Ruby tossed and turned. Well, at least the girl was feeling an amazing urge to do so, but restrained herself as much as she could. She didn't want to wake up Weiss, that breathed lightly on the other side of the bed.
Weiss. Through the war, the woman was her greatest source of joy, her safe heaven even, someone to whom she could anchor her sanity amidst the ever-growing chaos and suffering of the conflict. She was the one who showed Ruby that affection could coexist with all the pain that soaked their days from dawn to dusk. The one who showed that there was a way to keep the cold out during the night.
During the year-long battle they had nothing but one another, and at more them one occasion the expression became quite literal. As the fighters had to be spread more and more apart to defend the so hardly conquered ground, it was natural to keep only the closest partners together. For efficiency, obviously.
When not in a mission, the girls spent their time in confidence. With no one around, they grew closer, they shared their hopes and fears, they shared tears and tentative experiences. There was no one to judge. Nor to compete for their affections. Was that a motivation for the start of their relationship? Ruby was sure it wasn't for her, but could she say the same for Weiss?
Ruby would throw herself wholeheartedly at every embrace, at every kiss and touch. With isolation Ruby built the courage to pursue her feelings and share them with Weiss. It was magical, and the lightest touch by the bonfire was enough to make her forget every horror she had seen through the day and she felt that Weiss shared of her relieve. Recently however, the girl started to wonder if her feelings were reciprocated only for lack of a better option. If that was all Weiss was looking for: A way to forget what she had seen before.
Weiss was everything she could never dream to compare. Incredibly intelligent, heavenly beautiful, absurdly talented. Hell, Ruby was already out of adjectives when Weiss could carry a complete conversation without uttering a single word know to her. Not to mention that she was a princess to a figurative empire, the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company and soon to be one of - if not the - most influential people on Remnant. And Ruby… Well, she was just Ruby. Plain, old, boring, cookie eating, milk snorting, wild haired Ruby. Why were they even sharing a bed to begin with?
Not that they had shared much more than that in the last few days.
After their return to the newly established safe zone in Vale, Weiss became a literal celebrity. The Heiress of the richest family on the planet, fighting at the frontline for the better cause? That kind of top-grade marketing could not be wasted. Ruby had probably seen her girlfriend more on her scroll than personally this week. Smiling, giving interviews, talking and hugging all kinds of people. Ruby knew she shouldn't be jealous, but she was her girlfriend for Dust's sake! She had a bit of a right, didn't she?
Her girlfriend.
The words echoed on her mind for a while. For how long would she be able to call Weiss that before her patience run out? Maybe the white haired woman was just too busy to handle her inevitable whimpers to do anything right now.
"Ruby, why are you staring at me like that?"
The voice made Ruby almost jump of the bed. She had turned back towards Weiss and was, in fact, staring. For how long?
"I-I'm so sorry Weiss! I didn't mean to wake you up!" came a scrambled apology.
"Well, with you bumping on me so often I would have to be dead to not wake up." She was annoyed. Great job Ruby.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to… And I already said that. Sorry. Again. I just couldn't sleep so…"
"What is keeping you awake?"
That was a mistake. No matter how Ruby felt, no matter how much the feeling of inadequacy was crushing her heart, she would never bring this up in a conversation with Weiss. Why would she? Only to ruin her mood and spoil her very probably depleting moments with Weiss? No, she would not.
"Nothing." She answered all too quick and Weiss sighted. She woundn't buy it.
"Come on Ruby, let's not do this…" She sounded so, so very tired. Probably – clearly – because she was sleeping just a moment ago, but Ruby imagined other reasons for the tone that crushed logic.
"Sorry, I don't want to annoy you Weiss, we can just go back to sleep and-"
"Ruby." Her tone became serious and Weiss was now fully awake as she propelled on her elbows and sat against the headboard, motioning Ruby to do the same. "I'm not mad, I'm not annoyed, I'm just tired. It was a long day and I was sleeping." Her tone became soft. "But if there is something bothering you, then you should have woken me up sooner. Talk to me Ruby. Please."
Weiss was worried about her. It was so genuine that it hurt. She wanted to talk. She wanted to open her chest and let her insecurities to flow free, either to end them or let them end her. She just wanted to know.
"Weiss. Why are you with me?" If it sounded dumb out of her lips Weiss' face assured her it really was.
"What do you mean?" She asked, genuinely confused as Ruby looked away.
"I mean, like, really, why? Weiss you are so beautiful and talented and smart and important and everyone wants to be with you and I… I'm just me." She could feel a pair hot streaks trailing down her face and it took all her strength to swallow a sob.
"Ruby-"
"And you are so busy. There is always someone you have to talk to, somewhere you have to rush to. People want to know so much about you because there is so much to know and I-" She was interrupted by her own tears and sobs that she failed to restrain, but only for a moment. "And all I want is to be with you"
She lost her words as soft arms wrapped her from the side and Ruby just gave into a full cry. She hugged back Weiss maybe a bit too hard to be comfortable and buried her face on her neck. Ruby poured her tears over the woman she was so afraid to lose.
"And that is what makes you so special!" She said next to Ruby's ear. "You want nothing from me. My name means nothing because all you want me to give you is myself. At least, that's how I feel you think…" Weiss admitted, with a small hint of insecurity.
"Yes! Yes it is" Ruby flared, not letting the doubt linger for more than a second. Weiss had to be sure of that. "All I want is you Weiss. I like so much to just be with you, when we can just talk or watch a movie or even go to those fancy places you like so much! I really don't care as long as we can do it together."
Weiss felt the guilt cut like a red-hot knife. She knew were this was coming from. Ever since the hold on vale was reestablished and the younger students were pulled from the field, Weiss embarked on a never-ending interview marathon. She was the new face of the Schnee name, a face that inspired sympathy and support, a heroine that represented her family's – very fictional – commitment with the safety of Remnant.
Of course, it had its benefits. For her father her new image represented the greatest profit spikes in years. The Schnee Dust Company passed from being the best choice to being the right one, at least on the public view. For Weiss, it cemented her career as a huntress, as her father couldn't destroy the Schnee Paladin he publicly prided so much. She was finally free to pursue the path she dreamed for so long, away from cold offices and empty mansions. And it all came at the expanse of her relationship with Ruby.
She was so tired every day. So many places to be, so many repetitive questions to answer and fake smiles to flash. Every dismissal, every short response and every lash on Ruby came crashing back on her mind at once. The questions were inverted. Why in Dust's name would someone as caring as Ruby want to be with her?
Weiss could feel her own face going hot as she hugged Ruby harder and muffled a sob.
"I'm so sorry Ruby." She said "I was so tired and blind with all I was expected to do that I completely ignored what I was doing to you."
"No, Weiss-" The brunette started but couldn't finish. Weiss pulled apart and looked Ruby, her girlfriend, deep in the eyes. The pale moonlight coming through the window gave the already vibrant silver an entirely new glow and, only for a second, Weiss forgot about the world.
"Ruby there is nothing that I want more than to be with you." She took a moment to read Ruby's expression. Maybe to be sure that the girl believed her words as much as she did. "I want to be myself with you, to go to fancy places, to watch movies and to hunt with you." The joking tone on the word elicited an almost silent giggle from Ruby, but it was enough to warm her heart.
"I promise I'll never let this happen again Ruby. I want to see you happy and be happy with you. Just give me another chance to prove it."
Ruby now offered her trademark giggle, possibly the cutest sound Weiss would hear on her life.
"I don't have to give you another chance, you never lost any." She said while wiping the tears with the back of her hand. "I love you, Weiss."
It felt like the world had stopped and started spinning in the opposing direction. On the same bed, under the same moon, staring into the same pools of silver, her life changed completely.
"I love you too, Ruby."
A/N: Hello guys, thank you for taking your time with yet another short story! This one comes in a bit of a sadder tone, but hopefully it managed to warm up your hearts at the end. Please review!
As I stated before in Roses by you bed I am not native english speaker, so if see something that seems out place, my choice of words seems a bit weird or you notice any grammatical mistakes, feel completely free to point out in a review or PM, it really helps me a lot!
Hugs,
Scribe Assistant