Disclaimer: I own nothing of RWBY.

Butter

By: Imyoshi

"Hold still!"

Why did Jaune Arc agree to Nora Valkyrie giving him a haircut again?

Oh? Right? He didn't.

Just like all bad events, he squirmed fruitlessly in her hold. Upon waking up, she had forced him onto her bed and wrapped a blanket around his neck with a pair of scissors armed and ready. Her guilty grin hadn't been a comforting sight to behold first thing on a Sunday morning. Neither was Ren or Pyrrha's absence. Maybe some calm, clear, concise reasoning was all he needed to escape his Fate?

"Nora—?"

"Nope!"

Whelp! That answered that. Now, did he try to run? Nora with a sharp object didn't bold too well with him. Safety scissors aside, they still had the ability to cut hair. They had the power to poke and prod. Maybe stab if someone was angry or clumsy enough. Nora could be all those things and so much more.

"I'm going to make your hair match your itchy beard, so don't move!"

Okay. So he hadn't shaved recently. That wasn't his fault. His razor broke, Ren didn't use one, sticking to StormFlower's long blade as his own personal razor. No matter how cool that proved to be, Jaune lacked any backbone to move StormFlower's blades near his neck. Plus, Pyrrha had been nothing but grating with her need to push him to study for next week's upcoming tests. Not like he had the stomach to say no to the champion when she got extra-pushy. So his mission to shave kind of fell off the list. In the process, he developed a tiny bit of stubble. Did that mean he needed a new look as Nora so eloquently put it?

Snip! Snip!

Probably didn't matter if he answered yes or no. Nora was already holding his head in place with one arm wrapped around his jaw, the other busy maneuvering close to his luscious, shampooed locks. Ren was nowhere to be found. Pyrrha was just as missing. It was a battle between him and a mad Valkyrie, a battle he stood zero chance of winning.

Resigning himself to his Fate, the Arc watched as locks of his hair passed his vision to land on his lap. She moved at a constant, dangerous pace, snipping without pause. Did she even know how to cut hair? Wait a minute? What was he saying? Of course, she didn't. Why wasn't he trying to stop her?

"All done!"

Blinking, he stood up when Nora freed him from her hold, instantly touching his hair with mild confusion. "That was fast. I barely had time to get comfortable."

Fast was using it in the lightest sense of the word. He had sat there for a minute, maybe two, and the Valkyrie had finished in record time. Jaune was inclined to believe she hardly cut any of his golden locks, settling on the idea of her pulling his strings, but found that argument moot. Not while his fingers unmistakably felt less volume and mass than before. So she had ended up cutting a generous amount of hair. Not a bit, but a lot.

The only questions were how much and how'd it look?

Preparing himself with an untold amount of false confidence, he hesitantly pushed himself toward the bathroom. Nora tagged along, hiding one arm behind her back with a growing grin. The small walk from here to there felt excruciatingly long, and he hadn't realized he closed his eyes until he crashed into the door.

Slam!

"Oh, the pain."

Nora giggled, holding her sides from her Fearless Leader's antics. Well, he had to be fearless to walk around with his eyes closed. That was why he was the leader!

Ignoring her giggles of mutiny, he rubbed his head and stepped into the bathroom with a sharp turn toward the mirror. A reflection, not mirroring past memories, stared back at him. Jaune had to blink more than once to ingrain the image into his memory banks, and his hand drifted slowly across his hair and stubble.

"Is that really how I look?"

All things considered, once he moved past the surprise, he didn't look half bad. That quick waltz to the bathroom mirror revealed an entirely different person. The way his locks twirled up, added with his small stubble, made for a decent appearance. His blue eyes popped out more. The longer he ran a hand through his hair, the better it felt between his fingers. His longish hair, while a signature style, had been a nightmare to tame in the morning. Not to mention how unbearable it got during those rare days of humidity.

Maybe this haircut could be a good thing?

Besides, it was too late to complain now. Best to turn this situation into a positive experience. Now if only Nora could wipe away that smug grin on her face. Rebellion was the last thing he wanted to praise her for. Maybe she knew that? Who was he kidding, of course, she knew that. Why else did she purposely stand in front of the bathroom door, blocking his only escape route, arms hidden playfully behind her back, grin practically painted on? She wanted the satisfaction and to hear her Fearless Leader utter the words of defeat.

"Well..." Jaune remained quiet, lips sealed. That smug grin of hers grew, and she leaned forward to poke haughtily at his chest. "Admit it! You like it! Admit it!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Nora never stopped poking him, relentless with her assault. He ultimately swatted her hand away, grumbling at the overly energetic teammate. "Fine. I like it. You win. Happy now?"

She pulled out her scroll, saving the recording before snapping a few pictures. "I am now!"

Before he managed to get a word in, she zoomed away with a cloud of dust trailing behind her. Most likely off to show Ren and Pyrrha his new hairstyle while adding in a mix of her personal touch to the story. Speaking of his remaining friends, he walked out of the bathroom to glance around his team's room, finding the silence comforting for however long that'd last. Now that the wildcard was gone, he figured it was time to focus on other matters outside of his dew.

Moving across the room, he plopped down onto his bed, hitting his head solidly on the pillow. A sharp mismatch of physics with him digging his hand underneath to pull out a hard textbook filled with history later, and he glared at the hardcover. Rubbing his stubble, the leader eventually sighed and banged his head once on the pillow before sitting up, clearly frustrated with the turn of events. The darn book mocked him. Its presence soured the mood instantly. He couldn't even focus on his new hairstyle with this glaring at him like a Beowolf.

With midterms next week, his days were numbered to studying in hopes of passing. Nora's haircut had surprisingly been a welcomed distraction, now that he sat alone, but no distraction lasted forever. While studying together with his team sounded idle, it was far from it. Ren and Nora were okay, bouncing off each other, so they weren't the problem. No. The issue on hand was his partner. She pushed him hard to study. Which was nice, but that hardly left time to relax and allow the information to sink him. Jaune Arc wasn't her. He couldn't consume the knowledge like some depraved sponge.

Besides, he preferred having breaks in between.

Grabbing his scroll, the Arc hummed and promptly decided to leave and venture to the library. If studying was on the table, then it was best to escape before Pyrrha had a chance to sink her hands into him, and the library would be the last place she dared to look for him.

How ironic.

Speeding walking to the building, he absently rubbed a hand through his new hairdo, feeling some of the eyes of the student body on him. A few heads turned, wondering who the hell that was. Others recognized him and stopped to tilt their heads.

Waving awkwardly at anyone who stopped and stared, he sped through the halls in an almost jogging fashion. Contrary to popular belief, the Arc preferred not to have eyes on him. Too many of those and someone might dig up things of past. Like his forged transcripts for one. Plus, he'd never been good under a spotlight.

Reaching the library, he huffed and quietly headed for the end of the room, passing by with the hush whispers being neither friend or foe. The soft hum of the air conditioner breezed through his hair and tickled parts of his face untouched by air.

He never realized how cold his ears got without his hair to keep the air away.

Spotting a homey corner to call his own, he went and found the history book needed for Doctor Oobleck's history exam, placed his back toward a large window, and slid down with an even sigh. Studying wasn't—and never would be—his greatest strength. Still, he needed to devour this information if he wished to regurgitate it later.

A losing battle, but anything beat studying with Pyrrha.

...

Yang Xiao Long waltzed through Beacon's halls with confidence and a full stomach. Lunch, in her personal opinion, next to breakfast and dinner, was the best part of the day. Unlike some feeble-minded girls, she believed in fighting to be her diet. The workout beat out anything lousy rabbit food hoped to accomplish.

However, that didn't mean she always preferred to burn off the calories after stuffing her face. Sometimes a girl felt lazy and accepted a full stomach. Now would be one of those times. She could've done some simple practice, but scoffed at the idea and decided to be sluggish for the day, and besides, the training rooms were empty.

Everyone was cramming for the tests next week.

Hoping to drag her partner out for some random fun and away from the books, she ventured for the library, betting Blake would be hiding somewhere there. If not, well, that feline only had so many hiding places. Most of the enjoyment came from the hunt. She was even half-tempted to use a laser pointer to lure her partner out of hiding.

Snickering to herself, Yang passively strolled into the library and began her hunt. She checked the nearby computer terminals and explored the rows of bookcases, ducking and weaving between the student body with fierce grace, but found no Blake. Eventually, her search led her to the end of the library, where few students ventured to and but only one person was there, face hidden behind a large textbook. He sat alone with his back pressed against a two-way mirror with sunlight shining through.

Odd, he appeared to be purposely hiding with how highly he held the book.

Curious, Yang did a double-take upon moving closer to the lone student. The dragoness instantly recognized that posture from anywhere! Only one noodle she knew owned that hoodie and jean combo. Heck! She only knew one noodle that dared to wear that outfit outside the privacy of his team's dorm!

Feeling in a teasing mood, and with no baby sister or partner in sight, Yang smirked playfully and stalked over to her new prey. The closer she hunted, the more she realized how troubled he appeared, and she found the Arc head deep in a history book. Judging by the way he groaned and hit his forehead on the pages with fingers gripped tightly to the cover, he had zero clues to what he was reading. She didn't blame him. History wasn't her strong suit either. Dates, people, and quotes were a no-go for her. Give her combat class any day.

Smirking, she quietly took a seat across from him and used her index finger to push the book down when he failed to notice her. "Hell—whoa! What's this now? New haircut, Vomit Boy? What? Hoping to impress Weiss now?"

A thick silence filled the library with the Arc glaring. He shut the book, knowing studying was off the table with her around. Not to say he minded the distraction too much, but if Pyrrha found out he was slacking off on his studies, well, her fiery smile had the power to make a Beowolf run in fear. Still, his glared died when Yang's smirk only grew in volume the longer he remained mute.

A losing battle for the Fearless Leader.

Knowing the secret was out, he ran a hand through his newly cut hair, craving the way his fingers used to tangle themselves in the strands. When she poked him stubbornly in the arm, he sighed.

"Ha-ha." Jaune droned. "No. I haven't had time to shave with tests being in a week and Pyrrha hounding me to study, and I'm out of razors. It's kind of fallen off my radar. You can thank Nora for the haircut."

Yang mentally noted to shake Nora's hand. She hated to admit it, but the haircut did him justice. It looked good. Real classy. His once longs bangs curled down with some sloping up from the unkemptness of it all. Added in with the stubble and he acquired this mature appearance. Anyone could wholly see his youth beneath the features, but appearing defined helped. All and all, she slapped his new appearance with two thumbs up.

Who knew? Maybe he'd have a chance with the resident Ice Queen if he decided to play it smoothly and drop the whole overconfidence act. Confidence was nice and all, but having too much of a good thing was a bad thing. Of course, that rule didn't apply to her. There could never be too much Yang! She loved a man with confidence.

"Hn..." she droned purposefully, rubbing a few strands between her fingers. "I don't think I've ever seen you with short hair or stubble before. Gotta say it's hard to see the resemblance between the old you and this one."

"Is it really that bad?"

She punched him in the shoulder. "I didn't say that. I think this new hairstyle suits you. It's definitely better than that mop of hair you used to have. Now that was bad."

He frowned. "That mop of hair was me. It was my essential Jaune-ness."

She made sure he noticed her eye roll. "Trust me on this, Jaune, this is the look you want. Take it from a girl who knows her hair. Oh! And keep the stubble. It works."

Knowing Yang cherished her hair above all else, he heavily considered the idea. Shaving would be easier if he didn't need to worry about it every day. Keeping his hair short would be annoying, but doable. Plus, if what Yang said was true—which was kind of hard to believe, being her and all—then this new look could potentially help him win over Weiss. If the brawler thought this style worked, then it'd be a shame to toss it away without giving it a test drive. And if he ended up hating it, he could always allow it to grow back. Until then, why not?

Maybe he'd give this new look a try with glowing confidence.

Glaring down at the large textbook in his hands, the Arc sighed and shook the book in her direction, grin easygoing. "Wanna study together?"

She met his answer with a mismatched frown.

In all honesty, Yang should be hitting the books and not with her fists. She wanted to say no, practically ready to. Studying when the sun was bright and not a cloud in the sky went against everything she stood for, then again, she bombed her last history test. Weiss was annoying about getting good grades. Blake didn't fare any better. Only her sister resorted to disappointed looks.

Somehow those hurt the worst.

Sighing and unable to ignore Jaune's innocent, awkward smile, she rubbed her locks in frustration and pulled up a seat next to him. A little studying couldn't hurt. An hour at best. Then she'd tackle on the day and waste it outdoors like any sane person. Not like he could hurt, besides, the text couldn't be that dry.

"Fine, I got nothing better to do, Vomit Boy. So what are we reading?"

The Arc bumped her shoulder and scooted closer, flipping to the first chapter. "The war between Faunus' rights. We have to know how it started and ended and everything in between!"

"You really know how to suck the fun out of life, don't ya?"

He purposely shoved the book closer. "Hey! You think I want to be reading this? It's not my fault history is so boring, who wants to read about some old general when you have these!" Jaune pulled out a few comics from his bag. "Now, this is true literature."

Yang smirked and swiped the comics from his hand. "You got that right. I'll be taking those. But be careful what you call true literature, Blake will fight you tooth and nail to prove you wrong."

He reached out and pulled a comic free from her grip, matching her challenging smirk with a guilty smile. The blonds allowed the moment to rest and sunk deep into the vivid pages. It was quiet with simple page flips and the gentle hum of the nearby air conditioner to drown out any other sound. Any distraction melted away, however, by doing so enabled them both to finish the stack of comics in little time.

Reaching for his last one, he stopped and peeked over to the snickering brawler, finding her amusement in the comic all the more enjoyable. It was nice. He never had the time to sit back and catch up on his stories. Ren and Nora didn't understand the masterpiece that was his reading material, and Pyrrha always stopped him dead in his tracks before he could ever finish one. While it was helpful in the long run, every once in a while he only wanted to sit back and push his worries away.

Thank Oum Yang was different.

Maybe he should show his appreciation? Nothing too big, just an easy thanks was in order.

Jaune did just that by shoving her shoulder. When he captured her attention, the Arc smiled harmlessly at the waiting girl. "Hey, uh, thanks for not getting on my back about studying. I appreciate it, Yang. Anyone else and they would've grilled me. I'm glad you're different."

Mood set, she smirked, elbowing him back. "Different, huh? How so?"

He hummed. "I can't really explain in words, you're just different, but don't worry, I mean it in a good way."

"C'mon, you can't just quit halfway, I wanna know now. Spill, Arc."

Shaking his head, he sighed nonchalantly, apparently absorbed into the comic. "I notice it when you fight. You're like some bright star. No one else compares to you. Not even Pyrrha. She's strong, I'm not saying she's not, but your confidence puts you above the rest. I'm just happy behind that perfect smile of yours is someone who knows how to relax. Everyone at this school is too worked up."

Jaune was too awkward and kind to know when he was being mushy. When he hoped to be romantic, he was a terrible klutz. When he acted like a fool, he said things that most people didn't dare say out loud. Complimenting Yang's smile and burning spirit happened to be one of those things. No one, not her partner or her team, ever praised her in such a way. People tended to focus on her looks, not the other way around. For Jaune Arc, partner to the Pyrrha Nikos, the Hello Again girl, to say that to her? Well, it momentarily left her speechless. She quickly recovered, but the blood in her body felt pleasantly warm.

Her heart fluttered and stomach knotted. Must be heartburn from the food she ate. Whatever, she played it off by mercilessly jabbing him in the ribs with that teasing smile of hers stretching.

"Wow! That was corny! We're just missing some butter and a movie. And here I thought you had a thing for Weiss."

Red quickly rushed to his cheeks, and Jaune hid within the colorful pages, avoiding her teasing smirk. Perfect for her, because he failed to notice the subtle shift of red between that perfect smile of hers, more interested in the stencil art.

"S-Shut up! Just forget it."

Teasing him would be too easy, Yang reasoned, and instead settled to finish the last of his comics. Still, she considered throwing him a bone. That compliment was one hell of a doozy! Better than Pyrrha Nikos? Could she get that printed on a t-shirt? She'd wear it until the words faded and then some.

Surprisingly enough, reading comics together and spending time with the new and improved Jaune put her in a better mood. She had trouble placing her finger on why it did, the reason practically dancing on the tip of her tongue. Maybe, just like herself, studying was a no-go? Having someone to suffer with probably made the headache all the easier to tolerate. Common issues did make for better friendships. Which friendships moved beyond that of ones built on procrastinators?

Anyway, she didn't dare allow that comment to slide. He wasn't getting off that easy. Not while she enjoyed watching the red spread across his cheeks.

"You know..." she dawdled. "If you said more things like that, and dropped the guitar, you'd have a better chance with Weiss."

Yang didn't need to look away from the book to know he stopped and thought hard about what she said. For a minute or two, she heard him aimlessly flip through the pages of his book, probably trying to appear distracted. When he finally lowered the comic with a silent breath, she expected him to act eager at the opportunity to win over Snow Angel's heart, but he surprised her by sighing fruitlessly.

"Nope! Can't do it. I've already said everything I like about Weiss, and she still doesn't give me a chance. I doubt a few more words and a new haircut's gonna change that."

"What? You're serious?" Yang snorted. "What about all that mushy stuff you told me? That's prime gold."

Now it was his turn to snort. "Did you forget already? You're different. You stand out way more than she does. It's easier for me to say such things when there are so many positive words to choose from."

She humphed. "You make it sound like I'm perfect."

"No. You're not perfect. No one's perfect." Jaune laughed, smile grand, lost again in the artwork. "But if I'm being honest, you're just probably the closest thing to perfection."

The Arc missed the way Yang thinned her mouth into an impossibly tight line. The closest thing to perfection? Why did he have to say that? Seriously? Where was this suave and confidence whenever he talked to the resident Ice Queen? What? Could he only butter people up whenever he wasn't trying to impress them or lost in the comic world? Was he one of those guys? Denser than stone?

Damn it! Her damn heartburn was acting up again.

His stupid, reassuring grin reminded her of someone else she knew. Someone that made the monsters disappear and her problems vanish. Someone, she felt safe around.

A quick flash of another older blond's smile zipped past her eyes, replacing that annoying grin of his with an equally vexatious grin of someone else she knew. She quickly shook her head, bashing away the crazy thought before it dared to fester and grow.

With that mental image plaguing her mind, Yang purposely tossed the comics aside and stood up with a fire in her belly.

"Okay! Studying time is over!"

"We didn't even do any studying."

She wisely ignored him and plucked the comic out of his hands. "Now it's my turn to choose what we do."

He tilted his head in defeat. Why argue? He hadn't been too keen on hitting the books, anyway. Not to mention anything sounded better than going over history notes. Plus, he rarely ever hung out with her longer than a minute or two. It was time he got to know the real Yang Xiao Long, besides the pun-loving and walking inferno everyone else knew.

Any excuse to escape studying.

Giving in too quickly, he grinned. "Sure, that sounds fair. Whatcha, you have in mind? We're not going to get detention for it, are we?"

She had half a mind to tease him and draw out a long no, but her team popped out from the shadows, expressing various emotions for their mismatched group. Above all of them, Ruby beamed when they found her and waved and yelled in the library.

Poor Blake winced from the judgmental eyes zeroing in on them.

"Finally!" Ruby sighed happily. "We've been looking all over for you. Why haven't you returned any of our messages?"

Yang blinked.

Messages? Had they sent her messages? Checking her scroll, she whipped out the little device, and her surprise grew. A list of past messages popped on her screen, all mostly coming from her baby sister with a few exceptions from Blake and even Weiss. Most centered on the idea of studying and finding a place to meet up.

How could she have not noticed?

Ruby pouted her lip, noticing the way her sister was remaining oddly quiet. She raised a finger, ready to pry and prod, but her eyes traveled beyond the blond to another staring back at her team with a trustworthy smile and simple way. A quick flash of recognition past through the leader and she was excitedly elbowing her sister.

"Hey, Yang, when did dad get here?!"

Yang suddenly threw her head up. Her old man was here? That certainly pulled her out of her stupor. "Really? Pops is here! I didn't know he was stopping by for a visit. Where's he at?"

When Yang continuously whipped her head around the library, looking for a person that wasn't within a hundred-mile radius, Ruby fumed and pointed at the dumbstruck expression she had come to know and love.

"Yang! He's right there!"

The remaining members of Team RWBY followed Ruby's line of sight and found a somewhat unrecognizable blond man in her path. While a stranger to them, Blake and Weiss had a difficult time believing this young man was the father of any child, especially to Yang and Ruby. Both their hypothesis was only proven right when Yang moved past the stranger to spot any person standing behind them, making a hum of disapproval when she failed to spot her father.

She shrugged, resting her forearm on Jaune's confused shoulder. "I can't see him anywhere, Ruby. Are you sure you saw dad and not just someone who looks like him?"

Very rarely did Weiss Schnee see her reaper of a leader adopt a look of annoyance, but she was radiating enough irritation to attract a horde of Grimm, and with a final huff, Ruby zoomed over to the man, poking him stubbornly in the chest.

"Do you need glasses, Yang? He's standing right here! Right! Here!"

A soft click of the nearby wall clock ticked on by, drowning the silence in a thick monotone. Blake and Weiss kept their mouths shut, able to cut the sudden tension with a knife, Then, with complete silence, Yang turned to Jaune and regarded her personal armrest with mute interest and a wobbling lip. The silent agreement between them made for Jaune Arc to be the one to spoil Ruby's delusions since Yang was busy holding back a laugh. Honestly, he held back a smile of his own, finding the situation all the more humorous with how determined Ruby appeared to be to prove her older sister wrong.

"Uh, Rubes?" Jaune awkwardly smiled, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. "Last time I checked, I'm not a father. Maybe you need to get your eyes checked."

"Wait a second?" Ruby drooped her finger and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "That's not dad's voice."

She zoomed closer to him and pressed her finger to his nose, smashing the skin up with her eyes impossibly narrowed. Her body hovered over his prone posture, being tall for however long until he Yang decided to stop using him as an armrest.

The closer the adorable girl got, the more she noticed the different parallels between her father and this man before her. Their hair, while the same, were two different shades of yellow. Their eyes were blue, but the ones staring back weren't as sharp as her dad's. That jaw had the same stubble but lacked the sturdiness, but Ruby wasn't one-hundred percent convinced until she pulled his arm out and inspected it with all her silvery eye expertness.

A quick trace of her fingers along his arm revealed that these weren't her dad's muscles. Muscles existed, that was for sure, but these weren't as bulgy, and he lacked any tattoos. Least of all, his skin complexion was a fair sharer lighter than her dad's tan complexion. All and all, this wasn't her father, so who was he?

"Rubes, what are you doing?"

That awkward voice? It couldn't be! "Jaune? Is that you?"

"Who else would it be? Nora?"

Arms were thrown up. "Why do you look like our dad?!"

Judging from her incredulous tone, he was allegedly guilty of a crime he didn't know he committed. How was he supposed to know he looked like Yang and Ruby's father? Not exactly the first issue he worried over during his forced haircut. The idea of Nora holding a sharp object near his face had occupied his fears at the time. Yang certainly hadn't brought it up. So the comparison couldn't be that mind-numbing, could it?

Still unsure what to do next, he turned to Yang. "Yang? Do I look like your dad?"

Yang's mind went into full overdrive. What kind of absurd question was that? Jaune and her pops sharing the same appearance?

Yeah, no.

All that milk must be going to Ruby's head. Whatever similarities her sister saw, didn't exist. Jaune had short, blond, messy hair. So did her old man. The Arc had a patch of stubble. What real men didn't. Blue eyes? Come on! What was so weird about blue eyes? Lots of people had blue eyes! If anything, Ruby seriously needed to get her eyes checked because she was the blind one. The two were further apart than Ruby and her missing sense of humor.

"Nope!"

Ruby gawked at her denial of a sister, trembling in place. How could Yang not see it? It was as clear as day, or maybe that was what her sister wanted her to think? Maybe Yang was pulling her leg? Maybe Jaune's new appearance was a prank of hers to get one over her? Yeah! Had to be! She easily pictured Yang dragging poor him into a prank of hers if she nudged the Arc enough and he was pretty nudge-able.

Zooming over to Yang, Ruby hummed with a pout. She tried her hardest to ignore that flashy smile Yang had, not the best thing to accomplish with dumb Jaune joining her, unable to hold back his smile, actually encouraging her to smile broader.

It was as if she never left home!

"Stop being dumb, Yang! Jaune looks totally like our dad! He's even got that same dopey smile!"

Weiss coughed. "May we see a picture of your father!"

"Here!" Ruby quickly fished out her scroll and flipped through a series of Zwei related pictures, eventually landing on a picture of Taiyang Xiao Long. "Tell me I'm crazy! Jaune looks just like him!"

Blake peeked over Weiss' shoulder to study the foolishly grinning man. True to Ruby's word, same dopey smile with other features unmistakably clear. Similarities did exist, and they were quite impossible to ignore, however, that was a two-way street with the difference as well. Nonetheless, they saw why Ruby mistook Jaune for her father from afar. Add in some age and some extra muscles, and they'd be practically twins.

Blake decided to humor her leader. "I wouldn't say he looks exactly like him. Maybe a younger version, but I do see what you mean."

A younger version? Ruby thought over Blake's words. True, Jaune did look like a younger version of dad with his new style of hair, and dad was a major dork, not like cool uncle Qrow. Dad was just dad and Jaune was just Jaune. He, too, was a big dork.

Nodding her head, the reaper leader liked that idea. "Hn, you might right, Blake. He does look and act like a younger version of dad. Maybe that's why we found Yang with Jaune?"

Yang forced down a smile. Acting and looking like a younger version of dad? Okay, now Ruby was acting silly, and what did her baby sister mean by that? She was hanging out with Jaune to kill her boredom and wait for her heartburn to pass and nothing more! Anything beyond that was utterly untrue and complete fibs created by her clueless sister!

To throw salt into the wound, Ruby suddenly found zoomed away from the group to return with a stack of books that towered over her frame. Her voice didn't sound chipper but determine the nonetheless behind the towering stack.

"Well, anyway, I love the new haircut Jaune, but we're about to study. So grab a chair and plop your butt down, Yang! It's time to hit the books!"

Yang promptly did no such thing. First, she focused on the aspect of Ruby wanting to study, that had Ice Queen's stench all over it. Second, if she read another word, comic book or textbook, she was going to rip either of them in half. Instead, the brawler subtly pulled back toward the library's exit.

"Uh? Yeah! So not gonna happen, Rubes. I already finished my quota of books for the day."

Weiss diligently pointed at the comic gripped between her fingers. "You mean the comic book in your hand?"

"Like I said, quota done!"

Dropping her pile, Ruby ignored the shushing he heard from a faraway librarian and crossed her arms. Studying was supposed to be a team activity. How could Yang decide to forsake them without a second thought? Then her eyes focused on the way Yang was still using Jaune as an armrest, effectively dragging him along for the ride. Suddenly, everything made sense, and she had no chance of stopping the teasing smirk from spreading across her coloring cheeks.

Ruby Rose saw an opportunity to get back at Yang and grinned harmlessly in the most guilty of way. "Are you sure that's the only reason? It's not because Jaune looks like dad, is it?"

Whatever comeback Yang had ready was immediately shot down by the expert sharpshooter of the group. She was many things with Ruby right now. She was both proud, holding back a winning grin, and holding back the urge to wrangle the girl's neck! Again she related dad to Jaune! It wasn't like that!

Dumb Ruby didn't seem to care, shooting her sister that teasing smirk Yang only thought she owned.

Humphing, the dragoness pulled Jaune along, ignoring the way a giggle tittered past her sister's lips. The refusal to answer such a question left a lingering atmosphere for the rest of Team RWBY to stand in, only fueling the confusion between Weiss and Blake. Ruby, on the other hand, refused to end her endless giggling at the fidgeting Arc and retreating teammate.

Weiss crossed her arms. "Ruby? What was that about?"

Her leader ended her giggling to grin at her interested teammates. "Believe me, Weiss, I love my dad, but Yang takes the cake. If you thought my sister had a terrible sense of humor, you've never met our dad. He's like her personal hero. They're two peas in a pod!"

Weiss stopped and stared at the photo of Taiyang Xiao Long again, harder this time. "You're kidding? This is the same Yang we're talking about, right? You know, your older sister? The one that charges into battle first?" When Ruby nodded her head, she frowned. "I didn't take Yang as one to have a hero. Your father must be the epitome of cool."

"Oh? Ah! No! Ha! Ha!" Ruby laughed. "Trust me, dad's the opposite of cool."

"So he's... Jaune?" Blake reasoned.

They all stopped to blink upon Blake's realization. Same hair? Checked! Same stubble and clueless smile? Double checked! Was the walking epitome of uncool? Triple checked! Enjoyed teasing Ruby as much as the other? Whoa! Freaky!

Ruby was the first to frown. "This probably doesn't mean anything, right?"

Blake said nothing and quietly narrowed her eyes, concentrated entirely on the escaping blonds. Blake Belladonna didn't dare pass up this opportunity. Her literature could wait. A better story just presented itself. From the way Yang acted all defensive and denied their evidence-fueled accusations, the Faunus was in for a good one.

What book possibly compared to that?

No words needed to be said and the remaining members of Team RWBY silently trailed behind the Faunus, intent on observing Jaune and Yang interact. The idea of studying for their exams all but forgotten.

...

Outside at Beacon's fountain, Yang finally freed Jaune from her hold, releasing a breath. He mercifully remained mute, allowing her to collect her thoughts. More importantly, he gave her the chance to think of a devious prank to hit her sister with, maybe something with spiders. Ruby hated spiders, however sad that was.

"Yang?" Jaune eventually asked, preferring a happy Yang. "Are you okay?"

Blinking, she waved away the similar concern and regarded the Arc with a cheeky smirk. "Nah! I'm good! Just thinking of ways to get Ruby back. Thanks for the help back there."

He returned the smile. "Don't mention it. I'm all for teasing younger sisters. Got seven back home."

She honored him with a brow raise. "Whoa! Seven! And I thought the one was bad enough. Can't imagine seven. That's seven times the teasing!"

He laughed. "Yup! It's a full-time job, but someone's gotta do it." Sadly, the subject of teasing led to questions. "... Do I really look like your dad?"

Yang groaned, wanting to throw her head into her hands. Not this again. Now that Ruby said it, she knew the Arc wouldn't let it go unless she deliberately answered him. He was stubborn to a fault, like someone else she knew—! Nope! Nuh-uh! Not going there! Jaune Arc did not look like her father, no matter what Blake and Ruby had said. She'd deny it until her face went blue and voice hoarse.

She turned to meet him, unable to stop the comparison. For a second, just a second, that clueless, worried expression was replaced with another one that filled her comfort and security.

Yang quickly looked away and frowned with a quick shake of her head. Stupid face! Go away! Ruby was dumb! Jaune must've noticed her inner turmoil because he grabbed her shoulder in comfort. "Yang, are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"

She huffed and bumped his shoulder with an overly sweet grin. "No, I'm just being silly, don't worry about me, it's Ruby you should be worried about."

Sensing a need of change, he grinned crookedly and bumped her shoulder. "So? Planning sweet revenge for annoying sisters aside, what's the plan? It's your turn to pick."

Taking the distraction like a lifesaver, she shrugged. "I don't know? Wanna hit up Vale and explore?"

He considered the idea, weighing in the consequences and rewards for leaving Beacon. Leaving meant no studying for the upcoming exams, but it also intended a distraction from the mundaneness of school life. It also presented him the chance to learn more about Yang, but possibly impose future wrath from Pyrrha? Such impossible choices! So little time to decide!

Lucky for him, she already decided for him.

Across the courtyard, Team RWBY poked their heads from the side of the wall to watch Yang drag Jaune to the Bullheads by the threading of his hoodie. The poor Arc tried to balance himself upright from being pulled backward, failing terribly at it and losing his footing. Eventually, she ended up dragging up with a small trail of dirt sliding off the soles of Jaune's shoes.

Weiss frowned. "Why are we following them? We should be studying for next week's exams. Who cares what they're up to."

Ruby squirmed. "Studying is a team activity. We can't do that without Yang."

Blake pointedly poked the flaw in her logic. "I disagree, Ruby. If anything, we'll get more studying done if Yang wasn't around to cause such a ruckus." She stayed quiet for a few seconds. "But as her friends, we should make sure she's safe."

The only problem with that statement, Blake knew well enough that Jaune Arc was zero threat to her partner. If anything, he needed protection from her, but how could Blake resist? Yang was acting all defensive about Ruby's claim as if there was truth behind it, and maybe there was? That was what this kitty cat wanted to find out for herself.

It was clear from the start that only Weiss wanted to study, anyway.

"Exactly!" Ruby chimed! "What kind of sister would I be if I didn't make sure Yang was okay!"

Weiss Schnee blinked hard.

Judging by the fire burning in her partner's eyes, there was no use discussing this. She knew a one-sided argument when she heard one. Any quarrel to be made, any point considered, all logic, registered in one ear and exited out the other, and Blake wasn't helping in the matters. Studying wasn't an option until further notice. Not until Ruby learned, whatever it was, she wanted to know. So with a small huff and crinkle of her dress, Weiss followed her two teammates with a tiny frown. At the very least, this might prove entertaining, and if not, she could always work in an I told you so into the mix once this whole thing blew up in Ruby's face.

She pointed at the distant Bullhead. "If we don't hurry, we'll lose sight of them."

Weiss never knew how physically strong her partner was until just this moment. Presumably, pulling people by the threads of their outfits was a family trait.

...

The Bullhead landed with an audible thump and out-stepped the two blonds, greeting the bright, sunny day with open arms. Okay. Only Yang was doing that. Jaune was trying his hardest to ignore the vibration of his scroll, holding it tightly between his fingers, waiting for the perfect moment to turn the thing off. Too early and his team would get suspicious. Too late and the battery might not last. He needed to time this just—!

"Give me that!" Yang swiped the scroll from his hand and clicked it off, before tossing it back to the panicking Arc. "There! All done! You can thank me later!"

She didn't wait for him to make a sound, brisking past the docking bay to the waiting Kingdom of Vale. Jaune remained behind, eyes downcast at the device, wondering what panic was running through his team's heads. With a final sigh, he pocketed away the scroll and followed.

Too late now.

"So?" Once he caught up to her, he asked colorlessly. "Where to first?"

She grinned and used her palm to shield her eyes away from the sun, spotting various shops on the horizon. Where to first was a good question, she hadn't the foggiest clue! That was half the fun! They could hit the nearby auto shop! Bumblebee needed some spare parts, and with the second pair of hands, they could carry more, but that sounded more like work than fun. If she wanted to work, they might've as well stayed back and Beacon and drowned in words.

No!

They needed something else!

Eyes scanning the nearby buildings, they landed upon the theater complex, and she grinned toothily. An easy-going wave in that direction and he found her point of interest. "Let's see what's playing!"

He didn't argue, nodding his head. He was a sucker for a good movie, and with everyone studying, the theater would be empty. That meant plenty of legroom to kick his feet up!

"Sure, anything to get out of the sun."

"What?" Yang mocked. "Can't stand the heat?"

"Yang..." he droned. "I'm wearing a hoodie, and it's like ninety-degrees out."

She showed no mercy. "That's your fault! Who wears a sweater in this weather, anyway?"

"Hey! I thought it made me look..." Jaune looked away, voice purposely getting smaller. "Cool."

She stiffed, blinked, and then bit her lip hard, holding back a building grin. Cool? Cool! Who even used that word anymore! That word was so uncool. The only other person who used that word was—?!

Gah! Stupid brain! No! Go away!

Unpleasant thoughts aside, she shook her head, derailing Ruby's false accusation and couldn't hold back her laughter anymore, enticing a loud groan from the Fearless Leader. In the end, Jaune wanting to be cool was too much gold to pass up. People who tried to be cool, commonly never were. Seriously! Who would put themselves through so much harm's way to become something they were never meant to be.

Jaune Arc would never be cool.

That was fine, he was funny. Yang preferred someone who could make her laugh and smile. Better than someone who was full of themselves.

Sadly, this meant he saw her laughter as a blow to his ego, and he sulked and moved past her, reminding her of someone else she knew who got defensive easily and pouted. Another quick shake of the head and Yang berated herself, hoping to move past what her dumb sister said. It wasn't like she knew anyone else who wore clothing to appear cool. Nope! No one else!

"Let's just get this over with already!"

She grinned and hovered playfully near his shoulder. A foolish Jaune was fun, but a sulking one was just as fun.

Reaching the ticket cashier, a gothic teen with straight black hair and a thousand-yard stare that could rattle a Grimm's glare, they scoped out the list of movies playing, and only found one worth watching.

Slapping some lien down, he pushed his money toward and shrugged his shoulder toward the movie title. "Give me one ticket for—!"

"Two."

"I mean two..." Jaune abruptly paused and turned toward Yang. She said nothing and waited happily for him to go on, entirely innocent. "Wait? I'm paying for you?"

"Aw! Thanks!"

He gawked at the clever wordplay. "Wait a minute! Why do I have to pay for your ticket? This was your idea! You should be paying for your own ticket!"

She didn't miss a beat. "Because you're supposed to be the gentleman, or was I wrong about the Arc honor."

A minute passed, and a breeze tickled his ears. Jaune then sighed and dropped his head with more lien pushed toward the cashier. "Two tickets to Grimm Terminator Three, Extra-Extra Annihilation."

The ticket cashier felt no pity for the man watching a movie with Yang Xiao Long and handed Jaune his tickets. A minute later, the remaining members of Team RWBY slipped in with Ruby slapping down Weiss' credit card in front of the ticket manager, eyes sparkling.

"Three tickets to Grimm Terminator Three, Extra-Extra Annihilation! Please!"

The cashier ran the card, wondering why the white-haired girl was fuming at the crimsonette and clicked the tickets out, but before he handed them over to the greedy girl's hands, he gauged her over-enthusiastic personality. There was a bit too much enthusiasm in those glittering eyes of hers. Especially for a movie such as this!

Before Ruby managed to grab the tickets, he pulled them back with his eyes narrowed. "This movie is rated R. As in you got to be seventeen years or older to watch this. I am going to need to see some ID from you."

Ruby laughed it off, not cracking her smile in the least. Too bad both Weiss and Blake, plus the cashier, noticed her building sweat. "Pssh! I can't remember the last time someone asked me for that. It makes me feel young!"

"ID."

She coughed and slowly fake-searched her outfit, but found none. "Uh... I lost it?"

"No seventeen, no ID, no movie."

She stomped her foot and gripped the marble counter in anger. "What?! That's stupid! I'm old enough to watch this movie."

He nonchalantly glared. "Judging by your outburst, I'm assuming you are not."

Ruby squirmed in place and desperately kneeled on the ticket booth. "I'm good for it!"

"That would be an ill-placed judgment call to make. I do not know you, therefore I cannot accept your word. It holds no merit. Not to mention your argument is pointless."

Ruby frowned, pretended to give up, and then reached out in a desperate move to swipe the tickets from the goth's hand, but he was quicker and had anticipated such a move for someone her age. She ended up clawing the glass divider between their torsos and glared, but the goth remained unfazed.

Weiss coughed and grabbed their attention. "Ruby, there's no reason to act like uncivilized children. I'm sure we can find a solution that fits everyone's needs. So..." Weiss glared at the name tag and did a double-take, before refraining herself. "James the Goth, I'm positive we can reach some sort of understanding."

Weiss Schnee was a master negotiator with years of business prep built into her. How hard could it be to convince a ticket cashier with the only black vest to look the other way?

...

Jaune lowered his head again, dropping more of his lien for the snack cashier to take. A jumbo popcorn, two large sodas, and finding the perfect seats later, and he was grumbling with his arms crossed and feet resting on a vacant chair.

"Those prices were criminal! I could've bought all this for less than one-fourth the price outside!"

"I know..." Yang remarked, digging her hand into the popcorn. "Good thing I didn't pay for it!" When she plopped some popcorn into her mouth, she immediately spat it out and stopped to poke him in the shoulder. "Hey! You forgot the butter! How am I supposed to enjoy this without any butter? Whoever heard of popcorn without any butter? Go get some."

"You're a slave driver."

"It's funny, I see your mouth moving, but not your legs."

Getting to know Yang Xiao Long? Someone, please remind him why this was a good idea? Quickly swiping the popcorn from her undeserving digits, he rubbed a hand through his short hair. A quick puff of air later and he was off to add butter to the popcorn. Neither he nor she noticed the two familiar tuffs of hair peeking from a few rows behind them, hiding with their heads sunk into their shoulders and an array of snacks as camouflage.

Blake poked out first, sighing easily. "I can't believe he didn't see us. Your hair does kind of stick out."

Weiss followed suit, using her extra-large popcorn as a cover. An annoyed frown crossed her features, and it had nothing to do with the price of snacks.

"I still can't fathom how that cashier beat me."

She hummed. "He did make some pretty solid points. Ruby's already a loose cannon. She'll jump headfirst into danger without thinking about the consequences. If we indulge in that behavior, our leader will only end up doing it more. This movie wouldn't be good for her. She doesn't need this type of stimulation."

Weiss huffed. "I understand that believe me, I do. But what I don't understand is why he wouldn't accept my generous donation."

"You mean bribe?"

"Generous! Donation!"

The Faunus frowned. "If we can't follow the rules society's structured to maintain order, then we're practically begging for the Grimm to devour us. He was just making sure we didn't stray from our path, which is why we didn't let Ruby sneak into this movie."

Weiss grumbled. Again, hard points to argue against, even more so when her teammate made them abundantly clear. Still, the Heiress worried over her partner. "Do you think Ruby's okay in the other movie?"

"I'm sure Nigel Planter and the Sleeveless Sweater is fine."

...

Elsewhere!

A grumpy rose glared heatedly at the fifth installment of the Nigel Planter series.

"Oh no, Nigel! Your sweater's sleeves have been torn apart! Geegolly! Do you think Lord Vapor has had something to do with it?!"

"I don't know, Lawn! Bloody hell, only one way to find out!"

Ruby pouted in her seat with her eyes thinned into adorable slits. She should be watching Grimm Terminator Three, Extra-Extra Annihilation! Not this! This franchise was overrated, but no! Her backstabbing teammates decided to give into mutiny.

Traitors! All of them!

...

Jaune waited patiently for the butter dispenser to douse his bag in an avalanche of buttery goodness, tapping his fingers against the marble top.

Was he a pushover?

That bit of info had plagued the very moment he walked out the screening and into the lobby. While probably not her intention, he learned that Yang could be a bit pushy. So why didn't he mind Yang bossing him around as much? Oh sure! He resisted somewhat but ultimately gave in without much fight. Maybe he had a thing for bossy girls? Look at Weiss! She was bossy and controlling. At least when he first met her she was. She was better about it now. Still, a smudge cruel, but better. Hn? Putting all that aside, maybe he had a thing for assertive girls then? Which only led to greater questions. Did he enjoy Yang's company?

Running a hand through his shortened hair, he purposely ran his fingers across his stubble.

Only one way to find out?

He returned with the extra-buttery popcorn and plopped down into his chair. Yang quickly grabbed the bag and ate without modesty, throwing away such a useless thing in favor of buttery goodness. He only watched her devour the meal and wondered where it all possibly went. Like Nora and her pancakes, there appeared to be a black hole he could not see.

All his mindless questioning was cut short with the film starting. So he settled into a comfortable angle and watched the blockbuster of the month. A little more than half an hour into the film, he heard the telltale sounds of Yang reaching for her drink, only to shudder miserably. A few moments later and her hand was reaching for his drink, only stopping when Jaune looked at her grinning face.

"Hey! Gimmie some of yours. Mine's bad."

Curious, he didn't stop her and grabbed her drink—Slurp! Slurp!—and learned of the lack of syrup her soda had. It tasted like poor vitamin water mixed with a low-sugar count. He'd offer to replace it but hardly felt like leaving his seat, which meant they'd have to share a drink.

Jaune wasn't so sure how she felt about that.

Yang, on the other hand, felt his eyes on her but gave her attention to the Grimm Terminator on the screen. Honestly, she didn't mind sharing a soda. She'd done it plenty of times with her old—!

Gah!

The brawler slammed the drink down into her cupholder and focused solely on the movie, hoping Jaune would get the hint to look forward. When she felt his attention skew over, she slowly relaxed and allowed the mindless action to numb her mind, for the time being, putting her on autopilot.

The problem with autopilot, it didn't take into account her surroundings.

Brush!

The brushing of their fingers in the popcorn bag jolted her upright. All of it had been accidental. Of course, the knucklehead didn't seem to notice, absently dazed by the action on the screen. Nothing might as well had happened between the movie and them, which was perfectly fine for her. She had other problems to sulk over.

The damn popcorn and fizzy-less soda made her heartburn return with a vengeance.

She reached for his drink, hoping to drown her troubling stomach, but their fingers brushed once more, and this time he did notice and pulled back with an awkward smile.

"Oops! Sorry about that. Didn't know you were reaching for it." Jaune lifted the beverage and offered it to her. "Here. I'll get the refill."

He offered her the drink without a second thought, eyes once again glued to the screen. The gesture itself wasn't universally game-changing, but definitely made an impression on Yang. Well, to be fair, it wasn't only the soda.

It was everything.

From the minute she ran into him today, she noticed a key component of his character. He acted tough but was a bigger softie than Weiss with Zwei. Jaune Arc was a dork. Not that that was a bad thing. Far from it.

She—sigh—knew another guy who was the definition of a dork, same haircut, same laid-back attitude, who acted uncoolly and knew how to make her smile without trying. Not to mention, that smile of his that seemed to erase the confusing feelings and any lingering heartburn every time he directed in her direction.

The best part was Yang enjoyed hanging out with Vomit Boy.

This was fun, between her three teammates, Yang personally found Jaune much more bearable to be around. Don't get her wrong, she loved them, but they all had their faults that were next to impossible to ignore. Ruby being energetic all the time had its ups and downs. Blake's monotone personality sucked the fun of things quicker than a stampede of Grimm. Weiss was a prude on her worst day and a killjoy on her best. How was she supposed to relax and enjoy such a day under that?

Sure, when they were kicking butt together, everything was good, but outside of that, well, Yang started to envy Pyrrha.

Jaune, though, he indulged her every step of the way, then again, that might just her mind being stupid. Maybe he only humored her because he didn't have the power to say no to her devious streak?

"You want to sneak into another movie after this?"

Yang blinked and finally noticed the sly smile building across his cheeks. The meaning behind that rare sight of utmost confidence spoke loudly in the quiet theater room. Either Pyrrha or Weiss would've put their foot down at the idea of sneaking off to see another movie for free. He and she were different, though, and different was satisfying. After all, they both were busy hiding from their respective teams.

She drew her lips on the straw with a grand smirk.

Yeah? No!

Her mind wasn't being stupid.

...

"What do you mean you lost track of them?!" Ruby screamed, arms up! "You mean I sat through Nigel Planter and the Sleeveless Sweater for nothing!"

The Faunus waved her arms out, not taking the fall for this one. "Don't look at me. I wasn't the one waiting at the end credits to see if the director added any final scene."

Blake's description of the scenario was grossly undermarked. Weiss Schnee had been engrossed with the movie from the beginning till the very end, never knowing mindless violence could be so thrilling to watch. What lunatic wouldn't wait to check if there was a bonus scene at the end of the movie?

Weiss made no show to defend herself, arms crossed in passive defiance.

Ruby sighed and pinched her nose. Now how was she supposed to tease Yang now?

...

The second movie, Sneak Hug Surprise, ended their day off with a bang, but all goods things must come to an end, and the duo found themselves trudging back to their team's dorm room, ready to face the music. The walk back was a silent one. For some reason, Jaune refrained from talking, a first in her book. Even if the blond dork was awkward, being quiet only made things that much worse. He knew that. So why? Why was he being awfully quiet?

Chalking it up as nothing more than being tired, Yang filled the void with idle chit-chat, making sure he at least replied with one to two worded answers. Only when they reached the hallway did she understand his sudden shyness.

When it came to team warnings, Yang had her work cut out for her. She doubted she get much reprimanding from her teammates. Ruby didn't know how to be tough, and Blake didn't see the need to force people how to live their lives. Even Weiss got off her back if she pulled the marks needed to make their team look good. Although, she didn't dare say the same for the blond noodle. Pyrrha alone should prove challenging and Nora might be an overprotective Major Ursa in disguise. And best not to forget about all the miss calls and messages.

Yup! Jaune Arc had hell to pay in the next few minutes.

Knowing his doom was one door away, Yang slapped her friend on the back. "Whelp! It's been a blast, Vomit Boy, but momma's gotta recharge."

She bumped her fist against his shoulder and stretched her arms over her head, ready to actually get some studying done without the need to distract herself plaguing her mind anymore. She reached for team's door, but Jaune grabbed her by the wrist and turned her around, having the hardest time looking at her in the eyes, which was funny because he never released his hold over her wrist.

Maybe the shyness wasn't meant for his team?

"Hey... Yang? If you're not busy next week, maybe after the exams, we could go to the street fair coming to Vale? What do you say?"

Jaune tried to act casual about the whole thing, shrugging his shoulders with an honest smile. It was probably the cheesiest and most cliche way to ask a girl out. Little did he know the gesture was equivalent of that to a blue moon.

Yang Xiao Long had never once been asked out.

The sad fact was no man ever had the nerve to ask out Yang Xiao Long out. In their eyes, she was unapproachable. In laymen's terms, they thought her perfect. Well, every guy but Jaune. It wasn't her fault most boys were idiots. Call her old-school, but she wanted the guys to make the first move. She preferred confidence and character. Be it her luck that Jaune Arc had the counterfeit courage needed to make the first move with that awkward smile of his.

Yang only knew of one other guy who had the courage to speak his mind around her.

They even shared the same dopey smile.

"Only if you promise to win me a stuffed animal."

...

"Okay, this was funny before, but now it's just weird!"

Weiss and Blake shared a sympathetic look for their leader, sitting together with the other members of Team JNPR at their dinner table. Ruby blinked with a twitch in one eye, allowing her sight to follow Jaune and Yang as they walked hand-to-hand across the courtyard. The first week had all been fun and games. Ruby managed to tease to her heart's content, but as the days passed and the relationship remained strong, that playfulness soon turned into queasiness.

No matter how much she scrubbed her brain of the thought, she couldn't look past how Jaune looked like her father, or how Yang preferred his stubble and short hair! Please don't get her started on how much of a big dork he was! Why did he have to own a bunny hoodie for Monty's sake!

Whenever Ruby poked and prodded her sister about this, Yang merely shrugged it off like some cheap joke.

Suffice to say, when she walked into her sister pressing Team JNPR's Fearless to the wall with her lips locked firmly against his, her brain had shut down when Jaune turned to awkwardly greet her with his lips bruised and hair unkempt.

Yang hardly helped with her lips attached to his neck. She only separated once Jaune had coughed Ruby's presence, but by then, the damage had been done to poor Rube's psyche. Yang further pushed her deeper into the crazy abyss by shutting the door with an innocent smirk. That had only made things weirder than ever because it was her noodle of a friend.

Jaune, by textbook definition, was a doting boyfriend. Once he managed to move past the awkward phase, which Yang helped, that Arc honor started revving up. He brought her flowers, rubbed her shoulders, and even combed her hair, everything that was mushy and beyond overly sweet, he did. However, the real surprise was Yang enjoyed being spoiled. Oh, she practically basked in the little moments. Tough on the outside, but soft in the inside, that was Yang Xiao Long. To think Ruby Rose had to learn that when Jaune serenaded Yang with his guitar. She had happily sighed from the tone-deaf song.

The haunting thought still sent a shiver up her spine.

Watching Ruby flop, Nora grinned and leaned across the table for her to hear. "Imagine if they had sex. It'd be your older sister and your old man getting it on."

Ruby suddenly pulled her cape around her ears and banged her head on the wooden table to bash away the thought. "Gah! Why would you say that? Now I can't get the picture out of my head! Ew! Ew! Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts!"

Nora's teasing smirk grew, and she readied another quip, but Ren stopped her by grabbing her shoulder. Anymore joking and Ruby might lose it. Because for all intents and purposes, this had to be weird beyond belief. He had seen the picture too. Jaune remarkably was a younger version of Ruby's fathers, which made the cause both sympathetic and amusing for her friends.

"I apologize for Nora."

Ruby glared and slammed a fist onto the lunch table. "It's fine! Make all the jokes you want, because tomorrow everything goes back to normal!"

Ren hummed dryly. "Why tomorrow?"

The Huntress-in-Training smirked.

...

Yawn!

Yang woke up with a tired yawn, pushing away her stuffed animal to the side. She slept with a stuffed penguin that was twice her size. A gift from her and Jaune's first date. Who knew he was a whiz at skeeball? Besides the stuffed animal, that Zwei was ordered to stay away from, Yang had snagged one other item for sleeping with.

Jaune's prized Pumpkin Pete Hoodie.

Blake and Weiss didn't voice their concerns over her sleeping with his hoodie, but Ruby made it a point to glare at it at every turn. Yang wore his bunny hoodie whenever she felt like it. Apparently, it made her feel cool, which made zero sense for a hoodie, and who used the word cool anymore?

Mind-numbing issues aside, Ruby woke up with her spirits up. Today was parent-teacher conference day and having her actual father here might knock some sense into her sister, or at least finally get Jaune to shave entirely. The meeting would only be twice as engaging as Yang so far failed to inform her dad about her boyfriend.

Finally!

Unable to hold back her excitement, she dashed to her dresser and got ready in record time, practically moving in a tornado of rose petals. Then, in a ticking-time-bomb manner, Ruby sat at the edge of her bed, holding back tiny fist in anticipation. Blake and Weiss watched with wary attention, both silently wondering if they should've talked to Ruby about her grand master plan beforehand, but their reaper leader paid them no mind, shuffling her feet on the carpet as she waited.

Not to say Ruby didn't like the idea of Jaune dating her sister, he was her first Beacon friend—duh—but she wished for nothing more than some normalcy. Hopefully meeting her dad would get him to either grow his hair out or shave, after he threatened him, of course, but some things were simply avoidable. Then, and only then, her nervous tick would go away. Lucky for her, dad was an early riser! Not-so-much Uncle Qrow, but playing favorites today was not on her agenda. He'd merely have to suck it up and get his butt over here in the morning! Knowing dad, they'd be here any second!

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Dad and uncle Qrow are finally here!"

Yang barely spared a glance at the door, still burdened with sleepiness. Her mind did not register the fact she wore the Pumpkin Pete Hoodie. Not when Ruby pulled the door open, nor when she dragged their pops and uncle in, and not even when dad crushed her in an awkward hug that Blake and Weiss snuck photos of.

No, the hoodie was identified when Uncle Qrow nudged his flask on her shoulder and pulled upon the worn thread with mild interest.

"Hey, kiddo, where'd you get this?" Qrow glared easily at the hoodie. "I'm no Yang-expert, but that doesn't seem like something you would be caught dead in. So, which bet did you lose?"

"I didn't lose any bet! It's Jaune's!" Yang quickly realized what she said and laughed awkwardly at the sudden sets of eyes glued to her. "I mean... uh? So how was your trip?"

The atmosphere dimmed to near zero degree temperatures, and Tai's warm, vibrant smile slowed down to a halt. The grin remained, but it cracked at some places and threatened to split at a moment's notice. The man forced his fingers not to form into fists, a losing battle.

"Sunflower... who's Jaune?"

Yang refused to answer, finding the threading of the hoodie oddly fascinating. Commonly, it was her going on overprotective mode when it came to guys, primarily Ruby. Not the reverse, and unquestionably not with pops giving her the third-degree.

Ruby had no such qualms.

"Her boyfriend."

"Ruby!"

Ruby mocked innocence. "What? It's true?"

Yang wanted to reach out and strangle her guilty sister, but Tai's voice cut the tension. "Boyfriend? You have a boyfriend? Why wasn't I aware of this—and why are you wearing his clothes to bed?!"

Qrow and Ruby stepped back, joining the statues of Weiss and Blake. For such a dork, Taiyang Xiao Long was sure an imposing, well-built man. A man who just found out his precious sunflower had a potential pollinator, maybe even a deflowerer. Who wouldn't turn into such a statue under such conditions?

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Yang! It's Jaune! I made you breakfast! Can I come in! The plate's hot!"

Yang opened her mouth, hoping to warn Jaune, but Tai cupped it shut and urged Qrow to open it. The drunk uncle didn't need to be told twice and practically ripped the door open, and Qrow's imposing glare suddenly dropped. The fairytale Huntsman paused, blinked, stiffened, and rubbed his eyes a few times before peeking back to the waiting Tai and the boy in the hallway.

"Well?" Tai asked, confused. "What's the hold-up?"

"Uh?" Qrow moved out of the way and scratched his head. "I got nothing."

Neither did Tai.

Standing at the other end of the doorway was a younger version of himself, holding a plate of well-made eggs and ham, Yang's favorite. He mirrored Tai's reaction, at a loss for words with the other occupants holding their collective breathes tensely. Now the Blake was out of the bag!

Not sensing the danger, yet, Jaune foolishly walked in and asked pointedly in Tai's direction. "Yang? Who's this?"

Tai suddenly remembered who he was looking at and hardened his eyes. "Her father. Please, come in."

Jaune smiled too thinly and turned around. "Nah, I'm good. I can see you're busy catching up. Family's important! I'll just come back later."

A hand grabbed his shoulder, the same hand that had opened the door. "We insist. Do come in."

Qrow forcefully pulled Jaune in, closing the door with a kick from the sole of his shoe. He towered over the teenager, protruding a dark Aura.

Poor Jaune flinched under the uncaring eyes. "Uh? Hi?"

"Got a name, squirt."

Remembering his manners, he extended one arm out and hoped his weak smile showed zero cracks. "Jaune, Jaune Arc! It's nice to meet you..."

"Qrow Branwen, Yang's uncle."

Tai stepped forward to gauge Jaune. "And I'm Taiyang Xiao Long, Yang's father."

Jaune looked to Yang for some sort of help, but she shrugged and smiled weakly at the trapped Arc. In laymen's terms, he was on his own. So he breathed in whatever confidence he could muster and met Taiyang dead on, wanting nothing more than to sink into the floorboard. The only one not tense in the room was Ruby, waiting for Yang to put two-and-two together. For Monty's sake, they were standing right next to each other! There was no way Yang could not see it!

What more did she need!

Oh! Yeah! Jaune? Right! Ruby wasn't worried about Jaune. Dad was a big softie in disguise. It was uncle Qrow who was a walking disaster, like a walking bad luck charm. But what he lacked in personality, he made up for in endless tact, and Ruby just knew that he'd point out the obvious. Then things would fix themselves after her father scared poor Jaune.

A little fear never hurt anyone, but it did attract the Grimm.

Speaking of her father, now that Tai got a closer look at this Jaune Arc fellow, he was forced to admit the unlucky kid had style. Good facial hair and a proper haircut. He approved of that. Made breakfast for his sweet sunflower was a win in his book. A man should know how to cook. At the same time, how dare he cook for Yang? Who did this kid think he was?

It was time to play bad dad!

"So? It's safe to assume that's your hoodie my daughter's wearing?" Jaune's silence sold him out. "What are your intentions with my daughter?"

Gulping, Jaune trailed his answer with a subtle shift of his eyes toward Yang, wondering if there was a right answer to his question. When she refused to answer with anything but a shrug of her shoulders, he sighed and figured honesty was the best policy. "Uh, to date her?"

"You have a lot of nerve." Tai hummed and eyed the tray of food in his hands once more. Funny, the gesture reminded him of something he'd do. "Tell me, what do you like about her?"

Jaune bit his tongue and inhaled a deep breath through his nose. Time to be brutally honest. "Yang... can be a bit boneheaded sometimes, but I like that about her. I know she's beautiful, but what I like the most about her is her eyes. They're so full with emotion and strength. When she smiles, I can feel it. She lights up the entire room."

Tai's shoulders slacked for the briefest of moments. He felt the same. His daughter was like a walking fire. Wherever she went, emotions brewed. Not to mention she was the textbook example of boneheaded, but apparently, the Arc found that quality endearing about her, which was nice. Perfection was a fleeting possibility. Enjoying someone's quirky faults was what really drove a relationship strong. He could appreciate that.

He wasn't the only one.

Qrow hated to admit it, but the kid had that type of style only clumsy fools had. That, by definition, was pure gold. Too bad he'd never know how to use it. All of it, and he meant all of it, was accidental at best. Perhaps that how the twerp ended up with his niece. Good old foolish charm was to blame. Well, that and maybe it was his appearance?

Possibly. Maybe? He hadn't a clue.

Tai's next question was interrupted by the sweet aroma infiltrating his nostrils. A quick peek down at the breakfast platter in Jaune's hands forced him to redirect his line of questioning. After all, the man distinctly remembered the enemy saying he made this. "What's that in your hands?"

Jaune stilled and then lifted up the plate. "B-Breakfast. I-I made it for Yang."

Qrow snorted. "You made that."

Beacon Academy didn't make breakfast for the student body during the weekends. The students were on their own there. So the Arc had taken it upon himself to create a delicious, but healthy breakfast for his precious flower. Oddly enough, Tai's presence robbed him of any appetite.

Still, he wasn't ashamed for his skills in the kitchen and branded the scarecrow with a tight frown. "Yeah, well, what else is Yang supposed to eat? Breakfast bars? Everyone needs a good breakfast to start the day."

No one noticed Tai's glaring frown withering away. His emotions screeched, and his mind halted.

This boy, this Arc, made breakfast for Yang so she wouldn't be deprived of a good morning breakfast? Considering the way he had found her when he stepped through the door, she had barely woken up. The creation of the meal had been a just-because gesture. In other words, he cared for his daughter's health and treated her with more respect than Tai initially believed, and the kid's style was starting to grow on him.

Anyone who wore that stubble and hair combo had their life together!

From the other side of the spectrum, Qrow snickered and shook his head. The tall man then glared nonchalantly down at the heart-shaped eggs and precisely sliced up ham, strangely unable to find the right words to poke the kid with, but he held a bit of respect for him nonetheless. Anyone who had the nerve to date Yang Xiao Long deserved that much.

"You don't only cook, but you decorate the food, too?"

Jaune peered down at the assortment of food. "Is it so wrong for a guy to know how to cook?"

Tai suddenly grinned and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "No, no it is not!"

The occupants in the room, mostly Ruby and Yang, eyes grew in size. Before they had the chance to react, hoping to save Jaune from being torn to shreds by an overprotective father, Tai ripped the plate out Jaune's hand and pressed into his sunflower's stunned arms, leading the Arc out with a building kick in his step.

Tai's voice lost all of its venom as he led Jaune away from the room. "You know what, I like you, Jaune. Walk with me, talk to me. Tell me, what's your opinion on gardening. Do you know how to?"

"I have seven sisters and a mother who thought I wasn't getting enough attention."

"Really? What else? Know how to dance?"

Yang huffed as their voices grew dimmer and dimmer by the second, and scarfed down her breakfast. No way was she going to allow her dad to steal away her Saturday's plans. A quick change shuffle of pajama shorts later and she ran after them, still wearing that Pumpkin Pete Hoodie with a stomach full and no heartburn in sight.

"Hey! Wait up! I said hold it!"

Ruby peeked her head out the door a moment later, watching the retreating blonds with her chance of normalcy slipping away. After finding her plans crumbling around her, she moved back, staring at her teammates and uncle with pure confusion crossing her features.

"What just happened?"

Qrow said nothing and peeked out the hallway to watch Yang tackle the two blonds in a pile of limbs. The three knuckleheads laughed it off, enjoying each others company. Ruby followed Qrow's lead and peeked underneath his chin, sadly miserable. Any chance of sanity was gone. Yang didn't see her father in Jaune's appearance, and her dumb dad didn't hate Jaune's guts! Nothing went as planned! Where did things go wrong?

Feeling her broken resolve, Qrow hovered over Ruby's shoulder and looked down at his shaking niece, gulping a quick whiff of the good stuff. The alcohol gave him the fake courage needed to point out the burning obvious.

"You know something, kiddo, he kind of looks like your old man. It's a little weird."

"Thank you!"

Ah.

Qrow smirked. Now it all made sense. Why his niece was extra-happy to see them today. Yup. Classic set-up. It was just bad luck that the plan fell through and that Tai ended up liking the blond dork. Yang certainly wasn't going to punch a gift horse in the mouth. Which meant the poor kiddo had to deal with this for who knew how long.

Qrow Branwen only had one thing to offer his niece for his condolences.

Ruby's vision was torn away when a stainless steel flask hindered her sight. The hand holding it shuffled the flask a few times until the sparkling eyes ripped themselves away to travel up the arm connected to it. The dead eyes shining back refrained from sugar coating his intentions.

"You know what, don't tell your pops this, but you wanna a drink, kiddo, looks like you need one."

Qrow expected the little cinnamon roll to say no. Wasn't the first time he offered. Sometimes Tai caught him, and other times she used milk as a substitute. He never thought she'd slap away his decoy flask for the better one he kept in his coat pocket and down the entire thing of good scotch in one fell swoosh.

Ruby Rose welcomed the heartburn.

Author Notes: Sorry for the delay. By the way, Yang did manage to get that butter and a movie.