Hello, here's chapter 34. 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.
"I'll meet you in time for lunch. I need to head to the CCT to make a few calls, and I moreover need to speak to professor Goodwitch," Weiss explained. They were standing outside the Grimm biology classroom, the lesson having ended five minutes ago. "Hopefully I can make time for all of that."
Luckily, today didn't have too many classes either, meaning there was a block until 2 PM with free time for whatever the students wished to do, be it studying, sparring, or procrastinating.
"Company stuff at the CCT?" Ruby asked.
Weiss nodded, receiving sympathetic smiles from the rest of the team. "I can no longer put it off. Hopefully, it'll go well." She shrugged, smiling fondly as she thought of a call she looked forward to. "If not, I'm sure Sebastian will offer some sound advice."
Whatever happens concerning the SDC and my business studies, I'll deal with it. I'm not going to let him push me around. I'm more concerned about if the school can offer counselling, really. I'd rather not go into Vale each week just for that, and I've heard that people have to wait several months before getting an appointment.
By now, they all knew what she planned to request of the professor. Her friends had been nothing but supportive when she had quickly brought it up before heading out for the day. She had reassured them that she was feeling a lot better than yesterday and intended to carry on with her plan. Now Weiss was just hoping it would go as smoothly as it played out in her mind when she imagined it.
Sure, she was nervous, but that emotion was mixed with hope and an optimism that just wouldn't stay down. Taking control of her fears was precisely what she needed to do - not mope around and flinch at every imagined shadow.
Perhaps I'm being harsh to myself, but who wouldn't want to feel comfortable with who they are? I've come a long way, but I can't stop moving forward and be content with the status quo. Ruby deserves better and so do I.
"I'll text you if I run late," Weiss added, meeting Ruby's calm and encouraging gaze. Her girlfriend didn't appear worried; like she had absolute fate that matters would go the way Weiss wanted to. Personally, Weiss wasn't so sure herself, but her girlfriend's confidence in her made a warm feeling swell in her chest.
"Okay, and just text me if you get bored or something!" Ruby exclaimed.
"Or if your dad's being a pest. Remember what I offered when you arrived at our doorstep in Patch? Offer still stands!" Yang added with a grin.
Weiss flashed her a smile. She was sure Yang would love to punch her father, and at this point, she felt that maybe that wasn't such a bad idea.
"Good luck, Weiss," Blake added. "Show them who's really in charge if anything comes up." Her friend gave her shoulder a light squeeze and flashed her a small smile.
Ruby's encouragement, Yang's cockiness, and Blake's sympathy all helped to give Weiss the little confidence boost she needed; seeing her friends so firmly supporting her and knowing they would always be on her side was wonderful.
With the letter from Sebastian safely tucked away, Weiss began to make her way towards the CCT. As she walked through the halls, she was stopped a few times to make small talk with some of the students she knew and hadn't had time to greet yet.
It's nice to be back. I didn't even know I had managed to make an impression on so many people, even if it's just someone waving at me from across the hallway.
First class had started at 8AM, and luckily Beacon had seen it fit to ease the students into the new term by appointing the period between 9:30AM and 2PM a self-study period, with lunch at noon. At 2 PM they had social studies, followed by math at 3, and the final class being sparring at 4.
So far, the day had gone well. Waking up and cuddling with Ruby was always a lovely start of the day, and around the breakfast table she had received confirmation that JNPR hadn't let yesterday's unfortunate argument bother them in the least; It was like everything was back to normal.
Likewise, classes hadn't posed any particular challenge; their time spent studying yesterday afternoon before dinner had helped them prepare.
Now though, she was about to find out the repercussions of leaving Schnee Manor. Her previous confidence was slowly eroding as she walked though, each step growing a little heavier.
Stop it, Weiss. He can't really do anything towards you, and he's not going to strip you of your role as a heiress. You hold all the cards.
After arriving in the lobby of the CCT, she booked a private room through the AI and then headed into the small space, closing the door behind her. Her little inner ego trip had mostly worked in her favor, but that didn't mean she looked forward to calling the SDC headquarters.
I'll start with the letter from Sebastian. Calling my father's secretary can wait a bit longer.
After all, she was by far more curious about the former; there was no way there would be any nasty surprises there. Opening it, she immediately recognized the elegant and precise style she'd seen as far back as when he first began to correct her homework many years ago.
Dear Ms Schnee,
I hope your vacation was very memorable. I'm sorry that your stay was cut short here, and I wish we would have had more time to speak. Nonetheless, after the most recent scheme of your father, I fully understand why you left, and I'm certain we will have an opportunity in the future to continue our discussions. Indeed, your departure is in a way reassuring, because it signifies that you are continuing to forge your own path and are not shackled to his will. That journey started when you applied for Beacon and seeing your unabaiting efforts fills this old soul with joy. What I said before still rings true: Your mother would be proud of you. Until we speak again, take care and all the best.
-Sebastian
Weiss was truly touched by his words, her lips quirking into a smile as she read. Sebastian had always supported her in these small ways. She had already planned to call him and decided to do so right away.
Dialing the butler's number, it only took ten seconds before he picked up and accepted the video call. From the flowers and bushes she could see on her monitor, Weiss gathered that he was in the gardens. Sweat clung to his forehead and his thin hair was unruly from the breeze. His face looked almost hilariously large when he leaned closer to his Scroll.
His eyes lit up with excitement at seeing her, a smile pulling at his lips. "Hello Ms. Schnee. What a joyous surprise for this old man. How are you doing?"
Weiss smiled, already feeling much better. "Hello, Sebastian. I'm doing very well, thank you for asking. I read your letter and wanted to let you know that I had a wonderful time on Patch and that I'm now safely back at Beacon."
His eyes crinkled with joy, the image shaking as he walked over to a bench. "That's good to hear. Are you rejuvenated and ready to take on the second semester?"
Weiss nodded. "Yes, I'm very well-rested for once. Spending only around an hour per day studying, and the rest together with the team, did wonders. Are you in the middle of something important or do you have time to chat?"
"Oh, no, Ms. Schnee, I'm not doing anything of particular urgency. The weeds grow at a steady rate, as is their right to do, but I'm well ahead of my pruning schedule," he said, smacking his lips together. "If nothing else, they're showing me ample proof that the soil is still excellent."
She giggled, since long holding a fond spot for his dry yet witty musings.
Then his expression grew somewhat more serious, "But I take it that this is more than a social call?"
Weiss felt how her smile faltered somewhat. She had a tactical reason for calling him before SDC headquarters as well. "I was also wondering whether father has said anything. I've heard nothing at all, which bothers me somewhat."
The old man looked rather perturbed, his lips pressing together in a thin line and eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Your father hasn't said much, no. I took the liberty of expressing my feelings over his lack of tact. If anything, he is more reclusive than ever; I haven't seen him do anything besides working since you left."
Gratitude welled up in her together with worry for the butler. "Sebastian, you shouldn't have."
He smiled, eyes suddenly full of mischief, drawing her thoughts to when he was younger. "At my age, I've found that the rebellious streak of my youth is rejuvenated. Do not worry Ms. Schnee, I've been here long enough to keep from straying too close to scheduling a meeting at the unemployment agency." Then he winked at her, chuckling to himself.
She giggled, so dearly wishing she'd been a fly on the wall when he let her father know he'd acted thoughtlessly.
"On that note, Miss, I took the liberty to contact your sister and let her know what transpired here. I hope you'll forgive me, but it wouldn't do if your father tried to share his narrative with her." He sent her an apologetic look.
Weiss was surprised, though in hindsight she could of course have expected the meticulous butler to have been thorough. "Thank you, Sebastian. I don't mind. What did she say?"
She felt a pang of regret for not talking to Winter beforehand, but what could her sister realistically have done? She was halfway across the world and had her hands full with her military duties. Even if it would've been nice to speak with Winter, she would only have worried her for the next several weeks. In her confused state, it had seemed best to leave it be, but now she was regretting it.
A conversation with, and an apology to, her sister was long overdue.
I want to be closer to her, and I can't very well do that by keeping something like this from her. Hopefully she'll understand.
"The message had to be relayed by text unfortunately, since she's very preoccupied at the moment. I understand that general Ironwood has specifically requested her to oversee several urgent tasks," he explained. "Nonetheless, she thanked me for explaining what transpired to her and promised that she would contact you once you were back at Beacon."
I'll have to call her tonight.
After that, their conversation turned away from her sudden flight from Schnee Manor and went on for the better part of half an hour. Weiss caught up with what some of the other employees she was fond of had been up to, but the majority of it was spent recounting her days on Patch, to which Sebastian listened intently, only stopping her once in a while to ask a question.
She talked about the date in the meadow, about picking strawberries, playing with Zwei, playing games with friends, lazing about, as well as the cooking lessons they'd had with Yang and Taiyang. Weiss had of course no plans to bring up that they'd shared a bed or been intimate with Ruby, though she suspected Sebastian was craftier than he let show and likely knew already.
Fond memories welled up in her as she spoke, making her look forward to her next planned visit later in autumn.
That said, there was one more thing she wanted to go over with him. Despite having talked with both Yang and Ruby yesterday, plus the short talk with all of her friends before class today, she wanted Sebastian's input too.
"And… I was out in public." Just saying it caused a silly smile to break out across her face and the beginning of a blush to warm her cheeks.
His eyes widened and his eyebrows rose curiously. "In the sense I think you're implying?" His surprise was expected as she had mentioned during her visit how hesitant she'd been with sharing her secret.
Weiss nodded shyly. "Yes, I held hands with her, went on two dates in the town and even k-kissed her on those occasions." Revealing it to him caused her face to turn a deeper shade of red. With him being the closest thing she had to a real parent, she understood better than ever how Ruby would sometimes grow so embarassed around Taiyang.
"That's wonderful, congratulations!" he exclaimed, sounding absolutely overjoyed, but then his expression shifted into one of concern. "What's wrong?"
Her mind had immediately raced to yesterday's mishap, and she realized she hadn't schooled her expression enough. "I wasn't able to continue to express myself in public." She let out a tired sigh.
"Please tell me what happened," he asked slowly, his feature showing nothing but kindness and concern for her.
Weiss recounted the events of yesterday evening and he nodded as she elaborated to him about the anxieties holding her back. She didn't find it as difficult as she thought to speak of, but the defeat and disappointment clinging to her still stung. Nonetheless, talking about it was cathartic.
"I'm sorry you had to experience that," he said sympathetically once she finished speaking.
Weiss let out a weary sigh. "Thank you for listening. It's was a rough few hours, but at least I made up with Ruby." She then decided to cut to the chase. "Sebastian, I was wondering if you have any ideas on how I can move forward? I plan to speak with a professor today to inquire if I can see a counselor, though apart from that I am not entirely sure what the next steps are."
He hummed for a moment as he pondered her predicament. "Your friends are supportive of you, so in that situation I suppose I would simply let the days go by with Ruby and the others at your side, and not worry too much. Seeing a counselor will most likely be beneficial as well; both will be needed but their roles in your life will differ." He then smiled at her. "Relax and let the days sweep you away on the small, everyday adventures, and you'll do wonderful."
Their eyes met, and she was again struck by the sincerity she saw there. All he wanted was for her to be happy and be true to herself. Weiss mulled it over for a moment, trying to disregard the lump in her throat. "That makes a lot of sense and reassures me. I was not entirely certain if it was a good plan at first. Thank you, Sebastian."
He nodded to himself. "No problem, Ms. Schnee."
Finally, there was one more thing she was wondering. "There's another matter I wanted to ask you about. I plan to surprise Ruby with a homemade treat sometime. She loves chocolate chip cookies, but I've heard they're rather difficult to get right, and I was wondering if a strawberry shortcake would be more manageable?"
"What a lovely idea! Since you don't have much experience with baking yet, I would not recommend the strawberry shortcake so soon; at least not if you don't have anyone to aid you." He grew silent for a moment as he thought, lips pursed as he considered one option after the other. "May I suggest a batch of brownies instead? They can be quite gooey on the inside, so it's not a problem if you remove them from the oven a minute or two too early, and making them is as simple as melting butter and mixing the other ingredients into the pot before you pour it into the ovenware."
The momentary uncertainty Weiss had felt was transformed into excitement. Ruby would love brownies and eat until she contracted a stomach ache if Weiss didn't stay vigilant. "That's an excellent idea, Sebastian. Thank you!" Weiss hadn't thought of that, but it certainly seemed simply enough. She would probably still ask Yang to keep an eye on things, but she wanted to make it herself from scratch, to be able to say to Ruby that she did this on her own. Ruby loved chocolate too, so she was sure it would be well-received.
"I'm sure your girlfriend will be overjoyed," he said in a kind voice, causing her to grow a bit self-conscious.
This is most certainly how Ruby feels around Taiyang sometimes.
They spoke some more before Weiss looked at the time and excused herself, advising that she needed to call her father's secretary. Wishing her good luck, Sebastian bid his goodbye and ended the call after promising that they would speak at a later time to discuss her progress.
She was glad Sebastian was her friend. There was something very reassuring in having an adult she could turn to if she needed advise. Calling Taiyang had been another option, though considering the matter, she wasn't as comfortable with that, though not because of anything he had done; The nature of the matter simply lended itself better to impartial input.
Besides, I don't want to worry him and make him think even for a moment that things aren't well between Ruby and I.
Putting her musings aside for now, she exhaled and took a deep breath to steel herself before dialing the number to her father's secretary. It only took three seconds before she picked up.
She was met by an older woman with a sharp hawk-like gaze and brown hair that held gray strands near the roots. "Ms. Schnee, what can I do for you?"
Weiss had to push down a sudden bout of annoyance. She'd never liked his secretary, though she surmised the lady was kind enough privately. It more that she was in so close proximity to her father that Weiss naturally had to assume the woman was on his side, together with her curt, matter-of-fact demeanor.
"My summer break has ended and I'm back at Beacon, hence I'm calling to inquire about the continues updates on the SDC business," Weiss said, adopting a well-practiced, business-first persona in kind.
"One moment please; I do believe I received a message from your father concerning this matter." The secretary glanced at her own screen and quickly typed on the keyboard, frowning slightly as she searched for the instructions.
Nervousness grew in Weiss. Depending on what her father had written, the next minutes could turn out to be very unpleasant and she would in worst case even have to call him. That was a prospect she wasn't looking forward to at all.
I still don't know how I will react if I hear his voice. Another argument is likely… I wonder if I would truly feel a sense of loss if I never spoke to him again.
That realization saddened her. After experience what Taiyang was like, her own father was laughable in comparison. At least she could take comfort in that Tai had taken a liking to her and felt protective of her. She made a note to call him at a later time just to do some small talk and catch up. The idea helped her feel better again.
"Ah, here it is. He's instructed me to send you the necessary documents going forward. Nothing has changed compared to before expect that you will summarize your findings to me for the moment," the secretary advised, making Weiss refocus on the present moment.
Weiss blinked. This wasn't at all what she had expected. Was he that angry with her? It took some effort to subdue the whirling emotions rising to the surface. A part of her felt like a lost child rejected by one's parents, while another side in her seethed with anger over his nonchalant behavior.
"I see, thank you. Is there anything else?" she asked, not betraying her thoughts on the matter.
"No, have a good day, Ms. Schnee. I will send over the documents right away, so please have your Scroll ready to receive the secure transmission."
After closing the call and waiting for the secretary to send the documents, Weiss found herself in an odd mood. Agitated, restless, with a pinch of nervousness for spice.
I miss talking with Sebastian already.
She toyed with the idea of calling Winter, which she really should've done yesterday, but decided to put it off until the evening. Most like, Winter would be busy with her duties by now and wouldn't be able to accept any incoming calls.
Her Scroll beeped then, and she quickly accepted the data transfer and prepared for how to explain her circumstances to professor Goodwitch.
Knocking on the door in front of her, Weiss steeled herself yet again for another difficult conversation.
It was almost 11:30 by now and she was beginning to grow hungry as well, though hopefully she'd be able to arrive in time for lunch with her friends.
"Come in," professor Goodwitch's voice sounded from inside.
Weiss threw a glance around and slipped inside, feeling nervousness coil in her for the second time that day. This bout of anxiety was more personal though, making her feel vulnerable. However, she wouldn't let that stop her.
Keeping the words of Yang, Ruby, Blake, and Sebastian in mind, Weiss walked up to the professor's desk. Professor Goodwitch had several stacks of papers in front of her and it appeared she was very busy. Weiss hoped she had some time to spare for her.
"Ms. Schnee, what can I help you with?" the professor asked, digging her hawk-like gaze into her after putting down her pencil.
Weiss had to resist the urge to flinch. "I am here to discuss a rather private matter. It may take a few minutes, so if you are preoccupied I can come back at a later time," she offered, reasoning that it was best to come across as humble as possible.
Ms. Goodwitch gestured for Weiss to sit down in the visitor's chair then clasped her hands together. "There is no need for that; I have time."
Weiss sat down, absentmindedly fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "I'm wondering if the school's medical wings offers therapy. I have a private matter that I feel is holding me back and I'm looking into the possibility of seeing a counselor. If Beacon does not offer it, I can always check in Vale, but it would be more convenient to speak with one on campus."
The professor's expression didn't give anything away. "Well, Ms. Schnee, we have two counselors available. They're not here full-time, but rather depending on the demand from the student body. Presently, a student visiting their family in Mistral has not yet arrived back due to poor weather conditions, so there is a slot available in 30 minutes. Will that work?"
Weiss nodded, hardly believing her luck. She would miss out on lunch with the team, but they would understand.
"I will check if Mr. Evans can be accommodating before over-promising." Goodwitch picked up her Scroll and dialed a short Beacon extension. A very brief conversation followed and when she put down her Scroll, she nodded to Weiss. "He will see you. Head to the medical section and then turn left immediately. You'll find his office just past the waiting room."
"Thank you," Weiss replied.
"Our student's mental health is just as important as their physical. I've found during the years that people in general should seek out help earlier than they do, but it's better late than never." The professor's lips moved slight upwards into a subdued smile. "I would advise you to set up a schedule now rather than later, since they'll see an increased demand when the exchange students arrive for the Vytal festival starting tomorrow." Her eyes then narrowed. "While you are under no obligation to reveal the nature of the problem to me, I would still like to know if you anticipate that it will affect your studies or training. Is that the case here?"
Weiss shook her head. "No, it will not. C-can you keep a secret?" She winced; that had come out spectacularly poorly. However, if she was to try and be more open, professor Goodwitch was an impartial first choice. She wasn't sure why she did this, probably some sort of deep-rooted need to prove herself driving her forward, but she wanted to say it out loud.
Ms. Goodwitch seemed unperturbed though. "Yes, that is one of the reasons I am a professor. We have strict student-teacher confidentiality and whatever you choose to reveal to me will not make it outside these walls."
Weiss took a deep breath. "I... like girls."
To Weiss, the words reverberated around the room, her heart pounding so hard she could hear her own pulse. Her eyes darted away from the professor for a moment before she forced herself to look at her again.
The response was almost disappointing though. The professor didn't show any surprise at all, not even blinking. "I see. There's nothing wrong with that."
"I know," Weiss replied, her shoulders sagging.
The professor's gaze grew kinder. "I advise you to be honest with Mr. Evans if you would like the session to be productive. Good luck."
After thanking the professor and exiting the room, Weiss pulled up her Scroll and quickly typed a reply to let the rest of the team know she'd be preoccupied for a while.
Weiss felt foolish; she had once again worked herself up over nothing. Perhaps the counseling was more needed than even she herself had anticipated. Yet, the feeling that lingered with her all the way to the medical wing was relief.
Opening the door to the dorm room, all Weiss wanted to do was to lay down in bed. While not physically exhausted, she was mentally drained. Coming in at the tail end of the lunch and scarfing down a quick meal hadn't rejuvenated her in the least.
And then I have social studies in an hour, then math, and combat training after that. This will be a long day.
"Welcome back," Blake greeted, her smile dropping ever so slightly when she noticed Weiss' listless state. Yang turned around from where she was seated at the desk and waved at her.
"Hey, Weiss, how did it go?" Ruby asked, sweeping forward and catching her in a hug. Weiss looped her arms around her girlfriend and buried her face in the crook of her neck.
A hug is precisely what I need right now. Everything feels better again.
"Therapy was… draining. I'll have the dubious joy of doing this once a week for the foreseeable future." She relaxed a bit against Ruby, tightening the hug and taking a few slow breaths to unwind.
"It didn't help you?" Ruby quizzed.
Weiss shook her head, already comforted by her girlfriend's presence and fragrance. "No, no, it did. Mr. Evans knew just what kind of questions to ask, and I had to face a lot of unpleasant memories I'd rather forget." She disentangled herself from Ruby and smiled at her. "I'm sure the sessions will be helpful when I've acclimatized myself to them. He gave me a list of questions he wanted me to answer in writing and give him next week as well."
"I'm sure going to him again will help you, Weiss," Blake said. "Just keep at it. I have to say that you were really lucky with the timing though."
She nodded. "Yes, I could hardly believe my luck. That the meeting ran well into lunch hour was a more than acceptable sacrifice, considering all."
"Did you have any lunch at least?" Yang asked. "Or do you want me to go and buy you a sandwich?"
Weiss nodded and walked over to her bed to sit down. "Thanks for the offer, Yang, but I just returned from the cafeteria." She smiled, grateful for their concern.
"And what about the company?" Ruby asked her, clearly curious and a bit anxious over the response.
Weiss sighed. "My father has been completely quiet except that he instructed his secretary to send me the necessary updates from now on. I spoke with Sebastian before calling the head office and according to him, he works even more than he used to."
"Is that good or bad?" Blake gave her a pensive look.
"I'm not sure," Weiss replied slowly. The silence was in a way more unsettling than anything else and she didn't know what to make of it. She thought she knew her father well enough that she could be reasonably sure there would be no disastrous consequences; maybe he'd resort to ignoring her, and as much as that hurt deep down, she could live with it. "At least I haven't been disowned, otherwise he would not have asked the secretary to send me the updates."
Weiss decided that she would wait a day or two with pouring over the updates to the SDC business plans and strategies. She felt too drained emotionally after the therapy session, yet at the same time like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. With such a mood, studying wouldn't be fruitful.
"Try not to worry about it," Yang advised.
Weiss shook her head, feeling how her anxiety eased in the face of her friend's support. "I won't."
"We don't have any classes for another hour so just relax for a bit," Ruby said and sat down on their shared bed as well. The realization that it was their bed warmed Weiss' heart. "You can do the exercises and the business stuff later. Plus, I have a surprise for you!"
Weiss blinked, caught off guard. "A surprise?"
"Yuuuuup! Can you close your eyes?" Ruby asked excitedly.
She nodded, doing as instructed, and Ruby took off, the bed bouncing slightly from the sudden movement. "Give me just a moment!"
Yang let out a laugh, and Weiss heard how Ruby opened what sounded like their wardrobe as she patiently waited. Not a minute later, Ruby was back in front of her. "You can open your eyes again."
Doing as instructed, Weiss received a surprise. Ruby held a modest bouquet of red and white roses in a a glass vase. The alternating colours of the flower buds against the backdrop of green leaves was beautiful.
Weiss reached out and gingerly accepted the vase. "They're beautiful, Ruby. Thank you."
Ruby wasn't able to hide her own grin, looking positively giddy over that the gift had been accepted.
"When did you have time to buy these? Or did you plunder Beacon's garden?" Weiss joked.
"Well, sort of," Weiss raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend, and Ruby scratched idly on the floor with her toes. "But I had permission! The gardener said it was okay. And I really wanted to give you something after yesterday." She was now sporting a blush, no doubt finding the presence of her sister and Blake embarrassing. Yet, she didn't let it stop her in the least. "And maybe I was hoping that we could go on a date on Saturday too."
Weiss' surprise gave way to elation, a smile spreading over her lips even as her face began to tint red from the request. Yang gave her a thumbs up, and Blake, while the girl had reverted to looking down at her book, wasn't able to hide a smile.
"I'd like that," Weiss replied. "A date this weekend will be perfect." She stood up and placed the vase carefully on the desk after smelling the subdued rose scent.
"Curious where it is?" Ruby's attempt to get her to ask was probably as unsubtle as Weiss had ever heard, but it was rather charming. It looked like her girlfriend really wished to reveal it.
She walked closer to Ruby, gently taking one of her hands. "Yes, I am actually. Is it a secret?"
"No, it's not. I mean, sometimes I wonder if I should reveal date locations and stuff, but I think this time it'll just make you look forward to it even more," Ruby squeezed her hand. "It's a date in Vale's botanical garden. Good?"
She didn't know Vale had one and going there sounded like it could be a lot of fun while also relaxing after a long week. "Yes, definitely. I didn't know there was one in Vale." Stepping closer, she gave Ruby a hug. "Thank you." Pulling back slightly, she placed a quick kiss on Ruby's lips to further show her affection.
"I'm really glad," Ruby said, holding an absolutely endearing expression as she hugged back, "I thought of it during the break and have been wanting to ask you ever since."
"Do you have any other date plans already laid out?" Blake asked.
Weiss nodded. "Yes, the astronomy museum offer night tours with stargazing sessions so we want to do that one day."
"That's nice," Yang commented. "Rubes, did you ever tell her how into astronomy you were a few years ago?"
Ruby nodded. "Yeah, I did." She turned her head and their eyes met. "So what do you want to do until next class?"
Weiss thought about it for a moment. Just resting was tempting, but she also wanted to be close to Ruby. Luckily, there was something they could do that would meet both of her requirements. "Let's read until next class."
Ruby retrieved the book Weiss had gifted her previously and they sat cuddled up together for half an hour, slowly turning pages and just enjoying the moment. Losing herself in a fictional world was precisely what Weiss needed now, the stress she'd experienced slowly dissipating.
Her Scroll chimed then. Picking it up, she saw a name she hadn't heard from in several weeks - Winter. Opening the message, she read:
"Weiss, I hope you're doing well and that you had an enjoyable break, despite our father's latest scheme. I'm sorry to hear you had such an awful experience at home. I am arriving at Beacon at 3 PM tomorrow. If you have the time, please meet me at the airship dock. Otherwise, let me know when you've finished classes or otherwise free from duties."
She stared at the Scroll, not quite believing the words. "Ruby," she said slowly, glancing at her girlfriend. Thinking back to their conversation about meeting each other's family, Weiss realized that no matter how gently she broke the news, Ruby would still turn into a nervous mess.
Ruby craned her head to look at her, making for a lovely sight, leaning against her shoulder like that.
"My sister will be arriving at Beacon tomorrow."
Ruby's expression of mild curiosity morphed into one of panic.
Winter's coming.
...
Sorry.
Reviews appreciated, no matter how long or short they are.