Lazy clouds floated through the city streets of Arae, or Stadt im Himmel in Old Atlesian. In Vale, they called it the City in the Sky.

The streets were narrow and winding, but not constricting in the slightest; moreso they were snug and comfortable. Laughing children ran through them, making a game out of avoiding the clouds drifting through. Emporiums and vendors snuggled into the walls advertised bargains, customers haggled and purchased, and street vendors handed out bowls of Arae's famous soups. Many of them could only be brewed in the thin air at this high of an altitude.

Arae was the pride of Atlas, with walls as white as snow, foundations as strong as the mountains it perched upon, streets shining like burnished gold, and people as welcoming as any you would find in the countryside. Twisting walkways and steep staircases bedecked with rippling flags and banners opened up to gardens and bustling plazas, all with magnificent views of the sea of clouds drifting by below them. The horizon was a pristine blue, while up above the sky turned violet as one gazed up into the stratosphere.

In one of Arae's many open air cafes, Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee sat at a table for two enjoying the midday sun, a fresh breeze, and a bowl of hot soup.

"I jusht can't shay thish enough," Ruby said with a mouthful of warm bread. She swallowed, then continued. "This place is freaking amazing. Seriously, like..." She made a broad sweeping gesture with her hands. "Just wow."

Weiss smiled. She noticed that they – smiles – were occurring much more frequently. "Don't talk with your mouth full. It's bad manners. But I agree, this is my favorite city in the world."

Ruby smiled back and blew on her soup to cool it down. Tendrils of steam rose from her bowl, twisting and curling in the air. "Yeah, I can see why. You grew up here?"

Weiss shook her head. "I actually grew up further north, in a city called Rossenchfaust. It's the SDC's unofficial headquarters, but it's also where my father works out of. I'm glad that he picked this city for this business with Winter and I though."

"How's that going, anyway?" Ruby questioned.

Weiss took a sip of her own soup, taking a second to enjoy it's sharpness and fragrance. "It's going fine. Most of the rights and titles I held as heiress have already been transferred over to Winter, and I can tell she's quite pleased with herself. She always wanted to be father's special little girl, and she was always jealous of me. Now it's finally her turn in the spotlight, and she's taken to it with gusto."

"And what about your dad?" Ruby asked.

"He actually told me he saw this coming. Something about the way we looked at eachother the last time I brought you home." Weiss frowned. "Am I really that easy to read?"

Ruby smirked. "Apparently to some people. I didn't really notice anything. I didn't think we would ever be more than friends."

Weiss traced a pattern into the tablecloth with her finger. "We almost weren't..."

Ruby's aimed a reassuring smile at her, and it shot a thrill through her heart. "Yeah, but we are now."

A not-completely awkward silence fell.

Weiss sipped her soup until Ruby spoke again. "So uh, how much longer are we here for anyway?"

"You needn't worry about that; most of the tedious ceremonies are over so all that's left is the paperwork, and that should only keep us another week or so."

Ruby bent down to sip her soup and gazed up at Weiss. "And then what?"

Weiss smiled again. "And then we run away together. Go somewhere warm. Maybe have an adventure in Vacuo, just like the huntresses of old."

Ruby giggled. "That sounds awesome. You still have access to your family's money and stuff?"

"I'm still a Schnee," Weiss replied with a nod. "The only thing that changed is the order of succession."

"Just so you can be with me, huh." Ruby blushed and looked down at her soup. "I still think it's pretty crazy, what you did."

The former heiress raised an eyebrow. "And what, exactly, did I do?"

Ruby made a strange gesture with her hands. "You, you know, like, gave it all up. For me. That's like, the most powerful company in the world with all kinds of crazy money and power, and I'm just... me."

Weiss reached over the table and took Ruby's hands with her own. "Ruby Rose, listen to me. You are my partner in more ways than one. I have grown so much in these past four years; I can honestly say that I am a far better person than I was. And it's all because of you. You, Ruby, are more precious to me than all the money and power in the world."

Ruby's face went red, and she smiled so hard that Weiss thought the girl's face might shatter. "Thanks Weiss," she whispered. "I love you too."

"I – I didn't say that, I mean, I-"

Ruby giggled and held up a hand. "It's fine. You don't have to say it. I know how you have trouble with that kind of thing. Open affection and all that."

"I'm sorry," Weiss replied. "I want to say it, but whenever I try the words get caught up in my throat in a strange way. I suppose I'm just scared. In the upper echelons of Atlas, no one comes together for love. It's all for wealth, power, or an increase in status. An arranged marriage might be the difference between your company prospering or failing."

"No one ever..." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "No one ever loves eachother."

Ruby beamed at her. "Well I do. I love you Weiss."

Weiss fought off a blush and turned her attention to the horizon. "I know. What does Yang think of all this?"

"Nice topic change," Ruby replied with a smirk. "She's good, I think. I can tell she's a little mad at me for leaving so soon, and at you for uh, stealing me away. But she's with Blake so she'll be fine."

"Hmm," Weiss replied. "So how are you liking Atlas? And don't just say 'it's awesome.'"

"Funny thing you should say that," Ruby laughed.

From there the conversation devolved into small talk and playful banter, but it was pleasant nonetheless. After all the dull meetings and overbearing ceremonies Weiss had been in lately, she found that an easy conversation with Ruby was the unexpected solution to the stress that had been building up.

The lunch drew to a close and Weiss sat there holding Ruby's hand, enjoying it's warmth. Ruby's hand was calloused from the textured grip of Crescent Rose's haft, but it wasn't overly rough. And her grip was the most gentle thing Weiss had ever felt, like she was afraid of hurting her, or shattering her.

"So uh," Ruby asked, "we gonna have dinner together tonight? I mean, unless you're busy with more meetings or whatever."

Weiss smiled at Ruby's nervousness. They had been dating for a few weeks and had been partners for years, but the way Ruby always thought of her first and foremost was still refreshing in it's own way.

"Actually," Weiss replied, "I'm free tonight. I have to set up a transfer of accounts with my father and his bank, to make sure the primary accounts don't keep getting rerouted to me. That shouldn't take too long, unless the bank drags their feet, which I'm sure they will. So I should be open for a late dinner?"

"Yeap, that's fine," Ruby replied with a quick nod and a smile. "Thanks for lunch by the way, this place was great."

Weiss gave Ruby's hand a squeeze. "You're welcome. Thanks for being here with me."

Several hours later, Weiss found herself in the midst of a throng of people in one of Arae's large public squares. The surrounding shops and stores were all closing for the day, and people were making last minute purchases, packing up their wares, and going home. Night was on the cusp of falling, and the sky was purple-black with a crown of stars shining through at the top. Orange dust lamps lit the streets with a warm glow, fighting against the chill of the night.

She finally found Ruby standing at the edge of the crowd, wearing an endearingly cute red hourglass dress and a cream jacket. The excitable brunette had had a lot of free time and a lot of Weiss' money lately, and Arae boasted some of the most upscale clothing designers in Atlas. The taller woman was standing on her tip-toes and peering apprehensively into the crowd. Weiss came at her from the side, so she didn't notice until the older woman tapped her on the shoulder.

"Weiss!" Ruby squealed, and immediately pulled her into a warm hug. Their bodies fit together like puzzle pieces, and Weiss got a face-full of Ruby's well-endowed chest. Not that she was complaining.

"Hi Ruby," Weiss replied. "Seems you're happy to see me."

"Well dur! I missed you!"

"Dunce, I was only gone for seven hours."

Ruby pulled back and looked down at her with pout. "Seven hours is way too long. I think a thirty minute max should be the rule from now on."

Weiss chuckled and pushed back into the hug and nuzzled into the crook of Ruby's neck, eager to stave off the biting chill of the air. "I'll see if I can work that into my schedule," she replied. "Are you ready to eat dinner?"

"Well obviously. I didn't get dressed up like this for nothing!" Ruby stepped back and did a little twirl, sending the edges of her dress spinning like a top. It flared up, and Weiss had to fight down a blush as she got a view of the bare skin above Ruby's sheer black stockings.

She grabbed Ruby's hand and began making her way through the crowd towards the restaurant on the other side of the square.

"Why are we going so fast?" Ruby laughed.

"Because I don't want us to miss our reservations!" Weiss shouted back over the crowd.

It was really, of course, just because she didn't want Ruby to see her blush.

With a spot up against the window that made up one entire wall of the restaurant – which Weiss had of course reserved – the two women were treated to a gorgeous view of the horizon and the setting sun as it sank into a sea of clouds.

The table was small but elaborate, with all the proper settings. A small vase with a single rose inside sat next to a slowly burning candle that gave off the scent of vanilla.

"Did you do that?" Ruby asked, as she pointed at the rose.

"Maybe," Weiss replied. "You'll never know."

Ruby grinned. "You totally did."

Weiss looked at her sidelong. "I'm really that easy to figure out, huh?"

"You didn't used to be, but now you kinda are," the brunette giggled. "Just for me though."

Weiss smiled and took laid her hand atop Ruby's.

The dinner went much as Weiss had hoped. Ruby was fantastic company, the quality of the food was impeccable, and the atmosphere was just as romantic as one could ask for. But something seemed off, something with Ruby.

The younger girl seemed almost... nervous. It seemed like Ruby had difficulty meeting her eyes. She played with her hair and her food, and occasionally even bit a nail. She mumbled parts of her sentences, and one time she ever stared out through the window for almost half a minute before Weiss asked her what was wrong. And of course her answer had been "nothing."

It was at the end of the dinner, when the sun had long set and the waiter had already taken away their plates when Ruby finally started to say something.

"So uh, I... uh, never mind." Ruby looked sheepish and scratched the back of her neck. "Hey uh, actually do you wanna take a walk outside? Before we go back to our rooms?"

Weiss glanced down at the suit she was wearing, judging how it would hold up against the cold. Thankfully, the interior was lined with a warm material. "I suppose."

She looked up at Ruby, and noticed how happy the younger girl looked at that moment. Her silver eyes and the crimson tips of her hair shone in the candlelight.

"Actually Ruby," she reconsidered, as she picked up the rose in the vase, "I'd love to go for a walk with you. That sounds perfect right now."

She slid the rose into Ruby's hair above her left ear, the brunette's smile grew, and Weiss' felt her heart melt.

The air was freezing, but thankfully Weiss herself wasn't. Ruby's arm was slung around her shoulder, pulling her close as they meandered aimlessly together through one of Arae's expansive gardens.

The moon was only a milky sliver in the sky, but the stars themselves were bright and twinkling. If one focused, they might even make out the blurry, multicolored smears of distant nebulae and galaxies.

They strolled past rows of carefully cultivated trees and flower bushes, their buds closed against the chill. The fact that they lived at all was a testament to Atlesian flowers; only the hardiest bloomed at an altitude this high. Eventually they ended up at the edge of the garden: a white railing that kept one from plummeting over the side of a sheer rock wall.

Weiss glanced over the edge, and a chill ran down her spine as she saw that the drop ended in a brightly-lit plaza almost half a kilometer below.

"Yeesh, this sure is high," Ruby muttered. "How long did it take to build this city anyway?"

"Multiple generations," Weiss replied. "Several hundred years. But it's been around since the beginning of Atlas, or at least the foundations have. Arae is constantly building up and out, so I expect it'll be even larger in another century."

Ruby let out a long breath. "Wow."

Silence fell and Weiss leaned against Ruby, taking in as much of her warmth as she could. The wind whistled through the artificial canyon created by the buildings around them, and they watched as the lights in homes and stores started winking out around them, one by one. But for every light that disappeared, another appeared in the sky above them as the darkness deepened.

As the silence stretched on Ruby tensed like she was bracing for something, and while Weiss didn't know what was bothering her, she pressed herself a little closer to her girlfriend anyway. She hoped it would reassure her.

"So uh, I got you something," Ruby started nervously. She reached into the pocket of her jacket with shaking hands, and drew out something that shone in the starlight. As Weiss peered closer, she realized that it was a silver necklace with a blooming rose as a pendant, masterfully crafted in multifaceted rubies.

Its beauty stole her breath away. "Ruby... this is..."

Ruby looked away. "I know, it's kinda bad. I don't really have a lot of money though, and all the stores around here are really expensive. I kinda did my best, and I mean it did take me the last whole week to find something I might be good for you." She ran a shaking hand through her hair. "I mean I know you could get me something much better and way prettier, so I wanted to get something that would have like, some meaning, and I wanted this to be kind of personal since I really really super love you, and even though it sucks it's-"

Before she could continue, Weiss grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and pulled her in for an ardent kiss. Ruby's eyes went wide, but then fluttered shut as she laid a hand on the back of Weiss' head and pulled her closer.

For a precious few moments, they were the only things that existed. All there was for her was Ruby, her warmth, her closeness, the intimacy and the love she felt. Ruby had become the most important thing to her a long time ago, and it had been almost overwhelmingly painful to try and bury those affections. Now, it felt indescribable to finally be able to express those feelings.

They pressed their lips together over and over, but a question burning in her mind made her pull back before things could get more heated. She had a nagging sensation that she had forgotten something, and it grew stronger with each passing second.

"Ruby," she asked after catching her breath, "what exactly is this for? Is there an occasion?"

"Well, yeah," Ruby replied with a smirk. "I mean, it's Valentines day after all."

Weiss' heart stopped.

She had forgotten. She had forgotten Valentine's day, her first with Ruby, the first one she actually had a chance to make meaningful. The first Valentine's day she actually wanted to be able to remember, and it had slipped her mind like sand through her fingers.

She looked off into the distance, mind scrambling to come up with a solution, and she was vaguely aware of Ruby staring into her eyes with a confused expression. All the stores were closed now. Jewelry stores closed early anyway, as did florists. Flowers from the garden? No, Ruby was here. She would see. It was if her mind was trapped in a maze, and every path she went down turned into a dead end. There was no way out of this situation. She had to face the consequences.

Ruby would be angry with her, and rightfully so. But she would also be let down and disappointed, and that killed Weiss more than anything. She might even frown. Frowns didn't belong anywhere near Ruby's face; she didn't know if she could handle that.

"Uh... Weiss?"

"I forgot," the former heiress whispered.

"What?"

"I..." she gripped the railing tightly. "I forgot."

Ruby's face went blank for a moment, but then she started laughed. "Oh man, that's it? I was like, totally worried for a second there."

Weiss spun to face her. She was furious, but only at herself. "What do you mean, 'that's it?' How can you say that!"

"It's no big deal Weiss," Ruby murmured. Her expression turned remorseful in the face of Weiss' misplaced anger. "I mean, it's really not a big deal at all. You can just get me something tomorrow."

The smaller girl stamped her foot down. "Ruby, it is a big deal! We're only two weeks and three days into this relationship, and I can remember how many days we've been together, but I can't remember something as important as Valentine's day? The day where couples are supposed to go all out and show the other person how much they mean to them? I failed Ruby, I failed you. How is any of that excusable?"

Ruby smiled at her like nothing was wrong, and Weiss' heart skipped a double-beat. "Because I'm excusing it silly," the brunette replied. "If you didn't forget, I'm the other person in this relationship. I'm the one that would get mad or anything. And I already forgive you, so it's not a big deal."

Ruby stepped forward and pulled her into a wonderfully smothering hug. Weiss was too stunned to return it, and her arms simply hung at her side.

"But..." she whispered, "this is the most important day for couples."

She cleared her throat before speaking. Clearly Ruby didn't understand the reverence she held for this day, so she would have to help her understand. She brought her arms up and returned the hug before speaking.

"You see Ruby, even in my father's courts where love and romance were just paltry jokes that the poor folk stooped to, the nobles, they always placed great reverence on showing appreciation for someone on Valentine's day. If you wanted to gain favor with someone, you serenaded them with songs and showered them with the most expensive gifts you could afford. And even though it was supposed to all be just a sham, a fake, I could tell that some of the gifts were in earnest."

Ruby simply listened, but started rubbing slow circles into the small of her back. It was wonderfully pleasant and relaxing.

"Some of the songs actually, truly had emotion behind them. I could tell. It's always been one of my favorite days, but I never hoped I would actually find a person to spend it with, someone I truly cared about. I secretly wished that one day I would get to shower someone with gifts, and serenade them with sweet songs but... I forgot. The first time I've actually had the chance to truly celebrate Valentine's day, I completely forgot about it. I'm... I'm so sorry Ruby. I apologize from the bottom of my heart."

Ruby drew her head back so that they could look at eachother, but didn't break the embrace. Weiss was nearly struck dumb by how Ruby could still smile gently at her after all that. She was truly a treasure: this girl who was so perfectly kind and honest to her when she didn't necessarily deserve it.

"It's fine Weiss," Ruby said. "I didn't realize how much it meant to you, but honestly, the only present I really want is you. This might sound weird, but the perfect gift is that I get to have you with me, and that you didn't go running off to Atlas and you know," Ruby's expression slipped a notch, "leave me behind and everything."

Weiss reached a hand up and cupped the taller girl's cheek. "Oh Ruby..." she whispered.

Ruby smiled. Then her eyes went wide, and she stepped back. "Oh, right! The necklace, can I uh, can I put it on you?"

Weiss nodded her assent and turned around, and Ruby stepped behind her and gently pulled the chain around her neck before fastening it closed.

"There! Turn around Weiss, I wanna see how it looks on you!"

The former heiress chuckled and complied. Ruby's mouth went into an 'o' when she saw the necklace on Weiss' collar.

"Oh holy cow, that's so beautiful... kinda like you," Ruby continued absentmindedly.

Weiss blushed, still unused to how openly and honestly Ruby complimented her.

Ruby stood up straight. "Welp, it looks perfect on you! I mean all jewelry looks great on you no matter what, but that one just fits. It's a rose too, so you can think of me and stuff."

"I always think of you Ruby," Weiss replied honestly. "That's why I'm so surprised that I forgot about Valentine's day.

Ruby stuck out her tongue. "Eh, it's really not a big deal. You were busy and all that. Besides, there's always next year!"

Ruby said it like it was an immutable fact, something that would happen as surely as the sun would rise in the morning, and it made Weiss' heart flutter.

"Oh and... Well, uh," Ruby continued nervously, "you wanted to like, serenade me, or whatever? Right? Like they did back in your dad's courts and stuff?"

"I suppose," Weiss replied. "It was always something I'd wanted to do if I ever found someone who was worth it."

Ruby shuffled her feet and looked at the ground. "Oh. Well um, am I? You know, worth it?"

Weiss moved a step closer to her. "What? Of course you're worth it Ruby, I wouldn't be here giving up the rights to the SDC otherwise."

Ruby glanced up at her, then around at the garden. "Well I mean, there's not really anyone here but us. So if you wanted to uh, serenade me, that'd be cool." Ruby shook her head, then tried again. "Ugh, that sounded weird. I mean, uh Weiss? Could you please sing for me?"

The former heiress lost the power of speech for a few seconds. "O-Of course! Of course I'll sing for you!"

Ruby grinned and scratched the back of her neck. "Thanks. I really love your singing."

Weiss felt her expression soften. "I'll have to sing more often for you then." She glanced around at the garden, looking for a suitable spot. "Do you want to go back to the hotel, or..."

"No I mean, would it be okay if we did it here? It's really pretty out tonight."

"I suppose this location is acceptable then," Weiss replied, trying to sound aloof. In reality, her pulse was racing and her heart felt like it would beat its way out of her chest.

She had sung in front of crowds before, but the thought of singing with Ruby being the sole member of the audience? It was uncharacteristically distressing, made moreso by the fact that she was terrifyingly in love with the younger girl.

Weiss cleared her throat and stepped closer to the railing, choosing to gaze out at the shadowed horizon. This would be easier if she didn't have to look at Ruby while she sang. For some incomprehensible reason she was scared that she would mess up, even though she was a world-class singer and normally had utter confidence in her abilities. But the strangeness of the fear wasn't making it go away.

She already knew what song she would sing; she had secretly wanted to sing this song for Ruby for a long time now.

She froze when Ruby suddenly embraced her from behind. The younger girl wrapped her strong arms around Weiss' waist and pulled her gently back to lean against the her chest.

"Okay," Ruby whispered, her voice filling Weiss' senses. "I'm ready."

The former heiress smiled. Suddenly, the fear and nervousness was gone. Ruby's warm body pressed up against hers told her that no matter what, the brunette would love it. No matter what, everything would be alright. Ruby had always possessed the strange ability to make her feel that way. When she was with Ruby, it was if nothing was wrong with the world. Colors were brighter, laughs more genuine, smiles warmer.

She paused for a second longer, taking a moment to reflect on just how much she loved the girl whose arms she was in, the girl who had become her entire world. She might not be able to say the words themselves just yet, but she thought she might be able to work them into the song.

Then she opened her mouth and began to sing.

Happy Valentine's day!

If you're a tumblr user, check out the blog "whiteroselovers." We just launched today, and are comprised of a bunch of Whiterose-loving artists and writers. We'll post art and stories, take submissions, stuff like that. If you need your Whiterose fix, it's a fair bet you'll get it there.

Kumo be my Valentine :D