Ruby couldn't stop herself from being nervous. The talk with Blake could only give her so much confidence before it could fail. But it was too late now to turn back now. She was already at Weiss' door, after all. Weiss didn't expect Ruby to show up but it wasn't the first time she had done something like this on impulse. Yet, none of those thoughts did anything to stop her from being nervous.
She rang the doorbell with a nervous, shaky hand. It didn't even take thirty seconds for Weiss to open the door. Weiss was already out of her school clothes and dressed for a very lazy night. No make up, her hair was down, and it looked like she had just woken up from a nap judging by her tired eyes and the slight ruffle to her hair. She was beautiful. How Ruby never had seen this before was a giant mystery to her because it was all she could think about now. Her chest was going to explode at this rate.
"Ruby?" Weiss asked, a confused look showing on her face. "Weren't you going to stay at your house tonight since Yang was complaining?"
Ruby snapped herself back to reality and tried to act cool. "Well, I was, but then I talked with Blake after school about some stuff…"
"Blake?" Weiss interrupted. "I thought you two weren't that close?"
Weiss' questions weren't doing anything to help Ruby's nervousness. "We aren't… but I figured since she's dating Yang that maybe we could get to know each other." Ruby explained.
"And how did that go?" Weiss asked.
Ruby smiled. "It actually went pretty well. I always figured she'd be super gloomy because of.. well… you know…" Ruby held an arm up to convey what she meant. "But she's actually pretty nice and she really, really, does care about Yang."
"I'm glad that you guys got a little closer, but why does that translate to you wanting to come over here?" Weiss asked, clearly still confused.
"Well, afterwards.." Ruby had no idea she could feel this nervous and anxious. She was pretty sure her cheeks were bright red at this point if they weren't before she even knocked on the door. "I just felt like I needed to see you." Ruby waited in silence for Weiss' response. Weiss just gave her a curious look before finally relenting.
"Just get in here." Weiss said while stepping back and almost hiding behind the open door. "It would be rude if I had you just stand on the doorstep all day." Ruby smiled and happily walked in while trying to put a smile that didn't betray how anxious she was at this whole thing.
It turned out that Ruby was right about the nap that Weiss was taking. On the couch in the living room was a blanket that was clearly not folded along with some tea on the coffee table right next to it. The television was on but Ruby knew that Weiss was only using it for sound while she slept. Complete and utter silence while alone wasn't Ruby's thing either. It had always made her feel like something was creeping up on her so she would always have a TV running in her room or radio. Though, she never needed that if she was falling asleep with Weiss.
That thought made Ruby drop her head into her hands at the kitchen counter. Everything they did together was stuff couples did. Ruby had no problem with it before but now it was like someone had slapped her with a reality stick. A distraction was sorely needed at this point.
And like an angel, Weiss answered Ruby's silent prayer with a mug of hot chocolate that was slid in front of her. The smell alone was enough to get her to look up from her hands and the gesture made Ruby feel a bit better. Wrapping her hands around the mug provided a welcome sense of warmness to her hands and arms, matching the exact same feeling in her chest.
"You seemed a bit distracted so I figured you could use your usual." Weiss said from Ruby's side.
Ruby smiled. "Thanks, Weiss." She said before lifting it up and taking a sip. It was still a little hot but that small taste was enough for Ruby to know that it was made exactly how she liked it, extra sweet with the addition of three marshmallows that were allowed to melt into the drink beforehand. "You nailed it this time." Ruby praised Weiss, who was smiling in the corner of Ruby's peripheral vision.
"I tend to try my best." Weiss said easily.
"You used to hate this kind of thing.." Ruby remembered. "You complained that there was 'nothing healthy' about hot chocolate."
Weiss leaned and bumped Ruby's shoulder. "There isn't, but you're always here now so I figured I should get used to it." Weiss explained. "You're still brushing your teeth after you finish that though."
Ruby giggled. "Always somehow taking care of me.."
"I guess." Weiss said before reaching a hand out to sit on Ruby's arm. "Everything okay?"
Ruby took a moment to enjoy the feeling. It was the same feeling of safety that she had told Blake about earlier today. She couldn't stop herself from letting her body lean into Weiss', who seemed just fine letting her do so. "You're here, right?" Weiss laughed a tiny bit but didn't say anything. Instead, Ruby chose to drink her hot chocolate in silence as the heat from both the drink and Weiss made her insanely happy. Ruby wouldn't have minded if this was how she spent the rest of her days. Though, that may not happen if she didn't say anything at all to Weiss. That revelation made the nervousness creep right back into her brain as she remembered why she even showed up in the first place. It didn't help that her hot chocolate was gone now. Maybe it was now or never for her. "Hey, Weiss I wante…"
Weiss stopped her though. "Nope. Brush your teeth first before you forget." Weiss grabbed the empty mug and started running it under the sink. "I still want my nap but I can't have you falling asleep with a mouth full of sugar."
Ruby smiled. "Why are you assuming I'd join your nap?" Ruby asked playfully. Weiss didn't take the bait though and gave Ruby a look with a raised eyebrow. They continued this standoff for only a few seconds before Ruby couldn't take it anymore and relented. "Okay, fine. You're right. I totally was going to join you for your nap. I'll go brush my teeth." Ruby started walking off down the hall towards Weiss' bathroom. She knew this house like the back of her hand at this point if she had to be honest.
"Remember!" Weiss called out from the kitchen. "Your brush is in the right cup! Use the toothpaste in the blue tube! It helps with cavities since you eat so much sugar!"
"Okay! I got it!" Ruby replied back. Ruby usually would complain at least a little bit about Weiss being a bit bossy but she figured that a few minutes by herself could allow a moment to think over what she wanted to do. That is, if she could get Weiss off her mind for longer than a few seconds at a time.
Even the bathroom made it painfully clear that it belonged to Weiss. Everything was thoughtfully laid and set in its own spot. Ruby almost felt bad ruining the perfect stack of rags that Weiss no doubt would refold later on in the night but she needed something to wash her face and shake off her anxiety. It all came back when she noticed that Weiss had opted to put Ruby's toothbrush in a small cup decorated with corgis running around the sides. It was a small detail but Ruby knew that there was no way that Weiss did it without putting a good bit of thought into it. It was the first time in a while that Ruby actually enjoyed brushing her teeth. Maybe it was because she knew who was waiting for her.
Ruby was trying her best not to wiggle too much. When she had finally gotten back to the living-room Weiss had already been set up and laying on the couch. She attempted to simply just sit down but Weiss had reached out and grabbed her hand to pull Ruby under the blanket. It wasn't much of a problem for Ruby though who was used to this. Who would say no to being trapped against Weiss while she hugged you like a stuffed animal and took a nap? Ruby wouldn't, that's for sure. Maybe Yang would, but only because she had Blake already.
Ten minutes after getting under the blanket, Weiss was already asleep. Ruby couldn't see Weiss' face but could tell from the sounds of her breathing. It was a risk to move at this point but Ruby took it and snuggled deeper into the crook of Weiss' neck. They had done this same thing many times at this point and yet it still made Ruby happy as can be. So happy that she didn't notice the change in Weiss' breathing.
"Ruby, you're squeezing me." Weiss said as whisper in Ruby's ear. She nearly melted right then and there because of it.
"Sorry." Ruby apologized. "I'm just super happy right now."
"I can tell." Weiss said. Almost like an acknowledgement, Weiss adjusted herself to pull Ruby closer. "Just stay still for a bit, dolt." She added, her voice tired and soft.
Ruby giggled at her unofficial nickname. "Anything for you, Weiss." It was the truth.
"Mm" Weiss hummed. Ruby thought that was the end of it. She felt Weiss shuffle slightly one more time and then she felt something she wasn't expecting in the slightest. A soft and hot feeling slowly blossomed on her neck. Her chest filled with a weird mix of pleasure and confusion. The sensation made Ruby try and move away so she could figure out what was going on. Instead, Weiss made her grip on Ruby even stronger. Everything would start coming together inside Ruby's head but then would be thrown into disarray as the sensation continued.
"Weiss, what…" Ruby tried to say but that was immediately interrupted by an involuntary sigh that forced its way through and out of her lips. The will to argue was quickly being pushed to the back of her mind. But just as she began to accept the new feeling, it disappeared just as quickly. Weiss slowly pulled away from Ruby with a small smile stuck on her face and lightly blushed cheeks.
"Anything for you, Ruby." Weiss whispered and then let her forehead touch against Ruby's. The way Weiss was looking at Ruby was breaking her completely. "Stay with me.. Please.." Weiss whispered to Ruby, only a few inches separating their lips.
Temptation was everywhere in Ruby's brain. All it would take was for her to push forward just a tiny bit. She could satisfy her desire and Weiss seemed to be inviting her in. There was no way Weiss didn't know what Ruby was thinking at this point. Hell, Weiss had even started it by kissing her neck. There was only one problem. It was the words Weiss had spoken to Ruby in such a fragile manner. That detail sobered Ruby enough to realize now was not the time to take what she wanted.
"What's wrong Weiss?" Ruby asked.
Weiss wasn't expecting that apparently. "What? I'm just… We were...Don't you..?"
Ruby reached a hand up and covered Weiss' mouth. "You have no idea how much I want to, but I also know you enough to realize when you're just distracting yourself." Ruby said. "Just tell me what's wrong when I let go. Just like you said, tell me what you feel."
Ruby slowly let her hand fall away. Weiss' eyes darted around until Ruby's locked onto hers. "Fine." Weiss relented. "I got a call from my mother..." She admitted.
"So?" Ruby asked, trying to get Weiss to admit more.
"She… They… Want me to leave here and be with them… permanently." Weiss got out after all the trouble. "By the end of the month, preferably."
Ruby felt a bubble of anxiety hit her. "But what about school?"
"Private tutors." Weiss explained.
"Your house?" Ruby tried again.
"They have theirs near the main branch."
"That's over twenty hours away!" Ruby's anxiety switched to panic.
Weiss nodded sadly. Almost like she didn't want to be reminded. "I know. Twenty-three hours to be almost exact…"
"What about.." Ruby started, trying her hardest not to shout. "What about us?" She asked. No doubt that this was the biggest crisis she had ever had to deal with. Weiss' eyes kept looking away. Each attempt by Ruby to look into them was met with denial.
"I don't know, Ruby." Weiss admitted. "I tried to argue with her. About why I should stay here. Why it would be a bad idea. Why I'm happy here where I am. She wouldn't listen." Weiss sounded frustrated beyond belief. "I don't know what to do.. I want to be with you here, where I feel at home. They're my parents but I can't really call them family." Weiss finally met Ruby's eyes. "You're the closest I have to something like that." That's when Weiss lost her composer and wrapped Ruby back up. Weiss' whole body shook followed by audible sobs of pain.
Ruby just kept holding on. "We'll figure something out, Weiss." She said to comfort her. "I'm not going anywhere."