"Auntie Yang!" Vanessa cried out.

Vanessa's tiny body collided into Yang's as the barely seven-year-old girl tackled her like Zwei would. The little dog that Yang brought along with her barked happily and did a backflip at the sight of Vanessa. Jaune still wasn't sure how the little guy still had so much energy.

"There's my little princess," Yang said. She wrapped her arms around the girl and squeezed, swinging her around. Vanessa jumped up and Yang reacted, fixing Vanessa onto her shoulder like a parrot perching a pirate. The two of them dressing up as that duo for Halloween was the most precious thing.

"Hey, Yang."

"There's my little Vomit Boy."

The two embraced with Vanessa making gagging sounds.

"My thoughts exactly, V," Jaune teased.

"That's my line, Vomit Boy!" Yang laughed.

"How are you?" he asked warmly. "I heard from Ruby how you've found yourself some good work in Mistral?"

"Something like that. Teaching part-time at a prep school. Still have the opportunity to go around traveling, thankfully. The kids are a real blast, but a headache at times. Can't tell you how often it is I run into a team fresh from the academy with zero common sense." Yang sat down on the couch and let Vanessa tumble onto the cushions before wandering over to her bedroom. "My dad says hi, by the way."

"Message received. Have you finally been able to explain our current situation to him?"

"Despite how Vanessa is like a little duplicate of Blake in physical appearance, he's still convinced I'm her mother."

"Well, you simply dote on her enough to imply she is." Yang pouted. She pouted. Jaune couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing. If anything, you coming to visit so often is exactly what I wanted. If only Ruby and the others could visit as often, spoiling Little V with gifts."

"Auntie Yang!" Vanessa cheered. The little girl knelt down in front of the grown woman and presented a slightly crumpled piece of paper. "I drew you!"

Jaune burst out laughing as Yang forced her biggest smile. It only got better when Jaune suggested framing the masterpiece.


Blake refused to release her grip around Jaune's wrist.

"Let me go," he seethed.

"No! Jaune, please listen..."

"So that's it then?" he snarled. "You only feel the need to try to make amends since you have another coming? Must I remind you of every little thing that has me against you getting involved with Vanessa's affairs? I should just tell her about everything. Unless you plan on having her remain ignorant forever..."

Jaune began to trail off as he watched Blake continue to cry. It wasn't the type where he'd comfort her just like when they were younger, still happy together. She was vulnerable, emotionally distressed.

"I know my fear is no excuse for back then. You managed to not only conquer that fear, but raise Vanessa on your own anyway. A part of me does want closure, Jaune. But I should at least give to Vanessa what she deserves."

Jaune's fists clenched. "She already has a mother."

"And I'm not taking her place. I know Vanessa doesn't need me. Everything today has been a blessing itself for me. But if I can, I'd like to help her find any closure. Surely you've wondered about Vanessa's own curiosity. Has she ever had questions about her birth? The circumstances revolving around it?"

"She's had questions before," he admitted. "But doing so would expose too much about you."

"Then so be it. Painting me in such a manner is the truth. If she asks, then that's it. We come clean. How I almost aborted her without consulting you, how I've made so many promises to visit..."

"Until the discord among Team RWBY was too much. That was why you transferred to Haven, right?"

"Yeah. Weiss never did forgive me for that..."

"It takes time," he said vaguely. "It took a while, but she did commend me for not giving in. Heck, my parents were divided about the whole ordeal. Even though I waited until Vanessa was born, my family was happy I told them about her instead of withholding that info for longer than I did. There was a lot of yelling... but we reconciled. And I couldn't be happier to have gotten their support as early as I did. I only wish I told them sooner."

Blake shuffled awkwardly.

"Come to think of it, I never even met your parents." He slicked his hair to the slide and let out a weak chuckle. "Even when we were dating, I never even learned their names. I always bantered on about my own family. That was inconsiderate of me; not asking about your own family. Sorry, Blake."

"No," she said weakly. "I..."

"Tell me about them," he said. He wanted to talk about something that was bound to be more uplifting. He was already doing enough provoking Blake to act this emotional. Who knows what else she'd say in her current state of mind. "Now that I think about it, have you ever..." His heart began to sank.

Blake's ears drooped and she adopted that guilty expression he's all too familiar with. He despised that look.

"They have no idea about me, do they?" Blake winced. "And I take it that goes for Vanessa as well? In fact, dare I ask how long it's been since you've last contacted them?"

"A few years now...?" she offered pathetically.

"Blake-"

"I'm scared, Jaune. I'm just..." Blake fought back the tears. "There's something else you should know-"

"Hey, Vomit Boy!" a boisterous voice cried. "Care to explain why you kept that silly drawing Vanessa made? I'll have you know, I do not look like a gorilla with golden locks-"

At the door to his office, a well-built woman carrying a framed drawing came to a halt. Her vibrant violet eyes slowly changed into a shade of red, indicating how his office's mess was about to become the sight of a bomb going off. Yang Xiao-Long, proud honorary aunt of his daughter, stepped past her former partner and gently placed the frame on his desk.

"Well, isn't this a curious sight?" Yang said. A saccharine smile was plastered on her face. She crossed her arms, taking control of the aura of the room. She stood over Blake as she stepped closer, giving no regards to her personal space. "Looks like you've found yourself a stray, Jaune. Shall I get rid of her for you?"


Since I'm going to be updating Reflection of One's Soul every other week, I'll spend some more time to make the chapters for Fatherhood longer. I'll start going into Vanessa and Reverie's personalities a bit more once we finish this little conflict point. Stir things up a little, yeah? Ah, this is bound to be fun.

I'm pretty sure I thought of an inconsistency regarding Blake transferring to Haven... but I forgot it. Ah, I'll be sure to correct it if I remember.

And with that, I'm out.

Until next time.

-Colure

Next chapter: July 25th