Author's Note: Took a little longer than I hoped with this one, real life was busy. :(
But finally, here it is!
Weiss never thought that she would see the day where she be having breakfast with both Yang and Winter. Of course, the three did have lunch together the prior day when her sister arrived in Vale... albeit rather quietly, but still, even now, all of this felt so... unreal, as if she would suddenly wake up to learn that it never happened. Luckily, Weiss discretely pinched herself a number of times to make sure, and found that it was in fact, not a dream.
And this time, the couple both had later shifts at their respective jobs, so they actually had some time to prepare the visit.
So, after waking up early - but apparently still not earlier than Neo - the two each took nice, thorough showers, as per Weiss' instruction, before moving on to getting dressed into outfits more appropriate than pyjamas. Though the latter was not exactly difficult. A T-shirt and short-shorts for Yang, and a blouse and jeans for Weiss. Neither too conservative nor too revealing. Perfect. While the blonde did meet her sister the previous day when she unexpectedly dropped by, conversations mostly stayed between the siblings. Of course that was greatly appreciated, as Weiss had not talked to Winter in quite a while, she was also a bit disappointed, because she really wanted those two to get to know one another, since, as her sister said, they were involved now.
Surprisingly, Winter was... actually a little late, which was... extremely unlike her, so by the time she arrived, breakfast was just about ready. Though, that was technically a good thing, as it gave them more time to talk, rather than the couple making the food, while their guest had to just wait. Plus. it gave them a chance to really think about what they were going to cook. The pair went over some options, but none of them seemed quite... fitting, and that was not going to do. Weiss wanted this to be perfect.
Eventually, they decided on something they both knew very well, something classic, so to speak: fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, perfectly-toasted toast, juicy sausages, peanut butter, jam, butter, and of course, fresh coffee and orange juice. Was it a bit much? Probably, but too much was a lot better than too little. Though, it seemed that they would not all be sitting together like previously thought, as apparently Neo ate before the other two even got up. It was... a bit disappointing, since Weiss did also want to introduce her to Winter, but the fact that she even remained in the living area when their guest arrived, rather than hiding away in the bedroom, was a good sign. The mute instead opted to try to draw with her broken wrist, which, all things considered, actually went fairly decently from what they saw. She was still antsy and anxious, but she was doing her best, and that was what counted.
And so, the three sat down to eat. It was... quiet at first - aside from a few compliments on how delicious everything was - while they all simply enjoyed the food, so both Weiss and Yang were able to see something... rather interesting, and frankly, adorable as hell. Winter was seated with her back towards the living area, mostly because it was the closest chair to her when they sat down, and every so often, the other two were able to spot Neo discretely and awkwardly peeking around the half-wall to catch a glimpse of older Weiss, as the blonde said she called her the previous day. It was cute, but what actually made it funny was the more she did it, the more it became clear that her eyes were focused on the older woman's chest, or rear.
Wait, was Neo usually a pervert?
"So, Yang, do you have any formal education?" Winter inquired, taking another forkful of her eggs, and pulling her sister from her thoughts.
And here come the interrogation questions.
"I mean, I finished high school, but I didn't go to college or anything. Never really had any interest to." Yang admitted, sipping on her orange juice.
Winter merely hummed in response. "And are you still working at your mother's bar?" She continued.
"Yep!" Yang smiled.
"What about life plans?" Winter asked.
Yang just shrugged. "Eh, life plans itself."
Winter was quiet for a brief time, observing the blonde with a curious gaze as the trio simply enjoyed their food. Then... she smiled at her, for the first time as far as Weiss could think of. Honestly, after an entire visit the prior day without giving her friend anything but a neutral, stern expression, she thought it was going to take a lot longer to see a smile. "It seems you have a good head on your shoulders."
Yang froze for a moment, swallowing her bite of sausage and furrowing brow at the compliment, before chuckling. "Thanks, I got it from my mom." She mentioned, reaching up to twirl her hair with her fingers.
"I'm not sure that's what she meant, Yang." Weiss commented.
"Not exactly. From what I have seen so far, you're well-mannered, respectful, especially to my sister, and you have practical skills and a stable job." Winter explained. "To be frank, I expected... another ruffian, or I suppose a... bimbo for lack of a better term... Instead, you're nothing of the sort. Quite the opposite in fact, and your hospitality has been impeccable." Then she took a breath. "I... wanted to keep up a barrier of hostility, as I did for... Weiss' previous relationship, but... I apologize for my initial rudeness, Yang, and will not make any further excuses for it."
The blonde just blinked at the unexpected response, and... even Weiss was at a loss for words. It took weeks for her sister to even refer to Vernal using her name, rather than the ruffian, and months for her to warm up to not only their relationship, but her now-ex at all. So to hear all of this the day after she met Yang... It was surprising to say the least.
"Oh, well thanks, Winter." Yang managed after a few moments of semi-awkward silence. "Glad I've got the big sister's approval." She grinned, cutting off a rather large piece of her last sausage and popping it into her mouth.
"I would not go that far just yet." Winter warned, taking a sip from her coffee. "While I regret not giving you a chance at first, I am still concerned over this relationship as a whole." Then she turned to her sister. "Weiss, I could not be prouder of how much you have grown since leaving Atlas, and how you truly made a new life for yourself, but I feel I must remind you of how your current situation looks like what could just as easily be another poor relationship in the making. The day your last one ended, you ran off to live with your friend, and now, not even a month later, you two are involved, with her ex-girlfriend walking around in what I'm hoping is more than just her sweater."
Weiss merely sighed as she put down her fork, hoping that all of this would have been over and done with the prior day, or at the very least the couple would have proven that her sister had nothing to worry about. "Winter, and as I told you yesterday, we did not jump into anything. Yang makes me happier than anyone else, and I thought it was about time that I tell her that, but I also understand you're concern. So, even though it is honestly none of your business, we're taking things very slow." Weiss assured, before almost forgetting something. "And for the record, Neo is wearing pyjamas underneath that sweater, she just feels more comfortable wearing it."
Once again, Winter was quiet for a time, leading them to just continue eating, until she let out a sigh of her own, putting down her cutlery. "I apologize Weiss, my worry for you is often blinding. You've grown so much in our time apart, and it is difficult to reconcile the girl you once were with the woman you are becoming, and it always will be. I will try my utmost to respect your decisions, if you would forgive an occasional lapse in judgement." Then she paused for a moment. "Just... promise me that it will not stop you from coming to me if you need help."
Weiss immediately nodded, offering a smile to her sister. "I promise."
Returning the smile, Winter picked her utensils back up and the trio resumed the meal, before she partially looked back towards the living area, nearly catching Neo staring at her rear again. "And if you would, do tell your friend her lustful gaze is not exactly subtle. Indeed it is quite distracting to be eyed like a piece of meat while enjoying a family meal."
Sharing a shocked look, both Weiss and Yang had to resist the incredible urge to burst out laughing, considering that the mute had been silently and as far as they knew secretly glancing around the half-wall to look at the older woman's chest or behind, mostly the latter. "Oh, yes." Gods, how was she supposed to explain that? "Please don't mind her. She's... not used to the company of a refined woman." To which Neo slightly popped her head over the half-wall, just enough to see her pink and brown eyes, as well as the hint of a deep blush on her face. How is she so cute?
"She's not the only one." Yang commented, smirking at the older sibling, earning her a couple confused looks. "Like, come on, you've got gorgeous looks, a commanding attitude, and a rockin' body. You're like, total wife material. Be still my throbbing heart... Woof..." She gushed, before seemingly realizing what she just said. "I mean, uh... f-forget I said that." Yang quickly mumbled, shrinking in her chair and beginning to shovel food into her mouth.
"Be careful with such remarks, Miss Xiao Long. Do remember we're both spoken for." Winter warned, sipping on her coffee, and receiving furrowed brows from both her sister and the blonde, both perplexed, especially the former.
"But... aren't you single?" Weiss hesitantly asked, attempting to remember if she had been told about some kind of partner.
Winter merely blinked, as if... realizing something. "Oh... oh yes, I am. My apologies, dear sister. It's... just my usual excuse for silver tongues."
After a few moments, Weiss nodded a bit. "Right... Well, regardless... Neo, please control yourself. Not everyone is as... lenient as we are." She near-commanded. Yang ended up agreeing with the older woman's methods, mentioning how she had used similar ones in the past to ward off not-so-friendly characters, but Weiss... had other things on her mind. Specifically... how the blonde was just hitting on her sister. Of course, knowing her friend, it was most likely just a flirty joke, but still... She could not help but wonder if it was... more than that...
It was not hard to see why anyone would prefer Winter over Weiss, the differences between the two were glaringly obvious. The older sibling was taller, she was more confident in herself, she had a much better and more successful career, she dressed better, her skin was softer, her hair was neater and untouched by product, her rear was shapelier, her cup size was far, so unfairly larger, and she was just... more beautiful overall... Hell, the only thing that Weiss had on her sister was age, but even that was subjective, given how a lot of people preferred older women... especially when said older women were vastly superior to the younger one... But even so...
Yang isn't... actually crushing on my sister... right?
After a delicious lunch cooked by Yang, as well as Weiss, much to the surprise of her sister, the trio was off to The Perch to introduce Winter to the rest of their extended family.
Unfortunately, or... perhaps fortunately, given her known past with the blonde, Neo decided to stay at the apartment to continue her attempts at drawing, which in all honesty, were not going too bad, all things considered. Yang was not kidding. She really was an incredible artist, even with a broken wrist. Though she did join them for lunch, which was at least a good sign, as it gave Weiss the chance to properly introduce her to Winter, and show her that there was no reason to be nervous or scared around the older sibling. After all, she was family. Of course the mute was still extremely skittish and was barely able to maintain eye contact, much less shake her offered hand, but she still did it, and that was what really counted.
Once the four women were finished with their meal, Yang, Weiss and Winter got ready to go to The Perch, but not before hugs were timidly requested from the former two by Neo. It was adorable. After that, and an assurance that she could call if she needed anything, they bid farewell to the mute, headed out, piled into the older woman's rental car, and were off. It was a fairly short ride, actually shorter than that from Vernal's apartment, but still, her nerves made it feel much longer. Weiss had not visited The Perch in nearly a month on account of her ex-girlfriend working there, and suddenly showing up with her best friend that she was now involved with would be one of the harshest punches in the gut imaginable. Luckily Yang mentioned that Vernal had been taking time off since the breakup, so that was... at least something. Though that did not stop her from worrying that she might just come back to work while the trio were visiting, as unlikely as it was, given how apparently she was not doing so great.
Weiss had to shake those thoughts away when they arrived. This was supposed to be a pleasant visit.
Taking a deep breath as Yang opened the front door for them, Weiss followed her lead and entered the bar, finding it to be practically empty, which... was to be expected, considering it was barely after noon. Standing behind the counter, cleaning a glass, was Cinder, who upon noticing the trio walking in, smiled and waved before returning to her task, and on the other side of the area, wiping down a table, was Qrow, who also smiled.
"Hey there, Weiss. Cool haircut." He greeted, turning a bit and furrowing his brow at the older sibling. "And... taller Weiss."
Weiss could not help but chuckle at the man's confusion as they approached him. "Thanks, and it's nice to see you again, Qrow. This is my sister, Winter."
Qrow observed the woman in question for a moment, before he smirked. his expression shifting to one that both Weiss and Yang knew all to well after knowing him for so long. "Hey there. Qrow Branwen." He introduced, holding out his hand. "Bartender, short-skirt enthusiast, single."
Son of a bitch. Weiss really should have seen this coming. Glancing up at her sister, she just caught the sight of her rolling her eyes. Though, she still accepted his handshake, if rather reluctantly. "Winter Schnee. Businesswoman, puzzle collector, not interested."
Oh damn.
"Alright, not on the clock, Qrow, come on." Yang chastised, walking past her uncle to lead the other women to a booth. "Now get us some drinks, will ya?"
Qrow let out a chuckle, turning to face his customers as they sat down. Weiss and Winter on one side, the blonde on the other. "So what'll it be, ladies?"
The trio looked between themselves, seeing who wanted to go first. Then Winter spoke up. "Your finest scotch, on the rocks, please." To which the bartender nodded.
Weiss actually had to think for a moment about her choice. She had absolutely no intention on getting anywhere close to drunk, especially around her sister, so a White Atlesian was out of the question... Unfortunately that was practically the only drink she ever ordered when she came to the bar. Although... there were a few times where Ruby had shared her Strawberry Sunrise with her... So, perhaps Weiss could take a page out of her book...
"Lemme guess, White Atlesian?" Qrow guessed.
Weiss shook her head. "I think I will have a Strawberry Sunrise."
Qrow appeared surprised at the younger woman's order. "Shakin' things up for once, I like it." Then he turned to his niece. "How 'bout you, Firecracker?"
Yang was quiet for a few seconds, looking a tad... downcast. "I uh, I think I'll stick with a water this time, uncle Qrow. Don't wanna embarrass myself in front of the big sister, y'know?"
Qrow nodded after a moment. "You got it." He agreed, turning around to head over to the bar counter so he could give Cinder their orders, leaving the trio to simply talk as they waited. Though Winter's skeptical gaze lingered for a bit longer than the other two before turning back to face the blonde.
"Is that sort of behaviour a common occurrence for your uncle?"
Yang just shrugged. "Yeah... Sorry about that. When there's a woman as attractive as you around, he's got the tendency to think with uh, the wrong head, if you catch my drift." She awkwardly explained, lowering her voice and briefly glancing over at the man in question.
Winter definitely did not seem impressed. "I see. Weiss, where is the washroom in this establishment? I seem to have forgotten to go before we left the apartment."
Turning in her seat to face away from the front door, Weiss pointed towards the back of the area. "Just down that little hallway there. Woman's on the right."
After following her sister's direction, Winter nodded. "Thank you. I will be right back." She noted, standing up out of the booth and heading across the room, just before the slight squeak of the front entrance echoed through the area. Weiss turned back around, mostly to face her friend again, and ended up seeing something, or rather someone, that nearly forced a grin onto her face. Walking through the front door of The Perch was a certain redhead that she was introduced to a little while ago: Nora, who upon spotting the pair in the booth, grinned just as much as the younger woman wanted to. What timing. Though, rather than her usual, excitedly-loud greeting, she simply began to silently sneak across the room, eyes focused on Yang, yet amusingly unseen by the blonde. Oh, this will be good.
Once she reached the booth, Nora quietly shuffled into the one behind Yang, then proceeded to reached forward and cover her eyes. "Guess who!"
Yang immediately grinned and chuckled, clearly knowing who it was by the voice, but seemingly deciding to play along. "Hm... Ruby?" She wondered.
"Nope! Guess again!" Nora giggled.
"Mom?" Yang faux-guessed.
"Nuh uh!" Nora denied.
"Lisa Lavender?" Yang continued. Okay, she has to know Yang is fucking with her.
"No, silly!" Nora laughed.
"Well it can't be Nora, she's not this immature." Yang commented, causing Weiss to snicker.
"I resent that! Nora is absolutely this immature!" The redhead countered with a bright grin, finally removing her hands from in front of the blonde's eyes, and eliciting chuckles from the other two.
After calming down, Yang hummed. "Hm... True." She agreed, turning to look at her friend, gesturing towards their own booth with her head. "Now get in here ya goof."
Laughing all the while, Nora jumped out of one booth and popped into the seat beside the blonde, throwing an arm around her shoulders and snuggling awfully close with a sly grin. "Hey there, blondie. How's it hangin'?" Oh boy. Weiss almost forgot how... flirty the redhead had been with Yang, which she had to admit was pretty amusing at first, given how flustered she got, but now, since they were involved, not so much. Luckily, before Nora could actually get to the flirting, Winter returned from the bathroom to bail her sister out.
"And who might this be?" The older sibling questioned, stopping in front of the booth to skeptically eye its new occupant with crossed arms.
Turning away from Yang, Nora merely blinked at the woman standing before her. "Oh wow, Weiss got tall! And curvy!" She burst, before looking over and noticing the real deal across the table. "Oh, hey Weiss!" Did... she seriously not see me until now?
Awkwardly worming her way out of the redhead's grasp, Yang let out a nervous chuckle. "This is uh, this is Nora. She's a friend of a friend, and... kinda touchy sometimes." She explained, running a hand through her hair. "B-But we're not involved at all! She's just... really affectionate..."
Winter was quiet for a few moments, merely glaring at the blonde, looking like she was about to chew her friend out, right in the middle of the bar, which even made Weiss a bit nervous as she sat down next to her. Then her expression softened, but only slightly. "Good, because if you dare cheat on my sister, or the thought ever even crosses your mind, you won't live to regret it."
Yang's eyes only widened, clearly understanding that the woman was serious. Though, she was not the first one to react to the threat. No, that was the redhead sitting next to her, who's eyes also widened upon realizing what that meant, but not out of fear or shock like the blonde, rather... excitement. "Oh my gods, are you guys dating?!" Nora burst, to which Weiss could not help but smile as she nodded. "Aw, adorbs! Always thought you two were so cute together! Now you're makin' me all jealous!" She grinned, before leaning in closer to Yang. "But hey, if you ever need a little tasty filling for your galpal sandwich, you've got my digits!"
Winter immediately raised a brow the instant she heard that. "I beg your pardon?"
Oh no.
Thankfully, before the redhead got the chance to respond, and likely make things even worse for herself, Cinder approached their table with a tray of drinks, looking down at her friend with a skeptical gaze as she began handing out their drinks, even including a second Strawberry Sunrise for the fourth woman. Though... not one for her sister... "You're not causing trouble again, are you, Nora?"
The woman in question just grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it!" She insisted, accepting the drink.
"She just offered to join my sister and her girlfriend in the bedroom." Winter clarified.
Handing the other two their drinks, Cinder merely glanced between them, before smirking, most likely at the fact that the older sibling said girlfriend. "About time." She commented, briefly observing the ex-wannabe punk. "Is that what prompted the haircut and style change?"
Weiss could feel a slight blush tint her cheeks, as hard as she tried to stop it. "That... may have been a factor."
Cinder let out a slight chuckle. "I had a feeling. It's nice to see you back, Weiss."
The younger woman smiled, happy to know that she had been missed. "Thank you, Cinder." Then she took a sip from her drink, almost surprised over how... sweet it was. Wow, she forgot how good it was.
A few moments later, and... very surprisingly, given how she almost never comes out of her office, unless there was a problem that needed her specifically, Raven approached the booth, with an ice-filled glass in one hand, and a rather fancy-looking bottle of scotch in the other. Oh, so that's where Winter's drink was. She then placed the glass in front of the woman, unscrewed the bottle's cap, and filled the glass to the appropriate level, offering a warm, but tired smile as she did so. "Our finest bottle."
Winter smiled in return. "Thank you, Miss... Branwen I presume?"
Raven nodded. "Just Raven's fine. Don't need to be formal around here."
Winter remained silent for a moment, before extending a hand. "Winter, then."
Raven gladly accepted the hand. "Welcome to the family."
Winter merely gazed around the table, observing the various people before her. "And what a colourful family it seems."
Nora just grinned, taking a break from drinking her beverage. "You betcha!"
Raven let out a chuckle. "Used to be a lot less colourful with the ex-wannabe punk sitting next to you."
Turning to look at her sister, Winter eyed her new style. "Yes, well, I do prefer her current pallet." She smiled, taking a sip from her scotch. "Do you plan to grow out your hair again?"
Weiss was quiet for a few moments, not entirely sure how to answer that. She quite liked her new hairstyle, loved it even, and... Yang really liked it too. After all, it was natural, lighter, much easier to deal with... Though even if it was none of those, she had to admit, having her friend like it so much was certainly a significant reason to keep it. So... "Perhaps someday, but for now I think I prefer it short." Weiss decided.
"What a shame. I quite enjoyed getting to see you drunkenly bitch and moan about your job." Cinder commented with a smirk.
"Oh trust me, at least one of those isn't going away anytime soon." Weiss assured, sipping from her delicious Strawberry Sunrise. Maybe I should order this more often...
Winter quirked a brow at her sister. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
Raven only snickered at the question. "Around here, Weissicle's drunk a lot more than sober."
Winter glanced over at her younger sibling with a skeptical gaze. "You told me that you always tried to be responsible when you come here."
Oops. Unfortunately, Weiss had nothing to retaliate with. "Yes... I tried."
"On this very table." Raven added, a sly smirk spreading across her face. Oh this bitch.
Winter merely sighed, glancing over at her sister. "Weiss, please don't tell me that she means what I think she does."
Weiss let out a slightly nervous chuckle. "It's... not as bad as it sounds..."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that..." Yang mumbled, practically into her glass of water.
"You're supposed to be on my side." Weiss hissed, to which her friend just grinned, before winking at her. Gods damnit, even the blonde was turning against her. So, she cleared her throat, looking around at everyone. "For context, I did apologize afterwards."
Raven just laughed. "Oh boy did you ever." She agreed. "So, this was way back, like, a year and a half ago, not long after I first met her. She got drunk as hell, which usually isn't too big of a problem, but then she got up and started dancing on the table, celebrating her new freedom, as she put it." The older woman explained, much to the embarrassment of Weiss, and the amusement of everyone else.
"Weissy dance pants!" Yang cheered.
"Ah, what a cute little potty-mouthed rebel you were." Raven continued. "Unfortunately, as entertaining as it was, I had to tell her to get the fuck down, 'cause I didn't want her ruining one of my tables. First time that I actually yelled at her, but also not the last. Eventually, I just said fuck it, picked her up, and brought her into the back room, where V... another employee had to look after her while she settled down. But of course she just ended up falling asleep at the table, then was carried home later."
Weiss merely pouted at the retelling of that story. Gods, she wished that she could have had more control over herself back then, else she would have saved herself a lot of shame... and heartbreak. "I said I was sorry, and you said I was family now."
Raven only smiled. "Damn right you are, but you still can't dance on my damn tables."
Weiss just took a sip from her drink. "I shall... try to refrain."
"You better, or else I'll put your ass on timeout." Raven warned, though her smile did not falter.
"Drunk Weissy sounds like fun!" Nora burst, eliciting some laughs from the others.
"Yes, she does sound rather... free-spirited." Winter agreed, sipping on her scotch.
"Oh, that's not even the best story we've got about drunk Weissy." Yang added. "Like the time she almost made out with my married sister."
"Yang!" Weiss exclaimed, a blush quickly making its way onto her cheeks.
"Hey, I have stories too!" Yang insisted.
"You're supposed to be on my side!" Weiss countered, earning some laughs from her family. Unfortunately, it seemed that her friend was going to embarrass her anyway. Yet another consequence of her rebellious phase.
"Alright, like my mom's story, this was back last year, 'cept we all had known Weiss for a little while. I was workin', Ruby and her wife, Pyrrha were hangin' out at the bar, and Weiss was in her drunk, flirty mood, sayin' over and over again how they were such a lovely couple." She explained, only making her friend's blush deepen, as she tried to think of a story that could embarrass the blonde. Unfortunately, no such story came to mind. Damnit. "Rubes had said she still had no idea how she landed Pyr, which I get, 'cause that woman's a fuckin' goddess, and... Anyway, Weiss was tryin' to convince her of how beautiful she was, and apparently, the best way that she thought of to hammer it home was to show her how attracted she was to her. So, in a drunken leap of courage, she kissed her. Hell, practically made out with her. 'Course Weiss apologized the next day, but still maintained her point, as she would say."
Oh gods please kill me.
"If only I could have been there to see that." Cinder mentioned with a smirk.
Yang let out a chuckle. "Yeah, it was pretty funny to watch, but even that doesn't compare to when she hits Pyr, or my dad." To which Weiss nearly spit out her drink all over the table. Yang, you bitch!
Winter only furrowed her brow. "She hits... on your father?" She echoed, turning to look at her sister. "But... don't you prefer women?"
Before Weiss could even open her mouth to respond, Raven beat her to it. "From what I've seen, yeah, but you haven't seen this man. He is... really somethin' else." She defended, pulling her scroll from her pocket, tapping it a few times, and turning the device toward the two siblings, showing off a picture of Taiyang in cargo shorts and an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt, flipping burgers on a barbeque. Weiss had to resist the urge not to audibly swallow. Gods fucking damn...
"Oh my." Winter commented, sounding almost... impressed as the older woman put her scroll away. "But on a more serious note, it seems that you all have been taking great care of my sister, so thank you."
Raven offered a tired smile. "Minus the jacket and attitude, and... y'know, some of her drunken exploits, the twerp's been a good patron, and a great addition to this dysfunctional bunch we call a family."
Cinder just rolled her eye. "Except when Yang gives her free drinks."
"Hey!" Yang immediately burst, adorably pouting like her sister.
Winter furrowed her brow at the comment. "Is that not an abuse of your position?" She wondered, glancing over at the blonde with a skeptical gaze, causing the woman in question to nervously look around, seemingly searching for a way out of answering that question. Unfortunately, all it did was lead to the others laughing at her silent, admittedly cute struggle.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
That visit to The Perch... actually went fairly well.
Yang had been extremely nervous to introduce Weiss' sister to the other members of her family, especially Qrow, but everyone was really polite and friendly during their time there. Hell, even her uncle behaved himself after being rejected. Quite perfectly if she was being honest. It appeared that Winter really did know how to handle a silver tongue. Wait, that sounded sexual.
Overall, they all had a pretty good time, and as a bonus, Yang was able to shy away from having any alcohol. Of course it was... getting more difficult as time went on, but... she did not want to relapse back to where she used to be. She... never wanted to rely on alcohol to escape her problems ever again... Though perhaps... Yang could speak with Glynda about that during her next therapy session, to see if there was some way for her to slowly return to being able to drink again.
But that was a problem for another day. For now, it was time for the couple to get home to Neo, as... because at least one of them had been at the apartment with her at all times, they were both understandably a tad worried about how she might have been fairing on her own, even if it was only for... a few hours maybe. Hopefully she merely continued what she had been doing over breakfast, that being practicing her drawing. Unfortunately... that was not going to be the case. After Winter dropped them off at the front entrance to the building, giving her sister a hug, the pair made their way up to the apartment, but when the blonde unlocked and opened the door, their mute guest... was nowhere to be found... At least... not at first. They quickly spotted her sketchbook and pencil still on the couch, then upon looking around the room... they saw her, or rather... they heard her...
It was not clear at first, but all they had to do was follow the sound of... hyperventilating... and soon enough, they found Neo... hiding behind the far side of the couch... curled up in a ball, head down, arms tightly hugging her legs to her stomach... shaking... Oh gods... Was this... a panic attack?
The pair did not waste a single moment before rushing to her side, not even bothering to take off their shoes first. Though as they knelt down next to the mute, neither laid a hand on her just yet, lest they startle her. Instead, Yang decided to play it a little more... safely. "Neo...? Are you alright?" She softly asked, unfortunately receiving no response. So, Yang tried something else, reaching out to gently place a hand on her knee. It caused her to flinch, but she hesitantly looked up at her, eyes red. It tore Yang's heart asunder to see her like this.
After a few moments, Neo loosened an arm from around her legs, and weakly took hold of the blonde's hand, trying to grasp it. Yang and Weiss shared a concerned look, before both nodding, and moving in to wrap the mute in a awkwardly-positioned group hug, the latter running fingers through her multicoloured hair. "Everything's okay... You're okay..." Yang attempted to soothe, trying her best to think back to what her friend said last time. "We're here for you... You're safe..."
The words only caused tears to begin streaming down Neo's cheeks as she began to silently cry, before her arms timidly moved in an attempt to reciprocate the embrace, but only ending up clutching at the other two. The trio remained there for a time, simply holding one another as the mute slowly calmed down, breath steadying, shaking lessening... Both were good signs...
"Would you like to move to the couch?" Weiss offered. "I would imagine it's more comfortable than the floor." To which Neo merely nodded a bit. "Yang, would you mind helping her up? I am going to go fetch a glass of water, as well as a blanket."
"Sure thing." Yang agreed, receiving a nod from her friend as she stood up and headed into the kitchen, leaving the blonde to... figure out how to get Neo up off of the floor. At first she thought to simply help her stand up, but... the mute did not appear to have the ability to do that. So, Yang thought of something else. "Hey... you mind if I pick you up? Y'know, to... help get you onto the couch?" She somewhat awkwardly asked. Neo just nodded, but only slightly. Okay, well, here we go. Moving closer to their guest, Yang hesitantly slid one arm under her legs, and the other around her back, before slowly lifting her into the air.
It was an exceptionally odd feeling... having Neo in her arms... Especially in a bridal-carry like this, with her clutching the blonde like a lifeline... Almost feeling... wrong somehow... or unnatural... Honestly, it was... rather crazy to think about how quickly things had changed between them. Not long ago, she was merely an ex-girlfriend, who barely accepted their invitation to stay the night, and even paid them for the trouble, and now... she was actively clinging to them so... desperately... Though... Yang could not say that it did not make sense. After what happened to her, Neo had become... vulnerable, apparently unable to be on her own, so she was hanging onto the only thing that she understood, which was... them. They told her that she was safe, so... she must be trying to believe it.
Gently setting the mute down on the couch, Yang sat down next to her, remaining close as the two waited for Weiss to return, and not long after, she did, with a glass of water in one hand, and a blanket draped over the other arm. Handing the former to Neo, she opened up the latter before gently wrapping it around her shoulders, and sitting down on her other side. And that was where they stayed for a little while, the two simply keeping the third company as she slowly calmed down, seemingly savouring their presence.
Unfortunately for Yang, it was rather awkward, as she had no idea what to do now. It was not often that she was in such a... tense situation. Even the last time Neo panicked, Weiss was the one who handled everything, and the blonde just had to follow her orders. "So uh, you gals wanna lighten things up with a fun girls afternoon? Y'know, get some snacks, a movie, maybe some games, and then we can order pizza later!" She offered, attempting a bright smile for their guest.
Instead of any answer from the mute, Weiss leaned forward to shake her head. "Now's not the time, Yang." She noted, expression neutral as she gently rubbed Neo's back.
Yang felt her shoulders slump a bit, realizing that her offer may not have been quite appropriate for what was really needed right now. "Right, sorry... I uh... I'm not really good with this kinda stuff..." Plus there was still a lot to unpack with Neo, and neither of them were really in the best place to discuss such things yet knew that she relied on humour and stuff when it came to uncomfortable situations like this, and... well, it was easier to just focus on something positive. Glynda actually mentioned that during one of their sessions, and... she was trying to work on it, but... it did not always go well... That probably explained why she always got so... disabled around beautiful women, like Winter. Anything that Yang could not get around using jokes or other humour just... did not compute.
By no surprise, Neo remained silent, merely staring forward, clutching slightly-less-full glass of water. So, Weiss tried another approach. "Neo, could you tell us what happened while we were gone?" She softly asked. Their guest nodded a bit after several seconds. Holding out the glass, which Yang quickly took from her, Neo reached into her pyjamas pocket, pulled out her scroll, switched it on to the notes app, and slowly began typing. Just over a minute later, she held the message out for them.
Not long after you two left... I got in my own head, scared of being alone for the first time in over a week, and second-guessing my place here... The message explained. I suddenly felt trapped and afraid... and the only people I was starting to trust were gone, but I didn't want to bother you because... I didn't think you were happy with me after what I did while you were having breakfast...
Weiss immediately shook her head upon finishing reading. "I promise you, neither of us are mad over what happened earlier." She assured, offering a warm smile as she properly wrapped her arm around the mute's shoulders.
"It was... actually pretty amusing to see you trying to be so subtle, and... damn adorable if we're being honest." Yang added with an equally-warm smile.
Surprisingly, Neo... smiled in return, if only slightly. Though it did not last long as she hesitantly typed out another message. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm... scared of being alone, but that's all I've ever been...
Reaching out, Yang placed a hand upon one of the mute's. "Well you can stay as long as you think you need to, promise."
Weiss immediately reached out to copy her friend's gesture. "That's right. Until you decide otherwise, this is your home."
Speaking of home... That actually gave Yang an idea. "Hey, why don't we go get some more of your stuff one of these days?" She offered with a smile. "'Cause I bet you'd sleep a lot better with blankets you actually own." Retrieving more of Neo's belongings should definitely her feel like this was not such a temporary setup. Plus, she was fairly certain that the mute had only changed clothes a few times since arriving over a week ago. "'Course I'd offer you the guest room, but y'know, there isn't one in this shoebox." To which Weiss just rolled her eyes.
"We're not going anywhere."
You can do this. You can fucking do this.
After almost a month of doing nothing but sitting on her stupid, pathetic fucking ass, drinking and smoking her days and pain away, Vernal... was finally going to return to work... and she was terrified. Honestly, there were times where she thought that she would never make it back, whether it be because of her weakness, or... because she actually went through with offing herself... and yet, here Vernal was, putting on her work clothes for the first time in weeks... All because of someone who she would have never expected to even give her the time of day after what she did...
Weiss' sister, Winter.
She had mistakenly showed up a couple days ago, thinking that... the two were still together, but... sadly only proved to be a reminder that they were not. Though, instead of simply leaving to go to Yang's, where... Weiss really was... Winter noticed the bandage that covered the younger woman's upper forearm, and... asked to come in. So, not really knowing what else to do, Vernal accepted, and... they sat down on the couch, and talked about what happened. It was difficult to put it lightly, but her guest was persistent, and eventually got it all out of her.
After that... Winter... actually gave her... advice... telling her not to think about her ex-girlfriend, and instead think about the people she could count on, as well as why she can count on them. She told her to remember that those people were rooting for her, that she was able to make them proud, and that every day was a victory if she was able to make it out the front door. Which... of course had not happened in almost a month, but Vernal was assured that everyone needed time to recover. Winter also offered that her friend could always help talk to her, since she herself had never really been good at discussing feelings, thanks to her strict upbringing. Then... the older woman said a mere sentence that made her break down and cry.
You're worth more than your perceived value to others.
Winter put a hand on Vernal's shoulder, saying how her friend told her the exact same thing back when they first met, and it made her cry too. It turned out that Weiss was all her sister had to live for, and that was difficult, but all she really counted on. That friend of Winter's taught her to care for herself, for herself, ensuring that she never had to be tied down by, or to others. It... really made living so much more bearable. So, she encouraged Vernal to do the same. Live for herself, and love those who return it.
In all honesty, her ex's sister was probably the main reason she was about to walk into the back entrance of The Perch at all. Hell, even leave her damn apartment.
Making sure her bandage was completely covered, Vernal took a deep breath, trying to tell herself over and over that she could do this. Eventually, she convinced herself to walk in, feeling almost... nostalgic as she entered the break room. Guess it has been a while... After a moment, she wasted no time heading to Raven's office, who's door was... strangely open. She then gently knocked on the wooden surface, prompting the older woman to look up from her paperwork, eyes widening at the sight of her until-now absent employee.
"Hey... Rae..." Vernal hesitantly greeted, awkwardly waving.
Rather than verbally responding, Raven simply got up from her chair, walked across the office, and smiled as she wrapped her arms around the other woman, holding her tight. It barely took a moment before it was reciprocated. She then planted a kiss on the top of Vernal's head, as she relished the warmth of the embrace. While she may have started rather late with the whole affection thing, Raven really helped her grow warm to intimacy and expressing feelings, almost like an adoptive mother. Now, not only could she stand being held by her friend, she honestly... sort of... craved it.
Upon separating, Raven observed the younger woman for a moment, seemingly making sure she looked alright, before smiling. "Glad you're back, hon. We all missed you."
Vernal could not help but smile back. "I figured it was about time to get off my ass."
Raven let out a laugh, wrapping the younger woman in another tight hug. "As long as you're back." She near-whispered, as the two merely stood there, neither one of them wanting to let go of the other. "So uh, before you get out there, anything you need? Whether it be from me, or... y'know, in general."
Unfortunately, Vernal knew exactly what she probably needed. It was something that had been on her mind since she left her apartment, but at the same time... she did not want to admit that she needed it. Although... if she were to say that she was fine, Raven was surely to catch her bluff. After all, that woman could smell all kinds of bullshit from a mile away. Son of a bitch. "Can I... not... be put on shift with Yang for a while?" Vernal awkwardly requested, barely managing to say it out loud.
"Yeah, no problem." Raven immediately nodded, not even questioning it.
"Thank you..." Vernal mumbled, resting her head against her friend's chest. After a little while longer, the pair eventually separated, and she slowly headed out into the main area of the bar, finding it mostly empty, aside from Cinder, who was standing behind the bar, wiping down the counter, but had not noticed her open the door yet, timidly standing there. Vernal thought about... potentially hugging her as well, but... she was definitely not as comfortable with her as with Raven, and the older woman would likely want to keep things more casual between them, especially at work. Plus, she did not want to bring more attention to herself than needed. So, she simply approached her coworker, and cleared her throat, prompting her to cease her task and look over at her.
"Oh, hello, Vernal." Cinder greeted with a slight smile. "Rave mentioned that you would be returning today. It's nice to see you back on your feet again."
Vernal struggled to keep eye contact, but she somehow managed. "Hey, uh... S-So I'm not great with... well, a lotta shit, but... just wanted to say... Thanks, for... y'know." She almost mumbled, hoping that the other woman would understand what she was talking about, and for a few moments, she became nervous that she did not. Then, Cinder offered a warmer smile, one that... probably never would have come out during her first couple weeks working at The Perch. Their boss surely had something to do with that.
"You're most welcome."
As wonderful as it was to be able to use her friend's soft, pyjama-clad thighs as a pillow, having her hair gently stroked, it unfortunately did not distract from the current situation.
"You already did the difficult part. You called Blake. This will be easy compared to that." Weiss promised, running her fingers through her blonde locks.
"I know, I know. It's just... It's still nerve-wracking..." Yang admitted with a sigh. "She was just so nice... I'd go help fix stuff, then she'd feed me all these baked goods... Other times I'd go for dinner and she'd make these pork dumplings that exploded with flavor and nnnnnngh..." Gods, it made her mouth water just thinking about it, and she had not eaten any of her cooking in years! "She tried to keep in contact after Blake left, but... it was too awkward and painful..."
"Yang, you can do this." Weiss assured, offering a warm smile. "I'll be right out there in the living room with Neo, alright?"
"Yeah... Yeah, okay. Thanks, Weiss. You're the best." Yang smiled back, finally lifting herself from her friend's thighs and sitting up.
Weiss merely grinned at the compliment. "I know." She replied, leaning into plant a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek before standing up from the bed. "Just call me if you need anything." She added, making her way across the room to the exit, and offering one last smile before softly closing the door behind her, leaving Yang alone with her thoughts. Her very... nervous thoughts. Looking down at the scroll in her hand, she took a deep breath, switching on the device, and slowly navigating to a certain contact... Something that she had not done seriously in years...
You can do this.
Unfortunately, deep breath after deep breath, Yang's heart refused to stop racing.
Eventually, she just decided to screw it, tapped the Call button, and held the scroll up to her ear. Ready or not, she was going to do this. Attempting to steady her breathing, Yang listened to the ringing tone. Once, twice... Then came a click, signifying that the call had been accepted. Okay... Here we go again...
"Yang? Is... that you?" Came the voice of Kali Belladonna from the other side of the call, sending a pang of guilt through the blonde's heart.
"Hey... Kali..." Yang awkwardly greeted, running a hand through her hair. "How uh... how've you been?"
There was a brief pause. "Quite well. Ghira and I just returned from a dinner with some friends. Are you doing alright, sweetheart? Are you taking care of yourself?"
Just the word sent another pang through Yang's heart. Gods, it was as if she had never abandoned the woman that she used to call a sort of third mother. "Yeah... Yeah I've been good..." She managed, before the call fell to silence, as she tried to work up the courage to get to the main topic. Eventually, Yang took another deep breath. "Kali, I'm... I'm sorry for what happened after Blake and I graduated... I... I shouldn't have just ghosted you like that... I-I just wasn't really thinking and... things were weird and I didn't want to mess anything else up so I... I'm really sorry..."
Kali let out a small sigh. "Yang, dear, you have absolutely nothing to apologize for. I know your situation with my daughter was... difficult, and I have only every been worried for your well-being. While it was unfortunate to not be able to keep in contact with you, I understand why that was painful." Then she actually let out a soft chuckle. "After all, many friends have told us that Blake is like a younger version of myself."
Yang was speechless. She's... forgiving me that easily? Even though I just... abandoned her? The blonde only sniffled as she felt a lump in her throat. "I-I missed you, Kali..."
Another short pause. "I missed you too, my darling sunflower." Kali agreed, likely with that classic warm, motherly smile spread across her face. "I'm happy you decided to call."
Yang could feel tears beginning to pool in her eyes. "I-I'm... sorry I hurt you..."
"You never hurt me, dear, you worried me." Kali assured. "My girls were hurting, more than I had ever seen before, and I only ever wanted to help you both heal. I still do."
Yang just sniffled again. "You mean you're not... mad?"
"Of course not. I understand why you felt like you could not continue to speak to me, and I want you to know that I have never given up hope that one day you would reach out again." Kali explained. "While I don't believe that there is any need for it, I forgive you, Yang, and if you ever want or need anything from me, please, don't hesitate to ask. It's okay to do either, and I'm but a call away."
Those four words... I forgive you, Yang... sent tears streaming down Yang's cheeks, as she began to softly cry. She had spent days worrying about what the older woman would say when she finally mustered the courage to call, but... to hear her just... treat it as if it was only water under the bridge... That was a bit much for her to handle. Gods... That woman was too caring for her own good... Hell, if Yang had not already been in love with her daughter, and she was not already happily married, the blonde definitely would have developed a major crush on her.
"Shh... Shh... It's okay, sweetheart... You're okay..." Kali soothed, her voice low, and soft, before she sniffled herself. "I love you."
Wiping tears from her face, Yang managed a smile. "Love you too, Kali."
Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you think!
Because as always, your feedback fuels us!