A/N: Creative batteries are low, but this little idea is nagging me. 61 tornadoes in the state in May. 8 of those in my county, 2 within ½ mile of me. 3 more in the city but like 20 minutes away. Two earthquakes, flooding, hail, ect. The local weathermen are basically super stars now. I'm so glad May is iver.
They had done it, somehow through skill, planning or sheer dumb luck they had saved the world. They still aren't sure, two weeks later how or why the entire world knew. It was probably something to do with the literal gods of dark and light making an appearance, magic made about as much sense as anything else at this point. Jaune using his semblance to boost the power of Ruby's silver eyes, purifying Salem and wiping out every grimm in the grimmlands seemed to be all anyone talked about. The news outlets largely downplayed or outright ignored the rest of their teams efforts in the battle. It was a sore spot for the two team leaders, the rest of their team didn't seem to mind.
Their hopes of a peaceful ever after had been dashed the second they set foot out of the grimmlands it seemed. The press swarming the young heroes firing off question after question, taking picture after picture and begging for "exclusives". If the press was out of control, the general public was ten times worse. The two of them had been proposed to several dozen times, and that was just today! Ozpin convinced them to indulge the press. "It's a good way to keep spreading the positive energy and keep the grimm at bay." He had said, so, begrudgingly they allowed a press conference. That was an event to say the least. Yang thrived on the attention as did Nora. The two thankfully fielding many of the questions. Now though, at the after party there was really no reprieve from the constant onslaught, each reporter cornering the members of thee group for one on one questioning disguised poorly as small talk.
There was no hiding behind the punch bowl for Ruby or Jaune. They may have grown into some great huntsmen and huntresses, but the two were as socially awkward as ever. Ren had ninja'd himself into a dark corner where he was largely undisturbed. Jaune had tried to join him but his golden hair made him easy to spot. Yang was talking with reporter after reporter. Blake staying loyally and quietly by her side, she didn't seem too put off by the reporters. Weiss it seemed was in her element, graciously and professionally doing her interviews. The press conference did seem to straighten out the misconception that Ruby and Jaune were the sole heroes, so now the press were racing to fill in the gaps. Oscar, or rather Ozpin handling the whole situation with practiced ease. Nora was bouncing reporter to reporter, eager to sing the praises of her friends.
It was during an interview with none other than Lisa Lavender that Nora noticed the unease of her fearless leaders. Ruby was doing her best to keep up the façade of a professional huntress. The tiny reaper stuttering her way through questions that had somehow turned to romance. Jaune, well he was busy trying to subvert the same line of questioning. Nora happened to know something no one else in their group knew, she hadn't even shared the secret with Ren. She excuses herself from her interview and heads to the dark corner she knows her man is at. Settling at their table she grins at the dark haired man. He knows the look well and sighs. "What are we doing?" He asks her, knowing the sparkle of mischief in her eyes.
"Rescue mission." She states proudly. His raised eyebrow prompting her to point to Jaune and Ruby. He smiles and nods, honestly he was wondering when the two would cave and bail, but they had been steadfast in their convictions about following Ozpins advice so far this evening. As luck would have it the event hall had great black curtains lining the walls allowing their servers to invisibly keep the snack and beverage trays stocked. Ren slips away and behind the curtains returning several long minutes later to report on his recon. There was an unalarmed door to a stairwell on the other side of the room. If they played their cards right.. He trailed off, Nora grinning already understanding. "I'll get Ruby, you get Jaune." Nora decides, Ren nods as the two slip behind the curtains and make their way to their marks. The two unaware socially awkward team leaders making their jobs easy with their penchant for sticking to the edges of the room. With Ren in place and Nora in hers they nod to each other, having decided for no real reason that their "attacks" should be in unison.
Ren holds up three fingers lowering them one by one in a silent countdown. The two lunged out as his final finger dropped grabbing their charges and yanking them behind the curtains. Their hands over their marks mouths. Jaune and Ruby's surprised squeaks giving way to confused whispering. Nora scolded the two saying to. "quiet down and be thankful for their extraction from enemy waters" as the oblivious duo were dragged towards the stairwell door. Ren opened the door and Nora shoved the two in. "Thank me later." She cheers quietly giving Jaune a look and a nod. "K, gotta go, we'll keep the reporters busy!" Nora winks, shutting the door and smiling. "Hey, Nora?" Ren begins. "Nevermind" He decides, maybe it's best if he kept his knowledge secret a bit longer. He was a patient man after all.
The two rescuees in the stairwell were still in shock. "What just happened?" Jaune wonders out loud, running his hand through his hair. He was relieved to be out of the media spotlight for a bit though.
"That's what I was going to ask." Ruby sighs leaning back on the wall. "We'll have to thank them later" She smiles, grateful to be away from so many strangers. "You should have seen the look on your face!" She giggles.
"My face? You looked like you'd seen a ghost!" Jaune laughs.
"Your eyes were the size of saucers!" She laughs harder.
"You were practically a comic character with yours!" He laughs, more. The two devolve into a giggle fit. Jaune recovers first. The sight of Ruby laughing, care free for the first time in so very long brings a sense of ease to his very soul. Suddenly he remembers a conversation he had with Nora, months ago.
It had been a moonless warm late spring night. He was on watch duty and feeling far too restless. The decision had been made as a team hours ago. They were going to advance into the grimmlands in just a few short months. They all knew they may well be signing their own death warrants, they would be lucky if anyone made it out alive. Here in the quiet of the night he began to understand how Pyrrha must have felt all those years ago. The desperate need to make sure to leave with no regrets. Gazing across the campfire he can just make out the silhouette of a peacefully sleeping Ruby. When had it happened, he wonders. When had the tiny beacon of positivity stolen his heart? A tap on his shoulder brings him out of his stupor.
"Remnant to Jaune" Nora whispers, completely amused by her dear friends unusual state. The big goofy grin on his face giving away his thoughts.
"Oh, um, hey, Nora, sorry, I kinda zoned out there for a minute." He rubs his neck, a bit embarrassed.
"Ya know, I kinda figured, but I didn't realize how bad you've got it." She smiles, excitement and mischief written across her face.
"Got what?" He asks, genuinely confused.
Nora rolls her eyes. "You're in love, or at the very least you like a certain someone." She states natter of factly. "You were staring across the fire for at least five minutes." She points out.
He decides to not deny. It. "Yea, but it's not the right time for that kind of thing." He sighs.
She understands completely, she waited too. "When?"
Her simple question sends his mind racing before he comes up with an answer. "After." He decides out loud. "After we beat Salem."
Nora thinks on his answer for a bit. " What if, what if one of you doesn't.." She trails off, voice quivering at the mere thought of losing anyone.
"Then I take my feelings to the grave." While it's whispered its said with such conviction that it causes Nora to gasp. "I'd die defending any of you." He clarifies. "I've gotten a lot stronger, Salem, she's on another level."
"You swear you wont try and sacrifice yourself for any of us?" Nora prods, worried he's slipping back into his old mindset.
"I make no promises, but I don't plan on dying either, after all, I've got a promise to keep." Jaune smiles.
"A promise? To who?" Now Nora is genuinely curious.
"To myself. Once we make it back in one peace, I'll tell her."
"You swear?" Nora pleads.
"On my word as an Arc, but only if you keep this secret, even from Ren." He bargains
"No fair!" Nora whines.
"Is it a deal?" Jaune holds out his hand,
"It's a deal." Nora sighs, she grabs his hand and shakes it smiling nonetheless.
With that conversation on his mind and the solitude the stairwell provides he leans down and kisses her, the laughter stops and her eyes go wide. She doesn't move for a long few seconds, just long enough that Jaune begins to wonder if he threw caution to the wind a bit too soon.
Her mind flashes to a conversation she and Ren had, months ago. The little village they happened to cross was having a Valentine's event. The masses of couples walking hand in hand, and the excitement on Blake and Yang's faces along with Nora practically vibrating in place next to Ren caused her to stop and think about her future. The fact that Ruby had completely ignored the weapons store was enough to draw Jaune's attention. The group had splintered off in several smaller groups exploring. Qrow headed to the bar for a drink, after promising not to get drunk. Maria was content to wander the streets. Jaune, Ruby, Weiss and Oscar left to their own devices.
"Ruby, do you want to check out the weapons store?" Jaune questions, thinking maybe she had just overlooked it.
"No, maybe later." She answers not looking back, still lost in thought, a bit of a silly smile on her face.
The little group stops at a small snack cart. Ruby really isn't hungry, and as her three friends order she wonders off watching the crowds of couples.
"Okay Ruby, we've…Ruby?" Weiss looks around, no hint of her partner anywhere. "Where did that dolt go?" She wonders in amusement.
It doesn't take too long to find her. She's just down the street, watching a cotton candy vendor turn the fluffy concoction into flowers.
"There you are! We were worried!" Jaune sighs, earning a raised eyebrow from Weiss and Oscar.
"Oh, hey guys, I got a bit distracted, watching this is so cool!" Ruby grins, Weiss notes with a smirk as both Ruby and Jaune blush and bluster when the vender confuses them for a couple. The lodges and inns are predictably booked solid and the group decide to camp on the outskirts of town. Ruby had gotten quieter as the sun set and the streetlights cast a warm romantic glow on the town. She had a great view of the goings on from their little hill overlooking the little settlement. She was sitting by herself just taking the sights in and thinking. Ren of all people eventually joins her, he doesn't show it but he's a little bit concerned.
"Hey Ren, the town is really pretty at night isn't it?" She asks quietly, her voice sounding as distant as he figured her mind was.
"It is. Ruby, is everything okay? You don't quite seem like yourself tonight." He asks quietly and gently. Truthfully he had to convince Yang, Weiss, Nora and Jaune to let him be the one to talk to her. He had a feeling he knew what the cause of their leaders quiet state was about. She was more likely to open up to him.
"Yes, no, I dunno." She sighs. Ren stays quiet, knowing her well enough to know she would start talking when she was ready. "It wouldn't be fair, we're going to take the fight to Salem. If the worst happens and I don't make it out alive, it wouldn't be fair." She sighs, turning her head to look at him."
He doesn't need her to clarify, its pretty obvious to him with the way she paid so much attention to the couples over the course of the day. "Is it fair to yourself to deny it though?"
"I guess not, but, he's lost someone already, we saw what it did to him and they weren't even a couple." She searches the crowds again. "If we started being a couple and the worst happened, I'm not sure if he could take it."
Ren smirks, it's a very unRenlike expression and causes Ruby to raise her eyebrow. "What?" She asks, feeling suddenly a bit shy.
"You're being quite candid about your feelings for Jaune. I wasn't expecting you to be quite so open." He explains.
Ruby eeps and covers her mouth. "Oh my gosh! Ren, you can't tell anyone!" She whisper shouts.
"You have my word." He smiles. "You do have to promise me something in return though." His face and voice serious.
"Anything!" She pleads with him.
"Promise to make it out of the grimmlands alive." He levels her with a look.
"I can't promise that. I knew from the second I decided to become a huntress what was at stake. Our tomorrows aren't guaranteed, but, I can promise I will do my best to not, you know."
Ren is thoughtful for a few minutes. "That works for me, will you tell him how you feel after?"
"Yea, I will." Ruby sticks her hand out for a handshake, Ren grabs her hand and they shake on it.
Ruby remembers that conversation shortly after the shock of Jaune kissing her. She relaxes and surprises him, wrapping her arms around him and returning the kiss. When they part the both of them are blushing and looking at the floor. "Well, that's a thing that happened." Jaune quips uncertainly. It makes Ruby forget her nerves a bit and she laughs.
"So, um, what now?" She shuffles her feet a bit, suddenly feeling a bit shy.
"How about we go on a date?" He offers.
"Okay, when?" She looks up to him curiously.
He shrugs. "No time like the present." He rocks on his heels and motions to the door behind him lading outside. Ruby nods a bright smile spreading on her face. Jaune opens the door, holding it for Ruby. "Ladies first." He croons being overly dramatic and bowing as Ruby walks by. The two walk side by side making small talk. Their knuckles brushing with the swinging of their arms. Ruby tentatively, and shyly reaches for his hand. He's a bit shocked and his step stutters a bit before he twines their fingers together, both blushing all the while. It feels natural, and right, but still so awkward at the same time. They end up at a quiet and cozy diner, their nerves easing up as they ate and talked.
Back at the press party the two leaders absence has been noticed, but there are plenty of interviews to be had with the remaining team that the press isn't too fussed. Lisa has made her way to Yang, when the reporter smiles at the dinging of her scroll. "Miss Xaio-long, how long have your sister and Mr. Arc been an item?" She readies her recorder, hoping for a scoop.
"An item?" Yang asks very confused. "They aren't." She shrugs.
Lisa holds out her scroll for Yang to see, several pictures of the new couple on the street holding hands flicker by. Yang smirks. "Hey, Blake?" she calls across the hall. Blake, not being one for shouting her reply walks quickly over to her partner.
"Everything okay?" Blake asks, worry written all over her face.
"You owe me $20. Seems like Vomit Boy finally worked up the nerve to ask. Rubes out." Yang smirks, quite happy in winning their bet.
Blake flattens her ears. "I really thought Ruby would get sick of waiting and make the first move. We won't know until we talk to them, so you may owe me $20!" Blake smiles mischievously.
"Vomit Boy?" Lisa asks.
"Long story" Yang answers casually. The two team leaders laughing in the diner oblivious to the events at the press hall.
A/N: So, this went a full 2k words longer than I imagined. I think I captured the awkwardness of first kiss, date, ect pretty well.