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Words: 7,750

"Two more, Arc! Come on, grit your damn teeth. If it didn't hurt, it wouldn't be worth it. Push the god damned bar!"

Cardin Winchester's voice barked in Jaune's ear, irritating, insistent, and doing its job. Laid out on one of Beacon's many bench presses, the rattle of weights exposed the weakness in the blond's arms as he struggled to obey. But no matter how hard he tried to force the bar away from him, the burn in his biceps and chest sapped any progress like a deflating pool toy. But physical limitations weren't enough of an excuse for Jaune's spotter, who continued encouraging him in his own odd way.

"Are you wasting my time? Are you gonna give up? Are you a quitter? Then drop the bar! Because if you're not going to push that bar up, it's gonna come down. So you might as well save yourself the pain of holding there for a few more seconds." It was grating. And a little too similar to how the larger teen had talked to him during his brief stint as his bully. But that was the point, and where Jaune had felt his reserves ticking empty, his newfound anger gave him something to draw upon. Eyes wide, teeth clenched, a deep groan roared from his chest as his fingers twisted around the thick metal bar. And somehow, those things urged the bar toward the ceiling until Jaune felt his elbows threaten to lock.

Thankfully, that had been Cardin's first lesson of what not to do. Jaune avoided the issue, slowly lowering the weights as soon as the congratulatory "nine!" rang out above him. He wanted to let it drop. Gods, he was so tired. But that had been lesson number two and Cardin wasn't shy about adding repetitions when he forgot to smoothly reset. Lowering the weights was as much part of the workout as the lift, and cheating either step only hurt him in the long run.

"One more! That's the difference between walking out of here like a man or crawling on your belly like a turtle. Now, are you a man?"

"Yes!" Jaune answered, even as he felt the textured bar slip beneath the sweat coating his entire palm. Once again, he braced himself against the pain, urging the equipment to rise a little more, just a little higher.

"Are you a man!?" Cardin repeated, two fingers appearing between Jaune's hands, ready to catch the bar should he falter. But Jaune didn't. He couldn't. Not when he was so close. That drove him to push himself more than anything else, even Cardin's constant voice in his ear. Clenching his eyes, he stopped watching the bar. He stopped worrying about if he was close or how much farther he had to go. He simply pushed his muscles to their limit until the burn threatened to consume him.

When he succeeded, Jaune didn't so much as notice. Not until Cardin's voice broke the tense concentration, and he felt his trainer's hands ease some of the weight from his grip.

"And ten," the ginger huffed, helpfully guiding the bar back to its cradle. Letting his arms slap onto the floor on either side of his bench, Jaune wished that he could enjoy the victory. Unfortunately, that was only the seventh of eight sets Cardin had prescribed at the start of the day. But as the ache of his muscles radiated heat along his arms and chest, the blonde seriously wondered if he would survive another round.

The cold, wet sensation of a water bottle against his cheek snapped him out of the spiral before it could begin. "Drink," Cardin ordered in his own gruff brand of kindness. It was a clumsy and rigid thing, but the more time Jaune spent with the other boy, the more he understood how he'd earned such loyalty from his team. Squinting through his sweat, Jaune sighed when he saw that the top had already been popped, saving him the effort.

Forcing his arms to comply, Jaune savored refreshing small sips, no matter how much the dry burn in his throat demanded he guzzle the whole bottle in one go. Instead, he soaked the inside of his mouth long enough for his spit to stop feeling so thick before washing away the worst of the ache.

"Two-minute rest. Then we finish your set. Try not to let your muscles cool down too much." And then Cardin was gone, off to replace the weights Jaune had been using. Setting his water bottle down, Jaune tried to ignore the tremble in his hands as he started stretching the already abused muscles of his upper body.

Given a moment to himself, Jaune's eyes moved around the gym, spotting the rest of team CRDL hard at work, along with plenty of other students making use of their afternoon. Wherever Cardin went, Sky, Dove, and Russel were never far behind, which meant Jaune had gotten to know the four boys pretty well. A fact that would have blown Jaune's mind if someone had told him two months ago. But to their credit, they'd each apologized for their part in the locker room fiasco, and Cardin had stayed true to his word, taking personal charge of Jaune's strength training.

It was not an easy process, but Jaune had been right to seek his help. His wives certainly hadn't been shy about commenting on his tightening body with obvious approval. That, more than the chance to save his life, had been what kept Jaune so faithful to Cardin's grueling schedule. Especially when he was still stuck lifting what felt like half of what the rest of his class could toss around.

But that was still a marked improvement compared to where he'd started. And Jaune did his best to remind himself. He just had to keep improving, and he'd catch up one day. He might have had a later start than everyone else, but that only meant he had to put in twice the effort. It was the least he should have expected to sacrifice.

Cardin eventually returned, delivering a new combination of weights on each end of the bar. "Breaks over." Jaune squinted behind him, trying to see if the ginger had reduced the weight any. And if so, by how much. His plan failed a swift death when he realized he hadn't thought to look at what he'd been benching before. Cardin took care of all of that for him, keeping track of what he could lift and how hard he was pushed and adjusting his sets as needed. His new friend had turned out to be an invaluable resource that Jaune had come to completely trust when it came to his work outs.

"Ten more and we can move on for the day." a sentence that would have made Jaune's spine shiver if this were his first week again. But those two minutes were enough for him to feel some strength return to his arms as he braced himself. And when that failed to motivate him, he tried to remember that he had the rest of the day to himself after he finished his work out. A rare treat nowadays, but still necessary ever since Glynda and Pyrrha started limiting his schedule.

The problem was that there wasn't enough time in the day for everything he needed to get done. He'd already had schoolwork, sword training, and semblance training before he'd decided to start building up his body. Unfortunately, Glynda had also started supplementing his regular homework with some of the lessons he should have taken in preparatory school. A decision that had been made out of necessity despite the impact it made on his already overflowing responsibilities.

Suffice to say, all of that didn't leave a lot of free time. Weekends were the exception, and that had more to do with his wives' insistence on maintaining his mental health. They'd had to point out how stress and overworking himself would hinder more than help in the long run. And that scheduling time to socialize with his friends and wives was as important as improving himself.

It was kind of funny. Jaune had always hated it when even the smallest responsibility or obligation took from his personal time back home. Minimizing effort and maximizing leisure time had always been his number one priority before he'd resolved himself to become a huntsman. But he'd found himself thriving under the scheduled life, deriving some comfort in the continued effort to improve.

Which he was. Maybe not as fast as he liked, but it was hard not to notice when he'd started making it to the end of sword practice on his feet instead of collapsing as soon as Pyrrha gave the go-ahead. Likewise, he'd started averaging a whole two minutes against his classmates during spars, although the whole appeared to have learned that grappling and pinning him down was the fastest way to get around his fortress of an aura.

That had slowed him down some. At least until Glynda made it a priority to teach him how to escape grapples, which proved to be more of a lesson in flexibility than anything else. He'd never thought yoga would be so beneficial to a huntsman, but he was glad to be wrong. Especially since it meant seeing his wives in those stretchy pants that he enjoyed so much. And speaking of….

'Three, four…five,' Jaune rounded the middle of his last set, stubbornly ignoring his arms' pleas for mercy. Focused on maintaining the right form Cardin had taught him, you'd think he'd be too uncomfortable to get distracted. But then you would be underestimating the effect of huntresses in spandex.

In Jaune's defense, he tried to be respectful. The last thing he wanted was to be caught as that guy, making women uncomfortable when they were trying to work out. The problem was that they were everywhere! He quite literally couldn't stare anywhere but the floor without spotting some aspect of a beautiful young woman in skin-tight clothing. Most of them were sweating and flushed, summoning all kinds of feelings.

Other guys at the gym didn't seem to have Jaune's problem, but they'd had the benefit of growing up around those kinds of distractions. Not that they all weren't likely aware of the beautiful women around them, but even that stopped standing out after a few years of exposure. And while Jaune had thankfully acclimated to being surrounded by impossibly attractive people during the day, yoga pants and sports bras were proving to set his progress back to square one.

Feeling his gaze drift from the bar, Jaune's focus wavered at a particularly curvy blonde enjoying her turn at the stair master. She didn't look too familiar, most likely a year or two ahead of him. It would have definitely explained her figure. A pair of skin-tight shorts were all that contained the sculpted figure that showed she'd spent more than one afternoon on that machine in particular. The way her calves and thighs flexed with each step was almost as enticing as the natural sway of her hips.

Jaune caught himself before the distraction could yield any physical evidence, returning his eyes to the ceiling. 'Just think about Pyrrha and Glynda,' he sternly reminded himself, forcing his attention back on the controlled up and down of the bar. Being seen as a creep would be bad enough, but the last thing he needed was rumors getting back to his wives. Not because they would get mad or jealous at him for peeping. He wished. No, it was a lot more likely that they'd be more annoyed that he hadn't taken a moment to try and get their numbers. Because that was his life.

To their credit, they did pretty well at holding back about finding another wife, knowing that it upset him. But their hints were getting less and less subtle. You knew it was bad when your completely heterosexual wife and teacher started pointing out cute girls in class, commenting on who got a haircut or whose makeup was looking especially flattering on a given day. The last thing Jaune needed was to give either of them an excuse to open up the conversation about adding to their family. Because, as eager as they were, Jaune was unsurprisingly content with what they had and didn't see a reason to seek another companion.

After all, what would he get out of it? He was already having more sex than most guys could hope for. Two concurrent honeymoons would do that to a guy. And sure, there was the power aspect to consider. But getting married to a woman just to get more aura and another semblance felt…disturbing. Like he was the star of one of Glynda's spicy novels, forced into an arranged marriage for political power. Besides that, another wife would mean adding another person's feelings into their family dynamic, leaving him with even less time to relax.

But he wouldn't be able to hold them off forever. Jaune knew it was merely a matter of time. Whatever his rings did to Pyrrha and Glynda's minds went beyond helping them accept other women in his life. He wasn't using his semblance to its full potential, and it was almost like it knew it. Or it was like it had its own instincts, pushing them to push him into giving it what it wanted. It was a scary thought, and one Jaune tried not to entertain if he could help it. Even if it was trying to protect him, his semblance already felt too specific and complicated at times.

If Jaune found out it was alive…

"Watch it!" Cardin's curse snapped Jaune's attention back to the weights. Trapped in his thoughts, the pain and sweat had fallen to the back of his mind. Up and down, up and down, it was easier than Jaune had first realized to fall into the rhythm. But that didn't mean the weights were easier. His arms had fallen numb. And he'd failed to notice, even as the quivering limbs threatened to buckle.

Jaune's breath came in short, jagged pants as he tried to regain control. Not nearly enough to feed his oxygen starved limbs. It was a bad habit that Cardin had done his best to beat out of him. Just two more. He had two more and then he was finished! But his limbs wouldn't listen. No amount of willpower could stop his elbows from giving out.

Cardin's hands were there to catch the bar a moment before it could crush Jaune's ribs. His held breath exploded from his lungs as soon as he was free, panting and dripping with sweat that soaked through his shirt. Jaune's panic gave way to frustration when he watched the other boy easily lift his current max weight with one hand. Proof of how far he still had to go. Gritting his teeth, he barely managed to wheeze, "I'm sorry," past his gasping lungs.

But Cardin wasn't hearing it, answering with a gruff, "What for?"

"Giving up?" Jaune winced. Two more. Just two more! Close enough to make his failure sting that much sharper. The fact that his arms and chest still weren't answering was irrelevant.

"Shut up," Cardin sniffed, a gesture that Jaune translated as, "Stop complaining." A sentiment that only served to make him feel more pathetic. The other boy eventually continued once the weights were free and he set about returning them to the wall, no less gruff and yet unusually thoughtful as he included, "You're doing fine. Better than fine. It's actually a little annoying."

Unfortunately, that merely had the effect of confusing Jaune further. An expression Cardin must have caught if his sudden exasperation was any indication. The next thing Jaune knew, his friend was standing in front of him, pinning him with an arched stare. "Listen, you're putting in the work. Okay? And that matters more than you think. You're here every day you're supposed to be. And you push yourself until you can't go any further. Not when you think you can't go any further, but until something gives. Which is a lot more than I can say for most of the wimps on my team!"

The last part was pitched noticeably louder than the rest, aimed over his shoulder. Suddenly, the group of young men who had been loitering on machines, playing on their scrolls, or trying to flex for nearby ladies snapped to attention, scrambling to find something and look busy. Their team leader watched the display like he was embarrassed to be seen with the group, slowly shaking his head. Jaune was surprised to see a real smile on his face, heartened by the other boy's version of a compliment.

"Anyway," Cardin turned back, "if in that much of a rush to see improvement, then you need to up your protein. I keep telling you." The remark was delivered with a firm punch to the arm.

Jaune grunted at the impact more than in pain, narrowing his eyes at the giant seventeen-year-old. It was delivered with all the power of a wet noodle, but that didn't stop him from returning the favor as best as he could. "Yeah, no thanks. I've seen your tray at lunch and dinner. And if it takes mounds of chicken breast to look like you, I'm happy staying scrawny and normal-sized."

"Seasoning is for the weak, Turtle." Cardin mocked, in the way Jaune wasn't totally sure if the other boy was still joking or not. "And just for that, you get another set of abs today." Jaune didn't bother trying to argue, hanging his head before starting toward the next machine. You'd think he'd know better than to antagonize the guy in charge of controlling his weights, but that would imply he could learn from his mistakes. Part of Jaune was starting to think the only reason Cardin was still entertaining him was to give the larger boy an excuse to keep terrorizing him. But what didn't kill you made you stronger, right?

Except, you know, maiming. Crippling. Most diseases…

It was probably for the best that Jaune wasn't given much time to continue thinking about his basic level of philosophy before his brain was occupied with the struggle of lifting and moving heavy things for the sole purpose of being able to lift and move heavier things later. Cardin kept his word, pushing Jaune's crunches until it felt like his stomach might split apart. And when they moved onto his back muscles, the redhead wasn't any more kind. By the end of his workout, it felt like his body was screaming in agony, and experience had taught him that it was going to stay that way until dinner.

Not that he had any room to complain. He knew that was pretty incredible compared to what recovery had felt like before coming to Beacon. Heck, it was impressive compared to most huntsmen! Not that Jaune had known he was healing faster than his teammates. It was only after he'd enjoyed a few grueling sessions under Cardin's tutelage that he'd started catching on to how quickly he could bounce back compared to his classmates.

Glynda had a theory about that like she had a theory about most things that made her husband so strange. The difference between huntsmen and civilian strength was impossible not to notice. Some people attributed it to training and schools as if anyone could reach that level with the right teachers and management. Other people simply thought that strength came from aura, which was partially correct. The true root of the huntsmen's superior body came from its ability to heal and repair itself after being pushed to its limit, building muscle and repairing damage that would otherwise cripple the average human.

But from the way she'd explained it, more aura didn't necessarily mean you healed faster than your average hunter. Although, there had been some kind of link between quantity and the user's stamina. In Jaune's case, the sheer density of his aura appeared to amplify a few things beyond the average benefits. Such as the protection aspect, naturally. They'd all known that from the start. But it seemed to also be enough to help him recover a little faster.

Did that mean he could spontaneously grow back a finger in the middle of combat? Doubtful. But it did mean that he could push himself a little harder than most people were likely willing to suffer. Not only that, it meant he could return to the gym much quicker without harming himself. It was a small benefit, and he still had to suffer through all the pain, but it made a lot of difference. And yet, the blond still found his pace lacking.

A glance at the mirror helped soothe some of those feelings. Sweat dripping down the length of his tawny bangs, Jaune caught a glimpse of his reflection in a nearby mirror. Dressed in a pair of loose shorts and a sleeveless plain black shirt, it was easy to see the new definition coiling beneath his pale flesh. Unconsciously flexing for his own benefit, his spirits lifted when the exhausted muscles along his shoulders and arms noticeably bulged.

He still wasn't the biggest guy in the room. But then, no one was when Cardin was around. However, he was happy to realize that he didn't stand out anymore as the smallest first year at Beacon. He was starting to look like a huntsman. And although he knew that should be the least important aspect of his training, it did wonders for his confidence.

You know, until the sound of distinctly feminine snickering sent his ego right back down to where it belonged.

Whipping around, Jaune's cheeks burned as he caught three members of Team RWBY standing behind him, each dressed up for their own workout. And if he'd had trouble keeping his gaze respectful before, he was once again struck by how attractive the all-female team was compared to the rest of the school.

Jaune's eyes started wandering again before he could stop himself. It didn't help that each was a unique blend of feminine curves and slender grace. He quickly decided Blake's hips were made for elastic pants she'd adopted, as much as Yang's bust wasn't. He could almost hear the bright yellow support of her top crying out for mercy, straining to hold everything the blonde was offering to the room. Even Weiss' subtler attributes were impossible to ignore as he spared the white-haired girl a glance, appreciating the shape of her thighs and the small window he could see between the slim pillars of her dancer's figure.

The exchange only lasted a second, but long enough for Yang to smirk at his obvious ogling. Thankfully, the rest of her team were less brazen, merely raising an eyebrow at his casual inspection.

"Sorry," Jaune apologized with a wince. He really needed to get a handle on himself. At least he wasn't as embarrassed about getting caught checking himself out. Lucky for him, the three women appeared more amused than angry.

"Meh," Yang shrugged his concerns away. "It's okay. We're hot. Don't worry about it." Just like that. Not a question but a statement. "I'd probably have been more offended if you hadn't tried to peek." The blonde made sure to put some extra bounce in her statement, grinning like a shark when Jaune's eyes returned to her face a second later.

Blake's answer was mercifully less playful, cocking a hand against her hip. "And at least you don't…linger." The derisive look she cast over her shoulder ended up sending more than a few men scattering. The roll of her golden eyes made it clear exactly how she felt about the attention.

"Just don't start getting any funny ideas, Arc," Weiss warned, arms crossed. Of the three, she was the only one who bothered wearing something over her front. Even if that was just a scanty half-shirt that still managed to show off the lean muscle of her taut belly and navel. "We're not interested, so keep your perverted harem away from our team."

This time, everyone rolled their eyes. A guy takes two wives, and that somehow makes him some kind of deviant trolling for women? Although, his wandering gaze probably wasn't helping the situation. Huh.

Jaune decided to change the subject. "No Ruby today?"

Yang openly snorted at the idea. "Yeah, that kid was never much for the gym. Back at Signal, she ran enough track that me and Dad seriously thought about getting her a giant hamster wheel for her room. But when it comes to lifting weights? Suddenly she's nowhere to be found. Rubes likes to make excuses about how too much muscle will slow her down, but don't let her fool you." She finished with an amused shake of her head.

The two shared a grin. Not that Jaune could find it in him to blame the younger girl. They all had their preferences, and The Brothers knew he'd skip cardio if his wives would let him.

"I guess that means you're stuck with us three lovely ladies. How about it, Mr. Muscles? Are you just here to flex in the mirror, or do you feel up to spotting me again? It's the best seat in the house, guaranteed." But no matter how flirty Yang had been trying to sound, all Jaune could feel was his blood draining from his face.

This wasn't the first time his and Yang's gym days had overlapped. She'd tricked him into spotting her once, but only once. And only so that she had the satisfaction of watching him almost throw out his back when he'd failed to catch the weight she'd been casually benching.

Jaune only had himself to blame. Yang was yoked, with strength that was made even more obvious by her revealing clothing. But that was the bare minimum a person was required when their chosen fighting style was literally beating monsters to death with their fists.

"I'm finishing up, actually," Jaune felt renewed sweat slide along his temple as he made his excuse. "But you know who would probably jump at the chance?" Thinking fast, he guided the blonde's attention toward Cardin, who had only just gotten to start his own sets. But then, something told Jaune that the redhead wouldn't mind helping another blonde in the least.

Yang's amusement died a quick death, turning into confusion more than anything. "You five are still hanging out, huh? I still don't get how that works."

Jaune knew better than to be shocked by the question. Most people looked confused when they saw him eating with the other team or hanging around. Word had gotten around about their little altercation in the locker room, so anyone would be surprised to see them spending time together without violence.

"I told you guys already, we made up. Besides, not that your team isn't great, but it's kind of nice to have some more guys to be around." Running away from home, Jaune had thought he'd finally escaped the onslaught of estrogen that was his childhood. But between his friends and his wives, guy time had been in short supply. Team CRDL had ended up providing a much-needed outlet, providing a kind of male bonding his life had been sorely lacking up until this point.

"What about Ren?" Weiss teased, smirking at the wince she'd earned.

Jaune hadn't been trying to imply his only male teammate wasn't manly. But his pink-eyed friend had his own workout regimen. One that he'd been kind enough to share with Jaune a few weeks back. The team leader had been surprised to find out it was mostly slow, controlled movement with an emphasis on flexibility. You know, the kind of exercise you watched grandmas doing in the park? He'd been smart enough to keep the comment to himself, of course. And considering how sore he'd been the next morning despite his advanced healing, that was the right move. It was a good workout for Ren's fighting style. But one look at the young man was enough proof that it wouldn't help put on muscle any time soon.

"Look, Cardin can be a nice guy if you give him a chance," Jaune pushed on, pointedly ignoring the shorter girl. "What happened in the forest was a mistake, and we've all pushed past it. I think you guys would honestly get along!"

Okay, was he laying the compliments on a little thick? Yes. But Jaune couldn't help feeling guilty about how much time Cardin had been devoting to him every week without returning his end of the bargain. Could he really help him get a date? Probably not. But he could be the ginger's number-one hype man if that was what it took.

"He has stopped harassing the Faunus students," Blake admitted, resigned in the face of complimenting a bully. Jaune pointed at the brunette in thanks.

Turns out the other boy wasn't really as racist as Jaune had feared. At least, on a principle level. Cardin had just been an asshole to everyone in a vain attempt at establishing his strength and had a knack for sniffing out insecurities. In that rabbit girl's case, it just happened to be her ears. The rest of his unsavory comments had been more of an echo from his truly bigoted father and grandfather. And if those were the kinds of role models he'd had growing up, it was almost a miracle he hadn't turned out even worse.

This wasn't to say he was blameless for his initial actions or comments, just that he was improving. Whether other people decided to accept that was up to them.

"Besides," Jaune gave Yang a pointed raise of his eyebrows. "If you're seriously looking for a spotter, I think Cardin's the only one in our class who could match you." Not that he was as good at fighting. But in terms of brute strength? His height and size did a lot to make up for whatever else he was lacking.

The other blonde's head tilted as if that was something to consider. Turning her purple gaze over Jaune's shoulders, she found the burly man benching an impressive weight. And if her attention lingered on the naked view of his bulging biceps, all the better.

"The Mmes. are expecting me, so I need to get going. But you guys enjoy your workout!" Jaune shot the three ladies an eager finger gun, which they pointedly failed to return. The awkward gesture was forgotten as soon as Jaune cleared their line of sight, starting toward the exit.

Before he left the gym, Jaune cast a glance over his shoulder and felt a sense of victory at the sight of Yang suddenly standing over his friend. Her eyes were guarded, but her smile was teasing as she appeared to make a comment. Whatever it had been turned out to be enough to startle the larger boy, who nearly lost control of his own weight. But Yang must have been expecting it, catching the bar before it could do harm. Her grin grew a few inches at the obvious flush consuming Cardin's wide features.

Jaune was chuckling to himself before he knew it. He had no idea if the two would actually get along, but he saw no reason why not. Cardin was a decent guy, despite Jaune's ulterior motives, and he would never intentionally set Yang and his friends up with people he considered unsavory. And at the very least, the pair would make a good pair of gym buddies.

Cardin said something to the blonde before jumping to his feet, gesturing toward the open bench like a waiter to a table. The grin on his face was as panicked as it was eager, which was enough to warrant another small giggle from the buxom girl. Whatever her reply, Cardin leapt into action, whipping the previously occupied leather down with a rag. Her hand came to the center of her chest, eyelashes fluttering as she demurely accepted the offer.

However, the delicate performance was completely shattered when she proceeded to lift enough weight to equal half a car, but Cardin didn't seem to mind. If anything, his already wide eyes grew a fraction larger, watching a woman easily match his max weight.

That was when the ginger giant's eyes found Jaune across the room, clearly begging for help. All the blond could offer was an encouraging thumbs up before finally starting down the hallway.

"He'll be fine," Jaune consoled himself.

Yang could certainly match Cardin's pace than Jaune, anyway. Grimacing, Jaune had to physically peel his shirt from his body, feeling the weight of sweat soaking through the thin cotton. It was a sickly sticky sensation that made his skin itch at the grainy salt left behind when it dried beneath the air-conditioned interior. A glance at his scroll proved he had enough time for a quick, quick shower, altering his direction as he turned from the entrance and toward the nearest staircase.

Normally, he had the luxury of Glynda's shower, but she'd insisted on meeting at her office today, for whatever reason. And Jaune refused to spend the next however many hours wreaking of body odor.

Ten minutes later found the young man freshly cleaned, reveling in the familiar comfort of his Pumpkin Pete's hoodie. It had been his favorite article of clothing even before coming to Beacon. Albeit, the emotions that the rabbit emblem on his chest evoked had shifted ever since his and Pyrrha's adventure into the forest. He could no longer so much as glance at the beloved, family-friendly mascot without being reminded of his wife's lovely face painted in his cum.

Was that very mature of him? No, no, it was not. Has he shot his wife a wink every morning before he takes his first bite of the sugary cereal? You bet your ass he did. And while he might get tired of watching her blush into her eggs and sausages one day, that day had not been today. And something told him it wouldn't be tomorrow either.

Jaune hugged the hoodie a little closer as he grinned to himself. The current chill in the air only helped justify the indulgence. Looking back, he'd been an idiot, thinking it was a good idea to run through forests and fight monsters while sweating half his body weight in the warm summer sun. Unfortunately, his already scant armor and equipment would have looked even less impressive without the extra layers. Not that the bunny mascot looked any more amazing, but at least the bulk helped hide his scrawny frame better than a few leather straps and a t-shirt could have accomplished.

'Not that I have to worry about that anymore,' Jaune acknowledged, rolling back his sleeve enough to catch another peek at his budding definition. Still lean but definitely improving. Hesitating, the blond considered if adding a little more chicken to his dinners wouldn't be so terrible before he remembered who was waiting for him.

"And, yep," Jaune winced as he glanced at the time, "gonna have to run for it." But hey, at least it hadn't been leg day.

The faculty building was a short jog across the quad. It was a familiar path and one Jaune had grown accustomed to traveling. Albeit, normally in the other direction. Mentally tracing the path in his head, he was already picking up his pace as he threw open the door, failing to recognize the obstacle blocking his path.

Jaune heard her before he saw her, as short as she was. A squeak echoed seconds after feeling something collide into his chest, followed by her rear thumping against the floor. Glancing down, Ruby stared up at him in shock, silver eyes wide and blinking. She'd even kept her hand raised, poised to knock a second before she'd been steamrolled.

The two teenagers stared at each other for a long moment before Jaune decided he couldn't help himself, meeting her stunned expression with a teasing grin. "We have to stop meeting like this." And as if Ruby's sudden blush and glare weren't rewarding enough, the blond felt compelled to finish with "Crater Face."

"Shut it, Vomit boy," was the best she could come up with, refusing his hand when he reached out to help her stand. And while she was clearly embarrassed, Jaune felt an appreciative lightness in his chest when he confirmed it wasn't any worse than you would expect from someone falling over themselves.

It had taken a little longer than he had hoped, but Jaune was happy to say that he'd been right about his friend. Given time and space, Ruby had eventually recovered from the first incident. Which is to say, she was able to look at him without turning into a fire hydrant. And while most would take that to mean the young woman had repressed the memory somewhere deep and dark, Jaune had decided it was better to let it stay that way.

Of course, that didn't do anything to resolve his and Pyrrha's conversation about the younger girl. Despite his best efforts, doubts about Ruby's feelings for him continued to linger in the back of his thoughts. But Jaune decided that that simply put the two of them on more equal footing. With each of them looking at each other, trying their best to think about anything but the first thing that came to mind. A perfect example of a healthy friendship, if ever there was one.

"You know your team is looking for you, right?"

If Jaune didn't have little sisters of his own, he might have missed the too-sweet smile that flitted across the younger girl's face. "Were they?" she asked so innocently. All but daring someone to accuse her. "Ah, shucks. Oh well. Too late now. Guess I'll have to lift stupid weights next time." Actually, never mind. Ruby was about as good of an actor as he was.

"Well, since it looks like I'm free for the rest of today," Ruby sang, twisting back and forth in her pleated skirt, "any chance you wanna hang out? Maybe read some comic books?" Jaune made sure she saw him roll his eyes.

Ever since he'd started bringing home his haul of comics from his and Pyrrha's dates, Ruby had used that as an excuse to use their dorm as her personal library. Not that his team minded it when the two of them started geeking it up in the corner.

The Brother's knew none of them were interested. Pyrrha had made her stance on the hobby perfectly clear, barring the slice-of-life mistral comics she'd slowly started collecting.

When he'd tried approaching Nora on the subject, he'd thought she might be a fellow connoisseur of the pixelated art form. At least until he realized that was all she was appreciating, ignoring the story completely in favor of the pretty pictures and hunky heroes. She still dropped by every now and then, but Jaune knew it was more for an excuse to call it father-daughter bonding time than any real interest in the hobby itself.

Conversely, Ren was the opposite of his long-time friend. And while he'd shown a modicum of interest when Jaune had explained some of the storylines, the pacing and wasted space that the panels took up proved too much for him, becoming slightly disappointed when Jaune had to explain that there wasn't a novelization he could switch to. The final nail in the coffin was when the boy asked the seemingly simple question of where each hero's story started. And Jaune had not been able to give an easy answer.

Jaune couldn't get too upset at his friend's eventual dismissal. He loved comics. But it was hard to do that without recognizing their flaws. And over complication and incoherency was definitely one of them. That was fine for people like him and Ruby, who had been following them for years. But the barrier to entry was a little too tall for your average reader.

In any of their cases, Ruby was perfectly happy to share in his indulgence, often wasting what little free time they shared in a pair of old bean bags they'd managed to cram into their already stuffed dorm room. There, they were free to enjoy snacks, gasp over dramatic deaths and even more dramatic revivals, and discuss what ridiculous plot threads threatened the universes of their beloved heroes for the hundredth time.

He and Pyrrha had enjoyed their third date into the city just last week, which meant Ruby likely knew she could expect a stack of fresh comic books waiting to be cracked open. Truth be told, he'd been waiting for her to join him before he dived in. And a few hours of doing nothing but reading the newest S-Men sounded downright heavenly at the moment. All of which made Jaune's regret sound all the more honest as he answered, "Can't. I'm supposed to be on my way to meet with Pyrrha and Glynda for a bit."

Jaune felt a surge of guilt when his eyes flashed down, unconsciously looking for any signs of jealousy or spite toward his wives. He couldn't help himself. Anything that might give him a clearer answer. However, Ruby's enthusiasm never dimmed, seemingly more interested in the comic books than anything. "Then, do you mind if I get a head start?"

Other friends might have gotten annoyed at being so easily dismissed. However, Jaune merely sighed in relief, unlocking the door behind him so that she could slip inside. Ruby didn't so much as wait for him to get out of the way, using her small figure to duck under his arm and scuttle toward his bookcase, eagerly giggling like a greedy goblin the whole way.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she sang, falling to her knees to start scanning for new volumes. It only took a second before her glee was replaced by a disappointed whimper cast in Jaune's direction.

"Yeah," Jaune winced, "sorry. We've kind of run out of room for new comics." Which had been inevitable. Three shopping trips had turned his and Pyrrha's half of the room into a bit of a mess with all the bits and pieces they'd picked up. Between school books, Pyrrha's books, and Jaune's comics, the shelves and all surrounding area around the bookcase had been claimed by stacks and towers of pages. "We've had to start stashing some things under our beds. But feel free to read as much as you like. Just don't spoil anything for me this time." Jaune's light tone became firm. "I still haven't forgiven you for ruining The Atlesian Soldier."

"Oh, come on," Ruby's nose wrinkled as she turned around, "it was so obvious! How is it a spoiler when half the internet saw it coming five issues ago?"

It was an old argument between them and one Jaune didn't have time for. Especially when he remembered he'd already been running late before his friend's interruption. "Jaune?" He was about to turn and wave goodbye for the second time when Ruby stopped him. "If you finish up whatever's going on, do you think you'd want to come back and read together a little?"

Jaune's smile turned indulgent as he nodded. "I'll see what I can do." Ruby's hesitation gave way to a blinding smile, happy enough that she made Jaune look away first, coughing awkwardly. But not before he'd gotten an eyeful. Not of anything salacious. But even something as innocent as a smile could hit hard in the right context. And Ruby's certainly counted, her red lips pulled thin across her face, the distracting lightness of her eyes narrowing beneath her oval features. Jaune even noticed the faded burgundy edge that only ever appeared when the lights hit her hair just right.

God damn it, Pyrrha.

Ninety percent of his and Ruby's friendship felt just like that—friendship. However, he couldn't deny he'd started noticing moments like these ever since his wife made him more aware of his friend. Moments that left him a little more shaken than he wanted to admit by the pretty young brunette. Jaune didn't look back as he called out, "If I don't make it back before dinner, I'll see you then. And seriously, no spoilers!"

The door closed softly behind him, exposing none of the urgency that sent him running away from the small dorm the second he was out of sight. Another day had gone by without confronting this lingering conflict. The question was, how long was he willing to let this stress continue?

Things still weren't perfect since she'd started talking to him again, but it was still nice. For the last month now, it was almost back to how things had been before the forest, before his talk with Pyrrha. Maybe it would have been better to confront the issue of her crush or lack thereof, but he hadn't wanted to worry about losing his friend so quickly after getting her back. Especially if it ended up being for nothing.

However, that excuse had only continued to lose its validity since that day. And yet, he still found himself putting off the talk for one reason or another. Whether or not that came back to bite him in the ass was anyone's guess. But knowing his luck or lack thereof, even he recognized it was a matter of time before something disrupted the fragile house of cards that he and Ruby had somehow built between them.

The front door to the dorms burst open in his hast, giving way to the sharp, crisp air of autumn. A deep breath filled him with the familiar chill, sapping some of the anxious energy forcing so much sweat through his flushed skin.

"But that day isn't today," Jaune breathed a sigh of relief. It had taken some time, but his life felt like it was getting close to something resembling normalcy. He was still married to two different women, and his semblance was as strange as ever. But he'd adapted, and the structure he'd built during his time at Beacon made him cherish the peace he'd carved out of the initial chaos for as long as it would last.

A/N: Not a lot going on this chapter, I know. It's mostly set up for the next arc and establishing some offscreen training. Hopefully people spotted some of the clues I laid out.

Otherwise, I hope everyone is enjoying their particular holiday. I'm glad I was able to get this out before the new year. It's not very likely I'll get another chapter out before then, so I'll just say that I'm looking forward to another year of writing and spreading joy to people like you.

Thanks for reading.