Hello, here's chapter 33. Hope you enjoy it!
Beta reader: RealTerminal
I do not own RWBY and make no monetary gain from this. Writing is for entertainment purposes only.
"Hey, we're back," Ruby announced cheerfully when she opened the dorm room door. Blake and Yang sent them smiles from inside but Ruby immediately pivoted, pulling Weiss along with her. "Just gonna tell JNPR everything's fine again."
She closed the door and knocked on the opposite one. "We come bearing good news," she shouted, unable to contain her exuberance. Next to her, Weiss rolled her eyes but couldn't help but to look amused.
Jaune opened the door. "Hey there." The faintly optimistic expression soon bloomed fully at seeing their mood. Sitting on her bed, Pyrrha looked relieved as she waved at them.
"It sure looks like it," Nora commented giddily from her own bed. She had pulled her headphones to the side and dropped the magazine she had been reading.
Ruby's heartfelt smile was infectious, and Weiss felt her lips quirk upwards. "Yes, sorry for worrying you and making supper fairly unpleasant. We made up."
"It's fine, Weiss," Jaune said, giving both of them sincere smiles.
"We're just glad you two are back to your normal starstruck selves," Nora added from her bed.
Hearing that, Weiss wasn't able to prevent a blush from beginning to spread over her face. She knew they were rather idealistic and 'sickeningly sweet' as Yang had once put it with no small amount of amusement, but it was still a little bit embarrassing that their friends so clearly noticed. Though, in all honesty, what JNPR had seen wasn't anything in comparison to what happened on Patch.
She was pulled out of her train of thought by Jaune humming and then looking slightly embarrassed. "Do you mind if I give you a piece of relationship advice?" he asked.
Ruby exchanged a glance with her. Weiss nodded. "Sure."
"My mom always said that when you're arguing with your significant other, it's not you versus them, but the two of you versus a problem," Jaune explained.
The advice was simple and common sense, yet Weiss realized how profound it was. When one didn't get along with someone, it was so easy to fall into the false notion that there would be a winner and a loser in the confrontation. While she hadn't felt that need this time around, Weiss wouldn't put it past herself to remain cool-headed enough to not try and make it about her having the upper ground.
Ruby blinked and looked surprised as she processed the advice. "Jaune, that's some of the best advice someone has ever given me. It makes so much sense!" In the next moment, she hugged him. "Thanks."
Jaune chuckled nervously when Ruby stepped back, throwing worried a glance at Weiss, which she rolled her eyes at. "Glad I could help. It may not always be easy to have that in mind, but whenever Mom and Dad argued, they tried to follow through with that mindset and not assign blame to one another."
They chatted for a few more moments, with Ruby taking the opportunity to schedule tomorrow's morning run with Pyrrha, before bidding their friends goodnight and returning to their own dorm room. Weiss thought she should bring up her desire to get started on running herself, but decided to leave it for a few days until she had properly ascertained the workload of the new semester.
"All is officially well again," Ruby said cheerfully when she opened the door again.
Wess felt a bit self-conscious, but nodded. "Yes, I apologize for how today turned out."
Blake, sitting at the desk and reading in the Grimm biology textbook, shot them a smile and shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Sometimes, things just go wrong. What's important is making up." She closed the book and turned around to give them her full attention.
Ruby chuckled sheepishly. "We've learned our lesson: Talk more about stuff we feel like keeping to ourselves." She grasped Weiss hand and gave it a squeeze.
"So, want to play a game of cards?" Yang asked and dangled her feet on the edge of her bed. "Or do you just want to rest instead?"
Ruby and Weiss glanced at each other. "Yes, why not," Weiss said and went over to a drawer to fetch a deck. Spending some time with her friends would be nice, and she wasn't in the mood to bring out any of the textbooks tonight, that was for sure.
"I can make tea and coffee for us," Blake offered.
Weiss wasn't in the mood for coffee for once, so she opted for tea to make it easier on Blake. Ruby followed her example, and to Weiss' surprise, Yang did the same. Weiss knew Ruby enjoyed tea when offered, but didn't seek it out, and had actually grown to voluntarily get coffee as of late. Yang though, had never had tea if memory served her.
As they waited, they sat down on pillows on the floor and shuffled the deck. "I didn't know you liked tea, Yang. You always drink coffee or energy drinks," Weiss said.
Yang shrugged. "Eh, figured it can't hurt to try it. I kinda need to cut down on energy drinks anyway. They're not very healthy."
Weiss thought that was for the best. Apart from energy drinks, Yang wasn't actually nearly as unhealthy as Ruby. Her training regimen required a lot of carbs and protein, so she could get away with eating lots of greasy food, but apart from the occasional snack and the recent indulgences on Patch, Yang was actually fairly good at eating a balanced diet.
Blake soon returned with a steaming pot of tea water, four mugs with tea bags, and saucers. Then, to Ruby's delight, she brought out a package of store-bought cupcakes from her closet.
"Way to go, Blake!" Ruby's enthusiasm was silly but infectious.
Yang laughed. "Man, everyone's turning into a sugar addict. You're a bad influence, Rubes."
"I thought it would be nice to have it ready for this sort of occasion. I bought these on Patch but never found a time to share them because someone," Blake glanced fondly at Yang, "baked much more than I would've guessed."
Yang smiled sheepishly but managed to wink at her. "Well, what can I say; Good company makes it a joy to prepare food."
As they played, it was like the past few hours hadn't happened. They laughed and enjoyed themselves just as usual. Weiss didn't have quite as much luck this time around usual, ending up dead last in over half the games. However, today it didn't matter in the least to her.
When it was just past 9 o'clock, the sky was beginning to turn a deep orange. Weiss realized she needed to sleep and couldn't very well postpone it much longer. Normally, she would've stayed awake for another hour or so, but after today, tucking in early felt like a good idea. She let out a yawn and dropped her cards to the floor before they could commence another round.
"I'm actually fairly tired. Do you mind if we stop here?"
"No, that's fine," Blake reassured her and received a nod from both Yang and Ruby.
"Thank you. Then I'll start preparing for bed," Weiss said. She stood up and headed towards her closet.
Then it hit her. She wouldn't get to sleep together with Ruby tonight.
Or can I? But I think it would be inconsiderate towards Yang and Blake… or would they care?
Such thoughts occupied her mind as she grabbed her nightgown and stepped into the bathroom for her nightly ritual.
On the one hand, she doubted that Yang and Blake would actually care if she shared a bed with Ruby.
No, they definitely wouldn't mind.
However, on the other hand, Weiss felt like she would have to discuss this with Ruby beforehand. She wasn't sure if Ruby would feel too embarrassed around Yang or not.
As for herself, it would be mortifying, but at the same time Weiss reckoned overcoming such emotions would be possible. She made a note to bring it up tomorrow when she had some time alone with Ruby.
I don't want to sleep alone, but one night should be fine.
Her lips quirked into a smile when it hit her that she was feeling loneliness from not being able to share a bed with her girlfriend for one single night. She had previously gone nearly all her life without doing so, and now that old routine felt very unappealing.
"Weiss, let me brush your hair," Ruby requested when she stepped out of the bathroom. Ruby was still in her shorts and t-shirt, and Weiss realized she would miss seeing her dressed so casually. On the other hand, Ruby was very cute in a school uniform and she was anticipating that sight quite a bit.
"You played with my hair not half an ago hour," Weiss commented, but nonetheless sat down at the edge of her bed, Ruby crawling up behind her. She wasn't against being pampered some more.
"I don't see the issue," Ruby humorously replied and hugged her from behind, burrowing her face in the crook of her neck. Weiss reached up and gently touched her arm.
"There isn't one. I'm enjoying this just as much as you do, and I think a little extra affection today is perfectly acceptable." The knowing and amused looks her friends shot her from their own beds made Weiss feel like squirming on the spot but she soon ignored it entirely in favour of the bliss that was a brush and gentle hands working their way through her hair.
She let out a small sigh of happiness and tilted her head upwards to guide Ruby to a spot that was particularly itchy. "I'm never going to get enough of this." Ruby's fingers were magical for many reasons.
Ruy giggled. "Suits me just fine, because there's no way I'm stopping." She lowered her face slightly. "You're too cute."
Weiss just hummed and relaxed further. Yang and Blake were lost in a Scroll and book respectively, giving them a little bit of privacy.
"Weiss," Ruby asked after a while and pulling her out of the drowsy state she'd ended up in.
"Yes?"
"Let's promise something to each other. That we never go to bed without having made up if we've argued about something."
Weiss thought back to an online article she'd read about maintaining relationships. While the wealth of information had felt overwhelming to her, a few pieces of advice had stuck - one of them being the very thing Ruby suggested. "Yes, let's do that."
"That's a promise?" Ruby wrapped her arms around her again and Weiss learned back, letting her body weight be carried by her girlfriend. Weiss wasn't able to ignore the sensation of Ruby's chest pressing against her back, but whereas before it would've embarrassed her to no end, she now found herself enjoying the sensation and be rather calm about it.
Weiss smiled and brought one of Ruby's hands to her lips, giving the soft skin a kiss. "It is." She sighed then happily. "Let's switch places. Your hair is getting long and I need to ensure it doesn't tangle. Do you have any plans to cut it?" Mostly though, Weiss just wanted the chance to spoil Ruby a bit.
"I'm not sure," Ruby said and burrowed her nose in Weiss hair. It tickled and her exhales were warm. "Mom had long hair and I've been thinking that it would be nice to have a similar hairstyle."
"You'd pull it off, Ruby," Yang interjected. Weiss sent her a borderline apologetic smile. Cuddling with Ruby was one thing, but it wouldn't do to not show some tact around her friends, easy as it was to forget.
"Thanks, sis!" Ruby said and leaned forward, unwittingly pressing her chest further against Weiss' back and reminding Weiss of… other times they'd been so close together.
Weiss patted Ruby's leg, secretly enjoying the feel of the smooth skins even as she tried to ignore how heat flared up across her cheeks from the thoughts she were having. "Your turn."
I'll have to speak to her about… sex and how we'll… find the time and privacy for that. Maybe we could red more in 'Under the pale moonlight' as well. We weren't patient enough for it whenever we had the chance.
Changing spots and trying to keep her thoughts wholesome, Weiss could once again indulge herself in brushing her girlfriend's hair. There was just something satisfying about it she wasn't able to explain.
She met Yang's gaze, receiving a kind smile in return before Yang returned to fiddling with her Scroll.
Another five minutes went by before Ruby indicated she was content. "Thanks, Weiss. I'll prepare for bed now. Gonna take a shower too." Ruby stood up and made the trip to the bathroom. Weiss laid down in her bed and set the alarm out of old habit, even if she knew that Ruby would wake her up before it to get those early morning cuddles in after going for a run.
The shower started and Weiss occupied herself with thinking about tomorrow.
Besides classes, she would have to go to the CCT to contact her father's secretary. There was still radio silence from him. Moreover, she would seek out professor Goodwitch to see if the school offered the counselling sessions she needed. The idea of talking to a professional had, in her mind, always been something that happened to other people. Before today, she would never have imagined being so determined to seek one out, though she supposed that everyone had their limits of how much they could handle on their own.
Realistically speaking, there's years worth of memories, learned behaviours, and preconceived notions I'll have to face and work through. I can't imagine counselling to be a very quick process either… but maybe I can start before then, on my own? I could try to hold her hand. I mean, is that really so difficult to do? Will anyone bite my head off? Or laugh at me? Not the former, and I don't think the latter applies either.
When Ruby was done, she turned off the lights after receiving everyone's confirmation, sending the room into the fading orange evening twilight. Weiss still hadn't come to a decision, but had decided to see how she felt tomorrow. If she wasn't caught so off guard all of sudden, she had a suspicion the result wouldn't be as disastrous as today. However, she was well-aware that trusting what she felt in the moment wasn't advisable either, so just as Ruby turned off the lights, Weiss decided it was best to not try so hard and see what happened.
Her girlfriend stepped closer and Weiss sat up, allowing Ruby to hold her in a loose embrace, their lips meeting in a soft kiss. Ruby smelled and tasted of mint, and Weiss moved in to catch another kiss. "Goodnight, Weiss." It was followed by a third kiss and then a long hug.
Even after disentangling herself, Ruby lingered indecisively around her bed, looking like she was prolonging the inevitable. After another few seconds, she huffed and hugged Weiss again, wrapping her arms around her.
"Weiss, I don't want to sleep up there. Can I ask them?" she whispered as she pointed to her bunk bed.
As she wound her arms around Ruby's lower back, Weiss debated it for a moment. If she threw tact to the side, the matter was simple. To further sway her towards giving her consent, it grew less and less tolerable to be separated, even if only for a night, and particularly so after their recent fight.
Being able to rest in Ruby's arms, or just knowing that she was right next to her, was something Weiss dearly wished for.
Meeting her girlfriend's gaze, Weiss made her decision. Ruby seemed genuinely distressed by the thought of sleeping alone, her eyes holding a pained glint.
I can't say no to her when she looks like that.
She nodded, cupping Ruby's cheek and feeling the lingering moisture from the shower. "Okay, let's ask. I was initially going to talk to you about it tomorrow, but it's fine to do so now." The worst that could happen was that Blake or Yang said no, and she knew that was very unlikely. She leaned in for another kiss, closing her eyes and savoring the sensation of those familiar lips against her own.
When she thought about getting the chance to spend the night in Ruby's arms, everything felt alright again. It was definitely worth the embarrassment.
"Yang, Blake, do you mind if Weiss and I share a bed?" Ruby asked as she looked across the room. She sat down next to her and Weiss huffed from restrained amusement the moment Ruby's arm came to rest around her waist. It was so cute how her hands always seemed to land on her stomach.
"Blake, Yang?" Weiss repeated when they were met with continued silence.
However, that silence only lasted for another moment. Blake began to laugh and Yang joined in after a moment, both of them turning around and looking exceedingly pleased with themselves.
Ruby pouted and Weiss herself felt rather perplexed and embarrassed. She wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to know what was so amusing; knowing that they were sappy and clingy wasn't the same as having it pointed out to them.
"Blake, you win again," Yang commented cheerfully.
Weiss blinked as realization dawned on her. "You placed another bet on us!?"
Yang grinned at her, looking awfully smug. "Of course we did! And Blake won it again! I thought you would spend at least one day separated before asking." She leaned over the edge of the bed to look down at her friend. "Blakey, you got a real knack for these things. I owe you tea."
"How did you know?" Ruby asked.
Blake turned around in her bed and looked all too smug, her eyes shining in the last light of the day. "I was just waiting for you to ask, Ruby. You two are almost glued at the hip, so it was just a matter of time. And of course I don't mind you sharing a bed."
Yang chimed in a moment later. "Me neither, sis. It would honestly be mean to stop you cuddling at this point. You're like two sloths clinging to one another."
Weiss turned her head away, unable to beat down the waves of embarrassment rolling through her. At the same time, she wanted to jump and shout with joy, which conjured a very odd mix of conflicting desires in her.
Oh well, a little teasing between friends is nice in it's own way, isn't it? It was to be expected.
"Thanks guys!" Ruby looked positively triumphant. "Just a second, Weiss," she said and then immediately proceeded to climb onto her own bed to grab a pillow.
Weiss cleared her throat to gain the attention of her friends. "Thank you. It means a lot to me."
"Just don't let things get too steamy and we won't mind," Yang advised, looking like she was enjoying herself way too much.
"Yang!" Weiss screamed, wanting nothing more than to hide under the blanket. Ruby's embarrassed groan from above confirmed her reaction.
"Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you. Seriously, you love each other and just made up after a bit of a stumble. Of course you'd like to cuddle up together. And besides, it's awesome to share a bed with someone you have feelings for, so go for it," Yang said.
"Thanks, Sis," Ruby replied and Weiss flashed her friend a smile to indicate all was good again.
"Ruby, did you set the alarm clock?" Blake asked.
"No, I did," Weiss said.
"I can't wait! Tomorrow's going to be fun!" Ruby exclaimed.
"Debatable," Yang grumbled. "First class is with Professor Port."
A collective groan sounded from all of them. Not even Weiss could find it in herself to look forward to an hour of his ramblings.
After a round of 'goodnight' rang out across the room, Ruby climbed into her bed, pillow in hand.
Scooting closer to the wall and laying on her side, Weiss felt herself relax when her girlfriend's familiar weight plopped down next to her. Ruby lay sideways too, reaching out and lacing their fingers together. "Much better," she purred, looking awfully pleased with herself.
"I agree," Weiss said and cupped Ruby's cheek, leaning in and giving her a slow kiss. "This is how it should be. I love you, Ruby."
"And I love you, Weiss. Goodnight."
"Blegh, why do I wake up so early?" Ruby complained and slowed down to catch her breath. Using her semblance and quick dashes was one thing, but sustained running sessions would still have her working up a sweat.
Pyrrha walked over to the outdoors drinking fountain and took a few gulps of water.
Blake smirked and quickly looked around to ensure they were alone. "So you can cuddle with Weiss all morning."
"I'm sure it's a cause worth the sacrifices," Pyrrha commented cheerfully.
Ruby nodded knowingly, unable to hide her pleased grin. The sun was peeking up above the treetops and warming her skin, yet the air was still pleasantly cool without being chilly. She loved this time of day, before the summer heat had caught on and dew was coloring the world in a myriad of sparkling little lights, beautifully outlining spider webs and grass alike. There was a serenity in this moment, before people were up and about and only the chirping of birds disturbed the otherwise perfect silence. "Yes, it's definitely worth it," she confirmed happily, nearly brimming with excitement over knowing that she would soon be able to cuddle with her girlfriend again.
Sleepy Weiss is pretty much the cutest thing there is on this planet. If I'm lucky, she'll even nuzzle into my neck and cling to me.
Pyrrha awkwardly cleared her throat, holding a borderline embarrassed expression "I'm sorry if this is perhaps blunt of me and I'm overstepping my bounds, but what's it like to be in a relationship?"
Ruby blinked and wiped the daydreaming goofy grin off of her face. She knew Pyrrha was a bit sheltered, but she'd assumed there had at least been someone whom she'd been involved with.
"You've never been in one?" Blake asked curiously.
Pyrrha averted her gaze. "Sadly, no. There has never been much time for that. Combat training and studies occupied all of my free time. Or perhaps that's what I'd like to blame it on; I didn't spend much time looking for someone either." She had unconsciously pulled her arms closer to herself, like was trying to seek shelter.
It looked to Ruby like Pyrrha was very bothered by her lack of experience. "Well, you're only 17 so it's not a big deal. There's plenty of time and you shouldn't rush into something just so you can say you've had that kind of experience," she mused and tried to downplay the sudden lack of confidence Pyrrha had entrusted them with. If she had felt inexperienced and unsure of herself at 15, it was probably much worse for Pyrrha who was 17. Not that there was a lot of couples in the first or even second year student body, but among the 3rd and 4th years, it was more common. There was also something to be said about the expectations about society at large; the ideal seemed to be that once you hit the later part of your teens, you really should be involved with someone.
"And as for how it is… " she felt herself blush a bit as her mind immediately went to the more physical aspects of the girlfriend experience. "You really want to protect them and always see them smile. Being together makes life better and being apart is painful."
Pyrrha listened intently.
"The kissing is fun too," Ruby added, failing from boasting about their relationship, her lips pulling into a dopey grin.
"I'm sure it is," Pyrrha looked rather adorable as her complexion began to grow red. "You're right that there's no need to rush, though I must admit I'm fairly self-conscious about it. It just seems so," She looked up at the sky as she searched for words, "Natural for others. Like it happens by chance."
"I know how you're feeling, Pyrrha. I tend to overanalyze matters too," Blake said, adding, "But I think what's important is to see if you have any interest and then let yourself get carried along with it."
"It'll be fine, Pyrrha! Just you wait," Ruby encouraged, hoping for not the first time that Jaune would finally notice. She considered saying something to tease her friend but decided against it. Another time.
That's when she had an epiphany. She blinked dumbly for a moment and threw a furtive glance at Blake. Oh, there's someone else I should ask what's up...later.
Still mentally reeling from her realization, she focused back on Pyrrha.
"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind," Pyrrha said. "There was something else I wanted to ask you as well; Have you had any chance to look at the coursework yet?" The attempt to switch topic was clear, and they obliged Pyrrha.
"We did read ahead a bit and it looks like the first weeks will not be overly difficult. That said, I still think it's a good to get a head start to prepare for chapter 3 in the dust theory textbook. The math and chemistry there is fairly complex," Blake explained.
After a few minutes of discussion, they felt well-rested enough and set out on another five laps around the school before calling it a day. Ruby spent the laps planning out training routines and what she could fit into the new schedules without sacrificing too much free time. Once done, panting and exhausted again, they drank near another fountain before deciding to call it a day and began to walk back to the dorms.
Pyrrha then looked at the clock. "I need to go back soon. Same time tomorrow for our run?"
"Yeah, why no- oh wait, Weiss was wondering if she can join?" Ruby asked. "Can we maybe move it to evenings or will that not work out for you?"
Pyrrha tilted her head in thought. "I'm afraid not, at least not right now. Jaune and I train together during most evenings and, besides, I think Weiss would need a gentler introduction than joining us from the get-go."
"Yeah, that's true. She relies on her glyphs and precision strikes a lot, so her stamina isn't the best." Pyrrha had a good point, Ruby conceded rather unwillingly.
She was sure Weiss would survive a lap or two, but then she'd just have to sit down and catch her breath while the others ran literal circles around her. That would be discouraging to her if anything, or maybe it would work the other way and Weiss would drive herself to the edge of exhaustion in trying to keep up. With Weiss, both scenarios seemed plausible, and Ruby didn't want to subject her girlfriend to that.
I guess that means I'll have to be her personal trainer! We'll set up a short jogging routine in the evenings, probably around 7 or so?
After bidding each other goodbye for now, Blake and Ruby headed towards the communal showers, while Pyrrha went back to the dorm.
After she was done showering and had dressed into a loose red t-shirt and fresh pair of jogging shorts, Ruby stretched her leg muscles to mitigate the oncoming soreness. She was pretty tired from running, and while the shower had invigorated her somewhat, being lazy in bed for an hour would still be nice. A quick change of clothes and some light touches with her makeup kit was all that was left before she was ready to start the day.
I should ask Weiss to teach me more about that stuff. We never really got around to it during the break, but it's pretty fun. I want to learn more!
Having gotten used to applying a very basic amount of makeup, consisting of mascara, foundation and a little bit of blush, Ruby could appreciate the little extra confidence boost. Being cute and beautiful for Weiss' sake was important, but she found it equally rewarding to spend that effort on taking care of her appearance.
Plus it makes me look less like a little kid.
Ruby knew she was trying to compensate for her young age relative to everyone else at Beacon, but her philosophical outlook on that had begun to shift more towards accepting that there wasn't anything wrong with that. Together with her having fully caught up with the curriculum, she felt she was doing pretty great.
On their way back, she purchased two protein bars in a vending machine to hold them over until breakfast. "Here," she said and held them up for Blake to take her pick.
"Thank you," Blake said and began to nibble on the chocolate-coconut bar, accepting the token of apology without hesitation.
Ruby made a dismissive gesture with her hand and smiled at her, her mouth a bit too full with the strawberry-flavored bar to speak. She appreciated that Blake had not opted for her favorite flavor.
Once they were close to their dorm room, still munching on the bar, Ruby had time to focus back to her earlier epiphany. She considered asking Blake what was up between her and Yang. While the two of them spending so much time together during their break at Patch wasn't strange, it hadn't been hard to notice how Blake had more or less relinquished her need for physical space. Instead, both Yang and her seemed to gravitate towards each other more than ever. Like when Blake played with Yang's hair or just yesterday, when they'd sat together in bed. They also showed each other extra care and consideration compared to before the break.
It stoked a fervent hope in Ruby.
How awesome wouldn't it be if they got together! They'd be perfect for each other! Then we could go on double dates!
Containing her excitement over the idea was hard, but for once, she managed to keep a poker face, mostly thanks to nibbling on her snack, again wondering if she should bring it up. It was early... and that consideration won out. She needed to give them some more time. Ruby wasn't even sure they were aware of it and pushing her theory of blossoming affection between her sister and friend could backfire if done prematurely.
The more she thought of it, the more certain she became of that. She thought back to their relationship discussion in the kitchen at their home. Yang wanted to find something real, lasting. Blake too, but neither were in a rush and school was important to both of them.
But maybe she was just reading too much into things, even if she didn't quite believe that herself, and so she decided to wait and see what happened.
Now she'd just have to try and not be conspicuous, which wasn't her strongest trait.
Blake poked her on the shoulder, bringing her out of her musings. "Do you have a minute?" she asked and gestured towards the communal kitchen. Ruby nodded.
Once there, they found the place empty thanks to the early hour.
"What's up?" Ruby asked, hoping against hope that Blake would spill the beans about a sudden infatuation.
"I just wanted to check how your talk with Weiss worked out yesterday about boundaries?" Blake asked, deciding to sit down on a chair. She began to stretch her shoulder, letting out a satisfied hum. "I didn't want to ask when you two came back yesterday and risk affecting the mood."
Ruby appreciated the tact, and didn't mind to quickly go over what she and Weiss had talked about. "We agreed that we failed to communicate. I just assumed that Weiss was okay with showing more physical affection publicly, and Weiss kept it to herself instead of speaking to me. We both could have handled that a lot better, though between you and me, I definitely screwed up more." She exhaled slowly. "Weiss will seek out a counselor either here at school or in Vale. That's probably a good idea; it doesn't look she's able to shrug off what she was raised to believe as easily as we both thought."
Blake nodded, holding a contemplative expression. "That may be needed. I wish she could just let go of all her worries. It shows already that she's holding back compared to on Patch."
Ruby chuckled glumly. "I know, but she's getting there. She wants to change, probably more than either of us understand."
"I think counseling is what she needs. Was that her own suggestion?" Blake asked.
Ruby nodded.
"I'm sure talking to a therapist will help her. She has us, but it's not the same for good reasons." Blake stretched her other shoulder. "I'm glad you could make up so quickly. It's hard to imagine the two of you not being inseparable."
"Sorry again for ruining yesterday;" Ruby apologized.
"Don't worry. Hiccups happen," Blake replied with a shrug.
"Speaking about that, thanks again for letting us share a bed. I'm pretty sure I would've had withdrawal symptoms otherwise." Ruby would never have thought the day would come when she looked forward to going to bed, but holding Weiss was just so irresistible and now she'd get to do it every night!
Blake smirked. "No problem." She grew quiet then as she mulled something over. "I'm worried about Weiss," she revealed, giving Ruby a rueful smile. "Never thought a Schnee would be one of my best friend, yet here I am. Weiss is a lot more fragile when it comes to personal matters than she appears."
Ruby's heart ached over the truth of that. The girl she had initially thought to be stuck-up and mean had just suffered from a very flawed upbringing and hadn't known better. Coaxing Weiss out of her shell and showing her it was okay to trust, laugh, and goof off had been a long process. She thought back to how her dad had once explained that bullies were sometimes people who were hurting the most.
Thanks for the advice, Dad. I wonder if Weiss and I would've been together if you hadn't taught me that.
"Has she spoken to you about what she's been through? Like, past stuff," Ruby asked.
Blake shrugged. "I've pieced some of it together, but she hasn't told me much more than what we all know about how she repressed herself and believed there was something wrong with her. I'm sure there's a lot beneath the surface she's kept to herself though."
Memories from the night they'd spent reading the novel together flashed through Ruby mind. She's gained a much better understanding of how deeply Weiss' fears were rooted. What else could a lifetime of hiding and feeling downright defective do to you? And that was on top of having lost her mother at an early age and a father who was ruthless and mean.
God, Weiss has been through a lot. Imagine if she hadn't rebelled and enrolled at Beacon. Whenever I meet Winter I'll have to thank her for planting the idea in Weiss that she could take control of her life.
"I talked with her during the break and learned a lot… she hasn't had it easy, let's just say that. But she's not discouraged by what happened and wants to move forward. Thanks for recommending that book to her, by the way," Ruby said. It was a lot more embarrassing to say that out loud than she had thought, cheeks burning.
Blake looked moderately embarrassed and happy at the same time. "Under the Pale Moonlight helped her?"
"Yup," Ruby confirmed, idly scraping with a shoe on the floor. "We," she gulped, "read it together." She averted her gaze. Had it been anyone else, she wouldn't have admitted to it, but Blake deserved to know.
Blake was unable to keep from laughing. Ruby cocked her head questioningly and Blake elaborated. "I teased her about it and suggested that she should 'study' it together with you, but I didn't imagine she would go ahead with it. She vehemently denied that would ever happen."
That explained a lot. It was funny how a lot of things Weiss had first shot down ended up happening. Reading that book or taking a shower together were two prime examples.
"Yeah, I was pretty surprised too. Actually - and keep this a secret between us -" she leaned in conspiratorially towards Blake, unable to keep the grin off her face from the memory. "I caught her reading it."
Blake huffed with restrained laughter. "How did she react?"
Ruby chuckled. "She freaked out and tried to hide it." She fell into a fit of giggles from the memory. In hindsight, it was an adorable reaction. "Thanks, Blake. I think that if you hadn't recommended that book to her, she wouldn't have opened herself up to me like that. Intimacy was a touchy subject that she kind of," she waved her arm around for emphasis, "avoided and wasn't really able to deal with on her own."
Blake nodded, looking pleased with herself. "Good, that was partially why I gave it to her. I saw how scared she was and wondered if I could do something for her. Then an opportunity came along when we were in Vale, and I decided to go with it. Very embarrassing for me, but worth it."
Ruby thought it best to not ask any further about Blake's choices of literature. It was an open secret in the team what kind of stories Blake read, but best to not say it out loud and risk Blake knowing that she had maybe, just maybe, browsed some of said literature a few times. "Yeah, it really helped us."
Blake gave her a humorous look. "Let me know if you need the dorm room for an hour or two and I can make Yang and myself scarce."
Ruby's face burned from the sudden offer. "I was kinda wondering how I was going to bring that up. Thanks. Can we go back now before I die of embarrassment?"
"Smooth way of changing the subject, but sure, let's go back. It's 6:12 now so plenty of time for you to cuddle with Weiss," Blake teased.
Ruby didn't dare say anything more, feeling incredibly awkward after Blake's offer. She appreciated it, having worried about how Weiss and her would get enough alone time on occasion. Mustering up the courage to ask Blake, or Yang for that matter, to stay away…
I can't even imagine saying that to them! Maybe the stars will align and they'll just magically not be around every now and then. Yang's probably planning to continue to give us space, so the chance isn't zero.
A very basic need for privacy was now causing Ruby a conundrum. She hadn't anticipated this, but probably should have. Making out and getting caught was bearable. Having sex and getting caught - not so much. She supposed she'd have to think on this for a while and speak with Weiss.
They walked back into the dorm room and Ruby didn't fail to notice how her friend's gaze lingered on Yang's mane of yellow hair for just a moment too long, nor how she smiled gently.
Ruby's gaze wandered to her girlfriend and what she saw immediately made a smile pull at her lips. Wearing a nightgown as usual, Weiss had kicked the blanket off down to her midsection and had somehow managed to grab one of Ruby's pillows, pressing her face against it and hugging it close to herself as she lay sideways.
"Wow," Blake whispered from the other side of the room. Yang's light snoring above her was not disturbed in the slightest. "That's adorable."
"It seems she missed me," Ruby replied with a grin. Pulling up her Scroll, she took a few pictures for safekeeping before slipping into bed and gently beginning to pry the pillow away from Weiss.
Weiss let out a small whine of discomfort and futilely pawed after the pillow.
Oh my God, how's anyone allowed to be so cute?!
Craning her neck to look at Blake, her friend gave her a thumbs up.
She had to stifle a laugh as Weiss' brow furrowed before growing serene again as Ruby moved into the place of the pillow. Dainty arms automatically wrapped around her and Weiss pressed herself close, burrowing her face in Ruby's chest.
"I'm here Weiss," she whispered and tightened her hold on the beautiful girl she loved, gently patting her head. Weiss was a very clingy sleeper. Ruby wondered if there was a reason for that, hoping that it wasn't some subconscious way for her to make up for the loneliness she'd felt most of her life. But if it was, Ruby would do her very best to make her feel safe.
Shuffling around slightly to move her leg into a more comfortable position, she nuzzled into Weiss' mane of hair and pulled the blanket over them.
Time passed as she lay there and thought back to the break, to yesterday, to school, and a myriad of other things. Weiss would occasionally move about or mumble something incomprehensible in her sleep. She made sure to press plenty of feather-light kisses to her girlfriend's forehead whenever that happened. At one point Ruby even had to wipe some drool away from her, which was almost criminally cute.
Soft footsteps approached the bed all too soon.
"The alarm will go off in 5, Ruby."
"Thanks, Blake, I'll wake her up."
Blake hummed in acknowledgement, then turned off the alarm clock and headed into the bathroom.
"Weiss?" Ruby began to whisper in a slow melodic voice. She scooted away, carefully lifting Weiss' arms away from her, just far enough that she could wiggle down and be on eye-level with her. Repeating her name, Ruby gently shook her girlfriend's arm. "Time to wake up."
Weiss groaned and sighed before her eyes fluttered open, blinking blearily in the morning light.
"Ruby?"
The momentary confusion made Weiss impossibly enough all the cuter, and Ruby had to restrain the urge that told her to press Weiss as close as humanly possible against her. It was kind of similar to how she always felt when she saw a cute puppy – a fact she had no intention of revealing to Weiss anytime soon. "Good morning, sleepy head," she whispered instead, stroking a few stray strands of hair away from her face and gently running her hand across Weiss' hairline.
"Good morning." After blinking a few times and hiding a yawn behind her hand, Weiss seemed to understand what was happening and a heart-melting smile spread over her face. "I think I can get used to this."
"What? Waking up to seeing my face next to you every morning?" Ruby teased softly, her lips twitching into a grin.
Weiss nodded and leaned over, capturing her girlfriend's lips. Weiss gripped her t-shirt with one hand, the other pulling Ruby towards her as they exchanged one slow kiss after another, before pulling Ruby into a hug. "Yes, precisely that. Is Yang still asleep?"
"Yeah." Yang's snoring in the background accentuated her confirmation.
"And Blake?" Weiss asked, glancing around the room.
"In the shower."
Weiss giggled. "Good." Holding her securely in her grasp, Weiss then began to pepper her face with kisses, making Ruby squirm as her hot breath and stray strands of hair tickled her. She playfully tried to get away, causing Weiss to try all the harder to pin her down. It wasn't a difficult choice for Ruby to forfeit and allow Weiss to kiss her some more; her girlfriend promptly took the invitation and used her elbows for leverage to lean over Ruby and lock her in place.
Ruby wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's lower back, coaxing her to straddle her and lay down on top of her instead. It was much better this way, where she could feel all of Weiss pressed up against her.
Their tongues met, and Weiss spent the next minute slowly exploring her mouth, occasionally nibbling on her lips. Ruby offered some challenge back, but was for the most part content with letting Weiss take the lead and do what she wished.
As they kissed, Weiss' fingers wound into Ruby's hair and caressed her skin, trailing the contours of her face. It was sensual, in that deliberately lazy sort of way. Ruby found herself relaxing more and more, content to ignore her more salacious urges and simply enjoy their closeness.
Under the blanket, Ruby ran her hand slowly over her girlfriend's back over the nightgown, while her other hand cupped and occasionally squeezed Weiss' rear above the same fabric. Weiss seemed to approve, and Ruby closed her eyes and reveled in the sensation of making out with her love.
After a minute, Ruby let her other hand fall down to Weiss' rear, cupping one cheek with each hand. She giggled when Weiss let out a startled and totally adorable noise, but was shut up by Weiss kissing her again.
They made out for another two minutes, their hands slowly moving along their bodies to explore. Weiss' braved her embarrassment and used her right hand to play with Ruby's chest again, much to her delight.
Both girls' breathing was slightly strained by now, but they didn't progress beyond that, this level of intimacy already too daring for a lazy morning when they didn't have the dorm to themselves. Had they been alone though, Ruby would've sought out more. Heavens knew she wanted to experience that shared euphoria again with Weiss.
Just thinking about teasing her by exploring under Weiss' nightgown, running her fingers over her bare back and down over her panty-clad butt, then slowly pulling down her underwear and moving a finger up along her thigh until… a shudder of desire went through her. Suffice to say, she was glad she had the willpower to hold back and not give in to the aching need between her legs and the dampness she could feel beginning to pool there.
When they heard the shower turn off, they hastily disentangled themselves from each other. Weiss plopped down next to her again, and they both decided that just resting there together, fingers interlaced, was the best way to spend the remainder of the morning.
"Whoops, I think we got carried away," Ruby whispered and giggled.
Yang's snoring in the background continued unperturbed throughout it at all. Weiss looked so happy and Ruby's heart swelled with affection. It was like yesterday hadn't happened.
"Yes, sorry. I was just so happy" Weiss whispered back. Her cheeks were rosy and her entire demeanor was one of restrained affection and joy, like she could pounce at any moment and hug her until it hurt.
This is what I want her to always look like. So happy she almost doesn't know what to do.
"Me too," Ruby replied gently.
"What time is it?" Weiss asked.
Ruby craned her neck to look at the clock. "A few minutes after seven."
"Did you go on your morning run?"
Ruby hummed for confirmation. "Yeah, it was nice and cool outside." She giggled. "I found you hugging a pillow when I came back."
Weiss huffed and blushed noticeably. "It's your fault for leaving me alone."
"I took pictures before I joined you in bed." Ruby tried to keep her grin in check, but she was sure she didn't manage it very well.
Her girlfriend let out a sigh and squeezed her eyes shut. "I want to be mad at you for taking such embarrassing pictures, but I really can't. Just don't spread them to our friends, and I will not withhold kisses."
Leaning in and giving Weiss another quick kiss, Ruby couldn't resist the urge to tease her further. "You're totally like a sloth. Somehow you always end up resting on me whenever I wake up."
Despite looking rather embarrassed, Weiss shrugged and smiled fondly at her. "You're simply irresistible."
They had to get up eventually when Blake exited the bathroom and began to wake Yang. Ruby occupied the bathroom next, quickly washing her face and changing into her school uniform before putting on a little bit of makeup.
"Good morning, Yang," Ruby greeted when she was done.
Yang looked visibly tired. "Morning," was all she said and then headed into the bathroom, clothes in one hand.
Ruby was looking out the window and taking in the beautiful morning when she noticed out of the corner of her eyes that Weiss' eyes were on her. Turning around, she caught how her girlfriend's gaze darted away from her school uniform.
She somehow managed to keep a poker face. "What is it?"
"You're cute," Weiss said, blushing ever so slightly.
Ruby smiled at her and leaned down to give her a quick kiss on the lips. "You too." She realized that she really wanted to see Weiss in her uniform. Maybe it wasn't particularly wholesome, but she had some exciting plans revolving around that particular set of garments.
After Yang was done, Weiss went into the bathroom to change, causing Ruby's anticipation to grow while she browsed on her Scroll. When Weiss walked out, Ruby had an epiphany: Weiss Schnee in a school uniform was not only cute, it was downright hot.
Sure, she had always known that, but after not seeing Weiss in it for two weeks, she understood it. Weiss caught her staring, but she made no attempt to avert her gaze.
"Beautiful," Ruby complemented, taking pride in how happy Weiss looked, and how her ears turned so adorably red. Weiss' fair complexion was a treat for many reasons.
"Thank you, Ruby." Despite her bashfulness, Weiss twirled around and allowed her skirt to flutter tantalizingly, her ponytail trailing her slender form. "It feels a bit stiff though. I had grown rather fond of casual wear."
Ruby gulped. Weiss in a school uniform was indeed hot. Her eyes were drawn to her smooth thighs, accentuated by the knee-length stockings.
I wish we were alone in the room right now… but then we'd miss class.
"Yeah, I'll miss t-shirt and shorts too," she said. Mindful of her sister's propensity for embarrassing her, she averted her eyes and begun to gather the necessary materials for class, both for Weiss and herself.
It would take all her willpower to not drool over Weiss today.
I hope this chapter was enjoyable.
Reviews appreciated, no matter how long or short they are.