I made this for a trope assignment in my creative writing class, and decided to turn it into a RWBY fanfic. :)
"You're her soulmate?"
Amazingly, the question wasn't rife with disdain. Weiss stared in only mild surprise as Yang raised an eyebrow at her, jaw unhinged and mouthing the question again.
"I am," Weiss said. The muscles in her neck tensed as Yang leaned forward in her seat.
"Show me."
Allowing her muscles to relax, Weiss flexed the sleeve off her left wrist, exposing a beautiful scrawl of deep red text that had the name "Ruby" across the length of her skin.
Mouth parting in a silent gasp, Yang inched her hand out, asking silent permission. When Weiss nodded, Yang cupped her wrist in a gentle hold, running her thumb over the fancy lettering.
Weiss felt her spine coil the longer Yang went on, lilac eyes fixated on the soulmate-identifying name that appeared just last night. She knew the dangers of going to Ruby's sister with this information, but better to be told no early on before getting her toes wet and wanting more.
She jumped when Yang breathed a great sigh, echoing through the small room.
"Oh thank God. I was worried it'd be some trouble maker," Yang said, chuckling.
Weiss could only blink at the blasé response, working her jaw to fin her words as her brain attempted to rewire itself.
"You're… not mad?" Weiss flinched at the hesitation in her voice, steeling herself when Yang met her gaze.
"Of course not." Yang shrugged her shoulders. "You two have been friends for years. I'm glad it's you, as a matter of act." Leaning forward, she clamped her hand on Weiss's shoulder, squeezing gently. "I know you'll take good care of her."
Even with those words of encouragement, a bubbling heat of uncertainty rose in her stomach. She's heard stories of soulmates coming to hate each other, those who were so incompatible that studies about the inaccuracy of this "cosmic power" has risen, gaining traction with every new instance.
"Weiss?"
Blinking away the thoughts, Weiss raised her hand up to pinch her nose in an effort to calm herself. When she caught the red stain across her wrist, however, those feelings returned, flaring in her hand and forcing her to twist her wrist face down against the table.
"I don't know Yang," she said, shoulders twitching in a shrug. "You've heard stories about soulmates falling out. Ruby's my best friend. What if we don't work out? I wouldn't want to put her through that."
A moment passed, Weiss drumming her fingernails in thought to fill the silence.
"Are you serious?" Yang asked.
Fingers halting in their movements, Weiss tilted her head in confusion. "What? Yes – of course, I am Yang." She knew she was being stubborn on this, but at least she was laying out the risks involved. Not like Yang, who had stood up and grabbed her by the wrist and – "What are you doing you brute? Let me go!"
"Nope." Dragging out each syllable, Yang pulled Weiss out of the study room and into the hallway. The school bell's shrill ring blasted, disorienting Weiss and causing her to lose her footing again. That didn't seem to perturb Yang, who continued to pull her through the throng of students.
By the time Weiss found her footing, the students had started to thin, and she glanced around, trying to make sense of her direction. Her eyes widened as she caught familiar locker numbers of the freshmen class.
"Weiss! Yang!" an adorable, higher-pitched voice greeted. Weiss snapped to attention, panicked eyes flying to her wrist to make sure it was covered. A sigh of relief escaped, however, as she saw the wrist that was locked by Yang was her left one, completely shrouding the soulmate-identifying name.
"Hey, sis!" Yang returned with an all-too-cheery grin. Weiss could only wave sheepishly with her free hand. Despite the rather uncouth manner in which Yang had pulled her, she was glad for it, the firm grip keeping her grounded.
Ruby's sun-dazzling smile lasted as she returned the wave, falling to a pensive expression as she glanced at a nearby wall clock. "I'm glad to see you guys, but it isn't lunchtime yet." Head tilting cutely, it was all Weiss could do to not follow the sway of her hair. "Is there something you need?"
Then Yang's grin twisted into something more malicious – still caring, Weiss would recall after the fact, but with a sinister edge that spoke all the justification Yang needed.
"Yep, Weiss needs to borrow you for a bit. She has something important to tell you."
Weiss wanted to say something in response, to deflect and stop the situation from veering, but then Ruby met her eyes, pools of silver glistening in concern and surety. Her smile never dimmed, as confident as ever.
"Sure. Class is about to start, so we don't want you to be late." When Ruby added a salute for good measure, any resistance remaining in Weiss broke down, and she cleared her throat, ready to speak when another tug silenced her.
"Hey! Wait, Yang –" Cut off when a door slam echoed in her ear, Weiss realized she had been shoved into a supply closet. "What are you doing Yang!"
"Sorry, but I'm not taking any chances with you two," Yang said, voice coming through muffled.
"Wait, what?" Ruby's voice came through next, and Weiss shivered when she felt her friend's breath brush across her neck. "Yang, what are you talking about?" When no answer came through, Ruby tried again. "Yang?"
Weiss would have slapped her forehead if she knew where her hands were. "She just left us, didn't she?"
"I guess so," Ruby murmured. "What did she mean by that?"
"By what?" Weiss muttered, frustration mounting.
"'I'm not taking any chances with you two.'"
A heavy blush settled on Weiss's face as realization set in, and she hoped that, despite feeling Ruby's breath before, Ruby wasn't close enough to hear her heartbeat spasm.
"O-oh, I'm not sure..." Kicking herself at her flustered tongue, Weiss took a breath before trying again. "She's been weird today already."
"I mean, she's always weird," Ruby piped, eliciting a chuckle from both parties. "What was it you wanted to tell me though?"
A shiver ran up Weiss's spine at the innocent question, and for the moment she was glad that neither of them could find the light switch – she wouldn't have the strength to meet Ruby's eyes. "That!? R-right. Well…" Finding nothing and hoping to distract for time, Weiss tried to raise her hands, stopping when she heard a hiss of pain. "I'm sorry Ruby. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good," she said, another lighthearted chuckle escaping. "Wait, what's this?"
As Weiss opened her mouth to ask what Ruby meant, a tingling sensation ran up her left write, over where the soul mate identifying name resided. Panic zapping her nerves, she tried to pull her arm back, only to find it caught in Ruby's grasp.
"Is that… my name?"
"W-What do you mean?" Weiss tried to ask, falling flat and choppy as she continued to struggle.
Ruby gasped; Weiss's movements revealed more of her name. "It is. Wait." A short pause, Weiss refusing to even breathe as she felt her wrist heat up, Ruby's stare boring through it. "I heard about this from my mom when I was younger." Another moment, one that felt like an eternity, and within the dark storage closet, Ruby's thumb brushing rhythmically over the obvious confession, Weiss was both terrified and safe. "Am I your soulmate?"
"Yes," Weiss said without hesitation. Her heart thudded in pride, and all dizziness left her as she uttered the word she felt gripping her throat.
Then she felt nothing but Ruby, arms protectively circling her waist and Weiss leaned into it instantly, seeking shelter in Ruby's hair and inhaling the scent of roses.
"I'm so happy," Ruby muttered, face pressed into the crook of Weiss's neck.
"I am too," Weiss returned, releasing a shuddering breath and they held each other. She'd get back at Yang later for this. Right now, completely dismissive of the bell ringing, signifying that class had started, she felt much more content in holding Ruby like this.
Even if a supply closet was not what she had in mind.