Nothing Says 'Summer' Like The Beach
[Part Uno]
The sound of metal grating against metal screeched through the hall as Ruby and Weiss clashed. Sparks flew as they struggled to overpower the other, before both jumped back simultaneously to cautiously circle one another yet again. From the sidelines, Blake wiped off the beads of sweat that collected on her brow. Behind her, Yang noisily guzzled her bottle of water.
The blonde pulled the rim from her lips with a content sigh. "That was a good workout."
Her partner hummed, watching their leader and the heiress speed back into the centre to trade blows. Bullets were fired, and the telltale sign of Weiss using her aura was heard, in addition to the burst of elements she summoned through Myrtenaster.
"How much longer do you think they'll be at it?" Blake asked, gaze transfixed by the spar.
Yang made a noise in the back of her throat as she stretched. "Hopefully not long. We still need to sort out that thing about summer vacation."
The fight ended shortly after with a loud explosion. Shards of wood, concrete and glass rained down on those still in the hall, but were easily deflected by the aura shield all Beacon Academy students instinctively surrounded themselves with.
"Ouch!" Jaune Arc yelped, leaping away from the spot where his cheek got sliced open by stray rubble. "Hey!"
Well, almost all Beacon attendees.
Ruby, covered in grime and little cuts, casually walked out of the settling dust cloud, sheepishly scratching the back of her head with a small smile on her face. "Sorry, Jaune."
Weiss strutted out of the receding mess, equally as dirty as her partner, though her gait was as confident and proud as ever. She brushed her jacket and huffed. "I'm not. You'd think he'd know to keep his guard up at all times."
Jaune gave a wounded gasp. "I didn't expect to be assaulted by my friends!"
Weiss rolled her eyes at the dramatic retort. "And I didn't expect you to still be a baby about it," she deadpanned.
"Now now, ladies," Yang said, sidling over with a grin. She looped one arm around Weiss's and Jaune's neck, dragging their heads near her ample chest. "We all need to calm down and get down to the real issue here."
Jaune, face now cherry red, could only give a garbled response. Weiss, more used to this treatment, simply glanced up stoically. "And what, pray tell, is the 'real' issue?"
Yang heaved Weiss up so they were cheek-to-cheek. She released the hold she had on her fellow blonde – who fell limply to the side – and slowly moved her arm in a wide arc. "The sand. The sun. The waves!" She pulled away from the heiress just enough so their eyes could meet. Yang wriggled her brows. "The hot bods," her tone grew sly at that. Noting the blank expression on Weiss's face, Yang pouted. "I'm talking about the beach," she clarified. "We've got two whole months of relaxation – what better way than to spend it with each other?"
Yang turned to stare at their friends, who were looking on with various levels of amusement. "Right, guys?" she addressed.
Pyrrha chuckled, shaking her head. "Sorry Yang, but I have familial obligations back in Mistral that eat into my entire summer."
This prompted the dazed Jaune to shake himself out of his reverie. "Ah, I have to go home too. Arc affairs," he murmured apologetically.
"Nora and I promised to go back to our hometown as well," Ren chimed in.
His partner nodded vigorously. "Yep yep yep! But oooh, we'll be missing out on the beach!" Nora deflated comically. "Phooey."
Yang released her grip on Weiss and reached for Nora. "NORA!" she cried, eyes watering with crocodile tears.
"YANG!" the pink-haired girl wailed, meeting the blonde halfway for a tight embrace.
As the two bawled theatrically, Blake spoke, "So I guess that leaves the four of us." She looked at Ruby. "No family reunions to attend?"
"Only on the last week," the young leader replied. She grinned and threw her arms up in the air with a whoop. "RWBY bonding time!"
Blake nodded, before turning – in unison with Ruby – to stare wordlessly at Weiss. The heiress fidgeted under their combined gaze. "What?"
"Will you be free?" Blake questioned.
"I never said anything before, did I?" Weiss countered.
Ruby cheered again and moved to side-hug the heiress.
Weiss rolled her eyes, though its effect was softened marginally by the smile that stretched across her face. "So what about accommodations?"
Yang paused in squeezing Nora – who looked comfortably nestled in a pair of bounteous breasts – to look at Weiss. "We're relying on you, of course," she stated matter-of-factly. She winked and flashed the ivory-haired girl a thumbs up. "Good teammate!"
Weiss sighed, wearily taking in the glowing, expectant faces of her friends. "Of course."
It was this that sparked their voyage to the beach house Mister Schnee had purchased on a whim near the shores of Vale.
Weiss had been reluctant to grant admittance to any of her personal retreats, least of all her favourite which she accidentally divulged the existence of during a later conversation. But the weeks before summer where Ruby had constantly hammered her with the puppy dog routine had whittled away her resolve until she accepted her fate with resignation.
After a bit of planning on Weiss's part, team RWBY were off via the Schnee family limousine towards what would be their home for the next couple of weeks.
Despite having left school grounds at dawn, the group only reached their getaway when the sun was midway in its descent. Vale was a large city state, and Weiss – while not a tightwad – saw no point in wasting resources to use the airjet when they were in no rush. Nonetheless, no one was complaining. This decision had inadvertently gifted them with a beautiful front row view of the sun sinking into the horizon. Coupled with the unique, aromatic scent of the ocean, Ruby, Yang and Blake were captivated. They stood wordlessly, basking in the receding light until the stars began to make their appearance.
Weiss reappeared as the limo whirred again to life and drove away. She cleared her throat politely. "Shall we?" she asked, motioning to the house that all three visitors had overlooked in favour of gaping at the sunset.
"Woah," Yang breathed, soaking in the sight of the lone, sheer white residence that sat right on the edge of the beach. "How'd we miss that?" The trio turned to the house and marvelled quietly at its splendour, taking in the gorgeous mahogany stairs that led to an elaborately designed door, the gateway to a breathtaking modern two-story abode.
Weiss shifted uncomfortably. She was begrudgingly used to receiving special treatment once people found out exactly how well-off she was, so this display of awe and wonderment shouldn't bother her. It was almost expected. Yet...
Ruby – the closest to Weiss – noticed this movement out of her peripheral and coughed, drawing Yang and Blake's attention. She feigned nonchalance. "It's getting dark. We should get inside."
Blake studied her leader and the heiress for a moment before nodding. "It would be the wise thing to do."
Yang folded her arms behind her head. "Eh, I've seen better anyway. Lead on, Schnee!"
Weiss gave a small grateful smile to Ruby, before climbing up the small set of stairs. She fished around her pocket for the key. Once she found it, she deftly unlocked the door and entered, signalling for her friends to follow.
She flicked the little switch next to the front door, revealing its status as the master switch when all the lights suddenly came to life.
"Make yourselves comfortable," Weiss offered.
Yang smiled broadly, eyes locking onto the luxurious L-shaped couch and sixty-inch flat screen. "Don't mind if I do," she cheerily replied, striding purposefully towards the sofa and flopping onto it with a content sigh. She lazily reached for the remote resting on the simple but no doubt expensive teak table and proceeded to flick mindlessly through the different channels.
Blake turned to face the heiress. "Thank you for the generosity, Weiss," she said with a rare winning smile.
Weiss reciprocated with a quirk of her lips. "There are other amenities about, including a library, if you're so inclined."
"Oh?" Blake's tone was pleasantly surprised. "I'll be sure to check it out–"
"Blake, come here!" a hunched forward Yang yelled from the couch without ever taking her eyes off the screen. "Fame or Shame is o- oh no she didn't, that bitch!"
Blake sighed, wearily looking out of the corner of her eye to watch her bouncing partner. "–later," she continued grudgingly, shuffling to the sofa. She slumped reluctantly next to the excitable blonde shrieking at the television.
"Why does she keep indulging her?" Weiss murmured under her breath.
"It's just how they are."
Weiss looked at Ruby – and the box of cookies she had procured during one of their many pit stops – and raised an eyebrow. "You're going to ruin your appetite," she halfheartedly berated. Weiss was fully aware of the fact that there would be no stopping Ruby once she found cookies, but she could at least try.
Ruby grinned and boldly stuffed a cookie into her mouth. She canted her head towards Yang and Blake. "It's their way of getting to know each other better," she explained after swallowing.
Weiss's brows furrowed in befuddlement. Noticing this, Ruby added, "I mean, we've all had a year to grow closer, but... there are still parts of each other that we haven't figured out yet. They've been sharing hobbies for awhile now." Ruby half-shrugged. "It's just how they are," she reiterated, "Blake's open to compromise, and Yang wants to pull Blake out from the rock she's been living under."
The heiress glanced away. 'And what exactly have Ruby and I been doing? Or myself and any of the other members?'
A cookie crept into her line of sight. Weiss jolted, turning to eye Ruby in disbelief. The young leader hardly ever shared her beloved baked goods.
Ruby merely smiled and kept her arm extended, stretching slightly further in an attempt to entice her partner. "Don't think I haven't seen you eyeing them up," she singsonged.
"You must be imagining things." Despite herself, Weiss hesitantly reached for the cookie. Once in her grasp, she held it in a light, tentative grip.
"Try it!" Ruby encouraged. Her body started undulating. "You know you want to."
Weiss's sceptical stare flickered between Ruby and the cookie, before finally settling on meeting Ruby's grey orbs. As she brought the treat up to her mouth, Ruby's own quivered from anticipation, already large eyes growing wider with glee.
The moment Weiss's teeth sank into soft, moist dough, laced with bits of semi-molten chocolate, she felt like she had died and gone to heaven. She pulled the tantalising ambrosia away from her lips and gazed at it in awe, mouth still slowly moving as she savoured the rich and heady – yet strangely not overpowering – morsel. Her eyelids drifted shut in bliss as the full, wondrous effects flooded her senses, whisking her away to cloud nine.
So engrossed in the mind-blowing magic that is the chocolate chip cookie, the heiress didn't notice the smug expression Ruby had, or the way she nodded in approval after folding her arms.
Only after she swallowed that first bite and opened her eyes did Weiss realise the spectacle she had just allowed Ruby to witness. Stiffening, she glanced away haughtily, the faintest trace of pink speckled on her cheeks. "I-It wasn't that good! Wipe that grin off your face!" Weiss huffed, turning her back to Ruby. "That was my first cookie, alright?"
It took a few beats for the last hushed confession to sink it, but when it did, Ruby looked incredulous. "I took your first?!" she shouted. Weiss winced and moved to silence Ruby.
But it was too late.
A loud sputter came from the direction of the couch. They turned to see Yang, looking absolutely dumbfounded, scrambling over the sofa's back so that her upper body hung off the side. Blake, in contrast, was much slower to react, and hence was still sat in her seat. "Wait, what?" Yang blurted.
"Not like that!" Weiss exclaimed, waving her hands defensively. "We were talking about cookies!"
"It didn't sound like that!" Yang pointed a finger at Weiss, then Ruby. "You... she... what have you been doing to my sister?"
"Nothing! I–" Weiss took a deep breath to compose herself. "I was just telling her about how I had never had a cookie before."
Yang gasped dramatically, flinging herself over the couch and stumbling to stand in front of Weiss. The blonde grasped Weiss's shoulders and shook the heiress frantically. "What kind of rock have you been living under?! I thought Blake was bad, but... But you! I mean, you just took cavewoman to a whole 'nother level! It's like you didn't have a childhood!"
Weiss batted away Yang's arms with a scowl. "Firstly, don't shake me. Secondly, you think I'm not aware of that?" Her glower deepened and she crossed her arms. "To answer your question: I was living under the care of the Schnee family, and their perfect," she spat, "regime."
The room grew still as an air of uncomfortable awkwardness settled. Blake's eyes flicked to see Ruby fidgeting, her face wrinkled with worry. Yang's expression was marred with unease as she realised the proverbial can of worms she had just opened.
Thankfully, the sound of a stomach rumbling broke the tense silence. Yang cleared her throat sheepishly. "Dinner?" she croaked nervously. She waited with bated breath for the heiress's reply.
Weiss nodded, diffusing the situation. She turned sharply on her heel and marched towards the front door. "The pantry is out of supplies. I'll go get what we need," she stated coolly, leaving without waiting for a reply. The door clicking shut snapped Ruby out of her reverie. She gestured that she would follow, and left without a word.
Once both were gone, Yang released the breath she had been holding and slouched in relief. "Safe," she whispered, staring up at the ceiling.
Blake chuckled and patted her partner on the back, having gotten up shortly after the atmosphere calmed. "We still have dinner together," she reminded lightly.
Yang groaned.
It was a familiar path Weiss found herself walking along. A small, worn cement route far from the main road, that cut through the modest forest this town had straight to the central district. She had found it as a child while exploring one day, after successfully getting away from the eyes and ears of the Schnee waitstaff, and had used it as a means to escape ever since. It was by no means obscure or well hidden, which was why little Weiss Schnee had initially been so surprised when no one could find her.
Now at seventeen, she wasn't as taken aback. Or taken aback at all, really. Her family had never been one to pay attention to imperfection.
This small, forgotten track was one of them. A disappointment, blemishing the beauty of the beach and its surroundings with its cracked, dulled presence.
Weiss subconsciously reached to brush her left eye. She stayed her hand just before fingers could skim the faded scar. Her face twisted into a grimace as she wrenched her arm away, dropping it limply by her side.
Light, tentative footfalls trailed behind her. Weiss stopped. "Why are you following me?" she asked softly.
"I... want to make sure you were okay."
Weiss smiled self-deprecating. "I'm not going to do anything drastic, if that's what you were concerned about."
Ruby stared anxiously at her partner's rigid back. "No, that's not what I meant. I know you wouldn't." Weiss tensing further made Ruby stop and rethink her approach. "I just..." Ruby bit her lip. "Do you want to talk about it? I mean, that's always helped me, and Yang and our parents have always told me never to bottle things up because that's bad and people are like fizzy drinks, y'know? Too much pressure and everything just sprays everywhere and you're left sticky and with less than half the drink remaining and that's really lame and–"
Weiss held up a hand to halt Ruby's rambling. "I'm fine, Ruby. Go back to the house." With that, she continued walking.
Despite her reassurance, footsteps still dogged Weiss's own. The heiress sighed, but ignored them. She was not in the mood for words.
And so they remained, in strained silence, always maintaining a short distance from one another. Even as she increased her pace, Ruby tenaciously kept stride, never allowing the distance to further nor close. Eventually, the two broke out of the foliage and arrived in the quaint city. Without missing a beat, Weiss briskly walked to the nearest family mart and, immediately on entering, grabbed a small basket by the door began picking out miscellaneous goods they might need. Ruby hung behind awkwardly, never taking her eyes off the heiress.
Weiss never acknowledged Ruby's presence even while the cashier – who had stared at the two strangely but chose not to ask – rang up their purchase. It was only when they set foot back into the forest that Weiss broke the still.
"Why?" she asked, looking down at the ground.
Ruby cocked her head. "Hm? Why wha–"
"Why do this?"
"I told you. It's because I want to make sure you're oka–"
"What does that even mean, you dolt?!" Weiss yelled. Ruby jerked back. "What does 'okay' even mean?! Of course I'm 'okay'! I'm never not 'okay'! I'm just 'okay'! Even after all that! Throwing away whatever semblance of normalcy a child could have! I never had a choice to have a childhood! Never had a conventional life, with conventional, loving, accepting parents!" She felt her tears begin to form and squeezed her eyes shut, desperately trying to keep herself together. "I... I–"
Ruby strode forward and gently wrapped her arms around Weiss's waist. Ruby's lips lifted into a small smile. "Isn't that better, now?" she murmured. "Let it all out."
Weiss dropped the two bags of grocery she had and began sobbing quietly.
They stayed like that until Weiss's shaking subsided.
The heiress sniffed, pulling out of the light embrace without resistance. "I must look like a mess," she said, rubbing away the tear stains and smeared mascara.
Ruby grinned lopsidedly. "You kidding? Have you even looked in a mirror? You're always beautiful."
Weiss barked a short, hoarse laugh that almost devolved into another sob. "I've seen my fair share of mirrors," she said, voice cracking.
Ruby grabbed the grocery bags in one hand and Weiss's hand in the other. She pulled the heiress along. "Haven't been looking at the right ones if you ask me."
Weiss shook her head with a small smile. "Flatterer."
Ruby bumped Weiss's hips with her own. "Only when someone deserves it."
This time, Weiss's giggle was sincere. Ruby beamed, glad that she could bring her partner out of her slump. They walked in quietude – now amiable – back towards the house.
As they passed the beach, Weiss stilled. Ruby, still holding Weiss's hand, was tugged back. She turned to find Weiss staring out pensively into the horizon. Before Ruby could ask, Weiss spoke, "We had a strict diet. Mother always wanted what was best, so there would never be anything processed. Nothing overly sweet or salty, nothing packed with preservatives. Only the best for the Schnee family."
Weiss sighed wearily. "Even when we went to the beach, it would be the same affair. A light breakfast, followed by lunches and dinners that were calorically calculated to the T, prepared by our nutritionists. No snacking was allowed, other than the fruits my servants would bring in between lessons or activities. I was monitored to ensure my nutritional levels were perfect. I... I never had friends. But this would still be my favourite vacation spot, simply because I got to see people with friends. In a way, that was my fun. Vicarious living was better than not living at all."
She pointed to a spot on the beach, where huge swells crashed against a stretch of desolate sand. "I would always play around there."
"Alone?"
Weiss's lips curved into a tiny, wistful smile as her eyes glazed over. "No," she whispered. "I had friends. Annalise and Clarabelle."
"But I thought you said–"
Weiss shot Ruby a meaningful look.
Ruby's eyes widened in understanding. "Ah... I had those too. Before Yang's family took me in," she shared. Weiss hummed.
They stood wordlessly for a few minutes, soaking in the sight, sounds and scents of the ocean at night.
"We should be getting back," Weiss finally said. "Yang and Blake must be ravenous."
Before she could leave, Weiss was stopped by Ruby's tightened grip on her hand. The heiress arched an eyebrow and looked at her partner questioningly, though grey orbs remained transfixed on the inky sea. They slowly drifted to the corner of her eyes to meet Weiss's. "We have each other now," Ruby said softly. With a quirk of the lips, Ruby released the hold she had and walked off towards the house. An almost imperceptible smile crossed Weiss as she soundlessly followed Ruby.
When the house was in sight, they spotted Blake and Yang out on the yard conversing. Blake noticed them first out of her peripheral, and tilted her head in their direction mid-speech. Yang twisted to confirmed their arrival, before lurching forward and catching Ruby – who was in front – in a crushing hug. "What took you so long?! I was starting to get worried!"
Ruby gurgled an incoherent reply.
Yang pulled back enough to face her sister, though she still held Ruby in a death grip. "What was that?"
"I think you're choking her," chimed Blake, casually strolling to the rest.
"Pfft, she's dealt with worse," Yang said, flippantly brushing off the remark with a halfhearted shrug. She did however release Ruby, who collapsed onto her knees, gasping for breath.
Yang turned her attention to a nonchalant Weiss. "Uh," she started, rubbing her nape. "About what happened earlier..."
Weiss brushed past her, strutting to the front door. She stopped as her hand grasped the knob. "The past is the past," she stated cryptically, shooting a brief eloquent glance back at Yang, before entering the house.
Yang scratched her cheek. "Huh. Does that mean we're cool?" she asked Blake and Ruby.
Blake helped Ruby to her feet. The young leader thanked her, and brushed herself off with her free hand. "I think that was a yes," Ruby answered. She looked down at the two mangled bags of groceries she held in the other and groaned.
Blake chuckled. "I'm sure something will be salvageable in that mess."
"Let's hope so, because I'm starving," Yang chirped. She grabbed both companions by the arm and proceeded to haul them into the house.
Once inside, they sped into the dining room, where they found Weiss already laying down silverware on an exquisite glass surface large enough to sit eight. Yang plopped onto a seat smack in the middle and put her feet up, flippantly ignoring the look Blake shot her. Ruby set the damaged bags in the centre of the table and began rummaging for and extracting whatever still in decent condition. The first few items were the easiest to retrieve, and in the best shape, considering they were right at the top. One carton of fresh milk, one loaf of bread, a stick of butter, a small jar of instant coffee and a large, dented box of Cookie Crisps™. Ruby grinned almost maniacally upon uncovering the cereal. "I don't remember seeing you grab these," she breathed, tone almost awed.
Weiss smirked. "I'm not surprised. You aren't exactly the most observant person," she jokingly jabbed.
Ruby set the box aside and faked hurt. "See if I ever feel concerned for you again," she said, returning to her original task. She made a face when her hand came in contact with something gooey and speckled with tiny, hard bits, strongly resembling...
"Well, I suppose we're not having eggs," Blake quipped, glancing over Ruby's shoulder. The young leader made a noise in her throat, but pressed onwards in her endeavour to find something else edible. She wanted to save the cereal for breakfast. Her brows furrowed as she pulled out a black box, and noted three more in the bag, all four's see-through plastic lid smeared with raw egg. Ruby wiped the mess off the box she held. Her eyes lit up on sighting rice, grilled salmon, and a small assortment of side dishes all compartmentalised neatly.
"Whacha find?" Yang asked, leaning to peek at the contents. She whistled, impressed, as she took in the variety. "Nice," she said, patting Ruby on the back. "So that's what took you so long, huh? Found a nice restaurant that did takeaway?"
Ruby shook her head, removing the other three boxes to place them on the table. "We got these at a convenience store."
Yang's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Didn't even know Vale carries stuff like this. Good buy, Rubes."
Ruby flashed her sister a grin. "You should be thanking Weiss," she replied, eyeing her partner with pride.
Yang almost gave herself a whiplash, twisting to gape at Weiss. The heiress's cheeks coloured lightly. She avoided eye contact by busying herself with her cutlery.
Yang's forehead creasing in bafflement. "Since when did you visit marts?" She winced as she belated realised her slip. Ruby almost dropped the box she was cleaning. Eyes wide with disbelief, she quickly pressed a finger against her lips in an attempt to silence her sister.
Weiss flushed. "I... don't," she admitted, somewhat shamefaced.
Ruby sighed in relief, grateful the stab at Weiss's upbringing didn't spark another uncomfortable mood. Yang gave the heiress a rueful smile, and smartly left it as that.
However, a curious Blake would not be deterred. "So you chanced upon them by luck? Or did you happen to know the store would sell them?" she inquired. She ignored the wild gestures Ruby used to try and convey horror and 'oh-god-this-is-a-bad-idea', as well as the look of pure admiration and fear from Yang.
Weiss glanced away, face now burning. She cleared her throat self-consciously. "I may have... done a little research prior."
"Who does research on this?" Yang blurted.
"Yang!" Ruby shouted.
Yang shrank back. "I had to!"
Weiss fumbled for words. Finding the task of explaining herself too embarrassing, she crossed her arms and huffed indignantly. "Can we just eat? Aren't you hungry?"
Yang smirked. Just as she opened her mouth to continue teasing the heiress, Ruby pounced over the table and slapped her hand over Yang's lips, muffling whatever she had to say. The younger forced a laugh, twisting to face Weiss and Blake with a smile that was more a grimace as she struggled to stay on Yang. "Why don't we... dig in?" Ruby gritted through her teeth. She yelped and reeled back, half-clambering onto the table. "Yang, that's gross!" she yelled, staring at her hand in mild disgust.
The blonde cheekily kept her tongue out. "You think that's gross? Your hand tastes like raw egg!"
Ruby blew a raspberry at Yang, who did the only thing a mature older sister could do: she reciprocated. While the sisters engaged in a raspberry duel, Blake and Weiss wordlessly sat in the seats across the two and dug into their dinner. It was only after a few minutes, when Ruby and Yang's stomachs' growling grew incessant, did they calm down enough to eat.
They sat in amiable silence, until Yang couldn't take the still any longer. She spoke in-between scarfing down mouthfuls of her meal, "So why'd you have to go out and get stuff? You'd think with how many servants you have that they'd just stock the–"
Yang was cut off by Ruby, who erupted into a coughing fit. Ruby turned to her sister and roughly tugged at her sleeve, fervently shaking her head as she mouthed 'no'. The two tensed, necks stiffly craning to stare at the heiress.
Weiss deliberately chewed and swallowed a dainty piece of fish. "I wanted a change of pace," she answered without taking her eyes off her meal. "Being a creature of habit gets tiring."
Yang and Ruby slowly relaxed at that, the potentially dangerous situation diffused by the heiress, and returned to their meal.
The rest of their dinner was pleasant. Idle chitchat and rough plans for the next few weeks were made, before the quartet agreed to retire for the night.
After dumping now-empty boxes into the trash, Weiss led her friends out of the kitchen-cum-dining-room. They picked up their respective luggages placed in the living room, and proceeded up a spiralling staircase towards their bedrooms.
The girls – more so Ruby and Yang than Blake – 'ooh'd and 'ahh'd as they moved through the opulent setting. On reaching their destination, the first of six bedrooms on the second floor, the sisters immediately dropped their stuff and dove onto the plush mattress, laying face flat.
Weiss leaned against the door with her arms crossed and shook her head. "Honestly..."
"You expected any different?" Blake asked with a smile, looking at the two siblings playfully rolling left to right.
Weiss pursed her lips in thought. "No," she replied after some time, "I suppose I didn't."
A thump and grunts made Blake and Weiss turn their attention back to the sisters, who they found tangled together on the floor.
"How..." Weiss began, before sighing. "Forget I even bothered asking. Who's going to sleep in this room?"
"Eh?" Yang said, lifting her head up from the carpeting to stare at Weiss in befuddlement, her sister still sprawled on top of her. "You mean we're not sleeping together?"
Blake snorted and raised an eyebrow at her partner. Yang stared blankly at the amber-eyed girl for a few beats before her own brows shot up in surprise. "Woah there!" the blonde yelled, loud enough for Ruby to scramble away clutching her left ear.
Yang stumbled to her feet and pointed at the amused Blake. "I'm a bad influence on you."
Blake closed her eyes and chuckled, not even bothering to deny the statement they all knew was painfully true. "I assume the rest of the rooms have been prepared," Blake said, backing out of the room. "I'll grab the one across. Good night, everyone."
"Wait," Ruby called from her position on the floor. "Why not this room?"
Blake threw a pointed look at them and the messy bed. "I think either you or Yang already have claimed this one."
"Pfft, picky," Yang jokingly berated. Blake simply waved her fingers and slinked away. Yang sighed and flopped onto soft duvet. "Well then, I call dibs. You ladies know the way out."
On exiting, Ruby blew a raspberry in her sister's direction, who only smirked and spread herself out further on the bed in response.
Weiss led Ruby to the adjacent room, where she proceeded to point out the amenities offered in each quarter. After the quick briefer, the heiress turned to her partner and wordlessly prompted for questions with a tilt of the head.
Ruby shuffled uncomfortably. "We aren't sleeping in the same room?" she squeaked, her voice trailing off.
Weiss's eyes widened. "No? I mean, no. Why should we, when there are enough rooms for us to house each of us individually?"
Ruby scratched her arm sheepishly. "Y'know, because I thought we had gotten used to sleeping with each other..."
Weiss's cheeks coloured lightly. She scrunched her eyes shut and massaged her nose bridge. "Please stop phrasing it like that. I just thought it'd be best if we all had our privacy at night, since we would be spending majority of our days together. Besides, we might as well make good use of the accommodations."
"Hmm, I guess," Ruby reluctantly agreed. "So this is my room?"
Weiss nodded. "I'll be in the room opposite yours, if you need anything," she said before turning on her heel to leave.
"Wait, Weiss!"
The heiress glanced in Ruby's direction.
"Uh... goodnight," she mumbled, playing with her skirt frills.
Weiss smiled. "Goodnight, Ruby. And... thank you."
Ruby silently watched her partner leave the room to enter her own. As Weiss's door clicked shut, the young leader's shoulders slumped. She glanced at the door leading to her personal shower. "A nice, long shower sounds good," she mumbled, trudging to the stall.
Light trickled through the window, hitting the sleeping heiress's closed eyelids and pulling her from slumber. As those lids flitted open, hazy ice-blue orbs were exposed to the world. They looked around blearily for a moment, before their owner slowly sat up. Weiss gracelessly rolled out of bed and shambled to the washroom.
With the task of refreshing herself complete, the now more conscious – though still somewhat groggy – Weiss carefully made her way downstairs to the pantry. The closer she got, the stronger the intoxicating scent of coffee became, beckoning her to hasten her pace. And so she did, albeit somewhat clumsily. Upon entry, she found herself the last to have trickled into the room, as her teammates were all present, already working on their respective breakfasts. Ruby was sat in her seat the night prior, demolishing a boxful of Cookie Crisps™ and its accompanying milk carton, both of which Weiss had grabbed at the store. Yang, now in Weiss's original seat beside Blake, was halfway through a plate piled high with whatever was left from the groceries. Her partner opted for a lighter meal, lightly buttered toast and coffee ladened with milk, if the light brown liquid she sipped at was any indication. Rounding off her assessment, Weiss found a plate of toast, some fruit, and a cup of black coffee on the table right next to Ruby. Just the way she liked it. The heiress settled into her seat and shot an appreciative smile at Blake, whose lips curled upwards in response.
"We'll need to do more shopping later. The stock of food you bought yesterday has already been exhausted, Weiss," Blake stated.
Weiss looked at Yang, who was shovelling food down like a starving man, in mild disgust. "I can see that," she remarked. "I don't remember you ever being so... caveman-like."
The blonde glanced up. "What?" she mumbled through a mouthful of food, a sight Weiss grimaced at. "Blake's cooking is better any of the crap served in Beacon. Did you see the sludge they served in our first couple of weeks?" Yang's nose wrinkled. "No thanks."
Blake glared at Yang from the corners of her eyes. "Don't speak with your mouth full."
The blonde shot her partner a cheeky smile, but did as she asked.
Breakfast was finished quickly; unsurprising, considering how rapidly the bigger eaters scarfed their meal. After a bit of rest to avoid the dreaded cramps, everyone went to their rooms to prepare for their trip to the beach.
Ruby bounded down the stairs and out of the residence in a red short-sleeved hoodie and board shorts, with her sister, cladded in denim shorts and a plaid shirt that was tied off below the chest, hot on her tail. An aggravated Weiss, dressed in a beautiful baby blue sundress, followed, yelling for the duo to stop before they broke something. Blake, wearing an orange sarong and black tank top, trailed behind nonchalantly with a bag holding all their gear slung over her shoulder.
Conveniently enough, because that section of the beach was technically 'Schnee property', lounge chairs and umbrellas were already set up for their use. Blake's first course of action was to rummage her bag for the book she grabbed from Weiss's library. She then dug up a beach towel to lay over her chosen chaise, and settled comfortably for a day of reading. Yang, of course, overlooked this amenity and darted straight for the clear waters, shucking off her clothes on the way to reveal her yellow bikini. Her jaunty splashing caught the attention of Ruby, who dashed forward to follow suit–
–but was held back by the hood of her jacket by a certain Schnee heiress. "Sunscreen, you dolt," Weiss reprimanded, dragging the downtrodden Ruby back towards the shade.
Weiss pulled out a small tube of sunscreen lotion from the bag. However, before she could do anything with it, Ruby swiftly snatched it out of her grasp.
"I'll do you first," Ruby said, leaving no room for argument as she gestured to the chair next to Blake with a jerk of the chin.
Weiss sputtered, flushing red hot. "Wh-wh–"
Ruby tilted her head. "What?"
The heiress glanced away. "Nothing! Nothing." She moved to sit on the edge of the seat, avoiding all eye contact by staring holes into her lap. Her hands nervously rumpled her sundress. When Ruby stepped in front of her, but made no other move, Weiss looked up. She found Ruby watching her with a disbelieving eyebrow raised.
"What?" Weiss asked, shifting uncomfortably under the gaze.
Ruby folded her arms and leaned on a foot, a pose adopted from Weiss herself. "You really expect me to put sunscreen on you while you have your dress on?"
They stared at each other wordlessly for a few beats, before Weiss reluctantly stripped off her sundress to reveal a sleek sleeveless white one-piece, its sides at the waist fashionably absent to showcase tantalising skin.
Ruby smiled and nodded. "Better." Putting on a determined expression, the young leader twisted and stretched, popping her spine with a loud satisfying 'crack', and looped around the chaise to position herself behind Weiss.
Ruby squirted a dollop of lotion onto her hand. She rubbed it between her hands to warm it up and get an even spread. "Ready?"
Weiss hummed, closing her eyes. Her body instinctively stiffened, wary of human touch.
The second Ruby's warm, slick hands touched her, Weiss tensed further. She squirmed as rough, yet still somewhat soft, palms pressed into her shoulders and worked their way around her blades.
"Geez, you're so cold Weiss," Ruby commented offhandedly, deftly massaging lotion down the heiress's arms to coat her upper torso.
Before Weiss could fire an indignant retort, Ruby's hands flitted down to skim against the skin exposed at her waist. Weiss squeaked, flinching away the contact.
"Hold still!" Ruby chided, clamping down on her partner's waist. "Are you alright? You seem... really edgy. Am I doing something wrong?"
Weiss vigorously shook her head. "No. Sorry, I'm just... not used to people touching me."
"If you say so..." Ruby replied, looking mildly unconvinced.
"I can do this part by myself, you know," Weiss remarked, though she made no attempt to remove Ruby's hands from their spot.
Ruby took this as an indication to continue. Hence, she did so, methodically running her hands up and down the small patches of flesh. "I already offered to help. The least I could do is to finish my job. What kind of leader would I be if I leave things half complete?"
Weiss shivered. "Do you really need to do it so carefully?" she snapped, fidgeting in her seat.
"Relax," Ruby soothed, lifting her hands from the heiress's waist. "Just the legs left." She pressed her front up against Weiss's back so her hands could hover over Weiss's thighs.
The heiress jerked away, leaving Ruby on the seat to flail awkwardly as she tried to maintain her balance and avoid tumbling into sand. "I can take care of the rest myself!" Weiss exclaimed.
Ruby's face fell. "Are you sure? I could–"
"Yes, I'm sure," Weiss huffed, her cheeks dusted with pink. "Hand me the bottle."
Weiss grabbed the tube of lotion Ruby unwillingly held out. Swiftly uncapping the bottle, she made quick work of lubing up her legs. Once done, she straightened from her bent position and motioned with a finger for Ruby to take off her clothes. As the young leader did so, she displayed the red, frilled one-piece she wore underneath.
Weiss chortled. "Do you not own any other colour in your wardrobe?"
"I do!" Ruby said, puffing out her chest in pride. "Black."
"Of course," Weiss sarcastically replied, good-naturedly rolling her eyes. She scanned Ruby up and down. "So how should I..." she trailed off uncertainly.
Ruby looked over her shoulder. "Huh? Oh, you don't have to if you don't–"
"Hush," Weiss rebuked. "I won't let the favour go unreturned."
The heiress knelt in front of Ruby and began applying sunscreen onto her partner's legs. Ruby looked away awkwardly into the distance, while Weiss was dead focused on the job at hand, gently and hesitantly rubbing lotion onto Ruby's skin. As Weiss moved up to her partner's thighs, the two grew stiff, and Weiss's movements became clunkier and hastier. The heiress haphazardly slathered sunscreen onto her partner's arms, before standing up stiffly.
"I think we're good," Weiss said, her voice strained. The heiress spun on her heel – woodenly, considering her rigid posture – and briskly walked diagonally to a part of the sea where Yang was not creating a ruckus.
Ruby stared in puzzlement at Weiss's departing back for a few moments, before shrugging it off, breaking into a sprint to the section of ocean that her sister was frolicking in.
Meanwhile, Blake had been watching their interaction out of the corner of her eye with a fiendish smirk. Their little show done, she shifted her attention back to the book in her hands. 'Tipping the Velvet'. Blake chortled. 'The Schnees have peculiar taste in literature. First 'Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit', and now this.'
Weiss wasn't sure how much time had passed. All she knew was that she had been floating awkwardly in the sea, by her lonesome, for quite awhile now. This wasn't by any means new to her – she had been left to 'play' by herself during Schnee family holidays numerous times before. But no one could ever romp with oneself, or say they enjoyed trying to do so.
Weiss was used to the stifling loneliness. But she didn't want to be.
She caught a glimpse of the sisters from her peripheral. They were sloshing about, giggling as they playfully chased one another. The heiress wondered to herself, briefly, what life would have been like if she had grown up like them... but immediately quashed that thought. She was content with how things turned out in the long-run.
'Besides,' she mused, eyes darting from Ruby and Yang to Blake on the beach, 'they have their own inner demons to contend with as well.'
"Weiss!" a high-pitched voice yelled, drowning out the lower, softer call of 'Schnee'. The sound of splashing intensified.
Said girl turned back just in time to see a grinning Ruby mere inches from her, just as her arm was tugged harshly. Weiss grunted. "Rub–"
"Come play with us! The more the merrier!" Ruby insisted, dragging the heiress towards the spot where Yang drifted lazily.
Weiss's expression twisted with uncertainty, a far cry from her normal demeanour. "But I don't–"
"No buts!" Ruby exclaimed, ending with a little giggle. "Heh, butts."
Weiss rolled her eyes. "Oh, very mature."
"I'm not the leader for nothing," Ruby joked. "Now, stay here with Yang," she instructed, one final pull bringing the heiress right next to the blonde. "I'm going to try and get Blake." At that, the fifteen-year old paddled towards the shore while hollering every other stroke in an attempt to get Blake's attention.
With Ruby gone, Yang and Weiss were left to stare uneasily at one another. The small altercation the night before had made things somewhat... awkward for the duo, considering neither were sure how to handle such situations.
"I still haven't forgiven you for the pantry incident," Yang blurted, trying to spark some sort of conversation.
Weiss noticeably relaxed. Banter – she was comfortable with their banter. "I wouldn't expect any less from you."
Yang flashed her a megawatt grin.
She then proceeded ripple the water Weiss's way with her arms. Given Yang's muscular build, in addition to the aura she added to fuel her strength, the wave Weiss faced down was massive. The heiress squealed as the swell crashed into her, drenching her with brine. Weiss sputtered, rubbing her stinging eyes while clumsily thrashing away from the guffawing blonde.
"Wha–"
"You should have seen the look on your face, Schnee," Yang breathed between chuckles.
"Oh, you're hilarious," Weiss snarked. "Is this your way of payback? Because it's surprisingly tame."
Yang smirked. "This?" she said, splashing around. "Of course not. I'm just having fun." The blonde then soaked Weiss yet again with another huge wave.
Ruby returned to find her partner blindly bumbling backwards into her, and her sister whistling innocuously to the side. Ruby gasped, connecting the dots in her head. "You monster!" she cried, pointing an accusing finger at Yang, who held her hands up defensively. "Don't worry Weiss, I will avenge you!" Releasing a war cry, Ruby kicked forward, barrelling into the blonde.
Weiss watched the sisters tussle in the water. She didn't really fully comprehend it – the concept of roughhousing being 'fun' – and so she was content with staying on the sidelines for this particular fight...
However, the sight of Ruby struggling against her physically superior sister was pitiful. Cringeworthy, almost, the way she was so easily outmanoeuvred and dunked underwater by Yang.
"Some hero," she mumbled with a small sigh, shaking her head. The heiress took a moment to steel herself, before diving into the fray.
Blake observed all of this from her cozy, dry position on the chaise lounge.
"BLAKE!" Yang cried, trying to throw off Ruby, who was clambering – with Weiss's help – onto the blonde's shoulder. With her new tactical position, Ruby was able to use her weight to submerge Yang.
It took a few seconds for Yang to gather her bearings and recover. When she finally broke out of the water, she gasped desperately for air. "HELP!" she hacked, struggling to get away from the younger duo.
Apathetic amber eyes stared at the blonde's plight, before returning to the book in hand.
Hours later, when their fingers and toes were deemed pruney enough for the day, and exhaustion began to set in, Yang, Ruby and Weiss returned to shore. They sluggishly walked back to the lounging Blake.
Yang promptly dove onto the free chaise next to her partner and groaned. "My aching everything... Blaaaaaaaake," she whined, "why didn't you save me?"
Blake never took her eyes off her novel. "You're a big girl, Yang. You can handle yourself."
The blonde pouted. It deepened when she heard the triumphant chuckle of her sister. "It was two against one! Weiss helped Ruby! I was outnumbered!"
Ruby looped her arm around Weiss's shoulder and shot Yang a cheeky grin and peace sign.
Yang scowled. "You played dirty, Rubes! Fight me like a real man! One on one!"
Ruby moved the arm encircling Weiss to crack her knuckles. "Oh, you wanna go?"
"Do you even lift?!" Yang yelled, jumping to her feet and flexing her arms to display bulging muscles.
"I TAKE THE STAIRS," Ruby shouted, darting forward so she was inches from her sister's face.
As they gnashed their teeth at each other and began making idle threats in ridiculously overplayed accents, Weiss palmed her face. "Would the two of you just–"
She was interrupted by the sound of stomachs rumbling.
The two sisters narrowed their eyes at each other, before seemingly coming to a silent agreement. They turned to their partners.
"Let's have lunch," they said in unison.
Blake stretched, rolling her shoulders and necks to work out the stiffness attained from laying still for so long. "Lunch sounds nice," she remarked, unhurriedly getting to her feet.
Weiss sighed. "I suppose it has been awhile." She frowned, looking down at her wrinkled hands. "I don't think anyone's quite in the mood to shop for supplies or cook, though."
"Well, let's go check out the town together!" Yang pitched in. "Get lunch at some joint, do a bit of sightseeing... It'll be fun!"
Blake smiled. "And relaxing."
"It would be nice to properly revisit the area," Weiss said.
"So, all in favour?" Ruby asked, tone brimming with barely contained excitement. A whoop, thumbs up and nod were her response.
Ruby pumped her fist. "Let's go!" she cried, spinning on her heel.
The heiress rolled her eyes. "Wear your clothes first, you dunce."
Considering it was summer, and that beaches – and the cities near them – would be a popular getaway destination, it was unsurprising that the nearby town was bustling with activity even on a weekday past lunch hour.
The girls weaved through throngs of people, both fellow tourists and locals alike, searching for a place to eat. All the while, they were captivated by the mix of old and new culture; the way more dilapidated shophouses and cobbled pavements blended seamlessly with newer, more elegant buildings like the giant departmental stores and convenience marts speckled here and there.
While admiring the area – so different from Beacon and the City of Vale, both of which were completely modernised – the quartet managed to stumble on a quaint family restaurant hidden away in the corner. Yang's eyes lit up on sighting the cute promotional signboard outside. Her hands instantly reached out to grab Weiss and Blake arms, so as to drag them into the café. Ruby followed with a bounce in her step.
By no means were Blake and Weiss against the idea of dining in that particular restaurant. However, the homely décor certainly helped convince them that it was good choice, if there had been any doubt before.
Of course, if that hadn't been enough, the wide-eyed, pale, gaping Cardin dressed as a waiter behind the counter definitely cemented the decision to dine in the charming restaurant.
A devilish grin stretched across Yang's face. "Fancy seeing you here, Winchester."
Cardin's expression grew strained. "Table for four? Follow me," he croaked, snatching menus from the counter and marching without pause to a booth.
All four followed the man, each visibly amused and pleasantly surprised. Yang, being the most bold and outspoken, gasped dramatically. "So standoffish. With that attitude, you'd think that we haven't known each other for a year," she said, tone oozing with false hurt.
Cardin stood rigidly next to a booth in the corner and gestured for them to take a seat. He ignored the smirks they all had on their face as he handed each girl a menu, before briskly walking away.
Weiss crossed her arms and relaxed into her cushioned seat with a wicked smirk. "Well, that was a thing."
"Summer job, perhaps?" Blake said while flipping through the menu with an equally impish countenance.
Ruby grinned, motioning for Yang to pass her the mobile phone. "Either way, I think we know people who'd love to hear about this."
The blonde slid her phone over the counter to her little sister. "Like the whole of Beacon?"
"I was actually thinking Team JNPR," Ruby admitted with a sheepish smile.
Yang rested her arms on the table. "Pfft, good enough. Let Nora know anything and the whole school's bound to hear it soon."
"True," Ruby conceded, tapping away at the mobile's keys. Weiss stopped in browsing her menu, and leaned over to scan the text message. She admonished Ruby on her grammar, which the younger girl reluctantly corrected.
"Well, we should order soon. Knowing Cardin, he's probably trying to weasel out of serving us. If we want him to wait us, we'd better act fast," suggested Blake.
Yang snatched her menu off the table and flipped through it quickly. After spotting something she liked, she put the menu down. "I know what I want. Ruby? Weiss?"
Weiss slapped away Ruby's hand as it reached for a menu. "We're ready," the heiress answered, not addressing the perplexed look Ruby shot her.
"Great! Time to catch Winchester's attention," Yang announced. She raised a hand and began waving it wildly, as she hollered, "Yoohoo! Cardin! Caaaardy-poo! Cardey-wardy!"
The aforementioned man, who had returned to manning the front counter, noticeably stiffened. He turned to stare at them disbelievingly. Yang simply grinned and continued to yell degrading nicknames, inciting the male to approach them.
Which he did, of course. His expression twisted into an ugly glower as he passed his fellow workmates, all of whom were silently giggling at the blonde's goading.
"How can I help you?" he gritted through his teeth when he finally arrived at their table.
Yang rested her chin on a propped up hand and cheekily stared up at the scowling teen. "Aw, you should be this polite every day. It'd almost be enough to make people like you!"
He snarled at the blonde. "Very funny. Now are you going to order, or just sit here and insult me?"
"What, we can't do a little of both?"
Cardin clenched his fists, crushing his notepad. "Why you–"
"Cardin!" a sharp and commanding, yet frail voice called. "Are you mistreating our customers again?"
The male's demeanour immediately changed, adopting a more defensive, docile bearing. "N-no, grandmother!"
Yang feigned hurt. "Again? And I thought we had something special."
A short, greying lady – looking to be in her seventies or so – waddled up from behind Cardin and bowed. "I apologise, is my grandson bothering you lovely ladies?"
"Grandmo–"
"Hush," she chastised, smacking Cardin lightly on the bum. "Take their orders, boy. I don't remember raising you to be so mouthy."
"Yes m'am." He straightened his body and cleared his throat. "What would you ladies like today?"
"Hmm," Yang hummed, rubbing her chin. She zoned her attention in on the smiling, wrinkled face next to Cardin. "What would you recommend, miss?" she asked with a toothy grin.
The elderly woman chuckled. "Aren't you a smooth talker? At this age, I'm more a madam than anything else, but I'll take a compliment when I can get one." She narrowed her eyes, scanning the blonde. "For someone like you," she shuffled over and patted Yang's well-defined arms, "a good, hearty steak is in order."
Yang's grin stretched wider. "My sentiments exactly! You heard your wonderful grandmother, Cardin. A sirloin sounds good – make it medium rare. And I'll take a coke too."
The man begrudgingly scrawled down the order.
His grandmother eyed Blake next. She noticed the subtly twitching bow atop her head and smiled. "Well, I think I know what this young lady wants. A fish of some sort, perhaps?" She threw in a wink for good measure.
Blake was taken aback, but returned the smile. She didn't expect Cardin's grandmother to be so accepting of fauna, taking into account Cardin's personal view of their kind... but the surprise was welcomed. "Yes, actually," she replied. "A pot of chai and your signature halibut entrée would be lovely."
"A girl with remarkable taste," the elderly woman teased. She looked at Cardin. "Are you getting all of this down, songbird?"
Cardin winced, boring holes into his notepad to avoid eye contact with the smug quartet. "Yes, grandmother."
She nodded. "Good, good. Now..." Her attention shifted to Ruby and Weiss. She noted the way the duo interacted; how the white-haired female intentionally kept the menus from her partner's reach, how said partner – while obviously upset as indicated by her puppy dog eyes – trusted the other girl implicitly. Old worldly eyes glinted with amusement. "What would you two like?" she asked kindly, directing the question specifically to Weiss.
"I'll have the caesar salad and a bottle of sparkling water, while she," she gestured to Ruby, "will have the cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate chip cookie milkshake."
The grey-haired woman turned wordlessly to stare at her grandson. He quickly scribbled onto his notepad, and began reciting the order.
Ruby, taking pity on the male who was obviously starting to crack under the pressure, replied with a chipper "Yep!"
Cardin nodded once, then scuttled away to the kitchen.
His grandmother sighed. "That boy. I don't know what to do with him sometimes."
"You could give him a real good spanking?" Yang impishly suggested.
The elderly woman deliberated over this for a moment, before shaking her head. "I could, but Cardin would probably burst into tears. And then I'd get into trouble with his parents. Coddled too much in his youth, so he's a delicate thing."
The four girls shared knowing looks, thinking back to their time in Forever Fall months ago. "Don't we know it," Weiss chimed.
Ruby's brows creased. "So why is Cardin here, Missus... Winchester... Senior... Miss?"
The woman cackled. "Well, there's a new title. Call me Grandma, dear. Almost everyone in this town does."
"Aye aye, Granny!" Yang chirped with a mock salute.
"That's the spirit! Now, as for why Cardin is here... I missed my little songbird, so I convinced his parents to send him to this wonderful town for awhile."
"And got him to work as a waiter?" Blake interjected, lips twitching in mirth.
"Precisely!" She cackled again. When her chuckles died down, she sighed. "Ah, I should make sure everything is alright back there. It was a pleasure to have spoken with Cardin's schoolmates."
"No, no," Yang said, using her hands to deny the notion, "the pleasure was ours. Who knew the grump himself would have such a charming grandmother?"
The elderly woman cracked a smile. "You flatter me, child. I would tell you lot all about the days when I was much like you, all hot and in demand, but I'm afraid I really do need to check on the little rascals in the back. Another time, perhaps."
"If your food is anywhere near as good as your company, you'll definitely see us around again," Yang schmoozed.
Blake nudged her partner as Weiss kicked the blonde's calf under the table. Yang flinched, grunting in pain.
Cardin's grandmother burst into another laughing fit. She waved goodbye, leaving just as another waiter brought them their drinks.
Yang scanned the room for their fellow Beacon schoolmate, but the male was nowhere to be found. Her cheeks puffed out in irritation.
"Aw, give Cardin a break Yang," Ruby said, sipping at her milkshake.
"But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" the blonde exclaimed, throwing her arms up in exasperation.
"As you said before, I'm sure we'll return to this restaurant quite frequently," Blake pacified.
"Besides..." Ruby trailed off with a mischievous grin. She shook the phone she still held in her hand.
Yang smirked. "And this is why you're my favourite little sister."
"She's your only little sister," Weiss deadpanned.
Yang perked in her seat. "Exactly!"
Lunch from that point on was calmer. Their meals came quickly, and had been cooked to perfection. Everyone cleaned off every little morsel off their plates, and it was silently agreed upon that they would without a doubt return to the café at least once before their holiday ended.
They paid their bill – though it was less 'they' and more Weiss unenthusiastically signing her card – and left. On the way out, the quartet spotted the endearing senior and her grandson manning the counter.
"Cya later, songbird!" Yang mocked.
"Come back soon!" the elderly woman called. Cardin blanched.
"We will!" Ruby shouted as they exited the premise.
After all, there was no way they would let Cardin off the hook that easily.
The group continued wandering about town, exploring its nooks and crannies in hopes of finding more of its hidden gems. As they meandered about, they found a group of middle-aged men lining the streets with colourful lanterns and setting up little stalls. Ever the inquisitive one, Yang approached the nearest male and asked, "What's all of this for?"
"This?" He gestured to the stand he was building. "These, little lady, are for Tanabata."
"Tanawhatta?" Ruby quizzically responded.
The man laughed. "Tanabata! A little festival we hold around these parts around this period. I guess you guys haven't been to one before?"
Ruby, Blake and Yang shook their heads. Weiss shrugged. "I was too young to remember anything other than the fireworks."
"Ah, well, if you're in town next week, you should join in on the festivities. It's celebrated at night."
"But what's the celebration about?" Weiss inquired.
"Two separated lovers reuniting, wasn't it?" Blake replied.
He nodded his head. "For just a day, yes. Quite a long legend, so I won't bore you girls with it. Besides, it seems like your friend knows enough," he said, gesturing to Blake.
Yang engulfed the amber-eyed female in a hug. "That's my partner!"
He smiled. "You four are huntresses? Can't tell without the crazy weapons. Well, nothing like a well-deserved break from saving us normal folks, eh? The fireworks typically occur a couple days before Tanabata itself. Just head down in a yukata and you're all set."
Ruby's eyebrows knitted. "Yuka-wha?"
"Never heard of those either?" The man chortled again. "The city life really is different." He pointed his thumb down the street. "There's a store there – finest one in all of Vale, I'd say. You ladies should check it out. Why not really get into the spirit of things, right? Now, if you four will excuse me, I need to get back to work."
The group thanked the man, before walking in the direction he pointed to.
"Anyone have any idea what one looks like?" Yang queried, scrutinising each store.
Blake and Weiss nodded.
"I'll tell you if I see it," Blake replied. The sisters shrugged, allowing their teammate to take the lead.
A little ways down the street, Blake called for them to halt. "This should be the place." They stopped in front of a store displaying gorgeous robe-like outfits, similar to Blake's nightwear, if not for its more intricate design and seemingly thicker material.
Yang's eyes shone. She pressed herself up against the glass and ogled the finely made wear. "We should shop," she breathed.
Her partner smiled. "That would be fairly therapeutic, wouldn't it?"
Ruby's shoulders slumped as she groaned. "Depends on your definition of therapeutic," she grumbled.
Her older sister was heedless to her blatant distaste for shopping, prancing into the store without another word.
As Weiss and Blake funnelled into the boutique, Ruby tried her best to remain incognito and escape by slowly sidling to the side.
However, the heiress was having none of that. She strode out of the store and roughly seized Ruby by the arm, wrenching the fifteen-year old in despite vocal protests.
The moment Ruby stepped into the boutique though, her attitude changed. She froze, captivated by the gorgeous black and red rose-patterned yukata on display. Its colours were accentuated further by a stunning blood red obi.
"I want you," she whispered, breaking out of Weiss's now limp grasp to glide to the enthralling garb. Ruby gently touched its sleeves and revelled in its soft texture.
"Would you like to try it?" Ruby heard the sales assistant offer. She excitedly nodded, bouncing on her heels as the assistant removed the garment from the mannequin. "You're lucky," she said as she handed Ruby the yukata, "this is actually the last piece of this kind that we have in stock, and it looks like you'd fit."
Ruby happily clutched the robe to her chest and allowed herself to be directed to the changing room by the sales assistant.
Weiss watched this exchange happen with incredulous eyes. She never thought her partner would get so animated about clothes, but perhaps this signified the young leader's growth. … Maybe.
She heard a squeal and shrill voice exclaim, "I dub thee Crimson Blossom!"
The heiress shook her head. 'Or maybe not.' She sighed, moving to browse the array of ornate clothes. Her gaze landed on an elegant snow white yukata with blue highlights. Weiss was taken by the elaborate lily design subtly printed onto fabric, as well as the rich red sash that made the outfit pop. When her fingers traced the delicate pattern, Weiss snapped out of her reverie, finding that she had unconsciously walked up to the mannequin wearing the beautiful garment.
"You have exquisite taste, miss. This yukata is actually one-of-a-kind – handcrafted by the owner of this establishment herself. Its quality is unparalleled, and it looks like it fits you perfectly," a sales assistant helpfully chimed.
Yang strutted out of her changing room dressed in a yellow yukata with dark ochre dragon motif that was held together by a black sash. "Of course you'd have the most expensive preference, Schnee," she teased. Behind her, Blake – wearing a stunning silver yukata with black tigers decorating the cloth, all held together by a gold obi – chuckled.
Blake sized up the blonde from the back and tutted. "Your obi is loose, Yang."
Yang shot her partner a befuddled look over her shoulder. "My o-what?"
Blake rolled her eyes. "The sash, Yang. It's loose." She sighed. "Honestly..." she said, reaching out to retie the strip of cloth.
"Well, this is what I have you for!"
Blake raised an eyebrow. "To dress you?"
The blonde lips quirked into a crooked smile. "To take care of me!"
So engrossed in the back-and-forth between Yang and Blake was Weiss, that she didn't realise Ruby had also exited her changing room. Thus, the heiress was startled when she heard Ruby say, "You should get that! It'd look great on you!"
Weiss turned to see Ruby in her yukata. The heiress would never admit it, but for a moment, she felt her breath hitch.
The young leader twirled around. "Whaddya think?"
Weiss shuffled nervously. "You look–"
"Woah, little sis!" Yang interrupted. "You look amazing!"
"It does suit you well," Blake remarked, scanning the girl in approval.
"Get it, get it!" badgered Yang.
Ruby's face fell. "I would, but…" She gestured for them to move closer. "Did any of you check the price tags on these things?" she whispered. "I don't know about you guys, but I don't have enough lien to afford this."
Yang's eyes narrowed in thought. A few beats passed before she groaned. "I don't think I have enough either."
The heiress's eyebrows furrowed. "Just what on earth have you two been spending your money on– actually, don't answer that. I think I can guess."
The sisters had equally sheepish expressions.
Yang's eyes lit up as an idea struck her. She placed a fist in her palm. "I've got it. Why don't you pay for us, Schnee?"
"No," Weiss replied impassively.
"But…" Yang warbled, intentionally opening her eyes to Ruby-level wideness. "Please?" she cooed. She nudged her bemused sister, who caught on and joined in on the antics, completing the act with pouty lips.
Weiss winced. "You can't take advantage of me like this, right Blak–" her throat closed when she turned around and found herself at the mercy of Blake Belladonna's kicked kitten expression.
Everywhere the heiress looked, she found imploring, watery eyes. Weiss squeezed her own shut as she felt herself be drained of all her willpower.
"Okay, okay!" she gritted, caving into their influence. "I'll pay."
Their ecstatic cheers did nothing to make the heiress feel better.
Hearing this, the nearest sales assistant whisked in like a bird of prey. "Would you also care to get this yukata?" she asked politely, motioning to the garment Weiss had been examining. "We'll even throw in a discount, since you're buying so many pieces."
"Do it, do it," chanted Yang, pumping her arms up and down. She glanced at Blake and Ruby, trying to wordlessly convince them to join in, but to no avail. The blonde's call slowly died as her teammates stared at her with varying degrees of bafflement and annoyance. Yang puffed her cheeks out. "You guys are no fun."
"Anyway, you really should get it, Weiss," Blake encouraged. "Might as well 'get into the spirit of things', yes?"
"Yeah Weiss!" Ruby joined in. "Then we'll be wearing matching clothes! But not really, because the colours and design's different... but still!"
Weiss pursed her lips together. She turned to the sales assistant. "Do you mind if I try it on first?"
"Of course not," she courteously responded. The assistant carefully removed the yukata from its mannequin and placed it in Weiss's outstretched hands. She then led her – and team RWBY, who trailed behind – to the dressing rooms, before leaving with a bow.
Weiss wordlessly entered the changing room. This left the rest of team RWBY to make small talk as they waited for the heiress to reappear.
Minutes passed. All that was heard was cloth ruffling and their own banter. Just as Yang was starting to feel impatience gnaw at her insides, they heard the heiress's muted voice – tinged with frustration – say, "I can't tie this stupid sash."
"Want me to help?" Ruby offered without hesitation.
The door cracked open. "Please?"
Ruby went into the small dressing room and locked the door behind her. She was met with Weiss's back, where two dainty hands struggled to tie the strap of cloth into a knot.
"Let me," Ruby said, grabbing the two ends and lightly tugging them out of Weiss's grip. She poked her tongue out in concentration and got to work trying to bind the sash together into something decent looking. It took a couple of tries, as her hands fumbled with the delicate obi, but the young leader soon managed the task. She pulled away with a proud smile on her smile, mentally patting herself on a job well done.
Weiss whirled around to face Ruby. "How do I look?"
Ruby was stunned speechless. She gazed blankly at the heiress, opening and closing her mouth at intervals like a goldfish as she tried to respond.
Weiss's eyebrows knitted. "Ruby?"
"Great!" she squeaked. Ruby cleared her throat. "Uh... great! You look great! Such beauty! Much amaze! Wow."
"Thank... you?" Weiss replied uncertainly. "Well... I suppose I'll purchase this too, then."
Ruby nodded vigorously. "Yeah, yeah. Good. Awesome."
They stood there staring awkwardly at one another.
"You can... leave now. I need to change out of this," Weiss said, gesturing to her yukata.
"Oh!" Ruby started. "Oh, right, right." She tried backing out of the room but bumped into the locked door. The young leader flushed and forced an embarrassed laugh, swivelling around to clumsily unlock the door. When the lock clicked, Ruby violently twisted the knob and fled the room as quickly as she could, leaving a burst of rose petals behind.
She ignored her sister's probing as to her furiously red cheeks, shuffling to the dressing room nearby where she left her clothes. Yang shot a bewildered look at Blake, who shrugged and strode off to change as well. The blonde sighed, taking this as a cue to undress from her own attire.
When everyone was back into their casual attire, Weiss approached the cashier to pay for their garbs. A quick swipe of her card and a practiced signature was all it took before the quartet were back out on the streets, this time, with bags in hand.
"What now?" Blake asked, checking the slim watch on her wrist. "It's still too early for dinner."
Yang hummed, deliberating on their next activity. "We could continue to walk around?" she suggested. "Until one of us gets hungry."
Blake turned to look at Weiss and Ruby with a questioning gaze, seeking unanimous approval.
Weiss shrugged. Ruby nodded.
The blonde stretched her arms over her head and started marching towards the town square. "Let's go, then! Time waits for no man!"
It was only when the sun began to sink and the sky developed a gorgeous orange and purple hue did the girls finally feel fatigue set in.
The quartet decided to try and find a restaurant near their current residence, if only to make the slog back home less painful. Weiss chimed in, claiming that she knew a decent place by the shore.
Figuring Weiss would know her way around the town best out of all of them, the rest of team RWBY chose to trust her judgement, allowing her to take the lead.
They arrived at a picturesque wide-open wooden platform sitting just on the coast, right as the sun vanished from view. A stylised glass marquee arched over the entire boardwalk, catching the remnants of the sunset's glow and casting dapples of mauve and purple on the platform. The first thing Yang noticed was the gorgeous deck that offered an amazing seaside breeze in addition to an unsurpassable view of the glittering night sky.
"Let's sit out there!" Yang exclaimed.
Weiss, having expected the blonde to gravitate to the terrace, nodded. "Find a table. I'll speak to the manager and have us squared away."
Yang gave her a sloppy salute. "Aye aye, Schnee!"
While the heiress entered the main building of the restaurant, the remaining three snagged a table closest to the ocean. Weiss returned shortly after with a waiter in tow.
She wordlessly sat in the seat next to Ruby as the waiter introduced himself as their personal server for the evening.
"Personal waiter?" Blake queried.
"Yes, Miss. This restaurant is in debt to the Schnee family for their generous donations to this town. As such, all family and friends of the Schnees are treated as guests of honour," he replied.
Ruby caught the uneasy shuffle Weiss did in her chair.
"So!" the young leader cried, drawing attention towards her. "We should thank Weiss for treating us to this holiday." She turned to look Weiss in the eye. "Thank you, Weiss," she said with a sincere smile.
The heiress tried her best to repress her blush, but failed as a smidgen of pink dusted her cheeks. "It was no problem," she replied. "Don't think too much of it."
Yang smirked. "Of course it wasn't a problem. It involved Rub–" she grunted mid-sentence. The blonde rubbed her sore side, staring incredulously at Blake. "Why?!"
Blake faced her partner impassively. They maintained eye contact for a few beats before Yang broke eye contact. She folded her arms across her chest with a pout.
Blake nodded. "Thank you, Weiss."
"Really, it was nothing," the heiress said, trying to brush it off.
Ruby and Blake then moved their heads to stare at the blonde. Yang slowly sank into her seat, feeling their gazes on her. She began making noises in the back of her throat as she sank further and further down.
Weiss sighed. "Just spit it out, blondie."
"THANK YOU," Yang spat. She stuck her tongue out and cringed, pretending to feel disgusted. "Ergh, now that that's over with..." The blonde turned to the waiter. "Bring us a round of mojitos, would ya? To commemorate this special day." Without waiting for a reply, Yang shooed him off.
Blake wearily rubbed her face. "We're not legal yet, Yang."
Yang flapped her lips. "Pfft, legal schmegal. We're healthy, normal teenagers. Live life, ladies!"
The waiter returned with a tray, distributing four mojitos and a small plate of canapés. "Compliments of the chef," he said with a flourish. "Please do not hesitate to call if you require anything." He then marched away.
Weiss slapped her hand over Ruby's glass before the young leader could take a sip. "You're underaged."
Ruby frowned. "So are the rest of you!"
Weiss shot her a glare. "No." The heiress snapped her fingers, summoning the waiter who had been standing a slight ways away. "Please get my friend a coke," she said firmly but politely.
"Party pooper," Yang mumbled between sips of her drink. Blake nonchalantly sipped her mojito.
Weiss directed the glare to Yang. "You're paying for this, by the way, since you ordered them."
Yang sputtered, but quickly pulled herself together. She huffed. "Fine, whatever. My treat to you for being so good to us, Weissy," she mocked. "Cheers!" She knocked back what little was left in her glass.
Ruby stared up at her older sister helplessly as she sipped her coke through a swirly straw. Her eyes pleaded for the blonde to help her case.
Yang shrugged. "Sorry, can't help you. But hey, you get a cool straw?"
Blake chuckled around the rim of her glass.
The blonde stretched with a content sigh. She reached for the last glass of mojito. "I'll take that since I paid for it – unless you wanted more, Schnee?"
Weiss took a small sip of her drink, shooting Yang an inscrutable look. "No thanks."
Yang grinned, taking a swig of Ruby's share.
Dinner from then on was delicious, if not uneventful. Weiss did end up splitting the bill between dinner and Yang's order. True to her word, the blonde paid for the alcoholic beverages, albeit reluctantly.
"Why did you insist on paying?! It was going to be on the house!" Yang moaned as they trudged back to their lodgings.
"I'm not going to abuse my family name, blondie," Weiss snarkily rebutted.
The blonde pouted. "Well, now I'm broke. I hope you're happy." She sighed and swayed theatrically. "Ah'll hafta resort ta desperate meashahs fer money!" she said with a Southern Belle accent, cheekily nudging Blake's shoulder with hers.
There was a long pause.
Yang glanced at her partner, having expected an exasperated reply or some sort of weary comment. The lack of response was jarring.
Yang bit her lower lip, slowly pulling away. "Uhh...Blake?"
The faunus stared back. "Well, little missy," she began in a matching accent, a sly smile playing on her lips, "if yer ever thinkin' 'bout barterin' off that derriere..."
"Oh God," murmured Yang, hastily pushing away, the blush on her cheeks spreading wider than the grin on Blake's face.
Weiss smirked. "So she does know shame."
Ruby giggled.
Yang shook her head, back-pedalling away. "I'm done. So done."
Blake cheekily shot the blonde twin finger-pistols.
"Nope. Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope–" The blonde sprinted away. "Can you not?!"
Ruby doubled over in laughter.
Weiss stared disbelievingly at Blake. "She has been a bad influence on you."
Blake smirked. "We should catch up with Yang," she said, sidestepping the previous statement. "I think she forgot only you have the key."
The heiress sighed. "How long do you think it'll take before she realises she can't get in the house?"
"The last time Yang was locked out of the house, she broke in through the window," Ruby interjected.
The trio exchanged looks before bolting back towards the vacation house.
AN: Sorry for the delay, people. The beach chapter got so long, it had to be split into two chapters. I'll have the second part written and published... in due time.
I'm aware that Tanabata is on the 7th of August, and that American summer vacations start June/July. However, Japan's starts late July, and this is Vale. Forgive me for being so vague on dates. Let's just pretend it starts at a point where it all makes sense, hm?
Credits to VnixxiR and Xephos49 on the former's chat room for Weiss's yukata design (can you believe I asked that question over a month ago?), and Tim and Tiky (NuclearKitsune) for everyone else's, in addition to the colour palettes. Nix also drew Weiss in said yukata ages ago, so major props there. Faster than the author, bah.
Cheers to Tiky and Glant (H'te Rarpee) for proofreading this ridiculously lengthy part. MUCH LOVE.
… 'EYYYY, THREE HUNDRED FOLLOWERS. As always, thank you for the support, be it by reading, reviewing, following or adding it to your favourites. It's what keeps a writer going. I hope I did the characters and this idea justice.
In the next chapter: volleyball, banter, vengeance, onsens, ice-cream, maybe more feels, and the festival.