He sat alone with his scroll open, the room he was in having no light.
Despite the lack of lighting, he sat next to a window, the clouded but bright sky enough to compensate for this.
Seemingly indistinguishable flakes of white showered onto the window, the heat from the inside of the room the boy sat in enough to make the silvery specks melt upon contact.
The blonde could always be found with an either troubled or eased expression on his face.
This situation in particular was of no exception.
His expression for that moment being relative ease, he looked into the camera of his scroll with a light hearted smile gracing his face.
"It's good to hear from you Jaune." A woman who looked to be older than him said, her hair a slightly paler blonde than his.
"Same to you Sedeqe." Jaune said, having started the video chat moments ago, speaking the woman's name so that her name rhymed with the word "seek".
It had become something of a ritual for Jaune to talk to Sedeqe whenever he had free time, namely when classes finished at Beacon, or if classes ever had a large gap of time between them.
He hadn't really talked that much with his eldest sister, or any of his family for that matter, when he first reached Beacon, the novelty of being away from them taking some time to fully enjoy, what with the motion sickness he had just getting there, and at that, to fade away before he inevitably started to miss everyone.
Sedeqe wasn't the only person he kept in contact with, she was simply the closest to him, therefore making her easier to contact, the rest of his immediate family being spread throughout different parts of the world.
They quickly fell into a conversation, it being a mixture of regular things given for Jaune's current living conditions, and other things that Jaune disliked bringing up but Sedeqe seemed to enjoy.
The latter of which was something he half expected her to speak of.
"How's that girl you like been?"
"She's been fine." Jaune said, the smile he put on feeling a bit more forced to him.
He'd known well before he ever told her that telling Sedeqe of the more romantic aspects of his life would be the equivalent of just adding fuel to the ever annoying flames that would be sparked by her teasing him about it.
She could see right through the smile however.
"Things aren't going very well, huh?"
Knowing that he couldn't hide things very well, especially so from Sedeqe of all people, he relented.
"No, not really." He admitted.
Since he didn't have much spare time on his hands since the preparations for the Vytal festival started, with the few days he did have off being taken up with either training with Pyrrha, him resting, or him working on the loads of homework he'd been assigned for the better part of the day, he didn't really have many chances to talk to her.
The whole situation with Weiss didn't seem very important in the grand scheme of things, he told himself.
Despite this fact, knowing she would want to know, Jaune told her about how the girl he liked liked someone else, a boy their age named Neptune, who was something of a womanizer, and how Sedeqe's advice to "be romantic" when Jaune himself asked Weiss to the dance had failed.
When he spoke of her advice, Sedeqe looked surprised, "What did she do?"
"Slammed the door on my face." Jaune's face went sour.
Sedeqe laughed at his misery.
Despite it being mean, Jaune didn't think he'd have it any other way.
Siblings were there to annoy and support each other after all.
She quickly recovered a stern expression, trying to sound concerned, it falling for hints of laughter still in her voice, "I"m... sorry that happened to you..."
Jaune laughed at her poor attempt at hiding her own laughter.
"It's fine. I'd rather Weiss be happy. And I can tell, she'll be happier with Neptune."
"Oh well." Sedeqe shrugged on her side of things, as she was holding her respective scroll with a stand, "At least now you'll be able to let go and move onto other girls."
"Yeah."
"But most of your friends are girls anyway, right? You could find someone else."
"But I'm not that close to the others." He switched the hand holding his scroll, his left, with his right after feeling his arm complain about the amount of work it took in making blood flow through his arm, resting his head on his now free palm, looking at Sedeqe all the while.
"It'd be best if you didn't get too close. After all, I'm betting it might suck for people to assume things about your sexuality. Especially after that whole dress thing."
"I was keeping a promise!"
"Sometimes you can't always keep your promises." Sedeqe responded, crossing her arms at him.
"You have to least try." Jaune reasoned.
"Of course. Now, back onto the topic at hand..." She gained a very thoughtful look on her face.
"It really doesn't matter Sedeqe. Not having a girlfriend might actually be good for me. I won't get distracted as easily." Jaune spoke.
While in truth he really hadn't been distracted by girls, he had given that excuse for why his grades in certain classes were lower than before.
The situation was the same as that, he thought.
He had been trying for months now to get a girlfriend.
But, like every other attempt in the past, this one had failed.
In all honesty, he was pretty tired of it all.
Tired of taking advice, given to him either from his father or his sisters, for dating that, at least for him, had never once worked.
Tired of all the heartbreak, of the endless cycle that was his confidence, it being a small facade, it growing into something genuine, only for it to be torn to shreds before long by a few words of the same person he put the facade up for.
Tired of chasing after a goal that may not even be as worth it as he'd originally hoped...
He was tired... oh so tired...
"Let's not give up yet. Come on, isn't there anyone else you're really close to?"
Jaune mentally gave a worn sigh, thinking on her words, three girls in particular coming to mind.
"There are a few." He admitted to her.
"Alright, who else are you close to then?"
The first girl to pop in his mind was Pyrrha, his mentor and quite possibly his closest friend, even if they didn't know much about each other.
This wasn't to say that they weren't that close. It just meant that besides the situation with his family, siblings and ancestry both, as well as his forging of his transcripts for Beacon, Jaune had never really told Pyrrha anything that meaningful about himself.
The same could be said for everyone in the small group of eight friends Jaune was a part of, ten if you counted Neptune and his teammate, Sun Wukong.
"There's a girl named Pyrrha that's my partner..." He had looked down in his thoughts now, away from the screen.
"Alright, what's she like?" Sedeqe pressed her elbow into the arm-rest of the chair she was sitting on, leaning her head's weight on her right fist, her jaw and cheek bones resting the most on it.
"She's a good friend. She's strong and reliable. Pretty good at school, so good at fighting that she's won a lot of tournaments..." He listed off all the good traits he could find in Pyrrha, having a lot of trouble to his own surprise.
"Sounds like the perfect influence for you." Sedeqe smiled against her fist, "Who else?"
"There's a girl named Nora on my team. She's... a bit out of the ordinary to say the least. She acts so hyperactive sometimes, but eventually she ends up calming down after a while."
"A bit on the wild side, eh?"
"Usually when she's fighting or thinking about fighting." Jaune spoke honestly.
Nora was going to be the second girl that would come to mind regardless of his relationship with others.
She was his teammate after all.
"Anyone else?"
"Just one more. Her name is Ruby."
"What's she like?"
"She's..." Many words came to Jaune's mind, yet he summed them all up in one, "... pretty care-free. Innocent."
Or maybe two.
"That's the only thing you can get from her personality?"
"I don't really know her that well, but those three are the only girls I can safely say that I'm close to."
Now that he thought about it, Jaune didn't know much of anything about Ruby herself.
She was pretty mature for her age, he could say that much, but besides that, he really couldn't describe her.
He simply wasn't her friend to that extent.
"Ruby's like the little sister that I never had." He tried to sum up.
Sedeqe nodded in understanding.
Being the youngest of eight siblings with seven sisters would often make a person want to know what a younger sibling was like.
Well, Sedeqe thought, hopefully Jaune finally knew what it was like to have a younger troublemaker in his midst.
She, like all other eldest children, knew very well of the syndrome that would manifest itself within said children whenever a younger sibling came.
The "these-are-the-rules-and-you-must-follow-them" syndrome, if she had to describe it.
"Would you say that any of them are pretty?"
Jaune, speaking almost as if by reflex after seeing that knowing and expectant smirk come across his older sister's face, said, "No, not really..."
"Oh?" Sedeqe still held that look on her face, "Would you be fine with me going up to Beacon and telling them you said that?"
"No." Jaune sighed in defeat, "Yeah, they're all very pretty."
Seeing as he had already admitted it, he decided to tell the whole truth, "They're all beautiful, at least in their own different ways."
"Who would you say is the most beautiful of the group?"
Falling under her smirk again, Jaune didn't even attempt to deny anything.
She knew him inside and out.
Trying to lie and say that he didn't like anyone would certainly make things much worse than they already were.
After giving it a moment's thought, Jaune settled on an answer, "I'd say Pyrrha."
"Really? I'm curious then. Do you see her as just your partner?"
"No. She's my best friend."
"Then I guess I know what I'm going to do this year around."
"What's that?" Jaune asked in curiosity.
"I'll be visiting over there. I would like to meet your lady friends."
"Please stop calling them that." Jaune sighed, saying this for what felt to be another time in a countless number.
"But it's true though."
"No it's not. You make it sound like I'm trying to date everyone."
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. I'll bring Shem along with me. Then we'll get you and Pyrrha and go on back home for the holidays."
"You're not giving me a choice in the matter are you?" Jaune said, his voice knowing like her expression had been, only instead of smugness, there was a tired sound, mixed in with a sense of foreboding that he had no trouble whatsoever putting his faith in.
"See you in a week." Sedeqe said, ending the call.
Jaune sighed.
"Well this is going to suck." He said to himself, leaning the back of his head against the window.
Checking the time again, Jaune sighed, getting himself up with a start.
His team would probably be waking up soon.
It was the memory of that conversation that led to Jaune's troubled expression at the breakfast table a few hours later.
Donning his full school uniform, Jaune absentmindedly listened to the conversations that his friends gave.
The first to notice his unusually long silence had actually been Nora, who was busy trying to balance a fork on the tip of her finger.
"Hey Jaune, what's wrong?" She asked, the fork falling off of her finger.
She made a grab at it, but it still fell on the table despite her efforts.
Sighing, she gave up, turning to Jaune in curiosity.
Jaune forced a smile on his face, waving a hand as though he was without a care, "Don't worry. It's nothing to worry about."
Pyrrha looked at him then, "Whenever you say that, it always ends up being something to worry about."
"It's kind of a stupid thing to worry about. You guys would probably laugh at me if I told you." Jaune tried to end the subject then.
He could continue to try formulating a plan to avoid his sister and his friends from ever meeting with a clear mind if he didn't tell them.
Sadly, curiosity was truly a killer.
"You can tell us Jaune," Ruby added, "We won't laugh, we swear."
At this point the three girls had made him the center of the limelight, the seven members of their group looking at Jaune in curiosity, one by one.
Seeing the many eyes looking at him expectantly, Jaune sighed, "Can't we drop this? I really don't want to talk about it."
"Come on Jaune, what's the worst that can happen if you tell us?" Yang gave him her signature smirk, holding her head on her palm.
The worst actually flashed briefly in Jaune's mind for a split second.
The image of all of his family gathered in a church, the sounds of the organist playing the instrument that gave him his name, Jaune standing at the end of the long aisle of the chapel, wearing a tuxedo that had a formality worthy of the rare occasion, the doors of the building opening, revealing a girl in a bright white dress as she walked up the aisle, it littered with flower petals that were put carelessly onto the floor.
A clergyman of some type would stand next to him, the woman veiled in white closing the gap between herself and Jaune steadily...
"Stuff…" Jaune said vaguely.
"Stuff of what variety?" Weiss spoke up then.
"Well…"
"'Well'…?"
He sighed softly, part of him giving in.
Any plan he'd make would most likely end up failing regardless of what he tried to do.
Against Sedeqe's semblance, finding someone would be too easy even if they hid…
His eye found a bird that sat on the windowsill, it fine despite the snow.
A Northern Terrace…
He looked at Pyrrha then, and with the knowledge that his battle was already lost, his expression became tired once again.
Then he finally asked the question, "Would you mind going out with me a week from now?"
Of course they'd all take it the wrong way, Jaune thought to himself as he reflected minutes later.
Him having worded the request like that, it was no wonder they seemed to react in the way they did.
He was such a weirdo sometimes...
Seeing the surprised face of Pyrrha, who's face was comparable to the surface of a tomato in how red it became in the next few seconds, come to his mind's eye as he continued to sit at the table, arms crossed, expression nothing but serious, as she stared at him, Jaune admittedly could never stop laughing at how ridiculous the small scene that followed was.
Then next moment, she was scooped up in Yang's arms, the golden haired beauty wrapping her arms around the red head's stomach, picking her up and sprinting out of the door, quickly followed suit by Ruby, Yang kicking the doors open as the three ran out, into the snow fall.
The remaining five sat in utter silence for a few moments, the realization of what happened in that short span of time still taking time to register in Jaune's brain.
"So..." Ren broke through the silence, "You really did end up asking her out on a date after all..."
"Hm?" Jaune, who had recovered more quickly, was sipping on a straw for his milk, having already resigned himself to try getting an answer later, and at his friend's comment, looked at him in confusion.
"I can't believe you actually did it..." Weiss had a look of surprise, but also that of disappointment.
"What's wrong?" He asked her.
"You just made me lose a bet..."
Bet?
Thinking on the last word, Jaune read between the lines, and realizing what they meant, could only speak the first sentence that came to his mind.
"You guys were betting that I'd ask Pyrrha out on a date?" He looked in an accusatory manner to all of his friends.
"Nora started it." Weiss tried to shift the blame, arms crossed.
"Nora?!" A look of betrayal flitted across his eyes, his gaze turning to the orange haired girl.
"Yup!" Nora pointed a thumb atherself, "I'M the evil mastermind here!"
"Why are you being a mastermind to begin with?!"
"So that the romantic tension between you two can be gone!"
"What romantic tension?!"
"Jaune." Everyone looked in curiosity when they realized Ruby had returned, her voice so calm that it was somewhat scary, "Pyrrha would like to see you."
"What did you guys do to her?" Jaune asked, his knowledge of the bet making him suspicious of everyone around him.
"That is currently classified information."
He sighed, getting up, part of him wanting to tell them that he didn't even ask that with the intention to take her out on a date but Jaune ultimately deciding against it.
As he stopped himself, he started to realize that this would at least give him an opportunity to be able to confide in Pyrrha.
Maybe he'd even be able to explain how this was just because he wanted his sister to meet her without getting everyone else unnecessarily involved.
So maybe the bet was a good thing after all?
Jaune didn't realize until later on that, in truth, he probably could've just told his team about what was going on and they'd probably agree to help.
His major concern wasn't even his teammates, in truth.
It was more for what might actually happen if his sister were to meet team RWBY, and hear about the insanely dangerous circumstances they constantly put themselves in.
Even if he was training to become a huntsman... No, even though Sedeqe herself was a huntress herself, his morality would be of concern, especially with his semblance being what it was...
If she knew of the things they pulled themselves into, Sedeqe would instantly realize her mistake in letting him come here.
Jaune had worked hard enough to get here to begin with.
He didn't want his friends causing any more trouble for him when his sister would be ruthless enough without knowledge of their escapades.
Jaune thought all of this as he walked towards the exit of the cafeteria, eyes as weary as they were minutes before he'd asked Pyrrha the question that led to this situation.
Would life ever be a little less strange for him?
Jaune pondered this question in that moment, walking past Yang, who directed him to walk to the nearby library.
As he entered the library as directed, Jaune immediately spotted Pyrrha sitting on a bench next to the entrance, facing away from where he entered from, the side of her forehead pressed against the window.
Pyrrha had that pensive look on her face again, he noted, and he walked toward her leisurely.
He patted her lightly on her shoulder, Pyrrha looking up at him for a moment before her face became slightly red again, not to a noticeable degree, but enough for Pyrrha to feel the blood in her cheeks rising a bit in embarrassment, as the sight of Jaune reminded her of the things told to her in that short period of time when Yang had kidnapped her.
Jaune, needless to say, was oblivious to this.
He scratched his head and gave her an awkward smile, "I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean for those two to do that to you."
"It's fine Jaune..." Pyrrha breathed slowly, her heart racing, not from Jaune being near her, but her still recovering from being so deeply startled by Yang picking her up in the fashion that she had without warning.
But things would turn out okay, she told herself.
Even if the thought of going out with Jaune made her feel elated, there wasn't any real chance that what Yang had warned her about would come true.
Jaune simply wasn't close to her to that extent...
"You're probably wondering why I asked you out to begin with." Jaune's voice brought her back to the present.
"I am actually." Pyrrha responded honestly, pushing away all thoughts of what Yang had told her.
Knowing Jaune, he'd probably meant it in some other way.
Maybe he just wanted to do something fun with her.
"I asked because a relative of mine is coming to town and I wanted you to meet her with me. Would you mind if you came with me?"
The second part of his explanation flew right over Pyrrha's head, one of the things Yang had warned her about ringing in her head.
"Remember Pyrrha, he'll only be serious about dating you if he's completely willing to show you to his family. If he makes it clear that he has a girlfriend to them from the get-go, he might be considering to ask for his parents' blessing for you guys to get married." Yang had said with a serious tone, Ruby nodding behind her with crossed arms and closed eyes.
"But Yang, I hardly imagine that he'd have those kind of intentions."
"I'm passing this knowledge from a sister to a fellow sister of the sisterhood of the Pumpkin. You'll thank me later if it turns out he isn't being serious. Give him a few days, and then ask if he's told his family, any of them, about you. If he says no, dump him."
"But I haven't even agreed to go out with him yet!"
"You were going to. Let's not ignore the obvious." Yang stood up straight and held her hips, "Remember the warning Pyrrha. Be wary of your relationship, especially in public. If he isn't bothered by you showing him affection, then that's the first step. Give it a few months if he wants to do unmentionable things. Tell him you're waiting for marriage and will only do it if you guys are married. Got it?"
"Yang, this is going a little overboard for - "
"Got it?" Yang said again, and though Pyrrha was a bit miffed about being cut off, she didn't voice it, giving a simple nod.
Yang smiled, then walked away after Ruby, "Stay here. We'll send your clumsy knight to you."
This conversation rang in her mind's ear, and thinking this, Pyrrha held her head and shook the words out.
She liked Jaune, admittedly in a romantic way, but she was fairly certain that she wasn't infatuated to that extent with him.
Honestly, what was the point in Yang doing that to her?
"Pyrrha?"
"Oh, yes?" Pyrrha looked up at Jaune.
"Would you mind coming with me to meet my sister?"
"No, I wouldn't mind," she said without thinking, smiling up at her friend, "I'm okay with seeing them with you.
"Happy to hear it." Jaune responded, "Should we go then? You kind of just left your food out in the open. I don't think you want to waste anything."
"Yes, it'd be best to go now." Pyrrha stood up, both walking out of the library.
