First time writing Weiss paired with a boy, actually. For my good friend who roleplays an awesome Sun among many other awesome things! Happy birthday, Tsire!
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.
Tooth And Nail
A grimace was spread across Weiss's lips as she slipped through Beacon's hallways.
This was the only thing she would never get used to, the feeling that she was sneaking around like some criminal, like a wanted thief, when in reality she was merely going to meet someone who-
-may or may not have classified as such things.
Weiss shook her head; she should not think about him like that anymore, even if it was all in recreation.
She had gotten permission from the school to leave campus today, as it was the weekend, so that was even more of a reason not to feel like she was doing something untrustworthy. This was all perfectly acceptable.
She moved about with an air of importance now as she exited the building, having left Myrtenaster behind despite wearing her combat skirt. Her selection of attire had been decided solely on the aspect of convenience, but she had deliberately left her rapier; where she was going today she... probably would not need it. Or so he had promised her.
She went to the Air Ship docks and took a flight to Vale by herself. Once there, she headed to the usual meeting spot, boots stomping a bit all the way. She strode the length of each shop-laden sidewalk and turned five corners before her destination came into view.
It was a small coffee shop with two humble outdoor tables at the front, one of which was occupied by a familiar figure. She caught her breath before stalking over to him, pulling out the chair across from him as she sat down with arms crossed.
"Well, well! Look who's finally made it!" His tail curled in delight.
"Hush, you," she growled. "I'm on time and you know it. Just because you arrived earlier than me doesn't mean I'm tardy."
"I gotcha, geez. Don't gotta chew me out first thing in the morning, do ya?"
Her only response was a huff.
Only then did Weiss take notice of the table before her. There was a single cup of coffee sitting there untouched, still hot, and she could tell by the small swirl of milky white that he had gotten the cream-to-coffee ratio just perfect.
And yet there was nothing in front of him.
She heaved another sigh.
"How did you manage this?" She raised an eyebrow as her gaze flicked down at the coffee.
"Oh, c'mon." Sun sat back in his chair and put his arms behind his head in a fashion akin to how Yang would often sit. "You don't really think I stole it, do you?"
She gave him the look.
It was his turn to sigh. "Look, what kinda moron would go into a coffee shop, steal a cup, and then sit outside said shop with it in plain sight, huh?"
Weiss considered his words, but still looked suspicious somehow. "I simply don't like the thought of consuming stolen goods."
"It's not stolen, princess," he groaned. "Just drink the stuff." He leaned forward again, wearing a smirk now. "Or do you think it's poisoned? Do you think I'm trying to drug my own girlfriend?"
Her eyes went wide and she quickly lashed forward, grabbing his ear and yanking his face close as she leaned in.
"Listen, you-!" she growled.
"Ow, geez!" Sun grunted before his gaze flicked up to hers. He sighed again. "You really don't trust me, do you?" He sounded hurt. Weiss loosened her grip on his ear but still kept him close.
"That's... that's not it, you-"
"Rapscallion? Heathen? Scallywag?"
"-Idiot." She finished, her voice growing quieter now as she let him go.
Sun wondered if he had gone too far. Since they had began their relationship in secrecy about a month ago, her harsh words had remained in face of the public, but whenever they managed to find some time alone, she was much more subdued. He might even go so far as to call her speech gentler somehow.
Since their first encounter, she really had changed a lot, and he was more than impressed, more than flattered. He was dumbfounded, that the Schnee Dust Company heiress would risk her reputation and quite possibly her inheritance simply to give him a chance.
She let go of his ear and pressed her back against her seat again, reaching out to take her coffee without another word of complaint of how he had procured it.
"Idiot," she repeated. "You didn't even get anything for yourself..."
"Because I figured you'd skipped on breakfast to get to me on time, am I right?"
"..."
"Knew it. And besides, there's only so much that lost change ya find on the sidewalk can get'cha," he shrugged.
Weiss glared up from the rim of her cup. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?" she growled, taking a reluctant sip.
"I guess not," he admitted. "But now that all the wanted posters have finally been taken down, I'd rather buy you something for once, y'know, since you're always buying food and stuff for me behind everyone's back." He knew she was potentially jeopardizing a lot by just seeing him, let alone dating him, and there was probably even more than what he knew she was risking. How the hell had he gotten so lucky, lucky enough to get her of all people?
"I'm still not quite sure how I feel about you."
That had been what she had said upon their first proper meeting.
But the words she had spoken to him a month ago still echoed in his disbelieving ears. She had run into him in town again, but not by accident. It had been entirely purposeful, and he still could not believe she had said it:
"I've had some time to think it over, and..." Her eyes had been so vibrantly blue when she had looked up at him in that moment. "And now I know... how I feel about you."
As he remembered her confession now, he realized he must have been grinning again, because Weiss glared at him from behind the rim of her cup.
"What's that stupid smile all about?" she muttered, putting the cup down at last as she finished.
"Nothin', nothin'!" He waved a hand dismissively. "So tell me, princess, what'd ya tell your team this time as an excuse?"
She narrowed her eyes and clammed up again to his dismay.
"That doesn't matter..." she muttered.
Sun was an idiot - he knew that much was right. Otherwise he would have known which questions to avoid by now. He knew she hated keeping their relationship a secret, hating feeling like she had to sneak around as not to reveal him yet.
Initially, he assumed she was ashamed of him, embarrassed that her boyfriend was a Faunus, mortified that she was unable to control her affections and direct them toward some prestigious, well-mannered suitor instead.
But those thoughts had not stayed long before Sun discovered the truth as to why Weiss was so cautious, why she constantly treaded on eggshells with him. It was because she was scared – scared for him – terrified that they would be found out before she had a proper plan to explain everything. If they were discovered before she could justify their relationship in a way that would satisfy all who asked – including her father – Sun would likely be apprehended, interrogated, forcibly removed or confined or injured and it would be her fault. She was frightened for him and it warmed his heart more than she could ever know.
Presently, he reached forward and covered her small, pale hand with his rougher palm, realizing her mind was plagued by similar thoughts.
"Hey, how many times do I hafta tell you not to worry about me? Even if they came after me, they'd never catch me. I'm the greatest stowaway and most elusive Faunus on this side of Vale. No way they'd ever catch Sun Wukong," he stated proudly.
She glared at him again.
"Don't even talk about something so awful," she mumbled. "I don't want to think about it, and I'm not going to let it happen. I'll not breathe a word of this to anyone until I'm certain you'll be safe without having to run."
He opened his mouth again to tell her that he would be fine, tell her not to worry, but he knew she would never listen until her own ideals were concrete. So he sighed again instead and gave in.
"Alright."
Weiss gave a small, indignant huff, satisfied he had decided against arguing for once. She stood from her seat and deposited her cup in the trash before making a move toward the shop's entrance.
"Wait, hold up." Sun stood as well and grasped her wrist. "Where're you going?"
"To buy you a cup of coffee."
"You don't have to do that-"
"Don't I?" she snapped. "Do you honestly take me for the type of girl who doesn't repay her favors?"
"I didn't buy you coffee this morning just so you'd feel obliged to repay me."
"And I never said I felt obliged, now did I?" she challenged. "I'm doing this because I want to and there's nothing more to it."
"I'm fine, princess. I've already eaten."
"I don't believe you." Her mist-blue eyes narrowed. "Especially considering you just told me you spent all your money on buying me a cup of coffee. Did you steal your own breakfast again this morning?"
"Of course I didn't," he said, lowering his voice. "Remember? I told you I'm past all that. I'm not stealing anymore. And I have been looking for odd jobs here and there to earn a few lien."
"So you mean to tell me then that you got your breakfast from a berry bush?"
"Weiss..."
She smirked. When he said her real name and not a nickname, that meant he was at the end of his rope.
Slipping out of his grasp, she waved for him to sit back down again before she entered the shop. She returned with a cup of coffee that gave off a faint aroma of sugar and he muttered a disgruntled "Thanks" as she took her seat across from him once more.
"You need the sugar," she declared simply. Crossing her arms, she sat back and ordered him to drink the entire cup. He complied, not given much of a choice. "Good." The heiress nodded in approval as they stood. "Now then, do tell what your intentions for our date today are." She looked up at him expectantly.
"Oh, nothin' much. I just wanted to take you to this really cool place I found."
"Well then, let's see it!" she said invitingly. "But first, could you please-"
Her voice trailed off in a mutter as she reached up to pull his open shirt together and slip two of the buttons into place. She had previously given him enough lien to get his clothes taken to the cleaners and wash them there rather than some creek in the woods, and she was glad it seemed he had at least listened to her and taken advantaged of that offer. But there was still a certain level of decency she needed to maintain.
Sun chuckled as her manicured nails fiddled with the buttons. "Alright, that's good enough, isn't it?"
Without waiting for a reply, he bent down to scoop her up into a bridal style, earning a loud squeak.
"Y-You-! What do you think you're-"
"Sorry, princess, but with where we're going, it'll be a lot faster this way, trust me."
Ignoring her next attempt at protest, Sun leapt up on top of the nearest shop. Weiss had no choice other than to grab onto his shirt and hold for dear life, lest she fall right out of his arms – but of course he would never let that happen.
"You're insane!" she shrieked.
His reply was jovial laughter, not the kind that made her think he was up to something mischievous, but the kind that caused her heart to skip a little.
Once they were on the rooftops, naturally it was easy to avoid the crowds below, and Sun was fast enough that people would not take a second glance at them, fast enough that if anyone did catch a glimpse of them, they would simply shrug it off as a fault of their imaginations.
Weiss looked to her side, away from his handsome face and instead down to the city below.
Bad idea.
She immediately turned her head away again and closed her eyes, feeling her stomach churn.
"Hold on, princess, we're almost there." But the way she had her eyes squeezed shut and the way her hands had slackened their grip on him made him worry. "Okay, I'll take us down."
He grimaced when he realized what part of town this was, but he would rather risk walking her through there than making her sick now. "Just stay close to me, alright?" She nodded dizzily, and he wasted not another second before he maneuvered his way back down onto the sidewalk. He let her down, offering his arm to keep her steady on her feet. "Sorry. Guess I went a little too fast, huh?"
But Weiss lifted her chin proudly.
"Nonsense. I could tell you even decreased your pace from what you can naturally do in my favor. I'll get used to it, one of these days," she declared.
She was always so confident, even with little things like this, and Sun envied her a bit.
"If you say so." He chuckled briefly before he returned his attention to the matter at hand. "Now, we've only got a few more blocks to go, but as you can see we're uh... not exactly in the nicest part of town right now. So stick close, okay?"
"I can handle myself, thank you. Just because I've left my weapon behind doesn't mean I can't fend for myself." With that statement, she stalked off ahead of him, leaving Sun rolling his eyes behind her before quickly following suit. She was so stubborn it worried him that one day she would get herself hurt because of it.
But not as long as I'm around. He vowed.
Even through the grungiest section of Vale, Weiss kept her head held high and her strut measured. Sun followed closely, keeping his eyes open for trouble. In these parts, almost everyone was a Faunus, and not the most honest and commendable ones at that.
It went without saying that every gaze turned to her when the infamous Weiss Schnee appeared on their turf. Sun heard all the utterances from every direction, every curse associated with her name, every nasty comment and growl and threat.
And he knew she heard them too, hence her maintained poise. Just like any well-raised child, she refused to lose face in the presence of potential danger. Sun clenched his fists as he picked up on all their grievances.
"What right does she have to show up here?"
"Why is she with a Faunus? She's probably goin' off to sell him."
"Or he's a bodyguard Daddy hired because she can't even walk by herself."
Sun snorted aloud, sending glares in every direction. And yet Weiss continued to face forward, constantly moving ahead. He wanted to be as level-headed as she was, so instead of picking every single fight baited to him, he continued along behind her.
They were almost home free when a figure stepped out in front of Weiss, a tall, burly Faunus with wolfish ears that bristled and flattened.
He sneered down at the heiress condescendingly. "What brings ya to this part of town, Scarface?"
Sun tried to stay composed like Weiss, he really did.
But that was the final straw.
His hand twitched and drew his bow staff, extending it to its full length as he charged forward. He slammed his weapon horizontally across the other Faunus's chest and pinned him back against the wall of the alley with ease.
"Don't you ever talk to her like that!"
The other boy was clearly taken aback to be struck by his own kind.
"The hell do ya think yer doin', kid? Siding with a Schnee? Are you a traitor now, too? What the hell's this damn world coming to? Get off'a me before ya make me sick."
But Sun refused to budge. "Not until you apologize to her," he snarled.
Weiss knew where he was coming from, knew that he was enraged and furious, and had their positions been reversed, she would have done the same thing. But from where she stood now, all she wanted was for the situation to get better before it took a turn for the worse.
Sun's opponent snarled at them. "Like hell I'm gonna apologize to a damn Schnee!" he spat.
Weiss stepped up to him slowly, her back straight without a single ounce of uncertainty visible on her demeanor.
"It's fine," she said in a clear, steady voice. "There's no need for apology. After all..." she smirked a little bit at the boy with wolf ears. "It's true, isn't it?"
Her words were heavy and powerful, and Sun lost his focus for a split second to look at her.
"Weiss..."
"Oh, wow!" the other Faunus leered at her. "She actually has a brain! What a surprise." He quickly returned his glare to Sun. "Now where's yours, pally?"
With his attention on Weiss, Sun failed to see the kick coming. It was a light impact, but it was just enough to send him back a step, leaving him vulnerable and stunned one second too long. A fist connected with his jaw and he sputtered a curse.
"Damn traitor!" the wolf boy shouted. "Yer almost as bad as she is! Turnin' on yer own kind for a Schnee! I'll teach ya a lesson!"
He recoiled his arm for another punch, but as he extended his elbow, it met only air, stopping a few inches away from Sun's nose that likely would have broken upon impact.
Weiss held tightly to the boy's arm, one of her hands being more than strong enough to stop his attack. The use of her nails was not necessary to stop his actions, but she dug them in a little anyway, feeling his flesh give under her taut grip.
"I think that's enough, don't you?" she murmured dangerously.
The Faunus boy met her eyes with a furious glare, but his ears flattened quickly when he saw her face.
This was not the look of a princess - a girl who had been raised in luxury and lived the good life with everything she had ever wanted. Even if that had been how her childhood had gone, that was no longer who she was.
Now she was different, independent and frightening all on her own, with not a care in the world as to who her father was. She would fight dirty if she had to - both literally and figuratively - and she would do so willingly, instantly, and without a shred of hesitation.
She was truly frightening.
Even Sun was taken aback by her ferocity; the silent challenge she was posing now was enough to make any person's knees shake.
Her eyes never left those of the wolf Faunus; she was waiting for an answer. It took all he had not to yelp from the constricting grasp on his arm now, and even when he shook his arm and yanked it back, he could not dislodge her.
"Let go'a me!" He yelled, thrashing furiously until it turned more frantic when he realized she was not letting go until she wanted to. "Alright, fine! I'll back off!"
It was not the exact kind of response Weiss had been looking for, but she decided she could live with it. She released his arm and he stumbled backward, ears still flicking nervously. He opened his mouth to say more, clearly thinking he was off the hook just because they no longer physically had him at their mercy.
But the looks they gave him were enough to silence any further comment, and his only word was a muttered curse as he whipped around and tore off down the alleyways.
The scene had drawn more than enough attention to them now, and Sun recoiled his bow staff and put it away. But Weiss was still unfazed by it all, and her eyes were trained only on him.
"You're bleeding," she observed, eyes following the red trail down his lip.
"It's nothin'. Let's just get outta here." His mood might have been spoiled from the whole ordeal if not for the gentle hand that brushed over his then, her small, slender fingers entwining with his. He let out a long sigh to calm himself, wrapping his tail around her waist to keep her at his side as they started walking again.
They were not intercepted again, and at last, Sun was able to lead her to the intended spot. It was a place he had found on accident not too long ago, a place that seemed to have been untouched by man or Faunus for a very long time.
The journey was a short walk through a small forest and a quick trek up the side of a hill, and the only indication that people had ever been here before at all was a single bench that had been constructed.
A gradually-declining hill stretched out before them, and it overlooked a small section of Vale to one side, and the ocean to the other.
Sun sat down on the rusted bench, hoping Weiss would think it was worth the troublesome journey. Judging by the way she never took her eyes off the water even as she sat beside him though, he thought it was safe to assume she was pleased. He felt the need to confirm it anyway.
"Ya like it?" he asked eagerly.
She managed to tear her eyes away for a second to roll them at him.
"What kind of question is that? Of course I do."
"I'm glad." His tail patted happily against her hip, drawing her closer and she complied.
For a while, they got lost in the scenery, the vibrant azure of the sky reflecting deeply on the rippling surface of the water. From where they sat, the breeze carried the light scent of salt, and Weiss closed her eyes briefly as she breathed deeply. Sun wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him, inhaling the fresh air with all the capacity her lungs could handle.
It was just as she was about to relax entirely when she felt his free hand over both of hers in her lap and he spoke.
"Hey, are you okay?"
She blinked open her eyes and pulled away slightly to look up at him.
"Of course I am. Why do you ask?"
"Because... well for one thing, your nails."
"My...?" She looked down as his fingers lifted hers into view. Two of her manicured nails were chipped and broken from when she had held onto the wolf-eared boy earlier.
"I didn't even realize. There's no pain, so it's fine. More importantly..." She remembered the blood she had seen earlier, and fished into her pouch for a tissue; she always kept them on her specifically for reasons like this. "You're still bleeding a bit." She reached up and dabbed at the small orange trickle still visible on his chin until it was cleared away.
"Mine's healing, too," he said.
"Then just to make sure..." She brought her hands to either side of his face, pulling him down and pressing her lips against his. She shared a bit of her aura with him to heal the cut, feeling his tail curl in delight as his hands found their spots around the small of her back and pulled her closer.
He kissed her in return, still gentle against her soft lips, still adjusting to the tender blessing of a sensation. He really was the luckiest man alive.
He let her set the pace, returning her kiss with gusto for as long as she offered it until she pulled away.
He then caught her hands, bringing them up and placing several kisses over her fingertips, along her injured nails. He treated her like the sacred being she was in his eyes, fair and lovely, powerful and dangerous, proud and confident.
When he had finished, he brought their hands down in between their bodies and sighed.
"I'm sorry about what happened back there, Weiss. I shouldn't have-"
"Stop," she said almost immediately. "Don't even start. You know how I feel about you, Sun." She saw him bite his lip in an effort to contain his excitement when she spoke his name, and Weiss had to suppress a chuckle. "I'm not letting anything come between us. Whatever obstacles may arise to keep us apart, I'll have only one response." She met his eyes with certainty. "I'll fight."
Sun felt a swell of pride for the girl before him. Since their first meeting, they had both come so far. Weiss had corrected her ways of thinking about the Faunus, and she had bettered him to an extent as well, preventing any more minor acts of thievery on his part and always providing him a reason not to do something he might regret later.
"Me, too," he agreed. "I'll fight for as long and as hard as it takes, Weiss."
"Glad to hear it."
She closed her eyes as he kissed her again, feisty and mischievous and yet caring and warm. Sometimes she would nip and sometimes he would slide his tongue along her lip playfully. But it was kisses like these that defined their truest affections.
They were not the heiress of a significant corporation and a thieving Faunus.
They were equal, unashamed, and simply in love.
A/N: Again, happy birthday, Tsire! I hope everyone enjoyed! This was really fun to write~
Please review!