A New Beginning With You
Yang woke up to something warm and soft. Her eyes blinked, before they rolled in Ruby's head, finding Jaune sleeping right in front of her, lips inches from her forehead.
She knew Ruby was a cuddler. Looks like Jaune was the same, if not worse. Great. She tried to pull away, finding one arm trapped under the man's body while the other was holding his back. His own arms were embracing her, squeezing, and pulling her close.
"Oof!" Her face was smothered into Jaune's pec, and Yang could feel her cheeks heating up.
On the one hand, this was hilarious. She'd be laughing her butt off if Weiss or Blake were in this position, but for Yang? This was so embarrassing, and she really wanted to get out.
She could feel her breasts against Jaune's body, and Yang fought back a chuckle. He was one lucky man to catch a girl like Ruby.
Her sister might not realize it, but she had a very pretty face. A beautiful woman with bright silver eyes, and dark-red hair that she didn't even have to touch to be stylishly messy. Not to mention the curves of her body.
She knew Jaune had noticed. Who wouldn't?
Yang pulled against Jaune's embrace, slowly freeing her limbs from the man. She let out a sigh of relief as she put some distance between the two of them, and that gave her the chance to stare at Ruby's new boyfriend.
Definitely could have found worse, Yang thought to herself. Jaune wasn't ugly, that was for sure. Bright blue eyes, a nice smile, a sense of humor…
She glanced down, staring at his body. He had a pretty fit body. No noticeable collection of fat, but he also wasn't a bodybuilder. Smack dab right there in the a regular looking man.
Not the hottest guy, but he did have some nice hair.
Yang couldn't help but to stare at his golden locks. It was something she had always noticed about him, but the threat of a possible death and fading away into nothingness put a damper on any appreciation for fashion or looks.
Now that she and Jaune were BFFs, she could just stare at his hair and admire it. It... was nice. Yang wriggled her hand out from under his arm, and she lifted it up, gently touching the soft thread. The color to it, the shine, it was something else.
Blondes. Damn it, Yang had a weakness for them. Men, women, there was just something about golden, sun-kissed hair.
What happens now? She wondered. Ruby and Jaune were dating now. What if this was her last day alive? What if she went to sleep tonight, and she didn't wake up? She shook her head, pushing those thoughts away, but the question still lingered.
Where did they go from here? Did Jaune and Ruby live out their happily ever after, and the alts come along for the ride? Or did they just… wait for Yang and the others to die?
God, what about kids? Would they even tell their kids about Ruby's condition? What if that was the final straw and Jaune did to Ruby what Tai did to Summer? Would Yang even live to see that day?
Yang felt dread bubbling inside of her. She could feel it swirling inside of her, surging and shifting in her like a stormy ocean. It made her feel nauseous. She took a deep breath, and sighed.
She needed a drink. She needed music. Something to keep her mind off of all of this shit.
That was when she felt Jaune's hair gently tickling her fingers, and his body stirred. Her eyes widened, before she watched his open, staring at her with a lovestruck smile.
Jaune awoke to find Ruby staring at him, her fingers gently stroking his hair. He gave her a warm smile, before he leaned forward to steal a kiss from his girlfriend's lips.
She replied by pressing her hand against his face, pushing him back as she rolled away.
"Nope, nope, nope! Whoa!" Ruby fell off the bed, hitting the ground with a cry of pain. She laid on the floor, wrapped up in a blanket as Jaune looked down at her in shock.
"Uh, Ruby?"
"Wrong girl, Romeo."
"Oh! Uh, Blake?"
"Yang."
"R-right. Sorry." He scratched at the back of his head, before his eyes widened. "I almost kissed you. I-I am so sorry!"
"S'okay. I look just like your girlfriend. It's all good, I get it. If I met me, I'd probably want to kiss me too," she joked, before rising up from the ground.
"So… d-does Ruby wake up as you, or-?"
"Sometimes one of us wakes up before the others. Nothing crazy, it just happens," Yang replied with a shrug. She fixed herself up, rolling her neck a bit as she looked at Jaune. "So, you two are both obviously cuddlers. Who's the little spoon?" she asked, earning a blush from the other man.
This was so bizarre. Jaune stared at the woman, knowing it was Ruby's body, yet the way she stood, the way she looked at him, the way she cocked her hip out to the side and rested her hand there… It wasn't Ruby.
Part of him wondered how he ever fell for it, before he looked away, cheeks a bright red. "Funny."
"I like to think so. Hm?" Yang closed her eyes, and Jaune wondered if the next time she opened them she'd be someone else. Thankfully, from what he could tell, it was still her when she opened her eyes. "Ruby's awake. You okay if I switch?"
"Um, sure. Go for it?"
"See ya later, Blondie," Yang smiled, winking at the young man, before she closed her eyes and her arms hung limply at her sides.
Jaune stared at Ruby's body just standing in front of him. He gently poked her arm with his finger, watching her simply stand still, before her eyes opened and Ruby's high-pitched voice squeaked.
"Jaune, I am so sorry!" Her face was red and her eyes were wide with panic and shock, a stark contrast to Yang's calm and cool nature. Her arrogance smirk was gone, replaced with humiliation and shame as she waved her hands in the air. "I am so sorry! I should have told you. S-sometimes I wake up as the others, I mean, they wake up as me, I mean-"
"Ruby, it's okay. I knew what I was getting into," he replied, smiling at her, even as his face began to turn slightly less red. "It's fun. Waking up with another woman in my bed."
Ruby snorted at that, and Jaune laughed with her as the two avoided looking at one another.
"Please don't tell Yang I said that."
"She said, 'Too late, Blondie.'"
"Ah. Great. Not living that one down," Jaune mumbled as Ruby sat beside him, giving him a sympathetic pat on his back.
"She teases me a lot too. You'll get used to it."
"Hey, you're talking to the guy with almost a dozen sisters. I can deal with a little bit of teasing," he replied. "How'd you sleep?"
"Good." Their eyes met and Jaune just gazed into those shimmering, silver orbs. He had never seen eyes like hers before. No one he knew had eyes as brilliant, or as beautiful as Ruby's. It was so easy to lose himself in them, but her question brought him back to reality. "How about you?"
"Huh?"
"How'd you sleep?"
"Oh! Good. I slept good." He gave a thumbs up, and promptly felt like an idiot as Ruby giggled. He scratched the back of his head, before he noticed his phone by their bed, vibrating. He picked it up, giving it a look as Ruby sat beside him.
"Ren and the others are already having breakfast. They asked if we wanted to come over and join them."
"Sounds good," Ruby agreed, before blushing once more as her fingers gently rubbed against one another. "Boyfriend."
"Our first breakfast as a couple," he realized, staring at her. His grin grew, eyes gleaming with joy. "Big moment."
"We should celebrate. With like a big, huge stack of pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream on it," she beamed.
"Sounds good to me. Want to get dressed, girlfriend?" he asked, raising his brow as she giggled.
The two stood up, walking off to gather their clothes, planning on changing separately, but when Jaune started walking towards the bathroom, Ruby caught his hand in hers. The two locked eyes, before she leaned forward and captured his lips.
Jaune's eyes widened, before he wrapped his arms around Ruby, gently holding her as her hand gently caressed his cheeks, before wrapping around him. The two held one another, lips pressed against the other, until they parted with smiles on each of their scarlet faces.
"Wow. Um, g-good morning to you too." Ruby giggled in response, pulling away from him and gently pushing him towards the bathroom. He chuckled, walking away from her, still tasting Ruby's lips on his mouth.
Huh. Strawberries.
Nora, Ren, and Cardin were eating breakfast together. If someone had told Nora she'd be eating breakfast with the latter, she would have called them a liar. After laughing in their face, here she was.
All together, they were The Leftovers.
Coco and Fox were getting married, and Yatsu and Velvet were their best man and maid of honor respectively. So they were off getting ready, which left them alone, waiting for Ruby and Jaune to join them.
Huh. They did a lot of waiting for those two.
Nora just shook her head as she took another bite. The warm, fluffy, syrupy treat was a welcomed reprieve from the stress and pain of the last few days and she savored the taste with closed eyes.
"Mmm…" Ren stroked her arm, an act that he didn't even think about as she enjoyed his touch. She drank some coffee, letting the warm liquid slide down her throat. Her headache from her hangover was still aching in the back of her head, but this was all helping ease the pain as the three ate in silence.
Ren mentioned that he had buried the hatchet with Cardin. He had even offered Cardin a chance to eat together, and he quietly agreed. They didn't talk much, but at least they weren't fighting, and if Ren could play nice, so could she.
She was happy to focus on her pancakes, when Ren gently elbowed her, and she raised her brow. She stared at him, before he pointed at something and her eyes followed. Then her jaw dropped, and bits of chewed up fruit and pancakes fell out of her mouth.
Ruby and Jaune were walking over. And they were holding hands.
Ren placed a hand on Nora's shoulders, but it was too late. She slammed her hands on the table, beaming.
"What?!" The entire dining area seemed to turn to the commotion, but Nora didn't care. She just bounced in place as Jaune and Ruby walked closer, both of their faces a rosy shade of pink as their mutual friend beamed. "No way. No way. No way, no way, no way, no way!"
"Nora-" Jaune tried reaching out to her, but he might as well have spoken to a wall.
"Are you guys-?"
"Yeah," Ruby replied, giving a tiny nod. She avoided Nora's gaze, but she could quite clearly hear the sheer joy in her voice. Nora squealed, clapping her hands for the happy couple, only for Ren to cough into his hands.
"Nora. People are staring."
"Oh. Right." Nora sat back down, before motioning the happy couple to join the three. "Sit, sit."
Jaune and Ruby did so, and they tried to ignore the unblinking gaze of the redhead.
They failed.
"So… When's the wedding?"
"Nora," Ren sighed, and Jaune and Ruby both blushed as they glared at the smirking woman.
"I meant Coco and Fox's! Why? What did you think I meant?" She snickered like a child, before she came to a sudden stop and her smile vanished. "Hold on. Just to make sure, you two are dating each other because you want to, right? Not because of what… uh… certain individuals might have pushed for recently?" she asked, glancing at Cardin and Ren.
"The hell are you looking at me for?" the former asked.
"Yes, Nora. We're dating because we want to. That's it," Jaune answered with a quiet sigh as Ruby nervously chuckled, her blush burning hotter and brighter.
"We're dating," she repeated, a gleeful smile on her face.
"In that case… That's great! I'm so happy for you two!" she beamed, running around the table to hug the two, pulling them close as her arms wrapped around their necks.
"Nora! L-let go! You're choking us!"
And she was, but Ruby couldn't help but share in her friend's happiness.
Yes. They were dating. And it was amazing.
Jaune and Ruby gave the three the bullet points of last night, obviously keeping out any mention of Ruby's alternate personalities. Both Nora and Ren were happy for the two, congratulating the new couple. Even Cardin seemed happy for them, though he expressed his approval in his own way.
As Jaune took the first bite of his meal, Ruby caught Cardin gently elbowing the blond. "Nice one, Arc." Ruby couldn't see what Cardin was doing, but it seemed to be some kind of obscene gesture. One that Jaune elbowed Cardin for...
Ruby's blush flared up at that remark, just imagining whatever mortifying gesture Cardin had given her boyfriend. She chose to ignore the man as her alts spoke in her head.
"Ugh. Pig," Weiss spat.
"Yeah. Who's he to check out Jaune's girl like that!?" Yang teased, mentally prodding Ruby.
"You're one to talk. I've seen your outfits, Yang," Blake sighed.
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"Be nice. He did help us, remember?" Ruby's words seemed to silence the three, and she returned to her meal.
It didn't take long for her to glance at Cardin and Jaune again, and while things did seem frosty between the two, at least they were talking. Asking how the other was, what their plans were before the wedding.
Nothing deep or personal, but they were friendly, at least.
Even Nora seemed to catch this fact, and she stared at the two as if she was trying to decipher a puzzle. Then she shrugged her shoulders, and looked towards Ruby.
"How you doing?" the older woman asked.
"I'm okay." She glanced at Jaune, who was still talking to his former bully. "Good, actually. I'm good," she confessed, with a warm smile.
"Heheh, I bet," Nora grinned, before her smile fell slightly. "Sorry about last night. I don't remember a lot, but I know I messed up pretty bad… Must have been a day that ended in 'Y,' huh?" she bitterly laughed, but Ruby just shook her head.
"Hey. You were upset. Happens to all of us."
"Yeah, well… Hope it doesn't happen to me again," she bitterly chuckled. Ruby's hand gently fell onto her shoulder, and the two friends shared a warm smile with one another, before returning to their food. "So… You and Jaune, huh? Still sharing the same bed?"
"I-I mean, yeah," Ruby mumbled.
"Moving fast. Already sleeping together," she teased, and Ruby's face turned a bright shade of red as she tried to ignore Nora's snickering.
"Should have seen that coming…"
Once the group was done, they all made their way back to their rooms with an agreement to meet back up soon. Each of them were getting changed for the wedding, and Nora had come up with the idea for the girls to change with one another.
That left Ren and Jaune to get changed together, with their backs to one another. The two brothers were comfortable changing around the other, even talking to one another as they got dressed.
"So. You and Ruby."
"Yep." Jaune nodded his head.
"Did she apologize?" he asked.
"A lot. Yeah," Jaune sighed.
"Hm." Ren nodded his head, before the two continued to get dressed. "I won't make you tell me now, but I hope you don't keep this a secret much longer."
"I... " The taller of the two groaned. "Ren-"
"You can't blame me for being curious."
"Ruby's like the most amazing woman I've met in a long, long time. Don't suppose I can just ask you not to ask questions and just be happy for me?"
"We both know that's not my style," Ren retorted. "But I am happy for you both."
"Thanks." Jaune finished dressing himself, before he turned his head. "You good?"
"Just about," his friend replied, fixing his tie before he turned to his friend. "You look good," Ren complimented, giving the blond a warm smile as he looked Jaune over.
"Thanks. Here's hoping Ruby thinks so too," he chuckled. "Nice tie."
Ren smiled back, before he took his pink and black striped tie in hand, admiring it. The two men sat down on the bed as Jaune checked his phone.
"All I want is for you to be happy, you know."
"I know," Jaune replied with a glance towards Ren. "It's just… I really can't tell you. Not yet. I'll talk to Ruby, but-"
"I know. I understand, though I am growing more and more curious. What exactly happened that she'd make you promise not to talk about it," Ren muttered, his thoughts trailing off as Jaune frowned.
"It's personal."
"I know." He placed his hand on Jaune's shoulder, giving his old friend another warm smile. "But as long as you two are happy and being rational about all of this."
"We are. As much as we can be, I think," he joked. "Besides, can you really say that while you're dating Nora?"
"That doesn't count. I'm calm and sensible enough for the two of us." The two friend's gently elbowed one another, before Jaune received a text telling him that the girls were ready.
Ren was genuinely happy for Jaune. Maybe even a little… guilty? He couldn't deny that certain demons were plaguing his mind, and he wondered if he had inadvertently become an obstacle between the two lovebirds.
It was a question with no real answer, at least, none he'd find in his own mind. Ren just did his best to be patient and go with the metaphorical flow.
He trusted the two. They'd tell him and Nora the truth sooner or later. He just wished it was the former…
"You know this would be a lot easier if she wasn't so-"
"Annoying?" Blake asked Weiss.
"Yes. Annoying. Exactly what I was thinking."
"Aww, I like her! That kind of energy is nice!"
Energy, huh? People had told Ruby that she could be pretty energetic at times. If that was true, Nora was a damn lightning storm as she picked Ruby up and squeezed her in a bone crushing hug.
"I'm so happy for you twoooo! Ahh, our boyfriends are dating and we're best friends! Could this get any better?" Nora beamed, before leaning close so her and Ruby's cheeks were touching. "We should cut our hands and become blood sisters."
"What?!"
"Kidding," Nora giggled, dropping the shorter girl. "I'm kidding! We can do that later."
"Heheh." Ruby gulped, before she tried to get changed again. Nora did the same, a smile shining bright on her face. It was great to see her like this, but… "You sure you're okay?"
"No. Not really," Nora replied. "I'm mildly-to-really hungover, and I'm still bitter towards one of my childhood friends," she replied, with a shrug. Ruby's eyes widened as Nora held up a single finger. "But, I've got a hot boyfriend, you as my gal pal, and Jaune's… great company! All things considered, life ain't too bad," she declared with a grin.
"Sometimes you just gotta make the best of a bad situation. Bittersweet is better than just bitter, right?"
Ruby blinked, before she smiled at her friend. "Yeah. I get that." And before Nora could react, the dark-haired woman embraced her. Ruby couldn't see the other woman's warm cheeks, before she pulled away.
"Thanks for being my friend, Nora."
"No problem, Ruby…" Nora scratched the back of her head, a blush on her face as the two finished getting dressed.
After they sent a text to the boys, they made small talk as they waited. Soon there was a knock on the door, and both girls smiled as they saw the familiar faces of their boyfriend.
Nora and Ren hugged one another, gently pecking as they complimented the other. They were a couple with years beside them, and that was clear in how easily the two seemed to fall into one another.
On the other hand, Ruby and Jaune were staring at one another, each captivated by the other's allure.
Ruby could hear Yang whistling in her head. "Damn. He cleaned up."
"Huh. He… certainly did," Weiss agreed.
Blake didn't chime in, and yet Ruby could almost feel her staring for just a moment through Ruby's eyes.
As for the main personality, she stared at Jaune with her mouth agape. She had always thought he was a rather handsome man, but he wasn't really the 'cool' type. That was fine with her. She'd rather date someone honest and true to himself than someone artificial or trying too hard.
But Jaune… Jaune wore his suit well. Like some kind of movie star as he smiled at her. His clothes clung well to his body, accenting hsi strong chest and muscular arms. He wasn't built like a bodybuilder, but that didn't mean he wasn't athletic and… firm.
Ruby actually felt her cheeks burning hot as she imagined her boyfriend's strong arms around her, holding her, squeezing her, doing stuff with her. She thought back to their kiss, and her tongue licked her dry lips, imagining the sensation again and again.
The way he kissed her. The way he held her. Their bodies pressed together.
Oh, her face was definitely red.
Jaune might have noticed that little fact if he wasn't staring just as much as Ruby was. He took in his girlfriend's beauty, admiring every round curve her dress showed off. He didn't want to be a pervert. He really didn't.
But holy shit, Ruby could go from cute to hot to beautiful and back around so damn easy. He stared at her figure, feeling hot as he watched her fidget slightly, brushing her slender legs against one another. Her smooth, naked shoulders swayed to and fro as her scarlet lips pressed into a thin, subtle frown. Her silver eyes kept glancing at him, looking him over as he stared like a deer in headlights.
He loved the feel of her body, the way that just fit so snugly with one another.
"You look-" The two both stopped, tripping over the other. "Y-you first. No, you-"
"Seriously?" Nora laughed. "You two are dorks."
Ruby and Jaune both burned hot as their blushes slid down their necks and onto their ears. Neither said anything as Ruby's lips suddenly moved.
"Hey, handsome. You're looking fine." Then Ruby's eye winked at him, and the couple's eyes widened.
"There you go! Flirting like a natural. I'm so proud of our little girl," Nora giggled, leaning into Ren as the young couple continued to blush.
"Yang!"
"Just helping get the wheels turning. You two are so awkward around each other," the voice chuckled, and Ruby gave her boyfriend an apologetic smile as the four began to leave.
"Yang?" Jaune whispered, and Ruby nodded her head. "Thought so… Hey, Ruby?"
"Yeah?"
"You look great too, by the way," he whispered, before kissing her cheek. Ruby felt her heartbeat pounding in her throat as his hand caught hers and the four walked down the hall together.
The four soon met up with Cardin, who silently joined them as a fifth wheel as they began to drive off to the wedding destination. Nora and Ren were talking at the front of the car as Ruby turned her head towards Cardin.
"Hey." He raised his brow, glancing at her.
"What?" he huffed.
"Excited for the wedding?" she asked.
"I… Yeah, I guess." He shrugged his shoulders as Ruby smiled at him. She caught the slight smile on his face as the car took them out of the city and out towards a nearby beach.
Ren parked the car and the group stepped out, soon finding their friends nearby.
"Hey!" Velvet beamed, running over to the group in a beautiful yellow dress. She beamed at the group as they each greeted her. "I hope you guys didn't have a hard time finding the place."
"Not at all," Ren smiled.
"Feel free to sit wherever you want. Just don't sit in the front row, that's reserved for Coco and Fox's family. Don't worry about which side you're on," Velvet explained, and the group nodded their heads. "The ceremony will begin soon. Feel free to help yourselves to snacks and refreshments. Have fun mingling, and don't fill yourselves up with too much food. The reception isn't far and it will have even better food! You're gonna love it!"
"Sounds awesome!" Nora beamed, walking forward with her boyfriend.
Jaune and Ruby said goodbye to Velvet, walking forward with their hands linked. Cardin, on the other hand, lagged behind. He crossed his arms, looking around.
"They got you greeting guests?"
"Coco's freaking out a bit. Her mom's taking care of her. Thought I'd make myself useful until she calms down," Velvet replied with a sigh, letting her shoulders drop.
"Sounds freakin' exhausting. You want me to get you something?" he asked. "I can get you some water. Maybe give you some company?"
"I'd like that," Velvet smiled. "Thanks, Cardin."
"Yeah, whatever," he replied, walking past her with a small smile on his face.
Ruby had never been to a wedding before, least of all to one on a beach. She assumed it'd be nice, but she was blown away by just how beautiful the setting was. She walked on the warm sand, staring at the rows of potted plants on each side of a white path. The path led to a small wooden stage where Coco and Fox would be married.
There were about two dozen seats for everyone to sit down on, with some flowery decorations on them to help spice them up. Ruby smiled at the sight, finding the entire set up very simple and-
"It's nice. Rustic," Weiss commented.
"Yeah. I like it too," Ruby smiled.
"Ruby, I… Jaune mentioned us going to a museum together."
"Huh? Oh, right! Yeah, that sounds great," Ruby replied.
"You're okay with that? The two of us going to the museum?" Weiss inquired.
"Sure. I know how excited you were about them. You should go, have fun. Maybe get a souvenir," Ruby suggested, and she felt a tingle running along her nerves. Her lips curved, forming a wide smile. She could quite literally feel her alt's sheer joy at the news. "You really wanted to go to these museums, huh?"
"N-no! I just-I like studying things. Shut up!"
Ruby continued to smile, before she noticed Jaune walking over with a bottle of water. She took it with a smile, thanking him as he smiled at her.
"Thanks, um, boyfriend." Ruby's eyes fell to her feet as Jaune chuckled.
"No problem, girlfriend." He scratched the back of his neck as he smiled at her. "How are you doing?"
"I'm doing alright. I know pretty much no one here… Nora and Ren are doing their own thing, and I don't want to get in the way of that, so I'm just here. Standing around, awkwardly."
"Ah. Care to be awkward together?" he asked, and she smiled at him.
"Sounds nice."
"To the socially awkward, then," he smiled, tapping his water bottle with hers.
Ruby and Jaune kept to one another after that. They talked about the little things. Delivering pizzas, studying engineering, the differences between a little town like Patch and a metropolis like Vale.
They talked, and for a while, it was just them, laughing and smiling as they lived in this sweet little moment…
Eventually it was time for the main event. Jaune and Ruby sat down with smiles on their faces by Ren and Nora.
Fox stood at the end of the red carpet, standing at the altar by the priest who would marry him and Coco. Yatsuhashi, his best man, stood nearby, standing proudly as Fox felt like his heart was going to pop inside of him.
He felt his heart pounding in his chest. It was damn near deafening as he went over the words again and again. He didn't want to mess it up. He prayed to whatever deity there was that he wouldn't mess it up.
Yatsu and him had gone over the lines again and again. When Yatsuhashi got sick of him, Fox practiced with his father and mother until they finally told him he knew the lines and they asked him to let them sleep.
Fox still went over the lines a few more times, just to be safe.
He didn't want to ruin today.
People joked that Coco would turn into a bridezilla, but they had no idea how much Fox was sweating under his suit. They didn't know how many times he fought the wedding planner, wanting all of this to just… go right.
He felt his hand gently fidgeting with his tie, before he released it like it had stung him. Was it at an awkward angle now? Had he just messed it up? His heart was pounding louder now. That's how it felt, at least. He gently pinched at it, tugging and moving it, trying to fix it as he felt a bead of sweat on his head.
Someone coughed. Why? Could they please shut the hell up?! If they ruined today, Fox was going to find them and beat them to-
Calm down, Fox.
He took a deep breath.
"Your tie is fine. Stop messing with it," Yatsu whispered, and Fox obeyed, pulling his hand away from it as the music began to play.
Coco was here. Fox could barely hear himself think as he realized his bride to be was just a few feet away. He imagined her in his mind, painting out the scene as the soft melody played in his ear.
She was beautiful, of course. She had gone through several hairstyles before finally deciding on one. Fox imagined a bun of hair on her head, as soft as it had always been, as perfect as she was. Her lips were painted with a subtle shade of red, just to help them pop on her radiant face.
And her dress… He had felt it once or twice while they were shopping together. Coco insisted on taking him, even though he'd be no help deciding one based on appearance. But Coco would bring the fabric to him, and she'd ask him to feel it, and he still remembered the one they picked together.
It was soft. It tickled his fingers, stroking him back like a loving hand. He remembered being entranced for a moment, just feeling the fabric between his fingers until Coco kissed his lips. He remembered how it felt even now, and he was glad Velvet was there to help keep the dress from dragging on the ground.
Speaking of, he could hear Velvet's footsteps behind Coco's as the two walked forward to meet Yatsu and Fox. She was no doubt wearing her own gorgeous attire, probably picked out with Coco's help.
They were getting closer. Fox could almost smell Coco's perfume in the salty air. He could finally hear the sound of distant waves as his heart stopped pounding, and when the footsteps stopped, he knew Coco was before him.
"Hey."
Her voice. It was the only thing he needed to hear to feel his anxiety crumble. He smiled at her, mouthing the words, 'I love you,' to her. When her hands took his, her fingers gently brushing against his, he was reminded once more that she felt the same.
The priest gave the usual spiel. Talking about 'dearly beloveds' and being 'gathered here today.' Fox didn't give much focus to him. He just held the hands of the woman he loved until the priest finally gave him the signal.
"Now, Fox would like to say a few words."
He gently squeezed her soft hands. Oh, how he loved the feel of her fingers against his. How many times had he listened to her type away at a laptop, or sewed an outfit together with these hands? He held them gently as he spoke.
God, he hoped he didn't mess up the lines.
"I love you, Coco Adel." He always did love saying those words, and judging by how Coco's hands gently tightened around his, he knew she felt the same.
"I have loved you since the moment I felt your touch. The touch of your hand is sometimes all I can think about. The feel of your lips, the beat of your heart, and the sweet, sweet sound of your voice. These are all things that I've found myself falling in love with. I can't wait to find more things to love," he declared, and Fox could hear the 'awws' and applause from the crowd.
Coco, meanwhile, fought back tears as she gently punched him. "If you make me ruin my makeup, I'm going to kick your ass."
"Your fiery spirit. Thanks, I forgot to add that one."
Coco's laugh was music to Fox's ears, before he reached into his pocket and found the folded up piece of paper. "There's a poem I liked that I wanted to read to you today." He unfolded it, before bringing it up to read. He opened his mouth, before he muttered just loud enough for the crowd to hear. "Oh. Shit."
Laughter. Fox always liked that sound. He swore he could have made it as a comedian if he really wanted to. He allowed the crowd a moment, before he crushed the paper in his hands and spoke the words from memory.
"'You and I have so much love, that it burns like a fire in which we bake a lump of clay. Molded into a figure of you, and a figure of me. Then we take both of them, and break them into pieces,
and mix the pieces with water, and mold again a figure of you and a figure of me. I am in your clay. You are in my clay. In life we share a single quilt. In death we will share one bed.'" He paused for a moment letting the poem sink in, before he added, "Married Love by Guan Daosheng."
The words were honest, spoken from the heart. By the time he was done, he heard Coco holding back tears. Her hand pulled from his, and returned, slightly damped from her tears as she leaned in to kiss him. Their lips met, and Fox knew it was too early, but here they were.
Love was a tough thing to stop.
When they finally pulled apart, Coco was still fighting back tears as she stared at him with shimmering eyes.
It was almost happily ever after. The only thing missing was the end, because he knew that this was just a new beginning.
"I love you." Coco wished she could make a new word to describe how badly she loved him. She wished she could just look up a word in the dictionary that described the most passionate, most amazing, most pure love in existence, and then she would add an -er to it.
She held back a laugh as she embraced her new husband, feeling his arms wrap around her, holding her as tears began to fall down her face. She tried to hold them back as well, but they were a flood and she was too overwhelmed. ,
She wished she could find better words to say how she felt for Fox, but she couldn't, so instead she just said them over again.
"I love you.". She could say them a thousand times, but the words just never seemed enough. "I don't have a poem. I don't have a big speech. I've never really been good at that stuff, honestly. I just… I want you to know I love you. That I've been so happy to live my life with you, to move across the planet with you, to spend my life learning who I'm meant to be, with you. I love you, Fox."
They kissed again, and it was like fireworks going through her skin. An electric jolt to her system as the audience cheered, clapping and urging the two to be happy. Sadly, Coco couldn't even hear them.
It was just her and Fox. Just them, and their closest friends, and for a moment, that was all she needed. It was enough.
"Well, it looks like you two don't really need me," the priest chuckled, earning a small laugh from the audience.
The priest still spoke the words typical of a wedding. The 'will you's and the 'I do's were spoken, and then came the words that opened a new chapter of Fox and Coco's life together.
"I now pronounce you, man and wife."
They kissed again, and it was the kind of kiss that neither would ever forget. A kiss that they would remember years from now, a kiss they would cherish forever, a kiss to put a period to one of the most important moments of their lives.
Their first kiss as a married couple.
Coco and Fox Adel-Alistair held one another even as they pulled apart. The two shared one last longing stare into the other's eyes, before Coco was given a bouquet from her maid of honor. Coco thanked Velvet, before she threw it into the air. Several eyes followed it, while everyone else watched as her hands slipped under Fox and she swept the man quite literally off his feet.
"Whoa!" Fox laughed as his wife held him in her arms, marveling at her strength as she began to carry him down the aisle. The people cheered and clapped, and roars of encouragement and praise flooded the salty air as the bouquet fell back down to earth.
Ruby and Jaune were both happy to applaud the couple, before the former noticed something out of the corner of her gaze. She saw the bouquet falling towards her, but before she could even utter a gasp, her hand moved to smack the bouquet away.
Yang slammed her hand against the flowers with all her strength, sending them flying away from her hand and right into the face of one Cardin Winchester.
"Ah! Son of a-! What the fu-?"
"Oh, my gosh! Cardin! I'm so sorry!" Ruby cried. Yang, what the hell?!
"In my defense, hitting Cardin was an accident."
With the wedding ceremony done, the group was free to begin the wedding reception. A celebration of love, the closing of a chapter, and the beginning of a new one.
It was a tornado of movement and excitement with Jaune and Ruby in the middle. The two stuck close to one another as the wedding attendees were moved from one part of the beach to another, one with music and food ready for them.
Ruby, Jaune, Nora, and Ren all sat together as they watched the festivities begin. Music was played and cheers filled the air as Fox and Coco shared their first dance as husband and wife. Once their slow dance was done, the music began to pick up, and the guests were welcomed on the dance floor.
Jaune and Ruby watched Ren and Nora join the fun, before the blond looked at his girlfriend. "Want to join them?" he asked, and Ruby felt her face turn red.
"Uh, I don't dance…"
"You don't dance, or you don't want to dance?"
"Both?" Ruby replied, before she heard a voice tickling her ear.
"Aw, come on, Ruby! Go have some fun!" Yang urged.
Ruby opened her mouth, before her lips fell shut. "Why don't you dance with him, Yang?"
"What...?"
"I mean it. You love dancing. Why not?"
Yang didn't know what to say, and once again, she was struck silent by Ruby and Jaune, though the latter had no idea of what was happening and was just staring at Ruby's eyes subtly moving back and forth.
The young man raised his brow, leaning in a little closer as he watched Ruby, before her eyes suddenly turned towards him and she chuckled nervously.
"S-sorry. Just talking to Yang."
"No problem. Everything okay with her?"
It was probably silly, but Ruby felt her heart rush a little bit with that simple statement. The way Jaune looked at her, the way he smiled at her, the way he actually asked about Yang… She fought back a nervous giggle as her cheeks became flushed.
"Yeah. She's okay," she whispered, before she leaned forward to peck Jaune's cheek. The blonde blushed at the soft feel of her lips, before Ruby pulled away and stroked her hair with her eyes aimed away from him. "Um, do you want to try and dance with Yang?"
"R-really?" Jaune blinked, and Ruby quickly looked at him with her hands up.
"If you don't want to, that's okay, but she likes dancing, a-and I suck at it, so if you want, I mean-"
"Okay, but on one condition," Jaune replied. "I want at least one dance with you."
"Damn. Who knew Blondie was such a charmer?" Yang chuckled as Ruby felt her cheeks burn.
"O-okay… Um, ready?" she asked, smiling up at him. He nodded his head, before he offered her his hand. She took it, gently squeezing his fingers as she closed her eyes and felt her mind drifting towards the back of her mind.
Jaune watched, analyzing and studying the way her body seemed to react to the switch. It was almost like Ruby was leaving her body, and it would lay wherever she had been, almost asleep or in a trance. Then Jaune saw her shoulders twitch, and Ruby's eyes opened.
Silver orbs stared up at him, but he knew it wasn't Ruby. The way they shined was different, but the smile was the most damning piece of evidence. Yang smiled up at him with a toothy grin as she swept some of Ruby's hair behind her.
"Hey, handsome. Nice suit."
"Uh, thanks, Yang," he replied, smiling back at her.
"So…" Yang popped her lips together as she looked around the dance floor, nodding her head in approval. "You want to cut a rug?"
"Sounds good." Jaune stood up, but Yang didn't follow. Her eyes were on the ground as she licked her dry lips.
"Hey, uh… Thanks for this. Sorry you got to settle for me instead of… ya know."
"I'm not settling for you. I'm dancing with a friend," Jaune replied, holding his hand out to her.
"Not sure if you should consider me after all the shit I've pulled," Yang scoffed. "But it's cute how similar you two are." She lifted up her hand, grabbing his and letting him pick her up off of the chair.
The two bumped into one another, a laugh sipping out from Yang's lips as she and Jaune stared at one another. Ruby was a good few inches under the man, even with her shoes on.
In the back of her mind, Yang imagined a world where she and Jaune were a bit closer, maybe with her even taller than him, but she left that fantasy to be forgotten as she pulled him towards the dance floor.
"Come on, Goldilocks. Let's dance!"
Cardin sat at the bar, watching Velvet dancing with her gang of friends. He didn't say anything. He just grabbed another glass of water and downed it. He chewed on the chunks of ice in his mouth, wondering how much longer he was going to be stuck here.
He wanted to go back to the hotel. Maybe watch a movie or something. He would have loved to ask Velvet to join him. She had pretty good taste in films. She was even a fan of classic action movies. That was pretty cool…
Watching a movie with her wouldn't be so bad. Hell, he'd settle for her just coming over and talking to him. She was literally the only friend he had here...
Shit, that was depressing.
Why did Velvet even want him to come here? He already made peace with Jauney-boy and Ren. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He spat chipped pieces of ice back into his empty glass as he held up his hand.
He was about to ask for more water when a voice called out to him.
"Wow. Chewing ice all by yourself? That's probably the most depressing thing I've ever seen."
"The fu-?" Cardin caught Nora smiling at him and he rolled his eyes. "The hell you want?"
Nora ignored his question as she sat beside him, asking the bartender for a stronger drink. Cardin watched with a jealous glare as a shot of liquor was poured for Nora, and she took it and down it in one quick motion.
"Mmm. Nice."
Cardin continued to silently glare at her as she continued to ignore him. He knew that she was just ignoring her. He just wasn't sure what to say without acting like his old, shitty self. So he glared at her until she blinked and pointed at herself.
"Oh, sorry. You were talking to me? My bad." That damn cheeky smile. He wanted to deck her. "So, you turned over a new leaf, huh? Good for you!" She had some water poured for herself and she picked it up, watching as Cardin's cup was filled. "Cheers."
Cardin didn't pick up his cup. He just glared at her.
"Ren told me about last night."
"Then you know I'm not looking for friends. Just to apologize for the shit I pulled," Cardin sighed.
"Well, I could use an apology too, you know." Cardin chewed the inside of his cheek as Nora continued, swirling her drink around, letting the ice batter the glass cage. "You know, for everything you put Ren and Jaune through, I felt it. They were my best friends, and you kept picking on them."
"Mostly Jaune."
"That doesn't make much of a difference from where I'm sitting." Her voice was warm and fluffy, and yet it carried an edge sharp enough to cut through diamond. Cardin bit harder down on his cheek as he took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry, Nora."
She didn't say anything. Cardin would have preferred she spit in his eye or tell him to go to hell, maybe even laugh, but no. She didn't do anything, and all he could do was wait for… something.
He closed his eyes as Nora muttered, her voice almost gone under the sound of the music.
"Okay. To new beginnings." She lifted her glass again and gently tapped it against Cardin's. Neither said anything as she slowly finished her drink, and Cardin was just as quiet as he downed his water.
"It must have hurt," Nora muttered, and Cardin turned to look at her. She didn't look like her usual, annoying self. Her eyes didn't have that… glow to them. Her eyes were staring through the bar, far beyond the coast, lost in a distant memory. "Losing all the people you thought were friends."
"None of them were worth keeping. I'm better off without them," Cardin shrugged.
"Yeah. Maybe." She shook her drink again, listening to the ice knocking against her glass. "Keep in contact with any of them?"
"No."
"Looking for new ones?"
"Not really," he scoffed.
"What about Velvet?" Cardin didn't reply. He poured some ice into his mouth, grinding it under his teeth as Nora elbowed him. "That's not good for your teeth, you know."
"Hrm." He swallowed it all down, before he mumbled something. "Are you offering?"
"Hm?"
"Being friends. Your boyfriend okay with that?"
"One: I can do whatever I want. I have a driver's license. Two: He supports the idea."
Cardin turned his whole body so he was properly facing the orange-haired woman. She did the same, a smug grin painted on her lips.
"Why?"
"Because I know what it's like to lose the people you trust. It hurts, but everyone deserves someone in their corner."
"I got Velvet…"
"Velvet doesn't count, she's in everyone's corner," Nora commented.
"I don't want your pity."
"It's not pity. It's called moving on, something I think both of us could do a little more of."
It sounded like Nora had a whole lot of issues beyond this wedding and him. He knew he could have asked, but he decided against it. No point in opening old wounds.
"He tapped his empty glass against hers, nodding his head. "To new beginnings."
"Sweet," she grinned, flashing him a toothy grin. "So, that means I get the same deal Jaune and Ren did, right?"
"What?" His brow wrinkled as he stared at her.
"You know. I get to hit you once." Cardin's eyes widened as Nora's grin grew wider. "Oh, yeah. I think that's fair."
"Hey, I never agreed-"
"We're friends! It was implied," Nora laughed, turning away from him as she ordered herself another drink. "Another shot, please."
Cardin's jaw nearly dropped, before he shook his head, closing his eyes. "Fine, whatever. Hit me."
"Nope," she replied, thanking the bartender for the drink.
"What?" he blinked, staring at her.
"No one said there had to be a time limit on it. Didn't say it had to be tonight. Or tomorrow. Or the day after, even. It could be twenty years from now, or even a week from now, or anywhere in between."
Cardin's jaw hung low as he stared at Nora. She smiled back at him, before holding back a snicker. "Bitch," he muttered.
"That's karma for ya," Nora laughed, elbowing him again.
Cardin just rolled his eyes as she laughed, before she held up two fingers and the bartender poured two shots of liquor before them. Nora picked one up and handed it to Cardin, smiling at him.
"Here, don't tell Velvet though, okay?"
The man raised his brow, before he took the shot and nodded his head in thanks. He and Nora clinked their glasses together one last time, before they downed their shots together. Cardin felt the cool liquid slide down his throat, carrying a slight burn along with it, before Nora patted his back.
"You should go ask her to dance." Cardin glanced at her, before his eyes turned towards Velvet. "Just a suggestion. One friend to another.
"What about you?"
"I already danced with Ren. Then I saw you sitting all alone and decided to hang out with you. That's what friends are for, right?" Cardin shrugged his shoulders as Nora's smile almost seemed to grow. "Plus, I think I have some good news for you."
Yang remembered a few months when she and Jaune were at the club together. It had been an awkward, difficult situation considering they weren't really friends and she was content to leave him at the bar for half of it.
Not to mention that was the night she lied to him and nearly ruined his and Ruby's relationship. Just thinking about that night left a bitter taste in her mouth.
That seemed so long ago, and now here they were, dancing together on the dance floor.
It was as surreal as it was undeserved.
Yang didn't deserve to be here. She didn't deserve to be happy. Not after everything she did. The only reason she was on the dance floor was because Ruby wanted her to be, and like the good sister… like the good alternate personality she was, Yang obeyed.
Still, it was fun. Jaune was a surprisingly good dancer when he wanted to, and Yang couldn't help but smile as he danced to the beat, moving and gyrating his body to it to the cheers and applause of other dancers.
"Whoo! Shake it!" Coco laughed, dancing beside the two with her husband.
Yang gave them a toothy smile, before looking back at Jaune. He was making a fool of himself, but that was the thing about dancing. You either put your all into it, or you half ass it and look stupid. Jaune put his all into every move he made, and even if he wasn't good on a technical level, Yang respected the doofus.
"Not bad, Blondie."
"T-thanks. Always enjoyed dancing," he confessed.
"Me too. Ruby doesn't know what she's missing."
"She's just a little shy."
"Yeah. So, you into the shy types?" Yang asked over the music.
"I, uh, I guess. I mean, I like confident women too. I like… women." Jaune cringed at his own words as Yang chuckled, shaking her head.
"You're one hot mess, Blondie."
"So, I'm hot, huh?" he retorted, and Yang smiled at that.
"Oh, yeah. Just watching you do the Sprinkler is getting me all hot and bothered." Yang couldn't help herself. It was too easy. The words just rolled off her tongue, and Jaune's eyes widened. His face turned red as his lips struggled to properly enunciate a response.
He stuttered and stammered as Yang laughed, barely able to control herself as she stared at his gobsmacked face.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but that was too easy."
"Not afraid to go after the low 'yanging' fruit, huh?" Jaune muttered, and she raised her brow at the comeback… before laughing once more, shaking her head. "Pretty funny, huh?"
"N-no. Not really, but that's part of the charm," Yang replied with a snicker.
It was nice being able to talk to someone. She didn't have to pretend to be Ruby. She didn't have to fake who she was. She was Yang, unfiltered, and it was nice. She could make a pun about her own name, and he got it. He understood her.
She was glad Ruby had someone like this to look out for her…
The two hadn't noticed the song coming to an end. It just sort of stopped, and a new song began to play. A slower one as the DJ announced that it was time for another romantic, slow song.
Yang and Jaune looked at one another, their mouths open as neither said anything.
"Uhh… What should we-?"
"I'll switch."
"Are you sure?" he asked, and she nodded her head, still wearing that same smile.
"Yeah. I'm sure." His hand touched hers and Yang blinked, glancing down to their fingers. His hand held hers for a moment, before he released her. She looked at him, staring at his flushed cheeks.
"I hope we can talk soon."
"Yeah. Me too, Blondie." She winked at him, before he placed his hands on her shoulders, gently rocking back and forth. Her body swayed with his as she raised her brow.
"Everyone's starting to stare at the couple not doing anything in the middle of the dance floor. So, uh… sorry," he whispered, and Yang chuckled once more.
"Man, you are one awkward mess," she smirked, before she closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest, swaying with his body as she fell into the depths of Ruby's mouth.
Yang didn't have to smile anymore. She didn't have to fake anything. She could just drift away, enjoying the solitude. Still, hanging out with Jaune wasn't so bad. He was nice to talk to.
Weiss opened her eyes, and she noticed several things. Jaune Arc's hands were on her shoulder, he was standing extremely close to her, his face inches from hers, and a slow song was playing. An older song, 'Unforgettable' by Nat King Cole, she believed.
The alt blinked, before she placed her hands on Arc's body and pushed him back, keeping him at arm's length as she glared at him. "Hello, Mr. Arc."
"Oh, uh… Blake?"
"I'm Weiss."
"Weiss, right. Sorry. Hi. Uhh-"
"I wanted to dance. I rarely get to," she explained plainly. "This doesn't mean anything, and you will remain at arm's length, or I will hurt you. Understood?"
"Well, when you put it that way…"
"Now then. Arm on my shoulder blade, with the other one in my hand." He obeyed, placing his hands on her body as she continued. "And I will lead."
"Then lead away, Weiss-cream."
"..."
"Cause, you know… Ice cream?"
"Dolt," she sighed.
Weiss had always wanted to dance. Not the butt-shaking, foot-stomping seizure Yang would participate in, but real dance. Classical, ballet, ballroom dancing. The kind of dancing that showed her grace.
Sadly, Ruby rarely had the chance to dance like that, and so Weiss was trapped to never properly experience the sensation.
Until today. She would not allow Arc to ruin this moment. The two danced together, carefully, with Weiss leading them in each twirl and step. Thankfully he wasn't as awkward on the dance floor as she was afraid of.
"You okay? You keep looking down," Jaune commented.
"Just making sure you don't step on my toes."
"Oh, no worries. I taught my sisters how to dance. I'm pretty good at not stepping on toes. My sisters on the other hand…" He chuckled at the memory as Weiss glanced up at him, raising her brow.
"What's it like?" she inquired, her eyes on their feet again.
"What's what like?"
"Having siblings."
"Oh, uh… It's nice," he replied. Weiss' frown was enough for him to keep going, searching for a better answer. "It's like having a group of friends you can always fall back on. I love my sisters, even if they do drive me crazy."
Drive you crazy, huh? I know all about that, Weiss thought to herself. "That does sound nice."
"I mean, isn't that how it is with you and… you know? Yang and Ruby are sisters, right?"
"It's hardly the same," Weiss replied. She nibbled on her lower lip for a moment, before continuing. "I've always been kind of curious, though. What would it be like to have a sister, maybe even a brother."
"You want me to be like a brother to you?" he teased, and she scoffed at the remark.
"Don't be disgusting."
"It was a joke," he shrugged.
"You are just fine as you are," Weiss declared.
"As your friend?" Jaune asked, and Weiss could feel her face warming up from that simple question. She wasn't sure if Jaune was intentionally trying to annoy her, or if he was just being stupid, but she locked eyes with him all the same.
She nodded her head, and that was all he would get. Thankfully he seemed content with that as Jaune smiled at her.
The two continued to dance together, slow and gracefully as Weiss' eyes caught Coco and Fox. Despite his disability, Fox was clearly well practiced with dancing. He whispered something in Coco's ear, and she giggled, kissing his neck as her eyes shimmered.
Then he dipped her down, and Coco's laugh grew louder, falling back into his arms with a sweet embrace and true love's kiss.
It must be nice, she thought. Being so in love.
"You want me to try dipping you?" Jaune asked, and Weiss turned her head to him, eyes wide.
She had only ever had herself. No one to dip her before. No friend to call hers. She stared at Jaune for a moment, her lips slowly moving, but no sound came out. Then she swallowed spit down her throat and shook her head.
"N-no. It's…" She felt sweaty. She felt scared. She felt her heart drumming in her chest, before she nodded her head. "Sure. Just one, and if you drop me, you'll regret it, understand?"
"Gotcha. Ready?" She nodded her head, and as agreed, he dipped her down. Weiss squeaked with fear, clutching onto him, digging her nails into whatever part of her she could grab as Jaune struggled to hold onto her. Her leg struggled to remain on the ground, and when it slipped off, she panicked, trying to drive the other deeper into the floor to save herself.
"Drop me, and die!" she growled, hiding her fear with anger.
"I'm not, I'm not gonna drop you! Just stay calm." Weiss took a deep breath, and nodded her head.
She had one hand on his shoulder, holding onto him as the other hand grabbed his arm, squeezing it. Her leg rose up, off of the floor as the other bruised against the floor. Weiss could feel her heart pounding against her ribs, but after a moment, she realized that she wasn't falling.
Weiss took long, deep breaths as he picked her back up, slowly returning her to her feet as her heart pounded. The two looked at one another as Weiss planted her feet firmly on the ground.
"See? You're okay, right?"
"Y-yeah." She glanced around the dance floor, watching other couples staring at them, dancing still as her face felt warm again. "We dipped too early. People are still dancing." We must have looked so idiotic. Damn it, Arc…
"Heh. Guess so," Jaune chuckled as a voice called out to them.
"Whoo! Ruby! Get it, girl!" Nora shouted from the other side of the dance floor. She was rooting the pair on as Cardin helped her walk, and judging by her own crimson face and wobbly legs, the two could guess that she was at least a tiny bit inebriated...
The couple could see Cardin's scowl as he brought Nora to Ren, practically pushing her into his arms. "I don't want this anymore. You take her!" he shouted, before he walked away.
Weiss and Jaune glanced at one another, before the alt growled at him. "Don't even think about it."
Weiss and Jaune soon left the dance floor, leaving the festivities behind to sit on the beach, watching the crashing waves and the dark sky. Sitting in the middle of the night, though, was the moon. It shined bright, almost a pure-white as Weiss and Jaune smiled at it.
"This place is so beautiful. The culture, the sights, everything, I almost wish I could stay longer to see it all," Weiss confessed.
"We still have the museum to go to," Jaune thought aloud, and Weiss smiled at the thought.
"I look forward to it…" She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath of the salty aroma of the beach. "I should go."
"Are you going to get Blake, or...?" She turned her head to stare at him and he shrugged. "I mean, I spoke to you and Yang already. Just wondering."
"Blake will not want to talk to you. Trust me."
"Did I do something, or-?"
"She's just like that," Weiss shrugged. "Even to me, and I've known her for years. I think back when Ruby was dating Adam, she was just as close to him as Ruby was. When things went badly, Ruby created me, but Blake closed herself off from everyone. She still doesn't really open up…"
"I'm sorry," Jaune muttered, and Weiss shrugged.
"She's never really liked me, and I've made my peace with that. She probably won't ever like you either. She's just waiting for the day she…" Weiss stopped, and she took a deep breath of the cool, salty air. "I should probably go."
"See you tomorrow?" Weiss' lips curled into a smile as she nodded her head.
"See you tomorrow."
And with that, Weiss closed her eyes and the body of Ruby Rose remained still. Jaune placed a hand on her shoulder, gently tapping on her, but there was no response. He merely sat there, waiting as the seconds ticked by, until she opened her eyes and Ruby looked at him.
He was sure of it. Those silver eyes, the way she smiled at him, the way her hand rose up to rest on top of his on her shoulder…
"Hey."
"Hey," she replied, before she laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. "I am so tired."
"Is it exhausting switching like that?"
"A little. I miss anything important?"
"Nora got a little tipsy, but no, not much."
"Good." She lifted her head up and leaned in, pecking Jaune's lips. "H-hey." She was blushing, her face and neck as red as the bangs of her hair.
Jaune wasn't much better, but he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. Her body pressed against his as he leaned down, kissing her lips as her hands stroked his chest. The two kissed, the moon shining down on them as they held one another.
Time faded away. The moment was just them, and them alone. Ruby's arms wrapped around his body as he embraced her, holding her tightly. She felt his body in her small arms, holding him, pulling herself into him.
This was the start of their new life. The moment was theirs, and they enjoyed it.
You know, there's still music playing. Ready for that dance?"
"You know what? I am."
END
There was going to be more to this chapter, but we're already at 11k, so I'm calling it here. Look forward to the epilogue in the next chapter.
No drama, no problems, this is the happily ever after our characters worked for. The resolution. Cardin's ready to move on, Nora's ready to move on, and, of course, Ruby and Jaune are dating. The alts are still with them, and while they all have their own demons, they're going to take their next steps forward. Also, I wanted to give some love to Coco and Fox. Minor characters, but this is their wedding, after all.
I'm also happy to announce that I'm naming this book, The Start of Something. Thanks to Stickginge for helping me decide on a title.
Next chapter won't be long. It'll be up around the start of next month and it will end things in this book and set up things for the next. Look forward to it.
As always, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed the story, take care, stay safe, and leave a review if you want. I love hearing feedback.
Want to follow me on Twitter? Look up Leafydream0 for my SFW Twitter and LeafydreamXXX for my NSFW Twitter.
And remember, you are loved.