"Oh my gosh!" Ruby exclaimed, rushing into Team RWBY's dorm ahead of her friends.
A modestly sized pine tree stood in centered between their bunks in front of their window with its greenery blocking much of the view outside of the snow covered campus. And there was Ruby jumping up and down, glee on her face, gesturing before it.
"Tree, you guys!" Ruby began fawning all over the bristling branches sending loose needles cascading to the ground.
"Ruby! You're making a mess, you dolt!" Weiss scolded the younger girl. But she felt the smile on her lips start to form despite her attempt to sound serious. Three months into their relationship, the heiress was finding it increasingly difficult chastise her girlfriend for her childlike qualities. They were all things that used to drive Weiss to the brink of annoyance. Now they were almost endearing. Ruby had been changing her and although the heiress made every attempt to fight it, she found herself softening.
"Oh, Weiss, was this you? Oh, of course it was!" Ruby bounced over and pulled Weiss against her chest in a close hug.
Weiss felt a blush race into her cheeks as she looked into Ruby's beaming face and grateful silver eyes.
"Thank you," Ruby whispered softly. Weiss relaxed and smiled and gave Ruby a quick peck on the lips. She loved making her partner happy. It was one of the most satisfying feelings Weiss had ever known. And as for Ruby, she could blind everyone in the room with that light.
The heiress stiffened in her girlfriend's strong arms as she heard Yang sniggering behind her.
"Awww, Weissy, look at you! How romantic," Yang teased. She pulled Blake into the room behind her, pushing past the embracing couple and admired the tree. "And get a room, will ya?"
Ruby shot Yang a dirty look as she flushed too. "Moment killer..." She muttered and released Weiss and took her hand instead.
Weiss rolled her eyes at the blonde. "No, not romantic, Yang. It's for all of you. Although your response is making me think I made the wrong choice."
"Oh, princess, don't- Ow!," Yang clutched her rib, freshly tender from the elbow that Blake had just jabbed into it.
"Sorry, Weiss. I really like the tree," she said dejectedly. She shot her girlfriend at wounded look and Blake just shook her head and smiled. Weiss gave Blake a small satisfied smile of appreciation that the Faunus returned in kind.
"It's a beautiful tree, Weiss. Thank you," Blake added sincerely.
Weiss had come to realize that she should just expect Yang to push her buttons. Wasn't that one of the perks that came with being a sister. And with the brawler being the older and protective one, Weiss had set herself up to be a target for uncomfortable moments precipitated by the ever playful Yang. But as long as Blake was around to help mitigate the fallout, Weiss figured it was a livable and even occasionally fun.
"Well, thank you for the compliment, Yang. And thanks," she directed at Blake with a wink.
"Guys, guuuuyssss! When do we get to decorate it?" Ruby was practically quaking in excitement.
All three girls looked at Weiss expectantly. Weiss couldn't help but feel her heart warm as she looked at her friends. Holidays had always been a difficult time for the heiress. Most had been marred with strife and dysfunction, best left pushed back into the recesses of her mind. Until she had met Ruby, she outright hated them. But these new memories that she was creating with her team, they were those of a girl who had a family that loved her. Although it had taken her awhile to accept it and especially to trust it, Weiss had come to understand that these three special people were her family now.
"Well, I thought that since I picked the tree, maybe you all could choose how to decorate it," Weiss cringed at the thought of what color schemes her teammates would select, but had already committed to letting them all having the tree that they wanted. After all, the heiress had scrooged away any possibility of a tree last year.
"But first, I wanted to give you a token of… well. It's a thing," Weiss stated uncomfortably. She walked over to her dresser and pulled out a box out of her top drawer. The heiress felt the eyes of her team watching her curiously. She opened the lid of the box to reveal three smaller boxes. She handed each of her friends a box, saving Ruby for last, wanting to be closest to her partner to see her reaction.
The girls shared a glance and then began to open their gifts all at once. Not surprisingly, Ruby tore into hers the fastest holding up a glass ornament that was shaped like a rose, its intricate dark red petals were placed on a white gold stem and a thread of the same metal was woven through the top to serve as a hanger.
"Oh, Weiss, it's so pretty," Ruby cooed and threw her arms around Weiss's neck causing the blush to return to heiress's face. " I love it, it's so me!" In a literal blur, younger girl was placing her ornament near the top of the tree, settling for a place that she would be able to see it from anywhere on her side of the room.
Blake was next and she opened up her box to reveal an ornament that was shaped like a black cat. It was made from honed obsidian and had yellow eyes made of amber resin. A gold chain wove around its body ending in a small hook. Weiss knew that Blake's Faunus heritage could be a tough topic to broach and she hoped her gift wasn't too on the nose.
"Weiss, it's so beautiful… It's too much. Thank you," Blake's mouth stayed agape as she touched the expertly crafted visage.
"I hoped that you would like it," Weiss said honestly as she felt a wave of relief.
Yang had paused her unwrapping to watch her sister and girlfriend experience theirs. Grinning, she opened up her box. She pulled out a large citrine that was a bright orange with yellow bursts in the corners. It was the shape of the sun and suited the brawler perfectly. A thick white gold cord wound through the top, supporting its weight. Yang gasped as she took in the striking colors of the gem in her hand.
"Oh, jeez, I don't even know what to say, Weiss," Yang walked over to Weiss and pulled her close for a rough hug. "Thanks, future sis-in-law," she said playfully adding a suggestive wink.
"Heh, you're too funny, Yang," She hugged Yang back. Her friends looked at her with a bit of surprised, not used to this brand of contrition from Weiss. But the heiress was in no mood to fight. Her surprise had been a success. And this feeling she had after sharing it with her team was almost as good as the one she had when she made Ruby laugh.
She watched as Yang and Blake selected the best location for their ornaments, smiling as her friends embraced when they were content. She turned to Ruby who was leaning against the dubiously situated bed posts taking in the scene. Weiss approached her girlfriend who instinctively lifted her arm up to accommodate the heiress. She snuggled in closely to Ruby's neck.
Ruby leaned in and whispered, "You're the best, Weiss. You didn't have to do all of this. I know it's different for you." Her voice was full of empathy and a note of sadness.
"You make me want to."
And for Weiss, that was all that really mattered.