Jaune sat in the middle of Weiss's massive office atop one of Atlas's highest building, his wrists now bound in cold metal shackles, the weight of them not even the worst part of his predicament.
No, the worst part was being completely ignored.
It's been like what? Four hours now?
He sat there, silent, as Weiss Schnee, the CEO of the SDC, and Pyrrha Nikos, her bodyguard and wife, stood by Weiss's desk, working diligently like he wasn't even there.
"The eastern mines are underperforming again," Weiss muttered, adjusting her glasses as she skimmed through a holographic report. "If the labor force doesn't improve, we might have to implement more incentives."
Pyrrha crossed her arms, standing tall and poised, her armor gleaming under the office lights. "Or you could just pay them more."
Weiss sighed theatrically, tapping her Scroll. "Darling, I'm already offering hazard pay. If I increase their wages again, I'll have to cut funding elsewhere."
"Mmm." Pyrrha leaned over Weiss's shoulder, her red hair cascading over her armor. "Still, you're much gentler than your father was."
"Of course I am. My father was an idiot." Weiss rolled her eyes before glancing at Pyrrha playfully. "Besides, I thought you liked it when I was 'firm'."
Pyrrha chuckled, a knowing smirk on her lips. "Oh, I do, darling."
Jaune stared blankly ahead, feeling like a speck of dust in the middle of the room.
Seriously.
It was bad enough that they hadn't spoken a word to him since dragging him here like a criminal, but now they were flirting?
Right in front of him?
Jaune cleared his throat. "Uh. Can I go now? You two looked busy… I kinda feel bad for intruding."
Both women finally turned their heads toward him, their gazes sharp as blades.
Jaune immediately froze.
"What was that?" Weiss asked, her voice syrupy sweet, but the dangerous kind of sweet.
Jaune gulped, but forced himself to straighten up. Okay, I still have a mission to do.
"I said, can I go? If you two don't have anything to say to me, I still have work to do."
The temperature in the room dropped.
Weiss and Pyrrha exchanged a glance, and Jaune knew, he screwed up.
Weiss slowly set her Scroll down, adjusting her white-gloved hands in a meticulously controlled motion.
Pyrrha, on the other hand, simply tilted her head, her emerald eyes narrowing slightly.
Jaune felt the heat of their combined glares, but he refused to back down.
"Look," he continued, keeping his voice steady. "If you two just brought me here to sit in silence while you work and show off… then I should go. Well, if you can't be bothered, I can break out of these shackles and leave."
That did it.
Weiss's eye twitched.
Pyrrha's grip on her armored wrist tightened slightly.
Jaune knew that pissed them off.
"You still have work to do?" Pyrrha finally spoke, her voice slow, deliberate.
Jaune nodded confidently. "Yeah."
Weiss stepped forward, her heels clicking against the polished floor, her blue eyes piercing through him like icicles.
"And what exactly is more important than explaining why you let us grieve you for ten years?" she asked, her voice so cold it burned.
Jaune exhaled slowly.
This… was going to be a long conversation.
Jaune took a deep breath, his shackled hands resting on his lap, and looked directly into the icy blue and emerald green eyes of Weiss and Pyrrha.
"You want to know why?" his voice was low, steady. "Fine. I'll tell you."
Weiss and Pyrrha said nothing, but the frost in Weiss's expression and the tense set of Pyrrha's shoulders made it clear, they were finally listening.
"It was Autumn," Jaune admitted, exhaling slowly. "She made you all drink something. Something that made you believe I was around. But don't blame her, she was just doing her role."
Weiss's brows furrowed, her arms crossing tightly over her chest. Pyrrha, ever the warrior, remained unreadable, but her fingers twitched, as if itching to reach for something, maybe her sword, maybe him.
"What?" Pyrrha's voice was dangerously quiet.
"An illusion replacement reinforced it," Jaune continued, his gaze never wavering. "Even I didn't know that my 'clone' actually died in my place. Guess we didn't really think about it that much, I admit."
Pyrrha's jaw clenched, and Weiss's nails dug into her own arms.
Jaune leaned forward, the chains on his wrists clinking softly.
"Things happened," he murmured. "And before I knew it, I had to do my role in the Everafter for years."
Silence.
"Years, Jaune?" Weiss's voice was sharp, her mask of control cracking slightly.
"Years," Jaune confirmed. "While you all moved on, clearly, I was in a place where time doesn't work the same way."
Pyrrha's fingers curled into fists, her breathing slow and measured, but Jaune could tell—she was struggling to keep herself calm.
Jaune continued.
"Salem. Ozma. The Brothers." His voice was strong, unwavering. "They all had problems.."
Weiss's eyes widened slightly, and Pyrrha's lips parted just a fraction, but neither interrupted him.
Jaune kept going, explaining everything, his time in the Everafter, the Blacksmith, his master, the role he had accepted.
"I know I hurt you," Jaune admitted, his voice softer now. "I won't pretend I didn't. But given the choice… I'd do it again."
Silence.
Weiss stared at him, her chest rising and falling sharply, as if processing the weight of his words.
Pyrrha, who had been stone-still, suddenly took a step forward, her emerald eyes burning.
"You'd do it again?" she repeated, her voice tight.
Jaune nodded without hesitation. "Yes."
"Even knowing what it did to us?" Weiss's voice was dangerous, barely controlled.
"Even then."
His expression was serious, his conviction unshaken.
Weiss and Pyrrha tried to process it, but their emotions ran rampant.
The earlier calmness in the room was shattered, replaced by something far more complicated.
Because despite the anger, the grief, the hurt—
They knew he meant every word.
The silence in the room was suffocating.
Jaune sat still, his shackled hands resting on his lap, the weight of his words settling between them like an immovable mountain.
Weiss and Pyrrha, who had once been calm, collected, professional, now stood before him raw and unguarded, their emotions clashing between pain, anger, and something Jaune couldn't quite name.
It was Pyrrha who moved first.
Her emerald eyes burned, her lips pressed tightly together, and her hands clenched into trembling fists at her sides.
"You'd do it again?" she repeated, her voice shaking—but not with fear.
With rage.
Jaune met her gaze without flinching.
"Yes."
That single word made something inside Pyrrha snap.
With a sharp metallic screech, the shackles around Jaune's wrists suddenly tightened, the metal bands twisting under Pyrrha's Semblance.
Not enough to break his bones, but enough to hurt.
Jaune sucked in a sharp breath, refusing to show any sign of discomfort.
"You left us!" Pyrrha's voice rose, filled with years of pain she had buried deep. "You let us grieve you, mourn you—"
"I didn't let you do anything, Pyrrha!" Jaune's voice hardened, his own emotions boiling beneath the surface. "I had to do my role!"
"You could have come back!" she shot back, her breath uneven, her hands shaking with barely restrained fury. "You should have told us the moment you knew—"
"And do what?" Jaune's voice cut through hers, sharp and unwavering. "Tell you that I was never really dead? That the person you buried, the person you grieved, was nothing but an illusion?"
Pyrrha staggered slightly, her fists trembling.
"Yes!" she shouted, her voice cracking with emotion. "That would have been better than living in a lie for ten years!"
Jaune exhaled slowly, his jaw tightening.
Weiss, who had been deathly silent, finally stepped forward.
She didn't shout.
She didn't glare.
Instead, she stared at him with an expression that cut deeper than any blade—
Pure, cold disappointment.
"You talk about destiny, Jaune," she said, her voice low and controlled, but beneath it, Jaune could hear the hurt buried beneath the ice. "You call what happened a choice you would make again. But do you even realize what you did to us?"
Jaune opened his mouth, but no words came out.
"Ten years, Jaune," Weiss continued, her voice never rising, but somehow, that made it worse. "Ten years of mourning you. Ten years of moving on, except it seems we never really did, did we?"
Pyrrha rubbed a hand over her face, exhaling shakily.
"I waited for you, Jaune," she whispered, her voice raw. "Even when I knew it was pointless. Even when Weiss told me I had to move on."
Jaune's chest tightened painfully.
"We all waited," Weiss added, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, as if trying to hold herself together. "And you were out there, alive, the whole time. And you didn't think that mattered?"
Jaune closed his eyes for a moment, his breathing steady, controlled.
"It mattered," he admitted. "But what I had to do, what I still have to do, mattered more."
Pyrrha laughed bitterly, shaking her head.
"And that's supposed to make us feel better?" she whispered.
Jaune didn't answer.
Because he knew, no matter what he said, no matter how much he explained it would never be enough.
But still…
Jaune lifted his head, his gaze unwavering, his conviction unshaken.
"I know I hurt you," he said, his voice soft but firm. "And I won't ask for forgiveness."
Weiss and Pyrrha both stiffened.
"Because I don't deserve it."
Weiss looked away, her lips pressing into a thin line.
Pyrrha's hands finally relaxed, the metal shackles loosening slightly, but her expression was still pained, conflicted.
Jaune took a deep breath.
"But I don't regret my choice."
Weiss and Pyrrha stood there for a long moment, their emotions laid bare, but slowly, they began to regain their composure.
Pyrrha inhaled deeply, rolling her shoulders as she forced herself to steady her breathing. The burning rage that had fueled her had dulled to a slow, simmering ember, though her emerald eyes still shone with conflict.
Weiss, ever the ice queen, lifted her chin slightly, brushing a stray strand of white hair from her face. Her expression was carefully schooled, the storm in her gaze momentarily buried beneath a mask of cold professionalism now.
"Fine," Weiss finally said, arms still crossed. "Let's set aside our emotions for now. Tell us, Jaune—" she leveled him with a sharp glare, "—what exactly is your goal?"
Jaune studied them carefully before nodding, his expression serious.
"I need to reach the Land of Darkness," he said.
Weiss's brows furrowed, but Pyrrha remained silent, listening.
"Why?" Pyrrha asked, her voice more neutral now, but still tinged with lingering tension.
Jaune sighed, adjusting his shackled wrists.
"Merlot is there," he explained. "And I need to speak with him."
Weiss's frown deepened. "That madman?"
"Yes," Jaune confirmed. "He's… trying to do something. Something no one else has ever attempted."
Pyrrha narrowed her eyes. "And that is?"
Jaune exhaled slowly, then looked at them both dead in the eyes.
"He wants to give souls to the Grimm. I plan to help him just do that."
Silence.
Weiss blinked, as if she had misheard him.
Pyrrha's face remained still, but Jaune could see the way her fingers twitched, as though resisting the urge to reach for her weapon.
"Jaune," Weiss said slowly, as if trying to process the insanity of his words. "You do realize how absolutely insane that sounds, right?"
Jaune nodded, completely unfazed.
"I do."
Pyrrha's lips parted slightly before she pressed them into a thin line, inhaling deeply through her nose.
"You're serious."
"I am," Jaune said simply.
Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose. "And you think that's a good idea?"
"It's not about good or bad," Jaune countered. "It's about what the Grimm are and what the Brothers wants."
Weiss scoffed. "They're monsters. We kill them. End of story."
Jaune shook his head. "No, they're not just monsters. They're creatures without souls. They don't just attack humans because they're evil. They do it because they're drawn to us, to our emotions, our presence."
Pyrrha crossed her arms. "And giving them souls would stop that?"
Jaune exhaled, his expression unreadable.
"I don't know."
Weiss threw her hands up in frustration. "Then why risk it?!"
"Because it's what the Brothers and the Blacksmith wants," Jaune said firmly. "And if she believes it's possible, then I have to try."
Weiss's eye twitched. "You keep talking about the Blacksmith like she's always right!"
Jaune's expression didn't change. "She might as well be."
Pyrrha and Weiss exchanged a look. Pyrrha rubbed her temples. "So let me get this straight. You want to find Merlot, help him, and what, give the Grimm souls?"
Jaune nodded.
Weiss let out a slow breath, her earlier anger giving way to cold calculation.
"And what happens if it doesn't work?"
Jaune's expression darkened, his blue eyes turning stormy.
"Then we deal with the consequences."
Pyrrha closed her eyes briefly, as if processing the weight of those words.
When she opened them, there was a quiet resolve there.
"You really believe in this."
Jaune nodded. "I do."
Weiss sighed, massaging her temples. "Gods, I knew you were a fool, but this is on a whole new level."
Jaune cracked a small smile. "It's nice to hear you insult me again."
Weiss shot him a glare. "Don't push your luck. I am still very mad, Jaune Arc!"
Pyrrha shook her head, but there was a hint of something softer in her gaze now.
Not forgiveness.
Not yet.
But understanding.
"So what's your plan?" Pyrrha asked. "How are you even going to reach the Land of Darkness?"
Jaune hesitated for a moment, then smirked.
"Well, Weiss, you wouldn't happen to have an airship lying around, would you?"
Weiss's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Then threw hands before she sat in her chair, arms crossed, tapping her fingers against her armrest rhythmically, a clear sign that she was irritated beyond belief.
Pyrrha stood beside her, hands on her hips, her emerald eyes narrowed as she regarded Jaune with an expression that was equal parts frustration and exasperation.
Jaune, for his part, sat there calmly, as if he wasn't the cause of their mutual irritation, his hands still loosely bound by Pyrrha's metal manipulation, a silent, lingering threat that she wasn't quite ready to undo just yet.
"You are unbelievable, Jaune," Weiss finally said, her voice dripping with restrained annoyance.
Jaune tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk playing at his lips. "So I've been told."
Weiss's eye twitched, her fingers digging into her sleeve.
Pyrrha sighed, rubbing her temples. "I agree with Weiss. You are the most bullheaded, stubborn, impossible person I've ever met."
Jaune shrugged, unbothered. "I try."
"That's not a compliment!" Weiss snapped.
Jaune simply offered a small, knowing smile, which only seemed to make her temper rise further.
Pyrrha let out a long breath, shaking her head. "You do realize how frustrating you are, don't you?"
Jaune grinned slightly, but there was a sadness behind it.
"I have a pretty good idea, yeah. Ruby was kinda going on about that for days now."
Weiss let out a noise of pure frustration, leaning forward on her desk, her pale blue eyes drilling into his.
"You don't get it, do you?" she snapped. "You don't get what you put us through. What we had to do just to live with your absence! And now you just waltz back into our lives, with some grand mission, acting like you're above needing us—"
Jaune's smirk faded, replaced by a solemn expression.
"I never thought I was above needing you, Weiss."
Weiss froze mid-rant, caught off guard by the sheer honesty in his words.
Jaune's gaze softened, but it remained firm. "I know what I put you through. I know what my absence did. But this isn't about what I want. This is about what I have to do."
Pyrrha watched him closely, something in her eyes shifting, her frustration battling with something deeper, something older, something buried.
Weiss sat back, gripping the armrest of her chair so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Then, suddenly, she exhaled, long and slow, as if forcing herself to release all that pent-up emotion.
She stared at Jaune for a long moment, her eyes narrowed.
Then, unexpectedly, she spoke.
"Fuck, you're so mature and handsome."
Jaune blinked.
Pyrrha's head snapped toward Weiss so fast she might have given herself whiplash.
"Weiss?"
Weiss immediately swallowed hard, her face flushing red as she realized what she had just said out loud.
"I—I didn't mean it like that!" she sputtered, waving her hand wildly, as if trying to physically push the words back into her mouth.
Jaune's brows lifted, looking entirely too amused by her slip-up.
"Uh… thanks?"
Weiss groaned, covering her face with both hands.
Pyrrha, for her part, was still staring at Jaune, her gaze slowly drifting over him, his broad shoulders, the stronger, more refined features, the beard that made him look far older than the boy she remembered.
And much to her horror, she realized Weiss wasn't wrong.
"...She's right, though," Pyrrha muttered before she could stop herself.
Jaune snapped his attention to Pyrrha, his expression caught between surprise and confusion.
Weiss let out a strangled noise, her face still buried in her hands.
"Oh, not you too!"
Pyrrha crossed her arms, her expression turning conflicted, as if she was arguing with herself internally.
"I mean… I don't like admitting it, but…" She exhaled through her nose, giving Jaune a scrutinizing look.
Jaune, uncomfortable with the sudden turn of conversation, shifted slightly in his seat, the shackles on his wrists clinking as he looked between the two of them.
"Okay," he said, clearing his throat. "Can we not?"
Weiss groaned louder. "Yes, please, let's not."
Pyrrha just sighed, rubbing her face.
It was too much.
Ten years. Ten years of grief, of mourning, of forcing themselves to let go.
And now, the one person they thought was gone forever was sitting in front of them, alive, real, and—
Dammit, still him.
The same Jaune Arc.
And now they had no idea what to do with all of these repressed emotions suddenly shoving their way back into the light.
Weiss inhaled sharply, forcing herself back into control, sitting up straight and glaring at Jaune again, though the earlier fury had softened into something else.
"You're still an idiot," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else.
Pyrrha simply nodded in agreement, her hands resting on her hips.
Jaune offered a small, hesitant smile. "Good to know some things never change."
Weiss narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh, things have changed, Jaune."
Jaune's smile faltered slightly at the dark promise in her voice.
Pyrrha hummed. "Yes… now we have to figure out what the hell we're going to do with you."
Jaune swallowed.
For the first time in this entire ordeal, he felt a genuine wave of unease.
Because as much as they were calming down—
Their eyes still burned with something dangerous.
They went back to their own world again, calling for tea.
An hour passed.
Jaune sat there, shackled wrists resting on his lap, watching as Weiss and Pyrrha calmly sipped their tea now, exuding nothing but composure and control now
It was infuriating.
Not because they were angry. No, that would've been easier to deal with.
But because they weren't.
He expected more outbursts, slamming fists, raised voices.
But now?
Just two very powerful women, married, successful, and completely in control of themselves, sitting across from him like they weren't thinking of flaying him alive anymore..
It made Jaune feel like a cornered animal in a gilded cage. And Jaune realized that they noticed that he might not like being treated like a speck of dust in the room.
Weiss delicately placed her teacup on the saucer, giving him a small, polite smile that did nothing to reassure him.
"You seem nervous, Jaune," she mused, tilting her head. "Something wrong?"
Jaune leaned back slightly, adjusting his shoulders.
"Oh, you know," he said, casual, lighthearted, like this was all just a friendly catch-up and not an interrogation. "Just wondering if I'm gonna make it out of here alive. I'm surprised you let Ruby go like that."
"Penny's around, and thinking about it… it wasn't exactly her fault. Ruby is Ruby, she's not exactly the kind who is able to hide things like this and… we don't want Penny recording us. You understand… right?"
"I see… so can I go now?"
Pyrrha took a slow sip of her tea, then smiled just as politely as Weiss.
"That depends," she said smoothly.
Jaune did not like that answer.
At all.
So, like the bullheaded idiot they always accused him of being, he leaned forward slightly, meeting their unreadable gazes and choosing the only logical course of action of running his mouth.
"Congratulations on your marriage, by the way," Jaune said, voice genuinely warm despite the circumstances. "I have to say, I always knew you two were close, but this is a nice surprise. I just knew it."
Weiss arched a delicate brow. "Why, thank you, Jaune."
Pyrrha nodded, smiling graciously. "That's very kind of you."
Jaune blinked.
…That's it?
No teasing? No smug remarks?
They just thanked him like they weren't actively plotting his demise?
"So, how's married life?" he asked, pushing forward.
"Oh, it's wonderful," Weiss said, pleasant and conversational, like they were discussing the weather.
"It is," Pyrrha agreed. "It's quite fulfilling."
Jaune swallowed.
"That's… nice."
Weiss set her teacup down, resting her chin on her hand. "What about you, Jaune? No one special?"
Jaune laughed awkwardly. "I've been a little busy. I do a bit of farming when I'm not dealing with mischievous creatures, inanimate objects, Gods, and the occasional strangers that get lost in the Everafter and out of their own time. So yeah, no one special?"
Pyrrha hummed. "That's a shame. You're quite the catch now."
Jaune shifted uncomfortably.
This was not how this was supposed to go.
This quiet, patient torment was very uneasy to him now.
"Have you thought about having children?" Weiss asked, so casually it nearly gave him whiplash.
Jaune almost choked.
"What?"
Pyrrha tilted her head, tapping her fingers innocently against her teacup. "Children, Jaune. You know, little ones running around? Building a family?"
Jaune blinked rapidly. "I—uh—"
Weiss smiled, watching him squirm with visible satisfaction. "It's quite fulfilling, I hear."
"Very fulfilling," Pyrrha agreed smoothly, taking another sip of her tea. "Nora says so."
Jaune's skin crawled.
"Okay, hold on—"
"Oh, relax, Jaune," Weiss said, waving a dismissive hand. "We're just talking."
"Yeah," Pyrrha added, her green eyes twinkling. "Isn't this what old long lost friends do?"
Jaune opened his mouth, then closed it.
"You know, I was actually trying to explain my mission to you both," Jaune said, attempting to steer the conversation back to literally anything else.
Weiss sighed dramatically. "Must you ruin the mood? We're having such a lovely discussion."
"About kids?" Jaune said, exasperated.
"Mmm, well," Pyrrha smiled, tapping her chin thoughtfully, "I suppose if things had been different, you might have had some by now."
"Oh, definitely," Weiss nodded. "A father of three, at least."
Jaune visibly shuddered.
Weiss and Pyrrha exchanged smug glances, utterly entertained by his increasing discomfort.
Jaune inhaled sharply, trying to push away the impending sense of doom clawing at his gut.
"Look, I—"
"Hmm, would they have his blonde hair, do you think?" Weiss mused out loud, completely ignoring his protests.
Pyrrha tapped her chin, pretending to consider. "Maybe one or two. But I'd bet on at least one with our color."
"Ah, true, true, red would be fitting."
Jaune groaned audibly, dropping his head into his shackled hands.
"Please, for the love of all that is holy, can we focus?"
Weiss sighed dramatically, waving her hand. "Fine, Jaune. You may continue talking about your noble mission from the Gods themselves."
Jaune peered at them warily, still not trusting their sudden compliance.
But he had no other choice.
"Right… as I was saying, I need to get to the Land of Darkness—"
"You know," Weiss cut in, smirking, "we never did get a proper honeymoon."
Jaune gritted his teeth.
"Weiss."
"What? It's true," Pyrrha said innocently.
"Pyrrha."
"Oh, don't be so tense, Jaune," Weiss waved him off. "It's unbecoming of a knight from a fairy tale."
Jaune squeezed his eyes shut, inhaling deeply.
"It's… really good to see you guys…"
Weiss smiled sweetly. "We know."
Pyrrha grinned. "We missed you too, Jaune."
Jaune groaned, dropping his head back against the chair with a thunk. He could feel his soul leaving his body.
This wasn't just a negotiation anymore.
This was a game he was bound to lose.
Weiss set her teacup down delicately, the soft clink of porcelain against porcelain somehow more menacing than any war cry.
"So, let's go back to the topic, you need an airship, Jaune?" she asked, her icy blue eyes sharp, appraising.
Jaune stiffened, already feeling the trap closing around him.
"I mean, yeah," he admitted cautiously. "Like I said, I need to get to the Land of Darkness."
Weiss tilted her head, a slow, amused smile curling at her lips.
"And you think I'm just going to hand over one of my very expensive, top-of-the-line, Schnee Dust Company airships… for free?"
Jaune grimaced. "...Yes?"
Weiss laughed.
A soft, chilling sound, elegant but utterly merciless.
Pyrrha merely sipped her tea, watching Jaune with quiet amusement, her green eyes practically twinkling.
"Oh, Jaune," Weiss said sweetly, folding her hands in front of her. "You seem to have misunderstood something."
Jaune sighed, already feeling exhausted.
"And what's that?"
Weiss leaned forward slightly, her presence commanding, exuding all the confidence and dominance of a powerful businesswoman who held all the cards.
"I'm a businesswoman, Jaune. I don't just give things away."
Jaune frowned deeply, an uneasy feeling settling in his gut.
"Right… So what do you want?"
Weiss smiled pleasantly. "What do you have to offer?"
Jaune's stomach dropped.
Pyrrha sighed dramatically, setting down her own teacup.
"Really, Jaune, you're a Huntsman, a warrior, a legendary fairy tale knight. Surely you have something of value."
Jaune sat rigidly, his fingers curling into his palms.
"I don't exactly have a fortune lying around," Jaune muttered.
"No, you certainly don't," Weiss agreed smoothly. "Which means you'll have to get creative."
Jaune clenched his jaw.
"I have skills, I can fight, I can protect—"
"Mmm, we have plenty of bodyguards already," Weiss waved him off. "I got the best huntress anyone can have right next to my side."
Pyrrha leaned her chin on her hand, staring at him thoughtfully.
"Perhaps you could be a consultant."
Jaune raised an eyebrow.
"A consultant for what?"
Weiss smirked.
"Huntsmen training, security protocols, Grimm research, Child raisi—"
"You want to make me your personal Huntsman?" Jaune asked flatly, conveniently ignoring the last part.
"Not quite," Weiss said, innocently tilting her head. "We're simply saying you need to work off the cost."
Weiss and Pyrrha were circling him like predators now, their eyes sharp, their expressions unreadable.
Jaune had expected anger.
He had prepared for scolding.
What he hadn't prepared for… was this.
Weiss gave him a charming, business-like smile, the kind that probably sent board members into early retirement.
"Huntsmen training, security protocols, Grimm research—" Weiss listed off casually, flicking a strand of white hair over her shoulder.
Jaune let out a tired sigh, rubbing his temple.
"That's really what you want?" he asked.
Pyrrha smiled warmly, her hands folded neatly on her lap.
"Oh, Jaune, that's just the practical side of things."
Jaune's stomach twisted.
There it was.
The trap was deeper than he thought.
"Alright, fine," Jaune muttered. "What else do you want?"
Weiss's smile grew just a little too pleased.
"You," she said simply.
Jaune froze.
Pyrrha hummed in agreement.
Jaune blinked rapidly, his brain refusing to process the words.
"I— What?"
Weiss snorted elegantly.
"Come now, Jaune, surely you're not that dense?"
Jaune swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.
"I—Weiss, Pyrrha— You're married… right?"
Pyrrha nodded. "Yes, we are."
"To each other," Jaune emphasized. "Happily married too."
Weiss tilted her head, looking completely unbothered.
"That's not an issue."
Jaune felt like the walls were closing in.
"It absolutely is an issue."
"Why?" Pyrrha asked curiously.
Jaune gawked at them.
"Because it's inappropriate!" he nearly shouted.
Weiss rolled her eyes. "Jaune, dear, I'm a Schnee. Inappropriate is just another word for inconvenient. Besides like I said, we have been thinking about children you know?"
"You can't be serious," he muttered.
Weiss smirked.
"Oh, but I am."
Jaune groaned, dragging his hands down his face despite the metal tied around his wrist..
"This is crazy. You two are crazy."
Pyrrha sighed dramatically, shaking her head.
"Jaune, you've been gone for ten years. Do you really think we haven't considered all the possibilities?"
Jaune threw his hands up.
"Considered what? That you could just… I don't know, add me in like a third-party expansion pack?!"
Weiss tapped her chin, pretending to think.
"I suppose that's one way to put it. Good job, Jaune."
"Well put," Pyrrha added.
Jaune let out a frustrated groan, shaking his head.
"No, absolutely not. This is insane."
Weiss leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands, her sharp blue eyes locked onto his.
"Jaune, be honest."
Jaune tensed.
Weiss's smile was too knowing.
"Do you really not want to be part of this?"
Jaune hesitated and unconsciously looked down at the tent on his pants. And that one moment of action sealed his fate. What are you doing, my boy!? This isn't the time to be tempted you fool!
Weiss's smirk widened.
Pyrrha watched him carefully, her eyes soft yet intensely focused.
Jaune looked away, his shackled hands tightening into fists.
"That's not the point," he muttered.
"It's exactly the point," Pyrrha countered gently.
Weiss crossed her legs, exuding pure confidence.
"You were always part of this, Jaune, whether you like it or not."
"No, we are not, I mean, guys, I'm sure we weren't even dating!" Jaune clenched his jaw. "I have a mission."
"And we have a deal," Weiss reminded him. "Isn't it simple? Think of this as part of the deal."
Jaune looked at them both, his heart pounding.
He had survived a lot of things, fought Grimm, faced Gods…
And yet, somehow, this was the most terrifying situation of his life.
Jaune sighed deeply, leaning back against the chair.
"You know what? I should've just stolen an airship."
Weiss laughed.
Pyrrha smiled.
And Jaune knew, in that moment—
He was well and truly doomed.