People liked my story "Never Alone," and so I decided to do a few more RWBY short stories, before publishing something bigger. I came up with this on a whim, and thought it would be a great idea to explore, since there aren't many stories of Jaune from before his time at Beacon. Well, any stories that I know of.

ATTENTION – This story has been rated M due to mentions of genitalia. That being said, in keeping with the websites policies, there are no overt descriptions of said organs, and nothing explicit is going on in this story. It is more of growing up/coming of age kind of piece.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. It is the intellectual property of the late Monty Oum, and his team and friends at Rooster Teeth.

What Truly Matters

Jaune Arc went through some pretty embarrassing situations in his life. He screwed up the name of a girl he confessed to in grade school, and even tried to stop his little sister from being bullied, only to be bullied by her bullies. His current situation though… it took the cake hands down. He zipped up his pants, closed the magazine in front of him, and wiped the ruler down with two alcohol pads. When he finished, he exited the restroom and made his way back to his bedroom. He was so glad his mom and sisters were at the market right now, or else one of them would have seen him and he'd die from the embarrassment.

When he opened the door to his room, he saw his father, Bleu Arc, sitting on his bed reading a comic book. The man was in his late forties, with blonde burr cut hair and stubble, and the azure eyes that ran in the Arc family. Those same eyes looked at him with a curious expression.

"So, how was it?" he asked.

Jaune blushed and squirmed.

"Did you really just ask me that?" he all but yelled.

His dad laughed a little, making Jaune even more irritated.

"We're both guys, son. It's only natural for you to be curious about your size. Let me guess who helped… Miss October?"

Jaune blushed and gripped the magazine in his hand at the mention of Miss October, but he shook his head.

"Miss… Miss May," he responded.

His father was surprised, which did not surprise Jaune when he thought about it. Miss October had an impressive, neat hourglass figure wrapped in an unbuttoned flannel shirt and short shorts. With a combo of C-cup breasts, plump looking buttocks topped with a freckled face and smooth brown hair Jaune could easily say that she was attractive, but it was the woman who represented the month of May that caught his interest. Miss May by contrast had a lean column figure, with B-cup breasts, and a tighter rump. Her expression was a sly smirk as opposed to the overt smile of all the other models in the catalog. It gave her an air of mystery, and confidence that Jaune found alluring. Throw in her violet eyes, cyan hair in a side bun, slightly crooked glasses and the office suit she wore-

"Ahem, Jaune."

Jaune snapped back to reality and realized he was crushing his dad's magazine.

"Sorry, dad!"

His hands loosened up, and he offered it back, but his father waved it off.

"Keep it, Jaune. You're old enough," he said.

"Really?" Jaune asked, excited.

"Sure, besides your mom and I finished with it years ago," he answered with a smirk.

Jaune dropped the magazine as if it carried a contagious disease, and groaned, which made Bleu laugh.

"I do not want to know what you and mom did with this magazine," Jaune said.

"Only ideas, nothing weird," reassured his father, "So… what's you measurement?"

Jaune looked at the ruler he held in his other hand, and remembered how this whole situation got started. He got back from school in a bad mood. With the dance coming up, all the guys at school scooped up girls left and right. Almost everyone. He was unable to get a girl to look his way, and the one who did told him that she were already going with someone else. Her name was Susan Barley, an upper classman who tutored him in biology from time to time. Her rejection hurt him, but not as much as what happened soon after. She went over to a bunch of guys from the senior class, some of whom he recognized as some of the bullies of his friends. When the leader spotted Jaune looking at Susan, he had sneered at him for looking at "his girl," and mocked him.

Jaune backed away, trying to avoid a fight, but that only emboldened the senior. Susan stopped the mocking from escalating to a full on beat down, but before he rejoined his group, the senior delivered the coup degras to his morale.

"I thought you were from a hotshot huntsman family, but I guess you're a cockless wimp, getting saved by a girl and all. Beat it loser, if you can find it, that is."

As much as he didn't want to let the words to get to him, that all he needed was to be nice to girls and confident in himself like dad said, the words hurt. As soon as he got home, he went to his room, got a ruler and dropped his pants. Just as he started to tug his boxers down, his father walked in with a concerned voice and asked what was wrong, only to be greeted by the sight of his son holding a ruler and getting prepared to masturbate.

Jaune was nervous, scared even. Where once there was angry resolve, there was now fear. He was about to tell his father how small he was; how unmanly he was compared to his him. For gods' sake he counted as one of eight kids that his dad had with his mom. The man had to be like a foot long, and he was a huntsman so that meant he was strong and had the cool guy image on top of that. Jaune glanced through his older sisters' magazines, he'd seen videos through the CCT a few times. He would never measure up.

"Jaune…?"

He opened his eyes, and saw his father's concerned stare.

It was best to just get it over with.

"S-Six inches…" said Jaune sadly.

"At full mast?" his father pressed.

"Y-Yeah," Jaune affirmed.

He braced himself for mockery.

"Six… not too shabby."

Jaune looked at his dad, shocked.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah," replied his father, "You're actually a little above average, if that magazine in the doctor's office is correct. In truth, you're bigger than me. Heh, finally one-upped your old man at something, eh?"

"No way, I'm bigger than you?"

"Yes; I'm five and three-quarter inches," his father replied. When Jaune remained silent, a scowl appeared on his father's face, "Don't believe me? Go to Miss October if you want me to confirm it for you."

"Ugh, dad, NO! I believe you, I do!"

His dad guffawed at him, the asshole. Still, he was bigger than his own dad?

"I'm kidding!"

"It's not funny!"

"What's the matter son? You're above average. I thought you'd be happy," said his father.

"I am!" snapped Jaune, ending the humorous look on his father's face.

There was a silence in the room.

"Is there something going on Jaune? Something that made you angry enough to put a dent in the wall when you got home?" he heard his father ask.

"I… put a dent in the wall?" he asked.

"When you pushed the front door in as quickly and as hard as you did? You're fixing that later, and you're avoiding the question. What's wrong, son?"

Jaune looked to his father, and walked to the bed and sat next to him. He folded his hands, and took a breath. He told his father about Susan, and what the seniors at school said.

"Ok…" said his father with thoughtful confusion, "So based on what those meatheads said… you think this Susan girl went with one of them because of his size?"

"Yeah… No… I don't know. I tried everything you said. I was nice and I mustered all the confidence I could. How could she… how could she go with someone like that?" said Jaune.

"I don't know, I'm not a girl. Maybe, she likes bad boys, or he asked first and she said 'yes," said his father, "What I do know is that if… if she's really not willing to give you a shot because of something as silly as cock size, then she, or any girl who thinks that way, is probably not good for a guy like you. You don't have a casual attitude when it comes to relationships after all. At least, I hope you don't."

"I'd have taken it seriously, don't worry," said Jaune firmly.

"Good," said his father, "Regarding this girl, I doubt she's going with that guy for the reason you're suggesting. She seems kind enough, at least kind enough to keep you from getting beat up, but move on from her. She said 'no,' and you do no one any favors by having lingering thoughts. It will just turn into resentment and bitterness, or an unnecessary fight."

"…Got it," said Jaune, trying to avoid thinking about all the times Susan was nice to him.

"Now then, onto that meathead who was messing with you, pay him no mind," he said sternly, "Neither your parentage, your looks, or even your penis size will win a girl's heart. If that were true, your mother would have never given me a chance, let alone still be with me."

"What do you mean?" he asked his father

Jaune's dad pulled out a photo and handed it to him.

"While you were busy in the bathroom, I got out something that I always have at the ready. It's something I use to teach your sisters about what to look for in a boy. Normally, your mother would help me with this story, but well I thought it would be better if this was more 'man to man.' It's from my freshman year at Signal Academy; back row, far right, that's me" he stated to Jaune, who examined the picture in detail, and zeroed in on his dad.

His dad looked really different from how he did now. The sleeveless tunic, and baggy pants worn by his father revealed a guy with a slightly rounder face, and there was some flab on his upper arms. He was also a little shorter than most of his classmates, including…

"Is that Uncle Prairie?" he said pointing out one of his father's classmates, a tall, lean boy with tan skin, and long black hair. He was a family friend who helped his dad throughout school, and often went with father with his more difficult grimm hunts.

"Sure is."

"But, you're taller than him."

"Now I am. I was fourteen, and had yet to hit my growth spurt. I was the shortest guy in class, average in most of my courses, with a hand-me-down for a weapon. By contrast, you're taller than I was at fifteen, and you're above average in most of your classes."

'I'm no huntsman in training, though,' Jaune thought bitterly, but he didn't say it, for fear of making his dad feel bad.

Jaune understood why his father didn't train him to be a huntsman. With seven other kids, he had to help mom full-time whenever he was home from missions. There just wasn't enough time to teach him then, and when most of his sisters were a little more independent, Jaune missed the vital years of training he would have needed to pass the Signal Academy entrance exams. After a moment, Jaune cleared his throat and handed the picture back.

"So, I guess you're saying that… I'll grow into a cooler looking guy as time goes on?"

"Cool, huh?" said Bleu, "I suppose so."

"You don't know?"

"I didn't know how I would look in the future. I met your mother when I was 16, and I still looked a lot like how I was in the picture," he started as he pocketed the picture, "We met when I was late to class, and rushing through the streets to the trolley. She held the door open for me on the, and when I got on board, caught my breath and saw her… I was entranced. Her long red hair, those brown eyes, and that concerned expression she gave as she asked if I was alright… I was speechless for a moment. I thanked her, of course, and somehow, I got the confidence to turn a simple 'thanks' into a conversation where we got to know a little about one another.

"She was in her first year at NATUV, on her way to class. We exchanged our info with one another, and I would meet with her every chance I got. I met a lot of pretty girls during my first two years at Signal, all physically attractive, super model bodies and all, but there was something special about your mother. I wanted to impress her. I just couldn't imagine not being able to meet with her, and I did everything I could to get better at school and earn spending money for whenever we hung out with our friends. I helped huntsmen prep for their missions, trained and studied harder. There were boys where she studied too, all of them were better looking than me at the time, but I was getting stronger. I was losing the fat, building up muscles, getting taller, and in my freshman year at Beacon, I was confident enough to confess. But I wanted things to be perfect. I planned the entire confession to the last detail with your aunt, and set the date for Valentine's Day."

"How did it go?" Jaune asked, excitedly.

"I never told her."

Jaune blinked.

"What?" he asked.

"I got a nice dress shirt, black slacks and a tie. I combed my hair, and got a 50 lien bouquet. I arrived at her school, feeling like the king of the world, but when I saw her, I felt like my heart got ripped out by a beowolf. I saw your mother crying alone on a bench at her school. I dropped the bouquet I was going to present her with in the mud and went to her side. She was dressed nicely herself, with her face all dolled up, but the tears ruined whatever appearance she wanted to present. When I asked what was wrong, she said 'Alex is seeing Hazel. I got the courage to tell him I liked him, and he was seeing Hazel, behind my back…"

His father paused, and took a breath. Jaune knew what it meant: his father was angry and he tried to reign it in.

"Your mother liked a senior named Alex Hops in the Chemistry Club of her school. He was a bright man, handsome, with a job waiting for him at the Shining Horizons pharmaceutical company way out in Mistral. Apparently, he said 'no' because one of your mother's friends, Hazel, was seeing him in secret. Hazel knew full well that your mother liked Alex too..." his father sighed, "Rejection coupled with the betrayal she felt, I abandoned all thoughts of confessing. Your mom needed a friend, not a suitor."

Jaune tightened his hands into a fist, but his father placed a hand on top of it.

"I know," his father said, before coaxing him to loosen it, "I know, I was angry too, still am. But I kept it in check, your mother was all that mattered. She was out of it for a time. Despite my studies at Beacon, and my side jobs, I made extra time and stayed with her for a while and helped her with her studies where I could. The two people who hurt her, I made sure we avoided them whenever we could. The jerk graduated eventually and went to the Mistral Science Academy for his graduate studies, and the bitch who betrayed your mom followed him, of course. When they left, things got better. You're mother became more relaxed, and she began to move on. We were inseparable by that point, and when I was in my senior year at Beacon, she confessed to me," he chuckled, "I told her I was supposed to tell her. She said I already did; what I wore for her that Valentine's, along with all the days I was with her were my confession, to her at least. I humored her reasoning, accepted her confession, we started dating, and the rest…" he patted Jaune on the back, "Well you're here, as are your sisters."

"Wow, I never knew."

"You wouldn't, at least not from your mother alone," Bleu confirmed for his son, "Your mother is a very private person. Like I said before, the only time she'd tell it would be if one of your sisters was serious about a boy and I was there to show picture of what I used to look like. The lesson of the story for them is always that looks aren't everything. I classical lesson, I'm sure, but an important one. We'd say: 'It's how the boy treats you and your friends, and whether or not he's willing to stick it out with you in bad times as well as good.' That's what you sisters should keep an eye on when it comes to boys. In your case, it's your heart, not your cock, which will determine if you get the girl."

Honestly, Jaune had forgotten about that. He got so engrossed in the story his father told him about how he and his mother got together.

"In all the years I've known your mother, she saw me in different lights as time went by. When we first met, she saw a slightly chubby kid, with grand dreams of protecting the innocent and acted a little silly sometimes. Then, she saw me as a good friend that would always be willing to hang out with her. After that Valentine's Day, she saw me as a confidant, someone she could trust to be there for her in times of distress. And then when she confessed to me, she saw a man, no longer chubby, but strong at heart, steadfast and reliable in tough times, able to give her a warm, loving home and still occasionally be silly enough to put a smile on her face.

"What you, and even those meatheads that poked fun at you don't realize is that, at this time of your life, what you consider 'manly' is just some image in your heads. In good times, superficial things like movie star looks and size might be great. However, when life gets tough and things look bleak, comforting arms or a shoulder to lay one's head against provide far greater comfort. I won your mother's heart not because I was a strong, handsome huntsman, but because I was there for her when she needed me. Could you be that kind of man, son?"

Jaune thought about it for a while. If he had a friend who was a girl, who he liked, but who didn't necessarily like him that, could he do the same? The thought of his mother crying alone came to his mind. His heart knew the answer.

"Yeah… definitely," he declared.

"Then you've discovered the true strength of our family. Our sense of duty, either to the kingdom, or the people we love, that is makes us Arcs strong. You're freaking out over nothing. When you meet girls, just be yourself, be confident, and above all, be their friend even if things don't work out romantically. Do that, and you'll be fine in the long run. You'll find that special someone one day, I'm sure."

"Ok…" Jaune said, "Thanks dad, it's good to know the size of my heart is more important than my… well, my thing."

"Dick, cock, schlong," listed Bleu, "Come on, Jaune. You're 15 for gods' sake."

"Yeah those," said a very red-faced Jaune, "Great talk dad, I feel a lot better, and… it was pretty cool, hearing about how you and mom met and got together."

"You're welcome son," said his father with a fond smile, "Now that we've straightened that out, I can tell you the secrets of keeping a woman happy."

…

"Er… what?" squeaked Jaune.

"Well, since it seems you are getting interested in girls sexually, I figured it's time we have a very important talk for what to do when you do get a girlfriend," explained his father.

"But… mom already gave me the talk, and you said all I needed was to be loving and caring, and there for girls when they needed me!"

"First, your mother told you how sex works, she didn't tell you what you needed to know in order to keep your partner happy. And what I said is true: love, trust, and friendship are the strong foundation needed for a successful relationship. Being a good lover, think of it as the mortar that keeps those three bricks of the foundation set. Both love and loving are essential, and you can't neglect either. It's all about a healthy balance between the two. Fortunately for you, I know a few tricks that have been passed down the Arc Family for generations."

"O…kay?" said Jaune, fearful of what the instruction would look like.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to list off some things you need to be aware of. I'm not going to demonstrate like your great-great grandfather would have done."

"Demon-Demonstrate?" he was aghast at his father's words.

"Oh yes, back when our family were nobles, it wasn't uncommon for a gentlemen of high status to take his sons to a high-class brothel and demonstrate the proper techniques and methods of siring children. It was also a place where sexual etiquette could be taught."

"I take it great-great grandmother wasn't too pleased."

"Oh no, sometimes the gentleman's daughters would attend so that they could learn how to please their future husbands. The ladies of the house watched to get ideas."

Jaune turned white as a sheet.

"Now that the history lesson is over, let's get started. The first step if foreplay… or maybe we should talk about protection first.

'Just kill me now...' Jaune screamed in his mind.

A/N: Poor Jaune, he can't seem to catch a break. I wanted a good balance with the heart, humor, and conflict of the story. I also hoped I "showed" and not "told" with the explication, and that I gave a decent character to Bleu Arc, my version of Jaune's father, as he tries to reassure his son through one of his teenage issues.

For those who are wondering, Jaune's mother studied at the National University of Vale, or NATUV, a fictional school that I created for the RWBY universe where normal people in Vale go to for a higher education.

I'll leave this story as "In Progress" for now. In case I come up with an omake for this story.