A/N* Fair warning: while still remaining tasteful, this story DOES take a few weird/realistic turns in regard to bodily functions that might be mild turn-offs for readers. It's neither graphic, nor intended to be gross, and in fact I fully expect it to be openly embraced by like-minded individuals, but it might be a mild stumbling block if such content offends you. You have been warned.

Ruby awoke with a jolt, flashbacks to the same horrible night that haunted all of team RNJR. Pyrrha's voice called out… and yet it didn't end with the nightmare. It could have been any noise, perhaps. Or no noise at all. She recognized in a haze of drowsiness and paranoia that her mind may well be playing with her.

And yet, impossibly, the voice seemed to filter through the trees.

She followed the sound, and heard familiar barks of exertion, until she came upon a sobering scene.

She wasn't crazy; it was Pyrrha's voice indeed… from a recording. A short tutorial clip on Jaune's scroll, coaching him, encouraging him… And maybe, hesitating before she could admit something more.

Jaune was exhausted, even with the combat drill consisting of a handful of practiced swings. He had clearly been at this for a while. Likely the sound had carried into Ruby's dreams, which eased her as much as it saddened her. She had honestly never expected to hear her voice again… the one she was exactly too late to save.

Lost in thought, Ruby leaned perhaps too much upon a thin branch, which snapped like a gunshot and sent her sense of balance careening out a thirty-story window.

She barely turned an outright faceplant into a forward somersault as she burst into the clearing, and planted with her left hand forward in a crouch. She squeaked as she looked up to find the point of a blade in her face.

"Ruby?!" Jaune balked, still sweating.

"Alright Jaune, just like we practiced—"

He instantly dropped his posture as he practically tackled his scroll, fumbling to pause it. Meanwhile, Ruby stood up, dusting herself off. "Oh hey, is it not my turn for watch yet?" she chuckled, eyes turned away even with Jaune's back to her. "Silly me! I mean, with the CCT network down the scroll's don't really sync the time anymore, so it must be off by—"

"R-Ruby, it's okay," Jaune muttered, pocketing the scroll and sheathing Crocea Mors. "You didn't know, heard me training, didn't want to interrupt and—"

"—Had a moment of poorly timed, awkward clumsiness, yeah," she finished, idly scratching her upper arm as it hung limp at her side. Her eyes finally met his and she offered an apologetic smirk.

After that, neither of them said anything or even directly looked at each other for several beats, until Jaune idly cleared his throat.

"Right, well, I… better leave you to it," Ruby said, finally turning to sidle away.

"Sure. Okay," Jaune answered, uncertainty brimming in his voice.

Ruby took a few steps, before stopping. Another pause.

Jaune took notice. "Ruby?"

"Jaune? Do you… Do you hate me?"

"What?!" he cried, nearly tripping over himself with how rigid his body became. "N-n-n-n-NO, of course I don't hate you! What do you even—"

"Well why NOT?!" Ruby demanded, wheeling around to face him, silver eyes brimming. "Even if I didn't kill her myself, I failed! You pleaded for me to save her, and I couldn't make it in time! If I had even been a second faster, I—"

"Ruby that's…" he began, taking hold of her hands, towering over her by the mere fact of his size. "Of course I wish things had gone differently. But a lot of people failed that night. Tried their damndest and couldn't quite reach it.

"We all miss her… but she wouldn't want you to torture yourself like that."

Ruby didn't answer at first, only staring through his chest, a thousand miles into nothing.

"Kinda' pot n' kettle there, Private Playlist," she snarked at last, eyeing his scroll. "At least I'm not flogging myself with an old recording I can go insane listening to."

"I… I know," Jaune answered. "But knowing it's still there… it's the last of the real her I still have. And I'm not ready to let that go."

Ruby nodded. By now, they were gently embraced. "You don't have to. But maybe it'd be good to distract ourselves, get our minds off it?"

"I mean, I guess… But between fighting Grimm and walking the whole way to Mistral, we should be plenty distracted!"

She considered. "Well, the trip hasn't really been a cakewalk. Just more stress and fighting. Everywhere we turn, it's just another reminder of everything we're fighting to stop. I mean, that's great for keeping us on-target, but you can only be so wound up until something gives. Maybe we just need to relax somehow?"

"Relaxing isn't very distracting. I mean, what'dya want to do, gimme a massage?"

Ruby snorted. "I dunno, but Yang sometimes said the best massage was a different kind of 'deep' tissue—"

She stopped dead, face the same shade as her hood. She really needed to engage her brain before her mouth.

Jaune went flush. "Pardon?"

"Oh god, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking, I just repeated what she said, completely with the emphasis and—"

Jaune's eyes remained saucer-shaped. "I mean, you're great Ruby, I'm just not sure I'm ready to be involved like that."

"—it's not like you'd even be interested without, or that I'm trying— Wait, I'm great?"

"Ummm," Jaune intoned, not sure where this conversation was going, his heartbeat skipping at how quickly she had changed gears from her breathless… Rant? Apology?

"Well, yeah, you're the one I've known at Beacon even longer than Ren and Nora! I mean, if it were anyone… after Weiss… I guess it'd be you…"

Ruby scoffed, partly flattered, and partly wondering why she cared about being essentially the bronze medal. It was kind of a backhanded compliment, but it wasn't exactly a secret that Weiss was his first choice.

"This is a weird talk," she summated at last, hands behind her back.

"Yeah… Yep… Pretty weird," Jaune said truthfully. "I mean, I get you weren't, like… serious about what you said. I mean, aren't you a bit young for that?"

Ruby pouted and glared. "I'm sixteen. Not that unusual. The girls back at Signal were sharing stories and rumors before even my last year there."

Jaune seemed surprised by this. But then, he'd been something of a loner for most of his academic career. Shaking his head, he scoffed. "It's just too soon for a relationship, Ruby. Wound's too fresh. Thought you, of all people, would get that! I can't even believe we're talking about this!"

"H-Hey!" she stammered, stung. "All I said was I wasn't too young, of course I'm not asking to go out with you!"

"Well I asked if you were serious! Why didn't you lead with that?!"

Ruby's eyes went wide as she spread her arms open. "I don't know! All I know is, we started talking about you-know-what, and now my palms are all sweaty—"

"Your palms are always sweaty."

"And now I'm imagining… stuff…with you..."

Jaune nodded his head vigorously. "Yeah, not gonna lie, that's pretty distracti—"

He stopped dead. Their eyes locked, as the same thought penetrated their minds.

"But…" Jaune began, trying to reason with himself. "We just agreed it was too soon for a…"

Ruby shrugged. "Who said anything about a relationship? Yang never exactly came home with a boyfriend. Don't think she needed an excuse…"

He weaved side to side. "Yang's also kinda…"

He received another cold stare. "Careful how you finish that sentence, buster."

The two remained quiet. For a while, standing awkwardly. Far off howls pierced the night.

"We're really trying to talk ourselves into this, aren't we?" Jaune surmised.

Ruby swayed, twisting with her arms behind her back. "We're teenagers. I think it's kind of a thing. I'll just say straight-up… a weird part of me is kinda into this idea."

I-I mean," Jaune said, laughing nervously, "it doesn't have to mean anything… it's healthy for the team. Healthy for our mission."

Ruby blushed. "Teammates take care of each other."

They stared at each other for a while, before Ruby dared to step closer… and closer.

Jaune merely burbled as she took his rather large hands into hers.

"Shhh…" She hushed, not quite meeting his eye. "First, some ground rules. Feel free to jump in. This is about being comfortable with what we're doing."

"Uh-um… o-okay."

"First, n-no looking," she continued.

"Looking?"

Still crimson, she explained. "This is about what we're feeling, and apart from not being totally comfortable seeing your… you… or you seeing mine… we need to be ready to pick up and leave in case something happens. We're technically on-watch, and I'm not about to fight Grimm or whatever else in my birthday suit. I pull 'em up, you zip it up. My skirt and hood can block the view otherwise."

For some reason, Jaune found the notion somehow more enticing. "So, touch but don't look?"

Ruby giggled. "I know it sounds backwards, but I think the less familiar we are that way, the more informal it is. But, uh… on that subject… might as well get this out of the way."

Hands still locked with his, she flushed as she pulled his hand straight to her chest, over her heart. His mouth agape as her eyes slammed shut, she pressed his open palm into her modest lump. It wasn't much, but it was an icebreaker, as he slowly dared to let his fingers spread over her breast.

Really though, it was one rung on a ladder to the next bit, as her other hand slowly led his to her thigh. Shaking like a leaf, she dragged it up until she cupped his hand against the spot where both legs met.

Jaune felt electricity run up his spine as he felt warm, soft cotton that molded to his touch, but the kicker was hearing Ruby let out a gasping squeak the moment he made contact. He felt her skirt resting upon his forearm, and he slowly summoned the courage to explore this unplumbed wonderland.

Ruby failed to suppress mewls of surprise to sensations she'd only ever given herself, as Jaune clumsily molested her. He didn't seem keen on wandering beyond the spots she'd directed his hands, but at the moment that was hardly a problem. Being touched in this way, in these places, was too new and intoxicating to complain about, as her knees shook with shocked gratification. "Oh gaaaaaaawd… Get used to it, just g-get used to it!"

"Doing my best!" Jaune answered, refusing to look in the vaguest direction of his 'work.'

"I was talking to myself," she clarified airily. "But you can go to other things, you… y'know…"

Jaune paused his ministrations, uncertain if it was rude to keep fondling her pillowy crotch while they spoke. "You… want me to touch… more? Is… is anything off-limits?"

"Don't…" she gasped, catching her breath, heart pounding, "touch my Crescent Rose."

Jaune went rod-still, staring into space. "Is… is that your word for your—?"

"My scythe, yes."

"Not where I was going with that… So you're seriously telling me 'free reign?' I'm not gonna brush something and get punched in the eye?"

Some composure back, Ruby made a guttural, exasperated grunt. "Well on that subject, I guess I'd rather you didn't stick your finger in my eye… but I mean… you're grinding your hand all over my line, what else is there?"

"Excuse me, your what?" Jaune asked, amused.

"Line?" she repeated, head cocked as if it were obvious. "Because it's all, foldy and shaped like… I mean, you lived with seven girls, you can't tell me you've never seen one. Line, hoo-ha, flower! I don't like getting anatomical with the names, okay?"

"Er, alright," Jaune said, nodding his head with a smile at her indirect wording. "And while we're making rules… no… kissing? If that's okay? And like, no mouth-stuff in general, I think. At least for now."

Jaune sulked inwardly, as he recalled the one and only kiss in his thoughts. The last he knew, before the one that gave it marched off to her death. He could still feel her lips on his… and every detail was a dagger.

"Well, that goes without saying, mouth-stuff," Ruby replied, nodding. "I mean, if your mouth is on it, you can probably see it, which violates rule number one.

"Plus it's kinda grody," she finished. "But now I think it's my turn…"

She minced, almost deviously as her fingers twiddled their way towards him. He was rigid in several regards as a hand caressed his breastplate, and another found found his hip.

Ruby began to melt over him, cheeks pleasantly flushed, eyes closed as her thighs seemed to grab his right leg. Between this and her clear enthusiasm, his mind conjured an unwanted image of a deathstalker, using its twin claws to drag prey to its eager mandibles.

And indeed, she slid into him until the heat of her crotch lumped against his thigh, evident even through his denim pants.

In a moment, he noticed her hand leave his hip… and then felt a gentle clasping on his—

"Oh! ...O-okay!" Jaune trilled, as she tittered uncontrollably, clearly in disbelief over what she was doing and loving it. "This is happening."

"Sure is!" she confirmed, before her other hand reach across and seized a handful of his hind-end.

Trying to roll with the punches, he forced himself to look down, seeing Ruby handling his package however she could through his jeans. "Well, you're clearly starting to enjoy yourself."

Ruby hummed, inwardly biting her lip. "Don't pretend, sword-n'-board, Crocea Junior betrays your enthusiasm."

"'C-Crocea Jr?'" he asked, failing miserably by now to mask his virginal response to Ruby stroking him zestfully.

"What?" she said. "You thought I'd named mine. Now on your back, soldier!"

Not knowing what to expect, equal parts terrified and elated, he backed up and did as she asked, on the hardest patch of ground he could manage. Ruby followed slowly, climbing over him, until she was staring up at him from over his chest, her chin sitting upon two overlaid hands as she gazed dreamily.

"Legs straight too, please. Follow my lead."

He complied, and then could only watch as she pulled up the front of her skirt, angling herself with her legs nearly as straight as his.

Then he felt it. The suspicious, soft heat did its best to cover the hardest parts of his bulge, as its owner shivered and offered a nigh inaudible gasp.

Her head sank into the crook of his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his chest, and steadily began grinding her… line, against him.

Breath hitching, he absorbed the surreal experience, as this soft, petite girl used his prone body as a pleasure machine. A few cycles of grinding later, and it occurred to him that he should probably contribute somehow to this experience. Not wanting to be reminded again, he dared to reach for the only two sacred bits he'd yet to touch, and firmly clasped the globes of her buttocks.

A squeak was his reward, as he kneaded and spread her little cheeks. It wasn't like he didn't know what a butt would feel like, but a girl's just seemed more… shapely, and desirable.

So positioned, he pulled her into him as she continued grinding, and added his own hip motion to the mix.

He felt himself pressed firmly against the unrelenting heat, and found firmness behind the plush of her crotch. As he himself felt the pleasure rise, his actions prompted an open-mouthed moan from his partner, whose grip tightened as she began to grind even harder.

Though he began feeling distinct aching down below, Ruby seemed unstoppable, clearly in a rush to get to her goal before it could slip away.

And before he could ponder much more about just how long he could keep this up (in multiple respects) he felt her grind one last time and freeze.

"Ah— Aaaaaagh…!" she croaked, before pressing a hand over her own mouth and moaning deeply into it, the sound muffled as he felt her spasm around him. Her leg twitched, and he honestly questioned whether he'd just broken her, as he saw beads of sweat appear on her forehead.

After a minute, she'd become limp and gasping atop him, still floored from a relatively short experience.

"You uh…" he started, feeling like a Captain Obvious. "You got there, huh?"

"Mmmhmm," she sighed happily. "And if that's the appetizer, I'm… really looking forward to the main course…!"

Jaune's eyes shot wide. Okay, he hadn't thought she'd climax that early, but he never figured in her state that she'd be up for the bonus round…

Then, as the full prospect hit him like a dual-rail freight train, he considered something he hadn't in the haze of hormones and naughty-touching.

"Wait, um… how are we doing that again?"

"Not that hard, Jaune," she began, snarking, "Rod A to Slot B."

"No, I… I mean, I didn't exactly pack with the expectations that I'd be in this situation, did you? What are we gonna do about protection?"

"Ohhh…" she sighed with comprehension. "Well that's no problem. We weren't gonna do it that way, even if it wasn't my… er… 'special time'. But since it is, I'm kinda wearing my cup."

Jaune only stared, trying to piece together her phrasing. "Wait, cup? You're not wearing a cup, I'd have felt it!"

Ruby grunted awkwardly. "Not that thing that protects your junk. I mean the one… in…side me…"

"In...side you?"

Ruby blushed fiercely. Somehow discussing feminine hygiene with him was more awkward than doing him. "Look, normally I'd use a tampon or something, but I needed something reusable in case this trip took a long time, because I didn't want to start free-bleeding all over Anima!"

"Oh god…" Jaune replied, face blanched with understanding.

"So instead, I found a reusable menstrual cup I can shove up there, till the grossness stops…"

"This… might explain the hormones," Jaune speculated.

"Don't test me, Jaune, you should know better than anyone how quick a girl can snap like this.

"Anyway, I know this isn't supposed to mean anything, but that doesn't mean I want to give up my first to a no-strings-fling. Plus, even if we had protection, Yang and Dad would kill you, then me, if we screwed up and I came back from all this with a baby-bump..."

Jaune seemed disappointed, but at peace. "So… what is the plan? You still mentioned a 'main course'."

"Well sure!" Ruby cried. "It's… um… Well…"

Jaune didn't bother to follow up. She'd finish her thought at some point.

Finally, cherry red, she blurted it all out. "I'm-gonna-let-ya'-put-it-in-my-butt."

He stared. "In… your butt?"

"Right between the cheeks, yeah…"

"Uh," Jaune responded poignantly, eyes drifting traitorously to her hips as though he had x-ray vision. "Couple things about that…"

Ruby grimaced. "Oh, like what? Yang said buttstuff was like, the ultimate for boys! And given what I'm feeling on my tummy right now, I'd say she was right…"

Indeed, once again Jaune's 'other brain' betrayed him, pressing hard against her abdomen in want.

"And you didn't even have to ask for it!" Ruby concluded. "You totally scored here!"

Jaune had to concede the case, nodding with his lips pressed together. About a hundred other guys would probably kill to be in his position. Hell, they'd probably be inside her already…

"But I mean, even if you're sure you're… 'okay' back there, I could catch some kind of disease."

Ruby recoiled. "I do not have a 'disease'! I've never done this before, how could you say—?!"

"Ruby, it's your BUTT!" he added quickly, exasperated. "It's dirty, and full of germs!"

"Don't call my butt dirty, that wasn't stopping you a minute ago!"

"Butts in general then! And there's a big difference between the jiggly parts, and the smelly inside parts!"

Ruby rolled not only her eyes, but her entire head. "Then wash it after! And if you think the inside of a butt is the only smelly part, then you're really in for it the day you do it for real with a girl. Some girls call it a flower, but do you know how much work it takes to keep it that way? Just a few days without showering, and total low-tide!"

Jaune chewed his tongue. "Could have done without that, but smell isn't my concern! It's all full of bacteria, I could get an infection!"

"Oh, boo hoo, you could get a bladder infection! Wow, it's kinda like what happens to girls every few months with our stubby pee-holes!" Ruby finished, finding herself a few sentences from calling the whole thing off. "Seriously, you lived with seven sisters? I thought I was the lovably naive one…"

Jaune sputtered. He still didn't like it much, but she'd actually presented a well-reasoned argument. Inhibitions slowly fading, he felt something else rising in inverse proportion.

"O-okay. I'm sorry, it's not excuses, I'm just trying not to be selfish and hurt the team. I want to do this, just… could you maybe… make sure we're not gonna have any embarrassing problems first?"

Ruby blew air into her cheek before letting it pop with a sigh. "I mean, our meals aren't exactly big, and I don't feel like… Mmm… I did just wake up though…"

Ruby gave a dramatic sigh as she lifted herself to her feet and began walking out of the clearing. "Fine. I'm gonna be out this way, trying to do things completely the opposite of sexy.

"Second I get back, and we're doing this! So if I get here, and you're not as ready as I am, you're in trouble pal! For the record, this is a total turn-off!"