Author's Note: Alright, since I forgot, a couple of "announcements" of sort.
First off, thanks so much for 100 subs! (Both here and on Ao3) So glad so many people have enjoyed the story! :D
OLC passed it a few weeks ago, just before I posted chapter 28, but I completely forgot to mention it, but better late then never I suppose.
Second, another thing I forgot to mention with chapter 28 was OLC's 2-year anniversary came up back in October (specifically on the 2nd), and that's crazy. :O
Been a long time since we started writing this.
But anyway, hope you enjoy!
It had been quite a long time since Raven had even thought about visiting Vernal's apartment, let alone actually going there. Though, after her own thoughts about it, Yang's suggestion, and later Cinder's the next morning, she figured... it was about time.
Fast forward to after that work day, and Raven found herself in her car with Cinder in the passenger seat, currently on their way to take a visit to Vernal's place. Of course she had to go herself, given their relationship, but why was she bringing her friend with her? Well, that was a question she had not quite figured out the answer to just yet. Perhaps it was because she was already with her, so it just made sense, or maybe... it was because she was scared of just what awaited her when she arrived, and... she needed someone there with her. Raven could tell that Vernal was not exactly in a good place, considering the two had not spoken since the younger woman asked for time off, but... there was no telling how bad it was going to be...
"Are you certain that I should be accompanying you for this?" Suddenly came Cinder's voice, pulling the older woman from her... well, unpleasant train of thought. "Because I'm still unsure if I'll actually be of any help here..."
Briefly turning to glance at her friend, Raven offered a small, tired smile. "You'd think so, but Vernal's actually got somethin' in common with both of us. So you could be more help than you think."
Looking over at the driver, Cinder quirked her brow. "And how might that be?"
"We all had shitty childhoods." Raven simply answered, gently pressing her foot on the break for a red light. "Makes pretty good small talk." She joked, before pausing. "Unfortunately the only other person that related to that was Weiss, which as you could imagine, is part of the problem."
Cinder was quiet for a few moments. "Does she... not have any other family she can at least talk to?"
Raven just shook her head, switching her foot to the accelerator as the stoplight changed to green. While the information was rather private, Cinder deserved to know if they were going to have any chance of helping Vernal. "Far as I know, she doesn't have one. Spent her childhood movin' from foster home to foster home, then was on her own after she turned eighteen." Raven explained. "No place to go or stay, so she was... homeless, for over a year... Until she got a hold of a gun and tried to rob the bar." Then she managed a small chuckle, thankful that her friend already knew that part. "Scared the absolute shit out of Qrow when she pulled it out, but thankfully I got out there before he pissed his pants."
Glancing over to her friend, Raven could see that she was a tad amused by the idea of her coworker wetting himself. "Anyway, I somehow got her to come back into my office- of course having to convince her that the cops wouldn't be called on her first, and sat her down to ask her some questions. I could tell life dealt her a shitty hand, so I gave her a chance, and offered her a job. Even letting her stay in the spare room until she could afford her own place" Then she let out a heavy sigh. "Despite a lot, Vernal isn't a bad person. She's never been. She was just desperate, starving and scared out of her fuckin' mind, only turning to robbery as a last resort. And even after I hired her, she was expecting for me to just fire her at any moment. Earning her trust took a long fuckin' time, and now we're the only support her has. So if she didn't view you as part of that before, that's gonna change today. 'Cause family sticks together, even if they're as fucked up as we are."
Once again, Cinder remained quiet for a short time, likely processing the admittedly large, and rather shocking information. "I... didn't think her life had been that... tragic."
Briefly glancing over at her friend, Raven managed a slight smile. "Hey, before I first hired you, when I said everyone we know understands getting screwed over by shitty situations, I wasn't kiddin'." Then out of the corner of her eye, she spotted an equally small smile from Cinder.
"I suppose you were not."
After that, the car fell back to silence, with the only sounds able to be heard being the hum of the engine, and the occasional honk from other vehicles. Wow, some people were really impatient drivers. Though soon enough, Raven turned the car onto the relatively quiet street that would eventually lead them to Vernal's apartment. Once there, she entered the open parking lot and located a vacant spot. After the vehicle had been turned off, the two women opened their respective doors and stepped onto the hot pavement. From there, Raven took the lead, as the pair crossed the parking lot, ascended one of the two sets of metal stairs to the second floor, and made their way down the outdoor hallway, until they reached the door labelled 35. Vernal's apartment.
Providing a few solid knocks on the door, the pair waited, but received no response.
So Raven knocked again, a little harder, and... no answer.
Considering there was probably no way that woman was out of the apartment, this meant that she was either passed out, or just not answering the door. She could hear the feint sound of muffled rock music coming from within, which only caused her to sigh. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her set of keys, locating the spare key that Vernal had given her years prior, inserted it into the lock, and opened the door, revealing... a huge mess, that smelled like alcohol and weed. It was to the point that her own apartment looked clean compared to this. The living area alone was littered with empty beer cans, vodka bottles, takeout containers, cigarette butts, clothes, even what appeared to be broken mugs and plates...
Then Raven spotted Vernal. Passed out, half-naked on the couch, clad in only a loose rock-band-branded tank top, and a pair of black panties, hand appearing to had been grasping a bottle of vodka before she fell asleep, and... head resting upon a baby blue sweater. One that was definitely not hers, which meant... it belonged to Weiss.
Seeing her employee in such a... depressing state, Raven only let out another, heavier sigh. Damnit, Vernal...
Upon approaching the unconscious woman and kneeling down next to her, the scent of stale alcohol, smoke and weed grew stronger, as well as that of sweat. It looked like she had not changed clothes, or even showered in days... Reaching over, Raven gently laid a hand on Vernal's shoulder, tightening her grip a bit and shaking her a little.
"Vernal."
No response.
So she shook her harder.
"Vernal."
Thankfully, that time seemed to do it. Slowly cracking open her eyes, Vernal let out a groan, idly gazing up at the older woman for a moment as she barely managed to raise a hand to her head, before her gaze fell to the side until she was looking at the floor, her hand dropping onto the couch. "I'm fine..." She eventually managed to grumble, voice barely above a whisper.
Raven's eyes immediately narrowed at the obvious lie. "Bullshit." She shot right back. "I've seen car wrecks more put together than you."
Vernal was silent for a couple moments, seemingly unwilling to make eye contact. "Whatever..." She mumbled, shutting her eyes again, only causing the older woman to sigh. This was going to be much harder than she thought, as there were few things that were worse than Vernal when she was hungover, aside from Summer when she was angry of course. Not a single thing rivalled that.
Then she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning her head, she found Cinder somewhat awkwardly standing there behind her, which caused a bit of guilt to shoot through her, as she had almost forgotten her friend was there. "What's up, Cin?" Raven quietly asked.
"If you would like to take care of her, I'll start cleaning up this place." Cinder offered with a small smile.
Raven actually blinked in response, not expecting her friend's first reaction to be to just tidy up Vernal's mess of an apartment while she dealt with the hungover woman. Well, it would certainly make things easier. Managing a slight smile of her own, she nodded, turning back to slide her arm's under her employee - one under her back, and the other under her her legs - and slowly lifting her off the couch. Once Raven was properly holding the younger woman, she looked to her friend. "Thanks, I'll get her cleaned up." She informed, turning to slowly bring Vernal across the living area and into the bathroom at the end of the hall, leaving Cinder to begin picking up the scattered trash.
Upon softly closing the door behind them, Raven slowly lowered her employee onto the floor, but still supporting her as her feet made contact with the cold tiles. "Think you can get yourself outta your clothes?" She wondered, to which Vernal took a moment before attempting to weakly reach for her shirt, but just after letting go of the older woman, found that she was barely able to stand on her own. So Raven let out a small sigh, moving so that she could use the counter to support herself, allowing her to more easily undress Vernal so that she could take a shower.
So, she began with her shirt, grasping the hem and gently pulling the stained, sweaty garment up over her head and tossing it onto the counter, all while the woman merely idly stared forward, appearing completely out of it, and not even registering that she was no longer wearing a shirt. Though, it was then that Raven spotted a familiar tattoo in her employee's reflection in the fairly large bathroom mirror. Something that she nearly forgot was even there in the first place. A relatively-small black snowflake, located on her right shoulder blade. One that she got because Weiss wanted a tattoo, so... she got one with her... and then they matched. Guess that wasn't the greatest idea she ever had...
Before the older woman was able to move down to remove her underwear, Vernal actually let out a heavy sigh, causing her boss to look back up to her face, pausing for a moment. "How fuckin' useless am I...? Can't even... pick myself up to shower... or get my own damn shirt off..." She mumbled, gaze down at the floor, voice barely audible, her hands clenching into fists. "Can't even keep it together when things don't go my way... Such a weak, worthless piece of shit..."
Upon hearing that, Raven's eyes immediately narrowed, and she stood back up, her hands shooting up to grab her employee's face, forcing her to look her in the eye. "Don't you fucking dare try to say that shit about yourself. You're none of that, Vernal." She stressed, tightening her grip on her cheeks a bit. "You're just hurting, and that's okay. You might be a badass, but you're not immune to pain."
Vernal was silent for several moments, just... staring down at the tiled floor. Then she swallowed, hesitantly looking up at the older woman, but only briefly, gaze full of shame. "Weiss... told me she loves me... and... I couldn't say it back..."
Man, did Raven know how that felt. "I get that. I really do... It's hard to open up to people, 'specially when all anyone else ever did was hurt you..."
Once again, Vernal was silent, gaze practically glued to the floor, until... tears began to pool in her eyes, her lip... quivering a bit... "You... you never hurt me..." She murmured, voice thick. "You... saved me... and... I've always been scared of disappointing you... 'cause of that..."
Raven just shook her head at that, attempting to offer a smile, but it not coming out so well, as usual. "Hey, you could never disappoint me. Not while you're alive and still tryin' to keep on the straight and narrow. I promise." She ensured, letting go of the younger woman's face to wrap her in an embrace, pulling her close. "I love you, y'know? And that ain't changin' anytime soon."
With tears now streaming down her face, Vernal buried her face in the older woman's shoulder as she began to quietly sob. It was there that they remained for several minutes, merely standing there, with Raven gently holding her crying employee. She never in her life would have though that Weiss could have affected her this much...
Once Vernal had calmed down, at least a little bit, Raven got her underwear off, and helped her into the shower. Of course she did not watch her in there, but from what she briefly witnessed behind the opaque curtain, the younger woman was not really cleaning herself, rather just... standing there, leaning against the wall, letting the hot water run over her body. Well, at least it's a start.
"I'll uh, go grab some fresh clothes for you, yeah?" Raven offered, turning on the bathroom's fan so that it did not get steamed up.
Vernal was quiet for a few moments, before she nodded a bit. "Okay..."
Even though her employee was unable to see it, Raven nodded in response, mostly by instinct. "Cool. I'll uh, be right back then." She informed, quietly making her way out of the bathroom. Though before she headed into Vernal's bedroom, she decided to check in on Cinder, to see how she was doing with the cleanup. So, walking down the short hallway, Raven entered the living area to find her friend picking up discarded items from the floor and depositing them into a moderately full trash bag, while another completely filled out sat near the front door. The room actually looked much better, and it had only been about fifteen minutes. Damn, she sure works fast.
"Reminds me of what happened when I left Sum and Tai." Raven commented, drawing her friend's attention from her current task. "Drunk off my ass every day, shit everywhere... I was a real fuckin' disaster back then."
Cinder immediately quirked her brow from her place kneeling on the carpeted floor. "Oh yeah? I was in the hospital, doped up on painkillers after my last breakup."
A moment passed in silence, then Raven nodded slightly. "Okay, you win." She accepted, before the two shared a rather morbid laugh over their past suffering. "I'm gonna go grab Vernal a change of clothes." She added, turning to head back down the short hallway, but stopping. "And uh, thanks again. You've been a huge help."
Cinder merely offered a small, yet still beautiful smile in return. "You know I'm always happy to help, Rave."
As she walked away, Raven could not help but furrow her brow a tad. Guess I've Rave now. She thought to herself, opening the somewhat squeaky door that lead to Vernal's... equally messy room. Thankfully there was no sign of any empty alcohol bottles or other trash, but there were a ton of clothes scattered around the room. Most of it appeared to belong to the younger woman, but there was also the occasional article that even Raven knew did not belong to her. It was... honestly a depressing sight. Sure, she knew Vernal never one for having a clean apartment, but looking at her bedroom now... It was as if she had emptied out her closet and thrown things everywhere in a fit or rage, or sadness... most likely both.
Searching through the room for some clean clothes, Raven eventually located something for her to wear: grey sweatpants, black underwear, and a plain crimson T-shirt. She was fairly certain all of it was clean.
Heading back into the hallway, Raven could hear that the shower was still running, so she gently knocked on the door. before opening it, but only slightly. "I got you a fresh set of clothes, just gonna leave 'em on the counter." She informed, slipping an arm into the bathroom to drop the set of clothes next to the sink. Though just as she closed the door, she heard a barely audible response.
"Thanks..."
Now, all there was to do was wait. So, after asking Cinder if she wanted any help - which the younger woman assured her that she was fine - Raven made her way back into Vernal's bedroom, and sat upon the unkept bed. Around ten or so minutes later, she heard the sound of the shower being shut off, and about five minutes after that, the door to the bathroom slowly opened, revealing her surprisingly dressed employee, appearing extremely unsure about coming out. Eventually, she emerged, and immediately headed into her bedroom, where she found Raven sitting on her bed, waiting for her. It was time to talk a little more.
"So, how're you feeling?" The older woman inquired.
For several moments, Vernal merely stood there, her mouth opening a number of times, appearing as if she wanted to say something, that she wanted to say something, but... nothing came out. Instead, she stepped forward, straddling her boss' lap, cupping her face and leaning in. The fuck- Raven jerked backward, grasping Vernal by her shoulders as her lips just barely avoided her own.
"The fuck are you doing?!" Raven questioned, holding the woman back as she continued trying to push forward, but fairly weakly. "Hey- Hey!" She snapped, finally getting her to calm down, reaching up to grab her face, forcing her employee to look her in the eyes. After a few moments, she spoke again, this time a lot softer, gentler. "Vernal, what are you thinking?"
Vernal was silent for another few seconds, before her lip quivered again, her hands dropping as she leaned forward, burying her face in the older woman's shoulder. "I... I love you, Rae..." She croaked, wrapping her arms around Raven's midsection, pulling herself close with shaking arms.
"Please... Please don't leave me..."
Pyrrha was not quite sure what it could be, but there was something that was so... oddly satisfying about making pork dumplings. Perhaps it was preparing the soft dough, kneading it with her bare hands, or wrapping up the meat into cute little packages, or even the delicious smell when they finally come out of the steamer... Or maybe it was simply that warm feeling she got when someone really enjoyed it... Though of course that came with every meal she made... I suppose I'll never know...
Placing the last dumpling into the steamer, Pyrrha put the lid on, and set the stove on medium heat, before moving over to chop the vegetables for the salad she was also preparing. Normally Ruby would assist her in the kitchen, but an unexpected IT emergency had summoned her into the office, in spite of it being the weekend. No, much to the dismay of both of them, her wife was called into work to fix an IT-related issue that they were having. They told her that it should not take too long, but she had already been there for several hours now, with no update on when she might be home. So... it seemed like it would just be Pyrrha and Coco around the apartment today. Well, at least for the time being.
Turning to look into the living area, the redhead took a moment to observe the woman who was currently lying across the couch, idly watching the television. Overall, Coco had been exceptionally... un-talkative over the past week, though unfortunately it was not for any good reasons. The morning after... she and Yang broke up, she returned to the Nikos household... quieter... and much more clingy. Of course Ruby took to it naturally, as she always craved that sort of attention, Pyrrha meanwhile found it... interesting to see how different their friend was. Before, it was like she was only staying with them because they told her to, but now... it was easy to tell that she really wanted to be there with them, as if finally realizing she actually needed their help. She was growing more attached to them.
"Say, Coco?" Pyrrha called, prompting the brunette to pull herself up into a sitting position to look at her. "Do you happen to have anything planned for today?"
Coco was quiet for a moment, then just weakly shrugged, before turning back toward the television. "I dunno, might do some shoppin' for pyjamas, since that's all I wear nowadays. Probably won't take too long, but at least it'll give me somethin' to do. Y'know, actually get me outta the apartment like you guys always want..."
Setting down the knife that she was using to slice up the tomatoes, Pyrrha slowly walked into the living area, until she was directly behind the couch. Then, she reached down, placing her hands upon her friend's shoulders, and began to gently massage them. She wanted the brunette calm, and happy for what was to come. "How are you feeling?"
Coco let out a quiet hum, clearly enjoying the massage. "Okay I guess. Little bored 'cause of uh, y-y'know... the thing."
That certainly made Pyrrha's job a little easier. No need to change topics. "I see. Well, speaking of... that, may I ask you a question?"
After a moment, the redhead felt Coco's shoulders slump. "Sure."
Here we go. "While you and Yang were... an item, spending time together, did you two drink?" Which was followed by silence, then a small nod from the brunette. "And when this happened, did you get drunk?" Pyrrha questioned, more sternly, to which the other woman only nodded again, causing her to sigh. She wished it did not have to be true, but... sadly knew it was.
"How'd... How'd you know?" Coco hesitantly wondered.
Pyrrha then ceased her massaging. "Whenever I would pick you up from Yang's apartment, whether it be after an afternoon hangout, or the morning after you stayed there for the night, I always smelled alcohol not only on your breath, but on your clothes." She explained, her tone growing more stern. "Coco, the reason I wanted you to quit drinking for a while is because I didn't want you do treat your pain with numbness, like... like Yang has been doing." She let out another sigh. "You two spending your time getting drunk meant you weren't... healing. If you ever want to get better, you have to talk about your problems, to me, to Ruby, or even a therapist."
Then Pyrrha's gaze fell. "I admit that pushing the two of you together was not the best idea that Ruby had, and... I cannot apologize enough for the pain it's caused you both... We had hoped that together you could understand each other's pain and move forward, if not as lovers, as friends, but... I'm sorry things did not work out..."
After a brief stretch of silence, Coco managed a slight chuckle. "Not all bad, Little Red... At least I almost got laid..." She almost mumbled. "But... Xiao Long... Yang... deserves better than some recovering alcoholic... Well, a failin' one at that..."
Though her friend was unable to see it, Pyrrha shook her head, mostly out of instinct. "You both deserved better versions of one another."
Once again, Coco remained quiet, before shrugging. "I mean, I'd be up to try datin' again if we both get to better places in the future, but... I doubt she and Weiss won't be a thing by then, so uh... guess I'm outta luck there..."
Looking down at the brunette for a few moments, Pyrrha frowned, wishing that she could do more in the moment. So, removing her hands from her friend's shoulders, she walked around the couch and took a seat next to her. "Even if that doesn't work out, you need to talk to us, Coco, about how you feel." She pressed, reaching over to gently grip the other woman's hand "I want you to know that... therapy is always a good option..."
Coco immediately looked up at the redhead with concern in her eyes. "But-"
"I know, I know... It's not exactly the most ideal option, but... Raven recommended a woman named Glynda." Pyrrha explained. "She has been going there with Cinder, and... as I have been told, they're making good progress together." Then her grip on her friend's hand tightened. "Coco, I love you, as does Ruby. All we want to do is help you, and we will do anything in order to make that happen, but there's only so much we can do. A therapist can help you figure out your feelings in a way that Ruby and I cannot understand, and I trust someone that Raven herself speaks so highly of."
Coco was silent, unable to meet the redhead's stern gaze, instead merely staring forward at the coffee table. She opened her mouth a few times, but nothing came out. "I... I need some time to think..." She eventually murmured.
"Ruby and I have given you plenty of time, as well as one simple rule. No alcohol." Pyrrha declared, reaching up to grip the brunette face, forcing her to look her in the eyes. "Unfortunately, you broke that rule the moment you were away from us, and while you were with Yang, you continued to break that rule. So, I apologize, but enough is enough. You will either willingly attend therapy, or I will bring you there."
What followed was a long stretch of silence, at least it felt as much. Coco attempted to turn away, but her friend kept a solid hold on her face, not allowing her to avoid it, to run away from it. Unfortunately, she was unable to force her eyes to stare at her, so the brunette still looked away. The two remained there for a time, just sitting on the living area couch. The longer they remained there, the more Pyrrha's fear grew that she would have to drag her friend in to attend therapy... Which was the last thing she wanted to do...
Then Coco actually looked up at her, chocolate brown eyes filled with uncertainty. She opened her mouth a few times once more, but it took a few tries before anything came out.
"Will... Will you come with me?"
It was an... odd feeling to say the least, thinking about how Raven was... in a state of undress behind that changing room door... Cinder knew that they were in public, but still... It was distracting.
Stupid lonely brain.
After the pair had gone through that... rather- no, extremely peculiar visit to Vernal's apartment, they went out to grab a couple pitas for dinner. Neither of them were too interested in talking much given what they just experienced... especially Raven. Once they were both finished with their meals, Cinder expected for them to head back to the older woman's apartment to hang out, but... it seemed her friend had another idea, that she honestly never thought would even be considered. She... wanted to go shopping for clothes. Not even just regular clothes too. She was looking to pick up some... gym-wear. Apparently, after Cinder fell asleep during their little 'party', Raven had discussed the possibility with Yang about the two of them working out together, and the former needed some new clothes for it. So, it seemed like they were going for a little shopping trip.
So, driving over to the Lone Pine Mall, and locating a decent-looking sporting goods store, the pair made their way to the clothing section near the back. Overall, it appeared as though there were a good selection, from running shoes, socks, sweat pants, leggings, long-shorts, short-shorts, a variety of types of shirts, sports bras, sweatshirts... So many to choose from... Though seemingly Raven had an idea of what she was looking for, as she grabbed a few things off of the racks and quickly headed towards the short, brightly-lit hallway of changing rooms, leaving Cinder to catch up to her.
Which led to now, with the younger woman merely sitting on a vacant wooden bench in the surprisingly empty hallway, outside of the room that her friend was currently using to try on the things that she had chosen. It actually gave her a bit of time to think about what happened at Vernal's apartment. Cinder knew that she would not exactly be doing well, considering she just had her relationship of well over a year ended on her, but... she was not expecting to see her so... broken. Even going so far as to attempt to kiss Raven... That was something that she would likely not be able to forget for quite a while... Well, at least on the bright side...
"You have really been getting into the whole good mom thing recently, huh?" Cinder commented to the door in front of her. "First Yang, now Vernal? It's as if you're on a roll, as the kids say."
A chuckle was heard inside the occupied changing room. "Sounds like you're pretty well-versed in the subject."
Cinder could not help but chuckle as well. "I'm an orphan, Rave. Mommy issues are part of the parcel." She joked... Okay, perhaps only half-joked... Or maybe just a true statement said as a joke. "But even I can tell you've been doing your best. Not only with Yang, but Vernal, and... well... m-me..."
While it went unseen, the younger woman could just tell that Raven immediately stopped what she was doing, looked at the closed door and quirked a brow. "You?"
And, I shouldn't have said that. Well, there was always a chance to play it off... hopefully. "What, you're saying you don't want to be my mommy?"
Raven just snorted from behind the door. "I didn't say shit, little brat."
Then an idea popped into Cinder's head. One that... could just as easily go wrong as it could get a laugh out of her friend. Here goes nothing I suppose. "Sorry, mommy." She taunted, flashing a smirk at the door... for some reason, even though the older woman would not be able to see it. Though luckily, that also stopped her from witnessing the small blush that was tinting her cheeks, as she realized she just called her friend mommy, on purpose.
Thankfully, Raven let out a laugh upon hearing that. "Oh, say that a little louder why don't ya."
That certainly caught Cinder off guard. "In public? How positively lewd." And embarrassing as all hell. She could just imagine all the extremely weird looks that would come her way if she dared respond with something like that.
"Oh don't act so modest now, you love it." Raven taunted, likely with a sly smirk on her face.
Though it obviously went unseen, Cinder quirked her brow. "To get ridiculed in public? I don't think I do."
Raven only chuckled at the answer. "Hey, just another kink on the list."
Cinder was actually taken aback by that comment. "Just another kink? What kind of person do you think I am, Rave?"
There was a pause from the other side of the changing room door. "I don't know what to think anymore." Raven admitted, though her tone still appeared fairly upbeat. "I heard you were quite the cougar with my darling daughter not too long ago."
Cinder's eye immediately widened upon hearing that, considering it was the absolute last thing that she was expecting to hear. Fuck. "U-Um..." How the hell am I supposed to answer that?! "W-We... might have made out... a little... B-But we didn't go any further! We just had a bit too much to drink, and we were both feeling rather lonely... I-I apologize for not telling you sooner... I just... did not know how to bring it up..." Especially since I'm ten years older than her, and she's your daughter...
A chuckle was heard from inside the changing room. "Relax, Cin, Yang's a big girl, and she got her looks from her dad. I know she's hard to resist."
I probably would have if we had both been sober. "She... is quite the attractive woman I'll admit, as well as a great friend, but... honestly? A bit too... cheery for my tastes." Cinder hesitantly explained.
"Yeah, that's Tai's side shining through, and a bit of Summer." Raven agreed.
Cinder nodded a bit, though unintentionally. Just a natural reaction to understanding. "I see... You know, I've been wondering since I met Summer... How did you ever put up with them? Because you're so... well, different."
Raven was quiet for a moment. "I was like the eye of a hurricane. They'd fly around me, and it just kinda... worked. Sometimes I'd get dragged along for a ride, sometimes they'd come settle down for a while."
Cinder had to think about that for a few seconds. "I suppose that makes sense. Though I always felt like you'd fit better with someone like Vernal." Aside from the fact that she was young enough to be her friend's daughter, but there was no way in hell she was going to add that. She did not feel like getting her ass kicked today... or any day really.
"That girl needs someone better than her to drag her into a better life." Raven explained. "Just a pity she met Weiss in her rebel phase."
"And just as much that she was unable to return her expression of love..." Cinder added, her gaze actually falling at the thought. She did not know that woman very well, but still... "I never thought I'd see Vernal of all people so... cut up." Or with any other emotion other than snarky.
"Me neither. Last time I saw her get worked up was years ago when a customer got handsy for the first time." Raven added. "Guess Weiss leavin' really got to her."
Got to her was right. Though, that caused Cinder to wonder something. "Do you think she'll try to do anything rash?"
Raven was quiet for but a moment. "Vernal's a dumbass, but she'd not stupid. Girls like us just need some sense slapped into us sometimes, then we're good for a while."
"And... was today enough for that?" Cinder wondered.
"Guess we'll have to see won't we?" Raven answered, which sadly did not really instill confidence.
"I suppose..." Cinder almost mumbled, though still loud enough for her friend to hear. "Perhaps you should visit her again soon. I could join you again if you'd like."
Raven only quirked a brow, or at least the younger woman imagined she did, considering what she responded with. "Oh yeah? Lookin' to be mom number two?"
Cinder let out a chuckle. "I'm only trying to help out a friend who appears to need some assistance."
Raven just snorted. "Oh come on, you and I both know Vernal isn't really much of a friend."
Cinder just shook her head, even though she knew that it went unseen. It was more for her. "I meant you, Rave."
Raven hummed in response. "Hmm, jury's out on that too."
Cinder could not help but chuckle. "Says the woman who's letting me stay in her home, rent-free." And that's not counting everything else you've done for me... or all the teasing...
"You've bought groceries before." Raven attempted to defend, though her friend was ready for that one.
"Only because I stole your list and went out on my day off." Cinder shot, a sly smirk on her face.
Raven was quiet for a couple seconds. "You forgot the marshmallows."
Cinder only rolled her eye at that. "You didn't put them on the list."
Another moment of silence. "The list exists because the marshmallows don't."
"Then maybe you should actually include marshmallows on the list next time if you want them purchased." Cinder recommended, her smirk still spread across her face.
"I will then, and crackers, and chocolate." Raven agreed. "We can have smores over the stove."
Smores over the stove... "That sounds like an excellent way to make a huge mess."
Raven likely shrugged at the warning. "Eh, good times usually are."
As hard as she tried, Cinder was not able to stop her stupid, lonely brain from going places. Yes please, tell of of those good times, spare no detail. She thought to herself, before realizing such a hugely inappropriate desire just crossed her mind. She thanked the Maidens that she was not stupid enough to say that out loud, especially given the fact that they were in public. "S-So, how long are you going be in there? It's been over ten minutes."
A brief silence followed, as if Raven was unsure what to say. Perhaps she was still deciding if she actually liked the items that she had picked out earlier. That woman was rather picky, and extremely stubborn after all. "I uh, dunno if I'll look... good in somethin' like this."
Cinder had to resist the urge to scoff. Please, as if you could less than amazing in anything. Hell, you would even look incredible in noth- She had to stop that train of thought right then and there, knowing for an absolute fact that if she let it go any further, she would get into a very different mood. "I'm sure you look just fine." And that's probably an understatement. Tight workout clothes that likely leave certain areas rather bare... Oh, shut up, me. Get your head out of the gutter.
Another small stretch of silence, which was followed by a heavy sigh from within the changing room. "I look like a fuckin' marshmallow in this shit."
Oh, I highly doubt that. "It can't be that bad, Rave." Cinder encouraged. In fact, it's probably the opposite.
Raven only sighed again. "Alright, alright, fine. She reluctantly agreed. A moment later, the silver knob turned, and the door slowly swung open, until it eventually revealed the older woman, appearing slightly uncomfortable, eyes awkwardly gazing around, and clad in a fairly tight, black tank top, and a pair of equally tight, dark-blue leggings... Wow... Sure, Raven might not be six-pack level of fit, but she was still in pretty damn good shape.
Cinder's eye immediately widened upon seeing her friend in such a... form-fitting outfit... She's fucking gorgeous... "Rave... you look like you're in your 20's."
Managing a slight smile at the compliment, Raven... actually blushed a little, but was still unable to meet the younger woman's gaze. "Oh shut your trap, that hasn't been the case in over ten years."
Cinder could not even bring herself to stop staring at her friend's... alluring body as she spoke. "Ten years have been kind." Just by looking at those assets of yours... So very kind...
Raven just scoffed. "Yeah, I wish." She rolled her eyes, looking down at her outfit. "Maybe I should just get somethin' a little looser-fitting..."
That would be a crime to that body of yours. "Yang isn't gonna be staring at your ass, you know." Cinder commented.
Raven only shrugged. "Yeah, but I'm sure someone will. Best to give them somethin' better to look at than me..."
Cinder let out a sigh at the way her friend was talking about herself, given that she looked a hell of a lot better than the younger woman did, and she was almost ten years older than her! "Rave, what are your sizes?" She wondered, to which the other woman quirked a brow at her, clearly confused. "I will need them for your pants, shirt, and bust."
Raven just blinked, appearing as if she needed to think about that for a moment. "Uh, well I'm a large for pants and tops, but I can fit into some mediums for latter, depending on what kinda top it is... And I uh, I'm an E cup..."
Cinder was unable to stop her eye from widening once more. Fuck, she's bigger than I thought... "Very well. I want you to wait in that changing room until I return." She instructed, pointing to behind her friend. "I'll be right back."
Raven opened her mouth a couple times to refuse, but eventually sighed, nodding a bit. "Alright, fine. Just no skimpy shit." She seemingly reluctantly accepted, heading back into the changing room and shutting the door behind her.
Offering a smile as her friend disappeared, Cinder turned on a heel and made her way back into the main part of the store, where she was met by a cheery employee, who quickly asked her if she needed any help. She assured him that she was alright, and was simply browsing, which was technically true, as she was not entirely sure what to pick out for Raven. What would she even like? There were so many options... Gods, this is more difficult than I thought it would be.
After her third or fourth walking through the various isles, Cinder eventually picked out some clothes for her friend to try on. A couple other tank tops - one for more general-use, the other specifically for exercising - short-sleeved workout shirts, three-quarter and full-length pairs of leggings, basketball shorts, short-shorts, and... even a few sports bras after forcing herself to take that chance. After all, Raven would tell her if she was overstepping, since that damn woman had showed off her nearly-bare ass not a few days ago. So... it would probably be okay. At least she hoped.
Upon returning to the back hallway, Cinder approached the changing room that her friend was currently in, and gently knocked on the door. A moment later, it opened, but not fully, as Raven peeked out. Was... she already undressed? Oh gods, don't think about that. "I-I brought you some things to try on..." Cinder informed, holding out the clothes that she had gathered.
Skeptically looking down at pile of clothing in the younger woman's arms, Raven quirked a brow up at her. "Do I have to?"
Cinder nodded. "You wanted to find some new clothes for working out with Yang, so I'm providing you with some assistance."
Gazing down at the clothes one more time, Raven let out a groan. "Fine, but you're buyin' breakfast tomorrow."
Cinder could not help but chuckle at the request as her friend took the clothes and shut the door. "Deal. Now get in there and let me know if you want anything else." She added, turning to go return to her seat in front of the changing room, where she proceeded to wait patiently as she could hear the feint sounds of shuffling fabric from within. While she attempted to avoid thinking about the fact that the older woman was undressing and redressing in that room, her stupid, lonely brain could not help it. Not in public, you idiot!
Then, unexpectedly, the changing room door slowly opened once again, as Raven hesitantly revealed herself, this time clad in a crimson workout shirt, and dark-grey basketball shorts. Not quite as form-fitting as the previous outfit - at least the latter piece of clothing - but it still looked just as good, and of course Cinder was sure to tell her as much. Though unfortunately, her friend did not accept that fact, instead still insisting that no one was going to want to see her used goods, or so she put it. Cinder only wished that she could tell her every little thing that she loved about that incredible body of hers, but sadly, they were in public, and she did not have the courage for that. She only managed to repeat how good her friend looked, and how the clothing suited her... which of course was met with a playful, slightly-blushing reprimand... Not that she denied it in the end, her gaze lingering on Cinder for a moment before retreating back into the changing room.
And then she grinned upon closing the door, as if an evil idea just popped into her mind.
Well, I'm sure that can't be good.
After a few more minutes of idly checking her scroll - and chuckling at a rather amusing... meme that Yang had sent earlier involving an unhappy-looking cat - the door to the changing room opened once more. Though, when she looked up to no-doubt admire her friend in whatever she had chosen to wear, she was met with something a little more... unexpected. Contrary to the timid, slightly-blushing, near-timid reveal of prior outfits, Raven now struck a downright cocky pose, with a sly smirk on her face, one hand up against the doorframe, and the other holding the door, having just pulled it open... And this time, she was clad in a pair of black, three-quarter-length leggings, and a fairly tight, forest-green tank top. Both pieces of clothing accentuated that mesmerizing, curvy figure...
Oh... fuck... She's doing it again.
Cinder tried her absolute hardest to stop a blush from tinting her cheeks, but with such a... stunning sight before her, it was extremely difficult, and her efforts likely proved unsuccessful. Though in all honestly, that sort of thing should have been taken as rather normal for them, given what else had occurred over the past week, but even still... this view never got old... and never failed to fluster the hell out of the younger woman. After all, it was as if those voluptuous assets of hers could just burst out at any moment...
"So, what do you think?" Raven wondered, smirk only growing at her friend's flabbergasted expression.
Cinder could not even manage to think of a coherent response, only able to merely stare, wide-eyed at the older woman's... alluring body... Fuck me... How was it that she was wearing more clothes than that morning she showed off her nearly-bare ass, and yet, Cinder was somehow less functional than she was back then? Probably due to the fact that she did not have to directly confront Raven in such a state... unlike how she was having to now... Shit. Say something, dumbass, she's waiting. "I think working out is a bad idea." Cinder blurted out, without even thinking properly. Though with her current view, clear thoughts were not exactly an option.
Raven immediately quirked a brow. "Oh yeah?"
Well, I guess I'm stuck with this option. Which meant Cinder had to think of something to say. "You'll make Yang feel insecure, and it will ruin your relationship."
Raven only rolled her eyes at the answer. "Oh bullshit. That girl's a hell of a lot better lookin' than me. She's got Tai's genes and twenty less years on her."
Against her better judgement, Cinder decided to just continue before her anxiety had a chance to stop her. "Fine wine, Rave, like fine fucking wine."
Raven let out an amused chuckle. "I wish." She admitted, looking down at her body, turning and observing everything that she could see. It was partially toned, yet still soft, curvy, bulging in places the elastic grew tight, but far, far from unappealing in the younger woman's eyes. She wished so very badly that she could see it bare... If only. "Ugh, I look like a damn soufflé in this shit."
Cinder could not help but grin slightly at the thought. Thankfully she was at least smart enough to not say that out loud. And what a delicious soufflé you would be. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Raven just snorted. "Well I'm not exactly a snack, am I?"
Oh, you absolutely are, and I would love to try it. "I believe some would disagree." Cinder simply responded instead.
Raven merely rolled her eyes again, though the hint of a feint blush tinted her cheeks. "Some people are fooling themselves."
Cinder attempted to offer a smile in return, trying to silence her stupid brain. "I highly doubt it."
Raven scoffed at the push to compliment her, yet her slight blush still remained. "Yeah, sure you do."
Cinder shrugged at her friend's doubt. "Not my fault you can't take a compliment." She commented. "Now come on, next outfit."
Raven only sighed at what was essentially a command. "Alright alright, yes ma'am." She reluctantly agreed, turning on a heel to head back into the changing room, all while the younger woman was given a perfect view of her shapely, legging-clad rear. And what a magnificent sight it was. Though it seemed that Raven knew exactly what she was doing, as she slowly sauntered into the small room, allowing for Cinder to be entranced as her behind jiggled with each step, as if she was trying. Once she was inside, she used one hand to just-as-slowly close the door, flashing the slyest smirk at her friend just before it shut.
That sneaky bitch.
Another few minutes pass by, with Cinder again simply waiting outside on the wooden bench, playing on her scroll, looking at other humorous images that Yang sent, before the door opened once again. Though this time, it did not open fully. Instead, just enough for Raven to peek her head out to look at her friend with an... embarrassed expression? What happened to that sly smirk from the last time she showed off a new outfit?
"Hey uh, Cin?" Raven called, barely able to meet the younger woman's gaze. "Could you... hop in here for a sec? I... kinda need a hand with somethin'..."
Cinder... had absolutely no idea how she could even respond to a question like that. Her friend wanted her to... join her... in the changing room... where she was very likely in a state of undress? Or possible even... fully naked? Honestly, that sounded like a dream come true - in this case, quite literally, as a... similar scenario once appeared in what turned out to be a rather inappropriate dream - but... Cinder was unsure if she was even remotely ready for something like that. Especially considering how they were still in the store. Of course she had... fooled around a little with Emerald in public before, but that was after years of them dating, and only ever in places that were sparsely-populated. Not in a... clothing store changing room, where anyone could just walk by at any point and hear what was going on.
"Uh, Cin?" Came Raven's voice, interrupting the younger woman's improper train of thought.
Shaking herself back into reality, Cinder looked up at her friend. "I-I'm sorry, what is it that you need help with?"
Raven was quiet for a moment, almost avoiding her gaze. "Just get in here." She quickly answered, disappearing back into the changing room, but without closing the door, leaving it cracked open, just a tad. It left Cinder with a decision. Leaving Raven to fix whatever happened in there by herself, or join her in there... Gods damnit. If she was more confident in her... position with her friend, there would be no question. She would join her in a heartbeat. Though unfortunately, Cinder was a little lacking in the confidence department when it came to the woman currently inside that changing room. So... what was she going to do? Thankfully... or perhaps not, before she could even get a chance to think about deciding, Raven popped her head out from behind the door again, looking at her with a skeptical look.
"You gonna help me or what?"
Well, I suppose I have my decision.
Awkwardly nodding, Cinder hesitantly stood up as her friend vanished once again, and slowly made her way toward the changing room, unable to believe that she was about to do this. Upon reaching the door, she paused, wondering if she really should do this... Then she let out a sigh. Fuck it. Gently pushing open the door, Cinder slipped inside, closing it behind her, though upon turning around, she was met with... Holy shit... Standing before her was Raven, and all she was wearing... was a pair of violet short-shorts, and a white sports bra... and her friend currently gripping the hem of the latter with both hands, looking like she was trying to remove it. It caused her eye to immediately widen, a blush quickly tinting her cheeks as she noticed that she was able to see the partial-underside of Raven's ample, pushed-up breasts. Fuck me... Then a realization hit her. Oh gods, did she really want to do... that? But I'm not ready for that! Cinder's mind just went blank at the mere sight, not even able to string together a coherent thought... Thankfully, it seemed that her friend had something to say before her mind exploded.
"So uh, turns out one of the sports bras you picked out was just a bit too small." Raven awkwardly explained, shifting in place, still holding the hem of said bra. "And when I say a bit, I mean by uh, a couple sizes. Was tryin' on each of 'em, seeing which one I liked more, and... well, this one kinda got stuck..."
Cinder remained quiet for several moments, frozen in place, and unable to believe her ears. She... got the wrong size... even though she specifically asked for her friend's measurements to ensure that something like that would not happen. How could she be so... moronic? Screwing up such a simple task as picking out some damn clothes for Raven to try on... You're such an idiot. Cinder hissed at herself, resisting the urge to clench her fists at her ridiculous mistake. "I-I'm sorry, Raven..." She barely managed. unable to meet her friend's gaze as she spoke.
"Nah, don't worry about it." Raven insisted with a shrug. "It's my fault for not checkin' the damn thing before putting it on, and whatever dumbass put it on the wrong hanger, 'cause I know you're way too smart to just grab the wrong size by accident." Then she let out a chuckle. "But it's no problem, shit happens, but I guess this makes us even now. I decide to fuck with you a bit, and in return you get me stuck in a sports bra. So... touché."
Cinder just blinked, unsure if she just heard that correctly. "Are... you sure?"
With a slight smile, Raven shook her head. "Cin, if I was actually pissed, I wouldn't have let you in here." She assured. "Plus, I kinda need help gettin' this stupid thing off, and I don't really wanna bother the staff with stupid shit like that."
Cinder was quiet for a moment, as she processed her friend's answer. Rave... needs help... taking off a sports bra... while there's nothing under it... She had to consider everything in front of her. I think I may need to pinch myself. Discretely moving her hands behind her back, Cinder used her gloved hand to pinch her other wrist, just to make sure, and quickly learning that she was indeed awake. "Um... S-Sure... What... do you need me to do?" Cinder nervously inquired, wondering just how the hell she got into this situation... and how it could be possible to never leave.
Looking down at her current predicament, Raven paused for a moment. "Well... you could try pullin' up from the back while I do the front... Probably just need some extra pair of arms."
Hopefully not-audibly swallowing, Cinder timidly nodded, stepping towards the older woman as she turned her back to her. Then, extremely-hesitantly reaching up, she took hold of the hem of the sports bra, feeling the warmth of Raven's skin against her fingers. Gods, out of all the time that Cinder had spent with her friend, she never once thought that she would ever be in a position like this, and given how her gaze was beginning to wander down toward her shapely, shorts-clad rear, she had to resist the urge to explore anywhere with her hands. You're supposed to be helping her, not feeling her up.
And so, they pulled... and pulled... with no success. Damnit.
As they both let go of the undergarment, Raven let out a chuckle, turning briefly to see the younger woman's skeptical expression. "I know, sad isn't it?"
Cinder immediately quirked her brow at the question. "Oh seriously? We're pulling the oh woe is me, my breasts are too large to get this bra off card now?" She questioned, reaching up again to gently tug at the back of the bra again, causing her friend to laugh. "Seriously, Rave, how the hell did you even get this on if it's too small?"
Though laughter, Raven only shrugged, raising her hands for emphasis. "I've got no fuckin' idea, Cin. Just help me get it off." Then she paused for a moment. "You're the one who picked it out in the first place!"
Cinder could not help but laugh in return, as the pair continued to try to remove the undergarment, but sadly... so to avail. Which left them both just laughing at the ridiculousness of the current situation, and how easily it could have been avoided. It was certainly the last thing that Cinder expected to be doing today. Attempting to get her friend and boss out of a sports bra that was two sizes too small, and being unable to do so because they were both dying of laughter.
What did I ever do to deserve this?
There was nothing worse than not being able to sleep, for no reason.
It had not been a particularly bad day, aside from a hellish shift at work, which was sadly normal, but it had not been... particularly good either. Yang had a long shift earlier that day... or perhaps it was the prior day by now, which meant Weiss had to be alone for the majority of her time at the blonde's apartment. While that was not exactly terrible, as she was able to spend her time watching and enjoying her favourite cartoons without any scrutiny, unlike at her... previous place of residence... even so... she would have rather had Yang there with her... She wished that she could always have her around...
Letting out a heavy sigh against her pillow, Weiss turned over to face upward, eyes opening to idly stare at the dark ceiling. She could really use a hug right about now. Unfortunately it was... what time was it? Reaching down to the floor to fumble for her scroll, she eventually located it, lifting the device up and turning it on. Thankfully Weiss had remembered to dim the brightness before going to bed, so she was not blinded by the screen as she looked at the time.
2:51 AM
Weiss just sighed again. Son of a bitch. Given the fact that it was so late, and there was no Coco to... keep her awake, so to speak, Yang was definitely asleep, which meant there was no possibility of any late-night chats. Though perhaps... she could just... go see her... After all, there was always a chance that she could be awake... even if that chance was fairly minimal. Worst case scenario: she knocked on her friend's door, and she turned out to be asleep, leaving Weiss to simply to back to bed. That did not sound too bad... hopefully.
She really could use a hug.
Tiredly pulling herself up into a sitting position, Weiss threw the warm blanket aside, moving her legs off the couch and up off of the piece of furniture. Considering that she was unable to see a single thing in the pitch-black apartment, she switched on her scroll's flashlight and slowly began to make her way through the living area, thankful that she no longer had to worry about anything cluttering the carpeted floor, thanks to her thorough cleaning job. To think, this place used to be a huge mess.
Eventually arriving at the blonde's door, making sure to angle her scroll away from it, Weiss raised her other hand to knock... but hesitated, as a realization hit her. What if... Yang was indeed asleep, and the sound of her knocking woke her up? And then... she became annoyed with her for interrupting her slumber? The possibility alone caused Weiss' hand to drop back down to her side, and her shoulders to slump. This was a bad idea. She never should have even got up off the couch...
Then she heard it. Coming from within her friend's bedroom... Feint, but still there. It was... sniffling... as if Yang was... crying... Upon realizing that, Weiss froze, a pang shooting through her heart. Why would she be... Oh... It was... the breakup... She knew that it hit her friend hard, but... It had been over a week now, and they had talked about it a couple days ago... So... it should be getting better... Well, it sure did not sound like it... But... Weiss would be able to help her again... right? It was one thing to help her during the day, but... to just walk into her room at three o'clock in the morning? That was certainly overstepping. Though at the same time, she could not just leave Yang like this... Not after already hearing what was doing on... She had to do something...
So, hesitantly raising her hand once more, Weiss gently knocked upon the wooden door. "Yang?" She quietly called, to which the sniffling immediately stopped. "Are you... alright?"
Another sniffle was heard from within the bedroom, then nothing else, for almost a full minute. "Not really..."
While thankful that her friend was telling the truth, it still hurt to hear that she was not okay. "May I... come in?"
Another brief silence. "Sure..."
Taking a deep breath, Weiss angled her scroll up above her head in order to create a more even light, raised her other hand to grip the doorknob, and slowly opened the door. As expected, she was met by a mostly dark bedroom, except for a... bright light emanating from something on the bed. What was... oh. It was Yang on her scroll. Unfortunately, due to the combined brightness coming from both of their decides, Weiss was able to see more than she wanted to. The blonde was curled up on her bed, clad in her favourite cat pyjamas, tears streaming down her face from red eyes, and on the night table next to her... was an uncapped, half-empty bottle of vodka. Oh, Yang...
Hesitantly making her way over to the bed, Weiss took a set on the edge, wanting to be delicate with the current situation. She needed information first. "What are you looking at?" She inquired, attempting to offer a small smile.
Yang only stared at her scroll for a few moments, before lowering the device, yet not looking over at her friend. "Just... some pictures..."
Weiss furrowed her brow a bit, wondering what kind of photos could cause this strong of a reaction. Perhaps... they were of her and Coco while the two were a couple... Certainly a possibility, as Weiss herself had to hide the small number of pictures that featured her ex-girlfriend after their breakup, in order to keep herself from staring at them, just as her friend was now. In that case, she needed to get the scroll away from the blonde before she did anything else. "Would you mind showing me?"
After another couple seconds, Yang stretched her arm out towards the other woman, attempting to pass her scroll over, but not making any other effort other than that. Not even looking at her, just... idly staring forward. After leaning and reaching over to gently take the device from her friend's hand, Weiss turned it towards herself, and her heart sank upon seeing what was on the screen. It was a picture of... Blake and Ruby... both of them smiling brightly at the camera, arms around one another... The photo appearing to be at one of Vale's piers during the former's visit to Vale, given she looked the exact same as when Weiss met her. Then it finally clicked. Yang had been doing better since their talk about her ended relationship with Coco, so... it almost did not make sense for her to be getting worse again now...
"Pathetic... isn't it?" Yang finally spoke, her voice barely above a murmur. "Starin' at pictures of a woman who isn't even my ex... Instead... someone else's fiancé... It's just..." She let out a quiet, yet tired sigh. "Can't even deal with my own shit so Rubes and Pyr don't have to put up with my dumb ass, and... Now you're seein' me like this... Pretty sad, huh?"
Weiss shook her head. "Now that's nonsense." She immediately defended, switching her friend's scroll to sleep mode. "Pain affects us all in different ways, Yang, and our coping mechanisms are terribly ineffective, if not self-destructive." She then stood up from the bed, and took a step towards the night table, where she first placed the device, then re-capped the bottle of vodka, moving it out of the way. At least out of the way for Yang in her current position. After that, she sat back onto the mattress, this time right next to the blonde, who remained motionless. Weiss then placed a hand upon her shoulder, prompting her to surprisingly look up. "Our mindsets can drive us to do stupid things, like drink away our sorrows, or question every one of our decisions..." Then she took a deep breath, not wanting to continue with this particular topic, but knowing it would help.
"I just lost a relationship of over a year, so I'm very familiar with how grief affects the psyche." Weiss explained. "Drinking obscene amounts of alcohol isn't going to solve anything, Yang. You know that just as well as I do. This kind of pain can't be numbed with poison, it will only be driven deeper, where it's harder to treat." As she looked down at her friend, curled up, lilac eyes struggling to remain on her through a teary gaze, she was sadly able to see her mother in the making. Constantly drunk off of her ass, stuck in a rut and going nowhere in life... There was absolutely no way in hell that Weiss was going to allow that to happen under her watch. "So please, let me help you."
What followed was a brief silence, with Yang merely lying there, and the other woman sitting next to her, hand upon her shoulder... until the blonde's lip quivered, and fresh tears began to pool in her eyes and stream down her face, dampening her pillow. Weiss was taken aback, able to do nothing but stare for a few moments. She could not stand to see her friend in such a state. It was bad enough that she had cried before she got there, but to now have to watch it happen? She was not about to let that happen. So, Weiss did the only thing that she could think of. Leaning down, she wrapped her arms around Yang, and hugged her tight. She did not respond at first, just remaining still, until her arms hesitantly raised, and made their way around the smaller woman, returning the embrace as she began to sob. It was there that the pair remained for a time, simply relishing in the warmth that the hug offered.
Eventually, their holds both loosened, accepting the fact that they could not stay there forever, as it was past three-thirty in the morning. Fully letting go, Weiss leaned back into a sitting position, and offered a smile to her friend. "Bed time." She recommended, before grabbing the end of the sheet - which was currently bunched up at the end of the bed - and pulling it over Yang, eliciting the slightest chuckle, and a small smile. The first one she had seen all night. "We can talk more in the morning, okay?" To which the blonde nodded a bit. "If you want, I can sit by until you fall asleep."
Yang was quiet for a moment, seemingly unable to meet her friend's gaze as she wiped the stray tears from her eyes. "Can you... stay?"
Stay... the night? "Are... you sure?"
Yang nodded slightly, moving her pillow over. "I... don't wanna be alone..."
Weiss paused for a few seconds, wondering if that would be a good idea, but eventually nodded in return. She then climbed fully into the bed and moved over until she was lying directly beside the blonde, awkwardly staring at the ceiling. It was an exceptionally weird feeling, to say the least, to be in another woman's bed like this. A couple moments later, she felt the weight of Yang's head against her shoulder, the warmth causing her to stiffen a bit, and her eyes to widen. Yang was... cuddling up to her...
This was going to be a long night.
Author's Note: Just a quick reminder, one more chapter until the break, where we'll be writing a sequel to Out of the Bag! :D
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