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[RWBY] RWBY Shorts

Reader mode
AndrewJTalon said:
I did have a fun idea. Ruby finds a magical artifact... That makes everyone but Jaune think they are their fairy tale or mythical inspirations. Jaune misses it because he tripped over a sock he didn't put away.

So... Yeah, he's the only one who can figure out how to fix this as Beacon turns into absolute bedlam.

He is soooo screwed.

Glynda is the Good Witch.

And tries to help Jaune solve the issue... But can't actually do anything.

Jaune: "So... All you can do is tell me what to do but can't do anything to help me?"

Glynda: brightly "That is correct!"

Glynda: "Do you have ruby slippers?"

Jaune: "... I have Ruby's slippers?"

Glynda: "Close enough!"
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Is Blake hiding in a giant boot, or running around Beacon only wearing boots?
 
Wait so Roman Is loosely based on Joker? Or maybe Riddler?

And Neo was basically inspired by the female cosplay of Roman.

So would they become Joker and Harley Quin or Double Riddler?

Either way Vale is fucked.

Does Salem become a gestalt entity of every person who was tried during the Salem witch trials or does she become the Wicked Witch of West?

Oh wait, Mercury becomes the Trickster God who has helped Humanity throughout the ages.

Huh, Vale might not be fucked.


......Shit Sun becomes wukong which is a 50 50 with armageddon or helpful, Neptune..... Yo somebody Hide Weiss, Neptune's not used to taking no for an answer if we go by Greco-Roman syncretism.

And Frejya is there too. As is the Grimm reaper.

Dammit it's too complicated to calculate all these various entities in one story.

And that's not even beginning to unravel Ozpin, He is Merlin, Odin, Wizard of Oz, Possibly Arthur too with how many relics he had the Last King and those relics are definitely Fae relics.
 
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zMADLAXz said:
Wait so Roman Is loosely based on Joker? Or maybe Riddler?

And Neo was basically inspired by the female cosplay of Roman.

So would they become Joker and Harley Quin or Double Riddler?

Either way Vale is fucked.
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Roman is the gentleman thief. Think Lupin.
Balorak146 said:
I maintain the belief that something about that woman is suspicious AF.
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Only because in the movie they combine two characters so it looks like Glinda could have sent Dorothy home at once. In the books there's a different witch who tells Dorothy to go find the Wizard with Glinda basically helping immediately.
 
digcat said:
Especially love the last two. More Weiss is always a good thing. As well the more it's pointed out that Hazel is a bitch the better. Also where did you find the Weiss one.
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the multi weiss edit is from reddit r/FNKI
Cinder in beacon checking out Jaune
if-a-woman-referred-to-me-as-a-temptation-id-be-smiling-v0-ekcuti6134lh1.jpeg
manga timeline made it canon she either had a crush or wanted to cuck Pyrrha
ghosts-of-cinders-past-murders-v0-q9mz7095vdlh1.jpeg
what Emerald could do to her and i'd love it
dorks in training to professional dorks
jaune-and-ruby-by-on-twitter-v0-d73opsq78elh1.jpeg
them literally five minutes later
my-cool-and-easy-to-understand-classmate-chan-by-v0-1iy11lctxalh1.jpeg
this dynamic his happening with Ace Ops and the Happy Huntress
favorite-duo-thats-an-example-of-this-trope-v0-irimml1qhalh1.jpeg
would make both more likeable, instead of the insufferable twats we got
 
zMADLAXz said:
What is Clockwork Orange. I'll have to see cause this series always pops up whenever I ask about Roman.
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This is a Google summary
Clockwork Orange is a 1971 dystopian crime film written, produced, and directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on Anthony Burgess's 1962 novel
The Story: Set in a dystopian near-future Britain, the film follows Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell), a charismatic and sadistic delinquent who leads a small gang of "droogs".
Ultraviolence: Alex and his friends spend their nights drinking at the Korova Milkbar before committing random acts of theft, assault, and extreme violence, all while Alex listens to Beethoven.
The Ludovico Technique: After being betrayed by his gang and convicted of murder following a break-in, Alex is incarcerated. He volunteers for an experimental state-sponsored aversion therapy known as the Ludovico Technique
Loss of Free Will: The treatment conditions Alex to experience crippling nausea whenever he encounters or thinks about violence or sex, effectively stripping him of his personal agency and free will.
Revenge and Reversal: Released back into society, a defenseless Alex becomes the victim of his prior victims. After a suicide attempt and a political scandal over the government's methods, his conditioning is reversed, restoring his capacity for violence and his freedom.

Themes and Novel Differences
Free Will vs. Morality: The film explores whether forced goodness is true morality, arguing that a person stripped of the choice to do evil is no longer fully human.
Novel Ending Omission: The film omits the 21st chapter of Anthony Burgess's original novel, which depicts Alex maturing and voluntarily choosing to abandon his violent lifestyle. The film instead ends with Alex remaining unrepentant and imagining himself returning to his old ways.

Controversy and Censorship
Backlash: Upon release, the film sparked intense debate, receiving an X-rating in the United States and facing accusations of glorifying brutality.
The UK Ban: Amid reports of copycat crimes in Britain allegedly inspired by the movie, Stanley Kubrick requested that Warner Bros. withdraw the film from UK distribution in 1973.
Restoration: The movie remained largely unavailable in the UK, Australia, and a few other countries for nearly 30 years until the ban was lifted following Kubrick's death in 1999.
 
zMADLAXz said:
I don't know Lupin. I mean I know there is a Lupin in Harry Potter but he isn't a gentleman thief as far as I know.
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zMADLAXz said:
What is Clockwork Orange. I'll have to see cause this series always pops up whenever I ask about Roman.
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You disgust me.

Anyway Arsène Lupin is a French novel by Maurice Leblanc about a gentleman thief. It was the French's answer to Sherlock Holmes, who appears in the seventh Arsène Lupin book. It is more famous because of the manga/anime that starts the grandson of Arsène Lupin, Lupin III.

Clockwork Orange is a dystopian crime from the 70's
 
cavalal386 said:
You disgust me.

Anyway Arsène Lupin is a French novel by Maurice Leblanc about a gentleman thief. It was the French's answer to Sherlock Holmes, who appears in the seventh Arsène Lupin book. It is more famous because of the manga/anime that starts the grandson of Arsène Lupin, Lupin III.

Clockwork Orange is a dystopian crime from the 70's
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And the theme song, alone, from the Anime Series "Lupin the 3rd" is awesome. In any of its' variations.
 
BaffledSatire said:
I AM A MAN.
I...I know.
GOOD BECAUSE I AM IN FACT A MAN. AND I HAVE THE PENIS TO PROVE- holy shit why do I have a penis?!
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I know it's probably not the one intended, but does Ren now have a wise cracking tiny red dragon, and a lucky cricket following him around?
 
The Arc Clan: Uncle Alexander and Church Sisters Heinkel and Yumiko New
Jaune climbed the last stretch of the worn stone path, boots crunching on the gravel that had been swept into neat piles by some dutiful groundskeeper. The Beacon Cathedral rose before him like a stubborn old sentinel—its gray walls patched and repatched across centuries, stained-glass windows catching the late afternoon sun in fractured rainbows of emerald, sapphire, and gold. He'd read the plaques a dozen times during orientation tours. First Emerald Dynasty temple to the Pagan Gods. Remodeled under the Third when the Dawn Chaser dropped off Tablebreaker missionaries who convinced the royal family the Broken Table was the only truth worth kneeling for. Then the Sixth Jade Dynasty ripped it back to the old Pagans, the Fourth Malachite turned it into a shrine to the God of Animals complete with carved paw prints in the lintels, and then it went back to the Tablebreaker and stayed. Every dynasty after just kept adding wings, spires, and patches until it became the rambling, beautiful mess it was today.

These days it was more museum than sanctuary. No bishop lived here full-time; the airbuses made Sunday services in Vale proper too convenient. Most students only wandered in for the occasional special service or when they needed a quiet place to panic about midterms.

Jaune liked it anyway. The silence felt honest.

He pushed through the heavy oak doors and the scent of old incense, lemon oil, and fresh sawdust hit him all at once.

"Uncle Alex?"

A muffled grunt echoed from the transept. Father Alexander Arc stood on a short ladder, sleeves rolled to the elbows of his black cassock, wrestling with a loose section of crown molding.

"Jaune, lad!" Alexander's face split into a grin as he finished getting the molding back into place. He climbed down, wiping dust on his trousers. As always, he was built like a brick wall that had decided to grow a five o'clock shadow—broad shoulders, sun-creased skin, the same Arc-blue eyes that had stared down Grimm and misbehaving children alike. "Good to see you!"

They clasped forearms the way Arc men did—solid, no-nonsense.

"What are you doing here?" Jaune asked with a laugh, "Why didn't you call ahead?"

"Bringing the orphanage kids to the festival," Alexander said, nodding toward a stack of freshly painted banners leaning against a pew. "Figured I'd give the old girl a spit-shine before the crowds show up. And I tried but eh… Had to protect a village on the way and lost my Scroll. You planning on making us proud in the tournament?"

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, then caught himself and gave his uncle a determined look. "I'm… I'm gonna put my all into it."

Alexander grinned and nodded.

"Good man. Now… About those women you're leading on?"

Jaune flushed. "Uncle! I'm not-I'm not leading them on!"

Alexander's eyebrow climbed. "Lad, you've got more female attention than any one man has a right to. Pick one already! End it and stop all this turmoil! Your mother thinks you're a shameless playboy!"

Jaune's stomach twisted. "I just… I don't wanna break anyone's heart."

"Pain's unavoidable in this life, lad." Alexander's voice softened, but the steel underneath remained. "Indecision just drags it out longer and makes it meaner. You think I got this far by dithering? You'd never catch me acting so shamelessly."

A side door creaked. Alexander and Jaune's eyes turned to the eastern side door. Alexander's eyes widened.

"Hello, Father."

The woman who stepped through moved like someone who'd spent years walking battlefields and catwalks in equal measure. Tall—easily six feet—statuesque, blonde hair pulled into a severe braid that brushed the small of her back. A black eyepatch covered her left eye; the right was ice-blue and sharp enough to cut. Wolf ears twitched beneath the edge of a long charcoal coat, scarf loose around her throat. An x-shaped Tablebreaker cross rested against her substantial bust, catching the light as she smiled.

Alexander's pleasant expression didn't flicker, but Jaune felt the sudden tension in the air like a drawn bowstring.

"Hello, Sister Heinkel."

Jaune blinked. "Sister?"

"Ja." Heinkel's Allomenian accent rolled the word like a revolver cylinder. "Sister Heinkel Wolfe. I help with the orphanage and Section XIII when the good Father needs someone who can shoot straigh. I also bring good news, Father~!" She produced a crisp parchment with a flourish. "Look. Ze Lion Pope's new decree!"

Alexander took it, eyes scanning. His shoulders sagged on the exhale.

Jaune leaned in. "What is it?"

"To promote family and the fruits of the spirit," Alexander read aloud, voice flat, "Tablebreaker priests now have more latitude to marry and have children… and are strongly encouraged to do so."

Heinkel's grin could have powered half of Vale. "You can't get out of this anymore, Alex~…"

Alexander took a slow, deep breath.

"Lass, it's a bit complicated—"

"HEINKELLLL!"

The opposite side door slammed open hard enough to rattle the nearest stained-glass panel. A Fuujin woman in a modified nun's habit stormed through—black and crimson fabric that somehow managed to look both devout and ready for a street brawl. Her eyes were black and charming behind her large, round glasses, and a katana rested across her back. She pointed an accusing finger at Heinkel, cheeks flushed, eyes sparkling with betrayed fury and something far warmer when they landed on Alexander.

"You said we'd tell him together!"

Heinkel didn't even turn. "You were dithering!"

"You didn't mention me!"

"Why should I?!"

"I—I just want to have a nice conversation with Alexander about OUR future!"

"No, OUR future!"

"OURS!"

Alexander's voice cracked like a whip. "LASSIES! This is a house of God! If you're gonna fight, do it outside!"

Both women froze, then chorused a mortified "Sorry, Father," before scurrying out the side door like scolded schoolgirls.

For three full seconds the cathedral was silent.

Then the world exploded.

Automatic pistol fire stitched the air outside—BRRRRT-BRRT-BRRT—followed by Heinkel's manic laughter and the unmistakable ring of a katana clearing its sheath. "BLOOD OF THE HEATHEN!" Yumiko shrieked, voice bright with holy zeal and romantic rage.

"BITCH HE'S MINE!" Heinkel roared.

More gunfire. A windowpane somewhere on the east side cracked. Something heavy thudded against the stone wall hard enough to shake dust from the rafters.

Jaune slowly turned his head, one eyebrow climbing toward his hairline.

"What was that you were saying about not acting shamelessly-?"

Alexander's glare could have flash-fried a Beowolf. "Shut it."

Jaune bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

---

They are both from Hellsing too.

An Alucard chapter is in the works but I have a lot of other crossovers lined up first. But thank you so much for keeping up with the story!

More is on the way!
 
The Marriage Meeting: Dragonslayer New
Yang was quiet the whole way up to northern Sanus. There wasn't much left to say, really.

She watched the scenery slide past: first through the narrow window of the armored train car, then from the Bullhead's viewport as Radian came into view. It looked like something ripped straight out of a cheesy fairy-tale holovid—gleaming white castle on the hill, a mountain with a waterfall that caught the sun like liquid crystal, endless green fields, dense forests, and a snug little walled town flying banners in every color. Wizney would have been proud.

Taiyang led them to the town's oldest hotel so they could change. Her dad had barely spoken since dropping the marriage bomb back on Patch. He hadn't smiled much either. Another shining moment in the long, glorious saga of Taiyang Xiao Long, father of the year.

Ruby, of course, hadn't shut up once. Not even while Yang was pulling on the golden-yellow beizi and all the ceremonial layers that went with it. She caught her reflection in the mirror and had to admit—she looked good. Regal, even. The silk clung in all the right places, the embroidery caught the light, and the color made her lilac eyes pop.

"You can't just get married!" Ruby wailed, yanking at her own sleeves. "You can't!"

Yang sighed. "Ruby, what do you want me to do? Dad and Uncle Qrow said we owe a debt. We don't have the lien, so this is what we've got."

"You shouldn't have to give up your whole life for me! It's not fair!" Ruby's voice cracked; silver eyes filled with tears. "Not anymore!"

Yang's heart twisted. She pulled her little sister into a crushing hug, fingers threading gently through that dark red hair. She swallowed her own tears—someone had to be the strong one.

"Ruby… you're too young to cover this. And hey, it's just a meeting—"

"What if he's some gross old creep?!"

A grim smile tugged at Yang's mouth. "Then I'll do what I have to. If he's ancient and disgusting, maybe he'll at least let me finish Beacon before the wedding night."

Ruby pulled back, horrified. "What kind of stupid debt makes you sell yourself anyway?!"

The door opened. Taiyang stepped in, clearing his throat. Ruby glared daggers; Yang just looked tired. Their dad managed a weak smile.

"Hey… he's here."

Yang's voice was flat. "What's he like?"

Taiyang's smile brightened, almost genuine. "Your age, actually. Goes to Beacon. We know his parents."

Ruby's jaw dropped. "Wait, we do?! Then why are they pulling this archaic garbage? What kind of friends—"

Taiyang rubbed the back of his neck. "It's… complicated. Not just his family—Granny Xiao Long and his grandmother are old-fashioned as hell. Our families saved each other's lives a bunch of times, loaned money to rebuild the house after… everything. They're good with money. We're… not."

"Daaaad…"

"Relax! It's an engagement meeting, that's all. You two meet, see if you click. If yes—great, wedding after graduation. If no, we figure out another way to save face and settle the debt."

Ruby threw her hands up. "What, like ritual suicide?"

Taiyang deadpanned, "Maybe."

"I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" Ruby launched herself at him, hugging tight. "I'm sorry, Dad!"

Yang arched a brow. "He goes to Beacon? Who is it?"

Taiyang's grin turned mischievous. "Tradition says it's a surprise until you meet. Come on, Rubes—your turn for traditional dress."

Ruby grumbled but complied, emerging minutes later in crimson and black layers that made her look like a tiny, furious phoenix. Taiyang did Yang's hair up in an elegant braid, sliding in the golden hair clip their mother used to wear. He did the same for Ruby, then stepped back, eyes suspiciously shiny.

"Your mothers would be so proud."

Ruby sniffled. "Aw, Dad…"

Yang exhaled through her nose. "Let's just get this over with."

They walked the hallway in tense silence. Yang mentally scrolled through every guy she knew at Beacon. Please not Team CRDL. Literally anyone but Team CRDL.

The private conference room doors opened.

The groom's party had gone full Valean royal: the women in sweeping gowns, the men in ceremonial armor and cloaks. Yang recognized them instantly and nearly swallowed her tongue.

A stunning older blonde woman in emerald green with a simple golden circlet—Isabel Arc. Beside her, seven feet of blond bearded muscle in white-and-black armor and a blue cape—Nick Arc. Then the real jaw-droppers: a white-haired woman in royal blue with a golden crown and a crimson-and-white fur mantle, longsword at her hip—Queen Arturia Pendragon, the former Empress herself. And the red-clad man at her side, amber eyes warm, twin swords on his belt—Shirou Emiya, the Magus of Unlimited Blade Works.

Ruby's brain short-circuited. Yang's did the same a half-second later.

Taiyang bowed low; the girls followed a beat behind.

"Thank you for the welcome, Your Majesty, Queen Arturia, Consort Shirou, Lord and Lady Arc of Radian."

Arturia inclined her head, every inch the warrior queen even in retirement. "Well met, Taiyang Xiao Long of Patch. Your grandmother is a fearsome woman—I respect her greatly, rivalry or no."

Granny fought the Lion Saber Queen?! Yang thought, dizzy. Who the hell is this guy?

Taiyang chuckled. "I was there for a few of your highlights, too."

Nick boomed a laugh. "Good to see you, Tai!"

Isabel sighed fondly. "Isabel, please, Nick." She smiled at the girls. "Yang, Ruby—it's wonderful to see you again. You played with our son when you were little. I wouldn't expect you to remember."

Ruby squeaked. Yang's brain supplied nothing helpful.

Shirou's warm voice cut in. "We thought the reveal would be fun." He turned toward a side door. "Come on in, son."

The door opened.

Jaune Arc stepped through in perfectly fitted white-and-black armor, Crocea Mors at his hip, blue cape fluttering like he'd practiced the entrance a hundred times.

"Yes, Papa, I'm—Yang?! Ruby?!"

Yang blinked. "Vomit Boy?!"

Ruby shrieked, "JAUNE?!"

From the hallway, Qrow's head poked in, shit-eating grin in full force. "Yup. Totally worth it for the looks on their faces."

Yang whirled on her uncle. "What the hell, Qrow! You couldn't drop a single hint?!"

Isabel rounded on the men. "You didn't tell them?!"

Taiyang threw his hands up. "I thought Qrow told them!"

Qrow shrugged, sipping from his flask. "I told her it was traditional not to know until the meeting. That's on you, Tai."

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks scarlet. "Oh geez…"

Ruby bounced forward. "Jaune! You're marrying Yang?!"

Yang didn't wait for an answer. Relief crashed over her so hard her knees nearly buckled. She bolted across the room and threw her arms around Jaune's armored torso.

"I am so glad you're not a dirty old man!"

Jaune made a strangled noise. "Urk! Uh… you too?"

Arturia—actual Queen Arturia—sighed fondly. "Why don't you two take some air in the courtyard? Let the adults sort the paperwork."

Jaune bowed awkwardly. "Yes, Nana."

Yang remembered protocol at the last second, stepped back, and gave a quick, embarrassed bow. "Thank you. By your leave."

Jaune led her out into the hotel's ancient courtyard—red roses everywhere, tinkling fountain, weathered statues of hooded knights holding swords toward the sky.

Yang glanced around, then at him. "So… this your family's place?"

"Sort of. My second cousin runs the inn. Been in the family about six hundred years."

"Looks it." She winced. "In a good way! Promise."

Jaune kicked at a pebble. "Listen, Yang… I'm really sorry. I didn't know you guys were the family with the debt. If I'd known they were dragging you into this—"

"Eh." She shrugged, teasing smile creeping back. "Who were you expecting, then? Some noble heiress with a dowry the size of Vale?"

He flushed. "They… didn't tell me who. Just 'old friends.' Nana still has us do these meetings every so often—keeps the alliances warm. Usually it's some rich kid from Vacuo or Atlas. She always says we can walk away any time." He met her eyes, earnest. "Same for you. Any time you want out, say the word."

Yang studied him for a long moment—tall, broad-shouldered, cheeks pink, stupidly handsome in the armor that actually fit him now. She felt something loosen in her chest.

"We've got time," she said softly.

A pause. Then, lighter: "Kinda wonder if Weisscream ever had to put up with this noble-arranged-marriage crap."

Jaune snorted. "Who'd have thought Vomit Boy and the Schnee princess would have something in common?"

"You were one of those dorks chasing her money, weren't you?"

He groaned. "I was so obvious… I'm sorry your dad put you through this. Must be a real piece of work, marrying you off to cover his debts."

Yang leaned back against the fountain rim, arms crossing under her chest by habit. "It's… complicated."

She stared at the roses. "I barely remember life before Mom—Raven—left. Then when Summer died, Dad just… shut down. Became a ghost. Took a big scare to drag him back to the land of the living, and he's better now. A lot better. But sometimes I catch him staring at the door like he's still waiting for her to walk in and fix everything." She exhaled. "He's not malicious. Just… stuck."

Jaune's voice was gentle. "Ruby told me you basically raised her."

"Yeah, well. Someone had to." She flashed a crooked grin. "Thanks for the sympathy, but I did what needed doing. For Rubes. For Dad. For all of us."

"That's still really brave, Yang. You're strong. Stronger than I could ever be."

She barked a laugh. "Please. You grew up with seven sisters. I bow before your endurance."

"One Ruby is already more than enough chaos," she added, grinning.

Jaune chuckled, then sobered. "If you want to just enjoy a free vacation and tell everyone I'm a jerk, I'm fine with that. You can even punch me for authenticity."

Yang's heart gave an annoying little twist. She reached out and lightly slugged his bicep—solid as a wall now. "Come on, VB. Don't sell yourself short. Tell you what—let's forget the debt thing for a bit and just… hang out. You promised a lady a tour, Sir Knight."

His whole face lit up. "You sure? I mean, your dress is… uh…"

Yang leaned forward, arms crossing just so, smile turning wicked. "My dress is what, exactly?"

Jaune turned the color of Ruby's cloak. "I-I mean it's beautiful and you're… you're really pretty, Yang."

He punched his own arm. "I mean you're gorgeous and stunning and—gah, sorry, babbling."

She laughed, bright and loud, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "Oh, I needed that. Thanks, stud."

He relaxed, grinning sheepishly. "You're welcome."

She looked him over—really looked. The armor, the cape, the way he stood taller these days. "You're looking pretty sharp yourself, y'know."

"So… tour?" he asked.

"Lead on, Fiancé."

He offered his arm like a dork. She took it.

They wandered the cobblestone square. Jaune pointed out the towering bronze statue in the middle of the roundabout: a woman in flowing armor, angel wings of fire, sword raised high.

"That's Joan d'Arc. My ancestor. Founder of the clan."

Yang tilted her head. "She was real? I thought she was just a story, like the Girl in the Tower."

"Oh, she was real. Wrecked half of Argus taking down the Witch-Queen. Freed old Gallia from tyranny and everything." He scratched his cheek. "Also kind of a reckless ditz."

Yang snorted. "This I gotta hear."

"We still have her diaries in the church. Girl had a fire Semblance, figured out how to fly, and promptly set her own barn on fire. Then crashed through her house. Three times."

Yang wheezed. "En-light-ening!"

Jaune laughed. "She went on a revenge quest after that—solved most problems by hitting them with a sword or setting them on fire. Or trying to befriend people. After hitting them."

"It's literally Ruby's Mistralian cartoons come to life."

"Yeah, probably where they got the idea."

A tall blonde woman in dark-green armor and a black-haired man in blue approached, smirking.

"Nice duds, Jaune!" the woman called.

"And who's the girlfriend?" the man added.

"Yang, Beacon classmate," Jaune said quickly. "Just visiting."

The woman—Tex—raised a brow. "You gonna marry her? Nana's getting impatient for great-grandbabies. You'd think fourteen kids would be enough."

Jaune sighed. "We're distant cousins, Tex."

"And?"

Yang shook hands with both, grinning. They introduced themselves as Church and Tex, Radian militia. Church eyed her stance.

"Hand-to-hand fighter?"

"Born and raised. Dad and I are brawlers—punches, grapples, the works."

Church nodded approvingly. "Shame you don't kick more. Would show off those legs."

Tex elbowed him hard. "Church!"

"What? It's why you learned!"

Yang bent forward slightly, mock-serious. "Oh yeah… nice legs, lady."

Church immediately mimicked Jaune's voice: "So do you!"

Yang bowed theatrically. "Why thank you, good sir!"

Jaune flushed to the tips of his ears. "You're welcome…?"

The couple wandered off, bickering about baby names. Yang fought her own blush.

"Your friends are weird."

"Wait till you meet Caboose. Ruby will love him—he thinks machines have souls."

They kept walking. Jaune pointed out his Papa Shirou's restaurant up ahead. Yang hooked her arm tighter through his.

"Race you, Fiancé."

She dragged him along before he could protest, his flustered laugh trailing behind them.

Inside, warm wood paneling, soft lighting, walls covered in old photographs and relics. An elegant white-haired woman at the counter spotted them and lit up.

"Jaune!" She swept him into a hug.

"Hey, Auntie Sakura."

Sakura turned to Yang, eyes sparkling. "And this must be Yang, the fiancée! You're absolutely radiant!"

Jaune tried. "We're not officially—"

"It's so wonderful to meet you!" Sakura gushed.

Yang decided to roll with it. "Yup, the fiancée. You're gorgeous yourself."

"Aw, thank you! I'm looking good for 117, right?"

Yang blinked. "I… congrats?"

Jaune murmured, "Relax more, Auntie, you just got out of the hospital."

"I'm fine!" Sakura sang, then called toward the kitchen. "Shirou, sweetie! Jaune's here with his fiancée!"

The man himself emerged—tall, tanned, white hair, apron, that same easy smile that had been on recruitment posters when Yang was a kid. He hugged Jaune, then took Yang's hand and kissed it like a storybook prince.

"Welcome to Radian, Miss Xiao Long."

Yang's brain blue-screened. "I—uh—huge fan, sir. I mean—hi. Yang. The fiancée. Thank you for having me."

Shirou laughed and ushered them to a booth. Once Sakura vanished to put in their order, Yang leaned over and whispered, "Okay, I know Shirou's married to Queen Arturia. Why is Sakura calling him 'sweetie'?"

Jaune shrugged. "They're really close. Auntie Sakura and Auntie Rin both had kids young—Shirou claimed them so nobody would talk. Old Mistral can be harsh."

Yang watched the easy way Shirou and Sakura moved around each other in the kitchen and decided some things were above her pay grade.

She propped her chin on her fist, smirking at Jaune. "You know, you keep correcting everyone that we're not engaged yet, and a girl might start to think you don't want to marry her." She fake-sniffled. "It's okay. I'll find love elsewhere."

Jaune deadpanned, "Should I pull out my imaginary tiny violin?"

Yang's heart did a weird flip—snarky, confident Jaune was new and unfairly hot. She covered it with a dramatic sigh. "Wow, rude. Guess I'll take my imaginary tears to another concert."

"No—no!" He reached across the table, taking both her hands in his. "I'm sorry. I just… I know I'm not the kind of guy you'd pick if this wasn't forced. I don't want you stuck with me because of money."

Yang stared at him. At the earnest blue eyes, the little scar on his cheek, the way his thumbs unconsciously rubbed over her knuckles.

"Jaune. You're kind, funny, loyal, stupidly brave, and you've got the nicest ass at Beacon. You're literally everything I like in a guy, all wrapped up in one tall, adorable package." She felt her cheeks heat. "I didn't think about it before today, but… even without the debt? I wouldn't be opposed. Like, at all."

His mouth actually fell open.

She barreled on. "And yeah, marriage is huge. But the debt's real, so instead of dating for two years we just… take the leap. Together. Because I think we could work. We're not the type to run out on each other, right?"

"Never," he said instantly.

"See? Plus, imagine Weiss's face when I'm in the stands yelling 'That's my husband!' while you kick ass in the Vytal tournament."

He laughed, bright and startled. "You've been hanging out with Blake too much."

"I'm serious! Come on, admit it—we'd be fun."

Jaune's expression softened. He squeezed her hands. "If you really want this, Yang… then yeah. Let's do it."

Her grin could have powered Beacon's lights. "That's my future husband! World's not ready for the Arc-Xiao Long power couple."

She leaned back, evil glint returning. "Quick question—any single great-aunts for my dad? Because this family is clearly insane in the best way, and I need to even the score."

Jaune gulped. "Uh… one?"

"Perfect."

Their food arrived. Yang stole a bite of his duck l'orange and hummed happily.

"So, Hubby-to-be," she said, licking sauce off her thumb, "when's the actual wedding?"

"After graduation, basically."

"Gotcha. So I can't call you husband yet. Does 'Honey' work? Dear? Mine?"

He went scarlet. "Anything you want."

She leaned across the table, voice low. "Mine it is."

Jaune swallowed hard, then—surprising her—winked. "Then I'll keep my Yang close."

Yang felt her heart do something dangerously fluttery.

She decided then and there: debt or no debt, she was keeping Jaune Arc.

And she always kept what was hers.
 
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