Chapter 11
Having accomplished the day's errands and well nourished from a filling dinner, Neo and Weiss returned to their room and absently completed their nightly routines.
Neo was lost in her thoughts. This is pretty great! Another shower. More clean clothes. New uniforms tomorrow. I can actually wash my combat gear regularly. Breakfast, again! It's amazing to actually be satiated and not hungry. She thought about going to classes and learning. To be trained in proper combat techniques. To be surrounded by people that could be friends, not mere accomplices. In a few minutes, her friend would join her in their bed again. Maybe they could fall asleep cuddling again, like last night. Neo was amazed that the outwardly cold, icy Schnee girl was as warm and affectionate as she was. Well, relatively speaking… Despite the affection she showed Neo, Weiss was still incredibly reserved. Guarded. Seemed to hide her feelings. On the other hand, Neo thought she might very well be reading too much into the situation. It's not an area she had any experience in, after all. Who knows, I might be completely wrong. I guess I should just go with it. See what happens.
Weiss wrapped up her shower a few minutes ago, but stayed in the bathroom with her hand on the door. Her heart seemed to be straining to escape her ribcage for as hard as it was beating. Neo was outside that door. On the other side of the room in their bed. Their bed… She hoped Neo would be as affectionate as she was last night. That the tiny woman with the multihued hair would be bold enough to hold her through the night and let Weiss drink in the intoxicating feeling. She chided herself internally. Gods! You're pathetic, Weiss. Are you really this needy? You're a Schnee.
As she grabbed the doorknob, Weiss mentally prepared herself for onslaught of cuteness that would be coming from her bed. She steeled her nerves and deliberately took her time as she stepped into the bedroom. Yang and Ruby loudly debated over which was the best band in Vale while Blake was in her bunk, curled up with a worn, leatherbound tome. "The Curious Case of…" something that Weiss couldn't read due to the way the Faunus girl held the book. Weiss returned her toiletries to their shelf, pulled out a uniform for tomorrow, and slowly turned towards her bed. Neo was already tucked in. A pair of large, brown eyes peaked out at her from above the upper edge of the comforter.
Neo saw that Weiss was noticeably nervous. She just wanted to throw her arms around the girl and hold her close. Ease her nerves with something a little more pleasant. No, you're supposed to behave. Remember? Don't pursue anything unless Weiss initiates it.
Weiss smiled at the beautiful eyes watching her. Neo melted at that bright smile. Those shining icy eyes. That lithe figure. So weak. It didn't take much for Neo to want to abandon her pledge.
Weiss lifted the blanket and slithered underneath, as she got comfortable, she rolled onto her back and extended her right arm, inviting Neo to snuggle up to her.
That's all the sign I need, right?! Neo was giddy at the thought. Her apprehension was obviously misplaced. The way she worried whether her advances were welcome or not. She was so eager for Weiss's cuddles that she nearly knocked the wind out of the poor girl as she slammed her tiny body into hers. She tried, and failed, to contain her excitement at the thought of spending another night in those muscular arms. Neo wrapped her arms tightly around Weiss and hugged with all of her might, careful to only squeeze her half-to-death. Heedless of her prior apprehension, Neo needed to show Weiss how she felt. She gingerly placed her hand over Weiss's heart; taking care to not seem as thought she was going for the heiress's breast, before touching her own chest above her heart.
Weiss's mouth dropped. She didn't think she interpreted the meaning of Neo's gesture correctly, but was panicky at the thought that she might have. They didn't know each other well enough for that admission. Not yet! Maybe not ever…
Sensing her discomfort, Neo jumped out of bed, dashed to Weiss's desk and fumbled for a notebook and pen, scribbled a few words, and returned to bed.
I care about you, Weiss. Your friendship means so much to me, already.
Weiss felt more than a little relieved as she read Neo's note. She stuffed it under the bed and rolled onto her right side to face Neo as she pulled the blanket over their heads.
Whispering as low as she could, "I care about you as well, Neo. And I want to see you succeed. And I think, well, if you're interested, I'd like to give us dating each other a shot…"
Neo's eyes shot wide open and her smile threatened to reach both ears at Weiss's admission. She took both of the girl's hands in hers and held tight. She knew what she had to do next. Neo drew her lips together and quickly licked them so they wouldn't be dry. Weiss, unsure what to do, imitated the girl in front of her. Both women slowly leaned their heads in towards each other. Weiss began to tremble; she couldn't believe she was about to have her first kiss. Neo tilted her head slightly to the left and pressed her lips into Weiss's. She smiled as they parted, enjoying the light taste of Weiss's strawberry chapstick she put on after brushing her teeth. Neo's eyes flashed pink then white before returning to their normal pink/brown state. She wanted that taste again. She leaned in, more confident and assertive this time, and kissed Weiss again. She took Weiss's lower lip between hers and lightly sucked on it. As Weiss pulled back, Neo gave a small nip and smiled at the flinch it elicited.
The two were making slightly more noise than they thought, as they were unaware that the other three girls in the room were suddenly silent. Realization dawned on Ruby as to what was going on less than 10 feet away from her. Tears began running down her cheeks. Yang tried to comfort her little sister and put an arm over her shoulders, but this was too much. As fast as her speed would carry her, Ruby dashed from the room, not caring where she would go, she just had to get away from the girl that she lost. The amazing woman she never even had an opportunity to be with.
Yang sighed and caught Blake's eye. The Faunus girl shrugged.
"Uugh, Weiss," Yang tentatively ventured.
Weiss and Neo froze. "Y-yeah. Yang?"
"We, umm, we all forgot to eat. We won't be back in anything less than, say, an hour. You know; if that's good for you…"
Mortified, Weiss pulled the blanket down below her chin and caught sight of her teammates, except Ruby, who wasn't in the room, heading to the door.
"Okay. Umm, thanks guys."
As Yang reached for the doorknob, she paused, turned back to Weiss, and shot her a wink and a thumbs up as she held the door for Blake.
"Do you think they know?"
Neo grinned wickedly as she licked her lips and slowly nodded her assent.
Weiss was mortified, despite Neo's enthusiastic response. What if they know that I'm already giving into these desires even though I only just told them last night? What if they thought that we were doing something decidedly less innocent than just kissing? Yang would think so. Where was Ruby? She wasn't in the room when Blake and Yang were leaving. Ruby! How is she going to take this? She seemed a little hurt by the revelation that I might have a thing for Neo, especially since I never pursued anything with her. Weiss was startled from her reverie by a hesitant hand on her arm. Neo was looking at her inquisitively now, not with the wicked grin she wore a few moments ago.
"I'm sorry Neo, I just got lost in my head for a minute."
Cocking her head to the right, Neo raised an eyebrow.
"It's going to be really weird for me to adapt to the fact that I finally admitted that I'm a lesbian. That people are going to start knowing that. I mean, Ruby seemed to have her suspicions, but no one really knew." Weiss sighed slightly. "Ruby… She thought I was, but she thought that I just wasn't interested in her. And now I'm starting to spend time with you, right in front of her. She's… She's a complete little dolt! But, I care so much about her. She's my partner. My team leader. More than anything, Ruby's my friend, and she probably really needs a friend right now. Instead, I'm basically crushing her, aren't I?"
Neo thought about Weiss's concerns and nodded as she acknowledged their merit. But, despite the fact that she didn't really know the girl, Ruby seemed like the kind of person that would want her friends to be happy. Neo tried her best to share her thoughts with Weiss. She pointed to her own head then up to Ruby's bed and touched her heart before gesturing to Weiss and smiling.
Stumbling, "You think Ruby loves my smile?"
Neo wavered her hand before shaking her head no.
"You think Ruby…" Neo hugged herself and tapped her chest. "Cares?" Nodding, Neo made a 'continuing' or 'moving on' gesture before pointing to Weiss and smiled again. "…about my happiness?" Neo nodded thoughtfully.
"She does. She's really a good friend, but I worry that she cares more about others being happy than she does about herself."
Neo scooted over and held her close. Resting her head on Weiss's right shoulder, her left hand traced small circles on the Heiress's back. Neo thought to herself as she tried to comfort her friend, This is really so much for her to deal with, all at the same time. She felt bad that Weiss was forced to confront all of these emotions and worries at the same time. But she knew that Weiss wouldn't have to do it alone. She had her other two teammates. Nora and Pyrrha. And now me, Neo realized as she lifted her head to look at Weiss.
Weiss was surprisingly composed and calm. At least outwardly, at any rate. Weiss must have realized that Neo had picked her head up and was watching her because she smiled and lowered her head a little bit.
"Oh, shut up, you little pest!" Weiss laughed.
Covering her mouth in a giggle, Neo swayed and bumped her shoulder into her friend. The two women let their eyes meet as they both reached for the other's hands. Neo glanced towards their pillows and inclined her head back towards them.
Weiss nodded and let Neo get comfortable before she strode over to the wall and flipped the lights off. She joined Neo in bed and ran her fingers through her multicolored hair, "Thank you for being so understanding and supportive, Neo."
Even though Weiss couldn't see her well in the dimly lit room, she still turned up the corners of her mouth and nodded twice. As they resumed their cuddling, Neo placed the softest hint of a kiss at the corner of Weiss's mouth before she buried her head into the crease between her friend's neck and shoulder. You didn't even know me, and yet you saved me and promised that you'd always be there for me, Weiss… and I'll be here for you. To figure this out. All of it. I'll help you figure out this thing between us. The thing with your leader. I'm here for you.