After another shitty shift at her equally shitty job, Weiss needed a drink... and a mood-booster. It was a good thing Yang was working today... and her girlfriend was not.

Ever since the morning after her birthday party, the response that Vernal gave to her confession of love had been... well, filling her thoughts to say the least. Yeah, I know... Those words just continued to repeat in her mind, over and over again, and Weiss had to resist the urge to cry every time they did. She had spent the past several days going over what happened in her own head, as every time she attempted to bring it up with Vernal, her girlfriend would... have other things in mind for them. Mainly sex, or other things that essentially got Weiss to shut up. Which definitely did not instill confidence that they were ever going to talk about it. But no matter, she was sure Vernal was just... nervous about the implications of saying those words. That had to be it... at least she hoped so - seeing as that was what she had continued to tell herself throughout the last few days.

Weiss let out a sigh as she walked down the sidewalk, heading towards The Perch. She needed to stop overthinking about that. Everything was going to be fine... right? Whatever. She will deal with that later. It was time for a drink, or two... or more - depending on how where the afternoon went.

Pushing open the front door of the bar, the first thing Weiss did upon stepping into the main area was search for Yang, because there was no way in hell she was going to spend even a single minute there alone. Not today. She needed her friend. Unfortunately for her, there was no sign of the blonde, even in the fairly vacant bar. The only notable person in sight was Qrow standing behind the counter, cleaning a class. But... she said she was working today... No, she has to be here. Qrow will know. Weiss thought to herself, wandering farther into the bar toward the worker, who offered a small yet still authentic smile as she approached.

"Afternoon kiddo." Qrow greeted.

Weiss managed a slight smile in return. "Hi Qrow." She simply greeted back. "Do you know where Yang is? I was informed that she was working today."

"Just on the can." Qrow informed, placing the glass aside. "Want me to get you a drink while you're waiting?"

Weiss shook her head. "Thank you, but I'll pass for now. There's something I need to speak with Yang about."

"Must be important." Qrow acknowledge before returning to cleaning glasses.

Heading toward the back of the bar, Weiss entered the small hallway that contained the male and female washrooms. Once there she stationed herself across from the latter by leaning against the wall across from the door. She then waited a minute before hearing the toilet flush from within, which was followed by the running water of the sink. Well it's good to know she washes her hands. Not long after the sound came to a halt, the door opened, revealing Yang, clad in her usual work wear. Upon her noticing Weiss standing there, her brow furrowed, likely wondering what exactly her friend was doing waiting outside the bathroom for her.

"Hey there." Yang greeted, a slightly confused smirk on her face. "You spying on me or somethin'?"

Weiss just rolled her eyes. "You caught me."

Yang let out a chuckle. "And here I thought you actually liked being my friend." She joked. "Turns out you only wanted to listen to me pee."

"The shame I feel is as crushing as my arousal." Weiss deadpanned.

Yang's chuckle quickly evolved into a mock-evil laugh. "Jokes on you, I've been stealing locks of your hair since we met."

"That's unfortunate, I wear a wig." Weiss obviously lied.

Yang faux-gasped in response. "Are the panties I've taken fake too?"

Though she had to resist the urge to laugh, Weiss smirked. "Decoys."

Yang faux-gasped again, but more intensely this time. "You evil genius! What of you even is real?"

"My breasts, sadly." Weiss sighed.

Yang offered a smile through a chuckle. "Aw they're not that bad Weiss, they're just... cute is all."

Weiss immediately quirked a brow. "You say that like you've been looking at them."

Yang blinked, likely realizing what she had just said. "Uh... no... O-Of course not." She managed.

Seeing her friend struggle to respond caused Weiss to practically burst into laughter. She never knew it was so easy to fluster her. Though unfortunately it did not last long, as the laughter soon trailed off as her gaze fell off to the side.

"Hey, you okay?" Yang inquired, taking notice of her friend's change in attitude. "You're uh, lookin' a little less punk today."

A fairly accurate statement. Weiss was not nearly as dressed up as she normally was. No coloured contacts, no leather jacket, none of her punk-styled makeup... just a random band T-shirt and jeans. It was likely the least-punk Weiss had looked in quite a long time. She ended up opening her mouth a few times to answer, but nothing came out. Instead she merely stepped forward and wrapped Yang in a tight hug, noticing that her head went straight into her cleavage due to their difference in heights. But Weiss did not care. It was warm, and soft, and it made her feel better. Especially once Yang reciprocated, pulling her close with one strong arm wrapping around Weiss' shoulders, the other around to lightly pat her head. It made her realize something.

I wish Vernal would hug me like this...

A few lingering moments later, Weiss could feel Yang's grip around her slowly begin to loosen, so she figured it was about time that they separated. Once the two had let go of one another and stepped back, Yang offered a smile.

"Feel any better?"

Weiss could not help but smile slightly in response. "A bit. But I still have a lot on my chest, so... can we talk in the back room?"

"Of course." Yang agreed before beginning to lead Weiss out of the bathroom hallway and toward the bar hatch. "You want a drink while we talk?"

Weiss nodded. "That would be nice. I'll just have my usual."

Briefly turning back to look at her friend, Yang smiled. "Comin' right up." She then lifted the bar hatch for Weiss to pass under before following. "You go make yourself comfortable, and I'll be right there with your order."

Weiss managed a smile. "Thanks Yang."

The blonde grinned in response. "Glad I could be of service."

Making her way into the bar's back room, Weiss pulled out one of the chairs of the lone table and took a seat. While she waited, she decided to idly look around - since there was not really anything else to do anyway. Thankfully she did not have to do so for very long, as the door to the front area soon opened, with Yang strolling into the room, a White Atlesian in hand.

"One White Atlesian for the... Well you know the rest." Yang grinned, placing the beverage in front of Weiss before sitting across from her.

"And here I thought you were going to reuse that joke for the millionth time." Weiss commented before picking up the glass and taking a sip.

"Hey, I'm not that unoriginal!" Yang defended, to which she received a doubtful look from her friend. "Okay maybe I am sometimes."

Weiss raised a brow. "Sometimes?"

"Shut up!" Yang whined as Weiss laughed at her. Once her friend had calmed down, a short silence followed. "So... what'd you wanna talk about?"

"It's... about Vernal..." Weiss admitted, her gaze falling to the drink in her hand.

"Everything okay with you two?" Yang asked, worry quickly beginning to creep into her voice.

"Well, yes, technically also no but..." Weiss took in a sharp breath, and sighed. "It's... simple, but also complicated."

Yang offered a smile. "Well, I'm all ears."

"I love Vernal, she... she's the reason I can smile when I wake up, and I know I'm not the most rational of people anymore but, I know I love her, and I know she loves me, but...she never says it." Weiss explained, her gaze never truly meeting Yang's.

"But... if she never says it... how do you know?" Yang hesitantly asked.

"You know Vernal, she's... difficult." Weiss answered. "Not cold, but she doesn't exactly bite at the bit to talk about how she feels."

"That's true, but even I feel like saying she loves you would be an exception." Yang mentioned.

Weiss took another sip from her drink. "I don't think she's ever said she loves anyone... It's just that she makes me feel loved, like, actions speak louder than words. I don't feel unloved... I definitely don't feel unloved, it's just that I've never had anything like this before and it means everything to me... But there's always that part of me that's scared it'll all fall apart and come crashing down..."

"I mean I've heard her say she loves your eyes... or your ass, but I guess that doesn't really count huh." Yang commented.

Weiss let out a sigh. "Vernal didn't really... she doesn't like to talk about her childhood, but I know enough to understand the subject is a can of worms that still affects her, that I'm a big thing for her... But it just... hurts, when you tell someone you love them, and they don't say it back."

"You... told her you love her?"

Weiss nodded. "Yeah, it... it was early, perhaps she didn't really hear me well or... maybe she thought she was dreaming but... No that's..." She sighed wearily, rubbing at her temples. "She said I know snowflake, and went back to sleep."

Yang brought a hand up to run through her hair. "Oh... man that's a tough one. I'm so sorry Weiss..."

"Did... have you ever had this problem with Neo?" Weiss inquired. "I-I mean not just that she can't talk, I know she can communicate but..."

Yang shook her head slightly. "Not exactly, but..." She sighed. "I know she never loved me... And now that I think about it, I doubt our relationship was even much of a relationship in the first place, especially considering I wasn't her only partner..."

Weiss nearly spit out her drink in response. "What?"

"She dumped me Weiss." Yang mumbled. "Not long before your birthday, I went over to her apartment, and..." She trailed off, seemingly struggling to find the words. "And found her fucking some random guy. I tried to figure out what I did, but... she ended up just shutting the door in my face..."

Weiss could not believe what she was hearing. "That... that bitch, how could she?!"

Yang just half-heartedly shrugged. "I dunno, guess I didn't make it clear I was expecting more."

"Nonsense." Weiss snapped. "I saw how you treated her, you would always made time for her, light up when she visited... You... don't ever doubt yourself Yang. If it was anyone's issue it was hers, I don't accept any other possibilities."

Yang managed a smile. "Thanks Weiss." Then she chuckled a bit. "And here I thought I was supposed to be the one helping today."

"Well, let it never be said I'm not a good friend, you always have been to me." Weiss reminded.

"Not just good, you have been the best." Yang corrected, a grin beginning to spread across her face.

Weiss scoffed. "Hardly, I..." She trailed off, noticing the face her friend was giving her. "I should just take the compliment."

"Well I ain't letting you say anything different." Yang grinned.

Weiss clicked her tongue. "Like you could stop me, no one can stop me when I put my mind to something."

Yang had to stifle a laugh. "Like getting drunk and asking to rent out my dad for the night?"

Weiss shrunk, blushing deeply. Why did she have to remember that? "Your father is rather handsome, and I am loose lipped under the influence."

"I'm kinda surprised you didn't throw yourself at anyone." Yang commented.

"I was tempted, but I am also faithful, no matter how adorable your sisters pout may be." Weiss admitted. And I can't believe I just said that.

Yang quickly brought a hand up to cover her mouth, stifling a laugh. "Oh my gods you were actually thinking about it?"

"Ruby is an incredibly cute individual!" Weiss defended. "Pyrrha is a fortunate woman."

"Hey, Ruby's pretty lucky too." Yang pointed out. "I mean have you seen Pyrrha's body? Gods damn."

"The figure of a goddess, and the personality of an angel." Weiss agreed. She was awfully lucky she found Vernal first, or else she might have developed a crush on the redhead.

"I'll admit I joked with Ruby about how I was gonna throw myself at her wife, but shit, I'd pay for a night with that woman." Yang continued.

Weiss let out a giggle. "And then she would politely decline, and you'd be thankful for the smile."

"Damn right I would." Yang confidently stated. "That smile could cure depression."

"Ah, if only we'd met earlier..." Weiss half-faux-sighed. It was a joke, but not entirely inaccurate.

Yang chuckled in response. "If only. But hey, you've already got a girl. I'm the single one here."

"Not for long, I'm sure of it." Weiss assured. "I'll come in and you'll have a veritable harem hanging off of you."

Yang's chuckle quickly evolved into a laugh. "Oh man wouldn't that be the life. I could have a person for each area of my body!"

"All with their own individual maid outfits." Weiss added. That would be quite a sight indeed.

"I mean what else would I have them wear?" Yang wondered.

Weiss actually thought for a moment. "Well nothing is always an option, but then you lose the fun of taking it off..."

"That's true, but then I could stare at tits and dicks all day long." Yang countered.

Also known as a paradise... "I concede your point."

"Yeah but those are only imaginary right now." Yang noted. "You already have a perfectly good pair of tits that you can stare at."

"They are rather nice... perfectly sized really... my hands are small..." Weiss mumbled, raising said hands to observe them.

"Which makes it even better!" Yang excitedly added.

"Yeah..." Weiss agreed before looking at her friend, attempting to not let her gaze fall down to her chest. "I can only imagine yours would be like bowling balls to my hands."

Yang immediately raised a brow. "You say that like you're curious."

And I shouldn't have said that. "It's just an observation!" Weiss defended.

Yang still seemed suspicious. "Uh huh, eyes on the prize Weissy, don't want people to think you're straying. Think, cropped hair, smug sneer, resting bitch face."

Weiss chuckled. "I know Yang. But speaking of... what do you think I should do about my current... predicament?"

Yang's expression then morphed into a more serious one. "Honestly Weiss... I've never been good at this sort of thing. There's moments in my life I shoulda... done something, but didn't, or did, but didn't do it right, and I regret them every day." She slumped. "I don't wanna push you into something that might not work out, but I also don't wanna see you just... let it go. But more than anything, I think Vernal needs you to be direct about it."

"So I should tell her how I feel..." Weiss mumbled, thinking over her friend's suggestion as she took a drink from her nearly empty beverage, finishing it. That was fast.

"And make it really clear, so she can't shrug it off or rationalize it." Yang stressed. "She needs to respect your feelings and understand how you feel, because relationships are a two way street, and if you can't meet in the middle you end up like me and Neo... Don't... don't be me Weiss."

After a moment, Weiss nodded. "Alright, I will. Thank you Yang, really. I don't know what I would do without you."

Yang smiled. "You'd have Ruby, Pyrrha, Raven, and hell even Qrow. You're a great person Weiss, they'd take care of you."

Weiss met the blonde's smile with one of her own as a blush began to tint her cheeks. "Thanks... I love you all..."

Yang's smile only grew. "We love ya too Weiss." Then she noticed her friend's glass was empty. "Now how about another drink?"

"Yeah... yeah I'd like one please, a little uh... liquid courage." Weiss agreed.

"You got it!" Yang grinned.

As Weiss watched her friend stand, snatch the glass off of the table and head back into the front area to make another drink for her, a smile found it's way onto her face. Though she had only known her for just over a year, she could honestly not imagine a day without her. It caused Weiss to softly chuckle to herself.

What would I do without that wonderful woman?


Like most other rational individuals, Pyrrha hated hospitals. Of course it was not due to the odd smell of the building, the mediocre food, or even the... conditions of those admitted there... She could tolerate those fairly easily... at least for the most part. No, the reason she despised hospitals so much was because of the reasons why she normally had to be there in the first place.

And unfortunately, this day was no different... As much as she wished it was.

Slowly walking down one of the many brightly lit hallways of Vale Memorial Hospital with a cream cheese bagel in one hand and a chocolate chip muffin in the other - both wrapped in plastic - Pyrrha let out a sigh. Having been awake since three in the morning and in the building since before five - more specifically in Coco's room with Ruby - she could safely say was very tired and wanted to go back to bed. Though sadly she could not rest quite yet, as her day was likely far from over - And she would soon learn how accurate that statement was.

Upon finally reaching the large wooden door labelled 802, Pyrrha stride slowed to a stop in front of it, almost dreading what she knew was on the other side. Seeing those who had diseases or sustained serious injuries was one thing, but when one of them was a friend? Her family? Now that was something else entirely. Pyrrha did not want to walk into that room and have to once again lay her eyes upon Coco Adel, ex-owner of the Adel Modelling Agency, lying asleep in a hospital bed with not only a broken arm, but concussed, malnourished... It was a difficult sight to behold to say the least. Unfortunately just standing outside the door was not exactly an option. After all, she could not exactly be there for Coco without actually being there, even if that meant seeing her friend in such a state.

Hesitantly opening the heavy door, Pyrrha stepped into the dimly lit hospital room, revealing the sleeping forms of Coco and Ruby - the former tucked into the bed, hooked up to a heart rate monitor and an IV, and the latter in a chair, slumped over the bed, unconsciously grasping Coco's hand. If it was not for the fact that they were currently in a hospital, the sight would have been rather cute. But even so, she was glad both of them were still asleep, as she wanted to be there when Coco woke up to ensure she did not feel alone.

Quietly making her way across the room, Pyrrha placed the chocolate chip muffin onto the table behind Ruby before taking a seat in the other chair she had set up next to the hospital bed - the same one she had essentially been sitting in all day. Once settled, she began to unwrap the cream cheese bagel she had bought for herself earlier, as she was quite hungry - and as if on cue, her stomach rumbled again. What a coincidence.

As Pyrrha began to silently eat her bagel, savouring its delicious taste, her eyes idly drifted to the form of her sleeping friend. Gaunt... pasty... chapped lips... frayed long hair, looking like it had not been cut in months... a cast that almost covered her entire right arm... It almost made her want to cry from just looking at her. So instead she decided to simply gaze around the room. This was not even close to the first time she had been in one just like it, and she had a feeling it would not be the last. Unless she could actually get through to Coco this time. Pyrrha could only hope. It was not until she heard a familiar voice that her gaze returned to the occupant of the hospital bed.

"Hey there Little Red. Long time no see."

If not for the current situation, Pyrrha would have smiled at the nickname. It was one that Coco had given her a while ago, while referring to her wife as Big Red - Which was quite ironic, as Ruby was the little one of the two of them. Instead she merely decided to make a point to chew her bagel slowly, watching as Coco blinked blearily awake.

"Man, it feels like I got hit by a bus." Coco mumbled, her voice quiet and hoarse.

"Hmph." Pyrrha swallowed her bite, staring at her friend silently as she took another.

Coco raised a brow as she attempted to adjust herself, sadly to no avail. "Sounds like someone had a bad day. What's got ya down girl?"

Pyrrha narrowed her eyes, swallowing another bite. "I dislike my kindness being taken advantage of, Coco."

"Are the in-laws giving ya trouble again?" Coco inquired.

"My in-laws are kind an considerate." Pyrrha simply answered.

Coco then looked over at the sleeping form of Ruby to her left before her gaze came back to Pyrrha. "Are you gettin' it enough from Big Red?"

"Our love life is as lively as ever."

Coco paused, seemingly in thought. "Problems at work?"

"Outside of it." Pyrrha corrected.

Coco paused again. "Parents?"

"Coco." Pyrrha frowned. "I have had enough."

"Yeah, parents can be a little hard to deal with sometimes." Coco agreed - even though that was not at all what the redhead was referring to - her eyes drifting around the room. "I know that pretty well..."

Pyrrha frowned in response, starting to get fed up with Coco's lack of seriousness. "Coco Adel, look at me." She commanded, to which her friend hesitantly looked back over to meet her gaze. "I love you Coco, you understand that?"

"Yeah, I know mom." Coco mumbled.

"And Ruby loves you." Pyrrha added.

Coco managed a raspy chuckle. "If she doesn't, I've got no idea what love is."

"You are family to us Coco." Pyrrha continued, lowering her bagel and leaning closer to the bed.

"Like a weird, lonely daughter." Coco commented, her gaze falling off to the side.

"And so was Velvet."

Coco suddenly stiffened, her face slightly contorting at the mention of her ex-girlfriend, her gaze remaining away from Pyrrha. "I know..."

"Do you want us to bury you too?" Pyrrha questioned, sliding the chair closer to the bed, hoping for her friend to even look at her. Coco did not answer, still looking elsewhere. "Because if you continue down this path, I see no other result."

Coco still did not answer immediately, choosing to instead gaze out the nearby window to her left, her expression full of pain. But thankfully she did not stay silent for too long. "It'd probably save you a lotta trouble..." She mumbled, her voice barely audible.

Pyrrha could not believe what she just heard. Sliding even closer to the bed, she reached over and firmly grasped Coco's chin, forcing her to meet her gaze once more, eyes glistening as she glared. "Is that what you want Coco? You want to die? To leave us with the pain of your loss too?"

Coco then attempted to avoid eye contact with the redhead. "One less burden..."

"You are not a burden on us." Pyrrha assured, removing her hand from Coco's chin and lightly placing it upon the cast that covered her right arm. "You are family, our sister, and I will not allow you to throw your life away. Velvet would never forgive me, nor would she forgive you."

Coco just sadly huffed. "I've got no life anymore Pyr..."

Pyrrha frowned. "You know that isn't true Coco."

Coco let out a quiet sigh. "The only life I ever had has been buried in a cemetery for the past eight months."

"And do you think she would want this for you?" Pyrrha questioned. "Drinking and mourning yourself into a grave beside her?"

"Only way I'll get to see her again..." Coco murmured.

Pyrrha had to fight back tears upon hearing that response. She hated that they were having this conversation right now, and hated that they were in a hospital in the first place... What an awful day. "Coco, please..." She swallowed a lump in her throat, closing her eyes in an attempt at maintaining her composure. "Look at Ruby."

Coco hesitantly looked around the room, searching for the girl in question, but soon found her slumped onto the bed to her left, sound asleep, but still holding her hand. She then managed a chuckle. "Man, how long have you two been here that she fell asleep?"

"We arrived early this morning." Pyrrha informed. "Focus Coco."

"Right, sorry mom."

"Coco, what do you think she asked me when I told her where you were?" Pyrrha inquired.

"You think she's got any badass scars?" Coco wondered in her best Ruby impression - at least the best she could do with her quiet, slightly raspy voice.

Pyrrha squeezed the cast that covered her friend's right arm tight enough to draw a wince. Of course she did not want to cause her friend more pain than she had already gone through, but she would apologize later. "Is she going to be okay?"

Coco just looked back at the sleeping girl next to her. "Can't get away from worrying that girl huh."

"She cried Coco." Pyrrha informed. "She cried for you."

"She cries at a lotta stuff Pyr." Coco commented.

Once again, Pyrrha reached up to Coco's chin, forcing her friend to look at her. "You made her cry, because she's afraid of losing you too."

Coco did not respond immediately, instead deciding to just look away from Pyrrha, her gaze falling to the floor. "Sorry about that..." She murmured.

"Don't be sorry Coco, I don't want your apologies, I've heard enough." Pyrrha leaned even farther forward, practically over the bed now. "I want to help you."

Coco's gaze remained away from her friend. "Not sure I can be helped Little Red."

"There is always hope, no one is beyond saving, and you are stronger than most." Pyrrha promised.

Coco just quietly sighed. "I used to be."

"You are hurting, Coco, grieving, there's no weakness in that." Pyrrha attempted to assure, hoping her friend will listen.

"Yeah I know, but I was weak before all this shit..." Coco mumbled. "Only reason I was ever strong was 'cause of Velvs..."

Pyrrha grimaced upon hearing those words. "Were you truly weak, or did she help you find your true strength?"

"She gave me strength, 'cause I didn't have enough on my own." Coco sighed.

"And how did she give you strength?" Pyrrha asked, which was followed by brief silence followed. It made sense, as the redhead knew how hard it was for Coco to talk about Velvet, but she needed her to answer. They would never get anywhere if she kept running away from it. Thankfully after a few moments she received her answer.

"By being the better half I didn't have."

Please let us be getting somewhere... "I'm willing to bet you told her this often?" Pyrrha wondered.

"Of course I did." Coco confirmed, finally looking Pyrrha in the eye. "She was my whole world Pyr, and I told her that every single day."

"And what did she say back?" Pyrrha continued.

Coco took a shaky breath. "S-She said... I'm only bringing out the best parts of you..."

Pyrrha tried to offer a smile. "Velvet was a smart woman."

"She really was..." Coco agreed.

"She had faith in you." Pyrrha assured.

"She had faith in everyone..." Coco mumbled.

"And she was always right too."

Coco let out a sigh. "Always..."

"Won't you have faith too?" Pyrrha inquired.

Coco sighed again. "I tried Pyr, but I can't do it on my own..."

"You're not on your own Coco." Pyrrha promised. "You were never on your own, you have always, and will always have us, your family."

Coco managed a slight smile in response. "Thanks Pyr..."

Pyrrha smiled, thankful that they were indeed getting somewhere. "You're welcome. Would you like some water?"

Coco nodded as best she could. "That'd be great. My mouth's as dry as a single dude's dick."

Pyrrha furrowed her brow. "That was an... interesting analogy..."

Coco managed a small chuckle. "Yeah... pretty sure they got me on painkillers so my head's not in the greatest place."

"Well, better that than horrible pain." Pyrrha noted before getting up out of her chair.

"True." Coco acknowledged as the redhead made her way over to the sink and began filling up a cup with water. "Guess you'll be hearing me say some weird shit I won't remember later."

Turning off the tap, Pyrrha's gaze fell. "You always remember Coco."

"It's why I try to drink to forget." Coco mumbled. "Too bad it doesn't work."

Walking back over to the hospital bed, Pyrrha held out the filled cup, which Coco took a drink from, as both of her hands were unable to hold it. "That ends today."

After swallowing the liquid, Coco raised brow. "That so?"

"Until you can be trusted to take care of yourself, we will do so for you." Pyrrha informed.

"Guess calling you mom is really making sense now huh." Coco observed.

"I have a wooden spoon." Pyrrha commented with a slight smile.

"What if I'm a masochist?" Coco wondered, the corners of her mouth beginning to curl into a slight grin.

"I will feed you bread and water, and dress you in potato sacks." Pyrrha answered, giving her friend another sip of water.

"Jokes on you, I love being humiliated." Coco teased.

Pyrrha stood over Coco and heaved a heavy sigh. "I will pour this water on you."

Coco's grin only grew. "Oh yeah, get me wet."

Pyrrha just sighed again.

This was going to be a long day.


If there was one thing that Pyrrha was thankful for today - aside from Coco being alright - it was finally being out of that wretched hospital.

As she, Ruby and Coco - the latter being pushed in a wheelchair by a nurse - made their way outside, Pyrrha let out a relatively heavy sigh of relief. After having spent practically the entire day in a small room, she was extremely happy to be outside again, to feel the warmth of the sunlight on her skin, the cool breeze flowing through her hair... It was quite a wonderful feeling. What made it even better was that it also meant one other thing: it was finally time to go home. Though at the same time, that unfortunately did not mean the day was over... as much as she may want it to be.

Thanking the nurse for all his help throughout the day, Pyrrha requested that Ruby stay with Coco and headed into the parking lot to find her car, Miló. As she navigated through the multicolored collection of cars, her mind began to wander back through the events of the day. A little while after she was able to have her real talk with Coco - once she could get past the jokes and flirting of course - Ruby awoke from her nap. Which, as Pyrrha expected, was followed by her showering the brunette with... well, Ruby-levels of love and affection. It was not exactly the approach she would have preferred her wife to use, as she believed Coco needed some tough love after the scare she gave them, but after briefly watching the two interact, she decided it was for the best. Pyrrha was aware of the role she played, the image she maintained, the lessons her mother passed down to her, so she figured having another bad cop would not help very much in this situation.

Once Pyrrha and Ruby were able to spend some more pleasant time with Coco, they were sadly interrupted by a doctor, who up until that point had been waiting for his patient to awaken. They had to vacate the room for a little while to allow for some tests to be fun, though thankfully those did not take too long, as the pair wanted to spend as little time as possible away from Coco. After that, the day mostly consisted of sitting around and talking - of course with Ruby practically attached to their friend the entire time, which was adorable - until the same doctor returned to inform them that Coco was going to be alright, as well as how they would be allowed to take her home soon. Unfortunately that soon was not exactly an accurate statement. It was more like much, much later, since by the time they actually left the hospital - after the slightly tedious process of signing their friend out - the sun had almost begun to set. But thankfully they were out now, and it was time to take Coco home. Well, sort of.

Upon finally reaching Miló, Pyrrha unlocked the compact car and got inside, letting out a small sigh as she settled into her seat. While it of course was not the sole reason she purchased the car, the comfy seats were certainly a plus. Especially now, since she had been sitting in a hospital room chair nearly all day. Compared to those, Miló soft cushions were like solid clouds. Pyrrha felt like she could just fall asleep right there. Though once again, she had much more important things to deal with than fatigue.

Inserting her key into the ignition and turning on the car, Pyrrha pulled out of the spot and navigated her way through the parking lot to the front entrance of the hospital, where she was met by Ruby and Coco - the former with her arm wrapped around the latter's waist. As she pulled to a stop before them, her wife quickly stepped forward to open the rear door, helping their friend get into the vehicle. Once Coco was settled, Ruby buckled her seat belt - even though she was relatively capable of doing it herself - before closing the door and making her way around to the other side of Miló. After getting into the car and buckling her own seat belt - and of course gently grabbing the brunette's free hand - Pyrrha shifted back into drive and made her way out of the parking lot. Finally, they were completely out of the hospital.

Aside from the hum of the small car's engine and the quiet noise of the radio, the drive was relatively silent - but that was fine with Pyrrha. They had spent practically the entire day talking, so she felt like her voice could use a small break. It was... peaceful. The only surprising part was even Ruby decided to stay quiet, instead just simply sticking as close as physically possible to Coco while still remaining in her own seat. Even with the brunette's broken arm, it was adorable. Unfortunately Pyrrha knew that said peacefulness would not last forever, especially once Coco learned of her plan for the near future.

"Hey, uh, you mind if we stop by a burger joint or somethin' before you drop me off?" Came Coco's voice from the back seat, her voice still fairly quiet. "That hospital food tasted like shit."

Well, I suppose I'll have to tell her at some point. Pyrrha thought to herself, which was further supported by a look she received from her wife through the rear-view mirror They had previously discussed possibilities of what to do after the hospital visit, but had not yet come to a final decision. Though they were both were fairly certain what they wanted to do. "I think that would be a fine idea." She agreed, also feeling herself starting to get hungry. "Though we will not be dropping you off afterward."

Barely seen by the redhead through the mirror, Coco furrowed her brow. "Okay...? Were you planning on stickin' around or something? 'Cause my place hasn't exactly been guest friendly for a while."

"Not quite." Pyrrha responded. "We will be stopping by your apartment to pick up some clothes, toiletries and whatever else you desire, but I think it would be best if you stay with us for the time being." She explained, and sadly not receiving a response. Instead she saw Coco's gaze shift away from her to face out the car window. Thankfully after a few moments she nodded slightly.

"Sure..."

She did not sound thrilled. Although, at least it was something.

And so the drive continued in silence.

While it was a bit out of the way, Pyrrha decided to take them to one of the fast food restaurants that she knew Coco really enjoyed: Brazier's. Sure, she would have preferred that they eat something a little healthier, but her friend was already malnourished enough, so as long as she was eating, she did not care. Although, that did not mean she would not try to have Coco eat healthy as much as possible.

Upon arriving at the plaza where Brazier's was located, Pyrrha pulled the car into the restaurant's drive thru, as she figured that especially in her current condition, Coco would not really want to in the public eye - and truth be told, neither did Pyrrha. She had been up since three in the morning, and frankly, she was a mess. Though to be fair, Ruby was a bit of a mess as well. Of course she would never actually tell her wife that... Not unless she wanted to sleep on the couch that night. Plus, it did not matter how Ruby looked, she was always perfect in Pyrrha's eyes.

Once they were able to make it to the end of the drive thru and order their food - which Coco and Ruby began to eat immediately - Pyrrha exited the plaza and back onto the road, resuming their trip to their friend's apartment. It was a short ride, as within about five minutes, they had arrived at the guest parking area of the apartment Coco lived in, somewhere the married couple had not been in quite a long time. It was always the brunette that was coming over to their place, so Pyrrha was curious - and honestly a bit worried - to see how the place had changed since they were last there. As she pulled into a free spot and shut off the car, unbuckling her seat belt and turning toward the back seat, she found Ruby taking off her own seat belt and Coco merely staring out the window at the apartment building, her expression melancholic.

"Coco? Are you alright?" Pyrrha inquired, to which her friend only continued to stare.

"I can't do it..." Coco simply murmured. "If I go in there... I'm not gonna be able to walk out... at least not sober..."

Pyrrha felt her heart sink upon hearing her friend's response. She could not imagine how it felt to struggle to go into her own apartment. Although... that was likely how it would have been if she had lost Ruby in that fire. But thankfully they were only there for a quick stop, so there was an easy enough solution. "Well, I could go in and gather your things for you if you would like." She offered with a small smile.

"And I'll stay with you." Ruby added with a smile of her own, scooting closer to the brunette and taking her hand within her own.

After a brief silence, Coco surprisingly turned to face the other two and nodded, her mouth curling into a slight, yet probably artificial smile. "Thanks Pyr." She mumbled, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small brass key, which she held out for the redhead. "Room 304 if you forgot."

Taking the key and depositing it into her own pocket - lest she misplace it - Pyrrha offered another smile, hoping to bring out an authentic one from her friend. "Is there anything specific you want while I'm in there?"

Coco remained quiet for a moment, likely in thought. Then she let out a small chuckle. "Just nothin' too fancy for clothes, as I doubt I'm goin' out anytime soon."

"Duly noted." Pyrrha nodded, opening her car door and stepping onto the pavement. "I'll be right back." Though before she could close the door, Coco spoke up again.

"Hey uh, maybe get a... a toy or two, a girl's got needs ya know."

Pyrrha smiled in response, glad to hear that the brunette was at least being honest. After all, they did not know how long she would be staying with them, so she was happy that her friend would have an outlet while she was. "Of course." Pyrrha agreed before closing the car door.

Making her way through the guest parking area and into the apartment building, Pyrrha approached and called the elevator. Barely half a minute later, it arrived with a bing, and she stepped inside. She then pressed the button marked 3, causing the metal doors to slide closed and the elevator to begin slowly ascending the floors. Soon enough it reached the third floor with another bing, and Pyrrha stepped off and quickly made her way down the hallway - She did not want to keep Ruby and Coco waiting for too long. Upon reaching the door labelled 304, she pulled the key out of her pocket and hesitantly inserted it into the lock, not knowing what lied within. Like Ruby, Pyrrha had not been to the apartment since before the fire, so she was a little worried over its current condition.

From what she remembered, Coco and Velvet's apartment was not exactly high class - even though they could have afforded it - but it was the latter's choice, and it was... cozy. Many of the walls were red brick, and said walls were adorned with paintings, artwork, and a variety of photos - as Coco loved to display as much of her girlfriend's work as the Faunus would allow. The furniture was also second hand - at least those that did not already come with the apartment - as well as a fair amount of their dishes, which to Pyrrha did seem a little weird, but Velvet assured them that they were all in perfect condition. The most expensive thing they appeared to own was the home theatre they put together a couple years prior. It was a very... homey apartment, and the redhead could only hope that her friend was living alright.

Unfortunately she was about to learn just how wrong she was.

Unlocking and opening the door, Pyrrha walked into the apartment... and her heart immediately sunk. To put it lightly, the place was a complete mess. There were several articles of clothing discarded around the main living area - and a bunch more overflowing out of a nearby laundry basket - a pile of old takeout containers on the kitchen counter, a blanket and pillow set up on the couch... It was... a depressing sight to behold to say the least, and knowing what Coco used to be like before losing Velvet made it that much worse. But sadly that was not all. Every framed picture that was previously on a wall had been taken down and moved to some other location. So many memories of the couple, just... gone. Although, Pyrrha could not say she did not understand. There were a variety of pictures that included Ruby in her own apartment, so if she had lost her at-the-time fiancé in that fire, she likely would have taken those down as well.

Making her way through the very unkept main room, Pyrrha found herself at the end of a hallway that lead farther into the apartment. Only having been to the Coco's home a few times for what Ruby described as couple's nights, she only knew where the bathroom was. But that still four more doors, not including the obvious closet door at the end of the hallway. So she began to search, starting with the left side. The first - as she was already aware - was the bathroom, followed by a laundry room, and finally what appeared to be a studio - or more like two studios in one space. Half of the room was covered in camera equipment and a variety of photos of nature, models, and most of all; Coco herself... This must have been Velvet's work... The other side was equally covered, but by a large number of outfit sketches, piles of fabric, and even a few mannequins. And Coco's work... Sadly the room appeared to have been practically abandoned, as everything had a fairly thick layer of dust settled upon it. Feeling her heart begin to sink again, she closed the door and moved on to the right side of the hallway.

The first door led to an empty spare bedroom, which of course did not contain what Pyrrha was looking for, so she moved on. The second and final one had to be the master bedroom. Grabbing the knob and gently twisting, she slowly pushed open the door, revealing another dusty bedroom, but this time it was the right one. Taking a deep breath, she hesitantly stepped inside and walked straight to the walk-in closet. She did not want to be there any longer than need be, so she worked quickly. Luckily there was an overnight bag already in there, so she opened it up and started with underwear. Sliding open a couple of the drawers, she began transferring various bras and pairs of panties into the side pockets of the bag. Though while she did so, her mouth curled into a slight smile. There was a lot of lingerie in here... But I suppose that makes sense, this is Coco's drawer. Plus, many of the photos from Velvet's side of the studio were of the brunette in her underwear - as well as a few nudes - so perhaps some of them were specifically for photo-shoots. Once Pyrrha determined there was enough underwear packed, she moved onto shirts and pants. Since Coco had told her nothing fancy, she just decided to pack a variety of more casual wear - T-shirts, jeans, sweat pants, pyjamas, a couples sweaters, and a few pairs of short-shorts. After that was done, she zipped up the bag and moved onto her next task: toys. But before she was able to search for anything, she caught a glimpse of two accessories she had not seen in a very long time: Coco's signature beret and aviator sunglasses.

Standing up and picking the two objects up off of the shelf above the hangers, Pyrrha simply held them in her hands for a few moments. They were a constant in Coco's fashion, rarely seen absent, yet so they had been since the funeral. It was... odd to say the least, like she was missing something. Coco almost seemed... smaller without them. After briefly staring at the two accessories, Pyrrha decided to re-open the overnight bag and add them in, hoping her friend will appreciate having them.

Once the bag had been zipped up once again, it was back to searching for Coco's toys. Thankfully that did not take very long, as Pyrrha soon spotted a small chest placed against the back wall of the closet. It actually made her crack a smile, as it looked just like the one she used own before moving in and creating the worship room with Ruby. Honestly it was rather adorable that Coco and Velvet were able to fit all of their toys - at least as far as the redhead could see - in this chest, especially when compared to their own closet full of them. While she was a bit uncomfortable with the idea of touching other peoples' toys, Pyrrha opened up the chest and peered inside, immediately noticing a common trend among the items inside: many of them were mutual-use toys. From what she could see within the colourful pile, there were several sizes and textures of strap-ons, egg and pill vibrators, as well as a few dildos. Unfortunately Coco never specified what she wanted when she brought up the idea, so Pyrrha ended up just grabbing another random bag from inside the closet and packing every toy she knew that could possibly be used solo into it. Perhaps it was a bit much, but she figured it was better to give her friend options than leaving her without a toy she may have wanted.

Once Pyrrha was finished packing the bag - with it being almost completely filled by the time she was done - she picked it and the other bag containing Coco's clothes up and walked back into the bedroom... where she immediately froze, her heart sinking far lower than any other time today. A couple seconds later, the two bags slipped from her fingers and hit the floor with dull thumps. Before now, she had wondered where exactly the taken-down picture frames from the main room had gone, but no longer. Sitting piled on and around the still perfectly-made bed were all the previously missing photos of Velvet, Coco, as well as them both, every single one of them holding a thick layer of dust. Not only that, but a variety of other assorted objects were also strewn around the room - sweaters, books, a laptop, shoes, even a blanket... All formerly belonging to Velvet... It was as if everything that was owned or even related to the Faunus was stockpiled in this room.

Of course that was not enough, as sitting at the foot of the bed was a dusty pair of hiking boots. Velvet's hiking boots... Something that reminded Pyrrha of a tradition the two of them used to partake in once a season. For Velvet it was an excuse for some extensive nature photography, and for Pyrrha it was to just connect with nature itself. But for both of them it was a day to connect over their partners, to talk about their lives and whatever worries or stresses they felt. They each wished their respective girlfriends - or after a certain point, fiancé for Pyrrha - would join them, but neither were huge fans of hiking. While Ruby was a sprinter, Coco was a strutter who loved her heels. But even so, the redhead loved those times she spent with Velvet...

If only there had been more...

There had been many times throughout the past day - really the past eight months - where Pyrrha had wanted to cry, to for once in her life just break down and let it all out, but every instance she remained strong. Every time she let her friends and family rely on her while they mourned, always fighting back tears and never giving herself enough time to mourn herself, but that was not the case right now. At this moment... she was completely alone.

So with a shaky breath, Pyrrha closed her eyes, fresh tears streaming down her face.

"Your love will never be forgotten, may Fall guide you unto greener pastures..."

Slowly, Pyrrha sank to her knees... to softly cry.


Cinder hated not having a life.

While she was extremely thankful to have a job again, most days seem to follow a similar routine: wake up, eat, go to work, come home, then hang around alone in her apartment until she was tired enough to sleep. Of course there were many times where she was joined by Nora, but sadly the redhead was not always available to quell her boredom. Which meant more often than not, Cinder was forced to occupy the large amount of free time she had by herself.

I need more friends.

So there she was, sitting in one of her unsteady kitchen chairs, a cup of steaming coffee in hand, idly gazing out the window. By the time Cinder had returned home from her shift, Nora was already busy, judging from the... noises emanating from her apartment, so hanging out with her was not going to be a possibility. Unfortunately she was the only one that Cinder could physically go see, so that meant this particular evening would be spent alone.

Well, you could have always joined them. Been a while since you were with someone who wasn't a woman.

Absolutely not.

Why? Do you look down upon our dear friend?

That's not the reason and you know it.

So says the voices in your head. Which one rings true I wonder?

Placing her coffee cup onto the windowsill to ensure she did not spill it, Cinder slammed her fist on the nearest wall, hoping the pain would silence her irritating thoughts. Thankfully it seemed to do the trick, as she was once again left alone in silence to just... watch what was going on outside. Sure, it was not exactly exciting, but it was all she could really do without Nora. Which was a bit sad when she thought about it, how her entire social life depended on one bubbly redhead.

Taking a sip from her coffee, Cinder let out a sigh, wishing she could be with one of her friends; Nora, Yang, Raven... Hell, she would even take Weiss and Vernal. It was too bad they were all still working - at least those she actually wanted to see - and most likely would be into the late hours of the night. Why did her boss always give her the midday shifts? Of course Cinder was not complaining... as she would very likely be dead without Raven... but perhaps sometime soon she could talk to her about working later. It would certainly solve the evening boredom she had been and was currently facing. Though at the same time... it meant she would have to deal with a larger quantity of customers.

Well you know what they say: Practice makes perfect.

Unfortunately that idea, while a good one, did nothing for Cinder's present situation. So she just took another sip of coffee and continued to observe the neighbourhood. At least... until a thought occurred. Turning back to look back at the lumpy mattress she called a bed, her gaze settled on her scroll, which currently sat upon her discarded work clothes. While it was true she could not physically see any of her friends - unless she wanted to go back to The Perch as a customer, which she still kind of lacked the funds for - she could instead text one of them. Well, aside from Nora, who... had her hands full - as well as... other places. There was always Yang, who seemed to enjoy texting her. Though after a few moments, Cinder decided against it, not wanting to be a burden, since the blonde was still in the middle of her shift. Plus, she would likely just end up dragging her down, and there was no need for that today. Yang already did not seem to be in the greatest of moods while they worked, especially after Weiss visited.

So Cinder just let out another sigh, as she simply turned back to continue staring out the window.

You should've joined Nora.

And so much for silence. I couldn't even sell myself.

Nora seems to like you just fine

Yes, but she's weird.

That's a kind summary.

She'd probably like anyone.

Which means she'll find someone better, and you'll be all alone here.
In the dark.
With me.

Sounds like a nightmare.

Reality is a nightmare, everyone wakes up eventually.

Eight months and I haven't woken up yet.

You were so close.

Oh yeah? How's that?

You bought those pills for a reason.

Cinder rolled her eye. A moronic reason.

It's in our nature to escape suffering.

It's not so bad now.

It will never end.

Cinder felt the need to shrug. Perhaps, but I have friends now.

You had friends then too.

That smile quickly vanished, replaced with a painful scowl as Cinder clenched her free fist. Those... people weren't real friends.

And these are?

I'd like to think so.

You think a lot of things.

That only made Cinder clench her fist tighter, gritting her teeth as she did so. Shut up.

Why?

They know what happened and don't hate me.

Why bother, you hate yourself.

But they don't.

They will, just like the others did.

Shut up!

Before the voice could respond, a sudden gunshot emanating from outside the window pulled Cinder from her rather unpleasant thoughts, directing her attention to the street below. There she found two small groups of people - most likely gangs, as they were fairly common in the area - on either side of the road, and they were pointing guns at each other. Lovely. It appeared that one of the members on the opposite side of the street had just fired a shot into the air and was currently yelling... something at the other group, Cinder could not quite tell. Though at the same time she did not care, as at least it gave her something to look at other than the empty street.

Minutes ticked by as Cinder sipped her coffee and watched the two groups yell various harsh words at one another, and she wondered if things were going to get more interesting like they did when she had first noticed them. After all, she had seen gangs yell at each other countless times, so just watching another do exactly that would get boring soon enough. Though it seemed this particular day would not like the others, as it was not long before punches began being thrown. It certainly spiced things up a little, but even then, it was only the occasional punch, nothing special. The situation really took a turn when some of the gang members started pulling out guns and aiming them at the opposing group... but not actually firing them. Most likely only for intimidation, which was boring. One should never bring out a weapon unless they were planning to use it-

Bang!

Well, I stand corrected.

Another couple minutes passed as Cinder watched the two gangs scramble around the sides of the street, shooting at each other - quite poorly if she was being honest. A few of them were hit, but not anywhere major as far as she could see. Just some shoulder and leg injuries, which were nothing a trip to the hospital would not fix. Though with all the gunshots bring fired, Cinder was sure those hospital trips would be taken from the back of a police car - if they actually showed up. After all, this was essentially a crime-ridden slum. Saying the police tended to avoid the area was a fairly accurate statement. It was unfortunate, but just another one of the realities of living in the area.

Bringing the coffee mug up to her lips once again, Cinder found that it was empty. Letting out a sigh, she got up from her chair and headed to the kitchen to procure herself another cup.

I hope I don't miss anything interesting.


As midnight finally arrived, so too came time for The Perch to close its doors for the day. Thank gods. Luckily it was a weekday, so the bar had been empty for the past little while. The only thing that needed to be done was clean, which Yang and Raven were already in the middle of. Though that process was a little slower for the former, as she had not exactly been feeling great since Weiss visited earlier.

Locking the front door to the bar and flipping the sign around from OPEN to CLOSED, Yang let out a tired sigh. Why was it that every time she was having a good day, something had to fuck it up? It was as if the universe did not want her to be happy. Clenching her fist against the glass of the door, she silently cursed at herself.

I knew I shouldn't have brought her that far inside...

While it was true that Yang had taken Weiss home after she became intoxicated quite a few times, this particular instance was different. It began as any other - with the wannabe punk having more drinks than she probably should have - but things took a turn for the worse after she decided she wanted to go home. Of course the actual task of bringing Weiss back to her apartment was no issue... Well, aside from how... affectionate she was being on the ride over. Clinging as close as possible, arms wrapped firmly around her stomach, nuzzled into Yang's back... To say it was distracting was... an understatement to say the least. Though if she was being honest, it was a rather nice feeling, to have someone so close to her like that... even though it was a bit improper given that Weiss was in a relationship - But Yang tried not to think about that part. It was just one person giving their drunk friend a ride home. Nothing more.

Unfortunately the distracting nature of the intoxicated girl was not the worst part of the trip. No, that came after they arrived at Weiss' apartment.

As Yang expected, she had to practically carry the wannabe punk from the parking lot all the way up to her floor, which - while not difficult - appeared to serve as another excuse for Weiss to cling to the blonde. Once again, it was... quite distracting, but Yang did her best to ignore it and just focus on getting to her apartment. Upon reaching the front door and providing a few swift knocks on it... no one answered - which was certainly confusing, as normally whenever Vernal was not working, she was hanging around at home. So after about a minute of waiting, Yang got Weiss to let them into the apartment, since there was no way she was not about to leave the drunk alone outside. Sure it was not a horrible neighbourhood - especially when compared to Cinder's - but it was not exactly the best one either.

Once the two were inside the... rather messy apartment, Yang led her friend over to the living area couch and attempted to coax her onto it so she could get back to work, but sadly it was not that easy. As hard as she tried to remove Weiss from herself, the drunk's arms were like steel cables, doing their best to pull Yang down onto the couch along with her. It was extremely awkward, being stuck, hunched over the other girl in quite the compromising position. Though at the same time... to be that close to Weiss, faces mere inches apart... Yang had to resist the urge to act on her own selfish desires...

It was a good thing she did not have to worry about that for long.

While Yang was unsuccessfully attempting to get her friend off of her, the distant sound of a toilet flushing was heard from farther within the apartment - and it scared the absolute hell out of her. Contrary to her initial belief, it turned out that Vernal was actually home... and if she decided to come into the living area, she would see the blonde practically on top of her drunk girlfriend - Which was a terrifying possibility. Vernal was already not too fond of when Weiss was affectionate with Yang, so seeing the position the two were in would very likely piss her off quite a bit.

And that was exactly what happened, as the first words to come out of the brunette's mouth when she walked in were The fuck?!

Yeah, that sounded about right.

Yang remembered just sighing in response - since there was no way she would be able to joke her way out of it - and explaining exactly how they came to be in that position before requesting some assistance in detaching Weiss from her. Thankfully Vernal understood - she had done similar things for other people several times before - and within a couple minutes, they had successfully freed her from Weiss' grip and properly deposited the drunk onto the couch. Unfortunately that did not get Yang off the hook, as Vernal then proceeded to angrily question her about several things.

What the fuck happened?

Why didn't she text me?

And so on and so forth.

To put it simply, the brunette just berated her for several minutes until she was satisfied with the information she received, all while Yang just... took it. She was too tired and uncomfortable to bother defending herself, only wanting to return to work. Luckily Vernal was eventually done with the blonde and allowed her to leave - and not a moment too soon. That was probably the most eager she had ever been to get away from that couple in recent memory.

Once Yang was finally able to get out of that apartment and back to work, all she could feel for through the remainder of her shift was guilt. While she had always been friendly with Weiss, this was the first time Vernal had ever interrogated her over it, like she was somehow... interfering with their relationship. Of course it did not help that Yang knew exactly what was currently going on with the couple, but they were still together... and she knew Weiss was only her friend... Sadly that did nothing to ease her feelings of guilt, causing Yang to go over everything she had ever done around Weiss and agonizing over it.

Were the hugs too much?

Did I flirt too hard?

Does everyone else see the same thing?

Am... Am I a homewrecker?

"Hey, you okay kiddo?" Suddenly came Raven's voice, pulling the blonde from her unpleasant thoughts.

Turning away from the front door, Yang found her mother staring at her with a concerned look on her face. "Huh? Yeah, yeah I'm fine, just a little tired."

Raven quirked a brow. "You sure? 'Cause I've seen you tired, and this seems like more than that."

Yang opened her mouth to make another excuse, but she let out a sigh instead, not wanting to lie to her mom, knowing she would figure it out soon enough anyway. "Neo left me."

"Ah, shit why?" Raven wondered.

Yang just shrugged. "I dunno, I think maybe it was the dick she was riding."

"The twerp was cheating on you?"

"More like leading me along." Yang clarified, her gaze falling to the floor. "I don't think she ever considered us serious."

"Damn, sorry you had to deal with a bitch like that. I've had my fair share of shitty exes too." Raven acknowledged. "You doin' alright?"

"Not really, but life goes on." Yang admitted.

"Heh, yeah, sadly... You didn't wanna take a few days off?" Raven offered.

Yang shook her head. "Nah, I can deal with it. But I can't say seeing all the happy couples recently has been easy."

"If by happy you mean making the supply closet smell like a brothel." Raven commented.

Yang actually managed a slight chuckle - since that statement was pretty accurate - before looking back up at her mother. "I mean in general mom. Weiss and Vernal... Ruby and Pyrrha, hell even mom and dad... it just stings a little, seeing everyone with their soul mates... The apartment feels really empty sometimes."

"Well maybe you should work a little harder to put yourself out there instead of just watching cartoons in your underwear all day." Raven suggested.

"Hey that's not fair, sometimes I wear pants." Yang defended.

"That's not the point Yang."

"What, you think I should try those dating apps?" Yang inquired. "I'm not really up for that kinda risk mom."

Raven let out a sigh as she returned to cleaning tables. "Look, all I'm sayin' is that maybe you coop yourself up in your apartment a little too much."

"I don't really have much to do otherwise." Yang admitted. "Ruby's always doin' stuff with Pyrrha, Weiss is with Vernal, and all of my school friends are doing their own thing..."

"Then try goin' out to meet some new people." Raven pressed, dropping the rag on the table to look straight at her daughter. "'Cause you'll never get anywhere just sittin' around at home."

"There's not really anywhere else I wanna go mom." Yang half-mumbled, barely able to keep eye contact.

"So what, you're just gonna sit on your ass all your life? Working the same dead-end job? Never bothering to go out and meet anyone?" Raven questioned.

"It pays the bills, and I'm fine with it." Yang simply answered. "I go out sometimes, just... not as much as I used too."

"It's not about just paying the bills Yang. It's about actually living your life, instead of just every day being the same thing." Raven continued.

Yang frowned. "I like the same thing." She informed, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"When you could be doing so much more?"

"What's more to life than this?" Yang wondered, gesturing to the bar around them. "I'm working in the family business, your business."

Crossing her arms, Raven just shook her head. "You can't work for your washed up mom forever Yang, you're young, and intelligent. You've got opportunities I ignored when I was your age. You should be taking advantage of them."

"You're not washed up mom!" Yang insisted, definitely louder than she meant to. "You're a successful, independent adult and I look up to you every day!"

Raven sighed again. "Yang, look at me. I'm a fuck up. I got lucky with the bar and it's all I've got to my name. Don't waste your life wiping tables."

"I'm not wasting my life, I like this job." Yang defended, anger slowly creeping into her voice. "I like coming into work with you and Qrow, I like talking to the regulars and I like knowing that I have stability. I don't know what will happen if I do anything else, I'm not as smart as you think I am, I don't have any greater ambitions of wants, I just wanna be happy with what I have."

"You're not happy Yang." Raven asserted.

"And how would you know!?" Yang somewhat unintentionally yelled. As much as she did not want to raise her voice at her mother, it pissed her off to have anyone just tell her she was not happy.

"Because whenever you think no ones looking you just fucking shut down, the smile goes and you just stare off at nothing like someone cut your strings." Raven argued, her voice raising as well.

"Oh because I have to be peppy and smiling all the time." Yang shot. "Gotta be the perfect, bright star to keep everyone happy right?"

Raven narrowed her eyes. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

"Then what does it mean?" Yang snapped. "Do you not want me here? Is that it? You want me to fuck off like Summer and Tai did, keep a distance like you're gonna explode? Because I'm not, I love you, and I'm staying. Because otherwise you'd shut down with your strings cut, and I'd have to worry if my mom is gonna fall back into old habits and wind up in hospital again."

"It means I want you to be better than me you idiot!" Raven screamed. "I didn't come back into your life just to watch you grow into some bartender who lives to shove poison down everyone's throat, I want you to be better than me! I want you to be like Summer, and Ruby, and even your damn father, you can be more than this Yang!"

Several moments passed while the two women stared each other down, tears welling in their eyes as they grit their teeth and clenched their shaking fists. The silence, while fairly short, felt like an eternity, both women wanting to continue screaming at one another, but neither said a word. Eventually Yang got fed up with it and walked forward, practically pushing past her mother - who looked like she was ready to throw something - as she stormed off to the back room... but then she stopped in her tracks.

"I don't want more, I just want to be, but it's never good enough for anyone, is it? I'm never good enough."

Yang let those words linger for a moment before continuing behind the bar and into the back room, leaving Raven alone in the main area. She had already not been having the best day, and her own mother just made it worse. As she exited the bar's rear door - and nearly slamming it behind her - tears finally began to stream down her face.

Can't I just have one good day?


Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed! Let me know what you thought!

And as always, your feedback fuels me!