Chapter Eight: Roses
After tucking Chrys into bed and kissing her goodnight, Weiss went to the kitchen and poured herself a drink. A small glass of red wine kept her company while she sat on the couch and contemplated the day's events. She could practically feel her wife's eyes boring into her soul from her place up on the mantle.
"Don't judge me," Weiss said, taking an angry sip.
She couldn't believe what happened today. Ruby had actually confessed and Weiss, for some strange, unknown reason, decided it was a good idea to tell her young and impressionable friend that she found her attractive—who does that?! People who have no restraint, that's who.
Weiss took another sip with her left hand laid flat across her stomach. She felt hollow inside. The way Ruby's eyes lit up with hope when Weiss said the attraction was mutual only to have it shattered moments later had stuck with Weiss like a thorn in her side. She didn't regret confronting Ruby, the girl knew she was unavailable, but it physically hurt Weiss to say some of the things she did.
"What do I do, Nicole?" Weiss asked the ghost in her memories. When she didn't get a response, she downed the last of her wine and left the empty glass in the sink. She'd deal with it tomorrow because right now all she wanted to do was take a shower and sleep.
"You gunna go boil, babe?"
"Mm," Weiss hummed as she entered her private bathroom with a fresh change of clothes. And as she stripped, she caught a glance of herself in the mirror nearby and glared.
"Aren't you eating a little too much, dear?"
Weiss looked at the plate before her. It was a small portion compared to her father's and brother's healthy serving, and she'd only taken two bites. But perhaps he was right. Maybe it was too much.
"You're… looking a little plumper than usual."
"Maybe she's pregnant?" her brother suggested as he cut into his thick, succulent steak.
Weiss didn't have one, all she had were green vegetables glistening with what she could only assume was butter. Her mouth watered at the sight of his meal; she was so jealous.
"Don't be preposterous, boy," their father said, laughing at the absurdity of his statement. "Your sister might be slow, but she's not that daft. Now, Weiss," he said in a sterner tone, though her name was said with a sickening sweetness that made her blood run cold, "be a dear and leave the table. You have a photoshoot soon and I'd like it if you didn't embarrass us."
"Yes, father," Weiss said, obeying his command even though her stomach still rumbled with hunger.
"She really has put on weight, hasn't she?" her brother stage whispered. He knew full well she could still hear him. "What if she really has gotten herself pregnant?"
"Boy, do not test me."
"Apologies, Father, it was only a joke."
When Weiss reached her room and locked the door behind her, she picked up her scroll and looked at the photo she secretly took of her lover during their impromptu date after school today. Weiss allowed herself to smile and held her scroll to her chest, elated that someone cared enough to risk freeing her even if it was just for an hour.
"Coco…" she whispered longingly, her hand dropping to her stomach.
Whitley was wrong, she wasn't pregnant. But would it have been so bad if he was right for once in his sad, miserable excuse of a life? Weiss bit her lip and shyly acknowledged that she wouldn't have minded.
She turned to the mirror on her vanity and frowned. Father was right, however, she did gain weight. Weiss looked the same but she could feel it— the extra meat clinging to her bones. Fat and disgusting. She—
"No, stop it. You had three slices of pizza, not a full course meal at the local pub," Weiss hissed, shaking her head to wipe the memory clean. But it stayed like a stubborn stain she couldn't scrub out.
She looked at the mirror again and traced over her scar with a finger. Ugly, worthless, fat, these were the words that rang through her head when she looked at herself.
"Where are you when I need you?" she asked the kind voice in her memories. "I can't get you to shut up on most days, but when I actually need you, you're silent."
"You can't rely on me to fix you, Blue."
"I know, but I need you to help keep me together, you idiot," Weiss hissed, tearing herself away from the mirror and the sad reflection staring back at her.
She stepped into the shower and turned the hot water on, adjusting the temperature until it was hot enough to hurt. Closing her eyes, Weiss let the pressurized water pour over her.
It rained on her wife's funeral. Weiss didn't feel much that day aside from the heavy droplets pelting her and the warmth of her daughter's trembling hand. They didn't say much to each other, nor did they go up on stage to give a eulogy. Weiss was asked to, but she politely declined. Her choice hadn't earned her any points though. She could feel the scorn her wife's extended family had for her without having to lift her head.
Her wife's family hated Weiss, and by proxy Chrys, with a passion. No one was brave enough to say it out loud, but everyone knew. Weiss was the stupid girl that ruined the Adel name and legacy, and they made sure to remind her whenever they got the chance to. One of her wife's distant relatives even had the gall to demand Coco's assets be divided amongst the family, completely ignoring the fact she had a wife and child.
"Ignore it," Weiss told herself as she ran a hand through her hair and wiped her face.
She turned the water off and reached for a shampoo bottle, picking the green apple over her usual cherry blossom. After squeezing a generous amount into her hand, Weiss began lathering her hair with it, making sure every inch made contact with the shampoo.
She kept her eyes closed throughout the whole process and pictured a time when she and her wife took baths together with baby Chrys. They only did it when they spent the night in Coco's childhood home since their rundown one bedroom apartment only had a shower stall that Coco couldn't even comfortably stand in.
Weiss smiled as she massaged her scalp, enjoying the smell of her shampoo and the residual heat keeping her warm. There was nothing like a hot shower to help melt away the stress—well, there was one other thing Weiss could do, but she intended to save that for later. The ache between her legs had been a constant source of annoyance these past few days, but that ended tonight.
After rinsing off the shampoo, Weiss applied the matching conditioner to her hair. And while she was at it with her bangs pushed back, Weiss took the time to lather her body with her favourite body wash, Moonlight Path. Coco had gotten her addicted to it early in their relationship. Something about its sweet floral scent always got her in the mood. And when Coco realized that, she capitalized on it without regret. From the notes she left in Weiss' books to the sheets and pillows they used during their trysts, even Coco's car and skin smelled of the stuff—Weiss couldn't get enough of it.
"I used to wonder if you were hooked on me or the way I smelled."
Weiss hummed as her hands roved over her breasts and down her thighs. "You never should have told me what it was."
"Eh, it still got me laid, and we both knew you'd find the bottles eventually."
"Hiding them in the same place you hid your condoms was not your brightest idea," Weiss replied.
"You're as nosy as my mom."
"And yet you called me 'Daddy,' "
"That was only once and you know damn well I was drunk off my ass… plus, you were wearing that suit with the suspenders, and you know how much I love you seeing you in that."
Weiss rinsed herself clean and stayed under the water for another minute to enjoy the heat. Once she was satisfied, she stepped out and finished the last of her nighttime routine before shutting off all the lights in the apartment. On her way back to her bedroom, Weiss decided to check in on Chrys one last time to make sure she was sleeping peacefully, but what she saw broke her heart.
Chrys hugged her stuffed shark with a death grip, her face buried deep in its soft fur. She tossed and turned, crying for her Maman with a strangled voice.
"Maman… Maman!"
Weiss put on a brave face as she turned the lights on and marched into her daughter's room. She sat down beside Chrys and stroked her hair, trying to coax her out. The sudden change in lighting had Chrys curling in on herself with her poor toy acting as a shield. Weiss carefully pried Chrys' rigid hands off the shark before it lost a fin and replaced it with her own hand; Chrys would've been devastated if Sharkington lost a fin again since it was a gift from her Maman. Thankfully, Chrys didn't mind the substitution and immediately latched onto Weiss' arm, snuggling into it as she turned away into her pillow to hide from the light.
Sighing from exhaustion, Weiss looked at the scraggly shark she held in her other hand and winced. The poor thing had seen much better days. When Coco bought it during their first trip as a family to the National Atlas Marine Sanctuary, it was plush and fat like it had eaten far too many sardines. But now, after many years and a lot of love, it was skinny and deflated with its stuffing all bunched up in different places.
Weiss gently set Sharkington down beside Chrys and silently thanked him for watching over her.
"Chryssie, mon coeur, wake up," Weiss whispered gently. "You're having a nightmare." Chrys scrunched up her nose and blindly reached for Sharkington. Weiss scooped Chrys' hand up and brought it to her lips, pressing a kiss against Chrys' palm. Weiss begged herself not to cry. "Baby, wake up."
"Maman…" Chrys cried.
A tear slid down Weiss' cheek. Other parents told her Chrys would eventually get over her nightmares and that Weiss would get used to it, but how the fuck could she ever get used to seeing her baby this tormented? It pissed her off.
"Chryssie," Weiss said firmly, "you need to wake up."
"No…" Chrys' face scrunched up, her body tensing before she lashed out screaming, "No!" Weiss fought off a rogue leg and put her weight on the other one before Chrys could hurt herself. "No!"
Weiss sucked in a breath and scooped Chrys up, making sure her blanket stayed tightly wrapped around her. She cradled her daughter's head under her chin and gently rocked her, humming her favourite My Little Budgie song. Chrys continued to struggle against her, but Weiss held strong even when Chrys accidentally kneed her in the side.
"The bitterness and pain inside, the countless tears I had to cry… I was facing all my fears just to let you in to dry my tears, but," Weiss took a shaky breath and kissed the top of Chrys' head, "your kindness won't betray me. I feel your heart and soul. Your kindness still can save me, and I choose to not let go. Stretching out you somehow reach me, I know this can't be wrong… I'm ready, won't you teach me…"
"M-Mama?"
"Hello, mon coeur," Weiss said, sighing in relief when she saw her daughter's eyes flutter open. "You were having another nightmare."
"A ni—right, Maman… she's…" Chrys sniffled. "I dreamt she was with me… and… and…" A sob racked her little body. "I k-kept begging her t-to stay, but she kept push… pushing me away, a-and then when I-I finally m-managed to… managed to hug her, she was suddenly gone a-and I couldn't find her! Mama, I looked everywhere for her, but she was gone. And then—"
Weiss pulled the blanket apart, letting it fall to the floor, and hugged her daughter tight.
"Chryssie, your Maman would never ever leave you," she said. "She loved you more than anything in this world. You're her little patch of spring, her happy little hazelnut."
"If she loved me then why did she leave?!" Chrys cried, the tears rolling freely down her cheeks without an end in sight. She buried her face into Weiss' chest and screamed in frustration. "Why did she leave?!"
"She didn't leave you by choice, Chryssie, you know this," Weiss sternly said, feeling her own tears fall. Her heart ached tremendously. The weight of Chrys' anger along with her own threatened to spill out. Weiss wanted to scream and throw whatever she could grab against the wall. She wanted to give up.
Chrys sniffled again, her tiny hands grabbing hold of Weiss' arm for comfort. "Mama…"
This. This was the reason why Weiss couldn't give up. The world could turn against her, she could lose everything she owned and every friend she held dear, but as long as she had Chrys, she'd persevere. This innocent child, whose only wish was to be loved—Weiss would move heaven and earth for her.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Weiss rested her cheek against the top of Chrys' head. "A bad, bad man hurt her," she said carefully, "and he's paying for it in jail where he can't hurt anyone else. He might have taken your maman away, but she made it so he can't take away anyone else's mama or papa."
"But why did he have to take mine away?!" Chrys screamed in frustration. "It isn't fair!"
"I know it isn't," Weiss said as she leaned back to see her daughter's face. Chrys stared back at her with puffy, tear streaked red eyes and a runny nose that made her far too cute. Smiling, Weiss gently wiped away Chrys' tears and the little trail she kept trying to sniff back up.
"Sorry…" Chrys murmured, her nose immediately beginning to drip again.
"There's nothing to say sorry for," Weiss said, wiping Chrys' nose. "But, darling," she continued softly, " you know your maman was a hero, right?"
Chrys looked down, her angry eyes focused on the floor. "Mm…"
Weiss furrowed her brows together and tilted Chrys' face back up so she could look at her. Chrys struggled against Weiss' hand at first, but a kiss on the temple and a gentle request quelled her resistance.
"She saved someone who desperately needed help," Weiss said, caressing Chrys' cheek. "Do you remember what Sparkle Feather did when the Great, Big Bad Thing trapped all of Budgieville under a spell of eternal slumber?"
Chrys sniffled and nodded. "She used all of her magic to break it…"
"That's right," Weiss confirmed. "She gave up the thing that made her who she was to save the birdies she cared about."
"But Princess Aeona gave it back to her," Chrys argued. "Sparkle Feather didn't even die! She just passed out and became a regular budgie until the next season…"
"Chryssie," Weiss sighed, tired of the cyclical nature of their conversation, "that still doesn't make her sacrifice any less great. Sparkle Feather was a hero, just like your Maman."
"We don't have a Princess Aeona to bring her back though…"
Weiss stroked Chrys' hair and kissed her on the forehead. "Chryssie, do you want to sleep in my bed with me tonight?"
"Can Sharkington come?"
"Yes, he may," Weiss smiled. "Does anyone else want to come?"
Chrys looked at the other stuffed animals lying on her bed and shook her head. "Non, Mama, only Sharkington."
"Alright then." Weiss picked up the toy and handed him to Chrys. "Let's go then." Weiss stood up and held her hand out for Chrys who happily took it. "You're my brave little girl, mon coeur," Weiss said with pride. "We'll get through this together."
"Oui," Chrys murmured, holding her stuffed toy close to her chest. "Mama?"
"Yes?"
"Can we put more of Maman's colony on Sharkington?"
Weiss blinked, her hand resting on the doorknob to her room. "Cologne, mon coeur."
"That's what I said?"
"Now I know you're messing with me," Weiss said, ushering her laughing daughter inside.
Chrys let go of her hand and climbed onto the bed, picking the side closest to her mother's photo. She picked the picture frame up and stared at it before hugging it tight. Weiss stood by the light switch, letting Chrys have her moment before she turned off the lights.
"I love you, Maman…" Chrys whispered. She put the photo back then picked Sharkington up and waved him in the air. "Mama, please? Before you forget?"
Sighing, Weiss strode over to her vanity and uncapped her wife's signature cologne. "Alright, han—"
"Shark attack!" Chrys shouted, throwing poor Sharkington at Weiss. He slammed into her face and harmlessly bounced off, falling into Weiss' hand. "Direct hit—it was super effective!"
Weiss glared at her daughter and sprayed the shark with the cologne. "Chryssie," she said sternly.
"Uh…" Chrys' shoulders drooped as her short life flashing before her eyes. "Je t'aime, Mama," she managed to say before getting a shark to the face. "Sharkington, why?!"
"Chrys D'Artagnan Adel, you get into bed this instant and apologize to him."
"For what?" Chrys asked as she slid under the covers.
"For traumatizing him."
"But you made him fly too."
Weiss walked to her night stand and turned on the lamp before going back to the light switch and flicking it off. She slipped into bed with Chrys and took the shark from her. She set it on her lap and held it so it sat upright.
"Sharkington, my old friend, I apologize for making you fly," Weiss said, making the shark look away from her like it was mad, "but you have it admit, it was a fantastic throw."
"It was," Weiss replied to herself in a low, gruff voice. "But it was still mean!"
Chrys giggled and snuggled closer to Weiss. "Yeah, you tell her, Sharkington! Down with the oppressive bourgeoisie! Power to the people!"
"Chrys, where did you learn that?!" Weiss gasped.
"Ms. Valkyrie said it when we talked about how big corporations are ruining the world," Chrys replied with a sagely nod.
Weiss blinked. "Mon coeur, you do remember that you're the heiress to one of those big corporations, right?"
"I do," Chrys said unflinchingly. "But I also know that you and Mémère are working really hard to make Nobility Incorperpated—"
"Incorporated," Weiss said.
"That's what I said," Chrys pouted. "Incorperpated."
Weiss made the shark look at Chrys disapprovingly. "Incorporated," Sharkington said.
"Incorporated," Chrys repeated perfectly.
"Wait, wait, wait! You'll listen to the shark but not your own mother?!"
Chrys shrugged and patted Sharkington's head. "He's a better teacher than you."
"I taught you how to speak Western Atlesian," Weiss said, affronted that her daughter would defer to the fish before her. "And how to use the bathroom. You'd still be in diapers if it weren't for me."
"The only time Western Atlesian came in handy was when that creepy old man with the white caterpillar on his face tried to get me into his car," Chrys said, reminding Weiss of the time her asshole of a father tried to take Chrys away. "And I'm pretty sure it was Maman that taught me how to use the bathroom. And talk, and read, and write, and eat with a fork and knife… I can keep going."
"Well," Weiss blushed, "I helped..."
"You tried," Chrys said, patting Weiss' arm.
Weiss frowned and handed Sharkington back to Chrys who squealed in delight. She hugged him tight and breathed in the comforting scent that seeped into his fur. Weiss looked at her daughter with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"Chrys," she said, "I'm… I'm sorry I wasn't more involved with you while you were a baby…"
"Huh?"
Coco and her mother had taken over most of the parenting duties during Chrys' formative years while Weiss focused on her school work. She used high school as an excuse to hide the fact that she didn't know how to raise a baby even though she'd been the one to give birth to her.
"What do you mean, Mama?"
Weiss shook her head and kissed Chrys on the temple. "Never mind, mon coeur," she said, nuzzling her daughter's cheek. "Your Maman might've taught you all the basics, but I'll be the one teaching you how to succeed."
"But Maman already taught me how to do that," Chrys said.
Weiss raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean?"
"She told me that the secret to succeeding in life was to follow in your footsteps—minus having me at a really young age," Chrys giggled. "She made me promise not to do that."
"Well," Weiss gulped, "she's right."
"But I'm still happy you had me." Chrys leaned against Weiss and smiled up at her. "I get to brag about how young and pretty my Mama is. One of the girls in my class has a mama that looks like Mémère."
"Your Mémère isn't that old, mon coeur."
Chrys shrugged. "Then she looks older then Mémère."
"So you're not embarrassed by me?" Weiss asked, threading her fingers through Chrys' hair.
Telling Chrys the truth about why her parents were so young had been a conscious decision they didn't take lightly. Chrys had already heard whispers about them from other parents and relatives who couldn't resist the juicy gossip. Coco had come up with the idea and Weiss agreed to it even though she was terrified of what Chrys would think of her.
"Why would I be embarrassed?" Chrys tilted her head with a confused pout. "You're my Mama… I love you."
Weiss was at a loss for words. She knew her daughter was mature for her age, but to hear her say something like that with such conviction gave Weiss hope. Her mistakes couldn't be undone, and there was no doubt in her mind that Chrys'll run into problems later on in life because of her, but for now everything was fine. They didn't have Coco anymore, but they still had each other.
"I love you too, Chrys," Weiss said, pulling the blanket up to Chrys' and Sharkington's chins. "Now settle in, it's way past your bedtime."
Chrys yawned and nodded her head, snuggling deeper into her pillow. "Bon nuit, Mama."
"Bon nuit, mon coeur."
Weiss turned the lamp off but the blinking blue light on her scroll caught her attention. She turned her back to Chrys to shield her from the light and quickly checked the message. Ruby had wished her goodnight with a smiley face and a duck. It took Weiss a few seconds to remember why the mallard had any relevance, and when she did, she couldn't help but smile and send one back. Ruby replied instantaneously with another duck and a yellow heart.
You dolt, Weiss thought as she closed her scroll and turned back to face Chrys. She drifted off to sleep soon after with her arm draped protectively over her daughter.
Weiss woke up several minutes before her alarm and turned it off so Chrys could keep sleeping. It was still too early for her to wake up so Weiss carefully pried herself out of her warm bed and proceeded with her morning rituals. But before anything else, Weiss made sure to text Ruby good morning. And unsurprisingly enough, Ruby text back a second later. It was nice having a friend who got up just as early, if not earlier, than she did.
Breakfast was difficult as always with Weiss tempted to skip the meal entirely. She still thought and felt guilty about the pizza she had yesterday. The amount of cheese and grease on it made Weiss' insides shrivel in disgust. But when Chrys' walked into Weiss' office after school and saw the pizza box waiting for her, Weiss decided that the trip and the calories were completely worth it.
Chrys had been happy about their surprise pizza night that she was still talking about how good it was and how they should go back for more later this week. Weiss wasn't sure if she could allow it, but that annoying voice in her head kept saying there wasn't any harm in it.
"Would you like to have pizza more often?" Weiss asked.
"Huh?"
"And burgers too," Weiss added, her fingers curling around her coffee mug. "Do your friends' parents allow that…?"
"You mean for dinner or just treats?" Chrys asked, tilting her head curiously to the side.
"For dinner," Weiss said nervously. "I… know I can be too strict sometimes… especially with the things we eat. But that strictness is… all I knew growing up. Without your Maman helping me, I don't… I don't want that for you so I'm asking: is pizza something you want more often?"
Chrys gently put her spoon down and plodded towards Weiss with a serious expression.
"Chryssie?" Weiss said in surprise when her daughter wrapped her arms around her neck. When did she get this tall?
"You're not strict at all, Mama," Chrys said. "You care about me, so you worry about what I eat. What other Mama's and Papa's do doesn't matter. But do I want more pizza and burgers? Eh, not really?"
Weiss pushed her chair back and patted her lap for Chrys to sit on. She was too big for Weiss to pick up, but Chrys wasn't grown up enough to resist sitting on her mother's lap. She happily climbed up and returned to hugging Weiss like a baby koala.
"I love you, Mama," Chrys said, snuggling her head under Weiss' chin.
"Oh Chryssie, no matter how big or how old you get," Weiss said, fully embracing the love of her life, "you will always be my baby. I'll love you no matter what, and I hope that any mistakes I make… don't ever make you question or forget that."
Weiss resisted the urge to cry, but the weight of her words and the sincerity she said them with had struck a chord in her heart. The first person to ever say they'd love her no matter what was Amélia, Coco's mother. Weiss had just admitted to something she never thought she'd say out loud. And instead of lashing out angrily or looking down at her for endangering the life of her unborn grandchild, Amélia embraced her. Weiss had been so shocked she nearly missed Amélia telling her the words she had always yearned to hear and the promise to give her all the love, help, and support she needed. Amélia had shown Weiss what a real mother was like that day, and she cherished that memory no matter how scared she was.
I should call her, Weiss thought with a nostalgic smile.
"Can we have macaroni and cheese tonight?" Chrys asked with a hopeful look in her eyes.
"You want more cheese today even though you had so much yesterday?" Weiss asked, stroking Chrys' long hair. The deep, rich colour was exactly like her Maman's, but her blue eyes were all Weiss'. A small part of Weiss wondered if her own eyes had ever sparkled the way Chrys' did. Weiss had never felt excited for anything when she asked her parents for things, only dread and rejection. "You know what, let's do it."
"Really?!" Chrys exclaimed, her eyes shining even brighter.
"Yeah!" Weiss said, ruffling her daughter's hair with both hands the way she'd seen her wife do it a million times before. "We can make it fancy with green onions, bacon…"
"Ham?"
"Do you want ham?"
Chrys shrugged. "I don't know. Donovaughn said his mama puts ham in his macaroni and cheese and he hates it. I wonder why?"
"Well," Weiss hesitated, "why don't we get some ham and try it, but we'll keep it on the side in case we don't."
"Okay!"
"Now, you know I love hugging you, but you need to hurry up and finish your cereal or you'll be late for school," Weiss said, ushering Chrys off her lap.
"Aw, okay," Chrys pouted.
After seeing Chrys off and a small kerfuffle with Mme. Lait and her cronies, Weiss drove to work feeling a little off-kilter. Her palms were sweaty and her heartbeat was racing. Her mouth was drier than a desert and everything sounded louder than they really were. She entered the building on edge and—
"Good morning, Mrs. Adel!" Octavia said with a bright smile. She looked beautiful this morning with her long red hair done up in a neat ponytail that rested on her shoulder.
"Bonjour, Octavia," Weiss said, walking up to her receptionist. "How are you this morning?"
"Excellent, ma'am," she replied eagerly.
Octavia was a good, hardworking young woman with a bright future ahead of her. When she applied for the receptionist position, Weiss wasn't sure if she was the right fit. Her credentials were far above what was needed, she even had a business degree from Shade University. Her references all sang her praise, and, honestly, Weiss was a little smitten by her beauty.
"How was your evening? Did the little lady enjoy her surprise?"
The "little lady" was everyone's nickname for Chrys. Neptune had started it when he introduced her to all his new friends in the building and it caught on like a wildfire. Chrys had charmed everyone she met, but Weiss and her personal team kept a close watch on her; she was the heiress to a multi-billion dollar company, they could never be too safe.
"She loved it," Weiss said.
"That's good to hear."
Weiss gnawed on the inside of her cheek as she thought about what really brought her to approach Octavia.
"Say, what do you think about the person I was with yesterday?" she asked, gripping the strap of her purse.
Octavia lifted an eyebrow. "Who?"
"The young woman I was with, she said you met her earlier that afternoon," Weiss clarified. "Messy red hair, silver eyes—"
"Oh! The girl with the puppy dog grin," Octavia said, clapping her hands together. "Yes, I do remember her! She was a real cutie. Friend of yours or a prospective hire?"
"Friend," Weiss said a little too fast. Her heart sped up and her stomach twisted into a knot. "Friend" wasn't the word she would use to describe Ruby. There was something more lying beneath the unfamiliarity—something deeper. Whether Weiss acknowledged it for what it truly was, however, was a completely different story. There were some things better left unsaid and unexplored.
"Oh," Octavia said. "Then I'm not too sure what to say, ma'am."
"Do you think she's nice?"
"I think so," Octavia replied. "I only spoke with her for a minute, but she seems genuine."
"I see."
"Did I do something wrong, ma'am? Because if I did, I sincerely apologize and—"
"No, no," Weiss said, flashing Octavia a smile. "You were perfect. Ruby only had the best to say about you."
"Oh," Octavia's stiff shoulders relaxed and she returned Weiss' smile. "Well, I'm glad then."
Weiss nodded. "I'll let you get back to work, Octavia. I just wanted to thank you for helping Ruby."
"It's no problem at all, ma'am," Octavia said, bowing in respect.
Weiss went to the security desk next to greet Yatsuhashi and Fox. The two men stood and bowed, greeting her in unison before Weiss even uttered a word.
"Good morning to you as well, gentlemen," Weiss chuckled.
"Thank you for the pizza, Weiss," Fox said, his unseeing eyes poised in Weiss' direction. "I'm sorry, I mean… Mrs. Adel."
"Ugh," Weiss rolled her eyes, "Fox, you of all people have the right to call me by my name."
"But—"
"No."
"I—"
"Fox," Weiss said, "we've been friends for how long?"
"Awhile," he smiled.
"Yes, 'awhile,' just like Yatsu, Ciel, and Neptune," Weiss said.
Fox shook his head and sighed. "You win, Weiss. No formalities from me."
"Good, now help Yatsu with it," Weiss chuckled.
"Would you prefer 'Ice Queen'?" Yatsuhashi asked with a small smile.
Weiss glowered at him. "Only if you want to keep your extremely high paying job."
"But you said no formalities," he countered.
"I take it back," Weiss pouted. Yatsuhashi laughed and poked Weiss' crinkle, then laughed even harder when she tried to slap his massive hand away.
"Crinkle?" Fox asked.
"Crinkle," Yatsuhashi replied.
"You're both insufferable!" Weiss huffed. "I'll see you both later—oh, Yatsu? About Ruby's visitor's badge?"
"Already made and waiting for her, Weiss," he said.
"Excellent."
Weiss left her wife's old colleagues behind and entered the packed elevator. Some people tried to leave to give her more room, but Weiss insisted that they stay. She tried her best to look friendly and approachable, but she could tell they were all nervous, some more than others. Nobody claimed it, so everyone remained silent and pretended it never happened. But whoever dealt it, didn't have to deal with it for twenty-seven floors.
When the doors opened on her floor, Weiss tumbled out of it, taking in deep breaths of fresh air.
Neptune looked at her with worry while Ciel nonchalantly sipped on her morning coffee.
"It…" Weiss breathed, mentally praising her assistants for keeping their floor smelling wonderful, "it… it should be illegal to fart in an elevator."
Ciel choked on her coffee.
"Gurl…" Neptune said with a wince.
"I-I'll be in my office," Weiss said weakly.
"Coffee's on your desk," Neptune said as he patted Ciel's back; she smacked him away. "Bitch."
"Don't touch me," Ciel hissed.
"Touch," Neptune said, poking her on the cheek.
"Weiss!" Ciel shouted. "He's touching me!"
Weiss held her office door open and glared at her two quarreling assistants. "Children."
She let the door close behind her and made a beeline for her desk and the coffee waiting for her on it.
The first thing Weiss did when she got it in her hands was check for the writing on the cup. Penny had extremely neat printing, almost robotic based on how perfect it was, and Ruby had this messy chicken scrawl that was barely legible. Today's coffee was…
"Ruby," Weiss sighed, eagerly taking a sip; it tasted like heaven.
Sitting on the edge of her desk, Weiss waved at Monsieur Bulle as she took another sip. Her heart was practically beating out of her chest at this point and it wasn't the caffeine's fault. Ruby, for one reason or another, had been writing her little notes on the cup where the sleeve would keep it hidden. The messages were always something sweet like "Good luck today!" and "I made today's cup extra special." Weiss appreciated them, but she suspected this was Ruby's way of flirting with her. She didn't know how to feel about it, so she pretended they didn't exist. But now that Weiss had confronted her… she was worried Ruby would stop. Those little notes had filled Weiss with so much joy. The thought of them ever stopping broke her heart.
Slipping the sleeve down slowly, Weiss closed her eyes to hide the truth. But curiosity was a tempting mistress and Weiss couldn't deny her. She cracked an eye open and saw the beginnings of a message. She breathed a sigh of relief and opened her eyes.
Weiss wished she had kept them closed.
The note read "When can I see you again?"