"I like you."

Ruby had heard those words a thousands time before. Being the youngest ever student at Beacon Academy had its perks. Namely, the adoring fans and their never-ending praise. She always used to wonder how Pyrrha could handle it. But never before had she heard those words from her best friend, someone she'd known since childhood. It was a bit disconcerting, to say the least. When she didn't respond to Weiss, the other girl ran away, crying. Ruby felt bad, of course, but Weiss was always getting hopeless little crushes and then getting over them right away and laughing over them. She'd get over it soon, and they'd be back to joking around.

But Weiss didn't get over it. Over the following weeks, Ruby noticed her becoming moodier and moodier and sadder and sadder. No amount of friendliness would shake Weiss out of her foul mood. Ruby couldn't help but watch her best friend sink deeper and deeper in depression. She even brought Weiss to her favourite diner, and invited her to see the film Weiss had been raving about for a while. This just seemed to make Weiss even more upset. Ruby went to ask Yang about it.

"You brought her to places you two would go to for a date. Basically, you're just rubbing it in that you kinda rejected her."

"Damn. I'd better go tell her that I'm sorry."

...

Ruby found Weiss in the training arena. She was slashing at a dummy with Myrtenaster. She fumbled when Ruby entered the arena.

"Hello, Ruby." Weiss waved.

"Hey. You got time to talk?"

"I've got all the time. What would you like?"

"I wanna talk about what you said. About liking me."

"What about it, Ruby?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was afraid you'd reject me. My fears were well-founded, obviously."

"I'm sorry. I just figured that of all the people who like me, you would never be one of them."

"I was probably the first of them." Weiss grumbled.

"Weiss-"

"Ruby, either tell me that you like me or that you never will, because I can't stand not knowing. It's killing me inside." Weiss started crying. Ruby awkwardly put her arms around her friend. Weiss tried to push her away, but stopped trying, and bawled into Ruby's shirt.

"I don't know if I can like you." Ruby whispered. "I've known you for too damn long, and it kinda feels the same as liking Yang." Weiss sobbed.

"I just hate seeing you like this, Princess."

"Oh, screw you, Ruby."

"I'm sorry."

"You just don't get it, do you? I'm in love with you and I always have been and you can't like me back? Do you know how much that hurts?"

"No. I wish I could know what goes on in your beautiful brain, but I can't."

Weiss shoved Ruby away. Her makeup was tear-streaked.

"Fine. Go find your admirers and tell them how much better they are than me."

"Weiss!"

"No. I'm done." Weiss decapitated a dummy and stalked out of the arena. Ruby dropped to her knees.

"Weiss."

...

Weiss walked back to the dorm room, eyes blurry with tears. Team JNPR greeted her as she passed them, but their voices didn't reach her. She flopped back onto her bed, staring up at Ruby's. Too many nights had she heard that adorable girl snore while wishing she was holding Ruby. On the support beams of Ruby's bed, Weiss had scrawled 'I love you' time and again. She screamed and punched one of the beams. The sharp crack that echoed around the room was from both her knuckles and the beam. Weiss clutched at her hand in agony. She swore at the top of her lungs. The door opened and a red blur ran in.

"Weiss, are you okay?" Ruby's eyes were filled with concern.

"Go away!" Weiss shoved Ruby. The next thing she knew, Ruby's hands were wrapped in her collar and Ruby's lips were touching her own.

"Ruby." Weiss said weakly.

"I love you too, Weiss. I just needed to realise it." Ruby whispered against Weiss's lips.

"Ruby."

"Yeah?"

"My hand really hurts."

"Oh." Ruby picked up Weiss bridal-style, and in the blink of an eye, they were in the infirmary.

"What seems to be the problem this time, Ms. Rose?" The tired on-duty nurse asked.

"My girlfriend punched something really hard. Her hand might be broken."

At that moment, Weiss was sure that she'd gone delusional and was having hallucinations. Girlfriend? And she passed out from the pain. When she woke up, Ruby was stroking her undamaged hand. She was talking in a low voice.

"It shouldn't have taken me that long to figure it out. Ever since we were little, I'd always want you with me. I'd cry and throw temper tantrums when you weren't there with me. Especially after my mom died. You were the only thing keeping me afloat after that. Yang and Dad were off in their own worlds, and I was alone. Until that one day when you found me in the woods, and hugged me, and held me 'til I stopped crying. I've never stopped being grateful for that. I think that was the first time I realised that I loved you. I mean, we were kids, so I didn't really fully grasp what love meant, but I knew that if you died, I wouldn't be able to handle it. Oh god, remember when we played house when we were eight? You were the 'dad' and you'd just come home from a long day at the office. That was back when we thought that Winter would inherit the company. You gave me a quick kiss and giggled, and I was all like 'Dads don't giggle!'. I was totally basing that off my own dad. I hadn't heard him laugh in years. I never wanted you to stop laughing. Your laugh was beautiful. So I got goofier and goofier, just trying to get a smile out of you. I'm who I am because of you. Ugh, I love you." Ruby hung her head. "I know you're awake. You don't have to say anything. I'm sorry for what I did. I should have gotten it through my thick head that it wasn't just normal jealousy I was feeling whenever Neptune flirted with you. I should have realised that every time you were punting my fans away that you were protecting me, and maybe being a little possessive. And when you shut yourself off to the world, I felt like part of me had died. I should've realised, Weiss."

Weiss squeezed Ruby's hand.

"I love you too, you dolt."

Ruby smiled and leaned in to kiss Weiss.

"Ack! Stale breath!" Ruby coughed.

"Sorry."

"Yeah, I'm gonna get you something to drink, like orange juice or milk."

Ruby stood up, giving Weiss's hand one last squeeze. She turned away, and started to walk out of the room.

"Ruby?"

"Yeah, Weiss?"

"Was I imagining it or did you call me your girlfriend?"

Ruby smiled.

"You wanna go out sometime?"

"Yes, you beautiful dunce."

"It's a date then." Ruby winked at Weiss.