My Beautiful Snow Queen

'Huh. Wha? Where am I?' I wondered as I groggily looked around.

But I had to snap them shut as the sunlight nearly blinded me. I waited a few moments for my eyes to adjust before daring to open them again. Yet, I only became confused by what I saw. I briefly thought I woke up in some hotel room but quickly realized I was in my family's spare apartment in uptown Vale. However, despite now knowing I was in a familiar location, the question still remained.

'Why am I here?' I wondered.

I knew my family had brought this place a few months after my older sister, Saphron, was born. My family got for her if she ever decided to move to Vale for whatever reason. However, Saphron never used it, as she chose to go to a nearby university to finish her education. My parents then offered Saphron to have it as a home for when she married. Yet, when she married Terra, they agreed to move to Argus. Not wanting to sell the apartment, my family renovated it so we could use it as a place to stay if we ever vacationed in Vale. But we never did.

"Nngh." A voice groaned next to me. Turning to my side, I smiled as I remembered why I was here and who I was with in bed.

'I still can't believe I married my beautiful snow queen.' I thought, smiling as I gazed upon the sleeping form of my wife, Winter Schnee. Or, more precisely, Winter Arc-Schnee.

It still felt surreal to me. I was only three-fourths into my first year at Beacon and was already married. It was certainly something I was not expecting nor ever saw happening. I was never in a relationship before coming to train at Beacon Academy. And my experience with girls was pretty much zero. I was, and still technically am, socially awkward. The advice my father gave didn't help either and generally made things worse. Plus, as I learned a year before coming to Beacon, my seven sisters, including Saphron, often sabotaged/intervened whenever I tried to flirt with a girl. Yet, I never held it against them as they were only being sisters and were looking out for me.

'What time is it?' I wondered. Turning to the night table, I grabbed my scroll and checked the time. Thankfully, it was only seven am. And while I did have leadership classes today, they were not until much later in the day. Putting down my scroll, I laid back in bed before turning to face Winter. Smiling, I fixed the blankets covering her before doing the same for me while the memories of these recent months came flooding back. 'How much my life had changed.'

If someone had told me a couple of months ago that I would be on a great team, make great friends, and soon after marry a beautiful snow queen, I would have thought you were mentally insane. Yet, to my surprise but utter delight, it is true. Ozpin and the faculty had placed me on Team Jnpr and made me the team leader. And it consisted of Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha. We all nearly became great friends instantly. Now, they feel like a second family. Even though it would only end in chaos, I want them to meet my family eventually.

But meeting Winter was one of the biggest and best surprises and events of my life that changed it for the better. And to think, it all started when I went to the park after Weiss rejected me. I tried asking her out again but failed horribly. Finally getting the hint and needing some time alone, I got on a bullhead that would take me to downtown Vale. Whenever I needed/wanted to be alone to clear my thoughts, I would head to a park near the harbor. And because it was a bit out of the way, the park was never overcrowded, which I prefer. Once there, I sat on one of the benches and read the comic book I had brought. But halfway through, my attention shifted when I heard someone ask if the seat was open.

Instantly, I answered, saying nobody was sitting there, before moving to the side and bringing my bag between my feet. For the first couple of minutes, we didn't exchange any words. I focused on my comic book while Winter did whatever she was doing. But after a couple of minutes, I grew tense as I felt I should say something. Luckily, Winter broke the tension by tentatively asking about the weather. It certainly was awkward, and it told me that she had little experience in casual talks. But I didn't think much of it as I knew mine would be way worse.

Yet that didn't take away how awkward our first conversation was. We only managed to talk for a few minutes before I had to leave because it was getting close to curfew. And the last thing I needed was Ms. Goodwitch giving me detention.

When I returned to Beacon, the entire conversation had left my mind. But at the time, I didn't mind as I knew I'd probably never see Winter again. Not to mention, I didn't even know her name back then. However, that changed when the weekend arrived. I was in uptown Vale getting some things my team needed for a project Dr. Oobleck assigned. After buying everything, I decided to stop by a coffee shop to get a quick bite. But to my surprise, I saw Winter again. It was there where I learned her name. We talked a bit while we ate the food we had ordered. This time, our conversation was significantly less tense. Unfortunately, it didn't last long, as my teammates sent me a message wondering where I was and if I was okay.

However, before I could leave, Winter stopped me. She had apparently seen Weiss's name in my contacts and wanted to know how I knew her. The glare and questioning glance she had sent my way would have caused anyone to shrink in trepidation. But I didn't. And it wasn't because I wasn't afraid. It was because I recognized the look. It was the look of a protective older sibling. I then explained that I knew Weiss because she was on Team Rwby and our teams are pretty close with each other.

Although, I became nervous when Winter's eyes widened in realization. But confusion quickly replaced nervousness when Winter smiled and let out a chuckle. Winter explained that when I told her my name, she felt like she had heard it before and wondered where. But when I said I was Weiss's classmate, Winter finally connected the dots. She and Weiss would occasionally send each other messages. And in one of the messages, Weiss told Winter how I constantly annoyed her with all my flirting attempts. I prepared myself for the warning/threat Winter would undoubtedly send my way.

But it never came. Instead, Winter thanked me. When I asked why, she clarified that Weiss led a stale, boring life. And the only time people flirted with her was to try and get her money or share in her status. Yet, from Weiss's letters, she knew I wasn't like them. So, in essence, Winter thanked me for annoying Weiss with my genuine yet hilariously awful flirting attempts. Unsure of how to respond, I simply smiled and said, 'you're welcome' before grabbing my things and leaving.

After that day, I found myself thinking about Winter from time to time. She seemed nice and friendly despite initially appearing to be cold and strict. Although, I wondered why she was in Vale. From our conversation at the coffee shop, I managed to put together that she is from the Atlas Kingdom and a specialist. I briefly thought about asking Weiss but decided not to as I felt that would be intruding on her personal life.

Luckily, I didn't have to wonder about it for long as I ran into Winter in Vale again. I was returning to the park near the harbor when I saw her sitting in the same spot as last time. Smiling, I decided to stop by to say hello and see how things were going. However, I became worried when I noticed Winter was crying. Running over, I asked if she was okay. But I had to duck when she swung her sword at me out of reflex. And despite nearly having my head chopped off, I cautiously approached again and asked what was wrong. Winter initially hesitated to tell me but decided to tell me what had happened. Although, only part of it, as the rest she said, was too personal, and she didn't want to talk about it.

That day, I learned more about Winter's past and her horrible childhood, in which her father was the primary instigator in making it terrible. While she didn't tell me everything, it was more than enough. When I asked if it was because of her father that she came to Vale, she nodded her answer. Winter explained she always came to Vale when she needed to clear her mind after a tough day or hearing devastating news. Upon hearing this, I became distraught and wanted to help Winter. But I knew the methods I typically used when my sisters were upset wouldn't work as I didn't know Winter well enough yet. However, I still wanted to help her. So, taking a considerable risk, I offered to help her forget today's events by taking her around Vale.

Winter contemplated my offer for a few minutes before accepting it. Smiling, we got up, and I took her to some lesser-known but equally beautiful places in Vale. And thankfully, it worked. After a couple of stops, Winter was smiling again, which I only just noticed was extraordinarily beautiful. But I had to pinch myself, so I didn't get caught staring. After a couple of hours, we saw it was starting to get dark. So I offered to buy her something to eat before we called it a day. She agreed, and we soon found ourselves at a place that served Atlesian meals.

After we finished, I tried to pay for the meals, but Winter said she got it covered. I wanted to argue, but Winter said it was the least she could do after I helped her forget the upsetting events that made her come to Vale that day. I told Winter it was no problem, and I was willing to help her again if she wanted. Winter smiled and said she would gladly take me up on that offer if she were in Vale again. After that, we exited the restaurant and went our separate ways. I went to the bullheads while Winter headed in the opposite direction.

However, while I typically get motion sickness easily, this time, I didn't. And the reason was that I couldn't get my mind off Winter. It was strange, and I didn't know why I kept thinking about her. Perhaps it was because I had a fun time with her. Or maybe it was because I was developing a crush on her. She is beautiful and pleasant to talk to once you get past the initial awkwardness and semi-cold exterior. But either way, I was looking forward to seeing her again. Although, I hoped it was under better circumstances.

Thankfully, it was. About a month after we last saw each other, we met again. This time we bumped into each other at a bookstore. And as much as I was internally happy to see Winter, I wanted to know if everything was alright as she seemed to have a lot on her mind. But she assured me everything was okay and that she came to Vale as there were a few things she wanted to check, including a bookstore she had previously seen. Hearing this made me internally happy as I didn't want to see her upset again. Unfortunately, while I wanted to stay and talk with Winter, I had to grab the book I needed for a project Oobleck assigned and return to Beacon as quickly as possible.

However, before I could leave the store, Winter asked if I could show her around Vale some more. But before I could answer, I felt my scroll vibrate, alerting me to a message. Taking it out, I saw, to my dismay but internal delight, that the bullheads would be out of service for the next few hours due to the flight crew needing to refuel them. Now with more time on my hands, I smiled and agreed.

The rest of that day, I showed Winter the rest of Vale, specifically the spots that not many people knew. And like the last time, we ended the day by going somewhere to have something to eat. This time we ate some ramen at the shopkeep's noodle place. While we ate, Winter and I traded questions about our lives. And, like usual, I did get a good chuckle when I told Winter I had seven sisters, resulting in her doing a spit-take with the water she had ordered. Unfortunately, the bullheads being ready meant our time together that day had ended. But as we paid for our food, I heavily contemplated asking Winter out on a date. Yet, to my utter shock, she asked me out before I could even finish my pondering. I stuttered when my mind finally processed this, eliciting a chuckle from Winter. Thankfully, I managed to pull myself together and said I would like to go on a date with her.

From then on, everything just came together and got better as time went on. The initial date was awkward for Winter and me. Surprisingly, like me, Winter had never been on a date before, which meant neither of us knew what to do. Yet, that only made our date more memorable. And after the first date, we started setting up future dates whenever possible. The only obstacle was the distance, and our conflicting schedules, as Winter was a specialist in Atlas while I was a student at Beacon. Yet, we made it work. Eventually, we fell deeply in love with each other.

But, like with nearly everything in life, there were obstacles. The biggest one was Winter's father, as he greatly disapproved of our relationship. Yet we didn't need to worry about him as a day later, someone leaked news and information to the media about all the illegal activities Jacques committed. There was so much evidence that his trial only lasted a day before receiving a life sentence in prison. Winter and I were confused about who the mysterious person was. But we got our answer the next day in the form of my family, the Arc Family. Somehow, they already knew Winter and I were a couple and leaked the documents to the media to stop Jacques from doing something to break us up.

With Jacques out of the way, there were only two other obstacles we needed to face. The first was our families, and the second was Ironwood. Luckily, Winter and I didn't need to worry about him, as Ironwood approved of the relationship and adjusted Winter's schedule. Although, I think he only did so because he was afraid of the Arc Family and did not want to risk their wrath. Speaking of which, with Ironwood out of the way, all we had to worry about was our families. As such, I had to run for my life all over Beacon when Weiss learned I was dating her sister. Thankfully, Winter intervened and stopped Weiss from killing me. And after a tense talk, Weiss gave us her blessing, and she even thought we were a good match. The rest of the Schnee family felt the same.

But when it came to my family, it was the opposite of how Weiss initially reacted. They had swarmed Winter and I had to save her a couple of times, so they didn't overwhelm her. Yet, by the end, they were already asking when we would plan our wedding, causing us to blush. And the rest of my friends and team felt similar. They supported our relationship. And like how I saved Winter from my family, Ren saved us from Nora's death hugs while Blake stopped Yang from teasing us.

However, one thing that stayed in my mind after we left my family's home was the thought of marrying Winter. While I did love Winter at that point, I wasn't sure if I was ready for marriage. But as time passed, my thoughts on it slowly changed to where I felt like I was ready to marry Winter eventually. After classes one day, I planned on going to Vale to try to find some engagement rings. Yet, like when she first asked me out on a date, Winter surprised me again when she proposed to me. It felt like a dream come true. And I was now living happily with my wife.

"Is everything alright, Jaune?" Winter asked, snapping me from my thoughts. I turned and smiled at her.

"Yeah, everything is alright. I was just thinking about how our lives changed so drastically these past few months."

"Our lives certainly did change a lot. But they changed for the better." Winter agreed, smiling. But it changed as she seemed to remember something. "Wait. Don't you have leadership classes with Glynda in a bit?"

"I have classes, but not until one. It's only about seven-thirty." I answered. "So we have time."

"In that case, let's go back to sleep." Winter said, wrapping her arms around me. Smiling, I did the same and pulled her close so I could kiss my beautiful snow queen on her lips. We then cuddled against each other and fell back asleep.

Notes:

Jaune is Eighteen in this while Winter is Twenty-three.