Arc 2 - Chapter 30 - I'm In Love With The Shape of You

Ruby lay in bed on that hot weekend day and thought about her life. She was thinking about that a lot lately, on account of it being in total shambles.

Her room was packed and ready for the moving truck. The room she'd had all her life. Everything else in the house was packed, too. Everything she had ever known in life. Very soon, only the shell that was this two-story colonial style house would remain, and Ruby wished she could take that with them also. She looked at the markings on the wall by her door, marked with her heights from all stages of her life since she could walk. She looked at the black mark in the wall that had gotten there when she reorganized her room a few years ago, remembered hating it, and still did, but even that swell of hatred upon looking at that mark had become synonymous with home. The bumps and grooves in the ceiling from a bad paint job filled her with nostalgia now, as she picked out the imaginary drawings connecting the bubbles. And all of this was just in her room. Ruby wished she could take the creaking bottom step on the stairs, the front door with everyone's painted handprints, and all the little aspects of personality that made this great construction of brick and wood her home.

They could never be replaced. Not ever.

Ruby chuckled to herself. In a way it was a twisted sort of irony. She had wished for so long for her family to move on. To not let Mom's death drive them into greater misery. It seemed now she would get her wish. At the uncompromising command of people much more powerful than them, they were being made to leave behind the house her mother had helped make. The kingdom she had built. And no one, not even Ruby, wanted to leave.

Moving on is not that simple, Jaune had said that night at dinner. There's no replacing what's lost, after all. This new home, even if it was only a few neighborhoods away, would not be the same.

Ruby tried to think positively though. Maybe not being the same was a good thing, maybe being in a different house would be helpful to everyone. Sure, she felt heartbroken right now, and it might take a while to get over it. But they could mark new memories on the walls of the new house. They could break in those stairs. Paint over the new door. Things would be different. It would look and smell and feel different, perhaps for a really long time.

But Ruby tried to have hope that this new house could be home one day, too.

A hasty knocking came at her door, and Ruby knew right away that it was her sister. And the news she brought could be either great or horrible. These days, it was hard to tell what was more likely.

"Come in!" Ruby called.

Yang hurried in, looking out of breath, but wide eyed and full of energy, like she needed to go somewhere now and couldn't waste another moment.

Ruby sat up. "What's going—"

"Uncle Qr ow!" Yang heaved, "He's awake!"

Ruby saw her own frown of disgust reflected in Cinder's face as she approached the desk.

Unlike in many anime she'd watched, fighting side by side and surviving situations of great peril together, did not make you fast friends with a stranger, such as Cinder. Nor did it draw you particularly closer to those you were friends with already, like Neptune. The older woman instead had graduated to this space of awkward trepidation, ever on Ruby's watch for the next thing she did to shift her opinion, be it for the better or worse. Ruby still thought Cinder was the closest thing to a horrible person she had ever seen. But she'd seen a fraction of a percentage of decency, even if it was only once. That had to count for something.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite person in the world." said Cinder, "Hardly need to ask why you're here."

Ruby refrained from saying anything smarmy. She was not here for her. Dad and Yang were grabbing food so it would be just her going up to meet Uncle Qrow. She spied the bruise on the side of Cinder's eye, or rather the near-healed scar left behind.

"Is your eye okay?" Ruby asked, not really wanting to, but figured to try presenting some courtesy.

"I dare say you'd enjoy my pain if it wasn't."

"No, I wouldn't. It might be hard to believe but some people spend their every moment thinking about you."

"Well, it will heal, thank you so much for your concern."

Ruby supposed there just wouldn't be a point where they could be civil with one another. Cinder seemed like that type of person you could pay a genuine compliment and she would twist it in her screwed up head until it became an insult. Still, if nothing else, while her family wasn't here, she had a few questions for her.

"Back in my uncle's heart world, that stuff you said, when we were waiting for Jaune to come back. About Miss Peach?"

Cinder adopted a crooked smirk. "My apologies you had to see me in a less than graceful state. I make it a point to at least appear sane."

That was strangely funny, but Ruby would not give her the pleasure of a laugh. "What you said about Miss Peach. Did you mean it?"

"Is it true, do you mean? Come now. Do you take me for a liar?"

Ruby gave her a flat look.

"I am far more honest than you might think. But yes, it's true."

"You said she birthed a monster."

"Did I now?"

"I've never seen Jaune's mom before. I thought Peach was, until I was told otherwise. But… she really is his mom, isn't she?"

Cinder leaned toward her, amber eyes narrowing into a glare sharper than a knife's edge. "I suggest you keep that information to yourself. It wasn't meant for your ears. Nor is it meant for anyone else's. Most especially Master Peach's beloved nephew."

Ruby at first thought to ask why such a truth was being kept from Jaune in the first place, but it was none of her business. If there was anything she'd learned lately, it was that life was a lot easier when you didn't know everything. She certainly would have preferred to go the rest of her life having no clue about the organization's existence. Nowadays, she felt their eyes everywhere. "What did she do that made Jaune… well… the way he is?"

"I cannot tell you."

"Why?"

"Well, my dear old master made me swear to keep that admission safe. I owe her nothing, but I am a woman of my word. If for the sake of my own integrity."

"Even when you're doing a good thing, you're only ever out for yourself."

"That is the case for us all, girl. Don't pretend otherwise. Oh I'm no fool, your misguided affection for my master's nephew is entirely self-serving."

"Unlike you, I care about him."

"Why?"

Ruby paused. Why? She had never really thought about that. She'd never expected to be asked, or even have to ask herself, why she liked someone. "Because he's a good guy. He cares about people."

"He cares about you, you mean?"

Ruby felt her fingers start to curl into a fist. It was with a bit of shame that she wondered if she could open up that wound on Cinder's face with a good punch. "What are you saying?"

"What you feel, girl. It is not love, despite what your loins may tell you. And those traits you adore so much? You can find them anywhere. Despite my general cynicism, most people are at least decent. You've known that boy for how long? Three weeks? Oh certainly. Jaune is caring and considerate, and all the things which get you so hot and bothered, but his affection is not limited to you. What is it that you like about him? What is it that you know about him?"

Ruby felt her fist slowly uncurl. She found herself swallowing hard, like she'd take a hefty pill without anything to wash it down. She hadn't considered these things before. Definitely didn't expect to hear it from Cinder of all people. Yes, Jaune was kind and caring, even if he liked to pretend otherwise. They had similar hobbies and experiences. He'd been there for her when she'd been so, so lonely. But were those the only reasons she liked him? What else was there to like? What did she know and like about Jaune beyond those admittedly surface level features?

Could this… attraction she felt for him be as shallow as Cinder was suggesting?

Ruby started to feel her lips tremble, her eyes warm, then summoned enough strength to keep back her emotions. She gave Cinder her iciest glare, one Weiss would have been proud of. "I don't need to explain myself to you."

Cinder adopted a cruel grin as she interlocked her fingers and rested her chin on them. "That's fine. I know what I need to know."

Cinder was baiting her, Ruby knew. And yet, the lure was too strong. She felt like a fish that bit the hook, then was set free, only to go back and bite that same hook again and again. "And what's that?"

"That your affections for that boy stem entirely from your loneliness. The lack of love from your family. You needed affection, attention, and Jaune filled your cup with sweet, sweet honey. Of course you desire him. He is the only one in a long time who has shown any relative interest in you." Cinder's smile dropped in a flat frown. One that appeared neither condescending nor judgemental. It was as if she was simply laying out a scientific fact. "But you do not know that boy. You do not understand who he truly is."

"But you do?"

"Oh, hardly. I am as in the dark as you, even with what I've been told. Still, I have seen the layers beneath the cold exterior. I have seen that flame which burns so wrathfully. And I can say with confidence that you will not like what you find there." She raised an eyebrow. "I wonder, will you still covet him when you learn just how broken he truly is?"

It was getting hard to refute her claims, even despite it being sprung on her like this. Ruby thought of when she'd first seen Jaune in the heart world. Fighting that massive Grimm, laughing in the face of death, relishing the violence. A different person, she'd thought then. Or was it?

Ruby released a huff that hopefully did not come out a defeated sigh. "How about you mind your own business?"

Cinder raised her hands in surrender, quite as if this were all some innocent joke. "My my, even my offering fair advice and warning to my fellow woman is to go unappreciated." She wrote up Ruby a visitation tag and passed it to her. "But I am not being cross with you. As I said, I am more honest than I appear."

As Ruby walked away and toward the elevators, as she walked through the halls alone, she could not banish Cinder's words. They played over and over in her head like a record player on loop.

They made her think.

Ruby slowly pushed the door open and entered the room, hoping not to scare her uncle. Hoping not to scare herself at the sight of him. She had no idea what to expect, and that was nothing less than terrifying,

Especially since she discovered Uncle Qrow already had company.

Miss Peach.

He sat at his bedside, looking very much like an old friend simply checking in on a friend who'd gotten a little too drunk at a party. But there was no laughter, like there might be some at the retelling of fond memories. Nor were there relieved tears at seeing him awake, when it had not been certain if he ever would. Instead, she looked rather intense, serious, driven, as if there was a mission of the most dire circumstance that she had to tackle that had come to her attention.

Andvwhile Ruby did not make out what they were saying, she imagined whatever it was could not be good.

Then Peach's gray-blue eyes found Ruby's, and like magic, a motherly smile replaced the grim frown as easily as painting over pencil work. Soon after, Uncle Qrow turned to her, too.

Ruby felt her heart sink at the sight of him.

His face was a little more sunken than it had been before, and no doubt caused by the lack of solid food these couple of weeks. His beard had grown in some, which together with his usual ragged bed head might have made him look like a man who'd survived in the jungle for a couple months. But it was his eyes that hurt the most to see. It was as if the light in them had only just now started to find life, leaving otherwise dull of color, and lidded as if the man was trying not to fall asleep. He smiled at her, that crooked mischievous smile that embodied his entire being without any need for words, and it convinced Ruby against any uncertainty that this broken thing in the hospital bed was her uncle.

Qrow's voice came out deep as usual, but gurgling, like he had phlegm in his throat. How he sounded when he was drunk. "There she is. What's going on, kid?"

"Erm, hey Uncle Qrow," muttered Ruby. She glanced awkwardly over at Peach. It was sort of hard to have an emotional reunion with her there. "Erm, hi Miss Peach."

She smiled. The lines in her face creased, lines she hadn't noticed before. There were gray circles beneath her eyes. "Hello Ruby, how are you?"

"Okay…"

"How is the move going?"

"It's okay… just waiting for the truck and stuff."

Peach stood, probably having sensed the building tension in the room. "Well, let me not stick around too long. I have to get back. Think about what I said, you old bird."

Qrow gave her a resolute nod, a spark of determination in his eye, like back when he'd get assigned a new case.

Peach made for the door, but passed Ruby a knowing nod. "You too, Ruby. Just consider it, will you?"

Right, that. All Ruby could do was awkwardly nod and watch the woman leave, slipping out of the half open door, then vanishing down the hall, heels clicking. Ruby waited just a little longer for her to be gone.

"Something wrong, kid?" asked Qrow.

She turned to him, already with a ton of questions. "What did Miss Peach —"

That's when Dad and Yang came in, a few breakfast bagels and drinks with them. Yang, upon seeing their uncle awake, rushed over to hug him. The questions would have to come later. Regardless of whatever had happened, they were here to celebrate Uncle Qrow's recovery. That was all that mattered, and all that would matter for a while. Family. Nothing else.

Everyone pulled up chairs and time was left an afterthought. They caught Qrow up on everything. Or well, everything besides what they obviously weren't allowed to talk about. Especially here in this hospital, where Oobleck and Cinder and god knew who else could be listening. Qrow came alive in that time, slowly regaining much of his old vigor and wit. For a good few hours, it was just like good days, before her mom's death, when her uncle had seemed like the coolest man in the world to her. When he'd been happy and driven, strong and heroic, the scourge of criminals and villains, a hero to strangers and family both. That was Uncle Qrow.

Or that was what he had been.

"Moving, huh? Shit," said Qrow with a shake of his head. "What brought that on?"

Ruby's dad's face faltered a bit but he concealed it by looking off and scratching his beard, as if deep in thought for the answer. "I figured we all needed some change. That house is old. Was gonna start falling apart in a few years, anyway. And well… too many memories, Qrow. Maybe a little more than we all need right now."

Qrow reached toward the back of his head and thumbed the stitches. There was a bald patch there now, which might have been funny on any other occasion, but the scar there was horrible to look at. It sent all kinds of disturbing imagery into Ruby's mind. "Guess you're right about that. Too many memories." he said.

"Uncle Qrow," Ruby ventured, a little hesitant. "Do you know how you got here? I mean, did someone tell you what happened?"asked Ruby.

Yang and Dad looked at her like she was crazy, perhaps thinking now wasn't the right time to get to the main concern. Maybe they were right, but Ruby had used up a lot of her patience on Cinder. Besides, not talking about things, not being straightforward, that's what allowed Uncle Qrow to get away with his awful addiction. That's what allowed the whole family to split apart. Ruby would have no more of that.

Qrow's face lowered. "Wasn't hard to guess, once I woke up. The doc told me, though. Bart. Remember him, Tai? So… yeah kid, I know."

Ruby gave him a moment, watched him swallow. "Guess it's obvious, isn't it? Your stupid uncle's got a problem. Maybe you all already know that. I did. Just didn't think it could get this bad." He picked gently at the stitches with a fingernail. "I didn't see another way, though."

"Another way?" asked Yang.

"Living with all my shit. It ain't easy. Never been easy for me. Not with the work I do. That I used to do. Then, everything with your mother..." Qrow's voice grew weak, lips trembling. It was the first time Ruby had seen him so vulnerable in years. She supposed it was hard to put up the tough guy act when you woke from a close brush with death. "And I know, it's my fault. I didn't think you could forgive me for taking away your mother, girls. For taking away your wife, Tai. I damn sure couldn't forgive myself for getting her killed. For causing it with these hands. I'm scum. I should have died. That night, even. It should've been me. At least then, you wouldn't be missing much."

Yang looked like those very words had stabbed her in the heart. "You can't mean that."

But they all knew he did. That was who Uncle Qrow was. Ruby used to find it admirable that he put so much responsibility on himself, like a real superhero would. But she'd learned lately that was only admirable in a fantasy. In the real world. That inflated sense of responsibility was twisted. A poisonous guilt for not having control over things which could not always be controlled. If a tornado were to run through this hospital, Uncle Qrow would be the type to blame himself for every death. It frustrated Ruby even now.

Her dad shook his head. "Stop that, Qrow. Did you lose a piece of your brain cracking open that head of yours? What in hell makes you think we wouldn't miss you? That if we had lost you, we wouldn't be in the same place we are now?"

"Because of what I did, Tai. What I am. I just ruin things! Everything I have!" Qrow's voice cracked at his sudden attempts to yell, put him into a fit of coughing. "None of you should want anything to do with me now."

Dad had started to cry now, leaning closer to Qrow. "I loved my wife, Qrow. Didn't we all? Take your share of the blame, but let Summer have hers, too. It was all a horrible, horrible accident. You can't shoulder all the blame. You don't have the strength for it." He reached forward, took Qrow's thin fingers in his bigger ones, giving him a gentle squeeze. "You're a damn idiot if you think it would have broken my heart any less to have lost my brother that night."

Qrow let out a choked sob. Anytime he was confronted with such affection, he would pull away, angry and brimming with tragedy. This time, he did not. And Ruby did not think it was because he was too weak to. It seemed now, he was strong enough to face his family's love, for he squeezed his brother;s hand back. "I hate myself." he blubbered.

The words seemed to echo. It reminded Ruby of how his Alter had spoken.

"Look at me. Fucking look at me." Qrow wept. "I'm nothing but shit. My own sister didn't want a damn thing to do with me. I failed everyone I tried to help. You get it? I don't deserve any of you after what I did. And I can't make it right, so just—"

"Who said you get to decide?"

Ruby had hissed it through her teeth, not intentionally, but his words had gotten to her. Qrow was sounding very similar to someone else who liked to shoulder every burden. It made her angry like nothing else. Qrow looked at her with that face of dumb shock, as if she were speaking another language. That pissed her off even more.

Who are you to tell us who we deserve? You're not us, Uncle Qrow. You don't know how we feel!" Ruby pulled up her sleeve and held it out. Everyone looked at them now, Qrow and Yang with new horror. "I bet you'll blame yourself for these too, huh? My niece is cutting herself because I killed her mom. Is that what you'd think?" Ruby slowly shook her head. "But that's not why I did it."

Ruby shoved her wounds in his face. "I made these because you'd rather drink and damn yourself, instead of cry and talk with your family. I made these because Dad made himself work all the time, so I never got to see him. I made these because Yang wasn't here when I needed someone!" Ruby blinked and tears came with it. Her face was hot with pain and fury. "I didn't cut myself because I lost my mom. I did them because I lost everyone else with her! And I needed to feel something other than miserable!"

Everyone watched her, all shock and shame. Probably never thinking an admission like this would come out, especially not here at Qrow's lowest moment. There was never really a proper time for these things to come out. Ruby let out a quivering breath. "It doesn't matter what you think you deserve or not. You're my uncle. How am I supposed to grow up without you? Why do you want to leave me?"

Qrow reached toward her. "Ruby, I—"

Ruby got to him first, reaching up and hugging him tight around the neck. She nestled her face into his shoulder and wept the hardest she had in a long while, blubbering, "I love you, Uncle Qrow. I love you more than anything. Even if you hate yourself, even if you think you deserve to die, you can't leave me. Please don't leave me, Uncle Qrow."

Yang came up and hugged him from the other side, kissed his cheek, and echoed what Ruby said. Then Dad followed, taking Qrows hands in both of his and squeezing it tight. He said, "I thought after losing Summer that I was all alone. I thought I couldn't raise the girls alone. I didn't realize that even with her gone, I still had you. I need you, Qrow. More than ever. How am I supposed to do it all by myself?"

Qrow burst into wracking sobs. Hard to say if they were tears of sadness or joy. Hatred or a new realization of love. No declaration of love would fix him right away, Ruby knew. Life was too unpredictable. People were too unpredictable. There was no guarantee that he wouldn't be back at the bottle at the end of all this.

But Ruby had never seen Qrow cry this much before, nor felt him hug her so tightly, saying "I love you, I love you" again and again until the words no longer made sense.

There was no guarantee after today that Qrow would get better. Their lives had been in shambles for years now and the last few weeks had not changed that. Things were a bigger mess than ever before.

But here in this tiny hospital room, two years after they'd fallen apart, Ruby's family held on to one another, and they cried, and they said they loved one another, and they promised to do better.

And Ruby believed them.

Life goes on. It was a saying everyone knew, but it never really hit Ruby what it truly meant until lately. Probably the saying should've been, life goes on regardless of what you do or how you feel, to really hammer home its true meaning.

She'd survived days of horrible pain and fear, fought giant monsters that her worst nightmares couldn't imagine, she'd been at the threat of death too many times to count… yet here she was going to school like normal. It made her feel like a teenager in an old cartoon that fights supervillains on the weekends, while fumbling through homework, dating, and family troubles on weekdays. Only Ruby's experience had been far less fun than the cartoon made it seem. It was both ways insulting and liberating. The former represented the sheer gall that life hadn't changed all that much in the grand scheme of her world-shattering experiences, and the latter represented the few significant changes that she would never forget for the rest of her life.

Still, Ruby no longer had to be part of any of that crazy world. It was all behind could go back to normal life. So long as she declined Miss Peach's invitation. Which she hadn't, as of yet.

So for the last few days, Ruby had committed herself to school. She kept herself busy with her fanfictions, and even picked up a new manga series. The move was done, and all that was left was to unpack everything. Uncle Qrow would be discharged from the hospital soon, too. So Dad was likely running around right now, getting everything they needed to throw a coming home party. All good things, of course. Very good things.

But good things happening felt strange, somehow. In many ways it was all surreal, like a dream. Too used to the miseries of the past two years. But she hoped in time that feeling would pass. Right now, she just had to tackle things one at a time, one day at a time.

It was her free period, so Ruby just focused on her computer, on the scene she'd been stuck on for a few days, having finally scraped up a well of inspiration. She lost herself in the scene and the words flowed like a river off a cliffside. For a while, she was at peace.

Then, her mind strayed. She didn't know how, but her main character had come across another character that had just shown up out of nowhere. Some boy. Rude, a little mean, colder than Schnee mercy. The main character knew nothing about him, really. He was just some guy. But who else did she have? Why not try to make a friend today?

Ruby pursed her lips. Was there any point in denying what, or who, was on her mind? Had been on her mind for days now?

She hadn't talked to him in a while. She hadn;t gone to his house since the organization's little house-warming party. Maybe that was nothing to balk about, given it had only been a little over a week now. She'd been busy and doubtless he had been, too. Too busy to talk or text or see one another.

And maybe that was because of the very few significant things which had changed in her life after the sudden drop into her own heart world, Jaune was the biggest change of all, and it wasn't for the better, though it wasn't really for the worse, either.

They'd greet one another, yes. How are you's and whatcha been up to's and all that. Maybe they'd speak a little more than that when the group was involved, if only out of proximity. But that was it. So even if she technically saw him every day, it still felt like she had not seen him at all.

Peach's offer again crept to the fore of Ruby's mind.

The sudden bell pushed it back, shocking Ruby back to reality. She got her things and headed out, trying her best to focus on anything but Jaune. She made it to her locker, was terrified she might see him there, only to find that he wasn't, then feeling a weight of disappointment.

Was there a reason they hadn't truly talked since everything? Was he avoiding her? Was she avoiding him? There didn't seem to be. So what was she so hesitant for? What was she afraid of?

"Will you covet him so, when you've learned just how broken he truly is?"

Ruby slammed her locker shut, a bitter taste in her mouth at the mere thought of those words. She walked off to class, arms clenched around her books, trembling.

Cinder's words made her think.

At lunch, Jaune wasn't there, either. And by then Ruby was starting to hope she was not one of those kinds of people that got obsessed with their first crush. She certainly didn't bother trying to hide her disappointment by now.

Ruby approached the table of her friends, and Neptune was the first to greet with a smile and a wave. Ruby took a spot beside him. "Hey, what's up?"

"Hey," Ruby said.

"What's wrong?"

She was being driven crazy by a boy, that's what. Maybe Yang was right about focusing on school. "Nothing, I'm okay."

Ruby tuned in to the table talk. Sun and Nora were in a great debate about something, while occasionally slipping in a regular jab at Weiss, who would squawk with indignation, while Yang laughed, Ren shook his head with a grin, and Blake didn't exist. The routine, so it was.

"We're going to the park later," Neptune whispered. "Sun and Yang plan to do their big reveal."

Ruby blinked. Looked toward the two and tried to picture them, well, coming out. Maybe it would be a massive shocker and Ren would squeal like a fangirl whose ship was confirmed. Or maybe no one would be surprised, and secretly they'd all place bets on whether that secret would come out or not. Either way, Sun and Yang would be in the open and everyone would be happy for them. Ruby looked toward Blakes empty seat. Almost everyone.

"Is Jaune coming?" Ruby asked.

"Home today. Said he's not feeling well."

"Sick?"

Neptune adopted a hesitant look, like there was a field of glass around them and he was barefoot. "Er, no, but…"

Ruby didn't normally like to pry but her curiosity got the better of her. "Is he avoiding me?"

"No, no, no." Neotune waved his hand placatingly, quite as if he'd been afraid of that particular question. "He's just been sorta gloomy. Stuff with aunt, he said. Then he's kinda in a fight with his penpal…"

Right, his online friend. His online friend that hed known for years. His online friend who also happened to be female. That train of thought left a jealous taste in Ruby's mouth. She heard about this girl Jaune was always talking to. How she was the only thing which could make him smile. Not long ago, that notion had seemed sweet. But now, it left her wanting to be the one to make him smile.

"They're fighting? Why? What happened?"

"Won't say. He promised to meet us at the park so you could ask him then."

Ruby wondered if there'd even be a point. Jaune may not have a girlfriend — unless he'd somehow acquired one in the time they hadn't talked — but he certainly wasn't wanting for options. If not his online friend, then Cinder. Ruby stood no chance, most likely. No chance…

Ruby pinched herself beneath the table. What was she thinking? None of that mattered right now. She needs to focus on school and her family. Think about what career or college she wanted to go to and whatnot. There were always more boys in the world. She'd get over this shallow infatuation with Jaune, eventually. Even if eventually could take a very, very long time.. Ruby wasn't in the proper place for love. She just wasn't.

Till such a day arrived, she would just have to live with the idea of what could have been. It was only a fantasy after all. It could never happen.

Never happen.

Ruby sat there at the table, quiet, while everyone else joked and laughed like usual. It felt a lot like how it had been weeks ago, when she had no friend to call her own.

Life goes on.

"Aw, come on!" Neptune whined. "Foul! That's a freaking foul, dude!"

Nora, Sun, Neptune, and Yang were in a rather intense ball game and, naturally, whichever team had Sun was winning. He swerved past his best friend, juked his yet to be unveiled girlfriend, then tossed the ball swishing through the hoop with one hand, all net. Ren was playing referee, but that was hardly more than watching the proceedings and providing a witty comment against complaints. While Weiss sat on a bench, nose deep in her homework, committed to getting assignments done before joining the festivities, which for her meant sitting back and playing babysitter. The routine, as always.

Ruby sat by and watched, absently sipping from her smoothie, sometimes laughing, sometimes cheering, just trying to soak up the nice afternoon to relieve her of her thoughts. With the bright sun on her face and the cool wind in her hair, she might have found herself lost in the moment. Simply existing in a period of zen.

Peach's request came to her again.

Ruby twirled her straw in thought. She was no fighter, no warrior, and she could not pretend to be so unselfish to risk her life on dangerous missions. Heck, she didn't even understand why Neptune was a part of all this. Then Ruby wondered if he had not been given the same consideration by Peach some time ago. Still, Ruby knew her limits and had no delusions of grandeur. Then why was she still thinking it over? The answer had to be no.? After her family had been put in danger, No other answer would be right.

Yang managed to swipe the ball from Sun, eliciting a cheer from Nora, who probably forgot whose team she was on.

Silver Eyes. A special power that apparently Ruby had. One that could be a substantial help to millions of people, or just one. You can make the difference, Miss Peach had said. No. The answer had to be no. She did not belong in that world and that was the bottom line.

And yet, she'd seen what these Silver Eyes had done. She'd made the effects herself. The Princess had reduced an army of thousands of Grimm Ruby could not have hoped to defeat to dust in the blink of an eye. And together, their power had burned the Despair out of Alter-Qrow. Peach had told her that she was the main reason her uncle had woken up, all because of the capability of her powers.

Think of those she could help. Strangers, if she wanted. And more immediately, the people close to her. The people she loved. She could save them from Despair and suffering if ever there was a time she was needed.

The answer had to be no…

Nora had the ball now, and she was no slouch with it. Neptune pitched onto his face in an attempt to steal, which caused Yang to bust out into laughter while simultaneously rushing over to help him up, while Nora made the shot and proclaimed the court, "My kingdom, bitches!"

The ball rolled off the court and into the grass and Ruby watched it with basest interest, her mind occupied with thoughts she wished would go away. And they did. When the ball stopped beneath someone's foot.

Ruby's heart often skipped when she saw Jaune lately. Even in this strange limbo of not talking but there not necessarily being a problem between them, at least as far as she knew. He certainly had no obvious change in appearance, for even his face was set in that frown which would persist even against a compilation of adorable kittens. He picked the ball up and ambled over to the others, Sun, Nora, Yang, and Neptune already leaping at him with all the excitement of people who had found an adorable kitten and wanted it. Ruby couldn't say she didn't feel the same. Roughly the same, anyway.

Sun clapped his hands together to settle the babble. "Alright, alright you scallywags. Now that everyone's here, it's time for a special announcement!" He pointed at the empty bench, where Weiss sat in the middle, nose deep in her work. "To the benches! Operation Weiss-cream Sandwich is a go!"

The more excitable members of the group charged on command, while Weiss looked up with a gasp before trying to scramble away. It was too late by then. Nora crashed into her seat, pressed to Weiss's left side, while Neptune secured the left. Ren and Jaune slogged up, both with shrugs, taking their seats next to Neptune and Nora respectively.

The dilemma for Ruby, as she joined up, was whether to sit next to Jaune or Ren. Sit next to the former and make things awkward, sit next to the latter, make things more awkward. Probably she was overthinking. She eventually chose to sit next to Jaune, thereby completing the Weiss-cream sandwich. They met eyes, and all she could do was offer a small smile and wave. Jaune did not offer a smile, of course, but the wave made up for it.

That just left Sun and Yang to tend to the presentation. Ruby didn't much see the point in dramatizing it all, but she supposed they were just having fun with it. Having fun with each other. After so long in the dark, it was probably exciting to bring their secret to light. And scary, too.

"Thanks for coming, everyone." said Sun, "You're all the best kinds of friends a man could ask for. I make a point to remember that every day. I try to be the kind of friend I'd want. I try to be loyal, I try to be helpful. I try to be… honest."

He glanced over at Yang, and she nodded, smiling at him.

"Maybe you already guessed it, but Yang and I have been… being a thing for a few months now. Yeah, that's right, the two of us."

Reactions were mixed. Nora squealed, grabbed Weiss by the collar and began to shake her with excitement like this was the realization of all her dreams. Neptune was not surprised at all, but he feigned it for his friends' sake. Ren, surprisingly, looked surprised, jaw having dropped open a fraction.

Weiss snatched herself out of Nora's grip, adjusted her outfit. Then she looked up at Yang and Sun like they'd just outed themselves for being bank robbers. "I suppose you intend to explain why you kept this a secret from your so-called best friends?"

Yang took that question. "He wanted to come out with it long ago, but I made him promise to keep it secret. I'm sorry. We didn't want to lie to everyone."

Weiss crossed her arms and gave them a stern look. "And you have informed Blake of this?"

The two looked at each other, sad looks on their faces, then Yang said. "We met up with her in private. We thought that was the best way to do it."

Weiss nodded. She didn't ask what Blake's reaction was, or if Sun and Yang felt guilty for their actions. No one did, really. Weiss was right in saying that no one would care. Sun and Yang had always seemed a better couple than either with Blake, and that was of no disrespect toward her at all. Blake was a mystery, and Ruby imagined no relationship would succeed which needed to be puzzled and prodded through, with a partner you barely knew anything about.

So, what did that say about Ruby wanting Jaune? A boy she'd only known for two weeks?

"We're sorry, guys." said Sun, face melting a little. "We didn;t want to hurt Blake. Didn't want to make it look like we didn't trust any of you. But we talked it out. And we got some help from our little dad-puncher over there."

Everyone looked at Jaune, faces in shock. Weiss shrieked, "How did you know what they were up to!?"

Jaune shrugged. "Maybe I'm the greatest friend in the whole universe."

It was a clamoring of questions and excitement now. A burst of congratulations and consideration. Neptune fist-bumping his best friend, Sun overapologizing, Nora asking predictably inappropriate questions about their sex life, Weiss reprimanding her while expressing her flavor of congratulations by going on a tirade about safe intercourse. All of this, despite being new, felt appropriately normal in the group. And Ruby couldn;t help but smile at it all.

"About time, isn't it?" said Jaune.

Ruby noticed it was just them on the bench now, alone. Out of earshot of the group. Ruby nodded. "You're telling me." Ruby stared at the couple, proudly holding hands now.

"Do you think they'll last?" Jaune asked.

It was a question Ruby did not expect him of all people to be curious about, and had managed to echo her own concerns. "Yang liked Blake for a really long time. Sun, too. I don't know if they want each other because they actually like each other, or just couldn't wait for Blake anymore."

"Do you think it matters?"

Ruby had no idea how to answer that one. "I dunno. Maybe not."

Ruby applied that question to herself. Did it matter how? Did it matter why? Were your feelings by themselves enough to justify starting something as big as a relationship? And this was assuming Jaune even liked her, which he likely didn't.

She knew Jaune had problems. Had them for a long time. But what issues were they? Why was he the way he was? Who was Jaune Arc? Ruby did not know these things. And how could she, when she hadn't known him for that long? He was, in many ways, still a stranger. That had to be reason enough to give these feelings up. She did not know who he really was. It wasn't good enough that she wanted him. She just didn't have the time. Nor was she mature enough.

Ruby looked at her sister. Yang really wasn't that mature herself, either. And she was also trying to dedicate more time to piecing the family back together. But here she was, still with Sun through it all. Ruby tried to reason that Yang had experience, but even that seemed to fall flat when most of her past relationships were short-lived and shallow, as Yang had admitted herself before.

All this thinking, all this back and forth, and Ruby still had no idea what to do. Ruby began to wonder if thinking was the issue.

Why not just lay out all the cards? At least then, she'd have nothing left to lose. "Hey," she said, tapping Jaune's leg.

He looked at her, face unreadable. "Hey yourself."'

Ruby looked at the others, then back at him. "Can we talk? You and me? Um, alone?"

Jaune's dedicated frown slowly parted, as if his jaw was ready to drop and he'd only just managed to control himself. It took a moment, but eventually he nodded.

Couldnt go back now. She took him by the hand and led him off the court, away from the group, their excited babble fast receding. The only person who saw them go was Weiss, and her eyes lingered on them for a while. Maybe she had an idea of what was going on, but it hardly mattered.

By the end of this, Ruby would have her answer and be able to move on. No matter the answer she received.

Of course, she said that now.

They were in that gap between the restrooms and the surrounding wall. The little private corner where Ruby had seen people make emotional phone calls, make-out with their lovers, and even have life changing breakups. Amazing where drama and pain, happiness and sadness could begin and end somewhere as mundane as a bathroom. That was for the best, Ruby figured. Life was hard enough without the melodrama of a movie.

Even still, after this long adventure, she wondered with fear how this particular chapter of her life would end.

Jaune looked down at her with those hard eyes of his. Close enough that she could see the bumpy scar across his face, which reminded Ruby of him in the heart world. A fighter, a warrior, a beast fighting beasts. Things she was not. She found herself stepping back a little.

It would have been to much to hope Jaune hadn't noticed. "Are you scared of me?"

"No." And Ruby hadn't lied. Scared of him? No. He had never hurt her, not even accidentally. She knew Jaune was good inside. So long as what she had seen was the real him. The truth was she was scared for him. And that was far worse.

"We havent talked in a while," Ruby tried a perjy smile and managed to hold it. "How've you been, Jaune?"

"Coasting along, as usual. You?"

"I'm…" Ruby thought then gave a surrendering chuckle. "Just trying to keep it all together, I guess."

"All we can do, huh?"

"Yeah."

Silence.

"What've you been up to? Did you finish the arena missions?"

Jaune shook his head. "I havent played since… I just havent played in a while. Just been taking care of Aunt Peach. She hasn't been okay, lately."

"What's wrong with her?"

"She hasnt been getting any sleep. I hear her in her room sometimes, she's been…" Jaune closed his eyes and took a breath. "Just really stressed. She fell yesterday and… yeah, thats been my week."

Ruby thought about that moment she'd seen Peach crumble. No longer that bastion of aafety and leadership, but scared and suffering. And that was just what she had seen herself. "I'm sorry. That's horrible."

"We'll be okay. Um… I got a dog a few days ago."

Ruby blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah. This little husky pup. Only a moment old." Jaune adopted the slightest upturn of the corners of his lips. "I guess whoever owned him couldn't take care of him. They left him in a box at my door. Left this letter asking us to take care of him. I had to beg Aunt Peach to let me have him."

Ruby managed a good laugh at thought of Jaune begging for anything. "What'd you name him?"

"Demon. He's got some attitude for a puppy."

"Sounds like you."

He scoffed, then thought about it. "Alright, you have a point."

There it was, that trace of warmth. It felt like before, when she knew nothing about Hunters and heart worlds. When it was just that she'd finally made a friend after so long being lonely. Then to find him to be exactly the kind of person she'd hoped for. Someone who cared, even if the truth was that she had been his assignment. Unfortunately, those feelings had not stayed very content with friendship. Nor would they now. Could she really put aside what she wanted in favor of the smart thing?

"I heard from Neptune. About your online friend?"

Jaune looked a little embarrassed. "Er, yeah. We're not getting along right now. She's mad at me." He sighed. "But it's my fault. I got so caught up with everything that happened and… Well, it doesn't matter. I don't think she'll forgive me any time soon."

Ruby nodded, "That's lame."

Another weak smile. "Yeah."

They stared at each other for a long moment. And she saw his lips and had no second thoughts about where she'd like them to be. He was beautiful, she thought. Maybe just average looking compared to someone like Neptune, yes. Not as muscular as Sun. But as corny as it sounded, it was his personality made the difference. Its what made him so interesting. Cold netal concealing a golden heart. The girl who got him would be lucky. Very lucky.

She stepped closer. A venture. A test.

Like a magnet, Jaune inched closer too. Ruby felt her heart start thumping faster.

Jaune's voice came out low, almost sensual. "Ruby?"

Ruby came a little closer, tingling all over. "Hm?"

"I'm sorry."

Ruby blinked. "You're sorry?"

"For everything that's happened. It's my fault."

He was still on that? Ruby wanted to pull her hair out, or his. How coukd he still not be over this?

"It's okay if you hate me. You're justified. But I just… I'll try to make things right. I swear."

"How, Jaune?"

He lowered his head. "I don't know yet but —"

"No. You know, Jaune. You can't make things right. You can't."

"But—"

"It's true, okay? Is that what you want to hear? The things you did caused a lot of bad things to happen. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have nearly died. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have dropped into my heart world. If it weren't for you I'd still have my home."

Jaunes head drooped with every truth. That which they both knew could not be refuted.

"You can't fix it, Jaune. And I never expected you to. I never asked you to! God, you sound like Uncle Qrow. Why do you feel like you have to shoulder so much blame?"

Jaune didn't answer.

"I was never mad at you, Jaune. Why did you think that?"

"I dunno. I just… did."

"Then you need to stop. And you need to quit apologizing. Life goes on, okay? Stop trying to save the world."

None of this was what he wanted to hear. No less, it was exactly what he needed to hear. It was long overdue. For both him and Qrow

Jaune sighed. "I guess I still have a lot of growing up to do."

"I think your girlfriend would appreciate that."

"I told you I don't have one."

"Why not?"

Jaune glanced aside. "Who would want me?"

"I think you'd be surprised."

Jaune looked back toward her, removed his hands from his pockets. She could tell he did not want to look at her, saw the hesitation, but he made himself. As if what he was bout to say was too important to not take seriously. "We uh… when did we leave off on Pirate King?"

"I think we finished Water Seven."

"Right," he paused. "Um, maybe we could continue, if you want."

"Do you want to?"

"Yeah, a lot, actually." Jaune eventually looked down. "Ruby, uh… I really like… you."

It was a strange moment, one half dumbfounding, another elating. Ruby almost thought she'd misheard him, though her rapid beating heart had no such uncertainty.

"I guess, I've never had a girlfriend because I haven't liked anyone like that in a while. But I like you. If that makes sense."

Ruby stepped closer to him. "Yeah?"

Jaune nodded, coming closer too. Their hands were touching. Just slightly. Fingertips brushing. Then she felt their palms touch. His were so big, warm, and rough. "Yeah," he said, "Um… maybe when we're watching Pirate King, if you want, we can do other stuff."

Ruby felt a surge of excitement run through her. "What stuff?"

Both their hands were locked together now. Jaune's hands were shaking badly. "I guess, stuff that people who like each other do. I-I mean, if you even like… me… that way. But it's fine if you don't."

Ruby gave Jaune's hands a gentle squeeze and felt them relax, almost stood on her tiptoes to get that much closer to his face. Feel his breath. Look into his deep blue eyes. "Can we hold hands like this?"

Jaune looked down at their hands, seemed to blush, then up at her. "Yeah."

"Can we cuddle?"

He seemed to redden even more, nodding.

"Can we, you know, kiss and stuff?"

"Yeah, um, I guess…"

They leaned toward each other, getting far closer than Ruby had thought possible between them. Ruby fekt her eyes start to close, her lips part just slightly. She went for it and so did he. And…

They bumped foreheads.

Both recoiled, Ruby holdingbher forehead, Jaune looking greatly humiliated.

"Sorry!" He sputtered.

"No, no, it was my fault." Ruby couldn't help but blather back.

"Sorry."

"We did it wrong, I think." Ruby smiled weakly. "I just realized I've never kissed anyone."

"Me either." Then Jaune blinked. "You we're trying to kiss me?"

"What did you think I was going to do?"

"Then, you like me?"

She grinned. "I really, really like you. If that makes sense."

Jaune looked bewildered beyond reason. He took a step back. "Can you give me a moment? I'll be right back."

He didn't wait for an answer and ran off, almost desperate to get away. A few seconds passed.

Ruby jumped as she heard a powerful, "Yes!" shouted out like a pirate who'd uncovered a treasure thst would make him rich for the rest of his days. A flock of birds were spooked into flying away.

Jaune came back, out of breath. "Where were we?"

"We both never kissed anyone."

"Yeah uh… I don't really know how to be a boyfriend, either."

"I like everything you're doing so far. Or most of it. Just do those things."

He blushed even more. "Okay, uh… but, should we even, I dunno, be together like this?" Jaune scratched his head. "I'm kind of a mess. I keep thinking I should just focus on getting better…"

Ruby understood that entirely too well. Even now she had hesitations due to many factors. That they'd only known each other for two to three weeks. Everything involving heartworlds and hunters and the organization. Even the fact that she was still pretty messed up herself, and how family had been a priority of hers lately. She had no delusion that having a boyfriend would just be all fun. Real relationships took work and commitment. Sacrifices. The smart thing would be to take things one at a time. Just because they liked each other didn't mean they had to date.

And yet her everything wanted him. Her mind, her heart, her body especially. That was hard to deny. If they liked each other, certainly that was enough to start, right? This could be something truly great and fulfilling she might miss out on if she backed away.

"Maybe we can get better together." Ruby said, "We can help each other."

Jaune looked at her. "I don't want to burden you with my problems."

"That's kind of the trade off if you want to kiss me."

Jaune blinked. "Right… but I think we'll need to practice."

"Talking about our problems? Or kissing?"

"Both."

Again they had each other's hands, and with clarity between them, she saw the desire in his eyes reflecting her own. They seemed to wait on one another, as if testing the reaction. Jaune turned his head just slightly one way, and Ruby the other. Judged the distance. Maybe like this? No better way to find out than to try. Their noses brushed, just parting past each other so their lips brushed. Much better. Jaune's breath was so temptingly warm. It excited her. Ruby did not bother to wait and pressed her lips to his, maybe with a bit too much strength, as he seemed to be rocked back by the impact. Though she wondered if that was because she was a good kisser or she had just caught him off guard. Hopefully it was the former.

Still, he eventually caught up to her. His lips coming back like the softest kind of bite. Wet, warm, intense. A shock of electricity coursed through Ruby's body, made her legs tremble, made her close her eyes as she moaned in his mouth. She went at him, then. Hoping to impress him with her own eagerness. Wanting, wanting to have every taste of him. Oh god, it was almost too much. She couldn't breathe.

No, like she actually couldn't breathe.

Jaune and Ruby pulled apart, both gasping for breath, taking in much needed air more than they had each other's mouths. But not by much.

"Were you holding your breath?" Jaune asked.

"Yeah."

"Me too."

"We're dumb."

Still, when they looked at each other, it didn't seem like it was full of regret. Jaune's face was red, but there was this really giddy tremble of his lips that came as close to a smile as she'd ever seen. It was as ig there was a little kid inside him, jumping for joy, while the outside tried to hold on to some image of stoic manhood. They would have to talk about him smiling more.

"I guess we'll need a lot of practice." suggested Jaune.

"A ton."

"We might have to keep practicing even after we get good at it. If we get good at it."

Ruby grinned. "I liked that one. Besides the whole sucking the air out of each other thing."

"Yeah." Jaune chuckled. He looked behind them. "The others might be missing us."

Ruby didn't care. She pressed Jaune against the wall and held him there. She wasn't strong enough to keep him there and they both knew it. Jaune was letting her. Meaning he did not care to go back either. "Or we could keep practicing." she said.

And, in the least cool way possible, Jaune squeaked out in a slightly girlish voice, "Okay."

Ruby tried being patient this time, gentler, and Jaune did so as well. Bumped their noses, but weren't discouraged. Got a better position in, Ruby on her tip toes as she reached for his lips like a thirsty woman sipping from a mostly empty water bottle. Jaune had wrapped his hands around her waist and dragged her close, as if he wanted to fuse with her, and Ruby had to put her hands on his shoulders to keep steady.

In the back of her mind, Ruby was unable to push away the idea that this could either be the best decision of her life, or a horrible, horrible mistake. There was no way to tell either way.

Let such thoughts come, she figured. Nothing was perfect and nothing was certain. So what if they'd only known each other for less than a month? So what if they were both broken and immature? So what if she did not know and understand everything about her boyfriend? Screw what Cinder said. None of that changed how she felt or what she wanted.

Maybe what they were doing was a mistake.

But as Ruby smiled against Jaune's lips and she felt him smile back, it certainly didn't feel like one.

Well, here we are. The end of the Ruby Arc.

It's been an adventure, that's for sure. To think it all started from a random writing high and I managed to keep it up for thirty chapters straight. That's honestly insane to think about. I've reached the end of this arc but still feel like I could keep going.

But I won't. I'll let this sit for a while as I take a little vacation, make some edits to this arc while planning out the next, and decide what I want to focus on writing next. Maybe it'll be this or something else. No way to know for sure.

Maybe I'll do some interlude chapters in a mode of inspiration, otherwise I'm gonna be gone for a while, though hopefully not long. Again, thanks for being on this crazy train with me and I hope you're excited for the next arc that will complete the first saga.

That's all for now, goodbye everyone.

ISA