Disclaimer: All characters belong to Rooster Teeth Productions
Edited by ToxicExotic
Chapter 55 - Parents
The barks of dogs and idle chatter of their owners surrounded Weiss as she sat on a bench in one of Vale's most beautiful parks. The area was lush with green grass and flower beds which filled the air with aromatic smells that threatened to pull Weiss from her focus. She was easily able to discern lavender from amongst them, but there were also roses and a few others. In the very center was a large fountain where people were gathered and happily talking to each other. Surrounding the whole park was a large, black fence that offered a little separation from the busy street outside.
It was nearby where the thing occupying her thoughts lay. It was a simple thing, but the blue postbox still seemed incredibly daunting. She'd been so confident when she had arrived. The plan was made, the evidence gathered. She had her reasons, she knew it was what she needed to do; but even still, as she made to drop the file that now sat on her lap into the metal box, she found her confidence faltered. She would be exposing a huge secret, her father's illegal actions. The moment they hit the news, the man was bound to react. And not in a good way.
He would become a lot more private, and his grasp on their lives would increase. She wouldn't be the only one to face his wrath, since Whitley and her mother would also be subjected to it. Combine that with how the press would likely renew their efforts to gather any dirt they can, Weiss knew that she would not get to see much of her girlfriend. There was a whole lot of bad that was going to come should she go through with her plan, and while she knew the good that would come would eventually outweigh it, she was still hesitant.
So she'd decided to sit on it for a few minutes, which quickly turned into thirty minutes, and decide if it really was the best course. She spent the time thinking through everything. How it would impact her, her father, her family, Yang, Ilia, the company; and though she knew it would hurt every single one of them, she still couldn't dissuade herself. She knew the pain the folder on her lap would cause, and she didn't want to cause anyone she loved to suffer, but there was nothing else she could do. She had other plans too of course, plans that would be implemented soon, but she needed the doubt that this action created.
So finally, as her mind settled on that, Weiss stood up and made her way over to the postbox. It was only a short walk, twenty seconds at most, but she still felt her heart race. As she pulled open the drop slot and placed the file against it, she felt the hesitancy rear its head again; but with a deep breath, she pushed it down and dropped the file. When the loud thunk of it hitting the side met her ears, she knew there was no going back, and even though that was scary, it did offer her some relief.
"Should I wait here for you, Miss Schnee?"
"If you wouldn't mind, Hazel," Weiss replied and picked up her bag from the seat beside her. "I should only be thirty minutes."
"Alright," The man said in his deep voice and turned the engine off.
As the man leaned back in his chair and pulled a magazine on crystals, something Weiss hadn't expected of the man, from the glove compartment, she pushed her door open and made her way towards the house in front of her. It felt weird to approach it when she knew her usual reason for going there would not be found within its walls, like meeting friends of a friend, but she knew she was likely still welcome.
She knocked on the door when she finally reached the front steps, and after a couple of seconds, a blonde man with scraggy hair and a five o'clock shadow answered the door. He gazed at her for a second, and she gave him a smile, not missing the fact that his eyes swept the area expectantly. However, he obviously didn't see what he wanted and the light in his eyes dimmed as they fell back onto her.
"Weiss?" Tai said with a smile. "What brings you here? Do you want me to get Ruby?"
"Actually," She cut him off with an outstretched hand as the man leaned back and opened his mouth to shout. "I'm here to see you."
"Me?" His brow furrowed in confusion. She nodded. "Oh. Well… You may as well come in then."
He gave a friendly gesture for her to enter, and she stepped into the warm house with a smile of her own. She noticed the difference straight away. The last time she had been over, the place was quite tidy; and though it was still far from messy, there was a definite difference.
Shoes were left strewn around the entrance, instead of in the rack they usually were placed on, and a coat had fallen on top of them and been left there; though Tai quickly picked it up when she entered. As she entered the front room to find Ruby laid on the couch, she saw the differences there too. Where the books on the shelves had once been neat and upright, they were now falling over each other due to a number of them being scattered around the room. The tables held batteries and bolts and a number of other things that likely belonged to the redhead, and the clothes were piled on the small study table on the other end of the room waiting to be folded.
She knew Yang used to do a lot around the house, and even did so around the apartment despite the cleaner that came over every other day, but it looked like she did far more in the way of actually keeping things organised and on track over here. Though Tai had not let the house fall to ruin, or even let it become messy, the organization was definitely gone.
"Hey." Ruby said happily as she saw her and sat up. "What're you doing here?"
"I'll just go and make a cup of tea," Tai said and ran a hand through his hair. "You want one, Weiss?"
"Coffee, if you wouldn't mind."
"Sure," He gave a nod and placed a hand on Ruby's head to ruffle her hair. "You should be getting ready for your meeting."
"Yeah, yeah." The girl replied and batted her father away. When he left, she straightened out her bangs and turned back with a smile. "So what are you doing here?"
"I just wanted a word with your father," Weiss replied with a simple shrug so that Ruby didn't think it was a big deal. Just to make sure she didn't push, she changed the subject entirely. "So what's this meeting he mentioned? More volunteer stuff? I've heard you've been putting in a lot of hours already."
"Oh, yeah," Ruby said, seemingly happy to talk about her endeavors. "Just some time at the soup kitchen and library after school. But I still need a lot more, so Ilia is introducing me to Luna." Ruby paused and her smile faltered a tiny bit. "But don't tell Yang that."
"You do know I have no idea who this Luna person is, and would not have had any reason to mention her to Yang had you not just said that, right?" Weiss said with a raised eyebrow.
Ruby's face dropped even further and a nervous energy came over her. The fingertips of her index fingers tapped together as she too realised that she had only drawn more attention to whatever it was she didn't want Yang to know. However, Weiss couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl, so she gave a small shake of her head.
"I will not tell Yang." She said with a smile, only until the girl looked at her though. "You should be the one to do that."
"I know. They just…" Ruby paused and let out a small sigh. "They don't really get along."
Weiss had never met anyone Yang didn't get along with, so that surprised her a little. Especially since whoever Luna was, they seemed close enough to Ilia that the Faunus was willing to introduce Ruby to them. Curious of just who such a person was, she gave a soft hum of understanding and asked a cautious question.
"Who is that Luna person, anyway?"
"Oh, right." Ruby replied, seeming to have forgotten that she hadn't even explained who they were either. "She runs the group therapy things that Ilia and Blake help out at."
The moment the words left Ruby's mouth, Weiss understood exactly why Yang didn't get along with the person who ran it; and she felt herself tense a little. "You mean the White Fang ones?"
"They're not… well, not really." Ruby was quick to reply. "Luna and Ilia are, but the meeting isn't."
"Are you sure you really want to get involved with that stuff?" Weiss asked carefully. She didn't want to intrude too much on the girl's life, but she had to make sure Ruby was sure.
"Mhm," Ruby said immediately. "I like the soup kitchen, and the library, but I want to help people with their problems. I kinda get what it's like to have something you can't really help."
Weiss stared into the redhead's silver eyes for a couple of seconds, and saw a sincerity in them. Yang had mentioned how Ruby's difficulties with strangers and emotions sometimes got her down, so it made sense that Ruby would be interested in a group meeting; even if it was just to help out. And even though Weiss knew she should tell Yang, she didn't want to be the one to tarnish that, since she knew there was no way Yang would let Ruby anywhere near the White Fang.
"Fair enough," She said with an understanding smile. "I will not tell your sister, though I really think you should. She won't be happy to find out from someone else."
"I know." Ruby breathed, and looked at the clock. "I will… after. But I should go and get ready. Blake and Ilia are picking me up after they're done with Ilia's Faunus Registry stuff at the police station."
The Faunus registry. Even Weiss winced at that thing's existence. It had been Vale's response to the White Fang attack that gave her the scar on her face. It had been adopted from Atlas' registry; but thankfully, it had been changed quite a bit. The Vale council had recognised that the organisation held many different branches, and that most of them simply engaged in peaceful protests, or other things that helped the faunus community. As such, the only people who were required to register themselves were active White Fang members.
Once registered, the people on the list had regular check ups and meetings with the police, just to make sure that they were not involved in anything illicit; but other than that, they were generally left to themselves. That didn't mean it wasn't a restriction of privacy, or that it wasn't an inconvenience, since the list itself was public and anyone could view it on request. The faunus hadn't been too happy about that part, but the council had insisted people had the right to know if their neighbor was affiliated with a terrorist group. There was also the fact that if someone didn't register despite being part of the White Fang, they were likely to be arrested and face either a hefty fine, or some time in a cell, if they couldn't prove they hadn't been engaged in anything illegal.
"Alright," Weiss smiled as the girl picked up the book she'd been reading, which had a girl holding a scythe on the front. "I should go and see your dad anyway."
"Right." Ruby said and ran off towards the door. However, as Weiss took a step towards the kitchen, she heard Ruby's voice again. "Oh, is it cool to come over after my meeting?"
"You never have to ask to come over, Ruby." Weiss replied as she turned. "Though, would you mind pushing your visit back till four? Raven is visiting, and that mi..."
"Would be awkward, got it," The girl replied with an understanding nod. "Four it is."
"I will tell Yang."
The girl gave a final wave and disappeared behind the wall, and the sounds of footsteps on stairs told her Ruby had made her way to her room. As a door shut, Weiss let out a sigh and turned back to the kitchen. She would stand by her promise to not tell Yang that the girl was looking into helping out with the group sessions with Blake and Ilia, but she also hoped she wouldn't have to keep it from her for too long. However, that wasn't what she came for, so with a deep breath, she pushed that situation aside and made her way into the kitchen.
She walked through the doorway just as the kettle finished boiling. As she sat down at the table and watched Tai make the drink, she looked around the room. Unlike the living room and hallway, the space was actually quite organised. Everything was put away in its place, there were no dishes left on the draining board, and Tai even quickly rinsed off the spoon when he was done stirring the drinks. That all made sense though, since Weiss remembered he was the person who first taught Yang how to cook properly, and she remembered how good his burgers were the first time she stayed over.
"So," He said when he was done and made his way towards the table with the drinks. "How's Yang doing?"
"Thank you," She said politely as she accepted the coffee. "Yang is doing fine, I can tell that she misses you though."
"Thanks," He sighed and took a sip of his drink. "Ruby tells me you've been spending more time together?"
"We have," Weiss smiled and gently blew on her drink. "It's been nice."
"Good," The man said with a small nod. "At least some good is coming out of this mess I've made of things."
Weiss wasn't quite sure how to reply to that. She really didn't know Tai that well, and had only met a few times, so she was still unsure if what she had come to talk about was even her place to speak on. So she remained quiet, and took a small sip of her coffee to feel the delicious liquid spread over her taste buds. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long before Tai continued.
"I suppose she told you what I did?"
Weiss swallowed her coffee and felt it burn her throat a little, though in a good way. "She did. Though I'm of two minds."
"You don't need to be gentle with me, Weiss." Tai sighed and looked down at his drink. "I know how badly I fucked up this time."
"Like I said, I'm of two minds." She repeated and earned a curious look from the man. "Besides, I am hardly one to judge. Gods know I have done things that would give Yang reason to pause if she knew them. Even today, I did another."
"The difference is that you clearly regret doing those things," Tai said softly. "The fact that I don't is what's made Yang leave."
"Can I ask…" Weiss paused. Her question was obvious, but she wanted to make sure it was okay to even pose it first. Thankfully, Tai simply gave a simple hand gesture that showed it was okay. "I'm just curious why you don't regret it? I mean, It wouldn't mean you regret having Ruby, or your relationship with Summer."
"Wouldn't it?" Tai countered. "Everything that happened with Summer was a direct result of what I did to Raven. If I regret one, then I regret the other."
"I don't think they have to be related," Weiss replied coolly and took another sip of her coffee. "I think you're a father trying to cling to what good came of your mistakes. But by refusing to change, all you are doing is continuing to make them. And that will only keep Yang away more."
"If she just called…"
"Do you really think anything will be different if Yang calls and you still have the same stance?" Weiss asked, and though she didn't receive a response, Tai's face filled with shame. "She doesn't care about what you did, she knows that can't be changed. She cares about how you feel about it doing it. And that's kind of why I came over today. I wanted to give you something."
"Some magical solution, I hope?"
Even though the obvious want in Tai's voice showed that he really wished there was such a thing, Weiss couldn't help but chuckle at the joke. After taking another sip of her drink she reached into a bag and pulled out a card, which she placed on the table and slid over to him.
"I'm afraid it's not a magical solution," She smiled. "But he is a very good therapist. He helped me come to terms with my accident while I was in the hospital. Though I probably should have followed up on seeing him more."
Tai picked up the card and surveyed it while Weiss sipped her drink. She waited patiently for his reaction, hoping that she hadn't overstepped. Even she knew that simply considering therapy was a rather private thing, and while they had met a few times, she was still relatively unknown to the man. However, the silence stretched on a little too long for her liking.
"I really want you and Yang to fix this," She continued carefully.
"I do too," Tai sighed and placed the card down. "But Yang and therapy have never really mixed. The last time she saw one, she broke his door."
Weiss smiled slightly, but it did occur to her that she had never really seen the temper everyone said Yang had. Yang had mentioned that she was very angry when she was younger, and that she still struggled with it, but had learned to be better about it in recent years following everything that happened with the White Fang. However, Weiss knew she would be seeing it sooner or later. The one thing she was certain of was that Yang would not stand for anything happening to Ruby, and that was likely going to be an unfortunate outcome of their relationship for a while. It was another one of those things she was worried would give Yang pause about their relationship.
"Well, maybe I can talk to her about that?" Weiss said softly and drank the last of her coffee.
"You really think you could talk her into it?"
"She does tend to listen to me. On some things, at least." Weiss chuckled. "I can at least try. If you want me to?"
Tai didn't reply for a couple of seconds. Instead he picked up the card and looked at it thoughtfully as he took another sip of his drink. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long that time, and he gave a slight nod of his head.
"I just want her to come home," He said sadly. "It doesn't feel right without her here."
"Then I'll talk to her tomorrow," Weiss said and pushed her empty cup away slightly. "But I should probably get going for now."
"Alright." The man hummed and nodded as he stood up. Weiss stood up too. "I'm guessing, from what you told Ruby, that you're meeting Raven today?"
"Yeah," Weiss replied and slung the bag back over her shoulder. "We are going to be coming out soon, and Yang hasn't really liked keeping it from her; so we figure it's the right time to tell her."
"Mmm, well I'm happy she's still keeping that going." Tai breathed as they walked out of the room and towards the front door.
Weiss didn't know if Tai was talking about Raven or Yang, but she figured it was most likely both. She certainly understood his worries regarding Raven, since the woman had already left before and Yang was obviously attached already, but she really wanted to believe it was different this time. From everything Yang had told her, Raven really did seem to be trying her best to fix things. In a way, the woman already reminded her of her own mother. Someone who made mistakes that they regretted, but who had realised those mistakes and began to work to fix them.
"Me too." Weiss smiled as they reached the door and Tai pulled it open.
"I would say to tell Yang I say hi, but pretty sure she doesn't know you're here."
"I will tell her to call you soon," Weiss compromised and stepped outside.
"I hope she does," The man smiled and waved. "Good luck with Raven."
"Thanks." She returned the wave and took a step back. "Goodbye, Tai"
Weiss turned and walked away from the house. As she reached her car, she looked back to see the door close and let out a sigh. She really did hate that the family were going through such a thing, and really did hope they sorted it out soon. Not just because she knew how badly it was hurting Yang, but because she loved sharing a space with Yang, and really wanted it to not be because Yang was running from her problems. So with another sigh, she shook her head and pulled open the door.
"... be home soon," Hazel was saying into his Scroll as she sat down. When he noticed her however, he quickly began to end the call. "Sorry, Miss Schnee."
"It's fine," Weiss waved his apology away and fastened her seatbelt. "How is your niece?"
"Bored," The man replied in a more humorous tone. "As usual."
Weiss hadn't learned much about Hazel's life, since the man was very reserved, but she had gleaned that he and his niece, Emerald, were pretty close. "Just take me back to the apartment then, and then you can take the rest of the day off." She smiled.
Yang felt the wind blow through her hair as she walked down the street and listened to the sound of people having fun, of kids laughing and friends talking excitedly. It helped to distract her from what she knew was waiting for her just down the street. It wasn't that she thought Raven would be angry, or even annoyed, but she knew what it felt like to know someone had been dishonest with you. The way it cast doubt on other things and made you skeptical of their future words. Would Raven think that about…
No. Raven would understand. Plus, it wasn't like the lie was really important. Weiss may be important to her, but to Raven she was just some girl she'd heard of. She was just being stupid. However… How would Raven respond to Weiss? Would she like her? And how would she respond to the fact her daughter was dating someone so famous? Was she willing to potentially be shoved into the spotlight? Weiss, and even Whitley, had said that everyone close to Yang would be targeted by Jacques and the press, and that included Raven.
While she thought about it, she felt her worry grow a little. The lie may not be a big deal, but the publicity could be. Though most of her friends would likely be relatively uninteresting to the press, there were a few who would. Blake and Ilia were obvious due to their past; but Raven had been to jail, and she was still on parole. That would certainly be something to interest the gossip magazines. But at the same time, Raven deserved to know. Much like how Weiss didn't want her father finding out from something else, Yang didn't want Raven to find out by someone else either. The best she could do was hope that it didn't affect their relationship too much.
She mulled over those thoughts as she continued to walk down the street to the spot she knew Raven would be waiting for her. The woman was never late, so as Yang turned the corner, she was unsurprised to see her sitting against a beautiful, red and black motorcycle. As she approached, the raven-haired woman put down a donut she'd been eating and stood up.
"Sorry to call you out on such short notice," Yang when she was close enough, but earned a small shake of the older woman's head in return.
"Only thing I had today was Remflix," Raven shrugged and swallowed her mouthful. "Plus, it sounded important."
"Yeah…" Yang said and scratched her head as her nerves began to grow again. "It kinda is."
Raven looked at her thoughtfully for a second, her red eyes showing some interest. "Well there's a small bar nearby that we can…"
"Actually," Yang interrupted and dropped her hand with a sigh. "I was thinking we could go back to my place. There are some things I don't really want to talk about, and… well… I was thinking that you could meet my girlfriend?" As she finished, Raven raised her left eyebrow curiously. "Only if you want to?"
The older woman sat back down on her bike and stared at her for a second. From the worried look on Raven's face, Yang was worried that the request was a little too soon; but the woman simply picked up her donut and took another bite before speaking.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" She asked cautiously.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"I just mean… I don't want you to push yourself." Raven said slowly. "You don't need to bring me into every part of your life just yet if you're not ready."
Yang appreciated the concern, but it wasn't that she wasn't ready for Raven to meet Weiss, just that she was worried how the woman would take it.
"I'm not." Yang replied and moved to sit on the bike too. Raven handed her the half eaten donut as she sat down. "I'm fine with you meeting her, there are just… some things I haven't told you."
"I've noticed." Raven replied while Yang took a bite of the fried good. "Whenever you talk about her, you seem hesitant. That's why I thought you weren't really ready for me to meet her."
"Oh." Yang shook her head and swallowed. "That's… well, I haven't really been completely honest about her. I haven't lied, just… not told you the truth."
"Hmm," Raven hummed and pulled her keys from her pocket. "I'm not expecting you to be honest with me about everything, Yang. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate it and will always be honest with you, but you don't owe me anything of the sort."
"I know, but I want to be." Yang replied, and finished off the donut.
Since her mouth was full, she simply looked to her side and saw Raven nodding as she looked down at her keys. In a way, the fact that she had even noticed Yang was hesitant to talk about Weiss was a good thing. It meant she really was paying attention, and that meant a lot.
"Well then," Raven breathed and stood up. "I guess I would be fine with meeting her."
Yang's body reacted before her mind caught up, and her hand came out to catch the keys that were tossed at her. It was her turn to look down at them, a little in shock. It took her a minute to register what it meant, but her mind quickly caught up.
"You want me to drive?"
"It's not like I know where you're staying." Raven grinned and pointed to the seat. "There's a spare helmet in there."
Yang stood up and ran a hand over the leather until she arrived at a small tab that she pulled aside to reveal a keyhole. Excitement ran through her as she slid the key inside and pulled it open to reveal a solid black helmet. She ran a hand over it before she pulled it out and resealed the compartment.
"Are you sure about this?"
"You said you have your licence," Raven smirked and pulled the zip of her motorcycle jacket down. "But you aren't on my insurance, so make sure you don't crash."
The older woman slipped the jacket off, and, just like she did with the keys, tossed it over. That time, Yang was ready and caught it easily. However, instead of her eyes being drawn to the material, they were drawn to her birth mother's exposed arms.
Scars littered their surface. More scars than Yang could count. Most were jagged, uneven, clearly from fights and scraps that had likely occurred in prison. However, the ones that really caught Yang's attention were the straight ones on the inside of her arms. They looked old, even older than her, and from how straight they were, they were clearly self-inflicted. The mere sight of them made her feel a little queasy, so she quickly looked away, only to find that Raven had seen her looking.
"Long time ago." Was all she said. "But I have plenty of scars, would rather you have that jacket."
Yang knew an attempt to change a conversation when she heard one, so was happy to oblige and slipped the jacket on.
"Let's head out, shall we?"
As she slipped the jacket back on and picked up the spare helmet, she gave Raven one last look and felt she needed to voice her main concern.
"Just… please don't freak out when you see it."
Raven simply gave her a measured look, but quickly turned it into a small nod.
"I will do my best."
Yang hadn't felt such a way in almost two years, not since she had taken her exam. The sense of freedom as she tore along the main road towards the apartment was unparalleled. Even a car ride couldn't compare. The way the wind ripped through her hair, barraged her chest, and forced all thoughts that didn't concern the road from her mind. It was a freeing feeling that she hadn't realised just how much she missed, and she couldn't wait to get her bike sorted so she could feel it whenever she wanted.
She turned a corner, her heart soaring as the machine leaned slightly with her body, and slowly ease of the throttle when she saw the light up ahead turn to red. With a gentle application to the brakes, the beast came to a stop and Yang put her foot to the ground as she felt the bike rumble beneath her. Behind her, she felt Raven's hand leave her waist as the woman leaned back on her arms.
"So how is it?" She heard in her ear.
"It's amazing!" Yang replied, unable to keep the exhilaration from her voice. "She's amazing!"
"Damn right she is." Raven half shouted over the roar of the engine and gave the bike a fond pat. "Sleipnir's been with me for quite a while. Took me all the way from Mistral to Argus, then brought me here."
She knew she shouldn't have, but Yang felt a small bit of gratitude well up for the bike she was sitting on, and gave it a gentle tap herself. "Good girl." She cooed quietly so that Raven wouldn't hear.
When the red light turned green again, Yang felt the woman's hand come back to her waist, and kicked off again.
It was fifteen minutes later that Yang finally turned onto the street that led to the parking garage of Compass Tower, and she felt Raven shift a little behind her as he head crane up the building. She knew there would be a question asked the moment she pulled into the garage, and was ready to explain since the ride had helped clear her head a little.
As she came to a stop in front of the gate, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her access card to scan it against the reader. A loud rattling filled the air as the thick gate lifted, and Yang quickly drove inside. It wasn't hard to find a parking spot, since there were more spaces than inhabitants, so she quickly parked the bike. Raven stepped off first, and quickly removed her helmet, but Yang busied herself with turning the engine off. After a couple of seconds though, she knew she couldn't stall any longer, and removed her helmet too.
"This is your place?" Raven asked disbelievingly as her head scanned the other incredibly expensive looking cars.
"Uhh, not really," Yang admitted and scratched her head as she stopped straddling the bike and shook her legs a little. "It's my girlfriend's. She's just letting me stay here."
"Quite a place to just just, let you stay." the older woman replied with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah," Yang chuckled nervously and placed the helmet back into the storage compartment. "One of those things I haven't really told you about."
"Mmm."
With the helmet put away, Yang put the keys to the bike in the jacket pocket and slipped it off. As she handed the heavy leather back to her birth mother, who quickly slipped it back on, Yang pointed to a door nearby and they both started walking in silence. However, just as her hand grabbed the handle, Raven reached out and placed her hand against the glass.
She didn't say a word, simply looked at her, and Yang could feel the woman was trying to make sure that she was actually ready for it. To show that she was, she gave the black-haired woman and a small nod.
"Alright." Raven said with a small nod of her own and moved her hand away.
With that sorted, Yang took a deep breath and opened the door into the atrium. As the two of them walked through, she gave a small wave to Yatsu, who sat behind the desk, and he pressed a button on the side of his desk to retract the heavy gate that blocked the elevators.
"Paparazzi were after Mr Blues again." He said as she passed. "Third time this week."
"Well, he does have a new film coming out," Yang smiled back, knowing she and a few of her friends would absolutely be seeing the new Tom Blues movie.
"Never been my sort of movies," The man chuckled.
"Guess you ain't invited then to join us in seeing it then." She joked.
"I consider that a good thing."
"Heh," Yang snorted. "Well, see you later."
The man gave a small nod, and Yang looked back to see Raven watching her curiously. The gaze was searching, and there was a small smile on her lips that made her face heat up a little, so she turned away and continued towards the elevator.
It didn't take long to come when it was called, and they quickly stepped inside. As Raven looked around, Yang stept in front of the scanner and pressed her card against it. It quickly began to move, and she fell back into position next to the older woman. The silence was a little uncomfortable as they rode up to the penthouse, and Yang glanced to the side to see Raven's hand tapping slightly against her leg. It was a small relief to know she was just as nervous since it probably meant she cared too. However, it only took a couple of minutes before the elevator reached its destination, and they both stepped out into the apartment.
While Raven looked around the main room, Yang stepped forward and called out for Weiss. She didn't bother with the intercom since Weiss knew they would be back soon so wouldn't have strayed too far.
"Sno… Umm, Honey?" She called into the apartment.
"In here." Weiss replied from the kitchen, and Yang saw Raven's head snap to the side with interest.
Upon hearing the voice, Yang moved towards the kitchen and turned to face Raven, who was still looking at the entryway with interest. "You uhhh… You said you wouldn't freak, right?"
"I said I would try not to," The woman replied and put her arms in her pockets. "But it takes a lot to freak me out these days."
"Good," Yang breathed out in relief, then took a deep breath in. "Then we can go in, if you're ready?"
"Ready when you are."
Yang gave a small nod, and after another breath, turned and walked into the kitchen. As she entered the pristine room, she saw Weiss at the sink and slowly walked towards her, Raven at her side. When they were halfway in, Yang moved and put a hand on her girlfriend's back, and the girl turned around.
"Raven, this is my girlfriend," She said slowly and felt Weiss' hand slip into her as the soft blue eyes locked onto her. "Weiss."
She'd expected a little silence, but she still couldn't help but turn away from her girlfriend's reassuring smile to look at the older woman. The red eyes were slowly shifting between Weiss and herself, and Yang couldn't quite tell what it was behind them. It seemed like curiosity, but it held a little more thought than that. Finally though, Raven's eyes landed on Weiss.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Branwen." Weiss said politely and offered out a hand.
Raven clearly hesitated for a second, but her hand slowly came out to take the offered one.
"Schnee?" She said cautiously as the red eyes narrowed with suspicion. After a couple of seconds though, her eyes opened and realisation entered them. "You were at the dessert parlour. Eavesdropping on my conversation with Tai."
Yang head immediately shot towards her girlfriend upon hearing that. Weiss had never mentioned such a thing. It was clearly not Raven misremembering things though, since Weiss' eyes also widened slightly and she stumbled over her words.
"I… I wasn't eavesdropping." She said and stepped back. Yang could tell that the fact her eyes weren't looking at her at all was purposeful. "I had just finished a call. But I do apologise for listening to something I shouldn't have overheard."
"You knew?" Yang said before she could stop herself.
It wasn't Weiss who replied, but Raven; who seemed to have noticed she'd suddenly caused a little tension. "It seems I may have said something I shouldn't have, and should leave you two to talk for a minute. Is there anywhere I can put this?" She held up her helmet.
Weiss still didn't look in her direction, but pointed at the main living room. "Anywhere in there will be fine."
Raven's eyes flicked back and forth again for a second, but she gave a quick nod and returned through the archway. The second she was gone, Yang made to turn on her girlfriend, but Weiss spoke first.
"I can…"
"You knew?" Yang repeated a little more firmly. Weiss let out a small sigh and gave a nod. "Ever since the bakery?"
"Umm…" Weiss fiddled with her skirt as her eyes looked down. "Maybe a… little… before."
"Before?" Yang asked incredulously. "How long have you known she was in town, Weiss?"
Weiss seemed to deflate a little, but she quickly recovered and held her head up and set her eyes. "I overheard Tai and Qrow talking at Ruby's party."
Yang's eyes widened at that revelation, and she took a step back with a shake of her head. How had Weiss not told her for that long?
"But I had no idea what they were actually talking about until I saw her at the bakery and saw she looked exactly like you. Then I put the pieces together."
"And you didn't tell me?" Yang couldn't suppress the little bit of hurt in her voice, since she thought they were past keeping such secrets from each other.
"It wasn't my place," Weiss countered. "We were still pretty new, and you had never mentioned her so I didn't know how big of a thing it was, and Tai said he was going to tell you himself. It wouldn't have been right for me to tell you."
Yang knew Weiss was right. Hell, she'd done the same thing with Ilia, but it still felt like a secret kept. And she was really tired of secrets. So she let out a sigh and shook her head as Weiss' hand squeezed hers.
"I'm sorry," Weiss said softly and stepped in. "You know I would have told you if this wasn't a family thing."
Yang let out another sigh as hands wrapped around her waist and the smell of elderflowers drifted up into her nose.
"I know," She breathed finally, and put her arm around the woman's shoulder. "Just please, tell me these things in the future."
Weiss gave a small nod, and Yang felt the woman's head rest against her chest. "I will." The heiress said firmly.
"Good," Yang replied, more than happy to put the issue to bed since there were more important things to sort out anyway. So she gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head and pulled away. "We should probably go back in there though."
Weiss looked up and gave a nod, and Yang could feel the hand in hers squeeze tighter. She hated being the last to know things that were that important, and since Blake had already admitted to knowing Raven was in town, she really was the last to know. However, she knew that was also something that was Tai's fault. Had he just told her straight away, that wouldn't have happened. So with a sigh as she made a note to bring that up later too, she pulled Weiss along with her towards the main living room.
As they entered, she saw Raven standing by the window looking out over Vale. The woman had a hand on her hip and her gaze seemed intent, but she broke it quickly as they approached and turned to face them. Her face was a little uncertain as her gaze fell upon them.
"Sorry, if I caused an argument." She said calmly.
"Nah," Yang breathed and walked over to the couch, determined to put what had just happened behind her. "Nothing important." She finished and flashed Weiss a small smile, which was thankfully returned.
Clearly Raven noticed the exchange too, and her eyes fell to the joined hand as she walked to one one of the other chairs and sat down beside her helmet.
"Good." She said with a hint of relief. "So, I assume there is a thrilling tale there?"
"I see."
She and Weiss had just finished telling Raven everything about their relationship, including the complications, and after hearing it all, the woman sat with her elbows on her knees and inspected them both over tented fingers. Though she'd seemed fine with most of it, there had been a few moments where her brow had furrowed and she'd seemed to not like what she heard. It had been most noticeable when the paparazzi had been brought up, and Yang figured she was right in that the woman wasn't too happy with the prospect of being in the public eye.
But she was still there. She was still sitting on the couch. And, for the most part, her demeanor seemed unchanged. It made Yang feel slightly better, knowing that Raven was not simply going to run and leave due to what would come. After all, as much as she cared for the woman, it was still a worry of hers.
"That's quite the predicament you've put yourselves in." Raven sighed finally and sat back in the chair.
"A bit of an understatement," Yang replied and crossed her legs as she looked at her girlfriend. "But it's worth it."
"Hmm, if you say so." Raven said and took a sip of the tea Weiss made her, only to put it back down again with a wince.
"You… Don't think so?" Yang asked, taken aback a little by that answer.
Raven seemed to realise her mistake though, and shook her head. "I didn't mean it like that." The woman let out another sigh. "I just meant that you both have a lot to lose from the risks you laid out; especially you, Schnee. Are you both sure you're ready for that?"
Yang felt Weiss shift a little beside her as Raven's red eyes bored into the soft blue ones. Yang knew just how unnerving it was to stare into the pools of scarlet, so very like her own yet somehow so different at the same time, but the heiress didn't back down.
"You can call me Weiss," She said with a smile and a nod, though Yang had felt the wince when Raven had called her by her surname. "And yes."
"You would really risk the world's most valuable company, just for love?"
"I would."
"And if it doesn't work?" Raven said sharply. "Would you give it up?" Her gaze turned to glance at Yang. "Would you let her give it up?"
"I…"
Both of them were stumped, as for all their plans, for all their scemeing, they had never really talked about those two things. Yang knew there was a chance Weiss might have to go back to Atlas for a while, but most of what they were doing revolved around making sure the woman actually stayed in Vale. But what if those things didn't work, and Jacques decided to just remove Weiss anyway and scrap the project that was being worked on? Would Yang really let Weiss give up her company?
And would Weiss actually give it up if that was what needed to be done for them to stay together? Yang knew the company meant everything to her girlfriend. It had been Weiss' dream since she was a young girl, and she had worked tirelessly to make sure she achieved it. Not only for herself, but for her grandfather, who seemed to be her hero. Could she really give all that up? And did Yang expect her to? The answer to the latter one was easy.
No. Yang wasn't going to let Weiss give up the company, even if it was the only thing that could allow them to stay together. She loved Weiss, she wanted a future with Weiss; but she didn't want that future to contain the possibility of Weiss hating her for having given up so much.
"We… don't know." Yang replied quietly.
"I didn't think so." Raven breathed and stood up. A solemn air came over her as she walked back towards the window. "I haven't been a good mother, hell I haven't even been one, but let me finally give you both some advice, because it's obvious no-one else has said it to you." She turned her head back, and the blood-red eyes stared directly back at them. "It's stupid to risk your entire futures for love."
"Wh-What?" Yang asked, confused at that statement.
"I don't say that to be mean, Yang," Raven quickly rectified and turned to face them properly. "It's just a fact. You two clearly love each other right now, but love doesn't always last. People change, even before your own eyes, and they don't always change into people you can keep loving. As mature as you two are, neither of you are even twenty yet. Both of you still have a lot of growing to do, a lot of changing to go through as the world shapes you into whatever you will become. So to risk everything, over something you can't be sure will last, is reckless."
Yang didn't know what to say to that. She couldn't argue that the woman was wrong, because she wasn't, and the only response she could give was one of hope that their efforts wouldn't be in vain. But even then, they could be. As thoroughly as Weiss had planned stuff, Jacques was still extremely powerful and would definitely fight back. They still had no idea what he would do, how he would try to separate them, but if him buying Roman's entire council estate and turning it into a car factory to break him and Winter up was anything to go by, he didn't really have very many limits.
"You're right." Weiss' words came as a surprise too. The fact she would even agree with what had just been said out loud shocked her. "We can't be sure. But I'm sure of how I feel about your daughter. And I will do everything I can to make sure that our plan works. This isn't just about me and Yang, it's also about restoring my family name. If it becomes clear that I cannot do that at the company in the way that I want, then I will do it elsewhere."
"Really?" Raven's eyes narrowed as she took a step forward. "A name you winced at earlier when I called you by it? How can you reclaim a name that you hate?"
Weiss was stumped yet again, and Yang was yet again surprised at just how attentive Raven was to minor reactions.
"I don't." Weiss denied and shook her head slightly. "I just hate what my father has done to it."
"But he's done nothing to it." Raven said firmly and sat back down. "He's only tainted his own name. Jacques Schnee and Weiss Schnee are two different people, two different names. One is what he made it, the other will be what you make it. Maybe if you are going to do this, you should start by not referring to him as a Schnee."
"Wait…" Yang said, getting more and more confused with every word spoken. "I thought you were trying to talk us out of it?"
"I was simply voicing the truth," Raven said and took another sip of the drink Weiss had made her, only to wince again. "I didn't think it would change your mind. Did it?"
Yang looked at her girlfriend and received an immediate shake of her head. Once again, they were both on the same page regarding their relationship.
"No," she replied firmly and turned back to her birth mother. "But thank you for being honest."
"I told you I always would be," Raven responded with a small nod.
"We are sorry that your privacy might be invaded too." Weiss offered, but Raven only shook her head.
"There's nothing they can say that will bother me. I've come to terms with my past, and am trying to fix my mistakes. The people I care about already know those mistakes."
A small warmth pooled in Yang's chest at those words. She knew that she was the only person Raven was really in contact with in Vale, apart from Qrow, so to hear that she really was someone that she cared for made her feel better than she knew it should have. It was yet more proof that she was getting more attached than she should.
"So what exactly are these plans you mentioned?"
Yang didn't wasn't quite sure how to answer that, since she didn't want to lie, so she left that question to her girlfriend, who seemed to have the answer ready.
"We can't exactly say," Weiss said calmly as red eyes bored into hers again. "For your sake. But they have already been put into action this morning." Yang knew what that meant, and gave Weiss a smile to show her support. "When the plan happens though, I'm not quite sure how I will handle my father."
"Yes, well I have some experience in that area," Raven said with no lack of venom in her voice. "If he's anything like my father, which I get the impression he is, he loves feeling powerful. He loves having control, and making you bend to his will; so don't do it."
"I don't intend to." Weiss replied firmly.
"But it's not just Weiss," Yang interjected. "Her mother and brother are both under his thumb too. You said you tried to protect Qrow, right?"
"Not by standing up to your grandfather," Raven said slowly and looked down. "To do that, I made sacrifices. I shouldered burdens and kept my father focused on me. If you choose to do that, then I will warn you that it's not easy."
"If it keeps them safer, I will happily take his ire for a while." Weiss said, and Yang turned to look at her. "My sister did it, after all."
"Aspiring to be like oth…"
Raven couldn't finish her statement since Weiss' Scroll began to ring. Weiss recognised the ringtone immediately, and so did Weiss as her hand shot straight to it. Since Yang was right next to her, she could easily see Dr Polendina's name cover the screen, and the heiress let out a small sigh as she stood up.
"I'm really sorry, Miss Branwen, I really should take this." She said quickly, but Raven gave her a dismissive wave and she turned to Yang. "I'll be as quick as I can, I promise."
"Take your time," Yang smiled as the woman walked away.
"Hello, Dr Polendina…"
Weiss' voice faded as she left the room and made her way towards the other room they normally used. When the snow-haired girl was finally out of the room, Yang turned back to her birth mother and felt a small silence overcome them. It continued for a couple of seconds, but curiosity eventually got the better of her.
"So…" She said slowly. "What do you think of her?"
"She's interesting." Raven said noncommittally. "A little naive in that she hopes she can have everything without sacrificing anything, but she certainly seems to care for you."
"She's making sacrifices," Yang countered and sat forward as Raven picked up the drink again. "The company just means a lot to her."
"And you would let her give it up?"
"I…" Again, Yang couldn't answer that. "That's her choice." She said unconvincingly.
"Mmm." The older woman hummed and took another sip of the drink, only to cringe again. "Just be glad her future doesn't rely on making a good cup of tea."
Though it was pretty much an insult, Yang couldn't help but chuckle. Weiss really was terrible when it came to anything to do with the kitchen, and it had become increasingly clear through their meetings that Raven loved tea. She would order it practically anywhere she could, but had only actually finished what she ordered a few times; often tossing the rest aside with a disgusted look.
"I can make you another one, if you want?" She smiled.
"That would be nice." The woman said, and held out the cup. Yang stood up and took the cup, but as she made her way to the kitchen, she heard Raven follow behind her. "So, are you ever going to tell me what you wanted to talk about? Because I'm pretty sure it wasn't your girlfriend."
"Oh…" Yang said and looked back at her as she placed the cup in the sink and switched the kettle back on. She hadn't forgotten, just enjoyed that the discussion of hers and Weiss' relationship had distracted her for a while. "That."
Raven stayed silent as the kettle boiled, obviously waiting for Yang to speak. But how did someone ask a person if it's okay to forgive the person that hurt them so much? She wasn't sure, so as she went about sorting out the cup, she thought through all the ways she could launch into the conversation. However, none really seemed right. There was no delicate way to go about it, no words that would make what she wanted to ask any less selfish, so she simply gave a small sigh.
"Dad." She said in almost a whisper, but a brief glance back at the older Branwen showed she had been heard. Raven's relaxed state as she leaned against the isle had stiffened slightly and her eyes were slightly narrower. "We uhh… It's nearly been a month, and we still haven't talked."
She heard a sigh behind her, and reached for a spoon as an excuse to look at her properly. She no longer looked as tense, but her eyes were still narrowed. "Then why don't you call him? From what I understand, the ball is in your court."
"Well…" Yang paused and let out a breath as she turned around to look at the older woman. "It's just… I want to know you. I want to be honest, and open, and see where this goes; but I also know how much he hurt you." Raven didn't look away, but it was clear she wanted to. "Fixing things with him while trying to get to know you feels unfair. And that you might think I don't care about your feelings."
When she finished her admission, she looked down. She didn't want to see what Raven was thinking at that moment, because a part of her worried she would be right and the woman would think she was being insensitive. However, after a couple of seconds feeling the red eyes bore into the top of her skull, she heard Raven lift from the stool she'd been sitting on and walk towards the tea.
"Yang," She said slowly as she stirred the drink. "I've made it clear that I don't want anything to do with your family. And that includes apologies. What Tai did can't be taken back by a simple sorry, and him feeling bad about it would change nothing for me."
Yang looked to her side as the woman tapped the spoon on the side of the cup and threw it into the sink.
"But," She continued. "I also don't want you to give them up for me. I want to get to know you as well, to make up for all the time I've missed, but I definitely do not expect you to choose me over them. And I would never ask you too. You owe me nothing, especially not the consideration of my feelings towards this subject, so forget about how I feel, and make up with your father."
Yang gazed at the woman as she sipped the drink and closed her eyes since the drink was clearly to her liking.
"I thought…"
"You thought what?" Raven interrupted with interest.
"Well, you didn't seem too happy when I last mentioned it."
Raven opened her eyes and looked at her, and Yang saw mixed emotions swim behind them. However, she couldn't make out what they were.
"I won't lie." The black-haired woman said and turned to lean back against the counter. "When you first told me, it hurt a little. Even now, after eighteen years, there are still parts of me…" Raven fell quiet for a second, but quickly shook her head. "But, after some thought, I realised that I don't care anymore. The things he did can't be taken back. We will still have to live with it."
"So… You really won't care if I start trying to fix things with him?"
"So long as this continues," Raven replied, her voice noticeably softer than Yang had ever heard it. "Not at all."
"Good." Yang said, and felt a rush of relief travel through her and force out a quiet admission. "Because I really miss him."
As she looked down again, she felt a hand rest on her shoulder, but no words were said. The silence reassurance was enough for her though, and she turned to face the woman. While there wasn't a smile on her face, her eyes seemed lighter as she sipped the tea. It brought a smile to Yang's face though. The burden was lifted, she was free of her self-imposed restriction, and could finally work on her relationship with her father. And though she knew that in and of itself would likely still be slow since there were still other issues, it was something she was looking forward to too.
So as Weiss walked back into the room with her Scroll in hand, Yang shot her a smile and a nod before turning back to her birth mother to ask a simple question, after an afternoon of difficult ones.
"Anyway, do you wanna stay for lunch?"
"Sure."
A/N
Hello everyone. Longer chapter today, as there was a lot to cover. I hope everything here worked. I really wanted to have Weiss get a little more involved in Yang and Tai's issue, and start working to help them fix it in her own way. But I also wanted to show that she understands why Tai is thinking the way he is, and isn't judging him for it. Hopefully that came across.
I also wanted Raven to be a little different to others. Everyone who had found out about the relationship has been supportive of the plan, but I really wanted Raven to be the more realistic one. The one who points out the harsh truths and says what other won't. But I also didn't want her to come across as cold. Hopefully the balance was fine.
But that's mainly it for me, just wanted to lay out a few of my thought processes. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
As I said last week, the space between chapters will now be changing to every 14 days, but with the next chapter being a short one, I have decided to push that schedule change back to 57. I don't want to make the released dates further between, then have the first chapter after the change be less than 3000 words, which it is. So the next chapter, Chapter 56 - Something Wrong, will be release on the 2nd of April. After that, the new schedule will begin.
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crazyringo, Jon Vreeland, Oerba-yun-vex, WeikWriter, Zoro50, The Keeper of Worlds, jm4reader.
Thank you all so much for taking the time to review this story. Your words always put a smile on my face to know you are enjoying it that much, and I love that the list of people I need to thank keeps growing. Thank you, each and every one of you.
