RWBY

A Library Date

Written from the perspective of Blake Belladonna

Summary:Blake accepts one of Jaune's invitations to a date… a romantic night spent reading in the library.

"Yo… Blake… I see you readin' there… you know, here in the library. Yeah, I love reading too… especially that book you're reading! The-the… Lemme see that for a sec- 'The Extraordinary Life and Times of Franklin Delano Donut'. Great book, ten out of ten, would recommend. So yeah hey, I got a pair of tickets to the Spruce Willis movie. Wanna go check it out?"

"No."

For the twenty-seventh time in the past forty-eight hours Jaune has asked me out. It started with a casual invitation to a Troutless concert. I was slightly interested in going but loud music hurts both sets of ears. I tried turning him down gently but like Yang, every time Jaune gets shot down he just comes back stronger.

He's determined as a brick to take me out on a date.

After I rejected him for the twenty-seventh time, I left the library to use the little girl's room. Jaune attempted to salvage another burning ship suggesting we could meet up another time. Not a chance! I've got so much reading to do. The latest 'Ninjas of Love' just released after all…

Sigh.

I, Blake Belladonna-former-member of the terrorist group the White Fang and master of stealth and high-agility impact maneuvers, was spending her Friday night reading smutty romance fiction. Alone. In her dorm room probably with a glass of milk and a fruit tart. Ruby and Weiss had gone into town to try a new cupcake store. Ruby swears cookies are superior but Weiss has been trying to force cupcakes on her. Yang went off on her bike to wherever she goes on Friday nights.

Maybe I should have accepted Jaune's invitation.

I finished my business, washed my hands, and exited the restroom. Jaune was there waiting for me looking awkwardly around the room. His hands shook and he nearly knocked over a vase on display when he saw me.

"Hey Blake!"

"Were you waiting for me outside the girl's restroom?"

"Well… yes… I mean, I saw you go in and stuff… but yeah so I was wondering if you were interested in trying this thing out with me-"

"Yes."

"-and you know I never done it before… wait, did you just say yes?"

"Yes. I did."

Jaune stood there in silence. The only sound in the deserted hallway was the grandfather clock at the end gently tick-tocking back and forth as the pendulum swung. "Wait. Did you really just say yes?" Jaune looked around him the hallway. "Seriously? But you didn't even hear what I was inviting you to! Oh man… you said yes!"

"Yes… yes I did… is there a problem?" Jaune's eyes lit up.

"I ask girls out but deep down I figure I'd get shot down. I don't actually know what to do when a girl says yes! What am I suppose to do? Do I say pick you up at seven?"

"Jaune, it's eight thirty," I said with a glance at the grandfather clock. Faunus vision allows me to see things like a telescope. It's pretty nifty.

"Oh is it? Well… uh… want to get going then?" I looped my arm around his.

"Lead the way, Mister Arc," I said with a purr.

Jaune was blushing. His legs were stiff and his arm felt tensed. I could hear his heartbeat quickened as I laid my head against his shoulder. It remained steady with his step as he guided me to the destination… And he takes me to the damned library. I was honestly expecting something more… exciting.

"So Blake… I'm not big on reading so I was wondering if you'd give me some books to read?" Jaune guided me down through the various book shelves. There were a books of all sorts I was familiar with. There were books on science and history and dust-related researcher and Grimm-hunting techniques. He stopped before a particular section of the library. "No comics! I promise."

At least he's trying.

We continued the quiet walk, my arm still looped into his, through the library. We passed the shelves filled with my preferred fiction of choice, fantasy romance. Our pace quickened past that section. Continuing our stroll, we reached the hallway of classics and philosophy.

Rows upon rows of the greats. From discussion on the viability of a co-societal structure between humans and fanus to treatises on the purpose of dust and spiritual connection… I could find myself lost in the works.

I stopped at a particular book, pulling Jaune with me.

"'The Cat and the Beast'..."

"What's that?"

"A book about a Black-Spotted Cat who does it best to fit into a group of other cats. But it's a stray and the other cats are housecats… thinking the Black-Spotted Cat is feral and untameable."

"So it was a naughty kitty?"

Sigh. "Yes Jaune… it was a naughty kitty." Jaune picked up the book from the shelf and glanced through the pages. His eyes seemed focused for a bit before he closed it and placed it back. "How was skimming it?"

"I got nothing out of it."

"Of course you didn't, you were rushing through the pages. You don't read a book just by flipping through it. You need to sit down and enjoy it." I picked the book back up and tugged him to a comfortable reading sofa in the study section of the library. "Come, I'll show you how to read."

I pointed towards the seat and Jaune sat. I sat beside him and rested my head on his chest. I tucked his arms under mine as I made him into my personal, living armchair.

"Blake?"

"This way, we can read together, okay?" I held the book in my hands and his hands over mine. And I began reading silently. I was about to flip through the first page before I realized an important factor. "Jaune… have you been reading?"

"Uh… Was I suppose to?"

"Yes…"

"Oh… I'll start reading… 'Once upon a time there was a Black-Spotted Cat…'" And so, Jaune read and continued to read. He read a fair bit before his voice strained as the pages turned. He read softly. He struggled with the complex words and had trouble pronouncing the proper accent.

It was endearing but the pace and rhythm it also put me to sleep.

I stirred from my nap and realized it was the dead of night. I was alone in the darkness with a blanket over me. A cup of still-warm hot chocolate resting on a small table across from me. And opposite to me, was Jaune. His arms crossed and legs wide. He was snoozing away like a guard who forgot he was on watch. I held the blanket around me and took a sip of hot chocolate. It was sweet.

Well, it was far from what I imagined my first date to go. But alas, can't be too picky.

Tip-toe-ing across to him, a blanket still around me, I leaned and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight, sweet prince."

Jaune replied with a snore.

A Library Date Fin