Walking and talking wasn't usually hard to do. But walking and 'talking' with a mute? Now that was hard to do. Yang wasn't sure what had happened to Weiss's voice, but a part of her was hesitant to ask. After all, they had only just met. So rather than trying to push the already timid girl even further out of her comfort zone, Yang decided it was better to keep talking herself, hoping it would give Weiss the chance to get to know her a little better.
Weiss, on the other hand, had found it odd that this girl — Yang — had insisted on walking her home. But after passing out and waking up in a stranger's home, Weiss's mind had seemed to completely erase the path from which she'd come. She had absolutely no idea where she was going, and it made her feel even more insecure as she walked alongside Yang, who seemed to be just as clueless as her. However, after a few moments of walking, through sheer, questioning luck, Yang had finally managed to ask Weiss a question that she could answer.
"Oh!" Yang raised a finger at her idea that was unknown to Weiss. Weiss, in turn, paid Yang no mind, as she still did not know how to properly react to a human being giving her attention, much less positive attention. "Do you happen to know your street name?" Yang turned her head curiously to Weiss as they walked down the road just a block from Yang's house. They hadn't made it too far.
Weiss made a face, currently lost in her own thoughts as she tried hard to remember. She had only lived in her house for several weeks. This was one thing she should have known, the street to her own house. Her brows furrowed for a moment then widened in realization. Weiss nodded in a timid manner. Through all this time, Yang had been intently watching her for any sort of answer.
Stopping her tracks, Weiss turned to Yang. Lifting her left hand straight up, she moved it in a twisting motion. She lipped the word 'Mirror'. Yang caught on fairly fast and nodded. "Mirror?" Yang repeated just to make sure. Weiss nodded weakly as she stepped forward for them to continue walking.
Now making her own face journey, Yang made a small yet curious 'hmph' sound as she herself just realized something. "The only street I can think of with that name is Shattered Mirror St." She scrunched her nose, blinking erratically several times before speaking up once more. "You basically walked across the whole neighborhood? At the hottest hour of the day?!" Yang's voice was loud and a little bit concerning, making Weiss flinch.
Realizing just how loud she had been, Yang apologized. "Sorry, didn't mean to spook you." She rubbed the back of her own neck. Weiss merely shook her head and put her hand up, as almost if to say 'I'm fine.' Yang returned the gesture with an apologetic smile. She rested her hands behind her head as she walked at a comfortable pace with Weiss. "Uhm…" Yang seemed to trail off as she glanced to Weiss then ahead of her.
"This walk will probably take us an hour. It'd be nice if I had a car, or a motorcycle. I'm definitely a motorcycle kind of gal…" Yang paused as she spoke, now looking to Weiss. Usually when Yang talked, there would be some sort of reciprocation in conversation. Though, in this case it was different and Yang didn't know if she should just shut up and let Weiss enjoy the peace, or if she should continue talking. "Should I… be quiet?" Yang asked, now lowering her hands to her sides.
Weiss looked at Yang, her ice-like eyes slightly widening. To Weiss, it was a wonder that anyone would even try to keep any sort of conversation knowing that Weiss wouldn't respond the way they wanted her to. It wasn't that she minded people talking to her, if they would at all. It was just that someone making so much effort to try and talk to Weiss was all so new to her. A very small smile appeared on Weiss's face for a second as she shook her head to Yang. She wanted to listen to Yang. It was nice hearing someone's voice. Even if they couldn't hear hers.
In return Yang grinned widely. "Well, if I had a motorcycle, I'd name her Bumblebee. But... I feel like I should ask you questions. I'm sure you've heard of twenty questions, and if you haven't it's basically like yes or no questions. This should be easy for you to answer… You can also say no if you don't want to play. So, are you alright with me asking you some questions?" Yang looked at her as they rounded the corner entering another street.
Once more, Weiss's eyes widened. It sounded like a game. Something so simple, yet clever, that would allow Weiss to communicate in a different form? She seemed interested. She wanted to try it out, as no one else had offered her this simple yet interesting opportunity about getting to 'talk' about herself. Weiss nodded yes.
Yang clasped her hands together, now rubbing them together. "Alright," she hummed. "Where to begin… Did you just move here?"
Weiss nodded.
Throughout the whole walk Yang continued to ask twenty simple questions. Yang learned quite a bit. She learned that Weiss had siblings. That she did in fact move from Atlas. She was going to attend Beacon Academy with Yang. That she was a little younger than Yang, who was 18, and Weiss was 17. Yang wanted to know more, so much more about the girl, but she wanted to keep it casual. She could tell that Weiss, although she had played along, was still extremely timid and hesitant about answering certain questions.
Every now and then they would drink from the water bottles and Yang would check on Weiss, asking if she was feeling okay, to which Weiss would always nod yes.
After the bout of questions, Yang would ramble about anything and everything. Weiss listened to all of what Yang had to say — it wasn't like she had much of a choice. Then again, Weiss definitely didn't mind that for once, someone was treating her like a normal human being. This whole situation for Weiss was odd, but this was something she admittedly found enjoyable.
Weiss just wished that Yang could understand her. Yang was certainly willing to try, though, something she found admirable and new. Most people would've shut up and stopped trying by now. Something that Weiss still had trouble trying to get over.
Soon enough they had arrived at Weiss's street, and Weiss, recognizing her own house, pointed straight at it. Yang smiled, glad to have gotten the girl back home safely, and they both quickened their pace. Now arriving at the driveway of Weiss's own house, Weiss turned to Yang. Her left hand moved over her mouth, and then downwards. She smiled as she mouthed a genuine "Thank you."
Yang smiled back at her. "Not a problem. Take care of yourself, okay? Drink lots of water and get some rest!" She paused to think for a moment before opening her mouth to speak one last time. "I guess I'll be seeing you around!" She waved, turned around, and left the driveway, now returning on the long trek back to her house.
"I should've brought my bike…" she muttered to herself as soon as she was out of earshot of Weiss.
Weiss pulled the house key out of her back pocket and unlocked it. She hurried inside and immediately ran to her room, faceplanting onto her bed. She let out a loud, audible groan, something she only did when she was alone. Around anyone else, she refused to so much as even make a sound, and she never, ever truly spoke out loud. Not even to herself.
This whole day had been one odd, unexpected mess. Previously, she would have thought that waking up in a stranger's house would lead to being murdered. But instead, she had been saved, and Weiss had seemed to become something along the lines of a… a friend with said stranger. The stranger known as Yang Xiao Long was adamant on talking to her. But she had expected nothing from Weiss in return, and in fact, Yang had seemed to accommodate Weiss's own needs, something Weiss certainly hadn't been used to. She'd made everything so simple, and for the first time in a long time, Yang had made her feel included.
Weiss fought against her own self doubts and paranoid thoughts. Had Yang only been so kind because Weiss had passed out in her yard? Did Yang think she was stupid like everyone else seemed to assume? Did it even matter? Would she even see Yang again after today?
She did say they were both going to Beacon Academy come the new school year, but that didn't mean they'd end up having any of the same classes. Weiss groaned loudly once more into her bed sheets. There was so much to think about, so much she had to worry about. Yang should've been the last of her problems.
With this in mind, she got herself up and made her way to the shower.
The walk home was a lot faster than Yang had expected. It may have been more or less due to the reason she had decided to casually jog back home.
The sun had almost set as she barged her way through the front door. The driveway had still been empty.
Ruby jumped up from the couch looking startled. "Yang?! Where did you go?!" Ruby stood up, now looking a bit concerned. "I finished my homework and you were gone! Without telling me!" She crossed her arms in an accusatory manner, waiting for an answer.
Yang roughly slapped a palm to her forehead. She had been completely enthralled with the new girl that she had forgotten to tell Ruby she had left the house. "I'm sorry, Rubes. I was just taking Weiss home. I totally forgot to tell you and I haven't even started on dinner." Her hand ran down her face. "How about we just order some pizza?"
Ruby grumbled. "As long as we get to order those cookie cake desserts it comes with."
Yang chuckled, nodding at Ruby's addition. Proceeding along with her action, Yang ordered pizza, and a little while later, Ruby and Yang sat in the living room with the TV on and their bodies sprawled across the furniture.
"Soooo…" Ruby began once they'd been settled in, "that Weiss girl doesn't talk much, huh?"
Yang turned her head to Ruby, looking at her curiously. "How would you know? You weren't even in the room."
Ruby made a face at her. "Oh, come on, Yang, it's not like our house is that big. It sounded like you were talking to yourself!" She paused, scrunching her nose. "You weren't actually talking to yourself, were you?"
Yang laughed, shaking her head in response. "No, I wasn't. I… think Weiss is mute. She can hear, but as far as talking is concerned... I'm not so sure." Yang sat up, now contemplating the whole situation with Weiss. "I feel bad. I think I talked her ear off on the way home. She didn't look as if she minded, but I want to be able to talk to her. To understand her, you know?" Yang sighed, leaning herself back into the couch, slowly sinking into the soft cushions.
Ruby mirrored Yang's actions as she sat up, but leaned in towards Yang. "You know, you could learn sign language. I know there are those videos and online classes you could take."
Yang popped up, her violet eyes brightening in wonder. "Ruby, that's brilliant! I'm sure she'd like it if someone could talk to her in the way that she knows!" She tackled her sister to the cushions in a crushing hug.
"Yang, cut it outttt!" Ruby groaned, struggling in her grasp. "You're so sweaty and smelly! Grossss!" Ruby's protest went unheard as Yang continued to squeeze her. "Ack, I'm… dying!" Ruby's voice trailed off dramatically.
"I'm only doing this because I know you didn't finish your homework." Yang grinned down at her, a menacing smirk on her face.
Ruby's eyes widened "W-what?! How would you know that?"
"You only focus on homework when you have your headphones in." Yang pulled away from her little sister with a wink.
Ruby groaned and wiped herself off. "Ughhh, how do you know EVERYTHING?"
Yang cackled. "Big sister knows all."
"Big sister doesn't know sign language." Ruby crossed her arms. "You're sure doing a lot for someone you just met, though."
Yang shrugged. "How would you like it if you came into a new town, being unable to talk to anyone at all? I'm doing it because it's the right thing to do. She's going to need friends. I'm plus one friend!" Yang grinned.
Ruby nodded enthusiastically before her expression fell into a frown. "It's too bad I can't be with you guys yet. How cool would it be we went to Beacon together?!"
Yang stood up and stretched as she glanced out the window. "One more year, sis." She pointed toward the bright headlights now shining through the front door.
Yang grabbed her cash and paid off the delivery man, practicing what she picked up from Weiss as she placed her right hand in front of her mouth and motioned it downwards. "Thank you!" she said to the man before closing the door.
"What was that about?" Ruby asked Yang curiously, who had returned to the living room with the pizza box in her hands. Ruby copied the motion Yang had just made to the man.
"Oh? That means Thank you. It's something I learned from Weiss. Cool, huh?" Yang grinned, moving over to the couch. Ruby hopped down next to her.
"Looks like you're already learning something!" She stole the box from Yang's hands, opening the lid and grabbing a slice.
Yang mockingly glared at her sister. "I can't wait until I learn how to say 'Do your homework,'" she said as she stole back the box, grabbing two slices and putting them together.
Together, the two of them ate.
While Weiss ate alone.