Author's Note: Well it seems that I've found the perfect level of shit to put Jaune through if the reactions to last chapter are anything to go by. It seems like a good amount of people enjoyed the twins getting him drunk and teasing him. I'll keep that in mind for the future.
As always my thanks go out to everyone for their interest in the story. Your support and comments are always appreciated.
I hope you enjoy the new chapter.
Heavy eyes cracked open to the feeling of pain. His entire world was pain. Other than the immensely loud roaring in his ears, it was the only sensation that his mind was registering at the moment.
Jaune lifted his head, the unwelcome stiffness in his neck just another example of the soreness which seemed to permeate his entire being. It took a few moments to realize where he was. The dark brown wood of a bar counter was in front of him, and his arms which still rested on it had formed a makeshift pillow for his throbbing skull.
Memories of the past night flooded back into the forefront of his mind. Meeting the twins. Coming inside for a drink. Feeling the immense sorrow that came from talking to them about his failure to attend Beacon Academy. The promise of being able to drown out the pain with the sweet embrace of alcohol.
What a lie that had turned out to be. He felt like utter garbage at the moment. His body ached, his mind was hazy, and his mouth tasted awful. All of this was being further complicated by the loud sounds of power tools being used, seemingly all around him.
He realized there was a light weight on his back and shoulders. Reaching up to touch it he expected to find the familiar fabric of his hoodie, but soon realized that it was a blanket which had been draped over him. He went to remove it, but even this task seemed monumental to accomplish, and it took a good fifteen seconds to pry the covering off of him and place it on the stool to his left.
As Jaune looked around he saw a few men in familiar black suits working in various parts of the club in an attempt to restore it. The noise of perhaps three or four of the tools was amplified to sound like a hundred in his current state, and Jaune winced as he brought a hand up to rest on his forehead. He tried to stand up and quickly found himself using his other hand to brace himself on the bar that had only minutes earlier been his bed.
The pain in his body seemed to subside briefly before it regrouped and concentrated solely on his stomach. It was a feeling not entirely unfamiliar, and had only a couple days prior experienced in his latest bout of motion sickness aboard the airship. The very same airship which was taking him to Beacon.
It seemed that this last thought was the final straw, and Jaune quickly lost control of his body once more as a stream of vomit shot from him onto the filthy tile floor.
If he had felt bad before, he felt utterly terrible now. The bad aftertaste in his mouth was replaced with an even worse one, and his throat and nose burned in reaction to the sickness which had shot through them. However it turned out that his torture was not quite over yet.
"Hey!" one of the black-clad men shouted, turning off his tool before he stomped over to stand close to Jaune. "What the fuck are you doing? You're cleaning that mess up!"
Jaune turned, eyes briefly landing on the man before averting to the floor, unable to meet the angry gaze directed his way. "I'm sorry," he offered simply.
No more words were spoken for several long seconds, and only the torturous sound of power tools rattled the young blonde's eardrums. When he looked back up expectantly at the older man he saw what he would have considered to be the last expression he would have expected. Where there had once been an irate and justifiably annoyed face staring back at him, Jaune saw that the man's skin had gone pale. Eyes which may have normally been concealed behind red sunglasses now stared at him in disbelief, and if Jaune was correct, maybe even fear.
"Just forget it," the man said, the anger in his voice having evaporated. "Go get yourself cleaned up. I'll take care of this."
Jaune didn't know what to make of the sudden change of heart, but was grateful nonetheless. "Thank you. I'm really sorry."
The man shook off the apology before pointing off toward one end of the club. "It's fine. Bathroom's that way."
Jaune nodded and smiled genuinely before heading off.
On his way he passed by a handful of other similarly dressed men, all wearing the normal garb of Junior's lackeys. He wondered if any of them were from the night he and Ruby had stopped the dust robbery. He wondered if any of them would recognize him. Could that be why that one man had reacted the way he had upon seeing Jaune's face?
Were they too scared to rat him out? Too ashamed of being defeated by teenagers? If Junior knew that he had done more than merely observe the fight then Jaune might be blamed for the botched robbery. However the fact that he had not been awoken by a hard punch to the face told him that they had not told Junior about his involvement in the dust shop robbery.
As he thought about that possibility Jaune was greeted by similar reactions with every new person he passed by. At first there would be an annoyed glance shot his way, but perhaps a second later those glances would turn to looks of worry and fear. These must have been the men from that night, recognizing him for the badass warrior that he was. Even if it was Ruby who had taken most of them out, he had been there alongside her. It all made sense.
Jaune passed them by without incident however. Perhaps they were indeed too scared to challenge him. In a way that made him feel good. Powerful. Respected.
Something he could have indeed become at Beacon Academy.
He pushed open the washroom door with a heavy sigh, thinking about his lost opportunity with regret. Truthfully there was little else he could have done to avoid the consequences of his actions. He had no idea that his family's legacy would come back to bite him at the most inopportune time possible.
For now however he simply needed to wash up and get the vile, acidic taste of vomit out of his mouth. He reached the sinks soon after stepping inside, and looked up to get a first glance at his appearance this morning. What he saw shocked him.
The very first thought which entered his mind was that he was still drunk and simply seeing things. Or perhaps that the circus was in town and he was staring into the eyes of a clown on the other side of a window. However he instantly knew that he was not so lucky, and that the messy, colorful face which stared back at him was his own.
His lips stood out the most with a ruby-red shade of lipstick smeared onto them as if he had done so himself without the aid of a mirror. The green eye shadow which decorated him was a familiar shade, which the mascara made his lashes pop out with volume and length that would have made any of his sisters jealous. Combined with numerous locks of his shaggy blonde hair done up in crude braids of various styles made him look like a toddler's first attempt at dressing up a new doll they had been bought.
These attempts at fashion were not the worst of it, however. He could have dealt with a little bit of makeup on his face. After all, he had been an unwilling test subject for his older sisters on more than one occasion growing up in the Arc household. No, it was the accompanying little bits of extra attention onto his face which stood out most.
Even in the mirror Jaune could make out the words which were written on his cheeks. On one cheek the words "pretty little princess" were messily drawn, while on the other "property of MM". The way the words were slightly smeared, and with how easily they came off with a little bit of water told him that it was probably done in eyeliner.
Another sigh slipped through his lips as he turned on the sink and began to rinse and scrub the offending cosmetics from his face with both hands. Things suddenly made a lot more sense. The men in Junior's club were indeed afraid of him, but not for the reasons he had originally thought. His appearance this morning made him look like a crazy person. Either that, or they feared upsetting the girls who had drank with him the previous night. Jaune did not know if the M's on his face represented the initials of one of the girls or represented the first names of both of them. However if the henchmen believed him to be their property then they were right to not want to harm him. The wrath of both of the girls would be the last thing that they wanted directed at them.
Ugh. What a pain. Both literally and figuratively. His body ached, his head hurt, and this whole mess stank. It wasn't just the smell of alcohol and vomit either. Getting drunk and passing out at a shady nightclub was just adding on to the list of recent misfortunes in his life. All in all it was way too early to be dealing with all of this.
Speaking of which, Jaune decided to see just what time it was. He pulled out his scroll and turned it back on.
When he did so he saw that it was a few minutes before noon. Just how long had he been out?
There was something else too. He saw that he had unread messages. A lot of them. Fingering the icon he opened up the list, and saw that they had all come from a single person. His heart sank at the sight of her name.
"Ruby..." he whispered. He wanted to punch the mirror like he had seen so many times in the dramatic scenes of movies. However the last thing he wanted to do right now was cause any more damage to this place after the... "kindness" that its people had shown him. The washroom was unscathed, after all. There was no need to force them into repairing it as well.
A new, yet familiar form of pain formed within him. Heartache. A reminder of his failure. A reminder of his lost hopes and dreams.
Jaune scrolled up to the beginning to read through his friend's messages.
Everything okay, Jaune?
No. Things weren't okay.
They're calling everyone to the cliffs. Are you still with Ms. Goodwitch?
I'll look for you in the forest! Good luck!
I didn't see you out there. Are you okay? Please answer!
Jaune what team are you on? I didn't see you at the ceremony! Where are you?
Jaune squeezed his eyes closed as he leaned on the sink with one hand. The other clutched his scroll so tight that he thought for a moment that it might break. No. If he was that strong then he would not have needed to forge his transcripts. If he was stronger his father would have believed in his abilities. If he was stronger none of this would be happening.
His mind wandered back to the previous night. He wanted a drink. He needed a drink. Melanie said it would make all the pain go away. She had been right, in a way. He hadn't been hurting while he was passed out.
However the very thought of having another drink made him queasy. The vague aftertaste of vomit still clung to his mouth and he had no wish to bring it back in full force. Depression or not, the last thing he needed right now was another of the girl's healing drinks.
Instead he brought up the digital keypad on his scroll and began typing a message back to Ruby. What could he say? What did she already know, if anything? It was probably best to leave it vague and see how things went from there.
There was a problem with my transcripts. I won't be going to Beacon this year. Sorry.
There. Just vague enough to be open to interpretation. And not a lie either. Every word of it was true.
There was no point in telling her the whole truth. After all, she was now on her own team with new friends. Soon enough she would be going on all kinds of adventures and forget all about the boy she met in Vale that one time. There was no reason to corrupt her memory of him with the truth about his deceit.
Satisfied that he had cleaned himself up the best he could, and no longer fighting the urge to vomit once more, Jaune exited the washroom and headed back to the bar area of the club. His personal belongings still rested there on the floor next to the stool he had slept on over the night. All that was left now was to gather his belongings and head out. He still had no idea what he was going to do with his life in the next few days.
On his way there he noticed that the henchmen who had all looked upon him only minutes ago averted their eyes this time. They knew who he was now. Or rather who he supposedly belonged to, despite it being the furthest thing from the truth. However he was not going to let that stop them from believing it. If it meant keeping a group of potentially dangerous men from hassling him then he was all for it.
As he approached the bar he saw that Junior now occupied a familiar spot behind it. He wasn't drinking himself, and he wasn't serving drinks either. He merely stood there, looking down at his scroll laid flat on the table.
He looked up at the sound of Jaune's approach. "You look like crap, kid."
Everything was right in the world once more. Or at the very least, it was getting there.
Melanie strutted down the sidewalk in downtown Vale, a tall bag in one hand that was so large that it almost touched the ground despite holding it up nearly shoulder high. Despite her high heeled boots she still lacked the height to be able to carry the precious cargo around with the ease that she deserved.
If only she had been able to wake her new favorite toy up this morning. He would have made an excellent pack animal to carry her and Miltia's bags. Unfortunately he had not been easily stirred when they had set out earlier. She would never openly admit that this had been entirely her fault to begin with.
The bag in question contained her favorite white-teal dress, now fully repaired and in pristine condition. Miltia carried her own blood-red dress in her bag, which by the looks of it she was having an equally annoying time in carrying. It wasn't that the bags were heavy or even cumbersome. The fact that neither girl wished to fold the paper bag, nor the black zippered garment bag, was the issue. It simply would not do to cause any unsightly creases in their freshly tailored dresses.
As for the other reason that today was such a good day, well, she was walking right beside her. Actually a little ahead of her at this point. Her sister's short legs were moving quickly, the click-clack of her heels on the pavement all but putting her annoyance on display for the entire world to witness. The visual projection of that emotion made Melanie grin as she worked to catch up to her twin before matching her pace.
"So..." she said, shooting a sideways glance at her sister who seemed more content to admire the city's architecture than look at the girl addressing her. "You still mad?"
Miltia's shoulders stiffened immediately, but she did not bother to look back at her sister when she answered. "I'm not mad, Melanie," she retorted sharply.
She was totally mad.
Melanie feigned innocence in her next statement. "That's good, because all I asked was about the whole blanket thing."
"There's nothing to say about the blanket thing. And you did a lot more than just ask."
She was guilty there. Melanie may have made some less than subtle implications. There may have been other questions. She may have goaded her sister on and on about something which she knew was not true.
Faux innocence turned to hurt as Melanie dramatically placed a hand over her heart. "I'm only like, trying to look out for your happiness. And if you're into this guy-"
"I'm not. Into. Him," Miltia said deliberately.
Melanie turned away to hide a knowing smirk. It took a few seconds for the girl to regain her composure so that the amusement in her voice would not betray her words.
Emerald eyes flicked back over to the girl whose pace had once more picked up. Melanie worked again to match her twin's speed. "So you just went downstairs with a blanket and put it over his shoulders out of the goodness of your heart then?"
"No," Miltia answered. "I did it to pay him back for what he did for me."
"Is this really all because he bandaged your hand up that one time?"
"Maybe? So what if it is? There's nothing wrong with being nice to someone who was nice to me."
Melanie gasped dramatically for effect. "Oh my gods! Should we go stop off at the pharmacy and buy you some birth control?"
"Seriously, would you please shut the fuck up? It isn't like that at all."
She knew that was true. However that would not stop her from having her fun. "Normally you only get this upset over me. But now you're letting some boy get you so worked up?"
"You're still the one upsetting me, idiot," Miltia countered.
"Wow, bitchy much today? Are you on your period or something?"
"No. As if you wouldn't know even if I was."
Melanie shrugged, mentally conceding the point. "Whatever."
A moment of silence between the sisters turned to two. Then several. After several tension-filled seconds it was Miltia who finally spoke once more. "There's nothing wrong with having compassion for someone. Maybe you should learn about it sometime."
A small part of Melanie's stomach twisted inside her at those words. Compassion? For what? If anything that Jaune guy got lucky. He would be spared walking down a thankless and ultimately pointless path. To be a huntsman was to be nothing more than a dog of the state. A mindless soldier who's expected to follow orders. At least that was what Junior had told her. She trusted him implicitly. He was one of only two people in the world who had earned such esteem.
Still, it would not do to spoil the mood with the harsh reality that both she and Miltia knew to be true. Instead she merely continued her assault. "Aw," she cooed. "Are you feeling sorry for the little huntsman?"
"I'd feel sorry for anyone after having to drink with you for a night."
The words were meant to insult her, but Melanie took them in stride. She was far better at this game than her sister. "I can just see it now. 'Like, oh em gee, Melanie'," Melanie sang teasingly. "'He's like a poor baby bird with a hurt wing. I need to nurse him back to health.'"
The mocking words earned their intended response as Miltia growled in anger before replying. "Will you please just shut up already?"
Melanie laughed, her sister's reaction finally getting the better of her poker face.
However her laughter seemed to give Miltia the wrong idea if her next words were an indicator. "Wow, you're actually laughing at your own joke. Can you say pathetic?"
Yep. She was mad. Totally, totally mad.
"I don't know. Can you say 'too easy'?"
"Depends. How many drinks have you had today?"
The implication was not lost on Melanie. A tiny ember of anger ignited within her, causing her to respond in kind. "Depends. How many bandaged hands does it take for you to put out?"
"I dunno. How about you give me a benchmark to go off of? I wouldn't want to upstage you at your own game."
Little brat. As if she would ever be that easy. Melanie may have had the reputation for being the wilder of the twins, but she was by no means like any of those average dishrag whores who frequently showed up to Junior's place looking to hook up with a hot piece of ass. No, Melanie had standards. Unreasonably high ones. She would toy and tease. She would let those around her think that they were seducing her. However in the end she would always cut them off, thanking them for the drinks before moving on to the next guy.
It wasn't even about the free booze either. She had all of that she could ever want. To her it was all about the power that came with wrapping men around her innocent, delicate finger. The thrill of making them think that they was going to get lucky that night after getting her drunk and horny. Then crushing them the moment they felt their victory was at hand. The looks of shock, betrayal and sometimes even anger on their faces were priceless when they realized that she could have drank them under the table without a second thought. It was an intoxicating sensation that made her feel alive almost as much as fighting did.
Of course if any of them decided to try and get a little bit pushy with her after the rejection, well, a single bladed heel to their manhood was all that it took to make them flee.
"Bitch," Melanie replied simply.
Miltia finally looked her way, a smug smirk on her face that looked all too satisfied with herself. "What's wrong, can't handle a little shit being thrown your way?"
"Your shit sucks," the elder twin shot back. "Just like your stupid little stray fetish."
"It isn't a stray fetish. I told you it's called compassion."
"What-ever," Melanie said exaggeratedly. "He's not even a stray to begin with."
Miltia's voice softened with her next words. "You heard him last night. He has nowhere to go. Doesn't that remind you of anyone?"
The delicate words earned a response that was anything but that as Melanie looked her way. "Bull-fucking-shit. That's not even close to being the same and you know it."
The other girl shrugged. "I know. But still."
"At least he has a family to go back to. That's a lot more than you and me can say." Miltia was about to respond before Melanie cut her off. "Yeah yeah, I know. Hei. You don't have to remind me. But you know what I mean."
Miltia seemed satisfied with her sister's correction if her nod was anything to go by. "Yeah. I do."
"All I'm saying is that he shouldn't take what he has for granted. I mean, seven fucking sisters? Are you serious?"
A soft giggle slipped through Miltia's lips. "Rabbit faunus."
Melanie shook her head, but couldn't stop a small smile from forming on her lips. "You're so dumb."
"Yeah? If I am it's only 'cause I learned from the best, big sis."
Brat. That's what Miltia was. An immature little brat.
Melanie would be the bigger person here, the more mature one, being the big sister that she was. Rather than hitting her younger twin with an awesome comeback she decided to move the conversation forward. "So what are you going to do now?"
Her sister's head tilted slightly in confusion. "Hmm?"
"Once your new secret crush is awake. He's like, leaving today. So what are you going to do?"
"Can you please not start with that again?"
What a mood killer her sister was. However, Melanie decided to spare her any more teasing.
Instead she decided to ask a genuine question that was on her mind. "He's your little charity case with nowhere to go. So are you going to help him out?"
A breath slipped through Miltia's nose, halfway between a laugh and a scoff. "And how would I do that?"
"I dunno."
"Wow. Thanks for the incredible help, Mel."
"Whatever. It's not like we don't have bigger things going on in our lives right now."
It was true. The sad story of Jaune Arc was but a mere distraction compared to what they were going through right now. A wrecked club. Lien issues. Losing hold of the criminal underground. A brand new threat in town. Those were things that really mattered. Those were the things which would affect their very lives.
Right now she and Miltia were only as active as they were because it was necessary. Normally Junior would have his thugs do all of the heavy lifting. All of the dirty work. That left the two of them with the luxury of picking and choosing what jobs they wished to do out of sheer boredom. However things were not so easy anymore. They were undermanned. The twins were now having to venture out into the field themselves, and while they were fully capable of doing so, the fact that they were needed spoke volumes of how bad things had gotten in Junior's operation.
Melanie froze. Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly before her lips curled into a mischievous smirk.
Miltia noticed this when she stopped and looked her sister's way. "Melanie?" she questioned.
The elder twin looked her sister in the eyes, smile still present on her face. "I just had an idea."
What was he even supposed to do right now?
Junior did not make small talk. He didn't like small talk. His job, aside from kicking ass, was to give orders and give drinks. Orders were simple. Do this. Go there. They were cold. Impersonal. Practical.
He did not like this emotional garbage. He did not want to talk about the kid's crushed dreams. He had no words of comfort to offer.
So what was he supposed to do with this kid sitting down at the bar in front of him?
Jaune had simply shrugged and nodded as he sat down after Junior's comment about his appearance. He did indeed look like crap. Junior had seen more than his fair share of hangover's even without Melanie's almost constant presence at the bar. He could tell that Jaune had just gotten finished cleaning himself up in the washroom. The fact that one of his few remaining men was currently mopping away the familiar sight and stench of vomit only confirmed his suspicions.
He didn't know what to do next. Offer the kid a drink? That'd only make things worse, and he very much doubted that Jaune would have the desire to drink again anytime soon. Kick him to the curb? He was sure Melanie would throw a fit if she didn't get one last chance to screw with the boy's brain before he left. It left the crime boss in a tough spot. One filled with uncomfortable silence.
So there he stood. A cloth in one hand and a shot glass in the other. Cleaning it. Over and over again before moving onto the next already clean glass. It was better than the emotional shit. He had had enough of that for one lifetime.
Over the sounds of power tools and the rubbing of cloth against glass, a voice was a welcome distraction. "Is your name really Junior?"
Junior looked up at him. "What?"
The question caught the large man by surprise. Did the kid not remember that Melanie had used his real name the previous night? Had he gotten too drunk and forgotten? Or did he simply not realize it had been a name to begin with?
Jaune shrugged, looking down at the bar as he spoke. "I don't know. It just seems weird for such a big guy like you to be named Junior."
Which was exactly the point. It was irony. It was like the giant walking mass of muscle being named "Tiny".
The man shot a glare at Jaune, who looked up to meet it expecting a response. The two remained silent for long seconds before Junior finally responded. "Yeah," he said sarcastically. "My name's really Junior."
"Oh. That's cool."
Did he... actually believe it? Not that Junior cared in the first place. The whole reason for having the nickname was because he did not want people to know his real identity. Still though, did the kid really not pick up on the sarcasm? Perhaps the liquor from the previous night had hit him harder than it looked.
Silence once again settled over the two as Junior moved onto another glass. He didn't know much longer he could keep cleaning the same clean glasses over and over again. He supposed he could go over and supervise his remaining men, but really at this point what was there left to supervise? The trash and debris had been cleared. The floor was being reconstructed. All that remained now was to wait for the new furniture and decorations to be delivered, and that would not happen for another few days.
Awkward situation or not, he would not run away from it. He would not excuse himself simply because he didn't want to be around the boy. This was his club. It was his bar. If that meant standing tall in a situation he would have rather avoided, then so be it.
Perhaps the best course of action truly would be to give the kid a hint that it was time for him to go. That he was sorry that Beacon didn't work out, but that this wasn't a hotel. At least it wasn't anymore. That way he wouldn't outright tell Jaune to leave, thus avoiding Melanie's wrath. At the same time the boy would perhaps take matters into his own hands and get moving so that he could return home and face whatever consequences would come with attempting to fake his way into a combat school.
"So what are you going to do now?" Junior asked.
He saw how Jaune's shoulders visibly slumped at the question. A frown formed on his face as he spoke. "I don't know. I didn't exactly have a lot of time to think about it last night."
Junior grunted a response. It was true enough. A night of drinking with the twins did not give a man a whole lot of freedom or choices in what he did. Once Melanie set her sights on her prey they were as good as hers, for better or for worse. Miltia would sometimes join in on the fun from the sidelines, but she was mostly present to ensure no one went too far. Almost like an official in a combat tournament.
"Guess so," the man admitted.
"Is that really how they treat someone who helped them out?" the kid asked. Junior knew he was referring to a few nights ago when he had stumbled in on the twins at their weakest. And if he had to admit to it, himself as well.
Junior also knew that Jaune was referring to the state in which he had awoken that morning. Finding the kid passed out at the bar was little surprise to the former huntsman. However finding his face covered in makeup and writing and his hair in braids was a little bit more than he had been expecting. However at the end of the day it was nothing more than innocent fun. Things could have been worse. Things could always be worse. It was a lesson he had learned long ago.
"Trust me, kid," Junior said gruffly. "This is them showing their appreciation."
Jaune looked at him in disbelief. "What?"
"I mean, you're still breathing. Aren't you?"
He saw how Jaune's eyes widened at the question. His slumping posture straightened as well. "Wait, you mean I should feel lucky that they didn't kill me?"
Junior shrugged. "I don't know. You wanna be the first to find out?"
A light sigh slipped through the blonde's lips. "No. I guess not."
A low hum acknowledged Jaune's answer. The boy didn't know it, but Junior knew that killing was something which neither of the twins had ever done. They were selfish, yes. Violent when they wanted to be. They were used to getting things their way. However none of those things had ever been enough to drive them to take the life of another human being. Deep down Junior knew that neither had the desire to either.
In any case the problem at hand had not been resolved. The conversation had become slightly derailed and he was no closer to getting Jaune out of his hair. With as much grace as a rampaging Goliath, Junior asked the same question he had only a minute earlier.
"So what are you going to do?"
He saw the blonde take a deep breath. As he was about to answer, however, a pair of distractions walked through the door.
"Guess what we have!"
The familiar voice of Melanie rang through the club and over the noise of the repairs which were going on. A look over toward the front door revealed both girls carrying large black bags which could have only come from a tailor or clothing store. And considering how excited the girls had been about their morning trip, he could guess which it had been.
To the twins getting their old prized dresses back was about more than just fashion. It was about moving forward with their lives. About moving past what had happened the night where blondie had shown up. About things getting back to normal.
Junior was all too thankful for their appearance. Now he would be freed from babysitting the aspiring huntsman. With Melanie there to act as the distraction that she was, Jaune would have more than enough on his plate. Perhaps enough that he would decide to leave if only to escape the mischievous machinations of the older Malachite.
He set his thrice-cleaned glass down behind the bar and made his way to leave. His path toward the counter's exit took him on an intercept course with the returning girls. It didn't take long for Melanie's eyes to lock onto his.
"Nope," she said with a small shake of her head. "You're staying."
Junior, the tall and imposing man, the former huntsman, the criminal boss, stopped in his tracks at the words of the petite girl. "What?"
"You stay," Melanie said once again as she pointed to the counter. Her focus then shifted to Jaune who had turned his attention to their conversation. "You leave."
"What?" Jaune echoed.
The girl breathed an annoyed sigh and rolled her eyes. "You stay and you leave," she repeated as her fingers gestured to each man she was referring to. "Junior and I need to talk about something in private," she continued, her focus now entirely on Jaune. "Go wait at one of the tables over there. Don't worry. I know you'll totally miss us, but it won't take long."
Jaune's brow furrowed in confusion, particularly at the last part of the girl's order. However he soon found himself spinning on the stool before planting his feet on the ground and walking over to where Melanie had pointed. One of the few remaining tables in the club had been moved off to the opposite side of the room in order to leave the damaged portions of the place clear for the ease of repairs.
The twins took their seats in front of the counter with Junior remaining behind it. Once Jaune was out of earshot Junior turned his gaze to the elder twin for an explanation.
"You wanna tell me what's going on?" he asked.
Miltia had planted an elbow on the counter, propping her head up as she looked to her sister expectantly as well. Junior couldn't help but frown. If not even Miltia knew what sort of plan was working in the mind of her twin then it had to be something serious.
"Hei, this place is fucked."
Familiar words. She had said the same thing on the night that the blonde bitch had torn up the club. Only this time she was sober. He intended to keep it that way.
Junior looked around at the handful of men who were working to make it so that the place would no longer be fucked. "Yeah. Tell me something I don't know."
"You need men," Melanie continued. Her eyes drifted over to where her sister sat. "And not in the 'Miltia needs to get laid' kind of way."
"Shut up," the younger twin spat venomously.
Junior breathed out, struggling to keep from groaning. If this was just going to turn into another of the sister's petty fights then he very well may bring Jaune back. As uncomfortable as the silence between the two of them was, at least it was quiet.
"Anyway," the older twin said, ignoring the deadly glare that Miltia was sending her way. "We like, lost a lot of men because of that blonde chick. And because Roman sucks at what he does. Look at all we have left."
He didn't need to look. He knew that he could barely count on a dozen of his men to show up anymore. His strength had been cut in half in the span of less than a week. First from injuries or men quitting after the blondie incident. Then from the men who never came back from Roman's operation.
"Again," Junior said. "Tell me something I don't know."
"It's bad out there. Remember what we told you the Blood Axe Gang said? About there being a new player in town?"
Junior remembered. He also remembered how he would teach what was left of their outfit a lesson once he got his hands on a new weapon. Rusty or not, he was still a trained warrior. He was still leagues above the common street thugs that Vale's criminal underworld produced.
His voice was low and dangerous when he replied. "Yeah."
"So like, hire Jaune."
Junior's eyes narrowed. "What?"
Miltia's own eyes went from pissed off to shocked. "What?"
Melanie raised her hands defensively while serving to quell the surprised reactions of those around her. "Just listen. He has fighting experience, right?"
If he was telling the truth, he did. A boy who had received some huntsman training would at least know how to wield the sword he carried. The fact that his Aura was unlocked was a plus as well.
"Okay..."
The girl's tone darkened when she spoke next. In spite of her normal lackadaisical attitude towards most things in life, she was taking this situation seriously. "If shit's as bad as we think it's going to get then we could use all the people on our side we can get. If Jaune was really going to try to get into Beacon then he might be worth like, two of our normal scrubs."
She wasn't wrong there. A huntsman, even a first year student like Jaune would have been, would be worth at least two everyday street thugs. Even more if he had a decent level of skill. Each of the twins was worth at least five. While Junior had never seen Jaune in action, it was a safe bet that the kid would at least be able to handle himself against one, if not two of his black-suited goons.
The man looked over to where the kid was sitting on the other side of the room. Jaune was looking down to his scroll as he typed away on the device's keyboard.
Another sigh slipped through Junior's lips when he returned his gaze to Melanie. "I don't know. We're short on lien as it is."
The girl's face lit up at those words. "That's the best part, Hei," she said happily. "You wouldn't even need to pay him."
The statement earned Junior's curiosity. Enough to actually entertain the idea being presented to him. "What do you mean?"
The serious mask which Melanie had worn moments ago had shattered completely, reverting to the all too familiar predatory grin that hid none of her intentions from the world. "He's desperate. He doesn't want to go home. He has nowhere to go," she said, casting a glance over to Miltia. The girl in red stiffened at the words, but remained silent. "We can use it as leverage to make him do stuff."
The original plan had been to make Jaune a mole for their use at Beacon Academy. However with him being kicked out of the school before initiation, that plan had quickly amounted to nothing. Was Melanie onto something once more? If the kid really didn't want to go home, could they use his services here?
Before Junior could respond there came a surprising objection from the seat next to Melanie.
"No," Miltia said.
Melanie's smile faded as she turned to regard her sister. "Why are you talking about?"
"No," the girl repeated. "I know what you're up to, Melanie."
The girl in question feigned ignorance at the accusation. "And what am I up to, my dear sister?" The sweet and innocent tone was completely transparent. Probably by design too.
A dirty glare remained on the younger twin's face. "You just want him around so you can mess with him like last night," Miltia explained. "You think I don't know how you think?"
Melanie brushed off the accusation with a wave of her hand. "Oh please, you think that's all I care about?" she asked innocently. "Besides, if there just happens to be a little side benefit to him working here then what's the harm in that?"
"The harm is that he's going to get hurt," Miltia countered.
Melanie's face turned serious at those words. "As if I'd actually hurt him."
"No," the younger girl agreed. "But working a job like this would. He's too innocent for... this," she gestured to the club itself with an arm. "For this life. For the stuff we do."
Junior found himself siding with Miltia on this. Life as a huntsman was hard, but at least you knew in your heart that you were doing your best to help the people around you. At least... most huntsmen felt that way. A life of crime on the other hand afforded you no such illusions. You actively worked against people. You were outside of the law. You were in it for yourself. He wasn't sure that Jaune could ever live that kind of life. Not with that idealistic mindset of his.
"Yeah?" Melanie asked. "And what about being a huntsman?"
"What about it?"
"You think that life's any safer? Where was your concern for him when he was talking about wanting to go to Beacon?"
Junior saw how Miltia looked away. Melanie had caught her in a trap and the younger twin didn't like it.
"That was before we got to know him," Miltia explained.
"Yeah? And just how much did you get to know him in one night?" Melanie argued. "It's not like it was a particularly intimate one night stand."
One night stand? Junior's eyes glared darkly over to where Jaune was sitting. He was certain that this was just a play on words by Melanie in order to make her sister uncomfortable. Still... the idea of someone getting that close to his girls, despite him not actually being their father, rubbed him the wrong way.
Miltia trudged on however, unaffected by her sister's words. "Enough to know that he'd be eaten alive by this sort of work."
"You don't know shit about him," the other girl countered. "You know he's got seven sisters and he likes rabbits or whatever. For all you know he could have the heart of a killer underneath that stupid little bunny head on his chest."
As far as hypothetical situations went, Junior knew that one was a stretch. He was certain Melanie knew it as well. However it got the point across that really neither of them knew the kid well enough to judge him. He was kind and innocent enough. Or so it seemed.
But then again, Junior had once been as well. Life had a way of changing people. For better or worse.
"It's a bad idea," Miltia argued. "That I do know."
"Why don't we ask him?" She turned to look Junior in the eyes. "What do you say, Hei? Jaune doesn't want to go home. Give him a place to sleep and free meals and he's as good as yours. You know that you could use the help."
It was something which Junior couldn't argue against. He did need the manpower. Especially if the gangs which had previously been under his thumb would start revolting. First the Blood Axe Gang had resisted the twins. How long would it be until the others followed suit? With his aura of invincibility destroyed in a single night by a teenage girl, it was only a matter of time before someone rose up to challenge him for supremacy.
He looked to Miltia, who sat there with her arms folded angrily, but otherwise did not protest. She had made her arguments. What more could she do? The kid had his free will. He would do what he wanted in the end.
Junior sighed. "Alright. Get him over here."
A smug smirk of satisfaction was plastered on Melanie's face as she turned to see where Jaune was sitting. "Hey! Boy toy!"
The fact that Jaune looked up in response to the nickname made Junior sigh again. He could already tell that Jaune's time with the twins had made a lasting impact on him.
Melanie waved him over to the bar, and Jaune was quick to get up and begin walking back. It didn't mean much, but the fact that the kid was already taking orders from the girl meant that he might just fit in well with the organization.
He took a seat to the right of both twins, sitting next to Miltia. The girl in question did not look at him as he did so, and kept her eyes firmly planted on the counter where her arms rested.
Meanwhile Melanie did not like the fact that she was separated from her prey by another person, and moved to sit on Jaune's other side. It was a familiar seating arrangement, with the twins sitting on either side of him. Junior knew that it was by design. He also knew that Melanie would use the proximity to her advantage.
"'Kay, so, we have an offer for you," she said as she poked Jaune's shoulder with a finger on the last word.
"Okay?" he questioned.
Melanie nodded over to Junior, signaling his cue to take over. After a low growl grumbled in his throat he spoke. "I'd like to offer you a job."
"A job?" he asked in a confused tone. It was matched by the new expression on his face. "Like the one from the other night?"
Junior shook his head. "No. Not a job like a mission. I'd like to offer you a position working for me at this club."
"A job," Jaune repeated. "What would I even do? I don't exactly know how to be a bartender or anything."
"Maybe you could be the janitor," Melanie offered. "I know it's not as glamorous as being a huntsman, but the world needs janitors too." The sour expression the blonde wore said that he did not find her comment amusing. The reaction only emboldened the girl. "Or like, you said you played the guitar. Maybe you could be the musical talent. I think we need a new DJ too. How do you feel about wearing a giant bear mask?"
"Melanie, can we please take this seriously?" Junior asked.
An annoyed breath shot up from the girl's mouth with enough force to move the bangs on her forehead. "Whatever."
Junior nodded before turning back to Jaune. "Bottom line is that I need some muscle. You saw what happened to my boys who got hired for that botched job. None of them ever came back. So I'm a little short-staffed right now."
He saw how Jaune's shoulders stiffened at the mention of the robbery gone wrong and how he swallowed hard before speaking. It must have been quite a failure by Roman to elicit such a reaction.
"Yeah," he agreed. I remember."
"So like I said, I need men. It's not an easy job. It's not a pretty job. But it's a job. You'd have a place to stay and something to eat. You wouldn't have to go home yet."
He knew that the last part would be one of the key selling points according to Melanie. If Jaune really did not want to go home after failing to get into Beacon Academy then staying here would be a way out for him.
But rather than Jaune answering him, it was Miltia who spoke next. "You don't have to if you don't want to," she said, earning the boy's attention. "Not everyone can do this sort of thing."
It was just Miltia being Miltia. Even with someone she barely knew that protective streak of hers was alive and well.
Jaune, however, looked like he did not appreciate the girl's concern for him. "Not everyone can do it? Or I can't do it?"
The younger twin looked at him quizzically. "What?"
"Nothing," he sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just... forget about it." His tone seemed tired the way he had said it. He turned back to look at Junior, his gaze harder than it had been before. "When do I start?"
The words earned a different reaction from the twins. Melanie's proud smirk reemerged as her eyes drifted over to regard Jaune, bumping a shoulder against one of his own. Miltia's own face fell with a frown on her lips.
"Today," Junior told him. "I'll have one of the boys give you a room on the fourth floor. It'll be up to you to get it cleaned up enough to sleep in it."
Jaune looked a little bit confused at the statement but nodded. It was clear he was not about to turn down the offer of a free place to stay in downtown Vale.
"Tomorrow though, you'll start earning your keep. Welcome to the club."
Author's Note: And so begins a new phase in Jaune's life. He has no idea what he's in for.
Questions comments and concerns are always welcome. Naturally I don't offer spoilers, but if there is anything you'd like answered about the story so far don't hesitate to ask in a review or send me a PM.
Thanks for reading.