A/N: Hey guys! I joined the Freezerburn train not too long ago and decided that their small pile deserved another fic. This one-shot was intended to be short, but, just like always with my stories, it ended up being MASSIVE. This is quite lengthy, so I hope it keeps you guys entertained the whole way through.
The whole point of this fic was to satisfy my desire of seeing Weiss and Yang go to the dance together. I already had this fic 3/4 done before S2, E6 (aka. the Dance episode) came out, and seeing it helped me add lots of little extra details I didn't originally have.
This is my first contribution to the RWBY fandom, and I'm very willing to write more fics for it. There's so many pairings to choose from, after all. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! :)
*The beginning of this fic takes place the afternoon after S2, E5 (so the day after Jaune tried to serenade Weiss).
Disclaimer: I don't own anything RWBY related! In like 2 weeks I will own the plushies though and cuddle the hell out of them.
Dancing Queen
Yang growled in annoyance as the little orange square on her scroll exploded in the middle of the triple spikes, effectively ending her fortieth attempt at the level in her game. Sighing, she waited for the level to reset and then brought her thumb down to her scroll's translucent screen, making her orange avatar jump over the many black boxes and spikes, hoping that she could finally make it to the end of the level.
She was the only one in her dorm room. Ruby and Blake had left to read in the library while Weiss went out to take a walk in the gardens, leaving the blonde bored and alone. Normally, she avoided being bored and alone at all costs; however, the library was just as exciting to her as watching paint dry, and Weiss had given off the air that she didn't want to be bothered.
Thus, hating boredom as much as she did, Yang lied down on her top bunk and hoped that playing a game for the past half hour would help pass the time quicker until her teammates returned. Unfortunately, it did nothing of the sort. Instead, it just seemed to frustrate her further.
The game was hard enough as it was, but the thoughts running rampage in her head made focusing on the game nearly impossible.
She almost threw her scroll at the wall when her little orange character died again, but thought better of it once she remembered that her scroll was her only communication device and was her key to her dorm room. When she last left the room without taking her scroll, her teammates had forced her to sit outside the door for three hours before they let her in.
That sucked pretty hard. But she never forgot her scroll since, so perhaps she actually did learn a lesson from that after all.
Releasing a deep breath to calm herself, Yang closed the game and opened up the music application on her scroll. She flipped through pages upon pages of albums until she found one by her favourite band, The Achieve Men, and selected their first album that was issued a few years ago. She tapped her finger on her thigh to the familiar beat and closed her eyes, concentrating on the main singer's voice to try and relax.
However, just like every other attempt she'd made in the past sixteen hours, it failed within moments. She knew it was a problem when even her favourite band couldn't cure the unease in her stomach and the whirlpool of emotions in her brain.
She couldn't help it, though. The event that happened yesterday just wouldn't leave her head.
It started out simple enough. She, Weiss and Ruby were trying to convince Blake to go to the dance. Yang's partner was beyond exhausted; her eyes were bloodshot and accented with dark, heavy bags. The issue with the White Fang had shaken her to the point where she couldn't sleep and was barely eating. Blake openly refused going to the dance—even though Yang and Weiss were the ones organizing it—and she stormed off.
Not a moment later, Jaune was at their door trying to serenade Weiss into joining him at the dance. Which she hastily refused. Yang wasn't surprised there. She felt kind of bad for the poor boy, though. Weiss had been rejecting his advances for weeks, and yet he still kept trying. Plus, it was a little sad to see someone continue to pursue another who had no interest in them.
Yang winced. At least Jaune was trying. No one could call him a coward.
That was more than could be said about her.
But Weiss was harsh in her rejections. Her disinterest was clear in her melodic voice and her ice blue eyes every time.
Now, Yang wasn't normally one to be afraid. She could swerve Bumblebee through mountains of traffic at beyond illegal speeds and be unfazed. She could face all of Junior's thugs and a pack of Ursi with a confident smile.
But the thought of Weiss outright rejecting her like that made her heart sink.
At the time, Yang had battled her conflicting emotions with humor. Referencing all the times Weiss had been cold to people, Yang had looked to her and said, "And that is why they call you the Ice Queen." She had expected Weiss to snarl and call her a brute or some other form of insult that would amuse her. Instead, Weiss countered without hesitation:
"All my life, boys have only cared about the perks of my last name."
That statement caused equal amounts of anger and relief to shoot through Yang. She was angry because Weiss should never be forced to deal with creeps like that. Her last name wasn't even something Yang cared about, so the fact that that was the only reason other people have been interested in Weiss, when there was so much more to love about her, made Yang's insides twist with fury. But she was also relieved because it sounded like Weiss never had an interest in any of those boys, or any boy at all for that matter.
Did that mean Yang had a chance? Could it give her the courage to ask the white haired girl to the dance?
"Besides, I already have a date in mind."
Yang felt her heart fall, and she knew her expression did the same. She hated that she couldn't hide how destroyed she was. She hated that she was so stunned she couldn't even reply. She hated that she immediately knew who Weiss was referring to. She hated that he was able to steal Weiss's heart in no time at all when it had taken Yang months to accept how she felt for the heiress.
Most of all, she hated herself for not taking the plunge before he showed up.
Because now it was too late.
Even if Weiss was also into girls, Yang had lost her chance now that Weiss was into him.
Yang knew his type; smooth, charming, could get any girl he wanted but never stayed with them for long. He's a wanderer; a womanizer. But Yang had no right to tell Weiss that she couldn't go after him because Yang was just like him. For years she ventured from person to person, refusing to be tied down. She didn't fall in love. She never wanted a relationship.
Not until Weiss.
But she managed to mess it up before a relationship could even start.
Yang sighed, switching off her music and removing her earbuds. Her band wasn't helping her. They couldn't erase that scene from her vision. They couldn't stop that one sentence from ringing in Yang's ears that reminded her of how empty she felt.
"Besides, I already have a date in mind."
Yang cringed, choking down a sob. She never cried. She couldn't cry now, not over something as pitiful as unrequited feelings. She had been beaten down both mentally and physically several times over the years and she had never shed a tear, so why is it now that she wanted to cry?
She wished it was her that Weiss wanted to go with. It's all Yang could ever hope for. She wished it was her that made Weiss smile when she had said those words. She wished that she could have the opportunity to make Weiss happy.
But there was someone else who made Weiss happier than she did.
Yang sat up and wiped her eyes, refusing to let the tears fall. She couldn't let the others know how much this affected her, especially Weiss. All she had to do was not break down until the dance was over. If she could survive that long, she knew she would be okay. Then things would hopefully go back to normal.
Yang would tease her and Weiss would get flustered. Yang would make terrible puns and Weiss would make some that were even worse. Yang would teach her how to play board games just to see that confident sparkle in Weiss's eyes when she thought she was winning. Yang would eventually submit to Weiss's studious demands just to see that small, heart-melting smile Weiss would give her when she came back from a test with a good grade.
Yeah. Normal sounded good.
Yang folded her scroll and shoved it in her pocket before pushing herself off of her bunk bed and on to the floor. She needed a walk to clear her thoughts. She couldn't stay in the room where the girl she loved slept; where her gentle perfume still lingered in the air. Yang hurried to the door and stepped into the hall. Once she locked the door, she started walking in a random direction, head slightly hung.
Unconsciously, her feet led her towards the gardens.
Weiss was glad she decided to take a trip to the gardens simply for its peaceful atmosphere. The scenery was lush with green and pink from the trees and flowers, and the Sun was gifting several bright fragments onto the gentle ripples of the pond. Other students were walking around as well; enough to be populated, but not enough to be overcrowded. It was pleasant to the heiress, being able to blend in but still having enough space to breathe and enjoy the sights. It was a breath of fresh air she had really needed recently.
It was hard for her to think in her dorm room. Mostly because of her teammates. Okay, well, entirely because of her teammates. Ruby was being loud, even more so than usual, to try and snap Blake out of her recent grumpy state. Sure, the faunus was usually antisocial—it was kind of her thing—but this was just ridiculous. At least Ruby's attempts seemed to be working. Blake finally went to sleep last night and had actually finished her dinner for the first time that week. For this, Weiss was grateful. Although Weiss tried to hide it sometimes, she really did care about the well-being of her teammates. Even though Blake was a faunus, something that still shook her a bit and she despised herself for it, she wanted Blake to be happy and healthy. Thankfully, because of Ruby's efforts, she seemed to be on the road to recovery.
Yang, however, was not.
Weiss frowned at the thought of the blonde brawler. It was as clear as the cloudless sky that something was bothering her. Ever since Weiss rejected the insufferable blond buffoon from Team JNPR, again, Yang had been really distant. She didn't crack nearly as many puns as she used to. Her smile never quite reached her eyes. There were all these little signs Yang was showing that Weiss couldn't quite believe she was catching, given how scarcely she and the blonde interacted one-on-one.
Ruby and Blake didn't seem to notice these changes in their blonde teammate, or if they did they weren't showing it. Weiss was trying to conceal that she knew something was wrong with Yang, but she knew that her worry would catch up with her at some point and she'd snap, just like she did at Blake when she noticed how moody she was getting.
Yet, oddly enough, the thought of confronting Yang alone about what was bothering her made Weiss nervous. She couldn't help but feel that, for some reason, it was her fault that Yang was acting distant, even if she didn't mean to hurt her. She had no idea what she could've possibly done, but she couldn't shake off the feeling that she was somehow involved.
Thus, she couldn't stay in the same room as her. Not alone. She had to get away somewhere so Yang couldn't see how anxious she was; somewhere she could contemplate something other than the blonde.
Which is how she found herself pacing alone along the pathways of the gardens.
She forced herself to focus on her surroundings; anything to get the blonde's fake smile out of her mind. The splendid panorama of flora and the light aroma it emanated was a beautiful distraction, but what caught her attention even more were the amount of couples walking around. In every direction there were students holding hands and walking closely together, whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears.
Honestly, it made Weiss a little jealous.
She never thought she would feel that way. She was so used to being independent and void of human contact that she never thought she would yearn to hold someone's hand; to have someone look at her and see the absolute adoration in their eyes.
To have someone care for her beyond her last name.
That's all boys have ever wanted from her. Wealth, power, status; all the benefits her last name entailed. That, or they wanted something even more despicable.
Weiss shuddered, not wanting to think about those pests she was forced to converse with in her earlier years.
Besides, there was someone she had her eye on. This person was charming and handsome, and there was no way they would be like all those other misfits.
Next time she ran into this person, she would be sure to ask them to the dance. She was organizing the event, after all, so it would be rather improper, not to mention embarrassing, if she showed up without a date.
This person couldn't deny her, right? She was Weiss Schnee. She had never asked anyone out before, but she was certain she could pull it off astoundingly with the right opportunity. It couldn't possibly be as difficult or nerve-wracking as all those teen dramas made it seem.
As Weiss continued walking, she noticed Team CRDL conversing on one of the benches in front of a small, square orchard. She planned to just ignore the band of testosterone filled buffoons, but she couldn't help but eavesdrop on their obnoxiously loud conversation as she passed by.
"Well, obviously Emerald would reject you, bro!" Dove said to Russel. Weiss cursed herself for even acknowledging their names. "What did you expect to happen?"
"Yeah man," Sky agreed. The blue haired boy started chuckling to himself. "I think Velvet's more in your range."
"Hey, screw you man!" Russel snapped, his green mohawk shifting slightly to the side thanks to his sharp head movement towards his teammate. "I'm not asking that freak to the dance."
"It would make her so happy, though," their leader, Cardin, chimed in with a sick grin. His aggravating voice reminded Weiss of nails on a chalkboard. "Having someone pretend to like her for even one night would probably be the best night of her life." He sniggered. "Not like anyone would actually want to spend the night with a freak like her."
Weiss bristled, and it took all her self control not to stab all of them with Myrtenaster. The heiress couldn't say she was a fan of faunus, but it was completely unacceptable for them to talk about Velvet like that. The poor girl had never done anything to deserve that kind of backtalk.
"I'm gonna ask Cinder to go with me," Sky announced with a sigh like a lovesick schoolboy. Disgusting. "She's such a babe."
"As if," Cardin snorted with a frown. "She's way too much of a woman for you to handle. She needs a strong man like me to show her a good time."
Weiss rolled her eyes as she strolled past them. "Idiots," she muttered. There's no way any woman in their right mind would even consider attending the dance with any of those brutes.
"Excuse me?" Cardin questioned roughly.
Weiss paused mid-step. She didn't intend for them to hear her.
"Want to say that again to my face, Ice Queen?" he continued.
The white haired girl sighed. She knew she had just gotten herself mixed up into trouble, but she might as well face it head on.
So much for the peace and quiet.
"As you wish," Weiss replied neutrally, swiftly twirling around, her off-centered ponytail brushing against her shoulder. "All four of you are idiots if you think that anyone would want to go to the dance with you."
"Oh really?" the brown haired boy countered, standing up and moving forward until he was towering over her small frame. "And you think that you're any better than us?"
Weiss raised an eyebrow. "I know I'm better than you."
Cardin scowled along with the rest of his team. "So, where's your date, then?"
The blue eyed girl frowned. "Excuse you?"
"You heard me." He gestured around the gardens with his large arms. "Everyone else is walking around with their dates. So, where's yours?"
Weiss opened her mouth to retort, to say that she was actually looking for the person she wanted to ask, but for some reason her tongue was tied.
He took this as a green light and grinned. "You don't have one, do you? Isn't really fair to make fun of us for not having dates when you don't have one either, now is it?"
Weiss glowered, finding her voice again. "You were making fun of Velvet, earlier."
Cardin growled. "That's because she's a freak."
Russel took a step closer. "That, and we really don't care if we hurt people's feelings," he added with a shrug.
Both of them spoke without hesitation, like they were so sure that their opinions were the only ones that mattered. It was despicable.
"Besides," Cardin persisted. His sapphire gaze travelled up and down her form and it made Weiss's gut twist uncomfortably. Way too many boys had looked at her like that. Then he clicked his tongue, as if he were unimpressed. "It's not like anyone would want to go to the dance with you, anyway."
Weiss saw red, her expression lighting up in fury. "How dare you!"
Instead of being intimidated, Cardin just laughed. "That's one of the reasons right there. Your temper is bigger than you are." He glanced down at her chest and made a noise of disapproval. "Yep. Your temper is definitely the biggest thing about you."
Weiss's jaw dropped, so appalled that she didn't even know how to reply.
"And then there's that gross scar on your face," he continued with a smug smirk. "That's all someone would notice if they were with you. Not like they would have anything else to look at."
Normally Weiss would have a witty retort ready, but she wasn't used to being so thoroughly disrespected right upfront. She knew that people said things about her behind her back—she couldn't blame them, considering her heritage—but never had someone managed to insult the entirety of her body within seconds right to her face.
She had been self-conscious since she was a child. How could she not be after living with her sister, Winter, and her perfectionist parents for most of her life? Winter was blessed with beautiful femininity, while instead Weiss was cursed with a small stature, a small chest, and an ugly scar covering what was once a pretty face.
On top of that, her parents were extremely hard on her. Winter was naturally talented, but Weiss had to work nearly twice as hard simply to meet her parents' demands. The way she carried herself, the way she interacted with others, her grades, her Huntress training; it all had to be perfect. Nothing less would be tolerated.
And now some bully, Cardin of all people, was able to prove to her that despite years of masking all of her self-consciousness and imperfections, none of it mattered because it was all just under the surface.
She was still a scared little girl who couldn't live up to peoples' expectations.
"Someone would only date you for the status it would give them. I bet not a single person has wanted to be with you otherwise."
She hated how right he was. People either wanted to be with her for her last name, or they avoided her because of it. There was no in-between. There had never been a time when sometime took her last name in stride.
"So I will say it again, Ice Queen," Cardin stated, his voice low and dripping with venom. His teammates were now beside him, all staring down at her like she was worthless. "Your status doesn't change the fact that you are dateless, just like we are, so you have no right to think that you're any better than us."
Weiss wanted to yell at him for even considering that she could be grouped in the same category as them. She wanted to yell at him for degrading her and her family name as much as he did. She wanted to rebuke with how she had enough finesse to get with any student at this school if she wanted to.
But her tongue was frozen. Her throat was constricted. Her heart was slamming painfully against her ribcage as a reminder of how lonely she was.
No one was ever interested in her just for her. Those who knew nothing about her only wanted to be with her for her last name, and those who did knew her beyond that would never see her as anything more than a friend, if that. Her family name came with too much baggage. And as an individual, she had too much of a temper. She was short with people, and snobby, and blunt, and demanding...
He was right. Why would anyone ever want to date her?
Her heart was aching, a painful throb radiating from her chest. Her stomach was twisting uneasily and she was afraid she was going to lose her lunch. She felt tears brimming her eyelids. Shit, she couldn't let them see her cry. She couldn't let them see how much their comments had struck her dead centre.
God, why did it hurt so bad? Why did everything they say hurt so bad? Why was she never good enough?
Why did no one love her?
"Actually, she is better than all of you combined."
Weiss flinched, her body recognizing the hot Semblance flaring behind her before her brain recognized the voice. Weiss looked over her shoulder to see Yang, the brawler's usual lilac eyes a burning red as she glared at Cardin and stepped up beside the smaller girl.
"Yang?" Weiss whimpered, her voice so soft she wasn't even sure that she spoke at all. Yang, however, didn't break her stare down with the brown haired boy.
"Do you want to know why?" Yang continued, her expression the epitome of intimidation.
"By all means, Goldilocks," Cardin, seemingly amused, gestured to his snickering buddies with both his hands, "enlighten us."
Yang took a deep breath, then complied.
"Because she gave someone like me a chance."
Weiss blinked, unsure how to process what she just heard. She blinked again, that sentence running several laps in her mind before she looked back up at the blonde.
"She cares so much about people," the brawler revealed, the heat waves previously pouring from her body coming to a shallow halt. "She tries so hard to hide it, but she would do anything for the people she cares about." Yang paused, her eyes fading back to lilac. She turned her head to look down at Weiss and smiled.
"It's one of the many reasons why I'm in love with her."
Weiss felt her heart stop. Her eyes widened dramatically.
She couldn't have heard that right, could she? Yang must be joking.
But this was the first time in the past day that Yang's smile had reached her eyes. In that moment she looked so vulnerable, so genuine, so proud.
It was a look that simply belonged on Yang's face and it further astonished the white haired heiress.
"Weiss makes me feel like I'm the most special girl in the world. No one has ever made me feel that way before."
Weiss, who was having a hard time wrapping her brain around everything Yang just confessed to her, was shocked further and gasped when Yang slipped a strong arm over her shoulders and pulled her against her side. Weiss blushed, surprised at how good it felt standing so close to the blonde. The taller girl was so warm, a complete contrast to Weiss's icy skin, yet Weiss found herself enjoying the temperature difference. Yang was peering down at her with such adoration that Weiss could barely remember how to breathe, unsure if the warmth in her chest was due to the blonde's massive body heat or not.
Yang then looked back up at Team CRDL, all of whom wore expressions measuring somewhere between shock and disbelief.
"So, I asked her to the dance yesterday. And she said yes."
Weiss didn't think it was possible, but her eyes widened even further. She felt Yang's fingers playing with the sleeve of her uniform, silently asking her to roll with her words, and it was only then that Weiss realized what kind of game Yang was playing.
Yang was pretending to be her date so that Cardin would back off her case. It was all a lie.
And the worst part was Weiss wasn't sure how she felt about that. She had no idea how to wrap her head around any of this. It was all just so sudden.
All she wanted was to go for a walk through the gardens today, and then this happened.
"Wait, what?" It was now that Cardin seemed to remember how to use his mouth. A shame, really. "No way. That's bullshit."
"Crazy, right?" Yang chuckled. "I never thought I would even have a chance with her. But she continues to surprise me." The blonde's grin stretched across her face. "That, boys, is why she will always be better than you. She sees women as people, not conquests. She was able to charm me by just being herself. You all could learn something from her."
Weiss was so overwhelmed by everything that was going on that she could've sworn she was shaking. But a moment later, she realized it wasn't her who was trembling like a frightened puppy.
It was Yang.
"And thus, I would like to take this moment to rub it in all your faces that I get to go to the dance with the most beautiful girl at Beacon." Yang squeezed Weiss closer to her side and stuck out her tongue at the bullies. "Later, losers."
Without another word, Yang dragged Weiss away from Cardin and his gang, keeping her arm around her the whole time. Weiss allowed herself to be pulled along, completely dumbstruck, her jaw continuously opening and closing as she tried to figure out how to respond.
Only once they had arrived back at their dorm room, away from prying eyes and ears, was Weiss finally able to process everything that happened and retaliate.
"Well, that was a thing," Yang said sheepishly.
Weiss quickly jerked away from Yang's hold and backed away a few paces, using every drop of willpower to ignore the tremendous hurt in Yang's lilac orbs at her actions.
"Is that all you have to say?" Weiss scolded, flustered. "What the hell was that, you brute?!"
"What? That?" Yang shrugged as if it were no big deal. "Those assholes were making fun of my teammate. No way was I just gonna stand by and let that happen."
Weiss scoffed. "You make fun of me all the time."
Yang's eyes darkened. "That's different." Weiss felt a shiver shoot up her spine at how serious Yang sounded. "I tease you because that's just the way I am. I never mean any harm by it, I hope you know that. Those assholes were trying to make you cry. And that..." her orbs briefly flashed a hot red, "... is unacceptable."
Weiss's expression softened, touched at how much Yang seemed to care for her even though they rarely spoke like this. Weiss wasn't even sure that Yang considered her as a friend until that very moment. "I appreciate what you did, Yang, I really do," Weiss began tactfully, crossing her arms over her chest. "But out of everything you could have said to tell them off, what in the right mind made you decide on that fabrication?"
Yang stared at her for a long moment before frowning, an expression that sent an odd sensation of anxiety to Weiss's core. "Fabrication?" the brawler echoed quietly.
"Yes," Weiss replied. "Saying you were in love with me; lying about asking me to the dance. Why on Remnant did you tell them that?"
There was a pregnant pause for a solid minute before Yang started chuckling under her breath. The noise wasn't comforting and, quite frankly, it made Weiss worried. She was about to ask Yang what was wrong, but the blonde beat her to the punch:
"Of course... of course you'd think it was a joke."
Weiss frowned, confused, and even more apprehensive. "Yang?"
Said brawler took a deep, lengthy breath, letting it out slowly through her nose. "Weiss," she started, taking a step closer to the ponytailed girl. Her normally strident voice was soft, almost a murmur, and it made Weiss's heart skip a beat. The lilac eyed girl looked down at Weiss with a smouldering gaze. "I overheard all those horrible things Cardin was saying to you. I heard him say that he believes people would only want to be with you because of your last name. And I remember you saying the other day that no one has ever been interested in you for any reason otherwise."
Yang took another step closer, that step sending a shockwave through Weiss's heart.
"I wanted to prove both of you wrong."
Weiss froze. Prove them wrong? What was she on about?
Wait... did that mean every lie Yang spewed back there... was actually the truth?
Did Yang actually have feelings for her?
Weiss's heart was beating a mile a minute. No one had ever confessed to her like this before. She didn't know why she was reacting this way. She didn't know how she was supposed to react.
She and Yang fought all the time. Weiss was rude to her on a regular basis. What could Yang possibly see in her?
"Yang... I... you... what?" Weiss battled with her coiled tongue to form words. She was in complete shock, and she needed answers if she were to make it through the day.
Yang sighed shakily. "Look, Weiss, I..." The blonde hesitated, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. "Man, I just said all of this stuff like ten minutes ago, so why is it so hard now?" She took another deep breath before lowering her arm and looking straight into Weiss's eyes. "Jaune was brave enough to ask you out even though he knew you would reject him. I'm gonna try and be just as brave right now, so bear with me, okay?"
Weiss gulped, too stunned to even nod.
Yang swallowed and licked her lips. "I've liked you for a few months now, and—"
Weiss's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. A few months? She had liked her for that long? How did she never notice? Why didn't she say something sooner? Weiss was so caught up in her surprise she almost missed what Yang was saying.
"—I wanted to tell you, but I was scared." Weiss frowned gently, wondering what could possibly be so frightening that it would make even Yang Xiao Long shy away. The brawler seemed to notice her curiosity and indulged it, "I saw the way you looked at Jaune every time you turned him down. I knew my heart would break if you ever looked at me like that."
Weiss's expression softened. She had seen Yang charge headfirst into battle fearlessly, but something as simple as rejection made Yang hide her feelings for all that time. Maybe she wasn't as much of a brute as she gave her credit for.
Yang chuckled, making Weiss look at her questioningly. "In all honesty, I was just as shocked as you are now when I realized I was falling for you. You treated my baby sister horribly when you first met her, and were just as rude to me afterwards, so I just couldn't grasp why I was so into you. I figured there had to be some super logical reason that would finally make the world start spinning again. But after awhile I realized it wasn't anything nearly that extreme. The reason is quite simple, really."
Weiss stared at her, butterflies surfing in her gut while she waited for the taller girl to continue.
Yang smiled, a rare and gentle blush on her face. "When I'm with you, I feel like I can do anything."
Weiss's heart swelled, her cheeks tingeing pink. Why was she feeling this way? Why were Yang's words affecting her so much?
"No matter where we are or what we're doing, if you're there with me I feel like I'm unstoppable. I always see you trying your best at everything you do, and that inspires me to be the best person I possibly can. And every single time I felt that way, I wanted to admit it to you." Yang chuckled quietly and shyly rubbed the back of her neck, no doubt a nervous habit. "But you probably would've thought I was crazy."
"You are crazy, you oaf."
The comment slipped off her tongue so suddenly and naturally that it surprised both of them. It made Yang look extremely thankful though, a relieved smile curling her lips, making Weiss give a small smile in return.
"Time and time again you made me feel so special just by being yourself," Yang continued. "I wanted to return the favour so badly. Like, I always pretend to be unimpressed whenever you try and make puns, but I secretly smile at them every time you turn away. And I love teaching you how to play board games 'cause it's amazing watching you transform from unsure to boastful in a split second; you get this adorable little twinkle in your eye every time and I love it. And that heart-melting smile you give me whenever I get a good grade? God, don't even get me started." Weiss's smile unconsciously grew the longer Yang ranted. "The only reason you can convince me to study so much is so I can see you smile at me when I come back with a good grade on a test. Do you have any idea what that smile does to me? God, it just destroys me. There's nothing I wouldn't do to see that smile. I thrive for it because I know that in that moment you are proud of something I accomplished, and on top of that, I feel proud of myself because I got you to show off such a smile. I only get to see it, like, twice a month, so I cherish every second."
Weiss shifted her weight from leg to leg uncomfortably, her face no doubt burning a bright crimson from all this unfamiliar attention. "I... never guessed something so trivial would mean so much to you," Weiss admitted, thinking back to every large, red A she had seen on Yang's papers. "I never once congratulated you for doing well on those tests."
"Phht, are you kidding? Your smiles were my congratulations. Did you ever hear me complain?"
"During the studying process, yes. Quite often, in fact. But afterwards... no, I suppose not."
"Well, there you go." Yang grinned, rows of white teeth gleaming. "Surprisingly, this is getting easier the more I talk about it. Might as well just get everything off my chest right here."
For reasons unbeknownst to Weiss, that comment made the heiress briefly glance down at the blonde's voluptuous bust. Yang had been very blessed in that department and she definitely knew it, and it made Weiss feel more than a little inadequate in comparison.
"Speaking of that!" Yang announced, forcing ice blue eyes to return to lilac. She didn't seem at all annoyed that she had caught Weiss red-handed staring at her breasts, but Weiss flushed shamefully all the same. Yang placed one hand on her hip and used the other to point at Weiss. "Don't let what that asshat said about your chest get you down. My girls are amazing, yes, but yours are just as good."
At first, Weiss was relieved to hear someone like Yang compliment her breasts... but then she remembered that Yang was talking about her breasts.
"Excuse you, you brute!" Weiss shrieked, covering her small mounds with her arms. "Are you implying that you've spent time staring at my chest?"
"Of course I have, what's the prob—hey, don't get mad!" Yang held up her hands as a peace offering when Weiss threatened to hit her. "I like staring at beautiful things! Can you blame me?"
"Gah, you are such an overgrown child!" Weiss's gaze softened, eyes lowering. "Thank you, though. That... meant a lot to me."
Yang lowered her arms and smiled in return. "You're welcome." Weiss felt Yang's eyes travelling every contour of her face, lingering over her left eye. "By the way, about your scar..."
Weiss froze. She didn't want to talk about that. She was still shaken from when Cardin insulted her about it. It was a complete breach of her former beauty, and she hated it. She knew how disgusting it was, but her heart clenched painfully at the thought of Yang saying that out loud.
Why did Yang's opinion matter so much to her?
"I know you're self-conscious about it," Yang continued, "but there's something I want you to know."
Yang lifted an arm and slowly reached for Weiss's face, giving Weiss ample time to notice her and shift away if she pleased. Weiss's shoulders tensed, gaze shifting between Yang's hand and eyes, but there was such affection brimming Yang's lilac orbs that Weiss knew she could trust the girl not to do anything that would make her uncomfortable.
Yang's hand reached her face, and with a surprising gentleness, the brawler trailed her index finger down the length of the pink scar on her left eye.
"Every time I notice your scar," Yang admitted, "it reminds me of how you are the bravest person I've ever met." Yang cupped Weiss's flushed cheek and used her thumb to stroke the heated flesh, giving a smile that made butterflies do somersaults in Weiss's belly. "And there is nothing ugly about that."
Weiss bit her lip to stop it from quivering. Up until then, she had been embarrassed about her scar; ashamed of it.
That was the first time someone made her feel proud of it.
Weiss struggled to find her voice. "Yang... I..."
Yang smirked, still stroking her cheek, her touch unbelievably comforting. "I'm so smooth I left you speechless, huh?" She gave a placid laugh before sobering up. The brawler's smile remained, but her violet eyes resumed their uncertain look. "Actually, I've just been rambling. Sorry about that. I know it annoys you when I talk too much. Or at all." The heiress cringed, fully aware that she gave off that impression sometimes. "So I'm just gonna come out and say what I wanted to say from the very beginning, okay?"
Yang gazed at her earnestly, and it took Weiss a full minute before she realized the blonde was waiting for a response.
When Weiss finally nodded, heart slamming painfully in her chest in anticipation of Yang's next words, the taller girl held out both of her hands, palms upwards. The white haired girl knew that Yang was silently pleading to hold her hands. Weiss took a sharp intake of air, unfamiliar with the proposal of such intimate contact. She couldn't even remember the last time someone held her hand. She couldn't remember what it felt like.
But she wanted to remember, and it would probably destroy Yang's confidence if she refused the offer.
Hesitantly, Weiss slid her hands over Yang's palms; the latter's thankful smile brightened the room as her long fingers intertwined with Weiss's. The blonde's hands were calloused from years of training and roughhousing, but her skin was warm and her touch undeniably soft. She held Weiss's hands as if they were the most precious things in the world to her.
"W-Weiss," Yang began, the uncharacteristic stutter bringing Weiss's attention from their combined hands back to Yang's face. Her cheeks were red and she looked as nervous as someone with massive stage-fright, but the determination swimming in her eyes was unmatched. "I love you, and I would be honored if you would go to the dance with me."
The heiress felt her heart leap into her throat, the beating organ lodging itself there. She knew Yang was going to say that, considering this whole conversation was leading up to that moment, but hearing those words was exhilarating all the same.
She had no idea that Yang cared about her so much. She had no idea that it was even possible for someone to care about her so much. But, apparently, Yang did. For months, in fact. Yang harboured such strong feelings for her, feelings that she had to deal with alone for so long, and Weiss wasn't even sure how she was supposed to feel.
Despite that, Weiss knew she had to say something. She had no idea what to say, but the blonde had just poured her heart out to her, so she had to say something.
Weiss parted her lips to speak, hoping something other than gibberish would come out, but then Yang, with a sad smile, said something Weiss could never have prepared herself for:
"But I know I'm not the one you want to go with."
Weiss's heart sunk like a stone, blood running cold in her veins. It felt like she had just been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to do. She felt like her biggest secret had been exposed even though it was nothing that needed to be hidden.
But what hurt the most was that Yang was right. Yesterday, when Weiss said that she already had a date in mind, Yang wasn't the person in her thoughts.
"I've seen the way you look at Neptune," Yang continued. Weiss's insides twisted painfully as Yang's soft voice pronounced his name, the name of the blue haired boy that had caught her eye since she first met him. Yang chuckled slightly, her gaze wistful. "I would do anything to have you look at me like that." She smiled sadly again, her voice dropping in volume. "But I know I missed my chance."
It was true that Weiss had a thing for Neptune, and it was true that he was the one she wanted to go to the dance with.
But, for some reason, she didn't want Yang to know that. She didn't want the poor girl in front of her to know she was interested in someone else. She didn't want to know how much she had just unintentionally broken Yang's heart.
"Y-Yang, I..."
"Don't worry." Yang shook her head with a smile that made Weiss want to cry. "It's my fault for taking too long to say anything. God, I've been rambling on for so long. I didn't mean to drop all this on you, it just kind of happened. Heh, you know me; once I start talking I just can't stop, y'know?" Yang's attempt at humor just made Weiss feel even worse. Yang seemed to notice her conflict and squeezed her hands gently, resolution in her eyes. "I'm sorry for putting you on the spot. It must've been hard to hear me say all those things when you're interested in someone else. I didn't mean to put any pressure on you. I don't want you to think you have to force yourself to choose me, or act a certain way around me just to make me feel better. That's the last thing I want."
Weiss stared up into those scorching eyes as her emotions erupted in tangent inside of her, none of them fully overpowering the others. Confusion, disbelief, fear, anger, relief, denial, sadness... she had no idea what to feel. How could she even decide? Yang confessed all those things to her, making Weiss completely uncertain of her own feelings towards the blonde haired girl, just to follow with how she knew Weiss liked Neptune all along and was willing to back off?
How did that make any sense?
"Listen, Weiss. I just... I'm really happy I finally got the courage to confess to you." Yang was smiling genuinely, but there were tears in her eyes. Her thumbs brushed over Weiss's pale knuckles, and it was such an innocent and delicate gesture that Weiss wished she wasn't too scared to reciprocate it. "It feels good to let it all out into the open. It's like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders, y'know?"
Yang shrugged her shoulders for effect of her statement, but for Weiss that action meant so much more. It made it seem like Yang thought it was no big deal that she was willing to shove her own feelings under the rug just so Weiss wouldn't feel guilty about going to the dance with Neptune.
How could Yang be okay with that? How could anyone who had bottled up their feelings for so long be okay with that?
Weiss wanted to say that out loud so badly, wanted to smack some sense into the bumbling oaf in front of her, but found herself to be just as frozen as she was when Yang made her first confession to her in front of Cardin.
"I'm not expecting anything in return," Yang continued, "I just wanted you to know that I care about you; that your surname is the last thing on my mind when I look at you. I just want you to be happy, Weiss. You deserve it. And if Neptune makes you happy, then you have my full support."
Yang let go of her hands—Weiss's palms suddenly felt way too cold—and, surprisingly, Yang flicked her forehead.
Weiss jerked back in surprise, the small burst of pain bringing movement back to her tongue. "Excuse you, brute! What was that for?"
Yang simply gave a toothy grin in response. "You two should hurry up and ask each other to the dance, alright?"
The blonde's voice and expression softened considerably.
"Just know... that if you decide you want to dance with someone else... I'll save you a dance."
Yang winked and smiled in what she probably thought was a cheerful manner, but Weiss saw the tear that spilled from the corner of Yang's eye as the blonde turned away and left the dorm. The door closed behind her with a lonely click that echoed in Weiss's skull.
Weiss was left alone to contemplate everything Yang had admitted to her for a solid hour before Ruby and Blake returned to their room.
And the hardest part of all was when Ruby finally revealed that she thought something was wrong with her sister, Weiss had to pretend like she didn't know anything about it.
The following day had been the most emotionally chaotic twenty-four hours Weiss had ever experienced. On top of hearing Ruby squeal about how someone had asked her to be their date—she refused to reveal who, though—Weiss had to speak with Yang one-on-one on several occasions so they could go over any last minute arrangements for the dance because they were both the co-organizers. Normally, this wouldn't have been so bad.
Except Yang was acting like nothing happened.
Not once did she say anything more about her feelings. She never tried to engage in physical contact or ask if Weiss had changed her mind about going with Neptune. She was acting just as she normally did—making horrible puns and poking fun at Weiss for being so uptight over what colour of tablecloths they should use—and this worried Weiss to no end.
How could she confess all those things and then look her dead in the eye and pretend like everything was the same?
It made what Weiss was feeling even more confusing. She had never seen a girl in a romantic light before—let alone Yang, of all people—but hearing how much the blonde genuinely cared for her stimulated something within Weiss.
Sure, the blonde was loud, crude, immature, lazy, and got on Weiss's last nerve... but she also had the largest heart Weiss had ever seen. She was sweet, and playful, and was always there for someone when they needed help. That was proven to Weiss several times yesterday when Yang not only put those bullies in their place, but made sure to personally tell Weiss how loved she was.
Weiss felt her heartbeat accelerate. Although it had repeated in her brain hundreds of times since the words had been said, it was still difficult for Weiss to come to terms with it.
Yang Xiao Long was in love with her.
And Weiss was terrified of everything those words stirred in her heart.
"Snow Angel, wait up!"
Weiss paused mid-step in the hallway, that familiar, masculine voice not giving her the same butterflies as it did a week ago. She spun on her heel to face the tall, blue haired boy that was a major part of her current dilemma.
"Do you have a minute?" Neptune asked, catching his breath. He must've been running for awhile to catch up to her.
"Of course," the white haired girl replied, a smile on her face that was more forced than it should have been. Her eyes darted back and forth between his for a few moments, wondering for the first time if he even knew her first name. She remembered telling him the first time she met him, but 'Snow Angel' was the only thing he proceeded to call her. Originally, the nickname had been a nice change of pace compared to 'Ice Queen', but now both names made her feel equally degraded.
"What is it?" she asked after a moment. A sinking feeling in her chest proved she already knew the answer.
Why did her heart feel so heavy? Why did she feel like she wanted to be anywhere but here? She'd been crushing on him for weeks; this should be everything she wanted.
But she really didn't want to be here.
"Well, the dance is tomorrow," he responded, rubbing the back of his neck. He actually looked a little nervous, but Weiss noted that he didn't pull off the habit nearly as beautifully as Yang did. "Everyone's gonna be there. And you'd make me a very happy guy if I could take you with me as my date, Snow Angel."
He grinned at her charmingly; any form of shyness in his eyes was now replaced with confidence. He had given her that grin many times before and it always had the desired effect of making her heart flutter.
But that didn't happen this time. Instead, that prideful grin helped her realize a few things.
One; a few days ago she was so excited to have this happen. She was so excited that she had been prepared to break one of the most traditional gender norms in existence by asking him to the dance instead of waiting for him to ask her. She could perfectly envision it; running into him late in the evening, her voice a little timid despite being sure of his answer.
If Yang hadn't confessed to her, that's probably what would have happened.
And two; Neptune was definitely interested in her. There was no denying that. But all he could see was the way she displayed herself; a powerful, elegant rich girl who was above everybody else. He was only interested in her because he knew nothing about her.
Yang knew about all her shortcomings and insecurities, and she loved her anyway.
With a thoughtful frown and a conclusion finally settling in her brain, Weiss heaved her fears aside and refocused her gaze onto Neptune's eyes before parting her lips to give him an answer.
Night swiftly faded to Sunday, and the morning and afternoon hours passed by Yang in a blur as she cleaned and organized the ballroom for the evening dance. She set up most of the decorations, including the celebratory ribbons and balloons, her fog machine, and even Weiss's stupid little doilies.
Said heiress was with her for a good chunk of the afternoon—she was the other co-organizer, after all—but the girl was so distracted that she actually didn't help very much. She always looked like she wanted to say something, but then swallowed her words at the last second.
Yang couldn't help but be somewhat thankful. She could act normal around Weiss, act like nothing had happened, but she knew if Weiss mentioned anything about what they had talked about she would break down.
That couldn't happen.
Evening rolled around, darkness rapidly seeping over the horizon, and Yang stood behind a lectern at the front of the ballroom to welcome all the guests. She was clad in an elegant, knee length white dress, its colour and style something she wasn't normally drawn to, but this dress reminded her too much of a certain heiress for her to leave it on the rack at the store. For the past half an hour she had been ushering in happy couples and groups of friends, and she had seen her fair share of interesting things since the dance began.
First off, Blake—probably thanks to Ruby's influence—actually showed up. And with Sun on her arm. Yang was so thrilled for her partner that she hugged her and quickly rushed her off to the dance floor to steal her first dance.
In that short period of time, Blake managed to express her concern for how distressed Yang looked. Yang couldn't help but feel equally impressed and frustrated that her fake smile was unmasked so easily. Leave it to her partner to see right through her.
But Yang couldn't say anything. Not about Weiss. Not about what happened. She felt like such an idiot. She hadn't meant to say all those things to Weiss, but her confession had the pressure of a waterfall; once the rapids pushed her over the ledge, she had no control. She just kept talking, almost as if everything in her life would crumble down if she stopped halfway through. She had seen how frightened and confused the white haired girl was, and yet she still kept talking. And then, after already making a fool of herself with her feelings, she dropped the bomb that she wouldn't mind if Weiss went to the dance with Neptune instead.
Which was a lie. It was a big fucking lie, and she knew that Weiss would be able to see right through it. But she said it anyway, perhaps just to soothe her wounded pride. She wasn't even sure. She knew her unplanned confession had put a lot of unneeded strain on Weiss, so Yang had to say something to make Weiss less frightened. Anything to make Weiss feel like she wasn't being forced to make a choice.
She knew Weiss didn't feel anything for her. Not in the way she felt for Neptune. As much as Yang disliked the boy and wanted to have the heiress for herself, she knew it wasn't her place to step in-between them.
If Weiss loved him and he made her happy, she would step back and listen to her heart quietly break.
But she refused to tell this to anyone. Not to Blake, not to Ruby, and certainly not to Weiss. She couldn't worry her teammates. She had to be strong for them. And tonight was supposed to be a night of happiness; of celebration; of peace.
Although Yang's night had been ruined before it began, she wouldn't ruin it for anyone else.
So she told Blake that she was fine, twirled her, kissed the back of her hand, and then returned to the lectern to greet the guests.
After that, no one really talked to her other than a few pleasant greetings from the new arrivals and several compliments on her dress. Yang hated being alone, especially with the thoughts running rampant in her head, so she began observing everything that was happening in the ballroom.
The students and teachers alike were at ease. Everyone was dancing, conversing, and generally having a good time. The music was exhilarating but not overly loud, and the colourful, flashing lights managed to be dazzling but not overwhelming. All the students looked amazing in their formalwear, even if a sizable handful behaved like they had never been to a dance before.
She spotted Team JNPR chatting by the snack table, Nora stuffing a bunch of finger foods into her mouth. For some odd reason Jaune was in a dress, but Yang didn't have the energy to question why.
Blake and Sun were dancing together, and when Yang saw Blake bestow the most heartfelt laugh she'd heard from her in weeks, she decided she was going to buy Monkey Boy lunch. If Yang needed one reason to convince herself why she had stayed this long at the dance, it was to hear Blake laugh like that.
Ruby sat at an empty table away from the dance floor. Yang snickered at how awkward her sister looked; dances and formalwear had never been Ruby's thing. Like, ever. If someone actually asked her to dance she would probably turn as red as her trademark cloak, and then trip over the heels she wasn't used to wearing.
Speaking of which... didn't Ruby have a date? She overheard her gushing yesterday that someone had asked her to the dance, but even Yang wasn't able to snatch a name from her younger sister.
As if on cue, someone approached Ruby and extended their hand, someone that both shocked Yang and made her protective instincts kick into overdrive. She was greeted with the sight of long raven hair, amber eyes like molten metal, and a tall, graceful figure hugged in a tight crimson dress.
Ruby, instead of looking surprised at the dance offer, looked shy. Like she had been nervously waiting for it all evening. Without a word, Cinder led her little sister out to the dance floor and started dancing with her way too intimately for Yang's liking.
Her eyes flashing red, Yang was about to march over there, but the sharp look in Blake's eyes froze her. Blake gestured her head at Ruby and her older date, signaling that she, too, knew what was going on and that she had her eye on the pair. Yang held Blake's gaze for a prolonged moment, taking deep breaths to calm down.
At least Cinder wasn't touching Ruby inappropriately. Plus, Ruby looked reassured for the first time since she entered the ballroom. Happy, even. Yang knew causing a scene wasn't the best thing to do right now, especially in her state of mind, so, confident that she could trust Blake to watch over the couple, she allowed her eyes to fade back to purple.
Trying her best to ignore the mysterious woman dancing with her baby sister, Yang took another long glance over the ballroom. Sage and Scarlet were dancing together, ignoring all the strange looks they got which Yang silently applauded them for. Team CFVY were dancing in a circle, all seeming to be enjoying themselves. Especially Velvet, who probably wasn't used to spending time like this with people she could call friends. Those two exchange students, Emerald and Mercury, were also dancing together, but they didn't seem happy about it. If anything, they looked ready to kill each other.
Yang also noticed that Team CRDL were nowhere to be found. She mentally congratulated herself, feeling like she was the main reason none of those assholes were present. After the way they treated Weiss, she doubted she'd ever be able to be in the same room as them without wanting to tear them to shreds.
But, in that moment, Yang also realized that two certain people hadn't shown up yet. That thought both relieved and irritated her.
It would hurt to see them together. No, it would downright slaughter her and she knew it. Her chest would ache and her shoulders would tremble and her legs probably wouldn't be able to keep her there for the remainder of the dance. And then she would run back to her dorm, cry herself to sleep and pretend nothing was wrong in the morning.
But waiting for the pain to start was almost just as bad. Her night was already lonely enough; if seeing the girl she loved walk in with her date was enough of an excuse for Yang to leave, she would take it.
Yang could feel tears forming, but she forced them back.
She just wanted things to go back to normal. A time before she foolishly confessed to Weiss. A time before Weiss fell for Neptune. A time when Yang would tease Weiss about being uptight and said girl would scold her for acting like a child, and Yang would enjoy every minute of it.
But, once again, her big mouth ruined any normalcy she could've had.
Yang jumped when she heard the front doors creak open behind her. Wiping away remnants of her tears, she turned around and forced a smile. She felt fully prepared to greet the new guest, but her words were instantly lodged in her throat.
Nothing could have prepared her enough for the sight in front of her. At first, she thought she was seeing an angel.
Then she realized she was.
There Weiss stood in a knee length dress that flared out at the waist in a shade that perfectly matched the colour of her silky, off-centred ponytail. Lilac eyes roamed over pale, bare arms, stopped briefly to admire the two slits of flesh revealed at her waistline, then continued down their trek of bare legs to a matching set of white heels. Yang looked back up to see Weiss's hypnotic ice blue eyes staring at her, and her breath would have caught if she didn't already forget how to breathe when Weiss walked in.
Weiss looked beautiful; gorgeous; flawless. Normally Yang took great pride in her appearance, but right now she felt like she didn't even deserve to stand close to Weiss in fear that she might somehow make her beauty falter.
It was about time that Weiss showed up, though. Not only was Yang getting anxious about her late arrival, but as the other co-organizer of the dance, she was supposed to be there before the dance even began. Yet, the event was almost an hour in.
But Yang could understand her lateness. Getting yourself ready to impress your date took time, and Weiss was definitely dressed to impress.
What Yang couldn't wrap her head around, however, was why Weiss was alone.
"Good evening, Yang."
Said girl flinched at the words, unprepared for such a heavenly voice to grace her ears. Weiss was peering at her patiently, but clearly she was waiting for a response. Yang was so overwhelmed by Weiss's presence that it took a full minute for her tongue to unwind.
"W-Weiss, hey," Yang greeted with a small wave, cursing herself for stuttering. She had to act cool. She had to comment on how good the white haired girl looked. Something simple, but thoughtful. She couldn't be creepy; she didn't want Weiss to feel uncomfortable the moment she got there. "You look... very, um..." Beautiful. Gorgeous. Marvelous. Stunning. Angelic. "... wow."
Yang winced. Very smooth. She subtly wiped her suddenly sweaty palms on her dress, and struggled to stay locked in Weiss's piercing gaze.
Weiss seemed flattered at the pathetic excuse of a compliment though, so that made Yang feel a bit better at least.
Alas, Yang knew that good things, such as conversing with this divine woman in front of her, always come to an end. Deciding to call upon her own misery so Weiss wouldn't have to, Yang made a half-hearted look around Weiss and asked, "So... where's your date?"
Weiss gave her a curious look.
"Last I checked, she was right in front of me."
Every thought in Yang's head came to a crashing halt.
What.
A nervous chuckle escaped Yang's lips before she could stop it. "Um, what?" Yang voiced the one word that rung in her head like a gunshot.
Weiss smiled in reply. It was a sad smile; a smile begging for forgiveness. It kind of hurt to see. What could Weiss have possibly done that she would ask Yang's forgiveness for?
"I've been doing a lot of thinking since that talk we had," Weiss explained, making Yang's heart speed up. "You have no idea how worried I was when you acted like nothing happened. You can't just... say things like that and think that things haven't changed between us."
Ice cold fear took a tight grip of Yang's heart. She had stared death in the face several times since she was a child, yet she had never been as scared as she was right now at the thought of Weiss believing things could never go back to the way they were. That Weiss would never think of her the same way. That Weiss was uncomfortable around her.
That Weiss hated her.
"What do you mean?" Yang choked out. She didn't want to hear it. She really didn't want to hear it. Blood was pounding in her ears, deafening her to everything except the girl in front of her. Her chest was aching and her shoulders were trembling, just as she knew they would sometime tonight, but if Weiss had something to say to her she knew she had to listen. She couldn't just turn away. Even if all Weiss planned to do was yell at her for ruining any kind of friendship they could have had, Yang would stand there and take it if it would make Weiss feel better.
"Yang Xiao Long," Weiss spoke firmly.
The blonde snapped to attention, staring down at the smaller girl. "Y-Yes?"
This was it. This was the moment her heart would be broken beyond repair.
Weiss's voice softened considerably, her gaze the gentlest it's ever been. Then she held out her hand.
"I'd be honored to give you my first dance... and every dance after."
Yang had prepared herself for such pain that she didn't even know how to react to hearing something that made butterflies burst in her stomach.
There's no way she heard that right.
"But... I... you... what?" Yang stumbled.
Weiss chuckled, the vibrations melodic in Yang's ears. "Don't make me repeat myself, you oaf."
"But... Weiss..." Said girl lost her smile at Yang's concerned tone. As much as Yang wanted to be elated at Weiss's words, she was more confused than anything else. "What about Neptune?"
Weiss seemed to understand every emotion that laid beneath the question. "I turned him down."
"What?" Yang questioned, her eyes widening dramatically. "But you wanted to go with him so badly..."
"Yes, I did," Weiss replied. A smile lit up her small face again. "And then some brute came along and saved me from some bullies by saying that I was her date." The ponytailed girl chuckled and shook her head. "Said brute then confessed that she cared about me, that she was proud of me, and I hadn't felt that loved in seventeen years. It was the first time someone said those words to me. It was the first time I held the hand of someone who loved me. And as the days went on, all I could think of," Weiss inched her arm closer to Yang's person, "was how much I wanted to hold her hand again."
The warmth that spread through Yang's body was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Her gaze flickered between Weiss's small, outstretched hand and her face, unable to believe what she was hearing. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever consider Weiss giving her a chance.
"Are you sure?" Yang asked carefully. She was scared this was all fake. If Weiss was playing her and Neptune walked through that door, Yang wouldn't be able to take it. And if Weiss was saying all those things just to make her feel better and not being truthful about how she actually felt, it would be even worse. Yang knew she had to voice that. "I don't want you to think you have to be with me just 'cause of the way I feel about you. I don't want you to force yourself if you don't feel anything for me."
"Oh, I'm fully aware. But I do feel something for you. I just don't know what it is yet." Weiss looked away shyly, shuffling her feet. "And I was hoping you'd be able to help me figure it out."
Yang stared at her, eyes wide in shock. She didn't even know what to say.
"I-I'm not really sure how it works," Weiss rambled, her cheeks turning pink. It became painfully obvious that Weiss had been masking how nervous she was for the past few minutes, but now that everything was out in the open, the mask fell away. "Not the dance thing; I know how to dance. Not that I've ever danced with a girl, mind you. The dating thing, I mean." The more Weiss jumbled her words, the more relieved Yang felt. Weiss was just as frightened as she was, if not more so. "I've just never done it before and I've never seen anyone else do it, but I know you feel so strongly for me and I would like to try this with you. But I'm not sure how to. You're the first person to have a genuine interest in me, and I'm scared that I'll mess this whole thing up and you'll lose interest and—"
"Weiss." The blonde interrupted the white haired girl's adorably nervous rambling and clasped her offered hand, squeezing it gently. For the first time in two days, Yang's expression actually conveyed how happy she felt. "Let's go dance."
Weiss huffed, cheeks red. No doubt that she didn't mean to reveal all those things, and now she was embarrassed about it. "About time, you brute," Weiss replied. "Shame on you for keeping a lady waiting."
Yang chortled, only realizing right then how long it had been since she'd just let go and let herself feel good.
Silently, she led Weiss by the hand past the sea of couples to the middle of the dance floor. Yang turned to look at her angelic dance partner—God, her date—and almost melted at the timid but warm look Weiss was giving her. Shaking off most of her nerves, Yang took a step forwards and slowly, so Weiss would be sure of what she was doing, held their clasped hands up at shoulder height and laid the other on Weiss's hip, trying hard to ignore how her fingertips were brushing the smooth, creamy skin that the slits of Weiss's dress provided. Weiss jolted a bit at the touch and Yang almost pulled away, but then Weiss relaxed and rested a delicate hand on Yang's shoulder.
With that, Yang began leading their dance.
She was worried at first. She knew she wasn't a bad dancer, but being so close to Weiss made her nervous. Looking at her, touching her, dancing with her; it was all so much to handle that Yang had trouble keeping her footwork fluid. Plus, after only a few steps it was easily apparent that Weiss was a better dancer than her, which made the probability of her accidently crushing Weiss's toes under her sloppy steps ultimately skyrocket. What she really wanted to do was impress Weiss, was show her a great time, but now it took all her efforts just to make sure she was good enough.
She was so scared that Weiss would let go of her hand and walk back out those doors.
Until Weiss laughed.
It startled Yang at first, until she uncovered that Weiss was enjoying herself so much that she felt she could drop her cold persona that had been drilled into her brain since birth. Yang realized that Weiss was so comfortable around her that she wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.
A grin stretched across Yang's face, an anxious weight finally lifting from her heart. Not worried about disappointing Weiss anymore, she started leading them in a wild rhythm that was way faster than the beat of the background music. Weiss giggled all the louder, both of them ignoring the odd glances they aroused from the couples around them.
Yang twirled her date, Weiss's ponytail flowing around her body in a way that made the blonde swoon. In her excitement, she twirled Weiss again. Weiss, however, was not prepared for the second spin and lost her footing, falling forwards.
Instinctively, Yang thrust out her arms and caught her. Her heart skipped a beat upon feeling Weiss's hot, surprised breath along her collarbone. Weiss slowly looked up, blushing. Yang blushed too, her brain finally registering just how close Weiss was to her. She smiled down at the girl in her arms, hoping that would be enough to remedy the mishap. She could only imagine how terrified Weiss was at their close proximity; the girl wasn't fond of physical contact with anyone.
Thankfully, Weiss reciprocated the smile, reminding Yang of a lantern lighting up on a cold, winter night. And then, to Yang's utter shock, Weiss lifted both her arms and draped them around the blonde's shoulders, keeping them close.
Yang's shock was quickly overpowered by an irresistible urge to hold this girl near. She wrapped her powerful arms around Weiss's thin waist, keeping her hold firm but gentle. They stared deeply into each other's eyes, the world around them lost as they tenderly swayed in a slow dance.
"I'm sorry," Weiss murmured.
Yang's brow furrowed. "For what?" she asked just as quietly.
"For making you wait so long." The white haired girl's voice softened even further, guilt in her eyes. "For making you feel like you weren't good enough."
"Hey now," Yang hushed. "All the fault is mine. I'm the one who waited too long to tell you how I felt. You never owed me anything."
"Still," Weiss continued, "it must have hurt hearing me talk about Neptune."
"It did," Yang agreed with a slight nod. "But none of that matters now because you're here in my arms, and I will forever be thankful that you're giving me a chance."
Weiss smiled. "You oaf. I should be the one saying that."
Yang tilted her head in questioning.
"I'm impatient, and stuck-up, and I yell at you over the most insignificant things, and you want to be with me anyway." Weiss chuckled. "A mystery, really."
Yang shrugged. "I could just be a masochist."
Weiss frowned, unamused. "Don't ruin the mood, you brute."
"Sorry, sorry." Yang chuckled before giving a warm smile. "Seriously, though, there's no mystery about it. Yes, you get angry at me a lot, and yes, you complain all the time, and yes, you have the temper of a—"
"Yang."
"Right, sorry. But as I told you the other day, you are extremely caring. You look out for your friends, even if you don't want them to know it. You're smart, and brave, and you inspire me to be a better person. Every time I look at you it's like I'm... home."
The expression on Weiss's face was a mixture of appreciation and disbelief, like she wanted to believe what Yang was saying but didn't know how to. And if words weren't able to convince her, Yang knew another way.
Yang leaned down and softly pressed her lips against Weiss's scar above her eye. She lingered for a few moments, only pulling away when she was sure the warmth of her touch would remain. Weiss stared at her, eyes so wide that Yang knew she had to say something.
"I really wanted to do that the other day." Yang admitted sheepishly. "I hope you aren't mad."
It had been calling out to her when she confessed her feelings in their dorm room a few days ago. Weiss just seemed so ashamed of her scar that Yang wanted to show her how beautiful it made her. She had wanted to lean over and kiss it so badly, but eventually decided to reach over and touch it instead. Even doing that at the time was a big risk and she knew it, but it was worth it to get her point across.
Of course, Yang wanted to kiss more than just her scar that day, but she knew that would've taken things too far. She didn't want to scare Weiss away, a want that still carried weight, which was why Yang didn't try and kiss the smaller girl. She would try in due time when their relationship was a little more forged, but until then, she would give Weiss space. She'd let Weiss control the pace of their relationship.
Weiss never replied to her words, instead choosing to bury her face in Yang's bare shoulder. Yang was surprised by the action, even more so when the body in her hold began to shake. When Yang felt hot tears drip onto her skin she was automatically concerned, but then Weiss spoke up:
"Thank you," Weiss sobbed quietly into her shoulder. "Thank you for loving me..."
Yang smiled, feeling her heart melt in her chest. She kissed the top of Weiss's head and then lifted one of her hands to rub soothing circles along the smaller girl's back.
It was in that moment that Yang realized a lot of things. Not only was she probably the first and only person to tell Weiss that she loved her, she was also probably the only person that Weiss had ever cried in front of. Weiss took such pride in her icy, perfectionist appearance, so it made Yang's heart swell with affection that Weiss trusted her enough to let Yang see her without the facade.
Yang felt tears brim her eyes but she didn't try to stop them, because for the first time in forever they were joyful tears.
She could make Weiss happy. She was convinced of that now. She could make awful puns when she was upset to make her laugh, wipe her tears when she cried, warm her up when she was cold, and ultimately make her smile. Make her realize how beautiful she is.
Make her realize how blessed Yang felt to be with her.
She knew that Weiss didn't love her yet. Weiss never got to experience the love of another person before, not even from a friend or family member, so the poor girl probably didn't even know what it felt like to truly love someone. But Yang was devoted to showing her every beautiful thing that love had to offer. If anything, Yang was excited to see how the affection in Weiss's eyes would grow and grow every time she looked at her.
Even if it took years for Weiss's feelings to be as strong as Yang's were, the blonde was willing to wait if it meant she could be with Weiss; if it meant she could hold this beautiful girl in her arms and remind her every day how loved she was.
And if Weiss gave her the chance, she would hold onto her forever.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who read the entire way through! Thank you for giving my story a chance. I would love to hear your thoughts, so any and all reviews and PM's would be much appreciated! :)
I think what truly fueled me to write this was to show how Weiss would react if someone gave her an open, honest confession rather than just joking around like Jaune is doing in the show. And despite Yang's playful attitude, I feel like Yang's the type of person to be really honest and passionate when it comes to personal discussions. And that was definitely proven in S2, E6 with the Bumblebee part, eh? I think I heard a national squeal from the fandom when that scene happened. That was some amazing team bonding, and I wish they had more scenes like that in the episodes.
Oh, and I'm also thinking of starting a multi-chapter Freezerburn fic. I already have an idea in mind as well as what pairings would be included.
Anyways, thank you all for checking out my fic! I really appreciate it. Have a good day! :)