The afternoon sun was shining brilliantly on the grounds, making the greens of the grass and trees pop against the perfectly blue sky while the frosty air nipped at Winters skin. With the mountains looming in the far distance, it looked exactly like the kind of painting that her father would pay a fortune for. What made the scenery even better was who she was with, her ever supportive butler and her amazing sister who always managed to get her to smile. The three of them stood in the driveway, basking in the heat of the sun knowing what was coming next, but enjoying this last moment of peace together.
"Are you sure I can't get you anything else aside from that megar lunch? I can't help but feel like your breakfast was lacking in vitamins," worried Klein, his face filled with concern.
"You cooked us a full English breakfast, waffles, and bowls of fruit, what part of that seems lacking to you?" asked Winter with a glimmer in her eye as she watched him straighten his back.
"For one, there was a large lack of vegetables, which would give you a much needed boost in energy for the drive ahead of you," he explained, sounding a lot more like a nutritionist than a butler.
"Didn't you load my lunch up with veggies?"
"Yes, but there's never such a thing as too many vegetables, now is there?" He winked, making the older girl smile.
"I think I'll survive. But thanks for worrying about me, I really appreciate it. Ya know, even if you are a bit much sometimes," Winter laughed as she pulled the small moustached butler in for a tight embrace. "I hope you know how much I love you," She whispered into his ear. Winter wasn't sure, but she was pretty sure his arms were trembling around her.
"If you really mean that, then maybe you should call me more than once every six months," he joked, patting her on the back before letting her go with a smile, his finger quickly wiping his eye. "Excuse me, I think I may have left the stove on. I expect to hear from you soon, Miss Winter. Please, have a pleasant drive home… I will be waiting patiently for the day I get to see you again"
He gave her a warm smile that made Winters' whole world light up before he bowed and quickly walked back into the manor, leaving the sisters alone once again.
"This seems a bit familiar doesn't it?" Weiss joked, her hands playing with the hem of her dress. Winter opened her mouth, something sweet and loving about to be said, but then her eyes exploded open and she dove towards her car, throwing open the back seat with reckless abandon.
"How the heck could I have forgotten?" Winter panicked, her heart was beating like a drum as she tore apart her back seat in a frantic search. As she cast her eyes to the floor of the car, she felt her nerves calm and the hammering come to a slow stop.
She grabbed the box that was covered in purple wrapping paper and heaved it out of the car. It wasn't that big, maybe ten inches by ten inches, but it was dense. "Merry Christmas!" Winter chirped, her face filled with pride while her sisters was filled with shock and surprise.
"What's that?" Weiss wondered, her voice heavy with annoyance.
"A Christmas gift, duh," teased Winter, a mischievous smile on her face.
"Yeah, but I didn't have a chance to get you anything! Heck, I didn't even know you were gonna be here! You're so mean, not even giving me a chance to get you a gift!" Weiss complained while her sister laughed.
"Calm down, it's not like I was expecting anything. All this means is that you'll have to get me an awesome birthday gift to even it out" Winter grinned while her sister pouted like an upset kid, "Come on, open it! You're gonna love it … I hope"
Weiss couldn't help but beam, her face lighting up with excitement, exactly like every Christmas, as she started to take open the package.
As the paper dropped to the ground in one large sheet, the tape carefully peeled off, Weiss found herself staring at a small cardboard box. She looked at it for a second, curious, before she tore it open without remorse, the tape didn't stand a shadow of a chance.
The inside of the box was packed to the brim with cd's, and Winter could have sworn she heard her sisters jaw fall to the floor with a thud. She started to look through the cases and found weird and cool artwork, all different bands, styles, and sounds that were just begging to be explored and listened to.
"I was hoping you were still using my cd player, so I figured some new songs would be nice, but I never would have thought you already had your own music store. I hope you don't already have too many of these," Winter sighed, watching as her sister silently went through the discs.
"What do you think?," Winter wondered as she shuffled her feet in place, scratching the back of her head. Without saying a word Weiss set down the box like it was made of glass before walking over and silently wrapping her sister in a hug.
"If you don't like it then-"
"Stop talking. I love you, but please shut up, Win. I love it," explained Weiss happily as Winter stopped fighting and accepted the embrace.
"Oh, there's one in particular I wanted to show you," bubbled Winter as she pulled away, bending down and pulling out cd after cd until she found what she was looking for. In her hands was a case that had a tiger jumping through a ring of fire with dark red text that read, firewalkers, Endgame!
"I've been listening to this album nonstop for a few weeks now, and I thought you'd like them. I actually got to see these guys in concert!" beamed Winter as her sister's face grew in shock, before twisting with the littlest hint of jealousy.
"You went to a concert? How was it? Did you meet any cute- uh, people?" Weiss wondered, stumbling on her words at the end.
Winter couldn't help but think back to Qrow, exactly like she did whenever she listened to the Firewalkers.
"It was one of the best nights ever. Make sure you listen to these guys, ok? I wanna hear the thoughts of an expert like yourself"
"If you like them so much then I'm sure they're pretty good. Or terrible. Your cds were really hit or miss by the way," Weiss jokes, poking her sister in the belly.
Winter started to laugh at her dork of a sister, and her sister started to laugh back, their faces full of love and joy. They knew what was coming, but they were ready. After all, they'd already said goodbye once before.
The two melded together into one last hug, one that was warm and gentle, that seemed to fit hours into seconds. The two had soft smiles on their lips as they enjoyed each other's company one last time, at least for now.
"I feel like we've hugged more in the past day then we have in years," chuckled Weiss as she pulled her head away from her sister, only for Winter to pull her right back in.
"We're making up for lost time, ok? Just let your older sister enjoy this," Winter sighed, trying her best to crush her sister's ribs with love.
"Fbime, whabeber," Weiss mumbled into Winters shirt, her words lost in the cotton.
Winter lifted her sister in her arms before spinning her around in the air in circles, laughing as Weiss panicked in her grasp, "Aaaandddd, there! Man, you really got heavy while I was gone," Winter teased as she put her sister down, a little rougher than either would have liked. "Oh, I have one more gift for you actually, don't tell father about it," Winter said as she rummaged around in her backpack, pulling out her journal of secrets and tossing it onto the box of music.
"What's that? Oh god, please tell me it's not some romance book,"
"What? No! Where'd you get that idea, you're way too young for that sort of thing! Just… you'll figure it out quick enough, ok?" Winter shrugged, excited to see what her sister would do with access to the secrets of the manor at her fingertips.
Winter stopped laughing and looked her sister in the eyes, "Alright Weiss, I'm trusting that you're able to take care of yourself here. I know you're smart, but you have to be extra careful around father. If he does anything, tell me and Klein both and get away as fast as you can," There wasn't a hint of humor in Winters voice anymore, she was being dead serious. This wasn't sisterly advice on how to get out of trouble, this was a warning that things might get bad and she had to be ready for it.
Weiss nodded, her face set with determination, "I'll make sure nothing will happen, you can trust me. I can take care of myself, so stop worrying so much," Weiss tried her best to comfort her sister, but Winter shook her head.
"Trust me, I'll be on my deathbed and still be fussing over you, dork. I know you can take care of yourself, but don't be afraid to ask for help,"
"I will if I need it, promise," Weiss agreed.
"Alright, then I guess we shouldn't drag this on any more than we already have," sighed Winter with regret in her voice.
"I know, I know, it sucks saying goodbye," Weiss conceded, knowing what had to be done. "I love you, Winter, I'll see you soon,"
"I love you too, Weiss. Please try and keep out of trouble," Winter smiled, pulling her sister in for one last hug before pulling away and climbing into her car.
It was hard for Winter to turn that key, like her body was fighting against her, and she wasn't sure why. She had to trust her sister and push those feelings aside so they could both move forward.
But She plastered a smile on her face as she put her car in drive, and slowly set off down the manors main drive. Weiss stood there waving, a pained smile on her face as the sisters watched each other fade into the distance. Before Winter knew it, she was on her own again.
Not even a minute down into her journey, Winter maneuvered herself and managed to free her cell phone from her pocket. Her eyes darting between the road and the phone while she made the call.
"Miss Winter, I know I said to call me more, but this is a bit early, don't you think?" Klein wondered in a sarcastic tone.
"Maybe, but I forgot to ask you something important before I left,"
"Oh? And what would that be? Did you want me to fix you up some more food for lunch?" He joked, but Winter couldn't bring herself to even fake a laugh.
"Not this time, Klein. This is important. I know you're already looking after Weiss, but I wanted to make another request. If my father does anything, lays even one hand on my sister… I wanted to ask you as a friend, as a Schnee, as someone who owes you everything… I want you to stop him, no matter what. Even if you have to force him to stop, please, don't let him touch her," Winter begged, her eyes tearing up simply at the thought. Even though she knew Weiss was smart, knew she could look after herself, a little extra muscle never hurt.
There was silence on the other line that dragged on for an eternity, "It's a lot to ask, I know that your job is important, so if-"
"Understood, Miss. He will never lay even a single finger on your sister, and that is a promise," He confirmed, his voice serious and full of conviction. The way Klein was talking now, his tone and his words, it made Winter feel safer than if a full army was by her sisters side.
"Thank you, you have no idea how much that means to me," Winter sniffled, her anxiety finally starting to abandon her.
"Now, if there's nothing else, I have several duties to attend to. Call me again whenever you need," hummed Klein as he hung up the phone, leaving Winter feeling relaxed and sinking into her seat. Winter shut off her phone, tossing it onto the passenger seat without a care, she wouldn't need it for a while.
Winter watched out the window as the scenery passed her by, everything looking a lot crisper and more detailed than when she was driving up. Everything seemed brighter now, like someone had turned on the lights. Winter couldn't help but grin as she turned on the radio to some pop song and cranked the volume to the right. She wasn't sure why, but it felt like her shoulders were a lot lighter than they'd been only a day before.
The drive went a lot faster this time around, with Winter enjoying the sound of the music and the amazing views of Atlas and Vale. it was amazing how little she'd taken in on her other drives, because she saw lots this time that she didn't before. There were so many forests, lakes, small towns, and anything else in between. Plus, singing along to every song on the radio did wonders to pass the time.
Before she knew it she was passing the graveyard on the highway, passing the spot she'd been marooned on her first trip, and was basking in the glow of the city as snow lightly fell down from the heavens.
It was late in the day by the time Winter finally pulled into her apartment building, the red paint and the mold looking a lot more appealing than she'd remembered.
Winter stumbled out of the car, her legs trembling as she stood on her unused legs. Standing in the snowfall, even the broken down buildings surrounding her building looked better. Hey, someone even managed to paint over the graffiti, how about that?
Winter strolled into the building lugging her backpack over her shoulder, her whole body aching. The best thing that helped the pain was the sight of her friendly neighborhood landlord sitting at his desk with his feet kicked up and a brand new crossword puzzle book in his hand.
"Hey Earl, long time no see," Winter gave him a smile, but all he did was write something in his book, not even bothering to look at her.
"Earl? Everything ok?" she asked, walking up to his desk curiously. He was mumbling something under his breath, but it was too quiet for her to hear. "What?"
"I said, what's a six letter word for someone who makes an old man worry about her?" He grumbled, an annoyed look on his face. Winter racked her brain, not sure what he meant… Oh.
"It's Winter, isn't it? I thought you couldn't use names in crossword puzzles?" wondered the girl as Earl sighed and set down his book and turned to look at her.
"Eh, I spent an hour coming up with that line and you don't even appreciate it. Kids these days," he nagged, crossing his arms like a petulant child.
"What? No, it was clever, super clever! I was just a little confused, is all!" the words fumbling out of Winters mouth as she tried her best to make him feel better.
"I might be some grouchy old man, but I still worry when a girl like you doesn't come home without a word. Never know what could happen out there, someone could've snatched you up!" complained Earl, care in his face as his eyes sparkled with affection and worry.
"Sorry, I was having a rough time lately and needed to go and see my sister for a bit to relax. But I promise, if I ever do anything like that again, I'll tell you when I'll be home," She smiled as she watched the tension ease out of his shoulders and a grin grew on his face.
"Well, if you were seein' family, then I guess it's ok. But now that ya promised, you gotta keep it, that's a house rule. Looks like you're feelin' better, ya look a bit more lively today than you've been in weeks," He noted, his smile growing as she felt herself blush.
"Yeah, I guess I am feeling a bit better," sang Winter, feeling like she was walking on air.
"Good. Now, ya should go up and get some sleep, you're wobbling on your feet standing there," chuckled the landlord pointing his pencil to Winter's shaky knees.
"Probably a good idea, see you soon Earl," Winter smiled as she slowly made her way to the elevator. Earl simply nodded to her as he kicked his feet back on his desk and grabbed his book.
Winter slumped against the elevator wall as it started to ascend, her hand on the support bar, trying her best to give her legs a break before the final push. The doors opened on the eighth floor and Winter started to make her way down the hall. She smiled as she passed the painting of the forest fire, happy how it was still creepy and weird.
Her door creaked open slowly and she walked in, excited to finally be home. Looking around, Winter couldn't help but admire the new paint job she'd given the place. Instead of an old blue, the kitchen was now a stunning gray color that brought a lot of life to the space.
Winter dropped her backpack on the old table and stumbled into the living room. A part of her wanted to crash on the couch right then and there, but instead she made a sharp right and headed into the spare bedroom.
For months the spare bedroom had been a dingy gross brown that looked way too close to bruised bananas for Winters liking. But now, it was a pristine white that looked like snow, with light blue dolphins decorating the new door. It had taken Winter days to get rid of the brown, and even more days to get the dolphins looking like something that wasn't out of a horror movie.
Winter sat down on the new twin bed, decorated with new sheets that smelled like flowers, and admired her handiwork. The rest of the apartment still needed work, but this room… Well, it would never get used, but at least it looked nice. Winter thought as her eyes started to Water. She missed her sister, but knew that this was what she wanted, but that didn't stop it from stinging.
Winter sighed as she realized that it was time to call her sister and Klein, and pulled out her phone from her pocket. She turned it on, dropping her head on the pillow and waiting as the way too long startup song played. When it was finally ready, she brought it up to her eyes and noticed something odd, a missed call from Qrow and a voicemail. Winter gulped as she clicked play on the message, scared of what it might say.
"Shit, I was really hoping I'd be able to talk to you. Look, I know you're away right now, but I had to get this off my chest. I'm sorry for losing my temper yesterday. It was wrong, and you didn't deserve it. You're trying your best, and if it's one thing I've learned about you, it's that you really do care for those girls." Winter couldn't help but smile. She hadn't been doing the best job lately, but now… Now she knew what to do and knew how to fix it. But then, he kept talking…
"I care about you too is the thing. Probably too much, honestly. But I don't think we should see each other anymore. The girls said they'd be fine with hanging out with you at your office as long as you don't call it therapy i'm sure they'll be fine. But outside of that, I don't think we should see each other again… It hurts too much to see you, I guess. I shouldn't have kissed you, it was wrong. So don't come to Christmas, please. I'm sorry if this is confusing, but I'll leave you to your work, call me if you wanna talk or anything… See ya," And then there was the click as he hung up, leaving her there lying in shock as she looked up at the ceiling, her brain not even able to think.
Winter wanted to move, but couldn't. She felt all sorts of different emotions start to swirl in her head, anger, sadness, and regret. Winter laid perfectly still on the bed as she felt tears start to fall down her face like rain as she silently moaned and cried for the loss of something she never really had.