Ruby woke slowly, tired eyes blinking themselves open. A wide yawn twisted her features. She looked around the room. It was still dark out, nowhere near time for her to wake. So why was she up? A soft noise from below her drew her attention. Rolling onto her stomach she peered below her. Weiss was thrashing below her, legs tangled in the sheets, comforter thrown completely off. Her fist clenched in the fabric of her night gown. Ruby frowned. It was obvious Weiss was having a nightmare.
Silently she dropped to the floor. She reached out to wake the older girl but hesitated. How would Weiss react to being awoken? The heiress whimpered and whined pitifully. Ruby steeled her resolve, dealing with an angry and defensive Weiss was better than letting her suffer through this nightmare alone. She reached out and shook her shoulder.
"Weiss, Weiss wake up it's just a nightmare." Weiss jolted awake, sitting bolt upright in bed. Glazed blue eyes seemed to stare right through her. "Hey, hey you're okay, it's just me, it's just me." Ruby reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks but Weiss flinched away, smacking her hand away.
"Don't touch me!" she whimpered, pressing as far back and away as she could. 'Don't touch me! Go away go away!" Ruby frowned and tried to keep the hurt she was feeling off her face. Her hand hung limply in the air.
"Weiss?"
"Go away, leave me alone, don't touch me, you're not real!" Ruby frowned, trying to find words when it came to her. Weiss wasn't looking at her, she was shaking and tears continued to slip down her cheeks while pained noises escaped her lips. Weiss must have dreamed she left her, or worse died. Determined Ruby sat on the edge of her bed and reached out. She caught Weiss's wrist. Weiss whimpered and tried to yank herself free.
"no, no, no, no!" She cried. Her thumb drew circles around trembling knuckles.
"Shhh Weiss, it wasn't real, I'm right here, everything is okay." She reassured. Despite her reassurances the older girl continued to cry. Crawling onto the bed Ruby Drew her close, positioning her in her lap.
"Weiss, Weiss, it's okay it's okay." Blue eye looked up and Ruby could see the glaze leave them, she blinked and recognition flared across her face. "There, see? I'm right here I've got you, we're safe."
"R-Ruby?"
"I'm right here Weiss, I'm not going anywhere. I promise." Her words were the key to the floodgates. Weiss clung to her, sobs muffled against her shoulder. Ruby ran her fingers through silky ivory hair, hushing her softly. It was so strange to see Weiss this vulnerable. As far as she knew Weiss had only cried once before and she had locked herself in the bathroom. It had taken Ruby an hour to coax her out. Even then she had adamantly refused comfort. To see the heiress so broken and desperate was disconcerting.
Eventually Weiss's cries slowed to sniffles and silent tears running down her cheeks. Ruby carefully pulled away, to tip Weiss's face up to hers. "hey." She said softly, one hand coming up to gently wipe her tears away. "Are you okay?" Weiss said nothing, only tightened her grip.
"Please don't leave me." Ruby barely caught the needy whisper. She squeezed the girl in her arms and kissed her forehead.
"I won't I promise." She whispered. Weiss nodded against her shoulder. She continued to hold her until even the silent tears and sniffles had stopped. Glancing down Ruby could see Weiss had calmed down significantly. "Better?" she whispered.
Weiss took a deep breath and looked up, their eyes meeting. "Yes. Thank you."
Ruby smiled and slowly leaned down and when she met no resistance, kissed her softly. "You're welcome. Do you want to talk about it?" Weiss tensed and Ruby squeezed her lightly. "Here."
She maneuvered them both so they were laying down, Weiss pressed close to Ruby's chest, ear to her chest listening to her heart beat. "I won't ever leave you Weiss, you're my partner and my girlfriend. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I Love you." Weiss hiccupped and sniffled but nodded.
They lay in silence together for a few minutes, just holding each other and finding comfort in each other's presence. Eventually Weiss cleared her throat and Ruby instantly reached down and cupped her cheek. "I don't remember much of it. Just that the white fang was there. Blake and Yang died so fast. I couldn't do anything. They took you. They hurt you, made me watch. Then they killed you. I was next but I woke up…" Ruby cooed and hummed a soothing lullaby.
"Oh Weiss that's so terrible I'm so sorry." She rubbed her hands up and down her back and pressed periodic kisses to her lips and forehead. It took many kisses and an hour or so for Weiss to calm down once more. She yawned and Ruby unconsciously copied the movement. She giggled and pressed a swift kiss to her chilled nose.
"Time for bed!" Weiss nodded against her chest. But her fingers curled into the material.
"Stay?" her request was soft spoken and she couldn't meet Ruby's eyes. Ruby grinned and nodded, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
"I wasn't going to leave even if you wanted me to!" She giggled. Weiss huffed but a small smile graced her lips. Ruby grinned and wiggled around so they both lay in a more comfortable position. Pressing a kiss to each of Weiss's eyes Ruby yawned again and settled down.
"Goodnight Weiss. I love you."
Weiss pressed a soft kiss to her collar and let out a small contented hum. "I love you too." Ruby giggled again and smiled. She pulled Weiss a little closer and finally let her eyes slid shut. Weiss was a little more reluctant to let her eyes slide shit but a sleepy and clumsy kissed pressed to her head reassured her.
"I love you Ruby." She had not expected the younger girl to hear her, yet she received a gentle squeeze and a sleepy reply.
"love you to Weiss, go to sleep, I'm here."
It was all Weiss needed to hear to drift off into a pleasant and dreamless slumber, wrapped up, warm in safe in Ruby's arms.