Chapter 58:Diavolo
I don't understand why people are so touchy about a cultural difference. It is still legal to tie a wife to a burning pyre to burn her to death with her husband in some parts of India, Pakistan or Afghanistan or some other dusty hellhole has a culture of fucking young boys as pleasure-boys and China eats dogs and cats and covid bats. In Africa, the sewing up of women's genitalia and the rape of virgins is still culturally acceptable, despite efforts to stamp it out. China is committing an ethnic genocide, a BBC presenter ate human brains... Go out and learn about different cultures, people! In the animal kingdom, meat is meat. Some religions don't eat pork. It has to do with honour for the Faunus. They're animal people, and they've got some customs. Sikh always wear turbans.
Argus is based on San Francisco. San Francisco is known for two things: Sex and movies and Silicon Valley. How else do two women afford a damn three-story house AND a kid? Does Saphron look like she's able to work that hard to pay for such a luxurious house with a garden? So, porn stars. It's a job.
How many people know what a Bat Mitzvah is? Cultures are different, and I am not going to make an effort to be politically correct. Cultures are different, and because I write them as actually being distinct from humanity, because they are not human, well...
Cultures are different, and if you want to suffer something that is dull, uninspired and unstimulating, go and read an Algebra book.
I'm trying to write cultures differently, and that includes not so pleasant parts.
"Sienna, no."
Jaune interjected, before Coral could go and fuck his girlfriend. This was getting out of hand, and he knew that he should at least maintain some semblance of order, even if his girlfriend had just put a huge pack of condoms on the table and was looking expectantly at his sister.
"What, no!? Sex! She's willing! Now!"
Sienna didn't get why he was saying no, and Eve definitely was moaning about something involving human studies, which he supposed was something like the humanities, or something Faunus-like. So, they had eaten Ilia and Camellia's ex, and that wasn't really super to think about it. Eating a person was a little different.
"Hey, she's offered herself to go first! Treat your sister with some respect!"
His sister was pouting, but Jaune wasn't going to give up so easily. He was the man of the house and even if Sienna hadn't been taught properly, he'd do the boyfriend-ly thing. Willow probably would be laughing her ass off if she was in this situation, usually able to hold on to her decorum in any situation.
'She'd probably laugh and try to suggest that we relocate to the Master Bedroom...'
"You're not going to sleep with my sister. No, Sienna."
She got up and stalked over to him with her feline grace, grabbing his shirt, her face close, baring her teeth. His face was passive as he stared at her, his unflappable face showing her that he wasn't backing down. She would need to learn about how things happened with humanity, even if she hadn't done well in school.
'I don't pity the guy who wanted to pass her on favours...'
Sienna was gorgeous, and she frowned at him.
"It's tradition! She offered herself, Jaune!"
That was true, but she was his sister, and he was the man of the house. He didn't know what Faunus considered to be their family and such, but he was still a man and Sienna was acting like a brat.
"No, Sienna. You're not going to sleep with my sister and me. Humans don't have incestual relations with their family. Sleeping with your family is bad."
He wondered how his father, Ambrose, would have handled things, but he didn't know that for sure, as his eyes met Sienna's golden ones, as she purred at him.
'What?'
She tended to do that when she was feeling good, as her hand touched a little lower, Jaune feeling how her dextrous fingers were already working on his pants.
"Then you'll do. Sex, Jaune, I need sex. I need sex, another drink, and maybe three hours or so of you in me."
The need that she showed was pure Sienna, as his pants somehow had gotten loosened and her fingers were brushing over the outline, Eve clearing her throat.
"I'm... eh, intermission? I think Sienna needs some acquainting with Jaune, and-"
Sienna lifted him on her shoulder without another word, as she turned to his sisters, and he had a good view of Eve facepalming, shaking her head softly as the looks of 'what the hell' on his sisters' faces lingered.
"To the bedroom!"
This wasn't how Jaune imagined how it would go, and he smelled the smell of alcohol, as well as perfume, mixed with that natural Sienna scent, as she carried him towards the stairs, undoubtedly working by scent or something.
"Ugh... I'm... Bathroom, where's the bathroom?"
He was put down and Sienna looked awfully green-faced, as she lurched, Jaune guiding her to the bathroom, where she gratefully lurched towards the toiletbowl, the sound of her violently expelling the contents of her stomach, Jaune's expression quite, as Sienna gave another loud sound of discontent and expelled more of the contents of her stomach, her elegance shattered as she just threw up, his Scroll ringing.
"Enjoying yourself with Sienna, Jaune?"
Willow's richly amused voice came from the speaker, as he looked at Sienna, still hunched over, sick from the alcohol that she'd had, the crash after overindulging enough, as she threw up.
"She's currently sick. She just offered to fuck my whole family out of some Faunus custom..."
He had to get Adam or Eve in a chair in front of him and ask whether there was like some special custom to asking a woman to marry him, maybe a battle to the death or something that Sienna would just give him a look like she wasn't about to challenge it, before he'd be up against some giant of a man like Ghira, being beaten bloody.
'I don't think I want that to happen.'
Willow's amused laughter was something that came from the speaker, as she spoke up after she'd calmed.
"Oh, you too?"
'You too?!'
This was unpleasant news! This was news that he hadn't expected, as Willow's breathy laugh came from the Scroll, clearly showing that she didn't think too much of it, or had already decided that it was just a Sienna thing. He wondered whether Willow had done so willingly.
"Nothing like that, Jaune. We had a little chat together, earlier this morning about families. She drank quite a lot."
'It's all coming out...'
He rubbed Sienna's back, as Sienna heaved another time and threw up again, groaning loudly.
"She's getting all of it out right now... I think things aren't going so well, just yet."
He hoped that mom wouldn't be complaining too much about Sienna apparently not having graduated human studies, and it was kind of funny, in a macabre way.
"Oh Gods, I hate this..."
He rubbed over Sienna's back, as Willow laughed even louder at her.
"You drank too much, being so nervous, Sienna... Now, Jaune... Enjoy. Sienna's had a need for your seed."
He heard the smugness in Willow's voice, as Sienna groaned something into the toiletbowl that sounded like 'damn you, Will!', as Jaune continued to rub her back. He didn't drink, nor did he have the desire to do so, so he could at least soothe her worries a little harder.
"She'll need to stop throwing up for that."
Sienna gave another expletive, as she threw up again, clearly having drank too much in preparation for today, Willow laughing softly, as Sienna threw out another expletive, clearly not finding it very funny that she was throwing up.
"Now now, you were well and truly trying to frighten my son's girlfriend, acting like you always do... I'll have to punish you for that, Sienna."
The thought of Willow pinning Sienna down to the bed and doing things with her as 'punishment' flashed through his mind, as the 'elegant and intelligent' Sienna Khan was throwing up, groaning audibly.
"But that is for later. Jaune... Do have a very nice day. I will have to ensure that your sister will be kept occupied... The Schnee Dust Company does not often give employees time off, after all. A business has to be ran."
Willow was elegant as well, but her intelligence was something that made him shudder, aware of how it felt to be with her and how she could tease him.
"Do come visit my apartment, Jaune... I think it is time that we get some steps on the road to ensuring our... relations. Now, I've got a meeting to go to, ta-ta..."
The erection that he got from her lowering her voice and near-purring that out, as Sienna's head rose.
"Damn you, you pent-up bint! If I wasn't feeling so bad, I'd be making sure that he didn't get to get up until the evening!'
The heaving was loud, Sienna's throat making a strangled-cat sound, as Willow laughed.
"Oh, there'd be some getting up that I wouldn't mind, Sienna. There's just so much joy in seeing him, don't you think? You were flustered about making an impression."
Sienna had made an impression, alright. There definitely would be an impression on the wall, if she'd actually gotten to fight with Vivian, as Willow seemed to take a deep breath.
"I must attend to a meeting now, my dear... Do keep our pussycat fed and watered, please. Sienna... I do expect him in reasonably safe condition, so you may not wear him out too much."
The eloquent 'Fuck you too, Schnee' came from Sienna, as Willow cut the connection, Jaune tucking the Scroll back into his pants, brushing over the base of Sienna's neck, as she sounded horrible.
"I need to lie down... Damn it, you'll be with me, Arc."
The defiant, burning fire within her voice sounded like it definitely had some kind of 'sexual clue' wrapped inside her, as she looked at him, her eyes bloodshot.
"Lie down for a bit, and then we'll get things sorted, Sienna. I need to go to my family... You've caused a bit of a stir."
He helped her to his room, Sienna a lot less steady than she looked, and he wondered whether the alcohol was already working through her system, more than it had been before. She looked at his room and then mumbled something about 'giving Red girl a big hard shafting in this bedroom', Jaune trying to imagine Pyrrha not being like that, Sienna obviously nervous and sexually in need, as he got up, kissing Sienna on the lips gently, tasting bile and bitterness, with a hint of whiskey.
He pushed his Semblance through her body, hoping that it would heal up quickly, Sienna's body twitching a little as he felt the glow go through her, and he felt something inside his chest burn, as he smelled her arousal on the air, her eyes opening quickly before they closed and she groaned.
"I'll take a rest... Ugh, whatever you just did gave me a pain in my gut... I should've... Huh, so humans don't do that... A pity, I'd actually wanted to take that uppity sister of yours and shown her how good a woman fucks..."
He could see that Sienna wasn't backing out on her Faunus traditions yet, and he sighed, as her hand grabbed a hold of his arm.
"I will be going home with you having fucked me, Jaune Arc, or so I swear on Menagerie that you will be ravished in front of all of them. I may have messed up, but I am not weak."
There was no denial of her status as someone strong, as he smiled at her, trying to soothe her a little.
"You're my girlfriend."
She smiled, and he could see her expression shift a little, as he knew how well she would keep on going to fight for her cause.
"You're a glorified dance instructor who managed to make the High Leader of the White Fang fall in love with a teenager, Jaune Arc."
He was just that, and a huntsman too, but not quite graduated. He remembered a flash of a man, someone who had touched her on her left breast, her body moving as swift as lightning and tearing and ripping, before she forced him to kneel before her.
'That was the guy who taught human studies... I guess. The Semblance thing is working, I think.'
He didn't really know about that, but Sienna looked a little better, as she grabbed him by the balls.
"These are mine. They will be empty before I return. Don't let Eve try to get at them, Jaune."
He wondered why Sienna said that, but he didn't really know about Faunus customs.
"You're not going to eat my sisters, are you?"
The fierce expression on her face returned, as she squeezed them roughly.
"No! They're my family now. If I don't have to do my duties as a woman of this household then I won't be so bothered... Not that Saphocles would really have a problem with that... You could have told me that you were related to her! I could've gotten an autograph!"
There was some accusing tone, as Jaune watched Sienna grump, her hand having somehow found the inside of his underwear, as her expression turned fierce. He had no idea what Saphron had done.
"I didn't know, I'm- Well, I don't know about much of what my sisters do, I'm just-"
Sienna squeezed harder, as she pressed her lips together in a thin line.
"Then I will change this... Good thing that it usually is one dominant female in the household to tell them what to do... I'll have to improvise..."
This sounded like some kind of thing that he should know about. He looked at her and then grabbed Sienna's wrist, pulling her hand out of his underwear, Sienna giving him that smoky-eyed 'I am not happy with you' look, like a cat denied a toy.
"Sienna, there's no kind of weird thing about Faunus in relationships with their people, right? You're not going to piss all over the couch to mark your territory, are you?"
Sienna looked murderous, as she angrily hissed at him.
"What do you think we are, animals?!"
He didn't think much, except that he had lesbian lizard kebob. They'd given him a reason to doubt their words.
"Normal humans don't eat the people who offended them, Sienna."
She looked offended.
"It's tradition! Diren de Rou is made for those who are owed respect! Do you think we are weak? We may be better than you, we may be stronger than you, but we are not animals! It's a high honour to be served Diren de Rou!"
Offense on her face, as she clearly desired more of him, her hand groping for his groin again. He batted at her hand, being served the foulest look he'd seen thus far. This was definitely going well.
"It is customary that a woman who enters a family offer meat to soothe the hurt of taking a man from their bosom, and for a woman or man who wishes to become a part of the family, to offer his body for the gratification of their family. That's simple. They need to see us weak, so they may know we mean no harm. That's basic child stuff!"
'Basic child Faunus stuff...'
He faintly recalled Kali saying...
'Oh Gods, she wasn't talking about- SHE WAS PROPOSITIONING ME!'
"Is it normal for a married Faunus woman to tell you that if you need her for anything, you can call her?"
Sienna frowned, pressing her lips together.
"Whoever said that was after you for her child or something. Or herself, if her husband isn't doing it for her anymore. Menagerian laws are different from Valean laws."
'Mrs Belladonna...'
He decided to think not about what Ghira might do to him. The man was a giant, and he'd heard that Kali and Ghira would be coming for a visit.
Jaune realized that he'd have to keep that in the back of his mind and subtly try to signal to the man that his wife was trying to... do that.
"I won't be a bad partner! When we do the announcement, you will do what I tell you! You will say the words that are traditional and you will act as I teach you."
'That sounds reasonable...'
"What announcement?"
Jaune asked, just to be certain that she was talking about the announcement that they were in a relationship.
"Your dominance as the Prime, of course. You'll have to face me and Ghira and show that you are worthy."
'What the fuc- wait, wait...'
He held up a hand to stop her, feeling exasperated at the sudden information that he'd received.
"I've got to do that fighting thing AGAIN?!"
He wasn't going to like this. He knew that Willow would just be a simple announcement of 'we're dating, deal with it or be dealt with by our lawyers'. Faunus were really focused on the physical aspect of things.
'Why did I ever get involved with her?'
She looked at him with that smug Sienna look that was beautiful.
'Beautiful older woman with a sexy body... Yeah.'
"Of course! You declare yourself the Prime, you claim me as the spoils, you will mark Ghira as lesser than you and declare that you are the High Leader and that others will obey you. It's that easy."
He wondered about that.
He definitely didn't think that it was 'easy', though Sienna seemed thoroughly convinced that he was up to the task.
"Ughh... go, go to your family. I think I need to have a- a few minutes of rest."
Sienna rolled around and then turned her back to him, leaving him to sigh and fix his pants. As he got up and returned to the living room, Saphron not looking very happily at him whilst mom seemed to be in quite an upset.
"She's just a bit mad, mom is..."
Jaune could see that mom was getting some steam, speaking about 'responsibility', Vivian quiet as she addressed him, mom 'not being the fondest' of Saphron's life choices... or of Terra's.
"... find out now, because of Jaune's girlfriend! Your wife is infamous for- for doing such a thing with men! Have you been lying to me?!"
Terra winced, the criticism enough. Jaune could tell that Saphron wasn't very happy about it, Jaune blinking a little.
'Wait, what? I didn't ask, but they sent money.'
Eve looked a little uneasy, as Adam was holding Salmon's hand, Coral giving a small shake of her head, as she motioned for him to take a seat next to her.
"Well, someone isn't getting laid, it seems..."
Jaune watched as mom laid into Saphron again.
"Finding out from Senna that you used to do- to do such things! And Miss Taurus too!"
Eve looked uneasy at the thought, as mom turned her attention to her and then fixated her gaze on her. Jaune winced a little, knowing that Mom was someone who found a target and then bristled, speaking up.
"Saphocles!"
Eve offered an embarrassed smile, though it looked forced. Eve wasn't feeling like she was comfortable, logically, of course.
"It's ehh... good money? Human on Faunus stuff sells pretty well, and I don't-"
Mom wagged her finger at Eve, before she turned to him with her eyes burning with that zeal that Jaune had seen a few times when dad had been boneheaded and done something to make a mess of the laundry.
The grand spaghetti incident was still a family in-joke, even after the man's death.
"He isn't going to star in one of your movies! I forbid it! After Vivian graduated, I was already nervous, but my son will not be some man who shows everything and consorts with hundreds of men!"
Terra coughed, as Eve looked affronted at the thought of him being with so many men.
"It was just thirty or so, really... Terra's known for being able to act well, even if she's out of the business for a while."
Mom looked like she was going to have words with Terra about that later, and Jaune wondered whether he was going to have a problem with introducing Willow. He probably would.
"It's a little different. Eh... I really do work as a technician, it's kind of my- eh, job? I paid for my education with that, and Saphron hasn't 'gone guy', or anything like that. Industry standards mandate condoms, so as to avoid eh... illnesses."
That would bring a bit of difficulty to the whole thing, Jaune guessed, but he could see that mom was raring up for an argument about 'proper girlish occupations'. If her spending wasn't an issue, it was how she made things up to be more 'moral', just like Mrs Hummus.
"It's still wrong!"
Jaune supposed it was, but he shouldn't judge.
Sienna's eyes went to the pictures that were on the wall, noticing the man who had been present in them, together with his daughters and his son. She wondered whether there was some kind of present she could give the family of the man she loved, to soothe things a little.
Jaune just didn't know tradition! She'd have to educate him on things a little, but they were Valean, so that made sense. She might have messed up with the whole family thing, but she could not let things rest! She'd at least be proper.
'They're all weak, and they need to know who the top woman in the household will be.'
Kali had always impressed upon her that she had made her position clear through the strength of will, and Sienna had a lurking suspicion that she should get the eldest, Vivian, in her clutches to properly put her in her place.
'Ugh, that Lavender woman is going to rub off on me... She'd probably laugh, Sienna Khan never graduated Human Studies... As if I had time for that! I was blowing up SDC buildings when I was younger, and I am now the High Leader...'
Jaune just didn't see things her way, as Willow had cautioned her. There was enough juice in his tank to give every one of his sisters one hell of a good time, but humans apparently didn't do that. She had never really asked why Ghira had just one partner, but it made sense to her that it would be taking care of her family.
'At least they aren't ugly.'
That was not a big objection. Condoms existed, Jaune simply had to shed those little weird thoughts about not being with his sisters. That youngest sister of his had been enthusiastic, and Sienna could see that she definitely would like it, even with Adam's girl probably having been off-limits... Adam had offered, of course.
She rubbed her face against his pillow a little. The smell was nice, as Jaune had left, leaving her to recover a little bit from the liquor. The bottle in her back pocket was still nice and solid, and she pulled it out, draining the contents, feeling the liquid courage shoot through her. Dealing with families that were as big as a human's was stressful, but Sienna Khan was a woman who didn't stop to think about such nimby-pimby things, she just bulldozed through the objections.
'Alright... Give it five more minutes to get the headspace right...'
She had to apologize for getting the family so heated, as was proper. Those who entered a family after having been beaten by their partner in the grand pogrom of life would need to show respect, and if she had made an error...
'Willow better respond...'
Her Scroll was out and she typed in an answer, whatever Willow was doing be damned.
'How do you apologize to humans?'
Willow was very understanding, when it came down to it. Of course, Willow would be a part of things. She was subject to Jaune as well, and he'd better damn well be giving her happiness, when lame-balled Jacques Schnee had finally been pushed out into an early grave.
'This is going to be complicated...'
'You say 'I am sorry for causing offense, I didn't know', like anyone normal, Sienna.'
Even being a snarky little bitch didn't make Sienna feel anything but a surge of annoyance at Willow's response, as she took a very deep breath and resolved to go down and 'apologize', knowing that the Liga girl and her partner-girl, who definitely were fucking together with how their scent had intertwined, would be glorifying the day that Sienna Khan lowered her head.
'Ugh, I don't like this...'
She needed Jaune's dick inside her, it had been way too long. He'd recovered, Willow had been taunting her, and she had grabbed his balls and felt how sore they were.
'Sex, sex, sex...'
She needed it, it had been too long. It had been too long, toys didn't satisfy anymore, knowing that her man was able to walk again.
'Eve can go rot. I'm taking what's mine.'
Traditionally, Eve could challenge her, having beaten her in a spar. Eve wouldn't do that, Sienna guessed, knowing that Sienna was better at politics than she was.
It was one of her saving graces... and then there was the fact that nobody really dared to question her when it came to martial might.
She'd make sure that there would be something great for Jaune's family...
'Perhaps I should speak to his mother...'
There had been a mention of some financial difficulties, of course. With Torchwick being some cad who currently was resting in jail after she'd declared Jihad on him, she knew that he'd be very happy to keep being imprisoned, because the Faunus would make sure that he was eaten.
It was the highest measure of force that the High Leader could bring, knowing that the Faunus would obey the word of the strongest.
They had been enslaved once, and they had gotten their freedom through strength. They would never suffer such a shame ever again, and they would war again if things came to such a head.
She got up and then peered into the mirror. Her makeup was a little messy, and she certainly needed to straighten her suit out a little, but she was still Sienna Khan, woman, High Leader and the best woman for Jaune Arc to love... okay, maybe with Willow adding some balance, but she wasn't going to-
'Oh, I need to do that with her family too...'
She scrapped that thought, since Jaune had said no. She could hem and haw all she wanted, but he'd said that it wasn't going to happen. She was a proud and independent woman, but she knew that she might not be fully informed.
'I don't like this...'
It made perfect sense to her!
She descended the stairs, hearing the loud argument before she'd even stepped down the lowest step.
"That doesn't make it right! Jaune dates who he dates, and he's like his father!"
'She does sound pretty astute.'
Her mother-in-law would need to be shown proper respect.
'I wonder if she likes some traditional art...'
She didn't have any at her apartment, but finding a good woodcutter from Menagerie and ensuring that they furnished the finest statue of the Faunus would be easy.
'They were served Diren de Rou, and that is a high honour...'
Those who were eaten had their bones returned to Menagerie as their shame, their lives struck from the population for their shameful acts.
"That doesn't make sense, mom! I'm free to do what I want to do, and if that's having some kind of hot steamy sex with Eve or something, that is my business!"
Sienna could agree with Saphocles on that. She'd liked to see the by-play and Eve's acting skills as 'the Mino-Taurus', and there was nothing wrong with that.
'I wonder if she wouldn't mind being involved... There was that movie, of course...'
"I'm back."
She stated, with the utmost confidence, as the sisters and the mother turned to her, Eve and Adam looking very uncomfortable, as Sienna placed her hands on her hips.
"What? I got sick, so Jaune got to escape... I will be getting what I am due, Jaune Arc. Ahem..."
She had stated her position on things, giving Jaune a look, whilst he just looked panicked at the thought, which was unnecessary. Of course, there would be more than enough love-making to be done, but she'd get Willow back for things going this far.
'I need a drink...'
"I am sorry if-"
She bristled, trying to hide the disgust at being forced to apologize to smoothen things over.
"If I have caused offense. Our culture is different, and I did not... did not sufficiently finish my schooling, it seems."
Admitting fault seemed to be something that she'd never get used to, feeling the bile burn in her throat, the displeasure at having to apologize to the sisters something that didn't feel like it should be done.
"That's fine, Miss Khan... It isn't a problem, everyone is..."
The grandmother of her children mumbled, and Sienna resolved to learn her name, eventually. The sisters seemed glad for a reprieve.
"So the great Sienna Khan can be humble too, I didn't think I'd ever see the light of day."
The jibe made her anger rise, as she looked at the sister who'd been given the diren de rou and made soothed in her anger, as she straightened her shoulders, her eyes narrowing, Jaune giving her a look that pleaded with her to be gentle, as she took a deep breath.
"We are a noble people, who are gracious in our defeat and in our triumph."
The woman was a part of the family that she would belong to as well, and Sienna knew that smoothing things over would be a good thing, as she took a deep breath.
"About as gracious as the eating of your own leaders, Khan."
That was the right thing to do! Why would you let people go with anger in their bellies when you could have them full with their fury. Everyone knew the price of harming the people. If you weren't respectful, you weren't Faunus!
"It was respectful towards Humanity! You executed your kings when we were liberated, did you not?"
Camellia Arc seemed to be ready to drive another argument, but the eldest sister spoke up.
"Fine, I suppose that we'll have to get some ground rules. Sienna, you're dating my little brother."
She definitely was, and she wouldn't be un-dating him. It was not proper, to at least do that, as she straightened herself out, Jaune giving her a pleading look, manly as he was. He would make sure that she didn't suffer too much backlash, as she fixed Vivian Arc with a look.
"Fight me."
Sienna got up immediately, pulling the whip out of her back pocket.
"Outside, Vivian... We don't want to have to refurbish the inside of the living room when you cut loose. Come on, Sienna, you're not going to ruin our living room fighting my sister! Out!"
He was making a good point, as the woman's weapon was in her hands, and Sienna grinned broadly at the thought of making the eldest Arc her bitch.
'This is an Arc I can learn to like!'
She liked the challenge.
Willow Schnee was everything a businesswoman should be. Perfect in poise, pristine in appearance, her eldest daughter walking perfectly in lockstep with her superior officer, as the General walked them to one of the meeting rooms in the airship, the business already starting, for the meeting had been called swiftly, and she had only had a brief moment of composure, calling Jaune in the washing room. It hadn't been hugely popular for her to do her makeup anyways, but since the General had come with her with a request for food.
"Please, enter."
Her bodyguard took to the side of the room, as was protocol, Winter taking a seat at the table as well, the table set for three. Lunch would be provided too, it seemed, as Willow wondered briefly about whether business was to be spoken of.
"It has been a while since your husband passed, Willow."
Her personal name, used, as she schooled her features in a smile that barely reached her eyes. It was the polite request to give a response that was implicit in the man's words, as she raised the glass to Winter, to have it be filled with something that would be appropriate. Some wine went well with a bit of food, but she definitely would have to moderate it, knowing that some dishes were best served without.
Winter poured her glass to the appropriate serving size of the fine wine that'd been from a renowned vineyard that produced great quality grapes, her gaze resting on the bottle and then coming with the options that were supplied with such a wine.
"General, Winter..."
Winter poured herself a very small glass, to keep things appropriate for the meeting, as she took stock of the man, knowing that there was a small budgetary concern that she'd have to point out about the military's use of Dust from the SDC mining operations, as an ensign or something of the sort brought out a dish for them to eat, Winter waiting for a moment before she raised her glass.
'Okay... and now what?'
"We need to talk about the future, Miss Schnee."
There was talk of that, of course, as the General put on that smile that told you that you were going to get fucked up the ass by the Atlesian military, that fake smile that she herself had once perfectly emulated, empathy without empathy. Apathy in its purest form, as the gentlemanly air around him seemed to increase.
"Specialist Schnee has come to me for an offer, to ensure that her future is secure."
'That means marriage...'
Her expression doubtlessly read her discontent with that, as she stared at the General.
"I will not condone a marriage between the two of you, General Ironwood! My daughter is too young to be marrying a man of your age."
To see her little Winter married to a man who could've been her grandfather or something, knowing that James Ironwood was in his late fifties, was something that she'd never want. She'd rather see Winter marrying a Faunus than it would be for someone to go and make such a rough move.
The man actually looked astonished, as he laughed. She spotted flowers in a vase at the side of the room, a typical red bouquet that meant 'intimate feelings' in the language of Atlesian flowercraft, because the colour was so rare in Mantle.
"No, nothing of the sort. Specialist Schnee wishes to propose to a fine young gentleman, and I have deemed it to be a worthwhile endeavour. A fine young Huntsman, taught by one of the best the world could have."
'That means that she's considering a boy to marry... Good, I didn't waste too much time on that... Gods above, if she'd actually had eyes on Jaune...'
There would be some strict words with Winter about that. Willow thought she'd seen some well-dressed young man with dark skin and a wolf's tail somewhere near when they'd come to this little meeting room, similarly garbed to Winter.
"Ah, is he a nice and pleasant young man?"
Winter smiled, and Willow felt something inside her guts freeze up. The flush on her daughter's cheeks, the look away from her, and the flowers.
"Very nice, I'll... Hm."
The General motioned, and the food was dug into, as Willow's face showed little emotion, knowing that the General undoubtedly would have vetted the young man, but she herself would have to vet him as well.
"A strong young man, very fertile, as far as his family line goes. We did some investigation and found that his father died in the line of duty as a Huntsman, with a mother who has been able to keep the family going."
'That sounds... familiar.'
The thought of Jaune brushed over her mind, as Winter smiled sweetly at him.
"It would be for the best, Mother. Whitley has a girlfriend, I am... woefully inadequate in such a thing, and I shall make the formal request to the older sister herself."
'Big family... Older sister. Well, that isn't a very good descriptor.'
The food continued to be rather delightful, as Willow sipped very lightly on the wine, her expression changing little as her daughter looked nervous. The General's face was set in that half-smile, as if he found it to be very amusing thing.
"Willow, I know that it is a little early since the death of your husband, but..."
The bouquet appeared in the man's hand, her daughter gazed at her with expectation, as the General offered.
"Would you do me the honour of dining with me again in private? To... foster tighter relations."
Willow Schnee was not pleased at this news, though her expression showed it not. Internally she was screaming.
'At least Sienna is having a better time today...'
Anything beat getting to see James Ironwood trying to propose that they'd 'deepen relations'.
Whoever thought that she would go well with a man who had the heart of a machine definitely was living in fantasy-land.
"Damn it!"
Sienna did not look very happy, as she emerged from the shower, clearly not very pleased. Vivian had actually managed to get the upper hand for most of the fight, and Sienna had only been able to close in after Vivian's Dust crystal had ran out, the scorching temperatures of her weapon's firing mode leaving Sienna soaked in sweat, and Vivian had taken the loss, actually complimenting Sienna for the finishing move.
That Camellia and Mint had not been very happy to see Vivian actually shake hands with Sienna Khan went without saying, but he knew that they would at least have to keep their mouths shut, mom starting to make something for dinner.
"We'll get to making sex later."
Sienna's expression was dark and gloomy, as Adam had came just a few minutes after the fires had died out. Sienna's expression had darkened, when there had been a message of 'we have a situation' and 'Please assist' and an expletive-laden rant from her, before she'd just about dragged him into the shower with her.
The shower had lost its virginity, as she'd nearly assaulted him, her mouth pressed against his own as her tongue duelled with his own, before she clothed herself again, her clothing a little scuffed, and she pulled herself together.
"I love you."
Sienna didn't say that a lot, but she meant it, grabbing him by the balls, looking down at him.
"Just you wait. I'll get some time and we'll go through that pack... That sister of yours, Vivian, has said that she'd consent."
'What?'
Vivian had said that she'd like to have a few drinks with Sienna one of these days, even with mom slowly coming around to the fact that Jaune was dating a Faunus, as Sienna's brooding expression looked darker and fiercer than before.
"I'll have to tell Willow the good news... I will not be second."
He had to introduce Willow to his family too... and Willow wanted to see him soon.
'I wonder when I'll get back to Beacon...'
He had the sneaking suspicion that the Headmaster might want some words with him, and that he had homework to catch up on.
"Sienna, I made you something to take home. I hope you like it."
Mom had cooked something for Sienna, and Sienna took the container filled with what smelled like home-made grilled lambsrack and potatoes with rosemary and lemon, nodding, smiling broadly.
"I will. I hope that you will receive Jaune's other girlfriend as well as I was received."
His mother's smile stiffened, as she looked at him, raising an eyebrow. His sisters gave him looks. Looks that sort of hinted that there might be words.
"His...Other girlfriend?"
Sienna smiled, cattily.
"I hope you don't mind... She's a single mother with three children, a little bit of a nuisance, demanding his time... Jaune, I will see you again soon. Do not let me go and be lonely, or I will make sure that you will be fetched."
Sienna's back straightened and his mother looked at him, as Sienna departed, his mother mustering a smile.
"Have a pleasant day, Sienna. It was lovely having you over."
The moment when the door shut behind Sienna, he was the subject of eight female gazes that definitely wanted 'explanations'. Jaune cleared his throat.
"She's... eh, she's a delightful woman? I'm sure that you'll like her?"
Mom and several of his sisters crossed their arms, and Jaune swallowed heavily.
"A mother with multiple children, Jaune?! How irresponsible can you be?!"
This was going to be an argument...
'Thanks a lot, Sienna...'
She must be a little sour about Willow making fun of her.
Alas, Sienna's vengeance comes with consequences Sienna cares little for.
And Willow got proposed to by the General. She's kind of clued into what Winter's plan is...
My fingers are blistered thanks to having been put to work in the gardens at my mother's place... Hogweed sucks. It sucks, it stings, and my gloves weren't sufficient, so now there are blisters.
Leave a review if you'd like.