Weiss felt warm. Safe. An all encompassing softness pressing into her. Her arms, her legs, her mouth. She snuggled closer, breathing deep. Skin. Sweat. A faint echo of rose petals.

Then Weiss heard a muffled giggle, and her eyes shot open. Chest. Breast in her mouth. She pulled back.

Ruby. Silver eyes gleaming with amusement, one hand over her mouth, the other squeezing Weiss' shoulder. "Good morning sleepy~" She said softly.

Weiss relaxed. "Good morning." She smiled, and rested her head on Ruby's bosom. She sighed. "What time is it?"

"Almost eleven." Ruby whispered, her hand combing through Weiss' hair. "We should get up. Make some breakfast."

Weiss dug her nose into Ruby's rib. "Why? I've got a meal right in front of me." She nipped at Ruby's bone, her belly flaring with warmth.

Ruby gasped. She smacked Weiss' back. "You can't live off of me." She pursed her lips. "At least, not forever."

"Just the morning will do." Weiss breathed, trailing kisses down Ruby's ribs. Ruby's belly. Her hip. She found her prize, and flicked her tongue out like a snake. "Mmmm."

Ruby grabbed Weiss' hair, and pulled Weiss deeper into her. "Fuck." She whispered.

Weiss shivered. Ruby tasted sweet, sweeter with every lick. The smell drew the fog over her mind. Her core pulsed as Ruby bucked into her, pressing closer. Weiss wanted to swallow her up, hold her inside of Weiss' belly and carry the fire like an everlasting torch. Weiss ground her nose, her fingers dug into Ruby's hip as she squirmed, writhing under Weiss.

Weiss' eyes rolled into her head. She was close. Fuck she was close. Ruby bucked into her mouth and-

"Good morning lovebirds!" Neptune cried, slamming open the bedroom door, a huge grin on his face.

"YAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Ruby shouted, wrapping her legs tight around Weiss' head. She couldn't get out. Ruby snatched a blanket and covered both of them. "Neptune! What the fuck!" Ruby snapped. Weiss flailed, still trapped betwixt Ruby's thighs. Fuck she was strong. Was Ruby a runner?

Neptune's voice filtered through. "I made breakfast!" He said cheerily.

"You've made your fucking grave!" Ruby yelled out, still squeezing.

"Uh huh." Neptune tsked. "Should I dig a hole for two bodies?" He asked, yawning.

"Mmmmmmph!" A muffled Weiss protested.

Ruby jerked, releasing Weiss from her hold. "Weiss! I'm sorry!" She squeaked.

Weiss flipped out from under the blanket and took several deep breaths. She shot Neptune a withering look. "Neptune, what the fuck!?" Weiss snapped, coughing. "You fucking cock block!"

Neptune, arms crossed, shrugged. "I don't see any dick from here~" He waggled his eyebrows.

Weiss threw a pillow at Neptune. "Out! Out, damned fool!"

The pillow hit the wall next to Neptune. He looked at the pillow, then the pair. "Coffee and donuts in the kitchen when you're dressed." He started to shut the door. "Don't take too looooong~" Click.

"I am going to drown him." Weiss deadpanned. Ruby started giggling. "No, I'm serious Ruby. I'm gonna-" Weiss pantomimed Neptune's watery grave. "-Gonna get some soapy water and hold his head UND-" Weiss froze. "Oh my god."

Ruby smothered her giggles. "What?" She asked through laced fingers.

"He sounded just like you! At- when- the shower!" A look of horror spread over Weiss' face. "Oh fuck. Am I fucking a femme Neptune?"

Ruby rolled her eyes. She grabbed Weiss' hand. "I promise, I am nothing like Neptune!" She declared.

Weiss shook her head. "Stay back!" She cried, a smile tugging at her lips. "Please, I can't!"

Ruby pushed Weiss' shoulder. "Weiss, if Neptune tried to fuck you, he'd drown!"

Weiss' mouth dropped. "What!?" She said in disbelief.

Outside, the unmistakable sound of Sun spurting out his coffee, and then laughing.

Weiss went scarlet. "What the fuck!?

"We can hear you." Neptune called out, defeated. "The walls are really thin."

Weiss palmed her face. "God damn it." She sighed.

Ruby sidled up to Weiss, and poked her. Weiss looked up. Ruby wore a cheshire grin.

"What?" Weiss asked.

Ruby smothered a laugh, then cleared her throat. 'OH WEISS, YEAH. RIGHT THERE."

Weiss tried to cup her hand around Ruby's mouth. She missed. Her palm slapped against the headboard. "Ruby, shut up!" Weiss hissed.

Ruby, smirking, slammed her shoulders against the headboard. "YEAH, THROW ME AGAINST THE WALL." She yelled, completely deadpan. "Weiss," She whispered. "Play along." She grinned, and kissed Weiss on the nose. Ruby pulled away from a stunned Weiss and opened her mouth. "YOU'RE SO TALENTED AND SEXY. UNLIKE NEPTUNE."

Oh. Weiss grinned. "OH YEAH!" She yelled, adopting Ruby's deadpan. "I HEARD HE'S BEEN ON A DRY SPELL FOR A LONG TIME." She humped Ruby against the wall, thunk thunk thunk.

"I HOPE HE ISN'T NEARBY, CAUSE A TSUNAMI IS ON IT'S WAY."

"OH, YEAH!" Weiss cocked her brow, mouth open in confusion. What? She mouthed.

Ruby shrugged. "'Cause you get wetter than the ocean?" Ruby suggested. "What's wetter than a tsunami?"

Fuck, did she need to keep mentioning that? "You know, I've killed people for less." Weiss huffed.

"Sure." Ruby took a breath. "PLUS, I HEAR NEPTUNE HAS A SMALL, AHEM, TRIDENT."

Weiss chuckled, shaking her head. Ruby wagged her brow at Weiss. She sighed, and took a breath. "I HEARD THAT TOO. IN FACT, IF HIS TRIDENT IS A FORK, HIS WOULD BE THE DESSERT FOR-"

BANG BANG BANG! "Hey, coffee's getting cold!' Neptune yelled. "Quit your fucking around and get dressed!"

"Suck my dick Neptune!" Weiss yelled at the door, smiling.

"Yeah, suck her dick Neptune!" Ruby echoed.

"If you insist!" The door started to creak open.

Weiss jumped from the bed and slammed her shoulder against the door. "We'll be out in five minutes you vagrant!" She snarled.

"Make it two!" Neptune called back. "I got the good shit!" Footsteps and laughter faded away.

"Oh, he got the good shit." Weiss made air-quotes. "I guess that makes up for barging into my home." She folded her arms. "And I was going to make breakfast. . ." She pouted.

Ruby smiled. "Aw. Weiss. Wanna make me breakfast tomorrow?"

Weiss looked at Ruby, blushing. "Um. I. I." She looked away. "I would like that."

"Then it's settled! We'll make breakfast tomorrow!" Ruby leaped from the bed. "And today, our friends make our breakfast!" Ruby grabbed a pair of sweats from the floor. She pulled them on. "Plus, it's food we didn't have to make ourselves." She tied the sweats and put her hands on her hips. "Bonus!" She beamed, thrusting her chest forward.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "You have a point." She conceded. The greatest gift a chef can receive is food they didn't have to cook. Weiss made her way to the dresser. "Though, I don't want to let them off the hook." She opened a drawer. "Not easily."

"What'd you have in mind?"

Weiss grabbed a shirt. White with a red cube graphic. She tossed it to Ruby, who caught it handily. "Trash talk his breakfast?" Weiss posed, turning back to the dresser.

"Sounds like a plan." Ruby came up behind Weiss, and planted a kiss on her neck. "I'm hungry, so I'll go warm em up. You can deliver the killing blow."

Weiss hummed, pressing her back into Ruby. "That sounds good." She whispered, her spine buzzing with content.

Ruby gave Weiss another kiss, then sighed. "Right. Time to face the music." Ruby stepped to the door, threw it open, and left, shutting it behind her.

Weiss turned, clothes in hand, and looked at the closed door. "What a fucking great morning." She sighed.

Her gaze wandered.

Her room. She saw it as if coming home from a long trip. Fresh eyes raked the walls, the bed, the floor. She always went with blue. Blue sheets, blankets. Pillowcases, various shades of blue, some just edging on indigo. Or white. White desk, white frame, white pen. Blue scroll. White dresser. Blue dresses. White shirts, white sweats. Blue pajamas. Blue pantyhose.

As cold and uninviting as the north.

Weiss turned. She blinked. There. Near the door. Crimson skirt, bunched up in a pile. A salmon blouse, wrinkled from wrestling, missing one button near the top. Weiss blushed. She may have been a little. . . Enthusiastic, last night.

Trailing to the bed, cherry red bra and panties. White stockings. And a blushing white tie, knotted around the bed post.

Weiss sighed. That feeling of warmth swept through her. She breathed in, and held it. The quiet of her room. Laughter in the kitchen. Her whole body light and bright as a sunbeam.

Weiss released her breath. There. Time to move.

She started to slip into her sweats, when something else caught her eye. On the floor. A white t-shirt. The one she gave Ruby to wear just moments ago.

So Ruby left the room. Without the t-shirt.

Ruby was in the common area with no shirt on.

Weiss started. "Ruby! You-" She quickly pulled on the sweats. She tripped. Fuck. She landed on her shoulder. Ow. The left pant leg was caught in her ankl- her fucking ankle! Just go through the stupid fucking hole- THERE! Pull em up! Lace em! Throw that fucking tank top on! Shit, that's the fucking arm hole! Fuck! Okay, it's on - IT'S ON BACKWARDS FUCK. Fuck it, get a shirt, any shirt, go.

Weiss sped from her room, shirt in hand, and flung herself around the corner. "Ruby!"

Ruby, topless, hands on her hips, twisted. Fuck, her shoulder blades were so damn sexy, the way they just jutted over her spine, carving out the breadth of her torso-

"Yes Weiss?" Ruby asked.

Weiss felt so, so hot. "Shirt!" She said, pushing the shirt into Ruby's hands.

Ruby shrugged, fully facing Weiss, tits loud and proud. "I'm good." She tossed the shirt back at Weiss.

Weiss stomped her foot. "You can't be naked in the kitchen!" She threw the shirt at Ruby's face.

Ruby pulled it from her face, grinning. "Then how am I naked in the kitchen?" She stuck her tongue out.

"JUST PUT A FUCKING SHIRT ON!" This woman would be the death of her. "There are guests!"

"Guests?" Sun said, laughing his ass off. He gestured to himself and Neptune. "Since when are we guests?" He choked out between breathes.

"Since Ruby started pushing Weiss' buttons?" Neptune suggested, sipping his coffee. "Or button, more like." He grinned lecherously.

Ruby gestured to the boys. "See? They don't mind."

Weiss pressed her wrist against her forehead. "Ruby," Weiss whispered. "Seeing you naked, in bed, it's where it's supposed to be, right?"

"Right."

"But, in the kitchen? Not supposed to be naked. Right?"

"Right."

"So your tits, in the kitchen, are crossing some wires for me." Weiss looked at the shirt. "And I want to be clear-headed. Please."

Neptune pinched his nose. "Absolutely useless lesbian." He whispered.

Ruby rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine, I'll put away my All Mighty Tits." She said, pulling the shirt over her head. It went just above her belly-button, leaving a small midriff. "Better?"

Weiss, face hot, averted her gaze. "A bit." She choked out.

Ruby looked at the shirt. "Guns and Glimmer?" She snorted. "Weiss, were you into boy bands?"

Weiss pressed both her wrists to her forehead. That was the wrong shirt to grab. "Oum, if you're there, strike me down before I suffer any more humiliation." She prayed.

"Not so fast." Neptune cut in, handing Weiss a mug of coffee. "We need you living." He handed Ruby a mug of coffee, then gestured to the table. "Donuts?" He asked.

Weiss nodded. "Got any blueberry?"

Neptune shook his head. "We've got some cake donuts. No powdered sugar."

Weiss sighed. "I thought you got the good shit?." She asked.

"I did." Neptune stated. "But if you rather make breakfast yourself. . ."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "I suppose the cake will do." She said, holding out her hand.

"That's what I thought." Neptune said, handing her one from the pile. "And, for you Ruby, I picked up a vanilla Boston Creme with a chocolate glaze and sprinkles."

Ruby snatched the donut from Neptune's fingers and started wolfing it down. "Thfank youth!"

Neptune smiled. "No problem." He smiled into his mug. "So, was it a magical evening?" He asked.

Weiss scowled. "None of your business."

Ruby swallowed. "It was rough." She shrugged. "At the start of the night," She cast Weiss a naughty side-glance. "And the end."

"Ruby!" Weiss hissed.

Sun tapped a spoon against his mug. "Details?" He prodded.

"Absolutely not!" Weiss shrieked.

"I tied her up with my tie. And then I did a thing with my tongue and sh-"

Weiss grabbed Ruby's hand and shoved the Boston Creme right into Ruby's open mouth. "Keep talking," Weiss said with a low voice, "And you won't get any for weeks."

Ruby stared Weiss down. She popped the donut from her mouth. "I wonder who'd give in first." Ruby said. She leaned towards Weiss' ear. "I'd like to see you beg." She whispered.

Weiss went scarlet. "Schnee's do not beg!" She declared.

Ruby shrugged. "We'll see." She nipped Weiss earlobe and went back to her donut, leaving Weiss decidedly. . . steamed.

Weiss shook her head. She held her donut in her fingers. "Neptune, you've got shit timing." She said, taking a bite, trying to distract herself from the minx standing right next to her.

Neptune cocked his head. "I think I have excellent timing." He said.

Weiss scowled, swallowing. "Look, I'm not saying I hate breakfast and coffee. But you interrupt my morning afterglow for this?"

Neptune beamed. "Actually, I interrupted your morning afterglow for the looks on your faces. And Ruby choking you to death with her thighs~." He pressed his fingers to his temple, smiling. "My whole life led right to that moment, and I wouldn't change a thing."

Ruby went completely red "Y-yeah. Sorry about that Weiss." She said sheepishly.

Weiss shrugged. "You were surprised." She took another bite of donut. "And strong. Very strong. Do you run?"

Ruby perked up. "Yes! I love running!"

"Running Weiss ragged?" Sun asked, and burst into a fit of giggles.

Weiss punched Sun in the arm. "If you two are here to run your mouths, run them somewhere else."

"Yeah! We've got. . . Plans." Ruby said. "We need to call some people."

Weiss nodded. "That's right."

Neptune cocked his head. "What calls?"

Ruby folded her arms. "To my sister, and her girlfriend."

Neptune's eyes sparkled. "Oh my God, Weiss! You're already meeting the family!?"

Weiss flushed. "It's not like that!" The thought hadn't crossed her mind, but. . . Fuck, she was going to talk to Ruby's sister.

Ruby frowned. "It's not about me and Weiss, it's. . ." Ruby tapped her foot. "We're gonna try and get Jacques arrested."

Sun choked on his coffee. "What?" He sputtered.

Neptune shook his head. "You? You want one of the most powerful, most dangerous men in Remnant, in jail."

"Yeah." Ruby said softly.

"Why?" Sun asked.

Ruby took Weiss' hand. Her thumb grazed Weiss' knuckles. "Weiss wants to be free. And I want to help."

Weiss squeezed. "I'm sick of my Father." She growled. "So I'm going to do something about it."

"Oh?" Sun crossed his arms, staring Weiss down. "What are you planning?"

Weiss frowned. "We're figuring it out." She looked at Ruby and squeezed. "Together."

Ruby nodded. "I'm calling my sister. Her girlfriend is a detective at MPD. Organized Crime. Last night, my sister told me there's a huge investigation going on into Jacques' business. So we're gonna call her, tell her Weiss wants to cooperate, and get a game plan." Ruby scratched her ear. "And we won't be alone. Yang told me there's two plants in the restaurant. If Blake gives us the go-ahead, we'll catch up with them and. . ." Ruby shrugged. "Figure out the rest."

Weiss perked up. "Plants?"

Ruby nodded. "You've got spies. They're against your dad, so we can-"

"The detective. What's her name?" Neptune interjected, leaning forward, eyes sharp.

Ruby frowned. "Blake Belladonna. Why?"

Sun clicked his tongue. "Oh."

Weiss blinked. "Oh?"

Sun rubbed his neck. "Um, so, we, as in me and Neptune-"

Neptune held up his hand. "Sun, let me try and break this easy-"

"We're the plants!" Sun blurted out.

Weiss felt a punch to her gut. "What?" She whispered.

Neptune pinched his nose. "Broke it real fucking easy, huh Sun?"

Sun shrugged. "No easy way to break it."

"Wait. You're Blake's people?" Ruby asked.

"Yes." Neptune said quietly.

Ruby's head twitched, eyes wide. "What?!" She cried out. "H-How'd you meet her? She's all the way in Mistral!"

Neptune shrugged. "We used to live there. Then something happened. Our friend was kidnapped. We started digging, and found some connections all on our own. Then the detective found us." Neptune rubbed his face.. "She told us if we helped her, it would help our friend."

"We got hired at the Gele on purpose. We tell her when Jacques is out of town, who he's meeting with, and on his. . . Weiss? Weiss?"

"Weiss? Hey Weiss, are you okay?"

"Weiss, what's going o-"

Her coffee mug shattered on the kitchen floor.

"Weiss!"

Her chest hurt. Cold wormed through her gut. Her hands were shaking. A hand came close. Warm. Comfort. Weiss smacked it away. "Stay back!" She folded her arms over her. Ambush, ambush!

"Weiss. . ." Ruby. Pleading.

She was breathing. Gasping for air. Run, run. "Was it all a lie!?" She shouted.

"Weiss, let me-" Weiss threw her donut at Neptune's face. He took it full on the mouth, and sputtered. "Damn!" He exclaimed.

Her nails dug into her scalp. "I trusted you. I told you. Everything." Was the door barred? Was the coffee poisoned? "You lied to me!"

". . .Yeah." Neptune whispered. "We did. We got hired there on purpose. So we could get close to you. So we could get close to your father."

Her eyes burned. Him and Sun! And- "And you, Ruby?" She stared, an empty feeling in her chest.

Ruby folded her arms behind her back. "I just found out last night." She said softly.

"She's your sister's partner!" Weiss snapped. "Fucking family!"

"They don't share casework with me!" Ruby pleaded. "They didn't tell me to move to Atlas! They didn't tell me to apply to the Gele, and I haven't fed them anything!" Ruby gestured to Sun and Neptune. "And they did all those things Weiss, but they're on your side!" Ruby looked at Neptune. "Right, guys?"

Sun and Neptune both nodded. "We are." Sun said softly.

Liars!

"They lied to me!" Weiss snarled. "For a fucking year! Late nights, drinking, smoking, gambling, games, fucking karaoke! You two!" She screamed at the pair, pointing. "You were trusted and you lied to me!"

"Weiss, we're on your side!" Sun protested. "We want to help you!"

"Why would you!? I'm a source! I'm the one who gets tricked. Into thinking. I had friends." Her throat was closing up. Her breath labored. Fuck. "When. All they wanted. Isn't me." Her knees hit the tile. Her lips quivered.

Ruby crouched down. She wrapped her arms around Weiss, holding her to her breast. Weiss pressed into her, cloying, hiding her wet face. Fuck, she was angry. She'd let her guard down, again. Weiss pulled Ruby in tighter. She couldn't trust Sun. She couldn't trust Neptune.

And Ruby? No, Ruby was too authentic. Too honest. Ruby wouldn't toy with her heart like this, would she? She wasn't two-faced, she wasn't duplicitous.

She wasn't Cinder.

Sun cleared his throat. "I'll, uh, get a broom." He gestured to the broken mug. "Clean this up."

"Don't bother." Weiss growled. She pulled away from Ruby, wiping her eyes. "Just get the fuck out of here."

Neptune tapped his chin. "Nah."

"I'm not in the mood, Neptune." Weiss sniffed. "Get the fuck out."

"No." Neptune snapped. "I'm not fine with burning this bridge just yet. Not until I've said my piece."

"I'll throw you out." Weiss snarled.

Neptune shrugged. "I've still got your keys."

"I'll change the locks."

"I'll get a bullhorn."

"I'll break your throat." Weiss put her feet under her, and stood. She went right up to Neptune. "Fucking leave!"

Neptune set his coffee down and put his palms up in surrender. "Hit me, punch me, kick me, whatever Weiss. I've got things to say and I don't care what needs to happen for you to listen. So. . . You gonna hurt me, or you gonna hear me out?"

Her nails dug into her palm. Hit him, smack him, kick his nuts so hard he coughs em up. Her brow was twitching. She opened her mouth. Let him have it. Destroy him. Use everything he ever gave you and-

A gentle hand settled on the small of her back. Weiss' head swung around. Ruby. Pleading silver eyes. "Weiss. . ."

Ruby's touch was like a needle, and Weiss deflated, all the anger and tension relaxing. For the moment. Weiss faced Neptune, and took a deep breath. She held it in, waited until her lungs burned. Release. "Fine." Weiss stepped back, crossing her arms. Ruby's hand stayed, palm flat between her shoulders. "Speak." Weiss bit out.

Neptune, seated, did a half bow. "As you wish my Queen."

Weiss was unmoved. Glacial. She could hear Sun sweeping up the bits of ceramic behind her.

Neptune leaned back. He rubbed his neck. "First, let me come clean." He took a breath. "Sun and I copied your keys, planted bugs in your house, and at the restaurant. We followed you, sometimes, and we followed Jacques regularly. We broke into the office downstairs, took pictures of everything, and sent all the info we got back to Belladonna."

Weiss' jaw was on the floor. "You bugged my home?"

Neptune nodded. "We did."

Weiss slapped Neptune right across the face.

"Weiss!" Ruby grabbed Weiss' shoulders, pulling her back.

Weiss was livid. "You bugged my fucking home! Fuck, I-I-" Her eyes were burning. She tore herself from Ruby's grip. "I need a fucking smoke." She snarled, and went to her room.

She rifled through the clothes strewn about the room. Her chef's coat was here somewhere- There! With the pack in a side pocket. Six cigarettes left. Weiss sighed. Six would last her. . . Twenty minutes.

Weiss left her room and walked to her apartment door. She opened it, glanced at the kitchen. Ruby, wide eyes. Sun, dejected. Neptune. . .

Weiss scowled, and slammed the door behind her. Down two flights of stairs, and out the back into the common area. There was a spot with a table, benches, and a few trees. Weiss went to the base of one, put her back to it, and slid down, sitting on her ankles. She wrestled a cigarette from her pack, put it in her mouth, and reached for-

She left the lighter upstairs.

Fuck.

She couldn't hold it in. It was too much. Too much, too fast. She buried her face into her elbow as the tears ran free. She wrapped her teeth around her forearm and bit, hard, the pain distracting from her hurt. Kept her sobbing quiet.

She released, and knocked her head against the trunk of the tree. Breathe. Breathe. Deep, shuddering, calming breaths. Feel the grass under her toes. Blue sky, white clouds painted with a dainty breeze, licking her skin, tossing a few strands of hair. She sighed. There was peace here, all around her.

"Hey Weiss." Neptune greeted.

Weiss blinked. Fucker followed her. She pinched her nose. "Fuck off." She snapped.

"You sure?" Neptune held up his hand. "If I go, so does this lighter I brought with me." He said, a cheeky smile on his stupid fucking face.

Weiss scowled. "Then drop it before you go."

Neptune shrugged. "Nah." He took a smoke from his pack and lit it. "Mmmm mm, sure is relaxing, isn't it?"

Weiss rubbed her face. "You know what, I don't need a lighter. Not from a backstabbing liar."

Neptune frowned. He twiddled the lighter in his fingers, then tossed it. It landed in the grass at Weiss' feet. "I'm sorry, Weiss." He said softly.

Weiss took the light and sparked a smoke. The nicotine washed through her, dulling the edges. She exhaled. "Apology not accepted."

Neptune toed the grass with his shoe. "That's fine."

Weiss nodded. "Good. Tell me where the bugs are so I can take them out."

"They're already gone." Neptune said.

"What?"

"We bugged your place a few weeks after you hired us. Then we started hanging out with you, and listening in later, and. ." Neptune took a drag. " We thought you were in league with your dad, you know? We had this story in our heads. The Schnees were holding our friend prisoner, and we'd do anything, anything to get her out."

"Including violate my privacy." Weiss sighed.

Neptune nodded. "And then we got to know you. And your father is a monster, but you. . ." Neptune rubbed his neck. "You remember when Sun was closing late, and you walked in on him, tail out? He thought he was done for. Fired. But you didn't fire him. You didn't treat him differently. Hell, you even gave him a raise! And then we drank with you. We learned about you, and -" Neptune rubbed his eyes. "Every time we went out for drinks, it broke my damn heart. Because we were wrong. We hadn't bugged a mastermind. We'd bugged someone who was trapped. Trapped just like our friend.

"So, about two months in, we took out all the bugs, and told Belladonna you had nothing to do with the Mines. She was pissed, but we kept giving her intel on Jacques, so there wasn't much she could do about it."

Neptune took a seat next to Weiss, leaning against the tree trunk. "We totally lied to you. And invaded your space. And used you to get to your dad. And I can't make up for it Weiss, because at the time, I believed it was the right thing."

Neptune sighed.. "And now, I regret it. I regret it, because it might have cost me one of the greatest friendships I will ever know." He looked Weiss right in the eye.

Weiss stared Neptune down. She looked for the signs, that he was lying. That he was an enemy. Spy. Violation. Weiss felt her eyes pick, and she blinked.

The signs weren't there. No twitch of disgust. No anger in his eyes. Just a small tugging smile she'd seen countless times. Yelling at the bars. Asleep on her couch. Handing her a new custard, a new flavor of steak, a new kind of drink.

No matter how hard she stared, all Weiss saw was the face of a friend.

A dumb, stupid, hydrophobic fucktard of a friend.

Weiss curled her fingers into a fist and punched Neptune in the shoulder. Hard.

"Ow!" Neptune gasped. Weiss kept punching. "Hey, hey, cut it out!"

"You. Bugged. My. God. Damn. Apartment!" Weiss punctuated each word with a blow. "You. Dumb. Fucking. Shit-flood!" She gave him a final punch, and pulled back, breathing hard, arm sore.

Neptune rubbed his sore shoulder. "You done?" He asked, wounded.

"Not by a fucking longshot." Weiss growled, sucking down smoke. "After all this is over, I am making you my bitch."

Neptune perked up. "Wait, really?" He asked, hope in his eyes. "Does that mean. . .?"

Weiss collapsed against the tree trunk, feeling completely exhausted. "I love you Neptune." She breathed. "And what you and Sun did. . . I need time. And I need you to do more than apologize. So, when this is over, you are groveling. Hardcore." She whispered.

Neptune beamed. "That's more than I thought I'd get." He sighed. "I'm glad." He threw his arm around Weiss shoulders and squeezed. "Once this is over, we'll go do karaoke. And I'll sing whatever you want me to sing, and you'll sing whatever you want to sing!" He declared.

Weiss barked out a laugh. "Can I sing Mirror Mirror?"

Neptune rolled his eyes. "That depressing number?" Weiss nodded. "I suppoooose." He sighed, smiling.

Weiss frowned. She looked away. "How are we gonna get him?"

Neptune pursed his lips. "I dunno. Belladonna has the plan. And if you're onboard, she'll probably ask you to do the dangerous stuff."

"I'm onboard." Weiss declared.

Neptune squeezed her shoulder. "Thought so." He smirked.

Weiss smiled, She leaned into Neptune. "You really meant it?" She asked.

"That you can sing Mirror Mirror? Sure, why not?"

"No, not- Do you mean it? That this is one of the greatest friendships you've had?" Please. Please be true.

"Of course Weiss. You're strong, smart, creative, stubborn, and you take great care with your friends." Neptune leaned his head against Weiss'. "That kind of resolve, that kind of spirit, it doesn't show up in every human. Otherwise, there'd be nothing wrong with the world, y'know? . . . Weiss? Weiss?" Neptune leaned forward.

Weiss was weeping.

A sad smile grew on Neptune's face. He gently rubbed Weiss' shoulder, and leaned back against the trunk. The grass was soft on their toes. The breeze teased the tips of Weiss' hair. The shade from the skeleton of branches crisscrossed the grass. Patches of sun twinkled with dew, and Neptune breathed deep the cool morning air. His hand gently rubbed the shoulder of his friend, and he sighed. His fingers met his lips, and he took a long, slow drag.

Twin trails of smoke twisted into the bright, blue sky.