09/25/1999….

It was a couple hours later. No one had expected a sudden rain to fall on the town. Rainstorms like what was falling on the city rarely fell in the area and this was the first solid rainstorm in over a year in the normally dry area of the eastern half of the state. This is the situation at Jaune Arc found himself in as he walked into the local coffee shop trying to get out of the rain with the hopes of staying dry for a few hours while he, as he texted his stepfather to bring him home not since walking home in this weather was not going to be an option anymore.

He didn't expect us to see that his ex-girlfriend at the same idea…

Ruby had seemingly taken notice of Jaune as he came in. But she was trying her best to ignore him. While she had made plans to try to reconcile with him. She that's not quite ready to confront him yet about what happened between them only a few couple weeks ago. Ruby had noticed right away though, that he for some reason, had a fresh black eye that looked like it was only a couple hours old at that point.

"Okay, Ruby I think we can try this since he's alone at the moment. Since Weiss is not around maybe this won't go too bad if I try to talk to him?" Ruby thought as she nursed a cup of coffee that she bought herself.

Meanwhile, Jaune had gone up to the counter and had started to order himself a cup of coffee as well he was feeling pretty cold after being out in the rain for so long and need something to warm him up as out of the corner of his eye he noticed Ruby walk towards him.

Jaune's face immediately contorted into a look of anger as he saw his ex-girlfriend Approach. The last thing he wanted right now was to talk to the sister of the person who gave him a black eye earlier in the day.

[Funny running into you here today] Ruby signed out of him.

[Not really, it's a small town and there's only one coffee shop we're going to run into each other like this sooner or later] Jaune signed out apparent frustration [Is there something I can help you out with Miss Long?]

[I'm just Ms. Long now? Is that all I am to you?] Ruby signed out [After all the time we've been together, I mean we're not strangers after all.]

[it's all the same right now I just wanted to get a cup of coffee and find a place to hide from the rain for a couple hours until it blows over, I don't want to give the "RDF" a reason to punch me in the goddamn face again.] Jaune signed out out as he was staring daggers into her.

[Wait a second who did what now?] Ruby asked as she noticed just how bad that black eye was. after she finished signing so you reached out towards a guy to try to get a good look at it but Jaune had grabbed her hand and brushed it away.

[Don't fucking touch me] Jaune demanded of his ex-girlfriend.

[I'm sorry I just… who the hell did this?] Ruby signed back looking deeply concerned that someone would attack her ex-boyfriend. [Also what exactly is a RDF anyway?]

[Why it's none other than your own personal Ruby Defense Force of course.] Jaune signed bitterly [ I mean it must be really nice to have friends and family that are willing to go so far as to attack a person in the middle like a goddamn restaurant over something that you did]

Ruby started to put two and two together, obviously, one of the people on her so-called "side" had gone and done something drastic. Ruby had a pretty good idea who that would be too and Unfortunately. She signed out [All right let me guess it was my sister right?]

[Of course, it was your sister who else in this town outside of possibly your dad would be willing to beat the shit out of someone in a goddamn restaurant over a fucking break up] Jaune signed out looking pissed.

"Oh goddammit Yang how am I supposed to fix everything if you keep going and beating up my ex-boyfriend," Ruby thought as she signed out to Jaune [Let me talk to her I'll try to see if I can maybe talk some sense into her. It's not okay that she attacked you over something that really should have been just between you and me in the first place.]

[You know what, save your damn favors for your next boyfriend] Jaune signed out angrily [ I'm not your fucking problem anymore.]

[Just because we broke up doesn't mean I don't want to try to be friends still.] Ruby signed as she knows that some of the other people in a coffee shop or starting to stare at the pair [I mean, I know I made a mistake but I don't want to ruin everything between us because it]

[There is nothing left between us, absolutely nothing.] Jaune signed [You made god damn sure that]

[I know and I'm sorry, I don't know what the hell I was thinking] Ruby signed [ I guess maybe part of me was just craving normality if that makes any sense]

[And just what in the hell is that supposed to mean Ruby? What the hell was so abnormal about us?] Jaune signed as the cashier set down his coffee [Or were you just saying that I was the Abnormal part of our relationship?]

Ruby sighed and looked off to the side nursing her coffee cup. It was a few moments later when the lights in the coffee shop went out as the power seem to have gone out in the whole area. the cashier just said nervously "Okay so it looks like the lights are out everyone just settle down find a seat and we'll ride it out together. Sorry, but I can't do any more orders right now."

Now stuck in the dark and in an already not well-lit coffee shop and took the pair of few moments to find and stumble their way to a seat near the windows. Ruby looked nervously around has Jaune looked at Ruby with concern. [Okay you what exactly did you mean by abnormal or craving something normal.]

Ruby shook her head and said [Just, just forget it okay?] She paused and said [Seriously, just let it go please forget I said it]

Jaunes eyes narrowed [You know damn well I-] He was interrupted by the sound of thunder and flash out the window as a clearly startled Ruby leaned in and wrapped her arms around his arm.

"Huh, I'm used to the odd thunderstorm but I've never heard of one in this part of the state" Jaune thought as he watched Ruby hug his arm, it took a couple moments later before she realized what she was doing and looked at him.

Jaune signed out [Ah that's right, this is the first thunderstorm since you had your implants put in right?]

Ruby nodded in the affirmative Before she collected herself and signed out [ yeah sorry I guess I'm just not used to the sound yet.]

[I suppose that's understandable but you are kind of hugging me pretty tight and we did kind of break up if you remember/] Jaune signed back. [ do you mind possibly letting go of my arm?]

Ruby hesitantly let go are in leaned back away from him [Oh uh sorry, I uh didn't realize what I was doing for a second.]

Jaune side out and just signed [Okay whatever, I don't care, just watch what the hell you're doing.]

Ruby nodded and looked away, taking a sip of her coffee before she signed out in reply [I'm sorry I'll try to be more careful in the future I am not used to us being broken up yet.] she thought about his eye for a second before she asked as he never came out and said it. [So was it Yang that gave you that black eye?]

[Why, who the hell else but your darling sister Yang would have done this? She went took a swing at me after we had a disagreement at the Waffle House.] Jaune signed out [ I suppose she didn't like the idea of me being there with my friends]

"Goddamnit Yang…" Ruby thought before she signed [You know she's just trying to protect me.]

Jaunes gritted his teeth as a flash of lightning Stormed through the windows [From goddamn what exactly Ruby, from me? Does she somehow still think after all this time I would intentionally hurt you?]

[I mean… you did dump me, that hurt bad enough] Ruby signed out towards Jaune. But looking away.

[You would have done the same thing if that was, say, Velvet and I. Don't pretend you wouldn't have.] Jaune signed staring directly as Ruby. [Yang still would have beat the shit out of me as well. That's some right bullshit.]

Ruby couldn't help but giggle a bit [Okay, sorry, sorry, it's not funny, but yeah she kinda would]

[Will you not laugh at this, I was about to call the police] Jaune signed out quickly and harshly [I would have had her dad arrest her for assault, she was on a flipping date with Neptune and slugged me in front of Ren, Nora and Penny.]

[Okay, I get it I get it, I'll talk to her about it.] Ruby said

Jaune didn't respond he just folded her arms and looked upset at her.

[I will, I promise you!] Ruby signed to Jaune with a frantic look on her face.

[Please do so, because I only put up with that bullshit because we were dating.] Jaune said.

[I get it, I really do.] Ruby said looking frustrated. [Jaune… I need to ask this… what will it take to get you to forgive me?]

Jaune leaned back sipping his coffee and shook his head [I'm still raw about what happened, I'm not sure I can just let it go.] He signed before taking another long sip of his drink [Also the fact that you and your sister seem to think it's my fault that you cheated.]

Ruby's eyes narrowed [I never said it was your fault!]

Jaune's eyes also narrowed [Tell that to your damn sister! Between that and your "normality" comment just now, I'm starting to think you both think I'm some kind of freak.]

Ruby was taken aback by what Jaune said. She had to admit that with her implants her ability to listen to conversations and communicate has been dramatically improved. Which alone opened up the possibility for her to get to know more people, even if it's still largely a challenge and still relies on a lot of lip reading on her part. "But that's not the real reason for it was it, I'm was still to an extent competing with a dead girl, one that I'm not sure I was ever winning against."

Ruby looked at him with somewhat sad eyes and signed [I guess in a way you're half right, I was partially drawn towards Cardin for that reason. I was never able to shake the feeling that even after you have put your past behind you that I was still living up to the idea of a girl that died before I ever met her.]

Jaune grimace and signed out. [Bullshit, I'm well past that point, yes her death haunted me for a long time, but I didn't fall in love with you because you reminded me of her, I fell in love with you because you were the opposite of her.] Jaune leaned forward in his seat [I might have been worried a few times of you ending up dependent on me for your happiness as she did, but you showed me that was never going to be the case.]

Ruby was about to sign something but Jaune interrupted her [Everyone seems to treat me like I'm some broken shell of a person that needs constantly looked over.] He paused looking out the window before he drank the last of his coffee. [Alan just pulled up, I'll ask him to drop you off at home as well.]

Ruby looked outside and saw the Older looking car that the school's principal drove pull up with a sad realization "I failed… I needed him to forgive me so I can get our group back together and I failed…"

Jaune got up signing [I'll try to keep him from suspending your sister, but he's going to ask what happened to my face and I'll have to tell him.]

Ruby sighed and nodded getting up as well before she followed him out of the coffee shop.


Later on, Ruby and Yang met up at her Ruby's house. Ruby enjoyed the sounds of rain hitting the metal roof of the back patio as she sat in her living room with Yang as Tai and Summer were having a quiet conversation somewhere else in the house.

[So yeah, I guess you're suspended for three days from class.] Ruby signed to her sister.

[That is some serious bullshit Ruby, I didn't even slug him that hard.] Yang said defensively. [The son of a bitch had it coming!]

[Yang, you disrupted your own date with your own boyfriend to go out of your way to punch my ex-boyfriend in the face. Yeah I'm a little upset with you right now] Ruby sign. And clear frustration.

[Fine but did he tell you what he said about our dad] Yang signed the back and reply [Where does he get off comparing what our father did to my mom to what you did to him.]

[ Yang to be fair that is kind of what happened in a way.] Ruby signed out to her sister. [At the end of the day I was kind of cheating on Jaune. I mean I have to admit that.]

[Thats Bulshit though Ruby what happened between you and Jaune was way different than what happened between our parents] Yang signed out with clear frustration in her mannerisms [I mean for fuck's sake Ruby he didn't deserve you in the first place.]

[That was for me to decide not you Yang!] Ruby signed back [I mean, what would you have said if I went up to Neptune and said that 'you know you can do so much better than my sister any day of the week'?] Ruby started to angerly pace around the room while continuing to sign. [I mean I bet you would be trying to have my head right now if I did that.]

Yang was taken aback by her sister's words [No it's still different you're my sister you deserve the best in life. You don't need some mentally broken asshole that can't even get over his dead girlfriend.]

[You keep saying that Yang but why do I suddenly deserve the best? Why is it not possible for you to accept that sometimes I fuck and do wrong. I'm not God damn perfect.] Ruby signed as her frustration anger grew. [Goddammit yang Jaune made me happy and I went and... I went and ruined it because I couldn't get over some dumb schoolgirl crush I had on Cardin fucking Winchester.]

Ruby paused to wipe her eyes as she took a second to compose herself before she can continue. [I loved him, I loved him, and I went and betrayed him. What I did was almost no better than what my mom did to your dad.]

[But that's why I wanted what was best for you! That's why I thought you deserve so much more than what that bastard could offer you!] Yang signed to Ruby. [You already had a hard enough life, Ruby you deserve someone that could treat you right. Someone that could do right by you you didn't need some broken boy that was fixated over his dead ex-girlfriend to the point that he tried to kill himself.]

[God Yang, do you even listen to yourself? I was never entitled to some great thing just out of my reach. Or some fairy tale romance.] Ruby got in Yang's face before signing [That's just something you decided for me. The only thing I deserve in life was someone like Jaune that I could be in love with. He did right by me! I'm the one that messed it up.]

Ruby took a few steps back before she signed out again. [Good Lord Yang the way you're talking you're making it sound like Jaune deserves to be cheated on just for being him.] Ruby shook her head in frustration [Do you actually believe that he deserved to be cheated on just because he was depressed? what the hell does that say about you in Neptune?]

Yang was taken back was forced to think about it for a second [The point is I would never hurt Neptune like that, he's been a good boyfriend to me! Hell he's a great guy just all around!]

Ruby stomped her feet in anger causing Tai to poke his head into the room. [I'm clearly not as happy with what I did as you seem to be, I hurt someone I loved, someone I felt like I deserved to be with. One of the few people that put a smile on my face and made tomorrow look bright.] Ruby walked up and shoved yang back a step [Just because he's not some suave and athletic swim captain didn't mean he didn't make me happy. I was a fucking idiot Yang, I took what I had for granted and let someone sweet talk me into straying.]

Yang was clearly shocked and looked at her stammering out a "but I-"

[Stop Yang. Just shut up for ten seconds.] Ruby signed stomping her feet again [I don't know what he said to you that made you take a swing at him but don't ever forget that he could have my life at school hell. He could have easily and justifiably ruined my reputation at school just by telling people why we broke up.] Ruby paced for a second before signing [But apparently he's just telling people 'oh we just drifted apart'.] Ruby broke out into a sob [He was even there for me today, he could have made me walk home in this storm, but he still had Alan drop me off here.]

Ruby turned and shot daggers at Yang [He even fought with Mr. Ozpin the entire time they were taking me home to keep you from being expelled for assaulting a student and pressing charges against you!]

Yang was completely silent by this point by the dressing down his sister was giving her and she didn't have any real way to react.

[Even though I don't deserve it right now, I want to at least save our group. You beating up Jaune is not helping me.] Ruby said.

Yang glanced over at her father "I should get going, I'm sure if your not grounding me my mom will, can you give me a ride home dad?"

Tai nodded "Yeah, pack it in, it's getting late. I was going to talk to you about what happened but Ruby beat me to it." before he left to get his keys

"Yeah okay…" Yang said. [See you at school Monday sis…] before she exited as well leaving Ruby alone with her thoughts.


So if this chapter comes off a bit wonky, I'm sorry in advance, I did about half of the chapter via voice dictation due to some continued issues with my right hand and wrist. Also no helping that, in no particular order, my heating pad, wrist brace, and heatable wrap are all at work since I apparently just forgot to grab any of it.

This chapter should be pretty straight forward otherwise, I almost feel bad for Canon Yang fans though because she took the villain ball hard here, for as close to a villain that I can get in this fic. Your comments were, pretty interesting and not entirely united from the last chapter as well. I always loved reading reader interpretations of events as I try to write it from a neutral perspective but sometimes my own sort of morals slips in here and there.

typhonyx: Yup, I have to admit I didn't even think about how Yang said "It's okay to cheat if you think the other party deserves it" to her boyfriend when I was writing this, good catch there.

Dragon lord Syed 101: That's a good point, I mean Jaune at the end of the day overreacted and dumped his girlfriend, I think he realizes that as well. It's easy to kinda from our perspective see that Jaune overreacted, I'd like to think he's either just not sure how to fix the relationship, or is just unwilling to for a reason that's better explain in a later chapter.

OnlyTheResults: I do like your take on Yang's motivations, I might have been slightly influenced here because of that. But Ruby's main motivation was a need to be shown the kind of affection she didn't get at home that undercuts many of her actions in the story. Jaune as she pointed out, wasn't giving her what she wanted in that respect and when someone did, she fell into it like a drug addict getting a fix. All the way to a broken relationship.

In anyrate, I want to say thanks to everyone for reading as always, and don't forget i'm active on the r/Rwby "Fanfiction corner" with other authors. But most importantly, I hope you have a great day, and i'll see you next time.