"Do you want to have some lunch before you go?" Blake asked as she handed the other woman her jacket. Weiss gave a light shrug in response, thanking her as she slipped it on, the stiff material feeling fairly uncomfortable on her bare arms. She smoothed down the imaginary wrinkles and tried adjusting the collar that was digging into her neck.
"I'll take that as a yes." Blake smiled, reaching down to help her girlfriend. Gently pushing aside the dainty fingers which were fumbling around the collar, she smoothed out the creases in the starched material and received a thankful nod in return. Dropping their apartment keys into her pocket, Weiss held the door open, allowing Blake to leave first before following after and shutting it behind her.
Making sure that all the locks were functioning properly, she briefly wished that she didn't need to leave the house today. She didn't like attending those counselling sessions on her rare days off. Lounging around in bed and cuddling with Blake was a far more appealing prospect.
"Weiss, the gas is running!" Blake called.
"Settle down Belladonna." She grumbled as she slid into the car. Weiss rolled her eyes at Blake's playful smirk but couldn't help the small grin that spread across her lips. "I'll pay for the gas this time."
"If you do then I'll get lunch." The car roared to life and sped down the street. Weiss squealed a little at how fast they were going and slapped her girlfriend's arm with a small huff of exasperation. The brunette knew that she hated going too fast. And if the glint in her eyes was any indication, Blake knew that too.
They reached their usual restaurant in record time, having taken a few shortcuts to ensure that they got there quickly. She had an appointment to keep after all and Weiss hated being late. After pulling into the driveway and being greeted by a valet who opened to door for Weiss, Blake got out of the driver's seat and handed him the set of keys.
She frowned, hesitantly placing it in the man's hands. "Take extra care of it. You got that?"
He shrank back at the slightly threatening tone and gulped. He'd heard about how she nearly tore the head off the last valet who had accidentally run her car into the curb. Her girlfriend was less than happy to pay for the damages. The damages being the man's toupee which was set on fire and stomped on, in that order.
"Y-Yes ma'am."
"Blake." Weiss shook her head. "Honestly, it's just a car, Gambol shroud will be just fine. Besides, I could always get you another one."
The two fell in step with each other, the door held open by a smartly dressed older man. He gave them a small bow, bending a little lower when he caught sight of Weiss.
"You wouldn't say that if Myternaster got manhandled would you?" Blake snorted, referring to the heiress's beloved car. Weiss flushed at the statement, letting out a small huff as they followed the waitress to their seats
"Touché." She muttered, thanking the waitress when they were seated and handed two identical menus. The girl squirmed as she gave the couple a once over, but quickly returned to her duties when Blake looked up with a raised brow.
Weiss sighed, flipping through the laminated pages. Scanning through the lists of foods, of which almost all of them she'd tried at least once, and decided on her usual. Maybe it would do her good to add some dessert as well. It would be a nice distraction from thinking about what was to come.
Blake shut her menu quietly, taking a sip of water. "What're you getting?"
"The same as always." She replied, glancing at the polished silverware that gleamed under the faint lighting of the restaurant.
A faint chuckle. "Of course. Anything else?"
Weiss grinned sheepishly. "…How about we share some dessert?"
Blake placed her hand atop of Weiss's, running her calloused hand across the smooth material of the glove. Eyes glittering with amusement, she gave her a short nod. It wouldn't be a lie to say that Blake hadn't expected it. The heiress did have the occasional sweet tooth. And also, visiting the counsellor always put the woman on edge, an edge that could be smoothed over with a delightful chocolate treat.
Calling a waiter who'd passed by their table, they placed their orders and relaxed into their seats as he scurried toward the kitchen. The restaurant was a fairly fancy one which the Schnee family usually frequented, and despite Blake's protests that eating here too often was too lavish for her tastes, she was already used to Weiss's extravagant lifestyle.
They had been together for what…three, four years? And that didn't include how long they'd been friends either.
Engaging in small banter to pass the time, the topic shifted to a slightly more serious tone when Weiss's father was brought up. Blake laughed at the smug look on her girlfriend's face, to which she received a playful glare.
She threaded their fingers together. "I threatened to dissolve the company if he really did cut off Winter. He chose his words more carefully after that. It's unfortunate that he can't go against his only willing heir."
"I wish could've seen it." Blake smirked.
"Honestly, you would think that my father would stop trying to run our lives after we've bent our backs trying to prove our worth." She stated. "Winter has never been happier. I'm surprised that general Ironwood did end up passing his mantle to her, to be honest. He was never the most open minded individual."
"Well…" The brunette began. "The ex-general won't have anything to worry about. Your sister is formidable in her own right. There's no doubt she'll put the soldiers in place if they try to cross her."
Weiss giggled, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. Blake mirrored the action with her free hand and looked up when unsteady footsteps approached their table.
"P-Pardon the interruption. Your meals." The same waitress which had shown them their seats was standing a little ways away from them with a shiny metal tray in hand. She gave them a small curtsy, which baffled Weiss because the items on the tray looked like they weighed a ton.
Blake thanked her as she set down their respective meals across them, and told her to come back with dessert once they were done with their meals. She nodded demurely, her gaze flitting towards the heiress. Weiss caught sight of her wayward glance and gave her a questioning look.
"Is there something wrong?" She asked curtly.
The girl squeaked. "N-No it's just…" She swallowed, looking like an animal who'd accidentally stepped into a snare. "Your h-hair. It's really nice."
Her sharp gaze melted into a softer one, and Blake smiled at the compliment payed to her girlfriend. Weiss rubbed the back of her neck in slight embarrassment for her previously aggressive demeanour and gave the waitress a flattered smile.
"I agree." Blake spoke up, grinning at Weiss. "It's definitely as soft it looks."
The waitress blushed profusely, almost hiding her face behind the tray. "T-That's not what I meant!"
Her small outburst drew several looks from nearby patrons and her blush deepened even more. She wrung her hands together nervously, afraid that she had accidentally offended the couple. They just eyed her curiously, and she let out a small sigh of relief before explaining.
"I meant that I've always admired your hair in magazines but to see it for real is really just-" She breathed in awe. "It reminds me of fresh snow on an early winter morning. I wish I had such beautiful white hair."
Upon hearing that, Weiss felt her face darken immediately. Blake winced and offered the waitress a strained smile. When the girl disappeared to wherever she came from, she turned back toward her girlfriend. Weiss stabbed her food in irritation, eyes filled with annoyance and a tiny hint of jealousy.
"You know she didn't mean anything by it." Blake sighed.
She grunted. "As if that vapid-"
"Weiss." Blake countered sharply.
The heiress wilted, and broke the contact between them to massage her temples. She knew Blake wasn't exactly happy with what the waitress said either, but as always, she acted as a voice of reason to her.
"I know, I know." She sighed lowly, lifting her head up when her girlfriend's hand reached across the table to take hers. Weiss smiled weakly, but the smattering of warmth that spread through her chest made her anger wane.
"Sorry." She muttered. "It's just that-"
Blake brought her hand to her lips, pressing a kiss on her gloved knuckles. She smiled when Weiss made a face, which usually meant that her face was dominated by a furious blush that reached the tips of her roots.
"No need to apologize. I'm the same as you, remember?"
Weiss nodded in return and squeezed back gratefully. This was another reminder of why Blake insisted that they attend couple therapy. Blake had pleaded with her to give it a try, and she did so with great reluctance. It was only when her girlfriend had threatened to sell her wine collection, or god forbid- throw them away- did she finally acquiesce.
But right now, Weiss realised that her demons lurked closer to the surface than she'd thought.
She felt her poker face sliding in place when Blake dropped her off at the familiar building about a ten minute ride away from the restaurant. Separating with a kiss and promise to pick her up when she was done, Blake drove off to check in on her book store.
Her face was stone cold when she stepped into the elevator and once she got off and made her way towards the office, she very nearly scared the receptionist half to death when he looked up from his computer. Her expression was so cold it could have frozen hot water.
Taking in a deep breath as she stared at the brass plaque on the door, she lifted her hand and knocked.
The velvety material of the plush chair felt familiar, but the man sitting on the opposite side of her did not. It was no surprise that she hadn't gotten used to him, even after the months they'd seen each other.
Weiss could almost feel her cheeks strain as she fought to maintain her polite smile. The old gentleman noticed her tense posture and shot her another questioning look, his bushy eyebrows feeling out of place on his hairless face. If she were a lesser person, she would pointed out that his appearance resembled that of a naked mole rat. But unfortunately, an heiress to a world famous company could do no such thing.
She didn't need to give the press another reason to run a story on her.
"How has your relationship with Blake been proceeding?" He asked, the tip of his pen tapping against his notepad. His fidgeting made her eyebrows twitch.
"Has anything occurred recently, that you would like to talk about?"
Weiss gritted her teeth in annoyance. "Nothing of particular interest."
His look melted into that of a fatherly gaze, and she resisted the urge to flinch.
The man shook his head, having done this same song and dance over the past few months.
"Now Weiss, we've talked about this before. We can't solve anything if we just go around in circles."
He knew that she was just going to dodge the question for the next half-hour, and distract him with pettier, less important questions which ranged from how to keep a person happy, or how to cope with the loss of a pet.
"This is the last individual session we have together. And I fear that we haven't accomplished as much as we hoped."
"At least we've tried." Weiss replied in a business like tone, keen on ending their conversation.
He looked at her, a small hint of pity shining through his tired brown eyes. "I don't know if I can say the same for you. Have you tried, Miss Schnee? Have you really?"
Her back stiffened, the beginnings of pure unfettered anger bubbling up from the pit of her stomach. With perfectly manicured fingernails biting into the flesh of her palm, Weiss resisted the urge to scream in frustration and opted to remain silent. The doctor smiled when he felt her gaze, full of killer intent, and jotted down a few more notes.
She was a tough one indeed. Getting her to talk about more intimate matters was like trying to nail a live squid to the wall. He sighed, drumming his fingers on his thigh. It looked like trying another approach was in order.
"Weiss, I understand that this must be embarrassing for you." He began, his tone becoming gentler. "But you must understand that your predicament isn't a rarity in our society. There is absolutely nothing wrong with couple therapy."
Weiss sighed, the creases on her forehead softening at his words.
"I have no doubt about that, Doctor. But I see no reason why I- I mean, we- need therapy."
Her body melted into the couch, the tension in her shoulders slowly lifting at her proclamation. Well, since she paid good money for this, venting a little couldn't hurt. It was what he was here for, anyway.
Weiss pursed her lips, groping around for the proper words. "As our therapist, I'm sure that you've realised that Blake and I share similar points of view. Thus, I see no reason why we need to engage in such frivolities."
The man nodded at her words. "I have counselled many couples in your shoes as well. I may not understand what you're going through, but I've certainly seen enough of the same situation that I've come to realize that it is a big problem."
He sighed, setting down his pen and notepad. He crossed his feet, taking a small sip of water from the glass by his chair. "This is no easy decision, for you and for Blake. Then again, marriage never is."
Weiss nodded, feeling the shift of mood in the air.
The doctor looked at her sombrely. "I want to point out that many people have made light of it, and those same people have assured me that their marriages would work out. But despite their promises, their relationships fell apart. I'm sure you're aware that marriages between people, who are not soulmates, rarely work out.
Many variables have a hand in this. But the most common reason for the splits are because of one partner finally 'imploding'. Collapsing under the strain of wondering if they had made the correct decision. In worse cases, there are also the types who eventually meet their 'soulmates' and regret everything they've done so far and seek to undo everything. Only to find that is it impossible."
"I understand what I would be giving up doctor, if I were to marry Blake." Weiss interrupted firmly.
This conversation was starting to take an uncomfortable turn, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to sit through it. She hesitated before taking off the glove on her left hand, revealing the small soul mark. It was more like a tattoo than a mark, but the name branded across her skin easily clued people in on what it was.
The man observed her soul mark, eyes roaming across the name 'Neptune Vasilas'.
Weiss took in a deep breath before speaking once more. "This is my supposed 'soulmate' correct? I believe that Blake has told you in length about my meeting with him that occurred about a year ago."
"Yes, she has."
The heiress looked at him sharply. "Then you must have heard that the 'change' did not occur. As of now, both of us still see the world in black and white. Neptune already had a partner when we first met, and I was also dating Blake at the time. In the end, he and I came to the conclusion that we weren't going to get together. Ever."
She put her glove back on, placing her hands primly on her lap. The doctor leaned back into his seat, lost in thought. The both of them sat in relative silence for several moments until he let out long sigh, drawing her attention to him once again. Weiss sat comfortably, waiting for him to speak. Despite not liking the prospect of having a heart to heart with a stranger of sorts, she was now genuinely interested in what he had to say.
He paused, taking a deep breath and twirled the pen in his hands.
"Can you really say, with full confidence, that you are completely okay with never being able to experience 'colour'?" He asked quietly.
Weiss rolled her eyes. "I know what colours are. Greens, blues, blacks. Everyone knows what they are."
"Of course. Even a child would what they are." He continued. "But you have not experienced it. You've read about it, heard it explained a thousand different times, heard people describing it. But that doesn't matter, because you have not experienced it for yourself.
You will never know the true joy of cloud watching, because the clouds feel no different from the sky. You will never look out of an airship, and marvel at the scenery below, because the sea and land look no different on a painting.
And I say that this is the most important decision you'll ever make, because when you're bonded to your partner, you bond for life. When you love someone, you give a part of yourself to them. It is impossible to take that part of yourself back.
There are many cases in which the change does not occur immediately, and it happening during first meetings are rare. However, there's still a chance that it could occur if say, a pair of soulmates are married or in a relationship. There is a high chance that something will happen, that one day you would wake up and experience the shift in colour.
On the flipside, marriage to one who is not your soulmate reduces that chance to zero. I can guarantee you that the change will not occur, no matter how long you wait. I have seen cases of long marriages end in divorce because the people in those relationship were waiting for something that would never happen. And it took them years to recognize that fact.
And I'm sure that you know, that those in their thirties to forties have little to no chance of experiencing the change and remain colour-blind for the rest of their lives. Some shrug it off, but others mull over it, stew in their anger and hate for goodness knows how long.
With that in mind, I'll ask you again."
He tilted his head up to meet hers, his gaze firmly trained on her.
"Are you truly okay with taking your relationship to the next level?"
Blake instantly sensed her foul mood when Weiss entered the car. The frostiness around her was a dead giveaway, and she contemplated on asking what happened.
"How did it go?" She asked hesitantly as they pulled out of the parking lot.
Weiss grimaced, pressing her forehead against the cool glass of the window. She nearly sighed in relief as the blistering anger was slowly sapped out of her, replaced by melancholy.
"Just drive." She snapped.
Stepping on the gas pedal, Blake chanced a worried look at her girlfriend as they drove through the streets of Vale. Weiss looked up in confusion when they pulled to a stop, staring at the warm lights of the bakery instead of their apartment.
"Sorry for stopping, but we need to get a gift for Ruby's homecoming remember? I know you're tired but I'd rather not put this off." Blake soothed.
Weiss smiled weakly and nodded, leaning across the seat to kiss Blake. It was a gentle peck on her lips and when she pulled away, Blake's gentle gaze made her heart stumble over itself. She was really too cute for words, the heiress marvelled.
"Do you want me to go in with you or-?"
Blake shook her head. "Its fine, I'm just going to grab some cookies and go. Or should I get a cake for her instead?"
"Both would be much better." Weiss rolled her eyes, smiling. "You know how that dolt is. Anything from that bakery is enough to send her on cloud nine. Here, I'll pay for the cake."
She pulled her wallet from her pocket, only for her girlfriend to slap her hand lightly. She pulled her hand out of her pocket and glared.
"It's on me, Weiss." Blake admonished, smirking at the look on her face. "Besides, it's your turn to get gas." She winked.
"Lock the doors." She called as she slid out of the car. Hearing the simultaneous click that followed her exit; Blake gave her sleek, black car a loving pat before heading toward the bakery.
She took in a deep breath when the delicious scents hit her all at once. The door shut behind her, the soft ringing of the bell adding to the charm of the place. Baked pastries of all kinds were on display, and to the far end of the store, there was a generous amount of tables and seats for anyone who couldn't wait to sink their teeth into the delicious baked goods.
Ruby loved this bakery, claiming that they could do no wrong. Blake smiled, reminiscing the memories of the four of them over the years. Yang had ended up opening up a bar after university, which didn't come as a surprise to anyone who knew her. 'Sun dragon' was now one of the most popular bars in Vale, thanks to her hard work and the generous backing of one Weiss Schnee.
Blake had ended up taking over Tukson's book store, which she'd been more than happy to do. The man was like a father to her, and being around books was always a good thing.
With Weiss set to be taking over the Schnee Corporation even before university, Ruby was the only one who'd gotten a job travelling around the world. The crimson haired woman had never been more happy when she gotten the job of a taste tester. Blake had always known that her ridiculously good taste buds would've brought her to success.
"Welcome!" The cashier behind the counter greeted her cheerily. She smiled return, walking over to the displays where a whole array of cookies were placed behind the glass.
"Can I have a bag of chocolate chip cookies?" Blake pointed at the cookies which looked absolutely delightful. Ruby would definitely love these. The man beamed, nodding vigorously.
"Certainly!" He declared. "How about getting some of our strawberry ones as well? They're fresh out of the oven."
"Sure. You can put them all in one bag."
"Anything else, miss?" He said, packing the cookies neatly into a beautiful paper bag with golden trim. This store was really something else, Blake thought, as she wondered what else to get.
Blake moved a little more to the left, gazing at the row of cakes. She zoomed in on the one with nice decorative frills made of what looked to be icing, and pointed at it.
"This cake as well please." She began.
The man winced, his hands hovering over it hesitantly. He glanced at the cake, and then back to her. Pulling his arms back, he rubbed the back of his neck almost sheepishly. Blake frowned, unsure of what she had done to trigger such a reaction. The cashier leaned over the glass displays and glanced around. He dropped his voice to nothing more than a whisper.
"To tell you the truth miss, this cake has been there for ages." He scrunched his nose up in distaste. "I rather you choose something else. We're getting rid of it today, and I wouldn't want to damn you into buying it."
Blake looked at said cake in confusion. "It looks perfectly fine though. But if you insist."
He gasped a little, suddenly looking very embarrassed. "O-Oh I see. You still haven't experienced the change."
The man didn't notice the flicker of annoyance that crossed her face.
"Well one reason why it didn't get sold is because it's really ugly. I don't know why they thought mustard yellow was a good colour for a cake…"
He muttered, glaring at the cake as though trying to will it out of existence.
Blake nodded stiffly, feeling a prick of jealously as he eyed the cake with such distaste. Another reminder of how annoying it was to be colour blind. She couldn't tell the forest for the trees. If she'd gotten it for Ruby, she would have never lived it down.
"Thanks for letting me know." She told the man tiredly. He beamed, his demeanour shifting back to the previous cheerful one. He rung up the total amount for the cookies and carefully put them in a large bag before handing it over to her.
"That'll be fifteen dollars."
Blake gave him a twenty, and told him to keep the change. He smiled at her gratefully and waved her off as she headed toward the exit. Just as she was about to leave however-
"Don't worry Miss. You'll find your soulmate soon enough!"
The drive back to their apartment was silent.
Weiss brooded over the events of the afternoon, and Blake's thoughts were all over the place. She pulled to a halt when the traffic light turned red, gambol slowly easing to a stop behind the pedestrian crossing. Her fingers tapped an unsteady rhythm on the steering wheel as she fought to clear her mind.
Even after all the years she'd spent with Weiss, there was still a nagging discomfort at the back of her head. The counselling sessions with the doctor had proved that, but Blake wasn't sure if it was something that she- or they could be rid of.
Blake loved Weiss. She was in love with her. Every fibre of her being screamed that fact whenever she looked at her girlfriend. They'd been together for so long, and they'd gotten through so many bad times that it was impossible for her to ever think about separating. She snorted. Over her dead body. Blake would never give up Weiss to anyone- anything in the world.
The little things that reminded them about being colour blind would always happen, Blake realised. Regardless of whether she took steps to avoid it, or shield herself from it, it would always. happen. She took in a deep breath, fingers curling tightly around the steering wheel. It was hard to accept the fact. The fact that even though she loved Weiss, they would never truly be recognized in the eyes of society, with or without a ring.
But soulmate or no, Blake knew that one thing was certain.
She was going to marry Weiss Schnee.
She turned to look at her girlfriend, hand reaching towards hers. But a loud honk from behind made them both jump.
"Alright, alright. Sheesh." Blake cursed under her breath at the untimely distraction. She'd actually forgotten where they were. She stomped on the gas pedal, not noticing that Weiss was staring intently at her.
"Weiss-" Blake called as she shut the apartment door. "We need to talk."
The heiress disappeared into their bedroom, and the brunette huffed. Following after her, she barely stepped inside the room when her girlfriend grabbed her by the arm and shoved her onto their bed. Blake yelped in surprise as she fell against the plush bed, arms flailing.
"Weiss!" She shrieked.
Pushing herself up with both arms, Blake glowered in irritation, running a hand through her hair. Only to freeze when she spotted the heiress on one knee, the woman's usually neat ponytail now unruly and wild.
Weiss held out the small black box, her expression easing into that of endearment and determination. She cleared her throat.
"Blake…" She began. "Will you do the honour of becoming my wife?"
The woman in question choked, eyes filling with unshed tears. Finally. Finally.
"Is t-that all you want to say, Weiss?" She joked weakly.
"Of course not. I have much more to say, I guarantee you." Weiss huffed. "But in favour of slipping this ring onto your finger and ravishing you until you won't be able to walk for days, I'll keep it short."
At Blake's sputter Weiss finally smiled, the edges of her lips curving upwards into a gentle smile. Biting the tips of her right glove and throwing it to the side, she reached for Blake's hand, caressing the calloused fingertips. Threading their fingers together, Weiss leaned forward to press a kiss on her knuckles.
Blake felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest at any moment.
"I love you, Blake. I will not stand by, waiting idly for something to happen and let someone tell me whether or not our relationship will fall apart. Frankly, I have come to the conclusion that I'd rather be your wife and colour blind, rather than be without you, and not."
"Weiss…"
"Shush." The heiress kissed her hand again. "Let me finish."
Blake swallowed, feeling the heat in her body rise.
"I know without a doubt, that'll we'll always wonder what it's like to experience colour. But that's something I can live with. The only thing I can't live without, is you. Blake Belladonna."
Weiss had barely finished her sentence before Blake flung herself at her, their bodies crashing together. She let out a yelp of pain as her head hit the floor, but the pain was soon forgotten when Blake kissed her.
Raking her hands through the soft locks Weiss shuddered against her girlfriend, or her wife-to-be, and returned the kiss with equal amounts of fervour. Blake's scent swirled around her, and she breathed it in, absolutely intoxicated by it. Prying the box out of her hands, the brunette smirked coyly. She put it aside, ignoring Weiss's protests.
"I'll like to be ravished now, please." Blake purred, and laughed when Weiss surged forward, their lips meeting once more.
AN: Monochrome ended up breaking me out of my writing funk, I did not expect this. But it was really fun to write! I actually had this idea a long time ago, and like a pro of procrastinating, I whipped this up while I was supposed to work on other fics. :') I've been posting on my wordpress blog a lot more too. You can visit it for some short insights and stuff.
Hope you enjoyed it! And I hope this wasn't too confusing. Let me know what you guys think!
P.S My first fic of December! :3