Work Text:
Jaune and his friends decided to go camping during the summer to celebrate the completion of their first year at Beacon. To be honest, only four of them were really excited about it. Ren and Nora enjoyed being outdoors and showing off the skills they’d learned while traveling, Jaune grew up camping with his grandpa and eldest sister (and occasionally his father), and Yang, surprisingly, loved camping too. He’d have thought that the brawler would have hated it because of the risk camping held for her hair, but apparently not. Her hair was much tougher than most people gave it credit for. Yang was just sensitive about it.
Weiss and Pyrrha were the two who struggled the most, obviously, due to their wealthier upbringings within urban areas. Blake was simply unmotivated, though she easily accomplished all of her tasks and duties. Ruby, well, Ruby acted her age. She pouted and complained about being given “impossible stuff” before becoming all bashful and shy when someone told her how to do it. Apparently this was Yang’s fault as she spoiled Ruby when they were younger. Needless to say, the trip was equally stressful and relaxing. Everything changed when night fell though.
“Mind if I join you, Lover Boy?” Jaune jolted as he looked down from where he had been staring at the shattered moon and starry sky. Yang was smiling down at him with her hair slightly glowing to illuminate the area around them. Months of detention with Goodwitch had taught her how to control the effects her Semblance caused, inadvertently giving Yang some new party tricks. Jaune scooted over and let her sit down beside him on the log. “So, what’s up?”
Jaune laughed a little before looking back at the sky. “Nothing much, I’m just reminiscing about my camping trips as a kid. My eldest sister Joan and I used to go frequently in the parks surrounding Domremy. Our grandpa too, whenever he could at least.” He exhaled before looking down at Yang and smiling. “This trip so far reminds me of when Joan tried to get the rest of our sisters to go camping with us.”
“Chaotic?” Yang asked, clearly a rhetorical question judging by the smirk on her face.
Jaune gave a short laugh. “Oh yeah. Jeanne and Saph were the lazy ones who could do anything but didn’t feel like it, Vi and Rouge complained the entire time about how ‘icky’ camping was and how they couldn’t wait to return home, and the youngest twins, Blanche and Noire, cried whenever they couldn’t figure out how to do something.”
“Sounds like our trip, just on steroids.” Yang commented, looking up at the night sky. “You know, I’m really enjoying this though. The stars are so beautiful tonight.”
“Yeah, they really are.” Jaune nodded, looking up at them as well. “It kind of makes everything else seem trivial, right? Listen…” the sound of gentle snoring and the campfire crackling and the wildlife singing filled their ears. “It’s so peaceful, right? So beautiful.”
“I’m a little conflicted now, honestly.” Yang admitted with a laugh. She ran her fingers through her hair, making minor flames run across it before they died down again. “I’d love to show the others this to prove why camping is awesome, but I also kind of want to keep this between us. A memory that’s so special only the two of us have it.”
Jaune was stunned by that and felt his face heat up. Yang’s did likewise before she extinguished her hair and rushed off to her tent. The next morning was a little awkward, but by nightfall, their rhythm had returned. “I see you stole my spot.” Jaune teased Yang who was sitting on that same log with her gently glowing hair guiding his way.
“Yeah, well, mine wasn’t as comfortable, so I thought yours might be.” Yang mock-sighed before laughing cheerily. “Hey, I’m sorry about what I said last night-”
“Don’t be.” Jaune interrupted. “I, uh, I feel the same way. It just took me by surprise, that’s all.” He offered a sheepish smile to her, making her smile back, though hers was far brighter and more confident than his. Her hair even shone more briefly before dying down again. “Hey, if that log is too bumpy, why don’t we try something else?”
Yang looked intrigued, so Jaune retreated to his tent briefly before pulling out a heavy quilted blanket with weather-treated material. “My family used this for picnics before we all got too busy to be with each other. I may or may not have stolen it over spring break in preparation for this trip.” Jaune looked away, sheepish again, making Yang laugh. “If you want, we could lay down on this and look up at the stars without straining our necks.”
Yang’s laughter froze and there was a hint of a blush as her hair briefly extinguished itself before flickering back on. “S-Sure.” She laid down next to him on the blanket and let her hair’s light go out. The two of them sat in silence for what felt like an eternity before she spoke up. “Hey, did you mean what you said? That you felt the same way?” She turned over on her side and looked at him.
The campfire’s dwindling light was just enough for him to see the depth of her lilac eyes. “Yeah.” Jaune’s mouth felt dry for some reason. “Yeah, I did. To be honest, I was really hoping you’d be here again tonight so we’d have more secret memories to share.”
Yang smiled before scooting closer to him and curling into his side. “I’m here, so let’s make some more. Why don’t you show me that constellation you were telling Ruby about this morning?”
“Draco?” Jaune asked. “Okay, sure.” He began quietly explaining the legend behind that particular constellation and all the theories about its development, including various regional differences. “Funnily enough, it’s actually thought in some places that Corvus was put there to annoy Draco instead of the usual theory where Draco guards Corvus from drinking from the Cup.”
Yang let out a snort of laughter at that. “Seriously? That’s ridiculous, man. Why would a dragon of all things guard a simple crow…” she trailed off, losing the humor for some reason. Wait, wasn’t her last name Mistrali for ‘little dragon?’ And her uncle’s name was Qrow. Okay, maybe that was a little close to home for her.
“Do you know what the morning star used to be considered?” Jaune asked, redirecting her attention.
“No, what?” Yang smiled, silently thanking him for the distraction.
“Most of the time, the morning star is a particularly bright star that appears in the west while the sun rises. Because of this, it was considered to be either a love goddess or an angel by certain cultures.” Jaune explained. “Sometimes it even appears in the east before the sun rises, further lending credence to the angelic theory.”
“That’s cool.” Yang smirked though, clearly having some joke planned. “So are you saying you think I’m an angel?”
“Nope.” Jaune answered simply, making her face fall. “You’re a goddess of beauty to me. The morning star can be considered a herald for the sun, and I think that’s fitting for you. A beautiful star which brings with her the mighty blazing light which gives warmth and protection to the entire world. That’s how I think of you.”
Yang’s face immediately turned bright red before a smile crept its way onto her face. “Laying it on a little thick there, aren’t we?”
“Not at all.” Jaune shook his head. “If anything, I’m selling you short.” Her blush grew even worse. “See? There’s the dawn’s red sky and the sun’s light following it.” Her atomic red blush had caused some strands of her hair to light up uncontrollably. She buried her burning face into his side, mumbling something. “What was that?”
“Kiss me, you idiot.” Yang repeated before grabbing his face and kissing him before he got a chance to react.
Again, the next day was fairly awkward, but only because the two of them had to fight off dopey smiles whenever they locked eyes with each other. Yang even pulled Jaune behind a tree to kiss him some more while Ren made lunch. That night, they sat on the log again and interlaced their fingers for the first time. “Yang, would you like to go on a date soon?” Jaune asked out of the blue.
“What did you think these nights together were, dreams?” Yang teased, elbowing him in the shoulder before leaning on him. “But yes, I’d love that. First though, one last question for you.”
“Only one?” Jaune asked, getting a slap on the arm. “Okay, what’s up?”
“Would you like to be my boyfriend?” Yang asked, looking up at him. She lit up her hair so they could see every part of each other’s face.
“I’d love to be your boyfriend, Yang. I’d like that a whole lot.” Jaune managed to rasp out after his mouth dried up, again, at how beautiful she was.
“You sure? No take-backs. If you’re my boyfriend, then I’m never letting you get away. You’ll be stuck with me forever.” Yang warned him, but he just shot her a gentle smile.
“Don’t threaten me with a good time, ma chérie.” Jaune teased, making her blush at his usage of Old Valean. “Let’s leave forever to wait a bit longer though, and enjoy this night for a little longer.” Yang smiled back at him as she leaned her head against his shoulder and stared up at the night sky alongside him. ‘What a lovely night…’ Jaune thought as the tranquility rushed over him.
The End.