Chapter 5: A Day For the Boys

Beta: ZH_Steven

"—found in the industrial district. Authorities have sectioned off the site, declaring it too gruesome and refuse to comment on potential suspects—"

There was a time when he could sleep in total silence. When the silences of the world were the perfect lull. Not anymore. Now he left the TV on, regardless of how annoying it was to wake up to. He didn't feel as alone, as vulnerable, with a sound to wake up to. The quiet brought things he didn't like to think about.

He might have gone right back to sleep, if not for the stink of his morning breath, or the drool sticking to his chin. Its partner in crime, mister early light snuck through the cracks in his curtain, spraying over his bed and, rather conveniently, into his eye. Wake up, it taunted. Wake up and smell the freaking rosemary. Jaune glanced at his phone—alarm had gone off already. He rarely slept through those. But then again, he hadn't been training to fight monsters before then, and if his sore muscles were any clue, then he imagined this might become more frequent.

Another notification, he swiped up to show it. "Upsy-daisy, you bad boy." Mystery. "We should talk this weekend—you've been too busy for me. Could you perhaps be cheating on me?"

"I don't know. I'll ask the girl laying next to me," Jaune responded, then slid out of bed, tried to work to ache out of his arms, but found he only aggravated it more.

"Lmao, but seriously. What have you been up to? My new school is kinda boring."

Jaune turned on the shower, jumping out of his clothes before shooting a quick response back. "Nothing noteworthy. Catching bad guys, saving the world from monsters and all that."

"Oh yes, so heroic. So very cool." She texted once he was out again. "When are you gonna save me from my pervy homeroom teacher? I have to wear tights because of him."

"Crush his fruits," Jaune responded once he got his uniform on. He looked in the mirror, saw his messy hair, then gave it a shake. Good enough. "Or, you know, report him. I'd suggest the latter."

"How about I seduce him, then take pictures, and extort him for money? That's a get rich quick scheme if I've ever heard of one. Bet he likes feet."

"I'm very worried about you."

"You should be. I have really nice feet."

Caught between a yawn and a laugh, Jaune snatched his bag and hurried upstairs. No smell of burned coffee in the air—sure enough, the coffee machine wasn't on. Aunt Peach was usually up at the same time as him, if not earlier. Did she sleep in? He spied a note on the table.

Morning, baby. Or afternoon if you miss this. Though, I guess you could also miss it twice so evening would apply too… Anyway, I had to run out today for a personal thing, and will be back late tonight. We'll do the operation tomorrow. Yes, you are skipping school that day, but don't think we're making a habit out of it. Also, I just realized I could have just messaged you this. Love you, kissies! Xoxoxo!

And somehow Jaune had read that entirely in her voice and still managed to make himself cringe.

Ping. "So what's new with you, how's your school?" asked Mystery.

Jaune paused a moment to think about it. He'd thought the days would drag, but they were rolling by quickly now that he had something to focus himself on. Already been a few weeks into the year, already adjusted to the school. It wasn't as foreign a place as he first saw it to be. He'd still rather be home.

But up north wasn't so bad, either.

Invading Neptune's house. That was a weird thing to think about, much less plan for with his kook of an aunt. He wondered if that might become a normal thing, diving through closets and underwear drawers to find a way into someone's heart. Sounded like some dirty mistralean magazines with the tentacles. Not that he knew anything about those, of course.

"I pulled the fire alarm on my second day." Jaune responded.

"Really? Quit joking!"

"I'm serious."

"Say I believe you, what would possess you to do such a thing?"

Jaune grinned as he snatched himself a piece of bread for the morning and headed out the door. If the home invasion was a no go, then he'd have to try another angle with Neptune, or try to catch Weiss alone. He supposed he'd figure it out when he got there. "I would tell you. But I like it when you have to guess."

"Meanie."

~A Game of Hearts~

"How'd it go, with the swim club?" Neptune greeted Jaune with that. Looked like he was in an oddly chipper mood. Probably from that girl he was always texting.

Jaune raised both hands in defeat. "Lame. Not my thing."

"Came to that conclusion on the first day, huh?"

Jaune plopped into his seat, no longer glaring when Sun lightly punched him in the arm. He had to get used to eventually, after all. "Its not like there was a lot to consider. Its kinda basic, isn't it?"

"Right…" Neptune said. Except it wasn't right at all. What about the rush of cool water shooting up your spine? Burning muscle with every stroke forward? The focused, damn near mathematical optimization of the perfect dive? The crippling weakness of bad form? Jaune called all of that basic? "There is more to it than you think. It doesn't sound like you gave it a fair chance."

"I mean, its literally just jumping in and swimming as fast as you can, right? I'd rather do something more challenging."

Now it wasn't challenging enough? Maybe it didn't require the brain capacity to solve Rubik's cube, but there was a lot of mentality and physicality that went into it. Way more than he was implying. He could understand not liking the sport, but to say it wasn't challenging? Something hot growled up in his stomach—breakfast, no doubt. He'd had oatmeal this morning. "You just don't get it, dude."

Jaune shrugged. "Guess not."

Sun leaned over. "We hitting The Spot later?"

Stay home with a father that wouldn't talk to him or go into the city with Sun. A tough choice, no doubt. No way could he possibly choose without careful anc calculated thought into all his options. "I'm down,"

"What's The Spot?" Jaune asked.

Neptune wanted to say it might not be his thing—maybe it was a pathetic little revenge jab, but it just didn't seem right that he hadn't seemed to give the swim club a fair chance. What are you even hurt for? The traitorous thoughts attacked. You don't swim anymore, moron.

Sun beamed like the, well, the sun. "Jaune… it might just be time to give you a grand tour. You ready for an adventure after class?"

Jaune nodded, which Neptune wasn't sure he'd fathomed. This definitely didn't seem like something he'd like to do. Jaune kept to himself most of the time-Neptune imagined he was similar outside of school too. "

"Then don't walk home today, we'll give you a lift, huh Nep?"

"We? Are you driving?"

"I mean I could, might end up hanging at the scrapyard than The Spot though." Sun said, "Come on Taxi Neptunia, be our chauffeur!"

Neptune looked between them too. Mostly at Jaune, who had just suddenly grown in an interest in exploring outside of whatever bubble he'd sealed himself in. Neptune might have asked him about it, but figured it didn't matter.

"Alright, guess we're having a road trip."

Sun expressed his excitement quite plainly, and when Neptune met Jaune's eye, he simply shrugged one hand like he had no feeling on the matter and just went where the ocean pulled him. Well, maybe extra company would be a good thing. Not to mention Jaune was a city-virgin, uninitiated in her seductive, enchanting wiles.

"Initiation day?" Sun suggested.

Neptune grinned, especially toward Jaune, who only raised an eyebrow at him. "Initiation day."

"Feels good to get out of the neighborhood sometimes, huh?" Sun said to Jaune.

Jaune wasn't sure if 'good' was how he'd describe it, but damn if he wasn't impressed.

Buildings stretched up impossibly into the sky, a great collective of ingenuity that Jaune couldn't fathom being built by people. Giant billboards effectively doubled as giant TVs, screening advertisements and commercials, somehow intelligible over the din of a fussing world. Horns honked, whistles chirped, booming announcements from the aforementioned giant TVs, even ambient music played from seemingly any and everywhere, making it hard to focus on anything at all. Jaune thought he might have an epiliptic attack, the lights were so frequent—sharp reds, bright blues and greens, shining purples, sparkling yellow. From neon lights to traffic signals to the billions of colors playing on, and he couldn't stress this enough, the giant fucking TVs.

Smells were in the air—food carts were parked at every block, stuffed with crowds of customers, and outside restaurants bustled with action. The roads were packed with cars, and Jaune had a guess that this was the norm. So much clutter in fact that most people didn't bother crossing at the walkway, creating this muddled maze of people passing through the web of cars. Businessmen, messengers, police, even homeless. If it was possible, it existed here—that was the feeling Jaune got.

But he couldn't look away from it. He just… couldn't.

Neptune chuckled, "Relax, none of its going anywhere."

"I…" Jaune gaped, "Why is everyone in such a rush?"

"Getting to work, or hurrying home, I guess."

"At the same time?"

"Hurry up, bastard!" Someone yelled, and Jaune was shocked to go stiff, like he'd seen a monster.

"Use your fucking lights!"

"-Kick your ass, you son of bitch!"

"Turn signal, man! Turn!"

How were Neptune and Sun so calm in all of this? Jaune felt like vanishing into the car seat at the sheer anger in the air, cars honking with rage, people threatening to kill each other, babies screeching, and so much more. Sun was even laughing. "Why is everyone so mean to each other?"

"Cuz they're trying to get to work or go home," Neptune repeated.

"But everyone is! Don't they know that?"

"I don't think they care. In the city, everyone has the same problems but they still think theirs are more important than everyone else's."

Jaune shook his head like he couldn't comprehend it all. The honk from a car made him wince. "I hate it here."

"You'll get used to it, but its a good thing we aren't sticking around long." Neptune said, "You've really never been to the city?"

Jaune shook his head. "Lived out in the country all my life."

"Huh. Can't say I know much about that. What's it like? The country?"

"Not like this," Jaune said, "Its smaller, way smaller. Everyone knows each other." That always felt like enough people to know. Surely all the people here in the city couldn't be real, right? No way could this many people actually exist, right? "And people don't honk at each other like this."

"Its definitely, uh, colder up here."

Jaune quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean? It's way colder where I come from."

Neptune grinned as Sun laughed. "Thats, uh, not what I mean, Jaune."

Sun leaned over the seat, almost leaning too close to Jaune that he in turn inched back. "So, what do they call us city boys where you come from?"

"What do we call you?"

"I mean, like," Sun snapped his fingers to get a better thought. "Like, everyone up here calls the southern folk Wolves. Heck if I know why though. I was wondering if you had a word for us."

Jaune wasn't sure he much liked the idea of being referred to as an animal. It certainly didn't sound like a term of endearment. "I don't think we have a word for city people. I guess we just call them city people."

"You guys keep it simple down there, huh?"

"Doesn't everybody?" Jaune asked.

Sun gave a half-shrug with his hand. "Not up here, no. Least not most people. Its not all bad though. Ever been to an arcade?"

Jaune's eyes lit up. "There are arcades here?"

"And movies, and shooting ranges, and gyms. And then the red light district…"

"Red light district? What's that?"

"Uh, nowhere we can go, Jaune." Neptune gave Sun a glare. "Stop trying to poison him!"

"The city will distort his innocence at some point anyway!" Sun argued playfully, but moved on anyway. "So Jaune, what're the girls like back home?"

Jaune put his lips to the side. "The… same?"

"What? Oh come on, that's the most cop out answer ever."

"Maybe tougher I guess," His sisters were savages all, in their own ways. Even Saphron, who was as close to lady-like as it got. But in a way, he supposed the term Wolves was accurate then, when he considered his whole village. Home did feel like a whole family, while up here just felt… lonelier. And he was the stray that had left the pack. Or kicked out. Still, there was definitely way more things to do up here in terms of sheer variety. It was very easy to get bored back home.

"Might explain where Yang gets it, then. She moved up here from Patch."

Jaune looked at him. "Patch? The island? That's really far."

"Yeah, though I don't think she ever told us why. She came up here when we were all still in second grade. Wish she could've come with us today," Sun then looked at him. "I'm just surprised you said you'd come."

Jaune shook his head. "I was just bored."

"Or you're warming up to us!" Sun faked a gasp, "Could this be… the blooming friendship of three young men, passionately driving into the distance, ready to face the cruel world with heads held high?" Sun stood up in his seat, spread his arms out like a high-soaring eagle. "Oh world, I'm ready! Take me into the beautiful future!"

"Fuck you, man!" someone yelled.

"Yes!" Sun cried with a dramatic flourish, "Fuck you, too!"

If the world was showing its opinion of Sun, it was a mundane one, and yet Sun stood in the face of it anyway. "Should I be worried about him?" Jaune asked Neptune.

Neptune grinned. "I worry all the time. Hey, Sun? Should we show him the Monster?"

Jaune squinted at him. "Do I even want to know what that is?"

Sun dropped into his seat somehow with more enthusiasm than when he shot up. He pointed his finger forward dramatically. "Neptune, you read my mind! The fruits of friendship are watered with grease and manliness! But mostly grease! Onward, my man. Onward!"

They moved maybe five feet before the traffic clogged again.

"Alright, we might be here a while."

"I told you I'm not hungry!"

Sun wasn't hearing any of Jaune's complaints though, dragging him into the restaurant with Neptune trailing calmly behind. He wondered if he should be jealous, Jaune hogging his best friend and all, but it was refreshing to see that at times suffocating sunshine on someone else for a change. Sun was that leech you couldn't quite rip off, but grew fond of somehow. Nevermind, that's a bad analogy.

"One Monsterwich!" Sun said to the cashier, slapping the bills on the counter. "Relax, Jaune. You're gonna love it!"

"It's just a burger, right?" Jaune asked.

Sun had a shit-eating grin to challenge the best of them, even if his only real competition was Yang. The absolute queen of shit eating. Er, maybe he needed to lay off the analogies today.

Sun was practically vibrating in his chair, while Jaune squinted at him as if trying to decipher some secret code. "You only ordered one." he said.

"Yup."

"There's three of us."

"That's right."

Jaune blinked.

Sun smiled.

"What are you planning?"

"You'll see."

Jaune slumped back in his seat, defeated. From there, they set to wait, and Neptune soaked up the greasy smell in the air, the distant sizzle of grills in the back, the unintelligible going-ons of coworkers and customers. They hadn't been waiting long before Jaune's phone went off, and Jaune almost glued his face to it, he beamed so wide.

No better time to ask than now. "Who's the lucky girl?"

Jaune looked up at him, smile slipping. "Who says it's a girl?"

"Girl, guy, eunuch, whatever. No one looks that happy unless they're talking to someone they're into. Trust me," Neptune crossed his arms knowingly. Gods, his phone used to go off by the hour when he was still with Weiss. And he couldn't remember a moment where he was tired of it. Tired of her. And he liked to think she felt the same way.

Of course, that was gone now. His phone didn't go off much anymore.

"Dude, you talk to whoever that is all the time." Sun said, "You even have a special ringtone for her. You probably think you're quiet, but everyone hears you giggling in homeroom."

Jaune blanched. "No..."

"Yeah, its kinda adorable. In a girly, chirpy kind of way."

Jaune looked mortified. "I'm never going back to school. Ever." And Sun's laughter wasn't helping.

"Well tell us about her." Neptune said, "What does she look like?"

Sun followed up. "How long have you known her?"

"How long have you been together?"

"She dark or light-skinned?"

"What's her blood type?"

"She like classical music?"

"Or jazz?"

"When are you getting married?"

"You smash yet?"

Jaune looked in perpetual overload, frantically going back and forth. Neptune raised his fist to Sun, felt him pound back. Never not satisfying.

Jaune grumbled. "I can't keep up with you two."

"But in all seriousness, tell us about your girl, man. We'll be cool about it." Neptune chuckled.

"Come on Jaune, we're your buds. Details."

Jaune eyed them for a moment, looked around to see if someone else was listening in, then gestured for them to lean forward. "Alright, come here."

Oh juicy stuff. Neptune leaned close, and Sun as well, they were all practically breath to breath.

"There are no details!" Jaune barked.

Sun leaned back, feigning disappointment. "I can't even look at you right now."

"Can't even."

It wasn't long before the burger showed up. By now, Neptune had seen it enough times. He, Sun, and Yang made a habit of coming every month to try and finish the whole thing together. TO varying rates of success.

"What…?" Jaune's eyes threatened to burst out of his head. Like a warrior that had seen the enemy and known instantly that his doom was imminent. "How?"

The burger was a titan of a thing. A giant bun that seemed as wide as a wall clock. Then it was tall, with five thick slabs of burger, oozing grease, bubbles popping on the lightly charred meat. Strips of pork Molten mozzarella oozed from between them like a waterfall of milk, spreading into a lava that bedded the tray. The forks and knives set for them didn't seem appropriate, not for a meal like this.

"I never knew burgers could get this big," Jaune gawked. "No one can eat this alone. Why would anyone?"

"That's the point, dude. You eat this burger with your buds, that's the point of it. I even heard if you finish it with your girlfriend, then it means you're soulmates."

"That's just an urban legend though," Neptune said. Then again, he and Weiss hadn't had the burger together, so how would he know?

Jaune blinked at the Monsterwich like he couldn't understand it. Slowly, he picked up his knife and fork, swallowed like he was preparing himself for the challenge of his life. He was right to.

"Hold up, we gotta toast." Sun said, raising his fist to the middle of the table. Neptune brought his up too, now waiting on Jaune. Slowly, Jaune raised his fist to meet them in the middle. Geez, did he have to make it so awkward? Still, he'd done it though. That was something.

"You actually did it," Sun grinned.

"What?"

"I just thought you wouldn't."

Jaune looked to think about that. "I just want to get this over with." But there was hunger in the way he looked at the burger. "I'm not doing this again!"

"Oh sure, sure." But knowing Sun, he'd probably get him to do it again. Give him an inch and it was over for you. "To friendship or something!"

"Is this it?" Jaune asked

For a place called The Spot, it wasn't particularly easy to… well, spot. A place so externally drab that even after years of coming here, Neptune sometimes found himself lost amongst the samey buildings. Parts of the plain black wall were kissed with graffiti art and the streetlamp had stayed in that constant state of flickering death as it always had, even in broad daylight. He could see people on the walkable roof, leaning on the rails, sipping their drinks, shouting this and that. That was the only real indication that this building wasn't outright empty. Why Lola never bothered to put up a sign to distinguish the place was beyond him—at some point it became a part of the place's charm.

They got out of the car and headed inside, and Neptune waved at the man sitting a dingy table outside the door, rather shameless reading a porn magazine while he gnashed wetly at a stem of wheat. "Hey, Price." Neptune said, pulling out his ID.

"Vasilias, Wukong." The man didn't even look at them. Not even a glance. "Who's the wolf?"

"New guy, he's our friend, so be nice."

"Ain't nice to no one, brat. You got your ID, boy?"

Jaune showed him his card. Price frowned down at it, snorted up, then spat the contents in a can on the table so hard that it spun around. "Jaune Arc, hm. Name fit for a joker like ya. 'Member that this is a kid's club first n' foremost. We don't serve no alcohol and if I catch ye bringing any Dust around here?" Price's foot smacked down on the table, hard enough that his spitting can did a flip. "I'll break my trusty boot off in your ass. Capiche?"

Jaune worked his mouth, but nodded.

Price grinned, showing a black gap in his yellow teeth. "Ain't that a sight? A Wolf that don't bite right away. I'll be keeping my eye on you, kid."

Neptune called Jaune to follow them inside, and once the door was closed behind them, he waited for it.

"What's that smell?" Jaune huffed.

Battle. A war for dominance, as Neptune liked to think of it. From the rot of the nearby bathrooms to the thin smoke of cigarettes. From the fruity perfumes and sharp colognes to the misty wet of a sometimes working air conditioner rattling madly above the bar. A mix of good and bad, just like everything else.

The bar was the most distinguishing feature, a big white half-moon standing in hard contrast to the dark floors and walls, a neon-lit shelf with thousands of different, non-alcoholic bottles sitting just behind it. There was no organization to the tables or chairs, scattered around the open floor without any real consideration. All parked before the big stage with the dark blue curtains pulled back and a kid strumming at his guitar on a stool while others relaxed on the stage. Normally Lola didn't allow that, but they weren't busy today. It was never busy on weekdays.

Jaune was blinking as if he thought the place wasn't real. Neptune had thought so himself long ago. "Is this a night club?"

"Used to be. Forgot the name it used to have. But its been called The Spot since I was a kid," Sun said. "Now its actually a club for us. Minors. Entry caps at eighteen."

"What do you… do here?"

"Chill, for the most part. Some days we have bands come in, sometimes we have dances and parties, and its open till ten."

A couple were making out in the hallway near the restrooms and Neptune felt a wave of nostalgia hit him. Awkward place to lose your virginity—a stinky bathroom stall. But when you were that hungry for it, everything seemed magical. Cara, that was her name. And as a first experience, he wouldn't exactly have called it life-changing, not the way he'd fantasized it being. Crazy thing, hindsight. "I'm pretty sure it was built so students would have places to hang out, uh, appropriately. But, that doesn't always work out. That's what Price is here now." Neptune shrugged, "And Lola keeps a fair eye on it, so nothing really illegal goes on."

"Lola?"

Jaune nearly doubled over when someone's big gut came crashing into him. A mountain of a woman, big-boned, big-jawed, and a frown so intimidating that Neptune often wondered if he pissed himself whenever he looked at her. "Back again, boys?"

"You know it, Lola." Sun helped Jaune up. "And we have new meat. This is my man, Jaune."

"I'm not your man," Jaune brushed himself off.

"Totally my man—anyway, he's new in town. So we're giving him the tour. Had him eat a Monsterwich and everything."

Lola's expression did not change, though she did begin thumbing her chin with her long red nail. "You from the South, boy?"

"What's it to you?" Jaune grumbled.

Lola smirked. "Gotta mouth on this one. I'd say I can't wait to break it in, but we aren't on that side of town. Thank your lucky stars. And thank them again that Miltia's at the bar—she's the nice one."

"Melanie not working today?" Neptune asked. Cute girl, fiery, and lord the tongue on her. Er, her silver tongue, anyway.

"Nope, passed out in her room. Girl can carry her vodka, but her crashes ain't pretty." Lola turned to head off. "But I ain't her mom, she can do what she wants. You boys take care."

At the bar, Neptune nodded at Miltia. Quiet girl, but she was nice enough, so long as nice meant not antagonistic. Honestly, he could never tell if Miltia hated him or not. But part of him was glad for that too—he knew she and her sister had some bad blood with Yang. Shit, he should've warned Jaune about this. What if he said the wrong thing to her? It could get him kicked out.

Or maybe not.

Without even exchanging a greeting, Jaune took a seat at the bar. Met her eyes. Some kind of understanding passed between them, a silent exchange of eyes, as if they understood each other's souls. She slid him his drink without asking him what he preferred, he mouthed his thanks, and Neptune swore he saw Miltia smile just a hint.

"What'll it be, you two?" But if that had been a smile and not just a figment of his imagination, then it was gone as she turned to them.

"Nice to see you too, Mil." Neptune said, "We always get the same thing, you know."

"What'll it be?" Miltia repeated.

Neptune sighed. He was sure she only treated him and Sun like this because of whatever problems existed between her and Yang. Still, it was much more preferable to Melanie. She was the closest thing to evil he'd ever come across.

Soon enough, they had their drinks, and the boys sipped in silence. Only the sounds of Miltia washing glasses, taking orders, and the distant playing of the guitarist. Only a light strum, but it was music all the same, enough that Neptune could bob his head to it.

"I guess I expected it to be a little more on the wild side," Jaune said.

"Friday and Saturday nights," Sun sucked his drink dry. "Either the best nights ever or the worst. Its a dice roll. Sometimes we get cool bands, fights happen sometimes, when there are raves there are sometimes mosh pits," Sun rubbed his cheek, "Uh, don't try those. And the music isn't always great."

"Sound alright now." Jaune said. And Neptune noticed his shoulders had loosened, relaxed. Normally so taut and aware like a cat on the hunt, it was nice to see that shell soften up a bit.

Even Sun didn't feel the need to say much beyond a few passing comments, Neptune could just lean in his seat and watch all the nothings go on. Nothing else mattered right now. Suddenly, the weight in the back of his mind didn't feel so monumentous, and he even dared to think that his problems weren't as big a deal as he thought they were. He'd needed this, and prayed it lasted forever. It wouldn't, but he could still pray.

"Say Jaune, you really didn't like the swim team?"

Jaune looked at him sideways. "I realized it just wasn't my thing."

"Give it another try. I promise its more than you think it is."

"Did you used to do it?"

Neptune wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it, but he saw no choice now. "Uh yeah, for a while."

"Oh hey, I see Charley over there. I'm gonna hit him up." Sun said all of sudden. Neptune gave him a look, but Sun gave him a knowing grin.

"A while?" Jaune implored.

"Yeah," Neptune said, recalling it all. "Its hard to explain. The way you swim, the technique and everything. You have to turn your head side to side, control breath in short and quick bursts, strike at the water and guide yourself through, not force it. You need to take care of your skin and even your swimsuit is an important factor," He'd liked that process, loved it, obsessed over every little detail. "And the pool itself… man, its something else. I just love the water, I feel like anything can happen in it. I like it when its warm, when its cool. And I was so…" He was so good at it. So good that he couldn't mention it without feeling like he was bragging. Like his dad said, you had to acknowledge what you could do better than others if you were going to be honest. "And I think, if you wanted to try, you might enjoy it too. Like I did."

"You don't do it anymore?"

"No."

"Why?"

Neptune swirled his drink with his straw, rolled his head back. "I got bored, that's all. I did it for two years and then stopped enjoying it. Does that make sense to you? Maybe you wouldn't get it."

Jaune stared at him for a moment, then swirled his own drink. "No, I wouldn't."

A moment of silence passed between them. The guitarist's friends had started dancing to his music, two singing the lyrics as awfully as they could manage. Neptune remembered doing that himself. The stupid singing with Sun, Sage, and Yang. And the dancing with Weiss. First time he took her here, she admitted to hating it and hadn't changed her mind on it later either. Still, she'd come with him. Just to make him happy. Neptune swallowed a rock.

"I don't like water," Jaune admitted.

"Huh? Then why did you want to try swimming?"

"I wanted to find out why I don't like it. I think I used to like it… but now, I can't stare at it for long. A pool, a lake, the ocean, no matter what I just feel like getting away from it."

"Could be a phobia. Best way to conquer those is to face them," Neptune said, "We should all face our fears sometimes."

"Not if we stay far enough away."

Neptune chuckled a bit. "Isn't that the truth?"

"And I'm back," Sun said, "I miss anything?"

Neptune and Jaune looked at each other, then shrugged. Sun gave Neptune a small smile, one that would require he explain what they talked about later. But for now, they returned to just relaxing.

"~People come and they gooo~" The guitarist and friends sang, "~Some people may stay with you though~"

It was subtle, but Jaune was actually into the music, Mouthing the lyrics as he nodded to the sound. Neptune noticed his fingers drummed his cup to incredible timing to the music, almost expertly.

"You're real good at that." Miltia said, drawing Jaune's attention. Smoothly she plucked his cup and refilled it. "With your fingers, I mean."

"I… guess," Jaune said. "Can't be that impressive."

"Talented hands can do a lot of things." She said as she leaned toward him, resting her chin in her palms.

"You dance a little?" Neptune asked, though he noticed Miltia gave him a sidelong glare. He had done something?

"Not really." Jaune said, then he muttered. "Not anymore."

"You never had dances at your old school?"

"Some. I never went to mine though," Jaune rolled the cup in his hands. "My older sisters would take me to theirs if they didn't have boyfriends—I learned from that."

"You have siblings?" Sun asked, "Never had the luxury. My parents stopped at one."

Neptune's had too. Sometimes, he wondered what it'd be like to have more company than his father in the house. He used to think he'd hate it. But now, even just having one extra person might make staying at home more bearable.

"Its eight of us altogether. I'm in the middle," Jaune grinned a little bit. "Its hell, in a house with no other guy but your dad."

"You have seven sisters?" Sun whistled, "I can't imagine that."

"In my experience, guys who grow up around girls know better how to treat them." Miltia grinned, she inched just a bit closer to Jaune, subtly. Tracing his wrist with her finger. Either he hadn't noticed or didn't care.

But seven sisters, an actual litter of wolf cubs. "Well, good thing you have us for guy stuff. Everyone needs that. Girls can drag you down sometimes, you know."

Miltia humphed. Short hair fluttering as she snatched his cup away. "You just have poor taste in them. Little Miss Schnee must've really busted your balls, huh playboy?"

Sun waved her off. Then must have noticed Jaune was looking his way questioningly. "Uh, don't worry about her. She's just talking crazy, like always."

"I wasn't worried." Jaune said with a shrug, "What do you mean by guy things? Like, monster trucks or something?"

Sun laughed. "No, like video games or basketball or something. You play games?"

"I have the Gamestation Five," Jaune shrugged. "I don't have any games for it though."

"Seriously?" Sun gawked. "Dude, I can't let that stand. We need to get you some games, asap. Is that old game shop still open?"

"Should be."

"You play too?" Jaune asked.

Some. Not many. But with all the free time he had, he'd decided to at least try to get into it. Played shooters online with Sun, as well as some fighting games, though he wasn't good at them.

"Well come on, let's go before they close!" Sun yoinked Jaune up, nearly made him spill his drink, and slapped money on the table. "Thanks, Mil. Marry me one day."

"Fall in a hole, Sun." Miltia frowned.

"Only for you!" Sun called over his shoulder, dragging Jaune along, arm slung around his neck. Neptune close behind. "Now what do you like to play? Shooters? RPGs?"

"You're choking me," Jaune bleated. "And you're sweaty!"

"MMOs? Why am I not surprised? I'm thinking... Remnant Raiders 4. Four's the newest but it sucks. Three is still alive and kicking though. You game?"

Jaune fought for air.

"I couldn't agree more. Jaune this is the start of a beautiful online career. Full of clutch wins, efficient teamwork, and lots and lots of busted controllers and blacklistings. Come on, don't drag your feet dude!"

Neptune shook his head the whole way as they left.

Smiled the whole way, too.

~A Game of Hearts~

"S-so which one do I play first?" Jaune had a tough time keeping up with Sun. Though that was hardly a surprise by now.

They were sifting through two big bags, stacked to bursting with enough games to give the company a hernia. He and Sun were looking through them all, Sun explaining them one by one, while Jaune asked questions. The answers never seemed to be enough, as there was always more to talk about.

Neptune was just glad to see it. Jaune was normally so quiet, but he'd been very active all day. And he could tell that made Sun happy, since he hadn't stopped talking for hours. Even he had his limit.

"Dragon Force first. Beat that this week so we can talk about why it sucks."

"Why do you want to talk about something that sucks?"

"I need more people to validate my opinion. And so I have more people to gang up on Yang when she defends it. Love her, but her taste in games is trash. Alright, now Super Ninja Warrior , that's a sweet Rpg, got an awesome campaign and side quests, but kinda long. Take your time with that one."

"Okay, what about this one?"

"Oh," Sun adopted a face of pure disgust. As if he was looking at shit incarnate, "That's The Very Few of Us Remaining Two. My bad, thought it was the first one." Sun tossed it over his shoulder and out the car. "It's trash, don't worry about it. Never should've won game of the year. Now, Sidewalk Brawler, that's a good one. Play Sonmo first, he's the easiest character and can teach you the fundamentals."

"Play Sonmo first…" Jaune mused. "Okay, what about these two?"

Neptune grinned to himself, just listening to the two of them go on as he drove. Pink was on the horizon and the sunlight was starting to vanish over the rooftops. The noise of the city had long vanished, and the roads split off into the quiet suburbs once more. It went by much too fast, much too soon for his liking. Part of him wanted to park somewhere, jump in the back and just talk games for a few more hours. Anything but pulling into his own driveway. But he'd have to go home soon anyway, right?

Or he could not.

Why did he have to go back? He could just stay over at Sun's. His parents loved him and Sun definitely wouldn't mind. Why go back home just to sleep in that tenuous air? Why have to awkwardly walk past his old man without so much as a hello or goodbye? His dad could have the house to himself a few days, maybe he could use that time to go fuck himself with no wife to do it for him. A heat pooled in Neptune's stomach, a sickeningly good feeling heat.

"Sun, mind if I crash tonight?" Neptune said.

Sun gave him a small look. "You sure? I mean it's not a problem but your dad—"

"He'll be fine," Neptune cut him off, ignoring Jaune's confused glance. "Lemme just grab some stuff I'll need. Then I'll drop you off, Jaune."

He didn't respond, but Neptune figured he'd take that. Felt bad enough that he'd ruined the mood somewhat. Not a problem, the day could still be salvaged.

He pulled into the drive, left the engine running and hurried inside. Part of him wanted to stop. To take a breath, but every second in that suffocating house was a second too long. He hurried up into his room—damn humiliating, not wanting to sleep in his own bed. Felt too much like a trap. Then glanced at the baseball bat sitting in the corner, remembered that brief fascination, before ultimately choosing swimming. He kept it though, just to remind him of it at times.

A bag and some clothes later and he was ready to go, but he stopped when he glanced at his desk. At the slightly broken drawer on the right side. The one that made a squeaky-scraping sound when he pulled it. He touched the handle, dragged it open just a bit… then stopped. No. No need to ruminate over that. The last thing he wanted was to be crying at Sun's house. As if I hadn't done it already.

Neptune stopped just outside his room when he heard sniffling down the hall. His dad's room. Not worth it, he told himself, but his emotions got the better of him. He found the door wide open, his father inside, staring at a photo. At the photo. When mom was still there. The boy inside told him to go hug his father, like he'd done many times, and would still readily do, at least before things changed. " I'll be at Sun's tonight."

His dad didn't say anything. He never did. What did he expect? Neptune thought to just leave, but something flared up inside. "You could say something, at least."

His father instead stared at the shelf on the wall. The one he'd built himself. The one with the trophies. Neptune's trophies. First place in year one. First at a local competition. First at state swim meet. Firsts all across the board. Each one tied to an arduous, long process that Neptune used to look back on with pride. The trophies themselves never mattered, not more than the sheer fact that he'd earned them. Just succeeding was enough then.

Just having his dad hug him, congratulate him, say that he was proud to have him as a son… that was everything.

"This how you spend your time now, huh?" His old man said gruffy. "Goofing off with your friends, when you could be working on your career? School won't last forever. You do understand that, don't you?"

"I'm just hanging out with Sun like normal. Like I always did. You never had a problem with it before."

"You mean when you had more common sense? You have all the talent in the world and the drive to match and you just want to let it all go? Make all the time and money and effort I put into what you wanted pointless?"

"Maybe I wanted to do something else, Dad. Have you ever thought about that?" Neptune's fist curled. His face was rising in temperature.

"You were good at what you were doing. Why let your skills go to waste? You could have been great, Neptune." His father looked him up and down, frowning like he was looking at some broken tool beyond repair. "Look at you now. You're pathetic."

Only took one word, but it made his heart crack all the same. Neptune slung his bag up, frowned at the trophy case. "I'll see you in a few days, Dad."

Neptune nearly stepped out, but he heard his father call out to him. "I won't be the father to a loser, you hear me? You want to go and tramp around with your stupid friends? That little slut? Go right ahead. And when she breaks your heart, don't you come crying to me!"

Neptune hurried downstairs, then outside and ignored the door, but he barely reached the car before his dad called out again. Now rushing up to the door. "Hell you think you're going with my car, huh? I didn't buy that for a fucking loser!"

Neptune lowered his head, if only to avoid the shocked glance of Jaune. Or the unshocked glare that Sun probably shot toward his father. It was humiliating, it was unfair, but what was he to do? That was his father and it was the car he'd bought. He'd given up everything else. What was the difference now?

He took the keys out of the car, then went back up to the door and handed them over, wishing he'd slammed them into his grip instead. Could it be hate that he saw in his father's eyes? The raw vitriolic rage that he often directed toward his wife, now thrust on him? It made him feel like a traitor. A liar who refused to make his father happy. Even now his words echoed in his head, stung, made him want to blubber like a sniveling child.

"I don't know who you are anymore,"His father said.

Maybe you never did, Neptune wanted to say. But he didn't. That was his father. There was nothing he could do.

Neptune hurried on down, thankful his dad decided to storm back in the house, his heart lurching when the door slammed shut. Already he felt tears welling up as he clutched his bag. "Sorry, Jaune. I can't drop you off."

Jaune blankly stared at him. "I'm just down the street, it's fine."

There was a small bit of silence as they all stood there. Neptune on the verge of tears, he could feel them coming. "Let's go, dude." he said to Sun, "Sooner we're outta here, the better. I might stay… longer than I thought."

"Gotcha," Sun said, coming to his side. Always a comfort, having him there. The only one who didn't pressure him, who wasn't disappointed to see him. Who cared. "So uh, yeah, see you at school. Ended Force, alright?"

"Jaune," Neptune looked up at him. "Sorry for this, for ruining today. If you could, just don't mention this to anyone. Please."

Jaune shifted uncomfortably. "Mention what? I was looking at the box covers so I didn't see anything."

Neptune managed to crack a weak laugh, though he wondered if it came out more as a sob. His father was right, he was pathetic. Today started out so fun. How was it that the whole day could be so good, and it just took one bad thing to bring it all crashing down? It wasn't fair on Sun. It wasn't fair on Jaune. And it sure as hell didn't feel fair on him.

But, if he wasn't such a disappointment, maybe things wouldn't be this way. If he hadn't failed his team in the first place, things might be different. Maybe if he'd never met Weiss in the first place, he'd still have everything he used to have.

Maybe his dad would still love him. God knew he had no mother to do so anymore.

Neptune turned to walk off, Sun wrapping his arm around his neck. Warm and always there. Part of him wanted to keel over and cry right there. You'd think, after enough times, he'd get numb to it. He wished he could grow numb to it.

"Hey, Let's play some Castle Raid, I got the new update." Sun said, hand rubbing his shoulder. "You game, man?"

"Yeah," Neptune nodded. A night of video games, maybe tonight could be salvaged after all.

But he wasn't counting on it.

The bags of games felt heavy in his arms. Maybe they'd always been and he was just now noticing. Or maybe his shaking hands were making it hard to keep a grip. Jaune watched Neptune and Sun walk away, how Neptune's head fell, how his shoulders hunched, and he could imagine his face crumbling. The hot tears spilling. He could feel it himself, painfully so.

He understood it all too well, wanting so badly to be angry, to hold back the tears so you didn't look weak, so the one that hurt you didn't conquer you. Even when you knew deep inside that they had you beaten. That they stripped away your power.

Why hadn't he asked what was wrong? That was the whole point of hanging out with them. To probe Neptune for information. But the day had just slipped away from him. Right in that moment, he could have asked Neptune what the truth was…

But how could he? Hadn't his father hurt him enough? No way could he try to wrestle answers out of him like that. He'd be no better than a monster.

"Not if you can stay far enough away." Why had he said that? He wanted to jump backwards in time and punch that Jaune in the face. Or storm up to Neptune's door and punch the only person behind it.

Jaune's phone pinged. His aunt. "I'm on my way home. Ready for tomorrow?"

Jaune's hands stopped shaking immediately. He typed his response before heading off home, made sure to look back at Neptune's house to ensure he didn't forget it.

"I can't wait."

The song lyrics belong to a song in Person 5 Royal called No More What Ifs. For those that want to know. Otherwise, there's not much else to say for this chapter. Hope you're still enjoying the read and see you in the next one.