First Time at a Second Chance

by The Great Weiss Shark

Working at a café had many perks like free food and coffee, and Ruby honestly loved her job, but it felt lacking. There were days she wanted to give up and stay in bed but something in her gut told her to get up and go. And so she did and now she knows why: a chance meeting with a beautiful stranger and her little patch of spring. GP!Ruby

31. I Miss the Feeling that We had then

Chapter Twenty-nine: I Miss the Feeling that We had then

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Staying the night at Weiss' was quickly becoming Ruby's favourite habit simply because it led to her waking up next to the woman she wanted to spend her life with. Ruby loved the lazy morning kisses and the warm snuggles she got just before Weiss fully woke up. She was exceedingly cute and affectionate in that small time frame, almost childlike with how pouty she got when Ruby feigned resistance. It also led to them making love in the early light more often than not, and today was no exception.

Weiss woke up feeling particularly frisky and Ruby was more than happy to comply. But this wasn't a "let's start things off with a bang!" sort of morning. Ruby could feel something was deeply wrong based on the needy, desperate way Weiss touched and kissed her. It was like she'd woken from a terrible nightmare and Ruby was the security blanket she grabbed to keep the monsters away.

"Morning," Ruby whispered as she carefully cupped Weiss' face, marvelling in the afterglow. "I love you."

"Mm," Weiss hummed, her eyes hazy and unfocused.

"Are you feeling better?" Ruby asked, carefully running her fingers through Weiss' hair. Weiss nodded as she took a deep breath and rested her head in the crook of Ruby's neck. She looked so small sitting on Ruby's lap. "Do you want to go back to sleep?" Weiss shook her head. "Just wanna stay like this then?"

"Please," Weiss whispered, her breath tickling Ruby's skin.

"Okay," Ruby obliged, rubbing her cheek against Weiss'.

One thing Ruby noted about their early morning sessions that differed from all the other times they'd been together was the idyllic calm that followed shortly after. They would stay in each other's arms and enjoy the comfortable silence, letting curious hands wander without straying too far. Weiss liked to amuse herself by tickling the back of Ruby's neck, an act that made Ruby squirm more than she'd like to admit. But the tickling torture was well worth it if it made Weiss happy. And if that meant playing test subject then Ruby would let Weiss poke and prod her wherever she wanted.

"Good morning," Weiss murmured, kissing Ruby's cheek, sounding more alert than she did earlier. She climbed off of Ruby and the bed and gathered all the clothing they carelessly threw on the floor.

"Morning," Ruby replied.

Seeing Weiss naked never ceased to amaze Ruby. She'd seen her bare more times than she could count now, but each time still felt like the first. It made her heart start racing and other parts of her to rise like the hairs on the back of her neck. They had just finished making love, but Ruby already wanted to do it again.

"I'm going to take a shower," Weiss said, handing Ruby her clothes. "Do you want to come with me?"

Ruby considered the offer for a moment, but despite her steadily growing desire and the many fantasies crowding her brain, she turned it down. Weiss needed some time alone to process things and a good shower could help with that.

"I'll get started on breakfast," Ruby said, her eyes following Weiss longingly to the bathroom. "Do you want anything specific?"

"Other than your coffee? Not really," Weiss said with a yawn. She stopped at the foot of the door and looked over her shoulder. "Are you sure you don't want to join me?"

The offer was clearer now, but so was the desperation and sadness in Weiss' voice. She was trying to escape her thoughts instead of facing them head-on. Ruby hated this feeling of powerlessness, but she couldn't keep enabling Weiss' bad habit. They promised to work on this together and Ruby would keep her word… even if it meant passing up a chance for round two.

"Yeah, I'm good," Ruby said. "Take your time, baby."

"Thanks… I mean it, Ruby," Weiss said.

"For what?"

"For being here," Weiss murmured. "I don't know how I'd survive the day if you weren't."

"It's okay," Ruby said. "I'm just glad you gave me a heads-up."

Weiss gave Ruby one last smile before entering the bathroom and locking the door. She was on her own from here on out.

Ruby got dressed and out of bed when she heard the water turn on. And after a quick trip to the other bathroom, Ruby got started on breakfast. Something light and simple but filling. Ruby searched through Weiss' freakishly organized fridge and found all the ingredients to make a loaded omelette. After pulling everything she needed out, Ruby got straight to work, following the delicious but braindead recipe Yang drilled into her head in an effort to ensure Ruby didn't starve to death. She also got started on Weiss' "special" coffee which was really just regular coffee made with a lot of love.

February 6, that was the day Ruby learned Weiss couldn't tell the difference between the coffee Ruby spent ten minutes brewing and the stuff she just pushed a button for. Honestly, to Weiss, the only thing that made the coffee taste as amazing as it did was the fact it came from Ruby. Whether it was just Ruby's name on the cup or having it personally served to her, that little bit of love helped Weiss smile. And that little smile, that little bit of extra joy, made Ruby fall in love with that stoic woman all the more. Just thinking about it made Ruby want to gush about all the things that she loved about Weiss.

"What are you making?" Weiss asked, suddenly popping up behind Ruby.

"Holy fucking shit!" Ruby screamed in a panic, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets from the fright. Weiss blinked and apologized, but the damage was already done. "Wear a damn bell, oh my god!"

"But I called your name when I got here," Weiss said, drawing soothing circles on Ruby's back. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, it's fine," Ruby said in a much calmer tone after she caught her breath. "You sure you're not a cat Faunus?"

"With how anti-Faunus my biological family is? I highly doubt it," Weiss chuckled sardonically.

"Right… Schnee…" Ruby murmured in thought. It was still rather difficult to wrap her head around that fact. How did a family known for its immense wealth, greed, and bigotry produce someone as kind, generous, and open-minded as Weiss?

Weiss wrapped her arms around Ruby's waist and cuddled up against her. "What are you making?"

"An omelette," Ruby answered, kissing the top of Weiss' head. She thanked her lucky stars that the Weiss standing next to her was the Weiss freed from Jacques Schnee's evil grasp. "Gunna split it with Chrys. And for you, my love, some buttered toast—er, margarine toast? Man, that sounds weird."

"But it tastes amazing," Weiss said matter-of-factly. "Let me help."

Happy to have another set of hands to work with, Ruby had Weiss grate the cheese and finish prepping the vegetables. Weiss showed her the way Chrys liked her veggies—the way Coco cut them—and other helpful little tips to please the little lady of the Adel family household. And by the time the egg was sizzling in the pan, the topic of today's agenda popped up. Ruby had been patiently waiting for this moment because nothing made Weiss smile quite like organization and planning.

"Today's gunna be great!" Ruby cheered optimistically.

"I hope so…" Weiss murmured, her eyebrows knitted together pensively.

"It'll be okay, baby." Ruby wrapped her arms around Weiss' small frame and held her tight. "Today's going to be rough for the both of you, but me and the others are going to be here to help. You won't have to deal with this alone, I promise."

"I know," Weiss said, melting into Ruby's warm embrace. "I appreciate you."

"'Appreciate'? Oh my, Mrs. Adel, you're making me blush." Ruby fanned her face and whispered a playful "mercy me" in Weiss' ear.

Weiss snorted out a loud laugh as she buried her face in the crook of Ruby's neck. "You're so silly!"

"I'll take that as a win," Ruby cheered victoriously. "Anyway, breakfast is ready, why don't you go wake Chrys up?"

"Hi, I'm right here," Chrys casually announced from the couch, scroll in hand. She turned on her belly and poked her head up from behind the armrest. "About time someone noticed I was here."

"Holy sugar, honey, iced tea—Chrys!" Ruby screamed, whipping her head around to glare at the little monster. "Wear a bell!"

"I said good morning ages ago," Chrys said with a pout. Ruby didn't let up on the glower though. "Sorry?"

"You," Ruby whimpered, "you're mean."

"Mama, Ruby's bullying me!"

"I am not!" Ruby shrieked. "Weiss, you know I'm not."

"She is, Mama!" Chrys insisted.

Weiss rolled her eyes and made her way over to Chrys, ignoring Ruby's desperate pleas. "Happy birthday, mon coeur," Weiss said as she knelt down and hugged Chrys. "Are you excited for today?"

Chrys furrowed her brows and shrugged. "I guess? I mean, it's just another day…"

"Oh, mon coeur." Weiss hugged Chrys even tighter and kissed her temple. "It might just be another day, but it's your day. And there isn't another day in the year that can match up to that, so whatever you want, just ask and it'll be yours."

"Can I stay in bed all day?" Chrys asked with a heavy sigh.

Weiss pulled back a bit to look Chrys in the eye. "Is that what you really want?" Chrys shrugged. "Mon coeur, you know what we have planned for you today, right? You're getting your fish tank, Briar and Heizell are coming for a sleepover, Yang baked you a cake… do you really want to cancel all that?"

Chrys mulled over Weiss' words and shook her head. Relief washed over Weiss as she pulled Chrys in for another hug.

"Oh, mon coeur, I know today is going to be hard for you, it's hard for me too… but everyone is going to do their best to try and make today as special as it can be."

"It's true. Yang's been baking up a storm for you," Ruby said, approaching the two carefully. She knelt down beside Weiss and patted Chrys' head. "And while your mama and everyone else is busy getting your present, I'll be your personal chauffeur and take you wherever you want."

"Animal shelter?" Chrys asked, saying the first thing that popped into her head.

"Of course!" Ruby caught the look Weiss sent her and quickly added, "Just to look though. Your mama would probably put me in the pound if I helped you bring a puppy or a kitty home."

"It's okay, you're enough," Chrys said, patting Ruby's head and ruffling her hair. "We didn't even have to potty train you."

"Wait, what?" Ruby blinked.

Chrys snorted out a laugh—an haughty Weiss-like laugh—and patted Ruby again. "I'm hungry. Is breakfast ready?"

"I made eggs," Ruby said, still bewildered by Chrys' boldness.

Weiss led the charge back to the table, eager to get her hands on some much-needed caffeine and toast. She'd been working overtime for the past week and a half to get this weekend off and the fatigue was starting to catch up. Weiss looked like she needed a nice, long nap. After she yawned, Ruby couldn't help but do the same. And to keep the train going, Chrys yawned after Ruby.

"That was a biiiig yawn there, birthday girl," Ruby said, cutting her half of the omelette into smaller bite-sized pieces.

"What time did you go to bed, mon coeur?" Weiss asked.

Chrys shrugged as she poked her food. She took a nibble and stuck her tongue out in disgust. "It's a little salty."

"You're a little salty," Ruby shot back on reflex, sticking her tongue out.

"Let's see you eat it then," Chrys said with a confident smirk. "If it's salty… you have to… sit and watch a horror movie with me tonight!"

"You have yourself a deal!" Ruby took a big heaping bite to prove Chryssie wrong and swallowed it.

Fuck.

It was salty.

Chrys shot Ruby a smug look and drank her juice, letting the sweet pulpy taste of victory sink in.

Noticing the tension rising in the air, Weiss cautiously looked between Ruby, Chrys, and the offending omelette. It was a pretty omelette. Ruby followed Yang's recipe to the letter… give or take a few shortcuts here and there, but it was visually the same. Sort of. Kind of? Weiss bravely took Ruby's fork and ate a small piece.

"It's not so—oh. Oh no, I can taste it now." Weiss washed the egg down with her bitter black coffee and handed the fork back to Ruby. "Ruby, I helped you make this. How did this happen?"

Ruby looked down at her failure and pouted. "I don't know…"

"It's okay, Ruby!" Chrys said optimistically. "You might not be able to cook, but you're still cute and that's good enough for Mama."

"Wait, what?" Weiss blinked then shook her head. "Chrys, that makes me sound extremely shallow."

Chrys looked her mother dead in the eye and, without a hint of fear or hesitation, said, "Well, aren't you?"

"What?"

With one quiet word, Weiss managed to suck all the air and warmth out of the room. No one dared to speak or breathe. Okay. Ruby didn't dare to breathe. Chrys and Weiss were staring each other down like it was high noon, pistols drawn, ready for blood.

Chrys was the first to shoot.

"You liked Maman for the way she looked."

"The same could be said about her."

"Theeeen… doesn't that mean you're both shallow?" Chrys shrugged.

Ruby gasped and held her breath for what felt like the world's longest second.

"Fair," Weiss chuckled.

The warmth returned to the room like a sweeping wave and all's well that ends well. Chrys and Weiss shared a laugh and Ruby was left wondering. Weiss noticed the confusion written across Ruby's face and laughed even harder.

"Sorry, that must've surprised you," Weiss said, reaching over to stroke Ruby's cheek.

"'Surprised' is putting it lightly…." Ruby grumbled.

"Nicole and I wanted to make sure Chrys was comfortable talking to us," Weiss explained. "She's allowed to speak her mind without fear of punishment as long as she's respectful. And in this instance, she was fairly accurate."

"Mhm," Chrys nodded in approval.

"I am not a saint. I have my vices…" Weiss took a sip of her coffee and shrugged. "But instead of calling my tendencies 'shallow,' let's just say I have… hm, impeccable tastes in women."

"Like steak," Chrys added. "Mama picks out the best steaks."

"You just want steak," Weiss laughed.

"With mashed potatoes and a lobster butt, please."

Weiss shot Ruby a lopsided smile and said, "Looks like you've got your mission for today."

"Steak and lobster for everyone or just Her Highness, the royal pain in the lobster butt?" Ruby asked.

"We didn't have any concrete dinner plans so I guess this is it," Weiss said. "Ask Yang if it's okay. I'll pay her for her efforts."

"Weiss, you're asking my sister to cook for a bunch of people and giving her free steak. I wouldn't be surprised if she paid you," Ruby laughed. "But, okay, I'll let her know."

"Fantastic."

"But what kind of steak should we get?" Ruby asked Chrys.

"Mmm… I want… a strip steak!" Chrys announced after a second of hard thought. "Can we have snap peas on the side?"

"Anything you want, mon coeur." Weiss smiled and nodded. "I'll give the butcher a call—Ruby, do you still remember the place we went to get your father's ribeye steaks?"

"I think so?" Ruby said.

"I'll give you the address again just in case."

"Aye, Captain!" Ruby saluted.

Breakfast ended on a fairly high note with Chrys finally looking eager to celebrate the day. But there was a shadow of sadness in her eyes that Ruby couldn't ignore. So when Weiss left to pick up the aquarium crew, Ruby went up to Chrys' door with a mug of hot cocoa in each hand and a packet of cookies she got from the pantry under her arm.

"Hey, buddy?" Ruby called in a thoughtful tone. "Mind if I come in?"

"S-Sure!" Chrys answered, her tone strained. Ruby held a pang in her chest, afraid of what she'd find inside. "The door's unlocked."

"Could you open it? My hands are kind of full."

"Right." Chrys opened the door by a slight fraction and peeked through the crack she made. "Is that hot chocolate?"

"Yup." Ruby showed off Chrys' special mug. "It's got marshmallows in it."

"Mama said those were for special times only…" Chrys opened the door and reached for her mug, excited to see the treat first hand.

"What's more special than your birthday?" Ruby said, ruffling Chrys' hair. "But if you're worried about me breaking the rules, I asked your mama for permission first. Got these too." She showed Chrys the package of chocolate chunk cookies. "She said we can share."

"Wow." Chrys looked up at Ruby with wide eyes filled with respect. "I think you might be my new favourite person."

"Because I got you hot co—er, chocolate?"

"And cookies!" Chrys set her mug down on her desk and took a seat on her bed. "Mama says I can eat the cookies whenever, but I like them the best when they're special."

"You are a… special kid, Chryssie. If I were you, those cookies would've been gone the moment they were paid for," Ruby said as she pulled up Chrys' desk chair. "Anyway, what'cha up to?"

She was talking about all the photos Chrys had spread out on her bed in piles. There were too many to count by eye alone, but it was clear Chrys had them all organized neatly. A little too neatly for a nine—no, a ten-year-old girl.

"Maman loved taking pictures," Chrys said, picking a random photo up from the pile. She stared at it longingly with a sad smile and flipped it around to show Ruby. "She took so many it was hard to sort through them… these"—she waved her arm across the impressive piles—"are only from when I was a baby. Well, from when I was a few months old, I think? Mama said I was just so cute Maman couldn't help herself."

"Do you mind if I take a look?" Ruby asked. Chrys nodded her head and scooted a little closer to Ruby.

The first picture Ruby picked up was of a much younger Weiss looking grumpy and sleep-deprived in what seemed to be her high school uniform. Neptune was sitting next to her at the table with a bowl of cereal and a fussy, tear-streaked baby on his lap.

"Wow, Neptune looks different," Ruby said with a surprised laugh, noting his plain dark hair smoothed back by gel.

"Mm, Uncle Neptune had to be careful about who he was back then… Maman said he wasn't happy, but when he was with the three of us, he was the happiest person in the world because we were his 'found family,' " Chrys explained. "Mama looks really grumpy though. I think she and Maman got into a fight."

"Oh…"

"They made up though." Chrys handed Ruby another picture and pointed to her grumpy mother who was now sporting a fresh blush as Coco bent down to kiss her. "They fought a lot, but Maman… Maman used to say that they fought with love. I don't know what that means though."

Ruby gave the phrase some thought and handed the photo back to Chrys. "Fighting with love," an interesting concept that made more sense the more Ruby mulled over it. That could also explain why Weiss was so quick to talk things out.

"Mama looks really tired in a lot of these pictures…" Chrys whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. She picked a few others up and showed them to Ruby. "I don't think she was happy."

A lump formed in the middle of Ruby's throat. She knew exactly what Chrys was talking about.

The societal pressure had been too much for a sixteen-year-old girl with nothing to her name but a failing marriage and a baby that looked nothing like her. Coco had been trying to make things work, even more so after Chrys was born, but she couldn't shake the feelings she had for her girlfriend in Vale. Weiss felt like the other woman. No, using Weiss' words exactly, she was the other woman. Coco wanted to be with Weiss about as much as Weiss wanted to be with her. They were both miserable, but the thought of leaving Chrys behind made them hesitate. But it was the hesitation that caused them to start talking though. Really talking. And from there, everything miraculously fell into place. They were solid all the way until the end.

Weiss looked back on those formative years with a grain of salt. And if she had the chance to redo them with all the knowledge she had now, she'd work harder to connect with Coco instead of stonewalling her at every turn. She'd be more patient and understanding, maybe she'd even try to be more outgoing. But other than that, she wouldn't change a thing because, in the end, they had a happy life together.

"Are you okay?" Chrys asked, nudging Ruby shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Ruby said. "Your mama might not look too happy in these photos, but I can assure you she was. Every second with you and your maman is worth more to her than all the money in the world."

"Oh, I didn't think of that," Chrys said with a perplexed look. "I just thought she didn't like having the camera in her face."

"What?"

"Yeah," Chrys laughed. "Maman took a looooooot of pictures, remember? So Mama didn't like seeing the camera. Maman dropped her scroll on my face once when she was trying to take a picture of me—you can actually see the mark on my nose here!" Chrys pointed to a picture with a particularly sour Weiss holding a bawling Chrys. "Sorry!" was written in the corner with a sad face drawn under it. "Maman got into so much trouble."

"Oh…" Ruby swallowed the lump in her throat and gave Chrys a weak laugh, relieved she was unaware of how close she was to growing up in a broken home. "W-Well, photography is a great hobby. And for some a great career. Have you tried it?" Chrys pointed to the high-end camera sitting next to her fish tank. "Oh. Uh, how are you liking it?"

After taking a sip of her hot chocolate, Chrys drummed her fingers on the mug—another Weiss-like quality—and shrugged.

"It's okay," she said. "I don't really know what I'm doing."

"What do you mean?"

"Like…" Chrys waved her hand in the air trying to find the right words. And when she couldn't, she crinkled her nose and sighed. "Blegh. I don't know. It's weird. I'm not good. I want to be though… I'm good at everything! Literally. So it's frustrating when I'm not… does that make sense?"

Ruby chuckled at Chrys' frankness and nodded her head. It was the same for her and track. She was just naturally good at it. Spry and agile like a cat. Dancing took some effort, but she still managed it somehow.

Chrys let out an impressive sigh and flopped on her bed spread-eagle. "Art is hard, Ruby."

"It is," Ruby nodded. "But if you really want to get better at photography, my old babysitter's a photojournalist. I can ask her if she has any tips for a beginner."

"Really?!" Chrys sprang up and gazed at Ruby with stars in her eyes. "You are so cool!"

"I mean… Velvet's the one travelling the world and seeing all the sights," Ruby laughed. "I'm just a broke college student that lucked out because of a well-made coffee."

"Maybe you are, but there's got to be more to you if you managed to stay this long," Chrys said. "I really wasn't sure about you at first, you know?"

"Huh?" Ruby blinked.

"Nothing bad!" Chrys quickly corrected. "I just mean… Mama's life is kind of difficult to work around. She also has me…"

"I'm not hearing a reason why I wouldn't stay," Ruby said, leaning back into her chair with a thoughtful expression. "In fact, those are the reasons I choose to stay."

"Really?"

"Really." Ruby took a sip of her drink. "I respect Weiss. She juggles so much in her day to day life, but she still finds time for me. There's never been a moment where I felt unnecessary…"

"What about me?" Chrys asked. "Isn't it hard? Heizell's papa's girlfriend always complains about her… she says they'd be better off without her."

"Chrys, I'm not like that," Ruby said, brows furrowed together. "I love Weiss. And being with her means I need to love you too, and you are so easy to love, kid. There was never a moment where I wished you were gone."

"Why do you think Heizell's papa lets someone talk about her like that then?" Chrys asked with all seriousness. "Why can't his girlfriend be like you?"

Ruby scratched her cheek and cautiously asked, "How old is the dad?"

"Old," Chrys said without hesitation. "The girlfriend is around your age, I think?"

"Is he rich…?"

Chrys shrugged. "Everyone's poor compared to me, Ruby."

"Uh, huh…" Ruby blinked. "I never really thought of that."

"I think they do okay though," Chrys said. "Heizell tells me—wait, can I say a bad word?" she asked in a low whisper. "It's not a bad-bad word, but it's still bad."

"It's just us here, do it!" Ruby cheered, but the moment the words left her mouth, she shrunk down and said, "Just, uh, don't rat us out. Your mama would kill me if she knew I let you swear."

Chrys let out a quiet giggle and nodded. "Okay, so, she says—her words, not mine—the 'bitch' is always in designer clothes. Heizell overheard her mama telling some friends about how she's bleeding her papa dry."

"Oh… oh no." Realization dawned on Ruby. "That poor girl…"

"You're not bleeding Mama dry, right?" Chrys asked, unaware of what the phrase meant. She tilted her to the side and pouted.

"Oh god no!" Ruby exclaimed. "I would never do that to Weiss. That's just—ugh, that bitch is awful. We're getting Heizell a treat when she gets here, okay?"

"Okay!" Chrys laughed, nodding eagerly at the suggestion. "She's been really sad lately. Her birthday was last month, but her papa didn't come to the party. He didn't even send her a gift!"

"Did you get her something?"

"Of course!" Chrys beamed. "I got her and Briar tickets to the aquarium—you drove us, remember?"

"Ohhh, right!" Ruby said, vaguely recalling that day. "Yeah, I remember. I just thought it was for a hangout thing."

"How could you forget?"

"I think I blocked it out because Briar's older brother wouldn't stop hitting on me," Ruby answered with a wry laugh. "I spent more time dodging his questions than actually enjoying the trip."

"Can we go again today or tomorrow then?" Chrys asked.

"It's your day, buddy," Ruby nodded. "We can go all out too. Your mama gave me the credit card."

"Yay, credit cards!" Chrys cheered.

They shared a laugh and clinked her mugs together. The hot chocolate was now cold chocolate, and the marshmallows in Chrys' drink had more or less dissolved, making hers excessively sweet. Noticing the disgust on Chrys' face, Ruby offered to trade.

"Are you sure?" Chrys asked, looking between her special mug and Ruby's plain one.

"Yeah," Ruby laughed. "Can't let you get any sweeter, kid. You'd be too much to handle then."

"Okay…" Chrys shyly held her mug out to Ruby. "Thank you."

"No need," Ruby said, downing Chrys' cold chocolate in one big gulp. It was horrendously sweet and it made Ruby's teeth tingle going down, but the impressed look on Chrys' face was worth it.

After they finished their drinks, Chrys scooted closer to the wall and patted the spot next to her in invitation. They spent the better part of the next two hours sorting through Chrys' pictures and picking the best ones for her album. It was a cathartic experience, to say the least. Chrys was holding up a lot better than Ruby expected… well, that is, until the topic finally arose in conversation. Ruby had been doing everything in her power to avoid it for as long as possible, but it was bound to come up eventually. She just wished she was more prepared for it.

"Thank you for spending time with me, Ruby," Chrys whispered hoarsely. Her kind baby blue eyes, so reminiscent of Weiss', were brimming with unshed tears. How long had she been holding back? "I-It really means a lot to me."

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay." Ruby pulled Chrys into her arms and held her tight, stroking her hair the way she'd seen Weiss do a million times. "I want to be here."

Chrys buried her face in Ruby's chest and let out a shuddering breath that shook her body. She pawed at Ruby's sweater and gripped the hem, trying to hold back whatever she felt. But Ruby held her tighter and whispered comforting words until they finally reached Chrys.

"I miss her!" she cried in agony, her searing hot tears seeping through Ruby's clothes. "I miss her so much it hurts, Ruby…"

"I know, buddy," Ruby whispered.

"I don't want to spend our birthday alone… I don't want to!" Chrys screamed.

"You're not going to be alone," Ruby said. "Everyone's going to be here…"

"You don't understand, Ruby!" Chrys cried in frustration. She pulled away and looked at Ruby, shooting her an angry, tear-streaked glare. Ruby offered her a smile in turn and wiped the tears away. "I don't think anyone understands… not even Mama."

"What makes you think that?"

"She doesn't look sad at all!" Chrys huffed. "She just left! She acted like nothing was wrong at all! I know she has you now, but… but doesn't she care anymore?"

"Oh, Chrys…"

"Does Mama even still love Maman?"

"She does," Ruby said, steeling her heart to face Chrys head-on. "She misses her more than she lets on. There are some days where she just cries and there's nothing I can do to help. But just like you, she has to be brave."

Chrys didn't say a word. And despite the fury etched into her eyes, she still cuddled up against Ruby, seeking comfort.

Ruby rubbed Chrys' arm and brushed the hair out of her eyes.

"I'm sorry for yelling," Chrys murmured.

"It's okay," Ruby chuckled. "I get it. I really, really do… but it does get easier. And moving on doesn't mean letting go. Coco's not here anymore, but you and Weiss still are, and you guys can keep her memory alive."

"I feel like I'm doing it alone though…"

"What makes you think that?"

"Mama doesn't talk about her much…" Chrys nervously bit her lip and sighed. "She also gave me the picture she kept on her table… the uniform too."

"Oh… um," Ruby awkwardly scratched her cheek, "the picture might be because of me… I've been, uh, sleeping on the side of the bed it used to be."

"I figured."

"Sorry…" Ruby murmured. "I can ask her to put it back?"

"It's fine," Chrys said. "I've… I've been sleeping better now that I have it. It's nice knowing she's here watching over me. And it's probably really awkward for you."

"Uhhhh…." Ruby was at a loss for words.

"It's fine, really." Chrys pulled away and wiped her eyes on her forearm until her face was dry. "It's pretty weird, you know?"

"Huh?"

"Sharing a birthday with your mom."

"Oh."

"It's even weirder to have it on April Fool's day," Chrys laughed. A fresh wave of tears stung her eyes, but she let them be. "Maman used to joke about forgetting our birthday every year when I was younger, and I would always end up crying because I believed her… but then she'd say 'April Fool's!' and give me a big hug."

Ruby accidentally let out a laugh and apologized. "I'm sorry. It's just I don't see Weiss being happy with that sort of joke."

"No, you're right," Chrys said. "Mama always yelled at Maman for pulling such a mean joke, but it kept happening until I was old enough to not fall for it."

"And how old was that?" Ruby asked curiously.

"Six," Chrys groaned with an embarrassed blush. But after a second, she let out a quiet giggle and said, "On my fifth birthday, Maman acted like it was just another day. Even Mama played along. But on the drive to school, I realized we weren't anywhere near it."

"Where'd you end up going?"

"The aquarium," Chrys murmured. "Maman held my hand the whole time… and when I got too tired, she carried me."

"Sounds like a fun birthday," Ruby said, but Chrys shook her head. "Er, that wasn't the present?"

"Nope!" Chrys laughed. "It was a distraction. By the time we left the aquarium I was starting to get hungry so Maman drove us to Mémère's… and then…" A tear slid down Chrys' cheek. "I didn't have any friends back then. The other kids only wanted to be around me because their parents told them that they'd get things if they were nice to me. And when I didn't fall for their tricks… well, you can guess what happened."

"Oh, Chrys…"

"So the only people at the party were Maman, Mama, Mémère, Uncle Neptune, and Aunt Ciel…" Chrys sighed. "That's sad, right? A birthday party with just adults."

Ruby helped Chrys dry her tears before saying, "I think it depends on how you look at it. You love all those people… and you know they all love you more than life itself. It honestly sounds like a great party to me."

"Oh… yeah. Yeah, you're right," Chrys said with a smile, perking up. "I got so many presents and Mama spent the whole day with me and Maman. She looked really happy."

"I bet," Ruby laughed, thinking about how much planning a party like that took. "What kind of gifts did you get?"

"Toys, clothes, books, and some other things," Chrys said, counting on her fingers. "Maman also asked if I wanted anything else and I said a little sister… I never got one. I think that's the only thing I've asked for but never got. Do you know how weird it is to be this rich and not get what you asked for? I felt cheated."

"O-Oh!" Ruby blushed. "Uhh…"

"It's okay though… I think I'm better off as an only child," Chrys mused aloud. "I'd have to share Mama's attention—yours too, I guess. Does that make me greedy?"

"I think it's okay to be a little selfish when it comes to your parents," Ruby said carefully.

She knew for a fact that Weiss and Coco were trying indeed for another. Weiss had let that little tidbit out after a particularly trying day at the office and one too many glasses of rosé. At the time, Ruby didn't know how to react to it because she knew exactly what "trying" meant and it… made her jealous. More jealous than Ruby would ever like to admit, and it burned like hellfire in the pit of her stomach to listen to the story. That was also the night Weiss said she was grateful things didn't work out. She wasn't entirely sure how she'd handle raising two young children on her own. Ruby didn't bother asking if Weiss would ever consider having more and quietly shelved the dream of having a family of her own.

Ruby's dour thoughts must've shown on her face because Chrys looked up at her with worry. Ruby quickly slapped on a smile and hugged Chrys tight, effectively distracting her enough to start laughing. Chrys was enough, Ruby thought to herself, feeling the sadness weighing in her heart drift away. There was no point mourning over the loss of hypothetical babies when she could give this one right here all the love she had in her heart.

"So you promise you'll spend the whole day with me?" Chrys asked, looking hopeful.

"I promise," Ruby said. She held her left pinkie up and waited for Chrys. "Pinkie promise."

Chrys let out an audible gasp and held hers up too. "You can't break a pinkie promise, Ruby!"

"A promise is a promise."

They promptly hooked pinkies and Ruby loudly repeated her promise to stay by Chrys' side. Satisfied, Chrys stretched her arms out high and yawned. The late night had finally caught up to her so she asked if Ruby wouldn't mind taking a nap with her or at least stay until she fell asleep. Ruby happily obliged and helped Chrys clean up her project, though Chrys did most of the work; she was just as anal as Weiss when it came to where things went.

Weiss found them fast asleep an hour later.

Waking a sleepy ten-year-old was hard, and it amused Ruby more than it should have to see Weiss struggle. But when gentle poking and prodding didn't work, Weiss resorted to bribery. She promised that if Chrys woke up, she'd get two presents right away. Chrys' eyes flew open like she'd risen from the dead and scrambled over to Weiss, begging her for her gifts. It was a little odd watching the normally composed duo be so loud and playful, but the genuine smiles on their faces made the memory worth all the more. Ruby sort of understood why Coco took so many pictures now.

"What did you get me?! What did you get me?!" Chrys chanted over and over again excitedly. Weiss wrapped her daughter up in a tight hug and kissed her forehead. Chrys' bright smile sunk like a rock through water. "A hug and a kiss?" she asked in disbelief. "Really, Mama?"

"Mhm."

"Mama, you're cheap!" Chrys cried. "Kuripot! Kuripot!"

"Where did you learn that?" Weiss asked with mild amusement.

"Aunt Ciel calls you that whenever you're being cheap," Chrys answered, tossing Ciel under the bus without hesitation.

Weiss rolled her eyes and muttered "of course she did" under her breath. But the shock of being called a cheapskate quickly wore off and Weiss returned to being super mom. She pulled Chrys out of bed and straightened out her hair and clothes, ignoring the fussy girl's cries of indignation.

"I feel cheated!" Chrys huffed.

"Uh huh," Weiss hummed as she smoothed out the wrinkles on Chrys' shirt.

"How is a hug and a kiss a birthday present!?"

"If you don't want 'em, I'll take 'em," Ruby piped up, swinging her legs off the side of the bed to sit up. "Honestly, I'll take all of 'em."

"What?! No!" Chrys threw herself at Weiss and hugged her as tightly as her little arms could muster. "My mama! I'm already sharing with you!"

"Okay, okay, enough," Weiss laughed, brushing the hair out of Chrys' eyes. "Your presents are waiting out in the living room."

"Really?!"

"Really."

"Can I?"

"Go on ahead, I need to talk to Ruby for a second," Weiss said, kissing Chrys' cheek.

Chrys took off like a bullet and a loud happy scream followed shortly after. Ruby got off Chrys' bed and looked at Weiss curiously.

"Thank you," Weiss said as she took Ruby's hand and pulled her closer. "You got her smiling again… Ruby, what can I do to repay you?"

"Well…" Ruby looked down at Weiss' red-stained lips hungrily. "That hug and kiss would be more than sufficient."

Ruby slipped her arms around Weiss' waist and leaned down to claim her prize, but a dainty finger on her lips stopped her in her tracks. Curious, Ruby looked down at the offending finger and pouted. No kisses for her today it seemed.

"Slow down there, Zoomies. How about you tally up those hugs and kisses and let's see how many you'll get at the end of the night," Weiss replied with a playful wink. "If you tally up enough, maybe I'll reward you with something… a little more substantial." Weiss practically purred that last word, sending chills running up and down Ruby's spine. "How about it?"

"Oh, oh my," Ruby gasped. "So absolutely no hugs and kisses throughout the day then?"

"Hugs I'll allow, but kisses… unless you want to scandalize the children and give Yang and Amélia more ammunition to tease us with, then I suggest we keep things family-friendly," Weiss chuckled.

"I guess handholding is out of the question too."

Weiss gasped. "Absolutely! I don't want to expose Chrys and her friends to such indecency... but at the same time, I don't want to let go of your hand just yet."

"A little risqué, but I'm down," Ruby laughed.

They left Chrys' room hand in hand to join in on the shenanigans happening in the living room. Chrys was busy squeezing the life out of her first present, a jet lagged Winter Schnee, while her second present, an equally jet lagged Amélia Adel, tried to steal her away. The two grown adults fought over Chrys' attention like a nasty custody battle. They tried bribing her with the piles of gifts they brought and promises to do whatever she wanted, but it was a surprise candidate that won.

"Chryssie, I got snacks!" Yang shouted from the kitchen. She held up a tray of open-faced finger sandwiches with what looked like cream cheese and smoked salmon. "I made it extra bougie for her highness."

Chrys was off the couch and by Yang's side in an instant, looking like an angel without sin, asking for a sandwich. Winter was up next and all eyes were on her and Yang, eager to see the drama unfold. But to everyone's immense disappointment, Winter and Yang talked like a couple of old friends catching up and not like strangers who locked themselves in a hotel room for three days doing god knows what.

"Aside from the kiddos, is this everyone for the party?" Yang asked as she walked around offering the sandwiches.

"I believe so," Weiss said, leaning away from the half-eaten sandwich Ruby tried to get her to finish. "I sent Nora an invitation, but she and Ren had a prior commitment. Why?"

"Just making sure I know how much to cook." Yang handed the tray to Yatsuhashi and flopped down on the couch next to Amélia.

"Wait, did you guys already pick the food up?" Ruby asked.

"Since we were already out, I figured we might as well," Weiss said. "Yang was with us too, so it was even easier."

"We definitely got way more than we needed," Yang laughed.

"You would think that," Fox said while Yatsuhashi enthusiastically nodded and everyone familiar with him laughed.

Ruby hadn't spent much time with the silent duo outside of her visits to Nobility Inc., but their presence was reassuring. They were both former police, a fact Weiss proudly mentioned long ago on the day Ruby met them. Yatsuhashi was a gentle giant that loved sweets and listening to his friends talk, endearing him to Ruby immediately. And Fox was just neat. The man lost his eyesight and gained his many scars during his time in the police force but kept his skills sharp. Weiss was vehemently warned against hiring him for her security detail by the higher-ups, even Amélia was hesitant at first. But when an unknown man carrying a package tried to gain access to Weiss' floor, Fox's keen hearing picked up the nervousness in his voice. Fox thwarted a bomb threat that day and no one has questioned his place since. Weiss loved telling that story and it embarrassed Fox to no end, but he bore the burden with pride.

"So when do we open presents?" Ciel asked nervously. "Because mine might need air holes soon."

"Ciel!" Weiss shrieked in abject horror.

"I'm joking," Ciel smirked. "You fall for that every year."

"No, I don't," Weiss huffed. "But knowing you, there might be a year you actually make good on that threat."

"She has you there," Neptune snorted.

"You got her fish last year," Ciel said.

"No air holes needed," Neptune pointed out in a singsong voice.

While Ciel and Neptune shot insults at each other, Ruby took the time to inspect the shiny new addition to Weiss' living room. The one-hundred-and-twenty gallon tank and matching black stand filled up the empty space between the hallway and the couch making the large living room feel cozier. Three foam boxes marked "plants" were stacked in front of the stand along with several bags of aquarium soil and a large plastic container filled to the brim with decorative wood and stones. It was a lot to take in for someone completely new to the hobby, but even with her lack of knowledge, Ruby could tell something was amiss. Where were the fish? Chrys was looking forward to them the most. Did the shop not get them in yet?

"I can practically see smoke coming out of your ears," Weiss laughed as she wrapped her arms around Ruby from the back. "Something wrong?" she asked, resting her chin on Ruby's shoulder.

"Ah, where are the fish?" Ruby asked. Weiss pointed to the bottom foam box. "Really?"

"Mhm. They've been waiting at the store for Chrys all week," Weiss said.

Ruby nodded her head in understanding as she turned and wrapped an arm around Weiss, enjoying the sudden display of affection. Weiss had been growing bolder by the day, but with Chrys, Amélia, and Winter in the room, Ruby could tell Weiss was nervous. If they had been alone, or just around Chrys, Ruby would have kissed the top of Weiss' head without a second thought, but she could feel Amélia's curious gaze burning a hole in her back.

"Add one to the tally," Ruby said in a hushed tone only Weiss could hear.

"Thank you," Weiss whispered back.

The doorbell rang and Winter went to answer it, but Yang quickly pulled her back by the arm and told Chrys to answer it instead. Weiss visibly tensed when Winter shot Yang an angry look, but when two little girls shouted "Happy birthday!" at the top of their lungs, the fury in Winter's eyes dissipated.

Briar, Heizell, and a woman Ruby recognized from Halloween entered the apartment carrying overnight bags and gifts. Winter, being the gentlewoman that she was, offered to help the woman with her load. Yang followed suit and took the gifts while Winter took the heavy looking bags.

"Sorry we're late," the woman said, waving to Weiss.

"No, you're right on time, Tawny," Weiss replied, walking over to greet her. They hugged and Weiss offered Tawny something to eat and drink, but she politely declined saying she had to go soon. "That's a shame, but I understand."

"I appreciate you letting Heizell stay for the whole weekend," Tawny said, tiredly.

"It's no problem at all—and, hey, you remember Ruby, right?" Weiss waved Ruby over. "It's been a while since you've last seen each other."

"I actually saw her last week when she dropped Heizell off after school," Tawny smiled. "Thanks again."

"It's no problem," Ruby grinned. "Heizell's a great kid."

"Briar's good too!" Chrys chimed in, running over to hug Tawny. "Thank you for bringing them!"

"You're welcome, Chryssie," Tawny replied, patting Chrys' head. "I hope you enjoy your birthday."

"I will!"

After Tawny left, the girls settled in and gathered around the container, rooting through its contents like curious little moles. Ciel laid a tarp down so they could pull things out and keep the carpet clean; however, it didn't take long for a mess to form and stretch out of the tarp. Ruby could sense Weiss' growing irritation, but the big smile on Chrys' cheerful face made whatever remark she wanted to make remain silent.

"Hey, Ruby!" Chrys called.

"Yeah?"

"Can you help us?"

"Sure thing," Ruby said without hesitation. She padded over and sat down next to Chrys, curiously picked up a stone. "So what's the plan here? Gunna make a mountain or something?"

"I don't know," Chrys said, belly-flopping into Ruby's lap. "I just wanted to hang out with you. You promised, remember?"

"Of course I do." Ruby swallowed the lump in her throat and said, "I'm all yours."

And just as she promised earlier, Ruby spent the whole day with Chrys and her friends working on the aquarium. They ended up making a pretty landscape based off of a photo Velvet took of a forest clearing. And after all the bits and bobbles were plugged in, Chrys got to float her fish in the water with Yatsuhashi and Winter's help.

Unfortunately, the aquarium shenanigans ate up most of the day and by the time they were almost finished, Yang called them all for dinner. They each got a large plate with a thick perfectly cooked steak and a healthy portion of cheesy garlic mashed potatoes and snap peas, though Yang also prepared a few other sides just in case. Yang had done such an amazing job with the main course that everyone was almost too full for dessert. But their tones quickly changed when Yang brought out Chrys' birthday cake.

Using the recipe Weiss sent her along with several reference photos, Yang managed to recreate the chocolate mocha cake Coco made every year for Chrys' birthday. Everyone familiar with this cake and its importance to Chrys went silent. Briar and Heizell were confused at first, but when Chrys started to cry, they quickly huddled around her trying every trick in the book to cheer her up; however, nothing they did worked, and Chrys only cried harder… that is until Weiss stepped in. It took her several attempts, but Weiss eventually managed to get Chrys to blow out the candles and cut the first piece of cake.

Yang had been on edge the entire time, hoping to god she didn't fuck up this crucial moment. She'd been working nonstop all week trying to perfect the recipe and their packed fridge full of cake and tubs of frosting back home was proof of it. Ruby had been eating the "rejects" all week and she was honestly starting to get sick of cake. Sick. Of. Cake. Ruby wanted to cry, this was a reality she wasn't prepared for.

"I really hope she likes it," Yang whispered to Ruby.

Ruby stood silently beside her sister for support and watched as Weiss fed Chrys the first bite.

"How is it, mon coeur?" Weiss asked, wiping away the stray tear on Chrys' cheek.

"I-It… it tastes just like I remember," Chrys answered tearfully. She took the fork from Weiss and ate another larger bite. "It's really, really good, Yang."

"You mean it?" Yang asked, hopeful. Chrys emphatically nodded her head and forced a smile through her tears. "Great… great! Oh god, I think I just aged like a billion years in like a second…"

"You worked really hard, Yang," Weiss said. "I'll be sure to repay your efforts."

"Nope. No way," Yang huffed, crossing her arms. "This was my gift to Chryssie."

"Yang…"

Yang walked over to Weiss and pulled her into a hug. "You make my sister happy… and you've given me a new lease on life. This… this is the least I could do."

"Fine," Weiss sighed, returning the embrace.

Chrys helped Yang cut the rest of the cake and share it with the rest of her guests. Ruby was the last to get a piece, but she noticed hers was a little larger compared to the others. Chrys didn't say anything and ran off before Ruby could ask why. She ate it with pride and spent the rest of the evening on cloud nine, even after Chrys made her sit through two absolutely terrifying horror movies.

The girls ended up falling asleep halfway through the third an hour before midnight, saving Ruby from having another monster haunt her dreams. After climbing out of the pillow fort they made in the living room, Ruby stopped and stared at Coco's photo on the mantle. Some gifts were placed around it along with a small slice of cake and a birthday card signed by everyone.

"I'll take care of them," Ruby whispered as she tiptoed around the snack bowls and grabbed the remote off the floor.

After turning off the TV, Ruby made a beeline for bed and saw the light still on in Weiss' bedroom. When she stepped in, she found Weiss sitting up in bed watching something on her scroll.

"Are they finally asleep?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah," Ruby said as she climbed into bed and snuggled up against Weiss. "What are you still doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep…" Weiss replied, leaning over to show Ruby the old family video she was watching.

Coco was driving and singing quietly along to a song on the radio while Chrys napped in the backseat. A quiet chuckle slipped past her lips as she turned to face the camera and said something naughty based on the embarrassed shriek Weiss made shortly after.

"She would've been twenty-nine today," Weiss whispered.

"Weiss…"

"Do you think I did enough to celebrate it?"

"You made her daughter happy… yeah. Yeah, I think you did enough. More than enough," Ruby said, rubbing Weiss' arm gently. "You can rest now, baby. Chrys got through the day with all smiles."

Weiss shut off her scroll and set it aside, yawning all the while. Ruby reached over to the nightstand and shut the lamp off for Weiss.

"How many kisses do I owe you?" Weiss murmured sleepily as she settled in beside Ruby.

Ruby stole one kiss and pulled the covers up to Weiss' chin. "Just the one for now."

"Mm… Ruby?"

"Yeah?"

"You mean the world to me."

"I love you too, Weiss," Ruby chuckled, kissing the top of Weiss' head.

Weiss fell asleep almost immediately leaving Ruby alone with her thoughts. She'd been thinking a lot about the direction her life was heading, and the more she thought about it, the less appealing her "dream" looked.

Sighing, Ruby turned her head to look at Weiss. She was sleeping so peacefully, probably dreaming about Chrys and the wonderful person she'd no doubt grow up to be. Ruby wanted to see that dream become reality.

It's not too late to change things, Ruby thought as she ran her fingers through Weiss' bangs and kissed her forehead. Monday. I'll start Monday.

People changed their career paths all the time and Ruby was still in the early stages. She can shift things. Change focus. Maybe a reporter. Yang always said she had a flair for writing. Yeah. Mild-mannered reporter Ruby Rose had a nice ring to it… Ruby Adel? No! No… no… that's weird.

Ruby smothered her face with a hand and groaned internally. It was far too soon to think about marriage. There was also no telling if Weiss would be willing to remarry.

But it would be nice, wouldn't it?

Getting down on one knee someplace special and asking Weiss to spend the rest of her life with her.

Ruby fell asleep with that thought in mind, and the dream that followed suit… was sweet.