Partners in Crime

"Are you worried about the plan?"

After much deliberation and too much legal protests from Weiss, they finally agreed on a plan. There's not much to say after that so the group naturally split and drifted into their own spots in the household.

There's Nora on the sofa pestering Oscar on his new outfit, with Ren giving his own compliments in a much tamer manner. There's Jaune in the kitchen talking with his sister Saphron who seems proud of his ingenious if not criminal idea and his sister-in-law Terra who reluctantly approves its questionably legal methods as well. There's Yang and Blake on the floor playing with baby Adrian as Maria watches over them with a smile. There's Qrow by the stairs looking forlornly at the rest of them.

Then there's Ruby and Weiss on the other sofa. They sat beside each other, knees bumping mostly on Ruby's lack of concept of personal space, or so Weiss reasoned. Weiss has grown used to such contact from her partner and now dare she say, fond of it. She doesn't dare though.

But this wasn't about that. They were discussing something much more distressing.

"What's not to worry about the plan?" She scoffs and ignores the way that Ruby presses closer in concern. She continues, "When we signed up to save the world, I didn't think that criminal activities would be in the job description."

Ruby nods in sympathy. "Does the stealing part bother you that much?" She asks in a tone that implies that she herself isn't that much bothered by it.

It only exasperates Weiss further.

"Oh, no. Of course not. I am definitely not bothered at all," She answers with her voice practically dripping of sarcasm. She adds in one lengthy breath,

"The stealing part doesn't bother me. Nor does the hijacking a tower part bother me. And I am definitely above being bothered over the fact that we are going to become criminals at the end of the day if we're lucky and if we're not, we're going to become criminals behind bars."

Then she looks at her partner with the most deadpan face she's ever had to pull off together with the flattest tone that only the most exasperating of conversations has ever called for.

"So no. I am totally not bothered by this at all."

She thinks that Ruby will finally get the message.

Ruby just stares at her for a few seconds, absorbing her words most likely. She opens her mouth but the words that come out don't match what Weiss had been expecting in her head.

"Oh, okay then."

And just to rub it in, Ruby has the gall to actually make a move to stand up and leave her be. Just like that. It's as if she just didn't unload her woes on this whole plan. The nerve of her!

She pulls her back down beside her albeit much too forcefully and their sides meet with more than just a bump. She hisses, "Seriously? You're just going to leave me after saying all that?"

"Um, yeah?" Ruby looks at her as if she was the unreasonable one. "You did say you weren't bothered so why bother you, right?"

Well that's...

She's not wrong, Weiss supposes.

But that doesn't mean she couldn't have read between the lines!

"You're insufferable." Weiss scowls and shoves her annoyingly logical at the wrong times partner.

She almost laughs at the comical way that Ruby stumbles. Almost. She reminds herself that she's still mad and she wants to be petty. The adorable pout that Ruby wears after isn't helping though.

And oh dear, no. She's doing that puppy dog face, the one with the eyes. Yes, that one. Now Weiss feels like she just kicked a puppy—

An overgrown dolt of a puppy.

"So if all that stuff you just said doesn't bother you, then what does?" Ruby probes with sudden interest, still not letting up her pout.

"Nothing. I already said that I'm not bothered," She huffs. With crossed arms, she turns her head away. That pouting look has more power than Weiss can hope to overcome so it's in her best interest that she doesn't face it.

"No, you are," Ruby insists and pokes her on the cheek. "You're still making that face."

"I do not make that face!" Weiss brushes off the intrusive hand away with a seething scowl.

"Yeah you do." She pokes her again on the same cheek and this time Weiss whips her head to deliver a scathing reprimand only to have the words fail her at the unexpected seriousness she sees in her partner.

It's only then that Weiss realizes that this must be what Ruby had intended all along.

"Is it the part where you basically hand yourself over to them?"

She doesn't respond at first but her non-answers says it all.

She maintains her expression unreadable but she can't say the same for Ruby's. She keeps her gaze on her partner and watches as Ruby's eyes soften. She's too preoccupied by the comforting silver gaze to even notice her partner's hands reach over to cover hers.

She thinks that if she looks close enough, she could see a shine to those eyes that she hasn't put a name on yet.

"Weiss, we've been over this. You're not going in alone."

Ruby reiterates in that same soft tone that she's now come to associate with the word 'promise'.

Specifically, 'Ruby's promise' to her.

With her partner's brightest grin she adds, "Besides, you have Maria with you!"

Weiss' reflexive eyeroll brings her back to the reality of her problems. "Right, because bringing an almost blind old woman to pilot the plane makes me feel so much safer."

"I know she's no Team RWBY but she is on our side." She gives her clasped hands an affectionate squeeze. "And it won't even be for that long. You won't even notice we were gone because before you know it, Team RWBY will be back together at your side!"

"I promise!" Weiss finishes it with Ruby's voice in her head.

Lately she's been hearing Ruby a lot in her head. Back in isolation she had chalked it up to her missing her partner's troublesome company. But now even with her so close, the voice hasn't quite left her in peace. If anything, she even hears it more clearly.

It could get annoying at times because Ruby's voice isn't exactly the voice of reason but more like the brave bordering crazy voice of untested ideas.

But for all those times that Weiss' inner Ruby voice wasn't annoying, it was... reassuring.

Comforting— just like her leader, partner, and best friend had always been for her.

"I know." She lets out a deep and troubled sigh. Lately she feels as though she's been sighing more than breathing. It certainly felt as though their problems kept on piling enough for her to feel this deeply. "I'm just worrying too much about this."

In response, Ruby lightly bumps their shoulders.

"Well that's kinda your job so it's nothing new."

"And since when has what been my job?"

"Since we became partners," She says it so surely that it must be a fact. "That's our thing. My job is to come up with all these crazy plans and your job is to worry over every single detail of my plans."

Weiss frowns. "That doesn't sound like a very helpful job."

"But it is! Plenty helpful!" Ruby practically bounces in her seat and even raises their clasped hands high in joy. "Your job is to keep me in check and make sure the plans aren't too crazy!"

"It's a full time job unfortunately." She tries to at least look disappointed by such a fact but her partner laughs as if she sees right through her ruse. She probably does.

"You know, if I hold my breath long enough, I just might be able to squeeze in with Maria!"

"And where did you hear that painfully wrong advice on how size compression works?" Weiss just shakes her head.

These ideas of her much too creative partner just keep getting crazier with each new one.

"Besides, I don't think you'll fit in anyways as long as Maria is insistent on bringing those cashews of hers. Why she would want to bring a bag with her specifically for this mission, I hope to never understand."

"Yeah, she was pretty..." Ruby's face scrunches as she thinks of the proper word to describe that. "Persuasive about bringing food with her."

Persuasive is putting it lightly. She wasn't just adamant, she was resolute. She practically said, "You either get me and these cashews in that luggage or you'll just be getting emotional baggage from this old woman!"

And who were they to deny a senior citizen's request or rather demand? They weren't monsters.

"She must really like her cashews!"

"Oh, believe me, I do!"

...

That was not a flashback voice as far as Weiss can recall. Beside her, even Ruby seemed surprised by the unexpected to be heard opinion. They both turn their heads toward the third party who wore a grin as wide as her face.

"Were you eavesdropping on us this whole time?" Weiss just had to ask although she could already infer what the answer was.

"Don't flatter yourself too much." Maria scoffs and gestures to the rest of the participating audience. "Practically everyone else can overhear you. If you really wanted privacy then you should have taken this talk outside."

"No! Don't talk outside! I can't hear through glass!" Nora objects without missing a beat...

Which only proves Maria's point that basically everyone else was listening in.

"Nora, what did we talk about respecting other people's privacy?" Ren holds back his too invested girlfriend.

"But Renny! They were just getting to the good part!" She pouts but it melts into a smile when Ren boops her on the nose. "Awww."

"So cute!" Ruby comments at the couple's display, clearly oblivious to the issue that only Weiss seems to be concerned about.

"Okay, so has anyone else been listening in on us?"

"Umm..." Surprisingly, the admission comes from a less troublesome member of their group.

"Not you too, Oscar," Weiss groans.

She could expect this kind of behavior from Maria and Nora and Yang even but to think that even Oscar is exhibiting less tact just shows that they must be corrupting the poor boy.

To his credit, he looks sincerely apologetic for his misdeed. "Sorry but you kind of have a... distinct voice that's hard to filter out."

Nevermind, whatever neutral opinion she had on Oscar, she's taking it back.

"Pfft!" Yang snorts. Of course, she just had to join in the discord. "He means your voice is annoying, princess!"

"That's not what I said!" Oscar cries out in a panic.

"That's pretty much what you said in no uncertain terms," Blake clarifies much less to Oscar's defense and more so to poke fun at the Ice Queen who looks just about ready to have a meltdown.

But before Weiss could even defend her case, her partner already springs to protect her honor.

"Yeah! Weiss' voice isn't annoying!"

"Thank you, Ruby—"

"It's Weiss who's annoying! But only sometimes!"

"...No thanks, Ruby."

"I think Weiss' voice is actually pretty!"

"T-Thank... you… Ruby."

Weiss is pretty sure her face is red for a different reason now.

"I don't see what the big deal is. What's new about Ruby and Weiss talking?" Jaune walks in from the kitchen with the married couple trailing behind.

"Two girls talking in my home? Scandalous," Saphron teases with a knowing smile.

"Think of the example they're showing our kid," Terra seconds as she leans her shoulder on her wife.

"Goo gah!" Even the young Adrian pipes in as if understanding their implications.

Sometimes Weiss forgets that it's not just her and Ruby, but her and Ruby and ten other people plus a baby in the house.

Well there's still Qrow who hasn't spoken since Ruby rebuked him and that was way before they had dinner. Weiss isn't the type to invite teasing but if that would get him to at least say something then she would have endured it. She knows how much her partner would have appreciated it if he wasn't isolating himself.

Is it asking for a miracle to have him speak and maybe even possibly save her from this embarrassing conversation?

"Oh! I got it! I just had an idea!" Ruby suddenly starts shouting. She's either ignorant or just ignoring the obvious attention that she's attracting and instead focuses her own attention on Weiss.

Sometimes Weiss wishes she could be as carefree as her partner when it comes to other's opinions.

She tries though. And so she redirects her focus solely on her expectant partner, "Why do I feel like I'm going to regret asking you what it is?"

"Please?" Ruby pleads and pulls off the puppy dog face again.

That look seriously has too much power.

"Ugh, fine." Weiss gives in and she almost doesn't regret it when she sees Ruby practically beam in joy. She won't celebrate with her just yet but at the very least she gives her a warning, "But this better be a good one."

Ruby nods all too enthusiastically, excited at her own ingenious idea.

"How about we get you a second suitcase!"

Okay, so far tame for a Ruby plan.

"Why would I need a second suitcase?"

"To fit me in, of course!"

And there it is. Two sentences from her and Weiss already has so many reasons on why she should disagree.

"Ruby, don't you think they'll find it suspicious that I have so much luggage despite flying alone?"

"Why would that be suspicious? You're Weiss. You always have tons of stuff! It's kind of a given!"

"Geez, thanks for the vote for character." Weiss scowls.

It bounces off of Ruby's honest grin. "You're welcome!"

Ruby's innocence is a fine line between endearing and infuriating at times.

"But in all seriousness, Ruby. We are not going to get another suitcase just for you to fit in," Weiss insists in her non-negotiable tone.

"Aww, why not?" Ruby whines. "We're already doing that for Maria."

"Which I'll remind you is unnecessary when I could just punch the enemy in the face!" Maria comments from the side.

"Shush, sassy granny! Let the other ladies speak!" Nora hushes the opinionated old woman to eavesdrop better.

Weiss pretends she didn't hear anything or anyone else.

"Wait, tell me again why one of us can't come with you as support. I mean I get why not with Blake—" She pauses to turn her head and address their friend. "No offense, Blake. It's not you with the problem. It's just that Cordovin's..."

Maria takes it as her responsibility to add colorful words, "She's a racist bi—"

"Bad person!" Ruby interrupts just in time.

"No, let her finish." Yang joins in on the roast with a sneer. "When all of this blows over, we're gonna finish that bitch."

Blake meanwhile just shakes her head at her friends' antics although she does appreciate their sentiments. "None taken, Ruby. Go on with your question for Weiss."

Ruby sends Blake a small smile then returns her inquiry to her partner. "So, yeah. Why can't I just tag along as your plus one?"

Why not, indeed. It's not particularly difficult to explain why, it's more of a matter of how.

How to explain this delicately to her?

"Ruby, no offense, and I truly do mean no insult on you when I say this that Specialist Cordovin won't approve of your added presence, if not by association with Blake—" Weiss takes a breath to turn to their faunus friend. "No offense."

"Again, none taken from any of you," Blake says offhandedly.

"Right, well the thing is, Ruby, she won't take too kindly on you perhaps not by your race but rather by your..." She waves a hand, hoping that Ruby would at least finish the sentence for her.

She just receives a confused stare much to her chagrin. There's no way out of this. She'll have to say it explicitly then.

"Financial standing," She finally finishes for her less articulate partner.

There's a pregnant pause that stretches for a few seconds before the words kick in.

"She's racist against the poor?!"

Weiss flinches at her partner's rather loud but understandable outburst. "The proper term is 'discriminatory' but yes, basically that."

"Okay, yikes." Ruby shudders in disgust and Weiss notices the nods of agreement from the rest of the group. "She's even more of a stuck up bully but we can still work with this. New plan!"

Oh, no. Ruby looks even more determined than before. This could only mean that her new plan will probably be even crazier than the last one.

"If I can't go as luggage and I can't go as another passenger..." She scrunches her face like when she does when she's racking her brain. The pain gets wiped off as soon as an idea hits her. "Then how about I go as something else?"

"Something else? What else is left for you to be?" Weiss still can't believe that she said those words herself.

"Don't they allow exceptions? Like medically?" She expounds her master plan, "I could just go with you as myself and if they stop you, you could just say..."

Ruby then heightens her pitch in a poor imitation of Weiss' voice.

"Ma'am, that's my emotional support partner."

…

So that's... Well that certainly is something.

This has got to top Weiss' list of Ruby's crazy plans she's forever grateful to have never reached execution.

"Wow. Where do I even begin?"

"You could begin with a 'Wow, Ruby's back at it again with the awesome plans! Thank you, oh wise leader!'"

"No, definitely not that." Weiss flicks her smug partner on the forehead. "First of all, they only allow that for animals, you dolt."

Ruby may have the most convincing puppy dog face but she's no actual puppy.

"Second, just how did you even get this idea?" Weiss sends her a judging look.

To which Ruby only sheepishly replies, "Well, I maaay have learned a trick or two on how to maximize Zwei from my dad."

So Jaune has an affinity for crime apparently. Blake is an ex-terrorist with a list of criminal offenses that no one has reason to ask for. Yang has most likely gone past the speed limit and maybe some other unnamed crime that Weiss would be left off better without knowing. Nora has probably broken someone's legs for real and Ren would have been an accomplice if not accessory to the crime. Now she finds out that Ruby uses Zwei under false pretenses.

Unbelievable. Is she the only good upstanding citizen of their group?

And no, the house she burned down at Brunswick does not count as arson. That was obviously not a crime, she was doing them all a service.

But then again, there was that one time she surreptitiously boarded a cargo plane and she's pretty sure that's illegal no matter how much she paid for it. They didn't get caught, not by people at least, but that doesn't excuse the crime… even though she was desperate and had plenty good reason for it.

Oh, no. It only dawns on her now that she's just as much prone to criminal activities as the rest of them. Since when has their group of hunters and huntresses in training devolved into a hodgepodge of crime?

She pinches the bridge of her nose, hoping to stop the incoming headache. "You know what? I can't even remember what I was so worried about anymore."

To anyone else, it would have been taken as a snub but not to Ruby. Weiss doesn't know what she intended that to be but Ruby takes it as if she's just won a prize.

"You're welcome, Weiss!"

And maybe that was Ruby's plan all along— to get her to stop worrying so much.

Does that stop her from worrying again later? No. Did it at least make her feel better now during her temporary lapse in memory? Yes. And that much is enough.

After that lengthy discussion, Weiss feels the exhaustion catch up with her. Now that she isn't worrying, she's just tired. She feels her head droop slowly until it eventually rests on her partner's shoulder. She closes her eyes and lets the comforting presence soothe her.

"How are you so okay about this?"

She feels Ruby rest her head lightly on top of hers. Her reply comes out soft and Weiss almost misses it but after all is said and done, the words linger between them like a blanket that lulls them to a peaceful sleep.

"'Cause I believe we're gonna be okay."

Anything could go wrong tomorrow.

But at least some things went right today.

A/N: Originally this was supposed to be just Ruby and Weiss but then I realized how hard it must be to get some privacy when they're basically 12 and a half people crammed in that house. It just made more sense that they'd be chilling close after the scare of splitting up. Plus sassy grandma needs to speak.

Hear me out, what if the zippers on Adam's outfit are actually functional? Do you know how impractical and stupid that would be? Not to mention funny? He has sleeves that open only halfway, you can't even get them off! But that's not the best part. Notice the zipper on his chest? It's a boob window. You cannot unsee it anymore you're welcome :D

Not much white rose unless you count Weiss panic-calling Ruby (that counts!) I was practically hearing the bees buzzing in my ears in this ep but the real MVP here is Maria who hijacked a plane by going in through the luggage yet still deliberately brought cashews with her just so she could roast the racist gremlin. Power move. What an icon. Legendary.

UPDATE: For those who have watched ep11, PLEASE TALK TO ME. I'M FUCKING SCREAMING. Tell me how do I follow up on that? AAAAAAAAA

Shoutout to the non-account reviewers Toolazytologin (thanks mate that name made me smile) and Spyro, I can't PM back but know that I would and that I am grateful for the reviews!

Spyro my bro, you're right that I did dance around the connection between Weiss and Cinder in the last chapter. I'm going with the assumption that Weiss is aware that Cinder is responsible for Pyrrha's death but she doesn't truly understand just how much it's affected Ruby. Since I wrote it from Ruby's POV, you can't tell what exactly is going on in Weiss' mind during the conversation but it's only natural to assume that Weiss thought that Ruby was thinking more about Pyrrha. That and when you're concerned about your friends, the last thing you think of is yourself so Weiss might not have realized the connection (she was unconscious when Ruby saw her critically injured so she missed out on seeing the fear and then anger on her face) Hope that clears things out! It's always nice hearing from you! Thank you!