Jaune deserves an explanation

Later that evening, after Ruby had calmed down from her latest outing, she heard her scroll buzz on the table next to her. Picking it up, Ruby saw it was a text form Jaune.

J: So...what was that about?

Ruby gulped when she read the message. Quickly, she tapped out a response and sent it back.

R: Is it bad that I was hoping you'd forget about that?

J: Seeing one of my best friends running through the halls naked? Yeah, I'm not forgetting that anytime soon lol

Ruby couldn't help but smile at that. Knowing Jaune considered her such a close friend made her feel warm inside. However, she couldn't dwell on that too much at the moment. She had to decide how much she was going to let Jaune in on. She thought back to Weiss's words earlier. About how he had matured a great deal in his time here. The more Ruby thought about it, the more she realized what an honorable individual Jaune was. If she trusted him with this secret, she felt confident he'd keep it.

R: So...you know how you saw Weiss naked when you returned my notebook a couple of months ago?

Jaune's response was rather quick.

J: Yeah. For a while, I wasn't sure if I had dreamed that or not

R: Well...that started when I made all four of us start sleeping naked

J: Wait...what?

R: I thought it would help us bond! We weren't coming together as a team, like I hoped we would, and I thought that would fix it

J: Ok...how does that connect to you streaking for Coco?

R: Well, a few weeks later, Yang and I caught Weiss and Blake sneaking back into the dorm after streaking around the dorm in the middle of the night. Apparently, they're exhibitionists, and...turns out I am too

Jaune didn't start typing his response for almost a minute after Ruby sent that.

J: Wow. That's...that's really something

R: Yeah...lol

J: So...you streaking for Coco was a reward?

R: Eh...sort of? I mean, once all of that was out in the open, I decided to plan a little competition where all four of us would streak down to Vale in pairs to get a key to our dorm, and the first one back would decide a dare for the loser.

J: O.O

J: And Weiss agreed to that?

R: Oh, you'd be surprised lol

R: Anyway, while Weiss and I were looking for our key, Coco came around and caught me. She said she'd keep my secret for a price.

J: And that price was you getting her bag from Port's class?

R: Bingo

J: I realize now that you can't see me, but I'm shaking my head right now lol

R: Yeah, I don't blame you. I would be too, if I wasn't living it for myself

Ruby's scroll was silent for a moment again.

J: Wait...that was just a punishment for you from Coco, right? Who won the actual bet between the four of you?

R: Ah...Weiss and I lost :)

J: So you have to do another punishment?

R: Afraid so, yeah

J: What'll that be?

R: Not sure. The bet was just last night. Blake and Yang haven't decided what it'll be yet

J: Gods. I can only imagine what this'll be, when it started with streaking through the city

R: Don't remind me lol

More silence.

R: So...you won't tell anyone what I've told you, right?

J: Of course not. You're my friend. I won't betray your trust like that.

R: Thank you :)

At that moment, Ruby looked up from her scroll. Blake and Yang were still out, and Weiss was sitting at her desk, not paying Ruby any attention at the moment. Feeling her heart beating a mile a minute at what she was about to do, Ruby closed the messaging app on her scroll and opened the camera, turning it in selfie mode and holding it at arms length. Her face and most of her nude torso were visible on the screen.

It took her three tries, since her hands were shaking so much, but she eventually got a picture that she was happy with. She then opened the messaging app back up and attached the picture she just took to a message, adding a ;) beneath it. She hesitated for a moment, but quickly pushed those feelings down and hit send.

Jaune's reaction took almost five minutes.

J: Ah...Ruby? Did you mean to send me that?

R: I did. Call it a "thank you" for keeping my secret, and being such a good friend

J: You don't have to do that. I like being your friend, Ruby. I don't need some reward for doing that.

R: Regardless, I want you to have this. I mean...you've already seen them. So why not?

More silence.

J: Are you sure you want me to have this picture?

R: I'm sure. I trust you not to share it with anyone. What you use it for on your own, though, is entirely up to you ;)