Weiss can't figure out her opponent's semblance, and it's killing her. The best guess she has is "déjà vu," and how does that work in a battle situation? Still, the Schnee heiress can't shake the idea that this Homura woman is only beating her because she has tried it many times before.
Her suspicions are somewhat confirmed as Homura puts her bow, drawn and loaded, at Weiss's throat. "That's the first time I've got this far," she admits. "You're… talented."
"Of course I am," Weiss gloats, but it comes off as more of a snap. She's annoyed at her loss. Even if she's won a million times before, those aren't the things she'll remember.
She throws Myrtenaster down in annoyed surrender, and Homura's weapon is withdrawn. The heiress begins to walk away, but her opponent's voice stops her. "You can't finger my wish, can you?"
"Your wish." It would be a question, but her tone falls flat, annoyed.
"My semblance," Homura corrects. "Nobody can. Most people don't care as much as you, though."
Of course Weiss cared. If she couldn't figure someone out, she couldn't defeat them. If she knew what Homura did, who Homura was, maybe she stood another chance. Maybe she could be the best again.
"Come with me and I'll explain," Homura offers. It sounds more like an order, and Weiss would disobey, but she's just so curious…
Homura Akemi begins to walk away. Weiss Schnee follows her.
Weiss is nothing like Madoka, and that is pleasant.
If Homura is a flame as her name implies, Madoka was a candle. Homura has many kinds of way to be fire, from a wavering, quivering flame to a roaring and destructive force. Madoka kept her at bay.
Weiss has no such power. She is the Ice Queen that people call her. Cold, solid, beautiful, meltable. The thing about ice, though, is that while you CAN melt it, it seems so permanent. To see ice covering a pond, even when you know it will be gone come spring, you feel like it will last forever.
That is how Weiss is. She feels permanent, even when Homura is a wanderer at heart and has been for the past three years. Even as she jumps through time and space daily to find an escape from the goddess she misses so much.
Weiss Schnee is not permanent, but Homura wishes she was.
Homura explains her semblance, and that is all she explains. That is just fine with Weiss. She didn't ask for anything more, and frankly doesn't care. Homura asks for details on Weiss's glyphs, and no more than that. Most of their conversation is a silence that suits both women just fine.
Perhaps that, and not Homura's time-space loops, is why they continue to meet in much the same way as they first did - with a battle and a coffee trip to Vale afterwards.
At first, Homura always wins but then the dark haired woman suggests semblance-free skirmishes. Weiss wins those easily. The loser pays. There is never any pressure to speak, but they often do anyway. Neither speaks of their past. Instead, they talk if teammates (Homura's teammates Mami, Sayaka, and Kyouko did not come to the tournament, and she is glad) and of interests. They both like learning, fighting, and music. Reading, quiet, being alone. Neither likes physical contact much, and both get easily overwhelmed by their friends. Homura has a double room, but she is alone. She invites Weiss to come visit if she needs quiet.
Weiss begins to take her up on the offer.
Homura wakes up one morning to find Weiss asleep in the other bed. She doesn't ask why. Weiss doesn't offer.
This happens at least five times before they remove the second bed from Homura's room, citing a need for another bed in another space. Homura doesn't have a chance to tell Weiss before the other woman visits again. That next morning, Homura wakes up next to Weiss.
"Why were you in my bed?" she asks the ice queen.
"Because Schnees don't sleep on the floor," responds Weiss.
It's a good enough answer, good enough for Homura to allow Weiss to continue the practice.
One day Weiss kisses Homura.
Just a peck. Just to see how it is.
Homura frowns and blinks. Weiss prepares to make an excuse for herself.
"I thought you didn't like touching people," says Homura.
Weiss can't explain why Homura is different. She just is. "Should I stop?" she asks.
"…no."