"Uhm, Weiss?" Ruby called, her tone nervous and uncertain about.. well everything.
"Yes, Ruby?" Weiss, her wonderful girlfriend, responded distractedly as she tended to Ruby's very formal clothes, making sure no glaring wrinkles was plotting against her piercing blue eyes.
The young fearless leader of the well-known team RWBY struggled with her words, she couldn't quite place what it was that made her feel so antsy, and she didn't have the heart to make Weiss feel bad about it either. She'd been planning all of this ahead after all, so she decided to just shut up.
It was rare of her to even feel this much dread, she didn't get the title of 'the fearless leader' for nothing, however contrary to popular belief there were things she was still afraid of.
Apparently, meeting the rest of the almighty Schnee family was one of them.
It will be alright, they said.
Just act normal, they said.
She wished it was that easy to do.
Ruby wanted to make a good impression on them, she wanted them to know how serious she was with Weiss and hopefully get their approval of their relationship. Well, that was the plan. She just hoped that she wouldn't mess anything up at the dinner tonight.
"Ruby?"
Ruby blinked, focusing on the concerned striking blue eyes meeting her grey ones.
Weiss sighed, she knew.
"It's going to be okay, Ruby," the alabaster haired woman gave her a comforting smile, "Mother and Father may seem intimidating at first, but they're good people."
Ruby laughed awkwardly, even the way she addressed her parents sounded intimidating, "I just hope I won't screw things up.. somehow."
"You won't," Weiss caressed her soft cheek tenderly, before suddenly pinching it with a misleading smile on her face, "Now stop frowning! It doesn't suit you."
"Ow! Owhkayyy..!" Ruby whined as she tried to free her poor cheek from her very sweet girlfriend's hold, she quickly rubbed the aching area when she got away with a pout, "It hurt."
Weiss simply shrugged with quirk on her lips, she looked at her wristwatch to check the time, "We better get moving now, the dinner starts in an hour."
"But isn't that too early..?" Ruby furrowed her eyebrows, looking at her reflection on the mirror, slightly surprised at how formal she looked today, she was like a different person. Well maybe that was exaggerating but she couldn't deny herself that she looked nice.
It had been years ever since they graduated Beacon, and Ruby's physique had developed overtime. Her dark red tinted hair had grown out up to her thighs, which she kept in a slightly loose low ponytail so it wouldn't hinder her face too much. She had grown in all the right places too, her height, her measurements, even almost catching up to Yang's bustiness.
She had turned even more breathtaking, well that was what the people said about her recent growth.
Ruby twirled around in her dress, the deep red layered skirt fluttering around her, although she never really liked being too fancy this one seemed to be an exception. It was a burgundy Victorian dress that fit her nicely, it reminded her of her normal battle outfit, just more formal. Perhaps that was why she felt so comfortable in it?
She felt Weiss' hand glide on her back as she placed Ruby's loosely tied crimson tipped hair in front of her right shoulder blade.
Weiss looked at both of them on the mirror, she herself was wearing a light blue dress that was also reminiscent of her normal battle clothes, still her attention was focused on Ruby entirely, a fond smile on her face, "You look beautiful, Ruby."
Ruby faced Weiss, fishing out the most dashing smile she could muster, she took the heiress' hand and kissed it gently, "Not as beautiful as you, my princess."
She watched as a faint blush on Weiss' face grew.
Ruby grinned in victory.
Weiss was still Weiss. She may not had grown in the same volume as Ruby, to her, she was still as breathtaking as the first time she saw her, and that will never change.
Weiss knew that.
"Anyway, let's go," Weiss grabbed her cheeky girlfriend's hand and dragged her outside their humble abode where her expensive limousine awaited.
Ruby didn't even had time to react.
Here she was in all her glory, sitting before three of the most important people in Weiss' life, along with her thirteen years old little sister called Winter that she'd actually heard so little about. The air was stiff and Ruby couldn't help but sit like a log on the supposedly very comfortable recliner. She just felt so on edge, as if she was going to be briefed into a war zone.
Soon she felt Weiss' hand clasp over hers, the comforting gesture calming her slightly. She glanced at the heiress and saw her concerned orbs staring back at her. Ruby sighed, this wasn't good. She was making Weiss worry, she should keep herself together. Shaking her head, she gave her girlfriend a determined smile.
Weiss looked relieved.
"So, Ruby Rose, isn't it?" Weiss' father, William Schnee, spoke after the maids had placed their foods on the long fancy table. His wife, Gwen Schnee, gave him a subtle sidelong glance as she began to eat.
Ruby slightly jolted up in attention, "Yes, sir."
The man had an amused glint in his eyes, "At ease, Ms. Rose, you are safe here," before Ruby could even begin to feel relieved, she saw his face darken, "Unless you wrong our family, that is a different story."
Ruby went rigid.
Weiss looked a little irritated.
"Don't mind him too much," the mature woman who almost looked like a carbon copy of Weiss—minus the side pony tail—interjected, a small smile on her features.
She guessed that maybe it runs in the family.
Ruby swallowed, were things going along well or.. not? She somehow managed to give Weiss' mother a normal smile, before eating her food. The delicious delicacy before her ebbed away some of her nervousness, fortunately.
She looked at Weiss who seemed displeased with something, Ruby gave her a soft nudge. Weiss responded with an apologetic look, the scythe wielder replied with an it's-okay look. Eliciting a silent conversation between the two of them.
This didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the family however, Winter was most amused, though she held it in. Their father was rather strict about manners. The dinner went on with mostly stiff silence, but William Schnee would often ask Ruby questions about her background, like her parents' work, her work, her status and other things a parent would want to know about their children's love interest.
The man wore a blank expression on his white bearded face the whole time, so Ruby couldn't tell whether she was disappointing him or not. She did her best to answer with the best of her ability, and she seemed to had gotten through it fine.
Though she had to admit, that was probably the most nerve-wracking dinner she had ever had in her entire life.
Though maybe things weren't as fine as she thought, she must've rubbed Weiss' parents the wrong way or something because they needed to talk to Weiss, privately. This blared many alarms in Ruby's brain as she stared at Weiss' serious expression on her features.
"I'll be right back, okay?" her girlfriend left after giving her hand a last squeeze.
Ruby sighed as she watched the heiress disappear with her parents.
"Hey!"
The scythe wielder jerked up in surprise at the sudden voice beside her, turning around she was faced with the youthful features of Weiss' little sister, Winter.
"Oh, hey," Ruby managed to reply back before being suddenly dragged away by Winter, the woman was thoroughly confused.
She let herself be dragged by the little pony tailed girl in uncertainty until they reached a large room that seemed to belong to the girl. The ceiling was high as always, various paintings adorned the room, there were quite a few musical instruments around, actually there was everything there a kid would want.
But.. It was all dusty, as if it hadn't been used for years.
It made Ruby feel a bit uncomfortable.
There was a silence after Winter let go of her and twirled around giddily as if she was in her personal playground, maybe she was.
Ruby stood there unnervingly.
"So," Winter stopped, her smile a disconcerting smile, "You're the one who's been stealing my sister's attention from me, huh?"
Ruby blinked.
Suddenly she had a bad feeling about this.
The little girl circled around Ruby, her gaze scrutinizing. The woman didn't know what was on her mind but she could almost guarantee that they weren't good things, especially with what Winter just said.
"Not bad," Winter noted, as if admitting something to herself. Maybe it was Ruby's appearance? She didn't know.
"But still I don't understand, why would she choose someone like you," the little girl scoffed at the thought, very Weiss like, if Ruby may say so, "You don't seem to be anything special."
She scrunched up her nose in distaste, "I don't like you."
Ruby couldn't help but let out a little smile, she reminded her of Weiss the first time they met. It was weird, a bit deja vu like, though amusing.
Winter seemed taken a back by her reaction, a normal person would've probably be worried by what she said, but why was this person's expression on her face said otherwise?
It was so patient and.. weird looking!
"W- Why are you smiling, you peasant!"
"Nothing," Ruby relaxed, realizing how much she was over thinking earlier. It was a bit embarrassing.
Winter went quiet, now she was the unsure one.
"You're weird."
Ruby simply gave her a gentle smile, "I know."
"…"
Winter didn't know what to think of that, she definitely found this person strange though..
"Do you love my sister?" she suddenly asked out of blue.
Ruby's answer was immediate, "I do, I love her very much."
"Does she love you?"
The young woman pursed her lips, "Well, I'd like to think so, yes."
"That doesn't sound very convincing," Winter crossed her arms, satisfied with Ruby's uncertainty.
The scythe wielder sighed, "Well, do you love your sister?"
"Of course, she's the best!" the little girl declared proudly, "She's my idol!"
"I think so too."
Winter simply looked at her, a lighter shade of blue eyes trained on unusual ones, "You have.. silver eyes."
"You really are weird."
"I get that a lot," Ruby scratched her cheek.
There was another silence, at this point they were already sitting on soft pillows over the carpeted floor in front of a coffee table. It was dusty, but nothing she couldn't handle, it was incredibly strange though.
She was about to ask about it until Winter spoke first.
"Mother and father were expecting a guy, you know."
Ruby lowered her gaze, a weak smile on her face.
"I know."
The young woman opened her mouth once more, trailing off her words in uncertainty, "..do you think that they.. you know.."
Winter only looked at her, unblinking.
"Nevermind."
Ruby was beginning to get nervous again.
"Mother and father are very powerful, she can remove you from Weiss' life if they wanted to," the little girl said ominously, "But.. if it ever comes down to that, will you still be willing to love my sister?"
"Of course," Ruby answered, her voice resolute, "I won't let anything break us apart.."
"Even if it meant opposing them.. I will never leave Weiss' side," she was also still her partner after all, and partners always stick together.
"Then promise me something," the little girl stood, her face serious, "Promise me you'll never leave Weiss, and that you'll never hurt her."
Ruby looked up, her features sporting the same level of seriousness, "I promise."
"Cross your heart?" Winter's voice turned hopeful.
"Cross my heart, and hope to die," Ruby promised with the gestures.
Winter genuinely smiled in relief that it took Ruby off guard, she was about to speak once more until she heard the thick oaken door swing open. Her head snapping to the noise to see a severely worried Weiss striding over to her.
When Ruby looked back, Winter was nowhere to be seen.