"So."
Pyrrha glanced up from her notebook, to where Yang had slid onto the bench next to her. The blonde was looking up at the sky, arms spread out on the back of the bench in a relaxed pose. Despite this, the look on her face was deadly serious, something Pyrrha knew from experience was not good. Around them, the usual bustle of the Beacon gardens was drowned out by midday sleepiness, the birds and insects in the air heralding the beginning of summer, which would arrive in just over a month. With it, it would be the end of their fourth year, and they would be taking their final written exam, and then their final combat exam, the latter of which was mostly kept secret from the students.
"So?" she echoed, pushing her reading glasses up her nose with a careful hand as she swept her notebook shut.
"You proposed to my sister," said Yang, voice tight. Pyrrha tensed. She could tell already; Yang was not happy with this.
"I did," she affirmed, thinking of the ruby ring she'd bought Ruby for their two-year anniversary. "She seemed quite happy."
"Happy? She's over the moon, Pyr," her friend replied, turning to face her at last. Her eyes were narrowed, just a tinge of red ringing them. Pyrrha began to wish she kept Milo and Akouo on hand during breaks. "But why didn't you tell me?"
The redheaded woman paused. Yang's anger wasn't at her proposal itself, it seemed; just that she hadn't been told beforehand. Which was… reasonable, she supposed.
"I'm sorry," she answered honestly, holding Yang's gaze levelly. "If I'm being honest… I was so excited, I completely forgot. I know you would've liked to have been there for that, Yang. I'm… I'm sorry."
Yang's form relaxed slightly, her muscular figure no longer coiled for attack, and Pyrrha relaxed as well, the danger having apparently passed. The traces of red disappeared from Yang's eyes.
"Well, when is it?"
"Sorry?"
"The wedding," said the blonde impatiently, crossing her arms under her chest. "When is it?
Pyrrha tilted her head a little in thought. "Well… we hadn't decided on a date. I only proposed yesterday, Yang."
"Yes, and I know you," Yang shot back. "You plan ahead for everything. Hell, I bet you planned on when to ask again if Ruby turned your proposal down."
Pyrrha shuddered. She had indeed done that. Weiss was rubbing off on her.
"So I'll ask again," Yang started, idly cracking her neck. "When is it?"
"I was…" Pyrrha blushed, pausing for a few moments. "I was thinking right after graduation? I don't want to steal the moment from everyone, but… I want it to be as special as possible, and…"
"You explain too much," interrupted the blonde. "I getcha. Tell me more another time; I see a-"
"Oh, hey Yang!" a new voice said, as a familiar pair of arms wrapped around Pyrrha from behind at a speed which suggested the person they belonged to had barely kept from slamming into her full-force. "What're you two talking about?"
Pyrrha felt warmth flood through her chest, a blush on her face as she reclined, almost limp. It was always like this; Ruby would hold her, or start talking, and the taller woman would just turn into a puddle in her arms. She couldn't help it; she was just so in love with this woman, even after two years… no, she'd loved her for so much longer. Twice that, even. Maybe not the moment they met, but…
Shaking herself, she turned and stood, embracing her girlfriend fully and inhaling deeply, the scent of strawberries flooding her senses. Even after four years, Ruby was still shorter than her, though she now stood only a few inches below her sister. Her red and black hair, which had been short-cut when they met, was now almost to her mid-back, and Pyrrha knew from experience that it was quite the hassle to comb in the mornings. Ruby had discussed cutting it again recently, something that had sent Pyrrha into somewhat of a tizzy ("No! You can't!")-she loved Ruby's hair.
Yang answered with an innocent look on her face. "Nothing, sis. Just small talk. Finished with your study session with Weiss?"
"Yup!" replied the smaller woman, winking at Pyrrha. Pyrrha got the distinct feeling there had been no study session.
"Well," said Yang with a dramatic yawn. "I guess I'll leave you two lovebirds to it." With one last meaningful look at Pyrrha, she walked off, probably to find her own girlfriend. Pyrrha imagined Blake was asleep somewhere, tucked in a nook with a book, as per usual. So much and so little had changed in four years.
"How's your day going?" asked the taller girl, as Yang disappeared, humming lightly as she swayed back and forth with Ruby in her arms.
"Great," Ruby said, a brilliant smile on her face. She glanced at the ring on her finger, and her smile only grew. "Not as great as yesterday, obviously, but, well… you know."
Pyrrha smiled back, leaning down to rest her forehead against Ruby's. "I'm glad," she whispered, eyes closed as she continued to hum. "You like it, right?"
Ruby gave a short, breathy chuckle. "Pyrrha," she whispered back, giving her girlfriend a short kiss. "You could've given me a rock from the lake and I would've loved it. The ring is great, but what matters is you. You… you kept your promise." Tears formed in her eyes at this last sentence. It truly meant the world to her; what had started tentatively as a cautious, unsure relationship between the two had become what was almost a metaphysical bond, something more than just emotion that linked them together. "I love you, Pyrrha."
"Mm…" Pyrrha inhaled, pausing for a long moment, before replying. "I love you too, Ruby Rose."
And I always will.