Hello, here's chapter 19. Hope you folks enjoy it. Takes place same day as last chapter.
I do not own RWBY and make no monetary gain from this. Writing is for entertainment purposes only.
Later in the evening, they were sitting in the living room and watching a movie, some sort of crime drama. Yang had hogged a recliner, and like she usually did, laid sideways on it with her feet poking out from one end. Blake was sitting properly in the other one, and Ruby had placed herself on the black leather sofa next to Weiss, who for the moment was scratching Zwei's belly. He was laying tummy up in her lap, his stubby little legs up in the air, tongue lolling out and a dumb dog-like grin of utter bliss on his face. Naturally, Weiss was having the time if her life and it proved to be terribly distracting from the TV.
"Naw, you adorable little thing! Who's a good boy?" Weiss felt a strong desire to hug the little corgi to death from how cute he was being. She'd always wanted a dog when she was a child, so she took every opportunity she could to pet him. Her father had never cared for dogs, so he'd naturally seen it fit to bereave her of that joy.
Just like so many other experiences. If only mother would have been alive longer.
She disregarded that stray wish and returned to scratching Zwei's belly, cooing in delight when he yipped happily. They wouldn't be at Patch forever and it would be months until the next opportunity, a fact Weiss was very well aware off. Hence, she had to use her time wisely. Zwei didn't seem to mind either; quite the opposite, actually.
She heard Yang suppress a laugh but ignored it. No doubt she looked fairly silly, though she really couldn't bring herself to care even the tiniest bit. And if she was to be honest with herself, she didn't mind making her friends laugh, even if it was at her.
She was unusually giddy today too, on account of her entire day being wonderful - besides a grueling training session.
Her idea of making the cake earlier than planned as a thank you gift for Taiyang had gone better than expected. He'd been delighted at the surprise, especially since dinner was also ready by the time he got home from Signal. Weiss learned that summer break didn't happen at the same time for the students of Signal or the regular school, so he wouldn't be home until late on most business days.
Preparing dinner turned out to be both fun and educational as well - mostly. Slicing spring onions had been a new experience for her, and she hadn't anticipated just how much dirt unprepared vegetables really contained. It made her slightly nervous about how the cafeteria staff handled the food at Beacon, something she was sure would occupy her thoughts when they were back - whether she liked it or not.
Then they'd carefully fried the thinly sliced spring onions until they were soft, added pressed garlic, chopped tomatoes, canned tuna, and spices. Seeing the end result had been fulfilling, and in addition it had tasted much better than expected with pasta.
Sitting around the dinner table with everyone and enjoying the meal was very different from dinners at Schnee Manor. It felt nice to eat together without a stifling silence permeating every second, and the easygoing familiarity suffusing the atmosphere made small talk fun. Weiss thought it was something she could grow used to.
Taiyang had regaled them with stories about what the students of Signal were up to and even thrown in a story or two about something funny or adorable Ruby had done as a child, much to her girlfriend's loud protests. What little lingering hesitation she felt around him dissipated quickly, and she was already feeling at home. More so than she'd ever do at Schnee Manor. Weiss had yet to find one area worth anything where her own home won a comparison.
However, that was a problem. For brief moments, she felt inadequacy and envy stir in her. Seeing and experiencing all of this… highlighted how barren her own childhood had been like. She ignored the feeling as best she could, but it was still painful to so suddenly take part. Eating dinner at Beacon was different, because there it never felt like they were a family, but around the dinner table here it was another matter. There was just nothing she could do about those feelings, so she ignored it the best she could. With the company around her, it was thankfully very easy to do so.
Zwei wiggled around in her lap, breaking her out of her thoughts. "Do you really like ear scratches that much?" she asked him sweetly when his pleading whine became impossible to ignore. In the back of her mind she idly wondered why she was talking to him. It wasn't like he could understand what she was saying besides picking up on her tone of voice. Did that mean random noises would work just as well as long as she had the right inflection to her voice? She would have to experiment later.
Yang barely suppressed another bout of laughter and Weiss just kept scratching. She couldn't stop how her face ever so slightly flushed though.
"Oh my God, Rubes. For real?" Yang shouted merrily, startling both her and Zwei. That wasn't what Weiss had expected to hear once Yang finally spoke. She turned around just in time for her girlfriend to pointedly stare down into the sofa, her face beet red, mirroring the deep red blanket she had wrapped around her on account of feeling a bit chilly.
"Sis, seriously, you should've seen the look on your face a few seconds ago." Yang had sunk down into the sofa and held her stomach, silently shaking as she tried to not lose it completely. This time, she succeeded, even if it was a close call.
Weiss had no idea what was going on. She cocked her head questioningly at her girlfriend. Nothing looked out of the ordinary except from Ruby's inexplicably flustered state.
"What did I miss?" she asked, the movie forgotten. The murder mystery was alright, but she wasn't terribly invested in it. She could always watch it at a later time, so finding out what was causing their amusement took precedent.
"Ruby, are you jealous because of Zwei?" Blake asked bluntly then, her voice practically purring at the idea and her cats ears standing tall in anticipation of the answer. Her eyes gleamed with amusement, and Weiss' thoughts were for a moment drawn to the mental image of a feline predator who had found a tiny field mouse to play with.
Yang paused the movie then, and Weiss refocused her attention back on her girlfriend.
Ruby was silent for a moment, her hands tucked under her knees. "Maybe…" she said quietly, still looking intently at the sofa.
"I don't understand, Ruby. Why are you jealous?" Weiss still didn't get it, and her words seemed to make Ruby feel even more self-conscious as she saw how the girl searched for words and curled in on herself. She reached for the remote and turned the volume of the TV down.
"Because…" Ruby pulled the blanket over her face, "You pay so much attention to Zwei, and I want you to do that to me," she explained in a whiny voice. Weiss was sure there was a cute pout, or perhaps an embarrassed frown, hiding underneath the cloth. Then she comprehended the meaning behind the words, eyes widening.
The metaphorical dam that had held back Yang's laughter finally burst at Ruby's confirmation, and her cackling reverberated through the room. Blake's face twitched for a moment, as if trying to restrain herself, before she looked away, silently shaking and covering her mouth as she fell back in the recliner.
For her part, Weiss began to giggle and then it evolved into a full-on laugh. That was possible the cutest thing, most childish and most Ruby thing she'd ever heard! Zwei jumped out of her lap from the uneven motions, and she collapsed sideways on the sofa over Ruby's legs, shaking as she tried helplessly to stop her laughter.
"Ru..Ruby, " she panted breathlessly, "You're… you… "
It took her a few seconds to recover, but she eventually managed to rein herself in and sat back up. Her face hurt from laughing and she felt winded, gulping down air while simultaneously trying to not fall into another fit of laughter again as she wiped tears from her eyes.
Ruby removed the blanket and wringed her hands together. She was still looking down on the sofa, thoroughly mortified. Weiss took a few deep breaths to compose herself. She didn't like to see Ruby so uncomfortable, even if the situation was hilarious. There was just something about her girlfriend in that moment that made her look very vulnerable and Weiss had a rapidly growing need in her to comfort her.
She seated herself sideways and reached out and pulled Ruby into a hug. Her girlfriend didn't resist and made herself comfortable, nuzzling into the crook of her neck, almost hanging listlessly. She'd always known Ruby had a propensity for jealousy, what with how she'd been really upset at Jaune whenever he made a move on her. She just hadn't anticipated Ruby's jealous tendencies to bleed over from her petting and playing with Zwei. Weiss knew she would get just a bit sidetracked whenever the little pup was in the same room, but evidently she would need to find a balance.
"Sorry, Weiss," Ruby mumbled into her neck. Her voice was small, embarrassment bleeding into every word.
"Don't apologize." To highlight that, she stroked Ruby's back soothingly and pressed her nose against Ruby's unruly hair and planted soft kisses on her temple. She couldn't help but to find it charming, as silly as it was.
I love how possessive she can be, and I really don't mind. I like it, especially when she feels the need to latch onto me or touch me. I'm really quite submissive at the end of the day, aren't I? Well, nothing wrong with that.
"But still, that was immature of me," Ruby countered in a weak voice. Weiss shivered when her girlfriend's hot breath for a moment ghosted over her earlobe. She liked when Ruby was so closely pressed up towards her.
"Yes, you dunce, but also really cute. I'll make sure to not let Zwei hog all of my attention from now on," she promised, shaking away the more salacious thought that popped up, and pushed Ruby away from her just enough to give her a brief kiss. Their lips met once, then twice, and then a final time, barely brushing over one another. Once Weiss pulled back, she immediately spotted the difference she'd made.
Ruby looked happier again, though still very self-conscious and embarrassed. Weiss had to hide her smile when she thought of all the fun she could have with this in the future simply by bringing it up to fluster Ruby. Ruby leaned towards her again for another hug, this time on equal footing, wrapping her arms around Weiss with more strength than last time.
Footsteps sounded from the hallway and Taiyang poked his head into the room. "Girls, would you like some hot cocoa?" The amusement in his voice made it beyond clear that he had heard from the kitchen, where he was busy correcting exam scores, and was currently struggling hard to not laugh. The look on his face, with how his facial muscles twitched, only cemented the assessment.
"Yes, if it's not too much trouble, Tai." Weiss blushed faintly at him seeing her hug Ruby, but tried to not pay any attention to it. It was growing easier, since Ruby, despite how self-conscious Weiss knew she could be around him, kept up her affections as usual.
It was almost like Ruby had something to prove, or at the very least was subconsciously boasting about their relationship. Hand-holding, hugs, kisses on the cheek and even a daring quick kiss on the lips had all happened when he was in the same room. For her part, Weiss had decided to stick to kisses on the cheek until she knew Taiyang a lot better. She'd let Ruby have her fun though; it wasn't escalating to a degree where she felt a need to put her foot down.
Blake, Yang and Ruby all agreed with her desire for the hot beverage, even if Ruby's words came out muffled from the hug. Weiss had the sneaking suspicion that Ruby didn't want to look her dad in the eyes at the moment.
"Blake, Weiss, you're going to like this," Yang said cheerfully. "Dad makes the best hot cocoa - even better than mine."
Taiyang looked almost childishly proud over the praise, but gave Yang an admonishing look. "Don't be modest, firecracker. Yours is just as good."
"I'll help you, Tai." Weiss offered, gently pushing Ruby off of her and stepping off the sofa, adding, "I think I need a break after that. You can start the movie again without me."
Since he offered to prepare the hot drinks for them, it felt only proper to assist. She wanted to as well. It was a good opportunity to get to know him a little bit better since they'd never been alone together in the same room. A few butterflies fluttered in her stomach, though it wasn't particularly distracting. He'd proved more than enough that he was kind and friendly.
A friendly chat one-on-one is honestly long overdue between us, even if nothing of importance is discussed. I would like to talk about my intentions with Ruby to him, to make sure I have his blessing, but that'll have to wait. There's not enough time for that now. But I should get to know him better.
Perhaps it was a bit calculating of her, but was there something wrong with that? She supposed that anyone visiting their significant other's family home for the first time would contemplate the same question. More importantly, as the girl Ruby was dating, she had to make an effort to get to know him better.
"Nah, we'll watch some TV until you're back," Yang decided. "Like, not a whole lot will happen in the next ten minutes, but still."
"Thanks, Weiss. It won't take long, so no need to get jealous, Ruby," Taiyang said and walked over to the sofa, still valiantly trying to not to burst out laughing. From her place in the recliner, Yang guffawed loudly.
Ruby made an undignified noise when he ruffled her hair and her face reddened dramatically, prompting Weiss to laugh too. She gave her another quick kiss on the cheek as compensation before following Taiyang out of the room.
Halfway to the kitchen, she looked back and saw Ruby pouting at her. In a moment of mischievousness, she stuck her tongue in response. Ruby's pout only deepened, but it was clear she was playing it up in kind.
Taiyang chuckled to himself as they walked into the kitchen "I can't believe it. Jealous of a dog. She's amazing, isn't she? How I love that little girl. Pass me the sugar from the top shelf please."
"Yes, she really is," Weiss agreed and fetched it as instructed.
He hummed distractedly, seemingly considering something. "Have you ever made hot cocoa, Weiss?"
"No, unfortunately not. I've always been more of a coffee person, though Ruby's sweet tooth seems to have rubbed off on me."
That got a chuckle out of him, a grin broadening across his face. "I would've been surprised if you hadn't. Well then, today's your chance to learn. Speaking about that, thank you again for surprising me with the cake. It turned out really well. "
"No problem, it was a lot of fun, and so was cooking. I have a lot to learn in that area, and…," she made sure to meet his gaze to show him how serious she was, "I didn't want to come across as if I was taking advantage of your kindness."
He reached over and was about to ruffle her hair before he caught himself, shooting her a sheepish grin. "Don't worry about that. Like I said, it's no problem to have you here - quite the opposite. Ruby, bless the little girl, would've just moped about without you. Besides, must be nice to be able to spend time together with her, away from the normal routine of classes at Beacon, right?"
"Thank you. And yes, I really enjoy that. I've never had the opportunity before, and it was probably just what I was needing too. I can feel myself unwinding by the minute, and I make so many memories together with Ruby. That means a lot to me."
"I'm glad you're here, Weiss, despite the circumstances." He hesitated for a moment, then slowly, almost like he didn't know if it would be okay to do so, opened his arms.
Weiss gave him a grateful smile and stepped into the hug. It was a light hug, the kind that came from people who were still unfamiliar with one another. Yet, Weiss liked it. Hearing him say that made her feel happiness, and the hug made her feel accepted. She was very grateful and still partially baffled over how how kind and supportive he was; it meant a lot to her, probably more so than he realized.
However, the hug caused a pang of grief to shoot up in her, because for the briefest of moments she imagined that it was her father that hugged her. What she had seen over her short time here, especially around the dinner table, was the quintessential happy family she'd always wondered what it would be like to be a part of. The kind of family she had dreamed of as a child, even crying herself to sleep over a few times when she was younger.
Perhaps envy was the wrong word though, because she'd gathered that their past had some nasty memories attached to it as well, like when Yang's mother left her, or when Summer Rose died while on a mission. But at least they had a family where they all loved each other, and where they looked out for one another. It was the same feelings that had unbidden come to her when she sat with the others at the dinner table.
If only things had been different… if only father had been different!
Taiyang released her and she stepped away. She smiled at him and he turned around and began rummaging around in one of the shelves, unaware of her inner turmoil.
Weiss' chest began to feel heavy, but she pushed down those emotions, not wanting to cause a scene in the kitchen and make everyone worry. It didn't bother her enough otherwise to pay much attention to, not that being together with her friends allowed her much time to sit and brood over it in the first place, but the hug had unexpectedly drawn the comparison and pushed those same emotions to the forefront of her mind.
The wish to have a dad, not a father. Someone that loved her, someone that would be happy for her falling in love, regardless of that person's gender. It hurt so badly to have wished for that for so many years, knowing it wouldn't happen. In Taiyang, she saw the exact opposite of everything her father was. A kind, loving dad who only wants his daughters to be happy. It was yet another thing she found herself comparing between herself and Ruby.
Because that's what it came down to: an almost comically large divide between what their lives had been like. At every turn, especially today now that she'd settled in, she would look at her life and Ruby's life and subconsciously compare them. From the furnitures they had in their respective rooms, to the house and surroundings… to family. Not feeling envious was thus difficult. Not wishing for the past to have turned out differently even more so.
At the same time, she also had a lot more in common with Ruby than many people would have guessed. For all her wealth and the opportunities laid out in front of her, she was still a teenage girl. She still enjoyed holding hands. She still enjoyed watching a movie, cuddled up with the girl she loved. She still enjoyed training at Beacon, hoping to make a difference in the world. She still enjoyed being herself.
Most importantly, she now got to experience all of that. Her childhood was behind her, but she had plenty of opportunities now to create new memories filled with happiness. What she had thought yesterday about not dwelling on the past came to mind. She should instead focus on the present moment.
It was frustrating and it made her both angry and disappointed at herself.
It's not as easy as I thought it was though. It was foolish of me to assume I could sweep all of my desires to have a dad under the rug. These feelings… maybe they will never go away completely. But I won't let them stop me from cherishing life!
Moping about the past would only bring herself down, making the others worry unnecessarily. She knew that, and yet those thoughts returned to her. Maybe she was also too hard on herself. After all, she supposed it wouldn't be strange for anyone who had gone through similar experiences to feel this way. However, she reaffirmed to herself that the present moment what was really mattered. Ruby was by her side, and Weiss felt welcome to stay in her home. That meant that from now on, she could be a part of it and experience those moments she'd always longed for.
That knowledge made the pressure in her chest ease up, and she felt better again. Her drop in mood had only lasted a few heartbeats, but it felt a lot longer to her.
Taiyang found the cocoa he'd been looking for and asked her to bring out five large mugs, then directed her on how much sugar, cocoa powder, and milk to add. They mixed it into a loose liquid concoction and Taiyang added chocolate syrup to top it off. In the meantime he poured milk into a pot and turned on the stove, then brought out a bottle of cream and an electric mixer.
Weiss smiled. "There's something I actually know how to do. May I?"
Taiyang handed her the mixer, and with some light supervision, she'd soon gotten the cream sufficiently fluffy.
"Since Yang's teaching you how to cook, I may as well share my knowledge," Taiyang said. "I was thinking, weather permitting, that we should have a barbecue this weekend, with homemade potato salad and a nice dessert to round it off with. Does that sound nice?"
He sounded hopeful, and Weiss knew an invitation when she saw one. "Yes, it does. I'd love to help out." Weiss felt her mouth begin to water. Food tasted a lot better in good company, and she was happy he'd asked himself if she wanted to learn from him.
"Good," he replied with anticipation, "then you and Ruby can assist met, starting with the marinade the day before. The meat needs to take in the flavors, so I always marinade it at least a day in advance."
While they waited for the pot with milk to warm up, Taiyang discussed the finer points on marinades with some excitement. There was apparently a lot more to it than Weiss had ever considered. As he talked, she could see the resemblance between him, Ruby and Yang. They had both inherited the lively gleam in their eyes and their excitement for whatever caught their fancy at any given moment.
When a lull in the conversation happened, Weiss looked over at the stack of paper strewn over the kitchen table. "How is your work going?"
He groaned, throwing a mournful look at the stack of papers on the table. "A lot of history tests to correct, but it's going well. In some ways, I prefer it over combat class." As he explained, he began to stir in the bottom of the pot to prevent the milk from burning in. Steam rose from it, slowly twisting up towards the ventilation.
"Kids will be kids," he continued in an exasperated tone of voice, "and when you give them weapons and Dust… sometimes I get the feeling it's a very irresponsible thing to do. They can be quite a handful, but they'll grow out of it eventually and hopefully not cause too much property damage." Taiyang had developed a thousand yard stare at this point. "The insurance premiums alone is a strain on our budget."
Weiss chuckled. Beacon had certainly a wide variety of students and she could imagine that most of them had broken their fair number of floor tiles and walls before their training discipline molded them into exercising more restraint.
"Were Yang and Ruby rowdy as kids?"
He chuckled. "Yang more so than Ruby. Thankfully not too bad though, at least not in that way. They tended to wander off instead, going on adventures and exploring. One time, their Uncle, Qrow, had to go and look for them and..." he grew quiet and uncertain all of sudden, an uncomfortable silence filling the void before he decided to switch subject. "Yeah, they were, and still are, two adventurous young girls who love life. Looks like the milk's warm enough. There should be a good amount of steam like now, but it should never boil. Weiss, stir while I fill the mugs."
He smiled at her, but it lacked conviction and didn't reach his eyes, that seemed to hold regret. For a moment, his voice had held the slightest of shake to it, and the obvious attempt at changing the subject hadn't passed Weiss by. "Of course," she said amiably, playing along.
After pouring the milk and seemingly back to his useful self, Taiyang had her quickly add a few small marshmallows and the whipped cream on top. Then he added a light layer of sprinkles over the cream and wound a trail of chocolate syrup over it.
"There we go! The famous Xiao-Long Rose hot cocoa is all done!" He gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Thank you for helping me out, Weiss."
"No problem. And again, thank you. I'm having so much fun here."
The uncomfortable moment was long past now. Weiss thought back to the moment during their date in the Emerald Forest where Ruby's cheerfulness had wilted slightly when mentioning Taiyang. She wondered if Taiyang's mournful look and that was connected. It was a private topic though, so unless either of them ever mentioned it, she wouldn't inquire. There was no reason to dredge up bad memories for no reason at all, nor was it her place.
With their work done, Taiyang loaded the mugs on a plate and carried it into the living room, Weiss in tow.
She noted that Ruby had now hogged her spot at the edge of the couch. She didn't have to be a mastermind to figure out the reason, letting out a soft chuckle.
Everyone accepted the drinks gratefully, and when Weiss sat down in the sofa with her own cup in hand, Ruby instantly pulled her closer to her in a side hug around her waist, her hand coming to rest on her stomach.
Just like I was expecting, she thought with a smirk. One day she figured she should ask what the deal was with Ruby and her stomach.
Leaning against Ruby, she took her first sip of the hot cocoa, positively surprised despite her high expectations since earlier thanks to Yang's praise. "This is delicious," she said, everyone else joining in on her praise when they took sips themselves. The rich taste was heavy with cocoa, yet not overbearing thanks to the cream. The marshmallows and sugar brought the required sweetness, creating a pleasant, perfectly balanced, mix.
"Thank you," Taiyang said, taking a step towards the hallway, only to stop himself. "There was something else I was going to say... Right, I was thinking about helping you train this weekend. How about it? I'm a combat teacher at Signal for a reason, and since I'm not at work…"
Weiss instantly recognized how valuable that feedback would be.
"Thanks, Dad! It'd be great, and I need to show off what I've learned at Beacon! You guys want it too, right?" Ruby exclaimed.
Everyone nodded, none wanting to miss the opportunity of training with a huntsman.
"Great, then let's spend the morning on both Saturday and Sunday doing that so you can have the rest of the day off. " Then he clasped his hands together. "Well, I'll go back to correcting tests. Just call if you need anything."
Before he left, he stepped over and affectionately ruffled Ruby's hair. Weiss threw Ruby a smirk, enjoying the way her girlfriend blushed.
"Dad, where did you hide the cooler box? I was looking for it earlier," Yang asked just as he stepped out in the hallway.
"In the storage closet, behind the old parasol. Why do you need it?"
"I was thinking we should go swimming tomorrow. The weather's been great for a week, so there's no better time for it." Yang looked really enthusiastic over it, and Weiss couldn't help but to feel a sense of anticipation grow in her. It had been far too long since she last took a dip in the ocean. The little splashing they'd done in ankle-deep water after relaxing on that bench during their date hadn't been enough.
"Oh, that's great!" Ruby exclaimed and then took another gulp from her cup. Blake nodded, and with everyone in agreement it was settled.
"That sounds nice. Want me to fetch it for you?" Taiyang asked.
Yang shook her head and stood up, cup in hand. "No, I'll do it. I know you have a bunch more tests to correct. Actually, I'll go and do it right now."
Not meeting any opposition, she did so and, together with Taiyang, she left the room. Blake rose too. "Bathroom, back in a few."
With everyone gone, Weiss had time to consider tomorrow. She took another slow sip from the cup to savour the taste. The prospect of going swimming caused butterflies to flutter about in her stomach, but not because of going into the water. No, the realization again hit her that Ruby would see her in a bikini.
On the other hand, I get to see Ruby in a bikini.
That though was exciting. On more than one occasion her thoughts had drifted, imagining what Ruby looked like with less clothes. Especially since she came to Patch; the combination of sharing a bed and a cuddle-loving girlfriend made sure her imagination was well-stocked. She could already vividly imagine how embarrassing it would be when they saw each other in comparatively little clothing, though she recognized it'd be well worth it.
Weiss glanced to her side when they were alone, catching Ruby admiring her, her beverage forgotten. She knew exactly what was going through her girlfriend's mind right now.
"I know what you're thinking," she said quietly, training her eyes into Ruby's, letting her lips pull up into a knowing smirk.
Ruby blushed but held her gaze. "Same as you, right?" Her eyes sparkled with mischievous.
Weiss fidgeted with a pocket button on her shorts as she averted her eyes and trying her best to ignore how warm her ears felt. She nodded, a bit miffed that Ruby would so often win these little staring contests.
"Does it make you uncomfortable? Don't you want to?" Ruby asked, taking one of her hands in her own and gently stroking her thumb back and forth. She put the cup on the sofa table and then grabbed the cup Weiss was holding, placing it next to it and taking her other hand.
Weiss shook her head, grateful for the concern. "I want to, even if it makes me a little bit nervous. I'm not used to showing that much skin."
"Yeah, you never shower with the rest of us at Beacon after sparring with professor Goodwitch."
Had she still held the cup, Weiss was sure she would've spat out the content. Of course they didn't! Just the thought of showering with Ruby and trying to act unfazed was impossible to imagine. There was another reason too, albeit a minor one. It hadn't felt right to shower with other girls since she was gay. But Ruby didn't need to do know that.
Weiss nodded instead, rolling her eyes while trying to ignore the blush creeping up her neck. She remembered Ruby's suggestion from earlier. "Dolt, of course we can't shower together."
Ruby shot her a smirk and waggled her eyebrows at her. "Never say never." Then she grew serious, thankfully sparing Weiss any further distress. "So you'll be fine?"
"Yes, I'll be fine. I look forward to it." she gulped, chewing on her lip for a moment as she considered revealing a last little detail. "I... hope you'll like my bikini." It came out meekly and she felt her face flush a deep red, not quite believing she had actually said that out loud. But she had bought the bikini with Ruby in mind. Maybe she was a little bit more nervous than she let on if she was fishing for reassurances like this?
Ruby, for her part, smiled comfortingly at her, giving her a wink that eased her nerves. "And I hope you like mine." Then she grabbed their two cups, handed one to Weiss and pulled her closer to her again, letting Weiss use her frame for support.
Then they heard the bathroom door open and Blake walked back inside a few seconds later. Yang followed soon after, once she had dusted off the cooling box.
They continued to watch the movie, though Weiss had stopped giving up on understanding the plot. It didn't really matter though; it wasn't like this was a masterpiece, and besides, there was something very relaxing about just sitting there, leaning against her girlfriend and enjoying the company while sipping on the still hot chocolate, idly filtering out the background noise of the TV.
Her lukewarm appreciation of the content on the screen was made all the easier by the company. Ruby was right next to her. She was soft, warm and the way she moved ever so slightly with every breath was calming. Sitting together like this, quietly enjoying the time they were spending together, was precious to Weiss, not getting tired of it in spite of all the time this exact thing had happened at Beacon. Something about feeling Ruby so close to her just made her relax and feel at ease. She was worrying too much over tomorrow too. It will be fine. And well, she could admit to herself that she was curious.
She glanced to the right. Like she had come to expect, Ruby was eagerly invested in the movie and her eyes darted left and right to follow what was happening. With a smile on her face, Weiss cuddled just a bit closer and settled in, as happy as content as she could be.
The drink was gone all too soon, and she placed the empty mug on the table. An idea struck her and she patted her lap, catching Ruby's attention. "Since you were so jealous." A smirk played on her lips over reminding Ruby.
Her girlfriend looked very embarrassed before shooting Yang and Blake a challenging glance. A moment was all it took for Ruby to decide, and in the next second was she making herself comfortable, putting her head in Weiss' lap and pulling the blanket over her body.
Weiss caught Yang sending her a wink, making her face take on a tinge of red.
She began to gently stroke her fingers through Ruby's red-tipped and disorderly hair. She liked it that way. It was longer now, and she idly wondered when Ruby planned to cut it. It looked good on, and she wouldn't mind if she let it grow out a bit more.
"Can I brush your hair before bed again?" Ruby queried, meeting her eyes briefly before going back to the TV.
Weiss could clearly hear how Yang tried to stifle a laugh. Turning her head, she found both Yang and Blake staring intently at the TV, playing oblivious. She blushed slightly again but disregarded the sensation, raising her voice over the TV. "She's a natural at it. Expect it to happen daily when we're back at Beacon."
Yang chuckled and gave her a thumbs up, then returned her attention to the screen. Blake gave her a small smile. Weiss returned it in kind, absentmindedly stroking Ruby's hair and enjoying the serenity of the moment.
When a commercial break interrupted, Ruby turned her head back towards her. "Kiss me." She pushed herself up with her core muscles alone, managing to reach about halfway.
Not one to argue, Weiss put an arm on her back and closed the distance, giving her a tender kiss and letting her lips linger for a few moments, until Ruby broke it and plopped down on her lap again, letting out a huff of air from the exertion.
"Love you, Weiss."
"Love you, Ruby."
Weiss woke up and blinked blearily. From the way most of the room was enveloped in the faint light from the moon, it was evidently in the middle of the night. A quick glance at the red digits of the digital clock Ruby had on her desk confirmed as much.
She felt cold and instinctively reached forward to bury her face in Ruby's hair and to cling closer to her for warmth.
It posed a small problem the moment she became alert enough to realize her plans had been foiled. Ruby wasn't snuggled up in her arms like agreed. She also noticed the blanket wasn't covering her entirely, explaining why she'd woken up in the first place.
It also explained why she felt a very familiar warm weight press against her back. The arm she noted draped over her midsection confirmed her suspicions. And when Ruby began to pull more of the blanket towards herself in her sleep…
But it was my turn to be the big spoon! She must've woken up for a visit to the bathroom and seen her chance, the little dolt.
On the one hand, Weiss had to admire Ruby for being crafty and so distinctly… well, Ruby. On the other hand, they've had an agreement she still intended to uphold.
A plan hatched in her mind. She was going to be the big spoon the entire night.
Carefully, Weiss began to extricate herself from Ruby's grasp. It was a slow process, as Ruby was a usually light sleeper and early riser, with only heavy exhaustion enough to change that.
Despite a few weak attempts from Ruby to keep her in place, Weiss eventually managed to place her feet on the floor and unceremoniously glide down from the bed.
She shivered again. Out from under the warm blanket covering them it was definitely too chilly for her liking. Goosebumps popped up on the skin of her arms.
Not to mention that it's incredibly cozy to cuddle up together.
With the heat source gone, Ruby, still fast asleep, rolled over on her stomach to occupy the still warm space. A small whine escaped her, and Weiss had to stifle a laugh.
"Dolt," she whispered affectionately and made sure the blanket covered Ruby fully, then carefully climbed back into the bed from the tail end of it. She moved slowly, listening closely to her girlfriend's soft and rhythmic inhales and exhales.
Without disturbing Ruby's sleep, Weiss found herself positioned behind her, back against the wall. The blanket had luckily come undone from Ruby's clutch, and Weiss slipped under it quickly. A happy little sigh escaped her as the warmth and company she'd yearned for embraced her.
And an arm around Ruby's midsection followed by a light tug was all it took for Ruby to move enough to allow Weiss to catch her in an embrace.
She smiled over her little victory, feeling very pleased with herself. It was just a shame Ruby would always wake up before her. Weiss would have liked to see the look on her face when she realized she'd been outsmarted.
A yawn escaped her and Weiss settled in, scooting as close as she could. The arm around Ruby's midsection found one of her hands. She buried her nose in Ruby's hair, inhaling the fragrance of her shampoo and enjoying the way the strands of hair tickled her skin.
I'm so glad I worked up the courage to ask if we could share the bed. This is perfect.
Weiss closed her eyes and listened to the melody of Ruby's soft breathing. Within moments she was off to the land of dreams.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Ruby is precious, isn't she?
Not that much happened really, but I got to show the team doing something together, Weiss and Taiyang having a conversation, and Ruby and Weiss talking about the beach plans. I really want to show that there's communication between them in this area since Weiss has her issues.
And as you could see, being in Ruby's home can be painful for reasons that might not at first be apparent. If one hasn't had a good childhood and a loving family, it's so easy to feel envy and jealousy. At the same time, Weiss is able to deal with it since she acknowledges that it's natural to have those feelings.
Next chapter: Beach scene.
Reviews appreciated, no matter how long or short they are!
