A/N: Hi all! This is set in the IMEBG timeline. It's the winter before RWBY's third year, the same day as Reconnection. You shouldn't need to read either story to enjoy this, but I'd recommend reading Reconnection first if you haven't already; it helps a conversation at the end of the chapter make a lot more sense.
That said, thanks for stopping by!
The ferry's horn blew loud through the chill air as the sun dipped low out across the sea.
Ruby was off the boat in a cloud of rose petals before the ramp even had time to hit the dock. She hit the ground running, boots slapping planks until she crashed shoulder-first into the gut of the man waiting for her there.
"DAD!" she squealed, hugging him as hard as her tiny arms would let her.
"Hey there, pipsqueak!" Tai ruffled her hair with an affectionate grin. "You're bigger than I remember!"
"Auuughhgh it's so good to see you!" Ruby yelled into his chest, before leaping away from his embrace and rushing back towards the ship. She returned in an instant, carrying a shellshocked-looking girl in a princess carry, luggage and all.
"R-Ruby!" the girl protested, "I can walk on my own!" She didn't look like she minded much, if the blush she was sporting was anything to go by.
Ruby just grinned. "Weiss, this is my dad, Taiyang! Dad, this is Weiss! She's my partner!"
Tai laughed at the display, reaching out to take Weiss's hand as she stumbled out of Ruby's grasp. "Nice to meet you. And just 'Tai' is fine."
Weiss smiled, dipping her head in what Tai recognized as a polite Atlesian gesture. "The pleasure is mine. I've heard plenty of stories."
"Is that so? Hope I live up to the hype." He reached out and ruffled his daughter's hair. "What'd you fill her head with, kiddo?"
"Only nice stuff!" Ruby said. She darted in, pulling him into an intense hug. She really was growing up to be like her mom. "Argh I missed you. Howare you? How's Zwei?"
A low boom of thunder rumbled out across the bay, pulling their attention to the grey sky overhead. Tai looked back to his daughter and her partner. "Let's catch up over dinner? My treat."
"Oh," Weiss said. She looked embarrassed. "I can pay for my meal, you don't have to trouble yourself."
Tai responded with a hard stare. "No friend of Ruby's is paying for a meal on Patch while I have anything to say about it," he said. "No matter who she is."
Weiss's face shifted into something unreadable. "Alright," she said, automatically, breaking eye contact.
Tai's eyes widened a hair. Oookay. Bringing up the family name's a bad idea.
Ruby, bless her soul, smashed through the tension like stained glass window. "We gotta go to Granny Granite's!" she said, practically bouncing with excitement. "Ooooh, or the Dustfire Grill!"
"We'll have plenty of time for breakfast and lunch places later," Tai said. He glanced at Weiss with a sympathetic smile. "Why not Sapphire's? Best dinner on the island."
Ruby's jaw dropped. "SAPPHIRE'S? Oh my gods you're right! Weiss you're gonna love it."
A smile tugged at Weiss's lips, "There's really no need to make a fuss on my account," she said, but Tai just waved her off.
"Ah, don't worry about it," he said. "I don't get to see my kids much these days, and I've heard plenty of great things about you from this one." He gestured at Ruby, who hugged his side with a big goofy grin.
"Awww, sweet dad is sweet."
"Oh shuddup you menace," Tai said, trying to kick her off.
Something happened to Weiss at that moment. She went still, her shoulders tight, her eyes tugged downward as if looking up was dangerous.
Tai didn't miss it, and in that moment a whole galaxy of thoughts crashed through his head. Stories he'd been told. Books he'd read. The signs and patterns.
One thought, though, was by far the strongest:
I've seen that look before.
Ruby, bless her, just giggled and clung to his arm even tighter. "No! You're stuck with me now!" At that, Weiss relaxed a bit, her smile returning to reality.
Tai schooled himself, shaking off the ropes of anger and worry which had almost paralyzed him. "C'mon kids," he said, putting on a gentle face as he pried Ruby off him and gestured back towards the town. "There's usually a wait around evening, so let's try and get there early."
If she was being honest, Weiss hadn't been expecting much of "Sapphire's." Her taste in dining was a bit rarified by constant exposure to Atlas high society, but living in Vale had helped expand the limits of her palate.
Still, when she looked at the place, with its Atlas-style gilded trim and its big neon sign, her expectations hadn't much improved. Oh good, an Atlesian-style restaurant in a suburb of Vale. I'm sure this will be just lovely.
Inside, however, she found the decor to be actually quite comfortable. It wasn't really an Atlesian style of restaurant, but that frankly worked in its favor. The wait staff were as friendly as she'd become used to in Vale, and when she got the menu she was stunned by the selection.
The server, a bright young man with white cat ears perched atop his blond head, smiled at them as he took their orders, and by the time he got to Weiss she knew exactly what she wanted. "How's the pan-seared Mantellian catfish?"
The man gave her a smile. "It's one of our specialties. Are you from Mantle by any chance, miss?"
Weiss nodded, mildly thankful that he hadn't recognized her. "Atlas, technically, but I spent a lot of time in Mantle when I was young. I haven't had Mantle catfish in almost a decade."
"Ah, lovely," the man said, his smile growing and his ears perking up. "Our head chef is a Mantle expat, as it happens. She and her wife ran a restaurant in the upper district, before moving down here for the weather."
"That's lovely," Weiss said. "Does she like it here?"
"Oh she loves it," the man said, grinning. "Not that you'd believe it if you talked to her, she's always complaining about the storms. But she loves to sit out on the porch and watch the sea while it rains."
He stopped, shooting a self-conscious look at Ruby and Tai, who just waved him off. "Sorry," he said sheepishly, writing Weiss's order down. "She's my mom. The catfish, then?"
"Certainly," Weiss said. "I'm looking forward to it."
"Alright! I'll be right back then."
He trotted off to the kitchens while Weiss shot Tai and Ruby a quizzical look across the table. "I appreciate the gesture, but you don't have to take me out to Atlas-style restaurants to make me feel comfortable."
"It wasn't about that," Tai said, waving a hand dismissively. "I really did mean it when I said this was the best restaurant on the island." He grinned. "It being something I thought you might find familiar was just a bonus."
Weiss smiled, unable to fully match the man's grin. She had to admit he was charming, but she'd met more than her share of charming men, and Yang's stories about Taiyang Xiao Long were a bit less glowing than Ruby's. "Well in any case," she said, lifting the menu, "thank you for offering to treat me."
"It's the least I can do." Tai rested his elbows on the table and his chin on clasped hands, smile softening. "You're my daughter's partner. You keep her safe in a way I'll never be able to. Plus, she likes you. You're not gonna pay for a meal all winter if I have anything to say about it."
Weiss's cheeks heated up as Ruby let out an "Awwwwwwwww dad," rubbing her head on his shoulder. "You're such a sweet dork."
"Hey, you got it from somewhere," Tai said, grinning as he put one arm around her.
"Awwwwww."
Weiss couldn't hide her smile, but there was a pang of something else as well. Even with all that had happened to Ruby's family, or maybe in some part because of it, the girl still had a good relationship with her father. Weiss had known this to be true from how she spoke of the man, but seeing it in person felt strange.
Even stranger was how nice he was being to her. Not that it was unusual, she supposed. She just…
She wasn't used to fathers being kind.
She didn't have time to mull over it long. Their food arrived promptly, the server setting the plates down with a flourish and a little wink aimed at Weiss. When she saw the fish, it took all of her refinement to keep from drooling.
Two long fillets, breaded and fried to a deep yellow-brown and garnished with a simple mix of hearty greens. It was a real Mantellian dish, the kind of thing she'd only been able to have when she very young, on the occasions when her mother took her to explore the old city.
Ruby made a little noise of interest, peering across the table.
"Ruby?" Weiss asked.
"I kinda expected you to get something fancier," Ruby admitted. "Y'know, Atlas cooking."
Weiss opened her mouth to respond, but another voice did it for her. "That's cause it's not Atlas cooking at all."
The three of them looked up to see a woman standing there, a chef's hat wobbling on her head. Behind her, a striped tail swished back and forth, sleeved in a long hairnet.
"That there's Mantle cuisine," the chef continued. "I tell people I cook Atlas style 'cause most folks down here can't tell the difference, but most Atlas cooking is all about aesthetics and fine portions. The kinda food you have eight courses of. Us Mantlers, we make food to give you strength to face the ice and cold. Things Atlas folk rarely have to do. You had eight courses of this, you'd explode."
She was looking at Weiss, who felt a lump in her throat.
"Surprised to see you order it," she said, her voice dangerously neutral. "Weiss Schnee."
Behind her, a few tables away, her son froze in midstep, ears swiveling sharply.
Weiss lowered her eyes. "I… never much liked Atlesian food," she said. "For the reasons you said. It may look aesthetically pleasing, but the taste rarely matches up to the price tag."
"Hmm." The chef said, her face unreadable. "Surprised to hear the SDC heiress say that."
"…ex-heiress, actually."
The chef's eyebrows rose, but her face stayed impassive. "Ah. My condolences." There was an awkward pause.
Weiss wasn't sure how to respond. She glanced at Taiyang, and saw him giving the chef a difficult look. Like he wanted to be angry but wasn't sure if he should. With a glance at Weiss's face, he decided. "Hey, Sapphire, lay off the kid, would you? She's had a rough couple months, and she's a good friend of my daughter."
"Really?" the chef, Sapphire apparently, looked down at Ruby, who waved half-heartedly. "You picked up some interesting friends at combat school little lady." She smiled, affectionately. "Liking the fried shrimp, kid?"
Ruby smiled, a little less intensely than usual. "Still good as ever," she said.
"Alright alright," Sapphire said, easing her posture a little. "Sorry I jumped down your throat, kid."
Weiss shook her head. "It's alright. I'm… more than aware of what my family name stands for. I can't imagine your feelings are without cause."
Sapphire's eyes widened. "You really aren't your father."
Weiss smiled thin, meeting the old woman's eyes. "Thank you."
The chef cleared her throat, looking away awkwardly. "…Welp, I'd better get back to the kitchen. Sorry for the bother, and hope you enjoy the meal. It's… on the house tonight.
She shuffled away, getting a fair share of odd looks from the other patrons.
Weiss sighed and picked up her utensils. The catfish really was just how she liked it.
She had a bite halfway to her mouth when she noticed Ruby and Tai staring at her in concern.
"Are you…" Ruby said, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers, "...okay, Weiss?"
"Hm?" Weiss gave her a puzzled head tilt. "Oh, I'm fine." She popped the catfish in her mouth, and momentarily forgot all about them. It wasperfect, a divine mix of salty and savory, with just a hint of lemon and the texture of having been cooked precisely right. "Oh stars ," she mumbled, forgetting not to talk while she chewed for a brief moment before remembering her manners with a mild blush.
Ruby, not seeming to have a response for the situation, popped a shrimp into her mouth. "Mmmm," she said. "It's the best, right? How's yours dad?"
Tai was still staring across the table at her. Weiss sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "Look, I'm fine . This isn't the first time and it won't be the last. My name means something, and it's going to be—it is — my job to change what that is."
"That's not something a girl your age should have to do," Tai said, gently.
"Well, I didn't get to choose where I was born," Weiss snapped. Ruby jumped, and Tai's eyes widened a fraction. Weiss sighed, feeling guilty. "I was born with every kind of material wealth there is, to a family so broken I haven't celebrated half my birthdays and a world that hears my last name and thinks 'racism and labor rights violations.'" She grit her teeth. "And they're right! People are right not to like me. I can't change what my father has done. All I can do is deal with it and do better."
She stopped, realizing people were staring at her. She closed her eyes, counting backwards from five, and opened them again. "I appreciate the concern," Weiss said. "But I'm fine."
Tai held her gaze for a moment, before nodding. "Alright then," he said.
The conversation fell apart after that.
Ruby shot nervous glances at her partner the whole way home. They'd taken Tai's motorcycle, with Weiss in the side car while Ruby sat behind her father, arms around his back. It was a nostalgic feeling, but still…
She'd hoped Weiss would enjoy this more.
Ruby knew how much Weiss didn't want to go home. The winter break after their first year, she hadn't texted the team once, and she'd come back looking hollow. Like a Ghost Night pumpkin without a candle in it.
Last year's summer break had been worse. Ruby still remembered her scroll ringing in the night, the panic and shaking in Weiss's voice, the terrified vulnerability that Ruby had never experienced before. She had done her best to be there for Weiss, to keep talking to her, to help her through what was happening. But her best wasn't enough.
Weiss's father hadn't hit her… not much, at least. But somehow, he'd driven her to the edge of herself. Ruby still didn't understand Jacques Schnee, and honestly she never wanted to. She could tell how much he'd hurt Weiss, and that was all she needed to know.
When Weiss had come back, she wasn't the Schnee Heiress anymore. She'd seemed like a tattered flag in a hurricane, and it had taken weeks before the familiar sharpness came back into her voice.
In the next few months, she'd seemed happier, but there was something in her there hadn't been before. She was toughened. Not colder, but harder. That Summer had hit her hard, but it had forged her into something strong.
Ruby had always admired Weiss in a lot of ways, but this last year she'd come to really love her. She'd wanted to keep Weiss safe, to give her something good for once.
So Ruby had suggested they come to Patch for the summer. Weiss hadn't taken much convincing. They didn't talk about her lack of alternatives, but the thought was hanging in the air.
Even so, Weiss's background just wouldn't leave her alone.
They arrived in the same silence as they'd left, and Ruby couldn't take it anymore.
The moment Weiss was out of the sidecar, Ruby rushed to her, pulling her into a tight hug.
"R-Ruby?" Weiss stammered.
Ruby just shook her head, burying it in Weiss's shoulder. "I'm sorry," she muttered.
Weiss sighed. "Ruby, you didn't do anything."
"I know," Ruby said. "But I wish I could."
Weiss's laugh was painful to hear, hollow and sad. "I appreciate that," she said. "But I'm alright, Ruby. You don't need to worry."
"Well, I'm gonna worry anyway," Ruby muttered. "So there."
She felt Weiss's hands hesitantly lift to return the hug.
Tai watched the two of them with a faint smile, before heading inside to give the two girls space.
There were no words to express how proud he was of Ruby. He'd been worried sick when she'd gone to Beacon two years early. He'd called up Ozpin and yelled at the man for pulling Ruby into that world before she was ready for it.
Ozpin, the bastard, had smiled and told Tai that Ruby was ready.
It had taken a long while for Tai to accept that Ozpin was right. He'd always thought of Yang as the stronger of his girls. Not just because she was older, but just for the drive and fire in her.
But Ruby had a different kind of strength. On the surface she was smaller, but she could hold the whole world in her heart.
She was a lot like her mother, that way. And Tai couldn't be prouder of that.
To Weiss, Ruby's home was, in a word, quaint.
She felt a little guilty for thinking so, but somehow it felt more charming than derogatory. Quaint, yes, but welcoming. It was small, a bit cluttered, a bit unkempt. It carried the same world-weariness as Taiyang did, but like him it carried it with a friendly spark of humor.
And there was a quiet defiance in it. It reminded Weiss of Yang, a little, though a little calmer and less… exciting, though neither was diminished for the difference.
Ruby settled in immediately, sprawling all over the couch in a gleeful pile, her scroll in her hand as she texted with her sister.
Weiss sat in the recliner offered to her by Taiyang, her hands clasped tight, not quite sure how to settle in. She felt out of place here, uncertain of what she was supposed to touch and what she wasn't. The difference between this place and her own home was like the distance between stars, but that just made it harder to know what was acceptable.
Taiyang's voice rang out, startling Weiss. "Hey kids! Tea?"
Ruby stuck out her tongue. "Not for me!" she hollered back.
Weiss opened her mouth, hesitating only for a moment at the flash of anxiety about how loud she was allowed to be. "I'd like some, if that's no trouble," she said, careful not to speak louder than Ruby had.
"You got it," Taiyang said.
Weiss tried to relax, pulling out her scroll. To her surprise, she noticed that she had notifications from the team's groupchat.
RWBY Groupchat:
8:41 P.M.
BigYang: yo!
BigYang: made it to menagerie! its really nice
BigYang: blakes parents are super cool
GunscytheGirl: awesome! everything went well?
BigYang: yup
BigYang: blake is talking to them now
BigYang: catching up and stuff
BigYang: i stepped out to give them space
Weiss smiled, joining the conversation.
WS: I'm glad they're doing well.
BigYang: yeah same
BigYang: blake was rlly nervous but i can tell she's really happy now
BigYang: im so proud of her
On the couch, Ruby giggled.
GunscytheGirl: gay dork
BigYang: SCUSE
BigYang: YOURE THE DORK DORK
BigYang: dont make me fly back there and give you a noogie
GunscytheGirl: you're not denying the gay though! ^w^
BigYang: ;)
Weiss rolled her eyes.
WS: You're both dorks.
Ruby shot her a pouty look.
GunscytheGirl: aw i thought i was a dolt! ;_;
Weiss smirked.
WS: Not mutually exclusive.
GunscytheGirl: yaaay! :D
BigYang: am i a dolt
WS: No. Only Ruby.
BigYang: aw
BigYang: im wounded
BigYang: youve killed me
Ruby shot her a grin.
GunscytheGirl: we're literally in the same room rn.
GunscytheGirl: weiss was the real dork all along.
GunscytheGirl: not sure if dolt. :/
ShroudedCat19: Only Weiss can decide who is and is not a dolt.
Weiss and Ruby looked at each other, grins on their faces.
GunscytheGirl: BLAKE!
WS: Hello Blake! How did it go?
ShroudedCat19: Better than I expected. We're going to be staying a while after all.
Weiss's smile faltered. There was an ugly little speck of envy in her heart, but she tried not to feel it too strongly.
WS: Good! I'm really glad it worked out!
GunscytheGirl: yeah!
GunscytheGirl: ahhhh i wanna meet your parents!
GunscytheGirl: say hi to them for us?
Weiss's heart stilled. There was a pause.
WS: You don't have to mention me.
Ruby shot her a look, eyes suddenly wide. "Oh… I'm sorry."
"It's alright," Weiss said. She had to force her smile a little.
ShroudedCat19: Actually…
ShroudedCat19: We already did.
WS: Oh.
ShroudedCat19: They already knew. They saw us at the Vytal Festival.
ShroudedCat19: And, well…
There was a pause, everyone waiting for Blake to finish her thought.
ShroudedCat19: They actually had a message for you.
ShroudedCat19: For both of you, but mostly Weiss.
ShroudedCat19: They say that next time we visit, you're welcome to come along.
Weiss's breath chilled in her mouth.
WS: Are you certain that's a good idea?
ShroudedCat19: They suggested it.
ShroudedCat19: You're my friend, and they trust me not to pick my friends badly.
ShroudedCat19: Not that *I* do, but in this case I agree with them.
ShroudedCat19: You certainly don't have to come, and no one would judge you if you decline, but I just wanted you to know it's an open path.
WS: Even if you say that, I'm still a Schnee.
WS: Going to Menagerie would be
She struggled to even find the word.
WS: Going to Menagerie would be a controversial act. I'd be more worried about your parents' reputations than my own.
ShroudedCat19: Be that as it may, the invitation stands. And it wasn't extended lightly.
ShroudedCat19: It might cause a stir, but honestly… I'd like you to come.
ShroudedCat19: I'd like them to see the Weiss Schnee I know. Brave, intelligent, and kinder than most would ever think. I'd like to show them that you're nothing like your father.
Weiss lifted her hand to her mouth. Something was tingling in her chest.
ShroudedCat19: Because, you're not.
ShroudedCat19: And, I want everyone to know that.
ShroudedCat19: Including you.
There was a soft sound, and it took a moment for Weiss to realize it was coming from her. Ruby looked at her with wide, gentle eyes. "Hey," she said.
Weiss blinked away tears. "Hm?"
Ruby's patted the couch beside her, a questioning look in her eyes.
Weiss sucked in a breath. She hesitated, but… well…
She stood, and walked over to sit by Ruby before she could convince herself not to. Wordlessly, Ruby put her arm around Weiss's shoulder. She turned to her scroll, typing something.
GunscytheGirl: she's right, weiss.
Weiss laughed, leaning into the hug. "Dolt."
Ruby just smiled. Weiss glanced up, and noticed the light flush on her team leader's cheeks.
BigYang: yeah she is
BigYang: wait youre still in the same room arent you
GunscytheGirl: same couch. ^w^
BigYang: omg
BigYang: who are the gay ones now
Pink flooded Weiss's cheeks. Ruby was suddenly very warm, and quickly dropped her arm away from Weiss's back. The two of them both studiously avoided looking at each other.
ShroudedCat19: Be nice, Yang.
ShroudedCat19: In any case, I hope you two are having a good time on Patch.
ShroudedCat19: I've got to go, because I am emotionally exhausted and want to cuddle my girlfriend forever.
BigYang: haha im just gonna keep texting untilhlhayweyosdga
BigYang: Goodnight.
GunscytheGirl: omg goodnight! ^u^
WS: Goodnight!
Thank you, Blake, Weiss thought.
Beside her, Ruby took a deep breath and shut her scroll. "Hey," she said, facing her partner. "Weiss?"
"Mhm?"
Silver eyes caught blue and held them.
"I'm…" Ruby kicked her feet, and Weiss was suddenly reminded of the girl she'd met two years ago. Clumsy, uncouth, uncertain… earnest, honest, kind. "I'm really proud of you."
Weiss's heart stuttered. "Oh. T-thank you."
She felt Ruby's hand, gently resting on hers.
"Are you… okay?"
"Of course," Weiss said without hesitation. She squeezed Ruby's hand, smiling at the little blush on her partner's face. "If this is about the thing at the restaurant, I promise that wasn't cause for concern."
Ruby shook her head. "It's not just that, though. It's becoming a thing. The more nasty stuff we hear about your dad, your family… the more you just kinda take it."
Weiss sighed. "It's because they're right, Ruby. My family is responsible for terrible things."
"Yeah, okay," Ruby said. "But you were a kid. Some of that stuff was before you were born. "
"A lot of it is still happening," Weiss countered. "There are still faunus dying in Schnee mines every year."
"That isn't—"
"I know it isn't my fault." Weiss sighed, trying to find the words to explain this. It was important to her, that Ruby understood. That all of her teammates understood. Likely, she'd end up dragging them into this anyway, down the line, and she wanted them to understand why. "When my father stripped me of my inheritance, he gave me an opportunity to turn my back on all of it and finally be free from his sins. But if I do, if my brother Whitley inherits the SDC, nothing will change. My family's legacy will be in the hands of someone my father has groomed from birth to see the world the way he does. You remember what I was like when I came to Beacon, don't you?"
Ruby smiled, nervously. "You were… kinda a handful, yeah."
Weiss rolled her eyes at the understatement of the millennium. "Alright, imagine that version of me, with all those old beliefs, but without any reason to change. Without any desire to be better. A Weiss who won't ever meet Blake Belladonna or Ruby Rose or Yang Xiao Long, who will never be given reason to question what she's been taught until after it's all settled in, until she's been handed terrible amounts of power and influence to do with what she will."
Ruby's fingers tightened on hers. Maybe she did understand, just a little.
"I could walk away from this," Weiss repeated. "I could. But I don't want to. I am in a unique position to help. I can dispute my father's claims that I surrendered my right to the company. It will be difficult, and perhaps I will lose, but… I want to try. I want to be a strong enough person to try." She looked at Ruby, perhaps the woman she trusted most in the world. She felt a ghostly heat rising up her neck, but did her best to ignore it. "And… I honestly wouldn't mind having you by my side for that."
Ruby glowed. "Okay. Cool."
"Th—" Weiss blinked. "That's it?"
"Yeah, I mean, obviously I'm not gonna let you do that on your own." Ruby rolled her eyes. "Blake and Yang too. Heck, Blake especially. Can you imagine how happy she'd be to work with you on fixing the SDC?"
Weiss was assailed for a moment by the image of herself sitting at a desk, writing up ordinances with her three teammates crammed close to look over her shoulder. Making suggestions and corrections. Brushing lightly against her as she worked. Offering gentle touches to put her at ease…
"…You have a point," Weiss said, resisting the urge to tug at her collar.
Ruby's arm touched her shoulder, and Weiss leaned forward to accept the hug again.
"Thank you for explaining it to me," Ruby said.
"Of course," Weiss replied. "I'm always happy to tell you what I'm feeling."
"Awww…" Ruby giggled. "That's sweet. You're a sweet Weiss."
"Dolt," Weiss grumbled, pressing the word into her partner's collarbone.
Tai listened quietly, holding the forgotten tea tray. He felt a little guilty about eavesdropping, but only a little.
You really did make some impressive friends, kids. You're gonna take the world by storm, and I couldn't be more proud of you.
He wouldn't break their moment just yet. Weiss's tea was getting cold anyway. He'd give them a little longer while he went to warm it back up.