A/N: I'm so, so sorry for being late. Unfortunately, classes are taking more time than I thought.
I will keep up with normal updates, but my release schedule may be moved back by a day or two.
A few announcements before we start.
First, I already confirmed that this story has Cinder x Ruby, but I also told you there would be a twist. Some of you have guessed it, and some of you have been told what it is.
Second, this is a bit of a risque chapter, no worse than the chapters involving Rose's morning routine.
Third, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!
Fourth, I've broken 50k views and 400 followers. Thank you all for all your support once again!
That is all.
I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!
I don't own RT or RWBY.
9/10/18-I am fixing mistakes pointed out to me.
Guilty Rose Chapter 17
Ruby found herself laying on the dorm's roof, staring at Remnant's shattered moon. A lot was on this poor faunus' mind and the night air was doing well in helping her keep a clear head.
Plaguing the her mind currently were the two girls that she had kissed.
Cin, the girl who she had caught trying to upload a virus into the CCT network and then covered for, And Weiss, her partner who found her in the courtyard and comforted her in her turmoil about Cin.
She had been avoiding both all day, Cin more than Weiss though. Mostly because she no longer knew where she stood with either of them.
Rose took a deep breath of the crisp air and sighed. She needed to think things through again.
Her stance with Cin was on admittedly thin ice now. Both because of Cin's attempt on the CCTT and with Rose forcefully kissing her.
Both of those thoughts began a new vicious cycle of thinking again. While she would indeed protect Cin as much as she could for all that the golden eyed girl had done for her, the faunus knew that she couldn't protect Cin forever. She really wished Cin would just become a full fledged huntress like her. Rose knew Ozpin would accept Cin if she was genuinely trying to be a huntress.
At the moment though, Rose didn't know if Cin would change sides as it were and it hurt.
Now Rose thought about Weiss. By all means, Weiss should have hated Rose before she even knew about her being the Guilty Rose. She was a Schnee after all. But no, Weiss had been nothing short of an extraordinary person and partner to Rose since the beginning. And even after Weiss found out about Rose's past, she remained so caring and supportive of Rose. A small part of the faunus still wanted Weiss to hate her, but now a much larger part didn't know what to think.
Rose gingerly touched her lips.
That kiss was most definitely not the same as with Cin. Weiss had moved slow and deliberately to make her intentions known to Rose. The faunus remembered the gret urge to push Weiss away, but also that small overwhelming voice to accept the kiss.
A kiss that now threw her entire relationship with her partner in question.
Rose wasn't so naive to not known what it was to like or be in love with someone, but she just never thought that someone could feel that way towards her. Or that she'd ever feel that way towards another, with Cin as the possible exception.
Rose took another breath of the night air. It was another hour or two before lights out, she'd needed to head back down to her dorm. She couldn't avoid her team anymore and steeled herself for a talk about her relationship with her partner.
….
Weiss sat in at her desk trying to complete her studies, as she had been all day. Unfortunately, she could not focus on anything but the lingering sensation on her lips, despite it having been a whole day sense she had kissed Rose.
"I kissed Rose."
Once again the heiress' features turned rosy color and she recalled every detail of the kiss.
The soft texture of Rose's lips being gently pressed against hers. The warmth and electricity that raced through her veins throughout the contact. The faint taste of strawberries that she was already addicted to.
The confusion in Rose's eyes when the chaste kiss finally broke.
That hurt Weiss deeply at first, but she had watched the eyes search for answers and widen when they seemed to have found them. Then she looked like she was in pain, and nothing Weiss said or did was helping.
Suddenly the dorm's door opened to reveal the object of Weiss' affection and torment.
Rose stood there in the doorway and looked around the rooms, seemingly focusing on the beds first. Though all she'd find there was Blake in her nightwear reading a book with another suspicious blush on her face.
"Rose?"
The faunus' head spun so that silver met blue and they did not part as Rose entered the room and closed the door.
"Weiss."
Rose looked so conflicted while regarding Weiss.
"She still has that look in her eyes."
"Is everything okay you two?"
Blake's quiet voice brought both girls out of whatever thoughts they were having.
"We're just having some partner issues."
"You, Weiss, are having issues with Rose? After the last few weeks, I'd really like to know how that's possible."
Weiss looked at the carpet, not sure if she could tell her teammate what she and her partner had done.
It was Rose who spoke in her stead.
"We...kissed last night...and things are now...complicated."
There was a full minute of complete silence followed Rose's statement.
"You two kissed."
That was all Blake responded with. Her voice sounded incredulous, and maybe the slightest bit hurt.
Silence reigned again and no one moved.
The heavy atmosphere lasted until Yang threw the door open having just returned from her daily workout.
"Hey gals!"
Yang's bombastic attitude diminished when she noticed the heavy look on her teammates' faces.
"What's the matter girls? You're acting like two of you kissed and now things are complicated?"
When no one spoke up or made eye contact with her, Yang realized she was unintentionally right.
"Who?"
Having already been found out and Rose having spoke up when Blake asked, Weiss spurred herself into answering first this time.
"Me and Rose."
When Yang turned to Weiss, she fully expected to be faced with an enraged response. What she did not expect was the blank expression she was met with. It must have really shocked her because the blonde forgot to close the door. Luckily, the hall was empty.
"Finally?"
"'Finally?' you're not mad?"
"I mean, you I was right there when you admitted it to my stepmom that you liked her, and I didn't attack you then. I'm just surprised Rose agreed. She did agree, right?"
"Ah, there's the protective older sister I was expecting."
Once again, before the heiress could utter a word, Rose spoke.
"I consented, Weiss gave me more than ample opportunity to refuse...but I did want to kiss her."
"Good, no breaking Weiss' face then!"
Yang's words were said with far too much cheer for Weiss' taste, but she felt a little more respect for the blonde brute. Thus she let the girl continue without giving a response that the blonde seemed to expect.
"Okay...So what's complicated? You both obviously like each other, I'm not seeing the hang up"
The partners in question glanced at each other and understood the two hang ups in their supposed relationship. Their names were Rose and Cinder.
Weiss knew that Rose had only spent the last few months away from her personal hell she called a life before, something Weiss could unfortunately relate to on some level. And Cinder because while Weiss knew the circumstances of the kiss and the kiss itself weren't romantic, Rose had kissed Cinder. That and Weiss now had a sneaking suspicion that Cinder meant a lot more to Rose than she let on, or even consciously knew.
Rose sighed, Weiss really wished things could be simple between her and Rose, for Rose's sake.
"It's not that easy, Yang. Especially not because it involves me. There's more going on right now than I can say."
Rose once again glanced over at Weiss and her expression seemed to soften unconsciously.
"But I think me and Weiss should talk about our...relationship in more detail as soon as possible."
Yang didn't look satisfied with that answer in the least, but also didn't look like she wanted to push matters.
"Their fight last night must still be hitting her pretty hard."
"AHA!"
Yang's sudden outburst caught everyone's attention in the dorm. Her mischievous smile was very concerning, and became more concerning when she slowly closed and locked the door.
"Or maybe we spice things up a bit? Any of you play seven minutes in heaven?"
"Yang, we don't have any bottles, and you don't look like you're going to give any of us the slightest chance of escape from whatever you are thinking."
"Ugh! You're right on both accounts."
Yang started to think hard on whatever her scheme would be now, which Weiss found quite comical. After a few moments, Rose cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.
"I've never heard of seven minutes in heaven, but your making it seem like something I'm not entirely comfortable with. How about something more mundane like poker? I've got a deck of cards."
"Rose, we have nothing to bet."
Yang suddenly clapped.
"Yeah we do. Clothes."
….
"You failed to upload the virus?"
Salem's voice was the definition of cold fury when she asked that question. Cinder was hard pressed to find a satisfactory answer as she sat in her dorm alone.
"Yes, Rose stopped me-"
"The Guilty Rose stopped you from completing your task, I thought you said you were making progress with her."
Cinder could feel Salem's rage radiating through the device.
"Yes, she stopped me because Ozpin and Ironwood were about to walk in on me. She also gave both of covered up the real reason I was there. Rose saved me from being found out."
There was a long pause that made Cinder kick herself for talking back to the witch.
"I see, that is a different matter. Well then, as your cover is still intact, stay at Beacon and continue your mission."
"Yes, mistress."
"Good, I expect a report in two weeks' time."
"Yes, mistress."
The line went dead before she even finished speaking. She didn't know why, but she had a really bad feeling about this.
"I think I need to ask Rose for help, Salem isn't known for her mercy towards those who fail her."
Thinking of Rose brought back the memory of their kiss and a blush she had to fight back down. She knew it wasn't in anyway romantic, but she couldn't help but relish in the fact that Rose had kissed her and that Rose had protected her. Her heart almost fluttered again at the thoughts.
"Cin, I don't know who you work for...but you need to start asking yourself if it's worth it. Because if you continue working for them...I won't be able to protect you...And I may even be sent to...kill you."
Rose's last words to her once again played in her head, thoroughly squashing her warm feelings and leaving her feeling empty. No, she felt more than empty. She was beginning to feel genuinely disgusted with herself for still working for Salem. Especially because now she had put Rose at risk.
"Ugh!"
That small girl didn't deserve any of the horrors inflicted on her, or the horrors Salem would no doubt want to inflict on her.
Cinder held her head in her hand and contemplated marching into Ozpin's office and telling him everything in exchange for allowing her to stay by Rose's side.
The thought was so insane, and she'd never voice it to her teammates, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was a better alternative.
Suddenly, the dorm's door burst open to reveal a certain multicolored short girl.
"What is it Neo, I distinctly remember asking you and the others to leave me be unless there was an emergency."
The girl puffed out her cheeks in an angry pout before marching over to Cinder and jabbing her scroll into the her face. The device was almost too close to read, but Cinder was able to crane her head back enough to see the whole message.
TEAM RWBY IS PLAYING STRIP POKER AND I GOT US IN!
It took a few seconds for the words to register in her mind. It took a few more for her to reread the screen in front of her. Finally she looked at the girl holding the device for confirmation.
Confirmation came in the for of massive grin plastered on Neo's face.
"That's certainly emergency worthy of my attention. Lead the way."
….
Weiss was familiar with how poker worked, or at least thought she was. She would admit that she found the game utterly simplistic and felt she could do well enough that she could get Rose out of a few layers of clothes. Not that she really needed to given Rose's morning routine, but more time can always be taken to appreciate art.
However, no one quite expected what happened when the cards were dealt. Rose turned out to be a phenomenal poker player. She either folded or won the hand.
Yang and Blake learned quick enough to fold when they didn't have an amazing hand dealt to them.
Unfortunately for Weiss, her pride and determination got the better of her and she never folded a single hand. Which led to her current predicament.
Rose glanced between her hand and her 'trophy', as Yang had dubbed Weiss. The heiress was sitting next to her with nothing on but the cloak Rose lent her. Apparently, you weren't supposed to get your close back until the end of the game.
That didn't bother Rose as she glanced again at Weiss milky skin. This time Rose felt a certain heat build up in her versus the normal warmth she felt towards her partner. It was making her a little uncomfortable though.
Rose was coming to terms with having feelings towards Weiss rather well, all things considered. Though she still planned on talking to Glynda about it during their session.
But this was most certainly different. The wolf kept wondering what Weiss' skin would feel like, or possibly worse, taste like.
To make matters worse, there was a knock at the door earlier. Which turned out to be Neo. Who upon hearing what was going on, begged if her and Cin could join. The invitation was met with a joke from Yang about Rose not minding taking all of their clothes too.
Rose forgot to deny that. Not with the images that ran through her head when remark was made.
Another glance at Weiss distracted Rose when she noticed the heiress had begun shivering. The faunus knew Weiss was too prideful to ask for or accept her clothes back or other forms of help. Thus Rose hatched a plan.
"Weiss, it's getting kinda cold in here, could you sit behind me and we huddle up in my cloak together?"
Weiss' head spun to Rose followed by a vigorous nod. Rose noted the strange toothy grin on her sister's face.
When Weiss got up and sat behind Rose, the faunus found herself utterly unprepared for the sensations that came next.
Weiss was much colder than Rose thought because the skin that was pressed against her was covered in goose bumps. Rose also noticed two particular points that were pressed against her back as Weiss wrapped Rose in a back-hug. Not that Rose would complain.
Once Weiss got settled and had them both wrapped in the cloak, more or less, she let out a content sigh that spilled out against Rose's neck.
That heat Rose felt raged for a moment and The faunus felt herself wanting to let out a whine.
Luckily, the current hand distracted her.
"Four of a kind, jacks! Read 'em and weep!"
Yang's boastful attitude didn't make it long when Rose smiled at her and Weiss cringed.
"No!"
"Royal flush."
Yang let out the growling sigh she did every time she lost a hand. This time she reached under her shirt and popped the clasp on her bra before pulling it off and tossing it at Rose's pile of clothing.
"How are you so freakishly good at this? You promise you aren't cheating?"
Rose squirmed a little uncomfortably at the accusation and was beginning to lose track of reality as phantom pains slowly form. A sudden comforting squeeze from Weiss kept her rooted in the present. Rose grabbed one of the heiress hands and squeezed it gently in gratitude.
When she looked up at her sister, the faunus realized that Weiss wasn't the only one to have noticed her behavior. She needed to reassure them that she was okay.
"Why would I need to cheat against you? It's not like you're any good."
Rose cringed, her attempt at a joke was bad even to her. Though it at least seemed to diffuse the atmosphere.
"What happened?...you don't really have to tell us, but we'll listen if you want to."
Weiss gave her another squeeze and She snuggled into the embrace.
It wasn't a particularly painful memory to tell. Actually, it was one of her happier ones.
"I'm so good at poker because of Cin, believe it or not. She couldn't help me escape the tribe when we met, but she didn't do nothing. After hearing about my first attempt to escape, she gave me some advice for my next attempt."
Weiss squeezed her a bit more when the faunus brought up Cin, but she ignored it.
"She told me that lien is a lot easier to hide than actual supplies, and a lot more useful."
"Okaaay, I'm not quite seeing the point here?"
"I'm getting there Yang. The tribe would never give me lien directly, so I had to find a way to get it myself. That's when I learned how much the tribe enjoyed playing poker."
"So you saw your chance and learned how to play."
"And cheat, Blake."
"So that's how you escaped? You hustled them out of their lien? All because Cinder told you that would be your best bet."
Blake and Weiss groaned at the poor pun, but Rose chuckled.
"Sort of."
"Remind me to thank her tomorrow at lunch."
Blake looked like she agreed somewhat and Rose could feel Weiss reluctantly nod.
….
Cinder stood outside team RWBY's dorm door with Neo. They both had stopped when they heard Rose say her nickname for Cinder. They didn't want to eavesdrop, but they also want didn't want to interrupt. Thus they listened to the entire conversation through the door.
"I never knew that comment actually helped her escape those monsters, I actually helped her escape."
Cinder felt a hand on her arm and looked over to see Neo giving her a warm smile that expressed so many emotions. This most prominent was gratitude though.
Maybe we should just head back to our own dorm. Leave them be and all that.
Cinder nodded with a small smile and the pair walked back to their dorm in comfortable silence.
A/N: And that's it for this weeks chapter.
A lot happened, This was a really big chapter for me and I was planning for it to be longer but I'm already almost two days late. So I tied a nice bow on it for you guys instead.
Quick note, this chapter was supposed to happen so much later in the story, but I thought, "Why not go ahead and give it to them?"
So yeah, I gave it to you and I'm happy with myself.
I've got some big plans and plot development planned for next chapter.
Well that's all, hoped you liked it!
Please follow, fav, and review!