Chapter Forty-one: Shatter
Dark skies hung over Atlas like a curtain shielding it from the outside world and the angry eyes below it. Ruby was out like a light after taking some medication for her anxiety. And as cute as her snoring was, Weiss wanted to smother her for keeping her awake the whole night. Weiss could have easily switched seats though. But the only place she wanted to be was right next to Ruby. Who snored. Like a chainsaw.
Letting out a long drawn out sigh, Weiss carefully slipped out from under Ruby's heavy arms to stretch her legs and move her weary bones. Blake was dozing peacefully two seats away in the opposite aisle with a blanket and book on her lap. She had fallen asleep with her glasses on. They were slightly askew so Weiss took them off and hooked them on Blake's blouse.
Further down the cabin, by the left wing, Weiss found her daughter wide awake with her eyes glued to the same dreary sky Weiss was watching not too long ago.
"Mon coeur, have you slept?" Weiss whispered in Eastern Atlesian as she took the seat next to Chrys. Chrys looked back at her, lips pulled thin.
"A little." Chrys lifted the partition between their seats to climb into Weiss' lap where she made herself as small as possible. "We're almost home…" she murmured with her head resting on Weiss' shoulder. "Have you slept?"
Wrapping her arms around Chrys, Weiss placed a soft kiss on the top of her head and answered her truthfully. "No."
"Why?"
"Can't you hear it?" Weiss chuckled, feeling Chrys look up at her. "Ruby snores."
"So that's what that was," Chrys giggled. "I thought it was the jet."
"If the jet made a noise like that, I'd be worried."
"Hey, Mama?"
"Hn?" Weiss hummed, slowly drifting off for some well-deserved rest.
"Are we going back to our old house?"
"I'm not sure, mon coeur," Weiss murmured. "We can visit if you'd like, but we'll probably be staying with your mémère."
"Don't want Ruby in our old house?" Chrys asked as she braided Weiss' hair into hers. She giggled at her hijinks and used the end to tickle Weiss' nose. "Mama. Mama, look."
"Mm, what is it, mon coeur?" Weiss blearily looked down and scrunched her nose. "What did you do?"
"Made a chocolate and vanilla swirl," Chrys answered, proudly showing off her handiwork. "What if I dyed half my hair like yours?"
"No," Weiss grumbled. "Don't you dare ruin a single hair on your perfect little head, Chrys. Your mother would murder me if she saw you bleach that luxurious mane of yours!"
Chrys' smile faded for a moment but bounced back once she understood Weiss' point. "Sorry, Mama… I just wanted to look a little more like you."
"You have my eyes, my money, and my stubbornness, what more do you want?" Weiss laughed as she helped Chrys braid more of their hair together.
"I don't know," Chrys murmured. "The older I get, the more I look like Maman… I don't want people thinking you're my classmate."
"That really can't be helped," Weiss said with a dramatic sigh. "You were cursed with an extremely beautiful and youthful mother."
"Eh?" Chrys' lip curled upward in disgust.
Weiss' dignity was thankfully saved by the pilot announcing their imminent decent and to buckle up.
"I need to get back to Ruby, will you be okay here?" Weiss asked.
"I'll be fine," Chrys said, getting off of Weiss to sit back in her own chair. "I love you, Mama."
"I love you too, mon coeur." Weiss quickly kissed both of Chrys' cheeks and made her way back to Ruby who was finally awake and close to panicking.
The flight attendant was by Ruby's side comforting her to her best ability, but the words of a stranger couldn't compare to a partner's.
"Weeeiiissss!" Ruby whimpered, her eyes anxiously darting between Weiss and the flight attendant.
Weiss smiled at her lover as she sat down and buckled herself in. "Everything's alright," she cooed, taking one of Ruby's hands off the seatbelt strap. "You're okay, mon amour."
"I'm sorry," Ruby murmured.
"Don't be," Weiss insisted. "This is your first time flying. It's okay to be a little scared." She turned to the flight attendant and said, "Thank you for checking on her."
"No problem Mrs. Adel," the flight attendant graciously replied. She left Weiss and Ruby to check on Blake and Chrys before instructing everyone on proper landing etiquette.
The jet landed without an issue. And with a little help from the flight attendant and the pilots, everyone left the jet without a hitch. Chrys took a few photos with the crew while Weiss helped Ruby steady herself back onto solid ground. Blake, however, was busy making sure she looked presentable and her anxiousness only got worse as they traversed through the busy airport filled with people who'd rather be in bed than here.
"How do I look?" Blake asked Chrys.
"Like a star, darling!" Chrys answered in her best diva tone. Though with the way she was dressed—snazzy white wool coat with matching designer boots and shades—it was hard not to believe her. Blake patted her head and pulled her in for a quick hug. "Pet me more; I'm cuddly and cute!"
"The cutest," Blake replied like a seasoned aunt to her favourite niece.
Chrys clung to Blake's side until she caught sight of Amélia, Winter, and Yang with a smartly dressed woman that looked frighteningly similar to the newly elected mayor of Mantle.
"Mémère!" she exclaimed, dropping her rolling suitcase to run into Amélia's waiting arms. Amélia happily returned the hug, peppering Chrys with a barrage of never-ending grandma kisses. "That tickles!" Chrys squealed in her native tongue. "Aunt Winter, help!"
"Amélia, back off," Winter grunted. "It's my turn!"
"No, you got to see her recently!" Amélia argued, rising high above Winter.
"Well, if you didn't spend so much time in Cabo, maybe you'd have more free time to visit her!"
Yang stood off to the side with the mayor lookalike with a confused look on her face. She was trying to follow the conversation bouncing rapidly between Eastern and Western Atlesian but gave up when Ruby shouted her name.
"Yang!" Ruby tackled her sister without warning, nearly knocking them both down if the stranger hadn't caught them in time.
Weiss followed at a much slower pace with Blake and introduced herself to the stranger.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Weiss." The woman carefully took Weiss' right hand and bowed as she kissed it. "My name is Robyn Hill."
"The new mayor of Mantle," Weiss added politely.
Robyn flashed her a charming smile. Standing straight, Robyn was about Winter's height with strong, broad shoulders and an assertive gait. Her voice was deep and sultry with a hint of playfulness to it that Weiss appreciated. Robyn was also relatively handsome and definitely on par with the beautiful people Weiss surrounded herself with. But if Weiss was reading her right, the schmooze and charm was a play for her attention.
"You've heard of me?" Robyn said, intrigued.
"How could I not? You're a breath of fresh air in the political world."
Robyn let out a low chuckle, her eyes narrowing. "You're quite the powerhouse yourself, Weiß. It's rare for a woman of your age to stand where you are. Say, have you had any thoughts of running for office? With your popularity, I'm sure you'd win easily."
"We have enough Schnees in office," Weiss chuckled. "Another one won't make a difference."
"Plenty of Schnees, yes, and all less than stellar individuals—but an Adel! Now that's a debate I'd love to see."
"My billboard in front of the SDC headquarters should pose enough entertainment for the masses."
Now it was Robyn's turn to chuckle. "You're a funny one, Weiß. Say, while you're in town, could we grab a cup of coffee? I'd love to hear your thoughts on the current political climate and perhaps get to know each other a little better?"
"I won't be in Atlas long, I'm afraid," Weiss politely said, swiftly shutting the offer down. "I'm just here to visit my wife's grave."
"I am sorry for your loss," Robyn said with a genuine look of remorse. "Winter's informed me of what happened. Truly, a tragedy."
"She must have also told you about my lover, Ruby." Hearing her name Ruby looked up from her conversation with Yang. "Ruby, come here," Weiss said in Valese, beckoning her over. "Let me introduce you to Winter's friend."
Catching on, Ruby trotted over to Weiss and stood next to her at a respectful distance, but Weiss wasn't having any of that and pulled her in close.
"Robyn Hill, Mayor of Mantle," Robyn said, holding her hand out to Ruby.
Ruby nervously shook her hand and said, "Ruby Rose, uh, broke college student?"
Robyn glanced between Ruby and Weiss and finally noticed Blake who'd been standing behind Weiss the whole time. "Hello, who might you be?"
"Blake Belladonna, nothing of importance," Blake said, shyly shrinking back.
Yang walked up to them with a look of mild annoyance and said, "She's hardly someone of unimportance."
"Yang," Weiss hissed with a glare.
But Yang ignored her and stood beside Robyn with her hands stuffed into her leather jacket's pockets. "She's a Palliative care nurse at a children's hospital."
"That is quite significant," Robyn said, impressed. "Thank you for your service, Ms. Belladonna."
"Um, thank you?" Blake looked between Robyn and Yang then over to Winter who was still arguing with Amélia.
It wasn't hard to speculate the relationship the three women shared due to Winter's nature and her hedonistic need to copulate. Weiss only hoped that whatever Winter got up to with Robyn didn't blow up in her face like the last time she got entangled with a politician's daughter.
Chrys eventually broke free from her aunt and grandmother and ran back to the safety of her mother's arms. Her hair was a mess and her beret was off centred, nearly falling off. She was also smothered in Amélia signature dark red lipstick and doused in the scent of Winter's cologne.
"Mama!" she whimpered, hiding behind Weiss and Ruby. "They're monsters! Monsters!"
"They just missed you, mon coeur," Weiss laughed, cupping Chrys' cheek without looking back at her. "Be thankful you have family that love you this much."
"I am, but too much love is suffocating!"
"It's suffocating now, but once you get older, you'll miss it," Ruby said, fixing Chrys' beret to sit on her head properly. "There, all better, bud."
Amélia and Winter joined the group with matching pouts, their eternal feud ending with another unsatisfying tie.
"So good to see you again, mon trésor," Amélia said, fully embracing Weiss. She kissed the top of Weiss' head before cupping her cheeks to properly look at her. "You look tired."
"I am."
"After breakfast at the mansion, you are going to take a nap." Amélia turned to Ruby and said, "Make sure she rests, okay?"
"Of course."
Everyone filed out of the airport and followed Amélia to her armoured limousine where Robyn bid everyone a fond farewell before getting into her own car and driving away. Yang excitedly pulled Ruby into the limo first and parked her in the backseat next to a window. Following Yang's lead, Chrys took her grandmother by the hand and led her to one of the side seats. And being the best friend a girl with a broken heart could have, Weiss told Blake to go first so she didn't have to sit too close to Winter and Yang.
"Everyone all settled in?" Amélia asked.
When everyone gave the affirmative, Amélia messaged the driver over the P.A, and to Weiss' shock, it was Klein. He greeted everyone inside warmly before putting the limo into gear and driving off.
"Ruby, darling, how are you liking Atlas so far?" Amélia asked twenty minutes into the ride.
"It's clean," Ruby answered in awe though she shuddered at the startling amount of robots on the streets advertising or performing some sort of civic duty. "A little lonely though."
She wasn't wrong. Atlas was the technological city of tomorrow, an inventor's dream come true. Almost everything was automated making the human touch an antiquated luxury. The people on the street were just as cold as the machines they walked next to. No one smiled or lifted their heads to see the beautiful day. It was a stark difference compared to the exuberant people in Vale, but then again, they didn't have the SDC headquarters looming over their heads like a ticking time bomb.
"Ruby, heads up!" Yang shouted, pointing out into the distance.
"Is that what I think it is?" Ruby gasped excitedly.
Winter peered over and snorted. "They photoshopped your breasts again, Weiß."
"Of course they did," Weiss sighed, shaking her head.
Curious, Chrys stole a peek as well. "Yeah, I don't recognize those."
"Huh, I don't either," Ruby added with an awkward chuckle.
"They're a little too perky to be, Mama's."
"Excuse me?!" Weiss shrieked. Chrys looked back at her and smirk. "You little, ungrateful brat. I gave you life, do not make me take it back."
Chrys gasped in shock and threw herself into Amélia's arms. "Mémère! Mama's threatening meeee!"
"Go, keep crying to her," Weiss huffed, crossing her arms under her "sagging" breasts. "Maybe I'll let her keep you. Good riddance, I say."
"You wouldn't dare!" Chrys said.
"Try me," Weiss smirked. "I can turn your bedroom into a library."
"Nerd."
"Brat."
"Ruby, tell Mama to behave!"
Ruby shook her head. "Keep me out of this."
"Traitor!"
This little back and forth kept going until another billboard reared its objectively beautiful head out in the distance.
"Take your bets: breasts or nose?" Winter announced, flashing a bit of cash to gauge interest.
"I'll take you up on that and go tits," Yang said, shoving Ruby aside to get a better view. "C'mon stop sign, do the lord's work!"
"Wha—hey! Get off me, Yang!"
"Place your bets, Ruby!"
"My money's on no change at all because Weiss is perfect!"
"Suck up," Chrys grumbled. "My bet's on Mama's snaggle tooth."
"Oh, why didn't I think of that?" Winter huffed.
"Can you all please stop?" Weiss asked with a weary sigh suddenly feeling insecure. Unfortunately, the only thing that came to a stop was the traffic. "God damn it."
"Quick, what's changed?" Amélia asked.
"Nothing I can see for far…" Winter said, eyes narrowed at the billboard.
"Same," Yang said.
"I got nothin'," Chrys groaned.
"Does this mean I win?" Ruby asked with an innocent look though the tone she used was fairly smug.
"I believe it does," Amélia chuckled.
Winter and Yang begrudgingly handed Ruby the money like good sportsmen, but Chrys, despite her honour-bound ancestry, wasn't so forthcoming. She matched Ruby's smile, back straight, legs crossed with her hands clasped over her knees. She looked like a proper young lady, born and raised by the aristocracy.
"You remembered that thing you made me swear not to tell Mama?" Chrys said, her smile slowly widening as all the colour drained from Ruby's face. "Do you really want my money?"
"No, ma'am," Ruby whimpered before handing Chrys the winnings to buy her continued silence.
"Did you just blackmail my girlfriend?" Weiss asked with a sharp, pointed look that could bring a hardened criminal to their knees, but not Chrys.
Chrys stared her terrifying mother in the eye, smiling as sweet as can be, and boldly said, "Define 'blackmail'?"
Knowing she'd lost, Weiss let out a long aggravated sigh as she recalled all the times she said those exact same words in Chrys' presence. Coco would be appalled with Chrys' attitude and punish her accordingly. Weiss, however, couldn't help but be proud. Chrys was learning to stand her ground and she was using Weiss' methods to do it.
Blake caught Weiss' little smile and nudged her. "Everything okay?"
"Everything's perfect," Weiss whispered back.
They arrived at Amélia's estate an hour later where they were greeted by a row of servants, all with their heads respectively bowed.
"What's with the showmanship, you lot?" Amélia asked, her bellowing laugh echoing through the grand foyer. "Raise your heads, all of you."
"We just wanted to welcome the Little Miss back properly," the head butler said, breaking from the row to greet the master of the house.
"Finally, the respect I deserve!" Chrys said haughtily, her chest puffed out.
Weiss flicked her daughter's forehead and said, "Behave."
"Mama so mean," Chrys pouted.
"You know I love you," Weiss chuckled as she pulled Chrys in to kiss her forehead better.
Breakfast was served once everyone was settled. It was a traditional Eastern Atlesian meal with plenty of pastries, jams, and coffee. Chrys was still too young for coffee so Amélia made her a hot chocolate instead. Weiss was amused to see Ruby fascinated by how normal Amélia was around Chrys. One of the most powerful women in Atlas was your regular not-so-old doting grandmother who baked cookies and made hot cocoa. The disconnect between Amélia's appearance and attitude made it even funnier to see how offended she got when Chrys compared her hot chocolate to Ruby's.
Chrys started a war that morning, but Weiss was too tired to intervene. She excused herself from the shenanigans and headed up to Coco's old bedroom—their old room—and took a moment to relive the past.
Everything was as they left it, though it was meticulously cleaned every morning to preserve Coco's memory. Weiss slowly gravitated towards one of Coco's bookshelves and ran her fingers over the many tomes Coco had collected. This particular shelf held all of Coco's favourites. They were all mostly novels, quite a few being first editions she'd desecrated with her ramblings. But near the centre of it all, Weiss found a thin paperback book that stood out from the rest. It was titled "How to be a Better Mother" with a woman holding a sleeping baby to her chest on the cover. Curious, Weiss flipped it open and traced over Coco's messy writing. She summarized the key points in the margins and underlined the parts that resonated with her the most.
Further into the book, Weiss found a list of names mostly crossed out. Weiss Jr. was hilariously scribbled over while Coco Jr. was circled and underlined. Weiss recalled the long late-night talks she had with Coco about what they'd name their daughter. They went back and forth tossing out random names, but Weiss was only humouring her. She never had any interest in choosing a name because Coco had already named their baby long before she was even a possibility.
"I was so addicted to you…" Weiss murmured to herself. She half expected that little voice in her head to chime in, but it had been silent for so long Weiss wasn't sure what it sounded like anymore.
Setting the book back, Weiss went over to Coco's desk and opened the first drawer. She felt along the inside edge, applying gentle pressure until she felt something give way and the bottom lifted up. Hidden in the secret compartment was a stack of old photos. Many of them were from high school but a few were taken during the nights they stole for themselves.
Coco had a strange talent. She could make Weiss look good in a photo no matter what they were doing. Weiss was currently looking at a photo of herself lost in the throes of passion and thought it looked better than anything she'd taken professionally.
A yawn pulled Weiss from her thoughts, telling her it was time for that nap she'd come up here to take. After putting everything back in its place, Weiss let her hair down as she slipped out of her shoes and crawled into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. She slowly drifted off to sleep, but before she was too far gone, she felt someone climb into bed with her.
"I knew I'd find you here, Mama," Chrys said when Weiss wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Are you okay?"
"Hm?"
"You didn't try to save Ruby from Mémère."
"Ruby can handle herself," Weiss sleepily replied.
"You're not okay…" Chrys grumbled, snuggling closer to Weiss.
"I'm perfectly fine, mon coeur."
"No, you're not," Chrys argued. "You'd never leave Ruby alone if you were. You snuck up here without telling anyone."
Weiss let out a long tired sigh before kissing the top of her daughter's head. "Please, mon coeur, just let me sleep."
"I'm sorry, I'll be quiet… but, uh, I wasn't made in this bed, right?"
"No," Weiss breathily murmured. "We made you in the back seat of a car in the airport parking lot."
"Haha, funny, Mama," Chrys laughed. But after a few awkward moments of silence, she nudged Weiss and said, "Tell me you're joking. Mama? Hey, Mama?!"
Weiss shut down and fell into a dreamless slumber.
A warm hand cupped Weiss' cheek followed by a soft distant voice, calling out to her with unintelligible words. Weiss began to stir.
"It's time to get going, baby."
Ruby. It was Ruby who was calling out to her so sweetly and gently.
"Mon amour," Weiss whispered as she wrapped her arms around Ruby's neck. "I'm so tired…"
"I know you are," Ruby said, kissing Weiss' forehead. "The day's almost done, you just gotta hang in a little longer."
"I feel so heavy."
Ruby scooped her up and chuckled. "You're as light as a feather to me."
Weiss' eyes fluttered open and she was met with kind molten silver eyes. "I love you," Weiss smiled as she caressed Ruby's face and kissed her. "Thank you for waking me up. Where's Chrys?"
"She's downstairs with Amelia and Winter. But I've been wondering, do they ever stop fighting over her?"
"Nope," Weiss said, snuggling closer to Ruby. "I wish more would love her the way they do, but the only other person I can think of aside from Klein is my cousin Flemmeth. Though her interest in Chrys is more about how she was made than Chrys herself."
"What do you mean?" Ruby asked, setting Weiss down on the bed.
"Flem's a reproductive endocrinologist, probably one of the most famous in her field," Weiss answered with a slight pout when Ruby stood just out of reach. "She used me and Nicole as a guineapig for her experiments, but nothing can really change the fact that Nicole had a low sperm count."
"Oh…"
"So… when we're ready, we'll probably need to have a word with her."
Ruby swallowed, her face growing flush. "Cool."
Now that she was up and feeling slightly more refreshed, Weiss got herself in order while Ruby explored the room. She was mesmerized by the orderly chaos Coco had organized her things and asked Weiss how she tolerated it.
"I didn't," Weiss answered sitting in front of Coco's old vanity mirror with bobby pins trapped between her lips. She was mainly focused on wrangling her hair into its usual ponytail, but when Ruby stepped into view, she couldn't help but stare.
"Are we staying here tonight?"
"Chrys will, but you and I are staying in a guest room."
"Oh?"
"I told you before, I don't want you sleeping in a bed I've shared with my wife," Weiss said as she put in the last pin holding her masterpiece together. Ruby walked up behind her and helped her put the finishing touch on. "You always handle my hairpin with such care."
"Coco gave it to you," Ruby said, raising the silver and gold pin up to catch the light. "Your hair's incomplete without it."
"Will you ever give me one?"
"Dunno," Ruby said as she carefully pushed the pin into its rightful place. "There, perfect. Just like the rest of you."
"Thank you," Weiss blushed.
"Not wearing makeup today?"
Weiss shook her head. "No point."
"Mm, right. Rain."
"Exactly."
The drive to the cemetery was a quiet affair with no one speaking up except for Amélia who tried to add some levity by talking about her latest vacation to Kabo. Blake was particularly enthralled by the tale, but Chrys, who loved hearing her grandmother's tales, was completely silent. She was sitting between Ruby and Weiss with her eyes lost in the white and blue chrysanthemum bouquet she carried.
When they reached the cemetery they saw a man in the distance, sitting cross-legged in front of Coco's grave with some alcohol and a shot glass in hand. Weiss had to blink twice to make sure she wasn't seeing things, but she still couldn't believe her eyes.
"Cardin?" Weiss called out to confirm it was him and not some dour doppelganger haunting her wife's gravestone. But the man didn't hear her, so she called him again, though this time it was in a sterner tone that conveyed her growing irritation. "Cardin!"
Cardin looked up like a deer caught in the headlights and sputtered, nearly falling over. "U-Uh, hey, Weiss. It's, uh, been a while," he said, unsure if he should wave or run for the hills.
Weiss raised an eyebrow as she drew closer to him with Chrys chasing after her.
The frazzled man quickly stood, but stumbled on the way up, dizzy from drink. He brushed his suit pants clean and adjusted his mid-length wool coat to sit properly on his shoulders. He even tried to smooth his dark brown hair back to seem more presentable, but the textured ends jumped back to where they were.
Weiss was moderately impressed. The last time she'd seen him, he had messy spiky that had never seen a comb before and dressed like a frat boy proud of his physique and favourite sport steam. He always looked so out of place next to Coco and her eye-catching earthy style, but now he looked like a respectable young man with his textured quiff and well-maintained short beard.
"That it has," Weiss said, pushing Chrys to stand a few steps behind her to confront Coco's old bully. After the fight he'd gotten into with Coco that ended their friendship years ago, she assumed he'd be done with their freaky little family, but here he was, standing before her like a man born anew.
"You look good," he said, trying to ease the tension.
"I know I do," she said without hesitation, unmoved by the compliment. Cardin smiled at her warmly. "What are you doing here?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Paying my respects," he meekly answered, showing her his full shot glass before knocking it back in one swing. He winced at the burn and awkwardly chuckled to fill the silence. "I come here whenever I get the chance to… just to talk to her like the old times. She's a lot quiet now."
Weiss looked past him to the days old chrysanthemum bouquets and arrangements adorning Coco's grave. She sadly realized there had been many others that came before her, but the fresh white and rare blue ones sitting on the lip of Coco's gravestone next to her favourite whisky and another shot glass struck a chord with her. While the other flowers were beautiful with their different shades of red and yellow, they weren't her favourite. Coco had never specified which ones she loved most, she usually just bought whatever looked the best to adorn their home. But in the living room, on both sides of a large photograph of their family, were blue and white chrysanthemums. So whoever bought her these must've been privy enough to be in their home and paid enough attention to see these were special. Swallowing this sour revelation, Weiss set her gaze back onto Cardin, her upper lip raised in distrust.
"Why?" she pointedly asked, recalling all the awful things he said in the past.
"Because, well, despite all the stupid things I'd done and said her, she was still my best friend." Cardin's eyes started to water, but before a single tear could fall, he covered his face with a hand and sucked in a breath. "I know I'm the last person you expected to see here, but I swear I'm a changed man."
"You ridiculed her every chance you got and insulted our marriage." Weiss then pointed to Chrys and yelled, "You called our daughter a mistake!"
"I know, and I'm sorry," Cardin said, dropping his hand to properly face Weiss' wrath. "After I switched precincts, I did a lot of soul searching. I was angry at Coco for tossing me aside when we were supposed to be friends—brothers in blue, y'know? But then I saw the guys picking on the women and I… I stood up for them just like she did. That didn't end well for me, but I kept trying. And the more I did, I realized I was facing myself."
Lowering her hackles, Weiss let out a sympathetic sigh but didn't say anything to console him. The anger she thought she'd forgotten had come back with a vengeance and it burned brighter than the sun.
"I spent months trying to fix myself. Got into therapy. Learned how to deal with my issues. And after that, well, I just kept working towards a proper apology…"
"But then she died," Weiss said in Cardin's stead. "Is that why you're here? To try and clear your conscience?"
Cardin shook his head. "No. I'm going to live with the guilt and my mistakes… I'm here because I want to be. I miss my friend. But if you want me to stop, I'll respect your wishes."
Weiss felt a bit of her fury ebb away, her heart telling her to let go and move forward. But Cardin had hurt her too. He questioned her sexuality and insinuated her relationship was just a fetish. He never said it maliciously though which made being angry at him even harder. He had no clue what he said was offensive, but despite Coco's warnings and lectures, he never made an effort to learn.
"Mama…" Chrys whispered as she tugged on Weiss' sleeve. "I think he's being genuine."
Damn her heart. Weiss was a Schnee. Cold and unforgiving.
"Damn, Chryssie, is that you?" Cardin asked with wide eyes. "The last time I saw you, you were barely up to your mom's waist!" Chrys shrunk back, cowering from his loud, exuberant voice. "Sorry…" he said in a softer tone, "I didn't mean to scare you. I was just surprised. You're lookin' more and more like your mom, god damn."
The happiness in Cardin's eyes chipped away at the grudge Weiss held for him. Perhaps Chrys was right. Maybe Cardin had changed and learned from his mistakes.
"She does," Weiss murmured, taking Chrys' hands to wrap them around her waist. "And she'll only get taller from here on out."
"Think she'll get as tall as her?" Cardin asked excitedly.
"I hope I do," Chrys answered. "I'm eating all my vegetables."
"You're eating me out of house and home is what you're doing," Weiss laughed, her anger all but gone now.
"It's a good thing we're rich then," Chrys laughed back.
Cardin joined in on the laughter before saying it was about time for him to go. "It was nice seeing you again, Weiss. You too, Chrys," he said with a sad smile.
"You as well, Cardin. And, please, keep visiting her," Weiss said, swallowing her pride to grant Coco one last wish. "We moved away for a fresh start so we can't visit her often. I'm sure she appreciates the company… and, Cardin? You can forgive yourself."
"Huh?"
"Nicole had forgiven you a long time ago," Weiss said, stepping away from Chrys to hold her hand out to Cardin, but her words had a bigger impact on him than she expected.
"She forgave me?" he murmured, eyes welling up as he slowly fell to his knees, hands shaking. "A-Are you sure?"
Weiss knelt in front of him and wrapped her arms around his large shoulders. "She knew you had a lot to work through, so she never held it against you. You know how she was…"
"I do," Cardin sobbed. "But why? Why would she forgive me after everything I did?"
"She wanted to talk to you one last time before we left for Vale," Weiss said, gently rubbing his back to comfort him and ease the heavy burden he carried. "She wanted to share a drink with you and put everything to rest."
Cardin let out a strangled cry, muttering incoherently himself as he hugged Weiss with every fibre of his being. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry for everything… I—"
"It's okay," Weiss cooed. "We forgive you."
"Thank you," Cardin said, squeezing Weiss one last time before he stood up and helped Weiss to her feet. "I know it's a little early, but do you mind joining me in one last drink?"
Weiss eyed the whisky and nodded. She was getting thirsty anyway. Cardin took the empty glass from Coco's gravy and poured Weiss a shot. They toasted to Coco's memory and knocked the whisky back. Cardin winced again while Weiss stared at the empty glass with a thoughtful smile.
"Thank you for being her friend," Weiss said.
"It was an honour." Cardin clicked his heels and snapped Weiss a firm salute before turning and doing the same for Coco. "I'll see you later, buddy. Keep the whisky cold for me, okay?"
"Has no one taken it before?" Weiss asked.
"Surprisingly, no." Cardin chuckled. "You're welcome to it though."
"Thanks." Weiss tried to give his shot glass back, but Cardin insisted she keep it as a memento of their fresh start.
After exchanging numbers, Cardin quietly left and Weiss rejoined her family who'd been patiently waiting for her. Ruby was immediately by her side, asking if she was okay. Truthfully, Weiss didn't know how to answer so she kissed Ruby and thanked her for her concern. She did, however, explain who Cardin was and everything that happened. Blake teared up and to everyone's surprise, Yang was the one who comforted her. It was awkward and stilted like Yang was walking on eggshells, but it was a start.
Everyone gathered around Coco's grave all wearing the same sombre expression. Chrys put her bouquet down on the opposite side of Cardin's and took a few steps back unsure of what to say or do next.
Weiss approached her carefully, amazed by how similar she looked to Coco from behind. "Mon coeur," she said, "have we ever told you how you got your name?"
Chrys shook her head as she slid her hands into her pockets, her shadow matching Weiss'.
"Long before you were born, your maman joked about us having a baby and what we'd name her. 'Dolce' was her first pick, but felt 'Chrys' suited the family more and rolled off the tongue easier."
"Okay, and that explains what exactly?"
"Well, Chrys was short for Chrysus; gold." Weiss wrapped an arm around Chrys' head, her hand absentmindedly stroking her hair. "But that changed the second she held you in her arms. She decided that right then and there you'd be named after one of her favourite flowers instead, the white chrysanthemum."
"Huh?" Chrys blinked and shook her head. "Wait, I thought she liked the white and blue ones because they reminded her of you?"
"Please, your mother loved me, but not that much," Weiss laughed, kissing Chrys' temple. "One of her favourite pastimes was learning the language of flowers. Why, exactly? I'll tell you when you're older. But to her, the white chrysanthemum was perfect because they meant loyalty and devoted love. They can also mean purity, but you're as vulgar and foulmouthed as me, so scratch that one off the list."
"I'm beginning to think I take more after you than her," Chrys said, cracking her first smile in hours.
"There's my girl," Weiss said, cupping Chrys' face. "Say what you need to say, mon coeur. Don't hold back. We can all step away if you need us to."
Chrys looked back at her mother's gravestone, her eyes slowly welling up. She quickly blinked back the tears and sharply inhaled to keep her stiff upper lip. Amélia noticed what was going on and put a loving hand on her granddaughter's back, pushing her forward. Chrys bravely took the first step towards the stone, her shoulders squared with her head held high.
"Let's give her a moment," Amélia whispered to Weiss as she guided her back to the group and into Ruby's arms.
"Everything okay?" Ruby asked.
Weiss didn't say a word.
Chrys knelt in front of Coco's grave and picked at the grass growing in front of it. She tore a clump out of morbid curiosity and tossed it aside. She grabbed another and another until she dug a small hole. Seeing the awful mess she made, Chrys numbly got up and stumbled back before running headfirst into her grandmother's arms, weeping.
"What can I do, mon trésor?" Amélia cooed. "What can I do?"
"I want my maman back!" Chrys screamed, digging into Amélia's coat to pull herself out of the miserable hell she lived in. "I want her back! She should be here with me—not these old dead people!"
Blake flinched in fear and braced herself for Chrys' fury, but nothing came of it. Despite the pain, hurt, and all the anger, Chrys never once blamed Blake. She didn't even register her presence until Blake made herself known by standing beside her. Winter took this opportunity to inspect the whisky and bring it back to Weiss.
"Give me the glass," Winter said as she uncapped the bottle.
"Is now really the time?" Weiss asked, hesitantly handing her sister the shot glass.
"Not for me." Winter poured a shot and immediately dumped it into the whole Chrys dug. "I never forgave you for getting my little sister pregnant. I wanted to beat you senseless and take her home with me, but you proved yourself worthy of her… and I reluctantly admit that you were a decent mother and an alright sister-in-law. You were fun to drink with..." Winter poured another shot and knocked it back. "I miss you and all the times we butted heads."
Yang snorted out a laugh and took the shot glass next. "I never met you, but I owe you a lot. I'm going to be your head chef. So, uh, please watch over me and your god damn soufflés." Winter poured Yang a shot which she promptly poured out just to get it refilled. "Oh, one last thing, boss… thanks for saving Blake."
After Yang drank her shot, Blake took the glass and poured herself a drink first to steel her nerves. Once the burn worked its way through, she asked for another and knelt in front of Coco's grave.
"My dear friend, it's been some time since I last visited you," she said through her tears. "A lot's happened. I met your family and I'm pretty sure they adopted me. And you were right, Weiss is really nice underneath all that sass and snark. I wish I'd gotten to meet her sooner…"
While Blake spoke to Coco, Weiss pulled Yang aside and handed her a black handkerchief. Without saying a word, Yang graciously took it and offered it to Blake.
"I-I…" Blake accepted the handkerchief dried her tears with it, smiling all the while. "Sit with me?"
"Sure."
With Yang by her side, Blake cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "I met someone," she shakily began. "I wasn't expecting it to happen so soon after everything I'd been through, but she pulled me out during my darkest days and gave me hope."
"Blake, what are you…?"
"Remember when we used to talk about love and how confused I got whenever you said Weiss made your sunny days even brighter?" Blake sought Yang's hand out and held it tight. "I think I understand… I think I feel the same. No, I-I do. I do feel the same. And I want to try, but I'm scared. What if I'm not good enough for her? Then again, if you were here, you'd tell me to go get the girl and worry about things later."
Blake poured the shot into the hole and kissed Yang on the cheek before getting up to hand the glass over to the next person.
Amélia downed two shots in quick succession and poured another for Yang who was still sitting by the grave looking like a dumbfounded mess. "Take it," she said, offering the alcohol to Yang.
"You're not going to say a few words?" Yang asked as she sipped on the whisky, her nose crinkling in disgust with each sip.
"I have no words for my Coco that she doesn't already know," Amélia said, patting Yang's shoulder. "Come, darling, back onto your feet. A kiss on the cheek doesn't mean she's yours just yet."
"Right," Yang said, staring at Blake with renewed energy. "I still got a long way to go."
And finally, all that was left were Ruby and Weiss. Or they were until Chrys shyly asked to try what everyone else did. Weiss happily obliged and poured Chrys' shot herself but only after she wiped Chrys' face clean and tilted her chin up.
"Stand tall, mon coeur," Weiss said before kissing Chrys' forehead. "I love you."
Chrys looked down at the shot and nodded. "I love you too, Mama."
Weiss watched Chrys approach her mother's grave with a look of apprehension. She didn't know what to say when it finally came time for her to step up. Would she be able to speak? Weiss had prepared a lovely speech to properly introduce Ruby to Coco and say a few parting words to put their marriage to rest, but now that she was here, her mind was drawing a blank. This was a first for Weiss. She was used to being the centre of attention. She flourished in it. But here, surrounded by her loved ones, she wasn't sure if she could keep her head held high while bearing her soul for all to see. She could see herself shrinking into nothing as she tried to speak. She could also pretend to be fine and say nothing at all, bluffing her way through this final confrontation.
"I kept my promise," Chrys said, pulling Weiss back to the present. "It was hard at first—trying to adjust to Mama without you. We fought a lot and I kept a lot of stuff from her so I wouldn't be a burden… she's had it real tough without you. Her cooking's gotten better though. She only burns things slightly now."
"Hey!" Weiss gasped. "I do not burn our food!"
"You burn our food," Ruby chuckled as she wrapped an arm around Weiss' waist.
"That's Ruby," Chrys said, crinkling her nose. "She's like a fun older sister who likes doing the same things I do. She's also always there for me, picking me up from school when Mama can't, taking me to fish stores, and watching over me and my friends when we want to do something. She's trying really hard for me… and I know she'll never replace you—she can't—but I really like her. She makes Mama really happy… um… I don't really know what else to say. But, um, I-I love you and I hope you're proud of me—sorry for ruining your grass!"
Chrys quickly poured the shot into the hole and ran back to Weiss, hugging her for comfort.
"You did well, mon coeur," Weiss said in a soothing voice as she stroked Chrys' hair.
"I'm really embarrassed," Chrys mumbled, her face buried in Weiss' left shoulder. She let out a frustrated groan and whimpered.
"Do you want a sip of whisky?" Weiss asked with an airy chuckle, amused by her daughter's muted grumblings. Chrys stopped then shyly nodded her head. "Just a sip, okay?"
"Just a sip."
Weiss carefully poured Chrys a drink and handed it to her. It was a few drops at most, just enough to fill the bottom. Chrys swirled the whisky and sniffed it, her nose crinkling as she recoiled back.
"It smells funny," she said, sniffing it again. "Are you sure Maman actually liked this? She wasn't just drinking it to look cool, right?"
Weiss quirked an eyebrow. "You think she was 'cool'?"
"You don't?"
"I'm not the right person to ask that," Weiss said nonchalantly. "If I had to describe your mother, it would be 'annoying,' not 'cool,' as you kids like to say. She was a massive dork who got excited about the weirdest things and walked around like she was god's gift to mankind."
"That… still kind of sounds cool, Weiss," Ruby said.
"No, I agree with my wildflower, my Coco was anything but 'cool,' " Amélia chimed. "She spent far too much time singing her own praises."
"Remember that time she cried because she burnt the bottom of her cake?"
"Inconsolable," Amélia snorted as she laughed at her daughter's misfortune. "What about that time she sprained her wrist trying to dig a hole for Chrys' dearly departed bunny."
"Turkey was a good boy," Weiss giggled, thinking about the adorable bunny Chrys had as a baby.
"Okay, okay, Maman wasn't perfect, I get it!" Chrys pouted, sending Weiss and Amélia a nasty glare before knocking the shot back and immediately spitting it out. "What the hell was that?!" she gasped and gagged. "Were you trying to poison me?!"
"I don't know what you mean," Weiss said, taking the glass to pour herself a drink. It went down smooth and easy, the burn feeling more like a warm tickle than the hellfire Chrys made it out to be. "Tastes great to me."
"I have to ask you, seriously, have you ever actually seen Maman drink this?!"
"She liked to pose with it."
"That's not drinking it."
"She kept a few bottles in her office."
"That's still not drinking it."
"She—"
"Give it up, Weiss, you aren't fooling anyone," Blake said with a heavy sigh. "Chrys, your mother was a lightweight who only acted like she could take the hard stuff. When we grabbed a late, she'd order these fruity monstrosities with an ounce of vodka in them at most."
Chrys blinked then stared at the bottle in Weiss' hand. "Why?"
"Because it matched her aesthetic," Weiss confessed after she poured herself another glass. She could feel her turn drawing closer as Chrys' temper rose. "She wanted you to see her as the cool and sophisticated mother who drank whisky while reading hard to understand books."
"Whyyyyy?!" Chrys groaned, dragging her hands down her face in exasperation. "That is so laaame!"
After a second, Weiss stifled a laugh and said, "Because she wanted you to have someone like your grandfather to look up to." Chrys' face scrunched in disgust. "No, not that one."
"My Alessandro," Amélia said with a dreamy sigh. "He was such a handsome, worldly man. He hadn't worked a day in his overprivileged life and spent it learning everything he could. Fencing, calligraphy, language—your pépé was amazing and I miss him more than you could ever imagine."
"Did he ever get to meet me?" Chrys timidly asked.
"He did, for a brief moment." Amélia put on a brave front, but her brilliant smile wavered as she took a breath and patted Chrys' head. "He was terribly ill when you were born, but your Maman brought you to see him whenever she could. He'd tell you all sorts of stories and you'd always listen and watch, enraptured by his voice."
"Hm…" Chrys pulled her lips to the side and hummed. "I don't remember…"
"No one expects you to," Weiss said as she pulled Chrys into her arms. "But he loved you dearly."
Chrys looked up at her and hugged her back, face deep in the crook of Weiss'. She breathed her in and patted Weiss' back. "I think it's your turn now, Mama."
"I think so too."
"Are you ready?"
"No," Weiss smiled, her eyes begging to sting as the moment of truth turned to face her. She squeezed Chrys one last time and handed her over to Amélia.
"We'll be by my Alessandro," Amélia said, cupping Weiss' left cheek, her thumb gently tracing over the scar adorning Weiss' face. "Take all the time you need, Wild Flower. I know you have a lot to get off your chest."
"Merci, Maman," Weiss said before taking Ruby's hand. "Come with me?"
"Of course," Ruby said, intertwining their fingers. "I'll go wherever you go, partner."
They stood at the foot of Coco's grave as a united front, though both their hands were shaking and neither knew what to say. This was a common occurrence for them and it amused Weiss to no end because it usually meant they were both on the same page. She loved this about Ruby.
Feeling braver, Weiss cleared her throat to speak. "Hello, my love," she said in Eastern Atlesian. "I'm sorry it's been so long since I last came to see you."
Ruby stood next to her, like a large, solid rock. Silent, strong, and prepared to weather everything until the heat death of the planet. She squeezed Weiss' hand and urged her to continue even though she didn't understand a single word being spoken.
"I've done everything according to your brilliant plan. Chryssie's attending the school you chose and she's loving it. Her teachers are giving her a good challenge, but I think they can be a little tougher on her. She's also made some friends and two really good ones; Briar and Heizell treat her really well. You would have loved them." Weiss took a steadying breath and blinked to clear her eyes. "Your restaurant's on track to open in a few months. Neptune hired the best interior decorator he could find and Ciel's been managing the numbers so I can focus on the business side of things… I found the chef you dreamed of working with. She's strong, spunky, has a bit of a temper and doesn't take shit from anyone, but she's also humble and incredibly hard-working… but you've already met her a-and I guess I'm stalling for time again."
Weiss released her hand from Ruby's iron grip and placed it on the small of her back.
"Weiss?" Ruby murmured before she swallowed the lump in her throat and licked her lips. They were dry and a little chapped, so Weiss kissed her to share a bit of the strawberry lip balm she wore. It really didn't do much, but it brought a smile to Ruby's face and that was enough for Weiss.
"Hey, Nic?" Weiss said in Valese. "This is Ruby. My partner."
"H-Hey, uh, Coco," Ruby said, ripping her toque off to stuff it in her pocket. She quickly smoothed her hair down, but it sprung back into place with more ends sticking out. "Um, I—I'm taking really good care of them in your place… not that I'm here to replace you or anything. No. No way. Um, I'm just…"
"Breathe, Ruby," Weiss cooed.
"Right. Sorry. Nervous habit," Ruby sighed, shaking her head. She took a comically large breath and blew it all out before steeling her gaze. "I love Weiss and Chrys more than anything in this world. I'm nowhere near good enough for them, but I swear, I'll dedicate my life to them. I will be there for every moment, both the good and the bad. And I promise I will never look at someone the way I look at Weiss… I feel something about her. Something that goes just beyond what loving someone can feel like."
"What do you think it is?" Weiss asked.
"I don't know." Ruby licked her lips. "Destiny?"
"I do feel like I was meant to meet you," Weiss said with a timid half-smile. "Something compelled me to go back to that café."
"Think it was Coco pulling the strings?" Ruby asked. The suggestion made Weiss snort. "What? You don't think she'd be looking out for you in the great beyond?"
"No, it's not that," Weiss laughed, wiping a stray tear from her eye. "I can definitely see Nicole trying though. She liked to meddle and played matchmaker whenever she could… but if this is destiny, wouldn't that mean she was meant to—"
"No," Ruby said before Weiss could finish her thought. "I think our destinies shift," she continued as she stood in front of Weiss to cup her face. "I think we were destined to meet. Your office, the shitty café, the restaurant—Nora—we were going to meet eventually. It'd be just a matter of time."
"Perhaps…" Weiss murmured with a wistful sigh, almost too quiet to perceive. "Nicole did always want to try a threesome…"
Ruby blinked, her mouth agape. "Eh?"
"Ignore that." Weiss quickly shook her head and wrapped her arms around Ruby's chest. "Destiny… mm."
"Something up?"
"I don't think that's the proper word."
Stroking Weiss' back, Ruby asked, "What word defines us then?"
"Kismet," Weiss said, the word rolling off her tongue like the single truest fact she'd ever spoken.
Kismet, unlike destiny foretold by the divine or human will, was unavoidable. The world seemed hell-bent on setting Weiss on this path the second moment she landed in Vale. Chrys was never the type to suggest trying something new. She was a picky eater who only ate the finer things life had to offer, but for some inexplicable reason, she decided that fateful day would be the day she tried something new. Perhaps it was the change of environment that made Chrys more daring, but Weiss thanked her lucky stars she didn't have to wait too long to meet Ruby because this was where she rightfully belonged.
"I need a moment alone, Ruby," Weiss said as she immersed herself deeper into Ruby's unyielding embrace.
"I'll be by that willow tree down the road." Ruby kissed Weiss on the lips before heading off.
Licking her lips, Weiss laid next to Coco's grave and ran her hand gently over the grass where Coco's chest would be. There were many nights in the past where Weiss would do this exact same thing as she laid awake at night while Coco soundly slept. Weiss used this time to ease the worries she hid from her family and appreciate the woman next to her. And the more Weiss thought about it, the more she equated her relationship with Coco to building a house from the ground up brick by brick. They were far too alike in most regards and that caused a lot of friction, but they made it work somehow.
"We had a pretty good life together, didn't we, Nic?" Weiss murmured, her vision blurry with searing hot tears. "Remember that time shortly after I started working full time for Maman? Turkey was still alive back then and I'd complain about all the fur he got on my clothes so we got an obscene amount of lint rollers?"
Turkey was a light caramel brown lionhead bunny with patches of white all over. He adored Chrys and played with her whenever he could, but Weiss was his person. He would follow her around the house like a puppy, leaving little poops for Coco to step on. If Weiss was on the couch watching TV, Turkey would be there snuggled next to her on the floor or in her lap. And when Coco got a little frisky with Weiss in his presence, Turkey would nip at her ankles until she got up and left.
Turkey passed nearly two years ago at the ripe old age of eight.
Weiss quietly chuckled to herself and said, "You got annoyed with me spending more time with him, so you started sticking the rollers in places I couldn't reach just so I'd have to get you. I remember getting so frustrated I gave up and told your mother… then you both proceeded to laugh at me for my height and gave me that stupid little shark grabby toy. I still use it by the way; Ruby finds it hilarious."
Ruby didn't like being on the receiving end of a prank. All the years of bullying she endured made her fearful of them, but she was slowly coming around. She'd play harmless little jokes on Weiss like hiding caricatures of herself in Weiss' desk and books. This started months ago and Weiss was still finding some around the house.
Thinking about Ruby brought about those silly butterflies that made Weiss' insides squirm. She could feel her face heat up as a smile tugged at her lips. She loved her so much.
"Coco, mon amour," Weiss said, pausing to take a long, shaky breath, "y-you know that I love you and that I'll never for you, right? I swear I didn't mean to fall in love with Ruby so soon. I-I…"
The wind blew against Weiss' back, gently urging her to continue.
"I'm sorry, it just happened so suddenly—I'm still trying to wrap my head around it." Weiss shook her head and quietly laughed to herself. "How did such a beautiful, perfect girl… just fall into my life the way she did? Ruby didn't even give me a chance to say no and pretend like I wasn't interested!"
Weiss gushed on and on about Ruby and all the good she brought into her life. She tried to list some bad points, like how Ruby would bring snacks into bed or forget things around the apartment, but what's a dirty dish and some crumbs compared to the love and adoration she received.
"I think it's time, Coco, I have let you go," Weiss whispered, squeezing her eyes shut as she turned to bury her face into the grass. "I love you so much, but I have to let you go. I can't keep stringing Ruby along like this. I can't keep holding onto the hope you'll magically walk through the door and sweep me off my feet again. You're gone. I know you're gone. I kissed you at the morgue and I kissed you in your coffin. You aren't coming back… so please, I'm begging you, give me the strength I need to move on."
In the distance, Weiss heard Chrys' laughter echo out into the field giving the silent graveyard taste of jubilant life. Sitting up, Weiss wiped her tears and looked over to the willow tree where her new life was waiting for her.
"Do you see that, Nic? Chrys is laughing again." Weiss smiled as she gripped the grass, imagining it was Coco's large, gentle hand nestled in her palm. "She's trying a little too hard to act all grown up and be just like you, but when she's with Ruby… she's different. She's back to being her cheeky little playful self and she's just as annoying as you when she gets moody. You know, for a while, I was concerned that being around older kids and people in their early twenties would affect her. I don't know what you said or did while you were here, but thank you. You taught our daughter to stay true to herself and never chase the crowd."
Deciding it was time, Weiss ran her hand over Coco's grave one last time and filled out the hole Chrys made, patting it down. "I'm going to give Ruby my all from here on out," she said, after getting up and dusting her coat. "I'll still think about you, and I'll still love you with all my heart. But this is my second chance. I can see my future staring at me. I'm scared and excited, but I'm not worried at all. I know Ruby's going to take care of us. Goodbye, mon amour, and thank you for saving me."
A strong gust of wind hit Weiss' back, nearly knocking her over. She chuckled to herself and shook her head, taking it as a sign to move forward. She didn't know when she took the first step or when she started running, but she found herself in Ruby's arms and savouring her kiss. She could hear Chrys gagging in disgust and yelling for them to get a room, but Weiss ignored her and did what her heart told her to.
When they broke apart, Ruby was grinning goofily with a fresh blush adorning her cheeks. She looked a little different compared to the Ruby Weiss met on that dreary September day. She was finally at a healthy weight, her cheeks were fuller and her body, while still athletic, was more supple and shapely. Her hair was past her shoulders now, though it still had quite a few tufts sticking out like floppy dog ears that bobbed when she ran.
"I love you," Weiss said, cupping Ruby's face.
Ruby beamed at her. "I love you too!"
"Hey, I'm still here!" Chrys shouted as she wedged herself between Ruby and Weiss.
Rolling her eyes, Weiss wrapped her arms around both her girls. "I love you both so much."
After meeting everyone else at Alessandro's grave, they all piled back into the limo and drove off, heading towards a restaurant Amélia insisted they all dine at. But midway through the drive, Ruby piped up.
"Hey, whatever happened to the whisky?" she asked with Chrys napping on her lap. Everyone shrugged except for Weiss who nervously blinked and felt around in her coat pockets. "Babe, did you…?"
"Accidentally teal from my wife's grave?" Weiss said, pulling out the half-empty whisky bottle. She took a generous drink and passed it to Winter who knocked it back like an alcoholic enjoying the night. "Yup."
"Oh my god," Ruby shuddered, "she's going to haunt us."
"And do what exactly?" Weiss laughed. "Beg for the whisky she never drank?"
"So it's just canon now? Coco never drank the whisky you always said was her favourite?" Ruby rubbed her temple.
"Mhm."
"You had me dust the one on the mantle… for nothing?"
"Yup."
"I—what?!"
"Ruby, just let it go," Amélia chuckled, motioning for the whisky next. "Some things are just better left alone."
"But—"
Weiss quickly snatched the whisky back from Winter and took another swig. "Cheers to the end of one story and the beginning of another!" she cheered with the bottle raised high.
"No, fuck that!" Ruby cried, covering Chrys' ears. "The next book's going to be a horror story because we are going to get haunted! Haunted! We gotta turn around and give it back."
"Cheers to the Haunting of Ruby Rose then!" Amélia bellowed, stealing the bottle from Weiss.
"Ahhh!"