Just Act Casually
AN: I wish I could personally respond to guest reviews. Because one of them just still doesn't get that I'm writing Ruby this way for a purpose. The primary purpose is that I thought it would be fun and it has, and the ludicrous amounts of people reading this seem to agree. Anyway, here's the first chapter I actually came up with for this story.
Chapter 4: Party Up
Jaune sat on the couch playing his video game. He wore a stylish button up short sleeve shirt. It didn't exactly feel right for him. It made him feel like a punk kid. But considering he was going out tonight, perhaps it was for the best.
Ruby certainly thought so. She was in the bathroom getting her makeup just right. Jaune had never seen her put this much effort into her appearance. Whoever this guy was, must have had one hell of an impression on her. She had been in an eerily good yet nervous mood all day. Not a minute passed by that she didn't have her scroll in her hand, compulsively checking it every chance she got.
"You know he probably doesn't expect you to reply right away." Jaune teased.
"Ha, ha." Ruby fake laughed. "I just want to be aware of every time he sends me something."
"Like a dick pic?"
"Yeah sure. Why not?"
"What does he send you then?" Jaune asked.
"I don't know. Just, asking if I've had a good day or a good night. He asked how the whole roommate thing has been panning out."
"So, no sweet poetry?"
"No." Ruby raised an eyebrow.
"No, 'wish you were here's with pictures of where he is?"
"No."
"Your boyfriend is lame."
"He's not my boyfriend."
"Boytoy then?"
"Eat a dick." Jaune was about to make the easy counter. "And don't say me first."
"Beat me to it." Jaune submitted.
"Seriously though, did you do that stuff with Pyrrha?" Ruby asked.
"Oh yeah, all the time. She'd get pouty if I didn't. Even so, I enjoyed finding stuff to send her."
"You are such a fucking sap."
"Was." Jaune corrected.
"Oh Jaune, we both know as soon as you get a new girlfriend you'll just do it again." She messed with his hair.
"Yeah, you're probably right." Jaune shrugged. "So, what is with you then?"
"What, I can't be excited."
"Oh, you can be but I've never seen you like this."
"You've also never been at my place when I'm getting ready for a date." Ruby smirked.
"No, but I've seen you talk about boys for hours on end and…I haven't seen you this chipper in a while."
"Everything has just been peachy lately." She patted his shoulder. "Going out with my bestfriend and my…what did you call him? Boytoy?" She rolled her eyes. "Got this lovely apartment. Don't have to worry about a damn thing. Work has been good. Life has been good. It's just all been good."
"It wasn't before?"
"Ya, well…no." Ruby sighed. "It's been a long time since life has tossed me a break."
"What about all those guys you talk about?" Jaune inquired.
"Have you ever seen me with any of them?"
"Oh God, you made them up." Jaune accused.
"No I didn't." Ruby defended. "None of them lasted more than the first date. They weren't worth showing off to my friends."
"Thank you for sparring me the trouble of keeping up with your, owe so complicated love life."
"Hey, it's not like I fuck every guy I date."
"No, just the ones who give you wine, strawberries and cookies." Jaune grinned.
"I hate that I told you that."
"I hate that you told me that too." Jaune countered.
"My rule of thumb is that I only sleep with a guy after the third date." Ruby explained. Jaune thought for a moment.
"Now that I think about it…yeah. That has been your rule of thumb." Jaune put a thumb to his chin. "Why am I just now realizing this?"
"Because even though I treat you like one of the girls, you're not."
"No, but I got the dress to fit in."
"Do you still have that?"
"No." Jaune said. "But I rocked it."
"I wouldn't use 'rocked' as a fitting verb." Ruby's scroll started buzzing. "He's here." Ruby shot up and opened the door.
Oscar stood with a look of disbelief. Jaune could see his eyes tracing every inch of Ruby's dress. After his forest-colored eyes were done taking it in, Jaune made a fake gagging gesture behind her back.
"Well you look lovely today." Oscar took her hand and kissed it. Jaune could almost here the gears in her head grind to a halt. No matter how much she denied it, Jaune knew she was a sucker for those classy romantic gestures. The sigh she let out made Jaune think she might just skip out on the club and melt into his arms right there.
"Can I get you anything?" Ruby said. "Or do you want to leave right now?"
"It's best to get going." Oscar said. "The night is young but my time is short."
"What do you mean?" Ruby said.
"I've got work in the morning." Oscar said. "Like have to be there at five in the morning."
"Well shit man, if this is a bad night…" Ruby whined. There it was.
"Nonsense." Oscar said. "This is my first night in Vale so might as well start my stay off right."
Oscar drove them to the club. Jaune was in the back seat on the way there. Ruby seemed like a giddy teenager. When they got to the club, it seemed to be a good crowd. There were lots of people dancing. Jaune had been here before. He had taken Pyrrha here under a recommendation by Yang. He had regretted it, but still managed to have fun.
"I'll get us some drinks." Ruby said. "Oscar?"
"I'll just have bourbon and water." Oscar answered.
"Rum and coke." Jaune said.
"Of course, you do." Ruby said as she strutted off.
"So, Oscar, what is it you do?" Jaune asked.
"Oh, I do a lot of oversight for the schools." Oscar said. "I come in, inspect stuff. Super bureaucratic nonsense and stuff. Ruby tells me you're a hunter too."
"Yeah though, I haven't done the crazy type missions that she does." Jaune noted. "I'm not as good at this line of work as all my friends. So, I take a lot of the lower risk jobs."
"Hey, someone has to do it." Oscar said. Ruby came back with her drinks. Jaune decided to get out of their hair and dance.
He was good, really good. He had plenty of qualities worthy of being trash talked but dancing was not one of them. Not even Yang with all her posturing could talk shit on him when he hit the dance floor. So much so, that he wasn't the least bit surprised when he caught someone's attention.
"Haven't seen you around." The girl said. She wore a black sweater that hung off her shoulders. She had hot pants exposing her toned legs. Most striking about her, was her erratic green hair.
"It's been a long time since I've come here." Jaune said.
"That explains it." She said. "The name's Reese."
"Jaune." He introduced himself.
"You're a good dancer." She said.
"I know." He gloated. "You're not half bad yourself."
"Thanks. Did you come here with somebody?"
"Yeah, just my roommate and her date."
"Oh, you got a girl roommate?"
"Yeah, but she's sort of one of my best friends." Jaune said. "She needed help and I needed somewhere to crash so I took her sister's old room."
"Sounds interesting." Reese said.
"Yeah, Ruby and I go back a while."
"Ruby? I've heard that name before." Reese thought. "Wait, is this the same Ruby that was in the Vytal Festival awhile back? The one that came to Haven and fought that Cinder bitch?"
"That's her." Jaune said. "I take it you're from Mistral?"
"Born and raised." She spun around. "Came here because work was better."
"I hear that." Jaune nodded. "Ruby and I could have easily just solved our problems by moving elsewhere. I know I could deal with it but I don't think she'd like leaving Vale."
"Sounds like a real home girl."
"She's the pinnacle of a home girl. But enough about her." He took Reese's hand and spun her around. "I'm more interested in you at the moment." A huge shit eating grin crossed her face. The song ended and she dragged him to a table.
"Well there's not much to tell." Reese said as her head rested on her hand. "I could share stories about the jobs I've taken."
"I'd like that. It's always interesting to see what other hunters get up to." He looked her in the eyes and grinned. She sipped from her sparkling drink and laughed.
She then began to tell stories of her missions. She had a lot to tell. It was obvious that she was doing a lot to keep his attention. At some point, Ruby had swung by and passed him his drink without saying a word. Jaune just sat there and listened to Reese ramble on and gave the occasional comment about his own experience.
"It's so nice to finally have someone to talk to." Reese said. "I mean, someone who actually gets what it's like out there."
"I wouldn't know otherwise." Jaune said. "Ninety percent of my social circle are huntsmen and the other ten percent are farmers."
"I take it you live in the agricultural district?"
"Did for five years. Moved closer to the middle of the city when I became Ruby's roommate." He didn't bother mentioning Pyrrha.
"All the people I've been around are punk kids and merchants." Reese said. "So, not awesome."
"I could see why you were so excited to learn I was a hunter." Jaune said as she took another long sip of her drink.
"Life is so fleeting for us hunters." Reese said. "Hard to make anything last when every mission could be your last."
"I used to think that way. But my friends never let me think like that. You have to believe that what you're doing really does help."
"It does for the most part." Reese's eyes followed behind him.
"Hey Jaune." Ruby said as she put a hand on his shoulder.
"Sup Rubes." Jaune said.
"I'm getting out of here."
"Oh." Jaune tried standing but Ruby kept him down.
"No need." She put a key on the table. "I'm, going to go back with Oscar." She slurred. She was tipsy but not quite to the point of being drunk. "He's gotta be up early tomorrow. I didn't want him to just leave."
"Oh, right on." Jaune said.
"I'll be back early in the morning." Ruby said. "Knowing how you sleep you won't even notice I'm gone." She stood back up. "So, I'll just leave you two be. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." She winked. She walked away after that.
"Your roommate kinda kicks ass." Reese said.
"Yeah she's certainly something." Jaune said.
"So, you get the apartment to yourself tonight." Reese said. "Mind if we take our…conversation…over that way."
"Not at all." Jaune knew what she was getting at. This was one of the purposes of going clubbing afterall.
As soon as the key entered the lock they started going at it. It had been a while since Jaune had gotten any. If Reese's passionate kisses were anything to go from, it had been a while for her too. He kicked the door shut behind him.
"You're awesome." Reese said.
"Thanks." Jaune said. "Can I get you anything to drink?"
"I'm good with all that." Reese said. "It's um…been a while." Reese blushed, confirming his suspicions.
"Well then, I'll give you a night to remember." Jaune smirked as he kissed her neck line, prompting a moan.
She gave him bedroom eyes. So, he walked her over to the bedroom. Their lips never parted for more than a breath during the make out session. Jaune was hot and ready and Reese seemed all too eager to have fun for the rest of the night. So, they did.
AN: Yeah, I'm cutting myself off there. There might be a more descriptive love scene later, but it won't be between Jaune and Reese. Why Reese? You ask. Well, there's a fanfiction called You're Awesome. Basically, who it was didn't matter so long as it's someone who isn't part of Ruby's social circle. It could have easily been an OC but, then I would have had a lot more work to do. Same with Oscar, whose appearance is a response to the ridiculous amounts of people that are shipping him with Ruby.