Frozen Signals: A Weiss/Jaune Story

Part 1: Initial Attempts

The training facility in Atlas Academy was certainly more impressive than Beacon's had been. Sleek, modern equipment lined the walls, and the combat arena featured state-of-the-art simulation technology. Weiss watched as Jaune practiced his sword strikes against a holographic Grimm, his form much improved since their early days at Beacon.

He's gotten so much better,  Weiss thought, a small smile forming on her lips. His shoulders are broader too. When did that happen?

She hadn't meant to develop these feelings. They had crept up on her slowly since Haven, becoming undeniable in Argus. The moment replayed in her mind constantly—Jaune's hands glowing with aura as he healed her, his face a picture of determination as he refused to let her slip away.

Taking a deep breath, Weiss straightened her combat skirt and walked purposefully toward him.

"Your stance is still a bit wide," she said, approaching from behind as the simulation ended.

Jaune turned, slightly startled. "Oh, hey Weiss. You were watching?"

"Just happened to notice," she replied with feigned casualness. As if I haven't been staring for the past fifteen minutes.  "Here, let me show you."

Before he could respond, she stepped closer, reaching out to adjust his shoulders. "If you keep your weight distributed like this," she demonstrated, her hands lingering on his arms slightly longer than necessary, "you'll have better balance for your shield work."

"Oh, thanks!" Jaune's face brightened with genuine appreciation. "That actually feels a lot better."

Weiss smiled, tilting her head slightly. "I could help you practice more, if you want. I'm free after dinner tonight."

"That's really nice of you," Jaune replied, completely missing the hint in her tone. "But I promised Ren I'd go over some team formations. Maybe another time?"

Seriously?  Weiss maintained her smile, though it felt increasingly fixed. "Of course. Whenever works for you."

From across the training room, she caught Nora elbowing Ren and whispering something. Ren's eyes widened slightly as he observed them, and he gave Nora a subtle nod.

"Thanks again for the tip," Jaune said, completely oblivious to her disappointment. "I should go clean up before the briefing."

Weiss watched him leave, letting out a small sigh. This might be harder than I thought.

Part 2: Atlas Academy Hallways

Two days later, Weiss found herself reviewing her scroll in the main corridor leading to the briefing rooms. She had carefully timed her arrival based on when she knew Team JNR would be passing through on their way back from morning training.

This is ridiculous,  she chided herself. I'm a Schnee. I shouldn't be lurking in hallways waiting for a boy to walk by.  Yet here she was, pretending to be deeply engrossed in mission reports while keeping one eye on the corridor.

The sound of familiar voices approached, and Weiss took a deep breath. Now or never.

She stepped out, deliberately bumping into Jaune as he rounded the corner with Ren and Nora.

"Oh!" she exclaimed with practiced surprise, her scroll clattering to the floor. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going."

"Weiss!" Jaune immediately bent down to retrieve her scroll. "No, it was totally my fault."

Their hands brushed as he handed it back, and Weiss allowed the contact to linger. "Thank you, Jaune," she said, looking up at him through her lashes. "Actually, I've been meaning to ask you something."

Jaune looked at her expectantly. "What's up?"

"I've been wondering about your semblance," she said, genuine curiosity mixing with her ulterior motives. "You've been developing it for a while now. Have you discovered any new applications?"

Jaune's face lit up at the question. "Actually, yeah! I've been working on extending the duration of my aura amplification. And I think I might be able to affect Dust reactions too, but it's still experimental."

"That sounds fascinating," Weiss said, stepping slightly closer to him. "Perhaps we could test some theories together? I have extensive experience with Dust applications, as you know."

"That would be amazing!" Jaune replied enthusiastically. "Your help would be—"

"Arc, Schnee!" The sharp voice of an Atlesian officer cut through their conversation. "General Ironwood has moved up the mission briefing. You're both required in Conference Room A, immediately."

Weiss couldn't quite hide her frustration. "We'll continue this later?"

"Definitely," Jaune nodded, already turning toward the conference room. "This sounds like a great collaboration!"

Collaboration. Right.  Weiss smoothed her expression as they walked toward the briefing. Not exactly what I was going for.

Behind them, she could hear Nora's hushed whisper to Ren: "Did you see that? She's trying SO hard!"

"Shhh, Nora," Ren replied softly. "They'll hear you."

Weiss felt her cheeks warm slightly but kept her gaze forward, steadfastly ignoring the commentary.

Part 3: Brief Moment of Connection

The mission debriefing was tense. A security breach in Mantle's outer sectors had allowed several Sabyrs to infiltrate the residential area. Though the threat had been neutralized, Ironwood was clearly displeased with the response time.

"This could have been catastrophic," he stated, pacing before the assembled teams. "We need to tighten our perimeters and response protocols."

As Ironwood continued detailing the security failures, Weiss found her attention drifting. Across the table, Jaune sat with his team, his brow furrowed in concentration as he took notes.

He takes his responsibilities so seriously now,  she thought. So different from the boy who snuck into Beacon with forged transcripts.

As if sensing her gaze, Jaune looked up. Their eyes met across the table, and to Weiss's surprise, he offered her a small, encouraging smile. Not his usual goofy grin, but something more genuine—warm and reassuring.

Weiss felt her heartbeat quicken. She returned the smile before quickly glancing back at Ironwood, trying to refocus on the briefing.

That wasn't nothing,  she thought, a flutter of hope rising in her chest. That was definitely something.

"For the next phase of operations," Ironwood continued, "we'll be splitting into specialized units. Team RWBY will coordinate with Ace Ops on the northern perimeter. Ren and Nora, you'll join special operations for reconnaissance. Arc, you'll be working with the defense corps on fortifications."

Weiss couldn't help the small frown that formed on her lips. Separate assignments meant fewer opportunities to interact with Jaune. She caught Nora's sympathetic glance from down the table.

As the meeting adjourned, Weiss lingered, hoping to catch Jaune before he left. But he was immediately surrounded by Atlesian officers discussing defense strategies, and she reluctantly exited with her team.

This is getting ridiculous,  she thought irritably as she walked alongside Ruby. How can someone be so perceptive in battle and so completely dense in personal matters?

Part 4: The Snow Walk

Three days of separate assignments had left Weiss more frustrated than ever. Her teammates had begun to notice her increasingly short temper.

"Geez, Ice Queen is living up to her name today," Yang had commented after Weiss snapped at her for a harmless joke.

Weiss had immediately apologized, but the nickname only served to remind her of her predicament. She needed to take action, something more direct than subtle flirtation.

When the teams were finally given an evening off, she seized her opportunity.

"I need some fresh air," she announced to her teammates. "The academy feels... stifling tonight."

Blake looked up from her book with a knowing smile. "It certainly can be... limiting."

Weiss ignored the implication and grabbed her coat. Making her way to the common area where Team JNR typically spent their evenings, she found Jaune alone, reviewing maps on his scroll.

"Where are Ren and Nora?" she asked casually.

Jaune looked up, appearing pleased to see her. "They went into Mantle for dinner. Something about trying every noodle shop in the city."

"Sounds like them," Weiss replied with a small laugh. She hesitated, then pressed forward. "I was actually about to take a walk outside. Atlas has some... beautiful views in the evening. Would you like to join me? I could use a different perspective on my home kingdom."

Jaune seemed surprised by the invitation but quickly put his scroll away. "I'd like that. To be honest, I could use a break from mission planning."

The air outside was crisp and cold, a light snow falling in delicate flakes that caught in Weiss's pale hair. She led Jaune along a path that circled part of the academy grounds, offering spectacular views of Atlas's glittering skyline.

"It's beautiful," Jaune said, looking out over the city. "Very different from what I'm used to."

"It has its moments," Weiss admitted. "Though I've come to appreciate the simplicity of places like Patch and Argus too."

They walked in comfortable silence for a moment, their breath forming small clouds in the cold air.

This is nice,  Weiss thought. But I'm no closer to making him understand.

"You know," Jaune said suddenly, breaking the silence, "I never properly thanked you."

Weiss glanced at him with curiosity. "For what?"

"For being patient with me. Back at Beacon," he clarified, his expression growing more serious. "I was... well, I was pretty persistent with my attempts to ask you out. Looking back, I realize I was probably way out of line."

Weiss blinked, surprised by the sudden apology. "Oh."

"I didn't really understand boundaries then," he continued, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I just want you to know that I get it now. Why you kept turning me down. I didn't exactly make a great first impression, and I probably came across as pretty annoying."

Is he serious right now?  Weiss thought incredulously. I'm trying to get him to ask me out, and he's apologizing for asking me out in the past?

"Jaune," she began carefully, "people change. We've all grown since Beacon."

"Yeah, but still," he insisted, "I should have taken the hint earlier. You deserved better than my clumsy attempts at flirting." He started pacing slightly in the snow, his words coming faster. "I mean, the guitar serenade? What was I thinking? And those terrible pickup lines... I actually practiced those, you know. Looking back, it's so embarrassing. And the way I kept asking you to the dance over and over..."

Weiss stood there, momentarily stunned by his rambling confession. The memory of those awkward advances now struck her so differently than they had at the time.

"I was so clueless," Jaune continued, shaking his head. "Neptune told me later how uncomfortable it must have been for you. I just want you to know that I understand now why someone like you wouldn't—"

"Someone like me?" Weiss interrupted, finding her voice again. "Jaune, I wasn't exactly the best person back then either. I was... cold. Judgmental." She looked down at the snow gathering on her boots. "I judged you before I ever gave you a chance. That wasn't fair either."

Jaune stopped his pacing, looking at her with surprise. "Weiss, you don't have to—"

"No, I do," she insisted, looking away. "People change. I've changed." She took a deep breath, fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. "Sometimes we... don't always know what we want until later."

Jaune's expression remained puzzled. "I guess that's true for everyone."

Weiss let out a small, frustrated sigh. How much more obvious do I need to be?

"What I mean is," she said, choosing her words carefully, "perspectives shift with time. Things that once seemed... unsuitable... might appear differently with new context."

She watched his face, searching for any glimmer of understanding, but Jaune's expression remained earnestly confused. He opened his mouth to respond when the sharp beep of their scrolls interrupted the moment.

"Emergency alert," Jaune read, quickly checking the message. "All huntsmen to report back to headquarters immediately."

Weiss barely contained her frustration as she checked her own scroll. Of course. Perfect timing as always.

"We should head back," she said, unable to keep the disappointment from her voice.

As they turned to walk back to the academy, Weiss wondered if she would ever get through to him, or if she would need to resort to even more drastic measures.

At this rate, I might as well hire skywriters to spell it out for him.

Part 5: Bedroom Confessions

Weiss flopped onto her bunk in the RWBY dorm, an uncharacteristically graceless action that immediately caught her teammates' attention. She stared at the ceiling, letting out a loud, frustrated groan.

Ruby looked up from her weapon maintenance. "What's wrong? Did something happen on your walk?"

"Nothing happened," Weiss replied, emphasizing the 'nothing' with bitter disappointment. "That's precisely the problem."

Blake set her book down, exchanging glances with Ruby and Yang, who had paused her arm exercises to observe Weiss's unusual behavior.

Weiss sat up suddenly, smoothing her skirt as she composed herself. "If I tell you something, do you promise not to laugh?"

"Of course," Ruby replied immediately.

"Absolutely not," Yang said at the same time, grinning.

Blake simply raised an eyebrow, waiting.

Weiss sighed deeply, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I've been trying to get Jaune to ask me out."

The room fell silent for a moment before Yang snorted, quickly trying to disguise it as a cough when Ruby shot her a warning glance.

"I know it sounds ridiculous," Weiss continued, her cheeks coloring slightly. "But ever since Argus, I've... noticed him differently. And now, to make everything worse, he just spent fifteen minutes apologizing for ever asking me out at Beacon in the first place!"

This time Yang couldn't contain her laughter. "I'm sorry," she managed between chuckles, "but that's just—"

Ruby elbowed her sister sharply in the ribs. "Yang!"

"What? It's funny!" Yang defended herself, rubbing her side. "The guy spends all of first year pining after her, and now that she's interested, he's apologizing for ever having been interested at all. You can't make this stuff up!"

Weiss covered her face with her hands. "I know. It's cosmically unfair."

"I think it's sweet," Ruby offered, trying to be supportive. "People's feelings change. Look at Blake and Yang!"

"Hey!" both Blake and Yang objected simultaneously.

Weiss dropped her hands from her face and looked at her teammates pleadingly. "What should I do? I've tried everything short of writing 'Please date me' on my forehead."

Ruby tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe you could write him a letter explaining your feelings?"

"A letter?" Weiss repeated skeptically. "This isn't a period romance novel, Ruby."

"You could challenge him to a sparring match," Blake suggested. "When you win, make asking you out the prize."

Weiss considered this. "That's... actually not terrible. Though I'm not sure using combat as a dating strategy sends the right message."

"Oh, for the love of—" Yang threw her hands up in exasperation. "Just ask him out yourself!"

The three others turned to look at her.

"What?" Yang continued. "It's the modern era. You like him, so ask him out. Given his level of obliviousness—which is impressive even by boy standards—and your not-so-great history, he's never going to make the first move again. He's probably terrified of rejection and losing you as a friend."

"Yang's right," Blake nodded. "Jaune respects you too much to risk misinterpreting signals after what happened at Beacon."

Weiss frowned. "But I've been giving him very clear signals."

Yang snorted again. "Clear to who? You Atlesian types think a slightly longer handshake is practically a marriage proposal."

"I am not that repressed!" Weiss protested, though her blush suggested otherwise.

"Look," Yang said, her tone softening, "Jaune's been through a lot. He lost Pyrrha. He's watched friends get hurt. The last thing he wants is to mess up a friendship by misreading signals from someone who rejected him multiple times before."

Weiss's expression fell as the truth of Yang's words sank in. "You're right," she admitted quietly.

"So what are you going to do about it?" Ruby asked, leaning forward eagerly.

Weiss took a deep breath, determination replacing her frustration. "I'm going to tell him directly. No more hints, no more signals."

"That's my girl!" Yang cheered, pumping her fist in the air.

"But how?" Weiss asked, suddenly looking uncertain again. "Just walk up to him and say, 'Jaune Arc, I like you, please date me'?"

"Pretty much," Yang shrugged.

"Maybe with a bit more finesse," Blake suggested with a small smile.

Ruby bounced on her bed excitedly. "Oh! Oh! You could take him somewhere special! Make it memorable!"

Weiss considered this, a plan beginning to form in her mind. "I do know a place in Atlas that might work..." She stood up, smoothing her combat skirt with renewed purpose. "Thank you all. Even you, Yang."

"You're welcome, Ice Queen," Yang replied with a wink. "Go get your knight in shining armor. Or whatever that hoodie is he insists on wearing."

As Weiss headed for the door, she paused. "If any of you breathe a word of this to anyone else before I've had a chance to talk to him, I will freeze you to your beds while you sleep."

The threat was delivered with such perfect Schnee heiress coldness that even Yang's teasing smile faltered.

"Your secret's safe with us," Ruby promised, making a zipping motion across her lips.

Weiss nodded, then stepped out into the hallway, her heart pounding as she prepared to take matters into her own hands.

No more subtle hints,  she thought resolutely. Time for the direct approach.

Part 6: The Direct Approach

"...and we've made significant progress on the western perimeter," Jaune explained, pointing to a section of the holographic map displayed between him and Winter Schnee. "The civilian evacuation protocols have been updated, and my team has been running drills with the local defense units."

Winter nodded approvingly, making notes on her scroll. "Your leadership has been noted, Arc. The defense corps speaks highly of your tactical insights."

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, still uncomfortable with praise despite his growth. "Just trying to apply what I've learned from working with everyone."

Winter was about to respond when the conference room door slid open. Weiss stood in the doorway, looking uncharacteristically hesitant.

"Specialist Schnee," she addressed her sister formally, then nodded to Jaune. "I apologize for interrupting your briefing."

"We were just wrapping up," Winter replied, her expression softening slightly at the sight of her younger sister. Her keen eyes noted the subtle signs of nervousness in Weiss's posture—the slight tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve. "Is there something you need?"

"Actually," Weiss said, trying to keep her voice steady, "I was wondering if I could borrow Jaune for a moment? It's regarding... a team coordination matter."

Winter glanced between the two of them, a hint of understanding flickering across her usually stoic features. "Of course. Mr. Arc, we can continue our discussion tomorrow at 0800."

"Yes, ma'am," Jaune responded with a respectful nod, gathering his scroll and notes.

"Thank you, Winter," Weiss said quietly as her sister passed her at the doorway.

Winter paused momentarily. "Good luck," she murmured, so softly that only Weiss could hear, before continuing down the corridor.

Weiss's eyes widened slightly. Was I that obvious?

"So, what's up?" Jaune asked as they stepped into the hallway, the conference room door sliding shut behind them. "Is everything okay with team RWBY?"

"Yes, everyone's fine," Weiss said, suddenly finding it difficult to look directly at him. "I wanted to talk to you about... something else."

"Sure, what is it?"

Weiss took a deep breath. "I was thinking—well, considering—that is to say..." She stopped, frustrated with herself. Is this how he felt every time he tried to ask me out? This stammering, this flutter of panic?  Her newfound empathy for what Jaune must have experienced at Beacon only made her more determined to push through.

"Weiss?" Jaune's brow furrowed with concern. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Are you feeling alright? Do you need to go to the infirmary?"

"No!" she exclaimed, perhaps too forcefully. "I'm not sick. I'm trying to—" She paused again, Yang's advice echoing in her mind. Just ask him directly.  "Jaune, would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night? Not as teammates or friends, but as... a date."

The word 'date' hung in the air between them. Jaune's hand dropped from her shoulder, his eyes widening in shock.

"A... date?" he repeated, as if testing whether he'd heard her correctly.

"Yes, a date," Weiss confirmed, lifting her chin with a hint of her usual confidence despite the blush spreading across her cheeks. "I know a small restaurant in the upper city that has private dining areas. We could talk, without interruptions or emergency alerts."

Jaune continued to stare at her, his expression a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

"Unless you're not interested," Weiss added quickly, her confidence wavering under his stunned gaze. "In which case, we can pretend this conversation never happened, and I'll—"

"Wait," Jaune finally found his voice, holding up a hand to stop her retreat. "You're asking me out? On a date? Me?"

"Yes, Jaune," Weiss sighed, her exasperation tinged with fondness. "You."

"But..." he shook his head as if trying to clear it. "I don't understand. You've been... I mean, I thought... when did you...?"

"Since Argus," Weiss admitted softly. "Maybe before that, I'm not sure exactly when it started. But I realized it when you..." She unconsciously touched her side where Cinder's spear had pierced her. "When you saved me."

Understanding dawned on Jaune's face, followed swiftly by a smile that seemed to light up the entire hallway.

"So all those times lately—the training offer, the Dust experiments, the walk—were you trying to..."

"Get you to ask me out? Yes," Weiss confirmed, unable to help returning his smile. "You were remarkably oblivious."

"I thought you were just being nice!" Jaune defended himself, though he was now laughing softly. "I didn't want to misinterpret and ruin our friendship."

"Yang said you might feel that way," Weiss admitted.

"You talked to Yang about this?" Jaune's eyes widened again.

"And Ruby. And Blake," Weiss confessed with a slight grimace. "I was... desperate for advice."

They looked at each other for a moment, the absurdity of the situation sinking in, before both burst into laughter.

"So," Weiss said when their laughter subsided, her eyes meeting his with newfound confidence, "dinner tomorrow?"

Jaune reached out, tentatively taking her hand in his. "I'd love to."

The smile they shared was worth all the frustration, all the missed signals, all the interrupted moments that had led to this point.

"It's a date, then," Weiss said, enjoying how natural the words felt.

"It's a date," Jaune confirmed, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before reluctantly letting go. "I should probably get back to my team before Nora organizes a search party."

"And I should prepare myself for Yang's inevitable smugness," Weiss agreed with a roll of her eyes.

As they parted ways, each heading back to their respective teams, Weiss felt a lightness in her step that had been missing for weeks. Sometimes, she reflected, the direct approach really was best—even for a Schnee.

Epilogue: Ice and Sunshine

The exclusive restaurant on Atlas's upper level had a view that stretched across the kingdom's glittering skyline, city lights twinkling like earthbound stars beneath them. In a private alcove overlooking this spectacular vista, Weiss and Jaune sat across from each other, the remains of their dinner pushed aside, crystal glasses of sparkling water catching the soft ambient light.

"I can't believe you got us in here," Jaune said, still somewhat awestruck by the luxury surrounding them. "The host practically bowed when he saw you."

Weiss smiled, more relaxed than Jaune had ever seen her. "Being a Schnee does occasionally have its advantages, though fewer than before." She traced the rim of her glass thoughtfully. "But I wanted tonight to be special."

"It is," Jaune assured her, reaching across the table to gently take her hand. The gesture, which would have seemed impossibly bold to him just days ago, now felt natural. "Though I would have been happy anywhere with you."

"Even at the academy cafeteria with Nora throwing food?" Weiss asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, maybe not that  happy," Jaune admitted with a laugh.

Their conversation flowed easily throughout the evening, moving between lighthearted reminiscences of their Beacon days to more serious discussions of all they'd been through since. The awkwardness that had plagued their recent interactions had dissolved, replaced by a comfortable warmth and occasional moments of pleasant nervousness that came with any new beginning.

"I have a confession to make," Jaune said as their dessert arrived, an elaborate Atlesian specialty involving spun sugar and flash-frozen berries.

"Should I be concerned?" Weiss asked, though her tone was teasing.

"I noticed your attempts to get my attention," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "At least, I started to notice after a while. I just couldn't believe it was actually happening."

Weiss nearly choked on her dessert. "What? But you seemed so completely oblivious!"

"I thought I was imagining things," Jaune explained. "The Weiss Schnee, interested in me? It seemed more likely that I was misreading the situation because I wanted it to be true."

"You wanted it to be true?" Weiss repeated softly.

Jaune's cheeks colored slightly. "I never really stopped caring about you, Weiss. I just learned to be your friend instead. It seemed like what you wanted, and I was happy with that."

"And now?" she asked, her blue eyes meeting his with uncharacteristic vulnerability.

"Now I'm wondering how I got lucky enough to be sitting here with you," he said simply.

Weiss felt her heart flutter in a way that would have mortified her former self. "It's not luck," she said firmly. "It's who you are, Jaune. Who you've become."

As they left the restaurant later that evening, a light snow had begun to fall again, dusting the streets and buildings with a fresh coat of white. They walked close together, the back of their hands occasionally brushing against each other until Jaune finally gathered his courage and intertwined his fingers with hers.

"You're cold," he observed, noticing the slight shiver that ran through her despite her Atlas-appropriate attire.

"A little," she admitted. "But I'm fine."

Without hesitation, Jaune activated his semblance, the soft glow of his aura extending to envelope her hand and gradually spreading a gentle warmth through her entire body.

"Better?" he asked.

"Much," she replied, squeezing his hand in thanks.

They walked in comfortable silence for a moment before Weiss spoke again. "You know, Ren and Nora have been watching us this whole time."

Jaune nearly stumbled. "What? Where?"

Weiss nodded subtly toward a café across the street, where two familiar figures were poorly concealed behind menus. "They're not very good at stealth. I noticed them when we left the restaurant."

"I'm going to kill them," Jaune muttered, though there was no real anger in his voice.

"Actually," Weiss said with a mischievous smile that Jaune had rarely seen, "I have a better idea."

Before he could ask what she meant, Weiss tugged gently on his hand, turning him toward her. Rising slightly on her toes, she pressed her lips to his in a kiss that started as a soft brush but lingered with increasing warmth. Jaune froze momentarily in surprise before responding, his free hand coming up to gently cup her cheek.

When they finally separated, both slightly breathless, Weiss cast a triumphant glance toward the café, where Nora had abandoned all pretense of hiding and was practically pressed against the window, her expression a mixture of shock and delight. Ren, more composed as always, was attempting to pull her back into her seat.

"That should give them something to talk about," Weiss said with satisfaction.

Jaune laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "You never cease to surprise me, Weiss Schnee."

"Good," she replied, her eyes sparkling. "I intend to keep it that way."

As they continued their walk back toward Atlas Academy, snow falling gently around them, Weiss reflected on the strange, circuitous path that had led them here. From her initial dismissal of him at Beacon to their current intertwined fingers, it had been a journey neither could have predicted.

Sometimes,  she thought, glancing at Jaune's profile as he pointed out a particularly impressive ice sculpture in one of the public squares, the best things come to those who wait. And occasionally to those who finally get frustrated enough to take matters into their own hands.

In the café behind them, Nora was excitedly sending messages to the rest of their friends, while Ren simply smiled, having seen this outcome long before either Weiss or Jaune had recognized it themselves.

And in the sky above Atlas, the snow continued to fall, covering the kingdom in a fresh blanket of white—a clean slate, perfect for new beginnings.

~ End ~