Chapter Text
The Beacon courtyard was a riot of color and sound, first-year students milling about with nervous energy framed by the faint hum of airships in the distance. Jaune Arc, his blond hair mussed and his armor slightly askew, trudged through the crowd, his shield clanking against his hip. Trailing him was a tiny blonde Faunus girl, no older than four, her fluffy kitty ears twitching as she clutched a stuffed bunny and toddled after him, her big blue eyes sparkling with awe.
"Papa! Papa, look! It's a castle!" she squealed, pointing at Beacon's towering spires. Team RWBY and Team JNPR, gathered near a fountain, froze as the word Papa cut through the chatter. Ruby Rose's cookie paused mid-bite, crumbs tumbling. Weiss Schnee's jaw dropped, her ice-blue eyes narrowing. Yang Xiao Long's grin faltered, her lilac eyes flicking between Jaune and the kid. Blake Belladonna's ears twitched under her bow, her book forgotten. Pyrrha Nikos blinked, her smile tightening, while Nora Valkyrie gasped, "A MINI JAUNE?!"
Ren sighed, pinching his nose.
Weiss was the first to recover, her voice sharp as she stormed over, Myrtenaster glinting at her side.
"Arc! Explain yourself! Why is a child calling you Papa?!"
Jaune flinched, his hands flailing as the girl clung to his leg, her ears drooping and eyes becoming wide and scared. It made Weiss falter a bit as Jaune put a hand on her head comfortingly.
"I-I'm not a predator, I swear!" he yelped, his face scarlet. "She's my daughter! Mia Arc!"
"Your WHAT?!" Yang roared, her hair sparking as she loomed over him. "Vomit Boy's a dad?!"
Ruby's silver eyes went wide, her voice a squeak.
"Jaune, you have a kid?! That's so cool! But, like, how?!"
Blake opened her mouth, but Yang turned and glared at her.
"No!" She growled.
Blake's gaze softened, but her voice was wary as she shifted to another subject.
"And where's her mother? Why isn't she here?"
Jaune's shoulders slumped, his blue eyes darting down with grief as he scooped Mia into his arms, her tiny hands clutching his hoodie. The teams fell silent, sensing the shift.
"Her mom… Katie… she's gone," he said, his voice low, raw. "Katie was my girlfriend, a cat Faunus from Radian. We were… young, stupid, in love. She got pregnant, and Mia was born, but… Katie died a few days after childbirth. Complications." He swallowed hard, stroking Mia's ears as she nuzzled him. "Katie made me promise to follow my dream of being a Huntsman, even when I was scared. Said it'd make Mia proud."
The courtyard seemed to hush, the weight of his words sinking in. Pyrrha's hand touched his arm, her emerald eyes soft.
"Jaune… I'm so sorry."
Nora's usual grin was gone, her voice quiet.
"That's… really heavy, Jaune-Jaune."
Weiss's indignation faltered, her voice gentler.
"You're… raising her alone?" Jaune nodded, his jaw tight. Yang gave him an empathetic look, and walked over to rest a hand on his shoulder. He nodded to her gratefully.
"My parents helped, but my mom didn't want me at Beacon—too dangerous with Mia. I almost gave up, but… Mom caved when she saw how much Katie's wish meant to me. And Ozpin…"
He glanced at the headmaster's tower, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "He accepted me, even with Mia. Said something about 'potential in adversity.'"
Ruby's eyes sparkled, her voice brightening. "That's amazing, Jaune! You're, like, a superhero dad! Mia's gonna have the coolest papa ever!"
Mia giggled, her ears perking up. "Papa's the best! He makes bunny pancakes!"
Yang's grin returned, softer now, as she ruffled Mia's hair.
"Kid's got taste. You're alright, VB... Jaune."
Jaune looked a bit surprised, but pleasantly so.
Blake's gaze lingered on Mia, a flicker of warmth in her eyes.
"She's lucky to have you, Jaune."
Weiss huffed, crossing her arms, but her tone was approving. "Well, Arc, you'd better not let fatherhood distract you from training. Beacon's no place for slacking."
"I know, I won't," Jaune said earnestly.
Ren's voice was calm, a rare smile curving his lips.
"He won't. Jaune's stronger than he looks."
Nora bounced back, her grin manic. "Mia's our new team mascot! We'll teach her to smash Grimm with hammers!"
Jaune chuckled, his grief easing under their support, Mia giggling and squirming in his arms as Nora began to play with her.
"Thanks, guys. Just… don't let her near Nora's pancakes. She'll eat the whole stack."
"Will not!" Nora protested.
"Will too!" Mia shot back. Nora grinned.
"Our battle... WILL BE LEGENDARY!"
The teams broke down into laughter.
The JNPR dorm was a warm, cluttered haven, filled with the scent of Nora's pancakes and the soft giggles of Mia Arc, Jaune's four-year-old half-Faunus daughter, her cat ears twitching as she colored a picture of a bunny knight. Teams RWBY and JNPR lounged around, the air light with chatter, until Cardin Winchester's voice cut through like a jagged blade.
"Didn't think Beacon let halfbreeds run around. What's next, Grimm pets?" His sneer was directed at Mia, his words dripping with venom, as he looked in through the open door.
The room froze, the teams' eyes snapping to Jaune. Mia's ears drooped, her crayon pausing mid-stroke, her blue eyes confused. Jaune's face went still, his jaw tightening as he took a deep, shuddering breath, his aura flickering faintly gold. He rose, his voice low and dangerously calm.
"Cardin? We're going outside. Pyrrha? Please look after Mia." Pyrrha Nikos, her emerald eyes flashing with quiet fury, nodded, kneeling beside Mia with a gentle smile.
"Of course, Jaune."
Cardin's glare sharpened, his mace resting on his shoulder.
"Oh?"
"We are going outside," Jaune repeated, his voice a steel edge, "and working this out."
Cardin sneered, his teeth glinting in the light.
"All right by me, Arc," he growled. Jaune took his sword and shield, and girded them on. They headed out.
The door slammed behind them, leaving a tense silence. Nora's grin was gone, her turquoise eyes hard as she clutched her hammer. Ruby's silver eyes darted nervously, while Yang's hair sparked faintly, her fists clenched. Blake's ears twitched under her bow, her amber gaze dark. Ren's calm facade cracked, his fingers tightening. Weiss's lips pursed, her Glyphs flickering briefly, as if itching to follow.
Twenty minutes later, the door creaked open. Jaune and Cardin staggered back in, both battered, their clothes torn and bruises blooming across their faces, slowly fading under their healing auras. Jaune's knuckles were raw, his leather and armor scuffed, but his glare was unyielding as he shadowed Cardin.
The larger boy winced with every step, his usual swagger gone, his face pale.
Mia hopped off her chair, her cat ears perked as she ran to Jaune, frowning up at him.
"Papa! What did you do?" Her voice was stern, her tiny hands on her hips. "Did you hurt him?"
Jaune knelt, his expression softening as he ruffled her hair, careful not to jostle her ears.
"No, no… we had a disagreement. But we sorted it out properly." He turned his glare up to Cardin. "Didn't we?"
Cardin, still wincing, nodded stiffly, his voice low and rough. "…Yeah. I'm… I'm sorry. I was… I was wrong."
He glanced at Mia, his eyes low with shame, before turning and limping out silently.
Jaune sank onto the couch, exhaling heavily, his hands trembling slightly. Nora and Ruby swooped in, distracting Mia with a game of "bunny knights," their laughter easing the tension.
Blake, her book forgotten, leaned forward, her voice quiet but piercing.
"…You could have beaten him into a coma."
Jaune's eyes met hers, a storm of emotions swirling—anger, grief, restraint.
"I could have…" he admitted, his voice low, raw. "But that wouldn't solve the problem. And…"
He took a deep breath, his gaze softening as he watched Mia giggle with Nora. "I promised Katy I'd be a good example for our daughter."
His voice hardened, his eyes glowing with a fierce gold.
"No matter how much I wanted to kill him or just beat him up… it wouldn't solve anything. So… we fought, we worked it out… he's going to do better…"
His voice dropped to a menacing whisper. "Or else."
The room fell silent, the weight of Jaune's resolve settling over them. Ruby's eyes sparkled with admiration, while Yang's grin was grudgingly proud. Weiss's scowl softened, her voice quiet.
"You're stronger than I thought, Arc."
"Thanks," Jaune said. Pyrrha's hand rested on his shoulder, her smile warm but protective. Ren nodded, his calm restored, while Nora's cheer returned, her voice booming, "That's our Jaune-Jaune! Scary Dad mode, activated!"
Mia climbed into Jaune's lap, her tiny arms wrapping around him. "Papa's the best knight," she declared, her ears twitching happily. Jaune's smile was tired but genuine, as he ruffled his daughter's blonde hair.
The lecture hall for Professor Port's Grimm Studies class was a cavernous space, its walls lined with taxidermied Grimm heads and faded battle maps, the air thick with the scent of old leather and chalk dust. Jaune Arc strode in, his school uniform covered by a garish pink dress that strained across his broad shoulders, the hem swishing awkwardly above his knees. A sparkly tiara perched lopsidedly on his blond hair, glinting under the fluorescent lights.
The room fell silent, Team RWBY and JNPR staring from their seats. Yang's lilac eyes widened, a grin tugging at her lips. Ruby stifled a giggle behind her notebook, while Weiss's jaw tightened, her ice-blue eyes screaming disapproval. Blake's ears twitched under her bow, her expression unreadable. Pyrrha's smile was warm but amused, Nora cackled outright, and Ren's calm facade barely hid a smirk. Cardin Winchester, seated in the back, snorted derisively, but a sharp glare from Jaune silenced him.
Professor Port, mid-anecdote about a Beowolf hunt, paused, his mustache twitching as he adjusted his spectacles.
"…Mister Arc, is there a reason you are coming into my class in a pink dress and tiara?"
Jaune straightened, his voice steady despite the flush creeping up his neck.
"Tea party with my daughter, sir. Ran a bit long."
Port's eyes lit up, his booming laugh echoing off the walls.
"Ah, say no more! Is she a Wisney princess fan?"
"Very much so, sir," Jaune replied.
"Who is her favorite?" Port asked, leaning forward, genuinely curious.
Jaune's grin softened, his blue eyes warm as he thought of Mia.
"Changes regularly, but right now she really loves Elsa and Anna."
"Jolly good!" Port clapped his hands, his voice booming. "My daughters are more fond of Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty! Why, I remember when I slaughtered a Boarbatusk herd with a Wisney Store's contents strapped to my back! I had 'Let It Go' stuck in my head, and it did raise my spirits, so I sang it loud and proud to keep the Grimm's attention on me!"
Jaune chuckled, adjusting his tiara. "I'll have to remember that one, sir."
"Well! Off with you, off with you," Port said, waving his hands at Jaune's seat. He sat down at his desk, and got down to writing notes as Port resumed his lecture.
"Pink is definitely your color, VB," Yang whispered to him from behind. Jaune smirked.
"You should see me in pumps."