Blake and Weiss landed in Kuo Kuana together on a Tuesday, at an airport that was much smaller than what either of them had become used to out in Atlas. There was a certain sort of nervous excited energy that buzzed in the air between the two of them. Both of them were more than acutely aware of just how much things could go wrong. Mostly, that would depend on her Blake's family's reaction to meeting Weiss.

One of the few things that the two of them had going for them was that Blake's parents had already been warned that Blake had someone coming with her. Introductions would have to wait for the first in-person meeting. Mostly, the last six hours had been an adventure partially because Weiss was for the first time experiencing normal airport security and economy seating.

"So they do know that I'm coming, right?" Weiss asked, sounding very nervous and almost skeptical of the information that she'd already been presented about what was to come. "Because I really don't know that this is going to go well. I know you told them you were bringing someone, but not… me."

"I think they're going to love you." Blake sighed, relaxing as the two of them got down to the baggage claim area. She walked over to one of the conveyors and waited, Weiss close to her side and gripping her hand the entire time. "Once they get a chance to meet you, of course."

Weiss nodded, pulling away to get her clean pale blue leather bag when it came by. She hesitated for a moment and smiled, soft and gentle. "You know," Weiss started, suddenly much more sentimental than Blake had ever seen her before. "We met at an airport."

Blake blinked because that was something that she definitely hadn't had on her mind. The realities of how she and Weiss had met were something that she hadn't even thought about since their departure from Atlas. She just hadn't had any need to concentrate on it. "I guess so." Blake replied, picking up her backpack when it finally came around the curve where she and Weiss were waiting. She'd had to leave her bike behind in Atlas for now, but when she was able to she was going to call and get Yang to help her get it home. "I think that the circumstances are a little better here."

"They are." Weiss sighed. "I'm not worrying about home, and you're not looking for a scoop. Now we just have to worry about-"

"My parents." Blake laughed quietly. She reached into her pocket to fish out her phone. If she was home then the least that she needed to do was make a phone call and make sure that her mother and father knew that they'd arrived. Her father had offered a ride home, but Blake had thought it was better for them to use a cab or a city bus instead. Blake knew herself- she was going to need the space anyways.

Whether Weiss would be open to it was a different story entirely.

"So." Weiss asked as the two of them walked out of the airport. "The plan is that we're going to be here until-"

"Until we have plans to get out of here." Blake clarified. The two of them had ended up with about two weeks before their departure, but in those two weeks things around Atlas had gotten strange. Weiss was having a hard time adjusting to the changes in her life, and Blake found herself obsessively checking The Fang's website and police logs. The possibility was very real that Adam had been bailed at that point, and Blake had decided to get out. She paid the last of her part of the month's rent and set up a plan with Yang to make sure that she could keep paying the last few months on their lease.

Weiss had called her friends in Vale, but hadn't been able to come up with a great opportunity just yet. She'd mentioned the possibility of looking for work there in Kuo Kuana, but hadn't expanded much on that. Weiss was used to high-ranking executive type situations. She had a business degree, and Blake was sure that she was eager to use it now that she was free of her family's leash.

Blake figured she'd try for the local paper at the least. In theory, work would be easy enough to come by. Ilia would probably give a good enough reference if she asked nicely. If she was lucky.

"It's going to be alright." Blake said in a weak attempt to comfort Weiss about where they were and what they were doing. They'd work things out. They were smart, and what was left in their accounts was enough of a cushion that they'd be able to get things going. Maybe it wouldn't be in the most comfortable manner, but it would be more than enough.

"I want to believe you." Weiss responded with an almost stiff shrug. The two of them stepped outside onto the curb, and Blake couldn't help the groan that escaped her when she recognized her mother's car sitting on the side of the road. Sure enough, her mother was there too, waiting excitedly for the two of them. "Blake?"

"My mom's here." Blake said, swallowing and looking Weiss in the eye. "Are you ready?"

"I think so." Weiss straightened her back and stood up tall, holding her head in a way which managed to demand respect. The way that she would have been trained to since the day that she was born. The way that she didn't need to any longer.

With that, the two of them were on the way towards Blake's mother's car. Blake spotted her mother standing by the door with a bouquet of flowers, the pretty purple lillies that Blake had always liked when she was growing up. Blake wasn't able to stop the smile that stretched across her face at the sight, since it was truly a pleasant surprise.

"Blake!" Kali greeted the two of them, rushing forward for a hug. "I am so glad to be able to see you."

"Thanks, mom." Blake accepted the hug, and in the process she reached out to take the flowers, looking down at them in her hands. They looked beautiful and fragile, just like she'd always remembered. She pulled away from her mother, and passed the flowers off to Weiss instead. They suited her better. Weiss accepted them with a blush on her cheeks, and then Blake turned to her mother. "Mom, this is— "

"Weiss." Weiss cut her off, holding her head up high regally. She reached a hand forward to offer a handshake. "Weiss Schnee."

"Weiss Schnee." Kali repeated the name, almost reverently. "I must say, I have heard quite a bit about you."

"Oh, I-" Weiss' eyes flickered away for a moment, almost embarrassed. "I'm surprised to hear that."

"We are so glad to have the two of you here." Kali charged on, clearly elated with the conversation. "Ghira's at the house, since he wanted to make sure that dinner was homemade. I think he might have also had a call to make-" She shook her head, clearly trying to distract herself away from what she was about to start rambling about. "He's going to be so happy to see you."

She pulled the door open to the car and hesitated, the keys resting loosely in her hand. "Get in, we don't have all day."

Blake climbed into the back seat of the car, and Weiss did the same once the two of them had packed their bags away in the car. Almost as soon as they were comfortable, they were holding hands.

"So, do you two have any idea how long you'll be staying?" Kali asked, starting the car. "I figure that the two of you will only be here for a while-"

"Just until we're on our feet again." Blake made sure to clarify quickly. She glanced over at Weiss out of the corner of her eye. Weiss was staring down at the flowers in her lap, almost peacefully.

"Blake is right." Weiss added on. "We're hoping that we'll be able to figure it out soon. I can help along with rent if that's something that you need-"

"Rent?" Kali laughed. "Oh, we figured that as long as you two can feed yourselves it's no harm to us to have you here for as long as you need. Will you need a room for yourself, Weiss?"

And that was something that the two of them hadn't quite discussed yet. Blake had figured that she would end up in her own old bedroom, but she'd wanted to give Weiss a chance to make a decision on her own arrangements. There was a guest room at the house, so it wasn't too much of a problem. Blake just didn't want to put that pressure on Weiss when it wasn't going to be necessary to do so.

"I wouldn't mind one." Weiss said, smiling softly over at Blake in a way that managed to be quite apologetic. "If that's alright."

"We can set you up near Blake's room. It shouldn't be any problem. Will that be okay?"

"It sounds lovely." Weiss smiled, her eyes closing. "Thank you."

Blake felt Weiss' grip on her hand tighten, just a little bit. She squeezed back, just enough to make sure that Weiss knew that she felt the same. It was a comfort, and knowing that Weiss would be close was something that Blake intended to keep in mind. They were in Kuo Kuana, and they were going to be safe there.

Blake was confident in that.


Weiss sat at the dinner table with Blake and her family. There was something about the whole experience of being in Kuo Kuana that felt wrong and foreign, but surprisingly... nice. It didn't have to do with the different plants or weather- it had to deal with Blake's family. Weiss didn't know that she ever would have been able to spend her time around people that seemed to genuinely care for each other, or treat every interaction as some sort of power play.

With Blake's family, she saw that. It was refreshing. It reminded her of Klein.

After their meal, when Weiss was getting ready to excuse herself. Ghira, Blake's father got up instead.

"Please, Miss Schnee." He said, sounding serious but completely earnest. "Let me show you to the room that we've chosen for you."

Weiss gave him a suspicious look. This wasn't something that she had been preparing for at all. "Of course." Weiss replied, casting Blake a glance that silently asked for help. Blake just gave her a smile in response. Weiss flushed and walked alongside the man. "Thank you."

He walked her through the building, steady and calm. "So, you are the girl that our Blake has been seeing in Atlas."

"I am." Weiss confirmed. Really not a conversation that she'd been preparing to have alone, that was for sure. "I know that this is all a surprise-"

"It is." Ghira agreed, stopping in a hallway and gesturing to a single room. Weiss went to it and pushed the door open, slowly and carefully. "But it's nice seeing Blake so happy with anyone."

"Sir?" Weiss looked into the room. It had already been made and prepared for her to be there, if the little vase of flowers on the dresser was any indication. They were the same flowers that Blake had given her at the airport. The blankets were on the bed, smoothed out without so much as a single crease. It was immaculately clean. It was like she was walking into a five star hotel room- or at least the property of someone that was looking to make an impression based on her name alone.

That wasn't the case here. Weiss had to remind herself of that, but that was the truth. She was there for Blake. Just until the two of them had plans moving forward that they could use. It wasn't about reputation.

"It's been a long time." Ghira sighed. "She's going to be next door to you. I expect Kali's already told you that, though."

"She has." Weiss walked into the middle of the room. Someone had already brought her things in. "Thank you for letting me stay here for a little while."

"As long as you keep Blake happy, we're happy to have you." Ghira said, standing by the door and giving Weiss room. The way that he stands there almost makes her feel closed in, but Weiss doesn't think that he's like her father. This is not about punishment- it's a matter of not intruding. "And I've... read Blake's article about you."

"Oh." Weiss' heart sank, just with those words alone.

"If there is anything that you think you need, please-" Ghira smiled at her. "Feel free to ask us. This must be a difficult time for you."

And just like that, Weiss felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She missed Klein, but if this was going to be how things were in Kuo Kuana she might have to get used to that. "Thank you." She managed to get out. "You really don't have to-"

"You're right." Ghira says, his voice even. "But we want to. I want to. If you need us, my office is down the hall from here and Kali's always around. All you have to do is ask, and we can get you anything we need. You're our guest, after all."

"Thank you." Weiss smiled up at him, feeling a little bit better. "I think I'd just like some quiet at this point though."

"Of course." Ghira stepped back away from the door, and Weiss felt the relief that washed over at that. The space was something that she could take her comfort in. He closed the door behind him, and Weiss let out a quiet breath.

She was alone, far from Atlas, and she was safe. Adam Taurus was far from her and Blake. Her eye was healing and that was about that was as good as things were going to be able to get. Blake was in the other room, and Weiss was able to go to her if she decided that she needed something.

This was good. She was safe.

Weiss gave the room one more look over before going to her bag and opening it up. She began to unpack it, the same way that she had done when she'd arrived in Atlas after her father's hospitalization. This was much better than that, even if the setting was unfamiliar to her.

She began to pack the clothes away, stopping when she reached the bottom of the bag.

Sitting there, still wrapped, was the gift that Neptune had given her.

She'd wanted to hold onto it for a time where she felt like she needed it. Now Weiss felt that way, and so she just seated herself on the edge of the bed in her room. Her fingers hovered over the wrapping paper.

It looked a lot less lovely in its wrapping than it had when she'd first been given the parcel.

Weiss turned it over in her hands, looking for some tape that she could peel away instead of tearing the paper. She finds it and gets the edge of her nail underneath the tape, opening it up.

Just as she reached into the opened up end of the paper, Weiss heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Weiss asked, keeping her voice quiet.

"Blake."

"Come in."

The door opened and Blake stepped in, closing it just behind her before stalking her way across the room. "What are you doing?"

"I was just trying to unpack, then I found-" She sighed, looking down at the package still. "This. Neptune gave it to me before I went to Atlas."

"And you hadn't opened it?"

"I know." Weiss smiled a little bit. "Sit with me?"

"I wanted to ask if you wanted coffee, actually." Blake offered. "Or hot chocolate."

Again Weiss missed Klein. It was exactly what he would have done had he realized that she was up alone and sad. Weiss couldn't even doubt that Blake wasn't aware of that either. She had to have been at least somewhat in tune in that way.

She took a breath. Tea wasn't her preference, but she wasn't in the mood for hot chocolate or for coffee. "Is tea possible?"

"Yeah." Blake said quietly, giving Weiss this look that Weiss wasn't able to read all that easily. It made her feel a little bit like she was being peeled apart. "Do you think that you're going to be okay here?"

"I don't know." Weiss admitted, dropping down onto her bed, bouncing just a little bit on the landing. "Right now I think that I just need to figure out what I'm doing."

Blake nodded and surprisingly took a seat beside Weiss, the errand that she'd been meaning to do apparently having been forgotten already. "You have time." Blake said quietly. "I think that we both do. At the least we aren't getting thrown out."

"I know." Weiss leaned in towards Blake, just a little bit. She let herself rest so that the two of them were pressed together, angling her head just a little bit so that it could rest securely on Blake's shoulder. Blake was warm and solid. Safe. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"It's no problem." Blake was looking down at her, that was something Weiss was sure of. "I think that we both need this. Being away from all of that, I mean." Her voice went quiet and soft in a way that Weiss couldn't help but think was almost apologetic. "You needed a chance to heal anyways."

Weiss touched the still-healing injury by her eye. It wasn't in the absolute best shape that it could have been, still just in the process of knitting back together. It was going to scar, but Weiss didn't think that she actually minded it. "I think it's going to be okay."

"That isn't what I meant." Blake said quietly. Weiss understood and nodded, tilting into Blake's body just a little bit more. She felt a strong arm wrap around her back and let herself lower down into the bed at Blake's side. She looked up at Blake and watched as her partner tied her hair back out of her face and grabbed at a light blanket.

"Do you want me to stay here for the night?" Blake asked, hesitating with her fingers hovering over the blanket. "Because I'll just be the next room over."

"I know." Weiss whispered, sitting up part way and reaching for the blanket herself. It was thin and soft, and the good thing about Kuo Kuana was that it was warm enough that it was probably all that Weiss would need. "I think I'd like you to stay though."

"Got it." Blake stretched out and pulled the blanket over the two of them. Weiss nudged her way in close, and Blake's arms wrapped around her accommodatingly. "I'm glad you're here."

Weiss smiled and shifted a little bit in the bed, edging her way up to press a gentle kiss to Blake's lips. "Me too." She whispered back, punctuating the kiss. "I'm glad I get to be here with you."

And gods, if that wasn't the truth. Weiss was at a point where she trusted Blake with her life and that wasn't a joke. Blake was safety and comfort, and danger and excitement wrapped up all into one package.

She couldn't have wanted anyone else in the world, and Weiss had a feeling that Blake knew it too.

"We should rest." Blake whispered back to her, voice even and calm. "Figuring out our lives can come in the morning."

"It can." Weiss stretched out, sleepy and content. "Good night, Blake."

"Good night, Weiss."

That night Weiss slept more soundly than she had over the course of her entire life. She wouldn't have traded it for the world.