Please Stay

"This is stupid and I'm over it, and I'm over your snobby attitude!"

"I'm not snobby! I'm trying to get us out of here, you imbecile!"

Yang and Weiss had been fighting for nearly half an hour. Their bickering was a normal occurrence. But this time it had escalated. And for what? Nothing.

"Hey guys, it's going to be fine. We will get out of here soon. Probably."

"Oh yeah, Ruby? We won't get out of here til next year if we keep letting Weiss lead the way." Yang scoffs and punches the haystack barrier next to her.

Ruby leans over, whispering to Blake, "You know, I thought it was going to be a lot more fun than this."

Blake sighs and shakes her head.

"With the two of them fighting like this, we are more than likely to end up sleeping in this corn maze tonight than finding our way out."

"Yeah, maybe." Ruby seems so defeated, clearly blaming herself.

"Good news," Blake bumps her shoulder against Ruby's, "by the looks of it, they're about to kill each other so we can at least wander in silence after that."

Hanging her shoulders and huffing, Ruby is at a loss for what to do. This was supposed to be a team building exercise, and here they were fighting like cats and dogs.

"I have an idea."

"What now Ruby?" The agitation in Yang's voice constantly growing.

"We are going to split up. Yang, you will come with me. Blake and Weiss, you two go together."

"Whatever." Weiss stomps off around a corner, Blake rolls her eyes and follows.

As she trots for a few steps to catch up to Weiss, Blake can hear Yang spewing profanities as her voice gets further and further away.

"Hey Weiss, slow down, wait up." Thankfully, Weiss slows to a stop and turns to face Blake.

"Are you going to yell at me too?" Her tone accusatory.

"No, just wanted to walk next to you, instead of ten feet behind you, if that's alright?" She looks at Weiss apologetically and Weiss releases a breath.

"Fine. I'm sorry. I know I was a little uptight."

"Maybe."

The two start walking down the pathway in front of them. Blake continuing to allow Weiss to navigate for them.

"What do you mean maybe? Of course I was. I was awful to Yang."

Blake nods slowly, agreeing with Weiss.

"But I mean, she was just as mean, if not worse to me."

This time, Blake stops in place, the expression on her face displaying her lack of amusement in Weiss' attitude.

"You know, while I don't think she was right in regards to her behavior, Yang is still my partner, so.."

"See now, you're mad at me too. I knew I should've just let Ruby lead us. This is all my fault. We probably would've been out of here by now."

"You aren't wrong." Blake steps back up beside Weiss and pulls on her shirt sleeve, letting her know to keep walking. "But we will really never get out of here if we stand still. So lead the way, Miss Schnee."

"You will always take Yang's side I suppose." She seems disheartened, looking down at her muddy shoes.

"That is not true."

"Sure, right. Whatever you say." Weiss prances forward a few more steps. Blake can feel the agitation rolling off of Weiss.

"I can leave if you want? I'm sure if I hurry I can catch up to Ruby and Yang. If you'd rather me not be here. I could've volunteered to go with Yang, but I didn't. But if you want me to not be here, you can tell me."

Weiss' shoulders slump down as she releases a sigh.

"No. Please stay. I would never want you to leave me. I mean, leave. Just in a general sense, of course." Blake quirks her eyebrow as Weiss continues to fumble over her words.

"Alright. Come on. Let's go." Blake reaches out and grabs Weiss' hand and pulls her forward. "Right or left?" She asks when they come to a corner.

"Um, left." Weiss points.

After about thirty minutes of wandering, Blake pulls Weiss' hand, prompting them to stop.

"Okay. Safe to say we've been going in circles. Do you mind if I give it a shot?" Blake asks, trying to ease Weiss into giving up the reigns.

"What makes you think we've been going in circles?" Surprisingly, Weiss tightens her grip on Blake's hand.

"Well um, I've kinda been marking the ground every time we take a turn, and we've passed this same spot about four times."

"That's… really smart."

"I'd like to believe that I am at least of average intelligence, so thank you." Weiss laughs for the first time the entire day.

"You are well above average. Now, how soon do you think you can get us out of here? Because I'm pretty sure it's about to start raining."

Blake looks up to the sky just in time to feel a rain drop hit against her face.

"Uh, maybe five minutes? If we hurry."

As soon as Blake pulls Weiss around the first corner, thunder claps so loud she can feel it rattle in her chest. Then rain begins to pour down in sheets.

"I guess we better go a little faster than a casual stroll then now?" Weiss asks over the sound of the falling rain and they begin to jog lightly.

By the time Blake can get them near the exit, they are nearly full out running. When Weiss slips in mud and the two of them almost fall to the ground, Blake grabs tightly onto Weiss' arm and pulls her quickly up towards her. Saving her from ruining her outfit. But also pulling them face to face.

"Well this is close." Blake says as she slides her hand back down Weiss' arm and holds her hand once again.

"Yeah maybe we need to slow down a bit."

"Probably a good idea. If I've calculated this right, we only have like one or two more turns to make." Blake clears her throat and continues to lead them towards the exit.

Just as Blake had predicted, once they made two more turns they were looking straight towards the exit of the maze. Where they see Ruby and Yang waiting under a covered area, hiding from the rain.

"Thank goodness! I was so worried about you guys. I thought Weiss had led you to your eminent deaths!" Yang runs forwards and wraps Weiss into a bear hug. Obviously no longer upset with Weiss.

"Put me down you heathen! I am soaking wet from the rain."

"How did it go for you guys?" Ruby leans over to Blake and asks, bracing for impact.

"It wasn't bad at all. We had a great time. Or at least I did. You will have to ask Weiss about it." Blake shrugs and keeps walking towards the parking lot.

Later that evening, the four of them are getting ready for bed and Weiss is drying her hair with a towel while sitting on her bed.

"I have something to ask you." Her voice breaks Blake's concentration from the book she is reading.

"Hm?"

"You knew the way out of the maze the entire time, didn't you?"

"Maybe." She closes her book and sets it on the table beside her bed.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I kind of like being lost with you."

"What do you mean?" Weiss can feel her heart starting to beat a little faster.

"Hopefully I mean the same thing as when you said you never wanted me to leave you."

"Oh. Yes. Well. I meant what I said."

"I know that. And any time you ask me to stay, I always will."

"Well maybe we can get lost again sometime. If you want." Weiss says nonchalantly as she pulls the covers over herself and slides down into the bed.

"I'm free to get lost on Friday after class. Let me know." Blake turns off her light next to her bed and lays down. "But this time I'll let you fall in the mud."

"How chivalrous."

"Always."