Hello, here's chapter 18. Hope you folks enjoy it.

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


"Poor rabbit," Ruby said dejectedly, a sigh accompanying her words as she closed the door behind them and set down the large bag next to her. She glared at Zwei, but he only ran off towards the living room, content as ever.

From the lack of shoes and how quiet the house was, Yang and Blake clearly weren't back yet from Patch with the cream, vanilla extract, and chocolate they needed. After stretching her arm, something that was much needed by now from carrying the strawberries, Ruby picked up her scroll and quickly shot Yang a text asking when they would be home.

"I guess it was to be expected since Tai can take him along to chase beowolves for exercise," Weiss said as she stepped out of the restroom. She looked quite relieved at having washed her hand, but Ruby refrained from making another joke about it, as cute as an indignant Weiss could be.

Instead, she considered her girlfriend's words and an epiphany of sorts hit her. "Huh, no wonder Blake is wary of him. I never thought of it in that way, but it's not very normal for a corgi to pose a danger to an animal at least 100 times its own body mass, is it?"

Weiss hummed in agreement. "Yes, it makes a bit more sense. Still, he's the cutest little puppy ever so it's fine. He only wanted me to praise him." The inflection of her voice leaned progressively more towards a childish adoration for every word, ending in a shockingly sweet squeal.

Ruby felt an increasingly familiar emotion stir within her anew: jealousy.

Ruby Rose, how stupid can you be to be jealous because your girlfriend plays with and fawns over and totally adores your dog… I mean, I wouldn't be able to get away with presenting a dead rabbit hanging from my mouth as a gift to Weiss… But I guess it's not a fair comparison either.

Trying to free herself from the irrational emotion, she picked up one of the handles again, and together they carried the bag into the kitchen and set it down on the table. To Ruby, two gallons of strawberries was a beautiful sight indeed. And naturally, she took the opportunity to munch on another one.

Her scroll vibrated then. She picked it up and read Yang's message: "back in a few, made an unplanned stop 4 sum waffles :D"

"I just texted Yang, and they'll be back soon. What do you want to do while we wait?" she asked Weiss.

"We could clean the berries and freeze half of them like you said," Weiss suggested. By the look she gave them though, she found the idea slightly daunting after their trek. Her stamina wasn't the best since she relied so much on her glyphs and precision strikes, nor was she used to the warm weather, and it showed. Sweat still clung to her skin and her face had a bit more color to it than usual.

"We could to that," Ruby nodded sagely, a plan already formulating in her mind, "or we could do something else. You look like you could relax for a few minutes, and I have just the idea for it." She let her voice fall into a lower register, growing just a bit husky near the end. The kissing they'd done earlier hadn't been enough for either of them, and Ruby maybe, just maybe, felt a bit possessive at the moment.

Weiss raised an eyebrow, but from the blush that was beginning to color her face she clearly noticed what she had in mind. All the better, Ruby thought as she felt her lips pull up into a sly smile, anticipation flaring up in her along with the tiny bit of nervousness she would always feel when she planned anything more than a quick kiss on the lips.

Ruby stalked forward and quickly captured Weiss' lips in a searing kiss, wrapping her arms around her waist and spinning them around until she was leaning against the wooden kitchen counter for support, continuously moving her lips in sync with her girlfriend.

All too soon, Weiss pulled back when she needed air, her face flushed and already out of breath from the intensity of the kiss. "Wait, what if they come back when we're in the middle of… making out?" She looked quite worried over the prospect, but at the same time unhappy over the same fear, clearly reluctant to stop.

Ruby shot her a mischievous grin as she gently rested her hands on Weiss' slender arms, coaxing her closer until their foreheads met. "We have time. Just a few minutes will be fine, and we'll hear the door open before it's too late anyway." She languidly moved her hands up and down Weiss' arms as she pulled away a few inches, enjoying the feeling of the soft skin while closely listening to the sounds of their inhales and exhales in the otherwise quiet room. Her girlfriend's quick breathing and the goosebumps on her arms were ample evidence that she enjoyed the innocent touch.

A playful glint appeared in Weiss' eye after she stewed it over a for a moment mirrored how Ruby felt. "It's cutting it close, though I can't say I object to it. You've convinced me otherwise." A cute smile formed on her lips, and that was all the approval Ruby needed before their lips met again.

Ruby relaxed back against the kitchen counter, letting her hands fall down to Weiss' slender hips, gently guiding her as they swayed back and forth on the spot. Her confidence soared like it always did, making her smile even as their lips moved against each other.

The minutes passed by all too quickly, only interrupted by the sporadic need to fill their lungs with air. Ruby's hands began to travel up her girlfriend's body along her sides, enjoying the feeling of her slender frame before resting her hand on her shoulders, rubbing light circles with her fingers under the sleeve of the t-shirt.

Weiss wrapped her own arms around her waist, their bodies suddenly flush against one another. They way their hips subtly rubbed together made it difficult to think, and Ruby heard herself left out a soft moan of approval when Weiss sensually nipped at her lip. In the next second, Ruby's tongue poked at her girlfriend's lips in an instinctual bid to get closer. A heartbeat was all the time it took for Weiss to open her mouth and deepen the kiss.

They pushed back and forth, playfully fighting for control of who should be in charge. Normally, Ruby would take the lead, with Weiss only sporadically objecting. These things tended to settle themselves after a few seconds, but when a minute had passed and neither had yielded, Ruby realized something else was needed to break their playful deadlock. But what?

Despite the pleasurable haze she was slowly feeling herself slip into, she wanted to do something, though that something shouldn't cross the line she'd set up for herself. A hickey was tempting but out of the question, but when Weiss gasped in enjoyment she couldn't help but to break the kiss and move her lips along her jawline, peppering it with kisses. It was a good compromise. Gradually, she moved downwards to her neck and throat, continuing her ministrations of tender kisses. Weiss stretched her neck to allow better access, her own hands playfully exploring Ruby's shoulder blades over the t-shirt.

She'd only been at it for less than half a minute, when Weiss carefully pushed Ruby away, only to begin to gently attack her own throat. Ruby's breath hitched. She hadn't expected this! Her throat was one of her weak spots, and she shuddered under the care when Weiss' mouth began to travel along her pulse point. The way her tongue darted out and licked her skin was magical. It was electrifying, like every millimeter of skin suddenly became hypersensitive and her nerve signals were overloading.

The battle for dominance had been lost the moment she tilted her head, though when Weiss let up only a few seconds later, Ruby's thoughts were in such disarray it was difficult to care much - except for the fact that Weiss' lips were no longer nibbling on her throat. She whimpered in dissatisfaction, with her breaths coming out in ragged pants.

Weiss raised her head slightly, just enough to be at ear level. "It's your fault for teasing me like that earlier," she said in a low, melodic voice full of desire, her breath hot as burning coal as she pressed herself up against Ruby.

The way Weiss's perfume filled her nostrils, and the way Ruby could feel her girlfriend's body heat… it sent her mind reeling. A low whine of frustration slipped out as she tried to disregard the more salacious ideas that sprung to mind, doing her best to ignore how bothered she was becoming. Her limbs had the faintest of trembles to them from the arousal she was expecting.

Weiss jerked and instantly broke away, taking a few deep, unsteady breaths. Their gazes met and the passion in those blue eyes gradually faded, some regret shining through. "Sorry, I shouldn't tease you like that either." She took on a sheepish, embarrassed look that was absolutely adorable.

Feeling her own need recede within her slowly, Ruby gave her a warm smile. Remembering the last time this had happened, she had to be quick with reassurances. "It's fine. Love you, Weiss," she said, pulling her into a tight hug and opting to rest her head on Weiss' shoulder, nuzzling into her soft hair and taking a deep breath of the lavender fragrance she'd come to love so much. It was calming, and it quieted down her wildly beating heart.

"I love you too, Ruby." Weiss let out a content sigh, and Ruby felt how those delicate hands settled on her back again.

Her own hands fell down to Weiss' rear, and she lazily kissed along her neck up to those soft lips in a reversal of her earlier trail, letting every kiss linger for a few seconds. With the passionate want gone, she instead enjoyed the same sensations and feelings that came from hugging Weiss, but without that desire. Holding her close, feeling her warmth and softness, listening to her inhales and and exhales, enjoying her fragrance - it was all experiences she treasured and couldn't ever grow tired of.

Weiss let out a giggle and squirmed in her grasp. "You're tickling me!"

Good, she's not blaming herself or anything. Let's try to keep her mind off of it completely, just in case...

With her hands still in place, she leaned forward and resumed their make out session, but kept it a bit less exciting. This time, Weiss was okay with her taking the lead and minutes passed by in silence, save for a gasp and approving noise every now and then. Her hands continued to affectionately stroke the objects they were attached to, giving a light squeeze every now and then, enjoying the small little noises Weiss made every time.

Suddenly, a loud knock sounded on the kitchen window. Ruby nearly jumped out of her skin and Weiss practically teleported away from her. Fearfully, and as one, they slowly turned their heads. On the other side of the glass, two pairs of lilac and golden eyes stared back at them. Both looked far too happy for her taste, and Ruby felt her stomach jump off the figurative cliff and plunge into an ice-cold lake.

Oh no! I'll never hear the end of this!

That Blake looked amused wasn't that bad in comparison, but never before had Ruby seen Yang look so smug or so desperately trying to restrain herself from losing it completely. Naturally, with her sister being herself, it was a lost cause from the beginning. Yang fell down from view and let out a booming laughter that turned into a mess of hysterical attempts at breathing.

"Ruby, can we hide somewhere?" Weiss said in a resigned voice as she stared down into the ground, looking as mortified as she'd ever seen her.

Ruby had known in the back of her mind that this was bound to happen - that the day when Yang or Blake walked in on them would come sooner or later. She had just hoped that day would've found a reason to delay itself indefinitely. Maybe for it to take an extended vacation to Vacuo and decide to settle down there and start a family. There was no way her sister had failed to see where her hands had been, or that they had made out. Yang also knew how much she liked Weiss' rear and that only made it worse.

Ruby sighed deeply and walked over to her girlfriend and wrapped her into a side hug. "No, Weiss, we can't," she said with sadness, shaking her head back and forth slowly, squeezing her girlfriend's shoulder comfortingly. "This was bound to happen sooner or later, wasn't it?"

Weiss gave her a small, bashful, smile as she leaned into the embrace. "I suppose it was. I'm just glad it wasn't your dad…"

Had the situation been different, it would've been comical how quickly Weiss paled when she vocalized that possibility. Instead, Ruby involuntarily let out a nervous laugh at the thought, silently thanking her lucky star that hadn't happened. She didn't even dare to contemplate the conversation that would've followed. Not because Taiyang would've been mad, but because of the awkwardness of it. He'd never given her 'The Talk' either, and she didn't want it to happen anytime soon.

With palpable nervousness, they waited for Blake and Yang to step inside. About a minute later the laughter died down outside, the front door opened and a red-faced Yang and repentant-looking Blake joined them in the kitchen.

"Guys, I'm sorry," Yang apologized as soon as she'd put their two shopping bags down. Her attempt to keep the laughter at bay was obvious, and she took another few deep breaths to prevent an outburst, clutching her stomach. "Butt those mov-"

A yelp escaped her when Blake elbowed her in her side.

"She's sorry is what she's saying, and so am I," Blake said, who to her credit had schooled her face into a neutral look – if only barely so. "It seemed like a good idea at the time to sneak up like that and a chance to embarrass the both of you. It wasn't very considerate of us, and it will not happen again."

"I convinced her; she was initially against it," Yang added, squeezing Blake apologetically on the shoulder.

Weiss looked slightly upset at them for a moment, then sighed deeply and waved their concerns away. "It's fine. We were just saying that it was only a matter of time before someone walked in on us... kissing."

"You're not the first either," Ruby added awkwardly, in order to break the awkward silence that was enveloping the room, feeling just as flustered as Weiss appeared to be from the careful phrasing. "Remember what Nora said about us in the kitchen last week? Yeah…"

She shuddered, still remembering that exact moment of dread when the desire to make out had intersected with bad timing and bad luck. Thankfully, besides that one comment on their last day at Beacon, Nora had held her promise to keep quiet.

Wait, why did I bring something up that only made it worse!?

She smacked her head with the palm of her hand. Weiss was blushing a deep red over the recollection, sending her an incredulous look. An apology at a later time when they were alone was suddenly on the agenda.

There was something Ruby had to know though, no matter the price. "How...how long did you watch?" Her voice came out in a shrill squeak.

Both Weiss and her waited with bated breaths.

"No more than five seconds," Blake informed. Weiss sagged together a little on the spot from that small solace, and Ruby felt herself deflate from relief. It could've been worse - much worse.

"Alright, let's get started on the cake then," Yang said and rubbed her hands together in anticipation in an obvious attempt to lighten the mood and switch subject. Or at least that's what Ruby had hoped. A smug grin came over Yang's face then, one which Ruby knew all too well. Her sister preemptively took a big step to the side, away from her partner. "Butt, Rubes, no more booty-grabbing for the moment. And, Weiss, thanks for indulging the little pervert."

Blake shot Yang a glare, and Weiss looked mortified, but managed to shrug somewhat nonchalantly. "No problem, Yang. Anytime."

Ruby's heart skipped a beat out of pure shock. Had Weiss really just said that? Apparently so; the shocked expression on Yang's and Blake's faces made that abundantly clear, mirroring her own.

Then Blake burst out laughing and Ruby began to snicker. It wasn't often she saw Yang so completely floored.

A moment later, Yang overcame her shock and began laughing too, leaning against the door frame, Blake clinging to her in an attempt to not collapse on the ground as she shook with laughter.

It was infectious and it took over half a minute for everyone to recover. By the end, Blake was wiping tears from her eyes.

"Weiss' you're the best," Yang praised with a grin. "I've taught you well."

Weiss, I love you! Ruby thought, equal parts impressed and mortified by her girlfriend's quick retort.

When everyone had composed themselves, they began to prepare for the cake. Rinsing strawberries wasn't as much difficult as it was merely boring, and Ruby disliked how the stems dug into the tender skin under her nails like clockwork. Nobody else was doing better, but with four set of hands it didn't take too long to complete the task. Like they had decided, half went into the freezer.

After that, Yang began to teach them the ropes of making the three layers of the cake. It wasn't as difficult as Ruby had imagined it would be, not that different from making a sponge cake actually, but she learned a lot about how long to whip the egg-sugar mix and how air worked to give it the desired texture. It was a first step towards fixing her non-existent foundation in the area. Blake and Weiss asked plenty of questions, and her girlfriend had even prepared a small notebook she was jotting down instructions in, her brow scrunching up cutely from time to time as she inquired about this and that.

It was fun to spend time together in this manner, with no immediate tasks or problems on the horizon. While they did hang out together as a team at Beacon, they needed this too, the lack of stress from duties palpable to everyone. Now, everyone had begun to relax for real and the atmosphere was subtly different.

But that was not the only reason Ruby found this so fun. She could tell that Yang took a lot of joy in the fact that she was teaching her own sister a subject she had for years not expressed any interest in. That in itself made it worth it, so she made sure to pay extra attention.

Slowly but surely, they made progress, eventually landing the cake in the oven, only to start on the next phase of their project.

"Just wait until we get started on dinner, Blakey. There'll be tuna tonight!" Yang grinned smugly at her friend, eager for the reaction she was anticipating.

"That sounds nice, but I don't think becoming a patisserie or chef is what fate has in store for me, Yang, " Blake said from her position at the pot where the homemade vanilla sauce was simmering, whisk in hand, nervously observing the cake that was rapidly gaining color. "This is very stressful."

Ruby had to agree with that. She couldn't complain about her current station though: Stirring a pot with melting chocolate to roll the rinsed strawberries in. Seeing as she had a stack of them right next to her, she dipped one in the half-melted goodness and popped it in her mouth.

This is the best!

"Don't count this out, Blake. This is just jitters you get from being inexperienced. Look, just imagine how you can impress some girl with homemade treats later," Yang said, laughing merrily.

"Girls?" A little bit of surprised colored Ruby's voice; she'd always assumed Blake preferred guys but somehow she'd not asked.

Blake just shrugged her shoulders and shot a lopsided smile at Yang before meeting Ruby's gaze. "I'm bisexual and leaning towards girls."

Yang immediately raised her hand for a high-five. Blake rolled her eyes but reciprocated.

"Huh, I didn't know. So wait, we're all interested in the same gender. I wonder what the chances of that are?" Ruby asked.

"They're very slim," Weiss added.

"So, anyone in particular, Blake?" Ruby asked, before backpedaling the very next second, embarrassment coursing through her. "If you want to share, I mean? It's fine if you don't!"

"No, it's fine. I don't have anyone in particular in mind, I think... the first semester felt like a time to orient myself and focus on my studies. Later though, I wouldn't mind finding someone special," Blake explained, her eyes taking on a slightly longing quality for a moment.

"That makes sense." The topic made Ruby pause for a moment, however. What about Yang? Now that she thought about it, Yang hadn't shown any interest in someone for a long time and her flirty attitude had receded lately.

"And what about you, Yang, my dear sister," Ruby began sweetly. The tone of her voice was very calculating, and she met her sister's expectant lilac-colored eyes. Maybe she could fluster Yang and get some payback from earlier! "Do you have a crush on someone?"

Yang shrugged as all eyes trained on her with curiosity, but couldn't quite hide some embarrassment over being put on the spot. "This is going to sound cheesy," she began, before pausing. "Alright, let me back up. You guys know the reputation I have around me, right? Extroverted, flirty, loves to joke around and tease others, and all that comes with that territory."

They all nodded, none quite sure what else to do since Yang made those traits sound rather negative.

"Kind of my fault," she went on. "Started the semester way too strong and I suppose that left an impression, plus knowing a few people from Signal who enrolled too didn't help," Yang waved her hand around for emphasis as she grimaced. "In hindsight, that was pretty dumb of me, but well, life goes on. I grew up, I guess. Relationship used to be really important to me, so I was in a few short relationships, but they weren't anything special. "

Her eyes crinkled with amusement. "It's really your fault, Rubes, Weissy."

Ruby blinked dumbly, and she saw out of the corner of her eye how Weiss did the same. "Uhm, you're welcome?" she tried, fairly sure what her sister was going for.

"So, yeah, just from being around you two and the overwhelming amount of cuteness and heartfelt love you show each other, I've thought alot about what I want, and now I want to find someone for long-term - not something that'll fall apart in a few weeks." Yang finished her explanation, a rare blush on her face.

Blake looked embarrassed but raised her hand in agreement. "I feel the same way."

Ruby turned to Weiss, catching the realization in her eyes. She saw the same happiness over their friends words, and as one, they turned back and as one, replied, "You're welcome!"

A moment later, Ruby couldn't restrain the giggles that bubbled forth. Weiss followed her a second later, leaving their friends with amused smirks.

"Dorks," Blake commented cheerfully.

"You're not wrong. Thank you for telling us" Weiss said when she'd recovered. "It's humbling to know that we've had that kind of impact. I hope both of you will find someone soon."

Yang smiled. "Thanks, though I'm not in a major rush. I mean, Beacon's a handful anyway. I don't have as much free time as I thought, but it would be nice."

Blake nodded. "That is true. The second semester is bound to leave us with even less time on our hands, since we'll begin to take on missions."

That's right, we'll be doing missions on top of preparing for the tournament! It'll be so much fun!

Ruby couldn't wait to put her new skills and tactics to use and to go out and make an actual, tangible, difference for someone. However, she was nervous over the prospect as well, despite the training she'd done over the years, because no longer would anyone be holding her hand, and she knew that she was directly responsible for three other people, all of whom meant the world to her. She understood that things could go wrong - really wrong. In spite of that, she remained optimistic, because she had rock-solid faith in her team's abilities, and increasingly so in her own skills as a team leader.

"Yup! So, Weiss, I'll be counting on borrowing your notes again next semester!" Yang exclaimed happily, earning a nod and a wry smile from Weiss. It nearly made Ruby laugh; Weiss had folded quickly on this topic the moment Yang had told them she approved of their relationship. Any request to borrow notes had from that moment on been approved without protest.

Then Yang smacked her hands together to get everyone's attention. "Back to work, my minions! Weiss, grab the aluminium foil and put it over the cake. Don't want it to burn and it's not ready yet. Ruby, stir the chocolate with the spoon so it doesn't burn. Blake, same goes for the vanilla sauce! And we need to whip the cream and mash strawberries after that for the filling."

Thus, the brief respite ended, as the taskmaster delegated new orders to her temporary slaves with expert precision.


Ruby collapsed in the sofa, sinking deep into the soft leather cushions, imagining that for a moment she was lying on a cloud. It was a shame clouds couldn't be used as pillows; it had always been something she wished was possible ever since she was a child. Or that clouds were actually cotton candy. If either dream could come true, Ruby Rose would be a very happy young lady.

"Ugh, that was a lot of work," she complained and heaved a sigh. She had learned a lot over the past two hours and corrected some misconceptions she had held, but preparing the strawberries and the cake had also been fairly exhausting. Her fingers were still sore from plucking the strawberry stems, and on account of the hectic day so far, she felt pretty drained in general. At least she could take pride in knowing the mission was accomplished: the cake was done, the berries were frozen, and a small treasure's worth of berries had been dipped in chocolate and safely tucked away in the fridge.

"And we still need to prepare dinner later," Yang reminded her as she sat down next to her, handing Ruby a glass of water. The remote was in her other hand and she flipped on the TV, her attention focused on it as she zapped between the channels. "Dad's gonna love this."

"I sure hope so. I feel pretty tired right now," Ruby said with a groan, wiggling herself into a more comfortable position. She took a sip and then put the glass on the table. "Good idea though; I'm glad Weiss suggested it. It'll be fun to surprise him!"

Preparing dinner later did not hold the same appeal as it had in the morning though. And as if that wasn't enough, she felt full, almost sickeningly so. The combination of a nearly limitless supply of strawberries and chocolate had been too much even for her sugar-hardened stomach, and she felt like if she ate anything more she would regret it.

"Yeah," Yang agreed. "Let's take a few minutes to relax while Blake's in the shower." She began to snicker. "I can't believe she managed to spill strawberry juice all over her pants when she was about to put the plate in the sink."

Ruby giggled with her. It had been hilarious.

"We can play video games when she comes down," Yang continued. "Grimm Eclipse is a lot more fun the more players you are, and Weiss can join in later too."

Ruby nodded; that sounded like a plan. Right now, she just wanted to sit in the sofa and do nothing in particular while Weiss was in her room and studied the company files she'd brought with her. Weiss needed to concentrate, so out of consideration Ruby hadn't joined her.

She didn't envy her girlfriend's task; it seemed like something that was both incredibly boring and not something she'd be good at in the first place.

But... it was a part of Weiss' life, and what the future had in store for her. The fact remained that Weiss had duties and responsibilities - that she was an heiress who would one day take over a very large company. Those were things Ruby couldn't assist her with, never being able to shoulder that role. She knew that much; she didn't have it in her for that line of work. An uneasy sensation began to make itself known in the pit of her stomach. It was a train of thought that made her feel insecure whenever she brought it up with herself.

A frown began to subconsciously appear on her lips as she twisted and turned it over in her head.

Stop it Ruby. Weiss isn't expecting that from you in the first place, so why worry about it? Of course she'll have different skills. You can't realistically expect to do everything for her. You complement each other, and you know that. I mean, each partner have their respective strengths, right?

"What's on your mind, Ruby" Yang asked, interrupting her.

Ruby wanted to smack herself for being so obvious. Of course Yang would notice her moping when she was sitting right next to her. Poker face still wasn't her strong suite it seemed.

"Nothing much," she said with a shrug, not wanting to bother Yang with what was no more than a ridiculous notion caused by lingering self-esteem issues. It wasn't really a lie - just not the entire truth. Weiss' background didn't usually bother her, but sometimes these thoughts would creep on her. Like earlier today. But it wasn't like it was a big issue or something she thought of it very often.

Yang's skeptical expression spoke for itself. "Are you sure?"

Ruby sighed. So much for avoiding that subject. She knew she could go to Yang for everything and that her sister would always make time for her, but this was just her being silly and making a mountain out of a molehill. Ruby knew that what she was feeling was irrational and didn't' even make sense.

But perhaps it would be good to talk about it? Vent some frustrations?

Ruby closed her eyes and searched for the right words for a moment while Yang patiently waited. It wasn't the first time Yang had done this with her. Ruby almost smiled at the familiar routine. They'd done this in the past, like the time she'd eaten Taiyang's cookies or when she'd scared a cat so badly it knocked down a potted plant as it ran away. Each time Yang had seen through her and asked what was really bothering her. And each time Ruby had initially not wanted to talk about it, but then relented when Yang patiently waited for her.

"I just… sometimes I get this dumb idea that..." she met Yang's eyes, "I sometimes feel like I'm not Weiss' equal."

Yang blinked dumbly for a moment as she took in her words. "Wait, I don't get it."

Ruby let out a tired sigh. "Yang, she's an heiress. She'll have a lot of responsibilities later in life. She's from an esteemed family and is rich. I'm just a nobody in comparison, and sometimes I feel like I'm a little kid and she's a grown woman. Like I'm not her equal and like that will come between us and break us apart." Her eyes lowered down to the sofa. She didn't like vocalizing it. Saying it out loud made a creeping sense of dread stir in her stomach.

"Rub-" Yang began in protest, but Ruby cut her off.

"I know that it's a dumb concern." Frustration mixed with shame welled up in her. She didn't want to feel this way, but she couldn't help it - the thoughts came to her unbidden. "I know we're good at different things and I know we make each other happy… but sometimes I get this irrational fear that we'll grow apart." Ruby knew she was being illogical now, but she couldn't help it. Voicing her doubt only made it stronger.

Yang hummed and crossed her arms under her chest, taking a deep breath. "I think I can understand how you feel. Have you talked with Weiss about it?"

Ruby deflated a bit, feeling like the question laid another burden on her shoulders. "No, I can't let her carry that too. She's gone through enough these last few days as it is."

How could she possible do that? She wanted Weiss to relax and feel loved, not fret over her girlfriend's mind playing tricks on her.

"Do you think Weiss thinks you two aren't equals?" Yang asked then, opting to sit on her knees in the sofa to face her fully. She turned off the TV and gave Ruby her undivided attention. Her voice held a sharp determination that Ruby didn't often hear from her sister. Yang was taking this seriously, not blowing it off as a ridiculous notion. That made her feel slightly better about herself. Maybe it wasn't as dumb as she thought herself?

"Of course not. But that's not the point." Ruby almost let out an insulted huff and waved with her hand in exasperation. Weiss loved her - she would bet her life on it if she had to. That wasn't what this was about.

"See, there's your answer. If she doesn't consider it a problem, you shouldn't either. Besides, you have to keep in mind what's important: You and Weiss are together and you love each other. What your respective jobs one day will be is insignificant, because that's not what makes two people like one another."

Yang looked her dead in the eyes, sending her the kindest and most assuring smile she could. Her voice had by now turned into the familiar soothing tone she always used whenever someone was upset. "Having different lines of work can be challenging for anyone, and sure, her job would mean public exposure and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, even that doesn't matter. What's important is your feelings for each other."

She pursed her lips for a moment. "What you also have to keep in mind is that this is your first relationship, and only a few months in it's already more challenging than what most relationships will ever be like, because of her father. You're still only fifteen, Ruby, and you've had to deal with a lot of stress. It's not your fault, it's not Weiss' fault, but you will both feel it wearing you out in different ways. It's perfectly normal to feel a little bit insecure, considering all."

Ruby blinked. That made a lot of sense, actually. Was it really that simple? A part of her mind searched incessantly for a tear to latch onto and unravel the entire argument. Her sister's solution felt almost too easy, but no matter how she searched or how much she scrunched up her face as she thought, the logic was sound.

Finally accepting it, she let out a relieved laugh and sunk back in the sofa. "That's true. I don't even know why, but sometimes the fear that I'm inferior to her pops up. I'm so dumb!" She felt a lot better now.

Like I thought, I was making a mountain out of a molehill.

"You're not dumb, Ruby," Yang refuted, adding, "What you're feeling happens to everyone in some shape or form. I've had such thoughts too."

The revelation made Ruby's eyebrows shoot up, with Yang sending her a sheepish grin at the response before continuing her explanation. "I worried about some pretty unimportant stuff in my last relationship too, like if the guy, Jacob, I was dating would turn out to be a control freak. Dumb stuff that never came true. Maybe I should call him and see how he's doing these days. It's been a while." She hummed to herself as she considered her own question.

Ruby thought, had already tuned that out. Hearing that it was normal to feel this way made a wave of relief roll through her. So what she was feeling wasn't weird? Thinking further about how other couples she'd seen at Beacon, or at Signal for that matter, behaved made her question her own assumptions. She'd overheard her fair share of relationship drama most unwillingly - agitated teenagers were loud - but had until not know given it any deeper thought. Wouldn't they also have felt the same way over something? And their insecurities had maybe manifested in forms that hurt their significant other.

Yang subtly shook her head, letting out a breath as she focused back on the topic at hand. "What you have to keep in mind is that anything related to Weiss' family and the business would be years out. You two have years to grow closer and to fall deeper in love. You've only been a couple for a few months. Don't worry about what you don't have to when it's not the time for it. The two of you will work it out then. So, what triggered this? It's what happened to Weiss, right?"

Ruby idly chewed on her lip. Yang was right, she knew deep down that they had plenty of time, and that what she was doing was basically jumping the gun. They hadn't even been together for half a year yet.

And as for Yang's question, there wasn't any singular moment in particular, but slowly and surely it had been building up within her over time. When Weiss showed up on Patch, it had merely accelerated those thoughts. And vocalizing it had only grown progressively more challenging as time went by as well, like if she said it out loud it'd come true or cause a horrible, unmendable, rift between them. With how Weiss' father had treated her, it had just been forced the the forefront of her mind when the initial anger at Jacques Schnee had petered out.

Ruby again thought about how naive she had been early on, when she had assumed that Weiss and her father could mend their relationship. When Weiss had told her what he'd suggested to her, with tears brimming in her eyes, it had been a rude awakening that had put a lot of things into perspective for her.

"Yeah. It's just… I know our lives have been very different, but at Beacon they didn't seem important, you know?" Ruby started. Yang nodded in understanding. "We studied, went to class and had so much fun together, so I never really considered the responsibilities and plans Weiss have. I mean, I knew of them, but I didn't get it. And now that she's here and I've understood what her father is really like, it's somehow a lot more real, and that made me feel unprepared and really insecure, like I won't be good enough… or not being able to keep up with her."

Yang reached over and gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. "You're good enough, Ruby. You're the best thing that's ever happened to Weiss, and likewise, Weiss is the best thing that's ever happened to you. You know that. You know how big of a positive difference you've made in each other's lives."

Ruby's lips quirked upwards into a dumb smile at those words. "You're right as usual."

Yang winked at her. "That's the role of being a big sister. I've had more time to figure things out than you."

The more Ruby thought about it, the more absurd her brief fretting had seemed. She loved Weiss. Weiss loved here. Nothing else mattered.

Yang chuckled. "Weiss really is something else." She seemed to hesitate for a brief moment, regretful eyes meeting Ruby's. "I'm sorry I didn't see this. I didn't understand until just now how much this has been stressing you out and worrying you. I was so caught up with making sure Weiss felt welcome here that I forget to consider how it affected you. Seems like I need to work on the big sis role a bit more." She let out an awkward laugh. "Sorry, Rubes."

"No, no, don't worry about it. I'll be fine. Sure, it was stressful and I was really worried for how Weiss was feeling, but it's fine now. I'm fine. "

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I promise! I just hit a bit of a roadblock but you really helped. I shouldn't worry over about something that's years out in the first place." Ruby grinned at Yang, feeling that all was well again.

"Alright. And, you know, if you can't deal with it yourself, then maybe you should talk to Weiss, just to hear the same thing from her." Yang trained her eyes into her. "Seriously, Ruby, she adores you and would do anything for you. You make her smile, laugh, and enjoy life. That's the best gift you could possible give her."

Ruby blushed yet again over the praise Yang was dishing out. The suggestion made sense, but a reluctance grew in Ruby the more she considered it. "That makes me feel a lot better, but I don't know if I should bring it up with her. Weiss has had enough to deal with… She doesn't need to worry over how I'm feeling too.'

Yang hummed. "Yeah, she has a tendency to stew on things, doesn't she? Not saying it needs to be now, but just keep it in mind. I think it's something to bring up at the some point in the future."

Ruby nodded and Yang swung her feet back down, sitting up properly again. "Well, if you need another pep talk, then big sis Yang will be here for you. I bet you'll be too busy making out with Weiss and grabbing her butt though," Yang helpfully added with a smug look.

Ruby groaned exaggeratedly but shot her sister a smile. Naturally, this wouldn't be the last time Yang brought that up. Nor would it be the last time Ruby felt her entire face take on a shade of red. "Thanks."

"How is Weiss doing by the way?" Yang asked. "She seems to be in a great mood, but is everything fine?"

Ruby nodded. Weiss was indeed in a great mood. Yesterday had been a defining day, setting the tone for the rest of their stay, and Ruby had feared that Weiss would feel upset or sad and had thus gone out of her way to make sure she was happy.

Instead, it had been the opposite, with their date turning out way better than her wildest expectations. Holding hands, kissing in public and just being able to be themselves had been a fantastic feeling. Weiss had, to Ruby's great relief, been jovial and carefree the entire day.

Like Weiss had told her yesterday night, she felt fine even if she was upset about how her father acted. That was as good as it could get considering the circumstances, and it seemed to her that Weiss had come to peace with what had happened and was moving past it, intending to enjoy the break like she had said around the kitchen table in the middle of the night when she arrived. For her part, Ruby was adamant in making sure Weiss' would have fun during the break.

And what I was just worrying about wouldn't have made anything better. Seriously, stop worrying so much. It'll be fine.

"She's happy, Yang. I'm glad she's here, even if the reason she ended up at Patch is heartbreaking. She… she needed this. Needed to get away from her regular life a lot more than I think she understands herself even."

Yang laughed softly to herself, her features taking on a slightly crestfallen look. "I can imagine. Anything in particular you're thinking about?"

A multitude of small little things came to Ruby's mind. "Weiss loves feeling like a normal girl. I see it in so many little things, like how her eyes has that sparkle to it when she's carefree, or how she's more lively and laughs more. It's more noticeable than at Beacon."

Yang rubbed her chin, deep in thought. "Yeah, she never got to experience any of this until now, and she probably associates Beacon with studies and tasks a lot more than we do. She's always so hard-working and meticulous. It's easy to forget, isn't it? Poor girl. Same with Blake. I still don't know as much as I'd wish about her past, but she hasn't had it easy either. She needed this too. I don't think I've ever seen her smile as much as over these past three days, and not only because of the changes in Vale."

Ruby's expression wilted for a moment. It ached in her heart to think how both Weiss and Blake had been bereft of a fun childhood, but she took solace in the knowledge that both of them enjoyed being here with them.

She had noticed how cheerful Blake was, and just like Yang had, she chalked it up to more than the new laws in Vale.

The council's decision to make a real push towards equality was one she hadn't expected at all. It had made Blake ecstatic, and Ruby hoped that Blake would not put on the bow again when they were back at Beacon, but it was her decision to make. Just like Yang had said though, she could tell that the majority of Blake's positive mood came from getting away from everything and spending time together with friends without a worry in the world.

"Yep, she needed this too," she agreed.

Yang smiled. "Yeah, and it's great to spend time together with her without any tests or stuff like that on the horizon. Hanging out with her and Weiss outside of Beacon really is a different experience."

Ruby couldn't agree more with that assessment. It was completely different since they could relax and take it easy. She needed this too. Studying as much as she'd done since coming to Beacon had begun to tire her lately and now she could recharge her batteries. She finally understood why Taiyang had always looked forward to his vacations so much.

"And you're doing a great job with making sure Weiss is happy, not to mention that I've never seen you as happy as you are now. Best summer break you've ever had, right?" Yang asked, suddenly looking a bit hesitant once the words has lefts her.

Understanding what Yang was referring to, Ruby nodded, thinking back to the the past. She smiled, though it felt a bit forced to herself. She didn't like thinking too much on past summers. Had she not gone to Beacon, she may still not have made any real friends. "Yup, best summer break ever." A more genuine smiled graced her lips this time when she thought of how lucky she was.

"Sorry for bringing that up. I know you don't like to think about it," Yang apologized.

"It's fine. I couldn't hog all your free time, right? And it wasn't bad considering all, but this is better than gaming marathons or spending time at the library in town. I think I really needed to change enough to make friends," Ruby replied strongly, wanting to hammer home that point clearly.

"Maybe…you've matured so much in no time." Yang looked thoughtful for a moment. "It's so weird. You're so different from a year ago, but this new 'you' suits you a lot better. Like when you level up in a game and get new powers."

Ruby giggled at that. "Yeah. It was really stressful, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Accepting Professor Ozpin's invitation was the best decision I ever made! Everything started with that."

"I feel the same way with Beacon, even if I always figured I'd end up there. Alright, let's stop with the gloomy talk. Was baking more fun than you had thought? You looked like you were enjoying yourself." Yang turned on the TV again.

With her mind at ease from Yang's reassurances, she thought back to to how fun it had been. Learning something new was never a bad thing. "Yeah, it was! Thanks, Sis. I'm sorry for not being interested in it before, but better late than never I guess?"

Her eyes idly drifted to the TV. A cooking show was on and the host was preparing a strawberry cake of all things. Ruby groaned, and for not the first time in her life she regretted her habit of eating dessert items like they were the main course of a dinner. Of course, all would be well again in a few hours, but the cycle of gluttony followed by feeling sick would repeat itself in the future like clockwork.

Yang snorted in amusement. "All because of your little princess, isn't it?"

Ruby blushed over her personal term of endearment for Weiss. She could still vividly recall when she'd accidentally said it out loud when Yang was around. Hiding under the blanket like Weiss and her had done hadn't been much of a reprieve. "Well, kinda… I want to cook and bake for her." She picked up the glass of water from the table and drank from it. All the talking had made her pretty thirsty.

"And not rely on your big sis to do it for you?" Yang put a hand over her chest, playing up her expression of mock hurt as much as she could, falling backwards into the sofa like she was mortally wounded.

"It's not that! Not at all. I just don't want to appear incapable." Ruby thought back to the date Yang had helped her prepare food for, absentmindedly rotating the glass before taking a sip from it.

Yang playfully punched her in the shoulder, but her smile dipped the tiniest bit. "Don't hold yourself to an impossible standard, Ruby. I know you've put in a frankly impressive amount of effort to catch up with everyone else and train, but don't be too hard on yourself, okay?"

Her voice was still upbeat, but behind it Ruby discerned a hint of concern. Yang had picked up that it bothered her. Not wanting to blow things out of proportions after just having completed another emotionally loaded conversation, she hurried to explain.

"I know. Like, I don't expect to become a pro at this anytime; I just want to learn the basics and swoon Weiss." She accompanied her reassurance with a sincere smile and a playful wink.

She took another sip as Yang began to chuckle. "You want to impress little future Mrs. Rose that badly, eh?"

Ruby nearly spat out the water. She coughed and gulped it down before it landed on the carpet instead. "Yang, please never ever joke about that when Weiss can hear you. Please." She apprehensively glanced out in the hallway, fearing that she'd find Weiss standing there, gaping in embarrassed shock.

Though I think Ruby Schnee would sound better. Or would Weiss Rose? I don't know! I can't figure it out no matter how much I think it over.

The more she thought about the implications of one of them taking the other one's name, the more excited she became, though she was pretty sure both Weiss and her would sink through the floor if it was brought up around when they were together. But she could daydream about it at least. It wouldn't be the first time she imagined how lovely Weiss would look in a wedding gown.

And Weiss said that she likes it when it feels like we are a family!

A bright blush began to bloom on her face, even as her lips pulled up into a big, dumb smile.

Yang grinned at her. "Oh, come on, Ruby, I wouldn't do that. I'm just surprised I haven't found you plucking a flower and going 'Ruby Schnee' or 'Weiss Rose' by now."

Ruby's face only grew redder. The urge had struck her when she saw a daisy on the wayside yesterday.

She pouted at her sister, and Yang held up her arms in a placating gesture but her eyes didn't show much in the way of repentance. "Sorry, I'll drop it. You know I'm just teasing you because the two of you are adorable together and because you like her so much. It's really cute."

"You're not wrong though. I want to impress Weiss," Ruby admitted with a bashful laugh. "That's one reason why I want to learn how to cook, but it's also nice to do something like this together. I know we've not been hanging out as much as we used to anymore ever since we came to Beacon."

Lately, a lot of her time she would've otherwise spent with Yang had instead been spent with Weiss. It was only natural of course, but it was still different compared to a year ago. Playing video games, watching movies, and all of that stuff still happened, but with less frequency before.

It was so easy to take family for granted, like she had realized she was doing with her dad. She understood that she had been subconsciously doing the same thing with Yang. Now though, it felt important to spend time and show them how much they meant for her. Family was something she should treasure for as long as she could. It was a wry realization that this was all thanks to Weiss' father treating her the way he did.

Yang looked like she was going to try and crack a joke for a moment, then thought better of it. "I know, but you know what?"

Ruby shook her head.

"It's fine. That's what happens when you spread your wings and find yourself. I expected it to happen, and I don't mind. Of course you're going to spend more time with Weiss than before, or hang out with other people. I'd be worried if you didn't."

Ruby thoughts drifted back to the talk she'd had with Yang a while back.

"You know, it's so strange to see you grow up and be in a relationship, but you're doing good. It's hard to do it, but I try to give you space. Just let me know if you need more."

Her sister's words echoed in her head. Yang had made good on her promise and then some, being there for her every step of the way - and being somewhere else out of consideration to give Weiss and her time alone. Giving advice, just being a good sister, helping her prepare for dates, listening to her worries… There were so many things Yang did for her, and it sometimes felt like she didn't give back nearly enough. At the same time, Ruby knew that Yang would've found that a ridiculous notion. To her, giving was a reward in itself.

A smile spread over Ruby's face. She couldn't have wished for a better sister. Yang gave her a questioning look but she only got a broader smile in return.

"Yang?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you. I don't say that enough. You're the best sister I could ever wish for." Suddenly, she was on the verge of crying.

Just like how I shouldn't take dad for granted, I shouldn't do it with you either.

"Love you too, Ruby," Yang said, her voice thick as she pulled her in a careful hug.

As they hugged, Ruby thought back to Yang's desire of having a special someone in her life.

I hope she finds someone who loves her just as much as Weiss loves me.

Maybe half a minute passed before Yang let go, allowing time for both to compose themselves. Ruby sniffled and smiled at her sister. "Love you."

"Yang, Ruby, are you two alright?" Blake suddenly asked from behind. Her hair was wet from just coming out of the shower, and she was clad in a loose-fitting pair of jogging shorts and a t-shirt a size too large for her.

"Told you my clothes are cozy," Yang said with a grin, wiping some moisture from her eyes, "but yeah, we are. We were just having a sister-to-sister talk and got a little bit emotional there at the end. Ruby was…" she hesitated, meeting Ruby's eyes to ask for permission.

Ruby nodded and took over. "I was worrying about something dumb and Yang told me I was being big dummy and why."

Yang chuckled. "Hey, that's not what I said."

Blake looked like she wanted to ask, so Ruby decided to elaborate. "Don't tell Weiss this, but sometimes I feel inadequate… like I'm afraid I'll lose her since she's an heiress and our plans for life are so different. I worry over the future. Yang made me realize I shouldn't fret over it."

Blake nodded in understanding and pressed her lips together into a thin line. "She's right, Ruby. It's easy to say, but you know Weiss well enough by now to know she couldn't care less about your difference in social standing or future plans."

"Yeah, I know. It's just a dumb idea that pops into my head from time to time. Had it been someone else, it might've made sense, but not with Weiss. She doesn't care."

"Told her the same thing," Yang added and raised her hand for a high-five.

Blake lazily brought her arm up and met Yang's open palm with her own. "Don't hesitate to talk with me about it if you want to vent either," she offered.

"I will, Blake," Ruby promised.

"Blakey, are you good at fighting games?" Seeing that the conversation was reaching its end, Yang was eyeing the controllers and video game console.

"Not really… yet." A smiled pulled at Blake's lips, her eyes tracing Yang's gaze.

"Then let's do a few practice runs until Weiss joins us." Yang patted the seat next to her and Blake sat down, grabbing a controller.

Ruby sat up in the sofa and grabbed the other controller Yang handed her. A smile spread on her lips as she selected her favorite character: the scythe-wielding girl.


I hope this chapter was enjoyable. Writing Ruby and Yang having a good old heart-to-heart, and giving Ruby a chance to vent was a lot of fun. The amount of stress and worry she's been through cannot be understated, so I realized that she needed to let it all out in some form. And who's better to talk to than big sis Yang?

In act 1, I mostly dealt with various problems Weiss was facing. As you can see here and in previous chapters, act 2 brings Ruby's issues into the balance, which should hopefully go a long way towards making her a well-rounded character, something I didn't do enough with in the first 11 chapters in hindsight.

By now, each character have a number of issues to deal with and that they're making progress with. Take note that they're not talking to each other about all of them either. I'm trying to capture this sense of them learning about each other over time, and it's natural that, when you're a fairly new couple, you don't spill everything to your SO or even friends or family. Each person will have a set of anxieties and things they can't talk about until the right time, like we saw in this chapter. Some are positive, some are negative, and it'll take time before they can reveal them… or maybe it won't happen at all. Some things people keep to themselves forever.

Writing them being caught like that was so much fun btw. I really love how that particular scene turned out - in particular when Weiss says "No problem, Yang. Anytime." Gives me a good laugh every time I read it. Weiss is growing bold, isn't she?

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