Wassup everyone, this short story was a request from someone who prefers to remain anonymous. I'm not sure if it's going to continue, but if the reviews request it enough, then I might put some time aside to add another chapter.
With that, enjoy the read every and I hope ya'll have a wonderful day.
Cheers, Searoar.
The loud rings of an alarm clock echoed against the walls of a small bedroom, Melanie slammed the clock's twitching bells with a strong heel and shattered them with a crunch. Her sister, Miltia, woke up with a groan and blinked blearily at the destroyed clock which she had paid for and replaced only a day ago.
"Mel..." Miltia rose from her pillow with a frazzled issue of bedhead. "Did you really just do that? Why don't you use your hands for a change and actually press the clock's timer?"
Melanie was too tired to give a verbal reply, and merely offered a half-hearted grunt and tucked her head beneath her sheets.
"Fine..." Miltia yawned and sat herself up. "But the next clock is on you, or else we'll be using your scroll as an alarm instead."
Another groan, Miltia sighed as she knew her sister would simply do the same thing tomorrow, at her expense as well since Miltia was the only one who was able to find a job and actually pay for things. Most importantly, rent.
With a crack of the neck and a long stretch of the arms and legs, Miltia stumbled off her bed and leaned her shoulder against the bedroom door to open it. The time read 6:30 am on the kitchen's clock, meaning Miltia had half an hour to prepare for her shift, and she fetched a roll of stale bagels and a quarter-emptied butter box from the pantry.
"If I have to eat another damn bagel tomorrow, I'm going to throw Melanie out and buy myself a proper meal..." Miltia muttered bitterly and lazily spread the butter on what she considered petty carbs.
Miltia sighed and gently shook her head at such a ridiculous thought. She loved her sister, that much was certain, and she'd throw anyone through the wringer if they assumed otherwise. Still, bills had to be paid, and with Junior's bar out of commission thanks to a rambunctious blonde this left the Malachite sisters unemployed and in need of lien. That, and the recent discovery of Junior's past dealings with Roman Torchwick, left all those who were previously hired at Junior's bar under the close radar of the Valesian police and hunter department, thus contacting their mother in Mistral was a no-go unless the twins wanted to end up behind bars.
It was by chance, that Miltia happened to be strolling down the busy roads of Vale's commercial district when she spotted a large flyer pitched outside of a fancy restaurant in need of staff. The only problem was, the only positions available were servers and chefs. Well, that wasn't wholly true, as a janitor's role was also in demand, but Miltia would rather kiss a rat than clean the toilets that were used by a stranger.
Miltia glanced at the clock perched above the counter and growled. To be reduced from a butt-whooping bouncer to a mere servant girl was demoralizing, and it wounded her pride further to force a smile for the less savory customers as they ogled her without restraint. Not that Miltia was against the idea of being so stunningly beautiful that she put other girls her age to shame, but rather that the lechers who decided to give her attention were no more than drunken bums who deserved a righteous thrashing.
"Deep breaths, you can't go getting fired yet..." Miltia took a savage bite from her bagel and scowled. The bland taste did little to uplift her sour mood, and the constant reminder of the ticking clock only lessened her patience.
"Might as well get this bloody day over with," Miltia pouted. She didn't bother to finish her toasted bagel and set it aside on a plate to finish later. That, or Melanie would help herself to her leftovers, which didn't bother Miltia in the slightest.
With a hand on her hip and a sassy stroll to the bathroom, Miltia let the hot water drench her pale skin while she applied soap and shampoo. In ten minutes flat, Miltia was out of her pajamas and adorned a snazzy red shirt with a golden star on the front, black knee-length shorts that fit snuggly against her thighs and bubbly ass, and a pair of sheer tan stockings that led into a dainty pair of ebony slippers.
"Hmph, at least I make this uniform look good." Miltia sulked as she brushed her teeth. "It's no wonder that I'm the most sought after server in the restaurant."
After a quick trip down the stairs and a sharp turn down the road, Miltia arrived at the restaurant with five minutes to spare and hurried through the front door to the staff's locker rooms in the back. Miltia didn't bother to greet any of her fellow employees, and neither did they, as she'd quickly gathered at how ferocious the other servers were when it came to tips. Thankfully the first handful of girls who tried to cheat Miltia out of serving a generous customer learned really fast that she was no pushover.
Though to be fair, Miltia was an excellent teacher, especially when it came to catfights. Miltia smirked at the memory of a rather pretty servant girl, who'd offered to give Miltia a longer break when they spotted a rather rude-looking man enter the restaurant. Miltia thought her coworker was simply being courteous, but when she witnessed the girl's smug expression after receiving a fifty-lien bill after the man finished his meal... let's just say Miltia put her former bouncer practices to work.
Soon after, the pretty girl handed in her two-weeks notice to the boss, but when she happened to catch Miltia's gaze that evening, she barely lasted two days before leaving without so much as a phone call. Heh, serves her right...
"Order for table six!" Yelled a chef as he flipped a wad of freshly made noodles into a bowl and layered them with a heaping amount of tomato sauce. He tapped a silver bell with the handle of his ladle, calling out to any servers who were available.
The chef's voice broke Miltia out of her inner musings and she growled under a harsh breath. She needed to put away her vicious demeanor and replace it with a sugary smile that was so sweet it made her want to puke when she had to put it away. Nonetheless, the cutesy approach did haul in the most tips, thus Miltia's sore lips would once again have to endure being stretched into a pearly smile that would no doubt lead to soreness later.
"Yeah, I'm coming..." Miltia drawled and dragged her feet over to the food sill that separated the kitchen and dining area.
"Oi, watch it, garbage boy!" The chef grumbled as a tuft of blonde bumped into him. "I know this is your first day, but you can't be so careless. The kitchen is a dangerous plase for clumsiness, so please keep your wits about you."
Miltia could hear the commotion, but couldn't make out the newbie causing the ruckus as his face was hidden by a trash bin and the chefs that occupied the stoves and chopping tables. She could tell he was tall at least, not absurdly so, but he was definitely in the six-foot zone with a lithe build that was well-developed and muscled considering how tight his shirt clasped his muscles...
"Oi, Miltia, what are you doing just standing there? You've got customers to serve!" Yelled the chef as he finished another platter of noodles and set it on the kitchen sill.
Miltia bit back a sharp quip and hurried to her duties as she greeted her guests with a smile that made their hearts melt. Though she still couldn't get the thought of the bumbling blonde in the kitchen out of her head, but the reasons for that were not kind in the slightest. Just the thought of working with a blonde put Miltia on edge, not that she found blonde folks to be horrible mind you, but given her recent encounter with that buxom bimbo, she felt her disdain was justified at the given moment.
A full eight-hour shift later...
Miltia slumped as she dragged her feet across the pavement. The lamposts above offered nothing but a dismal atmosphere as a cold wind brushed over her neck that sent shivers down her spine. Of all days for her to forget her jacket at the apartment, it just had to be today when the weather forecast foretold of an extra chilly night. Not to mention she'd lost her keychain for her locker, which meant she had to carry her uniform back home and deal with the thick odor of grease and vegetables.
"What I wouldn't give for something warm right now..." Miltia sulked. She peered at the road empty road ahead, wondering if this lackluster lifestyle would forever be her destiny as she struggled to make ends meet.
The whiff of coffee whisking into her nostrils, Miltia's nose perked in the direction of a small food stall in the process of closing its curtains for the day. That is until she saw a young man on a bicycle stumble over and beg the stall owner for an energy drink no matter the flavor.
Miltia blinked. Hold on... why did that random blonde lad seem familiar? He wasn't wearing anything out of the ordinary, and his face was average at best. So why did Miltia feel somewhat acquainted with the bumbling buffoon? He wore a red shirt with a blue star, black slacks, and brown hiking boots that were usually associated with the delivery boys at the restaurant...
"Oh, did you just finish your shift too?" The young man called out to Miltia who did nothing but curl a dainty brow at him as he approached her without a care in the world.
Was the young man going to try and rob her? It was near midnight, and given the usual company one would find at this hour on an empty street, the proposal of the stranger attempting to make a move on her was more than likely. However, to Miltia's surprise, the young man remained calm and simply offered his name in a polite greeting.
"Hello, the name's Jaune. I just started working at the restaurant today, but man... the deliveries really take a toll on a guy." Jaune laughed and held up a hand for Miltia to shake which he retracted after moments of awkward silence and inaction.
"So... do you live around here?" Jaune asked as he rubbed his neck.
"Why do you care?" Miltia snapped and crossed her arms. If the boy was trying to flirt with her, he was doing horribly, and if he still intended to try some funny business, Miltia wouldn't hesitate to knock his teeth out.
Jaune flinched back as if he'd been struck. "Sorry, I guess having to put on a smile all day is pretty stressful..."
Jaune then snapped his fingers and fetched something from the basket on the backside of his bicycle. He presented Miltia with a can of iced coffee, but this only lengthened Miltia's suspicions as she raised her nose and claimed that she didn't take handouts on a whim. That is until her eyes narrowed on the label on the coffee can. Valesian Coffee Brew, a famous brand in Vale was the perfect blend of quality and price which fit almost any situation and atmosphere.
"Do you not want it?" Jaune seemed perplexed as Miltia's brows wrinkled while her pale green eyes flicked between the can and the one who held it.
"Why are you giving me this? Are you hoping to cop a feel or something along those lines?" Miltia huffed and snatched the can from Jaune's hand.
"Cop a feel?" Jaune's expression grew bewildered at the lack of thanks for his coffee can offering, but mostly from the misunderstanding his acquaintance had come to. "I just happened to see a fellow employee down in the dumps and I wanted to brighten their night just a little bit... wait a minute... maybe I am the one in the wrong here considering my delivery..."
Jaune fussed over his words with his tongue sticking out of the corner of his lip while his hands were crossed over his chest. Given some time, the lad admitted it was his mistake for coming off too strongly in his coffee offering, and wished Miltia a good night as he climbed on his bike and peddled away.
Miltia took a light sip of her caffeinated brew and relished the sweet taste. She caught a glimpse of Jaune's back before he disappeared around the corner, and quirked a brow in curiosity.
"I hope you enjoy that coffee there, little miss." Said a passing old man who was in charge of the food stall Jaune had bought the coffee from. "Because that nice lad gave you the more expensive of the two drinks when he found out I only had one can of Valesian Coffee Brew left. A shame really, that all I could give him was a bottle of water, as I'd seen the young man peddling back and forth across the street since ten o'clock. Next time I'll be sure to pack some more iced coffees."
The old man tipped his battered cap toward Miltia and wished her a safe journey home as he too disappeared down the street with his hands in his pockets while whistling a merry tune he'd heard on the morning radio.
Miltia's fingers tightened around her cold coffee can as her eyes squinted in confusion. She didn't know Jaune, she didn't have any obligation to accept his advances or friendly gestures, but perhaps she'd be willing to give him a curt 'hello' the next time she saw him...
The night was old when Miltia arrived at her apartment, and her sore legs ached with every step she took up the stairs. Miltia cursed the soft slippers she wore, for while they were comfortable for a couple of hours, the slippers did little to support her heels and toes over a long period which made her calves feel the brunt of her strides.
"Mel..." Miltia groaned as she slumped against the front door to open it. "Did you buy the groceries as I asked you to? I don't want to eat another bagel..."
No reply from the cramped apartment, Miltia realized the lights were off and the door to her shared bedroom was closed. This left an anxious knot in Miltia's stomach. Melanie hadn't mentioned spending the day out, and the grocery store was only ten minutes away. Miltia's lips curled to a long frown at the chance her twin decided to have herself a relaxing day at the nail salon or spa, while she wilted away her wits and patience as a servant girl at a local restaurant.
"I swear, Mel, if you spent our money on..."
The front door creaked open behind Miltia, and she turned to meet the awkward stare of her twin then narrowed her gaze on the brown paper bag that she carried. Miltia wasted no time and interrogated her sister as to what contents she'd bought on her lovely day out with a falsely sweet smile, to which Melanie replied with a pouty huff.
"I just thought you'd want something to eat other than those bland bagels..." Melanie shrugged and told her sister to go to the kitchen and set the table. "I know you're not a big fan of Mistralian food, so I decided to find that Atlasian dessert you like so much..."
Miltia's eyes widened and her mouth drooled. However, before her tastebuds could take over her conscience, Miltia raised the very reasonable question as to how her sister managed to scrape enough lien for her favorite dessert. Unless...
"Mel, you're not doing anything sketchy, are you?" Miltia asked with concern etched on her pale visage.
"What?" Melanie seemed hurt by the remark and flicked a stray strand of hair behind her left ear. "Come on, Mil, you know me better than that. I'm not going around offering my body to some louts on the street, as a matter of fact, I found myself a job."
If Miltia's jaw could hit the floor it definitely would have, but since her biology didn't allow it, she simply kept her mouth shut as her brain struggled for words. Should Miltia be proud of her twin and give her a surprise present later to congratulate her? Or maybe she should ask for a day off from the restaurant so she could follow Melanie in case she wasn't telling the truth?
"Oh come on," Melanie grumbled at the dumbfounded face of her sister, "can you please stop being so cynical? I'm just as capable when it comes to earning honest lien, and if you're really skeptical all you have to do is check out the uniform I'm wearing."
Miltia blinked and her eyes scoured her sibling's attire. True to Melanie's words, she wore a white shirt, black slacks fastened by a thick belt, and a pair of brown boots with a matching sachel strapped around her shoulder.
"You work for the post office?" Miltia asked in disbelief as her eyes veered to the mailman logo on the sleeve of her twin's shirt.
"It's nothing intense," Melanie shrugged, "it's just me and another guy who handles the local letters. Though there are some heavy packages sometimes that need to be brought on a bicycle because they're too big for my satchel."
"...Wow." That was all Miltia could say as she skipped to the kitchen and fetched two plates and a pair of forks. To her delight, Melanie tore open her paper bag on the table and presented her with a frosted cream cheesecake with glazed strawberries on top that tasted exactly as she'd hoped. Not too sweet with plenty of natural fruit bits and cream on the inside. Before Miltia realized it, the clock was well past her bedtime and the hours until her next work shift started had dwindled as she and Melanie broke into a mixed conversation about their jobs and dislike for a certain blonde brawler.
"By the way, where did you get that can of Valesian Coffee Brew? I've been looking for it everywhere, but whenever I visit the nearby stores, they're always sold out." Melanie said after dabbing her mouth with a napkin.
"I got it..." Miltia paused as the image of a kind blonde boy entered her thoughts.
"You got it?" Melanie prodded and curled a brow at her twin's puzzled expression.
"From work, one of the other servers left it out in the open at the end of their shift, and since the can was still closed, I decided to make sure it didn't go to waste."
Melanie smirked. "Hah, it's pretty dumb for someone to give out a great drink like that for free. I bet the server who forgot it was pretty pissed."
Miltia frowned and she set down her fork. "Well..."
"Hmm? I thought you hated all those upitty waitresses, so why are you giving me that look?" Melanie understood her sister's current visage all too well. Miltia would often make that face whenever she was puzzled and couldn't put her thoughts into words, which proved to be the most frustrating because not even Melanie could decipher her sister's conundrum when she was like this.
"Let's just finish the food before it gets cold." Miltia huffed and took another bite.
"But the cake isn't supposed to be served hot." Melanie pointed out with a smirk.
"...Shut up," Miltia growled.
The next morning...
"It's a pretty slow day today, so if any of you want to leave early just let me know." The manager shrugged with a playful smile as he wiped down one of the larger tables in the restaurant. "I'm also heading out in a bit, so for those of you who leave after me, just shoot me a text and make sure to lock up."
Miltia pouted as she watched her colleagues give their regards to the kind manager and head to the locker rooms to change out of their uniforms. Miltia wanted nothing more than to get out of the restaurant and fall on her bed back home, but she knew that she needed to stay to earn her full eight hours. This led her to mindlessly waltz into the kitchen, where she spotted a familiar figure who was in the process of cleaning out the sinks and sweeping the floor.
"Oh, Miltia?" Jaune greeted his coworker with a smile and set his broom aside. "Are you headed home as well? It's a nice day out, and I heard the coffee stall we passed by yesterday got a fresh delivery of Valesian Coffee Brew."
Miltia gritted her teeth and her scowl cracked through her plastic facade of being a waitress. "No, I need to stay. Skipping too many hours builds up on my paycheck."
"Oh..." Jaune chuckled nervously at the peeved expression Miltia wore. "Well, at least the restaurant isn't too busy so you won't have to bother with the regular annoying customers. That, and the manager said we could do what we want with the leftover ingredients that weren't used today because they expire tomorrow."
This was a pleasant thought for Miltia, as her temper always threatened to burst whenever a group of rowdy teenagers decided to push their luck and hit on her, making her wish for nothing more than to smite down those perverted louts with a well-placed elbow between the eyes.
"By the way," Jaune yawned, "I found this in the locker rooms earlier and I was told it belonged to you."
Jaune pulled out a cute, penguin-shaped keychain and held it out for Miltia to take.
"Where did you find this?" Miltia asked as a brief grin slid through her frustrated visage. "I was sure I didn't leave it in the restaurant or my apartment..."
Jaune chuckled. "Actually, I found it a few blocks down the road. The ring on your keychain is kinda loose, so it most likely slipped while you were stomping on your way home."
"Stomping?" Miltia glowered as Jaune's lips pursed.
"Er, you know, because you worked so hard last night that your legs probably felt like lead weights." The young man rubbed his neck as his cohort's demeanor grew more hostile. Jaune needed a way to break the ice because making enemies at his second job was something he wanted to avoid; and given his recent interaction with Miltia, he knew just how to make amends.
"How about we take lunch together?" Jaune offered which made Miltia's eyes widen slightly in surprise. "I noticed you walked in this morning with nothing but a bagel, so how about I make you a proper breakfast? Or I guess, looking at the time, brunch would be a better word."
"You know how to cook?" Miltia pocketed her keychain and then crossed her arms. "I'm doubtful that a garbage boy can replace the role of a chef unless he plans on giving me a stomachache later on that is."
Jaune cupped his chin and showed a pearly grin. "Alright, how about this? If you're not satisfied with the meal I whip up, I'll buy you another Valesian Coffee Brew free of charge."
Miltia smirked. Such a gullible young man who was too nice and naive to realize the handout he'd just offered as all Miltia had to do was give a petty complaint about his meal, and Jaune would be cooking for her out of his own pocket for the rest of his life. Or at least, for as long as they shared similar shifts.
"Go ahead," Miltia said smugly and strolled out of the kitchen and procured the nearest table to its doors. "Serve me whatever you like."
Jaune shot his coworker a thumbs up and joyful smile and pulled up his sleeves. "There's no need to worry, Miltia, because with the ingredients I have here, you'll have a meal that's guaranteed to be given a five-star review!"
Eggs were cracked, cheddar was grated, onions were thinly diced, tomatoes were chopped, and all the prepared ingredients joined together in delicious harmony in a hot pan with a dash of salt and pepper. Miltia's nose twitched at the flavorful aroma that floated throughout the restaurant. For a moment, she doubted Jaune's ability and wondered if she should check on him to make sure the kitchen wasn't on fire, but to her shock, Jaune strutted through the kitchen doors with a silver platter in one arm and a smoothie in the other.
"Your order, Ms. Miltia," Jaune said with a stupid smile that, to Miltia's horror, made her heart skip a beat for half a second.
Jaune placed his accomplishment on the table and removed the silver lid to present his hungry coworker with a meal far beyond her expectations. A spectacular cheese omelet, perfectly melted and fluffy, with a small salad on the side that was crispy and delectably drizzled in olive oil.
Miltia's stomach involuntarily growled, and her gaze snapped upward to see a proud Jaune before he excused himself to finish his cleaning duties in the kitchen. With a hesitant hand, Miltia picked up her fork and poked at her food. All because the food looked amazing that didn't mean it was edible, as her sister Melanie had proven on multiple occasions, but when the first morsel of omelet passed through Miltia's jaws...
Her tastebuds danced in blissful ecstasy as she dug into her eggs and allowed their cheesy, fluffy, goodness to flood into her mouth as she chewed vigorously. Then came the smoothie with a texture that could rival the milky way as it flowed down her throat in a foamy froth leaving nothing but sugary trails that left her tongue begging for more irresistible sustenance.
When Miltia's fork hit her empty plate, and the straw she sucked giving nothing but air, she blinked and panicked as her brief moment of heaven had come to an end. Without thinking, Miltia rushed into the kitchen to hunt down Jaune so she could give him nothing but complaints in order to guilt trip the lad into cooking her another meal.
Unfortunately, Jaune had clocked out a few minutes ago and offered Miltia a kind goodbye when he passed her, but the girl had been so lost in her meal that she did not notice his departure. Luckily, the restaurant manager returned shortly to lock up and informed Miltia of Jaune's whereabouts. Miltia pouted. This meant she'd only see Jaune on her next morning shift since that was the only one the two shared.
"We've got a couple of customers at table three." The manager called to Miltia who dreaded the thought of having to put on another fake smile.
"At least I have Jaune all to myself," Miltia giggled with a not-so-nice smile etched on her beautiful pale face. It was a good thing Melanie didn't share the same job, as her twin was more than content in keeping Jaune's talents all to herself without the need for unnecessary competition.
However, little did Miltia know, that Jaune would be seeing her much sooner than anticipated. Or to be more precise, a girl with very similar facial features and a very attractive body structure...
"Alright, newbie, you'll be dealing with the letters meant for the streets on the northwest part of the city tonight. Don't worry though, I made sure to schedule you at the same time as one of our more experienced carriers. He should be here any minute now." The postman hummed as he collected his keys off his desk.
"I'm off to pick up the nightly mail, so don't go anywhere until Jaune gets here." The chief postman said before he stepped through the post office's backdoor that led to the garage and main delivery reception.
Melanie tugged at the leather strap around her shoulder. There was extra padding so it wasn't that uncomfortable, but it was hard getting used to the extra weight the letters and small parcels brought with it. That, and the post office attire was not to Melanie's liking in the slightest. It made her feel rigid and stern, which on occasion she was, but being forced into a mold without her consent was distasteful.
Not to mention the stale scent of paper that lingered on her clothes after she left work and the ink blotches that covered her hands when she had to do stamps and any sort of fancy writing. More so, she'd acquired a few perverted stares on her last mail run, so she'd decided to wear a black hoodie to hide her long hair but she had less success in concealing her feminine figure.
"What am I saying?" Melanie sulked. She'd chosen this job and all that came with it, so she didn't really have any reason to complain. Not that this fact stopped her from doing so, but it stayed in the back of her mind nonetheless.
The front door opened by the signal of a bell, Melanie turned to see a tuft of blonde hair atop a pair of tired cerulean eyes. It was a young man, a few years younger than Melanie, but he was taller and broad-shouldered.
However, the moment his stare met Melanie's, he blinked several times as if he were a child who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Melanie didn't react and simply crossed her arms. The young man had been staring her straight in the eye since he'd arrived, and his expression shifted between confusion and realization. Finally, he spoke.
"Huh, guess you're a real fast runner, eh Miltia?" Jaune chuckled with a bewildered smile. "Well, no time to be standing around. If we get our deliveries done early, we might be able to buy ourselves some Valesian Coffee Brew before the sale stand closes tonight."
Jaune offered a joyful salute and hurried to the backroom where his uniform and bag of letters were waiting, while Melanie watched him with a curled brow. Melanie was certain she'd seen her sister wear the red shirt with only a different star from the one Jaune wore, so it only made sense that he worked at the same restaurant as her twin.
Melanie's lips spread to a devious smirk. Perhaps this tedious job would have some benefits in the near future. Especially if she could collect some juicy tales about Miltia which she could use to her advantage when it came to chores and making dinner...
"Miltia?" Jaune called from the back. "Could you help me sort out these extra letters? I think the last guy might have mixed them up on his last shift."
Melanie sighed. What she wouldn't do for a day at the spa right now...
Out on the road with nothing but a clear night sky above them, Jaune and Melanie peddled to their first delivery with the former wearing a grin and the latter showing a frown. To Jaune's credit, he did well to keep up with Melanie, despite her attempts to leave him behind. It wasn't that Melanie wanted to avoid Jaune perse, but without any knowledge of her twin's interactions with the young man, she was bound to get caught eventually.
Melanie grunted as she reached a hill. Most of the houses in the northwest streets of Vale were on elevated land, which meant walking was the better option, but this gave Jaune the opportunity to catch up with his coworker.
"So, how did you like the lunch I made you?" Jaune panted. "I hope it wasn't too salty, because I forgot to check what sodium content the cheese had."
"...It was alright." Melanie opted for a neutral stance. She couldn't compliment Jaune, nor insult him as she hadn't tasted his food, but the thought of her sister getting a free meal that might've been delicious left a petty knot in her stomach.
"Really?" Jaune scratched his head. He'd made sure to copy his mother's recipe to the letter, but perhaps the fault lay in the ingredients he used. "Hmm, then do you want to stop by a late-hour cafe for our break? Or do you want the leftovers from your last meal?"
"Huh?" Melanie's footsteps slowed as she turned to Jaune who held a large lunchbox out to her.
"I made sure to make myself an extra big lunch, but I think I packed too much. I already ate half of mine before I arrived at the post office, though I only managed to eat half of it. You don't need to worry about the food being cold either, as these lunchboxes are guaranteed to keep your food warm for at least ten hours. That's what the sticker said when I bought them anyway."
Melanie scrunched her brows cutely at the lunchbox. Her pride would often get in the way of her accepting handouts, and past lessons of being tricked into owing favors had left a sour impression on her, but when she saw the generous sincerity in Jaune's eyes she decided he was harmless enough.
After walking up their fourth hill, Jaune and Melanie stopped at a park and leaned their bikes against the sides of a bench then took their seats. Jaune wasted no time and popped the lid of his green lunchbox and dug in with a happy-go-lucky as he scooped up a piece of cheesy omelet and brought it to his hungry mouth.
Melanie sniffed her meal before consuming it and found the omelet's aroma to be pleasantly savory. With a cautious hand, Melanie dug in her fork and gently bit her food. However, the moment the egg reached her pink delicate lips, her tastebuds were floored with the gooey overflow of powerful flavors that could not be put into words alone. Spoonful after spoonful, Melanie relished the way the cheese melted on her tongue and the fluffy texture of the scrambled eggs as she chewed.
Then her fork hit the bottom of the lunchbox with a clunk and the stupendous emotions that filled Melanie's mouth came to an end. Her pale green eyes frantically searched for any leftovers on the sides of her lunchbox, but alas the box had been picked clean.
"Alright, that was a good meal!" Jaune patted his stomach and packed his lunchbox with content written all over his face. He glanced at his coworker and felt his heart swell with pride at the satisfied grin that showed on her beautiful pale face.
"Haha, guess I won't have to cook you another meal since I won the bet, eh?" Jaune hummed. "I'm glad though, maybe the change of cheddar to mozzarella really does make a huge difference-whoa?!"
Jaune stumbled back as he was tackled and his shoulders pinned to the bench. When he gathered his bearings and focused his eyes, he witnessed a mixture of dread and desperation on his coworker's face that left him speechless. Was his cooking that bad? Were all his years of helping his mom in the kitchen for naught?
"I-It was bad! Really really bad!" Melanie panted and straddled Jaune's hips. "So you have to make me another meal, no matter what, alright?!"
There was no way on Remnant Melanie was going back to stale bagels and sodium-free butter when there was a perfectly able chef at her disposal. Not to mention he was very kind and didn't look half bad in his current position...
"U-Um, Miltia?" Jaune gulped. "This position is a bit... intimate, so could you... know?"
Melanie jumped off Jaune as if he was made of fire and stood ramrod straight as she adjusted her uniform. Had being confined in a cramped apartment with nothing but her annoying but beloved sister for company driven Melanie to insanity? She'd just met Jaune for Oum's sake, and there was no way in heck that she was going to give him a glimpse of the goods for something as stupid as a free meal.
"Best we head back to the post office," Jaune said with a straight face that was beet red. His cohort complied with a silent nod, and the two hurried back on their bikes with very different thoughts in mind.
"Gosh, I guess mom's recipe needs some work... she won't be happy to hear that." Jaune sighed as at that moment he received a text from his parents.
"Is this what Miltia's been hiding from me?" Melanie scowled as her stomach grumbled softly for more delectable nutrition. "No wonder she's been so determined in keeping her waitress job if Jaune's around to cater to her every whim..."
This was untrue in regard to Melanie's statement, but after living a life comfortable where she could get whatever she wanted with her mother's influence, she was in search of something to relieve her stress and a nice hot meal was a good start.
"Here ya go."
Jaune's voice broke Melanie out of her internal musings as she narrowed her eyes on her favorite beverage, Valesian Coffee Brew.
"There was a two-for-one deal this morning so I figured I might as well share my fortune, but knowing me I forgot to give it to you during our meal." Jaune chuckled, popped the lid of his can, then took a long swig. "Man, that really hits the spot! You don't really notice the difference in sweetness with the reduced sugar version."
Melanie took her can with a muddled expression but had enough manners to voice a thank you. After a few delicate sips, she found that she'd already arrived at the post office and that Jaune had parked their bikes in the back garage and returned with his own.
"Heh, I don't really get why the others at the restaurant call you Mean Miltia, because from what I've gathered in the short span of two work shifts; you're a confident but hardworking girl with a beautiful smile. And trust me, that's saying something considering my rocky start with-"
Jaune bit his tongue as the memory of a beautiful ice queen slamming the door in his face for the twenty-seventh time. He was going to make sure not to make the same mistake with a pretty girl twice and had to look ahead in a positive manner in order to progress as a person. Yes, this would be a fun learning experience, where Jaune could make a new friend and not have her despise his existence.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Miltia," Jaune beamed a pearly smile and saluted as he peddled home for the day.
Melanie watched Jaune until he disappeared behind a bend in the road. She looked down at the Valesian Coffee Brew in her hands and felt a brief tug on the corners of her lips that almost made her grin with her heart skipping a beat in the process.
"Now..." Melanie hummed as she strutted down the street with a playful sway in her hips. "How do I keep Miltia's grubby little paws off my new favorite blonde?"
Later that night in Jaune's dorm...
"Phew! Another day of local service complete!" Jaune clapped his hands, fetched his pajamas, then strutted into the bathroom and sighed happily as the hot water washed away his soreness. The rides on the bullheads were starting to take a toll on him, and he'd forgotten his medicine today which only put a bullet in his foot. Nevertheless, the smile on Miltia's face had been worth it, and he felt as if he'd finally managed to talk to a pretty girl without losing his cool.
His mind waning from work to his friends, he considered how his teammates were doing on their contributions to society. To put it shortly, all members of JNPR and RWBY were hanging by a thread in the deadly eyes of Ms. Goodwitch after a horrible accident that involved everyone but Jaune surprisingly. To this day, Jaune still didn't have a clear picture of what transpired in Beacon's main kitchen, but he'd bet his next paycheck that Nora had orchestrated the ordeal with everyone else being an unfortunate victim.
"How do you blow up a kitchen when none of the stoves are even on?" Jaune pursed his lips and reached for his shampoo bottle. A nice blend of mint and green apple, Jaune hummed a simple tune as he threaded his soapy fingers through his moppy blonde hair.
"Hmm... now that I think about it, maybe Nora wasn't the true culprit after all." Jaune shook his head beneath the rushing water and blinked the suds from his eyes then grabbed a square bar of white soap.
"Ruby and Pyrrha looked pretty guilty, and I know for a fact that Blake was trying to fade into the background while Yang was the only one vouching the supposed truth of the matter..."
Jaune scrubbed the creased lines between his abs and pectorals, then allowed one last rush of water to finish his shower. His body may have been clean, but he'd ended up with more questions than answers and he knew he was far from solving this puzzle.
"Best not to dwell on the issue..." Jaune sighed and slipped on his shirt. He glanced at his scroll on the sink and recalled Miltia's disappointing comments about his omelet and salad. "Did mom's recipe really fail me? Or did I botch something up halfway through?"
After tying the strings of his black shorts, Jaune exited the bathroom with a towel on his head and plopped down on his bed. With the press of a button, his home number was phoned and in a heartbeat, a cheery voice answered.
"Jaune!" Came the childish voice of a twelve-year-old. "How ya doing? Did you manage to cut down any Grimm yet?"
Jaune smiled. "Hey Rouge, I haven't had much experience in the field yet, but I'm due for a training mission in a couple of weeks. How are things back home? Is mom there?"
Rouge's voice was ecstatic as she relayed all her adventures with Saphron and Terra who decided to visit for a month. The two wives were full of energy, or rather, they were being forced into every situation imaginable given the demands of Jaune's seven sisters. Jaune chuckled at the thought of Saphron being overwhelmed by waves of blonde hair and pearly grins that were too sweet to ignore.
Jaune heard another voice in the background, this one much more mature and unmistakably belonging to the lady of the house. Jaune winced at his mother's gleeful squeal as she snatched the phone from Rouge and twirled the cord around her finger.
"Is that my little knight in training?" Michelle Arc giggled as she demanded her son stay on the line for an hour at least.
"Haha, yep, it's me mom." Jaune sighed but did so contentedly. To summarize, while his parents and sisters were disappointed and furious about Jaune's disappearance and application to Beacon, they could not hide how proud they were when Ozpin sent them a personal letter of praise for Jaune's bravery and commitment to his training.
Thus, it had become a tradition that Jaune would set aside an entire day devoted to conversing with his family members. Sometimes one at a time or all together, but it made no difference as Jaune was more than happy to share his stories.
"You're calling a bit early," Michelle said, "is everything alright dear? Do you need me to send you a chocolate cake to cheer you up?"
Jaune laughed. "No, but there's something I'd like to ask you Mom, but it might dent your pride a tad."
Michelle's lips pursed as she tried to keep one hand on the phone while using the other to keep Rouge who was trying to talk with her brother at bay.
"Go ahead, dear, there aren't any secrets between us. Remember that." Michelle said firmly.
"Well, I tried cooking your famous omelet, but I don't think I followed the recipe right. Can you relay it to me again so I can jot it down?" Jaune asked. He could have simply asked for a text, but he felt he was in need of a verbal lesson as his mother would no doubt offer some extra insight into her famous recipe.
Michelle blinked. "Of course, dear, but why would you need that? Are they not feeding you well at that famous academy?"
Jaune scratched his head at the ominous tone his mother had taken. She sounded as if the rug had been pulled out from under her, and as if she were trying to change the subject as quickly as possible. He tried to stay on topic, though his efforts were derailed by the sudden increase of volume; courtesy of four other siblings who joined Rouge in taking the phone so they could talk to their favorite and only brother.
"I'll call you back after the blonde chaos has settled." Jaune laughed as his mother tried to sputter out a protest which turned to frantic giggles as the Arc sisters had banded together in tickling their mother to get what they wanted.
One call down, Jaune snapped his fingers at the realization that his father would have just finished his hours in the office at this time. With another press on his scroll, Jaune was delighted to hear the voice of his jolly, albeit tired, father.
"Hey there, son." Gregory Arc yawned. "What's this about you needing to cook my famous omelet?"
Jaune blinked. "How did you know about that? I just got off the phone with Mom."
Gregory gave a raspy chuckle. "Noir happened to overhear the conversation from the hallway and decided to relay the information to me. Though when I heard the hearty guffaws of your mother, I figured Rouge and the others decided to exploit a very common weakness among the Arc women. A shame, because your mother despises being tickled despite being incredibly sensitive herself. I've got enough black eyes over the years to prove it."
Jaune winced. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of his mother's wrath, just imagining it sent a chill down his spine.
"Anyway," Gregory continued, "I know you're on a tight schedule and I'm quite worn out myself. So what ingredients did you use and how much? I can text you the list if need be."
Jaune opened his mouth, then bit his lower lip. "Hold on, you said your famous omelet? I thought it was mom's recipe?"
Gregory gently shook his head and felt his lips reach for the sky. "Yes, your mother might say that the cookbook at home was personally written by her, but truth be told, it was my amazing personality and cooking ability that got me close to your mother. Don't tell her this, but when I first met her at a company meeting, she couldn't even cook an egg to save her life!"
Jaune's jaw dropped at this revelation. Sure, he'd tasted many of his father's dishes and they were all five-star meals, but so were his mother's so he never thought there used to be such an imbalance in kitchen skill.
"Hmm... I see." Gregory said after his son relayed all that transpired between him and his new friend. "What sort of cuisine does this Miltia girl prefer? If she's on the savory side, I've got the perfect recipe for the occasion, but it's a dinner meal and it needs to be served with a specific type of wine..."
After a brief exchange of words and recipes, Jaune thanked his father for the valuable wisdom bestowed upon him and soon enough the young man would get the chance to put his new skills into motion.
The next morning came around much faster than anticipated, but today would not bring Miltia any grief, not even the broken alarm clock on the nightstand, as there was no need to wear her uniform as her day off had been clearly stated on the kitchen calendar in red marker. She glanced at her twin who was still sound asleep, but Miltia paid her no mind as she fetched some clothes and entered the bathroom.
"Hmm?" Miltia blinked in despair as her scroll buzzed and the number of her manager flashed on the screen. The restaurant was always short-staffed on Saturdays, but that wasn't Miltia's problem as she'd fought tooth and nail to secure this day off without any hassle. With a huff and a thumb press, Miltia denied her manager any opinion on the matter and strutted out of the apartment with a giddy smirk on her pale face.
Yet unbeknownst to Miltia, Melanie had been wide awake after giving the alarm clock a much-needed kick and waited patiently for the front door to click shut signaling her twin's departure. Now alone, Melanie put on a wicked grin, flipped off her blanket, then tiptoed her way to Miltia's dressing drawer and fetched her uniform.
"I'm sure they won't mind a different Malachite dropping by..." Melanie laughed haughtily with an open palm over her mouth.
At the restaurant...
Business was booming as chefs flipped eggs, strained pasta, and shoved pizzas in the stone stoves while servers sped between tables and each other with notepads and dinner plates in both hands. It was organized chaos, that's how Jaune would describe it as he fetched one garbage can after the other and dumped out its contents in the back alley.
"Thank Oum I'm getting paid double time for this!" Jaune huffed and wiped his sweaty forehead with his sleeve. He really wanted to spend the day with his friends back at Beacon, but the temptation of a hefty paycheck was too great to ignore despite what he had to suffer through.
"Oh, there you are.~" Came a giddy voice from the end of the alleyway.
Jaune curled a brow, the voice was familiar, and when he glanced up from the trash bin he saw none other than Miltia waving to him with a smile that was a touch too friendly. Jaune didn't bother with his suspicions, however, as his prayers had been answered and he rushed over to his new friend while dragging his garbage cans.
"Wow, am I glad to see you, Miltia!" Jaune beamed. "Knowing that you're here, I bet we'll get through this lunch rush in no time!"
Melanie stepped back as a faint tint of pink filtered into her pale cheeks. She was used to compliments to be sure, but with how endearing Jaune's voice was coupled with his innocent expression, it made him look like a cute puppy that was wagging its tail for its master. Melanie liked this look on Jaune very much.
"Come on," Jaune gestured to the restaurant with his chin, "we can't afford to spend any more time in this dingy alleyway. Let's face the storm with brave hearts and strained smiles!"
Melanie followed Jaune to the restaurant's back door, but when she saw just how many customers there were, she knew she'd bitten off more than she could chew and tried to flee at the last minute.
"Aha, there you are, Miltia!" The manager greeted his employee with a broad grin and a jolly voice. "There's a customer waiting on table five and her order is ready to go, but don't worry, I don't expect you to work up too much of a sweat since today's supposed to be your day off."
"That's... great." Melanie bit her lower lip and took a deep breath through her nostrils. She was way in over her head, and the backdoor was still open...
"Don't worry, Miltia," Jaune called from the kitchen. "On busy days like this, the staff is allowed to help themselves to all the spoils so I'll make sure to make you a meal that's twice as good as my last one!"
Melanie had never slapped on a plastic smile quicker as she snagged a fresh notepad off the counter and strutted to her first table. Luckily, the dishes on the menus were simple and easy to relay to new customers, and with how demanding the restaurant's atmosphere was, the daily servings were finished and the restaurant's sign flipped from open to close in a heartbeat.
"I hate people!" Melanie blew a hot breath as she plopped down on the nearest chair. Most of the staff had clocked out for the day, a few bringing a couple of tasty leftovers in cardboard lunchboxes, leaving only a tired Malachite twin, Jaune, and the manager who just left after locking the front door and leaving out the back.
"I think my arms are about to fall off," Jaune laughed and took the seat beside Melanie. "I don't think I ever want to see another mop after today, but knowing my schedule, I'll have to use one tomorrow."
Melanie straightened her long black hair, then stretched her sore limbs. By chance she caught Jaune's gaze lingering on her long, slender legs for a few seconds before snapping to a pile of dirty dishes that seemed oddly interesting all of a sudden.
Melanie smirked and made a show of crossing her legs and taking off her slipper, but made sure to dangle it on the tips of her nylon-clad foot. Melanie knew that while her breasts were shapely and attractive with a modelesque face above them, it was her legs that were her greatest asset that got men's attention more often than not. Jaune was no different, and the young man's cheeks grew a deep red as he stole a glance at the sultry way Melanie bobbed her slipper up and down off the tips of her sheer, nylon-clad toes.
"Do you have a foot thing, Jaune?" Melanie asked in a low, husky whisper. "Mine's a seven and a half if you're wondering. Plus, I do love the feeling of nylons or pantyhose on my irresistibly long, slender legs. I think the sheerer the better, how about you?"
"N-No!" Jaune shot to his feet and straightened his uniform. Oum, was his staring that obvious? "N-Not that you aren't really pretty or anything, I just didn't think I'd be allowed to lift my head higher-"
Jaune facepalmed and shook his head vigorously. So much for making a good impression on his new friend, as now he appeared to be a pervert with a kink. Jaune excused himself to the kitchen on the pretense of preparing the dinner he'd promised, and Melanie couldn't be happier as she now had the young man wrapped around her little, delicate finger.
"He's too honest," Melanie smirked. "If I was a lesser lady, I would've already told him to take me to my apartment..."
Melanie blinked as her heart skipped a beat as the memory of Jaune's sincere, but abundantly cute smile and begging cerulean eyes came to light. Having an honest man around wasn't a bad change, it was refreshing really, as Melanie's past experience with men often revolved around her kicking their drunk asses out of Junior's bar with the help of her beloved twin.
"Hmph, we had to give up that life all because a buxom blonde bimbo decided to literally crash our bar..." Melanie clicked her tongue and took off her black slippers. Miltia was also a size seven and a half, at least on paper, but her shoe size was actually a seven and a quarter when properly measured which made all the difference when it came to sharing footwear.
Melanie reached down and pulled her nylon-clad toes back. Sore tingles racked up her legs making her pout, but she knew if she didn't get rid of the pain now it was bound to build up to lingering aches down the line.
"Here we are!" Jaune arrived at the perfect time and placed a silver tray on the table while his other hand held a bottle of Mistralian red wine and a dainty cup. "This meal is guaranteed to knock your socks off, as the recipe's been handed down from my father's side for generations!"
A perfectly grilled medium-rare steak, with buttery mashed potatoes drizzled in savory gravy with a steaming clam chowder on the side, the scent the meals radiated were worth more than five stars as Jaune beamed proudly at his creation. He'd followed his father's words to the letter, and would not stand to disappoint his parent's standards a second time.
Melanie hummed dispassionately, but her twitching nose and eager eyes told a different story as she tried her hardest to suppress the starving grumbles in her belly. As Jaune poured the wine, Melanie slowly picked up her fork and knife and made a tiny cut in the steak. The juices that poured from the sizzled meat dribbled over the corner of the plate, and Melanie couldn't help but drool at the sight.
"Oh, I also made a salad, but I'll need a few minutes to finish the croutons. I'll be right back, Miltia." Jaune gave a salute and strutted back to the kitchen. He was glad to see the smile on Miltia's face, but there was a suspicion he couldn't shake after seeing her long hairstyle. People's hair didn't grow six inches in a single night, and Miltia usually had red eyeliner when she came to work, not cyan.
"Did she also change her hairstyle from a bobcut to a straight fringe?" Jaune only knew that because of the endless amount of fashion knowledge his seven sisters and mother possessed. "Well, best not to think about that right now, I've got croutons I need to prepare!"
Melanie, meanwhile, had just taken her first bite of steak, and her tastebuds were already moaning for more. Or was she the one moaning? Melanie didn't really care, that is until an abrupt noise from the window broke her focus. Similar pale green eyes stared at Melanie, and low and behold, the person on the other side of the window was none other than Miltia Malachite whose body was pressed against the glass with the emotions of unbridled fury clearly etched on her pale visage.
It had been the perfect day for Miltia, as she'd treated herself to an entire day at the warm and pleasant waters of a four-stared spa followed by an hour's massage dedicated to her entire being that kneaded out her aches and pains with a manicure and pedicure to round it off. She even managed to snag a few deals at her favorite clothing store and was just on her way home, but decided to pay Jaune a visit on a whim, or to be precise she was hoping to get the perfect meal to finish off her day, only to witness the absolute treachery of her twin who sat in a sultry position as she casually chewed a meal fit for a queen.
Miltia grit her teeth and as her hands clenched into fists, they dragged against the window leaving long lines in its transparent surface. Melanie, feeling no threat to her being whatsoever, dabbed her fingertip in gravy and used it to write a message on the window.
"Jaune is MINE."
Melanie then gave her twin a petty wave in the likeness of shooing away a dog, and plopped another piece of succulent meat on her tongue before pulling the window's curtains closed when Jaune returned.
"I'm the only QUEEN Jaune needs to worry about!" Miltia screamed. However, her voice would be nothing more than a muffled hum due to the restaurant's thick, soundproof windows.
Unable to interfere with both the front and back of the restaurant's doors locked, Miltia was forced to drag her feet back home with an empty stomach as Melanie had her way with Jaune. However, as her mind ventured into revenge territory, Miltia remembered an important detail her twin had mentioned last night while eating cake.
"Fufufu... Melanie did mention working with a handsome blonde during her mail run didn't she?"
Twas on this day Jaune would receive a furious call from his mother demanding if he'd cooked for an attractive woman. To her horror... He did so for two.