Together, the team huddled around the bed. The heart rate monitor beeped irregularly, resounding like a gong. While wincing, Weiss sent Blake a knowing look.

She needs the pills, Blake realized.

In a rush, Blake grabbed her bag and pawed through it.

Ruby checked her scroll to gauge her aura levels. "Woah, her aura keeps rising and falling. What's up with that? Is my scroll broken?"

While panting, Weiss breathed. "It's not broken… You dunce."

Struggling, Weiss tried to sit up. Together, Yang and Ruby held her down, loudly protesting against the movement. Weiss struggled against their grip, but she was simply too weak.

"Let me get up."

"No way," the leader replied, keeping a hand on her shoulder. "You need to rest."

"Seriously, princess," Yang said in a chiding tone. "Do you even know how to relax?"

Since they wouldn't move, Weiss scowled up at them. Meanwhile, Blake stood there with an orange pill hidden in her palm. She wasn't going to say anything about the medication if Weiss wasn't comfortable with that. But she did need to give it to her now, no matter who was present.

Weiss sighed, knowing they were only worried. There was no choice. She had to tell them. Although she didn't mind if they knew.

"I need to take my pill... If you want me to get better, then help me..."

"Um," Ruby pondered. "What pill?"

Now, the heart rate monitor was in a gentle rhythm. The team glanced at it in surprise.

Again, Weiss tried to sit up.

"Wait," Ruby said.

While Ruby didn't understand, she was there to carefully prop her to sit up against the fluffy pillows. Of course she wanted her partner to get better.

"You already got medicine?" Ruby phrased it as a question. "Why do you need another pill?"

Quietly, Yang retrieved a glass of water and handed it to Weiss. She held the cup gratefully and popped the pill. The cool water soothed her itchy throat. After a satisfying sigh, Weiss set down the glass.

"My aura fluctuates if I don't take it," Weiss revealed, noting her heartbeat was gradually tuning back to a normal rhythm. "Look at your scroll in a few minutes and it will be stabilized."

"That's odd," Yang mumbled, scratching her head in thought. "Why does it do that?"

It was then that Weiss decided to open up to the rest of her team. She took a deep breath and recounted her story. She told them about the experiment. How her father failed to make her stripes disappear. And the unfortunate side effect of the serum she'd been injected with.

After she detailed her story, they sat in silence for a moment. Her team knew her background wasn't exactly happy-go-lucky, but for it to be so dark...

Ruby didn't know what to do, so she enveloped her in a hug. Hugs make everything better.

"I'm sorry," the leader murmured. "I had no idea."

Although Weiss was stiff, she returned the hug with her good arm. The embrace made her warm in this chilly room.

"He really is a stupid father," Weiss said.

A few chuckles echoed in the room.

When they parted, Ruby gave her a radiant smile. "I like your stripes. I think they look cool."

Yang nodded in agreement. "They're precise. Kind of like how you battle."

Blake chimed in, enthusiastic. "That's what I think, too."

All these compliments caused Weiss to blush.

"They're faded, too," Yang observed, trailing the marks with her eyes. "It's like a clear coat was smoothed on top of them."

It was definitely a compliment, but Weiss was filled with dread. She wasn't quite ready to tell them why the stripes were faded. Perhaps the sisters thought that's how they naturally are.

Blake placed a hand over her own. "I told you. They're gorgeous," she said, breaking her out of her trance. "I'll say that a million times if that's what it takes for you to believe it."

Since Blake was aware of her self-hatred, she was determined. Blake was going to block out the voices that dragged Weiss down like poison. And she will put in their place a voice as pure and bright as day.

Together, they shared smiles and locked gazes.

While the sisters watched them have a moment, Yang slung an arm around Ruby.

"Let's go kill some grimm, Rubes."

Ruby tilted her head in confusion. "Now?"

"Yes, now. I want to practice strawberry sunrise."

Before she could say another word, Yang quite literally dragged her out the door.

Good call, Yang, Blake smiled. I definitely wanted to talk to her alone.

Softly, Blake sat next to her on the bed. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? How worried we were?"

"I'm sorry," Weiss said, biting her bottom lip. "I couldn't let Ruby get hurt."

Tenderly, Blake lifted her hand to caress Weiss' cheek with a small smile. In response, Weiss leaned into the contact and held her gentle hand there.

"Honestly…" Blake thinly sighed. "Stop giving me heart attacks."

"I'll try not to be so reckless," Weiss promised, enjoying her kind hand on her cheek. "But if there's a chance to save a teammate, I'm going to take it."

"I understand," Blake conceded. She would do the same if she had the choice. "How're your wounds?"

Tentatively, Weiss moved her arm and grunted. "Quite sore."

There was deep concern in those golden orbs. And when Weiss realized it was for her sake and her's alone, her heart soared.

"Can I get you anything?" Blake asked, worried.

"Yes, I know what can make me feel better."

"What's that-"

Before she could finish her sentence, a pair of arms curled around her neck. Soft lips melted into her own.

At first, Blake's eyes widened, having not expected it. The last thing Blake expected was to be kissed by her crush. In fact, she was planning to make the first move.

She'd never felt this way. She was over the moon. Like she could take on anything and be fine. As long as Weiss was with her.

They held the gentle kiss and sank into the contact.

To her, Weiss tasted like mint. Like she recently applied chapstick.

As expected, Blake tasted sweet. Like she just had vanilla ice cream.

Meticulous fingers entwined with black locks. Blake loved that about her. She'd always been a busy-body. Even while kissing.

For almost a year, Weiss had been guarded. Her heart was shielded with thick ice and had a lock underneath as extra protection. Over time, Blake gradually chipped away at the ice, and turned the key to her heart.

The sound of love echoed in the room when Blake slowly pulled away, earnestly gazing at Weiss.

Weiss gave her a wide smile.

"I feel much better now."

Smoooooth, Weiss. Smooth af.

Lyrics from Asphyxia: "Start anew with darkness at you your feet so turn the key and it will all begin."

This Game: "We've gotta block out the voices that drag us down like a poison. And we will put in their place a voice as bright and pure as day."

Stay dandy,

~Toto