Everyone's been waiting for this chapter, I know this for sure based on all the comments. It's time for the dance! No spoilers here because you probably looked at the title. It's finally time for their first true date since Ruby asked Jaune out. On a sad note, updates may be slow next month due to me moving to a new house. Weekends will be busy and that's when I do a lot of writing. I won't be stopping, just that my time will be limited. You won't have to keep asking me in comments or chat when something will be updated. I try to keep progress updates on my bio page. Percentage completions aren't perfect, but they are a pretty good estimate.
Thanks to nBappo for beta reading.
If you continue to enjoy my stories, feel free to check out my p a treon.
P a treon . com (Slash) DarkBetrayer
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.
"How do I look?" Jaune asked Nora, straightening the bowtie on his tux in front of the mirror in his room. It was hardly something he was used to wearing and he tried his best to look presentable for the dance. He even combed his hair! Ruby had overcome her social anxiety to ask him to the dance, so he needed to make sure he put in the work too.
"You look hot!" Nora gave him a thumbs up. "Ruby's going to faint when she sees you." The girl was wearing a pink strapless dress with a white skirt. Notably, the seam joining the two sections tapers to a point, which gives the top part of her dress a resemblance to a pink heart-shape.
"Oh, so you find Jaune attractive?" Ren asked from his bed. "I see…"
"No, no!" Nora cried out, turning around in a panic to stare at her partner. "Forget I said that!"
"So I'm not hot?" Jaune grinned, enjoying Nora actually in a small panic. "Now I don't know if I can go out like this."
"Ah, no, don't say that!" Nora turned back, stuck between the boys teasing her. "You'll be super hot for Ruby, I mean that I'm just not attracted to you like that. You're still hot, but not to me. Well, kind of, but you're not my type. Just an awesome fearless leader and friend and teammate, but we wouldn't be together-together. Even Ren and I are together, but not together-together-…!"
"He knows what you mean, Nora." Ren chuckled. "Don't worry. Are you ready to go?" He adjusted the sleeve of his tux as he talked. That outfit was a little more restrictive than his normal clothes.
"Just a minute!" Nora zipped to the bathroom. "One last touch up!"
"You know," Jaune crossed his arms as the bathroom door slammed shut. "How come in the animal kingdom, the males are the ones who do all the colorful displays, like peacocks and cardinals, but with people, it's the females?"
"Hmm?" Ren considered this for a moment. "I suppose you could start a movement to change that, but then we would have to spend more money on clothes."
"True, there's that trade off and I guess the girl's showing more off isn't a bad thing."
"Indeed."
"Though I can rock a dress."
"Nora's had me wear them before too."
The two of them shared a fist bump of comradery before Nora came back out into the room.
"All done!" Nora grabbed Ren's arm. "Let's get to the dance and show the rest of the school how it's done!"
"I'll catch up." Jaune assured her. "Going to see if Ruby's ready."
"Awwww!" There were hearts in her eyes as she looked at them. "Maybe we should stay and get a picture?"
"Come on, Nora." Ren sighed, pulling his 'totally not girlfriend' after him. "Leave them alone and let them progress at their own speed."
"We'll see you at the dance, Jaune-Jaune!" Nora waved as Ren somehow had the strength to drag her out of the room.
Jaune chuckled as his friends left, then turned back to his reflection in the mirror. Once the door shut behind them, a wave of nervousness swept over him. Despite his familiarity with girls, mostly due to his sisters meddling in his life, going on a date was uncharted territory. Especially with his best friend. What if things didn't pan out? Would they still be able to maintain their friendship? The mere thought made him cringe at the potential awkwardness.
Taking a deep breath, Jaune shook his head, attempting to dispel his worries.
"No, I know Ruby." The boy muttered as he stared at himself in the mirror. "Even if it doesn't work out, we'll go back to being friends. There's no way I'll just drop her like that either." He took another deep breath. "Think of it as just you two hanging out, except you're both dressed nicely, and people are watching… and Yang might kill you if she thinks you're trying anything…"
Not that he would.
His mom would kill him first if he tried anything on Ruby.
"I guess I've stalled long enough." Jaune shook his head. "Time to go pick up Ruby."
Pyrrha had left earlier to meet up with Mercury, leaving Jaune as the last one in the room. Despite the recent tensions, they were managing to coexist without the constant glares and nervous expressions. The air was still heavy with unease, particularly within their shared space, but Jaune knew that dissolving the tension wouldn't happen overnight. A sizable barrier had formed between Pyrrha and the rest of their team, one that would require time and effort to dismantle. Jaune was willing to make the effort, but he understood that pushing too hard would only make matters worse.
He didn't fault Pyrrha for distancing herself after learning about her struggles. Isolated from the rest of the school, without a partner, and facing Nora's rejection, Pyrrha was undoubtedly going through a rough patch. While Weiss had offered some support, she had her own team to prioritize. Ren did what he could, even with his struggles with expressions. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances, Jaune knew things could be worse—a lesson he had learned from his adventures in the wilds.
Things could always be worse.
Standing outside Team RWBY's room, he raised his hand and knocked.
'Okay, stay calm.'
The door opened a moment later and he came face to face with shiny, amused lilac eyes belonging to a tall blonde girl.
"Hey, Yang." Jaune greeted, trying to act calm and composed. "Is Ruby ready yet?"
"Just about." Yang wasn't even trying to hide the huge grin on her face. She was wearing her dress already; a short, white, halter neck with a pale gray hem. "Give her a minute." Her eyes noticed him examining her dress. "Like what you see?" Yang teased, leaning against the door. "Careful, Ruby might get jealous."
"Was just thinking one of my sisters has a similar dress." Jaune replied quickly. "Though I'm surprised. Knowing you, I thought you would wear something a bit more daring."
"Oh, I was planning too!" Yang rolled her eyes. "I got a nice cocktail dress in yellow but Weiss and her snootiness said I looked like a whore."
"You did!" Came Weiss' sharp voice from further into the room.
"Pssh, Weiss' is just too old fashioned." Yang huffed. "Though Blake said she was jealous because I would draw more attention than her."
"I said no such thing." This time it was Blake's turn to reply.
"Has she been acting like this for a while?" Jaune called out to the others.
"She's just upset she doesn't have a date because she was busy focusing on setting up the dance." Blake walked into line of sight behind Yang and shook her head. She wore a short, asymmetrical halter neck dress in a striking shade of purple. The dress featured a daring split up the right side and was accentuated by a sleek black collar. Translucent black mesh adorned her shoulders, décolletage, and back. Instead of her usual black bow, she sported a teal one. "Excuse me, Yang. I have to go meet up with Sun."
"You behave," Yang wagged a finger at her as she stepped aside. "I expect you back before midnight."
"We'll see." Blake replied in a monotone, passing by. "You know I'm a night owl." She eyed Jaune. "You look nice. Ruby will be happy."
"Speaking of Ruby." Yang turned around. "If you don't hurry up, Rubes, I'm going to take Jaune to the dance myself!"
"DON'T YOU DARE!"
In the blink of an eye, Ruby surged forward, joining Yang with a rapid barrage of arm-wails, her face red. Jaune's attention shifted immediately to her attire—a short, sleeveless dress in a vibrant shade of red, cinched at the waist by a bold black sash with matching trim along the hem. The bodice of the dress boasted a striking vertical split, intricately laced with black ribbon. A transparent mesh yoke adorned with an opaque collar and hem, along with discreet opaque lines connecting the collar to her shoulders, added a touch of elegance to her ensemble. Yet, what truly caught Jaune off guard were the black heels adorning Ruby's feet. It was common knowledge that Ruby preferred comfortable footwear, so seeing her in heels was a surprise, to say the least. It was evident that Ruby had gone all out for the occasion.
"Alright, alright!" Yang laughed, holding her arms up. "I was just joking. Go out and have fun."
"Hmmph!" Ruby's eyes narrowed at her. "Don't even joke about that. Remember what happened at Signal's dance?"
"Right… sorry." Yang was quickly mollified. "Vom-... Jaune isn't the type to try that."
"I know." Ruby's expression lightened as she stepped out into the hall. "We'll see you and Weiss at the dance."
"Are you actually going to dance?" Yang asked, but Ruby didn't answer before shutting the door.
"Sorry about that," Ruby sighed and looked at Jaune. "Yang's still Yang." The girl blinked and saw Jaune still staring at her. "What? Is something on my face? I knew I shouldn't have tried using makeup! I look like a clown, don't I! Weiss said she didn't add much-..."
"You look beautiful, Ruby." Jaune interrupted, instantly causing Ruby's face to match her usual cloak, which she currently wasn't wearing. The blush was a little lighter shade of red than her dress though. "I just wasn't sure how to step in between you and your sister."
The real reason was he had been staring at Ruby. Her dress wasn't the most revealing of outfits he's seen, but there was no doubt it was a lot more revealing than her normal clothes. Ruby would never reveal her shoulders and so much of her torso unless she was at the beach. On her, it looked amazing and suited her perfectly. Jaune had found himself unable to look away and had to quickly make something up to avoid making her self conscious. Plus the makeup really highlighted her eyes.
"D-Do I really look okay?" Ruby asked nervously. "It's so uncomfortable and these shoes hurt my feet. I don't feel like myself at all."
"Tell me about it." Jaune agreed with a chuckle, pulling at his collar. "But that's the price of being an adult. We have to do things we don't like and dress for the occasion."
"My team said almost the exact same thing." Ruby pouted and looked up at him. "Jaune… when we get there… Do we have to dance?"
"It is a dance and I did promise Mint one… and Nora… why?" With a tilt of his head in concern, he looked at her. "Do you not want to?"
"I'm not really comfortable at dances," Her response came out soft and mumbled. "I don't like crowds, heels, and I had some bad experiences."
"Oh…" Jaune was surprised she asked him to go with her if she hated them. "Do you want to skip it and go do something else? Play some video games while we have the room to ourselves."
Ruby gaped at him like he had grown two heads and Jaune wasn't sure why. There was no way he would force his best friend to go somewhere she wasn't comfortable with. He could just tell his team he wasn't feeling good so they decided to just hang back. Those silver eyes continued to observe him before they filled with determination. Shaking her head, Ruby took a deep breath.
"No, I asked you to go with me, and I really want to go with you, Jaune." Ruby slowly stated, her voice firm. "Maybe it will be more fun that way. And I need to get used to socializing with people. It's a key aspect to being a Huntress. Uncle Qrow was always able to go anywhere and talk with people like old friends. One day I want to do it like you and he does."
"I'm not that good." Jaune waved his hand, brushing off the compliment.
"Better than me." The girl mumbled.
"So… Do you want to talk about those bad experiences you had at the dance?" Jaune asked, recalling what she said moments earlier.
"It's not really a secret, but…" Ruby began and then stopped. She looked around and pulled Jaune down a side hallway away from where the dance was being held. When they were far enough away from the music that was just beginning to echo down the main hallway, Ruby finally stopped. "Okay, you know how people find Yang attractive?"
"Eh…" This had to be a trick question and Jaune wasn't sure how to answer it.
Ruby rolled her eyes.
"It's okay to say it, Jaune. I know what guys think of her." She shook her head and sighed. "Well, I was always in her shadow because I wasn't as outgoing as she was, but I did try. Back in Signal, a guy in my class asked me to the school dance. I was so excited because no one would ask the geeky weapons nerd out." Jaune opened his mouth to say something about that, but Ruby kept going, not giving him a chance to speak. "I said yes and was so excited. I talked about it for weeks with dad and Yang."
Her silver eyes dulled.
"During the dance, he disappeared for a bit and when I went looking for him, I found him talking to Yang." Ruby continued seriously. "So I immediately thought Yang was doing her overprotective big sister act. I was about to step in when he confessed to Yang." Her words grew bitter. "He only asked me out because he wanted to get closer to Yang and he thought being nice to me would make her like him."
Jaune's mouth fell open.
"I ran home crying and never went to a dance again until now."
There was only one logical thing for Jaune to do at this.
"H-Hey!" Ruby cried out as Jaune wrapped his arms around her. "W-What are you doing?!"
"Sorry, just thought you needed a hug." The boy answered, holding her tightly. Ruby went silent and just leaned her forehead against Jaune's chest. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah, you're warm." The girl mumbled.
"If the dance is really that traumatizing for you, I'm fine with us skipping." Jaune assured her, about to let her go, only to find her arms wrapped around him, holding the hug longer. It seemed she didn't want it to end yet. "Really."
"No, I want to go now." A small sniff escaped Ruby before she raised her head, her face back to being cheerful as if they hadn't just had a moment. "That's in the past and I want to move on and grow. I need to get used to social situations with other people if I want to be a Huntress."
"So does that mean you'll actually dance?" Jaune grinned down at her.
"I… I don't know how." Ruby admitted softly. "I never really learned. I can sway a bit to the beat, but that's it."
"Want me to teach you?" Jaune asked, not laughing even a little bit. "I can teach you a few steps you can use for most songs."
"Really?" Ruby's eyes lit up at this. "You can danc-... sisters?"
"Sisters."
"Anything they didn't teach you?"
"What Aura is and how to hotwire a car… though I'm sure Saphron knows how to."
Ruby stifled her giggles with a hand over her mouth; her mood visibly lifted. Filled with newfound determination and confidence, she tugged at Jaune's sleeve, leading them towards the dance hall, where the fun awaited. Jaune felt a surge of relief seeing Ruby's nerves dissipate, and that she was grateful for their bond, knowing she could confide in him. While they had discussed many things during their journey, Ruby's insecurities regarding Yang had surfaced, though not in this particular aspect. Growing up in the shadow of her outgoing, early-developing sister had undoubtedly left its mark. Jaune resolved to find a way to show Ruby just how special she truly was.
A pang of regret pricked at Jaune as he realized he couldn't share everything with Ruby, particularly his involvement with Ozpin. It weighed heavily on him, making him feel like he was betraying their friendship. However, he understood the importance of keeping certain secrets for now. Jaune reassured himself that Ruby would understand once he could reveal the truth about Salem and Amber. For the time being, it was best to focus on enjoying their time together and making the most of the dance.
Loud music washed over them when they pushed on the door.
"So loud!" Ruby had to half shout so Jaune could hear her.
"People have to hear the music over all the chatter!" Jaune replied, as they slipped along the sides of the dancehall away from the main dance floor. There was a table with refreshments in the corner with punch, chips, and other easy to eat snacks. Jaune got them a couple of cups and they sat down at a table to watch the other students dance. "Just tell me when you want to try a dance."
"Give me a few minutes." Ruby looked nervous as she stared at the dancers. "I need to work up the nerve."
"No problem, we'll come up with a good reason for Yang while you're not dancing."
"My feet hurt from devil shoes."
"Pssh, I can walk in them."
"What?!" The girl gasped. "How?"
"Sisters thought it would be funny to dress me up like a girl a couple times and they taught me how to walk in them." Jaune shrugged, sipping at the punch. "Place your heel down first, then roll to your toe in one fluid motion. Once your weight is on the balls of your feet, shift forward like you're walking on your toes and take the next step. Easy."
Ruby gaped at him.
"And you didn't tell me this earlier?!"
"You didn't ask." An amused grin formed on Jaune's face before Ruby punched him lightly in the arm.
"Meanie." Ruby stuck her tongue out at him.
"Hello, friends Ruby and Jaune!" Came a cheerful voice they both recognized. The two of them turned to see a familiar oranged haired girl approaching them, with a couple Atlas security guards standing near the wall, watching her.
"Penny!" Ruby squealed, standing up and hugging the girl.
"It's good to see you two here." Penny beamed, sitting down at the table to join them. "General Ironwood gave me permission to attend the dance assuming I had some guards attend. I convinced him that attending a normal teenage activity would be good for my education." She was wearing a short, light green, short-sleeved dress with a narrow black detailing around her waist, with a pair of light green heels.
"It's true, so you didn't even have to lie." Jaune gave her a thumbs up. "Want to hang out with us?"
"Are you not going to dance?" Penny tilted her head curiously.
"In a little bit," Ruby spoke up. "I'm not… a good dancer and it's a little embarrassing."
"Do not fret, Ruby!" Penny beamed at her. "I too am new to the art of dancing. We can learn together!"
"You don't know how to dance?" Ruby's eyes widened. "But… can't you like…" She lowered her voice. "...download how to do it?"
"I have viewed videos on the internet for references, but there is no easy to acquire program that can give me information relating to the previous mechanical movements." Penny replied. "I can only imitate what I see."
"Eh, that's how most people dance." Jaune shrugged. "I was going to teach Ruby a few steps and you're welcome to learn too."
"That would be sensational, Jaune!" Penny gushed, and Jaune was so happy she finally stopped using 'boyfriend.' People passing by would undoubtedly hear that. "It will be so much fun to learn to dance with friends."
"Wish we had time to do it in private." Ruby bit the corner of her lip as she looked out on the dance floor. "Feels weird to learn when others are actually dancing."
"Eh, the dancehall's big enough." Jaune waved his hand. "Though we might have to find a partner for Penny."
"What about Mint?" Penny suggested.
"Huh, I did promise her a dance, but when did you become friends with her?" Jaune wondered, looking at Penny.
"She's standing behind you and looks interested."
A sharp poke in the small of his back startled Jaune, nearly causing him to topple from his seat. Whirling around, he found Mint grinning widely, waving at him. She was dressed in a striking ensemble—a short, strapless black dress with a dark green hem that seamlessly transitioned from black to green at the bottom. Jaune had always been aware of Mint's petite stature, but seeing her in a form-fitting dress emphasized her mature figure even more.
"How long have you been standing there?" Jaune inquired, glancing over at Ruby for confirmation. She simply shrugged, indicating that Jaune had inadvertently blocked her view of Mint. Perhaps Mint had planned to intentionally surprise them. It was uncommon for her to be present, as their teams had noted her infrequent appearances around Beacon, suggesting that she kept to herself.
Mints' response was to grin and sit down with them.
"Hello!" Penny waved cheerfully. Mint stared at her and tilted her head, her expression neutral.
"This is Penny!" Ruby introduced quickly. "She's a friend of ours from Atlas. Penny, this is Mint. We met her when we returned to Vale."
'They adopted me as their daughter.' Mint held up her Scroll to Penny.
"They did?" Penny's eyes went wide and then she positively beamed at them as she clapped her hands. "You two got married and adopted? How sensational!"
BAMN!
Ruby and Jaune both slammed their heads against the table as Mint snickered. Though Ruby might have done that to hide her reddening face and didn't want to look at Jaune. Jaune was just a little tired of the joke that Mint brought up at the most random times. While Penny was kind, she didn't know how to spot sarcasm very well and that could lead to her spreading rumors. Not with malicious intent by any means, just that she didn't know.
Sighing, Jaune had to explain it was a joke and what happened.
It was a good thing Penny knew what being drunk was, even if she was unable to get drunk herself.
"I see," Penny thought about it. "Intoxicated individuals do act strangely when alcohol impairs their biological functions."
"Pretty much." Jaune agreed. "Ruby was pretty adorable as a drunk." Even if she wasn't really drunk. He of course didn't say that last part out loud.
"JAUNE!" Ruby gasped.
"What, it's true?" The boy grinned at her and shrugged. Ruby's eyes narrowed and she stood up and grabbed his arm, pulling him after her. He had no choice but to stand too and follow her. "Looks like Ruby wants to dance, I'll see you two later." Mint mimed some hand signals at him. "I know, I know. I promised to give you a dance." She grinned and waved back as Ruby let him away. Now that Ruby calmed down, he looked at the back of the head of his date. "Are you mad? I wasn't making fun of you."
"I know… but it's still embarrassing." Ruby mumbled, barely audible above the music. She gulped and turned around. "Can you teach me how to dance?" It was then Jaune realized she dragged him to the edge of the dance floor so they weren't in the way of anyone else who actually knew how to dance.
Or those who at least thought they did.
"No problem, it's pretty easy." Jaune promised as Ruby let go of his arm. He paused and listened to the current song blaring around the dancefloor. "Okay, this one will be easy to learn. Watch my feet, that's the key…"
Ruby was a quick learner and prodigy. Of course she was. Not only did she get into Beacon two years early, but she also was a genius in weapon designing. She made Crescent Rose all by herself and even made Yang's Gauntlets. Though she keeps wanting to add a range weapon to Jaune's sword, even though it was a family heirloom. All in all, Jaune wasn't surprised she picked things up quickly. After teaching her some tricks to move in heels, Ruby could move almost fluently. Good enough to dance at least. After teaching her a couple three step moves, she finally seemed to be having fun.
"Dancing is easy!" Ruby laughed.
"Like most things, once you know how to do it, you enjoy it." Jaune replied with a grin.
"It's more fun because you're here." Ruby blurted out and then her silver eyes went wide when she realized what she said. "I mean… because we're friends! And you want to be here with me! Not with someone else!"
"I'm glad I changed your opinion on dances." Jaune replied, trying not to let her ramble on too much, no matter how adorable. "We'll get rid of our socially awkward label in no time."
"Hah, I hope so!" Ruby looked up at him, her eyes shining in the light as she moved to the music. Nothing extravagant, but she was dancing. "Jaune… it's really nice to do all this with you. I'm glad you're my friend."
"Same, Rubes, same." Jaune was about to reach up and brush a hair out of her face when his eyes saw a familiar scary sight.
Lilac eyes were glaring at him from the blonde sitting at a table. Yang must have been watching them because she had her Scroll in her hands. Probably taking pictures of her sister learning to dance. It seemed like a thing she would do. At least she wasn't butting in to interrupt. Though the anger in her eyes was a warning to Jaune not to try anything. Even being overprotective, Jaune would have thought Yang would know he wasn't going to do anything. Ruby was his closest friend and he cared about her deeply. Enough to do anything for her just like she would for him.
At that though, something ran through his mind.
Should he continue to let Yang intimidate him?
Blinking a couple times, something came over him. Maybe it was the festive atmosphere? Maybe it was all the life threatening events he managed to live through already? It could also be the fact he was dancing with someone he really cared for and didn't want to let others dictate what they could do together. Whatever the reason, a fire rose up within his core and roared to life. Reaching forward, he brushed the hair out of Ruby's face and glanced over at Yang.
Giving her the biggest shit eating grin he could.
Ruby didn't see that though as she blushed and turned away. Not because she hated the gesture, but she couldn't look Jaune in the face at the time. Yang however could and seeing Jaune so brazenly defy her warnings caused the blonde girl's mouth to fall open in shock. Though she quickly gathered herself as her eyes changed from lilac to red. She pointed to them, then to Jaune, before drawing a finger across her throat. Then she turned around and marched toward Blake, who was dancing with the blonde monkey Faunus, Sun.
Jaune knew he would regret that action later, but at the moment, it was worth it. He showed Yang that to him, Ruby was more important than her. Opposite of what that asshole did to Ruby in the past. Looking back down, Ruby was staring up at him, a combination of curiosity and irritation. Like a cute puppy who's nose he just flicked.
"What was that for?" Ruby demanded to know.
"Oh, just thought it might have been bothering you." Jaune lied, smiling at her.
"You're lucky you're my friend, I would have freaked out if someone else did that." Ruby pouted and then smirked back at him. "I'm going to mess with your hair when you least expect it."
"Hey! I just made your hair neater, not mess it up."
"Too bad!" Ruby stuck her tongue out at him. "You should have asked first."
"Can't argue with that logic." Jaune conceded and Ruby lightly patted his arm.
They danced for a little while and Penny even came over to join them. She was mostly just shaking her body around like most inexperienced dancers did. Even Ruby was doing better than her and she only had a few short lessons from Jaune. However, she was having fun, so Jaune didn't comment on it. Those people who couldn't let other people enjoy themselves without commenting really needed to get over themselves. Like now, Ruby was laughing with Penny and dancing, something she would never have done before willingly.
Finally finding herself and being the person she wanted to be.
Jaune continued with them until Ruby tugged on his sleeve and wanted to sit back down. She was flinching slightly with each step and Jaune realized her feet might be hurting due to not being proficient in heels. They caused a lot of sores when you weren't used to them. Penny was fine with joining them at the table to talk while Ruby recovered. As they approached the seats, they saw Mint was still sitting down and was shooing a couple guys who had come over to her. They must have asked her to dance and she shot them down.
"Someone's popular." Jaune joked as they sat down across from Mint.
Mint rolled her eyes and gestured back at him with sign language.
'Look who's talking. You're surrounded by girls.'
"That is true," Penny agreed. "The three of us are girls and Jaune is very popular with many female friends."
"Huh?" Ruby tilted her head in confusion, not sure where that came from.
"Can you understand Mint's sign language?" Jaune asked in surprise. Mint's eyes were wide and she was staring at Penny in equal confusion.
"Why yes!" Penny nodded. "Back in Atlas, it's a form of communication and I down-... learned it during that time. I did not mention it earlier because Mint was writing things on her Scroll for me and I did not wish to interrupt in case it was rude."
Mint's mouth fell open as she stared at the ginger girl. Ruby and Jaune were trying very hard not to laugh. For someone who had a hard time communicating since most people didn't know sign language, Mint must have been quite bewildered to not only have Jaune, but Penny understand it too. Plus Ruby wanted to learn to communicate with her new friend.
"Once we get the chance to teach Ruby, we can all communicate that way." Jaune pointed out.
"Oh, yeah!" Ruby gasped as it dawned on her. "We could have our own secret language with our group! We could pass messages back and forth, even in class! Huh… do you think Professor Goodwitch knows sign language?"
"I bet she does to prevent what you're trying to do." Jaune couldn't keep the grin off his face.
"I would not doubt Professor Goodwitch would at least know some sign language." Penny agreed with a nod. "General Ironwood speaks of her most highly." Mint's ears twitched at the name. "She is famous among all the academies for being a good teacher and very strict."
"That's an understatement." Ruby and Jaune mumbled, before snickering under their breath.
Mint looked between them, confusion and thought etched on her face. It seemed she wasn't used to this kind of idle chatter. From what Jaune saw, she mostly kept to herself when she wasn't with them, except that time when she went to Junior's. The twins there seemed to know her, so she wasn't completely socially awkward. He might have considered her just an introvert, but the way she acts when she's around people made him believe she's used to being in charge. People don't intimidate her in social situations like they did with Ruby.
He noticed her waving at him and pointing to the dance floor.
"You want to dance?" Jaune asked and she nodded. "Ruby? Do you mind?"
"Nah, go ahead." Ruby smiled. "I want to rest my feet some more." Something just dawned on Jaune.
"You took your shoes off under the table, didn't you?"
"Maybe~..."
"No wonder it smells."
"HEY!" Ruby slapped his arm. "Your feet smell way worse!"
Laughter filled the air as Jaune rose from his seat and joined Mint, who immediately latched onto his arm. Ruby's smile faltered at the sight. It was one thing for Jaune to dance with Mint, but seeing her cling to him like that stirred an uncomfortable sensation in Ruby's gut. It was a feeling she'd experienced before, one she never welcomed. After discussing it with the rest of her team, she recognized it as jealousy. But why would she feel jealous? It was just a dance, and Mint was a friend. Jaune was merely being polite. After all, Ruby was the one who had invited him, though Mint had asked first.
Does Mint have feelings for him?
That made her feel worse.
Sort of.
Mint had indeed been the one to ask Jaune to the dance initially, but he ultimately opted to accompany Ruby when she extended her invitation. After all, they had been friends for so long, whereas Mint was a relatively new acquaintance. It seemed only natural for Jaune to prioritize his best friend over someone they had only recently met. It wasn't that Ruby disliked Mint—she found her enjoyable company, especially since they shared a love for sweets. In Ruby's opinion, Mint needed to acknowledge that cookies were superior to ice cream, even though ice cream had its merits. However, there was an underlying feeling of possessiveness in Ruby's thoughts. Mint needed to understand that Jaune belonged to her. No matter how cute Mint was.
Ruby's eyes narrowed as Mint seemed to be dancing a little closer than needed to Jaune.
"Is something wrong, Ruby?" Penny asked worriedly. "Do you have a stomach ache?"
"Huh, no?" Ruby didn't even realize she was staring at them with a serious expression. It was also kind of a lie, as her stomach did feel weird. "I'm fine, Penny."
"That's good to hear." Penny wasn't the kind of person to doubt other people's words. "I was worried you might have to leave early if you weren't feeling good. This is my first school dance and I was looking forward to attending with my friends."
Those sincere words made Ruby feel bad. She was so focused on Jaune, who wouldn't just leave her behind, that she completely ignored Penny. Well, she wasn't going to be jealous anymore and trust her friend! Sitting up, Ruby smiled and tried to show she wasn't planning to leave.
"Nope, I'm staying." Though part of her did want to leave as dances were loud and noisy, even if she was slowly getting used to them. "I'm having fun, even if I'm not used to heels."
"Why don't you just wear flat bottoms, like tennis shoes?" Penny wondered.
"That's what I said!" Ruby raised her hands into the air. "But my team told me I need to learn to dress up for social occasions."
"And we were right." Ruby turned around as the familiar voice spoke right behind her. "Mind if I join you?" Weiss asked and Ruby quickly gestured next to her.
"Hello, Weiss!" Penny greeted immediately.
"Hello, Penny." Weiss nodded in acknowledgement. "Are you enjoying the dance?"
"It's very fun." Penny clapped her hands. "And being with my friends has made it all the more sensational. How about you? I don't recall seeing you on the dance floor. Is everything okay?"
Ruby attempted to discreetly shake her head, hoping Weiss wouldn't notice. This was a delicate topic within their team. Weiss had invited Neptune from Sun's team to the dance, only for him to decline. It had left Weiss visibly upset for a few days afterward, and even Yang refrained from teasing her about it. Despite her playful demeanor, Yang knew when to respect boundaries. While a few other guys had asked Weiss out, she turned them down due to her high standards. With no other options, Weiss found herself attending the dance solo.
"I'm selective who I dance with." Weiss replied passively, no trace of disappointment.
"Would you like to dance with me?" Penny asked.
"Er…" Weiss seemed to debate with herself how to respond. She noticed Ruby staring at her with pleading eyes to treat her friend well. The rest of Team RWBY was asked by their leader to help her adjust, even if Ruby didn't tell them why Penny was different. Sighing, Weiss slowly nodded. "I suppose one dance won't hurt."
"Sensational!" Penny stood up eagerly. "Let us go and stomp the dance floor."
"Hit the dance floor." Ruby whispered as Weiss' eye roll indicated she might have regretted agreeing. If Weiss could have fun through, pushing her would be worth it. Like how Ruby came out of her shell. Maybe Weiss just needed a male best friend to help her not be so grumpy. Smiling, Ruby turned to the dance floor and saw Mint holding onto Jaune's arm and leaning close. Not in a kissing way, but indicating she was sharing something personal.
Ruby wished he would finish and they could leave together. The music was getting to her and a dull pounding was coursing through her head.
"Jealousy isn't a pretty look."
Nearly jumping out of her seat, Ruby spun around in the chair to see her resident team ninja.
"Blake!" Ruby cried. "What have I said about sneaking up on me?!"
"I wasn't sneaking," Blake smiled and sat down. "I walked over here out in the open. Yang's getting some drinks for us and will join in a minute."
"What about Sun?" Ruby asked. "Won't he be lonely?"
"He's talking with some of his friends, so I'm taking the chance to take a break." Blake slumped in her chair. "He's a nice guy, just so excitable and full of energy. It's tiring."
"It was nice of you to go with him." Ruby admitted. "He seems to really like you."
"Remember, I stressed we can go as friends, and only friends." Blake reinforced. "I don't want to get his hopes up and lead him on. That's a terrible thing to do to someone." Ruby's face remained passive at this as her last dance flashed through her mind. "Anyway, how's things going with Jaune?"
"He's dancing with Mint at the moment." Ruby answered quickly. "I'm resting my feet."
"I told you to practice wearing them last week to break the shoes in," Blake's small smile was filled with amusement. "It not only helps you get used to walking, but also softens the shoes so they won't hurt your feet."
"Ugh… I should have." Ruby moaned, burying her face in her arms.
"What's with the moping Ruby?" Her sister Yang interrupted, setting down some cups of punch for them. "Things going bad? From what I saw, you two were hitting it off." Her eyes flickered to the dance floor where Jaune was pulling away from Mint. "Huh, shortstack there seems to be determined."
"Jaune won't leave me!" Ruby blurted out immediately.
A snort escaped from the blonde girl as her younger sister quickly covered her mouth with her hand and turned as red as her cloak back at the dorm. Blake was watching with twinkling amber eyes, her smile not seeming to leave her face anytime soon.
"Oh, it seems the date is going better than we thought." Yang teased. "Good, I was afraid I would have to knock some sense into Vomit Boy… Jaune if he hurt you." She changed names mid sentence when Ruby's eyes narrowed at her. Yang had promised to try to call Jaune by his name, but she was so used to calling him Vomit Boy."
"I told Jaune what happened last time I was at a dance." Ruby stated, staring at Yang.
That wiped the smirk from her sister's face.
"Wow… okay." Yang gulped and wasn't sure how to reply. An unusual occurrence for her. "So, er… what did he say?" Blake's cyan bow twitched as she listened, not wanting to interrupt. The raven haired girl didn't have any information about what happened at the previous dance, but could deduce it impacted Ruby negatively.
"We debated if we should leave and just play video games back at the dorm," Ruby reminisced, almost looking like maybe she should have chosen that route. Only for a moment though as her eyes sparked back to life. "But we decided to come here. I can't live in the past, right? Being brave and trying new things to move forward is the path of a good Huntress."
"Well said." Blake nodded in agreement as she sipped her drink. "I learned to expect the unexpected at a young age."
"I did too, I lived with Yang during her prank stage."
"When is she going to outgrow that?"
"Who knows?"
Ruby and Blake laughed as Yang rolled her eyes.
"Just for that, you're both getting a Yang special tomorrow." The blonde huffed and then laughed herself. "But I'm glad to hear Jaune's helping you get over what happened last time, Rubes. That guy was a loser. Jaune's just a dork. Big upgrade."
"He's my dork." Ruby muttered happily and then covered her mouth.
"My dork?" Blake and Yang repeated in unison."
"You heard nothing!" Ruby gasped, pointing at them.
"You're so a-dork-able." Yang cooed, hugging her.
"Okay, that pun was almost funny." Blake's lips twitched.
"Speaking of Jaune, he's still dancing?" Yang asked, looking around.
"Yeah, he should have finished by now." Ruby imitated her action. "He's not on the dance floor?"
"He's over there." Blake pointed to the other side of the hall. "He's talking to Cinder."
"Cinder?!" Yang and Ruby stared in the direction Blake indicated. "Why's Jaune talking to her?" Ruby asked.
"Mint's with her, so maybe he's just being polite?" Yang wondered.
"It's Jaune, he might be thanking her for letting Pyrrha crash at her dorm." Blake theorized reasonably.
"That does sound like him." Ruby agreed, though her eyes zeroed in on him.
Mint seemed nervous standing next to him and that worried Ruby for some reason. However, Cinder seemed like her normal intimidating self, even if Ruby didn't know her that well. Her main experience was with Mint and a little bit with Emerald. Both of them were friendly and Emerald really praised Cinder's leadership. Everyone else's opinion on Cinder was a little less than stellar. Hard to approach and had a fierce aura.
Good luck, Jaune. Ruby wished silently.
"Okay, I gave you an extra dance." Jaune wiped some sweat from his brow. "I need to head back to Ruby. And no, don't try that." Mint had made sad puppy dog eyes and sniffed. "Ruby's sad face is way more powerful than that, and so are my sisters."
Mint let out a sigh of resignation, slowly accepting the situation. The moment seemed to be coming to an end. Just as Jaune prepared to depart, he found himself confronted by a striking woman with intense eyes. It was Cinder Fall, exuding an air of confidence as she stood before him. She wore a shoulderless black dress that hugged her curves, accentuating every contour from her neck down to the slit along her leg. Black gloves extended to her elbows, adding to her allure, while a delicate mesh decoration adorned her left shoulder.
"Jaune Arc," The woman said slowly, just above the sound of the music. "Do you mind if we have a quick word?"
"Er…" Jaune glanced back at the table where Ruby was. Penny had left, but Blake and Yang seemed to have joined her. "Sure, I have a few minutes."
"Thank you." Cinder led him off the dance floor to the far wall. Mint trotted along after them, looking curious. "So, Jaune… I take it you and Pyrrha made up to some degree?"
"Sort of… it's more of an understanding." Jaune rubbed his neck and then realized he wanted to say something. "Thanks for letting her stay in your room for a few days. I know our dorms aren't the biggest."
"It was no problem at all." Cinder assured him. "Mercury is very fond of Pyrrha and she was a perfect visitor. Maybe too much, as she would apologize if she made even a little noise."
"Sounds like her." Jaune might have chuckled if his stomach didn't suddenly twist into knots. His eyes scanned the dance floor and saw his partner dancing with Mercury. Pyrrha looked stunning in a turtleneck sleeveless red dress with her back exposed. She appeared to be really happy and was smiling with a real smile, not a fake one she mostly wore around their team now. "Still, thank you. Most people wouldn't have taken her in. Not after what I heard happened."
Approaching her would just dirty the memory of this dance for her. Now was not the time to talk.
"Oh, about her Semblance being a cheat?" Cinder scoffed. "Nonsense. True, it's stronger than most of them, but our enemies are also powerful. It's best to train against stronger opponents to grow. If you only ever fight weak opponents, your skills will stagnate."
"Exactly!" Jaune gestured to her. "Finally, someone outside our team understands!"
"I made sure my team understood that long ago." Cinder smirked as she gazed up at him. "Speaking of people talking about others, what about you? There's a lot of rumors circling around you, but I would be a fool to believe half of them."
"What have you heard?" Jaune gulped.
"Many things, most I don't care about," Cinder continued to stare at him as Mint stood there awkwardly. "What I am curious about is why you got an apprenticeship that many would kill for."
"There's a looooong story behind that, but I guess I was in the right place at the right time." The boy really didn't want to talk about it, though a large number of students probably knew he faked his transcripts. His plan had been that if he showed his new skills, people would forget the rumor Cardin spread. Cinder didn't look like she believed that, even if it was true, so Jaune was fine to act like it wasn't. "But it wasn't a cakewalk. Lots of traveling by foot, sleeping in rain, and fighting Grimm constantly. It wasn't a vacation."
"Hmm, maybe if we have time another day, you can tell me about some of your adventures." Cinder mused. At this, Mint grabbed Jaune's arm and glared at her., surprising Jaune. "Don't worry, Mint. I don't plan to steal him. He's with Ruby, and I'm not that type of woman. I was just curious." Cinder smiled at Jaune. "And then I can assure Mercury that you aren't the type of person he thinks you are."
"Wait!" Jaune held up a hand. "What kind of person does he think I am?"
Mint actually let go of him and snickered at this.
"We have a very… one sided view of the problems between you and Pyrrha." Cinder explained simply. "With him now dating Pyrrha, he believes you're in the wrong. Very much so."
"Ahhhh… Well, he's right about that." Jaune muttered. "I did some shitty things."
"You're mature enough to admit it, that's more than most people in this school." Jaune's eyes widened at her words. "I'm serious, like with Pyrrha's Semblance. People will do mental gymnastics to blame anyone else besides themselves. Those that can admit their own failings are much more mature. Now, I think I monopolized enough of your time. Ruby has been staring at us for a while."
Jaune glanced over and saw Ruby sitting at the table with Blake still, but now Yang had joined them.
"It was nice to talk with you Cinder, but you're right. I need to get back to Ruby. Catch you later!"
He took off with Mint staring after him, a look of exasperation on her face. Then she grew serious and turned to look at Cinder. Raising an eyebrow, Mint stared at her team leader. Cinder watched Jaune leave for a moment longer before moving her attention to the girl next to her.
"I'm heading out. Enough people have seen me. You might need to have me make a short appearance now and then."
The mute girl nodded as Cinder turned and slowly made her way to the door.
Jaune meanwhile, quickly made his way back to the table.
"Sorry about that!" He apologized instantly to Ruby. "Mint didn't want to quit and then her team leader stopped by for a quick talk."
"It's fine, I understand." Ruby assured him. "I'm glad you're back."
"She's really glad you're ba-...ow!" Yang flinched as something sharp dug into her leg. "Ruby!"
"What?!" Ruby asked innocently as Yang glared at her. Across from Yang, Blake was trying very hard not to laugh. "So what did Cinder want?"
"I think she wanted to size me up since Mint likes to hang around with us." Jaune shrugged as he didn't really know. "She was nice enough."
"Cinder, nice?" Yang raised an eyebrow. "How did you charm that out of her?"
"Huh?" Jaune looked at her in confusion.
"Cinder is known for being really strict," Blake elaborated. "Plenty of people asked her to the dance and she shot them down hard. She's also one of the few people who are willing to face Pyrrha in Goodwitch's class."
"Right, we talked about that too." Jaune rubbed his neck, a nervous habit of his. "There's no way she'll give up just because of a strong Semblance. I also thanked her for letting Pyrrha stay over when we had a disagreement."
The three girls remained silent and didn't comment on that. Which for someone like Yang, was pretty damn impressive.
"Oh, look!" The blonde girl said instead. "They are adding a couple slow dances. I'm going to find Weiss and make her dance with me."
"Really?" Blake raised an eyebrow and looked skeptical.
"Pssh, if her standards are so high she won't accept anyone's invitation, then obviously she wants the best." Yang joked loudly with a laugh. "Besides, I can see Sun looking for you." She pointed to the distance where the monkey Faunus was scanning the crowd.
"I suppose I better." Blake stood up and headed in his direction, leaving Jaune and Ruby at the table. The music and lights were dimming a little bit, as most of the students vacated the dance floor, leaving only a few couples.
Funny enough, Ren and Nora were up there, even though they were just together and not together-together.
"Do you want to dance?" Jaune asked, half jokingly. The rabid side to side head shaking verified what he knew already. Ruby did not want to be center staged. With only a handful of people up there now, eyes would be on her. Along with the fact she couldn't dance. "Slow dancing is easier though, I can even lead." Ruby's face looked like a tomato as she shook her head.
Then Jaune got an idea.
"Want to slip outside and get some fresh air?"
"Yes!" Ruby nearly shot out of her seat. She grabbed Jaune's sleeve before regaining control of her emotions. Still red faced, she nodded and her next words were softer. "I mean… yeah…"
They slipped out of the side door into the cool night air. The sun had set a few hours ago and once the heavy door closed behind them, the music was muffled to the point they couldn't even make out what song was playing. Not that either of them cared. Ruby had reached her limit of loud music and social activity for the month. Jaune just wanted to spend time with his best friend. It was a win-win. Their teams were off having fun with their dates, so the two of them wouldn't be missed. Jaune also had a sneaking suspicion Nora was purposely giving him space so he could spend it with Ruby.
That he was thankful for.
"Ahhh, peace and quiet!" Ruby held up her arms to the sky. "I was about to go crazy."
"Didn't you have fun?" Jaune wandered. "I thought you were."
"When we were dancing, a little." Ruby admitted, rubbing her arm. "But my outfit, the shoes, it ruined the experience. I'd rather wear my normal clothes."
"You do look really pretty in that dress." Jaune admitted, causing Ruby's eyes to widen and her chinks to turn pink. "Though, if you wear those combat boots, there's a really interesting look that combines the tough girl I know with the movie star you could be."
"YOU!" Ruby pounding his arm rapidly with her fists, realizing he was joking around. "Just for that, I'm going to ask Saphron for a picture of you in a dress and make it my new Scroll background for you!"
"If you wanted a picture of me in a dress, you just had to ask, Ruby." Jaune laughed loudly. "I'll put one on for you if you're ever feeling down."
No response came and he noticed her staring at him, her mouth slightly open as if lost in thought. Then a tiny bit of blood seemed to trickle out of her nose.
"Ruby, hey, Ruby? You okay?"
"Uh, oh, yes!" Ruby wiped her nose quickly and shook her head. "I might take you up on that offer. Can I show Yang?"
"Only if she signs a non disclosure waiver that she can't tell anyone else."
Both of them burst out into laughter in the silent night before eventually calming down and staring up at the stars.
"Jaune… thanks for coming with me." Came the soft whisper. Even in the silence, Jaune barely heard her. "It means a lot and I did have fun."
"I had fun too." The boy replied truthfully. "But I always seem to enjoy myself with you."
"Same here." Ruby gulped and then did something that surprised Jaune.
Her small hand wrapped around his larger one.
It wasn't the first time they held hands. Usually this occurred when one of them was dragging the other one somewhere. This time, the gesture was way more intimate. The way her hand shakily wrapped around his, yet still firm in its grip. Not even Jaune could deny Ruby meant something more this time. His own fingers instinctively intertwined within hers as they continued. Neither of them could look the other one in the eye, but Jaune and Ruby wore a stupid grin on their faces as they held hands.
Hearts pounded loudly in their chests, the sound echoing in the quiet night.
Despite the coolness of the evening air, sweat coated their palms, causing them to slip slightly as they clasped each other's hands. There was an undeniable sense of significance to this moment, as if each event leading up to it had been building towards something monumental. From Ruby's uncharacteristic decision to ask Jaune to the dance, to Jaune's steadfast loyalty to his best friend over other potential suitors, and now, as they snuck away from the crowd under the cover of darkness.
Both Jaune and Ruby couldn't help but feel the weight of the moment. They had both indulged in romance novels in the past—Jaune more so, thanks to his sisters, while Ruby had recently been sneaking some of Blake's books when she thought no one was looking. The atmosphere was charged with a pleasant awkwardness, reminiscent of their days traveling together. Qrow had been there, of course, but there were stretches of time when he would leave them to scout, leaving Ruby and Jaune alone with each other. Ruby cherished her team, but she also longed for moments like these, just the two of them.
As Ruby pondered this, everything seemed to click into place. The courage that had been simmering beneath the surface surged forth, demanding that she finally voice what she truly desired.
Without thinking it through, the question blurted out of her mouth.
"Jaune, will you go out with me?"
"Ruby, will you go out with me?"
It turned out she wasn't the only one thinking things through. Jaune had reached the same conclusion as she did. Ruby's eyes went wide and at first she believed she misheard things. There was no way Jaune was a mind reader. How else would he say the exact same thing as her!
"W-wha…?!" The girl stammered.
"I've been thinking about this a while," Jaune admitted, smiling warmly at her. "Ruby… you're my best friend, someone who stood by me when I was at my lowest. You didn't just support me, you uprooted your life to help me for no other reason except we were friends. Now I see you even more than my best friend. Every day I spend with you makes me happier. You're someone I can see spending my future with so I wanted to make this official."
Ruby gaped at him.
"And I take it you feel the same way?" Jaune shifted in place. "Since you asked me out too…"
"YES!" Ruby's arms wrapped around his neck and she was nearly hanging off him. "Yes! A thousand times yes!"
"Haha, I figured now was as good of a time as any?" Jaune laughed, swinging her around in a circle with his arm wrapped around her in return.
"I wanted to ask you first." Ruby pouted as she gazed up into his eyes. "But I'll forgive you this time."
"Much appreciated." Jaune snickered. "Do you want to go back to the dance and tell the others or wait until tomorrow?"
"They can wait a single day." Ruby's smile seemed transfixed on her face. "Can we just… spend some time together?"
"I would like that."
Together, they walked away from the building toward a bench. Sitting down, Ruby immediately laid her head on Jaune's shoulder. He in return put his arm around her shoulders in a one arm hug. The two of them were lost in their own little world. No words needed to be said as they just stared up at the sky. Jaune noticed Ruby's attention kept turning to his face and he looked down at his now girlfriend. Ruby was biting the corner of her lip as she stared at him, like she wanted to ask him a question or act on something. It was pretty obvious what she wanted to do so Jaune leaned down slowly, just in case he was wrong.
Ruby slowly stretched her head up toward his.
They were getting closer.
"Jaune! What's that!?"
Jaune spun around in alarm. At such an intimate moment, there was no way Ruby would play a prank on them. Being in the wilds so long meant that if one of them noticed something that alarmed them, the other would be on guard instantly. Eyes scanned the area before he saw what Ruby was referring to. On top of the nearby building, a figure clad in black was hopping along the roof toward the Cross Continental Transmit (CCT) tower, which allowed kingdoms to contact the other kingdoms across Remnant.
A mysterious person in the night heading to somewhere off limits?
Yeah, that wasn't a good sign.
Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish to ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter
ANNNNNDDD someone interfered in Jaune and Ruby's romance. It was nBappo's fault. He wanted a cliffhanger.
nBappo: You bastard. Not another one. I will hunt you down. Interrupting the kiss like that should be a crime. Ehem. Anyways. Jaune x Ruby all the way.
Dark: Also, if we teach Jaune and Ruby how to hotwire a car, we could have Grand Theft City: Lancaster.