Fun...
Ruby was laying in her bed wondering. Did Weiss know how to have fun? And Ruby didn't mean the boring things she considered fun. Like sitting and drinking coffee with Blake, or discussing differences between her own culture and that of Vale with Yang.
But there was nothing her and Weiss did that could be considered fun. Ruby appreciated books, but didn't really find it that enjoyable to read them for fun. She preferred other forms of paper media. Like comic books.
And while it was strange at first to find both Yang and Weiss discuss something so deeply, without getting at each other throats? It was surprising, but it was also nice that they found some common ground. They were both curious souls. Yang mostly because of her adventurous nature, and Weiss due to her sheltered past.
But Ruby didn't really care how people acted or if there were differences. The redhead simply wanted for people to be nice to each other, what other cultural thing should there be? If folks were nice to each other, there wouldn't even be need for any division into kingdoms! But when Ruby once approached Weiss with such topic, the white haired girl simply smiled and commented on how she wished it was that simple.
Dumb...
So Ruby was laying in her bed wondering. How to make Weiss get into something really fun. And by really fun, it clearly meant something that Ruby approved. To find something that they both could do.
And so the search began...
Arcades...
"Woo!" the redhead raised her arms in victory.
"I uh, well congratulations Ruby. It seems you beat me once more in this game." The happiness of victory was short lived for the younger girl. It was clear that Weiss wasn't having fun. Redhead bit her lower lip.
"Weiss? I mean we can try other games? There's plenty around." the silver eyed girl proposed.
"I'm not sure Ruby, perhaps it would be better if you simply enjoyed your games and I'd watch? I mean all these tokens you bought with your own money seem to just be a waste whenever they are used on my side of this box." The Schnee wasn't really disappointed in her inability to play this game. But it was clear for the younger girl that the heiress didn't really enjoy it.
But then an idea sprung into her head. "Hey Weiss? I have a better idea. Come on, take my spot, player one spot. I'll teach you." Weiss raised a brow but changed her position to where Ruby previously stood.
"Teach me? Ruby you showed me the basic instructions and I assured you I understood them." The redhead simply smiled and inserted a token. She then stood behind the heiress and took her hands. She positioned them on the arcade as she herself would if she was the one playing. "I'll guide you, so maybe you'll understand." She had to lean to the side since Weiss was a few inches taller then herself, but Ruby didn't mind. She would make this work.
And it did to some extent. When she removed the competition between them, it seemed to improve the general mood of the heiress. As she tried to follow the younger girls guiding hands and her overall instructions.
And the rest of that evening was spent in such manner. With their hands connected, their actions synchronized and with their bodies smushed together. But in the end Ruby understood that arcades weren't really for Weiss. Perhaps it was too interactive? She had to forge a different plan.
Mistral animated shows...
"I don't get it Ruby..." Weiss voiced her doubt in a skeptical tone. Ruby blinked, moving her eyes away from the screen.
"What's there to not understand, Weiss?" The younger girl tilted her head.
"Everything? Why is every girl so...sexualized. And the guys bleed from their noses whenever they see panties or anything. Its like sexual harassment and I am supposed to laugh at this?" There was a frown on the white haired girl face. Ruby simply let out a sigh.
"You know this isn't real, right? Its just a show. Besides the guy always gets hurt when he goes all pervert mode on the girls." Ruby tried to reason with Weiss, but the heiress had none of it.
"Ruby, I know this is a cartoon. And Cartoons aren't real. But this is extremely sexist. The guy pervs on everything with a pair of breasts, but still the...female Lead? Is that even a proper term for this. Even then the female lead is all over this guy. And he's not that special. Jaune would blow these girls minds if he appeared in these, and you know what a moron he is." Weiss waved her hand at the screen. Ruby sighed and paused the show. Once more she has failed.
"They aren't cartoons. Its um animated show." The redhead tried to correct the Schnee.
"Ruby, cartoons are animated shows as well. What's the difference? Besides the fact that cartoons are way better about showing mature topics in a fun way." Ruby covered her face with her hands. These sort of shows weren't meant for anyone to overthink them. The first thing you do is turn off your logical side of brain. Which meant that the redhead just made a colossal mistake by trying to make Weiss watch them. Ruby doubted Weiss brain was anything BUT logic.
"Ruby, Its alright. I appreciate the gesture of showing me something you like. While I apologize for being so harsh I simply...I Simply cannot just watch it and not be angry. Perhaps there are other shows you'd want to show me ? Something with less...sexism?" The heiress inquired.
Ruby frowned. There was one thing she could show her. Although the redhead herself didn't like it. But maybe it would be a good gateway for some better, more fun stuff. "I...I Think I have something that's way different." Ruby nodded and changed what was being displayed.
It was more of a movie. It was kind of lame, if anyone was to ask Ruby. About some girl who got lost in a forest and got saved by this boy who was raised by spirits but also was one himself or something like that. Whatever it was, he lived there, and he couldn't be touched. Because if he was to be touched, then he would disappear. So they meet each summer and they go to a festival and big shocker he gets touched and disappears, but as he does they share one last hug.
Its kind of sad, and why would anyone enjoy sad stuff as entertainment? Was beyond the younger girl. But Weiss seemed to really enjoy the movie.
Ruby was rolling her eyes at the ending, when she heard a sound from the side where Weiss was sitting. And here she was, biting her knuckle as she tried not to cry. With tears clearly visible in her eyes. Perhaps Weiss preferred this type of stories.
The redhead did the only proper thing and gently pulled the girl as the end credit rolled. The Schnee didn't oppose as she hugged herself into the younger girl and began to let out the emotional baggage she gathered over the course of the movie. Ruby felt tears moisten her clothes as she brushed her fingers through the heiress hair, giving her a moment to unload that sadness. This is why Ruby didn't understand stuff like this. Why would being sad be fun?
It didn't take her long to compose herself, and after that Weiss raised her head, although her face had clear visible signs of crying, she was smiling happily. "That was beautiful Ruby. Thank you for sharing it with me."
And Ruby couldn't help but smile. At least she had some enjoyment out of it. But this was another failure on her part. In no way would Ruby get herself to watch these kind of things on a regular basis. She needed a new plan.
Comic books...
"Kaboom? Kaplaf? Whoosh? Ruby, I don't think those are real words." The redhead blinked as she looked away from her scroll. It was more comfortable to read comic books in this format. While Ruby would love to have all of them in paper format, it was quite expensive and hard to move with them. And to keep them in this small room where three more people lived.
"What do you mean Weiss? I mean, those are just...erh How do you say it? Sounds and effects." The redhead nodded.
Weiss rolled her eyes. "Onomatopoeia's, Ruby. And the art is..I mean this isn't how human beings look. I think his muscles have muscles. And its so confusing to follow this text."
Ruby looked away. Here it was, once more her critical nature came to play. Was it really so hard to just enjoy things for what they were? Instead of seeking the flaws, why not seek the things you liked and just...enjoy That. Ignoring all else.
"Ruby? What's this?" The redhead blinked as her train of thought was interrupted. She took a glance at what the older girl showed her.
"Oh that's...well, that's another comic book, Weiss." Ruby tilted her head. While her super hero stuff made the Schnee roll her eyes at best, this made her interested.
"Its about like, what would happen if there was a zombie apocalypse and how people would deal trying to survive and all that. Its kind of...I Don't know. Heavy stuff? Like emotionally and all that." Ruby explained and the more she said, the more Weiss focused on the comic on her scrolls screen.
"I...see." Was all she said, before she started to go through it.
The redhead sighed softly as she settled next to the heiress. Ruby really hoped they could share something both of them would enjoy together. But at least Weiss found something nice for herself. The younger girl gently rested her head against the Heiress shoulder, feeling Weiss lean her head and gently place it against Ruby's. They spent the evening going through comic books in each others company.
But once more, Ruby needed a better plan.
Defeat...
There was no plan. There was only defeat. The Rose girl was sitting on a bench, leaning forward and looking down at the ground bellow. She had no plan, no more ideas that she thought Weiss and her could enjoy.
She thought of a few more things of course, but in reality they weren't that different from what she already tried. Movies or shows? It would end up the same as the animation shows or comic books.
There was an idea about video games but...but That really didn't differ from the arcades. They were a similar concept, at least they would be in Weiss mind.
And it didn't help that whenever she saw Weiss and Blake discuss some books and drink their beverages, Ruby was growing envious of the two. How she would love to be able to find that connection to Weiss.
Or whenever Yang and Weiss had their own moment of planning fictional adventures somewhere, to explore the world. How they would disagree on things only to come to some sort of agreement, even though it was all just plans that were years away from them, and that might never happen.
It pained her that even her sister could find some common ground with the Schnee. Ruby thought they would be at each other throats, but here they were, friends and even being able to enjoy each other's company, having some common ground hobby of sorts.
Was Ruby even her friend? Or was she just the younger sibling that was attached to the rest of them. Clearly she was their team leader, but... But she was assigned as one. Its not like they picked her.
"Why the long face, Ruby?" And there she was, the one reminder of Ruby's failure.
"Hey Weiss, oh just...thinking." Was the only reply that came from the redhead.
"Oh my, well that's something new." The white haired girl giggled at her own joke, but as she got no reaction from the redhead, she decided to move on. "Anyway, I was in Vale with Blake, and I decided to bring you something." The Schnee pushed a paper bag towards Ruby.
The redhead was hesitant for a moment, before taking it, glancing between the package and Weiss.
"Its sweets, cookies. The one you like so much." The heiress explained with a smile.
Ruby nodded and just settle them next to herself. "Thanks Weiss, I'll...I'll Get to them later I guess. I appreciate the concern and all."
At that the heiress eyes went wide. She immediately sat next to the redhead and brought an arm around her shoulder. "Ruby? What's wrong. And don't tell me nothing, because clearly something is on your mind, and whatever it is? Its not good."
The younger girl let out a heavy sigh. "Its...well. I'm sorry Weiss. These past few days were a disaster. I know you didn't enjoy yourself, and you desperately tried to cling to anything just to endure that time we spent together. And really, that just shows what bad friend I am..." At that point Ruby had her mouth covered my a hand. She turned her attention to the white haired girl.
The Schnee was frowning, clearly not happy with what she just heard. "You dolt, I'm not sure what you're getting at. I'll admit your choice of...entertainment Aren't something I'd pick myself." Weiss let out a soft sigh.
"But while it wasn't fun to just get beaten up by you in the arcades, I really enjoyed when you wanted to show me how to play. When you took my hands and just guided me through the entire process in every game we played in there." The older girl smiled at the memory.
"And its true that I found your...shows To be quite objectifying of woman. But then you showed me that other one, that was so bitter sweet and romantic. And I saw that it was you who didn't enjoy yourself. But still, you sat through it with me, and you even were there for me once I kind of...allowed Myself to enjoy the emotional side of that too much." Weiss rubbed her neck as she smiled sheepishly.
"And finally the comic books. Your persistence allowed me to see past all these super heroes things that you so enjoy and I just find...weird. But you allowed me to enjoy a new form of media. Showed me that its just that. A medium and there's all types of different things among that medium." Ruby wasn't sure what this medium was, not entirely sure. But from what Weiss said, it had to be something good.
"But the most important thing?" Weiss released the girls mouth and leaned forward till their foreheads connected. She looked into the redheads eyes.
"The most important thing isn't what we do. I'll have fun with you no matter if its movies or shows, games or arcades. As long as its spending time with you, I know I'll enjoy myself." Weiss closed her eyes, and so did the younger girl. The two just enjoying the moment.
Ruby was happy. Weiss wanted to spend time with her, and she was glad for the things they did so far. Perhaps it was just perspective of it having to be perfect. Ruby thought that once friends do things together, it has to be one hundred percent approved by both parties.
"So I'll take these and wait till you stop being a dolt. So don't overthink our moments together. And for future reference? I'll inform you whenever I get bored of something we'll be doing. So no more worrying about that." Weiss smiled as she took the paper bag and began to walk away.
It was true, Ruby was overthinking it. She should just enjoy it. Perhaps find some common ground in terms of what both of them found entertaining by talking it over and...
...wait...
"Weiss! Come back! And give these cookies back! I'm not a dolt anymore! Come on!" Ruby summoned her semblance as she yelled and went after Weiss.
Authors note:
Woo! Two one shots in one day. Both whiterose.
I think I should take a break from WhiteRose oneshots. Explore some other pairings.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this little story!