I have no idea how to name this chapter either. I'm so sorry.
Not sorry.
Teehee.
Please support me on Pa-treon as 'The Tanker' if you like my stories *less than three*
I do not own RWBY.
#
Chapter 16: Broken Vows
Weiss didn't want Yang to be alone.
But she didn't have the courage to talk to the blonde – because it was her fault that Ruby ended up in a hospital bed. And she knew that her wish to accompany Yang was just an excuse for her to justify her own action.
Blake's parents called not long ago, saying that she was doing fine and that they didn't have to worry about her.
In the end, they all went separate way.
Roman offered to stay with Yang for the night, but the blonde had refused it, saying that she just wanted to be alone. He respected his stepdaughter's decision and instead just sent her back home on his red pickup truck.
"Weiss, can I come in?" Winter's sound was heard after two gentle knocks on the door.
"…"
"I'm going to come in anyway." Weiss heard the sound of the handle being pressed, then the silent squeak of the heavy wooden door moving.
Winter saw her sister sitting beside the huge window alone; she was giving her full attention to the shattered moon, not even making an effort to greet the woman.
"Weiss, stop blaming yourself." The woman walked to the silent heiress.
"I'm not." Weiss answered immediately – it was more of a self pity.
"Nobody could see it coming." Winter sat down on a chair just beside the heiress, "Hence the term 'accident'."
"If there was a potential to avoid it, then it wasn't." Weiss said softly.
"There was nothing you could do." The woman put her hand on the heiress' shaking shoulder, "Ruby would never blame you."
"That's the problem." Weiss sobbed lightly, "I want her to blame me. I want her to never forgive me…but that silly girl…knowing her…she would definitely just…smile sheepishly and tell me it's fine…"
"Cry out Weiss. It'll make you feel better." Winter moved and hugged her sister, "It'll take a while for Ruby to wake up. But she will definitely open her eyes; you must have faith in her."
"What if she never wakes up anymore?"
"Ssh. She will. She will never leave you all alone. She just needs time – and your support. So stop blaming yourself Weiss. Use that energy to help Ruby instead."
Weiss moved her arms slowly, wrapping them around her sister's back.
"Ruby…"
#
She couldn't remember the dream she just had, but it was definitely a nightmare.
Sitting on her bed she breathed heavily; her pillow and bed sheet soaked with sweat and tears.
She tried to look around, but saw no sign of her sister. She must've cried herself to sleep yesterday night.
Weiss decided to take her sister advice – whenever she felt guilty and started to blame herself, she would take a deep breath and turn that energy to pray for Ruby to wake up.
This way, she would feel way better.
And it would definitely be what Ruby would've wanted.
Nodding, she went to the bathroom, cleaned herself and went downstairs – and to her surprise, her whole family was present. They were sitting in the living room, and judging from their expressions they were having a serious talk.
Winter was the first to notice her sister as she lifted her head and smiled.
"Had a good sleep?"
"Yes." Weiss joined them as she sat on the couch just beside Winter.
"Weiss honey, we uh…we need to tell you something." Her mother said.
"I understand." The heiress nodded, "You still have business to take care of. I'm fine."
"…You sure?" Her father frowned, "If you want us to stay then-"
"I'm fine." Weiss repeated, "I have Winter."
"I'm sorry Weiss."
"You too?"
"The military called for my return." Winter's expression softened, "I'm really sorry Weiss."
"I understand. You're really good at your job Winter." Weiss smiled faintly to assure her sister, "The people of Remnant need you."
"We're really sorry Weiss." Her father said.
"Don't be. I still have Blake and Yang, don't worry about me. When are you leaving?"
"Soon." Winter answered.
"I see…" Weiss couldn't hide the lonely expression on her face, but she forced herself to return to her typical heiress face, "Well, I'm going to visit Ruby after breakfast. Be safe, pa- father, mother and Winter."
"You too, Weiss." Her mother replied.
#
Vale Mass General wasn't too far from the Schnee mansion. It took around ten minutes by car, so Weiss had arrived pretty early.
She expected to see the black or the yellow of the gang when she reached the red's room, but found out that only Qrow and Summer were there.
"Hey, you're early kiddo." Qrow greeted first.
"Good morning Weiss." Summer said next.
"Good morning Summer and Qrow." The heiress walked in and put the bouquet of flowers on the table just beside the bed, then turned to the sleeping beauty, "You too, Ruby."
She had decided to visit the girl every day, telling her stories and things that happened around her and keeping her accompanied at the same time.
"Any plans after this ice queen?" The man asked.
Weiss hesitated for a while before telling him that she would visit Topaz's grave at Secret Base later. She thought the dog should be informed about Ruby's current condition.
"Sure." Summer smiled, "We'll be going to visit Blake's parents. Your sister called us and said that they have to go so…if you ever need us, just let us know alright? You can move in with us temporarily if you want too."
"I'll be sure to." The heiress smiled back and thanked them.
#
"Yang?"
"…Hey Weiss."
She walked to the tall blonde sitting in front of Topaz's grave and proceeded to settle down beside her.
For a moment they both didn't say anything; they just stared at the grave in front of them, trying to convey feelings.
It was the heiress who broke the silence first.
"Hey Topaz."
Yang flinched a bit and that didn't go unnoticed by the girl sitting beside her. There was a little space in between them, but the heiress could feel it.
"Just want to tell you something."
"I already told him."
The heiress looked at blonde for a while, then touched her shoulder lightly.
"Yang, is there anything I can do?"
"Just leave me alone, Weiss." Yang's voice was gentle – but cold.
"Yang, please stop pushing me out."
"I didn't."
"Why are you distancing yourself from the rest of us?"
"I didn't."
"Yang, I know you want to be strong, but please…if you don't tell me what is wrong, I can't help you!"
"I don't need your help." The blonde answered, still not looking at her, "Stop pushing me Weiss."
"You're the one that was pushing me out!" Weiss half screamed. "We need each other to be leaned on in a critical time like this Yang!"
"Please…stop. I beg you Weiss, stop."
After a moment of pause, the heiress continued.
"Three years ago when we just met…I was really happy." She said, "You were my first friend. But over the year…I feel like you've been deliberately putting some distance between…us; between the whole team – even until now. Why do you do that, Yang?"
"Weiss, please…just leave me alone."
"No! Stop bottling everything up and- mmpf!"
She felt Yang's lips pressing against her own roughly as the blonde cupped her face with those pair of calloused hands.
Weiss was too shocked to react to the sudden kiss – she just sat there looking at Yang, dumbfounded and confused.
As the realization hit her, blue orbs widened and her hand moved-
-And slapped Yang in the face hard.
Tears starting to roll down her cheek as she clenched her teeth, staring hard at Yang with an accusing look.
"That is why I don't want to tell you." The blonde answered coldly, making no effort to ease that pain on her reddened cheek, "I love you Weiss. I've always loved you."
"What are you saying?!" Weiss squeaked, "Why did you do that?!"
"Because I love you!" Yang's eyes turned crimson.
Weiss covered her lips with her palm, saying nothing.
"I really love you okay! But I know you don't like girls!" Yang shouted as the surrounding temperature rose, startling the heiress, "I know! But I…the more I tried to distance from you, the closer you kept coming to me! Why…why Weiss? Why make me fall in love with you even more when all I want is to stop loving you?!"
"I…" Weiss' body was shaking tremendously, "I didn't know…"
"Weiss-" Yang held out her hand trying to touch the girl.
"No!" Weiss shouted, slapped the hand that was reaching out for her, stood up and fled from the scene crying.
Yang was heartbroken by Weiss' rejection as she just sat there lifelessly, not even make an attempt to go after her.
That's it. Friends to strangers.
She touched her swollen cheek lightly and sobbed.
I'm sorry.
#
Why?
Weiss kept running aimlessly; the tears coming out from her eyes were unstoppable. The scene of Yang forcing a kiss on her replayed again and again in her brain; she finally understood why she always felt like there was a thin layer of glass separating them.
Because Yang created that piece of glass – to keep 'friendship' and 'love' on each side respectively, not wanting them to cross the line.
And when Weiss kept on applying pressure on that piece of thin glass by pushing girl who created it, it could not hold the two strong forces anymore and finally shattered.
It never occurred to Weiss that Yang was restraining herself so greatly. If it was a normal person, they would've been crushed by the weight of the pressure – but the dragon was different. She did a fantastic job hiding it; not even Ruby-
Wait, did Ruby or Blake know about Yang's feelings for her?
Or it was just Weiss that didn't know about that all along?
She then recalled a scene.
"You support homosexuality?"
"Y-yeah. You don't support them?"
"I don't support them, but I'm not against it either. I guess I just don't understand how two person of the same sex can be in love."
"Oh Dust…" She came to a halt and covered her face with both her hands, ignoring the strange look people were giving her.
She thought Yang was feeling sick because she looked so pale.
She thought Yang was holding the pain because her eyes were so watery.
But in reality, it was because Weiss had hurt her.
"What have I done?" She whispered.
Yang was hiding her expression but she knew it. She knew how painful she must've been – Weiss had literally shot an arrow through her heart.
Up until Yang telling her that she loved her, she had never thought about her own sexuality. She was educated, since she was a kid, that man and woman made a couple.
She knew that there were gay people, but she had never really pay attention to it. As long as she wasn't involved, she would just ignore them – not supporting, neither did she deny their love.
Now, ironically, she was involved directly in a same sex relationship – with one of her best friend.
Her first friend.
Did she hate Yang?
She thought of the heir of the Vasilias family – that blue haired handsome guy who was so cool. Weiss thought she liked him.
Until Yang confessed to her.
She started to doubt if she really was straight.
That look on the blonde when she had slapped her hand before it touched Weiss.
There was no word that could be used to describe it.
It was pure hurt.
No…
She didn't hate Yang. But to say she loved her – she wasn't sure about that.
But what she did was over the limit.
Whether it was the kiss or her slapping off her hand to refrain Yang from touching her…
What should I do now…first it was Ruby…then Yang…
Should she apologize to Yang for hurting her?
Would their friendship ever be mended?
Was it possible for them to go back to the way it was?
"We…had made many promises about staying as friends forever. But…will we really be…always together? You know, we will eventually grow up. We will be separated. Things will happen and…I'm afraid to lose the most precious people in my life."
She broke down once again; now that she recalled back, there were so many subtle hints that Yang gave during their interactions.
What should I do…?
#
Blake spent the whole day in her room doing nothing. She could barely eat – just thinking about Ruby would make her lose appetite.
She wrote all her thoughts and memories of that horrible scene on her notebook. Scribbling intensely made her feel calmer and would ease her pain even if it was just a little bit.
Suddenly, her cat ears perked up upon picking the sound of familiar footsteps. She recognized the person who made those sounds – they belonged to a certain heiress – her crush.
The footsteps came to a halt just in front of her house and what had surprised her was the faint sobbing.
Clenching her fist she had decided that Weiss came first before herself. She ran out of the locked room, then downstairs, ignoring Qrow and Summer as well as her mother (Her father had gone to work) who were in the living room and straight to the girl.
"Weiss-!"
The heiress jumped; she didn't expect to hear the Faunus' voice.
She didn't have the intention on coming to her house but her legs had brought her here.
"B-lake?" Her voice was hoarse as a result from the crying.
"Weiss, are you okay?"
"I'm fine." The heiress wiped her tears with her hands and forced out a smile.
"Weiss, Ruby is going to be fine. And it's not your fault." Blake said. It is my fault. Don't cry for something you didn't do, Weiss.
"Yeah…" Weiss said, then half shouted when she recalled something. "Blake, why did you run yesterday?!"
"I…" A pause. "It's nothing Weiss."
The heiress gulped; she didn't know if she should ask Blake further. She knew the Faunus was hiding something, but she was scared that what happened between Yang and her would repeat between them.
She already lost Yang; she didn't want to lose Blake too.
Wait, had she really lost Yang?
She remembered what she told the blonde – distance didn't separate friendship; only the will to not stay friend did.
So, if she wanted to remain friends with Yang, would their friendship go back to the way it was?
Then she heard a voice in her head.
Even after all the hurtful things you've done? You can't stab a person and ask them not to bleed, you selfish bastard.
"No…" Weiss didn't know how she still had tears – she thought they would've dried off after crying for so long.
"Weiss?"
"Don't leave me too Blake…"
"I won't leave you. What's wrong, Weiss?" Blake held her shoulders.
"I said something hurtful to Yang…" The heiress wept, "When we were…hanging out…in the shopping district after the summer festival…she had been…bearing with the pain until now…then I…I did something even more hurtful to her…just now…she…"
Hanging out? So they weren't dating?
"Weiss, calm down." Blake hugged the girl, but she didn't return the embrace.
What the hell is wrong with me?! Why am I always like that?!
Blake closed her eyes as she deepened the contact.
When Topaz died too…I only think of myself. Weiss is heartbroken and all I think about is that whether they were dating or not!
She hated herself.
Because she felt a little bit of joy when she heard that they weren't dating.
Because she still had a chance.
That tiny piece of joy clashed with her complicated guilt of indirectly causing Ruby to be on the hospital bed; her heart had started to ache instantly as she released the heiress.
"Weiss…"
"Y…yes?"
"Yang won't fault you for that. She's a tough girl, she will understand you."
"But-"
"If you're…afraid, to talk to her, maybe I can help?" Blake's voice became lower, "I can help you confront her and tell her that…that you didn't mean it."
"No." Weiss straightened her back as she sniffed, "I…I said things that hurt her and…and I must do it myself if I want her to forgive me."
"Okay." Blake smiled faintly.
"Thanks, Blake."
"I'll always be by your side Weiss. You can come to me if you ever…needed someone."
#
Blake never let Beatrix or Bart in her room after Ruby was hospitalized.
She would come out at late night to grab enough supplies so she wouldn't have to get out of the room. She had no appetite, but had eaten the minimal amount of food she was able to swallow.
There was a bathroom connected to her room too so she literally just stayed locked inside there the whole day.
Beatrix asked Qrow and Summer to look out for her as she put a few bottles of water, as well as some sandwiches on the floor in front of her room.
Crumpled papers on the floor had caught her attention as she peaked through the slightly opened door. Curious, she tiptoed into the room and picked the nearest one up, then proceeded to read it.
My fault. Ruby's condition was my fault. How could I never make it in time to save her? Why didn't I stop her from saving that cat? It was half dead already anyway. But I was too late when I held out my hand. Car just knocked her like…like a rag doll. I witnessed the whole thing. I'm scared…I don't want to lose the people I love the most…I'm scared to tell them the truth, but I'm also tired of keep running away! But I can't! I always run!
I should've called for help, but I didn't. I was too shocked and just stood there like an idiot. If it weren't for that couple who arrived later, Ruby could've been died! I hate myself! Why?!
Beatrix's tears dripped on that piece of paper as she read it.
She finally understood why her daughter locked herself inside her room.
Dust, Blake was in so much pain but Beatrix could do nothing to help her.
I'm really the worst mom ever.
She put everything back in the same place as she returned downstairs to join Qrow and Summer.
When she saw them, she knew what she had to do.
She had to tell them.
If Blake couldn't tell them on her own, then she would.
She knew her daughter blamed herself for Ruby's condition, and the only way to pull her out of it was by telling Ruby's parents. If she didn't act fast, there would be a high chance that Blake would eventually become depressed.
They must be really curious about the reason Blake ran off before seeing Ruby. She knew from their perspective, it looked like Blake had done something wrong – but in reality she didn't.
So she must clean her daughter's name and tell them the truth.
"Qrow, Summer, can I talk to you about something?"
#
"I see…" Summer said.
"It's not her fault." Qrow continued after her.
"But she doesn't think like that." Beatrix said.
"Then-"
The sound of door opening had interrupted their conversation as Blake walked in together with an unexpected guest.
"Weiss!" Summer jolted up from her seat, "Are you okay honey?"
"I'm fine." Weiss smiled. "Just tired."
"Blake." Qrow called as the Faunus was about to go back to her own room leaving the heiress with them.
She flinched, but turned to face the man anyway.
"It's not your fault."
The girl looked at the man with confused eyes.
"I don't know what caused you to run yesterday." Qrow smiled, "Whatever it is, it's not your fault. Ruby's been involved in an accident and the one in fault should be that drunk driver."
"But-"
"Blake." Summer said, "Come, let's talk things out. It's not healthy to bottle everything up inside of you."
#
Blake felt a lot better after talking to Ruby's parents.
She told them everything and none of them blamed her; in fact, they were so concerned that they suggested taking her to see a doctor.
A huge weight had been released from her chest-
-But a brand new one had crushed again, and it was way heavier than the original one.
Yang.
She hated to admit it but she felt happy because Yang wasn't dating Weiss.
She also felt happy because Weiss had started having distance with Yang – meaning her chance was higher compared to the blonde.
These feelings had caused her to be even more stressed than before, because she shouldn't feel that way in the first place.
She was literally taking advantage of Yang.
Her best friend.
Nightmare still haunted her as she slept.
After a long night of squirming on her bed, she was awakened by her mother as the first ray of sunlight of the day invaded her room. Beatrix had pulled up the curtain, making her room looked a lot less dark as it was before.
"Blake, Weiss called." Her mother handed her scroll to her.
She took it and answered.
"Weiss."
"Good morning Blake. Can you come to Secret Base together with me? I want to…look for Yang and…"
"Sure."
"I'll have George drive to your house and we'll go together."
"Okay."
However, the blonde wasn't there when they had arrived at Secret Base. Topaz's grave was clean as new, so she must've been here not long ago.
They went to her house next and to their surprise, all her belongings were gone.
"No…" Weiss collapsed on her knees as she covered her mouth with her palm. "No…"
"Calm down, Weiss." Blake knelt down beside her, "Maybe she went to stay with her stepdad."
George drove them to Roman, but the man didn't see her either.
They went to search everywhere the blonde would possibly go – but that cheerful dragon wasn't seen anywhere.
The last place was the hospital.
Blake hesitated before going in, but with Weiss' support had gone into Room 4-25 to visit her friend.
And much to her disappointment, Yang wasn't there.
Ruby's scroll was being placed nicely on the table beside her, indicating that the blonde was here.
They were one step behind her again.
Weiss broke down as she mumbled.
"Dust…she must be really hurt to just disappear like that…"
Without contacting any of them at all.
Qrow, Summer, Roman and Beatrix had arrived later and all had shaken their head, claiming that Yang didn't get in touch with any of them.
All traces of her existence had just vanished like that.
Blake cried silently as she watched Weiss weeping like a child and Ruby who had many tubes attaching to her fragile body.
The vows they made were as broken as they were now.
#
There is a whole lot of crying and shifting perspective in this chapter. I'm really sorry if it's confusing.
I need to improve my limited vocabulary knowledge though. It's hard to write feels if I can't express them well.
Anyway thanks again for reading this series.
Just to let you know, Blake's Faunus hearing can hear Weiss walking outside. In fact, all Faunus can, but Beatrix isn't one. Blake got the cat ears inherited from her father Bart. He's the Faunus and Beatrix's a human. She loved her daughter dearly and that's why Blake thought that other people hate Faunus but never her mom. She knew how much Beatrix love her.
Enough rant from me, hope you enjoy.
Please support me on Pa-treon as 'The Tanker' if you like my stories *less than three*
Also, if you have a FB, I have a page there with the name "IBurn 'Tank' RWBY Fanfic Author", you can approach me easier there~
I do not own RWBY.
