La Chevalier et La Bête - Paradise
Ruby's eyes opened as the car came to a stop. She lifted up her head, looking around as she smelled something in the air. The smell of metal. And sweat? She leaned her head down, peering at Jaune from a window.
He had his hands on the steering wheel and his eyes locked straight ahead, past Ruby. "Uhh, can we help you?" She raised her brow, before she looked ahead.
There was a woman standing before them. She wore a red hood over her face and a matching cloak that wrapped around her body, hiding her figure from their eyes.
They did not scream at the sight of Ruby. They did not even react. She simply stood before the car, caked in scarlet and crimson.
A voice whispered in Ruby's ear, but it was so hard to hear. Like they were being muffled or they were too far away to understand. A voice loud enough to notice, but too quiet to understand.
The woman lifted her head and Ruby could see her lips moving, but her words couldn't reach either of them.
Ruby got off of the truck and stared at the hooded woman. She towered over her small frame, yet the stranger said nothing. She only stared at Ruby through the cloth of her scarlet hood.
"Who… are you?"
She did not speak. She did not offer a whisper. Her lips stopped moving, before they were etched into a frown. Invisible fingers pulled at the hood, and lilac eyes stared back at Ruby. The color in them was so bright, a heavy contrast between her pale skin.
"Run."
The ground at her feet cracked, slowly rising as Ruby found herself frozen in place. She didn't move, only watching as blackened fingers clawed out from the dirt and asphalt. The tips of each finger was blood-red, the remains of a million victims.
"Run."
The ebony fingers held onto the stranger's hand. They clung to her skin, and Ruby could hear the snap of her bones as they squeezed tight. The woman said nothing, but Ruby saw the tears in her eyes. She cried, her voice reduced to a pleading whimper.
"Run, Ruby…"
The hood fell. Golden hair fluttered in the wind as her eyes fell shut…
Several hands clung to hers, before they pulled, and Ruby turned away. She could hear the flesh tear like paper. A river of blood spat upon the road as the woman screamed. She howled in agony as Ruby turned to Jaune.
His body. Dead. Gutted and torn, marks clawed into his skin as his eyeless gaze stared back at her. His jaw hung low, his mouth frozen in an expression of horror and agonizing pain. Yet she could still hear his voice calling out her name.
"I'm sorry, Ruby." A hand touched hers. Ruby turned once more to the hooded woman.
But her golden hair was gone. Painted black, held just above her shoulders. Her cloak, once a bloody red, became white as snow. Untouched by the blood of her butchered arm. Her lilac eyes, once glistening with terror and sorrow, were gone. Replaced by silver eyes. Eyes that glowed like the moon as they stared at Ruby.
"I'm sor-"
Ruby opened her eyes once more. She could see the tears of the hooded woman. The white cloak caked in blood. No, it wasn't, it-
She held her head between her fingers. She felt her smooth, white mask. Her black fur. She felt the long snout of her face…
And she hated it. She wanted this nightmare to end, but she had wanted that for so long that thought felt… dull. Almost boring.
Another day trapped in a body that wasn't hers. Maybe one day she'd get used to it.
She hoped not.
Her mind returned to the dream. She could still feel her heart racing. Who was that blonde woman? Had she been a victim Ruby had killed? No, she knew her name.
Did she know who Ruby was? And the one woman with silver eyes… Was that Ruby's sister? Or…?
"Ruby, you okay?" Jaune asked, and she turned her head towards him. She nodded her head quickly, choosing to bury these thoughts down for now.
"Yeah," she replied. "You?" She looked up. It looked like it was around noon, though it was kind of hard to tell due to how cloudy that sky was.
"I've been trying to get the radio to work. I can get a few channels" Jaune probably thought she wouldn't notice that he ignored her question. "And now I've got good news, great news, and bad news."
"What's the bad news?" she asked.
"It's going to snow soon. Hard. We're going to be in the middle of a blizzard. Pyrrha told me that Atlas used to get so cold that not even Grimm could survive. The Grimm adapted, but…" Ruby nodded her head.
"So we need shelter?"
"That's the thing, I think I might have." Jaune's hand touched a small dial and he twisted it. When he stopped, Ruby could hear a series of small beeps. It sounded familiar, but- "It's in code. Pyrrha taught it to us."
"It's from your team?" Ruby asked, her eyes widening. She immediately regretted even speaking as she caught Jaune's flinch. He bit the inside of his cheek, before he etched a smile onto his face and continued.
"No, but it's known by a lot of Huntsmen. It means 'It's safe here. All are welcome.' Then it gives coordinates."
"Sounds like shelter," Ruby commented.
"Yeah. Sounds like it." His voice was cold. Hollow. "I… don't think we have a lot of options, though. It's going to be below zero out here."
Ruby nodded her head. "I'll put on my hood." She did so, before she opened her arms and grinned. "Flawless disguise!"
No response. Jaune just kept driving, and Ruby's shoulders fell. She took a deep breath, before nodding her head. "Well, you mentioned great news?"
"We're making good time. We'll probably make it to Menagerie in a couple of days at this rate. After that, we'll reach New Atlas."
And then what? Ruby gets experimented on? She and Jaune never see each other again…?
She groaned quietly. She didn't want to think like that. She was just… tired.
"You're a good driver," she commented, smiling at him. He glanced at her, and their eyes were locked for a moment.
His lips curled into a genuine smile, if only for a moment. "Thanks. I don't even have a license."
"Maybe you can give me lessons."
"Maybe." His smile lingered, but it fell apart as they continued to drive. Ruby could feel the wind in her hair and fur as she patted the roof of the car.
"Alright. Let's hope this place accepts dogs."
That was funny, she thought. She wished Jaune had laughed at it.
Jaune's mind was lost in a haze. He tried to just ignore it all. The blood on his hands. He could still hear shrieks and snarls of so many Grimm. So many dead bodies littered at his feet. Too many to count. He tried to just focus on driving, but that only did so much.
Eventually he had to ask himself a simple question. What the hell was he doing?
He was an inexperienced Huntsman traveling across Remnant, facing some of the most dangerous Grimm he had ever heard of, all in the hopes of handing a talking Grimm to the Atlesian government.
Not just a talking Grimm. A human turned Grimm who had already saved his life several times.
One he was keeping alive with his Semblance. The same one that he was scared of losing. Of failing.
Jaune could still remember the Hangman's tendrils wrapping around his limbs. Choking his neck, leaving him gasping for air in its grasp. He remembered the pain of his nightmares and the agony of being that thing's toy.
He remembered Ruby saving him… again, and again, and again.
Some Huntsman I am. Couldn't back up Ruby. Couldn't save his family. Couldn't stop Adder from killing himself.
Adder.
Jaune could still hear the 'bang.' He still heard the blood splattering on the walls. Still feel Adder's body in his hands, still warm.
How much death had he seen lately?
Jaune chewed on the inside of his cheek. If he died, what would he see on the other side? The Brothers? A city in the clouds? Nothingness?
When did he get so dramatic? It almost made him laugh.
He wished Pyrrha was there to help him. She'd know what to do. So would Ren. He was probably the smartest man Jaune knew. Nora would probably make a joke, help everyone smile again.
Hell, he'd settle for Cardin telling him to man up.
Jaune glanced at the rearview mirror. Ruby was staring off at the horizon, lost in her own thoughts. He turned his gaze back towards the road as he felt buried emotions bubbling inside of him.
Shame. He was a Huntsman. So far, all he did was play the role of a glorified battery for Ruby.
Frustration. Why couldn't he be stronger?! Maybe Pyrrha would still be here if he had been. Maybe.
Acceptance? Stop thinking about this, Jaune. Just focus on the mission at hand.
Said mission was simple. Don't freeze to death. Find shelter. Stop spiraling into a depressed mess.
Simple.
"We're close. You smell anything?"
"Yeah. You are due for a shower," Ruby teased. Jaune didn't say anything in return. He couldn't think of anything clever, and eventually Ruby answered him seriously. "I think I smell people, but it's faint."
Meaning they could have been long gone, or dead. More corpses… Great.
Gods, when did he get so cynical? Probably after the tenth or eleventh corpse I saw this week. Huh. Guess I can still be clever.
"I see something up ahead!" Ruby declared, pointing forward. Jaune's eyes strained to see what she did, but eventually he was able to pick out a shape amongst the horizon.
He saw a house, but… it wasn't much. Jaune felt his fingers tighten around the steering wheel. He ground his teeth as he glared at the sorry excuse for a home.
The place was rundown. The white paint was chipping away. The wooden walls were bent. The windows cracked. The door barely hung on its hinges. Jaune stopped the car in front of the house, and he wanted so badly to punch the dashboard of the car.
He felt the car shift as Ruby hopped off, walking towards the house as Jaune stewed in his rage for a few seconds longer. Then he got out and followed her, entering the dump.
"This place wouldn't survive a mild breeze, let alone a blizzard," Jaune huffed. "We're fucked." Ruby turned her head towards Jaune, clearly shocked at his language as he looked around the house.
The place had some furniture lying around. Nothing special. Nothing impressive. The place looked like it had already been robbed. Scavengers had already picked the place clean as Jaune walked over to a small table.
"Damn it," he growled, glaring at the dry, dusty wood. "Damn it!" Like the gun that killed Adder, his temper just went off. He kicked at the table, knocking it onto its side.
"Jaune!" Ruby grabbed his arm, holding him as he immediately felt shame again.
What was wrong with him?
"I'm sorry," he sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I'm sorry. I-" He stopped. He stared at a small metal box taped to the underside of the table. He blinked, before he pulled away from Ruby and examined the device.
He pulled it off of the table as he looked it over. "This… this was what was making the signal." There was a piece of folded paper tied to the small device.
"Are you sure?" she inquired, and he nodded his head as he took the paper and unfolded it. There were several passages of black text that he began to read aloud.
"'My name doesn't matter. Who I was doesn't matter. All you need to know is that I used to work for Atlas' elite. I was paid to create safehouses. Bunkers. Places where the rich and elite could hide as the rest of us were slaughtered.'"
Jaune glanced at Ruby, who raised her brow in confusion before Jaune continued. "'I wanted to bring my husband here. I thought we would be safe, but we weren't fast enough. My husband is gone now, and I just can't bring myself to go on without him.'"
"'Figure I'd do something good with my life before I end it all. I hope you could follow the signal. Hope you made it safe. Hope you're not some low life thief who is going to ruin my dying wish.'"
"'When I finish this message, I'm going to walk away. Keep walking until I can't. Maybe that's why I'm trying to stretch this out longer… Can't keep waiting forever, though, can I?'"
"'The truth is simple. Beneath your feet is a bunker. Built to keep Grimm out. House a single family of people. Food, water, a hot bath, even a few movies. Basically paradise all things considered. Go to the closet in the bedroom. There's a false floor you can remove.'"
"'It's yours. Just please, don't desecrate it. Let this be an act of true, genuine mercy. This world's broken already. It doesn't need our help.'"
'"Just let me build something good. Not for some rich asshole, but for people. Please.'"
Jaune felt his arm go limp. Then he spoke. "T-that… that is… That's the whole message." Ruby turned her head to the bedroom.
"Should we…?" Jaune nodded his head and he and Ruby walked into the bedroom. The bed was a filthy mess, but their eyes were focused on the closet. Jaune walked towards it, opening it and placing his hand on the floor.
The wood was smooth. His fingers slid over it until he felt something. A small handle. He pulled on it and he watched as the floor opened, revealing a ladder inside of a metal tube under the furniture.
"Well, that's-"
"Creepy?"
"Yeah," Jaune sighed. "Creepy."
"You first."
"Aren't you a seven foot tall killing machine?" Jaune asked, raising his brow. "Shouldn't you go first?"
"Rock, paper, scissors for it?" Jaune glanced at the small hole, before he looked towards Ruby.
"Okay."
Jaune sighed as he climbed down the dark ladder. It was several feet deep and there was no light, meaning he was essentially lowering himself down into pure darkness. Ruby was still above him, watching him climb down the ladder.
"How is it?" she asked.
"Dark. Deep. Cold, but I'm fine. Down here… in the dark."
Jaune kept climbing down, only to feel his feet hit solid ground. His eyes widened, before he heard the click of lights being turned on. He was blind for a moment, but once he could see clearly, he saw a short, metal hallway.
"Whoa… Think I found something…"
"I'm coming down!"
Jaune stepped out of Ruby's way as she began to climb down the ladder. He could hear her grunt and growl. The tunnel was no doubt a little tight for her, but she was soon by his side.
They looked towards the end of the hall where a metal door stood.
"Wonder what kind of horrible Grimm's behind that?" Juane muttered.
"I don't smell any Grimm." Ruby walked forward towards it and Jaune followed behind her. Once they closed the distance between them and the door, there was a quiet hiss, and the doors began to open.
What they found was… a room. A normal looking living room.
"Uhh…"
Ruby stepped into the room, sniffing the air. "I smell… flowers, and… food in the fridge." She glanced at Jaune and their eyes were locked for a moment. "No one else is here."
"Just you and me?" She nodded her head. "And the message said this place was made to keep people safe." She nodded her head again.
Neither said anything. Their eyes both traveled around the room. They saw a large TV screen, a soft couch, but their eyes eventually stopped at the kitchen. It was connected right to the living room and the two began to slowly walk closer.
Jaune's hand touched the handle, before he pulled it open and the two peered inside. The fridge was full of food and Jaune's jaw almost dropped. Fresh food. Like before the war. A fridge filled with delicious, fresh food…
"Oh, man…" He grabbed a carton of milk and opened it, taking a deep breath, before sighing. It smelled good.
Ruby sniffed the air, before she opened a cupboard and reached inside. She pulled out a small bag of chocolate chips, and Jaune watched as she tore the bag open and poured several bits of chocolate onto her tongue.
She ate them happily, moaning at the taste. "Mmm! So good!"
"Fresh food. A stove. I-I can cook us something," Jaune grinned.
"We can bake cookies!"
"We can bake cookies!" Jaune agreed, beaming at Ruby, and the two laughed as they threw their arms around one another. They bounced up and down, laughing and cheering as they celebrated this momentous occasion.
"Greetings! May I help you?" The two stopped before they turned their heads to find a robot staring at them with an eyeless face.
"Cool, a robot!" Ruby grinned.
"That's an AK-200," Jaune commented. "But I've never seen one talk before."
"Greetings! May I help you?" The robot sounded… jovial. Jaune and Ruby glanced at one another, before they looked at the slender robot.
"Um, is it okay if we eat some of this food?"
"Of course! Please, help yourselves. If you require anything, please let us serve you." The Atlesian Knight continued to just stand there as Jaune raised his brow.
"Um, is there anyone else here?"
"This bunker is served by two dozen AK-200 units, half of which are currently deactivated. Besides the staff, there are currently two organics inside the bunker."
"That's us?" Ruby asked.
"Yes."
"And you're all here to serve whoever enters this place?" Jaune inquired.
"Yes."
"I always wanted to have a robot buddy," Ruby grinned, and Jaune raised his brow. "I mean, who doesn't want to have a robot BFF?" Jaune had to hand it to her. She was right.
They were still holding one another, Jaune realized. His face began to turn red as he felt Ruby's soft fur under his fingers. Against his body. He quickly pulled away, ignoring the warmth on his face.
"Uh, thanks. I think we're good for now," he muttered, and the robot nodded his head before he began to leave.
"I like him."
"Sounds like we're the first people to find this place."
"Cool," Ruby grinned. "Guess this is home for the next few days."
Jaune nodded his head as his eyes looked around the kitchen and living room. The blizzard was going to keep them trapped for the next couple of days. They needed a place to stay and this place was clearly the best option.
Practically paradise considering the rest of the world…
"Yeah. I… guess so." Jaune found himself smiling slightly despite all they had gone through lately. His smile shined bright for her. "How about I cook us a meal tonight?"
"You can cook?" she asked.
"I can cook," he replied confidently, and Ruby beamed at him.
"Sounds great! I'm just going to enjoy my snack until then!" She scarfed down more chocolate chips as Jaune frowned.
"Okay, wait, no! You're going to ruin your appetite!" Jaune watched as Ruby leaned her head back and poured the chocolaty goodness directly into her mouth, scarfing down almost the entire bag bag in just a few seconds. "Ruby! Stop!" he laughed, chasing after her as she quickly darted out of the way.
"I'm going to eat every last bit of chocolate in this place!"
"Ruby!" Jaune couldn't help but laugh as he watched the Grimm press the bag against her body, protecting it like it was her own child. "Give me the bag."
"Never. You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead body," she hissed, a wide grin on her snout.
"We can make cookies tonight," he replied. That certainly caught her attention as she raised her brow.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"Triple chocolate chunk?"
"Triple chocolate chunk." Ruby slowly nodded her head, before she held the bag out to Jaune. He reached for it, only to watch as Ruby tossed a few more into her toothy maw, emptying the bag. "Ruby!"
The two laughed. Despite all the death and horror they had seen, somehow they found the strength to laugh thanks to one another.
"This place is amazing. They even have a hydroponics farm," Jaune commented as he cooked over the hot stove. He had a small tablet in his hands, a gift from one of the staff robots. His fingers slid over the screen, looking at the schematics of the bunker.
Ruby nodded her head, but her mind was miles away. Her mind was consumed by her dream this morning.
Who was that woman? Hell, who was Ruby, really? She didn't even remember her last name…
"Ruby? You okay? You're pretty quiet." She could hear Jaune smiling. She heard it in his voice as he tried to cheer her up like how she had helped him. "You don't have a stomach ache, do you?"
"No," she replied. "I'm just… thinking, I guess."
"Well, what's on your mind?" Jaune lowered the heat on the food as he walked closer to Ruby, resting his hands on a small counter that stood between them. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"I guess, I… I'm still trying to remember who I am. Was?" Jaune nodded his head as Ruby continued. "I had a dream this morning. There was a woman. Two women. One was a blonde girl, and the other one was… She had silver eyes. Like me," she muttered.
Jaune nodded his head. He walked closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll find who you were, Ruby. I promise."
"You can't know that,"
"Maybe, but I'm going to help you. I'll help you find your family."
"And I'll help you find yours," she replied. "I just wish I had a name. Something for us to work with," she sighed.
"Atlas has a whole database on Huntsmen and Huntresses. I'm sure we can find something from them when we get there," he suggested. Ruby nodded her head. Her search was still like a needle in a haystack, but maybe Jaune was right. Maybe whoever was in charge could help her find who she was…
For now, she wanted to change the subject. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"What was it like back in Respite?"
"Weird, I guess. Uncanny. It was almost like being back in RA-27, but everything felt wrong," he sighed.
"Wrong how?"
"Everyone was trying to be happy. Everyone was smiling like nothing was wrong. Like they really were safe in the town…"
"Do you wish you had stayed there?" Jaune raised his brow.
"Ruby-"
"They were people. Like you." Ruby took a deep breath. "I just… I wouldn't have blamed you if you wanted to stay with them."
"Ruby, I'm not going to abandon you," Jaune sighed. "You're-"
"You feel responsible for me. If it weren't for you, I'd still be a mindless monster," she shot back. "You're a good guy, Jaune, but you shouldn't feel trapped because of me," she confessed.
He could have stayed in Respite. Find comfort around other people. Be happy.
"Ruby, I don't feel responsible for you." Jaune squeezed her shoulder. "I… honestly, a part of me used to see you as my chance to redeem myself." It was Ruby's turn to raise her brow now. "I blamed myself for what happened to my town. To my friends. My family," he sighed. "But if I could bring you to New Atlas, I could show everyone that I really was worthy of being a Huntsman."
"But things changed, and it's more than that now. I…." Ruby lifted up her hand and she gently touched his fingers with her own, careful not to cut him. She stared at their linked hands, before glancing up at him. "You're my friend, Ruby, and I'm going to stick by your side."
"But I'm not-"
"I don't care if you aren't human. I care about you being… you," he replied. "You told me before that you always wanted to be a hero. So did I," Jaune smiled. "You're smart, kind, funny… You're like the best friend I always wanted," he confessed.
His cheeks were… red. He was blushing. To be fair, Ruby probably would have been too if she could.
A best friend.
She had always wanted one. She knew she did. A friend that she could be herself around, whoever that was.
"Jaune…?"
"Yeah?"
"You're my best friend too," she confessed, standing up onto her feet and towering over Jaune. Yet she felt so small in front of him. She chuckled weakly at that. "You sure you're okay with someone like me being your best friend?"
"Well, I'll admit, it's a little embarrassing being friends with a girl who has more hair on her chest than I do." The two laughed at the joke, feeling their hearts beat steadily. "Ruby, I'm with you until the end. Even when we get to New Atlas, I'm going to stick by you. Because that's what friends do."
"Jaune, I… Thanks," Ruby sighed. "I know it can't be easy having me as a friend."
"Yeah, well… How many times have you had to save my butt?" he asked, and Ruby gently punched his shoulder.
"I always will." There was a ding from the oven and Jaune smiled at Ruby.
"Let's eat."
"Ahhh, this is so good!" Ruby moaned, happily scarfing down the finely cooked pasta as Jaune laughed.
"It's good, right? My mom taught me the recipe."
"It's amazing," Ruby replied, slurping up the noodles. "Mmm, delicious."
Jaune smiled as Ruby enjoyed the food, and he did the same at a slightly slower rate. They ate in a pleasant silence until Ruby asked a question.
"You and your mom cook a lot?"
"Yeah. She taught me how to. I had to babysit my sisters a lot," he explained.
"They're lucky. I'd kill for a meal like this everyday," she replied.
"Well, we didn't always get the chance to eat this well. Back in town supplies would be hard to come by," Jaune explained. "I hear it's better in New Atlas…" He became quiet as his mind drifted, no doubt to his family.
"You miss them, huh?"
"Everyday." Jaune swallowed spit down his throat as his fork rested on the plate. "I… I still think about them. My mom too…"
"Your dad?"
"He died years ago," Jaune replied and Ruby felt a wave of guilt strike her. "When my family came here from Vale, he was drafted into the war. He died a year later…" Ruby said nothing. She seemed a million miles away, but then she muttered something.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Ruby. I made peace with it a long time ago," he smiled. He and Ruby shared small smiles, before the corners of his lips fell. "My mom and I… We weren't on talking terms when the Grimm attacked."
"What? Why not? What happened?"
Jaune took a deep breath as the memories played out before his mind. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, before he muttered out an answer. "She didn't approve of me becoming a Huntsman. She told me not to come home. I lived with my team afterwards. She… didn't want anything to do with me."
Ruby felt sadness at first. Then frustration. How could Jaune's mother treat him like that?! Her own son…? But Ruby sighed. She almost understood it. She just hated it.
"Jaune, I… I'm so sorry," Ruby whispered. He shrugged his shoulders, but Ruby could clearly see the pain on his face.
"She was worried about me. She didn't want to bury someone else she loved. After dad, I… I guess I can't really blame her. I gave a lot of my money to my sister afterwards. I just wanted to make sure my family was safe."
His shoulders fell. She could see a realization playing out in his mind as he whispered the words. "I can't… I can't remember my last words to her," he realized. He bit his lower lip as Ruby reached her hand out, gently touching his now. "And now they're all gone."
"You don't know that." He turned to look at her, and their eyes lingered on the other's.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. He stared at her sharp teeth, her black fur, and she wondered if it would be better if she said nothing at all. She considered it, but her heart just couldn't pick that option.
"Maybe they're still out there. I mean, you helped me be me again. Stranger things have happened." Jaune said nothing, before Ruby spoke again. "If they're out there, I'll help you find them. I promise."
Her finger gently rubbed his hand. Her touch was warm, and surprisingly soft considering her condition. Jaune felt her grip tighten around his hand for a moment, before she loosened her grip.
"Cookies are done." He pulled away from her, standing up. He had his back to Ruby as he walked towards the oven. As he took the cookies out, Ruby could hear his voice quietly speak to her. "Thanks, Ruby. For everything."
He turned his head to face her, and she could see the small smile on his lips. "I'm glad you're my best friend." She smiled back at him, her silver eyes shining like little stars as he took the cookies out.
The two left the past in the past for now. They had cookies to eat.
The cookies were delicious, of course. Ruby happily moaned and cooed at the taste and the melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Jaune teased her for it, and the reaction was adorable. He had never seen such a large, powerful woman fall so deeply in love before.
He supposed it made sense, though. He had never seen Grimm eat before. It was possible Ruby hadn't eaten in years. The first taste of genuine food must have been a high unlike any other. Still, it was fun to poke fun at her.
"Try not to eat too much, okay? I don't want you to have an upset tummy tonight," he chuckled and Ruby just ignored him as she ate her eighth cookie.
After dinner and many, many cookies, Jaune and Ruby were both eager to try some of the other amenities of the bunker. Specifically the shower. Jaune was the first to use it, which was fine by Ruby.
She didn't want to say anything, but she could clearly tell it had been a while since his last bath.
Ruby listened to the hot water fall onto Jaune's body. She chewed on some cookies as she sat outside the bathroom, playing with Jaune's scroll. She found the many pictures she had taken of the two sleeping last night and smiled.
A few taps of her fingers and she was able to draw a long, curly mustache on a sleeping Jaune's face. She giggled at the sight when the door opened and she looked up.
She had known Jaune for a few days now and… and she had only really seen him with his clothes on. He only really had one outfit for this journey, but this was the first time Ruby had seen Jaune shirtless…
And despite the body she found herself in, she was very much still a human woman deep down inside. One that found Jaune's body distractingly… nice.
He wasn't overly muscular, but he certainly wasn't skinny either. The life of a Huntsman had done well for his muscles and physique. The water was glistening on his skin, making him almost glow as her eyes traveled up and down his figure.
He was wearing a white towel around his waist. That was it as he stood in front of her with a smile on his face. His damp hair clung to his head as he gave her a charming, bright smile.
"Alright. I'm done. Shower's all yours."
"T-thanks." Did Jaune even know what he was doing? If Ruby didn't look like a wolf monster, would he still be standing in front of her like this? Half naked?
She wasn't sure. She just watched him walk past her, before she walked into the bathroom herself. Her heart was still racing as she tried not to think about Jaune's abs.
She failed, and so she groaned quietly as the door fell shut. She tried to ignore the thought as she looked at the shower.
"Huh. It's… a little small."
Jaune watched as Ruby closed the door behind her. She seemed… agitated? He raised his brow, before he looked down to find his scroll on the ground. He picked it up and his eyes widened as he noticed what was on the screen.
It was a picture of him. Asleep and leaning onto Ruby's arm, cuddled up against her as his cheek pressed against her furry body… He also had a mustache on his face, no doubt drawn on there by Ruby.
He snickered at the sight. Ruby had a childish sense of humor, but he was guilty of that too, so it worked out well. His thumb scrolled through his phone, finding many more pictures of him and Ruby. How many had she taken of him sleeping together?
His face turned a hint of red at that particular thought. Were it any other girl, it'd probably be a bit weird…
Huh.
But Ruby was a girl.
She was a normal girl behind that body. Well, as normal as any Huntress.
Jaune tried to imagine just what Ruby used to look like. Dark hair with scarlet tips and the most brilliant silver eyes he had ever seen. He bit the inside of his cheek at that thought.
Her eyes. Ruby's eyes were a radiant shade of silver. He imagined those eyes staring up at him with a beautiful face. Pale skin that reminded him of the moon. A sweet voice. A loving, bright smile with-
Jaune closed his eyes. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it… Was it so wrong to imagine what Ruby looked like? She was probably pretty.
Yes. Yes, it was wrong to think about this, because no matter what she looked like, right now she looked like a monster.
But… she certainly didn't act like one.
If he and Ruby had met under better conditions, how long would it take to become friends? Not long, he bet… But more than that?
More than that… What was wrong with him!? He couldn't be thinking about Ruby like this. She was a human trapped in a Grimm.
But for how long? Maybe the people of Atlas would help her. Fix her. Make her human again.
And if that happened, he'd… He wasn't sure what he'd do.
Ruby was a sweet girl. Hell, she was an amazingly kind person. Even when Jaune wanted to kill Adder, she protected him. When Jaune was kidnapped by the Mockingbirds, she saved him. Whenever he was feeling down, she was there to pick him back up…
Not to mention how she actually laughed at his jokes. That was a depressingly rare trait in girls Jaune met.
It was more than that, though. Ruby was just… a kind person. No, inspiring. He liked how she made him feel. He liked making her happy. He…
For a moment, Jaune wondered what exactly he was trying to say. Think? Whatever.
Ruby was a great friend. They had only known each other for a few days, but considering what they had gone through… Jaune was happy to have her as his friend.
Of course he had been close with his team. Ren was one of the smartest, calmest men he knew. Nora was energetic and awesome, Cardin was… around, and Pyrrha was the perfect leader.
But there was something different about Ruby, and that something different left Jaune wondering about the real Ruby behind the skull mask..
There was a sudden crash. Jaune heard it from inside of the bathroom and Jaune's eyes widened. "Ruby?" he called to her, only to receive no response. He moved on instinct, reaching for the door handle and peeking his head inside of the bathroom.
"Are you okay?"
"T-the shower's a little small for me." The shower's door was left hanging open, a crack on it from being thrown open by Ruby's body. She stood in the shower, hot water falling onto her body as she and Jaune stared at one another.
Jaune saw Ruby's hood and cloak laying on the floor from the corner of his gaze.
She was naked.
Ruby was naked.
Wasn't she usually naked?
"J-Jaune. You mind…?" Ruby muttered, using her tail to cover her furry chest as her hands moved down to cover her privates.
"Oh! R-right! I'm sorry!" Jaune's hand grabbed the door handle as he slammed it shut. His face was a burning red as his heart raced.
Did he really just walk in on Ruby while she was showering?! What was wrong with him?!
Jaune felt his face turn hot as he gently knocked his knuckles into his head. "Stupid, stupid, stupid…"
"Ahh! Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Ruby groaned, banging her fist into her head as the hot water rained down on her. "How could I be so dumb?" she wondered.
She hated this. She hated being so… weird! A freak! She groaned loudly, punching the wall of the shower. The porcelain cracked under her fist and she sighed, feeling the water battering her body. She closed her eyes to take a deep breath, before she sighed.
Her tongue licked her teeth and she felt how sharp they were. She felt the bone-like mask on her face. She felt her tail slide against the walls of the shower.
Human.
What she wouldn't give to be human again. To wear clothes and be embarrassed like a normal girl.
Instead of being a monster who acted like she was still a human girl.
Ruby turned the shower off and stood still for a moment. She said nothing, before she shook her body, flinging droplets of water all over the inside of the shower and onto the floor of the bath. She finished drying herself off with a towel, before she picked up her cloak and wrapped her body in the cold, damp fabric.
She said nothing as she opened the door. Jaune was speaking to one of the robots and he was wearing a different outfit than before. Ruby raised her brow at the pajamas he was wearing, before he noticed her and smiled at her.
"They had spare clothes. Figured I'd try wearing something else," he grinned.
"You look… good," she replied, thankful that he was at least wearing a shirt.
"We also have clothes your size, ma'am." The robot turned his head towards Ruby, making her own eyes widen in shock. "Would you like to change into them?"
"Wait, my size? R-really?" Ruby blinked. The robot nodded his head as Ruby did the same. "Y-yeah. Sounds good."
"Excellent. Please, follow me." Jaune and Ruby shared a glance, before Ruby followed behind the metal butler. He led her down a hall and into another room as Ruby spoke up.
"Um, just checking, but you think I'm human right?"
"Do not worry, miss! We are designed to serve both humans and faunus, even ones of your height." The AK-200 didn't really answer her question, but she supposed the robots only had so many options installed on them.
He walked towards a closet. He then opened it and reached inside, before he held a long, scarlet dress in his fingers. "Is this dress satisfactory for you, miss?"
"I… wow," Ruby whispered, admiring the dark fabric. She placed a hand on it, gently stroking it up and down as her eyes widened. "It's so soft."
"Is this dress satisfactory for you, miss?" the robot repeated.
"Oh, uh, y-yeah. It's good."
"Excellent. Please change into it. I can assist if required."
"Right…"
Ruby stared at the dress, before she turned her silver eyes towards the robot. "H-hey. Do you think you could help me with something?"
"Of course. What can I do for you, miss?"
Ruby explained what she needed quickly. The robot nodded, fetching scissors to cut her hair and a corset to help flatten her fur. It was uncomfortable and awkward, but it was worth it… because here and now, Ruby felt a little more human.
Jaune was wondering what was taking long. Considering their typical luck, these robots had actually killed the last tenants and now they were going to do the same to him and Ruby…
The blond subtly reached for his weapons when he heard a door open and footsteps began to approach him. He looked up, only for his greeting to stumble before it even reached his mouth.
Ruby stood in front of him in a dress. A beautiful dress that matched the tips of her bangs. It clung to her body, outlining her slender curves as Jaune stared at her body. He gulped down spit as his mouth hung open, admiring the almost… human figure as his eyes slowly traveled up to her face.
The wolf-like face of Ruby stared back at him, but the way her hair framed her face had changed. It had been cleaned, cut, and even styled. It was shorter now, hanging just above her shoulders as it framed her face. She brushed a bang back into place as Jaune found himself captured by how… cute she was.
"R-Ruby, is… is that you?" He immediately regretted uttering such words, but Ruby just chuckled.
"No, I'm a different Grimm that can talk. You can call me Gooby." The two laughed at her joke as Jaune felt his cheeks betray him once more. "Um, the robots gave me a haircut, some fashion tips, and stuffed me inside of a corset. It's pretty awful, but…"
"Uh, w-well… You look nice!" He gave her a thumbs up as she turned her head away. He groaned quietly as he tried to salvage his dignity. "B-by the way. Sorry for seeing you in the shower."
But sadly, his dignity was left dead on the floor. He immediately regretted being so blunt and he cringed as Ruby avoided his stare.
"It's okay. I-I mean, I'm naked most of the time, so it's really no big deal."
Neither said anything for a few seconds. Ruby groaned again, covering her eyes as she as Jaune snickered.
"You want to eat cookies and watch some movies? Ignore the awkward tension in the air?"
"Please. I need a cookie," she laughed.
The bunker had a wide collection of movies available for the two to watch. They were both happy to start a small marathon of action films.
And it was awesome. They laughed as the macho hero grabbed the sexy, curvaceous woman and pulled off some kind of insane stunt that would have been dangerous for a trained Huntsman.
They watched as dozens of evil henchmen fired at the main hero, all of them missing as he fired a few shots back, each of them getting a headshot.
"Ooh! That gun he has is so cool!" Ruby beamed. "It looks like it's based off of a Vacuo Eagle!"
"You really are a weapon nut. How'd you know that?" Ruby shrugged her shoulders, before she noticed Jaune's smile. "It's pretty cool. Know anything else about it?"
"It's way too powerful for normal people to fire one handed, but it's so cool! The kickback could cave a Beowolf's skull! Ooh, I bet you could set it to auto fire and throw it around! It'd be like a boomerang! Bang, bang, bang! Every time it shoots, it flies in another direction!"
Jaune chuckled as Ruby geeked out, before she gasped and pointed at a ninja on the screen, swinging around a flaming sword. "A fire sword! That's a fire sword!"
"I wonder why it's called that," Jaune chuckled, and the two continued to eagerly watch the movie.
Eventually, by the second or third action flick, Jaune brought in a large bowl of popcorn. He sat beside Ruby as she emptied another bag of chocolate chips.
"You're going to get a cavity eating that much. Have you brushed your teeth once since we met?" Jaune asked and Ruby just laughed.
"Think we can get anyone to look inside this?" She then opened her mouth, stretching it out and revealing her many sharp teeth. Jaune stared at the rows of glistenings teeth, before he tossed a single popcorn at her. It bounced against her nose as she frowned.
"Hey! Warn me before you do that! I wasn't ready." He just chuckled as he held up another handful of popcorn.
"Ready now?" She nodded her head with a smile, before she opened her mouth and he tossed the popcorn at her. She flung her head to the side, chomping down on several pieces, before licking her lips. "Nice!" he grinned.
"My turn!" She held up some chocolate chips, tossing them in Jaune's direction. Several just fell onto his face as he caught a couple, laughing as he and Ruby made a small mess.
The two continued to throw their snacks at one another as gunfire and clever one liners came from the TV. The room became a mess as they played, for the first time in so long allowed to just… goof off and have fun.
At that moment, Ruby wasn't a Grimm. She wasn't even a Huntress. She was Ruby. Jaune's friend, and someone he could mess around with. At that moment, they were just Ruby and Jaune and the rest of the world didn't matter.
"We're really sorry about the mess," Ruby apologized as she and Jaune walked down the hall, an AK-200 following behind them.
"Think nothing of it! We'll have it cleaned by morning," the robot replied, before it came to a stop and motioned to a door. "Here is your room, sir and madame!"
Jaune opened the door and his and Ruby's eyes widened as they noticed only one bed in the room. "Um, there's only one bed."
"Yes! Beds are for sleeping."
"No, I mean, there's only one. Ruby and I would have to share."
"Yes. You and your wife will have to share."
Ruby and Jaune blinked, before their eyes met. Ruby was thankful she couldn't blush, but Jaune wasn't so lucky. He was beet red from his ears to his neck as the robot stared blankly at them. Ruby rubbed her warm mask, trying not to say anything as Jaune stuttered.
"What?! N-no! Ruby and I are just friends!"
"Apologies. Then you'll find another room right across the hall," the robot declared, motioning to another door.
"I'll take that one," Ruby quietly muttered, walking towards it. "Good night, Jaune."
"Good night, Ruby," he replied quietly, rubbing his crimson face as the robot leaned closer to the blond.
"I am programmed with several matchmaking programs."
"What?"
"It is to assist in repopulating Remnant. If you wish, I could-"
"N-no," Jaune groaned. "We're good."
Jaune stretched out his limbs as he awoke. He had missed having a bed. It was amazing, and he almost didn't want to leave, but someone had to make breakfast.
Maybe one of the robots could have, but he honestly enjoyed it. Especially for Ruby, considering how grateful she was for the food.
He got out of bed, rolling his shoulders and yawning. He woke up slowly, but by the time he exited the room, he was wide awake. The bunker was warm. Not too hot, not too cold.
He walked down the hall, thinking about what he'd cook for Ruby and himself. He couldn't wait to surprise her with-
Jaune heard a spark. His eyes sharpened as he moved forward, reaching for a sword that wasn't there. By the time he realized that Crocea Mors was still in his room, he knew how bad the situation was.
There were several AK-200s on the ground. They had been torn apart, their remains made of shrapnel and broken wiring.
Claw marks on the wall. A Grimm was inside. There was no doubt. He had to get his weapons. He had to-
Jaune turned around and he fell back, barely dodging a clawed hand. A Beowolf. It was inside. How? When? He fell onto his back, before he began to quickly kick and push at the ground. He crawled away as quickly as he could as the Beowolf's claws tore apart the ground.
His heart was racing. He ignored it as he stood up and dodged another strike. He drove his fist into the creature's jaw. He could feel a tooth snapping against his knuckle as another stabbed into his hand.
His Aura kept him from bleeding as he ducked under another attack, slipping behind the monster. He could hear the thing roaring. He had to move.
Get to his room. Grab Cro-
"Ah!" Jaune fell to the ground as the Beowolf grabbed his arm. It lifted him off the ground, before it slammed him back into the ground. Jaune felt the ground crack under him. He cried out in pain, feeling his Aura faltering as a clawed foot stomped into his chest, digging him into the ground.
The wind was knocked out of him. He gasped for air, his eyes shut from the pain. By the time he opened his eyes, he saw the Beowolf looming over him. Crimson eyes stared down at him, before the creature lifted up its foot and brought it down on Jaune's knee.
There was a snap. Jaune's bones broke like twigs under the Beowolf's foot. At first Jaune was paralyzed. Tears fell from his eyes, before he screamed. It was searing. He couldn't think. Like his mind was on fire, all he could see was white as he screamed and screamed and screamed.
Agonizing pain. He screamed until his throat felt like it was bleeding. Then the Beowolf grabbed him, picking him up as it licked its teeth. He watched as it opened its maw, blood dripping each ivory blade.
The monster's jaw stretched open as Jaune saw Pyrrha's face staring at him. Her face was bloody, a patchwork of freshly healed and broken flesh as he heard her whisper.
"Jaune… help me." Her hand reached out to him as she cried, her voice fading away. "Help-"
The Beowolf snapped his jaw closed, and Pyrrha's arm evaporated in a black smoke. It opened its mouth again and he saw Adder staring back at him. One of his eyes was red, glowing like a light as he stared at the petrified Huntsman.
"I'm sorry, Jaune." The Beowolf bit down again, and Adder was gone. It opened its mouth and stretched out its Jaune, letting the man stare into the hellfire and brimstone of its stomach. He screamed, kicking one leg as the other flailed pathetically.
"No. No, no, stop! STOP!" Jaune begged, watching his friends and family burn in the black pit within…
And then the Beowolf fell. Chopped in two by one strike of Ruby's tail. Jaune fell to the ground, tears falling down his face as he watched the Grimm rot away. Then he looked up at Ruby.
"I'm here, Jaune. It's going to be okay."
Her face was broken. A beaten, mangled mess of black flesh and white bone. Yet he could see her smiling at him, even as she was reduced to a dark smoke. She swung her tail one last time, taking her own head off as Jaune screamed.
Jaune Arc woke up on a bed that wasn't his. He was shaking. Burning under covers. He kicked them off, gasping for air as he was met with cold air. He swallowed spit down as his hands pawed at the bed.
He was shaking. He was crying…
He wiped his tears away, waiting for his heart to stop pounding in his chest… He closed his eyes and he saw Adder's corpse staring back at him.
Ruby couldn't describe the simple joy of actually sleeping on a bed. She hadn't slept on one since… Actually, she didn't remember ever sleeping on a bed before. This was her first time, and honestly, she was hooked.
It was amazing to just sleep on the soft mattress. Snug under a warm, thick blanket. Cuddled up against a nice pillow…
Of course, when Ruby finally decided to get up, she was ashamed to find that she had rolled around a little too much… The bed was torn apart. Her tail and bony spikes had left several slashes on the bed and pillows. The blanket was torn to shreds because of her, and she groaned as she laid down in the mess.
She hated this body, but at least she could take comfort in the fact that her dress was relatively untouched. Eventually the young woman rose up from the bed, walking to the exit and stepping out. She sniffed the air, catching Jaune's scent in the living room.
She entered said room, finding the man quietly writing in a book as breakfast was cooked.
"Morning," she greeted.
"Hey. I'm making breakfast."
"Smells great!" she grinned, licking her lips.
"Made you some hot chocolate too. Help yourself," he smiled, motioning to two cups on the table.
"Ooh!" Ruby happily picked up a cup. She took a deep breath of it, smelling the intoxicating aroma of chocolate and peppermint. The marshmallows floating in it were just the cherry on top! "Thanks!"
"No problem. I used to make them for my sisters all the time. Figured you'd like one." Ruby sipped her drink, only to gag.
"Ahh, hot!" She panted, fanning her tongue as Jaune stared quietly at the book. "Researching Grimm?"
"Yeah. Trying to get my mind off this nightmare I had…"
"That book will give you nightmares," she commented. She watched as Jaune quietly shrugged his shoulders and she sat across from him with a small frown.
"You okay?"
"Y-yeah. I'm okay."
"Sounds like a really bad nightmare," she commented. Jaune didn't respond as she watched him. She stared at his dull, blue eyes, watching them slowly go over the book. "You want to talk about it?"
"It's stupid," he mumbled. "I… It's nothing."
"Doubt that," she replied, before she reached out to take the book from him. "If I tell you about my dream, will you tell me about yours?"
"You had a dream recently? Don't suppose you were swimming in a sea of chocolate chip cookies or something, huh?" A joke. Ruby smiled at the effort.
"Heh. I wish." Her smile faltered for a moment as she struggled to find the words. "There was a woman. Two of them. One had long, blonde hair and the other one… She looked kind of like…" Ruby glanced at her hair. She said nothing as Jaune raised his brow.
"Ruby?"
"She had silver eyes. Like me." Jaune's eyes widened, before Ruby continued. "I saw the Grimm tear her arm off. Er, the blonde woman's arm. Then she was the other woman. The one who had my hair," she sighed. "I don't know if I knew them, or if I just… killed them, but the blonde woman said my name."
She took a deep breath, and sighed. "She knew my name… She told me to run."
Neither said anything. Ruby's hands squeezed one another as she opened and closed her mouth. She let out a quiet sigh. "I… They might have been my family, but-"
"It was just a dream, Ruby. They could still be out there."
"Then why haven't they found me yet?" Her voice cracked. Her hands tightened around the other. She knew it was an unfair question, but she couldn't help but ask it. "I just… I wish I had my life back. My family. I don't want to be a monster…" She rubbed her head, trying to calm her racing heart. It felt like it was pounding in her throat. "I know I did terrible things."
"You didn't have any control."
"Doesn't change what I did," she whispered. "I know I must have hurt so many people. Even if my family found me, they might not even want me ba-"
"Ruby, you saved my life. All you've been doing since the day I met you, you've been saving lives."
"Jaune-"
"No, you need to listen to me! You saved my life. You're fighting your way through one side of Atlas to the other, trying to help people! You turned the worst thing to ever happen to you into a chance to help people! Who wouldn't want to know you?!" he asked.
Ruby was stunned by his praise. She tried to reply, but Jaune didn't let her.
"You've already saved me plenty of times, and I know that's just the tip of the iceberg. You're going to be a great hero, Ruby. Hell, you already are. I know your parents would be proud of you. I know I am."
Ruby laughed. It was a weak, small, little laugh that was just there to fill the silence. Jaune was standing in front of her. He stood firm, and she knew how lucky she was to have him by her side.
"Yours too, you know." Jaune's eyes widened, and her tail bumped into his back as he fell forward. Ruby hated doing this, yet at the same time she kind of… liked it?
She hugged Jaune. A quick squeeze as she told him the truth. "Whatever your mom said, I know a part of her had to be proud of her son. You were risking your life so families could stay together. So people could be safe. I think… No, I know your parents are proud of you, Jaune. If they're smart, they'd know how great their son was…"
Jaune swallowed spit down. He felt tears forming in the corners of his eyes, but they never fell. He just returned the embrace, hugging Ruby tightly before he pulled away.
"So, are you going to tell me about your dream?" she asked.
Jaune let out a sigh. He leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling in quiet contemplation.
"It was a nightmare. I… There was a Grimm inside the bunker, and it got the drop on me… It shattered my leg, before it nearly killed me." Jaune continued, giving her a short recap as she waited patiently, listening to every detail with an understanding stare.
And when they were done, neither spoke. They just sat there with their thoughts and the feelings bubbling in their chests. Jaune was the first to speak, a moment before Ruby did.
"I… never really got a chance to thank you."
"Thank me for what?"
"Adder." Ruby's confusion only grew at that answer. "I've just been thinking about what happened, and I… I appreciate you stopping me from… you know," he sighed.
"I-I mean…" She gulped spit down. Was it the right thing? It didn't even matter in the end…
"I know what you're thinking," he mumbled. "Does it even matter that I spared him if he was just going to… kill himself…" Jaune rubbed a hand against his head as he sighed. "I don't know. I just know that I'm glad you stopped me."
He closed his eyes and Ruby watched as he breathed in slowly. "I never… felt like that before. It's hard to think about. I mean, I… I killed people. Not Grimm, people. People just like Adder. They were shooting at innocent people back at RA-27, and I had to make them stop. So I did…"
Ruby was silent as Jaune continued, opening his eyes to reveal the dull blue of his eyes. "And I thought Adder was the same. So I was going to kill him, but you stopped me, but he was just trying to live his life… I'm not saying he was innocent. He wasn't." A hint of anger. A flash of rage in his eyes as Ruby watched him. Then it was gone, like a flicker of a flame. "But there's a difference between killing someone who's attacking people and someone unarmed and defenseless…"
"You… don't regret it? Sparing him?" she inquired.
"Honestly? I… I don't know," he sighed. "The worst part is that I never had a choice in what happened to him. He attacked my town. My home. Innocent people died because of him, and… and I just watched him kill himself."
He let out a shaky breath. "I must sound pretty bad," he confessed. "Someone else killed themselves right in front of me, and I'm upset about it. I just-"
A hand on his shoulder. Ruby pulled him close, letting him lean on her shoulder. She could hear him gasp for air as teardrops fell onto her leg.
"I'm tired of people dying because of me…"
"Jaune, you can't blame yourself for what happened. You-"
"Not Adder. I-I mean, not just Adder." He bit his lower lip, almost hard enough to draw blood as Ruby held him tight. "I-I've tried not to think about it, but during the attack on my town Cardin and I were helping people get to safety. I went to go help Pyrrha, and I asked Cardin…"
He sighed. "I told Cardin to save my family." Ruby tilted her head, clearly not understanding. "If there were people with a better chance, I might have killed them. I probably did. I asked Cardin to betray everything a Huntsman is supposed to be. To put my family first over someone else's."
"You're a human being, Jaune. That doesn't change when you become a Huntsman. You just wanted your family to be safe."
"I was selfish."
"It's not like you asked him to ignore everyone else! You just asked him to save your family."
"Yeah," he muttered. "Maybe. I just… I feel like I keep letting people down. That I'm not good enough to be a Huntsman." He combed his fingers through his hair as he sighed. "I mean, how many times have you needed to save me?"
"Hey. Huntsman look out for each other. Friends too. We're a team, Jaune."
Jaune let out a small and bitter laugh. "What are we supposed to call ourselves? Team Ruhjuh? Team Jurruh?" Jaune joked, and Ruby raised her brow. "Huntsman teams are supposed to use the first letters in their names to form a name."
"Huh." Ruby shook her head. "But I'm serious. You're not a bad person, and you're not a bad Huntsman."
"I just… wish I knew what I was doing. I wish I could be more useful in a fight, I wish I didn't have to ask Cardin to… you know," he sighed. "I just feel like I'm stupidly out of my depth."
"You're still here," she offered. "Still fighting. If you ask me, that makes you a hero." Jaune didn't respond. His cheeks were a hint of red as Ruby gently bumped into him. "Who knows? Maybe there'll be stories about us one day."
"'Ruby and Her Battery Pack?'" That actually seemed to make Ruby upset, something he had rarely seen in all his time of knowing her. She gently shoved him, not enough to push him down, but enough to show how upset she was.
Not that she had to do anything. Her eyes said more than enough. They glared at him as he felt guilt almost instantly. He nervously rubbed the back of his head as she argued back.
"You are not just a battery to me. Jaune, never act like you are. You're my friend, and I wouldn't know what to do without you."
"Right. Sorry…"
"Besides…" There was a small smile on her lips as her anger faded. "The Knight and the Beast sounds way better, right?"
"Right…"
Neither said anything for a moment. There was a silence that filled the large bunker, before Ruby spoke up.
"You want some cookies? Think there are still some left from yesterday."
"Yeah. I'd like that."
The two quietly ate snacks as they watched the snow fall around them. The TV was able to play footage from outside the bunker. Hidden cameras kept an eye out on the world above, and they watched the barren, snow-covered fields.
"By tomorrow morning, the blizzard should be finished," Jaune explained.
"Should we leave tomorrow?" she asked.
"We should probably wait and see what happens." Ruby nodded her head.
"Does that mean you're going to cook again?" she asked, and Jaune turned to her with a smile.
"Do you want me to cook again?" She scratched the back of her head, and Jaune laughed at her embarrassment. "I'll cook, don't worry."
"Yes!"
The two were on the couch together. Ruby scooted a little closer, smiling at him. He returned the gesture as he leaned back and rested his head on the couch.
"This place is pretty amazing, huh? Soft beds, hot, fresh food-"
"Robot buddies."
"Robot buddies," he chuckled. "It's nice."
"Yeah. It is…"
Jaune remained silent for a moment. The two enjoyed the peace and quiet of the bunker, but eventually Jaune spoke up.
"Would you want to stay here?" The question paralyzed Ruby. She stared at Jaune with wide, silver eyes as he shrugged. "We have all the food we could eat. An automated staff. Each other. I mean, there's nothing saying we couldn't just stay here."
He was right. Ruby knew he was. Her mouth opened, only to close after a moment of silence. She looked away as she contemplated the question.
It was fun down here. It was amazing. It felt nice. Being with Jaune, airing out all their bottled up pain and misery… But to stay here?
Was that what Jaune wanted? To stay down here? If Jaune wanted to stay, what right did she have to force him to leave? At the same time, she wasn't sure how far she'd get without him…
She couldn't lie to him, though. No matter how badly she might have, she couldn't. It wouldn't be right.
"I don't think I could," she confessed, and part of her honestly felt guilty for that. "It's great down here, but if we have the power to change the world, shouldn't we? If we can help people, we should. Right?" she asked, turning her head to him.
She found him smiling beside her, closer than he had been before. "Yeah. I don't think I could either."
"R-really?"
"Yeah. As nice as it'd be, I don't think I could live with myself." Ruby nodded her head as Jaune sighed. "I want to be a hero. Guess that means making hard choices, huh? Who knew?" he joked, earning a small laugh from Ruby.
"Well, we have another night. What do you want to do?"
Jaune stared at Ruby, considering the question, before his lips curled into a smile. He stood up and walked towards the kitchen and Ruby followed him with a curious gaze. She watched as he opened a drawer, before he took out a bottle of whiskey.
"When was the last time you had whiskey?"
"Well, I don't remember drinking it recently," she shot back with a hint of sarcasm and wit.
"Er, right. I'm serious, though! Why not share a bottle?" he asked, and try as she might, Ruby couldn't think of a reason to really argue.
Why not? What was the worst that could happen?
It was a shocking fact for both Jaune and Ruby that neither could really hold their alcohol, not even Ruby and her statuesque frame.
The two were laughing at a joke neither remembered telling, smiles on their faces as they walked down memory lane together.
"And I watched my little sister, pick up my guitar, and just BWANG!" He made a gesture of smashing something into the ground, laughing as his best friend did the same. "There goes my birthday gift! My new guitar, just gone! Ahh, I was so upset! I had never wanted to punch a five year old so badly before!"
"Kids can be so cruel," Ruby remarked.
"Right?!"
"So, wait, you play guitar?" Jaune nodded his head and Ruby grinned. "Play me a song."
"I-I don't have a guitar."
"That wouldn't stop a real guitarist." Ruby reached for the bottle of whiskey between them, bringing it to her lips and chugging some of the liquid down. It burned, but it also left Ruby floating on the clouds above.
Her face felt like it was scrunching up. She wanted to spit it out, but she swallowed it down and felt it tickle her insides. She laughed at the sensation as Jaune stood in front of her, and proceeded to rock out on a guitar that wasn't there.
He swung his hand in the air, making wild, exaggerated gestures as Ruby cheered him on. She clapped her hands to a beat that wasn't there, bobbing her head along as Jaune kicked his leg.
"This one's for the furry girl in the front row!" Jaune laughed, pointing at Ruby.
"Whoo! That's me, I hope!"
The two laughed, watching as Jaune made a fool of himself. He wasn't alone, though. Ruby was happy to do the same, sacrificing all self-respect for the moment.
Just having fun. Being young. Pretending that the world was a better place outside these walls… The night was theirs, and they embraced it.
"Thank you, Vale! Good night!" He spun around, throwing his guitar into the crowd as Ruby laughed.
"Whooo! Encore! Encore!"
"I can't do an encore! I just threw my guitar into the crowd!" Jaune replied, and the two gasped for air as Jaune fell back onto the couch, his face red from exhaustion… or the whiskey.
"I wish everyday was like this," Jaune confessed. "No more fighting for our lives. No more horror. Just goofing off with my best friend." Their eyes met, both shimmering bright.
"That's really all you'd want?" she asked, laying beside him.
"Hm… At least one statue of me. That, and all the other stuff, and I'm good."
"I want a statue." Ruby frowned almost as soon as the words slipped past her lips. "Actually, no. I don't. It'd probably scare everyone," she sighed, staring at her long tail and the blade at the end.
"Nah. I mean, you're pretty cute once you get past all the fangs and claws and stuff," Jaune replied, shrugging his shoulders. Ruby nodded her head, only to lift herself up and stare at him.
"Wait, what?"
"Huh?"
"What you just said-"
"What'd I say?" he replied with only a mild slur. He yawned loudly, digging his head into the sofa. "Oh, man, I'm tired."
Ruby opened her mouth to try prying, but she decided against it. She shook her head before she replied, "Yeah. Me too."
"We should go to sleep."
"Yeah. Maybe."
"Hmm… Would you help me to my bed? I'm scared I'm going to sleep on the floor." Ruby nodded her head, standing up and helping Jaune onto his feet.
"Come on, big guy."
"I'm not that big. You should see…" He yawned loudly, stumbling a bit as Ruby helped him walk. "My sword. It's huge."
"I've seen your sword," Ruby replied. "It's not that big, but size isn't everything." The two paused, before Jaune began to loudly laugh and Ruby groaned. She was just sober enough to feel humiliated, especially with Jaune laughing beside her.
"Let's just get you to bed."
"Ruby. Hey, Ruby," Jaune slurred, walking with her to his bed. The door opened as she brought him to his bed, gently laying him down on the soft mattress. "You're the best."
"Really now?" Ruby chuckled, watching as Jaune yawned, sleeping on the bed with his limbs stretched out to each side.
"Yeah… You're my best friend. You got it all. Brains, brawn, beauty. I mean, good for you," he yawned as Ruby's eyes widened again.
"I… I don't think I'm that last thing, Jaune."
"You're absolutely good," Jaune replied. "You're a hero. My hero." Ruby chuckled, shaking her head one last time. "I'm with you every step of the way," he yawned. "Cause I'm your… I'm your…"
His eyelids were heavy. They finally fell shut as Ruby watched him, admiring his face and golden hair. He slept soundly now with the others, and so she placed her hand on his head and gently stroked it. His soft, blond hair tickled her finger as she watched him fall into a deep sleep.
"Goodnight, Jaune."
"Night, Rubes…"
She tucked him in and left him to a good night's rest. She hoped both of them could sleep without any nightmares. The door fell shut behind her as she returned to her room. She laid on her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she wondered what the future had in store for them…
Both their pasts were stained with blood and death. Both of them had been through so much. She knew things weren't going to get any easier, but she took comfort that they had no one another, at least.
Ruby soon fell asleep, and while she wouldn't remember the dream when she woke up, she dreamed of a better life together with her best friend. Laughing, eating, and being the heroes she knew they were.
END
All the previous chapters of this story have had a latin title on them. Not for any particular reason, I just think it's cool, but this chapter has a French one as a reference to Beauty and the Beast. The translation is 'The Knight and the Beast.'
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. More horror and terrifying Grimm to come, with a bit of role reversal between Jaune and Ruby, as well as Ruby slowly remembering more and more of her past. Look forward to it! Thank you for your support and patience, and if you enjoyed the story, leave a review! Remember you can find me on Twitter at Leafydream0, where I post background info for this story as well as when the next update will be.
Cover drawing by me. It's cute, I think.