A/N: This entire volume was supposed to be done by Memorial Day so I could go on hiatus for the summer months, but this chapter in particular was very difficult for me. I had exactly what I wanted to happen in my head, but nothing I wrote down on paper matched what I had in mind and for those of you who write you know the frustration isn't just maddening, it's disheartening. At any rate, better late than never, and I still have one more chapter beyond this to finish up the "volume". I hope it's satisfactory to you.
Word of Winter's arrival and previous interactions had gotten around the base by the time she got back, the gate guard not daring to question her intentions or passengers. Dropping off the vehicle at the motor pool, everyone was responsible for carrying their own bags. While they were unloading, Yang almost went into a panic.
"My bike!" she shouted, pointing across the motor pool, where the unmistakable bright yellow motorcycle was parked; large red tape saying "impound" covered the body. The blonde was both relieved it had been recovered but was also nervous that with Cordovin's power trip, she might have to leave it behind and who knows what would become of it then.
With a steely glare from Winter the mechanics in the motor pool fetched the keys and returned them to Yang who started it to make sure nothing had been damaged.
"Can we take it with us?" Yang asked.
"You'll need to get permission from Cordovin," one of the officers objected. "Any retrievals from impound have to be approved by her first."
Hearing Cordovin's name solidified Winter's decision. "We'll make it fit," she promised, glaring at the officer, daring him to defy her. When he said nothing, Yang pushed her bike out of the motorpool.
At Winter's directions, the passengers were sent to load their luggage on Winter's ship while she went to Cordovin's office to sign off on Blake's transport. It was a trek across the tarmac, but they'd packed light, and it was the first glimmer of hope they'd had in weeks that they might be able to actually make a difference. For once, a plan had worked: the relic would be safe, and Ironwood would surely be able to help them figure out what to do next with Ozpin going into exile. Ruby had the audacity to permit herself a smile. It was the first time in weeks she finally felt truly hopeful.
It was raining the next morning, just hard enough to rouse Weiss from her sleep before her alarm went off. It wasn't until she stepped off her cot that it hit her that hadn't woken up in the same place, she'd fallen asleep. Adam must have carried her back after she'd drifted off.
She got dressed, inwardly seething that she had to trudge through the mud and rain to get Adam's breakfast. After grabbing his tray and a pot of coffee, she got an idea. She waited until the very end of the day, when she was returning his dinner tray to enact her plan. The "cafeteria", a building she could only assume used to be some kind of restaurant was a much nicer operation than the house where the humans were allowed to eat, with plenty of room in the kitchen and dining area. She dropped his tray off and slipped behind the serving counter, wandering the shelves, not completely even sure of what she was looking for herself.
"Humans aren't allowed back here," a cook told her. She was a dog faunus with folded ears and a friendly face. "Not since last time."
"Adam wanted me to get supplies to cook him breakfast at the house," Weiss lied. "He said going forward, he'd like to take his breakfast in bed and cooked to his order."
"Sheesh," the cook rolled her eyes, "Even Sienna wasn't so ego-centric." She gave Weiss a piteous look. "Come on, you're going to need pans and some things to stock the fridge with." She led the huntress first into the supply room. As she rummaged through the stacks of pots and pans, she handed the ones she deemed relevant to Weiss to hold. "Frying pan…sauce pan…griddle…coffee pot…I suppose you'll need utensils, too."
"And stuff to wash them with."
This was turning into a lot more work than either of them had initially expected, but after three trips back and forth to the house, Weiss finally had enough food, utensils and pans to start cooking on her own. On her last trip, she took an unused coffee maker with her: the electric percolator kind with a detachable cord for ease of use. It took some time to clean, but the final product was the knowledge that she wouldn't have to trudge out early every morning, rain or not. She could cook in her pajamas, and not have to put on her backless uniform until/unless Adam needed her out later in the day. All she had to do now was set the automated function.
She plugged it and had just figured out how to set the delayed brew when Adam came downstairs to investigate.
"Is something wrong, you've been in and out four or five time in the past hour…what's this?" He craned his neck to see what she was working on.
She put a pan on the burner. "I'm done trudging across the village every morning to get you breakfast and coffee, so I got some supplies and I'm going to start cooking you breakfast here." She spoke over her shoulder as she turned on the burner. "It's supposed to rain for the next few days and I don't want to be packing trays in the rain back and forth."
"Do…you know how to cook?" he asked, arching his good eyebrow.
"I know the basics and I'm actually really good at making coffee. I was actually going to do a practice run on the eggs since I've never done over easy before."
"You're going to start cooking for me?"
Weiss turned to face him as she got the eggs out of the refrigerator. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm doing this so I can stay in my pajamas for a little longer every day."
He exhaled deeply as if trying to conceal a laugh. "Forgive me, I have a hard time imagining you cooking…"
"Oh, you should have seen me during my first semester. I literally called the kitchen the 'food room'."
He laughed. Not his usually sardonic breathy laugh, and not the maniacal cackling she always imagined he'd have if he ever laughed deeply. The only word she could to describe his laugh was light. He'd managed to regain control, though his boyish smirk was still on his face. "Tell me…tell me your first time trying to make something went horribly wrong. Tell me it was a disaster."
Weiss smiled. Did she have good news for him. "I caught the drapes on fire."
That was it for him. He laughed full and intensely, his voice becoming higher pitched the harder he laughed. In a weird way, it was unsettling: not because it was a rare instance, but because she had never imagined he'd laugh about something like this. He was a villain after all, and villains only laughed when their evil plans were successful, or when tragedy befell their enemies. Not about actually funny things. But here he was, laughing like a normal person about normal things and it looked out of character on him.
"Ruby had to get a fire extinguisher and I was panicking and screaming and the smoke alarm went off. She has never let me live it down."
"If that's the case then, perhaps I don't want you to be the one cooking my eggs and sausage links in the morning." Adam retorted with a smile.
"I can handle it fine, I just wanted to make sure I can get it right. I'm not familiar with this stove and how hot the burners get."
"Perhaps I should observe, just to make sure we don't have another headquarters-melting fire on our hands." he said pushing a plate toward her. "I can even sample the test run, provided you haven't burned it beyond recognition."
She rolled her eyes, but proceeded as she had planned. She lined the pan with cooking spray first before cracking the single egg that was serving as her test run. The yoke stayed intact and she was able to get it perfect…until it was time to flip it. She moved the spatula to scoop it up, and it just wouldn't get underneath the egg the way she wanted it. Refusing to panic, she tried again; again, the white of the egg caught on the spatula just wrong. She snorted in frustration. It was never her intention to cook with an audience, and for some odd reason she felt added pressure to get it perfect.
Adam's hand reached forward and enclosed over hers. "Don't be afraid to put a little force behind it," he offered. He reached his other arm around her, gripping the frying pay and guiding her hand to flip it properly. "Also, if you want a good scald on eggs, cook the bacon first, then fry the eggs in the bacon grease."
"Thanks, I'll remember that," Weiss muttered as she slid the egg onto the plate. She turned to him, expecting him to just take the plate and go, but he remained behind her, the fabric of his pajama shirt pressing up against her bare back. She could tell he was doing it on purpose and was making it hard for her to focus, but she couldn't deny how much she enjoyed his closeness.
"And…when we are done cooking, we turn off the burner so we don't catch the building on fire." He leaned forward to switch the burner off, pressing up against her further. He placed a gentle kiss on her temple. "Be careful you don't burn yourself in the morning, ok?"
"I'll be careful," she promised. "And no, the irony of you wanting to protect me from getting burned is not lost on me."
"I've already run into a burning building for your sake once before." His arms wrapped around her waist and he planted a few more kisses trailing down her neck to her shoulder. "It'd be embarrassing to have to make me do it again."
"Adam," she wiggled out of his grip and turned to face him. He had that look in his eye, the one she'd been wary of the past two weeks, but tonight it seemed even more intense.
He furrowed his brows in concern. "What is it?"
She tried to find words, but none came. Nothing that she was feeling could be articulated in a way that explained her thoughts completely. She instead replied by standing on her tip toes and kissing him; gripping the front of his shirt in her fingers and pressing her lips to his.
From there, things unraveled for the both of them. They went from kissing in front of the stove to making out on the kitchen table to feeling each other up all the way up the stairs to Adam pinning her to his bedroom door at an alarming rate. It was only then Adam had a moment of clarity. He pulled Weiss' hands away from him, pinning them above her head, the leather of his gloves quietly crackling as his grip tightened around her wrists.
"I need to…" he panted, "I have to know this isn't putting any pressure on you."
"I mean…you're putting pressure on my arms…"
He leaned in, becoming suddenly grave. "You know what I mean, Weiss. You can tell me no."
She chose her words carefully as she met his intense gaze. "This isn't me conceding to you, and this isn't me giving my consent. This is me asking you to make love to me."
"You want this? You want…me?" He had to be absolutely certain.
"Yes, Adam. Your horns, your scars…all of it."
It was all he needed to proceed. He pulled her to himself and kissed her like never before, without restraint and without concern of consequences.
Thunder rumbled in the distance as their clothes fell to the floor. It had been a long time in coming, but somehow, both of them knew it was inevitable for them to eventually share a bed, it was only a question of when they'd give in to each other. They pleasured each other long into the night until she fell asleep in his arms to the sound of rain pattering against the roof.
She couldn't remember the last time she had felt truly satisfied.
Cordovin was just hanging up the phone when Winter entered her office.
"I just got off the phone with the motor pool who said you badgered them into releasing a bike taken into custody that belongs to Miss Xiao Long. You haven't been here for more than three hours and already you've made a spectacle of yourself. Most unbecoming."
Winter clenched her jaw. "It was never my intention to inconvenience you. I'm simply trying to get what I need and get out of your hair as quickly as possible." She approached the desk and used the holo-pad to bring up paperwork for Cordovin to sign. "I'll need clearance to leave as soon as possible. My pilot is adjusting the manifest right now to list the additional passengers and luggage, including Miss Belladonna. Please be sure she is prepped for air transport and not transport by train."
"We've already had this conversation, Miss Schnee," Cordovin began, with an unusually condescending tone.
"You said I could take her if it's a matter of national security, and I've discovered recently that it is based on the information the others in her group have shared."
"Do tell," Cordovin said with every intention of being not impressed.
"Miss Belladonna has a contact within the White Fang who has knowledge critical to Atlesean security. She recently was able to come into some information while in Mistral. During the attack on Haven, as a matter of fact."
"Surely, you don't expect me to believe that?" Cordovin smiled wryly.
"It doesn't matter whether you believe it or not. She has information on Arthur Watts that she refuses to share with the rest of her team, and I've been under strict instructions that anyone with information about the man or his technology be brought immediately to Atlas for debriefing."
"There's no way she didn't tell any of her friends what she knew," Cordovin objected, still completely confident she had the upper hand. "Like I said, I'll give you clearance for take-off for the rest of your party, but that's as far as it goes. You do not have permission to remove Miss Belladonna from my base."
Something in Winter snapped. She stood and leaned over the desk, bracing her hands on its surface, allowing her to loom over the stumpy woman. Her nose turned up into an almost snarl as her lips curled. All three of the Schnee kids inherited the sneer: Whitley's just made him look spoiled, Weiss' made her look angry, but Winter's was genuinely intimidating. "Miss Caroline, you are right about one thing: this is my mission, but contrary to your opinion, this is not your base: this base belongs to Atlas, and right now my orders are to ensure the security of Atlas and Mantle by any means. Like you, I take my job very seriously, but unlike you, I can make good on any and every threat I make. I'm not asking for your permission, I'm ordering you, and if you are ultimately the cause of a delayed investigation, I will personally oversee your court martial and ensure it is the most publicized and scandalous stripping of rank in Atlas Military history, after which I will inspect this base and its operations from your security protocols to how you clean your toilets and you'll bear the weight of every infraction on your discharge record." She kept her voice measured and even, despite the glare in her eyes. "So, lets' stop this measuring contest, shall we? We both know mine is bigger." She pushed the holo-pad over toward her displaying the paperwork for Blake's release papers." You will release Blake into my custody with whatever medical resources necessary to ensure she will be comfortable on the ride there. Do I make myself clear?"
Cordovin showed no outward signs of intimidation, but she clenched her jaw as she signed off on the electronic paperwork. Winter strutted out of the office without another word. She had more important things to do than flex over the tiny woman any longer.
The next hour was prepping the ship for leaving and getting Blake transported. The best option for a ride this length was to pump her full of antibiotics to ensure she didn't get an infection and keep her sedated through an IV for the whole trip and transfer her to a medical specialist as soon as they touched down in Atlas.
Maria made a show of pulling out the cashews to munch right in front of her while they were waiting to board, even going so far as to offer some to Winter who graciously accepted. Even from a distance it was easy to see Cordovin fuming as she had come out onto the tarmac to ensure they'd left.
Winter's ship was a personal issue, meaning it was intended for her to use exclusively. There was a tiny quarters and lavatory for her use and the cargo hold was relatively small, enough usually for her own luggage and her two pilots. Needless to say, it was a tight fit. Blake was put in Winter's quarters and secured in place so that neither her nor the medical equipment keeping her sedated would move much during transit. Yang elected to stay with Blake for the ten-hour ride to Atlas. Jaune and Qrow, who hadn't slept the night before were offered the cots in the pilots bunk area, which they accepted. The others: Ruby, Oscar, Winter, Maria, Ren and Nora were squeezed into the tiny cabin originally designed to seat only four. The pilot offered to let someone sit in the co-pilot seat to clear up some room, which Maria took. All things considered, it was a tight fit, but doable.
By chance, Qrow and Winter passed each other outside the lavatory. Seizing a moment alone, he scooped her into his arms. She nestled into his arms comfortably.
"I know we'll have more time once we get settled in Atlas, but I wanted to make sure you were alright." His gravelly voice was laced with genuine concern.
She sighed, sinking further into his embrace. "You're alive, Weiss' is safe for now, the relic is secure. This is the first glimmer of hope I've had in months."
"Is Atlas in that bad of shape right now?"
"Ironwood becoming unhinged. He's subjecting Atlas and Mantle to the rule of his paranoia. The people of Mantle are bearing the brunt of it, the growing political unrest is drawing in grimm attacks almost daily while the Military continues to enforce curfews and embargoes. The council is terrified to contradict him, regardless of how irrational his demands become all for this…illusion of safety."
"That doesn't sound like the James Ironwood I know," Qrow replied. "He didn't agree with Ozpin, but he wasn't some paranoid tyrant."
"Beacon changed him. He no longer trusts anyone. Even me." She pulled away to look at him, her eyes filled with fear and exhaustion. "We have to be extra careful. He can't know about us."
"It's not of Ironwood's business where I spend my nights…or where you spend yours."
"He sees me as the next vessel for the Winter Maiden and as a Schnee and therefore my influence must be kept in check."
"So, he's trying to control you?"
"I'm saying he thinks he has a vested interest in what I do and it's becoming invasive, but I'm not sure how to get it to stop without it turning violent. If he found out, he'd probably accuse you of trying to steal me away from my maiden duties to the ruin of Atlas. He might have you imprisoned or even worse. Promise me you won't tell."
He placed a reassuring kiss on her forehead. "I'll make sure he never gets the impression we actually like each other. Though with my luck, it won't stay hidden forever."
The door to the pilot's cabin creaked open, jolting them back to reality.
"Get some rest, we'll talk more when we have the chance." Winter said, giving him one last kiss on his neck before returning to the cabin area.
Back in her seat, she permitted herself a sigh of relief. Things were finally beginning to look up. For the first time in months she felt realistically optimistic.
When morning came, Weiss wasn't ready to get out of bed. Her alarm was going off in her room and the coffee maker had done its job if the smell of fresh coffee was anything to go by. Adam was already awake, his arm lazily draped across her body. She snuggled closer to him, trying to fight off being awake.
"You are quite the cuddle bug." he commented, running his fingers through her messy hair. She was still bleary and squinted at him, eliciting a gentle smile from him. "Good morning."
"Good morning," she said, her voice still groggy. "You seem happy,"
"I woke up to gray skies, the smell of coffee and a songbird in my bed. Not much would make me happier."
Weiss sat up, propping herself up on an elbow. "Is that going to be my pet name now? Songbird?"
"I think you'd prefer it to 'princess or ice queen, or snow angel, or all the other cold weather-related ones you've probably had hurled at you over the years." He climbed out of bed and began to dress himself.
"Fair enough," she admitted.
"How are you?" he asked. "You fell asleep pretty quickly after."
"Sore," she admitted. "You might have to carry me back to my cot."
He came back to the bed and leaned over her to give her a kiss. "I can promise you: you are never going back to that cot."
They made more pillow talk as she got up and dressed as well. Conversation about the night before, about the situation with Artis refusing to supply them with dust or tech and about the impending return of Sienna Khan to seize the seat of High Leader again. continued over breakfast, which Weiss managed well on her own. He kissed her goodbye before heading out the door, leaving her to do the dishes.
He was scheduled to spar with the lieutenant in the dojo, but only realized upon entering that he'd forgotten his katana.
"I apologize," he told the lieutenant. "I'll have to run back for it. It'll be just a minute." He turned to leave but the lieutenant's words stopped him in the doorway.
"Your brain in a fog from last night?" the lieutenant asked with a snarl.
"First I don't know what you mean," Adam said, his temper rising. He turned around in the doorway to face the unnamed faunus squarely. "And second, you'll watch your tone. We may be friends, but I'm still your High Leader.
"Not for much longer once the entire White Fang knows you're banging the Schnee heiress, and not in a slave-master relationship way you're make it out to be to the other chapter heads."
Adam's mask prevented him from revealing a great deal of his emotions, but the scowl on his face was plainly visible. "Who told you that?"
"Tawny Conan," the lieutenant spit out a name before Adam could even finish his sentence. "She was helping Weiss get kitchen supplies or something last night. Tawny thought she might need coffee filters and she was bringing them to your house last night and she saw you two through the kitchen window. From her account, it was very intimate and very romantic. Almost like you two were a dating couple."
Adam breathed deeply and let out a long exhale. He knew their relationship would be made public eventually, but it had been his intention to keep it concealed for as long as possible. Now that the cat was already out of the bag, he'd have to do damage control. "I promise, that isn't what you think it is…"
The lieutenant cut him off. "It doesn't matter what any of us think at this point. The rumor going around camp is that you've gone soft for her, and that's a danger to all of us. And it gets worse."
Adam put his head in his hands. "How could it possibly get worse?"
"Tawny Conan has an older sister: Tenne Conan, who happens to be the personal secretary for Artis. Face it: you messed up, Adam, and your arch-rival probably already knows about it."
Satisfied that he'd made his point, the lieutenant pushed past him in the doorway and left, leaving Adam to mull over his situation. He'd find a way around it eventually, he'd just need time to think of a plan, but for right now, it was hard to process that everything was happening so fast. He was always calculated, always thinking of contingencies and planning based on outcomes, but he didn't see this coming. It was the first time in months he was woefully unprepared.