A Long Time Coming

"I could have a boyfriend tonight…"

She honestly couldn't believe it. She repeated those words again and again in her head as she walked, carrying her feet towards the hotel she was staying at.

"I could have a boyfriend. Tonight."

Jaune had texted her, asking if they could talk, and when Ruby agreed, he suggested meeting back at the hotel. She was on her way now, and once she got there she and Jaune would talk and…

"By the end of tonight, Jaune and I might be dating."

"Yes, we heard you the third time! Stop thinking that!" Weiss groaned.

"Sorry!"

Ruby took a deep breath, before she let out a quiet sigh. She steeled herself for the coming confrontation. She told herself that she was ready, that whatever happened, things would work out. She refused to let her family just fade away into her mind, and she refused to give up this chance to find happiness with Jaune.

Her resolve was strong, her will was titanium, and her mind was-

"Ruby?"

"J-Jaune?" And in that moment, all of her bravado and planning fell apart. One little cog popped out of place, and that sent the train flying off the tracks as she found the blond approaching her from behind. She turned to face him, opening her mouth, but nothing came out as her lips slowly tried to form words.

They weren't far from the hotel. It was just down the street, but the location was the last thing on their mind as they just stared at one another. Neither said anything as they both felt their cheeks begin to heat up, turning red as they stared at one another.

"Hi," she greeted.

"Hey." Ruby bit her lower lip as Jaune cleared his throat. "You look good."

"Thanks. You too," she replied, glancing at him. "Nice… nice clothes. Very form fitting." She groaned quietly, digging her teeth into her lower lip as she cringed at her own awkward nature. "You wanted to talk?"

He nodded his head, before popping his lips. "We should…"

"-talk in our room?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, l-let's do that."

"Good lord, you two are awkward," Weiss sighed.

He motioned her forward, and she nodded in return. She walked forward, before Jaune followed, staying just a half step to the left as he walked behind her. The two entered the hotel together, and as they waited for the elevator to come down, Jaune and Ruby's eyes met.

"How… was your party?" she asked.

"It was nice. Cardin told us about how his life fell apart after highschool. That was kind of cool," he joked, though neither really laughed. They smiled slightly, and for now that was enough. Jaune's lips curved slightly, even as he told her, "I think we made peace."

"Really? That's great!" she grinned, lifting her hand up. She hesitated for a moment, before patting his back with rosy cheeks. "I'm happy for you two. He lives in Vale, right? Maybe we can all get together. Hang out?"

"Yeah, maybe… It's weird to think we're-" Jaune paused, before scratching his head. "Well, we're not friends, but he's not actively trying to make my life worse, so I guess that's good enough."

"All anyone can ask for," she joked, and the two chuckled as they walked into the elevator. The two were side by side as Ruby spoke. "I think I saw a woman grinding on Coco. Guy too, maybe."

"Are… are you serious?" Jaune blinked.

"Eeyup. It was super awkward," she admitted. "She said Fox gave her permission."

"They are an interesting couple," Jaune commented with a slight chuckle. "Anything else happen?"

"Nora… Uh," Ruby rolled her head a bit, rubbing at her neck as she hesitated for just a moment. "Got drunk." She felt bad about lying, but was it really her place to tell Jaune about what was going through Nora's head? She'd give her friend some time to tell Jaune about Pyrrha.

Ruby had enough on her hands.

"Really? Huh. Hope Coco and Velvet are okay taking care of her. I've been in that position before," Jaune chuckled.

"Yeah… It's been a long night, hasn't it?" Ruby sighed, hanging her head low for a moment.

"Very long," he agreed, chuckling.

"And these shoes are killing me!" She suddenly groaned, kicking the heels off of her feet. She picked them up with one hand, as the other rubbed at her naked feet. Jaune watched her with an amused smile. She glanced at her feet, before him, then back to her shoes. "You know, Yang was the one who thought I should wear heels. Said they'd help me feel confident…"

"Yang?" Jaune blinked, before realization dawned on him. "Oh. Right. One of your… alternate personalities?"

"Y-yeah." Ruby glanced at Jaune, waiting for him to look at her like she was crazy. He didn't, though. He just nodded his head as the doors finally opened.

The two stepped out, and Ruby felt the carpet against her naked feet as the two came to their hotel room. Jaune opened the door for them, before the two entered it together as Ruby let out a loud sigh of relief.

"Finally." She fell onto their bed, sinking into the soft mattress and blanket. Jaune smiled, joining her as he sat on the bed with her.

"Honestly, I'm happy to come home early. I'm way too socially awkward to deal with the others for much longer."

"Agreed!"" Ruby laid on the bed, nuzzling against the soft, cool sheets, before she opened her eyes. She looked at Jaune with crimson cheeks as she brushed some hair from her eyes.

"So, you wanted to talk?" His own cheeks turned red as he avoided her gaze.

"Yeah. I just wanted to tell you that you've been leaving the toilet seat up lately. Can you not do that? We're sharing a toilet." Ruby blinked as Jaune gave her a toothy grin. The younger woman snorted, laughing as she fell back down onto the bed.

Jaune laughed with her, unable to help himself as she shook her head.

"I can only promise to try," she declared.

"Much appreciated."

The two laid down together, side by side as they stared at the ceiling together. Neither said anything as their hands gently brushed against the other. Their heads slowly turned to share a glance, and Ruby felt a warmth wash over her as Jaune smiled at her.

"Can I ask you something?" She nodded her head in return. "How long have you had them?"

"Oh." Ruby knew who he was referring to in an instant. Her eyes turned away, pondering the question for a few moments. "Yang appeared when I was a little kid. I-I don't know, five or something?"

"She just… appeared?"

"Yeah. I was scared of this sound while I was sleeping, so I was hiding under my blanket. Next thing I know, I'm hearing this other voice. I didn't think anything of it. I guess I just thought it was normal."

Jaune nodded his head as Ruby closed her eyes. "I told my mom about it and she told me that she heard voices too sometimes. A few more years passed, before she told me she had DID."

"Dissociative Identity Disorder, right?"

"Yeah," she replied, nodding her head. "Then… then my dad put her away. She was put in an asylum, and I haven't seen her since."

"That's terrible," Jaune whispered, practically stunned by the information. It just didn't make sense to the young man. "I-I can't believe he did that."

"He said he did it to protect me," Ruby mumbled, eyes still shut. "But it hurt so much, Blake… appeared?" It was as good a word as any as she continued. "She helped me get through it. Dad...We didn't really talk for years. We still don't. It's like he was on autopilot. He didn't care that I was dating Adam, he didn't care when we broke up, he just seemed dead inside."

"When was the last time you spoke?" Jaune asked, before he felt Ruby's fingers wrap around him. "Er, sorry. Is that okay to ask?"

"Yeah. Just… no one's asked me any of this for a long time," she confessed. "The last time we spoke was when I left for college. Over a year ago. Even saying goodbye was awkward. He was so distant. He gave me a hug, but it felt… cold?"

Jaune nodded his head, before Ruby's eyes opened. "Shoot, I totally got sidetracked. I forgot Weiss!"

"Weiss? Another personality?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah. The youngest," Ruby nodded. "She came to life after Adam and I… broke up."

"Weiss, Blake, and Yang. That's all three of them, right?" She nodded her head again. "Got it." He rolled onto his side, and Ruby did the same as the two stared at one another. "You're all close?"

"Like family."

"Are they listening right now?"

Ruby hesitated for a moment, before she nodded her head. "Yeah."

"Um, hi, everyone," he greeted, waving his hand at Ruby.

"Is he an idiot?" Weiss wondered.

"He's a little confused, but he's got the spirit," Yang chuckled.

"They said hi," Ruby muttered, turning her eyes away for a moment.

"So, if we were dating, would I be dating all of them too?" Jaune asked, a splash of red on his ears and cheeks.

"W-what?! N-no! I-I don't think so," she muttered quietly. "W-why? Do you want to date me?"

"Yes." He was blunt, like a hammer. Just one quick swing. One word that changed their relationship in a second.

"Oh." Ruby nodded her head, before her eyes widened, her pupils turning into little grey dots in a sea of white. "W-wait, what? Really?!"

"Why did you think I wanted to talk?" He smiled. "I mean, the toilet seat joke was funny, but-"

"Y-you actually want to… to date me?" she asked, pointing at herself.

"Y-yeah. Is it really that weird? Why? Do you not want to... y'know," he mumbled, gesturing towards himself.

"No! I mean, yes, I mean, I want to," Ruby replied, her face consumed by a bright crimson blanket of shame and embarrassment. "I want to date you."

"Really? T-that's great!" Jaune beamed, before Ruby suddenly sat up.

"W-wait. No. There's something I need to tell you before we even consider dating!" Jaune blinked, sitting up with her as she buried her face into the palms of her hands. She rubbed at her face, taking a long, deep breath, before sighing. "Jaune, there's something you need to know about them, about me. It's the reason why Yang went behind my back in the first place."

"Okay," he nodded his head in return, before motioning for her to go ahead.

"The thing about DID is that when I go through trauma, I… break apart. I make a new part of me to help myself cope with the stress." Ruby glanced at Jaune, watching him stare at her as she took a deep breath. "But Yang was scared that if you and I dated, I'd get better."

"She was afraid of that?"

"Because if I get better, there's a theory that my alts will go through 'Integration.'"

"Okay, what's that?"

"It means, they'll fade back into my head." Ruby chewed on the inside of her cheek, before she continued. "They'll die..."

"What?" Jaune's eyes widened as he suddenly stood up. "Wait, hold on! Did you just say-?!"

"T-that's just the theory!"

"A theory about them dying! I-I mean, I didn't even know they were al-!" Jaune caught himself. He swallowed the words down, choking on them. Ruby knew what was about to say, even if he had stopped himself. She looked down, and Jaune took a deep breath, he sat by her side. "I'm sorry. You said this Integration process is supposed to happen as you get better?"

She nodded her head. "And Yang thought I'd better if you and I dated."


Jaune felt his throat closing up. He sat beside Ruby, combing his fingers through his head as he sat with the weight of her words on his shoulders. He opened his mouth, before closing it, unable to find the words.

I can't believe this. It was unfair. Jaune hated to act like some kind of spoiled child, but that was the only way for him to describe what his mind was thinking. This was so unfair. It was bullshit. He had found her to tell her he liked her, that he wanted to date her, and now he was finding out that if they dated, someone was going to die?

Well, was it really someone? They were voices in her head. No real flesh and blood people. He felt his fingers tightening, forming fists as he found it hard to breathe.

Did this mean they should date? If they did, would Ruby just… be normal? Turn into everyone else? Would that be good? Or would it be bad because he was turning her into something she wasn't.

He had no idea. He turned his eyes towards Ruby as stared at him, silver eyes shimmering with a sympathetic light.

"How long have you known…?"

"About a day? They told me last night. It… it scared me too."

Jaune parted his lips, but nothing came out but a searing sigh. Then he shook his head. This isn't about you. It's about her.. "I bet. You've lived your whole life with them, and suddenly this bomb gets dropped on you."

So what did this mean for them? Did this mean they couldn't date? Or was it her telling him she needed him to fix her, to make her normal. He palmed his face for a moment, rubbing his hand against his clammy skin.

Part of him felt like it was now his moral duty to date her, to help her get her life together. Another part of him felt sick for reducing Ruby into some kind of damsel in distress. He pulled his hand away from his face, looking at Ruby with shame in his heart.

"So, what do you want?" he asked.


"I like him," Yang commented, a small smile in her voice. She chuckled, her laugh dancing in Ruby's ear as the dark-haired woman smiled.

"Honestly? I want to date you, Jaune." He nodded his head this time. "But I also don't want to lose my family."

"Okay." He nodded his head. "Where does that leave us...?"

She steeled herself, taking one last breath. The last breath before she told Jaune the truth, before she opened a door she knew couldn't close. She thought it'd be scarier, honestly. She thought it'd be like ripping a band-aid off her arm. Instead it was as simple as just uttering the words she had felt for months now.

"I want all of you in my life. I want them to still be my family, but I want you to be my boyfriend, Jaune. I think I can keep them and date you as long as we're careful. My mom was the only other person I know who had DID. I can't ask anyone else. I just... I think that if I try hard enough, I can have you all in my life. That's all I could ask for," she explained.

She knew what this night could have been between the two of them, but just hearing those words slip out of her mouth brought a warmth to her cheeks, and a smile pulling on her lips. It felt like a weight being lifted off of her, but there was still the matter of his answer. Her smile faltered as she looked at him, feeling her heart pounding against her ribs.

"I-if you want me, I mean." And that was the big question mark at the end of the sentence, wasn't it? Did Jaune want her? All of her cards on the table, did he still want her in the end? She was crazy. Damaged goods. Could Jaune-

"You are not damaged goods," Weiss angrily remarked, and Ruby actually found her lips curving ever so slightly. She must have been thinking a bit too loud again…


If I want her? Someone might as well have asked Jaune if he wanted water. If he wanted to keep hanging out with his best friend. If he wanted to keep laughing and smiling, spending time with the coolest, funniest woman he had ever met.

It was a simple answer as Jaune found himself nodding his head,

"I do."

Jaune's hand found hers. His fingers wrapped tightly around those soft, slender fingers as he gave her a comforting smile. The young man stared into her shimmering, silver eyes, lost in them for a moment as he thought about how they had first met.

She'd been scared, just like how she was now. Yet that fear and dread seemed to be blown away by two little words, and he watched as a wide grin formed on Ruby's face. Her cheeks were a bright shade of red, just like his, and before he knew it she was pulling him into a hug. He embraced her in return, holding her as they sat on the bed together.

"Ruby, I don't really understand DID. I've never even heard of it before I met you, but I know I like you a lot. I know that the others mean a lot to you. You said they're your friends, your family, and I know I'd never want to lose any of my sisters. I'd never want to hurt you or take your family from you, but if you want to try moving forward together, I'm in. I want to be a part of your life."

"It's not an easy one," she warned.

"I know. I still want to be a part of it." His hand squeezed hers and she returned the gesture.

"Then let's do it. I want to be part of yours too."

Neither said anything. Not for the first minute of their new relationship. Then Ruby pulled away, sliding her hands off of her new boyfriend. Her hands were attracted to one another, nervously rubbing against the other as she asked.

"Um, is this the part where we… y'know. Kiss?" She felt like she was burning up, cooking under the lights of their hotel room.

"We can, i-if you want," he replied, his cheeks as red as hers.

Ruby could hear her alts groaning inside her head. She ignored them as she nodded her head, her blush spreading to her ears and even down her neck. She chuckled a bit, nervously laughing as Jaune did the same.

Neither moved.

"Please don't tell us you need help kissing him," Weiss sighed.

"I don't! J-just give me a second."

"You know we don't have to if you don't want to, right?" he asked, before Ruby suddenly leaned closer towards him. His eyes widened as their noses nearly smacked into one another. He stared into her bright, silver eyes as she did the same with his sapphire-colored eyes.

"I want to." Ruby closed the distance between them. Her lips touched his, and for the first time in a long, long time, both of them felt their hearts swelling with a special flavor of euphoria.

They felt it as their lips gently pressed against the other. Time slowed down as the warmth of the other's body made their new partner melt. It had been so long since Jaune had kissed someone. Longer still for Ruby.

She wasn't sure what to do. How should she react when his lips pushed against hers? The answer came natural, thankfully. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tightly, almost squeezing their faces together as she realized just how soft his lips were.

Jaune's eyes widened at just how hard Ruby was kissing him. He shrugged his shoulders, before he returned the passion, the desire clear in the way he held her. He gently nibbled on her bottom lip, and he felt her quiver in his embrace.

He was about to pull away, when her own lips parted and her tongue gently poked his mouth. Jaune pulled back, staring at Ruby and watching her face blazing with embarrassment. She pouted, glaring at him as tears pooled in the corner of her eyes.

Then Jaune kissed her again, and he opened his mouth as her tongue slipped in. He felt his heart pounding, like this was his very first kiss being taken from him. He held Ruby tightly, careful not to squeeze her as he realized just how small and soft she was.

And Ruby realized just how warm and firm Jaune felt. She always did have a weakness for taller guys, and they weren't exactly hard to find for someone her size. She felt her tongue exploring the inside of his mouth, slipping along his teeth or against the inside of her cheek.

Was this too much? Too fast? Jaune didn't seem to think so, and it felt so good to be held in the loving embrace of a man again, to kiss him, to experience him kissing back. Their tongues met, and Ruby swore she felt a jolt between the two of them.

Her body tingled and shivered as she felt his hands run down her back, stroking her skin as his fingers slid against her dress. She leaned deeper into the kiss, before gasping as he sent their bodies falling.

The two landed on their side on the soft bed, and a giggling laughter slipped out of her mouth. He laughed with her as they broke their kiss again, only to kiss once more after mere moments. Their legs bumped against one another, awkwardly rubbing against the other's as Jaune pulled away from her lips to kiss her cheek.

She giggled, before laughing again as he kissed slightly higher, wiping away a falling tear. She brushed some tears from her face, sniffling quietly as he continued to kiss her, bouncing between her cheeks, to her forehead, back to her lips. Ruby laughed as he held her tight, gently pressing her into him as their bodies cuddled.

"I-l-" Ruby stuttered, before smiling at him. "Thank you."

He kissed her once more, and Ruby felt her breath being taken away. They pulled apart, eyes shimmering, hearts racing, and faces red, but what was most important of all, they saw each other.

"For what?" he whispered, lifting a hand up to wipe a dark bang from her eye.

"You know what," she muttered, punching his side as she pouted.

He smiled at her, before he leaned forward to kiss her again. She shivered slightly when their lips met again, sliding one of her hands down to his chest to stroke his body.

It had been so long since either had kissed another. The spark they felt when their lips met, the excitement pumping through them, the passion and desire burning inside…

They spent more time they either would have liked to admit just laying there. They kissed, they hugged, and they cuddled. They laid on the bed together, neither saying anything as they simply enjoyed this new chapter of their lives together.

Of course, the moment couldn't last forever. Ruby wasn't sure how long they had laid together there. Maybe it was only a few minutes? Maybe a little longer. Either way, Jaune finally spoke, and what he asked of her surprised the young woman.

"Hey, Ruby?"

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering… Could I meet them?"

It didn't take a genius to tell who 'them' was, but Ruby still couldn't believe it when her new boyfriend asked her that. Her eyes widened, before she felt her blush coming back with an all new intensity.

When was the last time someone asked me that? She wondered. She found herself fidgeting once more, before she glanced at Jaune's curious gaze. "Are you sure?" she inquired.

"I mean, I'm going to mean them sooner or later."

"You already met them."

"Yeah, but that was when I thought they were you. Now I want to meet them as them."

Ruby mulled over the question for a moment. It only made sense. If she was to be dating Jaune from now on, it only made sense. Still, it was… it was a strange request for her, just because of how rarely she had ever heard it.

"I haven't really showed them to anyone since Adam," she muttered quietly.

"If you're not comfortable with it, I can-"

"No. It's okay. I just… Let me ask them," she requested. "Guys?"

"I've never met anyone," Weiss muttered. "G-give me a moment, I-"

"I'll go first."

"Are you sure, Yang?"

"Sure, I am. Let me meet, Blondie."


Jaune watched Ruby nod her head. He assumed it was directed at one of her alternate personalities because he hadn't said anything. He just sat there, watching as Ruby looked at him..

"Yang says she's okay meeting you."

"Yang? That's the one who-"

"Lied to you. Yeah," she answered, taking a deep breath.

"I was going to say the one I went clubbing with, but… yeah, I remember her," he muttered.

"Are you okay meeting her? Because if you're not-"

"It's okay. I think this is actually a good thing. How do we start? Do I need to do anything?"

"No, just sit there. I'm going to switch places with her," Ruby explained. She noticed his confused stare, so she tried her best to explain with rosy cheeks. "It's like my body is a car. Sometimes, most of the time, I'm driving, but sometimes I get out and let someone else drive."

"Alright. That makes sense," he replied. "So I just sit here and wait? Can I help?"

Ruby smiled at her boyfriend, before she shook her head. "No. It's okay. I got this." She then closed her eyes, sitting beside Jaune's side. .

Jaune watched her, unsure if he was meant to prepare in a certain way. He scratched his head, before he tapped his feet on the ground. He stared at Ruby, watching her just sway slightly as she breathed in and out.

"Ruby?" He waved his hand in front of her face, before those eyes opened. Jaune stared deeply into them, trying to pick apart the details of what he saw, before she placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away.

"Whoa, easy there, lover boy." Ruby's voice seemed to deepen, and the change shocked Jaune as he realized just how different the two voices were. It wasn't anything too noticeable. A bit of a deeper voice, a change in tone, but functionally, still Ruby.

She didn't smile like Ruby did, though. Yang seemed to smirk, radiating a special kind of confidence as she winked at him.

"Hey there, handsome."

"I… Hi," he replied. He had never heard Yang really speak for herself before. Jaune gawked at her, staring at her as his eyes tried to make sense of what he was saying. In a way, it was like watching Ruby move her lips in time with a recording, because it was so strange seeing her talk and act this way.

And yet, it made sense to Jaune.

"It's nice to finally meet you." He did his best to sound polite, to sound kind, and forgiving, because that was all he wanted to be. Yet he could almost feel a twisting in his gut from being around the person who left him with months of grief.

"Hey, don't play nice on my account. I did fuck you pretty hard." Jaune blushed at the comment, trying to form some kind of retort as Yang laughed, shaking her head.

"Sorry, sorry. Phrasing, I know," she chuckled, and Jaune listened to this deep, yet almost carefree voice come out of Ruby. She stood up, lifting her legs up as she let out a sigh of relief. "Feels good to stretch the legs. Oh, and by the way, Ruby really liked the whole tongue action. I'm not here to judge, just giving you some friendly advice. Just watch the hands, alright, Blondie?" she warned, winking at him.

"I… What?" Jaune blinked, before his mind went back to her earlier statement. "Yang, I just want to talk."

"What do you think we're doing?" she teased. He stared at her, trying not to glare, though he wasn't even sure if he succeeded at that.

"Yang. Come on." How long did she mess with him behind his back? How long had she screwed him over, left him contemplating what the right thing was? Would what she did be considered gaslighting? He wasn't sure, but he bet this was a close feeling.

He felt betrayed, hurt, but he told himself that Yang had her reasons. In a way, he was glad she was the first alt he spoke to. That meant he could build a bridge with her and get over the divide there was between them.

For a moment, Jaune saw her mask crack. Yang's toothy grin faltered and her eyes almost seemed to lose their glow as she walked around him. "Alright, you got me. I'm guilty. It was all me. None of the other alts knew about it. Just good ol' Yang…"

Jaune watched her walk around him, before he stood up, standing right in her way. He watched her stop in front of him, and she smiled weakly.

"Sorry. Just nice to stretch out the legs."

"Why did you lie to me?" Jaune questioned, and Yang's smile twitched again.

"She told you about Integration, right?" Yang bit her lower lip, before she opened her mouth. "Imagine if the only way to save someone you cared about was to die. Imagine if you could give them a normal life if you just gave up your own."

"It must have been hard."

Yang smiled, but Jaune could see something in her eyes. Her eyes, not Ruby's. Then it was gone as she wore a bright smile on her face. "It ain't easy, but I manage. Well, I guess not really in this case. In this case, I fucked up and nearly ruined my little sister's life. So, my B."

"Do you always do that?" he asked, raising his brow. "Treat things like a joke?"

"Heh. We all have our coping mechanisms, Blondie," she shot back.

Jaune nodded his head, before he spoke again. "I get it. I do it too." Yang raised her brow as he patted the bed, motioning for him to join him. She obeyed, sitting on the bed by his side as stared at his hand slowly scratching at his pant leg. "Whenever I'm nervous or scared, I make jokes. Eases the tension, lets me come off as goofy to people. It's easier that way, right?"


Yang expected anger. She expected rage. Maybe even some cursing. Once again, she was left disappointed as Jaune did his best Ruby impersonation and decided to play the nice.

She hated how kind and genuine Jaune sounded. She hated how he probably meant every word he was saying. So she hated herself even more to make up for what Jaune and Ruby failed to do.

"Yeah, well…" She didn't say anything. She wasn't sure what to say. Make another joke? Flirt? Anything to get his sympathies away from her. She shook her head, though, silently knowing that there was only one real choice.

She just hated it.

"I thought she didn't need saving," she muttered, and Jaune inched his body closer as he listened. "I thought I was enough for her, but I'm not. I can't be." She laughed, if only to try hide the bitterness in her voice. "But you know, it's all good. YOLO. People still say that, right?"

Jaune didn't say anything, and it twisted her guts into a knot. She filled the silence with her own voice, trying to lull his own out.

"So, yeah. I did a bad thing, and that's on me. Whoops," she chuckled. "But that's fine. It's okay. Just as long as you treat her right, Blondie." Nothing. For fuck's sake, Blondie! Say something. Please. "Cause if you don't, oh, man, I will kick your ass so hard I'll have a boot made out of your-"

He hugged her. Jaune embraced Yang, feeling the familiar shape of Ruby's body in his arms, against his body. Yang didn't say anything, until she heard his voice tickle her ear. "I forgive you." Her eyes widened as he held her.

"I… I never said I was sorry," she mumbled, pulling out of his embrace. "Pretty handsy there, Jaune. Careful. Might get the wrong idea."

"I get why you lied to me," Jaune stated, ignoring her voice. "I don't like it, and it has caused an ungodly amount of stress in my life," he admitted, almost laughing about it, even as Yang's smile nearly fell apart. "Honestly, I'm pissed at you, but I get it."

"You sure don't act pissed," Yang commented. I cannot believe this shit. What is wrong with these two…?

"People do crazy stuff when their life's on the line. Ruby seems to think we can date without any of you getting hurt. I have no idea how this stuff works, but I believe her. That means you and I are going to see each other a lot, right?" he asked. This time Yang was the quiet one, staring at him as he scratched the back of his head.

"Look, if you're willing to accept me as Ruby's boyfriend, I think we can move on. I want us to be friends."

"Good God, you two really are alike," Yang muttered, shaking her head as Jaune blinked. "You and Ruby are a good match."

"Thanks?"

"You've both got this whole, 'all-loving, super duper nice, let's-let-bygones-be-bygones!' thing going for you," she commented, turning her voice sickeningly sweet when she described the two.

"Ruby doesn't want to lose you, and coming from someone with a bunch of sisters, I get it. I mean, that's what family is, right? People make mistakes and you forgive them and try to move on."

Yang sighed, pressing her hand against her forehead and gently rubbing at her brow. "What am I going to do with two of you?" she wondered with a rancorous laugh, before she dropped her hand and looked at Jaune. Her gaze fell lightly, unable to meet his. "Promise me you'll take care of her."

"I promise," he replied, before he gave her a toothy grin as he leaned his head down so they could stare at each other more clearly. "And you know how serious I take my promises."

"You two are such dorks." She rolled her eyes, before sighing. "Yes, alright. Fine. Water under the bridge," she grumbled. She didn't mean it, of course. All the shit she had pulled, and it was just swept aside, just like that? No. Bullshit.

Still, Jaune smiled at her, nodding his head. "Good." He held his hand out to her, and she rolled her eyes again, before she suddenly slipped her pinky between his fingers, hooking it onto his pinky as she forced a pinky swear onto him.

"There. Legally binding. You don't treat her right, I get to make boots out of you."

"I've heard it before. Heck, I've told guys this before," he chuckled.

"Really? How'd that go?"

"Not well. They weren't intimidated," he confessed with a slight redness to his face.

"Mmhm. Yeah. I can see why."

It was Jaune's turn to roll his eyes. He smiled they spun, before he realized something. "Wait, you called Ruby your little sister? How is that even possible?"

"Do you know how long she believed in Santa? Trust me, she's my little sister," Yang smirked.

"So do you have some juicy secrets on her? I mean, any big sister would."

"Oh, totally. What do you want to know?"

"What have you got?"

"Ruby's got this little crow stuffed animal. Took it from Patch all the way here and she still hugs it sometimes," Yang replied, throwing him one of the lighter secrets Ruby had. Jaune was bound to find out sooner or later.

"Really?" he snickered. "That's so cute! Never heard of a crow stuffed animal."

"Yeah. Custom made from mom," Yang muttered and Jaune flinched slightly.

"Ah. S-sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a bad memory."

"It's alright. You were bound to hear it sooner or later. Wanna hear another?"

"Sure," Jaune replied, eager to change the subject as the two continued to talk to one another.

And they went on for more minutes than Yang realized. It almost felt like an entire hour just passed them by. They were talking to one another, and Yang honestly couldn't believe it considering the circumstances. Jaune Arc, this crazy bastard, was actually making a real effort to be friends with her, wasn't he?

"So what kind of music do you like?" he asked.

"EDM, rock, rap," she replied. "Anything that hits fast and hard, just like me," she grinned, before she took a drink of her bottled water.

"Rap, huh? You know Ren loves rap music. I bet I can get some good song recommendations from him."

Yang blinked at that, brow wrinkling. "Hold on, that bland guy with the dyed hair? He's into rap?"

"Yep. Since highschool."

"Huh."

"Favorite kind of movies?" he asked.

"What, you wanna take me out on a date sometime?" she teased, and she leaned back, falling onto a pillow as she crossed her legs and slipped her hands under her head.

"No, I'm not," Jaune replied, frowning as he watched her, though she couldn't miss his rosy cheeks.

"Mmhm. Eighties action flicks. Give me a raging mass of muscles screaming at people, killing hundreds of mooks. I love to see them just kick ass and take names!"

"Maybe we can watch a movie together?" Yang didn't shoot down the idea, so Jaune moved on and asked another question. "Can I ask what it's like? Being… you?"

"Oh, it's amazing. I'm basically flawless, after all."

"I mean being Ruby's alternate personality. Do you get hungry? Sleepy?"

"If I'm in her body and her body is hungry and sleepy. Sometimes I eat more than she's used to and she ends up with a stomach ache," Yang explained. "I got different tastes from her, though."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I like these shrimp-flavored chips. They're so freakin' good," she grinned. "But Ruby? Hates them. And Weiss-cream likes pineapple on her pizza. The rest of us aren't that crazy," she chuckled.

"Huh. I like pineapples on my pizza." Yang stuck out her tongue in disgust as Jaune pondered his next question. "What do you do when you're not controlling Ruby?"

"Sometimes I'm right in the passenger seat, driving shotgun," she explained. "So what she sees, I see. I hear what she hears, but sometimes I sit in the back seat, and I don't know what's going on in the front."

"So you've seen Ruby and me talk?"

"Yep." Yang eyed the scarlet hue sliding down the back of his neck. "We'll try to respect your privacy in the future."

"Thanks…"

She nodded in return, before mentioning, "Oh, we've also got our Rooms?"

"Rooms? You have rooms?"

"Yep. Our own little cut of the mindscape pie. All of us have one, and we can even decorate them."

"What do you decorate with yours?"

Huh. Yang savored the moment, quietly realizing that no one had ever told her about her life. She smiled slightly, actually really thinking about it for the first time. "I've got some old action movies on the walls. Some rock bands. A punching bag."

"A punching bag? Can you work out in there?" he asked, and she shook her head.

"Nah, but it looks cool. I'd probably put someone's face on it and pretend I was punching them. Bam, bam, bam!" she grinned, throwing a few punches at the empty air.

"Maybe we can go to the gym together sometime?"

"Yeah. Maybe," Yang replied, staring through Jaune.

"So how'd you and Neon meet?" he asked. "Was that as you or as Ruby or something?"

"You're asking a lot of questions," she commented, crossing her arms.

"Oh, uh, sorry. Just trying to get to know my new friends," he replied, nervously laughing as Yang took a deep breath.

Friends? Come on, man. She sighed, shaking her head a bit. "You know we could die soon, right?"

"Ruby said that was just a theory. Lots of theories have been disproven."

"Yeah. Guess that means I did all of this for nothing," she declared with venomous joy. She closed her eyes, only to feel Jaune's hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes to stare at him, before she placed her hand on his and gently pulled his away. "You're a nice guy, Jaune. Just watch out for her if anything happens, okay?"

"I will, but nothing's going to happen."

"You don't know that."

"Do you I'm wrong?"

Got me there. Yang shook her head, sighing as she stared at a nearby wall. "I should get out of your hair."

"Can we talk again? Maybe tomorrow?"

Yang clenched her jaw at the question. Her teeth were grinding as she said nothing, before she dug hooks into her lips and pulled, forcing herself to smile as she nodded her head. "Sure, Blondie. If you really want it," she teased, winking at him, before she closed her eyes.

Before her eyes fell shut, she caught his crimson cheeks. He's cute when he blushes.


"Yang?" She had just switched again, hadn't she? What happened when she did that? He remembered Ruby's explanation, but hearing about it was different than experiencing it, right? What did it feel to give up your entire body to something else in your mind?

He leaned forward, watching Ruby's face. Her eyes were shut, and she almost looked like she was asleep, yet she was still sitting up. He held up his hand, waving it in front of her, before those eyes opened again.

They were sharper, he realized, and their silver tone seemed to take on a hint of… frost to them. It was hard to describe, but he could see a change in them. Like how those eyes were now glaring at him.

"What are you doing, you dolt?"

Her voice was slightly lower than Ruby's, but higher than Yang's, with a strange… accent to it? He blinked, realizing just how close he was to the woman as Ruby's eyes glared at him.

"A little space, please?" she huffed.

"Oh, uh. Sorry." He leaned back, giving her some room as she looked around the room.

She smacked her lips together, brow furrowing as she glanced down. She began to rub her wrist against her lips, groaning loudly.

"Ugh. Why didn't Yang clean out her mouth before switching?" she gagged.

"Sorry. Again." Jaune apologized. His cheeks burned a bright shade of red as he remembered how his tongue had entered Ruby's mouth not too long ago. Did that mean he had kissed all of them? Or just Ruby?

Not the time, Jaune, he told himself.

"I'm Jaune." He held his hand out to her as the woman controlling Ruby's body stared at him, then down at his hand.


Weiss felt her cheeks turning red. Her first time really meeting someone as herself, and what did she do? She focused on the fact that she swore she could still taste his saliva in her mouth. She felt mortified, but she ignored the burning sensation on her face as she extended her hand out to him.

She placed her hand in his, letting him squeeze it as she straightened her back. She held her head up high as Jaune gently wrapped his fingers around her.

Firm grip. His fingers feel a bit rough. Her eyes rose up from their hands to his face as he stared at her. She raised her brow in response, before remembering he was waiting for her name.

Never in her entire life did Weiss ever tell anyone her name. Well, no one besides Ruby and the other personalities, but did that really count? She didn't think so.

"My name is Weiss." There was a rush in her body at uttering those four words. A tingle running down her back as she smiled, eyes gleaming like icicles under the sun. Her smile threaten to widen, but she did her best to control it, wanting to give herself an air of grace and control to Ruby's new boyfriend.

"Nice to meet you, Weiss."

"Likewise." Their hands pulled apart as Weiss rested both of her hands on her lap. "I'm glad you two are dating now. This whole situation was causing each of us an unseemly amount of grief."

"Yeah, tell me about it," he chuckled. "So we've met before, right?"

Weiss nodded her head in reply. "Yes. In the library."

"Oh!" His eyes widened, and he nodded his head. "Right, right. You like music, right?"

Weiss' eyes widened slightly, mildly surprised to hear he actually remembered what they talked about that night. "Yes, I do."

"You like singing? Maybe we can go to this karaoke place Fox showed me. I bet you'd love it."

"I…" Weiss was freezing up, but she had no idea how to respond. No one had ever invited her to, well, anything, really. Ruby would say the words, but Weiss never had a choice. She went where the body did.

"I never really got a chance to sing. Maybe we can do it before leaving?" he suggested, and Weiss felt her cheeks slowly heating up.

"I've never performed in front of a crowd."

"Oh, well, what if it was just you and me? That could be fun, right?"

"I suppose. I-I've never performed in general," she mumbled. Her heart was racing. Singing? It had always been something to call her own. Her own little trait, just something she could have to herself, and now suddenly Jaune was inviting her out to sing together?

"Do you think Ruby would like to do karaoke?" Jaune asked, and Weiss felt a knife stab her in the back.

She closed her eyes, though, taking a deep breath as she calmed her mind. Of course that's what he meant, you dolt. Focus. "Possibly. You'd have to ask her."

"Right. Guess that's true." He nodded his head, before asking, "Hey, were you and the others listening to me and Yang?"

"We're trying to give each other privacy for this, so no."

"Ah." He glanced away, before turning his gaze back at her. She kept her lips flat and her eyes focused as he grinned. "Are you hungry? I don't know if Ruby had anything to eat while she was out."

Actually, I could use something to eat, Weiss thought. "She didn't eat anything," she answered, before Jaune reached out to a nearby phone by his and Ruby's bed.

"Let's order some food! I could go for some snacks. Want me to see if there's any good pineapple pizza nearby?"

That actually caught her attention for a moment. She could practically taste the fruity, sweet sensation on the gooey cheese… She pushed those thoughts away, trying to focus her mind. "W-whatever's fine with you," she mumbled, turning her head away from the blond.


Weiss stabbed the pizza with her fork, sawing the piece off with her knife, before she brought the slice of a slice to her mouth and enjoyed the delicious meal. She tasted the pineapple sizzling on her tongue, mixing with the savory pepperoni and cheese.

"It's good, right? I don't know why other people don't like it," Jaune chuckled, eating his own pizza with his hands.

Weiss blushed, remembering Jaune was there and watching her eat. She swallowed her food and cleared her throat, before she drank some water. "It's alright, I suppose."

"So, can I ask you some stuff?" Weiss nodded in reply, cutting another piece of her pizza. "What kind of movies do you like?"

The young woman opened her mouth, before sealing her lips. "I don't have time for movies. They're just mindless entertainment."

"Aw, come on. You can't really mean that."

"Most of the movies Ruby and Yang watch are cartoons or idiotic action films filled with blood and gore. Blake doesn't even like movies. All she does is read her books," she explained.

"Well, it sounds to me like you just haven't watched a lot of movies. I'm sure we can find some stuff you'll enjoy."

"Please don't tell me you're going to suggest that ridiculous horror movie Nora put up months ago?" Weiss sighed.

"Don't worry, nothing like that, but if you wanted to watch a horror movie, 'Killer Klowns From Outer Space' is pretty good."

Weiss stared blankly at Jaune, almost unable to properly comprehend the words that were coming out of his mouth. "If you say anything that stupid again, I'm leaving, and I'm taking Ruby with me."

To her surprise, Jaune actually chuckled at that. "Maybe you'll like a comedy?"

"Ninety minutes of puns? Wonderful." She paused for a moment, before she took another bite of her food, chewed, and then swallowed. "Sorry. Yang is obsessed with them. It is the lowest form of comedy."

"I like puns."

"The. Lowest. Form."

"Maybe you'll like a musical then? The choreography in some of them is amazing."

"That… could be fun," she confessed, before she continued to eat her food. "Why is it so important to you that you find something I enjoy, though? You're dating Ruby."

"Well, I'm dating your…. Uh… Sister?"

"No."

"Partner?"

"No."

"Host?"

"No!"

"Friend?" Weiss rolled her eyes, but she seemed to accept that answer. "I'm dating your friend. I think it's only natural to try and be friends with the friends of the person you're dating. That way we can all be… friendly?" he shrugged.

"You do know we aren't going to be able to actually talk to your friends, right?"

"Why not?"

Weiss held her hand up and gestured to herself. "Because I'm an alternate personality? Because I'm not actually Ruby? You're the first person I've ever spoken to besides her and the others."

"Wait, so this is the first time you've talked to someone outside of Ruby's head?"

"Yes. Why?" she frowned, trying to ignore the subtle hint of crimson on her ears. "I was made after Ruby went through a very bad break up. I didn't really socialize. I just focused on my schoolwork. Er, Ruby's schoolwork."

"That's amazing," Jaune commented.

"We're born from stress and trauma," the alt explained. "And it's hardly amazing," she sighed.

"I mean, you probably really helped Ruby."

"It's what I was made for," she replied, glaring at him. It was their purpose, Blake said. Weiss felt a twisting in the pit of her gut as she fought back a sigh. She opened her mouth to suggest she should go, when Jaune spoke up.

"That's what all of you have done, right? You've all helped Ruby?"

"That's what we're here for."

Jaune nodded his head, before he leaned a little closer, smiling. "Guess I owe you one, huh? For helping out Ruby."

"You really don't," she replied.

"No, I mean it. I mean, you all have to constantly pretend to be Ruby, right? You can't even tell anyone you exist beyond the other personalities and Ruby." Weiss blinked, knowing Jaune was speaking the truth, but unsure of where he was going with it. "Maybe I can talk to Ruby about doing something for all of you? Yang seems to like clubbing, maybe we can do something together before we lea-"

"I want to go to the museums." Weiss spoke quickly, seeing her chance and seizing it before it was too late. Jaune stared at her as she felt her blush crawl down to her neck. It probably went so well with the hair sitting on her head. She gulped, "I want to go to the museums. If we can make time for that, then I would appreciate it."

"Sure. Sounds good."

Weiss felt her hands almost shaking in excitement. She grinned, before she tried to compose herself. "Excellent." She took another bite of her food, soon finishing the slice. "Thank you," she added, eyes on her empty plate.

"No problem."

"I should probably go," she stated.

"Maybe we'll talk again tomorrow?" Jaune asked.

Weiss wasn't even sure how to respond. She cleaned her lips with a napkin, avoiding his eyes as she tried to think of the best reply. When her eyes met his again, she nodded her head. "I'd like that."


Jaune watched Weiss close her eyes, and he wondered if she was just walking away or handing the wheel to someone else. Jaune waited for a few seconds, this time with a bit more distance between the two.

Ruby's eyes opened once more, sooner than he had expected. He smiled at her as those silver eyes turned to him. They seemed sharper than ever, with an almost bored, stoic stare coming from them.

"Hi, I'm-"

"Jaune. I know. Blake," she declared, motioning to herself.

He smiled at her, but she didn't return the gesture. Still, Jaune did his best to get along with the alternate personality. "Nice to meet you, Blake. I don't think we've talked much. I mean, maybe we have, but you were probably pretending to-"

"I'm going to make this very simple," she stated. "I know what you're doing, and I understand why you're doing it." Jaune raised his brow as Blake continued, her eyes never leaving his. She didn't even seem to blink for several seconds as she went on. "You seem like a nice man. I hope you are, and I hope you help Ruby, but when the time comes, I hope you help her accept what needs to happen."

"I… huh?" And just like that, Blake closed her eyes. "Hey, wait a second!" He placed his hand on Ruby's shoulder, as her body seemed to go limp. She fell towards him, but he caught her, and when those eyes opened again, he knew who that soft gaze belonged to.


"We're done. Go ahead, Ruby," Blake declared.

"Alright. I'm heading out. Anything I should know before I get out there?" she asked, trying to make a joke, but knowing that she could have been walking out into the remnants of her relationship with her boyfriend.

What if she came back out and they had already broken up? Her stomach twisted at that particular thought, before Weiss answered her.

"We're going to the museum before we leave Hawaii," she announced.

"Good luck, Rubes," Yang added, before Ruby stepped back into the driver seat.

She opened her eyes, feeling her eyelids weigh heavy on her face as she saw Jaune's own sapphire eyes inches from her. They were so close to one another, she could feel his breath on her face. Her eyes widened as her face became flushed, a blush sliding down her neck and onto her ears.

"Jaune?" she squeaked.

"Um, hey. Ruby?" He smiled at her, before he helped her sit up.

"Yep, that's me," she replied, still blushing from how close they were. He smells good. Is that weird?

"You okay?"

"Switching that much can take a lot out of me. Plus it's pretty late," she yawned, sitting up on the bed as Jaune held his hands up to catch her if need be. "I feel pretty tired…"

"Yeah, it is getting pretty late," he agreed, before Ruby turned her head and noticed the nearly empty pizza box on the ground.

She caught the sickly yellow gleam of pineapple, before her eyes widened and she fell back, gagging. "Ack! She didn't! Weiss, how could you? You betrayed meeee! Ack! My stomach! Melting!" she whined, falling onto her back as Jaune laid beside her. "Jaune, avenge… me. D-dying...!"

The small woman made a croaking sound, tongue sticking out of her mouth as her boyfriend stared at her. She laid there, dead, before he poked her belly and she snorted, feeling his fingers tickling her.

"Hey! Q-quit it!" she laughed, squirming in his arms until he released her. The two smiled at one another, before Ruby whispered a question. "Jaune?"

"Hm?"

"There's something I need to tell you. I have DID," she confessed.

"Dissociative Identity Disorder. Yeah, I know," he replied, nodding his head. He placed a hand on her head, gently brushing his thumb against her bangs, caressing her cheek as their eyes gazed into one another. Ruby felt a warmth rising up her back, spreading throughout her body.

"Yeah. You know." Ruby wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him in her arms with a wide grin on her lips. He knew. He knew her horrible secret, well, secrets, and here he was. "You know about my condition, and you actually still want to date me? You're okay with dating someone who has-?"

He kissed her lips, silencing her for just a moment, before they pulled apart and their eyes stare into one another. "Ruby Rose. Will you be my girlfriend?"

She giggled, nuzzling her face against his, wiping away tears that were beginning to fall. "Okay. If you'll be my boyfriend?"

"I'd like that."

The two held one another, squeezing the other as their lips met every now and again to kiss. Jaune laid on his back, slipping an arm under her body as he pulled her close. She laid her head on his chest, gently rubbing her cheek against him as one arm slipped behind him and the other rested on his chest. The two laid there for a long moment, neither saying much as they just cuddled.

Ruby was shocked at how warm the man was. How nice he smelled. How soft he was.

"So, any secrets you want to tell me?" she inquired.

"I've always had a thing for short, quirky girls," he commented. "So this does work pretty well for me."

"You just like me for my looks," Ruby teased, and she caught Jaune blushing as he opened his mouth to argue. "That's okay. I've always had a thing for funny, tall guys."

"Really?" He asked, raising his brow. "Why did the kid throw a clock out a window?" She raised her brow as he grinned widely. "Because he wanted to see time fly!"

Ruby nodded her head, patting Jaune's cheeks as a smile pulled on the corners of her lips. "Well, at least you're tall." The two laughed together, clinging tightly to their partner. It almost felt unreal for the two. Ruby almost wanted to make sure she wasn't dreaming, but here they were.

"Is it weird to sleep together?" Ruby asked. Jaune's eyes widened and she felt his body pull away, the warmth leaving her hands and yet spreading across her face as she realized what she had said. "I meant just sleeping! On the bed! Sharing it!" she shouted, and Jaune chuckled sheepishly.

"I mean, I don't see why not. I can behave if you can," he teased, and she gently smacked his shoulder.

"Let me get out of this dress." The dark-haired woman froze, knowing exactly how her words sounded. Jaune didn't even need to say anything. She could practically feel him blushing out of second-hand embarrassment.


Jaune and Ruby laid on bed together. The lights were off as Ruby scooted closer. They were wearing their pajamas now, thin, soft material as they felt their hands gently brushing against the other. The young man turned his head to look at Ruby, and slowly his eyes adjusted enough to see the outline of the woman his girlfriend.

Part of him had wondered if he'd ever felt this way again. He wondered if he was strong enough to fall for someone, put himself out there and just... love again.

Had he really done it? Did he love Ruby? They had known each other for barely half a year, and yet here they laid. Jaune watched Ruby's eyes turn towards him. She was facing him as she moved closer, embracing him once more.

So what if she was a bit different? He liked different. Maybe he needed different. He hugged her tightly, gently kissing her head as he whispered into her ear.

"Ruby?"

"Hm?" She was already drifting to sleep, so he did his best not to keep her. He leaned forward, kissing her lips. It was a soft, gentle kiss, one that he wasn't even sure if she registered, but she seemed to nuzzle against him, content in his embrace.

"I'm here for you."

END

Cover art made by yours truly, Leafydream. I'm not artist, but I'm trying to learn. Hope you guys like it. You might get a better look at it on my Twitter.

What's up, folks? Big update today, huh? I'm really hoping I was able to write it well for you. I'm a little nervous, but hopefully you guys are happy with it. Also, I intentionally wrote it so they didn't say 'I love you' yet. Just holding off on that for a sec.

I think there's only one chapter left in this book. After that, I'm going to take a break to work out Book 2. It'll take some time, but not years, I promise.

I don't have a lot to say. I just wanted to write something loving and sweet. Our heroes have been through a lot and they deserve to finally have a happy moment. Next chapter will resolve a few things, show more of Jaune, Ruby, and the alts hanging out, and set up Book 2.

I feel like I should probably think of a title for Book 1. I'm sure I'll think of something, but if you have a suggestions, I'm always happy to hear it. If you are curious, this is completely inspired by Coeur Al'Aran's Forged Destiny story. I really liked that aspect.

Please leave a review if you would be so inclined, take care, and know that I really, truly appreciate your support. Even if you don't leave a review, I hope you enjoyed the story. You can find me on Twitter under Leafydream0, or my adult twitter, LeafydreamXXX. Make sure you know which one you're following.

Good day, good night, stay safe, and remember, you are loved. Thank you all for your support.