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Chapter Text

It all started when Beacon changed its menu.

Normally, the Academy was home to well-cooked and varied meals. After all, they were teaching the future defenders of mankind. What harm was there in letting them eat well during their four years of studying?

That was until the sudden change. The Valean council, in their infinite wisdom, decided that Huntsmen-in-training didn't need fine dining and changed the menus soon after the chefs went to look for other prospects. Their official reasoning was that the future Huntsmen needed to be toughened up. After all, official missions could last days if not weeks. If they were spoiled on fine foods now how would they deal with having to subsist on rations later?

The fact that the Vale council was currently facing scrutiny for certain members spending public funds on private mansions had nothing to do with it. Absolutely not.

The students had complained, of course. No one liked the change and Weiss Schnee, of all people, had been the most vocal protestor. Sadly, no amount of protesting in the halls could change facts and, as of three weeks ago, Beacon had officially shifted to a more...basic palate. Meatloaf with mashed potatoes for most days and dessert consisted of either vanilla ice cream or green gelatin.

It was...well, it filled them up, and objectively they knew it could've been way worse, but it was a pretty big blow after what they all got used to. Blake especially had lamented the loss of her beloved tuna and went through lunch like a zombie. Weiss and Ruby had followed after her, silently crying every time they saw the cake corner empty with the bland white ice cream and green jello mocking their unfulfilled sweet tooths. Yang, Blake, Nora, and even Ren seemed depressed about the whole thing too, though they did their best to keep their spirits up.

Jaune couldn't claim to be anyone special, especially not by the standards of Huntsmen, but one thing he wasn't was a guy who'd stand by and let his friends be so sad. So he made plans. He might not have had training, but he was a guy who grew up in the middle of seven sisters without a single one knowing how to cook. He and his mom shared the role of the family chef and he was gonna put all those years of training to good use.

And so he woke up bright and early to prepare. Despite the lack of quality meals in recent days, the ingredients to make better ones were actually still there. As part of their official stance on toughening up the students, the kitchens were open to anyone who wanted to make their own meals. Surprisingly, not a single person decided to take up the silent offer. As he found out later, Huntsmen specialized in almost exclusively to skills like fighting and weapon maintenance. Making anything more than a sandwich was alien to them.

Jaune worked all throughout the day. He'd left a note back in the room that he had a 'family thing' going on so no one would come looking and spoil the surprise. Just the thought of his friends smiling as they finally had a decent meal for the first time in weeks made him smile. Sure, they could eat something decent down on Vale on the weekends, but there was nothing quite like a home-cooked meal. He knew that from experience.

Preparing the veritable feast took all day, mostly because he had to make personalized meals for all of them. He didn't mind. Seven sisters, all of whom had varied tastes, meant Jaune had a lot of experience. They got around the variety by only having one person's favorite food for that day and then another favorite, himself included, till they ran out the week. Thank the Brothers that April and May had the same tastes.

He made it just in time for dinner. Jaune grinned and loaded up the cart full of food, making sure to cover the meals and desserts with a lid. No sense on strangers trying to grab something before he made it to the table.

He cleaned himself up quickly and pushed the cart when he got a message from Pyrrha that they were all in the dining room and asking if he'd join them. He responded in the affirmative and made his way there.

The miasma of misery hanging over the dining room was palpable. Weeks of mediocre food had driven just about every student to a depression so fierce that the Emerald Forest had become overpopulated with Grimm as a result. His friends weren't any better with Ruby in particular frowning like someone had kicked Zwei. Even Nora's normal cheerfulness was gone with even Ren's pancakes unable to salvage it.

Hopefully, his effort would brighten up their day.

Students stopped eating and turned to follow him as he pushed the cart loaded with food to their usual table. Blake was the first to notice and looked up at him, brows raised as she stopped picking at her untouched (and painfully dry) meatloaf. The rest of his friends followed her gaze and they all looked at him with varying degrees of curiosity as he finally arrived.

"Hope everyone's hungry!"

Jaune pulled back the lid and watched with some pride as his friends' eyes bugged out of their heads at the veritable feast of food presented to them. Some of them like Ruby, Blake, and even Weiss had outright drooled at the sight of the freshly cooked meals laden in the trays.

"Is...Is that for us...?" Ruby whispered, looking up at him with her wide silver eyes full of hope.

"Yep," he said, popping the P, "Hope I got everyone's favorite." He set the plates down in front of them. Chicken cordon bleu with dijon cheese sauce and mac and cheese for Ruby; spicy country fried steak dripping with gravy with a side of fries for Yang; tuna melt sandwiches and chips for Blake; salmon fillets with cranberry sauce for Weiss; a finely prepared veggie pastitsio for Pyrrha; Shoyu ramen for Ren; and an entire tower of glazed beef for Nora. For himself, he went for a classic ham and cheese sandwich, though he made sure to add some flair from an old family recipe.

It wasn't just his friends looking now. Practically everyone in the cafeteria was looking on in envy at the meals team RWBY and JNPR were given. A few of them he recognized like team CRDL and even team CFVY. The fashionista leader of the second-year team looked at the veritable feast they had then looked back at the dry meatloaf and bland mashed potatoes on her tray before she cursed under her breath.

Jaune had to admit, it felt kind of good being looked at so enviously. It wasn't something he was used to considering his combat performance.

"Oh, and don't forget to leave room for dessert." The next lid was removed and Ruby broke down into happy tears at the sight of the chocolate strawberry cheesecake. Weiss nearly did the same at the sight of the tiramisu cake next to Ruby's dessert. She'd cried about missing her cake butler just a week into their new menu so it was probably a relief for her.

The looks of envy had turned downright violent now. A few of the students looked like they were tempted to charge at their table to try and take even a scrap of the food for themselves, but the protective glares everyone had was enough to make them back down. Their teams already had a reputation and no one was willing to test their luck when food was on the line.

Elsewhere in the Emerald Forest, the teachers culling the Grimm population suddenly found their workload increasing as the sudden spike in negative feelings called in more enemies.

"Wh-What's the occasion?" Weiss asked, eyes never leaving the food in front of her.

"Oh, nothing. Just thought you guys could use some cheering up." He shrugged, "Dig in!"

They all waited till he sat down before digging in like starving men in the desert. Seeing the looks of utter joy and satisfaction on their faces was worth all the hours of cooking he had to do.

He just didn't know how satisfied they were.

Ruby had to hold back a choked cry at the taste of the food. It brought back vague memories of the time she and Yang were kids. Yang had to be the one to try and cook for her after Dad...shut down with grief. The food tasted so bad for those first couple of years, but she still remembered smiling because of how much love Yang put into every single thing she made. It was the same feeling Jaune put into the food she was eating now.

Yang remembered the meals mom cooked for them before her last mission. After she died, she always had to be there for Ruby. When was the last time someone cooked for her, she wondered. Even after Dad came back to his senses, he was never the best chef. Meals in the Xiao Long household were more often than not bought outside or anything they could scrounge together. Was it so bad that she wanted to be spoiled?

Blake felt like she was twelve years old again. A time before she'd severed her relationship with her parents because she thought they didn't have what it took to fight for equality. For the next five years with the White Fang, she'd eaten nothing but MREs and rations. Even when she'd arrived at Beacon, the food felt artificial. Biting into the sandwich, Blake felt like she was home again.

Weiss couldn't even remember a time someone had cooked for her without having to be paid a salary. Meals in the Schnee manor were spent in isolation. The few times they ate as a family were only when they had guests over and had to keep up appearances. Even that stopped after her thirteenth birthday when her mom spent days drinking herself to oblivion in the garden and her father stopped even pretending he cared about them. The meal made her think of what could have been.

Pyrha almost forgot herself. At that moment, she wasn't Pyrrha Nikos, the four-time Mistral regional tournament champion that had to keep to a strict and meticulous diet. Instead, she was Pyrrha Nikos, a normal girl who just received a meal cooked with love and affection from the boy who held her heart. It was almost enough to make her grab him by the collar and pull him into a kiss, to tell him exactly how she felt.

Ren remembered his childhood. Before he met Nora and his village was lost to the Nuckalavee, his parents always made time for them to spend meals as a family. Mom taught him how to cook from an early age and while he enjoyed doing so in the years he'd spent with Nora, there was something comforting about the meal Jaune had offered. It reminded him of a better time. A more innocent time before the horrors of the Grimm had torn his family away from him.

Nora thought the food was good.

While most of his friends were going through their epiphanies, Jaune just continued to eat his sandwich blissfully unaware.

Their almost religious experiences continued as they dug into their desserts. All the weeks of suffering felt like it was worth it for just this one moment of happiness. So what if they had to suffer for almost a month, they thought. Jaune's meals were more than worth that price.

Only for their hopes to come crashing down at Jaune's next words.

"Man, I hope you guys enjoyed that cause I'm never doing it again." Jaune laughed.

They all froze at that. Well, all except Nora who figured that was the case anyway. They all looked at him as one in varying stages of disbelief that the blonde was somehow unaware of, "N-Never...?" Blake asked. It was probably the first time since the start of the year that she'd actually talked to Jaune.

"Well...not really never. Maybe during special occasions?" He shrugged, continuing to dig into his blueberry pie, "Doing this took me the whole day. I won't have time to do anything else if I'm cooking up feasts. I just wanted to cheer you guys up."

"B-But..." Ruby's mouth curled in a shaky frown and she looked at the discarded pile of meatloaf and mashed potatoes off to the side. Was Jaune saying that they had to go back to that starting tomorrow? It was so cruel, they all (sans Nora) thought. He'd given them a taste of paradise and now he was just going to yank it away! It would've been more merciful if he never showed them what could have been.

The joy they felt had sapped away, replaced with the understanding that their taste of paradise was just that - a taste. Tomorrow they would go back to being part of the miserable horde of students that only survived rather than truly lived.

The next day came with no small amount of frustration. True to his word, Jaune didn't cook up another feast and they had to make do with the Sunday special of beans with two pieces of cornbread and some rice. They felt like prisoners in the school. Even ordering food from the outside didn't help them. Jaune's food had ravaged their taste buds and now even the food they bought felt like they were eating stale crackers.

It was with this frustration that both teams RWBY and JNPR went to the gym. Working out felt better amongst friends and at least the exercise would keep them from thinking of what they'd lost.

The frustration was enough for one Yang Xiao Long to overexert herself. So angry was she at the loss of future home-cooked meals that she actually pulled a muscle on her back, "Ah, damn it..." She set down the weights she was lifting and sat up, wincing as she rubbed her back. Aura would heal it in a day or two, but damn if it wasn't annoying to deal with till then.

"What's wrong?" Blake asked from across her.

"Pulled a muscle. Guess I took a little more than I can handle." She winced again.

"I can help with that," Jaune said suddenly. Yang looked up at the other blonde in surprise before her gaze quickly shifted to Pyrrha. The redheaded champion's expression suddenly took on a note of panic and she looked like she was going to say something before she suddenly clamped her mouth shut, "If it's a pulled muscle then I should be able to fix it quickly."

"How are you gonna do that?"

"My Semblance."

That got him a look from everyone sans Pyrrha, who instead looked away guiltily. Huh, looked like Cereal Girl was holding out, "You unlocked your Semblance?! What is it?!" Ruby asked excitedly.

"Uh...probably better if I just show you guys? Yang, can I...?"

"Sure. Just don't get grabby." Yang turned around and sat up a bit straighter as Jaune walked behind her. She trusted his hands not to wander despite her warnings. Whatever he was gonna do had better be good, she thought.

The next moment felt like she was in the clouds.

Yang groaned in shameless relief as Jaune set his hands on her back. His palms glowed with white energy and already Yang felt the aches from the pulled muscle fading away. The feeling only got better when Jaune started massaging her back. It wasn't really needed since the Semblance, whatever it was, was enough, but it was most definitely appreciated.

"Aura transfer? That's a relatively rare Semblance," Weiss said. Despite her words, she looked on jealously at the pampering Yang was getting. And she wasn't the only one. The rest of the group looked like they wanted to switch places with her. Ha, too bad. Jaune was massaging her now.

"Where'd you learn this stuff?" Yang asked, eyes closed as she relaxed.

"Well, I've been doing it for Pyrrha ever since she started teaching me some stuff. Been doing it for...a couple of months, I think?" All of their looks went from Yang to Pyrrha. Cereal Girls' face suddenly flushed pink and she refused to look them in the eye. Oh, so she was holding out on them, huh? Pretty sneaky, Yang thought. Then again, why wouldn't she want Jaune's magic hands all for herself?

Sadly, the massage only lasted a few minutes before he stopped. She almost lied about still being in pain when he asked, but she held off. Lying would just make her look bad and then she could kiss him and his magic hands goodbye.

Yang's thoughts stayed on her fellow blonde as they made their way back to their dorm rooms. In just two days she found out he was an amazing chef and could give a killer massage. Besides that, he'd definitely bulked up from the scrawny noodle wearing a onesie during their first night here. Now he was a guy with muscles for days wearing a onesie. That and he stopped flirting with Weiss, which made him less cringy to be around.

Now that she thought about it, Jaune wasn't a bad catch, was he? Sure he wasn't the best in a fight, but so what? He was nice, he was working hard to improve, and he even laughed at one of her puns! That plus him being an amazing chef and masseuse. He was definitely more of a catch than some meathead like Cardin, at least. She still grimaced remembering how he tried to flirt with her that first week before she shut him down.

And so it was that Yang made a choice.

"I'm gonna seduce Jaune."

The announcement was made without warning in team RWBY's dorm. It definitely got a reaction from the rest of the team. Ruby jumped up in her seat and looked at Yang with wide, shocked eyes. Weiss did the same, though she tried in vain to make herself look more composed. Blake's eyes narrowed instead and she pursed her lips, almost but not quite glaring at her partner.

"Wh-What?" Ruby sputtered.

"I'm gonna seduce Jaune," Yang said again.

"Why?!" Ruby shouted back.

"Why not?" Yang shrugged, "He's cute, he's really bulked up, and we're both single. Plus, he's not pining after Weisscream anymore so it's not like there's a problem."

"Excuse me?" Weiss huffed.

"What? You couldn't wait for him to stop trying to woo you." Yang raised a brow.

"That may be so, but-"

"I know what you're doing," Blake cut in, voice quiet and sharp as a knife. Her partner stood up from her bed and looked down at where Yang sat, "You're only doing this because you think that if you date Jaune then he'll give you massages and cook for you whenever you want."

"I wouldn't say no if he offered." Yang shrugged again. Hey, it wasn't like she was gonna be all-take-and-no-give here. She could teach him a thing or two herself like knowing how to throw a punch or how to ride a motorcycle. And if Jaune decided to show his appreciation with meals and massages? Well, it would've been rude of her to refuse, wouldn't it?

"You're exploiting him." Weiss hissed and stood up too.

"You see me putting a gun to his head?" Yang scoffed, "Besides, don't act like you weren't eyeing him up either."

"That's different." Weiss shook her head, "If I wanted to use Jaune's talents - and I'm not saying I am - I would do so by offering him a fair wage, not doing so under the pretense of being in love with him!"

"Who said anything about being in love, Weisscream? I'm asking him out. not proposing marriage here. You do know dating's a thing as normal folk do, right?"

"Of course I-"

"No!" Ruby suddenly cut in, voice high despite her attempts to look fierce. She looked more cute than fearsome, "J-Jaune's my best friend and I'm not letting any of you take advantage of him!" She stomped her foot. Again, it was more adorable than anything, "And...if anyone's gonna be dating him, it's me! We're best friends and you guys are only interested in him now cause he can do stuff for you! It's selfish!"

"And I'm sure you suddenly deciding you want to date him after seeing what he can do is a complete coincidence." Weiss rolled her eyes, "Yes, I admit that I would be happy with Jaune's services, but I'm offering him something material. The wage he'd receive would be more than generous considering what I'm asking for."

"Well, I think it's best if he helps me out instead," Blake said, "A Human and a Faunus coming together? What better image of equality is there than that? And if any of you disagree, then you're clearly racist."

"...Alright, Kit Kat, I think you need to lay off the catnip before going to bed." Yang turned to Ruby, "Look, Rubes, why don't we just...share the guy?" Mistral had legalized polygamy, and while Vale didn't, it was an open secret that many Huntsmen had a far more relaxed stance on monogamy. A life of danger and fighting Grimm meant not a lot of Huntsmen were picky about finding happiness where they could get.

And yet despite insinuations to the contrary, Mom and Raven's relationship with Dad wasn't like that.

"No!" Ruby stamped her foot again, "Jaune's my best friend, and I'm not sharing him with anyone! Besides, you're just offering because you think I can't get him to go out with me by myself!" Yang didn't say it out loud, but it was hard to disagree. She loved Ruby, but the girl knew more about weapons than interpersonal relationships, "Well, it's not happening, Yang! I'm gonna go out with Jaune and you can't steal him from me like you did the last time!"

"Woah, woah! 'Last time'? When the hell did that happen?"

"All my friends back at Signal. Do you know how many of them had crushes on you? It was super annoying!"

"But you didn't like any of them like that!"

"It's the principle of the thing, Yang! The principle!" Ruby crossed her arms, "I'm not just the little sister anymore. I'll show you, I'll go out with Jaune so hard that he won't even think about dating anyone else!"

"Oh yeah?" Yang smiled in challenge, "You wanna bet on that?"

Elsewhere on the other side of Saunus, Qrow suddenly felt a shiver go down his spine. It was the same feeling he had when he first saw a Branwen and a Rose fighting over some blonde doofus. But that was impossible...right?

"Hey, don't act like I'm not here!" Weiss cut in, "Whatever you two are offering, it's nothing compared to the benefits I can give. Between a relationship that could fail and a more practical exchange, I'm sure the choice is clear."

Blake didn't say anything else, though Yang could've sworn she muttered 'racist' under her breath again.

Across the hall, a similar discussion was taking place. Jaune had left to go call his family, leaving the rest of team NPR to sit in silence. The quiet only lasted as long as it took for Ren to suddenly stop his meditation and speak up.

"Nora, we have to seduce Jaune."

Both Nora and Pyrrha jumped up at the normally stoic boy's declaration, the latter in shock and betrayal and the former in slight surprise before she suddenly grinned.

"Sure!"

"Wha- Nora?!" Pyrrha gasped, looking between her two closest friends beside her beloved partner. She'd hoped that they would suddenly reveal that it was all a prank, but Ren continued to look as serious as ever while Nora started rattling off plans without a care, "Are you two serious? Y-You know how I feel about him! How could you..."

"We supported your feelings for Jaune for the past year, Pyrrha," Ren said, sounding oh so calm and measured. Pyrrha hated it, "And yet despite that, and the numerous chances you had, you refuse to simply tell him your feelings." Pyrrha winced, "We're not saying you can't tell him your feelings, but we also won't hold back in trying to claim Jaune for ourselves."

"B-But..."

"Ooh, how about we really lean in on the orphan thing?" Nora asked, "You know, 'poor us, we haven't had love ever since we lost everything'."

"Hm, that could work." Ren nodded, "And it wouldn't be a lie either."

Pyrrha could only look on in silent betrayal as two of her closest friends openly planned to steal the man she loved. She...She had to do something. Tell him her feelings? No, she still couldn't. What if he didn't feel the same? It would ruin everything! But she couldn't just sit idly by and let Jaune be taken from her. She'd find a way for him to confess to her. That would solve everything!

Chapter Text

Ruby Rose was a girl on a mission.

Actually, scratch that. She wasn't a girl: she was a woman. So what if she only turned sixteen a week ago? That didn't matter! She was a kick-butt Huntress who could use a scythe and got into Beacon two years early cause of how awesome she was. Abd so what if she knew more about rifles than interpersonal relationships? That didn't matter! It was pretty much the same principle, right? Find where the right parts fit and know when to hit your target!

She repeated that mantra to herself as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was Ruby Rose, future Huntress! She could ask out a boy super easy!

Taking a deep breath, the leader of team RWBY stepped out of the bathroom with her head held high. The rest of her team - her friends, her second family, those greedy traitors - was hanging around the room. A heavy silence greeted her, the same quiet that had lingered since yesterday when Yang made her plans for Jaune clear. It was dumb. Ruby had the right to be mad considering her older sister was planning to take advantage of her best friend, but what right did Weiss and Blake have? Especially Blake! She'd heard Jaune complain once that she mistook him for Sun.

Well, whatever! She was gonna be the one who'd take Jaune's heart anyway so it didn't matter.

The four of them shuffled out of the room in silence to meet team JNPR in the hall, "Morning," Jaune said with a smile. The same couldn't be said for the rest of team JNPR. Pyrrha's face was set in a painfully neutral expression, and while Ren and Nora were their usual selves, even Ruby could tell something was bubbling underneath the surface.

"Is your back alright, Yang?" Jaune asked as they walked to the dining room.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, all good. All thanks to your magic hands, vo- Jaune." She winked at him and Ruby quietly seethed. Yang never gave up a chance to tease him back then, but now? Oh, now he was suddenly boyfriend material. Hmph.

Breakfast wasn't a fun time. Because of a sudden surge in Grimm in the Emerald Forest, the teachers had to take a couple of days to deal with it, which meant an extended weekend. It also meant they could order food, which came in super quick. For the past three weeks, it was the only break they had from the barrage of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and the only thing that kept them from going insane.

Not anymore. Now, even the burgers they ordered from McDonells tasted like cardboard in her mouth. The rosy reaper let out a soft sob at the taste of stale bread and meat and so did everyone else. Everyone except Jaune and Nora, at least. Jaune looked the same as always while Nora just shrugged and continued eating after a quick pause.

She gave the rest of her friends a sideways glance. All of them were looking at Jaune with the blonde blissfully unaware of the hungry dogs that were after his cooking. Ruby's grip on her burger tightened and she forced herself to keep eating. She needed a full stomach if she was going to save Jaune from their evil clutches. Yes, even team JNPR. She could tell they were planning to steal her bestie away from her too.

Yang opened her mouth, probably to ask him out and start her nefarious plan to seduce him, but Ruby beat her to punch, "Hey, Jaune, the new X-Ray and Vav just came out! We should go check it out!" she said quickly, looking up at him with her big silver eyes. It might've been overkill, but she wasn't willing to leave anything to chance. Not when her friends were acting so greedy.

"Wouldn't miss it, Rubes." Ruby simpered at the nickname and resisted the urge to look smug at the way Yang deflated. As much as Yang was a bombshell party girl, she didn't have the bond she and Jaune shared with their love of 'dorky' stuff. None of them did. So what if Pyrrha was his partner, Weiss was his former crush, or Blake had the best butt in all of Beacon (she bounced a quarter off it once)? She'd still beat them all!

"Ahem, well..." Weiss cut in, voice sharp. Ruby didn't miss the sideway glare the heiress threw her way. Ruby just smiled, sweet as can be, "Jaune, would you mind if we conversed alone later? I have something to discuss."

"Sounds serious, Weisscream. Sure you don't need us to be there for emotional support?" Yang grinned sharply, "That goes for you too, Rubes. I've been thinking of getting into comics. Maybe you and Jaune could help me with it?"

"I'll be fine, thank you," Weiss sniffed.

"Same here. Besides, it's a special tradition we have. Just the team leaders." Ruby grinned back. If she was next to Jaune, she would've hugged his arm protectively. Instead, she just had to playfully kick his foot under the table. It wasn't quite like footsie, and Jaune didn't think it was anything flirtatious since she'd been doing it for months now, but she still felt smug about it.

"Just team leaders? Sounds rather...elitist," Blake said, giving Ruby a very unimpressed look.

"I-I agree, I think we should be allowed to join in as well," Pyrrha cut in, face red despite her determined expression.

"If so, I believe we should also be privy to your and Jaune's sparring sessions," Ren said without missing a beat, "Jaune has improved much in recent months and I'd be interested in testing myself against him, particularly in...unarmed combat."

Pyrrha's eyes widened, "That's not-"

"I agree!" Yang said, cutting Pyrrha's refusal off, "You're really good at fighting, P-Money, but Jaune needs to fight against someone who doesn't use a sword like he does." She eyed Blake and Weiss who were sitting to her left. The two scowled back at her, clearly seeing the comment for what it was, "And I think I should come along to the comic book thing. Never too late to start nerding out."

"Why don't we all go?" Jaune asked, cutting off any possible arguments, "We've got the whole day free so we can do stuff besides reading comics. It's been a while since we all went out as a team."

"Good idea!" Nora grinned, which made her stand out from everyone else glaring at each other. Even Ren. Ruby didn't know he could actually look mad."

Half an hour later and the whole group was at her and Jaune's favorite comic book store. A few of the regulars gave the group of Huntsmen-in-training sideways glances and Ruby gnashed her teeth in frustration. This was supposed to be her time with Jaune, darn it! Going out to read the newest comic issues was a tradition of theirs since the second week of school. And now everyone was muscling in.

She kept close to Jaune the whole time they were there, but it didn't help. Every time she tried to get in the right mood - because there was no way she'd spring asking him out on a date so casually - the rest of her friends would butt in and ruin it. The blooming Rose growled and came up with plans. The store had a lounge area where people could stay and read the comics they bought. She and Jaune usually hung around there for an hour or two.

And now they were ruining that too. Ruby silently glowered at the sight of Yang and Pyrrha taking up his right and left, respectively, while the rest of their group sat around as close as they could. And leaving her no place to sit down. The sight of it made her mad. It was bad enough that they were trying to exploit Jaune - except for Pyrrha, but she was still an enemy - but now they were ruining their team leader bestie time.

Not on her watch.

Ruby's lips curled up in a smug little smile and she walked with a purpose to the couch Jaune, Pyrrha, and Yang were sitting on. Jaune was already reading and paid her no kind, but both Pyrrha and Yang looked up at her approach. They probably thought she'd ask them to move so she could take their place.

They were wrong.

Ruby's little smile turned into a wide grin when she shamelessly plopped herself down on Jaune's lap. The reaction was immediate. Jaune made a sound of surprise and looked down at the adorable rose sitting right on top of him while the rest of her friends mirrored his shock. Weiss was absolutely steaming, her graphic novel (heathen...) crumpled in her hands. Ren and Blake managed to look calm for the most part, but their eyes narrowed dangerously. Nora just laughed and clapped her hands, not at all caring about what she just did.

But the worst was definitely Yang and Pyrrha. Her big sis looked both annoyed and impressed at the sheer audacity while Pyrrha...she was smiling, but Ruby could see the absolute murder in her eyes. A part of her was tempted to stick her tongue out and taunt her, but she reined it in. No need to be a jerk about it.

"Ruby, what-"

"Needed to find a place to sit." She leaned back and looked up at Jaune with a sweet smile, eyes wide and shining. The position forced him to raise his arms over her in a protective embrace to keep both hands on the new issue, "Besides, we're reading the same comic anyway, right? Let's just read it together."

Play to your strengths. That was something Uncle Qrow always told her. She wasn't as strong or durable as Yang, so she always focused on range and speed. Now she was using her position as his bestie to her full advantage. Well, that and being fun-sized. Yang always teased her about being so short. Who was laughing now, Yang? She and Pyrrha couldn't sit on Jaune's lap!

"A-Are you sure, Ruby? It looks...uncomfortable." Pyrrha's hands clenched into shaky fists.

"I'm sure," Ruby chirped, "Besides, this way we can share food too." She pulled out a pack of cookies from her skirt and pressed one of the cookies against his lips. Jaune was too stunned to refuse and, after another insistent push, he opened his mouth and accepted the offering, "Do you like it? I made them myself." Because she wasn't selfish or only cared about Jaune because he could cook and give massages.

"Yeah, it's really good." Jaune nodded and smiled, already growing comfortable with her being on his lap. They just fit together like that. Like peanut butter and jelly, or a scythe and a high-impact anti-materiel rifle.

She couldn't ask Jaune out, not with everyone still so close by to interrupt, but it also meant that all they could do was watch in seething quiet as she and Jaune read a comic and she kept feeding him cookies. A part of her felt smug being so close, but another part felt bad. Even if they were all her rivals now, they were still her friends - and, in Yang's case, actual family.

She resolved to make it up to them once she and Jaune were dating.

In the meantime, Ruby did her best to cozy up to Jaune. Feeding him, leaning back on his big chest, and even h-holding his hand whenever she wanted to linger on a specific page. All while still sitting on his lap and giving him a front-row seat to the rubooty.

Heh, booty...

No, focus! She wasn't an immature girl with a crush. She was a woman who was leveraging all her assets in order to achieve the optimal result. Across from her, Weiss glared, like she knew Ruby had totally stolen that from her.

Ruby was all smiles the entire time they were there, blissfully ignoring the miasma of misery hanging over the group that drove every other customer out for fear of their lives.

Weiss wasn't used to losing.

Okay, so maybe she had the worst win-loss record in solo fights among her team, but that wasn't what she meant. She was a Schnee, and that name came with expectations. Father was a cold man and he had high standards. Any mistake they made, even those expected of children, was a slight against both him and the Schnee name. She, Winter, and Whitley had been pushed to perfection as soon as they could walk. She couldn't even remember a time she'd ever actually been a child.

Which was why she felt the most deserving of Jaune's skills. From a young age, her diet had been strictly controlled. Always something healthy and perfectly cooked from some kind of catalog on what would help her develop the best. Foods that would enhance her memory, keep her figure, improve her eyesight; always something that would have a net benefit. While some of them were tasty, they were also painfully boring. The same designated foods every day ever since she was seven. The last chef that tried to surprise her was let go without severance pay.

Klein and Sacha, her cake butler, tried to sneak her treats every now and then, but it was only at Beacon where she truly had variety. And even that was taken from her. The students had to suffer because of greedy old men and women that always wanted more and more. She'd complained, of course, but eventually she resolved to deal with it and stomach the horrible change in diet. She was a Schnee, she would survive.

And then Jaune gave her a taste of paradise.

She grit her teeth and slammed her locker with just a little more force than necessary. The two teams had chosen to go to the gym and take advantage of Pyrrha no longer having an exclusive right to train Jaune. Well, she said team, but their varied weaponry meant that Yang had somehow convinced Jaune that he needed to return to the basics and start with unarmed training. Pyrrha was quick to pipe up that she had unarmed training as well, but then Yang and, unbelievably, Ren had shamed her into backing down by claiming Jaune needed a variety of sparring partners.

And so it was that she could only seeth as Yang shamelessly pressed and rubbed herself up against him in the guise of training. Yes, Xiao Long, she saw how exactly where his head went during those 'grapples' or how his face 'just to happened' to press against her abs during their attempts at wrestling. The blonde dragon was utterly shameless and made absolutely no attempt to be subtle at all. Jaune's blushes at the intimate contact only seemed to embolden her.

Even more shameful was Ren. She'd always held a quiet respect for the Mistralian youth, but the sight of him taking off his shirt and justifying it as 'ease of movement' made her seriously re-think her stance on him. It was even worse when he somehow convinced Jaune to do the same, leaving her and the rest of the girls to watch as two sweaty, half-naked men grunted, grappled, and pressed against one another. Nora was drooling while Blake had a nosebleed.

It was extremely hot- disturbing! But not because she had a problem with two men being in a romantic relationship, she wasn't a bigot! It was because Ren was clearly Jaune's naivete for his own benefit. They all were. She was different. While she wanted his skills for her herself, she was also willing to offer material benefits. A very good salary and job security that would last him decades.

All she had to do was convince him that being her personal chef was a better option than being a Huntsman...

She was the first to finish their after-training shower and waited around outside of the locker room. She had it on good knowledge that he was always the first to come out. Living with seven siblings for most of his life had taught him how to be quick. Weiss was usually one of the slowest alongside Yang, but today was an exception. The situation was serious enough that she'd forced herself to forgo her usual rituals, and even then she felt filthy without her usual coating of vanilla lotion and subtle make-up.

"Jaune, we need to talk," she said as soon as he stepped out of the locker room. He jumped up slightly in surprise, which only convinced her more of how right she was. He was most definitely improving, but Jaune seemed more the type to be at home providing for a family than out in the frontier fighting Grimm. Really, she was doing him a favor. A guaranteed career that would last him decades? Many would kill for a chance!

And it wasn't as if she would stop him from being a Huntsman. She was planning to run the SDC primarily but she still planned to be a Huntress in her spare time. He could do the same thing.

"Something wrong?" He blinked worriedly.

"Not quite. Come walk with me." She didn't want anyone else interrupting, "Have you considered your future career prospects?"

"I mean...aren't we all training to be Huntsmen?"

"Yes, but not every Huntsman does the same thing. Many take contracts, true, but others turn to teaching, bodyguard work, working directly for the council, or even settling down in some village as their local protector. Have you thought of your own path?"

"Uh, I mean...not really." He rubbed the back of his head, suddenly looking surprised and somewhat ashamed, "I always figured I'd take contracts. Like you said, it's what most people do, right?"

"I suppose." She rounded the corner so they could step out to the courtyard. The open air would distract from the fact that she didn't feel as pristine as she normally did, "In my case, I'm planning to go back to Atlas in order to take the reins of the SDC. It will be a while before Father officially retires, of course, but I'll need to know how to run the business."

"Sounds rough."

"Indeed." She nodded, "Would you perhaps be interested in joining me?"

Jaune stopped. Weiss did the same and looked up at him with an unyielding gaze, "Wh-What?" He coughed, "Sorry, could you clarify?"

"I'm looking to hire you." It was best to get straight to the point when it came to situations like this, "You have skills that many would consider valuable and I'm interested in 'snatching you up early', so to speak. Father always told me about the value of investments." She smiled wryly.

"But why me? What about the rest of your team? Or Ren, Nora, or Pyrrha?"

"They have set paths. Blake wishes to help Faunus everywhere, Yang wants to explore Remnant, and Ruby will go to where people need her the most. As for the rest of team JNPR, I'll make the same offers to them down the line." She wouldn't actually offer, but it would put him at ease to think that, "So what do you think? Is that something you'd be interested in?"

"I...I dunno." He shook his head, "It's kind of a big think to think about."

"Hm. Perhaps we could discuss this later tonight? Maybe over dinner?"

"Sure...?" He looked uncertain. Time to press the advantage.

"Shall we meet down in Vale then? It will be my treat."

"Wait, you don't have to do that." His uncertainty was replaced by guilt, "Why don't we just have dinner here? I can cook." Those three words nearly made her stomach flip. She hoped he would offer. It was almost too good to be true, "Maybe we can meet in the cafeteria after everyone's done eating? Make sure not to eat too much. I'll be making dessert too." He gave her that goofy grin of his.

"That sounds lovely," she practically purred, already imagining the food he'd be cooking up, "Oh, but keep it a secret from everyone else, hm? This is technically a business meeting, after all."

"My lips are sealed."

Weiss was in a good mood for the rest of the day. Yang and Blake were suspicious, of course, but any attempts to question her were met with failure. She even made sure to attend dinner with the rest of them in order not to arouse suspicion. They didn't even question her lack of appetite. It wasn't as if the meatloaf had gotten any better.

She didn't return to their room. Instead, she'd elected to go to the library and study, slowly counting down the minutes until the designated meeting time Jaune had texted her. Finally, she could taste paradise once more. And if she played her cards right then she could have Jaune's gifts all to herself for the foreseeable future. Of course, she wouldn't be above sharing with her friends, but Jaune would be hers.

The thought of it made her drift off. She imagined herself older. More experienced and battle-hardened, but still carrying her refined beauty. She imagined a scene of herself coming back from a long day of dealing with the board of directors only to be met with Jaune smiling and offering her a meal he'd cooked especially for her. She'd relish in the taste of a home-cooked meal after such a hard day of work and then Jaune would offer to give her a message, all while telling her she deserved it for redeeming the Schnee name.

She was so lost in her fantasies that she almost missed the silent alarm from her scroll. Weiss snapped the textbook shut and returned it to its proper place before practically skipping down the halls to the cafeteria. A home-cooked meal just for her. She deserved this for all her hard work.

Weiss opened the doors to the cafeteria and her smile immediately fell at the sight that greeted her. There was Jaune, the meal he'd meticulously prepared...and Ruby. Her traitorous partner was sitting next to her future personal butler with her mouth wide open as he fed her a slice of her cheesecake with a fork. Something inside Weiss snapped worse than when she caught Neptune flirting with other women and it took everything she had not to summon a glyph to launch the greedy reaper straight through the roof.

"Jaune..." Weiss grit her teeth.

"Hey, Weiss," Jaune greeted back without any shame. And why would he? It wasn't him that betrayed her. Oh no, it was her oh-so-innocent partner, "Ruby caught me when I was cooking up tonight's dinner and, well, I owed her for the cookies she made earlier. You don't mind, right?"

"Of...Of course not." She glared daggers at her partner, who only simpered back in smug satisfaction.

"More cheesecake, Jaune~" Ruby demanded cutely.

"Right, right." He rolled his eyes playfully and offered her another slice of the confection that was supposed to be just for her. Weiss took a seat opposite Jaune and seethed, swearing to make Ruby pay for what she did.

"Jaune? Are you asleep? Jaaauuunnnneee~"

Ruby looked down at her sleeping guy bestie and grinned. Everyone was asleep, which gave her the chance to slip out of her room and into team JNPR's. She didn't want to sneak around like this, but it was clear that playing fair wouldn't work. If she didn't catch Jaune going to the kitchen, Weiss might've already tricked him into being one of her butlers. If she was gonna save her guy bestie then she'd have to take drastic measures.

Ruby leaned down closer. Hypnotizing Jaune wasn't exactly the first thing she'd wanted to do, but desperate times called for desperate measures. And it wasn't like she was doing something bad or anything. It was just...a nudge. Yeah, a nudge. She did the same thing to Weiss, Yang, and Blake so they'd spend more time with her. She removed the hypnosis already, but it was nice while it lasted.

"Mmm...I love you most of all...Pumpkin Pete..." he mumbled.

Ruby giggled, "Listen closely. You want to be Ruby's boyfriend."

"Huh...? But...we're best friends...and I-"

"No, no. You're not just best friends. You want to be together-together with her and do all the boyfriend and girlfriend stuff!"

"I do...? But that means-"

"And then you're going to tell everyone that the two of you are together, complete with matching outfits! You're going to wake up tomorrow and announce it to all of Beaco-"

"...What are you doing?"

Ruby froze mid-order and slowly turned around only to find herself face-to-face with Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren. All three awake members of team JNPR were glaring down at her and even through the darkness she could see everything metal around the room being tested just from how angry Pyrrha was. Ruby let out a small, nervous laugh and looked up at them with a forced smile.

"Don't suppose you three are willing to look the other way."

Pyrrha grabbed her by the neck.

When Jaune woke up the next day, it was to the aftermath of the quietest brawl in Beacon's history. The entire room had been trashed, which his friends told him was because someone tried to steal from their room. Even worse, Ruby sleepwalked last night and fell down the stairs a dozen times, meaning she had to stay in the clinic for the next couple of days. He felt so bad for her.

Pyrrha did too. She was right there next to him when he visited and was all smiles as she reminded Ruby not to be so clumsy in the future. It was so nice to see the two being such good friends.

Chapter Text

Yang stood alone in the team's dorm room, the soft glow of the mirror's light reflecting off the sheer fabric of her clubbing outfit. The tight, low-cut black top clung to her in all the right places, and the skirt – short enough to make Weiss faint – highlighted the strong curve of her hips. Her signature golden locks cascaded down her back in thick, perfect waves, catching the light like spun sunshine. She adjusted the neckline a little lower, smirking at her reflection.

"Alright, Blondie," Yang whispered, striking a pose and flexing one arm to check the tone in her biceps, "You're a total knockout. Absolute weapon of mass seduction." She laughed to herself at the wordplay. The puns would be the slam dunk to this whole thing.

She gave herself a wink, turning to the side and running a hand down her hip, letting out a low whistle at the way the skirt swayed with the movement. If Jaune wasn't practically drooling by the time she walked into the cafeteria, then Beacon's entire population of guys must have been blind.

"Seriously, why's this even a competition?" she muttered to herself, fluffing her hair with both hands as she struck another pose, "Ruby's cute and all, but she's, like, a walking puppy. Weiss? Please, she probably sends Jaune invoices for emotional support. And Blake? Pfft." Yang smirked wider, rolling her eyes, "Blake's hot, sure, but moody catgirl chic's not for everyone. Jaune's a guy – and what guy doesn't wanna hang with the fun, sexy blonde?" She gave her reflection finger guns, tongue clicking behind her teeth, "Bam. Instant girlfriend material."

This wasn't even her full power. This was just the casual clubbing outfit. If this didn't work, she had The Dress in the closet – the one she only pulled out for extreme emergencies or breaking hearts at Signal back when she used to crash their parties.

As she twisted, checking every possible angle, Yang flexed one more time, eyes narrowing with satisfaction. Jaune wouldn't stand a chance. Pyrrha could be Miss Mistral four years running and Ruby could hog his lap with her puppy-dog eyes, but in the end, raw, untamed sex appeal would win out. And who was hotter than her?

"Yang Xiao Long," she declared, smoothing out the front of her top, "future girlfriend of Jaune Arc." She struck another pose, tilting her head slightly, "I mean...why wouldn't he want me?" she said aloud, one brow quirking thoughtfully as her reflection held her gaze, "I'm the whole package. Killer looks. Fun personality. Strong. Can punch a Nevermore in the face and still look good doing it."

Jaune liked strong girls, didn't he? He followed Pyrrha around like a lost puppy for months, and Yang definitely had more muscle than Pyrrha in the right places. Plus, she had better hair. No contest. She smirked.

Her gaze dipped slightly, looking at the hem of the skirt. Okay, maybe it was a little much for a casual visit to the cafeteria, but this was war. The others weren't pulling any punches, so why should she, "Alright, Jaune," Yang whispered, running a finger along the neckline of her top, "You're about to experience the full force of the Yang Xiao Long charm offensive. May the best girl win."

She spun on her heel, grabbing her jacket as she flung it over one shoulder. She didn't bother buttoning it up – the whole point was to show off, not cover up.

The rest of her team wasn't back from their library study session yet. Ruby was still recovering from her "sleepwalking accident," and Blake and Weiss were too busy plotting their next moves to pay attention to her. Perfect timing.

As Yang stepped toward the door, she grinned to herself, picturing Jaune's inevitable reaction. His jaw would drop. Pyrrha would glare. Ruby would pout. Weiss would huff and try to act like she wasn't jealous. And Blake? Blake would probably just keep reading her book – but even she'd sneak a glance.

"Time to remind Jaune why blondes have more fun," Yang purred, shutting the door behind her.

The cafeteria was as bleak as ever. The Vale council's cost-cutting measures were evident in every dry bite of the uninspired meals. Students hunched over their trays, quietly lamenting their fates, their spirits crushed by the relentless monotony of meatloaf and green gelatin. It was an atmosphere of shared misery, thick enough to attract Grimm if anyone dared to express their frustration too loudly.

But then the doors to the cafeteria swung open with a flourish, and Yang Xiao Long strode in like she owned the place.

Heads turned. Conversations trailed off mid-sentence. The dim, hopeless energy shifted, like a cloud parting to let through a single beam of golden light. Yang's heels clicked confidently against the tiled floor, her jacket slung over her shoulder to perfectly frame the killer outfit she'd spent a good thirty minutes perfecting. She smirked as she caught the stares.

'Yeah, that's right, people. Drink it in.'

Most of the students immediately looked away, trying to focus on their sad trays of meat and potatoes before the simmering collective jealousy got out of hand. A few braver souls kept staring, jaws slack as Yang sauntered through the room like it was a runway.

Her eyes zeroed in on her target: Jaune Arc, sitting at their usual table with an untouched tray of food in front of him. He was chatting with Ren, who, surprisingly, seemed to be eating his meal without complaint, and Nora, who was making a valiant effort to animate the mood with a story that involved wild hand gestures and the occasional explosion sound effect. Pyrrha sat nearby, occasionally glancing at Jaune with an expression that screamed "conflicted crush," while Blake and Weiss were notably absent - probably still scheming.

Perfect. No Ruby to cling to him like a barnacle, no Weiss to swoop in with her 'generous offers.'

Yang's smirk widened, and she made her move.

"Hey, Vom- uh, Jaune!" she called, loud enough for most of the room to hear. A couple of heads turned in confusion, but she didn't care. Her voice carried all the confidence of someone who knew she'd already won.

Jaune looked up, startled, and then smiled sheepishly, "Hey, Yang. Uh, didn't you say you were going to take it easy today after yesterday's workout?"

She waved him off as if the question was beneath her, "Eh, I heal fast. Besides, I've got something way more fun planned tonight, and you're coming with me."

Nora raised an eyebrow, intrigued, while Ren continued eating as if nothing unusual was happening. Pyrrha, on the other hand, looked like she'd just been slapped with a fish. Her eyes flicked between Yang and Jaune, trying to process what was happening.

"Uh...fun?" Jaune repeated, clearly trying to keep up.

"Yeah, the club in Vale," Yang said, stopping in front of him and planting a hand on the table. She leaned in slightly, giving him a perfect view of her smirk - and, not coincidentally, the neckline of her top, "Music, dancing, drinks - you, me, and a night to remember. What do you say?"

Jaune blinked, completely caught off guard, "Wait, like...a nightclub?"

"That's the one," she said, standing up straight again and flipping her hair over her shoulder. The golden waves shimmered under the harsh cafeteria lighting, making her look like a goddess descending to mingle with mere mortals, "I've been meaning to check it out, and I figured I'd bring my favorite partner in crime."

"I...uh..." Jaune hesitated, scratching the back of his head. He looked genuinely torn, glancing at Pyrrha as if seeking permission, which only made Yang's grin widen.

"Great!" she said before he could muster an actual response. She clapped him on the shoulder, the force of it almost making him drop his fork, "I knew you'd be up for it. You're always up for an adventure."

"Wait, I didn't actually - "

"I'll meet you down there," Yang interrupted breezily, already turning on her heel, "Be ready by eight. And wear something nice, okay? No onesies."

She sauntered away before Jaune could protest, her hips swaying just enough to make her exit as eye-catching as her entrance. Behind her, the table was silent except for Nora's stifled giggle and Pyrrha's barely audible growl. She could feel Ren glaring daggers at her back, but she ignored him. Snooze and you lose.

Yang couldn't have been more pleased with herself. She'd played that perfectly. Sure, Jaune hadn't explicitly said yes, but hesitation? That was basically consent in situations like these. He wasn't the type to back out once plans were made, especially not with someone as irresistible as her. She allowed herself a quiet chuckle as she left the cafeteria, already planning her next moves. Jaune would meet her at the club, and she'd make sure he had the time of his life. By the end of the night, he'd be completely smitten, and the others wouldn't stand a chance.

After all, who could compete with the full force of Yang Xiao Long in her element?

And just in case, she'd start prepping the dress. She wouldn't need it tonight - this outfit would do - but if Weiss or Pyrrha tried to escalate? Well, she'd bring out the big guns. Literally.

The night had all the makings of a triumph as Yang stood outside the club in Vale, her outfit dazzling under the neon lights. She'd dressed to perfection, and even made sure to fluff her hair with her best shampoo to give it that extra oomph. Her confidence was sky-high, and the backup plan, the dress, stayed tucked safely in the closet for now. She wouldn't need it. Tonight, she was going to win Jaune Arc over with charm, wit, and undeniable allure.

Well, and maybe a few subtle hints. She grinned, imagining his dorky expression as he realized she wasn't just being friendly.

Her first hiccup came at the door.

Strike One: The Bouncer Bribe

Yang had approached the bouncer with the usual swagger, fully expecting her natural charisma to get them inside without a hitch. Unfortunately, the towering, no-nonsense man guarding the entrance wasn't buying what she was selling, "ID," he rumbled, his voice so deep it practically shook the ground.

Yang flashed him a dazzling smile, casually leaning against the velvet rope, "C'mon, big guy. You really think I'm not old enough to handle a club like this?"

The bouncer stared at her, unimpressed, "ID."

"I'm a Huntress-in-training. I fight Grimm every other day."

"Grimm don't serve you drinks." Damn, now she was wishing they did, "ID."

"Alright, alright," Yang muttered, fishing out her scroll and handing over her ID. As he inspected it, she decided to test the waters, "So, how about letting my friend and me in for free tonight? We're kind of a big deal." She gestured to Jaune, who was standing awkwardly behind her, "Shit, you're probably getting extra customers just 'cause I'm here."

"Big deal, huh?" The bouncer raised an eyebrow, "Fifty lien."

"Wait, what?" Yang frowned, "You're charging me extra?"

"Cover charge," he replied flatly, "Plus...'big deals' get the expedited service fee."

Jaune started to open his wallet, but Yang slapped his hand down and glared at the bouncer, "Expedited service fee my a-"

"Sixty lien," he added, deadpan.

Her eye twitched. She was so tempted to see if the guy had Aura, but she was on a date tonight, "Fine. Whatever." Yang handed over the cash, biting back a string of creative insults. The bouncer pocketed it without a second glance and waved them through. As they stepped inside, Jaune gave her an apologetic smile.

"You didn't have to do that," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "I would've paid for both of us."

"Oh, please," Yang scoffed, "You're my guest tonight. No way I'm letting you foot the bill."

Strike Two: The Dancefloor Misfire

The club was alive with flashing lights, pounding music, and a crowd of people moving in perfect rhythm to the beat. Yang's spirits soared as she took it all in. This was her domain. She could handle this. Weiss might have had that snooty charm and P-Money could

After a quick drink at the bar (Yang ordering something bold, Jaune sticking to soda), she grabbed his hand and led him to the dancefloor.

"C'mon, Arc," she called over the music, "Time to show me what you've got."

"I told you, I'm not great at this!" he said, laughing nervously.

"Relax! Just follow my lead."

To Yang's surprise - and mild annoyance - Jaune wasn't bad at all. He actually had solid rhythm, moving in sync with the music and drawing the attention of a few nearby dancers. Yang stepped up her game, adding a little extra flair to her moves. She wanted to make sure she was the only one catching his attention tonight. That she was the one on top.

She spun closer to him, her outfit shimmering in the light, and gave him a smirk, "Not bad, Arc. Didn't know you had moves like this."

"Seven sisters," he replied casually, spinning her back out, "They made me practice for weddings and stuff. Had to learn ballroom, salsa, and a bit of freestyle."

"Ballroom, huh?" Yang teased, leaning in, "Guess I should've brought my gown."

Jaune laughed, the sound genuine and warm, but his obliviousness to her flirtation was starting to grate on her nerves. She leaned in closer, her hand brushing his arm, "You're full of surprises, you know that?"

"Thanks, Yang. You're a great dancer too!" Her smile faltered at his friendly tone. Seriously?

As the music changed to a slower beat, Yang decided to escalate. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder, pulling him in closer, "How about we take it down a notch? You can show me some of that ballroom technique."

Jaune blinked, tilting his head in confusion, "I mean...this isn't really the right tempo for waltzing, is it?"

Yang stared at him, incredulous, "Seriously, Jaune? I'm trying to-"

Before she could finish, a passing waiter tripped over someone's outstretched foot, sending a tray of drinks flying directly toward her. Even with her Huntress instincts, Yang barely had time to react before she was drenched from head to toe in sticky, fruity cocktails, messing up her hair and making her outfit cling tighter in a non-sexy way.

The music didn't stop, but the ripple of laughter from the surrounding crowd felt deafening. Jaune immediately stepped forward, pulling off his jacket to offer her, "Are you okay? Here, you can use this to - "

"I'm fine," Yang said through gritted teeth, waving him off.

Strike Three: The Disaster Date

After her impromptu shower, Yang decided to cut her losses. She convinced Jaune to sit with her in a booth near the back of the club, far from prying eyes. She was determined to salvage the night. Sure, the bouncer was a jerk, and the dancefloor had been a bust, but she still had her secret weapon: charisma. She'd charm him with her wit and her undeniable personality.

And puns. Lots and lots of puns.

"Thanks for sticking with me," she said, flashing him her trademark grin. Sticking with her? Get it?

"No prob." He laughed, "It's been fun so far!"

Yang tilted her head, "Even with the drinks incident?"

"Well, yeah." He chuckled, "Stuff happens, right? Honestly, it's kind of nice to get out and do something different. I don't usually come to places like this."

"Oh, really?" Yang leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, "What - or who - do you usually do, then?" She fluttered her lashes up at him

Jaune shrugged, the innuendo flying clear over his head, "I dunno. Hang out with the team, watch movies, cook sometimes."

"Cooking, huh?" Yang smirked. The reminder of that feast he made had her stomach grumbling, though the music thankfully drowned it out. Hunger pangs weren't sexy, "You know, a guy who can cook is pretty rare. Maybe you should make me something special sometime." Her voice was low and teasing.

Jaune grinned, "Sure! I'd love to. I've been meaning to try making soufflé. You can be my taste tester!"

Yang blinked, momentarily thrown off, "Uh...yeah. That sounds...great." The oblivious smile on Jaune's face made it clear he had no idea she was flirting. He genuinely thought she was interested in his cooking experiments. She groaned inwardly.

By the time they left the club, Yang's confidence had taken a serious hit. Jaune waved goodbye with that same goofy grin, completely blind to the blonde bombshell who wanted his hands all over her grill and her grill.

Yang stood outside the club, sticky, frustrated, and wondering how the hell she was supposed to get through to this guy, "Alright, Arc," she muttered to herself, flicking a stray strand of sticky hair out of her face, "You win this round. But I'm not done yet."

It was time to bring out the Big Guns.

Yang sat at her bed, glaring at the small collection of old board games and trading cards she'd dug out from the bottom of her closet. A faint scent of nostalgia clung to them - slightly musty from being buried for years. She picked up a worn Fight Monsters card and turned it over in her hand, suppressing a small smile at the sight of the cartoon Grimm plastered on the front.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she muttered under her breath, brushing her hair back. It wasn't her usual style. She wasn't the "game night" type anymore. That part of her life was long buried under layers of parties, motorcycles, and bar fights. She was Yang Xiao Long, the coolest chick in Beacon and the nightmares of authority figures everywhere. She wasn't some...nerd sitting in a corner with a trading card deck.

But desperate times called for desperate measures.

If Jaune was too dense to pick up on her usual charm, she'd just switch tactics. The guy loved nerd stuff. Board games, fantasy novels, card games - you name it. Hell, Ruby practically dragged him to every comic store they passed. And if Ruby - her adorable baby sis without a hint of sex appeal - could charm him with their shared interests, then so could Yang.

No one - no one - was taking Jaune's cooking and magic hands away from her.

So what if she had to tap into her old Signal nerd side to win this battle? It wasn't something she was proud of. Back in Patch, before she was the golden goddess of Signal, Yang had been that kid - the one who spent hours playing board games, collecting monster cards, and hoarding BnB rulebooks like they were treasure. It wasn't a life she'd flaunted, but it had been fun. Until she realized her true calling in life, of course.

She glanced at the stack of rulebooks. Critical Chaos. Dungeon Wars. She even found an unopened booster pack for Fight Monsters. Dark memories of times long past came back. Back when she'd been Sevina the Rogue and she'd betrayed her party. Twice. Hey, it was their fault! She was a literal backstabber! It was all part of the roleplay.

Yang sighed, turning over the cards in her hands, "This better be worth it," she muttered.

The next day, Yang found Jaune in the library, quietly flipping through a book on tactics. Or at least, he looked like it. Yang saw the comic book between the pages. She had no idea why he had to try and pretend to look busy and smart. And she didn't really care, "Hey, Jaune," she said casually, pulling up a chair next to him.

Jaune looked up, smiling, "Hey, Yang. What's up?"

"Nothing much." She slid a deck of Fight Monsters cards onto the table and raised an eyebrow, "Unless you're up for a match."

Jaune blinked, then looked at the cards, "Wait...you play Fight Monsters?"

Yang shrugged, acting like it was no big deal, "Used to. Back in Signal. Figured I'd dust off the ol' deck and see if I've still got it. You in?"

Jaune grinned, his eyes lighting up, "Sure! I didn't know you were into this stuff."

Hooked.

Yang pulled out the board and cards, setting everything up with the confidence of a pro. Which she was. Back in Signal, she was undefeated. Oh, people tried, they really did, but they all fell at her feet. She was the Queen of Cards. Literally, it was a title and everything. She still had it trademarked.

The first round went well enough. Yang played aggressively, but Jaune held his own, countering her moves with a solid defense. She managed to eke out a win in the end, and Jaune clapped for her like a good sport, "That was awesome!" he said, smiling, "You're really good at this."

Yang smirked, "Told you I was a natural. Ready for round two?"

Jaune nodded, and they shuffled the decks again.

The second round was where things started to unravel, not that she realized it at the time...

Yang's competitive streak took over, and the playful banter shifted into something sharper. She wasn't just playing to win anymore: she was playing to crush. Every time Jaune made a move, she countered it ruthlessly, stacking attack cards and combo effects like she was setting fire to his deck. Memories of the bitter, angry tears of her opponents back during her Signal years made her grin. In this field, she was more invincible than Pyrrha in tournaments.

When she won again, she leaned back in her chair, smirking like a villain, "Too easy. C'mon, Arc, I thought you said you were good at this."

Jaune laughed awkwardly, "I'm just warming up."

By the third round, Yang was in full-on hypercompetitive mode. She played every card like it was her last, interrupting Jaune's moves with increasingly smug commentary,

"Oh, a defense card? Cute. Too bad I've got this. Bam, destroyed. Gonna cry?"

"Another combo? That's adorable. Here's a counterattack, plus three more attack points for good measure."

"Really? Are you just giving me your monsters? Well, I'll take em! And now they're eating at your life points!

When she won that round, she threw her arms up, grinning like she'd just conquered Remnant, "And that, Jaune, is how you dominate a match! Boo-yah!"

Jaune scratched the back of his neck, looking slightly uncomfortable. Ah, whatever, he just wasn't used to seeing a Queen in her domain, "You, uh...you're really into this, huh?"

Yang grinned, completely missing the awkward tone, "What can I say? I don't do things halfway."

The fourth round was when she crossed the line.

Yang summoned her most powerful monster: The Bloodthirst Goliath. It had more than enough attack points to obliterate Jaune's remaining defenses and win the match outright. And why wouldn't it? It was a class S card. Most tournaments even banned it from use, but she said nuts to that! She earned this card! She spent weeks of allowance on those card bundles! It was gacha before gacha.

One direct hit, and it was over...but why stop there? "Oh, man," Yang grinned, placing a buff card on Goliath, "Boosts his attack by ten. That's not bad."

Jaune blinked, "Uh...you already have enough points to-"

"And I'm activating Overdrive Frenzy." Yang slapped another card down, smirking as Jaune watched his defenses crumble, "Doubles his attack. Ooooh, and if I chain Grimm Instinct to it, I can stack another ten points on top."

"Yang, you don't-"

"Oh, don't forget Savage Howl! Adds three more attack points per defense card on your side." She cackled, stacking more cards on her already stacked deck.

"Yang, you can just - "

"AND," she said dramatically, dropping her final card with a flourish, "I'll trigger Devour, which wipes out half your deck and gives Goliath another five-point boost for every card sent to the graveyard. That brings him up to - let's see - sixty-two attack points!"

Jaune stared at the board. His last monster barely had three. It was overkill in the best way. Yang leaned back, smirking, "Alright, time for Goliath to attack and- oh, wait." She fanned herself dramatically, "Would you look at that? I almost forgot to activate Final Roar. Adds one last strike after the main attack. Just in case you had anything left to defend yourself."

Jaune blinked slowly, staring at the mountain of cards she'd stacked over the course of three glorious minutes. He put his cards down and stood up, "That was fun, Yang," he said, forcing a smile. Wait, why was he forcing it?! "But I think I'm good for today. I just remembered Pyrrha wanted to spar."

Yang laughed awkwardly, suddenly feeling like she screwed up somewhere, "Aw, c'mon! Don't be a sore loser, Arc. We can go one more round. I'll even go easy on you!"

Jaune grabbed his deck, waving it dismissively, "Nah, you won fair and square. I'll catch you later."

Yang watched him leave, a sinking feeling in her stomach. She sat there for a moment, arms crossed, before glancing at the board and the sixty-two attack point monster towering over Jaune's obliterated field, Her smirk faded.

"...Oh."

Yeah.

She might have gone overboard.

The soft hum of Beacon's dorm lights flickered overhead as Ren sat cross-legged on the floor, the large, glossy brochure for the Vale Hot Springs Resort spread neatly in front of him. His calm, calculating gaze traced the scenic images of steaming baths and lush mountain backdrops, pausing on a section advertising private open-air spas. Beside him, Nora lounged lazily, her chin propped on her hands as she kicked her legs back and forth, humming softly. The brochure was clearly Ren's project, but Nora had long since decided that whatever plan he was cooking up, she was absolutely on board.

"Ooooh, look at this one!" Nora grinned, pointing at an image of a luxurious spring overlooking a lake, "Full spa treatment, mountain views, and all-you-can-eat snacks. This one's got Jaune written all over it. Bet he'd melt like butter in those baths."

Ren nodded thoughtfully, flipping the page with quiet precision, "That's the idea. A little relaxation away from Beacon, somewhere quiet where we can unwind...and maybe bond a little more than usual."

Nora elbowed him lightly, wiggling her eyebrows, "Ohhh, bonding, huh? You're really leaning into this seduction plan."

Across the room, Pyrrha sat perched stiffly on the couch, hands clasped together in front of her. Her expression had gone from politely concerned to outright scandalized as she listened to their conversation unfold. After several more minutes of hushed planning, she finally leaned forward, unable to hold it in any longer, "Ren," Pyrrha said carefully, her tone hovering somewhere between disbelief and restraint, "don't you think this is a little...excessive?" She forced a tight smile, as if trying to appear more reasonable than she felt, "I mean, inviting Jaune to a hot spring just the three of you? That feels a bit much, don't you think?"

Ren didn't even look up from the brochure, casually circling another package with a red pen, "I disagree. Jaune works hard. He deserves to relax. This is for his benefit."

Pyrrha's eyes narrowed, her polite façade starting to fray at the edges. Every lesson she'd ever had about staying polite and respectful was steadily beginning to fall to the wayside, "If this is really about Jaune's wellbeing, then why are you so intent on making this such a big thing? Why not invite myself and team RWBY too?" She didn't like the idea of them being near Jaune, but at least if they were all there then they wouldn't make any progress.

At this, Ren's gaze finally lifted to meet hers, calm but sharp, like he had been waiting for her to say exactly that, "Because this isn't about Jaune," he replied simply, "It's about you."

Pyrrha blinked, visibly thrown off, "What...What do you mean by that?"

Ren's tone didn't shift, remaining as measured and even as ever. She hated it, "For all your talk about doing what's best for Jaune, you're really just trying to keep him for yourself. You're not worried about the trip being excessive. You're worried we might actually get closer to him before you do."

Pyrrha straightened defensively, her cheeks flushing faintly, "That's not- I mean, I just- I don't think manipulating him into a hot spring getaway is the right way to- "

Nora cackled from her spot on the floor, cutting Pyrrha off mid-sentence, "Oh, come on, Pyr! At least Ren's doing something about it. You've been sitting on those gooey feelings for a year now, waiting for him to magically figure it out."

Pyrrha opened her mouth to protest, but Ren spoke up again before she could, "She's right," he said plainly, flipping to another page in the brochure, "You've had plenty of opportunities, Pyrrha. And yet here we are."

"I-I'm just waiting for the right moment," Pyrrha stammered, her voice raising slightly as she tried to defend herself. It wasn't her fault! She just…wanted to ensure that she didn't ruin her relationship with him by confessing prematurely! Imagine having to partner with him for the next four years if he said no?! "Jaune isn't...ready. I don't want to rush him into anything."

Ren's expression remained unreadable, though his lips twitched ever so slightly, "Jaune isn't the one who's not ready," he replied smoothly.

Nora let out an exaggerated gasp, leaning dramatically onto Ren's shoulder, "Oooh, he got you good."

Pyrrha groaned, sinking back into the couch and burying her face in her hands. She peeked through her fingers a moment later, shooting Ren a half-hearted glare, "I can't believe you're doing this. I thought you were supposed to be the calm, rational one!"

"I am calm and rational," Ren replied, his voice almost too serene, "That's why I'm planning ahead. I prefer not to sit around hoping things will work out on their own." The subtle judgement in his words made her flinch. Pyrrha had always been headstrong and aggressive in the arena, never afraid to take risks, but outside of it? That was a completely different story.

Nora, still practically buzzing beside him, nudged the brochure closer to Pyrrha with a wide grin, "You could always come with us, you know. But, uh, you might need to book your own private spring. No offense, but Ren and I have plans."

Pyrrha groaned louder, dragging her hands down her face in frustration, "You're not helping."

"I'm not trying to," Nora chirped, "Look, I'm not really in this to seduce Jaune or anything. But Ren's all serious about it, and if he's going, then I'm going too. Someone's gotta make sure you don't crash our romantic getaway."

Pyrrha's head shot up, her expression desperate, "It is not a romantic getaway!"

Ren calmly circled yet another section of the brochure, his gaze never wavering, "That depends entirely on Jaune."

"Ren," Pyrrha said, leaning forward again with pleading eyes, "you can't honestly think this is the best way to win Jaune over. He's not...that kind of person." And did he even like men? The only one he showed attraction to was Weiss all those months back…though, Weiss certainly had the chest of a man.

Pyrrha flinched at the sudden, nasty thought. Gods, his massages and cooking were making monsters of them all.

Ren finally looked at her, tilting his head slightly, "Pyrrha," he said quietly, his expression the epitome of calm understanding, "You snooze, you lose."

Nora pointed at Pyrrha with both hands, nodding enthusiastically, "Yup. What he said. Better luck next time, Pyrrha!"

Pyrrha's shoulders sagged as she stared at the two of them, looking more like a parent dealing with unruly children than the proud Champion of Mistral. She pressed her palms against her temples, as if physically holding in the rising panic, "This isn't happening," she muttered under her breath, "I'm going to wake up, and this will all be a strange dream."

"Oh, it's happening," Nora sing-songed, plucking the brochure from Ren's lap and waving it in front of Pyrrha's face, "You can come to terms with it now, or you can spend the weekend wondering what we're doing with Jaune in a cozy little mountain lodge."

"Nora, please, there's no need to brag. It's unseemly."

"Right! Sorry, Ren!"

Pyrrha let out a long, exasperated sigh and slumped deeper into the couch, "I hate you both," she mumbled.

Ren returned to his brochure, unbothered, "I'll take that as a no on sharing the spring."