Jaune's Pineapple Jam Part 2 Chapter 10

Roman Torchwick coughed as another soldier punched him in the gut.

With his arms tied above his head, and his knees the only thing to support him, Roman could only swing helplessly as pain racked his body.

“C-Come on, guys. I thought we were friends.” He wheezed mockingly, smiling as the two soldiers in front of him grunted.

It had been months since he was captured during The Breach, but it was only recently did his captors turn violent. 

Roman could guess why.

“You’re running out of time, aren’t you? Tell me, how long has it been since I've been here?! Has the Vytal Festival started yet?” He grinned, but in response, Roman Torchwick only received a punch to the face.

Blood pooled inside his mouth, and he spat it out as he began to laugh.

“W-With the way you punch, I can do this all day!” 

He only laughed harder, however, when the soldiers started getting angrier.

He was right. They were getting desperate, and it was no wonder why. With the Vytal Festival looming above them, Atlas had to make sure everything was going to go alright.

And to do that, they had to eliminate threats.

Threats that Roman knew about.

Which is why he also knew that no matter how much they punched him, they were not going to let him die.

He laughed, and laughed harder, until, of course, the door to his interrogation chamber opened.

“Not the face, soldier. Keep it to his body.” General Ironwood’s voice called out, and Roman coughed once again as he felt another fist bury itself onto his gut.

“So General Ironwood himself deigns to visit me. You must be getting desperate.” He mocked, but good old General Ironwood only looked at him coldly.

“Roman Torchwick, who are you working with?”

“The White Fang.” He answered, smiling as he hung his head limply.

Again, however, General Ironwood was unfazed.

“Who else?” He barked, but this time, Roman smirked.

“Your mother.”

That finally got a reaction, but again, not from good old General Ironwood.

“Show some respect!” A soldier shouted, and a fist met his head as light flashed across Roman’s eyes while his head rang painfully.

He only laughed harder, however, even as General Ironwood stood stoically in front of him.

“We’ve been generous these past few months, you know. Limiting our methods to just asking questions. I see now, however, that no amount of talking would get you to give us an answer.”

“What? Are you going to kill me?” Roman mockingly tilted his head at that, but what happened next froze every single thought in his body, because General Ironwood of Atlas brought out his gun.

“Maybe, because when it comes to protecting Remnant, nothing is off the table.” General Ironwood replied, pointing his gun straight into Roman’s face.

Click!

Well shit, Roman will admit it. Staring into Ironwood’s cold eyes as he cocked his gun scared the living shit out of him. Still, he was too far gone to back down now.

“Well, if nothing is off the table, then you should be able to pay my price.” He drawled, grinning as he felt his heart race.

That finally got the good old general to pause.

This could be it. The last gamble he could ever make. And Neo wasn’t even here to see it. Roman didn’t know whether he should be thankful for that or not, but as the world slowed while he waited for Ironwood’s response, Roman Torchwick was going to meet his possible cause of death with every ounce of bravado and charisma he had. Roman Torchwick, straightened, smiled, and stared death in the fucking face.

And after what felt like forever but was in reality only a second, Ironwood’s finger moved.

Click!

And just like that, Roman avoided death once again.

Roman laughed maniacally as Ironwood clicked the safety on before holstering his weapon.

“You do remember my price, right?” Roman asked, still laughing relievedly, even as General Ironwood nodded slowly.

“I remember.”

Riding the high from evading death once more, he grinned as he looked General Ironwood straight in the face.

“An interview….with the man of the hour, Jaune Arc.”

That’s right.

Jaune Arc.

As if Roman could forget that young boy who has stumbled into him and his operations more often than not.

And the reason for his interest?

Well, if there was someone he trusted more than Neo right now, it was someone who owed him a favor.

And Jaune Arc owed him a favor, whether he knew it or not.

After all, what would the public think if they found out that the Hero of Vale was in bed with criminals? 

Never had he thought Neo blowing the guy would come in handy, but yet here they were. While Roman didn’t have a method to get that information out of his cell, he’s worked with Neo enough to know how she thought.

All he needed to do from his end was dangle the threat of a public scandal in front of their faces, give them an olive branch in the shape of a deal, and viola! He had them hook, line, and sinker!

He laughed as incredulousness became obvious in General Ironwood’s face.  

“He’s a child.”

“Not so childish when he’s sleeping with three women, right?!” Roman grinned, his snark returning to him now that Ironwood was willing to talk. “Besides, if he’s a child, does that mean you good guys send children to war? It took a child to save Vale while you parked your fleet above the Residential District!”

“We had orders.”

“Ah, I see. Orders would stop you from doing what is right, noted.” He mocked, tilting his head for maximum effect, and finally getting the good old general to clench his teeth.

“....What do you want with him?”

“I already told you. I want an interview! The guy has been on me since the docks, and besides, I want to know how he managed to bag three of the most important women of his generation!” Roman answered frivolously, watching as General Ironwood began to frown.

“If that’s all you want, then I’m afraid I would have to refuse.”

Roman, however, only shook his head with a smile on his face.

“Woah, woah, woah, you’re not listening to me here, are you? I just want to ask some questions, and maybe….just maybe….I might be willing to give an offer.”

“An offer?”

Like he said, hook, line, and sinker.

“A deal, a bribe, something we can work out. Is that clear enough for you?” Roman smiled, even as he rolled his eyes at General Ironwood’s obtuseness.

“But why with him? Why Jaune Arc?”

Both of them knew the unspoken question.

Why not with me?

Roman, however, only grinned. “That’s for me to know, and him to find out, General. You say nothing is off the table when it comes to protecting Remnant? Well, give me this, and you might have yourself a deal.”

Roman watched as General Ironwood stood silently, but Roman knew he had the man.

He will give him this, though, General James Ironwood of Atlas was one stubborn son of a bitch.

Sweat was actually beginning to drip down Roman’s back when the man finally decided to answer.

“I’ll let you know what we’ve decided. In the meantime, enjoy our hospitality. Unless, of course, you decide to speak now.”

Roman only blinked at that, however, before his eyes widened as the General nodded to his soldiers before leaving.

“Continue.”

Oh, shit.

Roman Torchwick gagged as he felt another punch to the gut.

—-----

“Is this really necessary?”

General Ironwood sighed as he turned towards his colleague who was looking through the one-way glass at Roman Torchwick.

“You know I don’t enjoy it, Glynda.”

Glynda Goodwitch, now Headmistress of Beacon in Ozpin’s absence, turned towards him with a frown.

“I know, but I’ll ask again. Is this really necessary?” 

In lieu of an answer, General James Ironwood turned back towards Roman’s interrogation.

“I was hoping he’d talk before we ask Jaune Arc.”

Glynda’s eyes tightened, but eventually, she let out a sigh of resignation as she also watched Roman Torchwick.

“Jaune Arc is just a child. He doesn’t need to be involved in this.”

“As Roman was so happy to point out, he is a child that happens to be the Hero of Vale.” 

Glynda, however, only rolled her eyes at that.

“Please, James, you and I both know just what that title means.”

“So he’s a symbol? What of it?” James shrugged as he looked callously at Roman’s beating. “Vale seemed to have a need for someone like him.”

“He’s a stand in, James.” Glynda hissed as she snapped towards him. “Any veteran Huntsman could have done what he did, but the media is propping him up for sensation while the Council is all too happy to have someone to parade around!”

This time, it was James who rolled his eyes.

“You’re exaggerating, not every veteran could have done what he did. Some could, yes, but he, a first year Huntsman-in-training, was the one to do it. And let’s not discount the fact that he did it for hours.”

Glynda could only purse her lips at that before shaking her head and looking at him wryly.

“And to think you used to be so suspicious of him.”

James could only chuckle awkwardly at that.

“You’re right, and I’ve never been happy to be more wrong in my life. Jaune Arc went above and beyond his duty by pushing back the Grimm instead of being satisfied with his safety. That kind of action earns trust, Glynda, and like it or not, Jaune Arc is the Hero of Vale.”

“It still doesn’t change the fact that he's still a child.” Glynda pouted, but James only smiled at her.

“It’s not like it doesn’t have its own perks. Unknowingly or not, he’s also using his reputation in return. Tell me, Glynda, in what world can a man like Jaune Arc be with Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Pyrrha Nikos?”

“...Touche.” She conceded with a pout.

“The least he could do is take on the responsibilities such a title affords him.” He nodded, pleased that Glynda was finally seeing it his way.

“So we’re about to have him interrogate Torchwick.” She pointed out, narrowing her eyes as she tilted her head to the one-way glass.

James, however, only shrugged at that.

“Jaune Arc knows about the Maidens. He’s already involved whether we like it or not.”

He didn’t really like leaving things to children, but he knew for a fact that pretty soon, these children will no longer be one.

“...I know. I just wished we could bear these unsavory matters for them for a little bit longer.” Glynda replied, eyes downcast as she sighed heavily.

It was then that James decided a different approach was in order.

He smiled brightly as his hand reached out to touch hers.

“Look on the bright side, we might finally get a lead on Roman’s colleagues. Just in time for the Vytal Festival too, and if we manage to catch them soon, then who knows, we might even get to relax!”

James’ heart almost skipped a beat when she accepted the contact and entangled her fingers with his. However, Glynda was still melancholic despite the action and groaned heavily away from him.

“I know, I know. Anything for the safety of Remnant. The greater good and all that.”

Keeping the smile on his face, hisnother hand turned her back towards him so they were eye to eye once again.

“Come now, where’s the Glynda I know who was so gung-ho in achieving world peace?”

Contrary to expectations, however, Glynda only looked flatly as she opened her mouth.

“Buried in paperwork.”

“You don’t have paperwork now.” He pointed out, his smile tugging his lips upward as his eyes flicked to the empty halls around them.

“And what are you implying with that?” She raised an eyebrow, her eyes glancing to their joined hands.

Try as he might, however, James could not keep the smile off of his face.

“Nothing, it’s just that….I can tell Winter to bring Jaune Arc in later, and in the meanwhile we can….reacquaint ourselves with each other?”

He tilted his head, knowing that Glynda knew he was indicating the hall leading to his quarters.

“....We’ve been reacquainting for months, James.” She drawled, and a blush threatened to erupt up to his cheeks.

Only his Semblance, Mettle, and stone cold discipline allowed him not to act bashfully as he looked into Glynda’s eyes.

“That’s not a no.”

Without any of their colleagues to watch them or rein them in, James watched as Glynda slowly nodded.

“It’s not.” She whispered, her hand going to his chest as he felt the machinery in him rumble in anticipation.

“Is that a yes then?” He whispered expectantly as his heart thundered in his chest.

Slowly, almost torturously, Glynda nodded her head.

“...Only until later.”

It might have been unprofessional of him, but James could not stop the grin from creeping up his face as he pumped his fist in joy.

“Yes!” 

“Men.” Glynda rolled her eyes, even as a smile crept up her own face.

Immediately, James sent a message to Winter to bring Jaune Arc to the flagship before he could forget.

He only hoped she would take her time, because really, Jaune Arc was not the only one who was allowed to have a good time!

—------

Jaune Arc was not having a good time.

Squeals rang out from her sisters as they shook him back and forth.

“My little brother, a teenage father.” Merigold wiped fake tears from her eyes as Jaune winced at the jab.

“Wow. I knew you were going at it in Argus, but I didn’t know you were going at it.” Yang added with wide eyes, and Jaune could only blush as his sisters spread themselves between him and Pyrrha.

Jade and Bleu were wrapped around him, and he could actually feel their bodies trembling as they tried to muffle their screams with his shirt. They must be so happy if they couldn’t even muster words for him. Jaune couldn't see their expressions, but he could feel their happiness for him just by them hugging him.

Meanwhile, Mauve and Violet were busy coddling Pyrrha and looking at her with bright eyes.

“You’re Pyrrha Nikos!”

“I am.”

“And you have a baby inside you!”

“I do.”

“So…..it’s in there right now? Can it hear us?” Ruby asked hesitantly, her eyes aimed right at Pyrrha’s stomach.

Pyrrha only laughed out loud, however, reaching out a hand to Ruby with a smile on her face.

“Yes, Ruby. It’s in there right now. While it can’t hear just yet, I’m sure it could feel the love being aimed at it. Would you like to hold it?”

“I-wah?!”

“How do you guys feel about this?” Yang asked as she looked at the rest of her teammates.

“It’s still actually sinking in for me.” Blake answered, eyes wide in wonder as she looked at Pyrrha’s tummy while holding a hand to her own.

Jaune flushed at that, even as Weiss pursed her lips at him. “As happy as I am for Pyrrha, I still think it’s a little early for us.”

“Right, sorry.” He winced, but eventually, Weiss sighed in acceptance.

“But I suppose things like this do happen, and as the both of you have stated since earlier, you didn’t actually plan for this.”

“So what’s going to happen now?”

“Marriage.”

“To all of us.”

Yang gawked before jolting as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“So, Yang. You were saying you wanted to join in earlier?” His mother smiled with too many teeth, getting Yang to actually back off as she waved her hands frantically.

“I-wha?! Aren’t we going a little too fast?! At least let me go on a date first!”

Lilac eyes met his, and Jaune couldn’t help but blush as Yang looked at him pleadingly.

Yang Xiao Long, one of Beacon’s hottest girls, was looking at him and asking for a date. 

How lucky could he be?

Before he could even answer, however, a hand pulled him back.

“Hey now, if anyone is going on a date next, it’s going to be me.” Blake declared, looking at everyone there with narrowed eyes to his surprise.

“Blake?” He asked hesitantly, but she only spun him around so they were face to face.

“Do you know how long has it been since we’ve been together, Jaune?”

Jaune couldn’t help but reel back in shock as she looked at him with crazed eyes. His eyes immediately sought for help, but upon finding Weiss fidgeting embarrassedly behind Blake, he could only answer Blake’s question hesitantly.

“Uhm, since after The Breach? While….we were with Weiss?”

He and Weiss locked eyes with each other, and immediately blushed at the same time. It was their first time together, after all, and he was just about to rush headfirst into memory lane when Blake suddenly shook him rapidly.

“Since before The Breach, Jaune! Before Mountain Glenn! Women have needs too, you know! I have needs!”

Jaune paled in mortification, but all he could see were their mothers nodding in understanding, even as Pyrrha covered Mauve and Violet’s ears.

“She’s right. She’s out of line, but she’s right.” Juniper Arc nodded sagely, immediately getting all the Arc kids to groan in mortification.

“What? You think any of you would be here if I didn’t have needs? I say good on Blake for embracing her wild, natural side.”

Blake could only blush at that as Juniper Arc looked at her with such approval.

Ghira Belladonna, however, had something to say to that.

“I did not need to hear that. I did not need to hear about my daughter’s needs.” He said with wide horrified eyes as Nicholas Arc winced at him apologetically. 

“I’m sorry?” 

Ghira, however, only looked at Jaune’s father with tiredness in his eyes.

“Ugh, I await the day your daughters find boyfriends.”

Immediately, his father turned green as his chest tightened in pain.

“Please don’t joke about that.”

Both men could only stare at each other with constipated looks on their faces because of one common thing.

Boyfriends, the bane of all fathers.

The women, however, only laughed at them, even as Jaune and his lovers blushed together.

“Just think of the grandkitties, dear.” Kali laughed, laying a hand on her husband’s arm.

“Come now, it’s not so bad. Just look how happy they are.” Athena shouted, waving a hand towards them as they all huddled together.

“They certainly look like they’ll have better than mine” Willow smiled wistfully, getting a wince from Nicholas even as Winter looked at her in pity.

“Mother…”

That, however, seemed to snap Willow out of her wistfulness because she looked at Nicholas while tilting her head towards Winter.

“You don’t have another son for my other daughter, do you?”

Eyes widened, and Winter immediately snapped with a blush on her face.

“Mother!”

“Nope, sorry, just the one.” Juniper answered in her husband’s place, ruffling Jaune’s hair from behind as she looked at Willow with a grin on her face.

“Pity.” Willow, however, only sighed while putting a hand to her cheek before a spark ignited in her eyes as she looked at Jaune with a grin on her face. “Unless…..what about it, Jaune Arc? Care to take in another Schnee?”

Jaune blinked.

Winter choked.

And Weiss jealously tightened an arm around him, even as Blake and Pyrrha hummed thoughtfully while the rest of their audience looked on in shock.

“Mother! You can’t just-” Winter started, but Willow immediately cut her off with a sharp sigh.

“And why not, Winter? You obviously need someone to make you happy. Jaune here could help with that.” She waved a hand towards him, and some lizard part of Jaune’s brain couldn’t help but think inappropriate thoughts.

Winter glared at him with her namesake in her eyes, and he couldn’t help but be reminded of Weiss when they first met.

Weiss, who he was immediately enchanted by. 

But as his eyes landed on the perpetrator of his situation, he couldn’t help but gulp as the lizard part of brain told him….why not complete the set?

And then his mouth moved before he could even think about stopping it.

“Mommy.”

“Oh my.” Willow blushed, bashfully looking away from him, even as Jaune suddenly saw stars.

Slap!

“Sorry, he’s an idiot, but he’s our idiot.” Juniper Arc smiled politely as she slapped the back of his head.

“Ow.” He moaned, it wasn’t painful because of his Aura per se, but the suddenness of it made him dizzy.

“Don’t you already have enough on your hands?” Weiss added, gripping his arm tightly as she smiled at him toothily.

“....Sorry.” He smiled abashedly, rubbing the back of his head as he looked away from Weiss’ mother.

“Well, it’s not like we’re not considering more.” Pyrrha giggled, looking at both Yang and Ruby, who suddenly froze like deer in headlights.

Jaune, once again blushed, as her mother sighed loudly behind him while both Yang and Ruby gawked at him.

Before he could even say anything, however, he was saved from one of the unlikeliest of sources.

“Speaking of more.” Mauve started, tilting her head as Violet nodded seriously beside her.

“We ran into Cinder.” 

Jaune blinked at that, even as Merigold tried to cover their sisters’ mouths.

“Cinder? What did she want?” Jaune tilted his head, even as Pyrrha grumbled beside him.

“Nothing good, I’m sure.”

“Calm down, Pyrrha. Stress is not good for the baby.” Blake whispered, laying a comforting hand on Pyrrha’s arm.

Jaune, however, was still looking at her sisters who were struggling against with each other.

Jade and Bleu were silent, crossing their arms as they looked away from him. Merigold, meanwhile, could only smile wryly as she struggled to corral both Mauve and Violet.

Eventually, however, Merigold had to surrender, and she sighed in resignation as she opened her mouth to answer.

“She wanted to join in.” 

Now that got a reaction from all of them.

“I knew it!” Pyrrha shouted vindictively, looking at him as if she just made a point.

“Another one?” His mother blinked, a complicated expression on her face as she raised up her hands to count his potential lovers.

To be honest, even Jaune was drowning at the possibilities.

Just how, how did his life come to this?

He knew how.

He looked at Blake and Pyrrha, both women who were at the start of it all.

And then to Weiss, who agreed to be with him despite already being with two women.

And finally, to Yang, who he hasn’t even been able to talk to yet since they left Beacon after The Breach.

Four women, and if he included Cinder, that was five.

And he wasn’t even counting Ruby, his best friend, who told him he could pursue her once they were older.

He looked at her, and saw wide silver eyes looking at him in confusion.

He could only shrug incredulously as their parents shook their head at him.

“Impressive.” Kali nodded, a proud smile on her face.

“At this rate, we might need two hands to count all of them.” Athena noted, raising her own hands as Willow looked in awe at her.

“You think there will be more?”

“At this rate, it’d be more prudent to expect more.” Athena answered, even as his father only raised a thumb at him.

“Confidence.”

Palm met face, and Jaune could only groan as he embarrassedly looked away from his father’s shit-eating grin.

“Damn, I’m not even mad now. There’s just a lot more than I thought.” Ghira sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, even as Winter did the same near him.

“This is just getting ridiculous.”

A Schnee and a Belladonna, agreeing on something and looking at the same sights in harmony, one does not see that every day, now if only they weren’t looking at him accusingly.

“D-Don’t look at me! I don’t even know how this happened!” Jaune said, waving his head frantically, even as Blake nodded beside him.

“I could make a few guesses.”

He could only groan at that, but things only got worse when Yang pointed a finger at him.

“Remember when you used your Semblance on her?”

“....I remember.” He blushed, even as their parents tilted their heads at him.

“Why? What happened when he used his Semblance on her?” His father asked, crossing his arms as he frowned at Jaune.

“I….uhhh, I don’t think I should say.” Yang trailed off, looking at Jaune’s younger sisters with wide eyes.

“Let’s just say….some women are a lot more sensitive to Jaune’s Semblance than others.” Weiss explained, worriedly looking at her mother, who was in turn, looking at her hand with wide eyes.

That, however, seemed to be enough for the parents to understand.

“So….Cinder, are we adding her to the list?” Kali ventured tentatively, but Jaune could not answer.

How could he when he didn’t even know Cinder was an option?

And just like any husband-to-be when asked a question about his upcoming wedding, Jaune looked to his future wives.

“I say no.” Pyrrha immediately answered, but contrary to her expectations, Blake and Weiss only looked hesitantly at each other.

“I….I think it depends on Jaune.” Blake nodded, looking towards Jaune and avoiding Pyrrha’s betrayed face.

Weiss, however, had the courage to face the champion.

“I propose we hear Cinder out first.”

“But why?” Pyrrha whined, but Weiss only shook her head at her.

“I know I’m the new one amongst us, but imagine if either of you didn’t approve of Jaune’s relationship with me without hearing me out? It would be unfair.”

“Look, I don’t like it either, but Weiss has a point.” Blake added, laying a comforting hand on Pyrrha, even as she looked apologetically at her. “Besides, Cinder did save our lives, Pyrrha. I doubt we could have captured Torchwick and escaped the Grimm during The Breach without her and her team. We owe it to her to at least hear out her side.”

“Jaune?” Pyrrha turned towards him pleadingly, but Jaune could only stay silent as he looked at all three of them.

To be honest, Jaune didn’t know what to do. On one side was the mother of his child, while on the other were his two other lovers. 

Their first disagreement, and it was happening right in front of their parents. He could only worry at what they might think, but as he turned towards them, he only saw confused and commiserating looks.

“I think you should talk about this more as a…..couple? throuple? polycule?” Kali suggested tentatively, and Jaune breathed a sigh of relief as he saw all three of his lovers nod hesitantly.

“Polycule, definitely a polycule.” Blake declared, looking at each of them with a blush on her face.

Eventually, Pyrrha sighed wryly as she nodded at them.

“Agreed. We should talk more about this soon.”

“That’s good, you can also take this time to finish your….shall we say final list of members?” Athena nodded, glancing at Yang who was also a candidate.

Still, that meant both Yang and Cinder’s applications were now officially under consideration.

“Meanwhile, we can talk about the details of the wedding. Though, I suppose those with experience on it would be the ones with the most input.” Willow added, looking at the rest of the parents there who replied with nods of agreement.

“I agree. Us parents can finalize suggestions regarding the wedding while you kids take a look at it after….the Vytal Festival?” His mother agreed, even as she looked grudgingly at Willow.

Jaune nodded. He thought it was sensible. He didn’t know how to plan a wedding, after all. Though with how his lovers pursed their lips, they seem to want to have a more direct role in planning the wedding.

They may have been at odds with how to deal with Cinder, but in this, they were one.

“Since I won’t be participating in the tournament, I can be the spokesperson of the group.” Pyrrha cut in, garnering impressed looks from the adults.

“Agreed, though we do reserve the rights to veto anything we do not like.” Weiss nodded together with Blake beside her.

“Anyone being added in, will of course have the same rights.” Blake said, looking at Yang meaningfully who only gulped at the attention.

“That sounds reasonable, do we have an accord then?” Kali asked, and there was a moment when silence was the only thing that greeted her as everyone looked at each other.

Slowly but surely, nods came from each one of them and smiles crept up beautifully on their mothers’ faces.

“We have an accord.” Jaune announced with a smile on his face, and he’ll be honest, it felt cool saying that.

Squeals came once again from his sisters, but before they could mob him and his lovers, his mother clapped her hand.

“Obviously, we wouldn’t be able to work with all of you here so why don’t you take the time to rest up and catch up with one another?”

“That sounds splendid.” Pyrrha nodded, smiling as she wrapped her arms around Blake and Weiss. “I’ve been dying to catch up with all of you!”

Before Jaune could join in, however, a loud cough interrupted them.

“AHEM!”

“Winter? What is it this time?” Weiss asked, a frown forming on her face as she feared her sister had complaints once again.

Contrary to everyone’s belief, however, it was nothing of the sort.

“I’m afraid it is more of a professional matter, Weiss. May I please borrow Jaune Arc?” 

jaune froze as eyes snapped towards him again, but he could only tilt his head in confusion at Winter.

“What for?”

He could understand if it was for a personal matter like trying to threaten him not to hurt her sister, but a professional matter? He had nothing like that with her.

Winter, however, only flashed him her Scroll.

“I’m afraid it is a security matter. General Ironwood is asking for the Hero of Vale’s help.”

His eyes widened, even as their parents murmured concernedly.

“What could the General want with my son?” Juniper asked, frowning as she looked at Winter’s Scroll.

“I’m afraid that’s confidential, ma’am.” Winter replied respectfully to his mother’s own displeasure.

“Perhaps I should go with my son then.” Nicholas Arc declared, stepping forward even as Winter shook her head.

“I’m sorry, sir, but only Jaune Arc is being called.”

Jaune could see his father preparing to dig his heels in, but before he could, he decided to step forward.

Matters of wedding arrangements were perhaps his lovers’ forte, but let it not be said that Jaune Arc hid behind his parents when he was being called.

“I will go with you.” He said, getting his father’s attention who suddenly snapped his wide eyes towards him.

“Jaune-”

“No, dad. You need to let me do this. I’m a Huntsman now.” 

“You’re a Huntsman-in-training.” His father corrected, and Jaune felt sparks flew between them as their eyes narrowed.

It was perhaps the first time they were truly having this argument as equals.

Well, as equal as they can be.

Regardless, Jaune stood his ground.

“I’m still going.” He said stubbornly, getting his father to grind his teeth at him as he frowned.

“No, you’re not!”

The words left his father’s mouth through gritted teeth, and he could feel the tension in the air rising even as the others watched worriedly.

Before anything else could start, however, a voice cut through between them.

“Honey.”

And just like that, the air between them softened.

Juniper Arc looked softly at her husband as she laid a comforting hand on Jaune’s shoulder.

“Jaune will go.”

“But-” Nicholas started, but Juniper was already shaking her head at him before looking towards Jaune.

“He will be careful, won’t he?”

“I will.” Jaune nodded, looking thankfully at his mother who could only smile wryly at him.

“Good boy.”

Her hand rose up to ruffle his hair, and so grateful was he for her defusing the situation that he let her do so without complaint.

Juniper Arc nodded in satisfaction at that before turning towards one other person.

“Winter, please take care of my son.” 

Winter froze, before nodding politely.

“I will, ma’am. He will be returned safe and sound.”

“Thank you, that’s all I can ask for.”

“Now if you will excuse us.” Winter nodded as she looked expectantly at him.

Jaune could only nod stiffly, however, before turning back towards his lovers.

“I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Of course.” Pyrrha smiled, giving him a peck on the cheek before stepping back to make room for Blake.

“I’ll see you soon, Jaune. Promise to take me out on a date during the festival?” 

He laughed at that, embracing the Cat Faunus as he planted a kiss on her hair.

“Of course, Blake. I promise we’ll go on a date soon.”

Blake smiled before stepping back for Weiss.

“Oof!” He huffed as small petite hands wrapped around his torso. 

With their height difference, Weiss’ head laid on his chest as she sighed heavily.

“Please don’t accidentally seduce my sister.”

He froze at that, before laughing as he wrapped his own arms around her.

“So it’s okay if I do it intentionally?” He joked, laughing as he planted a kiss on her hair much like he did with Blake earlier.

“Jerk.” Weiss huffed softly, even as a smile crept up her face at that.

Winter, however, had something to say on the matter.

“Perish the thought, Arc. You and I are never going to happen.”

Weiss, however, snorted at that before turning towards her sister. “Never say never, sister, because I distinctly remember saying that before, and look where I am now.”

“Blissful?”

Eyes snapped towards the source, and everyone watched as Blake laughed happily while bumping against Weiss.

“Happy?” Pyrrha added, smiling as she wrapped her arms around Weiss.

At that point, Jaune could not help the grin that crept up his face as they defended him against Weiss’ sister. He also could not help, but quip back as he embraced Weiss again from behind.

“Pretty and about to be married?” He said with a smile on his face to the squeals of his sisters around them.

He watched as Winter blushed, but she only glowed brighter as Weiss embraced his arms back while smiling at her.

“All of the above.”

They watched as Winter blushed, groaned, and ultimately slapped a palm to her face.

“....Can we please just go now?”

They all laughed at that. Never had he thought he would be able to crack Winter Schnee’s cold and hostile demeanor, but here she was, blushing and looking away from them.

Finally deciding to be merciful, he nodded and he watched as she actually breathed a sigh of relief.

“Let’s go.”

And so Jaune Arc went Winter Schnee towards General Ironwood’s flagship.

------

AHHHH, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY EVERYONE!

Anyways, alot has happened this chapter.

To summarize:
1. Roman got tortured as Ironwood becomes desperate for answers, wants to talk with Jaune Arc.

2. James x Glynda, a guilty pleasure of mine.

3. Wedding planning got delegated to the parents while the kids have to finalize the list of members. (Yang and Cinder currently in consideration, while Ruby is still currently in the sidelines.)

4. Future date with Blake is set. (I think we all know where this going.)

5. Tension between Jaune and his father (Nicholas still thinks of Jaune as a baby but he is a man now.)

6. Jaune x Winter teasing, another guilty pleasure of mine. (Not confirmed if anything between them will materialize, but I am working on making them at least amicable with each other. The teasing is vital to it.)

Next up: Roman and Jaune meet! Secret knowledge not so secret! And a possible surprise appearance!