AN: This took longer than it should have. More at the bottom.

The sun was not yet peeking over the horizon when Jaune slipped out of his dorm, sport bag slung across one shoulder and a water bottle clutched in his opposite hand. Closing the door with a muffled click, he quickly walked down the dimly lit hallway and down the carpeted stairs, stepping out into the dark, empty courtyard that stood between the dormitory and the library building.

The crisp morning air caused goose pimples to erupt across his bare arms, a slight mist puffing from his lips as he traveled the familiar path he had taken for the last several months since Pyrrha had begun overseeing his training and the roof had outgrown its usefulness. Passing through the garden, he made a right turn around the back of the maintenance shed then down a small incline hidden between some trees, the narrow path widening into a large clearing near the cliffs overseeing the Emerald Forest.

Taking a moment to admire the dark purple hue of the sky and the even darker clouds, he placed his bag by his usual tree before removing his tank top, dropping the crumpled material atop his bag. Taking a small sip of water, he threw his bottle down as well before diligently starting his routine stretches.

"Even for a Huntress or Huntsman, stretching is important," Pyrrha's voice sounded in his head. "I have seen fighters brought low by nothing more than their own bodies betraying them in their moment of need. Something as simple as a pulled muscle could be the difference between winning and losing, even with Aura."

He didn't doubt her for a second. There was a reason why she was a four time Mistral Regional Champion.

Finishing his last stretch, he took off at a slow jog. Running was perhaps one of the best parts of his daily workout. There was something calming about it but also extremely satisfying, to feel the burn his in legs and lungs and pushing beyond it. Being able to see his distances increase and knowing he was improving with each step taken.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been going but sunlight was now beginning to bathe the clearing in a soft orange hue. The shadows from the trees stretched long across the grass like grasping hands and for a moment, he thought he saw someone moving around his bag. He frowned.

No one ever came out here.

Jaune continued along his current path and to his surprise, his eyes had not been wrong. As he approached, he saw a very familiar person in some very unfamiliar clothing. He almost stumbled over his feet, shoes scuffing through some loose dirt as he slid to a stop.

"Weiss?" he asked more than a little surprised, a little winded from his run but not exactly out of breath either. "What are you doing here?"

He couldn't help it. It was bad enough that this was Weiss, the girl he had a crush on since the moment he saw her. But appearing before him so suddenly and dressed like that? It was impossible to stop it. His eyes wandered.

Small, light blue trainers replaced her wedge-heeled boots, while her combat skirt had been traded in for a pair of white spats. His eyes lingered on the way the tight spandex shorts showcased the subtle curves and shape of her slender thighs, and the way they drew attention to her slim waist and surprisingly full hips. Her bolero was gone, a simple blue sleeveless top replacing it and showing off her smooth shoulders and delicate collarbone, and even revealing a glimpse of her sports bra beneath. Instead of the usual side tail, her hair was pulled back in a more traditional ponytail. She was dressed down. When they had visited Vale the other day, she had been dressed much more casually than usual but this was something else entirely.

He was not prepared.

"Good morning," she greeted simply. His eyes snapped up to meet her own with dread. To his surprise, she was smiling at him like he hadn't just checked her out. Could she really not have seen? "I thought I would go for a little run. I didn't expect to find you here."

"Oh," Jaune said after a moment. "Yeah - I, uh, come here most mornings. No one really comes here."

Weiss nodded. "Yes. Privacy is good. Would you like some company or would you rather be alone?"

"No - I mean, yes. Please, stay," he stumbled over his words like an idiot. Her attire had fried his brain. "I don't mind. I mean, there is plenty of room." He wanted to scream. Of course there was plenty of room, they were outside. "Right. I'll shut up now."

Weiss giggled. "Yes, well - shall we begin?"

"Right," he said before realising one important fact.

He was shirtless. And sweaty.

She had obviously realised it as well. Matter of fact, her eyes had been aimed a little low the entire time they'd been talking. He suddenly felt self conscious. Weiss was a pretty reserved girl and he didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Sorry, hang on a moment and I'll put on a shirt."

Weiss stepped forward without warning. "Don't."

At the commanding tone, he was brought up short. "What?"

She blinked up at him, the picture of calm. "Do you usually run with a shirt on?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Then it is fine," she cut him off. "Don't change things on account of me."

Jaune wavered for a moment, unsure. "You really don't mind?"

Ice blue eyes rolled. "What did I just say?"

Her sharp tone was more familiar to him. He laughed. "Okay, okay. Shall we?"

She nodded and fell into step beside him. They set a decent pace, quickly establishing a sustainable rhythm. Even with her shorter stride, Weiss moved with the sort of effortless grace he had come to expect from her, her ponytail bobbing up and down as they followed the cliff edge. The sun rose ever higher as they lapped the area once, then again, then again and again. Soon enough, their jog had taken on a much faster clip, the pair moving at a brisk run.

"Tired yet?" Weiss asked as they rounded another bend.

"Nope," Jaune replied. "You?"

"Of course not."

As they completed more and more laps, their breathing grew labored and harsh. Wisps of steam coiled from their flushed and heated skin as their feet continued to pound against the ground.

"Want to quit?" she offered, breathlessly. Her forehead was beaded with sweat.

"Too fast for you?" he teased raggedly.

She glared at him before gracing him with a playful smirk.

And then they sprinting, twin smiles on their faces as all of a sudden, they were in competition.

"Hey, get back here," he said in laughter as she shot out ahead of him, as expected. Ruby may have been the fastest member on Team RWBY but Weiss was certainly no slouch, even without her glyphs. He was about to say something else when his eyes strayed down and his throat seized up.

His already flushed cheeks burned hot.

There was no other word other than perfection. He hadn't noticed because Weiss had been beside him the whole time they'd been running and facing him front on before that. Full and round, flexing with each stride, Jaune cursed whoever invented combat skirts to hell if this is the sight they were hiding.

Weiss might have been the smallest on her team when it came to her upper body, but Jaune was pretty damn sure she won the ass contest, hands down. It wasn't necessarily big, but it was beyond shapely. Pure bubble butt. Along with her toned, sculpted legs, it wasn't just a distraction. He was mesmerised.

It was inevitable that he'd screw up.

His feet crossed and he tripped, his eyes too busy on the prize and not on where he was going. Jaune hit the ground hard, exhaling heavily as he face planted like an idiot cartoon character.

"Jaune!" Weiss skid to a stop and ran back to him, looking worried. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Jaune groaned as he rolled over and sat up, covered in smeared dirt and pieces of grass. He looked a mess, panting heavily as he regained his feet. "Sorry, I tripped."

He wasn't the only one panting and it did very interesting things to her chest as she approached him, hand reaching out to brush at his skin. Jaune swallowed as her soft hand swiped across his front, removing what grass and dirt she could. The feel of her smooth palm touching him caused his brain to lag.

"Thanks," he said after a moment, his breathing evening out. Her hand continued to trace over his chest and down lower, across his stomach. He shivered. "Maybe we should call it quits. It was a good run."

His breathing may have evened out but hers hadn't. If anything it looked like she was breathing even faster than before, her cheeks flushed and damp with sweat. Glassy eyes stared straight at him, roaming up and down.

"Weiss?" Jaune asked uncertainly, jumping as her nails scraped lightly against his abs, the muscles contracting at the sensation. He almost choked when they caught the waistband of his shorts, lightly tugging at the material. He felt something stir down below at such a provocative action. "Weiss?" he repeatedly quickly, urgently.

Ice blue eyes snapped up to meet his own, pupils blown wide. There was a moment where he felt like his heart was going to burst out through his ribcage it thumped so hard but then she stepped away and he felt like a fool for reasons he couldn't quite understand.

"That was a good run," she said, echoing his words. Despite her feverish look, her voice was steady. Normal. "We should do it again some time." Her smile was full and genuine. It was beautiful.

Jaune fought for words. "Yeah, sure. That'd be cool."

Feeling the burn in his legs, he did a few stretches and she followed suit, before they both jogged back to his belongings. He unscrewed the cap on his water and took in a generous mouthful, pausing when he noticed Weiss had nothing of her own.

"Drink?" he offered.

"Thank you," she accepted. Her eyes lingered on it for a moment before she took small, controlled sips. Her pink lips looked plump as they parted around the mouthpiece. Jaune forced his eyes away.

"I guess I better hit the showers," he said as he pulled on his tank top. Weiss frowned but he didn't see it, busy with his bag.

"Of course," she replied as they set off back towards the school. "Locker rooms?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

The locker room was empty as it was most mornings. Jaune made his way over to his locker and pulled it open after typing in the passcode, depositing his bag inside below the mounted form of Crocea Mors. Kicking off his shoes and removing his socks, he pulled off his top and was about to step out of his shorts when he noticed that Weiss was still standing next to him, rummaging through the locker beside his own. A locker that he was sure belonged to someone else.

He blinked. "Uh, Weiss?"

She peeked out from behind the metal door, one eye visible. "Yes, Jaune?"

"Since when was that your locker?"

The singular eye blinked at him. "Since yesterday."

They stared at each other. When it was clear she wouldn't say anymore and he didn't know how to proceed without sounding stupid, he simply nodded and said, "Oh."

"There is almost nothing in this world money cannot buy," she said before turning back to her locker - her brand new locker. "Remember that."

Jaune stood unmoving until a familiar blue top was draped over her locker door, followed by a cute pink towel. Jaune felt his mouth go dry when a pair of white spandex shorts joined them.

"Right," he said quickly, grabbing his towel and wrapping it around his waist quickly before removing his shorts and underwear. He threw everything into his locker, pulled out his shampoo and body wash and slammed the door shut. "Thanks for keeping me company, see you later," he shot out before almost sprinting for the showers before she killed him.

Because there was no way in hell she wouldn't kill him if he saw anything, accident or not.

Choosing an open stall at random, he hung up his towel and pressed the button on the wall. Jaune felt his muscles relax as he stepped under the warm spray, a pleased hum rumbling in his throat. He remained standing there for a minute or two, just letting the water wash across his body and through his sweaty hair, before squirting a generous amount of shampoo into his palm. Lathering the sweet smelling liquid through his hair, Jaune tensed.

Slowly, he turned around.

There was no one there.

For a brief moment, he was sure he'd heard the sound of bare feet padding across the tiled floor. Seeing no one, he turned back around and continued working at his hair, slipping under the spray once more to rinse it all out. Task complete, he scrubbed at his face and eyes to remove any residue and then reached for his sponge.

Applying the body wash, Jaune scrubbed his torso and arms vigorously. Bending down to attack his legs, he paused as a faint sound reached his ears. Glancing warily over his shoulder, it was the same as before. There was no one there.

He could have sworn he'd heard laughter. Not just laughter. Giggling.

He jumped when he heard the shower next to his start with a hiss. So he hadn't been hearing things after all. Someone else was awake. Another student getting in some early morning training? Or maybe someone like Blake, who had to compete for time in their own bathroom.

Satisfied that the showers weren't suddenly haunted by some spooky spirit, he finished rubbing down his legs and crotch, stepping back once again under the spray. Good and clean, he hit the button and stepped out of the shower, grabbing his towel and wiping down.

Towel secure around his waist, Jaune turned to leave when something caught his attention on the edge of his vision, drawing his eye. A familiar pink towel was hanging from the hook on the next stall over. Correction, a familiar pink towel was hanging from the hook on the stall he was now standing in front of. His heart started racing like it had out in the field.

The very open stall.

A muscular, hairy ass greeted horrified eyes below a very broad, muscled back. The owners head swiveled around, pinning Jaune down with a look of surprise. Indigo eyes blinked beneath a head of short orange hair.

"Jauney boy?" Cardin Winchester asked after a moment.

"Cardin," Jaune said faintly, wishing for his life to end. "Morning."

"Morning," the bigger boy replied, quirking an eyebrow. "You gonna just stand there staring at my ass all day or are you going to do something useful and wash my back?"

Jaune left in a hurry to the sound of mocking laughter.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Jaune muttered to himself as he raced to his locker. "Why would you look, you idiot," he scolded. He knew why. He thought it was Weiss. "Even if it was her you idiot, she'd have killed you right then and there. Do you have a death wish?"

To complete the picture of madness talking to himself had created, he slammed his forehead against his locker. Again, again and again.

While the showers were unisex like everything else at Beacon, there was an unwritten rule between the students that the girls used one side while the guys used the other to avoid awkward situations. It wasn't a school rule but it was also something Weiss would follow without question. She wasn't a pervert.

"What did you think she was doing, checking you out?" he continued harshly. "Good god, get a grip, Jaune."

Taking several calming breaths, he regained control and pulled open his locker. His bag contained a fresh pair of clothes, which he slipped into and then attempted to comb his hair without much success. He was just applying his deodorant when he heard someone stepping behind him and a finger trail up the back of his shirt. He jumped.

"Look, Cardin," he said irritably. "I'm not really in the mood-"

"Cardin?" Weiss asked in surprise as she stepped up beside him. Jaune froze. "Is he here?"

She was wearing nothing but a towel, the damp material clinging to her slender, fit body, tight across her modest breasts. Her hair, long and wet, hung down her back, so long that it brushed against the backs of her thighs. Her smooth, creamy, bare thighs that the towel struggled to reach. Jaune let out a whine through his clenched jaw before averting his eyes.

"Mm," she hummed as she pulled open her locker. "You smell nice."

Jaune opened his mouth, tried to say something, then closed it again without a word. This morning was one absurd event after another and he hadn't even had breakfast yet. Like she could read his mind, she added, "Would you accompany me to the cafeteria? I worked up a bit of an appetite because of you."

"Sure," Jaune managed while trying to banish the thoughts her careless words had conjured in his stupid brain. He licked his chapped lips nervously. "I'll wait outside."

"Stay," she said firmly when he was about to retreat to the safety of the hallway. "Please. I could use your help."

Jaune regarded the smaller girl in shock. "What?" he couldn't even feel embarrassed at the way his voice threatened to crack, he was so taken aback.

Weiss pulled open her locker and passed him a spare towel. "Could you hold this up for me? I feel a little exposed in here."

It took him a few seconds to process her words.

"Oh," he said stupidly. He coughed. That was what she'd meant. Of course. "Right, sure - uh, there isn't anyone around to see you, though."

"Didn't you say Cardin was here? I'd rather not have that brute ogle me like a piece of meat if I can help it."

Jaune nodded slowly as he unfolded the towel. Swallowing thickly, he stepped behind her and held it up like a makeshift curtain, angling it so it blocked his view of her and hopefully anyone else if they came in.

"Thank you kindly."

The next few minutes were some of the most erotic of Jaune's life. The temptation was almost overwhelming as he heard Weiss' own towel fall to the ground and the rustle of clothing being put on. He jerked when something brushed against the towel-curtain, his eyes slamming shut on instinct as the material shifted. Somehow it was even worse with his eyes closed, every sound amplified and his mind creating inviting scenarios to taunt him with. The mild, sweet scent of her shampoo and body wash nearly ended him.

He was a bit of a mess when Weiss finally said, "I am decent."

Jaune hesitantly lowered the towel. Weiss arched an eyebrow at him, looking amused. She was dressed in the standard female school uniform, though her hair was still damp and hanging down her back.

"What about your hair?"

Weiss pulled out a vial of fire dust and sprinkled a small amount on her palm, such a minuscule amount that Jaune struggled to make it out even against her pale skin. With a flash a glyph appeared above her hand, the snowflake symbol rotating as it turned a deep red colour. Jaune almost stepped back in alarm as she raised her hand but felt foolish immediately when she passed the same hand through her hair. Alarm turned to awe as he saw her hair dry before his eyes, her fingers dancing through the white locks in practiced movements, the strands dancing in an unseen wind.

"Woah," Jaune uttered, astonished.

In mere moments, her hair was a shimmering waterfall of silk. It looked more silver than white, the way it gleamed in the overhead lighting.

Weiss looked pleased.

"That was amazing. I didn't know you could do something like with your semblance."

She pulled out a simple blue scrunchy at total odds with her rich girl image and arranged her hair into her typical sidetail, looking a little shy as she said, "I'm sure my ancestors wouldn't agree with such an application but - well, I had a lot of free time as a child and it was an incredibly useful way to practice control. Mistakes weren't an option."

"That sounds... dangerous. Couldn't you set your hair on fire?"

They exited the locker room and made their way down the hallway. The sun was well and truly out now, the morning bright and the chill rapidly receding as they stepped outside.

Weiss nodded. "Like I said, mistakes weren't an option. I tested it before trying it on myself, of course. I wouldn't be so reckless. Quite a few of my dolls suffered for it. Mother wasn't pleased."

Jaune laughed. "What gave you the idea?"

Weiss looked down. "It might sound a little vain but as much as I love my hair, I hated how long it would take to dry. Hair dryers were a hassle and while I could have always had someone else do it," here she looked uncomfortable, "I would much rather have done it myself. When my sister first started coaching me in the use of my semblance, she spoke of learning to push boundaries. Our semblance is incredibly versatile... though I don't think she had drying hair in mind."

They approached the cafeteria and Jaune held open the door, Weiss nodding in thanks as she stepped inside.

"Well, I think that is pretty creative of you. And it helped in the end, right?"

"Yes. My control increased by leaps and bounds."

There was a short line at the food window. They barely had to wait at all until they could order, the perks of an early riser. They were just approaching a table when a familiar voice called out, "Hey Weiss! Hey Jaune!"

The Schnee heiress hadn't even turned fully to return the greeting when Jaune pitched forward, almost dropping his tray as Ruby collided with his back, slipping her arms around his neck, her knees digging into his sides as she stole a piggyback ride. Two hurried steps quickly corrected his stance and he was able to stop himself from tripping over a bench.

"Woah!" he exclaimed.

"Ruby!" Weiss scolded. "Be careful!"

The youngest member of Team RWBY giggled, her warm breath gusting against Jaune's neck. He felt the small hairs rise in response, a shiver going down his spine.

"That you, Rubes?" he joked instead of acknowledging the reaction of his body. "Barely felt a thing."

Swift fingers pinched his side and he jumped.

"Felt that, though, didn'tcha?" Ruby joked back, her fingers lingering against his shirt before she dropped down to her feet. She beamed up at him. "Where have you two been? I woke up and Weiss was gone."

"Just a little run. Weiss found me by accident and decided to join me," he answered as they sat down, Weiss on his left, Ruby on his right. He felt a little caged in with how close they were sitting to him, almost thigh to thigh. He gestured at Ruby's empty table space. "Not hungry?"

"Yang is getting me something," she waved over to the food window and Jaune saw Yang, Blake and his team ordering their breakfast, Nora looking a little frazzled. "Weiss joined you, huh?" Silver eyes narrowed at her teammate, "She can be pretty sly when she wants to be, don't you think?"

Weiss spluttered angrily. "Just what are you implying?"

"You never come running with me, that's all."

"Because you just cheat and use your semblance!" Weiss snapped before quickly adding, "And it was a spur of the moment decision. I didn't know he would be out there."

"Hm," Ruby made a sound of agreement that even Jaune thought sounded false, which was proven correct when she said, "I don't know. I think you're just being a greedy girl, Weiss."

"Excuse me?"

Confused, Jaune focused on his bacon. It gave a satisfying crunch as he bit into it. The kitchen staff were incredible. None of that soggy, half-cooked stuff. Only crispy goodness. Beacon sure knew how to treat their students.

"Yo," Yang greeted as she sat down opposite them. Like Weiss, she was dressed in her school uniform, minus the blazer. She shot her sister and teammate an amused look. They were bickering while Jaune sat directly between them. "What has them so riled up?"

Jaune shrugged. "Not sure. Something about Weiss not running with Ruby?"

"They're awfully animated this morning," Blake commented as she sat next to her partner, in her combat attire. And then to Jaune's surprise, she smiled at him. "How are you this morning, Jaune?"

"Uh," he couldn't help it. She had a very nice smile. "Good. I'm good. Everything good here."

"Yes," Blake said, staring him right in the eye. "Yes it is."

"Okay?"

Yang slapped Blake on the back so hard she nearly fell into her bowl of porridge, the cat faunus scowling fiercely as she took a swipe back. Yang casually leaned away and dodged the attack. That only made her scowl even harder.

"Settle down, kitty cat. You have plenty of time."

"Don't say that so loud!" she hissed. Yang jerked her head at Blake and made a look as if to say, 'can you believe this girl?'. Jaune covered his mouth to hide a smile. A smile which quickly faltered as he felt something brush against his leg, a little too smooth to be an accident. His mouth went dry as a stocking clad foot rubbed firmly against him, his pants riding up slightly to expose skin. Skin that was promptly attacked.

"Good morning," Pyrrha greeted, causing Jaune to jump as the mystery foot jerked higher in surprise before pulling away. Jaune stared straight at Yang, trying to find any sign that she'd just attempted footsy under the table but couldn't find any, the buxom girl quirking an eyebrow when she noticed him looking. A little flustered, he turned to regard Blake yet she wasn't even looking his way, instead facing his partner.

"Morning," Blake replied. "Nora, are you okay?"

Nora blinked blearily as she sat, almost toppling off the bench sideways. If it wasn't for Pyrrha reaching out a steadying hand, she just might have. Instead of answering, the ginger haired girl just stared blankly at her bowl of cereal as if it contained all the answers in the universe.

"She was up most of the night," Ren supplied when it was clear no answers would be forthcoming from the girl herself. "Sugar rush."

Yang grimaced and shook her head. "Rough night, huh?"

"I find that ear plugs work wonders," he replied with a smirk. "And I believe Jaune took the brunt of it."

At Yang and Blake's questioning look, Jaune shrugged. "We played games most of the night and then she nearly ripped my arm off wrestling. The usual. She finally crashed around three."

"You don't look tired, though," Blake observed.

"I had a nap yesterday afternoon after hitting the gym. I guess it was lucky I did or I'd look like her right now."

Nora briefly raised her head to shoot him an annoyed look.

"Speaking of the gym," Yang grinned brightly. "You planning on hitting it today? I could use someone to spot me. How about it? Think you can handle it?"

Jaune nodded. "Sure. How about this afternoon?"

"Good with me."

"How about you, Pyrrha? Want to join us?" he asked. He didn't notice Yang's smile falter.

Pyrrha pulled a face and what she said next had Yang perking back up. "I cannot, unfortunately. I'm meeting with some people and my agent to discuss a potential sponsorship deal. I haven't really done anything since coming to Vale so they want to capitalise on the Vytal Festival."

"Right. I think I remember you mentioning something like that."

"So, looks like it's a date then," Yang joked, giving Jaune a half-lidded stare. Blake rolled her eyes and elbowed her, making her whole body jerk. "Hey, what was that for?" she snapped.

The white noise of Ruby and Weiss bickering finally ceased. The heiress looked grumpy, taking a savage bite out of her apple as she sulked. Ruby meanwhile had caught the end of their conversation.

"Who is Yang going on a date with?" she asked, confused.

"No one. Your sister is just being an idiot." Blake answered.

"What was that?" said sister challenged. Now it was the other two members of Team RWBY who started to bicker, though Blake only responded every so often with a well placed barb that had the more rambunctious girl firing back twice as loud. Several other students were shooting her curious glances.

"I'm going to the gym later with Yang," Jaune revealed when Ruby just looked even more confused by the sudden escalation, as if she hadn't just been involved in a similar situation with Weiss.

Confusion morphed into understanding. "Oh. I see."

"What?"

Ruby shook her head. "Nothing. So, are you free after breakfast? Wanna hang out? Ya'know, just us two?"

Jaune blinked. "What, like a leader thing?"

"Sure! Or you know, just two friends hanging out. Doing stuff. It can be leader stuff. And friend stuff," Ruby looked ready to bury her head in the sand, cheeks flushing. "Or we could work on our weapons? Yeah! We should make sure our weapons are in tip top shape for the tournament, right?"

Jaune nodded slowly at her sudden enthusiasm. "Right."

"So we could totally do that," she continued to ramble. "I can show you my baby. I could teach you a lot about her, that'd be fun, right? She can be a little tricky for a single person to work on, even me - and I made her! How much do you know about mecha-shift? Oh, oh - and I can help you with your sword! I can polish it for you. I'm pretty good with this sort of stuff, you know?"

Blake made a strangled choking sound, drawing their attention. She was staring at Ruby with wide eyes, chin covered in porridge.

"Get your head out of the gutter," Yang scolded her teammate. "She's talking about Crocea Mors, Blake - jeez, those books of yours are rotting your brain."

Weiss clucked her tongue, giving the faunus girl an extreme look of distaste. "Blake Belladonna!" She admonished. Pyrrha and Ren looked surprised, staring at Blake with raised brows.

The black haired girl was gracious enough to look embarrassed, but nonetheless defended herself, "It sounded like something else, okay? I-I misunderstood!"

"Uh-huh," Weiss didn't sound convinced. "Maybe you should lay off the literature for the time being."

"Oh, shut up. Like you are any better."

"Just what are you implying, exactly?"

"Watch anything suspect lately?"

Jaune leaned over and whispered in Ruby's ear, "Your team is very - er, energetic, this morning."

Ruby giggled and shied away from him, cheeks red. He was about to ask her what was up when the mystery foot returned, nudging his knee aside. Jaune tensed, sitting ramrod straight as the questing toes lightly rubbed against his inner thigh. He stared across the table but again, Yang was busy refereeing the sudden spat that had erupted between Weiss and Blake. The foot moved back and forth, every so often the toes arching against him, applying a delicious pressure. Jaune felt his body react. He stuffed a mouthful of eggs into his mouth and almost choked, swallowing with some effort.

The rest of breakfast followed much of the same pattern and by the time Ruby had pulled him away, Jaune was in danger of bursting out the front of his pants. Mortified, he trudged along after Ruby with his shoulders hunched, praying that no one would notice anything amiss.

But attempting to hide the evidence of his arousal wasn't the only thing on his mind. He'd just been felt up. Felt up by a girl and her dexterous foot! And it really could have only been one of two girls, as unlikely as that seemed.

Yang or Blake? Blake or Yang? It didn't make any sense.

"You okay?" the younger girl asked as they stopped by the locker rooms to gather their weapons.

Jaune cleared his throat to unstick his tongue. "I'm good."

Ruby eyed him for a moment before smiling, grabbing his wrist to tug him along. Her hand was warm and a little rough, yet still somehow soft. "C'mon, we can work in my room."

Thankfully, Jaune had calmed down by the time he entered team RWBY's dorm. It was uncomfortable enough walking around with his friend while he popped wood but being alone in the same room with her? Talk about awkward.

Ruby rummaged around under Weiss' bed and pulled out a toolbox, filled with all the necessary tools they'd need to work on Crescent Rose. Another venture under the bed revealed a box filled with rags and polish.

Jaune lowered himself to the floor, laying his weapon across his lap and trying not to stare at how Ruby's perky rear swayed side to side as she retrieved her goods. If she had been wearing her school uniform like Weiss, it might have been a very dangerous situation. Thankfully, she was wearing a pair of sweat pants instead that admittedly left little to the imagination.

He quickly averted his eyes when she pulled everything to the center of the room before sitting next to him, shoulder bumping his playfully.

"I don't really know much about this sort of stuff," Jaune admitted.

Ruby didn't look worried. If anything, she looked even more excited. "Here, I'll show you how to take her apart."

Small hands reached for the socket wrench and got to work, deftly dismantling the collapsed form of her fearsome scythe. In a matter of minutes it resembled nothing but a collection of parts, Ruby moving with a swiftness that spoke of hours upon hours of practice.

"See this spring here?" she pointed after removing the casing. "I'll need some help with unhooking it and replacing it. I can do it myself but it is easier with two."

"Right."

Jaune shuffled forward and helped her compress it enough to free it. It took quite a bit of effort and it nearly sprung free of their hold from released tension. Ruby placed it aside.

"I'm going to give it a quick clean and then oil the hinges. Nothing worse than a weapon jamming in the middle of a fight."

Jaune wouldn't know. Even though his sheath morphed into a shield, it had never jammed before.

"Maybe we should have a look at my shield," he suggested as he received the small tin of oil and a rag from Ruby. She then proceeded to give everything a speedy wipe down, removing any dirt or debris. "I've never done any work on it before. I don't even know how to open it."

They worked together quickly, arms occasionally bumping as they completed their task. He realised that the slightly scented oil was the same he occasionally thought he could smell coming from Ruby. A smell unique to her amongst their friends.

"Here," she suddenly said. "Like this."

Her fingers overlapped his own and directed them firmly. Her hands were slightly oily and glided against his skin, an unnatural smoothness that was nonetheless pleasant to feel. Jaune swallowed as they continued like this for a few minutes, to point where they were finished and yet she continued to twine their hands together, almost like she was playing with his fingers. It felt nice.

"Ruby?"

There was no response. He tried again, a little louder.

"Hm?" she leaned against him, face hidden against his shoulder. Her short nails lightly grazed against his knuckles as her hands roamed a little higher. It felt surprisingly sensual and Jaune felt his heart rate pick up as her fingers encircled his wrists.

He wet his lips and said, "I think we're done with this part."

Ruby tensed and leaned back. "Right. Yes. We are," her laugh was a tad high. "N-Normally I'd also clean the barrel but I did that the other day, so we can skip that. We can put everything back together. Can you help me with the spring?"

"Sure."

She wasn't kidding when she said it was difficult to replace. It took much more strength than Jaune thought it would but eventually they were able to compress it enough so it slipped into place. The rest of the weapon snapped into place and Ruby re-bolted it.

Jaune stepped back as it unfurled seamlessly, Ruby beaming proudly at her baby.

"We can polish the blade later. We can work on your sword first."

Jaune unsheathed his blade and placed it on the floor between them before expanding the sheath into a shield.

Ruby suddenly looked timid as she asked, "Can I?"

At his nod, Ruby reached for his sword.

Jaune rubbed his neck, a little embarrassed. The blade was scuffed and covered with a long history of damage, nicks and scratches running the entire length. While it was clean and well cared for, it had seen many years of use - well before he'd ever laid claim to it. Compared to the grandeur of Crescent Rose, Crocea Mors was plain ordinary.

Despite this, Ruby was shuffling in excitement as she inspected it from top to bottom, hands ghosting across the pommel and hilt, fingers running up the flat of the blade, pausing to toy with some of the deeper scratches. Jaune felt his face heat up a little, remembering those same fingers toying with his own.

He wanted to slap his cheeks but settled for clearing his throat.

"It isn't very pretty," he said.

Ruby beamed at him. "It has character. Just think about how many Grimm this sword has slain? The places it has been?" she was practically gushing. "I don't blame her for looking a little tired."

Jaune blinked. "Her?"

Ruby's lips quirked. "Of course! She just needs a makeover. We can't fix these nicks right now but we can still make her pretty. We can do your shield too!"

Ruby opened a new tin of polish after wiping down the blade before she hesitated, eyes darting from Crocea Mors to Jaune, then back again. He was busy inspecting his shield for any potential openings and didn't notice the younger girl rise on unsteady legs. It wasn't until her shadow stretched out across him that he looked up but it was already too late.

Jaune blanched as polish splashed across his front. From his neck down to his lap, the cold liquid quickly seeped through the material to touch his skin.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Ruby said in a very practiced manner. "I'm so clumsy!"

"It's fine," he replied quickly, stumbling to his feet. Lucky for him, he was only wearing old clothes he didn't much care for. "I think I'm going to need another shower, though."

"Here, let me help."

Before he could answer, his shirt was removed in a cascade of rose petals. Stunned, Jaune watched as Ruby reappeared with a wet cloth, her body shaking.

"R-Ruby?" he said after a moment, uncertain.

She stared up at him. Or at least she tried. Her eyes kept darting away, down to his chest and the mess she had made. "I'm really sorry, Jaune. Let me make it up to you."

He wanted to say something, anything. But he couldn't help but think she looked scared. Scared of his reaction.

"I'm not angry," he assured her but she stepped forward all the same.

He jumped lightly as the damp cloth pressed against his skin, though it was warm and not unpleasant. Mouth dry, he remained as still as possible as she slowly wiped down his neck and chest, across his nipple and down further along his stomach, making his abs clench. Each time the cloth compressed against his skin, water would seep out and run down the contours of his body, following the bumps and grooves of his muscles. The look on her face was not unlike the one she wore when taking apart her weapon. The thought that perhaps she was taking him apart in her mind had his blood rushing.

When her hand reached his waistband, he stepped away. It took much more effort than he'd ever admit.

"I-I think I can handle the rest," he choked out. Silver eyes didn't seem so silver anymore, her pupils dilated so much that all he could see was black. "Thanks for cleaning me."

Hastily grabbing his weapon, he dashed across the hall and into his dorm room, Ruby's gaze burning a hole in his back. It wasn't until the door slammed shut behind him that he realised he was still shirtless.

"Thanks for cleaning me?" he repeated incredulously under his breath, feeling all of the awkward idiot he really was. He threw Crocea Mors onto his bed. "What the hell was that?"

"Jaune?"

He nearly screamed and whipped around frantically. He was able to muffle it at the last possible moment so it resembled a sort of choked groan and not the sound of a startled little girl.

"Ren?"

Pink eyes stared at him in confusion.

"Where's your shirt?" he spoke after a moment. Then his eyes moved lower. "...what is that?"

Jaune fought the urge to cover his crotch. There was nothing to be ashamed of!

"I - uh, forgot it."

Ren blinked. "Forgot it?"

"Yeah, it got dirty so I took it off. Ruby spilled polish on me," Jaune shook his head then paused, a thought crossing his mind. "Wait, that isn't important. Ren! I need your help!"

"Help?"

"Yes, help! A lot of help. I - wait, where is your shirt? Wait, where are your pants?"

"I was getting changed," Ren explained while standing in nothing but a pair of black briefs. "This is our room," he elaborated at Jaune's blank look.

"Shower?"

"Yeah."

This was starting to feel familiar to the both of them.

"You didn't have one this morning?"

"Nora. She nearly passed out under the spray."

"Right."

They maintained eye contact before Jaune gestured weakly with his hand. "So... I can wait. If you want to, you know - get dressed. I should probably change these pants."

"I imagine so," Ren's mouth quirked in a small smile. "People might talk."

"Oh shut up."

Several minutes later and a set of clean clothes had the pair of them sitting on Jaune's bed.

"So... it's Weiss," Jaune began. Ren arched an eyebrow, looking amused.

"Again?"

"... and Ruby,"

"What?"

"And maybe Yang or Blake, I'm not sure exactly."

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Ren was at a total loss for words. Ren wasn't a chatty person by any means but that didn't mean he was rendered speechless very often. He grew up with Nora. He had been conditioned to handle these sorts of situations through experience. Or so he thought. His continued silence made Jaune start to fidget.

"I don't understand," he finally said after too long. "Weiss... and Ruby. And you aren't sure, but maybe Yang or Blake? But you don't know which one?"

Jaune nodded rapidly.

"My friend," Ren said solemnly. "I believe this is beyond me."

"What? But I haven't even said anything yet."

"What I mean is that my experience - or perhaps I should say lack of experience with this sort of thing is more... traditional. Simple."

Jaune shot his friend a look of confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Relationships," Ren clarified. "Feelings. I don't - I've never had such things for multiple women before. Clearly my appetites are much tamer than yours."

Blue eyes looked at him in alarm. "I'm not - this isn't about - what are you on?"

Ren tilted his head. "You aren't asking me how to confess to Weiss, Ruby and maybe Blake or Yang, you aren't sure?"

"No!" Jaune shouted. "What gave you that idea!?"

Ren leaned back. "Apologies. I misunderstood. Please, continue."

Jaune spluttered incoherently before calming down with a deep breath. "You are a real joker, aren't you?" When Ren remained silent, he sighed. "Listen, I just need some help - or I guess I was hoping I could ask you something."

"What do you wish to ask?"

"Do you think... they are acting a little weird?"

"Team RWBY?"

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. I - I mean, it feels like they are acting... different. But no one else seems to have noticed so I thought maybe it was all in my head."

Ren thought on it for a moment. "I haven't noticed any particular changes in their behaviour."

"You haven't?"

"Maybe a little more hyperactive," Ren admitted. "I believe they are excited for the Vytal Festival."

When Jaune sagged in disappointment, Ren asked, "You think they're acting different?"

"It's just..." he leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "Maybe I'm overreacting but something just feels off. Weiss has been oddly nice lately. N-Not that I think she is mean or anything," he hastened to explain. "But you can't deny that she can be a little cold, right?"

"Right."

"But lately she has been really nice. Talkative. With me. And Ruby - well, she has always been affectionate. But these last few days, I feel like she is even more so. I don't know how to explain it."

"These aren't bad things," Ren observed. "But they trouble you."

"Of course they aren't bad, but you can't say it isn't a change, right? Like Blake - she's been smiling a lot."

"Smiling?" Ren deadpanned.

Jaune gave him a filthy look from where he was laying. "When was the last time you saw Blake smile for no reason? And you can't count the last couple of days."

Ren opened his mouth and then closed it again, conceding the point.

"She is about as reserved as you are and that is saying something," Jaune added.

"Hey," Ren said automatically.

"Like some sort of cool beauty or something from those Mistrali comics. But she's been smiling a lot more lately. As for Yang... well, she doesn't seem that different. I think."

"You think?"

Jaune hesitated. "This morning..."

"This morning?" Ren prompted.

"Someone was rubbing their foot against me."

Ren stared at his teammate. "It may have been an accident."

"It really wasn't," Jaune said, looking a little embarrassed. "Trust me. It really, really wasn't." He coughed, remembering his own reaction to the questing foot. "Yang is a joker but it seemed a little much, even for her. Whoever it was went a little... high."

Even reserved Lie Ren looked a bit flustered. "Oh. And you are sure it was Yang?"

"The only other person it could have been was Blake. And as much as I think it was little unusual for Yang to go so far, I can't even believe Blake would do something like that."

"I see what you mean," Ren rubbed his chin in thought. "So you think Yang was just messing with you."

"I guess," Jaune shrugged from his position. "She certainly likes to tease but she has never gone quite so far before."

Before they could continue, a swift knock drew their attention to the door.

"Hey," the familiar voice of Yang Xiao Long called out. "You in there, Jaune? Ready to hit the gym?"

"Just a minute," he called. "So what do you think?"

"I think that you might not be wrong," Ren said slowly. "But what it means or why? I have no idea."

"Right," Jaune stood and made his way to the door, pausing only to grab a towel. "Thanks for listening, by the way."

"Anytime."

"Ready to pump iron?" Yang asked as he opened the door, giving her arms a playful flex. She was dressed in a pair of her usual black shorts and a tiny orange tank top, though she wore an old zip-up hoodie over the top. Her usual free flowing hair was tied back in a ponytail, a gym bag casually slung over a shoulder.

"Ready," he said jokingly as he closed the door behind him.

"You look it," she said, eyes roving over him. Her eyes lingered on his shorts. "I hope you can keep up. I only have one speed."

It didn't take long for them to reach the gym but when Yang went to make her way over to the weights, Jaune motioned for her to follow. Curious, she watched as he approached a door next to the water cooler and swiped his Scroll across the pad, the light turned from red to green. Jaune held open the door for her.

When she stepped inside, she looked around in surprise. "What is this?"

"The professors use this place to keep in shape, away from prying eyes," he explained as the door shut behind them.

"And you have access why?" she accused, though she was smiling.

"Because of Pyrrha. Um - well, you know how she is pretty famous, right?"

Yang gave him a look. "Duuh."

"Right, well, whenever she would come to work out, the other students would bother her. Nothing serious or anything but it is hard to get anything done when people keep trying to talk to you. So the professors let her use this place and since we are her team..." He laughed. "Perks of being the teammates of Pyrrha Nikos, as much as she would hate to hear me say that."

Yang nodded with a look of understanding. "Suddenly, certain things are starting to make a lot more sense."

"What?"

She gave him a playful smile. "Nothing~ So, how about we get started."

They began by stretching, working through the different parts of their bodies. Every so often, Jaune thought he could feel Yang glancing his way but whenever he'd peek back, she was going about her own business. Like right now, as she bent backwards in a bridge, back arched and shapely breasts thrust out.

Jaune cleared his throat and looked away, missing the little smile Yang wore as she sprung back up.

Finishing up, they moved over to the bench press.

"Spot me?" Yang asked as she covered the bench with her towel.

"Sure."

She stacked several plates onto the bar and secured them before getting into position, laying back and squaring up. The position gave Jaune a very generous view of her cleavage. His eyes feasted before he forced himself to focus, getting into position, arms hovering under the bar.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Ready."

He followed as she lifted the bar before she brought it down and back up in a picture perfect press. As she continued to pump her arms, he couldn't help but let his mind wander - or rather, his eyes. They traced her well-toned arms and shoulders, and once again were drawn to the low cut of her tank top. He tried not to let his eyes linger too long, moving down along her flat tummy and the flare of her hips. Her top had ridden up a little, showing off her belly button.

"Like what you see?" she asked, voice a little winded. His eyes snapped back to the bar.

"Sorry," he muttered, feeling small.

She gave a couple more reps before he helped guide the bar back into place. She gave a small laugh as she sat up. "Don't worry about it. If I got angry every time someone looked at my tits, I'd be angry all the time."

"Besides," she added as they switched places. "I don't mind you looking if I can look too."

"Ha ha," he fake laughed before laying back. "And what would you be looking at?"

As he lifted the bar, he saw her smirk. "Oh, you know. Places."

Syncing his breathing, he lowered the bar and brought it back up, feeling the weight. It wasn't the heaviest he could go but it was close, his arms feeling the burn as he shifted it up and down, muscles tight.

"Looking good," Yang praised as he continued. "I could just eat you up, you know?"

Jaune wasn't sure if his face was flushed from exertion or from her words. His eyes moved to her face and the look she sported made his arms temporarily waver. Lilac eyes gazed down at him, half-lidded and smoky, her lips quirked in a sexy little grin. Gaining control of his movements, he quickly finished his reps and she helped guide the bar back into the saddles.

Jaune sat up, feeling his skin prickle under the gaze of his current workout partner.

They continued like this for the better part of an hour, switching positions and spotting each other on the bench. When they were finished, they moved onto the free weights and then the leg press. All the while, Jaune couldn't shake the feeling of Yang's eyes searing across him, made all the worse when his own eyes constantly sought her out.

Yang looked good when she worked out. Really good.

"Phew," Yang said as they finished their last exercise. She fanned at her face with her hand, before shifting it lower and giving her cleavage a little air by pulling her top out. "That felt good."

"Yeah," Jaune said a little dumbly, mopping at his face with the hem of his shirt to hide his face. "Yeah," he repeated.

"You look a little hot," Yang observed, "Cmon, lets cool down a little."

"Right."

They moved over to a nearby bench and Yang retrieved a bottle of water from her bag. After taking a generous swig, she handed it to him. The water felt great, his thirst ravenous.

"Thanks," he said, handing it back.

"No problem."

"So do you want to do me first or should I do you?"

Yang paused, bottle at her lips. She started at him in shock.

"Wha-bfffble," she dribbled water all over herself, nearly choking.

"Yang! Are you okay?" he hovered nearby, concerned. She gave a few hacking coughs and waved him off.

"I-I'm good," she said quickly, composure lost. "W-What did you just say?"

Her eyes were still wide as she looked at him.

"Don't you rub down after weight training?" Jaune asked. "Pyrrha said it was important. It sucks when you don't have anyone with you to help out but whenever we work out together, she always makes sure we do it."

"Pyrrha," Yang repeated. "Oh, right. Pyrrha. Ha. Wow, there is more to little miss champion than I thought." She looked impressed.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing. She's right. We should totally rub down. She isn't a championship fighter for nothing, ya know? She knows her stuff," Yang nodded quickly. "Yeah, I'd never doubt Pyrrha when it comes to this sort of thing." She was rambling. Now more than ever, Jaune thought she sounded a bit like her sister. Perhaps deep down, they were much more alike, after all. "Right. um - you can do me first. Rub me. Right! Where do you want me?"

Jaune blinked. "Uh, here is fine. Lets lay a towel down."

Yang lowered herself down, laying on her front and exposing her defenseless back. She twitched as his hands palmed her shoulders, his thumb and fingers digging into her flesh firmly. A visible shiver traveled down her body and she had to bite her lip to muffle her contented hum. She was largely unsuccessful.

"That feels good," she sighed. "You do this for Pyrrha every time?"

"Yeah," Jaune cleared his throat when a particularly firm press drew forth a low moan.

"Lucky. A girl could get used to this," Yang shot him a look over her shoulder that sent a bolt of heat straight down into his groin.

Jaune slowly worked his way along her strong arms and then down her back, pausing whenever her appreciative sounds become a little distracting. He tried to focus on what he was doing and not the sounds she was making. The way her soft body moulded to his hands when he pressed and grasped, the little strip of skin between her tank top and shorts, the toned, firm muscles of her thighs and calves.

Perhaps her sounds were the least of his concerns.

He cupped either side of her left leg, his fingers inching up as he kneaded her thigh, the blonde girl squirming in delight. His knuckles were dangerously close to bumping against her in a very bad way, so he hastily retreated as she gave a breathy giggle.

He repeated the process on her other leg, his hands gliding against her damp, smooth skin, the warmth of her body leeching into his palms. He swallowed thickly as he moved back up to her torso, trying to ignore the way her hips shifted as if to follow his touch. He felt the subtle dips of her ribs as she stretched beneath him, a small, breathy laugh escaping her lips once again.

"I'm ticklish," she admitted when he paused. He couldn't help but admire the way his hands spanned the width of her back, looking large and powerful against her body, his fingers curling around her sides. She gave a little shake to get his hands moving again.

"Mm," she hummed as he pulled away a few minutes later, a lazy smile gracing her features. "My turn to touch?"

"I really wish you wouldn't say it like that."

Her contagious laughter filled the room. They switched positions, Jaune feeling much more nervous than usual. Pyrrha did this with him all the time. Sure, it could get a little awkward when his imagination got away from him, but he knew deep down that there was nothing else going on. It was just part of their routine. Keeping your body healthy and in fighting condition was an important part of being a Huntsman. He was just feeling a little different because he had never done it with anyone outside his team before.

His skin prickled as he felt Yang lean over him, her scent engulfing him as her hands settled on his shoulders. Something soft and warm settled on his behind and to his shock, he realised the pleasant weight was Yang herself. She had straddled him, her thighs bracketing his hips.

"Uh," he said. "Uh..."

"This is much more comfortable, wouldn't you agree?" she whispered in his ear. Her long golden hair fell around them in an unruly curtain. Jaune turned his head to gaze back at her, heart thudding at how close her face was.

"Um," he didn't get much further than that before her hands started to move, digging in and flexing, traveling down his arms, rubbing at his biceps and forearms. Her hands were smooth and strong, containing a power he knew could shatter stone, but her touch was feather soft at times, almost caressing. Worshipping.

"Mm, very nice," she leaned further forward and Jaune swore his heart stopped, her pelvis rocking against his as her breasts pressed into his back. She was so soft and warm. "You're so built. So firm and hard. All for me?"

His brain turned to mush at her provocative words. And he nearly poked a hole straight through the wood of the bench, making her right in more ways than one.

"Lets get rid of this shirt, it's in the way."

Jaune did nothing as she pulled at the hem of his shirt, swiftly pulling it up and over his head even at the awkward angle.

"Oh," she cooed sweetly in a voice he'd never heard from the girl before. "Much better."

She started low, kneading and tracing the lines of his back with an enthusiasm that left him breathless. Her fingers found every little dip and crease, sweeping across every plain and ridge. He nearly leapt out of his skin as they quested further around, ghosting over his obliques, her body shifting against him oh so nicely. Hot air blew against the back his neck raggedly.

"Look at you," she whispered hotly. "So sturdy and strong. Do you have any idea what you do to us?"

"W-What?"

"Do you?" she demanded. Her voice held a tinge of desperation. "Looking like this and hiding it under that hoodie of yours? Right in plain sight and none of us had a clue - but we do now~"

"Yang?" he questioned, feeling worried. His eyes widened when he felt her lips brush tenderly against his shoulder, her breathing uneven. "Y-Yang?"

"I'm going to rub you down until you can't take it anymore and then I'm going to take my time eating you up," she said, punctuating her words with a little hip shake. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Miss Xiao Long," a strict voice boomed. Jaune flinched as Yang bucked upright so fast she flipped off the bench and onto the floor, a muffled 'ow' barely audible over the sound of his rapid heartbeat pounding in his ears. "This is a facility to train and improve ones body, not scratch an itch, do I make myself clear?"

Jaune scrambled to his feet, looking absolutely horrified at the sight of a furious Glynda Goodwitch standing in the doorway. Other students had been attracted by the professors shouting but before they could get in a peek, she slammed the door behind her, locking them inside with her.

"Jaune Arc!" she barked.

"M-Ma'am!"

Piercing green eyes locked him to the spot. "When we allowed your team to use this room, we were not giving you permission to bring your girlfriends here so you could act out your fantasies."

Jaune spluttered. "It wasn't - we weren't! We-and we aren't! We were just working out, miss!"

"That didn't look like working out to me, young man," she glared at him, daring him to deny it. His eyes followed the way her riding crop tapped against her leg and kept his mouth shut. "If I catch you using this place for anything other than its designed purpose again, a detention will be the least of your worries. Do I make myself clear?"

He really wished she'd stop using that line.

"Crystal," he forced out.

"Miss Xiao Long, get up off the floor. Now."

Yang shot up, standing ramrod straight. Her face was flushed scarlet, making her look feverish.

"The same goes for you. I'm sure your father would be impressed to find out what you are getting up to here, yes?"

Yang looked sick at the very thought, the colour draining from her face.

"I didn't think so. Now get out. And Mr Arc, put a shirt on for goodness sake."

Jaune found his shirt in record time, pulling it over his head. Yang gathered all her things and was out the door before he could get a word in, leaving him to give chase. He brushed past the gathered students who looked a little shocked and tried to keep her in sight, but he soon lost her. She was moving too fast.

He trudged back to the dormitory under a cloud of confusion.

"What the hell was that?" Jaune asked himself, standing alone in the hallway outside his shared room. He rubbed his face tiredly and hunched against the door. "God, that was so embarrassing."

"Jaune?"

Blake Belladonna looked at him curiously from across the hall.

"Are you okay?" she gave him a worried once over.

"Oh, Blake," he said in surprise, straightening up. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's just been... a strange day." He gave a laugh that sounded a tad hysterical. "A really strange day. You ever just have one of those days where everything seems completely out of whack?"

"Once or twice," she said with a little smile.

"It hasn't been bad," he felt the need to clarify for some reason. "Just... different. Weird." He blinked at the folded cloth she had hugged to her chest. It looked familiar. "Is that my shirt?"

"Ruby said you left it behind, earlier," she moved forward, holding it out primly for him to take.

"Uh, about that," he said quickly but she cut him off with a snigger.

"It's fine. She said she spilled some polish on you while you two worked on your weapons. We gave it a wash but sorry to say, we couldn't remove the stain," she looked apologetic, her eyebrows scrunched cutely.

"Oh, right. Uh, thanks. And tell Ruby it's fine. It was an old shirt. I don't want her to blame herself."

"You know Ruby. She already does."

"Drat."

They shared an amused chuckle.

"She wanted to know if you are free tonight," Blake continued. "Team JNPR, that is. With the festival only a couple days away, she thought that maybe we could have some sort of celebration movie night since we are going to be so busy soon."

Jaune nodded. "That sounds... really great, actually." A movie night. After the day he'd had, he thought that was the best idea he'd ever heard. "I'm keen. I'm sure the others will be too."

"I'll let her know. Do you like any movies in particular?"

Jaune shrugged. "Anything is fine with me."

Blake quirked an eyebrow. "Don't blame me when Yang picks a chick flick, then."

Jaune did his best not to react to her partners name. The last thing he needed was anyone else finding out about what had just transpired in the gym, though he was sure the student rumor mill was in a full overdrive right now because of Professor Goodwitch shouting. "Hey, you know me. Chick flicks are my sort of thing. Haha."

With a snort, Blake opened her door and stepped through, though not before shooting him a look over her shoulder, "See you later."

"Yeah," he replied as the door closed. He felt a smile tugging at his lips. "See you."

"Jauney!" Nora called out happily as he stepped into their room.

"Hey Nora. You're looking more energetic."

"Oh shoosh up," she pouted. "Where have you been? I've been bored all day and this lot aren't helping," she cocked her head at Ren and Pyrrha.

"Oh hey," Jaune smiled at his partner. "You're back. Everything go well?"

Pyrrha gave him an exhausted smile. "I believe things went well. They want me to promote some new equipment but I wanted to test it out before committing to anything, so I spent most of the day working out, believe it or not."

"You just shower?" he said, eying her damp hair.

She nodded.

"I was with Yang," he answered Nora. "We hit the gym. You'd have known that if you could keep your eyes open this morning."

She poked her tongue out at him childishly. He laughed.

"I better have a shower myself-"

"Yeah, I can smell you from here. You reek."

Jaune grimaced. "-gee, thanks, Nora. Oh, by the way, Ruby wants to know if we want to watch some movies tonight. I said I was down. How about it?"

"I'm in," Ren said.

Nora beamed. "Aww yeah."

"That sounds lovely," Pyrrha chimed in.

After a quick shower - how many times had he cleaned off today? He felt like he'd spent way too much time showering and changing clothes - the four made their way down to the cafeteria for an early dinner. While they ate, Jaune received a message from Ruby, letting him know when to meet them in the common area and to bring some goodies.

The vending machines on the south side of campus had the best stuff, so after finishing his food, he made a quick circuit of the lecture hall, collecting as many sugary treats and cans of drink that he could carry. Arms laden with treasure, he trudged back to the dormitory and nearly collided with Blake outside the common room, whose arms were equally as full with packets of crisps, chocolate bars and other assorted goods. She was dressed for sleep in a pair of shorts and a sleeveless top.

"You too, huh?" he joked as he opened the door with his hip by pressing his pocket to the locking mechanism, his Scroll unlocking the door even from inside his shorts.

"I picked the movie, so they made me gather the goods," she explained, giving an exaggerated eye roll. The pair dumped everything on the floor in front of the big screen television.

"What did you pick?" Jaune asked, curious. He watched as Blake pulled over a large beanbag chair and positioned it to her liking, before they both started arranging the other furniture. It looked like they had the place to themselves tonight.

"Horror."

Jaune laughed.

"Nora hates horror movies," he explained at her searching look. "She gets spooked easy, if you can believe it. Ren is going to have his hands full."

"The girl who rides around on Grimm gets spooked?" Blake looked unconvinced.

She lowered herself down onto the beanbag chair and lightly patted the space next to her, giving him a smile. "Sit with me? There is more than enough room."

Jaune gave the chair a quick once over. While it was large, they would still be hip to hip, especially when it sagged and conformed under their combined weight.

Blake gave him an amused look. "I don't bite, you know."

Giving a short laugh, he lowered himself down beside her. As expected, they were practically flush against each other, thigh to thigh. Jaune shifted to get comfortable which didn't take long at all. It was a comfortable chair.

"Hey guys - hey, no fair!" Ruby crowed as she entered with arms full of blankets. "I wanted that chair."

"First in," Jaune teased, causing her to pout. The rest followed suit, carrying pillows and blankets of their own. Pyrrha paused at the sight of them sitting together before moving on, Weiss giving them a disinterested glance at total odds with the way her smile vanished. Yang was the last one to enter, steadfast looking everywhere but Jaune, her posture tense as she crossed to the couch and buried herself under her own blanket, hiding her face from view.

"We heard Professor Goodwitch chewed you two out. Yang was pretty upset when she came back," Blake admitted quietly, her eyes following his own. "What happened?"

Jaune hummed nervously. "I think I'll let Yang explain. When she is ready. If she is ready."

The faunus quirked an eyebrow. "Now you've got me really curious."

He almost said something about cats and curiosity but before he could reply, Nora came barreling over the back of their chair and into their laps. Blake squawked in alarm and flailed as if under attack.

"I heard you picked the movie," Nora said, nearly nose to nose with Blake. The black haired girl flinched away and leaned back as far as possible.

"Uh,"

"You like scary things, huh?" she pressed forward, following her retreat.

"Nora," Jaune sighed.

"Hush, Jaune," she waved in his face. "Us girls are having a conversation."

"My leg is going numb," he explained.

"Deal with it."

"Nora," Ren plucked the girl out of their laps. "Leave her alone."

"I'll remember this!" the ginger girl vowed as she was dragged away. Even when she was deposited on her own couch, she continued to glare at Blake without blinking, big aqua eyes straining as they started to sting and fill with tears.

"You really weren't kidding," Blake said after a moment.

"Told ya."

"Here you go," Ruby dumped a blanket on them.

Jaune blinked up at his friend. "What sort of horror movie is it?"

"Vampires," she said simply, giving a little grin. "Blake really likes this sort of thing."

"What's wrong with that?" said girl muttered a little defensively. "I won the straw game fair and square."

"Nothing, nothing - don't you think it's totally her, though? All dark and mysterious and-and dark!"

"You said that already," Blake groused. "And I don't just like dark things because they are dark! The nature of a vampire can be very interesting - the duality of their existence! Their more human side and emotions clashing with the side that wishes to feed. Their very prey including their loved ones! They aren't always portrayed this way but when they are, I feel like it adds a lot of impact!"

Ruby had a look of realisation. "Oh, like that book you were reading - the man with two souls, right?"

"Right!"

"What about the naughty neck sucking, though? They usually have that," Ruby added as an afterthought, cupping her chin. "Is this a naughty movie, Blake?"

"Ruby!"

The younger girl laughed as Blake tried to kick her, Ruby dancing away from them with an impish smile. Jaune chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?" Blake said petulantly.

"Ruby seems to be having fun."

"Sure. Having fun being a brat."

"Get your goodies!" Ruby called as she handed out confections. "I've got crisps, fruit juice, soda, popcorn, jelly babies, chocolate-"

"I'll have some chocolate, thank you," Weiss said primly.

"Chocolate for the sweet tooth!" the younger girl said as she tossed several bars at her partner. The white haired heiress glowered as she was forced to juggle the bounty before they hit her in the face.

"My tooth is not sweet, it is regular, thank you very much."

Nora must have grown bored with glaring a hole in Blake, as she chose that moment to laugh at Weiss, causing a ruckus that forced Ren to take action.

"Our teams are insane," Blake observed.

"What does that say about us? Oh - Ruby, can I have some of the caramel popcorn."

The small bag bounced off his forehead.

After everyone received their share, Ruby set up the movie and dimmed the lights. Blake shuffled as she maneuvered the blanket across the pair of them and they settled in.

Jaune wouldn't say the horror genre was one of his favourites but growing up he had seen a lot of it. His sisters enjoyed it to the point that when they would gather weekly to watch something, it was often either horror or click flicks. An odd combination but something Jaune had been forced to endure. He had only been allowed to pick once and never again. His sisters weren't big fans of Spruce Willis, go figure. It meant that he was pretty good at picking out when a jump scare was coming and right on queue, he muffled a laugh as Nora yelped as red eyes and a pair of sharp fangs shot across the screen alongside a sudden change in music.

Made even funnier when Weiss hissed at her to be quiet.

The movie was better than expected. Perhaps that was why it took so long for him to notice something amiss. A subtle shift here, a small rub there. Smooth, supple legs glided against his own, a gentle weight resting against his shoulder. Jaune paused in chewing his popcorn as Blake nuzzled against him, her bow tickling his neck and cheek. She was curled up against him, one of her legs thrown across his own, her bare foot idly tracing up and down against the inside of his calf. Each time her leg rose, her thigh and knee came dangerously close to bumping him somewhere that was rapidly starting to react.

Swallowing his mouthful, he cleared his throat softly. One of his arms was pinned between them and when he tried to extract it, she let it go, only for Jaune to realise he had no where to put it.

Or rather, only one place.

She helped him along, taking his hand and pulling his arm around her shoulders. She placed his hand against her hip before burrowing even deeper against him.

"Blake?" he whispered softly.

Her nose nudged against his neck and he felt her inhale sharply.

"Blake!?" he whispered again, urgently.

One of her hands quested across his stomach, giving his hip a squeeze before darting under the hem of his shirt. Jaune tensed as her impossibly soft palm and long, delicate fingers playfully toyed with his abs, her long nails leaving trails of sensation across his skin. The hand rose higher to his chest, cupped over his rapidly beating heart.

"Do you like this?" she asked in a breathy whisper.

"I-"

"Did you like it, this morning?" she continued, soft lips ghosting against his jugular. Jaune stared at the screen, unseeing. "When I rubbed you under the table?"

So it was Blake. After what had happened in the gym earlier, Jaune had thought for sure it had been Yang.

"That was you?"

She nodded almost shyly, at total odds with what she was doing to him.

"I had to touch you," she admitted. "But Ruby and Weiss had you surrounded."

"Why did you have to-" A sudden scream from Nora covered his own exclamation as her mouth pressed against him in what was undeniably a kiss. Jaune felt his face flush.

He tried to focus. On the movie. On anything but the soft press of her moist lips as she continued to lay kisses against his neck, feather light caresses that had his blood rushing. Her leg had curled further around his own until the girl was outright straddling his leg, the heat of her pressed against him like a brand. In this position, he couldn't hide his reaction to her, jutting against her belly as his arm encircled her, pressing her even closer.

Someone was talking. Ruby, maybe? Yang? He wasn't sure. All he could hear was his own breathing as he felt the girl against him writhe, hips shifting, her firm breasts against his own chest. She was sucking on his neck now, the soft kisses no longer satisfying.

"What are you-?" Jaune tried, dazed.

What are you doing, he was going to ask. This was too much. Weiss and Ruby, then Yang - that had been bad enough. He'd thought that was the worst of it. But how was he supposed to resist this? Did he even want to? But they barely spoke. Of all his friends, he interacted with Blake the least. What was even going on? Jaune just simply didn't know.

"Why are you-?"

Why are you doing this? The words were almost out when his body jerked, eyes wide.

"What was that?" he hissed under his breath.

It had felt rough. A brief sting as her tongue swiped across his skin. Blake continued to suckle at him, the wet smacks obscenely loud to his ears even over the sound of the movie.

It happened again.

Jaune felt his mouth go dry.

Blake was a cat faunus.

A cat faunus.

Cat.

"No way," he said stupidly. "No way."

Another swipe, more stinging. What was once pleasurable was starting to become a little uncomfortable. A little like sand paper repeatedly dragged against a single spot. Jaune flinched as it happened again and again, and was about to pull her away when all of a sudden, the lights snapped on.

The sudden brightness robbed him of sight but there was no way he could miss the cries of alarm, nor the way Blake was suddenly ripped from him like an old band aid.

Jaune blinked rapidly.

"You sneaky little cat," Yang had Blake by the scruff of her neck, holding the girl aloft as she flailed. "Or should I call you a vampire? You sure did a number on him."

"Jaune," Pyrrha exclaimed. "You're bleeding!"

"What?" he stared at his partner in confusion. "I am?"

He touched his neck and his fingers came away wet. It wasn't much. A little blood mixed in with her saliva, but she had definitely broke skin.

Because her tongue. She was a cat faunus.

Jaune still couldn't wrap his mind around it.

"Just what is going on here?" Weiss demanded with arms crossed.

"Blake was necking Jaune," Ruby supplied unhelpfully.

Nora whistled. "Look at that hickey!"

Jaune couldn't help but notice they all looked disgruntled at this fact.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Yang asked her partner, who finally shook free and backed away like a cornered animal.

"What about you?" Blake fired back, face flushed and breath short. Her eyes were still a little hazy but her voice was strong. "Maybe I should ask Goodwitch?"

Yang grit her teeth.

"Utterly disgraceful," Weiss declared, stepping between the two. "Have you two not heard of self control? I expect better from my teammates."

"Didn't you buy the locker next to Jaune's so you could watch him dress?" Ruby stunned the room.

"I-How-" Weiss spluttered, looking uncharacteristically flustered. "I would never, ever stoop so low-"

"I saw you paying them off and then moving your things," Ruby continued. "I was confused at first but why else would you do it?"

Weiss gaped at her partner soundlessly before gathering herself.

"And what about you?"

"What about me?" Ruby said innocently.

"So Jaune just left his shirt in our room for no reason?"

Ruby's cheeks darkened.

"It got messy!" she defended herself.

"Oh, I'm sure. Very messy." Weiss rolled her eyes.

"Not like that!"

"Silence!"

The four bickering girls froze, staring at Pyrrha in alarm. Ren, Nora and Jaune also looked at their teammate in surprise, not having heard her raise her voice like that before. The red haired girl glared at them all, the threat clear. She looked every bit the Invincible Girl, even if she was wearing Pumpkin Pete sponsored pajamas.

"Now," she said calmly. False calm. "Just what is going on here?"

In the end, it was Blake who broke first.

The whole story came pouring out, about the videos and their investigation into the identity of the mystery man, discovering it was Jaune of all people and just how they found this out, and what they planned to do about it.

As the words flowed, Nora's face drained of all colour while Jaune's blazed scarlet. The normally rambunctious girl looked timid and ready to bolt. Jaune stared at her mortified, then at the four girls of Team RWBY. He covered his eyes, unable to look at them as they talked about wanting to 'get to know him better'.

"J-Jaune," Nora stuttered. Ren placed a hand on her shoulder and she sagged.

Jaune removed his hands. "You said you only did it one time - one time!"

"You knew?" Pyrrha asked, her face expressionless.

"I caught her once," he admitted, shaken. "She said it was the only time - spur of the moment. Remember when Nora broke our door? It was then. I tried to take her Scroll but she knocked the door down in her escape. I was angry at first. But a few days later, we talked it over, she swore to keep it to herself!"

Pyrrha pinned him with a stern look. "You let her keep it?"

For some reason, he got the feeling she was disappointed in him. "I-I mean, it was sort of... you know, flattering?" he said awkwardly. "No one had ever taken an interest in me like that before."

Pyrrha stared at him blankly.

"And I didn't know about the rest! Just how many videos are there?"

He directed this at RWBY, who shared an awkward look between themselves before Ruby said, "Over twenty."

He didn't know what to say to that. What was there to say?

"And everyone at Beacon had access to them?"

Ruby nodded slowly.

"They haven't worked out who it was, though," Ruby quickly said at his stricken look. "I swear - I mean the only reason we found out was by accident. We-" Ruby's face twisted in remorse. "Jaune, I'm sorry. Please don't be mad."

She looked ready to cry. He took a step forward-

"Where do you think you're going?"

Pyrrha's voice cracked like a whip. Jaune paused in alarm, thinking she was talking to him. It quickly became apparent that he wasn't the focus of her ire.

"Uh," Nora said meekly, almost at the door. "Well..." her eyes darted around the room, before she turned tail. "Every woman for herself!"

She barely made it a couple of steps before Pyrrha was on her, the champion fighter grappling the smaller girl and riding her to the floor in a whirl of limbs, locking in a picture perfect arm bar.

"Noooo!" Nora howled, bucking and twisting to no avail as her arm was stretched out. "I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Let go let go let go-"

"You should have thought of that before!" Pyrrha yelled, legs pinning her victim to the floor. "Repent!"

"I repent! I repent!"

Team RWBY wavered, unsure. Ren noticed their distress.

"Don't worry," he assured them. "If Pyrrha was actually trying to hurt her, she'd have broken her arm by now."

It was a small comfort as Nora continued to thrash around, attempting to escape the hold to little success. While everyone was distracted, Jaune slipped out into the hallway.

Leaning his head against the wall, he took a deep breath.

"What a day," he muttered tiredly. Embarrassment didn't even begin to cover it. And not just that, but other emotions as well. Not all of them bad.

His fingers touched his tender neck.

"Heh. A girl gave me a hickey," he chuckled in disbelief before squawking in surprise as something rapped him smartly on the ass. Spinning around, he met a pair of coy green eyes.

"Uh, hello?" he asked, uncertain. She was short, even shorter than Weiss and Nora, her black hair pulled into twintails. And she was pretty. Really pretty. He thought he might have seen her around once or twice, but couldn't place her. Definitely not in his classes. "Can I help you?"

She smirked at him.

.

.

.

AN: End?

So I actually had the Weiss portion of this chapter complete a few days after I posted the first chapter but then stalled a little bit. After that, World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth came out and my attention was stolen for the next few months. Whoops.

I hope it was enjoyable and made some of you laugh. I've never written anything like this before and kind of just let it take me where it wanted to go. My writing still feels a little off but I'm better off for writing it. Is this really the end? Most probably. But I do have some ideas for it if I ever decide to add another chapter. But I'll probably try something else first.