Hello, here's chapter 24. Hope you folks enjoy it. Takes place immediately after last chapter.
I do not own RWBY and make no monetary gain from this. Writing is for entertainment purposes only.
While Ruby went searching for the hammock, Weiss prepared refreshments. She found a tray and filled a bowl with fresh strawberries and a plate of store-bought chocolate chip cookies, then brought out glasses and something to drink for them. She naturally preferred bakery-made cookies, but Ruby had, just like the sun inevitably rises in the east, already consumed those.
Weiss shuddered when she remembered an incident early on in their relationship, when Ruby had tried to kiss her deeply just moments after munching on a pastry. Not even the sweet softness of Ruby's lips had been able to salvage the moment.
She chuckled to herself, recalling how mortified and apologetic Ruby had been afterwards. "The dolt", she muttered affectionately.
After having placed a pitcher of water and a bottle of orange soda on the large dark green plastic tray, Weiss searched the cupboards for napkins and soon found a box full of them, featuring smiling cartoon suns.
Having placed that too on the tray, all that remained was to wait for Ruby. She leaned back against the kitchen counter, taking a deep breath and enjoying how the sunlight shining in through the window behind the sink warmed her back. She could still make out the lingering fragrance of the morning's batch of freshly baked bread.
Despite her having the house for herself at the moment, it didn't feel lonely. It was certainly quiet, but not unpleasant or stifling. Instead, the atmosphere was filled with a reassuring sense of calm, a warmth of sorts. A promise that people would always return here to share their time with loved ones.
She gave in to a sudden whim and traced the surface of the wooden interior with a finger. It was cool to the touch even with the generous summer heat. While dragging her finger across each dent, cut, and old bruise that had formed over the years, Weiss lost herself in daydreaming of all the happy memories the Xiao Long-Rose family had created here.
With silence all around her, there was nothing to distract her, and she could so easily imagine it. A happy family laughing, hugging each other, playing games, cooking food, a dad who helped his daughters with homework, them bringing over friends… Her heart sank as envy and sadness began to peel away at her happy mood. She didn't mean to wallow in her own misery like this, but at times it was difficult to not consider what could've been in her own past, but never was.
I have to stop thinking like this! It won't help, no matter how many times I let my imagination run. Focus on the moment and the happiness they now freely share with me, and be happy for Ruby and Yang instead.
Weiss let out a sigh, idly tracing the edge of the kitchen sink with her eyes and taking note of the small imperfections that had formed from drying soap, shimmering in a multitude of colours in the sunlight. Irritation flared in her, directed at herself. She should know better than to continuously return to the same fruitless musings.
She could readily admit to herself that she felt envy and, despite their best efforts, like she was at times an outsider peering in at their lives from afar. Weiss wondered if Blake felt the same way, or if the problem was with her.
She knew it was inevitable to encounter such moods with an upbringing that had lacked so much in love and affection. In the beginning, when she'd just arrived, that disconnect had been frequent, but thankfully, it was receding with every day. Weiss knew she would simply have to let the coming days bury those unwholesome emotions deep down, until they one day disappeared from her mind altogether.
She just wished it wouldn't hurt in the meantime.
Another frustrated sigh escaped her, the annoyance she was feeling staying strong.
"Weiss, I'm back!" Ruby's voice suddenly came from the doorway to her right.
Weiss jerked, then spun around to face her girlfriend, startled. "Don't scare me like that, Ruby!" The irritation still stirring in her made that come out a lot sharper than intended, regret flooding her mind in the next moment.
Ruby blinked, clearly unaccustomed to the sharp bite - one she hadn't heard in a long while. She rubbed her neck sheepishly, looking nervous. In her hands was what appeared to be a large red item in a sealed half-opaque bag, big enough that it hid everything from her waist and below. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you, but I didn't exactly sneak around or anything either. Were you spacing out?"
It was suddenly very hard to meet Ruby's gaze. "Yes, I was lost in thoughts… and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shout at you like that, Ruby. It just came out before I could stop it," Weiss explained remorsefully, feeling her face turning red from shame.
Ruby just shrugged, shooting her a smile, back to her former happy self already. "It's fine, Weiss. I know you don't like it when someone surprises you like that."
Weiss nodded, giving Ruby a wry smile in return. "Still, I apologize."
"What were you thinking about?" Ruby asked then.
Weiss did not want to reveal what had been on her mind. She didn't want to burden Ruby further and make her feel like she wasn't trying hard enough. Heavens knew Ruby was already doting on her enough; no need to cause her to feel like what she doing wasn't sufficient. The problem lay strictly with herself and she wanted to keep it that way.
"I was admiring the kitchen," she said instead. "There's a lot of happy memories here." It wasn't a lie, not really, just not the entire truth. Weiss couldn't stop herself from nervously fidgeting with the hem of her t-shirt the moment Ruby averted her eyes to begin unpacking what she'd found. Now that she had said it, it did not sound like a particularly convincing excuse.
Weiss didn't like to withhold how she felt from Ruby, yet it was nonetheless necessary in order to not ruin the younger girl's happy mood. And she definitely didn't like how circumventing the truth conjured a queasy feeling of unease in her stomach, especially not when she'd already caused Ruby hurt, albeit momentarily so, already.
Her girlfriend did not question it further thought. "Yeah, it's super cozy. I've especially always liked the mid-mornings when the sun's shining in on the kitchen table and it's warm and we're eating a delicious breakfast." Ruby looked over at the well-used kitchen table and chairs, a fond smile on her lips, unaware of the inner turmoil in Weiss at that very moment. "You know, I used to do my homework here instead of in my room since I would get distracted by video games and books pretty much every time."
"That's just like you," Weiss answered, feeling a tinge of amusement again. Ruby looked slightly embarrassed, which was really cute.
Ruby nodded bashfully, deciding to occupy herself with tugging quite fervently on a corner of the bag and switching the subject. "So, as you can see, I found the hammock. Good thing it was in a bag. Ugh!" She let out a grunt, struggling to free the deep-red hammock from its confines before it eventually gave way and bunched itself on the floor. "The storage shed is pretty dusty and full of cobwebs."
"Indeed. I was a bit worried about that," Weiss admitted. Ruby chuckled, and Weiss felt embarrassment over how much of a clean-freak she could be.
However, that helped to break her out of her unpleasant thought-pattern. "I'm done with the preparations too. Food and drink is ready," Weiss continued, smiling again and feeling better about herself, though wondering if her smile looked as authentic as she strived for it to be, trying to shoo away the last remaining guilt.
Ruby didn't seem to notice anything wrong and honed in on the cookies with her gaze, subconsciously flicking her tongue out and swiping it over her upper left. Weiss found it very endearing. "Nice! Didn't think there'd be any cookies left. Where were they?"
Weiss couldn't help but laugh at that, the last little bit of shame washing away at Ruby's enthusiastic display. "Taiyang showed me his secret stash."
"Where is it?" Ruby shouted excitedly.
Weiss gave her the most stern expression she could muster. "Ruby Rose, are you saying that I should break such a sacred bond of trust between your dad and I?"
It would be amusing to say future father-in-law, but I don't I would be able to vocalize it, and Ruby would probably sink through the floor from how embarrassed she'd be. Or squeeze the life out of me.
The thought was enough to send Weiss blushing herself, making it difficult to look at her girlfriend.
"Maybe not." The way Ruby seemed to deflate was priceless.
With cheeks still red, there was only one thing she could say."I love you, Ruby." She smiled softly at the girl she had been lucky enough to meet and start a relationship with.
Ruby cocked her head, confused. "What?" She narrowed her eyes in jest. "Are you making fun of me, Weiss?"
Weiss shook her head, sticking her tongue out at her. A childish gesture for sure, but one that made Ruby retort in kind. "No, you just cause me to have fun just by being yourself."
Ruby curtsied clumsily, grinning at her. "Only the best for you, my love."
With preparations done, Weiss soon found herself helping Ruby tie the hammock between two apple trees near the edge of the lawn.
She liked the garden a lot. There was a small patch where Taiyang grew potatoes and vegetables, and a few berry bushes and apple trees were dotted around the house, but otherwise it consisted mostly of neatly cut grass that gave way to the forest. A table and chairs were placed so the occupants could soak in the afternoon sun over a late lunch.
Weiss again imagined a very young Ruby Rose happily running around on the lawn, giggling and squealing. An adorable mental image.
"Won't this be very cumbersome?" she asked and eyed the hammock warily when Ruby had tied the final knot. The striped fabric was swaying back and forth, not inspiring confidence in the comfort factor once both of them were in it. It was large, enough to fit two people, but she was worried the logistics would leave some things to be desired.
"Maybe? Only one way to find out!" Ruby exclaimed happily. "I'm really glad I remembered we had one of these. I don't think I've used it since fifth grade, but it was very cozy then."
Next to the tree, Ruby had dragged out an old table that now held their Scrolls, earbuds, books, and the tray with refreshments. A warm fleece quilt was also within reach if the weather would turn chilly. Ruby was apparently determined to spend the next few hours here.
Without further ado, she jumped in, another folded quilt in hand to use as a pillow, and began to make herself comfortable. For another moment, Weiss imagined the same much younger Ruby snuggling up and basking in the warm sunlight. The mental image she conjured was positively adorable, a smile forming on her lips from it. She again wondered about those childhood pictures, making a mental note to remind Ruby to uphold her promise to show them to her.
Weiss climbed in after her. The fabric stretched but held firm, and they settled in without much fuss. It was better than she thought; once they had stopped moving so much, the gentle swaying was actually fairly soothing. The tree shaded their eyes from the sun's rays too.
She wiggled around and carefully lifted Ruby's elbow that was poking painfully into her side, away from her. "This is quite pleasant," she admitted, by now having found a comfortable position as she laid on her back, head on her half of the quilt. Due to gravity, Ruby was laying sideways against her, subtly pressing towards her form, one hand lazily draped over her midsection.
Yes, this is definitely not bad.
"Better than studying away at your home?" The inflection of Ruby's voice made it abundantly clear she was fishing for praise. While she spoke, Ruby busied herself by gently rubbing the exposed skin where Weiss' t-shirt had ridden up to reveal her stomach, mixing it up with using her nails to trail the contours of the subtly defined muscles underneath. Weiss was glad she had never been very ticklish, else Ruby's pastime would've been problematic.
"Of course, you dolt." Weiss craned her head and managed to reach just far enough for a quick kiss to Ruby's forehead. She wasn't going to correct Ruby concerning 'home', as little as that term befitted Schnee Manor. When she pulled away, she instead said, "I haven't felt as relaxed and well-rested as I have for the last week in years. An hour or two of reading company reports per day isn't anything to consider in the grand scheme of things."
Weiss turned around so she was laying sideways and being able to look at her girlfriend. Now she just needed to actually study too, but a few more minutes of lazing around wouldn't matter.
Ruby nodded sagely. "Everyone needs a break, Weiss. Remember how much I struggled just after we met to make you realize that?" Her eyes held a fond gleam in them.
The memories of those early day made a smile pull at Weiss' lips. "Yes, I've learned that now. Now that I'm no longer striving to be perfect, I can afford to take a break without feeling bad over it." She winched. "Honestly, I'm not sure what I was even thinking back then. I was such a self-centered brat it's amazing you fell for me instead of smacking me. I certainly would want to give my old self a good kick."
She felt a familiar shame creep up in her when she again recalled how she'd acted during the first few days at Beacon. A part of her wished she could go back in time and redo those days, but on the other hand… it had led to plenty of wonderful things.
Ruby giggled and patted her arm. "Well, it all began when you gave me that cup of coffee late one night and showed me a much more caring side of you. After that, you began to mellow out and turned extra pretty, cuddly and cute."
Weiss felt her face grow warm from the praise. Apologizing hadn't been something she had been used to, but after Professor Port's lecture, it had felt liberating once she had gotten it over with. The shame had faded away the second Ruby had given her a small half-nervous, half-elated, smile, forgiving her instantly.
In addition, the girl staying up late studying was cute and had held this charming sense of innocence, making it even easier to do so. Even back then, Weiss had inexplicably been drawn towards the sweet, a little awkward, and innocent-looking girl before she consciously realized she was pining for her. Her attraction had certainly offered plenty of motivation to reconsider her disposition towards most things in life, both consciously and subconsciously.
Right in front of her, Ruby held a soft smile, her lips upturned in that particular way they did whenever she was lost in happy memories. Undoubtedly, she was thinking about their times together.
Innocent-looking is the perfect word to describe Ruby. Though, despite first looks, it turned out that Ruby's quite the pervert. And it's probably my fault too. The longer we've been together the more curious and forward she's become… it's really flattering, isn't it? I make her feel that way. I make her desire me.
She quickly pushed the thought away before her imagination began to run wild and Ruby would notice her blushing. It was particularly easy for her cheeks to flare up when she was looking right at the source of her desire while imagining Ruby pressed up against her, wearing nothing at all.
Weiss swallowed to alleviate her suddenly dry throat, intent on steering her mind away from those less than wholesome - but oh so tempting - shores. "Speaking about Beacon, we will have several difficult subjects to study next semester, so I'm honestly relieved I'm taking it comparatively easy."
Ruby made a disgusted noise, scrunching her nose cutely at the displeasing thought. "Ugh, don't remind me. I mean, I enjoy learning new things, and now that I've caught up with everyone else, I want to keep myself in the top twenty percent of class, but I would never study on a break. Some things just aren't meant to happen." The last sentence carried a clear tone of faked sadness and regret.
"Studying at Beacon is nice though, isn't it?" Weiss countered, fondly remembering the many hours they had spent together. "Either the two of us would always sit on my bed together, or we'd be in the library with Yang and Blake, and JNPR from time to time. It's not bad. There is, to me at least, always this sense that we are accomplishing something important."
Learning new things was fun, and Weiss had always taken a lot of pride in intellectual accomplishments. It was perhaps a bit childish of her, but she couldn't help but to feel giddy when she received top marks. When she was younger, she'd studied extra to surprise her tutors when the mood struck. Though, having friends around though, while at times a distraction and source of frustration, was still infinitely more enjoyable than the monotony of sitting alone as the hours drifted by.
And all the hours Ruby and I spent together, slowly learning more about each other through small talk. We were both so unsure, hesitant and not really knowing what we were doing, except that we wanted to stay close together.
Warmth and fondness suffused her entire being as she thought back to several snippets of conversations they'd held as they buried their noses in books, tested each other's memorization, wrote essays, or searched the computers for information.
"No, I guess it isn't bad at all," Ruby agreed, squeezing her hand, her other laying still on her waist. "It gives the day structure and a goal to strive towards. But I needed this break. It was pretty exhausting to catch up to everyone else, and all the exams the final week was a nightmare. I'm glad I had you to help me out, Weiss." She leaned forward, smiling softly at her and planted a kiss on Weiss' lips. "Thanks."
"It was my pleasure." Even to herself, Weiss thought she sounded quite smug. She brushed their lips together once more, unable to resist the invitation to kiss her girlfriend. She closed her eyes and let her lips linger for a few seconds, feeling the contours of Ruby's lips as they stayed connected, their breath intermingling.
Ruby broke first, moving her lips to get a final kiss in before pulling back. She laid down with her head on the quilt again and looked positively lovely to Weiss. There was this happy gleam in her eyes that enhanced her beauty and made Weiss want to shower her in affection.
"There's also our training with JNPR to look forward to," Weiss reminded her.
"Yup, it's gonna be fun! I want to try to win over Yang sometime, but I don't think it's going to happen. She's just too good." Ruby pouted slightly and huffed.
Maybe Ruby would never be able to beat Yang in melee, but Weiss thought the initiative was an excellent idea from Ruby, since she'd never been well-versed in hand-to-hand combat, preferring to reply on glyphs and her rapier. Having a tentative grasp of the basics had in turn been beneficial for the training they'd done here on Patch in preparation for the Vytal Festival tournament that would take place in a few months time.
"What do you plan next when it comes to that?" Weiss asked.
Ruby looked enthusiastic over having been asked. "I was thinking we should start using our weapons again when we train with the others, but try to incorporate what we've learned about hand-to-hand combat into that. Sounds good? It's nothing advanced or so, but I feel that since every one of us has such a varied background when it comes to techniques, continuing to practicing the basics and learning from each other is super important. We need to be more flexible and learn to adapt to changing circumstances quickly." Her forehead creased in thought as she considered her planning.
The idea made a lot of sense, particularly in light of time constraints and the necessary recovery period afterwards. It was difficult to learn in-depth from someone else besides one's own partner, so a balance needed to be found.
"Yes, it does," Weiss agreed, noting with some satisfaction how happy her approval made Ruby look. "It may just give us an edge in the tournament, and the training we've done while we're here will be a nice little boost."
"Great! We'll check with Yang and Blake later, but I don't think they will have any objections." Ruby hummed, adding after a moment, "We should ask dad if there's anything else we've missed, just to be sure."
"That is a good idea. But would you mind if we have the last few days of next week off from even training, so we get to relax completely?" Weiss asked. "I'd like that a lot."
Ruby grinned at her. "Yup, was thinking we'd do that anyway! We need to be well-rested before we go back. I'll have a chance to do some maintenance on Crescent Rose too. Dad was going to send me spare parts but didn't get around to it, so now that I'm here, I may as well strip her down and service her."
Weiss tried to stifle a laugh but failed. Maybe she'd spent too much time around Yang, or her new curiosity was finally getting the better of her, but it was impossible to hold it in and she began to laugh, curling in on herself as she tried to breathe.
Lying next to her, Ruby appeared completely oblivious to what she had just said. "What?" She looked so puzzled, and it only triggered Weiss to laugh even more, swaying the hammock.
"Give me a-a," Weiss took a deep breath, "a few moments," she manages to get out eventually.
She nearly started back up again when Ruby gave her a pout and crossed her arms over her chest, holding a particularly endearing miffed look.
"What's so funny, Weiss? I'm missing out!" Ruby whined.
"Should I be worried that you're referring to Crescent Rose as 'her' and planning to, I quote, 'strip her down and service her'? I might get jealous, you know," Weiss teased, winking at her. The way her face immediately flushed spoiled it somewhat, but it was certainly an improvement from when she wouldn't even have been able to vocalize something of the sort.
Ruby's face took on a nice red hue and Weiss was beginning to see why Yang found teasing her sister with innuendos to be such a great source of entertainment.
However, Ruby Rose was not one to admit defeat and had both a competitive streak and a will to persevere. In the moment, Weiss had forgotten to account for that.
"Don't you mean envious?" Ruby retorted and winked at her, sending Weis's composure into tatters.
"I'm sure I can handle it," she managed to get out, lacking a suitable retort that caused Ruby to giggle.
After she'd calmed down, a thought struck Weiss. She would've studied most of her break, but what would Ruby have done? "Ruby, going back to what we talked about before we moved out here, what would you have spent the break doing if I hadn't been here?"
Ruby's face took on an odd look, turning momentarily gloomy before she smoothed out her expression, though still being visibly tense. "I would've spent all my time with Yang and Blake, and that would've been super fun, don't get me wrong, but…" her voice quieted down,"it wouldn't have been the same without you, Weiss." She looked down, staring into the fabric of the hammock.
"Nor would it have been the same without you, Ruby," Weiss gently replied, unsure how to best approach the sudden shift in her girlfriend's demeanor. Flattered for sure, but there was a sense that something wasn't right. She didn't like it at all.
Ruby nodded, but was otherwise quiet. Weiss reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it slowly back and forth to comfort her. She wasn't sure of why, but she was beginning to regret asking her question.
It took a moment for Weiss to realize that Ruby was shaking. It started as a slight tremble that could've been a figment of her imagination, but then it escalated. Looking at her girlfriend, she saw how her eyes were suddenly misty, with tears threatening to spill forth. Alarm shot through her and she instinctively pulled Ruby into a hug. Her girlfriend crawled even closer and promptly deposited herself on top of her, burrowing her face into the crook of her neck. Soft sobs escaped her and Weiss felt the wetness of tears against her skin.
"Ruby, what's wrong?" she asked in the most collected tone she could muster, making sure to keep the panic she felt from colouring her question. She gently stroked Ruby's back soothingly, trying her best to comfort her.
A sniffle came from below her neck, and Ruby's warm breath ghosted across her skin. The trembling quieted down until, after a few deep, shaky breaths, Ruby recovered and lay still in her arms and sniffled repeatedly.
"Nothing," was the feeble reply the came forth.
The response tugged at Weiss' heartstrings and she tightened the hug. "Nothing doesn't make you cry. Please tell me what's wrong," she pleaded.
I'm not letting her out of my grip until I know she's alright. What is going on? I don't get it at all!
Keeping Ruby close with one arm, Weiss carefully ran her nails through her girlfriend's red-tipped hair. A ball of anxiety rapidly grew in her stomach with each passing moment. She'd never seen Ruby like this before. In one moment they'd talked like they did everyday, and in the next she had turned into a crying mess. Weiss was still in complete bewilderment as to what had caused it.
"If you have nothing of some things, like food, it does." Ruby's reply came from her general neck region, trying, and failing, to sound cheerful.
"Shush, don't play dense. What's the matter?" Weiss prodded, momentarily feeling like a mother comforting a small child and almost finding it amusing, before the icy feeling of distress took over once again.
Her girlfriend had calmed down noticeably by now. Ruby's breathing was even, her shaking had stopped, and the sniffles were not as frequent. Weiss felt no new tears against her skin either, though the wetness from the ones already shed lingered. She didn't like that feeling at all.
Ruby raised herself enough so their eyes met, using her hands as support. Weiss heart ached at what she saw. Ruby had only cried for a few seconds but her eyes were already red and puffy. She reached out with a hand and slowly, gently, wiped the moisture away while she waited for her girlfriend to speak.
Ruby sniffled again and swallowed audibly. "Sorry, I just got very emotional all of sudden."
"I can see that," Weiss said and sent Ruby a smile she hoped would lift her spirits. On the inside, she still did not have the faintest idea what had caused all of this. What was going on? She couldn't think of anything she'd said to cause this reaction. She was here, and Ruby was happy. "What made you cry?"
Ruby swung a leg over Weiss' own so she could lay more comfortable, opting to use her body as a pillow, her head resting just above her chest. Weiss continued to play with Ruby's hair, stroking soothingly over the soft strands and holding her close.
"I'm just… really happy," Ruby began quitely. "It's the best summer break I've ever had in my life. You're here, and I don't think I can explain how much that means. It just hit me that this is the first summer I've had people besides my sister to spend time with like this."
It clicked in Weiss' mind then. Her conversation with Yang two weeks ago came to mind. Ruby had never had real friends before Beacon. She felt fairly dumb for not having caught on, but in her defense, she had been quite alarmed. Crying out of happiness wasn't something she'd ever done either.
"But you would've had Blake even if I hadn't been here," Weiss replied, only to mentally chastise herself for the useless comment. That wasn't what this was about!
Ruby sighed and craned her neck to look at her home. "Yeah, I know. She's a really good friend, but it wouldn't have been the same even then. All I could think off during last Friday and Saturday was how I missed you. It just… didn't feel right without you next to me. I was lonely. We've spent so much time together it was like there was a hole in my heart that couldn't be fixed. I hated that you were away from me and wouldn't get to relax and have fun."
A lonely childhood… Ruby had more people around her, but she still suffered. We're a lot more alike than either of us think, aren't we?
It always came back to this. Despite their circumstances in life being so different, so much so that realistically they should have nothing in common, it time and time again turned out that they were more similar to each other than either of them probably understood. Weiss realized that this at least partially explained how such two seemingly different people had been able to maintain a relationship.
She wanted to bring up Ruby's past and help her talk about her emotions and the pain she had kept hidden, but there was one thing she needed to say first. She kept her gaze locked with Ruby's as she spoke, despite the awkward angle. "Ruby, I love you. I know I say that daily and that it might at times seem like it's one of those things one say just because it's appropriate in the moment, but I mean it each time. I love you."
And I'm going to do my absolute best to make sure you're happy.
Ruby's eyes began to water, her frame trembling again as she tried to reply but failed, only a string of stuttered sounds coming out. Weiss quickly coaxed Ruby close enough to kiss her, intent on not letting go until her girlfriend had calmed down.
Due to the motion and sway of their perch, Weiss' first kiss missed the mark and met the edge of Ruby's lips. There was a salt quality to it from when a tear had passed by.
The next kiss didn't miss, and Weiss kept their lips sealed, moving in a languid pace. She placed her other hand on Ruby's neck, soothingly rubbing circles with her thumb.
At first Ruby didn't respond, but then she began to return the affections. Weiss smiled into the kiss, reassured that her plan had worked. One hand dug into her t-shirt and Ruby pressed herself closer to seek comfort. The hammock swayed gently from the motions.
Breaking the kiss, with her arms still wrapped around Ruby, Weiss pulled her girlfriend into another tight embrace. She kissed Ruby's temple and closed her eyes, taking a slow breath as she rubbed her girlfriend's back to dispel her distress.
Rubys' progressively quieter, steady breaths were calming and reassured Weiss she was recovering. "Feeling better?" Weiss asked after a minute.
"Yeah, I think I've cried enough," Ruby replied, letting out a slightly wheezing laugh over her own behavior. Their eyes met and Weiss' heart ached when she got another good look at Ruby's tear-streaked face, eyes still shimmering with unshed tears. "I'm not used to crying like this. I'm just so grateful I met you, and it became too much." She waved one hand around to emphasis her explanation.
Weiss gently began to wipe away the stray tears with her hand. "I can say the same about you. It's okay to cry more if you want to. I'll be here for you," she whispered, continuing to run soft patterns over Ruby's back.
Ruby shot her a smile that seemed much more genuine and shook her head slowly. "No, I'm fine. Thanks, Weiss. I'm so happy I have you."
Weiss felt proud over herself for being able to be a pillar of strength in a moment when Ruby needed support and reassurance. Unlike at Beacon, where all too often she'd found herself to be the weak link in their relationship.
She took a deep breath, deciding to reveal something that maybe she shouldn't, but that would show Ruby that she understood her better than she thought. Maybe it would be good for them to kickstart the subject like she planned. They didn't talk too often about the bad things in life, so this would be a chance for them both to get to the heart of the loneliness they'd both experienced as children.
"I'm really happy too, and this is the best break I've ever had in my life thanks to you. I can't thank you enough for that, or for how you've supported me and looked out for me since I arrived. Cookie-munching scythe-wielding knight is a pretty good description of you, you know," she began.
Ruby looked sufficient embarrassed. Weiss saw how her eyes twitched like they wanted to dart away, but her girlfriend kept their eyes locked.
Weiss continued her explanation, encouraged by Ruby's response. She just hoped that what she would say next wouldn't bring her down again. "I already knew that the breaks weren't the best memories you've ever had either. I knew you were lonely..." Just saying, or even thinking about it Ruby feeling lonely made her heart sink.
Ruby's eyebrows rose up, a multitude of emotions colouring her face. "You know?" she asked somewhat meekly.
Weiss nodded, smiling reassuringly at her, taking note of how it seemed to make Ruby perk up slightly, despite the somber words. For other couples, talking about their respective childhood was a breeze, but they were different - a fact she was keenly aware of. Now she just had to be the strong one.
She hadn't spoken much about her own childhood for obvious reasons, and Ruby had never talked in much detail of hers besides a few things that involved Taiyang or Yang. Had she been more socially developed, or at least had more experience with friends, Weiss suspected she would've probably figured out why Ruby was so quiet about it, before Yang told her.
Weiss tried for some humour next. "Well, you just revealed it yourself not five minutes ago."
It didn't quite hit the mark, as Ruby wiggled around nervously. "Oh… yeah. I… have kinda kept that from you. Sorry." Her face fell again, and she looked like she had done something bad. Weiss bit her lip. "I was never good with making friends and never felt like I fit in. But you said you knew before that?"
Weiss nodded, recalling how shocked she'd been herself when it was divulged to her. She decided to go for bluntness next. "Yes, Yang told me. I'll explain that in a bit, but just stop that train of thought you're having, Ruby. I understand such a subject is quite unpleasant to bring up; I haven't been particularly forthcoming with my childhood either.'
Ruby sighed. "I know… it's difficult, I get that, but I still wish I had told you. It was just… I felt so… inadequate."
Weiss knew that feeling all too well, and it further cemented her decision on how to best approach the bitter memories. When it came to interacting with her fellow peers at Beacon, the first days had shown her in no uncertain terms her own failings and that of her past way of life. For Ruby, it was different in the specifics, but Weiss was certain it was similar enough that she had a fairly good understanding of how her girlfriend felt.
"It wasn't easy," she stated, continuing to stroke Ruby's back soothingly.
Ruby nodded and let out a tired sigh. "No, it wasn't. It wasn't like I was crying or anything when I sat at home. I mean, I had Yang, Zwei and... dad there, so I wasn't alone, but I couldn't help but feel envious when I was in school or saw my classmates in Patch."
From that brief pause, Weiss got another piece of the puzzle about what she suspected was some kind of trauma between Ruby and Taiyang. The problem was that the puzzle piece didn't help her at all, but she made a mental note to consider it in more detail later. Now wasn't the time to bring up even more potentially sorrowful memories though. It was also reassuring that it was in the past. On plenty of occasions she'd seen first-hand how tight-knitted this family was and how much they loved each other. Whatever happened in the past did not linger to sour what they now had.
Before she could speak though, Ruby spoke up again. "When other kids my age were out playing with friends, I was playing video games, reading books, or working on Crescent Rose. Nobody asked me to hang out with them, and when I tried to invite people home I only got noncommittal replies that later fell through." As the words spilled out, Weiss could clearly hear the underlying frustration and disappointment Ruby was feeling over the memories. "Even if they did sometimes invite me to something, like a class-wide birthday celebration, I always knew that they didn't care about if I showed up or not. I was just the shy, awkward, nerd in class they had to invite or get an earful from their parents. When I entered Beacon, I tried to make an effort to keep in touch with my old classmates, the ones I called friends, but," Ruby smiled ruefully, her voice subdued, "it fell through just like I had thought it would. I'm not sure why I even tried."
It was heartbreaking to hear Ruby's account of her childhood, particularly so since Weiss had learned to make out the small nuances in the manner in which Ruby would speak.
"Ruby, I-"
"Don't worry, Weiss," Ruby interrupted gently, reaching out with a hand and cupping her cheek. "I know I was partially at fault too, since I was pretty awkward back then and couldn't really read signals. Everything's fine now. I have you and everyone else. I'm happy."
Ruby smiled at her, and it was so genuine, so full of heartfelt affection, love and gratitude. Weiss felt a exhilarating sense of joy run through her entire being.
Moreover, her girlfriend's voice sounded strong, and when Ruby leaned in for a kiss, and then followed up with rubbing her nose against Weiss' own, Weiss knew that the conversation was going in the right direction. She also realized that what Ruby needed right now wasn't to wallow in sympathy, but instead a way to reconcile with her sense of failure. She'd already cried once, and if she wanted more comfort at this point she would indicate so.
"Did you try to keep in touch with them because it would otherwise make you feel like you couldn't change?" she asked, zeroing in on a part of the story that she knew Ruby probably hadn't given enough thought to. With a little luck, Weiss reasoned she would be able to help Ruby feel better about herself.
Ruby sucked on the inside of her cheek as she thought. Eventually, she nodded. "I... think so. At least partially. I just… wanted to cling on to them since I was really nervous about going to Beacon. Writing the letters and keeping up the pretense that I wanted to stay in touch was like a safety blanket. Early on, I felt like if I stopped writing to them it would be like I admitted defeat and was inadequate." She gave another wry smile.
Weiss repressed a sudden bout of anger over the shortsightedness and indifference of Ruby's former classmates. For her inner mind, she saw a younger, despondent, Ruby sitting alone in front of the TV as the days passed by.
She didn't deserve that! How I wish I could've been there for her much earlier. Imagine if we had met a children… as useless as such a what-if scenario is.
She quelled her frustration. This wasn't the time nor place for it; it would only be futile to hold a grudge against people who weren't a part of Ruby's life anymore.
Ruby spoke up again. "We don't exchange letters anymore, and nobody has asked me if I want to hang out with them, despite that I told them long ago when I would have my break. But that's okay. I mean, I found some really awesome friends and a really cute and lovely girlfriend at long last!"
"Well," Weiss began instead, as an idea formed in her on how to approach the less than stellar childhood memories Ruby had confided to her, "many things changed with Beacon. I don't think you should consider it a failure so much as something necessary perhaps." Ruby cocked her head questioningly at her, listening intently. "You had a fresh start and was put in a situation where you only had your sister to rely on. At the same time, you had to step up as a team leader, there was the increased workload, new people to get to know, and a certain teammate to check out."
She winked at Ruby.
A small smile began to form on Ruby's lips from the encouraging words and tiny flirtation, and Weiss eagerly pressed on. "People change when they come to a new environment and have to test their wings. It happened to you, it happened to me, and to all our friends. Blake is much different, and so is Yang… or well, at least she has calmed down a bit."
Ruby let out a laugh at that.
"Same goes for JNPR and many of the other students," Weiss continued, looking out over the lawn as she thought deeply on what to say next. "All of sudden, we were in unfamiliar territory and we had to work hard, learn, and adapt. We've all come out of it as better people than when we stepped foot on the landing pad the first time. That shared experience, those shared moments of strife and joy, brought us together in a way that hadn't been possible any other way." She looked intently at Ruby, feeling quite pleased with herself over how she'd spun everything into a positive light.
Understanding dawned on Ruby, her lips pulling into a smile as everything was put into place in her mind. "You're right!" she exclaimed, dragging Weiss into a crushing hug and making the hammock sway precariously.
Weiss let out a tiny yelp before reciprocating, albeit with less strength.
"Thanks, Weiss. I really needed to hear that. I had never thought of it in that way before, but that's a great way to think about it. I'm so lucky to have you around, aren't I? God, I love you so much!" She began to pepper Weiss' face with kisses, making Weiss giggle with how it tickled.
When she let up, Weiss gave Ruby's cheek a kiss. "Yes, you are. And you know what? It's possible you can become real friends with your old acquaintances in time. With age, we grow wiser and change in many ways."
"Really?"
"Yes, I don't see why not," Weiss said as she turned herself around so Ruby rolled over next to her instead.
"That's a relief. I wouldn't want things to be awkward if I ever meet them again. Like when I'm a third year at Beacon and they come in as fresh first years and I have to show them around." Ruby looked rather gleeful over the prospect over being a senior, causing Weiss to let out a chuckle.
"So, how come Yang told you all of this?" Ruby asked then. "I don't mind that you found out this way, but I'm curious. It's nothing she would tell anyone without a pretty good reason."
Weiss felt a brief moment of fear at revealing the reason, before swatting it aside, by now knowing full well she was being unreasonable. Yang had hammered that into her clearly enough for a lifetime with her moving speech about how much she had done for Ruby without even knowing it. Weiss would never forget it since it had helped her get an outside perspective of what she and Ruby was building together.
"I had a really serious talk with Yang a little over a week ago about my relationship with you. There was something troubling me, and Yang noticed," Weiss started.
Ruby looked startled, worry beginning to mar her features. "Why? What did you talk about?"
Weiss sighed, remembering the cause of it all to well - her own insecurities and anxiety. It was time to get it off of her chest. "Well, it's a long story."
And we had planned a carefree afternoon outside. It seems like we both have some things we need to clear up. Even if it's painful, I know it'll be good for us in the long run though, so I think it will be worth it.
Ruby grabbed her hand, and Weiss laced their fingers together, giving her girlfriend a small smile to show her appreciation.
"We have time," Ruby assured her. "I want to be there for you, Weiss. Always, no matter how big or small a thing you think something is." Her voice was intense, conveying just how serious she was, making Weiss feel gratitude and shame from hiding it all at once.
The reassurance helped to push Weiss on, her eyes changing focus to a small cloud slowly sailing across the vast blue expanse above. She was nervous, and yet she spoke. "Up until recently I felt very insecure in our relationship, so for the longest time I was worried you would break up with me."
Saying it out loud felt in equal parts terrifying and liberating. She could finally let that detail slip. She met Ruby's eyes, curious and at the same time apprehensive about the reaction her words would elicit.
It took Ruby a second to process it, but when she did, her face took on an almost comical look of horror. "What? Why? You're an awesome girlfriend! You would've had to pry me off of you before I let you go."
Weiss couldn't help but to let out a laugh over that heartfelt vow. However, her face fell a bit when she thought back to her past fears. "I said a lot of hurtful things to you when we found out that Blake was a Faunus. Do you remember how you found me crying?" Ruby nodded and Weiss rubbed her forehead, feeling exhaustion set in upon recalling that terrible evening. "I was terrified I'd hurt our relationship beyond repair."
"But you didn't," Rubu pointed out, poking at her nose and causing Weiss to frown. "You were really insecure for the first month, but after that I didn't get that feeling… or not as much at least."
Weiss sighed wearily. "You're right, I didn't hurt our relationship beyond repair. However, there was a lingering fear it was just a matter of time until I messed up again." She put a finger in front of Ruby's mouth to stifle another protest, giggling at how Ruby went cross-eyed in her attempt to look at the digit. An impish flick of her tongue had Weiss retract her hand, and she scowled playfully over her girlfriend's antics.
"And then?" Ruby asked.
"Then the library date happened," Weiss continued, her voice falling slightly. The memory of the panic she had felt when she was forced to turn Ruby down was still strong. The anguish she'd experienced when Ruby had put on a brave face for her sake, even more so.
"So it's my fault?" In a flash, Ruby looked downtrodden. Panic shot through Weiss instantly.
Way to put your foot in your mouth, Weiss!
"No, no, it's not like that, Ruby. Just hear me out before you decide to look so gloomy!" She hadn't considered Ruby would blame herself, which was quite obvious now in hindsight.
Ruby nodded, and after making sure she had her girlfriend's attention, Weiss elaborated. "I knew it disappointed you to hear me say that I had to go home, and let's be perfectly clear on the fact that had the roles been reversed, I would've felt the same way! To get back to my point, I began to worry a lot again, thinking I'd hurt our relationship, and I couldn't shake that feeling. It grew even worse the more I pondered it."
"Weiss… I didn't know you felt this way. You should've told me." Ruby reached out and pulled her into another hug. The hammock swayed gently as they laid close together. "But I can see why you didn't. It would've been scary."
Weiss felt Ruby burrow her face into her hair and press a gentle kiss to the top of her head. Ruby was right, as she so often was. To Weiss, the fear she had nurtured had made it impossible though, an irrational part of her worrying over that voicing her concern would do more harm than good.
"Yes, that's how I thought of it. I eventually vented to Blake when the two of us were in Vale, and it turned out that she and Yang had noticed I was hiding something already. When you had your leadership class with Ozpin, Yang talked to me after they had colluded and formulated a plan."
Weiss recalled that moment very vividly. It was perhaps then that any remaining reservations Yang might've subconsciously held against her shattered and she had fully accepted Weiss as Ruby's girlfriend. Or maybe she was reading too much into it. All Weiss knew was that she'd felt a lot closer to Yang since that day - like their mutual desire to see Ruby happy had formed an unspoken bond between them.
Ruby was silent as she waited for the rest, and Weiss obliged her, still in her embrace. "She coaxed out of me what was wrong and then she told me about your childhood. She told me how happy I make you every single day, and it helped me to finally put those fears behind me." Weiss again felt that sense of happiness and wonder in her when she thought back to Yang's words, and the sincerity in which they had been spoken.
"Good! You don't ever have to worry about that, Weiss. I love you, and you make me the happiest girl ever." Ruby gave her frame a final squeeze before disentangling herself and opting to lay next to her again.
As the hammock swayed slightly from the motion, their eyes met, and Weiss saw nothing but love and adoration there. Shame flared up in her. How could she have been so dumb and have had so little faith in Ruby? She knew a lot better now, but it still filled Weiss with regret. "I love you too. I feel ashamed when I think that I feared you'd break up with me," Weiss confessed, not breaking eye contact even if instincts told her to. Saying it out loud and apologizing was something she owed Ruby. "Sorry. I know better now."
Ruby suddenly smiled. "Yeah, you cute dummy. I demand kisses as compensation." She giggled cutely, "I won't leave you. Like I said, you'd have to pry me off of you."
She leaned in and Weiss relished the sensation of their warm lips meeting again. She pulled Ruby closer to her and they lay in silence like that for a few minutes, just enjoying each others warm lips meeting over and over. The relief Weiss felt from having gotten her secret off of her chest was palpable. "I love you, Ruby. I can say that a hundred times over, and it won't be enough." Weiss intertwined their legs and brought Ruby's hand up to her mouth, kissing the back of it tenderly.
Ruby let out another giggle, a wide smile plastered over her face and a light blush on her cheeks. "And I love you so much that I wouldn't trade you for even a hundred million cookies."
The dubious compliment made her laugh, and Ruby joined in soon after.
Once she recovered, an idea struck her .They'd never talked about their childhoods much before, each for their own reasons. This was a good opportunity to rectify that. "Say what, why don't we talk about the fun things in our childhoods? I want to hear all about how you ran around in the mud, ate grass and was chased around by squirrels."
Ruby's serious face instantly turned into a rather childish pout. "Hey, I did no such thing! Well, except the eating grass part," a blush was rapidly creeping up her neck from the memory, "but all kids do that!"
Weiss stifled a laugh then shook her head in response. "No, I never ate grass. But I pushed down a potted plant on an expensive carpet because I thought it could grow better there instead," she said, causing Ruby to let out an amused snort.
Laying on their sides and facing each other, legs intertwined and holding hands, they began to reminisce about the good memories of the past.
About the time Ruby jumped in mud and then ran inside with her boots on, ruining a carpet.
About the time Weiss hid from Winter and tried to scare her by jumping out of the closet.
Of when Ruby decided to to give her favorite stuffed animal, a turtle, a haircut.
Of when Weiss found a bucket of paint and tried to give the walls of her room a makeover.
Weiss mostly listened to Ruby, but she had enough happy moments to share herself. Her perception of time drifted away as they traded stories, laughing and poking fun at each other for the silly things they did and believed.
It was cathartic for both of them, something they both had needed even if they until then had not realized it. Throughout it all, Weiss was almost afraid her heart would burst with the love she felt for the girl next to her.
Just something as simple as holding Ruby's hand and feeling the warmth of her skin, the calloused texture where she'd grasped her weapon, and the slender lengths of her fingers, filled Weiss with reassurance and contentedness. She remembered that, in what now felt like a long time ago, she had worried that these feelings, these tranquil moments of companionship, would grow dull. Thankfully, that had so far not taken place. Instead, Weiss would from time to time realize all anew that this was her new life. That the happiness she experienced was shared by her girlfriend, the most important person to her.
Like now. The reality of the moment struck her with a clarity. She was here, in the countryside of a small island together with Ruby, sharing a hammock under the sunshine of a beautiful summer day. A romantic daydream come true.
"This day is perfect, isn't it?" Weiss asked once Ruby had finished her latest story, involving the creation of a scarecrow. The conversation had naturally reached a point where both were content to move onto something different.
Ruby chuckled. "Yeah. Pretty emotional, but still perfect. I'm glad we could talk about these things, Weiss. I think we needed it." She reached out and cupped Weiss' cheek, running her thumb over her chin affectionately. "Thanks for bringing it up."
"No problem, Ruby. I want to be there for you, no matter what. I'm moreover glad I got the chance to get some things off of my chest… I needed that," Weiss replied and readjusted her grip of the hand she was holding.
"And I always want to be there for you, Weiss." Ruby sent her a dazzling smile, eyes practically shining with affection, making Weiss' heart skip a beat. "I love you."
Weiss smiled at her. "I love you too, Ruby." She leaned in for a kiss and Ruby didn't wait around, meeting her halfway.
As their lips moved against each other again, their surroundings drifted away from Weiss' perception, until all that remained was warm breaths, cute gasps, soft lips, hands affectionately caressing over clothes and hair, and an almost indescribable joy; like her heart would burst with the love, happiness and gratitude she was feeling.
They spent the rest of the afternoon there, doing nothing in particular besides Weiss finishing her studies, listening to music, and watching that movie they'd spoken of earlier together on her Scroll. Sometime in the middle of it, Yang and Blake came back and they had to endure a nominal amount of teasing from Yang, before they decided to lay down on the grass next to them.
"How's the hammock?" Yang eyed it appreciatively. "I had forgotten we had one of those."
"Pretty great." Ruby gave Weiss a loving look, a wide smile on her face, "Plus, the company has been very lovely." She blew Weiss a kiss, sending her heartbeat soaring.
This isn't fair at all. How am I supposed to resist that?
So Weiss decided that she wouldn't. Raising herself to be able to reach, and with a blush on her face, she leaned in and captured Ruby's lips for a quick kiss. "I can say the same."
"How's your day been so far?" Blake asked. She sat down next to one of the trees, leaning against the trunk. From a bag next to her, she retrieved a book and was about to put it in her lap.
However, before she could, Yang plopped down perpendicular to her, using her lap as a headrest. Blake raised an eyebrow at her.
"I have a couple of very good reason. 1) It's comfortable 2) We're best friends 3) Not gonna risk grass stains on my hair." Yang said, shooting her a fond smile to sweeten the deal.
The resigned look Blake sent back her caused Weiss laugh. She knew Blake was enjoying it though, since her silent protest would only spur Yang on. Inevitably, Yang stayed where she was.
Weiss took the chance to chime in. "To answer your question, Blake, Ruby and I have spent most of our time here since noon. We've watched a nature documentary, listened to music, talked-"
She was interrupted by Yang trying to contain a laugh, which earned her a glare. "Anything you want to say, Yang?" Weiss raised an eyebrow at her to accentuate her message, then smiled slyly. "Or rather, are you sure you want to know?"
How liberating it felt to be so bold!
Yang's smug look drained into one of resignation. "Blake, I've taught her too well. The kids grow up so fast. What do we do?" she asked and shot her friend a pleading look.
"I'm sure you'll survive," Blake replied. She began to run her fingers through Yang's hair then, giving her friend a fond smile when Yang closed her eyes in bliss in the next moment.
"We've talked about funny stuff we did as kids," Ruby explained, glancing at Weiss fondly and trying hard to stop herself from laughing.
"And I studied too," Weiss added. She was glad Ruby didn't bring up the less pleasant topics they'd discussed. Not that she would really have anything against it, but to her it felt like they'd discussed those matters enough.
"A nice, slow, day in other words," Blake summarized.
"And what were you up to all day?" Weiss asked then.
Yang cracked an eye open. "Nothing much. We visited the library, ate seafood and later went for some ice cream. I showed Blake Signal too."
Blake chuckled at that. "She showed me the wall she collapsed."
Yang looked quite pleased with herself. "It was an accident. Not my fault my opponent didn't stand still." She burst out laughing, remembering the incident. "Poor guy. He was so scared after that he nearly wet himself."
"Besides that," Blake elaborated, "we explored a few old forest paths and encountered a family of deer."
"Deer are super cute!" Ruby exclaimed. "Weiss, can you imagine what it would be like to pet one?"
As a matter of fact, Weiss had already considered such a situation in great detail. Their propensity to be a host for ticks aside, she was certain that a deer was very huggable. "It must be lovely," she replied dreamily, blushing at the amused expressions she saw on her friends. She just couldn't help her desire to fawn over cute animals.
After that, the next hour was spent talking about whatever came to mind, cracking the occasional joke or otherwise just lounging about.
Yang and Blake excused themselves after a while and headed inside, probably to give them some more time alone. Weiss appreciated their consideration for them, and they remained where they were, lying next to each other and relaxing.
When the sun began to dip on the horizon, the noise of an engine became apparent to both of them and they sat up. Taiyang pulled into the driveway a few seconds later and hopped out of the car, just as Ruby climbed out of the hammock. It swayed violently and Weiss was grateful when Ruby stabilized it for her, allowing her to move off of it gracefully.
"Hey, girls! I see you found the hammock. How's your day been?" Taiyang asked when he walked up to them, the crunching of gravel beneath his feet growing silent when he stepped onto the lawn.
"Just great, Dad!" Ruby said and jumped into his arms, giggling and squealing when he spun her around.
"Good! I'm also glad I can still carry you around," he said with a laugh and he sat her back down and ruffled her hair. Ruby squirmed around a little on the spot like she always did. "It means you'll always be my little girl, no matter how old you get," he added, causing Ruby to look like she wanted to sink through the floor.
He winked at Weiss, well aware of his daughter's mortification. She had a difficult time trying to stop herself from laughing.
Still, Ruby hugged him once more, raising herself on her tiptoes to get a better reach.
"Love you, Dad."
"I love you too, sweetheart," Taiyang replied gently.
It was a heartwarming sight to see, but at the same time, Weiss felt envious at the sight. Without thinking, she took a step forward, only to in the next heartbeat be overcome with awkwardness when she realized what she wanted. It would be a little too much to assume, wouldn't it? But she couldn't help the feeling of longing that sprung up in her at seeing how much they cared for each other. She wanted a hug too, but asking for it was out of the question.
However, Taiyang noticed the motion, and with a smile extended his arms towards her the moment Ruby let go. "No spinning or hair ruffling for you, I promise."
With blushing cheeks, Weiss stepped into the embrace and put her arms around him. Just like last time, it conjured a multitude of emotions in her. She felt safe, cared for, and welcome - feelings which she had been denied from her own father. As always, that last thought saddened her, though it didn't stop her from enjoying the moment.
"How's your day been? Ruby's treating you well?" he asked.
"Hey!" Ruby indignantly protested. "Of course I treat my girlfriend well. Right, Weiss?"
"Yes, it's been lovely, and Ruby's very sweet," Weiss confirmed, giving a final squeeze before indicating she wished to pull back.
Taiyang let go and grinned at them. "Just what I expect from my daughter. Well, girls, time to help me prepare dinner as promised. I've been looking forward to it all day!" he exclaimed cheerfully, both looking and sounding like it was the highlight of his day.
Weiss nodded, a smile on her lips. Just like Taiyang, she had been looking forward to this too. Cooking was fun in itself, if challenging, and spending time together to prepare the food was rewarding. And, like she had told Ruby a few days ago, she hoped she would one day be good enough at it to prepare a home-cooked meal for a date.
"Weiss, come on." Ruby grabbed her hand and began to drag her into the kitchen, having forgotten the scattered items around the hammock already. Weiss figured that was fine since they'd eat outdoors anyway and could collect them then, and so let herself be led.
This is what a normal family is like.
Weiss looked at their intertwined fingers, then up at Ruby. Despite the somber and serious subjects they'd dealt with over the course of the day, she wouldn't trade it for anything. She knew Ruby even better than before, her love for her was stronger than it had ever been, and she really wanted nothing more than hug and cuddle Ruby before falling asleep in her arms.
She loved Ruby so much that she didn't know what to do. Almost.
Dolt, I love you. And I know just what we should do next. Let's keep moving forward together.
Oh, my! I wonder what Weiss wants them to do next ~
I hope this chapter was enjoyable despite the lengthy conversations and a times heavy subjects. It was just one of those very important moments that helped them become closer to one another.
Ruby got some pretty painful things off of her chest that she needed to vent, and so did Weiss. Talking about one's childhood isn't easy if it wasn't rosy, but I hoped I managed to use it to paint a more complex picture of Ruby. Don't know if you recall, but Weiss learned this from Yang in chapter 10.
For Weiss, this chapter allowed her to face her fear that she's been an inadequate girlfriend at times, something that bothered her before coming to Patch. I believe I brought it up in chapter 6 the first time.
Keep in mind though, they're still keeping some fears hidden to themselves. It may or may not come up in the future.
A reminder btw… it's been like 3 weeks since their study date. I know it seems like they've been at Patch forever, but that's really not the case. Just an effect of my update schedule.
Reviews are very much appreciated, no matter how long or short they are. They make my day :)