Hey there, RWBY-Nation, BassDS here back with a new installment in my Lancaster series. So just like Confessions, this was another idea that I had swimming around in my head for some time that I wanted to give life to and expand my series a bit more. So for this story it takes place 5 years after the end of Confessions, so we're doing bit of a timeskip; and yes, while I feel like I shouldn't gloss over the five years that would add to the development of their relationship, I feel like that's something I can go back to later on down the road and confidently write about. As for now, I want to let the ideas I have for Ruby and Jaune's adult life play out and take shape first; it's nothing I haven't done before, especially in some of my past work.
But anyway, it's time to go ahead and get this next installment of my Lancaster series going, and if the story title WASN'T a big giveaway to what it's going to be going over, we're going to have a marriage proposal to deal with...at least in the next chapter, but there's something else to address first that we saw a hint of at the end of Confessions.
Hope you all enjoy, and feel free to leave a review and tell me how you liked the chapter.
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Ch.1 A Talk With Tai
"Let's see...got my license...Zwei's been fed and he's sleeping..." Yang ran over a few things in her mind as she was preparing to leave to go out for a while. As she shut the TV off, she prepared to head over to the door to leave until she heard a knock coming from it. "Bad timing to have a visitor." she huffed and looked out through the eye-hole to see a familiar mess of blonde hair
"Hey there, Jauney-boy." Yang said opening the door as her eyes laid upon her baby sister's boyfriend, Jaune Arc. "Got here a little bit early; Ruby doesn't come back from her mission until tomorrow."
"I didn't forget; I knew she'd be gone for a few days. I...actually came to talk to your dad." the young Arc replied to the brawler.
"Well, Dad's still at Signal; classes ended not long ago, but he always tends to stay behind to clean things up; his room gets really messy when he has the students test their weapons out. I know from personal experience." she replied before a thought came to her mind. "Wait a sec...why do you want to talk to him?"
Jaune anxiously fidgeted a bit as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I was hoping to...get his blessing to propose to Ruby..."
Yang smirked while propping herself up against the door frame. "About damn time you worked up the nerve; you guys have been dating for close to five years now."
Yang had been right. Jaune and Ruby had been a couple ever since Salem's machinations were brought to an end and Remnant was finally at peace. It was hard for Jaune to believe it had been that long since he and Ruby had confessed their feelings to one another. Jaune felt ready to take their relationship to the next step...he just hoped Ruby was ready to make that step with him.
"Mind if I stay around until he gets home?"
"If you don't mind being here by yourself. I was actually just getting ready to head out for a bit." Yang replied.
"Well, if it's alright with you..."
"Jaune, please, at this point, you're practically part of the family. Even IF you had to go through hell to have my dad be comfortable with you dating Ruby." Yang replied.
"Ugh, don't remind me. I still feel that kick to my jaw when he thought I stood Ruby up on one of our dates when my scroll wasn't working and I couldn't get a hold of her."
"Yeah, that was one hell of an ass-kicking you didn't deserve. It took everything I had to hold him back, at least until Ruby slapped some sense into him." Yang chuckled. "Anyway, come on in, make yourself at home." she added before grabbing the key to Bumblebee. "Just try to not piss him off."
"Please, I'm asking him for his permission to marry his daughter; how do you think he's going to react?"
"Valid point." Yang smiled.
Taiyang soon arrived home as he held a paper bag with a few things he picked up from the store, moving it to his other arm so he could grab his keys and unlock the door as he entered his home.
"Yang, I'm home! What you think you're in the mood for tonight?" he asked while he walked through the living room and into the kitchen, but instead of his daughter's voice, he heard another.
"Umm...hello."
Tai looked over as he saw Jaune sitting at the table with his fingers entwined as he kept his head down.
"Jaune, what are you doing here? Ruby won't be back until tomorrow."
"Yeah, I know. Yang said the same thing. She's out for a bit, by the way; she wanted me to tell you she'll be home later. Said it'd be fine for me to stay here."
"So..." Tai asked before putting the bag down and turning as he folded his arms and sat against the counter. "Why are you here?"
"I was wanting to talk to you...concerning Ruby."
"I'm listening." Tai calmly replied.
"Look, I know things have been kinda rough between us, to say the least. I know how much you care about Ruby and you're only looking out for her best interest; any dad would do the same for his daughter; believe me, I've got seven sisters, I know how my dad was with them and dating."
Tai sighed before pulling out one of the chairs and sitting down across from Jaune at the table. "Just cut to the chase, Jaune. What's this all about?"
"Ok..right well..." the blonde said as he tried to collect his thoughts. "Boy...this is really nerve-wracking..." he paused a bit before finally working up the courage to say it. "I...I was wanting to get your permission...to marry your daughter."
There. He said it. And if he was about to be slugged for saying it, he was prepared for it.
"Listen...I've been thinking about a few things this past year…." Tai began. "And I want to apologize."
"Uhh...what?"
"I'll admit...I've been pretty hard on you these past few years. I just wanted to protect my daughter. Ruby's my baby. To say I've been more than overly protective is bit of an understatement. Especially that day when I thought you stood her up; I let my anger cloud my judgment at the thought of someone hurting Ruby deeply. I guess it took that slap from her to finally get me to cool it and approach things with a level head."
"I would never intentionally do anything to hurt her, physically or emotionally."
"Yeah, I know that now. You know, I never had to worry about this stuff with Yang; she was always the wild child, and I knew she could take care of herself. Ruby on the other hand; well, she's always been obsessed with weapons, and wanting to fulfill her dream of being a huntress. I just figured she'd be so busy chasing that dream, being in a relationship would be something that was nonexistent to her."
"Well, there were a lot of things that happened that changed that for the both of us." Jaune added.
"I know. She told me everything about you and Pyrrha. And I can sympathize. When Yang's mom left us, needless to say, I was broken up inside. I loved her, and all of a sudden, here I am alone with this beautiful baby whose mother just upped and vanished in the middle of the night. My old team leader Summer took it upon herself to look after Yang, and in turn, helped pull me out of my slump. Next thing I know, I was falling in love again, and despite fearing that I still deeply loved Yang's mom, Summer was in love with me too. Eventually, we broke free of the fears we had about the situation, and let things take their course. Ruby was the result of that. After losing one love, I found another and everything...everything just seemed perfect; I thought nothing could go wrong. Then I lost Summer."
Jaune could only remain silent.
"I never want to see Ruby's heart broken the way mine was; I didn't want her to lose the one that she loved deeply. When you two started dating, that's when those fears developed, and I let it control me. I didn't want my daughter experiencing the pain I've felt. That's why I was so hesitant towards her being with you. But...I see now that with everything that happened five years ago, she'd already suffered enough when she lost her mother, along with Pyrrha and Penny."
"We all did..." Jaune solemnly said.
"Look, Jaune...as far as marrying Ruby goes, it's not my call. She's a grown woman that can make her own choices. And whatever she chooses, I'll stand by that. I just want you to do one thing." Tai added
"What is it?" he asked.
Tai reached out and gripped Jaune's hand tightly. "Stay by her side, as much as you can, if she takes a mission, you go with her. Protect her with your life; do you understand me? Do what I couldn't do and protect the one you love with all your heart."
"I promise. I'll follow her to the ends of Remnant if I have to."
"I'm going to hold you to that." Tai said as he rested back in the chair. "So...am I forgiven?"
"Sure thing, Dad..."
"Ehh…just Tai. I'm already feeling old enough as it is." the older blonde said.
