Yang sat as calmly as she could in the back seat of the limousine. She'd had to physically still her right leg from bouncing up and down several times.
The blonde knew she was wired for action, not restraint. It had been a difficult lesson to learn, when to hold back and when to tackle things head on, temper notwithstanding. The diminutive white-haired girl sitting next to her had a good deal to do with said lessons, as she had a sharp tongue and acerbic wit to match Yang in all of her hotheaded glory and bring her back down to reality.
Granted, sometimes when she got herself spun up, Weiss would have the opposite effect of calm. When ice and fire clashed, bystanders best flee.
She let herself chuckle mildly at the thought. And the makeup sex ain't half bad, either…
"This will be fine," she heard Weiss mutter under her breath. At this point, her unending mantra over the past fifteen minutes could just as easily apply to the heiress as to herself. "This will be fine."
"Relax, babe," Yang murmured soothingly, giving her hand a squeeze from where she clasped it in between them on the seat. "What's the worst that could happen?"
The blonde chuckled again, this time at the incredulous, gaping look that she received.
"Yeah, okay, nevermind…"
Weiss let out a frustrated huff. "I just… I know this will be difficult. No meeting with my father can be anything but. However…" The heiress closed her pale blue eyes wearily and leaned her head back against the seat. "Winter will be there as well. This will be a couple of weeks full of judgement, I'm afraid, both overt and implied."
The blonde knew that as far as Weiss' family went, her father and Winter were it. Weiss' mom had passed away some time back, not as long ago as Summer so that the memory was still fresh and painful enough that the petite girl didn't particularly care to reveal the details. Only that ever since she lost her mother, her remaining parent had become more… demanding.
"I get it, you're nervous," Yang smirked. "I won't tell anyone. Your… Schnee-cret is safe with me."
Weiss cracked one eye open, the glare sufficient to send most mere mortals with good sense scurrying for cover.
Of course, Yang was anything but.
"You just need to stay calm, collected…" Yang's smirk widened slightly. "...and Weissy."
Both eyes were open now, but the glare was spoiled slightly by the slight upward curving of the corners of Weiss' mouth.
"And you don't need to worry about Winter giving us the… cold shoulder," Yang continued merrily. "I'm sure she'll be perfectly… Weiss."
The heiress let out a soft groan. "You are such an oaf," she sighed, placing her head on Yang's shoulder and closing her eyes once more.
"But I'm your oaf," Yang reminded her.
"True. Are you good now, got that out of your system?"
"Yeah, you know me, I'd never intentionally make you Yangry."
"Yang, sweetie… no…"
"I just wanna make a good impression, okay? Start the week off with a Yang?"
Weiss groaned once more, burrowing her face into Yang's shoulder. "Remind me again why it is I love you?"
"Because I'm insufferably hot?"
"No, no I'm sure that's not it…"
"The mind-blowing sex?"
"While that is a nice benefit, I'm certain there has to be something more…"
Yang reached over to gently lift the smirking heiress' face upwards by her chin. "Because I see you for who you are, and love and accept every part of you."
"Oh," the white-haired girl breathed, her smirk fading into a soft and wondrous smile. "Yes, I knew it had to be something like that…"
The blonde leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss against her lover's lips, heedless of any scrutiny they might be under from the driver or the security detail in the passenger seat up front. "I do love you," she murmured against Weiss' lips.
"And I do love you," Weiss replied quietly. "No matter what happens… over the next two weeks, please always remember that. How much I love you."
"How can I forget?" Yang grinned. "When I was the one to melt that heart of Weiss?"
The white-haired girl's eyes narrowed. "I can still toss you out of this limo, you know."
"Aww, don't be like that, princess…"
Weiss rolled her eyes and pressed her lips against Yang's once more, this time deepening the kiss.
As a strategy to get Yang to stop making terrible puns, it wasn't half bad. Definitely one the blonde could get behind.
o o o
They arrived at the White Castle soon thereafter. Yang craned her head to look out the window as they pulled through the massive gate, fortified enough to possibly hold up against a determined Goliath.
"Hey, Weiss."
"Hmm?"
"You sure this isn't a hotel?"
"No, sweetie," Weiss sighed affectionately. "This is my home."
Yang turned towards her, staring hard into her pale blue eyes. She'd found out long ago that they were the most expressive part of her girlfriend, showing her true thoughts under her normally pristine, sometimes prickly, exterior. And right now they shone with worry.
"This is not your home," she murmured intently. "This is where you grew up, nothing more."
Weiss blinked her eyes, worry now replaced by genuine confusion. "Then where is my home? Beacon?"
"Nope," Yang smirked. "Home is wherever you and I are together."
The heiress seemed to melt slightly right on the spot, her eyes now soft and inviting, like the surface of a warm summer ocean. "How can you make something so corny sound so amazingly loving?" Weiss murmured.
"I got me a lifetime of practice at being corny," Yang laughed softly, feeling the car come to a stop. "But you're the one who brings out the love."
Weiss giggled lightly, the sound like music to Yang's ears as always. She knew the normally reserved girl wouldn't be caught dead doing anything as undignified as actually giggling in public, or even amongst friends usually. But the blonde felt her heart warm at the knowledge that her girlfriend had no such compunctions around her.
Gods, she loved the sound of her giggle.
"You ready for this?" Yang whispered, a smile still affixed on her face.
"So long as you're by my side," Weiss replied with a whisper of her own. "Yes, I'm ready for anything."
They emerged from the limo still holding hands. Servants scurried around with the pair's luggage, trotting up the wide and stretching steps in front of the palatial building.
Actually, I think I've seen hotels smaller than this place.
Weiss had told her to expect to be greeted by George, the head butler who had been there as long as the heiress could remember, but instead another familiar figure was standing at the top of the steps, just outside the grand double doors. A person she'd never actually been formally introduced to, but the familial relation was undeniable.
Winter Schnee, older sister of Weiss and a Specialist in the Atlas military.
"Heeere we go," Yang murmured, giving Weiss' hand a steadying squeeze.
Confidence, don't fail me now.
When they were within a few steps of the top, Winter graced them with a small, tight smile. One that reeked of forced politeness. "Weiss, how lovely to see you again."
"Hello, Winter," the white-haired girl at her side said amicably and with a great deal more warmth than she'd been greeted with. "It was very nice of you to meet us here."
Winter's smile momentarily became less forced and more… longing? Melancholy? Yang wasn't sure how to interpret it, as it was whisked away just as soon as it appeared. All it took was a glance in the blonde's direction for the polite mask to slip down once again.
Ahhh, okay, good to know. So it's me, then.
Somehow I don't think this is a situation I can punch my way out of.
If nothing else, though, having Weiss as a girlfriend had taught her some amount of diplomacy. Even if it were through osmosis alone.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Yang said with as much politeness as she could muster. "My name is Yang Xiao Long, I'm Weiss' girlfriend."
She noted out of the corner of her eye that Weiss had blushed brightly, whether because she hadn't introduced her yet or the fact that Yang had blatantly brought up their relationship, she wasn't sure. But the blonde wanted to establish that right off the bat, as well as determine Winter's reaction.
The elder Schnee sibling narrowed her eyes minutely, and Yang could have sworn there might have been a hint of a sneer that threatened to escape from her lips.
"Indeed," she replied, her tone notably colder. "Winter Schnee. Come along inside, please."
With that the older woman spun on her heel and marched inside with military precision.
"So," Yang sighed. "Goin' well so far, yeah?"
Weiss just shook her head. "You'll have to forgive her, she's not normally-"
"Hey, it's okay," the blonde cut in. "She's definitely got a problem of some sort with me, but I can work with that. Doesn't look like it's us, or the fact that I'm dating you, but me personally."
The heiress frowned slightly as they moved inside. "I believe you're right," she murmured after a few moments. "I don't know what it could be, though…"
"Whelp, I'll figure it out." Yang gave her girlfriend a cheeky wink. "I got a vested interest in trying to make this work, after all."
Weiss sighed once more, but her frown slowly reversed direction into a very slight grin. "I'm glad you're here with me," she said softly. "I know I said it before, but… I mean it, really."
"I know, love," Yang murmured back as they followed Winter into what appeared to be a study.
If you could call a room the size of a basketball court, lined with bookshelves and overstuffed reading chairs, a study. She might have even been fooled into thinking that it was a library were it not for the ostentatious desk at the far end.
"I keep getting the feeling," Yang whispered out of the corner of her mouth, "that your dad is overcompensating for something…"
Weiss let out an inelegant snort of laughter that she quickly suppressed by covering her mouth with her free hand. She shot Yang a glare that held only exasperation and no real anger, which the blonde returned with a cheerful grin.
"So then," Winter began as she sat in a chair halfway down the room. "Let's sit for a bit before father arrives."
Fortunately there was a loveseat at an angle facing the chair, and Yang was quick to pull Weiss down next to her upon it rather than the two chairs that the elder sibling had indicated with her inclined head. The blonde caught the brief flare of anger in the eyes that were so similar to her girlfriend's.
Hmm, maybe my getting so good at reading Weiss will come in handy. Actually… from what she said, Winter is much more direct than anyone else in the family, let's work with that…
Yang cleared her throat as she settled back, Weiss' hand still ensconced within her own. "So, Winter… I can tell there's something about me that's bugging you. Wanna clear the air right off the bat?"
She ignored the quick shocked gasp from her side, instead focusing solely on the woman across from her.
Who, unexpectedly, gave a very small, though genuine, smile.
"Perhaps that's for the best," she murmured, crossing her legs at the knee while still maintaining her ramrod-straight posture. "I have a problem with your family."
Yang's brow furrowed momentarily before she suddenly recalled a conversation from some time ago that was eerily similar. "Ahhh, got it. You're talking about my Uncle Qrow."
"Full marks," Winter replied steadily.
Shrugging slightly, Yang gave her as guileless a smile as she could. "Whelp, all I can say is that I'm not my uncle. He's a good guy, really, once you get past the bitterness, and the drinking, and the combativeness, and…" She let out a slightly embarrassed cough. "Okay, you're just gonna have to trust me that he's genuinely a good guy. Took a lotta time out of his life to help raise me and Rubes."
"Now that I find hard to believe," Winter stated flatly. She held her hand up to forestall Yang's protest. "Not that I'm discrediting what you're saying, just… It doesn't match up with the man I know."
"Well, maybe you just don't know him as well as you think you do?" the blond opined. "Or in a setting other than you're used to dealing with him?"
"Perhaps." The older white-haired woman leaned forward, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I don't trust you with my little sister, though."
"Because of my uncle."
"Precisely."
"Interestingly enough, I heard the same thing regarding you from my Uncle Qrow," Yang replied levelly. "And yet, here we are."
Winter sat back once more, her blue eyes widened slightly. "Interesting indeed…" Her gaze flickered to their entwined hands, and a very slight look of distaste crossed her face. "As difficult as this might be to stomach… I do know from prior conversations with Weiss just how happy you make her."
Yang and Weiss shared a brief smile. "Believe me, the feeling's mutual," the blonde murmured.
"Very well." Winter stood up and smoothed down the front of her militaristic outfit. "I will… reserve judgement on you until I get to know you better."
"That's all I ask for," Yang replied earnestly.
Winter gave her a brief nod before leaning over to give her younger sister a quick hug, much to Weiss' surprise if her sudden stiffening was any indication.
"It's good to see you again, Weiss."
"You too, Winter. I've missed you."
"And I you. We shall catch up over dinner, yes?"
"Of course."
Winter turned to leave, but paused and glanced over her shoulder.
"Father will be along shortly to greet you both. I imagine he will want to speak with Yang separately. I'd advise going along with it… as well as keeping that same confidence you seem to exude."
"That's the plan," Yang smirked.
Winter offered the both of them another small smile before departing.
Both Yang and her girlfriend let out a relieved breath. "That went… well?" Weiss stated hesitantly.
"I think so. Kinda figured it had something to do with me, but I got two weeks, or however long she's here, to convince her I'm not my uncle. Not that he's a bad guy, like I said, he's just…" Yang paused, struggling for the correct words.
"Drunk and obnoxious when he wants to be?" Weiss asked with a slight grin.
"Well, yeah. You seemed to get along with him well enough."
"Well enough, yes. But I can see how his personality would clash with my sister's."
"Hmm, true…" Yang tapped her free hand on her thigh thoughtfully. "Well, that was the easy one, in any case. Still gotta meet with your dad."
"Yes," Weiss replied softly.
The blonde leaned over and placed a quick kiss on the crown of her white hair. "It's okay, babe. I can be charming."
"Charming doesn't mean shit with him," she growled softly.
Yang barked out a quick laugh at her girlfriend's uncharacteristic profanity. "Well, regardless, I can handle him."
Weiss just shook her head, but as she opened her mouth to reply the door to the study opened once more to admit a man in a white suit, striding forward with quick, determined steps as if he expected the very world to remove itself from his path.
Enter Papa Schnee. Showtime.
Weiss quickly let go of Yang's hand and leapt to her feet, dipping her head respectfully as the man approached. "Hello, father."
"Weiss," he greeted her curtly. His pale blue eyes, far colder than his younger daughter's ever were, focused only on the blonde now standing by said girl's side.
To be fair, Yang's gaze was focused on him as well. More precisely, the spot of hair that existed on his upper lip like a fuzzy white caterpillar.
The blonde was torn between incredulity and humor. People actually take him seriously with that thing on his face?
Fortunately the shock of seeing the facial aberrance gave her enough time to keep her face a neutral mask. Which was likely the only reason she didn't get booted out of the house on the spot for breaking into laughter.
Weiss cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Father, this is my girlfriend, Yang Xiao Long."
Yang started slightly at the subtle elbow the other girl sent into her side. "Er, yes, sir. It's 'stache… I mean, so nice to meet you. Sir."
Weiss sent her an appalled look that clearly said Are you fucking kidding me right now?
Yang returned with a slightly apologetic shrug. Hey, you're the one who didn't warn me he would look like a skinny walrus in a white suit.
"Yes, well…" The senior Schnee moved past the couple towards his desk. "Weiss, would you give us a moment, please?"
"Of course, father," she replied deferentially. She gave Yang another look, this one fearful, but Yang reached over to wrap her up in a brief comforting hug while her father's back was turned.
"It'll be fine," she said softly. "Trust me."
"I trust you," Weiss murmured back. "I don't trust him."
With that Weiss turned and strode out of the room, giving Yang one last regretful look before closing the door.
Yang took a deep breath and walked over to where Mr Schnee now sat behind his monstrosity of a desk, writing something out on it.
"I won't beat around the bush, young lady," he stated levelly without looking up. "My time is valuable. I suppose it was inevitable that Weiss would attract someone who would be after her money, and you certainly fit the profile. I'm a bit disappointed she hasn't seen through your charade yet, but I'll speak with her on this matter later." He finished writing, ripped a small piece of paper off and slid it in Yang's direction.
The blonde glanced down at what she now recognized to be a check. One written out with more zeros on it than she'd ever seen in her lifetime. Certainly a great enough sum to set her up for life.
"Are you trying to buy me off… sir?" She bit the last word off somewhat insolently, working very hard at keeping her temper in check.
This wasn't going at all how she expected.
"Don't be an idiot, of course I am. Take the check, leave my house, and never approach my daughter again. I'll see to it you are transferred to another team, as I don't believe I can change her mind yet about that ridiculous school."
Yang nodded slowly and picked the check up. Staring directly at the white-haired man, she let her eyes flare red as she sent a burst of her aura down her hand and through her semblance. She certainly had enough suppressed fury to spare at the moment.
Her fingers wiggled as the ash from the incinerated check floated away.
"Anything else you wished to discuss with me?" she ground out, her tone not matching the civility of her words in the slightest.
The man rose to his feet, giving the girl what he obviously meant to be an intimidating glare. "I am not a man you tell 'no' to."
"Whelp, that's too bad, 'cause I just did." Yang leaned over the desk, her fists clenched upon the surface. "Just so we're clear. I love Weiss. I'm not leaving her alone." Tendrils of smoke wafted up from where her fists rested on the desk. "I'm. Not. Leaving."
The man standing across from her ignored the smoke and the potential danger of the young woman who seemed to be on the verge of combusting. "I see."
He turned then and strode over to one of the windows, hands clasped behind his back as he gazed out across his expansive lawn that seemed to cover the area of a small town.
"Yang, was it?"
"That's right." The blonde stood up straight and crossed her arms, tamping down on her semblance and temper as much as she could. Losing it now won't do anyone any good…
"I have worked long and hard to groom Weiss as an heiress," the elder Schnee began with an almost musing tone. "I decided to indulge this… little fantasy of hers, to attend Beacon instead of a proper preparatory school here in Atlas. I figured the discipline would be good for her, one way or another."
He glanced aside at Yang briefly, his eyes dark and foreboding. "But make no mistake, she is heiress to this company, to my fortune. Someone like you, of such low social standing and dubious potential, does not fit into her role. If you are not in this for the money, then what is it you're looking for? Power? Influence?"
"Is it really that difficult for you to understand that we love each other?" Yang asked as levelly as possible. "And that's the extend of it? I don't want anything from your fortune, your company. I don't care about the money. The only thing I care about is Weiss and making her happy."
He let out a snort of derision. "Naive," he muttered. With a resigned sigh, he turned to her once more. "Very well, I suppose there's nothing immediate I can do about the situation without causing Weiss undue stress. Her potential is far too great for that. However…"
Weiss' father took a step forward, and Yang was struck by the sheer presence of the man, more so than before. Even the ridiculousness of his mustache paled in comparison to the intimidation that he now exuded.
"If I hear of even a hint of conflict, or that her grades or performance have suffered because of your… liaison…" He smirked darkly. "Well, I don't make idle threats. Just be prepared to face the consequences."
"Yeah," Yang murmured with a brief nod before gazing at the floor. "Got it."
"Very well. You are dismissed until dinnertime."
The blonde let out a snort at the cavalier discharge as if she were some underling or servant of his.
"Right. Good talk, Papa Schnee. Catch you later."
Yang spun on her heel, able to catch the slightly shocked look on the man's face at her blatant disrespect before she strode out of the room.
She didn't tear the door off the hinges, but it was a near thing.
Weiss was there in a flash, walking alongside with a worried frown.
"What happened?" the white-haired girl asked quietly.
"Oh, you know, the usual," Yang laughed bitterly. "Tried to pay me off to stop seeing you. Then belittled my worth, and finished up with a thinly-veiled threat. Looks like he's gonna blame me if your grades dip any."
Weiss took her by the arm and steered her furious path outside. They walked together in silence, Weiss maintaining her grip. Before long they ended up in a garden the size of a football field.
"Does he ever do anything halfway?" the blonde asked with a rueful shake of her head.
"Not usually, no." Weiss pulled her over towards a bench where they sat, now with their arms around each other. "Truthfully, I expected worse from him."
"Really?'
"Well, he didn't get overly violent."
"Violence I can handle. Um… I might have given his desk a few new scorch marks…"
"Oh, Yang," the smaller girl sighed fondly. She rested her head alongside the blonde's shoulder. "It'd be easier on you to just walk away, you know," Weiss continued softly.
"Ain't happening. Ever." Yang placed a quick kiss on the crown of her head. "You're not gettin' rid of me that easy."
"Hmm." Weiss glanced up at her, pale blue eyes warm and inviting. "Well, I suppose that's just as well, since I can't seem to let go of you either."
"Yep, we're pretty much stuck with each other."
"I suppose so. Might as well make the best of it."
"Yup."
"Anything else I should know about?"
"Um…" Yang rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. "I might've… called him… Papa Schnee."
Weiss let out a surprised snort, which quickly dissolved into the giggles that she so adored. "Oh, Yang…"
They rested like that for some time, just enjoying the peace and quiet before the dinner that they were both now looking forward to as much as clearing out a nest of Deathstalkers.
Actually, at least I'd have fun fighting Grimm.
Her spirits were dampened somewhat as she reflected upon her performance that day. She believed she had a decent chance of reconciling with Winter, at the very least having one family member on her and Weiss' side regarding their relationship. As for the other…
Yeah, no way is he ever gonna relent. Well, fuck 'im. I'm happy, and I know I make Weiss happy.
Somehow.
She was still unsure of how such an amazing, beautiful, and elegant woman such as Weiss had managed to fall for her. She really didn't have that much going for her, in her opinion, outside of her looks, fighting ability, and big heart. But, for some reason that had been enough.
I look around at all this, though, and I gotta wonder… Will she ever get tired of me? Is this the real Weiss Schnee, this mansion, this life?
As if in response to her thoughts, Weiss suddenly leaned over to plant a warm kiss on her cheek.
"Yang?"
"Hmm?" the blonde replied distractedly. She looked over to see a small but wicked smirk on her girlfriend, pale blue eyes twinkling merrily.
"Why the… Long face?"
Yang gaped at the platinum-haired girl incredulously. "Did you… just…" She grinned widely then, and pulled the petite girl into a crushing hug. "Gods, I love you."
Or maybe she's in this for the long haul just as much as I am...
A/N: Yay, finally the (extra-long) Freezerburn chapter! Also note, this is the only chapter that contains none of the Purruby girls! And will likely be the only one of that kind within this story.
So, next week's chapter will take everyone back to Beacon. The first night back will be… eventful. Let's just leave it at that for now as a teaser.
Fluffy fox hugs for my wonderful reviewers (though FF decided to yet again fuck up the reviews as of yesterday, sigh): Jack Inqu, ExKage, Gorsouul, NobleMETA, makoto-18, DeamonHunter, RealTerminal, ILikeHotDogs, Allen Ramsey II, kaiju62, Mossblomma, Boombox94, MakaS0ul, WyattMoore, THB4, Imagine Exorcist, ScaryGirl95, Marauderby, Lazy Guy91. Cheers!
Also, Marauderby, I almost fell out of my chair laughing when I read your review, as I'd already written this entire chapter with the 'stache and all. So it's safe to assume I feel the same way as you do, really. He is indeed like a grumpy Lorax.
Stay shiny!