So I've had some people comment that Jaune doesn't seem to angst about the White Fang he killed or the physical effects of the torture. That actually was the original plan - hence him smoking as well - but a few readers indicated that it would change the tone of the fic too much. Especially since Jaune would likely need to be taken to a mental health instituation to recover.
I changed it to his inferiority complex worsening instead, which allows him to more proactively make steps to fix it and for team RWBY to help him with that. It's still not something that can be easily fixed, but it's easier to deal with than trauma from killing or Jaune flinching from being touched. Ruby getting together with him if he was that traumatized would look really off on her part.
Side note - Less than a 100 left till I get to a 1000 reviews. Didn't expect it to get this much attention when I first wrote it, but here we are.
Jaune was used to lectures, both giving and receiving. As the younger brother (and only son) he'd received a lot of them growing up. As the older brother he had to give a lot of them to Lily and the twins. Then he got into Beacon and had to start giving more of them. What did it say when the best hope to save Remnant had to be sat down and get it through their skulls that maybe they had to work together as a team?
And now he was here, with all four of those teammates raring to give him a lecture of his own. The Brothers had a sick sense of humor.
"Do we really have to do this?" Jaune asked.
"It's for your own good, Jaune." Ruby said, expression forced into a neutral state, "We came back to Professor Port being serious, Jaune. That was super scary." Even despite the situation he found himself offended on his friend's behalf.
"You literally just came back from fighting a Grimm Horde." Jaune replied.
"That's different! We did that as a team and we made precautions!" Ruby shot back hotly. It hurt seeing her so mad, especially since he knew he was the cause of it. The only consolation was that Zwei had taken to sitting on his lap as a source of comfort, "You got kidnapped not too long ago and now you're sneaking out to go to back alley fight clubs! What if you got taken again?!"
"She knows you can't take care of yourself. She doesn't want to lose her plaything."
"I...I'll be fine." Jaune grit his teeth. He was angry, but he knew that it wasn't her fault. She was just worried about someone she cared about, "Look, I went there with Peter and before that I always went with Qrow. He was the one who showed it to me and said it'd be a good way to test my limits." Even though he was pretty sure he really did it just to bet some money.
"Qrow? You mean that guy who smells like a booze factory and spends most of the day plastered? No offense," Blake said to Ruby and Yang.
"Eh, none taken. I really love the guy, but he is kind of a wreck." Yang shrugged. The casual way that she said it was somewhat concerning, "Guess I'm not surprised he took you there, but that doesn't explain why you're heading back without him."
"Because it's the only place where you don't feel useless."
"It's...for training." The excuse sounded weak even to him, and judging by the looks the rest of the team gave him they didn't believe it either. He continued on regardless, "People there have their Auras unlocked and their training varies. It's a good way to see how good I am."
"Then why not use the training facilities? We are in a Huntsman Academy." Weiss crossed her arms.
"You can't beat even a single student. The only win you can scrape together is from half-drunk old men."
"It helps me improve my unarmed training. Everyone here at Beacon uses a weapon and it's a nightmare to get them to not use it." Prepatory academies like Signal and Sanctum had unarmed training courses, but it was more of an accessory than anything. No one really expected Huntsmen to fight Grimm bare-handed and a low grade wouldn't impact your chances at graduating. Ruby was still considered a prodigy and she was somehow worse at it than he was.
"Yeah...I don't buy it. I can fight without Ember Celica, you coulda just asked me," Yang said.
"I have some unarmed training as well," Blake added.
"You guys were busy. Remember the whole thing with the Council and you guys doing propaganda?" His tone had become a bit more clipped than he would've liked. It was a decent excuse, but right now none of them believed it.
"Then I guess we can set aside some time for training." Weiss nodded primly, "With this you shouldn't need to get into anymore back alley scrapes, hm?"
"Winning was fun while it lasted, didn't it? I hope you enjoy being under their heels again."
No." He shook his head, ignoring their looks of surprise at the sudden vehemence in his voice, "You guys are busy with Maiden training and working for the Council and all that other stuff. You don't need anything more on your plate."
"Says the guy who woke up super early to make us breakfast a few days ago?" Ruby asked, "You're busy too, Jaune, but you still make time to do stuff. We can train with you too. It'll be a team bonding thing." She beamed.
"I said no." Ruby flinched back like she'd been struck. Jaune closed his eyes and grit his teeth again, guilt bubbling in his chest. God, he was such a bastard. Here they were trying to make their teammate - their friend - feel better and all he was doing was lashing out. Fuck, "I know you're all worried about me being taken again, but I'll be fine. I always make sure to go with someone and I doubt the people in the club are gonna take too kindly to the White Fang barging in."
An uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Zwei, seeing one of his owners being depressed, hopped off of Jaune's lap and made his way to Ruby's. Gods, this was such a mess. A part of him wondered what life would've been like if he just didn't accept Ozpin's offer. He'd be back home helping run family business and still blisfully ignorant about Magic and Grimm Queens. He wouldn't have been kidnapped by crazy ex boyfriend terrorists or deal with Bandit Clans.
But then he also wouldn't have met team RWBY and everyone else; and even after everything he'd been through, that was too high a price to even consider.
"Jaune?" Blake said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah?"
"You reek of cheap beer. The fight club isn't the only thing you've getting up to, isn't it?"
Damn it. Usually he had nothing against Faunus, but right now he was cursing them and their enhanced senses for even being born. A few doors down the hall, Cardin wondered if he'd found a new ally, "Yeah, I had a few after my talk with Peter. Just wanted something to take the edge off." It was technically the truth, even though it was also cause it was one of the few things that could drown out Adam Taurus' voice.
"You've had the same smell for a while now. I didn't say anything before, but coupled with the back alley brawls, this isn't a good sign," Blake said.
"Why didn't you say anything beforehand?" Weiss asked pointedly.
"Because a lot of Beacon students have the same scent; teenagers are all too eager to indulge in legalized underage drinking. We live in the same room as Yang, so I didn't think Jaune having a drink was worth bringing up. Until now." She gave him a pointed look. Normally he would've rolled his eyes, but right now there was genuine concern underneath the judgement, "Please tell me you don't get into these fights drunk."
"Of course not." Well, except for the first time, but he was just buzzed in that case.
"Alright, I think I'm gonna have to play the demon's advocate here." Yang sighed, "I personally think it's sketchy as hell that he didn't tell us he was doing this, but what's wrong with him getting into a couple of scrapes? We're training to be Huntsmen, he's gonna deal with more than just a few shirtless guys and their fists when we get outta here. Hell, it's probably safer than trying to fight someone like Cardin with that explosive mace of his."
"Thank you." Jaune let out a relieved sigh.
"Oh, don't think you're off the hook, Grimm Slayer. I still think it's super suspicious that you were going out without telling us. I like a good fight and a drink, but I don't hide it from you guys."
"Apart from when you met your mom's old bandit group?" Blake raised a brow.
"Sticks and stones, Kitty Kat."
"Regardless, I do think that it's hardly proper behavior." Weiss cut in, "Getting drunk and then brawling in some illegal fighting ring is hardly proper. I argued that stifling you after your kidnapping is wrong, and I maintain that stance, but there do have to be limits. I'm afraid I'll have to insist that you don't continue your forays to that place. The risk of getting stabbed in the neck by some irate sore loser is too high."
"They're telling you what to do. You really are their pet. Their plaything."
"You can't do that." Jaune grit his teeth and his fists shook.
"Honestly, Jaune, I don't see why you're so insistent-."
"I said no!" Jaune stood and glared down at Weiss. The Schnee heiress' eyes widened at the sudden shout and Jaune kept going, "I know I'm weak, but that doesn't mean you can tell me what to do!" His voice was rising and turning into a growl, but he was too frustrated to care, "I know I don't have magical powers or as much training as you all, but I'm not your...pet!"
Another silence settled over them, heavier and more stifling than the last. Jaune panted, suddenly feeling tired despite spending the past half hour at rest. He looked at each of them in turn. Yang looked angry, eyes flared red, though whether it was at him or in general he didn't know. Blake's own eyes were narrowed and her lips were pursed while Weiss did her utter best to look like his rant hadn't affected her.
But what pained him most was Ruby. She looked up at him with an expression of shock and hurt that he hadn't seen before, "...Is that how you think we look at you?" she asked softly. Jaune didn't answer. He wanted to leave the room, but his feet remained rooted to the floor, "Jaune...?"
"That's what it feels like sometimes." He sat back and down brought a hand across his face, "You didn't do anything wrong, Ruby; none of you did. I just..."
"You feel useless," Yang finished. Jaune nodded slowly, "Gods damn it, Jaune, I thought we already talked about this? Remember, back in your hometown? It was a whole moment."
"I know! I just..."
"It's because of Adam, isn't it?" Blake said, voice heavy. Jaune couldn't even look at her, "I noticed the alcohol smell increased after the incident." Yeah, that was one way to call it. Thank the Brothers for Aura or he'd still have that brand on his cheek, "You mentioned before that you sometimes had nightmares, so I assumed you just needed something to sleep easier, but this..."
"Jaune, what's happening? Please let us help you," Ruby pleaded
Jaune paced around the room and gripped his hair with both hands. Gods, he didn't want to do this, but they weren't going to stop till he told them something. And he didn't want to lie to them, "I feel weak, alright? Useless." He let out a deep breath, "You guys know what that Adam guy did, but it wasn't just the beatings and the branding. He was...he talked about how he didn't know why Blake put up with me because of how weak I was. That I was just her pet."
"That bastard..." Blake growled.
"And now? Now I'm hearing his fucking voice in my head. Every time I feel useless, every time I feel like I'm dragging you all down, he's right there whispering in my ear. You wanna know why I go to the clubs and drink? The alcohol's the only thing that can shut him up and fighting in a cage makes me feel like I'm in control again. At Beacon I'm team RWBY's weight, but in that place I'm no different than anybody else. I win or I lose, but at least I have a chance."
"Why didn't you tell us?" Yang asked. Her eyes had finally gone back to their lilac color.
"I just didn't know what to say."
Ruby looked like she was about to speak up when Weiss suddenly stood, "Jaune, you and me are going to the training room. The rest of you can come along if you want."
"What? Where's this coming from?" Ruby turned to her partner. Weiss ignored the question.
"You're just going to beat me."
"Perhaps, but do you only enter a fight you're certain of winning?"
"No, but I don't wanna fight when I know I'm gonna lose." She just continued to look at him. With a frustrated sigh, Jaune stood and rubbed the back of his head, "Fine, let's do this."
She won, of course. Jaune put up a fight, and some of his dirtier tactics put her on the backfoot a couple of times, but ultimately that was the best he could. Jaune panted and lay down on his back, staring at the ceiling. His Aura reserves were at twenty percent on the screen while Weiss was at eighty. Most of that came from him managing to distract her then shooting her a few times in the back.
"A good match." Weiss nodded.
"Was it?" Jaune sat up, right knee propped up with his arm atop it. The rest of team RWBY were at the sides just watching, "You beat me and I only got a couple of lucky hits in. What's that supposed to prove besides what I already know?"
"Do you know why my father stopped assigning bodyguards to me?" Weiss asked back. Jaune shook his head, "Because I beat any one of them he tried to do so in combat. He realized that a bodyguard weaker than their charge was pointless."
"Where are you going with this?"
"Your performance matched the better ones, and you did that with less than a year of training." Weiss offered him a hand which he reluctantly took. Without a hint of strain, she pulled him up to his feet, "Your issue, Jaune, is that you think you should be our equal despite your limited training. It's insulting to both the years we spent getting to this level and the considerable effort you've done to improve yourself. At the start of the semester you wouldn't have been able to get a single hit on on me."
"Yeah..."
"And in that you have no one to blame but yourself. You chose to come to a school that requires years of training to even qualify." Jaune winced. Yeah, she was totally right there, but it still stung, "But despite all that you also chose to stay when you've been given more than enough chances and 'encouragement' to leave."
"I appreciate the words, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm still dead weight."
"Why? Because of your lack of training or because you don't have magical powers?" She crossed her arms, "The former can be rectified. I didn't start with the capabilities of a Huntress-in-training and it's absurd that you think three months without being on our level means you're a shackle around our necks. The latter we can't do anything about, though I would also be remiss to not point out that no other Huntsmen in all of Remnant has our capabilities."
"Yeah, if we had time, but do we even have that?"
"Why wouldn't we? This Salem has existed for thousands of years, can she not wait a few more before we end her miserable life? Contrary to General Ironwood's plans, we don't want to rush this. As he said, all the Maidens working together hasn't happened in over a millenia. Taking needless risks is stupid. If it takes us time to master these gifts then you should also improve as we do. By the time we've done so you should be more than capable."
"I'd still be useless. By the time you master your magic, I'll still barely be able to do anything to help you guys in a fight."
"Now you're just moving the goalposts," Blake cut in, "First you're angry because you don't have Huntsman training, and now it's because you can't match the power of a Maiden. Which is it, Jaune?"
"I don't know." He sighed in frustration.
"You don't have to just fight, Jaune," Ruby said, "Remember the Breach? You saved so many people. You led them to safety, you pulled them from rubble and kept the Grimm's attention when they ran. You did a lot. Huntsmen aren't just supposed to fight. They help people build, they protect, they...they inspire. You can do a lot of things."
"I just...I hate feeling like I'm dragging you all down."
"Look, I ain't gonna say anything about that cause we already had that talk, so I'll just do this." Yang got closer and, without any warning, punched him in the face. It was a weak hit, his Aura barely moved at all, but the hit was enough to shock him, "We care about you, you fucking idiot. You ever hear that Adam prick's voice in your head again you talk to us. You wanna go drinking or that fight club again? I'll go with you. Ain't any worse the stuff I normally get up to."
"That's hardly comforting." Weiss wrinkled her nose.
"And I think we should follow Weiss' advice," Blake said, "Training from all of us. Professor Port and Professor Qrow are already teaching you how to fight, but we still have some things we can add. Do they teach you how to be sneaky?" Jaune shook his head. Peter was too bombastic and Qrow only taught him how to end fights, not avoid them, "That's something I can teach you. Ruby's already trying to make you as addicted to weapons as she is and I'm sure Weiss and Yang can have their own niche."
"Definitel!" Ruby nodded, "I can help you with your shooting, too! You know how to use a pistol, but a rifle's another thing entirely."
"But...aren't you guys busy with all that Magic training and working for the Council? I don't want to be a bother."
"You're our friend, Jaune. It's not a bother if we want to do this." It was somewhat of a surprise that Weiss had said that, "I myself can help with your swordsmanship. Before I settled on a rapier, I studied with a variety of bladed weaponry. While I can't teach you too much, it could be useful regardless."
"And I can step up our unarmed lessons. You already used that hold on me when I was having that breakdown-" Ruby looked alarmed at the casual way Yang said that, "-but I have a few other moves I can teach you. Your muscles are gonna burn, Grimm Slayer."
"Guys..."
"You aren't the only one with struggles," Weiss said, "To this day I can't use the summoning part of my Semblance and it frustrates me, especially with how easily Winter does so. While I can't claim our circumstances are the same, I understand the feeling of being left behind. I just keep training, however, and you'll be doing the same. Expecting instant improvement is a fool's errand."
"She's patronizing you. You know the truth."
Blake's cat ears twitched, "Your face just fell...you're hearing him again, aren't you?"
"Yeah." A part of him wanted to lie, but he clamped it down, "I appreciate all of this, but stuff like this isn't just gonna go away."
"We figured. Shit like that stays with you." Yang sighed, "Just make sure you talk to us next time, alright? Cause these interventions are getting really fucking old. If either Weiss or Ruby end up on the other end of this I'm gonna lose it."
"Talks like these tend to happen when your friends are stubborn and so prone to ignoring sense," Weiss said, just a hint of smugness in her tone. It clearly hadn't lost her notice that she'd never been on the other end of these group chats.
Surprisingly enough, it was Ruby who replied, "Uh...did you forget that Blake ran off then trashed the docks mostly cause of you being a big jerk? That was a whole thing."
"That's...That's different!" Weiss shot back. Her pale cheeks turned red in both embarassment and annoyance, "That was before we all bonded as a team and as friends. Yang and Blake decided to go off on their own after we started fully cooperating.."
"Sounds like a weak excuse to me." Blake smirked.
"Oh, like you're one to talk!" Weiss crossed her arms then turned to her partner, "Besides, Ruby, I'm certain that you've had your own moments."
"Nope, not that I can remember."
"That's impossible! There was..." She trailed off, eyes widening at the realization that Ruby Rose actually was the most mature in the team; if only by not causing trouble for everyone else. Jaune wisely decided not to interject about the time she took him on an impromptu flight over Vale, "Am...Am I one of the problem children? Have I truly fallen so far in my short time here?"
Yang patted her shoulder, "Welcome to the club, Weiss cream. Pretty soon you're gonna get your lip pierced and drunk dialing your dad. It's gonna be great."
"Don't even joke about that, Xiao Long." Weiss glowered at the blonde.
Jaune laughed. It was soft, but they all noticed. Soon enough the laughter spread and they were all laughing at nothing. They hadn't solved the problem; as Yang said, it wasn't just something that went away with a pep talk. Still, it was...better.
"Alright, I think we've had enough drama for tonight." Weiss coughed, "We'll come up with a schedule for training tomorrow. Right now I think we need our rest."
"Hey, can you three go on ahead? I wanna talk to Jaune alone," Ruby suddenly said.
"Alright, but don't do anything R rated in here. It's not as hot as you think it is." Yang grinned.
"Out!" Ruby pointed to the door. Yang cackled and walked out, Blake and Weiss trailing behind her and shaking their heads, "Geez, Yang's head is always in the gutter."
"So...what did you wanna talk about, Rubes?"
Ruby took a deep breath and wrung her hands together, "Are you..." She gulped, trying to find the words, "Are you still scared of us, Jaune? Scared of me?"
"What?" He shook his head, "What brought this up?"
"I'm just...remembering something we and Weiss talked about when we started dating. Just answer me, please. Are you still scared?"
"No." The answer was immediate, much to both their surprise. Ruby's eyes widened for just a second before her hesitant expression turned into a beaming smile, "I hate myself for feeling like I'm dragging you all down, but I'm not scared. I guess being taken by that Adam guy...I know none of you would ever really hurt me. No matter how powerful you all get, you're still my friends."
"Good." And then she kissed him. The contact was feather light and she had to stand on her tip toes to do it, but it was nice all the same, "Next time you go to that club thing, I'm going with you."
"Sure." He smiled wryly. Ruby Rose at a fight club. Despite her training to be a Huntress it was still a funny image.
"Keep lying to yourself if you want, but you know you'll always be a weight around them. Soon enough, they'll drown because of you."
Ruby's right hand held his left and the voice's words faded away, "Come on, let's go back."
The lead up to the Vytal Festival had an unofficial parents week, at least for the Kingdoms that hosted the event. Even for people not competing in the tournament, it was a good chance for the parents to see their kids and observe how much they had improved since starting at the academy. Other parents actually made the cross-country trip so they could spend time and enjoy the fesitivites. Pyrrha's mom and dad were gonna do that from what she told them over breakfast.
Team RWBY was no different. Ruby and Yang's dad and Blake's parents were coming and staying the week in Vale. A bunch of attractions were already set up and it'd be a bit expensive - businesses always eager to make a profit - but for most people it was a small price to pay. His own family would be visiting in a couple of days time and he both looked forward to and dreaded it. Mom, dad and his seven sisters all in Vale.
"So how's your dad doing?" Jaune asked Yang as they walked out of class. The rest of the team were behind them and discussing a new job Blanche had given them. With the Vytal Fesitval coming up to full swing he wanted to capitalize on spreading his pro-equality message to an international audience. Ruby had pouted that it would cut into their festival time, but she'd quickly changed her mind. The good they could do was worth the loss in free time.
"Fine. Why?"
"Well...you did find out your mom-"
"Egg donor, but yeah, I get what you mean," she interrupted, "As for how he took it..." She shrugged, "Actually took it pretty well. Me and Uncle Qrow talked to him. He got real quiet and he walked out of the house. Next day he's right as rain making breakfast like nothing's wrong."
"Is that...normal?"
"Better than him shutting down and hitting the bottle again." She shook her head, "I asked him about it. He said that after Raven left, yeah, a part of him worried and wanted to see her again, but then as the years passed he kinda figured that she probably was dead. Life as a bandit in Anima is rough even with Huntress training. He already braced himself to the idea that she was dead so he was prepared for it, I guess. Or maybe he's just holding a grudge cause she was a shitty wife and mom."
"Huh. Your dad sounds like he's got his stuff together."
"Oh, totally, but you know he's still gonna kill you when he finds out you and Ruby are dating."
"Yeah..." Jaune grimaced. Ruby had decided now would be a good time to officially introduce him to her dad. They hadn't been dating that long, but the time seemed to last longer considering everything on top of them.
"By the way, good luck explaining your thing with Blake. That's gonna be fun." Yang grinned.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna throw Blake under the bus, just so you know."
"I heard that, Jaune!" Blake hissed behind them.
"Good! Then maybe next time you'll be honest!" Jaune shouted back.
"Honesty is the best policy, Blake." Weiss said, ignoring the Faunus' glare, "By the way, Jaune, could you come with me to the library? There's an old swordsmanship book I wanted to pick up and I figured we could also pick some stuff up for you. While practical training trumps theory, it might give you some inspiration."
"Sure. I'll see you guys later," he said to the rest.
He and Weiss chatted on the way. While she wasn't a fan of games and comics like Ruby was, it was still interesting hearing about what life was like back in Atlas. As bitter as she was about a lot of things, her stories of high society were interesting.
"Weiss."
The girl in question stood up ramrod straight at the unfamiliar voice. Jaune looked back at the new arrival only to see an white haired man dressed in a pristine white suit. Everything about him screamed white, actually. His hair, his pale skin and his clothes made him look like he just stepped out of a snowstorm. He also had a magnificent mustache that put even Jaun to shame.
Weiss shuddered and turned around as well, "Father..."
...
Oh.
"It's been quite a while since we've seen each other," Jacques Schnee said, "You didn't come back home for the holidays." He didn't sound hurt by that, more stating a fact than anything else.
"Yes, well, I've been busy with many things." She coughed and struggled to meet his eyes, "I...didn't expect you to be here." Despite her trepidation, she honestly did look somewhat hopeful that her father had come to visit her.
"The SDC is providing the Dust to be used in the Vytal Tournament. A business deal such as this requires my personal attention. I'm here to meet with the headmaster and a few other council members.
"Oh..." And just like that, all of her hopes were dashed. Her expression belong to someone who was all too used to that, "Of course. Well, I wouldn't want to keep you, so I should be going. Come on, Jaune."
"A moment, Weiss." Jacques looked him up and down and Jaune squirmed under his gaze, "Who is this young man?"
"This is Jaune, one of my teammates," she said in a clipped tone.
"Ah, for a second I mistook him for that Faunus you were allegedly dating." Weiss froze again and for a moment he worried that it would start a snowstorm outside. To his credit, he didn't sound judgemental at all when he said the word. Maybe Weiss was right in that Jacques Schnee was an equal opportunity jerk, "Are those rumors true? You've been screening my calls so I couldn't confirm before."
"She-"
"Actually, they're not true." Weiss said with the biggest, most fake smile on her face, "I'm actually dating Jaune here." She held his hand and laughed.
...
Fuck, here they go again.
"This young man?" Jacques raised a brow and looked him up and down again. He was about to counter her blatant lies when she squeezed his hand just a little too tightly and gave him the most pathetic pleading look he'd ever seen her make, "Hm...he looks inoffensive enough at a glance, but appearances can be deceiving."
"Jaune comes from a family of winemakers from the town of Domremy. I believe we've even had some of their vintages." Weiss offered. Jacques nodded, clearly not caring all that much even as his daughter continued to babble, "You have my personal assurance about the trustworthiness of his character, father."
"Hm." Jacques hummed, "It doesn't really matter, though it is somewhat of a shame."
"Why is that?" Weiss asked.
"If you really were dating a Faunus, it would've had a more positive public reception." Weiss looked like she'd been slapped in the face, though whether it was the fact that her father talked about her relationship in PR or would've actually approved of her dating Sun, he didn't know, "Your work with that councilman has been spreading a pro-Faunus and anti-White Fang message at the same time. A Schnee dating a Faunus would've only improved that sentiment."
"But...but what about the people back at Atlas? Wouldn't they disapprove?"
"Perhaps, but ultimately their views can be swayed. I have a lot of influence in Atlas, which isn't the same in Vale; especially with the string of Dust robberies not too long ago. Besides, I'm sure their protests will change once they realize the profit it can bring. Continue to work with that councilman. It can only help the company further." Wow, even when he was technically on Weiss' side, the guy managed to sound like a dick.
"Of course, father..."
"I should get to my meeting. Perhaps we can have dinner later. We can discuss your work for the councilman." He checked his (really fancy) watch, "Goodbye, Weiss."
He left without waiting for Weiss to reply. Jaune pulled his hand from her clammy grip and sighed, "You know, a part of me wants to say 'I told you so' and that you should've stuck to your own advice about being honest, but another part of me just feels really bad about your dad."
"Well, I'm sure you'll have your chance to see more of him. You'll be coming to dinner with me." She looked up at him with a razor thin smile.
"And why would I do that?"
"Because you're my boyfriend." She laughed under her breath, "And also because the only reason he's doing this is because he wants to use our deal with Blanche to his advantage. Since you were the one who introduced us to the man, I argue this is at least partially your fault."
"I really wanna argue, especially since you dragged me into this with that bluff, but I gotta save up my sanity for when Blake's parents arrive."
"Just...keep quiet and let's find a book. I suddenly wanna leave this place."
Weiss chose to stay in the library to cool off while he went to the meeting place where Ruby, Yang and Blake were going to be. Weiss had also warned him to keep her and Blake's parents as far away from each other as possible. As morbidly curious as he was about how that meeting would go, he had to agree. Having the head of the SDC and the former heads of the White Fang in the same room was gonna be a disaster.
Matter of fact, they should not tell Blake either. She might decide to make sure he suffered an 'accident' while he was here.
Blake, Ruby and Yang were at the Bullhead docks with Mr. Xiao Long talking to them. Jaune gulped and made sure he looked presentable. Unlike Blake (and now Weiss), Ruby actually was his girlfriend and he was nervous about meeting her dad.
"Is this him?" Mr. Xiao Long asked as he got closer.
"Yep. This is Jaune, the guy who defiled Ruby's innocence," Yang said shamelessly.
"Yang!" Ruby shrieked. Blake just rolled her eyes, too used to her partner's antics, "Me and Jaune didn't do anything like that!"
"Not yet."
"Yang, please stop trying to get me killed." Jaune groaned, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Xiao Long."
"Hm." For the second time that day, Jaune had an older man looking him up and down. The observation continued for a few seconds before he smiled, "Alright." He offered a hand, which Jaune reluctantly took. Contrary to his expectations, his palm wasn't squeezed hard enough to damage his Aura, "You seem like a good guy. Hurt Ruby and I'll break your spine, but until then we're good. You can call me Tai, by the way."
"Uh...sure, si- uh, Tai."
...
"...That was anti-climactic," Blake said.
As if summoned by the words, another voice called, "Blake, honey!" The bookworm's eyes widened and she looked ready to cut and run as Ghira and Kali happily walked towards their group. Yang looked just as surprised, though it had quickly turned into a vicious grin as she saw a new way to amuse herself. Ruby just groaned and covered her face with both hands while Tai looked on in confusion.
"M-Mom, dad! I thought you were coming later?" Blake asked nervously.
"We were, but we found an earlier flight." Ghira chuckled, "Oh, it's so good to see you again, little cub. Oh!" He smiled when he saw the rest of the group, "We already know Jaune and Yang, of course, so I assume the one in black and red is Ruby?"
"She-"
"Nice to see you two again," Yang said eagerly, cutting Blake off, "Yep, this is my adorable little sister, and our team leader, Ruby. Unfortunately Weiss is being a stick in the mud so she's not here."
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Kali smiled warmly at Ruby. The woman was kind and affectionate to a fault, "It's a bit odd meeting my daughter's boyfriend's girlfriend, but we've been having to adjust to a lot of things lately."
Ruby squeaked and looked like she'd just been zapped. Tai looked even more confused, "Wh-What?!" Ruby shouted.
"Oh yes, we've heard all about it." Ghira nodded in understanding, "Jaune went out with you to the dance while Blake is also courting Yang here. I'll admit I'm still not used to the intricacies of an open relationship, but if it makes you all happy and you're all consenting, then I see no harm in it. People take joy in where they can find them." A nice statement; if only it wasn't made cause Blake was a lying liar who lied.
"An open relationship?" Tai looked between the four members of team RWBY-J in disblief, "I...I know I said I'd be open, but-"
"Dad, it's not what you think!" Ruby shrieked. Blake looked she was dying inside, "Jaune is...Blake and he-"
"Salutations!" Oh Gods, what now? Jaune swiveled to the new arrival and grimaced when he saw a happy Penny eagerly rushing towards them. He liked Penny, even if she could be super weird, but right now wasn't the right place for her, "Oh, am I interrupting something? Your mood levels seem dampened, friends."
"Just questioning my choices in life." Jaune palmed his face with both hands.
"Wait, weren't you the girl who asked Jaune out to a date before?" Ghira asked. Both he and Blake internally screamed.
"That is correct! However, that relationship failed because Friend-Ruby cucked me." Penny smiled. Ruby looked like she was being strangled while Yang coughed and wheezed, "Don't worry, Friend-Ruby, I no longer hold a grudge."
"Wait, huh? I thought this was an open relationship? How could you be...you know." Kali asked.
"It was?" Penny's eyes widened in wonder, "Oh, perhaps you were simply playing 'hard to get'? If so I apologize, I misread the signs. Is a position still open? If so I would like to officially apply."
"No!" Ruby shrieked, "Like I said before, Jaune's mine! And Blake isn't even dating him!"
And then he heard voices around them.
"What's going on?"
"Don't you know? That's Jaune Arc. Guess the team's arguing on whose sex slave he is. Maybe they got tired of sharing?"
"What? I thought that Penny girl wasn't part of the team."
"You heard what they said about an open relationship. Dude's totally boning everyone. Lucky bastard."
It took everything Jaune had to not just fling himself over Beacon's edge. Poor Ghira looked utterly confused at everything going on while Kali just looked on with that same twinkle in her eyes. The worst of it all was Tai who stared at Ruby and had the look of someone suffering from Great War flashbacks.
"I heard rumors about the whole Relationship Reaper thing, but I didn't it was true..." Tai mumbled, "I knew she'd inherit some stuff from Summer, but she didn't even wait for a relationship to end. She just...took a guy. Oh Gods, what if those rumors were true?"
Jaune left before the urge to jump got any higher. Screw this. He loved his team, he really did, but gods damn it did they drag him into trouble. He left them to handle the assorted lies and misunderstandings. It was crappy of him, but this compounded with Weiss' own lies left him with a pounding headache. He needed to get a drink. A non-alcoholic one.
He bought a bottle of soda and sat down at a bench under the shade of a tree. Being alone risked Adam's voice coming back, but-
"Jaune." He looked up to one Cardin Winchester.
"Cardin." Jaune nodded, "Need something?"
"Yeah, actually." He looked nervous, which wasn't a look he usually had unless Blake or Yang were nearby, "I was gonna ask you before Belladonna...you know." Before she snarled at him like the cat she said she wasn't, "I need you to talk to someone."
"Who's that?"
"My dad."
...
Why was he not surprised?
Omake: Truly the Best Timeline
They didn't know how it happened. Perhaps it had something to do with proximity or maybe some kind of magical glitch during the fight with Salem, but history had been made once more.
Yang Xiao Long had received all four of the Maiden powers, and with Salem sealed she was now the most powerful being on Remnant.
Things went pretty great after that, actually. Despite her reputation, Yang proved responsible with her new powers and didn't even more people worship her like she was a god. That and without the rest of team RWBY having powers, Jaune's workload had dramatically decreased. Ruby and him were working together as Huntsmen, Weiss had reformed the SDC, and Blake was leading the charge for Faunus equality. Meanwhile Yang traveled the world, righting wrongs and having fun as she went.
Things were great. This was truly the best timeline.
Jaune makes steps to solving his issues and Blake's lies come crashing on top of her. Next chapter will likely be Zettai RWBY Children since I need something light and people seemed interested in it, especially once I added that an adopted Cinder would be part of the cast and it would be a pseudo-Knightfall story.
And yeah, the omake was a joke. I might make an actual all-Maiden Yang, but honestly her and Weiss seem a bit too stable. Ruby might be funny since she'd definitely try to go full Supergirl. Another option is Coco Adel or Cinder. The former would use her powers to up her fame and influence while the latter would be a hair's breath away from torching all of Remnant and Jaune has to keep her from going off the deep end by appealing to her ego.
Questions:
1. I wonder, would you guys have kept reading if the story wasn't Lancaster? Before I left romance up to a vote, I was personally leaning towards White Knight as the initial pairing; mostly cause my previous fic was a Lancaster one and I didn't think people would want repetition.
That and, as I mentioned before, Weiss and Jaune were supposed to have the spite war relationship he and Blake ultimately ended up having. The main difference was that Blake's flaws are delusions and lying while Weiss would've had her bad habits from the way she was raised constantly come up, leading Jaune to tease her and her to counter, leading to escalation.
2. Speaking of romance, would you guys mind if I went for Bumblebee? I've had some readers with surprisingly intense opinions that the pairing in canon seemed forced and they really don't wanna see it here. Don't really have an opinion since canon RWBY is kinda eh for me, but I'm curious on what you guys think. I can do with or without it.
Review Answers:
Bomberguy789 - Yeah, Weiss calls him out on this in the chapter. Blake does as well.
Chuck B. Winanaki - I can definitely use the Aura balance angle since I was already leaning towards mechanic.
Spartastic 4 - Neo is a psychopath, but people like her. Jaune points out she's evil in the omake as well but still sleeps with her. Hope he doesn't end up like Timmy. Also, no, Jaune's guitar isn't here. That was given to Juan.
Raj8 - Yeah, the Maiden magic is really specific. Has to be female and has to be under 30. Ozpin was smoking crack when he made the requirements.
BrazeRancor - Team RWBY is helping him lean towards as a Jack of all Trades character. Hopefully it works.
AnimeFan0216 - I dunno about canon, but this fic has Jaune's family be winemakers so none of them are trained and thus can't be blamed for not training him. Jaune also lived a safe life; he was the one who chose to be a Huntsman then took Ozpin's deal.
Pwucachu - Yeah, I had to make a choice between inferiority complex or PTSD. Former won out. The intervention does help, but it clearly doesn't magically fix all his problems. Those run too deep.
sos - Jaune doesn't need to control the group anymore, but he does act as support, a booster, and does shit besides fighting.
ReadYesyes - Jaune gets his moments in both the Crown and Council arcs.
Master T- Rex - Lots of feedback! I really appreciate it and hope that you'll keep reading, As for Nightmare, using Jaune feels off since I don't want him to be a Damsel and I'm leaning towards focusing on one RWBY member, not all four. Character focus is needed.