Contrary to popular belief, or actually contrary to Weiss belief, Ruby was very intelligent. She was a scholar after all. It was simply due to the nature of subject she researched, that it would be treated as everything but serious. As such, Ruby decided to not bother these of feeble mind. Of course it wasn't that she thought her friends were stupid, far from it. It was that simply her mind was specifically crafted to be able to deal with such complicated topic.
Because Ruby was a taste researcher. There was a reason one of her favorite past times were eating sweets. It wasn't because she had weakness for them. Far from it. It was all part of her research. Some people think that taste is just as simple as that. You put something onto your tongue, and just like that, the taste is revealed. Yet Ruby knew the secret. She understood how the reality of it all worked.
Taste, or rather how things would taste, had a few factors. The most important was, of course, the taste itself. So what your tongue could capture. It wasn't clear for her if the tongue would have parts of it designed specifically to grasp a specific flavor, since her heavy research of spending a few moments of doing an online research showcased that some people claimed it to be true, while some call ... Well some say its not true.
Then there was smell. Also a very important thing, almost as important as taste itself. Ruby always thought of it as letting your taste buds imagine how whatever it is they were to analyze, would taste like. It was a promise of either something tasty, or something awful.
Visual presentation was always the least favorite thing for Ruby. Although as being a proper researcher, she had to understand how it worked. How our eyes would find something enjoyable, how it was presented to look as tasty as possible. It worked well in creating an illusion of taste, together with smell.
Texture was less important to the taste, as it was for the idea of how much you can eat something before it starts tasting less satisfying. It can bruise your tongue or the roof of your mouth. Hard candies have an awful way of doing so, even though they seem smooth, as they slowly disintegrate inside your mouth, they start having these small holes that brush against the inside of your mouth. How awful, yet satisfying in smaller quantities.
Lastly, the consistency. How hard was it to eat, chew and enjoy. Just as the texture would tire your tongue, bruising it and making it numb to the taste, such would be consistency for your jaw. How much could you chew before your muscles would start feeling sore.
While the first three things would generally decide about the initial taste something had, the other two dictated how long in one session something could be enjoyed, before loosing that quality of which the first three dictated.
Ruby enjoyed her little science, always claiming that her specialization were sweets. Yet, one day, there appeared a challenge that even though she wasn't sure if it would fit into her field of specialization, she had to take upon.
That challenge being to determine how would Weiss taste. Of course Ruby wouldn't be a cannibal, neither would anything that Yang could potentially tease her about ever occur. Ruby was a scientist, and as such nothing immoral or perverted would occur. But how would one test something like that?
oooOOOooo
"Thank you Ruby, while I know its weird to ask you to replace Blake, I really do enjoy my Saturday drink. And going alone would just be awfully boring." The white haired girl smiled gently.
"Its fine Weiss, We don't really get out too much. I'm always getting snatched by someone to do something or play something or...Well, We have academy stuff to do. So its nice to be able to go out with you, even if just to enjoy some hot drink!" Ruby grinned, to which Weiss simply chuckled.
It was true, Ruby always found it bothersome that she never had as much time to spend with the Schnee as she wanted. Yet it was hard to say no to her other friends. She tried not to pick favorites.
"What will you have, Ruby?" The first instinct of Ruby was to, of course, say hot chocolate. But she paused herself before speaking. She looked at the menu. It had a lot of caffeine drinks. Weiss drank a lot of coffee. Perhaps that would give her a hint on her research.
"I'll have...coffee." Ruby simply stated, looking at various names, and looking for something, anything that didn't have a crazy weird name. Why were there no simple coffee.
"Erm, Ruby? Are you sure? You never...I Mean, You usually prefer some sweet drinks" Weiss looked a bit worried. Ruby shrugged at that. She couldn't lie. She was bad at lying. But she could say a half lie. Half lies were better, and easier.
"I just...Well, I want to try and understand you. And instead of trying to go for the big things, I decided it would be better to work from ground and up." Ruby nodded and smiled proudly. Weiss was a bit surprised by that, blinking a few times, before simply assuming its another weird quirk of the younger girl.
"Very well, Ruby. But if I may propose something. Order yourself a moccaccino. Its ... Its coffee with chocolate. Should be better for uh...your Little Schnee research." The white haired girl winked, at which the redhead couldn't help but blush a bit, rubbing her neck.
"Right. What about you? What will you have? And um please tell me the name and...what It is. Since just the name won't really tell me much." Ruby smiled sheepishly. Weiss mussed for a moment as she scanned the menu.
"I think I'll get myself a Café au lait. I don't need much caffeine today since we don't have any plans. Its ... Let's say its coffee with milk, Ruby." The Schnee explained.
The redhead nodded that she understood. While she understood what the words meant, she didn't understand why they couldn't just call them something simple. Like coffee with milk. Why the confusion and everything.
After the waiter came, he took their orders. It was quiet and not much folks would come by this early on a Saturday morning.
"So why the sudden interest in trying to understand me, Ruby?" The Schnee focused her gaze at the younger girl. The redhead gave a soft shrug.
"I'm not sure. I could stop if it makes you feel uncomfortable? I didn't mean to sound rude, Weiss." Ruby lowered her gaze. Its true, she didn't think about it at first. But perhaps this wasn't nice, should she stop?
The Schnee simply giggled at that. "Ruby, please. I could name a few other things you do that would annoy me more then you simply trying to understand me. If anything? Its quite flattering." Cheeks of the white haired girl turned red at that. It didn't break her warm smile that she offered to the redhead.
The potential awkwardness of the overall situation and their topic was saved, when a waitress came with their orders. He carefully settled both cups in front of the young girls and left.
"Hey, Weiss?"
"Mmm?" The Schnee picked up her cup and enjoyed the aroma, as her eyes peered at the younger girl.
"We should do this more often. I mean, not necessary this, I mean not that I mind! Just its already something you do with Blake. But just...have Something to do from time to time." It was now Ruby's turn to blush, as she rubbed her neck.
The heiress tilted her head, before nodding. "I agree, Ruby. Its time we found ourselves some weekly activity we could both share together." They shared a smile, and focused on their drinks.
Ruby raised her own cup, letting the aroma hit her nose. It had a mix of the same caffeinated scent of the black goo Weiss liked to drink before morning classes, but it wasn't as strong, due to it being softened by the sweet, chocolate scent.
It presented itself nicely, with a bit of brown foam on top. Ruby of course wasn't sure how this kind of fancy caffeine things should look. But for someone inexperienced? It looked nice. She raised the cup, aware of how hot it might be, to take a soft sip.
She allowed for the liquid to roll over her tongue. There it was, the initial bitterness of the coffee, soon to be overwhelmed by the chocolate taste, and once more leaving a slightly bitter aftertaste. It wasn't bad. Quite more enjoyable then that one coffee she once accidentally drank. Ugh, that was awful.
But that brought her to the initial question. Would Weiss taste like this? Bitter? Weiss could have an initial taste like this. Like this drink. Bitterness. Ruby understood why, with all that past she had behind her. Being rich, having a dad that's...not As good as her own dad, to the point that she decided to be a huntress to cleanse her family name. That would be the perfect initial taste for Weiss. But still, that was just part of the experience. And Ruby refused to believe that the Schnee was overall bitter.
oooOOOooo
"Weiss? Remember when you said that we don't have anything to do today?" Ruby inquired as they were walking along the streets of Vale, no real direction. Just a peaceful walk after they were done with their coffees.
"Mmm...I Do. And I assume that You just thought of something in that little dolt brains of yours, since you're asking, Am I correct?" The Schnee smirked, to which Ruby just rolled her eyes.
"Glad your semblance is mind reading, Weiss. But yes, in fact I did have an idea! Video games!" Ruby exclaimed as she stopped and raise her arms to showcase the arcades they just happened to come across.
"Ugh Ruby you know I hate these." The Schnee pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Noooo, you enjoy them. Its just that you get a tiiiiny bit too emotional when you loose." Ruby showed the tiny part with her index finger and thumb.
The Schnee frowned and stomp her feet. "I do not get mad over loosing. I get mad over the games being broken, thus me loosing due to it being unfair. And you know if anything? I dislike unfair treatment. So I tend to react in a very Yang like fashion." Weiss crossed her arms. "B-Besides I don't think they'll allow me inside after...you Know. Last time.
"Oh come on Weiss, you did pay for the damage! Why would they be mad? Or even remember you." Ruby waved her hand dismissively.
"Because, you dolt, they had to close for a month to renovate the place."
"But it was like...uh..."
"Last month, Ruby."
The redhead sighed. Right. It still baffled her how anyone would get soo...passionate About pac-man. "Well let's...see. If anything they'll tell us to leave, right? Pleeassee? I promise to keep you in check if they allow us to stay!" Ruby pleaded, giving her puppy eyes. Weiss groaned, she understood it was unfair for the redhead to be this way. Since the Schnee had no other option.
"Fine, if they even let us in." Weiss sighed in defeat. Ruby grinned and took the heiress arm as she pulled her into the arcades.
"You! No! We had enough destruction since last time!" It was Jim, your local arcade worker. At least that's what his tag name said. Well the Jim part, not the local arcade worker. But that was obvious due to him working at an arcade. That was local.
"H-Hey I paid for the damage, alright?" Wiess pouted hurtfully. Ruby jumped between the two before things would get too far. She did want to enjoy some games with the Schnee, not get into a fight.
"Y-Yeah, and I mean. Now I know she is very um passionate so I'll have an eye on her. Please? I promise we won't break anything!" The redhead pleaded with the arcade worker.
"Listen kiddo, I'll let you two in just because she paid for it last time. But if she destroys anything again, I'll ban you both from entering this place ever again, got that?" The man turned to walk away, mumbling to himself as he moved away from the two girls. "Holy dust lord on a pogo stick I still have to pay for the therapist after the last time. Easy stress free job my..." Ruby didn't get the last word of that, since the man got too far. But she got what she wanted, access to the arcades.
The redhead turned towards the Schnee with a victorious grin. "See? We're clear to go. Just...try Not to get too angry, alright? I mean I know you wouldn't get here if it wasn't for me. So at least try so for me."
Weiss sighed and nodded. "Alright, I'll try my best. For you." She gave her a soft smile, and both of them moved deeper into the arcades.
Nothing of interest happened. They swapped games often, due to Ruby trying to keep Weiss in line, the girl still being quite easy to anger by this sort of medium. It was perhaps an hour, or an hour and a half, when they decided to sit down at some couches and allow for their legs to rest.
"Ruby? I think I'll get something to drink. You want anything?" The Schnee looked around to try and find any source of drinks in the building. It seemed she found something, as her gaze turned to the redhead.
"I don't know, I guess some soda would be okay. Your pick!" Ruby added immediately, putting such dire decisions onto the shoulders of the Schnee. Weiss simply rolled her eyes and got up to get to the nearest vending machine.
So far this wasn't a disaster as Ruby thought it would be. Nothing got destroyed, and Ruby managed to keep Weiss from throwing one of the guns onto the screen at one point. Luckily nobody saw that. Hopefully.
"Here you go, Ruby. I got you some cherry one, since if you won't tell me what you want, I'll simply go by colors." Weiss shoved the can in front of the redheads face. The younger girl blinked in surprise, requiring a few seconds before she took the drink and smiled at the heiress.
Weiss settled back down onto the couch with a sigh. Ruby did notice that Weiss got them both the same flavor. Actually something else was on her mind...
"Weiss? You're drinking soda? Since...since When?" She tilted her head as she watched The Schnee. Was she that thirsty?
"Mmm? Well you had some coffee, I thought it wouldn't kill me to have something unhealthy and awful for your body just this time." Weiss shrugged and opened her drink. Ruby nodded at that. It made sense. Was Weiss also researching Ruby? Or was it just an excuse to drink some sweet sugar melted in carbonated water.
The redhead opened her own can and took a sip of the drink. The sweet taste. Would Weiss taste sweet as well? She did establish earlier that the Schnee had to have some kind of bitter initial taste.
But would the general taste be sweet?
Ruby tried not to stare at the girl too much. She didn't want to weird the heiress out by acting odd. She took another sip, letting the fizzling drink tickle her tongue. Perhaps Weiss would have a sweet taste, but Ruby didn't want to believe it was such a simple sweetness. Weiss wasn't a simple person, and she wouldn't taste like carbonated water with artificial flavoring and tons of sugar in it. She refused to believe so.
oooOOOooo
"Ruby do we have to? Its junk food." Weiss groaned, yet still she followed the redhead.
"But I thought you like pizza?" the younger girl tilted her head, not quite sure why her friend was so negative about it. If you like something, why refuse having it.
"Exactly Ruby, I like it. I like it too much. And its so unhealthy and awful for you." Weiss hugged herself, looking as guilty as one could.
"Its alright, I got your back in the arcades, I'll be sure we won't eat too much at the pizza place!" Ruby grinned which made Weiss sigh and smile, nodding.
"Fine, I trust you Ruby."
They opted for a small pizzeria not far from the arcades. Mostly because it was empty, and they didn't want to wait ages for their food. Once inside they received their menus. Both of them deciding what topping would be best.
"Hey Weiss? Maybe we could share? Like one larger pizza for the two of us?" Ruby peeked from over her menu.
"Oh really Ruby, please do explain what it means to share something." Weiss settled the menu down and place her elbow on the table, her chin resting on top of her hand, as she intensely looked onto the redhead.
The younger girl rolled her eyes. "Well gosh Weiss, Its a good thing they don't have a pizza called sarcasm, or else I would mistake you for a waitress with how well you served that." Ruby stared at Weiss.
Both girls stayed that way for a few moments, before they bursted into a fit of giggles. Ruby liked moments like this. Where they could seemingly get annoyed or mad at each other, but deep down both sides knew it was just for jest. That was one of many perks of having friends. Banter.
"What would you want Ruby? As long as it doesn't have any fruits on it, I'm fine." Weiss peered into the menu once more, now trying to find something neutral enough for both of them to be enjoyable.
"Well, we can either try to seek something with a rich topping, or just go for something plain. Like number three. See? Mushrooms and ham. Nothing fancy." Ruby awaited for the decision of the Schnee. She knew that when Weiss had time, she'd rather consider every possibility. She never rushed, it was something that Ruby wished she had. Self control in certain situations.
"I think that's fair." With the Schnee approval, they called for the waiter and ordered their food. Ruby took a glance at the heiress who was looking out the window while they waited. The street life was lively due to the current hour of the day.
Ruby had a different thought. Perhaps she was approaching this taste topic from the wrong side. Already trying to determine the taste. Perhaps it required a different approach, from a different side.
She couldn't test consistency or texture, and smell was out of the question due to them being in a restaurant. And she doubted Weiss smelled like pizza ingredients. So what about visual presentation?
Ruby placed her arms on the table, and then rested her head on them, to hide her need for further examination.
Weiss always was pretty to the younger girl. While a lot of people would refer to Ruby herself as cute, the redhead didn't think of Weiss as cute. She was pretty. She really had that dignifying presence that would nullify any kind of cute or adorable, leaving only beauty.
Now the scar, most people who would agree that Weiss was pretty, would tend to say how the scar adds to that. But Ruby didn't think that. She didn't think it makes her face ugly, that wasn't it. But the scar wasn't a beautifying thing. It added something else. This edge to her face. This small detail that would go against the claims that she looked delicate.
If Weiss was a flower, she would be a rose and that scar would be the thorn part of her visual side. Making her that much unique, and while beautiful, she would not allow herself to be treated without care.
As she heard steps, Ruby rose up. And just in time as the big plate was placed between the two. The steaming pizza making both girls drool a little. It was quite some time since breakfast.
Ruby took a bite of her slice, letting the melted cheese stretch itself. She allowed for the salty taste to overcome her mouth. The cheese and ham taste mostly, with a little bitterness from the mushroom addition.
That brought Ruby to the idea of Weiss and how she tastes, of course. Was she a complicated mix of different ingredients? Like pizza, for example. But that wouldn't explain a lot. Since pizzas have a lot of different toppings and it would still force Ruby to decide what kind of ingredients would land on a Schnee pizza.
Besides, just like soda, Weiss wouldn't taste like something as simple as pizza. Ruby once more refused to believe that. It had to be way more high quality then this.
oooOOOooo
Ruby gasped. "Weiss! Icecream truck!" She pointed at...well, An icecream truck standing in front of the entrance to the park. The Schnee rolled her eyes and smiled.
"I think its about to leave, so I doubt we'll manage to..." At that point there was a flurry of red petals, and when Weiss blinked she saw Ruby next to it. The heiress sighing as she quickened her pace to catch up.
Once she caught up with the girl, she already was holding two icecream cones, and the car was moving away. Ruby offered one of them to Weiss.
"He was closing because he was out of things. He managed to get two last scoop's of vanilla for us, and it was free!" Ruby announced proudly, to which she received a pat on the head from the heiress.
"Very nice Ruby. I guess we can sit down and ..." And there was a splat. Both of them looked down at the white mess close to Weiss shoes. "...and I guess I won't be able to enjoy it." The Schnee gave a sad sigh.
Ruby wanted to offer the other girl her own icecream, but she knew that the Schnee wouldn't accept it. Instead a different plan formed in her head. She knew that trying to push against the stubborn heiress wouldn't work.
"Its fine Weiss, we'll share this one." Ruby grinned and grabbed the white haired girl arm, tugging her towards the nearest bench.
"Ruby, share? How...do You plan on sharing this kind of icecream?" Weiss raised a brow.
Once they settled on one of the benches in the park, Ruby raised her hand with the icecream. "Its simple, you lick one side, and I'll lick the other." The redhead announced happily, to which the Schnee couldn't help but blush.
"I...don't Know Ruby. Isn't that kind intimate or something?" The heiress rubbed her arms, and now it was the redheads turn to blush.
"If you won't have icecream, I'm throwing mine as well. So lets share this one. Or if you're stubborn I'll throw mine as well. Come on Weiss, we're friends, we share a room. And we can share a silly icecream." Ruby gave her friend a pleading look. The Schnee let out a defeated sigh.
"F-Fine, you stubborn dolt." Weiss mumbled and leaned to take a lick of the icecream. Even though she agreed to it, the heiress continued to blush at the activity they agreed upon. Ruby wasn't in any better condition, her cheeks as red as her cape. Yet the two simply took small licks of the frozen dairy product.
Ruby decided to once more distract herself. Vanilla. That was actually the first idea that got into the younger girls head when she thought how Weiss would taste like. Like vanilla. Or like vanilla icecream, her being from Atlas and all that.
This theory had a few issues.
First being that, this would make Weiss cold by nature. And that wasn't true. Weiss could be cold on the outside. It was the initial bitter taste. But under that she was a warm person. And Ruby refused to believe otherwise.
Second, Weiss would never melt under but a little pressure. Icecreams, once taken out of the freezer, melt. If they ever get out of their comfort zone, they start to give out. Weiss wasn't like that.
Lastly, vanilla was such a plain flavor. And Weiss wasn't plain. She was unique, and Ruby refused to believe that she could taste in such a plain way.
oooOOOooo
After their weirdly enjoyable scoop of icecream, the girls decided to continue their walk and to do so in the park they found themselves in.
Ruby wasn't sure when it happened, but at some point she felt the other girls fingers brush against her hand. While normally it would be a clear sign to move her hand away, as they would walk too close to one another, she did the opposite. She allowed for their fingers to entwine with each others.
And it was from that point that they walked next to each other, hand to hand, enjoying the green parts of the city. It was late evening, they still had an hour or maybe two to enjoy before they had to head back. It was also a great opportunity for Ruby to further her research.
Texture, since she was holding Weiss hand, she could feel her skin. Her fingers gently and slowly caressed the heiress digits, and to her surprise she felt her friend do the same. It wasn't bad, of course. The feeling of their fingers just lightly dancing against each other as they walked.
Neither of them really reacted to that. They shared a smile or a glance now and then. Ruby didn't want to bring it up mostly due to the fact that since Weiss didn't, why should she. It was nice, and its never good to overthink nice things.
But she got distracted. She was a researcher and she had to be professional.
Weiss hand was soft, and she wouldn't expect anything else. While earlier she claimed that the scar gave her that edge that would take away some of the soft look she had, there was no denying that her skin would lack that kind of flaw.
It was soft, perhaps a bit cold, but Ruby wasn't sure. Was it just that her own hand was very warm?
The redhead shook her head. It wasn't important. While she wasn't sure what taste she had, yet, she could confirm that Weiss had a very pleasant, soft texture about herself. Something that would promise a very prolonged sensation.
oooOOOooo
"Ruby?" Weiss stopped as they approached the academy. They were standing next to the entrance to the dorms, it was already dark and people were inside their rooms, getting ready to bed.
"Yes, Weiss?" The redhead tilted her head curiously as to what the Schnee had on her mind that was brought up so suddenly.
"Was...this A date?" The heiress blushed as she looked away. That surprised Ruby, as her own cheeks turned red.
"I'm...not Sure Weiss." The younger girl answered honestly. Perhaps she was so busy with her research that she wouldn't consider anything like that.
"You can stop me anytime, but...just In case it was a date?" Weiss focused her gaze on the younger girl and soon leaned forward. Ruby's eyes went wide in surprise at that. Yet once her brain caught up with what was going on, she herself moved to meet the other girl halfway there.
Soon their lips touched. And Ruby decided that this was the best way to do her research proper. While Weiss most likely planned to keep it nice and soft, it was Ruby who's curiosity had to be sated. It was a chance one in million.
So she timidly brushed her tongue against the other girls lips. Ruby felt Weiss tense up for a moment, most likely considering the situation. But it took her but a few seconds before she shyly parted them. Thus allowing access for the younger girls tongue.
Neither of them were experienced kissers. But they understood the general idea. While the moment and emotions fueled the motion, it was the shyness and inexperience that kept the entire thing on a sweet level. It was the perfect balance between the two, to not ruin this moment for either of the girls.
Ruby felt the other girls arms being wrapped around her. Her waist and neck. She felt the Schnee hand at the back of her head, how she brushed her fingers gently through her short bangs. The younger girl moved both her arms to wrap them around the heiress neck, as they both kept each other close.
As their tongues danced between their mouths, Ruby had to agree with her previous assessments. Weiss tasted so sweet. But it wasn't like some sugared soda. It wasn't even like cookies. It sent jolts of electricity down her spine. It tickled her entire body. She never knew that something like taste could do something like this. But here she was. Weiss was tasting shockingly, and that wasn't a pun. It was reality.
And the consistency of Weiss would be the same as her texture. So soft. She knew that this could last forever, and Ruby would not have enough. This sweet taste could linger forever. Yet there were other laws in play.
Soon they parted, each of them panted as they looked into each other eyes. Ruby felt the aftertaste. It was delicious, and made her crave for more. But she couldn't define how it tasted. This strange sensation.
"Hey Ruby?"
"Yeah?"
"I hope you still want to do this weekly?" Weiss asked, she looked to the side nervously. And Ruby took her hands, smiling.
"I'd love to." Was all the redhead said. The Schnee smiled back at the girl, and they decided to once more hold hands as they walked towards their room.
Ruby hoped that she would have a lot of occasions to do her research. After all, this aftertaste had to be solved sooner or later. Preferably later.
Authors Note:
Another weird WhiteRose from me! This time I did it! I managed to make something from Ruby's perspective! ... Yeah I know neither of you care, cause you all clicked on this hoping for some TASTING ACTION...pervs.
Just kidding, I love you all. Hope you enjoyed the story!