"Can you tell me the plan again?"
Considering they were already on their way to Papercuts, Blake's continued questions made Weiss sigh.
"We're going to the bookstore," she repeated for what felt like the tenth time. "And you're going to distract Ruby's sister while I try to ask her out."
"And why can't you ask her out with her sister around?"
"Because I can hardly talk, Blake." When Blake laughed at the admission, Weiss rolled her eyes and kept walking. "I need as many advantages as I can get…" she muttered as they drew nearer and nearer to their destination.
After the catastrophic failures of her first two visits to Papercuts, she'd enlisted Blake's help in turning the tide in her favor. Now, not only would she have emotional support but also assurance that she and Ruby wouldn't be interrupted. Freed of possible distractions, maybe - just maybe - she could summon the words and poise to ask Ruby out to dinner.
"I can't wait to meet this girl."
"She's incredible…" Weiss sighed, much to Blake's continued entertainment.
"She must be if she can make a fool out of you."
"She's not making a fool out of me," Weiss argued, drawing Blake's dubious gaze. "I'm making a fool of myself…"
"Much better."
Sensing the sarcasm, she rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Look, I don't understand it either. I'm more than capable of speaking to anyone - everyone, really - except her."
"She's your weakness."
"I don't have a weakness."
"Then why can't you talk to her?"
Realizing she had very little explanation for that other than 'because she's cute,' Weiss kept her mouth shut and nodded towards the awning marking the store of her unraveling. "There it is," she added as they approached, feeling her palms dampen as inexplicable nerves sprang about her chest.
"Papercuts?" Blake read aloud before scoffing. "What kind of name is that?"
"My thoughts exactly." At least, that had been one of Weiss' first thoughts...before she cared less about the name and more about the gorgeous worker inside. "Come on," she added while leading them to the door. Once there, she glanced through the glass, spotted no one, and took a deep breath before pulling the door open.
"Try to give me as much time as possible," she whispered as the two of them walked inside to the sound of the bell.
"You so owe me for this…" Blake muttered in response, but Weiss' agreement disappeared when Ruby hurried out of the back of the store and spotted them.
Just seeing Ruby was enough to make Weiss' heart flutter, and she suddenly questioned her ability to follow through with her plan. Unfortunately, there was no time to back out now, as Ruby was already on her way over.
"Weiss!" she greeted them with a big smile that melted Weiss' heart.
"Hi Ruby."
Suddenly bashful, Weiss flashed a smile before averting her gaze and attempting to quell the blush rising on her cheeks. Three seconds into this endeavor and she would already give herself a failing grade.
"Three weeks in a row," Ruby continued unaware. "Must be my lucky day, huh?"
That was the perfect opening to say that Ruby could make Weiss extraordinarily lucky by going to dinner tonight. Instead, she met Ruby's gaze for only a second before glancing away and muttering something along the lines of, "Yes, maybe, or mine too…"
The uncharacteristic response drew Blake's interest, but Weiss was too busy being flustered to worry about what Blake thought of her. Instead, she cleared her throat and attempted to be a proper host.
"This is my roommate -"
"Oh, you're Blake!" With a bright smile, Ruby stuck out her hand to shake Blake's. "The one who likes all kinds of books."
When Ruby's gaze darted Weiss' way, Blake gave Weiss a thoughtful expression while Weiss struggled to maintain a neutral look.
"That would be me," Blake finally replied while shaking Ruby's hand.
"Happy birthday, by the way!"
"Thank you."
This time Blake's glance was suspicious, probably wondering (rightfully so) what information Weiss spilled already.
"Did it already pass?" Ruby glanced at Weiss with the question, and Weiss nodded when Blake did. "Then you got your gift already? Have you read it yet?"
"I did, actually."
"And? What'd you think?"
"It was really good," Blake admitted. "I hardly put it down."
"That's great! It's one of my favorites." When Ruby leaned against the display table and Blake suddenly looked much more interested in the conversation, Weiss glanced between them with growing confusion. Blake didn't usually get along with people right off the bat...
"Who's your favorite character?" Ruby asked with a smile, and Blake actually smiled in return.
"As unoriginal as it is...I liked Sky the most."
"She's hard not to like, right? Especially when she -" Pausing mid-sentence, Ruby glanced at Weiss and cringed. "Sorry, I won't spoil it."
"Oh, she won't -"
"I might read it someday," Weiss interrupted, giving Blake a pointed look. "Especially if it's as good as you both say."
"It's great if you're interested in a crazy adventure with a little romance thrown in!" That didn't sound like Weiss' usual novel, but she didn't say as much as Ruby's gaze returned to Blake. "The second book is coming out next month. If you want, we can preorder it for you."
"I'll do that," Weiss spoke up the moment Blake opened her mouth. The eagerness earned her a curious look from Ruby and a bemused look from Blake, but she shrugged and waved as if it was no big deal. "I bought you the first one, didn't I? What kind of friend would I be if I didn't buy the second too?"
"It's going to be a trilogy," Ruby pointed out.
"Then I'll get you all three." When Weiss shot Blake a triumphant smile, Blake barely held an eye roll at bay.
"You're such a good friend, Weiss," she said instead - the sarcasm enough for Weiss to catch but not enough for Ruby to pick up on.
"A simple 'thank you' will do." Turning back to Ruby, Weiss smiled at their new plan - and the fact that she'd recaptured Ruby's attention. "What do you need to place a preorder?"
"Just a name and number. Then you'll get a call when it's ready to pick up."
"You'll call me?"
Weiss' heart sped up at the thought, only to fall when Ruby shook her head.
"Depends on who's working when the books arrive."
"Oh…"
"But if you're ok with waiting, I could call you?"
Even though Ruby was only asking if she could call Weiss about a preordered book, Weiss didn't care. "That'd be nice," she replied instead, and butterflies fluttered through her chest when Ruby smiled.
"Glad you got that sorted out." The dry comment jolted Weiss out of her Ruby-induced stupor just in time to catch Blake's mini eyeroll. "I think I'll go look around..." Blake added, only to trail off when Yang walked out of the back of the store with two large boxes in her arms.
"Ok, that's fair," she muttered under her breath before heading towards the blonde.
Happy to be rid of the third wheel, Weiss returned her attention to Ruby. Now that they had a few minutes alone, she had to figure out how to ask Ruby out. But first...
"Should I give you my number?"
Typically, Weiss refused to hand out that information unless someone had a legitimate need for it, but she had a legitimate need for Ruby to have it. Or at least have access to it.
"Yeah, sure!"
With a friendly wave, Ruby headed over to the register. Once there, she pulled a binder from underneath the counter and flipped it open to a partially-filled page - not exactly the most secure location for someone's personal information, but Weiss wasn't about to complain.
"Ok," Ruby muttered while finding a pen. "The Dust Chronicles," she continued, writing the title in the appropriate box. "For Weiss…?"
"Schnee," Weiss added when Ruby looked up at her. "Weiss Schnee."
"Schnee," Ruby said aloud as she wrote. Before carrying on, however, she paused and gave Weiss a curious glance. "That sounds familiar."
Weiss' concern grew at the comment, and she preemptively tried to decide how to explain that yes, her family owned one of the largest businesses in Vale but no, that didn't make her exceptionally wealthy. She was definitely on the wealthier side by most standards, but she wasn't that type of wealthy anymore.
"Did you go to Vale U. by any chance?" Ruby finally asked, and Weiss' concern faded into a smile.
"I went to Vale Academy, actually."
"Oh." After an adorable little chuckle, Ruby gave Weiss one of the most effortlessly attractive smiles she'd ever received. "Where all the smart kids go."
Considering the intellectual capability of some of Weiss' classmates, that statement was factually incorrect. She didn't bother saying as much, however. She preferred to dwell upon Ruby's subtle compliment instead, even though she'd done nothing in this store to merit a label of 'smart.'
"Can you write your number there for me?"
After spinning the binder around and tapping a blank space, Ruby set the pen down for Weiss to use.
"I mean, for the store," Ruby added while Weiss carefully wrote her number in the space.
Suddenly, Weiss was afraid she didn't know her number. She'd never forgotten it before, but with Ruby watching her so intently...it was difficult to focus. After double-checking what looked like her phone number, she pushed the binder back to Ruby.
"Thanks!" With a glance at the number, Ruby smiled and wrote a note in the margin. "I'll put down that I'm supposed to call you, then you can come pick it up!"
"Great." Weiss didn't want to say that she was excited for Ruby to call her, but...she was excited for Ruby to call her. "When's the second book supposed to come out?" she asked, realizing she'd already forgotten.
"Next month. On the eleventh."
As soon as Weiss left Papercuts, she would add the date to her calendar. Maybe she would be able to communicate like normal over the phone. Of course, maybe Ruby had a ridiculously cute phone voice too, in which case...Weiss better not get her hopes up.
"You're all set." After flipping the binder shut, Ruby leaned across the counter and smiled. "So...what're you looking for today?"
This was it. This was the perfect opportunity to ask Ruby out. To dinner. Or a movie. Or anywhere outside the walls of this confounded bookstore. But when Weiss opened her mouth and imagined asking that question, her confidence disappeared.
They didn't know each other. Sure, the purpose of asking someone out was getting to know them, but that didn't change the fact that they were still on the verge of strangers. What if Ruby was only being this nice and friendly because it was her job? What if she was like this with everyone? What if she didn't want to get hit on by some awkward girl who overshared, brought up mature topics far too often, and hardly remembered her phone number?
If Weiss possessed even a fraction of her typical self-esteem, this wouldn't be an issue. Under ordinary circumstances, she could easily believe that Ruby would want to spend more time together. Why wouldn't she? Weiss was smart, well-read, and capable of holding her side of a conversation.
Except she wasn't. Not here, at least.
"I was just wondering…" she began, only for her courage to disappear when Ruby nodded for her to continue.
She couldn't do it. Not today, at least. Maybe when Ruby called her - when the book came in - she could try again.
"I just stopped by to pre-order those books," she said instead. When she motioned towards the binder, however, Ruby gave it a baffled smile.
"But...I thought you didn't know about those until you got here."
"Oh."
Ruby was right, of course, and now Weiss scrambled for a way to save this conversation. A convincing lie. Plausible denial. Diversion.
"That's...right. I didn't."
Apparently, she couldn't lie to Ruby, and now she looked like an even bigger idiot. A big, floundering idiot.
"I was actually just...telling Blake about you. Your store, I mean - Papercuts. I was telling her about Papercuts, and she wanted to check it out. So we walked over...to do that."
"That's great! We love getting new customers." Before Weiss could smile in relief, Ruby leaned even closer and playfully waggled her brow. "So what'd you tell her?"
Faced with Ruby's sparkling eyes and enchanting smile, Weiss stared for several long seconds before saying the first thing that popped into her mind.
"Pretty…" she began, only to shake her head when Ruby's brow rose. "I mean, I told her it was a pretty store," she corrected with an embarrassed laugh. "And that the workers are really pretty - I mean nice! And worth checking out. The store is worth checking out."
Ruby's smile grew the longer Weiss rambled, which was the only positive outcome of what just happened. She might as well have just come right out and said that she found Ruby ridiculously attractive. That would have been less embarrassing. Maybe.
"Anyway, I should probably go," she said while backing away from the counter - this time keeping a close eye on the tables so she didn't knock into anything. If she wasn't asking Ruby out today, she needed to go home and regroup - again.
"Do you know where Blake went?" she asked while looking around the store, where her roommate was nowhere to be found.
"Pretty sure I saw them over there." By the time Weiss glanced over, Ruby was making her way out from behind the counter and motioning Weiss after her. "Haven't seen them in a bit though," Ruby added as they made their way to the far side of the store.
Weiss had never been over here before, but she was far more interested in watching Ruby walk in front of her than taking in the surroundings. She was so distracted in watching Ruby, in fact, that she didn't react very quickly when Ruby turned the corner and abruptly stopped. "Oh -" was all she got out as an apology before seeing why Ruby stopped.
"...Blake?"
The name slipped out of her mouth and jarred her roommate apart from the blonde whose hands had definitely been underneath Blake's shirt. When a giggle slipped through Ruby's lips, and Yang grinned like mad, Blake tucked her hair behind her ear and cleared her throat.
"Yes?" she asked, pulling her shirt back into place and pretending like her tongue hadn't just been in someone else's mouth. Her blush showed how embarrassed she was to have been caught doing...that...and it only took one glance at a nearby shelf for Weiss to understand why.
"Are you ready to go?" Weiss asked rather than bring up the obvious in front of their audience. "Or do you need a few minutes?"
The look Blake sent Yang's way suggested that she'd like some more alone time, but she reluctantly nodded and stepped away. "Thanks for the recommendations..." she mumbled before walking over to Weiss' side. When she refused to make eye contact with anyone, Weiss shook her head and flashed a smile towards Ruby, who looked infinitely amused at what they just discovered.
"Um, thanks again," Weiss said before grabbing Blake's elbow and dragging her out of the store.
Apparently, Papercuts meant ample embarrassment for them both - an outcome she hadn't expected. As soon as the door closed behind them and they were out of sight to the employees inside, she dropped Blake's arm and lowered her voice to a whisper.
"I said distract her, not make out with her!"
"I know," Blake whispered back as they hurried away. "But it worked…"
"In the adult section though?" Weiss pointed out, which only deepened the blush on Blake's cheeks. Obviously, Blake was embarrassed at having been caught, but she shouldn't be. Weiss would kill to do the same with Ruby, even if their location of choice was filled with romance novels.
Maybe she was going about this in the wrong way. Maybe instead of assuming that she would eventually figure out how to access her more personable side, she should take a page out of Blake's book. The question was...how did Blake convince Yang to make out with her when they only just met?
"How'd it go with Ruby?" Blake asked then, and Weiss sighed at the memory of yet another disastrous meeting.
"How do you feel about getting a puppy?" she asked instead of a direct response, only for Blake to look at her in surprise.
"A puppy? Why?"
"Because if I distract her with a puppy, maybe she'll agree to go out with me without realizing it."
When Blake's brow rose, Weiss nodded to show that she was, unfortunately, being serious. The admission made Blake laugh - a happy, joyful sound that was very much at Weiss' expense.
"If you go that route, you could just lure her into a restaurant by having her follow the puppy."
"I wish that didn't sound like a good idea…"
With her personal embarrassment fading away, Blake laughed at Weiss' plight and gently nudged her side as they headed home.
"Never thought I'd see the day you couldn't talk yourself into whatever you want."
"You and me both…" Weiss mumbled while Blake patted her shoulder in consolation.
Even though the solution eluded her, giving up wasn't an option. Schnees didn't give up, and she was still a Schnee. She might not act or talk like it whenever she entered that infernal store, but she was. If she needed a puppy, she would get a puppy. If she needed an entire litter of puppies, she would get an entire litter of the cutest, most adorable puppies.
Either she succeeded in asking Ruby out, or she cemented her place as one of the least socially adept people to have ever shared her last name.