Miltiades eyed the hot cocoa waiting on the table. The twins had arrived at the usual coffee house at the usual time, to find Ruby not there. "We may need to order her another cocoa."

"Where is she?" Melanie wondered, "She's usually not this late."

The door burst open a moment later, a red ball of energy bouncing her way inside. "Sorry I'm late! I had a meeting with Ozpin!" Ruby half-shouted, jumping into the nearest twin's arms.

Miltiades almost didn't catch Ruby. "You're very happy today!" she noted, smiling at her girlfriend's boundless energy.

"Yeah," Ruby giggled. Miltiades helped shift Ruby over her and into her now-usual position between the twins. The redhead laid back, leaning on Melanie and letting Miltiades lean on her. "My cocoa's not too cold yet, is it?"

"I don't know," Melanie handed it to her, "Let's see."

Ruby took a sip and hid her grimace. "It's not bad…"

"We can get you another one?" Melanie suggested.

"No!" Ruby said quickly. She didn't like the twins constantly spending their money on her drinks. One cocoa per outing was already more than enough. "Thank you, though, but I can drink this."

"If you're sure…" Miltiades was aware of Ruby's feelings, but she was in school and they were working. It only made sense to her for the twins to pick up the checks. "So, what was your meeting about?"

"It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with whatever your trying to get us into?" Melanie teased.

"That reminds me, I still need to kick Yang in the butt for that one…" Ruby grumbled. "And it does, actually!"

"Oh?" Miltiades sat up to turn to Ruby.

"Yeah. You know about the Vytal festival?"

"Of course," The twins answered together.

"And you know how the school is hosting students from other schools?"

"Yes."

"And that Beacon is also hosting a ball for all of the students?"

That one gave the twins pause for thought. "Are you saying what we think you're saying?"

Ruby winced at their tone of voice. "Unless… you don't want to go?"

"No no, not that, no, no, no, no!" Melanie quickly backpedaled.

"We would love to go with you!" Miltiades agreed.

"It's just that…" Melanie nervously rubbed the back of her neck.

"Well, we thought…" Miltiades tried to pick up, but also faltered.

"What is it?" Ruby asked, sitting up straight for them.

"It just…" Melanie looked for the words.

"It's at the school," Miltiades found them.

"Yeah, with all the students," Melanie nodded.

"Including Weiss," Miltiades continued.

"Who we thought you were still nervous about learning about us," Melanie finished.

"Right… Weiss…" Ruby stared at her cocoa, "To be honest I kind of… forgot about that."

"So… the dance?" Miltiades asked.

"I don't want to miss out on this kind of stuff with you two because I'm worried about her," Ruby decided. "I wanted to wait until after the tournament because I didn't want issues with me and Weiss to stop us doing well. But I also want to invite you to watch the tournament, so you'll probably be there anyway."

"Of course we will," Melanie promised.

"And you girls have been super understanding when it comes to Weiss, and I don't know what I did to deserve you," Ruby leaned back against Melanie. "But, thinking over now, even if Weiss does have an issue with what we do, in order to get over it she has to know what it is."

"That makes sense," Miltiades nodded.

"So," Ruby smiled, "will the both of you be my date to the Vytal Ball?"

Miltiades settled back against Ruby, resuming their cuddling position, before answering in unison with her sister, "Of course we will."

A few days later, Ruby was bouncing on her heels in team RWBY dorm. She was too excited about tonight. It was the night of the dance, and the twins were going to be there with her! She had no idea how exactly this was going to work, but the twins would probably be as understanding as they usually are. Or they would take the lead. Honestly, Ruby didn't care which, as long as she was there with the two of them.

"You seem happy," Weiss remarked as she shuffled some papers at her desk.

"Well, yeah!" Ruby smiled.

"It's really too bad I won't be able to meet Milita," Weiss sighed.

Ruby stopped her bouncing and gave Weiss a curious glance, "Why not?"

"Do you not listen?" Weiss rolled her eyes, "I told the whole team yesterday, I'll be too busy managing the dance. With Yang keeping Blake company, I have to pick up her slack."

"So you won't make it to the dance floor at all?" Ruby frowned. She had been planning to introduce Weiss to the twins tonight. If she couldn't make it, Ruby would have to find another time – and another way – to tell Weiss about her romantic situation.

"Unfortunately not," Weiss shook her head, "But I'll stay dressed up in case I can make it. You just focus on having fun! I wouldn't be a good host if my subjects weren't enjoying themselves."

"You're right!" Ruby smiled. Tonight was about her and the twins. She could worry about Weiss later. "Oh! I need to get to the air docks!" Ruby ran for the door.

"Don't forget your heels, dolt!" Weiss called out.

Ruby ran back into the room, taking the shoes in hand but not putting them on. She couldn't run in heels, after all. She had no idea how she was supposed to dance in them.

At the airdocks, Melanie and Miltiades were just stepping off their transport. The thought of becoming huntresses had never crossed their minds, so they had never been on Beacon grounds before. But the landmark was unmistakable on Vale's skyline. The Shining Tower, and they couldn't help but wonder what it looked like up close. Now here they were, but they were far more interested in the red dress running up to them than the fairy tale-esqe tower.

"Hello, Ruby," The twins greeted in unison.

"You made it!" Ruby smiled, slightly out of breath for more reason than one. The twins were dressed in matching ankle length dresses with a split leading all the way to the thigh, the only difference between them being color. They had traded their normal boots for ankle length heels. It was their clear intent to show off their legs. It worked perfectly, if Ruby's blush was any evidence.

"Of course we did," Melanie smiled.

"We weren't going to miss this," Miltiades assured her.

"Or you," Melanie added.

Ruby's smile was large. She stepped in between the twins and held out the crooks of her arms. "Let me escort you to the dance hall, my ladies." The twins each took an arm and let Ruby guide them in.

Ruby turned nearly every head in the dance hall when she stepped in with a twin on each arm. No one had expected anyone to bring dates from outside the schools, let alone a young first year bringing twins. The rumor mill was almost certainly rearing to go on this, the suave girl who sauntered in with a twin hanging off each arm.

Of course, what the onlookers didn't know was that the twins were not hanging off Ruby's arms. That gentlemanly joke of Ruby's ended around the courtyard fountain. Quite the opposite, the twins were desperately trying to keep Ruby upright after she had finally put on her heels. "Have you got it yet?"

"I think so…" Ruby carefully began stepping on her own, managing to stay on her feet. "Stupid lady-stilts…"

"For what it's worth, I think you look really good," Melanie mentioned.

Ruby blushed. "Thank you. I think you look good too. Well, you both always look good…"

Miltiades smiled. "So, shall we dance?"

"Why don't I practice walking first?" Ruby suggested. She took a few cautious steps the direction of Yang and JNPR, who were all hanging out at the edge of the room.

"Sis! You made it!" Yang called out her sister.

"Barely," Ruby quipped, slowly adjusting to her footwear.

Yang looked up to the twins. "Melanie, Miltia, good to see you two."

"Speaking of two…" Jaune spoke uneasily.

"Why are there two!?" Nora asked a little more bluntly.

"Girls, these are Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren of team JNPR," Ruby began introductions, "Guys, these are Miltia and Melanie, my girlfriends. Plural."

Jaune and Pyrrha were shocked. Ren seemed indifferent, though he did give a thoughtful grunt. Nora, perhaps predictably, was over the top. In an instant she was asking far too many questions, far too quickly to possibly be answered. Ruby quietly managed to push the twins away from her with lame excuses and silent pleads to Ren for a distraction.

"How much sugar has she had?" Miltiades asked, somewhat playfully.

"You assume she's had any yet," Ruby responded, somewhat less playfully.

"Seriously?" Melanie was in disbelief.

Yang approached the girls then, throwing her arm around her sister. "I'd like to say she's great once you get to know her, but it's more truthful to say she's already great, you just get used to her."

"Where's Blake?" Ruby asked, "I was hoping to introduce her as well. Don't tell me she didn't even come after everything…"

"No, she's here," Yang nodded, pointing to the dance floor, "We had a dance, then I handed her off to Sun. On that note, where's Weiss?"

"Apparently she told us all yesterday she would too busy covering your half of running this thing to actually attend," Ruby confessed, "So I guess you weren't listening either?"

"I assumed she was trying to force another weirdly elaborate study schedule," Yang shrugged, "Oh well, guess I get to enjoy the dance!"

"Yang, no," Ruby crossed her arms.

"But I'm watching over Blake!?" Yang tried.

"You just told me you handed her off to Sun," Ruby pointed out.

"C'mon," Yang pleaded, "You have to admit Weiss can probably do my job better than me."

"It's still your job!" Ruby sighed, "She'll overwork herself if you leave her all night. Just go relieve her at some point so she can rest and enjoy the dance too, okay?"

"Don't worry, I will. After I have my fill of rest and enjoyment!" Yang smiled and sauntered off. Ruby rolled her eyes, turning back to the twins.

"How do you control your team, again?" Melanie asked.

Ruby laughed nervously, rubbing her head, "It's more of a, umm… mutual respect thing! Than a me ordering them around thing."

"At least Weiss won't be here for a while," Miltiades spoke up.

Ruby cocked her eyebrow. "That's… a good thing?" Even Melanie looked a little confused, and it wasn't often the twins weren't on the same page.

"Well, if the fear Ruby had before is in any way justified, meeting her so early could have ruined the night?" Miltiades theorized.

"I… guess that's actually a fair thought," Melanie nodded.

"Well… I suppose the rest of the night is for us then?" Ruby smiled brightly.

"Well, what about your other team mate?" Miltiades asked.

"She's on the dance floor right now, remember?" Ruby pointed out.

Melanie and Miltiades smiled at each other, their moment of desynchronization apparently over as they communicated silently. Quickly, each of them grabbed one of Ruby's hands, their free hands quickly locking with each other. "That doesn't mean anything," Melanie began.

"As long as the song stays slow," Miltiades picked up.

"I'm sure we can say hi!" Melanie finished.

They managed to drag Ruby onto the dance floor without being too quick for the inexperienced high-heel user. Ruby giggled as she followed the twins, slowly falling into their strange, three-person dance. Their spinning through the dance floor drew eyes, but Ruby and the twins didn't notice. They only had eyes for each other.

None of them managed to keep track of how long they danced. They were completely lost in the moment. They swayed and sashayed without much thought, as they simply let go and enjoyed the dance and each other. It seemed that neither could anything have made that moment better, nor could anything ruin it. Until the song started to speed up.

At first, none of them were bothered. Ruby trusted the lead of the twins, and she was enjoying herself far too much to pay any mind to her footwear. As their dance carried on, the twins became more confident. Melanie broke away, leaving Ruby with Miltiades. After a few brief moments of dance, Miltiades spun Ruby and let her go, tossing her into the arms of the other Malachite.

This went on for a few minutes. As the song reached its crescendo, Ruby was passed between the twins one last time. Halfway between the two, Ruby collapsed. Faster than anyone could see she was upright one second, and on the floor with a shriek the next.

"Ruby!" The twins shouted, rushing to her side. "are you okay?"

"I think so…" Ruby told them, trying to find her feet. When she tried putting weight on her right foot, she collapsed again, barely caught by Melanie. "AHH!"

"Let's get her off the dance floor," Miltiades stated. Students that had gathered around the fallen student cleared a path at this.

Ruby could still feel the eyes on them as they retreated toward the edge, and she decided to guide the twins out of the dance hall and onto a nearby balcony. Once there, Melanie hoisted Ruby onto the balcony ledge so the redhead could sit. After Ruby was comfortable, Melanie knelt in front of the girl and began examining her right foot, slowly taking off the offending shoe.

"How does it look?" Ruby asked.

"Ankle is swelling… brace yourself," Melanie warned before squeezing the ankle. Ruby winced sharply and let out little whimpers and the twin's examination continued. "It looks like a sprain. Not too bad, and with aura you should be fine a few days."

"My boots don't injure me…" Ruby grumbled.

"At least it's not broken," Miltiades pointed out.

"That's a thing!?" Ruby spoke in both wonder and horror, "Why do people wear these things!? How to you fight in them!?"

"Lots of practice," Melanie answered.

"And some injuries of our own," Miltiades admitted.

"Does wonders for our legs, though," Melanie added with a grin.

"I… uh…" Ruby didn't quite know how to respond to that, her face growing red. In her haste to add some comment, she replied without thinking, "I… noticed…"

"Not that you need the help," Melanie ran her hands along Ruby's legs as she stood up, "not with all the running around you do…"

"I, I, umm…" Ruby couldn't find her words. With the more forward of the twins standing between her legs, hands resting on her thighs, their face's mere inches apart, the redhead's brain was heading toward imminent shutdown.

"Mel! Down girl!" Miltiades came to the rescue for Ruby, "I don't think she's quite there yet."

"Oh, fine," Melanie pulled away, leaning against the ledge next to Ruby. "I'll behave. For now…" she teased, never losing her grin.

"So," Miltiades leaned against the ledge on ruby's other side, "I guess you won't be dancing again tonight?"

"Sorry…" Ruby apologized, "Yang insisted I try heels. I don't know why I listened to her… No heels next time, promise!"

"Next time?" Melanie asked.

"Yeah!" Ruby smiled, "We'll have plenty of time!"

"You think so?" Melanie asked.

"I mean, I hope so…" Ruby could feel how loaded that question was. She looked down at her hands, clasping them together as she thought back on her time with the twins. They never failed to make her feel wanted, even in little ways. Getting her cocoa when she was late to the coffee shop, or always being ready to respond to her late-night texts. Ruby knew they cared for her, and she knew, "I love you girls."

The confession surprised Melanie and Miltiades, though perhaps not as much as Ruby thought. It was only a moment before the twins locked eyes, silently nodding. "We love you, too," they confessed in unison, leaning in to steal a kiss on each cheek. Ruby quickly covered her burning cheeks with her hands, her smile a mile wide.

The three eventually returned to the dance hall. While Ruby couldn't dance, they were sure they would still enjoy themselves. After what just happened on the balcony, none of them would ever consider this night ruined by such little things as an injury.

While Ruby and the twins were having a perfect night, someone else was having far more conflicting feelings. Someone who had overheard the interactions on the balcony, stepping now out of the darkness to return to the dance. Someone who couldn't believe her sweet, innocent partner was involved in something like that.