Summary: Weiss reads a book while Jaune tries (and fails) to study.

Of Conflicts and Self-Doubt

RWBY

"I give up." Jaune Arc flopped back on his bed. "This is impossible."

"You're just not trying hard enough," remarked Weiss Schnee who was sitting next to him, nose deep in a book.

"Says you," he said.

"Yes, I do say." Weiss peered at him over her reading glasses. "This is first year revision. You're a third year now for crying out loud."

"Whatever. You know I don't do well with history."

Silence.

"You do know that you were just revising for Grimm Studies, right?"

"Grimm say what now?"

Weiss groaned into her hands. "Why do I put up with you?" she grumbled.

"I've been doing a study on that," said Jaune, pulling out a comic. He flicked it open and began scanning through the pages. "Seventeen days later, still no answer."

"You're weird."

"No, you are."

Weiss sighed, shaking her head before returning to her book. The two of them sat like this in the JNPR dorm for a while. The rest of Weiss' team was out doing who knows what, and as for Jaune's team… Nora had an idea. And well, what Nora wants, Nora usually gets.

Jaune set the comic down. "Weiss," he said, sitting up. "Psst, Weiss."

"Yes?"

"I'm bored."

Weiss looked behind her. "Then study," she said.

"Nah. I'm just gonna wing it."

"History or Grimm Studies? I can't quite tell with you…"

"Why not both?"

Weiss groaned again. "Then have fun with your boredom."

"That's an oxymoron, Weiss. It's literally impossible to have fun while being bored."

"I'm surprised someone like you knows what an oxymoron is."

"I read the dictionary a lot."

"And yet you don't study?"

"Hey." Jaune looked at her seriously. "When it comes to reading, dictionaries are the most fun you can have."

"I don't- I can't-" Weiss took a deep breath. "I'm just going to go back to reading."

"But I'm bored."

"Then do something to become un-bored…"

"Okay." Jaune flopped back on the bed. "Hmm…" He poked Weiss on the shoulder. "Poke."

Weiss put her book down again. "Really?" she snapped, irritated.

"You told me to do something to become un-bored."

"I didn't mea-!" Weiss took another deep breath. "Just stop it."

"Poke," said Jaune, this time poking her on her back.

"Stop."

"Poke." Arm.

"I said quit it."

"Poke."

"Really?"

"Poke, poke, poke."

"Seriously," Weiss said. "Poke me one more time and I'm just going to go to the librar-eep!"

Time seemed to freeze as Jaune's eyes widened. He slowly took his hand away from Weiss' side, keeping his eyes on Weiss' reddening face all the while. The girl in questioning was trying (and failing) to keep her face straight and free from embarrassment.

"Weiss…" Jaune said quietly. "Are you… ticklish?"

"No." Weiss said defiantly. But even as she said it, she placed her reading glasses on the bedside table, slowly bracing for the worst.

"You are…"

"I'm not!"

"Oh really?"

"Jaune, I swear, if you do what you're about to-!"

The rest of Weiss' sentence was cut off as Jaune sprung on her, pulling her back on the bed. Seconds later the dorm was rich with Weiss' laughter as Jaune poked and prodded at her ribs.

"Mercy," she gasped, writhing in between attacks.

"Nope," said Jaune. "This is too much fun."

"You're… so… mean!"

"I can't help that this is a little bit of the pot calling the kettle bla-aha!"

Jaune flinched as one of Weiss' hands grazed his armpit. The two of their eyes met for a brief instant. Weiss' eyes blazed with vengeance.

"O-oh no," Jaune managed, before he was rolled onto the bed.

The tickling onslaught began once more, this time with him as the victim. Weiss was still laughing, but in a much more sadistic manner as Jaune let out yelps of agony.

"Okay, okay!" Jaune said between breaths, tears of mirth spilling from his eyes. "I yield, I yield!"

"Say that Weiss Schnee is the greatest."

"Weiss Schnee is the greatest!"

"I can't hear you…"

"Weiss Schnee is the greatest! Weiss Schnee is the damned greatest!"

The assault stopped. Weiss leaned back, crossing her arms with a smirk on her face. "Why Jaune, I didn't know you felt that way," she said in a sing-song voice.

Jaune glared at her, panting and curled up. "I've been a victim of one too many tickle attacks from my sisters."

"So basically, you're admitting that you're just one big sissy."

"In a manner of speaking, yes… but you know the thing about sissies?"

"What?"

"They're sore losers."

"Huh? Wait wha-?!" was all Weiss could say before Jaune leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Weiss' waist, dragging her down with him onto the bed.

"I win," Jaune said with a smug grin, looking down at her.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said, burying herself into his chest. "Whatever makes you sleep at night."

The two of them stayed like that for a while, letting the adrenaline of their earlier excursion die out. Slowly, they pulled away from each other and looked into each other's eyes.

Jaune stared.

Weiss stared back.

The two of them slowly gravitated towards each other, finally leaving only inches between them. Weiss moved forward more, slowly closing her eyes.

She was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Opening her eyes, she looked at Jaune curiously. A foreign emotion was lurking in his eyes, something that she couldn't quite discern.

Then,

"I'm not him."

Her eyes widened in shock before warming into understanding.

And then she kissed him.

"I know."

Of Conflicts and Self-Doubt Fin

- Narutochaos22