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Weiss and I went into town to find an engagement gift for Ruby. We decided between the two of us that as pairs we would get engagement gifts for the others. Ruby and I would get something for Weiss. Weiss and I would get something for Ruby. Ruby and Weiss would get something for me. That was fair and it kept things from being a competition in any regard. It made things cooperative and stopped us from having to get six gifts. It was better this way.
"I want identical wedding bands," Weiss informed me and I just nodded. If that was what she wanted then that was what she wanted. Ruby wouldn't have a problem with it. We both knew that. She would probably like the idea. "I don't know what to have it made out of yet but Ruby and I will decide. I figure you don't care. Well, not that you don't care. You just don't sweat the little details. There's so much to plan with a wedding. Ruby and I will handle the lionshare of it."
"Ruby deserves something personal and sweet," I decided. "What are you thinking, darling?"
"Maybe a necklace? Or earings? Ruby is hard to get stuff for. She isn't very material. She doesn't care about jewelry."
"None of us do. You sure don't. You have quite the task set out for Ruby and I."
"Me? How are we supposed to get gifts for you? You don't want anything. There's literally nothing to get you."
"You could give me head and call it good."
She hit me in that darling fashion. I smirked and she smiled up at me. "I'm serious."
"I am too. I'll just be happy to wake up next to you and Ruby for my remaining days. I couldn't ask for more. Really. Honestly. I've gone through some serious shit but in a way I'm super lucky."
"And don't you forget it. But really, what do you want?"
"Nothing. You already know that."
"Damn it. You're going to be the worst. I better hope Ruby has ideas. Because I definitely do not."
"I'm easy. Engrave two rings with your signatures on them. One for both of you. Job done."
"No. We can't do that."
"Why not? I'd love it."
"You'd love anything we got you. That's the problem. It has to be meaningful and true."
"That is, isn't it?"
"No. Stop it. "
"Sure. But when you do run out of ideas I'm going to tell you I told you so."
"You're intolerable," she informed me.
"Then let go of my hand," I demanded.
"Make me," she smirked. "We have to do something to Ruby's weapon," Weiss decided.
"You want to modify Crescent Rose? It's your funeral. Nice knowing you."
"Be serious for once."
"I am. Crescent Rose is Ruby's baby."
"No, her babies will be her babies. She knows that Crescent Rose is important, maybe even a member of her family. But she'd let us do something to it."
"But should we?"
"Yes. We just need to expand on it and make it more extreme. Make it even more Ruby."
"Like maybe make it so the blade reverses into a giant glaive?"
"Yes. That's perfect. It's a minor change relatively speaking. Ruby would love it."
"Modifying her weapon seems a little…"
"It's traditional for hunter weddings. You'll give Myrtenaster a modification and Ruby and I will tweak Crocea Mors."
"But we can't present that to her. We need something else too."
"What else is there that she loves?" Weiss wondered.
"Us? Blake and Yang? Her dad and uncle?" I listed.
"We'll invite them to the wedding along with Penny and maybe Oscar but it needs to be about us."
"A locket with photos of us in it," I suggested. "She'd treasure that forever. Until long after I'm stone cold dead."
She hit me.
"You're right she would. It's perfect. Let's get our picture taken. Do you have formal wear?"
"Shouldn't our hunter clothes be fine?"
"Maybe that's true. Maybe that's more genuine. Something kandid."
"Let's do it. Now I need to start brainstorming for you. Gods you're going to be tough. You're a hard nut to crack, Weiss."
"I try. At least I can say that. You do not. You have no excuse. You try and be easy but that just makes you more difficult. If you need something you just go out and get it and no matter what we get you you'll say you love it. It's you. You're the problem."
"Let's agree to disagree and get Ruby a nice necklace. Then we can schedule getting our picture taken. Sound good? I also need to run some favors for the Engelberts today."
"Should I meet them as well? Are they also friends of yours?"
"Not really. They're more business partners. The less they know about me the better. I need to be a mysterious figure who could snap and kill them at the drop of a hat."
"Not friends, then?"
"Not friends," I agreed.
"Are you… are you going to want to invite Neapolitan to the wedding?"
"I wasn't planning on it. She bothers you. She tried to kill Yang."
"But did you want to? Who else would you invite?"
"Who would you invite? What are you expecting me to say? My Mother? I don't have anybody else but team RWBY, really. I assumed that they would be invited. Would you invite your family?"
"Well, no. Maybe my mother? But I don't think so. Just my team and whoever else Ruby wants to invite."
"I'm in pretty much the same boat. Plus I may have slept with her. I can't invite her. She's a friend but it's not a good idea."
"Maybe just for the reception?"
"Not a good plan. I'll tell her about it and whatnot but I can't have her at my wedding. She'll just have to hold that. She should have been less of a monster to you. And me a little. It all comes around full circle."
"Okay. If that's what you want. You are allowed to invite people. It won't upset Ruby and I."
"I have nobody to invite who you two wouldn't also invite."
"Except Neapolitan."
"And again, that's not a good idea."
"What about the Rosé girl you trained."
"Nah. It seems to be a small wedding we've got planning. I can't invite the princess of Vale to a small wedding. It's fine."
"Okay. I was just checking."
Weiss and I walked into a jewlers. I was in my huntsman garb and had my weapon at my back. Weiss had Myrtenaster at her side as well.
"Sir and lady hunters," an elderly man in a suit with a greying beard came up to us and gave us a greeting. "What are you looking for today?"
"Oh, we're just brows-" I started but Weiss cut me off.
"We're looking for an engagement present for the third member of our trio. Maybe a locket for photos of the two of us."
"Did you have a color or metal in mind?" The man took it in stride. I shuffled back to give them space to talk and peered down at the rows and rows of rings. There were so many all with different colored stones and forming all sorts of different patterns. Thank the gods I'd be looking at this stuff with Ruby's help when I was picking something out for Weiss. Beyond the rings were earpieces of all flavors and shapes. Teardrops and hearts and precious stones carved and faceted in intricate detail.
"Silver and something red," Weiss decided.
"What price range were you two looking at?"
Weiss looked at me. I glanced up from peering down at the inlaid jewels. I shrugged. "Under twenty thousand?" I guessed. I still had more than two million and a nice salary.
The man's eyes widened and Weiss choked a little.
"Too little?" I guessed.
"I should think not. Please wait here while I pick out some pieces for you both to look at." The man spoke. Then he turned and walked over to a different section of the store and started grabbing little cut outs with necklaces wrapped around them from various display cases.
"That's quite a lot. Can you really afford that?"
"Beacon pays well and takes care of all my living expenses. And on top of that I have millions stashed away from Corneo. Neo and I robbed him blind and assaulted his manor. I bought a plane and two bikes with that money and I've barely shaved off three quarters of a million. And if we need money I can easily get some more. Don't worry. I'll be able to maintain your rich girl lifestyle."
"Asshole," she shot at me.
"Sounds like somebody needs some sugar."
She hit my arm with the back of her hand and smiled up at me. "Gods…" She sighed exasperatedly.
"You're only encouraging me."
"Why do you like when I hit you?"
"I like that you touch me. You're always so gentle. Gods it's so darling. Do it again. Touch me."
"I might. Later. Wouldn't that be nice? I might be less gentle then."
I leaned in close to her face until my mouth was inches from hers and I proudly heard her breath catch in her throat. "You're the one who likes it rough, dear." Then I stood back to my full height and towered most of a foot over her. She was so small. I could easily pick her up in my arms.
"Here we are sir and lady hunters." The salt and pepper haired man laid out a series of necklaces with tiny lockets. Some were heart shaped and others were oval. They were all smooth silver and some were encrusted with rubies. Weiss peered down at them. She pushed one that was absolutely bright and covered with gemstones aside. The man swept it away as Weiss dismissed it.
Weiss began to slowly pick and choose the ones she didn't like as much. She used her two fingers to shove one with a heart shaped locket and a single ruby in the center out of the way.
"How about this one?" I picked one with a circular locket surrounded by red gemstones.
"You like that one?" Weiss asked.
"They're all sort of blurring together for me. What do you think about it?"
"It's nice but it's a little flashy. Don't you think she wants something simple?"
"That does seem her style when it comes to jewelry. If she wears any at all it's plain."
"What do you think about this one?" Weiss picked up a simple oval locket with a ruby or perhaps a garnet at each point with a big triangular stone in the center.
"It's straightforward. Not too many gems. Some of these are really covered in stones."
The man pulled away a necklace with a square locket that had a red gemstone surrounded by diamonds and another which was circular and wreathed in pale stones.
"I like this one." Weiss picked up a locket which was a great triangle red gem and that was all. The stone was massive and singular with a tiny silver latch to open and close it.
"It's perfect. Let's get it."
"Are you sure?"
"Ruby will love it."
I paid the man a considerable amount and he wrapped it up in a velvety box for me. I took it and held it under my arm.
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I was off to meet the Engelberts with Neo at Junior's after my shopping trip with Weiss. I sent her off with Ruby's necklace and left her to set up our photography shoot. She had a taste that was a million times better than mine. She'd pick a wonderful location for me to stand around and smile in. That would be my job. Then we'd get a little photo and put it in the locket.
I walked into Junior's. Neo showed up beside me from an alleyway and fell into step beside me like my shadow. She smirked up at me. I wiped that off of her face.
"You're explicitly not invited to the wedding by the way," I told her.
Her smile ran away and she frowned at me. It sucks to suck, Neo.
"You shouldn't have taken so many steps to piss off one of the brides. You're such a bitch Neo. I know we never had sex. You just like causing trouble."
She shrugged as though to say, 'oh well.' Then she held her hands seven inches apart or so.
"That's what I'm talking about. You just wormed your way under Weiss's skin because you like that shit. You played a game and you've got to pay for it. You deserve to not be invited to my wedding."
Then she pointed between us and mimed drinking something.
"Fuck yeah we'll celebrate by drinking. We can absolutely. We won't tell my brides but it'll be a bit of a bachelor's party. You and I in particular. We'll have a blast. Like we always do."
We stepped through the glass and across the glass dance floor over to the bar and booths.
"But enough about that. It's time to work. Business business business. Get your game face on, Neo. Be careful on your end. It would really suck if something bad happened to you. I'd miss you, you understand? Are you capable of such emotion?"
She glowered up at me.
The Engelberts were inside waiting at a booth. Neo and I took some seats.
"So you need me to run security on a truck shipment?" I asked.
"And we need you to drive it. But yes that's pretty much it," Noir explained.
"And Neo?" I wondered.
"She'll be coming with me. I'm robbing and killing one of our competitors. I need her powers. I'll explain the whole plan in detail but suffice to say we're breaking and entering and killing some thugs in our way. Then our people will move in and steal the drugs," Lila said.
"That's two favors," I pointed out.
"That's what we thought," Lila agreed.
"Your terms are acceptable. Who am I following to this truck and where am I driving it?" I asked.
"Me. And we'll give you the location you're supposed to leave it. I'll send it to your scroll," Noir explained.
"Good. Let's get it. Lead me to this truck."
"Right now? Just like that? You're not going to ask what's in it?" Lila asked.
"Now I should. What's in it?"
"Dust crystals. It's very explosive. You'll be taking it to the docks. We'll sell it there," Lila explained.
"Good enough for me. And Neo isn't attacking the Malachites is she?"
"Would that be a problem?" Noir asked.
"A little. While I'm not on good terms with them they aren't my enemies."
"It's not the Malachites," Noir said. "It's the Trenchcoats."
"I'm not familiar with them," I said.
"They run drugs and sometimes people. They're our biggest competition in this regard," Lila went on for Noir. Then she took a cocktail. I stared at her. She seemed relaxed. Normally around me she was tense and nervous and it showed around her mouth. She was at ease. Or she was trying to be at ease. Noir seemed normal. Blunt and whatnot. But that edge of fear I normally picked up off Lila's aura was absent. I wasn't scaring her like I normally did. Was that a good or a bad thing? It was hard to say. There were advantages both ways you sliced that. Scared people often behave irrationally but you could make them cower. People who were not scared were often more unpredictable in their own way. But what did this mean for me? And Neo who would be going with her? Was there danger I couldn't smell? It was certainly possible. I reached out to my danger sense and felt a low hum. What did that mean? It was impossible to say. I didn't have a gut feeling that was bad about all this. But I did have some gut feelings. That wasn't very helpful to actually solving this thing and getting these favors done. It really depended on a bunch of factors.
"Why do you need me to secure this shipment. It seems like you're calling in some big guns for a little problem."
"Our competition may try and steal it. That's why we want you there. Kill anyone that tries to stop you. That sort of thing," Lila told me.
I shrugged. It mattered little.
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-WG
