"Pyrrha?"
"Hello, Jaune."
That was just like her. Even with everything going on, for some reason, Pyrrha's smile always made Jaune feel a bit better. He wasn't expecting her to greet him by the door to their dorm, but it was still a pleasant surprise to see her. It was a long day, getting himself together and going down to police station to inquire about a job.
"How are you?" he asked. "Haven't seen you for a while."
"Some time has passed," she acknowledged. She gestured for him to come inside their room. When he shut the door, she gestured for him to sit by her. He obeyed. "I'll… get straight to the point. I know we've been through a situation sort of like this before, but I'd like to help you, if you'd let me. You know, with the baby."
He was honored to have her as his partner. Beacon would've been impossible without her. She'd been supportive of him since they first met, which is one of the many reasons why he loved her.
And yet, he couldn't reciprocate her feelings when she confessed.
"What happened with my transcripts was a while ago, Pyrrha. I wouldn't let my pride get in the way again. As you know, I'm going to be the one raising my child since I'm the only one that…" He bit his tongue. It was hard to mention his ex, even in a fond way. It just… hurt to remember her decision. "Well, I know I have you and the others. If I ever need any of you, I'll be sure to let you all know. You'd be the first to know if I was ever in a jam. But I think I can do this. I… I won't let myself fall for that trap again."
"Jaune…"
"Can you believe it?" he asked. He gave a light, yet heartfelt laugh. "I'm going to be a father. I'm happy to know my child is going to have plenty of supportive aunts and uncles. And my folks are going to be… grandparents…"
"You haven't told them yet, have you?"
Jaune nodded. He averted his gaze, a bit ashamed. "They didn't approve of my choice to be a Huntsman, so I've been nervous to admit something like this is going on. It's not the teasing from my sisters that bothers me, I actually miss that. It's just that I'm still young. I defied my parent's wishes and chose to pursue this path. I know I was careless, irresponsible even."
"That's not-"
"It is, and I've accepted that. I don't know what they're going to think. And the moment I get the chance, if I ever, to introduce them to their grandchild… Well, how am I supposed to do that when the mother isn't there?" He held his hands together and twiddled his thumbs. HIs eyes widened. "I don't expect you to have all the answers for me Pyrrha, I don't mean to put you on the spot or anything."
"No, I understand. It's just that… Well, I have something to confess."
"You're pregnant too?"
"Wha- No!" She punched his arm lightly. "Jaune," she chuckled. "No need to lighten the mood, we're teammates, remember?"
"Partners," he corrected. "You never abandoned me, Pyrrha."
Pyrrha developed a crestfallen look on her face. "That's the thing… When you told me about what's going on, I may have lost my temper and confronted her when you were down in Vale." She erected herself. "Nothing serious happened though, I can assure you that. It never got to the point where we raised our voices, but… Well, she cried. I know you said she wants nothing to do with the baby, but when I talked to her, she clearly felt regret over it. I think deep down, she wants to raise the child with you. So maybe you can introduce her to your family. I-"
"Please don't give me that hope, Pyrrha." He reached for a strand of his hair and began to twirl it. He couldn't meet her eyes. "What she said was her final stance on this. That's all there is to it. She was content, no that's a bad way to put it… firm on her decision before I changed her mind. What If the pressure got to her if I pushed her? I wouldn't want her to go off and do anything crazy. I just… She's going through this too. It won't be easy for her or her team. I…"
He realized he was crying, and Pyrrha mirrored him.
"I… still love her," he sobbed.
Pyrrha held him in a hug as the two of them unleashed their emotions. Despite his sorrow, his resolve grew stronger. Even without the mother, his child would be raised well. He could do it. He had his friends. What he had to worry about was the first step. And step by step, he'll reach the point where he can speak with his family. He knows it. One step at a time…
Afraid this was rushed, I just had to kill time and figured I'd try to get one last chapter out before I leave for boot camp. I'll come back to this someday, but I'm already busy with life among other things. Yes, among other things.
