Chapter Text
“Alright, I guess that's a wrap! As always, thank you so much for watching, and don't forget to like and subscribe and all that good stuff! Later!”
Ruby shut the camera off and took it off the tripod. She walked to her computer, sat in the chair, and set the camera on the desk. Ugh, I really don't feel like editing an entire four minute video right now, Ruby thought to herself. Ya know, maybe an hour or so of gaming wouldn't put me too far behind. Ruby opened up her browser and entered in the URL of her favorite MMO, even if it was, admittedly, pretty shit. She logged in and tweaked her character's armor a little before going online. It seemed that only one person in her friends list was online. Huh, that's odd, usually there's like twenty people on at this time of day, Ruby thought. She shrugged and took a closer look at her friends list. The lone user went by the handle 'CroceaMors'. Ruby had done one or two quests with them before, but she'd never actually spoken, er, chatted with them. Breaking the ice, Ruby typed a conversation starter in the chat box.
CrescentRose: Is it just me or is it like, way emptier than usual today?
CroceaMors: I guess we're the only ones here. Which is really odd, considering how busy this server usually is.
CrescentRose: That's what I thought. Guess I'm not crazy after all.
CroceaMors: You're not crazy. Well, at least I hope not, since you're the only one here to help me complete this quest.
CrescentRose: Nah, I'm just pulling your leg. So are ya ready to do this, Crocea?
CroceaMors: Hell yeah. And you can call me Jaune. Crocea's too formal.
CrescentRose: It's nice to meet you, Jaune. I'm Ruby.
CroceaMors: Nice to meet you, too, Ruby. Now let's do this thing.
Ruby helped Jaune finish the quest in record time. They cracked jokes at each other throughout the whole task, and Jaune must have also enjoyed Ruby's company, because after they were done, he brought up trading skype usernames so they could talk out of game. Happily, Ruby obliged, and about thirty seconds later, accepted his contact request. She snickered at his skype icon, which was a photo of him, presumably, sticking his tongue out and crossing his eyes. She sent him a message.
Ruby: Nice icon, dingus.
Jaune: Oh, shit, I meant to change that before I added you, oh my god.
Ruby: Dude, it's okay, it's actually really funny.
Jaune: Ruby, that's really offensive. That's what my face looks like all the time. How insensitive of you. I never pegged you to be that kind of person.
Ruby: Well, how do you know my face doesn't also look like that all the time?
Jaune: Shit, you got me there.
They chatted for a little while longer, until Ruby realized how late it had gotten and how she still had an entire video to edit. She said goodbye to Jaune, promising to talk to him again tomorrow.
Ruby was up a little later than she wanted to be, but she didn't really care at this point. She uploaded the video and went straight to bed, only after sending Jaune a quick goodnight message, not caring if he'd already gone to bed. He hadn't.
When she woke up, Ruby checked some of the comments on the video she posted the night before. From what she could see, her fans really enjoyed this one! Which was really good, since her last few videos were really hit or miss. Of course there were a handful of rude comments, which all had their own string of replies from fans calling them out. Ruby really loved all of her fans, and she was so grateful for every single one of them. Opening skype, Ruby noticed that Jaune was online, and that he had sent her a few messages while she was still asleep.
Jaune: Goodnight, Ruby. I hope you get a good night's rest.
Jaune: Moooorning Ruby!
He sent the first message right after Ruby messaged him last night, the the second about an hour and a half before Ruby woke up.
Ruby: Hey, Jaune! How're you?
Jaune: Well, Miss Ruby, I'm just grand. How about yourself?
Ruby: Haha, that's great! I'm pretty good, as well.
Jaune: So, what are you up to today?
As they talked, one thought plagued Ruby's mind. I still haven't told him that I'm kinda-sorta internet famous... Well, he could be one of those guys that only uses computers for gaming. He probably isn't even subscribed to anyone on YouTube. So, he'd have no idea who I am. So I'm just gonna wait until the last possible second to tell him. Yeah, that's a good plan.
The days went by and turned to weeks, and Ruby and Jaune still chatted on skype and occasionally played games online together. She and Jaune had become pretty good friends. She learned that he was living on his own in Pensacola, Florida, he loved gaming, and had seven sisters. And I thought just one sister was bad enough, she thought. Then, Ruby got a message that she should've been prepared for at this point, but in reality, she wasn't. At all.
Jaune: So, we've been talking for about a week or so, right? I was just thinking that maybe we could video chat sometime? Whenever you're free, that is.
Ruby stared at her computer screen, trying to think of a way to answer him.
Ruby: Yeah, that sounds rad! I'd love to!
Jaune: Awesome! We don't have to like today, or even tomorrow. Just whenever you're free and willing to, I guess.
Ruby: I've got a few things to do today, but when I'm done, I'm totally up for it!
Jaune: Well, that was quick. Just shoot me a message when you're ready. Just a warning though, I'm kind of painfully awkward.
Ruby: It's cool dude, I promise I won't make fun of you too much.
Jaune: Thanks, Ruby, you're a real pal.
Ruby: Anytime, Jaune.
Ruby worked on washing the dishes in the sink of the small apartment she shared with her older sister, Yang, and she started to feel anxious. What if he thinks I'm weird when I talk out loud? What if I'm not as funny as I seem in chat? What if I talk too loud or too fast? What if he knows who I am and is one of the dickheads who always comment rude stuff on my videos? She was visibly upset, and just then, as if by a miracle from the heavens, Yang got back from work.
"Yang, thank god you're home. I've got a little... dilemma," Ruby called to her sister, who was taking her shoes off and setting them next to the door.
"Who sent you hate? I'll beat 'em up," Yang retorted, punching her open palm.
"No one sent me hate, Yang. It's... boy trouble...?" she said, her words getting gradually higher in pitch at the end of her sentence, making it sound like a question.
Yang walked into the kitchen, grabbed a chair, swung it around, and sat on it backwards. She crossed her arms over the top of the back of the chair. "Spill it, lil' sis."
"Well, I've been talking to this guy, Jaune, quite a lot over the past week, and he's really sweet and really funny, and we like a lot of the same things and we have a ton in common, but..." Ruby's sentence trailed off and she didn't bother to finish it.
"Come on, Ruby, he sounds like a great guy? What's the problem?"
"Problems. Plural. A, he doesn't know that I'm... me, and B, he wants to video chat with me. Which is kind of a bad combination of problems."
"Sis, how could you have been talking to this guy for this long and not told him about your channel?"
"I don't know! It never came up, I guess!"
Yang sighed, "Well, I can't help you with this one, dude. This is one battle you've gotta fight on your own." Yang got up from the chair and put her hand on Ruby's shoulder. "But I'm sure everything will work out. Trust me."
Ruby smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Yang, you always know what to say."
"No problem, it's kinda my job."
Ruby laughed and rolled her eyes, and Yang went back to her bedroom. Finishing washing the dishes, Ruby set the last few dishes on the drying rack, and went back to her own room. Before sitting in her desk chair, she stopped in her bathroom to make sure her hair and makeup weren't too atrocious. Sighing, Ruby walked back to her desk and sat down. She took another deep breath, ignored the butterflies in her stomach, and sent Jaune a message.
Ruby: Ready when you are!
Jaune: Cool. Let's do this.
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, the skype ringtone erupted from her speakers. Ruby jumped at the sudden noise and turned her volume down quickly before answering Jaune's request. The green light next to her webcam turned on, and Jaune's face appeared on her computer screen. Looks like he was lying about his face being permanently stuck in that ridiculous expression, Ruby noted.
She waved to Jaune and smiled. "Hey, Jaune," she said.
Jaune didn't reply. He was completely still and dead silent. 'Is his camera frozen? Is there a problem with the call?' Ruby worried.
"Jaune?" Ruby murmured. "You there?"
"Oh my god," was all he said.
Confused, Ruby asked, "What?"
"You're... you. I mean, you're that girl. From YouTube. RubyRose, right? Oh my god, you have like, two million subscribers. I've been talking to a famous person all along and I didn't even know it..." Jaune rambled.
Ruby laughed and nodded. "Yep. That's me. I'm RubyRose."
"Holy shit, my friend Nora is like obsessed with you. She might kill me if she finds out I've been talking to you," he laughed, running a hand through blonde hair.
"You really talk a lot, don't you?" she inquired with a smile.
"S-Sorry, I'm just... Confused. Really really confused."
"About?" Ruby's anxiety was finally starting to let up. Jaune was exactly like he was via text chat. Dorky, embarrassing, Jaune. Nothing to worry about.
"I don't even know," Jaune laughed. "Mostly just why a freaking celebrity decided to befriend a loser like me?"
"You might be a loser, Jaune, but you're a cool loser. If that makes any sense."
Jaune rolled his eyes and laughed again. "Thanks, Ruby. I'm glad I have friends that think I'm a 'cool loser'", he used air quotes around the last two words. They talked back and forth like that for about an hour, until Jaune said he had to work, saying goodbye to Ruby before hanging up the call.
Ruby was really starting to take a liking to Jaune and his goofy, yet charming mannerisms (in a more romantic sense than she'd like to admit).