The hot sand under his feet was soft and malleable, but the sun overhead burned his sensitive eyes as he looked out across the yard. Even beyond the high, razor wire tipped fences that surronded him on three sides, there was nothing but sand and sky.
He slowly raked his gaze over the other inmates. Some ran along the fenceline like rats in a cage. Some lifted weights lazily. Some did stretches that made them look like pretzels. He would usually be out there with them, working himself to exhaustion to keep attention away from the chills and the violent itch under his skin. Not today though. Today, he needed to save his energy.
There was a lone guard, rifle pressed to his shoulder as her looked over the prisoners. His vest was darker than night over his navy blue uniform, though it did nothing to conceal the canisters of tear gas inside.
At that thought, his eyes swept over the fence until they rested where it met the corner of the building. There, the wire was curled out slightly. A few of the links broken, but not bent enough to attract eyes that weren't seeking it out.
All he could do now was wait.
Adam hated waiting.
His leg bounced erratically as he gripped the bench tightly. The sun was almost in the middle of the sky. It couldn't be long now. His muscles were tensed and ready, tongue between his teeth to keep them from grinding together.
Finally, the guard pressed a finger to his ear. His mouth moved as he said something that Adam couldn't quite hear. Then, he turned and started back into the prison.
As soon as the man's back was turned, the faunus jumped up from the bench and ran over to the wall. There was only around 40 seconds before the next took his place. Crouching, he counted five bricks from the fence and two from the ground. With a small grin, Adam worked the brick loose. Inside the small hole that was left, his fingers curled around a small device.
It had taken him over a month to get the necessary supplies, but it helped to be well known amongst the faunus in a faunus prison. He punched a few numbers into the scroll.
"Inmate!"
He jolted, spinning around to see a guard jogging towards him. He should still have fifteen seconds! How did he get here so fast? He hit the call button.
Nothing happened.
His heart began to pick up the pace, though he kept his features neutral. What happened? Had he entered the wrong number? Had the wires been disconnected? Did they find it?
The guard pointed the gun at him, staying about a yard away. "What's that in your hand, Spike head?"
Adam bared his teeth at the slur. "Call me that one more time, asshole." He knew he'd be beat for talking like that, but he couldn't bring himself to care as red tinged the edges of his vision. He'd take the beating. They were going to do it anyway once they confinscated the scroll.
The guard growled and lowered the gun slightly. "Listen here-"
The earth shook as an explosion rocked the prison. Both Adam and the guard were thrown to the ground, the gun firing off and launching a bullet into the faunus' shoulder. He gripped it and tried to spit the sand out of his mouth, but didn't feel any pain. Better late than never.
Sirens began to blare as he lurched to his feet and kicked the guard in the head as hard as he could. The man went still. He didn't waste time to check if he was still breathing.
Another explosion filled shook the building, though he was ready for it this time. He picked up the gun with his good arm and sprinted for the fence. He kicked broken links, curling the aluminum outwards. Without hesitation, he shoved himself through the hole shoulder first.
He growled at the far away feeling of sharp metal raking across his cheek. Gun slung around him, he began to run. He kept running, even as he heard people shouting at him. The closest he came to stopping was when bullets sank into the sand in front of him. Even then, he only turned for a moment to return fire. His aim was completely off without use of his other arm, but it forced them to take cover.
When he made it past a few sand dunes, he stopped behind one. Shaky hands ripped off his sleeve as he looked at the bullet wound. Luckily, it had gone straight through. Unluckily, he now had a hole in his arm.
He scowled as he tied the sleeve tightly around it, only small pricks of pain making it through to his clouded mind.
When he finished, he tucked the gun against his side and started shoveling sand over his legs. It wouldn't be long until they gave chase and there was no better place to hide than in plain sight. When he was almost completely buried, he smeared the blood from the cuts on his face, sticking sand to it.
They could search the entire desert, but they wouldn't find him if he kept still. After a few hours, they'd give up and he could get to work on rebuilding what he had strived so hard to accomplish.
All he could do now was wait.
Adam hated waiting.
When Yang woke up, she did not open her eyes. The brain melting migraine and slightly nauseous feeling in her stomach alerted her that she was hungover and that whatever light was in her room would make her regret every decision she had ever made. Cold ceramic was pressed against the side of her face, making her head hurt a little less, but not by much.
She tensed all of her muscles a little to make sure she hadn't broken anything during the large gap in her memory. All of her bones were intact and limbs uninjured (except for a curious ache on the left side of her ass), but she let out a confused groan when she realized that she was hugging herself as if it were cold.
If anything she should be sprawled out to let off all the excess heat her body produced. When she tried to do just that, it took her clouded mind nearly a minute to figure out that her arms weren't moving. She let out another groan.
Finally working up the courage to open her eyes, she was pleasantly surprised to find that the room was very dim. She looked down at her chest to find her arms covered in white fabric. As was the rest of her torso.
She blinked.
That was odd. She'd never woken up in a straight jacket before. She looked up at the ceiling, her vision still blurry, to find it was a very familiar shade of green. Kind of like grass.
"Mff." Her eyebrows knit together and she tried again, "MFF!"
She felt around with her tongue, only to be met with hard plastic. That was also odd and very concerning. She was gagged.
"What the fuck…?" She heard Weiss say, her voice scratchy and laced with confusion. That couldn't be good. For Weiss, confusion often led to anger.
"Glad to see you're both awake." Blake monotoned.
Yang looked over, or tried to. Her vision was blocked by the side of a bathtub. Relief flooded through her. They were at home. In the bathroom, but at home. When she wriggled up a little, padlock on the back of her jacket clacking against the tub, her eyes widened.
Blake, who happened to be a right next to the tub and lying on her back, was covered in rope. Over her dark purple shirt, the ropes snaked all across her torso in intricate designs meeting at her stomach where they formed an octagon. The drawback was that her arms were tied behind her back.
She was looking up at the ceiling. Yang could practically see her rethinking all of the decisions she had made in her life.
Weiss…
Weiss was in a white bikini. Which was enough to make Yang's mouth go dry. But the fact that it came with a pair of assless chaps and a cowboy hat made her eyes widen so far she was scared they might fall right out of her head. That wasn't even taking the whip strapped to her waist into consideration.
Weiss was sitting against the door, her hands behind her, legs tied together at the ankles, and a small bruise on her forehead. She was also glaring angrily, as if daring Yang to say something.
Not that she could. But if Yang thought Weiss could be a character for a pornographic remake of Indiana Jones, that was a thought she'd take to the grave with her.
Her little sister was nowhere to be found. A little bit of concern wormed it's way into her mind, but somebody had to do all of this. Ruby had to be in the apartment then.
"What's going on?" Weiss asked, eyes scanning the bathroom.
Blake sighed. "Well, we're tied up in the bathroom."
"Yes," She groaned, rolling her eyes. "But how did this happen?"
Blake tried to shrug, winced, and laid still. "I don't know."
The heiress growled and struggled, a clanking sound coming from behind her. She scowled when none of her restraints gave way. "Any ideas on how we get out?"
"I'm pretty sure Ruby has the keys to your handcuffs and Yang's straight jacket. But if she's in her room, there's no way she'll hear us."
Yang wanted to suggest that Blake use her legs to help Weiss up, then Weiss could open the door and hop her way down the hall, but all that came out was muffled gibberish.
Blake sighed again, closing her eyes tightly for a moment as if preparing herself for something. "Weiss, don't freak out-"
"Saying that makes me want to freak out."
"-But I have a way we can get free."
"...Well?"
The faunus kept her gaze planted firmly on the ceiling, face completely blank despite the words she said. "There's a hidden pocket in my pants with a small knife inside. If you can use your mouth to get it and cut the ropes, I can go find Ruby."
Silence filled the room. Yang mentally prepared herself to die in the blast when Weiss inevitably exploded.
"Fine."
Yang stared, eyebrows almost up to her hairline. Weiss glared at her. "Don't look at me like that. We don't really have any other options."
Yang wanted to tell her that there were a lot of other options, but just shook her head. Her friends really needed to work on their problem solving skills. And they thought she was was the dumb one?
The heiress rolled her eyes and tucked her legs to the side so she could fall forward onto her stomach. Yang had to bite down on the gag to contain her laughter as the Ice Queen wiggled across the floor like a caterpillar with a look of determination on her face until she got to Blake.
Blake should've won an award for how composed she was, even as Weiss wriggled her narrow shoulders onto her thighs. Yang's face heated up, a little part of her mind telling her that she probably shouldn't be watching this. Her face heated further when Weiss undid both the button and zipper with her teeth in less than 10 seconds. She would have to ask how she learned to do that. And maybe for a demonstration.
She finally averted her eyes, choosing instead to look at Blake. Unfortunately, that was just as bad. Though Blake may have been the most unaffected person had ever seen, everybody had a limit. It turned out that Blake's limit was about two inches from her crotch.
"Which side is it on?" Weiss asked, looking up.
"Uh, the right si-" She cut herself off with a quiet groan, squirming.
Weiss froze, every exposed part of her body (which was a lot) turned bright red. "Blake Belladonna shut your mouth this instant!"
"Talking isn't helping." Blake hissed through her teeth.
There was a moment of silence before Weiss gasped, "Blake is this catnip?"
"Don't judge me while you're between my legs." She muttered.
Yang's mind was juggling mirth, jealousy, and arousal like a clown at a circus. She decided to settle on mirth.
Finally, Weiss scooted up further, a blade between her teeth, and began sawing at the rope. The rope came apart with a quiet 'snap', prompting Blake to wriggle furiously until her arms were free and drag herself quickly out from under Weiss. Yang had never seen anybody do up their pants so fast.
"I'll go get Ruby." She said, making for the door.
"Mmmf! Mmfmff!"
Blake sighed an unbuckled the strap of Yang's gag. Yang took a second to work the aches in her jaw before a smirk spread across her face and she looked at Weiss. "I knew you were gay, but I didn't know you liked both kinds of puss-"
The gag was shoved back into her mouth and rebuckled, Weiss screeching indignantly. Blake turned quickly and left the bathroom, leaving a very red heiress and an amused Yang.
The blonde leaned over the edge of the tub, looking down at Weiss. The girl had managed to roll onto her side and was giving Yang a venomous glare. Yang would've been content to give the woman a break, but the silence was starting to advance on her mind and make her squirm. It curled around her like tendrils of discomfort and cold fear.
She waggled one of her eyebrows at Weiss.
Weiss scowled, "Stop that."
She grinned around the gag, moving the other.
Weiss' scowl became more severe, starting to border on Goodwitch proportions. "Yang, I swear to god if you test me I will bite out your jugular."
Yang stopped for a moment, letting the pale woman relax slightly, before both blonde eyebrows danced across her forehead.
Weiss screeched.
Blake made her way to Ruby's room, pointedly ignoring the shrieking coming from the bathroom and the caution tape all over Yang's door. Her mind was still foggy from the catnip clinging to her clothes. She didn't know what she did to get it all over her, but it really wasn't helping the situation.
She knocked quickly and loudly, leaning against the wall. After a moment, the door opened to reveal a sleepy Ruby. She was wearing a red and black corset, a pair of very flattering tight leather pants, and what looked to be a cloak.
"Good morning, Blake!" She said, giving the woman a half awake smile.
Blake smiled back slightly, "Good morning, Ruby. You wouldn't happen to have the keys to Weiss and Yang's restraints, would you?"
The girl looked confused for a moment, then gasped and flitted back into her room. Blake closed her eyes groggily. The memories from the night before were blurry and unorganized, coming to her in the form of vague images and feelings. Mostly good feelings. She was tired, but the night of partying had left her a lot more relaxed.
"Alright, I got them!" Ruby announced, coming back into the hallway.
Blake nodded, starting back towards the bathroom. The noises in there had grown more alarming, but they could wait. She glanced at shorter woman out of the corner of her eye. She was aware how affectionate she could be under the influence, and considering where her thoughts had been lately, she really hoped she hadn't done anything disrespectful to her friend.
"I didn't do anything... inappropriate, did I?" Blake asked quietly, face carefully emotionless.
Ruby looked up at her, smiling. "No. I'm pretty sure Weiss and my sister had that base covered. I did carry you on my back almost everywhere though."
"I apologize."
"No need!" She laughed, "You kept purring and nuzzling my head, it was really nice. I had to put you down after you tried to eat my hair though."
Blake frowned. "Eat your hair?"
"Yeah. You said you wanted to know if I tasted like roses."
Blake was thankful that Ruby opened the door to the bathroom. She wasn't sure how to explain that.
The faunus smirked slightly at the scene they had walked into. Yang was thrashing around in the tub, shrieking into her gag. Weiss, who had also made it into the tub and was currently on top of the blonde, was doing her best to tear out Yang's jugular with her teeth. Blake was really going to have to talk about Yang and her fetish for almost being murdered.
Ruby didn't seem to see the violent nature of the scene, her face turning a bright red. "G-geez guys! Didn't you have enough of that last night!?" She squeaked.
Weiss practically threw herself off of Yang, landing on her backside by the side of the tub. Her face was a mask of horror, cheeks flaring red. "Enough of what exactly!?"
"You... You guys don't remember?" Ruby asked, a large grin spreading across her face.
Weiss simply glared.
"Oh my god, you don't." She laughed, pulling a couple of keys out of her pocket. She unlocked Weiss' handcuffs before moving onto her sister. Blake held Weiss back from strangling anybody as subtly as possible, steering her towards the kitchen.
Soon, the group was all gathered. Water and painkillers had been passed out to the hungover along with coffee. Ruby had her Cookie Crunch cereal, and Blake had her cup of tea.
Yang was content to lounge in the bright pink bra that had been on under the straight jacket, though she kept shifting around uncomfortably in her chair, wincing. Weiss had given up trying to preserve her modesty and sat at the counter like a cowboy at a saloon, looking anywhere but at the blonde.
"Alright." Yang spoke up, "First thing's first. Why the hell were we all tied up?"
Ruby smiled, as if they were talking about the weather. "Well, when we got home, you guys still wanted to go and party. I didn't think just shoving you in your rooms would keep you from running off."
"So you tied us up and put us in the bathroom?" Weiss asked, an eyebrow raised.
Ruby's smile grew. "Yup!"
"Rubes, where did you even get a straight jacket?" The blonde asked, frowning.
Ruby giggled. "I didn't. You already had it on when we came back. You got it at Safeword. That's where Weiss got her outfit too. And the rope."
Blake's eyebrows rose as the heiress stiffened, shoulders hunching and her blue eyes staring deeply into her coffee. The other two seemed oblivious to the woman's reaction. This was going to be good.
Yang tilted her head. "Safeword?"
"It's a BDSM club." Ruby said casually, shoving another spoonful of cereal into her mouth.
The blonde opened and closed her mouth a few times, expression cycling rapidly through confused, horrified, and intrigued before settling on protective. "How do you know a BDSM club? Who showed it to you? Do you even know what that means?"
Ruby cocked her head and Weiss seemed to almost curl in on herself. Blake sipped her tea.
"Not at first, but someone there explained it all to me."
Yang's eyebrows knit together, "Okay, but how did you know about it? No offense little sis, but you don't seem like the type to be into whips and chains."
"Oh! This guy touched Weiss' butt and she headbutted him so hard he passed out, so we got kicked out." Blake's eyebrow rose. That explained the bruise on the pale woman's forehead. She wondered how Weiss managed to reach that high. "We still wanted to party, so Weiss suggested the place."
Ruby smiled, Yang's eyes widened, and Weiss froze all movement. Blake simply sipped her tea, hiding the smirk on her face. She had pondered on Weiss being a dominatrix, but she hadn't expected to be proven right.
Very slowly, Yang's head turned towards Weiss. Her expression ran the gambit again, settling on shocked realization this time. "Is... Is that why my ass hurts?"
Weiss put her head in her hands, groaning. Blake just barely held back her laughter. Ruby wasn't as composed, breaking down into loud guffaws.
"No!" She laughed, "That's from when you got your tattoo!"
"Tattoo!?" She yelled, leaping up from the chair and unceremoniously dropping her pants. Weiss squawked, falling out of her seat as Ruby's laughing only got louder.
There, on the right side of Yang's ass, was what looked to be the Schnee Steel Company logo. Blake snorted, but it turned into her own laugh as she realized that it wasn't the logo. It was a spitting image of the tattoo on Weiss' chest.
"Guys! What is it!?" Yang whined, trying to twist so she could see it. Weiss looked at her, eyes wide as she turned cherry red. Yang followed her eyes, frowning. "That's not the side that hurts, it's the other one."
The blonde turned slightly. On the left side of her ass was a dark purple bruise in the shape of a hand with long, thin fingers. Blake's abs began to hurt.
"Yang!" Ruby managed to gasp between laughs, "It's not a real tattoo! It's henna!"
"Then why does it hurt?"
The younger sister managed to calm slightly, "Well, you were complaining about how it didn't hurt like a real tattoo, so-" She broke off into a fit of giggles for a moment, "-So Weiss, being the good friend that she is, fixed that for you."
"What!?" Yang began to twist more furiously as Weiss' look of dread only grew. The heiress lifted a hand slowly, making Yang turn pink as she put it over the bruise.
It fit perfectly.
Blake took out her scroll, snapped a picture, and showed it to Yang.
The blonde slowly pulled up her pants and sat back down, staying silent for a moment. "I'm never drinking again."
"I second that." The heiress murmured, getting up to take her own seat and downing her coffee like her life depended on it.
Best morning ever
After the wonderful morning and initial battle over who got the first shower, they managed to convince Weiss that they should take a day to rest. Yang, to let her ass recover. Blake, cause she was still feeling kind of groggy. Ruby, because she had something very important to do. And Weiss, because she looked like she really needed a nap. She caved at the mention of a nap.
Blake agreed. But when she laid down to take one in her dark, comfortable room, her mind wouldn't be quiet.
She had managed to push it aside for the night, but the thoughts decided that now was the time to continue pestering her.
Over the couple of hours that she laid in bed, she couldn't get a minute of sleep no matter how weary she was and began to get more and more frustrated. Circling through useless information and answerless questions for hours until she felt like she might pull her hair out didn't fit very well with her a idea of 'a day to rest'.
Blake got out of bed. She had been independent for most of her life, but she knew when she needed help. The only difference was that there were people to help her this time.
But who? Ruby would've been her go to, but she was a crucial part of the problem. Yang was supportive and had made it known that she was there if she needed, but she didn't need an overprotective sister punching her in the face.
She cracked open her door a bit, looking into the living room. She didn't know where Yang had gone. The blondes door was covered in caution tape with a sign that said nobody could enter until the hole in her floor was fixed. Ruby, on the other hand, had marched right in there as soon as Yang had left. Blake didn't know what the hell she was doing, but decided it was best to stay out of it.
Weiss, showered, rested, and caffeinated, sat on the couch with a mug in her hand and her scroll to her ear. Blake was starting to think that the girl didn't know what 'a day to rest' was either.
Weiss, though she was the emotional equivalent of a rabid porcupine, was logical and had a habit of looking at problems analytically and intelligently. More than Blake needed support, she needed answers. Weiss was the one she needed.
Her door creaked quietly as she slipped through and made her way into the living room. The floor was warm underfoot. She was glad the heiress kept the thermostat so high.
"No, father. I'm staying here and nothing you do will change my mind. Have a nice trip." She growled before stabbing the 'end call' button with her finger.
"Is everything alright?" Blake asked cautiously, sitting on the other side of the couch. She didn't want to pry, but she also wanted to make sure Weiss was okay.
The woman sighed. "My father and Winter Are going to Atlas until January. It's nothing bad. I'd rather not spend christmas in the manor anyways."
"I see." Blake said. Weiss may not have wanted to spend christmas with her father, but Blake knew that Winter meant a lot to her. She wasn't going to push her to talk about it.
The faunus steeled her nerves. Blake had been through a lot of uncomfortable conversations, but they never got easier. Especially when it came to talking about her feelings.
"Weiss, can we talk?"
The heiress looked at her curiously, but nodded. "What do you need?"
"Wha-"
She was cut off by a door slamming and Ruby running out of the hallway, a bright yellow laptop clutched in her hands while she cackled about old ladies and ran out the front door like a hyperactive whirlwind.
The girls stayed silent for a moment. Weiss seemed content to aggressively ignore what was sure to be bad for everyone involved. Blake followed suit, squashing her natural curiosity in favor of her sanity. Weiss sipped her coffee, expressionless.
Blake took a deep breath, going back to her question. "What is sex like?"
The heiress' eyes went wide as her drink spewed all over the coffee table with an impressive amount of force, some dribbling down her chin. Maybe Blake had been too blunt?
She wiped the coffee off her chin, looking anywhere but at the faunus as her face turned a light shade of red. "W-Well, Blake, when two or more people are attracted to each other, they, um-"
"No, Weiss. I know the physical mechanics of it." Blake cut her off, ears twitching. What did she mean by 'or more'? Weiss breathed a sigh of relief but seemed to regret it when Blake continued. "I want to know what it feels like."
The (usually) pale woman blushed brighter, both hands gripping her mug tightly. "What it feels like?"
Blake nodded.
"Okay." She cleared her throat. "Well, your body releases Adrenaline, which raises your heart rate and blood pressure. Dopamine, that makes you experience pleasure and happiness. And Oxytocin, that encourages trust and acts of physical affection."
Despite how clinical it sounded, it helped her wrap her head around it. Cold hard facts were easier to work with. "So it's exciting, feels good, and makes you happy. Kind of like cocaine?"
"Exactly like cocaine. Except legal. And cheaper... And better."
Blake blinked, wondering why the prim and proper heiress knew so much about cocaine, but wasn't about to push her luck. That was a question for another day.
Blake folded her legs, gripping her knees. "Does it... change how you feel a person?"
Weiss' blue eyes clouded in thought for a moment. "It depends on who you do it with and what the situation is. If you feel pressured to do it, it will negatively effect you. If you feel comfortable with it, it either won't change anything or it will positively effect you."
She set down her mug, turning so her body faced Blake. "If you do it with someone you hold no romantic feelings for, it can negatively or positively effect you, depending on how comfortable you are with them. Doing it with someone you do have romantic feelings for, will most likely have a positive effect."
Blake nodded slowly, taking a minute to process the information. It was a lot to take in, considering she hadn't ever had an interest before.
"What is the difference between romantic feelings and sexual feelings?" She asked quietly.
"The way I see it, sexual attraction is just that. Sexual. You have a desire to do sexual things with a person." Weiss folded her legs. There was a soft look in her eyes. That look was rare. It usually only appeared when she talked about her sibling or her music. "Romantic attraction is... a little harder. It is the desire to do romantic things, like kissing or holding or going on dates. It is wanting a relationship, I guess. That's where messy things like 'love' come into play.
"It is possible, and normal, to feel both, neither, or one without the other. It varies from person to person."
Blake closed her eyes tightly. What was it that she was feeling? She knew the sexual attraction was there, but still wasn't clear on the romantic feelings. Maybe it would be easier to find out when she talked to Ruby.
"What is love like?"
Weiss smiled slightly, "It's warm and 'fuzzy', like a very comfortable blanket. It hurts a little too, like your heart can't hold it all and it spills out of your eyes."
Blake cocked her head, leaning forward.
"And sometimes it makes you brave. Like you can take on the world. And even if you fail, you can pick yourself back up and do it again."
Blake took a slow, deep breath. That sounded really... amazing? Terrifying? If she was honest with herself, she wasn't sure how she felt about it. "Have you ever been in love?"
Weiss seemed to deflate. Her gaze fell to the space between them. "I... I don't know. I don't think it's strong enough to be called love. I don't think I can love as quickly or as... deeply as some."
Blake's ears flattened against her head and she frowned. She wasn't sure if Weiss meant she wasn't capable or if she had something holding her back, but it seemed like something that weighed heavily on the heiress.
"What do you mean?"
Weiss closed her eyes for a while. If it wasn't for how unsteady her breathing was, Blake might've thought she had fallen asleep.
When she opened them again, they looked tired. Not a tired that you could sleep for a while and erase, but the bone deep exhaustion that came from feeling trapped for too long. Blake had seen that look in the mirror on countless occasions.
"Blake, for a minute, can we talk like regular people? Like I'm not a rich heir, or someone famous. Just Weiss."
Blake smiled slightly, nodding. "Of course."
She took a deep breath, opening her mouth, but the door banging open cut her off. They really needed to stop opening the doors like they were the fucking SWAT team. It was very loud.
Yang stood in the doorway, hair sticking to the sweat on her forehead. She smelled like metal and sweat. Only Yang could work out with a hangover and a sore ass.
Her eyes found them quickly and she smiled. All of Weiss' muscles tensed, lips thinning with how hard they were pressed together. If Yang stayed, Weiss would never get this off her chest. She may have come to Weiss for answers, but the woman was her friend. If talking made Weiss feel better, then that's what she would do.
"Hey guys!" Yang said, waving.
"Your sister bought me drugs."
"Bye guys!" Yang said, turning and leaving.
Blake sent a mental apology to Ruby and turned back to the heiress.
"So that was catnip." Weiss said, staring at the door for a moment.
Blake rolled her eyes playfully, "Do we need to visit the subject of how much you know about cocaine?"
Weiss narrowed her eyes before letting out a sigh. "Touche."
"It's about Yang, isn't it?" Blake questioned, straight to the point.
The heiress fidgeted with her hands, nodding and bringing her legs up against her chest. "It's that obvious?"
"You guys take one look at each other and make the entire apartment smell like a whore house." If Blake was now an unfortunate contributor to the weird smell in their apartment, she'd keep that to herself.
Weiss turned bright red. "I see..."
"What did you mean when you said you can't love as easy as others?"
"I'm... not the best at trusting people." She murmured. "I can't just fall in love with someone and not expect to get stabbed in the back when I'm vulnerable."
"Yang seems very trustworthy. I'm not going to lie and tell you that I know she won't hurt you, we've only known them for about a month. But it certainly doesn't seem like she has any ultirior motives." Blake spoke up.
Weiss sighed heavily. "I know. To be honest, that's not even the problem. I find myself trusting her without even trying."
Blake tilted her head, "What is the problem?"
"She's... a very good person, Blake." The heiress rested her chin on her knees, "She is kind and caring, warm and welcoming. I don't think that it would be a give and take relationship. I have nothing to give and I would rather not drag her down."
Blake thought about her words for a moment. She knew that Weiss was not a selfish person, despite how she could act sometimes. The question in her head wasn't directed at Weiss, but herself.
If she were to pursue a relationship, what did she have to give?
She didn't have an answer.
"Weiss, you're not as bad as you think. You can be caring too." Weiss opened her mouth to say something, but Blake cut her off, smirking. "Don't act like you don't wipe down our instruments with disinfectant when no one's looking. Or how you hover over Yang when she makes dinner to make sure we get all of our vitamins."
Weiss blushed, muttering a curse under her breath. Blake found it amusing how both Yang and Weiss fussed over the band like parents.
Maybe Blake could try to be a little more caring too? She usually preferred to look out for herself, but now that she thought about it, she treasured her little band.
Maybe it wasn't about what you could give and more about how much you cared?
"You both have your flaws, Weiss. Stop worrying about them and let yourself be happy, yeah?"
"I guess you have a point." She said slowly, legs separating from her chest and folding neatly. "Although, I do not know if she has romantic feelings for me. If she doesn't and I make an unwanted advance, not only will it be humiliating, but I could lose her as a friend."
The faunus couldn't help but roll her eyes. Yang was so smitten with her, it almost hurt to watch. "I don't believe that's the case. But you'll never know if you don't try."
"That is true." A puff of air escaped the pale woman's lips. "But I don't really know how to... allure someone."
Blake blinked a couple of times, frowning. "I don't either." She scratched near her ears, eyebrows knitting together. If the romance books were anything to go by, Weiss was going to have to go on a quest to find some magic artifact. Not likely. Blake really hoped that she didn't have to either. "I'm sure we'll figure something out."
Weiss narrowed her eyes slightly, "That was a very specific line of questioning. Did something happen?"
A flash of panic flooded Blake's system and she stiffened, biting her lip. She forced herself to take a deep breath, reminding herself that she was safe here. Weiss hadn't judged her (not including her use of an illegal substance) or chased her away, so all odds were that she was in a safe place.
"I thought I was asexual for a very long time. I've never felt sexually attracted to someone before."
"Before? What happened?"
"Ruby happened."
Weiss tilted her head, "What do you mean Ru- oh, OOOH!"
"Yeah." Blake looked away as her face grew warm. She'd never get used to that. "It didn't happen when we first met, but lately I've been having a lot of odd feelings. It has been very confusing."
"Is it any better now that you have some answers?"
"Yes, actually." She said, allowing herself a small smile. It would be lying if she said she was happy. Her feeling were still twisted in knots, but now she had the tools to untangle them. "I feel okay."
The biggest smile Blake had ever seen split Weiss' face, her blue eyes sparkling with barely concealed emotion. Blake's eyes widened at the sight and she leaned back slightly, getting the vague feeling that she was in danger.
Then, as soon as it had appeared, it was gone. Though it left bright eyes and slightly upturned lips in it's wake.
"Fantastic. Well, if you ever need any help again, just let me know." She said happily. Happily. That was terrifying. Without another word, she got up and walked over to her room with a bounce in her step.
Even after Weiss' door slammed shut (seriously, what was everyone's problem with doors?) she sat very, very still in hopes that what she just saw hadn't been the end of the universe.
Then her eyebrows furrowed and she frowned.
Weiss hadn't cleaned up the coffee she spit on the table.
Ruby sat alone at a table in the corner of a cheery little cafe, her master plan already in action.
The windows were big and let the sun filter in to keep it well lit. The sunshine yellow walls and pearly white floors made it feel like a little patch of spring in the middle of winter. The conversation was hushed, but loud enough to drown out the sounds from the cars outside. With an old folks home right next door, most of the patrons were in their late seventies.
Almost everyone here knew her, with how frequently she went, and liked to buy her sweets and tell her how adorable and polite she was. And she would usually sit with one of them, but she was here on a mission. With her third mug of hot chocolate and a bright yellow laptop open to a folder labeled 'motorcycle stuff', all that was left to do was wait.
As she got to the bottom of her cup, the blonde finally walked through the door. Her sister had a look of slight confusion on her face as she looked around. Lilac eyes finally found her and she ambled over.
"Hey Rubes, I got your text. Also, did you buy Blake drugs?"
"That's not what I wanted to talk about. Take a seat Yang." Ruby said, purposefully avoiding that topic.
"Oookay. Is that my laptop?" She asked, sitting down across from the girl.
Ruby evaded that one too, instead leaning forward and staring very pointedly at Yang. "You totally like Weiss."
Yang cocked her head. "Of course I like Weiss. Don't you?"
"No. You like like Weiss."
Pink rose in the blonde's cheeks and she folded her arms, looking away. "I don't know what you're talking about. And we're not in elementary school, you don't have to say it like that."
Ruby smirked. She had foreseen this. "I see. Do you want to hear something interesting Yang?"
The blonde narrowed her eyes at Ruby's tone. "Interesting?"
"Yes. Do you remember when my laptop broke and you let me save my files on yours?"
"Yeah...?"
"I was looking for some lyrics the other day, and I came across this folder called 'motorcycle stuff'." She could see recognition spark in the lilac eyes, followed by a gasp. "I thought it was very strange at first. You see, I could've sworn you had all of your motorcycle stuff in a folder called 'Bumblebee'. Imagine my surprise when I looked inside."
Yang began to sweat, her eyes only growing wider and wider. "R-Ruby, you really shouldn't look in there."
Ruby ignored her, letting the smirk grow into a full on grin. "As you probably hadn't noticed, This cafe is full of very old ladies. In fact, the one behind me, Ruth, is very nosy. Don't you think it would be a shame if somebody pressed play on..." She scanned the crudely named video files, "' Atlesian girl tribs on rock hard abs'?"
All the blood left Yang's face, her mouth falling open. Ruby knew that, contrary to popular belief, her sister did have a sense of shame. Especially around old ladies.
The presence of the elderly turned her sisters speech from 'Holy fucking shit!' to 'Oh gosh darn!' like magic. She figured it had to do with that time she got beat up by a bunch of old ladies for saying 'fuck' one too many times.
And Ruby would take advantage of that to the best of her abilities.
"Ruby... do you even know what that means?"
"No, I don't. But I'm gonna find out real fucking soon Yang." She growled, finger hovering over the play button.
The blonde put her hands up in surrender, licking her lips nervously. "Okay. I get it. What do you want?"
Ruby sat back in her seat triumphantly. "I want the truth. Do you like like Weiss?"
"That's silly Ruby! I don't eve-"
"Oh fuck! Yes!" Was accompanied by a lot of wet noises that made Ruby want to cringe."You like it right there baby, don't you?"
Yang lunged across the table, slamming the laptop shut with a look of horror on her beet red face. "Oh my fu- gee wiz Ruby!"
Ruby bit her lip to hold back a loud laugh and waited for the attention they attracted to die down. Even Ruth's. "The truth, Yang."
The blonde heaved a sigh, sitting back down. "Okay. Fine. I like like Weiss."
Ruby nodded, knowing this was the case. "Good. Ask her out."
"It's not that easy Rubes, it's-" She reached over to open the laptop again, prompting Yang to hop up and press a hand to it. "It's just really complicated, okay?"
Ruby sighed, raising an eyebrow. "That's what you always say about things that are actually super simple. How is it complicated?"
Yang sank back into her seat, large hands fidgeting on the table. "I want to, I really do, but I don't think she's very... open to a relationship right now. She has a lot of things to figure out herself and I don't want to stand in her way."
Ruby deflated slightly. That was a little complicated.
"Even then, I don't think I'd be good for her. I know I'm hot and everything, but I'm not really the smartes-"
"Oh god! Don't stop-"
Yang slammed the laptop shut with a strangled yelp.
"Yang listen. We both know you're not the sharpest tool in the shed, but you know what?"
"What?"
"You're the fucking chainsaw!" She exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table. "And I don't know who wouldn't want to fuck a chainsaw!"
"Literally no one would want to fuck a chainsaw ever, Ruby." Yang chuckled.
Ruby glared, "It's a metaphor Yang! I'm saying that what you don't have in brains, you make up for in literally everything else. Besides, she's totally hot for you."
"R-really?" The blonde asked, a goofy smile on her face.
Had she really not noticed!? Sitting through them awkwardly and inappropriately flirt with each other all night had shed light on the fact that Weiss was really hot for her sister. In fact, the heiress had heard somebody compliment Yang's boobs and launched herself into a passionate speech about how her ass was just as nice. Ruby stopped her after the fourth time she used the word 'supple'.
"Yes, really." She said, figuring her sister didn't need to hear that story.
Yang's eyes found the table and she gulped audibly. When she spoke, her voice was very quiet. "I don't just want to have sex with her Ruby. S-She's really amazing."
"Oh my god." Ruby gasped, "You like LIKE like her!"
Yang's silence spoke volumes to her little sister.
"That's even more of a reason to stop pussyfooting around and talk to her!" She squealed.
"I'm not sure if it's the right ti-" Ruby reached for the laptop, "Okay! Okay! I'll talk to her after the concert. At least that way I won't distract her or anything." Yang muttered, pouting.
Ruby smirked. "I'm glad you're seeing things my way. Now, let's go home before someone gets set on fire without us."
Yang chuckled and got up, swiping the laptop off the table and clutching it to her chest. Ruby had to hold back a laugh.
Without warning, a freckled face pressed up against the window, green eyes wide as the person let out an unholy shriek. The sisters let out their own screams as the psycho scratched at the window like a zombie. Yang grabbed Ruby away from the window, clutching her to her chest as well.
Before they could snap out of their fear induced stupor, the person had ran to the door of the shop and charged towards them. Yang shoved Ruby behind her, the silver eyed girl peeking around her broad shoulders at the insane girl.
She stopped about a foot in front of Yang, prompting the blonde to step back and push Ruby back too.
She was nearly as small as Weiss and wearing a pair of neon green overalls with paint splattered all over them. A black long sleeved shirt came out from underneath. Her smiling face had freckles all over, two studs on each side of her nose, and metal glinting at her dimples. Thin black lines were inked at the corners of her mouth, falling down on either side of her chin and sparkling green eyes were locked on Yang's face like she had seen the face of a god.
"Sal-u-tations Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao-Long!" There was something odd about the way she spoke. Like some of the syllables didn't connect properly.
"H-How do you know our names!?" Ruby cried out. Getting murdered by a psycho in an old lady cafe seemed like a really shitty way to go.
"I am your biggest fan!" She announced.
"A... fan?" Ruby asked slowly, coming out from behind Yang despite the worried look she got.
"Of course!" She said, bright smile never faltering. Her posture was a lot like Weiss' too, back straight and shoulders squared. Maybe she was from Atlas? Were all Atlesians really short? That would be adorable. "I've heard both of your songs! Will you be making more music!?"
"Um, yeah, of course!"
Her nerves quickly began to fade as she saw how excited this girl was. She acted like they were famous or something.
"Sen-sational!" She cheered, pumping a fist into the air.
Ruby stepped forward to hold out her hand. "Since you already know us, what's your name friend?"
She gasped, grabbing Ruby's hand in both of her's. "My name is Penny!"
The silver eyed woman smiled and looked up at her sister, giving her the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster. Yang sighed and nodded.
"You want to come meet the rest of the band?"
Weiss cursed her stomach for what felt like the thousandth time as she rummaged through the cupboard under the counter. It was easy to ignore the hunger when she was half starved. Eating every day must've been spoiling her because she was positively ravenous.
With the only competent cook gone, she had no choice but to fend for herself. She pushed aside bags of chips in disgust. How did they eat those? Loaded with oils and fats and empty calories. Weiss shuddered.
She gasped slightly as she saw a bag near the back. She had never eaten potatoes without some form of preparation, but other vegetables tasted wonderful that way. Something as amazing as potatoes would surely taste just as magnificent, if not more so.
She pulled one of the lumpy vegetables out of the cupboard and shut the door. Looking around cautiously, she took a bite out of it.
It was definitely crunchier than she was used to, but she couldn't find much fault with it. It could use some salt though.
She felt a small amount of shame tug at her as she took another bite. Maybe cooking lessons were something she should look into? She felt positively barbaric eating like this.
The door flew open, signalling the return of one of her team mates. She choked slightly, eyes growing wide. To have her friends find her in this sorry state, eating a raw potato like a heathen set her nerves on edge. So she did what her hunger and anxiety filled mind could think of and crouched down behind the counter, making as little noise as possible.
"This is our apartment! I'll go find Weiss and Blake!" Ruby chattered excitedly. They brought somebody else too? Weiss' stomach dropped.
"Do you want something to eat?" Yang asked.
She heard someone gasp. "That would be wonderful!" The voice said.
Weiss panic grew as she heard heavy footsteps start towards the kitchen. She looked around frantically for an escape, but found none. Clinging to the last shreds of her pride, she quickly opened the cupboard and shoved herself inside, clutching her potato to her chest.
She held her breath as the footsteps grew closer, going back and forth in the kitchen as they talked about something Weiss couldn't quite hear. Finally the footsteps stopped and she let out a breath, taking another bite out of her potato as an afterthought. If she was going to be down here for a while, she might as well finish it. Weiss was confidant that she could wait them out.
What she did hear was Ruby's loud voice calling, "I found Blake! I don't know where Weiss is though, she wasn't in her room. We can't really announce the good news until she gets here."
"Sal-u-tations, Blake Belladonna!" The unknown person squealed. It was followed by the sound of rapid footsteps and scuffling. "Oh wow! You are very strong!"
"Blake, please put her down! She was just excited!" Ruby squeaked.
Weiss tensed. The way they greeted people was distinctly Atlesian. Most Atlesians thought of the people of Vale as savages and commoners, which wasn't nearly as bad as they thought of Vacuo. A strangely protective feeling rose up in her. How did she know Blake's name anyways?
The noise greatly decreased in volume, fading into something Weiss couldn't hear again. Her muscles slowly relaxed and she wiggled a bit to get more comfortable.
"Why don't you just call her?" Yang's voice called out from somewhere very close.
Oh no.
Because she could fumble it out of her pocket, her scroll began to chime loudly. All noise outside of the cupboard ceased.
Weiss stopped mid-chew as Yang opened the small door, her eyes narrowing in the sudden light. Lilac eyes stared at her, blinking a few times. She stared back like a deer in the headlights, watching as blonde eyebrows slowly knit together.
"What the fuck, Weiss?"
Before Weiss could kill her (she was the only witness so far), the rapid footsteps sped toward her and an excited girl pushed Yang out of the way with a surprising amount of force.
"Sal-u-tations, Weiss Schnee!" She said, her face much too close to the heiress.
Weiss refused to speak with her mouth full. So she reached forward and, as gently as possible, pushed the girl's face out of the cupboard. Slowly, she crawled out and stood up, straightening her shirt and swallowing the mouthful of potato.
"Salutations." She said, squaring her shoulders and reaching out with her free hand. "What's your name?"
The girl held Weiss' hand in both of hers, eyes sparkling. If she was effected by Weiss crawling out of the cupboard, she didn't show it. "My name is Penny!"
"Um, now that we're all here, I have great news!" Ruby said. Weiss looked over at her. While Ruby was smiling happily, Blake simply stared at her with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk. Fuck off Blake.
"Penny volunteered to be our opening act!"
"I see." Weiss said, "Did Ozpin agree to this?"
"Yep! We called him on the way over!"
Weiss nodded, tugging lightly on her hand until the girl let go of it.
"It was a pleasure to meet all of you, but I'm afraid I must leave. I have been gone for quite a while and my boss may be upset by my absence." She chirped giving them all a bright smile.
Weiss' eyebrows knit together. Had they abducted her from work? Where did she even come from?
Ruby gave her a hug, "Okay, we'll see you at the concert. Have a nice day Penny!"
When the girl had left and Yang had picked herself up off the floor, all eyes turned to Weiss. The heiress tilted her chin up defiantly.
"Weiss," Ruby said, "Why were you in the cupboard?"
Weiss' mind raced for an excuse. She couldn't just say that she was embarrassed and wanted to hide. "I... I saw a spider in there and I was trying to get rid of it before we could have more holes in our floor." It would've been a solid reply if her voice hadn't wavered halfway through. If they noticed, they didn't say anything about it.
"Is that a potato?" Blake asked, that infuriating smirk growing.
"A raw potato?" Yang spoke up, reaching for it.
Weiss pulled the potato out of her reach, glaring. There was no point in hiding it, they had already seen. Besides, she worked hard everyday to be the best singer and manager she could be. She had earned her potato, dammit!
"I was hungry." Weiss grumbled.
Yang ran a hand through her hair, looking troubled. "Do you know how to cook Weiss?"
"Of course." She lied.
"Would you like me to make dinner?"
"Please."
In a pair of fuzzy sweatpants and a red t-shirt that felt a little too small, Yang stood in the hallway. One hand ran through her hair and the other clutched a small pillow.
Waking up in a bathtub, getting blackmailed by her baby sister, and finding out that Weiss turned into a gremlin when you didn't feed her had made for a long, exhausting day. She'd love nothing more than to fall into her bed and sleep until noon.
That was where the problem started. The note and caution tape all over her door firmly stated that her entire room was structurally unsound. She wasn't quite sure how a tiny bullet hole did that, but she didn't want to take any chances.
She raised her hand and knocked. After a few moments, the door opened to reveal her favorite heiress/potato gremlin, already in her pajamas with her hair out of it's ponytail.
"What do you need?" She asked, eyes half closed. Had she woken her up? Yang suddenly felt a little regretful. She knew how much Weiss loved her sleep.
Yang gave her a sheepish smile. "Can I sleep in here?"
Weiss frowned. "Why not with Ruby?"
"She just kind of laughed and handed me a pillow." Yang held up the small pillow, rubbing the back of her neck. "I asked Blake too, but she smirked and closed her door."
The white haired woman narrowed her eyes at Blake's door, but nodded her head and stepped back. Yang pushed her way into the dark room cautiously.
The room was a little different from when she was in there last. The dresser and the desk had switched places for some reason. Considering who's room it was, it was probably to make it more efficient or something practical.
"If you have an extra blanket or something I can just sleep on the floor." Yang said quietly. It was one thing to tease someone, but another to invade their personal space in their room.
Weiss rolled her eyes, getting into the far side of her bed. "Yang, you've seen me completely naked and currently have my mark tattooed on your ass, not to mention my handprint. Get in the bed."
Yang winced. Her ass was still sore. She got into the bed carefully, as if it might break, staying as far away from the heiress as possible. The edge wasn't all that comfortable and the blankets didn't cover her completely, but at least it was a bed.
Weiss scowled.
"I just don't want to cross any boundaries." Yang explained nervously, eyes avoiding the icy glare.
"My boundaries are a half mile radius around me. Good luck." She huffed. Her shoulders relaxed slightly and she sighed, pulling Yang further into the bed and covering her with the blankets. When she spoke again, her tone was softer. "I trust you. So don't worry about that and get some sleep. We're rehearsing all day tomorrow."
Yang gave her a tired smile, relaxing. She felt a little warmer knowing that Weiss trusted her. Though the warmth and happiness couldn't compete with her old foes.
When Weiss had settled and closed her eyes, the silence and darkness settled on Yang, causing goosebumps to rise along her arms. She forced herself to take deep, even breaths when she began to shake slightly. It didn't do a lot of good when her ears began to ring. This far from the small woman, she couldn't even hear the soft, even breathing that had kept her sane during her last stay in the room.
She shifted uncomfortably, a sharp rush of relief hitting her when the sheets rustled. She could try that? Sheets didn't make a lot of noise, but she didn't need a lot to get by. And as long as she kept movement to a minimum, it shouldn't enough to wake up Weiss.
With a pitiful sigh, she began to rub gently at the pillow near her ear. It was doing well. The soft scratching sound chased away her demons enough that she didn't feel as though she were losing her mind. The plan was ruined when icy blue eyes snapped open about five minutes in, the color contrasting with the darkness and pale skin so much they almost seemed to glow.
"What are you doing?" Weiss hissed. "I'm trying to sleep!"
Yang flinched slightly, giving her slight smile. "S-sorry Weiss. It's just um, really quiet."
The glare lost a bit of it's frost, narrowing in confusion. "Isn't that a good thing?"
"It's... really uncomfortable." She muttered. Uncomfortable was a lot better than terrified. Weiss already saw her freak out over a spider, she didn't need to look even more pathetic. Especially when it was a girl she (in Ruby's words) like LIKE liked.
"Why?"
"I-I guess my mind just associates silence with thing that are bad.
Very bad. Vivid memories came to her mind, causing her fists to clench and eyes to squeeze shut.
Silence was all that was there when she woke up without Ruby next to her. Silence when her father was out of the house, looking for more chemicals to shoot into his blood. Silence when Neo looked at her like she was a piece of meat. Silence when her mother walked out the door and never came back.
She focused hard on her breathing, turning to face away from Weiss as she felt hot tears prick at her eyes.
She hated looking weak. There was no excuse for it. She was supposed to be the strong one. The one that holds everyone up when they can't do it themselves.
Another rustling interrupted the silence as small arms wrapped around her shoulders.
Yang stiffened slightly. "W-Weiss?"
"Everybody has things they're uncomfortable with. I told you I wouldn't tease you for it." She pulled the blonde closer. "You may be a brute, but you don't have to be strong all the time."
"Yes, I do. I have to keep it together for Ruby. I have to take care of her." Yang whispered. Her words were rushed and shaky. "She didn't have anyone for the longest time. I had a mom, even if she's not here anymore. She's been through so much and she needs someone to be strong for her."
"Do you want to hear something my mother told me?"
Yang blinked at the familiar words, eyebrows knitting together. Those same words had come from her own mouth when she held Weiss.
"Everyone is entitled to their own sorrow, for the heart has no metrics or form of measure. And all of it, irreplaceable." The words rolled off her tongue like a poem she had rehearsed over and over again. Each and every syllable lessened the pressure in Yang's chest that made it hard for her to breathe.
"So it's okay. Ruby's not here right now. She's safe in her room. You've taken care of her for long enough. Take a break."
The arms squeezed her tighter as the dam behind her eyes broke. Her hands reached up to grab them, holding on as if her life depended on it as everything crashed down on her. The years of stress. The years of putting others before herself. The years of loving too freely without being loved in return. She gave so much, and the only one who had ever given back was Ruby.
She didn't want the silence to come back, even if the only sounds were her muffled cries.
Though, she didn't have to worry about the quiet for long. A gentle, high voice drifted in the air and filled the room. It wasn't loud, but it covered the silence like a thick layer of soft snow.
"One life
Is not a long time
When you're waiting
For a small sign.
Patience
Is hard to find.
Shadows
Seem to fill your life."
Was that from her mom too? It didn't sound like the lullabies Yang's mom would sing to her. It sounded older and more weary. Something you'd sing alone at night after a hard day.
"Don't be disappointed.
Don't let your heart break.
Don't spend another minute in this way.
It's okay."
Yang bit her lip hard, bringing her knees up to her chest. The tense muscles in her body slowly started to relax. She pressed back against Weiss slightly, the woman simply holding her tighter in response.
"Dry your eyes now, baby.
Broken wings won't hold you down.
You'll take flight soon, baby.
You'll be lifted up
and you'll be there."
She let out a quiet sigh, tears starting to slow. Weiss couldn't know how much the words meant to her, But that was alright. She took comfort in them nonetheless.
"Twelve hours
Is a long night
When you're searching
with no hope in sight
Aimless
On the inside
And the damage
Makes you want to hide.
I know that it seems pointless.
I know that it feels fake.
I know you can't stand the thought of being stray
One more day."
Her eyes slid shut, breath evening out and muscles relaxing. She felt safe, even if the arms around her were only half as thick as hers.
"Dry your eyes now, baby.
Broken wings won't hold you down.
You'll take flight soon baby.
You'll be lifted up
And you'll be there."
Even as Weiss' lullaby came to an end, she didn't feel so afraid. For once, the silence was comfortable. Instead of something that made her ears ring and her heart race, it settled on her like a warm blanket that lulled her mind into a state of rest.
She felt weaker than she had in years. But she didn't mind. Weiss was right. Ruby was safe. They had made it and nobody was going to hurt them anymore. She didn't have to be strong anymore.
So, as she fell into the deep void of sleep, she let Weiss be the strong one.
AN: I'm back! I apologize for not being able to update for a while, I've been having some internet troubles (huge thanks to moonwatcher13 for suggesting an Ethernet cable!)
Thanks for sticking around and giving me all of those wonderful reviews! I'll try to have the next chapter up ASAP.
Until next time friends,
-Vox