Chapter Six: Young and Relentless
Penny arrived with their food shortly after Ruby left. She was cordial and polite with a strong sense of professionalism that Ruby lacked. Though, if Weiss had to be honest, she'd say that Penny was a robot repeating someone else's words. Weiss felt sorry for her, she knew all too well what it felt like to be a puppet on short strings. But sympathies aside, Weiss couldn't shake the feeling that Penny was watching her.
Don't dwell on it, she told herself, holding her head high.
The food was well-made, several steps above normal café fare. Weiss expected the worst, especially for Neptune's dish, but the "hypothetically" overworked cook was a culinary genius. The salmon looked so appetizing, Weiss was tempted to order another plate and have her sandwich packed to go.
"Can I retract my offer to share or is that rude?" Neptune asked as he cut a portion of his salmon and rice and slid it onto the extra plate they asked for. Weiss glared at him, putting an immediate end to his hesitation. He muttered a playful "bitch" beneath his breath and got another chilling glare. "Ugh, fine, but you're not getting any."
"That suits me just fine," Weiss said, feigning indifference. But with Neptune put back in his place, Weiss picked up half of her sandwich and laid it beside Ciel's donated half. "I must say, though, this food does look amazing," she said, rearranging the sandwiches to sit prettier.
"Thinking of poaching the chef?" Ciel asked.
"Possibly."
"I think she's thinking of poaching more than just the cook, eh?" Neptune teased. "So, Weiss, darling, tell me more about Ruby."
"Oh, yes, do tell," Ciel laughed. "I've been waiting all afternoon to hear about this 'new friend' of yours."
"There is nothing to tell!" Weiss huffed in embarrassment. "She is just a friend, and I will hear nothing more of this topic!"
"Aw, but she's so your type!" Neptune chuckled, pointing his fork at her. "I can tell just by looking at her. She even has that dangly bit you liked about Coco." Weiss glared at Neptune. "Don't get your panties a bunch, I'm talking about her hair, you perv."
"You are insufferable!" Weiss exclaimed. She smacked Neptune's arm and shook her head. "I seriously cannot believe you! What if she heard that?"
But speaking of Ruby, Weiss wondered what was keeping her. She hoped she hadn't scared her off by inviting her to lunch so suddenly. Did she come on too strong? Weiss knew she had a tendency to steamroll over people when she wanted something, but surely she hadn't been that forceful. Was it the way she asked? Did she mispronounce a word and say something else entirely? Weiss carefully picked apart her sentence structure and mentally flipped a table when she couldn't find anything wrong. Chrys was right, Valese was weird.
Neptune made another crass joke about her, but Weiss couldn't recall what he said. It must've been funny because Ciel was still laughing—would Ruby find it funny too?
Well, speak of the devil. Weiss spotted Ruby entering the dining area looking as timid as a churchmouse. Her steps were slow and hesitant, like she was second guessing every move she made. Weiss blamed herself for rattling Ruby's confidence, but she wouldn't be as successful as she was now if she let opportunity slip past her.
Weiss smiled at Ruby and gave her a little wave, beckoning her to come over. The gesture seemed to restore Ruby's pep much like a withered flower after some rain. Seeing Ruby's eyes light up with excitement made Weiss smile even wider; there was something special about this girl.
"Hey, Weiss."
"Hello, Ruby," Weiss replied.
"Hello, gorgeous!" Neptune chimed in obnoxiously. Weiss swiftly turned to him with a furious glare and a matching scowl. "What?! Look at her—she's hot!"
"Sometimes, I wish I could stitch your mouth shut," Weiss hissed in frustration. She switched her attention back to Ruby, but the words she wanted to say escaped her. Oh.
Neptune was right. He was right on so many things and she hated him for it.
Ruby was, in a word, bewitching. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were simple, but she had this roguish charm that captivated Weiss like a moth to a flame.
Look at her arms, squealed an annoying little voice inside her head. Look at that tattoo!
Look down, laughed another in a salacious tone.
Weiss' hungry eyes drifted down, taking in everything that was Ruby inch by inch. She started at her shoulders, then savoured her well-toned arms and the intricate white rose tattoo she had on her left. But by the time she reached Ruby's belt, Weiss realized what she was doing and tore her gaze away. The guilt she felt for staring at another woman was only matched by her curiosity for what lied beneath those ripped jeans.
Weiss wasn't dumb, she knew exactly what was there. She saw the way Ruby hid behind her tray and the way she walked, the signs were all there.
Weiss gulped.
She hated Neptune. She really, really, really, really hated Neptune.
"Ruby!" the girl manning the cash register shouted, startling both Weiss and Ruby.
"Shit!" Ruby yelped when she stepped on her shoelace. Weiss didn't waste a single second and caught her before Ruby could kiss the ground. "Uh, hey."
"'Hey,' " Weiss replied with a nervous smile. Her heart was beating ten miles a minute, the terror she felt was close to the time she saw Chrys fall from the play structure when she was four. "You need to tie your shoelaces properly," she said in a stern but kind motherly tone. Her heart was still hammering away in her chest, and she felt flush from the anxiety—or was it from the fact Ruby's face was mere inches away from hers? No, it was definitely the anxiety. "What if I hadn't caught you?"
Ruby flashed her a shaky grin, no doubt still scared of what might've happened. "I knew you'd catch me," she said with a hopeless giggle that melted away Weiss' worries.
"You dolt," Weiss sighed as she helped Ruby stand straight. She looked at her friend and cupped her face out of habit to make sure she was truly okay. "It's one thing after another with you," she said softly. "I swear, one of these days you're going to do something that'll give me a heart attack."
"Ahaha… sorry," Ruby apologized, leaning into Weiss' touch. Her goofy smile widened as she breathed out a sigh. She seemed content to stay there forever, but a panicked voice calling her name tore her away.
"Ruby, oh my gosh! I am so sorry! Are you okay?!" Penny asked, rushing over without thinking. She threw her arms around Ruby's neck and hugged her tight.
Weiss backed away, giving the two some room.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" Penny asked, pulling away just far enough to look Ruby in the eye.
"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine," Ruby replied unenthusiastically, then in a much cheerier tone said, "Weiss caught me!"
"Thank you," Penny said to Weiss before turning back to Ruby and cupping her face. "I am so sorry, I never should have shouted like that."
"Like I said, it's fine. Anyway, it was my fault for not tying my shoelaces." Ruby slipped out of Penny's hold and stood next to Weiss looking bashful but proud. "I should probably introduce you guys. Penny, this is Weiss. Weiss, this is Penny."
"We've met," Penny awkwardly chuckled, her cheeks tinged red as she nodded at Weiss.
"That we have," Weiss replied coolly.
"Oh! This is Neptune," Ruby said, gesturing to him next. He waved at her and smiled. "And this"—she pointed to Ciel who was quietly watching the scene unfold—"is Ciel."
"We have also met," Penny said.
"Huh?" Ruby blinked. Penny pointed to the food on the table. "Right, uh…"
Ruby's eyes shifted around, looking for an escape. Weiss caught onto the subtle cues and stepped in, using her favourite tone of voice: managerial.
"Did you need Ruby for something?" she asked, standing straighter. She glanced at Ruby from the corner of her eye and silently laughed to herself when Ruby breathed out a sigh of relief. Cute.
"Yang just wanted me to pass on a message," Penny answered, her eyes shifting from Weiss to Ruby curiously. "She said she'd be home late and to not wait up for her."
"Uh, cool," Ruby quipped.
"Yeah."
"Um…"
"So…"
"Can we eat yet?" Neptune asked, putting a swift end to the awkward rambling.
Weiss leaned back a little and gave her assistant a nod of approval. He responded by giving her a thumbs up beneath the table where Penny couldn't see. There was a reason she hired this man and this was it.
"I guess I'll leave you guys to it then," Penny said, glancing at Weiss one last time.
Ruby took the seat beside Ciel, the offer to take Neptune's spot long forgotten. Weiss didn't mind though, it gave her the opportunity to talk to Ruby and enjoy the view—outside. Not Ruby's arms or her beautiful white rose tattoos. Outside.
Keep it cool, Weiss. Keep it cool.
Peeling her eyes away from Ruby, Weiss reached for her spoon to enjoy some soup, only it wasn't where she last left it. Grumbling, Weiss turned to Neptune and, lo and behold, found her spoon in his mouth.
"You were busy ogling Ruby, so I helped you with your soup," he said with an unapologetic smile. "I know you hate cold food, ya welcome, honey."
"I hope you get fat," Weiss hissed. "And I was not 'ogling' her! I was… appreciating her tattoo."
"Sounds like ogling to me," Ciel chimed. She looked at Ruby and offered her a rare smile. "Is there a reason behind it?"
"Um," Ruby bashfully rubbed the back of her neck, cheeks as red as a rose, "my mom. She, uh, passed away when I was really young—well, she was really young too, but, uh…" Ruby gulped, her nervous silver eyes rising up to meet Weiss' curious gaze. "Her name was Summer. Summer Rose. And she worked as a florist… white roses were her favourite, she even grew them in our garden back in Patch…"
Weiss thought back to the last time her wife surprised her with one. It was a few months ago, Weiss couldn't remember the date exactly, but it was nearing the end of winter. Her wife had shown up in her office, unannounced and still in uniform, carrying a single long stem red rose in full bloom. There was even a small scented card attached that read "Je t'aime" in her wife's simple but elegant scrawl.
The flower was gone now and so was her wife, but the card was safe, tucked away in her wallet behind a photo of her family.
"A gift for the most beautiful rose I know."
"I love roses," Weiss smiled.
"I guess you'll love me then," Ruby replied, laughing at her little joke. And when her brain finally caught up to her tongue, Ruby clamped her mouth shut with a hand. She looked like she wanted to die right then and there or melt into the floor and disappear forever, but instead she was frozen in place with eyes as wide as saucers.
Weiss was taken aback, speechless.
"I-I mean, uh," Ruby stammered, "m-my last name it's Rose—Ruby Rose. Weird, I know. And, uh, um… I am so sorry, I don't know why I said that."
Weiss still didn't know what to say, but she could feel her cheeks heating up from the secondhand embarrassment. And with her pale complexion, Weiss was certain she was as red as Ruby.
"Ooh, gurl, you have got it bad," Neptune said, pointing Weiss' spoon at Ruby. "But that was so smooth. Ten out of ten."
"I concur," Ciel smirked.
"Moving on!" Ruby yelped in a nervous, high pitched voice. "I got it done on my eighteenth birthday, though the full thing took a few sittings to finish."
"Oh, Weiss got hers on her eighteenth birthday too," Neptune said before casually blowing on a spoonful of soup and offering it to Ciel. "Darling, you have got to try this."
"Neptune!" Weiss shrieked, horrified that he'd say something so personal without thought.
Ruby gasped. "Weiss has a tattoo?"
"Mhm," Neptune nodded. "And you'll never guess where."
"I am going to murder you if you say another word!" Weiss hissed.
"Does it have a meaning?" Ruby asked with genuine interest lacing her voice.
Weiss felt her iron resolve weaken when she saw the hopeful gleam in Ruby's eyes. She reminded her of Chrys whenever Weiss accidentally let something slip about her past. There was no defence against it, only futile denial until complete and utter surrender which usually occurred in less than five minutes. But that rate of decay might as well be nonexistent if Chrys pouted.
Weiss sighed, covering her face with a hand. She might as well just say it. Suffer the embarrassment now while the friendship was still new than say it months down the line and ruin everything.
"No," she said begrudgingly, "it unfortunately doesn't have a meaning."
"Then what's the story behind it?"
"You might find this funny actually," Weiss said, willing herself to look at Ruby; she still had that childlike curiosity lighting up her face. "Some time before my eighteenth birthday, my wife asked me what was something my father told me I could never do. I replied 'getting pregnant at fifteen,' but that was obviously the wrong answer because she told me 'aside from that.' Naturally, my mind jumped to a all the things I've done that he told me not to do… and all that really left was getting a tattoo."
"And then what?" Ruby asked.
"Nicole tapped into her trust fund and used it to book us an appointment at one of the best tattoo parlours in Atlas."
"Ohh, I remember this!" Neptune cackled.
"I brought this moron with me," Weiss continued without pause, "because I thought he could help me convince my nitwit that it was a stupid idea. But no! He sided with her and watched Nicole get hers done, practically guaranteeing I needed to get one or face humiliation."
"The tattoo guy was hot," Neptune purred.
"Duly noted," Weiss grimaced. "Now, my tattoo required a little more time and planning than a simple logo on the arm."
"I still can't believe you did it," Neptune laughed.
"Neither can I…" Weiss sighed. "Do you remember how I said I liked roses?"
"Yeah?" Ruby grinned.
"Well, I thought that if I could stall long enough by being picky and indecisive, Nicole would give up and let me leave the parlor… oh how wrong I was," Weiss said. "Nicole was adamant I do it to 'break free of the shackles that oppressed me' or something else along those lines. And, somehow, between her speeches and Neptune's taunts… I caved. I got a red rose tattoo… on the small of my back."
"She means a tramp stamp," Ciel said like it was a commonly known fact.
"Thank you for saying that out loud, Ms. Soleil," Weiss said, her eyes narrowed in a venomous glare.
"Je t'en prie."
"Wooow," Ruby whistled. "I did not see that coming."
"I suffer from something I like to call the 'too much gene,' " Weiss said, sitting back to relax now that she'd exposed her deepest, darkest secret to her new friend and everyone close enough to hear. "It means that if I do something, I need to do it perfectly, and preferably by going above and beyond what's asked of me—but I also needed it done where no one would ever see it."
"Well that explains why Chrys is always such a go-getter," Neptune laughed.
"No, she's just an extrovert with ADHD," Weiss said, crossing her arms.
"Oh, neat, me too," Ruby said. "And dyslexia. I don't read so good sometimes."
"Hey, high-five! Me too!" Neptune exclaimed. They high-fived and giggled like a couple of children discovering a common interest. "But I also struggle with numbers, so Ciel handles all that."
"I wish you'd just apply yourself more than make these silly excuses," Ciel said with a heavy sigh. Weiss nodded her head in agreement. "Anyway, as much fun as it is dredging up Weiss' sordid past, we should probably start eating before the food gets cold."
"Oh thank God," Weiss breathed.
Ruby looked down at the overflowing plate before her and humbly asked, "Is it really okay?"
"Of course it is! You know about Weiss' tramp stamp, so you're in the club now. Just don't tell anyone else," Neptune whispered. "The last person that tried died."
"Can we please stop talking about my wife?" Weiss grumbled.
"Um…" Ruby looked at Weiss nervously.
"Don't worry, Ruby, I'm not bothered by it," Weiss said. "My wife was the sort of person who'd rather we laugh about her death than tiptoe around the subject."
"Oh," Ruby slowly nodded, not entirely convinced. "Well, thanks for lunch."
"Enjoy, Ruby. And Neptune, I swear, if you don't—"
"Soup's gone," he quickly said, pushing the empty bowl back to her half of the table. "Ruby was right, it was amazing."
"I wholeheartedly agree," Ciel said.
"I hate you both," Weiss grumbled.
Ruby laughed and said, "I can go ask Yang for more if you'd like? But I don't know if we have any left; her soups are literally the most popular item we have on the menu."
"And here I thought it was the coffee," Weiss said before taking a sip. It was lukewarm, but it was still delicious.
"Really, guys? You're gunna do that right in front of my salad?" Neptune huffed in feigned annoyance. "Your flirting is so sickeningly sweet it's going to make me gag, bleh."
"We're not—" both Weiss and Ruby said at the same time. They briefly locked eyes before bashfully looking away.
"You're both hopeless," Ciel muttered in exasperation.
Lunch was an interesting affair to say the least. Neptune kept trying to be funny, and Ruby wouldn't stop staring at Weiss. She was flattered by the attention, but Weiss also wished Ruby had just struck up a conversation instead of looking away whenever she was caught. There was also an awkward moment when Penny stopped by to check on them. The tension between her and Ruby was palpable, but now Weiss was caught in the fray too.
"Well," Neptune said, dabbing his napkin across his lips, "that was delicious."
"Yep," Ruby grinned. "Yang fought tooth and nail for that salmon. Braun wanted the gross frozen stuff because it was cheaper in bulk, but Yang argued that the fresh stuff would sell better."
"Well she was right," Neptune said. "I'm a fan. Definitely coming back for it. But," he looked at Weiss from the corner of his eye, "who's Yang? Gingersnaps over there said you didn't have to wait for her."
"She's my older sister," Ruby answered with a proud smile. "Yang practically raised me after mom passed… she's my hero. I don't know what I'd do without her."
"I can understand the sentiment," Weiss said. "I look up to my older sister as well."
"Literally," Neptune snickered. "She's like two feet taller than you."
"I hate you," Weiss said with a sickeningly sweet smiled that promised death and slashed wages, "so much."
"I love you too, beech."
"I've been meaning to say this, but you two are really close," Ruby said, commenting on the death threats and leaked secrets. "How long have you guys known each other?"
"We've known about each other since our first year in middle school, but we only became friends after this one got knocked up," Neptune answered, nudging Weiss with his shoulder. "And what a time it was—back when the Ice Queen was still just a princess."
"Neptune absolutely hated me," Weiss added.
"Only because you were stringing Coco along like a dog on a leash," he countered. "I still can't believe you two were dating."
"Trust me, neither did I," Weiss laughed.
"Coco?" Ruby asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"My wife's actual name," Weiss said with a sad, nostalgic smile gracing her lips. "I thought it sounded stupid so I started calling her 'Nicole' to annoy her, but she went with the flow and it stuck."
"And you wonder why I hated you," Neptune said. "Okay, here's the tea, this bitch"—he gestured to Weiss with a thumb—"had the most popular—and I mean popular—girl in school chasing after her like some lovesick fool. I'm talkin' flowers in her locker, love notes tucked in her books, romantic dinners—the works. Everyone was jealous, but did Weiss care? No."
"I see that look on your face, Ruby, and it isn't what you think," Weiss said, interrupting Neptune. "Nicole was a known… what's the word…"
"She slept around," Ciel said on Weiss' behalf.
"Mhm," Weiss hummed in confirmation. "Now, when someone with that sort of reputation starts actively pursuing you, you have to wonder whether they're being genuine or not."
"Except you were already sleeping with her," Neptune pointed out. Weiss blushed, her gaze shifting from Neptune to Ruby. "I owed Coco for a lot of things. It's hard being an openly gay boy in ye olde conservative Atlas. She stood up for me and so many others… we all looked up to her."
"Literally," Weiss snorted.
"Har har," he muttered. "I'm trying to be sincere and dramatic here."
"I can see that," Weiss said, but she smiled at him gratefully.
Neptune cupped his glass of water and tapped his nails against it rhythmically while he thought. "It hurt seeing her get brushed aside like that… so imagine my surprise when rumours about Queeny here being preggo started to spread."
"Ugh, please don't remind me," Weiss groaned. "High school was god awful before that, but it was practically unbearable after. I had to eat lunch in the bathroom just to avoid my bullies. But, ironically, it worked in my favour because 'morning sickness' is a lie."
"Oh, yeah, that was totally gross. But anyway, me finding out the truth was actually pure coincidence," Neptune continued. "I was heading towards the bathroom when the Ice Princess ran in looking greener than a cabbage. Naturally, I went in after her to make sure she was okay. I might've hated her guts, but the things people did to her based off of rumours alone was awful… I was worried they actually hurt her this time. But the rumours were true, and Weiss was scared out of her skin."
"Nicole had graduated earlier that year and we broke up because she was moving to Vale, so finding out about Chrys was…" Weiss shuddered, "the worst feeling ever. I was alone in a school that hated me…"
Ruby's brows were furrowed together, mouth was slightly agape. Weiss feared the worst, but instead she heard her name being said with reverence and care. "Weiss…"
Weiss smiled at her but didn't utter a word, too caught up in her thoughts to say anything of worth.
"We got to talking after her stomach settled, and I learned Weiss was human underneath all the ice." Neptune turned to Weiss and lovingly brushed the hair out of her eyes.
"Then you cracked a joke so bad I immediately threw up," Weiss said, crinkling her nose.
"I held her hair back and we've been besties ever since," Neptune finished with a big smile as he wrapped his arms around Weiss, pulling her in close for a smothering hug. "I can't imagine life without her now."
"Wow… that's…" Ruby pursed her lips, "I can't begin to imagine what that must've been like. I have a few close friends, but nothing like what you two have. I'm kind of jealous."
"Don't," Ciel groaned. "Being around them is hell. Every single day it's 'bitch' this, 'bitch' that, and death threats here, death threats there… if they weren't so obnoxiously gay, I'd swear it was unresolved sexual tension."
"And yet you're still here," Weiss said, smirking at Ciel.
"Because you pay me really, really, really well, Weiss," Ciel replied in a deadpan manner. "Do not mistake my professional loyalty as 'friendship.' " Neptune and Weiss both raised an eyebrow at her, not believing a single word she said. "I dislike you both to a severe degree."
Ruby giggled along with Neptune's and Weiss' laughter, but that little noise slapped a target on her forehead.
"So, we've learned about dumb and dumber over there, what about you, Ms. Rose?" Ciel said, aiming her steely gaze at Ruby. "Tell us something about you."
"Uh," Ruby blinked, "what do you want to know?"
"You can start by confirming what I said about you when we met," Neptune said. "Are you a dancer?"
"I am actually," Ruby confirmed. "How did you know?"
"You can't get a bod like that serving coffee," he answered.
Ruby laughed. "I guess… but yeah, I've been dancing since I was old enough to walk. Hip-hop, ballroom, ballet, you name it and I've probably dabbled in it. I also did track—got a scholarship to Beacon because of it. But since you told me something embarrassing, it's only fair I do the same."
"Ohhh?" Neptune grinned.
Weiss was also quite intrigued, but she hid her interest by taking a sip of coffee.
"I was in show choir for three years straight. We even got to nationals once," Ruby said in one breath. "Another fun fact: I'm coaching the current team at my old high school… but because of budget cuts, we can't actively compete. Which sucks because my kids are super talented."
"Oh. My. God." Neptune cupped Weiss' face and turned her head towards him. "This girl was made for you."
"What!?" Weiss shrieked in embarrassment. She ripped herself away from Neptune and held him back an arm's length away.
"Huh?" Ruby blinked.
"This is what I meant," Ciel sighed. "Just stay quiet, they'll burn each other out eventually."
"Look at her, Weiss! She's totally your type—the bod, the face, the eyes! She's even great with kids."
"Teenagers are not children," Weiss muttered, her cheeks burning red.
"Ruby, please tell me you and Gingersnaps are just friends," Neptune pleaded dramatically.
"We are?"
"She's single!" Neptune beamed.
"So? That doesn't mean she's interested in women," Weiss grumbled. "What happened to not assuming anything, you hypocrite? And stop trying to touch me!"
"Ruby, tacos or hotdogs?" Neptune asked.
"Tacos…?" Ruby replied, looking confused as all hell. "What is going on?" she whispered to Ciel.
"I honestly don't know anymore."
"Gay," Neptune said.
"Ugh, Neptune, stop," Weiss demanded. "The joke has gone too far this time."
"But—"
"Apologize to Ruby," she said, not letting him get another word in.
Neptune pouted but acquiesced without a fight. "I'm sorry, Ruby. I got a little carried away."
"It's okay," Ruby smiled. "It was kind of funny, but what does me being in show choir have to do with Weiss?"
"I was signed to a record label when I was ten," Weiss explained, folding her hands on the table. Since Ruby knew about her shameful secret, there was no point in hiding this one either. "I was supposed to officially debut shortly after my eighteenth birthday, but then I found out about Chrys. Everything I worked and trained towards was taken away in an instant… I still managed to be successful in the end, but I owe it all to my wife's family for supporting me."
When the Adels took her in, Weiss was a ghost of her former self. Not only did she lose her dream, she lost her home, her family legacy, and most of the movement in her left arm. Weiss had nothing.
"Weiss, you are…" Ruby paused, "so amazing."
Weiss quirked an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean?"
"You just are, Weiss," Ruby answered. "I already thought that about you, but this just clinches the deal."
"Forgive me, but I'm not following what you're saying," Weiss said. "What does 'clinches the deal' mean?"
"Conclure un marché," Ciel said without missing a beat.
"Oh, alright?" Weiss said.
Ruby laughed as she rested her forearms on the table. A dreamy smile slowly spread on her face as she leaned forward and said, "Don't worry about it, I'm just trying to say that I'm glad we met."
"I am too," Weiss replied, coming to a decision right then and there; she had nothing left to hide from Ruby. "Say, Ruby, when's your next day off?"
"Next Tuesday, why?"
"Save the day for me, will you?"
"Sure," Ruby said, tilting her head like a confused puppy.
Weiss wanted to reach out and pet her head, but stopped herself and looked at her watch instead. She tapped the table twice and said, "We should get going if you want to make it to Beacon on time—it is Beacon University, correct?"
"Crap, I forgot about that! And yeah, it is." Ruby turned to Ciel. "Is that ride still available?"
"Of course it is," Ciel confirmed.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you—oh, hey, Eddie!" Ruby said, greeting a man walking towards the table. "Heading out?"
"Yeah," he replied, tipping his hat back. He looked down at Weiss and smiled at her. "Ma'am, I hope I'm not being rude by saying this… but you are simply breathtaking." Weiss returned the smile with practised ease and thanked him politely. "That's all I wanted to say, I hope you and your friends have a good day."
"Bye, Eddie, see you next week," Ruby said. "And say hi to your niece for me."
Eddie tilted his hat forward again, hiding his face. "I'll see you around, Zoomies. And will do, she'll be thrilled to hear from you."
"And that's another on the list," Neptune whispered after Eddie was out of earshot. "What number is that now?"
"We're still keeping count?" Ciel asked.
"Keeping count of what?" Ruby chimed in.
"Of all the times people come up to Weiss and feed her overinflated ego," Neptune said as he got out of his chair.
"Oh," Ruby followed suit, grabbing her backpack and slinging it over her shoulder, "then you should probably add me to the list."
Weiss blushed, "Ruby…"
"Well, it's true," Ruby said as she rounded the table and offered her hand to Weiss. "You're really pretty; your wife's lucky to have you."
"I…" Weiss paused, thinking for a second before taking Ruby's hand; it was hard not to get caught up in her eyes. "Thank you."
"No problem, Weiss."
Looking at their joined hands and the smile on Ruby's face, Weiss felt something long dormant stir within her.
A memory from long ago resurfaced, reminding Weiss of the first time she held her wife's hand. It was a situation much like this, though the location was a little more upscale. And while Weiss was no stranger to the gesture, having been forced to dine with men her father deemed worthy, this was the first time she was charmed by it.
And just like then, Weiss felt her heart skip a beat.