Chapter 19: Chapter 14
"You know, when I said I'd be glad to help you...girl problems wasn't in the equation." Shirou smiled wryly at Jaune who was holding the hands of Blake Belladonna.
Jaune let go of her hands and rolled his eyes, "I don't even have a girl, how can I have girl problems? She's Blake by the way, a friend of mine and a fan of your books."
"Hello." Blake gave a small wave. She should've been excited, but Velvet's words yesterday about the White Fang made her a little depressed.
Shirou chuckled, "For a fan, she doesn't look that happy to see me."
Though with his 'limited' experience with women, he can see that something is bothering the girl.
Oh well, it's Jaune's problem to solve. Blake's not his girl, much less his friend. Though he would help if asked, he don't want to stick his nose where it didnt belong.
Besides, Jaune already got this.
"No! No! I'm very happy to meet you!" Blake panicked and quickly said those words, "I'm a very big fan of your work! I especially like 'Spartacus' and 'The Nameless Hero'. You are a very talented author."
"Thank you for appreciating my hard work." Shirou said shamelessly, though not so shamelessly. True the stories were legends and myths he copied, but he was the one who worked hard to write it - with Shakespeare's skills he imitated.
He's a 'faker' after all.
"If you want, you can read all the books upstairs. I have a small library there filled with books I wrote but didn't bother publishing." said Shirou as he pointed at the stairs, "Don't worry, you two can stay there as you like."
"Really?" Blake's bow twitched, her eyes sparkling in excitement.
"Of course." Shirou shrugs before turning towards Jaune, "You show her the way."
Jaune nodded, and was about to guide Blake when the girl just bolted towards the second without saying any more words.
Shirou smiled wryly. Blake love for books is like Rin's love for money.
"Well, I'll be going after her." Said Jaune as he turned towards Shirou, "Thank you for this. Blake's been depressed lately...I think having this little reading time will help her."
Shirou just nodded at him before he took out something on the drawers and threw it to Jaune, "Here. Consider this a gift from me."
Jaune caught the thing and looked at it. His face immediately turned as red as a tomato, "C-C-Condom!?"
In his hands is a small red square plastic packaging. "What the fuck Shirou!?"
Shirou grinned, "Sex is the best way to comfort a depressed woman. Trust me, I speak from experience...that, and a date. Though a good fuck will also do. Don't worry, the library is soundproof so you can go wild as you can."
"I will not be having sex with my friend! Its weird!" Jaune loudly retorted, "and why are you even keeping a condom in your drawer?!"
"Always expect the unexpected." Said Shirou with a sagely expression.
"How's that related to having a condom?!" Jaune was already feeling exhausted.
"You'll realize that once you gained enough experience." Said Shirou.
Jaune snorted and ignored Shirou as he climbed upstairs, leaving a grinning Shirou. He has been in the library several times already, so he knows where it is.
Even if he didn't, there's a sign outside the door that says "library" so even someone who hasn't been there will know what's behind the door.
Jaune expected Blake to be already inside the library, but he didn't expect her to be standing still outside and just staring at the door.
"Blake," he called out as she turned towards him, "What are you still standing there for? Let's go inside."
Blake, who was now back to her depressed state, just nodded and followed Jaune inside the library.
Looking around, Blake was a little surprised at the number of books on the shelves. They probably numbered into thousands!
"Sit," Jaune stared at her, and she obliged. He then searched the shelf and picked up some books and handed it to Blake. "Epic of Gilgamesh and Argonauts. It's one of my all-time favorites."
Blake accepted and put them on the table, but didn't bother reading them. She just sighed and rested her head on the table.
"What's wrong?" Jaune asked softly, "You've been feeling depressed since yesterday. Is it about what Velvet said? I noticed you've been out of it since."
Blake put up a look of hesitation, and even looking conflicted.
Jaune did not say more. He just remained silent and let Blake decide if she wanted to talk about it.
After awhile, Blake moved her hands to her bow, and removed it. Jaune's eyes widened at the pair of cat-ears on Blake's head.
Blake closed her eyes. She doesn't know why she did that, but when she opened her eyes and saw Jaune still looking at her with neither disgust or hate, she couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"So you're a Faunus," Jaune tilted his head in confusion, "What's the problem with it?"
Really, he couldn't understand. Back in his home town, he saw a lot of Faunus and none of them bothered hiding their animal parts.
In fact, Jaune didn't even know that Faunus were the subject of racism and oppression until he arrived in Vale.
Ansel, his home, operates in meritocracy. It doesn't matter if you're a woman, man, young, old, human, or faunus. If you have the skills to better the lives of people in Ansel you're respected.
It has been that way since Aestus Arc - Jaune's great-great grandfather - chose that place to retire after saving it from a Grimm invasion.
Blake smiled at his words, "I wished everyone can have the same view as you." She then sighed sadly, "Unfortunately, it's not only about me being a faunus. It's something more."
Jaune tilted his head. He raised his brow, waiting for Blake to elaborate.
The newly revealed faunus bit her lips, but continued, "So...how much do you know about the White Fang?"
Jaune shrugs, "Nothing much, just something I heard from Shirou. A peaceful activist turned terrorists. They wanted to let the world know that they want peace and equality by committing public bombing and genocide. Though it prevents the councils from coming up with a law to oppress them, faunus in general became hated by common folks. Which is understandable considering the record of White Fang."
Blake winced, as if she was stabbed in the heart by a hot knife. "...D-Do you hate them? The White Fang I mean."
"Not really. I don't like their ways of doing things. I mean, do they think they can change centuries of oppression by just a few years of protest? Of course not, it will take time....time they won't be having now that they decided to do...well, what they are currently doing."
"I see..." She sighed in relief. At least he doesn't hate her...hm? Since when did she care about how Jaune sees her?
She perished the thought and said, "Well Jaune....I'm part of the White Fang. Well, I used to be anyway."
Jaune stared at her...he then searched his pockets and took out a candy and popped it inside his mouth and took a deep breath.
"Okay. I feel like I'm a little dizzy there...can you repeat it again?"
"I used to be a member of the White Fang."
Jaune stared at her. Looking for any signs of sarcasm, or jest...he found none. He sighed, "O-Okay...so I'm not hearing things. Good. Good. Let me say this first....what the actual fuck?!"
Blake blinked. Feeling a little startled by Jaune's outburst at the end. She then felt like she was splashed by a basin of cold water as her heart seems to skip a beat...does he hate her?
Oh brothers, please no. Anyone but him.
"Okay," Jaune nodded, "Now I get why you're feeling depressed. Velvet pretty much cursed the White Fang to all die."
Blake sighed relief. He didn't hate her.
"Yeah. I joined the White Fang and stayed there even though they became violent. I only left when their...atrocities became too much for me to handle. I know we negatively impacted the lives of common faunus...I just, I just never realized how much our actions affected them until Velvet."
Jaune hummed before opening a wrapper of chocolate bar and took a bite. "Well, at least you left right?....you left, right?"
Blake chuckled and nodded, "I did. I never wanted to be involved with them any further. I decided to be a huntress so that I can at least make a change, no matter how small...." She paused, before turning towards the chocolate on Jaune's hands.
Probably noticing her gaze, the blond asked, "Hungry?" He then took another chocolate of the same kind from his pocket and tossed it to Blake, "Grab a Schneekers."
Blake raised her hands and caught it, only to blushed bright red at what's in her hands. "W-W-W-Wha—?! Jaune!? What do you mean by this!?"
"Hm?" Jaune raised a brow inn confusion before noticing what he tossed towards her. The condom Shirou gave him earlier. "Oh shi—"
"Jaune! What do you mean by giving me this!?"
"It's a misunderstanding! I swear! It's all Shirou's fault!"
"Don't blame my favorite author Jaune! Answer me, what do you mean by giving me this thing!?"
"I said, it's a misunderstanding!"
"I can't believe you! Why Jaune?! Why?!"
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