AN: Hey there, thanks for checking out my story which just so happens to also be another Jaune x Blake story.

What can I say, it's my OTP.

Even if it is a bit of a crack ship. Actually, it being a crack ship is the whole reason I've decided to write this. There's some surprisingly high-quality work on the site for this pairing. Even though if you look at it only from the actual Canon of RWBY, the two of them have as far as I can recall zero interaction (as of Volume 2 anyways, which is the time of writing). So the point of this story is to kind of pick on that and have Jaune and Blake already dating much to the complete and utter bafflement of the rest of the cast.

New chapters will always be from someone else's perspective. Ren is just the lucky one starting them off.

This is just meant to be fun so I'm hoping you get some amusement out of it, even if just a little. With all that important stuff outta the way, let's get the show on the road!

One Day They'll Understand

Lie Ren

Jaune and Blake were currently dating.

To reiterate that: Jaune Arc, one of the most awkward guys in the entirety of Beacon was currently dating Blake Belladonna, one of the most reclusive girls in the academy.

Or so... Jaune claimed, at least.

Blake had never affirmed this, but the fact of the matter was she never denied it either. Which to everyone else might as well be an affirmation in and of itself. After all, that was just common sense, right? If she was really so bothered by the rumors, she would stop them from spreading like she did when the same thing had happened with Sun Wukong. Since she didn't, that meant the rumors were true and the two of them were dating. It was solid enough logic for most everyone.

Everyone not Lie Ren that is.

Ren... he simply didn't get it. No matter how hard he tried or how many times he looked at it he just couldn't possibly conceive the very notion of it.

It wasn't that he believed Jaune was lying about going out with Blake. No, as far as he was concerned, Jaune full-heartedly believed that he and Blake were currently dating right now and was going about his life with that thought in mind. He could be kind of naive like that. That wasn't to say Ren thought Blake was stringing Jaune along either. She hardly seemed the type to do something so inherently cruel to another, especially when one considered how highly she valued equality above all else.

However, it just didn't make any sense to think a girl like Blake would ever be interested in a guy like Jaune. The only way Ren could possibly rationalize what had happened was like this: Jaune had somehow mistaken some kind words or actions from Blake as romantic interest. Then he had decided to pursue a relationship.

Blake had either been too shy to turn him down or hadn't wished to hurt his feelings by rejecting him as bluntly as Weiss usually had no trouble doing. Nevermind the Sun thing, in which Blake had also been pretty upfront about her rejection. He was a confident guy, after all. Not in the same fake way that Jaune was. Sun could take the rejection. Maybe Blake had realized Jaune's ego wouldn't have rolled with it the same way?

That be the case, in the end this could only end worse for Jaune then outright rejecting him would. He tended to bounce back pretty quickly every time Weiss had rejected him, after all. Probably because it was nothing more than a passing fancy and his feelings for her didn't have real depth. If this continued, however, he was going to develop real, genuine emotions for Blake. That was just giving him false hope and nothing hurt more than having your hope brutally dashed.

In short, Ren was very worried about his team leader. He didn't say it aloud but he truly did consider him to be the brother he never had and he looked to Jaune as a trusted comrade. So it was only natural that he would be wary of something he thought might hurt his friend, unintentional or otherwise. At the current moment, he just didn't see how this relationship could end in any way other than Jaune getting hurt as he looked across the library at the very two people he was currently thinking about.

It wasn't just a coincidence all of this was on his mind at this exact moment. It would be more accurate to say it was the exact circumstances happening before him that was pushing his thoughts into this direction and forcing his patience near a breaking point.

Jaune and Blake sat side by side at an otherwise unoccupied table. Which shouldn't have been odd seeing as they were supposedly going out with one another. The problem was with how they were spending their time. Jaune was talking in an exaggeratedly high voice, waving his arms animatedly to emphasize whatever tale he was currently weaving for his less than enthused girlfriend.

Blake, on the other hand, didn't appear to be paying attention. Her eyes darted back and forth across whatever book she was reading. At one point she even flipped the page! She seriously wasn't paying any mind to him at all!

Ren had to calm down. If he thought about it analytically, he was angry at Blake for reading a book in a library. As if that was what they were supposed to be used for or something. In all seriousness though, shouldn't she be... he didn't know, actively engaging Jaune in conversation? She could at least look like she was trying to pay attention to him. She didn't have to act like she was enjoying it, but anything would have been better than just outright ignoring him.

Maybe he should say something to them? At least to Jaune? He didn't want to see his friend get hurt but maybe it would be better to let him down gently now instead of letting the hard truth that Blake just really wasn't into him crush his soul at a later date. He let out a long, dragged out sigh and flipped his own unread book closed. It wasn't like he wanted to do this, but as things were going he didn't see any other way.

Just as he began to rise from his chair, an unexpected shout caused him to turn towards the door. "There you are Vomit Boy!" Yang called as she strolled purposefully into the library, her younger sister, Ruby, trailing just behind. "Oh, even Blake's with you. Purrfect!" She stopped just next to the table Jaune and Blake were seated at.

"What's up, Yang? Heya Ruby!" Jaune leaned back in his chair and smiled at the sisters. Blake only glanced up from her book to give a nod of acknowledgment before going right back to reading.

"Really? That's all the greeting you have for your partner and leader? We're hurt!" Yang clutched her chest in mock pain as she let out an exaggerated groan of distress. After only a moment of this she quit when Blake gave no outward reaction. "Bah, you're no fun. So anyways- Vomit Boy!" She turned back to him and gave a dramatic point.

"Still here, Yang." He gave her a goofy thumbs up along with his signature cheesy smile to show that he was still waiting to find out why she had come looking for him.

"Rubes and I are heading into town to do some shopping and were even thinking of maybe hitting up the arcade after. What'd'ya say? Ready to get your butt whupped at some Street Fighter? I'll have my revenge for last time!" She pumped one fist into an open palm, competitive smirk only outshone by the spirit of competition shimmering in her violet eyes.

The old Jaune would've jumped at the opportunity so fast he would have knocked the chair he was sitting in over. There were very few things Jaune loved more than the arcade. Hell, the only thing in the library that even came close were comic books and he didn't have one of those open in front of him at the moment. The Jaune that was dating Blake, however, merely offered an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I wish I could tag along, but Blake and I are on a date right now." He inclined his head slightly towards his 'girlfriend' who didn't give any outwards reaction as she continued to read the book. It kind of looked like she hadn't even heard them.

"Date?" Yang asked, conspicuously checking their surroundings. "You're in a library." She deadpanned.

Jaune merely shrugged. "It was Blake's turn to choose."

Ren quirked his eyebrow just as Yang did the same.

He hadn't thought this was supposed to be a date between them either. When he had come in they had already been here so he'd just taken a spot a few tables away so as not to disturb them. Yet the whole time he had been here they hadn't done anything at all for him to assume this was a date. In fact, he was pretty sure Blake hadn't once said anything.

"Come on, Yang." Ruby tugged on her sister's elbow as she pleaded quietly with her. "We shouldn't be interrupting them."

Yang glanced back at her sister who was desperately struggling to pull her away before giving Jaune and Blake one last, unconvinced looked. At least Ren knew he wasn't the only one that had doubts about their whole relationship.

"Alright," She gave into her sister's pull, letting herself get dragged away. But not before firing off one more crack. "I look forward to hearing all about the rest of your date later tonight, Blake." A moment later and they disappeared.

The moment they were gone and Ren got the rest of the way out of his chair. Sure, he felt a little bad seeing as he was about to interrupt them for the second time consecutively, but he also felt the need to talk to Jaune even more urgently now than ever. Blake almost clearly didn't view this as a date and just wanted to enjoy the day reading. Apparently her selective hearing was just strong enough to tune out Jaune as she did that.

He mentally prepared himself for what it was he had to say as he meandered over to them as non-threateningly as possible. There was no reason to tip them off to the topic of conversation before he managed to drag his leader out of earshot. If Jaune got even a whiff that Ren was trying to tell him to quit his delusions before he managed to build a solid argument, then the stubborn blond would dig his feet in and refuse to budge. This had to be handled with tact and elegance.

First, he just had to get Jaune to come to a different part of the library where they could have the conversation in quiet. Not that Blake probably would have listened even if they had it right next to her. It was still better said with just the two of them. His first task was decided just as he circled around their table and was coming up behind them. No sooner did he go to clear his throat when Blake finally began to say something.

"...If you wanted, you could've gone with them." She spoke quietly and if Ren hadn't been as close as he was he wouldn't have been able to hear her at all. Yet there was something about that quiet tone in which she spoke. If Ren didn't know any better he would say she sounded hurt. "I know this must not be the most exciting way to spend your day off."

Jaune gave a snort, startling both Blake and Ren who had yet to enter their field of vision. Blake looked up from the book, sparing a glance at her supposed boyfriend for the first time that Ren had seen. In order to view him properly, she must have need to adjust her hair, because the moment she did and the contents of the book became visible to him.

His eyes widened and if he hadn't been still so conscious about not setting the two of them off he might have gasped.

He had read that book before, rather... it would be more accurate to say Jaune had shown him some pages of it once. That's cause it wasn't really what you would call a book at all. It was binder. An Arc family album that was brimming with pictures of a younger Jaune and his seven sisters. It was only then the truth dawned on Ren.

Blake hadn't been reading... she had been looking at pictures from her boyfriend's childhood. That meant those stories Jaune had been telling weren't wild tales for her to ignore, they had been about the exploits behind some of those pictures. She had without a doubt been listening intently as he filled her in on all the memorable times he had while growing up, using the pictures to fuel her imagination and bring herself a step closer to those tales.

"I really like flipping through this book." Jaune spoke slowly and looked to let himself get swept away in nostalgia. "I... really miss all of them, my sisters. When I look through these pages and remember all the silly things we used to do they just feel... closer, you know?" He patted the pages, fingers lingering over one of the photos in particular. "It made me really happy when you said that you wanted to know more about them. There honestly isn't any other way I would rather spend my day than telling you about this book." Only after saying that did he beam at her, smile lighting up the whole room and making Ren's stomach flip.

"Jaune…" Blake appeared equally affected, only mumbling his name softly. She bit her lower lip, cat-like eyes darting left and then right. Ren must have just been outside the range of her vision because once she thought the coast was clear she leaned forward and quickly pecked Jaune on the lips. Then as if it never happened she turned back to the book, pointing to the picture Jaune's fingers had just been lingering at. "Tell me about that one." It was an admirable attempt to hide her embarrassment, but her red-tipped cat ears were visible to Ren even under her black bow, so there was no way Jaune didn't see it.

"Sure." Fortunately for her, he appeared equally flustered by the sudden show of affection. It took him a couple chances and stutters, but he finally managed to get launched into yet another one of his long-winded stories. Both of their faces were flushed as he continued now, but that only made them more adorable.

As quietly as he could, Ren backed away from the two of them. He would hate to interrupt now and he felt absolutely horrible for having doubted either of them. He didn't understand how, why, when, or what had caused Jaune Arc and Blake Belladonna to start going out, but if he was being honest he really didn't care.

Jaune clearly liked Blake.

Blake for some reason or another was enamored with Jaune.

Maybe one day he would understand what had sparked this unusual relationship.

For now, he wasn't really going to worry about it and just let them enjoy their date.