Hello, here's chapter 34. Hope you enjoy it!
Beta reader: RealTerminal
I do not own RWBY and make no monetary gain from this. Writing is for entertainment purposes only.
Quick recap of last chapter: Weiss spoke with her butler and the secretary of the SDC. She also sought out Goodwitch and asked to see a counsellor. After the visit, Ruby asked her out on a date on Saturday and Winter messaged her sister to announce she would visit tomorrow.
Ruby was humming a tune to herself as she and her team were walking to the library together with JNPR to play a few rounds of Remnant: The Game. At this late hour, it was more permissible to use the study space for social gatherings, as long as the noise levels were kept in check. She couldn't wait to usher her and Weiss' forces to victory!
She had managed to calm herself down somewhat, but the thought of meeting Winter in less than 24 hours was still making her stomach churn. However, the upcoming board game session would hopefully be able to distract her. Weiss had surprised her by arranging it earlier than they had previously planned, to help get her mind off of tomorrow.
She bumped shoulders with the white-haired beauty next to her, adoring the way Weiss' brow cutely furrowed in confusion as their eyes met. Weiss had been nothing short of supportive, reassuring her, hugging her, and telling her she would been fine and that Winter would approve of her. Despite how childishly Ruby knew she had reacted, Weiss had done her best to help her compose herself, and for that, she was very grateful.
I'm so lucky to have her. My Weiss. My wonderful, beautiful, kind, and adorable Weiss.
"What?" the girl asked.
"Nothing." Ruby grinned, wanting nothing more than to envelop Weiss in a hug and then never let go.
"So what teams are we playing?" Jaune asked as he turned around to look at them.
With a final reassurance to herself, Ruby let go of her worry of tomorrow and decided she would enjoy the evening to her heart's content. "Weiss and I will team up," she replied, so fast it conjured snickers from everyone else. Blushing, she did her best imitation of a pout. "I can't help it. She's my partner, after all."
The silly smile Weiss donned at those words was heart melting. Ruby mentally patted herself on the shoulder; 'partner' was such an auspicious way of saying that out loud. Her friends shot them knowing looks, making her unconsciously puff herself up a bit.
Weiss is mine and I'm Weiss' and we love each other!
She had to stifle another urge to hug Weiss, instead settling for lightly touching her shoulder.
"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked. "Want to team up?"
Ruby caught Blake's eyes but her friend didn't look too bothered by it. Ruby had half-expected her friend to appear more jealous. She nearly snickered as she suddenly imagined the absolute trainwreck that would be Blake acting as lovestruck as Jaune had towards Weiss a few months ago.
"Then I'll be greedy and hog my best friend," Yang exclaimed cheerfully, slinging an around Blake's shoulder. Blake rolled her eyes but smiled. "Can we be Vale?"
"Then we'll be Mistral," Ruby countered. Nobody else objected.
Brimming with excitement, Nora clung to Ren. Nobody had any illusions that she would've preferred to team up with anyone else. "We'll be Vacuo!". Thereby, the teams were decided.
When they reached the library, Jaune and Ren found a secluded space near the far end and began to set up the table. A few groups of students were there but far away enough that they wouldn't bother them too much, should the game get a little too exciting.
Seizing the opportunity, Ruby pulled Weiss to the side to discuss strategy. "Weiss, I have a plan," she whispered, nearly bouncing on her feet from the anticipation.
"Good, because I'm still not very good at this game," Weiss grumbled.
Ruby was unconcerned though, already busy trying to anticipate what moves her friends would make. She pulled Weiss closer to her, leaning in to whisper into her ear. She was quiet for a moment though, delighted by the way her girlfriend shuddered almost imperceptibly from the hot breath against her ear. That was something Ruby couldn't wait to explore again at earliest opportunity. Giggling, she finally revealed her master plan. "Let's take out Vacuo first and then it'll be a piece of cake. Even if that won't work right away, if we can just get the mines near the border, we'll have the edge in resources plus the natural terrain to help our defense."
Weiss nodded. "If you think that is the best course of action, then we'll do that. Though, can we play a round sometime, just the two of us? I want to familiarise myself with all of the cards." She cutely pursed her lips. "I lost the lead last time thanks to forgetting how bonuses stack, and well, I am still uncertain about some of the rules."
"Sure!" It was an easy promise to make. Another round of her favorite strategy game, with maybe even a few games of card, would be a lot of fun for another night. That made Ruby wonder what Weiss thought about building card houses; it had been a long time since she did that and a contest would be pretty entertaining
And if we're up for it, maybe there can be rewards for the victor. Maybe the loser will have to remove a piece of clothing each time their structure collapses…
Ruby felt a blush beginning to break out across her face as all manners of exciting ideas swirled in her head, but she couldn't really help it. If Weiss touched her or talked to to her or did pretty much anything, it would cause her mind to dive into the gutter. Their newfound level of intimacy, in combination of not having experienced that kind of pleasure for a few days, was affecting her. Not so much that she was thinking about sex all the time, but there was a growing need within her to receive affection and attention from Weiss.
To her combined horror and sheepish amusement, Weiss noticed she was lost in her thoughts. "Ruby?"
Her blush intensified immensely and she nervously scraped her shoe against the ground, motioning for Weiss to lean in. "I was thinking about you," she whispered, mentally patting herself on the back for how smoothly she handled that.
Weiss caught on immediately to what kind of thoughts she had occupied herself with, if the scarlet coloration of her features was any indication. "Dolt."
Ruby grinned, her merriness only impaired by her embarrassment. She bumped their shoulders together again and Weiss rolled her eyes and smiled at her.
A minute later, Jaune and Ren were done with the preparations and they all sat down to begin game one. Ruby and Weiss took seats closest to the bookshelves - a calculated move on Ruby's part to get some privacy. She wanted to at least hold hands every now and then if she could get away with it.
A few minutes later, the game was underway. To her chagrin, her strategy did not work quite as well as she had planned. From the get go, they were under assault from Team Sloth's (as Nora had named themselves) Vacuo and were unable to dislodged them from their border region, even with the help of playing a Grimm card. With the majority of their troops deployed to shore up the border, all they could manage were small skirmishes against Atlas.
Halfway through the round, Weiss moved closer to Ruby and grasped her right hand underneath the table. The contact soothed her, brightening her mood further. Whenever they eyes met, they would squeeze each other's hand, smile and occasionally break out into giggles.
Flirting like this is a lot of fun. It kind of reminds me of when we had just gotten together.
Yang placed her elbows on the desk and leaned forward. She looked like she knew exactly what was going on and so of course seized the opportunity. "What's so funny?"
Blushing at the mix of kind, smug, and knowing looks directed their way, Ruby shook her head but was unable to wipe away her grin. They all knew exactly why she and Weiss were acting silly and accepted it without fuss, encouraging it even.
Next to her, Weiss looked equally embarrassed but didn't let go of the grip and actually scooted an inch closer. Another wave of affection swept through Ruby. She realized her girlfriend was taking the opportunity to expand her comfort zone.
The game continued after that, but their bad luck didn't turn around. With a wry smile, Ruby discarded the careful defense and instead spent the last rounds of the game causing as much havoc as she could. Neither Weiss nor herself was able to contain silly giggles and gleeful smiles as they finally had a lucky streak and disrupted what looked like a certain win for Yang and Blake.
"Agh, I give up," Yang exclaimed and tossed her unused cards on the table.
Ruby chuckled in an exaggerated evil voice. "Sorry, but you had it coming, dear sister of mine."
Yang just tuck her tongue out at her, and Ruby chuckled when Weiss reciprocated in kind. Seeing Weiss so carefree and just enjoying the moment was wonderful.
God, I love her so much.
Nora laughed. "That was the most insincere apology ever, but thanks for the victory!"
Under the table, Weiss squeezed her hand again before pulling it to towards her and placing it on her thigh, in that sweet spot between the knee and the skirt that went unguarded by either stockings or boots. Her skin was soft and warm, sending a jolt of excitement through Ruby.
Trying to fight down a blush, Ruby glanced at Weiss and was met by a secretive smile and adorably red cheeks. "This is nice," she whispered to Weiss, running her fingers over the soft skin, stopping just below her skirt. The edge of the fabric was a tantalizing barrier, but one she wouldn't cross right now. Ruby had a sneaking suspicion that this was Weiss' exhibitionist tendencies rearing its head, together with wanting to push herself further, but she didn't want to take things too far and risk ruining the great mood Weiss was in. Besides, that kind of flirting just didn't feel right among friends. A hand on a leg though? Fair game.
"Next game! Who's who?" Nora asked excitedly, earning a grin from Yang. They immediately began to set up the board again and settled for new teams. Ruby and Weiss settled for Vale this time.
Ruby glanced through the windows and guessed the clock was around 8 PM. The sun was setting and the sky was a deep orange color. They had maybe two more hours before it grew dark and Ruby pondered if she should ask Weiss to come with her for a walk before bedtime. Then they could maybe drink a cup of tea in the kitchen and then head to bed.
I'm pretty clingy, aren't it? I guess it's fine though… Weiss would let me know if it becomes too much.
If her girlfriend's frequency of seeking out her touch or attention was any indication, she had some ways to go until Weiss had drank her fill. To make a point to herself, she caressed Weiss' thigh, loving the feeling of the soft skin and warmth that met her.
A minute into the second game, footsteps caught their attention. A blonde-haired monkey faunus in jeans and a white shirt was approaching the table together with a blue-haired guy in a shirt, tie and a red jacket, trailing behind him.
"Hey," the Faunus greeted cheerfully. "What's up?"
Ruby thought he looked familiar and after a second she realized who he was. "Sun! How are you?" She and Weiss stood up.
"Hello, Sun," Blake greeted, setting off a flurry of greetings and introductions. Sun introduced his friend as Neptune, a fellow student from Haven academy and explained that his group had arrived just two hours ago.
Neptune stepped around the table to greet them, while Sun said something to Pyrrha and Blake about their being a formal introduction tomorrow in the classes they'd been assigned to.
"Hey there, I'm Ruby," she said and extended her hand.
Neptune shook it. "Neptune, nice to meet you." Then his attention turned to Weiss."And I don't believe I've caught your name, Snow Angel," he said smoothly, even as he took her hand in his, his expression brightening. He was clearly putting on his best smile.
The moniker caught Ruby completely off-guard. She blinked dumbly for a moment as the dots connected.
Don't tell me he's going to…
She caught how Pyrrha, Blake, and Yang looked surprised by it. Nora, Ren and Jaune were now preoccupied with speaking to Sun, so neither of them seemed to have noticed.
Weiss retracted her hand and held a pensive expression. "My name is Weiss." It was a pointed statement; short and without any warmth to it. A clear sign to back off, but to Ruby's chagrin, his attitude didn't falter.
"It's nice to meet you, Weiss," he said and shot her what was probably a very well-practiced smile. Ruby felt a flash of jealousy but kept her expression neutral. She had an irrational need within her to grasp Weiss' hand, just because Neptune had held it. Or, if she was to be completely honest, be super possessive and cradle Weiss in her arm while hissing at Neptune until he backed off.
Ruby, being jealous isn't cool. Just ignore him and everything will be fine.
"Do you guys mind if we join you for a game? We've just settled in and, well, there's not a whole lot to do yet. Our Scrolls haven't even been added to Beacon's network," Sun asked, loud enough to catch everyone's attention.
"Sure thing, the more the merrier," Nora said cheerfully. "Right, guys?"
Yang threw a worried glance at Neptune but smiled at Sun. "Yeah, why not." Ruby had to agree with that decision; denying them the opportunity to join in would be uncalled for and maybe, just maybe, Neptune would realize that Weiss wasn't interested in him.
"We call dibs on him! The guy has some awesome strategies!" Nora exclaimed and Sun smirked mischievously as he eyed the board.
"Do you mind if I join you?" Neptune asked to Ruby and Weiss. His eyes, however, were entirely on Weiss as he asked that.
Ruby had a sinking feeling in her gut, but there really was no way to reject him without coming across as rude, so after throwing Weiss a resigned look, she nodded her consent.
There was another aspect to consider too: She couldn't be overly possessive and risk questions about her relationship with Weiss, so at the moment, her hands were tied. She just hoped that Weiss would be able to handle it, but resolved to step in if Neptune persisted. Ruby was pretty sure she would then be able to brush it off as them just being friends.
Maybe I'm overthinking this...but… let's just see what happens.
The wait-and-see approach was frustrating to her. She had until a few moments ago never really considered the idea that she would have to fend off someone who was interested in Weiss here at Beacon.
"Have a seat," she tried, doing her best to hide her weary sigh and thinking that maybe, just maybe, she was being overly jealous. With how greedy she was being for her girlfriend's attention, she knew that she wasn't a good judge of her own character at the moment.
Ruby was about to indicate for him to sit down next to her - safely away from Weiss - but he beat her to it. "Thanks. So what's the strategy?" he asked, taking the empty seat on the other side, next to Weiss.
Okay, scratch that. I'm not even going to try and be kind.
Weiss scooted closer to Ruby, ostensibly to give him more space. "Can you tell him, Ruby?"
Reluctantly, Ruby leaned over and whispered the basic idea to him, making sure to not even try to smile or act particularly friendly. She was simply too irritated at him to care much. Maybe she was being unreasonable, but right now she didn't feel like being reasonable.
The game commenced and quickly became a lot less fun than the previous round. Sun was sociable, and while the guy seemed to be drawn to Blake, he didn't go overboard and generally added to the atmosphere around the table. It matched well with the very brief interaction she'd had with him at the docks, and she reminded herself to show a much gentler disposition when he talked to her.
For his part, Neptune managed to continue to draw her ire. He appeared to be invested in the game, but he had the uncanny ability to use their agreed moves to flirt with Weiss, by asking her questions or going off on tangents. He was coming onto Weiss and wasn't particularly subtle about it.
Looking around the table, it didn't look like anyone except Yang and Blake had caught on though, each team invested in their own tactics. Her sister and friend threw her a questioning and worried look each.
Ruby shook her head, indicating for them to leave it be. Under the table, Ruby stroked the back of Weiss' hand. The grip she had on it grounded her, making the unwelcome presence of the guy next to Weiss somewhat bearable.
"Snow angel, what do you say about getting some fresh air after this game concludes?" Neptune asked.
Ruby saw how Weiss eyed him warily, her shoulders tense. "I'm afraid not. I'm quite content where I am right now. Besides, it's been a long day and I want to win this round." Ruby loved the curt, almost unkind tone, Weiss used. It was so satisfying to hear her shoot down Neptune like that.
Neptune looked downtrodden for a moment, sending a burst of glee through Ruby. She almost felt embarrassed for her behaviour. Almost.
"I see...well, it can't be helped. I'm sure the new semester is plenty busy already. So how about we hang out during the weekend? Just the two of us," he tried.
Alright, that's it!
"Neptune, Weiss is not interested," she tried in a low voice, her plastered-on smile feeling almost criminally disingenuous. She was fuming and put her hand over Weiss' own next to her on the bench seat. "Seriously, get a clue."
Weiss looked momentarily startled, until gratitude broke through her surprise over the outburst.
By now, they'd garnered the attention of everyone around the table, and Ruby backtracked when she realized how hostile she had sounded. "I mean, look, just give her some space," she tried, her tone neutral.
Neptune eyed her warily, finally looking like he had caught on. "Really?" he asked, looking at Weiss.
Weiss nodded quickly. "I'm positive. Please go and flirt with someone else. I am not interested in you."
He sighed but nodded. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'll back off. Sorry for running the mood; I genuinely thought you were interested." He turned towards his friend. "Sun, I'll see you later." With that, he stood up and headed towards the exit.
Sun looked indecisive and like he wanted to stop him, but eventually opted not to and just nodded. "'Kay, later." He signed and turned around. "I'm sorry, he acted out of line."
"Do not worry about it," Weiss said. "It was annoying, but you're not at fault… and we have a game to conclude." She gestured towards the board and the game soon resumed. They were able to conclude the second game in peace, and by now the mood around the table has fully recovered. As they played, Weiss' didn't let go of Ruby's hand for even a moment, and she would sometimes catch Weiss looking at her and appear oddly bashful when their eyes met.
After playing a final game that ended with Nora and Ren steamrolling everyone with a streak of lucky rolls, they decided to call it a day. By now, the sun was well on it's way down below the horizon.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow," Sun said as he stood up and stretched his back. "Sorry again about my friend, but I had a blast playing. We should totally do it again."
Nora grinned. "Sure, anytime!" she said as he waved and walked off.
"Weiss, are you okay?" Blake asked once he was too far away to catch their conversation.
Weiss frowned slightly over recalling Neptune's attempt at wooing her. "Don't worry, I'm not that fragile. I'll be fine. It was rather unpleasant, but I have a very attentive partner," the fond expression and soft voice spoke volumes, "who is ready to defend me at all times."
Oh, now I see what's going on. She's smitten and don't really know how to handle it.
The realization was heartwarming and made her think of how flustered Weiss used to be. In a way, she missed that first week when everything was new to them and they'd get so bashful over the smallest look or compliment.
I bet we looked totally adorable.
Smiling to herself over the memory, she decided to explain her actions to Weiss. "He did piss me off a whole lot." Ruby shot her girlfriend a sheepish look. Maybe she had been ruder than called for, but Neptune had made her so angry that controlling herself had been a struggle. "Say, Weiss, wanna go for a walk with me?" She reasoned that some alone time would be good for them in case Weiss wanted to talk even if she looked fine. Moreover, Ruby was feeling a bit restless from having sat down for well over an hour and felt like stretching her legs.
Weiss nodded, meeting her eyes as her cheeks tinted a light pink. "I'd love to."
After bidding goodnight to JNPR and telling Yang and Blake that they'd be gone for no longer than half an hour, they made their way outside.
"Want to talk about what happened in there?" Ruby asked quietly.
Weiss shook her head as their eyes met. "No, not now. I just want to spend time with you and not have to think about him anymore." The admission was accompanied by another lovely smile and Weiss stepped closer than necessary, enough so that their arms would touch from time to time.
She doesn't usually do this when we're among other students. I guess I earned the title of her knight today.
Ruby blushed over how cheesy their private terms of endearment were. She also felt a small urge to hold Weiss' hand to make this more couple-ish, but reminded herself to be patient and not listen to her more possessive instincts.
To her delight, Weiss started to ask her questions about Remnant: The Game, allowing her to show off her knowledge. As they walked through the halls, they delved into other games they could try, movies to watch, and things they could do in Vale. A tentative plan was formed for their previous idea of grabbing a meal at some restaurant in Vale at least once a month.
When they were outside, Ruby motioned for them to follow one of the gravel paths towards the gardens. She had definitely made the right call to go outside. It was beautiful and serene, with the world bathed in the deep orange light of the setting sun. Even at this late hour, birds still chirped in the trees, and the wind was pleasant on her skin thanks to the lingering warmth. A few students milled about on the lawns to enjoy the last rays of sunlight, but they didn't meet anyone on their way. Far away, Ruby thought she was able to make out a hawk in the distance, saying as much to Weiss.
"I think you're wrong. Isn't that a falcon?" Weiss asked.
Ruby squinted but when it soared in front of the setting sun, she lost track of the agile bird. "I'm… actually not sure at all. Isn't it too big to be a falcon?"
"Let's check tomorrow," Weiss suggested, her steps crunching rhythmically on the gravel. "I'm sure the library has at least one book on ornithology."
The mention of tomorrow brought up her anxiety about meeting Winter.
It'll be fine, Ruby. Just focus on the moment and be flirty with Weiss instead.
So Ruby did just that, giving her little compliments when possible and loving when Weiss reciprocated. They talked about what Taiyang was doing, if Zwei had stuffed himself so full of food again he'd fallen asleep, about movies that were coming out and so forth. Ruby even managed to secure a promise from Weiss to go and watch the new X-ray and Vav movie. And, when they were far away from any curious onlookers, Weiss' grasped her hand and laced their fingers together. A little content hum escaped Ruby and she swung their arms back and forth.
Eventually, they neared the gardens. They'd taken the long way around, coming up from the far side of the school grounds. The forest was on the right and the garden entrance up ahead. As soon as they stepped inside past the first hedge, Ruby knew she'd made the right call. In the twilight, the bushes and multitudes of flowers were bathed in the soft glow of the last rays of sunlight for the day. It smelled wonderful too, the air heavy with the scent of flowers in full bloom.
To Ruby, the moment was perfection itself. Having Weiss next to her and not doing anything in particular was just so natural, like it was meant to be that way. "Weiss, you know what?" she asked. She was almost unable to stay still from how much she loved Weiss. Stopping and turning around to fully face Weiss, she couldn't stop a grin from spreading across her face. Taking stock of their surroundings a final time, she knew they were alone.
"No?" Weiss replied, looking amused.
"You're my princess," she said softly. The more she thought about it, the more that rang true, cheesy as it may be. She would do anything for Weiss and wanted to treasure her forever.
The smile Weiss donned had that perfect mix of embarrassment and happiness to it. "And you're my knight. Ruby, thank you for defending me like that. It means a lot to me."
"I'd do it anyday for you." Ruby huffed, recalling how jealous and angry she'd been. "If Neptune isn't careful, combat training will be a painful experience for him." It was a joke… for the most part.
Weiss began to laugh and Ruby found herself wondering if she would be on the receiving end of a joke. "What's so funny?"
"It's just," Weiss had to stifle another laugh, "You look absolutely precious when you're angry. Like an upset squirrel. "
"Weeeeissss," Ruby whined with fake indignation and clung to her. A little bit of embarrassment rolled over her, but it didn't bother her in the least. "Be nice to me."
Weiss' got a playful glint in her eyes, glanced around once. "I am nice to you, but I will be even nicer," she said, before suddenly tilting her head and mashing their lips together.
Caught off guard, Ruby's heart pounder rapidly in her chest as she felt how Weiss wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling her flush against her, her warm tongue poking at her lips. For a moment, she wanted to pull back to ensure they were alone but then thought better of it and do as Weiss wanted. As soon as she opened her mouth, her girlfriend and pulled her close against her.
She's such a good kisser.
Just when she was getting into, Weiss pulled back and looked around once more, blushing up a storm all the while. Her breaths were heavy, and Ruby saw the love and desire reflected in her beautiful blue eyes. "I was very smitten with how you stood up for me, so I wanted to show just that." In the next moment, she gently put her hands on Ruby's shoulders and rested their foreheads together. "Love you."
Ruby smiled, leaning forward just enough for their noses to bump together. She was bubbling with happiness and adoration. "Love you too."
Waiting was nerve-wracking, and it was only exacerbated when the airship touched down on the docks. It belonged to the Atlesian army but was otherwise similar to a bullhead, the only difference being the markings and the heavier armor plating.
They were at the far end of the landing grounds, a comfortable distance from the platforms used by the shuttle service to Vale.
For the first time, it really hit Ruby was that she was seconds away from meeting a member of Weiss' family. She had logically understood it before, but now that she was here, heartbeats away, the full extent of what that meant became clear to her: It would be another important step in their relationship.
To her right, Weiss was almost bouncing on the balls of her feet, clearly impatient. It put a smile on Ruby's face and helped her maintain her composure. It wasn't often she had the opportunity to see Weiss so excited over something.
Thinking back to the times Weiss had spoken of her sister, there had always been fondness and respect, although Weiss had lamented that they weren't as close as she wished. Still, Winter was one of the first persons she had revealed her sexual orientation to, so that showed a great deal of trust. Winter was very important to Weiss, and hence Ruby had every intention to make a good first impression.
No pressure, Ruby. No pressure. The worst she can do is to declare you unfit to be with Weiss and….let's not be silly. She won't do that! Unless I mess up horribly.
Ruby moreover wished it wasn't so hot outside. Maybe it was just her nervousness playing tricks on her mind, but the late afternoon was warm and she felt a trickle of sweat down her back.
The door opened and Winter stepped out, effectively off cutting her frenzied worrying. Having seen a photo of her already, Ruby immediately recognised her. What hadn't been apparent in the photograph though, was how imposing she looked. Their eyes met, Winter's gaze showing a glimmer of recognition before focusing on her sister.
"Winter!" Weiss exclaimed, rushing forward.
Winter's strict expression faltered as Weiss stopped just a foot away.
"It's good to see you, Weiss," Winter said, her tone deeper than her sister's and holding a slight weariness to it. Her lips were curled into a soft smile though.
Weiss stepped forward and opened her arms. Winter, after a second, reciprocated and gently hugged Weiss. It was a heartwarming sight; one other person who her girlfriend had that could support her.
"I missed you," Weiss said softly. She let go then and turned around. Ruby's heartbeat immediately shot up over the impending introduction. "Winter, I'd like to introduce a very important person to you."
Gulping, Ruby stepped forward and took her place next to Weiss. "Hello."
Winter's gaze swept over her again, her posture immediately hardening subtly. "If what you've told me is correct, this must be your girlfriend?" Winter asked Weiss.
Weiss blushed but nodded, meeting Winter's gaze. "Yes, Winter, this is Ruby Rose. Ruby, this is Winter Schnee."
Ruby held her breath as Weiss' sister's attention turned to focus squarely on her.
"Ruby Rose, I'm glad I finally have the the opportunity to meet you." Winter extended her hand in greeting.
"Likewise," Ruby replied, putting on her bravest face and shook her hand. What struck her right away was that this was the grip of a seasoned warrior. Strong, with leathery skin from countless hours wielding a weapon. Combined with the rigid posture and observant gaze, Ruby had no illusions that Winter was anything else than a deadly soldier.
"I must say I'm impressed by what I've heard; Two years younger, a team leader and you thwarted a robbery on top of that," Winter complimented, her gaze scrutinizing.
Ruby chuckled nervously, wondering whether Weiss had told her that or if Winter had done research on her own. "Thank you, but I've hard to work very hard and Weiss has helped me a lot. I wouldn't be where I am today without her." The formality of the situation was terrifying to her, too different from what she was used to. Complimenting Weiss seemed like the appropriate thing to do, and it appeared to fall in good favor.
She wondered if Weiss had felt as nervous before she had gotten a feel for how Taiyang was. A pang of sympathy welled up in her as she remembered how it had taken her girlfriend some time to relax around him. Maybe she hadn't paid enough attention back then.
It seemed to fall in good favor, as Winter's lips pulled into a miniscule smile. "And thank you for taking care of my sister. My understanding is that you've been a great pillar of support for her throughout her time her."
Weiss' face grew redder, mirroring how Ruby felt.
Winter glanced at Weiss, her eyes betraying a certain degree of amusement. "I was hoping you would agree to have tea with me and my sister later. I would like to get to know the person who's captured my sister's heart," Winter continued.
Ruby felt a blush sweep over her face. Next to Winter, Weiss let out what could best be described as a mortified squeak. "Winter, will you stop that! It's embarrassing," she complained.
The complaining helped Ruby relax and she giggled when Winter looked to be just as amused by her sister's outburst. It was endearing, showcasing a familiarity she hadn't often been privy to seeing.
"For now, though, I would like to speak to my sister privately, if you don't mind. We have many things to catch up on. Through my own failings, I have not always been the sister I should have, and it's time to change that," Winter declared, looking solemnly at Weiss.
Weiss looked like she wanted to object, then thought better of it. The mood had turned serious again instantly. "Yeah, sure, go ahead," Ruby hurriedly replied. "I can wait a while." She knew that her girlfriend wanted to become closer with her sister again, and with Winter apparently holding the same hope, she wasn't about to get in the way.
And to be honest, this will give me some time to compose myself.
Winter's Scroll beeped and she brought it up to quickly check the message. "Thank you," she said absentmindedly.
Ruby nodded and Winter turned her attention to Weiss again, putting her Scroll away. "Now, Weiss, let's go. We have a lot of things to catch up on."
I hope this chapter was enjoyable.
Reviews are appreciated, no matter how long or short they are.