Chapter Thirty
Location: Patch, Vale
August 14th
[ Family ]
[Three Months Later]
"Are you sure they won't be mean to her?" Ruby asks worriedly, her fingers fumbling with the hair tie in her hands, gently twisting Iris' dark roots into a braid. A faraway look forms in the woman's silver orbs, her heart feeling as though several burning knives were stabbing and twisting to guarantee the most excruciating pain. "I know all too well how cruel kids can be…"
Brushing her long white bangs out of her eyes and pulling her hair into a half-tail, Weiss lifts a brow in her direction, a playful smile tugging at her thin lips. Ruby's chest flutters with small butterflies as Weiss turns to face her, strands of her long white hair falling like a cascading waterfall against her back.
Ruby shakes her head. "It's her first day of school!"
Iris grins, "I'm gonna make friends!" She exclaims, clapping excitedly.
Ruby smiles a little before looking back at Weiss. "The first day of school is always nerve-wracking!"
"It's just orientation, Ruby," Weiss reminds, "we'll be back in two hours."
"Still! All those people, and the teachers!"
"Listen, my Sweet," Weiss says, causing a lightning bolt of affection to shoot through the younger woman's heart upon hearing the nickname, "Iris has a knack for befriending children, no matter the age or personality. I have seen it with my own eyes." A mischievous glint flickers through Weiss' bright blue eyes. "It kind of reminds me of someone…"
Ruby coughs back a giggle, avoiding eye contact with her girlfriend. "Oh?" She asks, tying a red hair bow into her daughter's braid as Weiss approaches. Iris lifts her head to grin at her mother, who sweeps her ivory-colored bangs out of her face and tucks stray hairs behind Iris' ears. "Who does that remind you of?" Ruby finishes.
Weiss' hand pauses, her attention flickering up at Ruby, who just winks at her. Weiss hums, standing back up and leaning in, paying no mind to Iris' confused grunt from between them. "Perhaps, it reminds me of a certain little girl with unruly dark hair wearing a red cloak and carrying a ridiculously large weapon ten times her weight and size…" She taps the brunette's chin before grasping it between two fingers. "And she had the most adorable silver eyes I'd ever seen…"
"Is that so?" Ruby encourages, playing oblivious.
Weiss smiles at her and Ruby's heart stutters. The white-haired woman leans in, so close that she could kiss her. The scent of blueberry swarms her senses and Ruby allows her eyelids to flutter closed.
Suddenly, the presence disappears and Ruby's eyes snap open to see Weiss walking away with Iris bouncing in front of her. Noticing that Ruby was watching her, Weiss pauses and looks over her shoulder. "Before I looked into my little girl's eyes, of course."
Ruby scoffs. "That's cruel, Weiss!" She calls after her. "I expect a kiss when you get home! You owe me!"
Weiss stops at the door, her voice carrying an undetectable tone. "Only if you're a good girl"
The door closes with a soft click and Ruby releases a heavy sigh, calming her quickening heartbeat.
She shakes her head, facing away from the front of the house and ascending the staircase in a jog-like manner. They were walking, she should have plenty of time to get everything set up before they return home.
Iris was still unsure of how to feel about a car. She enjoyed her road trips, but after twenty minutes she would get restless and want to move around. She didn't understand why she couldn't walk around and play as she did in Winter's airship.
It took her sitting in her mother's lap for her to remain still, playing on Ruby's scroll while she drove. But, at least she was adjusting fairly well.
Ruby steps around behind the kitchen counter, her heart pounding in her ears as she opens the drawer of miscellaneous items. Her hand hits a box and her breath catches.
With a shaky hand, she removes a velvety box from beneath the handling rags, running her thumb across the lid as her heart begins to beat faster.
A thousand voices race through her head like a broken record, insecurities speak louder than logic. Maybe she was moving too fast. What if the proposal triggered her into leaving again?
Ruby looks up as the front door creaks open, she smiles a little as Qrow pokes his head inside, glancing around to ensure that Weiss and Iris were nowhere to be found.
"Are they gone?"
She giggles, setting the box aside. "Yes, you all can come in now."
The door opens wide and Qrow lazily walks in with a group following closely behind him. Yang walks inside holding Marron in her arm, pushing Summer in a stroller with her spare hand. She is alone.
"Where's Blake?" Ruby asks, glancing behind her sister in search of the dark-haired woman.
"She went to visit her parents in Menagerie, she'll be back Monday," Yang answers, offering Marron to Ruby with a gesture of her elbows. Ruby takes the three-month-old into her arms, cradling him to support his head. "She was going to take the twins, but they are probably too young to handle a trip like that."
Ruby laughs a little, "So Mom Yang was left to do it all?"
Yang rolls her shoulders, "She needs a break anyway… Getting these little hellspawns to feed is hell, I swear." She lets out a heavy sigh, rubbing at her temple as Summer begins to whine and squirm inside the stroller. "Summer is beginning to teethe, too…"
"Ouch." Ruby winces.
"I remember when my nephew started teething."
Ruby and Yang's eyes dart to the door when they hear Jaune's voice. Nora, Jaune, and Ren are the last ones inside, Ren closing the door behind them as Nora sets a small, wrapped box down on the kitchen counter.
"I was wearing a sleeveless shirt, and-"
Yang interrupts, amused. "Just say tank top."
Jaune rolls his eyes at her, but continues with a mocking tone. " -And he found my nipple and bit me."
Ruby grimaces.
Yang's jaw drops and her hands rise to her cheeks, her voice takes on a falsely surprised tone. "Boys have nipples? My goodness, they admit it!" She waves her hand dismissively with a sweet voice. Ruby leans her head away as Marron's chubby hands attempt to grasp at her dark hair. "Oh, it just throws off your whole manly facade, doesn't it? What a nightmare!"
Ignoring Yang's comment, Jaune looks to Ruby. "Remind me what this party is for?" Jaune asks, sounding puzzled. "It's not the little one's birthday, is it?"
Ruby shakes her head, turning her attention to the sound of Tai unboxing the cake to place a candle in the very center. "It's more of a celebration," she elaborates, "Iris became a legal citizen of Remnant yesterday, and she can attend her first year at school…" She trails off, her voice no higher than a whisper. "I want to ask Weiss something, too…"
"It's only been three months," Nora points out gently, sounding worried, "are you sure she'll even be accepting of the idea?"
As unspoken concerns and possibilities rush to the front of her mind, Ruby forces a smile. "I mean… Worst she can say is 'no'."
Or, she could leave again… But, she wouldn't do that, would she?
They arrived thirteen minutes after orientation had opened, another parent had walked Weiss through everything as they had just enrolled their third child into the system. Iris remained behind her mother, intimidated, yet in awe, of the building and the numerous children around.
She didn't seem to want to leave her mother's side, however.
Several parents and children failed to show up, according to the chatter Weiss could hear from the teachers lurking around the corners. She could also feel the stares piercing her back, recognizing her appearance and her name.
Yet, nobody said a word. Everyone was as friendly as they could be to Iris, and no murmuring questions or suspicions were passed around. Weiss' anxiety spikes. It felt almost abnormal to be casually walking around in public as her true identity, she felt unsafe and there was a paranoid nagging at the back of her mind that causes her to glance over her shoulder every ten or fifteen seconds.
She was still struggling to adjust back to the norms of society. Iris, though, was happier than she's ever been. Despite her separation anxiety, which is still a problem, she seems to have pushed the memories of their life three months ago to the back of her mind.
Movement catches Weiss' eye and she turns her head to see a tall, skinny woman with blue hair and turquoise eyes approaching.
"You must be lil' Iris!"
Weiss stops and Iris nearly bumps into her leg.
Silver eyes glance up at a teacher kneeling to her level and Iris cuddles into her mother's leg, looking up at her mother questioningly. Weiss only offers her a small smile and gives her a gentle nudge on the back, the child clears her throat and nervously smiles up at the teacher. "H-hello…"
"I'm Mrs. Koamaru, I will be your teacher this year," the woman introduces herself with a hand over her chest, and a friendly expression on her face that seems to ease the little girl's nerves. "There's another little girl your age in your grade, maybe you two will become friends!"
Iris' eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Really!" Koamaru confirms with a light laugh, "I'll be more than happy to introduce you once class starts."
"I would appreciate that," Weiss murmurs gratefully as Koamaru stands to her feet, "Iris hasn't had any interaction with kids in quite a while… Could you let me know how it goes?"
The woman dips her head slightly, "Of course! I'm sure Iris' first day will go splendidly. Is there anything you believe she will need help with before class starts?"
Weiss hesitates, clearing her throat before responding. "She is partially deaf in one ear and has difficulty detecting the difference in certain sounds. I worry this could affect her spelling and overall learning ability."
Koamaru nods, making a mental note. "Well then, I'll make sure we work on that."
Iris claps her hands excitedly, "What happens in class?! Do I make friends? Do we play?"
Weiss scoffs. She's never seen a child so excited about school, but then again Iris loves making friends, and she loves learning. She always listened carefully when her mother was explaining something, she watched her with stars in her eyes and seemed to permanently lock the information somewhere within her mind. It was obeying that she seemed to have problems with, due to a natural sense of curiosity.
"Sometimes," Koamaru answers with a shrug of her shoulders, Iris rocks on her heels happily, "we learn colors, we learn how to spell words, and lots of other stuff!"
Iris grins, "When do school start?"
Koamaru laughs, "Next week! I'm glad to see you so excited!" She turns away, "I have to greet some other students now, but I can't wait to see you in class next week!"
Next week. Her daughter was starting her first year of school next week . She was growing up far too fast. One moment she'd been five weeks old, and now she was five years old and starting her school year. Where had the time gone?
Then again, the school would have never even been an option had Ruby not found them, who knows how long they would have remained on the run? Weiss' heart drops. Who knows how long they would have survived…
"Hi!"
Iris' head whips around to see a little boy running toward them, completely ignoring his father's shout for him to slow down. A few irritated glares from other parents and teachers in the classroom. Iris' eyes widened and she steps around to hide behind her mother as the boy skidded to a stop in front of her.
"Hello!" He greets again excitedly. Iris looks up at Weiss in confusion, having never experienced another child running up to her in such a manner. "I'm Aureolin! You can call me Reo! What's your name? How old are you? Where do you live? Is this your Mom? That's my Dad, my Mom's at work! Where's your Dad?"
Weiss' brain nearly spins, taking a moment to process the rambling.
Iris blinks rapidly, trying to keep up with the boy's fast speaking. He eventually stops talking and bounces on his heels, Iris lets out a bewildering noise. "I-I don't have a Dad."
Aureolin tilts his head, oblivious to his father walking up behind him. "You don't have a Dad?" He lets out a laugh, "That's weird!"
Iris frowns, releasing a disgruntled noise. "You're weird!" She snaps in response.
Aureolin's father takes his shoulders, wearing a nervous smile on his face. "I am so sorry, it won't happen again!" He apologizes as he guides his son away from the two of them.
"Well…" Weiss murmurs as Aureolin and his father walk up to Koamaru, who stands with another group of parents. "He's energetic."
"I don't like him." Iris sticks her tongue out, "He's mean." Her demeanor changes like the flick of a light switch. The child tilts her head back to grin up at Weiss. "Can we go home and tell Mom about school?! And Grandpa! And Aunty Yang and Black and-"
"Blake." Weiss corrects gently, amused.
"Black." Iris' brows furrow together in confusion, seeming to be wondering why her mother had corrected her. She shakes her head. "Kitty!" The child decides with a clap of her hand. "Can we? Can we?"
Weiss chuckles, "Of course."
It made her heart flutter with happiness to know that her daughter was getting along well with everyone.
Upon exiting the building, they were greeted by Qrow Branwen waiting outside with his vehicle, offering to give them a lift back to Ruby's place considering he'd been in the area. Weiss graciously accepted and Qrow offered Iris to ride in the front seat alone, promising her mother that she would be completely safe when Weiss tried to protest.
Deciding to trust the man, Weiss helps the child into the front seat and straps her down with the seatbelt. Giving Iris' forehead a gentle kiss in an attempt to ease her jittery nerves, Weiss steps away from her and climbs into the back of the vehicle. Iris giggles happily and straightens her posture to peer out the window as Qrow pulls into the road, sending jolts of electric dread through Weiss like lightning.
Iris drums her hands across her lap, silver eyes wide and excited. Weiss feels her anxiety slowly easing away as they drive into the forests and away from town. Iris suddenly sits up and points as they pass a pasture, making a mooing sound to mimic the sound of the black cow standing by the fence.
"I know the man who owns that cow," Qrow comments, causing Iris' attention to whip toward him faster than she could blink, "he purchased her from the black market when she was just a calf, all alone without her mother."
Iris tilts her head in curiosity, "What's a calf?"
Weiss answers before Qrow could open his mouth. "A calf is a baby cow."
"Ohh!" Iris' eyes sparkled, "So he saved her!"
Qrow nods once, "Yep!"
Iris grins. "Like Mama saved me?"
Weiss' heart almost melts. "What…?"
The child's expression brightens when she looks back at the woman, "From Grimm!" She answers, causing Weiss' heart to skip several beats, "You love me, so you saved me! Like Qrow's friend saved cow cause he loved her! And she loves him like I love you!"
Qrow makes an amused noise as tears sting at the edges of Weiss' eyes. Although she knew she did, it was the first time she's ever heard Iris say it.
It meant everything to her.
"I love you."
"No, you don't."
"What makes you think I don't love you…?"
"Yeah," Weiss laughs wetly, her soul ascending to the stars as her chest warms with affection, "I love you too, Flower."
Maybe she hadn't been such a bad mother after all.
The rest of the car ride was spent with lightness in the air, Iris pointing out at all the animals they saw going down the road and Qrow occasionally mocking her, which prompted the child into a giggling fit.
When they pulled into the driveway, Iris practically fell out of the vehicle before Weiss could get her unbuckled. On quick, swift-footed feet, the child raced up to her blonde aunt as fast as she could run. Weiss could faintly hear the child explaining what had happened to her, bragging about how she was starting school the next week.
Yang easily matches her energy, leading the child around to the backyard by persuading her to tell everyone else. The sight of her daughter disappearing around the corner causes Weiss' anxiety to spike. She shakes her head, reminding herself that Iris would be safe with her family.
"Hey, Ice Queen."
Weiss turns to face Qrow, who stands lazily with his hands in his pockets. A small smile cracks across his stubble, "Ruby wants to see you inside."
"Why?" Weiss questions.
Qrow shrugs. His expression reveals that he knows the reason, but he does not speak about it. "Something about Iris? Don't ask me." The lanky man starts for the backyard, leaving her to stand alone in the driveway.
Anxiety rushes through her like lightning.
Weiss sighs heavily, allowing her shoulders to relax before walking inside the house. She switches the lights on, shrugging her loose, thin jacket off her shoulders and stepping out of her shoes to leave them by the door.
A flicker of red catches her attention and her eyes drift to the numerous rose petals scattered across the floor, leading upstairs.
'About Iris, huh?' She thinks in disbelief.
Her heart skips a beat and she timidly follows the trail up to the bedroom, noticing a slight illumination glowing out from beneath the door. Her pulse thrums rapidly and a deafening ring erupts through her ears; she pushes the door open and her heart jumps to her throat.
The bed is decorated with red and white rose petals, the lighting has been dimmed and the curtains have been closed just enough to allow a sliver of golden light to peek through the crevices.
Weiss' heart thumps loudly, she can feel it beating against her chest as a small spark of realization brews within her. However, there is still that thread of doubt.
"Hey, Weiss…"
"Ruby?" The name comes out as a whisper of disbelief. She finds Ruby standing at the window, twirling a velvet box in her hands. The brunette smiles at her warmly. There's a twinge of nervousness in her silver gaze. "Is that…?"
"Yeah." Ruby answers confidently, subtly straightening her shoulders and quietly approaching her. Her steps are heavy, carrying a sense of dread. Her words fail to convey emotion, however. She speaks gently, her voice soothing. "If it's too soon, just say so, I won't be mad…"
Weiss remains silent, unsure of how to process everything. Ruby takes that as the sign to continue.
"I meant it when I said it at the manor…" Ruby murmurs, "I love you."
So, that's what this is. Weiss locks away the anxiety coursing through her veins, allowing softness to overtake her heart. That does not silence the buzzing in her mind, though.
"I know you do…" Weiss whispers, her gaze never leaving Ruby's.
A small, loving smile forms on the white-haired woman's lips and Weiss steps forward, Ruby's eyes widening as pink dusts her cheeks. "Do you have something you wish to ask me?" She inquires playfully, tilting her head innocently.
There's a moment of silence between them.
"I'm not going to give some sort of long, cliche speech, but…" Ruby clears her throat, popping the velvety box open to reveal a silver band with shaved blue and red diamonds adorning it. "Will you marry me?"
Weiss giggles, her heart exploding into a thousand fireworks that spread through her body as a rush of adrenaline and adoration. "Yes..."
The brunette stands up, her silver eyes sparkling with excitement and gratitude. There's a noticeable hint of relief hidden in there somewhere. Weiss lifts her hand slightly as Ruby removes the ring from the box. Electricity rolls through her veins when their hands touch, Weiss lifts her eyes from the diamond object to look at the brunette as Ruby slips the ring on.
Ruby meets her gaze. Her heart skips.
"I love you…" Ruby murmurs, her hand still intertwined with Weiss' own. "I lost you once, I'm not going to lose you again…"
Weiss' throat tightens, but she speaks clearly. "I love you, too."
"Now that that's over… I have a surprise for my fiancee," Ruby whispers.
Weiss grunts in annoyance as Ruby moves away from her, guiding Weiss downstairs and out the front door, grinning as the white-haired woman's finely groomed brow twitches in mild perplexity, "don't worry, Snowpea , it's a good surprise."
Weiss' mind momentarily spins.
Weiss sighs loudly, closing her eyes and clutching Ruby's hand. She pauses for a moment to collect herself. "What exactly is it, Ruby?" She asks, opening her eyes as her body relaxes. "Iris is undoubtedly missing me right now and I need to make sure she's not-"
Ruby cut her off, touching Weiss' nose with the tip of her finger. "Ah, my love, remember what the therapist said!" She reminds her, "You need to keep away from her and let her be with other people. You can't be around her every other hour or she'll become reliant on that."
Ruby is right. Iris is barely surviving treatment away from her mother, but she's made strides in recent weeks. Weiss can't afford to spiral ten steps backward.
"Okay… What's the surprise?"
Ruby smiles brightly before turning to face her workshed, her hands cupped around her mouth. "You can come out now!"
Weiss' gaze shifts to the shed, her brows furrowing together as her heart begins to pound in her chest. An older man with a receding hairline and kind amber eyes walks out and into her line of sight, his graying auburn mustache quirking up to the left when their eyes meet.
Tears sting at the edges of her eyes, burning like sparks of fire when she blinks rapidly to reassure herself that she isn't hallucinating.
"K-Klein?" She murmurs with a shaky voice, still in disbelief. Her body feels heavy, but she forces herself to approach.
"Long time no see, Snowflake." He greets, his words just as kind and affectionate as he remembers. "My, how you've grown…"
Weiss doesn't reply, only a strangled cry escaping her throat as throws her arms around the man. Her heart twists, "I'm sorry," she apologizes with a crack as Klein's arms gently embrace her, "I wasn't careful like you advised me to me… Things went so wrong …"
"Hey, look at me, Weiss." Klein pats her back and Weiss steps in reverse, her teary gaze just barely processing the man's aged features. "Your daughter is alive, isn't she?"
"Yeah…" Weiss answers, "But she-"
"She's alive ," Klein emphasizes, "and she loves her mother. She is healthy, she's happy, and she is by far one of the most respectful children I have met in years." He smiles as Weiss relaxes, allowing his comforting words to ease her frazzled nerves. It appears that you did a good job to me." He smirks, "Much better than your rat of a father could ever do."
Weiss scoffs a little, "Thank you…"
He's right. Despite the curveballs that life has thrown at her since she learned she was pregnant, she had managed to provide her daughter with a much more loving upbringing than her family had ever offered her as a child.
Iris had friends as a child, she grew up with toys (ignoring the fact half of them were broken and lost before the age of five) and a mother who dedicated time to play with her no matter how busy or tired she was. Iris loved and trusted her more than anything in the world.
"Now," Klein averts his eyes and steps away from the woman, scanning the area in search of the child, "where is that little one? I believe a proper introduction is past due."
"She's around back," Ruby answers with a kind smile, "use the front door, the back door is straight across."
"I'm sure I could find my way around," Klein says with a small laugh, "I did work in the Schnee estate for nearly three decades!"
Klein disappears into the house and Weiss faces Ruby, her eyes glancing down at the ring on her finger before lifting her head. Ruby watches her in silence, trepidation evidence on her face, worrying that maybe she had things moving far too quickly.
"Ruby…" Weiss whispers affectionately, Ruby blinks several times in surprise as the white-haired woman slowly walks over to her. She embraces her, resting her head against her shoulder and causing the tension in her body to ebb away. "Thank you."
Deciding to remain silent, Ruby wraps her arms around her shoulders, a gentle, warm kiss is placed on her forehead.
She could get used to this.
People stayed over until the sun began to set. Grilling out and playing games, and just spending time together. Ruby couldn't remember the last time everyone was all in one place, happy .
She almost didn't want the day to end. Until her social battery drained and she'd locked herself in her bedroom until Yang came to say everyone was getting ready to leave. Hauling herself out of bed, she bid her friends and family a farewell and locked the door.
Weiss was getting Iris ready for bed. The child complained about having to take a shower but was quickly silenced when she was offered to take a tub bath with her toys.
After another thirty minutes of trying to get Iris to go to sleep, Weiss finally returned to her shared bedroom with Ruby. Ruby only vaguely heard the doors open and close.
Her mind began to shut back off, exhaustion creeping into her bones.
"Ruby, I want to show you something…"
An electrical shock is sent through her body.
Ruby's silver eyes blink open bleary and fix on the blurry shape standing at the bathroom door, slightly lit by the moonlight. It takes a moment for her vision to focus. She grunts tiredly and sits up, rubbing her eyes with her palm and shaking her head, blinking her eyes several times in an attempt to wake herself up.
"Sorry," Weiss apologizes quietly, not moving, "I want to do this before Iris wakes up… The door is locked, but…" Ruby looks up, her gaze shifting over to her now-fiancee. Her heart nearly stops upon seeing glimmering, cool shine reflecting off familiar pale skin.
Her breath hitches as Weiss moves, noticing Ruby's perplexed expression, and carefully emerges into the illumination. Ruby's throat tightens and her heartbeat picks up, heat rushing through her being as she admires the woman's thin frame. Images of luscious white hair and a sultry voice race through her mind on repeat.
Ruby clears her throat, shaking her head to rid herself of the thoughts. She looks back at her partner, her heart sinking when she notices the numerous scars littering the woman's once unblemished skin. Some were rather nasty, located in sensitive areas and having been reopened repeatedly by harsh movement.
"Oh, Gods…" Ruby murmurs as Weiss silently approaches. Silver eyes drift towards the healing, crooked, pink claw wounds located just above Weiss' chest, grimacing at the depth and the subtle glossiness of the damaged skin. No wonder she'd almost died…
Her attention shifts to a jagged scar on Weiss' abdomen, one she had never seen before. It appears to be recent. Ruby's hand twitches, her fingers making a small gesture towards the wound in an attempt to brush her fingers across it. She refrains, her nails leaving indents in her palm.
"You can touch, Ruby," Weiss says softly, sounding slightly unsure of her own words.
Ruby hums, lifting her hand and the pads of her fingers brushing along Weiss' delicate, scarred skin. There were several nicks across her body that Ruby recognizes originate from Grimm attacks. Her fingers pause and gently traces an old, nearly white scar at her waist.
"What's this one from?"
It takes Weiss a moment to recognize that Ruby had even spoken to her. "Griffon attack when I first escaped. I was protecting some homeless people and made a foolish mistake.."
Ruby looks up at her with eyes of pure silver, moving her hand further down Weiss' frame to a second, more recent scar on her abdomen. Her fingertips caress the scarred skin and the older woman makes a hum-like sound.
"And this one?"
Weiss doesn't respond, Ruby looks up to find that the woman's eyes had closed and her brows arched slightly upwards. "Flood…" Weiss finally answers, one hand extending to brace herself against Ruby's shoulders. "I think this is the one that drained me…"
Ruby frowns, "What do you mean?"
Weiss is silent for a minute.
"Emotionally and physically," she elaborates after a brief pause, "I nearly drowned there… Of course, I survived but I was back at square one. Iris got sick as a result of spending too much time outside in the rain. I had no food, no lien, everything I owned was water damaged, and I had nowhere to go. The flood destroyed everything, I don't even know if there were any survivors…"
A flood that destroyed everything, recently ?
"How long ago was this?" Ruby inquiries cautiously.
Weiss hums. "I've lost track of what month it was years ago, Ruby. All I know is that it was Vale's rainy season, which tells me it was early this year." She says. "Maybe in April."
Ruby's heart nearly stops.
"There's another lady somewhere out there. A huntress, just like you."
"If she's a huntress, she'll do whatever it takes to survive."
"Wait! She has a child! They could die!"
Ruby clears her throat, she can feel her pulse thrumming in her throat and her heart beating against her chest. She could barely hear herself speak. "Was it Sandcaster?" Weiss' eyes widen and she nods once, confusion flickering across her face. Ruby's arms grow heavy as realization settles in.
Weiss was there. If she had turned back to look for them, like the lady had requested, she could have found them. Maybe she could have found them before the flood if she had bothered to explore the village.
Ruby wraps her arms around Weiss' waist and pulls her in for an embrace. Weiss, perplexed, hesitantly wraps her arms over Ruby's shoulders. Weiss' heartbeat can be heard against the brunette's ear. "I love you…"
Weiss makes an acknowledgment noise.
"It was you… If I had gone back to search, I could have found you." Ruby speaks, her voice no higher than a delicate whisper. "We were so close. I could have lost you and I would never have even known…"
"You were there?" Weiss asks, puzzled.
Ruby doesn't move. "Everyone's alive, Weiss…"
The older woman's voice cracks. "Even Ena and her kids…? What about Jewel's family?"
"I don't know those names," Ruby reminds her, "but Yang, Blake, Jaune's team, and I managed to rescue everyone… Nobody was hurt. Families were evacuated to Mistral, some to Vacuo with other relatives, and a few to various locations around Vale.."
Wisps of white hair fall into Ruby's eyes as Weiss rests on her fiancee's head, exhaling a trembling sigh of relief. "You're amazing, Ruby. Thank you."
Ruby hums, softly changing her posture to rest her head on the woman's shoulder so she is not suffocated. Weiss' mood shift was unexpected, but not unpleasant. "I was only doing my job."
"I know," Weiss says, "that doesn't change what I said… Those people were like family to me, I am relieved to know they're okay."
Silence.
"And you were always there… Even when I believed you weren't, you were there."
"What?"
A gentle push sends her falling with her back against the bed. Weiss crawls over on top of her, causing Ruby's heart to skip several beats before ascending to the stars above. The woman cuddles into her side, her arm delicately laying across Ruby's abdomen.
Ruby, perplexed, allows her arms to fall back around her fiancee.
"You were there when Iris was born," Weiss recalls, "you are the reason she was not taken from me."
The hotel in Steelethorn, Mistral.
"You were there during the flood, you saved everyone… Iris' friends, they're alive because you were there…"
The flood in Sandcaster, Vale.
"You were there when I nearly died after the Ursa attack… Iris and I are alive because you were there …"
Ruby's breath catches. There were two occasions before the Grimm attack where she could have easily reunited with her lover, but fate had decided to play tricks on them.
Ruby laughs quietly to herself. "I guess the third time's the charm?"
Ruby's heartbeat quickens as Weiss raises her head. Her expression is unreadable, bright blue pools looking blankly into gleaming silver. Ruby's eyes widened as Weiss leaned in and their lips touched, pieces of her long white hair falling off her shoulders.
Weiss' knuckles brush Ruby's dark bangs away from her eyes, and the brunette's heart stutters once again.
Her heart was on the verge of failing her. The woman's blue eyes twinkle with fondness. A warm breath brushes against her lips. Ruby's eyelids close as she accepts the subtle invitation.
She kissed her.
"I love you…"
