Jaune Arc, Single Father 31
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AndrewJTalon
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The Vale Metropolitan Museum of Art was quieter than usual Saturday morning, thanks to Pyrrha's quiet influence and a generous donation from the Nikos family. The entire Hellenic History wing had been cordoned off for their private visit, golden morning light streaming through the high windows onto marble statues and beautifully preserved artifacts.
Mia's eyes were as wide as dinner plates.
She was dressed in a tiny but authentic-looking Hellenic chiton, a soft white dress with golden trim, and a delicate laurel wreath rested on her blonde curls. In her hands she proudly carried a child-sized replica Argusian javelin, which she waved around like a magic wand and giggled over.
Pyrrha walked beside her, smiling softly, while Jaune trailed just behind, carrying Mia's stuffed bunny in one hand and looking a little overwhelmed by how fancy everything felt.
"Pyrrha, you really didn't have to go this far," Jaune said, adjusting the laurel wreath that Mia had insisted he wear too.
"Nonsense," Pyrrha replied warmly. "This exhibit is on my people's history. I wanted you both to see it properly."
Mia ran ahead a few steps, then spun around, the little chiton fluttering. "Look, Papa! I'm a princess warrior!"
"You look amazing, kitten," Jaune laughed. "Just don't touch anything, okay?"
"Okay!" Mia laughed, rushing ahead.
They stopped in front of a grand mural depicting ancient battles and heroes. Pyrrha's voice grew softer, almost reverent, as she traced her fingers near the glass.
"My grandmother used to tell me stories every night about our ancestors," she said. "We can trace our family line all the way back to Iksander the Great =the conqueror who united the known world. She always said our blood carried both his brilliance and his burdens."
Jaune glanced at her, then looked back at the mural. "I get that. My family has its own long lineage too… the Arcs have been knights and protectors for generations. It feels… like a lot sometimes. Like I have to live up to all of them."
Pyrrha turned to him, her emerald eyes gentle. "It can feel like a burden, can't it? Carrying the weight of so many expectations."
She hesitated, then continued more quietly, "But… maybe we don't have to carry it alone. Maybe we could carry it together?"
Jaune met her gaze. The air between them grew thick with something warm and unspoken.
"I'd like that," he said softly.
Pyrrha's breath caught. She leaned in slowly, heart hammering, willing herself to close the distance. Jaune's eyes widened slightly in confusion, but he didn't pull away.
Then—
CRASH!
Mia had wandered over to a low display stand holding replica hoplite armor. In her excitement, she bumped into it. The entire stand wobbled and toppled over with a loud clatter, the shield bouncing across the polished floor.
Both Jaune and Pyrrha jolted apart.
"Mia!" Jaune yelped, rushing over.
Pyrrha's cheeks flushed bright red as she hurried after him. "Are you alright, little one?"
Mia sat on the floor, laruel slightly askew, looking sheepish but unharmed. "Sorry Papa... I'm really sorry! I-I didn't mean to-!"
Jaune helped her up, brushing dust off her chiton. "It's okay, it's okay. Let's slow down from now on huh?"
Pyrrha gently pushed the shield and armor back up, inspecting it with a practiced eye. She sighed and smiled.
"It's all right. It's just a replica, and no harm done," she said. Jaune sighed in relief.
Pyrrha let out a nervous laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The moment was gone, but the warmth in her chest remained.
Mia looked between them, then grinned mischievously. "Were you gonna kiss Papa?"
Pyrrha turned scarlet. Jaune made a strangled noise.
"Mia!" they both said at the same time.
The little girl just giggled and hugged her replica spear tighter.
Pyrrha eventually recovered enough to smile again. "Come on. There's still the Hall of Heroes to see. Maybe we can find her a helmet that will fit?"
"Oooh! Can I Papa? Can I?" Mia asked. "I wouldn't run into things so much with a helmet!"
"Somehow I doubt that," Jaune chuckled.
Mia's eyes were as wide as dinner plates.
She was dressed in a tiny but authentic-looking Hellenic chiton, a soft white dress with golden trim, and a delicate laurel wreath rested on her blonde curls. In her hands she proudly carried a child-sized replica Argusian javelin, which she waved around like a magic wand and giggled over.
Pyrrha walked beside her, smiling softly, while Jaune trailed just behind, carrying Mia's stuffed bunny in one hand and looking a little overwhelmed by how fancy everything felt.
"Pyrrha, you really didn't have to go this far," Jaune said, adjusting the laurel wreath that Mia had insisted he wear too.
"Nonsense," Pyrrha replied warmly. "This exhibit is on my people's history. I wanted you both to see it properly."
Mia ran ahead a few steps, then spun around, the little chiton fluttering. "Look, Papa! I'm a princess warrior!"
"You look amazing, kitten," Jaune laughed. "Just don't touch anything, okay?"
"Okay!" Mia laughed, rushing ahead.
They stopped in front of a grand mural depicting ancient battles and heroes. Pyrrha's voice grew softer, almost reverent, as she traced her fingers near the glass.
"My grandmother used to tell me stories every night about our ancestors," she said. "We can trace our family line all the way back to Iksander the Great =the conqueror who united the known world. She always said our blood carried both his brilliance and his burdens."
Jaune glanced at her, then looked back at the mural. "I get that. My family has its own long lineage too… the Arcs have been knights and protectors for generations. It feels… like a lot sometimes. Like I have to live up to all of them."
Pyrrha turned to him, her emerald eyes gentle. "It can feel like a burden, can't it? Carrying the weight of so many expectations."
She hesitated, then continued more quietly, "But… maybe we don't have to carry it alone. Maybe we could carry it together?"
Jaune met her gaze. The air between them grew thick with something warm and unspoken.
"I'd like that," he said softly.
Pyrrha's breath caught. She leaned in slowly, heart hammering, willing herself to close the distance. Jaune's eyes widened slightly in confusion, but he didn't pull away.
Then—
CRASH!
Mia had wandered over to a low display stand holding replica hoplite armor. In her excitement, she bumped into it. The entire stand wobbled and toppled over with a loud clatter, the shield bouncing across the polished floor.
Both Jaune and Pyrrha jolted apart.
"Mia!" Jaune yelped, rushing over.
Pyrrha's cheeks flushed bright red as she hurried after him. "Are you alright, little one?"
Mia sat on the floor, laruel slightly askew, looking sheepish but unharmed. "Sorry Papa... I'm really sorry! I-I didn't mean to-!"
Jaune helped her up, brushing dust off her chiton. "It's okay, it's okay. Let's slow down from now on huh?"
Pyrrha gently pushed the shield and armor back up, inspecting it with a practiced eye. She sighed and smiled.
"It's all right. It's just a replica, and no harm done," she said. Jaune sighed in relief.
Pyrrha let out a nervous laugh, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. The moment was gone, but the warmth in her chest remained.
Mia looked between them, then grinned mischievously. "Were you gonna kiss Papa?"
Pyrrha turned scarlet. Jaune made a strangled noise.
"Mia!" they both said at the same time.
The little girl just giggled and hugged her replica spear tighter.
Pyrrha eventually recovered enough to smile again. "Come on. There's still the Hall of Heroes to see. Maybe we can find her a helmet that will fit?"
"Oooh! Can I Papa? Can I?" Mia asked. "I wouldn't run into things so much with a helmet!"
"Somehow I doubt that," Jaune chuckled.