Jaune sank down into his seat, his head leaning back so far that he was staring up at the ceiling. He was supposed to be happy. After all, class was over for the day. The very worst of them all, Professor Port's class, had just ended. To make things even better it was a Friday, and he had the entire weekend to look forward to. He had been riding such a high. So much so that he had worked up the courage to ask Weiss out. Yet once again, his charm had fallen on deaf ears.

He had been rejected yet again.

He couldn't understand it. His father had said that all it took to win over a lady's heart was confidence. He had that in spades. At least he gave off that impression. Sure, a few months back he had been lacking in that department, but thanks to his and Pyrrha's hard work, he was making real strides in achieving his dream of becoming a huntsman. So why was it that Weiss couldn't see that? Why couldn't she see the dedication and focus he was putting in to his craft? The very same dedication he would put into a relationship with her?

"Hey, Jaune."

The boy was stirred from his thoughts by a familiar voice. Looking over to his right, the apologetic smile of Ruby filled his vision as she approached him. Silver eyes darted away briefly as she took the seat next to him.

"Oh, hey," he greeted her. He hadn't meant the words to sound as depressed as they had come out, but at the moment he couldn't really help that. A person could only take so many hits before they were knocked down. "What's up?"

She shrugged lightly, looking down at the long desk before them. "Oh, nothing," she said softly. "I just, um, you know. Saw what happened just now. I'm sorry."

A soft breath slipped through his lips. Yeah. He was sure a lot of people had just seen his latest rejection at the hands of Weiss Schnee. Even Yang's optimistic outlook on their situation wasn't bringing him much hope anymore. 'One day' might as well never come for Jaune and his dreams.

"Eh. It's okay." His tone indicated that it wasn't, but he didn't want his friend to worry about him.

That effort failed miserably, judging by her next words. "Do you... wanna talk about it? I'm here if you do."

The last thing he wanted to do was bring Ruby down today as well. "Nah, it's okay. I'll be fine. I don't know. Maybe I should just take a hint. She'll just never be into me. Maybe I should just give up on Weiss."

For long seconds there was silence, and Jaune looked back over to Ruby in order to gauge her reaction. It wasn't as if he was seeking acknowledgment or approval, but some sort of agreement or disagreement with his thoughts would be useful.

Finally she turned those mirrored eyes to him once more. This time, however, they seemed more lit with energy than they had previously been. "Or... I have an idea."

"What's that?"

"Well..." she trailed off. Her gaze averted once more to the desk in front of her before she continued. "You could try going out on a date with me." In an instant her head snapped up and she looked over at him. "F-for research purposes, I mean!"

Jaune had been about to question the sanity of the girl next to him before she had amended her suggestion. Still, it left plenty of questions in need of answers. "What do you mean 'for research purposes'?"

The girl coughed softly before clearing her throat. Her hands fidgeted around atop the desk as she seemingly sought to put her nervous energy to use in some way. "See, maybe you're not connecting with Weiss because you just need practice on how to talk to her," she explained. "Girls are weird. Trust me, I'm one of them. And as her BFF, there's no one at Beacon who knows Weiss as well as me. So you could, um, go out with me and practice for the real thing. It'll teach you all about how to talk and act around Weiss. Pretty good idea, isn't it?"

In theory it made sense. After all, in order to do well on a test, you studied. In order to do well in combat, you trained. It only made sense that in order to better interact with girls, in this case Weiss, you had to gain experience with girls. But why was Ruby of all people offering to help him out with something like that?

A hand came up to rub the back of his neck nervously. "It's not that I don't appreciate the offer, but won't it be kinda weird to do that kind of stuff? Besides, what would Yang say?"

Ruby's earlier nerves seemed to vanish upon invoking the name of her older sister. "Yang doesn't own me!" she squawked suddenly before collecting herself. Ruby closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning back to him. "What I do with my friend is none of her business. Besides, this is all perfectly innocent. Just a couple of buds going out for a night on the town. What do you say?"

She certainly made it sounds innocent and harmless. And as long as there was no threat of a misunderstanding from the blonde powerhouse who could beat him into a bloody and meaty pulp, the idea couldn't hurt. Right?

"Well... if you really think it'll help..."

He was stopped short of saying anything more when Ruby took him by the hand and pulled him up from his seat. "Yeah! I think this'll do a lot of good. You just have to trust me. And science!"

"Science?" he questioned.

"Yes! Science! Everything we do today will be for research purposes!"

Ruby's enthusiasm was contagious, and in no time Jaune found himself smiling. "Yeah. For science," he echoed.

She must have been happy that Jaune had seen things her way. Ruby pulled him along after her with such force that it felt like his shoulder was only seconds away from becoming dislocated. He didn't quite know what kinds of activities she had planned for the two of them today, but getting his mind off of what was bringing him down could only help. He might even learn a thing or two along the way.

Ruby navigated the streets of Vale like a woman on a mission, speedily passing by those slower walkers on the sidewalk with zero effort. The fact that she was able to do so with the addition to their party was all the more impressive.

A tiny corgi named Zwei had been brought along with them, and by the looks of it the dog was having the time of his life out here in downtown Vale. Why he was here, Jaune still couldn't say. In fact he couldn't even say where they were going yet. However, he was certain that Ruby had some sort of idea of where they were going in order to help him develop the skills needed to win over Weiss' heart.

Jaune didn't have much experience in the city, but everything looked nice and clean. Trees dotted both sides of the street, providing shade as the sun beamed down on them in the late afternoon. Street lights had not come on yet, and he could see all of the many shops as they continued on their journey.

He sensed that they were near their destination when he heard a soft squeal of delight from Ruby, along with her pace quickening. That was when he saw it. The target of their first activity tonight. From Dust Till Dawn.

By the looks of it, the place appeared to be a simple dust shop. He wasn't really sure how that fit in to today's plans. "Hey, Ruby?" he asked.

She turned back to him. "Hmm?"

"This is a dust shop, right?"

Her face lit up as she nodded happily. "Yup!"

"So how is this supposed to help with Weiss?"

For a brief moment that energetic smile slipped into a frown, but soon enough Ruby was beaming once more. "Jaune, Weiss Schnee is a Schnee. The heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. Dust is her life! Do you really think you'll stand a chance with her if you don't know anything about dust?"

Jaune felt a little bit foolish when she put it like that. She was correct, after all. Weiss probably knew more about dust than even the teachers at Beacon Academy. Dust was in her family. She would one day lead the largest producer of the stuff in all of Remnant. Of course he had to know his stuff when it came to dust.

"Yeah, you're right," he admitted. He looked down to the tiny dog before asking another question. "Do they allow dogs inside?"

"For me they do," she said with a hint of pride. "After all, me and the owner go way back. I helped him when he was getting robbed by Roman Torchwick. Let's just say he overlooks some of his usual rules when it comes to me."

He shrugged. "If you say so."

Stepping inside, Jaune saw that the place was exactly what he would have expected. Shelf after shelf held dust and dust accessories. Along the walls were massive tubes containing powdered dust, while a glass display case holding crystals dominated the center of the store.

Ruby slipped Jaune the handle of the leash. "Hold this for a second." He didn't even have a chance to respond before the girl dashed over to the counter with Semblance-powered speed. He wouldn't have been surprised if that same power didn't also enhance her voice when she spoke. "Did the latest issue of Weapons Magazine come in?" she asked so quickly that he wondered if the clerk had even understood what she had just said.

The elderly man nodded, muttering something unintelligible as he pointed over to the magazine rack toward the back of the store.

His 'date' practically jumped in place, screaming with glee before speeding to the back and snatching a magazine off the shelf.

Jaune walked back at a much slower pace, Zwei staying next to him as the pair approached Ruby. He saw the girl's nose buried in the magazine as she energetically bounced up and down. Their approach must not have been heard or noticed, so he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ruby?"

In an instant she twirled in place, bright silver eyes gleaming as they looked up at the boy. "Jaune! Check this out!" she shouted as she shoved the magazine up and into his face.

He had to take a step back in order to even read anything on the page. There were a lot of words, as well as a few pictures of what looked to be bullets. "I'm sorry, what am I looking for?"

The way Ruby briefly scoffed before stopping herself told him that she was disappointed by his lack of insight. "The brand new .50 cal dust-tipped rounds from the SDC, of course!" She pointed to the magazine a number of times as she continued. "Fire! Lightning! Ice!

"Oh. They're... nice?"

"Nice? Nice? Jaune, these babies are gonna revolutionize the way I kill Grimm! Just imagine a fire dust-tipped round hitting a Beowolf and incinerating it! Or a lightning dust-round zapping a Nevermore out of the sky!" She pressed the magazine against her chest and began to sway back and forth with closed eyes. "Just thinking about it makes me feel all warm and tingly inside..."

A look at her confirmed the girl's words. Ruby had the biggest smile imaginable plastered onto her face as she clung to the magazine. This right here was the epitome of happiness. A love so pure that a stranger would find it hard to believe that the girl was gushing over how best to slay the creatures of Grimm.

An eye slowly peeked open to regard him, and Ruby soon came down from her happy weapons high. Teeth lightly sank into her lower lip as she bashfully looked away. "Sorry. I got a little carried away there. I just... I really like weapons. And dust. It's all so cool to me..."

He could tell. It was honestly adorable how she gushed over this stuff like a fan girl might do for The Achieve Men. He knew Ruby wasn't like most girls. She hadn't been from the day he met her. The day where she had shown him Crescent Rose, cradling the weapon of death and destruction as if it was her baby. It might as well be a child named Crescent. It already had her own surname of Rose.

Jaune smiled, flicking Ruby's shoulder to regain her attention. "It's okay. It's actually pretty funny to see you get all worked up like this. It's so real and genuine. I can tell you really love this stuff."

"Well... well good!" There was still a trace of embarrassment on her face, but she was working hard to try and snuff it out with forced confidence in her voice. "If you think this is bad, just imagine how into dust Weiss is! You have to get used to me acting like this! For research purposes!"

"Right. For research purposes. But I really can't imagine Weiss geeking out like this over dust and weapons. Even if her own company makes them."

"Oh yeah? Well I'm her partner and BFF, and everything we're doing here is necessary! Trust me!"

He raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I trust you."

"Good. Because... there's also this new gun on the market that shoots chainsaw bullets. Chainsaw bullets, Jaune! Can you believe it? What a time to be alive..."

Her enthusiasm was endearing. And just as he said he would, he was happy to let his fellow team leader spout off the technical aspects of this new gun she was so interested in. Even if he hadn't been with her here for a reason, he wouldn't have minded listening to her techno-babble. Ruby just had a certain quality that drew people to her. That made them want to stick with her.

It was why he had found her on the first day of Beacon and never looked back.

The sun had begun its descent by the time they left the dust shop. Ruby had not purchased any dust or ammunition for herself, only the magazine. Jaune still had control of Zwei's leash as the girl flipped through the pages of the publication as they walked. On more than one occasion he had to direct her so that she wouldn't bump into an oncoming person. Soon enough though she got the hint and folded the magazine in half before stuffing it into one of her surprisingly roomy combat skirt pockets.

"So... where are we going now?" he asked, happy to finally have her undivided attention once more.

"We're taking Zwei to the dog park." She hunched over as she walked so that she could pat the furry little critter on the head. "You'd like that, wouldn't you Zwei?"

Zwei gave a surprising bark in response to the question. Jaune wondered if he knew what the word 'park' meant.

"Oh. I guess that explains why we brought him along." He looked down to the little furball as he trotted along happily next to them. "So... why are we going to the dog park?"

"Because Weiss loves dogs," she explained. "More specifically, she loves Zwei. So she'll be really happy to see if you get along with my other baby. It's important that you get along with Zwei."

Despite never having owned a dog before, Jaune could honestly say that he loved them. How could he not? There was no affection out there purer than that of an animal and their human. Unconditional love with nothing to gain but love in return. Mankind had a deep and unbreakable bond with canines that stretched back before recorded history. It was ingrained in his DNA.

"I do," he agreed. "Even though I just met him, I like him. He's a good dog."

"He's the best dog," Ruby confirmed. "And I'm really happy to hear that. So far it seems like he likes you too."

"I guess that says something good about me."

"Yup. Something good indeed..."

What happened next surprised Jaune, and he jumped slightly at the sudden contact that Ruby's hand made with his. Or rather, how she grabbed onto his.

He looked over at her curiously. "Ruby?"

"PDA is an important part of being in a relationship," she told him. "You have to be comfortable holding my hand in public. For research purposes."

Despite never having been on a date or having a girlfriend, Jaune knew that she was right. He had seen other people do it on TV and in real life. Romantic partners showing affection in public was just part of being in a relationship. However, that didn't change the fact that he and Ruby were not actually in one. It didn't make the situation any less awkward.

His own hand was limp in hers, but she more than made up for his lack of commitment by squeezing down on his. Her tiny hands and overall stature did not detract from her Aura-enhanced strength.

"If people see us like this they might actually think we're a couple," he told her.

Her head tilted ever so slightly. "Yeah, they might. Are you okay with that?"

"Uh... well yeah. It's not like I'm embarrassed of you or anything. I'm just worried about... I don't know. Are you okay with people thinking that?"

"Of course I am. This was my idea to begin with. I knew what I was getting into when I asked."

"Oh, sure. As long as you have no regrets."

She nodded firmly. "Nope. No regrets."

Hearing that, Jaune closed his fingers down on Ruby's hand, completely engulfing her tiny fingers with his own. He was surprised at how soft and delicate she felt. Small and feminine hands gripped Crescent Rose so easily. Unlike his own hands there were no traces of calluses where she would hold onto the shaft of her scythe.

"Your hand's all sweaty."

Jaune glanced over at Ruby, whose own eyes were focused down on their joined hands. He frowned, embarrassed that he was making her uncomfortable. "Sorry," he said softly. "I'm not used to this sort of thing. Handholding and dates and all that. I'm just... nervous I guess."

"It's okay. But see? This is exactly why you need practice!" Jaune wished he could have her confidence in this moment. Why didn't she seem nervous? "So you don't have sweaty hands for Weiss. Gotta get you used to this sort of stuff."

"Yeah. I guess that makes sense."

If there was ever a safe option for this sort of thing, it was Ruby. She wouldn't judge him. She wouldn't mock him for his lack of experience. She was his friend. A better friend than he ever could have hoped for. He was just worried about using her for his own gain. After all, what was she getting out of all this aside from being a good friend?

She was so kind and charitable. He would really have to make this up to her sometime. Maybe he'd buy her some of those new dust rounds she had been so excited about earlier. That would be a fitting gift for all the lengths she was going to just to help him out.

When they reached the gates of the dog park, Zwei was let loose from his leash and the corgi ran wild. Short, stubby legs carried him with speed that amazed Jaune, and a part of him wondered if the dog perhaps did somehow obtain a portion of his owner's super speed.

The pair of teens found a bench to sit on, and watched as Zwei ran and played with other dogs. It gave them an opportunity to discuss the next stage of their faux date.

"So what do you have in mind next?" he asked.

"Well..." she said slowly. "Weiss comes from high society, so she doesn't eat a lot of junk food. So I think it'd be a good idea to show her something that she's never had before."

Jaune rubbed his chin. In theory it sounded like a good idea. However, a part of him could not imagine Weiss stuffing herself with fatty, greasy food. "Like what?"

"Well, do you want to know what I would do if I were out on a date?"

"We technically are, remember?"

Ruby cleared her throat. "Yes. Yes we are. So... maybe we could go back to Beacon and order pizza? And... watch a movie? Does that sound like a good date?"

Pizza and a movie with friends? That sounded like a fun time. "Sounds great. Should we call the others and ask them to pick out a movie?"

"No!" she said hurriedly. "I mean, no. This is date night, remember? We can't just go asking other people to be our third wheel! Or like, an eighth wheel!"

"But wouldn't eight wheels still work?"

"That's not the point, Jaune! The point of all this is to prepare you for a real date. We're conducting research, remember?"

He nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

"It's... it's okay. You like Spruce Willis movies, right?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I tried getting Weiss to see one once, but she wasn't interested."

She scoffed. "That girl has no taste. Kill Hard is a classic."

"I know, right? And people say it's not a holiday movie."

"It's only the best holiday movie ever!" she practically shouted. "So you wanna watch it tonight?"

"I'd love to."

"Good. How about the pizza? What do you want on it?"

Jaune practically laughed. "I mean, is there a correct answer that's not pepperoni?"

"If there is I don't want to know about it."

He laughed again. This was wonderful. Ruby was so easy to get along with. They had so much in common. Sometimes even more so than his own teammates. It was probably why they had gotten along so well since their first day at the academy.

"You know what, Ruby?" he asked. "You're pretty great."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's funny, but I just seem to get along with you better than anyone. Even my own teammates." He paused briefly, not wanting to make it seem like he took his other friends for granted. "I mean, I couldn't ask for a better team or anything, but no one is really into the same kind of stuff as me. They don't... I don't know. Get me the way you do. You know what I mean?"

Both were geeks in their own ways. They shared a love for comic books. Jaune had X-Ray and Vav, where Ruby had Absolute Boyfriend. It was a curious pick, as Ruby had never seemed to show an interest in any sort of romance before. Then again, there was probably a lot about the girl that he didn't know. After all, he had just learned today that she too had an interest in Spruce Willis movies.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "I get that too. Blake's kinda quiet. Weiss is... Weiss. And Yang just treats me like a kid."

"You're not a kid though. You might be a couple years younger than us, but you take down Grimm like someone twice your age." He sighed quietly, thinking about how much better than him she was despite the age gap. He could have gone the negative route, but instead chose to see the positive side of it. "And that's incredible. You're incredible, Ruby. I remember the first time we met when you had to go and find Yang, I wondered to myself where I'd find a c- a quirky girl like you if it turned out we never ran into each other again. And I'm glad we did."

"Oh," was her soft, almost whisper of a reply.

He glanced over and watched as Ruby brushed a few errant strands of hair from her eye. The blend of color was beautiful. It looked especially pretty in the sunset. She really was a pretty girl. Ruby had always been cute. Not in the same way Weiss was beautiful, but more in an adorable little sister way. She was loud, energetic, and excitable in a way that reminded Jaune of some of his own younger siblings.

But here in this moment, there was there was something about her which cast all those preconceived notions out the window. Something about her that looked particularly attractive in a way he had never before considered for his first friend at Beacon. Maybe it was those bright silver eyes that sparkled like stars in the night sky. Or the soft red lips that her teeth toyed with ever so subtly. Did her cheeks seem redder than usual, or was it just an effect of the sun?

"Is there something in my hair?" she asked.

The words snapped him from his thoughts, and Jaune quickly looked away. "Oh, uh, nope. Nothing that I saw."

She went to move her hair again, this time hooking a lock of it behind her ear to reveal the soft and smooth skin of her neck. "Oh. Okay."

When Zwei had returned to them, they determined it was time to head home. The tiny dog was exhausted, his tongue hanging limply from his mouth as he panted after an afternoon of exercise and fun.

Hopping up onto the bench where Ruby and Jaune sat, he nestled himself between them before curling up and collapsing into a pile of fur. Jaune reached over and lightly scratched him behind the ears, and Zwei offered up no protests to the show of affection.

"Yeah, he likes you," Ruby smiled. "And girls like guys who are good with animals."

He saw how silver eyes watched his hand continue to stroke Zwei's fur. The serene smile on Ruby's lips was so unlike her earlier excited self. Here she was just seemingly at peace with her friend and her dog. Like everything was right in the world.

And strangely enough, despite all that had happened today, Jaune felt happy too.

The sounds of explosions and gunfire filled the room as the pair of teens watched their movie of choice. With a stomach filled with pizza and his friend beside him, Jaune was having a great time. He knew Ruby was too by the way her eyes were glued to the TV, only moving when she went to reach for another slice.

Weiss wouldn't have liked explosions and gunfights. What surprised him was how he didn't even care about that anymore.

He also couldn't imagine that Weiss would want to do something so casual. In all honesty, it was surprising that Ruby had gone to the lengths she had to make tonight a simulation of a potential date with Weiss. Somehow she had secured her dorm room for just the two of them, sending the rest of her team off on some unknown errand or activity. It allowed them to have privacy for the conclusion of their 'date', where they were able to enjoy their greasy dinner and a movie alone.

It didn't feel like a date, however. It just felt like two friends having a sleepover, like how he had done as a child back home. The fact that Ruby was clad in her pajamas as she sat on the bed beside him only added to the feel. He wore his as well, with her having insisted that he wear his Pumpkin Pete onesie for the occasion. It felt as if he had gone back in time, and that he was about to stay up all night playing video games and munching on room temperature pizza until weariness finally claimed him.

Then again, he had never sat so close to any of his friends back in those days. And those friends had never been girls.

As if to remind him of this fact, the way Ruby suddenly shifted in her spot caused her arm to brush against his, and he instinctively recoiled from the touch. The motion garnered her attention, and turned to regard him.

"Hey, Jaune?"

"Yeah?"

"We are technically on a date," she reminded him. "You know... for research purposes."

He could hardly forget that. After all, he had spent the better part of the afternoon and night participating in activities with Ruby in order to gain a better understanding of his crush. Even if right now didn't exactly feel like a date, they were still conducting research. "Yeah. I guess we are."

"So... wanna do another experiment?"

He swallowed. Ruby was so close to him right now. He wondered if she could feel the rapid beating of his heart just through the vibrations on the bed. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well in situations like these, a guy would normally do the fake yawn thing and put his arm around his date," she explained. "So, I think you should do that."

Put his arm around her? While they were in bed together? In their pajamas? "Y-you're sure?"

She nodded firmly. "We have to be extensive in our research, Jaune. And you have to be willing to make a girl happy when you're on a date with her."

While he couldn't argue with her reasoning, he did have apprehension about her methods. This was threatening to become far more than mere research. He was about to be cuddling in bed with a cute girl for the first time in his life. What if he enjoyed it? What if he didn't want this night to end? What if he wanted to do it again? How could he go back when this was all just meaningless practice for his friend?

In the end Ruby gave him no choice and latched on to his arm before pulling it around her waist, bringing herself to nestle even close to his body. "Like this," she said softly. "Pull me close to you and hold me tight. This is what couples do when they watch movies together."

Her voice wasn't the only thing that was soft. She was soft. This huntress. This slayer of Grimm. This battle-hardened warrior, was the warmest and softest thing he had ever felt in his life.

Despite his best efforts his body relented and ignored the protests in his mind, and Jaune allowed his fingers to relax as they rested along Ruby's stomach. With his arm completely enveloping her body, Ruby was impossibly close to him. So much so that he could smell the scent of that shampoo she had used this morning. Strawberries. It figured that she would prefer a strawberry scent.

Jaune smiled at the thought. She may have been a cookie monster, but it came as a shock to most that strawberries were her actual favorite food.

Her head rested against his shoulder as the movie played on. Leaning in even more, Jaune felt how her chest was pressing against his side. He had never really noticed it before. Then again it wasn't every day he saw... and felt her just in her pajamas.

"See, isn't this nice?"

That was exactly the problem. It was wonderful. It was an incredible experience that made him both happy and sad all at once. After all, this was merely practice. This was research on what to do on an actual date. A date with a girl who most likely would never want to be with him.

"Yeah," he breathed. "It is."

"You're sure?"

He had never been more sure of anything in his life. "Very sure."

"Okay. I'd like to do one more experiment, if that's okay with you."

More? What more could she possibly do in order to help him prepare for a date with Weiss? In fact, now that he thought about it, how was cuddling with Ruby right here and now supposed to help out on that front? The fact that he couldn't get the redhead out of his mind defeated the purpose of his pursuit of Weiss.

And as odd as it was, he was fine with that.

"What experiment?"

"Not telling," she said coyly. "Close your eyes."

He pulled his face back to look down at the head full of red-black hair. "Why?"

She peered up at him, her silver eyes reflecting the light of the TV in the darkened room. "It's a surprise."

So far the entire day had been a surprise. The dust shop. The dog park. The impromptu sleepover. Ruby certainly had strange ideas of what qualified as a date, but somehow, in some way, it all made sense. The lessons went hand in hand with the goal she had set for him.

"If you say so," he said before he did indeed close his eyes.

He wondered if it would turn out to be some sort of prank. Maybe he was about to get slapped by a piece of pizza. Or some other sort of childish act that she would only be able to commit while his eyes were closed and his guard was down. Right now he truly couldn't think of any sort of experiment that would gain him experience. So just what was she-

His thoughts were cut short when he felt something soft and warm against his lips.

And as quickly as it had come, it had gone.

Jaune's eyes burst open to see the face of his friend only inches away from his own. A moment later she had pulled back even further. It took another second to realize what she had just done. What that sensation against his lips had been.

Ruby had just kissed him.

It had been brief. It had been soft. A peck on the lips and no more. Yet it didn't matter if there had been more. No matter how long or intensive it could have been, the action still spoke for itself. A kiss was still a kiss. And she had just kissed him.

The girl ran her tongue along her lips, moistening the already glistening skin as her eyes darted away in embarrassment. Her cheeks were flushed, and in this lighting looked almost as dark as her signature cloak.

It took several seconds for Jaune to remember how to use his own lips before he spoke. "R-ruby? Was that for... research purposes?"

She nodded her head quickly. "Yeah... and... and after intensive research, I've concluded that... I like you, Jaune."

His mouth moved silently several times as he processed the information. As he once more tried to convey his thoughts into words. "What?" Or just a word.

"I like you!" she repeated, this time a little louder and more forcefully. "And... I wanted to see if you might like me too. If you might... be able to like me for me. And how I act."

"What are you talking about? Of course I-"

Suddenly it all made sense. Jaune's mind rewound to everything that had happened earlier in the day. Everything they had done. Everything she had said. It had all been for research purposes, according to Ruby. And it had been. Just not the kind of research he thought.

You have to get used to me acting like this!

It's important that you get along with Zwei. Girls like guys who are good with animals.

You have to be comfortable holding my hand in public.

We could go back to Beacon and order pizza? And... watch a movie? Does that sound like a good date?

"This was never about Weiss, was it?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Nope. Well... not really." She sighed, a frown forming on her lips as she gazed up at him. "Look, Jaune. I'm gonna be honest here. I don't think she's going to like you the way you like her. So after she turned you down again today I thought... well, maybe if you found someone else who liked you for you, that you might like them for them..."

It had all been a test of sorts. An experiment, as she had said. Could he put up with her unusual love for weapons? Did he get along with her dog? Would he mind being seen holding her hand in public? Would he enjoy being with her alone doing the kinds of things she liked?

The answer to all of those questions turned out to be a resounding yes. He did indeed like her for her. And all of her adorable quirkiness. He truly had enjoyed spending the day with her. With this beautiful girl who he had begun to see in a new light.

"Ruby?" he asked.

Her bashful, yet hopeful gaze remained on him. "Yeah?"

"I do like you for you." He shook his head amusedly. "As it turns out, more than I thought I did. I just needed a little push in the right direction to see it. Was that part of your master plan?"

She shrugged lightly, a bemused smirk on her face. "Maybe."

Jaune laughed. Her plan had been a success, and it wasn't just Ruby who stood to gain from it. He had found in his friend what he had been looking for all along. A kind, sweet, sincere girl who liked him for him. Who enjoyed spending time with him. Who had similar hobbies and interests as him. All this time he had never seen it because of how they defined themselves. Before they had been just friends. It hadn't occurred to him that something like this might be possible with her.

That was until, like a true scientist, Ruby had decided to test the unknown.

"That was my first kiss." He was a little embarrassed to admit that at age seventeen. But he wanted to explain why it probably hadn't been that good. Even if it had lasted only a second.

"Mine too. Was it... good?"

Objectively? Probably not. He couldn't exactly say from experience. "I don't really know," he admitted. The pout on Ruby's face made him hurry to amend his confession. "B-but if good means I want to do it again... yeah. Yeah it was good."

"Oh." The word had come out as a nervous squeak. "You really wanna do it again?"

"Yeah. If that's okay with you, that is."

"Yes," she agreed. "I think we need to do more research."

Jaune smiled at that word. Science had never been more fun than it was right now.

He leaned in, closing his eyes and pressing his lips against Ruby's. What had been a small and short peck before was fuller this time. There was movement in their mouths this time, rather than a pair of dead fish butting lips together. Jaune's arm wrapped around Ruby's waist once more, feeling just a little bit braver this time as he pulled her close to him just as she had requested that he do only minutes before. In return Ruby ran a hand through the mop of blond hair atop his head, softly squeezing down on it as their kiss intensified.

They finally broke free of their embrace to catch their breath. The second experiment had been a resounding success. Far more satisfying than the results of the initial one. Ruby was practically beaming with happiness, and Jaune couldn't help his own lips from curling into a deep smile.

"Isn't science great?" she asked.

Prior to today, Jaune never would have agreed with such a sentiment. "It's the best."

"I have a new hypothesis."

He couldn't wait to hear what theory his friend... no, his girlfriend had come up with. "What's that?"

"I have reason to believe that your chest will be a good pillow. And I think we need to test that out. For research purposes."

He smiled. "Who am I to stand in the way of progress?"

Jaune shifted on the bed, moving to lie down as Ruby did the same with him. She curled up next to him, resting her head between the crook of his arm before draping her own arm over him. He felt the air escape her lungs as she sighed contentedly against him.

"Yup," she said happily. "I think this is going to require repeated tests. Just to make sure."

"Oh? You're not sure yet?"

Her head rubbed against him as she shook it. "Mmm-mm. 'Cause I think I'm gonna fall asleep before I can record my findings..."

It took only a couple of minutes before her latest theory was proven true. The light, even breathing of the girl who lay against him signaled that she had indeed fallen asleep quickly and easily. In his mind it proved that his chest did make a good pillow.

But he would be more than willing to repeat that experiment every night. Just to be sure.

Author's Note: I thought I'd try my hand at Lancaster again. Just another one shot, since I don't have any ideas for a longer story. Hopefully you all enjoyed it.

Thanks for reading.