I'm probably going to be murdered for daring to show my face around here, but I have once again been bitten by the White Rose bug.

For the people who wondered where I disappeared to for three months, well, that's a long story, and I'll tell it for all two of you who might read it. You know who you are, and I love you.

I kinda went crazy on school stuff, and so now I'm nerd girl extraordinaire, taking college classes on top of finishing high school. Also, I am yet again dating someone, and this is definitely looking to be my best relationship yet, so that's absorbed a lot of time. She has a car and drives over a lot and honestly I like cuddling more than writing. I'm very sorry. I also wanted to wait for the end of season two, as it was really exciting and introducing a lot of new stuff.

Umm... so yeah! Sorry for the long wait, and sorry for starting yet another new story. Please don't be mad, I come bearing fictional lesbians.

NOTE-THIS STORY IS STARTING IN THE MIDDLE OF SOME STUFF TO BE REVEALED AS IT PROGRESSES. THANK YOU FOR READING THE BIG LETTERS, LIKE SERIOUSLY, THEY KINDA GRAB THE EYE DON'T THEY?

Weiss was outside a bar, drunk off her ass and crying.

It wasn't the good kind of crying, where chivalrous gentlemen might come to heal her troubles and sweep her off her feet. She was all out bawling, shaking like a leaf, and making people out on the street uncomfortable. Coco was calmly sipping at some pricy gin cocktail like a sobbing best friend was this month's hottest accessory as she held Weiss with her other arm.

"There there." Coco murmured. "You know, you really should have mentioned alcohol was a bad idea around now."

Weiss managed to take a deep breath. She had just finished her pity fest, and still felt like she might want to continue it, but she wouldn't allow that to reach her voice. "No, it was a good idea, really. However... we might want to go somewhere else."

Coco gave an unladylike snort. "Yes, I do believe people in there will remember you quite well, and not in a good way. Well, come on. There are three more good bars within walking distance. We can start over if that's what you want."

Weiss nodded, and Coco led the way.

The second bar was called the Magic Mirror. Weiss found the name to be silly, but Coco insisted it was among the better ones in town.

Inside was packed and loud, with heavy music pounding and at least thirty people all yelling at once. Coco somehow managed to speak clearly over the noise. "Shit, I forgot."

"What?" Weiss yelled back.

"This is a hunter bar. And there's a reunion at Beacon today."

Weiss looked around, pale blue eyes taking in her surroundings. It did explain the outfits... and the weaponry. Weiss had a fleeting thought that she should have brought Myrtenaster along; she could fend off unwanted attention and fit in a little better. As it was, she practically felt underdressed.

Coco laid a hand on her back. "Well, too late now. I'm gonna get drinks. Be back in a moment." Then she melted into the crowd, heading for the bar.

"Coco, wait!" Weiss tried to get to her, but the other girl was already out of sight. Weiss glared after her, fists clenched briefly, before stalking away to look for a free table. There was exactly one, a two person affair in the back left corner. Weiss sat down in one of the chairs, her eyes daring anyone else to take the opposite one.

Within ten minutes, someone made exactly that mistake.

"Mind if I sit?" Asked a tall girl in a ridiculous black and red outfit.

"Yes." Weiss replied curtly. "My friend is just getting drinks."

The girl arched a dark eyebrow, and Weiss was abruptly struck by her eyes. They were huge, and dark, shiny silver in color. "Yeah, but you've been here for ten minutes and it isn't a huge bar. I mean, there's a crowd, but..." The girl trailed off, a faintly sarcastic expression lingering annoyingly on her face.

Weiss was still struck by the eyes, with their slightly inhuman color that could only be found on people with a semblance. It took her a moment to realize she ought to reply, and she regretted her impulsive answer almost immediately.

"Fine."

"Great!" The girl said, plopping down in her chair. "I'm Ruby. Can I get you a drink?"

"If you're going to leave to get it." Weiss muttered, too low for the other girl to hear. Ruby cocked her head quizzically, and a little louder Weiss said "If you want to."

Ruby swiveled her chair, cupped her hands over her mouth, and screamed at the top of her lungs. "Yaaaaang!"

Weiss buried her face in her hands, blushing furiously. This girl... was... annoying didn't even start to cover it. But, astonishingly, her caterwauling actually produced a response. Mere moments later a tall blonde woman forced her way through the crowd.

"What's up?" The blonde, who Weiss assumed to be Yang, asked.

"I want another margarita, and whatever you think is best for the girl over there." Ruby said, gesturing at Weiss.

Yang gave Weiss a searching look. "Huh. Yeah, I think I got an idea. Be back in a second."

"Excuse me?" Weiss demanded as soon as Yang was out of sight. "I'm perfectly capable of ordering drinks by myself!"

Ruby waved it off. "Yang's good at this stuff. I'll get you two that you can order if you hate it."

Weiss sat back in her seat with a huff, already determined to despise whatever disgusting cocktail was pushed on her.

Moments later, she found herself with a dilemma. On the one hand, she absolutely had to hate whatever drink Ruby's friend had forced on her. On the other hand... it was a mint julep, her absolute favorite, and this was one of the best one she'd ever had. Weiss took the first sip glaring, and once she'd drained the glass she was outright scowling.

Ruby was grinning, twirling her empty glass on the tabletop as she smiled at Weiss. "So, did you like it?"

Weiss was silent for a moment. "...Yes."

"And you want another?"

"Yes."

Weiss ended up finishing that one too, and only decided to stop when she realized that if she had any more she would have officially crossed the line from buzzed to drunk. Ruby too was teetering on the edge, her smiles even broader than they had been at the start of the night. Weiss actually found herself having a conversation, and even more surprising found herself enjoying it.

"So what's your name?" Ruby asked, thirty minutes in. Her chair had moved ninety degrees around the table, and she was only half a meter away from Weiss.

"...Weiss."

"That's a pretty name." Ruby said, and for once she wasn't smiling. Her eyes were staring right into Weiss's. The distance between their chairs became about thirty centimeters, and Weiss could smell the fruit juice and tequila on Ruby's breath. "So, Weiss, if I were to do something silly like sloppily make out with you about half an hour after meeting you..."

Weiss gently cupped Ruby's face, leaned in, and kissed her. It was just for a handful of seconds, a brief brush of the lips, but Weiss could feel the flush creeping up her cheeks, hotter than the light warmth of the alcohol. Suddenly the room seemed hot, stifling, and when Ruby came in for another Weiss couldn't help the way her fingers laced in the other girl's hair, how seconds into it she moaned softly and Ruby's tongue slid inside.

And now Weiss couldn't just smell the other girl's drinks she could taste them in the traces on her tongue and lips and teeth, intoxicating and sweet and fruity.

They only broke away to come up for air, and sat panting, arms and legs still tangled together. Weiss took a deep gulp of air, gasping a little, and laughed. It wasn't a worried laugh, or a nervous one. She was genuinely happy for the first time in what felt like forever.

Ruby had a cute little smirk on her lips. "So." She said.

It was Weiss's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Do you wanna come over tonight?" Ruby asked, and all the drinks in the world wouldn't have steadied her voice. For the first time that night, Weiss saw real uncertainty in those silver eyes. "Not for... that stuff! If you don't want!" Ruby hastily added. "I mean, you're drunk, I'm drunk, that's more third date stuff-"

"Yes." Weiss said. "And you're right, that might be best saved for the third date. But..." Weiss trailed off. They didn't know eachother, and she had no idea what hobbies this girl had.

But she wanted to find out.

She definitely wanted to find out.

This actually hasn't been beta'd by Wendy Crescent, because she lives in France and I live in the US and so when I write something at 11 PM she's asleep. I'm so sorry Wendy, please edit my mess when you wake up.

ALSO

A normal mint julep is bourbon with four mint leave, a dash of sugar, and a little water. Ruby's margarita is tequila with cointreau and strawberry instead of lime.