The Escalation 017 (Patreon)

They caught a streetcar from the airship terminal. It took them straight down the main avenue, giving Jaune a chance to see Argus from the ground for the very first time beyond the odd photo his sister had sent him. Despite it being summer, there was a harsh chill in the air that reminded him of home and while there was no snow or ice at the moment, he wouldn’t be too surprised if that changed in the coming weeks even though this was meant to be the warmest time of year.

Townhouses flanked them on either side, rows upon rows of three story homes that stretched all the way from their starting point at the terminal right down to the ocean. The military base was stationed just off the coast connected to the mainland by a series of bridges, easily visible as they crested a small hill and began their descent. All of the buildings were constructed with brick; brown, red or gray, while each street was lined with olden style wrought iron lamp posts. There was definitely an aged feel about the city but not through neglect. Everything was clean and tidy, and people crowded street corners in front of stores, choosing to walk instead of drive. Matter of fact, Jaune saw very few cars at all. Work vehicles, mostly – with only a smattering of private ones. It may have been a city of size but with the streetcar system and the simple layout, it wasn’t very difficult to get around.

It was a nice place. He understood why Saphron liked it here.

“This is a lovely city, Mrs. Nikos.”

“Please, Weiss – call me Pandora. I insist.”

“Of course, I apologize,” Weiss said, voice sweet like honey. “I will endeavor to remember that.”

Mrs. Nikos – Pandora – laughed lightly.

“My, you have such refined manners. So, tell me – how are things at Beacon? Pyrrha tells me so little that I often feel like she is hiding something from me.”

“Oh, your daughter is top of the class, of course,” Weiss gushed, and when Jaune glanced back over his shoulder, he saw that the pair were holding hands, leaning in together like a pair of gossiping teenagers. Pyrrha, on the other hand – well, she looked like she had sucked on a lemon. “The best fighter in our year by far, I am happy to report. She is a goal we strive to reach. Her presence motivates us to be better.”

Pandora beamed happily. “I’m glad. In the past, that has not always been the case. Envy, jealousy – it has a way of poisoning any potential friendships.”

“You have nothing to worry about. We are but two friends of your daughter’s. She has many more that couldn’t be here with us.”

Jaune watched in real time as Pyrrha sank down in her seat, shoulders hunched as Weiss and her mother continued to chat about her as if she wasn’t there.

“So you aren’t on her team, is that right?”

“Correct. I am a member of Team RWBY while Pyrrha is on Team JNPR – led by Jaune here,” he straightened as they both looked his way. “Jaune is Pyrrha’s partner, and her leader. They are very close.”

Pyrrha blanched, her cheeks flushing hotly.

“I’ve heard about you,” Pandora smiled at him, her eyes giving him a once over. “Pyrrha has nothing but nice things to say. Thank you for looking out for my daughter. I know she can be a bit awkward at socializing.”

“Mooom,” Pyrrha whined, hands curling in her lap. “Please, no more.”

Pandora laughed. “It has been so long since you’ve brought friends with you, darling. Do allow your mother some leeway.”

Pyrrha pouted – an honest to god pout that reminded Jaune so much of Ruby that he laughed, a short, sharp bark that invited Weiss to do the same when she noticed, covering her mouth with a delicate hand to stifle her giggles.

“But I suppose we have plenty of time for me to embarrass you later,” Pandora conceded, turning to face her daughter and embrace her. “Welcome home, Pyrrha.”

The red haired girl leaned into her mothers hug, embracing her back.

For a brief moment, he saw a flicker of sadness cross Weiss’ face before she looked away. Jaune sighed.

Pandora’s home was a neat little town house down by the waterfront, overlooking the frosty waves that crashed against the rocky beach. It was far enough away from the military base that it didn’t infringe upon her view of the northern horizon, and any sounds coming from within were drowned out by the rest of the city.

“Please, make yourselves at home,” Pandora waved them inside, removing her boots and scarf. “Are you hungry?”

The three of them shared a look.

“Just something simple will do, mom,” Pyrrha answered for them.

“You can show them around and I will bring refreshments when they are ready,” and then she was gone, humming happily as she slipped into the kitchen with a noticeable bounce to her step.

As soon as she was out of sight, Pyrrha turned on Weiss.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded hotly.

Weiss blinked.

“Didn’t I already state my reason? I wished to spend more time with my friends.”

Jaune peered at the pair of them, taking in the combative slant of Pyrrha’s posture compared to the open, friendly stance that Weiss had taken. Weiss looked like the very picture of innocence. At least that would be true if she wasn’t smirking like the cat who caught the canary.

Pyrrha scowled. “You really think I buy that? You promised you wouldn’t interfere.”

Weiss tilted her head to the side. “Yes, I did.”

“So what do you think you’re doing?”

“I haven’t done anything,” Weiss defended lightly. “All I have done is come to Argus and meet your wonderful mother. You are very lucky.”

Pyrrha opened her mouth and then paused, noticing the wistful expression Weiss wore and then closed it again.

“She raised you well,” Weiss continued. “She is a very warm person.”

“Weiss...”

“I won’t interfere,” she then said. “Me being here doesn’t matter, does it? You’ll do what you want, regardless of my presence.”

Pyrrha crossed her arms, looking away. “Fine.”

“Uh, great,” Jaune said, startling the pair of them. “Mind telling me what you two are talking about?”

Pyrrha looked panicked, clearly having forgotten he was there while Weiss quickly regained her composure.

“Just girl talk,” she said flippantly. Weiss arched an eyebrow at him. “So – how was your flight?”

Jaune coughed while Pyrrha glared at the white haired girl. “It was... good.”

“Mhm – I bet it was. It is such a long and hard flight, especially for those that have never traveled this way before. I hope Pyrrha kept things entertaining enough for you.”

A flash of Pyrrha’s twisted face crossed his mind, full of pleasure and desire as he pounded her pussy with the full length of his cock. He could still smell her arousal, thick and pungent, invading every pore as he ravished her magnificent body again, and again, and again until his balls ached with how many times he had burst inside her.

“She did,” he said, clearing his throat.

Weiss chuckled.

“Excellent. Now, then – Pyrrha; I wish to see your room. Will you show me?”

Pyrrha huffed. “It’s on the top floor. Come on.”

They may have brushed it aside but Jaune mulled over their words as Pyrrha escorted them up the stairs. At the end of the hall was Pyrrha’s childhood room and she hesitated for a moment, shooting him a quick glance before ushering them inside. He could tell that she felt self-conscious about showing him this small piece of herself from before they’d met but when he stepped inside, there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. In the corner was her bed, the blanket and pillow cases a deep crimson red to match her beautiful hair, and beneath the window overlooking the street was a simple desk, chair and computer. The floor was carpeted and warm against their feet, and the walls were a soft cream wallpaper. As expected of a teenage girl, there were posters of various individuals but instead of boy bands or celebrities, they were Huntsmen and Huntresses, those that fought on the pro-circuit. Just like he hadn’t recognized Pyrrha when he first met her, he didn’t recognize any of these people and only knew who they were by virtue of the weapons they carried and posed with, as well as the monikers printed across the bottom.

Just as Pyrrha was called the ‘Invincible Girl’, these fighters also had impressive nicknames like the ‘Sharpshooter’ and ‘One Ton Punch’ just to name a few. He followed the trail of posters, reading off their names before coming to a section of wall that was dedicated to Pyrrha’s own accolades. Ribbons, medals and trophies, all arranged neatly upon a converted bookcase turned trophy cabinet. When Jaune stepped over to inspect them, his partner made a sound of distress.

“Let him look,” Weiss chided. “Let your partner see how amazing you are. Honestly, Pyrrha – you already know he doesn’t care about any of this.”

“It’s embarrassing,” Pyrrha said defensively.

“Aren’t you proud of your skills?”

“Of course I am.”

“Well – so are we. Now stop being a child and let him take it all in.”

Pyrrha huffed but remained silent as he read off the names and dates of each tournament and competition she had competed in, and no doubt dominated. Everyone only ever talked about the big ones – the four titles she had won, back-to-back, taking part in the Mistral Regional Tournament. Those weren’t the only competitions she had competed in, though. There were dozens of lesser known events that she had taken home, and if not for the events that had transpired earlier in the year, she would have been crowned Vytal Festival Champion as well.

His partner was just really, really amazing, wasn’t she?

“This is...” he didn’t have words.

“A culmination of hard work,” Weiss supplied. Jaune turned and saw that she was also looking over the awards with an air of someone deeply impressed. “Only a disciplined individual could ever dream of amassing such an impressive record. Pyrrha really is the best.”

Weiss was being very generous with her praise, wasn’t she? He once thought that Weiss was never nice just to be nice, and so he knew that even if she was trying to butter Pyrrha up, it came from a genuine place of respect and admiration for her skills.

Pyrrha’s cheeks were as red as her hair.

“This is really cool, Pyrrha,” he said, and when she met his eyes, he added, “Really, really cool.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

“Did you ever take part in anything like this, Weiss?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Heavens no. My father would never allow such a thing to occur. The closest thing I can claim is auditioning for parts in theater and ballet.”

Jaune blinked. “Wait, what – theater? You acted on stage?”

Pyrrha looked equally astonished.

“Singing, mostly,” she replied. “I do have a rather beautiful voice, if I do say so myself.”

Jaune snickered as Pyrrha rolled her eyes, well acquainted with their friend’s haughty side.

“You do have a beautiful voice,” Pyrrha said, giving Weiss an envious look. “Unfortunately, I can’t string two notes together. I sound like a dying seal. There was a sponsor who wished for me to sing for one of their products but... it didn’t pan out.”

“Yes, well – we can’t be good at everything, now can we?” Weiss needled her. “Thank you for allowing me my spotlight.”

The two girls grinned at each other and Jaune felt a swelling affection in his chest, watching them banter back and forth in a much more friendly manner. With everything that had been happening in recent times, it was sometimes easy to forget that they really were friends at heart.

Jaune just happened to be in the middle of them.

They really needed to talk.

All of them.

He realized that his inaction may have been more of a cruelty than anything else. But what could he have really done differently? They had set upon him so quickly, relentlessly, and he had been swept up in their tempo. The facts were simple; they liked him, and he liked them. He was dating both of them, now – but was that really something that could last? No, it wasn’t – not if they didn’t speak.

“Pyrrha,” he said, and the tone of his voice instantly drew their attention. “Weiss.”

They looked at him, these two gorgeous, talented, amazing young women – and he knew that he wanted to try. He would never forgive himself if he didn’t try everything in his power to make this thing work, whatever this thing was.

He opened his mouth but Pandora chose that moment to call out.

“The food is ready~!”

He shut his mouth.

“Jaune?” Pyrrha asked with concern. “Is something the matter?”

“We can talk later,” he said, meeting their eyes. “All of us. Okay?”

They nodded, a little unsure.

“Okay,” Weiss said. “Come – let us not keep your mother waiting.”

Pyrrha’s mother had prepared a simple lunch. There were sandwiches, a cheeseboard and their choice of juice, water or tea. They sat at the dining room table, the three of them together on one side while Pandora sat opposite them.

She then pulled out a large album and Pyrrha’s face went chalk white.

“Mom!” she exclaimed and Pandora shook with laughter.

“I thought your friends might want to see some photos.”

Pyrrha was halfway out of her chair but it was too late, her mother cracking it open and showing them a random page. Lucky for her, there was nothing embarrassing there and she sagged back into her seat in defeat.

“This is just the normal album, honey,” Pandora smiled at her daughter. “I promise not to humiliate you in front of your friends. The baby photos will come later.”

Pyrrha pouted as Jaune and Weiss laughed, leaning in to get a good view of a younger Pyrrha, no more than eight or nine. She was cute, a very serious expression on her face as she attempted to seem older than she really was.

“So, tell me about yourselves,” Pandora flipped the page and there Pyrrha was, posing in front of some art work in what looked like Mistral. “Pyrrha has been very tight lipped about her friends. Imagine my surprise when Weiss Schnee approached me and said that she was a friend of my daughter’s.”

They ate, drank and talked the afternoon away. Weiss spoke about her childhood in Atlas, highlighting the good while leaving out the bad. They learned that Pandora had been a single mother from day one, that Pyrrha’s father had been nothing more than a single night of fun that had turned into the best thing that had ever happened to her. Jaune talked about his family, where they were and what they were doing, and Pandora made a sound of acknowledgement.

“I thought you looked familiar!” she exclaimed. “You’re Saphron’s little brother, aren’t you?”

Jaune blinked.

“You know my sister?”

“We both help out at the soup kitchen on the weekends,” Pandora confessed, pulling out her scroll and bringing up a picture of the pair of them. Jaune leaned in to get a better look and there she was, his oldest sister arm in arm with Pyrrha’s mother as they beamed happily at the camera. “She talks about you all the time but she never mentions you by name. I can’t believe it.”

It was a small world.

“Hm,” Weiss inspected the picture, eyebrow arched. “You really do look alike. Huh. You’d make a very pretty girl, Jaune.”

Pyrrha giggled. “We already know how well he can wear a dress.”

Jaune sighed. “Please. No more.”

Pandora looked between them. “That sounds like an interesting story.”

Jaune groaned as his friends shared wicked grins.

The sky was just beginning to darken when Weiss announced that she must be going.

“Oh, no – you must stay for dinner,” Pandora said, grabbing her hands. “I insist!”

“I apologize but I instructed the staff to prepare my meal. I wouldn’t wish to waste their efforts,” Weiss then dipped into a curtsy, the action smooth and without fault. “It has been a pleasure to meet you, Pandora. Pyrrha is a very lucky girl to have a mother as wonderful as you.”

Pandora waved her off bashfully. “Oh, please. You’ll make me blush.”

Weiss smiled. It was a smile that lit up her entire face, only reinforcing how magnificent she looked.

“If you must go, then please allow Jaune to escort you home. Huntress or not, a young lady shouldn’t walk around alone this late in the evening.”

If any would be mugger tried their hand, they would be in for a world of hurt. It was less about her safety, though, and more as a courtesy. Jaune quickly caught on as Pandora glanced at her daughter.

“I can do that,” he said quickly.

“Wait,” Pyrrha tried.

Jaune pulled her into a quick, warm hug, Pyrrha issuing a startled sound at the sudden act of affection. She leaned into him, nuzzling his chest before remembering where she was.

“She wants to spend some time with you,” he whispered in her ear. “Alone.”

Pyrrha stepped out of his embrace, a look of understanding on her face. Then she glanced at Weiss, a complicated expression crossing her features.

“She’ll want something from you,” she said softly, low enough that only he heard. Their eyes met. “Give it to her and hurry back.”

His breath caught as he divined her meaning.

Fuck her if you must, but then come back and fuck me.

Against his will, he felt his loins tighten.

“We all need to talk,” he said.

“We will,” Pyrrha promised. “Tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” he said, feeling a sudden bout of nerves about that talk even though it was his idea. “Tomorrow.”

Mother and daughter showed them out, Jaune pulling on his jacket and promising to be back soon. As soon as he could, anyway – the Schnee family holiday home was on the other side of the city, and even with the streetcars it would take a little while to make the journey. Now that the sun was halfway set, the harsh chill in the air was even more unrepentant and when he saw Weiss rub her arms, he quickly shrugged his jacket off and threw it around her shoulders.

She pinned him with a scorching look.

“Thank you,” she said, voice soft. “But I do have aura, you know.”

He shrugged. “Nothing beats a nice warm jacket, right?”

She burrowed inside it, the size dwarfing her diminutive frame. Grabbing the collar, she brought it up to her nose and inhaled.

“It smells like you,” she said before her face became devious. “I can also smell her.”

Jaune did his best to ignore that, offering a hand. She twined their fingers together and they set off, quickly making their way to the nearest stop.

“Pandora is a wonderful woman.”

He nodded. “Yeah, she is.”

“Don’t be too naughty under her roof. Let her see her daughter as her little girl for a little while longer.”

Jaune cleared his throat. “I think I can manage that.”

Weiss snickered. “Hmm? I suppose it isn’t you I should be warning, though, is it? Tell me; is Pyrrha as insatiable as I think she is?”

“Weiss...”

When he glanced her way, there was no bitterness or anger. In fact, she looked wholly amused by the topic. She leaned against him so they walked together, shoulder to shoulder.

“I bet she keeps going, no matter how vigorous you are.”

“Do we have to talk about this?”

Her other hand moved across and caressed his chest. “Why not? It isn’t a secret between us.”

“It just feels...” he trailed off.

How did it feel? Weird? Strange? Wasn’t it a bit late in the game to feel that way when he had allowed them both to do what they wanted, when they wanted?

“Don’t get me wrong,” Weiss suddenly said. “I am extremely jealous. She had you all to herself for several long, lonely hours – I spent the entire flight thinking about what you were doing to her. All the ways you could be using that wonderful body of hers.”

Jaune swallowed as her voice dropped an octave, a husky note tickling his ear.

“Pyrrha isn’t accustomed to losing... but is it a loss, if we both get to have you?”

“What happened to being my number one?”

“That is a foregone conclusion,” she said arrogantly. “But I’m your girlfriend, aren’t I?”

“She’s my girlfriend too,” he replied.

“Oh~? So you’ve taken that step as well,” icy blue eyes peered up at him through a set of long lashes. “But I was first.”

Everything was a competition to them.

The journey to the Schnee holiday home took no more than half an hour. Jaune noticed the change in his surroundings as they passed into what he could only call a walled off community, stepping off the streetcar and walking through a pair of iron wrought gates manned by two security guards. Weiss simply flashed her identification and they were let through. Inside was a single street lined with handsome two story homes with large yards and gardens, completely different to the narrow townhouses the rest of the city boasted.

This was a place for the wealthy.

“That home there is owned by the founder and CEO of Comlink,” Weiss pointed out. In the drive was a very expensive sports car, the type you only ever saw in music videos.

“The scroll manufacturer?”

“The very same. His wife often attended banquets held by my father. I believe she wished to sleep with him.”

What?

“For all I know, she may have gone through with her desire,” her voice was bitter. “And that home over there, the one with black SUV’s parked out front?”

There were several black vehicles parked on the curb, their windows tinted so he couldn’t see if there were people inside or not.

“Now that home belongs to the former royal family of Mistral.”

Jaune perked up. “What? Really?”

He’d never met royalty before.

Weiss chuckled, tightening her hold on his hand. “Yes. Disgraced, of course – but still very, very wealthy. They actually spend most of their time here, still in their homeland but far from their former seat of power. They aren’t well liked there because – hm, well, you know why. You could say they are banished from ever setting foot in the city again.”

Weiss continued to point out all the little facts she knew about each home and who lived where, until they reached the end of the lane.

“And this is ours,” they paused by large oak doors, stained glass arched above.

Weiss looked at him expectantly and he moved without thought, leaning down and kissing her. She made a sound of surprise and stepped into him, their bodies flush as they made out. Her mouth was warm and he cupped her smooth cheek, stroking it with his thumb. She shivered, reaching up to thread her fingers through his hair and messing it up, giggling when he nipped at her lips in retaliation.

She then stepped away.

“Mm, thank you,” she said, grinning. “That was much appreciated.”

Jaune licked his lips, her taste lingering on his tongue.

“Do you want me to come in?”

She made a show of thinking about it, tapping a well manicured nail to her chin before shaking her head. “No, I think that is all for today.”

Jaune looked at her in surprise.

Catching this, she laughed. “What? Did you think I would steal you away to my bedroom and do unspeakable things to you?”

Yes, that is exactly what he was thinking.

“That would be fun,” she admitted, biting her lip. “Mm – that would be so fun. But I am a gracious girlfriend and will allow this day to remain Pyrrha’s.”

Then her hand was on his crotch, stroking his cock. He was already half hard from their kiss and his length swelled as she palmed him, squeezing his shaft until she found the outline of his crown.

“You take this and give it to her, okay?” she ordered, an impish smile stretching her lips. “And when you do, think of me? Remember that I allow it.”

Fuck, what was wrong with this woman?

Giving him a final squeeze, she released him before darting in and pecking him on the lips. Then she was pulling open the door and slipping inside, closing it until only her eye was visible through the crack.

“I will message you later and set a time for us to meet up,” she said, blinking at him. “We should all go on a date together. We are in a brand new city, after all.”

And then the door snapped shut without even a goodbye, leaving him hard and aching on her cold stoop. Weiss was a vindictive girl, Jaune was beginning to understand – in more ways than one.

Walking around with an erection was not very comfortable, especially when it was trapped in your pants, threatening to burst its way through several layers of clothing. Awkward was an understatement – and what was more was that Weiss had taken his jacket with her, leaving him in nothing more than a shirt.

Vindictive, indeed.

Pyrrha looked surprised when he arrived back only a little over an hour after he left.

“What happened?”

Jaune shrugged, following her into the lounge. They’d lit a fire and Jaune quickly moved over to warm up. His aura had done well to protect him from the worst of the chill but nothing beat actual heat.

“She wants us to go on a date tomorrow,” he said, keeping his voice low in case Pandora was nearby. He wasn’t sure what Pyrrha had told her mother while he was away.

His partner frowned. “Oh, she does, does she?”

“All of us,” he quickly elaborated. “Not just me and her – you as well.”

Pyrrha looked startled. “Oh.”

She looked into the flames, pensive.

Then she asked what he was thinking, “Just what is that girl planning?”

They’d just have to wait and see.