Lunar Rose

By APIII and Fate-117

Chapter One: Entwined Fates;

The Reaper

Fate: Welcome back to Lunar Rose, again… it's been a very long time and it's nice to finally be posting for this story again. We'll keep this one brief, but we will have some obligatory banter and information at the bottom, as well a special announcement.

APIII: Hello! I know, it's been a year and a half or so, terribly sorry about that, life hit like a speeding car going 50 miles an hour around a blind corner… but we're back, and with over 50K words of new original content in the form of 10 entirely new chapters and some more sprinkled in amongst the old to better enhance the flow overall! Let's jump straight back in with two short disclaimers.

Disclaimer: First of all, we don't own RWBY. Secondly, the first chapter will consist of a collage of flashbacks, of sorts. Flashbacks will be in italics, so as to more easily distinguish them. Sorry for the re-uploads, having technical difficulties with the site.

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Jaune wasn't certain when it had occurred.

Somewhere, somehow, between all the classes, the training, and the mostly friendly food fights, he had ended up hanging out with the redheaded girl the most.

No, it wasn't Pyrrha, which honestly surprised the blond himself. He spent a lot of time with the Champion, after all, what with classes and training and being her partner and all.

No, Jaune was referring to his dorky, fellow team leader.

Ruby Rose, the prodigy girl; one of the more famous known scythe-wielders on that side of Remnant, one of the youngest students to ever be admitted to Beacon, knees reportedly made of Bees.

The Knight wouldn't say that she was his favorite friend, he valued them all equally, and he meant it. Though, she was his first friend. At Beacon, anyways. Sure, he had friends back home...but, he left them all behind when he ran off to Vale to go to Beacon.

He had left behind all of his life when he decided to buy those forged papers in that seedy part of town. His family...his friends… he couldn't go back. Jaune knew they'd accept him, but he wouldn't be able to bear the looks they'd send him.

He was following his dream, to prove it to them all...to prove to himself. That he could be greater than they imagined. Greater than even he dreamed to be.

And, in the face of adversity, a time when even he didn't believe in himself, she had.

Ruby truly was something else. Even now, he looked upon her, and he didn't see the young girl mindlessly mowing through a plate of cookies, unaware of the stains that the strawberry milkshake she was sipping on was causing.

No, he saw what she would become. She was very much like him, in a sense. Only a fraction of what she would one day become. Everyone knew it, well, everyone who truly knew her, who could look past the shell.

But, even the shell was something that he… It was hard to put into words.

The gleam she had in her eyes when she made a quip about one of his horrible jokes, the cute abomination of a giggle and a snort she'd make when he finally managed a good joke. Her undying innocence, managing to stay strong in her resolution to make the best of people and life in a cruel world just like Rem-

Jaune lost his train of thought when he saw pinkish liquid shoot out of Ruby's nose, who was now coughing up crumbs.

"Ruby!" He cried out in concern, making to stand up when she held up a single hand, clumsily reaching for a napkin to wipe herself clean and to begin the arduous task of cleaning up the table.

"S-sorry," she managed to gasp out, cheeks scarlet. "It's just that...who's walking who? I just- who's walking who, Jaune?!" The redheaded Reaper ended up bursting out in laughter, presumably what she had tried to do before she nearly drowned herself to death via milkshake.

The Arc just smiled, at the scene in front of him, and of days that didn't seem as far away as they truly were.

Jaune flicked through his Scroll's music list once more, sighing in disappointment when any song failed to capture his attention; for the fifth time in a minute.

His eyes roamed over the shared room of JNPR, taking in the distinct lack of company. Pyrrha had, while apologizing profusely, taken off early in the morning, telling him about some event the school had asked of her that involved heading out to one of the training academies.

The others, Nora and Ren, had taken off to Vale. He had honestly wanted to take off with them, a day off to walk around town had sounded nice. At least, until Ren, Lie Ren, of Team JNPR, of all people, snorted at his words.

When Jaune asked, face only slightly managing to relay his feeling of betrayal, Ren only scoffed at him, telling him that he "knew not how close he came to having the jumped headfirst into the maw of Hell."

Nora had pulled the jade-clad teen out of the room, squealing about losing valuable shopping time, before the Arc could make any further inquiries.

And that's how the blond had found himself, alone, with absolutely nothing to do. He napped away the first half of the day, content to catch up on all the sleep that his life as a student robbed him of during the week. Then, he started working on some work whose due dates were quickly approaching, listened to music, tried his hand at doodling, and finally finished his homework approximately three hours later.

An urge to get off his ass and hunger pains had the Arc finally succumbing to his urge to go off to the cafeteria and eat, even if he'd have to go through the shameful act of eating alone.

With a grunt, Jaune had pushed himself up, deciding that he wouldn't need to bother strapping his armor on for a simple trip to the cafeteria. A single look in the mirror confirmed that he was still donned in the regular hoodie and jeans, with hair as scraggly as ever, before he opened his door, surprised to see the action mirrored across the hall.

"Oh. Hey there, Ruby!" Jaune said, beaming as he remembered the existence of JNPR's sister team.

"Hi, Jaune. What's up?" The small Reaper asked, returning the smile.

"Oh, uh, not much. I'm just headed to the cafeteria…" He muttered.

"You picking up food for the rest of your team?"

"Not exactly." He drawled, a bit flustered. He tried to tell himself that he had no reason to, his team had just gone out is all! It's not like they…

"So, your team abandoned you too, huh?" Ruby bluntly asked, actually sizing up the situation rather well. Well enough that the Arc wouldn't try and deny the claim.

"Yeah. Yours too?"

"Yeah. I was going to go on a walk, want to tag along?"

"Mind if we swing by the cafeteria first?"

"

I knew it." Jaune growled, biting into his chicken nugget after a moment.

"What?"

"I knew I heard barking! Nora called me crazy, Ren only nodded along, and Pyrrha, well, she was very supportive, but I could see it in their eyes, they doubted me! You! You nearly tore our team apart, I hope you know that!" He cried out, crouching low to the floor so as to point an accusatory finger straight at Zwei.

The beast merely barked back at him, though it was obvious to Jaune that it was filled with a mocking tone. This dog was truly a cruel, evil mastermind.

"Oh, don't be so dramatic. And seriously, please, please, please, don't tell anyone else about him! They would take him away if they knew we were keeping him on campus!" Ruby pleaded, jumping up from Weiss' bed to sit down besides Jaune on the floor, only slightly concerned that he would truly go on a rant about the truth of Zwei's existence.

"I, uh, won't then, I guess." He coughed, trying to cover up his slight disappointment. "He's a cute enough dog, anyways. We used to have a dog back at home. Was a bit bigger, a hunting dog, really."

"Really? Zwei's a hunting dog too!" Ruby happily chirped, shrugging shoulders with Jaune when he raised an eyebrow at her in question.

"I'm serious…"

"I'm sure you are." The chuckle that came afterwards ended abruptly when he saw the frown maring her face.

"What's wrong, Ruby?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking… I broke a promise. We all agreed we wouldn't tell anyone." She responded, her frown morphing into a small smile.

"Ah. Well, I promise I won't tell anyone, honestly." Jaune said, doing his best to come off as serious as possible.

"Oh, I know."

"Yeah, wouldn't want to get on your bad side, right?" The Arc joked, lightly punching Ruby's arm.

"Naw, it's cause you're you." She replied, returning the friendly gesture.

Jaune absentmindedly noted that his Aura didn't dip nearly as much from Ruby's friendly's punch than Yang's punches, but that was to be expected. "What's that mean?"

"You know why, Vomit boy! You're special..." She all but replied into her hood, now having removed the blankets that had covered her up.

"Oh yeah, I, Vomit Boy, feel very special." Jaune quipped, rolling his eyes, not noticing how Ruby narrowed her own at him.

"You know… that I don't use it like a meanie, right? It's just that… it was what we first called you. And after Yang stopped, I was the only person who did it. It's something that only I do, you know? And… I know it's embarrassing, but I like sorta like it when you call me Crater Face, I thought you felt the same way."

"Yeah, I know." Jaune mumbled, cursing himself for being so tongue-tied at the kind words from Ruby. Even he could feel the awkward tension building in the room, enough so that he decided to speak his mind on a matter that he had hoped Ruby would drop, which she had, even though it was something that had bothered him.

"I've no idea what you think could possibly make me special, I'm not like you. You're good at a lot of things. Plus, you mostly keep your hands to yourself, unlike Yang."

The tone immediately shifted.

He took a gulp as he was met with silence, and began to worry that Ruby had taken offense for her sister. He couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh, his hair now covering his eyes, as he saw Ruby once more fiddling with Crocea Mors.

"What was that?" She asked, her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth as she ran her hands over the sheathed sword and shield.

"Nothing. I don't understand why you're so obsessed with Crocea Mors, though. Sure, it comes with a sturdy shield, but it's no Crescent Rose."

Ruby audibly gasped as she held the shield and sword to her chest possessively.

"Jaune! How could you say that?! How many times have these things saved your life! Have you no shame!?"

"It's not like that, Rubes!" Jaune exclaimed, chuckling as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head with one hand while waving the other hand frantically in the hope that it would make Ruby listen to him.

"Explain then." The red-tinged girl demanded, her face contorted to look suspicious and mischievously amused at the same time.

"Well,-" '-Yang-', Jaune added internally, "Crocea Mors was always passed down after some great feat. Starting with the first noble Arc to wield it, my great-great-grandfather, who forged the thing. That in of itself is amazing, considering this thing has gone through several lifetimes of extensive abuse without so much as a dent, and that's including the Great War." Jaune paused for a moment to lament, his eyes trailing off over the sword she held so close to her for the briefest of moments.

"Everyone else... they either slayed some great beast, or did some heroic feat like saving entire villages at a time single handedly... Me; I was born... That's about it. The sword, it's just a hand-me-down because of me."

Jaune finished his self-deprecating speech with a sigh, his eyes locked onto his knees. It wasn't even that, but he couldn't exactly tell her he was only given it when he left from home like a kid with the desire to prove everyone wrong, especially himself. That's why he was left so breathless when Ruby practically slammed against him.

"Ru-." The blond knight tried to say before being cut off.

"Jaune. Are you hearing yourself? Why do you think so little of yourself? Don't you realize it hurts when you say things like this? It hurts me, it hurts everyone, to know you think so little of someone we care about. You're an amazing person, Jaune. So what if you didn't do something amazing to earn it? You've more than earned the right to wield it since you've gotten it. You've used it so many times to save so many lives! You used it to save entire blocks of a freaking city! That sword has vanquished evil from even the enemies of those that would sooner hurt you than be thankful, all because of you."

Jaune looked up to see Ruby had her hooded head against his shoulder, only her chin and the single tear streaming down it was visible. His heart tugged as he heard that he did something to hurt someone he cared about; practically a crime to the Arc name.

"Ruby... I... didn't know you cared so much. I'm sorry. Thank you." Jaune said, slinging his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. He wasn't even half the things that she thought of him, but he'd say anything to cheer her up.

"It's…it's no problem, Jaune. You're spe-, you're my Vomit Boy, you know?"

Jaune's jaw actually dropped as he absorbed what he had just heard. A huge grin broke across his face as he pushed Ruby away before grabbing her hood and pulling it off, staring into her silver eyes.

"Yeah, I know, Crater Face."

"That was just about the grossest thing, ever." Jaune informed Ruby, holding open the door to the restaurant the duo had spent the majority of the evening at.

"You aren't one to talk! You like to show everyone your lunch every time you step on a Bullhead!" Ruby cried out, easily falling into sync with Jaune's pace. "Never thought I'd see that cereal much in my life!"

The two leaders had made an effort to try and spend one day of the weekend at least every two weeks together. When their teams had finally questioned why the two were taking off alone every time, Ruby had calmly explained that they were taking a Leader's Retreat when they did so, Jaune quick to nod along.

They switched up where they went quite often. Sometimes they went out to dinner, though never one's too fancy, as Ruby had insisted on paying half of the bill after she had forgotten her wallet the first time the Arc had invited her to dinner.

Sometimes they hit up the local arcade, or walked amongst the parks, loitered in convenience stores checking out the magazines, and even, though rarely, visiting bookstores Ruby remembered Blake speaking about.

Jaune enjoyed it greatly, oblivious to the stares people often sent his ways when they saw him with Ruby, possibly the only person more oblivious than he when it came to public opinion about the duo.

They couldn't, however, stay ignorant of what those close to them thought.

Not when people where as front up about their attitudes like Coco Adel.

Jaune resisted the urge to swing his feet. He was currently sitting on the ledge of a structurally questionable building, his view of Mt. Glenn was, in simple words, astounding. With his weapon not having any range beyond his arm, per say, as he never thought to add a scope to it, he had nothing to contribute. He was currently sitting through the last shift of what was their, relatively, short mission to Mt. Glenn. He was bored out of his mind, and had to be content with watching the black blurs of what he assumed were Grimm, oh, so many stories below.

The strangely colored horizon implied dawn would be coming soon, and only a few hours were left until they could be on their way home. Jaune deemed it safe - enough - to finally relax for the first time in the long weekend since entering the abandoned city. He nervously fingered the piece of metal he had been keeping on his person for the last three day.

Pulling out a small flask from a pocket inside of his hoodie, Jaune's gaze whipped back and forth, scanning over for anyone. Seeing that no one else was around, he deemed it safe to finally take a hesitant sip from the flask.

It was sour, more sour than he was expecting. He immediately cringed away from it, mouth warming up, along with the back of his throat. It was his first drink ever, but he knew it should get better with time.

The Knight stared up at the shattered moon, reflecting on it's odd beauty and slowly sipping away at the whiskey, content with the peaceful silence.

That's not to say he minded when an exasperated sigh was heard from behind, his favorite scythe-wielding friend promptly taking a seat next to him.

"R-Ruby." He stuttered out, quickly pocketing the flask in his coat.

"Jaune." Ruby said, seeming fine with ending the conversation there, something that anyone other than the Arc would have found strange.

Inevitably though, specifically after a about a minute or so of staring at the pretty sight, she grew bored before pulling out Crescent Rose and peering down its scope at the unknowing Grimm below.

"Can't enjoy the simple things, huh?" Jaune asked, chuckling at her, despite the fact he'd do the same thing.

"I have no idea how you handle guard duty like this." Ruby said, now having retracted Crescent Rose and wrapping herself with her cloak, playing mindlessly with her hood.

"Why do you still wear the hood, Ruby? Like, everywhere you go?" Jaune asked, the question stemming from boredom, seeing as how it was something Jaune had quickly come to accept of the girl without question.

"It reminds me of a better time. Better things. And besides, hoods are cool." Ruby said, smiling shyly as she defended her honestly childish reason. She smirked before pulling Jaune towards her and pulling out his own hood over his head for emphasis.

"Guess I can't argue with you there." He chuckled. Ruby let go of him and he tilted back up, and after seeing about a moment's hesitation flicker across Ruby's face, he watched as she stood up and put her head on his lap. Her body was now parallel to the ledge and only inches from the sheer drop. Jaune, however, wasn't concerned with that, he was currently staring down at a sideways Ruby with a glint in her eye and her hand rubbing against his shirt.

"R-Ruby?!"

"What, Jaune? It's cold. I saw you drink something. Probably got yourself a warm thermos stashed away somewhere else!" Ruby said in defense, right after her hand found the small pocket in the jacket, promptly removing the flask.

"That's not….milk." Jaune said sheepishly, ashamed to have been caught so quickly.

"Then what is it? Water? People Like Grapes Soda?" Ruby asked, still sideways, immediately assuming Jaune was nervous about a sweet tooth and not bringing along a more nutritional ration.

"Well, it's... whiskey." Jaune stated, taking the flask from her before taking a small swig, only to see Ruby sitting up next to him and take the flask away. Again.

"What's it taste like? Alcohol. Yang… she always tried to keep me away from the stuff. How do you even have this? You're only seventeen, Jaune!" Ruby exclaimed, all the while opening the flask and taking a whiff, grimacing as the odor burned her nostrils and made her nose flair in what Jaune could only describe as somehow strangely cute.

"Well, I'm not really much of a drinker. I don't drink, this was my first drink, honest!" He insisted, smiling when the Reaper softly laughed at him, her own way of saying she understood, before he continued.

"My father was always a man to celebrate with spirits, and, naturally, he offered me some from time to time growing up; said it built character. I always refused… my mother always chided him. Then he'd elbow my side, and whisper loudly about how we'd be out drinking as soon as I became old enough." The Knight said with a frown, his mind filling itself with thoughts of his family before he shook his head, banishing the negative thoughts.

"It doesn't taste very good." She mumbled, handing him back the flask, nose curled up in disgust.

"Yeah," he laughed, "it gets better with…" Jaune began, before shaking the flask, "Ruby, you didn't down it all, did you?"

"Noope." A red-flushed Ruby said before hiccupping.

"Oops, I turned into Penny. I wonder if I get robot cannons and get to keep my soul." Ruby said, her words barely slurring.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no." He started to mutter to himself, panic gripping at his heart as Ruby continued to giggle at him down from his lap. Not only did he bring alcohol on an official mission, but he intoxicated a fellow leader; they were screwed if Oobleck caught them.

"Why did you keep drinking if it tasted bad, who does that?!" The blond asked her, voice full of exasperation as he slapped away at her hand, which was busy trying to cling onto his hoodie, seemingly to pull him in.

"Not now, Ruby, you lightweight!" He hissed at her in a quiet tone, sighing when said lightweight gave him a colorful gesture that he hadn't been aware she knew with her finger and proceeded to stick her tongue out at him.

Securing her by the shoulders, he backed away from the ledge a bit more, hoping it would be enough to catch a tipsy Ruby before pulling her back down to his lap.

Apparently giving up her mission with his hoodie, she giggled and grabbed his hand, leading it to her back instead, motioning for him to stroke before letting go and returning her hands back to her sides, wrapping herself up in her blanket of a hood.

He let out a small snort, easily remembering his own younger sisters asking the same of him, and he assumed it would be easier on everyone if Ruby slept off the decent-sized alcohol for a few hours, and resigned himself to his fate; the smile on his face spoke of how upset he was with the scene.

Hours later, the Arc would watch the sun make its ascent into the early morning sky, still stroking a red-cheeked Ruby, whom had woken up an hour earlier, a little dehydrated but back with all her faculties, whom, for whatever reason, hadn't felt it fit to inform Jaune that she was awake, allowing him to continue his actions in silence. Or at least, until he broke it.

"Abandoned city that also happens to be the biggest tomb in existence: bearable." Jaune declared to himself, eyeing Ruby out of the corner of her vision, not hearing the tiny gasp she elicited.

It was a nice memory, and one that Jaune didn't think he'd ever forget.

Even now, it made his already wide smile larger. It was only the tiniest fractions though, since Ruby's stories about her uncle and her father were insanely entertaining.

"And then, he struts through the class, skirt-clad legs free for the class to ogle, and he puts it up on his desk, and asks if they like what they see! They told him it was a kilt!"

"No freaking way!" Jaune bursts out laughing, a throaty laugh that promises his throat will regret it tomorrow, but not his mind.

Because even the bad memories with Ruby make him smile these days.

Jaune was watching the shade slowly disappear, noting that he'd be back on his way to Beacon in less than an hour. Ruby, who was once again utilizing her cloak, had fallen asleep on Jaune's lap, the sun being blocked by the heavy cloak. Had Jaune not been so lacking in social trends, he would've realized just how comprising the scene would've looked to anyone else. Like the hulking behemoth who'd just turned a corner and caught sight of the two, stopping for a moment before leaning against a pillar, arms crossed.

"Damn, Jauney-Boy, I guess she's extra off limits, huh?" Cardin called out before whistling loudly enough that there was no doubt the rest of the leaders wouldn't hear, and maybe a Grimm or two.

"Wh-what? No! It's not like that at all!" Jaune squeaked out after looking down at Ruby quizzically and understanding what the bully of a fellow student thought was happening, before considering whether or not to wake up Ruby before things got even worse.

"Hey, I get it. You wanna keep this personal. I mean, her sister would kill you. Slowly. Even I'm not crazy enough to touch that." Cardin said with a smirk on his face, apparently hearing a sound and turning his head around to face it before immediately swiveling back to Jaune; the grin seemingly twice as large now.

"Plus, she's like, fifthteen, but I'm not going to judge you. She'll do it." The taller boy said that last bit with a tone that someone would give an enemy that they'd never see again before snickering and walking away.

Jaune's face paled as he realized who he was talking about as Coco Adel, leader of Team CFVY, walked out, her shades the only thing stopping him from seeing the fierce gaze that screamed,'who wants to get their ass kicked?', and she no doubt was aiming it at him.

"Coco! It's not-." The soon-to-be deceased Arc nearly whimpered before, once more, being cut off.

"Shut it, boy. You have ten words before I throw you off this building." The ever fashionable girl said sternly, leaving no doubt about how serious she was with the situation. Jaune opened his mouth to start, but Coco took off her shades to give him a death glare.

"Ten. Words."

He closed his mouth in shock, but he couldn't help but smile at Coco, glad to see that as little as - he assumed - she knew Ruby, she still looked out for her. Sadly, she saw this and assumed he was taunting her before gritting her teeth.

"Five. Words."

Paling once more, a cold sweat slid down his temple, as his mouth turned into a thin line with his brow furrowing in concentration.

"Wake. Her. Up... Ask. Her..?" Jaune asked, counting the words with his fingers before sighing in relief as he made sure he didn't pass his quota. Any extra word or utterance and he was certain that he'd be sent flying down to his death.

The sweetly named girl narrowed her eyes at Jaune before deciding that was an acceptable answer for five words. She walked over to Jaune before grabbing his hand and placing her briefcase on it. She smirked at the small grunt of pain he gave as he tried, fruitlessly, to pull his arm out from the seemingly light briefcase. After lifting Ruby's hood, she was relieved when she saw Ruby was face up, not that she let it show.

"Ruby? Wake up. I have some questions." Was all Coco said before giving the hood a tug. Ruby's eyes fluttered open and she gave Coco a questioning look before yawning, which Jaune mentally noted as adorable, before getting up, giving the seemingly trapped Jaune another strange look.

"Is something wrong, Coco?"

"Well…it's just…the way you…left the group to be with Jaune, and were gone for a while. We sent Cardin to see… He whistled, thought he was calling. Plus…the way you were positioned. Damn it, Ruby, did anything happen?!" The machine-gun toting girl asked, at first with a bit of humility showing before growing frustrated at her own squeamishness over the subject. She could crush the skull of a Grimm with the simplest of swings from her purse, but she was dancing around the subject of intimacy.

"No. Why?" Ruby asked, her calmness making it obvious to everyone that she had no idea whatsoever of what the older girl was alluding to.

With a shake of her head, Coco gave Jaune a sheepish smile before picking her briefcase up and walking away from the two with a wave behind her head.

Jaune let out a sigh as the blood began rushing back to his arm, much to his pleasure. The sensation told him his arm could be saved. Once he felt his arm nearly returning to normal, he gave Ruby a weak smile as she gave him a confused face.

"Why would they think we had sex?" Ruby asked, Jaune noticed, a small blush tinting her cheeks.

With all the blood now rushing back to his face, Jaune began coughing violently as he tried to fathom just how the ever-innocent Ruby could be so dense yet knowing at times.

As the cough worsened, Jaune took his shoe off, much to Ruby's confusion. Before she could ask, he pulled out a second flask and took a swig, attempting to cease his efforts to cough out a lung.

But, he suddenly pulled the flask away from his mouth and clutched his face as his cough would only worsen even further, prompting Ruby to pat his back. His face had become red as his eyes watered.

"IT BURNS!"

With shaky, feverish hands, Jaune took off his other shoe and shook yet another flask onto his lap and nearly lost his shoe over the edge when he tossed it aside. Without much grace, Jaune fumbled to open the flask. It had been upon his lips almost as soon as he had opened it as he now took full gulps.

"Uh… what was that?" Ruby asked with concern in her voice, but confusion on her face. She watched as her friend nearly choked and fell off of a skyscraper and pull not one, but two flasks from his shoes. Who even does that!?

After a few more moments of him inhaling and exhaling, Jaune wiped at his eyes and nose and burped before letting out a low, weak laugh. He went to speak, but when another cough, though a much lighter one, came out, he stopped and hit his chest through his armor.

Instead of waiting for him to finish, Ruby instead turned her attention to the flasks themselves and inspected them. 'He must have as many of those as uncle Qrow...' Sure enough, much like his scribbles on his shoes, he had a word written out onto each flask with thick, black ink.

On the one that he currently had grasped in his hand, she made out the words: 'Backup Water.'

And on the other one, the one that had been discarded by his shoe, she could easily read the words: 'Not Backup Water'

'Water and not water? What else could it be if not water…' Ruby thought to herself before another thought rose in her head after she realized it.

"Uh, hey, Jaune… do you think I could have a taste?" Ruby asked, her face as red as the tips of her hair, as she remembered the prior night and the adventures the small buzz had led her to.

"Y-yeah, Ruby, but this time; take small sips. Savor the burn, and let it glide." Jaune instructed, imitating the tone a teacher would make, and held out the smaller flask to the teen once more.

She took a reluctant sip before pulling back and grimacing.

"It's no milk." She said with a light chuckle as she handed it back to Jaune.

"No kidding." He said, laughing a bit now that the situation had calmed down.

"Hey, Jaune, before we get back to the Bullhead… I just wanna say thanks… and sorry!"

Giving her a look, the blond decided to see where she was going with this.

"Thanks for the drink. It was my first, you already know, so it's something else I'll always get to share with you, Vomit boy." Ruby smiled and gave Jaune's arm a gentle hug, resting her head against it as she let the alcohol stir a bit in her system.

"And…sorry for putting you in that position last night. I know you'd never do anything," Ruby said, seemingly sadder for a half second, "but other people wouldn't understand. Don't worry, I'll stand in front of you when Yang hears about this."

"N-no problem." Jaune said, smiling a bit, even as he imagined Yang really pounding him.

She had, too.

"Jaune!"

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, I zoned out a bit." He apologized, looking at Ruby from across the table. The dinner had thinned out, with only a handful of people left. The sun, from what he could see of it from his seat, looked like it was well on its way in its descent.

"Sheesh, get your head out of clouds someday." She teasingly scolded.

"Yeah. We should go now if we want to catch the next bullhead to Beacon."

"Hm...yeah, you're right, let's go then." She responded, throwing down her half of the bill the pushy waitress had left behind when the duo had gone a while in the booth with empty plates.

Jaune did the same, sliding out of his seat and thanking Ruby when she held the door open for him.

"So, your team ready for the mission?" The Reaper asked after they had been walking for a while, the docking station for the airships in sight.

"Of course, what about you? Is RWBY ready?" He asked back.

"'Of course'," she mimicked, snorting at him for effect. "Search and Destroy might as well become our motto."

"Mt. Glenn… the rest of JNPR have never been, you know. I doubt it'll matter to them, though. Me though, well, you remember." Jaune chuckled, sheepishly scratching the back of his head as he remembered the skittish behavior he had portrayed the first time a Leader job had taken them there.

"Oh, I certainly do. I thought you were going to have a heart attack. And that's not even talking about the time Coco thought we were… you know, together-together." Ruby said, a bit flustered as she turned her head to the side.

"I nearly did, I nearly did..." Jaune admitted, laughing awkwardly.

Unbeknownst to one another, they both sported the dumbest of grins, the type that threatened to split the face open, all the way up to the airship.

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APIII: As you can see, drastic changes have already been made, and this isn't even delving into the added story elements I didn't have in mind the first time around! We'll be doing a Q&A session on Discord, with the link provided here. Do remember that Fanfiction dot net hates links of any kind so you'll need to remove the spaces on your own: discord . gg / s GXW n G

Fate: We'll also be posting the link on Tumblr, probably on my account of the same name, if you, for whatever reason, can't get this link to work. Speaking of work…

APIII: We've decided to begin taking commissions, it was actually a decision we thought long and hard on, mainly because I felt a small amount of guilt, writing started as and still is a passion of mine, but part of the reason I haven't been able to write in so long is due to my financial situation. If taking commissions can help me free up more time to ultimately write free content on my own terms, then I owe to you all.

Fate: We'll also be taking prompts, as well! If you want more information on those, or the commissions, you can join the Discord and we'll be happy to explain more there. But, between his college, and honestly my living situation is questionable at best, it was just something really inconvenient and problematic for us to get together and write between our mutual schedules. We know this may upset some people, but it's obviously optional and it could really help us out and honestly make us prioritize the writing much more. If writing what someone would want us to helps free up some shifts, it would be nice to progress this story even further, because we really do love Lunar Rose and want to progress the plot even further. There's SO MANY ideas and things that we've been planning since I first joined APIII in this story, so many things that I honestly wish I could just skip to. But, I am rambling. As stated above, if you want to check out the Discord, be it to gather more information, or chat, check out the link.