensor Suite Mk III (advanced FLIR, Dust-signature scanning, laser designation, and reconnaissance modes)
• Defensive Aids: Integrated countermeasure dispensers (flares, chaff, and Dust-based decoys, jammers)
• C4I & Networking: Full Atlasian CCT Net C4I datalink for real-time interoperability, IFF, and shared targeting with warships, other air assets, sea and ground forces.
• AI System: WATTS (Wingman Autonomous Tactical Teaming System) AI core — enables seamless coordination with unmanned wingman units that can fly formation, extend sensor coverage, or prosecute secondary targets under manned control.

Crew & Variants

• Crew: 1 (single-seat standard) or 2 (tandem two-seat combat-capable trainer / specialized strike variant with dedicated systems officer)
• Key Variants:
• ASF-29A: Single-seat air superiority / multirole baseline
• ASF-29B: Two-seat precision strike and forward air control
• ASF-29U: Unmanned wingman configuration (optionally manned)

Key Features & Design Philosophy
The Cavalier was deliberately sized and configured as a high-performance multi-role light fighter that could be a supplement to the new Jormungandr-class Battle Carriers and as a replacement for multiple light fighters used across the Atlasian Federation. Atlas doctrine treats the Battle Carrier as the primary power projection naval asset; the Cavalier's role is to multiply that asset's effectiveness through rapid-response fleet defense, precision strike, and the ability to saturate an opponent with coordinated manned and unmanned packages. For ground based aviation, it would be a massive boon and would replace all existing legacy light fighters, enhancing Atlasian air defense and power projection as part of the "Improvement-84" Rearmament Program.

It is lighter, more agile, and cheaper to operate in numbers than heavier Valean designs such as the Tempest Viper. The design trades some raw payload and loiter time for superior acceleration, climb rate, and cycle speed. Hardlight Dust technology appears in selective armor and the optional Odin Eye beam pod, reflecting Atlas's technological edge without making the aircraft dependent on exotic systems for baseline performance. The WATTS AI system is the true force multiplier — allowing a smaller number of manned Cavaliers to control additional unmanned wingmen and maintain a denser combat presence than pure manned formations.

History & Service Notes
Developed as part of the Improvement-84 Rearmament Program, the Cavalier entered service as the standard multirole fighter for Jormungandr-class air wings and as a general replacement for light fighters across the Atlasian Federation.

Pre- Faunus War, Atlas operated a patchwork of light fighters and specialized interceptors from several manufacturers. Each type had its own unique engines, avionics, weapons interfaces, and maintenance procedures. The result was a logistical nightmare: multiple parallel supply chains that White Fang and other irregular forces quickly learned to target. Depots, transport airships, and forward arming points became high-value, soft targets. When those links were cut, entire squadrons were grounded for lack of the correct spare parts or munitions.

Sindri Industries was therefore given a clear mandate: produce a single, robust multirole airframe that could replace the majority of those light fighters across the Atlasian inventory and deal with peer and asymmetrical threats as part of the Improvement-84 Program. The Cavalier was the result, integrating neatly into the new Jormungandr-class Battle Carriers and the larger doctrinal shift of the Atlasian Military.

It is intended to operate in mixed packages: manned Cavaliers providing decision-making and high-value weapon employment, while WATTS-controlled unmanned units extend the engagement envelope and absorb risk-Especially against asymmetrical warfare. While heavier fighters exist, the Cavalier's multiple advances and ease of maintenance have made it a favorite of the Atlasian military forces and it has become ubiquitous on Atlasian battlecarriers and air bases.

The type has proven particularly effective in fleet defense screens and precision interdiction missions, where the Jormungandr Battle Carrier's heavy weapons and sensors provide the long-range picture and the Cavaliers prosecute the targets. Ongoing upgrades focus on further integration of the WATTS network and incremental improvements to the Yggdrasil and Heimdall suites, as well as new armaments integration.

Note: I revised the Cavalier. It is now the equivalent of an F-16 Falcon/F/A-18 Hornet, MiG-29 Fulcrum, or TIE-LN TIE Fighter-A multirole advanced light strike fighter with a long suit in technology and interoperability. Works fine on its own, even better when supporting heavy capital ships.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Honestly though I think the majority of combat aircraft in Remnant would be the equivalent of COIN or light attack aircraft. Stuff like the Bronco, the Tucano, or the Textron AirLand Scorpion. Basically light turboprop or turbofan aircraft, subsonic, often used as trainers that are upgunned enough to deal with light Grimm interdiction, border patrol, or counter-insurgency. These planes aren't meant for dogfights really, they'd operate in areas of relative air superiority (though they probably have some air to air capability to deal with airborne Grimm).

There would be planes equivalent to the A-10 Warthog, Hind, or Sukhoi Su-25 too-Heavy close air support aircraft, slow, with heavy armor and armament to BRRRRRRRRRRR the hell out of Grimm, armor, or other enemy ground assets.

But they fly around and gun down Grimm packs from the air and are available for Hunter teams to call in. More available than the straight up fighter jets or the bombers.

 

[Sliverhero]

Crack idea: Weiss is tremendously sheltered, enough that she's been led to believe that the issues with the SDC have nothing to do with faunus and everything to do with 'the poors'. Why else would Blake's top be so ill-fitting that it doesn't cover up her stomach? She's so destitute that she has to wear hand-me-downs and recycle clothes from when she was 10!

Yang: *grinning* "You hear that, Blakey? You're one of the poors now."
Weiss: *happily* "You don't need to hide it, Blake! You may not be a penniless pauper like Yang, but I'm rich enough to support you both until you get jobs and become productive members of society!"

Click to shrink...

You could do something where weiss tells Jaune off after the unknown amount of time that she cant date jaune because she is not allowed to date beneath her class. Only for an annyoyed jaune to actually reveal that its actually its the other way way his bloodline is ancient while she is from new bloodline only a few centuries old.

Infact yang and ruby should be the ones he go after as yang is descendent of the ancient Branwen lineage even if they degraded into a bandit clan. While ruby is of the sliver lineage the purest line that is legends say it is the line that must never be cut for its holds the gift of light.

 

[LordofBones]

Weiss: "You mean Yang's from a long line of poors who steal from other poors? That's horrible! Don't worry Yang, I'll help you break the cycle!"

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Nana's Wish

Jaune paced the hallway outside the hospital room like a man waiting for a battlefield report. His great-grandmother, Queen Artoria Pendragon — the legendary Saber Queen herself — had been admitted after a sudden collapse. The doctors said it wasn't immediately life-threatening, but at her age, every scare felt like it might be the last.

He needed her to believe he was okay. Happy. Settled.

Which was why he was currently standing in front of Yang Xiao Long, looking desperate.

"Please, Yang. I know it's a huge ask, but… can you pretend to be my fiancée? Just for today? Nana keeps worrying that I'm going to end up alone and useless. If she thinks I've found someone like you, she might actually rest."

"Why me?" Yang asked, raised eyebrow. Jaune coughed.

"Well, um, I would have asked Pyrrha but she's doing work with her agent and mother today and she couldn't get back in time. And Ruby..."

Yang clenched her fist. Jaune nodded.

"Yeah, exactly. Weiss... Yeah. I don't know Blake well enough, Nora..." He shook his head rapidly, and put his hands together as he bowed his head.

"Please Yang? I-I just... I want her to know I'll be okay if... If anything..."

Yang stared at him for a long second, arms crossed.

Then she grinned, slow and dangerous.

"Fiancée, huh? Bold move, VB. You sure you can handle me playing the part?"

Jaune's face went red. "I—I just need her to see I'm doing okay. You don't have to… you know… go full method acting or anything."

Yang's grin widened. "Too late. I'm committing."

"Oh man..."

---

They made it to the hospital in Vale, moving quickly from the receptionist desk to the intensive care ward. Jaune squeezed Yang's hand as they got to his nana's door.

"Let me go in first," Jaune said. Yang nodded. He entered the plainly decorated hospital room, Yang pausing at the threshold. The windows were open, letting in fresh air and warm sunshine.

Artoria Pendragon looked smaller in the hospital bed, hooked up to beeping sensors, but her green eyes still held that ancient, regal sharpness.

When Jaune walked in, she brightened.

"Jaune, my dear boy!" she said warmly, voice a little weaker than usual but full of love.

"Hey Nana," Jaune said. "How are you feeling? Where is everyone else?"

Artoria snorted.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just fine. Everyone else was hovering too much. I had them go off, handle things. I don't need nursemaids! The worst part? These barbarians won't let me have my tea! Can you imagine? What is the world coming to? No sense of propriety, no sense of tradition-"

"Or taste?" Jaune joked. He moved forward, pulling away briefly from Yang. He pulled a small thermos from under his armor plate with a smile. He handed it to his Nana, who took it from him gratefully. She beamed.

"Oh Jaune… You're so sweet." She looked over at Yang, lingering in the doorframe. "And who is this lovely young woman?"

Yang stepped forward with surprising grace, slipping her arm around Jaune's waist and leaning into him like they'd been together for years.

"Hi, Your Majesty. I'm Yang Xiao Long. Jaune's fiancée." She gave Artoria a bright, genuine smile. "It's an honor to finally meet the woman my fiancee admires so much… And a total badass!"

Artoria's eyes sparkled with delight. "Fiancée? Oh, Jaune! You've been holding out on me!"

Jaune laughed nervously, one arm awkwardly around Yang's shoulders. "Y-Yeah… Surprise?"

Yang played her role perfectly. She fussed over Jaune, straightened his collar, called him "sweetheart," and told Artoria embarrassing but endearing stories about how "reliable and kind" he was. At one point she even kissed his cheek.

Jaune's face stayed permanently pink the entire visit.

Artoria watched them with soft, misty eyes. "You two look so happy together. That's all I ever wanted for you, my sweet boy. To find someone who sees how bright your soul is."

Yang's teasing expression faltered for just a second. She glanced at Jaune, something softer in her eyes, before turning back to Artoria.

"He's a good one," she said quietly. "I'm lucky to have him."

"I…" He gulped and nodded, "I'm… Luckier."

"Well, you're good at sweet talking," Artoria chuckled, "You got that from your great-grandfather, you know."

"Nana," Jaune groaned. Yang giggled.

"I'd like to hear it!"

Artoria beamed.

"Well, it all started with my knights and dinner…"

When visiting hours ended, Artoria squeezed both their hands.

"Thank you for making an old woman very happy. Take care of each other."

---

The moment they were out of sight, Jaune let out a huge breath and turned to Yang.

"Thank you. Seriously. You didn't have to go that far."

Yang smirked, but there was a faint blush on her cheeks. "What can I say? I'm a method actor." She nudged him with her elbow. "Besides… it wasn't entirely terrible. Your Nana is awesome… And you make a pretty decent fake fiancé, VB."

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, smiling shyly. "You were amazing. Nana really loved you."

Yang was quiet for a moment, then bumped her shoulder against his.

"…We should probably break the news to her eventually that we're not actually engaged."

Jaune laughed. "Yeah. Probably."

They started walking toward the airship docks side by side. Yang's hand brushed his.

"Hey, Jaune?"

"Hm?"

She gave him a small, surprisingly gentle smile.

"If you ever need a fake fiancée again… you know where to find me."

Jaune's heart did something complicated in his chest.

"I'll keep that in mind."

And for the rest of the walk, neither of them pulled their hands apart.

---

Back in the hospital room, Artoria Pendragon smiled knowingly as she sipped her smuggled tea.

"Ah… young love. They'll figure it out eventually."

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

Gonna be a sad day once they do actually pass away.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

Jaune knocked politely on the door to Professor Goodwitch's office, Mia's small hand clutched tightly in his. The little girl bounced on her toes, still buzzing with energy from seeing her papa after his long training mission.

"Come in," Glynda's crisp voice called.

The door opened. Jaune stepped inside, still a little travel-worn, the short blond beard he'd grown during the week of woodland training with his father neatly trimmed but unmistakable. Mia waved enthusiastically with her free hand.

"Hi Miss Glynda! Papa's back!"

Glynda looked up from her desk… and froze.

Her eyes locked onto the beard. For a brief second her professional composure cracked. A faint flush colored her cheeks. She quickly lifted a stack of papers, holding them just high enough to half-conceal her face as she cleared her throat.

"Mister Arc. Welcome back." Her voice was carefully controlled. "I see your training was… productive."

Jaune smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. Dad put me through the wringer. Thank you, by the way—for looking after Mia while I was gone. And for all the other times you've stepped in. It really means a lot."

Glynda lowered the papers slightly, her expression softening despite herself. "You're very welcome. I… enjoy taking care of Mia. She's a bright child."

Mia tugged on Jaune's sleeve and pointed at his face. "Papa has a fuzzy face! I don't like it!"

Jaune chuckled. "I might shave it off. Everyone else seems to like it, though. What do you think, Professor?"

Glynda's mind promptly betrayed her.

In her head she was no longer in her office. She stood in a warm kitchen, heavily pregnant, wearing a simple apron over a soft dress. Strong arms slipped around her from behind. Bearded Jaune pulled her gently against his chest, pressing a slow, tender kiss to the side of her neck. She leaned into him with a happy sigh, one hand resting on her rounded belly. A slightly older Mia ran in and hugged both their legs, laughing.

"Uhhh… Professor?"

Glynda blinked hard, the fantasy vanishing. She straightened, cheeks still faintly pink.

"It's… ahem… perfectly acceptable," she said, voice a touch higher than usual. "Just keep it neat."

"Yes, ma'am."

Mia made a dramatic face. "Still yucky and scratchy! Especially when he kisses me!"

"Awww…" Jaune lifted her up and nuzzled her cheek with the soft beard. "Come on, I'm keeping it soft."

Mia giggled and squirmed. "It tickles!"

Glynda stared.

The second fantasy hit harder. She was his wife now. Jaune had her pressed gently but firmly against a wall, one hand on her waist, the other tilting her chin up. His bearded face was close, voice low and warm as he kissed her thoroughly—

"Uh, Professor?"

Glynda's eyes snapped back into focus. Her face was redder than before.

"…Get out of my office, Mister Arc."

Jaune blinked. "But—"

"OUT!"

Jaune wisely didn't argue. He adjusted Mia on his hip, gave Glynda a slightly bewildered but polite nod, and retreated toward the door.

Mia waved cheerfully over his shoulder. "Bye-bye, Miss Glynda! Love you!"

Glynda waited until the door clicked shut.

Then she slowly lowered her face into her hands and let out a long, muffled groan.

That beard was going to be the death of her.

 

[cavalal386]

I have a question.
Does the "Why Weiss Doesn't Give Her Team Dust" by Maximize over on SB feel like it written by ai?
It's something about it that gives that feeling, but I can't tell what it is. And that itch is stopping me from enjoying it.

 

[zMADLAXz]

I have a question.
Does the "Why Weiss Doesn't Give Her Team Dust" by Maximize over on SB feel like it written by ai?
It's something about it that gives that feeling, but I can't tell what it is. And that itch is stopping me from enjoying it.

Click to shrink...

Nahh, to me it is too fragmented and succint and full of dry humor to be AI written.

 

[GrimmKenway8646]

Glynda waited until the door clicked shut.

Then she slowly lowered her face into her hands and let out a long, muffled groan.

That beard was going to be the death of her.

Click to shrink...

Jaune acting very mature and giving off DILF-vibes is a one-hit KO for the single ladies around him.

 

[ExFelineServer3]

One of Glinda's weaknesses: the trimmed beard!

 

[digcat]

Now we need to see the others reaction Yang Pyrrha and Weiss probably needed real cold showers.

 

[Unknown_One]

Now we need to see the others reaction Yang Pyrrha and Weiss probably needed real cold showers.

Click to shrink...

Or lengthy warm showers with the shower heads pointed in strategic positions that would be best for the NSFW counterpart of this thread.

 

[digcat]

Or lengthy warm showers with the shower heads pointed in strategic positions that would be best for the NSFW counterpart of this thread.

Click to shrink...

True and I'm all for it.

 

[digcat]

Jaune needs skin contact to summon a Hyde.

Click to shrink...

I would love to see more on this and no idea how i missed it before.

 

[AndrewJTalon]

In a universe where Yang is a dog faunus, she has some issues one Saturday morning. Jaune hopes to resolve it... With a walk!

Written with @brinkleberry .

Dragonslayer, One-Shot, Fluff.

The Walk

Saturday morning light filled the shared common room, turning the kitchen island golden. Most of Team RWBY and JNPR were sprawled across the couches in various states of half-awake breakfast existence—Scrolls out, coffee in hand, the usual low murmur of conversation. Yang sat alone at the island with her back to them, methodically working through a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. Her golden dog ears were relaxed, angled slightly back, and her fluffy tail hung in a loose, content curve behind the stool.

Jaune leaned against the counter, drying a mug, and watched her for a second longer than necessary. A slow grin spread across his face.

"Hey," he said, loud enough for the room to hear, "you guys wanna see something cute?"

Every head on the couch turned. Weiss looked up from her tea. Nora paused mid-bite. Blake's ears twitched with interest. Ruby and Pyrrha both leaned forward.

Jaune's grin widened. He kept his eyes on Yang's back.

"I was thinking of going on a walk later."

Yang's left ear flicked once. Then both ears tilted, just a little, toward the sound of his voice. Her tail gave the tiniest, almost invisible twitch. She kept eating, determinedly casual.

Jaune's voice stayed light. "Yeah, I think I'm gonna go take a walk soon."

The tip of Yang's tail began to sway. Slow at first, then a little faster. Weiss clapped a hand over her mouth so hard her eyes watered. Nora's face lit up like a festival.

"That's great!" Nora stage-whispered, stars in her eyes.

Blake smirked over the rim of her coffee. "And after that, Jaune?"

Ruby was already giggling into her pillow.

Jaune hummed like he was considering the day's schedule. "After that, maybe I'll play some basketball."

Yang's tail kicked into a steady, happy wag. The motion was so vigorous the stool creaked. Pyrrha covered her smile with one hand and whispered, almost reverently, "That's adorable."

Ruby, never one to miss an opportunity, added brightly, "Maybe we can all get some food after that?"

Yang's tail went into overdrive—full, sweeping wags that made the fluffy golden fur blur. She was still trying to eat. The fork in her hand had stopped moving.

Jaune opened his mouth for one more casual comment—

—and Yang's hand shot back, grabbed her own traitorous tail, and pinned it against the side of the stool. She twisted around on the seat, face scarlet, and fixed him with a glare that could have melted steel.

Jaune immediately put both hands up in surrender, laughing. "Sorry, sorry. I can't help it. It's really cute."

"Yeah, w-well," Yang muttered, ears flat with embarrassment, "I'm trying to eat here."

The couch dissolved into poorly hidden snickers and whispered commentary. Yang turned back around with as much dignity as a blushing dog Faunus could muster and finished her breakfast in pointed silence.

Later, when the others had drifted off and Jaune was alone at the sink washing the last of the plates, he felt a gentle tug at the edge of his shirt.

He turned.

Yang stood there, ears angled shyly downward, tail giving tiny, hopeful little swishes she clearly couldn't stop. She wasn't looking at him. Her face was still pink.

"…Still up for a walk outside?" she asked, voice quiet.

Jaune's brain short-circuited so hard he was pretty sure he saw actual cartoon hearts.

SO CUUUUUTE—

He managed to keep his voice only mostly strangled. "Y-Yeah, sure! Give me a second!"

Yang's ears perked. Her tail gave one big, unrestrained wag before she caught herself and forced it still. She still wouldn't meet his eyes, but the smallest smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

She suddenly held something out.

Jaune looked down.

A worn collar and leash.

He stared.

Yang's expression was carefully neutral, but the tip of her tail betrayed her. "…It's Zwei's."

Jaune's mouth opened. Closed. He knew exactly what she was doing—escalating the joke he'd started. He could have shut it down. Instead he tilted his head.

"Well… how will people know you've had all your shots? I mean, there might be a leash law."

Yang's ears flicked. For a second she looked like she might actually put the collar on just to win.

Then she snorted, tossed both leash and collar into the sink with a clatter, and pointed at them.

"For when you get back. Clean it. You're already doing the dishes."

"Isn't that a chore you mainly put on Ruby?"

"Yeah, but I feel bad."

Jaune gave her a teasing grin. "But not bad enough to not put it on me?"

Yang grinned right back, already heading for the door with her hands in her pockets. "Nope. Meet you outside!"

Jaune sighed theatrically at the sink. "Work, work, work…" Then he dried his hands and followed.

Outside, Yang was leaning against the wall of the dorm building, one boot hooked behind the other. When she saw him she pushed off and smiled.

"Yo. Where to?"

Jaune considered. "Well… I was thinking… the Initiation cliff?"

Yang's tail immediately started wagging harder. That was the furthest point from the school! That's so much walk time! Huzzah! "I can get behind that."

"You're going to be in front though," Jaune said, then immediately regretted the attempt at a joke. "You know, for a walk and… uh…"

He groaned at himself.

Yang narrowed her eyes, shifted her weight to one hip, and crossed her arms. "And…?"

"Annnd… h-hey! Let's just get going!" Jaune grabbed her hand and tugged her forward before he had to explain the extremely lame dog-walking joke. Yang rolled her eyes but let herself be pulled. Just this once.

They cut across the Beacon grounds, past the training fields and into the older ruins that ringed the cliffs. Ancient stone walls and half-collapsed towers rose around them, overgrown with moss and wildflowers. The air smelled of pine, pollen, and distant rain.

Jaune, ever the history nerd when he got going, gestured at the weathered stones. "This all used to be a Quitalan fortress city thousands of years ago. I think it was called Lumens. Oobleck was talking about it yesterday in class. Like, can you imagine having to fight the Grimm without Dust? Just shield, sword, javelin, Aura, and courage? And building all this without machines was amazing…"

He looked like a little kid again, eyes bright.

"And over there, that's some of those…" He does a double take when he notices his friend wasn't with him anymore. "Yang?"

Yang had gone quiet.

Jaune glanced over. "…What?"

Yang was sniffing the air, nose wrinkled. "…Someone shit here. Not too long ago. Like, not an animal, an actual person."

Jaune's face fell. "Way to ruin the moment."

"Sorry, huh? Something about Oobleck?"

He sighed, then laughed in spite of himself.

"What?" she said, blinking.

"I'm serious! I swear I was listening!" she added quickly, ears flicking upright in protest.

Jaune only grinned, slow and teasing. "Uh huh."

"I was!"

"Oh look," he said lightly, pointing past her shoulder, "is that a squirrel by that Doric column?"

Yang's ears perked hard on top of her head. She forced herself to keep her eyes on him anyway. "…N-Nuh uh."

"Two squirrels," Jaune continued, completely deadpan. "And they're talking shit about you."

"You can't talk to squirrels," Yang muttered, though her eyes had already narrowed with suspicion. "You wouldn't know that."

"They're always talking shit. They're squirrels. They're bastards—" He leaned in conspiratorially. "One has a tennis ball!"

Yang whipped around so fast her hair swung out behind her.

There were two squirrels. There was absolutely no tennis ball.

When she turned back, Jaune was already laughing so hard he had to brace a hand on his knee.

She punched his shoulder.

"OW!"

"You dick! I believed you!"

"Hey!" Jaune wheezed, still laughing. "I only lied about the tennis ball!"

"That was the part I cared about!"

He wiped at his eyes, trying (and failing) to sober up. "All right, all right… sorry…"

Yang huffed and crossed her arms, ears still angled back in residual embarrassment. "Hmph! How about I mock you? 'Look at me! I'm a human! I build civilization and contemplate my mortal existence and pay taxes!'"

"You do all that too," Jaune pointed out.

"Not taxes. Only bitches do that."

Jaune snickered. Then his eyes suddenly lit up. "Heh… oh hey! A butterfly!"

He took off after it down the path.

Yang threw her hands up. "Now who's playing fetch?!"

"I think it's a Ratzer's Ringlet!" Jaune called over his shoulder, already half-jogging. "They're super rare!"

Yang rolled her eyes and followed at a more leisurely pace, hands in her pockets. "Really? I thought it was a butterfly."

"It's a kind of butterfly!"

She let him go, content to trail behind and simply breathe. The air out here was better—cleaner, full of pine and sun-warmed stone and a hundred little scents she didn't have names for. Liking walks had nothing to do with being a dog Faunus, okay? It was just… a good way to clear her head. Experience new scents–SIGHTS! New sights! Yeah, that was it…

Jaune was still narrating ahead of her, voice bright with genuine enthusiasm. "They're super rare and they follow Remnant's magnetic field and they pollinate flowers and can dodge bats—"

A bird dove out of nowhere, snapped the butterfly cleanly out of the air, and flapped off without ceremony.

Jaune stopped dead. "…Dick."

Yang caught up and watched the bird disappear with a shrug. "I guess that bird is faster than a bat."

"Stupid bird…" Jaune grumbled.

"Ah well. Plenty of butterflies in the sky, as they say."

"Yeah, I know… and I guess I'm just being… immature. It was really cool—" His voice suddenly jumped as he rushed forward. "OH LOOK!"

Yang's ears and head snapped up so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash. She spun around, ready for another squirrel, another tennis ball, another lie, dashing after him—

—and then the trees fell away.

They stepped out onto the open cliffs.

The valley stretched out beneath them in a wide, green sweep. White-capped mountains framed the far edges. Vale itself gleamed in the afternoon sun, a scatter of white and glass under a sky so blue it almost hurt to look at.

Yang's voice came out quieter than she meant. "…Nice."

"Yeah…" Jaune said beside her. Both of them silently sat down next to each other.

A beat passed.

"I can't imagine a better sight…" he added softly.

Yang glanced over—and realized he wasn't looking at the valley at all. He was looking at her.

She did a double take, then broke into helpless giggles, one hand coming up to cover her mouth.

"C-Could you… be any more corny…?"

Jaune didn't answer with words.

He simply held up the crumpled little bag of candy corn he had apparently been carrying this entire time.

Yang took one look at it and completely lost it—snorting, wheezing, nearly doubling over as the laugh punched out of her.

"Oh my… oh my gods… where… how long have you been holding on to that?"

"Don't ask. I tried carrying a corn cob in a plastic bag but… that didn't uh… work out." He shrugged and tossed the bag of candy corn over his shoulder. "Ah well. Got the bit done. Mission accomplished."

Yang's head snapped around so fast her ears bounced. She watched the bag arc through the air and land in the grass.

"A-Anyways, yeah. Corn on a cob, in a plastic bag, got me really weird looks and would've been awkward carrying everywhere and—… Yang?"

Jaune does another double take when he notices she was gone… again.

A second later, she crawled back beside him, holding out the bag of candy corn to him.

"Here ya go! You dropped this."

Jaune stared at the bag. "…Well… it's really no good. And it's candy corn, so nobody is going to want to eat it."

He tossed it again.

Yang's eyes tracked it the entire way. She was already moving before it hit the ground.

"Anyways, yeah. I'm still kind of bummed about that butterfly. It was a really rare one, and–…"

He stares at her, at her bright eyes and wagging tail… and the bag of candy corn in her hands. He takes it from her, and while looking her in the eyes, he throws it behind himself… again.

Yang tries not to watch it fly through the air, but Jaune could see the way her gaze would break, just a bit. "…You're not gonna go after it?"

"S-Shut up."

Jaune waits. Yang waits. She stares into his eyes, trying to fight the urge to go fetch get the bag. But eventually…

"…I'mgonnagogetit…"

Jaune smirks. "Sorry, wha? I didn't catch that–"

"I'MGONNAGOGETIT!"

He watches her go, a helpless smile tugging at his mouth. "Heh… so cute…"

"I HATE YOU BY THE WAY!" Yang yelled over her shoulder as she snatched the bag up for the second time.

"And so immature," Jaune murmured fondly, shaking his head. "She hasn't changed…"

"YOU SUCK!"

While she was busy he spotted a particularly straight, sturdy stick half-buried in the leaves. He picked it up and turned it over in his hands. It really did look like a sword.

Yang stomped back, grumbling, candy corn bag clutched in one hand. She plopped down beside him without meeting his eyes and thrust the bag out.

"Here… your stupid candy corn…"

Then she noticed the stick.

"…Cool stick. Looks like a sword."

Jaune smiled down at it. "It is really cool… No, no. It's silly. I'm eighteen. I shouldn't get excited over a stick."

Yang looked at him like he had grown a second head. "You kidding? It's a stick that looks like a sword. That's awesome!"

The sincerity in her voice made him soften. "Well… it is pretty awesome." He glanced at her. "I'm glad you're smiling again, Yang. You were a little down for a while…"

Yang's ears drooped. She curled in on herself a little. "It's… it's silly. Actually silly this time, unlike that stick."

"Well… I can listen."

She mumbled something toward the ground.

"What?"

"…I had a dream," she admitted, voice small, "where I was a cat Faunus."

Jaune snorted. "What?!"

"I know, right?! Why would I dream something so stupid?! Dogs are way better than cats!" She stiffened, ears flicking upright in panic. "BUT I'M NOT A DOG! I just… think they're cooler!"

"They're way cooler," Jaune agreed easily.

He reached out and scratched gently behind one of her ears.

Yang's whole posture changed. "Right?!" She sat up proudly for half a second before the words started tumbling out again. "But then I went out for a run and the universe decided it'd be funny to make it rain only during my run because the second I got back it stopped raining, then the mailman decided to be a little shit—did you know Beacon has a mailman? That's crazy, do you realize how big this place is?—then this other dog Faunus from Shade tried to get on my treadmill when I wanted to finish my workout even thought everyone knows that one is mine and we both got kicked out and—"

She stopped mid-rant the moment his fingers found the perfect spot. Her eyes fluttered shut.

"Ooooh, yeahhh… that's the spot…"

Jaune chuckled. "So cute…"

Yang only hummed and tilted her head to give him better access.

"I brought jerky," he said after a while. "You want some? Tangy's trying to push this new product with her PMC, but it's beef."

"Yyyyyyessss…." Yang's voice was pure bliss. One of her folded legs twitched and thumped once against the ground before she could stop it.

Jaune opened the package and handed her a strip. She took it, gave it a long sniff while he kept scratching, then frowned.

"There's more than just beef in here, is there?"

"Maybe lamb?"

"Ah! That would explain that other smell!" She took a bite, chewed once, and immediately spat it out. "PTUH! EW! This tastes nothing like what you just said! How do I smell beef and lamb but taste dish detergent and earwax?!"

Jaune sighed. "Well, this sucks. Tangy's going to murder this guy for shitty jerky."

Yang paused. "…Oh wait. I forgot. I hate jerky."

"She still might kill him."

A beat of silence.

"…You stopped scratching."

Jaune smiled, soft and fond, and got back to it. "Work, work, work…"

Yang's eyes closed again, a small, content smile on her face. Then they snapped open. She smells something. Her ears perked straight up.

"Hey Jaune, look!"

A butterfly—one of the same rare-looking ones from earlier—drifted down on the breeze and landed delicately on the tip of her nose.

Yang went cross-eyed trying to look at it. She stayed perfectly still, tail sweeping slowly back and forth through the grass. After a moment she closed her eyes and beamed, the expression bright and unguarded.

"Hmm… butterfly…"

Jaune made a quiet, strangled sound in the back of his throat.

SO CUTE—

He kept scratching behind her ear while the butterfly rested on her nose and Yang's tail wagged in lazy, happy arcs.

She was really glad he had made that joke earlier.

 

[ThunderBasilisk]

We all know damn well if they actually existed dog girls would reign supreme no matter what those of the cat agenda say.