Cover Artist: Perfilles-Studio (DeviantArt)

Chapter 25: Love Me Seriously, Love Me Forever

Somewhere in Mistral

Arc Residence

Many Years After Graduation

Yang hummed to herself while she finished cleaning up the remnants of this morning's breakfast. Every meal time at home was a challenge. The stomachs that needed to be filled were virtually bottomless pits. It was amazing that the family finances were still intact despite how much food was consumed on a daily basis. At times, it was almost enough for her to want to pull her hair out.

Then she looked outside through the window in front of her and witnessed why meals were so tough to prepare, but still rewarding and satisfying despite the enormous effort required.

In the backyard was her husband accompanied by their children. The eldest twins, fraternal, were sparring while the middle child and the youngest twins watched.

The oldest one was Blaze Arc, beating his twin out by fourteen minutes. He was the tallest of the kids, almost as tall as Jaune. His blonde hair was short and well-maintained, making him appear older than his appearance suggested and his eyes shined a bright lilac color. Blaze might have his father's face, but he had his mother's personality and that made him very popular with the opposite sex. It wasn't uncommon to see him flirting with girls, which was encouraging and a bit worrying at the same time.

The second oldest was Jay Arc. He was shorter than his twin by half a head, sporting long blonde hair almost reaching his shoulders and intense cobalt-blue eyes, which was the source of his name. He looked like a male version of his mother, but with none of her personality. Unlike Blaze, Jay was very controlled. If Yang had to describe him, she would say he was a pure and uncomplicated person, valuing directness, honesty, and fact. Kids and adults alike respected him very much.

Watching the eldest twins sparring and cheering them both on was her third-oldest, Taiyang, agedeleven, named affectionately after her own father due to an uncanny resemblance. His hair was medium-length and he was the only one of her sons to have two distinct eye colors, his left eye being blue and his right being lilac. Taiyang was the wildest of their children, being something of a motormouth, but he was highly intelligent as well. Both his brain and mouth could move insanely fast.

Finally, there were the youngest twins, identical, aged seven, both carrying a striking resemblance to their paternal grandfather Oliver Arc. The two young boys also shared the unique trait of blood-red eyes, a holdover from their maternal grandmother Raven Branwen, something that was unusual and not-at-all expected. Their names from oldest to youngest were Aiden and Iagan and they were the cutest little things in the world. They were easiest of all the children to raise, always listening to their mother and father without fail.

Holding the hands of the identical twins was Jaune Arc, her husband and best friend. ALmost two decades of service as a huntsman had crafted him into one of the most in-demand men in the field. His physique had certainly morphed considerably from his small beginnings at Beacon Academy. He had grown several more inches in height as a result of the constant physical work he did both in-battle and at home. Jaune had gained much weight in muscle and overall mass while not adding on too much bulk. Tattoos ran from his forearms to his torso, though parts were covered by the short-sleeved shirt he was currently wearing. His hair was short, having remained that way ever since their graduation from the academy. His face was clean-shaven with no trace of a beard or moustache.

He might look older and far more mature and confident, but deep inside, he was still dorky and a total noodle.

Seeing them all assembled made her think back to how they got here.

Just as they both had dreamed about while at school, they had all sons. The only part that didn't come true was them thinking that boys were easy to raise. Boys might not be as emotionally difficult to control as girls, but they had a penchant for destroying stuff as their collective desire to become fighters attested to. Fortunately for the two parents, they had the ability to keep all of them in line and prevent them from doing anything beyond repair. Well, it was more like Jaune gave their boys the boot when it was necessary. Yang spoiled them a bit too much, but it wasn't her fault. She loved her boys and she would fight for their lives to the death if she had to, as would Jaune, although hopefully it would never come to that.

Now that their two oldest sons were about to go off to Beacon Academy and join the fight, the two parents couldn't help but feel sad at the prospect of having Blaze and Jay leaving. Their house would certainly feel a little more empty than it was and they had a lot of space, even for a family of seven. It only felt like yesterday that Blaze and Jay were babies given to Yang wrapped up in neat white clothes.

Those were some formidable times when the fraternal twins came into the world. It was the first test of parenthood for both herself and Jaune and it came at a time when their work had really begun to take off. Many nights for the first few years had been sleepless and for the majority of the time, it wasn't because the two of them were indulging in lust. However unforgiving times got, the two never chose the quick.

All of this had paid off; Jaune and Yang had managed to raise two young men into adulthood. Now they had to do it three more times over and with the experience they held, the next three times would be uncomplicated.

It was also due to parenting that the two of them had to divy their duties of being Grimm hunters between each other. It was fortuitious that they were both dedicated to training at Beacon Academy. Thanks to endless hours of hard and smart work, RWBY and JNPR had graduated with top honors and this lent itself to getting them contracts that paid handsomely, allowing the young partners to be selective with what jobs they took.

The bulk of their time not on missions was spent with their children. While this left them with far less time with just the two of them, they made the most of the time that they did have alone with each other. As they had vowed to do since the beginning, their relationship was something they fought tooth and nail to maintain even during the most arduous times. A united front would not only make the two of them happy, but it would serve to show a united front to their children.

"Mom, you're staring off into space!" Blaze called out to her. "Hurry up!"

"Well, maybe if a certain someone hadn't eaten so much, I wouldn't have as much cleanup to do." Yang replied in good humor. "Also, if I wasn't doing this alone, then maybe we wouldn't have a problem."

"You can do the dishes later!" Blaze replied back to her. "Chores are boring."

"You'll regret saying that later in life, Blaze." Jaune warned the boy. "If there's one thing women hate, it's a guy with no sense of housekeeping."

"But it's so boring." Blaze complained. "C'mon bro, back me up here."

"Yes, it is boring." Jay agreed with his twin. "But it is important nonetheless."

"You say that, but you're not helping either, Jay." Yang threw back with a look.

"I wanted to do training more than dishes." At least Jay was honest.

Well, it wasn't like any of them were slobs or otherwise untidy. Jaune and Yang made sure that they all kept their rooms clean, even the little ones, but if there was one thing that was guaranteed to be more interesting to her kids than house chores, it would be fighting. All of them had inherited her love for thrills, translating into adrenaline-filled spars. Neither parents chose to fight against this.

"Both of you will be doing the dishes for the next two days in exchange." Jaune informed the eldest twins. "Understand?"

"Yes, dad." Two voices sounded off.

Yang smiled. At least she could count on her husband being the disciplinary whenever it was called for.

While enjoying the sheer happiness that was her current life now, it was hard to believe that many years before their children were born and even years after their first two came into the world, things were still tough. Their first challenge was to overcome the emotional barriers between each other. That had been only the start of their relationship problems. Family tensions, beings a huntsman and huntress, team breakups, and changed relationships. All of these both herself and Jaune had experienced in one way or another.

Thinking back on all of it, Yang couldn't help but think fondly of those times despite the situation at those times being anything but pleasant. With the advantage of hindsight, she could think back and call all of it a success.

But in the moment? It was hard to know what would result.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Beacon Academy

Sophomore Year

Yang and the rest of Team RWBY had just returned from a team outing. At least once a week, all of them would go out together and do something. Sometimes, these outings were planned, but more often than not, they just went with the flow and had fun wherever they could. These consistent outings had resulted in stronger bonds in the team and higher morale, which contributed to school performance improvements.

Today, they had just gotten back from testing out some new parts for their weapons. What normally should have been something only Ruby would enjoy turned into something interesting for all of them. The weapons shop they visit specialized in aftermarket parts and all of them had found something new to incorporate into their weapons.

The only thing that was really unnerving was that the shop was run by the old man who also ran a noodle joint. Seriously, that old man seemed to have a business everywhere. How did he it?

"See? I told you that place was awesome!" Ruby declared victoriously. "And you guys thought I'd lost it."

"Yes, Ruby. We're all very impressed." Weiss groaned, not liking to lose. "You can stop rubbing it in our faces."

"It's not often she wins when it comes to talking about weapons." Blake threw in a comment. "She's just doing what feels right for her."

"Yeah, it was fun, but this isn't going to make me a weapon nerd." Yang shrugged her shoulders. "So sorry, Rubes."

"But WHY?" Ruby was absolutely apalled at these words of blasphemy.

"Ruby, you're the only girl I know that likes weapons." Yang pointed out. "And I know a LOT of girls."

"Just humor me! Or pretend you like weapons as much as I do!" Ruby cried crocodile tears. "Just don't hurt my feelings!"

"Will you stop whining like a child?" Weiss bonked her partner on the head. "I swear, even if you've become a good leader, you're such a kid."

"Owie!" Ruby held her head.

"On that, we all agree." Blake was quick to agree.

"My team, how could you wound me so?!" Ruby collapsed to the ground "IT'S TREASON!"

"Is it any wonder that we're still a functioning team with this dolt as our leader?" Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I've read that genius and madness can often be two sides of the same coin." Blake offered a glass-half-full perspective.

"Yeah and I've also read that we're best friends with the Grimm." Yang retorted with a glass-half-empty thought. "Let's not encourage her quirk too much."

With some coaxing, Ruby was helped up and they made it back to their dorm. Weiss was the first to use her scroll to open the door. Once the click confirmed that the lock was now disabled, they all entered their room, not expecting anything else to be different. That's when they saw a figure standing between their bunk beds.

"UNCLE QROW!" Ruby and Yang called out and rushed over.

"Whoa, you two." The man appeared calm and collected, even while being squeezed by his nieces. "I know you love me and all, but I've got a reputation to protect here."

"Pssh." Ruby swatted the air in dismissal. "Your rep doesn't mean anything to us. You're just Uncle Qrow."

"And you have cred?" Yang placed one hand on her hip. "You ain't one of the kids anymore, Qrow."

"Hey, I'll have you know that I've got plenty of street cred." Qrow narrowed his eyes. "But those stories aren't for your ears."

"What, are we too kiddy for it?" Yang challenged. "C'mon, we're all adults here."

"Really?" Qrow crossed his arms and met the blonde's eyes. "I'd like to hear about it. I heard quite a bit from Ozpin and I would LOVE to meet the deadman who's crossed the line with you."

"First of all, nobody dictates my love life." Yang wasn't having any of it. "Second, Jaune's my boyfriend and NOBODY disrespects my boyfriend."

"Well, I'm going to until I'm satisfied." Qrow took a swig from his bottle. "And that time should be now."

A knock on the door was followed by a voice. "Hey, you girls in there? I need to ask a quick question?"

All eyes turned to Yang, who seemed conflicted on what to do. The easiest thing to do was to shoo her boyfriend away and save them both a headache, but that was only a temporary solution. Besides, it wasn't anything that they weren't facing still in regards to Jaune's mother and sisters. Qrow might not be an easy person to talk to, but he wasn't a bad guy, far from it. He was simply a bit cynical and drunk. He respected strong characters physically and mentally and Jaune was adequate in the former and exceptional in the latter.

She was quick to open the door. He was dressed casually. It looked like he was doing some housekeeping for his team because they didn't appear to be around and not a peep of them could be heard from the opposite room. They must be out doing something.

"Jaune, I want you to meet someone." Yang took him by the hand and pulled him into the room. "This is Qrow Branwen, my uncle."

Jaune's eyes lit up, but he didn't appear shocked or concerned. He had heard about the man from his girlfriend before, but meeting him in person was a first.

"So this is him?" Qrow looked up and down, then frowned a bit. "I'm not seeing it."

"I get that a lot." Jaune wouldn't be baited so easily. "I've heard a lot of interesting stories about you from Yang."

"Oh, I'll bet you have." Qrow stepped forward with a more aggressive tone. "And I'm sure she mentioned how badass I am."

The two of them were now mere inches apart. The veteran huntsman was taller than the huntsman student by about half a head. The height difference was obviously being used as an intimidation tactic. The first to look away or flinch would lose this fight. All the girls held their breaths as Jaune did his best to remain steady. His eyes bore fear, no doubting that, but still he maintained eye contact.

"I did. I heard you once saved her life and Ruby's life." Jaune smiled a bit. "Thank you for that. I wouldn't have met my first friend and my girlfriend otherwise."

Seconds ticked by tediously as the two men continued to battle each other, but nobody dared to break the stalemate; something had to happen soon otherwise even the slightest thing could set off a chain reaction of chaos.

Qrow finally smirked, which felt out of the blue. "You've got a pair on you, kid. That's good. You might suck at being a fighter, but a strong will can get help you close the distance."

The black-haired scythe-wielder slapped the blonde knight on the back. All the pressure in the nearby space seemed to deflate almost instantly and a collective sigh rang out. Team RWBY sometimes forgot that while guys could be very aggressive with one another, their ability to bond often could be simple and straightforward.

"Do guys hate each other and then like each other that quickly?" Ruby was the most confused. "How does that work?"

"Our opposites simply work differently than we do." Weiss didn't care to understand. "It's best to simply accept it."

"Boys will be boys." Blake nodded her head. "Nothing else to it. Simple."

"Hey, simple is good." Yang pointed out. "It keeps things going smoothly between us."

"None of you are guys." Qrow said. "So none of you have a right to comment about us."

"What, and you do?" Yang crossed her arms. "You, the guy who's got no significant other?"

"Hey, I'll have you know that women can't get enough of me." Qrow shot back with an arrogant smile. "And I've got plenty of inappropriate stories detailing all about it."

"So spill it then." Yang challenged her uncle. "I mean, it can't be any worse than me and Jaune."

The conversation shifted from one nonsensical subject to the next with not a single common thread between any subject, but it was all fun just the same. Gone was the uncomfortable and hostile atmosphere replaced by shenanigans, stupid antics, and sheer enjoyment.

Yang flashed a wink to Jaune. It looked like Qrow was on their side too, which was a good thing. Maybe the smoother talker that was her uncle could convince her dad to lay off or at the very least give the two blonde teenagers another chance. Already, Jaune's father was trying to work things over with his wife and daughters and even though the process was slow, it was progress, something to show.

"So how about a fight?" Qrow pointed to Jaune. "I know you suck and all, but at the very least you should suck less now that you've got Yang helping you out."

"I'm going to regret doing this, but sure." Jaune rolled his eyes, but accepted the challenge. "I'm ready to beat this guy."

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Qrow had been swayed to their side pretty quickly and he and Jaune even became fast friends. The older and more experienced huntsman taught some of his own sword tricks and techniques to his junior, something that increased Jaune's combat effectiveness many times over. Nowadays, Qrow was retired from service and spending more time was his own family.

Yes, Qrow Branwen, the skirt chaser, had managed to settle down with a single woman and have a family no less. Even more out of this world was that his wife was Winter Schnee, the eternal ice queen. How he had melted her heart was anyone's guess, but the two of them made it work somehow and they had one daughter. They were happy and everyone was happy for them as well.

It was also thanks to Qrow that Taiyang turned down the heat on Jaune and eventually moved on. By the end of their time at Beacon Academy, it was clear as glass that the two blondes and their relationship was never going to go away. Jaune and Yang loved each other unconditionally and anyone could see it.

Yang wasn't too sure on the details, but Jaune apparently had gone to Taiyang for a blessing and permission to marry Yang, an expected move from her man, but from what he had told her about that talk, it apparently went really well.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Xiao Long Residence

Six Months Before Graduation

Jaune wanted nothing more than to get this over with. Truthfully, he was dreading what was about to come next.

At this point in his relationship with Yang, he was serious about spending the rest of his life with her. To that end, the next step was marriage and he wanted to do it the traditional way: a wedding with family and friends all gathered to witness the occasion. It was simply another part of him that was old-fashioned. However, before he could propose to Yang, he needed to seek the approval of her father and that was the issue.

Taiyang Xiao Long loved his daughters; anyone could see that, but given his tumultuous love life, it was easy to see why he was overprotective of Yang and Ruby at times, especially when it came to men. This always confused the Arc knight. If he was so concerned about his daughters, then why let them be huntresses? A person could recover from a terrible relationship, but the Grimm took away life, the thing that everyone only had one, but Jaune was wise enough to never voice this question of his. Instead of fighting the father of two, Jaune would show through his actions that he was worthy of Yang.

With time and a consistent effort, things slowly cooled down between father and boyfriend, but it wouldn't be right to say that things were going swimmingly between the two of them. Taiyang remained apprehensive and wary and Jaune could only do his best for Yang and himself. It sucked, but asking for more felt like a sin.

Today, that had to change. One way or another, he required the permission of Taiyang to marry Yang. The choice to do this wasn't merely out of respect for tradition. Jaune wanted to end the tension between himself and his future father in-law, at least that was the hope, but maybe things wouldn't go over so smoothly.

Jaune was dressed in casual attire and against his huntsman nature, he left behind all his weapons and armor. He wasn't going to war. He was just having a visit with his girlfriend's father, no big deal.

Taking a deep breath, the young warrior rapped on the door three times, then took a step back and waited. It was only a few seconds later that the door opened and the door opened. Both their eyes met.

"Jaune." Taiyang's greeting was curt.

"I've got something important to discuss with you." Jaune decided to cut to the chase. "It's about Yang. Is there somewhere we can talk? This might be a while."

"...come inside." Taiyang looked reluctant. "Take a seat at the dining table."

Already there was this unspoken tension between the two men. While not quite as overwhelming as it could be, there were certainly more pleasing atmospheres to be a part of. Hopefully, this wouldn't be a lengthy affair.

They both sat opposite of each other and for a moment, there was a staring contest.

"You said you wanted to speak about Yang?" Taiyang went first. "What about her?"

Jaune took a deep breath. "I want to ask you for your permission and blessing to marry Yang."

Perhaps that was too blunt a response, but the blue-eyed blonde didn't immediately say or do anything that indicated disapproval or outright denial. If anything, he looked surprised, maybe even a little shocked.

"You're asking for my blessing?" Taiyang's voice made his surprise clear.

"You make it sound like I wouldn't ever do such a thing." Jaune didn't really appreciate that tone.

"Can you blame me?" Taiyang said with a look. "Considering the type of things you two get up to, I figured that… this wasn't going to happen."

Jaune sighed. "Just because we did things in the improper order doesn't mean I don't respect tradition. If anything, I really wanted to go down the tried and true method. Meet the girl, date her, fall in love with her, propose to her, marry her, then a happily ever after. I won't make excuses for what we've done. In hindsight, it was rushed and we weren't ready, but we're still here and we're still making it work. I don't pretend to fully understand why you, my mother, and my sisters still hold a grudge, but I promise you that I love Yang with all of my heart. I want to do the rest of it the way that my father did, but even after marriage, it's not the end of the journey, just the start of a new chapter."

"How far would you be willing to go for Yang?" Taiyang posed another question.

"If I had to give my life for her, I would." Jaune already knew his answer. "Isn't that the most telling sign of unconditional love? Of course, if I can avoid that fate, I would prefer it. While the idea of dying for her is noble, I don't think she would agree."

"No, she wouldn't." Taiyang's expression remained grim. "Summer's death hit her hard. Ruby was too young to really understand or care, but I'm sure she's told you about all that."

"That conversation was a while ago, but I know what her second mother means to her." Jaune nodded his head. "And that's what I'm afraid of the most. If Yang loses another person she loves, that might be the last person she'll ever lose. Whether that's me, Ruby, or the rest of her friends. I hope that she never has to go through that again."

Jaune would never understand the king of pain that his girlfriend had experienced. He only had his own pains to compare, but when juxtaposed to hers, his felt insignificant. The worst thing he had to worry about was personal doubt about his place as a huntsman. She had lost family. That was no contest. He only understood her pain when she chose to expose herself and he offered the best thing he had to offer: a promise to remain by her side.

"You're serious." Taiyang felt that dedication. "Maybe a little too serious, but that just might be what's needed. That girl is a kickass fighter, but when it comes to matters of the heart, she is very sensitive. That front she used to put up? All those happy smiles and playful words? I knew what that was: a mask to hide from the world the pain and loneliness she felt. As her father, I feel responsible for that, but I could never find the right way to fix it and now it's no longer in my hands. It's in yours now."

Taiyang looked at Jaune with a more thoughtful expression. The barrier normally between them appeared to have dissipated, filled now with a lull of silence and uncertainty. Both men continued to regard each other, the younger with anticipation and the older with something more elusive.

"Yang gets so much from her biological mother that it worries me, but she's more capable of being responsible than her mother. I have no doubt that Yang will be a wonderful mother... and I've seen how you two are together and I can't deny that both of you are doing your best for each other. I guess… my experience with my teammates was limiting my perspective. I was just projecting my own fears onto my daughters and that isn't fair for either of you. Yang and Ruby are their own individuals and sooner or later, I won't be around to protect them."

"It's an understandable reaction if nothing else." Jaune amended. "I think most fathers in your sitaution would think the same way."

"Be that as it may, I've been unreasonable and selfish and it's about time that I stopped letting my fear control me." Taiyang made known his own decision to change. "You two have a future ahead of you and clearly you both are committed to each other through thick and thin. I've known that for a while now, but I just had a hard time accepting it, so… I'm sorry for being a hardass."

It was the first time that Taiyang had offered any sort of olive branch to Jaune and it was such an alien thing to hear. Even more unusual was the extended hand being offered. For a moment, it was too much to take in all at once. It felt like this day would never come and here it was being offered.

Jaune carefully took the hand Taiyang offered and they shook, afraid that this would be all a dream, but it wasn't. This was real. Everything.

"To answer your original question." Taiyang lowered his hand and smiled. "I know that Yang loves you more than anything in this world. She would go to the ends of Remnant for you and you've made it clear numerous times that you'd be willing to do the same, so I give you my permission and my blessing to marry my daughter."

"Thank you." Jaune breathed a sigh of relief. "I promise that I will always strive to be the best husband I can."

"Well, first, you need to propose to her." Taiyang laughed. "You can't very well get married unless you've got a ring and a fancy speech."

"I've already got a ring in mind, but yeah, I need to think about what to say." Jaune mirrored his senior. "It's going to be nerve-wracking as hell."

"Well, it's a lot more than I've done." Taiyang admitted. "I never even got to a proposal when it came to Raven. I just skipped to fatherhood. In that regard, you're a lot better than I ever was."

Jaune tilted her head. "What about Summer?"

Taiyang scrached the back of his head. "Eh, it's more like she proposed to me."

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Whatever happened that day, Yang was thankful that her husband and her father had made up and were on speaking terms. Better yet, the two of them communicated often, talking about parenting, huntsman stuff, and just lots of small talk.

These days, Taiyang was content as a grandfather. He spent as much with his grandsons as he could and in turn, all six Arc brothers shared a mutual love for their grandfather. On that front, it was all smooth sailing.

Yang expected this to be the best outcome for her side of the family, but another surprise came down the road.

On the day that Blaze and Jay were born, Raven Branwen had come from out of nowhere and visited Yang and Jaune while at the hospital. She was the first woman to ever hold the twins. The look on the then newly-minted grandmother's face was uncertain, but she had tried to appear like a competent grandmother, tried being the key word.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Somewhere in Mistral

Two Years After Graduation

Yang stared hard at Raven. Both daughter and mother had seen very little of each other in their lives. For the former, she had greater priorities than a mother who couldn't be bothered to even visit on a semi-regular basis. The latter was just too selfish and afraid to even make the effort to create a bridge.

Now, both parent and child were in the same room and they were not alone. It was in the dead night that Yang had given birth to twins. From the moment that she saw them, she fell in love with them. Jaune too was equally elated and for the first hour, the two blondes just stared with glossy eyes at the twins.

A few of their friends and family had come to see the babies, but not everyone wanted to or was able to. Among those that were not expected to join this celebration was Raven. It was just assumed that she had little interest in her daughter and grandchildren.

Now that the red-eyed woman came, Jaune was quick to vacate the room, not out of fear, but getting the feeling that there were some things that needed to be said without his presence interrupting them. Yang protested, but she couldn't get much in before he made himself scarce, but not before also letting Raven hold the twins.

So here she was, trying to conceive of a proper response.

"I remember when I first held you." Raven said while still looking at the features of the twins. "It was the happiest moment of my life, but it was also the most fearful that I had ever been."

Yang maintained silence, watching her mother carefully. She had quite a few biting remarks she ought to make, but the words pouring out were unfamiliar and since they had rarely seen each other, anything was better than the avoidance strategy. The Yang who had first entered Beacon Academy never would have given Raven a chance to even talk. Years of being with Jaune taught her to better control her aggressive tendencies. Now when they surfaced, they came in small bursts. This was one of those times, but she held her tongue and listened as best she could.

"Back then, things were simple." Raven reminisced further. "It was just me and Tai building a future. At first, things were going so well and then, the truth about our world came to light. That fear tore apart Team STRQ... or rather, I tore the team apart. I… left out of fear for your life and my own, but I couldn't let go of you. You may not realize it, but I've been keeping an eye on you over the course of your life."

"And?" Yang questioned. "So what? You're now interested in my family now of all times?"

"Your husband's a fool." Raven made her stance transparent. "Don't mistake my words. He's a skilled warrior and he'll only get better with time, but he has a misplaced sense of compassion and righteousness, but then again what can you expect from a knight?"

"I honestly don't care what you think, Raven." Yang shot back. "You might have helped bring me into the world, but I am not obligated to call you mom. That title belongs to Summer Rose. You don't get to come back and make judgements about my family just like that."

Raven was silent for a moment, never meeting Yang in the eye. "Yes, I'm not in a position to judge, but the reality is that this world is cruel beyond measure. Soon, you two will realize that."

"So what if the world sucks?" Yang leaned forward in her bed. "That doesn't mean we have to change who we are. If we bend every time something bad happens, then we're not strong. I won't be a coward and run just because things get tough."

The blonde woman, as much as she tried to bluff about not caring, couldn't deny that she longed for a connection between herself and the woman who birthed her. It was irrational and plain stupid; facing a horde of Grimm left her with nothing but a grin and an adrenaline rush, but talking to her mother? That made Yang nervous.

"You say that now." Raven chuckled humorlessly. "But nobody can be prepared for everything. Many have tried, but none have succeeded. That's why Mankind is still unable to solve all its problems."

"Saying this doesn't excuse you. You abandoned us. You abandoned me." Yang growled. "And just because I'm allowing you to hold the twins doesn't make the hurt and pain go away. This isn't forgiveness. This is just being polite for Jaune's sake."

"I expected nothing less." Raven was unperturbed.

Silence reigned as the grandmother held her grandsons. Never once had those crimson eyes left the tiny little things. Their entire conversation had been done with only one of them actually looking the other in the face. Naturally, this led to Yang feeling aggravated. What kind of woman who claimed that she was strong didn't even have the ability to look her own blood daughter in the eye? Was she afraid?

The blonde wouldn't pretend to know the full story about Raven. Her dad had told her everything he knew, but from his perspective, he still wanted to think that there was a sliver of hope that one day, Raven might come back. Perhaps that possibility existed, but as things stood right now, it didn't seem to be a likely outcome.

For the life of her, Yang couldn't comprehend what game Raven was playing. The more-experienced woman was anything but clear about her true motivations. Even knowing that she led a bandit tribe told very little. All that meant was the katana wielder led some really scummy people, which wasn't an uncommon thing in the world. The difference in location, power gap, and skill didn't really matter either. At the end of the day, a thug was a thug, but in this case, what did a thug had to gain from seeing a family that she had hardly interacted with?

"Why?" Yang finally inquired. "Why are you here? What do you want from me? What do you want from my family?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me." Raven replied, her tone seemingly resigned. "You've already made up your mind about why I'm here."

"Just tell me." Yang grilled. "Otherwise, leave. I have better things to be doing than playing twenty questions with you all night."

"...I have my way of keeping tabs on you." Raven looked her daughter in the eye for the first time. "When you and Jaune first became a couple, I had my doubts. I believed you two would break up and life would go on. Additionally, I was not impressed by him at the time. However, as time went on, I could see that both of you were evolving, adding onto what was already there."

Blaze and Jay moved in their sleep and Raven rocked her arms gently to keep them from awakening. By some miracle or by luck, the two boys lulled back to sleep. Watching this, Yang couldn't help but feel softened at the sight. More than anyone, she knew that holding a grudge did nothing but bring negativity in her life. Rationally speaking, it made sense to let go, but when it came to reality, it was much harder in execution.

Yang was an emotional person. She knew it and so too did her friends and family. Jaune had personally become witness to her emotional and reckless side multiple times. He wasn't perfect at dealing with it, but he was more level-headed than she ever could be and that's why they worked. If he were in her shoes, he would make a serious attempt to get to know Raven. As he always said, it paid to be the bigger man in the room. It had the effect of painting one in a more dependable light.

When looking at herself in this light, Yang realized one thing: she was being the difficult one here. No, she wasn't excusing Raven from her actions over the past two plus decades, but she wasn't helping matters by displaying hostility.

"I was reminded of how I was once with Tai." Raven's voice snapped Yang back to reality. "And by that same token, I was afraid that you would go through what I went through, that same fear. Maybe if things had turned out differently, history would have repeated itself, but you proved to be stronger than I ever was."

Yang blinked. "I thought you didn't care about what happened."

Raven shook her head. "You're a part of me, and by extension, so are these two. Of course I've always cared. I'm just not good at showing it."

"This… doesn't sound like you at all." Yang was perplexed. "Based on what dad told me about you, you'd rather kill someone than accept that you've got weaknesses."

"You're right on that account, Yang." Raven carried a small smile. "As for my reasons for being here, I wouldn't have come here if not for a little… encouragement."

"Who would have the guts to face you and make you look yourself in the mirror?" Yang couldn't imagine who that person could be.

Raven grinned. "Who do you think?"

There was only one person.

"Of course." Yang knew who it was. "I knew my husband was crazy, but now he's certified bat-shit insane."

"But you won't be lacking for interesting moments in your life." Raven added. "A fool your man is, but fools often get themselves into interesting situations."

(X)(X)(X)(X)

From that point forward, Raven would make occasional visits to their family. The visits happened sporadically and there was no telling when they would happen, but the thought was what counted and now she and Yang were on talking terms, although not quite as close as a mother and daughter ought to be. She appeared to like Jaune for reasons only the Gods knew about, which was kind of weird, but it wasn't worthy fretting too much over. Yang wouldn't say that she forgave her biological mother for leaving her as a baby, even after all this time, but she wasn't about to be a bitch about it either. What they had was something at least. It was better than nothing.

On the flip side of family matters, trying to come to an understanding with the Jaune's mother and sisters was a much more arduous endeavor. By the time the lovebirds became professionals and taking jobs, things still had not settled between Yang and the Arc women. Oliver Arc had done whatever he could from the inside, but Yang had put herself on the line more than once to apologize and show to her mother in-law and sisters in-law that she would always stick by Jaune's side and never hurt him intentionally.

The cold war between them continued on for some time, even after the marriage. The best that had been managed were curt greetings, which sounded like a professional meeting between two business partners rather than family members. It was a far more preferable alternative to the silent treatment and raw disdain that was blatant and upfront, but it was little better than open resentment.

A breakthrough came when Jaune and Yang had visited the Arc household with the infant Blaze and Jay for the first time. Nobody would be able to deny that the two young parents were not slacking when it came to raising their children. They rewarded good behavior and punished bad behavior like any good parent would. Also, nobody could debate if the two were in love. Just one look made things clear that love was still in the air.

It was just enough to break the ice.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Childhood Home of Jaune

Three Years After Graduation

For the first time since their marriage, Jaune wanted to take a trip back to his old home where he grew up. His parents were only eager to embrace their two grandsons and his sisters were just as eager to meet their nephews.

Yang wasn't so enthusiastic about this visit. True, she wasn't required to come with her husband and sons. More than once, Jaune had told her that he wasn't requiring her to go. As much as she appreciated the sentiment, she wouldn't back down. This wasn't about pride; this was about showing her in-laws that she was going to be a good wife and mother. She needed to continuously show that. Even if they didn't acknowledge her publicly, maybe they would be forced to concede mentally.

So here they were, spending a week with the Arc family. The house was massive and even with the four additions, there was still more than enough space. Despite the suggestion that the twins sleep in a separate room, Jaune and Yang fervently disagreed. Blaze and Jay would sleep in their room and that was final. It had taken some convincing from the Arc head to his wife to get this decision to be final.

And speaking of Oliver Arc, the father of eight continued to be the sole support for Yang in the house. At first, he had been discrete in helping Yang so as not to ignite the wrath of his family. Now he had ditched any fear of repercussions from his wife and daughters. Jaune was thankful to his father for putting himself out there. It certainly wasn't earning him any favors with his wife, that was for damn sure.

It was barely the evening of the first day and Jaune and Yang spent their time in the living room sitting by a cozy fire while playing with the fraternal twins. Moments like these took Yang back to the days of spending time with Summer. Never for an instant did she ever forget what Super Mom had given her: love and care. This traferred to how she treated her sons.

But that didn't mean she didn't discipline them when it was needed. Both Jaune and her had been reminded by Oliver that they were parents. That meant that when children acted out of line, it was the job of a parent to discipline the child. Even if the twins were still babies who had yet to say their first words or take their first steps, it was important to make sure that they grew up understanding that the world didn't cater to their every need. The newly-minted parents didn't need to be convinced. They knew about choices and consequences first-hand.

For now, those concerns were far from their minds. Jaune held Jay in his arms while reading a book to him. Next to him, Yang played with Blaze, making goofy faces, tickling him, and just being plain stupid. Thankfully, nobody called her out on it, so she continued to do it, making her eldest child giggle and laugh.

It was then that out of the corner of her eye, Yang saw her mother in-law. By practice and instinct, she met the older woman with her eyes not wavering. It was meant as a warning and as a reminder, the warning being not to interfere with her family and the reminder being that she was doing her best. For years, the only thing that the expression had managed to accomplish was put a scowl or a frown upon the face of Daisy Arc.

This time, the Arc matriarch had a look that was inscrutable. The only thing certain about the face was that there were a whole lot of things going on mentally.

"Jaune, can you help your sisters?" Daisy made herself known to her son. "Dinner's almost ready."

"Alright, I'll get on it." Jaune informed his mother, then turned to his wife. "I'll take Blaze."

"Thanks, dork." Yang handed Blaze over gently, then kissed him briefly on the lips. "I'll be there in a minute."

Both women knew what was happening. Whether Jaune knew it or ignored it wasn't really for them to know about nor was it important. The young knight simply held one baby in each arm and carefully made his way to the dining room.

For a minute, Daisy and Yang regarded each other, trying to get a read on the other. This had been often what they both did when caught in each others' sight. They could not and would not speak to each other, so the next thing to do was to keep tabs. Over time, the signals and interpretations must've been good one considering the tension was far less noticeable than in days past.

"May I?" Daisy finally was the first to talk.

"It's your home." Yang's response came soon after. "Please do what you want."

The younger one remained neutral outwardly; inwardly, she was now on high alert. Never before had words of common courtesy come from the older. Either the world was going to hell or all was right with the world.

Another lull occurred, this time with simple quiet occupying the air between the two of them. Eye contact had been broken as Daisy looked at the ground, her face transforming, becoming saddened. Yang observed with baited breath. This was shaping up to be something serious, she could feel it in her guts.

"When I first held Jaune, I was so happy." Daisy began, her fingers intertwined. "I had always wanted a son. Not that I don't love my girls, but when I was young, I was a girl with many brothers and a very devoted father. I think that's what stoked my desire to have a boy and having multiple girls beforehand only heightened that desire."

Yang listened to everything, piecing together what she said and comparing it to the information Jaune had given her, albeit his perspective was limited in comparison. So far, everything seemed to be making sense.

"People always say that when you have many sons and one girl, you tend to protect your daughter a lot more." Daisy continued on. "I guess with me, since Jaune was my only son, I gave him special treatment. I tended to give him more leeway for mistakes he made than my daughters. I scolded him less harshly than his sisters when it came to disciplining him. I think it was the same for Oliver."

Yang wouldn't deny that this woman did love her son so much. It showed not only in how she spoke of the memories, but also the look in her eye that signalled a clear fondness. However, by that same token, that love might have made Jaune ill-prepared to face the world, especially the part of the world he had delved into.

"You were afraid for him." Yang summed up what she was thinking. "Is that why you didn't think he would succeed as a huntsman?"

"I didn't want to ruin my baby boy's dreams, but Oliver and I know first-hand what it's like to fight Grimm." Daisy shifted her attention to the ceiling. "I tried to softly dissuade him by saying that he'd always have a place here if it didn't work out, that I would be worried if things didn't go as planned, but… looking back at it now, it was obvious that maybe I loved Jaune too much. I think… it was when he became a teenager that he began to dream big."

"That's hardly surprising." Yang could understand wanting to grow up fast. "I was just like that when I was the same age. My sister acted the same way too. All teenagers think they've got the world figured out."

"And that's the part that worried me. I feared for Jaune because this world can break you in so many ways. I've seen people that were once so happy be reduced to dead shells inside, barely alive." Daisy sat up straighter. "If something like that happened to Jaune, I wouldn't ever forgive myself as a mother."

It was then that the older mother looked the younger mother in the eye. It was the first time that they had eye contact that wasn't poisoned by negativity, but something that didn't change between those looks and this one was how intense it was. This time however, the intensity came from somewhere much more serious.

"Yang Xiao Long, I don't pretend to know you well, not for a second." Daisy took Yang's right hand with both her hands. "But I can't deny that Jaune is happy with you in his life… and I can't deny that you are serious about being a mother. I see that same look in your eye whenever you hold the twins."

Yang looked utterly surprised at receiving such praise from this woman. Unexpected didn't even begin to describe how she felt about this moment.

Daisy calmed herself down. "I know that this is selfish of me to ask not to mention stupid, but as Jaune Arc's mother, promise me that no matter what happens, you will never take the easy way out. Promise me that when the going gets tough, you'll stick it out with Jaune. I don't want him to face the world on his own because he will if he feels he has to. Promise me."

Yang smiled. "I've never doubted Jaune for a second and I won't now. He's the first man I've come to love and he'll be the only one I ever love. I'll never leave his side, that I promise."

(X)(X)(X)(X)

The domino effect was quick to do its work and the seven sisters all came around too when their mother did. Despite the various personalities on display, they all had their mother's love and stubbornness, but also her compassion and integrity. They soon were quick to offer their own ways of apology and with that came an end to the last vestiges of old drama, at least in regards to family.

There were still some old matters that needed to be settled with other loved ones, specifically within their generation of huntsmen and huntresses. Regrettably, it wasn't long after graduation that Teams RWBY and JNPR broke up and went their separate ways. Four years had them exposed to many things previously unknown to them. The world was a much darker place than any of them realized. It woke them up to the reality of the life of a huntsman. It was an ultimately thankless job and it would forever be so, but even so someone had to be the one to do the job that no one else would do.

Ruby was still on her journey to become the ultimate hero. It wasn't without some sacrifices and some changes, but she still continued down the path nonetheless, not to be deterred by any obstacle. It was her chosen destiny to be a hero for the people and she had come to accept her life would be in servitude.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Arc Residence

Seven Years After Graduation

"Ruby, this many missions nonstop isn't okay." Yang argued over her scroll. "You need to slow down."

"But I'm so close, Yang." Ruby wasn't one to be deterred easily. "The Grimm could be killed off forever. Think about what that'll do for the world."

"The world can endure for a while longer." Yang retorted back. "Look, I love this job, but even I need a break every once in a while. So do you. You can't hope to save the world by yourself."

"I know it's tough, but I'll be fine." Ruby smiled sadly. "Besides, if I stop now, everything we've fought for will be for nothing. I'd feel like I'd be letting you and Jaune down. I feel like I'd be lying to Blaze and Jay. They look up to me and I want to be the hero they think I am."

"DAMMIT RUBY!" Yang couldn't stand it any longer. "THIS ISN'T ABOUT ANYONE ELSE! THIS IS ABOUT YOU!"

It had been like this ever since Beacon Academy. Everyone was involved in the war to liberate Mankind from the Grimm once and for all. It was a worthy cause, but at least all of their friends had found a way to retain some semblance of a life outside of fighting, everyone except Ruby and although nobody wanted to talk about it, everyone was worried about Ruby's well-being.

"This is my choice, Yang." Ruby stated calmly. "We both know that any of us could die at any time. You and Jaune know this. Why is it different for me?"

"... I don't want to lose you." Yang felt tears in her eyes. "Think about what dad would do. Think about what Summer would do."

"That's not fair, Yang!" Ruby shouted in defiance. "I'm doing this because I don't want anyone to suffer what our family suffered ever again!"

"If you die, we'll experience the same thing again!" Yang's voice cracked.

Ruby bowed her head on-screen. "I won't. I promise."

"That's what Summer said when she went on her last mission." Yang muttered.

"... I have to get going." Ruby decided to end the call. "Say hi to Jaune for me."

The call ended between the half-sisters and all Yang could do was curling into a ball and let herself so quietly. This wasn't the first time they had this fight, but every time it happened, it was guaranteed to sour the mood.

"Yang." Jaune's voice was nearby.

The blonde woman lifted her head to see her husband standing next to her as she sat on the sofa in their home. The dimness of the room suddenly reminded her that it was night time and the kids were asleep.

She lifted herself from her seat and rose to embrace him with all the strength that she had. He wrapped his arms around her. His hugs were the most assuring feeling in the world and she needed that now.

"Promise you won't leave me." Yang sobbed into his chest. "Promise you won't leave our sons."

"On my honor and my word." Jaune knew how unrealistic her desire was, but he said the words. "I will always come home."

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Ruby continued her work with every fiber of her being with no sign that she would ever stop. At this point, stopping her was impossible and she would keep going until she succeeded or died in the line of duty. It was a heavy pill to swallow, but nothing short of the Gods would be able to stop her unshakeable conviction. Yang tried again and again to convince Ruby to take time off, but it never happened.

Even worse yet, the types of missions that Ruby embarked upon were highly secretive, an unfortunate parameter due in no small part to Ozpin giving the scythe-wielder these mission specifically. The red reaper would never know the type of renoun that Jaune and Yang had experienced. Ruby was truly a lone wolf braving the world on her own, a foolish and naive sentiment.

There was not only bad news in regards to the former members of RWBY. Weiss, despite her earlier days insisting she wanted to forge her own path, returned to the Schnee Dust Company and worked to reform its image into something more trustworthy and positive, something more akin to its old routes before her father took over. Today, the SDC was on a course to a brighter future.

All of that paled, though, in comparison to Weiss's most difficult objective in her life: motherhood.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Schnee Mansion

Eight Years After Graduation

"It's been a long road, but the SDC is finally where I want it to be." Weiss took a sip of tea. "Our name once again stands for trust, affordability, and quality."

"You've earned it." Jaune sat opposite with a cup of coffee. "More than anyone, I can vouch for the dust quality. It certainly makes my job easier. Thank, snow angel."

"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" Weiss, despite her question, smiled.

"I've made nicknames for everyone." Jaune shrugged his shoulders. "It would be weird if I stopped."

"I suppose you have a point." Weiss conceded. "But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."

"I can take a guess." Jaune sat back in his chair. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine for now, but I've had my downs." Weiss looked down at her swollen stomach. "I feel so ugly."

"You do realize that every woman in the world just blanched when you said that." Jaune half-joked. "But seriously, I assume Neptune is man enough to be there when he needs to be?"

"Neptune might be a bit uncertain at times, but he's reliable when it matters." Weiss spoke. "I'm just… I'm afraid. I'm not sure what I'm doing. That's what I wanted to ask you about. How do you know what to do? How do I know that I'll be a good mother? How do I know-"

"Weiss Schnee." Jaune raised his voice enough to silence her. "I already know that you're going to be the greatest mom ever."

"How do you know that?" Weiss implored him. "You know about my family history. How can you believe me that easily?"

"Because you care." Jaune answered without missing a beat. "And when has any problem ever stopped you? If you don't think you're qualified, then find a way to make yourself qualified. You think you won't be a good mom? Then find a way to make yourself a better one."

"I'm serious, Jaune." Weiss looked frazzled. "What do you do?"

Jaune shook his head. "What Yang and I do won't necessarily apply to you."

"Please." Weiss begged. "Just humor me."

"Fine, fine." Jaune raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, first of all, nobody ever becomes a parent knowing how to be the greatest parent ever. Each kid is different. The important thing is to use what you've got and keep trying. Sometimes, you don't know what the hell you're doing and you just have to make a decision and live with the consequences, good or bad. The important thing is that you always keep looking until you find the methods that work."

"Give me an example." Weiss demanded. "I need something concrete."

"Gods above." Jaune ran a hand through his hair and laughed. "You really are worried about this."

"Of course I am!" Weiss looked over the ledge of the balcony. "I don't want my child growing up the way I did, but they say that children become like their parents."

"You are nothing like Jacque Schnee." Jaune quickly did away with that path. "You never have been and you never will be."

"I hope you're right." Weiss sighed. "I really do."

"And this is something you really need to discuss with Neptune. I understand why you're asking me about this stuff, but this is his child too."

"I realize that and I will talk with him once I get something from you, so tell me about your experiences and leave no details out."

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Weiss became much busier when her only son came into the world, but just as Jaune had predicted, she had turned out to be an excellent mother if not a bit strict. Neptune was there to make sure that there was fun to be had in the Schnee family. Young Finn Schnee was a fine young man with a promising future ahead of him.

The Schnee Dust Company made a comeback by abandoning questionable practices and business partners while adopting and introducing new practices that appealed to a person's sense of good. It was costly to make these changes, but where money was concerned, there was little that that the name Schnee could not afford.

Moving on, Blake was always destined to finish off old business with the White Fang and with her former partner and lover Adam Taurus. She worked tirelessly to bring an end to the darkest chapter in the White Fang's history and she still was doing so to this day. The relationship between Humans and Faunus was better, yet there was still room to improve.

As intense as the cat faunus could get, she knew that she needed to let off some steam every now and then.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Kingdom of Mistral

Eleven Years After Graduation

By sheer coincidence, Yang and Jaune were spending the afternoon with their children doing some light training when Blake saw them.

"Yang? Is that you?"

"Is that you, Blake?"

Admittedly, ever since breaking up Team RWBY, they had not been in contact with each other often. Of course they all sent each other the occasional scroll call or message and managed visits every now and then for old time's sake, but they were largely doing their own thing, so chance meetings like this were rare. The two women embraced each other regardless.

"It's been a while." Yang said. "What's been going on with you?"

"The same as always." Blake pulled back. "I'm making sure the White Fang stays on the good path. It's not easy, but I can sleep better know that we're doing the right thing. What about you?"

"Couldn't be happier." Yang nodded to her family. "Sometimes, I wonder how I got to this point."

"You and Jaune always found interesting ways to make school life fun." Blake could only roll her eyes. "Remember sophomore year?"

"Hell, yeah I do!" Yang grinned from cheek to cheek. "Everyone was trying to stop us from being all affectionate."

Blake chortled. "Well, yeah. What was was the term everyone used?"

"Public displays of awkward affection." Yang recalled. "Aw, yeah! All the couples at Beacon wished they could be as hot as us."

"No, they just wanted you to stop being lovey-dovey." Blake deadpanned. "That went for me too."

"Weren't you reading smut books with a lot more sappy moments?" Yang challenged. "I read Ninjas of Love. I wasn't impressed."

"They're not smut." Blake corrected for the millionth time. "And how could you not relate to those moments in the book? You and Jaune were doing similar things if not the same thing."

"Not really." Yang motioned with her hands. "Jaune and I earned our affection for each other. Unlike your romance stories, love doesn't just come from nowhere. It's got to develop over the course of time. Sure, we had some key moments that brought love to the forefront, but in the end, what makes us love each other is our continued commitment to each other."

"The unromantic truth of being romantic." Blake mulled over. "Yeah, I hear you."

"Speaking of romance." Yang pointed at her former partner. "What's up with you and Sun? Last I heard, you two were getting really serious."

"We are, although I have to say it took a lot longer than I thought." Blake hugged herself. "By the time I knew it, fifteen years had passed. It's been that long since we met."

"Hey, you do your thing." Yang moved a hand to pat the black-haired woman's shoulder. "If you go looking at everyone else, you're never going to find what you want. Stop caring so much about what people think about you."

"You make it sound so easy." Blake asserted with a short sigh.

"Because it is that easy." Yang squeezed the shoulder she was holding. "Remember, love is opening yourself up to someone else and potentially hurting yourself. Jaune and I have said and done hurtful things to each other many times in our relationship before and after our marriage, but we worked it out in the end because we wanted to make it work out."

"Yeah… I hear you." Blake breathed. "I'll do better."

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Blake still had many fears and insecurities to sort out, but she managed to find peace with herself and was able to start a family that she always wanted according to Sun. One son and one daughter, who were blessed with parents that were always there and always willing to make time for their children.

Yang made it her personal mission to become Blake's mentor into the world of motherhood and parenting. The two of them, as a result, reconnected and resumed their friendship, an unexpected but very welcome side effect. Even Jaune had become friends with Blake and they hardly talked when at the academy.

All in all, Team RWBY weren't lacking for things to do.

For Team JNPR, it was much the same.

Pyrrha went on to become an instructor for students at Beacon Academy and the choice seemed to bring with it a new outlook on life. Whatever time wasn't spent as an instructor was spent being a private citizen, leaving behind her old legacy as the Goddess of Victory. It had taken her forever to find a path that she wanted to go on, but she got there eventually.

At least, that had been what seemed on the outside. Inside was another matter.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Beacon Academy

Thirteen Years After Graduation

"I thought I might find you here." Jaune leaned against the doorway to Pyrrha's office. "Still as diligent as ever."

"Jaune." Pyrrha stood up and greeted him once she was aware of his presence. "Sorry I didn't notice you there."

"It's no trouble." Jaune stood up straight. "Impressive work by the way. I know that Glynda is happy with you as her successor."

"Well, I'm just doing my part to help the next generation." Pyrrha, as always, played humble, trying to play off her accomplishments. "Just like you and Yang are doing."

"You know, our oldest twins are working to get into Beacon Academy." Jaune gave a knowing gaze. "And unlike me, they're doing it the right way."

"Well, if there's one thing I hope they retain, it's their father's loyalty and compassion." Pyrrha wasn't the least bit concerned.

"They are those things." Jaune let a breath out. "And they're so much more than I'll ever be. They're smarter and stronger and they're certainly better as lady killers than I'll ever be, which is a good thing for me because I wouldn't know the first thing about that. If they asked me for advice, I would've turned them into losers."

"I wouldn't say that." Pyrrha muttered to herself.

"So anyway, enough about me and the kids." Jaune gestured to her. "What have you been up to lately besides all this?"

"Not much else." Pyrrha admitted with a tint of shame. "Just work."

"Not a good idea, old friend." Jaune shook his head. "This line of work is deadly. You need to make friends and find a guy. Then you can die knowing you loved and were loved too."

Jaune knew exactly what was troubling Pyrrha. Even after nearly twenty years of knowing each other, he could spot the smallest details about her behavior. The way she looked at him, the way she acted around him, the way she spoke to him, it was the same as it was back when they were students.

When she was in love with him.

No, she had not let go of that love. She still loved him and he had no idea how to make her stop seeing him like that.

Jaune paused in thought to reconsider what he was saying to himself. Was that really what was going on? Was he rationalizing to himself as he had always been? Did being friends with Pyrrha hurt her inadvertently? Was him being kind actually hurting them?

Jaune made his choice. "Don't look at me like that. You know that it's never going to happen and there's not a thing you can do about it. Just accept it and move on."

As painful as it was to be this blunt and this harsh, he realized something. By being her friend and still supporting her after all this time, he had unintentionally sustained the feelings she had for him, feelings that had to be very strong otherwise she wouldn't have held onto them for so long.

It was a shame the conversation had taken this turn. It had been so pleasant just a minute ago.

"I should get going." Jaune didn't smile at her and didn't wave. "Later, partner."

That was the last time he saw her in person.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

It turned out that Jaune ending his friendship with Pyrrha had been exactly what the latter needed to eventually move on and find someone else to love. Although the Arc family saw hardly a trace of her for years, last they heard from their other friends, Pyrrha had finally found someone and was set on getting married. It took far too long to reach that point, but better late than never.

Yang had asked Jaune if he would go to see Pyrrha's wedding, but surprisingly, he said he wouldn't be attending. As far as he was concerned, any partner that Pyrrha chose would be a good match for her. The red-haired woman might be somewhat naive, but she was far from stupid. If she saw potential in someone, more often than not, her instincts were spot-on. The man that she was going to spend the rest of her life with was one lucky guy.

And speaking of lucky guys, Sun was always happy where Blake was invovled. Also, he was Sun, which meant he always had fun. Whether that be saving people, spending time with Blake, or annoying Neptune, the monkey faunus moved to the beat of his own drum and let nothing stand in his way. He rarely stayed in one place for any more than a few days. How he maintained such high levels of energy even after all this time was anyone's guess.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Somewhere in Mistral

Twelve Year After Graduation

"That's the latest rumor about the two of us?" Jaune looked at his wife with a look of disbelief. "Really?"

"Um, maybe you two didn't look at the vids, but you pulled off some badass combo moves!" Sun looked like a little kid right now the way he moved. "You guys were doing things from a video game!"

"Unlike those video games," Yang pointed out, "I am deadly, not cartoonish."

"You two get my point." Sun ignored that. "The point is you two are still celebs in our circle. Do you know how many students in the four academies look up to you two as the ultimate duo?"

"I've heard a few things." Jaune placed his face in his hands. "And that's kind of what scares me. The academies were meant for fighting, not romance."

"Hey, you two made it work and you're the talk of the huntsman community." Sun wasn't exaggerating when he made the statement. "People want to believe that they can have what you two have."

"Maybe a few will find it." Yang crossed her arms with a wistful thought. "But we're more like an exception rather than the norm."

"But it's still kickass." Sun quieted down by a smidge. "I've been trying to get Blake to do those kinds of moves with me."

"Knowing Blake, I've got a few ideas as to how that chat went down." Yang snickered.

"That's why I wanted to ask you two for help." Sun clasped his hands together. "Teach me your ways, masters! I will be eternally grateful."

Jaune and Yang stared at each other. They knew the monkey faunus to be spontaneous quite often, so him making a request like this wasn't anything mind-blowing, but all the same, what they said about their fighting was true. The bond they shared allowed them to exponentially increase their combat effectiveness. It was part of the reason they were able to get contracts and job offers that were significantly more rewarding than what others in their field were receiving. That in turn led to them becoming household names.

Their hesitance to share anything about this connection wasn't because they held anything against Sun. He was one of their friends and they had seen him more in their work environment than they ever had in school. They trusted him with their lives, but this was personal stuff not to mention highly personalized. This duo fighting worked for them, but they had no idea if anyone else could apply it in the same manner.

"Sun, I want you to realize that this isn't just something we use frivolously." Jaune warned his compatriot. "Before we can do what we do, we need to be strong by ourselves. A whole can't be strong if one half is weak."

"I know that!" Sun looked offended. "Me and Blake are finely tuned Grimm killing machines!"

"We're not just talking about the strength of the body and combat skills." Yang chimed in with the next part. "We're also talking about the bond between the two partners. Jaune and I have worked to earn and maintain what we have. Are you willing to do the same with Blake?"

"Sure!" Sun didn't back down. "Whatever it takes, blondies!"

Was he even taking this seriously?

(X)(X)(X)(X)

In the end, Sun was Sun and he always got his way. He and Blake had managed their own form of bond, but their wasn't nearly as developed as the one that Jaune and Yang had, but the monkey faunus was determined to outdo his 'masters." He was fine.

An unintended consequence of sharing their knowledge of aura bonding resulted in increasing interest from huntsmen and huntresses. The requests to go public with this knowledge had Jaune and Yang debating whether or not to do anything with what they knew. To this day, they had not come to a decision, which probably meant that they would never say anything more on the subject.

On an unrelated note, perhaps the most surprising turn of events amongst friends was when Ren and Nora semi-retired from active duty very early to start a daycare. This action had been fueled by their desire to help orphaned children in the wilds get their lives back on track in some way. All these kids had lost family and that scar wasn't going away, but at the very least, they deserved a second chance at a happy life. As a matter of fact, Kuroyuri Orphanage was more than a simple place. Many huntsmen and huntresses, who came from similar backgrounds and Ren and Nora worked with the orphanage to bring in children displaced from their homes and without someone to help them. It was a massive effort, but it was an effort well worth it in the end.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Kuroyuri Orphanage

2.5 Year After Graduation

"Sorry to do this to you two." Yang gingerly parted with her babies. "I know you two have a lot on your plate."

"We're happy to help." Ren's mild personality had not changed one bit, nor had his compassion. "Anything to help our friends."

"Besides, you two need time to yourselves." Nora, too, had changed little in her personality. "Keeping the romance alive is a good thing. One night out isn't going to kill your credibility as parents."

"We know that." Jaune voiced. "But we wouldn't have bothered you two if our families could help."

"Jaune-Jaune!" Nora planted her hands on her hips. "What have we said about Team JNPR?"

"We scratch each others' backs." Jaune recited the words. "We're family."

"Speaking of which, how is Pyrrha doing?" Ren asked. "The last we've heard from her was a little over six months ago."

"She's been doing what she does best: taking names and kick butt." Jaune looked away and into the distance. "I'm doing my best to look out for her, but that woman is dedicated, I'll give her that."

Although RWBY and JNPR had split up shortly after graduation, the members of JNPR had managed to retain friendships and relationships that were first started when they first met. Those relationships had evolved and changed as they had all matured, but what was important was that they were close enough to still call each other best friends and even family.

As a testament of those continued connections, Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora would always manage a few days in the year to reunite and do whatever was fun in the moment. From productive to stupid things, it was another memory to add to the collection for the four of them.

Another added benefit was the exchange of favors like this one.

"We'll be sure to give her a good spanking!" Nora never failed to make punishments either painful or embarrassing. "Ren says we can't break her legs!"

"Because she's our friend." Ren explained as if he expected to explain this to everyone he met. "And morality aside, do you really think any of us can even come close to her?"

"I do." Yang pounded her fists together. "Not to toot my own horn, but I'm am one bad motherfu-"

"Language, Yang!" Jaune interrupted. "The kids."

"Hush, you." Yang pinched her husband's cheek. "They're too young to understand what we're saying."

"Don't underestimate kids." Nora adopted a severe tone. "Kids are more devious than you realize. I would know because I work with them."

"Nora, kids can't be spies." Ren held Blaze in his arms. "We've been over this before."

"Mark my words, Ren." Nora eyed his suspiciously. "They'll come for us and take us down while we sleep. Everyone except these two! Don't you two love your aunt and uncle!"

Jay gurgled happily as the ginger-head did an eskimo kiss.

"We'll take it from here." Ren returned to look at the two blondes. "You two have fun and let us know if anything comes up."

"Thanks, brother." Jaune nodded his head. "I'll treat you and Nora to deluxe pancakes."

"All's right with the world when pancakes are involved!" Nora perked up at the magical word.

(X)(X)(X)(X)

Yang had shifted through all of these memories in a matter of minutes. These, among many others, were what had shaped her life, Jaune's life, and the lives of their five sons. Looking back with the perspective, knowledge, and experience she had, all of this could've have never been if things hadn't lined up the way they had.

If Jaune hadn't revealed his insecurities about his place at Beacon Academy, she wouldn't have seen him any differently and she wouldn't have pursued him. It wouldn't have led to that one night that changed the entire game. They might've just ended up as two students who occasionally talked to each other. Their relationship wouldn't exist. The drama they dealt with wouldn't exist. Their marriage wouldn't exist, and their sons wouldn't be alive.

The last part scared her most.

It was weird to think that Jaune could've ended up as anything but her husband and lifelong partner. She couldn't imagine herself as anyone's wife but his and he couldn't imagine anyone else as his wife but her. That mutual sentiment had not disappeared ever since they were married because unlike some people who felt that marriage was the end of the journey and the happy ending, both the brawler and the knight knew better. The ending didn't come until life ended and even though the two of them were no longer as young, they still had a considerable amount of time left in their lives to live it up a bit.

The clanking of weapons made her remember that she needed to finish up and get outside. She was quick to finish rinsing and neatly stacking the dishes together before gathering her gauntlets and heading outside.

"Glad you could join us." Jaune smiled at her entrance.

"I wouldn't trade it for the world." Yang mirrored the expression. "Now, who's ready for a good old-fashioned beatdown?"

It was another day in the life of the lively Arc family, but she hoped that there would be many more days like this. As much as she loved the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of the kill, she had found something more precious and priceless than she could ever obtain by being a badass.

Love. It was the one thing that she had wanted out of love more than anything else and she was blessed to not be lacking for it.

She had love from her father, stepmother, and even a bit from her biological mother. She had love from her friends. She had love from her in-laws. She had love from her children.

She had love from her husband and he was the one who made this all possible.

"What's that look for?" Jaune noticed her thoughtfulness.

"I love you." Yang blurted out. "Did you know that?"

"I had an idea." Jaune teased her. "But I might need something to make sure the point gets across without question."

Despite the protest from the kids, she stepped forward and planted her hands on his cheeks before kissing him in a chaste manner so as not to traumatize the audience present.

"Satisfied?" Yang inquired.

"Most definitely." Jaune was most definitely pleased. "Love you to, firecracker."

"You're such a dork." Yang threw back.

"Do you two mind?" Blaze broke in impatiently. "We're in the middle of training."

"Sweetie, one day, you'll understand." Yang approached her oldest child. "And don't forget that your father and I were teenagers once."

"That is an alien idea." Jay mirrored his brothers' feelings. "I cannot imagine it."

"Have we never shown any of you our photo album?" Yang gazed at Jaune. "We have, right?"

"No, I don't think we have." Jaune seemed caught off-guard. "Strange. We should do that soon."

"Mama and Papa were like big brothers Blaze and Jay?" Aiden and Iagan asked in unison.

"Sure were, pups." Jaune kneeled down to look at eye level with the identical twins. "Someday, you'll grow up to be big and strong like me."

"Cool!" Aiden and Iagan cheered.

"So anyway." Jaune switched his mindset. "Let's show em how it's done."

"The usual bet?" Yang readied her combat stance.

"You know it." Jaune held Crocea Mors.

She was going to make sure to win this fight for sure. Victory here meant she would be having a very satisfying night.

And Jaune was an absolute master at making her nights restless.

Nearly four years ago, I began this story with no particular goal in mind. I just thought it would be fun to try my hand at what I considered a crack ship which resulted in the first chapter of this story. I didn't have a particular affinity for the ship; this story, which started as a sort of one-shot became something I invested in heavily as I delved more into the personalities of Jaune Arc and Yang Xiao Long. Now that I've come full circle, I've learned so many things about writing, about the characters, and even about myself.

The most important thing I've learned about writing romance stories in particular is that it's easy to lose focus on the romance aspect and sometimes, it can even get pushed to the backburner of a story without an author even realizing it. That was a lesson I learned while writing the drama part of this story. It's something I discovered while reading other romance stories within the RWBY fanfiction setting. This realization was one of the reasons why I felt the need to be serious about this story. I felt that if I were to write a romance story, I ought to make sure it stays not that way. The thing that kind of frustrates me when stories go off on a tangent and develop into a grand adventure that forgets that romance was the reason people came to begin with.

The next critical lesson for me was what is contained in a romance story. All relationships are formed differently, developed differently, and function differently. I'm sure that I could've made this relationship a little more refined, but in the end, what I came up with is something I believe could happen between Jaune and Yang. Everyone will have their own interpretations of what Dragon Slayer can and should be. I've simply given my own take on the ship and hopefully, I've inspired a few of you to try and write your own version.

The third thing is how to end it all. I'm well aware that not all romance stories end up with a happy ending and I can respect someone who likes those kinds of tales, but that's not what I wanted. As soon as I committed to making this into a full-fledged story, I decided that it would get the happy ending and so I chose to wrap things up and summarize. You guys read the story and by this point, you ought to know that Jaune and Yang love each other and based on the story, they would find still love each other even after all this time.

Which leads to the next thing that I learned: consistency. A story is supposed to make sense in context of the lense that it tells itself in. Basically, things need to flow in a way that is within what is explored. New elements should only be introduced if there is some logic to doing so. Some of what I introduce were underdeveloped like the aura bond as well as a few loose threads that I've either ignored or forgotten. That's something I'll work on with time.

Those were just four things among the many things that I took away from this and I still have a lot to learn even after all this, but I will no doubt apply the lessons learned and get even better.

I'm not the only one that's changed; the RWBY fandom has shifted considerably since this story began and the community currently is divided on the direction of the canon show as well as certain behind-the-scene things going on. I know that personally, I'm not a fan of where the show has gone and there are a few decisions made by the people at Rooster Teeth that has me disappointed to put it mildly, but I genuinely am passionate about my place here and I still watch the show, hoping that one day, it might be able to recapture some of the old magic that it once had, even as cheesy and clunky as the old volumes were.

I'd better wrap this up before it becomes too long-winded.

I want to thank each and every viewer of this story, new and old, that took the time out of their day to give this story some love. Thanks to long-time viewers for sticking with me from the beginning until this point. Thank to new viewers for getting to this story at the time you did. You didn't have to wait as long for the end.

Thank you to everyone who helped get this story so popular. With over 3100 followers, nearly 2500 favorites, close to 1200 reviews, and 701000 overall views, this is my most successful story to date. These are staggering numbers to me. I honestly had no idea that the ship Dragon Slayer was so popular. Either that, or I'm much better at writing than I think I am. My writing quality aside, I know for sure that I've turned some people into true believers of Dragon Slayer. More than a few have said that this story is the reason they're a fan of the ship, so I may have added some more fire to the ship wars, which is already bad enough.

So what's next for me? Well, I've got a ton of other stories I should get back to. I don't plan to post new stories any time in the immediate future, but I do have this idea for a new romance story. I'm thinking of doing a Lancaster shipping story that will be like the 2.0 version of this story: more refined and with a more focused plot and with the experience that I have.

I also want to give immense thanks to the people who have helped contribute to this story in one way or another.

My long-time beta-reader Trance Sephiroth was a huge help in refining the grammar and I wouldn't have spotted half of the things he saw. Props to this guy for being a good sport throughout the time he was here.

Next up are the contributors of ideas. That responsibility goes to Operator Blake and somenewguy. Both bounced ideas to me whenever possible and influenced many important points. We didn't always agree on every point, but I was grateful for the ideas because they were things I didn't consider.

Makentsu was the one who created the first cover art for this story, which I greatly appreciate since I was an amateur artist then and I still am now.

Finally, thank you to my current cover artist, Perfilles-Studio (DeviantArt) for commissioning the wonderful piece that now adornes this story now and forever.

All of the people invovled in this story are all people that I am honored and blessed to have worked with. I apologize that my writing schedule was never consistent and that I could become incognito for lengthy periods of time, but I never forget all of the work put in by all of you. Truly, your decision to help me is a kindness I won't forget. I only wish I could do something more to show my appreciation.

Once again, thanks to each and every person that came here and read. You all pushed me to do my best and I am eternally grateful. If you're all feeling up for it, please leave a review and share with me the moments in this story that you loved, hated, cooed at, booed at, and just anything at all. Be honest with me too. Part of being a writer is opening myself up to criticism. That's just part of this gig and I'm not afraid to shy away from opinions that'll widen my perspective and provide me with a new lense. You can even criticize me for my terrible grammar correction if there are any that I missed.

This is Ktyou signing off with the last chapter of "One-Night Brand." Stay creative!