Disclaimer: I own nothing of RWBY.

Cherry

By: Imyoshi

Ruby Rose envied others' childhoods.

So happy and full of life.

She knew her dad and sister loved her, never doubted that for even a second, but she hated to remember parts of her childhood. When her father was a wreck and her sister forced to play mom, yeah, those memories never left her. Things were much better now. More than better, darn near perfect, but she feared for when that might end. Getting to this point in time robbed her of innocence she would never get back. People always mistook her cheerfulness as that very same innocence, but they were wrong.

It was frankly easier to smile.

Not to say she was depressed. No, no, far from it. Every day of her current life was infinite times better than her childhood. She loved how things were, cherished the friends she made and the Grimm she slaughtered, but they could be better. During her first day of Signal, when she abandoned childhood fantasies for realistic goals, she made two choices that day. One, to become a full-fledged Huntress. Two, to have a happy family of her very own, one not plagued by sad childhood memories and the scent of death lingering in the air. Fairly life-setting goals, fulling, and she aimed to succeed in both.

So far the start to her Huntress goal seemed ahead of schedule with her early admission to Beacon. Good. Good! Brownie points for getting enrolled with Yang! Now onto her second target, finding that special someone. They had to fit within precise criteria, and no one at Signal came even close. So what if it sounded picky, she wanted to be extra-picky! Normal knee girls could act willy-nilly when it came to future partners, but not her and her bee's knees. Queen bees picked their mates.

She had no other choice but to be extra, extra, extra-picky.

One day she wished for kids, except she desired to protect them from her upbringing. For that to happen, she must find a suitable male who honored his word, had a loving heart and cared deeply about family. No funny business! Extra, extra picky! Not such an easygoing thing to obtain in a monster-infested world, but her searched never faltered. Then one day she found him dancing in a dress in front of a crowd of onlookers because an Arc never went back on their word. He smiled, he laughed, he stood next to her at the socially-awkward punchbowl.

Yup, her first friend, Jaune Arc!

A goofball, sometimes a dolt, but honorable. Kind, good-hearted, kept his word, no matter how ridiculous. Grew up in a family twice as large as hers and still cared for them. Yes. Jaune Arc, perfect husband material for little ones. Her long search finally came to an end. Now to win him over. Simple!

Time for this rose to pollinate.

...

Ruby preferred the direct approach.

Too bad she threw away her idea of making him sign a contract, but all the legal work, plus the writing and notarizing, gave her a headache. No matter. She found him reading his comics underneath a shady tree, quite enjoying the graphic novel with a hearty laugh. His chuckle made her smile, only reinforcing her decision with burning vigor. Feet led her to his spot, hovering over his shoulder while balancing on the heels of her boots. She stood there watching him have fun, building up the courage to speak. Not such an easy topic to bring up, but she stopped burglars and slew Grimm. Asking Jaune Arc to be her future husband should be a walk in the park, yet she kept walking around this pesky bush.

Things abruptly sped up. He appeared to be finishing his story. Okay! No more chickening out. Just. Ask.

"Jaune?"

He glanced over his shoulder to find her standing in his shadow, automatically smiling. "Hey Rubes, how's it going?"

She coughed, patting her combat skirt free of imaginary dust. "I have something to tell you. It's crucial you listen."

He lowered his literature. "Sure, what is it?"

She quietly breathed in before out in a slow, drawn manner. Sitting down, Ruby leaned forward and pushed his comic away. Tiny hands embraced larger fingers with a smile stretching by the second.

"You're going to be my husband."

"... What?"

"Yup!" Ruby resumed, oblivious to his stunned features. "We'll start a family right after we graduate. We'll be one, big, happy family. I'm thinking two kids, maybe three, one of them has to be a girl, but we can worry about that later."

"... What?"

She played with the ends of his locks. "Silly Jaune, this is no time for jokes. We have our future to plan. Now, I know what you're thinking, how do we tell our friends the good news?! Well, I was thinking about hanging an enormous banner in my team's room with snacks in yours. It'll be great! We can play games, watch Nora break some things. It'll be a barrel of monkeys!"

His thought-process returned, forcing him to look over her shoulder and around the vacant area. "Did Yang tell you to do this? Is she hiding behind the tree? I have to admit you got me there for a second. I almost thought you were serious."

"I am serious."

"About the barrel of monkeys?"

"No, dummy!" Ruby stomped her foot on the dirt. "About everything! You! Me! Family! We'll live in this cozy house with a backyard, and you'll kiss me good morning every day until we're both a bag of bones. They'll be children, and children's children and everything will be perfect. What's not to get?"

"The whole you, me, and family part." Jaune figured it was best to play along. Must one heck of an elaborate joke. "Look, I'm flattered. I am, but why me? There's plenty of fish in the sea, what makes me so special?"

Silvery eyes lost their light, but her smile remained strong. She twiddled her fingers, brushing one part of her hair back. "My childhood wasn't the greatest, and I don't want my future family to go through the same experience. It's one of my only two goals in life. To become a powerful Huntress that kicks butt, and to have a loving family, and you'd make a wonderful father. So kind, and so strong. You have the biggest heart I know. I'd be a fool not to claim you."

Whoa!

A sea of ocean expanded. Powerful words she just said, his entire face crimsoned on the spot. Now it was his turn to pull his messy hair back. "Um, thanks. I mean, if you feel that strongly about it, then we could, you know, try dating. I hear that's a good place to start. See where it takes us from there."

"Nope!"

Blush gone. An eyebrow raised. "Nope?"

"Nope, nope! It's all!"

He waited for her to finish. It never came. A tilt of the head to reflect her impossible smile. "Don't you mean all or nothing?"

"Nope!" Ruby giggled, holding his hands firmly, never once letting go. "I've already decided that you're going to be mine. So we don't have to go through all that dating nonsense. Once we graduate, boom, family. See! Easy!"

Uh? The joke was losing its humor, but he wasn't sure if it was one or not. High levels of skepticism poked holes in her plans. "I'm not just going to agree to be your husband. It doesn't work that way for normal people."

Firmer hold. "It's a good thing we're not normal."

"I thought you wanted to be normal?"

She leaned into his chest, cozying her face against his warm hoodie as his healthy heartbeat lulled her to safety. "That was before I met you. You make me feel special. I love that feeling."

A blush returned. Gulp! Wow. Ahem, yeah, skin turned hot. She knew how to lay it on thick. So caring and cheerful, it made his heart speed up. Wait? What? No! Why was he seriously thinking about this conversation? All of this was a joke that had run its course. Ha-ha, very funny. He shook his head, glaring down at the head resting against his chest. Prank or not, the last thing he wanted right out of the academy was to become a family man. He just escaped from one.

He decided to humor her. "That still doesn't mean I'm going to be your husband or start some family right after we graduate. I want to explore the world."

She popped her head up, lips tantalizing close to his. He smelled a faint scent of strawberries, and no matter how hard he tried, ignoring her body pressed to his was an impossible wish. Things got much harder when her innocent smile stretched, straddling his waist before she poked him squarely in the shoulder. Adorable was more than a eight-letter word. It was a hundred-twenty pound bundle of cuteness that smelled wonderful with a soft, supple body.

"Then I'll just have to win you over, you'll see."

He blinked twice. Win him over? Okay, now he knew she was pulling his leg. Good joke. Well played, Yang. "Sure, good luck with that."

She giggled and planted a quick peck on his cheek before running off to prepare her master plan. He thought nothing of it, nor of the raining rose petals, having been on the receiving end of plenty of smooches from his overly affectionate and embarrassing sisters. Back to his comics, meanwhile, she skipped with a hum in her step, already with several ideas in mind to win him over. Little did her future hubby know was that she never gave up, no matter the challenge. She gave it one-hundred ten percent.

Ruby Rose played for keeps.

...

When Jaune Arc returned to his dorm room, after reading his comics, a hand slithered its way from out a doorway and pulled him into an empty bedroom, before slamming the door shut.

He almost tripped from the overpowering force, only for the arm to hold him steady. A peek to his right revealed Ruby, still clutching his limb in place as she affectionately smiled. A glimpse to his left made his throat constrict, head tilting at the absurdity. Uh? Now he stumbled. Two beds were pressed together to look like a king-sized mattress, covered with superhero covers and an abundance of pillows. Red drapes closed the windows with dressers pressed together. Everything else—like the spare beds—were missing. A cozy room with a warm atmosphere to it and plenty of space. Nothing like a bedroom for four. Perfect for a couple.

He discreetly pointed at the remodeling. "Uh, Ruby, explain?"

Her grip tightened. "This is a secret base to get away from it all."

"Away from it all?"

"Yeah, you know?" Ruby laughed, shaking in place. "A home away from home? See, one bedroom and bathroom with plenty of space to practice and no one else around to bother us. It's perfect!"

He had questions, attempting to step away, only for her to stiffened her grip. "Practice? Practice what?"

She snorted playfully. "Family life, silly."

Oh? Family life? Suddenly he no longer thought it was a joke considering that conversation happened hours ago. Part of him still decided to play along, not wishing to be caught with his pants down from the inevitable Yang and her awaiting Scroll. Even if the evidence started to weigh against him, like the refurbished room, or the single bedroom—wait? No. No! Something wasn't adding up.

"How'd you even get in here?"

Ha! Picking a lock? Psh! No match for Ruby Extraordinaire Rose. Easy for someone who made Crescent Rose from scratch. So she ignored his question, hugging his arm with her face pressed up to his bicep. He peeked down at the grinning girl, finally putting two-and-two together. The room, the lack of Yang, her extreme attitude toward anything she wanted, all of it hit him like Nora driving a Bullhead. The leader squeezing his arm was earnest.

She rubbed her cheek affectionately. "So? What do you think? Cozy, right?"

Cozy indeed, but wrong. "I'm not going to be your husband."

She rolled her eyes—rolled her freaking eyes—like he was acting as the unreasonable one. Somehow his opinion barely mattered. Somehow the idea of all this, everything around them, the room and bed with the matching dressers, made more sense than he denying her. Somewhere she must have dropped her common sense. None of that mattered. She humphed, stomping her foot on the floor.

"You're still saying that? Stop being a spoilsport." Smirking, she rubbed his stomach with delicate fingers. "Just agree to be my husband, and everything else will work itself out."

"No."

She pouted, resting those puffs cheeks on his arm. "Give me one good reason not."

He sighed. Fair enough. "I came from a large family, Rubes. Do you have any idea how hard it was to get any sort of privacy? I couldn't even watch TV without one of my sisters hogging the remote. No matter which room I went in, someone else was already there. When I got away from it, got here, you can't imagine how nice it was to relax and read a comic without someone jumping on my back. So the last thing I want to do is start a family right after I graduate. Besides, I'm ninety percent sure this is one elaborate joke by Yang. I'm only waiting for the punchline."

She heard all of that, nodded at the right moments with wide eyes, but she grasped onto that remaining ten percent. Ruby's hand on his stomach gently wrapped around his midriff, joining a second hand from behind with her chin pressed against his chest, looking up anxiously as her comforting body wrapped around his. Tippie-toes, she stood on them, not letting go. He only blinked between the height difference, not sure where to move his arms.

"I can be very persuasive, Jaune."

It was his turn to roll his eyes. "Cookies aren't going to win me over, Rubes."

First of all, he had never tasted her strawberry-cream filled snickerdoodles, they were to die for, and second, he had no idea who he was challenging. She would make doubly sure that he partook in her strawberry nectar to show him what he was missing—silly Jaune—and reveal how perfect of a mate she could be. A perfect plan. No flaws. Ruby Rose patent pending! Just give up now.

"Jaune?"

He hummed at her innocence. "Yup?"

"I never lose when I want something really bad. Face it! I've won."

A taller body stiffened. What kind of argument was that? How did one argue with a person who adorable popped her tongue out and expressed her beliefs so on-point? Made things much harder since her request—more like demand—revolved over his shining characteristics to be an ideal family man. Flattery wasn't strong enough of a word to express his reaction, unable to ignore the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. Maybe? No. No! All of this was some joke.

Ninety percent. Believe in that ninety percent!

"There's a first time for everything, Ruby." Jaune separated from her hug. "Believe me, I know. And that includes you losing."

She pressed her arms to her side, hating his six-foot-one height over her five-foot-two stature. Any other time, and maybe with some practice, they could put that height to good use, but right now he was acting unreasonably selfish. Stubborn dolt! Who said no to a happy family and a spacious backyard? Crazy people!

She poked him in his unyielding chest. "I'm gonna win. Just you wait."

He messed up her hair, laughing as he exited the room. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"You will see!"

Shut!

...

Operation: Walk her to Dinner!

Phase one of her plan was a go!

Ruby waited impatiently for Jaune to exit his last class, tackling him once he crossed that threshold. By the time he yelped, she already hugged his arm with her face stubbornly pressed up against his biceps, smiling in awe. When she refused to budge, even when he shook his arm, she slid into his bubble and rubbed his arm with delicate fingers.

"Walk to me to dinner."

He frowned but honored her request with a tired sigh. No one questioned the oddball pair, too used to Team JNPR and Team RWBY's antics to be remotely surprised. Off they went to the Mess Hall, walking hands-to-arm, talking nonsense as Jaune fought down a blush from such closeness. That and he kept an eye out for one Yang Xiao Long, tongue ready to talk his way out of this one. He doggedly admitted that it felt nice having her squeezing his arm. Something about having an adorable girl drowning him in affection made the ordinary process of walking to dinner suddenly riveting.

In any other situation, in another scenario, if Ruby had maybe asked to be his girlfriend, he might have thrown caution to the wind and reached out for her hand—screw the consequences—but no. She wanted motherly status from a guy staying away from family as far as possible. All or nothing, except she crossed out the nothing and scribbled three lines underneath the all. With all that on the table, plus the potential of this being a joke, down to eighty-five percent, he pointedly ignored the way Ruby seized his arm.

She smiled through it all.

It all made sense now, of course, he was nervous. Ruby's cuddle buddy only needed time to adjust. Some arm holding, walking, shared dinners and some alone time she ease all his tension. All that and more would win him over. She had four years, plenty of time. Already ready she was ahead of schedule. A little nudging, maybe some kissing, throw in some hand-holding, and everything would be smooth sailing. Until then, she gripped his arm, talking about how much Blake loved tuna.

She dragged him back toward their honeymoon room, eating while talking with their mouths full. The goof pretended to ignore the way she cleaned his cheek with her thumb. His mismatched frown brought an overzealous smile to her face, cheeks bloated in her favorite milkshake. Extra-thick, super creamy and lip-licking messy, just the way she loved it. He preferred his strawberry-flavored ice-tea, another favorite of hers. A robust jaw constantly got soaked in that taste, attributing more to his messy eater status. She rolled her eyes at the way he lapped away the excess juices by licking his lips.

Guess they were both messy eaters.

Laughing, she leaned on his body, kicking her boots off as they shared the bed. Again, he snubbed such a movement. Fine by her. As long as that pesky percentage kept decreasing, she could play the waiting game. Still, couldn't hurt to try her luck.

"So have you seen the error of your ways and decided to become my husband yet?"

"Keep dreaming."

...

After a gruesome training spar with Pyrrha, Jaune rubbed his sore neck and wandered the halls of Beacon.

He avoided his dorm room. The thought of spending time with a destructive Nora, while his Aura worked to heal his injuries, didn't bold well with him. Plus he wanted to avoid his partner's criticism on his technique and Ren's indifference to his partner's fatal nature. Nothing hurtful per se, but he just wasn't in the mood for any of that now. Felt like being at home, only more enclosed.

A wary sight focused on a passing dorm room, dubbed their Home Away From Home. His feet moved past it, only to stop when the thought of only one other occupant, a least destructive one at that, garnered his interest. Granted, Ruby was currently going through some episode, a phase like everyone, but it beat random grenade explosions.

Everything beat random grenade explosions!

Arg! He threw his hands up. Fine! Just a few minutes, half an hour tops, before he ventured back to his domain. His Scroll quickly opened the door, somehow programmed for this room. Ruby wouldn't tell him how she did that. Some things might be better left unsolved. Once inside, it was vacant, a hollow bedroom with one—technically two—beds and opened curtains. He hardly cared about the indications of using this niche to get away from his team, and quietly fell headfirst on the mattress with his shoes kicked off and armor peeled away.

After a minute with no interruption, he turned his face on the bedding. "Huh? A home away from home? I can get used to this."

Slam!

"Honey, I'm home! Did you miss me?"

Ruby announced her presence with a slam of the door. He only raised one eyebrow. Whelp! So far one drawback to this magical place. It still beat random grenade explosions. Point being, he overlooked the honey part, knowing full well his input mattered not. Maybe if he played along, she would leave him alone so his Aura could undo his knot's knots? Sore muscles tanked.

"How could I have missed you? We have the same classes."

She laughed, beating her boots off to join him on the twin beds by jumping on the mattress. When he groaned from the sudden shift of weight, her mouth curved downward. "Jaune? Are you okay?"

No point in lying. "Sore muscles. Nothing to worry about."

Nope! She worried with her arms crossed. "Well, that's no good. Can't have my future hubby all sore."

"I'm not your future—whoa!"

Suddenly he went from laying to sitting, courtesy of her quick reflexes. Before he argued, she pressed her fingers and elbows into his back and shoulder blades. Immediately pain alleviated from tender spots. When he groaned in pleasure, quickly slapping his mouth shut soon after, she filled the cozy room in giggles.

"Dad and Yang always practice so much that they end up all sore. So I'm used to giving massages for aching muscles. Just another thing to look forward to after a long day at work."

His back hardened under her gentle hands. "You're trying to convince me while you're giving me a massage?"

Silver eyes blinked. "Is it working?"

He attempted to leave. "Maybe I should go back to my room."

"Sit your butt back down!" Ruby pulled him back toward the bed. Fingers worked to undo knots. "I'm not finished yet! I'm trying to be nice."

"With a hidden motive."

"I said trying."

He held his comment. Ruby found this particularly bad knot, and he awed when she applied the right amount of pressure. Why he indulged her, he hadn't a clue. Maybe Arc pride or his naturally good-hearted characteristics worked against him? Either way, he knew this back rub would come back to haunt him in some way or another. Things were done to seventy percent joking, especially since Yang completely appeared oblivious to her sister's actions. Which meant she was trying to get him to settle down, allegedly.

Sigh.

Another nasty knot fixed by her gentle fingers. If only she had been doing this since Pyrrha started training him, then maybe his body wouldn't ache so much from pent-up stress and strain. Frustration clawed away at sore muscles, and Aura only did so much when drained during a spar. Would have been nice to come home to this back rub and—choke! Not home! Nope! He meant to say anything else, but not home. Good thing Ruby wasn't a mind reader.

Too bad her wide smile made believing that somewhat challenging.

Giving in, he released a breath when she loosened most of his knots, gripping his neck to crack his vertebrae. Snap! Crackle! Pop! Ah! Great! Felt a million times better! Maybe now he could deal with Nora's random grenade explosions. Too bad his hoodie prevented her from getting deep into his crevices, but he smiled nonetheless. Probably not the wisest move in the world.

"I owe you one."

A smirk. "One husband, please!"

"No!"

A frown. "Fine! One kiss on the cheek."

"... Okay."

She turned at the last second and stole a smooch on the lips.

...

Of all the classes Jaune had, Professor Port's Grimm Tales bored him to tears.

A mutual feeling he had with his desk partner, it was also the only class Ruby and him shared a table. Off to the side, away from everyone else, on the top row with them the only occupants. Most tables contained bodies of four, but an uneven amount skewed that system. So they sat together, alone, trying to stay awake, both bored from listening to Port's stories. At least she somewhat knew the subject matter of slaying Grimm, but he hadn't shown much clue, which showed on his lowering test scores.

Ruby frowned at the bad marks on his recent test. Not good. A supporting spouse must help their significant other improve themselves, even if one of them refused to admit that said spouse existed. Must be because he planted one on his lips? His refusal to meet her eyes might correlate. Not like he hadn't affected her, she still blushed red at the thought, but regrets? Yeah, nope!

Ruby couldn't wait to share more smooches with Jaune.

Huh? Kisses? She glanced down at the poor paper. That might be a great motivator. He certainly liked it, so maybe more might up his grades if he knew he got more for better marks. Couldn't hurt to try. So she grabbed a piece of paper, scribbled down an offer, and slid it, secret agent style, over two feet to his position. When he glanced down at the proposal, she looked away, appearing interested in one of her professor's stories. He made sure to read it one more time, only to make sure he read it right.

Get higher than a B on your next assignment, and I'll give you a little smooch!

A splatter of blood painted his cheeks. He quickly looked away, suddenly interested in the time Port ripped a Beowolf in half with a pair of Ursa's hands. A giggle filled the air. He refused to pay her any attention, even when she gripped his arm. On his next assignment he ended up with a B plus, and she kissed him on the cheek. She almost laughed at the way he pouted. Someone wanted one on the lips. Nope! Nope! That was A minus territory. Her kisses weren't for free. Unless, she smirked, pushing another piece of paper over to his side.

Husbands get unlimited kisses, checkbox Yes or Yes.

He scribbled No.

...

So far her other schemes failed to win over his heart.

Snags in her plans, nothing less, she had time. On to her next enjoyable activity, slash idea, working out together! Couples did things together and stretching while exercising would do the body good. Giggle! Got to release that pent-up stress somehow, and it was twice as fun working up a sweat together. So she dragged him to their home in the morning to stretch their muscles while listening to some upbeat music that tasted sugary-sweet.

Once they stretched together, possibly following some playful wrestling, he would discover this an enjoyable part of his day. Maybe even look forward to it? Anything to push him toward that mindset. Until then, she fitted on an overgrown shirt and sweatpants, touching her toes with him doing the same. Only difference, he had trouble doing it, glaring at her from the edge of the floor.

"How is this supposed to make me like you any more than I already do?"

She placed her hands on her hips. "Because it's important to spend time together! Working out does that and help out our bodies."

"Okay, next question." Jaune crossed his arms. "Why are we doing this on a Saturday morning when we could be, oh, I don't know, sleeping?"

"You know what they say, Jaune! The early Huntress catches the Grimm."

"Who says that?!"

She leaned back, stretching her arms above her head with an audible sigh from her foolish husband. He still wrongfully denied such a claim. Blah, blah, blah! Details, details. If he hated spending time with her, then he wouldn't have allowed her tiny form to drag him out of bed. Checkmate! Down to sixty percent! Still, she laughed when he tripped and landed on his face. Funny!

Perfect for children.

"Come on! Get up!" Ruby pulled him up. "We have to a long morning ahead of us. First squats, then jumping jacks, and finally a ten-mile run."

"... I get it now. You're trying to kill me."

She pouted when he still failed to touch his toes. Oh? Being tall had its disadvantages? Hehe! Lucky for her, she was fun-size. Not small! Fun! Size! So what he towered over her? Mr. Tall Blond and Scraggly couldn't touch his toes. All the more reason to practice stretching and having Saturday morning workouts. Plus she liked the way he wore shorts, just one of the many perks to her foolproof plan.

Oh well, eye-candy later. First things first! "Okay! We'll start with two-hundred squats! We start at the same time. Get ready to move your cute butt, Arc! Now, go!"

"Did you just call my butt cute?"

"I said mush!"

Grumble, grumble! He tried to keep up with her squatting, an impossible feat with her Semblance. In two minutes flat Ruby was finished, barely working up a sweat with him a hundred-fifty behind. Just as he completed, without a courtesy breather, the jumping jacks started. Another minute and she raced through the exercise, leaving him in her dust. When that tormented end, she pushed him outside for their run around Beacon.

A few hours later, a sweaty Ruby and exhausted Jaune walked back to their home, having worked up a good sweat. Poor Jaune practically collapsed on the door, hugging the soft floor as she carefully maneuvered around his downed body. She placed a pillow under his chin as she went to freshen up. Minutes later Ruby stepped out of the bathroom, a ray of sunshine, and whirled on her bare feet with her Scroll in hand.

"See? Wasn't that exciting?" Ruby turned around with her hands thrown to her sides. "Now what do you want to do?" She found him tuckered out on their bed, groaning. Face hidden in a pillow, back to the ceiling, he hardly moved. A part of her felt bad and poked him in the neck. "How about some Saturday morning cartoons with sugary cereal?"

"I love you." Jaune murmured in his pillow, only to quickly lift his head. "I didn't mean it like that!"

Ruby ended up jumping on his back for so-called lying.

...

Vibrate!

Walking away from the Mess Hall, belly full of food, Jaune received a message on his Scroll. A flip of his Scroll revealed it originated from Ruby, a picture message. Huh? He loaded the image, tilting his head at the odd photo. On display, on their bed—her bed, not theirs—was her sitting with her knees sprawled backward, leaning on the wooden post. She blew a kiss, winking with her palm flat out in a here you go gesture. The caption only made the corner of his mouth curve slightly upward.

Hi!

Jaune scoffed harmlessly at the message. Must be another one of her attempts at wooing his heart? At least this one appeared harmless to his body. Still, he swiftly hid the picture before anyone around him saw. Ruby was relentless. Not a good thing once Yang got whiff to what was going on between them. Nothing, he would say, but his so-called significant other had other plans. Best to hide this picture in a separate folder on his Scroll since Yang had a nasty habit of snatching devices out of peoples' hands.

He ended up labeling the folder Mindless Distractions.

Whatever.

With that out of the way, the Arc found himself walking toward their room, finding it ridiculously appealing to have a place to get away from his team. Must be the privacy of having some time alone. Sure, Ruby bunkered down there, too, but she frequently made herself scarce with team bonding activities. A win-win in his book. So when he pushed the door open, after making sure no one saw him, he breathed a sigh of relief upon spotting no Ruby. A quick shuffled toward the bed ended up with him resting his back on the comforter.

A little nap wouldn't hurt.

Nora made small naps in their room difficult. He ended up falling asleep in minutes, out cold to the sounds of the door opening. Ruby jumped right in, almost yelling some cliché greeting, only to notice her precious noodle fast asleep on the bed. Aw! He drooled in his sleep. How cute! The happy cinnamon roll tippie-toed over to the bed, running a hand over his messy locks. Part of her wanted to run both her hands through his hair, but she refrained from waking up sleeping beauty. Instead, she got a naughty idea once noticing his Scroll gripped between his fingers.

An hour later, he woke up to find his Scroll open with no one in sight. A tired hand gripped the device, hovering over his yawning mouth as ocean eyes suddenly grew in size. Right there, replacing his background picture was Ruby with him sleeping as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

So cute!

This time he password locked that Mindless Distractions folder.

...

A drawback during the weekends at Beacon Academy was no one cooked them any meals.

Everything had to be made by their own hands. Not a problem in the long run, but most people, teenagers unmistakably included, hated the concept of doing stuff on their precious days off and opted to eat out. So most of the time the Mess Hall was ghostly abandoned during those days. Which made the next part of Ruby's plan bake into fruition.

A candlelight dinner for two!

Well, there were a few snags in her plan. It was breakfast time, the sun was still shining high, she couldn't find candles, and only knew how to make a batch of strawberry-filled cookies with two wholesome milkshakes to eat, but like dad always said, it was the thought that counted. Humph! Yeah! Nothing like an unhealthy breakfast for two to show Jaune how serious she was acting. No funny business for her. She drank milk!

Vibrate!

She swiftly reached for her Scroll, grinning when Jaune accepted her invitation to the Mess Hall. Excellent! She rubbed her hands together, fighting back a laugh, all according to plan. The way to a man's heart was through his stomach! Hope he liked warm milk and cookies. She made hers with love and extra-sugar.

Time to prepare a romantic breakfast!

Ruby thoughtfully hummed as she sped around the empty kitchen with an apron, spatula in hand. A generous portion was covered in cookie batter, sticking to her skin and clothing in a haphazard mess. Some milk dripped from the ends of hair, some around her lips from some crucial taste testing with strawberry-filling on her nose. Good thing, too. Tasting those extra-thick, creamy milkshakes guaranteed the next batch came out perfect. Just the right amount of gooey for her taste buds. Somewhat sticky from her more eccentric additions, but her tongue licked her lips at the thought of slurping one down.

Ruby Rose always sucked her milkshakes dry.

Mmmm! She rubbed her tummy just thinking about having a mouthful of extra-thick, creamy milk. Some would spill between her lips—some always did—she had a habit of being a messy eater. More than that, her favorite style of milkshake was the hot banana recipe. Warm with a delightful, tingling sensation as it traveled down the throat. Maybe she could get Jaune to make her one? Maybe his milkshakes tasted better? Hn? All this thinking of her favorite beverage made her eye the ones she just finished blending. Huh? Well? Another helping shouldn't hurt.

"Ruby?" Jaune called out from the Mess Hall. "Ruby? I got your message. Where are you?"

Drat! Right when she placed the straw between her lips. This close to milking it dry. Oh well. Showtime! She sped out the kitchen and toward her lover boy, still covered in messy filth. He barely managed a word before she pushed him toward a clothed table and forcefully sat him down. Then a plate of cookies and strawberries flashed into existence with two half-finished milkshakes for them to share. She purposely looked away when he noticed their beverage's missing content all over her cheeks, whistling a cheerful tune.

"I hope you're hungry."

He blinked. Hungry? Yes. Breakfast? Double yes. Cookies and a milkshake for both? Uh? Not a well-balanced diet, but she didn't seem to mind, gently smiling as she twiddled her thumbs. Once he noticed the smoke from the kitchen and her disaster of an appearance, that remaining percentage finally fell. Oh. Oh! The room suddenly grew hot. So? Yup.

She was serious.

"This isn't a joke is it?" Jaune asked dementedly. "You're really trying to get me to be your husband? Yang's got nothing to do with this?"

"Note serious face."

Kind of hard to with her face covered in flour. None of it distracted him as he gripped the edge of the clothed table. Not a joke. All of this, from the arm holding to the spare bedroom to the pecks on his cheek, was all in the pursuit to win him over. Real, oh so very real. He had to nip this in the bud before their friendship suffered ever-lasting damage. Might hurt now, but in the long run better for both of them. Relationships weren't built on a whim, at least not the romantic kind. Too much risk. Too high chance of fallout. He liked Ruby.

The last thing he wanted to do was screw that up by jumping into something that sounded straight out of some fairytale.

Time to let her down as gently as possible.

"Noted." Jaune sighed. "Ruby? You know this isn't going to work, right? I can't just be your husband. Remember? Not normal. It'll never work. I hope you're not too upset?"

"I'm not giving up."

"Ruby—?"

She crawled on the table, touching his nose. "Anyone else would've taken advantage, but you're trying to be nice, that's how I know you're perfect. I'm. Not. Giving. Up. I didn't get this far by throwing in the towel."

He rubbed his neck, biting into a cookie. "You seriously don't want to try the dating thing? I hear it's a good practice run for family life. I'm more than willing to take you out to the movies right now."

She glared, shaking her head as she slurped her milkshake through her dense straw. "Nope. I know what I want. It's only all for me."

He sighed and chewed his cookie slowly. The absurdity of this conversation made all of the conversations he had with Nora about her dreams appear tame in comparison. Any other situation would have stroked his ego, but she wanted to settle down right after graduation. Call him crazy for not seeing the appeal. What joy, what fun, could he have hunkering down so soon after escaping from his large family? So far he saw none. Even if Ruby was cute and would, by all standards of irony, make an excellent mother, the charm was missing.

Why couldn't they just try the whole dating shtick?

He sighed a second time, pressing her nose. "There's a huge chance it'll blow up in our faces if we entertain this idea. You know that."

"You're worth it." Ruby pecked him on the cheek, tasting crumbs. "And I know that because you're Jaune Arc."

Ruby knew her chances hadn't completely dwindled when he hid his blush. Yes. She got off the table, snagging another cookie as he discreetly played with his Scroll. Must be looking at that picture she took? After a few minutes of eating in silence, he glared when she sipped some of his milkshakes from across the table, eyes purposely wide to appear innocent in her crime.

"Just so you know, Rubes, I'm not saying yes."

"Yet."

"You're impossible."

She beamed with his creamy milkshake staining her lips. Delicious! More, she wanted more, but stubborn Jaune kept the rest away from her mouth. Humph! Sooner or later she would wear down that stubbornness. Until then, he defiantly ate away at her strawberry-filled morsels, salivating his tongue from an overexcited sweet tooth. Part of her wanted to reach out and cup his face to deliver a wet kiss. Somehow he must have read her mind because he scooted a few feet away not long after. Wistfully, beneath all that sugary-sweetness was a bitter, nuggety shell about to crack, and the minute he left the Mess Hall, she frowned with her cheeks reddening in pent-up frustration.

Growl!

...

Ruby slammed down the tray, red-faced with cheeks puffed. What more did he want? She baked him strawberry-flavored cookies. A perfect treat for a Saturday afternoon for a family of four, but their tantalizing effects barely worked on him. Humph! No. Calm down. She wanted a strong-willed man to be her babies' daddy, someone who would put their foot down when it mattered. Just another qualification he surpassed with flying colors.

Her lips still thinned.

She was running out of ideas, and the few that rattled around in her head seemed moot. If he resisted Apron Ruby without trouble, then the rest were worthless. So much for the food being the way to his heart. Snickerdoodle! What was she missing? How did she make Jaune see the error of his ways? Honestly. One ready wife right here, was he blind? Most people spent a lifetime searching for that one, but he ignored his when she stood grinning with a plate of sweets and a warm glass of milk. No one said no to cookies-and-milk.

Ruby frowned, biting one of her treats with her butt plopped on the countertop. Feet dangled as she chewed, reaching for a banana to add potassium. Back to the drawing board. Now what? From what she knew of his personality, he had one weakness. Okay, several, but when it came to character, he had one.

An Arc never went back on their word.

Plus one to his husband resume. Add a negative point for stubbornness, a double-edged sword. Growl! She hated when her weapons worked against her. Her hand dipped her banana into her batter to add flavor, coming out pink in color. She paused before biting, noticing the contrast of colors and vivid shapes. Oh? Her fruit covered in pink strawberry filling looked like one of those things they learned during all of the birds and bees mumbo-jumbo, and she almost put it into her mouth.

Part of conscious still dipped her tongue out, wanting to slurp the paste clean. Not bit, but lick.

Her face ripened.

She took that class in combat school—everyone did—but to go so far? Nervous thighs rubbed together as lips trembled. The room suddenly turned hot, boiling, and her apron felt constricting with her clothes too tight. A quivering mouth parted to run the fruit into her jaw, not biting, only filling. Her heart raced. In and out, in and out, she practiced, stimulating the experience by dipping the treat into her leftover chocolate batter, too. Some of it spilled onto her collarbone. She merely glanced down, blinking innocently at the sight of warm sauce embracing flushed skin.

Giggle!

Look at her, covered in a chocolate and strawberry filling, acting like a filthy girl. If he saw her behaving like this, he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off—?

Well now, she smirked with chocolate-strawberry-covered lips, that sounded like an idea.

...

Ruby Rose stalked the academy for her target.

She found him entering their shared room, still using the space as an ironic getaway from everyone but her. Perfect! That meant he was alone. Good, because she didn't want anyone to hear this except him. If someone else, or dear Dust Yang, caught wind of this, things would spiral out-of-control. No! All of this would remain covert. Secret with a capital S! Just like a few other words that began with S. Words that made her skin tingle, core hot, and thighs shamelessly rub together all at once.

Eh! Head in the game!

Operation: Seduce Jaune Arc was a go!

She approached the door with her hand stuck on the doorknob, swallowing a lump of nervousness. Ruby spent two sleepless nights thinking about her new approach, counting infinite specks in the air to distract her. What sounded like a good idea on a messy kitchen countertop, sounded insane once she had laid down on her bed. Two nights plenty of blood rushed to her face, enough to fill a donation center. Even now, her cheeks retained a healthy ruby glow. Maybe this was a horrible idea? She had never crossed the thought of seducing her future husband. He was supposed to come to her. Not the other way around. Her heart raced from the planned conversation. It thumped loudly from just thinking of how he would react, adding another shade of red to her skin.

Her gripped abruptly tightened. Look at her acting all scared. Ha! She faced down countless Grimm and criminals. Putting on the works for a clumsy knight should be a snap. A little touch of skin there, maybe some harmless flirting here, and plenty of smooches should do the trick. Plus all the things she read in Blake's filthy book should help. Confidence bloomed this rose! She possessed the natural tools to win his heart.

Watch out, Arc!

Ruby threw the door open to find Jaune reading one of his comics, laughing at some silly joke while laying down and hovering his graphic novel above his head. His laughter melted any lingering doubts. Look at that smile. So carefree and happy. She imagined him tucking their kids into bed, only to read them a bedtime story with such a face. Some days he would read classics and others comics from his back in my day's youth. Goodbye insecurities! Hello, daddy!

"Good! I caught you at a good time!" Ruby jumped on the bed, onto his hips, straddling his waist with her hands pressed firmly to a wide chest. She smirked at her trapped prey. "This is your last chance to give in. Things are going to become very hard, very fast."

He blinked, looking down at the way she pressed his chest and straddled his lower half. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Filth."

"Filth?"

"Filth." Ruby leaned dangerously forward, lowering her eyelids. Red captured her cheeks. "I'm a filthy girl, Jaune Arc, and I'm going to make you want me. So either agree to be my husband now or prepare for filth."

Time stopped in the room with the Arc in question shifting his sights between the Rose leaning on his body and eyes glazed in silver. Filth? He glanced down at the small hands pressed against his body with the creamy thighs trapping his waist. Filth? A sound caught in his throat followed what sounded like a hiccup. Whatever composure he tried to maintain failed.

Jaune Arc burst out laughing.

Undiluted laughter filled the cozy room, all coming from a red-faced Arc. He had difficulty stopping, this close to ending, only to glance up at Ruby's bewildered expression and restart all over again. His body hurt from being unable to breathe, and Ruby sitting on his waist made things much harder, but funnier all the same.

She pounded her fists against his chest. "Hey? Hey! What's so funny?!"

"Stop! Please! My sides hurt! I can't breathe!"

More fist pounding. "I said what's so funny?!"

He wiped a tear away from his eye, sighing in the best mood. "Ruby, you can't be filthy. It's impossible. You're adorable. A-dor-a-ble!"

She fumed, pounding another fist to his abs. "I'm not adorable! I'm a filthy girl!"

More laughing, but he managed to maintain his composure with one eye open. "Hold up, let me see if I got this right. What you're saying is unless I agree to your terms, you're going to be a filthy girl?"

"The filthiest."

That composure he maintained shattered with a taunting grin, stretching by the second. He threw his head back on the pillow, breathing deeply from a lack of oxygen to the brain. Wow! What a laugh! Been some time since he let go like that. Phew! His stomach hurt with air finally reaching his lungs. He rubbed his forehead, only to remember a hundred-twenty pounds of adorable mass seized his hips with fury matching that of a puppy. A quick snort later, and he chuckled softly.

"Ah-ha! So this was one big joke? I knew it." Jaune glimpsed at the closed bathroom door. "Alright, you got me. Come on out, Yang."

Seconds passed. No one popped out and yelled surprise with a Scroll in their hand. Ruby frowned, arching her back with her bottom pressed firmly on his pelvis. A fire in her belly awakened from being mocked and called adorable. Filth! She seized the threads of his hoodie, pouting with an atmosphere of determination. Everything in the room turned hot with her arms pulling him slightly upward. That infuriating smile of his made her cheeks swollen. Just to really show him, she shook him a few times before growling.

"I'm not joking."

He raised an eyebrow with his mouth curving upward. "Okay, okay, let's say I believe you. I don't, but let's say that I do. A filthy Ruby? How exactly is that bad for me?"

She leaned back, deliberately rubbing her rear on his jeans. "Because you won't get the main course until you agree to be my future husband. I'll tease you so much that you'll be too pent-up to do anything."

"What if I lie?"

"You won't. An Arc never goes back on her word."

Drat! She got him there. However, he didn't buy her fib for even a second. He instead slow clapped. "Sure. Okay. Filth. Nice try, Rubes. I got to admit it caught me off-guard. Bravo."

She released him and pushed him toward the bed, humphing as she got off his waist. She straightened her combat skirt, walking up to his stupid face and poked him in the nose, smushing skin. Dumb Jaune never dropped his smile for even a second, disregarding her threat with ease and building laughter. Whelp! Not today! She would have the final ha-ha!

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

...

Jaune Arc slept like a baby the previous night.

Something about having a good laugh eased the soul. Filth Ruby? Ha! He still chuckled just thinking about it, a hidden joke from everybody else around him. Sigh. What a laugh. Oh well, time for dinner. Maybe a quick game or two on his Scroll in that hidden room before calling it lights out. Either way, he smiled foolishly. Then Ruby seized his arm again, wrapping her hands around his limb with an impossibly gently grip. Jaune only contently grunted as they headed for the Mess Hall.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Walking Ruby to dinner had somehow become routine, along with the arm holding. So far he saw nothing filthy about this—huh? She unzipped his academy jacket to reach out and grab his bare arm, snuggling within the fabric of his outfit. Once a barrier of threat separated soft skin from rough, but now her fingers gripped his biceps while rubbing the crevices of his muscles delicately. She refused to look at him, resting her cheek against a palette of hardened tissue as hands brushed heated flesh.

A tingling sensation forced his mouth to shut. Okay, he thought, this was new. Never before had Ruby gripped his limb so tenderly. Underneath him, she reflected the same as she nervously traced her fingers up and down his arm, enjoying the excitement while fighting back a blush. Holding his body, touching it so thoroughly, flushed her insides and made butterflies flutter uncontrollably, but she persisted and edged herself comfortably into his warm bubble.

For her plan of filth to work, she must get the ball rolling. Start small and tease him from there. Working up the corruption would take some time, but she enjoyed the feeling of holding his arm. Consolation prizes, yeah! Even her cuddle buddy had nothing to say. Out of laughs, eh, Jaune? She giggled and walked with him to grab their dinner. The entire way from the line to back to their bedroom, he kept an eye out for anyone from their friend group, but her added weight slowed them down enough to keep them out of their view.

Things never got any easier for him.

She forced his arm to wrap around her shoulders as they ate together. Ruby did most of the talking, mouth still full, humming, except she leaned possessively into his side with her small body stealing warmth. He could have removed his shoulder, should have, but each action only made her snuggle closer into his body, and truthfully, he enjoyed the sensation. Not enough to take her entire filth warning seriously, not remotely close, but he acknowledged that her cuddling made his heart race.

Harmless at best.

Ruby kept quiet when she raked one hand across his chest, taking full advantage of his exposed cotton shirt. When she loosened his tie a smidge, a tiny smirk grew when he gasped. Baby steps! Giggle! Until then, she greedily absorbed his heat while bouncing her toes back-and-forth. He only drank his strawberry tea, pretending that his wrapped arm didn't pull her in closer.

"Last chance."

"Not going to happen."

...

Ouch!

Another grisly training spar with Pyrrha, another day full of aches and pain.

Jaune sighed with his back hurting. His partner sure loved blindside attacks, made fighting her a drag some days, like today. All he wanted to do was rest in a bed, any bed, and wait until what remained of his Aura to fix the damage. Only problem, Ruby appeared before him with a bag clutched in her hands, away from prying eyes. She stood before him, acting tall for someone almost a foot shorter than him. Without warning, without even asking, she grabbed his hands and pulled him toward their home.

"Massage time!"

She dragged him into the bedroom, sitting him down as she ruffled through a store bought bag. Out the bag, she pulled out a strawberry scented oil, shaking the risque bottle in front of his growing eyes. His feet moved toward the door, but she wasn't Ruby Rose, speedster of Beacon Academy for nothing. A tiny body blocked his bigger one from exiting the room, acting as a makeshift barrier with a stubbornness that left no chance of arguing.

Blue eyes glanced toward the window.

Ruby switched up her tactics. She pushed him down onto the bed, back toward the ceiling, and peeled off his shirt before he so much as protested, exploding the room in rose petals. Imposing back muscles taunted her. Some of them begged for stimulation. He made a fuss, why wouldn't he, but when she rubbed her fingers across sore skin, he yelped. Tender. Raw. She smirked, straddling his back with her palms pressed flatly on aching tissue.

His resistance ended once she applied the strawberry-scented oil.

Flaming skin tingled when hands glided over the sore areas. A pleasant aroma filled the room. Dust! One minute his tissues felt restricted, and the next some of the fatigue and soreness started to lessen as she worked on his back with slow, intense strokes. Tightness in his spine gradually relaxed with the stiffness vanishing under her fingers. Every movement she made raised the temperature in his skin. Every crevice she explored opened. He fought diligently not to make a sound, a losing battle when her soft skin found those pesky spots.

On the flip side, he wasn't the only one suffering.

Ruby knew her face matched her name as she explored to her filthy heart's content. Touching his arm had been one thing, but rubbing her hands against define fibers was another. Color her impressed. Not so scraggly as her partner said. Nope! Blood stained her cheeks when he involuntarily flexed. Stupid strawberry-scented oil worked against her. Sometimes she snuck a glance at his shoulder blades, biting her lip when she was supposed to be working on some troublesome knot. Other times she deliberately took her time on one spot, only because she wished to keep feeling that muscle or forgot to move on. She had a weakness for refined metal, and this was top-of-the-line alloy between her fingers.

She might faint if she massaged his front.

Her corset felt tight on her body. All of her clothes felt constricting in the warm room. Ruby pressed onward, starting from his lower back, all the way to his shoulder blades and neck. If she moved slowly to enjoy the sensation of his skin, she wisely kept those indecent thoughts to herself and rubbed in an intense, back-and-forth motion. Her lips wobbled once she tackled his arms, only now realizing how much all that training improved his frame.

She squirmed, trying to rub her thighs, only for his body to keep her firmly locked in place.

So dense, so thick, she absently massaged one of his biceps with her eyes clouded and curious finger feeling her lip. A guilty hand rubbed a solid tricep, not massaging, only touching. Ruby wondered what would it feel like to be in those arms, captured between a solid foundation of muscle, pressed against a compressed chest that would defend and embrace her? Maybe pinned down to a bed as they started working on child number one? Maybe even melt from a warmth enveloping her belly?

The urge to rub her thighs together grew.

Ruby leaned down and whispered haughtily. "This is only the beginning."

Jaune bit into the pillow when she blew into his ear.

…

More Saturday morning workouts.

Yeah.

Ruby dragged him into the room against his weak protest, bare-footed with his mind still loading from an early Saturday wake-up call. Once awake, he blinked at her new appearance.

What happened to her workout clothes? Those weren't her sweats and overly sized shirt. No. Those were some tight shorts with a tiny, silver shirt that hung off her chest, barely covering half her midriff with its ripped fabric. An appetizing belly button was there for him to see with her shorts clinging to her hips like a second skin. When she turned, the spine of her back was visible to see, and all he wanted to do was trace his fingers up that arch after what she did to his back muscles. She must have noticed this, stretching her hands above her head, lifting that criminally dangerous shirt higher with the very bottom of her breasts and shoulder blades exposed.

Hold up! No bra?

"Okay! Two-hundred squats!"

Darn it! No time to think. One, two, three—wait? What? Why wasn't she using her Semblance to speed through the set?

Ruby huffed and wiped her forehead with her forearm, breathing long breaths. Sweat clung to her petite body. Her chest rose and fell with her belly button following. He could keep up. Now, whenever he did a squat, Ruby did one and wasn't a blur. He saw the way those shorts squeezed her rear and hips in all the right places whenever she hunched down, joining her with a vision full of—!

"I know what you're doing."

"Oh? Really?" Ruby smirked, stretching to touch her toes with her shorts squeezing tight. They merely finished their squats. "What am I doing?"

"You're trying to seduce me with that clothing."

"Is it working?" Jaune said nothing, not dignifying that with a response, so Ruby grinned and clapped her hands together. "Okay, slowpoke! Jumping jacks!"

No time to argue, Ruby jumped right in front of him, doing her exercise at the same pace as him. Big mistake for him, because he had a difficult time concentrating once he learned what she didn't wear underneath. Bouncy. Bouncy! Gah! Concentrate, Arc! No bouncy distractions! Focus elsewhere! Try below! A good idea, until she decided to turn around and introduce him to another form of bounciness, and this time he watched her move until they finished.

Ruby then turned around and offered him a bottle of water. "Bottle water?"

Yes! Please! "Okay."

He expected her to drink hers, another fatal mistake. Ruby did slurp some of hers down, but a generous portion never made it to her mouth, spilling on her neck, shirt, and overall body. Most of it, however, dripped from her shirt that suddenly hugged her chest. Whatever water he had never made it to his mouth, spilling on the carpet when she giggled and shook her chest playfully. He barely realized he couldn't breathe until she maneuvered her finger down and pointed up.

"My eyes are up here, Jaune?" Ruby walked over and traced her arm underneath his shirt and rested her hand on a very flustered chest with fingers scratching abs. Her body, too, had trouble breathing. "Oh? You have a strong core. Perfect for snuggling."

"... You won't win."

Her eyes flickered up, still mindlessly playing with his abs. She innocently pressed her wet body onto his, rubbing one bare foot against his calf. They both shuddered, but she kept at exploring with her other hand squeezing his arm. When his arm refused to listen to him, instead reaching out to grab her bare back and pull her closer, she moaned when they pressed chests.

"I warned you."

...

Vibrate!

Jaune mindlessly pulled out his Scroll as he ate his breakfast bowl of Pumpkin Pete's awful cereal. Just another victim of no-chef Sunday. He checked between eating a spoonful of marshmallow bunnies. Huh? Another picture message from Ruby? After that massage session and workout, his thumb traced over the accept the button with both eagerness and apprehensiveness. Temptation gripped at his soul, a pointless feeling. She was merely striving to wear him down until he said yes to that mad proposal. A clever tactic. One that massage helped without a doubt.

Unlucky for her, he saw through her so-called filthy Ruby persona and opened the picture message without any worry.

Only to spit out his cereal at the nearest student.

Ruby had her legs sprawled out on the floor in their room, posing at the camera with the top of her corset missing one cloak and the upper half of her outfit pressed downward from being unzipped. Bare shoulders with a collarbone and neck greeted him as she puckered her lips as the camera, grinning shyly with her cheeks three shades of red. What made the photo so impossible to absorb was her pressed top. Bits of the edge of her chest was exposed, not showing anything red in color, but the curves of those hills with that milky skin were unmistakable. Suddenly his mouth turned dry.

Is this filthy enough for you?

He quickly looked over his shoulder to make sure no one noticed and stashed the picture away in his Mindless Distractions folder, changing the password.

His heart refused to slow down, pounding against his ribcage with the sound overpowering. Gasp! That picture would never leave his thoughts. The idea that Ruby took that picture for him and then sent it, well, he frequently made sure that Yang wasn't around because he couldn't trust himself not to act or say something stupid. So he hurried to devour his breakfast, ending halfway to escape the vicinity of everyone else while leaving his mess on the table.

The first place he ended up going to was the training room.

Where later his team found him cutting up bots with a ferocity that only mimicked that of pent-up frustration. Gosh! Their leader must have gotten tired of losing to those bots because he challenged them all. Look at the way he stabbed one of those machines repeatedly. Stab! Stab! Stab! So much anger between each strike. They all feared to go near him when he ripped one of the machine's head off its shoulders. Jaune needed to find a way to relax.

Maybe a massage?

...

Okay.

He was big enough to admit when he was wrong.

Not on the concept of a filth Ruby. Nope! However, she knew how to tease. The few massages he received from her had been mind-numbingly good. Worse yet, they left him more frustrated than before he got them. Having her supple body resting on his back only made matters worse, not agree to her ridiculous demands bad, but he stubbornly looked forward to his intense spars for Ruby to rub her smooth hands on his back later on. Call him weak, but the weekend had passed dreadfully slow because of those.

Not to mention that picture she sent him. He was guilty of having looked at a few times. No! Nothing lewd! Only to admire the camera quality of the Scroll and the way her bare shoulders electrified her appearance. Purely scientific. Like the concept of bouncing! He occasionally imagined how Ruby would look if she bounced with that much lack of cloth—science! Nothing filthy here! Purely Hypothetical. Groan!

Thank Oum it was Monday.

Arm holding Ruby he could handle, but massage Ruby sure knew how to rub him the right way. Invading his space was fine, he rather enjoyed that, but rubbing his muscles with smooth skin? Shiver! Good thing his front was faced down on the bed during those times, excitement was an unbeatable urge to control. Not with smooth thighs pressed against his bare sides. If she had lost those stockings? Another shiver!

Now they were in class, drowning in another classic Port rendition of the time he outraced a cheetah Grimm. A safe place from awkward emotions or it was until he passed back their papers and he received yet another B plus. The deal of their grading system came back to haunt Jaune, and he knew he was in for a world of steam when she glanced down at the grade with an innocent grin. What could filth Ruby entail for a B plus? Last time it was a quick peck on the cheek.

The question tormented him until the end of class.

He almost thought she forgot about the whole thing and had only smiled as congratulatory praise for his good marks. How wrong he was. When class ended, and no one was looking, she zoomed over and kissed him on the cheek, taking a deliberately long time to allow her lips to linger before racing off with a flurry of rose petals. That searing touch left its mark on him, scented in strawberry-flavored lip gloss with his skin ripe.

He pulled against his collar soon after.

Okay! Not a joke. He finally got that now. Which meant he could expect more of this in the future. Huff! He wasn't so sure he could handle her. Not filthy by any means, the kiss he meant, but the temperature in the room sure grew, and he hated the fact that he despised his inability to receive a higher marking than a B plus.

Jaune only went to the library to study to improve his grades, and nothing more.

...

Not even the library was safe from Ruby's tyranny.

Jaune soon discovered that upon her arrival with her team, occupying the table in front of him as he searched how to kill Grimm. Technically he felt okay in the current status quo. Having her team meant nothing hair-raising could happen, more so the sanctuary of the library protected him, but he never withdrew his eyes away from her. Then she stood in front of him, back turned, leaning on the table with her palms spread apart. Her team, mostly Weiss, appeared annoyed at being dragged to the library.

"Ruby? Why do we have to do this at the library?"

Ruby stuck a finger up, proud. "The library is a place for thinking. This way we could figure out where to have our hang out."

"But—?"

"Leader's orders!"

Her partner groaned, followed by Blake and Yang, and they reluctantly whispered possible plans. Each took a corner of the table, glancing down at childishly written ideas on something related to that of a blueprint. Must have been a joint idea between Weiss and Ruby. Only he saw those two using such instruments to pick a spot to hang out. Regularly, Nora chose the venue, and that was it.

Good.

Safe from her unorthodox and unfairly gratifying plans to make him fold. Not the sanest thing anyone's probably ever thought, some might call him idiotic for saying no, but the consequences for embracing the pleasure outweighed the pros. No family life for him, even if he enjoyed the way she hugged his arm, gave him smooches, sent him pictures, and massaged his back after a long day. Those were nothing but traps to snag him into her web. He must resist. Fortunately, the library kept her filth away.

His sights traveled down her back, toward his book, only for his fingers to dig somewhat into the hardcover. Uh? He paused. Ruby's combat skirt ordinarily covered every aspect of lewd, but he noticed her back threading hiked up a bit. Nothing risque, except he saw more of her toned legs and a bit of her rear in those leggings. Those black nylons respectively hid her skin from wandering eyes.

Then they ripped when she leaned on the table.

Out of nowhere, skin fleshed out of those garments, exposing more of her lower body as her lean pressed up the hike skirt to reveal a generous portion of her bottom half. A rump only protected by a modest piece of undergarments and no stockings to separate the tone of her creamy skin. Some of her inner thighs clashed with the ripping, a perfect blend between clothing and teasing.

Oh? She noticed. Maybe she was going to stand straight or press her skirt down?

Nope!

Ruby kept on leaning, only this time hiking up her skirt with her hand to reveal her entire backside. Leggings still kept a fair portion of her skin hidden, but nothing erased those luscious curves only skin tight clothing accessorized. Dust! The few spots where her skin popped out left little to the imagination. Then she reached out, and gripped some of the shredded threads, slowly, ever so agonizingly slowly, split more of it as her team failed to notice her butt in full view for him to enjoy.

Scratch that! Nowhere was safe. Fingers dug painfully deep into the book's cover, bending the spine into a mash of undefinable paper. He couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Only his hand moved to reach for his Scroll to take—ahem—pictures for research purposes, except he failed to find his Scroll, frantically searching for it with her backside still turned. That clash of skin and fabric was irresistible.

Then he heard her giggle.

His head whipped so fast that he was surprised it didn't spin. Right there, in her filthy hands, dangling between her massage fingers was his Scroll, out-of-reach. She shook the thing with a tempting jingle, smirking from the corner of her mouth with her backside arching. Her other hand ripped more of that fiber, making his blood race, but before she finished revealing the bountiful treasure hidden underneath, she stood up straight with her fist cocked and skirt shielding her lewdness.

"Okay! So that's the plan?"

"Yup!" Yang smirked. "Clubbing is always a fun experience. Girl's night out!"

"Yeah!" Ruby closed her body together, whispering. "Girl's night!"

Team RWBY, minus Ruby, soon scattered after that. She stood behind, blushing up a storm from an equally tomato faced Jaune. Quietly, she tossed him back his Scroll, giggling with her eyes dazed and hands busy fiddling with the back of her skirt. Poor Jaune almost dropped his device, mind still rebooting from the private show. Both their hearts thumped loudly in their ears, but he heard her crystal clear when she winked at him and walked away with a flick of her hips.

"All yours if you say yes."

…

Ruby Rose entered her secret bedroom with a twirl in her step before resting on the back of her door.

She loved the power!

That feeling of control! Everything! So far the plan was working. Silly Jaune was fighting a hopeless battle. She noticed that with the way he bit into his pillow and lingered from that kiss on the cheek. Filthy Ruby was creating turmoil. Still, she pouted. Not good enough!

He still resisted her charms.

She had hoped leaning forward with parts of her bottom exposed would win him over, maybe declare his foolishness in the middle of the library and sweep her off her feet, but his strong will made for a stubborn situation. Great for teaching kids the lessons between right and wrong. Terrible for making him hers. Back to the drawing board. Only this time, she only required to improve upon her plan.

She got off the door and paced around their bedroom, blushing up a storm.

No other option left, she had to up the filth.

Today's library adventure had been hot. No other word came close to describing that rush she felt when she was in control, and him, just her hopeless prey. He wanted her. She saw the desire in those eyes of his. Actions spoke louder than words, and hearing him stumble looking for his Scroll sounded like Crescent Rose firing a round of her fifty-caliber shell. Most of all, she enjoyed the sensation of him watching her, wanting her, desiring her. It made her toes curl and thighs drip. After all, this was her future husband, stimulation on a physical appearance was needed, and she perked at the idea of rubbing those muscles and body of his in different ways.

Now to keep poking the beast until he claimed her.

How should she tempt her mate now? Hn? Well? She gripped her Scroll with a thoughtful grin. He had wanted a picture of her butt. Maybe some incentive might help him? Something that made it impossible not to imagine whenever he saw her.

Something downright filthy.

A nervous hand reached out and rubbed the edges were her leggings were ripped, rubbing skin. Ruby colored at the touch and idea of him hungrily watching her bend over. To have done that to him, and in a library no less, with her team right there, so filthy. Breathe! She wanted more of that reaction, starting with gripping her belt.

Ruby Rose followed her instincts and settled on the most wholesome thing possible. Soon after, her combat skirt fell lifelessly on the bedroom floor, around a pair of lifted ankles. A body leaned on a bedpost, and a flash went off in the background. She tiptoed past her skirt, walking into the bathroom to get a better look at her backside. Hn? Not as big as Blake's, but much fuller than Weiss' and about the same as her sister's. Given time, she could expect more improvement. He would certainly approve.

Giggle!

Now for the perfect caption. Something cute and witty, but filthy and not adorable! Wait! She got it!

How do you like them apples?

...

Vibrate!

Jaune Arc tightly gripped his comic with a twitchy eyebrow.

Without even looking, he knew who the sender was, and it haunted him. Willpower granted him ten minutes of strength before he reluctantly reached for his Scroll and checked his unread message. Gulp! His heart raced. Ruby sent him a picture message with the caption, how do you like them apples, bolded in dark letters. He was nervous to click the letter open but anticipated and looked forward to what she had sent him. He was a hot-blooded male, above all else.

Click!

His comic fell out of his loose grip, joining his jaw on the floor. A heart skipped multiple beats.

Dust!

She hid the upper half of her face playfully well, grinning with her backside toward the camera, this time without her combat skirt. Groan! She kept her corset on, hugging all the right curves with everything beneath displayed for his viewing pleasure, except for this one article of clothing that teased him well. No! She kept her leggings on, hugging thighs with squishy skin. What he wouldn't give to wrap his arms around that tiny waist, to explore that flesh and pin her down, such vivid imagery forced his blood to race.

Those perfectly round, soft-looking, flawless, creamy—gah! He slammed his forehead against the hardwood. Not hard! Just wood! No! Not wood either! Table! Sigh. He slammed his head against the table. What was he supposed to do? A huge part of him wanted to give in to her demands and reap the benefits. No! He pulled against his hair. Stop thinking with the wrong head! Think clearly! Husband! Family! Delicate, smooth skin! Arg!

Seriously! Frustration worked against him, both kinds of it. Forget the Grimm! He might die of a heart attack.

Things weren't looking so hot. Ruby was growing more filthy by the attempt, and that both scared and aroused him. Worse yet, he looked forward to it. No, no! What would she think of next? Would more articles of clothing fold, and how would her poses change? Where would she strike next? Would she grow bolder with her endeavors? None of that mattered in the end. She was winning this fight, bleeding his resolve with him limbs tied and body merely a toy for her to play with.

Sooner or later she would milk him dry.

Author Notes: Don't be fooled, this is a rated-M story, your search for wholesome Lancaster has been denied. That being said, the final chapter comes out next week.