A/N: This was started months ago for monochrome week, and the prompt was fake dating. It has now gotten longer than necessary for that so will include multiple chapters. I hope the shenanigans can provide some joy in these uncertain times.
Ever since her father was sent to prison for his various misdeeds as the head of the wealthiest corporation in all of Remnant, Weiss thought that her life was going quite well, all things considered. While the shareholders currently controlled the Schnee Dust Company's day to day activities, Weiss and Whitley were currently studying at different universities for their business degrees. At the time, she was secretly grateful that her brother decided to stay in Atlas, given their father's arrest and subsequent trial were events that she couldn't be present at, having had to represent the company at an important business meeting in Mistral. She couldn't even watch the trial itself since it was behind closed doors. All she knew was the name of the lawyer who had successfully led to Jacques' imprisonment, Blake Belladonna.
One of these days, Weiss was going to take this Blake out to dinner as a way of expressing her gratitude. She just needed to find an opportunity in between her classes and the lawyer's no doubt busy schedule, especially after taking on such an infamous case. Weiss was positive that Blake's law firm in Vale received countless calls now, and the distance between them only made it more difficult to schedule a face to face meeting. It bothered her more than it probably should have, but the fact remained that she was the only person in her family yet to meet the lawyer.
Her remaining family members had only spoken positively about Blake in the short conversations Weiss was able to have with them in between classes, meetings, and the general busyness that was her daily life. It was rare to see them so agreeable about anything, so she knew that Blake had to be excellent just for being able to maneuver through the complicated dynamics of the Schnee family, not to mention successfully managing to close the case. Weiss hadn't even seen what Blake looked like, choosing to ignore all public media coverings of the case and only trusting her family with any updates. She supposed when the time came to finally meet up with Blake that he'd be easy enough to see. She'd just need to find a well put together man.
As if the universe was listening to her thoughts, it seemed an opportunity presented itself to speak with her family once she decided to take a hiatus in her studies after the spring semester ended. A few weeks before the break began, Willow had completed her rehabilitation program and was currently settling back into the mostly empty mansion. Once Weiss found that she had free time, she immediately video called her mother.
Willow had been trying to be more attentive to all of her children after Jacques' arrest, and they all appreciated the effort, though not everyone believed that she was being genuine until she checked herself into a rehab program. Without alcohol to inhibit Willow's thoughts and senses, Weiss found that it was actually pleasant to speak to her mother for the first time in years. After exchanging pleasantries and awkward small talk, a topic Weiss never thought she'd willingly discuss with anyone in her family came up, her love life. Or rather, her lack of one.
Over the years, each child of the Schnee family was subject to rumors from the press about their love lives, making it difficult to discern fact from fiction unless they discussed it with each other, which would be a nonissue for a family with good communication skills. The Schnee family did not fall under this category, so Weiss actually had no idea that her siblings were apparently taken until her mom casually brought it up in their conversation.
"The shareholders suggested that I throw a party of some sort to celebrate my sobriety, but I know they just want an excuse for the company to hold a huge public event." Willow said with a roll of her eyes, and Weiss couldn't help but smile. Slowly, she was seeing more of the mother who had raised her as time passed. "I accepted anyway, because I deserve a celebration. But mostly because...I want to see all of my children together again. It's been a while since we've all stepped foot in the same room, and I know it's because you've all been so busy lately…"
As her mother trailed off, Weiss looked away from the screen guiltily. She knew that she and her siblings had been so busy with work and school that they hadn't been back at the mansion. Weiss considered making an excuse to not attend since she tired of these events but stopped herself when Willow spoke up again.
"Winter and Whitley have already agreed to attend with their significant others when I asked them earlier this week, so will I be seeing you and your special someone as well?"
Weiss bit her lip, trying to process the fact that her siblings were apparently dating while the overwhelming thought of not wanting to disappoint her mother was brought to the forefront of her mind.
"Of course, Mom. I won't disappoint you."
Weiss was going to disappoint her mother.
Ever since Weiss started her studies, that became her priority, and she made no room for much of anything or anybody else that would distract her from focusing. She stared down at the official invitation to the party, which was scheduled three months from then.
"Looking at that won't solve your problem," Yang stated, like Weiss needed an unhelpful reminder of her predicament. Weiss shifted her gaze to the blonde in front of her and suddenly wished that her glare still had some effect on Yang. Instead, her cherished friend took another sip from her coffee cup as if Weiss hadn't just finally opened up after weeks of making excuses to not see her friends and distracting herself.
Sighing, Weiss looked around the cafe, hoping for a distraction from the invitation and woman before her. Weiss's eyes locked with a sharp amber, and she found herself captivated by how they shifted as the woman who they belonged to continued to stare her down. In the span of a few seconds, the woman's eyes widened in recognition, blinked in bewilderment, then settled on a calm yet piercing gaze as Weiss refused to be the one to look away first. It felt like an odd battle of wills, and Weiss would not be the first to give in.
Then, the woman had the audacity to smirk, and Weiss was very tempted to get up and tell her to stop. Just because she was attractive didn't mean she could sit there and aggravate Weiss in a way she didn't care to think too deeply about, honestly. Weiss was going through a crisis, and she felt as if she was being toyed with. She glared, which only made that infuriating smirk widen. The woman then lifted the cup that she was drinking in a mock toast, which Weiss swore contained tea out of all drinks, and that was simply the last straw-
"Instead of sitting here and checking someone out, you could make a move."
Weiss's eyes snapped back to her friend, who was watching her with a smirk that Weiss did not like one bit. She rolled her eyes then subtly tilted her head in the direction of the other woman. Yang then proceeded to stretch in a very exaggerated way, quickly twisting her body around to look at who had captured Weiss's attention. When she turned back around, she winked.
"Yang, I don't want to hear-"
"Nice."
Glaring at her friend over her coffee cup, Weiss took a sip instead of responding. All that did was encourage Yang to continue.
"If it makes you feel better, she was definitely looking at you when I turned around. Why don't you ask her to be your date?"
"Fake dating? Please. I'm sure I can figure something out without having to resort to that."
Yang raised a skeptical eyebrow but didn't say anything else. As she sipped her own coffee, she suddenly remembered why that woman looked familiar.
"Hey, isn't that-"
"If I ever happen to find a date in this cafe, I will accept your cooking lessons."
Intrigued, Yang leaned forward. She had been trying to get Weiss to learn how to cook for years, so there was no way she'd pass up this opportunity. Besides, that could be a way for her to impress a future date, which Yang was definitely going to try and find in this cafe.
In the back of her mind, she remembered that there was something she was going to say to Weiss, but her thoughts were now overtaken by various plans to ensure that Weiss found someone. Oh well, it probably wasn't important anyway.
"Really? After years of me offering with no catch, this is what makes you give in?"
"I'm only agreeing because it's not going to happen. Besides, you know that I will keep my word if it does, which it won't." Weiss stated, a note of finality in her voice that had Yang rolling her eyes. Typically, Weiss tended to be right, so Yang just accepted that this was going to be another one of those times and shifted her focus to the problem at hand.
"Right. So wanna head to a bar?"
"Yang, now is not the time-"
"Except it is the time. If you don't wanna look here, then why not try looking somewhere else?" Weiss tried to think of some excuse she could use to reject her but came up with nothing. The longer she took to say something, the wider Yang's sudden smirk got, so she eventually just huffed in defeat. "You never know who's willing to try."
"Let's just go before I change my mind. Since when were you such an expert on love anyway?" Surprisingly, Yang looked away and even had what appeared to be a light blush on her face. This time, Weiss was the one to lean forward, intrigued. "Yang Xiao Long, have you been in a serious relationship for a while without revealing any details to me?"
"She likes her privacy, okay?"
"You're not going to reveal who this mystery woman is?"
"Nope." At Weiss's frustrated huff, Yang shrugged. "Honestly, it shouldn't be long before you find out anyway. Now let's go before the bar gets too crowded."
Yang got up and extended a hand to help Weiss out, the woman just sighing at the vague response and waving the hand away. They paid for their drinks before heading out to the local bar.
A few hours later, an agitated Weiss and apologetic Yang were heading back to Yang's apartment. It seemed that Yang had briefly forgotten how many people would try to approach them, focusing mainly on Weiss once Yang revealed her relationship status. Normally, most of the people would back off from the intimidating presence that Weiss and Yang made, but the latter announcing how her friend was looking for a date probably didn't help to discourage people.
That night, Weiss didn't think much of their little visit, practically passing out in the guest bedroom. The next day, Yang would wake up to a very angry friend storming into her room and dragging her out to the living room. Yang wisely stayed silent as Weiss turned on the television then buried her head in her hands as the reporters continued to discuss whether or not the rumors that Weiss Schnee was looking for a date in bars was true.
Clearing up rumors was never fun, and Yang dreaded the furious call that was sure to come later in the day once the rest of Weiss's family knew about this. She was just focused on thinking of a way to make up for her mistake and came up with a plan. As she glanced over at her suddenly anxious friend, Yang only hoped that things would work out and would try her best to help out as much as she could.
After an extremely stressful month of various tabloid interviews where Weiss was forced to admit that she was, in fact, looking for a date, she glanced at her calendar. It was now two months until the party, and Weiss still had not found anyone despite the sudden spike in suitors. To make her hopeful mother happy, she did go on a few dates, but none of them interested her enough for a chance at anything lasting.
"Okay, so what if you tried meeting people but not in person?"
Weiss's gaze moved to the younger woman casually playing video games on the couch, and she briefly considered whether trying to scold Ruby for her terrible posture would be a waste of time. She concluded that it was. "Elaborate."
"Well, apps and online dating sites exist."
Rubbing her forehead, Weiss tried to stop the budding headache that was starting to build just thinking about that. "I'm...aware of that, but those are more suited for people not in the public eye." Trying to ignore the pout at that, Weiss decided to clarify. "It would be unwise to try using those since I wouldn't know who they were while they would be very familiar with me and my family. How would I know if they were being genuine or not?"
Although she was still pouting, Ruby took time to at least think about that. Then, she shifted in her seat, and Weiss narrowed her eyes. In the years that she has known Ruby, Weiss only saw her do that when she was nervous about something. "Ruby, what is it?"
Hesitantly, Ruby looked at her, and Weiss only crossed her arms as she waited for a reply. "Um...what if someone made an account for you and has been talking to someone…" Ruby trailed off as Weiss's face started to redden.
As Weiss considered her friend, something occurred to her. Ruby wasn't the type of person to do that behind her back, but she certainly knew someone who would attempt to help her in such a roundabout way. She kept her voice as level as she could, trying not to let her frustration show. "Ruby, where is your sister?"
"Yang said she was only trying to help!" Ruby blurted out.
Sighing, Weiss could only shake her head. "I'm sure she is, but I don't need her help."
The skeptical eyebrow raised reminded her too much of Yang's expression from the previous month, and she was about to defend herself when Ruby spoke up. "The person she's been talking to isn't so bad…"
Intrigued, Weiss thought about that. If even Ruby approved, then perhaps there was some hope. "Who is it?"
"Nope."
"No?"
"I solemnly swore to my sister that I wouldn't tell."
Sighing in exasperation, Weiss tried to silently plead for more information, but Ruby wouldn't budge. "Ruby, this is crucial!" Nothing. "Can I at least have a name?"
"Let me ask Yang," Ruby replied, fingers already speedily typing a message.
Suddenly, Weiss received a call, and she sighed when she saw her mother's face on the screen. This was likely going to be another check-in, and she braced herself for the conversation before answering. They greeted each other, discussing various topics until the inevitable subject of the party was brought except this time Willow said something that had Weiss cursing Yang out in her head. She hadn't even known that Yang was talking to Willow without her.
"Yesterday, Yang told me that you found a date. I'm so happy for you, Weiss. Who is it?"
At this point, Weiss was internally panicking, and she looked up, her eyes landing on Ruby, who had found a piece of paper and was quickly scribbling something. Since Yang was the one who told her mother, Weiss had no choice but to go along with the name of whoever it was that she was talking to. Once Ruby finished writing and held the piece of paper up for Weiss to see, she didn't have time to process it as she read the name written.
"Blake."
Silence was all that followed for several moments as everyone tried to process what was said. Weiss wasn't sure if her mother being silent meant disapproval or not, but all that was running through her mind, aside from the lengthy lecture she was going to give Yang later, was how she was going to convince Willow that she was dating a man she'd never met before. But it seemed her worries were unfounded.
"Oh, why didn't you say anything sooner? That's wonderful news!"
"It... is…" Weiss replied, trying to make her uncertainty not so obvious in her voice.
"The shareholders won't be pleased," Willow continued, though she sounded delighted by that.
"Truly?"
"Absolutely. Blake wouldn't have let them run the company unless certain policy changes were put into place." Weiss silently acknowledged how her interest was piqued, but that didn't change the fact that she still didn't know this man. "The party can't come fast enough. I need to share this with your siblings, so I'll talk to you later, Weiss."
Before Weiss could reply, the click of the dial tone was heard from the other end, and she could only sigh. In a way, she was grateful for what Yang was doing. On the other hand, if meeting this man wasn't worth her time, she'd make Yang pay somehow. It was this reassuring thought that had her call her worst best friend and speak up before she could get a word in.
"Set up a date for Blake and me. I should at least get to know who I've been supposedly dating."
That was apparently easier said than done.
Weiss supposed she should've expected it since the man was a lawyer, but their schedules were always conflicting in one way or another until there was exactly a month left before the party. Yang had been texting them tirelessly, so Weiss decided to at least take the woman out for a meal before making her pay if the date was terrible. In hindsight, Weiss should've chosen the location, but she had forgotten all about that small statement she made months ago and was not looking forward to the upcoming cooking lesson. She'd very likely need more than one, which didn't help her mood as she sat and waited for the lawyer.
Taking a sip of coffee, Weiss subtly scanned the entrance to the cafe for her date. She was expecting to find a man who was dressed smartly, considering he was a lawyer, but she couldn't be sure since Yang didn't give any details when she asked. In fact, Yang had sounded suspiciously amused for some reason when Weiss had asked about him. Weiss was told to just wait and see for herself, which she could only accept because Yang wasn't going to budge.
Leaning back in her seat, Weiss tried to ignore how overdressed she felt, which was hard to do since the patrons were staring and whispering about her ever since she had walked in wearing a pantsuit that cost more than the entire cafe and immediately headed to a table in the back. She glanced at the clock on the wall and pursed her lips. Punctuality was important to her, so she had arrived twenty minutes early, and it was now five minutes before noon, their scheduled meeting time.
In hindsight, it probably would've been wise to have communicated with him at least once before their date, but Weiss preferred a face to face first impression. Besides, Yang had already been talking her up to him and it seemed to be going well, so Weiss just let her continue as she was. She raised a brow when she saw the woman from the previous time enter but couldn't tell if she was recognized since her amber eyes were hidden behind some sunglasses. The woman looked around the cafe, pausing just a bit too long in Weiss's direction, before making her way inside. Weiss brushed it off as another person who recognized her and refocused her attention on the door.
"Is this seat taken?" Weiss looked up from where she was about to call Yang to the same woman who had just entered holding a cup that certainly did not contain coffee, silently noticing her casual and neat clothes. The plain white T-shirt and dark jeans fit her well, but Weiss quickly brushed that thought aside once she remembered the date that she was supposed to be meeting.
"I'm currently waiting for someone, so it will be."
The woman raised a curious brow and tilted her head before pulling out the unoccupied chair and taking a seat anyway. Weiss stared at her with narrowed eyes while adamantly ignoring how attractive she looked, hating how she couldn't tell what the woman was thinking behind those sunglasses and nonchalant demeanor.
"Let's wait together then." Weiss couldn't think of a good reason to object since he wasn't here yet, so she just hummed noncommittally.
"Are you waiting for someone as well?" Weiss asked, just to pass the time.
"I'm...supposed to be on a date."
"Oh." Weiss replied, ignoring the pang of disappointment she felt after hearing that. Frustrated with herself now, Weiss ran a hand through her hair and huffed when her ponytail got in the way. Undoing the ponytail, she ran both hands through her newly freed hair and was glad the woman couldn't see her face when she smirked. A small intake of breath had come from the other side of the table, and Weiss could be satisfied that the attraction was mutual. She put her hair back up and smiled innocently. "Are you alright? You sound flustered."
"I'm...fine," the woman said before taking a hasty sip. Too hasty, if the immediate coughs that followed were anything to go by. Weiss graciously offered a napkin, which she gladly took. After regaining some sense of dignity, she smiled sheepishly, which Weiss found adorable.
Resting her head on a hand, Weiss regarded the woman in front of her curiously. "Aren't you supposed to be on a date, Miss…?"
"Nope." Weiss's eyebrow twitched in irritation as she recalled Ruby's exact same quote from the previous month. "Why should I tell you who I am? Maybe I'll make a better impression if you don't know my name. I am supposed to be on a date, but I think I'd rather be here."
"Smooth talker. What are you, a lawyer?" Weiss quipped. She shook her head in disbelief. What lawyer would have the audacity to dress like she did? When she looked up, the woman had taken off her sunglasses and was now glaring at her. Now that was interesting, Weiss thought as she leaned forward. "What?"
"I wouldn't assume things about people, Miss Schnee."
"So you do know who I am." Now they were both glaring at each other.
"How could I not? Your family's name and pictures are plastered all over the news for the world to see."
"Well, excuse me for wanting to find time for myself and avoid being scrutinized for once in my life. Don't act as if you've actually met my family and are familiar with what we've had to endure behind closed doors."
"I-" The woman cut herself off, running a hand through her hair in frustration. Weiss could hear her take a deep breath and took the time to calm herself as well. Maybe she was more on edge than she thought, the events in her life coming to a head now. She'd never met someone who she wanted to avoid and get closer to at the same time. Finally, amber eyes looked at her again, but Weiss couldn't read the storm of emotions within. "This...wasn't how I wanted to meet you. Can we start over?"
"What? Why would we need-"
"Blake!" Both women turned to the grinning blond man who had suddenly arrived at their table. "I just wanted to thank you again for your help last week. The orphanage had a bunch of people stop by-oh. Am I interrupting something?" He suddenly clapped a hand to his forehead. "Oh yeah! Today's when you're supposed to be on a date. Are you her date?" He said, turning to a confused Weiss, who was currently trying to process multiple pieces of information. Seemingly unbothered by the lack of response, he prattled on. "Oh, it's definitely you. Nice going," he said, winking at his mortified black-haired friend. "Well, I'll let you two get back to it."
As he strolled away, Weiss noted that he barely met the requirements for wearing a shirt, but the more important part that stuck out to her was the name he used. She narrowed her eyes when her gaze returned to the other woman, who happened to be named-
"Weiss, I-"
"No. You don't get to call me that until you tell me who you are."
"I'm...my name is Blake, and I-"
"I know who you are," Weiss stated as she quickly stood, the chair scraping behind her. She glared down at the Faunus woman, ignoring how her heart ached when she saw how bewildered and concerned Blake looked. Her frustration overrode everything else for now, so she pressed on. "Was this some kind of joke to you? Did you and Yang plan this for a laugh?"
Blake's eyes widened, and she quickly stood too. "I...admit that it sounded funny at the time, but-"
"Well congratulations, Blake. It looks like you have the last laugh after all." Weiss replied, turning to leave only to pause when a gentle hand circled her wrist.
"Wait. I didn't mean to offend or embarrass you. It was supposed to be something we could laugh at together afterwards, but obviously it didn't work out that way. May I get another chance to make it up to you?"
Turning back to face her, Weiss stared at the sincerity in her eyes, the way those Faunus ears were slightly down, the nervous bite of her lips, and she sighed. "...I will contact you in a few days to arrange another meeting." Immediately, Blake's expression brightened, and Weiss couldn't help the smile from spreading across her own face. "I'll see you in a few days, Blake."
"Yeah...sounds good…" Blake muttered, her tone full of surprise. Weiss couldn't help it. She giggled, which only made Blake stare at her with a sheepish smile and slight blush.
"You're cute," Weiss said before fully registering the words. Then, because she had already started flirting, she continued on like nothing was unusual. "Don't miss me too much. I'll be expecting excellence from you when we meet again."
Blake just nodded, not trusting her voice. Weiss smiled and stepped out of the cafe satisfied. Truthfully, things could've been a lot worse, and she was curious about Blake if nothing else. Blake's accomplice, on the other hand…Weiss already had a lecture prepared for her.
Smiling, Weiss made her way home, thoughts of the mysterious lawyer and their upcoming date on her mind.
A/N: I wrote this as a sort of preview of the next chapter, but really, it's just something fun I wanted to share. Consider it an omake of sorts.
Yang: "...and here's where the fireworks will go-"
Blake: "You know we're just pretending to date for the party, right? It's not like I want to confess my undying love for her.
Yang: "You're in love with her?!"
Blake, blushing and mad about it: "No!"
Cue Weiss walking in.