The clatter and noise of the party were enough to give the new Schnee siblings a matching pair of taut smiles. Let alone the heavy hug their erstwhile sister was giving them was causing some air blockage, at least it felt like it. Winter and Whitley jointly laughed in nervous slander as their sister held them closely. Whitely struggled out a restricted huff, "W-Weiss, your friends?" The boy had never been a hugger and was not seemingly ready to start now.
On the other hand, Winter seemed warmer to the hug than her brother, responding to the sudden hug out of reflex by sealing Weiss and Whitely off from escape. Though she did not realize that she was prolonging the Schneebling hug through her wingspan. Muttering as she held her captives, "Yes, Weiss, this is very unprofessional."
The older and younger siblings' chastised remarks did little for their sister. Instead, Weiss adjusted herself to be able to look up to Winter and down to Whiteley. "This would be the smallest issue of my week," Weiss said with a huff, "I doubt any of them will care if I show my estranged and formerly deranged siblings some love." The remarks made the two Schnees in Weiss' grasp blush a small amount.
"This is still very unorthodox." Whitely managed with a sigh, though he also melted into the hug, his arms scarcely coming to his sisters' upper backs with a trembling motion. Winter huffed at the blushing Whitley, "We have managed to warm up the savage beast, Weiss." The middle child meeting her sister's chuckle with a smirk. "Yeah, it wasn't that hard to warm someone after living with father and mother. Just show anyone love, and here we are."
A slight laugh left Winter as she nodded, though, before long, she was receiving a knowing glare from Weiss, "Now, I know I started this, but…" Winter blinked at Weiss' meandering smirk, "O-oh, right." Winter's muscle-bound arms dropped, slightly lowering Weiss and Whitely to the ground, "Apologies, I had not realized that I-." Winter had begun, though as she became available, the sound of what seemed to be jet engines rocked through the room, "Friend Specialist Schnee!"
The trio of siblings blinked as a green storm of ginger hair stormed toward them, Whitely and Weiss both ducking for cover as Winter went semi-slack-jawed at her assailant. Winter's face lighting up when she realized who was closing on her. "Penny?" She cried excitedly.
The ginger Maiden came crashing into Winter's sternum, a move that the siblings expected to at least knock down their jock of the family. However, caught the speedy Winter Maiden in a heavy embrace. Winter embraced the ginger Maiden, "I'm so glad you're okay!" Winter cried with a meek laugh as Penny shook giddy, "Of course I'm okay! I had to make sure you were okay!"
A loan wince came over Weiss, a similar expression befell Whiteley, "My dolt never did that for me." The middle child said with a pout and cross of her arms. Whitley smirked up at her before catching something in the corner of his vision. Taking a step back as he hummed, "Don't speak too soon."
The chitter of her brother's scoff made Weiss look at him, tracking his gaze before the trio of her teams' manes of hair flashed in her vision. The trio of her closest friends tackling the Schnee to the floor. The middle Schnee went down kicking and screaming, "Okay, what are you doing-?!" Weiss' squawking getting cut off by a lock of Yang's mane falling into her mouth. "Weissy~!" They cried in unison, Blake's turgidly red expression and the stench of whiskey filled mwaterboards' allusions in,
Snarling low, "Oh for-! Stop drinking the whiskey straight!" Weiss huffed, still bound by her friends on the ground. Had Yang and Blake not been there, Weiss would have been blushing for a far different reason than mere shock as Ruby was levying her legs around Weiss' hips and had fallen up her torso. "Weiss~ We found more drink~" Yang taunted, holding the bottle in her metallic hand. "Put that down, you're not gonna water board me." Though she was restrained, Weiss' glare still held a fair share of power over the blonde, "W-well…" Yang looked to her sister and partner.
The bumbling and drunk blonde chuckled dryly. "Weiss said no, should we still do it?" Weiss shrieked, "Absolutely not!" As Blake and Ruby shared a glance, thinking for a moment before nodding. Ruby coughed a laugh before belting out, "Yeah." All the while, Weiss shook her head, calling out refutes constantly. "Right, I don't think so!"
Though the blonde shook her head, "Yeah, I don't think it's a good idea either, guys." The pair beside her sulked a touch. Weiss huffed from beneath the dogpile, "Thank the gods. Now put that down." She tried to order, though Yang shook her head. "No, this is mine now." The drunken slur heavy on her while she cradled the partially emptied bottle.
Making to drink from the bottle, Yang raised it tall. Blake and Ruby both clambering beside her for it. However, Yang couldn't get the bottle to her mouth. Finding it clinking on something restricting it. Looking over to the bottle with a befuddled expression. Yang found the bottle completely yoinked from her grip, whipped from her hands by the end of Neo's parasol.
Throwing the bottle into her free hand, Neo offered a glare to the still slumped-over blonde. The blonde was in a mix of surprise, shock, and disappointment. "Ah, if it isn't the pipsqueak." Yang managed with a hiccup, slowly staggering to her feet from her pinning position on Weiss.
Standing a good height over the tri-haired girl, Yang drunkenly winced down at the woman. Neo only smirked up as she tauntingly waved the bottle in at Yang. Unamused, Yang staggered at the tiny human. "Gimme the bottle." Neo shook her head, holding a finger up to Yang. The larger brute staggered at the request, allowing Neo to hum to herself with the bottle. Yang watched as Neo took up the bottle and dispenced the amber liquid into her empty glass.
Neo came around to the side of the now sitting up Weiss. The middle Schnee was giving a disciplinary speech to her two partners as Neo crouched beside her. "-We do not tackle people to feed them liquor!" Blake and Ruby were both hunched over on their knees as they solemnly nodded, "Yes, Weiss." Neo nodding along as she quietly handed the Schnee the filled glass.
Without thinking, Weiss took hold of whatever Neo was offering her, "Right, we offer people things. They don't have to drink what we give them…" The final dictation ended with Weiss unthinkingly taking a big swig from the glass she was just handed. A smirking Neo watched as the white-haired woman gagged and wheezed the drink down. "Neo!" Weiss exclaimed loudly, turning on the trickster mute as the trio of her teammates barreled about laughing at the Schnee.
Aside from the scene, Whitely leaned on what was once Jaques' chair, though thankfully, someone else inhabited it. Oscar lounged back in the seat, his cane balanced on the floor before him. The boy chuckled to the youngest Schnee beside him, "They really do look relieved, don't they." Oscar's voice came with a tired smile. Whitley jumped a little as he nodded, "Y-yeah. I don't think I've ever seen Weiss so full of emotion." He shrugged, cutting himself off.
"Well, more emotion besides annoyance and aggravation." Oscar chirped a small laugh, leaning onto the chair's arm as he extended his hand to Whitley. "I don't think we've actually met," Whitely took the similarly aged boy's hand, shaking it, "I'm Oscar Pine." The Schnee boy smiled in return, "Whitely, heir to the SDC." Oscar hummed in agreement, "I got that by the tweed suit." Whitely huffed, looking down at his outfit, "What do you mean tweed? This is a fine suit." The low drawing smirk from Oscar came behind his glass, "Sure, bud." Whitely rolled his eyes, "Better than some green trench coat." He murmured. Oscar laughed beside him, "I suppose so."
Separated from the scenes, Cinder watched from behind the bar. Hoping that she'd somehow spend the whole evening without being seen, "Just perfect." She groaned, drinking from a thickened green bottle. Placing the bottle back down, she saw as Neo slunk back toward her, a smirk plastered upon the little gremlin.
"Having fun?" The Fall Maiden mused, a low groan accompanying her as Neo sat across from her partner. The Mute tapped the table and intensified her smirk at Cinder. Though the Fall Maiden continued to seem distracted, the Mute tried to wave within the woman's frame of view. Only receiving a curt, "What?" In return. Neo, seeing her partner thrown off, cracked her head to the side, looking at her with a curious expression.
Cinder did not notice the tilt. In fact, she was more lending to completely ignore Neo in all. Her eye was laid across the room at the door instead. Penny was still talking to Winter's wit's end. The frantic bobbing of Winter's white hair made Cinder's heart flutter, much to the easy viewing of Neo.
The only thing that made Cinder return to Neo was the loud clicking of a bottle onto the bar's table. Snapping back to the Mute, Cinder watched as a smiling Neo turned back from looking across the room. Neo smiling as she nodded behind her to the elder Schnee. Batting her eyelashes, Neo smiled all cutesy like up at the Fall Maiden. In response, the blushing Cinder cursed quietly. "Stuff it." The Maiden growled, leaning on the bar to put the pair of them at the same height.
In a low terse tone, Cinder whispered. "I'm not looking at the Schnee. Shut up." Neo smirked in return, making a heart with her hands over her chest as she continued her smile. The red blush on Cinder grew, her nose crinkling a touch as she squirmed, "Quiet." Cinder stiffened, though the heterochromatic eyes staring her down only continued to laugh at her.
The black fluff of hair turned downward with a groan into the table along with her face. Cinder's voice sounded meek and defeated, "Neo, I'll kill you." She managed as the Mute giggled silently into her hand, her offhand mindlessly patting the fringe of black hair.
Winter scoffed as Penny jumped up and down, holding each other by their ha. PennyPenny prattled, "I was so worried about you! I saw footage of the front when I recovered, but they wouldn't let me come help!" Winter huffed as Penny's expression took on a thankful surprise, "I'm sure the film made it look worse than it was."
The Schnee managed, "You had students on the front line!" Penny gawked, for Winter's mouth the form a thin line, "Yes, well, it wasn't my battle plan." The Maiden only levelled her eyes on t. ISchnee, "I had a feeling." Penny chuckled.
Winter's brow hardened at the comment, "I assure you, Penny…" Winter shook the hands she held, "I didn't plan on using any soldier who had not chosen to fight. I was forced to." Penny sighed at the Schnee's word, looking Winter in the eye with a scarce smile, "I know, but the Atlas military is hardly forgiving with their duties, I can attest to that." A dry swallow was all Winter could muster, her mouth opening slightly before Penny smiled at her friend.
"Don't worry, Winter. I'm okay." Though as Penny dropped their hands, it seemed Winter's mouth refused to follow her head. "I-I'm glad." She said after a long while, nodding with a huff at Penny. The Maiden's quiet smile stuck as she turned partway and gestured into the room, "Care for a drink?" Finally, a full exhale left Winter and forced her shoulders slack, "Oh, yes." She laughed a little at the moment, following after Penny as they walked through the room. Winter momentarily glanced at her siblings as she moved through the room.
Weiss was still on the floor now alongside her whole team, though now she had a glass in her hand as she laughed and joked with her friends. Winter couldn't help but smile at the display. With Weiss' eyes flicking to Ruby constantly, it was hard to not draw some connections as to what was going on in her sister's drunk ailed mind.
Winder shook her head, only managing to smirk as Weiss' voice called after her. "Wint!" The elder Schnee paused, "Wint?" She asked the air, Penny chuckled a little as she turned back to the quartet, "Since when are we doing nicknames?" She stared down at her sister. Weiss' face was emblazoned red around her nose.
"Shut up, Wint." Weiss croaked out behind her glass, the entirety of her team resounding a low, "OH!" In response, "What does that even mean?" The elder sister asked aloud, looking at a giggling Penny, "Why are you laughing?" The Maiden shook her head, "I do not know, I was told laughing in groups is a form of commonality."
Ruby barked loud as she pointed at Winter and Penny, "Damn right! That's my best friend!" Winter shook her head, "What is happening?" She managed. Though it seemed that Weiss was taken somewhat aback, "What about Bffs, Dolt?" Weiss held a comical frown as she leaned on her red partner. Winter, cringing slightly, turned and whisked herself and Penny away before anything else could be said.
Though in a lighter sense, Penny and Winter were beholden to the quiet conversation of Whitley and the spry farmboy. Winter sighed with a pleasant smile, "Oscar, good to see you." The hazel-haired boy looked to the Specialist with a smile, "Winter. Was just having a good talk with your brother." Whitely offered a short wave.
"Oh, what about?" Winter asked with a slant to her head. However, the pair of boys merely exchanged a glance and shrugged, "Books mostly," Whitely said first, "Did you know Oscar somehow read Breckins while working a farm?" He sounded fully invested, though Winter had to shake her head, "Breckins? Wasn't that the mystery novelist I read you when you were younger?"
Whitley nodded, offering a look at Oscar. "She was very invested in them as well, though that was before she enlisted. Doubt she can read now." Winter scoffed at the remark, "I can hear you still." The slight tinge of red on her face as Oscar laughed only worsened as Whitely levelled a smirk at her, "I know, that's why I said it."
A huff left Winter as she turned, "Such a tweed." She winced at Whiteley, who only bowed his head, "I live to please." Oscar stuttered a laugh with his new friend, though Penny consoled Winter as she gleamed red. "What poor manners." The Maiden commented, smiling as she guided Winter to the edge of the bar, moving around the counter herself. Winter groaned as she planted an elbow on the table, limiting her vision to the corner of the room as she looked down at the table.
"Gods, I haven't had a drink in months.." The soldier's diet had restricted it. The most she had previously had of alcohol as of late was a tiny smidge of party drinks out of courtesy during the final victory. Penny huffed a laugh, leaning across from the soldier as she played with stray bottles, "What could I do for your dry pallet then, Friend Winter?"
The Schnee laundered on a reply, though she had not needed to wait long before an airy sounding exhale and thud made her jump. Turning her attention to the portion of the bar she had previously limited sight to, she spotted the mute woman. Who she could hazily remember the name of.
Neo was laughing hard to herself. It was a burst of disconcerting laughter, as it was silent, but regardless Winter went rigid. "What in Tartarus is Neo doing here, Penny-?" Winter said with a glance to the bar. Penny's bow was the only part of the Maiden her friend could. Winter's brow hardened as Penny's voice carried up over the bar.
"Are you okay?" Penny said aloud. Winter was confused, unsure if she was the one being addressed. "Penny, all good?" Winter's brow quirked as Penny's bow moved back and forth. However, Penny's voice wasn't the one to respond to the Schnee's question.
Instead, a familiar voice to the Schnee seemed to argue with Penny. "I fell. I'm not dying!" Winter listened with a heavy dose of confusion as Penny responded to the aggressive tone. "Cinder, you have to be more careful." Winter blinked for a moment, pressing herself slowly to stand and lean over the bar.
"Who are you-?" Winter's eyes went wide as she became able to see more clearly. The Schnee's voice grew slow as she processed the scene, "Talking… to…" The glowing yellow eye hid beneath a rustled bundle of black hair, which Cinder pressed aside from her position on the floor.
Penny was beside the Fall Maiden, smiling up at Winter, "Oh, sorry, Winter." Penny's hand was on Cinder's singular arm, much to Winter's shock, "Cinder took a spill. It seems she slipped on one of the girls' spilt drinks." In response to the Maiden's declaration, Cinder shot a murderous glare at Penny. The Fall Maiden growling behind a clenched jaw, "I said it wasn't a smart idea to let them take that bottle."
The Maidens exchanged scowls, though Penny's seemed to be a comical imitation, "It's a party, Friend Cinder. Have a laugh." Cinder groaned at Penny, "I feel as though this party is about to be much less fun." The pair of Maidens looked back up to the bar. The still silent cackling of Neo at Cinder's tumble was being paled by the stone-faced glare Winter was giving the downed Fall Maiden.
Penny helped Cinder to her feet. The small action allowed Cinder to be closer to the Schnee and Penny to the Mute. In this small stint, Penny had turned to Neo, the Maiden presenting a near-perfect hand gesture in Vailain form Sign Language. The two had made some brief introduction as Winter and Cinder stared each other down, "Can I make you a drink?" Penny asked with a smile, "You can sign?" Neo had responded, aghast, "Since when have any of you been able to talk to me?" Penny stumbled a laugh that was hushed down to a giggle, "Only just learned, really is the most simple of the sign languages in Remnant to learn." Penny replied with a pleasant bob of her shoulders.
All the while, Cinder was stuck behind the bar. Interlocked in a staredown with the Schnee. Never before had she wished that Ruby or one of the other miscreants would tackle her into a hug than right now?
Placing down her small glass of liquor, Cinder swallowed, making her try to and dissuade this interrogation. Her hand tapped the bar top, muttering slightly, "Soooo. How's the weather out there?" Winter's expression remained ice-cold, "Not a conversationalist?" Cinder continued. It was disheartening to be subjected to the coldness of such beautiful eyes.
In response to her own flirtatious thoughts, Cinder shook her head, 'Dammit, don't think about her that way right now.' A drop of sweat forming on Cinder's worried expression.
Cinder was snapped from the egregious train of thought as Winter took in a long inhale, closing her blue eyes as she sighed out. "So what's the deal?" Her eyes were still closed as Cinder seemingly choked on air, "W-well, I- Uh, what.. deal?"
It was not often Cinder had been lost for words. Usually, she was full of many, and they were all rather verbose, but now it seemed that the Specialist's mere presence was forcing a wad of tissue into the Fall Maiden's mouth.
"I mean…" Winter said, opening her eyes onto the bashful Cinder, "What deal did my sister and her team cut with you so you could be here?" The Fall Maiden blinked, shaking her head, "Who's to say I didn't come willingly?" She leaned a little more relaxed onto the bar, a few inches separating the two's faces.
The Fall Maiden's blush only worsened as Winter's warm breath licked her lips. "A lot, mostly how you're missing an arm, you're wearing a selection of mine and my Sibling's older clothes, and you're letting Penny pick you up off the floor." The absurdity was not lost on Cinder.
"True." Cinder said flatly, rolling her eye momentarily before sighing—Cinder's voice coming out with a low drawling tone. "Look. The specifics don't really matter, I cried into Weiss and Ruby's shoulders, and they made me have a turn of heart, and now I'm here to serve as their ever valiant and generous leader." Winter looked unconvinced, making Cinder rephrase again, "It was a little more than light crying…?" She attested the Schnee stared down the Fall Maiden for an uncomfortably long time.
It spooked Cinder a little as Winter groaned and snatched at the Fall Maiden's drink, taking the Fall Maiden's glass and downing it. Cinder's expression turned to worry as the Schnee shook her head at the taste, "What is that?" She gawked with a cough.
Cinder huffed a little, "Scotch and Gin," Coughing a laugh a little, "W-Why would you shot it?" Winter heaved a cough again, "Why are you mixing those?" The Schnee wheezed. Such a cutsie noise that made Cinder scoff before laughing, "Because I don't know what I'm doing."
Winter slowly came down from her coughing fit and turned it into a tiny laugh that Cinder felt reciprocated to oblige. "Well, maybe I should make our drinks then?" Winter asked with a huff, Cinder scoffed and threw her hand up, retreating from the bar.
Attesting, Cinder moved away, "It would be very host-ish of you." A low hum of approval came from Winter as she stood and traded places with the smirking Cinder. The Maiden took Winter's seat, wanting to provoke more conversation and said the first thing that came to her mind, "You have a very hot butt." Winter's brow peaked as Cinder's expression blanked, turning very red.
Realizing the phrasing of her statement, Cinder shook her head with a sputter. "I-I mean the stool! Your butt is very hot in temperature!" Though the Maiden felt she had messed up again. "Not that you don't have a-."
Cinder's sputter to correct herself was again met by the damned laugh of the Schnee. Winter spoke as she smiled wonderingly at the yellow-eyed woman, "Thanks, I think your butt's hot too." Winter's comment made Cinder calm down a little, though it didn't make the redness leave her face. "W-well, I have been called a walking space heater." Winter huffed a laugh as she poured bottles of things too rich for Cinder to ever know out, "Tell me more." Winter asked, handing Cinder the glass, the pair of women clinking the glasses before sipping from them.