[Weiss]

How long have I been out?

Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the ambient light shining through my eyelids - it would be a while before I'll adjust. I tried to get up so I could close the curtains, but I was practically immobilized by my pain if I did anything more than a mere sit up. Grabbing my chest, I weathered the agony, lest I show weakness to whoever was near. Fortunately, the pain subsided quickly.

Now then, just where was I? Where's Ruby?

I tried recounting the prior events... but all I could remember was a bloodbath. Bodies as far as I could see, and many people died... by Ruby's hands.

Our hands. You know how eager you were to defend her, even though she started this.

I shook my head. I remembered seeing Ruby carve a bloody path through the streets in vivid detail. I laid there, mentally leafing through the memories inside my consciousness to see everything as if it just happened. Ruby fought for her life and almost lost it to...

...Blake. That I remember very well.

I tried to save Ruby. I'm certain I did, with the bullet hole in my chest. But that's all I know. First came the shock, and now I'm here.

I looked around the room. The place had a dark, almost malevolent, aesthetic, with everything either violet or scarlet upon black. While observing, I heard a sound beside me.

"...It's you," I whispered.

And here was Ruby, dressed in black and covered in blood, sweat, grime, and who-knows-what else. She looked like a mess, and smelled like ten. Any other moment I'd scold her for sleeping without bathing, the heathen. Disgusting.

What am I to do now? I can't go anywhere until she wakes. I sighed in annoyance, looking around the room, my overly-wrapped body (Were they trying to make a corset with these bandages? Ugh.), and Ruby.

Well, just waiting is futile. I'm exploring.

Carefully, I snuck out of bed and tentatively started walking. The room housed four doors: one leading to a dark hall, the other to a balcony, another to a kitchen, and the last, a bathroom. The room itself was almost excessively large - it'd be more regal if the colors weren't so vile and dark.

Feeling stuffy, I walked to the balcony to get some fresh air. I leaned on the rails, closing my eyes and feeling the cool air hit my face.

Then I opened my eyes.

My vision was greeted by hundreds - literal hundreds - of Grimm, just roaming these blasted, gloomy hellscapes that I would assume surround this property. They were dark, but their distinctively angular dark silhouettes were all I needed to know.

"Oh no," I whispered out loud to myself. "This isn't..."

Salem's hideaway, I thought. Of course Ruby took me here. It's why I'm alive, and why Ruby's here, and... I need to sit down.

"You woke up sooner than I expected."

I spun around in panic at the hoarse, dry voice addressing me.

It was Ruby, standing maybe a whole meter in front of me. She stared at me with worry and fear through distraught eyes, with her red, veiny sclera surrounding her stark silver irises. It was almost chilling. Was this really you?

Don't pretend you don't know. You know she's damaged. Broken. You're holding onto a false ideal, thinking that this is who you truly love. A liar. A murderer. An animal.

I shook my head lightly and cleared my throat. "Ruby... why did you bring me here?"

She looked off in the distance, her grimy face reflecting the soft moonlight.

"Weiss, I saved you. I brought you here, to fix you up!" Ruby flashed a wide smile. She was obviously trying to hide something.

Then, silence. I shifted my stance, and folded my arms, observing the light scars on her face. I hung my head low. "Ruby," I said, in a low voice, rising quickly in a near scream. "Your lies and your secrets are what made all this happen, so don't act cute and pretend that everything's fine! They're not! I had to help you kill people in cold blood, and I lost one of my best friends to your brutish, bloody shenanigans, just to make sure that you weren't dead! Just, for once, in these past few weeks, please, talk to me, now!"

Her greasy, shaggy hair obscured her hung head. She looked hurt. Or angry...

Again, silence. It was a while before anyone spoke, and this time, Ruby got the floor.

"My... queen," she said with sarcastic intonation, "I think you should -"

Ruby grabbed me by my shoulders with her rough hands.

"- take a bath -"

I felt her hands squeeze me tightly. Her nostrils flared in the same way a wolf sniffs, observing their prey.

"- and go back to bed!" She glared at me, in a mix of frustration and an unknown greed, licking her lips slowly. I felt mildly scared. Was she really mad at me? Or was there something more... deviant behind her eyes?

Quickly, Ruby looked away and blushed. "I... I'm sorry, Weiss. I have to go. Neo can take care of you." She smiled softly, this time with a hint of genuinity, which only served to disturb me more.

"But if you try to leave this room" - her eyes glowed, and her voice grew more gravelly - "then I'll hunt you down and tie you to this bed." With that, she carried me to the bathroom, where Neo was sitting on a chair reading a book.

"Please take care of my queen, if you would, Neo." Neo nodded, and Ruby left. Me and the forboding mute. Splendid.

Neo took a quick look at me, and without warning, picked me up and sat me on the bath edge. Then she started removing my clothes. I swear, she'd remove these bandages with the eagerness she stripped me with. It took a quick slap on the wrist to prevent her from removing my panties - a task I was loathe for her to undertake.

She turned the faucet on and left - with my discarded clothes. With humiliating difficulty, I removed my panties, and I slid into the warm water. Neo wasn't back yet. As far as I know, anyway.

Now then, what happened to Ruby, and why am I even here?

I closed my eyes and rest myself in the large, round bathtub. I could feel the warmth of the water and the suds of the soap gently massage me as I slid deeper, centimeter by centimeter. It felt... Good. Wonderful. Peaceful. I was too tired to think, and the familiar comfort of a bath took the unease off of my mind.

Then I turned my head, and found myself one unfortunate contraction away from defecating in the tub.

"Heh, well then, Ruby told me you were awake, so I had to come see for myself."

I yelped in surprise. "Fuck! I mean, Cin- Cinder?" I splashed water everywhere, trying to cover my nipples with one hand, and putting up the other in some pathetic act of threatening display. This was not my finest moment.

Cinder grinned at me, clearly pleased with the result of her little stunt.

"What do you want with me, Cinder?"

"Me? Well, Weiss, to be truthful, I... want you dead. But Ruby would take my other arm and eye if I did that." She looked down on the ground and turned a bit pale. "And for your information, I do enjoy being able to see."

"And I do enjoy having peace. In the bathroom. Where nobody else is supposed to be."

We stared at each other, in a moment of shared awkwardness.

"So," I started, breaking the silence. "Did Ruby happen to tell you where she went, or...?"

"She went out."

"I need you to elaborate on that."

"She's helping Adam with his little adventures with the White Fang right now. I estimate that she'll be here tomorrow night."

Tomorrow night? I don't think I could survive being around people who previously wanted me dead for more than thirty minutes.

"Oh," I said, not even trying to belay my disappointment. "Well, just how long have I been -"

"You've been in a coma for five days here."

Five days? Just what happened while I was out? "As for you being in that school, it's been... hmm, I wanna say two months."

"I've been in a coma for over two -"

"Silence. No more questions." Cinder shifted her feet, folding her arms. "Your voice is insufferable."

"I'm not the one watching a random woman take a bath. Creep."

Cinder rolled her eyes, and sighed. "Clothes are on the bed, Neo's cooking you dinner. Now hurry up and finish already." She turned around and stood at the door.

"And one more thing," Cinder added. "Try to be more respectful of your elders, Weiss Schnee." She walked out, and the door closed.

Well, that was a fun exchange of pleasantries. If this is the level of respect I'll have to expect, I'd rather just stay in a coma. Leaves me from dealing with Cinder, anyway.

Getting out of the tub, I slowly navigated to the bed, and took my time putting on the clothes they brought out: a long, blue-white shirt and black shorts, just long enough to go past my butt, and nothing else. Only Ruby would pick out something as skimpy as this. I sighed.

This felt weird, though. The whole situation: why would I even be tolerated enough to be taken care for here? I know that they know of me and Ruby, but I always thought that they would rather cut ties with anyone considered non-essential... unless I was essential.

I shuddered. Let's not dwell on that, I thought, and walked toward the kitchen area. At least my chest is feeling better.

I came upon Neo cooking some sort of pasta. I stood for a minute, watching with quiet intent. The ribbons of pasta dangled and quivered as she stirred and rose the wooden spoon repeatedly.

I wonder why she never speaks, I asked myself. Then, I heard a slight humming from her, a faint, melodious cascade of soft notes that conjured up a warm feeling inside of me. It was probably the most adorable thing I saw in a while, and I found a nearby seat, watching and listening to her humming among the clatter of spoons and dishes, until she brought me a bowl of tagliatelle.

Pushing my anxiety aside, I politely nodded and put a spoonful in my mouth. My goodness, I thought, this is exquisite! I began to shovel in the tagliatelle until I almost choked, twice. Upon the last bite, I let out an accidental burp that could rival Yang's in its sheer volume, and blushed when I heard Neo giggle at my faux pas.

After dinner, Neo carried me to bed. I wanted to thank her, but sleep got to me before my gratitude could leave.