Disclaimer: All characters belong to Rooster Teeth Productions
Edited by ToxicExotic
A Dragon's Torment
The existence of homework had always been an annoyance to me. Work was for school hours and, well, work hours. Certainly not something to be done during the time I should be relaxing. However, as I sat at the desk in my team's dorm going over the four-page essay on Lightning Dust that Glynda had set us, I couldn't help but be grateful for it. Boring as it was, at least it was a decent distraction.
I knew it wouldn't remain so for long, however. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the hands of the clock ticking by. The seconds felt like they were crawling by, only to speed up as they reached the minutes' end. Only five minutes until the cause of my frustrations would arrive.
Four.
Three.
At only two minutes until her arrival, I let out a small groan and collapsed against the table. Was I being stupid? Maybe I'd misread signs that weren't there? Then again, what if I hadn't. What if I hadn't misinterpreted the signs? What if she was waiting for me to make the first move? Although, what if I was wrong? If I made my move and it was unwelcome? Who knows how the woman might react; or what it would do to the team.
It was all just so confusing. Never before had it been difficult to pursue someone I was interested in, but then again, I'd never been conflicted as to what my previous partners were. Almost all of them were decidedly flings and hookups, and the rare one that ended in a proper date would usually end before I could get too attached. With Weiss, however, I wasn't sure about what it was that I even wanted. The way she made me feel, the way my thoughts lingered on her and the moments we spent together. Those were things that had never happened before and only added to my confusion.
Unfortunately, my time was up. As I tried my best to sift through my thoughts, soft voices came from the other side of the wall. As muffled as they were, I knew my friend well enough to pick out their tones from my fellow students. So, doing my best to cast my thoughts back into the depth of my mind, I sat up and returned to my homework to look busy.
"I just don't think it works, that's all," Came Blake's voice as the door was pushed open. "Trying to tell the story of a corrupt ruler from the perspective of another ruler completely whitewashes the narrator. He's hardly going to inform the audience of his own failings."
Still wearing their workout clothes, Blake and Weiss entered the room. Blake's was simple, merely a pair of loose jogging bottoms and a tank top, while Weiss had chosen a pair of tight leggings and a crop top that stopped just above her stomach.
"But that is just you assuming that his kingdom has issues."
"All kingdoms have issues, Weiss," Blake countered.
"In the real world, without a doubt," The Atlesian nodded. "But this story is not set in the real world. To assume that he runs his kingdom poorly is simply that, an assumption. One not corroborated by the story at all."
"As tends to happen when the narrator is unreliable."
Weiss let out an amused scoff. "Has anybody told you that you need to work on your suspension of disbelief?"
"You mention it every now and again," the raven-haired woman grinned before looking my way. "I thought you'd be out by now?"
I leaned back, revealing the almost complete essay. The Atlesian raised her eyebrow and straightened her white hair back into its ponytail.
"You're not done with that yet?"
I gave a meek smile as Weiss placed a hand disapprovingly on her waist, my eyes following it down. Just like they had many times, my eyes locked into the woman's slender waist and smooth stomach. It was only a week ago that Weiss had begun to prefer crop tops while working out, and I wasn't sure if I was happy about that decision or not.
"Uhh…" I coughed and pulled my eyes away. "Just a page left."
"Hmm," She walked over. "Let me have a look."
"What? No. I'm good."
Just as she always did, the Atlesian ignored me and walked over. Despite the slight sheen of sweat that covered her body, I caught a pleasant hint of vanilla emanating from her body as she leaned over my chair. A hand landed on the top of my back, and almost immediately, I felt my heart begin to thump against my chest.
"I actually want us all to go to dinner at a reasonable time tonight," She muttered, her face so close that I could feel her breath on my cheek. "Wait, why are you basing your essay off of my time dilation?"
"Well, you and Nora are the only ones I know who use Lightning Dust," I explain, trying my best to not act weird despite the thoughts rushing through my head. "And Nora just shoves it into tubes."
"Kind of like your dad and dogs." Blake chuckled to herself.
"I supposed that would make a rather dull essay. Nora, not your dad and Zwei," Weiss gave a melodic laugh.
The woman fell quiet and continued to read through the work. My mouth grew drier and drier, and I kept my eyes focused on the pages in front of me.
"So, how is it?"
"It's good," The Atlesian hummed, clearly a little surprised. "Very good, actually. How do you understand time dilation this well?"
"Guess I just picked it up watching you."
I instantly realised my mistake, and so did Weiss. Nothing ever slipped past her.
"You know... During training and stuff."
"Mhm," I could have sworn I saw a smile pull at her lips. "Expand on the side effects and their cause a little more, and it will be good enough for a B."
"What if I want an A?"
"Then you would have to cover multiple examples instead of just one."
A small groan left me. The last thing I wanted was to spend another few hours rewriting the essay.
"Expanding is fine," I smiled at her. "Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Weiss returned the smile and stood up straight, stretching her back and letting out a small sigh of relief. Trying my best to avert my gaze from the woman's flawless body, I looked over at my partner, only to see her shaking her head.
"Right, I'm claiming the bathroom," the Atlesian declared. "We can meet Ruby once I've freshened up."
"I guess I'm stuck with the communal showers then," Blake replied sullenly.
"You should have called it sooner," Weiss returned smugly.
The Atlesian walked away, and I felt her fingers glide along my shoulders. Those little touches had by far been the most confusing thing. While the more revealing clothing and showing off her body were a little unusual, Weiss had never been shy about her body; but those lingering touches didn't feel like the Weiss I'd known for the past two years.
The touch only lingered for a few seconds before the woman disappeared into the bathroom. As soon as the door clicked shut and muffled music drifted out from behind it, I slumped back into my chair and dropped my pen onto the desk. An amused chuckle came from behind me.
"Don't even-"
"Somebody has it bad," The ninja teased.
A sigh escaped my lips. "It's that obvious?"
"To me? Yes," Blake admitted. "To a blind man? Still yes."
"Ugh!" I groaned and twisted in my chair to look at my partner. "Do you think she knows?"
The Faunus shrugged and grabbed some clothes from her drawers. "No idea. Why don't you just ask her out already?"
"Because I have no idea if she feels the same, and if she doesn't, then that's just gonna make things awkward," I ran a hand through my hair and scratched the top of my neck. "But…" I paused, motioning towards the door. "You've noticed she's a lot more touchy with me lately, right?"
"Nuh-uh," Blake shook her head. "Don't bring me into this. Ask Ruby. She knows Weiss better than anyone."
"Ugh! Fine!"
Crossing my arms and turning back to my paper, I let out a grumble and picked up my pen. I missed the days Blake would help her play matchmaker. Unfortunately, ever since Ruby and Bolin had broken up, the girl had refused to get involved in other people's relationships.
"Good," The raven-haired woman made her way towards the main door. "I'll be back in twenty minutes. Don't worry," she pulled the door open and slipped into the hallway with a grin on her face, "I'll knock before I enter."
As Blake began to kiss the air, I pulled my arm back and hurled the pen at her face. The woman faded into smoke, and a soft "hey" reached my ears as it bounced off of a passing student's head.
"Sorry," I grimaced and kicked the door shut.
Left alone in the room, I glanced towards the bathroom door, behind which the object of my obsession lay. It was undeniable that something between us felt different. Whether that was only on my end, though, I still wasn't sure. For a brief moment, the idea of asking Ren to read her emotions floated across my mind, but I quickly shook it away. As much as I wanted an answer, I knew getting it in such a way would be wrong.
Right back at square one, I let out a frustrated sigh and picked up a new pen. Returning to my homework, I started to expand on the points Weiss had mentioned. With any luck, the monotonous essay would help clear my mind so that I could think of a way to figure out her intentions during dinner.
"After you." I smiled and held the restaurant's door open.
"Why thank you," Weiss returned it and gave a playful curtsey as she walked through. "When did you become such a lady?"
My grin widened. "Just figured that if I'm gonna get a B, I may as well act like a B for the night."
"Well, you get an A+ for effort."
The woman flashed a bright smile over her shoulder, leaving butterflies in my stomach as she walked off toward a table where Ruby sat alone. The black hem of her white jacket flowed back and forth with each step to reveal more of her long legs. Blue tights covered them, and a pair of fur-lined ankle boots covered her feet. I hadn't seen the outfit in a while, but there was no denying that she looked great in the more casual attire.
Watching her slip into the booth, I saw my sister's previously dour face lighten up a little as the two began to converse.
"Real subtle," I heard Blake scoff from behind me.
"Oh really?"
I turned around and shut the door in her face. The Huntress-in-training pushed lightly on the door, but I kept my hand firmly in place and flashed a confused look at her.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I taunted. "You wanted it open. Here I thought you wanted me to keep it closed."
"Very funny, Ya-"
"Sorry," I lifted my free hand to my ear as the woman tried the door again, "Can't hear you."
"You are such a child."
"Yang!" Ruby's voice called across the room. "Let her in."
Backing away from the door, I stuck my tongue out at the raven-hair woman as she walked into the restaurant. With a roll of her eyes, she flicked my forehead and walked off, leaving me to walk after her.
Much like many of the failing diners in Vale, the place was oblivious to the passage of time. Its white walls were clean and covered with signed photographs of celebrities. Marks and scuffs littered the checkered floor, and light brown tables made from old faux wood ran along the walls, each one wedged between two red leather benches that left only a small walkway for people to manoeuvre around. Most importantly, it was quiet, and the people that ran it were always rather friendly.
Arriving at the table, I gave my sister a comforting smile.
"Did you have fun at the weapon expo?" I asked as I sat next to her.
Thankfully, the girl nodded in response, and a small wave of relief washed over me. I wasn't quite sure what had happened between the two, but it had been three weeks since Ruby's break up with Bolin; and though the girl had been putting on a brave face during training and classes, her mood outside of them had been dourer than I'd ever seen it. She'd even insisted on going to the weapons expo alone for some space, and while I would have liked to go with her, I knew she wouldn't ask if she didn't need it. Fortunately, it seemed to have at least brightened her spirits somewhat.
"Good. See anything interesting?"
"Mostly the new stuff Atlas is working on," the redhead replied. "They have these really cool new spider mines that bury in the ground and pop up on Grimm, and this huge cannon that can take down Goliaths from miles away. They're really cool."
"So long as they keep them aimed at the Grimm," Blake hummed as she slipped into her seat.
Even Weiss muttered her agreement to that particular jab at her home.
"Before you go on your daily Atlas trashing spree, what do you all want to eat?" I interjected before the Faunus could get started.
Just as I suspected they would, all three of the women spent five minutes inspecting the menu, only to decide on the same thing as always. It was a standard affair for the team. Occasionally Blake or Weiss would choose something different, but those moments were few and far between. However, just as I turned to head towards the register, Weiss slipped out from the table and pulled out her purse.
"I'm paying, so I might as well come with you."
"Oh!" I blanched slightly. "Uhh, alright then."
Seeing Blake wink out of the corner of my eye, I threw her sneaky middle finger and took off after Weiss towards the register. Sitting down on a stool as we waited for a waitress to arrive, I gave Weiss a sidelong glance.
"So," I started cautiously. "Has Ruby told you what happened yet?"
"Bits and pieces." Weiss glanced over her shoulder towards the girl. "Honestly, I think it was just the distance that drove them apart."
"Long-distance does do that," I grumbled regretfully. "Sucks, too. They were good together."
Weiss hummed her agreement and sat down on the stool next to her. "She'll be fine. See?"
Looking over at my sister, I saw that she and Blake had begun to play a video game on their Scrolls. A happy smile pulled at their features, and there was a glint in Ruby's silver eyes as she manoeuvred her car along the virtual rainbow racetrack.
"I know." I smiled, turning back to the Atlesian. "Just her first break up, you know? They can be rough."
"Yes, I am very aware of that." Weiss groaned, shuffling to a more comfortable position. "Need I remind you how things between Jaune and I ended?"
I let out a bark of laughter at the memory. Though the events that had caused the falling out between the two had been far from a laughing matter, Weiss' revenge was something I knew I would remember till the end of my days.
"I'm just glad he'd brushed up on his landing strategy," I grinned. "And that you two eventually made up."
"Yes, well," the fencer waved her hand uncaringly, "Those two are a better match than we ever were, so I'm not surprised that he fell for her. Besides, they're still together, so it was clearly the right choice. Him kissing her before ending things with me is what hurt the most."
I definitely understood that. Though it was hard to disagree with Weiss' assessment that Jaune and Pyrrha were perfect for each other, I still wasn't too happy with the way he had acted. However, to his credit, the boy had told Weiss about it the second it happened and did genuinely regret his brief moment of stupidity.
"Anyway," Weiss hummed and flashed her a playful smirk, "At the risk of needing to pour soap into my skull later, what about your first break-up?"
I gave the Atlesian a wide grin and shook my head.
"Uhh, I was nine, and he sat on my hair."
"The fact that I believe that speaks volumes." Yet more butterflies erupted in my stomach as Weiss let out a soft chime of laughter. "How about a real breakup?"
"That was real," I objected, though the smile on my face gave me away. "The most real one I've had anyway. Hard to have a proper break up when all I've really had were flings."
Unlike the Weiss' I had met three years ago, who would have looked down on me for such a statement, the Weiss beside me gave an understanding nod. Whether or not it had something to do with the attraction I'd been feeling towards the woman, I didn't know, but I was grateful that she did. Just like when Ruby had confirmed she was okay, a wave of relief washed over me.
"I dunno." My voice came out on its own. "With everything that happened with Raven, committing to anything long term has been… Well, difficult."
Weiss' hand came out and rested on top of mine. The simple touch felt like a bolt of lightning coursing up my arm, and I looked up to see her pale blue eyes gazing kindly into mine. For the first time since I'd begun to notice something different about the way I felt for her, I could feel my breathing slow instead of quicken.
"I know how that-"
"What can I getcha?"
The sudden voice caused me to jump a little. Even Weiss' hand on mine gave a little jolt before leaving altogether. As soon as it was gone, a slight feeling of loss fell upon me. A hint of annoyance rose within me as I turned to the waitress who had interrupted us, but I bit it back and relayed our order to her.
It didn't take long for the woman to put the order in and make the drinks, but by the time she'd finished and disappeared back into the kitchen, I knew the moment we'd shared was gone. A little disheartened by that fact as I watched Weiss shove the card back into her purse, I picked up the drinks and made my way back to the table.
"Food won't be long," I said as I dropped in my chair, making sure to hide my disappointment as I slid the pairs' milkshakes over to them. "And I call winner."
"That will totally… be… me," Ruby muttered, attempting to fish for the straw with her tongue as she focused on a particularly tight turn.
"In your dreams," Blake taunted. "Are you playing tonight, Weiss?"
"Since all of my coursework is complete, I may as well." The woman said as she slipped into her seat opposite me and accepted a glass of cream soda.
"Aww yeah!" Ruby cheered. "A rare Team RWBY game night."
Chuckling to myself as Ruby finally found the straw at the same time as passing Blake, I ruffled the girl's hair and sat back in my seat, casting an appreciative look at Weiss. The smile I received in return caused my cheeks to warm, and before any sign of it could be noticed, I looked away to dig out my Scroll and prepared for my turn at the game.
"You girl's enjoy?"
"Best part of the week," I smiled up at the owner as he picked up our plates. "As always."
"What Yang said," Ruby agreed and passed her own over. "Thank you."
"It's my pleasure," the man nodded sincerely. "Enjoy the rest of your night."
I took a sip of my milkshake as the man walked away and picked up my Scroll. Throwing an arm around my sister, I leaned back on the bench and pulled her into me. Though she struggled half-heartedly for a few seconds, she soon settled and allowed it.
"You doing okay?" I asked.
"Mhm," The girl nodded. "Better than last week, at least."
"Good," I rubbed her shoulder. "It's been weird seeing you so down lately. I haven't been this lost on how to cheer you up since we were kids."
"You were great," Ruby replied and finally returned the hug. "As always."
Pressing a kiss against the top of her head, I gave her a slight squeeze earning a soft grunt from the girl. Laughing as the girl called me a brute under her breath, I pressed another kiss onto her head and let her go.
"Everyone looks happy over here," Blake remarked as she and Weiss returned from the bathroom and retook their seats.
"I tend to have that effect." I quipped.
"Really? I must not have noticed."
I stuck my tongue out at the taunting woman. "You know what, Rubbles? I think we should play some Ultimate Ninja."
"Sounds good to me," Ruby smirked as their friend let out a groan of disgust.
"That's just unnecessarily cruel," Weiss said, no small amount of amusement in her voice.
"Nope, seems like the right amount to me," I replied and booted up the game.
For the next ten minutes, we waged war on each other in the game. The sound of swords clashing and the ninjas' grunting filled the empty diner, but as usual, I came out the victor. After Ruby, Weiss tried her hand, only to fall even quicker. With two challengers out of the way, and leaned back on the table and wiggled my eyebrows at Blake. Though she was more of a book person, the woman was surprisingly good at video games, so I knew she would at least put up some resistance.
Thankfully, despite her hatred of the game, she accepted, and the fight began.
"Get ready to say I'm the better ninja?" I teased.
"I would rather give up Gambol Shroud," the Faunus retorted.
The fight started off well. Though Blake was good at predicting and blocking, she wasn't quite familiar with all the combos or when to counter. As such, it wasn't too hard to chip her down with the occasional hit. With a first victory round under my belt, I went into the second full of confidence, only for Blake to shatter it. Nothing I'd done in the first worked, and she took the round with ease.
My pride slightly bruised at how easily she'd won, I switched up my style and tried a few different combo strings. Though the woman still countered a few of them, the health bars stayed evenly split for most of the round. However, just as the timer flashed to show only ten seconds left, my attention was pulled from the game by something slowly grazing along my leg.
Glancing away from the screen, I saw a white boot graze along the inside of my leg. Fumbling my Scroll, I looked up only to find Weiss busy in conversation with Ruby.
"What happened?" I heard Blake's voice through the pounding in my ears.
"Huh?" All three of them turned to look at me.
"You stopped playing?" Blake motioned towards the screen where my ninja lay dead on the floor.
"Oh!" My heart thumping against my chest as I caught Weiss giving me a curious look, I wracked my brain for an excuse. "Right. Uhh, brain freeze."
"I guess there are some things even your hot head can't prevent," Weiss smirked.
Despite the innocent tone, I wasn't sure if Weiss had chosen those words for a reason. Or whether or not the touching of my leg had been purposeful. She must have at least felt it, but all outward signs told me that she hadn't.
"You can add losing to that list," Blake added smugly.
"What?" I quickly recovered and tore my eyes away from Weiss. "No, I was distracted. Rematch?"
"A true ninja doesn't need a rematch," the raven-haired woman shrugged. "Nor do they give one. I think I'll keep my win."
"Ugh, fine," I grumbled, drinking the last of my milkshake. "So long as you're fine knowing you didn't earn it."
"A win's a win," the woman stuck out her tongue. "Besides, the next showing of The King's Neighbor is in twenty minutes, so I should get going."
"And I should head back to the dorm to finish my essay," Ruby added while pulling on her gloves.
Though a part of me definitely wanted to try and convince them to stay and have some proper rematches, the big sister and friend in me knew it was a bad idea. So, letting it go, I pocketed my Scroll and stood up from the table. Once everyone was ready, we waved goodbye to the owner and walked out into the chilly night.
"Alright," The leader breathed and pulled the hood of her cape over her head. "I'll see you guys back home."
"Later, Rubes."
"See you," Blake and Weiss chorused.
With a quick wave, the girl burst into rose petals and took off into the night.
"You two wanna join me at the theatre?" Blake asked once the girl was out of sight.
"I would rather spend the afternoon working on another essay than watch that play again," I replied honestly.
"No taste, as expected," the Faunus hummed. "Weiss?"
"I'm fine, thank you," The Atlesian smiled. "Though I look forward to discussing it with you again when you get back."
"Your loss," the ninja shrugged and zipped up her jacket. "Have fun with… whatever it is you two are going to do."
Turning on her heel, the woman walked away and disappeared around a corner. For some reason, it hadn't registered during the goodbyes that I was about to be left alone with Weiss. Glancing at the snow-haired woman out of the corner of my eye, I felt my nerves return and shoved my hands into my pockets.
"So..." I coughed awkwardly to clear the croak in my throat. "Anything you wanna do?"
"Hmm," The gorgeous woman hummed and looked towards where Blake and Ruby had previously been. "We have a rare opportunity to get dessert without Ruby pestering us for some or Blake ordering that horrid durian."
"You mean I can eat a full slice of strawberry cake without wanting to throw up on it?" I asked, earning a soft giggle from the Atlesian that returned the butterflies to my stomach. "Sounds good to me."
"Then we should get going," Weiss said with a look at her Scroll. "Nu Vu closes soon."
"Right." We exchanged a smile and took off down the street.
For a few minutes, there was silence between us. With my head still struggling to make sense of what had happened back at the table, as well as everything else I'd noticed, finding a topic to open conversation was difficult. I wanted to know what exactly the woman was doing, if she was doing anything at all, but could not for the life of me figure out a way to bring it up.
Unfortunately, as we exited the bakery with our cakes in hand, Weiss took that topic out of my hands.
"You're quiet tonight?"
I glanced over and saw the woman inspecting me with a curious look on her face.
"Sorry," I scratched the back of my head. "Just... A lot of stuff on my mind is all."
"Mmm," she hummed with a nod.
Weiss remained silent, but her head remained tilted towards me slightly. Knowing that it was a silent offer to listen, I took a second to decide whether I wanted to take it. I still had no idea what to ask to find out if my desires were one-sided or what it was that I wanted with her, but the offer of a friendly ear to listen to my troubles was inviting enough that I decided to take her up on it.
"Well," I mumbled awkwardly and took a bite out of my cake, "I suppose..." I hesitated before continuing. "I suppose I was just thinking about what we talked about earlier."
"About Raven?"
"Yeah," I nodded and guided us towards a small park opposite the bakery. "Do you… Do you mind if I ask you something?"
"That depends on what it is," The woman's tone was elusive, but the smile on her face told me I had permission to ask.
"Well, I guess I was just wondering how you got past all that stuff with your dad?"
"Oh."
The corners of Weiss' lips dropped slightly at the question, and I worried that the question had been a little too personal. However, before I could take it back, the smile returned.
"Honestly, I didn't," the woman replied and steered us towards an empty bench. "It's something that I am still working on."
"I know that," Yang replied as Weiss sat down. "But you're definitely not the same as when we first met."
"I suppose that's true," she hummed thoughtfully. "But I had a lot of help getting to this point. Without Ruby's constant insistence that we were friends or Blake constantly challenging my views, I would more than likely be the same girl that called your sister a danger to her health."
"Well, you're still not totally wrong on that last part."
Weiss let out a short laugh as I sat down beside her.
"I won't deny that," The woman chuckled. "You were a great help as well, you know."
"What did I do?" I asked with a hint of confusion.
"You were always there for me," Weiss replied simply. "Whether I needed advice or just needed someone to listen to me, I knew I could always rely on you for that. It's also because of watching you and how you treat Ruby that I was able to mend my relationship with Whitley."
While I remembered the many times Weiss had come to me to talk about things in her life, I had no idea that it was because of me that she'd fixed things with her brother.
"You still actually had to make those moves," I countered despite feeling a hint of pride at having helped my friend with something so important to her. "How'd you do that?"
The Atlesian took a bite of her cake as she contemplated the question. Letting her mull it over, I leaned back into the bench and watched her out of the corner of my eye. While the woman had always been undeniably beautiful, there was something special about the way her pale skin shone in the moonlight. The white light surrounded her, pulling her away from the background and making me feel like I was looking at something otherworldly.
"I'm afraid I don't have an easy answer for that," Weiss admitted after a few seconds. "I just... tried to be the person I always wished I was."
"That's it?" I asked disbelievingly. "You just tried?"
"I mean, it was more difficult than it sounds," she shook her head. "Every day was a struggle against what my father had conditioned me to think, and I was constantly arguing with myself about what it was that I even wanted. But I kept at it, and eventually, it became easier for me to be the person I had always been too scared to be."
Staring at the girl with my mouth slightly open, I marvelled at just how familiar her words felt. Not only did it sound like she had experienced the very same struggles I was facing, but she'd had the strength to push through it. Having known her for three years, that wasn't too surprising, but I considered it impressive nonetheless.
"Well, I'm glad you did." I offered in return. "The real Weiss is pretty awesome if I say so myself."
"I quite like her too," Weiss laughed and placed the last piece of cake into her mouth. "What makes you ask anyway? Has somebody finally captured the elusive heart of Yang Xiao Long?"
Her teasing tone forced a grin onto my lips as she bumped my shoulder. At the same time, my stomach flipped, and I quickly pondered just how much to say.
"I don't know," was the answer I decided on.
"So there is someone you like?" Weiss replied with a victorious smirk.
"Maybe," I chuckled. "I'm… I'm not really sure what it is, but it doesn't really feel like anything I've felt before."
"So you're scared to go for it?"
I gave the girl a nod.
"Not sure if I should go for it or just write it off as a bad idea. If it doesn't work out, it could make things kinda awkward."
For the second time that night, I felt a jolt of electricity course up my arm as her hand landed on mine. Looking up at her, I saw her smiling kindly at me.
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't be willing to try," she replied gently. "As I said, I understand how hard it is to try for the things you want, especially when you are scared of being hurt, but if a relationship is what you want, then you deserve to try for that."
"And if things don't work out?" I asked, gazing into her bright blue eyes and feeling my heart begin to pound against my chest.
"Then at least you took a risk, and you showed your fears that they don't control you."
My eyes remained locked on hers as the words bounced around in my head. They made sense. Though I felt no shame about my previous relationships, there was no denying that my fear of growing close to someone, only to have them leave, had been what had kept them so brief. Whenever I sensed the other person growing too fond, I would call things off, always telling myself that it was better that way. But was it really? I thought it was; at least, it always had been.
Until Weiss.
No matter what I tried, I hadn't been able to get her out of my head. Simply watching her was nerve-wracking, and the way her smiles caused excitement within me was terrifying. Yet despite that, conversations with the woman felt better than ever. Whether we were simply joking around and having fun or being open, I never felt anything less than comfortable being honest with her. Even as I sat on the bench confessing secrets that I hadn't even told Blake.
It could have been any one of those things that finally made my walls come down, or it could have simply been the way her beautiful blue eyes twinkled in the night; I wasn't entirely sure. What I did know, though, was that those pools of blue were growing larger and larger as I closed the gap between us, and in a brief moment of courage, I leaned in to capture her lips with mine.
Time slowed, and fear began to flood through my body. The sound of blood pounding in my ears drowned out the passing cars, and my mind instantly began to show me every bad outcome of my action. However, just before my fears began to take hold and forced me to pull away, I felt Weiss respond. The fingers that had been resting on my hand closed around it, and I felt a light pressure against my lips as she returned the kiss.
It was my turn to be stunned. Not only had none of my worst fears come true, but Weiss was also kissing me back. After a month of doubt about whether or not I was reading the signs right, I finally had a clear answer.
As that realisation set in, my fear quickly began to subside, replaced with a rush of excitement. I could taste the vanilla on her lips as I gave myself over to the sensation, the pleasant taste pulling me deeper into the kiss. Shocks ran along my skin, and I instinctively ran my tongue along her lips to ask for entry.
"Mmm," Weiss hummed contently, denying me access as she pulled away. "I think that it would be best if we stopped there. For now."
"R-Right," I stuttered, my breathing heavy despite the kiss only having lasted a few seconds. "Just uhh… Just to check, you did want that, right?"
A wide smile pulled at Weiss' lips as she nodded her head. "I've wanted that since last year."
"Oh…" That was another revelation that caught me by surprise. "I… I never realised you felt that way about me."
"Well," The woman leaned back on the bench, widening the gap between us. "You were always more interested in flings than relationships, and that's just not what I'm after, so I didn't think it would be wise for me to act on it."
"Right," I nodded and turned away. "Then you should know that I'm still not sure if I'm ready."
"I know you don't," Weiss agreed. "And I'm not going to sit here and convince you that you are. But I noticed you watching me a while ago, and when it didn't stop, I thought that maybe you might be after something more. So, I decided it was time to let you know that I was interested in more than what we currently have."
Glancing across at her, I scratched my head.
"Only if that's what you want, of course," she continued. "But if you just want to stay friends, then I am okay with that, too."
Once again, I was grateful for the woman being so understanding. However, feeling the need to get up and move, I let go of her hand and stood up. I was still so confused. Though I finally knew for a fact that the woman was interested in me, I was still unsure what exactly it was that I wanted.
"I'm not sure," I mumbled apologetically at the girl. "I… I need to think about this."
"Of course," Weiss smiled, standing up and walking up to me. "Take as long as you need. There is no pressure in this."
The woman pressed her hand in the middle of my chest. Placing my hand over it, I gave her an appreciative smile.
"Thanks."
Looking into her eyes, I wished that I could cast aside my doubts and begin a relationship with one of the best people I knew, but I couldn't. Though not as strong as before, the fears of loss still gave me pause.
"Well, I should head back to the dorm and give you some space," the woman said gently. "Just remember, this is your decision. Only do what you want."
I gave the girl a nod and removed my hand. With one last smile at me, she turned away and walked towards the exit to the park. Regret filled me as I watched her leave, and as she disappeared into the night, I let out a loud sigh and collapsed back onto the bench.
"Idiot," I grumbled to myself.
It had been one week since that moment on the bench, and barely a moment had gone by without me thinking about it. No matter what I was doing, the memory seemed to worm its way into my head, leaving my lips tingling and my face flushed. Of course, both Ruby and Blake had noticed, and frequent comments were made about my new tendency to smile at nothing. Weiss, however, had said nothing.
True to her word, the woman had not made any attempt to hurry along my decision. In fact, Weiss hadn't acknowledged what had happened between us at all. Though the flirty smiles and glances were still there, the Atlesian had stopped with the touching and more revealing clothing. It was something I was grateful for, as while I did enjoy them, it had become much easier to sift through my thoughts in their absence.
Every free moment not spent in class or training, I would think about what it was that I wanted. I'd think back on every moment I had spent with Weiss over the past three years. I remembered the fights and arguments that littered the first six months we'd known each other, each one often ending with harsh words. I also remembered the day all of that had changed.
I'd come back to the dorm room early one day to overhear her on the phone. It wasn't the first time I'd heard the woman talking to her dad, but it was the first time I'd heard desperation in her voice. I had stood there listening as the woman shouted about how she didn't want to go home for the holidays; instead, wishing to spend it with her friends. It hadn't gone well, though, and after the call had ended, I heard that desperation turn into sadness. Not wanting the woman to deal with it alone, I'd done what I always did whenever I heard someone struggling and entered the room to comfort her.
That had been the first time Weiss had ever confided in me about her life. With most of our interactions up to that point having been either tense or brief, I still remembered just how relieved I felt coming away from that conversation. Not only had I helped cheer Weiss up and reassured her that there were more holidays to spend with us, but I could already sense that our relationship had changed. And it had.
From that moment on, we became a lot more respectful of each other. The frequent fights began to subside, and it grew easier to hang and enjoy spending time together as friends. Things had only improved from there, and while there was still the occasional disagreement, Weiss quickly became somebody I was proud to call one of my closest friends.
But did I want more with her? There was already an answer for that. The fact that I hadn't been able to take my mind off of her for nearly a month was more than enough to tell me I did.
Could I be sure that she wouldn't leave me as everyone else had, though? There was already an answer for that one too. No. Life had forced those fears upon me through Raven and Summer, and I doubted it would ever let me forget them.
But was there enough there that I could put aside the fears that plagued me? To face both my fears and how I felt for Weiss?
Maybe. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted it. With how great things had been from that day, the idea that things could only get better was enticing, but every time I thought about it, my brain conjured up questions of what else could await us. What would happen if we fought? Would I, once again, choose the easy option to end things and ruin our friendship? Or would I be able to resist my instincts? Would I even be good in a relationship? It wasn't like I had any real experience.
It was the same questions I had always struggled with, the same ones that had always ensured my relationships ended up as flings instead of anything meaningful. However, every time those questions entered my head, a new voice answered.
Then at least you took a risk, the nervous voice would say. It wasn't much, but I was glad the voice was there. It wasn't much, but it was enough to show me that I could perhaps take control. That there would be a point in my life where I was in control of my fears, not the other way around.
It was that hint of hope that had finally helped me make my decision.
So, as I sat on the bookshelf enjoying the soft breeze from the dormitory window, I summoned the courage I'd been working on all day and took a nervous breath.
"Blake?" I whispered under my breath so quietly that I knew only she would hear it. Sure enough, the ninja's ears twitched, and she glanced at me over her book. "Can you take Ruby somewhere for me?"
Her amber eyes filled with confusion, but it quickly passed as I flicked my eyes towards Weiss. Understanding replaced it, and she let out a loud yawn. Announcing that she was bored and was going to the workshop to clean her weapon, she stood up and made her way to the door. Never one to miss out on a trip to her favourite part of the school, Ruby quickly hopped down from her bed and declared she was joining her.
Left alone in the room with Weiss, I took a minute to go through the words I'd been planning out all day. Just thinking about them made me nervous, but I took another deep breath and began.
"Hey, Weiss?" I started anxiously.
"Mmm?" She hummed, still focused on her history essay.
"Can uhh… Can we talk?"
That one caused her to look up, and she twisted in her seat to face me. "Of course."
I raised my knees to make room for her on the bookshelf. With an understanding nod, she walked over and sat beside me. It was the closest we'd been since that night, and my nerves pulsed as her arm grazed against my leg. Silence fell between us for a minute, but she waited patiently.
"I…" I let out a slow breath. "I like you," I admitted.
Even out of the corner of my eye, I saw a smile tug at the woman's lips.
"Enough that I want to try this with you," I continued to say what I'd rehearsed. "But, I can't make any promises that it'll be what you wanted. Those fears I have, they're not going anywhere soon, and I doubt things are going to be easy with me. So, I need you to be sure this is what you want."
Weiss' head turned, and her blue eyes met mine. Where I thought I would see hesitation, I only saw resolve.
"I've always been aware of your baggage, Yang," she smiled at me. "And it's never once affected how I feel about you."
"But this is different," I countered. "I've never had this, so even I don't know how it's gonna go."
"Then we can find out together," Weiss replied coolly. "If you want to."
My eyes locked onto hers. Already knowing my answer, my heart began to beat wildly in my chest. A nervous smile pushed its way onto my face as I reached out to take her hand.
"I do."
Of all the things I'd done, few were as relieving as saying those words. As soon as they left my mouth, Weiss' face broke into a huge smile, and my stomach exploded into butterflies.
"Then I do too," The Atlesian grinned. "But we should take it slow, okay?"
"You took the words out of my mouth," I chuckled, my excitement for what had just begun beating out my nerves.
The sound of Weiss' happy laughter filled the room. "Good," she bit her lip and looked at me. "So, Yang Xiao Long. What do you say to dinner on Friday?"
"I would say," I paused for effect, "Weiss Schnee, I'm looking forward to it."
"Me too," The woman replied, excitement shining in her eyes as she stood up. "Now, I should get back to my homework."
I gave the girl an understanding nod and received a soft squeeze of my hand in return before she walked away. The second her back turned, a long sigh of relief left me, and I turned back to the window with a wild smile on my face as excitement pulsed through me.
I could hardly believe that I had done it. I still had no idea if I was really ready or what exactly would come from my relationship with Weiss, but I did know one thing.
I was happy that I'd taken the risk.
A/N
Hello, everyone. So just a little Freezerburn story today. I have been finding my interest in RWBY slipping lately for reasons, so I wanted to write something to get me back in the spirit again, and what else could I write but my favourite ship xD
I did want to do something more than just standard fluff though, since I kinda struggle to write that, and decided to try my hand at exploring some of Yang's issues. As you can probably tell, both Weiss and Yang are based mostly around their V5 portrayals, with a little V1-3 mixed in. Obviously I kinda strayed a little into different areas of Yang's abandonment issues, but it still tracks :P
I also really wanted to make sure Weiss doesn't come across as manipulative in this fic. She likes Yang, but isn't madly in love with her or anything. I mainly just tried to show that while she does want more with Yang, she mostly just wants to help Yang to get past those issues for herself. She would have been just as happy had Yang chosen not to pursue something more between them.
I also wanted to leave this open ended. The fic is more about Yang's issues and how to move past them than the relationship itself.
Anyway, that's it from me. Please let me know what you thought, and I hope you enjoyed :)