Ruby's heart hadn't felt this full in a long time. After the journey to Mistral, she had started to wonder when she'd see her teammates again. She knew she would, that was never in question to her, but the phrase 'absence makes the heart grow fond' had been circulating heavily in her head. Particularly with Yang.
As she lumbered into bed after their reunion and the eventful dinner, her mind drifted to their hug. Truth be told, no one else mattered at that moment. Sure, it was wonderful to have Weiss back, and the numerous friends and family around her for those travelling months had removed the sense of loneliness, but to have her only true constant back felt truly invigorating. To feel that familiar warmth shouldering her burdens again, the comforting solace that Yang provided, nothing could match that. Her sister was back with her like she'd dreamed of.
It helped the Yang that she saw this evening wasn't the one she'd known when she left. Those months feel like a blur now to Ruby, mainly for her own health. Physically shuddering, she pulled the covers closer as memories of those cold days flooded her mind. In particular, a dismal day in which the blonde had refused to leave her room for anything. When the silver-eyed warrior knocked on her door that evening, the blonde had just meekly said "No."
Those actions were what hurt. Ruby could kill Grimm by the dozen. She could stop criminals and save people. Despite all that, she couldn't stop the monsters plaguing her sister's mind.
But things are different now.
Through these memories, a couple of quick knocks sounded on the bedroom door. Shaking her head, she took a deep breath.
"Come in" she welcomed tiredly. To her pleasant surprise, her sister cautiously opened and closed the door, trying to keep her volume down. Clad in a beige T-shirt and black shorts, she smiled briefly before taking small steps towards the bed.
Ruby was about to ask what she needed. That disappeared as Yang sat on the bed and the younger sibling saw the soft smile on her sister's face. The bed was only a single, but she scooted across to her left and made room as Yang crawled in.
"You OK?" The younger asked earnestly, her silver orbs gazing at her sister. Her own lilac irises were looking back with something she couldn't quite detect.
"Yeah. Just struggling to sleep. Qrow could have found some comfier sofas for this place, huh?" Yang shifted her left arm round her sister, and Ruby couldn't help but nestle further towards her. Nor could she help the small giggle at the comment.
"I mean, I don't think Qrow planned to have this many people." She whispered back, her eyes firmly shut now. The events of the day definitely had caught up to her. Just as she felt herself fading, Yang spoke again.
"How was travelling with him?" Yang's question was asked somewhat sternly, like she was leading the conversation in a direction. She continued after a short hum from Ruby.
"I wanted to check because… well…" As her voice started to shake, she looked down to see Ruby in a wistful, deep sleep. All these thoughts that worried Yang suddenly started to melt away as she saw the strongest person she knew managing to rest in total serenity amongst all the chaos surrounding them. Quietly, she pulled the covers over the both of them and laid her head down.
"Goodnight, sis."
That should have been that for the evening.
Soon, Ruby was returning from her dreams to a frantic shifting besides her. Blearily, she looked up and was shocked to see Yang shaking in her sleep. Her panic seized her briefly as her sister shot up with a gasp, heavy breaths escaping her throat. Yang squeezed her own shaking hand tightly, but then gasped again when she turned to see her younger sister staring back at her, silver irises wide.
The two stared at each other, not sure what to say. Yang kept staring, her mouth agape. It was left to the younger to take action. Delicately, Ruby slowly took her sister's still shaking hand and led her out of the bed.
Softly, she led her down the stairs and sat her down on the deep red sofa she'd been sleeping on earlier. The silver-eyed girl found that the blonde had her gaze focused on the table. Steadily, she placed her hand on the elder's cheek, turning it towards her.
"Stay here. I'll get us some hot chocolate." She whispered sadly before leaving her to sort the drinks in the kitchen.
As she set about making the drinks, the silver-eyed girl had to take measured breaths, her mind racing, her foot bouncing up and down, trying to come up with the right words. Pausing wasn't part of her MO. Ruby Rose wasn't one for people. How could she talk to Yang about all those nightmares?
In that moment, she realised what that absence meant. How time had progressed for both of them, independently facing their own challenges. She visibly paled and couldn't help the couple of tears she shed.
She had to share this realisation.
Taking those drinks, she did what she usually does. Front foot forward, she strode into the living room and sat next to her. Putting the drink down in front of her sister, Yang grabbed it and brought it to her lips, taking small sips. Drink placed on the table, Ruby turned to face her, knees on the sofa.
"I'm sorry I don't know you. We've both been separate for so long, and I… I left you to face all that stuff alone… and you've changed so much... but I should have been there for you." Ruby was steadfast in her gaze, despite the tears rolling down her cheek and the pain in her voice.
The pause was palpable. The younger turned her eyes away to look at the table. When she did, she was pulled into a soft hug. This wasn't the adrenaline-fuelled reunion of earlier, but a fragile embrace that threatened to break at the slightest move. Yang held her close, her own sniffles and tears evident as Ruby reciprocated, her arms around the back of Yang's neck, her head laid against her shoulder.
"Ruby. I'm so sorry for making you think that way. You do know me, this is just a different me." Yang's voice was watery, shaky and lacking confidence.
"You didn't leave me. I pushed you away. Then I left you to cross Mistral. I left you whilst Uncle Qrow got poisoned and…" Yang started to lose her train of thought as the tears fell. Ruby twigged the point of their earlier discussion. She shifted her head back and leaned her forehead against her elder sister's, the blonde's lilac eyes hidden from her.
"Yang, look at me." Ruby whispered, her silver eyes stalwart yet soft.
The lilac eyes looked back, full of anguish.
"I need you to forgive yourself. You didn't abandon me, I had Jaune, and Nora and Ren. You're here now. That's enough, and no matter what happens, I'll always love you, sis. OK?" Ruby's voice was confident.
Yang whispered the words Ruby wanted to hear.
"OK." Yang brought her back to her shoulder, leaning into the hug more as her cries slowed.
"Can you do the same?" Yang asked, breaking the small peaceful silence they had in the soft darkness.
"What?" Ruby again leaned back from the hug, slightly confused.
"I heard you earlier and now. When you were at home, you tried everyday to help. You never abandoned me either. OK?" Yang finished, bringing her prosthetic to the silver-eyed girl's cheek.
The younger one gave a small smile and hugged Yang as tightly as they had earlier that day. "OK." She whispered.
They sat in the hug for a while until Yang ruffled her hair slightly, getting a giggle out of Ruby who pulled back and laid back against the sofa, taking a drink of the much cooler hot chocolate.
"Hey, leave the hair!" She pouted, still keeping her voice quiet for the benefit of the many people sleeping upstairs.
"Oh yeah, because I wouldn't want to ruin your hairstyle." Yang retorted cheekily.
"I have a hairstyle. It's… It's… a cool one." Ruby sighed, exasperated. Yang's smile grew.
"I'm glad to see you're still not bothered about being all fancy." Yang's earnestness surprised Ruby, but seeing her older sister smile made her feel the same happiness.
"As opposed to you. That coat, eh?"
"Haha, you know me. At least let me have a bit of style." Whilst it was an incidental remark, the younger sibling wanted to know more.
"How is Dad?" Her voice was timid but Yang leaned back into the sofa and wrapped her prosthetic around her tenderly. At that, the silver-eyed girl visibly relaxed into it.
"He's OK, he misses you, but he's OK. You still love strawberries?"
"Yeah. Nora found a dessert shop nearby, so her sweet tooth's sorted."
"Maybe you could find a place for a new cloak? I've seen how tattered it is!"
"It still works!"
The conversation was broken up by both of them yawning, Exhausted from their talk, the pair laid down on the sofa, Yang holding Ruby close.
"By the way, I'll always love you too, sis. No matter what." Yang assured her. For her part, Ruby just settled closer, her head lying across the cushions propped up at the end of the sofa, drifting to sleep with a childhood tune being hummed to her by the person she trusted the most to come through for her.