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“Please, sweetheart, let me put your sweater on. You said you liked it this morning,” Yang pleaded with the little boy as she tried to get him dressed so they could leave in time for the Schnee-Arc Christmas gathering.
The three-year-old Faunus showed no sign of giving in anytime soon. He had curled himself stubbornly on the edge of his small bed, arms crossed as he shook his head, his cat ears nearly disappearing into his pitch-black hair.
“I don’t want to,” he muttered, eyeing the knitted sweater suspiciously.
Yang raised an eyebrow as she turned the little garment over in her hands. “What’s wrong with it, Theo? You like yellow, and look—there’s a little elf on it, bringing presents to good kids at Christmas,” she said, pointing at the design, hoping it might change his mind. Theo was a good kid—he hadn’t caused his parents much trouble over the past few years—but every now and then, the little devil in him still came out — mostly around Aunt Ruby though…
Blake leaned against the doorframe, arms folded, lips twitching as she watched Yang negotiate with their son.
“I feel like I’m looking at you,” Yang sighed, turning toward Blake with a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
“Oh please,” Blake replied playfully, rolling her eyes as she joined them in the nursery. “Between the two of us, you’re the stubborn one—the hardest to convince.”
Yang couldn’t fight the smile or the warmth that flooded her chest as her wife crouched down beside their son. “Maybe,” she said fondly, “but he’s still your spitting image.”
Theo and Blake looked at her at the same time, and Yang felt her heart nearly burst with how much she loved them. The little boy could have been Blake’s clone—pitch-black hair crowning his head, soft cat ears perched on top. True, his eyes shone the same shade of lilac as Yang’s, and his behavior was far more like hers than Blake’s. Still, every time Yang looked at Theo, she saw Blake—and their love—made flesh.
Blake’s voice softened when she spoke again. “Theo, sweetheart, we’re going to Aunt Weiss and Uncle Jaune’s house. There will be cookies.”
Theo considered this. “Cookies?”
“And Elisabeth will be there,” Blake added. “And baby Noah.”
Theo’s eyes widened. “Baby!”
“Yep,” Yang said. “You can show Noah your truck again.”
Theo beamed. “Okay.”
Yang blinked. “That’s it? That worked?”
“I know my audience,” Blake said smugly with a smile. “And my clone of a son.”
Yang couldn’t help but laugh as Blake gently took the sweater from her hands and pulled it over Theo’s head. This time, he seemed more than eager to finish getting ready.
Ten minutes later, Theo was bundled up, shoes on the correct feet (after one failed attempt), and clinging to Blake’s leg like a koala as Yang grabbed the last of the presents.
“I think that’s everything,” Yang said as she slid the last box into the trunk of the car.
Her gaze drifted to little Theo, who was enthusiastically trying to catch the snowflakes drifting down from the sky, giggling sweetly whenever one landed right on the tip of his nose.
Blake’s smile seemed almost frozen in place—perhaps from the cold as much as anything else—as she watched her son delight in the snowfall. She barely noticed when Yang stepped up beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist, but the sudden warmth was unmistakable, and she melted into Yang’s embrace at once.
“Everything okay? You’ve been very quiet this afternoon, ever since you got home,” Yang said as she breathed in the familiar scent of her wife’s long black hair—which, as always, smelled wonderful.
Blake only hummed softly in response, shifting a bit more of her weight against Yang, knowing that her wife would always hold her.
“Yes, everything’s perfectly fine, honey,” Blake replied confidently. “But there is something I’d like to talk to you about—” she continued, only to break off mid-sentence when Theo—without watching where he was going—face-planted into the snow and couldn’t quite manage to get back up on his own.
“Oh, buddy…” Yang sighed, but she was at his side in an instant, brushing the snow from his face and clothes as Theo sputtered and sneezed out a mouthful of snow.
Blake shook her head fondly at their son’s clumsiness before they all finally got into the car and drifted off into the early evening.
The car was warm and quiet, the kind of quiet that settled in once everyone had finally buckled up and the world outside blurred into white. Theo sat in the backseat, humming to himself as he kicked his boots together, occasionally pressing his nose to the window to watch the snow go by.
“Snow’s chasing us,” he announced solemnly.
Yang smiled at him through the rearview mirror. “Yeah? Better not let it catch us, then.”
Blake sat in the passenger seat, one hand resting in her lap, the other loosely entwined with Yang’s fingers on the center console. She watched the road for a moment, then glanced over at Yang, her expression soft and thoughtful.
Yang squeezed her hand gently. “You sure you’re okay?”
Blake nodded. “I am. Just… thinking.”
Yang hummed, not pressing, letting the silence be comfortable.
In the backseat, Theo yawned widely, his earlier excitement finally catching up with him. “Are we there yet?”
“Not yet, buddy,” Yang said. “But soon.”
“I can’t wait to show Noah and Lizzy my truck,” Theo announced not long after.
“I bet they will love it, sweetie,” Blake replied, turning back to gently caress his cheek. Yang almost melted on the spot when she saw in the rearview mirror Theo covering Blake’s hand on his cheek with his own little hand.
The Schnee-Arc house glowed like a beacon against the snow, warm light spilling from every window as Yang pulled into the driveway. Of course, Weiss had to make a statement with the decorations…but Yang loved it nonetheless.
Fresh tracks already marked the snow—clearly, they weren’t the first to arrive.
“We’re here,” Yang said softly, cutting the engine.
Theo perked up instantly, pressing his hands to the window. “Lights!”
Blake smiled. “That’s Aunt Weiss and Uncle Jaune’s house.”
Yang stepped out first, the cold biting immediately, then circled around to help Theo down from his seat. Theo’s boots hit the snow with a delighted crunch, and he laughed as Yang lifted him onto her hip. Blake grabbed a couple of the presents from the trunk, pausing for a moment to take in the sight of the house. The cold air stung her cheeks, but the warmth waiting inside felt almost tangible. Yang noticed her lingering and came back to her, brushing her thumb gently over Blake’s gloved hand.
“Should we switch?” she asked, looking between Theo and the stack of presents.
Blake shook her head immediately. It wasn’t like she couldn’t carry a few boxes now, and they certainly felt a lot lighter than Theo…
Blake stepped closer and placed a hand on her wife’s cheek to draw her in for a kiss. “I’m good, you go ahead to the front, I’ll lock the car.”
Yang nodded silently and headed toward the entrance with Theo, who was once again completely captivated by the flurry of snowflakes drifting down around them. Yang quickly pressed a kiss to the top of his head before ringing the doorbell. Blake joined them just moments before the door opened.
“Yang! Blake!” Jaune’s voice rang out, bright and unmistakably cheerful. He stood there in a festive sweater, his daughter, Elisabeth, perched on his arm, her tiny hands gripping his collar.
“Hi!” Elisabeth chirped, eyes lighting up when she spotted Theo. “Theo!”
Theo wriggled excitedly. “Lizzy!”
Yang laughed as she set him down, and the two toddlers immediately gravitated toward each other, finding their way to the middle of the large living room already full with lots and lots of toys. “What about your coat, young man?” Yang asked her son who was already too preoccupied with showcasing his truck to little Lizzy to care.
Weiss appeared behind Jaune, smiling warmly. “Come in before you all freeze. You’re just in time—Ruby and Oscar got here a few minutes ago. Nora and Ren are in the other room on diaper duties.”
The warmth hit them immediately as they stepped further into the large house. The decorations inside were just as festive as the ones outside—countless lights, ornaments everywhere, and the most divine smells wafting in from the kitchen. Yang took Blake’s hand, and they followed Weiss toward the living room, where her sister Ruby had, of course, already pounced on the cookies.
Yang greeted her sister and Oscar while Blake helped Theo out of his coat and shoes so he could get back to playing without interruption. When she returned to her wife’s side, Blake immediately spotted the sparkling piece of jewelry on Ruby’s hand.
“Wow, Ruby! What a ring!” Blake exclaimed, lifting Ruby’s hand to get a closer look at it. “Oscar, you really went all out.”
Oscar scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment, his cheeks flushing red. “Heh, it’s not that special…”
Meanwhile, Yang could barely find her voice through her shock. “When did this happen?” she finally asked, her voice coming out a little higher than usual.
Ruby smiled bashfully as she reached for Oscar’s hand for reassurance. “A couple of days ago. We were planning to tell you today, but it looks like we’re a bit late.”
“Late for what?” Nora’s voice suddenly chimed in from behind them.
Ren joined them a moment later, cradling a sleeping baby Noah against his chest.
“Weiss, Jaune? Could you come here for a moment, please? We want to tell you something,” Ruby said, rising onto her tiptoes to peer toward the kitchen.
Weiss and Jaune soon joined them in the living room. Weiss carried a tray of pink punch in elegant-looking glasses, while Jaune diligently wiped his hands on his Christmas apron.
Ruby bounced in place with excitement, while Oscar could only shake his head in disbelief at his girlfriend’s—now fiancée’s—usual over-the-top energy. “I asked Ruby to marry me a few days ago,” he finally announced, puffing out his chest with pride.
“Aaaand?” Nora prompted eagerly, clearly struggling to contain her own excitement.
Weiss rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Obviously she said yes, you dunce. Otherwise they wouldn’t be telling us.”
Nora waved her off, eyes sparkling as she waited for Ruby’s confirmation. Ruby nodded and held out her hand so they could see the ring. Nora shrieked the moment the light caught the stone. Blake’s cat ears twitched instinctively at the sharp sound, and even Yang flinched, her gaze immediately drifting to Noah, who continued to sleep peacefully in Ren’s arms. He had probably grown used to his mother’s volume by now…
“Congratulations!” Jaune finally said, starting a wave of well-wishes that the newly engaged couple accepted with bashful smiles.
“We should definitely toast to that,” Weiss declared once everyone had calmed down a little, beginning to pass around the punch. “And don’t worry, Nora—I made a non-alcoholic version too.”
“Actually, I think I’ll pass for now,” Blake said when Weiss offered her a glass from the tray. Weiss looked surprised by the decision but didn’t push it, instead offering to make her something else. Blake opted for tea—hardly a surprise.
“Do you smell something burning?” Ren asked as he gently set Noah down in his stroller.
“Oh no, the casserole!” Jaune shouted, bolting for the kitchen and nearly tripping over Theo and Lizzy playing on the floor.
From the kitchen came the sound of Jaune coughing and groaning as he pulled the dish out of the oven. “Uh, Weiss? I think we might have a small problem…”
“Oh, great…” Weiss groaned, massaging her temple. “I’ll be right there.”
“Don’t worry about it—I’ll check how bad it is,” Blake said before Weiss could move.
“Are you sure? I don’t want to make the guests do kitchen duty…”
“I’m sure,” Blake replied, setting her tea down on the coffee table. But the moment she stood up, the room tilted. “Whoa.”
Yang was at her side in an instant. “Blake, are you okay?” she asked, steadying her wife, one hand rubbing soothing circles against her back.
“Yes, I just stood up too fast. I’m fine—really,” Blake said as she covered Yang’s hand on her stomach with her own and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Yang didn’t look particularly calm as Blake headed toward the kitchen, her eyes following her the entire way. She only tore her gaze away when she felt Theo tug gently at her hand.
“What is it, buddy?”
“Is Mama okay?” the boy asked worriedly. Yang crouched down in front of him so they were at eye level.
“Yes, Mama’s just fine,” Yang replied, playfully ruffling his hair. “You’re not worried about her, are you?”
Theo glanced toward the kitchen, where Jaune was currently hugging Blake with great enthusiasm—she had clearly managed to save the casserole—then turned back to his mom with a serious expression.
“We’re protecting each other,” he said firmly, his little cat ears twitching atop his head.
Yang’s eyes filled with tears for just a moment at her son’s words.
“I couldn’t have said it better myself, sweetheart,” she said, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
Theo wrapped his arms around her neck and clung to her as Yang lifted him up. Lost in the intimacy of the moment, Yang didn’t hear Jaune calling from the kitchen that dinner was ready—she only found out when Blake returned to her side.
“Yang? Dinner’s ready,” Blake said, gently stroking Theo’s hair.
“I’m guessing you managed to save Jaune from Weiss’s wrath, then?” Yang asked with a knowing grin as Theo asked to be passed into Blake’s arms.
“I’m basically a professional at rescuing burned dishes by now,” Blake said with a grin as she headed toward the dining room with Theo. She spared one last glance over her shoulder at Yang, who was standing there looking stunned.
“Ha-ha, very funny. Good thing I love you,” Yang replied as she caught up with them.
Blake set Theo down on the floor and sent him off to wash his hands before turning back to Yang. She looped her arms around her wife’s neck and leaned into her. “I know—I’m the luckiest person alive,” she whispered, just a breath away, gently caressing the back of Yang’s neck and threading her fingers into her hair.
Yang hummed in response, sliding her arms around Blake’s waist. She leaned in and pressed a slow, lingering kiss to Blake’s lips.
“I think I’m the lucky one,” Yang said. “I managed to get the hottest, most amazing woman on all of Remnant, with whom I have a wonderful son, and—”
She didn’t get to finish, because Theo decided he wanted to be part of the family hug too.
“Theo, sweetheart, are you all done?” Blake asked with a chuckle after letting go of Yang.
Theo proudly held up his freshly washed little hands.
“Good boy. Let’s sit at the table then, okay?” Theo nodded happily and took Blake’s hand.
The dining room was soon filled with idle chatter and the clanking of cutlery as everyone found their seats. Weiss moved with practiced efficiency, directing traffic with subtle gestures while Jaune ferried dishes from the kitchen, still wearing his apron like a badge of honor.
“Okay, hot stuff coming through,” Jaune announced, carefully setting the rescued casserole in the center of the table.
Weiss eyed it critically. “It looks edible,” she said. “That’s already an improvement.”
“It is edible,” Jaune protested. “Blake worked miracles.”
Blake smiled politely and guided Theo into his seat beside Yang, making sure he was properly tucked in before sitting down herself. Yang immediately reached for Theo’s cup, checking the lid before sliding it back to him.
The entire dinner passed in an atmosphere of complete warmth and affection. The food was delicious, the drinks refreshing, and the company wonderful. Everything was going perfectly, and Yang felt her heart begin to overflow with love as she looked around the table. This is exactly what they’ve all fought for all those years ago. All the suffering and sacrifices led to this moment of utter and complete peace. She looked at her son situated between her and Blake. Theo sat very straight in his chair, legs swinging idly beneath the table as he examined his plate like it was a test he hadn’t studied for. Yang watched him out of habit, breaking off a piece of bread and sliding it onto his plate.
“Try a bite,” she murmured.
Theo took it, chewed thoughtfully, then frowned. “Baby Noah no eat.”
“That’s because he’s little,” Ren said softly. “He drinks milk.”
Theo’s eyes widened and he looked from Noah to his own cup, then to Blake.
“Mama drink milk?”
Blake blinked, just for a moment, while Yang stiffened beside her. “Well,” Blake said carefully, “sometimes.”
Theo nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer, but his expression still seemed to be pensive. Then he leaned closer to Blake, squinting at her belly with intense concentration. “Baby inside tummy drink milk?”
Around the table, a few heads turned and Ruby’s fork paused halfway to her mouth.
Yang let out a slow breath. “Buddy…”
Blake rested a hand over her stomach, her voice calm and warm. “Yes. That’s right.”
Theo beamed, clearly pleased with himself for understanding something important. “I big brother.”
“Yes,” Yang said quickly, a smile tugging at her lips. “You are.”
Nora gasped loudly as she dropped her fork dramatically. “Oh my god! You’re pregnant?!”
“So that’s why you’ve been skipping the punch,” Ruby said, grinning widely.
“I suppose the cat’s out of the bag,” Blake chuckled as she wiped some leftover crumble from Theo’s face. Yang shook her head fondly at their son’s timing.
Weiss cleared her throat and rose to her feet, lifting her glass high. “I think it’s time for a bit of a speech,” she began, glancing around the table before continuing.
“You can’t imagine how little I believed, a few years ago, that this would ever be possible for us. And yet here we are—sitting together, celebrating Christmas, while there is no war raging outside and we don’t have to wonder whether we’ll ever see each other again. We’ve all come such a long way, and we deserve to be here now, celebrating one another.”
She paused for a moment, raising her glass toward Ruby and Oscar. “As a family just beginning—” then her gaze shifted to Nora, Ren, and Noah. “—or one that’s only just started to grow—” and finally to Blake, Yang, and Theo. “—or one that’s still expanding.” She paused for a moment, lifting her glass toward Jaune and Elisabeth, her expression softening. “And celebrating the family I get to come home to every day.”
At the end of her last sentence, a tear slipped into Weiss’s eyes—just as it did into Ruby’s, and Blake’s as well. She lifted her glass a little higher and said, “To Team JNOR, to Team RWBY, and to family.”
Everyone raised their glasses with cheerful voices in response. But before they could return to dinner, Blake spoke up.
“Actually… there’s something else,” she said quietly, her tone almost mysterious as she glanced at Yang.
Yang immediately reached for her hand across the table, and Blake laced their fingers together.
“What’s up?” Yang asked.
Blake met her eyes. “The doctor’s appointment. The one I went to alone today.”
Yang frowned slightly. “Yeah?”
Around the table, everyone watched in tense silence with bated breath.
Blake hesitated for just a second before continuing. “There’s… more than one heartbeat.”
Yang blinked, utterly disbelieving. “What?”
Blake let out a slow breath, then laughed softly under her breath. “We’re going to have twins, Yang.”
The world seemed to stop for Yang.
The sounds of the room faded into nothing—no clinking cutlery, no murmured reactions, no Nora-shaped explosion of noise. Yang could only stare at Blake, her mind refusing to catch up with the words she’d just heard.
Twins. As in two more kids. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. She felt like she was floating somewhere far away, suspended between disbelief and awe, heart pounding so hard she was sure everyone could hear it. Then something small and warm pressed down on her hand.
Theo had leaned forward in his chair, carefully placing his little hand on top of where his parents’ hands were joined on the table. His fingers curled there with quiet certainty, as if this was exactly where they belonged.
Yang sucked in a sharp breath.
“Oh,” she whispered, finally, her voice breaking as reality rushed back in all at once. She squeezed both Blake’s and Theo’s hand. “Oh my god,” she laughed breathlessly, too overwhelmed with joy to do anything other than stand and go over to Blake, crouching beside her and placing a shaking hand on her stomach. She let the tears fall freely when she saw the genuine love reflected in Blake’s shining amber eyes. Blake leaned down to cup her wife’s cheeks. “I love you so much,” she said and pulled her into a deep kiss, not caring about the audience.
“Yay, Mom and Mama happy!” Theo announced enthusiastically.
Everyone laughed, even Theo himself, the sound echoing warmly through the dining room.
“Group hug!” Ruby announced a few moments later, They all stood together, cheering and congratulating, and circled around Blake and Yang. Theo was already in Yang’s arms, eyes bright with excitement and pride. Elisabeth clapped her hands in her father’s arms, delighted by the laughter and hugs around her.
Outside, snow continued to fall softly, but inside, the only thing that mattered was this moment—their big family together, whole, and looking toward a future brighter than they could have imagined.