(Summary: The final night before the virus strike. Contains freezerburn and ladybug fluff.)
Yang took a step back and gave herself a mental pat on the back for her effort. The flat her and her girlfriend shared was almost unrecognizable. Since Weiss had to stay late at the Schnee Dust Corporation Vale offices, Yang took it upon herself to surprise her girlfriend on their fifth year anniversary by cleaning the whole apartment. Between Weiss taking over the company, and Yang's responsibilities as fully fledged huntress, the apartment rarely ever had an opportunity to get cleaned. The final room on her agenda – the lounge/ dining room – was finally in order. The dishes that almost towered on the counter tops had been cleaned and put away, the polished wood floor was mopped and hovered, and the couch had been cleaned with the handheld hoover. Yang even went as far as to sorting out the different films and video games into a neat alphabetical order on the small shelf that sat below the television.
But that was not all Yang had planned to do for her lover.
The table they used to eat at was like a scene from a clichéd romantic comedy. The only source of light came from the tall lit candles that sat in the middle of the table. Yang brought out the finest plates, china, and silverware reserved only for when Weiss' family was visiting. She even went as far as cracking out her extraordinary cooking abilities, which she only ever did for special occasions. This particular dish was a roast chicken and a side of vegetables. Yang also made a dark chocolate sauce to go with the chicken, which she had wanted to do for a while, after watching a cooking show that piqued her fancy. Also, on the other side of the room, on the coffee table by the couch, sat a few individually wrapped presents, ranging from little in-jokes to expensive jewellery she had spent ages saving up for. Yang smiled to herself, happy with her hard work. However, Weiss' most special present currently sat in a small velvet box in the pocket of her jeans.
But her self congratulating came to a screeching halt when she heard her dog Zwei scuttle towards the front door and started yapping excitedly.
That could only mean one thing.
Weiss was home.
As if on queue, Yang heard a beep to signal someone scanning their scroll against the scanner outside the door, and the click of a door handle. Speed walking to the hallway, carefully closing the door between the hallway and living room, so that Weiss couldn't see what Yang had done. Turning around, Yang smiled at what she saw.
Weiss had changed much of her attire since their days at Beacon, swapping her heeled boots and combat skirt for low heeled shoes and white business trousers. She even wore a matching white shirt, and white suit jacket, accompanied by a red tie. The only thing that Weiss still wore from the old days was her coat. However, back when she used to button it up all the time, it hung open. Her whole figure was wet from the slight rain outside. She put her coat on a hook, before sliding the bobble out of her hair and bent down to pet Zwei, smiling at Yang when she met her gaze, finally walking over to Yang, standing on her tip toes to meet her girlfriend's lips.
"Hey baby," Yang purred, "how was work?"
"Simply riveting," Weiss droned out in a voice heavily laced with sarcasm. "Just a bunch of old men talking over nothing,"
"So the usual then?"
Weiss nodded. Yang looked further down at Weiss, her gaze focusing on the scarlet tie which Weiss was currently loosening. Then she had an idea.
"I need to borrow this,"
"Wha-?!" Before Weiss could finish her sentence, Yang skilfully stole the long piece of silk fabric, danced around Weiss and tied it around her eyes with a practised hand.
"Unhand me, you brute!" shrieked Weiss, flailing her arms, attempting to pull off the tie or get her hands on Yang. Yang dodged her girlfriend's flailing arms, giggling like a mad man. All the while, Zwei danced around his parent's, yapping happily, thinking they were all playing a game.
"Stop moving! It's for a thing I need to show you!"
"If this is one of your sex games-"
"SHHHH! Don't use that word in front of our baby!" Yang protested, bending down slightly to scratch Zwei's head, while easily keeping a hold of the tie wrapped around Weiss' head, silently thanking the height difference between them. Weiss sighed, finally stopping her wild erratic movements.
"What are you doing then?"
"Hold on," Yang picked up Weiss' small form easily, the only protest she felt from her came in the form of a small yelp of surprise. Walking slowly towards the living room, she opened the door while easily keeping a hold of her shorter girlfriend, who had now wrapped her arms around the back of Yang's neck. Finally reaching the living room, Yang put Weiss on the ground and untied the makeshift blindfold around her head. She stepped back slightly to see the reaction on her girlfriend.
It was more than she could have hoped for.
The extensive cleaning Yang had went through had brought a huge smile on Weiss' face, only just noticing the presents on the coffee table. Yang took Weiss' distracted attention to pull out the velvet box out of her pocket as quietly as she could, and drop down to one knee, just as she started to turn around.
"Please don't tell me you hired a cleaner to –" As soon as she saw Yang on one knee, she stopped mid sentence. Yang cleared her throat and began into her speech.
"Weiss, ever since I met you all those years ago, I knew there was something special about you. And I just wanted to thank you. You have brought such joy and happiness into my life, and I love you and I'm thankful for every moment you chose to spend with me. Weiss Schnee…" Yang pulled out the velvet box and opened it.
"Will you marry me?"
Weiss stood there, dumbfounded. She was looking down at a thin silver ring, a blue tinted diamond sitting comfortably in the middle. Weiss looked past the box, towards the girl that held it. Her eyes were misty and gleaming with hope. She dropped down to the floor and wrapped Yang up in a hug, which she willingly accepted.
"Yang, of course I will!" Weiss let out a little laugh and was surprised when she found tears of joy streaming down her face. She hadn't cried in years. She was even more surprised when she felt tears hit her head. She pulled away slightly. Yang was smiling hard, her usual trademark grin larger than ever. Additionally, she saw Yang's lilac eyes, soft and gently, filled with tears. She kissed the two tear streaks that ran down under Yang's eyes, and looked at her.
"Why are you crying?"
"Am I?" Yang giggled. She took a hand and wiped both of her eyes, only to laugh a little more.
"Shit, so I am," Yang looked hard at Weiss and her smile only grew more. "I don't know, I'm just so happy. And I didn't think you would say yes and –"
Weiss took Yang's chin and tilted herself forward, planting her lips hard against her lovers. She took a few seconds to enjoy the feel of the lips she wished to spend the rest of her life memorizing, to savour the taste as if it was the last thing she would ever taste. Finally, she reluctantly pulled away, and fell back into Yang's arms.
"Now why would I do that?"
Weiss and Yang just sat there for the longest time, held in each other's arms. Yang just gently rocked Weiss' body, as Weiss closed her eyes and just listened gently to Yang's heart beat. A sweet rhythmic melody that threatened to lull Weiss to sleep. If it wasn't for the fact that reality was better than her dreams – and had been ever since Yang first told her she loved her – she would have fell into unconsciousness. Finally, Yang pulled away, looking deep into her fiancé's eyes.
"So, what do you want first? Presents or dinner?"
oo0oo
Blake peered across the room at Ruby, who was currently violently mashing a button on a quick time event at whatever video game she was playing, smiling devilishly. Ruby had her tongue stuck out in concentration and violently groaned as her character got electrocuted on screen, only to have a "mission failed" message pop up on her screen. The frustrated and angry sound that came out of Ruby probably shouldn't have turned on Blake.
But oh, did it.
Ruby hit the restart button and a cut scene from a comic book, as a women started talking. Ruby groaned again in annoyance and proceeded to bark at the screen.
"Shut up! Just let me get on with the god damn game!"
As though answering her plea, Ruby's character started getting brutally shocked again, and again, Ruby tapped the triangle button with all her fury. However, it seemed her efforts were fruitless, as her character again suffered a violent death, revealing the same message. Ruby dropped her controller, and put her head in her hands, exhaling loudly. Blake rolled her eyes, and strolled towards Ruby's bent figure, standing behind Ruby.
"You seem stressed, babe,"
"I am, screw this game!" Ruby snapped out. While most spouses would have taken it as a message to back off, Blake simply put her hands on Ruby's shoulder, rubbing with careful pressure applied. It got its intended effect, with Ruby's tense shoulders suddenly easing up considerably.
"You need to relax, Rubes,"
Blake leant forward and gently planted a kiss on Ruby's exposed neck, not stopping her gentle rubbing motions on her shoulders. This elicited a soft gasp, which was all it took to set off Blake. With lighting fast speed that would have put Ruby's semblance to the test, she leapt over the couch, simultaneously pushing Ruby down so she lay on her back, holding back her strength so as not to hurt her girlfriend. As soon as Ruby was on her back, Blake straddled Ruby, and took her chin in a single hand, planting a soft kiss on Ruby's lips. She pulled back, looking at Ruby's priceless reaction. Her face, once contorted in stress, was now relaxed and playful. She had a small smile and her eyes shone with eagerness.
"How about you give the game a break and relax with me?" Blake purred, playfully slipping of Ruby's zip up hoodie. Blake yelped in surprise as Ruby picked her girlfriend up and flipped her around, so that Ruby was on top. She still had that playful smile on her face as she kissed at Blake's neck.
"Yeah. Was getting tired of it anyway," Ruby sat up as she started unbuttoning Blake's shirt. Blake looked up at Ruby as she undid every button with ease.
Oh Ruby Rose, Blake thought, you never could resist my charms.
oo0oo
Cinder paced around her cell, looking out through the cell's single window, out into the star lit sky. How she longed to be out there, in the night. Have the cool breeze against her face, to listen to the sounds around her, to feel the people around her. But she wouldn't. Not now, not ever again. She got sloppy. She got caught. And she wasn't the only one. Turning around, she looked in the interior behind her, taking in the few figures that were there. In the cell with her sat her team, all silent and contemplating the death that would await them come morning. Mercury and Roman lay on their bunks, just staring at the ceiling, hoping that some miracle could save them from being executed. Emerald simply sat at the edge of her bunk, looking down at the floor, numb and quiet as the rest of them. Emerald smiled humourlessly to herself.
So this is how the great thief Emerald ends, she thought to herself.
Cinder ignored them, and once again stared out into the night. She had always been so careful. Each of her plans were thought out to the last minor detail, every situation that gone wrong always had a back up plan, every failed opportunity an escape route. Cinder closed her eyes, her calm replaced suddenly by anger.
If it wasn't for team RWBY, they wouldn't be in this mess.
But, just as quickly as it appeared, Cinder stamped out the sparks of her rage, and went to her bunk, closing her eyes. If this was it and she was finally going to face death head on, she could at least let it come closer by falling into sleep, instead of pacing around her cell.
oo0oo
Blake stared down at Ruby, who was fast asleep in the double bed that they shared. After their passionate bout of sex in the living room, the couple decided to go to bed afterwards, with Ruby falling asleep first. Blake stroked ruby's hair as she slept peacefully beside her. Blake relished these moments. As Ruby's career as a huntress escalated, the cons of the job were starting to way down on her. Not by much, but enough for Blake to notice a slight shift in her younger love. She enjoyed it when the torments of the world couldn't touch Ruby and she slept peacefully. Leaning over, Blake planted a delicate kiss on Ruby's forehead, before laying back down and wrapping her arms around her girlfriend.
"Good night, Ruby. I love you." Whispered Blake, before falling asleep. Unbeknownst to her, the kiss raised Ruby ever so slightly, but just enough so that she was still in sleep's deep embrace and only barely woken. She smiled softly, and replied before falling back into darkness.
"Good night, Blake. I love you too."
(Notes: Hey guys, so I am playing around with a few AU ideas and this is the first one I was able to write the first chapter for. So, one thing that I thought would be really cool was to write the night before the apocalypse, where everything is – in the words of the great Jeff Wayne – Rest in peace – a night where "it all seems so safe and tranquil". I also have a request for you guys. If any of you are aspiring artists, could I possible get a cover for this? And (if you want) my other stories? It would mean the world to me and I would love you forever. Also, the game Ruby is playing in the story is MGS: Peace Walker. The torture sequence in that game is a bitch. When I played it, I'm almost certain I burned my skin by how quickly and how many times I mashed that fucking button. Anyway, as always guys, hope you enjoy and adios!)