Olivia had never been in a place that reeked more of prosperity and wealth.
The restaurant that Weiss chose for their first date was a colossal mass of marble and white stone. The walls were draped in red velvet, the floor to ceiling windows decorated with finely crafted precious metals. A thick carpet of innumerable threads led the way inside, assisted by the presence of dozens of immaculately dressed servants.
The hostess awaited them from behind her gilded podium, dressed to impress, but no outdo, the guests within. She recognized Weiss immediately and offered her a courteous nod. The hostess extended that nod to Olivia, an afterthought to avoid offending Weiss, more so than Olivia herself.
"Ms. Schnee, an absolute pleasure to have you here with us this evening. Will it be just the two of you?"
"Yes. Just the two of us."
The hostess seemed to measure the pair of them before coming to the conclusion that their visit was for pleasure, rather than business. "Well, I'll be sure to find a nice corner to tuck you away in. Unless you'd prefer to garner our other guests' attention?"
Olivia recoiled at the idea, but her protests were cut short by a comforting hand on her arm. Weiss was already in the midst of shaking her head.
"A corner table will be fine, thank you."
"As you wish," the hostess didn't press the issue nor ask, merely turning instead to lead them into the golden lit interior.
Though she was trying to remain calm and collected, Olivia found her eyes straying around the room, in awe of what was held within. Magnificent portraits decorated the walls, and a statue of a huntress floated fifteen feet overhead in the center of the room, held aloft by an enormous crystal of pure gravity dust. What Olivia at first assumed to be music being played over a radio was actually live, played by a quartet of musicians that were as finely dressed as any other occupant.
Olivia's eyes snapped back to attention as they arrived at their table, a sturdy square sized for two with white silk draped over top. She took her seat across from Weiss, feeling horribly out of place in the atmosphere that practically dripped with decorum. Olivia accepted the menu that was handed to her the next moment, flashing the hostess the best smile she could manage despite her nerves.
The hostess bid them a good night before immediately being replaced by a dapper gentleman, his clothing pristine. In one hand he held a tray with a wide assortment of drinks, in the other, a perfectly white cloth draped over his raised forearm.
"Might I interest you in a drink to begin your evening? We have both red and white wines, though if I may be so bold… I would suggest the well-aged cabernet that was only just flown in this evening. It hails from the Brunswick Vineyards in Mistral, renowned for its unparalleled richness and aromatic sensations."
Weiss smiled pleasantly, though Olivia could see a small twinge in her eyebrow as she spoke, "I'll just have water, thank you."
The server nodded his assent, reaching for one of the crystalline goblets to set it gingerly in front of the heiress. He turned his attention to Olivia, raising a singular eyebrow while measuring her with a glance.
"And for you, Miss?"
'Tempting…' Olivia considered it, feeling an underlying anxiety due to the locale and knowing she'd benefit from taking the edge off. On the other hand, she didn't want to get tipsy so early in the evening. She wanted to impress Weiss, or at the very least not make a fool of herself. Getting drunk was out of the question.
"I'll take some water as well, thanks."
The server seemed happy to oblige. He delicately reached on to his tray to pull off a glass that matched Weiss's. Olivia hadn't noticed before, but now with one in front of her she could see the smooth globe of ice that each held, shaped to perfectly fit the glass.
After he'd finished with that, he drew himself back up to his full height, "If there is anything else I can get you, please feel free to ask at your leisure. I will return in short to take your orders." He bowed his head momentarily, then left towards another table to inquire about their meal.
Once he was gone, Olivia couldn't help but glance around the room once more. She felt completely out of place, a stain on what would otherwise be an immaculate gown. Her eyes caught on to the curious glances of other patrons and she shied away, repeatedly tapping her heel against the floor as she fidgeted.
Weiss noticed her anxiety and reached across the table worriedly, laying a comforting hand over Olivia's to still it. She smiled softly, speaking low so that only the faunus would hear. "Are you alright? It's not too much, is it?"
Olivia turned her hand over to hold Weiss's in kind, closing her eyes and exhaling slowly while reminding herself to relax. 'As long as I have Weiss with me, I'll be fine…' Her eyes opened to take in the heiress once more, focusing on her instead of the world around them. Seeing Weiss staring back, looking more radiant than ever in the beautiful white dress they'd only just purchased, Olivia's heart let out a weak flutter of joy. Even after being together for the better part of half a week, Olivia could hardly believe she'd been lucky enough to catch the eye of such an amazing girl.
"Heh... Thanks Princess… I'll be fine. I just… don't feel like I belong, that's all." Olivia did her best to feign a nonchalant shrug before opening her menu. Wanting to steer the topic towards maintaining their date, she began flipping through the pages. "So, what kind of food do they serve in a place like this? I'm guessing burgers are off the table?"
Weiss took an extra moment to stroke her thumb pleasantly against the back of Olivia's hand before finally pulling away. She smiled, hefting the thickly bound menu, "You can have a burger any other day of the week. Besides, tonight is about… new experiences." She blushed slightly, avoiding Olivia's grin before letting out a quiet cough to clear her throat. "This place doesn't serve anything so basic."
"What are you having, then?" Olivia asked, continuing to flip through the menu. She frowned, confused by its layout. "And why is everything numbered by 'courses'?"
Weiss's eyes remained on the page in front of her, slowing reading down one of the many lists. "Restaurants like this serve sequential courses to the entire table, not singular meals to individuals. Whatever we pick, we'll be enjoying it together. So…" She paused, glancing up, "What sounds good to you?"
"Uhhh," Olivia flipped through her menu. As Weiss had pointed out, each page held a list, separated by the courses and what sequence they would come in. The descriptions gave an overview of the dishes that would be included in each, and the name of the chef in charge of creating that particular dish. Olivia read through them uncertainly, realizing all too soon that she didn't recognize half the fancy terms held within.
Olivia began to fidget once more while looking over the menu, a dull heat coloring her cheeks. After a full minute had passed of Weiss waiting expectantly, Olivia finally leaned across the table to whisper quietly, "I… don't know what a lot of this even means…" Her shoulders hunched and she turned her menu so that Weiss could see, finger pointing out a word in particular, "What are horse de-ouvers?"
Weiss let out a brief snort before immediately smothering it. She cleared her throat while giving Olivia an apologetic look. Even so, the faunus still managed to catch a glimmer of amusement in the heiress's eyes.
"Hors' d'oeuvres. They're appetizers you start your meal with to… well... stimulate your appetite."
Olivia frowned, cheeks heating more brightly after revealing her ignorance. "Why would someone want to make themselves more hungry?"
Weiss shrugged, "To enjoy a larger portion of the food they're given?"
The notion was so foreign, Olivia couldn't help but shake her head at the ridiculousness of it. Even with that cleared up, there were still many words she couldn't quite grasp. She sighed dejectedly, closing her menu and setting it down on the table. Olivia crossed her arms and rested her chin against them, slumping forward as she did so.
"I'll just go along with whatever you pick..."
Weiss smiled dotingly, "What are you in the mood for? That'll help me decide at least."
Olivia bit her lip in thought, "I don't know… some kind of steak, maybe?"
Weiss nodded, "Have you ever had Almas beef before? I think you'll enjoy it." She flipped back through, scanning the pages until she found what she was looking for. Her eyes drifted down the list, "The other courses don't sound half bad either. It should do nicely."
"Almas beef?" Olivia asked curiously.
"It's from the furthest reaches of Vacuo. The livestock's diet consists of a grain that only grows in the desert climate. It contains a large amount of… something…? I don't know what exactly, but it makes the meat tender. More so than any other in the world."
Olivia raised an eyebrow, "And they ship it all the way here? That's pretty far."
"The distributor hires professional hunters. They protect the livestock while they're alive, and act as escorts for each of their shipments."
Olivia's eyes widened. 'How good must it be if they're willing to go through all that effort!?' She opened her menu back up, wondering what the price looked like for a meal that required so much to obtain. After scouring the page, she couldn't find any prices listed.
"How much is it?"
Weiss shrugged once more, "I already paid for us when I made the reservation. The only additional costs we might accrue would be from excessive alcohol consumption." She looked up from her menu to narrow her eyes at the faunus, "I hope you weren't planning on-"
Olivia shook her head firmly before the heiress had a chance to continue. "There's a time and a place for getting wasted. The first real date with the girl of my dreams? Definitely not one of them."
Weiss gave her a measuring look before her cheeks reddened, "The girl of your dreams, huh?"
Olivia laughed, "Quite literally, on more than one occasion." She tilted her head to the side, finally noticing a pattern that seemed to have emerged in regards to the heiress, "Do you not like alcohol, Weiss? There was the time at the bar when you pushed yourself to try and keep up with me, and then now… A little wine would go a long way to take the edge off… you know?"
Weiss attempted to wave her hand nonchalantly, but Olivia could feel the way her body tightened at the question. "I just don't like it," she spoke in a clipped tone. Weiss's expression then shifted to one of curiosity, leaning forward with her own elbows on the table, "What kind of dreams?"
Olivia frowned, easily noticing the way Weiss had tried to change the subject. 'There's something more going on there…' On the other hand, her own dream was a little embarrassing, at least what she could remember of it. She wasn't too keen on repeating it, either.
Olivia leaned forward in kind, "How about we make a deal? You tell me why you don't like alcohol, and I'll tell you about the dream I had?"
Weiss crossed her arms and leaned back, glancing away while her foot began to tap against the floor in thought. After a few moments, she sighed, seeming to deflate while turning back to Olivia. "Alright, but… only because it's you. This has to stay a secret, okay? Just between us?"
Olivia smiled, "My lips are sealed."
Weiss stared back for a time before nodding her acceptance. Her voice was low, pained by the truth of what she was about to reveal. "My mother… She's an alcoholic... Ever since I was little, I've never seen her without a bottle of wine or a glass in hand. I try to avoid drinking because I just… don't want to end up like her. Whenever I do… I'm worried that's going to happen… I'm worried I'll enjoy it so much that…"
Weiss's words drifted off, finally ending with an uncomfortable shrug.
It was Olivia's turn to reach across the table, delicately grasping Weiss's hand. "I'm sorry, Weiss. That must have been tough."
Weiss's eyes were cast down as she tried to shake her head, "It's nothing compared to what you-"
"No," Olivia stopped her abruptly, squeezing her hand a little tighter to get Weiss's eyes back on her, "Don't try to dismiss what you've been through as 'not worth feeling sad over' just because someone else might have had it worse. That doesn't make what you went through any easier. You're allowed to feel sad, Weiss. I'll never think any less of you for it."
Weiss stared back into her eyes, a wave of various emotions washing over her features. Her brow furrowed, then softened. A glimmer of moisture appeared in her eyes, then was blinked away just as quickly. Finally, her lips twitched, a soft smile working its way on to her face.
Olivia grinned, "And I won't let you think any less of yourself, either. The Weiss Schnee I know would never fall victim to something like alcohol. She's the strongest, most driven young woman I've ever met. If I can still keep my head on straight after a few drinks, then so can she."
Weiss's brow furrowed once more as Olivia raised a hand to flag down their waiter. He noticed them immediately and bee-lined in their direction, arriving quickly to their sides.
"Hey there, uh, we're ready to order, and we'd both like a glass of that cabernet you mentioned earlier," Olivia spoke up.
"A fine choice, ma'am. And what course will you be having?"
Olivia quickly opened her menu to the same page as Weiss's and found the entry with the Almas beef. "We'll have this one, thank you."
He nodded, "Very well. I'll return shortly with your cabernet, and inform the cooks of your choice. Please, enjoy your evening." With that, he left, headed back towards the kitchens.
"O-Olivia!" Weiss whispered vehemently as soon as he was gone, eyes wide.
Olivia held a hand up to halt her potential tirade, "You don't have to drink it if you don't want to, Weiss. I just…" She fidgeted, picking at the cuff of the glove on her right arm, just above her elbow. Olivia looked further down at herself, and felt a surge of happiness to be dressed up in something nicer than a long sleeve shirt or hoodie for the first time in her life.
"You convinced me to wear a dress… Told me I looked more beautiful in it than I actually felt… and now…" She sighed, raising her eyes to smile softly at the heiress. "You helped me. Let me help you."
Weiss stared uncertainly back for a few long moments. After a while, she smiled once more and gave a hesitant nod. "But just one drink," Weiss quickly held her index finger up, emphasizing the statement.
Olivia nodded, "Just one."
They were quiet for a time, both thinking of how much the other meant to them, before Weiss's eyes glimmered with amusement and she smirked across the table.
"So, what about that dream?"
"Heh," Olivia raised a hand to rub the back of her head, "You remembered that?" Seeing Weiss's grin, Olivia shook her head, "Of course you did."
Weiss leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table to rest her chin in her hands, "Quid pro quo, Olivia. I told you mine, now tell me yours~"
"It's probably not what you think, but a deal is a deal." Olivia thought back to when she'd been sick, and awoke to find Weiss holding her hand. The dream she'd been having before then, when the heiress had been the only one to stand by her side...
"The first time was when…"
Olivia leaned forward, engaging in a long conversation with the heiress. Their drinks came, then their food. Course after course, all delicious, though some were better than others. Olivia enjoyed the main course most of all, but even that paled in comparison to the company she kept. Weiss was gorgeous throughout, the one person in the world that she wouldn't trade for anyone.
All in all, it was the best date Olivia had ever had.
Weiss sighed in contentment as she stepped back out into the brisk night air, Olivia's hand in hers. They'd spent longer than she realized inside the restaurant, making the most of their time and enjoying every minute spent on their first real date. Weiss couldn't be happier, and made sure to show Olivia that with the brief kiss she left on the other girl's cheek.
"I'm so glad we came out tonight. That was more fun than I could have hoped!"
Olivia smirked, holding Weiss tighter, "I couldn't agree more. Thanks for the recommendation by the way. That steak was divine."
Weiss grinned smugly, "Only the best for my girlfriend. Where to next?"
Olivia raised an eyebrow, then glanced around the quiet city streets. "Did you have anywhere else in mind besides going back to the dorm?"
Weiss shrugged, "I don't want this night to end just yet."
"Even if it'll be a happy ending~?"
Weiss could tell from Olivia's expression that she must have been making some kind of innuendo. Unfortunately, she didn't quite understand it and could only shrug once more. "I was thinking maybe a walk in the park? We could see the stars, enjoy the sights, then find a bench, and… h-have a little more fun...?" Her cheeks heated, "I'm sure Blake and Ruby are already back at the dorms by now. I know you said going down into Vale for a room wouldn't be romantic, but if we're already here…"
Olivia understood what Weiss was suggesting and smiled coyly, "Sounds good to me. Lead the way, Princess. To the park, anyway. I know where we could rent a room once we're done there~"
Weiss gripped her hand more tightly and began leading her away from the restaurant. She'd already planned for several different outcomes, the date taking longer than expected being among them. Weiss already knew the way to the nearest park, having searched it up ahead of time.
Olivia spoke as they walked, "So, are you ever going to tell me what those little black balls were? They were kind of salty and buttery, but… I don't know, they made me think of the ocean." She shivered, "I wasn't too fond of them."
Weiss glanced away, pausing in their conversation for a moment while wondering what reaction the faunus would have. In her experience, there were many people that refused to give the food a chance once they knew where it came from. She'd thought it odd herself, at least until she'd seen her sister eating some without complaint. Weiss had been more than ready to try it for herself after that, and found she was rather partial to the taste.
Weiss spared her an eye, "Right, that was… caviar."
"Caviar? The name doesn't ring a bell. What's it made from?"
"Fish eggs."
Olivia's brow furrowed, though her steps didn't falter. She frowned towards the ground, then raised her eyes back to Weiss, "That's just weird."
"It's a delicacy."
"Still weird."
Weiss shrugged, "I like them. I'm sorry if your taste buds aren't refined enough to enjoy them as well~"
Olivia scoffed, "My taste buds work just fine, thank you very much. I'm just wondering who the first wacko was to see fish eggs and think 'That looks delicious. I'm going to try some.' I bet it was an Atlesian. You all have odd tastes."
Weiss laughed, "You're not wrong. I did fall for you, after all."
Olivia grinned and bumped her shoulder into the heiress, causing her to stagger slightly as they walked hand in hand down the street. Thankfully, the park wasn't far off, and they arrived at the large wrought iron gates soon enough. The path continued on ahead of them, winding through the trees and vegetation that lined it. Weiss was glad to note a variety of lights set up at intervals, her eyes incapable of seeing much beneath the dense canopy otherwise.
Weiss continued forward, pulling Olivia with her into the park. The pair walked shoulder to shoulder and hip to hip, figures of long flowing white and deep purple that disappeared into the forest. A dull glow encompassed the path, brought to life by small lights aimed inward to guide them on their way. The trees themselves were decorated with hanging lights of all shapes and colors, creating a cascade of rainbow hues that sparkled pleasantly in the delicate breeze that stirred them.
"Thank you, Weiss."
Weiss turned her head curiously, taking in the small smile that adorned Olivia's lips. The faunus was glancing her way in return, pure affection plain to see. Her violet eyes were filled with a myriad of other colors, reflecting the lights that surrounded them.
"What are you thanking me for?"
Olivia continued in silence for a few moments, turning to look ahead as she thought of what she wanted to say. "Where do I begin? I want to thank you for… well… everything. Not just for dinner, and not just for the date, but... for accepting me. For staying by my side, and believing in me when I didn't believe in myself… For helping with classes and homework, for putting up with me those first couple weeks… Thank you for being you." She sighed, then shook her head ruefully, "Once upon a time, it was so hard for me to say that. I have a lot of thanks to make up for."
"And you'll have plenty of time to give them," Weiss beamed, then let out a small laugh into her hand, "So don't use them up all at once~"
"I did have one more, if you don't mind?" Olivia waited for Weiss to nod before pulling away. She grabbed part of her dress and gave a little spin, letting the cloth flutter outward while smiling shyly, "Thanks for getting me to wear a dress. It… it does look good on me. I was just doubting myself before, but… you were right. Like always~"
Weiss grinned, leveling an appreciative eye on the way the dress gripped Olivia's curves. She held her hands out, palms facing upwards, "What can I say? I have an eye for potential."
Olivia began walking backwards, hands now clasped behind her back while admiring herself. Her smile lessened, a sad tint growing in her eyes.
"Did I ever tell you about how I always used to wear a hoodie when I was younger…? It was my brothers. He let me keep it, even though it was way too big for me... After he passed away, I kept wearing it no matter what. It didn't matter how dirty it was, or how many holes it had, or whether or not it was covered in syrup… I loved it so much at first because it hid my veins, but then… afterwards... because it was one of the last things I had to remember him by."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that, Olivia. I can't imagine losing one of my siblings…" Weiss replied quietly.
Olivia raised her eyes, smiling softly, "I don't know what kind of relationship you have with them, but… appreciate it, if you can. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that life is too short to hold a grudge... You'll never know when it's too late to say goodbye..."
Weiss's lips twinged into the barest hint of a smile while thinking about Whitley and Winter, "They can both be a pain in their own ways. My sister, Winter? She's as strait-laced as they come, at least when other people are around. She always had a soft spot for me, though. And my brother, Whitley…" She sighed, "He was Father's favorite. As soon as he was born, Father started giving him his undivided attention. It was like Winter and I ceased to exist…"
"From what I know of Jacques Schnee… I doubt being his favorite is all it's cracked up to be. I certainly wouldn't want to be in Whitley's shoes."
Weiss paused, taking a moment to consider Olivia's words. "Maybe you're right… No way to really ask Whitley now, I suppose. He's all the way in Atlas, and I'm here. Even if I tried calling him over the CCT, I doubt he'd want to talk to me…"
Olivia shrugged, "You never know. Give it a shot some time. He might surprise you."
Weiss was quiet for a while before a light smile worked its way on to her lips. "Whitley being born wasn't all bad. It was probably the only reason Father even relented and let me write my own songs…"
Olivia raised an eyebrow, "You've made your own songs? What are they, all opera?"
Weiss frowned, then laughed with the sudden realization, "So much has happened that I totally forgot! You've actually listened to my music before."
Olivia stopped in place, tilting her head to the side curiously, "I have? When?"
Weiss smiled shyly, "Back at the dorm, during our intervention? I was humming it and you asked what it was. You… said it was one of your favorites…?"
After a few moments, Olivia's eyes went wide. Her voice came out an octave higher, "Path to Isolation!? That was you!?" The faunus stumbled a bit when Weiss nodded confirmation, suddenly weak at the knees. She stared at the ground, eyes flickering back and forth across the pavement in thought. She finally shook her head, still in shock, "Scratch what we talked about before. I actually had a crush on you way before you had one on me. I just didn't know it."
Weiss laughed and raised an eyebrow, "Really? What, did my music speak to you that deeply?"
"Well, yeah!" Olivia replied immediately, "I felt like someone made a song about my life! And their voice- Your voice, was so beautiful… I was really upset that no one's name was listed. I wanted to know who you were..."
Weiss curtsied, a smug grin decorated her lips, "Well, now you know. What do you plan on doing with this newfound information now that you have it~?"
"Will you go out with me?"
Weiss snorted, "We're already dating."
"Yeah, but I always wanted to ask," Olivia stopped to hold both her hands together as if in prayer, her eyes begging, "Please don't crush this poor faunus's dreams, Miss Singer With the Beautiful Voice~ All she's asking for is a chance!"
Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes, playing along with the girl's shenanigans, "I suppose I could give you an opportunity to impress me. You'd better make it count, though."
Olivia smirked, stepping forward to grab Weiss by the hips and pull her in for a deep, passionate kiss. It continued for several long seconds, the faunus pulling out all the stops to make sure it was the best Weiss had ever had. Olivia's hands circled the heiress's waist, eventually finding their way to both of her cheeks and pulling her in even more tightly. Weiss moaned into her mouth, an earlier fire being reignited by their bodies pressing together.
Olivia's lips eventually retreated, but she remained in place, holding the heiress against herself. "I'll make sure it's a night you never forget~"
Weiss had to speak between ragged breaths, "...You're... incorrigible... you know that?" Despite her best efforts, there was an obvious appreciation for the girl's actions in her voice.
"I know~" Olivia pulled away to grasp Weiss's hand once more, the pair continuing on through the sporadically lit vegetation. They travelled for a few minutes in companionable silence before Weiss caught the faunus repeatedly glancing her way.
"What?"
Olivia shrugged weakly, "It's nothing much, just… since we're on the topic of secret identities and everything…"
Weiss raised an eyebrow, allowing Olivia to take her time and speak whenever she was ready. Even though she'd told her so much, there were still things the faunus had difficulty speaking about.
Olivia seemed to summon up her courage. She let out a long breath, then nodded to herself before speaking. "I actually have another name... One that I was using for the last five years instead of Olivia."
Weiss continued to wait, letting her get it all out at her own pace. Still, she was surprised to hear about it.
"Jace gave it to me. It started off as just a code name, but…" She shrugged, glancing in Weiss's direction to see how she was taking it. Even with the previous acceptance the heiress had shown, there was still some hesitance in Olivia's eyes. Weiss prepared herself, knowing that whether or not she recognized the name, this was a big step for Olivia.
"I called myself... 'The Black Lotus'... or just 'Lotus' for short. It's the name of a poisonous flower, native to Mistral. It has black petals and purple nectar…" Olivia tussled her own hair and then drew attention to her eyes. "Jace thought it was fitting."
Weiss frowned, staring into the distance while raising a finger to her chin. "I have heard that name before." Her frown deepened, incapable of recollecting exactly where she'd heard it.
"You might have heard it from Ruby or Blake. They've both been reading those comic books Ruby gave me. I'm… well… No. Not me, but a very bastardized version of me, is in them."
Weiss slowed, raising an eyebrow at the nervous faunus. She spoke slowly, hardly believing the words that were coming out of her mouth. "My girlfriend is a comic book villain…?"
"...Yes…"
"Are you just messing with me?" Weiss asked. It had to be a joke. She couldn't wrap her head around the possibility of it actually being the truth.
Olivia took a step back, almost seeming offended by the question. "I really am! There's a million lien bounty on my head and everything!"
Weiss raised her hands to try and calm Olivia's outburst, still shaking her head even as she did so, "Alright, alright! I believe you! It's just…" She gave Olivia an apologetic look, "It's hard to believe. You have to admit that."
Olivia laughed softly, "Yeah. Yeah it is." She shot Weiss an accusatory glance, more playful than serious, "Still, you should have known I was telling the truth."
"Sorry I ever doubted you, Lotus." Weiss grinned as Olivia's scowl deepened, "By the way, you wouldn't happen to know where the nearest police station is, would you? I'm a little light on lien after that dinner date…"
Olivia recoiled as if she'd been struck. Her face paled, and her voice came out weakly. "Let's uh… Let's not joke about that, actually."
Weiss's smile sobered immediately, and she raised a hand to lay it on the other girl's shoulder, "I'm sorry…" For what, she wasn't sure. Either way, Weiss knew she'd made a mistake.
Olivia shook her head, "It's not like you would've known, but… You know that girl I told you about? The one that was my first?"
Weiss nodded.
"Let's just say we didn't really 'break up'... She found out who I was and tried to turn me in for the reward money…"
"That's horrible!" Weiss gasped, taken aback.
"I try not to blame her too much. A million lien is life changing, especially for someone living in the slums." Olivia glanced over, grinning softly, "Not so much for the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company though, eh? I guess I'm safe as long as you don't get your inheritance taken away or something."
"Olivia, I would never." Weiss spoke vehemently, making sure the faunus knew she was being absolutely serious. "Slums or not, that's an awful thing to do to someone you're close with!"
Olivia shook her head, "You can't say for sure until you've walked a mile in their shoes. Starvation, death, sickness… They change people, Weiss. Once that desperation sets in… It's hard to get rid of it." She scoffed lightly, seeming to reminisce about days past. "I once mugged a woman for her apples. For her apples, Weiss. I'm sure others have done far worse for far less."
"Still…" Weiss's protests weakened. She knew in her heart that she would never do such a thing, but… 'Is that only because I've never had to? If I was starving, would I really be able to hold myself to the same moral code? To uphold what I thought was right?' She couldn't really say for sure. That thought was… unsettling…
"But anyway," Olivia picked the conversation back up, "Don't call me that in front of anyone else. If I'm ever going to tell Ruby and Blake… I don't want their first thoughts of me to be tarnished by that despicable character in the comics. I'm not like her. I was never like her."
"How are you different?"
Olivia scoffed, "Well for one, I would never hurt a child, and…" She paused, a curious expression crossing her face. Olivia turned in place, eyes glancing past the lit path and into the dark, nostrils flaring while she frowned more deeply by the moment. "Do you smell that?"
Weiss sniffed quizzically. Her nose caught a very weak scent, one that was familiar, but hard to place with her human senses. She turned as well, mimicking Olivia while trying to get a better read on what it was they were smelling.
"Smoke," Olivia finally stated. She turned in place a few moments longer, eventually gesturing through the treeline, "It's coming from that direction. If I'm smelling it from this far away… It has to be big."
Weiss narrowed her eyes, staring off into the darkness. "The White Fang?"
Olivia shifted uncomfortably, "It could be. If Widow is with them, though… I don't want her to see us like this…"
"Like what?"
"Together." Olivia saw Weiss backpedaled and held her hand up, "It's not what you think! I'm not ashamed to be with you. Not in the slightest, but Widow… I can only guess how furious she would be if she knew we were dating. She was willing to let you live on my account, and let me continue living what she thought of as a lie. If it seems as if I've fallen too far into this life though…? If Widow finds out I've gone from her precious 'Black Lotus' to someone in love with a Schnee?"
Weiss's breath caught, realizing what else Olivia had admitted to during her brief ramble. '...Love?' She hadn't expected the faunus to have fallen for her so hard already, enough so to use that word. Even so, with Widow's wrath in mind, Weiss knew she wasn't willing to stand around if people were in danger.
"We still have to go, Olivia. People's lives could be at stake. We can't let bad things happen just because we're afraid for ourselves. We're Huntresses."
Olivia bit her lip, turning to stare off into the night. The sound of sirens began, a wailing echo that carried it's way to them across the still night air. With a final glance back, Olivia nodded. "Alright. I'm with you, one hundred percent… You have dust crystals in your purse, right?"
Weiss zipped her purse open to root around inside for a moment, extracting the various dust shards that would fit together in her hand. "I've got them."
"Let's go, then."
Together, the two began sprinting through the underbrush, weaving their way past trees and bushes alike. The area away from the path was nearly too dark for Weiss to see, but Olivia immediately began guiding her, using a hand on her shoulder to keep her safe when her eyesight faltered.
Soon enough, they were emerging out of the treeline and on to the edge of the park. Casting a glyph for each of them, Weiss provided a platform to jump off of in order to vault over the wrought iron fence, both landing deftly on the opposite side. No longer obscured by the trees, Weiss could see a dull orange glow in the night's sky, emanating from a building just out of sight. Olivia saw it too, and both began sprinting through the streets once more.
In only a few short minutes, they found themselves outside of what appeared to be a pair of hotels. Fire wreathed the left building of the two, flames flickering out from windows and doors alike. Smoke poured from it, thick black columns twisting up into the night sky.
Weiss could see dozens of people standing outside, already evacuated from the premises. Their clothes were stained with smoke and their bodies wracked with sobs, staring along with the various spectators that had gathered along with them. Weiss could see horns and tails, the vast majority appearing to be faunus, rather than human.
The slamming of the front door announced another individual being pulled from the flames, a firefighter dragging her out as she screamed.
"No! We have to go back! My son! My son is still inside!" The woman beat weakly against the fireman holding her, desperately trying to return into the flames for her child.
Weiss glanced at Olivia, who nodded in turn.
They sprinted forward, past the surprised firefighters and directly through the front door, plunging into the flames.
Fire licked up the sides of the walls and the stairs, smoke laying across the ceiling like a thick blanket in the air. Weiss immediately began casting glyphs with help from the dust crystals in her hand, creating ones to dampen the flames and clear the air of smoke, hoping to lessen the impact on their auras.
"Where is he!?" Weiss yelled over the roaring flames, knowing that their best shot at finding the boy was with Olivia's sixth sense.
Olivia's eyes flickered in every direction. "I can't tell yet! We need to get into the stairwell first!"
Weiss nodded assent and began clearing a path as best she could, firing off pillars of ice to block doors they didn't need to access in order to block off the flames. She was horrified to see them beginning to melt almost immediately, the heat too intense, even for ice Dust.
They pushed forward, down the hall and to the stairwell. Olivia slammed the door open and rushed inside, then closed it as soon as Weiss was through as well. The stairwell was just as thick with smoke, to the point where Weiss could hardly see a few feet in front of her. Olivia's hand wrapped around her own, guiding her forward to the first flight.
Olivia seemed to be concentrating on her sixth sense. Her eyes were closed tight, an expression of intense focus dominating her features. Eventually she spun, and pointed up through the wall above them. "Third floor. Fifth room on the left. I can feel him inside, hiding under his bed. He's still alive."
Weiss nodded, "Let's go!"
The two shot up the stairs, beginning to cough violently from all the smoke they were being forced to inhale. When they opened the door to the third floor, a blast of fire and heat pressed them both back momentarily. Weiss's eyes widened in panic, seeing the hall wreathed in brilliant red flames once the first gout had ended. The plaster on the walls and ceiling had melted, beginning to expose the foundation beneath. Thick beams bent and cracked, already blackened by the fire that sought to consume them.
Olivia plunged through it head first, sprinting down the hall and to the fifth door on the left. Instead of grasping the door to open it with her hands, the wood itself splintered open violently, knocked out of the way by what Weiss assumed to have been the faunus's real semblance. She followed along in Olivia's wake, holding her arms up to protect her body and praying for her aura to hold out against the immense heat.
Olivia led the way into the room, crossing the medium sized expanse to a back door. The foundation was even more exposed here, the beams above creaking while fire consumed everything around them.
This time, Olivia grasped the door handle in order to throw it open. Past her shoulder, Weiss could instantly see the young faunus boy curled up beneath his bed. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and he clutched a teddy bear to his chest, still in the pajamas he'd worn while preparing to sleep for the night.
"It's alright, kid! We'll get you out of here!" Olivia shouted over the roaring flames. She stepped inside, shielding herself while passing through to grab the boy and hold him close to her chest. Weiss stayed back to begin casting her glyphs, reducing the flames along the path they would need to take to get back downstairs.
As she was doing so, the ceiling above began to groan menacingly, and Olivia's head whipped back up in a panic. "Weiss! Look out!" She screamed, diving forward while still holding the boy to push Weiss out of the way.
The ceiling above them gave way, the beams finally snapping under the intense pressure and heat. Weiss flinched away from her place on the ground, certain that this was to be her final moments. The groaning stilled though, and Weiss opened her eyes in the next moment to see the flickering silhouette of Olivia's semblance holding the beams in place.
"Weiss… take him," Olivia gasped, holding the boy out to her. The girl was pressed down on to one knee, supporting the massive weight bearing down on top of her. Weiss could see the barest hint of her invisible legs in the smoke, curled above to push against the beams.
Weiss shakily accepted the boy into her arms, mind wildly casting itself around for an escape plan. "W-What are we going to do!?" Part of the ceiling had fallen, blocking off the windows. The door to the child's room was blocked off as well, the frame twisted and bent beyond repair.
Olivia winced under the weight, body bent nearly double. "Go back the way we came! The floor above is already starting to collapse! I-I've never held this much weight before… I don't… I don't know how long I can last!" She gasped from the strain.
Tears appeared in Weiss's eyes and were instantly evaporated by the heat. Her limbs trembled, indecision eating away at her. "M-Maybe I could hold them with my glyphs! I'm- I'm not just going to leave you, Olivia!"
Olivia shook her head, "I know how durable your glyphs are… I trained you, remember? This is too much, even for you." The floor creaked beneath her, the weight above all focused on the singular point where Olivia stood. She groaned, tears similarly springing to her eyes while she feigned a confident grin. "Go ahead, Princess. I'll catch up. Once you two are clear… I'll make it out. The Black Lotus has survived too much to let a burning building do her in."
When Weiss remained rooted in fear, Olivia reached forward to delicately place a hand against her cheek.
"Please," she spoke so softly, the sound was nearly lost to the inferno that surrounded them.
Weiss glared, anger spurring her to action as she refused to let this be the end of anything. She gripped the crystals in her hand so tightly that she started to shake. Using all of her focus, Weiss cast a glyph beneath Olivia's feet and backed up, heading for the door. Lightning dust crackled with the glyph, creating a spinning clock that only spun faster with each moment that passed.
"You'd better get out of her alive, Olivia! If you don't, I'll- I'll never forgive you!"
With that, Weiss turned to run, her last image of the faunus a confident smile despite the tears brimming in her eyes. Weiss clutched the boy more tightly to her chest, summoning more glyphs than ever while retreading the ground they'd already covered. Even so, she maintained her focus on the glyph above, the one chance Olivia had of making it out safely.
Sprinting back downstairs, Weiss could now freely cast her ice glyphs to clear the path to the door. The ice immediately cracked and melted, but it was enough to get them safely through the flames. Weiss stumbled back out on to the street, and was instantly waylaid from every side by firefighters. The woman screamed in joy and ran forward, fighting to get past and hold her son.
Weiss gave him to her before turning around, eyes flickering every which way across the side of the building while waiting for Olivia to appear.
"Hey! You need to get back! The building is collapsing!" One of the firefighters shouted, grasping Weiss's arm to try and pull her away from the building. With a furious glance back, she cast a glyph between them that knocked him away. More sprang up in its wake, separating her from the firefighters while she desperately scanned the building for any signs of Olivia.
'Come on, Olivia! We're out so- so where are you!?'
Weiss's heart dropped as she heard a crashing rumble from above, the sounds of the building caving in on itself. Her eyes widened as gasped, thinking the worst.
With a sudden burst, the window to the hallway on the third floor was blasted open. With smoking black hair and a burning purple dress, Olivia launched herself out of the building. She fell haphazardly, spinning in the air while her aura flickered and vanished. A dusting of violet trailed off behind her as she fell, the last vestiges of her aura reduced to nothing but ash.
In a panic, Weiss cast another glyph to catch her fall. Olivia's rapid tumble slowed, a black glyph easing her to the ground as Weiss sprinted over to her. Olivia's legs buckled immediately when she touched the ground, falling to her knees and retching from all the smoke she'd been forced to inhale.
Weiss fell to her knees as she slammed into the faunus, wrapping her in a desperate hug. The dam of her emotions broke, everything she hadn't let herself feel during the ordeal flooding free all at once. She sobbed into Olivia's shoulder, and was glad to feel the other girl's arms wrap around her in kind.
"See?" Olivia coughed roughly, "W-What'd I tell ya? Piece of cake."
"Don't you ever do that again, Olivia!" Weiss trembled, clutching her even more dearly. "I-I thought… I thought-"
"Ssshhhh," Olivia whispered, nuzzling into Weiss's shoulder in turn. Her hand trailed up and down Weiss's back, rubbing affectionately while trying to sooth the heiress, "I know. I thought so too for a minute there. I'm alright, though. No-" She coughed violently, "N-No harm done~"
Olivia pulled away slightly as footsteps began to approach them. Weiss followed her gaze, seeing the tear-streaked mother holding her son to her chest.
"T-Thank you! Thank you both so much! I-I don't… I don't know what I would've done without him! Thank you!"
Olivia coughed before managing to smile widely, "That's just what Huntresses are for, Ma'am… I'm glad he's okay."
The building shook nearby, spurring them all to glance in its direction. Weiss pulled herself weakly back to her feet and helped Olivia up as well, the faunus shaking from exhaustion and an expended aura alike. "Maybe we should move away?"
Olivia laughed harshly once before devolving into another coughing fit, "That's probably for the best. Wouldn't want to be crushed to death after escaping, would we?"
Weiss supported her as they both crossed the street, slowing only slightly as they heard the wild applause of the crowd. They cheered for them, the two saviors that had rescued a child when the firefighters couldn't. Olivia shied away while Weiss continued forward, pulling the faunus along to safety.
Olivia's eyes darted up the next moment, tensing before she let out a sigh of relief. Weiss followed her gaze to see one of the hotel staff walking their way, dressed for her shift but similarly coated in ash and smoke. She'd apparently already been there for some time, likely waiting on the side lines with everyone else until spotting her fellow faunus.
Olivia nodded as she approached, "You saved me the trouble of looking for you, Lily." She glanced back at the burning building, eyes narrowing while she sighed. "Do you know who set the fire?"
Lily nodded, "I sensed a group of people sneaking back behind the building..." She frowned, seeming confused by what she'd felt, "They… they were faunus. Not humans."
Weiss raised an eyebrow, not quite following along with the conversation. "I'm sorry, who are you? When you say you felt them, do you mean…?"
"She's another spider faunus," Olivia explained quietly, double checking to make sure there weren't any humans in ear shot. She gestured with her head back towards the raging inferno behind them. "The hotel has- had two buildings. One for humans, and the other for faunus. Lily here works the front desk and sorts them secretly, since spider faunus can always tell which is which…"
"And you felt faunus setting fire to the faunus building?" Weiss asked in bewilderment, turning to stare at it. "Why would they do that?"
Olivia started to sigh, then devolved into another coughing fit. She finally caught her breath after a few moments and breathed deeply, clearing her throat. "It was the White Fang. More specifically, Widow. Or at least, it was her plan, anyway. This sounds exactly like something she would do. Turning people against each other so that one side will join her…" Her eyes fell to the pavement, the past flashing painfully before her eyes. "I'm all too familiar with it…"
"Should I…" Lily shook, staring over at the firefighters and police, "Should I make a statement? Tell them who it was?"
Olivia glanced their way, considering it. She eventually looked back at her fellow faunus and shook her head, "You'd just paint a target on your back. If the White Fang finds out that you ratted on them…"
"We'll tell them for you," Weiss interjected.
The faunus gave her an uncertain gaze, then nodded shyly. "Th-thanks, Miss…?"
Weiss's shoulders raised defensively, "Just call me Weiss."
"Thank you, Weiss," Lily glanced around the street, then down at herself. "I think… I should just go home now." Her eyes turned to the raging fire, the flames reflected back in her eyes. "There's nothing left for me here…"
"Are you going to be okay?" Olivia asked.
Lily shrugged, "I'll be fine. As long as we wear long sleeves, we can always blend in with the humans… Umm, by the way…?" She pointed down towards Olivia's arms.
Olivia followed her gaze, then paled upon seeing her veins exposed. Much of her dress had burned away in the flames, gloves included. What was once a beautiful dress was now just tatters, barely holding itself together on the faunus's shoulders. Weiss looked down at herself and saw she wasn't much better off, the white dress long since tarnished by smoke and fire alike.
"Just thought I should mention it… T-take care!" Lily said as she vanished through the crowd, blending in and disappearing amongst the other faunus almost immediately.
Olivia held herself tightly, hiding her veins against her chest while nervously casting her eyes around those nearest, checking to see if anyone had noticed. Thankfully, the crowd around them consisted of faunus, none of them appearing put off by the revelation, if they'd even noticed to begin with.
Olivia breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced back towards the police. "Can you uh… handle telling them about who set the fire?"
Weiss nodded, leaning forward to deliver a kiss to Olivia's cheek. "You just wait here. Once I'm done, we'll head straight for the Bullheads and back to Beacon."
"Thanks, Princess."
"Don't mention it," Weiss smiled. She hugged Olivia for a few seconds longer, still recovering from believing her girlfriend had died. "Don't move a muscle. I'll be right back."
Weiss left Olivia there, noticing as she did so that the crowd of faunus almost seemed to move around her protectively. They swallowed her up amongst themselves, blocking any line of sight to the girl that had clearly seen better days.
Weiss smiled her approval and continued on, moving to speak with whoever was in charge and giving him the most detailed report she could manage, without mentioning Lily as the actual informant. The Chief on scene was glad to take her statement, and only needed Weiss to sign a form and leave her number before letting the heiress go on her way.
When Weiss returned, the group of mingling faunus opened back up to accept her within their midst. Olivia was sitting on the curb, nervously glancing around herself while still hiding her veins. She felt Weiss approaching and glanced up, a sigh of relief springing to her lips.
Weiss held a hand out to help Olivia to her feet. She staggered for a moment then stabled, still breathing raggedly from the smoke she'd inhaled. With a doting smile, Weiss began to lead her away. Out of the crowd and down the street, back towards the Bullheads so that they could go home.
On the Bullhead back, Weiss caught Olivia smirking, enjoying her own private joke.
"What?"
Olivia glanced her way, then down at herself and Weiss in turn, her grin only widening.
"Do you think we could get a refund~?"
Despite what they'd been through...
Weiss couldn't help but laugh.