Committed to the Act

A Collaboration by…

APIII and Leafy Dream!

APIII: Hello there, everyone! I'm proud to introduce the one, the only, Leafy Dream! This wonderful guy has been pumping out stories for To the Socially Awkward: A Month of Lancaster, like crazy, and it's stellar to say that I'm helping him present to you all, "Committed to the Act." I'd like to personally thank not only this magnificent bastard, but a great friend of mine, and a more amazing artist, It'sGrapeCakeYo, for inspiring me a lot this last month when it came to all the Lancaster.

Leafy: I'd also like to thank Prick's friends. They sound like great people, cept for that Leafy guy. I'd also like to thank the month of January for existing, Ruby and Jaune for being cute and adorable, and Prick for inviting me along on this adventure and getting me to write so many Lancaster one shots. Without further adieu, Committed to the Act! (Pst, am I doing this right? I don't usually do notes BEFORE the story. It's wack, yo…)

Morale for team RNJR was soaring. Ruby had been sporting a large grin that threatened to split her face ever since Nora had spotted it.

The map had, of course, told them they were approaching the village of Aisuru, specifically. The sight of the the buildings in the distance were just so much more satisfying than a guesstimation on parchment. Her optimism proved to be infectious, as Nora and Jaune both sported grins, with Ren dawning his own small, smile.

"Look! There it is!" Ruby beamed, pointing towards the horizon. They could see the arch that stood over the town's front entrance and beyond the arch stood massive, white towers with banners of amethyst draped across them.

Atop the towers were gorgeous, sparkling roofs made of a rainbow of colors, from emerald to sapphire, to even gold and crimson. The entire town seemed to be a celebration of color and art, a fact that became more clear as they approached the city of a village.

"Place sure is colorful," Jaune pointed out rather helpfully.

"Aisuru used to be a nesting ground for Grimm until it was cleared out and the walls were built," Ren explained, actually informative, pointing to the silver, stone walls that stretched around the city's perimeter. "The stories go that the children were raised with such love and compassion that no Grimm could set forth into the village. Too many positive emotions."

"Wow… Think that's possible?" Ruby wondered aloud, eyes large as she entertained such a possibility.

"I'd like to think so," the Arc commented, a smile pulling at his lips. Just the sight of the town seemed to stir a rise of optimism in the young knight. "I mean, just look at it!" He exclaimed, gesturing to the entire town to emphasize his point.

It was hard to argue with the blond. The city just seemed to flow with a sense of warmth. Even the murky, dull atmosphere they had been trudging through for the last few days of their journey was dissipating from recent memory.

"Well, what are we waiting for?!" Nora declared. "Let's go!" The Valkyrie exclaimed, adding a bit of pep to everyone's step as they marched ever closer to the village.

"Hello there!" Jaune cried out for the team, greeting the two young women who stood at the sides of the great gate.

"Welcome!" They both returned simultaneously, before they approached the four, almost gliding over the dirt path as their vibrant dresses flowed in the gentle breeze, allowing everyone to finally make out what they'd been holding in their arms.

"H-hi!" Ruby greeted, voice bubbly as the duo stepped towards them, closing the last of the distance as they reached into the baskets at their sides, pulling out leis made up of green leaves and throwing them over everyone's heads without permission.

Ruby sputtered a bit as they did so, while Nora excitedly nodded in acceptance, Jaune looked to the side in embarrassment at the proximity, with Ren merely blinking in surprise before, seemingly content, backed up to a socially acceptable level.

"We happily welcome you into our village, and hope that you make great use of the time's festivities." Said the one on the left, who had beautiful brown hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall of auburn, before she smiled at them with sweet, golden-colored lips.

"Of course, rooms are available at the the Sakura Flower Inn for free during this wondrous time, and we more than encourage you all to make use of them!" The second one added, giggling as she did so. She had short, but still stunning, golden hair that reminded Ruby of her dear sister, though, the Reaper did notice that it lacked the untamed nature the Brawler proudly flaunted.

"Thank you." Jaune remarked, coughing into his fist before stepping forward, the rest of the group following his lead as they stepped past the gates and finally entered the village. The two young ladies waved goodbye to the four, before returning to their posts, no doubt patiently waiting for the next traveler to stumble on by.

"What are these?" Ruby asked as she fingered the seemingly ordinary green leaves looped around her neck.

"They're raspberry leaves!" Nora informed her, eyes jumping back and forth as she took in the vast amount of people out and about.

"They help with nausea, cramps, and are said to help with fertility." Ren muttered beneath his breath as he too was shocked at the sheer abundance of activity.

"Fertility? Like being pregnant st-?" Ruby's question seemed to die within her throat as a wave of sound and flower petals fell upon them like a tsunami.

"Come one, come all! See the future of your heart!"

"Powdered ram horns! Helps bring out the Grimm in you out for that lucky partner!"

"Chocolates! Get your chocolates! Delicious, sweet, and a perfect gift for that special someone!"

The entire town seemed to have been turned into a festival as banners flapped over their heads and pink flower petals fell upon their heads. There were booths that lined the outside walls of houses and the inner border of the village's defenses. There were men and women wearing little clothing dancing in public, moving to the music that was being played by street musicians.

It was then that everyone realized that despite the great size of the crowd, everyone seemed to have a partner or a second half clinging onto their arm, even a few of the booths had couples running them.

"Well, hello there, you two!" A heavy-set man bellowed happily as he stepped up to Nora and Ren. He played with his thick, yet wiry beard as he looked the two over. The ginger-haired teen giggled slightly as the sight of his beard as Ren tried to maintain a comfortable distance.

"You just came in, didn't you? Nearest village is quite a walk, and it was sure to work up an appetite! Why don't you come on down to my lovely restuarant? Buy our Noodle Lover's for life, super-sized bowl priced at only two-thirds of a regular!"

"Two-thirds!? That's practically free!" Nora exclaimed, a grin on her face.

"Food does sound nice," Jaune added, patting his stomach with a slight frown on his face. "It'd be nice to get a meal that wasn't rations or pancakes."

"I apologize for not exploring a cookbook before leaving for Mistral," Ren stated dryly, hopefully joking.

"Well then, I'm sure you and your girlfriend would love to taste some of my restaurant's 'Heart Mochi' desserts! They're perfect for a warm, sunny day like today!" To emphasize his point, the large man pushed his hands together to make a heart. The sight was an odd one, to say the least.

"The customers can design the color and flavor, so we can get a lemon and strawberry one for you, if you'd like!"

"Strawberries?!" Ruby asked, her face lighting up with joy and hope.

"W-wait, wait, wait." Jaune held up his hands, trying to push the conversation back a few seconds. "D-do you think… Ruby and I are a couple?" he asked, motioning between himself and the smaller teen.

"Of course! Two couples, young and in love, here to enjoy our town's Festival of Love! Here to partake in the free sweets, discounted goods, and wonderful festivities! Why else would you be here?!" The man laughed, slapping Jaune's back and practically flooring the poor blond.

"Free sweets?!"

"Discounted goods?"

"Wonderful festivities!?"

"I'm fine by the way. Thanks for asking," The Arc grumbled as he slowly picked himself up. Ruby gave a quick apology as she helped her friend return to his feet, before her face contorted into one of intense concentration. After a few moments of contemplation, Ruby snuggled up to Jaune's arm in the same manner she'd seen the other couples do. When the young knight looked at her with confusion in his eyes, she motioned for him not to speak with a single finger, rubbing herself deeper into his side.

"Of course! During the Festival, all couples are given rewards for finding their one, true love!"

"Ahem." Ren's voice caught the attention of his three friends. "Group meeting," he suggested, motioning them over.

"It's a festival of Love, Renny!" Nora helpfully informed them all, addressing the subject, but not the elephant of the room.

"Guys? I-I think they think we're couples." Ruby tried not to let the others see the faint, rosy tint that decorated her cheeks.

"Yes, and they seem privy to allow us significant discounts, as long as they keep thinking so…" The jade-clad teen murmured. Both of the females of the group hummed in agreement, before everyone turned to face the blond.

"W-what? Guys, what are you saying? We can't do that!" Jaune hissed, eyes wide at how easily everyone was on board with the idea. He was the sole opponent against the plan, it seemed.

"Well, maybe this would be an option if we started charging villages more for helping them as opposed to taking the bare minimum," Ren noted. "As it were, our kindness and generosity has left us with little option."

"Beggars can't be choosers, Jaune Jaune." Nora practically sang the words, agreeing with Ren's comment before bouncing her head up and down, as if the group had reached a unanimous decision.

They had not, but Ren ignored any debate as he nodded his head. "It's agreed then."

"Nothing is agreed, Ru-" The knight started to argue, before the cape-clad teen spun herself around and nuzzled her face into his chest. He couldn't see it, yet he could feel her sheepish smile even before she lifted her head to look at him.

"Jauney, strawberries sound amazing right now. I can't even remember the last time I had one! Won't we at least try, pwease?" Jaune doubted he would've been able to hold his stance on the matter even if they were a couple.

Especially when Ruby lifted a boot off the ground and leaned forward into his chest plate, running a finger up and down his arm as her wide eyes pleaded with him. He couldn't stop the scarlet hue forming on his cheeks as he caught Ruby's eyes narrowing slightly for a moment. In that moment, she went from cute to… something else. Something more adult, that made Jaune feel very weird inside...

"O-only if the others are okay with it, we are a group, after all." Jaune tried to evade, cursing the tint on his cheeks and the stutter in his voice before looking over at Ren and Nora. His eyes fell into a slight glare as he noticed how effortlessly the two fit their new role.

Nora wrapped her arms around Ren, gently leaning her head against his side as he barely reacted. The look on the raven-haired boy's face was stoic, as if a woman wasn't literally hanging from his arm.

"That sounds fair, shall we eat then?" Ren suggested, nodding at the large restaurant-owner who excitedly nodded his head, praising them for their "wondrous" decision as he escorted them to his restaurant.

"I didn't know you were as good with lying as you are with a scythe." Jaune muttered under his breathe, a smile plastered on his face.

"Strawberries are at stake, Jaune, you'd do the same for… Pumpkin Pete's." She reluctantly answered after a few moments of hesitation, flinching at the dry look the blond was sending.

"We'll be with you momentarily, sir."

Jaune looked towards the large man, who was already preoccupied leading Ren and Nora towards some tables in the back. They were being seated apart, which made sense, seeing as he believed them to be couples. Jaune's frown grew ever slightly as he pondered this mess he had found himself in.

The source of his irritation, and ironically enough, his best friend, unlatched from his arm and took a deep breath, inhaling the tantalizing aroma of food he'd been stubbornly refusing to acknowledge. The lying bothered him, but not nearly to the extent that would warrant the agonizing desire of something in his stomach.

"What are you going to get?" Ruby asked him, her words slow as she eyed Jaune. She knew the young blond well enough to know when he was upset. "Come on, Jaune. Is pretending to be my boyfriend really that awful to you?"

And just like how she knew him and could pick apart his expression, he could pick apart the tone in her voice to find that she was genuinely hurt. He opened his mouth to offer some level of comfort, only for their apparent waiter to greet them.

"Forgive me for the wait, a thousand apologies, we're always a bit undermanned during the festival, most of staff wants to take a day off at one point and another. I drag on though, come, come! To your table, lovebirds, I have the perfect spot for you!"

"That sounds great, lead the way!" Ruby chirped. She took her faux-boyfriend's hand and interlocked their fingers, beaming as she loudly declared, "Come on, honey-pie!" She kept her face forward, not wishing to debate the plan any longer with Jaune.

The duo were led towards a small table off in the corner of the establishment. The two corners of the wall had large windows that allocated a pleasant view of the village. The table was set with candles, rose petals, and fancy napkins, the soft kind that reminded one of silk, and always forced one to reluctantly sully the pristine, white cloth.

"Here you are, I hope you find everything to your liking. Might I recommend a fine glass of Sherry with the meal?"

"Uh, yeah, just water for myself right now. Thanks…" Jaune glanced down to the waiter's chest, and noticed the white name tag that clashed with his ebony vest. "Agapios?" The young man was fairly certain neither of he nor Ruby were old enough to drink, in this village or any other.

"I'll have water too." Ruby agreed when the waiter turned his attention to her.

"Very well, I'll be back soon for your orders." He informed them, bowing a bit as he placed two menus down on the table. He then turned away, no doubt in a rush to see to other customers.

"This place looks really fancy smhancy, I bet it still looks that way even when the festival isn't happening." The redheaded teen remarked after a pregnant silence. A silence that only seemed to grow with each passing second.

Ruby felt a dishearten ache in the pit of her stomach as their eyes met. Her eyes pleaded for him to talk to her, revealing the hurt feelings she was experiencing through them. Jaune had to bite his lips to stop himself from comforting her.

"Come on, Jaune, we're at a festival. Sure, it's for love…" She drawled, gaze dropping to the neglected menu in front of her before she raised her head and reached for his hand. She rested her palm on his and leaned a little closer over the table. "But that doesn't mean that we can't have fun anyways, right? Let's eat a nice meal, play some of those games we saw outside, and try and find something for you, alright?"

Blue eyes roamed up to meet silver ones, lingering for a moment, and she could almost see the doubt and resistance in his eyes, before a small grin finally shattered the frown that had plagued his face.

"Alright, fine, I'll play along."

"That's good. You should always humor your girlfriend." Ruby teased, holding back a small blush at her own words as she patted his hand, before retracting it, picking her menu and burying her nose into it.

"The music is nice." Jaune said off-handedly, mirroring his date.

"It sure is."

A beat.

"Do you know what any of this is?" Ruby asked in a hushed whisper.

"Uh..."

"That, was the best meal, ever!" Ruby cried out, leaning onto Jaune moreso for support than any airs they needed to uphold.

The pseudo-couple had both selected the customizable dish, with Ruby making full use of the free, extra toppings, Jaune instead more conservatively sticking to what he knew and trusted to deliver.

To Ruby's surprise, they had finished before Ren and Nora, with Jaune explaining how calmly Ren went about eating his meals. A quick chat about the bill with them occurred, and Ruby and Jaune soon found themselves walking out the front door, a bit of lien for the games and any other activities they wanted to participate in; Ren had divvied the amount out after assuring Jaune they had enough for provision, even should they prove to be full price.

"Where to next, my little honeysuckle?" Jaune asked, having yielded to the idea. He committed to the act and held Ruby a little closer as his arm rested around her shoulder.

Neither could see the blush on one another's face.

"Honeysuckle? What even is that?" she giggled.

"You don't know what honeysuckles are? They're these really pretty flowers you can suck nectar from. They're super sweet and taste delicious. My family had a bunch of them and my mom would let my sisters and me suck from the flowers!"

Ruby couldn't help but laugh at the image of a tiny, little version of Jaune sucking on a flower, fighting for it with seven sisters. "That's so weird."

"Hey, don't knock it till you try it, honeysuckle," he teased, winking at her. Internally, he groaned at how much of a fool he was making of himself, despite his confident smile.

Ruby quickly looked away, utterly flustered as her cheeks turned as red as her favorite hood. What am I doing? Ruby thought. This is Jaune, and-and this isn't even real! Play along, Ruby! "Whatever you say, uh… stud muffin."

There was a poignant moment of silence as the two continued to walk. Neither could muster the strength to say anything as they allowed the title to hang in the air.

And then Jaune started to laugh. "Wow! I thought I was bad at this!"

"S-shut up!" Despite her anger, she laughed just as loudly as he did. She pushed her body against his, trying to push the taller boy around. He just laughed and pushed right back.

"So, what do you want to do first?"

"Hmmm… Eenie, meenie, miney… That one!" Ruby pulled on Jaune's arm, practically dragging the poor victim to a random tent. "Hi, there!"

"Well hello there, pretty lady! This here' be the funnest Shoot' Em' Up' this side of the continent!" A wiry looking man declared from behind a wooden bar. It stretched quite a ways, with what looked like pellet rifles chained to the counter with a thin, metallic rope. About twenty or so feet away stood several hanging posters, black and white with the occasional splash of red, the paper targets were images of all manner of Grimm, from Alpha Beowolves to Ursa Majors; Ruby's eyes shined brightly enough to freeze the real life versions.

"I see you've noticed our fine selection of prizes, Missy!"

She hadn't.

"Yes sir, if one can shoot out all the red from the targets, and I reckon most can, you win any prize of your choosing, for only ten lien a pop. Whaddya say, think your boyfriend has what it takes?"

Jaune laughed, a hearty laugh that had him folding over at the gut in an effort to stop him from laughing his insides from working their way up his throat, all while the man with the accent scratched his head in confusion.

"I'm sorry, it's just that, you thought I would...with Ruby here… oh, man, I promise I'll stop her from robbing you blind." Jaune swore, managing to regain enough of his breath to lean on the counter, slapping down a single chip worth double the price for a single game, wordlessly relaxing as Ruby stepped up to the rifle.

He met the Cowboy's nervous gaze with his own raised eyebrow when Ruby slowly picked up the rifle, inspecting it with a steady hand that would've made a certain General beam with pride, before cuddling to the rifle to her chest, whispering to it beneath her breathe.

"Ahem," the Cowboy coughed into his fist, "let's set her up then." Slapping a hidden button, the paper target was swapped out for a fresh one, and the Reaper happily smirked as a particularly vicious Beowolf made it's unfortunate way into her line of fire.

In a very unsportsman-like display of skill that was hardly befitting of a trained Huntress, Ruby began to fire small metallic balls downrange as the intricate machines of the booth moved to line up the solitary target, a symphony of dull pangs as they bounced off the back wall filling the air for all of the short ten seconds the machine took to arrive it's position.

The Cowboy stared slack jawed as the Beowolf's face lazily drifted down to the ground, touching the dusty dirt floor mere moments before so.

"Which one do you want, Rosie-pie?" Jaune asked with a grin.

"Hmm… I'll take that one!" Ruby pointed towards the wall of stuffed animals, pointing at one that stood above all the others.

The older man nodded and reached as high as he could to pluck the small stuffed animal off their hook. Jaune blinked as he stared at the small man. He wasn't an animal, like most of the toys were. Instead it was a knight in shining, silver armor, minus the classic helmet. He had short, golden hair made of cloth and cyan eyes sewn onto his face. In his hand was a small, cloth sword that flapped in the wind.

"H-here you go, miss… Please don't play again?"

"Thank you!" Ruby took the stuffed man with a smile, hugging him in her arms as Jaune and her walked away. They could barely hear the sigh of relief as Ruby began to play with her new toy, imagining the knight striking down Grimm after Grimm.

"How could you picked that one?"

"It reminded me of you," she replied, shrugging at his stare. "You're both knights. You're brave, heroic… And you both have such soft hair!" Ruby laughed at the real knight's blushing face. "Aw come on, I'm just teasing. Don't be mad at Little Jaune."

"Are you seriously naming him that?"

"Would you prefer him be Big Jaune and I call you Little Jaune?"

"Fair enough," he sighed.

The two continued to walk around the festival, admiring the many sights and sounds the festival had to offer. Ruby pushed Little Jaune into her backpack, safely placing him between the supplies they had recently bought.

"So, what next?" Ruby inquired.

"Dunno. We can grab something to eat, listen to music, maybe play some more games-"

"Last call for any other participants! Remember, folks! The grand prize is a lifetime supply of Pumpkin Pete Cookies!"

Jaune could feel his arm being squeezed by two iron limbs. Ruby was practically bouncing in place as she spun her head around. He couldn't even speak as his 'girlfriend' dragged him in a random direction.

"Whoa!"

"They make Pumpkin Pete Cookies?! Jaune, this is what our lives led to!"

"Our lives led to eating a bunch of pumpkin-flavored cookies?" Ruby came to a stop, and Jaune fell against her back. She didn't move as he stumbled to the ground. "I'm okay…"

"Oh. Sorry!" She helped the young blond stand up, before the two looked at the game they had ran into.

The area had been cleared out, a crowd of people lining the imaginary walls of the area. Several cushioned pads had been laid out together, creating a house sized stage. A man and woman stood at the center of the strange stage, microphones in hand.

"Welcome, welcome, one and all! This is our last call for contestants before we begin our competi-"

"Us! Us! We'll participate!"

"Wait, what?! Ruby!" Jaune tried in vain to stop his younger partner, but it was all for naught as the woman pointed at them.

"And our final couple has joined the game! May the best dancers win!"

Jaune, in his youth, had once seen a beautiful vase shatter from a baseball his sister had been tossing around. The beautiful vase was broken into a million pieces and looked as though it could never be put together again. That was sort of how he imagined Ruby's heart reacting to the news that this was a dance competition.

"D-d-dancing? Did he say dancing?! I can't dance!" Ruby groaned, her voice high as she didn't even try to avoid a petulant tone.

"You can fight literally a thousand Beowolves, but dancing in public is impossible? You can come up with a plan, on the fly, to take out a giant Nevermore, but this is too much for you?"

Jaune, with much effort, tears, sweat, and band-aids, repaired the vase. He did it so his sister could stop feeling guilty, even after their parents told her it was okay. Now? Now he was doing something just as stupid, but how could he not? One look at Ruby's pouting face pushed him forward.

"If there's one thing I can do, it's dance. I may not be fast, or strong, or coordinated." Jaune began to say, voice taking the most serious of tones.

"Don't you need to be coordinated to dance?"

"Or very good at making speeches on the fly, but I can dance," Jaune declared. Ruby watched the fire in Jaune's eyes burn as he pulled her close.

"Just follow my lead, okay?" The Arc commanded, looking down at Ruby's terrified gaze. His hands caught her and he scratched at his mind, trying his hardest to think of any words of reassurance that his sisters had offered him.

He decided that there was only one course of action for the challenge that laid ahead of them. He was going to wing it and hope for the best. He rose his head up as music began to play from a large stereo system, with speakers pumping a fast paced, almost bubbly song.

The Arc wasn't aware of the rules, but deemed that they would be forced to keep a certain tempo, as the other couples in the competition seemed to all energetically dance at more or less the same pace.

"Alright, my precious Cherry," Jaune snorted at the way Ruby flinched at the nickname. "We have to pick up the pace. You're fast, just keep your balance and let me lead you through the motions, okay?"

"Okay… What's our first- Wha!" She cried out in surprise when her best friend immediately swung her away from his body, clasping only her hand so as to have her give a half-twirl, before he himself spun towards her.

Ruby was certain the situation was supposed to be reversed, but, the crowd of onlookers, which she gasped in embarrassment at when she noticed, seemed to enjoy the role-reversal. They applauded as Jaune led Ruby onto the dance floor, the two spinning together in each other's arms.

"Jaune, I-I don't know if I can do this," the scarlet-haired Huntress admitted.

"Don't worry. Trust me. We can do this. Okay?"

His lips pulled into a smile, a small gleam shining off of his teeth as he pulled her close. She felt her cheeks flush again, before she realized his hand was on her back, just above her butt. Her blush grew hotter as he picked her up, letting her feet dangle as he spun her around.

He released her, letting her land on her own two feet as his hands grasped both of hers. She could feel his warm breath tickle her ear as her back fell against his chest. She could hear his legs moving behind hers, as the music quickened. Yet she didn't notice the warm wave that washed over cheeks as he held her in his arms...

He spun her around so they were face to face with one another. His right hand locked with her left as he smiled at her once more. His other hand was on her hip, holding her firmly close to him. His legs stepped forward, making her step back.

"Am I doing okay?" She whispered as her eyes moved past his shoulders, watching as another couple danced so fast their feet were all but a blur. They twirled, danced in place, and spun around each other, flying through the air as one another lifted their partner into the air, or dragged them across the floor underneath their legs.

"You're doing great." Jaune said aloud, grinning at her. Truth be told, he could probably pull off the same maneuvers, but doubted Ruby would prove up the task, and the last thing he wanted to do was embarrass his girlf- his friend. The Arc had to remind himself that it was all a charade, despite what it felt like.

The people let out a collective "Oooh!" as Jaune dipped Ruby backwards, supporting her with a single hand on her back. She let out a laugh as the world hung upside down to her, before Jaune pulled her back into his arms.

Their faces were so close, Ruby could have kissed his lips if she had wanted to. Not that she wanted to, obviously. It was just a small thing she had noticed that had nothing to do with anything.

Ruby tried desperately to focus her mind on something else other than Jaune's face as the two danced, walking in a small circle around the other. He kept a slow but steady pace with her, something she was certain she saw on her shows, waltz, or tango, she wasn't certain.

They were both supposed to be intimate, as far as she could remember, so maybe they were doing some other dance. The way she sometimes pressed against his chest, or the way his breath sometimes danced on her lips were just coincidences.

Jaune relinquished his hold on her back, stepping closer as one hand met hers and moved to her waist, the other held up in the air halfway between her head and his. Ruby caught herself gawking as she was reminded just how tall Jaune was, before letting her forehead meet his chest.

"-just coincidences."

"What was that?" Jaune asked, "I didn't catch that."

"Nothing!" Ruby squeaked out, pushing herself off his chest, faced flush. In an effort to divert him from making further inquiries, the Reaper decided to try and dance along with the knight now that she'd more or less gotten the hang of it, and frayed her nerves.

"Oh, oh wow, not bad, not bad at all!" Jaune remarked, genuine praise in his voice as Ruby began to take the lead, unknowingly, or perhaps unconsciously, stepping so as to have the two begin a clumsy, but still rather well done, curtsy. It may have been more fit for a ballroom, but the one rule for dance club was the fact that there were no rules.

"If you think that's good…" The redhead started to say, sticking her tongue out as she obviously sported her concentration face, "check this out."

Ruby stepped away from Jaune, ensuring she had some distance as she began to hold out her arms, bending them as she turned her body at the waist. Jaune blinked as his friend began to move her body to the beat in a strange and artificial way…

"The robot!?" he laughed.

"What?! It's a classic!" Rather than shy away in embarrassment, she beamed at the blond knight. "Beep boo bop," she laughed, making a fool of herself.

Jaune held out his arms and began to follow along with her, making his own little symphony of clicks and whistles as he began to robotically moonwalk around Ruby. This time, they didn't seem to have the support of the crowd, who had thinned out a bit at this point, and while some of the younger members clapped and tried to imitate the two, the adults focused on the more dramatic and fast-paced experts.

It meant nothing to the Arc, and it managed to mean even less when he saw the smile on Ruby's face. He hadn't seen her smile like that since Beacon.

"Hang on, hang on, I have a classic for you!" He said after a full minute of awesome roboting. With a dramatic pause, Jaune held a single hand to the back of his, before his other hand shot out, ramrod straight, chopping at the air as Ruby erupted into a fit of snorts, before her hands shot to her mouth, wide eyes giving away the joy she found in the situation.

"The Sprinkler?! At least the robot didn't make me look like the biggest goofball," the redhead cried out, arm leaning out to Jaune for support as he backed away, continuing his dance while attempting to add an angry vibe to as, to display his displeasure at her heresy.

The duo continued to display their vast wealth of "cool, slick, and creative," dance moves, which only progressively got sillier as their smiles grew. The youth once more took to their example, trying in vain to mimic the sporadic moves as the older audience members disapproved silently.

The two couldn't help but laugh and giggle at their own antics, however, enthralled entirely in only each other's worlds. Finishing off one final move, dubbed "Do the Schnee," which consisted of pantomiming the action of swiping a lien card, Ruby fell forward, knowing Jaune would catch her as the two smile at one another.

"Hey, Jaune?"

"Yeah, Rubes?"

"I think I'm done with dancing for the day."

"Really? A-are you sure?" he asked, staring at her with wide, surprised eyes.

"Yep! Come on, let's go find something else to do!" Ruby lifted her arm, waving at the announcers. "Hey! My boyfriend and I are done! Do we just leave?"

The man blinked, before looking at his partner. "Er… Well, you can. We have a consolation prize for you and your boyfriend if you'd like."

"Sure! What is it?" Ruby inquired, linking her hand with Jaune as the two walked towards the audience.

"I can't believe you ate the entire box." Jaune grumbled as the two made their way down the street.

"There were only four cookies, Jaune! They might as well have spit in our faces! And besides, I offered you the last one!" Ruby cried out in defense.

"Yeah, I guess." The Arc mumbled, turning the other way so as to hide the blush on his face. He would've taken the cookie if Ruby hadn't taken about half of it with a bite. The fact that he was half-tempted to take the cookie anyways even after making the connection about second-hand kisses and such was what caused the heat to rush to his face though.

"So, should we start looking for Ren and Nora soon?" The cloak-clad girl asked, eyes gazing at the sun, which was well on it's way out of sight behind the horizon. It would be getting dark relatively soon.

"Yeah, I think so. Besides, I think we hit up most of the attractions anyways." He reasoned, receiving a nod in return. With the unanimous decision made, the pair began to walk down the road, eyes wandering as they looked for their friends on the way to the Inn, where they had agreed to meet at should they not be able to find one another in the streets.

That was the reason they spotted her, peacefully sitting off to the side behind a simple, wooden table, almost blending into the environment. An elderly woman greeted them with a smile curling her lips as her eyes fell upon their linked hands. She bowed her head in respect and Jaune and Ruby returned it, before she spoke. "Welcome, children. My, such a powerful love you two share… Would you like to see how strong, children? I can show you…"

"Show us? How?" Jaune wondered, realizing that his earlier assumption had been wrong.

"With this!" The woman reached underneath her table and pulled out something wrapped in a cloth. She unwrapped it, revealing an obsidian stone underneath. It was smooth, and it gleamed in the light like a star as she stroked it. "My Heart Stone, when held by two lovers, tells me about their relationship and how strong their love truly is… But be warned… You may not like the answer you are gi-"

"Sure! We'll try it!" Ruby beamed immediately. Jaune wasn't so enthusiastic, a bit more because he was skeptical of the older lady, and assumed it was just some pointless parlor trick meant to make a quick buck. Another, much smaller, part, however, hoped it was just a parlor trick, lest they be caught in the web of lies they'd been concocting. Jaune's arm, which was wrapped around Ruby, loosened the smallest of bits when he remembered that it was just that, an act, and not real...

"Oh. Uh… P-please, come inside, children." The woman motioned the two inside, smiling as her wrinkled fingers twisted and twirled in the air. The woman brushed some grey hairs from her face as Jaune and Ruby found a pair of seats inside meant for them.

The two sat down, frowning as they noticed how dimly lit the inside of the tent was. "Does it have to be so dark?" Jaune asked, growing more and more reluctant with the idea by the minute.

"The Heart Stone needs darkness to work properly. Here, here, give me your hands," the woman commanded, taking both Jaune and Ruby's hands in her own. The scarlet-haired Huntress felt the cold, black stone fall into her hand, before Jaune's hand fell on top of them both. "Sandwich the stone between your hands, children! Sandwich it! Let the Heart Stone feel your love and devotion for the other!"

"Uh… Ruby? You sure this is a good idea?" The Arc asked, finally verbally venting his unease.

"Shhh!" The old woman placed her hand on Jaune's head, combing her fingers through his blond locks. "Shhh…" Ruby felt her other hand land upon her head. "Let us begin. Boy-"

"Jaune." He corrected her.

"Jaune. Tell me about your girlfriend."

"Oh." Was all he said, at first, blinking in surprise at the question. They weren't a couple, but he couldn't very well tell her that, so, the knight decided to just list everything he liked about her as a friend. "Well, Ruby's fast, smart, brave… Way tougher than she looks. She's crazy fast, cute, she likes cookies-"

"Wait, what?" Ruby tried to turn her head to face Jaune, only to be twisted back so she was facing forward.

"You're crazy fast?"

"After that."

"You like cookies?"

"Shhh! Now, little girl… Tell me about your Jaune."

"Oh, okay…" Ruby muttered, her voice almost coming off as a whine, as if she were denied a cookie.

"Well, Jaune's my best friend, honestly."

Panicked gripped at his heart for a moment before he realized lots of couples could say that, and it wasn't anything incriminating. He struggled to keep his cool as she continued, a faint scarlet hue forming on his face.

"He's always been there for me, especially recently. I guess you could say he's like my rock."

Jaune's blush intensified at the statement, before realizing that she was probably just saying what the elderly woman wanted to hear. He ignored the strange feeling he'd been having since the restaurant once more, though, he couldn't deny the traces of disappointment.

"He was always around, in a time where the world was entirely new, full of new people, experiences, and responsibilities. And that was before… well, he's the one thing in my life that I can count on now, when everything else just… hasn't been there."

The knight was surprised at what seemed like genuine feelings coming from the girl sitting besides him, and his heart began to constrict a bit as he was reminded of the heavy experiences they'd shouldered together, wanting to speak up and say she was the same to him, but he held his tongue, knowing it wasn't his time to do so.

"He's strong too, a lot stronger than almost everyone ever thought him to be. Even him, and I have to remind his dumb butt about it sometimes." Ruby teased, giggling with the Elder as Jaune playfully scoffed at her words.

"He's smart, and that's something no one doubts. Jaune always knows exactly what to say to help in a fight, or when you just need a friend to talk to. He's been really good about that..." The Reaper muttered quietly.

There was a lull that Jaune thought signified the end of her mini-speech when she suddenly turned to face him.

"And Jaune's also really great at a lot of other stuff I can't say right now," Ruby admitted, through the tears that pooled in the corners of her eyes. She didn't even seem to notice them as she spoke straight from her heart. "Like making the coffee in the mornings when we just left a village, or losing the maps the least! And he's really brave too, like the handsome, shining knights I used to read about."

Had Ruby even realized what she had said? She had just indirectly called Jaune handsome! Did she think he was handsome? Did she think he was really like one of the knights in her stories? In the dark depths of the tent, he swore he saw a faint, rosy glow coming from the girl's face...

"What you two share is truly a blessed relationship. Embrace these feelings, children," the elderly lady commanded, grabbing the top of Ruby's head to have her face forward once more. "Grasp the bitter heartache, the sweet happiness, the euphoric passion, and the heart-warming reliance you have for one another, for all these feelings are part of the experiences that define you, and the spark between you two. Focus and see!"

Jaune and Ruby both felt their hearts stirring at the woman's words, which were rising in pitch with every syllable, ending with her all but shrieking. Maybe it was just adrenaline or infection excitement, but they felt their own bodies race and beat as the stone lit up in a myriad of colors.

The both of them gasped in shock, equally awed at the spectacle, despite different levels of skepticism. The older woman relinquished her hold on the couple as she gingerly pushed the teens towards one another so that they would face the other, bringing their neglected hands together to fully encompass the stone. The Heart Stone was now radiating a comforting heat, akin to a campfire fighting off the cold, night air.

Their entwined hands did nothing to stop the illuminating glow the rock emitted through the cracks between their fingers, their skin only adding to the vast array of strange, constantly warping colors, their veins visible against the light.

"It's beautiful," Ruby whispered in awe. The knight merely nodded his head in agreement, words escaping him unlike their present company.

"The stone reveals much, children. I'll need your help to decipher it all. Think, think of the beginning of your relationship, to the very moment you first laid eyes on the other."

Jaune saw Ruby close her eyes immediately, her face melting into a soft, serene smile at the memory. He followed suit after witnessing just how committed she was to the woman's words.

It shifted into a pink hue, almost sighing as an ocean of nostalgia washed over it.

The elder smiled a soft smile. "A light pink. Your relationship began as one of pure intentions, with only each other's best intentions at heart, a shoulder to lean on as comrades, a familiar face always etched with a smile at the sight of one another."

A small, skeptical part of Jaune's mind wanted to point out how vague her words were, the other side provided logical evidence that she was actually rather dead on. All Jaune wanted when he saw Ruby was to help her. He still remembered seeing her laying on the ground, alone and depressed. He helped her without a second thought...

It shifted into an orange hue. It turned into a miniature sun, in color, radiating brightly.

"Your friendship prospered, as you both did the same. Great times, full of happiness and aglow with the radiating brightness of the future and what it held. This was your spring, your time of new hope and rebirth."

Ruby and Jaune both grew into the role of a leader, at their own pace and in their own ways. Ruby's lips beamed with pride as she remembered how far he had come...

It shifted back and forth between a dull yellow and green. It sparked, almost trembling in their hands. It seemed afraid, if such a thing were possible.

"Oh. This was the first rough patch, I sense. One of you struggled with a great burden, the worst of burdens, ones imposed on the self. They struggled, confused and dazed, pushing away those close to them."

Jaune felt his heart sink as he thought of exactly what she was referring to.

"The other was not without harm. They felt the pain, wished to shoulder the burden, but were denied, accepting this weighed heavily on their heart."

Jaune felt his heart shudder, eyes shooting open to Ruby, who was frowning, but continued to keep her eyes sealed.

"The One with the Great Burden eventually triumphed over this hardship, but in doing so, the other receded, harboring jealousy in the pits of their spirit."

Jaune peeked, opening his eyes slightly to see that the Elder had her own eyes closed as well, enraptured just as much, if not more in the story. His gaze drifted to Ruby when he spotted silver out of the corner of his vision. Ruby gazed worriedly at him.

What did she have to be jealous…?

It shifted between orange-red and a healthy green. It flicked between the two, alternating between a vibrant, emerald green to a dull, almost brown color.

"One continued to grow as the other was stunted, on an emotional, spiritual level, another self-imposed burden, denying themselves a great desire." Her voice spoke with sorrow laced in every word, as if mourning a life.

Jaune realized his hand was shaking, Ruby's grip impossibly tight against his own as he broke into a sweat.

It shifted into a dark black, enveloping the entire tent in pitch darkness, darker than it could possibly be in the middle of the evening. The darkness seemed to absorb every light around it, from the rays of the sun outside to even the light in their eyes.

The Elder's voice, quiet and ominous, was the only thing that cut through the air.

"A great period of darkness. So much grief, so much agony that still looms over you both." She was somber and sounded strained.

Jaune wanted to wipe at his eyes; he was tearing up himself. He didn't know why, he thought he had overcome this, but… Both he and Ruby knew the truth. The Elder seemed wise enough to not inquire.

It shifted into a blazing cacophony of red and black. It was not a warm red. It was violent, blazing like a wildfire as it engulfed a forest.

"A passionate, unquenchable thirst for vengeance drives one, the other demanding the same, but calling it justice." Jaune stared at Ruby, who stared at him with emotionless eyes. She seemed lost to the stone between them.

It shifted one final time, turning a solid grey with specks of golden-green sporadically appearing and disappearing as quickly as the eye could perceive. It was like staring into a cloud and seeing the lighting storm hidden within. It was on the verge of either tearing itself apart or burning brighter and hotter than any storm before it...

"A great inferno has ravaged you both, you poor, poor children. But from the ashes of your souls, something new and stronger will rise again, like a phoenix of old. The stone does not possess the ability to peer into the future, but my eyes aren't so old as to render me blind from the obvious." The Elder mused, a world-weary smile making its way onto her aged face. A vast well of wisdom sparkled in her eyes; very becoming of the wrinkles that lined her face.

Old and rough hands finally separated the youth's, taking the now cold and lifeless stone from their grasp, not commenting as their hands met once her own allowed so.

"I've seen too much of this world to tell you that your hardest trials are behind you, but I've also seen enough people come and go to tell you that what you two share is something amazing."

"A great potential, not only for yourselves, but those around you, for the rest of Remnant, is something that Humanity is only blessed with over the course of the scarcest of times, always in the most testing of times. There will be more grief in the future, but an infinite amount of passion as well. A never ending well of kindness, generosity, and pure love that all of Humanity will draw upon in their darkest moments to triumph over those that oppose it, for they cannot have what they desire, and they would seek to destroy it, destroy us all." Her tone had become grim, her heavy words thick with the utmost seriousness.

"You two embody the other half. The light of the world. The spark and hope residing in creation. Not only physically, but mentally, and spiritually. Time will prove over and over again that you two will never find anyone that will carry you farther, make you push yourself harder, than one another. I desperately urge you, as an old woman who's been forced to live with her mistakes for years, don't deny yourselves this, for it is an inevitability that inaction will only breed self-loathing for time lost."

She stared at Jaune, and in that moment, he knew that somehow, in some way, she knew of the pain that had racked his spirit ever since the fall of Beacon. Her eyes turned from the knight, and instead fell upon the young Reaper.

"Don't allow your insecurities to reign dominion over your desires, for it will at times be the only part of your destiny you'll be allowed control over." The sage words were directed at Ruby this time, and Jaune couldn't help dare to fathom what her desires were.

Silence returned to the tent as all of its occupants absorbed and did their best to register the gargantuan, and unexpected, load of information, most of it rather grim.

"Thank you." Ruby surprised the Elder with a hug, who returned it warmly after a moment of hesitation. The Reaper waited until the old woman pulled away a full minute later before turning to Jaune, taking his hand, and wordlessly stepping out of the tent.

The two left the tent with heavy footsteps and an air of silence.

Jaune's head was swimming. With questions, confusion, and a mess of emotions that threatened to split his head in twain with a hell of a migraine.

"That was...that was something."

"Yeah, it was." Ruby uttered, voice quiet. Jaune's cerulean orbs glanced towards her, noticing how her head hung from her neck and how her shoulders slumped.

"Ru-" He started to say, before she cut him off with a tight hug.

"Can we just go to the Inn right now? I'm tired, Jaune. We can talk later, I promise."

"O-of course." The Arc replied, genuinely. He was certainly taken aback, but that didn't mean he wouldn't oblige her. She wrapped herself around him even more, both arms around his waist as her head nuzzled itself into his chest. Gently wrapping an arm around her far shoulder and holding her hand with the other, the blond slowly began to make their way to the Inn.

She remained that way for the entirety of the walk, even when they stepped into the cozy atmosphere of the Inn. He greeted the Innkeeper, a thin man of rather short stature, with round cheeks and small goatee.

"Hello there, you two! I see you're here for the complementary…"

Ruby tuned out the man's words, just like she had the rest of the world, ever since she stepped out of the tent. The only thing she allowed her mind to focus on was the steady thump thump thump of Jaune's heart.

Scowling while she was still concealed against his chest, Ruby flashed a fake smile full of teeth at the man and pushed herself off of the Arc's chest, shouting "whatever it is, it's perfect, thanks!" as she grabbed the keys. While she normally would've been dismayed at herself for the rude behavior, she couldn't find it in her to care.

She returned to her place at the knight's side, caring for nothing else but being alone with him. Her rock… While the rest of the world flowed over her, carrying her down to her destiny like a pebble caught in a tidal wave, he remained ever present and unmoving...

Jaune gingerly opened the door to the shared Inn room. He'd been trying to get a smaller room, without having to explain how the issue was the single bed, when Ruby took the key and decided for them. The Innkeeper had gotten the wrong impression from the grinning woman and congratulated Jaune on getting a feisty one when she did so, walking away and ending the conversation.

The Arc had nodded along mindlessly as he and Ruby found their room. She was in pain, certainly because of the ordeal with the Heart Stone, but the specifics were lost to him. It didn't make a difference to him, honestly.

"Ruby?"

"Hm?" She finally pulled away from him, towards the single bed that laid against the left wall of the room. She fell upon it, but didn't utter even a sigh of relief as he body laid on it. "Bed's soft."

"Do you want to… talk about what happened?"

She didn't say anything. Her arms laid out on the soft, light-blue fabric of the blanket as she stared at the ceiling. The only sound seemed to be the quiet hum of the lamps in the room as Jaune approached her.

"Ruby, I know you're scared, but… I mean, I'm here for you. I want to help."

"I know…"

"So why won't you let me help?" He sat down on the bed and his hand gently landed on hers. His fingers hooked around her tiny digits as he tried to lighten the mood. "Come on. You know you can talk to me. I'm your boyfriend!"

Rather than their intended goal, the words only seemed to hurt her more. Her eyes flinched and shut as she took in a deep breath. She released it as a long, almost unending sigh.

"H-hey, come on. That was a joke. You love my jokes, right…?" The knight tried to smile at her, but she barely seemed to register his presence, much less his words. "Ruby… You're scaring me. Please, I just want to help you…"

His hand squeezed hers, and it finally shook her free from her stupor. Her silver eyes drifted to him as she whispered a quiet plea. "Lay with me?"

"Sure…" He did so, laying by her side on the bed without hesitation.

"I always wanted to be a hero. Ever since I was a kid. I'd make Yang read me story after story, night after night, just so I could hear about how people worked together to save the world."

Jaune didn't know what to say, didn't think he should say anything, deciding to merely wait, certain there was more.

"None of the books felt like this…" Ruby's small fingers pinched his, squeezing them as her eyes fell shut. "I don't feel like a hero. I don't feel brave or courageous. All I feel is scared and tired."

Her grip tightened, but he didn't utter a word. He turned his body, leaning on his elbow as he used his free hand to gently stroke and caress Ruby's hair. The thought that it was a fairly intimate thing he'd ever only done with his sisters never crossed his mind.

"I lost my sister, my friends, my school, I feel like the whole world is falling apart and I hate how it fell on our shoulders to try and make it all better! I was so stupid to think being a hero could be something I could do! I tried, and I lost Penny and you… you lost…"

She tried to choke out her name, but Ruby's voice could only gasp and hiccup as tears pooled in her eyes once more, gently traveling down her cheeks to the blanket beneath her.

"Jaune… Why don't you hate me? Why haven't you… Why haven't you ever blamed me for what happened?" She sounded so broken. She tried so hard to sound happy and unbreakable and strong when they were walking, but here and now… She sounded like the weight of the world had finally crushed her. "I'm sorry… I'm so, so, so-"

"Ruby. Stop." His tone wasn't harsh, and it didn't have the steel bite of a chiding statement. It was merely firm, and commanded absolute obedience.

She was pulled from the bed where she laid and into his arms in one swift movement. His arms wrapped around her small body as he held her against his chest. There was no space between the two as he held her in a warm and soft embrace.

Ruby remembered how her father and sister would hold her whenever she was scared. She could recall the sweet perfume Yang wore, or the rugged, sometimes overpowering cologne her father wore. Jaune was different. He smelled like sweat and hardwork, a side effect of their travels. He smelled like steel and the forest they had walked through.

He smelled like Jaune…

"Ruby, don't you dare blame yourself for what happened to Pyrrha, or anyone else that night. You didn't do anything wrong." Her arms hung at his side as he fell onto the bed, laying on his back as he hugged her into him. "Do you remember what you said that night? Pyrrha was in tears after her fight with Penny… And you told her it wasn't her fault. I'm telling you the same. Nothing that happened that night was your fault…"

"Jaune… C-can I tell you something?"

"Of course. What are best friends for?" He chuckled, no mirth in the act. Her arms slipped under his armor and dug into his back, as if he terrified he would slip away.

"I'm scared…"

"You can be scared, Ruby… You can cry. You can do anything you want, whatever helps you feel better. I'll be right here to help you."

"P-promise?"

"Swear on it." And he lifted one hand off of her back, pulling at one of her arms to tug it out from under his armor. She watched his hand reach towards hers and his pinkie finger hook around her own. "See? Now I can never abandon you."

She couldn't hold back from laughing at the childish remark. Her voice still carried a sob, and she gasped for air as she laughed and sobbed in his embrace. "Thank you…"

Ruby cried, and she grieved, and she mourned, and she allowed all the emotions she'd been bottling up ever since the incident to pour out, the weight of the world she felt upon her shoulders having hammered out any and all resistance. Jaune had always proven to be a friend she could be herself around, with no airs to hold up or mannerisms to avoid.

But, she'd never opened up to him, to anyone, besides her own sister in such a way, not even her Father. And when she saw the state Yang was reduced to after Beacon, it broke something inside of her. Reminded her of something that was she was robbed of early in life, reminded her that the rest didn't have to be taken away entirely to be gone like her mother was.

Even if they all survived the insane journey they were on, actually made any headway into discovering just what in the hell was going on, she knew they weren't coming out of it the same. If someone like Yang… what chance did Ruby have of coming out the same?

These were all things she wanted to reveal to Jaune, but her voice was hoarse from crying, eyes all dried up from the puddles of tears that soiled Jaune's hoodie, and spirit too exhausted from the venting.

All throughout it, Jaune whispered words of nourishment. Not of empty promises, like "everything will be okay," but of facts, like, "I'm here, I'm here." His hands, surely having long since begun to cramp and ache, continued to rub soothing patterns into her back, alternating with time to show her it wasn't an automatic and mindless effort.

"J-jaune." Ruby whispered, voice soft because of her abused vocal cords, though, it would've come out the same, regardless.

"Yeah?"

"What the Old Lady said…" She started to say.

"I'm sure it wasn't true," he lied. He'd say anything to make her feel better, at that point.

Ruby lifted herself up for the first time since she had started venting, tear-stained eyes gazing into Jaune's own, seemingly endless blue eyes. They were mere inches apart now, a fact that didn't bother the two in the slightest. "I...If it had to all be true, or not at all...I'd want it to be."

The implications of her words took the knight a few moments to register. Long enough that Ruby's lips had just met his, and her slender fingers interlocked with his own as he realized just what she meant. The chaste and romantic kiss did not remain chaste for very long, which is ironic, as the kiss certainly did.

Finally pulling away, the two teens stared at one another as they panted heavily, breathes dancing on each other's lips.

"I do too." Jaune eventually managed to say, smiling at Ruby as he noticed just how much he liked the sight of a blush on her face, especially up close. He leaned in to peck her on the lips once more, groaning when the Reaper follows him, nibbling on his bottom lip until the distance finally proved too great, and she had gotten up on her knees to follow him across the bed.

"I have to use the restroom, Ruby." The Arc explained, almost deciding he could wait when Ruby bit her own lip before pouting.

"Hurry." Was all she said, before dramatically falling back onto the bed with a light thump.

Not needing to be told twice, the blond did just that, rushing off to the small restroom the room offered before finally answering nature's call. After washing off his hands, the Arc emerged to see the lights had dimmed, possibly taken on a purplish tinge, and music that sounded like it belonged in an airing of Huntresses Gone Wild.

"Jaaauuunnneee." Ruby groaned out, buzzing place as the entire bed vibrated. "I ffoounnnddd aaa butttooonn." She happily reported.

The festivities of the town went long into the night, yet Jaune and Ruby were content to stay indoors. Rather than dance and drink the night away, like Nora was all too happy to drag Ren into, the two cuddled together for the very first time.

Honestly, Jaune found the cuddling to be plenty exciting for himself, and the tickle war that took place afterwards was the perfect end to the night. When the morning came and the young knight finally pried Ruby's drooling face off of his chest, he wondered what the new day would bring. If it was a good morning kiss from Ruby every time she woke up, the future looked bright indeed.

As he watched the city of Aisuru with his three friends, he found the new day came with an all new status quo and a perplexed stare from Ren.

"I doubt anyone in the city can see us from here. You two can probably stop, you know?"

Jaune smiled at his friend, only to look at Ruby as she cuddled with and squeezed his arm. She had a content smile on her face, completely oblivious to the question Ren had brought up.

"We're really committed to the act."

"Is that what you guys were doing last night? Cause when I was walking by your room I heard all this shouting and squealing… Ruby going all, 'Jaune! No! Not there! Eeek!' And then the Innkeeper guy said you two were in the Lovers' Suite… Man! You two are really committed!" Nora beamed, clapping her hands together. "Ren didn't even try to get us a room with less than two beds."

"Wait, you did what?" Ren's eyes widened, his usual stoic nature shattered.

"W-wait, it's not what you think! R-Ruby, help me out here?"

"Huh? Oh, Jaune and I were just playing on the vibrating bed," she explained, waving her hand halfheartedly. "Sorry. I guess I'm just a little tired. Jaune just wouldn't stop touching me last night!"

"Whoo! Our leader's no longer a virgin! Ooh! Better not let Yang find out!" Nora laughed, skipping ahead. Ren blinked, once, twice, before shaking his head.

"I hope you used protection."

"Huh? No, we took Jaune's armor off."

"Ugh…"

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Leafy: There we go. Author notes on the bottom. Where God intended. Ahem. Hope you enjoyed the story! We certainly had fun making it and bouncing ideas off one another. If you liked this story, don't forget to check out Prick's stuff on his page, and if you have time, look for my stuff too! I enjoy writing Lancaster one shots and the occasional long romance story. I'm told I'm ferociously decent at it.

APIII: You clever bastard. Expose them to my crap, and double the epicness of your own stories, ingenious. Haha, yes, people, I had a blast writing this with Leafy. It was an honor and a helluva' time getting to write this with him, you learn so much about a guy from it, and Leafy is as good a guy as he is a writer, so I definitely recommend you check out his page if you want more Lancaster oneshots like this! And remember, this was for A Month of Lancaster, which is still going strong, people! Write, draw, speak, and spread the word!

Leafy: Have a wonderful day, and if you can, leave a review. Stay safe, and know that you are pretty cool. Have a good one!