Chapter 19: Dress uniform
A date with Yang! It's totally pretending! Yes! There's no reason why she'd be interested! She's gay! (No, she's really not. He's just not corrected on the fact that she's into both. Bisexual, yes. Interested in him? Yes!)
His alarm clock buzzed in the background and he woke up. He rubbed his face and his eyes, yawning. He had slept well but he'd had the weirdest dream. She'd liked him in that dream and it had been nice.
He checked the time, noticing that it was nine, getting himself into the shower, most of his sisters already done with it around this time. He wasn't going to hurry himself to get himself done, as haste made waste for most things. Scrubbing at his skin with the sponge and some soap, he let his mind wander to what was going to happen today. Yang's face came to mind.
'We are going on a date today. It's just pretending.'
He hoped that it wouldn't be like that, really. Yang was someone that always had the answers, being smart and witty and funny. It wasn't something that she had to think about a lot. Her mother was smart too, and both of them were very nice.
He noticed his response, the heat of the shower enough, as the mental image of Yang popped up, the faintest glimmer of craving burning into a blazing sun. His hand was in motion, imagining that beautiful face, hearing her whisper in his ear that she loved him.
'Cinder was wrong.'
He snapped out of it, that thought breaking his concentration as he felt the phantom pain, reminded that it was all just pretending. He sighed, his breathing slowly coming down from that panting, frenzied high, a low moan emerging from his lips.
He knew that it was wrong to think about Yang like this. Girls didn't like it when you had sick and twisted thoughts about them, his sisters had said. He couldn't help it though, knowing that Yang was going to be going out on a 'date' with him.
'I should be ready…'
He would need to make sure that he was looking as fine as he could, for Yang. That meant getting some extra care for his face. He really didn't mind shaving that much, it more of an afterthought at most days.
He towelled off and sighed, burning in his mind the feeling of how good it had felt to touch himself to the thought of being with someone amazing like Yang. Her mother was someone who knew a lot more about the world than he did.
'I hope Mister Frank is alright...'
The man might have gone bad but he had still been someone who had understood. There was something inside the man that called to him, something that was like a siren's call, a moment of understanding and comprehension that he could understand.
He came down from upstairs, wearing only his jeans, slipping into the seat that he usually sat in. His mother was still in the kitchen whilst his father was somewhere else. He didn't really know what dad did during the daytime. Mom was busy at times too.
"Good morning honey."
She kissed his cheek and ran a hand through his hair, a smile on his face, as best as he could make it. You were supposed to love your family, even if you were broken in the head. A good young man was always there for his family. Miss Salem had said that he was someone who saw the world a little differently than most people.
"Good morning."
She was not giving him her full attention as she brushed past him and then put some bread on his plate, a jar of jam set beside it. He made a small grimace as he saw peanut butter in the jam.
'Marble should really get her knife cleaned before she sticks it in the jam.'
He didn't like peanut butter. It was gross and it clung to the roof of your mouth and made you feel like you were tasting something slimy and sticky.
He avoided the peanut butter and put some jam on his slice of bread after having buttered it. He knew that it would be good for him. He checked the clock and then got up after having put his plate into the dishwasher, his mother giving him a smile.
"Good job."
The praise that he got felt a little strange, but his mother did that from time to time. It wasn't that she meant bad things with it. She tried, where dad did not.
He went to his room and then put on the new shirt after putting on some deodorant. She wanted him to look good, so he would try to do his best. He looked into his mirror and gave his best smile, seeing his face twitch into that proper smile, his eyes trying to convey that emotion the best that he could make it.
'Yang is just pretending and she's with Blake.'
He knew that, but still the feeling of going on a date with Yang was something amazing. He grabbed his wallet, just in case. You never knew whether the other party would have enough money, so it wasn't a bad thought to be prepared.
'I want her to feel good too.'
He was just someone who didn't understand the world. People did not understand, nor did they care for what a simpleton like him thought. He walked down the stairs and met his mother again, whose eyebrows rose as she saw his shirt.
"Ooh, a new shirt? When did you buy that one?"
He nodded. It was the one that he'd bought with Yang. The skull on front of it looked kind of cool even though the fabric was dark. It had been something that he'd bought because Yang said that it made him look nice.
"I bought it a few days ago when out with Yang. Her girlfriend is out of town for a few weeks, so we're going out again today."
His mother's face showed some worry, as her eyes looked around, indecisiveness showing on her face. She straightened the shirt out a little, her eyes going over him and giving her half-smile once more.
"Be a good young man, Jaune. Remember: Don't touch girls when they don't give you permission."
He nodded. He wanted to touch Yang and he wanted to do more with Yang than merely touching, but mom was right. He was not going to touch Yang without her telling him to touch him. She was someone who made him feel good, even if he was broken.
He was outside at five minutes to eleven, waiting for Yang to come and pick him up. He could see the car coming from the distance, Yang behind the steering wheel. Her eyes looked bright and sunny during the morning, her shirt fitting her well. She looked wonderful.
'You look so pretty.'
She opened the car door for him, giving him a smile. He caught sight of the neighbour looking at him, waving at the man. The older man gave a wave back, going back to goggling at Yang and him. He wasn't sure what that was all about, as he sat down. The smell of cigarette smoke was heavy in the car, three butts of cigarettes visible in the car's ashtray. Yang leaned to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey there, soldier. Coming with me for some rough and tumble fun?"
She smiled at him and he did the same. She seemed to like it, as her arm gave him a half-hug, her hand resting on the steering wheel still. She wore nice jeans. They fit her well.
"I'm not a soldier. I'd like to have fun with you though."
She smiled at him and then ran her fingers over his spine, up and then down. It felt good. It felt nice. He liked it when she touched him.
"I know, silly. I'm just joking."
'She's just joking.'
She let the car carry them along, going towards the mall. He was sure that they'd make an awkward fit there, but wherever she took him, it was great. He noticed a bag in the backseat, a large bag that looked a little like the bag of weights that she had him carry earlier.
She pulled into the parking lot and parked the car, getting out of the car with a fluid motion, leaving him to get out as well. He did so a little slower than she did, the car locking with a clicking sound, Yang's smile somewhat warmer. She hadn't stopped being amazing, he knew.
His hand grabbed her own and she smiled at him, a smile that made warmth explode through him, her eyes looking into his and her cheeks slightly dusted with red, her other hand grabbing his own.
"Thank you, Jaune."
He didn't really need the thanks, because he was not someone who should be thanked for his existence. He was just someone who did not need to live unless he made someone happy.
He hoped that she was happy.
"You don't need to thank me. I'm always going to be there for you and Ruby."
You had to be careful with your friends. Ruby could not be hurt and Yang was special. Yang's eyes looked at him, a smile teasing on her lips.
"Going for the full Rose family package, huh? Am I not enough for you as a girlfriend, hmm?"
It was all pretending. Her father might know that she was gay. He looked into her eyes and he felt something hurt in his chest.
"The world without you is a dark place. You're the sun that lights it up."
It was something that he didn't think about, her eyes looking at him and something in them changing. She seemed to have problems breathing, as she just stared at him, swallowing a few times. He really did mean it.
"I mean it."
He had to tell her that he was serious. She was someone who made him feel almost normal.
"Oh."
A soft utterance, as she seemed to breathe in a little heavier, before she smiled at him, her hand leaving his own and wiping at her eyes. The sun must be a little strong in the morning, because she wiped at her eyes.
"That's..."
She tried to say something but she failed to finish her sentence. He smiled at her and she wiped more furiously at her eyes. She didn't really wear makeup much, but he could see that she'd applied some mascara to her eyes.
"I don't know what to say, Jaune."
He smiled still because she didn't need to say anything. She was someone who was warm and was great. That was all that he needed. Even if she was gay, he would still care for her. The secret little thoughts about how sexy she was had to be hidden. Weiss didn't like him like that. Yang probably didn't either.
"Jaune... Did you feel obligated to go on this date with me?"
She said softly, as they walked. She'd done a very quick brushing of her mascara in the car rear-view mirror, fixing her appearance.
"No. You are someone I really would like to go on a date with as a boyfriend and girlfriend."
It wasn't allowed. People like him weren't supposed to want to touch those who were clean of mind. Yang's smile turned warmer, her body bumping against his. It felt nice. It was so nice to not worry about whether someone would shout at him for touching them.
"Ain't this your lucky day, Jaune? One girlfriend going out with her boyfriend, coming right up."
Jaune smiled at her. He'd like to pretend that it was the case. He would pretend then, as long as she needed it. Her stepmother didn't really like it that much, but he knew that he had to be the best boyfriend. Summer had said that she wanted him to be ready for her girls.
"My girlfriend is the prettiest girl in the world."
He didn't care for the fashion models. He cared for her. His hand grabbed hers and squeezed it, and Yang looked happier. She was just pretending, of course, but he just went with it, giving a kiss to her cheek. She turned her head, her nose bumping against his own.
A moment in time, frozen. Her eyes looked into his own as her lips parted and she kissed him. Her hand laid on his hip and his own hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. It wasn't supposed to be between the two of them, yet there was that yearning and craving inside him. He kissed her back, his eyes closing, and she kissed him.
She breathed heavily as she pulled away. A low moan came from her lips. "Not fair, buster... I wasn't prepared for a kiss."
He looked at her and smiled. She smiled back, goofily. It made her look like Ruby did when she was happy, like her mother. Her biological mother had those look that just looked serious, and had a smile on the picture that he'd seen before that was more restrained and less humour-filled than Summer's.
"But I liked it, Mister Boyfriend... So, let's go to our first spot for getting a good shot! Hungry?"
He could eat something, and he nodded. Eating with her was nice.
"Good. Up for a burger? Something to get our tummy filled before we're heading to the movies. I've heard that there's this big ol' tale being set up, three whole movies with about half an hour break in-between. Supposed to be some sort of modern fairytale retelling."
He smiled, and she smiled at him as well. She showed the beautiful side of herself to him without having to force herself to be like this. He wished he could be like her, able to express himself without being broken.
"That sounds nice."
He liked how she seemed to be trying to make this a real date. She was a lesbian, right? It didn't quite feel like that, but she was with Blake.
"Darn right, Jaune. Now, we'd probably get our belly filled. It's going to be eight hours, oof... But supposedly a lot of fun. It shows the tale of someone who was born with privileges in some magical world of Remnant or something. Still better than Lord of the Rings, I'd reckon."
As they walked to the burger place, she kept looking at him with her eyes, a smile never fading from her lips. It felt nice being with her, her hand in his own. It was nice, the touch that she gave him, her eyes warm.
"Going anywhere with you is a blessing."
She looked a little warm in the face, the smile brilliant and wonderful as it rested on her face. Someone shouting – "HEY, BLONDIE!" – made him look to the side, as she did. A look of irritation came to her face as she recognized the voice, though he did not.
A cat Faunus skated up to them, the roller-skates that she wore looking to be the old-fashioned type, the cat accessories that hung around the teenager's belt looking to be like those Japanese cartoons. It wasn't something he really had much interest in, aside from a passing mention or two from Nora. She was the one who watched a lot of that stuff, Ren merely giving a faint sigh at times when she was asking him whether he would turn into his final form.
"Ooh, ooh! Who's the hunk?"
He didn't think that he was much of a hunk. He was just Jaune, someone who didn't really deserve to be with such a beautiful girl. Compared to her, he was just average, in his mind.
"Weren't you with the kitty-bitty? Did you trade her in for this new model?"
Yang wasn't looking very happy right now, a look of annoyance on her face, as the roller-skate wearing Faunus girl made a little circle around them. A curious expression on her face as she did, her eyes looking him over a few times.
"We broke up, Neon. That's all thanks to you interfering during the run and bugging us in the locker room. Thanks a lot for that, kitty."
The aggressive words that Yang busied was something that he didn't really like. Of course Blake and Yang were still together, Yang was just not really telling the truth. The Faunus girl hummed lightly, as she looked him over.
"And now he's the replacement, huh? How's it feel, boy-toy?"
He looked at the Faunus, not quite understanding. Yang and Blake were together. Yang hadn't denied it to him, so she must be pretending to be with him for the fooling of the Faunus girl. He was just pretending to be her boyfriend after all.
'I trust you, Yang.'
"How does what feel?"
The girl's smile widened and Yang's look of irritation were in his eyes, as the Faunus named Neon gave a soft laugh.
"Her! Is she a loud one, or is she soft? I bet she's loud!"
He didn't get it. Yang's cheeks flushed and she looked like she was going to shout at the Faunus girl. He didn't like that. Yang shouldn't shout at anyone, because she was wonderful. He'd say the truth.
"She completes me. I don't think I'll ever find someone who sees me like she does again. When she smiles, life makes sense."
Yang looked at him and the Faunus girl just stopped. She looked taken aback. He didn't quite see Yang's expression, but something in the Faunus girl's eyes changed. It looked like embarrassment, shame and something else. He knew those feelings. He'd been embarrassed and shameful of his existence when Cinder told him the rules.
"Better keep a hold on this one, Blondie. It isn't often... Damn. I'm jealous now. Saying it aloud and serious and... damn."
Yang made a soft sound that he couldn't quite identify. She spoke up after a moment.
"I love you, Jaune."
It was all pretend, but he'd said the truth. She was the Yang to his Yin. It might sound like a cheesy joke, but it was not like that. She might just be pretending to like him, but his heart was doing cartwheels and loops, as he turned to her. She looked at him with a look that he'd not really seen before except when Pyrrha had still been very friendly.
"I love you too."
Retards didn't love. He wanted to love her though. She was someone who was something in this world, someone who was a fighter, who made sure that everyone was safe. She was dating Blake and this was all just pretend, but-
Her lips pressed against his own as she held him. He saw the look in her eyes and his arms wrapped around her just a little tighter. A kiss, slowly building up, as she shivered, broken only by a moment where they needed to breathe.
'I think I love you.'
His heart was doing a marathon, as she looked at him and smiled. She looked warm and friendly. Summer had been right. Blake hadn't been right for Yang, because Yang had never smiled like that when around Blake.
"Eh... I think I'm... Yeah, I think I'm going to go."
The Faunus girl on roller-skates said, as Yang's head turned. The smile that was a little like her mom's was on her face, as she motioned for the Faunus to come closer.
"We're getting a burger, why don't you join us? The more the merrier?"
He didn't mind. If Yang wanted anything, he'd make sure that she got what she wanted.
"Oh, I don't think-"
The Faunus had Yang's arm sling over her shoulder, Yang pulling her closer. He steadied the girl a little so she wouldn't fall with her roller-skates.
"By all means, do come along. We're friends, right?"
The way she said the word made him think that they weren't really friends. The Faunus girl looked more uncomfortable, but if Yang wanted her to join them he wouldn't comment on it.
"Well, I guess a burger would be nice."
They got their food. He had made sure that his order was exactly to his specifications. He didn't like it when they added extra stuff to it. A burger should be as he ordered it. Neon's tray he carried, as Yang sat down in one of the seats, leaving Neon to sit down. He was about to sit down next to Neon, but Yang patted the seat next to her.
'Oh yes, boyfriend. She wants me to pretend to be her boyfriend.'
Neon looked a little awkward still, sipping her soda. She looked between the two of them, and then gave a questioning glance at Yang.
"So... Eh, no longer with the pussycat? How'd that happen?"
Yang's eyes were angry, he could tell. Her arm wrapped around his shoulder and he tried to offer her a comforting smile. She smiled at him after a long moment.
"We broke up a few days ago. This guy, he was the focus of her urge to breed."
Neon winced. It seemed to be something of a Faunus thing, apparently. He didn't know much about Faunus biology.
"Ouch. That sucks. So... Deetz, blondie. What's the Balboa of Beacon doing with hot and hunky over here now?"
Yang gave a smile, dipping one of her fries into the mayonnaise. She looked beautiful as she always did, her hair looking to be freshly combed, her eyes glinting a little as she winked at him.
"Well, there's a big reason why he's the boyfriend. It's a very filling thing, at least... when still not properly pumped up."
Neon looked at him with a look that held some sort of morbid curiosity. There was a smile on her face. It looked like she was interested in something, but that might just be hunger. Girls were weird like that.
"Ooh! Ditched the pussy for a John!"
He coughed. That just wasn't right, and the Faunus girl mangled his name too. He wasn't named John.
"It's Jaune. J-a-u-n-e. It isn't John."
Yang smiled at him, ruffling his hair. He smiled at her. Neon gave a soft little sigh.
"It just started to click together, all over the course of a few weeks. He's... I know you Faunus don't have something like that, but he's so honest. He'll keep his word, compared to Blake who is... Blakey."
He nodded at that. Blake was Blake. His attention turned to Neon. He'd better tell her about his status of being born wrongly. She wouldn't like him very much if he exposed himself, but he would be honest for Yang. She deserved nothing but the best.
"I have Autism. It is a pervasive developmental disorder."
Yang's hand touched his thigh and she smiled at him, her white teeth shining in the light.
"And there is nothing wrong with that, Jaune. You are who you are and I am happy to be the girl you love."
He could believe it. If this feeling was love, then it was something that he felt. He smiled at her and just stared into her eyes.
"I don't ever want to make you feel sad, Yang."
She turned to him, gazing into his eyes for what seemed to be an eternity, but was probably just a few seconds. She never stopped smiling at him and she trembled a little, as her smile broadened, and she leaned forward and kissed him again.
That felt wonderful. Explosions of fireworks in his mind, leaning against her and kissing her, feeling the warmth of her skin and smelling the shampoo in her hair.
'It's just pretending...'
The Faunus girl coughed softly, Yang pulling away and looking at her. The Cat Faunus girl seemed to look at them with eyes that held some sort of sadness too. There was an expression on her face that was much like the one some of his sisters had when they saw some romantic movie.
"That's... Damn. All I get is Flynt making me wake up at six in the morning when he's practising for his trumpet stuff and the occasional serenade. I'm happy for you, blondie."
It was genuine, he could tell. Yang smiled at the Faunus girl, letting her attention stay there with the girl. She didn't seem to be bothered by the thought of something like dating him. She was still Yang though. Yang was with Blake, as far as he knew. She was just pretending.
"Jaune, do you think you could get me some more napkins?"
He got up and walked to the dispenser. He could hear Yang starting to talk a little faster behind him, and returned after half a minute with a few napkins. She hadn't said how many she'd wanted, so he'd gotten two. Neon looked at him and gave a nod that he took as approval.
"Buddy, Jaune, I hope you'll have fun today."
The girl got up, her burger having disappeared in some flash of time. Yang smiled at him and gave a smirk, something teasing undoubtedly, at Neon.
"See ya later, Yang. I hope things go great with you two later. You deserve it."
He hoped it would, too. Yang was too wonderful to ignore. The Faunus girl skated off, giving a look back at the two of them, a light smile on her lips. She must've been some friend of Yang's, but he didn't really know many people outside of his own social bubble.
"I'm honest, Jaune."
She said as he started on his burger, her hand patting his thigh. She smiled at him.
"I meant what I said."
He chewed slowly, not quite sure what she meant. She probably meant that there was nothing wrong with him. She was just telling him that she appreciated him for how he was, rather than anything more. She must be, because she was still together with Blake, right?
'She probably wasn't being honest. She said that she had a problem with being honest...'
He wasn't going to give up on Yang, no matter what she did. She was someone who he felt strongly for, feeling more for her than Ruby made him feel.
"We should get to the movies. Mom loves these kinds of movies. She said that she went to see the Lord of the Bracelet movies when they first came out, to the displeasure of my real mom." He could imagine that, knowing Summer as well as he did.
As they got into the theatre, he spotted a familiar face, standing near one of the popcorn stalls, her hair and in a deep brown colour, the woman's head turning and spotting him. A light nod and then turning back, taking a big bucket of popcorn. The bomber jacket that she wore had this really big patch on it, the woman taking the bucket of popcorn with her into the movie theatre.
'I think they've got days off too...'
He wouldn't make a comment about it. Yang deserved to have no problems with his own problems. He wondered briefly what movie the woman would be watching. He glanced around and then spotted King Kong 3D, which looked like the type that she'd watch.
He'd ran into one of his former teachers from preschool at the movies once. He hadn't guessed the kind woman to be the type to watch something heavy-action like Grimm Terminator IV, but she'd been very knowledgeable about the previous parts.
'Perhaps a drama or something? Even cops have to watch something nice. Dad likes the westerns more than mom does, but mom always likes those romantic comedies that dad pretends to like.'
Meeting familiar faces was not something that he would let hinder him. If Melinda wanted to watch a movie, he'd let her watch a movie.
"Friend of yours, huh?"
Yang asked and he shrugged. He didn't think the woman was a friend, they were more like acquaintances.
"I met her and her partner before. She's a friend of my dad, I guess."
Yang looked at him and smirked. She looked a little like his sisters when they were teasing him.
"Didn't figure you'd go for the type that looks like she's half-wild, eh? You like girls with some hair on their head."
He didn't like girls with short hair like that very much. Yang's hair was nice and long and well-cared for.
"I like you, Yang. I like you more than I ever liked Weiss."
He could be open with her, the smile on her lips enough. It was sweet to see, more than he'd expected. Warm and kind, she was here whilst pretending to be his girlfriend.
"I like you so damn much, Jaune."
She said, her voice sounding like it was honest. He hoped that she'd keep liking him, even after the week was over. She was someone who he would like to stay friends with, even if he died alone.
"Even after your dad leaves?"
She nudged him with her shoulder. It was a nice touch that made him feel like she was just enjoying the sensation he gave her.
'You are someone who deserves love. I can't give you that.'
Yang looked at him and smiled, looking thoughtful for a moment. It made her look innocent, guileless and beautiful.
"Hmmm... Be a good boyfriend for this date and I'll consider it, silly boy."
He was just silly, he guessed. She'd never love him because she liked Blake. That's what he knew. Summer had said that Blake wasn't good for Yang and it had shown itself when they had been out with Blake's mom. He'd be a good boyfriend for this date, and for any more she'd want him to take her on.
"I'll do my best."
He said and she smiled and kissed his cheek. He felt warm on the inside. They got a soda and something to munch on for during the movie, making their way through the darkened theatre to their seats. Yang sat down first as he set the soda in the beaker stand, Yang leaning over. Her face was shrouded in the shadows of the low lighting, her expression concerned.
"So, we'll have a bit of a break before the movie starts. How're you feeling? Am I- Am I doing alright?"
He looked at her, the screen lighting up. A lion roared from the speakers as someone ran over the screen, chased by tigers. An image of a hot Indian actress came up, with the tagline of The dance of tigers scrolling past the screen. He turned his gaze to Yang.
"You're wonderful. It feels as if it's a real date."
She seemed to have an unreadable expression on her face, her eyes looking at him with that deliberation in them. She smiled, grabbing his hand. This should be the reverse, but she did it anyways.
"It is a real date, Jaune. To me, it feels real. Blake never..." A sigh came from her lips. She sounded so tired, so worn-out, his hand brushing over her own.
"Blake never went out with me like this. With you, I want to make sure that I get what-"
She paused, his finger stroking over the back of her hand as he gripped hers.
"I'm not leaving you. I meant what I said."
He didn't lie. He didn't tell any lies, because lying was bad. He would be unwilling to live in this world if she was gone. She saw him as just Jaune. Her mother saw him as just being Jaune.
"Thank you. That... That means more to me than you could ever believe. I... I'll tell you after the first movie. Don't worry, Jaune."
He didn't, because she didn't want him to worry. His hand held hers as the advertisements started to roll.
A Grimm Tale Volume I: The Exodus
The first movie was just a lot of travelling. The unfortunate circumstances of the protagonist, meeting with several interesting women. Yang laughed a few times at some parts that were funny, before the story stopped with a 'To be continued in A Grimm Tale Volume II: Out next year!'.
The lights came back on slowly and he looked at her. She smiled and winked, licking her lips slowly.
"Well, that was a thing... I hope they get together. I can't say that I blame her for being reticent though. Being a woman of some class, I really hope that she talks to him."
He hoped so too. The woman was hiding her attraction, hiding how she felt. He didn't hide how he felt. He just couldn't stop himself, knowing that he was broken inside and that it would never be fixed.
"Hey there, kiddo's."
Melinda's voice came from the side, the bomber jacket looking a little weathered and worn, the woman's blue hair definitely having looked better on her. She'd changed a lot of her appearance, probably something work-related. Dad had told him that a good combing and a dash of sleep could make someone look like an entirely different person... Perhaps it was like this?
"Hello. Friend of his?"
Yang spoke, speaking for him rather than to have him talk. It was nice that she took the lead, a short nod from Melinda coming, as she indicated him with a nod of the head.
"Yeah, a friend of the family, more like it. We just got back from- well, no place you'd have heard of. Jaune here's got friends in us, right?"
He didn't really think so, but the woman made a friendly appearance, as if there had been nothing bad between the two of them. He smiled. He'd try to make sure that she wouldn't come across as awkward by denying it.
"You helped me. Is your partner alright?"
Melinda's pained grimace was enough to show that the woman was probably out of commission. A shrug, and he watched as the woman pulled out something from a pocket. A phone, and she checked her messages for a moment, wincing a little at the message that she read.
"She's currently puking her guts out. Really bad takeout Chinese back in Arizona. Not the best stuff, but the chicken was great. Ah, my manners, I always forget that I shouldn't be tardy with them. The name's Melinda. I've got the day off, so I was like 'let's go see a movie'. Stupid assholes and their whole 'going on a murder spree' and having us be recalled right back for a damn manhunt and st-"
The woman's voice stopped before she gave a sheepish giggle. "You didn't hear that from me, kiddo's. I'm with law enforcement. I was never here."
She whistled a jaunty tune before she went for the food section again. The bucket of popcorn had been finished, or at least, he thought so.
"She's a friend of dad. She was at a Marine barbecue, I think."
He wasn't sure, but Agent Orange had said that it had to be kind of hush-hush. He didn't think it mattered much. Yang looked doubtful, but didn't say another word.
"Yeah, dad got a message saying that there'd been a guy who'd gone bad last night. He said that it was not a great sterling example of what Corps discipline does..."
Her eyes looked at him and then she paused for a moment, biting her lower lip. She exhaled and then went for a hug. He wasn't sure whether she needed it, but he wrapped a hand around her anyways.
"I'm... Jaune, I'm serious about you."
He looked at her, as she smiled softly.
"You're someone who I can trust, someone who won't suddenly decide that he wants to go and rent me out like some dirty hooker."
Her eyes were yearning, as he shook his head. He was quite convinced that he'd be a wonderful boyfriend, if she were single. She wasn't though.
He had to remember that, because she made him feel warm and pleasant.
"You're my friend. I'd rather die than to let someone spoil your smile."
She looked at him and shook her head lightly.
"I'm your girlfriend, Jaune. I'm happy you're just... there for me. It feels really good, trust me on that. It feels great, really."
He smiled at her. She didn't have to pretend, but it was nice to feel like she was serious about it. She should feel good every moment of the day.
"You're someone amazing."
She blushed, before she tugged on his arm. It was nice.
"Let's get food, loverboy. We need to keep our energy up!"
They'd bought tickets for the whole marathon, so it wouldn't be too odd to get back to their seat. They were good together, he hoped.
The next instalment in the series was shorter, dealing with a trip on some ship and hunting down this gigantic monster, with more progression in the romance subplot. Jaune thought it amazing to see how the cinematographer had captured that feeling of oppression, and one of the side-plots featuring a young heroine juggling a depressed girlfriend and a younger sister who looked a little like Ruby was just amazing. Ruby would like a scythe with a sniper rifle attachment, undoubtedly.
He didn't spot Melinda as they emerged from the room where the movie was being shown, Yang's hand warm in his own. They got something salty for their snack for the third movie. The third movie had a happy reunion, though Yang said something about how sweet it was to see that the second love interest made a move.
He didn't think much of it. He didn't really watch Asian stuff.
It was early in the evening as they emerged from the cinema, Yang having headed off to the bathroom for a quick moment of refreshing herself. She mumbled something about needing to make sure that she was properly prepared for things.
He took her to a nice restaurant, just as his treat. It wouldn't break the bank. He'd gotten some more money from his mom, just to make sure that she would be happy. You always had to treat a girl nicely on a date, or else you were a loser. His sisters were in agreement with that statement.
As they sat down at the table and Weiss' song played on the radio, Yang gave a soft little smile. Weiss was still making music, being produced to make the hits that were heard on the radio.
"You know, it's been really nice to see you today. Being with you was..."
She looked at him with that warm expression on her face, her eyes not looking away.
"It was wonderful. It is wonderful, Jaune. You're different from Ruby, you're smart and yet, different. I-" She paused, the server asking whether they would like to order something.
She ordered a coke and he ordered a Pepsi. A simple drink, for a simple dinner. He hoped that they had a nice pizza here. Her eyes met his and she smiled.
"How about we share a pizza, loverboy? That's the romantic thing to do, right?"
He supposed it would be. That movie about the dogs and the spaghetti was a little lame, but his sisters liked to watch it every once in a while.
"That'd be nice. Can we order one?"
As their server went away with their order, Yang smiled at him, her knee nudging against his own. He moved his away and she pressed against him.
"You're the nicest guy I know, Jaune. A lot of guys just think I've got a nice rack."
She spoke quietly, her expression a little doubtful. He could see the look on her face barely change.
"You barely give it a glance. Even when I let you touch them, they're just..."
He shook his head. "I masturbate to you. You are one of the prettiest girls I know, someone who has a bright and sunny personality. You are sexy and you are not ashamed to show your beautiful body to the world."
She smiled at him and it was genuine. She wasn't disgusted with him doing something like that, even though she was just pretending.
"Silly boy. I think it's flattering, though. Best way to be liked is to have a guy stroke himself off to the thought of you, or so mom said."
He looked at her and she shook her head to head him off from apologizing. He felt bad for saying it like that.
"Don't feel bad, I see that look on your face. It's fine, Jaune. You're allowed to touch yourself to thoughts of me."
He blushed a little. She was blunt and forward, ad he hoped that she wasn't mad. She'd given him permission now, though. He wasn't sure whether she would like that.
"Hell, you're a dreamy fellow yourself. I've given the kitty a bit of a beat-up myself to the thought of you a few times, y'know?"
He wasn't sure whether Blake would be happy to be beaten up... but perhaps it was some sort of game that you played with your girlfriend? He didn't know. Ruby was trying to convince him to have sex with her and Weiss but he wasn't going to do that. Ruby shouldn't be getting with someone as sick as he was.
"Your pizza."
The server set the pizza in front of them. Large slices had been cut into the pizza and Yang smiled at him.
"Just as nice and sunny as I am... Ooh, ooh!"
Her excited voice was nice to listen, as he was offered a pizza slice, Yang's eyes lighting up.
"C'mon, take a bite!"
He did. The heat of the spices and the peppers and whatever sauce they'd used was like napalm to his taste buds, his eyes wide as he coughed, swallowing nevertheless because it would be impolite to spit it out, a grin on her face.
"Super hot pepperoni! A guaranteed killer of the taste buds! Revenge for being the killer of my single status, mister boyfriend."
He smiled at her as she chewed down the pizza slice, humming softly to herself with a tune that didn't really carry that well. She didn't really have the singing prowess that Weiss did, but it was something that was hers so it was nice. Yang was just a ball of nice feelings and happiness for him.
As they walked back to the car, she held his hand again. He wondered whether they would exercise again tomorrow. A shy smile on her lips whilst they walked together. People weren't looking at them as if they saw something odd, they were just looking away from them, not quite seeing how weird he was.
'Is this how it feels to be normal?'
They always watched him because he was weird. His father didn't like that much, but his mother had just said that it was how he was. Being with Yang was wonderful. He wanted to keep doing this, but it had to end. She'd asked him to stay with her for as long as it took for Summer to get back.
"Mom's car was stolen, she's currently stranded in Texas."
Yang mumbled, her voice sounding a little distant, and he realized that they'd reached the parking lot, her eyes looking at him.
"Sucks for her, but she's hitch-hiking back. We might be getting to see dad stay for a little while longer, he'll stay for... I don't know."
Some police cars came by, Jaune ducking a little out of instinct. He didn't like how the sound they made reminded him of the presentation. He'd been innocent, he'd said that he was innocent and they hadn't believed him. He wanted to be nice, he wanted to be liked.
"It's okay, Jaune. They're not coming for you."
A soft smile rested on her lips as she let her fingers stroke through her hair.
"I..."
She sighed, her face cast in shadow, her gaze looking at him.
"I really liked this date, Jaune."
He did too. It'd been more than he'd ever hoped for. She smiled at him, the skull-print shirt fitting her perfectly. His own shirt had the same skull print on it, though their sizes were different. She had a smaller size, but it made her look even more beautiful.
"I meant it when I said that Blake and I were done."
She smiled, an expression of helplessness on her face as she did, as her cheeks went red.
"So..."
She was acting strange. What did this mean? Her arms laid on his shoulders as she kissed him, the kiss full of passion and something more. It was not the dull kiss that he had gotten from Ruby or whatever it was from Blake. It was... nice.
Yang leaned with her back against the side of the car, someone giving a little whoop, her face moving from his own.
"You're the one that I want."
The song from the movie came from her lips, reminded of Summer and the first time that she'd given him pleasure. He could hear it, as she leaned up to him and looked into her eyes. A low humming of the tune, as she smiled at him.
"I've got chills, they're multiplyin', and I'm losing control."
She smiled at him, letting him sing the next parts, before she did her little part. She was probably going to get dirty, but he didn't care. This wasn't like in the movies, but the song was still fitting. She was what he wanted, even if he couldn't get her.
"I love you, you silly little robot boy."
She said, kissing him on the lips. It was a gentle one, one that made his heart beat faster and faster than before.
Applause came from the side and she jerked away, her cheeks flaming. "Nice performance, guys. Really nice. Now go off and do that stuff elsewhere before you just violate the common decency enough to make it file charges against you two lovebirds."
Some people that looked to be college-aged had gathered to watch, and Yang was blushing like mad. He didn't mind that. She looked better than she had been with Blake.
"Yeah, we should head back home. You guys go and be nosy busy-bodies elsewhere, fellas."
She got into the car after opening it up, the suggestions flying from the drunken people. He wondered what punching a donkey was, but he didn't think he'd ask. He didn't really have a female dog though... It sounded like animal abuse.
'Is Blake with Yang also animal abuse? Faunus do have animal traits...'
"Hey, don't take it to heart. They're just jealous of you having a hot bird like me."
He smiled at her. Whatever people said about him would just slide off, whenever he was around her. She made his day better and he was lucky to be her friend. Yang's kisses were like the sun rising on his world.
"You're not a hot bird. You're Yang."
He corrected anyways. She shouldn't call herself a bird. She was a human.
"Hey, I'm a Cockatiel. That makes me Tweety. I think I got rid of Sylvester."
She winked at him and kissed his cheek. They pulled out of the parking lot, the people ambling along. It was nice, sitting next to her. He watched her as she drove, pulling over to one of the parking spaces in front of the house. She turned off the engine, leaning against the steering wheel for a moment, just languishing there for a moment. The light from the dashboard came, as she looked at the backseat.
She turned to look at him and smiled sweetly at him, her eyes looking him over. The shirt that she wore moved a little as she breathed in and out.
"Hey..."
She looked at him and he blinked, seeing the look in her eyes change a little. She smiled at him and then stretched slowly. His eyes watched the shirt hike up a little, her toned stomach exposed, as she slowly relaxed.
"How'd you like our date, Jaune?"
She was nervous, he reckoned. There was a hint of that in her eyes as her gaze met his own, the feeling in his stomach doing nervous twists. He had enjoyed it a lot. It had felt like it was normal, like he wasn't some sort of degenerate creature that could not feel love.
"Was it... it was okay, wasn't it?"
She sounded confused, hopeful and a bit afraid. She shouldn't, because he had loved it.
"I loved it. It made me feel like I was... just someone normal, instead of being a retard."
He could be honest with her, because she liked him as a friend. That she was with Blake wasn't a problem, she was his friend. She might not like him like that, but it didn't mean that he should make her feel sad.
"You're not retarded, Jaune. Cinder was wrong to make you believe that. She's wrong, Jaune."
He could feel something inside him twist. If Cinder had been wrong...
'Why did she hurt me?'
He looked into Yang's eyes, imploring eyes that asked him questions he could have never thought of. The worry in those eyes was real, as if he was someone who was worth the attentions from a wonderful girl such as herself.
"It was- It's hard, Jaune. It's hard. You're not a retard. You've never been one. Damn it, I want to throttle that woman for giving you the idea that you were less than any of us. I'm not the smartest, I'm fairly stupid but damn it, you're someone that I love."
She looked afraid for a moment, as he looked at her. She was looking into his eyes and he just didn't understand. Why would she worry about that? She might be fooled into loving him because he was a decent boyfriend-fake, but...
'Am I worth someone like her?'
"You're not stupid."
He said, and she smiled softly, before she took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and looked up, whispering something under her breath.
"No, but you're... You."
Her gaze was laden with those emotions as her expression changed to something that he barely could imagine. It was a look of care, of concern.
"Don't worry about it, Jaune. Let's wait until mom comes back and we'll have a chat. Mom probably knows how to explain things better than I can, because I fuck up all the time. "
She looked at him with a look and he shook his head. She did not fuck up all the time. He was not worth someone like her, but she was someone who made sure that he was happy. That was worth more to him than all the money in the world.
"You never make a mistake. I like you because of that. I-"
He said it anyways, because he knew that she might not believe him. If he had to be wrong, then he'd just be wrong and they could talk about it.
"I love you."
It was wrong, weird and unusual to say, but they were alone here, her eyes taking that queer expression, her tongue licking over her lips. She was busy with just staring at him. He waited for the look of disgust, but she just smiled. She was with Blake and she was not into him, but if this feeling was love, he would better say it.
Her lips parted into a smile that took his breath away. He watched her as she grabbed his shoulders and kissed him. It was amazing. He noticed that time was ticking on the display, minutes passing, just kissing her.
'I love you.'
She broke the kiss, smiling at him. A moment, as she took a deeper breath than before, as she looked into his eyes. A soft smile was playing on her lips.
"Want to show me your room, Jaune?"
He smiled. She was undoubtedly curious about his room. Ruby had been there a lot, but he was sure that she wouldn't really like it. It was just a room. He didn't really have many posters, like Yang had. If she wanted to see his room, he supposed he could get her something. It was still relatively early in the evening, it wasn't even nine yet.
"If you want? It's nothing really special. Just my room."
Her confident smile made his heart beat a little faster. She was like a beautiful prospect wrapped in a fun feeling.
"Sure thing, let me get the car locked up."
He got out of the car, watching as she reached for something, tucking it into a pocket. The keys to the car were in her hands as she locked the car up, and walked with him to the door. He opened it with the key that had been located under the nearest flowerpot and then allowed her entrance to the family home. The sound of the television came from the living room. She winked at him.
"Lead the way, lover boy... Show me what you've got."
He would normally search his mother out to say that he was home and see whether his sisters were around, but he had a guest. He should do what he wanted to make sure that she was happy, and if she wanted to see his room, he would show her his room. He smiled again. He hoped that she'd like his room before she left to go back home.
"The middle stair creaks a little. Avoid that one. Marble gets really crabby when she's woken up. She usually sleeps around this time."
She smiled, avoiding the step, taking care to follow his lead. He opened the door for her and she entered. It was just his room. His bed wasn't really made up yet, and he knew that he probably should do something about that. "Ah, it's messy. Sorry."
"No, it's okay."
She sat herself down on the bed, looking at his room. The walls were decked out with the wallpaper that'd been 'outdated' according to one of his sisters, but the desk was still good, the computer that had been set up on his desk functioning well enough despite it being outdated.
"Do you think you could go down and fetch my bag from the car?"
She smiled sweetly at him, straightening the bedsheets a little. It must be a girl thing to straighten things. Mom said that it was a nice thing to do, a neat room. He wasn't very neat at times. Cleaning day was every weekend on schooldays.
"I'll clean up a bit here."
He saw the car keys and blinked. He guessed that he could. If she needed her bag, he'd get it for her. He watched her start to tidy up a little, taking a moment to look at her body, feeling a flash of desire go through him.
If Cinder was wrong, he would rather love Yang.
He walked with the bag from the car up to the house, opening the door up again, meeting his mother in the hallway. She was looking a little peaky, her eyes going at him and at the bag.
"More laundry?"
She asked dryly, and he didn't really correct her. He didn't know what was in the bag, but if Yang wanted it, she'd undoubtedly have something to do with it.
"I'll put it away myself. Do we still have cans of Pepsi?"
He could at least bring Yang something to drink. You got drinks for guests, or else you were rude. His mother ruffled his hair, smiling softly.
"There's a few in the fridge. Don't drink too much before bed, okay? Everything's going to be just fine."
He knew that it would be fine. Yang was here to see his room and then she'd leave and tomorrow they'd be exercising again, he hoped.
He walked into the living room with two cans of Pepsi in his hands, coming in just in time to see the news, a picture of Mister Frank on the TV screen.
MANHUNT STILL ONGOING. SUSPECT IS ARMED AND DANGEROUS.
His sisters were looking at the television, several different stages of annoyance on their face. His father's expression was pensive, looking at the news and then giving a soft sigh. He looked like he had something to say. The television changed channels and a small cheer went up when Say Yes to the Gown came on, the wedding gowns looking interesting. He didn't really care much for the program, so he went upstairs, picking up Yang's bag as he did.
He opened the door and entered, noticing a few things right off the bat. His bed had been made up and there was a neat stack of folded clothing at the base of the bed, a shirt that was much like his own already folded, laid upon the jeans that Yang had worn today.
She was smiling and topless, the round mounds bouncing a little as she shifted, the underwear that she had on guarding her womanhood from his eyes, and the odd feeling inside him was stronger. His mouth felt dry, the cans of Pepsi in his hand starting to feel heavy.
"Close the door, Jaune."
He did, and she got up. Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Every step made them bounce, orbs that normally were covered, bounding and bouncing, her eyes looking into his own with a daring glint.
"You know, when a girl wants to go up to your room, she's asking for a certain thing..."
Her lips pressed against his own, a kiss that made him react to her. Her eyes looked into his as she brushed a finger over his chest. It felt good. It felt better than good.
"You're still too dressed, Jaune..."
She stepped towards the bed, a hand pushing the underwear down. He just stood there, looking at her as she stepped out of her underwear. His pants felt very tight.
'She's naked!'
She sat down on the bed, looking at him and then beckoning to him with a finger. He could see her bare body. His body was reacting to her, as arousal flowed through him like a drug.
"Put the drinks down. Put the bag down too, whilst you're at it."
He did, still looking at her. There were emotions going through him but he just felt numb, the whole sensation of his groin throbbing, her body laid back, supported by her elbows, legs half-spread. He could see everything. She was here, in his room. Naked.
'Am I dreaming?'
"Let's make this date end with a Yang, Jaune."
His eyes went back up to her face. She looked uncertain for a moment and doubtful. He decided to ask, because he knew that he should ask for her consent.
"Is it okay to touch you?"
She smiled, getting more upright. Her breasts were like hypnotizing pads, bouncing slowly with the motion. They were nice and round.
"If you don't touch me right now, I'm going to be thinking I'm not sexy enough for you, robot boy."
She winked, smiling at him. That was clear to him. That was her saying that she wanted to be touched.
'Mom was right. Asking first always helps.'
Bow chicka wow wow.
Yes, cliffyanger.
I am pretty darn certain that there is going to be rejoicing in the review section.
As for why the parents weren't involved: Firstly, there is doctor-patient confidentiality. Secondly: Jaune is nearly eighteen. That he has a mental difference does not matter. If the patient does not wish to let their parents know that something is wrong, then the physician cannot inform the parents.
Smut next chapter. I'm going to eh... yeah, you won't be reading it here. Adult content is banned here. Much more than just smut in the next chapter, though!
Do let me know how you thought the date went. Always nice to get some feedback!
Thank you for reading, and leave a review if you'd like!