Special Delivery

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Jaune hadn't been there more than once or twice, but he knew where The Club was. Even Nora and Yang had mentioned the place in passing, even if they talked about it more as the big dance club it fronted as rather than… Everything else Junior got up to. Jaune himself wasn't entirely sure what that was beyond 'selling information' though, thanks to how insulated Neo and Roman kept him from their goings on.

"Not anymore, though." He reassured himself, looking at the big building across the street and resting a hand on the envelope in his old, prized hoodie's pocket.

He was finally helping his friends, after everything they'd done for him. His team, his friends besides, his training and his chance to be a hero. He owed them so much, and it was so nice to be able to pay some of that back and help them out. Even if it wasn't much more than being a delivery boy…

"No." He chided himself, shaking his head and tucking his hood around his ears. "What it is doesn't matter, I'm still helping."

So, tossing a look both ways before he did like he'd been taught, he jogged across the road.

This early in the morning the massive dance club and bar was silent, its working hours having ended a few hours beforehand. The neon lights were off, the club's doors were propped open for air, presumably while the inside was cleaned after a long night. The velvet ropes that managed the lines waiting to try and get in had been taken down, their metal posts left bare while a young woman cleaned them and a man swept the area up. Neither paid any mind, and he didn't want to bother them while they were working, so he turned his attention to the last man outside.

"We're closed, and wouldn't let ya in if we weren't." The old man sighed, leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and his chin resting against his chest.

"B-But I have a message for-"

"Ain't nobody out there I know about sendin' a message to anyone here in a Pumpkin Pete's hoodie, kid." The man sighed, giving him a once-over and shaking his head. Considering him, the man growled out, "What are you, anyway? Seventeen? Eighteen? Tell me nineteen and I'll call you a liar."

"Seventeen." Going on eighteen, but he knew better than to add that part. Bad enough he'd not noticed which hoodie he was pulling on in his excitement to get going. "And someone out there sent me here with a letter."

"Sure, kid." The man sighed, returning his chin to his chest, tipping his bowler forward a bit. "Seventeen? Should get goin' then. I'm sure you got homework or somethin' to do."

"I don't- I already finished my homework for the week last night." Jaune hated people like this, who took one look at his clothes, or at him, and assumed they could judge him. Roman and Neo hadn't, at least beyond making jokes. Instead they were helping him, and he wasn't about to let this guy stop him from returning the favor.

Even if he hated playing this card…

"My friend wouldn't like you hassling me like this, you know." He murmured, stepping close and putting his Aura up when the man's hand slipped into his suit jacket. Regardless of his age, Jaune was as tall as the older man, so he spoke straight into his face, whispering the threat, "Neo doesn't like people giving me a hard time when I'm just doing a favor for our other friend."

"N-Neo?" The older man blinked, swallowing anxiously as Jaune stepped back and turned a smile on the two cleaners who had turned to pay attention when he stepped close. When Jaune only nodded the man pushed off the wall and straightened his coat anxiously. "I'll, uh, I'll… Show you in, then, if you want?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess." Technically, Jaune was just supposed to hand the letter off, but… He really wanted to see what it was like up where Roman and Junior had their meetings. Roman wouldn't be happy, but… "Right behind you, then."

The man nodded and Jaune followed, feeling just the least bit guilty about name-dropping Neo, and by extension Roman, like that. But then again, he never really did that normally, and right now he was trying to help Roman out.

So he felt a bit entitled to use their names if someone tried to stop him from doing his job.

Inside, The Club had been emptied out and, unlike when it was operating, it was brightly lit. A couple dozen cleaning crew meandered here and there, collecting trash and cleaning the tables and seating in their all-white uniforms. Black-clothed guards, Junior's men Jaune knew from the simplistic rundown Roman had given him once upon a time, stood and sat randomly throughout the room. Most had food and drinks, probably their dinner given their work schedule.

All of them, even the cleaners, stopped what they were doing when he came in. And, feeling particularly self-conscious about his Pumpkin Pete's hoodie, he kept his head down so they wouldn't see him.

"This way." His guide grunted, moving past the bar and towards a set of stairs that led up.

At the top was clearly a VIP section of sorts, designed and built like a restaurant with numerous booths lining the walls to either side. Each had been built as circles, about a tenth of them left open and connected by a thick looking, curved curtain rod with heavy red curtains that could be drawn for privacy. Some, he saw as they passed them, were bigger than others with poles than ran to the ceiling.

Jaune didn't need their purpose explained to him, to say the least.

Another set of stairs, this one guarded by two burly, alert looking henchmen, had been built at the far end of one side of the VIP section. It lead him further up and, though the guards gave him looks, they didn't question him. The last floor, which actually stretched out over the dance and club area unlike the VIP room, was a maze of hallways and rooms. None were labeled, for whatever reason, but his guide knew the way.

"You're, uh, not gonna tell Roman I gave you trouble are you?" The man asked after a while, looking over his shoulder at Jaune. "Cus, I didn't know who you were, man. Didn't recognize you I mean. Sorry, long night, I'm… Worn out."

"I won't say anything." He did not want Neo to know he name-dropped her. She'd either love it, or hate it, and he did not need to know which.

"Thanks…" The man sighed, shoulders sloping ever so slightly in relief.

Something stood out as odd, somehow, to him. It wasn't odd how anxious he'd been at Neo and Roman's names being dropped, that made sense in the context of what Jaune knew about the 'underworld'. Especially since the man had misstepped and now was leading him through his boss' lair to meet with him afterwards, knowing Jaune could land him in hot water if he wanted. And wasn't that weird to think, him being in some 'underworld' boss' 'lair'.

'Do they call them lairs?' He wondered quietly as they rounded a corner. 'Should I ask? Would that be rude?'

"Stanley, you're supposed to be watching the door." A voice drew his attention, looking up and past the suited man at a young woman all in white who looked tired and suspicious, arms crossed under a small bust and eyes narrow. Her eyes flicked to him and narrowed more, asking both of them, "Who is this and why is he up here?"

"U-Uh, Miss Malachite, I- He has something for the boss. From, uh, M-Mimster Bowler-"

"Oh save the stupid code names up here, Stanley, if the cops have this bugged we'll be in a paddy wagon in an hour." The woman sneered, stalking around the man on dangerously tall heels. As in, literally dangerous, he could see an almost bladed edge to them. "Do you really think this lanky little man-child would work for Roman, Stanley?"

"W-Well, people don't just say they work for him and not… Actually work for him." The man murmured, turning a desperate look on him and swallowing anxiously. "That would get us both killed. And ain't no one 'round here dumb enough to drop his name or her name like that."

"Oh." He blinked, fishing the slightly crumpled envelope out of his pocket and showing it to them. "I have proof."

"Oh thank the gods…"

"Oh fuck me sideways and raw..." The woman murmured, taking it and looking at the little stamp Roman had left on it. What the stamp really meant was lost on him, of course, but she pushed it back into his hands like it was diseased. "Stanley, you go watch the damn door, I'll take him to the boss."

"Got it, Miss Malachite." The man nodded, eager enough to turn and almost jog off and away from them both.

"You're the little ice cream girl's blonde, right?" He wasn't sure about the way she phrased that, like Neo owned him, but he nodded regardless and the woman chewed her lip. Looking to either side as though expecting someone to show up she stepped forward, pressing him against the wall and then her against him, hissing low enough anyone that had been there wouldn't be able to hear. "The fuck is going on with Roman, then? You know what that stamp means?"

"N-No, I don't know what it means." He answered, fighting to ignore the feeling of the woman against him and the pale skin of her chest he could see with the little it of height he had on her, and the angle. Hands up in surrender, and so he knew where they were, he explained, "Roman just asked me to do him the favor, he doesn't want me super involved in any of this."

"Why not?" She demanded, pressed even more firmly against him in what he guessed was supposed to be threatening. Ignoring of the real reason he was sweating and flushed, she demanded, "What makes you so special? You aren't involved, but you're running a letter like this? Doesn't make any damn sense."

"Because w-we're friends, kind of, and he doesn't want me in danger." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously but, before she could say anything, he swallowed and asked, "Can you, um, get off me? Please? You're… Really close to me right now, n-not that I'm complaining, but..."

"Oh..." She blinked and flushed, then pushed off him and glared as if he was to blame. Or like she was afraid of something, though he couldn't guess at what exactly. "Just… Forget about that, okay? And don't tell her."

"Her…?"

"Yeah, the girl, Neo." He made a little 'o' of realization and nodded, and the woman groaned. "Oh my god, you're just… Just don't tell her about any of this. The hassle, and the threats, and- Just please, alright?"

"I won't say anything." Was Neo really that scary even to these people that they would react like this? And what the hell was this letter, anyway? Whatever, he couldn't tell her about them without spilling the proverbial beans about how he was helping anyway. "You have my word and an Arc never goes back on his word."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." She sighed and relaxed, though, turning and waving for him to follow her.

'Junior' was a bear of a man, sitting behind a desk in a normal looking office when they found him. He grunted a short, tired greeting as Jaune was shown in and then patiently listened to Miss Malachite's explanation of things and then his own. The woman left out her threats so he left out the trouble he'd had getting in. When they finished, the man's frown deepened and an eyebrow rose, like he knew they weren't being honest. But he simply shrugged and let it go, relaxing after a second.

When Junior asked he produced the little envelope and handed it to him, watching the man grimace at the stamp and then give him a nod.

"Melanie, head to the vault and get our friend here a payment." Junior sighed, opening the letter and reading it with a little frown. "Eight hundred Lien should do for the trouble getting here."

"E-Eight hundred?!"

"Not enough?" Jaune spluttered, trying to explain that it was too much, and the man grunted. "A thousand then. Melanie, get it done and get back here. I want our friend to get back to Roman sooner than later."

Half an hour later, with a new envelope full of Lien cards, he was shown to the door and wished well as he left. Shrugging, and ripping the envelope open to put the cards in his wallet since paying from an envelope was so suspicious that even he knew better, he left. A couple hours after he left, with a take-out bag of chocolate chip pancakes under an arm, he pushed open the door to Roman's apartment again.

And then he sighed, and made his way to the kitchen while trying very hard to ignore his friend's yoga.

"Neo, do you have to do that now?" He groaned, ignoring the silent laugh the currently upside down, dangerously underdressed girl gave him.

'Now is when my favorite show comes on, and it's relaxing to do this.' How she could be comfortable on her elbows with her legs folded back along her back to rest on her shoulders, he didn't know. Smiling in spite of her strange and very revealing posture, she signed, 'You're just mad about my shorts, aren't you?'

"T-They're barely there, Neo!" He flushed, "Like, at least some sweatpants or a shirt with sleeves instead of those noodles would be nice.

'They're not as comfy.' She smiled, 'I like my boy shorts and tank better.'

Sighing, Jaune shrugged and turned, storming out of the living room while she watched silently. Trying very hard to scald the images burned into his retinas out, he unpacked the pancakes he'd gotten for them all, stuck a fistful in the fridge for Roman.

Setting out plates he called out, "I got chocolate chip pancakes, Neo, if you-" The girl was in a seat, eyes wide and staring at the breakfast, before he could even finish and he chuckled.

'Sorry if my teasing bothered you.' The girl signed a few minutes later, watching him closely. He blinked, taking a bite and giving her a look and she grimaced, signing slowly. 'I didn't mean to make you mad, but you seemed mad.'

"I wasn't mad." He assured her, grimacing and admitting, quietly, "I was just, you know…" He met her eyes and she blinked innocently, cocking her head and letting the ponytail she slept with fall over a shoulder. Sighing, "I was embarrassed, that's all. You just caught me off guard, so… I dunno."

'Oh.' She signed, blinking and then smiling thinly, playfully spinning a fork on her palm. 'Sorry I got you all flustered then. Guess it can't be helped, though. I'm so adorable.'

"Yep." He smiled, taking a bite and giving her a look. If she wanted to play this game this early… "Can't be helped when I walk in on the most beautiful girl in Vale doing her stretches, I guess. Any man would get a little flushed. Most women, too, probably. Maybe even a few rocks."

'Yep.' She signed, flushing slightly and narrowing her eyes at his teasing. She knew what he was up to, then, as little as it mattered that she did without a viable way to counter. 'Well, at least you have good taste.'

"Yep." He smiled, feeling just a bit daring and grinning. Her eyes widened at the smile, knowing what was coming even before he added, feigning an almost wistful tone. "Not that I've gotten a real taste, of course. At least, not yet."

This time, Neo flushed cherry red, signing randomly and rapidly for several moments while he laughed. Eventually, she gave up and threw her fork at him, signing, 'Dick' as she stood and pouted her way out of the room. Still smiling, Jaune rose and took their dishes to the sink to scrub them clean before he returned to the living room. Stretching out on the couch he took the remote and touched the volume up on Neo's cartoon.

A minute later, she vaulted the couch to land in his lap, dressed in her leotard and nothing else. Flushing and lurching up to catch her, he stammered, "N-Neo, what- Why are you- L-Leotard!"

'You took my spot.' She shrugged, wiggling against him until she was laid over top of him, stretched out on the couch. Smiling up at him she signed, 'Also, you're warm. I like warm and it's kind of cold.'

"Pants fight off the cold!"

'Pants are uncomfortable.'

"A-Aura can block out temperatures!"

'Effort.' She signed back, wiggling against him purposefully and smiling at the thin whine he let out, his arms folded across his chest tightly, lest they touch anything soft and feminine. Gently, she tugged one off and draped it over her shoulder and side like a blanket, smiling, 'Much better. Nice and warm and comfortable. You make a good couch, Jaune.'

All Jaune could do was whine pitifully, and regret, once again, daring to tease Neo.

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Not as much Neo in this chapter, sorry 'bout that, but some much needed plot stuff.

And I mean 'actual' plot not 'Neo's two plots' plot, either. Lol.

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