Gods, Nora's cooking was fucking incredible, even with the limited ingredients in Vernal's apartment. Plus, she did it in nothing but that light-pink apron again. It almost made her completely forget about what happened earlier that morning.

Waking up in the exact same position as last time, being spooned again, arms wrapped tightly around her torso, and warm breath tickling the back of her neck, she could still feel every ache and sore spot that came from the prior evening's activities. Of course, it was much worse last night, because by the time Nora was finished with her, Vernal could not feel her entire lower body. Hell, even before they got out of bed the next morning, she could tell that her legs were going to still be wobbly. Then when they did, she had trouble standing, requiring help to make it to the bathroom.

After Nora had brought Vernal to orgasm the first time using the strap-on, they were not done there. No, far from it. Once she came down from the high, she found herself moved her from her stomach to her back, then to her hands and knees, then to straddling the redhead for a more intense ride than she had ever given to another woman... Honestly, up until the pair ended with Nora sitting on her face, that night was a bit of a blur for Vernal, because much like the last time, it was as if the former had endless stamina.

Although, while it did feel incredibly good, both during and after, it was also exceptionally weird. After all, Vernal had always been the giver of that sort of thing, never the one experiencing it. She would let Weiss go down on her, sometimes ride her face, and her experiences with men were always unsatisfying, if they were good at all. Sure, being intimate with the former was great, but Vernal had never been the receiver of something as incredible as what Nora gave her the prior night. She had never let herself be taken care of before, be vulnerable for someone else...

Eventually, Vernal started to become emotional again, but this time, she did not bother resisting, turning over in the still-sleeping redhead's arms, and hugging her. She realized that she liked what they shared. She wanted more of it. She... did not want this woman to leave...

"Hey, you wanna go out sometime?" Suddenly came Nora's voice, only half-pulling the other woman from her thoughts at first. It was not until Vernal really thought about what was just said that she truly processed it.

"W-What?"

"Y'know, go out. Like on a date." Nora clarified, a warm smile on her face, raising her mug to take a sip from her coffee.

Vernal only blinked at both the question and the clarification. Did she hear those right? Surely not. Why the hell would the redhead, or anyone else for that matter, want to go on a date with her? It was not like she had anything to offer, unlike Nora, who was way too nice for her own damn good, sweet, thoughtful, an incredible cook, and not to mention fucking gorgeous... Vernal was just a waste of space who drank and smoked pot too much. Although, she knew that she wanted to say yes...

"We... We barely know each other..." Vernal mumbled. "I won't treat you right..." After all, the whole reason the two were in this situation was because she tried to pay Nora for sex, because she treated her like a prostitute, even though she was getting out of that life. Of course Vernal was not good enough for her. There was no doubt in her mind that she would fuck things up at some point.

"If you're talkin' about usin' me for sex, don't even worry about it. You just didn't wanna be alone, and hey, I would've done the same thing." Nora assured, her smile not fading one bit. "Plus, we're learnin' more about each other every day!" Then she leaned closer, teal eyes staring directly into the other woman's light blue ones. "For example, what's my favourite colour?"

Damnit. Vernal knew that. "Pink..."

Nora immediately grinned. "Ding ding! And you don't really have a favourite colour, but if you had to pick one, it'd be dark red." She continued, pretty confidently. "Also, you've never owned a car, you had your first time when you were sixteen, you hate broccoli, and, you talk in your sleep a little."

Son of a bitch. "Even if we know a few things about each other... you can do a hell of a lot better than me..." Vernal mumbled, avoiding eye contact out of shame.

Rather than verbally replying, Nora simply got up from her chair, moved over towards the other woman, and straddled her, wrapping her arms around her neck and leaning close, until their faces were barely a few inches apart. Being so close was a solid reminder that she was completely naked under that apron she was wearing. "I don't want better, I want you."

Vernal's gaze only fell, unable to maintain eye contact. Why would the redhead want her? Why would anyone want her? The only thing she was half decent at was sex, and even then, Nora absolutely kicked her ass in that category, fucking her into exhaustion not once, but twice, out of two sessions total. Which meant compared to her, Vernal had nothing to offer...

"And before you ask, yeah, I'm sure." Nora assured, reaching up to gently caress Vernal's cheek. "If you wanna try."

Vernal wanted to say yes, she truly did, because honestly, she would never find another woman as amazing as Nora, not counting the one that already left her... But still, what could possibly she offer that someone else could not do better? The answer was nothing. Although, Vernal got the feeling that even if she said no, that would probably not be the end of it. So, after a brief silence, she nodded a bit.

Barely a second later, Nora was adorably grinning like an idiot, before attacking Vernal's face with kisses. Her cheeks, forehead, nose, neck, and finally ending by hovering in front of her face for a moment, and meeting her in a soft, gentle embrace. Upon separating, Nora giggled, clearly seeing the slight blush that was tinting the other woman's cheeks. "Aw, look at you being all cute and shy!"

Vernal only let out a somewhat-annoyed huff, leaning forward to hide her face in the redhead's large, barely-covered chest. To which Nora merely held her close, as she reached up to gently stroke her hair. "But that's okay, you can be cute and shy with me, no one's gonna judge you." She promised, planting a kiss on the top of her head. "You want seconds of anything? Eggs, sausages, toast? Maybe a nice Nora sundae with extra whipped cream?"

While Vernal did not raise her head just yet, she could not help but smile, wrapping her arms around Nora's half-nude torso, pulling her close. "Sure, another sausage would be nice."

Nora just giggled a bit. "Like the food kind or the artificial kind that's sitting on your bed?"

Vernal let out a sigh. "Just get me another sausage."

Nora hummed. "Another sausage... what?"

Pulling back, Vernal furrowed her brow for a moment, until she realized what that meant, causing her to look away. "Another sausage... please."

Nora grinned. "That's better." She acknowledged, leaning in to peck the other woman on the forehead, before dismounting her and standing up. Though as she turned around, showing off her nude form, Vernal felt a small surge of confidence, so she reached forward, and firmly smacked the redhead's soft, bare, shapely rear, earning an adorable squeak, and a slight jump. Nora almost-immediately turned around with a smirk, then laughed at the clearly unexpected action, before returning to meet Vernal in a heated, yet brief kiss.

"Comin' right up."


Weiss had never been truly nervous about speaking with Pyrrha before. Well, aside from when the two initially met. That experience left her dumbstruck, but mostly due to the redhead's angelic beauty.

Either way, did Weiss trust her? Absolutely. She had complete faith that her friend would be able to help with her current... predicament. Though even so, she was nervous- ashamed really, of her immaturity in that regard. Thankfully Yang, being the wonderful girlfriend she was, agreed to take Ruby and Coco out bowling for the afternoon, giving Weiss a chance to speak privately with Pyrrha to get advice for... the issue of her high libido. Of course, the blonde had already been spending a fair amount of time with her best bud, partially due to being the main reference model for her safe-for-work art, but she was happy to hang out with her some more.

Actually, Weiss had also been spending an increasing amount of time with the brunette, as not long ago, her backers and followers started requesting couples pieces. So, along with using Ruby and Pyrrha, Coco asked Weiss if she wanted to join Yang in being a reference for her. She was always curious about modelling, but never got the chance, so she quickly accepted, and it turned out to be quite fun, even with the several awkward positions and poses that they were put through. Having Yang dip her down as if they were dancing or about to kiss seemed like a good idea at first, until they realized that they had to hold the pose for a solid twenty minutes straight. Hell, even Neo got in on it. Though rather than modelling with them, much to Coco's disappointment, she chose to join her in drawing the couple for her own work, as well as, in true Neo fashion, create some... stylized pieces, to put it nicely. Giving them over-exaggerated body parts or figures, goofy expressions, at one time, male genitalia. Just like Yang had said before. What a little shit.

Eventually, Weiss found herself standing before the front door of Pyrrha and Ruby's apartment, feeling a little anxious. She had never spoken to anyone about... well, sex before. It was always a sort of taboo topic in the Schnee household, so when she and her sister each entered their teenage years, and they had their fair share of questions, neither of them really had anyone to turn to for guidance. Weiss was lucky because Winter could at least answer some basic questions for her, as well as assist with... certain unpleasant things that she already dealt with, but other than that, the sisters were forced to look elsewhere. Though even then, it ended up being the more learning through experience, or in some cases, trial by fire kind of help. Neon, their maid, Violet, Vernal... Sure, they were all amazing in their own ways, but it still would have been nice to properly learn before doing.

Shaking away those thoughts, Weiss took a deep breath, and firmly knocked on the door. Honestly, it felt a little odd to actually be there, given how over the year and a half that she had known the couple, this was her very first time at their apartment. Not a minute later, Pyrrha opened it with a warm smile on her face. The kind that could make anyone fall in love. Gods, Ruby was such a lucky woman. Of course, Weiss also hit quite the jackpot herself with Yang. So really, they were both incredibly fortunate to have found the women that became their partners.

"Hello, Weiss. Please come in." Pyrrha requested, meeting the younger woman in a hug, before stepping aside to allow her to enter the apartment and take off her shoes. "To be completely honest, I was surprised to receive your call, as we've rarely met outside of family gatherings." She continued, leading Weiss through the living area, where they both sat down on the main couch. "But you seemed troubled. Is everything alright?"

Weiss quickly nodded. "Of course! I just... wanted to speak with you about Yang and me."

Pyrrha was quiet for a moment. "I see. And how are you adjusting? Because you went through a lot in a fairly short amount of time, but never reached out, other than to Ruby after your initial breakup."

Weiss managed a smile. "I'm fine, Pyrrha, thank you. Yang and I are happy, but I need some advice, on... sex."

Pyrrha quirked a brow, likely confused why Weiss of all people would be asking about such a topic, considering that the majority of her last relationship was sex. "Oh? Are you two ready for your first time?"

Weiss only turned away briefly, reaching up to run a hand through her hair as she let out a nervous chuckle. "We um, we already experienced that a little while ago..." She admitted, blushing at the memory of that wonderful night. "It's actually what's happening because of it that I need your help with."

Pyrrha nodded, offering a warm, reassuring smile. "I'm all ears, Weiss."

Taking a deep breath, Weiss wondered where exactly she should start. "Well, to be entirely honest, I never imagined discussing intimacy with anyone. My father would be rolling in his grave, if he had the good graces to climb in one." She mentioned, spitting that last part. "But that aside, recently... I've been having a hard time... keeping my libido in check. With Vernal, sex was such a constant, regular thing that it's been difficult to have a far more normal sex life, especially after Yang and I had to talk about toning down how often we were intimate." Weiss awkwardly explained. "I've tried to... you know, masturbate whenever I was horny while alone, or when Yang wasn't in the mood, but my own hand isn't really a great substitute for a real person... for Yang... Before we made love for the first time, it worked well enough, but after that, after experiencing what it was like to be in bed with her... not so much."

Pyrrha merely hummed at first, seemingly thinking over the information. "Before anything else, you two should make it clear that communication is key, both outside and inside the bedroom. I mean really sit down and discuss what you each are comfortable with and interested in, and continuously talk about it to make sure nothing is forgotten." She recommended. "Establish boundaries, safe words, and aftercare routines should the need arise, and so on."

Weiss just furrowed her brow. "Aftercare?"

Pyrrha blinked at the younger woman's confusion, clearly not expecting it. "Oh, I didn't realize that was an unknown term to you. I figured that since you had been with Vernal with so long... Never mind. Aftercare is the reassurance that you and Yang are only domme and sub in the bedroom. You are two consenting partners who care for and respect each other, and after all is said and done, you return to normal life, usually through some sort of leisure activity such as a nice bath, a movie, comfort food, or whatever else you feel like. To put it simply, you prepare, you practice, and you cool down." She informed. "If you are comfortable sharing, what sorts of things have you and Yang been up to in the bedroom?"

That was certainly an unexpected question, but not an unwelcome one. After all, Weiss had never gotten the opportunity to talk about this kind of stuff with anyone before. "As... far as I understand, we have been keeping things fairly vanilla, but there definitely is a sense of dominance I've never been able to experience before. I can spank her, pull her hair, bite her, scratch her... Even with our first time, I could just... demand what I wanted, and get it. Yang listened to my every word, responded to my every touch... She told me how much she loves it when I take control in bed, or when I take control, period, finding it incredibly attractive, but... I've been worried that I'm being disrespectful of Yang's own wants and desires, like I'm forcing her to cater to me..." Weiss let out a sigh. "Only recently did she finally say something about our frequency of sex, and how dominant I've gotten..."

Pyrrha offered another reassuring smile. "Over the many years I have known Yang, I've learned that's just the way she is. What you two share, it's what she has been searching for, after having suffered from lesser partners." She explained. "I recommend that you take things slow, in order to explore things naturally. You can set a gentle pace and be careful that the sex doesn't become the focus of your relationship, as it did with those in the past."

Weiss only furrowed her brow again out of confusion. "Isn't your relationship with Ruby focused on sex because of your religion?"

Pyrrha shook her head. "Not quite. My religion places importance upon making love for the strengths it provides, because a healthy sex life is part of a healthy relationship, but it isn't the entirety of it. Trust and communication are just as important." She clarified. "Ruby herself was always extremely shy with intimacy when we were younger. It took years for us to reach the level we're at now, and even then, relationships never stop evolving."

Considering how she was now, Weiss could never imagine Ruby being shy about sex, especially when she had told her numerous sex stories throughout the time they had known each other. "If I may, what was your first time like?" She wondered, curious to know about a time when her friend was shy about that stuff.

"Well, it began with a quiet evening at my apartment. I cooked her favourite for dinner, a recipe that I learned straight from Summer, and after that, we watched one of her favourite movies. Although, we did not quite make it through the whole thing, due to... wandering hands, so to speak. So, once we were sure, we retired to the bedroom, but as you heard at your birthday party earlier this year, when I took off my shirt and bra in front of Ruby, she panicked and texted her sister for help." She explained, chuckling a bit at the memory.

"And Yang told her to motorboat your breasts, which apparently wasn't helpful." Weiss added with a chuckle in return, recalling how her now-girlfriend elaborated on her side of that story, past the part where she asked for pictures.

"That she did." Pyrrha noted. "Thankfully, Yang was a little better after that, convincing her sister to come out and talk to me, and do what she felt ready for. I spent the next hour slowly helping Ruby grow used to my nudity, until she eventually joined me, and I walked her through her first time with a woman. It was very slow, gentle, with a lot of calming down Ruby and ensuring that our nudity and intimacy was normal. I taught her how to properly pleasure a woman, thanks to experience I gained in university, but Ruby learned incredibly quickly."

Then Pyrrha smiled again. "Although funny enough, the first thing she wanted to do was just play with my breasts, even though she was quite insecure about it, because she had never played with a pair before, and she was hyper aware of how inexperienced she was. So, I encouraged her to do whatever felt right, because there's no shame in being inexperienced, or asking for guidance." She continued, reaching over to place a hand on the her friend's shoulder. "That goes for you too, Weiss. Don't be afraid to ask for help with any of this. I'm only a simple call away."

After a moment, the younger woman nodded with a smile. "I won't. Thank you, Pyrrha."

And with that, their meeting was adjourned, but not before staying to chat for a little while. Once the two did eventually separate, Weiss did a lot of thinking on her way home. Of course Pyrrha offered to drive her, but she elected to take the bus instead, as she needed some time to go over things on her own. Though one thing was for sure. There was one very important question that needed she needed to ask Yang.

And that was exactly what Weiss did... after an overly long bus ride.

Perhaps I should take Ruby up on her offer to give me her old motorized scooter.

Upon returning to the apartment, she found that her girlfriend was already back from her afternoon bowling with Ruby and Coco, which meant she did not have to wait. So, after greeting Yang and Neo, Weiss wasted no time taking the former's hand, and bringing her to the bedroom. Not for sex, as of course the mute thought as the couple left, no, simply to talk. She sat the blonde down on the bed, climbed into her lap, and took gentle hold of her face.

"Yang, what do you want in a relationship?"

Yang only blinked, clearly not expecting such a question, but soon regained her composure, offering a warm smile as she uttered a single word. "You."

Weiss was taken aback by her partner's answer. That was... That was... "That's too damn simple." She ended up blurting out.

Yang just shrugged, letting out a chuckle. "Well I guess that's too bad, 'cause you're all I've ever wanted."

Weiss' eyes widened. That could not be it. There had to be more. Perhaps she should be more specific. "Very well, then what can I do to make things better? What do you like that I don't already know about? Or what else can I avoid-"

Suddenly, Yang put a finger to her girlfriend's lips, her smile not fading. "Weiss, babe, I promise, I trust you to know what's best, so keep doin' what you're doin'."

Weiss found herself speechless, unable to respond. She had never had such unconditional faith and trust from anyone before... It meant that she had complete, unmitigated control over their relationship...

"You know I'm happy to follow you anywhere you want." Yang continued, gently caressing her partner's cheek. "I trust you won't hurt me." Then she smirked. "At least when I don't want ya to."

Weiss could not help but smile at that last part, chuckling a bit. She was so damn lucky to have Yang in her life, not only as her best friend, but as her girlfriend. Because of her, Weiss had a real family. Ruby, Pyrrha, Summer, Raven... Although, speaking of the former two... "Oh, that reminds me, Pyrrha invited us over for dinner one night when we're both free." She informed, to which Yang merely hummed before grinning.

"Well then, I'll have to check the ol' schedule."


Shopping was not something that Neo did often. The internet sufficed for most of her needs, and her wardrobe was often custom commissions from trusted sources. Doing so with a companion on the other hand, was a new experience altogether.

Of course, she also never thought that she would ever go to therapy either, but thanks to her temporary roommates, that was where she just came from. Thankfully Weiss had offered to accompany her, to be there for support, because without her, Neo would not have been able to gather the courage to go herself. She even made the call for her, arranging the appointment for a day where she could be there with her. Unfortunately Yang was unable to come as well, since she had work, but that was okay. Just having one of them was plenty.

After a lengthy bus ride, the pair arrived at their destination: Goodwitch Therapy. It took a bit of time and reassurance, but Weiss was eventually able to bring the mute inside, but even then, she clung to her like a lifeline. The younger woman then handled speaking to the receptionist- or, assistant, telling her who they were and why they were there, before the admittedly-attractive therapist herself came out from her office to lead them to one of the back rooms.

And thus, the therapy session began.

Since Neo was unable to speak, and she did not want to have to type out everything on her scroll, Doctor Goodwitch brought in her personal laptop for her to use for communication, via instant messaging. Once that was set up, the therapist asked the mute about her life overall, what led her to where she was, her coping methods and how she felt about them, Yang and Weiss, how they were there for her when no one else was... even though they really should not have given her and Yang's history. It was... a long and difficult visit, with plenty of uses of the tissue box on the table between them, but after it was done, Neo felt... relieved. It might have been scary at first, but thanks to Weiss being there with her, it turned out alright...

"Hey, do you think this would look good on me?" Suddenly came Weiss' voice from next to the older woman, reminding her that therapy was well over. "I like it, but... I'm not sure if I have right figure for it..."

Neo shook away the thoughts of what happened earlier, refocusing on the fact that the pair were currently at a higher-end clothes store in the Lone Pine Mall, each already holding a bag from previous shops. Right, they were out on a little shopping trip together. It was both a sort of reward for the mute for going to therapy, and an activity that the younger woman enjoyed, but did not get to indulge in that often. Looking over, she found Weiss holding up a deep-purple, tight-looking blouse and a black wrap skirt. Definitely not the sort of thing she usually wore, even during her punk phase, but still...

Weiss, you're beautiful as fuck, and you'd look amazing in that. Neo assured via text on her scroll. She was starting to get more comfortable with regularly using the text-to-speech, but not so much in public. After all, she did not want to annoy anyone.

Weiss only skeptically looked at the articles of clothing again. "I don't know... Maybe you should take it instead. You have a far better body than me, more suited for this sort of thing..."

Neo just frowned, frankly a little insulted that her friend thought so little of herself. Just because she was larger in certain places did not make her body better. It simply made them different. So, Neo typed out a response, held out her scroll for Weiss, but also held out her other hand, gesturing for the younger woman to give her the clothing that she had picked out. After a moment, the gesture was accepted, and the pair switched what they were holding, and Weiss also took the little black paper bag that the mute had been holding. Something that she had picked up when the two were interested in different shops a little earlier.

You've gotta lean into your own appearance, Weiss. Embrace it, work with it, because you've got real Ice Queen potential. The message read. Sure, you might not be 'thicc', or have a huge rack, but who cares? Having big tits is overrated. Unlike me, you can really dress to intimidate, even without going too hard into the punk and goth stuff.

As Weiss was quietly reading the message, Neo quickly read the tags to double-check her sizes, which she had guessed correctly anyway, before making her way through the store with her friend following behind, picking out more, similar clothes. A couple kinds of more formal blouses, formal shorts, not-so-frilly skirts, and even a nice, tighter-fitting dress that would be perfect for date night. Once Neo was satisfied, she led Weiss to the fitting rooms in the back, handed her the pile of clothing, took back her scroll and black paper bag, and typed out a message.

Now go check if all that fits, and if you like any of it, it's my treat.

Weiss' eyes widened at the offer, looking down at the clothes in her arms. "Neo, I... I couldn't accept you spending this much on me..."

Neo merely shook her head. Just take it as a thank you for letting me stay so long. She assured, opening up the door to an unoccupied changing room, and gesturing for the younger woman to enter. Plus, I haven't exactly been hurting for cash since I first lived on my own, due to wise spending, investments, and having two decently-paying jobs. So don't worry about spending too much.

Weiss attempted to protest, but the mute eventually managed to get her inside the changing room and shut the door behind her. Neo figured that her friend might be a little while, given the amount of clothing she picked out for her, so she just returned to the main area of the store to see if there was anything that she wanted for herself. Of course Neo was not looking for anything specific, so there were a lot of choices, but soon enough she found herself with a nice sundress and a set of silk pyjamas. The former might not get that much use in the near future, but it was definitely something that she could see herself wearing on a day out like today.

Luckily, by the time Neo picked those out and tried them on, Weiss was finished with her own fitting, and just like she expected, everything fit and was liked, but the younger woman was still unsure if a few things were right for her. Although the latter point did not matter. The mute was going to buy it all for her anyway, despite the objections about how it would be too expensive. As she brought Weiss to the register to pay, she only had two words typed out on her scroll. Well, two words and an emoji.

Too bad. :P

One fairly large transaction later, the pair were off with their newly-filled bags to their next destination, which at the current time, was unknown. So they chose to merely walk around and see what they could find, or if anything else caught their eye.

Now see if Yang can resist you in any of that shit. Neo commented with a smirk, gesturing to the bags in her friend's hands. Then she sort-of-unintentionally eyed the younger woman's body. Hell, I'm probably gonna have a hard time.

Weiss merely rolled her eyes at the remark. "Yes, well, I appreciate you buying all this for me, and I intend to pay you back in full." She promised, to which the mute just shook her head, causing her to sigh. "But that aside, to tell you the truth, I've never looked at that store- or any others like it before, since for the last year and a half, I've almost exclusively shopped at the alternative-type stores that my now-ex girlfriend buys from. I never thought this kind of stuff would suit me."

Neo furrowed her brow for a moment, before remembering that Weiss used to dress like a total rebel, or more like a wannabe punk, given what her natural style was. Yang used to call her punk stuff. Hey, you were plenty attractive with the dyed hair and all that black attire, but with everything in those bags? Don't even get me started. She encouraged. You and me, we don't have to be tall or busty to be powerful, just smol and sexy!

Weiss only let out another sigh, shoulders slumping a bit as they walked, gaze falling. "Easy for you to say, the only thing you're not from that list is tall."

Neo just shrugged, smiling slightly at the fact that she was being called sexy. Maybe, but I'm also socially anxious like a mother fucker.

"Well, I would kill to have a body like yours." Weiss half-mumbled, sadly looking over at the older woman's curvy figure.

Do some squats and maybe you'll get there. Neo suggested.

"Squats can't give me larger breasts, Neo." Weiss reminded with an unimpressed look.

Not with that attitude they won't. Neo defended, flashing a grin at her friend.

"Squats are for your ass, and mine is quite acceptable already." Weiss countered, gesturing behind herself with her head, since her hands were occupied.

Neo immediately smirked, briefly glancing at the younger woman's tight rear, and unable to stop herself from typing out a sly response. I'd say it's better than acceptable. ;)

Weiss just glared skeptically at the mute. "Down, girl."

Neo quirked a brow, her smirk remaining strong. I'm older than you.

This time, Weiss flashed a smirk at her friend. "And yet, still shorter."

Neo only pouted at the remark Barely! 3

Upon seeing that text, Weiss practically burst into laughter, which caused the mute to silently laugh herself. Gods, never in her life would Neo have ever imagined that she would be out shopping with her ex's girlfriend, someone who she called her own friend, and actually having a good time! She must have gotten lucky, or suddenly been given a gift from the Maidens. Although, speaking of gifts, there was something inside the small black bag that she was carrying around that she had not purchased for herself.

Hey, you know how we separated earlier when we were looking at different stores? Neo wondered, to which her friend nodded. Although that was technically only half the truth. She was actually looking for something specific, but did not want to show the younger woman at the time, so she waited until she was out of view before heading to a certain shop. Well, I got you a little something.

Weiss' eyes widened a bit. "You bought me more?"

Neo just smiled and nodded, leading her friend off to the side near a seating area, so they would not be in the way of anyone walking. She then put her own bag by her feet, before taking Weiss' to do the same, and handing her the little black bag. You fuck Yang too well.

Weiss only furrowed her brow, clearly very confused by the comment as she looked into the small bag. Reaching inside, she pulled out an equally-small box that contained a high-quality, pink gag, which caused her to almost-immediately quirk a brow at the mute, who had to try her absolute hardest to keep her expression relatively neutral. Surprisingly, Weiss did not react, or even blush, at least not deep enough to be noticeable. "Hm, well I will take it as both a compliment of my skills, and a noise complaint that we will take into account." She noted, putting the toy back into the bag. "I assume you won't let me pay you back for this either?"

Neo shook her head with a smile. I'm just glad that you make Yang happy. Unlike she herself could... By now, months later, Neo had accepted that she had proper feelings for her ex. After all, the whole reason she broke up with the blonde in the first place was because she was starting to get attached, at that scared her. Just like it did with Cinder, and that was close to twenty years ago...

Weiss offered a warm smile in return. "So am I, Neo. Thank you, that means a lot." She acknowledged, before a blush tinted her cheeks, and she looked away in what appeared to be embarrassment. "I... I actually think I'm in love with her..."

While that did hurt a little to hear, Neo was well aware that what she and Yang had was over. So, she kept her smile as best she could. Ew, mushy feelings.

Weiss merely raised a brow at the comment. "Aren't you the same woman who got emotional over a selfie?"

Neo just stuck out her tongue. Oh shut up, flat chest.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Go toot your little horn." She shot, putting the small, gifted bag into one of hers and picking them up, so the pair could continue their shopping trip. As Neo picked up her own bag to follow, she typed out another message. One that made her burst out laughing once more.

Of course. How about when you and Yang are trying to get busy? It'll do wonders to set the mood.


Being asked to to pose as a lewd reference for Coco was definitely not something that Yang expected to hear today, especially not from Weiss. Gods this is such a fuckin' weird day.

About a week or so ago, their friend had begun to get into drawing... not-safe-for-work art for her social media, and as she guessed, people very quickly started asking and commissioning for more. According to Coco, it was where the money was, and after the first couple pieces, she found that she really enjoyed drawing lewd stuff. Plus, it gave her an excuse to draw people in weird positions, and... women with equipment, so to speak, because apparently, people love chicks with dicks, or so she said.

Of course, the first people to volunteer to be references for the brunette's NSFW pieces were Ruby and Pyrrha, the latter of which... both Yang and Weiss would have paid to see. Although, Coco mentioned that she was barely able to focus when drawing them in that context, but that made sense, given who she was drawing. It also did not help that Pyrrha kept taunting her with flirting, talking about what she and Ruby would do afterward, caressing and touching her wife, and so on. Gods, that must have been unbearable, but supposedly, that was a strategy used to break Coco into not giving up. Sadly it kind of had the opposite effect, and she ended up rushing any pieces she did with them, only making it to rough sketches, and having to finish them later on her own.

Which led them to today. Coco had expressed the fact that she might need other people for references, at first claiming that Ruby and Pyrrha were fairly busy most days, and much to Yang's surprise, Weiss asked her if she could volunteer them. Although, the two were probably her closest friends by now, due to how much time they spent hanging out together. Surprisingly, Neo decided to stay home, explaining that she needed to deal with some work-related stuff. Although, she did not exactly know about what kind of modelling the pair were going to be doing, and she was likely going to be pretty bummed that she missed it

So there they were, sitting on the towel-covered couch of the Nikos apartment, just having been told the real story of why the brunette needed them in the first place, and how she needed a couple that was a little less... distracting. Even now, already there, the blonde still had a hard time believing that they were actually going to do this. Though of course, that did not stop her from joking about the current situation.

"Ah yes, Coco, draw us like some of your Mistrali girls while we make tender love in front of you." Yang teased, doing the best impression of Pyrrha that she could manage. It was not perfect in any sense of the word, but hey, she was never a very good voice actress.

Suddenly, Weiss turned to look at her partner, a completely-serious expression on her face. "If you want to break out that impression in the bedroom, I would be okay with that."

Yang only blinked. Did I just hear that right?

Coco on the other hand let out a laugh, before taking out her sketchpad and a pencil from the messenger bag that sat next to the armchair she was in. She then flipped to an empty page and looked to the couple. "Alright, start stripping and we can get goin'."

Yang could not help but chuckle at the request. Man, that would be real weird out of context. Hell, even in context it was still odd to be hearing. "Gee, make it sound romantic why don't ya."

Coco just shrugged. "I mean it's not like we're gonna fuck, but I could always put on some smooth jazz."

Weiss glanced at the blonde. "Some music would fill the silence."

Coco nodded, fishing her scroll out of her sweatpants pocket. "You got it." She agreed, tapping the screen a few times, before the sound of smooth jazz suddenly filled the room, slightly surprising the couple. "The Reds have got this cool ass system where you can play music throughout the apartment with just an app." Then she looked to her friends, who were still sitting on the couch. "Alright, get those clothes off, we don't have all day."

Yang could not help but chuckle, raising a hand to salute to the brunette. "Yes ma'am. So demanding." She joked, standing up with Weiss so they could begin stripping. Was it awkward? Absolutely. In her teenage and adult life, the blonde had only undressed in front of someone for the purpose of sex, so doing it to model was certainly a new, weird experience. Of course her friend already saw her practically naked when they were briefly dating, so it was not like it was anything she had not seen before.

First came their T-shirts, which after being removed were placed onto the coffee table in front of them, leaving the couple in their bras. Next, Yang unbuttoned and took off her short-shorts, and Weiss her skirt, which, in true Coco fashion, earned a bow chicka bow wow once the pair were in nothing but their underwear, black for each. They both figured that lingerie would be a bit too much, but also did not want to wear plain tan or white. Then, while Yang thought that would be it, Weiss kept going, reaching behind her back and unclipping her bra, before completely removing and discarding it onto the coffee table with the rest of their clothes. Honestly, the blonde was rather shocked that she did it so easily.

"Do I really need to take off my bra?" Yang wondered, blushing a bit at the idea of going fully topless in front of their friend, even though she had seen her bare breasts before.

"I need as accurate of a reference as possible." Coco defended.

"You just wanna see my tits again." Yang shot, quirking a brow at the brunette.

Coco just over-dramatically scoffed. "C'mon, Xiao Long. I'm a professional." She claimed, straightening her back to appear as such, before slyly smirking at the pair. "Seein' you both topless is just a great fuckin' bonus."

Weiss merely smiled warmly at Coco. "While I appreciate the compliment, please do keep those eyes of yours focused on your work." She warned, tone still friendly. Damn, Yang loved it when she did that.

"I mean, technically starin' at your tits is my work while I'm drawin' 'em." Coco countered with a shrug.

Weiss was dead silent for several moments, likely realizing that their friend was right. "Touché."

Coco only grinned before turning to the blonde. "But Yang, while I do have to see everything up top, you can keep your panties on for this first piece if you want." Then she looked to the shorter woman. "Weiss, I'm gonna need to see it all from you, as long as you're comfortable with that of course."

While Yang somewhat-reluctantly unclipped and discarded her bra, freeing her ample bust, which earned a smirk as expected, Weiss simply nodded, leaning down to remove her underwear and place them atop her pile of clothes, leaving her stark naked. It was honestly a little hard to believe how unconcerned she was with nudity in front of their friend, especially considering how she basically hated her own body. Once the couple was ready, Coco directed them into their first pose of the afternoon. Yang was to sit down on the couch, with Weiss laying back against her chest. The blonde would then reach around with one hand to gently hold her neck, and place the other in between her partner's bare legs, pretending she was fingering her, while the smaller woman clutched the couch, as if she was about to finish. Of course there were specific facial expressions that Coco wanted for the piece, but she assured that for any pose they do, she would not have them make those expressions until she got to drawing their faces. There was no sense in holding them for twenty minutes before they were even being drawn.

Although, while Coco was doing her thing, chocolate brown eyes moving between the couple and her sketchpad as she draw, Yang was trying her absolute hardest to focus on keep her head clear, in an attempt to make sure her body did not... react to their current position. After all, while they were not actually doing anything, her fingers were still practically against her girlfriend's lower lips, which was... extremely weird when considering they were in front of someone else.

After about twenty or twenty-five minutes, neither of them could really tell, Coco was finished the part that she needed the pair for, and gods damn did it already look amazing. Yang could not wait to see the finished piece. Hell, she was excited to see what all the poses today would eventually become. Once she was satisfied, the brunette flipped to a new page, but then reached down into her messenger bag, and pulled out... a yellow strap-on, still in its box. Why was that in there?

Coco held out the boxed toy for Weiss. "Now put this on." She requested with an innocent smile. Meanwhile, Yang had to try not to laugh. If she was thinking right, neither one of them had ever worn one of those before.

Briefly standing up to hesitantly accept the box, Weiss quirked a brow at their friend as she sat down next to her partner. "I recall you saying we weren't actually going to have sex in front of you."

Coco shook her head. "Nah, I just need you to wear it so you can pretend you have a dick." She clarified, which earned skeptical looks from both women. "These commissions are gettin' weird."

Opening up the box and taking out the strap-on, Weiss merely observed the toy for a moment. "I assume you would like this back once we're finished?"

Coco just blinked. "Huh? Oh, nah, you can keep it." She answered. "It's not like I'm gonna use it anytime soon, so consider a gift for doin' this for me."

"Thanks!" Weiss beamed, before turning to flash a smirk at her girlfriend. "It can be our... yellow friend."

Yang only managed to audibly gulp.

After a laugh from Coco, Weiss stood back up to don the strap-on. Of course, she had some difficulty, given how it was her very first time wearing one, but once she got it on, she noted how strange it felt to be the one wearing it, which made sense. Coco then directed them into their next pose, telling Weiss to sit back on the couch, and Yang to kneel between her legs, lean forward, and push her breasts together around the strap-on, enveloping the yellow toy within her generous cleavage. Her girlfriend looked like she was very much appreciating the view before her, even more so when she was told to run her hand through the blonde's wavy hair, and biting her lip as she stared down at her partner. Which coincidentally fit with what expression their friend wanted for the drawing.

Upon being satisfied with the image of her naked friends, Coco got to work on her next depiction. Like the first piece, the trio mostly remained quiet, with the silence being filled by the smooth jazz that had been put on earlier, at least until most of the way through, when the brunette asked Yang if she would be comfortable putting the toy in her mouth, as she was thinking of doing a blowjob variant for her supporters. It was a bit of an awkward request, but it was not like the blonde had never given head before. She could do that, easy, even sticking out her tongue to make it a little spicier.

Once Coco was just about finished with the variant, she smirked at the smaller woman, and the pure look of arousal on her face. "You're lookin' pretty comfy over there, Weiss. Bet you wish that thing was real, huh?"

Glancing at the brunette before looking back down at her partner, a blush quickly tinted Weiss' cheeks. "It... may be a possibility..."

Coco just laughed. "Alright, well that's another pose down. Nice job, gals. Either of you need an extra towel? 'Cause you put on a hell of a show." She declared, finally giving the pair a couple minutes to relax, and stretch out from having been in the same positions for half an hour straight. Though after that brief, still-nude break, Coco had something to add. "But seriously, thanks for doing this. I know it's really out there to ask, but the fact that you trust me enough to do it means a lot." She smiled. "Now, Yang, you know what ahegao is?"

Sadly, Yang did, thanks to Blake from back in high school. "Duh." Gods, what is she gonna have us do now?

And thanks to Neo, so did Weiss. "Oh boy."

Coco nodded in approval. "Cool. Now I need Yang on her back, splayed out, front half-angled towards me, one hand holdin' your leg up as far as it can go - knee to the chest kinda thing - the other grabbin' your tit. Then Weiss, you get on top like you're fuckin' her, one hand with a fistful of her hair, and the other holding her lifted ankle, 'kay?"

Weiss only quirked a brow at the description. "You take some oddly specific commissions, Coco."

Coco let out a chuckle. "Dude, I'm gonna show you my ledger and commission list sometime, people are payin' fuckin' bank for this shit."

Yang knew exactly what she was talking about. "Judging from the stuff you've shown me, I can see why." After all, her friend's art was absolutely fantastic.

"Thanks, Yang." Coco smiled, flipping to a new page of her sketchpad. "But before you two get into position, gonna need those panties off this time, 'cause that area's gonna be in full view." She added. "Of course if you're not comfortable with that, don't worry about it. I can manage with them on."

Well shit. "You just wanna get a peek at me fully naked, don't you?" Yang wondered with a raised brow and a grin.

"Like I said before, I'm a professional, but I won't lie, it would definitely be another great bonus." Coco admitted, a sly smirk spreading across her face.

Yang just let out a sigh, but still with a smile. "Alright, alright, just don't stare too much." She requested as she stood up, grabbing the hem of her black underwear, and hesitantly sliding them down her legs. "Gods this is embarrassing."

Once they were fully off, Coco's smirk only grew, as she stared down at the blonde's nether region. "Fully shaven, nice."

Yang could not stop a deep blush from tinting her cheeks. "Oh shut up."

And so, the pair got into the desired pose. Yang on her back, Weiss on top, holding her leg up. They were not exactly sure what to do with the strap-on, so the smaller woman positioned it under her girlfriend's rear. "Anything else, Coco? Or is this acceptable?" Weiss inquired.

Coco was quiet for a moment. "Yeah, actually." She somewhat-timidly admitted. "Now this just a suggestion, so don't feel any need to say yes, but... would you two be okay with... y'know, puttin' that thing in Yang?" Coco awkwardly wondered, gesturing to the yellow toy that was currently buried under her friend's backside, earing widened eyes from the other women. "I only ask 'cause this position is one where you kinda see everything, so it'd help to get an accurate reference."

Weiss almost-immediately looked to her partner. "So long as it's alright with Yang."

Yang just blinked, not expecting the decision to lie solely on her. "Oh, uh, y-yeah, sure, that'd be fine."

Weiss skeptically quirked a brow. "Fine as in you can deal with it, or fine as in you're perfectly okay with it?" She questioned, expression serious.

"Fine as in... it's really fuckin' weird but if it means helping C, I'm all good." Yang assured. "Also, sounds kinda hot." Although that last part was a bit of an understatement. In truth, she found it extremely hot that their friend would technically be drawing them mid-lovemaking. What a day this was.

"Well, wasn't expecting you both to agree to that, but if you're both willing, you've just gotta stick it in and hold the pose." Coco informed with a slight shrug.

As much as she hated to admit it, Yang was thankful she was already a little aroused from what they had already done. Though of course, Weiss expressed the desire to check and make sure she was wet enough and ready... with her fingers. Oh boy.

"You're gonna finger me in front of Coco?" Yang questioned, voice hushed from embarrassment over the idea.

"You sound excited." Weiss countered, leaning down to whisper it in her ear.

Damnit.

Meanwhile, Coco was merely sitting in her arm chair, an innocent smile spread across her face. "Oh, don't mind me."

So, with no good reason to protest, Weiss went through with her checking, lightly fingering her partner for just long enough to ensure that the strap-on would not be an issue. Yang just tried to bite down a moan. Once Weiss was satisfied, the pair got back into position, and the smaller woman pushed the head of the toy between the blonde's lower lips, and slowly rolled her hips forward until it was about half of the way in, causing Yang to whimper, all while Coco just... waited for them to be ready. Unfortunately, it was sort of hot to know that she was simply... watching them do... what they were doing.

"This... certainly feels different." Weiss commented, glancing down at what she had just done.

"You're tellin' me..." Yang managed, before gasping slightly as her girlfriend adjusted herself, which translated directly to the toy. "A-And try not to move too much while that thing's inside me, 'cause I can feel everything." She added, a deep blush tinting her cheeks.

"Okay, not gonna lie, this is pretty fuckin' hot." Coco noted, eyeing the pair with a smirk. "Kinda makes me wish this was somethin' else."

Weiss only skeptically glanced over at the brunette, careful not to move her body. "Do be sure to maintain focus on drawing, Coco." She warned.

"Yeah yeah, I know, I'm just sayin'." Coco tried to defend. "But seriously, if you two wanna fuck after I'm done with this one, I can totally go listen to music in my room for a bit."

"While the offer is appreciated, we can do that when we return home." Weiss assured, looking down to grin down at her partner, who's eyes widened. She got the feeling that she would be receiving a visit from their new yellow friend later. Gods, that thing was really gonna dial up her girlfriend's dominance in the bedroom.

For the first few minutes of Coco drawing the couple, Weiss continuously asked if Yang was alright, which was nice. It was an extremely strange situation after all. They were practically banging in front of their friend! Of course, that did not mean Weiss remained completely still the entire time, seeing as she took it upon herself to tease Yang as Coco worked, by ever-so-slightly moving her hips, and by translation, the toy, over and over again, and the blonde could not stop herself from moaning a bit each time. Unsurprisingly, the brunette noticed what was going on, and asked if they wanted to take a break to take care of business, but Yang assured her that she was fine, albeit rather breathlessly.

If she was being honest, the more Weiss teased her, the more Yang was beginning to fantasize about being fucked in front of Coco, right then and there. Gods, what was she thinking?! Unfortunately, Yang could not stop her stupid, horny brain. She belonged to Weiss. Weiss took possession of her, and the people who could have had her could only watch as her girlfriend ravished her. In fact, there was a more... sadistic part of Yang that was buried deep down, that would love to see Neo be that watcher. The idea of the mute salivating over what she could have had appealed to the darker part of the blonde, a part of her that she was ashamed of... Of course, Coco was right there in front of them, it could be her...

No. Stop it. She and Weiss were there to help their friend, and that was it, not satiate their own desires.

After a solid half an hour or so, filled with teasing, joking, and Yang trying to keep herself focused, Coco was finished, which meant Weiss could finally remove the toy from inside her partner, earning another whimper, and the couple would get another break. Yang then got up and sat next to the smaller woman. Honestly, she felt exceptionally weird to be just... there on the couch together, while still completely nude, and embarrassingly, a little wet. Thankfully the couple was still sitting on those towels that Coco put down.

"In other news, I gotta pee." Coco informed, putting her sketchpad and pencil aside, before standing up. "I chugged like, a whole can of pop earlier and it's ready to go, but we can do doggy style when I get back, then take a break."

Yang just sat there, the words not registering for a moment. "Dude, phrasing."

Coco merely winked at the pair as she walked away towards the main bathroom of the apartment. "Gods I'm gonna need a cold shower after this." She mentioned to herself. "Or maybe a hot one, I'll flip a coin."

Once the bathroom door was closed, Yang turned to her girlfriend with a slight look of disbelief. "I swear she's not usually like this."

Weiss only let out a chuckle. "I suppose it doesn't help when she has two beautiful, fully-naked women practically having sex in front of her." She commented, leaning over to peck the blonde on the cheek, then a couple down her neck. "But judging from her and Neo, I'm beginning to sense that you have a type."

Yang quirked a brow. "Oh yeah? And what's that?" Judging from all the people she had either crushed on, dated, or just casually fucked, and how different they were, she had no idea that she even had a type.

"Snarky, lewd flirts." Weiss answered with a slight grin.

Yang furrowed her brow, thinking about whether or not that was true. Well, Coco was like that, and if they had not experienced the whole not wanting to fuck their best friend issue, they would have absolutely stayed together. Then Neo... she had become quite the flirty, horny little shit, and honestly, kind of adorable at times. If Yang and Weiss were not together, and she and Coco had still broken up, they might have been able to give it another shot... "Maybe, but Neo wasn't really like that before she kinda moved in with us."

Weiss just hummed in response. "And how do you feel about her now?"

That was certainly a question. There was a lot to consider. "I uh, I'm not sure. Neo's changed a lot since we dated, even you could even call it that, and especially since she started stayin' with us. She clearly likes being around us, and I like havin' her around too." Yang explained. "I guess... it's just nice to see what the real Neo is like."


Watching Raven kick a ballsy reporter out of the bar was certainly the highlight of Cinder's week.

Ever since before Salem even showed up, those morons had been almost-continuously lurking around outside The Perch, like a pack of creepy stalkers. Thankfully they never actually came inside... That's what she said... Damnit, Yang... Thankfully they never entered the bar, especially after one tried it, and immediately got kicked the fuck out by Raven, which was both quite satisfying, and... extremely hot. Unfortunately, their mere presence outside was distracting as shit. Cinder knew they were there, even when she could not see them.

Other than that annoyance, she had been spending more time thinking about Salem's offer, talking with Raven about it, and just... wondering what she should do. After all, accepting over two million lien was a huge decision, and not one that she took lightly. Cinder had spent day after day staring at that cheque, going back and forth between wanting to accept it, and tearing it up and forgetting that her ex-boss ever visited the bar. It was an incredibly difficult choice to make, but with the help of her wonderful girlfriend, she eventually decided on neither. Instead, Cinder would take Salem up on her offer to visit her home, in order to speak with her about the whole situation without having to worry about being in a public place, or dealing with those damn reporters. Gods, those people were a pain in the ass.

And so, using the information that she was given before, Cinder contacted Salem to inform her that she wished to visit to discuss everything. The call was relatively short, only long enough for her ex-boss to thank her for calling, and to inform her of a few days that would be acceptable. After the pair had agreed on a date and time, they hung up, and just like that, everything was set.

Well, not quite.

A certain idea had been in her head for a little while, but now that she was going to be seeing Salem of her own accord, it finally gave Cinder the excuse to get a nice haircut. She of course asked spoke with Raven about it, wondering what her opinion was, and by no surprise, her girlfriend was nothing but supportive, commenting how her hair had gotten longer since they met as she ran a hand through it. Though that was kind of obvious. Out of curiosity, Cinder asked if there was any particular style that the older woman wanted to see, but Raven just said to get it cut however she wanted, so long as it was still possible to grab a handful of it when they were making love. So, she did exactly that, having it done to about the same length as it was before she met the people she now called her family, just neater. All in all, it felt great to have it shorter again.

"This the place?" Came Raven's voice as she pulled her car to a stop on the side of the street. It had been a bit of a drive, and they were outskirts of Vale.

Glancing out the window, Cinder found a length driveway that led through the trees, flanked by an open gate attached to two stone towers, one of which had a steel-plated number on it: 3012. She then looked back down at the card that contained Salem's address on it. The same number. "It is." Cinder confirmed, to which Raven simply nodded and drove into the driveway. It was longer than expected, winding through the thick forest, but eventually they arrived at a roundabout end, and the older woman pulled the car up to the entrance of the house, or rather, the mansion. Gods, this had to be the very first time that Cinder was visiting her now-ex-boss' home, hell, even seeing it... and fuck, that modernized Victorian, dark brick aesthetic was nice.

"Alright, so uh, text me when you're done?" Raven wondered.

"I will." Cinder nodded, before smirking a bit. "Hopefully you won't have to occupy your time for too long without me."

Raven just let out a chuckle. "I'll try not to miss you too much." She teased. "Now go get her, Cin."

Cinder did not quite know what to think of that last part, but she smiled anyway, knowing that her girlfriend always meant well. "I'll do my best. I love you."

Raven merely smiled back. "Love you too." She declared, leaning forward to meet the younger woman in a brief kiss.

And with that, Cinder got out of the car, bid her partner farewell for a little while, and approached the front entrance of the mansion. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door, and waited, figuring that it might be a minute or two before it was answered. Though unexpectedly, the door opened after barely any time at all, revealing... a young girl. It took Cinder a moment before realizing that it was one of Salem's daughters. Shit. How was she supposed to act in front of a child? She had only seen this girl once!

"Um, hello. I'm... Cinder Fall, here to see Salem..." Cinder barely managed.

Unsurprisingly, the child was far more competent than her. "Hello, Miss Fall. You have very pretty hair." She complimented. "My momma is busy at the moment, but she won't be long. Please come in."

Simply nodding, Cinder followed the girl inside as she shut the door behind her. Was this how children that age normally acted? Surely not. That was much too formal for an average child. Although, that was probably to be expected, given how this girl was Salem's daughter. Informal was likely not in that family's dictionary. So, Cinder merely remained quiet, admiring the mansion's interior as she was let through the front area. Just like on the outside, it had a modernized Victorian aesthetic, but the interior was mainly dark-wood, which was quite fitting given who the home was owned by. It was almost like a creepy, haunted mansion, except it was far cleaner, and... hopefully not haunted.

Thankfully, Cinder did not have to spend very long silently waiting around before a nearby door opened, and her ex-boss walked out, clad in formal business attire. It was a bit odd to see at first, since she was at home, but at the same time, it was Salem, so it made sense.

"Thank you for greeting Cinder at the door while I was busy, Winter." The older woman nodded to her daughter, to which the girl simply nodded back before turning and leaving them. "It's wonderful to see you. Please follow me." Salem requested, leading Cinder through the mansion. "If you're wondering how I knew it was you, my home's security system pings me when someone rings the doorbell, and I brought up the camera feed and saw you at the door." She added, bringing the younger woman out one of the back doors into the backyard, where they walked down a short, stone path to a fairly large pool, before sitting down at a small table, thankfully shaded by a large umbrella. A nice thing to see for a sunny day.

"I apologize for not personally greeting you at the door, but I had an unexpected business call to deal with." Salem offered.

"It's not a problem." Cinder assured, looking around to admire the pool, as well as the garden and greenery that surrounded it. "Your daughter was pleasant company." Even though I didn't really speak to her...

Salem smiled warmly at the compliment, which was a little weird. "I take pride in my children's discipline, and have strived to ensure they are well-behaved, particularly around guests in our home."

Well, that certainly made sense. Obedient children was something that Cinder just expected having known her ex-boss for so long. "I will be honest, before I knew about your children, I never thought that you would ever have them, as you seemed so... above that whole process." She admitted. "Plus, I can't picture you of all people having to change diapers."

Salem laughed at that last part, which made the younger woman question whether or not she was dreaming. "Believe me, I felt the same way, both because the idea of changing diapers disgusted me, and because the thought of having children of my own frightened me."

The fact that her ex-boss just laughed was more shocking than her admission. That and Cinder had always thought Salem was above sex, but she was going to keep that part to herself.

"As I briefly mentioned the last time we spoke, my family has a history of mental and physical health issues. I did not mention that I didn't want to marry because of that, to inflict that pain on someone that I cared for, or to have children, who would end up suffering as I might." Salem explained, idly fiddling with the silver ring on her finger. "But I did, and I have, and we are all fortunate to be in good health."

Cinder recalled the one time she really saw the older woman's children, back when she still worked for her. "From the little amount that I know, you appear to have been a good mother so far."

"I have made many mistakes in the process of learning, Cinder. No one is perfect, least of all myself." Salem countered. "I am prideful, vain and emotionally volatile, but over time, I have become aware of these flaws, and have always sought to rise above them. However even still, I have my failures, and the most recent one cost many people dearly." She continued, which was followed by a brief silence, with the only sounds able to be heard were that of the wind, and the rustling of trees and bushes. "Before I forget, I apologize for my last visit being so out of the blue. I do not wish to make any excuses, but I had a number of visits that day, the last of which unfortunately did not go very well, as I was unable to locate the significant other of Miss Scarlatina."

Wait a minute, Miss Scarlatina... Velvet... "Oh, I know her. Coco Adel, she's currently staying with another former employee, Ruby Rose, and her partner. I don't know the address, but you should be able to find it through the company files."

Salem was quiet for a moment. "I see, thank you." She nodded. "But that aside, how do you feel about the cheque you were given, now that you have had time to think on it?"

Cinder was wondering when that would come up. "Honestly, I still don't know if I can accept it. I don't want my life to be funded by... by what happened."

"If I may, what is your life now?" Salem inquired.

"Simple, but fulfilling. I've gained so much in the past several months, but my loss still pains me every day." Cinder explained, glancing over at the sparkling water of the pool. "To put it simply, I was saved by my current boss, Raven, as Emerald did years ago. I was welcomed into her family, given purpose, a reason to properly live again..." Then she briefly smiled to herself. "I fell in love again, but... it feels like a betrayal to Emerald's memory... To move on, to leave the pain behind, taking your money and accepting all that happened... It scares me. Emerald made me who I am today, and I'll forever love her for it, but I don't want to leave that behind..."

Salem was quiet again. "You know, I have spent most of my life thinking about my own death, and how it would affect others. Even now, in good health, it frightens me more than anything, leaving my family behind. The last thing that I ever want is to hold them back, for my husband, Ozma, to keep his heart to himself. He has made me so very happy, given me more than I could ever ask for, and there are others deserving of that care. I only want him to be happy. That would be the greatest gift of all."

Then Salem paused for a moment. "I will not pretend to know Emerald personally, but even I could see that you two loved each other just as dearly." She assured. "Cinder, I have learned that true love is wanting one's happiness, with or without yourself. I will not force you to take the cheque, but I want you to have it. That said, the one that I gave you during my last visit was only a portion of the money that you are owed, but I wanted you to accept it first, as if I had given you the entire amount, you likely would have rejected it on the spot." Salem then pulled out an envelope, placed it onto the table, and slid it toward the younger woman. "Inside you will find another four million lien, along with a few other legal documents that go along with this portion."

Cinder's eye widened upon hearing the amount. That would mean... her ex-boss is trying to give her nearly seven million lien...

"Give it to your family and friends, donate it to charity, or even invest it in a fledgling company. The choice is yours." Salem continued. "The money will always remain for you. Even if you tear both cheques apart and burn the remains. I understand that nothing will ever give you back what was lost, but there is little else I can do."

Cinder merely stared down at the cheque for several moments, before looking up at the older woman in disbelief. "Why so much?" She questioned. It was a tad blunt, but there was no other way to put it in her mind. It could have been any amount, but this was... more than she could ever know what to do with. Cinder had never been a wealthy women by any measure, so being given that much money, especially all at once... It felt so alien to her.

"The cheque is more of a formality, I believe that I owe you far more than that." Salem informed. "In fact, before... everything happened, I was grooming you to eventually take over the company, which was why I was always so much tougher and expectant on you, why I allowed your volatile response to our last disagreement to go unpunished, and why I gave you the space that you deserved after the trial." She explained. "That said, if you ever want to come back, the job is yours."

Wait... Did Cinder just hear that right?

"I still believe that you can far surpass me, because you are the only person I have met that has inspired such faith." Salem praised. "When you worked under me, I could see ambition in you, drive, and true passion. It made me feel nostalgic, as if I was watching a younger version of myself, as well as fond over the fact that you were never once intimidated by my presence." Then she paused for a moment."Even now, I do not believe that I will ever find anyone else quite like you. So, that position will forever remain open, along with my door, should you ever wish for further company."


Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you think!

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