Just after school Jaune needed to make a phone call to his mother to let her know that he was not headed straight home today. While he could have asked someone to speak for him, his mother and him had a system they perfected over the years to allow Jaune to make calls home when no one was around.
Whenever Jaune needed to let his mom know something, he would call on the nearest available phone, she'd ask a simple yes or no question, and Jaune would hit a button on the phone once for "yes", twice for "no", or "three" times for unsure.
Jaune picked up the school's payphone, dropped a quarter in and called home. His mother picked up on the second ring.
Mina Arc answered with a simple question "Hey is this you Jaune?" To which Jaune pushed a button on the phone once.
Mina then asked "Awesome, what's up, are you calling to let me know you need a ride today?" Jaune didn't need a ride so he hit the button twice rapidly.
Jaune heard a pause before Mina asked "Oh are you calling to let me know your going to be late home today?" Jaune hit the button once.
Mina had a noticeably more cheerful tone as she spoke after that "Oh okay, are you going to be back in before six o'clock then?" Jaune just hit the button three times.
Mina Laughed into the phone "Okay sweetie, just heat up a TV dinner when you get in, let me ask this though. You going to hang out with a girl or something?"
Jaune paused for a second, and then reluctantly hit the button on the phone once. this caused Mina to pause and stammer out a slightly embarrassed "Okay, I was joking, but hey, tell me about it tonight okay? See you later!"
Jaune hit the button once more before hanging up the phone, just in time for that Ruby girl to walk up to him alone with a big smile on her face.
Ruby smiled at him and signed out a quick [Hey, looks like it's just us today!]
Jaune raised a concerned eyebrow as he signed back [Did your sister ditch you or something?]
[Yeah she was chatting up some guy and told me to go on ahead.] Ruby Signed as she rolled her eyes.
[Is that smart of her to leave you alone, I mean that can't be safe.] Jaune signed with a look of concern
[It's never been a problem before, or is that the big city boy in you talking?] Ruby signed out before smacking Jaune in the arm.
Ruby and Jaune started walking as he signed out [Yeah I guess that's the big city boy talking.] as the pair walked in relative silence Jaune finally thought to ask [Where are we going anyways?]
Ruby smiled and signed [Well you strike me as a book worm so I thought we'd swing by the library.]
Jaune groaned silently [You know I was only reading "The Culture" books in front of you two because I was trying to be left alone right?]
Ruby smiled a wide infectious grin as she signed out [It didn't work either. But I bet that you like reading.]
[I mean I guess I do, when I'm not drawing.] Jaune signed out as they exited the school.
The Library as it turned out was only a few blocks away. by the time they managed to sign out a few sentences they had covered the distance and quickly found themselves a seat to sit down at inside to keep talking. [So question about your sister] Jaune signed to her.
[Before you ask, yes Yang is single] Ruby signed back as if out of reflex.
[Not even remotely close to my question, I'm also not looking for a girlfriend right now.] Jaune signed back looking slightly angered at the statement Ruby has just made.
[Sorry, my bad, what did you want to ask?] Ruby signed back to him looking apologetic.
Jaune waved it off as not a big deal before signing back [I was just wondering how are you and Yang sisters? You two look nothing alike.]
[It's because she has boobs and I don't isn't it? I know, God cursed me with being deaf and flat.] Ruby said before putting her hand on her head in dramatic fashion.
Jaune just deadpanned stared at the over excited teen girl [You finished?]
Ruby just made a giggle that Jaune thought was kind of cute sounding, a thought he also hated himself for thinking. [Yeah, I'm not sorry though, I wanted probably my whole life for there to finally be someone I didn't need a notebook or Yang to talk through!] Ruby said with a smile.
Jaune couldn't help but nod uncomfortably as he thought "Yeah, I hate to admit this but it is easier to talk to her and her sister than it ever was with Pyrrha and the others.". Jaune must of let himself sulk in his thoughts for to long because he heard a finger snap in his face that snapped him out of it.
[You okay?] Ruby signed at him with a look of worry on her face
[Yeah, I'm good, so you going to let me hear your backstory or what?] Jaune signed
[Yeah I guess I dodged that one for long enough didn't I?] Ruby signed with a sigh [Don't judge me okay! I just met you and I want us to be friends.]
[I'm not the judging type don't worry] Jaune signed to her.
[Well, the truth is, Yang and I are only half sisters, we have the same father but different mothers.] Ruby signed out [Yang's mom is my dad's first wife, and my mom is his second wife.]
Jaune did some quick head math [Wait a second, your both kinda close to the same age right?]
[Yang is only a couple months older than me, and yeah that's the issue.] Ruby signed out looking slightly frantic.
Jaune signed out nervously [Oh wow okay, so your dad was...] He paused to choose his words carefully [Seeing your mom on the side?]
[Dad was cheating on Yang's mom with my mom yes,] Ruby signed out trying not to look Jaune in the eyes [I can't say I'm mad at mom or dad for that. I mean if dad was loyal to Yang's mom then I wouldn't be here.]
Jaune waved his hand in Ruby's face to get her attention before he started to sign at her again [Well I have no room to judge like I said. I told you my disability was from a car accident with a drunk driver right?]
Ruby shrugged and signed [Yeah you mentioned that.]
[I didn't tell you it was my dad who was the drunk.] Jaune signed back while wearing a pretty neutral face.
Ruby's face scrunched up with a bit of sadness [Jeez that's messed up, so it's like you were punished for the rest of your life for something your dad did?]
[Oh I've had 12 years to get over it, and besides it worked out right? My Disability and your dad's affair made this conversation possible.] Jaune signed in an effort to cheer the girl up, even if it was something he didn't believe himself.
Ruby thought about it for a second [Wow yeah, I mean if I wasn't here you'd still be sitting all alone at that table, and your disability is why were even talking!] Ruby lightly slugged Jaune on the shoulder [That's pretty deep man!]
Jaune signed back [Well I'm not trying to be deep, I'm just saying.]
Ruby playing slugged Jaune on the shoulder and got a wide grin [Your just being modest]
Jaune rubbed his shoulder while thinking "This girl throws more punches than I do, and that's saying something!"
Ruby tried to keep the conversation going by signing [So your an artist huh?]
As Jaune was about to reply he heard a giggle from nearby from a couple girls sitting nearby who were watching the pair chat, Ruby looked convinced as Jaune pulled and eraser out of his pocket flicked it in his hands and got ready to toss is as he whistled to get their attention.
By the time the girls were turned around all they saw was Ruby wrapped around Jaune's throwing arm as he looked like he was about to toss an eraser at them. the two girls beat a hasty retreat after that.
After the pair took a second to settle back down Jaune signed [Sorry what was the question?]
Ruby looked slightly amused at her new friend [I was asking if I can see your art?]
Jaune didn't think to much about and pulled out his sketch pad and slid it over to her. Ruby smiled in excitement as she carefully opened the pad and looked at the artwork he had in their.
Jaune was mostly paying attention to her reaction since the only people who ever saw his drawings were his mother and the friends he lost. the thought of letting a comparative stranger see his Sketch book bugged him a bit until she waved to snap him out of his thoughts.
[Your pretty good, but why do you only in black and white?] Ruby said looking curious.
Jaune debated his answer for a second if he should tell her about his colorblindness, decided that since she knew about him being Mute it wouldn't make things worse and signed out [Actually I'm also colorblind.]
Ruby blinked for a second and started to sign [Seriously? As in total colorblindness?]
Jaune signed back [Since Birth as far as I can tell.]
Ruby just shrugged it off and went back to gawking at his sketches, she would linger on some pictures, like one of a dragon, or one of a strange Bear creature with a while skull mask. [Wait a second, that's a creature from Dungeon Fantasy!]
Jaune winced for a second and signed [Yeah, I think it's called an Ursa?]
[Dude what edition do you play, I have a couple of third edition books at home!] Ruby signed quickly and frantically.
[Uh, I have the core book for second, I got it at a used book store when I got into it in Junior high with...] Jaune cut himself off from signing for a moment [Well it's been a while since I played]
Ruby finger signed out while looking at more Sketches [Hey we should try to get a game going sometime?]
Jaune felt guilt creep in as he answered [Maybe] "That was always the game me and the gang from home used to play..." Jaune thought.
Ruby stopped on one sketch, or rather a page of several sketches of a single person, Jaune's eyes shot wide as he was several Sketches of Pyrrha he had done over the couple years he knew her.
Ruby just paused and signed [Oh wow, she's pretty! Who is she?]
Jaune's hand shook when as he tried to sign a response [She, was a friend of mine from Junior high.]
Ruby made an "Oh" expression with me mouth before she replied [I'm guess you were pretty close huh?]
Jaune signed out [Yeah... We were close.] Jaune paused to steady his hands [Actually, we were a couple before I moved here.]
Ruby got a read on Jaune's face, could tell something wasn't right there [Did you guys break up?]
[Something like that yeah, I mean it's not important right now.] Jaune said in a clear attempt to dodge the line of questioning.
Ruby took the hint, closed up the Sketch pad carefully and slid it back to him. [Well you are like, crazy good at drawing Jaune]
[Eh, Not really it's something I've considered quitting] He said as he reached to put the sketch book in his bag but was interrupted when he felt a small hand on his wrist.
[Don't quit Jaune, you have a real gift for it] Ruby signed to him.
Jaune slid the pad back into his backpack carefully and signed back [I'll think it over okay?]
Ruby shot him a smile as she noticed the clock [Oh heck, It's time for me to start heading back home, Walk me up to the desk to I can call for a ride!]
Jaune stood up and followed her to the front desk where she knocked on the counter to get the Librarian's attention. Jaune watched her write out a note and hand it to the clear.
"Call your home and give them the password? Yeah kid, sure thing!"
Jaune watched as the Librarian called the phone number and spoke to the person who answered "Hi this is the Library, your daughter, uh, Ruby is calling for a pick up, said to read off the password Foxtrot Utah Charlie Kilo to you so kno- Wait a second!"| The Librarian turned to face the pair, Ruby looked innocent enough not being able to hear what was being said, Jaune was silently chuckling and holding on to his stomach having got the joke.
"Wait what? Oh that is the password, yes Ma'am I'll let them know." The Man walked up and said "Okay your good kiddo." Jaune swiftly translated for the librarian.
[Oh, one more thing Jaune, here's my AIM username, look me up tonight if you use it!] Ruby said with a smile, before she went off to wait for her parents. when she left she shot him a two fingered wave.
Jaune shot her the same two fingered salute he shot Ozpin earlier that day. before he made his walk home.
Jaune knew what he was getting himself into as he walked in the front door around 6:30 pm that evening. We found his mom was watching something on the TV, he knocked on the door frame of the family room to let her know he was home.
Mina Jumped with a gasp as she turned around "Jesus Jaune you scared the piss out of me, did you just get in."
[Yeah just now, sorry I was out so late mom] Jaune signed.
"Yeah, yeah Jaune that's alright, now Spill!" Mina said with a grin as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed her self a beer and set it on the counter in the middle of the kitchen as both mother and son stood on opposite sides.
[Spill what?] Jaune signed out in legitimate confusion.
"Don't play dumb, I know that your still trying to get over Pyrrha, but don't you think your moving a bit fast here?" Mina said with a heavy undertone of concern in her voice.
[Oh! It's because I was out with a girl, actually it was going to be two girls but her sister skipped out on us and-] Jaune was cut off by his mother throwing a dish rag at him.
"Jaune!" Mina said half shouting "Are you being serious?"
Jaune thought for a second about what his mother was actually saying [Wait a second, you thought I was out getting laid!]
"Well, No, I thought it was a date of some kind, was I mistaken?" Mina said as she took a sip of her beer embarrassed.
Jaune frantically signed out a [Yes, You are! I mean I'm not even interested in dating right now!]
Mina looked at her son with a raised eye brow 'The why were you-"
[They both sign mom!] Jaune signed [Hell Ruby is Deaf, so she 's un-ironically the easiest person in school for me to talk to!]
Mina's mouth closed with a click before saying "Wait, so you met a couple girls who know sign language, here? In this Podunk town?"
[I know right? Like, what are the odds?] Jaune signed stiffly as he was still flabbergasted that his mother thought he was Man-whoring it up to get over Pyrrha.
"Well that's great though, I was worried you wouldn't make any friends here!" Mina said as she slammed back a swig of her beer. "I mean, I was really worried for a bit. You barely said more than a few words to me this week."
Jaune rubbed the back of his next and looked off to the side before signing [Yeah sorry about that, I just the transition has me kinda tied up in knots.]
"Yeah well just remember your six years out before you can try any of these" Mina shook her bear can "And I do count them so don't try it." Mina said sternly "The point is though, is your trying to carry the weight of something this big alone and it's not working. I mean Christ Jaune, Pyrrha was your world, I know she was, and you haven't been right since you lost her."
Jaune leaned against the wall and signed up [Yeah, I know she was]
"You need to talk to someone about this, I know you refused a therapist, and I wont force one on you, but find a friend at least you can trust okay?" Mina said as she leaned over the counter they were in front of.
Jaune sighed silently and nodded to his mother before he stepped out of the room.
Jaune slept pretty good that night, not perfect, and not without nightmares, but it was progress.
Hey everyone, looks like we already have another chapter of this story up and running. So as a bit of trivia, one of the first things I had to think up when I was conceptualizing the story, is the various challenges Jaune and Ruby would face in their day to day lives and how they overcome them, I mean lets not forget this is 1998, a good number of you are to young to remember this, let along picture it, but Text wasn't a thing for a good 10 years still.
Part of the research into the story, was to see how people used texting back then. in 1995, the average number of texts per user was 0.4. They sent a single text maybe once every 2 and a half months, by 2000 this increased to a whole 30 a month. I bet a couple people reading this send that many in a day.
If was a different time, and part of the reason for choosing that time is really to make Jaune's life as much of a pain in the ass as I can.
Either way, there's your useless trivia for the day, I'll see you all next chapter!
