Author's Note: And finally, the chapter Arkos shippers have been wanting for ages. Date night!
Pyrrha smiled softly as their car made its way through the streets of Vale. The Bullhead from Beacon could only take them so far and, though she doubted Jaune had made the complete arrangements, a car had been waiting for them the moment they arrived. She had teased him a little about it in an attempt to help him relax, despite how much she was looking forward to the evening, it was clear that he was nervous.
"Weiss said it would be a bad idea to try and walk to the restaurant." Jaune replied with an embarrassed chuckle. "Probably a good idea seeing your dress." He involuntarily looked down as he said that, his eyes making it to her chest before he turned away, face as red and flustered.
Pyrrha tried not to laugh, covering her face with one hand as she fought back the sound that threatened to burst forward. Jaune saw it easily enough however and, though she hadn't thought it possible, his face turned a deeper shade of red.
"It was a good idea." Pyrrha assured him. "It sounds as though Weiss knows what she's doing."
Jaune jumped on the opportunity to talk about something else. "Apparently she's had a lot of people try and date her over the years. Some went well, others not."
"Hmm," Pyrrha hummed and nodded softly. "She is a Schnee. There are certain expectations that come with that kind of publicity. I should know."
"You're famous?" Jaune asked innocently, forcing Pyrrha to wince.
"Not really." Pyrrha chuckled nervously, looking away from him and out the window once more. "I fought in a few tournaments when I was younger."
Jaune made a sound of understanding. "Like Pyrrha? Did you ever fight her?"
Pyrrha winced once more. "Thankfully, no. I don't think that's a battle I ever want." The obvious metaphor aside, it would be an unfair fight from the start. She despised cheating, and there would be no better cheat than literally knowing every move your opponent is going to make in advance.
"She thought you hated her, you know?" Jaune said. "Something about the way you acted, said it rubbed her the wrong way."
Pyrrha sighed heavily. That hadn't been an intentional thing, and she wouldn't have even noticed were it not for Coco explaining it to her. "That is my fault, I'm afraid. I've never been much of a people person."
"If you don't mind me asking, was it anything in particular?" Jaune was clearly hesitant, though the fact he had the courage to ask was reason enough for Pyrrha to answer.
She wanted to tell him the truth, as absurd as it was, but she knew that he wasn't ready for that. She also knew lying wasn't a good way to start a relationship. Though she couldn't be honest about everything, not yet at least, she could at least hint at the truth.
"I… I guess you could say I saw too much of myself in her." Pyrrha replied. "It was like looking in a mirror. I didn't know how to feel about what was looking back."
"I think Weiss was the same." Jaune added. "They hashed it out a little while back, seem to be on the way to being friends. Ruby says we have you and Coco to thank for that."
Pyrrha blushed, flicking her hand as if to wave off the gratitude. It wasn't entirely fair, especially seeing as how she was responsible for the trouble in the first place. If not due to it being her past self, then the fact that they only ever had the chance to argue because she had gone back in time in the first place. "It was nothing. I could tell Weiss was a good person under that frosty exterior. She just had to open up some."
"Well, Team RWAN thanks you all the same." Jaune smiled brightly, bringing a small smile to her own face in response. It was muted due to the reminder that came with it however.
Team RWAN, not JNPR. It hurt to think about, but she wasn't sure which she would have rather had. Even in the event her old team had reformed, then what? It wouldn't have ever been her team again. Though the change hadn't been intended, maybe it was for the best. It left a poor taste in her mouth, but it at least reminded her that things were different now. Not that she ever really needed such a reminder; her reflection in the car's window helped remind her of that fact.
"Sir, ma'am, we have arrived." Their driver spoke for the first time since they had entered the vehicle before stepping out to open Jaune's door; who promptly rushed around the car before Pyrrha could open her own.
Jaune offered his hand down to help her out. The nervous smile on his face brought an amused one to her own. "A gentleman?" Pyrrha chuckled softly as she took his hand, stepping out of the car slowly. "I'm flattered."
He let out a heavy sigh, clearly having been uncertain by the action. It was a bit over the top, but Pyrrha wouldn't complain. She had dreamt of this very night, and now she had her knight in shining armor. If he wanted to play the part, she was all for it.
The restaurant they arrived at, Le' Monquie as it was apparently called, was surprisingly subdued. There was no obvious sign displaying its name, and the line at the front counter only had one other couple when they arrived who was quickly seated by a server who appeared from a side door.
The man behind the small podium looked at them politely. "Good evening sir, madam, do you have a reservation?"
"Y-yes." Jaune stuttered, swallowing nervously. "It should be under Arc."
"One moment." The man turned his head down for a moment. "Ah yes, Mr. Arc. If you will follow your waitress, she will lead you to your table."
A woman a few years older than Pyrrha stepped out of the doorway beside the man with a small polite smile before stepping off towards the dining room. Jaune looked back at her and smiled nervously as they followed.
As they walked the floor, she recognized the unpleasant feeling of being watched. After a moment of looking around however she quickly realized it wasn't due to danger, but rather the jealous looks of some of the other people in the restaurant. They were all older than her, let alone Jaune, and they looked at them with a clear distaste. Most looked to be quite a bit better off than what she would have expected as well. She knew the restaurant was higher end, but she hadn't expected it to be so noticeable. The women that looked her way wore expensive jewelry that she didn't even want to imagine the price of while the men wore suits that made Jaune's look cheap by comparison.
She tried not to let it bother her as they walked through, but it was difficult. She hated being the center of attention, and only now, with so many eyes on her, did she fully feel the air on her exposed skin. Her dress was certainly attention grabbing, and the men that looked over didn't seem to have the same courtesy Jaune had; eyeing her up and down as if she were on display for them specifically. Her date didn't seem to notice, oblivious as he was.
The table they ended up at was tucked away in a corner of the restaurant, far enough that most of the patrons could no longer see them and those that could elected to ignore them entirely. Their server introduced herself as Emily, taking their order for drinks and promising to return soon.
The menus she left behind might as well have been written in a different language. The price tags didn't help either. Pyrrha tried not to let her worry show. She was well paid, especially now that she was a Specialist, so the prices, while high, weren't something to worry about. For her at least. She had no idea how Jaune would afford it. She knew his father was a Huntsman, and that worked paid well, but he was also part of a family of ten and she knew for a fact he didn't have money like this to burn.
The fact he didn't seem bothered by the prices helped ease her worries, though she made a note to offer to cover the bill; hoping he wouldn't find that as insulting. Had Weiss offered to cover the bill? It wasn't difficult to imagine, the higher prices here likely being pocket change to the richest family in the world.
Something that clearly was bothering him however was how to pronounce the items on the menu. While not being able to properly pronounce them might have been fine, it was difficult to order food when it was described in such a flowery way. Rather than cooking a steak, it was a sirloin broiled over a brisket and drizzled in something or other. She had never grasped the finer details of it, not having joined the upper tiers of society until later in her fighting career.
Pyrrha laughed softly as he asked her how to pronounce one of them. "I don't know either. I've never eaten at a place this nice before." That wasn't entirely true, but she had only ever done so as part of sponsorship dinners and her manager had ordered their food before she had arrived in an attempt to help her get it over with as fast as possible. At her request of course. That being said, she couldn't very well call him and ask what she had eaten before, could she?
As their server returned with a small pitcher of water, Pyrrha asked her. The woman smiled politely. She spared a glance for Jaune, and hrt smile turned a little amused but she answered quickly. Recommending a dish that she personally loved. They both ordered that and their server left once more.
Jaune rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry, I didn't think this would be an issue."
"Didn't plan for them to write the menu in a different language?" Pyrrha quickly joked, taking a play from Coco's book in an attempt to lighten the mood. "It's fine, Jaune. I couldn't read it either." A silence threatened to fall over the table and, where in her previous life Pyrrha might have hesitated to fill it, now she jumped at the chance.
"How have you been enjoying Beacon?" It was a safe topic admittedly, and one she would have to break away from before too long, but it was as good a place as any to start.
"It's great." Jaune smiled honestly, and the fact that it was honest brought a smile to her own face. "It was rough at first, but now that the team is starting to get along it's better than I ever imagined."
"No issues then?" Pyrrha asked. Cardin had been a problem before, but Jaune had also managed to solve that problem mostly by himself; with only a little help from her.
"They all accepted the truth." Jaune's voice dipped a little as he spoke quietly. "They were surprised, but they said I earned my place. Transcripts or not."
Pyrrha smiled even brighter. "I knew they would."
"You knew, didn't you?"
Pyrrha paused, realizing that she hadn't ever actually directly confronted him about it. "Yeah. Ozpin did too when he accepted you in."
Jaune winced. "He saw through them that easily?"
"I'm actually the one that told him." Pyrrha shook her head, blushing softly. "I also told him I thought you had promise. Initiation was a test of that, and you showed I was right."
He scratched the back of his neck again. "Thanks for that. I wonder if he would have let me in if you hadn't."
"He would have." Pyrrha stated, knowing from past experience that Jaune had gotten in without her to vouch for him. Had Ozpin noticed the transcripts were fake before? They would never know, even Ozpin couldn't tell her now. It was simply too difficult to say.
"How long have you worked for the Headmaster?"
"I don't actually work for him, I work with him." Pyrrha shook her head. "Technically, I work for the General, but even there I'm more of an advisor than an actual soldier."
"Coco said something about you being away on a mission when I talked with her." Jaune asked as he poured himself a glass of water, offering to do the same for her before setting the pitcher back down.
Pyrrha blushed. "The General thought it best I be on hand, in case he needed to know something urgent."
"And don't you hang out with Wiess' sister?" Jaune asked. "Believe it or not, Weiss can't help but gush about her sometimes. Apparently she is a pretty high up Specialist."
"Uh, yeah." Pyrrha winced. "That's true, but I also hang out with Qrow. I'm pretty sure that counteracts anything she adds."
"That's Ruby's uncle, right?" Jaune asked. "She only ever has good things to say about him but… well, Ruby only ever has good things to say about most people." He smiled softly. "She said you actually helped her get into Beacon."
"That one is a lie." Pyrrha stated firmly. "We were both at a store that was getting robbed, she could have handled it herself if I weren't there."
"Yeah, probably." Jaune chuckled softly. "She's a lot better than me. I don't know how I would have done."
"Ruby is a lot better than most people." Pyrrha pointed out. "Give it a few years and she'll even give your partner a run for her money. I'm sure of it. She's more dedicated than almost anyone I've ever met."
"That's funny, Coco said the same about you." Jaune smiled softly. "I mentioned how I was asking her what you would like to do while you were gone, right? Well, I also asked what you were like. To try and get to know you a bit better before."
"That will come in time." Pyrrha nodded. "I… well, that's the point of dating, right?" And she couldn't help but think that might have been her problem before, starting out as friends. She wasn't going to be dramatic and pretend that the infamous 'friend zone' was an indestructible wall, but her feelings for Jaune hadn't been there at the start and they had built their partnership up on that friendship. Eventually, she wanted something more, and he hadn't ever picked up on that.
"Right." Jaune adjusted the tie around his neck, pulling it away as he swallowed. "Do you mind me asking why me? I mean… you could have anyone. I'm… just me."
Pyrrha smiled sadly. "You say that like you're not enough."
"I'm not a complete idiot." Jaune scoffed. "I've seen the way the guys in here were looking at you, and I know how they talk about you back at Beacon. You're this badass huntress who half the school wants to get to know. You're out of my league."
They weren't words she was unfamiliar with, even Jaune had said them to her at one point just before the dance, but she hadn't thought about it since coming back. As Pyrrha Nikos people loved the idea of her more than her. They saw her and were attracted to the status and influence she had more than anything else. Even those that looked past that saw her body before what really mattered. She had thought that was gone now that she was in Amber's body.
That wasn't to say Amber was unattractive, she was just unassuming in comparison to those around her. Simple clothes and rather plain hair; all the better for a Maiden trying to stay hidden. She hadn't noticed that, despite that fact, people were apparently still interested. She also didn't know how to feel about that. She couldn't tell what it was that caught their attention. If she could, she would have used that on Jaune ages ago.
"What do they say about me?" Pyrrha pushed all of those thoughts aside, trying to focus on the only person she cared to attract.
Jaune blushed. "Uh, well, you know… locker room stuff." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
It was only then, as she stared him down and he desperately tried to look away, that she realized just how cute he was when he was embarrassed.
"Oh…" Pyrrha smirked mischievously, forcing past the building embarrassment as she leaned forward ever so slightly. With the thin dress she was wearing however, even Jaune didn't miss it. "And what do you think?"
"L-like I said, you're out of my league." Jaune started to sweat slightly. "And you could probably be here with any of them."
"They aren't here though." Pyrrha sat back, pulling her glass to her lips to hide the blood that was quickly rushing to her face, despite that, she mustered the courage to wink. "And I chose you."
Coco could never find out, or she'd never hear the end of it.
Their server returned with two plates, saving Jaune from her new found and entirely fake confidence, setting both down and asking if they needed anything else before smiling and leaving. They didn't say much as they ate, the conversation dying off as they instead enjoyed their meal. What little was said was about that, how they were finding it and whether or not it was worth the price tag. As they finished, she finally mustered the courage to ask how he could afford it.
"I have no problem paying." Pyrrha insisted. She had her pay as a Specialist, not to mention the card Ozpin had given her that was technically out of the schools budget but that he had insisted was no issue.
"You don't have to." Jaune just shook his head. "Mom and dad would never let me forget."
"Still… it was pretty expensive." Pyrrha replied hesitantly, but when he didn't seem willing to budge, she relented. "I'll make it up to you. I'm surprised Weiss recommended this palace, knowing how expensive it is."
"She didn't." Jaune smiled softly. "It was my idea actually. She just helped me plan out the finer details."
"And get the reservation?" Pyrrha raised one eyebrow. "I heard this place was pretty exclusive."
Jaune's smile only grew. "Nope." The Rubyism didn't go unnoticed, earning a small smile from Pyrrha as he shook his head. "Dad saved the owner's daughter once while out on a hunt, said he'd never have to pay for a meal here again. He actually proposed to mom here."
"Ah," it finally clicked in Pyrrha's head, the reason price was no issue. "So we aren't paying either."
"Does that make me cheap?" Jaune laughed honestly, causing Pyrrha to join in. "I managed to get in touch with him and, after explaining the situation, he said he was happy to shuffle some tables around."
"Huh, after all these years?" Pyrrha asked, a little shocked that someone would be so kind. She could understand wanting to pay back the Huntsman who saved your daughter, but it was something else to extend that courtesy to their son. Or it felt like that at least.
"Dad can have that kind of impression on people." Jaune said. "He didn't just save his daughter though, he almost lost his life in the process."
Pyrrha's smile fell slightly. "Oh."
"He's fine!" Jaune quickly assured her. "Obviously, I mean, I'm here after all, right? He was out for a few weeks though. Got a scar from it and a pretty good story though." He paused, clearly unsure of what to say next, or how to say it. "I bet you've got a couple yourself."
Pyrrha held up her arm, pointing at one of the scars on her forearm. "Mission to Mistral. I went with a Huntsman but, well… things didn't exactly go as planned." She winced slightly at the massive understatement. "Ended up fighting Atlas' most wanted through the streets of the city."
"I think Ruby told us about that." Jaune nodded quickly. "You were going after her uncle, right?"
Pyrrha nodded back. "Rescue mission. Ended up being me that needed rescuing though." she chuckled softly. "Coco says I'm hitting out of my weight class… she's not exactly wrong." It was a familiar argument that the two had fought over more than once, but at the end of the day it didn't matter. She couldn't run, and she couldn't hide. Their enemy knew her, and if they couldn't find her, they knew who to go to to get to her. The people she cared about were far easier targets than she herself. Looking back up to Jaune, she had to push that morbid thought aside lest it ruin the mood. "You said your dad's a Huntsman, but what about the rest of your family?"
"Well… I have seven sisters for one." She already knew that, but despite that she couldn't help but be in awe of Jaune's mother. She must have had the patience or will power of a saint. Pyrrha had thought of having a child or two later in her life, but eight? That was too much. "Mom did a good job raising us, but Saffron helped. She's my oldest sister."
The waitress eventually returned, taking away their plates and bringing back a bottle of wine at her request. It was expensive, and fancier than anything Pyrrha had ever tasted. As the night wore on, the two of them continued to talk, even as the restaurant slowly emptied. It was quiet, and safe, and everything Pyrrha had ever hoped it would be.
Author's Note: Too much on one event? Or maybe not enough. I'm curious to see what you all think. Should this chapter have gone farther perhaps? Be sure to let me know so I can make adjustments as needed.
Hope you enjoyed it and as always don't forget to review and tell me what you think.
Sincerely, SE
