Siiiiigh. This is why I shouldn't post so late at night.
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Jaune blinked as he looked over the situation he was in as the surreal experience it was. His childhood friend was sitting with him at the lunch table, cuddled up to his side after dropping the bombshell of all bombshells to his friends. Pyrrha was on his other side, not cuddled up but clearly not happy about something. Everyone else was gathered around, staring at him. Cardin had choked on his toast, so hey, there was that.
Jaune wasn't so big a man he couldn't enjoy that.
Weiss... Was also looking... Jealous? He wasn't sure how to feel about that.
Blake was also looking confused and terrified. Why? She seemed to know the girl, and Eve certainly knew her.
"So Jaune," Pyrrha began, her eyebrow twitching over that model perfect smile, "However did you and Eve meet?"
"Yes. How?" Blake pressed.
Ruby whimpered a bit. Poor girl looked kind of crushed. Geez, his bestie was just getting creamed!
Yang and Nora were eating popcorn, and Ren was sharing with Nora. Figures.
"So, her mom was injured in an SDC Mining camp," Jaune explained, "My mom and dad were protecting it and doing some medical work. They brought her and her daughter to Radian for a year for her recovery, and uh, we became friends."
"His family opened their hearts and home to me," Eve beamed, "And showed us so much kindness." She sighed happily and hugged Jaune's arm to her chest more securely. He could tell Pyrrha was mad-The voltage in the air seemed to increase. "Jaune and I were the best of friends!"
"Yeah, she was pretty awesome," Jaune laughed, "The most awesome girl I ever met! We went hiking, fishing, played at swordfighting, video games, so much else!"
"Oh. Wow," Ruby said, trying to smile but the sadness in her eyes was pretty strong.
"Uh, not that you're not my best friend too, Ruby!"
"Oh yes, his best friend," Eve said with a smile, "Like a little sister."
For some reason, Ruby looked offended.
Eve snuggled against him.
"But alas," Eve sighed, "I had to leave with my mother. We were... Ahem... Joining the White Fang protests against the SDC's barbaric work practices."
"What a surprise," Weiss muttered. Eve and Blake shot her venomous looks. To Weiss' credit, she didn't back down.
"But before I left," Eve giggled, "Jaune here swore he would marry me someday!"
"I-I mean..." Jaune coughed. "I had turned ten and I just learned... I uh... I kind of figured out she was a girl..."
"An early bloomer!" Nora giggled.
"I definitely was," Eve giggled, "It happens to cow faunus early."
"Lucky you," Weiss grumbled. Ruby grimaced in empathy.
Jaune wasn't gonna get into that. He had to deal with that kind of thing with his sisters.
Not sure why Pyrrha was so upset. Her body rivaled Eve's just fine, even without bovine attributes-NOPE. None of that!
"So uh, yeah, I proposed," Jaune said with a nervous smile. "It was, um-"
"Just something a young boy might say in the throes of puberty?" Weiss pressed, glaring at him and Eve. Again, weird.
"Totally binding by Faunus standards!" Eve cried happily.
"Wait what," Jaune tried.
Eve's lower lip wobbled as she stared at Jaune.
"You mean... You don't want to marry me?" She asked.
"I uh... I totally didn't say that," Jaune said quickly, "But maybe we should... Um... Talk to your parents about this-"
"They're dead," Eve hissed, a real, murderous anger on her face for a moment before she calmed down. That said, Jaune's objections fell by the wayside. He hugged her tightly, and held her close.
"I'm so sorry, Eve," Jaune murmured, "That's horrible. I-I can't imagine how horrible you must feel. But I'm here for you, I-I promise."
Eve hesitated for the first time since she had re-entered his life. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled in close.
"I... I know it may be sudden," Eve murmured, "But... Finding you again is... Is what gave me hope in dark times. You... You understand, right?"
Jaune nodded slowly.
"I... I didn't know you felt that much for me," Jaune said. He smiled as some old clan knowledge came to his mind. Something he actually remembered. "But uh... Look. We just met each other again after several years. Maybe we should... Take things slow? I-I mean, you might not want me anymore-"
"I could never not want you in my life, Jaune!" Eve insisted, cupping his cheeks between her hands. "You... You were my light!"
"And... And I'll always be that for you," Jaune said, smiling warmly as he took her hands and moved them away from his face to between his hands, "But I want you to be happy, Eve. I-I mean... I wouldn't want you to build me up in your mind into the perfect guy and be disappointed! All I want is for your happiness."
Eve's eyes shone with tears.
"Oh, Jaune," Eve sniffled, "You... You've really grown into a wonderful man... But the years apart... I suppose I must prove my devotion to you!"
"Wait, what?" Jaune managed.
"Yes! You're right! I-I have grown into a very different kind of woman than you remember!"
"You were like thirteen-"
"SO! We will take things slow," Eve said with a nod. She beamed at him. "I have waited this long, I can wait a little longer... And ensure no one's taken my place."
She glared hatefully at Blake, who shrank back.
"We're just friends!" Jaune said quickly. "Blake and I just-We read some books together but that's it! We're just friends!"
"Good! Keep it that way," Eve hissed.
Hoo boy, I am going to have to learn how to wrangle this girl, Jaune thought. Yang smirked at him, and he scowled.
Bet she was thinking of the same bad joke, too...
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