Chapter-19

The day of the election was upon them.

Jaune expected it to be hectic like the days leading up to it but much to his surprise, the General had given them all leave to pursue their own activities. Robyn Hill was expected to host a victory party in Mantle but Jaune didn't feel much like attending, though Ruby had voiced an interest in going. Thoughts of Ruby inevitably lead to thoughts of Ruby's cute little pussy, spread underneath his tongue as he devoured her from behind. He could still taste her, could still feel her amazing ass within the palms of his hands but the ultimate prize had been denied him, leaving him with a serious case of pent up desire.

He wanted to fuck. He wanted to fuck so bad it hurt. He felt reckless, on edge; bursting with energy that no amount of cardio or weight training or combat simulations could temper. Only by fucking could he get it out of his system, so that is what he planned to do.

Tonight was the night. With everyone free, it was the perfect chance. He wanted to finish what he had started with Ruby so naturally she was his first choice, but with her going to the victory party with Penny that might be a little difficult to manage. Penny was working security and some of the Ace-Ops would be in attendance, further complicating such a venture. Qrow might even be there and that was not the sort of trouble he wished to court, not right now. Ruby was out, so he thought about Yang or Blake but they already had plans. They were hitting the town once again with Team FNKI. Normally, that would have been perfect. The last time they had all gone out, things had gone very well – only this time, Neon wasn't talking to him. She was still angry that he hadn't cum, ignoring all attempts he made at reaching out. Tagging along would just make the entire night awkward and he didn't want that, didn't want to ruin everyone's good time.

Who was left?

He thought of Cerise and her beautiful eyes, and wonderful tits. She had certainly expected something the last time they'd met and if it hadn't been for Blake, Jaune suspected she may have tried for a repeat go around. He wasn't sure how he felt about that with her daughters around but maybe he could swing by their place? The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea.

"Want to do something together tonight?" Oscar asked. "Everyone else seems to have plans."

Jaune looked at the younger boy, noticing the hopeful glint in his eyes. Jaune opened his mouth to decline but hesitated, feeling a little awful that he was about to dismiss him out of hand because he was horny.

"I thought we could go see a movie or something," Oscar continued. "You know – something normal? No huntsman business, no... magic ," he whispered the last part, "just something mundane and ordinary."

Jaune paused in the middle of the hall and Oscar halted beside him, an expectant look on his face.

If he was being completely honest, something normal sounded great. Any other time, he would have accepted in a heartbeat. This wasn't any other time, though. His body thrummed with so much excess energy that he threatened to just start twitching and moving because it felt almost unbearable to stand still. He needed to deal with it, urgently.

"We could ask Weiss," Oscar suggested suddenly. "I don't think she has any plans yet."

Weiss.

Jaune swallowed, his mouth feeling dry. Why hadn't he thought of her? He had been so focused on Ruby, Yang and Blake, even Neon and Cerise that he had completely forgotten the girl who had once been the apple of his eye. Though Jaune knew why deep down he hadn't sought her out sooner.

She was the unattainable dream; the girl who once held all his affections and his admiration. Even now, years after Beacon, she still stole his breath without effort. The thought of being intimate with her, fucking her , was almost too much. He may have thought that about all the girls he had been with but she was just on another level to him. Everything was much more powerful when it came to her; his desire, and his doubts.

But then he remembered her questing hand upon his leg and wondered...

Cerise was forgotten.

"Sounds like a plan," Jaune replied. Oscar smiled widely. "Know what is airing?"

They found Weiss with her team in their room, discussing their plans for the evening. When Ruby saw him, her face transformed. Her smile could have been a beacon for how bright it was, silver eyes lighting up to match her gleaming teeth. She looked pretty. Not that she wasn't always pretty but she looked prettier than usual, though Jaune wasn't sure what was different.

Weiss must have noticed his confused look.

"She asked me to help put on her makeup," her smile was all amusement. "I think she has her eye on someone."

Jaune laughed awkwardly, "You think so?"

"They look cute, don't you think?" she nodded over to Ruby and Oscar, who had quickly approached her. The pair were talking, the boy excited about something though her attention was split between his words and glancing their way.

"Ruby and Oscar?" he asked, uncertain.

Weiss rolled her eyes good naturedly, "You can't see it? Well, you always were a bit slow on the uptake with these sorts of things."

She wasn't wrong and Weiss knew better than most about that particular facet of his. Just remembering all those hopeless one liners and attempts at asking her out to the dance, or to see a movie made him cringe with embarrassment. He really hadn't known how to take a hint. When it came to Ruby and Oscar, though – well, Jaune wasn't so sure about that. When Ruby glanced their way, he graced her with a smile. She looked away quickly but he didn't miss the slight flush of her pale cheeks.

The make up was for him.

Did Oscar like Ruby, though?

"So, I was wondering," Jaune turned completely to Weiss, giving her his full attention. "Wanna catch a movie tonight? Everyone else has plans, so I thought maybe we could hang out."

She stared at him for a moment.

"Well, maybe you are getting a bit sharper on picking up on these things after all," she finally said with a smirk.

"What?"

"Nothing," she waved a hand carelessly. "I'm in. Anything is better than going to some premature political celebration party or tagging along with those two," she jerked a thumb at Blake and Yang, who were in deep conversation and giggling stupidly. He was reminded of the last time they'd gone out clubbing. The scene was eerily similar. "Disgusting, isn't it?" she asked sarcastically.

Jaune chuckled. He almost missed it but he thought he saw the pair glance his way, their giggling intensifying. What was that about? When they waved, he waved back. They were on their way out.

"Want to join us?" Yang asked suggestively. Blake stared at him with alluring eyes.

"He is taken tonight, thank you," Weiss shooed them off dismissively. Yang laughed as she left with her partner, giving Jaune a parting wink.

"If you change your mind, you know where to find us."

"Honestly – don't they understand the concept of a third wheel?" Weiss shook her head. "Yang really is a bad influence on Blake. I almost feel sorry for her. So, it is just the two of us then?"

"Three of us – it was Oscar's idea."

"Oh," Weiss said blankly. Jaune gave her a curious look. "I take it back. You really are still thick, aren't you?"

"What?"

"Never mind; when do we leave?" 

"Whenever you want."

"Great," Weiss seized his hand and pulled him out the door. "Right now sounds good."

"Bye Jaune!" Ruby called out.

"Hey, wait, Weiss?" he stumbled as she marched them down the hall and Jaune watched as Oscar came running after them a few seconds later, almost missing their departure. "What's the rush?"

She didn't bother answering, though she did let go of his hand and let him walk under his own power. As they made their way out of the academy, Jaune took the time to admire his friend. While he knew Weiss wasn't just the refined, well-bred girl she liked to portray to the wider world and was a closet goofball, it didn't lessen his awe with the way she carried herself. Even something as simple and mundane as walking was made to look elegant and graceful, her perfect posture and regal bearing captivating. There wasn't a thing about her appearance that he didn't love. Even her scar did nothing to detract from her overwhelming beauty. But if there was one thing in particular he was rather fond of apart from her eyes, it was her outlandishly long hair.

It was so long . Even braided and held high as it was, it still ran down the length of her back in a thick lock. He knew that Yang took religious care of her hair but Weiss must do much the same. Whenever light touched her tresses, Jaune could see the literal shine. It must have been feather soft to the touch, silky and smooth.

He wanted to run his fingers through it.

"Are we seeing any movie in particular or have you two not made up your minds yet?"

Jaune removed his eyes from her hair, realizing too late that he had been staring. Thankfully, it looked like she hadn't noticed, though Oscar was giving him an inquisitive glance.

"We haven't really discussed that yet but I was looking through their list earlier and saw a few things that might be good," Oscar pulled out his scroll and began tapping away excitedly like the young boy he was, and not a person with two souls. "What kind of movies do you like?"

Jaune shrugged. "Anything is fine with me."

Weiss frowned. "I... do not know."

She sounded ashamed, as if she were at fault somehow.

Anger flashed hot and sudden for her father, deep inside where Weiss couldn't see. Jaune felt his hand clench until his fingers ached, arm almost shaking. It took considerable effort to uncurl his fist, his palm throbbing in time with his all too fast heart beat.

"You don't know?" Oscar asked uncertainly.

"I have not watched many films," she admitted reluctantly. "Regretfully, I have not discovered which genres appeal to me."

"That's fine," Jaune said. "How about something light? Any comedies?"

Oscar nodded. "Here, this one looks good. It's getting a lot of praise in the comments."

"What's it about?"

"It's about a young man attempting to cheat his way into university by falsifying his scores," Oscar began. Jaune frowned. That sounded awfully close to home. "But his forgery is too good and he ends up being hired on as a teacher instead, the school thinking he was applying for the open position. He has to navigate the school year while keeping his secret hidden and avoid being caught, while also resisting the temptation of dating any of his students when several of them fall for him."

Weiss scoffed. "Sounds like a snake. I've met his like before."

Jaune laughed weakly. "Well – that does sound funny, if nothing else. What do you think, Weiss?"

"I am in agreement," she flicked her hair dramatically. "This better be good. I've never been to the cinema with friends before. You don't want to ruin my first time, do you?"

She really needed to learn how to pick her words better.

They decided to walk to the cinema rather than take any transportation, enjoying the crisp air. It was a nice afternoon, as far as that went in Atlas. It would never be sunny but the sky looked a little less gray, a little more blue than normal. The recent cold snap had lessened, if only slightly. It was only a little cold and not freezing, a vast improvement. There were a lot of people out and about, gathering at authorized voting locations across the city. Posters lined a lot of free wall space, the faces of Robyn Hill, Jacques Schnee and someone called Ivy Brown on display, the leading candidates.

The election was important, more than most realized. With how unstable the world was right now, after the attacks on Vale and Beacon, Mistral and Haven, this would decide where Atlas focused its attention for the foreseeable future. Realistically, there were only two options. Robyn Hill was against General Ironwood, and she felt that he cared little for the people of the lower city. Her concerns were valid, though she didn't have the whole picture. But even though they were sure to butt heads if she was voted in and she would no doubt cause Ironwood headaches, her appointment was the best choice. Her recklessness didn't cause a city to riot, unlike a certain CEO and owner of the Schnee Dust Company. That man didn't have the people's best interest at heart. As far as Jaune could see, he only cared about his wallet.

Jaune couldn't vote since he wasn't a citizen. Huntsmen could work for any kingdom they wished but that didn't make you naturalized. Those things took time. None of his closest friends could, hailing from all corners of the world – all but one.

"Weiss," he spoke up, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen between them. "Are you going to vote?"

He watched her perfectly kept eyebrows furrow slightly at his question.

"You would think it would be an easy choice," she said, eyes looking up at the sky. "My father cannot be trusted and I would never vote for him, not in a million years. I, better than anyone, know what sort of person he is. Yet I am uneasy, giving voice to a woman who would attempt to hijack military vehicles because she cannot get her way. What would she do with any measure of real power? She is the better pick between them – and I find that incredibly sad."

"We tried to steal a military airship," Jaune said lightly.

"Yes, well, that was your idea," she gave him an arch glare. "I always knew you were trouble. If you were running, I wouldn't want to vote for you, either."

"Ouch."

"We are meant to hold those running for office to account, correct? If this is the best Atlas and Mantle have to offer, I worry for the future of my kingdom," she sighed. "Some of the other candidates had good points but none of them have any momentum."

"You've been keeping tabs on everyone."

"Of course. I may not have wanted to return here for personal reasons but this is my home. General Ironwood is doing his best and while I don't agree with all of his decisions, I want to believe in him. But he needs help. The people of Atlas," she shook her head angrily. "They are so disconnected from everything outside their perfect little bubble. Their heads are in the clouds – literally! They look down on everyone else; not just those in Mantle, but people from the other kingdoms as well. It's disgusting – and it makes them blind, blind to the suffering of others, to any danger wishing to do them harm."

Her voice had risen as she ranted, her pale cheeks flushing with passion. Jaune was struck, once more, by just how utterly gorgeous this young woman was.

"I can't believe I was one of them, once," she said bitterly. "No wonder people hate the mere sight of me."

Jaune blinked. "What?"

"Down in Mantle," she explained, suddenly tired. "My presence during the rioting just made everything worse. I can't even blame them for feeling that way."

Jaune remembered now. The night he had slept with Blake. Weiss had returned to Atlas because just the sight of her had made the rioters even angrier than they already were. Of course that bothered her, that was only natural – and Jaune felt low that he hadn't even noticed it eating away at his friend.

"That wasn't your fault."

"My father is ruining their lives."

"Exactly," Jaune snapped. Weiss turned to him in surprise. "Not you – your father! We aren't responsible for what our families do, Weiss. You aren't to blame for all the shitty things he decided to do while you were a child and you aren't to blame for anything he does now."

"Um, guys?" Oscar attempted to get their attention.

"But I benefited from it," Weiss argued. "The best food money can buy, the best teachers, the best dresses – I had a cake butler while faunus were being ill treated and working for a pittance of what they were truly worth. He lobbied against any sort of reform for faunus rights, destroyed any chance of unionization and kept them low just so he could squeeze as much lien out of their labor as possible. How can I not feel responsible for that?"

"Because you were a child," Jaune explained. "What could you have done? What could you have really done in that situation?" She opened her mouth furiously but nothing came out, a loss for words. "Right? What were you meant to do? Even if you knew and understood what was going on, would you storm into your father's office and demand he not be a greedy, selfish asshole? How would that have helped anybody? And even now – you stepped a toe out of line and he disinherited you and gave it all to your brother. You are no longer part of the SDC."

Weiss was furious, that much he could tell. Not at him, Jaune felt – but at the situation they were discussing.

But he wasn't finished.

"You are an incredibly caring person, Weiss," he said softly. "I've seen it. All our friends have seen it. The fact that you feel bad about these things outside of your control just proves it. You aren't your father. You are better. So much better than he is."

Ice blue eyes shimmered, suddenly wet. "I was such an entitled, spoiled brat when we met."

Jaune struggled for something to say to refute that. "Well... yeah, you were."

Weiss scoffed, covering her mouth with a hand. "Of course you agree with that part."

"No one is perfect," Jaune smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a squeeze of comfort. She leaned into it, ever so slightly. "You don't have to be perfect. You just have to keep growing. We are both very different people from back then, right?"

She nodded slowly. "You aren't as annoying as you were before, though I still think you are an insufferable doofus sometimes."

"Thanks, so much," he deadpanned. Then he said, "Really, Weiss – ask any of us and we would tell you. All of that stuff – that is on Jacques, not you."

She had come to a decision.

"I'll be right back," she said before marching off without another word.

It was then that Jaune noticed that they had gathered a little bit of a crowd. Oscar was glowing with embarrassment and Jaune felt his pain, right down in his soul. Social anxiety was a bitch.

"Sorry," he muttered to the younger boy. Now that their argument had run its course, people were beginning to move on.

"That got a little... intense," Oscar tried, scuffing the toe of his boot against the footpath.

"Sorry," Jaune repeated. "I just didn't like hearing her disparage herself so much. None of that stuff is her fault."

"I agree," Oscar said quietly. "I haven't known you guys all that long but Weiss is a good person. You all are. I like her."

Jaune laughed under his breath. "She likes to hide it under all that prickliness but she is a giant softie under all that frost."

Taking a deep breath, Jaune exhaled slowly. He hadn't meant to get so worked up but hearing Weiss talk down about herself had really irritated him. He could understand her point, why she felt the way she did, but he didn't agree with it at all. When he said she had changed, that he had changed, he had meant it wholeheartedly. And even before, when she had been a spoiled little princess, well – things hadn't been so black and white then either, had they? It was clear that Jacques Schnee was a plague upon that family; a tumor that needed to be cut out.

When Weiss returned ten minutes later, it was with a slight smile on her face. He had a decent idea on where she went.

"Who'd you vote for?" he asked.

"That is a secret," she answered with a cheeky smile. "Now let us hurry – I want to watch that ridiculous movie with my friends."

Since Weiss had never been to a public cinema before, she had also never experienced the wonder of the concession stand. Jaune coached her through it while Oscar ran wild. Oscar had seen plenty of movies but he had lived rurally all his life. This was also his first time going to a cinema in the city and not one of those classic drive-ins that many smaller towns outside the kingdoms had. Jaune had also grown up in a rural town, though his family traveled quite often and not just camping out in the wilderness. He had visited his fair share of bigger towns and cities when he was younger. It was one reason why he hadn't been afraid of running off to Vale to join Beacon, already knowing his way around.

"Popcorn is the classic cinema food, of course," he explained as Weiss stared at the absolute explosion of color that was the menu board. Children ran back and forth as they collected candy, ordered drinks and made a general nuisance of themselves. Teenagers gathered in small groups, their eyes glued to their scrolls as they conversed in language Jaune struggled to understand. He was only in his early twenties and he already felt old. "You can get regular buttered or candied caramel. Then there are the drinks; they typically have every flavor of soda available, so take your pick. You can also get milk shakes if you prefer or frozen slushies. Then candy – all the candy! "

Weiss blinked rapidly as she tried to take everything in, eyes glazing over under all the bright lights.

"What do you feel like?" he asked.

"I haven't the slightest clue," she admitted sheepishly. "Order for me."

Jaune just copied his own order for her, seeing as he never got anything outlandish. He was a bit of a traditionalist when it came to this sort of thing; a bucket of buttered popcorn, a large cola and a bar of milk chocolate. Ruby had told him that Weiss was a bit of a sweet tooth and rather fond of chocolate, so it was a safe choice.

Handing in their tickets, they entered the theater and took their seats. He wasn't sure why but he loved sitting in the back, the entire room spread out in front. While the showing wasn't sold out, there were quite a few people in attendance. They were mostly young adults and teenagers, though there were a few older people amongst the crowd, and some younger children with their parents.

Jaune grinned as Oscar struggled to keep a handle on all his goods, popcorn nearly spilling as he sat. He had really gone all out. He had various packets of candy, a super large bucket of popcorn, a large milkshake and more. Jaune was surprised he hadn't dropped any of it. Weiss took her place beside him, leaving Jaune to sit on her other side.

The seats were large and yet he could feel the heat radiating off Weiss, her arm resting beside his own. As the lights dimmed and the pre-movie reel started, he got comfortable. The popcorn was perfect, warm and buttery with just the right amount of salt. Taking a heavy pull of cola through his straw, he felt relaxed for the first time since his argument with Neon. The energy was still there, his blood heated and thrumming with a desire to vent, a restlessness deep within his soul – but it was tempered by this mundane scene, sitting together with his friends, about to watch a movie and not needing to be anywhere in particular.

It was nice. It was void of stress. Even his plan to test the waters with Weiss took a back seat, contentment settling over his form. He felt good.

That lasted about thirty minutes.

The movie was good. Right from the start, it had drawn more than a few laughs from the audience. Jaune had been smiling the entire time, amused by the antics playing out on screen. The man in the film was horribly out of his depth, struggling to keep his secret hidden as he bumbled his way through teaching students that should have been his peers, not looking up to him for guidance and knowledge. More than that, hearing Weiss laugh was a greater joy than he imagined it would be. She had a beautiful laugh, her voice lovely and high like a song. He wished she laughed more often.

This had been a good idea; a great idea.

But then things changed. It started slow. At some point, she had removed her long gloves. He couldn't see in the dark but he felt her skin, smooth and soft and warm against his own. Her fingers were surprisingly long as they settled over the back of his hand, trailing up and down his forearm, dipping between his fingers intimately. Jaune swallowed, excited by her boldness. For some time, she simply played with his fingers, turning his hand over so she could lace their fingers together and tickle his palm. It was such a simple thing and yet Jaune felt the stirrings of lust ignite in his belly, his cock swelling in his pants.

He quickly became unsatisfied with simple handholding – and so did she.