Prom
Author's note. Well, I own nothing but the plot. This was a fortunate prompt, especially with what's happening in the world right now. This is in an au that the fall of Beacon just doesn't succeed Cinder and crew are arrested in volume two when their transcripts in Haven don't hold up, and Leo is taken in for questioning gives them up.
The Vytal festival ended, and there were one thing everyone's minds at the end of the school year, and that was prom. Well, in reality, it was a farewell ball to all the participating schools, and it was going to be televised internationally. They wanted to show that inter-kingdom cooperation and friendships were happening and blossoming. No better than have a large party where everyone is dressed their best and having fun, and there was no hard feeling between the winners and losers of the tournament.
You have so many students thinking of who they wanted to take. So many who considered going stag to the party of the year. A few who were too afraid and thought they shouldn't even be there. Right now, Jaune Arc was contemplating who he would ask. Weiss was off the table; she wanted to go with Neptune, who agreed after a conversation with Sun on learning how to dance. As well as he lost his crush on her as quickly as it came. Shaking his head, not knowing what he was thinking, focusing his attention on her, to begin with.
Thankfully Pyrrha was going with Flint. They apparently hit it off when she as about all his weapon blue note and all its capabilities, and they just clicked from there. He thought he might have to ask her himself as friends since the opening dance for the Vytal Festival, he was effectively her date because no one asked her to go with her. And there was me trying to build up the courage to ask the girl that he's secretly liked for a long time, but knowing that she might not be receptive or realize he was flirting with her at all; like himself, she was oblivious. But she was sweet and kind, and it was hard not to fall for her. Especially when you've got to know her.
So, here he was pacing in his dorm room, wondering how he was going to ask Ruby Rose to the prom with me. As Ren watched him walk back and forth. Nora was off shopping for a dress. And so was most of the other girls leaving just Ren and him but feeling as reminiscent about two months ago when the opening ball was held. Ren was trying his hardest to meditate to relieve the nervous energy within him.
"Ok, the pacing needs to stop." Ren, who was dressed more than casually but comfortably, then everyone had ever seen him considering we now got final exams were two weeks away. The prom was at the end of the week.
"Look, Ren, this is a big deal. I got the girl in mind who I want to ask. I don't want this end up like the first time. I went stag and ended up in a dress. I just want to spend a nice time with someone I genuinely like and want to spend a night having fun with someone I want to spend time with."
"Well, maybe I can help so I can get back to peacefully meditating. Your pacing is distracting my concentration." He said, exasperation and annoyance clear in his voice.
"Fine, but don't breathe a word of this outside of this room. I don't want to lose my nerve or panic halfway through." Jaune looked harried slightly like he wanted to be anywhere but here. He was panicking and not really think about who he was talking to his mind, not really rational didn't want to get out or being spread. He had this look like a bunny that would run at the first sign of trouble but knowing Jaune, and it's probably not unwarranted.
"Like I'm a gossip," Ren said with a raised eyebrow. He was a guy of few words. He didn't even know why he was worried even Nora wouldn't find out what happens right here and now. Ren was good a friend and usually kept to himself and doesn't talk unless he needs too.
"Look after this year and everything, and I had an epiphany. Especially when I think about everything I've been through and my friendship. It was a giant slap to the face to realize that I have a crush on my friend, the first friend I made here. So, asking her is a big deal for me. I don't want to screw this up or have her think I'm asking as just friends." Jaune said it with this tone like he was getting a cold shower, and he was waking up. Or like he ran a marathon, he was huffing and puffing, slight sweat forming on his forehead.
"Based on your nerves and words, you wanted to ask Ruby to the prom and you aren't sure if she will say yes or no, how to ask her with messing up the whole thing, I got the gist, right?"
"Yes, I need your wisdom here. I'm desperate here."
"Fine, listen up. I don't want to say all this more than once or repeat myself, so I want to make this clear as your friend. I don't want to leave you to the tender, mercies of Neptune or Sun. Sun might get Blake to the prom, but I doubt Neptune will be going with anyone because of a lack of dance skills. Look, Ruby is a sweet girl makes sense that you like her, and you should've realized months ago that you had feelings for her."
"What do you mean months ago?" Jaune borderline yells, shocked that Ren would say such a thing. He just became aware of his feelings. How the hell did Ren know before him how he felt.
"Don't make me stop, or I will leave you with no advice, and you are on your own." Jaune seemed to shut up quickly.
"Look with the number of things That we've been involved in and the fact that when Ruby calls? We are armed and ready to help; friends are always there for each other's sure but your fast your desire to help her. you are willing to sacrifice sleep and safety for her and best friends or not, you are going above and beyond or her. The only person who's that fast and willing to help at the drop of a dime is Sun Wukong. So, I'm going, to be honest with you." turning to look at him, his face was stern serious, and a pinch annoyed. He was sick of talking; it was clear on his face, but these are words that need to be said.
"Ruby is a lot of things, but something I know she is but wouldn't admit to it is she likes grand gestures. Sometimes I hear conversations between her and Blake. And you can tell she loves and gets swept in the romance of things. So that song you wrote for her that you think you can get away with hiding might make her say yes. This isn't Weiss and some half-hearted gimmick song you wrote that day." With this, he gave a look as Jaune tried to deny it, and he looked like he would and stopped when he saw the glare from Ren, who had enough of his Jaune's anxious behavior and the doubt from the normally optimistic leader. The shock and shaking knees just weren't him.
"This is a song you've been working on for the last few months. None of us are deaf or blind. I know Nora has been smirking every time she saw you working on it. Don't be afraid I was terrified at first when Nora asked me, but I'm glad she did. Go for it before someone else makes a move. I know Yang is terrifying after winning the Vytal festival, but that's delaying the inevitable. Someone is going to ask her this time, and hopefully, it's you."
"If you need an ear, you can go for it but don't expect another lengthy conversation, not from me. I need to meditate and relax to prepare my mind. I got studying to do, and I got some subjects I'm weak at, and I refuse to do worse in my class then team cardinal." That, on top of everything, was something of a sore subject with the Team. The weeks that Jaune was getting blackmailed by Cardin and their grades rose ever since then, blackmailing stopped. Team Cardinals' grades are the lowest among our grades. Right now, our team grades as individuals are ok. Pyrrha doing a little better than most of us. But anyone with grades below Team cardinal them would be the laughingstock of the first-year beacon group. So, Ren's concerns weren't outrageous.
"On top of all I know, I'm going to tuxedo and corsage shopping sometime this week. Nora only just gave me the color of her dress. So, you better ask Ruby, and soon so you two can match. If I had to guess Ruby stayed behind, so take the opportunity now. Before Yang gets back and you can find out personally whether you have a glass jaw or not." With a slight push guitar in hand, Ren evicted him from the dorm room at least for the moment, both knowing the halls were empty pretty much everyone was getting ready in Vale.
I heard tinkering and knew Ruby had stayed behind. Not letting go of the courage I got while my blood is burning with it. I knock on her door loud enough for her to hear. Ruby opened the door; she was wearing a pair of goggles, her hands had slight oils on her fingers, a screwdriver behind her, and a wrench near her feet. In that moment, she had never looked more beautiful to him than at this moment.
"Jaune, what's up?" Noticing that he has a guitar in his hand, he was dressed In a really nice button-up shirt that most had never seen on him before.
"Do you want to talk to Weiss about prom or something? Because she's off at the library and…"
"Actually, I am here to talk to you?" he said an awkward but bright smile on his face. He took a deep breath and started to strum the song he wanted to sing to her was one he writes and had been dying to pay; he knew by heart, and he knew that if this was his best shot at this.
Jaune started strumming his guitar, singing a moving rendition of an overly sweet and affectionate love song here full of cute lyrics, some funny, some nice.
"Oh, Jaune!" Ruby's eyes seemed to sparkle. Her smile was the biggest he had ever seen on her.
"I know I'm the biggest and blindest idiot. I'm not sure when but I realized I liked you, and I would like to go to the… that is, if you're not going with someone else." He was word vomiting catching himself, he takes a breath and says what he wants to say all along.
"What I'm trying to say is would you go to prom with me?"
"Yes, I'd love to." giving him a kiss on the cheek to the shock of them both. Not surprisingly, when she sped out of the room saying she's going to go to Vale to buy a dress before she was completely out of sight, rose petals left behind her.
For the next few days, it was pandemonium with Ruby's excitement and the joy both of them felt even though Yang had taken to trying to find Jaune to have a nice and long chat, which he had only be able to artfully avoid for a full day. Until he felt cornered at the training grounds on campus. And he was running when he felt her presence like a cold shiver up his spine. John knew at that moment he wasn't going to get away from her and started praying to any deity to save him from her wrath. his back against the walls looking for another path to run and he could see her eyes as red as any monster of a popular in nightmare Jaune had when he was a child.
"Jauney boy, you can't run from me!" he was huffing, and out of breath, he had been able to dodge Yang after finding out that he asked Ruby to go to the farewell ball. The fact as well as the confession Jaune has made to her. There were no secrets between them, and that was the worst of them.
"So, you honestly thought you were Going to do some grand speech of love and affection for my baby sister and ask her to the farewell ball, that'll be televised, mind you, without asking me for her permission as the eldest family member to her? Do you want a bruising, Jauney? I think you'd be a little smarter! Since we've been friends for a year now, don't you think?" Slamming a fist, inches from where Jaune's head was. The nervous sweat on Jaune's brow, he was drenched, and Yang could see the cogs working overtime to come up with an explanation.
"Well, Ruby, is big girl, I didn't think she needed permission from anyone to start dating? Much Less go to a ball?"
"If my father was here, you would have already gotten hurt. I, on the other hand, do you know you. Don't mean I won't tell him. Prepare for the worst when you go and meet him eventually; for now, I'm letting you off with a warning next time, don't make me chase you. And treat my baby sister right or else."
He slid to the ground of the training area he was in, softly muttering thankfulness for being left alive. Yang was softly chuckling, knowing that Jaune is just at the beginning of his troubles when's Uncle Qrow and dad found out about this. He'll be lucky if you get another night's sleep peacefully after those two find out about Ruby is dating. Giving him once the last glance, that boy is so dead.
The rest of the weak went about as smoothly with Jaune and Ruby dancing around each other, sharing small smiles and holding hands to the shock of and proud smiles of others. of their teammates. With Nora looking incredibly happy most of the week and Ren smirking, Pyrrha seemed shocked and a little angry. Weiss was shocked but otherwise appeared to accept the change. And Yang was slightly fuming but accepting it. Having gotten her own date in the form of one of the guys that she eliminated in Team Auburn. The night of the farewell ball with upon them, the cameras were rolling, and everyone was dressed and ready.
The party was well underway, with most couples already spinning and dancing to the live band. I think they called Crushed Strawberries. A popular band in vacuo that headmaster Ozpin somehow got to play the Farewell Ball.
They walked in, Ruby wearing a beautiful red dress with Jaune wearing a tux with red trim to match her dress. A corsage on her wrist red orchid and one pinned to his tuxedo.
"Would like this dance milady?" bowing to Ruby, who giggled but curtsy in return.
"Of course, you dork, just go easy. I have a hard time moving in these lady stilts, you know?"
"Always." Jaune had a smile that Ruby mirrored.
Final note: I came up with this way before corona took it's a foothold in America. I was thinking of this since volume four and volume two, with the dance and giant ball held in Weiss's mansion in Atlas. Before anyone asks, I really couldn't think of a decent love song that wasn't desperate, hokey, or outright weird. I might've written one myself if I was feeling in the mood to write a song considering most songs are just poems anyway, so hopefully you find it fine substitute I thought it was. Remember to show your support and interest. Kudos favorite the fic show that you want to see me write more! More than once, when I don't say anything, they get no attention. So, Que sera sera.