The room was silent, save for the happy tune Yang hummed as she sat before the mirror. Seated at the room's only desk, the blonde girl ran a brush through her luscious golden locks again and again, wanting to look absolutely perfect for the night that was ahead of her.
True to his word from the previous day, Jaune had gotten in touch with his sister and asked if she wanted to hang out with them again today. Saphron had of course agreed, and why wouldn't she? She had fallen in love with Yang in the most platonic sense of the word. Yang was after all her precious baby brother's sweet and caring girlfriend. Part of the family, as Saphron had once put it. That was all going to come to an end sooner rather than later, and Yang wanted to enjoy every bit of her ideal fake life as long as she could.
With her beautiful hair appropriately eye-catching now, Yang reached over for a small silver tube. While possessing natural beauty it never hurt to go that little extra mile when it came to impressing one's in-laws. Not wanting to stand out too much, she'd opted for a delicate pink tone to wear tonight on her double date with the Arcs. Just thinking such a thought to herself caused her pursed lips to smile, and Yang had to momentarily pause while she collected her emotions.
A smack of her lips later she stood up from her seat, turning left and right to admire the outfit she'd chosen for tonight. Black leather pants clung tightly to her lower half to show off what she didn't even consider to be in her top three of best assets, while a cream colored vest over a low cut black shirt offered a glimpse at what she considered her finest. It only made sense that she wanted to show off a little tonight. It had been ages since she'd gone out for a night on the town without some sort of ulterior motive. Tonight there was no Roman Torchwick or White Fang. The fate of Vale wasn't in her hands. All she was doing tonight was having fun with Jaune and his family.
"Going out?" the familiar voice of her partner asked from behind her.
As quiet as the room had been, it wasn't for lack of people in it. Ruby and Weiss may have been out right now doing their own thing, but a certain house cat had been present the whole time. It wasn't unusual for Blake to be on the silent end of the noise spectrum, and it had taken this long for her to say so much as a word while Yang had been busy preparing herself for the night to come.
The blonde girl smiled as she continued to admire herself in the mirror. And was there ever plenty to admire. "Yep."
"With Jaune?"
That question gave Yang pause, and rather than her own reflection, Yang stared at Blake's image in the mirror. "As a matter of fact I am."
Blake hummed, seemingly content with the answer. Disinterested even. However, people didn't just ask questions for no good reason. No, questions had intent behind them. Sometimes the intent behind a question was more important than the answer given. Yang couldn't ignore the fact that Blake had been so specific, nor that she had been correct on her first guess.
"Why?" she asked, turning around to finally cast her eyes on her partner. Blake remained unmoved, lounging lazily on her bed with her own eyes locked on an open book in her hands.
"No reason," Blake replied, golden eyes still focused on the page before her. "You just seem to be spending a lot of time with him lately."
She had been. This would in fact be the fifth day in a row Yang would be going out to spend time with Jaune either on or off campus. And just what was wrong with that anyway? Blake spent a lot of time with Sun, and he didn't even go to this school. How would Blake feel if she called her out about that?
"There's not a problem with that, is there?" Yang asked instead. Making things personal and turning them onto Blake might not be the best course of action when she would soon be going out for the evening. "Ruby hangs out with Jaune too. We're friends with Team JNPR."
"We are," Blake agreed.
"And there should be no issue about spending time with any of them," the blonde continued. "I mean they're right across the hall, after all."
"I agree."
"Jaune's a lot of fun too," Yang pressed. Not just his family, but Jaune himself.
"I never said he wasn't."
Spending time with Jaune these past few days had allowed Yang to see sides of him she never had before. He wasn't just the kid at the bottom of the class anymore. He wasn't just the guy who had a crush on Weiss. Emphasis on had, according to him. He could joke. He had a bit of an edge to him. He was a family man through and through, showing deep and affectionate care for his sister, and with her showering him with just as much in return. Perhaps even more so. The way Saphron teased her baby brother always brought a smile to Yang's face.
Maybe that was where he'd learned to dish out some of that snark. No one ever had the gall to say they had a better ass than Yang to her face, but Jaune had said that just the other day. No one had ever dared to smear food on her face, but Jaune had done that at the beach bonfire. He'd teased her for trying to get that civilian girl's scroll number. As it turned out Jaune had quite the backbone in him, and Yang never would have known that had she not spent the last few days as a part of his family.
"So yeah, I'm going out with Jaune again," she stated all too happily. Running into him at the air ship terminal had been one of the best happenstances in her life. Thanks to that she'd made a close friend out of someone who before had been little better than an acquaintance. Her sister's friend. A friend by circumstance only. "Honestly maybe you should give one of them a try sometime. Try something new instead of laying around here all day."
Those words finally snapped Blake from her concentration, and her golden eyes flicked from the book to Yang. "Who says I haven't?"
Yang's eyes locked onto her partner's. While there was no accusation in Blake's voice, those almost feline eyes of hers told a different story. No one liked being falsely accused of anything they didn't do, nor did someone enjoy being denied of something which they had in fact accomplished. Blake's expression alone said everything as she challenged Yang's claim about her.
"Wait, you have?" Yang asked incredulously.
"I have."
"Really? Who? When?" She was sure there were a few other 'W' words she could ask her partner, but those were probably best left unspoken as to not annoy the other girl.
"I have a weekly book club with Ren," she answered matter-of-factly. "We would have asked you to join, but reading doesn't really seem to be your thing."
Yang might have normally taken offense to the slight jab against her interests, or lack thereof, but she was still reeling over the fact that Blake apparently got together with Ren every week. How was it that she knew nothing of this?
"You do? Why haven't I heard about this?"
Blake gave her a deadpan stare. A couple of seconds later it all clicked in the blonde girl's head. Blake didn't need to say a word in order for Yang to read the message loud and clear. In fact, not speaking was probably the most fitting answer she could have given to a question regarding both her and Ren.
"Oh. Right," Yang chuckled softly. "It's you and Ren."
"It is." The faunus girl's eyes focused back on her book, though she continued speaking even without her attention on her partner. "I'm happy you've found someone to spend time with that's not me. I was a little bit worried you might not have any friends besides us."
Coming from Blake of all people that was almost insulting. Little Miss Gloom and Grumpy having the audacity to worry about Yang's lack of friends? Who did she think she was talking to? Yang Xiao Long was the life of the party! She had oodles of friends! She could walk up to anyone in this school and chat them up as if she'd known them their entire lives! What, just because Blake hung out with Sun and read books with Ren she suddenly thought she was the social butterfly of the team? More like a butterfly that hadn't left the safety of the cocoon yet.
"I have plenty of friends!" Yang argued. Even though her friends from Signal may not have passed initiation, she'd made new ones. New ones like... like Coco Adel! Yeah! Now there was a cool girl Yang could see herself hanging out with. It was just a shame they'd never done that before. However, that didn't mean they weren't friends!
"Mmm," Blake hummed noncommittally once more. Her eyes were still on her book rather than where they should be, and that was Yang freakin' Xiao Long!
"And are you saying that you're sick of me?" she continued, equally aghast that Blake was implying she was tired of being the only person Yang spent time with these days.
"Not in so many words," the faunus offered in a halfhearted defense.
"No way, you're actually implying that you're sick of me!" Yang repeated in disbelief.
Blake's focus was finally diverted away from her book. It was probably because this little landmine of a topic had been broached and she needed all her attention on the blonde who was very justifiably annoyed with her.
"No, not sick of," Blake said with sincerity. At least there was that. "It's just that… variety is the spice of life and all that, you know? It's good to go outside of your comfort zone from time to time and experience new things. I've grown to love you like a sister, Yang, but just like with real siblings sometimes you need to get away every now and then. Just like how you and Ruby are sometimes. She's not hanging out with you right now, after all."
Yang's eyes narrowed on her friend and partner, but despite the emotions she was feeling at this time she couldn't bring herself to disagree with the sentiment. After all, Yang had once ditched Ruby so she could make brand new friends. She'd all but thrown her younger sister into the deep end of the pool to teach her to swim, and as a result Ruby had met Jaune.
What Blake was saying was true. She couldn't spend all day and every day with Ruby, just like Blake couldn't do the same with her. When she put it like that it was entirely understandable. Even positive.
Even so, Yang couldn't resist getting in a jab of her own in response to Blake's candid words. "Oh sure, like books are outside of your comfort zone," she quipped. "I'm sure Ren is a total wild man when the two of you are reading together in complete silence."
An unexpected smirk curled Blake's lips upward. "I mean, you should have heard his thesis on The Man with Two Souls. That. Was. Out there…"
Yang had no clue what Blake meant by that, but it was clear to her that her partner was gone now. Lost in her own little world of fantasy literature. It was probably for the best that Yang wasn't invited to their little book club. She couldn't imagine how boring that would be.
Luckily a knock on the door brought the conversation to an abrupt end, and Yang spun around eagerly and took a step forward. She then forced herself to stop. It wouldn't do to rush to the door like a lovesick puppy whose human had been gone all day. She may have been excited to go out, but she couldn't look excited.
Rolling her shoulders and cracking her neck, Yang collected herself as to not seem desperate when she answered the door. After all, she was Yang Xiao Long. She was cool as a cucumber and too cool for school. Jaune wasn't doing her a favor by going out with her tonight. No, quite the opposite. She was doing him a favor by graciously offering to hang out with him and his sister tonight. Not the other way around. Totally not the other way around.
"So are you going to get that, or…"
Yang was snapped from her thoughts by Blake's deadpan tone, and she cast a glance back to find her partner still nose-deep in her book. Stupid Blake. She should be focusing on her dumb book instead of her partner's social life.
"Yes, I'm going to get that," she shot back with annoyance. "If you knew anything about men you'd realize that you have to make them wait."
"Why? It's not like you're dating or anything."
The word sent a shiver down Yang's spine, and she didn't know why. All she knew was that for a moment she found herself frozen on the floor.
At least until another knock on the door echoed in her ears.
With an exasperated groan Blake swung her legs off the bed and stood up. "Fine, I'll get it," she said with clear frustration.
It took only a few steps for Blake to reach the door, but before she could open it Yang grabbed her by the arm. "Wait!"
Blake stopped in her tracks and turned to regard her partner with more annoyance on her face. "What's the problem? What's going on?"
"How does my hair look?" Yang asked, all semblance of confidence suddenly gone. Her hands ran through her golden locks, poofing her hair up as if showing it off to her partner to find any flaws. "Is my lipstick okay? Do you think it looks good on me?"
Blake blinked, her expression unreadable as Yang's own began to grow ever more manic. "You look fine."
Fine. The worst possible word Yang could have heard in this moment. She wasn't supposed to look fine! The only way fine was fine was if it was fine. And Blake most certainly did not say that Yang looked fine!
"Crap you're right!" Yang practically screeched in a panic before rushing over to the team's bathroom. "I'll just be another few minutes! Distract him!"
The door slammed shut behind her as Yang began perusing through both her and Weiss' cosmetics. For a night like tonight she couldn't just look fine. She had to look stunning. Beautiful. Hot. She was after all spending one of her final days as Jaune's girlfriend. Tonight had to be perfect. It had to be a night to remember. She might not get another one like it. At least not until she found someone to share a genuine relationship with.
If she ever found someone to share a genuine relationship with.
Yang had once bragged about being a thrill seeker and enjoying not knowing what tomorrow would bring. This was not one of those instances, however. Knowing that tomorrow could bring the last day she would ever get to spend being Jaune's fake girlfriend was terrifying. It was like the last days of summer vacation before the inevitable return to school. Yang had never wanted those vacations to end. She didn't want this to end either.
Tomorrow was never promised. A happy ending was never guaranteed. Finding a guy like Jaune and a sister-in-law like Saphron might have been a one in a million thing. Who was to say she would ever find something as good in reality as her current fake relationship?
"What are you doing?" she whispered to her reflection in the bathroom mirror. "Come on, get it together. It's just Jaune. It's just Saph and Ter. You've done this plenty of times before."
As she wiped away lipstick from her lips she found the tissue resting on her cheek. The same cheek Jaune had smeared chocolate on from his s'more at the beach. She could still feel it on her as if she'd been kissed. Like some immature preteen who insisted they would never wash their face again after receiving their first kiss.
She hadn't been, however. She in fact had never been kissed before. A part of her wondered if Saphron and Terra ever took notice of the fact that this supposedly loving couple never kissed each other in public in front of them. Or even in private. Oh well, it would all be over soon enough, and then there would be no reason to keep up the charade.
It would all be over soon. Yang was determined to enjoy every last bit of it until it got to that point.
After around a minute of waiting, which was a long time considering how small their dorm rooms were, the door finally opened. However rather than being greeted by the expected sight of a fellow blonde, Jaune found the neutral expression of Blake on the other side of the door, peering up at him with what he could only describe as casual indifference.
"Jaune," she said in what he supposed was her idea of a greeting.
He swallowed, still recovering from the unexpected presence of Blake and hoping he would have an excuse for being here should she ask why. "Oh um, hi, Blake. Is Yang here?"
The faunus girl cast her gaze aside briefly before returning it to the boy before her. "She's here. Just in the bathroom."
"Do not say I'm in the bathroom!" the voice of the girl in question shouted from behind a closed door.
Blake rolled her eyes before stepping back and to the side. "If you want to come in feel free. She'll just be a minute."
Jaune nodded and took her up on her offer. Closing the door behind him, the boy stood in a room belonging to four girls. Despite the fact that he'd been here numerous times he felt a bit awkward about it when he wasn't Ruby's guest. He wasn't plopped down on the floor or a chair playing video games with one of his best friends. He was here to pick up a girl to go out with on a date. Despite the fact that it was all just a farce, the fact that he was in such a stereotypical situation wasn't lost on him.
Blake might as well have been Yang's intimidating father with how uncomfortable he felt with this whole scenario.
"So what are you two doing tonight?" Blake asked as she sat back down on her bed, swinging her legs up onto it before grabbing a book from the mattress.
What indeed? He couldn't tell Blake the truth. Saying they were going out dancing with his sister would raise yet more questions. It would open up a can of worms that he didn't necessarily want opened. He knew Yang probably didn't want the truth of their dates to be public knowledge either.
"Oh, you know," he began casually. "Just gonna go hang out for a bit. See where the night takes us." He winced, not knowing if such a vague statement would lead to more trouble than if he'd just been honest. A lack of details had a tendency to make imaginations wander.
To her credit, however, she didn't pursue the line of questioning any further. "Hmm," she hummed noncommittally, seemingly more engrossed in her book than the conversation.
Jaune smirked. Blake's introverted personality had just saved him. Had this been someone like Ruby or Nora he would have been in deep trouble.
The door to his side opened, and Jaune turned to greet the girl he'd come to pick up for their date night. Blue eyes widened in surprise at the sight before him.
Wearing black leather and a shirt which showed off even more than usual, Yang was a bombshell of a woman as she emerged from the bathroom. Her lips were colored ruby-red, while brilliant lilac eyes popped like gemstones being surrounded by a thin outline of eyeliner. Even her cheeks stood out more, probably from some other kind of makeup that he was only vaguely familiar with thanks to his sisters. The finishing touch was a pair of earrings, rubies if he were to guess, dangling down about an inch below her earlobes.
Yang was beauty incarnate. She always had been, but tonight more than ever she seemed to have put in more effort than usual to make the world see it. Jaune was just the first of many who would be fortunate enough to lay eyes upon this epitome of style and grace.
"So how do I look?" she asked, wearing a small hint of a smile on her bright red lips.
Jaune nodded, his eyes still looking her up and down to take in every inch of her perfection. "Wow. You look amazing, Yang."
"Aww, thanks," she replied, one hand coming up to rest on her hip and cocking it slightly. "You don't look so bad yourself. That outfit you're wearing looks kind of familiar too."
It should look familiar. It was after all one of the outfits she'd chosen for him on their shopping trip. Jaune wore a dark blue polo shirt and black slacks. Not too casual, but not too formal either. It wouldn't have done to go out dancing with Yang and his family in jeans and a hoodie, after all.
"Thanks. I had a feeling it would look good. I had some help picking it out."
Yang was beaming, her smile brighter than the overhead light in the room. "Now if only we could do something with that hair," she said, hands coming up to brush through his own fairly long blond locks.
"But I didn't even touch it."
"That's exactly the point. You may have brushed it out of your face with your hand, but it could definitely use some work. Cut. Style. Product. Something to make you look more like a man instead of a teenager. How do you feel about spikes, Jaune?"
"But I am a teenager," he countered.
"Only for one more year. Once you turn eighteen it's all over, Jaune. You'll be an adult. A man."
"But since eighteen still ends in teen, I'd still be a teenager," he argued. "It's kind of a weird middle ground isn't it?"
"Yeah I guess so," Yang shrugged. "When's your birthday anyway?"
Just as Jaune was about to answer he heard the sound of Blake clearing her throat. Both he and Yang turned to where she laid on her bed, her book having come down to rest open and atop her chest.
"Aren't you two, you know, leaving?" she asked, no small trace of annoyance in her tone.
It was obvious as to why she was annoyed. She was trying to read in peace while he and Yang bickered about something stupid and pointless. Jaune reached up to scratch his hair and he smiled sheepishly at the faunus girl.
"Yeah, right. Sorry about that," he offered, raising a hand to wave in a mixture of apology and goodbye.
"See ya, Blake," Yang followed up, being the first to turn and head toward the door.
"You kids have fun, okay?" her partner offered with deadpan sarcasm.
The truth of the matter, however, was that it was just another reminder of what Jaune had felt upon entering the room. Like Blake really was Yang's mother or father wishing the two teenagers well on their date.
Stepping out into the hallway, Jaune shut the door behind them before the two began striding down the empty corridor. Yang was the first to speak, chuckling to herself briefly before the words came out.
"You know it's funny, you picking me up like this," she said, her focus on her feet as she moved. "It's almost like a date."
Jaune felt a chill run through his body. He laughed softly in spite of it though, forcing the thought to the back of his mind as he walked next to her. "Isn't it though?"
A moment of silence passed between them before he saw Yang smile again. She hummed amusedly at the question. "I guess you're right. A double date like my future sister-in-law."
A date with the most beautiful, and as he'd found out, one of the most fun people Jaune had ever had the pleasure of hanging out with. Yang was far more than just her good looks and impressive fighting ability. She was fun. So much fun. Jaune found himself immersed in this fake relationship with Yang, so much so that he'd readily agreed to keep up the façade far more than was actually necessary.
He'd spent his own money on new clothes during one of his outings with the girl not because he needed them, but because he'd enjoyed the experience of shopping with her. Jaune had even voluntarily agreed to get his butt kicked by her in a training session, though with her winding up straddling his lap it hadn't been without its unforeseen rewards.
"You say that as a joke, but I think Saph'll honestly be pretty bummed when she finds out we broke up," he said. "She really likes you."
Truth be told he would be kind of bummed as well. He'd tried and failed to court Weiss. Now that he was experiencing an actual relationship he'd discovered little perks about being in one that he never could have known while he was single.
The smile evaporated from Yang's face in an instant. "Yeah," she agreed glumly. "It's gonna be… really rough on her, isn't it?"
"Yeah." Jaune's felt his own frown in his jaw and was quick to wipe it away. He was supposed to be having fun tonight, not bringing his friend down with his own sadness. Blue eyes focused on a beautiful red jewel as Yang walked beside him. "I've never seen you wear earrings before," he pointed out. "Or that you even had them pierced."
A hang came up to gently brush one of the rubies hanging down from its silver wire. "Oh these?" Yang asked, flicking it gently before looking over and up at Jaune. "They're just clip-ons. Weiss'."
Jaune knew that Weiss wore earrings, though this was the first he'd heard of them not being true piercings. "Weiss wears clip-ons?"
"Mmhmm," Yang nodded. "You didn't hear this from me, but she's actually terrified of needles so she can't get her ears pierced. Who would have thought that that tiny terror would be scared of needles?"
Jaune nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that's kinda weird. But then again we all have our own little things, don't we?" His own motion sickness was among them. He paused, thinking about Weiss' unforeseen phobia for a moment before something in his brain clicked. "You think maybe that's why her sword looks like a giant needle?"
He saw something in Yang's eyes light up at the suggestion. Her face seemed brighter and livelier than it'd been when they'd been talking about Saphron's impending sadness. "Honestly? Maybe. What would make a better weapon than the thing you fear the most?"
It was a fair way of looking at things. Speaking of looking at things Jaune glanced down to Yang's right wrist. Although she didn't wear her weapon tonight, Jaune could still visualize it where it would normally be.
"How about you? Are you afraid of bracelets or something?"
Yang glanced over at him and then followed his gaze down to her wrist. In his periphery he saw her look back up at him before that same wrist came up to lightly smack his shoulder. "You did not just call Ember Celica bracelets," she laughed.
Jaune chuckled, grinning at her reaction to his little quip. "Okay, fair enough. But why shotgun gauntlets?"
"'Cause I like punching things, duh." Her grin deepened as she stared at him. "Present company included."
A phantom pang ran through his stomach where he'd been on the receiving end of one of Yang's famous punches yesterday. He took a large and deliberate step away from the girl and moved as close against the wall of the hall as he could. "You don't say," he said sardonically.
Yang laughed at his faux fear, and reached over to latch an arm around his before pulling him back next to her. "Oh no you don't, get back here," she chided, pressing his arm up against her side. "We're going out together and it's going to be a magical evening," she joked, her last words dripping with exaggerated threat through gritted teeth.
She was warm. She probably always was, but as his arm pressed up against Yang's body without a second thought from the girl, all he could think about was how warm she was. That, and how pretty she'd made herself look for this evening. Earrings. Lipstick. Other makeup. He'd dressed up as well. It really was like they were going out on a real date together. Everything about the night would be real and genuine. Everything except the feelings they had for each other.
Or at least, the feelings one of them was beginning to feel stirring in the pit of his stomach.
"You look really good tonight," he said, repeating the sentiment he'd had back in the dorm room. "With all the makeup and stuff. I've never seen you so dressed up. Not even for the dance."
Yang smiled at him before her gaze fell to the floor once more. She nodded, working her jaw in silence a little bit before replying. "Well this could be the last time we get to do this with Saph and Ter. I kinda wanted to go all out. You know, go out with a bang and all."
Jaune could understand that. His family would be flying back to Argus in only a couple of days. This could very well be the last time they got to get together due to scheduling conflicts.
He nodded as well. "Going out with a bang by going out with a Yang," he joked.
She peered back up at him, lilac eyes gazing into his. It took a few moments before her neutral lips curled back up into a smile, and as she stared at him Jaune could have sworn she'd seen something life-changing with how much her expression had shifted in mere seconds.
"Yeah," she agreed. "Let's go out with a Yang."
The two made their way to Beacon's air ship terminal where they'd head down to Vale in order to meet up with Saphron and Terra. The late summer night was hot and sticky, and Jaune could only hope that whatever club they wound up in would have enough air conditioning to make the place feel like a freezer as they danced the night away.
Why had she opted to wear leather tonight? Sure it looked good, and more importantly she looked good, but it was hot!
Yang had barely been walking for ten minutes and she was already sweating. After meeting up with Saphron and Terra the quartet headed toward their destination for the evening, a club called Fantasia. Yang really hoped that she would be able to actually dance tonight. Her butt was sweating. Her butt was sticky! Her butt should not be sticky!
Still, sweaty butt or not Yang was looking forward to having a great time. Truth be told she hadn't had this much fun since coming to Beacon. It was one thing to go out with her sister and friends, usually doing something relating to crime and being a huntress, but it was quite another to go out on dates and live the life of the perfect girlfriend. There was something unusually rewarding about getting praise and compliments from the pair of older and more experienced women over how pretty she was and how cute a couple she and Jaune made.
Lunches. Dinner. The beach. And now dancing? It may not have been a life of danger and adventure, but it was still an exciting and exhilarating experience all the same. Whoever said that civilian life was dull compared to that of a huntress had obviously never gotten to live the life of being in a perfect relationship and sharing quality time with their adoring in-laws.
Bright street lights and the neon signs of shops and bars lit up both sides of the street. Places like Bar L'Devo and the Rach' Shop Breakfast Diner passed by, but there was no sign of Fantasia yet. Yang hoped that for her thighs' sake that they were almost there. The rubbing and chaffing were going to kill her if she had to go on much longer. Once they got there things would be fine, but walking down the street in skin-tight leather was a pain for even an aspiring huntress such as herself.
"What, can't wait to dance?" Saphron commented, apparently spotting Yang's rather unusual style of walking.
Taking oddly paced steps and moving her hips and legs in very unnatural ways, Yang was doing her best to deal with the problem of her pants. "Haha… definitely…" she laughed halfheartedly, grabbing at the leather on her thighs and trying to adjust it to be more comfortable.
"I totally feel you," the older blonde smiled, turning around and walking backwards as she began to sway her hips and pump her arms. "Sometimes I just wanna dance!" she said cheerfully, moving and swaying to an imaginary beat even as she walked. "Even when I know it embarrasses Terra when I do it in public."
Sure enough the other woman had a hand on her forehead, not enough to block her view, but clearly trying to hide in embarrassment from her wife. "Honey, please…"
"Come on, sweetie," Saphron said, reaching out to snatch the woman's arm. "You gotta boogey down… like this!" Try as she might, Terra refused to go along with Saphron's not so sweet dance moves. Any and all attempts Saphron made to get Terra to dance out on the streets of Vale with her were vehemently rejected. Yang couldn't help but smile at the antics of the married couple.
Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Yang turned to her fake boyfriend, who leaned in closer to whisper something into her ear. "I think we're being watched."
In an instant Yang's guard went up. It was said that huntsmen often know when they were being watched or followed thanks to their Aura. The strange sensation they felt in their heads, the prickly feeling of hairs sticking up on the backs of their necks, that was their Aura alerting them to the presence of danger. Sure enough now that Jaune had mentioned something, Yang felt it too. Whether it was real or just in her imagination, she couldn't say.
Turning around Yang scanned the area and saw no suspicious people. Until…
Was that part of a red cape she spied sticking out from behind a mailbox sitting on the edge of the sidewalk?
Lilac eyes narrowed. "Ruby…" she whispered. She immediately turned back and leaned up closer to Jaune. "Ruby's following us."
His face was just as confused as she felt inside. "Really? Why?"
"I don't know. But we can't let her know about…" she said, letting her hands which motioned to Saphron and Terra finish her thought for her. There was too much at stake here for Ruby to show up and ruin everything with her big mouth. Her big mouth which would tell them that Jaune and Yang were not dating.
"Sure, but what should we do?" he wondered.
A good question. They couldn't just let Ruby tail them. If she'd followed them this far then she would almost certainly come to the club with them. Once there Yang would be looking over her shoulder all night, and that wasn't her idea of a fun night out. No, they had to lose Ruby and lose her now. The only question was how…
The group was coming up to a street corner where they'd be turning right. That meant that for a few brief seconds they'd be out of sight of their pursuer. An idea came to the blonde's head. A few seconds was all the time they'd need to pull off one of the more classic maneuvers when it came to hiding in plain sight…
Spotting a small alcove in one of the shop's fronts, Yang grabbed Jaune by the arm and pulled him into it. Nestled a few feet inside it, the pair were covered by an awning as they, or more specifically Yang, was pressed up against the shop door. With one arm around his back and the other on the back of his hair, Yang pulled Jaune's face down to hers. Close enough that she could practically taste his lips on hers.
"Don't move," she whispered, clutching his body tight and pulling it against hers so that she would be squashed against the door.
Her heart was pounding. Her sweaty body perspired even more. Her hands were the worst of all as one gripped Jaune's shirt, the other squeezing down on his long hair. So close was the boy that Yang could even feel his own heart raging inside his chest. This had been an unexpected move, but a necessary one. She could apologize for it later.
Then she heard it. The sign she needed to know that her plan was working. It also confirmed what she'd known ever since she'd spotted the bright red fabric of a certain little sister's cloak.
"What the- where are they?" Ruby wailed in disbelief. "How could they just vanish so suddenly?"
The frustrated groan of her sister was music to Yang's ears, accompanied by the rapid rhythmic beating of both her and Jaune's hearts.
"Oh my goodness, did you just tinkle on the street lamp?" the surprisingly cheery voice of Weiss said, causing Yang's face to scrunch up in confusion. "You're so cute, Zwei!"
"Weiss, how could you think that's cute?" Ruby growled. "He's just marking his territory."
"The entire world belongs to Zwei because he's the best boy."
Ruby snarled in annoyance once more. "Come on, let's go. They couldn't have gotten that far ahead."
Seconds ticked by as Yang clutched Jaune closely to her. Too close to get a good look at his face and eyes, but she was almost certain that they were just as panicked as hers. Finally after a good thirty seconds Yang relented, gently pushing him forward off of her and away from her face.
She'd felt his breath the entire time. She'd held him firmly against her body. She's listened to his heart. And now that he stood a foot away from her, she saw his wide blue eyes even in the shadows they stood in.
Yang bit down on her lip, momentarily forgetting that it could ruin her lipstick. "Sorry," she mumbled, unused to being so unsure of herself. "Um…"
Jaune said nothing. Yang couldn't tell in the dim lighting, but she was sure that he must have been blushing. She was almost certain she was as well.
"I just… we had to…"
"There you are!"
Yang jumped briefly from the sudden shouting, but half a second later it clicked in her brain that it hadn't been Ruby who said the words. No, thankfully it was someone she was far more relieved to see in this moment. Even if this wasn't the most ideal of situations to be found in…
"Did you two really have to sneak away for a sudden make out session?" Saphron asked, a wicked smile on her lips and a hand on her cocked hip. "Really? I mean, really?"
That had been the intention, after all. No one wanted to stare at a couple showing affection in public, and in the darkness of the store front it would have been hard to tell who was there without really getting up in there to take a closer look. Unfortunately for Yang the plan seemed to have worked out too well for her and her partner in crime.
"I just… I, um…" Yang stumbled, not knowing exactly how to play off her supposed horniness for the girl's brother. "I thought I saw that girl from the beach?"
Saphron stared for a few moments longer before she laughed. Apparently she'd bought it. "Ah kids these days. So protective of what's theirs. Not that I mind and all, I like that you like my brother like that," she offered with a wink.
Yang felt her face grow hotter. She didn't though… Jaune was just her friend. Yeah he was fun, and he came from a loving family, a family who loved her… and he was good looking and fit, and he had lofty goals and dreams, and he got along well with her sister… but they were just friends. It didn't matter how alive she felt when she was out with him and his family. They were still just friends.
"Now come on you two, save the romance for later," Saphron urged as she waved for them to follow. "Work up that libido on the dance floor, not some shady sidewalk."
Yang nodded wordlessly and followed her out along with Jaune. Thankfully there was no sign of Ruby and Weiss, and the two must have rushed forward trying to catch up with people who were no longer ahead of them. After what Saphron had just seen, or at least what she'd thought she'd seen, getting caught by Ruby now would be the worst possible outcome.
They made it to Fantasia without further incident, and Yang was relieved to step into cool air. She'd worked up quite a sweat for more reasons than one, and all she wanted to do right now was sit down and have something to soothe her parched throat.
The place was a far cry from Junior's club. While not exactly bright, the place was definitely a bit lighter than his, not being dominated by the same three colors. Along with the central dance floor there were a number of tables lining the walls of the establishment, which also included a large bar and dining area for meals made in the kitchen.
The heavy bass music was loud, but not so loud that Yang had to shout to be heard by her companions. "I'm gonna sit down for a few," she told the other three.
They seemingly had no issues with the plan and followed her without hesitation. Finding a table for four tucked away in one of the corners of the club, the two couples sat opposite of each other and settled in for a night of relaxation and fun.
"Anyone thirsty?" Jaune asked, and Yang's heart practically leapt from her chest at the boy seemingly reading her mind.
"Yes, definitely," Yang spoke up immediately, struggling to swallow a bit of saliva in her dry throat.
"I'll buy the first round," Saphron offered up happily. "Of course we're going to have to go non-alcoholic for three of you. I suppose I'll join in. It'll be no fun if I'm the only one drinking after all…"
Jaune's focus switched between his sister and Terra. "Three of us?" he wondered. "Did one of you decide to stop drinking or something?"
Saphron and Terra shared a look. Terra's hand came out to clasp her wife's atop the table. Both wore knowing smiles on their faces.
"Actually, that's something we've been meaning to tell you," Terra stated quietly. "Or… do you want to be the one to tell him, dear?"
Saphron shook her head. "No I couldn't. You go ahead, sweetie."
Terra nodded and turned back to Jaune. "We just found out a few days ago, actually. We, or more specifically I, am pregnant."
Yang's eyes went side. She couldn't see Jaune's but she was sure his did as well. Pregnant? This was… this was awesome! Yang had only known the couple for a few days but she was thrilled for them! She was thrilled for Jaune!
"Wait, what?" Jaune asked in disbelief. "Pregnant?"
"Yep!" Saphron smiled happily.
Yang turned toward Jaune now, who found himself once more switching back and forth at his family in shock. He was a boy who was lost for words, and Yang couldn't blame him. He was going to be an uncle soon. It was a justifiably big deal.
"You- wow. How were you able to keep this a secret for so long? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"This is our way of telling you," Terra smiled.
"Well sure, but this is a pretty big deal. This should have been like… topic number one the first day we got together."
"So is you having a girlfriend," Saphron countered. "We didn't want to steal the spotlight off you when you were introducing us to your first ever girlfriend."
It shouldn't have surprised Yang, yet it did. She turned and poked Jaune in the shoulder to earn his attention. "First ever?"
Jaune appeared to be embarrassed by the fact. "I mean…"
"Let's just say Jaune wasn't always so lucky when it came to the romance department," Saphron said a little quieter. Honestly it stunned Yang that she was being so candid with her, but perhaps that meant that Saphron truly trusted her with the information. That she trusted her with Jaune's heart. "But hey, quantity doesn't matter, only quality, and you're the best I could have ever imagined for my sweet baby bro."
Yang glanced down at her hands on the table. This had to be embarrassing for Jaune, especially because she wasn't his first girlfriend. But hey, misery loved company, right? If he was going to suffer he might as well not do it alone.
"As long as we're being brutally honest," Yang said before glancing back up at Jaune. "Jaune's my first boyfriend too."
Surprise was evident on Jaune's face. He probably couldn't believe that someone like her had never been in a relationship before. Yang knew she was hot, but she also had standards. That, and a tumultuous personal life growing up hadn't allowed the time, and honestly the desire, to date.
"Yeah," she readily admitted. "You're my first too, Jaune. You and me are in the same boat."
Jaune chuckled softly. "Hey, I guess that's pretty cool, isn't it?"
Yang nodded. "Heh, yeah. It is."
The grin on Yang's lips was bigger than it should have been from her admission. Jaune's was as well. In this life of lies they were living it was a rare luxury to speak something truthful for once. Right here and now their cards were laid out on the table for all to see. This experience was brand new for both of them. Fake or not, they were each other's firsts.
"Well, while you two gaze lovingly into each other's eyes, I'm going to grab us some drinks," Saphron said as she made a move to stand up. However before she could do so Jaune stood up in her stead.
"No, I got this," he offered. "What's everyone having?"
"Just water for me, please," Terra asked.
"Cola," Saphron said.
Yang's eyes darted up. The first thing that came to mind brought back fond memories. "Strawberry sunrise. They make them without alcohol."
"Got it," the boy said before stepping away from the table and over to the bar.
Yang watched him leave. This night had gotten much more real than she had ever imagined it would. Evading Ruby. Learning of Terra's pregnancy. Learning of Jaune's and admitting to her own lack of a love life. Every day with Saphron and Terra seemed to be filled with new experiences and surprises.
"To be honest, I'm a little bit terrified," Saphron admitted quietly. "We both are."
"Of what?"
She shared a look with Terra. "Of this baby. Becoming a mother. Raising a child. Being responsible for another living human being."
That was a sentiment Yang could understand all too well. Following her mom's death life had been hard for her and her family. With Summer gone everything had fallen on her dad, and there were times that the loss hit him particularly hard. He wasn't an abusive or neglectful father, but even at a young age Yang knew that sometimes he just wasn't all there emotionally. Thus it had fallen on a young girl to help raise the even younger Ruby.
"Yeah, it can be a little rough," Yang agreed. "Our mom passed when we were little so I had to help out. Almost be mom number two…" She wouldn't dare say number three, because the very first woman who'd been in her dad's life had never been there for them at all.
"I'm so sorry, Yang," Terra offered. "You've turned out to be a fine young woman. Your mother would be proud."
Yang nodded, fighting away the moisture that built up in her eyes from the compliments to both her and Summer. "Thanks. And I know you and Saph will make great parents. Don't be scared. You've always got Jaune to help out too."
Saphron laughed softly. "Him and six other sisters," she agreed. "Having a nice big family should help lighten the load I guess."
Yang offered a small laugh of her own, though it held far less amusement. "I can imagine."
She'd had no such luxuries as a child. She had no large family. She had her father and her uncle to help out with Ruby until she'd grown up a bit. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have several other fully grown siblings to help them out. Truly Saphron and Terra's kid would be in the best of hands.
Speaking of hands, Yang felt Saphron reach across the table to take hers. She glanced up at a girl with those bright blue Arc eyes staring into hers.
"And being a nice big family, we have plenty of love to go around," she smiled, and gently squeezed down on Yang's hand. "Plenty of older sisters too who'll always be there to help out whenever you need it. So from now on, Yang, if you wanted… you could call me big sis."
Yang was floored. She never knew she'd wanted to hear those words in her life until this very moment. She'd never had an older brother or sister. Her mother had been taken from her early in her life. For Saphron to offer up not only herself, but the rest of the Arc family as her very own extended one… it touched her more than the other woman could ever possibly imagine.
The tears which had threatened to build up in Yang's eyes broke free like a raging river through a dam. The young huntress reached up to wipe them away, knowing that her makeup was probably being ruined right now as she happily wept.
Even so, she couldn't admit to doing such a thing. "Damn allergies," she choked, using a hand to wipe away the tears as well as strategically shield her face from the women across the table.
"Yeah," Saphron agreed. "The damn AC is bringing in pollen from outside or something," she too lied. It was a happy lie though. A little white lie. Just like Yang's and Jaune's.
It didn't take long for Jaune to come back with their drinks. After setting them on the table Yang took a long sip from hers, enjoying the fruity taste of the drink and relieving her dry throat. After nearly half of it was gone in only a few seconds she stood up and stepped out to place a hand on Jaune's arm.
"Yang?" he wondered, confused by her sudden sense of urgency.
"Let's go dance," she all but ordered, allowing him to take a sip of his drink before pulling him after her.
She loved this. She loved them. Was it so wrong that she wanted this to last forever? Was it so wrong that she wanted to be a part of Jaune's big, loving family?
It wasn't that her own family wasn't loving. Far from it, she could never ask for better parents than her own. She could never ask for a better sister than Ruby. However, unlike Jaune's childhood hers was far from normal. Hers was far from eventless. Hers was filled to the brim with tragedy.
With Jaune and Saphron and Terra there was no Summer dying. There was no Raven abandoning them. No Taiyang shutting down. No having to help raise Ruby. She was just a teenage girl being a teenage girl. A girl who was going out dancing with her boyfriend. A girl who was celebrating the pregnancy in her boyfriend's family.
So what if it wasn't real? Why couldn't it be? Why couldn't she enjoy what millions of other people did? She wasn't doomed to live a life of misery and loss. No, Yang Xiao Long made her life how she wanted it to be. Much like she'd done with Junior, she would grab life by the balls and make it her bitch.
If she saw something she wanted then she would take it, and right now she wanted to dance the night away with her boyfriend.
They said that time flew by when you were having fun, but this was ridiculous even for Jaune.
Where had the time gone?
True to their plan, the foursome had danced for seemingly hours on end. They'd eaten dinner from of the club's bar. They were even fortunate enough to have come on trivia night, not that they'd had any particular luck answering most of those questions. The experience had been fun all the same though, and what had seemed like only a couple of hours had quickly turned into six.
The time was nearing one in the morning by the time any of them had even bothered to check their scroll. Much to Jaune and Yang's horror, that meant that there would be no air ships operating to return them to Beacon for the night. As the group stepped back out into the cooler yet still uncomfortable summer air, a decision was quickly reached by the boy's older sister and her wife.
"So you two are crashing with us tonight I guess," Saphron said as they moved down the sidewalk.
Truthfully they had no other option. Both Yang and Jaune had received messages on their scrolls from their respective teammates wondering where they were. They'd responded that they were still out, much to Pyrrha and Ruby's chagrin. Without knowing the true circumstances of who they were actually with, both girls and the rest of their teammates were right to be concerned.
"Are you going to have enough room?" Jaune asked worriedly.
His sister's bright smile shone like one of the street lights in the dark night's sky. "So for the conference Terra's people in Argus booked us a suite," she explained. "She doesn't like to brag, but she's kind of a big deal at her job. So while that means she gets a lot of calls at home when things go wrong, it also means that she gets super perks when things go right."
Jaune had no idea what Terra's role at Argus' CCT center actually was, but apparently it was important enough for her to travel all the way to Vale for a conference. She was enough of a big shot to have a suite at the hotel as well.
"That's pretty sweet," Yang commented. "So you guys have an extra bed there or something?"
"Extra room, kitchen, and basically a living room too," Saphron confirmed happily. "Honestly that place must run like five hundred lien a night, but thanks to my awesome wife it's all on the house."
His sister was truly living the dream. Happily married, financial security, and now a baby on the way. Jaune was thrilled for Saphron. He could only hope that one day he would have as fulfilling of a life as she did. Hopefully Beacon would be the first step in achieving his own dreams.
After a short taxi ride back to Saphron and Terra's hotel the group headed up to their room. The cool air conditioning of the hotel felt wonderful on Jaune's skin after hours of dancing and time out in the summer heat. In fact it was almost a bit too chilly by the time they made it up to where they'd be spending the night.
True to his sister's word the suite was massive. The area which was designated as the living room had all the amenities he could have expected. A large TV, couch, and several tables and chairs made it look more like a home than a hotel room. A small kitchen area could be used for preparing meals for extended stays, and a pair of small bedrooms sat on either side of the main room. Saphron and Terra were quick to head to theirs once they'd gotten inside. It was past one in the morning and it was clear as day that they were exhausted after a long night of fun.
"We're going to head to bed," the blonde said, barely stifling a yawn with her hand. "You two don't stay up too late, okay? It's a school night and all." A tiny laugh slipped through her nose. "But if I were you I'd honestly just call in sick tomorrow."
As everyone said their goodnights the words stuck with Jaune. It would be an incredible pain to wake up tomorrow morning in time to get back for classes. Beacon did indeed have absences for when one was ill, but not for being irresponsible. Hopefully no one would pry into this specific case to learn the difference.
He and Yang were left standing in the living room in silence when the bedroom door closed after the two older women. This was a situation that neither had expected to find themselves in tonight, and at least for Jaune, one he'd never been in with a girl his age who wasn't one of his sisters.
"So…" he said, glancing around the room. "If you wanna take the bed I'll take the couch."
He saw Yang's tongue poking around the inside of her cheek. After a few seconds she gave a hesitant nod. "Right. Although…"
The second word gave Jaune pause. "Yeah?"
She stepped closer to him so that she could speak softly into his ear. "We're dating, remember," she reminded him. "Wouldn't they expect us to share a bed?"
Would they? Saphron and Terra were certainly not what he would call old fashioned, but would they really have expected the two to sleep together? What would happen if they woke up first and saw Jaune sleeping on the couch? Would they assume there was a fight? Or would they simply believe that they weren't comfortable sleeping in the same bed in the presence of family?
"We could just say we're taking things slow," Jaune suggested. "No one expects us to be all cuddly, right?"
Yang sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth. "Well I did kinda already suggest that we've slept together. Like… sleep together…"
Jaune winced. Right. The first date. Yang had all but told Saphron that he knew how to please her. For a couple of lovebirds like them sleeping in the same bed shouldn't have been a problem. In fact, it would have been strange if they weren't in the same bed tonight.
"So, um… you wanna do this then?" he asked.
Yang shrugged lightly. "I mean, nothing's gonna happen or anything."
The boy was quick to nod in agreement. Of course nothing was going to happen. He would never even consider doing something sneaky or underhanded to anyone, much less his friend. "Right. So…"
The two teens walked into the hotel bedroom and found a neatly made bed and a few simple pieces of furniture. It was most assuredly designed for sleeping alone rather than extended living, unlike most single rooms on the hotel.
Jaune's heart was racing as he sat down on the mattress. He was about to spend the night alone in the same bed as Yang Xiao Long. This was the stuff of fantasies, yet he knew in his mind and in his heart that this was still as innocent a situation as they came. Just like Yang said, nothing was going to happen. Even if in the wildest of imaginations a guy might dream that the girl would make some sort of move to prove otherwise.
"Hey, can you keep looking at the wall real quick?" Yang asked from behind him.
Jaune nodded. "Sure."
He heard soft grunts of effort from behind him. As tempted as he was to turn back around to find out what was going on, he kept to his word and stared straight ahead.
Finally he heard a dull thump on the floor, followed quickly by feeling Yang crawling into bed behind him. A few seconds later she gave the okay for him to turn around. "You're good," she told him. "Sorry, I just had to get out of those pants. There was no way I was going to sleep in tight leather."
A bolt of lightning struck Jaune's heart. Not only was he about to sleep next to Yang, he was going to sleep next to a pantsless Yang. Her cream colored vest was gone too, leaving the girl in just her black top and underwear of unknown color. He swallowed hard before standing up from the mattress.
"Are you sure you don't want me on the couch?" he asked her.
The sheet and blanket were pulled up to Yang's neck, and as she lay on one side of the bed she stared up at Jaune with seemingly no apprehension on her part. "It's fine," she assured him. "We'll both be under the covers."
"Right." Jaune pulled back his side of the blanket to crawl into bed as well, but was stopped by Yang's voice before he was able to get in.
"You can take yours off too," she suggested. Jaune was still wearing his black slacks, and as uncomfortable as they might have been to sleep in he wasn't about to also strip down to sleep next to Yang. "If you'd be more comfortable that way," she added. "I don't mind."
Physically, yes he would be more comfortable. Mentally, however, was an entirely different story.
"Oh, um, okay…" he agreed hesitantly. He brought his hands up to his belt and began unfastening it. The fact that Yang was still looking at him even as he made the move surprised him. "Can you look away now too?"
Lilac eyes went wide for a split second before Yang quickly turned her head away. "Oh, right. Sorry," she laughed sheepishly.
Jaune was quick to lose his pants, dropping them on the floor beside the bed before he too got into bed. His polo came next, leaving Jaune in just his boxers and white undershirt. Perfect for sleeping.
Just like with Yang he pulled the covers up over himself, and as he laid on the cool and previously untouched sheets he could already feel his body beginning to warm up. Shared body heat in a bed together would do that sort of thing. Especially when there was this much exposed skin.
His heart was pounding. His hands were clammy. There was a beautiful girl without pants inches away from him, and Jaune didn't know what to say. He didn't know if he should say anything.
Thankfully the decision was made for him when Yang turned her back to him and reached over for one of the small tabletop lamps next to her. "Good night, Jaune."
With the night officially over, Jaune mimicked her own actions and turned his back to her. Switching off the lamp on his side of the bed, he settled in for the most uneasy sleep he would ever have in his life. "Good night, Yang."
Author's Note: Apologize for the long wait between chapters. Here, have a nice long chapter to make up for it!
As always writing everyone in this group is a ton of fun. Yang has been fun as always and Saphron has been an unexpected delight. Writing slice of life goodness with those two bouncing off of each other is something I'll miss doing once this is over. Kind of like how Yang is dreading the lie coming to an end.
Much more to come next chapter as our two favorite blondes have to wake up and deal with the fallout of their actions tonight. Much more than just missing school too. I'm sure you'll like it when it happens.
Until then though I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As always, thanks for reading.