~ Starbright ~
"Don't stare," Weiss hissed.
"But-"
Ruby's protest was cut off by a swift elbow to the ribs from her partner.
"Ow," Ruby whined.
But even the pain didn't stop her from staring at Weiss's sister. Rather than a smooth round surface, Winter's starbright stuck out from her forehead in jagged spikes.
"It's alright, Weiss," Winter said. "Although it's somewhat common in Atlas, she probably hasn't seen a soul gem like this before." And those words were all it took to banish the baleful glare Weiss had been leveling her team leader with.
"Yeah, it's weird and-"
Weiss clapped a hand over her partner's mouth to prevent Ruby from finishing that most-likely insulting sentence. Ruby licked Weiss's palm, which had the desired effect of making Weiss move her hand and the undesired effect of bringing the heiress's former glare back full-force as Weiss took out a monogrammed handkerchief to wipe the spit off her hand.
Winter smiled indulgently at Ruby as she explained, "The reason my starbright looks like this is because I'm aromantic."
"Doesn't that mean you smell really good...?" Ruby asked slowly, nonplussed.
"Not aromatic, you dunce!" Weiss snapped. "Aromantic. It means she doesn't feel romantic attraction."
"Oh... so... Winter doesn't have a soulmate?"
"No."
~oOo~