A Future Uncertain
Jaune woke up alone. There was no one by his side, but he still rolled over expecting to see Ruby's round face. All he saw a wall.
The bed he slept on was made of the hard ground and the itchy carpet scratching at his body. A blanket laid under him and another on his body, acting like some kind of impromptu sleeping bag.
Yet he couldn't stop thinking about what he didn't have.
No soft, dark red hair, no warm embrace, no Ruby Rose.
He lifted his head up from his pillow, listening to Nora's snoring from her and Ren's bed. The two were asleep, cuddling against one another. Jaune took a deep breath, before sighing quietly. He looked around the room, noticing the slight beams of light that were slipping in from outside.
Waking up felt a lot more… lonely without Ruby by his side. He glanced at his friends once more, watching how Nora clung to Ren, nuzzling her face against his shoulder as they laid together.
The two were his best friends, but living with them after he broke up with Pyrrha was sort of like taking a salt bath after getting stabbed. The worst part was that they probably knew how he was feeling. Watching them kiss, watching them cuddle, watching them act like the perfect couple was painful for Jaune, so they down played it.
Jaune Arc was a burden to his friends, and yet they still housed him and kept him going. The young man had hoped he could be more than a weight on their shoulders, though. He tried his best to help out around their apartment. He cooked for them so Ren didn't have to, he'd clean up after his mess, do the dishes, and even paid rent.
Yet here he was. Being a burden to them again.
Jaune shook his head, trying to ignore his own thoughts. Without a word, he stood up and grabbed some of his clothes. He got changed in the bathroom as his mind went back to yesterday.
Ruby Rose was not like other girls. Jaune didn't mean that in a 'haha, I'm so quirky,' kind of way. Most girls didn't have other people swimming in their heads, able to take them over.
How much of Ruby Rose did he actually know? When he was talking to her, was he really talking to her or one of those other personalities?
The only real way of knowing was asking her, but would she even know?
Jaune rubbed his head as he stepped out of the bathroom, and then through the front door. He left the room behind, dragging his feet to the closest exit. He told himself he needed some fresh air, and he hoped and prayed it would actually help him.
The young man walked outside, still thinking about the young woman who… What were he and Ruby anymore? Were they friends, or something more?
Yes, he liked her. Did he want to date her? Yeah. Probably. Almost certainly. She was great. Smart, fun, and sweet.
And then there was this big bomb dropped onto him. He chewed the inside of his cheek slightly.
How did Ruby live with… it? He couldn't imagine living a life knowing other people could just take over. Or just hearing their voices in his head. What kind of life could Ruby live with them?
Jaune wondered how anyone could live with her condition, but of course there was another question.
How were they supposed to date if she was actually three other people? Did he even want to date her?
Relationships were based on trust, but he had just been living the last few months believing a complete lie. Was it a lie, though? Ruby said that 'Yang,' was impersonating her, and that she betrayed Ruby's trust…
So Yang lied to her. Ruby was as ignorant as he was...
Just a couple of days ago, life made sense. Now Jaune wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. What was one supposed to do when the girl they liked was crazy?
Jaune stopped for a moment. Guilt hit him like a tidal wave. He couldn't believe he just thought that.
Ruby wasn't crazy. She was his friend, and she needed help, but what kind of help was he supposed to provide her?
What was he supposed to do? Jaune asked him that question a dozen times over in his head, but he couldn't think of an answer. Eventually he walked out of the hotel, standing outside under the morning sun. He took a deep breath, trying to center himself.
He looked up to the blue sky of this faraway land, and he waited for someone to answer him. What-?
"What the hell are you doing here, Jauney boy?"
Not exactly the answer he wanted to find. Jaune turned his head to find Cardin standing behind him, just a few feet away. He stood in the doorway, effectively trapping Jaune outside.
Jaune's brow furrowed. He glared at Cardin as the taller man crossed his arms and waited for an answer.
Instinct ran first, but eventually Jaune's better nature caught up. He shouldn't be trying to pick a fight with him. For all of Cardin's problems, and God, did he have problems, Cardin still helped Ruby.
He owed Cardin, as much as that thought made his gut twist inside him.
"I just needed some fresh air. What are you doing here?" Cardin reached into his pocket, pulling out a small carton of cigarettes. He gave it a shake, before holding it out to Jaune. "You want one?"
Jaune shook his head in return as Cardin walked forward. He stood next to Jaune, and some part of Jaune wanted to walk away. He held his ground though, as Cardin lit a cig and watched it burn.
"Thought you'd be with that babe you brought along."
And there it was. Regret. Anger. Annoyance. Jaune rolled his eyes as he watched Cardin stare up at the sky with a bored frown.
"Her name is Ruby."
"I know. I just don't care."
Jaune wanted to punch Cardin. Just deck him. One good punch to knock the smug bully out. He'd hit the ground, and Jaune would walk away.
Instead Jaune remembered his mom's advice, and turned the other cheek. "Thanks. For what you did yesterday."
"Mmmhm. You two bang then?"
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Jaune growled, glaring a hole in Cardin's head.
"What? I ain't judging. She's hot. Just, you know what they say about sticking your dick in crazy," he chuckled, before he placed the cigarette between his lips.
Jaune felt his foot grind against the stone ground. His fingers curled into a fist, but it was his mouth that ran out of control. "She is not crazy!"
Even Cardin seemed shocked at Jaune's outburst, and he held up his hand to try and calm down the other man. "Shit, calm down. It was a joke. Quit being such a snowflake."
"I-" Jaune shook his head as he turned away. "Whatever." He started walking, leaving Cardin behind. When he reached the door, Cardin called out to him.
"So how is she?"
What was Jaune supposed to say? Lie? "She's better," he admitted, and he could hear Cardin sigh.
"That bad, huh? Sorry to hear that," he muttered. Neither said anything for a moment, until Cardin gave what he thought comforting words sounded like. "Women, am I right?"
"Yeah. Right," Jaune muttered. He was just about to return to Ren and Nora's room when Cardin spoke again.
"I hope she feels better soon, Jaune. She seems alright," he shrugged. "And no one should go through shit like that."
"How did you ever learn to help someone through a panic attack?" Jaune questioned, and Cardin actually gave him a straight answer.
"Seen it before. Velvet was the one taking care of them, but I heard most of it. I just repeated the shit she said. Tried to get her to pay attention to her surroundings, get her out of her head."
"Well, thanks. It looks like it worked."
"Yeah. I set it up, and you come in and clinch the deal," Cardin chuckled. "Girls love a hero." Jaune just nodded his head, trying his best to smile back at his old bully. "Tell you what? Make me the best man at your wedding, and we'll call it even."
"Yeah. I'll keep that in mind," Jaune replied with a roll of his eyes.
Neither of them said anything, and Jaune wondered if it was time to walk away. His foot shifted slightly, before Cardin spoke again.
"I hope you two work things out." Cardin then dropped the cig, barely even touched by his lips, and he crushed it under his foot. "I mean it."
"Thanks, Cardin." The very words almost made Jaune sick to his stomach. "I hope we do too."
Ruby opened her eyes to the rays of the sun slipping into her room. She groaned quietly from the blinding light, burying her face under her pillow to hide from the accursed sun.
She had slept in this bed several times and woken up warm and rested each time, but today was different. Her body ached slightly and her throat felt arid and sore. She rubbed her eyes against the sheets as she took a deep breath and sighed.
It didn't take long for her to realize what was missing. She dragged her legs along the warm fabric of the bed, finding the other side empty of her best friend.
She rose up, lifting herself up until she was sitting on the bed, staring at the empty and quiet room. She took a deep breath, and part of her wondered if she could still smell Jaune's scent in the room.
Why was she thinking about how Jaune smelled…?
Ruby let out a sigh and fell back, laying on her back as she stared at the ceiling. She felt sick to her stomach. Her body ached with the signs of a restless sleep, and she couldn't recall a single dream from last night. Just the feeling of anxiety choking and squeezing her, wondering if tomorrow she'd wake up in a looney bin or…
All alone.
"Hello?" she whispered, her voice almost caught in her throat.
What if no one answered? What if it had already started? The silence was deafening as Ruby's fingers squeezed the bedsheets under her. Please answer. Please, she begged between seconds.
"We're here, Ruby," Weiss answered back, and Ruby sighed with relief. "The others are still asleep, I think. Just you and me."
"Yeah." Just her and Weiss. Just her and one alternate personality. Ruby swallowed spit down as she lifted herself off the bed.
A life without her alts. Just her. Just her thoughts. Her mind.
The thought sent shivers down her spine as the events of last night flowed through her mind.
Jaune, Yang, Ren, Cardin, and that eleven-letter word that was on her and her sisters' mind.
"Integration is a theory that states that the alternate personalities that embody past trauma are slowly reintegrated back into the main personality."
"What… what does that mean?" Ruby asked.
"Quite simply, we will fade from your mind once you begin to move past the trauma of Adam, your father, and mother."
"Fade?" A euphemism, Ruby soon realized. "Y-you mean, you'll die?" She could feel her blood running cold in her veins.
"We can't die if we were never alive to begin with."
And suddenly it all made sense. A single domino was all it took for things to fall into place. "Yang..?"
"She knew about the theory. We both did."
She was scared, Ruby realized. Realization gave way to horror as she wondered how close she had come to killing her own family. How did it work? What did it mean exactly? If she started dating Jaune, would Yang just vanish, or would it be slow? Would any of her sisters feel pain…?
"You can't die," Ruby whispered, more to herself than anyone else. She shook her head, digging her fingers into her scalp as she took long, deep breaths. "This isn't happening."
"Ruby, please. It's going to be okay."
"You could die..." she repeated, glaring down at her bed. Was her vision blurring? She could barely tell. It was so dark, and so very hard to breathe…
"We're not alive in the first place."
"You are to me."
"But we're not to the rest of the world." Blake spoke plainly, reciting a basic fact that felt like a knife through Ruby's chest. "If you date Jaune, there is a very real chance you'll begin to heal. You'll accept what's happened to you and we will begin to fade back to wherever it is we came from."
Her skin felt hot and her heart pounded like a drum in her throat. She wasn't sure what to say at first. All this time, Yang had gone behind her back because she was scared. If Ruby dated Jaune, would that mean she would die?
Desperation. Just a single, perfect word to describe what her sister must have felt.
The very chance of death drove her to this, but could Ruby really blame her sister?
She gasped quietly, wiping tears from her face. No, she couldn't really blame her sister.
No, she had to understand. She had to forgive. It was what her mother taught her, and it was who she needed to be. She had to be the bigger person, no matter how badly Yang's actions hurt her.
"Yang… She must have been so scared," Ruby told herself. She sniffled, wiping more tears from her face. "She tried to keep me from healing."
"Yang was tempted to give you a nightmare, something that would scare you away from Jaune. She couldn't go through with it, though, and that is why she suddenly supported you and Jaune getting together. Of course, Ren telling you what she did was not something she planned."
It sickened Ruby to her core to think her sister could betray her like this, but as much as it hurt her, she could almost understand it. "I mean, this is literally life or death for her," Ruby muttered. "Either her sister gets better and she dies, or things just… stay as they are."
"Ruby, we're alternate personalities. Not people. Yang is not your sister. She's an embodiment of a mental disorder that's afflicted you your entire life. One that can be cured if you pursue Jaune."
Pursue Jaune…? Get with the boy she might have like-liked, but in exchange she'd lose her family. The three people she knew could count on even when her own father had betrayed her. The three girls she loved like sisters...
"I pick you guys."
"What? Ruby, you can't. That isn't an option."
Ruby's stomach twisted at Blake's response. She raised her voice ever so slightly, trying to hide the dread in her part of their mind. Ruby quietly muttered her response as she closed her eyes. She tried not to think of just how heavy those words weighed on her.
"Why not? It's my life, right? If I don't want to date Jaune, then that's my choice."
"No!" The sheer volume of Blake's voice in Ruby's head made the dark-haired woman jump. Her eyes widened as she felt her teeth grinding. She knew it wasn't her, and she felt herself shiver slightly as her lips moved on Blake's command. "Ruby, you can't do that…"
Blake relinquished control of the mouth as soon as she had seized it. "You can't honestly pick us over the chance of a happier life, a normal one! A life without voices in your head… You'd be normal!"
"I'd lose my three best friends." Ruby shook her head. "I've spent my life with all of you. I can't. I won't."
"Ruby-"
"I'm not budging on this, Blake. I can't lose you. Any of you. Not even for Jaune."
Blake didn't say anything at first, but Ruby could feel her clenching their jaw. It began to grow sore, and Ruby almost wanted to beg Blake to stop, before she suddenly did just that. The young woman rubbed her chin, frowning slightly from the pain as Blake's thoughts rang through her head.
"You should sleep on this. We'll talk tomorrow."
And tomorrow came, and Ruby couldn't deny that part of her was wondering if she was making the right choice.
She buried her face in her hands as she felt the sharp fingers of anxiety dig their way into her back.
On the one hand, Jaune Arc. A nice, funny, amazing young man that she might have sort of maybe liked…
You tried kissing him, dummy. Of course you like him, she groaned, only for her eyes to widen at Weiss' voice.
"You tried kissing him?"
"T-that was supposed to be an internal thought," Ruby groaned, rubbing her face with a sigh.
"Well, it's out now… So how much liquid courage did it take to try and kiss him?"
Ruby chose not to respond to that. She just sighed as Weiss did the same. "You really do like him, don't you?" And as much as the young woman might not have wanted to answer that question, she still did.
"Y-yeah. I guess I do," Ruby mumbled in return. Weiss didn't say anything in return, and the young woman sighed. "It's okay, Weiss. I'm not going to date him. I'd never risk any of you like-"
"I think you should. Date him, I mean."
"What?"
"You should date that blonde-haired dolt. You are clearly crazy for him." There was a long pause, before Weiss quietly sighed. "Poor choice of words."
"Weiss, I'm not going to risk any of you for someone I've known for only a few months," Ruby argued. "It isn't right."
"This isn't a matter of right or wrong," Blake stated, making her presence known to the two.
It would have been too kind to refer to what Blake was feeling as 'hope.' More like relief. She thought that someone in their mind was finally coming to their senses besides her, that they could finally see reason.
"It's a matter of your health. Your mental health would improve if you dated Jaune, and we would no longer need to exist."
"Oh, no. I have every intention to exist."
Damn it. Anger shot through Blake's part of the mind, spreading like wildfire as she tried to calm herself down. She really didn't want to hear it, though. The same lies and desperation as Yang. The same refusal to accept reality.
She had hoped Weiss would be smarter than this.
"You can't honestly think that," Blake groaned. "Or do you intend on trying to betray Ruby like Yang did?"
"I'm not going to betray anyone, but I'm not just going to die either. I want to live. I just think Ruby would be happier dating him," Weiss growled, and Blake felt like she was arguing the shape of the Earth with a child.
"If they date, Ruby will begin to heal, if she heals, we die."
"No, you said there is a chance we'll die. That's different than-"
"A very small difference! It's a chance, same as the chances of Ruby finding a penny on the ground, o-or tripping walking down the street. It's a good chance, and it'll grow higher with every passing day."
"Maybe you're wrong!"
"I'm not wrong, I actually did my research! Considering your reason to exist, I thought you would have too."
"Don't you act like you know why I'm alive," Weiss warned, and even Blake could feel Ruby's hair standing up. Their fingers twisted, digging their nails into Ruby's palms as Blake weighed her options.
Ever since her creation, Blake had sought out a way to fulfill her mission. A goal. She was created with a specific purpose. To help Ruby, and yet it seemed like everyone else, even Ruby, had forgotten that over the years.
If anger was the only thing they would listen to, though, so be it. She'd pull their heads out of the clouds and back down into the pavement.
"Your entire purpose could have been replaced by a calculator and some tutoring lessons."
"Go to hell!"
"Stop!" Ruby pleaded, and Blake silenced herself. "Stop fighting! Please, j-just…" Blake could feel their eyes watering. Tears falling down their face. She wasn't sure if they were Ruby's or Weiss' tears, but either way, their body began to tremble and shake as tears fell down Ruby's cheeks.
"Weiss?" Ruby sniffled. Silence. She was gone, and Blake sighed. Why? Why was it so hard to accept the facts for the others? Why was she the only one capable of seeing straight?
"You should talk to Jaune, Ruby. The sooner you heal, the quicker we can tear this bandage off." Blake left her alone after that, fading into the recess of their mind as Ruby sniffled.
How had her life come to this? Ruby wiped her tears from her eyes as she was left alone. She called out to Weiss.
No answer.
"Blake?"
No answer.
"Yang…?"
Nothing.
The silence was deafening, and she couldn't imagine living with this day by day. How other people did, she would never know.
There was a sudden knock on the door. Ruby's eyes widened as she turned towards it. She blinked, before a familiar voice called out to her.
"Hey, Ruby, you up yet?" Coco asked.
"Oh, uh… Just a sec!" Ruby shouted back, looking down at her clothes. She hadn't even changed into her pajamas before blacking out on the bed. She quickly got up, fixing her clothes as she walked towards the doors. "B-be right there!"
She wiped the last of her tears and snot away, fixing herself up as best as she could as she dashed towards the door. She gave herself one last check, before she opened the door to find Coco waiting for her.
"Hey, Coco!" she beamed.
"Uh, hey, Ruby. You okay?"
"Yeah! I'm great!" Ruby blinked, before cringing slightly. "I'm also being really loud. Sorry, I'm just… excited. What's up?"
"Just wanted to know if you wanted to come down for lunch."
"Lunch? What time is it…?"
"Like noon. Have you been sleeping this whole time?" Coco asked, raising her brow.
"No." The shorter girl quickly averted her eyes, avoiding Coco's disbelieving stare. "Er, lunch sounds great!" Ruby quickly declared, before she realized something. "Sorry for making you come get me. You could have called, you know."
"I don't have your phone number. I tried asking Jaune, but he said he slept someone else last night.""
"Oh. Sorry," she mumbled, glancing down to the ground.
Coco watched Ruby, crossing her arms as she tilted her head slightly. "Hey, you okay? Your eyes look red."
"I'm fine!" she replied, shaking her head quickly.
"You sure? I mean, I noticed Jaune downstairs all by himself. Thought it was weird how you weren't hanging out with him. Everything okay between you two?"
"Y-yeah! Totally. I'm great. W-we're great," Ruby quickly declared. It was clear that Coco wasn't buying any of it, though. She just stared at the younger woman with her brow raised high. Ruby was practically sweating as she wondered if Coco was going to ask her more questions about Jaune and herself.
Questions she couldn't even begin to answer for a girl she barely knew.
"Alright," Coco shrugged, turning and walking away from Ruby. The dark-haired woman watched her walk away, before letting out a quiet sigh and closing the door.
The door was just about to fall shut as Coco's voice called out to her. "Oh, and don't forget. Bachelorette Party tonight. See ya there." Ruby tried not to let the hesitation show on her fac, but it was a losing battle.
She waved goodbye to Coco as her heart sank in her chest. "R-right. Looking forward to it…"
What was she supposed to do…?
Jaune quietly ate his food, not really paying attention to anything going on around him. Coco and the others were talking about their plans for their own parties, while Ren, and himself sat quietly, enjoying their food. Nora was joking around and laughing with the others, but one little glance told Jaune she was faking it.
The others seemed to buy her act as he continued to crack jokes with them, keeping their attention off of Jaune and Ren. The blond's eyes glanced around the table, and he noticed Cardin quietly eating his food.
His and Jaune's eyes met, but what the burly man was thinking was lost to his former target. Cardin went back to his food and after a few moments, Jaune did the same.
Jaune focused on eating, but his mind soon traveled to a familiar face: Ruby Rose.
What exactly did he think of the girl now? Well, he liked her. She was still funny, and sweet, and fun to be around. She was nice and she laughed at his jokes… She was a great friend, but… Well, what did it even mean when she told him about her dissociative… idea disability?
What did she call it again?
He shook his head slightly and pondered their relationship. Ruby was his friend, no doubt there, but from what she said, there were other people living in her head. One who manipulated Jaune and tricked him into not asking her out?
Was this all some kind of overly complicated scheme to not date him? Or… date him? He wasn't even sure, but why would anyone make this up?
Why would Ruby lie? The short answer was: she wouldn't. Jaune refused to believe she could be making any of this up. What would she have to gain?
So she was being honest with him. Where did that leave him? With a girl he might have liked and alternate personalities that he had apparently spoken to?
Was this like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? No, Ruby didn't look any different when-
Well, actually… The Ruby he went to the club with Neon was a lot more confident and outgoing than the one he went to the arcade with, and sometimes Jaune would notice her acting more cold and icy.
Plus there was that time she ate pineapple pizza, despite saying she hated it when the first met.
The more Jaune thought about it, the more it actually started to make sense. Ruby wasn't just Ruby. She was her and… and these other girls.
How often had he interacted with them, thinking they were Ruby?
Jaune felt his cheeks heat up for a moment as another question popped into his mind. He gulped down some of his water as he wondered if this meant he was dating multiple girls or not.
"Hey, Ruby," Velvet greeted, waving at the young woman. Jaune followed her gaze to spot his friend walking over, weakly waving back at the table of young adults.
He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
"Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late."
"Rough night of sleep?" Fox asked.
"Yeah. Something like that," she replied as Jaune kept his head down and his face buried in his food. His eyes kept bouncing around, though, noticing Ruby standing by the table.
There were no empty seats. Jaune blinked, before glancing back down at his food. Should he say something? Should he move? What if that wasn't even Ruby? What if it was one of her alternate personalities? What if it was the one that didn't like him? Should he still give up his sea-?
"Here, Ruby. Take my seat. I'm done anyways," Velvet smiled, rising up from her chair. "I'll go see if I can get another seat brought over."
"What? No, Velvet, you don't have to-"
"I insist! Please, sit, sit!" The brunette smiled as Ruby gave in, blushing slightly as Velvet pulled out her own chair and motioned for Ruby to take it. She sat down, and Velvet was even nice enough to push the seat in for Ruby.
Ruby sat between Cardin and Coco as the brunette woman grinned. "Well, now that everyone is here, why don't we talk about tonight?" she asked with a smirking, toothy grin. Her eyes traveled to Nora, who was currently playing with her food, eyes locked on it.
Jaune could practically hear the room expecting Nora to say something. It took Ren gently elbowing her to knock her out of her break from forced happiness.
"Huh? Oh, yeah! Party tonight! No boys allowed!" she declared, putting her mask back on.
Jaune's eyes turned towards Coco, and he could almost see the confusion in her eyes. She brushed it aside, thankfully. "That's right. Fox's Bachelor Party, and my Bachelorette Party. It's time to celebrate our freedom before the ball and chain!"
Fox quietly sipped his drink as his fiance beamed. Coco continued with a smirk on her face and a gleam in her eyes. "Velvet and I already talked about what we're doing. Us girls are going to see a strip show!"
"W-what?" Jaune blinked, and he could even see Ruby's face turning red. The young man almost couldn't believe what he heard, but he knew he should have. He knew Coco for years. Poor Ruby had no experience, and had no idea what she was getting into.
"Whoo!" Nora shouted, more because it was expected of her than any sort of genuine joy.
"Wait, what?" Ruby whimpered.
"Yep!" Coco reached her hand over and grabbed Ruby's shoulder, pulling the dark-haired girl close. "You, me, Nora, and Velvet! We're going to see hot people taking their clothes off. Guys, girls, hot's hot, am I right?" she beamed, squeezing Ruby against her. "It'll be great! Maybe I'll even have a romantic, one night fling before marriage!" she declared, before looking at her boyfriend.
"That's fine. Cheat on a blind man. We'll see who our friends stand by," Fox replied, a calm smile on his face.
"Meanwhile, Fox is going to hang out with Ren, Jaune, and Yatsuhashi doing… I don't know, men stuff. Throwing a football back and forth or something."
"That is what men do," Fox agreed, nodding his head as Ruby's eyes glanced to her side.
"Cardin's not going?" she asked aloud, before blushing as she felt everyone's eyes lock onto her.
No one said anything for a few seconds. Jaune opened his mouth, before looking away. What was he supposed to say? Yeah, Cardin helped Ruby, but that didn't just wipe away years of abuse and bullying… Would he really defend his former bully? Offer him a place in their group of friends?
"I think he should," Velvet commented, and she blushed as she coughed into her hand. "Hanging out. Together."
"Cardin is welcomed to come along if he behaves," Fox stated, finishing his drink.
Jaune looked at his former bully, and the tall, burly man just stared at his food. He shrugged his shoulders, before he continued eating. "Sure. I don't have anything else to do today."
"Great. So, Fox and friends are on Cardin Duty. Have fun, boys," Coco smiled, saluting her fiance as he tapped his empty glass against hers.
Ruby ate her lunch quietly. The others were mostly finished by now, and she would have been the only person eating were it not for her Cardin, Velvet, and Nora. Nora was stuffing her face like her stomach was a black hole. Cardin and Velvet, who were sitting on each side of her after Coco stepped out with Fox, were happy to eat with her.
"Try this, Ruby. It's delicious," Velvet smiled, cutting off a piece of her food and giving it to the other girl.
"Oh, uh, t-thanks," Ruby smiled, before glancing at her food. "You want some of mine? It's pretty good too."
"Sure, I'd love some," Velvet leaned closer to Ruby, and it was there that she whispered to the other woman. "Cardin told me what happened yesterday. If you need to talk, I'm happy to listen."
And then Velvet picked some food off of Ruby's plate and brought it back to hers. She ate with a smile on her face as Ruby blinked, staring at the brunette with a thin frown.
Her eyes moved across the table, finding Jaune looking at his phone across from her. He didn't look at her, and she gulped, wondering what was going through his mind. Was he bored without her to talk to? Was he relieved he didn't have to entertain the child anymore? Was he looking up what was wrong with her?
What did he feel when he thought of her? Pity? Disgust? Love…?
Ruby pushed her plate away as her stomach twisted. She couldn't bring herself to eat anymore. She just sat there, closing her eyes as she called out to her mind.
"Guys?" Silence, and for a moment Ruby wondered if this was how a normal mind should act.
She could honestly say, she hated it.
After lunch, the groups returned to their respective rooms. Well, save for Jaune.
He returned to Ren and Nora's, where Ren watched as Jaune stared at the ceiling. The blond was laying on the ground, resting on the makeshift bed he had made from some spare blankets and pillows the three found. Ren followed Jaune's gaze up, staring at the ceiling, before glancing back down.
"Jaune, we need to talk."
"..."
"Jaune." Ren sighed, before walking closer. He sat down beside his best friend, crossing his legs as he placed his hands together. "Please, talk to me."
"Ren, I… I really don't even know where to begin."
"At the beginning."
"I mean it, Ren." Jaune sat up from his bed, but he barely even looked at his friend. "I made a promise-"
Ren felt his anger flare up. For just a moment. His eye twitched. His fingers curled into fists. For a single moment, he considered smacking Jaune for being so vehement about his personal beliefs. Ren then took a deep breath, and breathed out his anger, letting it dissipate like a cloud in the wind.
"-that I wouldn't tell anyone. What's going on between Ruby and me, I just have to deal with myself."
"We're a team, Jaune. You know that. What's your problem is my problem. We deal with it together."
"Some team," the blond muttered. "How's Nora been?" Ren steeled himself for the changing subject. He watched as Jaune looked at him, a frown on his lips. "I think I really hurt her yesterday."
Ren would say, yes, Jaune did. Of course, he also had no idea what the two of them had exactly said to one another, but he could guess. Before Ren could speak, Jaune continued.
"I didn't mean to upset her, but she brought up Pyrrha, and I thought someone should just tell her. I thought it'd be easier than lying."
Ren said nothing, watching as Jaune's eyes turned towards him.
"I feel like an asshole, Ren. I feel like I hurt two of my closest friends. First Nora, and then Ruby… I don't even know what to do with Ruby. What's the right thing here? What am I supposed to do after what she told me?"
Ren took a deep breath, before answering. "I can't help if I don't know what's going on between you two, Jaune." The blond didn't say anything, and Ren released his anger to the wind again. "As for Nora, she will be okay. You know that Pyrrha and her were close. Despite everything, she's always held onto the hope that we'll see her again."
"A hope I just killed."
"A hope reality killed. I'd hesitate to even call this Pyrrha's fault, Jaune. It's unfortunate, but Nora had to realize this lesson eventually," Ren replied, before he stood up. "I'm going to go check on Nora. Are you going to be alright?"
"Yeah." He nodded his head. "I'm sorry I can't tell you about Ruby, it's just… this is something I need to figure out by myself."
Because you're making such good progress so far, Ren thought to himself. Guilt immediately struck him, and he gave his brother a mental apology, before stepping towards the door. "I'll be here if you need me, Jaune."
"Thanks, Ren…"
Ren closed the door behind him, before he took a long, deep breath. He leaned back, feeling his body fall against the door as he closed his eyes.
Nora, Jaune, Ruby… Why did it feel like he was the only one at peace with his life? Out of the four of them, he was the only one who seemed to be in a somewhat stable state. Which made him a near perfect balancing act for everyone else's problems.
He didn't even know Ruby that well, but he could still tell how off she was during lunch. For a brief moment, Ren considered talking to the young woman, but he rejected the idea. As much as he wanted to help Ruby, he couldn't speak to her.
Not after what happened last time.
It was a miscalculation, or maybe just bad luck, he told himself. Call it whatever, but he had been the one to hurt Ruby yesterday. Whatever happened to her, it was nearly completely on his shoulders.
He just wished he understood why and how.
Despite being the 'stable' one, he was the catalyst; the first domino to fall. After all, he was the one who spoke to Ruby. Maybe if he had been with Nora and Jaune instead, none of this would have happened and Ruby and Jaune might even have been dating by now.
Ren's teeth were grinding against one another. He ordered his body to stop, before he tried to ease the stress in his body.
He was responsible for his friends, and he would help them to the best of his abilities. Somehow, he figured. He took out his phone and sent a text to Nora, receiving an answer only moments later.
'Are you okay? Want to talk?'
'I'm ok :D still hangin out wth Coco think were going 2 go 2 our party early Luv u and enjoy yours! 3
Great, Ren sighed. Nora was avoiding him, clearly uninterested in him helping her process her emotions. Of course, he trusted his girlfriend not to do anything stupid, but that didn't change the fact that she was hurting.
Still, you can't help someone if they don't want your help. It just seemed like everyone needed help, they just didn't want his.
'Is Ruby coming with you?' he asked Nora.
'Yep, we're getting her now.'
Well, at least Ruby wasn't going to be alone. Ren supposed he should take what he could at this point. Ren glanced behind him, staring at the door separating him and his childhood friend. Jaune was his brother, one of his closest friends, and it was because of their past that Ren felt guilt for what he wanted to do.
He couldn't deny there was some part of him that just wanted to walk away. To let Jaune, Nora, and Ruby deal with their own problems. Maybe that would have been for the best. It was his fault things were as bad as they were for all of them.
Ren closed his eyes and focused. He tried to center himself, to prioritize his goals, to figure out what needed to be done so he could best help his friends. Maybe… Maybe the other men could help him reach Jaune.
If Cardin didn't ruin the entire thing.
Ren returned to reality, and he told himself that he would be strong. He wouldn't abandon his friend. He'd help them, however he could, without overstepping his boundaries.
It was a good promise, he just hoped he could live to his own standards.
Ren opened the door and found Jaune right where he left him. The blond looked at him with a confused stare as Ren explained. "Nora and Ruby are going out with Coco for their party right now."
Ah." He nodded his head, eyes aimed towards the ground. "So, should we go see Fox?"
"Only if you're up for it, Jaune. If you don't want to go, you don't have to."
"And be by myself? No thanks. Besides, I think I might need a distraction from the girls," he replied with a sigh. Ren nodded his head, before Jaune said something that made him pause. "Hey, Ren? Would you date Nora if she was… different?"
Ren didn't say anything, merely raising his brow and giving his friend an inquisitive stare.
"What I mean is, what if Nora wasn't like any other girl you've ever met before? She was different."
The dark-haired man moved closer, and he sat on the ground beside his friend. He placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder, gently squeezing it. "The woman you date is supposed to be different, Jaune. That's what attracts you to her. "
"But what if what makes her different makes her… What if it scares you?"
"Dating anyone is scary, Jaune. Everyone comes with problems, baggage, and scars. It's a part of life. Even if Ruby might intimidate you, you have to ask yourself: 'Will fear hold me back?'"
"It's not that I'm scared to date her!" Jaune quickly argued, but the crack in his voice left Ren with substantial doubt. "It's just… I've never met anyone like her."
"Then hopefully it will be a learning experience." Ren patted Jaune's back, before standing up. "I won't lie, Jaune. It could end in failure. Your heart could be broken, hers might be just as shattered, and it might even damage your friendship."
Jaune's hands tightened into fists as he looked at his old friend. Ren shrugged, unflinching at the sharp stare the blond gave him. "It's not easy to hear, but it's true. The question is, are you willing to take that risk?"
When Jaune didn't say anything, Ren took out his phone and dropped the subject wherever it laid. "I'll text Fox and tell him we're ready whenever he is."
END
This chapter was mostly set up and the calm before our characters take out their dirty laundry. The next couple of chapters will focus on the parties one at a time, with characters' pasts and demons rearing their heads. Nora's bond with Pyrrha, Cardin's past, Ren trying to keep it together, and, of course, Jaune and Ruby's relationship.
I hope you all still enjoyed the chapter. Life can be confusing, and even when given time before a big decision, life can just be a confusing mess sometimes. I tried capturing that. Fear of the future and the unknown, plus everyone having their own drama.
Plus the alts are all divided on what to do, and that includes Ruby. Can she be with Jaune if it means risking her sisters' lives?
Thank you for reading, and please, if you enjoyed the chapter, let me know in a review. I love reading them.
Next chapter, Ruby tries talking to Coco and the others without revealing her deep dark secret. Meanwhile, Nora faces her own challenge. Is she ready to let go?
Stay safe, and remember, you are loved. See ya!