Author's Note: A little late, but here it is!
And Cinder thought packing up the stuff from her old shithole of an apartment was a pain.
Now she and Raven had a larger, far more populated home to go through. Clothes, furniture, dishes and cutlery, appliances, a few books, DVDs and blu rays, and a bunch of other crap that did not really fit into a category other than miscellaneous. First, the couple needed to go through it all and decide what they wanted to bring with them to the new condo, what they wanted to give to friends and family, and what they wanted to give away or sell. Then came the actual packing, which, given the amount of stuff in the apartment, was sure to be a fun day.
Honestly, it was hard for Cinder to believe that they were truly moving out. She and Raven had shared so many first times, and made even more precious memories together in this apartment. The couch... that they actually did replace a little while ago with a far nicer futon, it was where the pair not only cuddled for the first time, but where they first kissed, when Cinder took an overconfident leap of faith, and just jumped Raven. Even now, she still could not believe she managed to do that. Then the bedroom... where they made love for the first time, and so many more since. Though, it did not take long for those activities to begin occurring in other places throughout the apartment. Mainly the shower.
After that came the television that currently resided in the master bedroom. It was the pair's very first purchase together as a couple, and Cinder was so glad that they took that step, especially with that specific appliance. That TV was used almost every night as the two were falling asleep, many times after making love, because they both discovered that they each slept better with something playing, even before they started dating. Finally, there was the spare bedroom. That was where Raven had showed the younger woman unconditional care, time and time again, even when they were just boss and employee, just friends. Then even when Cinder did ask her now-partner out, that room was where, after she somewhat-unintentionally got drunk during their first date, she pushed herself onto Raven, almost ruining everything like a moron. Yet, somehow it all worked out, and they were still together to this day, happier than ever.
As cliché as that shit sounded.
All those memories... They made idea of not living in this apartment anymore... weird.
Of course it was a little late to reconsider now. The couple had already offered their apartment to Yang, Weiss and the former's ex-parasite, and they had already purchased the new condo. Overall, Cinder was incredibly excited for the move, and not just for her sake. Raven had been living in this same place for over two decades, so if anyone needed a chance of scenery, it was her.
And so came their first day of the moving process: taking a full inventory of the apartment. Not wanting to do it alone, the pair decided to enlist some help, partially out of laziness, and partially because they could make it into a fun afternoon spent with family. First on the list of invites was Glynda. Apparently she did not have much of a social life outside of her work, and ever since their date a couple months ago, Raven had expressed regret over not talking to her friend as much as she should. It was a good idea, and Cinder had to admit, she was interested in spending some time with the therapist in a non-therapy-related setting. Although, once Glynda arrived, it was a bit odd seeing her dressed so casually in a simple black T-shirt and jeans, and with her hair down, almost like she was a different person. But that was certainly not a bad thing.
Not long after, Nora and Vernal showed up to help as well, and Summer and Taiyang would be coming later, since they were both currently working. By absolutely no one's surprise, Nora almost-immediately commented on how attractive Glynda was, which... yeah, everyone there understood and agreed. The redhead then proceeded to prod Cinder about knowing so many gorgeous gals, and talk about all the cougar energy in the room, but managed to save it by adding that the best of which was her Vernal, and followed that with a bunch of kisses on her girlfriend's cheeks. It was adorable how flustered Vernal got, and how quickly she wanted to get to work.
So that was what they did.
A little while into the group's inventory-taking, Cinder had to visit the bathroom, so she decided to use the one attached to her and Raven's bedroom, partially to keep the apartment's main one free for their guests. Though once she was done, she found Vernal waiting for her at the her bedroom door, appearing... conflicted.
"You know there's another bathroom in the apartment, right?" Cinder wondered, approaching the younger woman with a skeptical gaze.
"Yeah, I know. I uh, wanted to talk." Vernal awkwardly admitted, not meeting her friend's gaze. "I just... Nora and I have been goin' steady, or whatever, and you're the only one who really knows her. I wanted to ask you a few things."
Cinder furrowed her brow at the request, rather confused. That pair had been dating for a couple weeks now, at least according to Nora, and she seemed plenty happy with Vernal. So she wondered if there were any issues between them. "Alright, what would you like to know?"
Vernal was quiet for a moment, seeming unsure about what she wanted to ask. "I wanna know how to treat her well, about the stuff she likes, what her boundaries are, and why... why she thinks I'm good enough for her..."
Those were all questions that the younger woman should definitely be asking her partner. Though at the same time, Cinder found it rather amusing that Vernal was coming to her, since she went through that song and dance herself, back when she and Nora were first getting to know one another. So, she went through each question in her head. How to treat Nora well? Just do what felt right, what she did or wanted to do for Weiss. Nora would absolutely tell her if there was something wrong. What the redhead liked? Sex of all kinds, cuddling, ice cream, hugs, cooking, and so on. She had a wide variety of likes. What Nora's boundaries were? That one actually stumped Cinder for a moment. She did not think that Nora had any boundaries, given her open attitude towards most things. Perhaps anal, but even then, maybe not. Finally, why Nora thought Vernal was good enough for her? Well, why did she think Cinder was good enough for her? Honestly, the older woman had no idea. She never thought that she was good enough for her friend.
"I think that you should just speak with Nora about this." Cinder eventually recommended. "She's big on communication, and more than anything, she would want you to come to her about things like that, and to know her girlfriend is feeling lost and confused, to be honest with her."
Vernal let out a heavy sigh. "Just talkin'... isn't exactly easy for me. Weiss... was the only other relationship I've ever had, and I never even understood how to handle that. Now I'm in another, and I'm scared of makin' the same fucking mistakes 'cause I dunno how to function on my own anymore."
Cinder understood that. There were times even now when she felt like she might screw something up with Raven... somehow. Even though in reality, she could have probably slept with Yang and still managed to eventually end up with her now-partner. "Vernal, trust me when I say, Nora is strong and tolerant. The worst thing you could do is assume the worst before anything happens." Cinder explained. Or not go hard enough in bed. "She's a bit like Raven in that way, except... bubbly. And even though she rarely seems like she's serious, she's always taking people seriously, especially those she cares about." Then Cinder shook her head a bit. "My point is, there's no better person to speak to about your feelings than your girlfriend. Do you have any idea how happy she'd be knowing you talked to me about her?"
Vernal just shrugged. "Knowing her, I bet she can already feel it."
Cinder could not help but let out a slight chuckle. "Nora is always feeling something."
"Usually me. She's very clingy." Vernal mentioned, the slightest, very uncharacteristic blush tinting her cheeks. Wow, Nora had really gotten to her.
"She believes happiness is transferred like body heat." Cinder informed, which was not even a lie. The redhead had told her so many times, always before wrapping her bare body around the older woman's for some very tight cuddling. Cinder got the feeling that she did that to her current partner too.
"Yeah, that sounds about right." Vernal acknowledged. "But uh, thanks for talkin' to me about this shit."
Cinder offered a warm smile. "It's not a problem, Vernal. Getting used to a new relationship is difficult, especially when it happened to be with Nora." She encouraged. "Now come on, we still have work to do."
So that is what they did. Upon returning to the main area of the apartment, they found that the other three had moved into the kitchen. Raven and Glynda were going through the pantry and a bunch of stuff that looks like it had been in there for years, and Nora was just there having a nice time chatting with the therapist. Cinder could guess that Glynda mistakenly asked about the redhead's relationship with Vernal, and now she was gushing over her girlfriend's badass tattoos, sexy muscles and how she did her own hair. As she did with practically everyone, Nora was basically talking the blonde's ear off.
"Better get used to that. She does it to everyone." Raven commented with a smirk.
Glynda only chuckled. "I'm a therapist, Rae. I'm quite used to listening to people for hours on end." She assured, to which Nora grinned before heading over to meet her returning girlfriend to continue their task.
"I'm sure your lovers appreciate the ear." Raven mentioned, smirk not waning one bit.
"Is that envy I hear?" Glynda wondered, raising a brow at her friend, lips curling into a grin.
Good gods. First time properly seeing each other in two months, and they're already batting eyes. "Ugh, get a room." Cinder groaned, rolling her eye at the exchange. Raven sure was lucky that the pair was rather relaxed when it came to flirting with people other than each other. After all, the older woman was previously completely okay with the idea of Cinder banging her daughter before they dated. Though at the same time, she felt a slight pang of... possessiveness as she watched her partner and therapist joke around and lightly flirt.
And that gave her an idea.
"But Glynda, I must warn you that whatever you do to Rave, I do to you." Cinder warned with a sly grin of her own. Of course she was only joking, but she could allow the blonde to think otherwise for a moment or two.
Unfortunately, Glynda seemed prepared, as her grin did not fade upon glancing over at the younger woman. "You say that as if it's a punishment." She teased, which was definitely a shock.
Meanwhile, Raven was just looking back and forth between the two, brow raised in curiosity. "This isn't actually goin' anywhere... right?"
Glynda let out a chuckle at the question. "Rest assured, I'm only joking."
Raven furrowed her brow at her friend for a moment, before relaxing. "Well good, 'cause I haven't shaved recently."
Cinder was unable to stop herself from smirking a bit, as she could certainly vouch for that. Although, her partner could say the same about her. "Not sure either of us have a problem with that, Rave." Cinder assured, even though she was not exactly aware of her therapist's preferences in that area.
"Hypocrisy wouldn't suit me." Glynda commented with a shrug.
Well, I suppose I do now. Cinder noted to herself. "True, but don't forget you did tell her you'd always have room for her in your bed." She decided to say out loud instead.
None of the other women even noticed, but Vernal appeared to be getting fairly annoyed at their rather obvious and open flirting, stopping what she was doing with a heavy sigh. "Okay, should Nora and I leave so you three can fuck?" She questioned, getting their attention. "'Cause we can do that. Someone's been naggin' me to take her out for ice cream all fuckin' day."
"You bet I have!" Nora burst with a huge grin.
There was a brief silence that followed that question, as the trio shared semi-curious looks, with Cinder especially wondering if anything was going to happen. The other two seemed like they were thinking the exact same thing. As a result, the younger woman started to get nervous. It was true that she and Emerald once participated in a foursome, so that minus one should not scare her, but the former was done when the couple was drunk and high, and the lack of those things made the idea far more intimidating. Soon enough, Cinder was overthinking every aspect of what might or might not happen. Oh gods, I don't think I'm ready for a threesome yet!
After an excruciatingly long stretch of no one saying anything, Glynda simply chuckled again. "Perhaps another time. I'm not one for such... spontaneous intimate activities." She informed, before smirking at the pair. "Maybe if you two buy me dinner first, then we'll see."
Raven fully laughed at the tease. "Not sure Cin's ready for somethin' like that, Glyn."
Glynda looked between the two women for a couple moments, before seemingly agreeing. "Hm, you're right. Neither of you could handle me."
Cinder just blinked at first, not quite registering the remark at first. After everything that she and Raven had done and tried during their amorous activities, saying that she could not handle something was quite the insult. So, she scoffed. "If I can survive you poking and prodding into my psyche, I could handle you in the bedroom."
Glynda merely quirked a brow once more, a smirk quickly spreading across her face. "Care to find out?" She slyly wondered. Though before either Cinder or Raven could even open their mouth to answer, Vernal let out a rather audible groan from the other side of the room.
"Fuckin' hell, you sure you don't want us to leave?"
Cuddling on the couch with her beautiful girlfriend was truly Yang's favourite part of the day.
It was later in the day, the couple were both back from their respective, earlier work shifts, and now they were spending some quiet time together, watching a cheesy comedy movie. Meanwhile, Neo was where she always was now, sitting at her desk, bundled up in her blue Vale's Wonderland hoodie that she wore almost every day, working away on a rather explicit commission. She had her big, noise-cancelling headphones on, and in the zone level of focused, which meant the pair did not have to worry about how loud their movie was. They were starting to think their roommate bought those specifically because of how loud they occasionally were during... certain activities.
Suddenly, a knock rung upon their front door.
Yang and Weiss shared a fairly confused look, as neither of them were expecting anyone. Sure, it was only the late afternoon, but any friends or family would call or text first before just showing up at their door. There were of course the occasional surprise visits from certain individuals, namely from Coco or Ruby, but even those two informed either Yang or Weiss before coming... at least most of the time. So perhaps it was one of them.
Lifting her arm from around Weiss' shoulders, much to her girlfriend's disappointment, Yang pulled herself up from the couch with a huff, and walked over to the apartment's front entrance. Normally she would look through the peephole to check when the pair received an unexpected visitor, but given how it was probably her sister or best bud, there was no need. Yang then unlocked and opened up the door, ready to greet whoever it was with a bright grin and a big hug, only to find... Oh my gods...
Kali Belladonna was standing at her door.
Yang could not believe her eyes. Was this real? Or was she dreaming? Or maybe Weiss had kept her up for so long the prior night that she was hallucinating, and it was actually Coco standing before her. Well, Yang had to find out somehow, and that how would have involved harshly pinching herself, if her visitor had not spoken, interrupting her panicked train of thought.
"Hello, Yang." Kali greeted with a warm smile, her voice as smooth as silk. "It's nice to see you again."
Holy shit... It was really her. She was really there, in Vale, at her door... Yang had to think back to make sure that this was not actually a planned visit. Since the first time the blonde called her, Kali had called back a few times, and texted a lot, almost as much as Summer used to when she first moved out to her own place, but nowhere in any of those conversations had the older woman said she was coming to visit. Nor did she ever ask about where she lived...
Before Yang could even manage to open her mouth, Kali let out a soft chuckle, as if she knew exactly what the younger woman was thinking. "I called Summer about the whereabouts of your apartment, if that's what you're wondering." She informed, which made sense. She used to be rather close with Summer and Tai when Yang and Ruby were kids. "But I apologize for dropping by so unannounced. I wanted this to be a surprise."
Yang was still wondering if what she was seeing was truly real. "N-No no... It's... It's fine..."
Meanwhile, Kali warmly smiled again, stepping forward to plant a kiss on the blonde's cheek before wrapping her in a tight hug. "I missed you so much, my darling sunflower." She almost-whispered, pulling the younger woman as close as possible.
It took Yang a brief moment to mentally catch up, but before she knew it, tears were pooling in her eyes as she slowly reciprocated the hug with slightly shaking arms. "I missed you too..." She barely managed, tears streaming down her cheeks. This woman had been yet another mother to Yang for years, so when the Belladonna's moved back to Menagerie, the hole that Kali left was almost as large as the one Blake left.
Once the two eventually separated, both of them with tear-stained cheeks, they smiled at one another. "Well, c'mon in, I've got someone I want you to meet." She continued, leading the older woman inside and closing the door behind her. As Kali removed her shoes, Yang wiped her face and looked over to her partner, who was eyeing their new guest with a curious gaze. "Hey, Weiss, c'mere a sec."
Pulling herself up from the couch, Weiss almost cautiously approached the pair. "Who's this?"
Yang was not quite sure how to describe her relationship with her friend's mother. Third mom? Super mom number two? After a moment, she figured that she should just keep it simple. "Well... this is Kali. Y'know, Blake's mom." She explained, much to her partner's surprise. Then Yang turned to the other woman. "Kali, this is Weiss, my girlfriend."
Weiss did not even get a chance to react, as Kali was way ahead of her. "My word, you're beautiful. Come here!" She burst, quickly wrapping Weiss in a tight embrace, earning a startled gasp. "Ooh, I'm so glad my darling Yang found herself such a beautiful partner!" Kali excitedly added, partially releasing the smaller woman to plant several motherly kisses on her cheeks.
"I-It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Belladonna!" Weiss managed between kisses, cheeks already bright red.
"And so polite! But please, dear, call me Kali!" Kali requested with a bright smile, finally releasing the younger woman. "I expect you're the matron of the household?"
Weiss just blinked, clearly not expecting such a question. "Uh..."
"Kali, you're kinda overwhelming her." Yang commented, lightly nudging the older woman, causing her to finally release her stunned partner.
Kali let out soft chuckle. "I'm sorry, dear. I'm only excited to finally be meeting Weiss." She assured, glancing around the apartment as she spoke, golden eyes quickly locking onto something. Or rather, someone. "Oh? And who might that be?"
Following the Faunus' gaze, Yang found that she was looking at Neo, who was still focusing hard on her work, having not even noticed there was another person in the apartment. Managing a slight smirk, the blonde led Kali over to their roommate's colourfully-decorated desk, before reaching over to firmly tap her on the shoulder. A couple moments later, the mute looked up, probably for the first time in hours, and her eyes widened briefly upon seeing their visitor. She looked between the couple and Kali, then grabbed her scroll from her desk, typed out a message, and showed the device to Yang. Her message only consisted of three words.
Who's the milf?
Oh for fuck- "Neo!"
The mute only shrugged, typing out another message below the first. I never had mommy issues, Yang. I just want a mommy to step on me because it's hot.
"What exactly is she saying?" Weiss inquired, furrowing her brow at their roommate.
Before Neo could show her scroll to Weiss, Yang snatched it from her hand and shoved it into her back pocket. "Nothing!" She quickly burst, though given the suspicious look, her girlfriend was very clearly not buying it. Guess that's one more punishment tonight. Yang thought to herself as she gestured to the mute. "Anyway, this is Neo, our roommate. She's mute, and will abuse it as much as possible." The blonde smiled. Neo was their roommate, simple as that. It was all that mattered to them. She was not Yang's ex, nor someone who was staying there because she got hurt. Neo was the couple's roommate and friend, and part of the family.
"Well it's wonderful to meet you too!" Kali beamed, walking over and wrapping the mute in an equally tight hug, and planting a big, motherly kiss on her cheek, earning a pair of wide, multicoloured eyes and a deep blush. "And so beautiful as well! I love your hair!"
Suddenly, the blonde felt a hand on her rear. At first she thought it was Weiss, which would have been rather inappropriate, but upon turning her head, she found Neo had just snuck a tiny hand into her back pocket to steal back her scroll. Such a bold move.
You're quite the looker yourself. Neo's text-to-speech commented, as the mute herself smirked and winked.
Kali chuckled at the compliment. "Quite the flatterer I see." She noted, briefly glancing over at the blonde. "You know, back when she and my daughter were young, I always thought that Yang had a crush on me too. It was adorable how flustered she would get around me."
I can see why. Cougar alert. Neo smirked.
"But I didn't have a crush on her!" Yang protested, which was technically true. During her school years, she only ever had eyes for Blake, but at the same time, she had to admit, Kali was drop-dead gorgeous. Of course she would never say it out loud, but what Neo said was kind of accurate.
"It's okay, Yang. We understand. You're into older women." Weiss acknowledged, patting her girlfriend's back while a smirk quickly spread across her face. She clearly enjoyed this.
Prime example right here. Neo mentioned, gesturing to herself, re-reminding the couple that yes, she was far older than them.
"I hate you both." Yang grumbled with a sigh.
She even has bigger boobs than us, Yang. Neo added, glancing down at her own chest.
Yang just groaned at the ridiculous conversation they were having. "I'm so sorry, Kali."
The woman in question only let out a soft chuckle. "I'm actually quite flattered." Kali assured with a warm smile. "But Yang will always be my darling sunflower." She added, leaning over to plant a kiss on the side of the blonde's head, earning a slight blush. Then Kali looked at the mute with a skeptical gaze. "But Miss Neo, I must warn you about inappropriately commenting on my body. What would your mother think?"
Neo merely shrugged, silently giggling at the question, clearly thinking that it was funny.
"Mrs- Kali, Neo is an orphan." Weiss somewhat-awkwardly informed.
"Oh, my dear, I am so sorry, how terribly insensitive of me." Kali declared, wrapping the mute in another hug, planting several more kisses on her head and cheeks. Eventually she let Neo go, but not before amusingly flustering her, which was well deserved. Kali then glanced around the main room of the apartment, curiously observing each part. "My, what a lovely apartment you three have. Very cozy. May I have a tour?"
Yang furrowed her brow a bit. There was not exactly much to show, given how most of their home could be seen from the front door, but she agreed anyway. And barely ten minutes later, she and Kali were in the former's bedroom, and the latter was looking through her and Weiss' wardrobes. Normally Yang would not just be alright with someone snooping through her clothes, but this was Kali. She knew that the older woman was just checking to make sure everything was okay, that she had enough of everything, and so on and so forth. So, Yang just took it as if Summer or Raven were doing so.
"Hm, it's good to see that your undergarments are of good quality." Kali noted, holding up a pink pair of the blonde's everyday panties, which had been purchased for her by a certain brunette. Then her expression changed. "But some of these socks on the other hand... not so much." She scoffed, using her free hand to fish out a pair of the younger woman's socks, which were old and very worn.
If she was being honest, Yang was a tad embarrassed that Kali was specifically looking at her underwear, some of which were reserved for... certain activities, only to be seen by Weiss, but she was already going through them, so it was a bit late to protest. "Yeah, my best bud and kinda-ex, Coco bought a bunch of bras and underwear for me a little while ago, since a lot of mine before then were sorta cheap."
Kali was quiet for a moment, eyeing the drawer of undergarments. "I see. Well I'm going to take you shopping during my visit for new socks, young lady. Then once I return to Menagerie, I will send you some much higher-quality socks, as I did for Blake when she first moved out. I have a friend who makes clothing."
Speaking of which... "So uh, how is Blake doin'?" Yang hesitantly wondered. Sure, she and her friend were on far better terms than they were after high school, but even now things were a little awkward. They were... still getting used to being back in contact.
"She's doing quite well." Kali informed with a smile, putting the younger woman's underwear back and closing the drawer. "Her and Sun are busy with their wedding planning, but she mentions her last visit every so often, and how how glad she was to be friends with you again." That certainly brought a smile and a slight blush to Yang's face. "But if you don't mind, I have some questions." She added, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed, and gesturing for the blonde to join her.
"Sure, ask away." Yang shrugged, sitting down next to the older woman.
"How have you been feeling recently?" Kali inquired.
"Better than I have in years." Yang answered, without even really thinking, because it was true, all thanks to that five-foot beauty in the other room.
"And how is Weiss treating you?" Kali continued.
"Better than anyone I've ever dated." Yang informed with a smile. Another true fact. Weiss was amazing.
"Is there anything you need help with?" Kali asked, like a true mom. "Not just in terms of your relationship, but in any part of your life."
Yang had to think about that one. "We could always use some assistance with how to deal with a gremlin of a roommate." She joked with a shrug, chuckling a bit after. "But uh, other than that we're doin' alright."
Kali placed a hand on the younger woman's shoulder. "Are you doing well for yourself?" She inquired, golden eyes staring directly into lilac.
"Honestly, for the first time in... I dunno how long, I can wholeheartedly say that I'm doing great." Yang declared, smiling brightly at the realization that it was true. Sure, being with Coco had been great, but there was obviously something that stopped them from being truly happy as a couple, which was the fact that they worked better as friends.
"And are you and Weiss being safe? Have you had any checkups lately" Kali wondered, earning a slight blush from the blonde.
"Well uh, we're not exactly breakin' out the dental dams and comparin' STD screens, but we've been learning." Yang awkwardly admitted, given how it was not exactly easy to talk about the topic with a parental figure. "'Course I'm not really the smart one in the couple, so I let Weiss take the lead on that kinda stuff."
Kali just hummed in response, causing the younger woman to wonder if that answer was acceptable. "If I may, is Miss Neo involved with you and Weiss?" She wondered, earning a pair of wide eyes.
Why does everyone always ask us that? "We uh, we got kinda drunk for a girls night last week and she might've flashed us while dancing, but we're not like, involved involved or anything." Yang awkwardly explained, choosing not to go any further. That was... a strange night.
"You know I won't judge you for being polyamorous Yang." Kali assured with a smile.
"I know I know, but Neo's not like, with us." Yang repeated. "I've never been good with the idea of dating multiple people, but I guess if Weiss was okay with it, maybe we could see." She admitted with a shrug. "'Course Weiss has always been monogamous, and I don't really know how I feel about all that." Plus all that confidence of her teenage years was a front, which just added to the uncertainty.
"I recommend taking some time to really think about it, then, once you have your thoughts more together, you should speak with Weiss. Not only about Miss Neo, but about anything you might be feeling." Kali suggested, reaching up to gently rub the blonde's back. "Never forget that communication and forethought are two of the most important parts of a relationship."
After a couple moments, Yang managed a smile. "Thanks, Kali." She truly was super mom number two for a reason.
"And what of your other friend, Coco? How is your relation with her?" Kali wondered.
"Well, we dated a little while back, which was when she bought me all the underwear and stuff, but had to break up 'cause we realized we were two friends tryin' to be romantic and stuff." Yang explained. "And now we're best buds, so that's all that matters." Then she realized an extra detail. "Plus, she kinda started dating Ruby and her wife last week, so now she's family too."
Kali merely hummed at the answer. "Interesting. Could you introduce me?"
"Sure thing." Yang agreed. "Coco works from home- She's an artist, so any day should be good."
"And how is Ruby? Have you two spent time together recently?" Kali continued.
Yang nodded. "'Course we have. Ruby gets pretty busy with work every so often, but we try to hang out when we can."
Kali nodded in return. "That's good to hear." She smiled, suddenly leaning over to wrap the blonde in a warm hug, which was quickly reciprocated. "I'm proud of you, Yang, so very proud. I remember how nervous and adorably shy you were when Blake first introduced us, but now you've grown into a beautiful young woman, and I could not be prouder of how far you came since high school."
Yang could feel tears pooling in her eyes after hearing that. Leave it to Kali Belladonna to do that to her twice in one day. "Thanks, Kali. I love you." She managed, tightening her around around the older woman, relishing the embrace.
"I love you too, my darling sunflower." Kali near-whispered, planting another kiss on the blonde's cheek.
The two remained there for a time, simply enjoying the physical contact after so many years, but eventually they returned to the living area for some more casual chatting. Meanwhile, Neo was back to work, and Weiss was sitting in a chair that she pulled up from the kitchen table to her desk, as the mute had asked for a bit of hand-modelling assistance. The latter had her arm on the wooden surface, twisting and turning it every couple minutes as instructed, but looking elsewhere.
"I think I've been adopted... again." Weiss commented to herself as she watched Yang and Kali chat.
What makes you think so? Neo wondered, briefly glancing at her roommate.
"Kali wants to take me out to lunch tomorrow, then clothes shopping." Weiss awkwardly informed.
Neo quirked a brow. Clothes shopping?
Weiss nodded. "She believes I don't have enough clothing, or more specifically, enough socks."
Neo fully looked over at her roommate, furrowing her brow. She went through your wardrobe?
"Probably when Yang was showing her around." Weiss shrugged, only then realizing that probably meant Kali went through her underwear too, some of which were meant for Yang's eyes only. And that was rather embarrassing. Although, it also made her realize something else about how she was feeling around the older woman, and it was... incredibly familiar. Something that Weiss had only felt around one specific person: Summer Rose... Wait a minute.
"Gods damnit, I've already dealt with these emotions once!" Weiss burst, somewhat unintentionally, surprising both her roommate and girlfriend, but not their guest.
"Language, dear." Kali calmly, and politely scolded.
"Apologies." Weiss quickly acknowledged, bowing her head slightly toward the older woman.
Neo only silently giggled at the exchange. Ha ha, you're in trouble. She grinned, poking her roommate a few times in the shoulder.
Well, the joke would soon be on Neo, as a little later on, Kali was chatting her up, asking her question after question about her two jobs, life with the happy couple, and so on and so forth. Thankfully, that gave Weiss a chance to talk to Yang about their guest. Kali had asked for the former's number, so that she could text her, as she had for the latter since they reconnected. Which probably meant that she would be asking how Weiss was doing, if she was eating properly, getting enough sleep, all the caring mother-type questions.
"Is this... normal?"
Glancing over at the older woman, who was still talking to Neo, Yang shrugged. "Summer used to do it when I moved out, but it died down after a while."
Weiss furrowed her brow. "What does a while mean?"
Yang was quiet for a moment. "Maybe five... six months?"
That... was a lot longer than a while. "Oh boy."
Yang let out a chuckle. "Don't get your hopes up, Kali's kinda... attached to her kids."
That brought a question to Weiss' mind. "Do you think this is how Blake feels?" She inquired, to which Yang just fully laughed.
"Oh absolutely. What's worse is they're both in Menagerie, so she can just pop by whenever she wants."
The past couple weeks had been some of the happiest days of Coco's life.
It was... strange. When Pyrrha and Ruby had first accepted her, she thought that everything would be different after that, but it actually turned out to be quite the opposite. Two weeks later, and Coco was realizing how little their relationship really changed. The trio did a lot of the same things, but now the brunette felt like she truly belonged, that she was no longer intruding anymore. Every day had a sort of... better feeling than those before she was accepted. For instance, when Coco cuddled with Ruby, or Pyrrha... or both, she was able to properly enjoy it, to be happy with them.
Though there was the added bonus of getting to kiss them whenever she wanted.
In Coco's eyes, everything just seemed more vivid, as if she was finally seeing the world in colour again. She slept sooner, and far better, waking up earlier and more gradually, with Ruby often snuggling up to her when Pyrrha was already gone for work, or making a delicious breakfast for them. Most days were filled with casual touches and kissing, and just... the enjoyment of being together. There were a few times when things got a little heated, where a tongue would get involved during a kiss, or a hand would wander to a chest or down towards a rear, but once Coco had expressed that she was not ready for that level of intimacy yet, the other two backed off. Of course, that did not exactly stop the casual partial-lack of clothing in the apartment. Pyrrha or Ruby would often walk around without pants, especially in the morning, and... Well, that was extremely difficult to simply ignore.
Gods damn those two have nice asses.
Unfortunately, today was not nearly as pleasant of a day as the others, because today, the trio were taking one final trip to the brunette's apartment to sort through everything, pack up what she wanted to keep, and start the process of selling the rest, as well as the place itself. It was a sort of... final step, to accept Velvet's passing, and begin her new life with Ruby and Pyrrha.
Upon arriving at the apartment with a car full of folded cardboard boxes, the first thing that the three did was go through every room to take a general inventory. The Reds would make suggestions on what they thought Coco should do, but left any final decisions up to their partner herself, supporting her in whatever choices she made. They started with the easiest task, which was packing up all of the brunette's clothes to move back to the new dresser they purchased for her, then all of Velvet's to donate. After that came the choices of what to do with their other possessions. It took some time and consideration, but eventually Coco decided that they should sell her and Velvet's art and photography supplies, since they would not be used anymore, but were still in fairly good condition.
Next came the photos. Coco was not sure about them, so she left it to Pyrrha, who wanted to put up some of Velvet's photographs at their apartment, as well as keep a few of the pictures of Coco and Velvet, while storing the rest and selling their frames. They also chose to donate and sell Velvet's other possessions, as the brunette did not feel quite right about keeping them herself. Pyrrha did suggest for her to keep the hiking boots, and while Coco was a little unsure about it, she agreed. Her and Velvet were the same shoe size, so they would definitely fit, but she still felt a little uneasy about the idea of wearing them.
After that, the trio arrived at the small chest placed against the back wall of the master bedroom closet. The one that stored all of the couple's toys, other than the ones that Pyrrha had brought for their new partner months ago, when she had first started staying with them. That chest... certainly held a lot of memories, not only of times and experiments in the bedroom, but of where the two were in their relationship when they purchased each one of those toys. Ruby and Pyrrha asked if Coco wanted to keep any of them, either to use in the future, or just as mementoes, but the brunette simply shook her head. Every toy in that box belonged to Velvet, just as much as her, and she did not want to use or hold onto a single one without her soulmate. Plus, it was not as if the Reds were lacking in that department. When the time eventually came for Coco to join them... in that capacity, those two probably had a toy for every occasion under the sun.
Finally, came the furniture, dishes, cutlery, and other assorted things throughout the apartment. The majority of it they chose to sell or donate, or just leave with the apartment for when they sold the place, since there was no real use for any of it. But there was one specific thing that Coco was going to keep: a clay-made mug. Velvet... had given it to her as a Solstice present a few years ago, from her one time taking a pottery class. It was a little misshapen, in some parts more than others, but that never stopped Coco from using it every single day when Velvet was still alive. That mug was special, and it was something that the brunette would never get rid of. So she was going to keep it, and start using it again.
And with that, there afternoon at Coco's now-previous apartment was over. They brought home the stuff to keep, and made a plan to sell and donate the rest another time.
The next day, Pyrrha was out running a few errands, and Coco and Ruby were at home, the former working on commissions, and the latter just hanging out. After around an hour or so of trying to get the shadows just right on one piece, the brunette decided to take a little break. She put down her drawing tablet pen, got up from her newly purchased computer desk, located in the apartment's guest bedroom, and took a walk around. Coco expected to find Ruby in the living area, watching TV, as she was earlier when she first went to work, but found that room empty. So, she went looking, and eventually found her partner in their bedroom - both of which felt amazing to say - sitting on the bed, staring at a picture frame in her hands, appearing... dejected.
"Hey, Big Red, you okay?" Coco asked, slowly entering the room and approaching the younger woman.
Ruby looked up at the brunette, silver eyes full of sadness as she attempted a smile. "Yeah, I'm good. Just... looking at an old photo. Come sit." She informed, patting the spot next to her.
"What kinda photo?" Coco wondered, walking over and sitting next to her partner, who simply passed the frame over. It was... a picture of Ruby and Velvet at what looked like Vale's Wonderland, arms around one another, bright smiles on their faces. Coco remembered it fairly well, but she never knew where it came from, just that it appeared on Velvet's desk one day. She always wondered when those two went on their own...
"Velvet took me there before my wedding." Ruby began, sadly gazing down at the photograph. "Those pre-marriage jitters were screwing with me, and that really set off my insecurity about the whole thing, 'cause I was about to marry to someone who was just... better than me in every way I could think of. I didn't feel good enough for her, and that would've ruined my wedding if Velvet hadn't found me." She explained, seemingly unable to meet the brunette's eyes.
"Honestly, neither of us felt good enough compared to you two, and with the wedding coming up, I was a mess. Velvet saw that, and offered to take me to Vale's Wonderland, somewhere that would... distract me from everything." Ruby continued. "She promised to keep that trip a secret between us, and... it kinda saved the wedding." She admitted with a slight chuckle, before her expression fell. "I've always been pretty introverted, and I used to be scared of everything. My only relationship before Pyr ended 'cause I was afraid, and my entire relationship with Pyr has been troubled by how scared I am that I'm not good enough for her. Seriously, if it wasn't for people like you, my friends, my family, I would never have even made it here in the first place, much less so happily."
Putting the framed photo aside, Coco gently placed a hand on the younger woman's thigh. "Aw come on, Big Red, you know that's not true. You are one of the strongest, most incredible, most adorable, and most capable people I've ever met." She encouraged with a smile. "I've always thought so, and not just since... y'know, I fell hard for ya." She added, earning a small giggle. "You got through a university that's known for bein' tough as shit, graduated with a honours computer science degree, and you deal with a hard ass job every single day. Not to mention you made it through that huge office fire, then went back to work as soon as you could. Ruby Rose. You are strong as fuck, so don't ever think otherwise."
After a brief silence, Ruby managed a smile, a slight blush tinting her cheeks as she looked away from embarrassment. "Thanks, Coco... but you're much stronger than I am. I've just got an amazing wife who holds me up."
Coco just quirked a brow at the statement. "You kiddin' me? You think I was always this cool? Velvs made me into this." The brunette declared, gesturing to herself. "That girl was buildin' me up from the moment I managed to ask her out in high school. She was like you, strong as shit, but no one ever knew, not even herself. The only attention she ever liked was mine, and she told me time and time again that seein' me happy was all she ever wanted." Coco continued with a smile. "Point is, you've gotta stop doubting how strong you are just 'cause you're not upfront about it like Pyr, or Yang. Now, what are you?"
Ruby was silent for a few moments. "S-Strong..."
Coco merely raised a hand to her ear. "Hm?"
Ruby was really blushing now, and it was gods damn adorable. "Strong..."
Coco barely moved. "One more time?"
Ruby pouted at her partner. "I'm strong, okay? Gods, you're worse than Yang!" She burst, bumping the brunette with her shoulder.
Coco only grinned at the reaction. "Well, you two are stuck with me now." She shrugged, wrapping an arm around her partner and pulling her close. "Feelin' better?"
Ruby nodded, managing a smile. "Maybe a bit." She admitted, moving over a tad in order to rest her head on the older woman's shoulder, to which Coco rested her own head atop Ruby's. The two remained there for a time, simply enjoying the physical contact. It was nice, but also strange at the same time. Not necessarily their position itself, but rather... their new relationship. Even after two weeks of what Coco would easily describe as heaven, it was still going to take quite a while to get used to.
"So... you wanna go watch a movie? Cuddle up the couch... maybe make out a little?" Ruby wondered after a brief silence. Coco could not help but chuckle at the question, as it was something that she never would have expected her married friend to ask her. Although, that was before they and Pyrrha became a sort of... three-person couple... Throuple... Yeah, that sounded right.
"Well, as long as you keep those hands of yours off my tits, I'd love to."
If Yang had not been with her, Neo would not be able to do this.
It had been Weiss' suggestion initially, but her partner agreed that now that the mute was settled as their full roommate, it was about time that she finally make amends with Cinder. They were both part of the family in their own ways, so they should at least try to settle their differences. Everyone had already been through enough. There was no room for bad blood between any of them, or so Yang said. The blonde made the call, and they were good to go. It was safe to say that Neo was not exactly thrilled to go to a meeting that would likely end up being Cinder chewing her out for what she did when the two were in high school, but after Yang promised to come with her, she felt a little better about it.
When the pair arrived at what would eventually be their future apartment, the older woman was only happy to see one of them. No surprise there.
"So, Yang told me that you wished to talk, now what do you want?" Cinder questioned, leaning back in the living area arm chair as she glared at her guests.
Neo awkwardly shifted on the futon couch, eyes darting around, while Yang sat next to her, reaching over to briefly place a hand on her back, nodding with a smile for reassurance. Taking a deep breath, the mute began to type out a message, setting it to text-to-speech, as she did not want to have to pass her scroll back and forth every time she wanted to say something. I... wanted to speak with you about our past, and... apologize for how I treated you.
Cinder only continued to glare at the other woman. "Oh yes, and you wish to tell me how much you've changed, and how you're not just manipulating Yang and Weiss in order to get into their bed."
Before Neo could even start typing again, Yang interjected. "Neo has changed." She firmly assured. "If she hadn't, she wouldn't be livin' with us."
Cinder merely rolled her eye. "I thought she had changed when I first heard that you two were together, and then she was just as cruel to you as she was to me. She treated you like shit, then dumped you without a second thought."
The mute's shoulder's slumped, so Yang continued. "She wasn't cruel to me at all, just... dismissive at times, and we learned it was for pretty good reasons."
At that moment, Neo realized something. You were just as bad as I was back then. She noted via text-to-speech.
"That's true, but what you did to me broke that, and yet you never changed." Cinder shot.
I promise you, I did. It just... didn't seem like it to most. Neo defended, staring intently at the other woman as the text-to-speech spoke. After we dated, I never entered any other real relationships going forward. I kept them solely physical, so I could stay away from almost everyone. No one could hurt me that way. Those I chose to see could get what they wanted from my body, but I still kept them far enough so that if they ever wanted more, it would be easy to leave. She explained, before pausing. You... were my first time, Cinder, and that was part of why we were together for so long. You were profoundly affectionate and gentle, never overtly possessive or objectifying... You treated me like a lover without saying a word. Then Neo's shoulders slumped again, her lip quivering a little as she continued typing. After that night, it was so incredibly hard not to really fall for you, but I was starting to anyway, and... that scared me. I didn't know how to handle it, so I ended things when you confronted me. I pretended it didn't affect me, but it really hurt to let you go, just like it did with Yang. I'm sorry...
Surprisingly, Cinder's expression softened a bit. "Well, I appreciate the apology, and the explanation. But I suppose if we're getting it all out there, I must confess that you were not who I lost my virginity to." She admitted, much to Neo's surprise, as back when they were in high school, the other woman told her that their first time together was her first as well. "I did that with some random jackass at a party, I don't even remember their name, and I regretted it the next day. I just wanted to get it over with, to know what it was like to be intimate with someone. Plus, it felt better to get all that nervousness and shit out of the way with a nobody than have it happen with someone who mattered. Which brings me to you. You... were the first time I didn't regret, because you were someone I actually cared about."
Cinder took a deep breath. "Look, I now understand why you did what you did, but the long-term pain and anger you caused never really went away, because before Emerald, you were the first and only other person I let myself truly care for. That's not just going to disappear because you said that you're sorry."
Neo felt her shoulders slump once more, as the realization set in that the other woman was not going to forgive her, tears even pooling in her eyes while she struggled to type out another message. She nervously deleted and re-typed over and over, trying to think of what she could say, but nothing came. Neo was starting to get too anxious. What if this conversation led to Yang and Weiss changing their opinions on the mute, or worse... reconsidering their offer for her to be their roommate? She did not want to be alone... Not again...
I'm so sorry for hurting you, Cinder... Neo eventually managed. I... I used to be a monster, and it took getting sent to the hospital with a broken wrist, and hours upon hours of therapy to realize it. I can't take back what I did to you, nor Yang, but... I can tell you now how sorry I am, and... if there's any way I can repay you somehow, just say the word.
For a while, Cinder merely sat there, curiously glaring at the mute, occasionally glancing over at Yang. Neo had no idea what she might be thinking, only hoping that she was at least considering her apology. "Has she truly changed?" She asked the blonde after a brief silence.
"I was pretty skeptical too, Cin, but yeah, she has." Yang nodded, looking over to warmly smile at her roommate.
Cinder let out a heavy sigh. "Fine." She huffed, looking back to the mute. "I will forgive you, but don't think for a second it's going to be immediate. It's going to take time."
Neo felt her mouth drop open, and tears begin to stream down her cheeks as she processed what was just said. Thank you... She managed, thanks to her scroll's text-to-speech. Without even really thinking, Neo slowly raised from the futon couch, timidly approached Cinder, and awkwardly held her arms out, unable to maintain eye contact. Then she froze, as a realization suddenly hit her. Neo had gotten so used to the almost-overabundance of physical contact while staying with Yang and Weiss, that she did not consider if the woman before her even wanted a hug. And given the stern expression on her face, the answer to that was likely a resounding no.
"Yeah, I don't think so." Cinder declared with a narrowed eye. "You have a long way to go before I even consider something like that." She added, before standing up from the arm chair, before holding out her hand. "But, I will give you a chance."
Neo had never been so nervous, yet so relieved to shake someone's hand.
Being in a real relationship was confusing.
Ever since her first date with Nora, Vernal had spent practically every single day revaluating herself. Anytime she was with... her girlfriend, whether they were out on a date, chatting at the bar, having sex, or just casually hanging out at her apartment, she was always nervous about... overstepping. Sure, her talk with Cinder a few days ago had helped, as it led Vernal to actually ask Nora about the things that she brought up with the older woman, but she still was not confident in herself, especially when it came to their relationship. Honestly, she just did not know how to handle any of it, but she still did her best to keep up, because the redhead deserved no less.
The couple took a day to properly clean up Vernal's entire apartment, because according to Nora, a clean home breeds clarity, whatever that meant. She never really thought about it, but after Weiss had started keeping the place tidy when they were together, it felt more... comfortable than it was before. Plus, it caused Vernal to realize how much junk and old clothes she had lying around. She just stored the latter away when Weiss found them, but now, she was going to donate anything that did not fit but was still in at least decent condition. That really fed into Nora's passion for charity, and made Vernal glad that her girlfriend actually got to work in that field, rather than being a hooker. Even though the previous was what led them to being a couple in the first place.
Nora had been staying over, and just spending more and more time at Vernal's apartment, especially in the past week or so. It was not always loud, Nora simply napped sometimes, usually laying on top of her girlfriend, which was both comforting, and it gave her a chance to think about how often she was around. At work, at home, or when Nora dragged her around on walks or dates. Hell, even in the shower. If Vernal showered when her partner was in the apartment, there was a high chance that she would have a shower buddy within mere minutes. It did not matter what Nora was doing, even napping, that woman always found a way to join her, whether it be for sex-related reasons, or to save water, or so she said. There were even times when the redhead was already there, waiting completely naked in the shower, even though it was not even on. Vernal had absolutely no idea why.
Nora had also been teasing her... a lot, always trying to bait her girlfriend into something. Wearing skirts with no underwear, tempting her into taking advantage when they were alone - in public or at the apartment - asking her what underwear she would like her to wear that day. Vernal did not understand the latter at first, thinking that it was a dumb question. After all, why did what she thought matter? Nora later explained that she loved feeling desired, knowing that she was an object of lust to someone she cared for. A strange reason for sure, but Vernal was not about to argue. It certainly explained why the redhead was giving her the reins more often, which... was actually starting to work. Vernal was starting to manage to be more confident more often, to take the lead on her own... Yet another thing to thank that woman for.
Honestly, Vernal just felt... calmer with Nora around, soothing any worries with warm words, helping draw out anything she had on her mind... She felt lighter, possibly because she was always being pulled everywhere, or perhaps... because some sort of weight had been lifted off of her. Vernal could not really tell, and did not have the words for it. She just felt... good, being able to let Nora take the lead when she was not feeling confident enough, and also not feel self-conscious about it. She was happy.
But sadly, today was definitely a not-so-confident day, because today... after Nora had somehow convinced her, Vernal was finally going to talk to Weiss again, in order to really clear the air, and... all that. The redhead promised to come with her of course, as well as even make the arrangements, but said that she had to do the actual talking alone.
So there Vernal was, sitting at The Perch's back room table, across from Weiss, while Nora was chatting with Yang in the main area. Unfortunately for the former pair, all there had been so far was uncomfortable silence. Eventually, Vernal just decided to fuck it and get it over with, or else they would be there all day.
"Look, I'm uh... I didn't ask you here to get you back or whatever, just to apologize... for everything."
"Oh... Um, sure." Weiss awkwardly acknowledged.
"Yeah, shocking I know, but Nora thought it'd be a good idea, and... I'm tryin' to be better." Vernal admitted, attempting to maintain eye contact, but failing.
Weiss was quiet briefly, glancing between her ex and the door that led to the main area a few times, seeming like she was suddenly understanding something. "So... you and Nora?"
Vernal could not help but let out a nervous laugh, fumbling with her hands on the table, unsure what exactly to say. She had somewhat expected Weiss to bring up Nora, but... it still made her nervous. Hearing her ex ask about her new girlfriend brought up fears of the future, and... how unprepared she was to go through being in a relationship again. "I uh... tried to hire Nora for sex, back when she was still a... y'know. I wanted to feel something, but instead... she made me talk first, even though I didn't want to." Honestly, thinking about it now, none of that part of the night made sense. Nora made Vernal talk so easily, so... why had she been unable to talk to Weiss when they were together?
"And that... led to a relationship?" Weiss wondered.
"I... I dunno what to call it." Vernal shrugged, gaze fixed on the wooden surface of the table.
"Well, do you like her?" Weiss inquired, quirking a brow.
"Y-Yeah, I do." Vernal admitted.
"Does your heart flutter when you see her?" Weiss continued.
"Somethin' like that." Vernal guessed.
"How often do you spend time together?" Weiss asked.
"Pretty much every day..." Vernal informed, without any real thought. A more difficult question would be to ask how often the pair were not together.
"Does she make you happy?" Weiss continued.
Vernal nodded. "Yeah..."
"Do you make her happy?" Weiss finally inquired.
"I try my best..." Vernal answered, wanting to say yes, but... not feeling confident enough for it.
Weiss smiled in response. "That sounds like dating to me, Vernal."
Vernal only sighed at the conclusion her ex came to. "I just... I don't wanna hurt Nora... like I hurt you." She admitted. "You deserved better, just like she does now."
Surprisingly, Weiss chuckled, which was rather confusing. "Please, I used you, Vernal, as well as our relationship as an escape from my problems, and expected you to take care of me because I was your partner, in spite of never taking the time to discuss anything with you." She countered. "Then one day I suddenly decided I wanted more, and left when you didn't reciprocate soon enough, essentially moving on to hijack Yang's life instead. Sure, it might have worked out for the best, but that doesn't excuse the fact that I did it in the first place, like I did with you." Then Weiss let out a small sigh. "I never realized it until recently, but that's been a bad habit of mine. Honestly, I fear I might've inherited it from my father, latching onto something like... like a parasite, and making it my own. And I know it doesn't exactly mean much now, but I'm sorry."
Vernal just blinked, taking an extra few moments to really process what her ex said. Weiss... was apologizing to her? "Hey, c'mon... We were together for over a year, I should've realized that you wanted more after that long... that you wanted a real relationship. Not just roommates with benefits..." She tried to defend, doing her best to look Weiss in the eyes. "I... I promise, you made my life better. Hell, you bein' around gave my life meaning, 'cause before then, it was just work, Rae, and the occasional one-night stand. I barely did shit when I was single, just getting high and drunk, pissing my days away, waitin' for the worst to hit me. Then we started datin', and... it was like I had an actual purpose."
Weiss was quiet for a time, which only served to make the other woman nervous. "Does being with Nora make you feel the same way? That your life has new meaning?"
Vernal did not even have to think about that, and... it scared her. "Y-Yeah... it does..."
Weiss smiled at the answer. "That's good, Vernal. New relationships are scary, especially those that follow long-term ones." Then she chuckled a bit. "And... that happen to be with Nora."
Vernal had to take a moment to think about... well, this entire conversation. Ever since Nora had first asked her out- Hell, ever since their first night together, she never thought that she was good enough for her, but now that she was talking to Weiss, she decided something. Even though Vernal did not deserve Nora, the redhead deserved her best, and that was what she was going to give her. But even then, one question tugged at her mind. "What if... What if I fuck up again?" She hesitantly asked. Losing another girlfriend to someone who actually deserves her...
"I know that won't happen, Vernal, because I can tell you're learning. We both learned a lot from our relationship, and now... we have each other to talk to when either of us need help." Weiss encouraged with a smile.
"I... can really talk to you if I need help with Nora?" Vernal managed to wonder, eyes wide with shock.
Weiss nodded, smile not wavering. "Of course we can talk. We're friends." She assured, standing from her chair, approaching her ex, and spreading her arms. "Now come here."
Vernal... was at a loss. Not only had she been able to speak with Weiss, but they were actually on good terms, friends even, and now... she wanted a hug? Hesitantly pulling herself up from her seat, she slowly raised her arms and timidly met her ex in what turned out to be a strong embrace. Vernal was pulled and held close, all while wondering if it was real. Soon enough, Weiss partially released her, stared her right in the eyes, before leaning in to plant a kiss on her cheek, which caused her cheeks to warm.
"I will always be your friend, I promise." Weiss continued. "And if you ever need me for anything - advice, shoulder to cry on, or just to chat - I will be there for you."
For the first time in... ever, Vernal cried in front of Weiss.
Author's Note: A little thanks to Decaff78 (on Ao3) for introduction of the word "Throuple".
Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you think!
Because as always, your feedback fuels us!
