Snow fell in thick, heavy flakes, blanketing the Northernmost mountains of Vale in an eerie stillness. The only sounds were the whisper of the wind and the crunch of boots pressing into frost-laden ground.

A knight, clad in a full suit of armor wrapped in a red cloak, crouched low, his breath slow and controlled. His visored bascinet concealed his face, but behind the narrow slit of his visor, sharp blue eyes tracked his prey. A monstrous figure lurked in the snow ahead, its form twisting with unnatural, crystalline growths that marked it as one of Dr. Merlot's creations.

Next to the knight stood a woman in a white coat, her hood shielding her from the biting chill. She shifted slightly, arms crossed against the cold.

"Can we please activate our Aura now?" she whispered, exasperation lacing her voice.

"Not yet," Jaune replied, inching closer, his fingers brushing against the hilt of Crocea Mors. "Just this time."

Weiss Schnee huffed. "Jaune, it's cold."

"I know," he said, voice patient but firm. "But we need to stay silent."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Fine. But you owe me."

Jaune smirked. "What, a hot chocolate?"

"No," Weiss said, tilting her head just enough for her sapphire eyes to gleam mischievously. "You are warming me up later."

Jaune groaned. "You should be saying that to Pyrrha. You two are practically glued together."

Weiss blinked, caught off guard. "You say that like we're… super close."

Jaune shrugged. "Well, aren't you? You train together all the time, always paired up. I've seen you two being… touchy."

Weiss scoffed. "You're misunderstanding."

Jaune raised a brow but waved it off. "Look, I don't really care either way. My sister, Saphron? She married a woman, so if it's something like that, I've got no qualms."

Weiss lifted a gloved hand and pressed her fingers to Jaune's lips, silencing him.

"One of these days," she murmured, her tone dropping into something almost… sultry. "You and I will sit down, just the two of us. There will be expensive wine. I'll be in a stunning dress. You? A tailored suit."

Jaune blinked.

"And by the time we're done talking," Weiss continued, smirking, "you'll understand."

Jaune chuckled, waving her off. "Okay, okay. Whatever you say, Weiss."

Weiss let out a frustrated groan, muttering, "You're either an idiot, ridiculously dense, or you have an actual talent for ignoring signals." She crossed her arms. "At this rate, I might as well date Pyrrha!"

The wind howled around them.

Jaune, too focused on the Merlot Grimm ahead, completely missed her words along with the dangerous glint in Weiss's narrowed eyes when he did.

Shaking her head, Weiss dismissed the thought. "We're doing this your way?"

Jaune nodded, gripping his sword tighter. His armor was heavy, the chill of the mountain seeping into the metal, but he barely felt it. His focus was locked onto their target.

"Slingshot me," Jaune ordered.

Weiss smirked. "Try not to fly off the mountain or cause an avalanche."

Summoning a glyph beneath Jaune's boots, she propelled him forward. The knight became a blur of blue and gold, his aura flaring as he shot through the air.

The Grimm turned, but it was too slow.

Jaune twisted mid-flight, gripping Crocea Mors in a two-handed thrust. The moment he landed, his blade tore upward, slicing clean through one of the beast's crystalline limbs.

The Hound shrieked, stumbling back.

Electricity crackled in its throat.

Weiss shouted, "Move!"

Lightning exploded from the Grimm's mouth, streaking through the frozen air. Jaune sidestepped in time, his shield snapping open as he braced himself.

The moment the blast faded, he charged.

Boots crunching through the snow, armor gleaming under the pale light, he slammed into the Hound's torso like a battering ram. The Grimm skidded backward, struggling to regain its balance.

Then Weiss was there.

She zipped in with impossible speed, Myrtenaster striking in precise, rapid thrusts. She targeted the creature's joints, knees, elbows, armpits, severing ligaments before locking it in place with another glyph.

The Grimm convulsed, frozen in place.

Jaune didn't hesitate.

With brutal efficiency, he reached out, grabbed the back of the Hound's head, and drove his sword straight into its throat. The blade twisted, severing the last connection to its host.

Silence followed.

The body went limp.

Jaune stepped back, with a calm exhale.

But the Grimm did not dissolve.

Merlot's creations never faded into black mist.

Jaune took a slow breath, his stomach turning as he knelt down. His armored hand pressed against the Grimm's malformed chest, feeling the unnatural warmth beneath the icy surface.

There, embedded grotesquely into its core, was a once-living Faunus.

Its body was warped, its organs twisted beyond recognition as a heart, functioning as the Grimm's core.

Jaune clenched his jaw.

Weiss stood nearby, her expression unreadable as she scanned the area. After a moment, she gave him a nod.

"Do it."

Jaune's grip on his sword tightened.

He raised Crocea Mors high, then brought it down in one final, merciful strike.

The sickening crunch of steel meeting flesh echoed in the snow-covered silence.

It was over.

Jaune let out a tired breath, his hands shaking as he reached for his Scroll. He took a picture of the fallen Faunus. Another record, another name to add to the ever-growing list of victims Merlot had stolen from the world.

A bitter taste filled his mouth.

"It never gets easier," he muttered.

Weiss nodded solemnly. "No. But at least…" she hesitated. "At least we might be able to get them home."

Jaune sighed, standing upright. He reached for his visor, lifting it slightly to feel the cold air against his face.

"We should go," he murmured.

Weiss nodded.

Jaune reached into his pouch, pulling out a small, blinking beacon. He placed it in the snow where the Faunus had fallen, ensuring the retrieval teams would find them.

Then, without another word, they turned away from the corpse and disappeared into the frozen landscape.

Snow crunched beneath their boots as Jaune and Weiss carefully made their way down the mountain path. The air was crisp, and the towering pines lining the descent were dusted with thick layers of frost.

Weiss exhaled, a visible puff of white escaping her lips. "Remind me again why we're walking when you could just call Juniper?"

Jaune didn't look at her as he adjusted his grip on Crocea Mors, his gaze fixed on the winding trail ahead. "Because Juniper is with Ruby and Pyrrha," he reminded her. "And Autumn's shadowing them."

Weiss sighed, rubbing her gloved hands together. "Right. Protecting Ruby from some supposed threat."

Jaune shot her a glance. "You don't think it's serious?"

"I know it's serious," Weiss corrected. "I just wish it weren't." She gestured vaguely to the terrain. "A lot of these newer Merlot Grimm are trouble. More resilient, more hardy than any Grimm we've dealt with before."

Jaune hummed in agreement. "Yeah. They're getting absurd. The more time passed, they're getting more vicious "

After a moment, he stopped.

Weiss nearly walked into him before catching herself. She placed an elbow on his shoulder, leaning casually. "What's up?"

Jaune didn't answer right away. His gaze swept across the sea of snow-covered trees below, the mountains stretching endlessly behind them. A cold wind rustled the branches, shaking loose delicate flakes that shimmered in the pale sunlight.

He finally spoke. "I was just wondering how the others are doing."

Weiss followed his gaze before shrugging. "They'll be fine." Then, with a slight smirk, she added, "Not that I'm complaining, but… was it really necessary to split us into two teams?"

Jaune shrugged. "Who knows? Miss Goodwitch has been giving us harsh lessons for two years now."

Weiss poked at his cheek through the slit of his helmet. "And yet you seem awfully used to it."

Jaune flinched, stepping back slightly. "Uh… well, yeah. I mean, training under a harsh Master for years makes you kind of used to this kind of tough love."

Weiss narrowed her eyes. "By the way Jaune… why do you have Miss Goodwitch's personal number?"

Jaune blinked. "Don't you all have it?"

"We have her work number, Jaune."

"…Oh."

Weiss crossed her arms, tilting her head. "Well?"

Jaune cleared his throat. "It's for work," he said simply.

Weiss arched a brow.

Jaune inwardly sighed, knowing she wasn't going to let this go. "I may have gotten it when I was helping heal Amber."

"Hmm," Weiss muttered, snow landing on her hood as she stared at him, clearly contemplating something.

Jaune wisely decided to keep walking.

By the time they reached the base of the mountain, their legs ached from the trek. The snow had lightened, and in the distance, nestled against the frozen terrain, was a small village.

The two followed the road toward the settlement, stepping onto cobblestone paths that led them to a cozy-looking inn. The inviting warmth from the building spilled into the cold, and the scent of roasted meats and freshly baked bread filled the air.

Inside, the atmosphere was lively, with villagers chatting near the fireplace and the occasional Huntsman nursing a warm drink. Jaune and Weiss brushed the snow off their coats before finding a table close to the fire.

Jaune stretched before waving down a jolly woman to take their order. Weiss requested something warm, while Jaune ordered fried food.

As they waited, Weiss leaned back slightly, watching the fire flicker. "It won't be long until we graduate."

Jaune nodded. "Yeah. Getting our Huntsman Licenses will be a huge boon." He took a sip of water before glancing at Weiss. "Are you going back to Atlas?"

Weiss tapped her fingers against the wooden table. "I do have some business there. But not wholly. We still have world-ending lunatics to deal with before I can truly enjoy my inheritance." Her voice dropped slightly, turning cold. "And maybe take the SDC from my demented father."

Jaune thanked the woman who placed their food and drinks down, handing over some Lien. Weiss accepted hers with a polite nod before turning back to him.

Then, with a smirk, she leaned forward, eyes gleaming mischievously. "Jaune?"

He raised a brow. "Yeah?"

"Are you, perhaps, looking for a rich and beautiful partner?"

Jaune groaned, rubbing his forehead. "This teasing has got to stop. You and Pyrrha have been messing with me left and right."

Weiss's smirk widened. "It's not our fault that the person being teased is a dense, insufferable dolt."

Jaune sighed.

"Honestly," Weiss huffed, crossing her arms. "I wonder if you'd only understand if you're under me."

Jaune blinked. "That's… terrifying."

Weiss rolled her eyes.

Jaune exhaled, waving her off. "Besides, like I said, I'm fine with you and Pyrrha. No need to be all shy about it. I'm not a cockblock. I support it!"

Weiss gave him an unimpressed look, her gaze practically boring into him.

"Jaune," she said slowly, "are you doing this on purpose?"

Jaune looked away.

Weiss snorted, shaking her head. "You have to be doing this on purpose." She leaned back, sipping her drink. "We're about to graduate, and you're either utterly clueless or pretending to be."

Jaune nervously chuckled, focusing a little too hard on his food.

Weiss chuckled, setting her cup down. "Silly man."

Jaune knew Weiss had already figured him out.

It wasn't that he was completely clueless.

It was that he had no idea how to respond to them.

For most of his life, all he had ever done was train, fight, and help. Traveling outside the Kingdoms under his Master's guidance, training at Beacon, dealing with the mess in Menagerie two years ago, his life had been a relentless cycle of battles, missions, and responsibilities.

Romance? Relationships? Those had never been part of his focus.

Of course there's also the fact Weiss and Pyrrha were close. They trained together all the time. They relied on each other. They had a bond. He had simply assumed that whatever they were doing was just how they were.

But even Ruby had noticed.

She had pointed it out, laughing about how touchy they were.

Jaune wasn't sure when it happened, but at some point, it had started to feel like there was an unspoken game.

A game where he would lose the moment he gave in.

And for the life of him…

He still wasn't sure if he wanted to win or lose.

Jaune let out a long, tired sigh as he shut the door behind them, the heavy wooden frame clicking into place with finality. The warm glow from the dust-lights lining the inn's walls cast soft shadows across the modest room. It wasn't much—two beds, a small table, and a fireplace flickering in the corner, but it was warm, and after their long trek through the mountains, that was good enough.

Still, Jaune couldn't help but grumble. "We really should've gotten separate rooms."

Weiss snorted, tossing her coat onto a nearby chair before smoothing down her sleeves. "And waste Lien? As if."

Jaune rolled his eyes, leaning Crocea Mors against the wall. "Weiss, you could probably buy an airship or two, and yet you stop at renting your own room?"

Weiss turned to him with a smirk, arms crossing as she tilted her head. "And why would I? I trust you. Better stay safe."

Jaune blinked. "You're too trusting."

Weiss chuckled, shaking her head. "Please, you wouldn't even know what to do if I threw myself at you."

Jaune narrowed his eyes playfully. "You really shouldn't challenge me."

"Oh?" Weiss raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly are you going to do, Sir Knight?"

Jaune took a step forward, slamming his hand against the wall beside her with a loud thud.

Weiss didn't flinch.

Instead, she smirked, leaning her back against the wall as her arms remained crossed. "Oh my, how feisty."

Jaune's eyes twitched.

Weiss tilted her head mockingly. "I hope you brought protection."

Jaune groaned in frustration, stepping back.

Weiss wasn't done. She pressed a hand to her chin in mock contemplation. "I mean, I am from a prestigious family. It'd be scandalous if I graduated with a round belly."

Jaune dragged a hand down his face. "I hate you sometimes."

Weiss chuckled, gracefully pushing off the wall and moving toward the other side of the room. She plopped down on the bed, stretching out as if she owned the place. "Jaune, Jaune, Jaune," she said, voice light with amusement. "You're such a silly man."

Jaune crossed his arms, still standing. "And how exactly am I silly this time?"

Weiss smirked, propping herself up on one elbow. "A Schnee always gets what she wants."

Jaune huffed. "Right."

"But if something happens," Weiss continued, her expression playful but knowing, "it won't be me asking for it."

Jaune sighed, rubbing his temples as he sat on the edge of his bed, still trying to process the absurdity of the conversation that had just taken place.

Weiss, meanwhile, looked entirely too pleased with herself, sprawled across her bed as if she owned the entire inn. The firelight flickered, casting soft, warm hues across the room, highlighting the smug curve of her lips.

Jaune leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You do realize how insane you sound, right?"

Weiss stretched her arms above her head, sighing contentedly. "I prefer bold."

Jaune groaned. "Right. Bold. That's one way to put it."

Weiss smirked. "Would you rather I be timid?"

Jaune pointed at her accusingly. "I'd rather you not constantly mess with me."

Weiss chuckled, turning onto her side so she could face him. "You make it too easy, Jaune. It's funny."

Jaune ran a hand through his messy blond hair before flopping back onto the mattress. "You and Pyrrha are ridiculous. I swear, there's a bet going on that I don't know about."

Weiss hummed in thought. "I won't deny that Ruby might be keeping score."

Jaune groaned again, throwing an arm over his face. "Of course she is."

Weiss sat up slightly, resting her chin on her palm as she observed him. "Jaune?"

Jaune sighed. "What now?"

Weiss's tone softened, though only slightly. "Are you really that clueless?"

Jaune lowered his arm and turned his head to look at her. "Not clueless," he muttered. "Just… not used to this."

Weiss studied him for a long moment before leaning back. "Hmph. That much is obvious."

Jaune sat up again, propping his elbows on his knees. "Look, Weiss…" He gestured vaguely, trying to find the right words. "I've spent so much time training, fighting, surviving, that I don't know how to deal with… this."

Weiss listened quietly, her expression unreadable.

Jaune exhaled. "And I don't want to mess things up."

Weiss tapped her fingers against the mattress before speaking. "Jaune," she said simply, "do you trust me?"

Jaune blinked at the sudden question. "Uh… yeah?"

Weiss nodded. "Then trust me when I say this – you won't mess it up."

Jaune looked at her, searching for any sign of doubt. He found none.

Weiss smiled, small, but genuine. "Besides, even if you do mess up, I am Weiss Schnee. I'll simply correct you."

Jaune laughed, shaking his head. "Of course you would."

Weiss smirked. "Now you're getting it."

Jaune sighed but couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips. He reached for his boots, starting to unlace them. "Let's just get some sleep. We still have to report back in the morning."

Weiss nodded, shifting under the covers. "Fine, fine. But—" she peeked over at him with a teasing glint in her eyes— "if you wake up mysteriously warm, don't question it."

Jaune froze mid-motion. "Weiss—"

"Goodnight, Jaune~" she singsonged, turning away with a smug little hum.

Jaune groaned, flopping back onto his bed.

It really was going to be a long night.