Taking It Literally Part 1 (Patreon)

Jaune gulped nervously as he checked himself one more time: tie, suit, hair, shoes, and the bouquet of white flowers in hand. Only then did he take a deep breath and press the doorbell.

After the ring, he waited for a couple of seconds before there was a response.

"This is the Schnee Manor. How may we help you?" A refined voice came through the intercom.

Jaune thought for a moment about what to say, but decided to go for some honesty.

"Uh, hi! Hello! My name is Jaune Arc—short, sweet, rolls off the tongue—and I'm here to see Mrs. Schnee? Willow Schnee, specifically." He paused, realizing how that sounded. "Not that there's anything wrong with the other Schnees! I mean, I know Weiss, obviously, she's great… well, she's actually the one who sent me here, sort of. She mentioned her mother, and I thought, you know, why not take the initiative…"

There was a long moment of silence which made him feel incredibly awkward.

"I see. One moment, please."

And then there was silence.

‘Did it work? Oh man, I probably messed up. Way to make a first impression.’

But after a while, the intercom came back to life. "Welcome to Schnee Manor, Mr. Arc."

The large gates opened simultaneously with a mechanical hum.

"Oh, cool. Automatic gates." He muttered to himself.

As he crossed through the entrance, Jaune was surprised to see the massive front yard behind the walls; so well decorated with beautiful bushes, flowers, and perfectly manicured trees. Elegant archways surrounded the courtyard, with a large fountain at the center displaying the Schnee emblem with wings spread around it. From this vantage point, the manor itself appeared to be at least three stories tall, possibly more. Three ornate pillars flanked the long driveway, each holding up the Schnee family crest.

It was way bigger than his home back in Ansel. Well, if they only counted the house itself and the front and back yards; it would be unfair to compare it to the acres of farmland his family owned. But that was besides the point. Weiss really was rich if this was her family manor. No wonder she could use so much Dust whenever she fought or practiced back at the academy and on team missions.

He walked forward along the edge of the driveway until he reached the grand entrance with its giant double doors. Much to his surprise, a short man with balding brown hair stood waiting for him. The man was dressed elegantly in a formal butler's uniform and sported a neatly trimmed mustache.

"Good afternoon, young master. I am Klein Sieben, head butler of the Schnee household and personal attendant to the family. It is my pleasure to welcome you to Schnee Manor on this fine day." He showed a friendly expression as he gave a respectful bow. "I must say, it's quite rare for the Mistress to accept unexpected visitors. You should consider yourself quite fortunate."

"Hey," Jaune replied weakly, clutching the bouquet a bit tighter. "Thanks for, uh, letting me in. I know this is probably a little sudden."

"Not at all, Mr. Arc. Though I must admit my curiosity is piqued." Klein's expression shifted slightly, one eye changing to a different color? "Normally the Mistress doesn't accept visits from anyone outside the family circle, but she gave you a chance since Miss Schnee personally sent you." His tone became more cheerful. "You must be one of her friends from Beacon Academy, yes?"

"Well, yeah. Heheh." Jaune smiled sheepishly, carefully omitting that he was trying to woo Weiss. "We're on the same team—well, sister teams, technically. Team JNPR and Team RWBY. We train together a lot."

"How wonderful! Miss Schnee could use more friends." Klein's expression softened with approval. "Then please, Mr. Arc, follow me. I will escort you to the Mistress. Though I must warn you…" His eyes shifted to gray. "—she has not been in the best of spirits lately. I do hope your visit might brighten her day somewhat."

Jaune nodded and quietly followed the man across the manor through its long hallways. Yeah, it really was luxurious; everything sparkled and gleamed. Crystal chandeliers hung from impossibly high ceilings, paintings that probably cost more than his entire village lined the walls, and the marble floors were so polished he could see his reflection. Although sometimes it felt like too much, which kinda sat badly with him. It felt more like showing off than actual comfort. Like living in a museum rather than a home.

Eventually they reached another set of tall doors which looked different from the many others they'd passed. These were carved with intricate frost patterns and the Schnee emblem in silver, giving them an almost ethereal quality.

The butler stopped and turned to face him. "We have arrived at the Mistress's private sitting room, Mr. Arc. I'm afraid my duties require me to attend to other matters now." His expression shifted. "However, I do hope your stay at Schnee Manor will be a pleasant one. The Mistress deserves a bit of happiness, even if she doesn't seek it herself." He added. "And between you and me, any friend of Miss Schnee's who has the courage to come here unannounced can't be all bad."

"Erm, likewise? I mean—thanks! I'll do my best not to mess this up!" Jaune offered awkwardly, shifting the bouquet to his other hand.

The man just smiled faintly and left with a polite bow, his footsteps echoing down the hallway until they faded completely.

Jaune stood in front of the doors and gulped again, staring at the intricate carvings. ‘Okay, Arc. You can do this. You've faced Grimm, survived Cardin's bullying, and even got through Goodwitch's combat class without dying. How hard can talking to Weiss's mom be?’

Very hard, apparently, because his hand was shaking slightly as he raised it.

‘Come on, man. You're a natural born leader, remember? Confidence! Ladies love confidence!’

He knocked firmly on the door; the sound echoing in the quiet hallway.

"Enter," came a soft, tired voice from within.

‘Here goes nothing.’

Jaune pushed open the door and stepped inside

He had to pause to let his eyes adjust. The room was dark… like, way too dark for late morning. Heavy curtains blocked out most if not all the light, leaving only dim slivers of sunshine sneaking through the edges. The air felt stale and heavy, and there was a distinct smell of alcohol that made his nose wrinkle slightly.

As his vision adjusted, he looked around the sitting room. It was elegant, sure, but it had this abandoned look, like someone had given up on appearances. Empty wine bottles sat on a side table, and the furniture, while expensive, seemed unused except for one particular chair…

Jaune froze completely when his blue eyes connected with another pair of blue eyes. Tired, dulled blue eyes that nonetheless held a hint of curiosity.

A woman dressed in nothing but a white silk robe sat in a high-backed chair near the window, a wine glass held loosely in one hand. Her legs were crossed elegantly, sexy smooth long legs, and she was staring at him with an expression of mild interest. Long white hair fell past her shoulders in loose waves, and despite the obvious exhaustion in her features and the slight flush on her pale cheeks, she was...

‘Holy crap!’

Jaune couldn't help but stare. Willow Schnee was beautiful; breathtakingly so. No wonder he'd fallen for Weiss if her mother looked like this. The resemblance was striking, though where Weiss had sharp, youthful features, Willow's were softer, more refined by age and... sadness? There was something haunting about her beauty, like… like looking at a painting that had been left to fade.

"Are you here to talk, or just drool on the floor?" Willow spoke again, her voice carrying a slight slur but maintaining that unmistakable dignity of an aristocrat. She took another sip from her glass, watching him over the rim.

That caused Jaune to sputter and quickly close his mouth, his face heating up. 

‘Smooth, Arc. Real smooth.’ 

He definitely didn't want to make a fool out of himself, but well, he kinda already had. Still, he could salvage this! He was Jaune Arc, and Arcs never gave up!

"Right! Sorry!" He straightened up, trying to channel every ounce of Arc confidence he possessed. "My name is Jaune Arc—short, sweet, rolls off the tongue—and I'm a student at Beacon Academy alongside your daughter Weiss!"

Before she could respond, he dropped to one knee in what he hoped was a gallant gesture and presented the bouquet of white flowers to the Schnee matriarch. "Mrs. Schnee, I've come here at the request of Weiss herself. She, uh, she mentioned you, and I thought… well, I thought you deserved something beautiful as you to brighten your day!"

Willow's expression changed completely, surprise flickering across her features as she blinked slowly. She leaned forward slightly in her chair. "Weiss sent you?" Her voice lost some of its languid quality, replaced by confusion and something else he couldn’t recognize. "My daughter sent you here? To see me?"

She set her glass down carefully on the side table, her hand trembling slightly. "Weiss actually... mentioned me?"

"Uhh, yeah! Kinda strange, I know, but I always aim to please!" Jaune grinned, still holding out the flowers with determination.

"Why?" Willow's eyes narrowed slightly, and her expression shuttered back to something more guarded. "What could she possibly have said that would send you; a young man I've never met, to our manor? This doesn't make sense."

Jaune gulped and didn't respond for a moment. ‘Okay, this is it. This is your chance to prove yourself. You can do this. You faced down hordes of Grimm. You can handle one conversation. Just... be confident. Be bold. That's what works, right?’

He took a deep breath and looked up at Willow with renewed determination. "Because, Mrs. Schnee, I'm here for you."

Willow blinked again, clearly not expecting that answer. Her lips parted slightly in surprise, and for a moment, her expression cracked. "You're... here for me?"

"Yes!" Jaune stood up, still holding the flowers, and decided to go all in. "I mean, Weiss mentioned that someone like you would be, well, incredible, and she wasn't wrong! And I figured, you know, why not shoot my shot? Life's too short to not take chances, right? So here I am!" He paused, then his brain scrambled for something clever. "Are you a snowflake? Because I've fallen for you and can't get back up!"

There was a moment of absolute silence.

He probably should have started with the pickup line first.

Willow stared at him, her expression completely unreadable. Then her lips twitched. Just slightly. She reached for her wineglass and drained the rest of its contents in one smooth motion before setting it down. 

A low chuckle escaped her throat.

"Well, well..." she said slowly, her face shifting to something that might have been amusement, or so he hoped. "That was certainly... bold." She stood up from her chair, her robe shifting as she moved, revealing her breasts, not all of it but more than he ever could imagine. "Tell me, Mr. Arc, do you often barge into strange women's homes and attempt to seduce them with terrible pickup lines?"

"Only when they're as beautiful as you!" Jaune shot back, his confidence growing. He was committed now. ‘Go big or go home, right?’

Willow circled him slowly, examining him like a cat. "I see. How... refreshingly honest." She paused in front of him, tilting her head. "And what exactly do you hope to accomplish here, Mr. Arc? Surely you realize I'm a married woman."

Her tone wasn't harsh or warning; it was almost curious. Like she wanted to see how he'd respond.

"Married to a guy who leaves you alone in a dark room with nothing but wine for company," Jaune countered, surprising himself with his own boldness. He gestured at the empty bottles, because while he hasn’t asked Weiss he has heard a lot of bad things about her dad. "That doesn't sound like much of a marriage to me, Mrs. Schnee. My mom always says, strangers are just friends you haven't met yet but I'm pretty sure she'd also say that anyone who leaves someone like you alone in the dark is an idiot."

Willow's eyes widened slightly, surprise crossing her features. "That's... remarkably perceptive for someone so young." She turned away, walking to the window and pulling the curtain back just slightly, letting a shaft of sunlight pierce the gloom. "You're not wrong. It's not a marriage. It's a... business arrangement that I was foolish enough to agree to."

"Then let me change that reality!" Jaune declared, gesturing dramatically with the bouquet, petals scattering slightly from his enthusiasm. "I'll take you away from this dark place! We'll go somewhere bright and happy, where you can smile again and not need…" He gestured at the messy room. "...all of that to get through the day! You deserve better than this, Mrs. Schnee. Way better!"

Willow stared at him for a long moment, the sunlight catching in her white hair and making it almost glow. Her expression was unreadable, but something flickered in those tired blue eyes.

Then she burst out laughing.

It wasn't cruel laughter or mocking but it was a laughter that shook her whole body. She covered her mouth with one hand, and Jaune couldn't help but notice how much younger she looked when she smiled like that. How much more alive. 

The melancholy seemed to lift from her features.

But as her laughter continued, Jaune felt himself deflating as some dark thoughts began to materialize in his head.

"I haven't laughed like that in years," Willow said suddenly, her laughter subsiding into a warm smile that transformed her entire face. "Thank you, Mr. Arc. I needed that more than you know." She walked closer to him. "You have no idea how... refreshing this is."

Jaune blinked, his deflated confidence suddenly reinflating. "Wait, really?"

"Really." Willow stepped closer to him, and he could smell the faint scent of wine mixed with her perfume. Her blue eyes; no longer quite so tired, meeting his. "You're ridiculous, you know that? Absolutely ridiculous. But in the most charming way possible."

"I... thanks?" Jaune offered uncertainly, not sure if that was a compliment or not.

Willow reached up and gently took the bouquet from his hands, bringing the white flowers to her nose and inhaling their scent deeply. Her eyes closed for a moment, and when they opened again, there was a shimmer of moisture in them. "These are lovely. No one's given me flowers in..." She trailed off, her expression becoming distant for a moment, lost in some memory before she shook her head. "Never mind. They're beautiful. Thank you."

She turned and placed them carefully in an empty vase on the mantle, her fingers lingering on the petals. "You know what the most absurd part of this is, Mr. Arc?"

"What?"

She turned back to him with a wry smile. "I actually believe you're sincere. That's what makes this so wonderfully, terribly foolish." She walked back toward him, her silk robe swishing softly. "A young man, barely more than a boy, comes into my home, declares his intention to sweep me away from my misery, and actually means it."

"Well, yeah!" Jaune said, some of his natural enthusiasm returning. "I mean, you know what else is great? Me! And I think we could both benefit from, you know, brightening each other's days!"

Willow laughed again, softer this time, and shook her head. "You really are something else, aren't you?"

Then, before Jaune could process what was happening, Willow stepped forward, placed one hand on his chest and leaned up to press a soft kiss against his lips.

Jaune's brain short-circuited completely. 

Willow pulled back with an amused smile, clearly enjoying his stunned expression. "Consider that a reward for making me laugh, Mr. Arc. It's the least I could give you for bringing some light into this dreary room." 

"I—you—we—" Jaune stammered, his face turning bright red as all his confidence vanished in an instant. His hands hung uselessly at his sides.

"Now then," Willow said, placing her hands on his shoulders and gently but firmly turning him toward the door. "I think that's enough excitement for one morning, don't you?" She began pushing him backward toward the exit, and despite her slender frame, she was surprisingly strong or maybe he was just too shocked to resist. "But perhaps we can talk more later. When I'm more... presentable."

"But I…wait…are you sure…" Jaune tried to turn around, but Willow was persistent.

"Thank you for the flowers, Mr. Arc. And for the pleasant company." She smiled again, a warm smile that made Jaune's heart skip a beat. "Klein will show you out. Do come visit again sometime. Soon, preferably." She paused at the door, her hand on the handle. "And Mr. Arc? Next time, perhaps we can discuss your... intentions... in MUCH greater and INTIMATE detail."

And with that, she gently but insistently pushed him out into the hallway and closed the door with a soft click.

Jaune stood there in the corridor, staring at the ornate door, his mind completely blank except for one repeating thought:

‘Weiss mom just kissed me.’

Then another thought broke through his stunned haze.

He raised his hand to his lips, still feeling the ghost of her kiss there, and a dopey grin slowly spread across his face.

He felt something crinkle in his pocket and reached in, pulling out a…. Piece of lingerie?!

How or when did she put that in his pocket?!

Maybe this mission won't be that difficult?

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AN: If you can make a girl laugh and giggle, you can make her cheeks clap and jiggle.