And...

Chapter 31 - Moments of Perfect Clarity

"I want you, Ruby Xiao Long. Even though it's impossible. I want you, Ruby Xiao Long."

"Rose."

"What?"

"Rose," Ruby supplied helpfully with a giggle. "That's my name. Ruby Rose."

"I… I don't understand."

"Yang's last name is our father's. Taiyang Xiao Long. Mine is my mother's. Summer Rose. So ya, that's me, Ruby Rose. I would have thought Yang or Blake would have told you that. It's not a secret or anything-"

Her words were cut off by Weiss's lips on hers. Shocked at first, it only took a moment for her to be lost in the feeling of those perfect lips fitting like puzzle pieces against her own. How they meshed together and lit bonfires in her chest, heat rising up from her stomach and creeped its way towards her neck where a blush was quickly forming. Ruby's arms wrapped tightly around Weiss, while Weiss's hands were planted firmly on her hips.

All too soon, they separated, gasping for air. Liquid silver met sapphire in a gaze which held more feeling than the two could express in words.

"You're the one." Weiss finally said. "The weapon smith I've been looking for. The one who won my contest. And the date. Ruby Rose, you are the girl I've been searching for this entire time. And yet, you were in front of my eyes this entire time."

Ruby giggled, sliding out from the hug to hold Weiss's hips in turn. "Surprise, princess."

The two leaned forwards, resting their foreheads against one another, noses just barely touching. Their bodies moved closer, desperate for as much contact as possible. As if those few seconds apart were too much for either to bare.

"Dolt."

Ruby giggled, "I can't believe you though my last name was Xiao Long."

"How would I have known otherwise?!" Weiss gaped, attempting to scowl but unable to remove the smile from her face.

Ruby smirked, counting on her fingers. "Well, we call our place the Rose-Xiao Long house, we have a garden out front which Yang calls the Ruby Rose garden, which is weird because we've only ever planted vegetables, strawberries and herbs. Is mint an herb? Oh! And when you told me you were going to be watching the smithing competition, you said you were going to do it by a rose bush and I told you my last name then."

Weiss glared at the girl as she wove her three raised fingers in front of her face. Grasping onto them with both hands, Weiss lowered a finger.

"Hey!"

"Ruby Rose," hearing Weiss say her name sent a shiver down her spine. "I've never heard either you nor Yang call your house that. Blake calls it the Xiao Long house."

Another lowered finger, "I didn't even notice that you had a garden at your house. I think we spent most of the time in your shed."

With a soft smile, she lowered down Ruby's third and final finger. "I'm pretty sure I cut you off before you told me that. Though I am extremely sorry I did that. It would have saved both of us a great deal of trouble. And… you remembered where I was watching the contest?"

"I remember everything you told me," Ruby confirmed with a nod, glad that Weiss still held her outstretched hand in both of hers.

Weiss blushed brightly, leaning in for a very quick peck on the lips.

"Anyways," Weiss brushed a stray hair behind her ear. "Now that I got all my thoughts on the subject out in the open, would you… would you like to go on a-a date with me? Romantically, that is. As both someone I seem to like… and the competition winner?"

"Yes!" Ruby shouted with delight, "of course I'd want to. Even without being the contest winner." Ruby stepped back, blinking. "Wait, I'm the contest winner?!"

Weiss rolled her eyes as Ruby seemed to visibly shake with excitement. It didn't take her too long to start bouncing and skipping around the room, eyes alight with glee. She had won! Her weapon, her sword, her precious Myrtenaster! It was the best of the best! Or, at least best of the few who had attended, which was good enough for her at that moment.

"This is so awesome. It-it's like a dream come true! My sword won! And a date with Weiss too," she added in as an afterthought.

"Thanks, I feel so special," Weiss huffed out with a smile. It was easy to tell she was thinking about Ruby's lifelong dream of being a weapon smith. She would let Ruby have her excitement. For now at least.

After a few more minutes of Ruby calming down from her high, which was filled with plenty of squealing, the occasional happy tear and a hug or three, the two girls got to talking about more mundane topics. Sitting together on Weiss's bed, fingers lightly entwined, they discussed trivialities of the past week. Regardless of how they had likely texted each other about those very same topics before.

Ruby spoke about getting into Beacon University, as well as the ribbon Yang had made for her.

"I'm actually growing out my hair. It's a little too short, but I want to use the ribbon to tie back my hair when I'm working, like Yang does when she's working out or running."

"I think it'll look good on you. Longer hair, that is." Weiss commented, running a finger through Ruby's short, chin-length locks, leaving a hearty blush on the young girl. "Maybe not as long as mine or Yang's, but…"

"Blake's length?"

"Exactly what I was thinking."

There was just a moment's pause before the two started giggling. It was nice to know that even with such heavy-handed topics, they were still on relatively the same pace. To Ruby, that was the most comforting thing. She loved that she could still act the same with her friend, though now it involved a little less personal space than before. She chose to see that as an all-encompassing positive.

"I told you about getting into Beacon, right?"

Weiss nodded, bumping her elbow into Ruby's. "I'm so proud of you for that."

"Thanks. I'm just so relieved. I… I don't want to sound ungrateful or snooty or anything, but I knew I was going to get in. I was just so scared that me getting in would mean Yang wouldn't. Or at least it would be that much harder for Yang to do what she wants to. I'm so close to helping the both of us. If I can just get that full scholarship, we'll both be set." Ruby tapped her knee twice with a clenched fist.

"You know, maybe I can help out? I like to think that I am fairly wealthy. At least wealthy enough to help out my friends a little bi-"

"No. We're good friends Weiss. Best friends even-"

"-Blake's my best friend."

"Best friends who kiss sometimes then."

"… okay."

"I don't want to take advantage of my friendships. I don't want you to ever think that I'm using you for your money-"

"But I won't think that!" Weiss tried to assure. Ruby shook her head, seeing that Weiss didn't understand.

"And what if we don't end up working out? I don't want to feel indebted to you. I wouldn't like it even if we stayed together forever. You help me by being you. Not by being a bank."

Ruby stared hard at her friend. Her girlfriend, maybe, if Ruby was being really honest with herself and wanted to bring in titles. Finally, Weiss sighed. "Alright Ruby. But know that I will always help you. Always."

"Thanks Weissy. Oh! Speaking of helping me, maybe I can use your help after all!"

Ruby then broke out into an excited explanation of the conditions to her acceptance and university scholarship. Even if Weiss didn't believe her, Ruby was confident that she read that acceptance letter a million times over. For that reason, she was confident that she knew exactly what that thing asked for.

"I got to show them my sword! Well, your sword. But I got to show them how it works. I just got to. Do you think they want a full demonstration? Like, me taking it apart and rebuilding it again?" Ruby gasped, "do you think I will need to build a brand new version of it right in front of them?"

Weiss however, was fairly confident that Ruby had misread or misremembered the terms of her acceptance.

"Are you positive that the admissions staff wished to see your entire weapon design? It seems like a lot of work to go through especially if they have dozens of other applicants to go through on that day."

"Maybe… it was just the music system? Can I borrow your sword to show them the music system?"

"Of course, but music system? Ruby.. did you put a stereo into my rapier…"

"What? No! Hmm… that could be a good idea for version two, but no. Maybe? No." Ruby shook the thought from her head. "When you spin the revolver! I made sure that it was perfectly designed. When you spin it, it makes that click-clack sound."

Weiss's eyes widened in understanding, "I remember that. It sounded like a train running over it's tracks. It…" Weiss looked to her knees with a light blush, "it's why I chose it over everything else."

Now it was Ruby's turn to blush. "It was what I was looking for when I ran into you when we first met."

Weiss giggled suddenly, "it's like we were destined to meet and like each other."

"I like to think we like each other all on our own. Destiny just gave us a little push."

"Maybe. But right now, I'm happy either way."

Eeeehh! Best chapter to write. I'd been waiting to write this since the start. So glad I kept chugging my way through this.

iamking - Thank you!

timrocks99 - I should have done a fakeout. ;P

Darknight2124 - Hoorah for Weiss! At least she got her emotions out, right?

chinaluv - and they stuck the landing!

hirshja - Luckily, this chapter had the rest of their conversation. I wasn't going to string you along for too long. i thought about it, for sure. But I didn't.

Dragonqueen1993 - Your wish is my command. :)

Psiah - She's a stubborn one for sure, but at least it all came together in the end.

Alucard45 - lol. Now wouldn't that be an anger-inducing twist

Read and stayed - Thanks. I needed to do at least one big cliffhanger right? Can't make things too easy on my readers and give them everything they want. ;)

Sithdoom - Wish granted. More fluff it is!