Chapter-3

The commercial district of Atlas was something else.

Unlike the streets of Vale and Mistral with their buildings and roads steeped with history, aged by time and use, or the gloomy, downtrodden roads of Mantle, covered in snow and ice, everything about Atlas was new and modern. Buildings were masses of sleek steel and glass, the sidewalks free of even the most minut dirt and grime. Vehicles moved in orderly fashion, silent but for the low rumble of their dust powered engines. Everything was well lit, there were streetlights every few feet and massive billboards running commercials dominating the sides of skyscrapers. Store fronts were wide sections of glass with sliding doors, tinted with colorful dust in an array of hues. It was this that made the city light up like a rainbow in the night, light reflected off dust-glass like a projection. In a way, it was very impressive and beautiful. Yet it was surrounded by soullessness. Everything felt artificial. If Jaune had to choose, he much preferred the brick and mortar of Vale, or the wooden beams and cream plaster walls of Mistral.

Even the freezing Mantle felt more inviting than downtown Atlas.

Nevertheless, his friends seemed to be having a good time. It was a rare weekend without work and they were making the most of it, doubling as a sort of get out of hospital party even if that had been near a week ago now.

Even if the artificial nature of the city was a tad unnerving, he had to admit that they had everything a person could ever want. He found his eyes drawn to the various electronic outlets, curious about what new gadgetry had come out since last he looked. Traveling across continents on foot didn't leave much time for keeping up with the latest trends and Atlas was always ahead of the game when it came to such things. The home of invention, many called it.

Ruby looked like she was about to suffer an aneurysm, there was so much to take in. Silver eyes rolled as she tried to keep track of everything, the flashing lights threatening to blind her. Weiss simply looked bored, no doubt used to it. This was her city, after all. Even if the former Schnee heiress probably didn't get out as much as she would have liked in her youth. Her father was the controlling type.

"You're gonna make yourself dizzy, sis," Yang placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder, halting the younger girl in her tracks. "Calm down a bit, will ya? People are giving us weird looks."

Indeed, several citizens of Atlas were watching their curious group. Though Jaune felt it was less about Ruby's silliness and more about the faunus in their group. Blake weathered their stares with great poise by simply refusing to acknowledge their existence. Her black cat ears flicked and twitched, displaying for all her proud heritage. She had come a long way since Beacon, no longer content to hide who she was. If the people of Atlas had a problem with her then they were more than welcome to speak up.

But looking at Blake only reminded Jaune of another cat faunus. One that had taken his cock in hand, had taken it in her mouth. One whom he had seen completely bare and had devoured with his eyes, his fingers claiming her in the most intimate of ways. They'd shared a few messages since that incident but Team FNKI were kept rather busy as of late, meaning they hadn't done more than that. The promise of a repeat hung hot and heavy between them, an agonizing tension that carried through their texts and Jaune knew that the next time they met things would go a lot further than they had last time.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

He was excited for sure. Neon was an incredibly attractive girl with a fun personality. What straight single lad wouldn't want to have casual sex with such a girl? She was more than willing. She had instigated the whole thing. It wasn't Jaune that had stolen into her shower and disrobed. No, Neon was the one that had taken the imitative and Jaune had enjoyed every single second of it. Even if he had been left blue balled by the end due to unfortunate circumstances. It was the single most erotic moment of his life. The first time a girl had given him a hand job. The first time a girl had given him a blow job, even if interrupted. What wasn't there to love?

Yet try as he might, something about the situation felt off. Things had happened really, really fast. One moment he had been lifting weights in the gym and then the next, he had been in the shower with his cock halfway down Neon's throat. He wasn't naive enough to think that only people in love had sex. He wasn't ten years old. Sure, he was a bit of a romantic at heart but he wasn't going to turn down a good thing when it literally landed in his lap, not when there wasn't a girl out there for him at the moment that he was pursuing. There hadn't been since Beacon. But wasn't there usually a little build up? Even one night stands usually happened because both people were actively looking for sex. They'd just sort of bumped into each other at the gym and one thing had led to another. They weren't strangers, they trained together often enough since he and his friends had arrived in Atlas, but they weren't much more than acquaintances.

Well, they were hell of a lot more than that now. He just didn't understand how it happened.

Perhaps he was being too judgmental of the situation. Jaune had been wired up ever since the accident in the mines and Neon Katt had been there, ready and willing. Whatever her reasons, there didn't have to be much more than that, right? Other people did stuff like this all the time. Maybe not exactly like that but close enough. They were young, unattached and apparently horny. She obviously thought he was handsome enough and he had no issue with her. She was cute, spunky and he enjoyed her company.

He just never thought he would try and fuck a girl in a public shower. If they'd been caught, it would have been the talk of the school in no time. The huntsman from Beacon and the faunus trainee from Atlas. Embarrassing would have been an understatement. How would her partner feel about that? How would his team? Or Team RWBY, for that matter? It isn't like they'd think less of him or anything. It was just sex with a girl, he hadn't committed a crime. But even so, he wasn't sure he wanted them to know about his private affairs like that.

And while he was no longer pursuing her, hadn't been in a long time, he didn't want the girl he admired so much to find out and think he was some sort of horndog. He didn't want Weiss' opinion of him to return to what it once was. That was something he couldn't handle.

"Jaune?"

He jumped as a hand touched his arm, gliding over the material of his shirt. Blake kneaded his shoulder gently, a concerned look on her face. Meeting her eyes, he was struck suddenly by how beautiful and exotic the amber of her irises really were. Up close, he could see the way they shifted hues. They were lighter on the outside, almost golden, while darker closer to the pupil, a russet copper. There was a hint of green, almost hazel in the way it blended seamlessly with the dominant amber. He knew he was staring but couldn't help it, captivated.

Her cheeks pinked under his inspection.

"Sorry, what was that?" he finally asked. He shook his head. "I was a little lost in my head for a moment."

"I could tell," she teased, removing her hand. Her cheeks retained their rosy tone. "Lien for your thoughts?"

"Oh, nothing too important," he lied. He couldn't tell her the truth; that when he looked at her, all he could see was Neon's small breasts, her nipples puckered to perfection. Or that his mind was filled with soap suds gliding over luscious skin, or the unforgettable feeling of her soft hands working his cock.

"It didn't seem like nothing," she countered with a cocked eyebrow.

Jaune shrugged. "Just – you know, thinking about what happened. The mission, the collapse. I still can't remember much of anything."

Her hand was on his shoulder once more, stroking with her thumb. "You shouldn't force yourself. It'll come back to you. You just need to give it time."

"Yeah," he sighed, looking up at the clouded sky. "It's just a little frustrating, you know?"

"I can imagine."

They walked in silence as their friends continued their antics around them. Her hand remained on him, slipping down his arm into the crook of his elbow. It felt natural even though they had never once walked arm in arm together. He could feel the warmth of her slender body as she stepped closer, their shoulders brushing together. It was nice. Peering at her from the corner of his eyes, he admired the way her shorter hair exposed her graceful neck. He was a fan of longer hair but he couldn't deny that some girls could rock a shorter cut. Ruby was a prime example.

The stares were now focused on the pair of them, not just Blake. While not all of them were hostile, most of them merely only curious, Jaune knew exactly what the others were thinking and it made him sick. It was clear on their faces that they disapproved. A human and a faunus, together? To them, it was abnormal. A blending of the species? Abhorrent.

"They think we are a couple," Blake deadpanned when she felt his arm tense beneath her hand. "Silly, aren't they?"

"I guess we look the part right now," Jaune said quietly, anger simmering below the surface. "Silly isn't the word I would use."

"Ignore them," she said.

He really was in awe of how she was handling it, though Jaune knew deep down that it hurt her. This was the type of behavior that she had fought against, that had eventually driven her over the edge and into the arms of a more militant White Fang. While Jaune didn't agree with their methods, that sowing fear and chaos only harmed chances at equality and acceptance, he could certainly understand why they had chosen to go down such a dark path. He wanted nothing more than to walk across the street and punch them in their stupid, judging faces, and he wasn't the one they had the major issue with.

So caught up in their own world, they almost missed it when their friends entered a store. Giving each other an embarrassed look, they backtracked and followed them in. At a glance, Jaune determined that Ruby had picked this place. The walls and shelves were stocked with all manner of speaker, headphones and smaller, more compact ear pieces. Wired or wireless, they came in every color imaginable. They also had microphones and other sound related devices, mixers and compressors, turntables and more.

Blake gave his arm a squeeze and then wandered over to join Yang, who was inspecting a range of wireless speakers. Ren seemed interested in the ear pieces, comparing them to the ones they used on missions. No doubt they would be lacking, considering the military had supplied theirs. Doctor Polendina knew his stuff.

Jaune found Ruby exactly where he expected her to be. Trying on a pair of bright red headphones, she plugged them into the test unit, head bobbing as music blared. As big of a geek as she could be about weapons, she was just as hooked on headphones and speakers. Grinning, he slipped an arm about her shoulders, chuckling as she jumped. Peeling one side from her ear, she glared at him cutely.

"Any good?" he asked. She nodded, glare turning into a smile.

"Yeah, these rock," she slipped them back on and continued to bob and sway. The way his arm was positioned, it almost looked like his hand was ready to cup one of her supple breasts. As soon as that thought crossed his mind, he noticed her scent. Strawberry shampoo, he inhaled. He pulled away.

That was odd.

Ruby ended up purchasing the headphones, giddy as she explained to her sister the technical details. As any big sister did, she listened with half an ear, leading them to a fashion store next. They had everything from skirts to pants to shoes, shirts and dresses and jackets. Jaune idly wandered over to the men's section, Ren following, as the girls fanned out.

There was a lot of winter wear, though that was to be expected. Solitas was cold year-round. Even in the height of summer, it snowed. Mantle was always covered in ice. The fashion reflected their environment; fur lined jackets, knitted sweaters and more. Though that wasn't to say you couldn't find anything else. Jaune eyed up a nice pair of dark denim jeans, comparing them to ones he was wearing. The price tag made him recoil.

After they finished browsing, they made their way over to the girls section. It was easy enough to track down their friends in the large store; they just followed Nora's voice.

"I've never seen you wear pants before!" the orange haired girl exclaimed as they came around the corner. She was by the dressing rooms, ogling Weiss as she modeled a pair of skin tight leggings. Jaune stopped dead in his tracks, eyes following every curve and dip, every swell of Weiss' incredibly defined legs. Her ass was tight and surprisingly full, proudly on display as she turned from side to side. Nora was right – he had never seen the former heiress in pants before. She always wore a skirt, dress or gown.

"Jaune," Weiss said in surprise, finally noticing him, ignoring Ren entirely. She gave him a bashful smile, gesturing to her legs. "What do you think?"

The tight, low waist really highlighted just how trim and flat her stomach was, was his first thought. He also loved the way the tight material showcased how muscular and sexy her legs were, shifting like a second skin whenever she moved. He couldn't say any of these things, nor how he wanted to slip his fingers into the waistband and peel them off her slowly, admiring her gorgeous skin.

"They're a nice color," he adjusted his stance, feeling something tighten . He felt hot under the collar, similar to when Neon accosted him at the gym. The leggings were a dark gray, fitting for the girl who dressed in white. "Are you going to buy them?"

"I was thinking about it," she gave a little twirl, her massive braid spinning behind her. Her calves flexed powerfully as she spun atop her toes. "Do you think I should?"

"Definitely."

Jaune knew that her father had often made Weiss sing at charity events and the like. He wondered if he had ever let her dance. He could see it as plain as day, Weiss on stage performing a routine in front of the Atlesian elite. Executing textbook pirouette and lunges, her petite frame showcased by her tight leotard. She had a dancer's body, willowy and strong, graceful. It made him angry, thinking about her father exploiting her like that, putting her on display for dirty old rich men to ogle. At the same time, it made his heart race just imagining it.

She would be a vision.

She gave her tight little booty a shake, hopping from foot to foot. Happy with the level of comfort and range of movement, she pranced into her dressing room to change. Jaune wanted to follow her inside more than anything.

He really was worked up. 

"They've got some pretty cool stuff," Yang said, drawing his attention away from Weiss' curtain. She had stepped out of her own dressing room decked out in a rather fashionable leather jacket. It was pitch black with white woolen inlay, the waist synced tight with the chest open. The way it hugged her frame highlighted her large bust, squeezing her breasts together and supporting them so they looked even larger than normal.

Blake was beside her, looking a little flustered.

"What do you guys think?" Yang tugged on the hem. "Good or what?"

"It suits you," Ren answered after a moment, side-eying Nora. "It looks warm."

"Jaune?" she turned his way, giving herself a little shake.

He tried not to stare. It was hard; her tits looked so soft and inviting. Neon had been much smaller in comparison. How different would they feel? "You're rocking it."

Yang's smile split her face. "I think I'm gonna get it. It'll go with Bumblebee super well."

He had to step away for a moment, a little overwhelmed. The cold air outside was refreshing, prickling at his face as he stepped out of the temperature controlled store. Yet it did little to cool him down, a blazing inferno beneath his skin.

Checking out his friends was nothing new. He was surrounded by beautiful girls, it was a given that he would look sometimes. While in the past, he only ever had feelings for Weiss, he wasn't blind to Blake's charms or Yang's allure, even Ruby's cuteness. Pyrrha's beautiful emerald eyes often took him aback by how striking they were, among other things. But he had always been able to keep those looks to a minimum. Now it felt like he was devouring them with his gaze, like a starving man set before a buffet. He felt a little out of control.

It had been the same with Neon.

He inhaled deeply, the crisp air filling his lungs.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Jaune turned to see Ruby, peering up at him in concern.

He smiled. "Yeah, I'm good. I was just feeling a little hot in there. Needed to step out for a bit."

She stepped closer and placed a palm against his forehead, balancing on the toes of her boots. Her hand was soft and small. That lovely strawberry scented shampoo tickled his nose when he breathed in. He wanted more of it.

"You do feel a little warm," she said after a moment, removing her hand. "Do you want to head back?"

Jaune shook his head. "Nah, really. I feel fine, just a little hot," at her unsure look, he nudged her with his elbow. "Seriously. If I start feeling sick or something, I'll let you know, okay? Promise."

"Okay," she said. "Where do you want to go next?"

Jaune felt his stomach gurgle. "I'm pretty hungry. Want to get a bite to eat?"

When the others joined them, they consulted their scrolls, trying to find a place to get some grub. He was surprised that Atlas had fast food considering how stuck up many of them were but perhaps he shouldn't have been. Next to the Schnee Dust Company, Remnant Burger owned half the globe. It seemed even Atlas were under their sway.

"Can I have a number three combo, please. Large," he ordered when it was his turn. The place was fairly busy, filled with office workers, high school students and soldiers on their day off. "A number eleven with extra sauce, and a twelve pack of nuggets, thanks."

His friends looked at him in surprise when he set his tray down.

"Jeez, you trying to gain some weight or what," Yang exclaimed, staring at his food. Her own large number three looked positively lonely. Jaune rubbed the back of his neck.

"I guess I'm more than a little hungry," he admitted.

"Understatement," Ren said as Nora reached across and snagged one of Jaune's nuggets.

"Can I share?" she asked, already popping it in her mouth. Jaune laughed.

"Yeah, help yourself."

He really was ravenous, tearing into his food with gusto. He polished his combo off in no time and began working on his nuggets, half of which Nora had already stolen. Chugging his cola, he tore into his extra burger, humming as the special sauce Remnant Burger was renowned for spread across his taste buds.

"I've noticed your eating habits have changed quite a lot," Weiss said after a while. She was daintily nibbling on her fries.

Swallowing the rest of his burger, he washed it down with the last of his drink. "The doctors said to expect my appetite to be a little abnormal for a bit. I didn't eat for nearly three days, so they said I might rebound a little aggressively."

"I'll say," Nora let out a ripping burp, having just downed her own soda. Weiss gave her a look of disgust while Yang whooped and high-fived her. "You should have seen what he had for breakfast this morning. Let me tell you, I can put away some waffles, but this guy had a mountain."

"Okay, okay, maybe I'm overdoing it a bit," he said, holding up his hands. "I've been hitting the gym every day so don't worry, your leader won't become a butterball."

His scroll chose that moment to chime, drawing his attention. Opening it up, he grinned happily. At their curious looks, he explained, "Ironwood has cleared me for duty. Finally!"

While Atlas had countless things to do and the academy had all the facilities one could hope for, he was going a bit stir crazy not being able to be in the field. He couldn't wait!