I wanted to take a brief break from Burned to write a quick one-shot about my favourite pairing. Yes, I'm officially a shipper now. Have been since the end of 2019. I'm so sorry.
Cover art - Seshirukun
Saphron knocked on the door. "Jaune?" she gently called out to him.
"Leave me alone, Saph," came the quiet, miserable voice from behind it.
"Come on, let me in. Please?"
"Why? So you can laugh at me too?"
"God no. You know I wouldn't do that."
"Go away! I don't want anyone to see me."
She could already imagine him curled up in a pity ball on his bed. Alone. Humiliated. All because of one stupid girl. Saphron thought about how great it would be to find her, and punch her right in the face. As tempting as that was, that would mean making that bitch her main priority, which was more than what she deserved.
"Five minutes," Saphron said. "Just five minutes, then I'll leave you alone. I promise. So, will you let me in?"
She would wait outside the door all day if she had to, and Jaune knew that. Her little brother was stubborn. So was she. All Arcs were. But she was also patient. A perk of being the older sibling. It was only a matter of time before he opened the door.
She got her wish. The door slowly creaked open. Saphron's heart broke when she saw his shattered, tear-stricken face. Boys hated crying for some reason, even in front of their family. He could only look at her for a few seconds, before he went back to his bed, sat down and buried his face in his arms.
Saphron sat down next to him and put her arm around him. "It wasn't your fault," she whispered.
Jaune made a sort of heaving noise. His weak attempt at trying not to cry anymore.
"Look at me, Jaune."
He slowly turned his head up. His mouth wobbled. Fresh tears spilt down his face. "Why would she do that?" he croaked.
"Because she's a bitch," Saphron growled. "There's nothing wrong with you."
"She told me she liked me. I was so happy. Then she took me to all her friends and…"
He broke down into sobs again. Saffron counted to ten in her head, reminding herself that it was still illegal to throttle a fourteen-year-old girl.
"She doesn't deserve you, Jaune. You're too good for her."
Jaune sniffled. "I didn't even do anything to her. I wasn't a jerk or anything. I really liked her. I… I still do. Even after what she did, I still care about her. Why am I so stupid?"
"You're not stupid," Saphron whispered, pointing at his chest. "You care because you've got a big heart. You were just unlucky with who you gave it to."
Jaune hung his head low, not believing a word she was saying.
"Listen, not every girl is like that. Veronica, or whatever her name is, she's a cow. Just another bitch who thinks just because she's pretty and popular, she can do whatever she wants. Girls like that never have honest relationships. But you will find someone who'll treat you with the respect you deserve."
"Easy for you to say," he grumbled. "You've got a girlfriend."
"You think I don't know what it's like to be shy and awkward?" she chuckled. "I remember when I was your age. I was a mess. I never would've gotten with Terra back then."
He craned his head up a little. "I don't wanna ever feel like this again," he mumbled.
Saphron nodded. "I know. It stings when you're feelings get crushed like that. But I promise you'll find someone better than her, though that will only happen if you don't blame yourself and move on. Trust me, any girl would be lucky to have a boyfriend as kind as you."
Jaune didn't crack a smile, but he did look slightly better. At least he didn't look like he was about to cry again.
"I'll try," he sighed.
"There's my little brother," Saphron cooed, hugging him and ruffling his hair.
"Come on, Saph!" he groaned, struggling against her. "I'm not a little kid!"
"You're still a little baby to me."
"You're only saying that because you're old."
"Hey, twenty is not old!" she gasped.
He grinned cheekily. "You're so old. You're basically grandma," he jeered.
Laughter broke out from the pair of them.
[/]
"And you're sure your train is arriving on time?" Saphron eagerly asked.
"Yeah, we'll be there soon," Jaune's voice chuckled in her scroll. "Don't worry, you've got plenty of time to get to the station before we arrive."
Jokes on him. She had already got there thirty minutes ago.
"I can't wait. This is gonna be great," Saphron giggled. "Can I not get at least one picture of her?"
"What's the point? You're gonna be seeing her in person in a few minutes."
"But I'm excited!"
"Just wait. Anyway, we're entering a tunnel. I might cut out-"
The call ended abruptly.
Saphron was buzzing in her seat. When he told her that he had finally landed himself a girlfriend, she had been so happy for him. Her little brother wasn't quite the hopeless romantic he had thought himself to be. But when he told her last week that they were coming to visit her, she was over the moon.
She had played the guessing game all week, wondering what his girlfriend would look like. She imagined her as a small, bookish sort of girl. Cute as a button and probably as shy as him. The only heads up she was given was that she was mute, causing her to revisit all those sign language lessons her dad gave them all.
"Any form of communication can be the difference between life and death," he always told them. She never appreciated those lessons until now. She'd have to thank him later.
After watching the seconds on the clock tick down, she finally saw the train make its agonizingly slow journey towards the platform. The wait was finally over. People spewed out of the open doors of the carriages, and in the midst of the crowd stood a tall familiar face.
"Hey, Saph," Jaune beamed.
Jaune looked much the same from before, yet there were obvious changes to him. Good changes. He looked broader, and there was an air of confidence around him that wasn't there before. He was growing into a fine young man. But there was still a hint of the old Jaune inside him. One look in his eyes, and Saphron could tell he was still a big goof at heart.
Saphron rushed over to him and hugged him tight. "Look at you!" she laughed. "You're even taller than before! My little bro's all grown up."
He returned the hug in kind. "Good to see you too. It's been way too long. Sorry I couldn't visit sooner. You know how it's been."
"I totally get it," she said, pulling away. "I'm just happy that-"
She paused and saw it wasn't just his face that was familiar. Now that she had a good look at him, she realised what he was wearing. A smiling bunny looked back at her gobsmacked face.
"No way!" she gawped. "You're not still wearing that Pumpkin-Pete hoodie, are you? You're nineteen, for god's sake!"
"Hey, don't diss the hoodie," he said defensively. "If you knew how comfy it was, you'd keep it too."
"How does it even still fit you?"
"Because it's quality. Besides, Neo loves the hoodie. She thinks it's cute."
Saphron cocked her head. "Neo?"
Then it hit her. The whole purpose of this visit. Seeing her brother again for the first time in ages almost made her forget everything she had prepared for. Not even acknowledging his girlfriend's existence. Great start, Saph.
Now that she was focused, she finally noticed the girl standing close to him. She was short, way shorter than Jaune and even herself. Saphron was hardly a giant, but this girl barely even looked five-foot. If it weren't for her heels, her head wouldn't even reach his shoulders.
"That's right," Jaune said, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Saphron, this is Neopolitan. But she prefers Neo."
Oh my goodness, her hair! Her long flowing hair was pink on one half and brown on the other, with a dash of white on the pink side. But it didn't stop there. Her eyes matched her hair - one was pink and the other brown. Contacts? Hair dye? Damn it, why hadn't Jaune sent her a picture beforehand? She wouldn't have looked like a surprised idiot if she knew what to expect!
But Neo didn't seem to mind. On the contrary, she seemed to like the attention. As if to prove a point, she proudly ran her fingers through her hair, letting it flow in the breeze. She sure was a confident one.
"Neo, this is my sister Saphron," Jaune said. "She's not the oldest of my sisters, but she likes to pretend she is. It makes her feel more mature."
"Oh, shut up," Saphron grinned, giving him a playful slap on the arm. She turned her attention to Neo. "It's nice to finally meet you. You're so-"
But then she paused. She was about to call her cute. Her height was precious, and the fact that she couldn't speak was a surprisingly adorable trait. But no, 'cute' wasn't the right word for her.
Her confidence was obvious. It wasn't just her hair that she was proud of, but her body too. Her outfit revealed her shoulders, her midriff, and a fair bit of her generous chest. Despite her crazy colour scheme, she made it work. It didn't look bizarre on her - if anything, it only complimented her beauty. All that combined with her smile that didn't show even a hint of shyness.
She wasn't cute. She was gorgeous. Stunning. And she knew it.
"Actually, lemme try something," Saphron said. She started to sign out the sentence, "You are really beautiful."
Neo watched her hands with an amused smile. She responded with a wink.
Oh yeah, she definitely knew how she looked…
"Isn't she?" Jaune beamed. "Can you believe that's her natural hair colour? How amazing is that? I told you she was special."
"It does look great," Saphron agreed. "I know I'd never be able to pull off that style."
"And don't let her height fool you," Jaune said, now in full-on proud boyfriend mode. "She's one hell of a fighter. I think she could give Dad a run for his money. She'll dance around you and leave you spinning."
Most people would've felt a little awkward under such praise. But not Neo. She smiled and shrugged, pretending like it was no big deal. She drank it up like water on a hot day.
"Are you a huntress?" Saphron asked.
Neo tapped her chin and signed out, "I get by."
"What do you mean?"
Her question got her another wink. Saphron wasn't sure how to interpret her vagueness.
"I've tried training with her a few times, but it's obvious she's holding back," Jaune chuckled. "If she wanted to, she could throw me around the room like a boomerang."
Neo held his arm tenderly and rested her head against it, causing Jaune to blush slightly.
"Awww, look at you two, being a happy couple," Saphron cooed. "I always told you you'd find someone, didn't I, Jaune?"
Jaune groaned. "Oh come on, don't bring that up!" Neo raised an eyebrow. "Long story, don't ask," he told her.
"Speaking of stories, I wanna hear the whole thing. How you got together, how long you've been dating, all that good stuff. And I know the perfect place to do it. Have you ever been to Argus before, Neo?"
Neo shook her head.
"Neo's a Valer through-and-through," Jaune explained. "She only travels when she has to, but she's been looking forward to seeing you."
Neo looked at her and nodded. That smile. Something about that smile didn't sit right with Saphron. She was definitely not the type of girl she expected Jaune to date. If anything, it reminded her of a similar event that ended in disaster…
"That's even better!" Saphron said, keeping her thoughts to herself. "I know all the best hot spots. We're gonna have a great time."
"Yeah, it's a shame Terra can't be here too," Jaune said. "Could she really not take the day off?"
"Work is work. You'll learn that someday, Jaune," Saphron teased. "Come on, enough standing around. Let's get this show on the road."
[/]
Saphron did not like Neo.
Alright, that wasn't entirely true. But she was suspicious of her. Everything about her set off warning signs in her head. Her confidence, her playful - almost mysterious - responses, and that smile that told her she took few things seriously.
It didn't help that she knew she was gorgeous. Someone like her could have any guy wrapped around her finger. Yet for some reason, she was dating Jaune. That wasn't to say he didn't deserve to date beautiful girls, she just knew her younger brother. Guys like him didn't typically attract girls like her.
It's not like he had changed that much. He was more confident than last time, but he still kept many of his dorky traits. So what was it that pulled her to him? Was their relationship real and pure?
Or was she just playing him along like a certain someone from the past?
They were at a nice steakhouse Saphron knew. She had wanted to treat them to something nice, and she was true to her word. Now all she had to do was keep her suspicions on Neo squashed down.
"It was after what happened at Beacon," Jaune said to Saphron. He was telling her the story of how they got together. Neo sat hip-to-hip with him. "Me and my team were on the road, and I met her in one of the villages. There were a few, er, complications at first, but she ended up travelling with us."
Neo nodded and signed, "We had more in common than what we expected."
Jaune laughed nervously. "Yeah, we probably shouldn't get into that. But anyway, one thing led to another and we ended up dating."
Neo smiled at him with her cat-like grin. "I like having nice things."
Well, that's what Saphron interpreted her signing to mean. But she could've easily meant owning nice things…
"Sounds like you two have quite the history," Saphron said. "And in all that time, you never thought to get a haircut, Jaune? You've still got that yellow mop on your head."
Jaune scoffed. "Oh, so your long hair is somehow better than mine, is that right?"
Saphron grinned. "Mine looks classy. Yours looks like string cheese dangling down your face."
"Well, I'll have you know that Neo loves my hair. Isn't that right, Neo?"
Neo pulled his head down slightly and stroked his hair, affectionately rubbing it like he was her little puppy. Her pet.
Saphron's fingers clenched under the table.
"So, Neo" Saphron said as polite as she could. "What do you like most about my brother?"
"Oh come on, don't ask that," Jaune whined.
"Why not? I want to know."
"That's like the most embarrassing thing you can ask!"
"Neo doesn't mind. Right, Neo?"
Neo looked at her and nodded.
"Neo, please, don't do this to me. I'm begging you" Jaune pleaded.
Her eyes had a wicked glint to them. "Maybe I like seeing you uncomfortable," she signed.
Saphron hid her frown. There was a nastiness in her teasing that put Saphron on edge. She could almost hear the sneer in her non-existent voice.
Jaune rolled his eyes. "You jerk."
"Yep." Neo looked back at Saphron. "I didn't expect to like Jaune at first, but there's a lot more to him than nice legs and pretty eyes. He's honest and simple. Makes it easy to approach him. And he's reliable. Trustworthy."
Yes, he was all those things. All those qualities made someone easy to manipulate.
"But most importantly." Neo placed her hand on Jaune's and looked him right in the eye. Unable to sign with one hand, she had to mouth what she wanted to say. It was only one word, and Saphron could tell which one it was.
'Mine'
Jaune smiled and kissed her forehead, the two of them missing the way Saphron shot Neo the tiniest of glares.
Jaune pulled back. "Alright, that wasn't as painful as I thought," he said. "I gotta use the bathroom. Feel free to keep talking about how great I am until I come back."
Jaune stood up and Saphron noticed the way Neo's fingers drifted down his when he pulled his hand away. He left her and Neo all alone.
Saphron's smile was tight. As tight as fingers around her throat. "You're a lucky girl," she said. "Jaune's a really nice guy."
"What can I say? I saw him and I just had to have him."
"You really care for him, don't you? It looks like he cares for you. This has been the first I've seen him this happy since… well, ever."
Her smile came back. "I always get a laugh being with him. And it's adorable to see him squirm."
Saphron's suspicions bubbled like boiling water, ready to make her mind pop unless she acted on them. Everything about Neo was too much. She couldn't contain herself any longer.
"So, what's your game here?" she asked suddenly.
Neo's smile changed. It was no longer cocky now. It was confused. "My game?" she signed slowly. She somehow found a way to emphasise the final word.
"Let's not beat around the bush. You two are a strange couple. You couldn't be any different from each other, yet you're dating. And that's great. But I don't get how someone like you could fall for a big dork like my brother. You've seen him, he's not exactly a smooth operator. What's got you suckered in?"
Neo shrugged, dismissing her question as honest curiosity. "Who knows? Maybe it's fate?" she signed. She clearly meant it as a joke, unaware that her elusiveness only fueled Saphron's fire.
"Or maybe you're toying with him?"
Neo's smile dissolved in an instant. That accusation had been no joke.
Saphron knew she should probably stop there and apologies for insinuating anything. But this wasn't about her. This was about her brother. And whether he liked it or not, being his older sister meant looking out for him.
"It wouldn't be the first time," she continued, keeping her voice controlled and measured. "My brother can be careless in who he places his trust in. All it takes is a pretty girl to smile at him, and he throws caution to the wind. I've seen it happen before, and I don't want to see him get hurt like that again."
Neo's face was frozen in a hard gaze. She was a very different person when she took things seriously. Her carefree personality was replaced with something chilling.
"Jaune's been through a lot recently," Saphron said. "Whatever it is you two have got going on, it better be true. Because the last thing he needs is someone cruel, thinking it's funny to play games with his heart."
Neo's fingers twisted into a first. She wanted to hit her. She could see the temptation burning within her. She wouldn't, of course. She was carefree, not stupid. Regardless, it didn't matter to Saphron. She had gotten her point across. Now Neo wouldn't try anything funny with her brother. A potential crisis had been averted thanks to her.
But then Saphron saw something that made her hesitate.
There was anger behind those mismatched eyes drilling into her, but it wasn't the anger that concerned her. It was the pain. The genuine hurt in her eyes from the accusation. She hit Neo on a personal level that extended beyond anger. It was the first time Neo had shown any signs of vulnerability.
Saphron shifted in her seat and tried not to let it bother her. Maybe that bad been harsh, but she wasn't trying to be mean. She was just looking out for her brother. She did the right thing.
Right?
Jaune came back smiling, unaware of the sudden tension between the two. "I'm back. What did I miss?"
Saphron was screwed. She shouldn't have said those things while they were here. She didn't feel righteous anymore. Instead, she felt dreadfully foolish. Neo was gonna tell Jaune everything she said. The whole day was gonna be ruined. She could already see it happening.
But instead, Neo smiled back like nothing was wrong and snuggled up next to him when he sat down.
"Hey, I wasn't gone for that long," Jaune laughed, kissing her on the top of her head.
Saphron merely smiled, keeping her mouth shut. That was the best thing she could do now. She could still see the hints of hurt lingering around Neo. A petty person would've spilt the beans right away. But Neo didn't want to ruin the day for Jaune.
Unlike his own sister apparently.
The day continued with high tensions. Saphron did her best to act like nothing was wrong. When it was time to leave and pick up Adrian from daycare, she insisted on doing it herself, giving Jaune the spare key to her house. In truth, she just wanted to be alone.
Adrian crawled over to her when she arrived. "Hey, little man," she said sadly as she picked him up. "Mommy messed up."
[/]
Neo's personality was a lot like her hair - there were different shades to it. On one side, you had an absolute badass who could wreck people twice her size in seconds. But on the other, you had someone who loved to be held and cuddled. This side was reserved exclusively for Jaune.
"Argus is chillier than I remember. I'm surprised you're not cold wearing that," Jaune said, holding Neo tight against him. The two were lying on the bed in the spare room of Saph's house. It was nice to have a brief moment of privacy before she got back.
Neo didn't respond. Jaune had noticed something was off about her from the moment they were alone. She felt limp in his arms. Saggy, like a deflated balloon. She normally loved the attention, but now it was like she didn't have any energy left.
"You okay?" he asked. "You look like something's bothering you."
She turned to him and signed. "Nothing's wrong."
He squeezed a little tighter. "Nice try. I can tell when something's bothering you. You can't hide it from me, not even if you use your semblance."
"I'm fine. I don't care what anyone thinks of me."
Jaune frowned. "What do you mean? Has someone said something?"
Neo scowled and looked away.
"That's unlike you. You normally never let anyone's opinions get you down. That's meant to be my job."
"I told you, I'm fine."
"Yeah, but you don't mean it like you normally do. You mean it in the, "I'm only saying I'm fine to hide how terribly NOT fine I am" way. Again, that's what I do."
Neo sagged even deeper into his arms. "Your sister doesn't like me," she signed slowly.
Jaune blinked. Then he laughed. "Saphron? There's no way. She's probably just a little cautious because you're dating her younger brother. Big sisters are protective like that. Trust me, I have enough to know."
"She doesn't like me." Neo repeated the words with frustrated gestures. "She thought I was leading you on. That I was playing games with you."
Jaune blinked again. He didn't laugh this time. "Seriously? She said that?" He was too busy being confused to be annoyed. "Why would she think that?"
"I don't know. She said something about it happening before."
"Happening before?" The realisation struck him and everything made sense. "Oh… oh that," he said slowly. "Wow… I'm surprised she still remembers that. That was ages ago now."
Neo looked puzzled. "What do you mean."
"It's nothing. It was something stupid that happened to me in high school. You haven't done anything wrong."
"What happened? She looked at him with pleading eyes. It was a look she wouldn't dare show to anyone else. He had her complete trust.
And she had his.
Jaune sighed. "I was about fourteen at the time. There was this girl called Veronica. She was one of the most popular girls in the school. I was a shy, awkward kid back then - well, I'm still awkward now, but that was turned up to the max back then. So when she suddenly asked me if I wanted to go out with her, I couldn't believe my luck. I basically shouted yes."
It was like digging through trash, bringing up such an embarrassing memory. But Neo needed clarity, so he tolerated the brief humiliation.
"Turns out she only did it as a dare from her friends. The dare was to go on a date with one of the biggest losers in the school. Apparently, I was one of them. I didn't think I was that bad, but oh well. When the date was over, she took me to all her friends who had been following us the whole time, watching the whole thing."
He shuddered. "Oh man, it was like I was a circus clown. They all laughed at me. Jauney the loser, going out with someone like Veronica. What a joke. I ran home in tears and my confidence with girls was basically non-existent from that point on. Let's just say high school wasn't a fun time for me."
Neo grimaced. "Sounds rough. Makes me almost glad I never had a chance to go."
"Yeah, you got lucky there," he said with a little laugh. "Anyway, Saphron was the first person to help cheer me up. Ever since then, she's been probably the most protective of me in the family. I thought she would've let that go by now. Guess I was wrong."
This was a strange situation to be in. He never thought he'd see Saphron play the role of protective big sister again. He didn't blame her for it. It meant she loved him. It was just a shame Neo had to be on the receiving end of her caution.
He kissed her cheek. "Don't let it get to you. Saphron doesn't hate you. She just needs some time getting used to you."
Neo pouted. She looked adorable when she did that, but he didn't say anything to spare her feelings.
"It's weird seeing you get so down about what someone else thinks of you," he said. "You've no problem messing with people like Ruby."
"This is different. She's your family. That makes it personal."
Well, at least it meant she cared.
"If it really bothers you that much, you should tell her how it made you feel," Jaune suggested.
Neo's eyes narrowed. She didn't like the sound of that.
"I'm serious," Jaune insisted. "I love my sister, but I don't want you hurting because of her."
"Can't you do it?" Neo complained.
Jaune shook his head. "It wouldn't be the same. If anything, that might confirm her suspicions. She might think you're making me pick a side. You have to be the one. Saphron's not a bad guy. She'll understand."
"I've never been good at telling the truth. Being honest doesn't get you far in the underworld."
Jaune kissed her again. "What's the matter? The great Neopolitan is scared of my big sister?" he teased.
She scowled deeply and her cheeks turned light pink. "I'm not scared!"
"Want me to hold your hand when you do it?" His lips brushed gently against her neck. He could feel her body shudder as her breathing increased. He held her in a firm, yet tender grip.
"Fine, I'll do it!" she signed quickly, her mouth slightly open. "But I need some motivation first."
"That's the spirit-"
Her lips smashed against his before he could finish his sentence. Her little body crawled on top of him as he fell deeper into the bed. There wasn't much talking after that.
[/]
When Saphron was younger, she always turned to her parents when she doubted herself and needed reassurance. Now that job had been lovingly passed down to her wife, whether she liked it or not.
"And that's the whole story," Saphron sighed into her scroll. "Do you think I was wrong?"
"I dunno about that," Terra said on the other end. Saphron had been lucky to call her during her break. "I'm sure you weren't trying to be cruel. You could've worded it better though, and that was probably the wrong time to say it."
"I feel awful," Saphron groaned. "I really thought I was doing the right thing."
"What did she do that was so wrong?"
Saphron thought she knew. But looking back, everything she was concerned about seemed so trivial now. Her playful evasiveness to questions, while a bit annoying, wasn't that bad. She was very flirty around Jaune, but what girlfriend wasn't to their boyfriend? Had she been purposefully trying to find flaws when there were none?
"Nothing really," she shamefully admitted. "She just… she really wasn't what I was expecting. She looked like the type of girl who wouldn't give Jaune the time of day. I couldn't help it, it all seemed like a red flag to me."
"So you projected your own worries onto her based on one bad experience from years ago?"
Saphron hung her head as another wave of guilt crashed through her. She prayed Adrian wouldn't inherit her brains when he grew up.
"Hon, I get it. Really, I do. You were just looking out for him. But Jaune's not a little kid anymore. He doesn't need you constantly watching over him."
"I know, I know. But I can't help it. I'll always be his big sister, no matter how old he gets."
"Try to have a little faith in him. He can look after himself. You don't have to worry yourself sick about him anymore. I'd be more concerned about how you're gonna apologise to his girlfriend - Neo, was it?"
Saphron had been waiting for her to say that. "I've no idea what I'd even say to her," she said. "I haven't been able to look at her since our talk."
"You've got to, and you've gotta do it soon. It'll just make things even worse if Jaune starts to notice the tension between you two. I know you don't want that."
That was the real kicker. She only had his best interests at heart, but she'd never forgive herself if she was the reason his relationship was ruined.
"You're right," Saphron said. "You're always right. That's why I married you."
"Uh-huh, sure. So I can do all the thinking for you in your life?" Terra quipped.
"Yep. You knew what you were agreeing to when you said yes."
"Hah hah. Love you too. Good luck with your apologising."
The call ended and Saphron was left alone with her thoughts. Gods, this was gonna be even more awkward than before. How was she even gonna approach Neo? How would she get a private moment with her? Would she just knock on the door, and ask Jaune to borrow his girlfriend for a bit?
That was the thing about the Arcs: they were all socially awkward in their own special way. Jaune's was being nervous and uncomfortable around people. Her's was opening her big mouth so that a whole lot of stupid could come out. In a way, Neo was lucky. She didn't have a voice, so there was no way she could-
Saphron froze. Speak of the devil. Neo was standing right at the bottom of the stairs.
Blue eyes met pink and brown. Saphron wondered who would speak first, only to realise how stupid it was to wait on a mute person to initiate conversation.
"Hey," Saphron awkwardly awkwarded.
Neo scowled and crossed her arms. Yeah, she deserved that one.
Saphron sighed. "Listen, what I said before… I did mean what I said. I don't want to see my brother get hurt by someone screwing around with him. But at the same time, it was wrong of me to accuse you of doing that before I even knew you. In that regard, I'm sorry."
Neo's grumpy expression softened slightly. It didn't look like she was forgiven yet, but it was a start.
"Jaune already told me what happened years ago," she started to sign. "How it made him feel, and how you were the first to help him."
Saphron nodded. "Then you understand where I was coming from."
Neo responded with a small nod.
"You just didn't seem like the type of girl he'd date. I mean that in a nice way. You're a gorgeous, confident girl. I always tell Jaune that he deserves the best, but when he actually showed up with you… it surprised me. Even though I believed in him, I wasn't sure if he would ever believe in himself. I didn't think he had the initiative to pursue someone like you. I thought maybe there was something else going on here. So in a way… I was unfair to both you and him."
That really stung. It was bad enough that she was rude to Neo, but admitting that she didn't expect Jaune to land a pretty girl by himself was devastating. What kind of supportive sister was she?
But something was working. With every word she said, Neo looked less annoyed. She wasn't even frowning at this point. Not smiling, but not frowning either.
"I never had a family growing up," Neo said. "Ever since I was a kid, I had to make my own way in life. It wasn't until much later that I finally met someone I could call 'family', but that's another story. I would've liked someone like you watching my back at all times. It'd make me feel safer."
The faintest of smiles appeared on her lips when she signed her next words. "Jaune's lucky to have you as his sister."
Saphron didn't accept the compliment right away. "I'm not sure. It looks like I come across as over-protective."
"I'd take that over having no protection any day."
Saphron smiled. "You say that now, but I'm sure you'd change your mind after one day with me."
That earned her a smile. Finally, real progress.
But then the smile dimmed. "You're not wrong for being suspicious about me," Neo signed carefully. "I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a good person, and I'm fine with that. I did what I had to to survive and I've got no regrets. It led me to where I am now. I won't apologies for anything."
It occurred to Saphron that she knew basically nothing about Neo's past. But that was a question for another day.
"But what I have with Jaune…" Her fingers trembled a tiny bit. "It is real. It's probably the only decent thing about me. He makes me want to be better. I don't know if I can, but I want to try because he believes in me. He sees something in me that I don't think exists. I've never had anyone like him in my life before."
Neo made sure to keep eye contact with her. "He is not a game to me."
Saphron didn't think it was possible for her to go even quieter. Reading that final sentence translated into a hushed whisper to her. There was no doubt she was speaking the truth.
Neo really did care for her brother.
Saphron beamed. "That's all I needed to hear- er, see." Two steps forward, one step back. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to start over."
Neo's smile was refreshingly honest. Yep. She had done good this time.
"Great!" Saphron cheered. "Then as my brother's girlfriend, I can only welcome you the proper way."
Neo tilted her head, only to start flailing in panic when Saphron scooped her off the ground and into a crushing hug.
"I'm sorry, I can't help it. Your height is adorable," Saphron laughed.
Neo lost the energy to fight back and went limp in her arms. She had better get used to it, because so long as she was in Jaune's life, there'd be more where that came from.
[/]
The rest of the day went swimmingly after that. Neo got to meet Terra who, to Neo's relief, didn't try to crush her ribs upon seeing her. Adrian woke up from his nap and immediately took a liking to Neo. At first it was because of how colourful she was, but he truly loved her after she gave him a special performance with her semblance. Her semblance allowed her to cast illusions, including making herself look like someone else. She spent the time acting like a stage magician for him, much to the delight of everyone.
It began with a rocky start, but Saphron could say with certainty that the day had been saved. She enjoyed herself right up until they had to go. They said their goodbyes, and Saphron couldn't wait for the day they would come back to visit again.
Night had fallen. Saffron and Terra were snuggled up on the couch, watching a movie. "Looks like it all worked out in the end," Terra said.
"Yeah," Saphron said happily. "Those two are cute together."
"You're gonna have to teach me sign language at some point. I wanna be ready for next time I see her."
"It's not that hard. It's basically-"
Saphron paused when she felt her scroll buzz. She looked at it and saw she had one new message from Jaune. She didn't know why he was texting her at this hour. She opened up the message.
Her eyes widened. The picture had been sent from Jaune's scroll, but it wasn't Jaune who had taken it, as it was made clear by the cheeky grinning gremlin resting against his bare chest. Neo was winking at the camera and bringing her finger up to her lips in a shushing gesture. The caption 'no hard feelings, right?' was written underneath.
Red hot volcanic rage surged through Saphron as all of Argus heard her roar. "OH, YOU LITTLE SHI-"
[/]
Advantage number seven of being mute: when you laugh, no one can hear you.
Neo cackled to herself. She stared at the picture she sent Saphron for a few more minutes before deleting it off Jaune's scroll. Her work was done. She rewarded herself by nuzzling her face against her boyfriend's deliciously toned chest. She trailed little kisses along his pecs, all the while he slept in undisturbed peace.
She could only imagine what his sister's reaction would be like. She liked Saphron. She really did. She was a great person and an even better sister. But that didn't mean she didn't deserve a little payback after what she said to her.
What? She already admitted that she wasn't a good person.