Haha! Here we are! I'm not gonna lie, I've never seen a story explode as quickly as this one, and this was supposed to be a one-shot. I've got kinda mixed emotions about this though. I don't know whether my writing's gotten better or if this story suits a more active demographic, but the amount of time this story took to get to 100-plus favorites and followers were only in a week compared to the months for my first and largest story: Remnants Scarecrow Of Fortune.

Also, I labeled this story as M for a reason, so there will be steamy smut in chapter 3. However, I've never really gone into steamy romantic scenes for a book, so please bear with me as I'm a novice and I don't really plan on becoming a masterful smut writer.

Welp, enough of my personal doubts! Enjoy the chapter everyone, and know that there will be one more as the finale to wrap up this triple shotter!

Cheers, Searoar.


"Michelle, don't you think you're blowing this out of proportion?" Gregory yawned as he sunk his fork in a juicy slice of ham. "Jaune's a responsible boy, even if he did disobey us and become a hunter, we've been receiving nothing but compliments about his academic progression so why are you so worried?"

Michelle grit her teeth and glared daggers at her husband. If he could only read her mind, he would understand the grief that came with assuming the outcomes of a romantic situation.

"Michelle?" Gregory asked worriedly. "You're making the face again."

Gregory observed the way his wife's brows scrunched, her nose wrinkled, and her eyes narrowed. The judgmental stare of Michelle's bloodline had passed to all of their daughters, but Jaune was spared and held nothing but innocence on his fair visage to this day.

"I don't make a face!" Michelle seethed. "Jaune, our honest hard working boy, cooked for a pretty girl! How could you not be concerned about this development, Gregory?!"

The man in question gave nothing but a half-hearted shrug. While Jaune did have his slip-ups, he was not spared from proper punishment and knew better than to do something with only his hormones as a council. Then again, Jaune was at the age where a detrimental mistake could lead to years of repercussions and regret, so perhaps Michelle's worry did have some merit.

"Well, if you need me to give our son a stern talking to, I've got the rest of the week off so I'm more than ready to deliver some much-needed discipline." Gregory offered and dabbed his lips with a napkin.

Michelle bit her lower lip and lowered her head. Her hands twitched on her lap, and the food on her plate had gone cold as she muttered under her breath. Then, as if a bolt of lightning had struck her from heaven, Michelle shot to her feet and tipped her glass of water sending a stream across and off the table.

"That's it!" Michelle leaned to her side and gave her husband a big kiss on the lips. "We'll visit Vale, find Jaune in the act, and reprimand him for fooling around when he should be focusing on his studies and physical training!"

Gregory blinked. "Er, honey? Don't you think you're taking this a little too far? If Jaune had done a deed worth being expelled, he would've been sent back to us right?"

"I'm just making sure that my little knight gets through school!" Michelle argued harshly. "No one will keep my baby from achieving his dreams, especially not a cute floozy!"

"Honey..." Gregory cleaned up his plates and rubbed his forehead. "Is the idea of our son finding a potential partner really that scary? If anything, he's in a team with two girls mind you, and his partner is Pyrrha Nikos, a four-time champion who's regarded as the epitome of what a responsible student should be. If my son's been able to resist an amazing girl like that and focus on his studies, we've done our jobs as reasonable parents."

Gregory stroked the stubble beneath his square jaw. "Hmm, I wonder what Jaune's kids would look like if he got together with Ms. Nikos? Would they keep our blue eyes but have red hair? Or the other way around?"

Gregory didn't notice the paling expression on his wife's face as her fingernails dug into the table. The image of Jaune dressed in a fancy suit with a beautiful girl walking toward him in a white wedding dress was too much to bear, and she wouldn't allow anyone to snag her innocent knight and fill him with-

"That's it!" Michelle said with a clenched fist in the air. "Pack your bags, Gregory, we're going to Vale and nothing is going to stop us!"

Her husband returned quickly to the table after putting his dishes in the sink and tried to reason that a flight to Vale would take up his entire vacation. Michelle, however, would not be deterred from rescuing her beloved son from a vicious temptress and ran upstairs to bang on all her daughters' doors.

"Noir! Rouge! Bleu! Vert! Marron! Blanc!"

A union of grunts and groans echoed from the rooms, the only sister who hadn't been disturbed was Saphron as Terra had been called for some crucial work and was promised substantial compensation for cutting her vacation short. Thus, with all the females and the reluctant male in the Arc household roused and present, a wave of blondes would soon swarm the nearest airport...

"Michelle, you do know that your vacation from work just ended yesterday, right? So it would be rather unprofessional for you to demand another two weeks off when your son isn't in any danger." Gregory pointed out and put his wife's ambitions to a complete stop.

"I-I've worked as a top accountant for the Mistralian National Bank for five years! There's no way they'll say no to me!" Michelle growled.

Gregory rolled his eyes. "Let's calm down and think this through. All because Jaune cooked for a pretty girl doesn't mean he's trying to court her, and even if he is, I don't think we're in the clear to suddenly show up and start interrogating him."

"B-But!" Michelle's legs wobbled and she clung to her husband's shoulders for support. "I'm not gonna give up my baby that easily!"

"For Oum's sake, Michelle..." Gregory chuckled and brought his wife into a warm embrace. "If it worries you that much, I'll head down to Vale first thing in the morning and check up on our soon-to-be knight and identify if some parental interference is needed. Sound good?"

Michelle puffed her cheeks. "I wanna go with you..."

Gregory gently pinched his wife's nose with a smile. "Yes, but who will take care of the house if both of us are gone? Not to mention Vert needs a parent to attend her upcoming karate tournament."

Michelle's eyes widened and her lips curled to an adorable pout. "You could go instead..."

Gregory wagged a finger. "No, we agreed that I would be the one to stand by Noir for winning the local book writing competition at the library, so you need to keep your promise as well."

Michelle's lips trembled as she leaned all her weight on her husband who gave her a pat on the back and guided her to their bedroom. The entire scenario was a replay of when Michelle had to bid Saphron farewell, as it took the might of both Gregory and four of his children to keep his wife's fangs from sinking into Terra.

It had only been a few hours of silent mumbling beneath the sheets, followed by a horrible nightmare of her only son being whisked away under a clear sky with wedding doves soaring high against its blue canvas while bells and cheers roared over the lush grass. Then, slowly stepping over the white stones, came a seductive devil whose horns were shrouded by a silky veil and used her tail to wrap around Jaune's throat as the two prepared to say their vows...

Michelle then woke up with a start and screamed blasphemy. Last, to say, Gregory was shocked off the bed and spent the past half-hour trying to calm down his wive's agitated nerves. This led to a serious gathering of all the residents in the household, who were now seated at the kitchen table with Michelle at the forefront.

"All in favor of keeping Jaune's innocence!" Michelle slapped the kitchen table with a fierce face.

"Why are we doing this?" Bleu yawned.

"Because Jaune decided to get a girlfriend?" Vert questioned.

"He hasn't told me about getting together with someone." Noir declared.

"I don't think Jaune has those kinds of ambitions in mind," Rouge said lazily.

"Even if he did, he would have mentioned her in our weekly talks, right?" Blanc answered confidently.

"I think mom's gone overboard." Marron glanced at her father who gave a defeated nod.

"Thus I propose we all take a break from our daily routines so we can bring Jaune home!" Michelle proposed and the members at the table groaned in unison.

"How about this?" Gregory huffed and rose a single hand. "All in favor of keeping an eye on your mother while I visit Jaune?"

"Aye!" Was the undeniable answer that sealed Michelle's fate.

"No!" Michelle wailed. "Insubordination! Treason! Misguided conduct!"

"Jaune, wherever you are in Vale, please don't do anything stupid..." Gregory hummed while rubbing his temples. "Because if you do happen to gain a love interest, I pray that she's mentally stable with decent morals..."

Meanwhile with Jaune...

"Um, Miltia, it's time to go home..." Jaune scratched his cheek as he quirked a brow at his new friend and coworker who hadn't moved after finishing her meal.

Melanie was at a loss for words as her tongue glided over her bottom lip. Bliss? Was that the word to describe how she felt? Melanie didn't bother to ponder on the matter and simply aimed her cutest and most alluring smile at her new favorite blonde who by this moment was now officially hers. At least on paper, as Jaune hadn't offered any consent to the prospect of being in a relationship, he'd soon find the benefits of dating a Malachite to be better than anything he could ever dream of.

"Miltia?" Jaune tried again and offered to fetch his friend another glass of water. "How was the food?"

Melanie smiled coyly and rested her chin on an open palm. "Not the best, I've definitely had better. In fact, there are obvious signs that the food you gave me was copied off another Mistralian dish, I just can't remember the name right now."

Jaune was taken aback. He'd made sure to follow his father's recipe no matter what, and was fortunate to forgo substituting ingredients. So how on Remnant did he not deliver a five-star meal? The fruit of his efforts bitter Jaune sighed and apologized to Melanie then offered to buy her a proper meal next time.

"Don't worry," Jaune said, "you won't have to eat any of my meals from here on out."

Melanie blinked as Jaune frowned. She hadn't meant to crush his self-esteem, but perhaps her time as a bouncer had stiffened her manners and made her tongue a touch too sharp. Melanie stood from her seat and caught Jaune by the wrist.

"Hey," Melanie pursed her lips, "I didn't say I wanted you to stop trying did I? So I'll be your willing taste tester until you make a meal fit for a queen. Which just happens to be me by the way."

When Jaune turned around, Melanie expected him to melt in her hands, but to her bewilderment, he showed little interest in continuing his role as a chef and made the offer to treat her to a store-bought meal on their way back home.

"I'll meet you out front," Jaune said glumly, "I just have to get my bike."

Melanie tried to hold on, to keep Jaune in place so she could motivate him to cook, but found her fingers lacking in strength as Jaune slipped out of her grip in a heartbeat. She crossed her arms and tried to rub out the guilt, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not shake the feeling that she'd done Jaune a disservice.

"I-I'll just have to make it up to him the next time we deliver the mail..." Melanie grumbled with a bitten lower lip and crossed arms. "Then, after we've patched things up, I'll tell Jaune that I'm not Miltia and we can put this bitter memory under the bridge and cross over to newer and more delicious horizons!"

Resolve hardened, Melanie accompanied Jaune until they reached her apartment, and tried to offer the young man a few kind words before sharing a farewell. However, after witnessing the downtrodden face Jaune wore, Melanie couldn't bring herself to give him any compliments as that would be accepted as a pity remark instead of a genuine mood lifter.

"See ya tomorrow, Miltia," Jaune forced a smile and gave a playful salute. "I'll be sure to buy you a proper meal tomorrow, but don't worry, as I've found a lot of good restaurants and cafés that are sure to meet your standards."

Jaune got on his bike and slowly peddled out of view. The image of his slumped shoulders and sorrowful eyes under the dimly lit lampposts made Melanie feel as if she'd kicked an innocent puppy for no reason. Unable to deal with these brooding emotions of guilt, Melanie entered her apartment with a huff and plopped down on her bed without changing out of her uniform. She wasn't used to giving apologies, at least ones she actually meant, and the idea of losing Jaune over something so trivial stung her like a hornet.

"I guess..." Melanie sulked. "I guess Jaune does deserve an honest apology... Ugh! Why do I have to be the one in the wrong here!"

As the physical fatigue of being a waitress and the mental stress of an inevitable apology around the corner, Melanie gave a loud groan and fell asleep. However, if she'd been paying a bit more attention, she would have realized her top dresser drawer was half open and her mailman's uniform was missing...

"Oh, I guess you needed an extra shift, eh Miltia?" Jaune tried to sound enthusiastic, but he just couldn't muster his usual jovial attitude after his recent encounter with his new friend. "I thought today was your day off..."

Miltia straightened the cuffs of her stolen uniform and adjusted the square blue cap on her head. She'd never been confined to such a strict-looking uniform and would have much preferred a skirt or a dress instead of the black slacks that covered her long legs. The brown boots were comfortable at least, but they were nothing more than round-toed weights in all honesty.

"Well, I guess I'll fetch the mail then..." Jaune chuckled weakly and hurried to the back room.

Miltia curled a brow. "What's gotten into him? There's no way Melanie would have treated him badly after a great meal-"

Miltia bit her tongue. She should have known better than to trust her diabolical twin who had no doubt done some horrible things to stain her own name and increase her chance of snagging Jaune's absolute devotion. The strap of Miltia's sachel wrinkled under her strong grip as she deliberated the possible slights Melanie had spouted or done to ruin her own gorgeous image.

"Fine, if that's the way you want to play, Mel... Then I'm all for it." Miltia grinned devilishly and skipped to the backroom when Jaune called for assistance. The young man may have not been aware of Melanie yet, but that would soon be corrected after the nightly mail run.

The shattered moon and its twinkling children filling the dark sky, Jaune hummed a merry tune but his face did not mirror its joy. The young man was in deep contemplation. How could he meet Miltia's standards if he couldn't sizzle a steak right? No, now was not the time to be harbored by negative thoughts. Miltia was only giving an unbiased critique, and that's all Jaune could ask for as an aspiring hunter and apparently chef in the making.

"Hey, Jaune?" Miltia probed in her softest sweet voice as the two were halfway across a bridge into the northwest parts of Vale. "Is everything alright?"

The wheels on Jaune's bike skidded to a halt and he turned to face his friend with a mix of wounded pride fixed by a sheepish smile. "Was my cooking really that bad?"

The whole world around Miltia cracked and a snarl tore through her sugary facade. "What exactly did I tell you?"

Jaune tilted his head at such an odd shift in demeanor. Had he done something else to earn Miltia's ire? Or was this her way of teasing him on the stereotype that young men were often forgetful about the crucial details of a woman's meticulous mind? With a confused face, Jaune relayed all that Miltia had told him to their prior work shift, and for a moment he witnessed an expression that rivaled that of his angered mother.

"Jaune..." Miltia cooed and made a seducing show of getting off her bike ensuring Jaune's eyes were fixated on her long legs as they trailed upward to meet her pale pretty face. "Would I ever tell you something so hurtful? I've always appreciated your efforts, even when you think otherwise..."

"R-Really?" Jaune's face flushed. The mesmerizing sight of Miltia sauntering over him with a tempting sway in her hips did many things to rise his heart and blood pressure and by the sultry look Miltia wore, this is the scenario she wanted.

"But... I haven't been wholly honest to you as of late, though I aim to correct that immediately." Miltia pressed a single finger in the middle of Jaune's chest and drew small circles on it.

Jaune stepped back with his entire face engulfed in a cherry red, but this didn't stop Miltia as she casually followed him until his back was pressed against the bridge's railing. Heart pounding, brows creasing, and lips trembling, Jaune stumbled for words as a bead of sweat trickled down his forehead.

"Oh? Looks like you've been hiding some muscle from me," Miltia said as her finger dipped into the crease of Jaune's pectorals, "maybe you can show me that toned physique sometime? Perhaps now if you're feeling a little risky.~"

"W-Weren't you going to tell me about the truth?" Jaune gasped for a lifeline and thanked Oum Miltia relented and lowered her hand... only to jut forward so she could press her entire body against him as she gripped the railing on either side of him.

"P-Pillows!" Jaune croaked as he felt Miltia's clothed breasts squish across his chest. Was this the power of secret bliss that was only meant for a man who came of age? Is this what his father, Gregory Arc, experienced with his beloved mother when it was just them two? Would Jaune have a dirty secret he'd take to his grave?!

"Yes, Jaune, my pillows are rather nice, aren't they? Not too doughy and firm enough for a pleasant fondle. Perhaps if you're a good boy, I'll let you massage them for a bit.~" Miltia's voice was silky smooth, and she raised a hand to caress Jaune's damp cheek as his entire being shuddered.

Yes, Miltia was on the verge of victory. She had to get a little too intimate and it definitely rubbed her the wrong way, but if this is what it took to capture Jaune and have him bend to her every whim, then so be it.

"Hold on a sec, Miltia." Jaune's stern tone broke Miltia's fantasy of having a handsome Jaune dressed in a butler's attire as he poured her a glass of a top-grade Mistralian wine with a plate of the finest seared steak money could buy on her ridiculously expensive table.

"I think you're nice, but this just feels off to me. I don't know if it's the setting or the intent, but I can't bring myself to accept your advances. Especially when you're clearly uncomfortable."

Miltia felt her heart stop. "U-Uncomfortable, what makes you think that?"

Jaune sighed and rested his hands on Miltia's shoulders to gently remove her from his person. He tried to keep a straight face, but the notion of pushing away a beautiful girl like Miltia pained him greatly and it showed.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, or why you're so desperate to please me, but this isn't the way I envisioned how I'd get my first partner. You're an amazing person who's a bit hard-headed, but really sweet deep down. At least to me."

Miltia's eyes widened. "W-Wait, Jaune-"

"There's no need to speak," Jaune insisted, "I'm not saying I'm against having a girlfriend, but maybe we ought to slow down and think things through before we progress?"

Miltia's jaw slacked. This... idiot! Did he honestly think that Miltia would lower herself to acting like some sort of whistling pick-up girl for any man who caught her eye? Please, there were men twice as handsome as Jaune with a trophy wall of achievements who'd attempted to court the Malachite twins since they started working at Junior's bar. Who was Jaune to assume that Miltia or her sister lacked in self-respect?

"Oh, I almost forgot." Jaune tapped his knuckles against his skull and pulled out a plastic boxed sandwich. "I promised to buy you a make-up meal for my last blunder, so here it is!"

The meal wasn't cheap, as Miltia was aware of the label of the store Jaune had bought the sandwich from was well known to locals and visitors alike, but it was three stars at best when compared to Jaune's cooking. Miltia gave a tiny whimper and accepted the sandwich. She looked up at Jaune with her glimmering pale green eyes, and the young man turned his head away with a nervous blush.

"O-Our mail run's done for tonight..." Jaune said after a hard cough. The atmosphere was awkward at best, and his attempts to smooth through fell short. With a tied tongue and heavy steps, Jaune mounted his bike and gestured for Miltia to follow his example.

The bright moon illuminating the dark canvas of night, Miltia grit her teeth and got on her bike. However, she didn't bother to wait for Jaune and sped away with a fierce scowl that would frighten a beowolf.

"...Did I just blunder?" Jaune grit his teeth and hung his head low. He liked Miltia, he truly did, but he didn't possess the feelings required to commit to a serious relationship. That, and his parents had done well to drill the notion of being a woman-hoping jackass would never be tolerated on any grounds.

With a deep sigh, Jaune got on his bike and peddled back to the post office. He found Miltia had left hers leaning against the front door, which irked him slightly at her carelessness, but he couldn't bring himself to reprimand her given how hurt she looked when she left him on the bridge.

"Oum, I'm praying to you right now, if I've done a terrible deed please tell me how to correct it. I don't want to lose a friend over a silly moment like this..." Jaune lamented and locked up his company bike while fishing out his personal one.

The garage door shutting with a clack, Jaune returned to the dimly lit road with only the sound of his bike's rubber wheels grinding against the pavement for solace. Jaune knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, a trait he shared with Vert, but even she was sharp in her own right when it came to botany and biology. The only thing Jaune had going for him was an honest heart, a dream to become a hunter, and a good hand in the kitchen.

"At least I thought I did..." Jaune blew a deep breath as he reached the bullhead platforms that connected Beacon Academy and its commercial district. This time around, Jaune hadn't forgotten his air-sickness pills and popped two of them in his mouth for good measure.

The bullhead's engines roaring to life, Jaune found himself a seat and slumped against the soft cushions.

"Stop thinking negatively," he told himself, "this isn't how Dad would solve his problems and you need some adult wisdom right now."

Jaune snapped his fingers and pulled out his scroll. Of course! Why wouldn't he seek out the parental guidance of his happily married father? Gregory had been with Michelle for over twenty years with strong, honest children, who swelled their hearts with pride. If there was any time that Jaune wanted to speak with his father, now was the hour.

Unfortunately, his father's scroll offered nothing but a polite voicemail, which reminded Jaune how old the night really was. The bullhead reaching its destination smoothly, Jaune disembarked and wasted no time in getting back to his dorm for a well-deserved rest. He hadn't noticed until now, but his muscles were aching with each step and his bones gave a sharp snap when cracked for reprieve.

"Phew, another days work means another handsome paycheck at the end of next week." Jaune yawned and pushed upon his dorm's door only for it to slam back into his face and give him a reddened bloody snout.

"Jaune!" Nora shouted with enthusiasm. "Where have you been all night? Ren's gone and Pyrrha decided to finish the rest of her volunteer work by signing a short sponsorship with a fancy weapon promotion from Atlas with Weiss! I'm bored!"

Nora was dressed in her pajamas which consisted of a baggy white shirt and pink shorts. Though small, Nora's attitude was robust and she was no stranger when it came to social interactions. Whether the people she approached held the desire to talk to her however remained to be decided.

"I told you, Nora, that I still have two weeks left of employment before I'm off the hook. Though I've been wondering how you and Ren have been holding up, what was the job you took on again?" Jaune asked after a weary yawn.

Nora flexed her arms and winked. "We've been taking care of the rusted mountains in the scrapyards and flattening them to six-by-six sheets for easy transport and reconfiguration. You shoulda seen the look on the scrapyard manager's face when I crushed a twenty-inch iron pipe with one swing of Magnild! I was even promised a raise if I decided to stay as a wrecker!"

"A scrap demolisher does suite your strengths." Jaune chuckled. He dabbed his nose with a napkin from his pant pocket and went to the bathroom to clean himself up. "By the way, you said Ren was gone. Did he ever tell us where he got a job?"

Jaune undressed and put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket, then turned on the shower and smiled as the hot water rushed over his naked muscular being. He could still hear Nora, who was in the process of scouring the kitchen pantries and fridge for a late-night snack and squealing when she discovered a slice of pumpkin cheesecake.

"Hey, Jaune, are you hungry?" Nora called as she fetched a fork and plopped herself down at the kitchen table. "If not, I'm eating this entire pumpkin cheesecake slice!"

Jaune shrugged. He was more of a pie person, rhubarb being his favorite, and granted Nora permission to feast on sugary goodness as long as she ensured their friends and teammates did not already hold possession of the delicious dessert.

"Aw, come on, there's no need to be such a worry wart." Nora teased and chewed on a sweet mix of cream cheese, pumpkin puree, and gooey bread crumbs. The taste was heavenly, and Nora's cheeks puffed cutely as she devoured her sweet meal.

Jaune left the bathroom with a toothbrush in his mouth and a towel on his head. His brows creased in deep contemplation, Nora paused at the expression her leader wore and set down her fork.

"Jaune?" Nora called out to him. "Is everything alright? You've got a serious look on your face."

Jaune blinked. Though the Valkyrie of JNPR could be more than a handful on occasion, she took her studies seriously and was a rather deep thinker when she needed to be. Thus, Jaune chose to seek counsel from her and relayed all his recent experiences.

Nora's jaw slacked at the revelation that, not only could Jaune cook, but that his skills had apparently lured a pretty girl into assuming that he'd be great boyfriend material.

"Really?" Nora stroked her freckled chin. "You think your cooking made a girl fall head over heels for you?"

Jaune shrugged. "No, that can't be it. Miltia told me outright that my cooking was mediocre at best, so what else about me did she find attractive?"

The young man flexed his muscles and poked his bicep. His figure had improved considerably over the span of a few months, as the training for the average hunter was leagues above a regular school curriculum, and he'd even sworn to catch a glimpse of a few girls eyeing him up.

Nora's stomach grumbled and her pink lips spread into a devious grin. "Alright, I'll give you some pointers as long as your claim holds true."

"Huh?" Jaune asked from the bathroom then spat into the sink.

"Just make that Mistralian dish again, then we'll really see if this Miltia girl is right in her assessment or not!" Nora beamed and put away her cheesecake. Before Jaune could retort, he was dragged out of the dorm, through the hallway, and into Beacon's kitchens.

Meanwhile, at the Malachite apartment...

"Mel!" Miltia roared and kicked down the door. "What did you do to my JAUNE?!"

Melanie jumped off her bed in a panic and hit the floor face-first. A harsh groan leaving her, Melanie picked herself up and straightened her long hair.

"What do you want, Mil?" Melanie barked sourly. "I'm not in the mood for your sass, so leave me alone."

"Don't talk back to me!" Mil snarled and threw a pillow at her downed twin. "Jaune isn't going to cook for us anymore because you decided to open your big dumb mouth!"

This caught Melanie's attention and she hopped to her feet. She rested her hands on her hips while her twin crossed her arms and a clash of lightning flashed above their heads with rising tensions.

"I just didn't want Jaune to get cocky," Melanie pouted, "is that so bad?"

"It is if you destroy all his confidence!" Miltia spat. "How am I supposed to make Jaune fall head over heels for me if he's too self-conscious about his self-image? Not only that, he now thinks I'm some slut who's willing to throw herself at any nice guy!"

Melanie opened her mouth, then clamped it shut. A devious twinkle in her pale green eyes, she gave her long hair a flick and smirked victoriously.

"Well, that's too bad for you, isn't it? Don't worry, I'll be sure to clear things up once Jaune and I become an item. That is, if he bothers to remember you." Melanie said with utmost confidence until she registered what outfit Miltia had on.

"Why are you wearing my uniform?!"

Miltia stepped back in false fear and presented a smirk of her own. "Oh? Are you that jealous that it looks better on me? My apologies, dear sister, but I must inform you that Jaune couldn't take his eyes off me when I wore it."

Melanie snarled. She hated when Miltia whipped out her snobby vocabulary, and the arrogance in her voice was unmistakable.

"Alright," Melanie declared, "if that's the way we're going to play this game then so be it. Though you'll need all the help you can get if you think Jaune is going to pick you over me. He hasn't heard how obnoxious your snoring is."

Miltia was irked by the comment, but did her best not to show it and threw back her own fiery comment. "Really? If you think my snoring is bad, then you haven't had a whiff of your socks after you've gone for a run. Believe me, no amount of lotion or perfume can cover your foot odor. Hell, I don't even want to bring up that pig's snort you have for a laugh."

Melanie's face was flooded in beet red. "M-My feet don't stink! It's your body odor that gets men running!"

Miltia's cheeks flushed. "I pamper myself with only the best cosmetics money can buy! That, and my diet is about to improve considerably once I have Jaune under my thumb!"

"Jaune doesn't deserve a girl who only thinks of herself!"

"He's kind, capable, and knows how to listen if you give him a chance!"

"Sure he's a little awkward..."

"He might not be a model or anything..."

"But it's the inside that matters most, isn't it?"

"Maybe we..."

Melanie and Miltia shared a look with defeat etched on their sorrowful faces.

"I think..." Miltia started.

"That we really do need to improve our attitudes if we want to earn Jaune's honest devotion..." Melanie finished.

The twins, though rare, met eye to eye and agreed to take a more serious approach in their attempt to deserve Jaune's favor. However, one thing that remained chained and undisputable was...

"But you have to respect the law of dibs," Miltia growled, "I met Jaune first so it's only fair that I'm the one who gets him."

"Sure..." Melanie rolled her eyes, then returned to her bed. "That is if you think he'll accept you."

"I'm not sharing, Jaune." The Malachite sisters snarled in unison and finished the night with a snort and a scoff. The day ending in both bitter realization and hardened resolve, a quick peek at an unruly kitchen in Beacon would foretell the true storm that was to come. Potatoes and onions flying with deadly precision, Jaune used a chopping board to shield himself from Nora's assault as she yelled at him with both anger and praise.

"Nora!" Jaune jumped over a flipped table and gathered his breath. "What's gotten into you?! Is my cooking really that bad?!"

"It's delicious!" Nora screamed while pulling her hair in frustration. "But I can't cheat on Renny!"

"W-What are you talking about?!" Jaune yelped as Nora bounded over the table and snagged Jaune's closer while putting her face within an inch of his own.

"You'd better find yourself a girlfriend quick, Jaune." Nora's voice lowered to a threatening level. "Because if you don't, the thunder that I'll bring on our wedding night is something you can only dream of... unless it actually becomes a reality."

Nora's tongue peeked from the corner of her lip to lick a stray drop of gravy. "Also, that Mistralian steak you made me was to die for, you have to give me the recipe, and continue to cook it until I learn how to make it myself.'

"Ren," Jaune prayed to Oum above, "if this conversation ever reaches you please understand the context and don't hate me for the rest of our lives."

The next morning at Jaune's first job...

"You really want me to cook for you again?" Jaune asked in bewilderment as he rubbed the heavy bags beneath his eyes. Nora hadn't let go of Jaune until he promised to do everything she demanded, and the Valkyrie had even gone as far as to make a written contract that both she and Jaune signed to ensure both parties were in full agreement.

"Why wouldn't I?" Miltia purred and plopped herself down on the nearest table to the kitchen. "I promise to give you fair judgment, and as much encouragement you'll ever need should your confidence falter. Just know that, I appreciate all that you do no matter what. Especially when it's done to serve me.~"

Jaune hesitated for the scant of a second. Miltia's eye shadow was the typical red, but she'd kept her hair long. Did she have extensions that she wore on a whim? Or perhaps a wig would be better suited for that kind of fashionable mixup?

"How about I bake something instead?" Jaune proposed. "I'm pretty good at making cakes, I'll have you know."

Miltia smirked. Huh, Jaune pondered, even the way she smiles is different. Or am I overthinking things again? Gah! Why does life have to be so hard? Or am I the one being stubbornly suspicious?

"Jaune?" Miltia said softly. "There's no need to be defensive. Have I done anything to wrong you as of late?"

Jaune scratched his cheek. He didn't want to give Miltia the impression that she was the one responsible for his lack of confidence, as that was a personal problem the lad struggled with long before he met her. With a brave face, Jaune took a deep breath and declared the mango custard cake he would bake would be the best Miltia ever ate, and if it wasn't, his cherry pie would deliver the final knockout.

Pushing up his sleeves, Jaune pushed through the kitchen doors with gusto and made a break for the back storage room. However, this time, he had brought his headset and downloaded a plethora of motivational songs that would set him in the right direction help him realize his full potential.

Headset atop his ears and music playing, Jaune fetched a couple pots and pans fist-pumped when he found a packet of pure cane sugar which definitely tasted better than the mass-produced white sugar that filled every dessert found in a convenience store.

"Alright, since cooking is on the sidelines, for more reasons than I care to admit... Baking is the next best thing that will earn me a whole lotta friend points!"

Jaune emptied three cups of flower into a mixer then went to cracking eggs and separating their yolks into two bowls.

Back to the supposed Miltia...

"This is simply perfect!" Miltia sneered and adjusted the wig atop her scalp. She understood Jaune's outlook of her was a very mixed bag, thanks to her headache-inducing twin, but with how Jaune observed her before she left, she knew he was skeptical about her appearance.

"Melanie might have given me a poor reputation, but after I've tarnished her good name and bolstered mine, I'll reveal that I do have a miserable twin who's only good for testing fashion choices on!" Miltia snickered at the thought of Melanie getting her just desserts, then hurried away to the bathroom with a bag holding her red bouncer uniform.

Miltia abandoned her drabby red shirt, black skirt, and tan pantyhose in favor of a low-cut dress, an offset ribbon around her slender waist, and thigh-high boots that showed the garter straps that supported her sheer stockings. To finish off the elaborate outfit, was a short black fur shrug held by four beaded chains with a white gemstone in the center that brought a lot of attention to her ample bosom.

"This outta earn me a few compliments at the very least," Miltia smirked and left the bathroom while mumbling the possible outcomes of today's wonderful night.

"Oh really? Because I think your outfit looks better in white. Though I suppose that's the reason I wear it better than you."

Miltia jumped at the abrupt, snobby voice that could only belong to one person in Remnant. There, sitting in Miltia's seat, was Melanie who was adorned in her own bouncer attire.

"What?" Melanie snorted. "Did you honestly think that I hadn't considered the idea of slander? Well, by the end of tonight, Jaune will only be caring for one Malachite, which will definitely be me."

"Melanie!" Miltia fumed and stomped her way over to her twin and jabbed a finger against her breast. "Jaune is off limits, I knew him first and you have to respect the law of dibs! You even agreed to it!"

Melanie brushed off her sister's finger, stood from her seat, then pressed her own dainty finger against Miltia's plump chest. "Please, as if you could satisfy a man like Jaune. I've already got him tied around my finger, and once he finds out that I'm not Mean Miltia he's bound to realize that I'm the better sister and lover."

Miltia snorted. She rested a hand on her hip, then flicked her sister's finger away and pressed on to the offensive. "Please, any man who spends more than a week with you is bound to lose interest. Unless they're the detestable kind who only want an easy lay. Or maybe that's how you intended to win Jaune over, with the horrible bed skills of a virgin?"

Melanie's gaze hardened as she mirrored her sister's sassy posture. "You're a virgin too! Or maybe there's some personal history that Jaune needs to learn? Because as far as that handsome blonde is concerned, he doesn't know Mean Miltia has an adorable twin that's to die for named Marvelous Melanie!"

Jaune, all the while, found a couple of fruit packages in the back storage, then went to fetch some milk from the fridges, but he happened to catch Miltia through the kitchen's serving sill. He blinked in surprise as she appeared to be caught in a vicious confrontation. One moment, she appeared to have the advantage and was on top of the situation, only to be flipped the next second-

"Hold on a minute... Did Miltia change her clothes... twice? " Jaune rubbed his eyes. Each time he blinked, he saw a different Miltia struggling to cease control and her fighting style seemed to switch between punches and grapples to kicks and clinches. Each time MIltia hit the ground, she would miraculously switch from wearing a red dress and having long hair to wearing a white dress instead.

"Did I hit my head or something? Or is there gas spilling into the kitchen?" Jaune's face vexed as he witnessed Miltia backflip off one of the tables and body-slam her opponent before they could gather their bearings. She then hurried into the kitchen, gave Jaune a death glare as she snatched a large, empty cloth sack meant for potatoes, and rushed back to the dining room to wrap up whoever had the gal to break into the restaurant after hours.

"M-Miltia?" Jaune came out of the kitchen nervously. "Is everything alright? Do I need to call the police?"

"Jaune!~" Miltia waved the young man back to her table as if nothing had happened.

Jaune closed his eyes for a few seconds then opened them again. When Miltia's appearance didn't change, he considered he needed to get his head checked by a doctor then carried his mango custard cake to the table.

"What's the matter? You look like you're seeing double." Miltia giggled a touch too sweetly which earned Jaune's suspicions and doubts.

"I think I am. For a second I thought you weren't wearing your uniform and had short-" Jaune bit his tongue. "Wait, why are you in a red dress and why is your hair short again?"

Miltia blinked as the sack beneath the table gave a muffled grunt and kicked her shin.

"I think we'll postpone tonight's dinner and figure out another time to have our date," Miltia said while fluttering her eyelashes in the most endearing manner as possible. "Because I'd love to get to know you more. How about this? Next time, we can go out on a proper date and get to know each other. Sound good?"

"Um..." Jaune took a deep breath. "Sure? Where do you want to go?"

"My apartment.~" Miltia purred huskily and made a show of sucking on a strawberry.

"That sounds great!" Jaune's mouth spoke before his brain could filter the words his ears were receiving. "W-Wait, what?!"

"There's no need to be modest," Miltia's lips spread to a cheshire grin, "because as far as I'm concerned I don't look uncomfortable do I?"

Jaune had to admit that there were no traces of uncertainty in Miltia's expression. She appeared to really want Jaune to visit, but was this right? Was this genuine affection? Had Jaune truly earned the delicious hot scene that was to cum-I mean come in the next and final chapter?!

"Chu~"

Miltia leaned on her tippy toes and pressed her warm lips against Jaune's cheek. Whatever doubts the young man had were blown away in a single action as the gears within his mind ground to a halt and his inner instincts took over.

"J-Jaune?" Miltia shivered as the young man let out a husky growl in the likeness of a lion.

"Whoa!" Miltia squeaked as Jaune lifted her in a bridal style and planted a kiss on her forehead. Now it was Miltia's turn to show a flustered face with anxious and excited emotions.

Jaune gave Miltia's plump ass a squeeze and relished at how soft yet firm it was. "Very well, it's time for the hidden lion to show you what he's worth.~"

"Oh, Oum, yes!" Miltia felt her entire being twitch with lustful anticipation.

"Noooo!" Came a cry that shook the restaurant.

Jaune shuddered in alarm and dropped Miltia on the floor, or to be precise, his arms were too overloaded to support her when another girl who looked exactly like her tore through the confines of a potato sack and leaped on Jaune. His chest straddled by a pair of creamy thighs, Jaune's nose was in line with a belly button but his gaze was brought upward when his face was cupped by two small hands.

"M-Miltia?" Jaune croaked.

"No, Melanie! Melanie Malachite! That's the only girl you'll need to pay attention to from now on!"

Jaune stumbled backward and fell on the table with Melanie still on top of him. His hips straddled and cerulean pupils wide in surprise, his mouth uttered the only thing that came to mind.

"NANI?! TWO MALACHITES?!"

Twas on this coming day that Gregory Arc would arrive on Valesian soil with the expectation that his son to remain true to his wise teachings and take all the precautions required in a relationship...

"I did teach Jaune how a condom works... right?" Gregory thought to himself as the bullhead's engines roared to life.