EDITED 1/18/2020
Word Count: 10,975
Chapter 13 — Teaching, Learning, Growing
"So we've never really talked about your Semblance," Yang said to Weiss entirely out of the blue, several days after they had left Treline.
The three of them had two choices from that point on. It was still too early for animals to start hibernating, so food wasn't an issue. Having access to fresh water, however, was a different story. They could either follow the main highway to be able to take advantage of the scattered Rider way stations (all of which had one or two wells dedicated to providing water to travelers) or follow Atlas's Southwest River. The first choice meant fewer Grimm encounters thanks to Rider patrols but more human interaction, which was a risk considering they had not one, but two people who needed to avoid attention. The Rider-patrolled highways were the safest way to get from one place to another so naturally, everyone used them.
The second choice meant they wouldn't have to worry about people recognizing Weiss or finding out Ruby was a Faunus, but it also meant it would take them longer to get where they were going. The Southwest River (as its name implied) didn't flow directly south, which could add days—if not weeks—to their journey. Still, after a group discussion, they all agreed that staying unnoticed was more important than anything else. Traveling in the wilderness when the snows hit would be difficult but not impossible. And thankfully, Grimm encounters wouldn't be a problem for much longer. For some reason, Grimm didn't like the winter months any more than regular animals did so they were likely to become fewer as the temperature dropped.
The evening Yang brought up Weiss's Semblance, they were all seated around the campfire, simply relaxing before heading to bed. Weiss sat on one side of the fire (one that she had finally succeeded in starting for the first time ever) while Yang and Ruby were on the other. Ruby had been whittling something out of a piece of wood she had picked up from somewhere (as she often did when she had nothing to do), but she stopped and looked up expectantly when Yang started speaking, her lupine ears twitching with interest.
Weiss blinked, searched her memories, and realized Yang was right. Weiss had seen the sisters' Semblances in action more than once, but since her participation in the last couple battles had been brief at best, they might not have gotten a good look at her own. Well, at least the part of her Semblance that she could actually use at this point anyway. No need to mention that other part until she was certain she was actually capable of it.
Weiss lifted her hand and summoned a small, glowing white, snowflake-embossed Glyph on the tip of her finger, catching both sisters' attention.
"As far as I know, every Schnee inherits the same Semblance. We can summon Glyphs that affect the world around us. You've already seen my platform Glyphs" —she spun the Glyph so that it lay horizontally above the palm of her hand like a saucer— "and if I summon it vertically, it becomes a shield." The Glyph flipped and expanded, forming a translucent wall between her and the fire.
Weiss gave Yang a nod, and Yang tossed a piece of firewood at her. The chunk of firewood bounced off her Glyph and landed in the fire, sending a small flurry of sparks into the air.
Weiss dispelled the Glyph. "I can also use my Glyphs to accelerate and propel myself forward a certain distance. And if I have Dust, I can alter the properties of my Glyphs and do even more."
"Oh?" Yang said, perking up. "Hey, Ruby—"
But the girl had already jumped to her feet and was rummaging through her pack for something. After a moment, she pulled out a soft leather pouch, which she promptly handed to Weiss, before plopping herself down next to the noble.
Weiss shot Ruby a curious look before taking the pouch. She opened it and saw a handful of Dust vials, each carefully nestled in a wool-padded pocket for protection. Her mouth dropped open.
"Where did you get these?" Weiss asked as she picked through them. Two fire Dust vials, one water Dust, three ice Dust, and one lightning Dust vial.
"Uncle Qrow gives them to us once in a while," Yang said. "The fire Dust is for emergencies when we need to make a fire quickly and for whatever reason or another, I'm not able to. And Ruby uses the ice Dust to keep meat from spoiling when she's out hunting. The rest he gave to Ruby to play around with, but neither of us have found a good use for them yet, or at least I haven't." She glanced at her little sister, but the girl didn't seem to notice.
"Who exactly is your uncle anyway? Dust of this quality is hardly cheap." Weiss could tell by the way the grains glittered in the light that she was holding purified, highly refined Dust in her hands. It was one of the only "unladylike" lessons her father never skimped on. It was vital for her to know as much about Dust as she could to ensure she would be useful—first as the heiress and later when she lost that title, it was so she would be a valuable and desirable game piece in alliance negotiations.
Yang shrugged. "He's just our Uncle Qrow, Rider and ex-Huntsman. I don't know much more than that, and I've never bothered asking. He travels a lot though, and knows all sorts of people. Maybe he knows someone who has access to lots of Dust. Anyway, enough of that. Come on! Show us what you can do!"
Weiss rolled her eyes before picking up one of the vials of ice Dust. She uncorked it, poured less than a pinch of it into the palm of her hand, drew the Dust from her palm into her Aura, and activated her Semblance. There was a soft whooshing sound, like the wind whistling through the mountains, and a sharp crack as a small ice shard erupted out of the Glyph she had summoned over her palm. Weiss dispelled the Glyph, caught the shard of ice, and placed it in Ruby's outstretched hands. She couldn't help but feel a rush of pleasure and pride as she took in Ruby's awestruck eyes and the way her tail beat the air with a rapid thwup-thwup-thwup sound. Ruby jumped up to show the crystal to Yang, a wide grin stretching across her face.
Yang whistled, impressed, as she took the shard from Ruby. "Neat. Maybe you should be the one to hold onto our Dust stores."
"What?" Weiss froze just as she was about to put the ice Dust vial away.
"How about it, Ruby? Do you mind if we give our Dust to Weiss?"
The girl shook her head.
"But it belongs to you two! And it's expensive! Why would you—"
"Because," Yang interrupted, "neither of us really have any use for it, and the loom does no one any good in the henhouse."
Weiss stopped short, her brow furrowing in confusion. "What does that even mean?"
This time Yang rolled her eyes. "It means, 'don't put something in a place where it can't be used when it's needed.' Like putting a loom in a henhouse.
"I don't use Dust at all, and Ruby really only uses it when she's messing around and tinkering. Except for the ice Dust, I guess, but she doesn't need to keep whatever she hunts fresh for days like she did in Patch since we eat whatever she catches right away. If you can use Dust, then it only makes sense for you to hang onto it. And who knows? One day we might get into a jam, and we might need your Dust skills to get out of it. So just hang onto it, alright? And if you ever need to use it, use it."
Ruby nodded her head in agreement and made a series of hand motions that Weiss could only assume was yet another entreaty for her to keep the Dust.
Weiss stayed quiet for a moment, thinking, until finally she said, "Alright. But if I use any of it, I promise to pay you back someday."
"Sure, whatever you say, Princess." Yang blinked and then a smirk crossed her face. "You know what, I'm gonna start calling you Ice Queen from now on."
Weiss stiffened. "Please don't."
"Too late. It's happening. Really, you should have told us about the ice Dust thing sooner. 'Ice Queen' suits you much better than 'Princess'."
Weiss couldn't help it. She let out a very unladylike groan to which Yang snickered. Ruby's tail started stirring up the air again as she looked between Weiss and Yang, grinning happily for some reason.
Well, at least one of us is amused, Weiss thought grouchily, but the mood didn't last long—not when it was so glaringly obvious that Yang was just teasing her and Ruby was, well, being Ruby.
Honestly, Weiss was glad to see it, and some of the tension she didn't even realize she felt bled away. She'd been noticing more and more that Ruby had that effect on her, though she hadn't quite pinpointed why just yet.
Ever since the three of them had left Treline, Ruby had been subdued as though she had a dark cloud lingering over her. The girl tried to hide it, but both Yang and Weiss could tell something was off. Her smiles were somehow less bright, her lupine ears slower to perk up, and her tail's wagging was half-hearted at best. The girl's mood had only picked up after she had finished washing, trimming, and resewing the hem on her new crimson cloak.
And, Weiss supposed, after Yang had stepped in.
The first thing Yang did was produce a beautifully wrought cloak pin seemingly out of nowhere to go with Ruby's new cloak—her gift for her little sister's sixteenth birthday. Weiss had to grudgingly admit that it was a lovely piece of metalwork. The cloak pin had been forged to look like a twisting vine that sprouted a lifelike silver leaf on one end and bloomed into a silver rose on the other. Yang had apparently won it in an arm wrestling contest with a metalsmith at one of the bars she had visited while they were in Treline.
If a part of Weiss felt grumpy for possibly being shown up, she stubbornly ignored it. It wasn't like they were competing for Ruby's…something. Goodwill? Happiness? No, neither of those sounded quite right. Weiss frowned, trying to figure out what exactly she was feeling but to no avail, forcing her to put it aside for another day.
The other thing Yang did was lift Ruby's running and hunting ban, though she kept the scouting ban in place for now. The girl had definitely perked up then, and the next day, she pinned her new cloak on, grabbed her bow and arrows, and darted away as soon as they were on the road to try to catch something for that night's supper. As soon as the girl was gone, Yang told Weiss that the exercise would help Ruby recenter herself. Weiss, in turn, finally confided to Yang what had happened in Treline now that Ruby was out of earshot. Yang had quietly patted her shoulder in thanks before walking on ahead.
All that had happened a day ago.
Today, their routine had shifted at Weiss's behest. If Weiss was going to get any stronger, she had to learn to use her Semblance more effectively, and she hoped the sisters would be able to help her since they were obviously comfortable and well-practiced with their own. Yang and Ruby were quick to agree so they decided to start setting up camp earlier to give them more time in the evenings to train Weiss.
Now she was starting to regret asking them for help.
"You want me to do what?" Weiss asked incredulously.
Yang repeated patiently, "Your goal is to score a hit on Ruby."
"You want me to attack your sister," Weiss stated flatly.
"Yep!"
Weiss glanced at Ruby who didn't seem even remotely worried at the prospect of getting run through by a rapier.
"That sounds like a horrible idea."
Yang's eyebrow quirked up. "You've never sparred against a person before?"
"Of course I have! But…" But this was different. This was Ruby. What if she hurt her?
"Look, Ice Queen—"
"Don't call me that!"
Yang ignored her as always. "—I promise you Ruby can handle anything you can dish out. She's fast with great reflexes, she's smart, she's got good instincts, and she was hand-trained by our Uncle Qrow."
"You say that as if it's supposed to mean something," Weiss said with a frown.
"It does. Our Uncle Qrow isn't above playing dirty when the situation calls for it. He'll pull out a knife in a fist fight and throw punches and kicks in a swordfight, and he trained Ruby to do the same. Thankfully, she's never had to go that far in a real fight, but it still means that she's hard to catch off-guard while still being unpredictable herself."
Weiss just stared at the older woman uncertainly.
Up until now, Yang had been surprisingly methodical when it came to training. Before starting anything else, Yang had Weiss undergo a series of basic skill tests to see what she could do and what she already knew. The first few tests had been relatively easy.
Ruby sacrificed some of their dried beans and one of their towels to make some bean-filled sacks at Yang's request, and the two of them took turns throwing them at Weiss at varying speeds to see how quickly and accurately she could put up her defensive Glyphs. Weiss was quick enough but wasted Aura by making her Glyphs larger than they had to be because she worried too much about getting hit. Yang told Weiss straight out that since she didn't have as much Aura as the sisters, she had to be more efficient in how she expended it. That meant working on her accuracy and precision so that she could do the same thing with a smaller Glyph. They also had her throw up defensive Glyphs while moving, either walking or running, and it was clear to all of them that she was going to need a lot more practice with the latter.
Yang then tested the strength of Weiss's Glyphs by throwing out a series of increasingly powerful Aura-laden punches against them, but she said the test wasn't very useful in the long run. Just because Weiss could throw up a powerful defensive Glyph now didn't mean she'd be able to do the same thing in the heat of battle when she might be unprepared or distracted.
They also tested her acceleration abilities. Yang had gone around the field they were using for training and burned several circles into the grass using her Semblance. Somehow she had enough control to avoid setting the entire field of dry autumn grass on fire while she did so. It was quite impressive.
Ruby showed she was equally impressive. When they had Weiss use her acceleration Glyphs to dart from one circle to another at random, she soon realized that it was much harder to stop exactly where she wanted when moving at such high speeds. She was always off by several feet, either because she stopped too soon or too late. How much training and practice had Ruby gone through to be able to use her speed Semblance so masterfully?
The answer was apparently quite a lot. Much to Ruby's obvious dismay and mortification, Yang regaled Weiss with stories of Ruby tripping over her own feet and running headfirst into trees and walls when she was first trying to get used to her Semblance. It made Weiss feel slightly better, and she wondered for a moment if Yang had intentionally shared the tales for that very reason—to cheer up an increasingly frustrated Weiss.
"Look," Yang said at last, "if it'll make you feel better, we'll change this to a game of tag. But really, there's nothing to worry about as long as you two keep your defensive Auras up. And you can always blunt the edge of your blade with Aura so that it can't cut or stab anything if you're really worried."
Yes, but Weiss still didn't want to point her blade at Ruby, Aura-blunted or not. "Tag?" she asked, not recognizing the game.
Yang just stared at her. "We really need to start teaching you games and how to have fun, Ice Queen."
"Please stop calling me that."
"Tag is a simple game where one person is 'it' and has to try to tag or touch the other players. There are different versions of the game, but most common one is the one where the first person who gets tagged becomes the new 'it' and the game starts over. This time however, the game'll end once you manage to tag Ruby—if you manage to tag her, that is."
That conversation had ended a while ago, long enough ago that Yang had moved away to start cooking supper.
"Ruby...get...back here!" Weiss gasped out, fighting to catch her breath as Ruby slipped away from her outstretched hand yet again. The girl wasn't even using her Semblance!
"Uh, Weiss? The point of the game is for her not to get caught," Yang commented from the sidelines as she tossed some shredded amaranth leaves and stalks into the pot simmering over the fire. Weiss's stomach growled fiercely at the smell of food—rabbit soup if the rabbit Ruby had brought back to camp earlier was any indication. "The faster you tag Ruby, the sooner we can eat," the woman added unhelpfully.
"Well, if she would just hold still for a moment—!" Weiss summoned an acceleration Glyph to dart at the red-cloaked girl, only for her to sidestep, and Weiss ended up half a field away from her. Weiss collapsed where she stood, her legs no longer wanting to support her and her lungs begging for air.
She lay there gasping, staring up at the cloud-dotted sky, wondering what she had done wrong in life for her to end up here participating in this torture. Yang said that this "tag" was some sort of game? Weiss wanted to find the fool who had invented it, give them a piece of her mind, and perhaps even introduce them to the business end of her rapier.
"Hey, don't do that." Yang appeared out of nowhere, bent down, and pulled Weiss back to her feet as though she weighed nothing. "Walk around. It's better for your muscles." Yang handed her a canteen which Weiss started drinking from greedily. Yang gave her a minute but soon nudged her, reminding her to keep moving. She did so reluctantly, her legs wobbling with every step.
Yang ambled alongside her. When Weiss thought to check, she saw Ruby had traded places with Yang and was now stirring the pot.
"You're being too straightforward," Yang said without preamble. "You're never going to catch Ruby if you don't change things up from time to time. You've got more than just your acceleration Glyphs. Why aren't you using them?"
Weiss blinked. "Wouldn't that be cheating since Ruby doesn't have anything but her speed Semblance?"
Yang was already shaking her head. "Did I ever say you couldn't use them?"
"Well no, but…"
"That's right. Think about it; if Ruby was a Grimm or someone who was after you, would you be worried about rules? It doesn't matter how you manage it. You just need to tag her once, and you're done. Obviously facing her head on isn't working, so what else can you do? How can you use what you know to get what you want?"
Weiss frowned, thinking.
"Here's a hint. One of the things Uncle Qrow always told us growing up is that combat is a lot more than learning how to throw a punch or swing a sword. It's about reading your opponent, thinking and adapting as needed, and trying to stay several steps ahead of them. People like patterns and once they find one that works, they tend to stick to it. You've been going at Ruby the same way all this time, and she's been mostly reacting the same way. Now, how can you take advantage of that?"
With that, Yang called Ruby back out to the field, and Weiss once again found herself facing the red-cloaked girl.
Patterns…
This time Weiss focused less on managing her Semblance and more on Ruby's reactions, and she realized Yang was right. Ruby had a tendency to dodge to the left—well, her right and Weiss's left—whenever Weiss tried using her acceleration Glyphs.
Yang said I could use my Semblance to its fullest. Let's see if I can catch Ruby unawares.
Weiss ran towards Ruby and when she was nearly six feet away, she pretended to create an acceleration Glyph—when in actuality, it was a simple platform Glyph—both as a distraction and an attempt to fool the other girl. At the same time, she threw up three defensive Glyphs around Ruby to box her in so she couldn't dodge.
Almost there...only three feet left...two feet...
Weiss allowed her lips to curve up triumphantly as she drew close enough to see the surprise in Ruby's eyes. Then Weiss's triumph abruptly died when the girl suddenly grinned.
Weiss watched in shock as the girl leapt from the ground to the defensive Glyph on her right, kicked off it, and used her momentum to clear the top of the Glyph on her left, effectively freeing herself before Weiss could reach her. It was like watching a squirrel leaping from one tree trunk to another. Wasn't Ruby supposed to be a wolf Faunus? Wolves shouldn't be able to do that!
Weiss hurriedly dispelled her wall-like Glyphs before she accidentally collided with them and turned to face her opponent yet again. Her eyes narrowed. Ruby was bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet with that wide grin still on her face.
Was she...gloating?
It didn't seem in character for her, but Weiss didn't know how else to explain why the girl was suddenly so happy. Her jaw tightened at the thought, and she squared her shoulders. She would tag Ruby even if it took all evening.
Weiss launched herself forward with an actual acceleration Glyph, noting that the girl sidestepped left again.
Ruby's movements were always beautifully efficient. She always moved just enough to get clear and no more, and now that Weiss was actually paying attention, she recognized the sidestep as the one Ruby had used against a Beowolf once. It had risen on its hind legs to bash her with its powerful forelimbs. Ruby had dodged and in the same movement, left a deep gash across the creature's stomach, practically eviscerating it. Then the girl had blown past the beast to face off against another opponent.
Sidestep (or dodge), strike, and reposition. That was Ruby's basic style of fighting, and it was extremely effective for facing off against multiple opponents. Or even against a noble whose fighting style was decidedly linear. Weiss paled upon realizing that if Ruby had her sword, the noble would have been sliced to ribbons by now if the girl had managed to land a hit every time Weiss missed her.
Weiss pushed that thought away. It wasn't useful at the moment though it did prove to her that Yang was right about her straightforwardness in battle. It was yet another thing she would have to work on.
Weiss eyed Ruby as she tried to catch her breath.
Her Glyph trap might have worked if the girl hadn't proven herself to be part squirrel. Weiss was certain that if her opponent had been anyone else, she would have been able to get that tag. And at the very least, Ruby had been caught off-guard, if only for a moment.
Weiss remembered how Ruby had launched herself off Weiss's Glyphs, and a plan started forming in the back of her mind. She took a deep breath. Her timing and aim would have to be perfect, and she wouldn't get a second chance.
The noble threw herself forward, summoning defensive Glyphs at random, creating obstacles just to keep Ruby on her toes. The girl nimbly danced around every one, but it was clear she was paying more attention now. Good. Weiss kept it up for another seven seconds before finally executing her plan.
When it was time, Weiss summoned one last acceleration Glyph and blasted forward. Ruby dodged left, as expected, but Weiss was already executing the second part of her strategy. She summoned a defensive Glyph in front of her, used her Aura to help her flip in the air so that she landed on it feet first, and kicked off it like Ruby had done earlier, planning to catch the girl from behind.
The good news was that it worked.
The bad news was that Weiss used a little too much Aura to boost her kick, so she ended up slamming into Ruby with a full-body tackle. A painful "oof" made its way out of Weiss as she caught Ruby in the side, and the two of them hit the ground, tumbling head over heels.
Weiss found herself face up for the second time that day, staring up at the darkening sky as her head spun. Next time I need to think of a proper landing strategy before launching myself like that, Weiss thought dizzily as she struggled to sit up straight.
Then a surge of worry washed over her. She hadn't meant to hit Ruby that hard! "Ruby?"
Weiss glanced around frantically and found Ruby several feet away, lying on her back. Weiss pushed herself to her knees and then her feet just as Ruby sat up. The noble blinked in surprise.
Why was Ruby smiling? And her tail was wagging.
Weiss flinched as Ruby bounced up from the ground in one smooth motion like she hadn't just been slammed into with an Aura-boosted tackle, and suddenly grabbed Weiss by the hands, spinning her around like one of those springtime dances Weiss had seen painted on the walls in one of the sitting rooms at another noble's manor.
"Good job, Weiss!" Yang said as she walked up to them with a wide smile on her face. "You did it!"
Weiss's mouth fell open in astonishment. She had just sent Ruby, Yang's precious little sister, sprawling and Yang was telling her that she did a good job?
Yang, of course, had already turned her attention to Ruby. The older sister ruffled Ruby's hair affectionately. "She got you good, didn't she? Maybe you're losing your edge."
Ruby pouted up at Yang. Her hands flew as she signed some sort of message, and she stuck her tongue out at her sister playfully. Her tail hadn't stopped wagging in the slightest.
It took Weiss several seconds to fully process Yang's words. Then she looked from Ruby's bubbly demeanor to Yang's grin, and suddenly it hit her. Ruby hadn't been gloating earlier. She'd simply been excited. She'd been happy that Weiss was trying new approaches—that Weiss wasn't giving up. It had never been about winning or losing. It had been about watching Weiss try to succeed. Even Yang was pleased with Weiss's success.
Both sisters had been cheering for her all along.
A strange warmth filled Weiss's chest, and her eyes stung. She hadn't felt this cared for since Klein had been forced to leave the castle and Winter had left with General Ironwood to get away from their father.
What was even more disconcerting? These two sisters had no obligation to care for Weiss. Neither of them was a blood relative or an employed servant, and yet they still took pleasure in Weiss's success. They were proud of her. They didn't look at how long it had taken for her to succeed or all the times she had failed that evening like her father would have; all they cared about was that she did succeed in the end, and that was all that mattered to them.
It was so...nice.
"Hey, you alright there?" Yang voice broke into her thoughts.
"Yes...o-of course. I'm fine." Weiss did her best to hide the slight tremor in her words, but she wasn't sure how well she succeeded.
Ruby's tail had finally slowed, and her lupine ears sank as she looked on, her concern clear.
"Really. I'm fine." Weiss straightened her shoulders and lifted her head to prove it. "Next time, I'll do even better."
That did the trick, and Ruby's tail picked up again. The girl nodded, smiling, and gave her a thumbs up.
"Of course you will," Yang said. "After all, you've got one of the best combat instructors helping you out. Used to help Uncle Qrow work with the Riders all the time to keep them sharp."
Weiss couldn't help it. She snorted. "Of course. And she's humble as well."
Yang grinned, unabashedly. "Yep! Now, come on. Let's eat." Yang turned and headed back to their camp, presumably to start dishing their meal out.
Ruby remained with Weiss, her head tilting to the side questioningly. By now, Weiss knew what the girl was asking. Ready to go?
Weiss gestured for her to lead the way, and together they headed for the river to get cleaned up before supper.
Alright, Weiss. Today's the day. You're going to do it. You're going to ask her.
Weiss fought the urge to start pacing again as she tried to figure out just how she should approach finally offering to teach Ruby how to read and write. It shouldn't even be this difficult and yet somehow, it was.
The three of them had settled into a new routine after that first evening of Weiss's Semblance and combat training. They traded off. If Weiss and Ruby were training together, then Yang was on camp duty. If Yang and Ruby were training, then it was up to Weiss to set up camp, build the campfire, and cook supper. Every fourth day, they took a break from group training to either work on their individual skills or rest, depending on how they felt that day.
Yang turned out to be a wonderfully patient teacher. Better yet, she didn't treat Weiss like she was an idiot, unlike some of her former instructors who felt a girl didn't belong on the battlefield. She gave Weiss the tools and hints she needed to succeed, and let her figure things out on her own instead of treating her like she couldn't think.
That first game of tag with Ruby, for instance. Yes, it had been an exercise to show Weiss the strengths and weaknesses of her Glyphs, but it had also been so much more. It had been a lesson on thinking outside the box—of not giving up even when things didn't seem to be working—something Weiss hadn't realized until later that night when she started reflecting on everything.
Better yet, Yang was surprisingly creative in keeping training sessions fresh, always changing things, forcing everyone to practice a new or different skill set so that none of them got complacent. Many of her ideas had seemed silly or pointless at first, but as time went on, Weiss slowly started to see the practical applications of their training sessions.
For instance, one time Yang had Weiss tie a ribbon around her arm, and her goal was to protect it. She could use her Semblance (excluding her platform Glyphs) but no weapons, simulating being in one of the larger, more populated cities, many of which had strict weapon-bearing laws. (Weiss's home city, for example, disallowed the bearing of arms within the city unless one was a noble, was part of local law enforcement, had a Huntsman or Huntress license, or had paid for a temporary permit. A small dagger or eating knife was fine, but any commoner or merchant caught carrying anything larger without a permit faced fines and possible jail-time.)
That exercise had been difficult. Weiss had managed to fend off Yang most of the time by using her greater agility to stay just out of reach, but Ruby was able to get the ribbon every single time. The girl was just too fast, even without her Semblance.
Another time, Yang had Weiss create platform Glyphs so each of the sisters could get used to running across them and leaping from one platform to another. Then she had Weiss start throwing the beanbags at them while still maintaining her Glyphs. The sisters, in turn, had to catch the beanbags and toss them back without losing momentum. Weiss could only imagine the kind of future combat strategies the three of them could pull off once they mastered the skills of that particular training exercise.
Once again, Weiss was forced to see Yang with new eyes. For all her teasing and irreverence, there was far more to Yang than Weiss would have ever thought. It was no wonder that Ruby was so attached to her older sister. One would have to be blind not to see how much time and thinking Yang put into their training sessions—how much effort she was putting into trying to give them the skills to keep themselves and each other safe—how much she simply cared for all of them, even Weiss.
Even if it wasn't a group training day for Yang, she still kept an eye on Weiss and Ruby from afar, giving them advice whenever they seemed to be struggling. Well, whenever Weiss seemed to be struggling. As far as Weiss could tell, there wasn't much for Ruby to work on outside of her hand-to-hand combat skills. Weiss still couldn't believe how nearly all of Ruby's skill and grace just vanished whenever Yang took away her weapons. It made Weiss feel better, knowing that even someone as skilled as Ruby wasn't perfect. That was the thought that reminded her of what Yang had said to her back at the ravine.
"You know what might help?...Basically, your problem is that all you can see are all the things she can do that you can't, right? So why don't you teach her something you can do but she can't? That way you can feel like you're on equal-footing...Ruby doesn't know how to read and write...I think she'd be happy if you offered to teach her."
It had been a great idea except Weiss kept putting it off. First, it was because Ruby had been bedridden and unable to move. Then both Weiss and Yang wanted the girl to focus on her health and recovering. After that, their visit to Treline happened, and then more recently, their organized group training sessions had started up.
Life had been one thing after another, and on top of all that, Weiss was still working on improving her attitude. She was getting better, she thought, but there was no way she would have been able to shed a lifetime of always assuming the worst of people in only a few short weeks. She still had moments like during that first game of tag where her mind betrayed her and automatically made her think the worst, no matter how hard she tried not to.
And yet the sisters were so patient with her, even with her occasional lapses in attitude. She didn't deserve it at all.
Teaching Ruby to read and write would be a way to pay at least one of the sisters back, but now that Weiss was about to make the offer, she was second-guessing herself again. What if she was a horrible teacher? She knew best just how impatient she could be. And would Ruby even be interested? If she wasn't, what then? Or what if she only agreed for the sake of humoring Weiss?
That's enough, Weiss ordered herself before she got caught in the never-ending spiral of what-ifs.
She took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and forced herself to walk in the direction she had seen Ruby wander off in only moments before. It was time to stop stalling and just get this over with, regardless of the outcome. Offer first, and then worry about everything else. If she didn't do it today, it would be another three days before they had a day off from training, and Ruby might be busy then. Weiss had to ask now while they were still settling into their new routines to ensure Ruby set aside a block of time strictly for reading and writing. Otherwise, it'd be impossible to catch her due to her penchant for wandering in and out of camp without warning.
Checking the perimeter, Yang called it, though later she explained it was a habit born of Ruby's nervousness from being around strangers. Their Uncle Qrow had given Ruby the task of "checking the perimeter," not only because her Faunus senses ensured she'd be able to pick up on any unusual activity around the campsite even in the dark of night, but also because it gave her an excuse to leave camp whenever other people got to be a little too much for her. More importantly, it allowed Ruby to get away without advertising just how nervous strangers made her. Not all of their employers had been upstanding people, Yang told Weiss with a dark look in her eyes, and some of them would have had no qualms with taking advantage of a young girl's timid nature had they known about it. Weiss had felt her own flush of anger towards those miscreants upon hearing Yang's words and had been more than a little relieved to know Yang and the sisters' uncle had been exceedingly vigilant to ensure none of them ever got anywhere near Ruby.
Weiss ended up finding Ruby about two slopes away. Normally, she'd say "two hills away" but these two particular inclines weren't quite steep enough to be considered hills. Ruby was seated on the far side of the second grassy slope, focusing on something in her lap.
Curiosity got the better of Weiss, and she found herself asking, "What are you doing?"
Ruby jumped, clearly not expecting company. Weiss counted it as a victory. Ruby had started teaching her how to move quietly, even through thick vegetation, and Weiss had been practicing a little each day as they traveled. (She pointedly ignored the fact that the wind was blowing towards her, and therefore had carried any sounds she might have made away from Ruby rather than in her direction.)
Ruby glanced over her shoulder, and Weiss blinked, her brow furrowing ever so slightly. Ruby's cheeks were rosier than usual, and her lupine ears were folded down. She was...embarrassed? Why? What happened?
Weiss moved forward slowly, giving Ruby ample time to move away if she chose. She didn't. "What's wrong?" Weiss asked, doing her best to keep her voice soft and gentle.
Ruby's lupine ears flicked back and forth in indecision before she gave Weiss an embarrassed smile and patted the ground next to her. Weiss took the hint and sat down. Now that she was beside the girl rather than behind her, she noticed Ruby's tail was in her lap.
What was she…? Oh.
The corner of Weiss's mouth turned up before she could stop it, earning her a pair of flattened wolf ears and a pout from the small girl next to her. Her smile only widened at the sight. She couldn't help it. She was just so...tickled.
Ruby's beautiful, darkly furred tail was covered with burs and other plant matter—gifts from the last patch of thick vegetation the three of them had waded through earlier. Apparently, Ruby had come out here to comb out her tail and pick the burs out.
Weiss couldn't hold her mirth back any longer. A soft snort of laughter escaped her, which was met with yet another much deeper pout and a darker blush.
"Sorry, sorry," she said, still chuckling, "I'm not trying to make fun of you. It's just—"
She expected such things to happen to a pet dog or cat, not a girl. It made the fact Ruby was a Faunus seem so utterly mundane—seeing that having animal traits, regardless of the keener senses that came with them, might have practical complications like a tail picking up burs.
Ruby surprised Weiss by sticking her tongue out at her, surprising another laugh out of the noble. Oh Dust—she had needed that. A few seconds of unrestrained laughter and suddenly, Weiss felt so much lighter.
Ruby's subsequent grin could only be classified as impish, as if the girl had purposely tried to make Weiss laugh. Then again, maybe she had. It was so strange, but Ruby was always most cheerful after seeing Yang or even Weiss herself smile or laugh.
It was such a foreign concept to Weiss—taking such obvious pleasure in another person's happiness. To do so in her former life had been dangerous. Her father had spies everywhere, and he was always on the lookout for new ways to manipulate people into doing his bidding. Even Winter and Klein had to be careful in public, only showing Weiss affection when they could be sure no one was watching or listening in, and as much as she hated it, Weiss had been forced to do the same.
Reassured that Ruby wasn't actually upset at Weiss for laughing, Weiss extended a hand. "May I help?" (Her offer had, in no way, anything to do with her wanting to finally assuage her curiosity and run her fingers through that silky looking fur.)
A look of surprise crossed Ruby's face before she nodded. She scooted forward a bit and flopped her tail into Weiss's lap. Then she grabbed the bottom of her crimson cloak, and Weiss saw that it, too, had gathered its fair share of burs, leaves, and twigs. Weiss watched briefly as Ruby diligently began picking every leaf, twig, and thorny seed pod out of the cloth, taking care not to damage the weave as she did so. Only then did Weiss turn her attention to the fluffy tail before her.
It was so warm, like someone had draped a toasty blanket over Weiss's lap. She took a moment to assess where the worst of the burs were and soon began her own task, doing her best not to tug too hard lest she hurt Ruby. Weiss may or may not have spent a few seconds every once in a while just combing her fingers through that beautiful fur. She couldn't help it. It really did feel as silky as it looked, and it was just so soft and warm. And Ruby didn't seem to mind at all. If anything, she seemed to be enjoying the attention, judging by the look of contentment on her face. It was very similar to the one Ruby got when Yang ran her fingers through her little sister's hair or rubbed her wolf ears.
Alas, all good things had to come to an end, and Weiss eventually ran out of burs to remove. Still, she didn't make any attempt to move Ruby's tail from her lap, and when Ruby didn't pull it away, Weiss continued running her fingers through her fur, choosing to enjoy the moment for as long as it lasted. Who knew if she'd ever get a second chance after all.
A companionable silence fell upon the two of them as Ruby continued to work.
At last, Ruby picked the last leaf from her cloak and straightened the garment so that it fanned out behind her like it was supposed to. Then, she turned to Weiss and did something Weiss couldn't have prepared herself for in a hundred years.
Ruby gave her a shy smile, leaned forward, and nuzzled Weiss's shoulder with her cheek.
Weiss sat frozen in shock as a strange sense of warmth immediately started spreading from that brief point of contact to her chest and then to her face. She suspected that her cheeks were turning pink, if not altogether red.
Ruby was still smiling when she pulled away, but her smile quickly faded and her lupine ears began to droop when she saw Weiss's face.
Oh.
Weiss tried to school her expression, but it didn't seem to help. Ruby was shrinking back into herself, and uncertainty rapidly crept into the smaller girl's face and body language. Ruby's dimming expression made Weiss feel as though someone had put out the sun, and she found that she didn't like it at all.
You're the one who didn't want Ruby to ever have to hold back or hide herself away around you. Do something!
Weiss gave herself a hard mental shake and choked out the first thing that came to mind. "You're welcome."
She didn't know how or why, but for some reason she felt that the intimate gesture Ruby had given her—that nuzzle—had been a simple yet emphatic message: Thank you. Why helping the girl comb out her tail had elicited such a powerful display of gratitude, Weiss didn't know, but judging by the way Ruby's wolf ears lifted at her words, Weiss must have guessed correctly. She had to capitalize on this.
Awkwardly, she fumbled for Ruby's hand and gave it a squeeze like Ruby had done for her so many times before. "Really. It's fine. In fact, if you ever need any assistance again in the future for this sort of thing, I'd be more than willing to help."
Ruby's tail slowly started waving back and forth, and her face brightened a bit. The noble gave an internal sigh of relief that she'd managed to prevent Ruby from pulling back and closing herself off.
But she wasn't done yet. Ruby's lupine ears were still at half-mast so Weiss knew she needed to give the girl one last push—one last show of sincerity to quell any lingering insecurities.
Think, Weiss! Think!
The memory of watching Yang, time and time again, ruffling her little sister's hair and rubbing those wolf ears of hers, and seeing the girl's comforted expression afterwards flashed through Weiss's mind.
Touch. Physical contact.
Ruby couldn't speak so maybe that was why she was so...so physically affectionate. She couldn't use words to express herself so perhaps she tried to make up for it through touch? And if touch was one of the ways she communicated, then it only made sense why she seemed to take so much comfort and pleasure whenever someone offered physical affection back.
Maybe…
Hesitantly, Weiss lifted her hand and started to extend it towards Ruby's head, but her doubts caused her to stop short. What if her hypothesis was wrong? What if Ruby only accepted such intimate gestures from her beloved older sister and no one else? What if...
—Bump.
While Weiss had been caught in indecision, Ruby took the decision away from her. Ruby leaned forward, closing the last of the distance between Weiss's hand and her head, and bumped Weiss's palm with the top of her head. Weiss couldn't help but think of a puppy nudging someone's hand, asking to be petted. Still, Ruby wasn't a puppy, her lupine Faunus traits notwithstanding. Weiss had to be sure.
"...May I?"
Ruby nodded, her silver eyes as soft and open as ever.
So Weiss gave into the other urge she'd had more than once since discovering the girl's Faunus traits and gently stroked Ruby's wolf ears. The girl's eyes closed in pleasure, and her tail started thumping the ground rapidly enough that Weiss could feel the vibrations. Ruby's reaction sent a wave of warmth and wonder through Weiss. Wonder that anyone would...well...enjoy Weiss's company and awkward affection.
Ruby's lupine ears turned out to be incredibly warm and were even softer than her tail. They might even be softer than velvet, Weiss mused.
Weiss allowed herself to enjoy the sensation for a moment longer than necessary, mostly because she was almost certain Ruby wouldn't mind, before finally pulling away. Ruby opened her eyes and smiled as widely as ever. Her tail flicked rapidly from side to side, putting any of Weiss's lingering fears to rest.
"Thank you," Weiss said. She couldn't quite hold back the smile on her own face. Then she took a deep breath, belatedly remembering her original objective and why she was here. A rush of nerves returned. "I actually came out here to speak to you about something."
Ruby tilted her head questioningly.
"A while ago Yang...she...mentioned to me that you don't know how to read or write, and...well...I was wondering if perhaps you were interested in learning." There. She finally said it.
Weiss glanced nervously at Ruby, only to see the girl's eyes widen and her mouth part in surprise.
Then the girl nodded. Once. Twice. And then she kept nodding, a smile spreading across her face, stretching from ear to ear.
Weiss let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She straightened, trying to get her bearings back. "Alright then. We'll start as soon as you're ready. Perhaps...tonight?"
Another ecstatic nod and Ruby suddenly jumped to her feet. Unfortunately, she seemed to have forgotten that she had been seated on a slope and nearly slipped and tumbled to the bottom.
"Be careful!" Weiss screeched out as she quickly reached up to help steady the girl.
Ruby gave her an abashed smile, to which Weiss huffed. Weiss stood and dusted herself off.
"Come on. Let's walk back and decide the specifics back at camp." No sooner did the words leave Weiss's mouth than Ruby started bolting away. "I said walk!"
Yang watched quietly, pretending to be reorganizing her pack as Ruby and Weiss sat by the campfire, their heads bowed over Ruby's small slate. It was the one Ruby used to draw pictures when she needed to explain something particularly complicated to someone or when she needed Yang to get something in town that she didn't have a hand sign for. Now, she was using it to learn to write. She and Weiss had taken to studying every evening after supper. They had already made it through the first six big letters of the alphabet, and Weiss was showing her the next five.
Watching the two of them filled Yang with a plethora of conflicting feelings.
On the one hand, she was proud of her baby sister. Ruby had come so far within the last few weeks. No longer was she spending every minute nervous and tense due to having Weiss around. Ruby was relaxing. She was smiling more. She was acting silly again. She was being, well, Ruby—the real Ruby—the one that before, only Yang and their Uncle Qrow would have gotten to see. But now that Ruby was showing up more and more even though Weiss was with them.
It was so nice to see Ruby stepping out and broadening her comfort zone. She was finally, truly moving forward. Sure, her progress was probably only going to be around Weiss for now, and the moment she met a new stranger, Yang was pretty positive that she'd retreat back into her shell, but even if her comfort zone only extended to Weiss, it was still just such a huge step for her. For the first time ever, she was branching out. She was blooming.
Ruby was growing up, and as wonderful as it was to see, it was also so bittersweet.
Yang could feel her insecurities start to trickle in, eroding open the cracks she usually kept covered up and out of sight. It was good that Ruby was learning to connect with Weiss—that she was finally making friends on her own—but somehow Yang couldn't help but feel a little forlorn like she was being left behind.
Which was silly, because Yang knew how much Ruby loved her. Knew that there was more love and affection in that little body of hers than should be physically possible, and that a good portion of it would always be reserved for Yang. It was in the way Ruby kept an eye on their things, always fixing frayed or worn items before Yang even realized they needed fixing. It was in the way she went hunting every single day because she knew Yang didn't feel quite satisfied without having some meat for supper. It was in the way she'd always smile and open up around Yang (or Uncle Qrow) when she remained nervous around everyone else.
And yet just because Ruby had been spending a little more time with Weiss recently, Yang was starting to feel lonely, which in turn, made her feel guilty. Ruby getting to know other people was a good thing. Yang should be happy for her. Ecstatic even—especially considering the fact that Yang and Uncle Qrow had been worried for the longest time that Ruby would never, ever be alright around strangers. But here she was doing better than ever.
Ruby was even alright with touching Weiss. That was huge. Yang could count on one hand the number of people Ruby would reach out to of her own volition. As much as Ruby loved physical affection, strangers freaked her out. She might accept the occasional hug from someone like Grandma Lily or one of their honorary uncles in the Riders back in Patch, but she never initiated contact. Not anymore. Not after those monsters took and hurt her. But Yang had seen Ruby initiate contact with Weiss more than once. Ruby had even hugged the noble when she got that red cloak for her birthday.
Yang sent another glance over at the other two and felt another pang of guilt—an older one that she'd forgotten about until recently. Yang should have been the one teaching Ruby to read, not Weiss. That was her job, her duty as Ruby's older sister. True, she wasn't the best reader or writer herself, but she could have at least taught Ruby the basics. But she had shirked it—told herself she was too busy and it wasn't a skill that Ruby needed to learn right away—when in truth, Yang had just been scared. Scared that if Ruby learned to read and write, she might consider following after their parents' footsteps and become a Huntress.
It hadn't been a conscious decision on Yang's part, to not teach Ruby to read or write. It was just that there were other things that needed to be done. Firewood to be chopped and bundled up for sale. Laundry to be washed and hung to dry. Jerky that needed to be checked on periodically while Ruby was out hunting game for the next batch. A cabin that needed to be swept and tidied. And Ruby was always busy too, so Yang never got around to asking her if she wanted to learn and eventually it just slipped from her mind.
Yang didn't actually know if Ruby wanted to become a Huntress or not; she'd never asked, and she didn't really want to find out because that might make her worries real. Right now, they were still a nebulous thing that she could pretend didn't exist, and she'd rather keep them that way.
Of course, it hadn't mattered in the end. A life of fighting off Grimm found them whether Yang liked it or not. Neither of the sisters were going to leave their uncle hanging if he needed someone to watch his back on a Grimm hunt, and that's how it all started. Not that he'd asked the first time, or even the second or third time. He was like Yang. He didn't want the girls anywhere near danger, but when the Chief Rider in Patch went behind Uncle Qrow's back and personally asked if Yang would accompany him on a particularly dangerous hunt, there was no way she'd say no. And of course, one hunt led to another, and then there was that time when Grandma Lily had been away visiting her sister so Ruby had to come with them on that Alpha Ursa hunt. And after Ruby had taken down over half that pack of Beowolves all on her own at the tender age of thirteen, no less, there was no keeping her away from the battlefield. She was just too skilled, and as much as Yang hated to admit it, Ruby was never more alive, confident, and poised than when she was fighting Grimm. It was like she was born to fight them, and it worried Yang more than she cared to admit.
But thinking like that was wrong. Taking away Ruby's choices was wrong. Not teaching Ruby a useful skill just because Yang was afraid was wrong. Yang knew that, so when Weiss seemed to be struggling with consolidating Ruby's age with her level of skill, the suggestion for Weiss to teach Ruby to read and write just sort of popped out.
Now Yang found herself wishing she'd gotten over herself a lot sooner so that she could be the one bring that sparkle to Ruby's eyes and that smile to her face. Seriously, if Yang had known learning to read and write would make Ruby this happy, she would have started teaching her years ago. Nothing was more important to her than Ruby's health, safety, and happiness. Nothing. Yang's fears and insecurities could take a hike if it meant Ruby would be happy.
Yang gave a sigh as she closed up her pack and moved it away. She needed to do better.
A flicker of movement caused her to look up. She straightened, immediately shoving her melancholy and worries out of sight and out of mind.
"Hey Ruby."
Ruby gave Yang a wave as her tail wagged, the movement casting dancing shadows across the ground thanks to the campfire.
Yang glanced around. "Where's Weiss? Weren't you two studying?"
She went to train some more, Ruby signed and then pointed in the direction of that day's makeshift training field.
Yang turned to look and sure enough, she saw the pale white glow of Weiss's Glyphs blinking in and out of existence. She must be practicing with her acceleration Glyphs again.
"She's getting better everyday," Yang mused aloud.
Working with Weiss had been interesting, to say the least. The noble was skilled and smart, but she seemed to lack flexibility. It was like someone had taught her there was one way and one way only to do things, and it showed. She was getting better though. Once Yang introduced an idea or concept to her, the noble positively ran with it and even started thinking up new variations to test out on her own. It was like someone had to give her permission to be creative, and it hurt Yang to think of why she thought that way. Undoubtedly that sucky father of hers had something to do with it.
Ruby nodded solemnly in response to Yang's words.
That was when Yang noticed something was amiss. Ruby wasn't quite fidgeting, but it was clear something was on her mind.
Yang's eyes softened, and she tilted her head in such a way that it sent Ruby a wordless message: I'm here. Whenever you're ready, I'll be here to listen. The two of them had been together for so long that they didn't always need words to communicate when it came to little things like this.
It helped Ruby break free from the last of her indecision. Her shoulders uncoiled, and her tail waved slowly from side to side. She shot a glance over to where Weiss was still practicing before finally signing hesitantly, Hug?
Which really translated to: Can we cuddle?
Instantly, Yang's heart filled with a mixture of love, warmth, and sadness. Love and warmth because obviously, the one day Yang let herself get dragged down by her heavier thoughts, Ruby would come and shine a light on her, reminding her of the good things in her life. Sadness because Yang knew exactly why Ruby was hesitating, and she hated that there were people out there who would cause Ruby to doubt herself.
She and Ruby had accepted a request to guide a group of travelers from Patch to a town about three days away. They were mercantile scouts looking for new possible trade routes and thus were unfamiliar with the area. Unfortunately, apparently one of the scouts hadn't heard that their escorts were a pair of sisters and since Yang and Ruby didn't look anything alike, the woman assumed otherwise and saw it fit to tell them it was wrong for two grown women to sleep together when she saw them sharing a bedroll in the morning. In actuality, it hadn't been a good night for Ruby and when her latest nightmare forced her to wake up trembling in cold sweat, she'd crawled into Yang's bedroll for warmth and comfort like she always did.
Yang had been two seconds away from decking the woman, taking Ruby home, and leaving the scouts to fend for themselves. Only the profuse apologies from the other scouts and Ruby's insistence that they couldn't just abandon them in the middle of nowhere stopped her. Yang had taken Ruby aside to tell her that everything the stupid woman had said was absolute drivel, but the damage had already been done. Now, even when Yang knew Ruby could use a hug or a cuddle, Ruby wouldn't ask for one unless she knew the two of them were alone. Ruby kept holding herself back, and Yang hated that she felt like she needed to. It was torture waking up in the morning and seeing Ruby's empty, disheveled bedroll, fully aware that it meant her precious baby sister had just passed another sleepless night all by herself when there was no real reason for her to have to suffer alone like that.
"Of course, Ruby. You don't ever have to ask."
Yang opened her arms, and soon she had a cuddly Ruby in her lap. Ruby turned herself sideways and pressed her ear against Yang's chest, as she often did. She'd told Yang once that she liked listening to Yang's heartbeat, for whatever reason. Yang had wondered more than once if it was a Faunus thing or if it was simply a Ruby thing.
Yang wrapped one arm around Ruby to give her more support and used the fingers of her other hand to card through her dark tresses, occasionally rubbing her wolf ears. Ruby gave a slight shiver and positively melted into a puddle of happy, content Ruby. Yang pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of her little sister's head and just continued to hold her close.
I missed this, Yang realized. They hadn't had a good cuddle session in a long while, not since Patch. Maybe that's why I was feeling so down earlier. I was running low on Ruby-cuddles.
Yang let Ruby bask in their sisterly companionship for a little while, but she wouldn't be a proper big sister if she didn't check up on her. So after a while, Yang asked, "Everything alright, Cuddlebug?" She hadn't used the nickname in so long. Too long. She ought to bring it back.
Ruby snuggled in closer for a few moments before she gave a soft sigh and pulled away so Yang could see her hands better. I love you, Ruby signed.
"I love you, too," Yang said with a big smile that mirrored Ruby's
Then Ruby grew pensive. When I was out hunting, I noticed there was a group of people, she signed
"People?"
Ruby nodded. Maybe four miles out? And I think four people, but I'd have to get closer to be sure.
Yang frowned and mentally recalled the map she'd been poring over to plan their route. Four miles...would still be along the main road. The Southwest River ran parallel to the road for a time before skirting westward. Perhaps they just happened to leave town at the same time as some other group of people did?
"Which way?" she asked to be certain. Ruby pointed, and Yang relaxed. Yep, that was in the direction of the road. It was probably just a coincidence, but there was no reason not to be cautious.
"Don't approach them for now, Ruby. We don't know what kind of people they might be, and I don't want you facing them alone in case they're the bad sort. For now, just keep track of where they are, and let me know if they get any closer."
Should we tell Weiss? Ruby asked.
Yang shook her head. "She'll just worry and right now, we don't know if it's even something we need to worry about yet."
And if Weiss worried too much, it might call Grimm to them. No, it was better to keep quiet until they were sure.
Ruby nodded in response before leaning in for one last snuggle, to which Yang happily reciprocated. Then Ruby's wolf ears twitched, and she climbed out of Yang's lap and moved away. A minute later, Yang heard footsteps and knew Weiss had returned.
So Ruby had been worried about being too affectionate in front of Weiss, Yang thought as she hid a frown. She was going to have to do something about this. Yang did not want to have to wait for the next time Weiss was occupied to get her Ruby-cuddles.
Her mind worked to come up with a good solution as she outwardly welcomed Weiss back and offered her some tea, reminding the noble the importance of staying hydrated when exercising or working with Aura. Weiss offered her a quiet word of thanks, and they all began preparing to turn in for the night.
A/N:
Soo...a deceptively quiet chapter….What'd you all think? Also, it was probably the fluffiest chapter I've ever written...except it wasn't actually fluff since it's goal was to showcase just how far everyone's relationship has come. Well, Ruby and Weiss's anyways. Yang and Weiss are going to get a different chapter to showcase how their relationship is changing/growing. Hopefully, I can do them justice. As always, thank you for reading, and I'd love to hear what you thought about the chapter so please do leave a comment. :)
P.S.
I don't know if this explanation will ever come up in-story or not, but in case people feel like there's a discrepancy between Ruby giving Weiss a cheek-nuzzle and her being worried if Weiss catches her cuddling/snuggling with Yang; it's all a matter of Ruby's perceptions and experiences.
Cheek-nuzzles are the equivalent of extremely personal hugs for Ruby, and she pretty much only offers them to Yang and Qrow (and now Weiss because Weiss's presence in her life has grown that much.)
Regular nuzzles (that is, ones that involve her nose and mouth) are the same as kisses to her and the only one she offers those to is Yang (as evidenced way back at the end of Chapter 5 when Ruby was trying to comfort Yang).
The physicality of snuggling and cuddling, however, was tainted when the woman mercantile scout spewed her drabble about how two grown women shouldn't share a bedroll, blah blah blah. The woman's harsh reaction caused Ruby to recoil and internalize the belief that she's not supposed to be that physically close to other people, at least in public. She knows brief hugs are okay because she's seen other people do it before, but thanks to her social anxiety (and the fact that she knows her social skills are somewhat lacking), she's hesitant to be the initiator when other people are around unless she's absolutely certain they won't mind.
I hope that made sense to everyone.