In front of her, the wild blonde bowed.

"We request the ice princess' presence at dinner."

Yang held out her hand, beckoning the girl to grasp it.

With her girlfriend so sincere, there was no way Weiss could decline. Graciously, she slid her hand onto her own with a smile.

"Only if you do me the honor of escorting me."

"Why, of course," Yang said like it was obvious. "How else would I make sure you have safe travels?"

With a goofy grin, Weiss locked the door behind her. With confidence, Yang led her three steps over to her own apartment and opened the door for her.

"How chivalrous," Weiss politely bowed her head before walking inside.

"That might as well be my middle name," Yang said teasingly and shut the door behind them.

To test the full name, Weiss said jokingly. "Yang How Chivalrous Xiao Long."

"Doesn't roll off the tongue, but I like it when you say it," Yang sent her a wink.

A blush painted on Weiss' cheeks as they ventured into the kitchen. They were greeted with the smell of garlic and butter. It practically made them drool. At the dining table, Blake and Ruby waited with exceptional patience. The creamy chicken on their plates steamed with deliciousness.

"Thanks for having me again, guys," Weiss thanked as she grabbed a plate. "It smells delectable. Who was in charge this time?"

While Yang grabbed a slab of chicken and peas, she said. "I made the chicken. Blake handled the veggies and rolls."

Ruby happily chirped. "I supervised."

Blake smiled at how eager her girlfriend sounded. "She made dinner last night, so her break was tonight."

Yang and Weiss happily sat with them. This was definitely a part of her routine that Weiss grew to love. However, there was something in the air that didn't waft like the tasteful aroma. There was a tense and unfamiliar aura around the girls. It initially threw Weiss for a loop.

Is something going on? Weiss thought as she gazed at each of the girls. They're acting normal but… something's off.

When Blake went ahead to take the first bite, the other girls followed with satisfied grins. The warmth slid down their throats as they relished the revitalizing taste.

"It's exceptional, Yang," Weiss complimented, trying to act like nothing bothered her.

"Why, thank you," Yang replied cheerily. "The secret is a little extra butter."

Ruby tried to speak with her mouth full. "Itsh- delish."

"So Weiss," Blake began after she swallowed. "You wanna tell us what's going on?"

Before Weiss could fully comprehend the question, Yang choked on her food. That grabbed their attention as she pounded her chest several times to breathe again.

"Blake-" Yang said between sputters. "Not- now, alright?"

The sudden shift of conversation initially caught Weiss off guard. Ultimately, she was glad the faunus threw that out in the open. Now, she didn't have to deduce what was amiss about the atmosphere.

It was only a matter of time before they got curious, Weiss thought. And Yang wants no part of it. She wants to know, but wants me to tell them at my own pace.

Blake watched Weiss stare at her food, so she continued with her explanation.

"You tried to stay distanced when school started. You dyed your hair. Your apartment is almost empty like no one lives there. You get average grades but you're part of the ace duo in the tech club. You know how to fight really well and you inexplicably receive random injuries. You sleep with a switchblade, and you carry a USB port around with you."

As she listed the evidence, Weiss shrank more and more in her seat. She felt like she got caught red-handed. Over time, she didn't realize that she left so many clues for them to piece together.

It made her feel guilty. She should have done a better job at hiding her past. She should have kept them distanced. She should have ignored their smiles and good intentions. She should have just given up to make this easier on all of them. She should have done a lot of things differently to keep them uninvolved.

But then she remembered her guiding light. Winter. Their promise. The reason her friends were so concerned. The reason Weiss was in this seat at this very moment.

Blake cleared her throat and used a soft tone like she was more concerned than anything. "Who are you running from?"

After the question lingered, Yang interrupted her in a scolding voice. "Blake."

Unlike the girls, Yang was aware of Weiss' abuse in the past. She never spoke a word to them about it. As promised. Yang at least knew it was a sensitive subject. One she didn't want her girlfriend to relive.

"It's okay, Yang," Weiss reassured and met her gaze to show her it was fine.

"You sure?"

A nod.

I've been through so much with them, Weiss thought. I owe them an explanation. It's the least I can do. No more tiptoeing around them.

Ruby suddenly interjected since her friend looked troubled. "We didn't invite you to dinner just because we want to know if you're okay. We also love you and want you to have a good meal."

Those pure words made Weiss feel like there was some glimmer of hope.

Again, nothing but pure intentions. How are these girls real? I should start with the basics.

"My real name… it's not Weiss Snow. It's Weiss Schnee."

The abrupt revelation caused Ruby to do a spit take. The lukewarm water splattered all over Yang across the table. In disgust, Yang lifted her hands to wipe the backwash off her face.

"Dammit, gross, Ruby!" Yang yelped as she patted her face with a napkin. "Your last name isn't Snow?!"

Weiss gave her a guilty expression with her brows furrowed. "No. I'm sorry."

"Schnee," Blake repeated in familiarity. It left a bad taste in her mouth. "You're Weiss Schnee?"

Ruby cleared her throat and gawked at her friend. "The Schnee's all have white hair, right? Is that why you dyed it?"

A nod.

Yang was utterly confused and glued to her seat in suspense. "Am I the only one that doesn't know who the Schnee's are?"

Based on their reactions, Weiss sat there while Blake explained from her point of view.

"The Schnee's control the underground trade routes between Atlas and Mistral. The rumors are that they're stationed in Argus. Except the Schnee's don't work for the government. They work for themselves. Jacques Schnee leads a gang that does whatever it can to get money through those trade routes. They're called The Dusts and I heard they're ruthless."

Blake knows so much, Weiss thought. She must've heard about The Dusts in Menagerie. Jacques sent a few members there every now and then for some extra cash.

"That's right," Weiss confirmed the explanation. "The Dusts are cruel. The leader even more so."

In silence, Yang and Ruby absorbed the information and let it settle among them. It was hard for Weiss not to panic by their lack of reactions. When her anxiety almost shot through the roof, Yang said.

"Weiss Schnee…" Yang said the name and loved the way it rolled off her tongue. "Now that's the perfect name."

Bewildered by her response, Weiss asked. "Y-you're not mad?"

"Mad? How could I be mad?" Yang asked with a sad smile. "I just learned the most beautiful name in the world."

Bile got caught in Weiss' throat as she felt tears well-up in the corners of her eyes. The droplets didn't fall and were successfully suppressed and retreated.

Now they know. What have I done?

Conflicted, Weiss gripped the hem of her skirt with a frown. "I couldn't be a part of that anymore. I left them."

"You left The Dusts?" Blake asked, which earned a nod. "Is that why you're hiding?"

Another nod.

The reality of the situation fully dawned on Blake. She was aware of the gang world, unlike her roommates. She knew what leaving a gang entailed due to her former friends' stories. Based on how Weiss behaved, she knew full-well, too. Painfully so.

Blake took a deep breath and tried not to frown from how heartbroken Weiss looked. "If you leave, you die, right?"

"Yes, I'm no exception," Weiss confirmed in a monotone voice.

After she confirmed that crucial piece of information, they almost gasped. It all made sense. Not only was she hiding from someone, she was hiding her identity to avoid death. That alone was more than enough for the girls to be understanding of the past lies.

Yang almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Wait, your own dad wants to kill you?"

A haunted laugh slipped out of Weiss' mouth. They listened in shock as Weiss ghostly smiled.

"Why not?" Weiss asked eerily. "He killed Winter. She wasn't an exception, and neither am I."

A dagger pierced through Yang's heart. "He killed your sister?"

For a while, Yang wanted to know how her sister died. But she wanted Weiss to focus on the good things when Winter was alive. She didn't want to remind her of the past nightmares.

Icy eyes softened to deadened. That was all the response Yang needed to see. In this moment, they could truly see how much this cursed Weiss. And they wanted to do something about it.

Ruby gulped from the heavy information. She'd put down her fork several minutes ago. This talk made her lose her appetite. "You're saying he's trying to find you to kill you?"

"Without a doubt," Weiss deadpanned, like she'd accepted her fate.

"Then it's settled," Yang plopped her hands on the table and stood. "If he tries to take you, we'll give him the fight of his god-damned life."

Ruby followed her lead and stood with a fist pump. "You're god-damned right!"

Normally, Yang would chide her for cursing. But they were both too fired up to care.

Blake watched the sisters and ultimately stood as well. "He's going to regret coming after you."

Their unyielding, fiery determination to protect Weiss sent her heart soaring. Deep down, she wanted their help. Needed their help. The gang hardened her. Pushed her past her limits to become a fighter. But right now, she felt like a helpless little girl that lost her favorite doll. She needed to be saved.

While she was touched they wanted to help, she had to voice her relevant concerns. One last attempt to knock them off this dangerous path.

"Listen to yourselves," Weiss almost sneered in feigned anger. "Don't you understand? This is why I tried to keep my distance. You will only get hurt. You can't even begin to comprehend his power. Don't be foolish."

"I take it back," Yang said with a sly smirk. "My name is actually Yang Foolish Xiao Long."

Her reply caused Weiss to faintly chuckle. Since that was the goal, Yang tenderly caressed her cheek.

"We care about you, Weiss. That's all we need to know."

Briefly, Weiss saw a light shine around Yang. Probably from how bright her mane was. And the hanging kitchen light, but that's besides the point. Yang gave her hope, and successfully enveloped the darkness around Weiss.

Cautiously, Weiss watched each girl with their own determined smiles. A tear slipped down her cheek, and Yang soothed it away with her thumb.

"Don't cry, Weiss," Yang whispered. "We'll figure this out. Together."

From the affectionate contact, Weiss threw her arms around Yang and held her close. She buried her face into her shoulder as she felt Yang's comforting warmth spread through her body.

There is hope, Weiss thought. Maybe my life can continue… after this.

Lovingly, Yang returned the embrace and nuzzled into her neck.

Lyrics from Redo: "When I'm lost, I can see a light. It's your dream always shining so bright."

My Dearest: "I will stand and be the one to wipe away those tears you shed. And when someone's hurt you, let me be the arms you're running to."

Stay dandy,

~Toto