RWBYond Happily Ever After

AN: I ended up having to work all day to day. So this chapter is being uploaded whenever I have time to finish it. Again, this chapter just gives me something to do before RWBYond Hope starts up tomorrow. This is also centering around an OC so I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 130+11: It Don't Break Even

Kurome took her first shot of whiskey for the night and slammed the glass down. It wouldn't be her last, far from it. She had to slam her head down to remind herself that she was supposed to be waiting for the others arrive before she got hammered. But at the same time, she wanted to be a little shit-faced when they arrived. Thus was Kurome's dilemma. Made even worse that the party in question was running late.

She wondered why she had to be like this? No…wonder is too soft of a word. She was falling into a cycle of loathing and self-pity. She knew she had a problem and didn't know how to stop. But she also didn't want to. Life and luck had dealt her a bad hand and proceeded to shit on her and kick her heart in the ass at every turn. She'd be absolutely shocked if she wasn't turning into an alcoholic at this point. Thinking back on her history with the chemical, she was hard pressed to say she had too much of a problem. Her taste for alcohol didn't really start until this last year. But seeing how much it seemed to help her, she knew she was on her way.

It was her fault really, no doubt there. Her childhood had made her desperate to cling onto whatever type of bond she could muster. Even Ruby, a woman Kurome still didn't exactly like, the woman that had killed her beloved sister, was a treasured friend. That spoke to the desperation and loneliness in Kurome's fault more than anything. She still, deep down, resented Ruby. But because Ruby was so nice to her, and she coincidentally was residing at one of the stops on their honeymoon, she and Ao decided to give them a proper Menagerie welcome complete with the finest alcohol south of Haven.

This is always how it is. She would meet a nice guy or girl. They would hit it off. They'd get some drinks. They'd have a date. Before Kurome knew it they were making out and going all the way at whatever hotel room they were staying at. Kurome would get attached and fall in love. Then they would show their true colors and cut her loose. Even the ones that were looking for more than a one-night stand, were turned off by how quickly Kurome got attached. She couldn't help it. It was the core of her personality. Which made it hurt even more and drove her to drinking in her own self-pity.

As she took her second shot they arrived. Ruby and Jaune looked pretty much the same as they had except even happier. Seeing them with their arms wrapped around each other pissed Kurome off a bit. Why did Ruby deserve to be happy and not her?

"Kurome!" Ruby waved. She and Jaune walked over to her as she stood to greet them. Ao slipped into the watering hole and went straight to the bar to order their drinks.

"How you been." Jaune said as he gave her a light hug. Having someone hug her so genuinely felt so good. Even though Jaune wasn't exactly her type, she could see why a girl would fall for him. She probably took the hug in a little too long before Jaune broke it off and was replaced by Ruby.

"We missed you at our wedding." Ruby noted.

"Well, we're here now." Kurome laughed. She wondered how convincing it was as they sat down. Ruby sat across from Kurome at the small table for four.

"Here you go." Ao said as he placed their drinks of choice down. Ao was tequila, he always liked simpler flavors that complimented each other. Jaune had a glass of water and Ruby had some soda. But they also both had a bottle of rum that they poured into glasses.

"Never had rum and pop before." Ruby said.

"Am I going to see the elusive drunk Ruby tonight?" Jaune joked.

"Hmmm." Ruby shrugged. "Maybe." She gave him a wink as she knocked back a shot of rum. "So, Kurome, what have you been up to."

"Getting screwed over in all the ways except the one I want." Kurome muttered under her breath.

"Come again." Ruby raised her eyebrow at the indiscernible murmur.

"That's what I say and they never do." Kurome muttered, this time just loud enough to be heard. When she realized that she said it out loud she covered her mouth.

"Okay." Ruby's eyes narrowed. "I don't know how to talk to you."

"I had a real shitty night last night." Kurome defended.

"Kurome and I have been making progress here on the island." Ao cut in.

"I've noticed." Ruby said. "It looks so much better now than it did last time we were here."

"Could be because last time we were here, the streets were covered in Grimm." Jaune interceded.

"True." Ruby reminisced.

"Soon I'll get a loan to build a combat school here." Ao said.

"Oh that's wonderful." Ruby cheered.

"Hip, hip hooray." Kurome said sourly. She was happy, excited even, she was just in a mood. Definitely didn't help that it was her time of the month. But the combat school is something Puerto Nuevo desperately needed. The fact it hadn't for so long is probably why so many people here lived in caves.

"Of course, it won't be ready for several years." Ao lamented. "Even after a building is built, there's the matter of staffing it."

"Yeah, I guess two teachers wouldn't be enough." Jaune said. "I mean, I work at Signal, which Patch is about the size of this city, and there's half a dozen teachers there."

"It's kind of bullshit that no one has put one here before." Kurome said.

"I think that has more to do with the White Fang and Faunas War more than anything else." Ao argued. Kurome just shrugged. He was most likely right. It didn't make it any better, if anything it made it worse. Lack of funds or huntsmen, Kurome could get behind. But racist to the point of being unwilling to defend your citizens, Kurome had lynched people from trees for less.

"Yep." Ruby said bitterly. "So, what happened last night that got your panties in a bun?" Ruby just had to ask.

"You wouldn't understand." Kurome said kicking back another shot. "You have a…damn you got a husband now. The only thing I have is Ao, and he's ten years oldr than me and also the closest thing I have to a brother."

"Guy troubles?" Ruby nodded.

"Doesn't have to be guys." Kurome slumped down. "Turns out girls are even worse. At least guys are pretty honest about what they want and you can temper your expectations accordingly." Kurome circled the empty glass with her finger. "Okay, that's not entirely true. How much of an ass hole someone is, doesn't correlate with their gender."

"That's probably true." Ruby said. "Want to talk about it?"

"No. Least of all not with you." Kurome took another shot. "I don't want to muddle down you're honeymoon with my depressing hopelessness. If you want to help, find me a cutie with dark hair and intense eyes that will still be there to cuddle the morning after."

"Morning after what?" Jaune asked. Ruby elbowed him while she took a drink. "Oh."

"Hell I'm not even in the position to be picky." Kurome said.

"Well in that case…" Ruby put a finger on her lips. "Jaune, do you know anyone?"

"Sorry, all my friends are taken. Although, there are some girls I know." Ruby shot him a look.

"Well, who are they?" Kurome asked.

"The only single people I know are Yang, August, Scarlet, Sage, Weiss, Neptune and Flynt." Jaune listed off.

"Yang would be…interesting." Kurome chuckled. "Not my type…and I'm pretty sure she thinks of me like a sister."

"Not to mention she's pinning for August." Ruby cut in.

"Really?" Jaune said. "I know they danced at our wedding, but I thought all that was just a game."

"Trust me." Ruby said. "My little sister instincts tell me that it runs deeper than that. Even if Yang doesn't know it, she wants a lot more than just…getting into his pants." Ruby shivered and shook her head. "I don't like the visual I just gave myself."

"Anyway, Scarlet is gay, Sage isn't the romantic type." Jaune continued.

"I'm trying to get Weiss and Neptune back together but nothing is working." Ruby said sourly.

"Which leaves Flynt." Jaune said.

"Wait, I thought he was with Neon." Ruby said.

"Ha." Jaune cheered as he took another drink. "Now who's the oblivious one? Neon is dating Iris, has been since they were in Atlas."

"Wait, but…" Ruby was confused. "They shared a lot of slow dances."

"And Iris couldn't make it because of a mission." Jaune said. "Don't worry, it took me forever to figure it out too and I had the advantage of being in the same company as them. But Flynt's as single as they come. Only reason why Neon dances with him so much is because he had a…lonely childhood and she sympathizes with him."

"I get it." Kurome said. She gave a short laugh. "Well, Scarlet is a ponce anyway, Sage and I probably wouldn't get along, Weiss doesn't swing that way and I'm pretty sure I despise August with all of my hate. Which leaves Flynt and Neptune. Eh, I'll take it."

"Don't forget that there's plenty of guys out there for you." Ruby said. "Have you tried dating sites?"

"A little bit." Kurome said. "Though, I'm thinking about changing some of the information to be more…likeable."

"Don't do that." Ruby said. "Be yourself. You're a good person, deep down inside, I know you are."

"Thanks." Kurome said.

"Trust us." Jaune said. "You'll meet someone who will love the fact you het tied up so easily."

"Hm." Ao cracked a smile. "I know you didn't mean it that way, but she does get tied up pretty easi…"

"God, damn it Ao. This is why we can't have nice friends." Kurome face palmed.

"Well I just wanted to contribute to the conversation." Ao said.

"Well then contribute." Kurome said. "How's your love life?"

"Pretty decent for a guy with almost grey skin, and gills on his face."

"Descent isn't exactly a word I'd use to describe you." Kurome shot back.

"Oh come on, it was one time." Ao knew exactly what indecent moment she was referring to.

"It was my bed!"

"I apologized and paid for it."

"You kicked it out of a window."

"I was drunk."

"With me still on it."

"I was very drunk."

"Then I get back in there not twenty seconds later and you're making out with her."

"Do we want to know?" Ruby said cautiously.

"Probably not." Ao groaned.

"Have you ever stubbed your toe or hit your shin on your bed?" Kurome asked.

"Pretty much every day." Ruby answered.

"Well, have you gotten angry and kicked said offending object?"

"Oh God."

"Yeah mix that, plus the wrong room, on the twenty-seventh floor." Kurome said. There was a beat.

"Christ Ao." Ruby said. Ao planted his face firmly on the table. That was enough to make Kurome laugh a bit. They carried on and got a few more drinks. It was a good night, and it certainly cheered Kurome up from her funk. Maybe she'd get lucky soon. But she didn't want to get lucky for one night, she wanted something that would last. And as she was realizing, that's a much trickier thing to wish for.

An: I want to reiterate that I know, basically nothing about alcohol. I have no idea, for instance, if you would even take shots of rum. I just wanted everyone to be drinking something different that made sense for their personality. Also, Neon being gay…as if I wasn't going to have the 70s disco rollerblader who shoots rainbows out of her ass not gay, as if. Please review, follow and favorite.