“A night market?” Jaune asked.

Ruby nodded, mindful of each step she took. The path atop some sections of the wall that protected the city were much narrower than others, and one wrong step could prove disastrous. Well, at least for a regular person. It would just be mildly inconvenient to Ruby, but it was still something to be avoided.

“Yep~! Every Friday night, they hold one in the central bazaar,” she told him, skipping over a loose stone. While the wall had obviously seen upgrades over the years, Ruby was positive that some of it must have been left untouched since the Great War – maybe even before! Look at the size of that crack! “Have you been to the market during the day?”

Jaune shook his head.

“No, I haven’t.”

“Great! So want to go together?”

All the locals she had spoken to had said that the market place was the place to be, especially on Friday nights. It was the city's central trading hub, and if you wanted to buy it, and couldn’t find it there, then it probably wasn’t available in Vacuo. Not only that but the food was supposed to be amazing!

It would be the perfect thing to take Jaune’s mind off that reckless charge into the Grimm.

Ruby frowned. Weiss had given him a good scolding and he’d apologized, but it worried her. They were all Huntsmen and were used to danger, it was part of the job, after all. But she’d never known Jaune to leap into such a dangerous situation like that without a plan before. Especially when it hadn’t even been part of his mission to begin with.

Well, except that one time when he ran at Cinder… but that had been different. Driven by anger, Jaune hadn’t cared if he lived or died, he just wanted to get his hands on her. Now that she thought about it, maybe it wasn’t so different after all. That only made her worry all the more. The anger was absent but the feelings buried beneath could be the same. Lack of self worth. Ruby knew all about that.

Everything worked out this time. What concerned her the most was that he might do something like that when they weren’t around to back him up. They’d all been close enough to assist, and he claimed that he knew they’d come, but even so…

She’d have to keep a closer eye on him!

“Uh – I mean, I don’t have any plans,” Jaune shrugged. “Should I invite Ren and Nora?”

Ruby quickly shook her head.

“No! I – er, I just thought that we could go together, you know?” she laughed awkwardly. “Just us? We haven’t hung out together in a really long time, so I thought it’d be… cool, you know?”

She’d gotten much better at speaking to people over the years, and was even comfortable talking to people like Headmaster Theodore on equal footing but when it came to things like this, she always ended up reverting to that socially awkward girl that first attended Beacon.

She couldn’t help it.

Jaune thought about it for a bit, a small smile stretching his lips. A real smile! “It has been a long time, hasn’t it?”

A long time for her. An age for him.

“Sure, I’ll go with you,” he agreed, nodding. “It sounds like fun.”

Success!

“It’ll be super fun, you’ll see!” her foot found a small hole, and she stumbled, boot skidding across the smooth stone. She would have toppled off the edge, Ruby tensing as she readied herself to use her semblance but at the last moment, Jaune’s hand whipped out and caught her arm.

“Woah!” Ruby exclaimed as he reeled her in.

“Be careful,” he chided.

Ruby giggled, her heart racing as she leaned against him. “They really need to work on this section!”

Jaune nodded. “I’m sure they already know, but I’ll put in a request for them to look at it and do something about it. We can’t have soldiers falling off the wall if the Grimm decide to attack.”

No, that would be horrible.

Patrol duty was boring but with Jaune by her side, it kept her entertained. Sometimes it was difficult to find things to talk about that didn’t involve the end of the world, but Ruby did her best. It made the time pass quickly, and soon enough, their shift was over. A couple of Atlesian soldiers took over their section of the wall, leaving them to continue their day.

“So I’ll meet you tonight?” Ruby asked, rocking back and forth from heel to toe. “Say… six o’clock?”

“Where do you want to meet?”

“Just outside Shade! Um – should we dress up?”

It wasn’t a date. A date meant other things , and this was just Operation Cheer Jaune Up. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t dress up a little, right?

“Like casual stuff,” she continued quickly before he got the wrong idea. “Instead of, well – this,” she gestured at her combat attire and his armor. “Not that there is anything wrong with this! We’re totally cool. We can just be another pair of customers instead of Huntsmen!”

Jaune shot her a knowing look.

“What?” she asked defensively.

“Are you hoping they’ll stare less if they don't recognize you?”

Ruby huffed. “I mean… maybe?”

Of course Jaune had noticed. He had always been very good at noticing these sorts of things, but he was even sharper now more than ever.

It was part of it, she supposed. But only a small part. She just thought it might be nice to do something a little different.

“I just thought that since we don’t really get much opportunity to do normal people stuff, we should take advantage of it, you know?” she shrugged. “But if they stared less, that would be good.”

Even now, eyes followed them as they walked. Some of it was just because they were Huntsmen, but most recognized her from the broadcast.

He nodded. “Sure. I’ll leave the armor at home. I’m still bringing Crocea Mors, though.”

“And I’m still bringing Crescent Rose,” she agreed. “As if I’d ever leave her behind.”

Jaune chuckled, and she counted it as a win.

“Six o’clock, then,” he confirmed. “What else do you have planned for the day?”

She didn’t have plans, but now that Jaune had agreed to visit the market with her and she’d made a big deal of dressing up, it meant that she needed to find some clothes! She had a few things she’d purchased since arriving in Vacuo but all of her old stuff had been lost in Atlas. It totally wasn’t a date but she wasn’t going in sweatpants or her pajamas!

She needed some new clothes.

“Uh, I think I’ll need to go shopping,” she admitted sheepishly.

Vacuo was hot  but at night, it got really cold. Not as cold as Atlas, Ruby didn’t think anything could be as cold as that, but still cold enough that you needed to cover up a little bit. She wandered around the city, looking for something good, and ignored the eyes that followed her.

Eventually she found a store that had a promising selection. Ruby was a skirt girl. Specifically combat skirts. They were lightweight, comfortable and made to protect against accidental panty flashes. As a Huntress, she moved around a lot and sometimes through the air, and so you never wanted to leave yourself unprotected! But in Vacuo, they seemed to favor dresses over skirts. In particular, the locals wore robe-like dresses that were made from a light material, breathable, yet they had ones for nighttime that were designed to keep you warm. They were also very modest, covering from the shoulder to ankle, and were mostly formless, though a few came with belts that enhanced the womanly figure.

They were beautiful and also came in a multitude of colors, and were embroidered with golden or black thread. The designs on the fabric were very pretty, and Ruby even found one that was red with black, totally her color – but she hesitated.

Would she look funny wearing one of these?

In the end, she chickened out – but that was okay! Because soon after, she found another store that had clothes she was more comfortable with. Instead of a skirt, she went with a pair of denim shorts. They also had some nice black tank tops, so she picked one with a red heart on the front, and a warm baggy cardigan made from wool. It was so soft, it felt like she was running her fingers across a cloud, so she took it. They also had stockings, and everyone knew Ruby loved her stockings.

She found a pair that were both warm and stylish. They were full tights in truth, thorn laden vines curling around the calves and thighs with dark blooming roses embroidered in black thread. Coupled with her boots, it was totally her style!

A belt with metal studs and she was set!

Now she just had to wait until six.

Everyone knows that if you think about the time, it moves slower. So she needed to keep herself busy. She still had a few hours until they were supposed to meet up, and so after hauling her new purchases back to her room, she decided to get in a little training.

Shade didn’t have the state of the art facilities that Atlas boasted before their downfall. There were no Hard-Light Dust projectors here. But they had ample space for people to train, both indoors and out. Sick of the heat, Ruby opted for indoors.

Dozens of small arenas were lined up, complete with accompanying seating should anyone want to watch. Today must have been a slow day since only a few of them were being used, and by what looked like first year students. Ruby walked by, searching for a spot before spotting someone she recognized.

Ruby always liked watching Weiss fight. While Ruby was quick and liked to dart around the battlefield, speed as her friend, Weiss fought with a mesmerizing grace that effortlessly caught your attention. At times, it appeared as if Myrtenaster was an extension of her body, her rapier flowing alongside her body as she shifted through each movement, steps precise. She was in total control, dancing with a foe only she could see.

Ruby took a moment to watch.

Weiss flowed like water, gliding across the ground. Twirling, her weapon lashed out in a perfect thrust before she spun again, her new dress flaring out. With those new arm sleeves, it made her movements even more captivating.

Eventually, Weiss realized that she had company.

She paused, surprised as she spotted Ruby.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, frozen in a half-turn. “I thought you’d taken a mission.”

Ruby smiled. “It’s finished. It was only patrol for half a day.”

Weiss hesitated. “You were working with Jaune, weren’t you?”

Ruby nodded.

“How was he?” she asked as she straightened up, lowering her weapon.

“Okay. I think.”

The worry Ruby felt was clear in Weiss’ eyes, and it only made her fondness for her partner swell up. Ruby wasn’t alone in her feelings. Weiss was also troubled, though she tried to hide it.

Maybe they could talk about it? Together.

Weiss would want to help Jaune have fun, right? To make him feel like his old self. She didn’t have to do it alone.

“Did you come here to train?”

Ruby blinked.

“Oh, uh – yeah,” she made a decision. “Hey Weiss – I want to speak to you about something…”

Weiss perked up. “Yeah? What do you want to speak to me about, Ruby?”

“Jaune,” Ruby said. “I want to talk to you about Jaune.”

They found a place to sit, and Ruby momentarily struggled to come up with the words. But once she started, it all came rushing out.

“I was just thinking lately… he’s been through a lot, right?” Weiss nodded. “And… well, we saw how he was in the Ever After. I know the Blacksmith or – uh, I guess Alyx made him young again and stuff, but… he was there a really long time. Alone.”

“He was,” Weiss said quietly, with sadness in her voice.

It emboldened her.

“Right. And so I was thinking that maybe we need to help him. Cheer him up or – I guess make him feel like he is no longer alone, and that we’re here for him. That he has us, no matter what. To make him feel loved, I guess,” Ruby felt her cheeks warm up a little. “Do you know what I mean?”

Weiss nodded. “I know exactly what you mean.”

Ruby knew Weiss would understand.

“I feel the same way, Ruby,” Weiss continued. “I want to help him in any way that I can. On the surface, he looks fine – but I know that deep down, he must be hurting.”

“I apologized to him,” Ruby blurted out. At Weiss’ questioning look, she explained, “For being horrible to him, when I… um, when I lost my cool,” she ducked her head, embarrassed. “I’d apologized to you guys, but I hadn’t apologized to him.”

“That’s good,” Weiss said. “We don’t blame you, Ruby. You were under a lot of pressure.”

“I know, I know – it’s just… he then started apologizing to me about the things he said, and I felt like he ended up comforting me instead,” she laughed weakly. “I was meant to be making him feel better, not the other way around.”

Weiss smiled softly, eyes tender. “Jaune has always had a tendency to look out for others, even when they might not deserve it.”

“Weiss?”

The white haired girl shook her head. “Nothing. I’m just thinking about the past, that’s all,” her expression became serious. “So do you have a plan?”

Ruby made a so-so gesture with her hand. “Kinda? I’m not an expert or anything, but I thought I’d get him to open up a little by doing normal things. When was the last time Jaune did anything that didn’t involve survival? Does that sound dumb?”

“Not at all. In fact, I had a similar thought.”

“Really?”

“When I went shopping the other day, I invited him along,” Weiss confessed. “Since we got back, he’s been full steam ahead in taking missions. I wanted to get him to slow down a little bit, and maybe just appreciate being back.”

They were on the same page. That made things a whole lot easier.

“I’ve invited him to the market tonight,” Ruby shared. “I thought the festive atmosphere might make a difference.”

“Like a date?”

Weiss’ voice sounded a little funny.

“A friend date,” Ruby said quickly. “As friends. Not that .”

“I… see.”

Ruby frowned. “Do you think it’s a bad idea?”

Weiss shook her head. “No, no – it’s a good idea, Ruby. Humans are social creatures. Being around other people will be good for him, I think. Even though his first instinct may be to shy away from such situations.”

Ruby watched her friend carefully.

She wasn’t sure why she asked, but, “Do you want to come with us?”

Weiss blinked, shooting her an uncertain glance.

“Are you sure?”

She wanted to spend time alone with Jaune, just the two of them – but it wasn’t about her, was it? It was about Jaune. Having his friends with him was more important, right? And… if it was Weiss, she didn’t mind. Jaune and Weiss were her two best friends in the world, and Weiss wanted to help Jaune as well, so it was only natural, right?

The more she thought about it, the more she liked it. “Yeah. We can help Jaune together. We’re going to have so much fun!”

Weiss smiled, one of those pretty smiles that made her feel a little weird sometimes. It was difficult to look at her when she smiled like that and not feel something.

“Then I accept,” Weiss said. “Thank you for the invitation.”

“Of course!”

They were going to have the best time ever!

They spent a little more time chatting about things before they decided to train together. It was always better to train with another person instead of alone, pitting your skills against an opponent and not just your imagination. As they clashed, they ended up drawing the attention of the students in attendance, and soon, word must have gotten around the school.

A crowd began to gather, drawn by the prospect of watching two Huntresses duke it out – and not just any Huntresses, but Weiss Schnee and Ruby Rose, two members of a team that had made a name for itself.

It would have been a little embarrassing but when Ruby was fighting, the stares didn’t bother her quite so much.

Ruby smirked as she dashed in, a cascade of rose petals flowing in her wake. A golden glyph spun underneath Weiss’ feet, and she blurred, meeting her in a clash of steel. Crescent Rose twirled rapidly, the curved blade flashing but Weiss was more than up to the task, her rapier lancing out with precise jabs, deflecting her weapon just enough for her sweeping swings to miss.

Spinning around, Ruby took aim and fired point blank, Dust rounds slamming into a hastily erected black glyph. The rounds crumpled against her semblance, falling to the ground misshapen as Ruby retreated. Weiss gave her weapon a flourish, a flash of blue following, and Ruby vanished into her semblance moments before the ground was flash frozen.

They went back and forth, trading blows without ever breaking the others' defence. Every lunge by Weiss was countered by a sweeping strike by Ruby. Every angle was cut off by glyph or Dust when Ruby tried to come at her at odd angles, forcing her to abort.

They were evenly matched. Close in skill, and with knowledge about each other’s fighting styles, they fought to a stalemate in a hail of clashing steel. By the end of it, they were both tired and sweaty, but satisfied. Ruby’s arms and thighs burned from the intense workout, and Weiss looked like a stiff breeze might push her over.

They received a round of applause from those watching, and it was only then that Ruby realized just how many people turned up. It must have been almost every student still remaining at the school, not out on missions.

Now this part was embarrassing!

“I’m meeting Jaune at six,” Ruby said as they hurried out of the training facilities. Moving from the air conditioned interior to the blistering dry heat of outside was like a slap to the face, Ruby grimacing. “In front of the school.”

“Then I will be there,” Weiss promised.

It was now late afternoon. Ruby hurried back to her room to take a shower, and what a relief it was. Her aching muscles were soothed by the warm water, and she spent more time than she should have scrubbing down and just standing under the spray, gathering her thoughts.

Drying off, she got dressed in her new clothes, showing off in front of the mirror. Ruby thought she looked totally cute, but she was missing something. Not enough red? No, that wasn’t it. Her choker was in place, fingers lightly touching the black leather encircling her neck. Makeup! Nails?

Her nails!

Why was she panicking? This was just a friendly outing to make a friend enjoy themselves, and yet she felt nervous as she started digging through her make up drawer. She didn’t have much, just a few little things she’d picked up. Ruby didn’t wear much make up to begin with. Eyeshadow, mostly. Eyeliner. Maybe a little blush and lip gloss. And nail polish, of course.

Ruby liked to paint her nails.

She applied some eyeshadow and eyeliner first, making her silver eyes stand out even more. The eyeshadow was a reddish hue, almost like a rustic clay color that went really well with her usual outfits. Once that was done, she applied a bit of lip gloss to make her pink lips glitter. Smacking them together, she smiled.

Now the most important part!

She alternated between fingers. Starting at her pinky, she moved to her middle finger and thumb, painting them a bright crimson red. The nails in between were then painted black.

She thought it looked way cuter this way.

Showing off in front of the mirror, she nodded. Attaching Crescent Rose to her studded belt, it rested neatly against her rump. The tights in combination with the shorts were a good fit, modest yet somehow a little naughty. They highlighted the shape of her calves and thighs, and the baggy cardigan and slightly long arms was a very cute look! She made sure to leave it unbuttoned, and even tucked the hem on one side into the waistband. She was set!

But it was still early.

She needed to find a way to waste a little more time.

But that was taken out of her hands when she bumped into someone out in the hallway.

“Ruby!”

She knew it was unfair, and yet she couldn’t help the bolt of trepidation she felt at the sound of his voice. Turning, she remained silent as Oscar approached. She could tell it was him because of the way he walked. When Ozpin was in control, his gait was smoother, steps careful. When Oscar was at the helm, he moved more like a civilian would, one that had started receiving some training and could tap into Ozpin’s vast experience, but a civilian at his core.

The excitement on his face also gave it away. Whenever Ozpin was at the forefront, there was an unsettling quality to his face. Too calm, without deep emotion, eyes fathomless. Oscar was the opposite; open, burning with emotion.

Too much emotion.

She’d been doing her best to forget about their last meeting. A sudden confession, one that had taken her by surprise. Prompted by their return, back from the dead in the eyes of many. Oscar had thought they’d all perished, as had everyone else.

He thought he’d missed his chance.

They were friends. Ruby liked Oscar a lot. He was kind and witty, when he wanted to be, and the way he had handled his entire life being turned upside down was very admirable. One day, he’d just been a farmhand on his aunt's farm – and then the next, he had an old wizard in his head, telling him things he should never have known. It was enough to drive anyone a little crazy, but he had managed to keep a good head on his shoulders despite it all.

And at some point, he’d caught feelings for her.

She didn’t really know how to handle it.

Ruby didn’t want to hurt his feelings. She understood a thing or two about having a crush on someone that was out of reach, only she had been too chicken to ever say anything about it. Oscar had found the courage to be vulnerable, and she was afraid to crush it under foot.

Ruby only saw them as friends. Nothing more.

He hadn’t pressed her for an answer, for which she was grateful. But eventually, she would have to tell him. The sooner, the better, she knew – but she had to work up the nerve first.

“Oscar,” she greeted.

She saw the way he looked her up and down, surprised by her state of dress.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked curiously.

Ruby didn’t like to lie.

“I’m visiting the night market with Weiss and Jaune,” she answered. “We wanted to do something nice for him. Since, well… you know.”

Oscar nodded, and the sympathy on his face was genuine.

“Oh,” he said softly. “Has he been well? I haven’t seen him around much, other than when he comes in for missions – or at meals.”

“He appears okay… but after what he went through, it’s hard to tell,” Ruby shrugged. “We’re keeping a close eye on him, though. We’re here for him, if he needs it.”

Oscar didn’t bring up their previous discussion, something she was grateful for. But their conversion was filled with awkwardness and a strange tension, a constant reminder that things weren’t quite right with them.

“And you? How have you been?”

“Uh – you know me, I’m always good,” she smiled but it felt forced. “Better than good! Great! The greatest!”

Oscar laughed. “That’s good to know. I was wondering if you’d like to hang out some time, just the two of us. You know, when you aren’t busy – what do you think?”

“Oh, uh – sure! I guess we can do that,” she answered automatically.

Why did she feel so embarrassed?

Maybe because he was so earnest and she was thinking about how she could let him down softly without hurting him. It made Ruby feel like a heel. She wasn’t doing anything wrong, yet she felt as if she was.

Ruby never thought she’d be in a situation like this.

“Great! I know we’re all busy, but we shouldn’t forget to live.”

Thankfully, Weiss chose that moment to appear, her savior from awkwardness.

“Ruby,” she called out, waving. “Hello Oscar.”

“Weiss,” Oscar nodded.

She’d changed into something less Huntress-y; a white skirt that went below the knee, a pair of leather sandals and a blue, woollen long sleeve top. Even now, Ruby could feel the heat of day begin to recede and the cool of night descend.

“I won’t hold you two up,” Oscar said, beating a hasty retreat. “I’ll see you later, Ruby!”

“Oh, yeah,” she waved until he was gone, her hand falling limp by her side.

Weiss shot her a look of concern. “Ruby? What’s wrong?”

She sighed.

If there was anyone she could tell, it was Weiss. But not now. Now wasn’t the time.

“I’ll tell you later.”