Update: 4/7/19
+1739
Alright, let's start this for real! But first, THANK YOU for all the follows so far! Wow, you guys really have a tremendous amount of faith in me - I truly hope to deliver something amazing with this one.
Strolling down a narrow aisle hedged by long, wooden tables on either side, Weiss reached out one hand and lightly brushed it across silky petals and firm, green leaves. It was probably frowned upon to touch the flowers, but she liked the way the delicate plants bowed under her touch before springing back to the way they once were, refusing to bend to her whim for long. They looked gentle and delicate but held their shape when outside forces tried to mold them. They bent but wouldn't break - not that easily.
Beauty, grace, and surprising strength.
In front of each row of potted plants was a small, white name card that identified the species.
Orchids, lilies, tulips, roses, poinsettias…
The ceiling arched high above her head, but the sunlight beating through panes of glass filled the building with warmth, making it even a bit stuffy inside. It certainly wasn't a comfortable temperature for a person to exist in for long, but the flowers thrived in the environment - their various colors beautiful enough for a painting, while their wonderful fragrances filled the humid air.
Thus far, the nursery lived up to its reputation as the best in Vale. The massive, enclosed greenhouse seemed to hold every type of plant in existence - no matter how exotic - and every table she passed was meticulously maintained, with not a single dead leaf to be found as the flowers bloomed in unison.
Carnations, sunflowers, violets, peonies…
Of course, if the nursery hadn't been deemed the 'best,' there was no way Weiss would even be here. Not that she had any personal issue with other nurseries, but - to her mother - only the best was remotely acceptable. A subpar greenhouse might as well be a slap in the face.
Dropping her hand to her side, Weiss turned down the next aisle of plants in pursuit of her mother and the attendant assigned to assist them. The middle-aged woman babbled on and on about every flower they passed, with Weiss' mother passing judgment on every word. From the stammers and way-too-fast speaking, it was painfully obvious that the nursery employee was nervous, but doing her best to hide behind as many plant facts as possible.
There was no shame in being nervous. The current matriarch of the Schnee name was haughty and intimidating - intentionally so. From her perfectly-styled wardrobe that cost more than most people made in a year, to her critical gaze and terse demands, Weiss' mother was the epitome of social elitism.
"These daisies would make a wonderful bouquet," the woman said, lifting up several of the dainty white-and-yellow flowers. They were inspected for under a second before a curt shake of the head moved them to the next contestant.
Neither woman seemed to care that Weiss' attention was elsewhere. They were too busy trying to pick out the perfect flower with the perfect color and the perfect smell - because if it wasn't perfect, the world was likely on the verge of being destroyed by a Schnee-sized hissy fit.
It was just as well...Weiss didn't care what flowers were decided upon in the end.
Midway through another aisle brimming with plants, her eyes caught sight of a set of glass double doors leading outside. Through the glass, she could see the outdoor display area directly beyond, where more tables and more flowers were found - but no customers at the moment.
"I'm going to look around," Weiss directed towards the two women in front of her - who either didn't hear or didn't care to respond to her words.
Taking silence as acceptance of her departure, she walked over to the door and hesitantly pushed down on the long, metal door handle. Finding it unlocked, she shoved it open and stepped outside before allowing it to swing shut behind her.
The crisp autumn air was a breath of relief after being trapped in the warm, muggy greenhouse for so long. A slight chill nipped at her cheeks and hands, but the feeling was invigorating rather than unwelcome - the bite of approaching winter breathing life back into her bones.
Glancing around, she found herself on the very edge of the store's property within an outdoor viewing area. A short, metal railing hemmed her in on three sides with the greenhouse towering behind her. The small parking lot lay to her right, while a quiet street was in just across the railing and sidewalk from her. Across the street from her was the entrance to a small neighborhood park - a large, green space split by paved walkways headed towards the woods in the distance.
Absentmindedly dragging her hand across the few flowers that could survive the chilly weather outside, she walked to the row of wooden tables separating her from the sidewalk. Running her fingers along the leaves of the plants in front of her, she allowed her gaze to drift to the park, watching the people come and go.
Joggers, walkers, passersby...they all looked like they were having a good day despite the recent onset of cold weather. It had been unseasonably warm until a few days ago, when fall finally decided to announce its presence. But, regardless of the new chill in the air, everyone was making the most of their dwindling opportunity to spend time outdoors.
Hearing a small bark followed by a laugh, Weiss' attention moved to a girl who was clearly having a great day.
The young brunette was wearing jeans, a dark red zip-up hoodie and sneakers, but it wasn't her appearance that was altogether eye-catching - it was the sight of her chasing a tiny, grey-and-white dog around a metal park bench, giggling hysterically while she did so.
The dog ran in tight circles, using his diminutive size to his advantage as he made rapid turns around the bench. The girl - who looked agile and fast by human standards - was nowhere near quick enough to catch her small pet. Yet she still tried.
The commotion caught the eye of everyone passing by - who responded with a curious look or small grin - but no one interrupted the unspoken game taking place. And, on the girl's part, she either didn't notice or didn't care about the looks she received - far too focused on catching up to the grey-and-white pup barking happily in front of her.
The two continued like this for several loops until, all of a sudden, the dog was chasing the girl instead of the other way around. She squealed when the dynamic switched, racing away as fast as she could while the tiny creature playfully nipped at her heels. At several points, the dog managed to grab ahold of the back of her pant leg, drawing another loud squeal into the air.
Weiss smiled while watching the interaction unfold, because it was one of the most purely joyous moments she'd witnessed in quite some time. Whoever this girl was, she was having the time of her life doing something as simple as chasing her dog around a park bench. Weiss was somewhat envious of how easy the girl made happiness seem.
If only it was as simple as having a dog, a park bench, and the ability to laugh...if that was the case, Weiss could buy all those things today. However, she sincerely doubted it was enough to make her problems miraculously disappear.
If only.
In a clever attempt to escape, the girl abruptly changed direction and tried to hop over the bench - only for her right foot to catch on the back of it and send her crashing head first to the grass with a thud that Weiss heard across the street.
Weiss' hands stilled as concern filled her, wondering if she should call out or run to get help. But the feeling quickly disappeared when the brunette laughed - the light, merry sound waffling across the street to Weiss' ears.
Relaxing into a smile, Weiss watched the dog jump onto the girl's stomach and sit down - claiming his victory with a small bark.
"Weiss! There you are…"
Quickly pulling her hand back to her side, Weiss turned around at the sound of her mother's slightly annoyed voice - finding the woman striding purposefully through the greenhouse doors with the clerk in tow.
"They can fly in the most exquisite roses from Atlas!" her mother said, clearly pleased by the prospect of ordering flowers from a far-off place. "Is there a particular color you'd like?"
"We can order white, yellow, pink -"
"Red," Weiss answered before the attendant's list finished. Glancing across the road, she found the girl in red still lying on the ground, petting her dog.
Aware of who was in charge of the final decisions, the saleswoman looked to Weiss' mother for approval. Only after receiving a small nod did the woman respond to Weiss' choice.
"Excellent choice! That color will be wonderful for a winter wedding."
Returning the woman's wide grin with a thin smile of her own, Weiss obediently followed the two women back into the stifling building, throwing one last look towards the park before the door closed behind her.
With the color and flower decided upon, her mother wanted to talk quantities, prices, and delivery dates - areas where Weiss had absolutely no say at all. Not that she was very interested anyway...but standing at the counter listening to the conversation quickly grew boring as the stifling greenhouse air filled her lungs once more.
"It's stuffy in here - may I take a short walk?" she asked, unwilling to spend more time in this sticky building than necessary. Plus, they didn't need her presence anymore - not that they needed her presence, to begin with. Dragging her here served no purpose other than maintaining the appearance of including her in the decisions.
Fortunately, her mother waved her away, not pausing for a second to respond. Grateful for the reprieve, Weiss quickly left the women behind.
If she had to guess, her mother was probably glad to be rid of her for a little while. This planning process put even more strain on their already-strained relationship, forcing them to spend more time together than either of them likely wanted. Their differences, which had already been glaring, had only grown over the past few months.
It was difficult...for both of them.
Heading straight for the front exit, Weiss pushed open the door with a sigh of relief. Just a few minutes of peace - a few minutes to be free. No more this flower or this flower or this flower - just the cold air and her, nothing else.
That was wishful thinking, of course. The moment she stepped into the parking lot, their chauffeur for the day - an immaculately-dressed man wearing an expensive black suit - jumped out of the car and jogged around to get the door for her.
"Miss -" he said, gesturing her into the vehicle.
"We're not leaving yet," she said, waving off his efforts. "I'm just going for a walk."
Relaxing his rigid posture, he let go of the door handle and nodded.
To her, it was a normal interaction. However, the two customers walking towards the nursery door stared - first at the giant black car taking up the majority of the parking lot, then at her. One of the young women, who must be only a handful of years older than Weiss, turned towards her companion and muttered some soft words. The second woman nodded, both of them continuing to stare while trying to figure out the owner of such excess. Was it an actress? Singer? Some other celebrity?
It was like they'd never seen a limousine before.
Avoiding their curious gazes, Weiss decided that she should go for a walk after all. And what better place to go for a walk than a park?
Focused on her destination, she crossed the street and entered the park beyond. She didn't know why it bothered her. She didn't care what they thought of her, and she didn't care what they whispered about her behind their hands.
Maybe she cared that they were making assumptions about who she was as a person. They saw a hint of wealth and, somehow, they already knew her. Much of Vale thought that having wealth automatically made her spoiled, stuck-up, self-righteous, unapproachable, cold, demanding...they thought she was her mother.
Of course, the other side of Vale - those with greater aspirations for themselves - viewed her as a gateway, a rung on the ladder, someone worth pretending to like. She couldn't decide which she preferred more - being immediately written off, or being immediately used?
As soon as she stepped onto the concrete path breaking off from the sidewalk and heading deeper into the park, her eyes sought out the girl from earlier - the brunette and her dog.
Neither were hard to find since they hadn't moved and were still in the same spot by the metal park bench. The girl had her eyes closed now, enjoying the sunshine cutting through the cold while absentmindedly petting the dog curled up on her stomach.
Realizing that, if Weiss kept walking forward, the path would lead her right past the pair, her stomach inexplicably filled with butterflies.
She was nervous, which was foolish. What could she possibly have to be nervous about? She was just walking. This was a public park - anyone was free to walk where they wished. Plus, the girl was lying right beside the main trail, so it was only natural that Weiss would have to pass by in order to continue her stroll.
Yet, at the rate she was walking, she wouldn't make it very far at all before she would have to turn around. For some reason, her feet refused to stride with purpose. Instead, she took hesitant steps that inched her towards the pair of park guests.
The dog noticed her approach first, opening his eyes and raising his head when she was just a few feet away. His small, bushy tail swung back and forth in greeting, his mouth opening and his tongue lolling out in a happy pant. His eyes watched her every step, almost begging her to acknowledge his presence.
Following the path should've taken her right past the pair, but instead her feet stopped - pausing her movement a short distance away while the dog continued to wag his tail at her. For a few seconds, she considered saying nothing and walking back to the nursery. What did she have to say, anyway? Why did she feel the need to say anything at all?
Maybe she just wanted the chance to say 'hello' to a girl who had no qualms tumbling over a park bench and then laughing at herself. Or maybe she really wanted to pet the dog, who was still watching her with an adorable, expectant expression.
"C-cute dog," she said, immediately chiding herself for stuttering such a simple phrase. She was a Schnee. Schnees didn't stutter - especially not for random strangers lying on the ground.
But the girl's eyes flew open at the words, revealing the prettiest silver eyes Weiss had ever seen. Picking the dog off her stomach and setting him carefully on the ground, the brunette popped to her feet with an easy smile - brushing some blades of grass and dirt from her back.
For several seconds, Weiss was transfixed by the stranger standing in front of her. In only a few seconds, she realized that she'd never seen a real smile before today, and she'd never seen such jaw-droppingly beautiful eyes before.
After the shock of the blinding grin wore off, Weiss made several other important observations that were impossible to make from across the street. The brunette was actually several inches taller than her, with long, lithe limbs that rippled with concealed muscles and unreleased energy.
"Thank you!" the girl replied, her eyes happily meeting Weiss' while that megawatt beam held its place.
Feeling blood rush to her cheeks under the metallic gaze, Weiss turned her attention towards the dog instead.
There was something overpowering about the energy stemming from the brunette...something that threatened to unravel all of the manners Weiss had learned over the course of her life - reducing her to a stuttering, rudely-staring plebeian.
"What's his name?" she asked, taking a small step forward onto the grass to greet the little creature.
"Oh - sorry, this is Zwei!"
"Zwei…" Weiss repeated thoughtfully, crouching down and carefully extending one hand for the dog to sniff - which he did, before promptly licking her fingers.
She smiled when Zwei insisted she scratch his belly, flopping onto his back while his tail whipped across the grass with pleasure, his mouth hanging open with a long, red tongue lolling out to the side.
She'd always liked dogs but had never been lucky enough to have one of her own. There'd been a time when she and her sister asked for one as a gift, but...it wasn't meant to be at that time. After that, Weiss gave up asking.
"Zwei is a cute name," she said, petting him for several more seconds before standing up and turning back to the girl - who still had that same giddy smile on her face, but seemed to have very few words to say. Instead, she appeared content to stare at Weiss with a smile.
"Um...are you alright?" Weiss finally asked, gesturing towards the bench while trying to start some semblance of a conversation. "I saw you fall earlier…"
The question snapped the brunette out of her intense analysis and unleashed a mighty storm of fidgety energy.
"Oh, that?" Waving a hand, she smiled. "I'm ok! And, uh, that was just practice. I could totally clear it now if I wanted."
"Are you sure?" Weiss asked, wondering what the girl's response to disbelief might be.
The response was another wide grin, this time with a hint of playfulness thrown in.
"Totally! I mean, I could try it again if you want…"
"No, no," Weiss quickly replied, reaching out a hand when the girl turned towards the bench as if she might attempt the ill-fated hurdle again. "I believe you."
But the girl probably never intended to actually try. Instead, she looked at Weiss and smiled, as if this conversation delighted her in some way.
'Delightful' might be one way to describe this conversation, along with curious, unusual, and oddly effortless. For whatever reason, Weiss found it easier to speak to this girl - this stranger - than anyone else she'd met in quite some time. It could be the aftereffects of watching the brunette tumble over the park bench, or it could be that ceaseless smile.
Whatever it was, it was...nice.
"Do you come here often?" Weiss asked.
"Yup! I walk him every day - we live nearby!" the girl replied, gesturing her hand in one direction while running her other hand through her short brunette hair, allowing the strands to fall right back into place. At the same time, she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet in an apparently futile effort to dissolve more energy.
It was an entertaining display, to say the least.
"That sounds nice," Weiss said, trying not to smile too much at the quirky girl. "He's a lucky dog."
"Tell him that," the girl said with a grin before suddenly leaning close to Weiss, raising one hand to whisper loudly. "He's kind of a spoiled brat..."
Zwei immediately barked in protest, drawing a laugh from the brunette while Weiss chuckled and took a step backward - their proximity quickly scrambling what nerves she had remaining.
The girl smelled like flowers...
"I'm Ruby, by the way," the brunette finally introduced herself, one hand shooting towards Weiss.
"Weiss," she replied, politely shaking the girl's hand with a smile.
"Weiss...Weiss…" Ruby's expression was thoughtful as she tried out the feel of the name in her mouth. After nodding in approval, her lips curled into another delightful smile. "That's a super cool name!"
"Oh...thank you."
She'd been told many times before that her name was unique, pretty, or beautiful, but this was the first time she believed that the compliment was genuine. Ruby's smile made it hard to believe she was anything but honest.
"So, Weiss, what are you doing here...Weiss?"
"Picking out some flowers across the street." Smiling in amusement, Weiss gestured to the nursery behind her while silently wondering how much energy this single, slender person could contain. It wasn't too much energy - not like a hyperactive child who couldn't control themselves - but there were endless waves of vitality rolling off of Ruby. They lifted Weiss up, in a way, as if those waves swept under her own feet and buoyed her up.
After glancing over Weiss' shoulder at the greenhouse, Ruby's brow creased ever so slightly.
"But if you're shopping for flowers...what're you doing over here?"
"Oh. I wanted to go for a short walk," Weiss explained, smiling despite herself. "It's pretty stuffy in there."
"I'll bet." With another refreshing smile, Ruby leaned close - as if she wanted to share a secret. When her silver eyes flitted in both directions, Weiss believed that to be the case. Instead, Ruby said, "So...did you find any you like?"
How did Ruby make such a simple question so entertaining?
"Some roses," Weiss answered, watching Ruby's eyes light up at the response.
"Oh yeah? You like roses, huh?"
Weiss tilted her head at the unexpected excitement that answer garnered. Was there something strange or weird about liking roses? She would expect that to be a popular flower choice, and entirely unworthy of such a response.
"Yes…"
That answer somehow earned the most adorably pleased giggle Weiss had ever heard.
"I like roses, too," Ruby replied, enthusiastically nodding her head before giggling again. She was so happy about something right now, her eyes sparkled with joy.
For her part, Weiss had no idea what about roses made the girl so happy. But she felt as if...maybe she'd played a role in Ruby's current smile?
A strange feeling tugged at Weiss' heart while Ruby smiled at her. This entire conversation was unexpected and not at all what she'd imagined, yet it was easily the highlight of her day, if not her week.
Whatever spell she was under broke when Ruby's eyes slipped away - looking over Weiss' shoulder before doing a double-take at whatever she found.
"Oh - uh, it looks like that lady's trying to get your attention!"
Following Ruby's gaze, Weiss turned and found her mother beckoning her back across the street. It must be time for them to leave.
"I should go…"
"Is that your mom?" Ruby asked before Weiss could leave. "Wow, you're both super pretty!"
Weiss flushed at the compliment, blood again rushing to her cheeks faster than ever before.
What was Ruby thinking, throwing around compliments like that? Who complimented a stranger so often when there was nothing to be gained from it?
"Yes, that's my mother...but I should get going. It was very nice to meet you, Ruby. You too, Zwei."
After stooping down to give the dog one last pet, Weiss gave Ruby a small wave before quickly walking away, knowing that her mother's impatience and irritability was growing by the second.
"Nice to meet you too, Weiss!" Ruby called out after her. "Maybe we'll see you again sometime!"
Glancing over one shoulder, Weiss caught one last smile before hurrying across the street to rejoin her mother - who was waiting outside the sleek, black limousine.
"Honestly, the places you slip off to," the woman said as soon as Weiss was within earshot, spinning on her heel and walking towards the vehicle. Their chauffeur opened the passenger door and dutifully held it in place while Weiss' mother slipped inside before nodding for Weiss to follow.
But, before ducking through the door, Weiss spared one last look at the park across the street - just in time to see Ruby and Zwei walk down one of the trails - the brunette still with a content smile upon her face. Satisfied with that last glimpse, Weiss slid onto the leather seat in the rear of the vehicle before the door clicked shut behind her.
"They'll have samples in a few days," her mother said as the vehicle's engine roared to life. "Once we see those, we can place the order."
"That sounds good…" she said softly, her eyes glued out the window as the limousine pulled out of the parking lot and left the nursery behind.
"Speak up, child," her mother immediately retorted. "Mumbling is for the uneducated."
Tearing her eyes away from the window, Weiss met her mother's stern gaze and forced a small smile.
"That sounds wonderful," she said, ensuring her words were crisp and clear. "I'm glad you were able to find what you wanted."
Her mother huffed at the words while pulling out her phone.
"You speak as if it's my wedding."
Pressing a button on the phone and bringing it up to her ear, her mother turned away from Weiss - a clear signal that their conversation was over. It was just as well...now Weiss' thoughts could drift to far more pleasant topics on their way home.
Unsurprisingly, her thoughts went straight to her most recent acquaintance, who'd been a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stifling day.
Ruby's appearance was anything but exceptional. She carried no designer bag, wore no expensive shoes - her entire outfit cost maybe fifty Lien, probably less. According to everything Weiss had ever learned from her parents, there was absolutely nothing extraordinary about the brunette.
But those silver eyes...that effortless smile…
Something about Ruby was far more than ordinary.