How (not) to ask Important Questions (Part I):
Characters: Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Winter Schnee, Blake Bellodonna
Pairings: Whiterose, Bumblebee, Wintercrow (Mentioned)
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings, these belong to Rooserteeth and Monty Oum, may he rest in peace.
Summary:
When two people love each other a lot one often decides to ask the other a very important question which may determine the rest of their lives. This is how to and how not to answer that question. Enjoy!
Yang's Bar
Weiss Schnee was many things, refined, controlled, and not afraid, definitely not afraid. Yet here she was standing in front of the door to knock on her girlfriend's sister's door. What if she says no? What do I do then? I mean I can't just ask Ruby, without Yang's blessing there'd be no way… Ruby'd be destroyed over it. As Weiss' mini crisis over asking a simple, yet important, question continues Yang moves to the door and flips the closed sign to open, yet movement outside catches her eye. Interested Yang opens the door and smiles as she looks at Weiss who is standing with her back to the door.
"So you gonna stand there all day like a block of ice Ice Queen, or are you gonna come in and let me help you?" Yang questions her lips turning up into a smile as Weiss slowly turns around to face her. How do I go about this? Should I just ask? Do I wait until after pleasantries? Dust! I'm not good with these things. "Weiss? Are you okay? You look like you're about ready to keel over, and as a possible sister-in-law I can't exactly let that happen, Ruby would kill me."
"Oh shut you big Blonde Oaf! I'm trying to think can't you see that!" Weiss shouts out of desperation and stress. Yang shakes her head as she helps the shorter woman into the bar and turns back flipping the sign back to closed. Yang seats the two of them at a table and hands Weiss a glass of water while pouring some for herself.
"Alright Ice Queen, spill it. I haven't seen you this confused and stressed since you were thinking about asking out Ruby," Yang explains, barely concealed concern on her face. Weiss leaves her thoughts to look up from the cold glass of water she'd been using to help collect herself at Yang who is curiously looking at her. "Come on, we're teammates, I mean you might be sleeping with my sister but you can still tell me anything, unless it's about those kinds of… activities."
"Dust damn you Xiao Long! Yang come on! You were so close to showing even some remote concern for me but you had to go and say that?" Weiss yells as her cheeks begin to colour themselves red despite her best efforts. Yang just smiles before reaching across the table and hugging Weiss slightly.
"There's the frozen princess I love to listen to! Now come on, what's on your mind? You don't usually go looking for me, especially here unless it's something important." Weiss groans in response, and does one of her rare slumps.
"It is important Yang, it's just… I don't know how to ask you this…"
"Ice Queen, if there was one thing I was always wrong about you, it's that you can't surprise me. Everyday I see the two of you together you prove me wrong, from the minute I met you at Beacon I'd had you pegged as a Daddy's girl rich kid to snobby for the rest of us. Now that couldn't be further from the truth. I think I know why you're here though… so I'll say yes on one condition."
"B-but I-I haven't asked yet! I-I c-c-could be asking… Asking to borrow… Bumblebee…" Weiss stutters out before slowly dying out. Yang smirking as she watched the former heiress fidget in her seat.
"Weiss, when I said you can't surprise me, I meant that I can read you like Blake read her books, fast and easy. You are by far the easiest of this team to predict, except my little sis sometimes. You're here because you want to ask my permission for you to marry Ruby, right?" Yang states as she leans and presses the table closer, physically blocking escape for the fencer.
"H-how di… How did you know?" Weiss wonders her voice fighting to stay even.
"Ask your question, and then I'll give you my answer and condition," Yang says evenly, her tone offering no other option.
"D-do I-I have y-you're p-p-permission to… Do I have you blessing to ask Ruby to marry me?" Weiss asks hesitantly at first, but certain at the end. The CEO's posture moves from a slump to the imposing straight backed posture that had men twice her size scared of what she'd do to them. Yang wasn't fazed though, not in the slightest, because she knew she had protection from the powerful woman in front of her, protection in the form of a red caped crusading Huntress.
"So long as you fulfill a single condition you will not only have my blessing, but my full support for the rest of our lives Weiss," Yang answers. Weiss waits though, but when Yang doesn't continue to speak Weiss fits one of her coldest glares upon her girlfriend's elder sister.
"What's the condition Yang?" Weiss asks, her voice having gone cold and the temperature of the room having dropped a couple of degrees at the continued silence. Yang's lips once again enter that knowing smirk she's worn since her days at Beacon.
"You're too easy Weiss… but my condition is simple. Ruby doesn't change," Yang states simply. Weiss just looks at the other confused.
"Yang I'm not going to go and try to purposely change your sister, do you think I want to? I love her for who she is… without Ruby I might still be locked up in Atlas instead of having had Schnee Dust's headquarters moved here to Vale, and living with her…" Weiss trails off as her eyes glaze over in memory of… unsavory times. Yang lifts her robotic arm and snaps the mechanical fingers in front of the CEO.
"Hey Weiss. Weiss! Hey… I don't think you understand what I meant… I guess saying it that way wasn't very clear. Weiss when I say 'Ruby doesn't change' I don't mean I don't want her to change, I mean that I don't want those creeps you call investors, board members, and high society socialites to change her. Whatever happens, I want Ruby to stay Ruby, I want her to always have a say in whether she changes. I want your marriage to be a partnership, not unlike the one you've had since you got together and our years at Beacon. I don't want to ever see that smile that doesn't reach her eyes, to see that cookie eating scythe wielder forced into a mold just like you were. Does that make sense?" Yang questions looking intently at her teammate. Weiss looks down for a second before her eyes raise up with a steel in those icy orbs.
"Yang Xiao Long, as long as I live and breath those 'creeps' will never be anything more in our lives than that. Those socialites will never get their hands on her. Ruby will stay Ruby, not because I want her to, or because I'll never allow her to attend those functions, but because Ruby will never be anyone else. I promise that if anyone in my world even thinks of making her unwelcome I will personally skin them alive and roll them in salt then stitch their skin back on so that they have to walk around with salt rubbing against the muscles beneath their skin for the rest of their lives. If anyone lays a hand on her, they'll be lucky if I grant them a quick death. I love her Yang and I would never allow anything bad to happen to her."
Weiss' rant finishes and she struggles to even out her breathing as she watches that knowing smirk grow on Yang's face.
"I told you Ice Queen… I can read you like a book, I figured that you would do something like that, I just needed to hear you say it aloud, in front of me. I give you my blessing to ask Ruby to marry you Weiss, I just hope that you can finally beat her to the punch."
Meanwhile…
Winter's Office, Atlas Military HQ
"Come in. Just know that I do not fancy interruptions to my bus…" the words die in her throat as Winter watches Ruby Rose walk into her office. Quickly the officer stands and walks around the desk to offer a short hug before reclaiming her seat and pointing Ruby to one of the ones before her.
"I'm so sorry Ruby, I've had enlisted soldiers coming through my door constantly today, with the new updates being performed on the Atlesian Knight 210s we've been quite busy around here. There is always time for Weiss' girlfriend though, may I ask what this is about?" Winter wonders as she watches Ruby fidget horribly in the offered chair, her eyes darting around the spotless walls and over the well taken care of desk.
"Winter… I had something important I want to ask you, and I was wondering if you'd be okay with me asking now? I know you're busy so… so if you need me to come back…" Ruby is cut off as Winter stands and walks to the door, shutting it, before returning to her chair.
"Ruby, I've always told Weiss my door is open, if there is something you need help with of course I'll help you. What do you need?" Winter wonders, very clearly intrigued by the younger's presence and state. She looked at the very restrictive fancy clothes that the twenty-six year old was wearing and couldn't help but smile.
A button up, red with black designs, originally covered by a black dress coat now hanging on the back of the chair, followed by a black pencil skirt and was tight even by Winter's standards. The young Rose looked like a secretary just waiting to be ordered about with lady killer looks, not that they'd ever compare to her older sister's but Winter wasn't one to judge considering Ruby wasn't that far off. She's dressed to impress…
"Winter… I was wondering… if you could maybe… give me… your blessinginaskingWeisstomarryme?" Ruby spits out as fast as she can. Winter takes a look at her, had she heard that right? Winter leans forward.
"Ruby, could you repeat that?"
"Could I have your blessing… to marry Weiss?" Ruby asks, her voice getting smaller and more hesitant as she went. Her cheeks were blood red and she couldn't even look the elder Schnee in the eye. Just like Qrow when he asked you out so long ago, both the first and the second time.
"Yes… on one condition," Winter answers, having left enough time for it to sink in, and then register that she'd said something else as well.
"Of course! Whatever you ask!" Ruby says eagerly. Winter smirks, she's not very good at negotiation, then again with looks like that, adorable and hot, it's not a wonder she has to be very good very often.
"Make her happy," Winter states simply. Ruby looks at her, and finally when she doesn't elaborate she asks.
"Make her happy?"
"I mean that if she says she would be happy not having kids, not having sex, or having you give up being a Huntress, or asking you to work at the SDC. You do it, I want nothing more than for my little sister to be happy, and if you want to marry her then you'll have to do just that. Make her happy Ruby Rose, because I know whatever she asks you'll do, because you love her. Also if you don't I'll just ask Qrow for some of your embarrassing childhood stories and share them across the network. You can have fun trying to recreate your Beowulf slaying Huntress in red thing once the world has seen your baby pictures."
Ruby just stares at the white haired saberist in fear, and the smirk on Winter's face grows to a smile.
"Make my sister happy Ruby, that's all I ask. Now enjoy the rest of your day, though don't be surprised if you get a calling from me sometime soon of a similar accord. I'll be watching."
Rose-Schnee Residence, Main Vale
She said she'd be here at 19:00 sharp. Where is she? Weiss wondered as she paced about her living room in a stunning white and red gown that left her arms bare and was fit to a tee. The dress showed off Weiss' curves and muscular arms despite her despising her, less than full figure, Ruby had asked her to wear 'that dress you know I like' which meant the only dress that Weiss had ever let the reaper tear off of her before they even got home. I don't know why she likes this dress so much, I feel like a freaking candy cane! Oh… wow I never thought of that before…
A knock on the door draws the fencer out of her reverie and back to the present, she grabbed her coat and folded it over her arm as she grabbed her purse and opened the door. For the third time in the youngest Schnee's life she was left speechless as she stared at Ruby.
The twenty-six year old had slipped into a blood red dress which stopped halfway down her legs, stockings going up to protect her from the cold. Weiss' gaze continued to travel up as she watched the dress seem to only get better as it went up. Tight in all the right places the dress was very conservative much to Weiss' surprise. Long red gloves cover the burns and scars on Ruby's right arm and the half mask Weiss had sewn covered the right side and eye of Ruby's face. But this one was different from the first one Weiss had sewn, as it was red with a white version of Ruby's Rose emblem on it instead of Ruby's normal red and black colour scheme. Weiss may hate the gloves and half mask, but she had to admit, it worked with the outfit somehow. It wasn't until Weiss started to grow cold that she realized they'd been gawking at each other, Ruby having no doubt considered dropping the evening all together at the sight of the red striped white ball gown.
The View
The ride had been long, but worth it. The two women were sitting at a table in one of the finest restaurants in Vale, situated on the side of one of Vale's mountains. Ruby smiles gleefully as she looks out at the setting sun, clouds coming in over their heads shedding snowflakes, the first of the season. Weiss stares at her partner across the table, still taken aback by the setting given that Ruby had set up the whole evening. I wonder if she is planning something.
The thought was soon whisked from her head as the steak and plate of noodles arrive at the table and they begin eating. Ruby's table manners impeccable, which was weird to Weiss. The reaper was off today, she normally fidgeted in her seat, but this was an all time record. Ruby's foot wouldn't stop tapping to save her life, whenever food wasn't on her fork she'd forget table manners and spin the implement about in her hand, and lastly Ruby looked everywhere except at Weiss.
The meal was much shorter than usual, both parties focused on eating, one due to nervousness and the other to curiosity. Weiss had decided to let the evening play out, she'd ask Ruby once their food was done. As if her mind had been read the waiter walked in and pulled their plates before stepping away.
"There was something important…" Weiss and Ruby say at the same time, causing them to blush and look away for a second.
"Go ahead Ruby, this is your evening you go first," Weiss answered motioning to her girlfriend who nodded and shakily stood moving closer to Weiss as she began to talk.
"Weiss, we've known each other for a long time. I still remember the crater I created at Beacon's front, a creator I'm sure is still there, and the partnership which ensued the next day. I look back and realize that there is something missing from this fairy tale we call life. We stopped the bad guys and women… Fought monsters and won… Yet it isn't a happy ending yet, no ever after so to speak. I… I guess what I want to say Weiss, is this… Weiss Schnee, will you marry me?" Ruby finishes kneeling down and opening a red case revealing a simple silver band with alternating Schnee snowflakes and Ruby's Roses, each coloured the other's colour, and a single tiny diamond set right in the center, so small in fact that it barely changes the ring's overall profile.
Weiss sat there almost incapable of answering before she finally spoke to her worrying girlfriend.
"No… This is all wrong! I was supposed to ask you to marry me! Ruby Rose how dare you beat me. I demand that you put that amazingly beautiful ring away and allow me to ask your hand instead," Weiss states firmly as her eyes meet the silver orbs, confused and wondering, as Ruby slowly puts the case away. Wait a sec… Did that go into the folds of her dress? Weiss quickly pulls out her purse and withdraws a cream white case before quickly switching Ruby's and her own positions, quite easily given the reaper's confused state. Weiss kneels before her girlfriend and holds out the now open case showing off a white metal band with a similarly small ruby embedded into it.
"Ruby Rose, would you do me the kind honour of marrying me?" Weiss asks staring into now gleeful silver pools absorbing her so much so that Weiss doesn't even hear the answer or notice when she is suddenly lifted up and twirled in hug. She regains her senses just in time to return the kiss Ruby delivers to her before setting her back down in her seat. Ruby then kneels and gives an adorable attempt at a glare.
"I still don't have an answer, you wouldn't leave me hanging now would you?" Ruby questions, the case having reappeared in her hands and once again open.
"Yes Ruby Rose, I will marry you… Now put on the Dust damned ring, I didn't spend hours watching the finest jewelers in Vale work on this ring for you to leave it in its case!" Weiss commands as she reaches for the case though a rose petal settles on the back of her hand, a hand whose ring finger now wore a white metal ring. She tries, and fails to glare at the woman smiling as she held up her hand to her glaring fiancé. Weiss places the ring gently pushing it along Ruby's hand before the other woman takes her spot across the table.
"I'm not gonna lie you nearly gave me a heart attack when you said no," Ruby explained as a waiter walks out with a Champagne bottle and dark chocolate cake covered in fudge frosting. "Also, I do hope you enjoy, I ordered your favourite."
Weiss smiles brightly as the cake is placed in the center of the table and a flute of Champagne is deposited next to her. Maybe she should have just let the evening take its course, but Ruby got the first date, dance, and kiss to initiate. Weiss Schnee still had her dignity and refuses to be out done, so she deserved to get the proposal… Right?
Rose-Schnee Residence
Weiss groans as Yang whoops at the ring on Ruby's finger… Again. Weiss looks at the brawler currently smiling with the biggest grin she'd ever seen on her. Blake does the equivalent smile on her own, a small but still bright smile, as she too looks at the ring.
"So Rubes I knew you two were on the same page but I never thought when I'd talked to you a week ago that Weiss was gonna come in today to ask for my blessing. I mean that's almost freaky. You planning I should know about Blakey? You took an awful long time when we left here last night," Yang says, to which Blake shirts nonchalantly.
"You'll just have to wait and see. I can't make it that easy on you can I?" Blake questions with her smile growing. "Ruby, didn't you make Weiss' ring yourself?"
Weiss' attention is suddenly rapt as she stares at her fiancé. Who groans and rubs the back of her head awkwardly.
"Blake… That was supposed to be a secret… But yes I did, I don't have the money to pay for a ring with everything I have going into funding Yang's bar, the Firehouse Pub, when she leaves for missions with me and the rest of it going towards making modifications and repairs to my sweetheart and of course the weapons of the rest of you."
Weiss walks over to her fiancé at the end of the statement and gives her a look.
"Oh… So am I not giving you enough money?" Weiss asks her eyebrow raising and a smirk on her face.
"W-what?" Ruby sputters. "I don't know what you speak of! I have never accepted my future wife's money!"
Blake and Yang smile, leaning on the kitchen island and watching the exchange intently.
"Really?" Weiss questions, already knowing the answer. "So how come it is that I never notice any deposits into my account or even yours after a mission? You surely can't always be paid in cash? You see I have a theory… I think the reason the balance in my spending account keeps going down is because someone isn't actually earning any Lien, in fact I'm almost positive all the missions she goes on are financed by the SDC because Ruby never accepts payment from anyone, just takes money from her ridiculously wealthy girlfriend to pay for everything instead. I seem to remember a very large transaction recently, maybe a month ago when you had me purchase a forge to fix Crescent Rose's blade… Could you have possibly been purchasing metal to make a new blade my dearest fiancé?" Weiss finishes her smirk small but noticeable as Ruby sweats and fidgets, ready to speed away.
"I accepted the last payment to pay for materials for the rings but otherwise don't accept payment unless it's holiday or someone's birthday is near!" Ruby shouts before an outline of rose petals appears where she'd been and the sound of a door slamming shut carries from upstairs.
"I should probably go make sure my whirlwind of a fiancé doesn't break something in our room, and tell her she's not in trouble," Weiss begins. "It was nice to see you again, dinner tomorrow night?"
"See you then, my place or yours?" Blake asks as Yang still is trying to figure out how Weiss knew all the finances of her household.
"You're as crazy as your gifriend if you think my fiancé and I leaving this house anytime soon, Belladonna," and with that Weiss disappeared on the stairwell and Blake pulled her still confused girlfriend towards the door.
"This is why I take care of taxes and finances Yang… Let it go or you'll get an aneurism dear," Blake states as she walks out into the snow still pulling Yang along behind her.
Author's Note:
I hope you enjoyed this installment; this will be a three part story at least. I've gotten a message for my Forever Fall AU as a story to post, it is a multi-chapter story that right now I have around 9 complete chapters for. It is a semi-darker AU following a successful defense of Beacon Academy at the end of volume 3 instead of a loss. I'll list off the other two stories I was willing to talk about if anyone would like to comment, message me about the AUs you find interesting, and also if there's something in my AU you want to know about just ask, I'll do my best to post a story or respond with an answer.
