Disclaimer: All characters belong to Rooster Teeth Productions
Edited by ToxicExotic
Chapter 77 - The Most Uncomfortable Dinner
"You sure I look okay?"
"You look amazing, just as you always do."
"You sure?" Yang asked, fiddling with the top button of her shirt. "No creases or anything?"
"Yang…" Weiss interrupted, reaching up to remove her hand from the button. "He is going to hate you regardless of how well pressed your shirt is. So just relax, okay."
"Real confidence inspiring." She sighed despite knowing it was true. "But your mom will be there too."
"And she will like you regardless of how well pressed your shirt is." The heiress chuckled.
Rolling her eyes and dropping her hands to her side, she let out a low breath and fastened the top button of her shirt.
The day had been an awkward one to say the least. Before she had even crawled out of bed to do her morning exercise, her Scroll had blown up with messages from numbers she didn't know, and it hadn't taken long to find out why. A quick search had revealed that the reporter from the day before had indeed published that she was part of the White Fang, and had not bothered to disclose most of their conversation, instead focusing on the attack on Schnee tower two years prior causing seemingly everyone to have an opinion.
Someone even had so much of an opinion that they'd somehow dug up her number and released it, leading to her inbox being filled with horribly disgusting messages calling her all sorts of names. Fortunately, having suffered through the exact same thing in high school, she was well versed in ignoring them, and had quickly turned off the devices and continued with her day.
Thankfully, there had been no real issues at college as most of them had already known about her past due to other people from her high school attending there as well, but lunch had definitely been annoying. After getting out from her class and driving to Blake's house, she had been met by her best friend cleaning graffiti from the store's window. While most of it had been wiped away, she had definitely made out the word terrorist in what remained. Though she had been angry at first, Blake had been quick to calm her down and remind her that they had done the exact same thing in the past, and that she already called the police and handed over the security footage.
She'd blown off the rest of her courses after that, choosing instead to stay at the store and help Blake clean the window since it was her relationship with Weiss that had caused so much attention to be brought to the girl's rejoining. Once it had all been washed away though, the two had returned to the apartment and wasted time until Weiss picked her up for dinner. It had felt good overall though, after all the falling out and arguing, to just be able to sit and laugh with her best friend again.
Eventually though, after a long car ride with Weiss during which the woman had told her all about her day, which sounded just as awful due to having to be Jacques' assistant, and promised to get her one of the STC newest secure Scroll numbers, they had arrived at the front doors to Schnee Manor. To say she was anxious about the dinner she was about to attend would be a bit of an understatement.
While she knew there was nothing she could really do to win Jacques over and make him like her, Whitley's warning of how she could easily make things worse by antagonizing him was ringing in her head. And with her tendency to fight back when challenged, she was having to constantly remind herself to keep her temper in check. There was also the fact that it would be meeting Weiss' mom properly for the first time, and though the woman had seemed friendly enough before, that was before everyone knew she was part of an organisation that had almost killed her daughter. No matter how far away from that faction she was, surely that association would be enough to make any mother worry for their child.
So, even as Weiss reached up and knocked on the large blue doors, Yang did one last check to make sure her shirt and pants to make sure she looked as smart and respectable as she could. Before she could finish her check though, the door was pulled open and Klein stood in the opening with a massive smile on his face.
"Mein Schneeflocke!" He said affectionately and held out his arms. With a smile of her own, Weiss quickly accepted the hug as she walked inside. "It's good to see you again."
"Hello, Klein." She said with a glance to something Yang couldn't see. "I trust your vacation was good?"
"Marvelous. Simply marvelous." The man said happily. "Vacuo is always so nice this time of year."
"That it is." The girl smiled and held out her hand. "Well, now that you're back, I would like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Yang Xiao Long."
"Girlfriend?" He said with a shocked expression, his acting skills surprisingly good. "My my. I leave for a week and so much has changed."
"It's nice to meet you." Yang smiled at the man and held out a hand, playing along as there was clearly a reason he was pretending they hadn't met before.
"The pleasure is mine, Miss." He said with a small bow. "Please, come inside. And let me take your coat."
Shrugging the dark brown jacket from her shoulders and handing it to the man, Yang walked through the doorway and into the atrium. Though it had only been a week since she was last in the massive room, she had completely forgotten how cold and depressing it was. Nothing but white and blue marble, with fifteen feet tall statues of knights in armor and dull, lifeless paintings that had clearly been bought for their monetary value alone. Making it all the more cold though was the reason Klein had pretended not to know her, Jacques Schnee.
Standing to the side of the stairs with his arms behind his back, his ice cold glare was trained directly on her. Unlike their previous meeting where he had given her nothing more than a snide glance, she seemed to have his undivided attention this time; and the knowledge of that fact sent a shiver down her spine that only grew worse as she looked into his eyes.
Of all the Schnee blue eyes she had seen, Jacques were by far the coldest. While a deeper blue than everyone else's, there was no warmth in them whatsoever. There was no hint of kindness, or compassion; but there was also no hint of hatred or cruelty. There was simply nothing. No emotion, no life, and absolutely no indication of what he was thinking.
"Good afternoon, Father." Weiss' voice cut through the silence, holding no respect, but also no animosity. It seemed she too was hoping the night would end without issue.
"You are late." He replied dully, his eyes not leaving Yang's.
"There is a festival tonight so the traffi-"
"What have I told you about excuses?" Though his eyes remained emotionless, his voice was like a whip crack across the silent hall. "I care not why you are late, simply see that it does not happen again."
Though Yang saw Weiss' hand curl into a fist behind her back, the heiress gave a small nod and the man walked back to his office without another word. Taking her girlfriend's hand as she deflated and shook her head, Yang turned back to Klein and gave him a shake of her head.
"Tonight looks like it's going to be hell."
The man looked around before answering. "Just remember, Miss. He is the only one here tonight who does not approve of you." He said in a hushed tone.
"Thanks." she smiled appreciatively, getting a happy nod in return.
"Now." He continued in his normal, bubbly voice. "Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes. I shall leave you two to clean up and put this away."
Giving her jacket that was slung over his arm a pat, he toddled off down the hallway and left them in each other's company.
"I don't suppose it's too late to cancel now, is it?" She asked weakly, receiving a soft chuckle from the beautiful woman.
"I wish." The woman breathed, turning around to place a hand on her chest. "Come on. We can go to my room while we wait."
"Wine, Miss?" The servant asked, holding the bottle out towards her glass.
"No thank you." She replied politely. "Water's fine."
As the women walked away, Yang looked up at her host and saw him watching her with interest. That look had been on his face since the moment she had entered the room and sat down, and had only become more excited while they all waited silently for the food to be placed in front of them. Even Willow and Whitley were both quiet, choosing to look down at their plates instead; and Yang took that as an indicator that both of them knew what was going to happen. Thankfully, as much as she was not looking forward to the questions that she knew for sure were about to come her way, at least the food looked like it would be pretty good. And considering what it was, it had better be.
Though she had never personally had the biggest interest in fish, Blake was; and since she liked to cook food that her best friend liked, she had done quite a lot of research into sushi; tuna specifically. Because of that, she was more than familiar with how each one looked and there was absolutely no mistaking that what had been placed in front of her was bluefin tuna, the most expensive fish in the world. Despite being only a thin sliver laid gently over the top of a mound of rice, she knew the tuna nigiri in front of her likely cost more than she would make in her entire life. Beside it was a few more pieces of sushi that she wasn't familiar with, and a few pots of different sauces.
"It's been quite some time since we had a traditional Atlesian meal." Willow said with a smile. "You are in luck, Yang."
Upon entering the dining room, Weiss had made a small show of introducing her to both her mother and brother, and though it felt appropriate having never truly met Willow, being introduced to Whitley and having him be polite and respectful was a little off-putting. Though it probably wasn't the best attitude, she actually quite liked the boy's usual frankness, and to see him act so completely unlike himself was something she didn't really want to see again. Especially since she knew he was doing it out of fear.
"Well it definitely looks incredible, Mrs Schnee." Yang replied politely. "I can't wait to get stuck in."
"Neither can I." The older woman agreed and turned to her husband. "Shall we eat, dear?"
Clearly unable to tell that the affection from his wife was insincere, or simply not caring that it was, the man gave a wave of his and the other members of the family picked up their chopsticks.
"So, Yang." Willow continued, as Jacques simply stared at her. "What is it that you do for a living? I'm assuming college?"
"Yeah." She nodded. "I was working for a friend too, but they let me go so I could focus on studies."
"Oh? And what is it that you study?"
"The arts." Yang said with a smile, happy to talk about something she was confident in and even happier that Jacques hadn't spoken yet. "Culinary arts, boxing, drawing."
"So two dead end careers, and one that can be replaced with a microwave?"
Finally he spoke, and every head turned to face him. It was no longer a subtle tone, like he was trying to work her out, but a dismissive one. The same he had used when she had first met him.
"Well this sushi looks very nice for having been done in a microwave." She replied before she could stop herself.
Despite inwardly cursing herself, out of the corner of her eye she saw Weiss' head lowered to look at her lap, and a very obvious smirk on her lips. However, his daughter's amusement seemed to have gone unnoticed by Jacques, as the first emotion she had ever seen entered his eyes. Strangely enough, it wasn't anger as she had expected, but amusement. As if it was simply a game to him, which Yang was pretty sure it was, he picked up his own chopstick and began to eat his food.
"So... you're an artist?" Willow asked, ignoring her husband. "What are your preferences?"
"Landscapes, mostly." Yang smiled at her, dipping one of the pieces of sushi in some sauce. "I enjoy impressionist stuff too, but there's something about a beautiful vista that makes me wanna recreate it."
"Interesting." The woman said thoughtfully. "I recall seeing a small landscape of an Atlas forest on Weiss bedside table the last time I was in her room. Was that yours?"
"It was." Weiss replied for her as she had already taken a bite of her food. "I spotted it the first day we met and loved it immediately."
"Well it's a wonderfully drawn piece. You prefer pencil over paint I assume?"
"Mhm." Yang hummed as she swallowed. "Paint is nice, but I much prefer just being able to pick up a pencil and draw without having to spend an hour mixing paints. Plus, makes it easier to seize the moment when inspiration strikes."
"Of course." The woman chuckled. "So is art something you wish to pursue in the future? Or do you favour one of your other courses more?"
"Art would be great to break into," Yang acknowledged with a nod. "But as Mr Schnee pointed out, it's notoriously difficult to get anywhere in that profession. Same with boxing. That's why my dad had me take a more practical course alongside them."
"So cooking is where you see your future?"
"Mhm." Yang confirmed. "I'd love to own a restaurant someday. Our family hails from Mistral, so I have plenty of ideas for a classical Mistralian-style restaurant."
"Interesting." The elder Schnee said, her voice sounding genuine. "Well I would love to try your food one day. Having explored quite a bit in my youth, Mistralian food was always one of my favourites."
"Well if you ever stop by Weiss' apartment, I would be more than happy to cook some lunch."
"I just might take you up on that offer one day." Willow smiled and picked up some food from her plate.
Silence fell again as they continued to eat their food, and Yang actually felt thankful that Jacques had remained mostly quiet. She was also thankful that Willow seemed to not think less of her due to what had been reported, or at the very least wasn't showing it. Unfortunately, as she was half way through her meal, Jacques finally decided to speak again.
"So your father considers being a chef to be a more… practical job?" He said casually as he pushed a piece of sushi around his plate. "What is his profession?"
"He's a postmaster." Yang replied stifly. While they were still certainly having issues, she wasn't fond of people badmouthing her family.
"And your mother?"
Yang didn't reply straight away, thinking the answer through.
"Yang's mom is actu…"
"She's a courier." Yang cut Weiss off, the woman's head immediately swinging around to look at her in surprise.
It definitely felt a little odd to openly refer to Raven as her mom. Though Summer would always be her mom, she wasn't exactly opposed to maybe using the same title for Raven. And while she certainly wasn't fully ready for that yet, having only been reacquainted for two months, she wasn't particularly keen on talking about Summer at a dinner that was already uncomfortable enough as it was.
"A postmaster and a courier." He asked with a knowing tone. "Married?"
"No." She replied. "They seperated just after I was born."
With a small nod, he returned to his meal and Yang felt a small buzzing on her leg. Carefully pulling the Scroll from her pocket, she unlocked it and saw a message from Weiss light up on her screen.
'Stop trying to placate him. I want my family to like you for you. I don't care what he thinks.'
Looking up at her girlfriend, she saw the heiress giving her a soft, confident smile. Feeling a hint of warmth in her chest at just how little Weiss could stand seeing her act so unlike herself, she quickly typed back asking if the girl was sure. Almost immediately, the girl gave a nod, followed by another smile. Though she was still definitely hesitant, she returned it and let her shoulder slump a little, her body immediately happy that she had stopped purposely keeping her posture so rigid.
"So, Father..." Weiss said and pocketed her scroll. "Has a decision been made about Rāma no Tanjō?"
The man's ice cold eyes flicked over to his daughter impatiently.
"Our decision remains the same as it did last year." He said bluntly. "Vale doesn't consider it a holiday, so neither shall we."
"That's because Vale's council is all humans." Yang countered. "None of them understand what Rāma no Tanjō means to faunus."
"Oh?" He said with interest, an eyebrow raising as he surveyed her. "Then please. Enlighten us?"
Though Yang did in fact know what the holiday meant, having been confided in by Blake's family, she definitely wasn't going to tell Jacques.
"It's not my story to tell." She said with a scowl.
It was true. While most people understood that the holiday was a deeply personal one to faunus and a really big deal on Menagerie, that was all they knew. It's reason had never been written down, instead being passed down by families in speech alone; and very rare was it for a faunus to tell it to a human. Even as a child though, Yang had known it was a holiday she wasn't entitled to know and to never ask a faunus about it; she had never even asked Blake about it despite them never having any boundaries. So when her best friend had revealed it to her one night completely unprompted, she had immediately sworn to never tell anyone else. Not even Ruby.
"Well forgive me." Jacques said with a wave of his hand. "But if they refuse to even tell us what it means, what reason do we have to take their word that it means anything? Should we do that for everyone who invents a holiday to take a day off as well?"
Yang felt her blood boil at that statement.
"Or maybe you should understand that there are some things you just aren't entitled to." She retorted. "Rāma no Tanjō is a day for them to celebrate who they are. They shouldn't be stuck in a factory where they are mistreated simply for looking different."
Silence fell over the table as Yang and Jacques once again stared at each other; however, this time there was nothing hidden as to what each felt. The animosity in the man's crystal blue eyes was open for everyone to see, and Yang knew hers were the same.
"I'm not sure what lies the White Fang has been filling your head with, Miss Xiao Long, but I assure you that they are just that. Lies."
"Now, now, Dear." Willow said, a slight tremble to her voice. "That is hardly an appropriate dinner conversation."
"Well considering we have one in our midst, I disagree."
Both Willow and Whitley's eyes fell back to their dinner as the man's gaze intensified.
"Tell me, girl. When your friends were telling you falsehoods of how my facilities operate, did they happen to mention all the inspections and maintenance that those facilities undergo due to their constant sabotage?"
"Yang hasn't been a part of the White Fang in years." Weiss jumped in to defend her. "And she was never involved in anything li-"
"Be quiet, child." The man snapped impatiently and turned back to face her. "You expect me to believe that an ex-White Fang member simply happened upon my daughter and fell in love with her?"
"From everything I know about you? No." Yang argued back.
"You know nothing about me, girl." He snarled condescendingly. "But I know all I need to know about you. And if you think I will allow my daughter to continue endangering herself by being with you, you are very much mistaken."
"I would never hurt Weiss." Yang fired back immediately.
"And you expect me to believe that?" He growled loudly. "Your fouls friends have been attempting to take my families life for years and I will not-"
The loud clattering of metal on china rang throughout the room and cut him off. Looking to the side, she saw Willow had slammed her chopsticks against the plate and was glaring at Jacques with more intensity than even his eyes held. Even Weiss and Whitley were looking at her with surprised expressions.
"That is enough, Jacques." She said firmly, her gaze steady as he turned on her. "I will not have such disgusting things discussed at the family table."
If everything Weiss had told her was true, then it had likely been years since the woman had spoken to her husband like that; and it showed. Much like Weiss and Whitley, his eyes were widened in surprise, but his mouth was also still agape from the words that would never be finished. As if she had struck him, he simply blinked at her in disbelief, and Yang couldn't help but cheer inwardly for the woman.
Unfortunately, as the seconds passed, the surprise faded from his eyes to gradually be replaced with something darker and more menacing. Clearly noticing this herself, Willow immediately backtracked and looked down at her plate and picked her chopsticks back up. Fortunately though, whatever the look had been faded soon after, and with little more than a sneer in Yang's direction, Jacques returned to his food.
Glancing over to her girlfriend, she saw Weiss send her mother a worried look and turned to see Whitley mimicking it, guilt washing over her as she knew she had caused an argument that Willow would likely pay for later.
"So, Yang…" The older woman said, her voice trembling a little. "I understand you have a sister?"
"Sorry for making dinner uncomfortable." Even as she said it, Yang had to inwardly remark on how much of an understatement that was.
It had been almost thirty minutes since they had left the dinner table, and almost fifty since the little dispute between her and Jacques; but she still felt a little frustration in her veins. Just the way in which he had been so dismissive of the faunus' holiday, even going so far as to say it was made up, had immediately put her on edge and removed any desire she had to try and be respectful to the man.
After their argument however, not much else had really been said between them. Instead, the man had mosty returned to his snide remarks and dirty looks; but that didn't mean the dinner had been any better. With every question Willow asked her, she had been very careful not to anger him with her response. As little as she cared about his opinion, she really didn't want to make things worse for Weiss' family than she already had. Thankfully though, after twenty minutes, the dinner had ended and she and Weiss had left the room, eventually finding themselves tucked away on a couch in the library while Weiss studied for an upcoming test.
"There is nothing to apologise for." Willow replied kindly. "It was quite refreshing to have someone challenge him in such a way."
The woman had walked in a few minutes ago and began to scour the shelves; however, from how she had yet to pick up anything, Yang was pretty sure her searching was merely an excuse to stay.
"Still…" She grumbled and let her fingers fiddle with a loop on her girlfriend's waistband. "I probably just made things worse for you."
"I will handle Jacques." The woman said with a grimace.
"None of us should have to handle him in the first place." Weiss added bitterly as she scribbled on her notepad.
"Sadly, daughter, what is and what should be are rarely the same." Willow replied, a sad sigh leaving her as she shook her head.
Yang could definitely agree with that. After all, having grown up with Blake at her side and seeing everything the girl had gone through due to nothing more than how she was born, she'd had the same thought herself. She hated it, and wished things could be different; but so long as people like Jacques were the ones in power, she didn't see how that would ever be fixed.
"What is his deal anyway?" She asked, hoping she wasn't overstepping. "Was he always such a dick?" She paused and scratched her head as Willow raised an eyebrow at her. "Sorry."
To her surprise, the woman gave a soft chuckle and shook her head.
"My father was a miner in his youth. Such colourful language is not new to me. As for Jacques..." She turned back to the bookcase and ran a finger down a book. "Even for me, that is a hard question to answer."
The woman stayed quiet for a minute, but Yang could sense she wasn't done so waited patiently. Finally though, letting her finger fall away from the book, she let out a deep sigh and shook her head.
"Jacques' upbringing was not a normal one. The Gelés are an extremely old Atlesian family, and their lineage stretches as far back as Atlas' records themselves. Once upon a time, they were considered to be a noble family of such high regard that their word carried as much weight as the royal family themselves. But by the time Jacques came along, all of that was gone. Excessive extravagance, inbreeding, and a refusal to change with the times left their bank account empty and their word meaningless."
"So, as Jacques' mother wasted her life away on drugs and men, he was forced to work and provide for his family. At fourteen it fell to him to keep a roof over their heads, never having more than a bed to his name. His mother never bothered with him for anything but the rent, and he was so absorbed in studies to try and reclaim what he knew his family had once been that by the time he had entered Atlas his heart was already cold and distant." Her voice fell slightly and her head hung low. "Not that he ever let people see that side of him."
Yang was uncertain how to respond. She knew all too well what it was like to be the one to keep a home together and to support a family, but at least her dad had still been someone who showed her love and affection after returning from rehab. From the sound of it, Jacques had neither; and having met Whitley and seen Weiss struggle to get him to open up, she could see just how much of an effect that could have on someone. Still, there was no sympathy for the man she had just had dinner with.
"I never knew any of that." Weiss said, having forgotten her work to listen to her mother's story with a scowl.
"No doubt by design." Willow hummed and finally pulled a book from the shelf, only to put it back. "After Winter stumbled upon some old books in his study, he took greater care in hiding that part of his life."
"Of course he did." Weiss scoffed. "I wonder why Winter never told me any of this?"
"Your sister shares a lot of your father's traits." Willow remarked. "His penchant for secrecy above all."
Yang could hardly deny that. Though she and Winter had left each other on a better note, she was still rather annoyed about how the woman had treated Weiss.
"He cared enough to tutor her himself, after all."
Before she could stop it, a snort of cold laughter forced its way from her throat. The idea that anyone could believe Jacques cared for his kids was laughable. No father who cared for his children would do what he did, no father would treat them with such contempt and beat them when they tried to live their own lives. However, to her surprise, Willow once again raised her eyebrow, but this time there was an air of disapproval in her gaze.
"I understand your skepticism, Yang, and I hold no love for my husband." She said slowly. "But please do not be so foolish as to believe he does not care for his children. If you two wish to defy him and stay together, you would do well to realise that Jacques Schnee does not hold on to things he does not care for."
For a few seconds, she met the older woman's eyes and was taken aback by just how alike Winter's they were. Both a cold and warmth laid within, neither more than the other, but the way in which she could see then turn from fire to ice was more than enough to make her feel like she was looking at Weiss' older sister. However, just like with Winter, she had to disagree with the woman's words.
"If he cared, then he wouldn't be trying to stop her being happy." She said and let her fingers entwine with Weiss'.
"As I said…" The woman replied, turning back to the shelf and reaching up to a book on the topmost shelf. As she pulled it down, she saw what looked to be a video game console on the front of it. "What is and what should be are rarely the same."
She turned back around to give them a smile and wave the book slightly.
"But you two should not be having to listen to the tired ramblings of an old woman all night." She said kindly. "I shall leave you to enjoy yourself. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Mom."
"Night, Miss Schnee."
Walking out of the room, she shut the door behind her and left them both in silence.
"I think she likes you." Weiss chuckled, continuing to scrawl on her notepad.
"I hope so." Yang smiled, wrapping an arm around the woman and pulling her onto her lap. "You really believe what she said about your dad though?"
To her surprise, Weiss didn't reply straight away. Instead, the writing stopped as the girl fell into thought. It didn't last long though, and before long she gave a small shrug and continued with her work.
"I suppose I do have some good memories with him." She admitted with a small amount of reluctance in her voice. "And it would explain why he never tried to arrange dates for me as he did with Winter."
"Oh…" Yang hummed. "Do those memories change anything?"
"No." That answer was immediate. "A few faded memories change nothing."
"Fair enough." Yang nodded and pulled the woman closer.
Relaxing into the couch, Yang decided to let the silence continue so that Weiss could focus on her assignment. She still wasn't sure she could ever really believe that Jacques actually cared for his kids, and she didn't think she ever would; but she didn't care either. If he really cared then he would realise that how he treated them was wrong. He would accept Weiss' decisions and not try to force his own on her.
So, letting out a silent breath and returning to fiddling with Weiss' belt loop, she purged Jacques from her memory and buried her head into her girlfriend's neck to take in the comforting scent. After all, Jacques had pretty much declared he would be doing all he could to separate them, and she wanted to at least enjoy what she could before his plan went into full swing.
A/N
Hello everyone. So Yang and Jacques first proper meeting :P I hope you all enjoyed it, and sorry these notes are going to be shorter than they used to be. There really is not too much I can say in chapters like this without giving away future events, and I would rather say nothing than spoil :/
Anyway, that's going to be it from me. I hope you liked it.
Chapter 78 - Mothers will be up on the 18th of February :)
Reviews
Oerba-yun-Vex, timrocks99, Shadows Twilight, jm4reader, and Zoro50. Thank you all for your kind words :D I still smile like an idiot when reviews come in xD
Also, sorry if some replies to reviews are late. Emails having been going to my junk box instead of the designated one for some reason :/
