A/N: You didn't really think I'd leave this collection of one-shots (And more) without writing something for Ruby's birthday, did you?

Happy Birthday, Ruby!

Love's First Rose,

Chapter 5

October...

A few a days before Halloween...

Roughly three months before the events of Clout...

Day 1

Ruby was feeling weird. Not Bad weird. Just... weird. She was a bundle of nerves right now, a mixture of anxiety and excitement! And, why, might you ask?

Because it was her Birthday!

... In three days.

Yes, yes, she knew that she shouldn't be acting like this. As Weiss would say she wasn't a child anymore. But it was so exciting, HAH!

Yeah, she beat Cinder and saved Haven. Yeah, she traveled halfway around the world as, well, basically a delivery girl for... something, for the Headmaster of Atlas Academy. Yeah, she was the leader of the most kick-butt team to ever grace Beacon Academy - Sorry, mom! - ever!

But, it was her birthday!

Give a girl some slack?

/ /

Those were the thoughts that went through her head on repeat as she walked down the halls of Beacon, pumping her arms merrily, grinning all the while as she continued to greet the various people on her way, ignorantly ignoring the way they looked at her. This year she was trying to maintain a sense of, uh, what did Weiss call it again? - Composure! - Yeah, composure. She was going to have all the com-po-sure that you could ask for.

(A/N: It most certainly, is not, composure. Even if that is actually correct. Weiss meant for her to Comport herself in a manner befitting that of a team leader and not, well, a spoiled brat. ...It says a lot when Weiss gives that as advice, huh?)

"Hey, Ruby! What're you doin'?" Called one Jaune Arc as he noticed her just as she was rounding the corner while humming merrily. She was just who he was looking for and - what was that?! She turned to face her secret crush fully - Ah! stop it, Heart! We can't be pounding so hard right now or we won't be able to hear what Jaune has to say! Ah! He's talking again! - as she said, "Hey, Jaune!" and waved before walking up to him as she said, "Oh, you know, just making my rounds through the school. Maintaining a sense of composure, yeah!"

Jaune blinked at that as she scratched at her cheek and said something to her. For some reason her face was really itchy this morning. Maybe she should've waited for Yang to get out of the shower to check and see if she had any pimples or what have you. Gods! By Oum, even! That would just be the worst. Especially if what she heard between Blake and Nora was true, about all her friends preparing to do a group photo shoot with her on her birthday!

How did she find out about that? Well, it wasn't because she was snooping on them to see if they were getting her any gifts for her birthday. Honest! ...She just happened to be under Blake's bed looking for something important, like her contact!

(A/N: Ruby does not wear contacts, but she would look cute in glasses. Just saying.)

But, anyway, that didn't matter! Why? Because, it would be just like her friends to mess with her like that! Get her all relaxed and full of yummy cake and, then -Snap! - a surprise picture with her face smeared with chocolate frosting and her mouth open mid-bite as all her friends were suddenly behind her.

She'd never live it down! Especially, if Yang turned it into a greeting card for Non-Description Winter Holidays! And, she would, she just knew it.

Anyway, what was Jaune saying again? She blinked, shaking her anxiety away before beaming up at him as she asked, "Um, sorry Jaune. Um, I-I was a bit distracted there. What did you say again?"

Jaune blinked at that before shaking his head and grinned back at her before he asked, "Oh, Rubes. You're such a dork. I asked, 'And, why are you doing that dressed like that?"

Ruby blinked as her eyes started to glaze over why she stared at Jaune chin, his smile, those deep blue eyes and his bi -Wait, what now?! - "Uuhhh, what do you mean?" She asked in confusion as she rubbed at the back of her head. Boy, what was with her today. She wasn't normally this distracted by him. Was something in the air.

"Well, I mean, it's a bit too early to be dressing for Halloween, Rubes." Jaune said. Then she stared in bewilderment as Jaune pulled out a hand mirror and showed her what he meant. She was wearing her normal school uniform and her red cloak and, and her face was painted black and white with a skull mask!

She stood thee gaping at that for a moment before yelling, "YAang!" And tore out back to her room as fast as she could with her Semblance.

/ /

Yang was just coming out of the bathroom, a cheeky grin on her face, as she rubbed the last bit of water from her golden locks. - Gods, but it took some work to be this naturally beautiful! - Only to stop as she heard,"YAang!"

She stood there momentarily in fright, pondering over whether it would be better to go back into the bathroom to hide, but it was still steaming, and that would ruin what she had done for her hair today, and -Too Late!

The door to their dorm room crashed open under a whirl of rose petals as her sister stormed in, glaring at her, the death head face paint oddly perfect for this moment. "Uh," was all she got out before Ruby was right there in her face shrieking with outrage.

"Dang it, Yang! How could you? I was talking with Jaune and everything!" Her sister spewed forth like an angry hummingbird, buzzing about her in a swirl of rose petals as she berated her while darting about. Yang just stood there taking it in with a sheepish grin as she dried her hair. So much for that prank, she guessed.

"Now, Ruby," She started, only for Ruby to snap at her while jabbing a finger at her, prodding one of her boobs, "Don't you, 'Now, Ruby,' me, Yang! I-"

"Oh, my head," The two sisters froze as they heard that voice. That masculine, woozy voice. And turned to find Jaune rising up on his hands and knees as he shook his head and said, "Let's not do that again. I don't think my stomach could take it."

Ruby's eyes widened at that as Jaune began to look up at them and her eyes darted from Jaune to Yang to her towel and back Jaune. Her anxiety from earlier burst into full blown panic as she looked between Jaune and Yang, and the towel, Jaune and Yang, and the towel, Jaune and Yang and - the towel slipped loose and fell to the floor, revealing Yang in all her glory as she stood there too stunned to move, "Aaaaahhhh!" Ruby hollered as she swooped in front of Yang just as Jaune took her in and swept him up with her as she flew back out of the room with Jaune shouting, "Ru-Ruby, wait!"

After a wild, whipping ride through the campus she suddenly stopped by slamming Jaune up against a wall, somewhere. then she said, "Okay, bye! It was nice talking to you, Jaune!" Before she kissed his cheek and dashed away back to her room in a blind panic, not realizing what she had just done.

"Wa-what?" Jaune asked in confusion as he lay there, spread eagle against the wall and floor. "Did I just- Were those Yang's- What?" Then he passed out, his mind overloaded with images of a blond angel and a reaper.

Day 2

After much scolding of Yang, and a sudden burst of embarrassment as she realized what she had done with Jaune, Ruby hadn't bothered to go to class yesterday. Fortunately, today, was Saturday, so she could do what she wanted, as long as she avoided Goodwitch. the Headmistress had not been happy with her after everything she did yesterday from the noise complaints to the face paint - Apparently, Yang did a really, really good job of things. - to basically using her Semblance to kidnap Jaune.

It apparently took his team over three hours to find him. She felt bad about that.

(A/N: It really should've taken less than one, but no one thought to check his location on their Scrolls. I blame Nora.)

To that end, she thought about how she might make that up to him. She and the others had already decided to go with her plan on how to get closer to him, though they hadn't yet asked him to help with their new channel online yet, wanting to wait till after the holidays. Yeah, even she was starting to think that, maybe using that as a way of getting Jaune to reciprocate their feelings was a bit out there.

(A/N: Waay out there, Ruby. But I blame me for that bit of silliness.)

Still, she endeavored to persevere. After all, she kind of, already had, for the last few years. She sighed at that and rubbed at her head as she donned her workout clothes and started her daily run that morning. It used to be weekly, but she found that running helped her gather her thoughts, helped her destressed. And, Lord, did she need to do that after yesterday. She just had to make certain to not run too much as the cheap shorts and shirt tended to cling to her if she ran too much from all the sweat. She had learned that the hard way when she got them wet one time.

Still, a nice breezy run at 4:30AM would be good for her. Clear her head. Gt out all those antsy thoughts she thought. It would calming, relaxing.

Not thirty minutes later...

"Hooh, I cannot believe that I kissed him, on he cheek! Ah!" Ruby spouted out, her face glowing brightly with embarrassment as she clapped both hands to her face as she continued to wail soundlessly. Eventually, the flush went away as she ran on, only to come back almost immediately as she remembered the kiss once more. "Hoohh, I got it bad, don't I?" She whined.

That was how her morning run went. And, that was how she ran into Jaune.

/ /

"Hey, Rubes," Jaune called as he jogged up next to her as she was running by, lost in thought, or fantasy.

"Ah, Jaune! What are you doing here?!" she squawked in surprise as he came up on her, stumbling to a stop before heaving a breath as she realized how tired she was. she had been running too long, apparently, if the wobbling in her legs meant anything. Also, the sun was up now.

"Oh, you know, looking for you," He answered lightly as he stopped next to her, trying to feign being at ease, when in reality he was nervous as heck. "Yang was getting worried, you know? About you not coming back yet."

"Oh, uh, haha, yeah, I, uh, was lost in thought, you know?" Ruby responded nervously as she rubbed at her head.

"Oh? About what?" Jaune asked as he tried to gather the nerve for what he wanted to do now that he was here.

"Oh, about... st-stuff." Ruby said as she tried to come up with an excuse. "You know, Dr. Oobleck's class and Combat Class. You're doing really well in that by the way. Congrats! I knew you had it in you, Jaune."

"Huh, oh, heh, thanks, Ruby." Jaune said in replied while rubbing at his neck in embarrassment. Then, he cleared his throat as he said, "Say, I-"

Right as a chill wind blew by, blowing through them. "Ah, that's cold!" Ruby cried as the wind blew over her sweat-soaked body as she hunch down and shivered. Afterwards, she stood back up and shook moisture from her head as she shook her hair, saying while standing triumphantly with her hands at her waist, "Guess I ran too much, huh?"

Jaune didn't respond.

She blinked at that and looked at him, asking, "Jaune?" He was staring down at her, his eyes bugging out of his skull in mute shock. "Jaune?" she asked again before looking down to she that her her abs were on full display as were her hips and thighs as her exercise shorts began to cling to them in the cooling sweat of her body. Moreover, her nipples were starting to show as her top clung even tighter to her breasts.

"Ah!" She shrieked as she clasped her arms to her chest before turning and dashing away with her Semblance, calling out, "S-sorry, Jaune! I gotta go! Things to do!"

Jaune stared after her, on hand in his pocket as he said, "Abs... Abs for days." Then he shook his head as a bit of blood dripped down his nose as he said out loud, "Wait? Did I see her-Nope! Don't think about it, Jaune!" With that he turned and placed both hands against his head as he fled the area at all speed, a growing pain in his shorts.

Day 3

Ruby was feeling good. No, great!

It was her birthday, and, other than Jaune not showing up, which she was a bit miffed about, she was having a blast. Even with Blake and Nora getting her with the photo bomb. She had forgotten about that over the last couple of days from the kiss to Jaune seeing Yang to Jaune seeing her.

She flushed at that, before shaking her head to clear those thoughts from her mind as she took in the crowd around her. It had been nice, fun even. She hadn't been a brat, being polite enough to not demand that everyone give her their candy and instead had been treated to the yummiest cake Ren could make on such short notice. she didn't know why it was short notice, but she wasn't going to question it either.

Blake had gotten her a bunch of comics, graphic novels as she kept reminding her, as well as a few, choice books from her own collection. Blake's knowing smirk as she asked, face flushed, if any of the books involved knights didn't need to be mentioned. Weiss had gifted her the first of a new light of Burn Dust crystals and pellets from her Crescent Rose, best girl friend ever. Super Besties, even! The smile on her face had told Ruby exactly how Weiss felt abut that. Yang's many, many hugs and a brand new 6X scope for Crescent, one with an optional night scope attachment did wonders to her heart. Her sister was the best! Especially when she gave her that golden smile of hers.

Nora's triumphant shout as she somehow brought in a baby Goliath, followed by the subsequent brawl had been... something, but it was the thought that counted, right? Like the super yummy cake from Ren. She didn't need the two of them to get her gifts. They were enough themselves.

Pyrrha... Pyrrha was nice. She had forgotten about her birthday party, or there had been something that came up. It used to be that Pyrrha would've dropped everything for her friends, but these days, after the break-up, she was a bit more... distant. It actually broke Ruby' heart, even if she probably wouldn't ever forgive her for that. Still, she had sent her a card, and a 500 Lien Card and a sponsorship to... some kind of gym?

She sighed and shook her head at that again. Oh, Pyrrha. At least she was trying again.

"Hey, Rubes," came a voice next to her. She looked up to see Jaune standing nervously next to her without looking at her. He rubbed at his neck as she looked away with a huumph!, annoyed with him for not showing up till now, and said, "Sorry for being late. Been trying to work up the nerve to give you this for the past few days."

She paused and blinked at that before looking up at him as she asked softly, "What?"

"Yeah," Jaune stated, still scratching at his neck and the back of his head. "At first, I didn't know what to get you. Thought about just something simple like a new whetstone for Crescent Rose, but that seems more like something you'd get for me." He smirked as he said, "Yeah. I am pretty simple like that, huh?"

She nodded silently at that, staring up at him, not sure what to make of this, or why her heart was fluttering so much at this. This was Jaune, her friend, her crush, sure, but, her friend still. Why was this such a surprise?

"then I thought maybe I'd buy you something like a locket or a ring. Something... girlly, but that didn't seem right for you. You deserved more than that, being Ruby." Jaune mused aloud as he rubbed at his chin. "Also, you're turning eighteen today!"

Ruby was at first kind interested in those two choices, even if, as Jaune had said, they didn't feel like her. Still, if he was going to buy them for her...

"Also, I don't really have all that much money and most place in Vale are too expensive for that kind of thing, you know?" He finished saying.

Oh, yeah. Right. she realized with a visible wince. Yeah, that was a good reason for why he didn't buy them then.

"Same for buying you more ammunition." He continued, still not looking at her. "Sure, I could just get you some on our next outing, but that's not really a gift, Ruby."

Ruby nodded at that before looking around to see if anyone was going to interrupt the two them before saying to him, "Yeah. You're right, Jaune. That does sound... kind of cheap. And that's not you."

"Heh, thanks, Ruby," He said as he looked down at her with a smile before jerking his gaze back up as he looked away, blushing. Oh, now Ruby was definitely curious as to what this was.

"Then there was that disastrous attempt at forging you something, but, uh, I'd rather not show you that." He mused before Ruby instantly interrupted him with, "Oh, I'd actually like to see that!" He blinked and looked at her in surprise at that. She immediately blushed and looked down while poking her index fingers together as she muttered, "Maybe. Maybe I could give you some pointers next time."

there was silence at that. And, Ruby blushed even more profusely, wondering why she would put her foot in her mouth like that?

Then, Jaune said, "Alright. I'll show it to you tomorrow. After I get my courage up."

Ruby looked up at him and grinned as he smiled down at her gently before pulling out from behind him a large, obviously hand-wrapped and squashed-looking package as he said, "Happy Birthday, Ruby."

"Oh, Jaune!" She cried out as she took it, stars in her eyes. She stared at it intently for a moment before glancing up at him to ask, "What is it?"

He smirked back, "Dunno. Guess you'll just have to open it and see, won't you?"

She grinned before tearing into the quadruple-wrapped, Rose, White, Black and Gold packaged item. - She saw what Jaune had done there. - And gasped as she unveiled an intricately woven, almost scintillating deep, red cloak. One with her, and her mom's Emblem woven in in extreme detail on the back as well as on the front across where the heart would be. "Oh," She whispered as tears gathered in her eyes. "Oh, Jaune."

She looked up at him as he said while rubbed at the back of his head again, "Yeah, well, I was noticing how you're older was was getting a bit ragged at the edges, so I, I made you a new one. It even comes with the ability to wave Dust into it. In case, you need to do that, or something."

"How did you do this?" She asked as she continued to stare at the precious gift with a look of awe, only to startle as something fell out of the depths of the cloak to hit the floor with a dull clank.

"Oh, you know, seven sisters and all that," Jaune said proudly by way of explanation, not noticing her bending down in her seat to look for the source of the noise. Then he scratched at his nose as he muttered, "Actually, I had to get their advice on how to weave in the fibers that allow for Dust usage without it burning up the cloak itself when you use that feature. It was, rather hard, actually."

Ruby ignored him as she pieced up the item and looked at it. It was a locket. A silver locket. A locket that had hers and Jaune's Emblems on it's surface, his behind and interwoven through hers. It was beautiful. She opened it to look inside before promptly turning to rise up and kiss Jaune on the cheek as she hugged him and whispered, "Best gift ever."

Jaune simply smiled as he hugged her back.

A/N: And, that'll end it this time. If you're wondering what's in the locket, it's a picture of Ruby and Jaune. That is all. I leave it to you what that picture is, friends.

Now I have to do something about Jaune's hoodie, huh?

Take care out there. Essiter out!