Rarepair Week: Elderburn
"It´s my sister´s wedding and seeing all these happy couples is killing me and all I can think about is how this was almost us," AU (bonus: "I know that it's two in the morning and I'm dressed really formally and a little (a lot) bit drunk but I couldn't stop thinking about you after my grandma asked how you were doing also can I come in its freezing out here")
Winter had always thought the young Rose girl would be better off as a bridesmaid; she had that boundless enthusiasm that worked well for the occupation, alongside the energy to plan a wedding. Weiss had affectionally compared Ruby to a force of nature as she helped prepare, but all Winter saw when Ruby walked up to that altar was someone that looked like she could be knocked over with a particularly strong gust of wind. Now that the nerves had passed, Ruby was leading the dancefloor into what had to be the second consecutive hour (Winter dimly recalled hearing something about "Screw lady stilts, I'll do it in flats as God intended!") with only a few stops for water.
Winter was quite proud of Ruby and Weiss for setting this up. Had she not known the two of the essentially planned the entire thing themselves, she'd have assumed a professional was brought in. She watched the couples dance from an alcove, saw them mixing and chatting and laughing. That drunk old Qrow with Yang's father, currently roaring in laughter. Blake and Roman, Mercury with Neo, Nora with Ren, Coco with Velvet and Jaune with Pyrrha. She wasn't sure half of them were together, but they were mixing and changing partners so much it was hard to keep track.
She certainly wasn't looking for Yang, definitely not. That would imply she had yet to move on. A ludicrous concept. She was just looking for Yang's plume of hair so she could see if Yang had found happiness with someone else. It had been a few months since they called things off, Winter just wanted Yang to be happy.
As the phrase goes, speak of the devil and she doth appear. A tap on her shoulder snapped Winter out of her thoughts, and she turned to see Yang standing by the booth Winter had claimed. Winter swallowed the urge to compliment how well Yang made that dress work. "Hey. You mind if I sit?"
"Of course." Winter scooted over, letting Yang sit opposite her.
"I didn't get a chance to talk to you before now. Heck, I barely saw you at the ceremony." Yang chuckled. "I remember when I had to tell Ruby to go make friends, and now look at her. I bet everyone in this room has a few stories with Ruby in them, and she makes it look so natural."
"I almost envy her," Winter admitted.
"That's my sister for you." Yang paused. "Well, our sister now. You're her sister in law now after all."
Winter hummed in agreement. "How have you been? It's been a while since we spoke."
Yang shrugged. "Living. You know how it is." She coughed. "Listen, sorry if I'm keeping you from hitting the floor-"
"No need to apologize. I came alone anyway. Am I not delaying you from your own dance partner?"
"Really?" Yang frowned, brow creasing. "I'd have thought you'd be beating them off with a stick." She shrugged casually. "I came alone too. Got busy the last while, wasn't really looking for someone."
"Make no mistake Yang, I received quite a few invitations." It was Winter's turn to shrug. "I simply didn't accept any of them because none of them caught my eye."
That was true.
"Huh."
"I've just not been looking for a relationship. Between the wedding and work, I've been like you, busy."
That was a lie. Winter's gaze went back to the dancefloor, and a small spike of envy lodged in her heart alongside one thought.
'This was nearly Yang and I.'
One of Ruby's friends came over "Sal-u-tations Yang! Ruby has made a bet with me that I will not be able to dance with more people tonight than her. Can you assist me?"
Yang gave Penny an easy smirk. "Anything to spite my little sis. Come on Penny." Yang looked over. "We'll talk later, OK Winter?"
"Of course. I'll see you around Yang."
Winter tried really hard to not check Yang out as she sauntered away, but the flesh was weak (she'd be lying if she didn't like the view, though). Soon, Winter was left alone to her thoughts, eyes barely leaving Yang for much of the night. She was subtle about it, most of the time.
"Dear, you might as well have a pair of binoculars strapped to your eyes, your gawking is so blunt."
Contrary to what her mother said, of course. Even while six glasses deep, Willow's wit was sharper than the night winds of her homeland.
Winter stiffened automatically; the natural response to having to speak to a member of her family that wasn't Weiss. "Apologies mother."
Willow moved to where Yang had sat earlier, appraising her daughter. "I never asked why you two ended your relationship, did I?"
"It never bore repeating." All Winter remembered was a huge fight between them that got increasingly vicious as the night dragged on. Whatever the catalyst had been- a poor timed jab from Yang, one sharp demand too many from Winter about Yang being an occasional slob- it ultimately paled compared to the fight. Winter regretted it, and if Ruby was to be believed, Yang did too. They'd talked since then, but the passion, that fire of an immovable object meeting an unstoppable force? Had faded. That was the problem with them- they were both too stubborn to mend bridges until it was too late.
"Shame," Willow mused, "I liked her."
"I didn't think it possible," Winter muttered. "I guess this wedding is bringing out the sappy fool in you."
"Even a heart of ice can melt from time to time, dear."
Winter hummed in acknowledgement. She'd gone back to looking at Yang. Damnit.
"Whitley would enjoy this, I think. Realizing that you aren't over her."
Winter's face fell into her hands. "Do you enjoy my suffering, mother?"
"I'm a Schnee; I enjoy all suffering when it's not me doing the suffering." Willow's face softened marginally, and she rubbed Winter's back. "How is the young Xiao-Long doing these days?"
"She's doing well." Winter grabbed a glass and took a sip.
"… And?"
"And what?"
Willow sighed. "And is she seeing someone?" Winter blinked in surprise. "Come on Winter, do I need to spell this out to you?"
"She didn't say…"
"And you really think Yang would come alone if she could help it? Plenty of the people here would have come with her like the Belladonna girl. But she came alone."
"If you're insinuating what I think you're insinuating…"
"I don't insinuate. It's a bad habit." Willow sighed again. "Very well, I shall be blunt. Notice the friends over there." Willow gestured with her wine-glass hand at where Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha and Ren were sitting. "They would have all gladly gone with Yang had she asked. Same for Belladonna. So why did she come alone?"
Winter's face fell onto the table as realization dawned on her. "Because she wanted to see if I was interested in getting back together with her."
"Winter Schnee, to borrow a phrase I hear my new daughter-in-law use sometimes, you useless lesbian."
Winter groaned, holding up a hand for the server nearby. "I have an agenda to fulfil then. I think you'll be proud of me mother."
"And that is?" Willow sniffed as Winter left, quickly coming back with a bottle of bourbon.
"To get as drunk as I can so I can purge this embarrassment from my memory." Winter began to drink straight from the bottle.
It was a miracle Winter was still conscious, she thought to herself. It was a similar miracle that the hotel reception desk was unstaffed when she entered the lobby and acquired Yang's room number, which led to her rapping on the door at… what time was it? Willow had made some snide comment about showing Winter how to properly drink like a Schnee before getting her own bottle.
Winter could dimly hear the karaoke continuing below, indicating that Willow was still conscious too.
The door finally opened after who knew how long. Yang was on the other side, blearily rubbing her eyes. "Winter? What the fuck are you doing here, it's two in the morning."
"I'm really drunk," Winter muttered. "Kind of my fault. But I needed to talk to you now, from the heart and whatever other lovey dovey shit Ruby spews."
"So, you decided to get shitfaced?"
"My plan sounded better a few hours ago, I admit." Winter blinked rapidly as her brain remembered it was tired and tried to get her to go to sleep. "Look, I lied. I've not seen anyone since we broke up because no one matched up to you. And I'm sorry about that argument and everything that was said." Winter paused. "And for trying to throw your dog out the window."
"Zwei forgives you, by the way." Yang smirked a little at that. "I'm sorry too. Do you even remember what the fight was about?"
"Honestly? No. And thank God, it's not just me." They both laughed quietly at that, Yang leaning against the doorframe. "But seriously, I royally fucked up that night."
"Never heard you swear before." Yang mused.
"You never got me this drunk." She helped her point by stumbling slightly. "I've spent a long time regretting that fight. I've missed you nearly every day since I left. And I wanted you to know that." Winter blushed a little, looked at her feet. "And that if you would let me, I would like to kiss you."
Yang was (poorly) hiding her snickering with her hand, but Winter knew it wasn't mocking. "Fine, come over here." She kissed Winter, skin hot like the surface of the sun. Winter nearly moaned in relief- fuck, she had missed this. "I missed you too," she whispered, "and I'm sorry for stuffing some of your clothes in the paper shredder."
She smiled. "Also," Winter muttered after a minute, "I left my spare clothes in my car and it's freezing out, so can I share a bed with you?"
Yang pulled back, still smirking and sporting a mean pair of bedroom eyes. "Oh, we'll do more than share, Ice Queen."
Winter gulped. Well, she was sobered up now. "Lead the way, Drache."
"I've missed that name on your lips," Yang shot over her shoulder. "And a lot of other things you said."
Winter blinked a few times before the lightbulb over her head flickered on. She swallowed, before following. The door closed behind her.