Hello, here's chapter 44. Hope you enjoy it!

I do not own RWBY and make no monetary gain from this. Writing is for entertainment purposes only.


Recap of last chapter:
The Beacon ball took place and Weiss finally had an opportunity to give the necklace to Ruby that Taiyang entrusted her with. It wasn't a proposal, but a commitment to their love. The chapter ended with a message from Jacques Schnee that he would visit Beacon the next day.


As Weiss read her Scroll, she suddenly grew rigid. Maybe that should've caught Ruby's attention, but it didn't. However, what happened next got her on high alert.

"Ruby… I have some bad news," Weiss spoke, dread palpable.

"What's going on? Ruby asked cautiously and sat up, ignoring how her muscles protested after yesterday's exercises. Weiss' tone of voice had changed from cheerful to horror in the span of 10 seconds.

Weiss took a deep breath, seemingly realizing that she was beginning to panic. "Sorry." She leaned back against the headboard and pulled her legs up towards her. "My father is coming to Beacon today. At lunch."

Ruby blinked again. It took her a moment to process what that meant - and then her stomach dropped. "What?" She was silent for a moment. "He is?" A mix of distaste and anxiety began to ball up in her stomach. Weiss' father coming to Beacon couldn't possibly result in anything good. If anything, Ruby wanted him to stay as far away from his daughter as humanly possible.

From the other side of the room, Blake turned around and looked at them, still looking tired and like she desperately tried to clear the fog from her head.

"Yes, and I don't want to meet him," Weiss said. Her expression was glum and she looked so vulnerable as she sat there next to her.

"But you have no real choice, do you?" Blake asked weakly as she finally stood up. She wobbled a bit on the spot, her cat ears pinning back at her head in distress. A small whine of discomfort escaped her.

"No," Weiss said, her shoulders slumping further. "How are you doing, Blake? Maybe you should lay down again?"

Blake waved her concerns away, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I'll survive. There's more important matters to discuss."

Ruby was curious about the details of Blake's drinking experience but decided to leave it for now and instead focus on doing her best to cheer Weiss up. She snaked her arms around Weiss so she could pull her close. Her girlfriend readily allowed it, curling up against her frame. "It'll be fine, Weiss. I'm here for you," Ruby whispered soothingly and planted a soft kiss at the top of her head.

"Thank you," Weiss whispered and leaned against her shoulder. "I just don't want to see him."

"I better wake Yang up. This concerns all of us," Blake said and stood up on her tiptoes to be able to poke at her sleeping teammate. "Yang, wake up." A pained groan was all that came from the top bunk. Yang was firmly burrowed beneath her blanket, her back against the room.

"Jacques Schnee is coming to Beacon. You get to punch him," Blake elaborated, causing Ruby to snort in amusement. Next to her, a thin smile formed on her girlfriend's lips.

"Yeah, can't wait for that to happen. Ugh, my head!" Yang complained as she wiggled around under the blanket.

Blake poked at her again for good measure. "Maybe not the punching, but he is coming to Beacon today. For real, I promise."

Turning around in bed, still curled into her blanket like a cocoon, Yang looked like she thought it was a joke. Her eyes were red and she had dark circles around them from a lack of sleep. "For real?"

Had the situation not been so serious, Ruby would probably have tried to mess with her sister. It seemed like she too had gotten drunk and was now paying the price for it.

"I'm afraid so," Weiss replied glumly, causing everyone's attention to refocus on her.

"So what are you going to do?" Ruby asked, gently stroking her girlfriend's arm as Weiss laid motionless against her. She loved having Weiss in her arms but so badly wished it could've been under better circumstances. Ever since yesterday, she had anticipated a morning in bed filled with lazy cuddling, and now her girlfriend's father had ruined that.

Talk about taking the wind out of our sails. Yesterday was amazing for so many reasons and he just had to go and ruin things. Well, maybe not ruin them… but today would've been better without him showing up.

The laugh that Weiss let out wasn't one of merriment and it ached in Ruby's heart. "Meet him and get it over with. This is all too soon for my comfort."

The response filled Ruby with anger. Weiss always sounded so different whenever her father was involved, and she absolutely hated it. From the first few hints Ruby had received about Jacques Schnee, spoken in confidence when they were still just friends, to when Weiss had revealed everything to her one night on Patch, the same resigned tone was always present.

I can't stand seeing her like this!

To Ruby, there was only one acceptable course of action. She hugged Weiss closer and nuzzled her temple. "Well, I'm coming with you!"

Weiss stiffened for a moment before disentangling herself, turning around and looking at her. The expression of surprise in her features almost felt hurtful, like Weiss had not anticipated her to stand by her side. Though, considering how Weiss sometimes mentally separated matters, Ruby couldn't really feel offended.

Yang carefully eased herself down from her bunk bed and joined Blake. Ruby caught the thumbs up her sister gave her from the corner of her eyes.

"Ruby…" Weiss swallowed thickly, "I'm very grateful, but he's not a pleasant man. He will inevitable wish to discuss my future and the future of the company, and he's set in his ways. I expect us to argue a lot, and -"

Cupping Weiss' cheek, Ruby leaned in and gave her a tender kiss, cutting off her girlfriend's objection. She allowed her lips to linger for a few seconds until she was sure she had Weiss' attention. "All the more reason for me to be there. I'm not going to let you face him alone, and I'm not going to let him say whatever he wants. If he's mean to you, I will defend you and let him know just how angry I can be." As she spoke, she looked deeply into her eyes, trying with all her night to make Weiss understand how serious she was.

Weiss' cheeks tinted pink and she looked almost ashamed for a moment. "Thank you."

"I love you, Weiss," Ruby replied, pulling her catch closer to her again. "Of course I'll be there for you." Weiss needed cuddles, kisses, and lots and lots of back rubs until that sad frown was gone and she could face her father with defiance. That Blake and Yang was in the room was a bit embarrassing, but Weiss' comfort took priority.

"I hate being like this," Weiss said weakly when she laid against her frame again. "I don't know whatever to feel sad, scared or angry. It's all so… confusing, like I can't make up my mind on how to feel."

"That's okay," Ruby replied. She then recalled words she had said in what now felt like a lifetime ago, back when they had fallen asleep together for the first time. Back before even JNPR knew about their relationship. "Weiss, remember when you told me about your childhood a little while after I had asked you out?"

Ruby felt how Weiss nodded against her. She clearly remembered both that late afternoon, but also the morning which followed. There she had laid in bed, holding her sleeping girlfriend in her embrace for the first time ever, as she thought about what she had learned about Weiss. It had been shocking, but also answered so many questions she'd had. What more, she had promised to herself to not let Weiss deal with her father alone - and she was hellbent on following through on that promise.

"Even back then, I never once hesitated in standing by your side. Sure, I was nervous about it, but I made up my mind then and there that you wouldn't be alone." Ruby ran her fingers through silky-soft white hair while she spoke to calm Weiss down.

"Sometimes I wonder how I could be lucky enough to meet you," Weiss whispered and planted a soft kiss on Ruby's neck.

I'm constantly asking myself the same thing.

Ruby's smile widened and she planted a kiss on her girlfriend's temple in return.

"Would you like the two of us to come with you?" Blake asked. Ruby appreciated that, but at the same time she didn't want Blake to have to deal with a known Faunus hater and someone who was profiting from their hardships.

"No, that's fine. It's not your fight to pick," Weiss replied, smiling. "I'm very grateful though. I truly am. Thank you."

"Alright," "Yang said, "but let us know if you need anything and we'll be on our way."

Blake smirked in a sinister manner. "And I promised to only keep Yang from doing irrecoverable harm to him."

A giggle escaped Weiss as she moved away from Ruby and stood up from bed. "You guys are the best. I love you."

Yang walked over pulled her into a hug and Blake followed. "We love you too. Don't let him boss you around, Weiss. Show him just how strong you are."

"I will," Weiss replied, and Ruby's heart swelled with affection. They all had each other's back, just like a family would.

With the good mood restored, Ruby wanted to do her part to heighten it further. "Cuddle pile!" she shouted and threw herself at her friends, making them wobble precariously on the spot even as they all broke down into laughter.

They quickly began to make themselves ready for the day. Blake went into the bathroom first, on account of still looking faintly like yesterday had been a bad idea. Hopefully, she wouldn't throw up.

"So… what exactly happened to Blake yesterday?" Ruby asked as she retrieved her regular black and red combat skirt. That got Weiss' attention too and both of them turned to Yang.

Yang managed to look remorseful as she stood there, awake but exhausted. "Uhm, we kind of got carried away and went with some of the third year students and continued the party in their dorm room." A guilty glance towards the bathroom cemented her feelings on the matter. They could all hear the muted sounds of Blake taking a shower. "There may have been alcohol involved, and both Blake and I drank too much."

She could see Yang doing that, having already experienced her big sister in an inebriated stated on a handful of occasions. Blake joining in was unexpected, but for some reason Ruby figured that maybe cutting lose was what her friend had needed.

"It wasn't all bad. I think Blake kind of needed it, you know, after what happened," Yang waved her arm towards the opposite dorm. "She had a lot of fun. I don't think I've ever seen her laugh as much as last night." A chuckle escaped her. "Turns out that when Blakey gets drunk, pretty much anything will make her laugh. And," a conspiratorial grin passed between them as Yang lowered her voice, "she gets super clingy and was totally adorable. But don't tell her you heard it from me."

Ruby smiled. She was relieved that the night had been a wonderful memory for her friend. "I'm glad. I was a little bit worried after, well, the last week."

"Me too," Weiss said with a thoughtful glance towards the bathroom.

"Just wish I didn't have a headache. I think I'm getting too old for this," Yang complained.

Weiss fished up an aspirin from the nightstand drawer and gave it to her. "Here."

"Thanks. " Yang swiped it with a glass of lukewarm water from yesterday, grimacing. "Leave one for Blake as well, she's going to need it."

Blake stepped out of the shower a few minutes later and gratefully accepted the pill.

"Ruby, where did you put our necklaces yesterday?" Weiss asked. She had just retrieved her combat skirt and was combing out her hair.

"Oh, yeah, you guys are engaged now," Yang remarked cheekily. "Congratulations!"

Ruby felt like her face would overheat, mirroring Weiss' sudden crimson hue nicely. "It's not like that!" she exclaimed, wanting to sink through the floor. Not that she would've minded if it had been a proposal; she was sure both Weiss and her thought of it as such privately. What they'd done came really, really close to one though. Another surge of affection welled through her, making her face redden further.

She wanted us to be together for a long time.

"Y-Yes, exactly," Weiss stammered. Ruby didn't think she'd ever seen Weiss so red-faced, barring perhaps their first kiss or when she'd asked her out. She looked absolutely adorable, particularly with how she just couldn't stop the dopey smile on her face. All Ruby wanted to do was to walk over and kiss and cuddle with her.

Yang snorted in amusement and Blake gave them a knowing look. "It was a very romantic gesture though," she complemented. "Can we see them again? I didn't get a good luck in the ballroom yesterday."

"Sure!" Ruby stepped over and fetched the jewelry box back from its place on the windowsill where she'd put it last night. Opening it, the familiar gems shined beautifully. Seeing them made her feel all warm and fuzzy, enough so to drive away the impending confrontation from Weiss' father from her thoughts.

She carefully fished up one of the necklaces and put it around her own neck. The weight comforted her and she brought the gemstone up to her eyes to more carefully look at it. The deep red was mesmerizing and made her think to when her dad had fondly spoken of the necklaces, on the rare occasions when he felt like reminisce about the past. Her mother and him had been so in love and when they'd picked out something to wear together, her mom had instantly fallen for them.

And now, the most beautiful and wonderful girl she'd ever met had given her those some necklaces, full well knowing that it was a promise of a future together. With the way Weiss had spoken, the intent had been crystal clear.

I'll have to thank dad. This has to be the best gift I've ever received.

Quiet laughter from next to her broke her out of her reverie. "Look at her, completely lost in her daydreams."

With blushing cheeks, Ruby turned around to face her friends. The upcoming confrontation was forgotten as everyone smiled at her. "What can I say, I'm the luckiest girl alive," she replied, meeting Weiss' beautiful blue eyes and blew her a kiss.

As Weiss continued to look adorably bashful, Ruby held the box out to Blake, who leaned in to study them carefully. "They are wonderful."

Next to her, Weiss' eyes were transfixed as well, so Ruby stepped over and put the necklace on her. As she tried to get latch mechanism to lock, she stood close to Weiss. She could hear her girlfriend's inhales and exhales and even feel the faint body heat radiating from her as their eyes met. With a muted click, the latch slid into place.

"All done," she said and kissed Weiss on the lips. Stepping back, she admired the pendant as it hung just below Weiss' clavicle. They now had a symbol for their love, something that would let others know they were together and belonged to one another.

Weiss' hand automatically went to the gem, an embarrassed smile appearing on her. "You're wrong, Ruby."

Ruby cocked her head questioningly. "What?"

"I'm the luckiest girl alive." Weiss looked very pleased with herself, so Ruby let her have the final word.


For the second time in just a few weeks, Weiss found herself waiting at the airship docks. This time, the skies were a dreary grey and a cold wind was blowing, almost like an omen warning of troubles ahead.

You're just being silly, Weiss Schnee.

"I guess summer won't be coming back for a while." Ruby stood next to her, their hands linked. Her presence helped calm Weiss, but she felt guilty at the same time; her Father was an intimidating person. She had warned Ruby of as much, but Ruby had just huffed and told her that she wasn't leaving her alone with him. Weiss' cheeks tinted red. Ruby really was her knight, who stood by her side no matter what.

A particularly cold breeze swept by then, making goosebump form on her skin. She idly thought she should've brought a warm sweater instead of just her combat skirt and thin bolero jacket. "I don't think so either," she slowly said. Then she grew silent as she began to make out the sound of aircraft engines. Soon, she spotted one of the ships in use by her father. Similar to the bullhead, but twice as large, it allowed for rapid travel with plenty of comfort.

As the ship approached and began to descend, dread began to fill Weiss. He was here to bring up the company and plans for marriage again. She'd thought she'd had more time to think up a plan of attack after his secretary had taken over the duty of sending the weekly reports to her, but she'd evidently been wrong in that assessment.

Deep within her, there was moreover a small voice that urged her to consider the possibility of their relationship changing for the better. Maybe her words back in his study had been a wake-up call for him.

In the next moment, anger took over, replacing both her anxiety and that misplaced sense of longing for a father. She wouldn't allow herself to be subservient to him. She already held the trumpf card of being the heiress. There was nobody else who could take her place, because Jacques Schnee was obsessed with the idea of the Schnee lineage continuing. She was also angry at how she'd acted earlier that morning; so scared and anxious. All because of him.

"If he appears cordial, don't be fooled. He's cunning and people who don't really know him falls for his ruses easily;" Weiss cautioned, thinking back to those days when she had attended business meetings and contract negotiations.

"Gotcha," Ruby replied. "Do you," she seemed to hesitate for a moment, "want me to let go of your hand?"

Weiss pondered it for a moment, before slowly nodding. "Yes, but just for the moment. I plan to let him know I've found someone I care very much about." She hesitated for a moment. "If you're okay with that?" Weiss wasn't sure how bad her father's reaction would be, but it was bound to be unpleasant. He'd made it abundantly clear years ago that he thought homosexuality was unnatural, and she didn't want to subject Ruby to that.

Ruby quickly nodded. "Of course. I've been ready for months."

The confirmation sent butterflies to her stomach, joy mixed with a certain kind of cruel spitefulness towards her father. She didn't care what he thought about her liking girls anymore, but she would take pleasure in his disapproval nonetheless. It would be a repeat of when she left for Beacon.

The airship touched down and the pilot opened the passenger down and extended the walkway. A few seconds later, out strode the person that Weiss least of all wanted to meet at the moment.

Steeling herself, she fell into old habits of standing upright and meeting his eyes. However, whereas before that happened out of a sense of duty, now it came from defiance.

"Weiss, it has been a while," he said as he approached, in that deep voice that commanded respect. Jacques Schnee was dressed in a white suit complemented by a a light-blue tie, white-grey hair immaculate as ever. While his voice wasn't harsh, it didn't hold warmth either. It was impersonal, like this was any business negotiation.

"Father," Weiss said neutrally, reasoning he had already discerned her sense in mood.

"Ruby Rose," her girlfriend introduced herself with. Her tone was curt and bereft of warmth, almost painfully unlike her normal, cheerful self. She didn't extend her hand in greeting, and Weiss couldn't help but to feel gratitude over how Ruby was standing by her side and not donning a false, pleasant persona just for the sake of appearances.

Her father stared at Ruby, and Ruby stared back with a neutral expression. "Jacques Schnee," he eventually replied, a small crease of distaste appearing on his brow at the disrespect shown. "Headmaster Ozpin was magnanimous enough to allow me to utilize one of the meeting rooms and we can talk there without being interrupted. I have business with him later I need to see to as well. Beacon uses extraordinary amounts of dust and wishes to set up a direct account with the SDC."

They began walking after that. It seemed that her father knew exactly where he was going, each stride purposeful.

"Interesting," she noted.

A hum escaped him. "Contingency. The recent wave of robberies appears to have made them conscious of the less-than-desirable stability of the market. Negotiations will dictate the rest."

They walked in silence after that, both girls a step behind him. Weiss wasn't sure if he was aware that she'd played a part in the events that had ultimately led to Roman Torchwick's arrest and the subsequent raids by Vale's police force. After that, there'd been no more robberies.

Weiss hated the silent treatment and how he felt it reasonable that people only spoke when he found it convenient. Rage stewed within her the more she thought of it, and behind his back she grasped Ruby's hand for a few precious seconds before letting go.

They eventually arrived to their destination, a small meeting room close to the elevator leading up to Ozpin's office. The room had a round table and accompanying chairs, a table with a landscape motif on one of the walls and a window on the other. As Ruby followed them in, her father looked puzzled. "Miss Ruby, may I request that I speak with my daughter privately?"

Ruby just shrugged. "You can, but I'm not going to comply. There is a very good reason for that, which will be made apparent soon enough. Just pretend I'm a part of the decoration or something for now."

Weiss' managed to not laugh, but it was a close call. When this was over, she had to thank Ruby somehow. Her father's irritation was clearly simmering below that cool expression, not at all appreciating the response or the tone.

Weiss loved it. Seeing Ruby so nonchalant towards him was absolutely wonderful. "She knows what happened and I spent the break at her home," she filled in to preempt any further discussion.

"Very well," he said with a resigned sigh. "I'm here today to continue our discussions that were prematurely postponed last time."

Not wanting to give him any ground, Weiss immediately went for a rejection from the get-go, already feeling how anger began to simmer in her. "As far as I'm concerned, there's no need to bring them up again. I managed to salvage the summer break only thanks to leaving as soon as possible."

He hummed and gave her a calm look. "I understand that the matter was sprung upon you suddenly and I apologize for that. In hindsight, it was not very tactful of me."

Weiss was thrown off-guard by the apology. It wasn't like him to admit fault; She couldn't even remember the last time it had happened.

"Nonetheless, the matter must be discussed at some point," he continued. "It does not have to be so soon, but you need to continue the lineage. Marriage with a strategic business partner would be most beneficial, and I dare say that the stability that comes with a shared level of responsibility and station is beneficial in the long-term."

Weiss had heard it all before and watched the same lines of reasoning reach their natural conclusions among other esteemed families in Atlas. If emotions wasn't a part of the equation, her father's reasoning was correct. However, emotions was integral. "I want to marry a person of my choosing. There's more to life than business, father," she said, ensuring her tone of voice conveyed determination. Next to her, Ruby perked up subtly.

This is just like last time. No hug, no 'how are you?'... just business. That's all I am to him. I knew this would happen, and yet I held a faint hope things would turn out differently.

It hurt to think of. It hurt so badly, but she didn't let it show, keeping her stoic expression as she'd been trained to do.

For a moment, he looked like he would object, but then thought better of it. "Priorities change with age, Weiss. I suppose I should overlook your notions more. I was young once too, and it took me a while before I had a sense of what mattered. Where would the SDC be today if it wasn't for the effort I've poured into it since your grandfather's death?"

Weiss thought about bringing up her dead mother, but decided against it. Had he even loved her? His words sowed doubt in her, but she didn't pursue them and risk finding one more illusion shattered. More than anything, she felt a searing hot rage welling up within her over him calling her wish to marry someone she liked for a mere 'notion', like it was some trivial, unimportant thing that could be swept aside at a whim. He'd always been like that, but it was just now she was able to fully understand how little she mattered.

"Nonetheless, I am willing to take that risk," she replied coolly. Casting a glance to the side, her eyes met Ruby's and her girlfriend sent her a small smile. Weiss felt bad for having Ruby be a part of this confrontation; she was sure it felt incredibly awkward for her. Nonetheless, Weiss was at the same time so grateful for her support. It grounded her and allowed her to anchor her emotions and focus on the business to get this over with as quickly as possible.

He nodded. "If you want to indulge and chase after a man of your choosing, I'm not going to be stubborn. However, I will request and strongly urge you to forge a strong prenuptial clause in the event of marriage. Many people would seek to approach you not because of who you are, but because of a chance to acquire wealth."

His request was not unreasonable. From his viewpoint, and if she was to be honest, many of that of a business leader, it would only be prudent. Putting aside her emotions for Ruby, she could see the logic. At the same time, it was painful to consider that logic was all this was too him. He didn't offer the advice because he was worried for her. No, he offered it only because he was worried for the company.

She supposed that this was a good a place as any to throw another wrench in his plans. Her heartbeat picked up the pace, and yet the nervousness transformed into a quiet calmness as she spoke. "I can see the logic in that, and I'm not going to dispute the validity of such an actions. You should be aware of though, that I have no plans to marry a man."

There, I said it. Finally.

He stared at her for a few heartbeats as his expression grew cold. "So what I feared was true then. I had hoped it was a phase you would eventually grew out o-" he stopped and turned his attention to Ruby. "You?" It came out as a snarl.

Weiss could have kissed Ruby in that moment, for her girlfriend stared back at him, looking wholly unconcerned with his loss of temper. "Yes, Weiss and I are together. We even have matching pendants to symbolize our love." She gestured to the pendants, and to further enrage him, she reached out and grasped Weiss' hand.

Weiss allowed the motion, too awed and dazed at the same time to resist. Ruby was the bravest and most amazing person she'd ever met.

Jacques Schnee didn't look pleased. "I have provided you with every opportunity to succeed and have done all I can to secure the Schnee lineage. This is how you repay my efforts?" he asked through gritted teeth.

His eyes bore into hers, but Weiss held her grounds." "Father, my preferences aren't something I chose on a wim. They are a part of who I am. At this rate, this will devolve into a shouting match and I'm not particularly inclined to waste my time on. You have disappointed me enough over the years as it is."

Jacques glanced at her girlfriend with clear distaste. Weiss hated that look. She could stand him being rude to her, but not Ruby. "I fully intend to take over as a CEO. While I can safely say that I feel no love for you, it's an immutable fact that both of us wish to see my grandfather's legacy continue. However, I will do so on my terms, not yours," she spoke with finality.

His expression darkened further, but then he suddenly let out a tired breath, his features softening. "Everything makes sense now. Indulge your fantasies if that's what you wish. My chief concern is that you succeed me and continue to run the company. Long-term though, the lineage must continue. You do realize that, do you?"

Weiss nodded. "I am aware and there are ways to facilitate that, should I wish to become a mother. Was that all?"

"I suppose this is it for now. I have a meeting scheduled with the headmaster in half an hour, and then I'll have to inform the PR department to prepare for when your… relationship eventually reaches the eyes and ears of the public. We'll stay in touch." Without giving her another glance, he turned around and left, closing the door behind him.

In the silence that followed, Ruby sagged a little on her chair, letting out a wheezing sigh. "I'm sorry."

"I know," Weiss began slowly. "Thank you, Ruby. I couldn't have done this without you by my side." She knew her expression was one of listlessness and gloom again, but she couldn't find the strength. It was over, it really was. While that was liberating to some degree, the fact remained that she would never get the dad she wished for. She supposed that her outburst back at Schnee Manor had been her final attempt to get him to see her as a daughter, and yet it hadn't been enough.

He can't be fixed. Nothing will ever go back to how things was. Maybe mom's death broke him, but it doesn't excuse his conduct.

Standing up, Ruby pulled Weiss into a hug, one hand coming around her shoulders. Weiss relished the contact and leaned against her, eagerly seeking out the comfort.

"It was the least I could do. I'm sorry things couldn't be different," Ruby apologized.

Weiss let out a weary sigh. She felt numb, like she wasn't fully here in the moment. The last forlorn hope of ever having a caring, loving father had been crushed. Tears welled up in her eyes and she sniffled, burrowing her face in the crook of Ruby's neck.

For the next few minutes, Ruby held her close and whispered reassurances as Weiss shook with silent sobs.


After the ordeal of meeting Weiss' father and coming to a conclusion that, while dissatisfying on many levels, had meant Weiss would go about taking over and running the company on her terms - eventually. She'd won, and yet, it hadn't felt like a victory as Jacques Schnee had proved to be utterly incapable of seeing past the business.

Thankfully, Weiss hadn't dwelt too much on matters afterwards and had seemingly bounced back quickly over the next few days. They'd talked more of course, and Ruby carefully helped Weiss work through her emotions, sorrow and anger alike, until she'd gotten most of it out of her system.

At the same time, the Vytal festival had crept closer and so their training had intensified something fierce. Ruby didn't think she was the best fighter as an individual and so had put more stock in scoring victories for four-person and two-person teams. The whole team, Weiss included, had hence thrown themselves wholeheartedly into honing their skills.

Nearly a month had passed since the ball, and Ruby and Weiss were just now coming back from a training session where they had come up with some new promising combination attacks. Booking slots at the gym had quickly turned into a nightmare, even with the foresight of applying for hours before most of the competition from the other academies trickled in, so they had to take every chance they could get their hand on.

"And then I was like, 'what's the deal with soybeans?" Ruby said, retelling a conversation she'd had with Nora. For some inexplicable reason, Nora had began to munch on soybeans of all things from time to time.

Next to her, Weiss took a moderately distressed expression as she opened the door to their dorm room. "I agree with that; I've tried them in salads a few times an-"

Weiss stopped dead in her tracks, making Ruby bump into her. After letting out a startled squeak, Ruby looked over her girlfriend's shoulder to see what was going on. She froze.

Blake was kissing her sister. Or perhaps it was her sister who was kissing Blake. In any case, the fact remained that, right by the window, Yang and Blake embraced each other and shared a tender kiss.

Ruby's jaw dropped, just in time for them to pull back from each other. The kiss looked very sweet and full of affection, but her mind screamed at her that what she was seeing did not make any sense.

A few heartbeats of silence passed as nobody in the room knew quite what to say.

Awkwardly, Yang cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "So, we're a thing now." To further make this clear, she reached out and took Blake's hand, giving it a squeeze as she stepped closer. "Like, just an hour ago."

Blake blushed from the action but nodded. "Yes, a thing." The otherwise rather stoic girl was not able to hide a silly smile, and Ruby thought it suited her really well. She wanted Blake to look like this a lot more.

Stifling a giggle, Ruby decided to mess with them. She had so many questions, but after months of being at the receiving end of jokes and teasing remarks, it was time to retaliate. "So I guess you've been busy making out since then?" Both girls blushed and looked away. She was rather pleased with herself for finding an opportunity to embarrass then but decided to be nice and not take her fun too far.

Raising her hands in a placating gesture, Yang chucked, face still tinted pink. "A lot of cuddling too."

"First of all, let me tell you that I'm very happy for both of you," Weiss said. She gave the both of them an earnest look. "I'm surprised but at the same time you've always had fantastic chemistry so it's not like this was too far-fetched. Congratulations."

I didn't see this coming at all either. Blake was infatuated with Pyrrha no more than a month ago.

"Yeah, congrats!" Ruby echoed. Curiosity got the better of her then. She just had to know. "So how did you reach this point? I thought you said you didn't have anyone in mind, Yang." She sent her sister a meaningful glance that made Yang look just a little bit guilty.

"Well, it's a long story that's actually pretty short." Yang chuckled. "Blake became my best friend right away, no surprises there, and as we spent so much time together over the summer, I was beginning to wish that we were a bit more." It was kind of surprising to see her blushing so much, but it was cute. Gone was the boistorius girl as her sister laid out her emotions before them. "You two becoming a couple played a certain part as well. I wanted something like that. So, I wasn't entirely truthful when I said that I didn't have anyone in mind." she tapered off.

At first, Ruby felt a twinge of hurt over never having been confided in. After all, she was Yang's sister. At the same time though, she didn't have much of a poker face and was still very awkward in many respects. If she was honest with herself, she wasn't sure if she'd been able to act normal if she'd known that Yang liked Blake.

Yang seemed to understand what was going through. "Sorry for not telling you, Rubes. Maybe it wasn't right, but I wasn't sure if my feelings were genuine or if I was just feeling lonely and latched onto my best friend for that reason." Her gaze clearly conveyed the remorse she was feeling.

"It's okay, Yang," Ruby replied with a smile. She hadn't been very keen on talking about her emotions with Yang when she was pining for Weiss either, so it was more than fair. In the future though, she hoped that she and Yang would be able to talk more openly about their respective relationships and share advise or just vent.

Blake spoke next. "I'm sorry too. I was pining for Pyrrha all that time and you just stood by and watched and had to cheer me on. It must've been tough." Her ears wilted as her face fell.

Yang made a dismissive gesture and smiled at her. "Blakey, don't get started on that again. You're being silly. You know I kept quiet because I didn't want to pressure you. Had you and Pyrrha ended up being a thing, I would've still been your best friend."

"And perhaps what you said right there is the greatest proof of all that your feelings are genuine, Yang," Weiss said in a soft voice, causing both girls to get visibly embarrassed again.

Blake's face was growing redder by the moment. "In hindsight, I feel rather foolish chasing after Pyrrha for so long, when you were by my side all this time."

"Hey, don't be like that. Pyrrha's a nice girl. I could've totally fallen for her too," Yang replied cheekily.

"You better not," Blake joked back and playfully punched Yang in the arm, causing everyone to laugh.

It's nice to see she's so comfortable with that kind of stuff.

"And you, Blake? Do tell," Weiss encouraged, looking adorably curious. Ruby was just as curious herself. It was just a month ago since Blake had tried asking Pyrrha to the dance, so this had gone fast.

Blake sat down on her bed and Yang joined her. She put one leg above the other and clasped her hands together as she thought of how to best phrase it. "This is going to look like something out of one of my novels, but it was actually at the dance. I was doing my best to not be glum and ruin it for everyone. As the evening progressed, I spent more and more time with Yang and had so much fun. Dancing with her face amazing, and when I was… drunk.. I snuggled with her."

Ruby tried to stifle a squeak of excitement as Yang pulled Blake into a side hug and kissed the top of her head, at the base of one of her cat ears. Blake blushed adorably, her ears flicking from the sensation.

"And?" Yang tried to coax it out of her, looking pretty smug. "You said some really beautiful things about me when you confessed an hour ago, and I want to hear them again."

Blake looked like she wasn't sure whether to be resigned or bashful, but settled for sighing at her girlfriend's antics. She looked at Yang, and as their gazes met, she spoke. "I realized you've always made me feel like I can do anything, like no obstacle is large enough. The day is brighter when you're around and you make me laugh and smile. When you're not next to me, I find myself missing your company, and you're gorgeous. Pretty nice to cuddle with too."

As Ruby listened, she took note of the way Blake's features shifted. How a smile pulled at her lips, how her cheeks grew rosey, how her extra set of ears flicked in embarrassment, and how her eyes grew softer as she started into Yang's eyes.

Yang was silent, rendered speechless. Then her eyes grew misty. "Thank you," she said and began wiping at her eyes. Blake looked visibly alarmed but didn't have time to do anything before Yang pulled her into a hug.

Slowly, Blake hugged back and closed her eyes. To Ruby, the sight was so adorable she almost didn't know how to handle it. Blake's words and her sister's reaction were both so genuine and sweet.

"Sorry, I'm just so happy right now," Yang explained and sent an embarrassed glance their way.

"How come we didn't notice? Weiss, are we really that oblivious?" Ruby felt a little bit disappointed in herself. She'd thought she was getting good at reading cues and figuring stuff out when it came to people and emotions, but apparently there was still some ways to go.

Weiss shrugged. "Maybe it has to do with the close proximity. I would wager it's a lot easier to spot when you're observing people from a distance. "

"I guess that makes sense," she admitted. "Does dad know yet?"

Blake shook her head before Yang could reply. "You are the first to know. We planned to tell you tonight and Tai shortly afterwards."

Ruby chuckled to herself as she imagined how overjoyed he would be. Just as with Weiss, her dad had held a soft spot for Blake and treated her as his own family. "Going back to Patch will be extra awesome this time around!"

In a few weeks, after the conclusion of the Vytal festival, they would head back to Patch for autumn celebrations. She'd looked forward to the break all summer and could hardly wait to get to spend a week together with her dad and the team.

And now with Blake and Yang being together, it would be even better. Last time, she knew her sister and friend had gone out of their way to give them space. While grateful for it, Ruby had also felt a small degree of guilt - like she'd been hogging Weiss and been a bit antisocial.

Or maybe it will be the other way around this time… I'll have to think up a plan with Weiss so they don't feel like they can't get any time alone.

Though, as she followed that thought, it meant they could both hog their respective girlfriends and not feel bad about it.

It'll be super cozy. I'll have to teach Weiss how to pick mushrooms! We can have a late autumn picnic date at the same time, and then we can fry mushrooms and have toast and scrambled eggs. Not to mention how dad always makes that amazing pumpkin pie.

Weiss giggled. "You're thinking about food again, aren't you?"

Ruby blushed as she was caught red-handed. "Maybe… come on, it'll be awesome! Dad makes the best pumpkin pie ever. And remember the chickens that Zwei scared last time? They're about ready to end up on the dinner table." She felt a little bit bad for their sake… but the chickens really were too tasty for their own good.

"I look forward to visiting," Blake said and turned to look at Yang, a fond gleam in her eyes. "Let's go on a date while we're there, okay?"

Ruby silently squealed as she watched her sister look so adorably happy. Blake deserved the best, and in Ruby's opinion, her friend struck gold.

"So...Rubes, Weissy, how about you two go somewhere else so Blake and I can pick up where we left off?" Yang asked, causing Blake to groan.

Ruby sighed as a realization came over here. Now she not only had to worry about being walked in on, but also about walking in on someone else. The romantic aspects of her life were now pretty much twice as complicated.

This will take some time getting used to.

She again took note of the fond glance that Yang sent Blake. Her sister was head over heels and seemed so very happy. In her heart, she knew that they would be together for a long time.

"Come on, Weiss. Let's go to the garden for a while," Ruby suggested. She extended her hand and Weiss immediately took it. Closing the door behind them, they left the new couple, both girls remembering how they themselves had wished for privacy early on.

"I'm happy for them," Weiss said as they walked.

"So am I," Ruby replied and smiled.


Hah, this was the plan all along. Lots of friendship and wonderful chemistry between Yang and Blake that naturally spilled out into something more, after some detours.

I hope this chapter was enjoyable...except the meeting with Jacques. I'm sure it may have left you with certain feelings of disappointment and a sense of "that's it?", but this was very much intentional. The meeting was, at the heart of the matter, a disappointing outcome and the final confirmation Weiss needed that he would never change. Still, she wishes to take control of the SDC so she can't cut him out of her life entirely.

Reviews are appreciated, no matter how long or short they are.