Ruby drummed her fingertips on the laminated table surface even as she kicked her heel into the tiled floor, unable to sit still without fidgeting. With little real interest, she watched Blake flit about the kitchen counter and stovetop, tending to a soon-to-boil kettle and steeping tea. She didn't know the particular name of the tea leaves in question, but Ruby recognized the mint scent that accompanied it, and was certain she'd had it and enjoyed it once before.
It was a lazy afternoon in the apartment. Weiss was away, having not been over for three days. Busy, she said she was, and to Ruby's chagrin, not very willing to have conversations lasting more than a few minutes. Her sister was out as well, supposedly working on Bumblebee, her motorcycle. She promised them that it had needed the maintenance, dodging out of a Blake inspired tea time event, and Ruby imagined that Yang was happily speeding down the intersection, wind whipping her long, golden hair around with abandon. The thought made Ruby sigh, regretful that she couldn't accompany her.
"Sugar, or no?" Blake asked her, looking over her shoulder. Ruby nodded her head, bobbing her chin up and down against the palm of her hand which she rested her head in. Blake turned back to her work, reaching on tippy-toes to retrieve two mugs.
"I can't believe Yang ditched like that." Ruby said, "She should be here."
Blake shrugged, seemingly nonchalant about it, but when she replied there was a masked terseness in her voice. "If she's got better things to do, then I leave her to it. Her losses." Ruby wondered at the word "losses".
"Still, it's not like we have a whole lot of time left to do stuff together. If she didn't want to do tea she could have at least asked if we wanted to join her." Ruby grumped, slumping in her chair and exaggerating a glare.
Again, Blake shrugged. "I don't think I'd come, anyways. I don't really get the whole danger and potential death thing that Yang seems to be full of when she's on that bike." She said, dropping two metal tea balls into each mug. Steam wafted from each, fogging up Blake's work area. She turned and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest. "Tea should be ready in a few minutes."
"Neat. We got any cookies over there?"
Blake moved to the designated snack cupboard above the sink. Ruby waited patiently as Blake searched, ultimately feeling sad when Blake reported that they were indeed out of cookies. "Nope, no diabetes left in there."
"Ah, well." Ruby sighed, noticed a dried piece of food stuck to the table that had somehow escaped vigorous scrubbing, and began to scrape at it with a fingernail. She tried to determine what it was; it was dark green, and very brittle. She assumed it was a vegetable. A grunt of frustration escaped her as she wondered why she cared about it in the first place.
Blake carefully crossed the kitchen floor with her two porcelain mugs, one of which she slid across to Ruby. "Thanks," Ruby said, gingerly cupping her hands around it. It was impossible to actually fully grip without hurting herself, so she settled with letting her hands hover just off the sides. Blake did similar, leaving a larger gap between her palms and the mug. Ruby breathed in the scents with an appreciative sigh, and smiled her thanks at Blake, who inclined her head with a faint smile of her own.
"So, how's journalism looking for you?" Ruby asked curiously. Out of all of them, Blake talked the least about things in her life outside of what went on concerning their group.
She pursed her lips in thought. After a moment's wait, she said, "It's difficult. Not that I didn't expect that, but it's a struggle. Thankfully, the media loves animals." She said, and Ruby gave a knowing nod. Blake was an animal rights activist, previously part of a group even more infamous than PETA itself, the White Fang. At some point she'd disassociated herself with the lot of borderline terrorists. She didn't talk about it much, even if they all asked her.
Save for Weiss, at least. The small, angry woman seemed to get even more angrier than thought possible just at the mention of the White Fang. It was an unspoken decree within their knit that the White Fang go left unmentioned for the most part.
"Well, at least you've got your foot in the door and everything, right?"
Blake considered the question for a moment, twisting her features in indecision. Finally she said, "I suppose you could call it that. It's not a lot of my foot, but it's enough to start with."
Ruby gave a satisfied nod, daring to touch the surface of her tea with a pinkie finger. The liquid was hot, and she withdrew her finger quickly before it burned. She promptly stuck it into her mouth and sucked on it. The tea tasted great.
"So, how goes it with Weiss? She spends less and less time with us and more time with you each time we get together." Blake commented, looking at Ruby speculatively. She squirmed at the implied questions that came with the look. The prospect of discussing Weiss made Ruby feel dreary.
She didn't really know what to say, or if she wanted to say anything at all about it. She would much rather talk about Blake's life, which sounded rather intriguing to her, if she was being honest. Still, she didn't know how to skirt the questions. She was sure that if Yang was here, there would be enough distraction to avoid the subject. For the second time Ruby was irritated with Yang's decision to leave.
"Ah, you know. She's Weiss. Kind of high and mighty, pretty bad at puns." Ruby grinned despite herself. Weiss' puns were a testament of her continuous attempt to master things, even if they only improved at a snail's pace.
Blake sipped from her tea with care, blowing on the translucent pasty green liquid first. "How is she?" The question was asked with a serious tone that surprised Ruby. She didn't think Blake would be concerned for Weiss without cause, but Ruby couldn't begin to conjure an idea as to what such a cause would be.
"She's uhm, fine, I guess? Nothing really to note." Ruby admitted with a shrug. She thought of the evening they'd spent curled on the couch, and it caused a twang in Ruby's chest that made her feel uncomfortable. Now that she thought about it, Weiss' actions kind of seemed like ones of distress. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered how Weiss really was doing. She thought she'd understood, but after their nap, Weiss had withdrawn and become unreachably distant. Now Ruby felt hurt and betrayed, and thinking about it only made her more confused and angry about it.
Blake raised an eyebrow from across the table at her, catching her eyes with her own and holding them there. Ruby shifted in her seat and decided to take an unwise mouthful of her tea. The liquid burned the insides of her mouth dully, causing her a bit of discomfort but not much. It gave her the excuse to look away from Blake's intense stare.
"Did something happen? Usually you're not as repressed." Internally, Ruby wondered at Blake's interesting wordplay. It was reminiscent to Weiss', sometimes.
"No, nothing really. Weiss is just being really quiet right now, I'm sure she'll be back to her normal self in no time." Ruby lied. Something had most certainly happened that day, and her hand curled and uncurled as if it was searching to grasp Weiss' like it had before.
Blake nodded understandingly, and Ruby felt compelled to give her an appreciative smile. She wondered just how perceptive Blake was.
They sat in a comfortable enough silence for a little while after, watching with disinterest the shifting sunlight that streamed in through windows as clouds passed in front of the sun. Ruby's tea grew warm soon enough, and she had only drunk half of what was in her cup. Oddly, she enjoyed savouring her tea.
"Sometime you should come visit me at my home, Ruby. I've got a lot more tea, there, and the atmosphere is much more relaxing." Blake said at last, and Ruby looked up.
"Sure, that sounds nice. We should do that sometime." She agreed, not sure if it would ever come to take place. The four of them had never gathered at any other place except for the two sister's place. To break the tradition would probably feel weird. She found herself imagining Blake's home, and pictured that it was neat and tidy, with a heavy influence of culture and peace decorating its interior. It amused her to think of Blake having a pagoda dedicated to meditating.
Then Blake sighed, and rapped her knuckles lightly on the table. Ruby blinked in surprise, staring at her curiously. "Ruby, you're upset." She stated flatly, not a hint of a question in her voice whatsoever. Ruby swallowed and laughed awkwardly, unconvincingly trying to dispel the suspicion. Blake raised both eyebrows at her in response, and Ruby's chuckle died in her throat, leaving her coughing.
"It's nothing. Just a little stressed over finals and all. You should know how it is." Ruby said, not entirely lying. The approaching date was worrisome.
Blake stared impassively, then sighed quietly, a faint sound that escaped her lips. She got up with her cup and crossed to the counter, pouring more hot water from the kettle into the cup. Then she dumped the contents in her tea ball into a garbage can and re-filled it. The metallic container clinked softly as it sunk to the bottom of the porcelain dish. When she took her seat again and fixed Ruby with a level stare, Ruby squirmed.
"Ruby, I understand that we're not particularly close and you probably don't feel like talking about personal matters with me, but it's eating you up."
The observation was true enough, and Ruby couldn't help but look up and slightly tilt her head downwards in a soft, almost imperceptible nod. Blake didn't react other than with a waving gesture of her hand, signifying Ruby to speak. The younger girl bit her bottom lip and focused her gaze upon the rim of her teacup. "Weiss is uh. She told me she didn't want to leave Vale a few days ago." Blake made a sound of satisfaction, as if she'd been confirmed something. "Anyways," Ruby said, continuing, "She said that and some other... strange stuff," Ruby felt Blake didn't need any super specifics, "But I haven't really heard anything from her lately, or seen anything of her, and I guess I'm just a little upset that she'd, you know. Distance herself after that."
When she looked up, Blake was nodding thoughtfully. "She's avoiding you. Us," Blake added, correcting herself. Ruby couldn't tell if it was for her sake or not, but the words being spoken out loud did hurt.
"Yeah." Ruby agreed.
Blake sighed and stretched her arms, mewled a yawn and groaned in satisfaction. "I don't know what you can't or can do with that, Ruby. Personally," Blake said, fixing her with a hard stare, "I'd give it up. You're both in a point in your lives where it's far more important to focus on other things."
Ruby bristled, but kept her mouth clamped shut before she said something ridiculous. Sometimes, Blake had taught her, it was better to think before running one's mouth. Maybe she's right. I can't really ask Weiss to stay here and give up her family. That's selfish and ridiculous. But I want to. Ruby ran a frantic hand through her hair, brushing her bangs back and letting them fall haphazardly around her face.
"I dunno." She huffed, and let her hand drop carelessly on the table. The liquid in her cup sloshed against the sides harmlessly. "I just, you know. Really like Weiss."
"Of all the people." Blake said, with a hint of exasperation. Their group was close, but not everyone liked each other on the same level. Out of them all, Blake and Weiss spent the most time disagreeing.
"Of all the people." Ruby agreed.
They sat drinking their tea in relative silence, their conversation shifting through easier, less important subjects. Ruby inquired curiously about her and Yang; Blake had waved the question off evasively, though she had an amusing look of annoyance on her face that could only mean that Yang was proving to be a difficult girl to love, as always. Ruby shook her head, wondering how Blake had ever managed to wrangle in her wild sister.
When tea was done and Ruby's mood had mellowed out again, appreciative of Blake's somewhat strange pastime for once, Blake excused herself to work. This left Ruby alone in the living room, lounging on the couch with one leg slung over the arm, re-watching the Fellowship of the Ring. She'd missed it last time.
She was just beginning to doze off, bored as she was, when her phone buzzed on the other side of the couch. She looked over it tiredly. It continued to vibrate annoyingly, and for a moment Ruby entertained knocking it off the couch with her foot before it occurred to her it could be Weiss. Excitement and hope overrode sleepiness and she lunged for it.
She fumbled clumsily with the device for a moment, her on button acting finicky. The screen lit up and displayed a lock screen. She let out a hissed "Yes!" and a fist pump when it showed her she'd received messages from Weiss. She punched in her four digit code as fast as possible, mucking it up horribly and having to re-do it twice.
From Weiss there was Hey, Ruby. I was wondering if you're busy?
Ruby sent back Nah not at all. Kind of bored. Why?
A moment or two passed, wherein Ruby wondered if she'd managed to miss Weiss somehow. Her phone vibrated in her hand a second after the response, eliciting a new wave of excitement.
Ah, good. Well, I was wondering if you wanted me to drop by. I haven't seen any of you in a few days.
Ruby's fingers tapped the touch sensitive screen with such haste she almost hurt her fingertips. Sure! :D Yang is gone away tho. She wanted to do some work on bumblebee. :/
A brief pause. Then, Alright. That's okay. I'll be over in twenty. Sounds good?
Ruby stifled a squeal. Totally! :D
For several moments she waited for another text. When it became apparent that Weiss was done texting back, Ruby dropped her phone on the couch and let out a whoop loud enough to be heard across the way in her neighbour's, she imagined. "Clothes, clean, perfume!" She told herself.
She dashed to her room and retrieved a basic outfit of jeans and a red long-sleeve turtleneck. She showered as fast as possible, rushing through the process of washing her hair, shaving her legs and scrubbing her body so hastily that she fell once in the tub and almost tripped three times. By the time she climbed out twelve minutes later, she'd gathered quite the collection of bruises on her knees.
She was held up on the perfume. Here she had little expertise, unlike her knowledgeable friends. Still, she knew what smelt good and what didn't. Choosing a scent that was fairly faint yet sweet, she squirted herself sparingly. Pulling the front of her shirt up to her nose she smelt herself and sighed, pleased.
Five minutes to spare. Ha. She thought triumphantly, going out to wait in the kitchen. Two minutes passed and she was bouncing uncontrollably on the balls of her feet, hands twisted behind her back. She was terribly excited to see Weiss.
The front door opened and closed. A shrill squeal forced itself out of Ruby's throat, and she ran at full throttle. Weiss, who was in the midst of removing her coat, looked up in alarm as Ruby turned the corner and shouted her name.
"Ruby, don't you dare-!" Weiss' warning cut off as Ruby slammed her with a great hug, knocking her back into the door. Weiss made a sound of shock and exasperation.
"It's a good thing that I have your restraining order right here, isn't it?" Weiss grumbled even as she gave into the embrace and carefully hugged Ruby back.
Ruby's only thought was that Weiss was soft and squishy.
Weiss allowed Ruby to snuggle her for a few more seconds before she broke them apart, ignoring Ruby's quiet, whiny protests. "I promise you I'll make the effort to get one." Weiss warned her, referring to the restraining order. Ruby backed away and allowed Weiss to undress to a pale, v-neck shirt.
From the kitchen, the shrill whistle of a kettle sounded off. "I got it!" Blake yelled, and a moment later the ear piercing noise subsided. Weiss cocked her head at Ruby, who shrugged.
"Tea, I guess. Though I thought we'd already done that."
"I like tea." Weiss said, and that was enough for Ruby to decide that she'd do tea time again.
"Blake, make some for the two of us!" Ruby called out to her, already on her way to kitchen as it was with Weiss in tow. Entering the kitchen revealed that Blake had taken initiative already, and three cups of tea were currently steeping on the table.
"Weiss," Blake greeted, tipping her head.
"Blake," Weiss returned. Ruby inwardly sighed. For the life of her, she didn't understand why the two couldn't just learn to get along completely. There was always that air between the two that bordered on rendering their tentative friendship into dislike.
"Anyhow," Blake said, picking up her own cup by the handle, "I've still got my article to finish. I'll get back to you two later, suggesting you're not sleeping on the couch again." With that she swept out of the kitchen and left the two of them mumbling awkwardly that they wouldn't be sleeping on the couch again.
They stood in the doorway, unsure what to do now. Memories of the other day caused Ruby a pause. What was Weiss here for? In the excitement of finally being noticed again, she hadn't thought to wonder.
"Uhm, seat?" Weiss said, taking the first step into the kitchen and pulling out a chair for Ruby. The gesture was so un-Weiss like that Ruby couldn't help but giggle at her.
"Thanks, don't mind if I do."
Ruby expected there to be a respite before they launched into any conversations, as she was thinking they were going to, but Weiss shocked her by tackling the elephant head on.
"A few days ago, we had... An interesting moment." Weiss clasped her hands in front of her on the table and looked down at them.
Ruby wondered why every time she had a talk with someone, it was always directly facing them. What a dumb idea.
"Was it? I mean, I guess it was... A moment." Ruby gave a nervous titter, and then cleared her throat and jammed a heel at the tiles beneath her.
Weiss nodded. "Definitely a moment. I said and did some pretty strange things." Weiss' face blotched itself up. "Things that I don't really know if I can back up, or even acknowledge as happening."
Ruby shifted in her seat. "Why can't we... You?"
A shadow passed over Weiss' face, then, and Ruby could see that Weiss hadn't been doing well these last few days. She hadn't noticed it before, but there were faint bags beneath her eyes that stood out like dark rings. "How can I? You know as well as I do that it's foolish to entertain such ideas."
Panic struck Ruby. Even though she hadn't planned to ask Weiss to stay, she almost blurted the question then and there. Instead, she said, "Sometimes it's worth being a little foolish though, don't you think?"
Weiss began to rotate her mug slowly. "Sometimes." She admitted with a faint smile. It vanished shortly after. "But what a thing to be foolish about. It's one thing if there was a good reason... No, sorry, wrong words. If there was a practically good reason. But there's not."
The truth of it stung Ruby, because she agreed. That did nothing to ease the burn that was Weiss' earlier intimacy. That stuck to her like a sweltering blister. "I-I guess not... But you could be happy if you stayed, right? Way happier than you would be if you left?"
Weiss looked up with sad eyes, and Ruby could tell she wasn't offering any new arguments here. "Short term, perhaps. But what about long term, Ruby? Friendships don't always last, nor do..." Weiss sighed and flicked her hand, a nervous tick that meant she was leaving it up to someone else to finish the rest of her sentence, "and then what? I'm a disowned daughter that used to have a claim on a company well worth a couple thousand billions."
Ruby didn't have an answer for that. Instead, she said, "You look tired."
Weiss sighed and took a long sip from her tea. "I look more than feel. But, yes. I'm a tad tired."
"If you want, we could watch another movie or something?"
Weiss had a mixture of sympathy and self-sympathy in her face when she answered Ruby. "You know as well as I do that that wouldn't make anything better."
"Ah." Ruby agreed unwillingly with a nod. "So... Were you uhm. Ignoring me, or something?"
Weiss winced, and tilted her head slightly. "Yes. I, we both, likely needed the distance. Some thought."
Ruby bit her bottom lip. "It didn't help me." She murmured, intentionally trying to keep it too low for Weiss to make out her words.
"I'm sorry, Ruby. But I don't... I don't think that it's likely going to work out the way we'd like it to."
Ow. The word was like a bell toll, and the pain in her chest magnified itself by tenfold. Ruby took a shaky breath as memories of her worst and best times and everything between of Weiss played in her mind. She was scared. There was going to be no more new memories. Not for a very, very long time.
And by then, they wouldn't be quite the same memories that Ruby wanted. Not by a bit.
Weiss sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Perhaps, maybe, after the return trip from Atlas, I can start my own business. With the name, and the money I have, and my soon-to-be-experience, it isn't too impossible."
Ruby looked up, wondering if she could wait a year and more for Weiss just to be friends with her again.
Cerulean eyes that were piercingly bright caught her silver, and Ruby mentally thought that she could indeed put on the brave face and weather that wait. For those eyes, she thought, and everything behind them and around them, she could wait.
The look in Weiss' eyes was as equally hopeful as it was warning. Warning that, if Ruby was to ask her to make such a big commitment, then it wouldn't just be on Weiss' part. It was a two way street with no room for curves.
Ruby grabbed the hope that Weiss offered her and put inside her.
An idea struck her. A stupid, idiot idea, that truly proved she was mad.
Oh well. Ruby thought.
With a deep breath of air, Ruby pushed her chair back, waltzed over to Weiss and knelt down on one knee.
Weiss went pale. "R-Ruby, what are you doi- eek!" Weiss squeaked as Ruby grasped her hand. She was looking at Ruby as if she was insane.
Ruby, on her part, also thought of herself as a moron. "Weiss Schnee, I really, really think that it would be cool if you'd do that. Uhm." The words all fled as she realized she was about to propose to Weiss. Without a ring. And then there was the fact that the most they'd ever done was hold hands.
What am I doing?
"And that is all I ever had to say." Ruby concluded with a sharp nod. Her face burned.
The relaxed expression that fell over Weiss' face, along with the sigh, bellied her shaking hand. From the corner of her eye, Ruby thought she saw a black streak of hair dip around the doorframe out of sight.
"Ruby, you're insufferable." Weiss grumbled, and Ruby giggled. Still she stayed knelt, holding Weiss' hand. Weiss didn't seem too bothered. "Right," She started, looking down at her knees and not directly at Ruby. "Well, I'll get back to you on that... I have a year to do as much preparing for such a possible eventuality."
Ruby nodded. It wasn't perfect. It was far from, and in a year, a lot could change. But it was a much more brighter future than what she'd envisioned for them. "That sounds good."
An awkward silence fell over them, and Ruby felt it was time to let go of Weiss' hand and retake her seat at the other end of the table. Weiss seemed to fully release her tension then.
"You had me... Worried, for a moment." Weiss admitted, giving Ruby a meaningful look. Ruby swallowed and hid her own feelings by teasingly sticking her tongue out at Weiss. She grunted disapprovingly, but a trace of a smile ghosted on her lips. "How about a movie, then?"
Ruby, not expecting the offer, squealed in delight.
It had been a year.
Since then, Ruby had let her hair grow a bit longer, so that it just rested on her shoulder blades now. Her, Blake and Yang had spent less and less time together after Weiss left, as their lives gradually got harder to manage everything into. It was alright, though. Ruby had enough friends that she wasn't too lonely.
Nothing compared to missing Weiss, anyways. The night of her departure, Ruby had cried on Weiss' shoulder for at least ten minutes, blubbering and telling her not to go. Weiss did a much better job of handling the situation. There was a few small tears, but mostly she consoled and cooed at Ruby until Yang was able to take the distraught girl away. Weiss had left her with a kiss on the cheek, and Ruby had vehemently sworn to not wash it until Weiss came back.
That very night, in a fit of grief, Ruby had scrubbed that cheek raw in the shower.
The memories brought back unlikeable feelings and, with a shudder, she shook them off.
"You cold?" Yang shouted back at her.
"Nah! It's all good! Drive faster!"
Bumblebee immediately sped up by a few ten miles, and the black and yellow motorbike was like a blur on the highway for passing cars. Yang weaved in and out of traffic expertly, and Ruby squeezed her eyes shut so hard it was painful.
When they arrived at the airport, Ruby had to hunch over and take a few deep breaths. Her stomach churned, both from the insane driving and her nerves. A full year.
"So, how do you think Icequeen is doing after all this time?" Yang asked her with a grin.
Ruby rolled her eyes at the nickname. "You know she doesn't like that." Then a grin of her own broke out on her face. "I bet she's still as cold as ever, though."
Yang chuckled, and the two of them went to wait for the arrival of the plane. A crowd of other folks, mostly rich by the looks of their clothing, were also waiting. At least we'll stick out. Ruby thought with a sour grin.
The minutes passed by agonizingly slow. Beside her Yang tapped a foot impatiently, constantly shifting from one foot to the other. Ruby swatted her on the thigh after a while, growing antsy herself due to Yang's obsessive fidgeting.
Ruby squealed quietly when the announcer announced the soon arrival. Shortly after, the plane broke through the clouds and Ruby had to let out another squeal of delight. Yang began to fidget even more than before.
As the plane was just touching down on the runway, someone gently tapped Ruby on the shoulder. She twisted around to see Blake, all dressed up in a business suit, and grinned at her. "Sorry I'm late," She said, returning the smile and coming to stand between her and Yang, who immediately smashed Blake with a sloppy kiss on the side of her face, much to Blake's obvious chagrin, "But I got a little held up in traffic."
"No worries, hotstuff. As long as you made it." Yang pardoned her, and Ruby agreed.
The noise from the plane was deafening as it approached and slowed. Ruby started humming the tune of a song she couldn't remember the name or the lyrics of. After a few minutes, she realized it was the pop song in the food court she and Weiss had heard over the radio. It made her grin.
When the plane was finally stopped and readied for disembarking, Ruby could hardly contain herself as she bounced on her heels. She wondered if a dark maroon zipper sweater, dark gray khakis and some plain old sneakers was all enough for this. She cursed vilely, now upset that she didn't dress up in a dress.
Flowers. Ruby groaned. They hadn't gotten flowers.
"By the way, Ruby, I think you could use these." Blake said. Ruby looked over, saw the bouquet of delicate, vibrant and beautiful flowers, and could have kissed Blake full on. Which she kind of did, planting a kiss not unlike the one Yang had given her on her cheek. Blake seemed surprised but amused, and handed the flowers to Ruby, who thanked her profusely still. Yang leaned over and raised an eyebrow at Ruby.
"Watch yourself, little sis. I'm probably not the only one who'd have a claim on punishing you for that." The three of them giggled, and then the passengers started to disembark. At first, Ruby was patient.
Then, after the first five got off and still no Weiss, she began to panic. "Guys, what it it's the wrong plane? Or, what if it's the wrong date? Oh god."
Yang shared a tired glance with Blake, and Blake put a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Ruby, as someone who has decent access to the knowledge of such important things, I can guarantee that Weiss is on this particular plane."
Ruby wasn't fully convinced, but she nodded anyways.
A few more minutes passed, and Ruby was growing more nervous and weak kneed by the seconds. A pit of thorns and vines had grown and twisted in her stomach, and she couldn't slow her breathing. Pitiful squeaks escaped her every now and then when her excitement threatened to break out. Yang and Blake hid their chuckles well.
"Ah, there she is." Blake said, and Ruby froze. Coming down the ramp was indeed Weiss, her long hair loose and billowy, wearing a white coat over a black dress that was cut at her knees.
Ruby's legs threatened to break out in a gallop against her will.
Desperately, the three of them started waving their arms as Weiss scanned the crowd. Eventually Weiss' eyes found them, and a smile split her face. Both Ruby and Yang cheered and whooped at her and Blake remained silent.
"Alright, go get her, tiger." Yang urged Ruby. Blake let go of Ruby's shoulder and nodded her agreement. Ruby swallowed, reminded herself she was nineteen, somehow, and bolted through the crowd on deer legs.
Weiss had only just made it to the bottom of the ramp when Ruby jostled her way entirely through the crowd, and Weiss spotted her. Two huge, burly men in black suits started to block Weiss, but she waved them off and, to Ruby's own surprise, started for her.
For her part, Weiss did slow down and stop in the middle.
Ruby didn't.
Flower bouquet leaving a trail of petals behind her, Ruby threw herself at Weiss. The other girl squealed as Ruby squished her as tight as possible, the two of them struggling to keep their balance. Weiss smelled like heaven. A delighted giggle broke out from Weiss, and the two men drew a little closer, tense and uncertain.
Pulling back enough to see each other's faces, Weiss smiled softly at her. Her cheeks were flushed, all blotchy like, and Ruby felt the tips of her ears and nose burn. "I've missed you."
Ruby, unable to manage words, simply nodded and bit her tongue. She didn't react to the pain.
The two of them stood there, aware that they were drawing stares. Many stares. Ruby clutched the flowers so tight her nails dug painfully into her palm.
She wanted to do it so bad. So, so very bad. But would Weiss forgive her?
Weiss must have read her thoughts, because she gave Ruby a warning look. "Don't you dare do it here, Ruby Rose. I'll never, ever talk to you again."
The threat sounded so hollow that Ruby almost, almost did it. Instead, she giggled and hugged Weiss so tight that she heard Weiss' breath leave her lungs in a surprised whoosh. Then Weiss reciprocated the embrace just as tightly, and hot tears gushed out of Ruby's eyes. The two big bodyguards shuffled awkwardly, and from one of them there was a very, very quiet grunt.
"So, can you come over? You don't need to go home yet, right?" Ruby asked hopefully, murmuring in Weiss' ear, her voice heavy with emotion. Weiss rubbed the small of Ruby's back and didn't answer for a moment.
"Mhmm. I already made plans for tha –hiccup- that." Weiss said through tears of her own. Ruby smiled and cried even harder.
It was a terribly sappy and embarrassing display, but neither could care too much. Eventually, it was Yang and Blake who came to the rescue, somehow managing to break them apart. Yang crushed Weiss with a bear hug and, upon seeing Ruby and Weiss' tears, began to cry herself. Blake was the only one who managed to not cry, and even her eyes shined a little unnaturally.
Blake had brought her car. It was a black Honda, freshly bought and hardly broken in. The plan was for Yang to ride home on her bike while Blake drove the rest of them, but in the end they ended up strapping the bike to the roof of Blake's car with the help of the two body guards, much to her disapproval.
"It's not safe. For my car, other drivers, or your bike." Blake said. Yang, however, thought it would be fine. Ruby could tell Weiss was touched by her older sister's attempts to stay part of the group even for just the ride home, which was a good forty minutes when not driving with Yang.
Eventually they were on the way home, Yang in the front passenger seat and Ruby and Weiss sharing the back. They were holding each other's hands like vice grips.
"So, uhm, they're a little ruined now, but uh, these are for you." Ruby said, handing the flowers to Weiss and ducking her head in embarrassment. Weiss took them with a heartfelt thank you and, sniffing them, sighed pleasantly. Ruby blushed, satisfied.
Now that the heat of the moment had subsided a bit, Ruby wished they had some more privacy so that she could make her move. She didn't want to do it in front of Blake and Yang now, even if she was prepared to do it in front of a huge crowd at the airport. Weiss didn't seem bothered, a look of serenity and happiness making her already gorgeous face look even more beautiful.
Ruby began rubbing circles on the back of Weiss' hand with her thumb absently and, after a little bit, Weiss leaned her head on Ruby's shoulder and hummed contentedly, making Ruby gush and giggle. Yang and Blake kept sneaking discreet and oblique glances at them.
When they arrived at the apartment, Weiss sat up and stretched, yawning. Blake and Ruby did likewise while Yang hopped out and immediately started bringing the bike down. They helped her with it and parked both vehicles.
Weiss held onto Ruby the entire time after that. Blake went around flicking on lights while Yang excused herself to the bathroom. "Tea?" Blake asked from the kitchen while Ruby helped Weiss out of her heels and coat.
"Sure, but first, I need to borrow clothes. Blake?" Weiss answered, giggling when Ruby accidently tickled her foot.
"Sounds good." Blake agreed.
Weiss left Ruby in favour of lighter, more casual clothes. Ruby walked into the kitchen, sat down at her end of the table and felt dazed. Blake turned to look at her and chuckled.
"You know, I'm surprised you didn't kiss her already."
"Are you kidding me? I almost did, twice." Ruby sighed, twirling her fingers around one another as she stared up at the ceiling tiles. "Gosh, she's even more prettier than I remember. A-and just... Gosh."
Blake hummed a laugh, flitting about the counter space as she prepared teas for everyone, including Yang. "You two both seem happy."
Ruby nodded, even though Blake couldn't see it with her back turned. "I know I am. And Weiss... I think she's going to do the thing, otherwise I doubt she'd be so..."
"Unrestricted?"
"Unreserved, actually, but that works too."
Blake hummed in agreement.
"Blake, I-" Weiss was interrupted by a mewling yawn as she entered the kitchen, and she came to sit on Ruby's lap as if it was nothing of importance. She had dressed in a simple black button shirt and a pair of white and black plaid pyjama bottoms. Ruby giggled at Weiss' sitting, and Weiss leaned against her comfortably. "Thank you for the clothes. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Blake laughed. "I imagine that, by the end of tonight, it's not going to matter anyways."
"Hmm?" Weiss asked, tilting her head cutely. Ruby blushed as she caught on much faster.
"Nothing." Blake sighed happily, and took a sniff of her brewing tea. "Almost ready."
"Ugh! Blake, I can't find it!" Yang called from the bathroom.
"Find what?" Blake called back, exasperatedly. Ruby was familiar with the routine of Yang loosing something and coming to Blake for help.
"The dildo! They're going to need it!"
Weiss choked, and Ruby turned tomato red. Blake stood wide-eyed, her mouth gaping in disbelief. Then her expression turned to one of unbridled fury. "I am so, so sorry" Blake mumbled as she swept past them, and they only nodded.
A few moments passed, and Ruby couldn't stop thinking about the thoughts Yang had unwittingly stuck into her head. She blushed harder than she could ever remember. Even Weiss shifted uncomfortably, though she didn't get up off of Ruby's leg.
"So, they're still the same, huh?" Weiss eventually asked.
" Yehp. No differences there."
Weiss twisted her head around on Ruby's shoulder to look at her. "And what about you? Have you changed at all?"
Ruby shrugged. She felt she had. Maybe just a little. One thing remained certain, though. Her infatuation with Weiss hadn't dimmed, not even once. In fact, she was sure it was even stronger than before. "I guess I've grown up a bit. But really, not much. And I guess part of me stayed the same and will likely never change."
Weiss moved her head in what must of been a nod, not having to ask what part of her Ruby was referring to. She smiled and, to Ruby's embarrassment and giddiness, pecked her delicately on the cheek. The very same cheek.
"Did you ever wash that?"
Ruby let out a giggle and a sigh at the same time, and began to recount that month. Weiss listened and, by the end of it, was staring at Ruby with such an affection the she had to look away. "So I guess it was really hard."
"It was hard for me too. It's hard to focus on graphs and charts and meetings and all that nonsense when eighty percent of your mind is taken up by one person."
Ruby ducked her head in embarrassment. Weiss had to embellishing. And yet, she had been the same way.
"Hey, guys!" Yang said happily, announcing her arrival. Her hair was a mess, her face red and shiny due to a thin layer of sweat.
Blake came in on her heels, fixing the back of her shirt and mumbling something to herself, not looking at either of them. "Tea's ready." She announced, and brought two over to Ruby and Weiss. Yang was watching them with a goofy, if not a tad bit protective stare.
"So, Icequeen, how was Atlas?" Yang asked, and Weiss glowered at the nickname.
"It was cold. Very cold. And lonely. But," And this she said with a shrug, "It was home, and it was nice to see it again."
Yang nodded. Blake put a tea in front of her and, like Weiss had done to Ruby, sat down in Yang's lap. Something silent passed between the three of them, leaving Ruby out to try and guess. Weiss shifted in her lap and found an even more comfortable, intimate position. Ruby felt butterflies in her stomach.
After a few moments, Yang and Blake seemed to shrug as if content with something, and then it felt like a blanket had fallen over them all. It felt unreal, but Ruby realized that they were finally all back together again. Such elation ran through her nervous system that she had to let it out in a laugh. A happy, unbridled, laugh. It proved to be infectious, and eventually all four of them were laughing so hard there were tears. Hugging Weiss' stomach, Ruby laughed, and blessed whatever fate had delivered unto her that which was Weiss Schnee.
Then their laughing subdued itself into little chuckles, and they tested the teas. It was good, and Blake looked please.
"So. I suppose you'd like to know what we've been up to?" Yang asked, but Weiss shook her head.
"Ruby's been supplying me with endless emails about your individual lives. I could write a book out of it if I wanted to."
Ruby giggled at that, and smiled apologetically at Yang's accusing stare. "Sorry..."
Yang sighed and shrugged. "Whatever. It's not like much has changed. Just minor stuff."
Weiss nodded, and silence eased into the room.
Eleven pm rolled around a few minutes after, and Ruby was surprised. She hadn't realized it was already that late. She didn't care, though, as she gave Weiss a gentle squeeze. Weiss hummed in response.
"So," Yang said, picking up her tea and gulping the rest of it down, "Who wants to watch a movie? Or, more like, who wants to watch a movie while me and Blake go watch our own movies?"
Weiss was the one who answered. "I think that sounds fine. I'll see you guys tomorrow, then?"
"Suggesting you two actually get sleep tonight." Yang said with a broken snort as Blake slapped her in the belly.
"You're terrible, Yang." Weiss grumbled, though the two of them shared a brief, appreciative smile. Blake and Yang got up, Blake with her tea, and left the kitchen.
Weiss made no move to get up off of Ruby, so Ruby stayed sitting, enjoying the feeling and warmth and smell of her. "You know, I never expected to be sitting in the kitchen of someone below the upper class." Weiss admitted, and Ruby giggled at her. "It's... Unusual."
"I imagine it's really unusual, us. Us four." Ruby added the last bit on quickly, but she thought Weiss caught the meaning anyways.
"Definitely. And that's fine with me. Movie?"
"Okay." Ruby agreed, and Weiss got up off of her. The spot where Weiss had been sitting tingled, and her entire body felt colder now. They stood looking at one another, words on both their tongues and yet no idea how to say them.
"Movie." Ruby eventually said, and Weiss nodded with a relieved face.
They chose Top Gun, and for ten minutes, let it play. When it became clear to both of them that they weren't interested in a movie right now, they shut it off, intertwined with each other as much as possible, and sat in silence on the couch, appreciating each other's company and sorting through their recent memories.
Eventually, Weiss twisted around and threw both her arms around Ruby's neck, letting them hang loose. "Ruby Rose, I have missed you dearly." Weiss' voice wasn't anywhere above a whisper. Her eyes gleamed in the dim light beneath long lashes. Ruby thought that she could count them with how close her face was to Weiss'.
It took her a moment to find her voice. "I kind of stopped living for a bit after you left." Ruby admonished with a guilty half grin. Weiss shook her head slightly, and Ruby, feeling as if it was the proper thing to do, put both her hands on either side of Weiss' hips.
It took her a second, but she realized Weiss was straddling her at this point.
"I'm going to leave SDC," Weiss said, her breath hot and moist against Ruby's skin, "And I'm going to start my own business."
Ruby nodded dumbly, her tongue feeling thick in her mouth. There it was. That was the declaration, the promise, the assurance. There was nothing left between them.
Nothing, not even space.
Weiss crushed her body against Ruby's even as Ruby leaned into Weiss and kissed her so deeply and hungrily on the lips that Weiss squeaked in shock before completely melting and giving way. Their mouths worked as if they were long time partners, moving together in perfection. Ruby, unsure what to do with her hands, began searching timidly as they pushed up against the hem of Weiss' shirt and slipped in under, sliding against Weiss' smooth, flawless sides.
Weiss mewled and bucked her hips, and suddenly their tongues were a part of it as they dashed and fought in their mouths, gliding over teeth, gums and roofs. Ruby shook uncontrollably even as Weiss did, their nervousness almost outweighing their passions. Ruby let out gasp of surprise when she felt Weiss slip her hand down the back of her shirt and trace her nails gently along the skin of her back.
She shuddered.
Her hands found and cusped the contours of Weiss' body, all the way up to the bottoms of her ribs. Weiss drew her hands out from Ruby's shirt and, still kissing her, undid four of her bottom buttons, leaving Ruby with enough room to explore everything. Then Weiss broke their kiss, despite Ruby' weak protesting squeaks, a thin line of saliva still connecting their bottom lips. She locked eyes with Ruby as she slid her hands down the front of Ruby's shirt, feeling her bosom, and then brought her hands all the way down to the bottom of Ruby's shirt.
Ruby, understanding completely, drew her own arms out from Weiss' button shirt and put her hands up in the air.
Her shirt came off and left her feeling chillier, the cool air brushing against her naked skin, cooling the sheen of sweat on it. Her bra was a dark crimson lined in black lace. Weiss let her hands rest unsurely on the top of Ruby's breasts, who shivered at both the contact and the cold. There was a question in Weiss' eyes.
"I really don't mind." Ruby mumbled hotly, desperate, dependant on more. Weiss didn't respond other than to slip her hands around Ruby's neck again and undo the clasp of her bra. It fell away and left the front of her bare, and Ruby was surprised to find herself wanting to cover it up again despite the situation.
"Now me." Weiss said, and Ruby nodded. Their noses touched and brushed each other as Ruby went as fast as she could with trembling hands, first completely undoing Weiss' shirt and then reaching behind her back to undo the clasp.
Regardless of whether Weiss was small or not, Ruby appreciated her bust anyways. Then they crashed into each other again, their lips and tongues meeting in a frenzy that was reignited almost instantaneously. Weiss' nails were faster and dug a little deeper, drawing a pleasured whine out of Ruby. Weiss began to move her hips up and down in response, shifting to straddle a single leg.
Ruby searched Weiss' body for a bit longer, feeling her well-toned body beneath her palms, before eventually moving to cup her breasts. Weiss let out a whine of her own as Ruby squeezed them, gently at first and then with a little more force. She moved her hips with more fervour, and her kissing became urgent. She withdrew her hands from Ruby's back, to Ruby' initial disappointment, and then began to fondle the front of her chest. Ruby found new pleasure in that, and she sunk into Weiss' touch.
Eventually, when Ruby began to feel something ravenous and hungry growing in her, she broke apart from Weiss' lips, and the both paused, trembling, shaking, breathing heavily. Without words, Ruby turned Weiss over so that they were lying on the couch.
Weiss' breathing quickened even as her eyes grew wider. "Ruby, I don't think..." Ruby paused, having already begun to remove Weiss' pants. "Let's take this... That, a little... Slower." Weiss said shakily, and Ruby drew her hands away without complaint.
"Okay." She mumbled, out of breath and feeling hot. Weiss smiled appreciatively and then sidled closer, placing a hand on Ruby's cheek. Then she twisted her legs around one of Ruby's arms, and drew her closer. Their breasts touched and their lips met in a slower, calmer, yet still just as passionate kiss.
Slowly Weiss began to shift her hips, and Ruby gasped as she realized what was happening. She didn't comment, but let it happen.
Lost in Weiss as she was, she hardly realized it when Weiss' began to buck her hips with new found energy, breathing in gasps as she broke apart from Ruby and bit hard on her bottom lip. "Weiss... Weiss." Ruby stopped her by placing a hand just below her navel.
"Weiss, you're going to make Blake's pants really gross."
Weiss slowed her hips, but didn't stop, looking at Ruby pleadingly. "A little late, they're already kind of... Damp." Her hips began to quicken again, and Ruby bit her own lip.
"You could take them off and be able to sleep in them."
Weiss stopped for a moment, then let out a giggle. "On your arm?"
Ruby blushed and hid her face. "Erm, I mean. Kinda gross..."
Weiss put a hand on the back of her head and drew her close, planting a kiss on the top of it. "Ruby, you're sweet. If it wasn't for the fact that we're on a communal couch, I'd accept your offer." She had stopped moving, though her legs still quivered and she refused to let up the grip she had on Ruby's arm.
"I have a bed you know." Ruby blurted, and Weiss giggled again.
"Ruby... We don't need to... Do that yet. This was enough, more than enough."
"Yeah, but-"
"Ruby," Weiss asked, in a more serious tone, "Do you want to do it? Because I've made my commitments. I don't mind if we do it now or five years from then, because I'm sure we can afford to wait. But if you want to do it now, I'm okay with that."
Ruby squirmed, rubbing her legs together awkwardly. She was staring down into the crevice of Weiss' breasts, and it made it all the stranger. She still felt unsatisfied, empty. But she wasn't sure.
"No. N-not yet... Not ready." Ruby said, giggling at the end embarrassedly. She was certain, due to her hesitation, that she wasn't ready.
Weiss nodded acceptingly, and without comment, released Ruby's arm and lay down on top of her, slipping off to the side and letting an arm sit on Ruby's sternum. They were quite, listening to their own breathing and feeling the gentle rises and fall of their chests.
"Yang was right." Weiss muttered sleepily, and Ruby made a questioning sound in the back of her throat. "We could have used it."
Ruby choked, and Weiss giggled against her.
"Come on, I need ta'pee..." Ruby said between little giggles of her own. Weiss reluctantly got off of her and helped her up. Together they traveled to the bathroom, Ruby leaving Weiss outside as she did her business and, embarrassingly, cleaned herself. Her mind was fuzzy, still trying to grasp what was transpiring. Her and Weiss.
"Wow." She breathed to herself, letting out an elated laugh. She was grinning like a fool while staring at herself in the mirror. Her hair was so messy it almost resembled an afro. She brushed her fingers through it and flattened it out.
When she came out of the bathroom, Weiss handed her her shirt. Ruby took it and, with a shrug, slung it across her shoulder. Weiss raised an eyebrow at her. "Yang and Blake are asleep, and I mean, I do have a bed."
Weiss accepted that with a nod. She still finished buttoning her shirt. Then she slipped into the bathroom and, a few minutes later, came out wearing only her underwear, which were surprisingly pink.
"What's up with that?"
Weiss shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, looking down. "Blake's pants are... unpleasant, now."
Ruby didn't pursue the topic.
They went into the kitchen, and Ruby crossed to the kitchen counter before Weiss flicked on the light.
"I really wish you hadn't done that."
Yang's voice.
Ruby turned around, full frontal, and a groan of horror escaped her lips. Lying across the table was
Blake and Yang, in what could only be a sixty nine position.
Weiss screamed with startle, then embarrassment. Ruby was too stunned to say anything, and Yang had her eyes locked on Ruby's chest with an expression of pride and anger.
And the four of them all stayed stock still.
"Oh for..." Blake sat up with a huff, falling to the floor and wrapping a blanket around her nakedness. Yang looked away from Ruby and sat up, turned away from the two of them. She spared Weiss a glance, who defensively crossed her legs. "Ruby, Weiss, this is... Not how I wanted to see you guys next. It's safe to say we're equally in odd positions."
"You're sixty nine-ing on the table." Weiss deadpanned.
Blake shrugged, blushing faintly. "And Ruby's flaunting her chest for all and any to see."
"You guys were supposed to be in your bed..." Ruby mumbled, modestly covering herself with her arms.
Yang sighed, and collected from a previously unnoticed pile of clothing a very large shirt which she put on. "Alright, alright. If you guys promise not to do it on the couch in the living room, we won't do it in the dining room."
Ruby and Weiss shuffled their feet awkwardly and nodded their heads. "I still think doing it on the table is worse." Weiss muttered, and the other three conceded that point.
Yang and Blake said their goodnights then, Yang complimenting Ruby on her growth. Ruby scowled at her and muttered under her breath that Yang was a twit. The other two girls left the room giggling.
Weiss sighed, walked over to where Ruby stood, and kissed her.
"Come on. Get your drink and lets go to bed."
Later that night, when Weiss had already fallen asleep, Ruby laid awake staring transfixed at Weiss' face.
She wondered, then, if she was looking at the rest of her life. She thought she was.
A knot of tension and pent up emotion untied itself within her, and Ruby sighed happily.
She had held it in, and now she'd let it go.
That's it. There's your second chapter. I don't even know how it got so long... I wrote most of it last night. Anyways, if I make an epilogue, which could happen, don't expect it until I've closed the first act of Inheritance. This was a sidetrack that I shouldn't have taken but, oh well, I did. I hope you guys enjoy and sorry for the lemon!