It's weird how mood can influence time perception. The adage was that fun made time move along. But the opposite was also true, perhaps even more soon. How seconds can drag when you're filled with worry or sadness. It was a feeling Jaune hated but was all too familiar with, his line of work was close to the expectation of death.
Normally Jaune had fun in the kitchen, but today the pot's bubbles became the ticks of his clock as Jaune waited. Not for the stew that would be done in a hour or so but for his scroll. Jaune stared intently at device as if willing it to function but technology wouldn't be so easily swayed. He wondered if he should call. But he knew that it would be in vain. She would call when she able and safe. That is how they would do things because a poorly time call would either not reach you or worse put you in danger in the field. Part of him knew that his worry was mostly in vain but there's always that little voice inside his head, darkly whispering little 'what ifs' in his ear. Try as he might he couldn't silence the voice of worry by himself.
He knew he need a distraction, anything.
" I wanna watch the match, it's Wrestlephobia!" Jaune could hear Jinsey say from the other room.
"Can't you see I'm watching something? Just go watch it on your scroll." Jaune could heard Galahad's defensive respond while standing in the kitchen.
"Who cares about some dumb documentary? It's the fight of the century!" Jinsey shouted.
"What? It's about real historical battles! Wrestling is fake anyways." Galahad defended to which his cousin audibly gasped.
"You take that back!" Were the last words Jaune heard before what he could only describe as some sort of struggle could be heard. He could even hear Galahad's cries demanding she'd stop it. Just when Jaune was about to stop them however he heard whimpering and wailing of his little princess once again.
Jaune sighed. Once again their fighting made Summer cry.
"Congratulations" Jaune said. " Now you're watching whatever Summer wants." Jaune picks up the controller and switches to the kids channel. Summer soon after stopped crying and his two other baby resigned to using their scrolls on the couch.
Not long after the order had been kept the front door began to creak open.
"We're home!" two little voices said in unison.
Turned to the front entrance to meet a boy and a girl both the age of nine, as well as a older man dressed in a that shirt and brown pants with a matching vest.
"Welcome back," Jaune said throwing his arms over them. "How was school?"
"Bore-ing!" The boy said.
"Maybe it wouldn't be so boring if you started paying attention." The girl chastised.
"That would make it worse!" The boy cried with what Jaune hoped was feint anguish.
"Argent, I hope your grades aren't slipping." Jaune said looking at the boy. Argent shrunk away from his father's gaze. He never like to disappoint his father but studying was something he just couldn't be excited for.
"No, sir." He said quietly.
"We'll see when report cards are due." The girl said; sounding all too pleased with herself.
"PrimRose, stop picking on your brother." Then greying man still standing at the doorway spoke.
"Thanks for picking them up, Tai." Jaune got up to make eye contact with the man.
"No problem. I love hanging out with my Grandkids. Sapphie and Ammie are out in the garden by the way." The man said positively beaming.
The years had been kind to Taiyang. Everyone aspired to age as gracefully as he had. He never lost his figure, Taiyang Xiao Long still stood as tall and as muscular as he did in his prime. His face had grown softer and more wrinkled, but retained his square jaw. His head greyed much later than others of his generation and showed no sign of receding. Though aging is inevitable, Taiyang was graced by it, surely a testament to his modest living and healthy lifestyle. He kept the tan shirt but switched the shorts for brown slacks, a more dignified option for his retirement.
"Did mom call you?"
Jaune turned to see his daughter PrimRose, and son Argent Arc both staring up at him. If Galahad was Jaune's spitting image and Summer took mostly after Ruby then the twin were the middle ground. Truly Argent and Prim are the mix of him and his wife, having both visible Arc genes and Rose genes. They both had their father's blonde hair but just as Ruby's theirs fade to red at the ends invoking the visage of fire. The the also shared in Jaune's fair complexion but crucially…they had their mother's eyes.
So to the two matching sets of silver eyes stared up at him.
"Not yet." Jaune said. "She probably hasn't even gotten to Menagerie."
"What's Mama doin' there?" PrimRose pressed on.
"Just a standard search and destroy." Jaune's response was quick and monotone.
"But you and Mama always go on missions together." She said. Jaune knew it was true they didn't take missions without the other anymore. Back when they first settled they would out of necessity, while one stayed home the other one earned bread They would alternate but most it was Jaune while a Ruby was pregnant waited at home. Nowadays Taiyang would watch the kids while Jaune and Ruby took High pay contracts every so often. It wasn't the most stable lifestyle but it did let them stay at home with the kids much longer.
"Ooh is mama on a super secret mission?!" Asked Argent with the sort of excited assertion that only a twelve year old boys could muster.
"Don't be silly Argent. Mom is a cool huntress but shadow organizations and secret missions are just childish daydreams!" Prim scoffed.
"IS not!" He retorted.
"IS too!"
"Nu-uh! Grampa's told me all about mom and dad's adventures." Argent said puffing out his chest.
Jaune couldn't help but shoot Taiyang a betrayed glance. Taiyang whos was just digging through the fridge all while Jaune spoke to his kids simply stopped apple in his mouth and beer in hand and shrugged.
"Don't look at me." He said. "It was your dad who go him going with the whole 'war stories' thing." Taiyang said.
"Grampa Tai did tell us about that Grunkle Qrow wore a skirt!" Prim pitching Casing her brother to break into a fit of giggles.
"Well kids… No your mother isn't on some super secret mission she's heading to menagie to clear out a nest of griffons with your aunt." Jaune said.
"See I told you!" Prim exclaimed as she ran up the stairs with Argent close behind.
"But Grampa Azure said-"
"Grampa Azure was pulling your leg!" Prim says.
"Who says 'Pulling your leg' ?" Argent snorts.
"S-shut up!"
That was the last thing Jaune could discern as the squabbling voices of the twins disappeared into the second floor. Laughing at his children's antics he made a note to speak to his father about whatever tall tale he'd spun to the twins. He returned to the stew, adding a few herbs here and there that he added late because he didn't want them breaking down in pot.
He once again Jaune found himself waiting but instead of looking at his scroll he instead wondered where his other two girls could be. Taiyang did mention they were out in the garden so he decided to head just take away.
"We're home!" Jaune was ripped from his thoughts by Another two people coming through the the door. Two girls, hands linked, stood at the entrance. The taller one, of twelve years, seemed to be making a deal of effort bending her knees in squat, so that the much shorter four year old girl could take her sister's hand with ease.
"Hello my babies!" Jaune called out as he exited the kitchen. The little one broke into a sprint broke into a sprint. Reaching a speed her stubby toddler legs shouldn't be able to maintain.
"Sapphie! Stop running." The elder sister yelled but by then Sapphire Arc was already fully sprinting towards the kitchen. Just then Jaune was taking stepping out of the kitchen. That's when he saw his daughter Sprinting full speed toward. Once she saw him though she leapt. Clearing a disproportionate space compared to her body.
Jaune who upto now been absent mindedly fiddling with his scroll scrambled to catch little bullet. Jaune drops his scroll, and reach out catch her pits but she was too fast. She clung to his chest the weight pushing him back into the wall. The only reason she didn't fall was because Jaune held her in a hug against his chest.
It was quiet for a second… Until Jaune heard her break into a fit of giggles.
"Hi daddy." She said as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Hello Sapphire." Jaune dained to let a single sigh escaped him as the situation diffused.
"So sorry daddy! I keep telling her to not run." The elder sister said as she pulled the brown haired toddler from her spot clinging to their fathers neck.
"No worries Amaranth, She's always been a little ball of energy." Jaune said poking the little brunette girl on stomach causing her to laugh once again. "How was school?"
"It was fine. I'm on top all my classes." Amaranth bragged to her father. " Sapphie got in trouble because she refuses to sleep during nap time."
"I wasn't sleepy!" Said sapphire putting her arms on her waist.
"You're not getting any contraband sugar are you?" Jaune asked.
Sapphire visibly stiffened when her father asked. She looks away from him before muttering a weak denial Jaune could barely make out. It must have been all those cookies. He'd speak to Ruby about later. Speaking of which, Jaune's scroll, that still on the floor began to ring. Slowly, heavy orchestral violins built a rymth. After that drums and a heavy base transformed that sound into a hip and cool hip hop sound. Then came the lyric "As I walk through the shadow of the valley of death~" Jaune looked to his scroll to see a picture of his wife Ruby Rose, a smug smile on her face and crudely photoshopped pixel glasses on her face.
The sound of Galahad groaning in embarrassment could be heard emanating from the living room.
"Galahad watch over the pots." Jaune said poking his head into the living room.
"Dad…" Galahad could be heard saying in between the groaning.
"I'll watch over them uncle Jaune!" Jinsey said from beside him.
"You're the best Jin!" Jaune said as he dived out the front door.
Jinsey seemed to brighten at Jaune's praise. "Did you hear that? I'm the best."
"Since when are you such a such a suck-up?" Asked Galahad as he sat summer in his lap.
"You're just jealous." She said puffing out her chest.
"... Living in a gangster's paradise~" Outside of the house in the sizeable garden up front, Jaune finally picks up the call.
"Before you say anything-" Jaune begins.
"I'm sorry!" He was cut off by the soft voice on the other side.
"...I'm not mad, Ruby. I'm just disappointed." Jaune said when he didn't hear Ruby say anything he went on. "I promised you father that I would never let you fight alone."
"I know Jaune… Arcs and their words. He probably doesn't hold it against you." Ruby said.
"If he does he doesn't show it." Jaune said.
"Again I'm sorry but…. I know you don't want to have anything to do with this."
" BUT I have something to do with this after all my wife is involved." Jaune said sounding at least a little bit bitter.
"I can't just ignore it Jaune." Ruby said.
Jaune knew that tone she was deadset. He knew better than to fight her on this, but that didn't mean he had to like it. If he was being honest with himself he didn't want to go but Jaune would have still done it, if only because he knew he wasn't gonna stop her. In the end Jaune could see why Ruby went alone she didn't want to put him in that position. This was Jaune's biggest weakness, he could never really stay mad.
"Just promise me...that if things get serious you'll tell me. It's the dishonesty that made me walk away…"
"Okay, Arc promise." Ruby said sounding far more relieved than Jaune himself. "I don't like this anymore than you but If there is even the smallest chance she can regenerate, then I have to act."
"We'll then that begs the question… how worried should we be?" Jaune asks.
"Well this time it was a false alarm." Ruby said.
"Wow really? I feel a little cheated." Jaune said.
"Jaune! This is serious."
"I know, but here I was getting all worked up. You should have started with that." Jaune said the relief in his voice was clear. As if a pressure around him had just been dispelled.
"We'll It's not all sunshine and rainbows though, there is a local cult worshipping her. They're gaining power" Ruby said.
"Why would a cult of Salem pop up in menagerie?" Jaune asked.
"Apparently the Esoteric Order of Salem, claims faunus spawn from her, you know, because she was the only being to survive the cataclysm at the end of the age of magic."
"Let me guess, they claim she wasn't evil and that humanity took her away from the faunus." Jaune said.
"How'd you know?" Ruby asked.
"It's all just racial scapegoating. Humans used to do it all the time before the war." Jaune said. "They have grievances and they're looking for one to blame which is usually the outgroup and in Menagerie that's humans. What I wanna know is how Salem worshipping got wrapped up in all of it."
"She was always great at swaying men. She presented them with a target for their rage." Ruby said. " I don't think they're dangerous though. I'm gonna stay for a couple more days just to make sure I'll be home before you notice."
"Wow now I really do want to go. Since it's just a paid vacation." Jaune said.
"Well don't. Menagerie is hot humid and filled with colorful bugs. I'm pretty sure the spider I found on my boot last night was an undiscovered species."
" You should have caught it. Maybe they would have let you name it." Jaune joked he knew how Ruby detested bugs. "Anyways how are Sun and Blake?"
"Well Blake is as busy as Weiss but twice as stressed. The building of the CCT tower requires a lot of forward planning. Sun is… well Sun. He's still a bucket of Sunshine even as Menagerie's new chief of police."
"And little Bella?"
"Stuck to her father's leg. She's so shy…" Ruby said.
"Well she IS five, Ruby."
"Sapphire isn't like that." Ruby said sound at least a little bit upset.
"Well It's not like Sapphie's the norm for a toddler either. She's a pretty weird kid, you know, today she tackled me in the hall- almost knocked me over." Jaune said.
"It's… not that kids are quirky. It's just…"
"What? you think she might be maladjusted?"
"I think Blake- Nevermind I shouldn't talking about her behind her back." Ruby went but caught herself, she's never been on to criticize the people she cares about.
"Ruby If you can't gossip with your husband then with whom?" Jaune said, Trying his best to reassure her. Ruby seems to cave at Jaune's offer of confidence as Jaune could hear movement as well as what sounded like the creaking of a door closing. No doubt Ruby was seeking some extra privacy in the Belladonna household.
"Sun's doing a great job with her. He always makes time for Bella, but Blake, she always so busy and even when she's not… she's distant."
" She's never been the most outwardly affectionate." Jaune confirmed. " But that doesn't mean she doesn't love her own daughter."
" Jaune, kids NEED affection, specially a toddler. Bella needs know her parents love her they won't pick it up on their own." Ruby said.
"Have you talked to Blake about it?" Jaune asked.
"No! Can you imagine how badly that would go? I can already hear her saying 'don't tell me how to raise my child'." Ruby let go of a frustrated sigh.
"Anyways that's not the end of it. It isn't just a parenting difference…" Ruby trailed off sounding rather grimm. Which made Jaune worry. "So they still don't know what her faunus trait is." Ruby said. " And that causing problems."
"How so? It's only a matter of time till she grows out horns, right? Horns are far from uncommon in faunus and even the dumbest purists knows horns grow after birth. Those would make childbirth practically impossible." Jaune said.
"Well she should have started growing them by now, or so every tabloid in the Cove seems to think. Blake's political opposition is using her own daughter as ammunition."
"That's fucking low." Jaune grimaced.
"What's worse is that it is getting to Blake. She doesn't go out in public with Bella anymore! Hell she barely speaks to her. Bella spends her time clinging to her father." Ruby exclaimed with clear exasperation
"How does Sun see all this?"
"Dunno I haven't really asked him about it. He certainly doesn't seem to mind having Bella always with him. Shouldn't he be angry at Blake?"
"Maybe there's more to this than you've seen. You have only been there two days."
Ruby let out a sigh. "You're probably right. I should withhold further judgement. How are thing at home?"
"Well Summer's an angel, there's no calming Sapphire, Prim and Argent are fine as well." Jaune said. "Our babies, knock the weapons rack over again."
"I looked at that super stable! How are they knocking it over time and time again?"
"I dunno they got into an argument, someone pushed someone. Listen, we'd be better off throwing out some of those things." Jaune said.
"What? It's fine!" Ruby dismissed Jaune's worries. "What were they arguing about anyways?"
"Get this, Jinsey asked me to train her in swordsmanship or swordswomanship as the case may be. Galahad wasn't much too happy."
"Aww! That's cute but beacon is in a year. Can she really pull it off."
"Well, she's both attentive to lessons and eager to practise. I can't say she's picking up too quickly but she'll be good enough come initiation." Jaune said.
"Careful, she might ask to take your sword to beacon." Ruby joked.
"We'll I doubt Galahad wants it… So why not?" Jaune said.
"Then,... you'll finally let me build you a new weapon!" Ruby exclaimed excitedly. Jaune tried to protest but Ruby had stopped listening. "It'll be called 'Ruby's property'. I'm thinking mecha shifting sword and...shuriken."
"Stop trying to make it happen Ruby!"" Jaune exclaimed.
Well… here's chapter two! Didn't come out quite as I'd hope but i promised myself I wouldn't rewrite this draft over and over again like I did a dragon at dawn. I really want to start on chapter three.
So if some of you guys are Lancaster fan like myself you guys may have seen some of the names of their children on other people's fanfics. I tried my best to be Original but the ones I took from RWBYond are at least in opinion the quintessential Lancaster baby names. PrimRose literary meaning first rose is perfect for their first born daughter and Argent is an archaic english/French word that means Silver. Both names fit into the chivalric Arc naming schemes while also alluding to the Silver eyed/ Rose heritage. Try as I might I just couldn't find better baby names for these two and I poured through Archaic dictionaries and french words. So I chose to just ride with it if anyone has a problem with it then just think of it as imitation and therefor flattery. I will say I'm not against going back and changing the names I'm not happy with but 'till next time.