Hello, here's chapter 15. Hope you folks enjoy it.
I do not own RWBY and make no monetary gain from this. Writing is for entertainment purposes only.
Weiss opened the clothing store's front door and stepped out into the warm midday sunshine. She clutched the bag containing her newly purchased bikini and underwear, her face red just from thinking about the acquired items. The underwear wasn't anything scandalous, not by far, but neither were they the most plain items the store had to offer. She favored lace, and she was fairly certain that if Ruby saw them she would be very intrigued. Although it was embarrassing to admit it, that knowledge had factored into the decision to buy them.
After going for a long walk with Zwei earlier, they'd dropped him off and then headed towards town. The combined shopping-sightseeing-date-excursion had gone well so far and almost everything she needed had been purchased already, meaning that she could soon wholeheartedly focus her attention on the date part of their time together.
As soon as Ruby noticed her, she shot up from the bench she had waited on, a smile on her face as she hoisted up the bags that contained a few sets of casual clothes Weiss had bought.
Weiss pushed her wandering thoughts to the side as she walked over to the bench, focusing back on her cute girlfriend who was standing in front of her. Her lips pulled up into a smile.
"Did you get everything?" Ruby asked, shifting a small bag around to get a better grip on it.
"Yes. Now I have everything except for a pair of comfortable shoes. Yours don't fit me too well, and I can't very well walk around in beige shorts and white boots. I should've thought through running away from home a lot more than I did," Weiss joked jovially, feeling oddly comfortable with bringing it up. She still hadn't thought too much about the future, but there was time for that later. In the meantime, she would try to have as much fun and be as happy as she could.
For a brief moment, a careful look overcame Ruby's otherwise cheerful features, but then she grinned impishly. "There's a store just over there. So… the bikini, is it nice?" Ruby was evidently in a cheeky mood, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Thanks,Yang, Weiss thought with some resignation.
She nodded and tried to keep the bashfulness at bay when she thought back to how this had all started. On their way out the front door, Yang had reminded her to buy a bikini for later use. It was perfectly normal for them to go swimming during the break, so Weiss couldn't really complain over that in itself. It was just that Yang had, loudly, told her to buy something Ruby could salivate over, mortifying both her and Ruby equally.
Still, Weiss hoped Ruby would like it, with all that implied. "It's black. I was initially considering a red one, but I suppose my blushing hue will give me enough color when you inevitably ogle me," she joked and trained her eyes onto Ruby, hoping to throw her off balance.
Ruby had the decency to look sheepish, but Weiss still saw how the girl gave her an appreciative look over. No doubt Ruby was already imagining her wearing it. Weiss couldn't say she disliked that particular piece of knowledge either.
"How can I resist that when I have such a gorgeous girlfriend?" Ruby shot back proudly, eyes full of sincerity.
Weiss felt a small amount of heat creep up her face and decided to strike back. "Likewise," she replied and let her eyes roam over Ruby's form. Being complimented so boldly was no longer new to her, but she still couldn't say she was completely used to it, as good as it felt. Being forward and flirty, even less so. And yet she looked, letting her eyes linger a moment extra here and there.
In plain t-shirt and shorts, some very appealing features were a lot more noticeable. Ruby's collarbone, her chest, her slender yet muscular legs…
To Weiss' great satisfaction, her boldness, as embarrassing as it was, paid off and made Ruby's face go just as red as her own and for a moment her girlfriend looked very self-conscious.
To drive home her point, Weiss added, "And now that I've bought what I needed, it won't be a disaster if you were to give me a hickey again since I can conceal it. I'm really lucky the last one had healed in time, otherwise breakfast would've been an awkward affair."
Ruby laughed nervously at the thought, and Weiss shuddered internally when she imagined such a conversation around the breakfast table. Once Ruby had discovered the joys of marking her, caution had taken precedence.
When they had both taken a moment to compose themselves, they set out towards their next target. While they walked, what they'd done that morning came back to Weiss' mind. She had certainly encouraged Ruby with how she'd fondled her… breast. It had been above the clothes, but still! Weiss couldn't quite believe how daring she had been, or how she'd just let go of everything and literally thrown herself at Ruby like that. Her throat felt dry when she recalled the soft yet firm sensation and how Ruby had reacted - her panting and soft moans were hard to forget.
It had been fun, exciting, arousing and… that was the issue. Once she'd regained her senses, the familiar anxiety had come barreling back, mingled with the very reasonable fear of someone walking in on them. Ruby had dispelled her fretting quickly enough, something Weiss was very grateful for, but it had been there.
To complicate matters, she had felt disappointment immediately when Ruby broke it off - and not an insubstantial amount either.
She knew that what she had done had been a spur of the moment thing. She'd just felt so enamored with Ruby that before she had even thought about it, she had initiated and escalated. In that moment, it had seemed so right, the place and time be damned.
She glanced next to her at Ruby. The thought of experiencing that with her felt right in her mind, with the exception of that one part of her which shied away from it.
Probably another issue I have thanks to my father making me feel shame and repress my sexuality. Is there anything he hasn't ruined for me? That thought filled her with bitterness, but she discarded it quickly. Moping over the root cause wouldn't help her - she would have to focus on the present moment.
She decided that she would try to sneak some reading of These Feelings We All Must Endure in when she got the chance. There really hadn't been any time to read more than a few dozen pages yesterday. Moreover, she suspected she had stopped just shy of the first mature scene in the book, and she had to admit she was very curious about what would transpire. Especially after this morning.
"Weeeeiiiiis, are you there?"
Ruby's voice broke her out of her musings and she jerked, startled, and stopped in place. "Sorry, I was a little lost in thoughts."
Ruby looked at her with some concern. "Over what? You looked dead serious and you were spacing out. Is everything fine?"
"Yes, I'm fine, I was just thinking about something," Weiss replied. It technically wasn't a lie; she just didn't know how to broach it yet or had had enough time to think things through. It was thus best to not reveal what had been occupying her thoughts.
Ruby gave her another worried look, not looking convinced in the least.
Weiss realized Ruby wouldn't drop it so easily, and her thoughts switched gear. She glanced at Ruby's hand. Regardless of her confusion and uncertainty over the physical intimacy, she wanted to do something for her girlfriend - and just maybe what she was planning would appease Ruby's worry over her. It just so coincided that this something would allow Weiss to take another step forward and grow more confident. The idea had began to take form while they walked towards the village of Patch. They'd held hands during their leisurely walk, but once they got closer, Ruby had let go out of consideration for her. To Weiss, it hadn't felt right at all.
Making up her mind and silencing the objections that spontaneously materialized, she took a deep breath and then tentatively reached out with her left hand towards her girlfriend. "Ruby, take my hand."
Ruby looked at her hesitantly, then around to the people going about their everyday lives. "Are you sure? It's fine, you don't have to if it makes you uncomfortable."
"I want to," Weiss answered with growing confidence as she looked into her girlfriend's beautiful silver-colored eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest as she grabbed Ruby's warm and slightly calloused hand in her own, intertwining their fingers. It felt so right.
Ruby looked ecstatic over the gesture, and Weiss felt both joy and pride well up in her over what she had accomplished. At least during the semester break, she and Ruby could act as girlfriends in public.
With the fallout with her father an immutable fact, she felt liberated and empowered, and she would capitalize on it while it lasted. She realized that she had simply stopped caring as much as she used to, accepting that this was her new reality. In turn, this allowed her to tap into the newfound source of confidence she'd acquired.
"I want to…" she began, searching for the right words, "push my limits." Weiss looked around and saw that nobody paid them any heed. "I can't say I'll be able to do the same at Beacon, but here nobody knows me, so I want to take the opportunity to be open with our relationship. Do you like it?" It was an unnecessary question, but Weiss still felt a need to hear Ruby confirm it.
Ruby's eyes were shining with gratitude and adoration, and her face had the goofiest, most face-splitting smile Weiss had ever seen, making this worth it a hundredfold. "Weiss, I love it. Thank you," she said softly and squeezed the hand she was holding. "Was this what you was thinking about?"
Weiss nodded, feeling a small degree of guilt in her over sidestepping the truth. But it wasn't a complete lie - she had thought about this as well. Ruby's smile alleviated that feeling though, and Weiss looked down at their hands, a part of her still not trusting her eyes. But it was true. They were holding hands, and she'd given the okay to show everyone their relationship.
A smile began to spread over her lips at that thought. She was moving forward, even if each individual step was small.
Weiss then shifted her attention to observing how she felt herself. Surprisingly, she realized she was fairly comfortable. Certainly, her heart beat faster than normal and there was a degree of nervousness and exhilaration to holding hands in public, but it didn't feel frightening like she had thought. It didn't feel wrong. It didn't invoke a desire to hide. It didn't elicit shame.
She'd always been so afraid of what other people would say when they found out. That they would judge her. All thanks to her father and his rants about homosexuals making her hide and feel like something was wrong with her for years. After yesterday though, she realized she just didn't care about what others thought anymore. At least not here, in a town on an island off the coast of Vale, where she was a complete stranger. Being open with her preferences at Beacon still filled her stomach with anxiety when she thought about it, but this was definitely a step in the right direction.
"So do I." Weiss pulled at Ruby's hand, flashing her girlfriend a smile. "Come on, let's find a pair of shoes for me."
As they walked, she carefully gauged the looks people gave them, but whenever she spotted someone glancing at their hands, all she received were friendly smiles and nods. The approval and acceptance of strangers made her feel both relief, pride and joy. With each occurrence, the cocktail of positive emotions grew stronger, until her nervousness was nothing but a tiny, niggling sensation in the furthermost corner of her mind.
Given time, Weiss was certain it'd perish altogether.
They walked like this for a while, perusing storefronts and talking about nothing of importance. Ruby was subconsciously humming on a tune to herself and had little more skip in her steps than usual. Love swelled in Weiss' heart at the sight.
After a short while, they came upon the shoe store, and it only took Weiss a few minutes to pick out a pair that were comfortable to wear for long stretches of time. In another minute, she'd found a pair of running shoes to use both here and at Beacon. She knew she needed to work on her stamina, and since Ruby and Blake went running fairly often, it wouldn't be a bad idea to join them every now and then.
On their way out of the store, Ruby held open the door for her. It was such a small act in the grand scheme of things, but Weiss had come to really appreciate these small gestures her girlfriend was so good at.
"Thank you, Ruby," Weiss said and took her hand again when they stepped outside. She looked up at the summer sky above and found herself missing the air conditioned inside of the store. It really was a warm day, probably the hottest one this year so far. "It's very warm today, so I'm glad I'm not wearing my combat skirt for once. Outside of training, I really dislike sweating." She frowned at the imagined sensation of sweaty clothes clinging to her skin.
"Yeah, that's a drawback with those, as good as they look. Oh, Weiss, can you wait here for a few minutes? I've got to do something quickly. I promise it'll be worth the wait!" Ruby asked, her eyes lighting up with the satisfaction that came from coming up with a really good idea. She ran off as soon as Weiss nodded at her. For her part, Weiss stepped back into the shadow of the store front overhang and set down the bags next to her.
While she waited she tried to guess what Ruby was up to. Probably a surprise for her, or something they could enjoy together. A poker face had never been Ruby's strong suite, after all. It wouldn't be a stretch to suspect that her girlfriend was on her way to procure some refreshments after her comment about the weather.
It was very cute how Ruby went out of her way for her since yesterday, giving her extra attention ever since she had arrived. A warm feeling spread in Weiss' chest whenever she noticed it. Ruby would stay just a little bit closer than ordinary, cast her a few more glances than normal, and overall act more protective of her, making sure she was happy and content.
Not that there was any danger of anything else; she had been in a great mood since she woke up, much thanks to Ruby always being there for her, making her skip over the point where she might've otherwise sunken into despair and worrying.
She supposed she had gotten all of her grief and frustration out of her system yesterday, but she hadn't anticipated feeling so… alright. Excellent, even. There was still regret over what she had said to her father, the words having been spoken in anger, but overall, Weiss felt fine and didn't have any immediate worries, besides the arguably pleasant problem of having a girlfriend who desired her.
Weiss' thoughts turned away from that avenue and towards her family again. She had no idea how she'd go about talking to her father, or if things would return to normal once she was at Beacon. Imagining how he'd react when she talked to him next time felt like a futile task; it could go in whichever direction. At the same time, that felt fine, since she no longer had the need to seek his approval, or indeed, had much respect left for him. With his ideas of marrying her off, it had been thoroughly crushed.
Weiss decided she would probably call a secretary and request the usual documents preemptively to test the waters, then take it from there. Speaking with Winter was another point on the agenda, but she was in Atlas and couldn't be reached from Patch. Same went for Sebastian. She felt bad for how she had rushed off and made him worry and wanted to apologize for that when she got the chance to make calls to Atlas next time.
With her next moves decided, she looked at the people and buildings around her to pass the time while she waited for Ruby. Patch was a charming town, just like the countryside. Everything had a rustic look and feel to it, with the pedestrian streets built with cobblestone and the houses made from either wood or brick. Combined with the warm sun and the friendly people meandering about their day, it would be a tough task to not feel happy and content.
She dug around in one of her bags and found the lip balm she'd bought, applying a thin layer of the strawberry-tasting ointment. It had been just a day since she'd last used lip balm, and her lips were already dryer than usual. It was slightly vexing that she needed to always have it with her, but on the upside, Ruby enjoyed it, and Weiss couldn't deny it gave their kisses a little extra flair.
"Back," Ruby shouted a minute later. When Weiss turned she saw her girlfriend with two overloaded ice cream cones and a small bag from a convenience store.
"For you," she said and handed one of the cones to Weiss. "I also bought ice tea for us."
It was a pleasant surprise and just what she needed, what with the warm weather. "Thank you," Weiss said gratefully, taking the cone and giving the first scoop, of what to her delight turned out to be blueberry ice cream, a lick. Beneath it, there was plain vanilla and chocolate ice cream waiting for her. The taste was rich, and she guessed whoever made it had used proper cream. "Delicious."
"Mmm." Ruby hummed in agreement and nibbled at her own strawberry-flavored ice cream. "Let's go down to the beach and take a break. There are a few benches there."
It was a short walk, no longer than two minutes. Before Weiss knew it, they rounded a corner and her breath was taken from her. The buildings opened up to the awe-inspiring image of a deep blue ocean stretching as far as she could see. A few small and fluffy white clouds dotted the sky, allowing the sun to bathe the island in its warm embrace. Right in front of her was a beach, just down a flight of stairs. She hadn't cared about it yesterday, but seeing it today nearly made her speechless. It was so beautiful.
"It's nice, isn't it?"
Weiss nodded, her eyes darting back and forth to take it all in. Vale City was right next to the ocean too, but this was different. The island felt so small compared to the vast expanse of water, and the rustic style of the town gave the experience an idyllic feel. "It's breathtaking. Nice doesn't do it justice."
"I guess I'm kinda used to it, but it really is beautiful. I like this place a lot. I have lots of memories of spending my summer days here. Dad often took us here when we were little to take a dip and then eat waffles for lunch. He'd always buy us ice cream and candy afterwards when he shopped food for dinner," Ruby replied nostalgically, then looked at her ice cream cone that had begun to melt. "Come on, let's find somewhere to sit before it turns into slush."
Ruby pulled her along down onto the mostly empty beach and soon found an unoccupied bench for the two of them. They sat down, and Weiss removed her shoes and socks, digging her toes into the fine-grained, sun-kissed sand. Above them, seagulls were screeching and soaring in the mild breeze. It was the perfect place to relax.
Then, deciding that she didn't like the small bit of distance between them, she moved closer to Ruby until their hips touched. Weiss chuckled softly to herself when Ruby wrapped her arm around her waist, her hand coming to rest on her stomach. She had anticipated it the moment she sat down; Ruby could be awfully predictable when it came to her need to touch her. Her stomach had lately been one of her girlfriend's main targets for some reason, but Weiss enjoyed it.
She's just like a puppy that craves affection. I wouldn't have it any other way.
She leaned to her left, letting her head rest against Ruby's. A small bout of nervousness sprung up again, but not enough to make her hesitate for even a moment. She glanced around, but nobody of the relatively few people taking a dip in the ocean or lounging in the sun paid them any heed. Growing used to public displays of affection didn't sound like a bad idea at all. She looked forward to the day she would be able to face the world without fear.
They sat quiet for a minute or two, both girls enjoying the comfortable silence between them as they looked out over the vast expanse before them while licking on their treats.
"So, is this where we'll take a dip?" Weiss eventually asked, idly following a seagull with her eyes as it dove in the air.
"No, there's a much better place. I guess it's not intuitive from the layout of the terrain, but if we walk through the forest for half an hour from home, there's a secluded beach with pretty shallow water. The water's warmer there too because of the currents around Patch, so it's a win-win," Ruby replied in an upbeat tone of voice.
It sounded nice. Just Ruby, Blake, Yang and her together on a secluded beach, free from all things she considered hazardous to her enjoyment: insolent teens who hit on everything that moved, people that stared at her, and overcrowded beaches. She couldn't help but to be amused by her own reaction. It was unusually cranky for coming from her these days.
She had to concede to herself that maybe it was an unrealistic picture. The beach they were on wasn't crowded, no doubt thanks to the non-existent tourism industry on Patch, and people seemed to mind their own business. And if someone hit on her, or even let their eyes linger for too long, she was pretty sure Ruby would fend them off vigorously. It wasn't like she'd ever gone to a regular beach anyway, so her basis for comparison left much to be desired. Still, the seclusion made the other beach sound more appealing; she didn't fancy walking around in swimwear in front of strangers.
It also meant something that had her both nervous and excited at the same time: Ruby would see her in the bikini she'd purchased. On the other hand, she would also get to see Ruby in a bikini. That was a very appealing prospect.
"That'll be fun, and I'm actually relieved. I do like the privacy it offers. So, what will we do next?" Weiss asked, trying to clear her imagination from images of Ruby in said garments. With how close together they sat, it wasn't the easiest.
She bit off a piece of the cone, the icy feeling of a chunk of the ice cream that followed with it filling her mouth. There wasn't much left of it by now. She was halfway through the scoop of chocolate ice cream already.
"Relax here for a while and soak in the sun, then we could, uhm, maybe eat lunch? There's a local market each Sunday at noon, so we should visit it first though. I don't think Yang needs anything for dinner, but I'll call and check when we're there. They sell mostly fruit and vegetables, but candy and cookies too." Ruby's voice took on a slightly longing inflection at the end that made Weiss' lips quirk upwards into a smile.
"Let's do that. It's a good next destination for our date."
A market sounded like a nice idea, and it would be fun to explore locally made products. Coincidentally, cookies were already on the shopping list to spoil her girlfriend with. She wouldn't mind one or two for herself either, with a cup of coffee to go with them.
Weiss let out a small laugh. She really was developing a sweet tooth, wasn't she? She supposed it would be alright as long as she watched her weight. Thankfully, their planned daily training sessions over these two weeks would make sure she kept in shape. With delicious breakfasts, lunches, snacks in between, and dinners that were apparently to die for, it would be needed.
"What's funny?" Ruby asked.
"Just the fact that it seems your appetite for sugary things is slowly rubbing off on me. I wouldn't be opposed to a chocolate chip cookie myself."
"I've noticed, and it makes me really happy," Ruby replied, using her arm around Weiss to pull her towards her in a side hug.
"To make you even happier, cookies and strawberries are on me," Weiss added and planted a kiss on her girlfriend's cheek. Excitement coursed through her as she did so, still new to the idea of affections like these in public. However, that only meant she had to practice more, didn't it? It sounded like a win-win situation indeed.
Ruby sighed in contentment and dug her bare feet into the sand. "I can get used to this. Just me and my beautiful girlfriend eating ice cream on a sunny day."
Weiss smiled. The love she was feeling was almost painful in it's sweetness and intensity.
I don't think I'll ever be able to convey how much you mean to me, no matter how many eloquent words I speak. I love you, you dolt.
Love was such a strange feeling, encompassing a host of emotions ranging from tender care to passionate want, the desire for a bright future together, and the knowledge that she wasn't alone anymore. It was beautiful, and Weiss was so thankful every single day that she'd been lucky to meet someone she would be able to experience all of it with. She wanted Ruby to know that, and that just as Ruby supported her, she would do the same for her.
They spent a few moments like that, each girl lost in their own little world as they enjoyed the sun, the sea and each others company.
"So, did you enjoy the ice cream?" Ruby asked after a while, breaking the comfortable silence that had enveloped them as they relaxed.
"Yes, it was delicious." Weiss made a mental note to make sure she'd eat another cone or two before these two weeks were over.
"Can I taste it?"
Weiss gestured at her now empty hand and raised an eyebrow at her. "I've already eaten all of it."
"No no, just sit still," Ruby corrected with a smirk. It took a second for Weiss to catch on, but when Ruby touched her cheek and gently guided her head to just the right tilt, she couldn't help but to smile, even as their lips began to move gently against each other.
They...held...haaaaaaaaaands! Reviews appreciated.
